Hosker, G [Wolf Brethren 02] Saxon Revenge Read Online Free PDF Page A

that I spoke to you as I did but you must understand that I know my body better than a priest and I need to be on the raids so that I can gauge their success… or failure.”
    As we mounted our fifty warriors I could see that the boy slingers were unhappy at being left behind.  I rode over to them. “I have a task for you warriors.” I saw them puff with pride. “I want you to train as many Elmet boys as you can to be slingers.  Show them how to make the missiles and hit as well as you do.” I glanced up at the king who nodded his approval. “We have seven days to prepare.  Do not let me down.” I knew that they would not but I merely wanted them to be occupied.  They were, after all, still boys and mischief would follow if I did not make them work.
    We headed north east towards the first Saxon settlement. No-one had been near it for a few days and I hoped that, if Raibeart and his scouts had been seen, they had been dismissed as a nuisance rather than a danger. Raibeart and I had worked out our plans for all the attacks. We would ride into the heart of their village if the gates were open and kill as many warriors as we could.  If the gates were closed then we would kill as many sentries as we could.  The important factor was that we could afford no casualties but even four or five dead Saxons would serve our purpose.
    The Saxons were a little less diligent than we were when it came to defending their settlements and they had only cleared forty or fifty paces of trees.  That suited us for it allowed us to approach quite close before we were seen. We could see that the gates were open and there were just two men watching the track way. They would be the targets for Raibeart and me. Garth led my mounted men and as he charged them towards the gate we loosed our arrows and the two guards fell dead before they could even raise the alarm.  We quickly followed our mounted men with our archers and we thundered through the gates. Garth and the equites were butchering the men who raced to fight the invaders.  We dismounted and one in four of the archers held the horses. We aimed at those warriors who were further away or standing on the walls.  It was a slaughter. We were mailed and prepared while they had been going about their normal business.  It was not glorious but it was necessary. I heard the screams of the women, the children and the old as they raced out through the southern gate.  I had made it clear that we could not burden ourselves with prisoners and they were allowed to leave.  Soon all who could flee had fled and all that remained were the dead and the dying. “Burn it!”
    My men quickly started fires in the Great Hall, the houses and the walls.  Others took weapons and anything else of value from the dead Saxons. “Now back to Loidis.” As I mounted my horse I was also aware of blood seeping down my leg and into my boot; the pain had become worse as the day had gone on and I felt a little light headed and weak.  Although I had only stepped on to the ground briefly the movements of the horse had aggravated the wound while we were riding. I was determined that none would know and I led the column of jubilant warriors home keeping a smile I did not feel upon my face.
    Wachanglen was but ten miles south and I knew that they would not only see the pall of smoke but would be receiving the first of the refugees.  We had to return as swiftly as we could to the safety of Loidis’ walls. “If they are all as easy as that my lord then this will be a swift campaign.”
    “I do not think, Garth, that it will be as easy the second time.  They will be prepared.  I expect them to keep their gates closed and to have more guards.  Our next attack will be different.”
    “And when will that be my lord?”
    “Tomorrow. Unless you are too tired from today’s endeavours?”
    Garth laughed, “I did not even break out into a sweat this morning.”
    “We must have killed fifty or six of them.”
    “There