The Archer's Castle: Exciting medieval novel and historical fiction about an English archer, knights templar, and the crusades during the middle ages in England in feudal times before Thomas Cromwell Read Online Free PDF Page A

Castle.  
           Hmm.  It’s harvest time and they brought half a hundred men from Restormel who should be working in the fields.  Trematon must be more important than it looks.  Or maybe Baldwin is too stupid or doesn’t care if his people don’t have enough to eat this winter.
           This time they don’t get in.  Finally, after his men pull far enough back at my insistence, we lower the drawbridge over the pond long enough for Sir Ralph and the Earl to cross over and reach the gate.  I open the gate a crack and speak with them with half a dozen or so of my guards behind me in case they try to push their way in.  The rest are up on the walls keeping a watch.
           Their message surprises me and I tell them as much.  Sir Ralph, it seems, is now offering to marry Edmund’s widow.  Marriage, of course, would extinguish any rights she might have to the castle and make Sir Ralph the undisputed owner of both the castle and Lady Dorothy.  I raise my eyebrows, wave my cross to bless them, and agree to convey the offer to her and get back to them. 
           “Tell her to hurry up and make up her mind,” Baldwin demands rather arrogantly.  “Until she accepts my brother no one gets in or out.”  He is quite full of himself and seems to think he holds the upper hand. 
           Earl Baldwin’s a rat faced little bastard and my initial impression is that he is even more arrogant and stupid than his brother.  Taking his men away from the harvest proves it.
           “I take that as a threat to do violence and I’m sure Lady Dorothy and her men will too,” I respond harshly. “So be warned yourself.  Until she decides to remarry and chooses your brother, you and your men best keep well away from Trematon’s walls - because in a couple of minutes I’m going to tell her guards that it’s time for them to begin breaking your blockade even if it means hurting you.” 
           Actually, I made a mistake; we should have killed them right then and there while the drawbridge is up behind them.  Ah well, done is done.  I’ve made many mistakes in my life haven’t I?
           After launching a few more threats and warnings the two nobles hurry away and the wall in the curtain gate slams shut behind them. Only then does the drawbridge begin to go down so they can cross the pond and return to their waiting men.  Their heads are together and they are whispering and waving their hands as they cross the bridge.  My response is obviously not the cowering agreement they expected. 
           Within minutes the drawbridge is back up and we watch from the walls as the Earl’s men spread out and surround Trematon.  That’s when I climb to castle turret and wave the signal sending one of my lookouts on the hill galloping to Falmouth to get William.  Then I order my guards to pick off any of the Earl’s men who get within range of their arrows. 
           And I must admit that I that I did suggest in the first message I sent to William that killing the Earl and his brother might be an opportunity for us. I hope William agrees.  If fighting starts it won’t end until either the Earl and his moron brother are dead or we are.  And that could be a good thing, the Earl and his brother being dead I mean – the Earl’s castle may be available if he is gone and we move quickly.
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           The next day Sir Ralph plays the fool despite my warning.  He arrogantly trots his horse around the pond and right up to the wall on the north side of the castle. 
           “What is Lady Dorothy’s decision?” he demands as he looks up to where I am standing at an archer’s slit on the castle wall.  He is sitting on his horse not ten feet below me.
           I know her decision because we have talked about it ever since the Earl and his brother first proposed the marriage.  I even share a few of our plans for George and assure Lady Dorothy that the