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 B

of course, will have to stay at mouth of the river when they return.  Everyone except the sailors on them will go to Trematon.  We’ll send the horse carts back to get more supplies from the ships if it looks like we might need them. 
           The other thing on my mind is Sir Percy.  Right after Thomas’ second messenger arrives with his message Sir Percy trots into camp on his horse leading another horse carrying his shield and all his armor.
           “Hello Hello” he says as he slides off his horse and holds out his hand with a friendly smile.  “I’ve come to say goodbye.  I’ve been summoned to the Earl’s muster.  Well we all are, aren’t we?  The Earl’s knights I mean.  All seven us from around here and our men.  Probably two hundred or so I’d think.  Not that I have many men mind you.  Just Roger don’t you know.  But I sent him straight away to Restormel Castle to tell the Earl I’d be coming.  Yes I did.  Have no choice in the matter do I?”
           “What’s happening, Sir Percy?  Why the muster ?”  I know damn well why he’s mustering his men.  And Sir Percy knows I know.
           “Why Lord Edmund’s widow has flummoxed him hasn’t she?  He was going to marry his brother to her to get her castle but somehow he got himself killed instead of married.  Damn shame, of course.”  He’s trying to warn me and Thomas.
           “It could be dangerous.  She’s got a lot of friends, doesn’t she?”
           “Oh aye.  She does.  She certainly does.  But Baldwin’s full of himself and he’s got a lot of men in his manors doesn’t he.  But most of them aren’t real soldiers, of course, so it will probably go badly for us.  Probably be another Hattin.”
           “Well then.  Why go?  Why don’t you just stay in Falmouth and let them fight it out without you?”
           “Can’t do that.  Honor you know.  Gave my word didn’t I?  Probably shouldn’t have pledged my liege but I did.  Be the death of me I suppose, but there you are?”
           “Would you excuse me for one moment, Sir Percy?  There’s a matter I must attend to.”  ….. “Harold,   Harold come over here for a minute will you please?  I want you to meet a friend of ours, a very good friend.”
           “Sir Percy, this is Harold.  He’s the sergeant captain of all of our sailors and he’ll be wintering right here in Falmouth with our ships.  Harold, this is my friend Sir Percy.  We’re friends even though he’s the Earl’s sheriff here in Falmouth.”  The men smile at each other as they shake hands. 
           “Do you know how to swim Sir Percy?”  I ask. “No?  Well that’s good.”
           Then the faces of both men show surprise, a great deal of surprise, when I tell Harold what I want him to do next.
           “Harold.  We’re taking Sir Percy as a prisoner and holding him for ransom.  I want you to immediately take him out to the cog you’ll be on while we’re gone.  Keep it anchored in the harbor at all times and on no account is Sir Percy to be allowed ashore for any reason until I return - and on no account is he to be bound or in any way mistreated.” 
           I’ll give Harold much more detailed instructions about Sir Percy in a few minutes when we are alone - we don’t kill or mistreat our friends.
    @@@@@
           Dividing one’s forces is never a good idea so all of our men except Harold’s sailors are accompanying the supplies and coin chests we are taking to Trematon.  If the Baldwin and his men come this way they’ll find our camp deserted and all our ships in the river; we’re taking everything except the spare weapons and the amphorae filled with grain and other stuff that we’ve loaded on to the galleys.  They’ll be safe on the galleys while we’re away and so will Sir Percy.  I thought about leaving one of the coin chests with Harold but