The Archer's Gold: Medieval Military fiction: A Novel about Wars, Knights, Pirates, and Crusaders in The Years of the Feudal Middle Ages of William Marshall ... (The Company of English Archers Book 7) Read Online Free PDF Page B

opposed to the king.”
            "Now they'll really be pissed, won't they?"  offered another of our priestly guests piously with a belch, "what with the king annulling his marriage to the Gloucester girl and keeping the lands she brought him."
    @@@@@
           We’d stopped early and the sun wasn't even starting to go down when the party of knights and their men finally appear on the road.  They started to go on past us, but then curiosity must have gotten the best of them for a couple of knights broke away from the main party and trotted over to where our men are lounging about and starting to build cooking fires and put up their tents.
           “You there. Who are these men?”one of them demanded rather arrogantly as I stood up and he pulled his great huge jousting horse to a halt in front of me.
           “Some of us are Captain William’s men from Cornwall, Sir Knight.  On our way to London to buy some wagons and sheep and such is what we are.  And you, Sir Knight?”  I didn't tell him that I'm William himself.
           He didn’t answer.  Instead he asked a question. “Are any of you knights or gentry?” 
           “No Sir Knight.  Not a one of these men was born to the gentry, let alone be a knight,” I replied with a nod towards the men around me who are watching us talk and listening intently. 
           “But we do have a priest with us if you need to buy an indulgence or some prayers.”
           I offered him that bit of information with a motion of my hand toward Thomas - who promptly waved a piece of newly fried flatbread at the knights to acknowledge my introduction and his willingness to listen to their sins and forgive them for a price.
           Thomas’s boys sat around him listening attentively.  They’ve all heard about knights,of course, and George and four of the older boys had been in the church at King John’s coronation and seen a good number of them - but harmless old Sir Percy at Trematon is the only knight most of the younger boys have ever seen.
           The knight’s only response is to rather arrogantly snort in disdain, kick his horse in its ribs, and ride back to his fellow knights who have pulled up and are waiting about fifty feet from where we are talking. 
           They began talking intensely and waving their arms and looking back at us as they moved to rejoin their little column.
    @@@@@
           “I tell you it’s too good an opportunity to waste,” the gray haired man said later at the table in Oakhampton’s great hall. 
           “Cornwall isn't with us so it's probably with John and we’ve got to start somewhere.”
           “Lord Roger is right,” a knight added.“I looked around while he was questioning their leader.  Not a one of them was wearing armor or had a shield.  Some of them had bows and I saw a couple with short swords but that’s about it.
           Their tents are very shabby and not a one of them has a banner on it.  No knights at all, not even any men at arms." 
           "That's no surprise," said another with a belch.  "Most of Cornwall's land isn't good enough to support any except for what the church already has.  I saw lots of young boys, though; probably along to herd the sheep.  Serfs probably.”
           “It would be good sport for the men.  Get the new ones blooded, wouldn’t it? We could tell the men they're outlaws and use that as an excuse if anyone complains.”
    @@@@@
           Things are nowhere near so optimistic and cheerful at the Cornwall camp. 
           “I for one am damned concerned, William, damned concerned.  All these knights and barons from the north down here when they should be up there or over in France fighting with King John.  Something’s wrong for sure.”
           “Unfortunately I think you’re right.  That’s why I just sent Raymond and his outriders north to watch Oakhampton.