The King Is Dead Read Online Free PDF

They were wasting valuable bolts which they would need. My men halted.  Horses and men were exhausted.  The enemy gathered around their banners.  Sir Hugh rode next to me.  "Sorry about Alan and Robert, they were always a little too much like Viking berserkers.  They have paid the price."
    "Amen to that."
    "Now what?"
    "I don't know.  We have parity of numbers but they can't move unless we let them.  Perhaps we will talk."
    "Talk? Why not fight?"
    "Because even though we might win many of those captives would die.  I have a responsibility to save their lives.  If we have to then we fight.  If I can I will talk a solution." I turned to Leofric, "Have our wounded men taken to the priests.  They need to be healed."
    "Aye my lord." Leofric was the most organised of my squires and the most reliable.  John would be the better warrior but Leofric would make the better knight.  His Norman was as good as William's and he could write.  He was becoming as invaluable to me as Wulfric.
    I looked around and saw that we had lost neither knights nor squires.  That was a relief and Wulfric rode at my side still. Now that I was closer I could see that they had captured many people on their drive south.  From the bodies we had found I had expected it to be fewer. I had no doubt that we could defeat them.  My archers alone could pick them off at range but they were now using them as a human shield. I could not be that ruthless.  I took off my helmet and handed it to John.
    Turning to Aelric I said, "Have your men watch for treachery."
    "Aye Lord."
    I mounted Scout and allowed John to take Badger away. "Come William, let us go and speak with this Frenchman."
    I held my hands out before me as I walked my horse towards them.  I knew, without looking, that Aelric and my archers had their arrows aimed at the crossbowmen.  At the first sign of a raised crossbow they would release.  I heard a French voice, "Do not use your crossbows! We talk!"
    As I approached I watched as the knight called de Senonches took off his helmet.  I saw that he was younger than I was but he had a cruel look to him. He seemed to sneer.  I took in the fact that he had good mail and a well made helmet. This was a warrior. It made me wonder why he had not led the attack. I scanned his lines as we slowly approached. Although we now had roughly equal numbers I saw that his men at arms did not all have mail. It might explain why he had not committed all of his men to the charge.
    We stopped twenty paces from him.  I spoke bluntly, "Do you wish to surrender?"
    He laughed.  I could see that he had not expected such a question. "No, I thought you came here to negotiate for the captives."
    "Why should I do that?  You cannot go back to France north and south of here the road is blocked."
    He gave the slightest of frowns and then smiled.  "You have no men south of us."
    "Haven't I?" I gestured with my hand, "You have the road, use it and we will follow.  When you reach Otterburn you will see if I lie or not."
    He nodded slowly, "It is right what they say about you, son of a serf, you have a mind. However it does not change things.  If you give us gold we will return your captives and go back to Scotland."
    "We pay no ransom. These are our people and they are in England.  We do not buy back from thieves and vagabonds."
    "I like not your words!"
    "I am Alfraed Earl of Stockton charged by King Henry to guard these lands.  I care not what a Frenchman far from home thinks."
    He smiled, "Robert, show the Earl that we mean business."
    A huge man at arms walked over to the captives and grabbed an old woman by the hair. He dragged her screaming towards us. He took out his dagger and began to move it towards her throat.  I stared at Sir Guy de Senonches. He was testing my resolve. He shrugged and nodded to his man.  As soon as the man's hand moved there was a double thud as two arrows struck him. One hit his face and the other his chest.  He fell dead.
    I smiled.