Hosker, G [Wolf Brethren 02] Saxon Revenge by Griff Hosker Read Free Book Online

glory will come from the attack by your horsemen and mine as they slaughter the Saxons.” He was not convinced. “They have no horsemen and the warriors at the rear have no armour.  One hundred and twenty mounted men can cause large numbers of casualties if we time the attack well.”
    “Very well but I will lead them!”
    “As you wish. I will sound the buccina when I judge the time ripe for an attack and we will time it to coincide with our own attack from within. Garth, send our equites to the king.”
    Just then we heard, and felt, the thump as the ram struck the gate. “Bring boiling water. Raibeart, target the men on the ram.” The problem with this strategy was that it took the arrows away from their main battle line and that would allow them to close with the walls but if we lost the gate then we would lose the battle, and the war.  I heard the clatter of hooves as the horsemen mustered and then Garth was at my side. “Bring half the men from the other walls; put half behind the gate to repel any who get through and put the others on the walls.”
    The men of Elmet had braced the gate as best they could but it would not hold.  The redoubtable Brother Patrick led the women with the boiling kettles of water. “Good man. You men take the kettles and give the men on the ram a good dousing!” The archers were unable to strike the men on the ram as they were now protected by the shields of warriors sent forwards by Wach. “Raibeart start thinning out the warriors who are preparing to assault the wall.”  I heard the whirr of slingshots as the Saxons tried to hit my archers. “Slingers, take out the men with the slings.”
    Suddenly there was a hiss followed by screams as the four huge kettles were emptied over the ram.  Boiling water found its way through mail and burnt and scalded the warriors.  They dropped the ram and Raibeart’s archers ended their misery.
    It was a brief respite for more Saxons ran forwards to take up the ram and we now had no more water.  “Raibeart, take command here and I will join Garth to attack those who breach the gate.  Make them pay a heavy price for the entrance.”
    Raibeart’s nod was worth a hundred warriors; he would not let me down and I joined Garth and my warriors at the gate.  Garth grinned at me as he took his place on my right. “We will show them my lord.  It is blade to blade that will give us victory and Saxon Slayer will prevail.”
    The hundred men with us gave a huge cheer, making those on the ramparts look around. I drew the sword which had come to me, as though willed from above and as I raised it the cheers became a crescendo.  I hoped that their better and braver warriors had perished with the ram but I had seen Wach and his bodyguard and knew that there were at least a hundred warriors who would give a good account of themselves. I glanced up and saw Tadgh duck behind the ramparts; I caught his eye and he waved. “Remember you must survive to become a warrior of Rheged.” He nodded and popped up to hurl a stone at an unseen enemy.
    I watched as splinters flew from the gate and knew that it would not be long. We were in a wedge formation and we would have to hit them as soon as they broke through.  Raibeart had sent down ten archers to kill those wielding the ram and I hoped that the ram would block the gate and make our task easier. I also wondered if my leg would support me; it still felt stiff and I would need to move swiftly.  I was the point of the wedge.  Much hinged on how I could lead my warriors.
    With a groan and a crack the gate gave way and the ram lurched forwards.  Raibeart’s archers were good and ten of the men with the ram fell; the whole ram dropped like a stone and I leapt forwards. “Rheged!” I stepped over the two dead warriors. The first warrior I killed was prone on the ground and I severed his head. The man behind had no time to react as I smashed my shield into his face and stamped on him as I leapt over the dead