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

bodies.  I knew one of those behind would despatch him and I was eager to block the gate with my men. Suddenly we were ahead of the ram and outside what had been the gate; I yelled, “Shield wall!” My men’s training took over and, quickly, we had two solid lines of fifty men. I could see the enraged Saxons who ran at us falling to Raibeart’s arrows.  It was vital for it splintered their wedge and they struck us piecemeal rather than a solid mass of men and metal. They had only fought the men of Elmet and, even though they were our allies, they were not the men who fought besides me that day. We had confidence in each other as we hacked and slashed at every Saxon we faced until their first wave was dead. It had been an unfair match up as each of their warriors faced two of mine.
    Wach and his bodyguard formed up and I could see the anger and the hurt in their eyes.  They were but fifty paces from us.  These could not be damaged by Raibeart and his archers.  The best that the bows could do was to weaken their shields.  Tadgh and the other slingers had ended the threat of the enemy slingers and were adding their attack to that of Raibeart.  It kept the shields of the Saxons up and that limited their sight. We had a chance.  They would be expecting us to stand and take whatever they offered but we would take the attack to them.  “Wedge!” I felt the men behind me move and I shouted, “Buccina, sound the charge!” I raised Wolf Slayer and roared, “For King Urien and Rheged.” My men almost pushed me forwards as we raced across the body littered ground to meet their warriors.
    Wach was not in their front rank.  There was a warrior with an open helmet while wielding a double handed axe. I feared him not.  I had already slipped a dagger into my left hand and my shield was studded with metal.  There was no axe made which could dent it but I would use it as a weapon. I watched him raise his axe to swing it at my head.  The man was brave but a fool. I ducked slightly and, as we met, punched hard with my shield.  The men behind him meant he could not go backwards and the blow took all of his wind. I was too close to use Saxon Slayer and I head butted him to the ground. As I stepped over him I stamped on his face and felt his nose and his skull crushed beneath my boot. Their wedge was no longer whole!
    I heard Garth roaring encouragement to our men and felt the whole line lurch forwards.  Although they had more men to push forwards the constant barrage from arrows and stones was negating the effect of numbers as men tried to hide from the wicked barbs and stones which Raibeart and his men rained down upon them. As the men before us thinned a little I was able to swing Saxon Slayer over my head.  Few warriors owned a helmet which could withstand it and I cracked open the helmet and the head of the warrior who bravely faced me. Many warriors wished to be the one to kill the hated enemy of the Saxons, the Wolf Warrior, but they had neither the skill nor the weapons to do so.
    Wach and his bodyguard were forming up as the remnants of their vanguard were vanquished.  They had endured much and, I suspect, had marched all night.  My men had had a hearty meal and a good night’s rest.  We could fight all day without tiring. Wach and his elite warriors would be a true test of the skills of the Wolf Brethren. Two of the Saxons came for me with Wach close by.  One had a spear which he jabbed at my eye while the other hacked over arm with his axe.  The rim of the shield deflected the spear but the axe struck at the same time.  I felt the spear head slice into my cheek. I raised the shield and thrust blindly with my sword. I felt it sink into flesh and saw the axe man’s eyes fill with fear as the sharpened steel entered his groin. I sensed, rather than saw, the axe as it scythed towards me and then Garth’s shield turned it away to embed itself in the dying axe warrior next to him. Before the warrior with the