[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
their heads.
So what are you waiting for? Stephen jabbed him in the chest. The little
bastard's lance still makes an ache in your side, does it not? You heard the
chatelain's advice. Let the knights ride with you.
Liege, those are my men, Bertrand interrupted. They are our castle's reserve.
You know, Bertrand, Stephen interrupted. That surrender thing... I've never
been particularly keen on it. Morgaine makes a case. These men have already
forfeited their souls. No reason to keep them fluttering around in this world.
The chatelain's stomach sank.
The holy lance or my dignity-that was his choice, was it not? Stephen's eyes
lit up. Now it seems that I will have them both. Won't I, chatelain? And
Morgaine... one more thing. I know how you enjoy your work, but do not forget
your real purpose out there.
The holy lance, my lord. My thoughts have never strayed from the prize.
Chapter 140
LOOK! A cry of alarm spread among the troops. Several men pointed toward the
Page 202
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
castle.
The gates of Bor e had suddenly opened. We watched, all eyes fixed on the
sight, not knowing what would emerge. Then, we heard the rumble of heavy
hooves clattering over the lowered drawbridge and saw armored men atop massive
crested chargers, trotting in rows of two.
Silently, we watched the deadly battle formation assemble.
No one moved. I knew even the strongest among us debated whether to fight or
throw down our arms.
Positions, men, I called. The troops remained, eyeing the ever-growing enemy
force massing on the ridge.Positions! I called again.
Then, slowly, Odo picked up his gigantic club. And Alphonse, taking a deep
breath, strapped on his sword. Then Georges and Daniel too armed themselves.
They took their places without saying much. One by one the rest began to fall
in. We gathered into a tight formation, like a Roman phalanx, covered by
shields. I prayed this final pretext would work.
Alphonse took a breath. How many of them do you count?
Two hundred. All armed to the teeth. Daniel shrugged. He continued to count as
they steadily poured out of the gate and took their places on the field. Make
that three.
And how m-many are we? the boy asked.
Never mind. Daniel sniffed, raising his weapon. What are warhorses and pikes
against a good hoe, anyway?
A stream of grim laughter trickled around the ranks.
What is this city, just one big fucking garrison? Odo shook his head.
On the walls, green-and-gold defenders of Bor e stood silently, gaining
confidence as the ranks of their horsemen grew. Chargers blew and snorted,
held back from the charge as knights adjusted their armor and weapons.
When the force was finally set, a sole rider walked his horse out of the gate
and took his place at the head of the formation. I expected Bertrand, the
chatelain, but it was not.
On his helmet, I saw the outline of a dark Byzantine cross. My blood went
still. Once again, I was facing the man who had killed my wife and baby son.
Odo swallowed dryly. He leaned close to me. Hugh, I know I've asked this
before...
Yes, I think it'll work, I told him. But if it doesn't... what's the cost? I
always thought you made a better soldier than a smith.
And you were a better jester than a general, he shot back.
I started to laugh, but suddenly my voice was drowned out by a terrifying
rumble from across the field.
Here they come! Daniel cried. Shields!
Page 203
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
There was a harried, desperate murmuring. People could be heard muttering
their last prayers. I slung the holy lance through a strap across my back and
took hold of a heavy sword.
The ground had started to shake. Shouting and cheers erupted from the castle
walls.
We linked together in tight formation, our perimeter protected by a wall of
shields. The drum of heavy hooves grew closer and closer, like an advancing
landslide.
Hold together, I yelled. Forty yards... thirty... Then they were on us!
Chapter 141
THE WAVE OF HORSEMEN crashed into our formation with the impact of a
hundred-foot crest swallowing up a ship. Sparks and shields and armor flew
into the air.
Our ranks staggered backward from the force, shields raised over our heads.
Steel came crashing down on us. But the men did not break.
A knight barreled into me, chopping furiously at my shield with an enormous
pike. My legs buckled under the heavy blows. All around were the sounds of
groans and terror, the chilling clang of iron, shields splitting against the
weight of steel, horses neighing, soldiers crying out.
Fighting back, I managed to pin the face of my attacker's pike against the
dressings of an adjacent mount. Then I lashed upward with my sword, praying it
would strike something. It pierced the armor just above his knee plate. The
knight howled, and his mount bucked. I was able to drag him from the saddle
and throw him under the hooves of his own horse.
Our ranks were already two-thirds encircled. Men groaned and dropped in place;
the ranks thinned. We could not withstand much more of this onslaught.
Back, I shouted. Now!
Slowly we started to retreat, still fighting in formation, making our way
toward the cover of the woods.
Across the way, I saw Black Cross righting with fury and rage, cutting down
men with a single strike, pushing his own knights out of the way. I knew he
was trying to get to me.
We made our way back toward the trees. Stephen's horsemen closed for the kill.
We continued to resist in formation. Someone's blade slashed across my arm.
All around, we were being encircled, a noose strangling our ranks. I saw Black [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl freetocraft.keep.pl
their heads.
So what are you waiting for? Stephen jabbed him in the chest. The little
bastard's lance still makes an ache in your side, does it not? You heard the
chatelain's advice. Let the knights ride with you.
Liege, those are my men, Bertrand interrupted. They are our castle's reserve.
You know, Bertrand, Stephen interrupted. That surrender thing... I've never
been particularly keen on it. Morgaine makes a case. These men have already
forfeited their souls. No reason to keep them fluttering around in this world.
The chatelain's stomach sank.
The holy lance or my dignity-that was his choice, was it not? Stephen's eyes
lit up. Now it seems that I will have them both. Won't I, chatelain? And
Morgaine... one more thing. I know how you enjoy your work, but do not forget
your real purpose out there.
The holy lance, my lord. My thoughts have never strayed from the prize.
Chapter 140
LOOK! A cry of alarm spread among the troops. Several men pointed toward the
Page 202
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
castle.
The gates of Bor e had suddenly opened. We watched, all eyes fixed on the
sight, not knowing what would emerge. Then, we heard the rumble of heavy
hooves clattering over the lowered drawbridge and saw armored men atop massive
crested chargers, trotting in rows of two.
Silently, we watched the deadly battle formation assemble.
No one moved. I knew even the strongest among us debated whether to fight or
throw down our arms.
Positions, men, I called. The troops remained, eyeing the ever-growing enemy
force massing on the ridge.Positions! I called again.
Then, slowly, Odo picked up his gigantic club. And Alphonse, taking a deep
breath, strapped on his sword. Then Georges and Daniel too armed themselves.
They took their places without saying much. One by one the rest began to fall
in. We gathered into a tight formation, like a Roman phalanx, covered by
shields. I prayed this final pretext would work.
Alphonse took a breath. How many of them do you count?
Two hundred. All armed to the teeth. Daniel shrugged. He continued to count as
they steadily poured out of the gate and took their places on the field. Make
that three.
And how m-many are we? the boy asked.
Never mind. Daniel sniffed, raising his weapon. What are warhorses and pikes
against a good hoe, anyway?
A stream of grim laughter trickled around the ranks.
What is this city, just one big fucking garrison? Odo shook his head.
On the walls, green-and-gold defenders of Bor e stood silently, gaining
confidence as the ranks of their horsemen grew. Chargers blew and snorted,
held back from the charge as knights adjusted their armor and weapons.
When the force was finally set, a sole rider walked his horse out of the gate
and took his place at the head of the formation. I expected Bertrand, the
chatelain, but it was not.
On his helmet, I saw the outline of a dark Byzantine cross. My blood went
still. Once again, I was facing the man who had killed my wife and baby son.
Odo swallowed dryly. He leaned close to me. Hugh, I know I've asked this
before...
Yes, I think it'll work, I told him. But if it doesn't... what's the cost? I
always thought you made a better soldier than a smith.
And you were a better jester than a general, he shot back.
I started to laugh, but suddenly my voice was drowned out by a terrifying
rumble from across the field.
Here they come! Daniel cried. Shields!
Page 203
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
There was a harried, desperate murmuring. People could be heard muttering
their last prayers. I slung the holy lance through a strap across my back and
took hold of a heavy sword.
The ground had started to shake. Shouting and cheers erupted from the castle
walls.
We linked together in tight formation, our perimeter protected by a wall of
shields. The drum of heavy hooves grew closer and closer, like an advancing
landslide.
Hold together, I yelled. Forty yards... thirty... Then they were on us!
Chapter 141
THE WAVE OF HORSEMEN crashed into our formation with the impact of a
hundred-foot crest swallowing up a ship. Sparks and shields and armor flew
into the air.
Our ranks staggered backward from the force, shields raised over our heads.
Steel came crashing down on us. But the men did not break.
A knight barreled into me, chopping furiously at my shield with an enormous
pike. My legs buckled under the heavy blows. All around were the sounds of
groans and terror, the chilling clang of iron, shields splitting against the
weight of steel, horses neighing, soldiers crying out.
Fighting back, I managed to pin the face of my attacker's pike against the
dressings of an adjacent mount. Then I lashed upward with my sword, praying it
would strike something. It pierced the armor just above his knee plate. The
knight howled, and his mount bucked. I was able to drag him from the saddle
and throw him under the hooves of his own horse.
Our ranks were already two-thirds encircled. Men groaned and dropped in place;
the ranks thinned. We could not withstand much more of this onslaught.
Back, I shouted. Now!
Slowly we started to retreat, still fighting in formation, making our way
toward the cover of the woods.
Across the way, I saw Black Cross righting with fury and rage, cutting down
men with a single strike, pushing his own knights out of the way. I knew he
was trying to get to me.
We made our way back toward the trees. Stephen's horsemen closed for the kill.
We continued to resist in formation. Someone's blade slashed across my arm.
All around, we were being encircled, a noose strangling our ranks. I saw Black [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]