Arthur Rex Volume One by J A Cummings

Author:J A Cummings [Cummings, J A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-24T07:00:00+00:00

Arthur pulled his sword out of the Saxon’s body and turned back toward the fray behind him. The leader of the enemy troops screamed in rage and horror and lunged toward him, and near the ships, the attackers sounded a horn of retreat. Arthur’s horse was dead, but he shouted to his knights, “Follow them! Kill as many as you can before they reach the river!”

His men obeyed him, riding after the retreating enemy like divine wrath. The soldiers from the fort and Constantine’s men joined the charge, and Arthur ran with them on foot. They fell upon the Saxons as they attempted to board their ships, cutting down many of the attackers. The last survivors managed to crowd onto two of their boats and cast off, sailing down the river as quickly as they could go.

“Close the river gates!” Arthur shouted. “Do we have archers? Send fire arrows into those ships! Burn them down!”

His people responded with gratifying speed. Flaming arrows streaked through the night sky, striking the fleeing boats and the Saxons within them. At the river gate, a giant portcullis began to lower, ratcheted down by chains and gears one painstaking inch at a time. The first boat managed to cross through the gate before the barrier was in place, but the second boat was stopped.

From there, it was simply murder. The ship was riddled with burning arrows and set alight, and any Saxons who dove from the burning ship to the water were slaughtered as soon as they reached the river bank. The water of the Tamesas ran red with blood.

They burned the Saxon bodies on the side of the river while the citizens and soldiers worked to extinguish the burning buildings to keep the fires from spreading. Arthur went to where the wounded had been taken. A monk met him at the edge of the field hospital that had been created in the cathedral courtyard.

“What shall we do with the Saxon wounded?” he asked.

“Treat them. They are people, too.” The monk looked relieved at his response, and Arthur put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “Thank you for your good works, brother.”

“Your Majesty!” Sir Bedivere trotted up to him, his armor streaked with gore.

“How many of our people died?” Arthur asked.

“We are counting now. They killed many unarmed innocents.” He scowled. “They will be back.”

“I know.” He sighed. “Are you unhurt?”

“In every way that matters,” he nodded. “Sir Ector and Sir Kay fought brilliantly and they are both alive. Kay was injured, but he will survive.”

“How badly?”

“He was struck on the ankle by the back side of an axe head,” he answered. “I don’t know how badly he was hurt, but he cursed most eloquently.”

“And the rest of us?”

“Brastias is uninjured. Lucan, Griflet, and Gofrwy too. They are helping to search the burned houses for survivors.”

Arthur nodded. “See to it that the dead are given proper funeral rites in accordance to their faiths. Where is Merlin?”

“I do not know, sire.”

He shook his head. “I hope he made himself useful instead of just making himself scarce.

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