Enemy of the Crown by Paul J Bennett

Author:Paul J Bennett [Bennett, Paul J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paul J Bennett

Twenty-One

Patrol

Autumn 967 MC

Captain Hugh Gardner pulled the cloak around him, for it was much colder this far north in the gap. He reminded himself it was, by all accounts, almost winter. True, there was no snow on the ground yet, but the cold winds blew with more frequency of late, and he knew it wouldn’t be long before the entire area was blanketed in white.

He looked at the men riding on either side of him. Many had served with him in Wincaster. Back then, the company was little more than couriers, travelling all over Merceria bearing letters from the king, then Dame Beverly changed all that. No, he corrected himself, that would be Lady Beverly, for she was now Baroness of Bodden.

“Are you with us?”

He glanced to his left at his new sergeant, Bickerstaff, who was grinning like an idiot. He’d come a long way since the early days when he could barely stay in the saddle.

“I’m fine,” replied Gardner. “Keep on the lookout, or we risk being surprised.”

“You mean like that?” The sergeant pointed eastward.

The captain looked to see a small cluster of… Well, to be honest, he didn’t really know what they were. They looked to be children from this range, but that couldn’t be right. He ordered the company to increase its pace. Beyond this group was another, larger contingent mounted on horses charging towards them.

“Spread out,” he said, “and prepare to engage.”

“Surely not?” said Bickerstaff. “They have no weapons!”

“Not the ones running towards us on foot—those horsemen over there.”

As they drew closer, he realized those in front weren’t children but thin, short individuals with pointed ears.

“Elves?” said Bickerstaff. “Aren’t the woodland folk taller?”

“These are the Wood Elves the vard spoke of,” replied Gardner. “Take six men and escort them back to Ironcliff.”

“Sir? What about the enemy?”

“Let the rest of us worry about them.”

Gardner led his men to the left, riding past the refugees while Bickerstaff and his small group slowed. Knowing they would be safe with the sergeant, he concentrated on the enemy to his front.

Whomever it was, had formed their horsemen into two lines and were doing a grand job of keeping those lines straight, which boded ill for Captain Gardner, for it meant they were disciplined troops.

He spared a glance at his men. Were they up to the task? Even now, some insisted his promotion had been premature. Yes, he’d seen battle in the last war and was recently promoted to captain, but did that qualify him to lead the entire company?

Gardner shook his head, trying to dismiss his worries, concentrating instead on the task ahead.

To his surprise, the enemy halted. Fearing a trap, he ordered his men to do the same, coming to rest some two hundred paces from contact. Mimicking the enemy captain’s actions, he urged his horse forward.

They met in the middle, neither with their weapons drawn. The entire thing felt like a joke as if hordes of cavalrymen were about to unleash their fury on an unsuspecting foe, but then Gardner’s opposite raised his hand in salute.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.