One Brief Shining Moment

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Tomorrow at noon, outside the northern gate of the city. I shall see you there - if you don't black out again first!" Sir Jaradan sneered, and stalked off. His casual walking stance was with the same deadly grace as a great lion stalking...

[cidracin]

Aldrydd called his friends togethor and told them all about his run in with Sir Jaradan. "So I would like all of you to accompany me to the fight tomorrow. I am afraid I have drawn the anger of Salisbury's finest swordsmen and would like you all there in case he intends to "accidently" draw more than first blood. And I would be very grateful if you could spend the rest of the day sparing with me. I do not wish to look a fool in front of the Lady Adwen." he added sheepishly.

[Bob of Beleriand]

Alain slipped out following the war council, taking the opportunity to explore the city and its amenities. Inspiration and penance guided him, changing his task of simple idle exploration to purposeful search. Scouring the markets to the point of exhaustion, Alain gave up, resolving to return again soon to accomplish his objective.

---

Summer punctuated the dull monotony of uneventful repetitive patrols along the border. Alain was a little taken back by Aldrydd scheduled rendezvous with Sir Jaradan. "I shall work with you as much as you require, Sir Aldrydd," Alain spoke with a slight measure of bitterness and frustration. "But I cannot say how much progress a single night of sparring will avail you of."

[Prince_Asuryan]

John spent several weeks recovering from his injuries. He felt especially grateful to Lardans, the faithful squire attending to him. John made a mental note to ensure that come the end of the year the Squire was lauded for his actions. While he was recovering, he continued to read books that gave advice on love and courtship, for his injuries had given him a fresh sense of his own mortality. Once recovered, he rejoined his fellows on patrol until the end of the period.

Once free to his own devices, John toured the city, talking to the nobility and generally learning about the people he now socialised with.

----------------
'I can help if you wish Aldryyd,' said John, the day before the fight. 'Though as Alain says, I do not know how much help it will be.'

[Anarion]

Sir Tinian spent his free time mainly at court. He found that there were many beautiful women there but none that explicitly turned his eye so far. He was able to hone his tabula skills and spent his free time idly playing his harp for anyone who cared to listen.

At Sir Aldrydd's summons he agreed courteously to attend him.

OOC: bah, failed an Intrigue roll ( 8 )

[cidracin]

Aldrydd graceiously thanked his friends for helping him in his time of need. Aldrydd spent the rest of the day sparring against them in turns. He retired befor it grew too late to ensure he got plenty of rest for the fight tomorrow. Aside from the day leang up to his fight Aldrydd had spent almost all of his free time in the city's library studying the books that contained lore about Faerie or riding his horse Aldo trying to improve his horsemanship.
OOC: I'll take ticks for riding and faerie lore intsead of sword.

[Calarion Sapherior]

Sir Tinian's harping was listened to by a few members of the court. Foremost amongst them was an older woman, Lady Indeg, reputed to have buried three husbands and be looking for the fourth! She flirted with Sir Tinian, gauging his attitude towards becoming her fourth husband, and finding his attention lacking,

The next day is rainy. Early in the morning, the Earl addressed the court, and all had to listen carefully to hear his quiet voice over the roar of the weather.

"I have just received word that a new Saxon army has landed in the east. It is led by King Aethelswith, and he leads a thousand Saxons. Meanwhile, the Saxons led by their King Aelle are attacking eastern Silchester in force. King Uther has sent his messengers to tell me this, and to ordered all of Logres to muster in the City of Silchester to do battle with King Aelle. In the wake of this news, I have dispatched riders to summon all the forces of Salisbury to arms! We will not let these Saxons continue to rape and pillage across Cymric lands! Do what you must do this morning. We shall have our luncheon here, and then we ride to war!"

[Anarion]

Sir Tinian pondered this news. If the Saxons were attacking Silchester, then what were they to make of the situation in Levcomagus. They'd still heard nothing from their spies, to his knowledge. Was Sir Rhisiart alone of the Silchester knights in league with the Saxons? Perhaps they'd been wrong and it was just an emissary. But how would that explain their near lethal pursuit?

He asked the Earl this, not knowing if he would get a response. "My lord, dare we leave our flanks and home unguarded to protect Silchester, when they are the very ones we have reason to mistrust? What if we ride in force and our own homes are attacked whilst we do not guard them?"

[Prince_Asuryan]

'Tinian, it makes no difference, we must answer the call of the King.' John spoke hurriedly. 'Though maybe it would be wise to leave some to defend Sarum just in case...'

[Calarion Sapherior]

"Sir Tinian, Sir John, we will of course leave a garrison behind us, enough to fight off the Steward's forces should he attack. It seems to me that this is the sort of situation which their meetings might have been leading to; however, should they attack, we have enough strength still to repel them, and then their treason will be revealed for all of Logres to see."

[Krusader]

The months after the flight from Levcomagus Gaius had spent training riding his horses and fighting with the sword. He had wished to learn more about the court and politics, but with war looming on the horizon his focus had gone elsewhere. He had also done his best to train his squire Bran.

-----

Gaius nodded at Aldrydd's request. "I will be there" he said, hiding as best he could his disapproving mood. Aldrydd would be hard-pressed against Sir Jaradar, but he hoped his fellow knight would win.

The following morning Gaius heard with unease about the Saxon invasions, but his mind was also alarmed at something else. Luckily Tinian also had the same concerns.

OOC: Trained Sword & Horsemanship.

[Prince_Asuryan]

John nodded, appeased. Turning to Lardans, he gave out some hasty orders.

'Get our horses, and my chainmail. Make sure you bring the extra pair I picked up on that patrol.' He thought briefly. 'And bring the charger we picked up as well - you never know.'

Nodding, the young squire dashed off to prepare his masters orders.


OOC: For reference, trained Romance and riding.

[Calarion Sapherior]

Sir Jaradan approached Sir Aldrydd. "Sir Aldrydd, I would prefer that we not resolve our duel at this time; I wish for friendship if we are going to war. Besides, if the victor today perished fighting Saxons, that would rather undo the results of the duel. I propose we change the terms of our wager: whoever wins the greatest glory on the field shall win our little duel. Is this acceptable to you? If you would rather settle this with swords, we can get this over and done with right now."

[cidracin]

"That sounds fine. I too would prefer friendship to antimosity with war looming on the horizon. I also don't think this an approprate time for us to be dueling with blades. So I accect the changes to our duel Sir Jaradan, he who gsrners the most glory on the field of battle is the winner." Having said that Aldrydd grasped Sir Jaradan's hand in a warriors handshake.

[Calarion Sapherior]

Sir Jaradan accepted Sir Aldrydd's handshake. He was not the only one who needed to acquire great glory on the battlefield: Bran, Sir Gaius' squire, pointed out to Alain that although a squire was not usually permitted to fight, if Alain managed to win great glory for himself, then he would almost certainly overcome the disgrace which he currently suffered under, and be knighted.

The armies of Salisbury began assembling throughout the morning. The Earl had wasted no time in acting once he learnt of the Saxon invasion, and the muster proceeded with terrifying speed. It was a good sign of the importance of being energetic and active: should ever the invasion come to Salisbury, Earl Roderick would be able to counterattack with devestating swiftness.

After luncheon, Earl Roderick designated Sir Amig of Tilshead as the leader of Salisbury's defenders, and assigned various knights to remain behind. All of the young knights were chosen to come to war. Then it began to march: east to Du Plain Castle, where it met a further muster. It camped outside Du Plain that night, and then the next day continued to march through the plain, driven by boisterous and lewd songs. The quickest route to Silchester would be north-east, through Levcomagus; for that reason, the Earl had decided instead to pass through Winchester and then taking the north road. After several days of travel, the army came in sight of a sea of tents pitched outside a mighty walled city: Silchester, home of Duke Ulfius, the right-hand man of the King. Hundreds of colourful flags and pennants fluttered in a brisk wind. The assembled army of Logres was mighty indeed.

As tents were pitched on the edge of the encampment, several men approached the Earl. The young knights' tents were close enough that they could see and hear the men. The first was an angry-looking man with a rugged white-streaked beard; he cast his eyes around constantly, and kept one hand on the hilt of his sword. The second was a young man with long dark hair, clad in rich clothing; the third, an man tremendous in size and spirit, with thick hair and a booming voice to match.



It was King Uther.

"Roderick!" the King roared happily, and laughed as he embraced the much smaller Earl. "Good to see you could join us! We've got some Saxons to be killing!"

"When the King calls, Salisbury answers," Earl Roderick said.

"Of course, of course!" Uther bellowed. His voice was as large as the rest of him: it seemed that everyone in the camp could not help but hear. "Not like that old weasel Gorlois! The rat's back in Cornwall. I hear he has some new tart; he's bedding her rather than fighting with us here!"

The young man said, "He's not the only one not here. Duke Lucius isn't here; though that's by order. The newly arrived Saxons under Aethelswith are attacking Caercolun even as we speak, so the Duke's defending his lands up there. The Duke of Lindsey's only sent a token force too, and barely even that."

"We'll be hard-pressed to defeat Aelle with only this many men," Earl Roderick said. "Unless... what about Merlin?"

"Bah!" the King snorted; and then looked around nervously, as if Merlin himself might have heard him, and actually lowered his voice. "He showed up at Mount Damen last year. I suppose you heard that we got our arses handed to us by the Saxons outside Eburacum. It was worse than you heard: I thought we were all going to die. Bloody Saxons were everywhere, they had us surrounded and outnumbered. Then he appeared and spirited us all out. When we won at Mount Damen, it was because of his magic. But then he vanished again. No sign of him since then."

"I don't know what game Merlin plays at," the young man said. "If he really does want to help us, we could use his magic here, now."

"Now, now. Magic is tiring. I guess he has to rest every so often. Come, Roderick; Ulfius and the others are waiting inside the city," King Uther bellowed. Together, the four men headed off, back towards the city.

[cidracin]

Aldrydd had been listening intently to the Earl's conversation with King Uther and his councilors while pretending to be sharpening his dagger. At the mention of the name Merlin Aldrydd stopped his attempts at trying to appear like he was not eavesdropping. After the converstion had ended and the Earl and he others had left, Aldrydd hung his head in a sad and defeated fashion. He had made almost no progress in his study of Faerie lore, still had no clue what the hag in the forest was, or even a lead on a way to succesfully hunt and kill her. To his dismay shortly after he had returned to Sarum after returning from the forest Aldrydd realized that he could not remember how to find his way back to the hag's lair, despite his painstaking effort to remember every detail of the return journey. Aldrydd had no doubht tha it was due to some foul magic. When Aldrydd had first heard of the King's muster at Silchester City he had held a small hope that he might manage to concince Merlin to talk to him for a few minutes and get some sagely advice. That hope had been quickly snuffed out by the conversation Aldrydd had just heard, for it seemed that not even King Uther himself knew where Merlin was or how to contact him. And the King was the most powerful man in Lorges.

[Krusader]

Gaius was amazed at the sight and felt humbled in the presence of the King of Logres. But still he could not shake the unease he felt about what was to come and he feared Sir Rhisiart must have some devious plan in store for Earl Roderick and Salisbury.

[Anarion]

Sir Tinian listened to the conversation but though he dredged his memory for any recognition of the two men with Uther, or of their heraldry or of any rumor he heard of them, he could not place either of them.

He resolved to pay more attention to such things in the future. He paid little attention to Merlin's mention. The magician was legendary, that much he knew, but he knew little more of Merlin and put little stock in such matters. There was one worry that weighed more; Earl Roderick's concern about their numbers. Sir Tinian understood logistics. He hoped they would prove the Saxons' superiors in every other way.

OOC: failed rolls on recognize, heraldry and intrigue if any of them were applicable (8, 10, 14 respectively).

[Calarion Sapherior]

After talking to the other squires, Alain discovered the identity of the young man; Prince Madoc ap Uther, the King's illegitimate son. As he had been recognized officially by Uther, he was now the heir to the throne, and a commander of armies in his own right.

The army stayed put for a few more days, and then marched south. The infantry marched together, while the assembled knights of Logres rode in two wings. The young knights served as a single unit, along with several other knights of Salisbury, under the command of Marshall Elad. Alain was deployed with the baggage train. As a squire, he would not take part in the fighting: but he would have to if he wanted to gain enough glory to win the honor of knighthood. Of course, if he was caught, then he would be worse off then he started...

The army marched on through Silchester. Each day, different groups of knights were dispatched as outriders to look for the Saxon presence. Small bands of raiders were occasionally encountered, but mostly the signs of their depredations: burnt settlements and many, many corpses. As the army passed into Sussex, the land of the Saxons, outriders brought back word of an assembled host of Saxon warriors advancing towards them. "There's a river nearby," Sir Elad said. "Mearcred Creek. The King will make for that; we'll form our shield wall behind the bank of the creek and wait for them to cross; then our cavalry will strike them on the flanks when they are engaged. They will outnumber us, lads, but remember that you are knights! What is a hairy foreign savage compared to the strength of Logres?"

The army reached the creek that evening. The moon shone above them. The knights were allocated their watch duties, and the camp slept uneasily, nervous about the slaughter that would come with the rising sun...

[cidracin]

Aldyrdd spent the early part of the evening assisting Bruce in the preparation of his weapons andarmour. He did not have them stop until his sword and dagger's edges were razor sharp and his armour was shining. Finally satisfied with their preparations to his gear, he made sure Bruce had prepared his charger properly and decided to have a few drinks as he was a bit anxious about the upcoming battle. He invited his friends to join him if they were so inclined, he even invited Sir Jaradan in hopes to smooth over their earlier differences, and then began his search for some ale. Although he was anxious for a drink he was determined to not become intoxicated to the point of drunkendness. Aldrydd wanted to be in shape to fight the next day and a hangover was the last thing he needed.

[Prince_Asuryan]

John spent the evening before the battle in much the same way that the other knights around him did. Lardans polished his armour and sword, ensuring they were ready for the fight. He spent some of the evening with his friends, though he passed on Aldryyds offer of drink, before departing for his tent to pray and mentally prepare himself. He ensured he turned in early so that he would awake fresh and ready for the battle.

[Anarion]

Tinian was restless on the eve of the battle. He found he could not partake of drink as some of the others did, indeed he recoiled at the thought. Other knights went over their weapons and armor again, Tinian knew that Reynold would care for that for him.

To settle his nerves he began to pray. He found that prayer helped him fall asleep.

[Bob of Beleriand]

Alain brooded alone, on the eve of battle. Absently he ran a whetstone the length of his blade, sleep evaded him upon the eve of this battle. Under no circumstance would he allow himself to stand idle at the supply train, glory and knighthood be damned, he should be counted among the best warriors in the army. The petty and jealous mewling of Sir Elad had resigned him to obscurity, Veteran Knight and Marshal be damned, his decision and judgment had been wrong. Alain would suffer it no longer, he would fight he would fight gloriously, with all the fury and spectacle he could muster, Sir Elad shall be proven wrong on the grandest of stages.

ooc: Does anyone happen to have a copy of my avatar?

[Krusader]

Gaius made sure his own weapons & armour were in good condition before the battle and also made sure his squire was prepared. He did not drink either on the eve of battle and as Tinian he prayed before going to sleep, that tomorrow would not see his death.

[Calarion Sapherior]

Dawn came all too quickly. With it came the Saxons. A wave of men poured into the valley, terrible to behold in their multitude. The knights mounted their horses and began to move around to the wings of the army. "Shield wall!" roared the Earl. "Shield wall!" The infantry hurried forward, striking their shields together so that they overlapped as a solid wooden barrier. Behind them, more and more men fell into position, solidifying the shield wall. Alain found himself in the second rank. Behind them, the commanders marched back and forward. Opposite them, the Saxons formed up as well into their own shield wall, with lines of spears ready to strike at the Cymric line.

Several lone figures emerged from the Saxon lines. Lone warriors screamed at the British line, baring their buttocks, urinating at them, shouted insults in mangled British to the Cymric leaders to face them. This was Sir Jaradan's task: the tall knight began shoving his way through the line as he shouted imprecations about a Saxon champion's heritage. Alain paused for a second, and then pushed his way forward as well, drawing his sword. Sir Jaradan paused. "Go back to the ranks," he said softly. "Their champions are very good swordsmen. Save your life for another day." Alain shook his head, and Sir Jaradan shrugged. "It's your funeral," he said.

There were two huge enemy warriors. Alain faced one, while Sir Jaradan faced the other. Each warrior howled, and spun an immense two handed axe around him to intimidate his foe. Sir Jaradan grinned wolfishly and spun his sword about him in reply: two times at a normal speed that howled as it cleft the air, and then once so quickly that his sword seemed to vanish in his hand. The Saxon berserker facing Sir Jaradan paused briefly, fearful even thought his berserk fury, and Sir Jaradan's wolfish grin widened.

Alain let his thoughts fill with Adelle's face. If he won this fight, he would win the glory he needed to see her again, and to court her. Then the Saxon swung the monstrous axe at him, and battle was joined... Alain could see that his foe gave no through to defence, only to attack. He could also see that a single hit by that massive axe would spell his death instantly. He waited, dodging back, and ignored the jeers of the Saxon army. Then as the great axe fell back after a swing, he charged suddenly, howling Adelle's name. The Saxon brought the axe up with far more speed then should have been possible, but Alain was ready; he leaned back under the blow, barely keeping has balance, while his sword scythed out. The axe fell to the ground as the Saxon's entrails started spilling out upon the ground. The berserker barely noticed: he staggered forward, attempting to throttle Alain with his bare hands. Alain flung his shield in the way, and then hammered down with his sword at the Saxon's head. He could smell the hairy giant's foul breath upon him. Blood splattered as the blade cleft into the man's face. Finally the Saxon fell back, reeling as if drunk. His skull and face were shattered, leaving only a red nightmare. He wobbled, and then fell and moved no more.

Sir Jaradan clapped a hand to his shoulder. His enemy lay nearby, with a single gory wound in his head. "Well done, lad!" he said. "Come, back into the ranks!"

The Saxon hordes howled in fury and dismay and began to charge.

[Prince_Asuryan]

'Lance!' shouted John, as he snapped his visor down over his head, Asfolan pawing at the ground nervously. Lardans hurried forward, Johns lance offered to the knight. John nodded his thanks, and grasped the lance firmly. He didn't like fighting with a lance, but he couldn't let that stop him during the battle. He'd have to make sure he got his sword out as soon as possible.

---
OOC: Can I fight with my sword in subsequent rounds please If we get a charge, I'll make a squire roll.

[Calarion Sapherior]

The Saxon shield wall surged forward. Behind it, the enemy roared and howled, making a hellish din like ten thousand cats being skinned alive. The Cymric line advanced as well. The two lines struck each other with a dreadful noise, and each strained to drive the others back. Those in the front rank held their shields as tightly as they could; the press about them meant that they could barely strike. It was those behind them who struck back and forward at the enemy. Men screamed and shouted and yelled; blood splattered. Alain thrashed out as best he could over the top of the shields, maiming a Saxon warrior. The blows would not count until one shield wall or another broke; the wounded men were unable to move from where they stood. Many in the front line used shorter swords, with which they slashed over or under the shields, attempting to stab their enemy.

The skies thundered, and beneath them, the hills answered. The Cymric cavalry swept out on both flanks towards the Saxons. The Saxon ceorls, infantry rabble, turned to withstand their charge, but could not: like dry grass before a wildfire they were engulfed and destroyed. But behind them, there was still an army waiting, and once the impact of the cavalry charge had gone, the knights found themselves beset upon all sides. Still, no ceorl could stand against the cavalry: which was when a division of heorthgeneats, elite Saxon veterans, flung themselves with fierce abandon against the knights. Their long spears would negate the advantage of height which the knights possessed. Many of the knights were wounded. Sir Tinian fell from his saddle and was separated from his companions. It was then that Sir Gaius swept about him with mighty blow, his doughty steel claiming the lives of all who would stand against him. The enemy pushed forward against them, and Sir John joined Sir Gaius in striking fell blows against the enemy. Sir Aldrydd screamed as a berserk heorthgeneat struck him a mighty blow in the chest, shattering many of his ribs and sending him to the ground, where his dying lifeblood joined the blood of so many others.

The battle had now turned into a bloody slaughter. The Cymric shield wall disintegrated under the weight of the Saxon warriors, and the Saxons began to carve their way through the enemy, but every inch they gained cost them the lives of a dozen men. Behind them, the elite heorthgeneats and the Cymric knights brutally murdered one another, neither surrendering any ground at all. Sir Tinian found himself near the broken shield wall. He could see the Earl now, beset by many foes. Sir Jaradan stalked about him, dealing death to all within his reach, but he was only one man, and he could not hold the Saxons at bay through the force of his arms alone. Sir Tinian charged to the Earl's defence, as did another knight he did not recognise behind his full-facial helmet. The Earl fought mightily in his defence, as did Sir Tinian, fueled by his loyalty for Earl Roderick, but the anonymous knight rampaged around, slaying the enemy with a fervour equal to the formidable Champion, and soon the Earl was safe, the Saxons fleeing from the deadly swordsmen who had saved him. Meanwhile, Sir Gaius finally fell, struck down by a Saxon's axe. Sir John planted himself over his comrade's body and defended him with all the might in his body, but knew that he too would soon be overrun. Beside him, Marshall Elad, his white-moustached face dripping with blood, demonstrated his great valour at arms; but he was struck and fell as well, leaving Sir John as the only member of the unit still standing. Corpses surrounded him in all directions, and he was sure to join them shortly.

But then a horn sounded, and the Saxons began to fall back! The exhausted defenders did not give pursuit: both armies had been shattered by the bloodshed. A standoff, this day, would be enough.

[Prince_Asuryan]

With a breathless cry of adulation, John watched as the Saxon heathens fled the field. As the adrenalin began to drain from his body, the young knight suddenly saw where he stood, broken bodies surrounding him. Many were still in death while hundreds more lay moaning and groaning as their last moments of life drained about them. Retching, John pulled his helmet from his head, freeing himself from the cloying metal that had almost been his tomb.

Looking around him, John struggled to recognise any of the bodies, but could only make out the forms of Sir Elad and Sir Gaius below him. Unable to be sure they were alive, John turned them over and removed their helmets to ensure they could breath should they still live. He gave a shouted for Lardans, and soon he could see the form of the squire hurrying across the battlefield to his master.

'Find a healer, quickly!' commanded John, 'The Marshall is injured, as is my friend. And be quick about it.'

Lardans nodded and dashed back towards the camp followers. Meanwhile, John whiped his bloodied sword down on a body - Cymric or Saxon he could not tell - and sheathed it. Then he made ready to perform first aid should the need arise. Lardans was a good squire, but there would be many requiring a healer right now, and he would not let his lord or his friend die if he could help it. While he waited as long as he could, he looked around him to see if there were any allies nearby that he could recognise, though in the distance, he thought he could make out Sir Tinian.

OOC:

Wow. Just wow, that was cool. And I live! Anyway, made a few basic rolls:

Squire roll - 5. I assume that just means he comes to me. I can make another or let you do it to see if he gets the healer I need.

Also rolled recognise and heraldry at 6 and 3 respectively, to see if I can recognise anyone who is famous or may be of use to me - like a knight good at first aid...

I want to hold off first aid until I have no other choice.

[Calarion Sapherior]

ooc: Quick update for wounds and glory!

Alain: 230 glory, 23/29 hit points.
Sir Aldrydd: 90 glory, -5/26 hit points. Took -1 Appearance. Dead unless he gets a critical for First Aid and then regains the maximum possible hit points.
Sir Gaius: 165 glory, 22/27 hit points. Was only knocked down by the last attack.
Sir John: 165 glory, 16/27 hit points.
Sir Tinian: 120 glory, 10/26 hit points.

[Krusader]

Gaius came to conciousness and his head felt like it had been split open. For a split second he even thought so, but quickly remembered that if an axe had hit him in the head, he would be dead. He saw around him to see who was alive and who was not. He quickly spoke with John and knew help had been sent for the Marshall and Aldrydd. He said a long prayer for his friend, because the wound was ghastly. He could not see his squire and he hoped Bran was alive.
He began walking around seeing if he found any of his friends or if any fellow knights needed help. Every Saxon he came across had his throat slit by Gaius, who while he didn't enjoy it, felt it was necessary. Every dead Saxon meant one less Saxon to fight later, he grimly thought. Every knight he could help stand up he did so and offered a short prayer when he saw a dead Cymric knight.