Irish War (Anarchy Book 16)

by Hosker, Griff

  “We have worked together many years. Our men at arms are paid well and learn how to think for themselves.”

  Sir Raymond said, “You pay them well? Why?” He was not trying to be argumentative. I could see, from his face, that he was genuinely confused.

  “It is simple. It is cheaper to equip a man at arms than a knight. Often, they are better. I can have three men at arms for the same price a s knight. If you add a squire then it is five men at arms. A knight will seek glory. A man at arms seeks to win. I would rather have a good man at arms than a poor knight.”

  They were both silent for a long time. I liked both of them and that night they showed their true character. They listened and they learned. I do not believe that the Irish War would have been so successful if they had not listened.

  The next day was the most dangerous. We had to move within striking distance of the two castles without being seen. I had also come up with this plan as we would be able to threaten the monastery at Tally Abbey. It had only recently been built by King Rhys. He would not wish to see it damaged. We moved down the Cennen valley. It was not a large river. We could have forded it anywhere but it did provide cover. When Thomas returned to say that the castle was two miles away we left the river and headed through the woods until we were half way between the Cennen and Towy rivers. We were deep in the heart of King Rhys’ land and, so far, we were hidden.

  I summoned Rhodri, “You know what you must do?”

  “Aye, lord and I will make up for my mistake. I will find the King and tell him that we are in position.”

  While my men made camp I rode with Thomas, James and Aelric. I wished to scout out the castle for myself. As soon as we neared it I saw that it was an impregnable sanctuary. Perched high on a cliff and surrounded by trees, defenders could laugh away a siege. The trees gave us a good vantage point for we were to the west. The trees to the south had been cleared so that the defenders could more easily see an approaching attacker. Welsh archers would make that a killing ground.

  As we watched I saw a pair of riders gallop up to the castle. Inside I heard trumpets. We were almost a mile away and even at that distance I could hear the sounds of horses and men shouting. After a short time, a small column of ten riders emerged and, after riding south for a short time headed down the road which led west. It was but three hundred paces from our vantage point. We moved further back into the shelter of the trees. The ten riders were obscured from view but I heard their hooves. As the hooves drew closer I put my hand on my sword. I did not think that they were coming for us but it paid to be prepared. I saw that it was a knight with a squire and eight men at arms. They were typical Welsh men at arms. Their hauberks were short ones. The knight had a yellow dragon on a red background. I had seen it before when we had fought King Rhys.

  Moving back to our original position we heard trumpets sound as the main body of men left the castle. I saw many banners. King Rhys had fifty knights with him. I saw at least sixty men at men arms and the rest were archers and fyrd. They did not head west, they continued on the road south. They were going to fight King Henry. We waited until the gates of the castle slammed shut and the sound of the army receded before we headed north and west back to our camp.

  I dismounted and waved over my two lieutenants. “I think that King Rhys has taken the bait. His scouts must have seen King Henry and his army approaching. He has sent riders to Dinefwr for help. If Rhodri reaches the King then we can close the trap.”

  Count Striguil looked thoughtful, “The timing of this worries me, lord.”

  I nodded, “That is why I want you to send Thomas and the other scouts to shadow the Welsh. If we can arrive as the Welsh begin to array their forces then we can achieve victory before we have even drawn a sword.”

  As we had passed down the Cennen valley we had seen in the distance the dots of sheep. Although it was still early some had lambed. Farmers would be busy making certain that as many animals survived as possible. Our appearance would strike fear into their hearts. We could end the threat of the Welsh in one battle. As I helped James groom Warrior I reflected that if we failed then all that we had won in our last campaign could be lost. The King was gambling that my plan would succeed. It was a great responsibility.

  Lame Tom and the other servants would remain in the forest with the spare horses the next day. I had only brought one war horse, Warrior, and James would not be required to bring another if Warrior fell. I would fight on foot. I was praying now that Warrior would not fall in battle. If he did then I would have to fight on foot and that would likely result in my death. We rose in the middle of the night and ate cold fare. Although all Welsh eyes would be on the south, the smell of wood smoke wafting from the north might alert them. One of the scouts had returned before dark to say that Thomas and the other scouts had found the Welsh army. They were camped in the hamlet of Llandybie by the small river, Marlas. King Rhys was cleverly using his land as an ally. The river would prevent him being out flanked on his left and he had men coming from the west.

  Rhodri rode in just as we were about to leave. “Lord, King Henry has received your message. He and the rest of the army are at Tyr-y-Dail by the Afon Loughor. King Rhys is less than two miles from him. I had to sweep west to avoid them. I almost fell foul of another force. There are three hundred men coming from Dinefwr. Half are mounted. There are many on foot.”

  “Where are they?”

  He pointed to the west, “They are travelling south on the main valley road. They are less than two miles away.”

  Sometimes the Fates give you an opportunity which you must seize or risk losing all. King Rhys was clever. He was using the night to move his men, just as I was. Although we would be outnumbered, if we could strike at this column then we would deny the king his reinforcements and still be in position to attack and support King Henry.

  “Rhodri, if we rode to this column how far from Llandybie are they?”

  “Less than three miles.”

  I turned, “Count Striguil, Sir Raymond, we will attack this column. Aelric, take the archers and go with Rhodri. Get ahead of this column and ambush them. When they engage you, fall back to the woods. We will attack them in the rear. When I sound the fall back then head for the woods to the east of the road.”

  All three shouted their affirmation.

  I would be leading eighty mounted and mailed men against three hundred. I hoped that my archers would draw their horses so that we could plough through the men on foot and then fall upon their horsemen when they were disordered. Most men would not risk a night battle. I had rarely fought one but this time I had weighed up all of the factors. They would be on a road. We would know where they were. We knew where they were heading. My archers would be able to attack their front at the same time as we attacked the rear. There would be little likelihood of us being hit by our own arrows. Most importantly, if things went awry, I could have James sound the fall back and we would have lost nothing. We would have damaged half of the enemy’s forces and unnerved their king.

  As we rode I said, “James, your most important task is to have the horn ready. You will have the chance for honour and glory when the real battle is joined. I cannot waste this opportunity.”

  “I know, lord.”

  The sound of our hooves thundered on the cobbled road. The Welsh would know riders were coming. I hoped they would be confused or at least uncertain. We might be reinforcements. I wanted hesitation.

  We were travelling at twice the speed of the column and, as I heard screams shouts, and clamour from the head of the column, we struck the rear. My men had spread out on both sides of the road. Count Striguil was to my left and Sir Raymond to my right. Their knights were eager to claim first blood. The horses and donkeys fled as the men leading them were slain. My spear was unbloodied but I saw dead Welshmen in the ground as we ploughed through the baggage train. The Welsh would now be short of arrows!

  A handful of men at arms had turned to face us. I saw their shields but I did not sl
ow down. I pulled back my spear and thrust down. One of the Welsh spears grazed Warrior’s flank and slid across my chausse. My spear cracked into the face of the one in the centre. Warrior’s hooves trampled a second and James’ horse a third. Harry Lightfoot speared the fourth. The scene was repeated along the line. The Welsh foot could have stood if they had prepared defences. If they had been protected by archers then they could have held us off but we hit the rear of their line. They were surprised and they were leaderless.

  The eager knights of de Clare and Fitzgerald hurtled ahead of us. I pulled back my spear and skewered a sergeant at arms who was trying to rally men. Then I heard a Welsh horn. Someone at the fore had realised that he was chasing shadows. We would soon have horsemen to contend with.

  I yelled, “Ware horsemen! Slow down and prepare to meet horse!”

  I knew that my voice would only be heard by those men around me but I could see both of my lieutenants and saw them nod their acknowledgement and shout orders to their men. I reined in Warrior. There was little point in lathering him. Most of the Welsh foot had left the road and either fled across the fields to the west or taken shelter in the woods to the east. I heard hooves and, as the first grey appeared in the eastern sky, I discerned horsemen riding towards us. They were in for a shock. The shadows they had been chasing, my archers, would be remounting and moving to attack them in the rear.

  Neither line was solid and neither line was boot to boot. When we clashed it was not the almighty crack of thunder it usually was, it was a series of small encounters. A knight and his squire came directly for me. Arne Arneson, aware that James was my signaller, nudged his horse next to me. I couched my spear and rode at the knight knowing that the squire was as good as dead. Arne Arneson was a frighteningly powerful warrior. The Welsh spear clattered off my shield as the knight leaned forward to lunge at me. Using my cantle for support I drove the spear towards his shield. He was unbalanced and my spear drove under his shield and into his side. He was thrown from his horse. Even as I withdrew my spear a man at arms with a sword came at my spear side. The spear was unwieldy. I just swung it in an arc as I wheeled Warrior. My spear caught the man at arms a glancing blow to the head and, while he was distracted, James rammed the standard at his middle. He too was thrown from his horse and trampled by James’.

  I shouted, “James, sound fall back! Head for the woods.”

  We had done all that I intended. We had damaged their morale, dispersed their baggage train and slain great numbers. We could afford to lose no more men. The sun was beginning to break in the east and I reined in once I was safely in the woods. I turned to face any Welsh who might have followed us. I was relieved to see all of my men at arms ride in. Count Striguil followed.

  “I lost a couple of men at arms and Sir James has a wounded horse. He is heading back to the camp to remount.”

  Sir Raymond’s men had suffered more than any. He shook his head, “Sir Jocelyn was too reckless. He was pulled from his horse and butchered along with his squire and three men at arms who went to their aid. We slew the Welsh but we were too late to save them.”

  “It could have been worse and it was as I said, Sir Raymond, you need to train your men to think and act as one!”

  Aelric joined us. He was in ebullient mood. “We discovered six sumpters. They were loaded with arrows!”

  I smiled, “Then God has been kind to us. We chased them when we attacked the column. The Welsh will not have them and we shall. Did you lose any men?”

  He gave me an offended look, “Lord! We were fighting Welsh horsemen. They could not catch my grandmother and she has been dead these twenty years!”

  “Back to the road. We advance on King Rhys. I think his men from Castle Dinefwr should have reached him by now.”

  Sir Raymond said, “You wanted him reinforced?”

  “I want all of them in one place so that when we defeat them none escape. That was the problem the last time. He has his two finest castles and they are empty of men. The King will have to sue for peace if we defeat him.” He nodded his understanding. “Aelric, you and your archers act as our vanguard. If there is trouble ahead sound your horn.”

  As Aelric and his men rode away, James said, “Can I put my horn away now, lord?”

  “Aye, we can use the standard to signal.”

  Sir James returned. Despite having lost a horse he looked pleased with himself. “I came upon three Welshmen on my way back here. Two are dead!”

  “Did you see any others?”

  “There was just twenty or thirty of the fyrd. They were in the distance and they were heading away from the road. I saw some heading up to Bannau Brycheiniog.”

  I waved my spear and we moved forward. The road descended as we went. Soon I saw the smoke from the hearths of Llandybie. We passed a Welshman. He was lying on the side of the road. He had succumbed to his wounds. His companions had not helped him. That told me much about the morale of the army we fought. My men would have brought our wounded with us. They would not have left a man to die alone.

  Aelric sent Rafe back. “We have found the Welsh, lord. They are fortifying Llandybie.”

  “Is there any sign of King Henry?”

  “He and the army are forming up on the south side of the settlement.”

  “Good.” We had the Welsh surrounded. The river which had been the Welsh king’s defence would not trap him.

  We stopped five hundred paces from the defences. I had great respect for the Welsh archers. We would move closer but only when the men at arms and archers had thinned out their ranks. A rider appeared from the east. Aelric’s archers had him covered with their bows as he galloped up. He held up a hand, “Earl Marshal, I am sent from King Henry. He is going to begin his attack.”

  I nodded, “Tell him we have routed more than a third of his men and we will attack too.”

  He turned his horse and retraced his steps. Like us he kept well away from the Welsh archers.

  “Aelric, dismount and have your horses taken away. Roger of Bath dismount the men at arms. You will advance behind your shields and protect the archers.”

  “Aye lord.” I smiled as I saw that half a dozen of them had picked up discarded shields. They had anticipated my orders and now had a second shield.

  I saw Sir Raymond frowning as he tried to work out the reason. When he finally did so, he smiled. “And what of us, Earl Marshal?”

  “Let us dismount. The archers will do their work first.” We dismounted. And I handed my reins to James. “We soften them up. We form a long line behind the archers and men at arms. I hope to make them think that there are more of us than there are. They may risk charging us. If they do then they will learn that our paucity of numbers does not mean that we are weak!”

  Aelric nodded to Roger when they were ready. The secret would be a slow and steady march. The archers pressed themselves into the backs of the men at arms. They were no fools and knew the skill of the men they faced. The Welsh waited until my men at arms were three hundred paces away before they sent arrows towards them. They did not send them in large numbers. They were testing the range and the efficacy of the shields. One or two arrows reached the shields. I heard Aelric shout something and forty paces later the men at arms stopped. It was a confident move by Aelric. He was gambling that his men were better archers than the Welsh. Many men would dispute that but Aelric’s archers had one advantage over the Welsh. They were, generally, a hand span taller. That meant they could use a longer bow. Both sets of archers would have the same rate of arrows but Aelric would have the longer range.

  I heard arrows crack into the wood of the shields. I even heard a couple ping off helmets and mail. Unlike the Welsh all of our men were mailed. They had quantity but we had quality. Aelric shouted “Draw!” It was a perfect line of men and bows. When he shouted, “Release!” the thirty-eight arrows soared. Even while the flight of arrows was in the air, a second and then a third flight sailed into the enemy ranks. Aelric had been correct. Every arrow reached the We
lsh lines.

  I heard a trumpet as King Henry launched his attack. He was sending in his horsemen. He was still too impetuous. Having destroyed the reinforcements King Rhys was not going to get any help. We had plenty of arrows and he had a diminishing supply. After ten flights of arrows Aelric rested his men.

  “Mount, let us see if we can worry them.” As I mounted I was able to see the fighting at the far end of the settlement. Banners of both sides vied with each other. It was hard to see who was winning. However, King Henry, by closing with the Welsh had negated the effect of their arrows.

  Pulling my shield up I nudged my horse closer to my archers and men at arms. Arrows were sent towards me. Warrior’s caparison was made of heavy material. He would be unlucky to be hurt by an arrow intended for me. The Warlord was still a prime target. I held my shield high. They had to use a plunging trajectory. Had they been able to use a flat one then I would have been in trouble.

  Aelric looked around, “Lord?”

  “Ten more flights of arrows and then I want your archers to go to the flanks. Roger, make a wedge and you attack their eastern defences. I will lead the knights and squires to attack the western defences. Aelric your archers can pick off their leaders.”

  They both nodded. I deftly slipped my shield around my back as I galloped away. When I reached our lines, I swung my shield around again and saw that there were eight arrows stuck in it. That was at least eight arrows less to send at us when we attacked.

  “I want two lines. The squires behind the knights. We are going to attack the western side of their defences.”

  I held my shield tightly and rested my spear across my saddle. “Forward!”

  We did not need to ride boot to boot. We were not charging knights. We were charging men who had improvised defences. Aelric and his archers kept the attention of the defenders on the arrows. As soon as Aelric stopped then we would be the target. By then I hoped to be within charging distance. This was not like charging a solid wall. The men would see our huge horses coming towards them and it took a brave man to stand up to one. As the last arrows sailed over to the Welsh defences, Roger and his men began to move. At the same time, the Welsh saw us and they had a dilemma; which force was the most dangerous? In the heartbeat it took for someone to make the decision, we were a little closer.