Merlin's Gold

Merlin's Gold - Chapter 2 - Raiders

Chapter 2 - Raiders

Racing for the door, Grayle grabbed his bow and sword, slinging a full quiver of arrows over his shoulder as he ran. Banging on doors as he sped through the castle, his cries of "Raiders!" echoed through the halls.

Grayle reached the door in the outer wall of the isthmus keep just as Percival strode into view, his long dark hair in disarray. Bare-chested in the cool morning air, he held his sword ready, fire in his eyes.

"Where?" He demanded.

"Landing area, I saw one, but there are probably more."

A castle guard appeared behind them and Percival issued terse orders. "As soon as we are outside, bar this door and guard it. When someone else turns up, send them with a message to King Mark and tell him what's going on. You will not leave this position, and you will not let anyone in or out without permission from King Mark. Do you understand?"

The guard nodded in acknowledgment and stationed himself by the heavily built oak door.

"Ready Grayle?" The boy nodded, his bow strung and ready in his hand, scabbard belted to his waist.

The guard opened the door, and Percival and Grayle moved out into the pale dawn.

The heavy oak door thudded closed behind them, and they were alone. Percival was dressed only in breeches, barefoot and armed with his hand-and-a-half length sword. Grayle wore breeches and a shirt but carried a short sword and bow. Percival led the way, Grayle behind him with an arrow nocked to the string. They could hear a faint commotion behind them as Mark readied the defences of the castle, but expected no back-up as yet.

"We need to get down to the gate, quickly," whispered Percival.

Grayle nodded and they increased their pace to a lope, their steps muffled by the soft grass at the edges of the path.

Percival slowed as they approached the landing area, appearing to sense something. As he turned to speak to Grayle, a burly form barrelled into him from behind a large rock, smacking him into the perimeter wall running along the cliff edge. As Percival gasped in pain, two more figures emerged from the open gate of the landing platform, and the discordant clash of swords sounded to Grayle's right as Percival engaged the man in combat, blood streaming from a gash in his upper arm.

Grayle loosed an arrow to take one of the approaching men in the chest, and readied another as the second man charged at him. The Frankish warrior held his short stabbing spear to the fore. More warriors appeared from the gateway as the Frankish raiders ran in to make the most of their beach-head position, angons held ready, axes, swords and shields swinging from their belts.

Time seemed to slow as Grayle breathed out, and before he drew breath again he released the arrow which took the man at short range through the eye. Grayle skipped out of the way and the dying man's charge carried him into the warrior attacking Percival.

There was a gurgling death rattle as Percival dispatched his opponent, and Grayle passed his bow to his left hand and drew his sword from its scabbard. There was a brief second of quiet, and then a group of five raiders charged at them.

Percival glanced at Grayle, both of them horribly aware of their unarmoured state, and a moment of understanding passed between them. They would make a stand here, in the defensive position between a low cliff and the wall, where the path narrowed. The only way for the raiding party to attack the castle was here at the beach or through the mainland section of the castle. This place had to be defended at all costs.

There was a whisper of movement high and to their left, and a small group of Tintagel liveried archers rose from concealment. Three of the Frankish invaders hit the ground, groaning and swearing, but before Percival or Grayle could move to the attack, they heard someone running.