The Knight Behind the Pillar (41 page)

             
“My lord?” I questioned, disguising my words as servitude.

             
Kay did not look back or slow.  “Arthur has a room of cowards now choosing the wrong time and wrong place to protest and question their loyalty to him.” He explained, almost spitting out his contempt for them.  “We can do nothing in there.”

             
When I could I quicken my speed to walk alongside Kay, but with everyone everywhere at once it was difficult.  “But what about the ones trying to kill us outside, is anyone doing anything about them?” I asked. 

             
I realised we were heading back to Kay and Ector’s chamber and against the prevailing flow of the servants and various nobles all rushing the other way.

             
“We have time for now.  Lot has split his army, he has men gathering to the east and also there are men, including that catapult firing at us with archers alongside, to the south across the river.  With better light we‘ll know more.”

             
We turned a corner and out of the main stream of people for a moment. 

             
“Why?  You weaken your position that way, divide and be conquered?” I wondered and it was spoken out loud.

             
Kay actually slowed briefly and looked my way.  “Surprising that you know such a lot of warfare strategy for a squire of you age.” Kay commented, but knowingly with a quick half smile that revealed that the more humorous side of him was still in there within him somewhere.

             
I did know a little, but not for any reason I liked admitting.  I had listened to the stories my father told of battles he had won or I had often been close by listening unnoticed in the room he planned them first.  Mostly he would stand, sometimes on the table, with ale in hand in the banquet hall and described the way the latest victims failed to resist his might and the stories went on beyond the gates to ensure no one oppose him.

             
“From a previous life.” I said with care, not liking to admit or remind Kay of whom he had for a squire.

             
Kay pushed a servant to one side with little compassion coming the other way who could not in the moment decide how to avoid colliding with us coming the opposite way and so Kay made the decision for him.  The wall. 

             
“Well the old rules don’t apply when you have as many men to hand as he seems to have.” Kay continued, without slowing or looking back at the servant picking himself up from the ground.  “He has two large armies and could divide them further without fear of weakness.  It doesn‘t help that he obviously knows these lands, after all why would he not when Dubric has just revealed he was Uther‘s commander, his constable for years when the old king reigned!”  His voice increased in volume towards the end as we reached his chamber and he rammed the door open at the same time.   

             
At the open door I stopped and gathered some courage to ask. “We did not know this?”

             
“Oh most of them did, just Arthur, me and a few others didn’t.  Still they hold back from committing themselves to Arthur, doing as they are told, but not trying to help beyond that.  Knowing less of Lot means he got here quicker than we thought he would because he knows the land and the people.”

             
Still standing by the door I dared asked my final question in fearful hope.  “Don’t we have as large an army?”

             
Kay stopped in the middle of the room and took a deep sigh. “No.” He answered honestly and broke away.

             
I wished I had not asked, my inner thoughts of surviving this in one piece were doing well on their own until they heard this news.  However, I focused on the moment and followed Kay inside.

             
He pointed to the far wall.  “I need my shield, it’s over there somewhere.” Kay ordered and I searched the area he pointed towards.  In meantime he started pulling out his chain mail from an open chest on the floor.

             
I rushed to get Kay prepared.  During the time further assaults on the south wall could be heard, after one there was a lot of yelling that despite the thick walls was clear.  Casualties I could be sure.  Kay on seeing my concern told me it was just baiting and that Lot was trying to work out the fort’s weaknesses from a distance as well as trying to tempt us in reacting and show him what kind of a resistance we might offer. 

             
I found myself now hoping that the fort was strong enough and would prove everyone‘s expectation wrong.  At the same time I tried hard not to picture the damp, rotten timbers or the holes in walls that I had even recently used to dispose of stolen goods!

             
Kay was soon ready for battle and we marched out and back towards the war council chamber.  I carried his shield and gloves and kept my place behind him.  We did not make it as far as the chamber as on route we found Arthur followed by Ector and Merlin coming the other way along the hallway.

             
“How did it go?” Kay asked directly to Arthur, this was not the time for formal address even in public.

             
“The alliance holds, at least for now.” Arthur answered.

             
Merlin coughed in distain.  “Not least because Lot will kill them attempting to leave.” He commented quietly.

             
“Well now we sit and wait then.” said Ector.

             
“No we’re not doing that.” Arthur announced with clear authority shaking his head.  “It’s what he will expect, it’s why he thinks we stayed here to fight him rather than go and meet him.”

             
“Arthur,” Ector asked, his tone unique to all parents warning their child. “I know your king now, but….”

             
Arthur cut in abruptly.  “Father, I know what I’m doing, trust me.”

             
“It’s not a question of that son.  I am yours to command, my sword at your service never doubt that.  Just remember, you are dealing with a man who has had years of planning wars it’s not the time to do something hasty without thinking it through.”

             
“I’m not.” Arthur stated firmly and clearly drew a verbal line in the ground with a tone that said not to cross and determined look.

             
Kay walked straight over the line, if he noticed it at all.  “When I left I thought the last idea was to stay put, when did this change?” He asked demandingly.  “Didn’t you say some defence was better than none!” 

             
Arthur was instantly annoyed by his brother questioning him.  “The point of staying here was to be rested, be prepared and have something real to defend, but the longer we wait we lose this advantage.” He defended himself to Kay far more passionately than I had reckoned on.

             
Clearly now Kay thought Arthur wrong as he shook his head.  “You want to charge out and fight now, is that it!  Merlin’s right, if we step outside we will be killed quickly and easily.  They are to the east and on higher ground and there is a clear line of sight between them and the gates for archers to pick us off as we leave before any real fighting is needed.”

             
“I thought the archers were on the south bank of the river?” I uttered under my breath to myself with a frown.

             
Except Kay heard me. “No they’re to the east as well, only he hasn’t used them yet.” He snapped at me for daring to disturb a brother’s argument, before turning back to Arthur with a raised voice to make a specific point, “Waiting for a clear target!”

             
“Kay I know, I just had to convince everyone back there that I know and you’re going to have to trust me too.” Arthur said and rather than shouting this time he spoke softly.

             
Perhaps now he was the king who had to prove something, but at what cost I worried.  

             
An awkward pause before Merlin decided at last to interrupt the tension between Arthur and his family. “At least we have arrived at dawn and unless my hearing has now failed me I do not heard the sounds of Lot’s army at the gates.” He observed.

             
Merlin’s comment was enough of a distraction to break up the brothers and he was right.  We had all failed to notice first sunlight reaching the windows of the hallway and warming the damp floor.

             
“Then he does plan to sit out there and wait.” Concluded Ector.

             
“I would.” Kay agreed.  “He can let the archers and catapult do some damage first.”

             
As if to prove Kay’s point another shoot hit the tower.  It sounded like thunder and shook the hallway, but where it hit was difficult to work out.  Dust showered down and landed on us from the rafters above.

             
“Good one son.” Said Ector shaking the dirt from his head, but he was light hearted.  “Remind me not to stand close to you the next time you forecast our doom.” 

             
Arthur remained serious. “We need to hold out for a little longer, wait for high tide, and then be ready to move out and move fast.  He will wait and see if we will surrender first for a little longer yet.  We don’t need any more catapults being built either I know, but he must have brought that one along and needs time to build more.” He said. 

             
“There’s a whole forest out there, lots of wood to build another.” Kay pointed out.

             
“I know,” Arthur agreed with a hint of frustration his brother was still finding fault.  “But that will take him time.”  He said and paused.  The hesitation was enough that I wondered if there was a lingering doubt that his command would be questioned and the others would not obey before he stepped closer and addressed just Kay.  “You need to lead our men Kay, at the first signal and will be one of the first groups of men to go.”

             
There was the slightest of pauses again.  A clear moment for memory to capture as I observed a man who had just asked his brother to face death.  In my head such a notion seemed incredible to believe, too dramatic to speak of without sounding overemotional and risk accusations of exaggerating.  A moment of time I could only watch, remember, until perhaps one day I might truly understand it.  Kay’s eyes darted to Merlin and Ector first, but settled on his brother intently.

             
“Then I had better get ready.” Kay answered as a soldier should in voice, but the brothers stared at each other for a second more before Kay dropped his head to a bow and he twisted suddenly to me and snapped, “Tor with me“. 

             
The mention of my name made me jump to attention and suddenly I had a job to do. 

             
“And Kay I will need a horse prepared as well.” Arthur added.

             
This caused Kay to cease his retreat briefly breaking his stride, but he didn‘t look back and he did not answer only nodded.  A lot was said in the silence. 

             
It was obvious to me that Arthur realised that he could not hide in the shadows, not if he wanted the respect and service of the others to continue.  This Lot was out there for him and he wanted to show the new king was just a boy and not worthy of the task.  Ultimately it would always mean that Arthur needed to be any fight to prove himself to everyone and cure all doubt. 

             
Without wanting or willing to meet Arthur’s glaze again Kay quickly departed with clear determination.  I followed at once, but I could not resist looking back.  Arthur returned an uncertain smile that failed to reach his eyes and diminished to nothing as soon as it had come.  I could only achieve the same before I swiftly turned away and had to half run to chase Kay. 

             
A moment more in that room I would have only shared my own thoughts and fears easily read in the creases of my face.  I wanted to spare Arthur that, he had enough to deal with facing the first threat to his life and being responsible for everyone else and their fate at the same time. 

             
Kay’s plan for me was simple.  He explained it in the shortest way possible while I rush to prepare the horses and before he left to gather his men.  It was twelve words, ‘when we get out stay in the town, I will find you‘.                There was never a question of me staying behind in the fort as I was his squire, but he wanted me out of the battle and yet close to hand if needed.  It was a squire’s duty in war and sometimes the knight’s only chance of living if injured.

             
I had to find a spare shield, spare sword and think of anything else that might be useful for him on the battlefield and ran around to gather everything including his horse.  In the end it came down to waiting and for the high tide if I had listened correctly.  I was no fisherman, the coming and going of the water was of no interest other than a place to bathe and very rarely swim.  True I could swim which was rare not least among fishermen.  I had been taught like others as a page through the age old method of being pushed into the water enough times in the hope your survival skills learnt the idea before you drowned.  Now why high tide was suddenly of interest I could only speculate, but gained no insight for the effort.