Merlin's Gold

Merlin's Gold - Chapter 30 - White Flag

Chapter 30 - White Flag

Hengist stared balefully at the men outside the walls. He had lost everything; his sons, his men's respect, and now the battle. Arthur, his nemesis, still dressed in his trademark white enamelled armour strode around what had become Hengist's prison; organising, issuing orders, and making sure he was in control.

"Bastard!" swore Hengist under his breath.

"We were lucky." A voice interrupted his thoughts, and Hengist turned to look at the warrior who had moved alongside him, glaring at the other man for a moment, before turning to look back over the walls at the enemy.

"We did the right thing at the time cousin, had we done anything else but attack we would be food for the crows," said Kurs. "The formation of the fighting wedge was the only choice we had, but it surprised me Arthur reacted as fast as he did. He attacked at the critical point, fighting through to the new forces, enabling them to recover and then aid him. The man is a born warrior."

"You sound like you admire him," said Hengist, bitterness lacing his voice.

"I do. We have been forced to retreat, despite having superior numbers. This is our only sanctuary, and potentially our final resting place. Arthur has turned an almost certain defeat into a complete rout. Our men now cower behind these walls, dreading the return of the dragon. Our spies tell us we will soon be surrounded by more men coming from the south: with Morgause gone we have no counter to Merlin's magic, and we are in no condition to attack." Kurs paused and then delivered his conclusion. "You know we have to surrender."

"I know Kurs, and it shames me." Hengist spat.

"He is an honourable man, cousin. He laid Oeric out in a manner fitting of his station, and even gave him his own dagger. That is a sign of respect, and the reason I let him live."

Kurs stopped abruptly as Hengist turned on his advisor, moving in close and shouting at him in sudden anger. "And you are lucky to still be alive, I should kill you where you stand! You let him win! You should have ordered his death as soon as Oeric hit the ground."

"No cousin. You let him win." Kurs retorted hotly. "He outsmarted and outfought you, and you are right to be ashamed. You were taken in by a witch, and beaten by the bastard son of a heathen king. You have killed your sons, and more than a thousand of your men. You have no treasure, and have failed utterly to lead the Saxon horde to glory as you promised."

Kurs paused, holding his cousin's eyes with his own. "As for killing me, why don't you try?" Although spoken softly, the last few words were delivered with an almost feral menace as Kurs stood toe to toe with his younger cousin.

Hengist glared at Kurs for long seconds but finally looked away, Kurs calming himself as his cousin backed down.

"Do you want me to deal with Arthur?" said Kurs, the harshness leaving his tone.

"Do as you think you must, he will not trust me," said Hengist with bitter finality, and walked away from the ramparts. Kurs turned and leaned on the wooden palisade, shaking his head ruefully. He looked out over the killing fields, the dead and dying littering the grass like so many broken toys. Even now Arthur was among his men, helping find those injured and dying, ministering to them, applying a few kind words here and there, calling the fat churchman who had fought so well to administer succor to those who required it. He sighed. "Now there's a man to follow," he muttered to himself.

~

Arthur, Grayle, Gawain, and David moved among the fallen outside the fort. The High King had stationed the men such that the slightest movement from within the fort would result in immediate retaliation. And now, as Arthur walked among the fallen, his mind whirled, seeking to understand how he could extricate himself and his men from the battlefield without further bloodshed.