Winter's Blossom: The Seasons of Arthur

Chapter 25

In the light of the new day the burning ships let off a beacon of black smoke that spoke to all of southern Elmet of our presence. Few of us had slept, but there was no time for that. Still, there is something rejuvenating about the coming of a new day. So now I gathered together our tired selves, ignoring the grumbles and growling threats at those who grumbled that little too much. It was incredible, but my confidence in myself and as a commander was growing, built on the foundation of my first success. I did not even think twice when I threatened these men twice my age and many times my senior in experience; but such was my status and stature with these men already that they would quieten down and go about their duties. When I was happy that we had tarried long enough, I led us along the river to where we would meet the Saxons.

It was crazy that we were going to meet the Saxons. We were fifty men against numbers we didn't even know yet, we just knew that there must be hundreds! But still we marched to meet them with an almost casual, carefree pace, laughing at burning the Saxon's ships as the morning sun seemed to cast out our tiredness.

I breathed in the cool air, feeling the sea within it still. I felt mostly fresh despite my sleepless night. Still, a worry clawed at my stomach. It had been a good start but so much was likely to go wrong with this plan that it was almost scary. I was also nervous for although I had absolute faith in Owain, and thought his plan a good one, it was contradicting everything we had ever been taught. You never divided your forces, especially in the face of a stronger enemy. Ambrosius had divided his forces and it had worked. Octha had divided his forces and he had just lost one of those smaller bands. Now Owain had divided his forces and I wondered what would happen.

The unknown was another concern. I could not have any realistic idea where the Angles were or where they were going. Would the Angles be coming for me? It would not be the be the best idea for them, they would be better served pushing on with all speed to take Lindum. They would mean Owain on the road though, Owain and his warband missing a third of his strength, and thus would be outnumbered three to one, which we knew as wounded prisoners had consistently agreed that there were around three hundred Angle warriors, of whom around a little under half were well armed and armoured.

Ironically, I had thought, we had had more household troops than those marching on Lindum, with the cavalry to run off the fyrd we could have made simple work of a smaller shield wall that we outnumbered if we had never split pour forces. Now we marched towards them, with Owain outnumbered. But what if they marched back to the river mouth? What if they hoped for rescue, for more boats to come? For some boats to have survived. A bold captain would go forwards, one with doubt though. A captain, for example, who had known defeat in the summer. If they turned around in retreat, never mind Owain being outnumbered almost three to one, my men and I would be outnumbered by six. That would not be good.

Go towards Lindum, I silently thought. Let Owain hold them, the cavalry to drive them away and let us be the block. That was what Owain thought would happen.

But plans do not always go according to plan.

And ahead of us, coming into sight, were the Angle warband. Three hundred was an accurate estimate I thought. "I think it may be time to withdraw." I said to nobody in particular. I was doubting myself and my decisions now. The plan had gone wrong. I found myself wondering if we would have been better off just staying by the Angle ships and building up the defences. The more rational part of my brain was telling me that no morning's worth of digging was going to build a ditch big enough to defend against an army with only fifty men. But then again, the more rational part of my brain said that it was also the height of stupidity to divide our men against such a Saxon force.