Chapter 19

Luck was both with us and against us that day. We got back to Oak Hall with just enough light to make it into port and to tie up without any problems or the need to rely upon Felicity's help. Unfortunately when we got there I found out that the city was under siege. Now that was a piss off. As I ordered the troops still with us to report to their stations, I headed off to find Nimue and to learn what the fuck was happening.

I found Nimue on the wall facing the promontory and the escarpment beyond it. She was in armour and she was giving orders. On seeing me, a smile of relief crossed her face.

"You're back," Nimue blurted out, stating the obvious. "Thank the Elders for that. We're in real trouble."

I soon learned that a small army had shown up on the promontory a few hours after I had sailed that morning. From witness reports it had arrived with a flash of bright light. I started frowning at that. Obviously, one of the bastards on the other Earth had decided to up the ante while I was away. While Nimue didn't know how big the army was, it was obvious that it was quite large. From where we were standing on the wall, we could see tens if not hundreds of fires flickering in the night. It wasn't a good sign.

I also learned that Nimue had organized both the garrison that we'd left behind and most of the civilian population. She brought in as much livestock and provisions as she could from the neighbouring farms and she'd ordered up all men of fighting age to serve as a militia. At the moment she had almost two hundred and fifty men all told, although only a fraction of them actually knew how to fight. Still they looked good standing on the walls and marching back and forth. Hopefully, it would keep whoever was up on the promontory at bay for the time being. I thanked her for her report and then suggested she come back to the keep so we could at least sit and discuss what to do next.

I found that Barnabas was up and running things from his throne when I got there. I noted that Felicity was standing beside him with her high tech medical gadgetry and I smiled at that. I was glad that somebody was thinking. I walked up to the man and asked what he thought he was doing. He scoffed at my presumption to chastise him, but his resolve gave way quickly. The man was still frail and it was obvious that he had over exerted himself.

"Barnabas," I said to him in a low voice, "what do you think you're doing out of bed. I left my mates to tend to you and to look after your interests. Nimue has provisioned the town, sealed the gates, raised a militia, and is currently guarding it. While you think you are helping, you're not. Now I am here and I've brought back most of your troops so for tonight the town and port are safe. I want you to get back into bed and to rest. Tomorrow I'll ride out under a white flag and see what can be done about the men up on the promontory. If my luck holds out, I can talk to them and resolve this without having a lot of people die."

Barnabas grumbled about going back to bed and he grumbled about my assumption that things would work out. I had my own doubts, but I didn't voice them while he was there. I waited until Felicity and Kola had helped Barnabas out of the great hall and back to his bed. Then I spoke out to my other mates, my friends, and Sir Humphrey.

"We're in a pickle," I told them all, refusing to bandy words. "The bastards from the other Earth have dropped an army on us and I doubt talking to them will help. They might not be belligerent towards us, but they probably don't know where they are or who we are and they probably have nothing in the way of provisions. Regardless of how nice we are to them, they'll want Oak Hall for their own and us as their slaves. My only hope is they're not as strong as those campfires imply. If so, then we're really in trouble."

Everyone agreed with me. On the plus side, our return to Oak Hall had increased our fighting strength considerably and in a few days that number could grow again if Elsa Mueller and her people decided to join us. On the negative side we had over a hundred slaves to feed and look after down in the dungeons of the keep. At the moment, I had no desire to release them or to ask them for help. I just didn't trust them and I was certain that they had no love for us. I decided that the best thing was for me to ride out tomorrow and meet with the leader of the opposing camp, if for no other reason than to see who I was up against. With that decided, I suggested we all get some sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

I rode out after breakfast the next day. I left specific orders and then mounted up on my big grey and headed out of the gate under a flag of truce. I went with Rory at my side and Tobias carrying the flag. I figured a party that size would be appropriate. I laid aside my woollen tunic and borrowed a surcoat from amongst Lord Barnabas' clothing. As well I draped the skin of the big cat over my shoulders as a cape. Kola had worked it to a superb finish and it looked great hanging off my tall form. About my neck I wore a necklace fashioned from the big cat's teeth and one extra ornament. It was a talon from the dragon that I'd slain. Kola had claimed one and had never told me, wanting to keep it as a surprise.

We were stopped half way up the track that led to the top of the promontory by pickets. The men were dressed in boiled leather armour and studded leather skull caps. They were all armed with pikes and long knives. Over their armour they were wearing a surcoat emblazoned with the crusader's cross. That didn't bode well for us. They challenged me in old French and I replied to them in kind. That startled them for a moment or two for it was obvious that they hadn't expected to encounter French speaking people here. I decided to use their surprise against them.

"Tell your lord," I stated in a commanding voice, "that the Marshall of Oak Hall desires to parley with him under the protection of the cross and the flag of truce, and be quick about it."

Well my words and probably my size and stature put wings to the feet of one man and he ran off to report our presence. Fifteen minutes later he returned with a party of horsemen trotting along behind him.

"I am Henri of Caen," the lead rider declared as he reined in his mount, "and it is my honour to escort you to the presence of our great lord."

"Sir Knight," I responded courteously, bowing my head towards him, "it would be my pleasure."

We ended up riding side by side the remainder of the way with Rory and Tobias riding behind us and the knight's party trailing us. I kept my mouth shut and so did Sir Henri. I did however keep my eyes open and they told me a lot.

The encampment was as large as I'd feared. I saw tents and lean-tos everywhere. I even saw women cooking at fires and dozens of wagons pulled up to the far side of the promontory. As for the men, most of them were at work cutting down trees. I didn't know why they were cutting them down, but I could certainly guess. I just kept my thoughts to myself. Eventually we rode into the centre of the encampment where there was several pavilion style tents set up in a group. As I dismounted, a man came out of the central tent followed by several others. The man was a big fellow, though still shorter than me. He was taller than the men with him but not by much. By the clothing they were wearing and the swords at their sides, I knew instinctively that they were all noblemen. Sir Henri of Caen did the honours of introducing my host.

"My lord," he said glancing at me, "please allow me to introduce Philip de Roquefort, Baron of Combalou and by the grace of God and our Holy Mother church, commander of this expedition."

"My lord," I responded bowing my head slightly as I did, "I am Charles Sextus of Ottawa, Lord Marshall of Oak Hall, and oft called the Beast Slayer. I welcome you to our lands and bid you well from my lord, Barnabas of Oak Hall and request to parley with you under the flag of truce and the protection of the cross. How say you?"

The Baron was amiable and invited me into his pavilion. I left Rory and Tobias outside with my horse. Once inside the Baron introduced his fellow knights and gentlemen. In all there were ten noble men. I greeted them all with courtesy and they showed me the same. Along with them was the baron's cleric, the Father Dominic. I greeted him as well and the man blessed me. With introductions and formalities concluded I was invited to sit and to drink and to talk.

We spoke for the next hour. The first half hour was spent in the Baron wanting to know exactly where he was. I took care when I spoke to him. I didn't tell him that he was on an alternate Earth or that the world was called Game World. Instinctively I knew that he would never believe it and that the priest would accuse me of sorcery. I did however tell him where he was geographically. When I told him, he refused to believe it. He'd been to Byzantium before and this wasn't it. I just shrugged and told him that it was the truth. That left him baffled as it did the other men including the priest. It also left him irritated. The second half hour was spent listening to the Baron's demands. He didn't care where he was at the moment, but he did care that his men were low on provisions and he expected us to provide those provisions to him. When I suggested the possibility of trade, he scoffed at that and told me that he held the high ground and that he would take what he wanted, when he wanted it. Our discussion began to devolve after that. In addition to food, water, fodder, and gold, the Baron expected us to provide him with transport across the sea so that he and his men could continue on towards the Holy Lands. I advised him that I would need to return and speak with his lordship, Barnabas of Oak Hall and that I would return on the morrow with his answer.

Needless to say I already knew what the answer was going to be and I knew that the Baron was going to be unhappy with our response. Still by playing diplomat for another day, I'd avoided bloodshed and I'd gathered a sizable amount of intelligence. Upon returning to Oak Hall, I called a council of war.

What I learned was that these men outnumbered us by about four to one. From the number of tents that I'd seen and the number of men working and the horses tethered off to one side of their camp, I had a pretty good estimate of how many fighting men we were facing. There were at least eleven mounted knights with their squires who were attired in hauberks and surcoats and armed with shields and longswords and from what I'd seen in the camp, there was at least another fifty men on horse back backing them up. These men had chainmail and boiled leather armour and they were armed with short swords, axes, and pikes. The bulk of the army was made up of foot soldiers and they had to number between eight and nine hundred strong. These men were armed with pikes mostly, although a few carried bows. In total I was certain we were facing over a thousand men and while we were behind fortified walls, I knew that there was no way that we could sally-forth and attack them since they controlled the heights overlooking the town and they could see down into us with ease. What I also knew was that the Baron wasn't dumb. While I was in camp I noted that some of his men were busy building siege weapons. I was certain that in a day or two that the baron would have a couple of trebuchets constructed and that the walls of Oak Hall would soon come tumbling down if we didn't do something about them.

I met again with my war council and told them what I'd seen and what I'd assumed. No one was happy about the situation, but they were relieved that we had another day to think and plan and to prepare. I just nodded my head while the people of the town reassured themselves and then when they'd left, I went and chatted with Lord Barnabas.

"Choices need to be made," I said to him bluntly. "You're an old campaigner and you know that Oak Hall will not survive a siege. The enemy hold the high ground and they will soon have trebuchets that they can use to knock down our walls. If we fight people will die. However, if we capitulate to the Baron's desires, those who fall under the control of the Baron might wish that they had died. I doubt that he will be as kind a ruler as you have been. The man comes from a world that never evolved beyond medieval times and the crusades."

"I doubt so as well," Barnabas replied in a resigned manner, looking even more tired than usual.

"However," I continued, "giving up is only one choice. Fleeing Oak Hall is another. We have ships and the Baron doesn't so technically we could leave and remain safe. Of course, most of the population of Oak Hall would be left to the mercy of the Baron."

"Please Charles," Barnabas sighed softly, shaking his head, "don't tease an old man so. If you have a plan, tell me what it is. I'm too tired to play games."

"All right Barnabas," I nodded in agreement, patting his hand gently as I did, "I'll tell you."

And I did and it put a smile on his face.

"But it's not honourable," Barnabas said solemnly when I told him the first part of my plan. "It goes against the chivalric code."

"Screw the chivalric code," I told him bluntly, "I'm neither a knight nor a nobleman. I am however a fighter and I intend to fight and I certainly don't intend to fight by someone else's rules. Trust me on this Barnabas. The Baron and his boys think they've got us over the barrel but they don't. I feel sorry for them because the bastards on the other Earth dropped them into our laps to spice up the game, get themselves some more ratings, and they're hoping to kill me in the process. Well I'll help them get their ratings but I don't intend to die. Just leave everything to me."

After that chat I called another impromptu war council. I needed a few things taken care of while I went and had a nap. The first person I saw was Felicity. I gave her some marching orders that put a smile on her face and got me a kiss. I then saw Nimue and got the same kind of response. The last person I saw was Sir Humphrey. I needed some help and I figured he'd be the man to go to considering the type of help I needed. I was right. I left him to take care of my problem and then went off to bed. I slept most of the day and only got up after dark. Once up I had a quick wash, I dressed in my travelling clothes and then I had a bite to eat. I was eating when Sir Humphrey showed up. He'd found what I was looking for.

"Greetings Sir Humphrey," I said to the man as he strolled into the great hall accompanied by six other men. "I see you brought guests."

"Yes my lord," the man replied formally, "just as you requested. These six men are the best woodsmen here about and they are all familiar with the use of knives and moving about in the dark, although none of them will admit it, at least to my face. However, since I represent his lordship's justice in these parts, I can understand their reticence."

"As can I," I acknowledged to Sir Humphrey. Then turning my gaze upon the six men, I spoke to them. They were all short, wiry, and dressed in woodland garb with soft soled boots upon their feet.

"You do understand the task that I'm asking of you men?" I asked them bluntly. "It will be very dangerous and all of us might die."

"We understand my lord," said one of the men, speaking for the rest, "and are willing to do it. All of us have some kind of family in Oak Hall and none of us want to see them dead or as slaves. As such, we'll serve you right."

"Good," I told them, with a smile upon my lips. "Then I think it is time to go."

We left by the far gate, away from the promontory. In the darkness we moved one by one, slipping along the city wall and then across the wheat filled fields that surrounded the town until we finally reached the orchards and the hills upon which they grew. The man who'd spoken led the way while I followed and the others followed me. From the orchards we headed up onto the heights that over looked the hills and then on to the escarpment. Once there we started working our way around the periphery of the promontory, keeping away from the town side. As we did, we kept our eyes open for sentries. Amazingly, the Baron's men were lax. The whole heights to the east had been left unwatched and in no time my band of volunteers and I were within feet of the encampment.

It was near midnight when we reached it, but even then the encampment was not quiet. Men were speaking to men in hushed voices that carried on the night's breeze and the sound of men coupling with women filled the air from time to time. There was the sound of horses shifting in the night and the low of a cow. There was also the sound of revelry coming from some of the larger tents. Patiently we waited and when that revelry died down, we moved.

The plan was simple. My friends and I were going to sneak into the Crusaders' camp and slit the throats of their leaders. I didn't expect that it would suddenly lift the siege, but I did hope that without the Baron guiding them, the Crusaders would do something stupid that I could exploit when the right time came along. While we were at it, we'd try to eliminate a few of his fellow nobles as well thus adding more fuel to the fire. Hopefully it would work.

There weren't that many tents and lean-tos situated between the eastern edge of the promontory and the big tents. I figured most of them belonged to the squires and servants belonging to the Baron's retinue. When we finally moved, everyone in this area was asleep. Still we moved carefully, with our weapons ready just in case. Thankfully no one stirred beyond turning over in their bedrolls and no alarm was raised. In a matter of minutes we'd crossed the distance to the tents and then we were ready to strike. I led the attack.

With a man holding the canvas of the Baron's pavilion taut, I took out my dirk and slowly cut through the material. It took but a few seconds. Once it was cut, I slipped into the tent. A second later the man with me did the same. We found a small oil lamp burning on a camp table a few feet from where the Baron was sleeping. The air in the tent was heavy with sweat and sex and wine. We saw that the Baron was stretched out on his bed with a naked woman lying beside him. I sighed on seeing that but there was nothing to be done about it. I took my dirk and pointed to the woman and then to my partner in crime. He nodded his head in resignation. With that agreed upon, I moved up beside the bed, on the side where the Baron was sleeping while the man moved to the side where the woman was sleeping. On a one-two-three count, we dispatched the pair simultaneously making it quick and clean. Both stirred at the last moment but by then our knives were deep in their flesh and all they could do was open their eyes in horror as their lives slipped away.