Chapter 6

It was a fine day as they assembled what would be their army. All the tribal leaders from the area had gathered. A meeting was held and pledges of loyalty were sworn to Lord Tom and Lord Paul. The leaders had brought their tribes with them, they weren't going to risk having their women and children stolen whilst they were off fighting, and now a great host were assembled in the Badger People's village. Tom took all the bowmen off to see how good they were, and Paul took the rest to work on their swordsmanship. It fell to the old men and the women to construct huts for all the newcomers.

Tom was pleased at how good they were: not surprising really, they were, after all, hunters. Paul on the other hand was dismayed. They had very little idea. It was soon apparent that any kind of swordplay would be out until Tom pointed out that he was approaching it from the wrong angle.

"You are thinking sword fighting. These are hunters, not warriors. Get them shields and spears. They know how to use spears, just get them something to protect themselves from arrows and swords. Think Greek hedgehog, not Roman legion. It's much quicker to teach, and much easier to make. Come here, I'll show you my ideas." Tom told him "Look, when we make our stand I want a line of infantry standing in front of the archers giving them protection; a shield wall with archers behind. If they have horses, then I want the men in the front rank to have sharpened spears, eight feet long. They will be lying at their feet, and at the last minute they will kneel down and pick them up and allow the horses to skewer themselves on them. The men behind will then kill the riders as they fall off. It's how Robert the Bruce defeated the English at Bannockburn. Archers will pepper them as they charge, and hopefully very few will get through. Think Agincourt. We will have to choose our battlefield carefully, and prepare it as they did. If a man has just fallen at your feet from a horse, you don't need to be a fabulous swordsman to kill him, a simple hand axe in the back of the head or a spear thrust through the middle of him will do the job. Remember the maxim KISS Keep it simple, stupid!"

Paul stood back in amazement. "When did you become a general? That's brilliant. I would never have thought of that. Okay from now on, you're in charge of the army, and I'm your second in command." with that he threw him a theatrical salute.

Others had seen Paul doing this, and they started to copy. Soon all the people were saluting Lord Tom.

"You've bloody well started something now haven't you" Tom told him at mealtime. "Every time one of them wants to talk to me he salutes. I now spend half my time saluting instead of getting on and planning the defences. Tell me how are things going?"

"Very good," replied Paul. "They have started building shields, and they took to spear work like a duck to water."

"Yes I thought they might. It's what they're used to, being hunters, just make sure they hold onto their spears and not chuck them. In fact," he said thoughtfully, "might be a good idea to give them a couple of spears; then if one does chuck it, he has a spare. Okay, I need to see the lay of the land. I need to decide where the best place to fight will be. I'll get Ganlan and use his knowledge of the area to decide."

Tom found Ganlan training with the archers "I see you're hard at it" Tom said to him.

"What example would I be if I did not train and fight along side my people?" he replied.

"Quite right. I need you to ride with me and show me the land. We need to chose out battlefield." He knelt down and drew a map in the dirt. "I want a valley with woods each side, getting narrower towards the top, with the ground rising towards a ridge, upon we will be standing. Do you know of such a place?"

"Not quite, but I know of a place where the river runs along one side, and then the woods runs up one side, and the land slopes down to the river from the ridge, would that do?" Ganlan answered.

"Show me" said Tom.

They rode out to the place that Ganlan spoke of. "How's this?" he asked.

"Perfect!" said Tom. "Now all we have to do is make sure that this is the only place they can get to us. We need to flood areas all along the river and sow the area with caltrops to dissuade them from crossing anywhere else. Come on, we've got work to do"

"What are caltrops?" asked Ganlan

"They are devices made to stick into horses' hooves. It makes them rear up and, hopefully, throw their rider."

They went back to the village and explained what he wanted. Some grumbled at this amount of work, saying they thought it unnecessary. "Well its up to you, Lord Paul and myself can just up and leave you to your fate. Freedom sometimes comes with cost. This is one of those times. It's your choice; don't work now and live as slaves. Or work, fight, and yes maybe die so that your children and their children and their children's children may live in peace and freedom. In my land my father and his father before him had to fight, and some had to die so that I and my children may enjoy peace and freedom. Every now and then men must choose, slavery or freedom. This is one such time. So choose."

Sheep faced they picked up their tools and followed him. They dammed the river and flooded the fields after digging potholes to discourage the enemy from riding through them. That took most of the day. The next day they prepared the battlefield digging potholes and covering them with brush. Next they built a barricade at the top of the ridge and drove sharpened stakes facing down the slope.

After three weeks of fevered activity one of the scouts came riding into the camp.

"Lord Tom, Lord Tom," he shouted as he galloped up

"Yes?" said Tom, helping the man down from his horse

"Sir, they're coming. Hundreds of them." he told him excitedly.

"Okay, slow down. Come inside and have a drink and then you can tell me exactly what happened." he told him

The man nodded and followed him inside. "We followed them as you said, and when they got to the big town they loaded the slaves onto a big ship. They waited for about a week, and then a group of them started to backtrack to where we killed the slavers. Once they reached the battle site, they saw what we had done and they rode back to the town and gathered most of the men. Once they started out I rode here as fast as I could to warn you."

Tom looked at him and smiled patting him on the shoulder. "Well done, you have done exactly as I asked. Now go and eat and rest. You've done well young man."

The man beamed as he went to get some food. Ganlan looked up at Tom and said, "You have just made that young man feel like the most important man in the world. He would follow you anywhere now. In your land you must be a great Lord, with many followers."

"No, not me. At home it's the simple life for me, just my wife, children and an ordinary job. Nothing fancy for me." he said laughing. "Here though, I have a war to fight. We need to make sure all the men are as ready as they can be. I reckon we've got a few days at most, perhaps not even that."

"How do you think that?" asked Ganlan.

"Well, he knew the way, they will be back-tracking the slavers route, they will have to go through each village, and finding no one there move on to the next. Hopefully they will get frustrated and get careless. We have to have more men tracking them. Provided they don't get caught we will get more news before they get here." Tom told him.

He strode out into the village and assembled the people.

"The slavers are coming." He told them. "In a few days we will be fighting for our very lives. I ask you now to redouble your efforts as its now we lay the seeds of our victory. Every hole we dig, every fence we build, every spear and shield we make will ensure our victory. Train hard, work hard and we will win. We will drive this curse from our land and soak the fields in their blood."

A cheer went up from the assembled crowd. "We will fight! We will win! Lord Tom! Lord Paul!"

They chanted.

"Well that went well," said Ganlan. "You have done something no other man has ever done. You have united all the people of the hunter tribes, the Badger People, the Fox People, the Hare People. This has never happened before. We have never been united; we've always fought each other. I have dreamed of this day all my life. Thank you. What ever happens now I'll die a happy man."

"Don't talk like that. Remember, the first duty of a soldier is not to die for his people; it's to make the other guy die for his people. Said Tom.

Ganlan laughed. "I'll try to remember that"

"Do that, I intend to." said Tom

Tom went to find Paul. "I need you to run the hospital," he told him

"Why? I'm one of the best swordsmen here. I want to be on the front line, not sitting back in the sickbay."

"You are the best doctor in this area, probably on this planet. I need you to gather the best healers together and prepare a hospital. No one will know about infection like you. Teach these people what you know. Prepare sterile bandages, sterile instruments, and clean areas. Train stretcher-bearers. Only you can do this. Without you many more will die needlessly. You know this. It's your calling. You know only too well what will happen here without antibiotics. Only someone who truly understands this can help prevent It.," he told him.

"Very well, I'll do it." Paul said.

The preparations continued relentlessly. Training was stepped up; defences were built, improved and improved again. Then late one evening the last two scouts came riding into the camp. They rode up to Tom and said. "They're here."

"All right, come and make your report, then get something to eat." Tom told them.

"They are coming along the river. They tried to cross earlier, but the river was flooded, also when they tried to enter the water, some horses fell into holes, and others went lame with bits of stick in their hooves. They should cross the river by morning."

Ganlan looked at Tom in amazement. "You knew your plan would work didn't you. I'm sure the rest of your plan will work just as well."

Tom looked at the young scouts. "You have done well, now go and get something to eat and get some rest, you're going to need it." Turning to Ganlan he said, "Yes, I had a pretty good idea that it would work. We have denied them any other crossing place, now its just a question of whether they fall for the rest of it, or whether they just cut their losses and go home."

He went outside to take a last look at the defences. He had done all he could think of. All the preparation was done. Tomorrow would be the final test. Here they would win or die. All they could do now was wait for dawn.

The sun rose slowly over the horizon revealing the enemy horsemen below. Tom addressed his men.

"Today our destiny is decided. Today we decide if we live and die as free men or as slaves. Those men below us want to put us in chains. They want to sell our women and children just to make a profit. Are we going to let them?"

"NO!" the crowd roared back at him

"Then let us show these slavers that we are hunters, not slaves. We know how to kill. We will show them how to die. Today they DIE!"

"KILL! KILL! KILL!" The cry went up among the men.

"To your places men. Its Time!"

Tom had placed men in amongst the trees, they had orders to remain hidden until the main force upon the ridge opened fire. The infantry formed up behind the barricades. He ordered his archers to remain out of sight.

The leader of the slavers came forward. He was an imposing figure. Well over six and half feet tall and all dressed in black, he dwarfed the horse he rode. Tom mounted is horse and rode out to meet him.

"My name is Orleck. I am here today to take back what was taken from me. Give me fifty women and fifty children and I will let you live. Resist and those left alive I will take as slaves." Orleck called out

"My name is Lord Tom. These are free people. The things you say were taken were my people. The men that took them are dead. I give you this opportunity to surrender so that your men may live. You will be marked as slavers and serve twenty five years as indentured servants. You will have more rights than the people you enslaved, but not much. We are free people. We bow our knee to no man, especially one such as you! You have ten minutes to decide. Lay down your weapons and surrender or die. It makes no difference to me."

Orleck growled and went as if to reach for his sword. Tom had his bow with an arrow already notched.

"Ha" said Orleck "I can see your pathetic warriors on the ridge. What chance do you think they will have against my men? You will all be killed, and those that aren't will be made to watch as we rape your women. We will rape your children too. No one will be spared. You have brought this down upon yourselves with your stupid pride. Run back to your women, for today you die."

"Fine words from a coward such as you. You fight well against women and children. Lets see how well you do against men."

Orleck glared at him, turned his horse and rode back towards his men.

Tom rode back to his lines. "Steady men" he called. "They'll be coming now."

Almost at once they saw the slavers start up the hill. The thundering of the hooves rang out as they advanced. As they passed one of the marker posts that Tom had set up he called out "Archers. Now!"

With that the hidden archers leapt up and loosed a volley of arrows at the slavers. At once the archers hidden in the woods at the side joined in firing volley after volley from the flank. On charged the slavers, taking losses all the time. Suddenly they were at the barricade.

"Steady men" called Tom to his spearmen as the horsemen closed. "Now!" he called and the spearmen lifted the long spears that they had hidden in the grass and impaled the horses. Horses screamed and riders fell. Those behind the first rank of spearmen thrust spears, axes, and swords into the fallen. Those with shields held against the crash of impact. Archers continued to fire into the massed horsemen. Some slavers got through, but were so out numbered that they were soon overpowered. In the heat of the battle Tom saw Orleck riding down on a young spearmen. The lad could not have been more than sixteen or seventeen, but Tom saw him standing bravely with his shield and spear ready. As Orleck raised his sword to cut this young man down Tom shot him in the side. He saw a complete look of surprise as the arrow penetrated his armour and pain radiated throughout his body. The lad parried Orleck's blow with his shield and thrust his spear into the dying man. With Orleck's death the slavers lost heart. Some tried to run, others surrendered. It was all over. They had won.

They gathered up their wounded and took them to Paul. He was already hard at work bandaging up wounds and stitching others.

"Remember to keep it clean, otherwise I may have to amputate." he told one young man.

He looked over to another and sadly shook his head. Just then another man was rushed in bleeding from a nasty head wound. He set his nurses to care for him. "Get the hair shaved and the wound stitched" he called to one of the women.

He then called out to Leila who was his head nurse "Leila I need more hot water and more bandages." It was then he saw Tom.

"Tom, you're not hurt are you?" he called anxiously, bandaging up another young man's leg

"No, I'm fine, just come to tell you its over. We've won!" Tom said joyfully.

A cheer rang out around the hospital. Tom looked around him. "So what's the butcher's bill then?" he asked.

"Ten of ours dead, twenty four wounded, six of those might not make morning and another five probably won't ever hunt again. Of the enemy, I don't know. We are just getting them in off the battlefield now. I will be able to let you know in a couple of hours." He told him.

"Very well, do what you can" Tom said