Camalot pt8

The sky was clouded, and threatened to rain on the marching army to Camalot. The mood of the men seem to match that of the day’s, quiet and solemn.
The group stopped at mid day for a meal. Red sat alone, doing his best to chew the stale bread and hard cheese he had been given. His jaw ached terribly, but his stomach ached more, so he forced back the pain and chewed.
“How ya feeling today Red?” Grave asked as he strolled up.
“Just like i look.” Red replied, rubbing his swollen cheek.
“I’ve seen guys come out worse then that.” Grave added. “You almost had him to, well up to the point when he rocked ya that is.”
“I was still ready to fight.” Red grumbled.
“I don’t doubt that for a second my friend. You have the heart of a lion, and a skull as thick as an ox.”Grave said, biting into a large apple. “But you lack the skill. With a bit of training, you would have won that fight in but a few heart beats.”
Red looked up at him hard, his eyes glazing over with suspicion. “What is this all about Grave? Why am i really here? What is really going on?”
“You lost a knife throwing contest with dArk, that’s why your here.” Grave replied, not meeting Red’s eyes.
“Don’t lie to me Grave.” Red replied, irritation tipping his words.
“It’s not for me to...” Grave started but Jeanne came around the corner and he stopped.
“The King and Queen would like you to join them, Red.” Jeanne said coolly, her eyes void of emotion. “They said you were allowed to come to.” She finished gesturing to Grave.
“Oh goodie i’m allowed to come too... bastards.” Grave muttered as he followed.
“Ahh Red I am glad to see you, you are looking better then expected after last nights activities.” Bloodwolfe joked as Red sat down on the silk pillow placed out in the tent.
“Oh Wolfe, leave him alone!” The Queen snipped at him, slapping the King hard in the shoulder. “Seriously Red are you ok? Is there anything we can do?”
“As a matter of fact there is.” Red said, his tone sharpening his eyes leaving the Queens. “Why am i really here? You all seemed really intent on wanting me to come with you. You all seem really convinced i am something great when i know damn well i am just a simple lumber jack that happens to be damn lucky. What in the nine hell’s in going on here?”The King and Queen exchanged glances.
“We see great potential in you Red...” But Red cut the King short.
“Cut the shit, i want the truth or i walk back to my town right now!” Red hissed he eyed the Queen hard, he already knew part of it from their talk back in Vanity, but now he wanted it all no secrets. Even if he had to expose what the Queen had told him, he would be a puppet no more.
“That would be going against our deal Red.” dArk added with a hint of teasing in it.
“You want to kill me?” Red growled turning his attention on dArk as he stood up. “Go for it! You think your fast enough?” Red took two steps forward. Jeanne’s arm snapped down and up, the flash of a blade cleared the distance and Red spun round, holding his chest.
“Dear god no!” The Queen cried out.
“What the hell have you done dArk!” The King bellowed.
Red finished his turn and faced Jeanne again and dropped her knife to the floor, not a drop of blood on it. He finished his last steps to her and grabbed her wrists before she could reach for another. “Just because you can hit a knot in a tree closer then me, doesn’t mean you have what it takes to kill me.” His voice was even and calm.
“We are under an attack!” A soldier bellowed as he ran into the tent.
It took several moments for the mood in the room to change. “What?” The King said.
“Bandits sir, coming in from the north, about a thousand of them.” The soldier told him, worry creasing his face.
“I can’t do much to help defend the camp if you don’t stop holding my hands.” Jeanne purred to Red.
Red eyed her for a moment shook his head then released her. “If i fight for you, you tell me everything, no lies no secrets.” Red told the King.
“Once we get to Camalot i will tell you everything, you have my word.” Bloodwolfe replied, strapping on his armour and long sword.
Red took off out of the tent to where his axe rested, scooped it up and was off to the north, with many of the other soldier who were running to meet the closing in attackers.
“Form a wedge!” Red cried out as he ran and men followed suit on either side of him within moments, forming a tight arrow head. A hundred yards to go and the battle would clash.
The hissing of stray enemy arrows went by, and several men were struck. If fatally Red didn’t know, nor did he care, he charged on. An arrow sliced through his shoulder, but was only a graze and he hardly felt it.
The wedge crashed into the stray bandits with ease and many enemy fell to the hungry blades of the defenders within the first few seconds. But the bandits fought like mad men.
Red released a mighty roar as he brought his axe sweeping across taking two bandits across the chest, their light leather armour doing them no favour’s as they fell to the ground dead. Another bandit charged in wildly swinging short sword’s in each hand. Red blocked the first attack with the shaft of his axe and ducked down well the other went over his head. Up he came his axe swinging low, cleaving clean through the enemies legs. His screams were ended as Red’s blade took off the top of his head.
Red pulled his axe from the chest of a fallen enemy as he heard and loud clash just above his head. He turned to see Grave had deflected a blow from an enemy who had gotten behind Red. A quick snap down and Grave’s other Kama embedded into the bandits skull.
“Lucky i was around to watch your back, there Red.” Grave laughed blocking another wild attack and bring his other weapon down low slicing through the attackers mid-section, spilling his entrails onto the already stained ground.
“DOWN!” Red roared and Grave ducked just in time for Red’s axe to swing over clearing the head off an enemy. The body crashed into Grave causing him to fall.
“We’re even.” Red said as he rushed after several charging bandits.
Sheepwool slashed his broad sword through the ranks of enemy with ease. A large brute engaged him, their sword clashed together, ringing loudly over the fighting. The brutes foot came up catching Sheepwool in the stomach, hindering him only a little. Sheepwool spun left bring his sword around hoping to cleave through his opponent, but the enemy parried the attack and was about to launch his own when a loud crack of steel on bone echoed through the air. The bandit stiffened, blood dribbled from his mouth as he fell to his knee’s and Red pulled his axe blade from the man’s back. Both men shared a look of respect and then were off fighting again.
Soon a horn sounded and what was left of the bandits fled for the hills. Red turned to Sheepwool would had the same look in his eyes.
“We going to let them get away?” Sheepwool asked with a grin.
“You were reading my mind.” Red replied and both men charged after the fleeing enemy, even after several calls to halt were given.
“Hey where are they going?” A soldier asked Grave who was cutting the throat of an enemy.
“Bastards!” Grave barked running to a nearby horse and jumping onto its back grabbing the reins of two other in his wake to follow his comrades.
“Stop Grave!” The King bellowed, but Grave paid him little heed.

love the series its coming alone nicely