Part 9 - 1494-1498 Italian war - A bad end to a great time.

We thought we had retired to an easy life of living in the forest, picking off travellers as they happened by our hiding places. We had taken a monk's robe each when we had left Warwick in case we might have to venture out during the day. The other three wore theirs, I never did.

Then one bright July afternoon we wrote ourselves into the books of folklore. We were on a scouting mission at one of the small settlements outside the city of Nottingham. The other three were lurking in the edge of the forest while I walked past the people looking for someone who might want to hire a band of mercenaries. This had become my role as I was able to interact with humans during the day.

As I passed through the villiage centre I heard a commotion so I went to check it out. From my distance of about a hundred feet I could clearly hear the tax collector as he hurled abuse at the peasant. I found this a very unpleasant sight so I fired an arrow straight through his heart. The people were very happy about this, and I suddenly became a focal point of attention, something which I could honestly do without.

In nearly fifteen years I did battle with the constant stream of men sent by the sherif of Nottingham, and the others got in on the act, Smith known for being large, Williams for his red hair and beard, and Lenster never removed his robe. Because we didn't need it we gave any food and gold we took and passed it on to the poor people of the local towns and villages. Don't ask where Robin came from though, because I do not know. I suppose I just wanted to conceal my identity.

The fun came to an end when we met a man in a clearing. Up until this point we had been enjoying our freedom and having a pretty fine time, but now a military man was in our midst. It was just gone dusk, and the sky was dark and brooding. If we didn't like what he had to say then he may be our supper.

"Good sirs, I seek your service in arms. I hear tell that you are men for hire?" We all nodded and I gestured for him to go on. The fame, it seemed, had pushed me into a leadership role. "Very good then. There is a war taking place in Italy right now, and we need you." The four of us looked at each other. "The French are at it again, invading and causing trouble, and we are joining the league of Venice to repel them. What say you? The pay will be good."

I stood to face the man, and extended my hand, which he duly shook. "We shall be in Southampton in four days, ready to depart." I said. We made arrangements and the stranger left us.

"So. It be battle again." Sighed Williams.

"Better than the sham we have operating here." Said Lenster, indignantly.

"Come now." I tried to calm them. "Let us not be pulled part. If we are to function in this setting we shall have to act as a team."

And act as a team we did. We said our goodbyes to the local people and took off to the South cost and the waiting adventure.

Meeting up with the army was interesting. Suddenly all of our joviality was gone, replaced with the professional attitude we had always carried ourselves with. We stayed together as a group, our new tunics made by the people of Nottingham carried a crest with a stag's head. Our armour was dulled and worn, but very well maintained and as good as anything new. The journey was fast and soon we were in Northern Italy. The Commander came to us.

"Well chaps, I can see you must be itching to get out there and kill some French. I need you to go to Tuscany. Reports are coming from there of a new weapon of some kind. Get down there, check it out, and if you can't wipe it out, report back."

Without a word we were off. Williams led us out on horseback until we were remote enough to leave the horses and just run, saving ourselves several days. We arrived in Tuscany and made inquiries. They led us to a small town where a force of a few hundred French men were camped. When we investigated further we saw one of those horrible hand cannons the Chinese mercenaries had used in the Hundred Years War. This was not good. When we went down to check it out, however, things became ugly very quickly.

The camp was by a lake, and the moonlight was reflected in the clear water as we approached. Then a man in white makeup and a wig confronted us. He inhaled deeply.

"You siink zat you are ze only ones who fight la vampire in ze battles eh?" We each looked at one another with an 'oh shit' expression. Two more powdered wigs had appeared along with a cadre of soldiers. This was going to be fun.

Not wasting a second, Smith piled into the nearest wig, going to ground in a flurry of fists. I took a look at the other two while Williams and Lenster did crowd control. However, soon the two had me in some kind of a hold and I was struggling to move, so Williams helped me out, planting his massive boot in the face of one of my attackers. Then Lenster lost control of the crowd of soldiers and there was chaos. French was being shouted everywhere, and the three powdered vampires were matching us with ease. This was not going to end well.

I landed a couple of heavy blows on my opponent, but he countered and I was reeling. Then, out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of smith, engulfed in a crowd, a wigged vampire tearing his head loose from his body. The crowd cheered and his body and head were thrown into the nearby fire. Shit. This was really not going well.

Lenster was gone. Nowhere to be seen and I had a feeling my time was up as the mob moved on me. The attacker had my ears in a strong grip and was pulling. What happened next will always be a blur to me. The flickering glow of fire glinting in the waters, the angry roar of the crowd turning into confusion and fear. A shock of red as Williams somehow managed to escape and make a run for it. A sickening crack and my world was upside down. I could feel my body and it was soaking wet, but my head was dry. I looked around but could not move. I could see black robed figures decimating the crowd, and then my final vision was of a boot. Someone must have run past me and kicked me in the head in their haste to escape. I did a summersault but my body was nowhere to be seen. I was just a head, and then there was a splash and darkness.