I felt rather than heard Flecha's front hooves connect with the ground below us, as my entire being shook with the impact. I had only a moment to collect my thoughts before Flecha rolled back onto his haunches and with a soft snort he kicked off harder, it was not much but I knew that it was a warning that within the next seconds I would face another Saxon, and sure enough there they were, confused but ready to kill whatever came their way. I took a deep breath and raised my sword high into the air, bringing it down to connect with the soft flesh of a Saxon, the sound was enough to churn anyone's stomach, but it was not a thought that I could concern myself with now.
I brought Flecha around and I could see that the Woads were right behind us prepared to deliver whatever deadly blow that they could. However, I had no time to worry about what the Woads could or could not do, as more Saxons came for me, each one believing me to be easy pickings considering that I was a woman, they would soon discover how terribly wrong they were, as I brought my sword to connect with each one of them.
I could feel my heart beating out of control, pumping the adrenaline throughout my veins, blinding me to most things, but it was only as I brought my sword up high, that I truly saw the carnage that I had inflicted through the blood that soaked the blade. I looked around and could see that most of the other knights had either already dismounted or been thrown off by the Saxons, the only that remained on their horses were Tristan and Gawain, but it was when I looked to at Gawain that I truly felt my heart stop.
He was riding head on into battle, but what he failed to see was a Saxon who stood a little ways in front of him holding an armour-piercer ready to fire. I saw as the bolt left and headed directly for Gawain, finding its mark in his left shoulder and throwing Gawain clean off of Adrian.
As I watched him fall I felt a scream be ripped from my throat as I spurred Flecha on to where he laying, but there was no way in which I was fast enough in getting there, as only I few feet away from him, a Saxon had managed to get enough leverage and momentum to launch himself at me, knocking both myself and Flecha to the ground. I could hear in the distance as Flecha screamed and struggled to return to his feet.
The brute who had knocked me to the ground stood poised above me with a horrific lecherous glint in his eyes, but he was distracted by this battle lust that he failed to realize that he had left himself completely vulnerable, it was a chance that I seized as I reached for the dagger at my waist and plunged it into the man's heart, and with a gurgling cough he fell over dead.
Scrambling to my feet I looked around for Gawain to see him standing and ready to pull the bolt from his shoulder. What he did not see was the man that stood behind him with a battle axe raised and ready to strike, with an additional boost of strength I lunged at the man thrusting my sword into his back, the man gave a silent scream and fell to the ground dead.
I wanted to desperately stay with Gawain and make sure that he was alright, but when I saw him continue to fight the men around him, not only did I know that he would be alright, but I also knew that there was no time for that, both for my sake and his I had to keep moving, laying death to any foe that came before me.
It was only a while later when I sensed that there was someone behind me, a presence that I did not recognize, but when I moved to strike them down I was shocked to come face to face with none other than Luthien.
"What in the blazes?" I cried out as I stilled my blade above her head. I must have had a Saxon approach me from behind, because Luthien thrust her blade past me to embed it deeply into the chest of the man, and with a scream fell to his death. "Luthien run, get away from here!" I cried as I continued to hack at men that came in my path.
"What and miss out on the fun?" she called back as we fought side by side.
"Think of your brother, what would he say should you die on this day?"
"I fight beside you Merenwen, and there is nothing you can do to stop me." The determination was strong in her voice, but I had to make one final stand against her.
"Luthien you are a woman, this is not your place." At this statement she merely looked at me as if I had gone a bit mad.
"And what are you a duck?" she asked.
"Good point."
As we continued to fight side-by-side I saw out of the corner of my eyes Tristan dismounting Indian, but it was only when I realized who Tristan's target was that I knew I had to do something.
Tristan was an very capable fighter, but I feared that should he take on the Saxon King on his own that it would be the last act that he ever did. So without any hesitation I quickly made my way over to him, cutting down anyone who came into my path. As I reached his side he looked at me with curiosity, but I could tell that his concentration never left the king.
"You cannot do this on your own Tristan." I pointed out.
"Mer, do not deter me from this, you know as well as I that if he falls the fight will be over." I knew that he was right, but I would be damned if I let him die on this day when we finally were free.
"I do know that, which is why I am going with you; together we have a better chance than alone." I told him with a small smile, and it seemed to be enough for him as he nodded and together we made our way over to the king.
It did not take the Saxon leader long to notice us both approaching him, it was only when he did that he threw down his axe and withdrew his sword in its place.
As Tristan and I approached our enemy, we spent only a moment dancing around him before together we struck our blow. It did not take long for the three of us to be engaged in a deadly dance, and while we were two against one, the Saxon king appeared to have no problem deflecting both of our blows, and as if to make matters worse it was clear that he was strong, and I could tell that Tristan was loosing his strength, but I was not much better, with each of his blows I had to struggle not only to deflect them but also to just remain on my feet.
I knew that the best way to give Tristan a chance was to attempt to strike from behind, while I had been contemplating on how to diliver my next blow, I failed to notice a particular powerful swing from the Saxon, so with one deep breath I dropped to the ground and rolled around him to come face to face with his back; this was my chance. I moved to strike at my opponent, but he red me perfectly and he himself swung around to deflect my blow. It was a move on his part that caused Tristan's guard to be lowered for a split second, but it was enough for the Saxon to draw a dagger and strike at Tristan, effectively slicing through his flesh by his ribs.
"Tristan!" I breathed his name, it was clear from his expression that he was worried about the wound, but I also knew that he was going to need time to recover, so without thinking over my actions or the consequences that it would have, I charged the king, and together we connected swords, but he still had the small dagger in my hand, and the fact that I had not paid much attention to it would prove to be my downfall, as the next thing I knew, he moved to slice through my thigh, successfully bringing me to the ground. As I kneeled before him attempting to comprehend what had happened I felt the hilt of the same blade connect with my head. My vision went black and the pain was excruciating. I did the only thing that I could think of, in an attempt to get away from the Saxon, I half crawled, half hopped away from him all of the time swinging my sword around me. Tristan saw my distress and immediately engaged his opponent, but his strength was already weaning, and it was only a few seconds before the king had implanted his blade once again, this time into Tristan's fore-arm, effectively causing Tristan to drop his sword.
It was clear that the Saxon was only playing with us, like a cat does with its prey. I could tell that Tristan was weary of his opponent as he reached for the dagger that he kept hidden on his chest. The leader merely observed him with curiosity and he kicked Tristan's sword towards him, indicating that the fight was not over. I took this as my chance and lunged towards the Saxon, but it was a mistake that I would come to pay dearly for, and unknown to me he had also unsheathed a dagger of his own, and in one fatal swoop, I felt the dagger being plunged into my chest.
The pain was excruciating, I could feel the burn run through every nerve in my body as it brought me to the ground, but it was the moment that Tristan had been waiting for as he lunged and plunged his own sword, the sword that the Saxon had foolishly given back to him, into his opponents back.
As I lay on the ground I could look up into the face of the dying man, and what I saw was a mixture of both astonishment but also to some extent contentment, as he fell to the ground taking in his last breaths.
I do not know how long it took for him so die, or how long I lay there on the battlefield weak and bleeding from my wounds, but it felt like hours before I saw Tristan's face above mine, I could tell that he was saying something, but I was unable to understand him, as I succumbed to a world of darkness.