Thank you for reading. Hope you are still enjoying the story and are okay with these shorter chapters. It just seems like the best way to break up the story into chapters and hopefully keep the action moving.

Important note

I realised after I posted the last chapter that I had forgotten to add the beginning of the last chapter. The reveal of who arrived in Camelot and Morgana hugged is Aglain. It's not a huge story point, I just liked his character and wanted to add him here and felt it would be a way to tell more of the story form the Druids point of view. I have added the paragraph that explains this to the previous chapter. If you want you can look back and read it, if not you aren't missing anything. I just wanted to point this out so no one is confused when he turns up later on.

The sun was beginning its descent in the sky offering slight cover for the numerous smaller boats that left from the larger ships with a dozen or so man aboard. About half of the eighty of those that had left on this first wave towards taking Camelot and Albion. Dark grey clouds that threatened rain dimmed the light masking the encroaching invaders further. The men hoped that while not perfect this would offer enough cover for them to come ashore unseen. They had been waiting for such a chance for so long they were beginning to lose patience. So while not perfect they didn't know how long the could stand to stay floating about a mile out to sea from the shore. They would also start to run out of food and fresh water soon. Whatever they choose to do they would have to do something soon.

In the end lord Edmund in the flag ship made the choice to take the small cover they had and finally move forward. The choice his men thought was up to him, and in a way it was. The specific details were up to him, but he had been given no say in the objective they had to achieve. His uncle lord Edward had been very clear about that. Take Camelot or no not bother returning.

The older lord believed that by taking Camelot, the kingdom at the heart of Albion he would be able to take the rest without having to use any further force. With such a large foothold how could the other kingdoms not bend even a little to his side. Unlike his brothers and family that had ruled before him Edward did not believe that using violence was the only way that a kingdom could be taken. His way may take longer, but in the long run there was a better chance that the control could be maintained indefinitely. Sending his young and impulsive nephew to undertake such a delict task was a risk, but Edward knew of Edmunds determination and focus. Traits he felt out weighed the others. Because as the old lord knew all to well, no matter what came after a large show of force was need first to bring the kingdom in line.

Looking ahead to the land that was drawing closer with each stroke of the oars Edmund kept his eyes trained on the shoreline. Once they landed there would be time to take a pause. They had to move quickly. Their presence would be noticed soon enough. Before then they had to dig their feet in, so they could not be ejected easily. The other men in the boat did the same as their leader. Their eyes all fixed on a place on land. With each stroke of the oars they felt they were pulling themselves towards that exact spot. One of the younger men with keen eyes in the first boat that would touch land felt sure he saw someone standing a little way back from the sandy cove that they would soon land on. Just back in the tree line. The closer they got the more sure he was that he was not seeing things. There was someone standing, waiting, watching them.

Nudging his friend to his right he gestured to the figure. The other man squinted a little at first, before he too saw the figure. Though the sun was not shinning brightly or fully the light still shone off the armour the figure was clad in. Causing the two men that saw them to have to blink a few times. Every time they did it took a second to find the figure again. So for a brief second they believed that they were in fact seeing things. As more men in the other boats began to see the figure as well they also saw more figures standing in a line behind the figure they first spotted came into view.

Edmund locked his eyes on the first figure that he had seen. He didn't know for sure but it was a safe bet that this was the king Arthur. How they had been seen, when they had been so carful about staying far enough away from land to not be seen he didn't know. In the end it was irrelevant. At first a spike of anxiety hit him at this realisation. He knew that he would have to face the young king of Camelot at some point. He had just expected he would have had a chance to get his men situated firmly before then. Once the anxiety washed over him he felt excitement begin to build up. Being confined to a ship for almost a month had caused a build up of energy and frustration within him. He felt sure that his men felt the same way that he did. They had the right mix of exuberance and irritation were Edmund believed his men could take the enemy head on right now.

As the boats drew nearer and nearer to shore the build up of energy onboard was palpable as they men built themselves up for the fight ahead.

Then just as the first boat touched land the figures that watched their approach turned and left. They didn't run, simply turned around and walked away.

After the shock of this strange retreat wore off the men now on dry land exchanged looks between each other. Trying to see if anyone could make sense of what had just happened, what they had just seen. They had been told of the reputation of king Arthur and his knights of the round table. They were the bravest and most noble knights in all of Albion, not cowards. So why had they turned and left like this. Why be there to been seen by them and then leave like that. They must be as smart as they were brave and have a plan in mind. No one knowing what to do next. They had been ready for a fight, had been for days now. After a beat they looked to their leader, the lord that they followed to tell them their next move.

Edmund set his sharp grey eyes at the trees just feet ahead. He knew the king of Camelot had plan, that they would be walking into a trap. Surveying the area he could see no sign of what they plan was. Whatever it was Camelot had planned he and his men would face it head on and without hesitating any longer. They had come to far to turn back now. There was no point prolonging the inevitable. Lifting his right arm he then lowered it sharply pointed straight ahead.

Carefully as not to fall foul of any traps the men advanced forward into the tree line. Their hands hoovering over the hilt of their swords at their sides.

After a few minutes they found themselves walking through thick shrubbery underfoot. They slowed down a little being carful that they didn't set of a trap of fall into a pit. Edmund led his men testing the ground, keeping a eye out for any movement ahead and ear trained to hear any sound that unnatural to the forest.

Raising his arm Edmund stopped and the men went silent. It was faint, could just be the wind but he was sure that he heard the rustling of the leaves above their heads. Looking up it was only now that he realised how thick the canopy of leaves was, how much light they blocked out. It took a while for the other men to hear it to and to come to the same conclusion. It was not the wind. There was something or someone up in the trees above them. They had know they where walking into a trap, but had been caught any way.

It was a very bold move by the knights of the round table and the Saxons had to admit to being a little impressed that the other men could climb a tree so quickly and in a full set of armour as well. A second after he had this thought he realised how impossible that idea truly was. It was not the knights of Camelot and their king that were hiding from view behind the newly grown spring leaves above them. But it was someone or something that was clear.

Gesturing for continued silence Edmund made eye contact with his trusted second in command Goodwin who carried a bow and arrow on his back. As did a number of the other men. With a nod of understanding he took hold of his bow and pulled an arrow from his quiver and pulled the string of the bow tight as he aimed it upward, towards the tress above. Searching as he did for any sign of a person in the trees. Any movement at all that gave away where whoever was camouflaging themselves with the leaves so that they could take aim at those on the ground. Much like he and twenty or so others were doing now. The other men with the same weapon took aim now too. All looking for any glimpse of the enemy.

The seconds dragged on as they searched for a target. Their hands twitching to let the arrows fly.

Bring his arm down sharply Edmund ended the tension and the men fired the arrows into the sky.

The arrow soared high into the canapé of the trees. Some became stuck, tangled in the smaller branches. A very some number became imbedded in a larger branch. Most fell harmlessly back to the ground at the feet of the men that fired them into the air.

Before the men could lower their eyes back down to silently ask each other what had happened. How, with all the noise they had heard from the canape of leaves and branches above them had they all failed to hit a real target. They heard a louder, much closer noise. Coming now from all around them. Behind the trees and the shrubs that covered a large part of the forest floor around them.

They then heard a very familiar noise coming from many different directions. The noise of the string of a bow being pulled taut before an arrow fly's forward towards its target. There was no time to react, to try and cover themselves before the these arrows found a target.

Thank you for reading. I have tried to do a little research on the Saxons and found a few things that can help in writing them, but most of it is made up. The main point of them in the story is to be a enemy that forces everyone in Camelot, Albion as a whole to unite together against. A catalyst for character stories. I really hope that this isn't too off putting.

There is going to be another conflict that will happen closer to the ending that will have more of a classic narrative to it.

As always any comments, feedback or ideas that you have are very welcome.