King Stephen is captured and the Civil War seems over until disaster strikes while the Earl of Cleveland is in Normandy. The Empress’ forces are routed and the Earl of Gloucester is captured. Forced to return to rescue the Empress the Earl of Cleveland has to fight King Stephen’s army and the English winter to rescue his Empress. With the future King Henry II as his squire the Earl has to wage a war against an increasing number of enemies and a diminishing number of allies. The novel is filled with both intrigue and bloody medieval battles.
This is book 75 I have published. It is in the Anarchy series and charts the darkest days of the fight against King Stephen. The book covers the rout of Winchester and the siege of Oxford. Using real events I have tried to weave a human story of the struggle of one knight in this Civil War.
Excerpt
I saw a De Brus banner. It was the banner of William De Brus. I had last seen that banner at the battle of Lincoln. I veered Copper towards it. With so few knights now my squires had to become warriors who rode in the front rank now. Richard carried my banner on my left and Gilles rode on my right. The shield wall had swords and hand weapons. We had a slight advantage for we would strike with our spears first. I lowered my shield to cover my thigh and side and I pulled back with my spear. At the last moment De Brus stepped out of the line. I punched into fresh air. Gilles struck the squire who had been to the right of De Brus and he impaled him on his spear. I pulled my arm back and thrust it into the face of the next man at arms.
De Brus’ cowardice had let us inside the shield wall. I pulled back on Copper’s reins and he reared. His hooves hit the shields of two men who fell to the ground with the force. His hooves landed on one of them. Blood spurted from his mouth. I stabbed down at the other. He grabbed the spear and wrenched it from my hands but it was the act of a dying man. I drew my sword and whirled. The enemy shield wall was now two knots of men. Wulfric was wreaking his own special vengeance and he galloped along the line with his axe slaying all who dared stand before him. Not many did and the enemies before him fled.
I reined in and looked around. Sir Harold and Sir John had a second band in a circle. “Gilles, Wilfred! Follow me. Richard, signal my men.”
I charged towards my two knights and their men. They were holding their own. The extra weight I would bring would crush the spirits if not the bodies of the men at arms and knights. I held my sword behind me and, as we approached them, I began to swing it. I jerked Copper’s head at the last minute as I brought my sword up and across the knight. It tore through his mail and into his gambeson. I saw blood and I quickly withdrew it and, as I passed, backhanded him across the neck. He crumpled to the ground.
“Quarter! Quarter!” The survivors dropped their swords.
“Those who yield shall live.”
Richard shouted, “Lord, De Brus escapes!”
“Dick fetch your men. Wulfric take charge of the prisoners and relieve the castle.” I looked around to make sure that Gilles and Richard had survived. Their weapons were bloodied and they had cuts to their surcoats, as I did, but they were whole! “Richard, which way?”
He pointed. “They headed to the south and east.”
It would be to Guisborough. I spurred Copper. Dick and his archers soon joined me. “If this rain would stop we might do something about them, lord.”
“We know where they go. We will catch them. Fear not. I am just pleased that we reached Sir Gilles in time. He had perilously few men in the castle.”
