Page 32 of Knight School Chronicles Box Set

“ Y ou are the leader of this mission,” Fitzwilliam said. “It is for you to decide.”

Gareth stared at the besiegers. They’d been here for nearly a sennight observing, planning.

It was time to act. The Guardians had never entered into open battle before.

Thus far, they had hidden in the shadows, pulled strings from afar, aided in ways that Gareth and the others had only begun to understand.

Though he and the other instructors had wished for more time to train, the moment Lincoln Castle had been taken by Matilda’s allies, all knew they had to strike if Stephen laid siege.

As expected, he had done so almost immediately.

It would take weeks to gather a small army to break such a siege, but the empress could not afford such a delay.

Doing so would diminish the symbolic victory of having conquered such an important, and centrally located, fortress.

If she were to declare herself queen and Stephen dethroned, now was the time to do it.

But that could not happen, of course, if the castle was surrounded by the king’s men.

Those allies that had gathered, the remainder of the Empress Matilda’s forces, which included both her husband and brother’s men, needed access to the castle if they were to crown their queen.

The Guardians would give them that access.

Gareth and Sir Adrian exchanged a glance. That he led this mission instead of Sir Adrian Fitzwilliam was a testament to Sir Eamon’s sway among the Guardians leadership. There was no more skilled man on horseback than Sir Adrian, and Gareth would utilize that fact.

From their vantage point, it was clear the thinnest line of Stephen’s men was just outside the postern gate.

“First, we ride to Darron Hill to spread word of our plan. If we are able to break through to the postern gate, timing will be crucial. We’ll need men from both inside and outside the castle walls to push back the others.”

Fitzwilliam grinned as if he were Gareth’s father, proud of his son’s assessment.

“You and I will lead the charge,” Gareth added. Fitzwilliam nodded. “Roland and Alden will flank from behind.”

Darien did not look pleased, but he had a plan for his friend as well. “As you know, the natural terrain near the gate will aid our men, but only for a short time. Once they are spotted, it will be brute strength and a bit of luck to break through. This is why we need a diversion.”

He looked toward the area where Stephen’s forces surrounded the outer walls of Lincoln Castle. Not far from where the siege line was thinnest, at the very spot they would break through, a small hill remained empty.

Darien followed his gaze.

“I will position myself there,” he said, correctly ascertaining Gareth’s plan.

“You will be exposed,” he warned. “And will take two men with you.”

“None will get close enough for him to need them,” Roland said.

“Your arrogance will get you killed,” Fitzwilliam warned, saying what Gareth had been thinking.

“Have you seen him with a bow and arrow?” Roland countered.

“I will choose the men,” Darien interrupted before Roland could continue. “And create the diversion you need.” He smiled. “And eliminate as many of Stephen’s men as possible.”

An added bonus.

“We will need enough sunlight to carry out the attack,” Gareth said.

As the men began to talk among themselves, Alden approached him.

“It is a good plan,” he said, but the blacksmith’s son was obviously concerned about something.

“Yet you’re worried.”

Alden crossed his arms. “Do you remember Lady Elara telling us about how the siege at Stanley Castle was broken?”

Gareth thought back to the lesson. “They exploited a faction within the besieging army that was not unified in purpose, using it to break through the lines.”

He looked back at the scene before them. Lincoln Castle, surrounded. But Gareth saw no evidence of the kind of disloyalty Lady Elara had discussed in their siege warfare lesson.

“There.” Alden pointed. Not far from where they planned to break through, a group of men sat in a circle, a fire between them. He looked closer.

“They don’t wear Stephen’s black and red surcoats.”

Though Gareth could not see from this distance precisely what emblem they did wear, it was clear these must be either allies or mercenaries, but not Stephen’s own men.

“If we shift the attack just slightly south, it’s possible for Darien’s diversion to work, and we can still enter through the postern gate.”

“But those men might not fight as fiercely as the others. They have a carelessness about them, do they not?”

Gareth understood what Alden meant. Any lack of discipline could help them divide and conquer long enough to get their own army through the siege lines, and Matilda’s forces from within to support them.

The Guardians’ men would not remain once the two armies met.

They would break the line as quickly as possible and ride back into the night.

“They do,” he agreed. “I will tell the others.” Gareth slapped Alden on the back. “We should talk to Fitzwilliam about having you knighted if indeed this works.”

It was something Alden wanted and deserved.

“I care more about staying alive than receiving accolades.”

“I too wish to stay alive this day.”

“To return to Lady Evelina,” Alden jested.

He’d not allowed himself to think of her. Gareth could not become distracted. But at her name, a vision of her in his arms led to another...

“I should not have mentioned her.” Alden’s words interrupted his thoughts.

“Nay, you should not have,” he teased. “Come. We’ll speak to Fitzwilliam. If we’re to attack today, we’ll need to move quickly.”

He could not think of Evie. Not now. Gareth’s life very much depended on his complete concentration on the task at hand.