Chapter 101 - 95: The Bayeux Tournament Champion

However, the situation on the battlefield soon changed. Genoese Crossbowmen, who had climbed the city walls at some unknown point, let loose their arrows, and their targets were the very Norman Knights led by William.

The surprise attack quickly broke the Norman Knights’ charge against the Genoese Crossbowmen and Flemish Spear Soldiers blocking the gate.

Of course, arrows have no eyes; they cannot distinguish between friend and foe. The Genoese Crossbowmen and Flemish Spear Soldiers blocking the gate suffered heavy casualties as well.

Nevertheless, it had the desired effect. Under the hail of arrows, the Norman Knights were forced to retreat.

Belem led his Knights in a decisive charge against the King’s Knights, who were retreating in disarray. Several King’s Knights failed to react in time and were knocked from their warhorses. One Knight’s ankle got tangled in his stirrup; dragged by his panicked warhorse, his neck soon snapped.

The volley of arrows also threw the personal guard knights surrounding Conqueror William into disarray. Their horses panicked, and they began to escort the Conqueror in a retreat. Their protective formation loosened and started to break apart.

Eric took off his barrel helmet, hastily pulling the reins to stop his warhorse beside a King’s Knight who had already fallen to the ground.

He quickly dismounted, put on his nasal helmet, and donned the fallen knight’s tabard.

The tabard bore the King’s insignia. To distinguish his men from the Norman Knights Robert had brought, Conqueror William had added a cross to the original Normandy coat of arms and had this modified emblem embroidered on the tabards of his King’s Knights.

Perhaps because of the rush, the cross was merely two strips of cloth sewn on. It looked extremely crude, as if each Knight had sewn it on himself.

He then swiftly vaulted back onto his horse. Holding his lance in one hand and his longsword in the other, he urged his warhorse forward and fell in beside the retreating King’s Knights.

To complete the act, he rode toward the city gate and thrust his lance at a Flemish Spear Soldier’s shield. The lance punched straight through it, and the spear soldier, caught off guard, tumbled to the ground.

A nearby Norman Knight charged at Eric, but Eric unhorsed him with a single thrust of his lance.

At the same time, two arrows flew toward Eric. He swung his longsword and deflected them almost perfectly.

This brilliant maneuver made the surrounding King’s Knights’ eyes light up.

Several of the King’s Knights couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

Eric even roared for effect, "God and the King!"

The moment the words left his mouth, another arrow flew toward him. This time, however, Eric didn’t block it. Feigning that he couldn’t dodge in time, he let the arrow hit him in the arm.

He then spurred his warhorse, galloping toward Conqueror William’s retreating retinue.

Conqueror William’s guard knights assumed Eric was wounded and seeking protection, or perhaps looking for the King’s praise for his recent display of valor. Suspecting nothing, they parted to let him join their formation.

Conqueror William gave Eric a surprised look as well. He tried to place the man, mentally running through the faces of the knights he knew to be exceptionally skilled in martial arts, but couldn’t find a match.

’Logically, I should remember someone with that level of skill.’

’Is he one of the knights from Essex? Or perhaps newly knighted?’

’But in any case, his presence is a boon. And I have more important things to worry about right now.’

Conqueror William looked away and turned his gaze to the city walls. They were now completely overrun by Robert’s Genoese Crossbowmen.

Among them, he spotted a familiar figure—one he knew better than perhaps anyone else in the world. It was his half-brother, Odo.

And it was Odo who, just nine years ago, had charged into the thick of battle for him at Hastings.

Just as with William FitzOsborne, he had given Odo almost everything he possibly could, yet he too had betrayed him.

A wave of frustration surged through William.

His gaze then shifted to the main banner on a high slope to the side.

’Although the crossbow arrows are a nuisance to the Knights, we at least have chain armor. Those Genoese Crossbowmen and Flemish Spear Soldiers blocking the gate, however, have no such protection. The arrows can easily kill them or take them out of the fight.’

’I could have the Norman Knights press on through the arrows and continue harassing the crossbowmen and spear soldiers at the gate. Let the crossbowmen on the walls keep killing their own allies with their indiscriminate fire.’

’But even if I wear down all of his infantry, I’ll still have to face Robert’s numerically superior force of Knights. If the Knights inside the city charge out, I’ll be put on the defensive.’

’At least a thousand knights went into the city. If Robert didn’t go in with them, then he shouldn’t have many knights with him now. It might be worth a shot.’

"Roger, where are Hugh’s men now?"

"To the west. Forgive me for acting on my own authority, but I am responsible for your safety. I sent for them earlier; they should be arriving soon."

"I’m leaving this to you, Roger. Pin them down. Hugh and I will take care of Robert."

William gave Roger no chance to object. He immediately wheeled his horse around and charged off in another direction, his personal guard knights following close behind.

"Brother, that was some incredible skill. I’ve only seen moves that fluid in chivalric romances."

"If you’d been born ten years earlier, you would have made a name for yourself at Hastings."

"Indeed. Even I, the runner-up in the Bayeux tourney, feel humbled."

The personal guard knights riding beside Eric started chatting with him.

Martial prowess is nearly the sole criterion for judging a Frank Knight. Compared to it, even moral principles are of secondary importance. This is especially true among the Norman Knights.

"The runner-up of the Bayeux tourney?"

As Eric spoke, he gently squeezed his horse’s flanks, imperceptibly closing the distance to William.

"HAHAHA, there Alan goes again, bragging about being the runner-up at Bayeux. I swear, you have no shame," another Knight jeered without mercy.

"Er, is there something wrong with being the runner-up at Bayeux?"

"During that tourney, there was a sudden outbreak of dysentery in Bayeux. In the end, only three knights competed! HAHAHAHA."

"I’ll show you for running your mouth! I’ll show you! You just had to open that big mouth of yours, didn’t you!"

The Knight named Alan swung his lance, aiming to strike the head of the Knight who had just mocked him.

In that instant, Eric bumped Alan’s elbow. The lance struck the other Knight’s warhorse squarely, missing its intended target.

The startled warhorse bolted forward, disrupting the formation ahead.

In that same instant, Eric swung his longsword, slitting Alan’s throat.

It happened so fast that the other knights didn’t have time to react. They only realized what had occurred when the smell of blood began to fill the air.

Seizing their moment of stunned confusion, Eric spurred his warhorse and charged toward William.