The Flight of the Wild Geese part V

Dear Lucerne,

Arisent is definitely the tail end of Montaigne. The weather has been warm and as the golden sun rose on a still morning my head throbbed. A slight fever I hope. I first noticed a headache and a loss of sense of time. As we demolished the bridge into town I thought it was close to dawn. I was wrong. The explosions made my sinuses pound. Back in town we had to try to cover the retreat. The two harbour forts built on the two prongs of a half moon bay were our next target. The guns needed to be fixed so that no fire could interfere with our navel operation. After securing orders from the Colonel we proceeded to the west fort. The guns were tipped into the sea. After two hours we had completed this fort. The next fort as we approached the gate slammed shut and the tricolor went up the mast. A blast of grapeshot skittered around us. None of us was hit but my head pounded like a galley drum. Corporal Legarre was up to his old tricks. A frontal assault was suicidal. A secret tunnel was likely so I went to seek help from the Colonel. Pistol and Borstenn looking at the cool water and obviously feeling the heat idly boasted how easily each of them could swim to the fort and take it from behind. By the time I returned to guide through the secret passage they had resolved to swim the harbour. Knowing the pointlessness of arguing with them I merely pointed out that swimming wasn't the party's strong suit.

As Ambrose and Mordred told me after they started from around an outcropping of rock. They swam well and could be mistaken at a distance for a couple of plump ducks. Soon a triangular dorsal fin was carving through the water towards them. They made vain attempts to swim away. The shark attacked. Pistol and Borstenn struggled in the water with the monster. Heads rose and fell above the surface. The snout of the harbor shark was breifly visible as the melee ended. Blood filled the water. Pistol and Borstenn with nasty bites swam away. They got a tooth each impaled in the wounds and I gave them the grisly souvenirs. The shark floated to the surface. Then the pack attacked the corpse and half a dozen sharks torn it to pieces in seconds. Our boys swam quickly away under the cover of the wall.

The signal to attack was to be the noon bell. Mordred was to release a wagon loaded with gunpowder down the slope to the main gate. The explosion was to aid us to know that the attack had begun. The rest of us crept down the tunnel till we could see light coming through murderous slits in the ceiling.

The bell sounded and the attack began. Avon fired arrows including an unsuccessfully blooded one over the front gate then came down the tunnel. Pistol and Borstenn apparently grappled near the battlements and started their 30 foot climb. I advanced and checked up the nearest hole thinking that as light came down then no-one would be lurking above. The musket ball nearly blew my head off but I "caught" it just in time. Antonio and Markus rushed the door and bounced off it. Silently they tried again and burst through.

As I made my way through the old door I could see Pistol and Borstenn fighting a dozen odd men on the battlements and Antonio and Markus heavily engaged with another dozen. My head was throbbing and I barely turned and Antonio made one of those flashy lightning quick series of strokes and half a dozen men fell slowly to the ground. The battlements were equally bloody. The clatter of dropped weapons roused me. Had I lost any time. It seemed not.

Corporal Legarre went to escape by the front gate and was confronted by Mordred. He surrendered again but remained defiant. The prisoners were paraded. Markus was restrained. Pistol gave Legarre the choice of freedom for himself or all of the other men. He chose his own freedom and was escorted out the town gate. I muttered so that the others could hear 'So this is the egality of the revolution!'. Once the prisoners were secured I started surgery on the platform above the main gate. The light was good and a fine breeze cooled my aching head. I worked on Borstenn, Markus, Pistol and Antonio. As I finished I looked up and saw the sails of our ships coming around the far point. At the same moment the alarm was sounded from the main gate. The enemy was at the gate.

I deeply inhaled the soothing fresh sea air and noticed the distinctive V pattern of seven geese flying north. Late to be heading that way I thought. While those people about to fly the town headed towards the port we headed to help the volunteers who were to delay the revolutionaries. I gave Ambrose my blooded dagger and purse and sent him to the port.

I write this on the battlements as this last battle is set. I have always been a good Montaigne; family first and helpful to friends. If my rash blood is finally cooled you know my wishes.

*
Dandelion

PS Look after the 'wild geese' that have flown your way. It is late in the season but here in the far west I hope to buy enough time to sea [sic] them gone.