The ships had sailed, there was no way off of the long beach side on the coast of Normandy, the heat struck mercilessly, making the men sweat profusely as they're bodies tried to comprehend the heat radiating from they're mail coats and plates of armor, padded with warn leather. 1
Many of the men wore only leather and they're bracers and gauntlets, beside that, having only they're mail coats and a bowl shaped helmet that laid loosely on they're heads, there was not much to the uniform. They're dirty liveries stained and putrid looking, the red cross upon they're chest's were faded and regrettably not as lively a red as before.2
Among the men stood Harn, as usual, he stood with his bow stave strung and ready, a feather fledged arrow knocked to the cord, he knew that this day would probably be his last, and in that knowledge, he would fight.3
His hair had grown long over the years and lay raggedly over his armor and livery, braids and knots weaved through the black tangled hair, mud matted in most of it, not taking the time to care for it properly, but what was he to care, it was only hair after all, and he was no woman who trimmed and brushed every morn and night. Nein, he was a warrior, and they cared not for such things.4
The grass rustled in front of them, they were coming and he knew it, but he stood ready for the bastards. The French would not get away this time, not even if it were only ten English to a thousand Frenchmen, they would not win this war. The throne belonged to King Henry, and to King Henry it would go.5
With his heart beating up in his throat, his guts turning and fluttering around, he could feel sweat dripping heavily all over his body, making his unders stick to him, which was irritating.6
With a yelp and a cry the battle began.7
The man beside Harn dropped to his knees and on his side, an iron bold sticking out of his face, the blood was horrendous, but not foreign. Harn sneered at the sight but looked away just in time to see maybe fifty Frenchmen run out of the bush, charging at them, some staying behind as they only had crossbows, though they soon died as the English yew bows were raised and they're deadly missiles were launched, ripping through gut and gullet.8
Few arrows plunged worthlessly into the sand, most making it home in the bellies of the enemy.9
The battle got to Harn quickly, his callused fingers flying his missiles at the French, dropping them like flies, a battle frenzy grin plastered on his young face.10
From the side, an Englishman died and his blood splattered on Harn's arm and face, his tongue jutting out and absentmindedly licking the blood away from his lip, though he sneered at the taste when he noticed what he had done, but it was of no concern. He was in battle and there was no time for idle matters such as Vampiric acts of oddity.11
His arrows ran slim and with the last of the goose fledged evil flown, he tossed down his bow and with a cry of battle, he drew his short sword and ran at a Frenchman who had thrust his sword into Lin's gut.12
Harn stepped closer, and as the man had his sword stuck in his good friends entrails, Harn sheathed his sword in the mans belly, ripping it upward and out so that the blade would not be pulled into the man's innards.13
With the release of the sword he came to parry another blow, shrugging it off and pulling out his saxe knife to stab it in the Frenchman's face, blood oozed a dark red, almost black upon the pail man's face, creeping down his dying body. The man collapsed onto the sand bed, as dead as Harn's wife and daughter. He grimaced at the thought of his past woman and child. This is why he killed them, this is why he slaughtered Frenchmen.14
With a scream he ripped his knife out of the man's face, only to find himself stabbing a wounded man in the throat after thus, not hearing the man's french pleas for mercy as he left him to suffocate on his own oozing blood.15
The battle soon ended, it was a small battle, but a battle that killed men, and to friends and family, that is all that mattered. It didn't matter where they died, rather it be drowning in the sea or fighting is Soissons, either way they would never see they're loved ones again, and for the moment, none of it seemed to matter.
Author notes
So, I wrote this as a part of another book, so I hope you guys like it... well it was not a book, but a story I wrote, not really longer then 20 chapters.
It's set in the 1400's The English invading the French becuase the King *King Henry* has a claim to the crown. This part it explaing the invasion of Normandy by 1500 English ships.
I put this in for a contest, hope ya'll like it!!!
A contest entry
- Calling All Novelists by Forgotten Anomaly.
1400 points, ended April 4, 42 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - Make me jealous! by Lois.Stone.
1300 points, ended March 24, 60 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
I love this peice, but tell me what you think.
Comments
1 - 11 of 11
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Very good
I like stories of the old country,this is a period piece with much ritual and bravery on the men's part. Their war tactics were poor at best with the weapons they had at the time.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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Aye, I have to say, sorries of ship and sword have to be my favorite to write about, but I don't think I'm am good enough, I think more research would do me wonders, not only on wording but on how they really used their weapons. Like the quiver, it was only used when hunting by bowmen, not when fighting, when in battle they used arrow bags so the arrows would not fall out. Things like that, details that really show you how it was back then. Sorry haha ranting on here eh? but aye, i liek writing and reading about it as well, and I am very glad you enjoyed this piece.
Ax
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read me!!!
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pretty good
very gorey. but good. few misspelled words here and there but over all pretty good -
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Haha yeah gorey is kind of my thing lol Thanks,
Axe
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Historical fiction is very hard to write as you have to have some kind of a backing in history (I don't, a barely passed the classes) but you did it wonderfully. Your descriptions are wonderful and the emotion you have managed to weave into this is fanominal. Only twenty chapters or not this sounds like a very good story. Thank you for entering the contest and good luck. Please, consider joining the group if you have not done so already. (I've said that one too many times today
).
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Yeah, I like war and I like history and put them together and you've got what I write about, people say I am pretty good at Historical fiction and the facts for only being 16 lol But aye, I loved writing this and I worked bloody hard. Thanks for liking it.
and I will danka.
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Yup, yup!! I agrees with Caym~ ..Mostly the "I'll never be able to compare" Part, `coz Caym's a better writer than me, too >.> XD Anyway~ I might just read more of your stuffz~
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Haha why thankee, though I like your story the uh.. eagle wing one... I like it lol
Aye, if you do want to read more of mine, seek deep, cuase I have some yaoi on there... my friend got me hooked on yaoi and it took me forever to get out of it and focus.
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I seriously think it was rreeeally great. None of my writing will ever be able to compare to this i bet! I lvoed it is what i'm sayin
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OML! really??? You dont know what that means mate you really dont, I worked waaay hard on this... waay hard, its my baby!! lol I'm so glad you liked it!!! Thanks mecha!
Axe
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