Page 47 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

Renaud inwardly cringed at the memory of revenge he had seenWilliam exact when his will had been defied.

“So we brought our army to the city and laid siege. Yet, asyou see, the walls still stand. We must have those walls down!”

It was clear to Renaud the affair had put his sire in a mostfoul mood. The siege must be brought to a successful conclusion, and soon, ifany of the English behind the walls were to be spared. He did not want to tellSerena of another bloodbath.

“One of the English had the audacity to insult the king,”said the knight Renaud recognized as Sir Baldwin de Meules, “dropping hischausses and loudly breaking wind.”

The dour look on William’s face told Renaud it had been thefinal insult.

“How long has the siege gone on?” Renaud asked.

“We ordered the siege begun nearly two weeks ago,” said theking. “The English have manned the walls continuously ever since. Theirmissiles have taken a toll on our army. With God’s help, I mean to see thempay.”

“How many have we left?” Renaud asked Sir Baldwin.

“Two hundred on horse and more on foot. Some over-hastyassaults early on by enthusiastic knights led to many losses.”

William shrugged at the news of the men he had lost.

“You are just in time to lead a task we’ve in mind,” saidWilliam, his mouth set in grim determination. Renaud had seen that look before.It did not bode well for the Saxons behind Exeter’s walls.

“As you wish, Sire.”

The king was in his element. His sun bleached brown hair wasin slight disarray beneath his crown as he fingered his mustache. His intenseblue eyes focused on the parchment spread before him. “We’ve been studying thisdrawing with the idea of undermining the walls from beneath,” said William,shoving a chart toward Renaud. “What think you?”

Renaud carefully examined the drawing, remembering what hehad seen as he’d scrutinized the old walls on his approach. Pointing to theEast Gate, he said, “It seems like this might be a weak place worthy of yourattention, Sire.”

“We thought so,” said the king with a gleam in his eye. “Butwe are glad to have you confirm it. That is where the dry moat lies.”

“We’ll need protection from their arrows and boiling oil, ofcourse,” Renaud said, speaking his mental list aloud, “and your engineers todig the tunnels. But it can be done.”

“His Grace has ordered the protection you speak of and hisengineers stand ready,” offered Sir Baldwin.

“See to it, Lord Talisand,” ordered William. “We want thosewalls down!”

The last thing Renaud wanted was to slay more English. Thepeople of Talisand were now his people, their lady soon to be his lady. If hecould undermine the wall, the city could be taken with fewer casualties andWilliam might be persuaded to grant clemency.

It took nearly a week before they began to see the progressin the tunnel that Renaud had been hoping for. In the meantime, William’s armycontinued the assault with the utmost force, Renaud’s own men joining theattacks on the English stationed on the walls while the engineers supervisedthe digging to provide them access from beneath.

The thirty-foot siege tunnel under the East Gate was nearlycomplete when Renaud thought to add another, smaller tunnel, this one under thewall itself. It might weaken the structure enough to bring down the wall. Ithad just been completed this morning.

“M’lord, ye must see it!” said Jamie excitedly as he ran towhere Renaud was honing his skills in the practice field. “A huge cloud of dustrises where the wall has collapsed from yer tunnel!”

Handing his shield to Mathieu, Renaud signaled Geoff tofollow him. “Aye, Jamie, I will see it.”

The two knights ventured forth, Jamie running before them.As they neared the red walls, his page pointed and shouted, “See how the wallcaves, m’lord!”

In the distance, Renaud saw the remnants of the wall layingin a ruble and the cloud of dust settling over the debris. At that moment, heheard the launch of arrows from atop the city walls. The lad ran ahead, unawareof the danger that streaked toward him.

Geoff shouted, “Jamie, no!”

Renaud yelled, “To me, Jamie, to me!” The boy turned to obeyhis lord’s command. Sensing his page would not be fast enough to outrun thearrows streaking toward him, Renaud broke into a run, his longer stride quicklyclosing the distance between them. He leaped upon the boy, dropping them bothto the earth just as an arrow sliced through Renaud’s mail into the back of hisarm.

He flinched as the jolt of pain reverberated through hisbody. Only a bodkin arrowhead could have pierced his hauberk, but the Englishhad learned the importance of such arrows at Hastings and now used them togreat effect. Realizing Jamie’s slight chest was beneath his arm, Renaud gavethanks his action had kept the arrow from the boy’s heart.

Grunting in pain, he rolled off the boy who sat up andstared in confusion. With Geoff’s help, Renaud rose from the ground.

The arrow had gone through his arm, the tip just piercingthe other side. “Break it off!” he commanded Geoff. His knight obeyed as Renaudbit down on the leather sheath of his scramaseax.