With my shield on my back I stood awaiting the assault which we knew was coming. Those in the third rank waited with their shields ready to protect those of us in the front two ranks. So far it had been archers who had cost us the largest casualties and it was those in the rear rank who would stop the missiles. Earl Harold was counting on the fact they would use their archers first and then charge with their warriors. We knew that he had few Housecarls remaining for we had killed many of them in our first campaign and those that he did have would not face up to the whirling blades of one hundred fierce warriors. Some of us may have doubted that but not the strategy of Earl Harold and Aethelward of Medelai. No matter how many men we lost we could survive and more than that we would win.
The dismay of the approaching Welsh army was obvious as they trudged along the valley. When they saw us perched atop the col spread out across their escape route we could almost hear their collective cry of despair.
