An army eats a great deal and I knew they would all be in our soldiers’ bellies before the week was out. Robin rode out to meet us as we approached the wood that was our camping ground. My lord congratulated us on our successful raiding and then said: ‘When you have eaten and rested, Alan, get your men together and all their kit. We are moving out tomorrow morning.’ He did not look happy about it. ‘What news?’ I said. ‘Otto is finally on the march – and we are to rendezvous with him and the rest of the German contingent at Nivelles.’ ‘So we are to head south – to Paris?’ ‘That is the plan. I just hope we have not left it too late.’ ‘Too late?’ ‘You might as well know, Alan. It is bad news, I’m afraid. King John has failed us. He was besieging a fortress called Roche-au-Moine, a few miles from Angers, when the French army arrived. It seems they squared up for a pitched battle: John had the superior numbers and I believe he could have won the day.
What do You think about The King’s Assassin (2015)?
