Things were finally coming to a head with Wessex. For years, there had been enmity between King Nanteleod of Escavalon and King Cerdic of Wessex. Now, King Nanteleod was summoning his vassals to war. The time had come to put an end to the Saxons once and for all.
Young Earl Robert of Salisbury was excited for the glory of the battle. He put Sir Helbur in charge of defending the county in his absence, and mustered an army of his loyal knights to join the King's forces. Sir Donna and Sir Mabon (Sir Jeremy's recently-discovered bastard) joined the force, while Svenhilde accompanied it to serve in the first aid tents. When they reached the King's forces, which were gathering at Du Plain Castle, on the eastern border of Salisbury, Sir Donna was reunited with her comrade-in-arms and fellow Knight of Saint Gwiona, Sir Edwin.
Sir Edwin was soon approached by a young man who begged a boon of him - to serve as his squire. His name was Julius, and, although he did not say as much, he was the son of Sir Cadfael and Lady Violette, hidden away for many years in Illwind Castle, but now seeking to follow in the footsteps of his father. Sir Edwin tested him on the virtues of knighthood, and, finding the young man's answers to be acceptable, agreed to take him on as a squire and instruct him in the ways of knighthood.
Also at Du Plain, Abbess Esther came to visit, to follow up on what she had heard of Svenhilde's new magical powers. She quizzed Sir Donna and Sir Edwin about what had happened the previous year in Thornstead, then went to talk to Esther about her magic. The two got along well, and Esther offered to take Svenhilde to Glastonbury with her the next time she visited her daughter Nimue - although she had not been able to see Nimue for some time, because of the Cornish invasion.
King Nanteleod's war council decided (based on the advice of Sir Donna, who had been helping draw up plans over the winter) to march south up the Test River valley, to attack the port of Hantonne, rather than marching east along the road to attack the capitol of Winchester. With luck, the move would catch King Cerdic by surprise. Wessex was receiving reinforcements from the continent; by capturing the port, King Nanteleod would cut these continental supply-lines.
The army set off to the south in high spirits. After a day's marching, however, outriders returned to report that King Cerdic's army was in front of them. The Saxons had predicted King Nanteleod's march, and had moved to intercept him. However, their numbers were far less than those of the Cymric. King Nanteleod ordered his army to rest, rather than risking a night attack, and to engage upon the morrow. But when the next day began, King Cerdic's army fell back, drawing Nanteleod further south, towards Netley Marsh. There, a third army emerged from the woods. Svenhilde recognised the banners: the Saxons of Sussexhad come to reinforce King Cerdic. Amongst their lines were even some banners of Cornwall: King Idres had also sent troops. All of King Nanteleod's enemies were working together to defeat him, now that he had grown too powerful for any one of them to defeat.
King Nanteleod's men hurriedly prepared for battle. They were now outnumbered and facing enemies on two fronts. A shield wall was formed from the infantry to hold off the new army, while the powerful Cymric cavalry would try to destroy King Cerdic's smaller army quickly and then charge the larger Saxon army in the flank. It was a bold plan, but only boldness could lead to victory. Sir Mabon visited Svenhilde in the first aid tents before joining the line, where he clumsily professed his love for her. The Thulian maiden, feeling stressed by the situation, brushed him off, and he went to join the line. He was, unknowingly, joined by Julius. The squire stole armour and weaponry, and clad as a knight went to join the battle line.
The knights lowered their lances and charged into the Saxon ranks. A regiment of ceorls stood in their way, but were no match for Cymric valour. However, they served to dull the impact of the charge, and fresh troops rushed in to attack them. Soon, it became apparent that Cerdic's army would not fall easily. Mounted heorthgeneats rode up to reinforce the line, and fierce fighting raged across the field.
There was a brief pause in the fighting, and Sir Edwin looked around him. The Cornish troops had come to reinforce King Cerdic, and through their lines Sir Edwin could see Prince Mark himself. A strike at the Cornish leadership might defeat an entire wing of the enemy army: Sir Edwin led his fellow knights to press through the Cornish lines. He and Sir Donna hewed their way through the foe. Young Julius tried to follow, but he was struck down by a knight of Cornwall. Sir Donna went to rescue him, and Sir Mabon dragged his body back to the first aid tents (happy to avoid the fighting, and to see Svenhilde again).
Meanwhile, Sir Edwin charged at Prince Mark, who turned his horse and tried to flee. However, Sir Edwin was the more capable rider, and he easily closed with the Prince. The craven Mark immediately surrendered, and ordered those around him to surrender as well, begging for Sir Edwin to spare his life. Although somewhat tempted to exact revenge a part of his revenge upon the Cornish, Sir Edwin agreed to spare Prince Mark, and had him taken back to the supply tents as a hostage. Some of the Cornish knights laid down their weapons, disgusted with Prince Mark's cowardice. Others continued to fight. Sir Donna and Sir Edwin sought out their leader through the lines - Sir Martine, the Marshal of Cornwall and Prince Mark's military adviser. Sir Donna slew Sir Martine with a single mighty blow and seized the Cornish banner. With her death, the men of Cornwall fled the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Sir Mabon brought Julius to the first aid tents. He helped strip Julius of his armour, and recognised him as Sir Edwin's squire. Svenhilde was too busy to see him; he decided to return to the front lines to assist Sir Edwin in his squire's place. Meanwhile, Svenhilde brought young Julius back from the brink of death: he opened his eyes and thought that he saw an angel...
Back on the front lines, the knights of Salisbury were now fighting against the army of Sussex. Sir Donna was badly wounded, but regained her horse and kept fighting. Sir Mabon was lost, and found himself in the thickest of the fighting, but managed to rejoin the other knights. Sir Edwin caught sight of the leader of the army of Sussex. King Aelle had not come personally: he had sent the massive warlord Saexwulf, who was massacring his way through the Cymric lines. Sir Edwin wanted to engage him, but decided that discretion was the better part of valour at the last moment. The knights of Salisbury instead continued to battle heorthgeneats of Sussex.
There was a lull in the fighting, and the exhaused knights looked around when they heard a horn sound. What they was was terrifying. A regiment of Saxon knights emerged from behind the enemy lines, headed for King Nanteleod's command position. For years, no one had known what had happened to Prince Cynric - now it was apparent that he had been secretly training these men. The great advantage that the Cymric armies had over the Saxons was their cavalry - now, the Saxons had their own knights. With no troops in reserve to intercept them, Sir Edwin watched from a distance as they swiftly overran King Nanteleod's position. The King's banner fell...
Prince Cynric's knights now turned and attacked the rear of the Cymric line. With the death of King Nanteleod, and now this, the Cymric spirit was broken, and began to flee the field in disarray, with the Saxons in close pursuit. With a heavy heart, Sir Edwin rallied the troops around him to withdraw in some semblance of good order. Svenhilde remained in the first aid tents for as long as she could, evacuating the wounded, before escaping just as the Saxons arrived. Sir Mabon rushed off to save her, but was struck down by Saxons and rescued by Asher, who was now serving as his squire. And in the confusion, Prince Mark fled his captivity and dishonourably escaped.
The battered forces of Salisbury returned to Sarum and prepared for the onslaught. However, King Cerdic's terms, when they came, were quite reasonable. Submit and pay tribute, and be spared. With no options, Earl Robert agreed to pay tribute, and then offered to pay a sizeable amount of it out of his own pockets. Everyone in Salisbury would be tightening their belt this year. Worse still, in the chaos, the legendary Hamper of Gwyddno Garanhir was lost. Presumably, the Saxon had taken it.
As the year progressed, the Saxons took control over much of Logres. From the north, news came that Duke Corneus of Lindsey had succumbed to old age. Duke Ulfius still together a remnant of King Nanteleod's great force, but the dreams of a unified Logres had fallen with him.
As winter fell, a traveler arrived at Amesbury Abbey. Abbess Esther was interrupted by a novice who said that a man wished to see her urgently, a man called Ambrose. Recognizing that Ambrose was none other than Merlin Ambrosius, Esther gave orders that he be admitted at once. Merlin looked better than he had done for some time, and he greeted his friend warmly. He asked for a building that he could use, separate from the Abbey, where he would be undisturbed. Furthermore, he asked that someone check upon him daily, but that they should not be alarmed by whatever should transpire. Esther found him such a house near the Abbey, and Merlin laid himself down and went into a deep, trance-like sleep.
A week later, the novice who had been tasked with checking on him realised that Merlin had stopped breathing. The wizard was dead.
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