Page 159 of Bound By Honor
The king smiled as he stared ahead, looking east toward the Carse, mayhap seeing the great English force that would come against them. “I do.”
“Where would you have me and my men?”
“You and your galloglass will be in the center of my schiltron, a reserve of the best fighters I will hold until the end. Around you will be the men of Carrick and Argyll as well as some of your Islesmen who carry spears. We may use others of your spearmen to fill in the other schiltrons. They drill daily so there is time for you to practice.”
“That sounds fine. I will advise my chiefs.” He started to walk away.
“Oh, Angus.”
“Aye?” He turned back with raised brows.
“You will not be surprised to learn there are Scots who will fight with the English—the MacDougalls, the MacNabs and the Red Comyn’s son, John.”
“Aye. I expected that.”
“However, you may not know that among the men of Argyll loyal to me there are those from Glen Coe. One of them is an Iain MacDonald, who has the look of you. Fights a bit like you, too,” he added with a smile. “The warriors from Glen Coe will be under your command as well as your Islesmen.”
Angus thanked the king for his confidence in him. With his mind reeling to think his son by Sorcha would fight among his warriors, he turned for the New Park woods where his men were setting up camp. It was time he had a conversation with this son of his.
Just before he slipped among the trees, he gazed north to see Stirling Castle in the distance. Perched high on a volcanic rock, the brooding fortress had guarded the lowest crossing point of the River Forth for more than two centuries. It was standing at the time Somerled reigned as King of the Isles.
Angus entered the woods, welcoming the shade the trees provided. Tents were everywhere like mushrooms that had sprouted overnight. He walked toward a ring of tents standing around a clearing where servants and squires were busy attending to their duties. Spotting his brother, he crossed to where John was speaking to one of the men.
The Isleman with whom John spoke inclined his head to Angus and begged his leave.
Once he had gone, John said, “I have placed your tent to the right of the king’s, as directed. Together with the tents of Sir Edward, Sir James, the young Walter Stewart and Sir Thomas,” he said gesturing, “they form a circle. Our chiefs are setting up their tents behind yours, and the king’s army camps around all.”
Angus nodded, content with the arrangement. “Let the chiefs know our men will have this afternoon to rest and acquaint themselves with the terrain. Tomorrow, we train with the schiltrons.” As John turned to leave, Angus called him back. “Can you find out where the men of Glen Coe are camped?”
“Of course.”
That evening, it was still daylight when Angus joined the king’s inner circle in his tent. King Robert explained they were to fight in four divisions, each forming a schiltron. Using two parchments, the king showed them how the positioning of the schiltrons might change.
“Randolph will lead the vanguard, composed of men from Ross and Moray. You will need to guard the way to Stirling, Thomas, not allowing any English to pass. My brother will lead the men from Buchan, Mar, Angus and Galloway. Because you have more experience, Jamie, I have paired you with your cousin, Walter Stewart. You two will lead the men from the borders.” The king’s gaze moved over his commanders, who nodded their acceptance. “My own division,” said King Robert, “will take the rear, positioned on higher ground so that I can view all. It will be composed of men from Carrick, the Lowlands, Argyll and the Isles, to be led by Angus. Some of Angus’ spearmen will be added to the smaller schiltrons.”
“My light horse,” said Sir Robert Keith, the Marischal, “is at your disposal, my lord.”
“I will hold you in reserve against a need that may arise in battle,” said the king.
Douglas studied the king’s drawing. “We have the archers from Ettrick Forest but they do not carry the longbows of the Welsh archers.”
“We will make do with what we have,” said the king. “It will be enough.”
Angus had no questions, having been told of the king’s plans earlier in the day, but it was good to see how the king would place the schiltrons. He thought it wise for the king to pair Douglas with the young Stewart, the eldest son of James Stewart, the High Steward, who had been a signatory to the Turnberry Band. After the death of his father, Walter inherited the position of the Steward.
“As the English knights approach from the Roman road,” interjected the king, pointing to his map, “they will pass through the Torwood and cross the Bannock Burn that flows between the forest of Torwood and the woods of the New Park. As they descend the burn’s steep bank, they will want to spread out. We cannot allow that to happen.”
“How do you intend to prevent it?” asked the king’s brother.
“Tomorrow, we will begin digging trenches and pits on either side of the road, across what will be their position, to break up any mounted charge. We used it at Loudoun Hill on a smaller scale. Hopefully, Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, will not recognize the tactic. As I envision them, the pits will be a foot in diameter and as deep as a man’s knee with a spiked iron caltrop at the bottom. All will be camouflaged by sod and grass, so that it will appear as it was before. Beneath the surface all along this way,” he said, pointing, “will be a honeycomb of traps. The knights will not see them until they are stumbling into the pits.”
“Clever,” said Angus.
After the meeting with the king, Angus went to the Glen Coe tents that John had pointed out to him. There he called for the young Iain MacDonald and took him aside. “I am your father, Iain, but then I assume you know that.” The blue eyes that looked back at him were the same as those of his brothers. ’Tis clear to me you are my son.”
The young man smiled. “I did know and was hoping to see you here, but I also know King Robert has many duties for you. All speak of your friendship with the king.”
“No duty so important I could not make time to greet my son. I should have done so earlier and not been content to remain in the background of your life.”
