By the time he returned to the front line his six hundred cavalry lancers had ridden out to the right flank, ready to sweep down on the charging clansmen. Seven hundred musketeers marched towards the left flank and the forest. They too would send a hail of shot into the highlanders. Three hundred musketeers remained stationed behind the cannons – just in case any clansmen should reach the line.
The soldiers moved smoothly into position, the musketeers on the left flank forming two lines, one kneeling, one standing behind. The officer commanding gave the order to load. The musketeers opened the black pouches at their hips and removed the egg-shaped powder flasks.
A thunderous volley came from the trees. Scores of musketeers went down. Ranaud stood rooted in shock. Black smoke from the volley was billowing in the trees. The stunned survivors among the musketeers were huddled together around the bodies of their comrades.
Then the highlanders charged from the forest, rushing into the demoralized musketeers. Sabres and knives ripped into the soldiers -who panicked and began to stream back towards the apparent safety of the centre. The highlanders raced after them, hacking and slashing.
Ranaud swung to see the musketeers behind him desperately trying to bring their weapons to bear. But their line of fire was blocked by their own fleeing soldiers. Chaos descended on the battlefield. The panicking soldiers ran into their own lines, obstructing their comrades, while the highlanders swarmed after them, shrieking battle cries. Ranaud saw a white-haired and grizzled warrior slashing his sabre through the throat of a cannoneer. At that moment Ranaud also saw something infinitely more terrifying. The mafti body of the highland army had emerged from the pass and was running silently towards them.
‘Fire the cannons!’ yelled Ranaud.
But it was impossible. The routed musketeers, in their desperation to get away from the ferocious assault from the forest, had spilled out through the gaps in the line of cannon, and were directly in the line of fire.
A highlander ran at Ranaud. Dragging a pistol clear he discharged it into the face of the attacker, who was smashed from his feet. Some of his own musketeers began to shoot. Several highlanders went down. Others scrambled across the bodies, hurling themselves at the soldiers. Despite being vastly outnumbered the highlanders had all the advantages now. Musketeers were invaluable only as long as the enemy could be kept at bay by volley fire. At close quarters – without knives or swords – they were virtually defenceless.
Ranaud ran towards the right flank, signalling furiously for his cavalry to intercept the charging highlanders. Then he swung back – just in time to see two more highlanders bearing down on him. He shot the first, who staggered and fell. Throwing away his pistol he wrenched his sabre from its scabbard, blocking a fierce overhand cut, and sending a slashing riposte across his attacker’s face. The man stumbled. Ranaud plunged his blade through his chest.
Then he saw Kaelin Ring. Their eyes met. Ring ran at him. At that moment a musketeer fired. The ball sent a spray of blood from Ring’s hip. The highlander was spun in a half circle. Ranaud charged in. Ring recovered his balance and parried the thrust. Ranaud rolled his wrist, his blade slipping over Ring’s sabre and lancing towards the Highlander’s throat. Ring swayed back and slashed his own blade in a ferocious cut that cannoned off Ranaud’s breastplate and up across his right cheek, slicing the skin. Ranaud fell back. Ring followed him. Ranaud was an expert swordsman, but the ferocity and speed of Ring’s assault was astonishing. Ranaud desperately parried and blocked. A cannon fired, then another.
We can still win, thought Ranaud.
Ring attacked again. Ranaud parried and launched a counter, his sabre spearing towards Ring’s heart. Ring swayed to his right, Ranaud’s blade slipping by him. Pain exploded in Ranaud’s chest, as Ring’s sabre slid between his ribs. Ranaud grunted and fell back. His legs were weak and gave way. As he hit the ground another cannon fired. Through a gap in the ranks of fighting men he saw that it was not his cannoneers who were discharging the cannons. The highlanders had swung several artillery pieces, and had sent a murderous volley of cannister into the charging cavalry. Scores of men and horses littered the ground.