Excerpt: By Arthur's side

In the black dark of the night we stood. There was no sound except the slow breathing of those close by you and your own heart pounding in your ears. The canopy of the trees above blocked out both moon and stars. We stood, waiting for orders, every muscle taut, screaming to move.
I looked to the side trying to find my cousin but it was impossible, the darkness so complete. I clench my fists and then relaxed trying to ease the tautness of waiting.
There was a movement. I felt it more than saw it. Every one tensed ready. I heard a whisper and the man in front took a step forward then stopped. I waited. Another step forward then I moved. Even in movement it was silence. We had long learned to walk with no sound and slowly, carefully we place our feet and went forward even though in the dark where no light penetrated, slowly, quietly inch by inch.
As we neared the tree line there were fires up ahead and the shadows of men moving around. Guards.
We stopped as if held by an invisible hand. Now we could see the sky, the early morning grey was creeping over. Soon it would be daylight.
I could see the shadows of some one walking among our men and whispering in ears, orders being passed along from our leader. Still in silence columns of men peeled off to the left and right and disappeared into the trees. There were now just us in the centre. Still we waited.