The reserve unit was smaller than Henry would have liked; shrunken drastically by the number of wounded now unable to carry on the fight. With no more than a hundred mounted men he rode South towards the pillar of coloured smoke announcing the approach of the enemy. It would be some time before the necessary supplies and the wounded had been organised for an orderly retreat and Henry anticipated difficulty with nobles typically getting in the way to exercise unnecessary authority.

"Lord Henry, is this wise? We have barely five score men and we've all fought already today, the horses and men are tired." A few jeers showed what the more enthusiastic thought of this dire assessment but the majority stayed grimly silent, experienced and agreeing with him whom had voiced their concerns, Henry shared them but he also knew they had no other choice.

"We won't lure them into battle. Our task is just to slow them down, so avoid engagement which might slow us down. If anyone falls... they will have to be left behind." Henry was somewhat glad that he was riding with veterans who knew not to argue with such an order; he would not give it unless he had to and they all knew it.

Before long the dark smudge of a marching army appeared on the horizon. With a growing sense of dread Henry calculated the size of it as they picketed their horses in the shadow of a copse of trees, resting before the inevitable first clash of arms.

"This army is bigger than the other." One of his temporary aides commenting, staring through tunnels made by his hands to approximate the number of enemy troops. Henry grunted his reply, his hand itching to hold his sword and fight someone, to get rid of the anxiety that came before battle; especially one that was not winnable.

"Their cavalry outnumber us by eight to one. We need to keep the main body of their army between us and half of their cavalry while we draw the rest off." Henry mused, noting the orderly lines of cavalry trotting along easily on either side of the main line of infantry. He gave the order and they mounted up and prepared for combat.