Bardeck was glad Ferthyr got the attention of the archer. With his shield he felt confident one on one with the bowman, but not with two of his companions bearing down on Bardeck's position. The muscled man backed up as the two men closed, one wielding a large, two handed sword, and the other with a shield and a flanged mace. 

Bardeck felt the scrape of the sword run across his round-shield first, and decided to attack back with a thrust of his axe, the weapon fortunate enough to have a spike on the end of it to give it a spear-like quality when need be. He didn't hit anything with the thrust, but it caused the man to give him enough room to then block the mace wielder's strike. Bardeck spun, hacking back with his Axe blade but finding it blocked on the man's shield. 

What followed was a furious melee between the three, the highwaymen attacking savagely and Bardeck doing his best to merely stay alive and find an opening. Ferthyr would hear chops and the clang of metal on metal from across the way. It was only when Bardeck managed to hook his Axe behind the leg of the mace wielder did he get any respite, tripping him to hit the ground. He then, with a roar, launched himself at the swordsman.