All this catches our troops by surprise. Our cavalry breaks ranks,
and tries to reach the new battlefront. The archers stay behind the
troop where the vanguard was before.
What a chaos was made! The Aragonese infantry starts to advance.
We are being attacked by two fronts and in a terrain, that we do not
know. We had just arrived, and it has not given us time to study it.
"Archers, charge and shoot!"
But the archers are frightened, as they watch how are approaching
hundreds of soldiers who have left their spears in their original
position and carry the shield and sword in their hands, while shouting
as possessed by the devil.
"Rodrigo, this looks bad. I thought I'd catch my uncle for surprise.
But, he is an old dog and I am the one who has being caught by
surprise. He's going to make a slaughter with us, as we don't know
how to react. And I recognize that I don't quite know what action to
take. Ideas are accepted, friend Rodrigo!" Sancho shouts to be heard.
"Prince Sancho, his light cavalry attacks our infantry. Order them
to resist at any cost. Organize our cavalry and attack his infantry that
comes running, and without spears, which is the most dangerous for
our Knights. Let the archers turn around, stand behind our infantry
and throw their arrows at the Knights of Aragon. If we can get your
cavalry troops to suffer major losses, you'll be able to dedicate the
infantry to help our Knights against their infantry. Do it now!"
Sancho gives the appropriate orders to put into practice my idea of
how to deal with the situation. My body begins to tremble for the
responsibility I just threw myself on for saying, at this situation, what
I thought it had to be done. I try to concentrate. In short, I would be
immersed in a battle and if I wanted to stay alive, I would have to be
in full mental conditions.
The cavalry goes back to meet the attacking infantry. The archers
put themselves in the rear of our infantry and they begin to throw their
arrows at the Knights who begin to fall from their horses. The
Aragonese infantry starts to falter seeing our heavy cavalry advancing
on them, but it is late, and the collision is imminent.
-10-