THE WOODEN SWORDS CHAPTER 10. - ORGANIZING AN ARMY

The next day after school we all went back to Timmy's and began to change the Swiss Embassy into the Kings Road Knights' HQ. Timmy's mum had given us some new carpet for the floor and Ronny had generously donated an old pair of binoculars so we could keep watch for approaching cowboys.

I had suggested that one of us should guard the treehouse ladder, but nobody wanted to be left down on the ground while everybody else was sat up the tree eating cake and planning battles. We agreed that we would take it in turns to guard the hole in the floor instead and James suggested making a booby trap that would let us know if somebody was coming up the ladder.

- What sort of booby trap?

- I don't know. Maybe something like a tripwire attached to a bell that rings.

- That sounds like the perfect solution to protect our castle.

- HQ!

- Embassy!

- How do we make this tripwire?

- I don't know. We need wire and a bell.

- Then what?

- Well, you tie the wire to the bell and…

- And?

- I can't remember. I saw it in a war film a long time ago.

- What happens when we want to enter and leave the treehouse?

- HQ!

- Embassy!

- What happens to the tripwire then? I don't want to rush down the ladder for dinner and have alarm bells ringing.

- Did somebody say 'dinner'?

- Ralph, pay attention.

- Ok, forget the booby trap idea. We can just keep a lookout with the binoculars.

- We could hide behind the curtains!

- What curtains, Anne?

- Aren’t we going to put curtains?

- Castles don’t have curtains!

- Embassies do!

- Any, this is not an embassy!

- Yes it is!

- I wasn’t talking to you Timmy!

- Yes, it is!

- No, it isn’t!

- Yes, it is!

As leader of the Kings Road Knights, I knew it was my responsibility to solve all the arguments, but it would be hard to keep everybody happy.

- Stop! When we are all here for our meetings the treehouse will be known as HQ. When Timmy is here alone it is called the Swiss Embassy. And we are not putting curtains because we need to have good sightlines.

- Sightlines? What are those?

- Line of sight, which means we need to be able to see the enemy coming from all around, so we can be prepared for battle.

- Ohh. Can I be in charge of look out?

- Yes, you can be Guard of the HQ.

- That's not fair! Why does James get to be the HQ Guard?

- He has already shown he can guard the biscuits from Ralph and that was a difficult job, so he is the best man for this job.

- But what about me? I'm Protector of the Map and that is a very important guarding job. I should do all the guarding.

- Perry, you are also Anne's bodyguard in case anybody tries to kidnap her and steal the map, so your attention should only be on her. We are about to go into battle, which means that she must be guarded at all times.

- Okay, I guess.

- Ralph is still my second-in-command, Adam is in charge of tactics because he is the best fighter…

- What's my title?

- Err, Tactical advisor!

- Cool!

- Perry is Anne's bodyguard and she is Mapmaster and Chief Medical Officer. James is HQ Guard, George is Weapons Master and Timmy is the Ambassador and is in charge of negotiations. I'm the leader and we must plan the battle.

Everybody nodded and was happy with their new battle titles. James began patrolling the treehouse, even though it only had one trapdoor and three windows, and Anne took her promotion to Chief Medical officer very seriously by giving everybody check-ups.

- Open your mouth and say, 'Ah'.

- No.

- Bodyguard! Get this man to open his mouth and say, 'ahh'.

- Ok, ok, ahhh!

- Oh dear, that looks bad.

- Whaaaa?

- Cough!

- AHEM!

- Ok, you are fit to fight, but make sure you eat more fruit.

- What! I hate fruit.

- Try to eat more fruit pastilles.

- Yes doctor!

- Open your mouth!

Anne was a bit annoying asking everybody to keep opening their mouth, but at least she had stopped talking about curtains.

Timmy was an ambassador and the landowner of the castle, but I didn’t understand how an ambassador can be higher than the leader of the knights. I'd have to ask my dad when I got home that evening.

- Listen! It is time for an inspection, so everybody line up in the garden. I'll go down the ladder first.

- No, I'm HQ Guard and should make sure the route is safe. I'll go first.

- I should double-check the route to make sure it is safe for Anne because she is my responsibility.

- Just in case the enemy is waiting for us I'll go next because I am the best fighter.

- I'm Weapons Master, so I'll go after Adam.

- I'm the Ambassador and I'll go after George.

- Me next, just in case there are any injured knights that need medical attention.

- Are you coming, Ralph?

- I'll just finish these biscuits…

Once Ralph and his crumbs had climbed down the ladder, everybody stood in a straight line and I carried out my inspection.

- Kings Road Knights, I’m very proud and…

- Alex!

Lisy, Timmy's mum, had come out of the house and into the back garden.

- Your mum just phoned, Alex. She wants you back home now.

- Kings Road Knights, I’m very proud and I have to go home! See you all tomorrow at school. Knights dismissed!