Knight of the Empress (12 page)

We could now hear them as they approached. The clearing was on a slight rise.  Whoever had lived here had chosen well. I later discovered that there was a stream just ahead.  I heard the splashing as the hooves of their horses crossed it. When the knights' heads appeared I wondered if we were the only conroi to send out scouts.  Had they had scouts they would have seen us earlier. As it was I saw the looks exchanged between the knights which showed that they had not expected us. Their leader made a rapid decision.  He yelled something and they charged at us. It was a mistake but it took away the decision I had worried about making. I lowered my helmet and my lance. I saw that the four knights also had lances but they were not riding knee to knee.  Behind them were a motley mixture of men at arms and light horsemen. There were twenty, at least.  As I prepared to launch our counterattack I saw the foot soldiers spreading out.  I could ignore them.

I waited until the knights were halfway across the clearing and approaching the uneven ground where the huts had stood. "Charge!"

It was the first time in a long time since I had charged next to Wulfstan and I took comfort from his presence. Although not a natural horseman he was a born warrior. I pulled back my lance as Scout thundered ahead of the others.  We had not brought our destrier and Scout was the best of the horses we had.  It meant I was the one who struck first blood. I aimed for the middle of the knight with the red shield and yellow star. His lance was well aimed but it came for my head. I trusted my left arm and my shield. They took the blow although my left shoulder rocked around. My lance struck him a moment after his and the movement of my body brought the lance head around so that it struck the knight's left side.  He was already slightly unbalanced and he tumbled from his horse. 

I pulled my arm back as I steadied Scout and I punched forward at the warrior who came at me with a long spear.  He did not pull it back before his struck and the weak blow merely clattered off my shield whilst my lance tore into his middle and came out of his back.  I released the now useless weapon and drew my sword. I was in the heart of the horsemen and I knew that I had a wedge of warriors behind.  My men were well trained and we were fighting a rabble. Discipline would overcome numbers.

I spurred Scout and he leapt towards the next man at arms.  Instead of stabbing I swept my sword around my head. The man was concentrating on stabbing me.  The tip of his blade touched my surcoat and the lamellar armour beneath as my blade took his head. And then I was through the horsemen.  I saw two spearmen lying with arrows in their backs as I swung my sword into the face of the surprised swordsman. I reined Scout in and turned. Behind me I could see the effect of our charge and our ambush.  There were just four men who had surrendered.  The rest were fled or dead.

Wulfstan reined in next to me.  I saw that he had suffered a wound to his leg. "Wulfric, we need your needle."

"It is nothing Alfraed.  I had suffered worse sharpening my sword."

"Nonetheless it will be tended to.  I would not risk the wrath of Faren."

I saw that the others who had been in the front rank were unharmed although two of the men at arms who had followed me were injured. I took off my helmet and rode back to where Edgar and my men at arms waited with the prisoners. There were just four of them.  I glanced at them as I rode past them to the knights. Three were dead already. Brian had his sword at the last one who was not long for this world. He had a black shield.

I waved Brian's sword away.  This knight would hurt no one.  "What is your name?"

He tried to hold up his shield.  He could not manage it.  "I am the black knight and you must be Alfraed of Norton. We were warned to avoid you."

He spoke in Norman. "Then you were not the leader."

"No, Lord William thought we could avoid you if we came this way.  He…" Those were his last words and he died.

"Well we know one name at least."

"Aye Edward, perhaps we can get more from the prisoners."

The four of them were poorly prepared for war.  They each had a shield and an axe. Two of them had metal helmets but the other two had leather caps. All had a wound of some description.

"Where did you come from?"

The four of them stared insolently at me. I tried them in Saxon and had the same response. "Anyone speak Scottish here?"

One of my new men at arms stepped forward, "I am Thomas of Ulverston, my lord.  I understand a couple of words."

"Good man.  Try them."

He spoke to them and this time there was a brief flicker of reaction and then they retained their stone faces.  "Sorry my lord."

"Oh they understand all right.   Tell them that if they do not speak I will have them executed." He nodded.  "Say it slowly so that there is no mistake."

He did so, enunciating each word. This time one of them spat at my feet. Wulfric went to hit him but I restrained him.  "No Wulfric.  These are brave men, misguided but brave.  Bind them and bring them with us. Strip the bodies of anything useful and pile them in the middle of the clearing.  Fetch brush and we will burn them.  We have no time to bury them and I would not have the animals dig up their bones."

There were just eight dead.  The rest had fled.  I knew that more were wounded and I guessed that some would die on their way north. We could do nothing for them.

As we headed south, Wulfstan, who had a heavily wrapped leg said, "You have grown Alfraed.  Your father would be proud.  Where is the arrogant young knight who thought he knew it all?" He laughed. "I watched your men.  They followed you as we followed your father.  They may be paid warriors but they are your oathsworn in all but name."

"Thank you, Wulfstan.  Those words mean more to me than you can know. What concerns me now is the origin of these raiders.  The knights were not Scottish but the men were.  What were they after?  Is there still a connection with Hartness? I fear this will be a long summer.  It is barely spring and already they are raiding. Whoever this William is he must be close to the Scottish border."

"We are victims of our own success. The Welsh cattle you brought from King Henry's Welsh wars will prove to be a lure for every rag tag warband who thinks we are an easy mark. If you want some advice, I would speak with Osric and Athelstan and warn them of the dangers. They will be the first to suffer an incursion."

I nodded and rode in silence.  We passed the track leading to Hartness. I had not managed to see what was in the harbour of Hartness. I would leave that for another day but the proximity of the manor without a lord was worrying. I was safe behind Stockton's stone walls but Norton had wooden walls only. Edward must have been reading my mind.  "My lord, you are sending William to work on the church, why not have him build a tower next to the church.  It could be a refuge.  With a beacon on the top they could signal Stockton and we can be there swiftly.  It need not be a large tower."

"That is a good idea.  We need not his skills to finish the curtain wall."

Wulfric was behind me and he murmured, "Aye, my lord but we need a gaol.  If we are to have sessions we need somewhere to put those who are convicted."

"You are right Wulfric.  We will give thought to that when we reach our home."

As we rode through the gates I knew what we would do with these prisoners. "Wulfric get four ropes and string these up from the gates. Their bodies can act as a warning to all who would steal from us."

As soon as the four ropes were thrown over the gate leading to the town the men began to struggle.  They knew what was coming. They shouted at me.  I wondered if they were telling me what I needed to know.  "Thomas what are they saying?"

He looked down, "My lord, they are cursing you." My men crossed themselves.

The eight men at arms holding the ropes all pulled at once and the four Scots' wriggling, writhing bodies were jerked up into the air above the gate.  Their necks did not break but they were slowly strangled until the last leg stopped twitching and my men tied off the ropes.

Wulfric shook his head, "Next time, my lord, we cut out their tongues first!"

The next morning I had to pass beneath their bodies.  I noticed the smell.  They had fouled themselves as they had died. I would have to have the bodies cut down.  It would not do to upset Faren and Adela. I went to Alf and negotiated two sets of mail in return for the armour and weapons we had collected. It suited Alf for he would pay no taxes and yet he would profit.

We began work the next day on the gaol.  We had enough space in the bailey.  We attached it to the keep on the village side. It would afford more protection from an attack.  We made the entrance on the top so that it could not be used by an attacker It was six paces square.  We would be able to accommodate ten men at a time.  We deduced that it would be unlikely that we would need room for more. William went each day to Norton to begin work on a tower which could be attached to the church. Privately I thought that it would make a good bell tower.  I would ask Alf if he could cast one in bronze for us.  It would not need to be large but it could be used to summon us if danger threatened. Norton was where my father rested and it needed protection.

As spring made the river come alive and Olaf and the other ships began to ply the river more I saw that trade was increasing and I detected signs of prosperity. More houses were being built and William and his sons began to be asked to make some of the houses in stone; at least the lower levels. I felt quite proud of the progress we had made.  It meant that people felt safer.  The moneyer, Leofric was now producing not only copper coins but also silver ones.  They each bore the face of King Henry. I had used the treasure we had collected from the dead raiders and I was able to pay my men a little extra.  They had shown their loyalty and this was the best way to reward them and encourage them at the same time.

When the gaol and the curtain wall were finished, I held a feast.  We were close enough to Easter and I was keen to reward all. I sent my archers out to hunt in the woods around the Hart Burn and along the river. I had crude tables constructed and we laid them outside my walls in the middle of the settlement which was burgeoning. Faren had just given birth to Wulfstan's daughter, Judith and so Adela had to take on much of the organisation.  She did a fine job and the feast went off without a hitch.  I walked down the river with Wulfstan and Edward. We had all had plenty to drink.

"Adela did a good job there, my lord. It went off without a hitch.  Your people are fed and replete. This has been good for Stockton."

"Perhaps I should have done something for Norton too."

Wulfstan laughed, "Poor Adela had enough to do organising one such feast. Wait until the Midsummer Festival and Faren will be able to help."

"Unless she is with child again!"

Wulfstan laughed, "And she may well be! It has taken me many years to sire a family.  Do not blame me if I take advantage of a fecund wife."

I laughed too.  My two household knights were easy company.

Wulfstan stopped at the bend in the river.  On the other bank we saw a pair of herons.  They were engaging in the mating ritual. Wulfstan belched.  "Better out than in! And what of you and Adela?" I flashed him a look of irritation.  Edward was there.  He laughed, "Edward knows of the situation, all of your men do.  What have you decided? Will you be fair to the girl or no?"

My shoulders slumped in resignation.  "I spoke with Father Peter and I know what I ought to do.  The problem is broaching it."

My two friends looked at each other and Wulfstan shook his head. "Do it the way you did the other day against those raiders.  Tackle it head on. Just tell her what is in your heart.  You will not be disappointed."

The two birds disappeared into the bushes which lined the river.  "Should I do it now?"

"No, my young friend.  You have had a drink and your words might be misconstrued.  Choose a quiet time and make sure you are alone."

That night, as I lay in bed I knew it would have to be the next day.  I had the first of my Easter sessions coming up and I would need a mind cleared of clutter by then. The next morning I approached her.  "Adela would you care to go riding today?  It is clement weather and you have not ridden this year.  I would talk with you and thank you for your efforts yesterday."

Her enthusiasm almost knocked me over. I had one of the gentler palfreys saddled and I rode Scout. I rode towards the Hart Burn.  There were wild parts near there where I knew we would not bump into anyone.  I wanted just to be alone with Adela.  If I had to say something then I wanted no one there to mock me or see my foolish efforts. It was almost as though she knew what I was going to say for she listened intently to what I said about my land and showed a remarkable insight into the manor.  I almost forgot what I was going to say. We found ourselves at the shallow valley a half a mile from Old Tom's house. We dismounted and let the horses graze. We watched a kestrel as it hovered before plunging down on a water vole.

"This is a good place, my lord."

"The whole manor is and I know that you are a large part of that Adela.  I wanted you to know that." She said nothing but looked intently at me. She was not making it easy and there was a silence which had to be filled. "Before I went away to Normandy I felt that there was something stirring between us."

"For my part there still is my lord.  Have I displeased you?"