Baron of the North (7 page)

I whipped Star's head around to the north west and spurred him. "John! The standard!" John leapt on his horse and held the standard high. The standard from Durham was held by another squire and we turned to ride north.

We were not in a solid line as we emerged from the dunes but we did not need to be. The enemy knights were just level with the castle and the arrows and bolts flew into them.  It was though the Scots had ridden into a stone wall. Horses and men pitched into the ground. John nudged his horse next to me.  Harold and Tristan flanked the two of us. I saw the line spreading like a long V. One or two of the knights had been a little tardy in mounting their war horses but it did not affect us over much. I steadied Star so that we could make a continuous line.  The enemy knights and men at arms were confused.  They turned to face the wrecked castle walls from whence they were assailed by arrows and then they saw us.  Some of those who had not been struck tried to bring their horses around to face us.

I tried to identify the banners as we closed with them but I recognised none.  They were following neither Gospatric nor King David.  That did not mean that this was unsanctioned.  I pulled my lance back. I was at the head of the arrow of knights and a brave knight tried to charge me.  His horse was spent and Star was not.  My horse was eager to get to grips with the enemy and it took all of my strength to hold him back. The knight had no lance and mine took him in the throat.  He had no gorget and the spear penetrated all the way through.  He tumbled from the back of his horse and I lowered the lance to allow him to slip off without breaking my lance. I saw that the enemy was trying to rally.  Wulfric's men at arms would not strike until the men on foot came to the aid of their horsemen.

I saw a shield before me as a knight tried to rally his men.  I punched hard and my lance struck his shield so hard that it shattered and threw him from his saddle.  I threw the broken lance away and drew my sword.  I stood in my stirrups as I saw a knight turning to face me. I brought my blade down over my shoulder and it tore into his body between his helmet and his shield.  I felt the edge grind against bone and then he just fell to one side, dead.

I saw the foot soldiers as they raced towards us.  There was no order. They were a rabble. To the west I saw the line of men at arms as they charged into the flank of the enemy. I spurred Star on. I drew my sword back and began to swing it as I approached the men armed with spears and swords, shields and helmets only. They had not one piece of mail between them and when I swung my sword it struck flesh and came away bloody! Star must have terrified them.  His mighty head and jaws snapped to both the left and right. He trampled on one poor fellow. The foot did not stand against such an attack for they had no line and no cohesion and they turned to flee. That suited us and we charged through them laying to our left and right at unprotected backs.  By the time we had reached our camp from the previous night all opposition had ceased.  We had not slain them all but we had destroyed them as a fighting force. They would not stop running until they reached the safety of Berwick castle.

I reined Star in at the top of the hill and turned around so that I could spy the field. It was littered with the enemy dead. An exultant John was there and I noticed that the tip of the banner and the banner itself were bloodied. He had used it as a weapon.

Sir Richard reined in next to me. "A victory, Baron, and they outnumbered us by over two to one!"

"It worked, Sir Richard, but it could have gone awry.  We will thank God this night."

As we rode back through the corpses I had my men at arms search the bodies for anything we might use. I took off my helmet as I rode and handed it to Leofric who had appeared, as if by magic on my left.  I saw that his sword, too, was bloodied.

As he took it he said, "That was easy, my lord.  They just ran!"

"They were brave men but they were surprised and badly led."

I saw four of the five enemy knights were being guarded by my men at arms; some had surrendered. Roger de Bertram rushed over to me as I dismounted, "What a victory, my lord! These men surrendered."

My face must have been black as thunder for Raymond de Brus said," We will take ransom, Baron will we not?  You did not say no quarter."

"We will take ransom. Share it between the knights and the squires but I will take none."

Sir Richard said, "But you should take the largest share! You led, Baron, and it was your plan."

"I was just doing what my King commanded. Collect all the spare horses and use them to carry the armour, weapons and the treasure."

"And the dead? "

"Bury ours and leave theirs.  We head for the Great North Road. Tomorrow we retake Alnwick!"

We turned as we heard hooves to the south.  Four riders had escaped the net and were galloping south. Our horses were spent and I let them go.  We would catch them soon enough.  The only place they could go was to Alnwick and that would now soon fall to us. Hubris is a dangerous thing; I would soon discover just how dangerous and I would regret not stopping those four men to my dying day.

We had done well out of the skirmish.  We had four destrier as well as another fifteen horses.  There was also a good quantity of mail and some swords. Although inferior to those of my men I knew that they would prove invaluable for the fyrd.  We had enough to give each leader of the fyrd in each manor a sword. Although a small gesture it would enhance the position of each elder. Every one of the men at arms and archers had profited from the coin we had taken and they would all fight harder next time. All in all it had gone far better than I could either have expected or hoped.

We met our archers at the ambush site. There were another two horses. "We caught these two today, Baron."

"And there were no other riders either north or south?"

"None."

"Good you have done well, rejoin Dick."

Sir Hugh rode next to me. "Send your men to scout out Alnwick.  Fitzwaller has had plenty of time to prepare tricks.  With no danger from the north now we can take our time with the siege."

He sent forward his scouts. "That was a good site for a castle, Baron.  We could have fortified it."

"We could but we have few enough men as it is.  I will write to the King. Perhaps he has a lord he wishes to reward."

"Would you not wish it?"

I laughed, "It is like saying would you like to own a wasps' nest.  I will stay with the beehive which is Stockton. There are dangers but the rewards outweigh them. Besides I like the people who are there."

"You are lucky.  It is lonely at Hexham."

"Aye but you have sons and they can have manors. You can put your children close by and that will give you security."

"If we had women that would be true but there seem to be more knights than ladies to bear them children."

"That will change.  Wulfstan, the Lord of Hartburn, has a daughter who is ten summers old.  In four summers she can be a bride."

My squire, Hugh, who was behind us said, sadly, "My two sisters would have been of an age to marry had the raiders not slain them."

We rode in silence for a while.  Such memories were not to be dismissed.  It showed the dead no respect. Then Sir Tristan said, "And I have sisters too, Sir Hugh. Perhaps you need to visit the Valley and see what hardy flowers bloom there."

He laughed, "Quite the poet eh Sir Tristan! Honey tongued, you shall soon have a bride."

"Like Harold here I will have a bride when I have a fine home which can be defended. I am still young and riding beneath the Baron's banner brings me regular coin.  I will serve for a while."

The scouts came hurrying back and, ominously, there was a black cloud of smoke rising to the south. "My lord, Alnwick has been razed to the ground and the people slain!"

There was little point in speculating until we had seen it with our own eyes.  The foresters were good scouts but they could not read the land like Aiden could.  Not for the first time I regretted leaving him at home. "Dick, take the archers and secure the castle."

We rode faster now. My heart was heavy. Had someone else attacked the castle? I could not see who. The fact that the people had been slain pointed to Fitzwaller but what had made him leave? The closer we came to the burned out ruin that was Alnwick the clearer the picture became. When the riders, who had escaped, had reached the castle,  Fitzwaller must have known that he would get no help.  But where had he gone? He had not headed north; we would have seen him.

A sad sight greeted us.  Everyone had been slaughtered; men, women, children, all lay dead and many were dismembered. He was not burdening himself with prisoners. That was ominous.  He would move swiftly.  Even as I dismounted to inspect the ruins I ran the different routes he could have taken through my mind. He had not gone north we would have seen him.  He could have gone north west.  There were some Roman roads which headed over the high moors to Scotland. That would have been my choice but if he had gone in that direction he could have taken some slaves. He could have gone west and travelled to the west coast north of the wall.  There he would reach safety and allies. The last two routes were either towards Hexham or towards Durham. If he was foolish enough to take that route then we would have him for that was not border country and there were castles which would bar his progress.

We spent the rest of the day burying the dead and examining the castle. "Sir Hugh, we need to ensure that Fitzwaller has not gone to Hexham and headed north west into Scotland.  If he has not then I wish you to return here and rebuild Alnwick. You will hold it for the King until we can send a new garrison."

He nodded, "Until the people return it will be a poor manor."

I pointed to the south, already I could see movement. Our banners had shown the people that the Scots had gone.  They were hardy folk in these parts.  They would return. "It will be poor for a while.  Tax those merchants who venture south with their goods. That shall pay your men and the building of the castle. Let the Scottish merchants pay the price for this treachery."

"You are right, Baron, first we see if he has gone to Hexham!"

We reached Sir Hugh's home the next morning. The clearing of those slain and the burial rites had taken time.  The dead deserved dignity in death. We had seen no sign of the rampaging conroi as we had headed towards the Tyne.  I sent a rider the New Castle. He returned while we were still at Hexham.  They had not seen the raiders.

Sir Hugh seemed satisfied, "They have headed west and travelled north of the wall."

"I am not certain. If they have gone west then they have escaped me for they have a head start. I will leave the knights to be ransomed here with you.  I will take the rest of the conroi south and we will make sure they have not travelled to Durham to cause mischief. "

He laughed, "Then they would be foolish! I know not how many men he has but he would never be able to take that mighty fortress."

"He does not need to. They have few men in the fortress and he could rampage through the countryside causing mayhem."

Thankfully we saw no sign of them as we approached the mighty citadel. Hubert was relieved that we had achieved our aim with so few losses. "I would not tell that to the people of Alnwick, Castellan.  They have lost everything."

"You are right. And the banner, did it help?"

I nodded, "We have never lost as few a number of men before." I looked at the walls which appeared undamaged.  "The raiders did not pass by here?"

"We had no sign of them although we heard reports of the thunder of hooves in the night.  Some of the outlying villages such as Trimdon and Sedgefield hid in their homes and feared the worst but they were untouched."

"Then we must continue our quest.  I will not be satisfied until this Angevin knight is in my hands!"

As we left to head south this was when I realised that I missed Edward the most.  He always had sage advice.  I could have asked Wulfric but it would have been seen as a slight to my knights. I chose to take the road to Sedgefield and Trimdon.  Perhaps the villagers might have more information for us. It was late afternoon when we approached the village of Thorpe.  It was just a huddle of five huts.  As we neared them my hand went to my sword. "There is danger! Archers!"

Dick and his men galloped around the outside of the huts.  There was no sign of life. As we moved into what had been a quiet community I saw that even the dogs had been slain. The bodies had been dismembered and scattered as though by wild animals. Dick and his archers rode towards us.  "There is no sign of life beyond the village and no tracks save our own.  Whoever did this came by the road and left the same way."

I felt my heart sink.  Stockton lay less than five miles away and we had left perilously few guards there. "We ride to Stockton with all haste. Dick take the archers and see how the land lies."

We rode quickly and Tristan and Harold flanked me. Their manors were close to mine.  If mine fell then all would fall.  I cursed Fitzwaller as I rode.  It was now obvious to me that he had been intent upon revenge. My knights had been right. I was the reason he had come to England. His object was to destroy what I had. I put my spurs to Scout. My family and my people were now in danger. We passed many small farms and rude huts.  One or two showed signs of life but two others were eerily empty as we headed to Stockton.

It was with some relief that I saw my banner still fluttered from my tower but I saw smoke rising. There had been some damage. Approaching the river I saw that the ferry had been destroyed.  It was now just a burnt pile of timbers. The gate was open and I saw Dick at the gatehouse. I galloped the last four hundred paces and threw myself from the saddle as soon as I was through the gate.  John was there, and, thankfully, Adela.  She wrapped her arms around me.  "I knew you would come! We were so afraid!" She began to cry and the sobs wracked her body.

I looked beyond her to John who bore a bandage upon his arm. "Tell me all."

"They came yester evening. The guard saw them and, at first took the banner for yours and then Will the Wanderer spotted the fleur de lys and the alarm was sounded. Only a handful of the townsfolk made the castle but the ones in the town successfully barred their gate and held off the enemy. Alf and the people of Stockton rained missiles and arrows upon them as did we. Your lady had water and oil boiled but it was not needed. When they had lost four men at arms they fell back and set fire to the ferry."  He shrugged, "I think it was a petty gesture for they had lost."

I nodded.  I saw Will the Wanderer and Thomas of Ulverston, they were speaking with Wulfric.  I would soon have a different perspective on the events.  John was a good Steward but he was no warrior. "Where did they go?"

"Go, Baron?  I know not.  It was dark by the time they left." He waved vaguely to the west. "That way I think."

My knights and men at arms were dismounting too.  "Mount up. This is not over yet."

Raymond de Brus said, "But they have gone!"

As I mounted Scout I said, harshly, "Where to? We have manors and farms to the west.  You saw what they did to Thorpe."

"But Hartburn is well defended!"

"We ride!" I was in no mood for a debate and I led my weary warriors west. The sun was already dipping in the sky and I saw the ominous black cloud spiralling ahead of us. I feared the worst. I heard the keening of women as we approached the manor.  Flames still flickered amongst the huts. Fitzwaller had vented his spleen upon Hartburn and Wulfstan.

"Douse the flames.  Dick ride to Elton, take Sir Harold with you." Harold and his squire joined my archers as they raced to the next manor just two miles away. I dismounted and approached the home of my mentor.  The walls were charred and still hot to the touch. Inside I saw Wulfstan my first knight and the finest warrior I had ever known. Around him lay the bodies of five men. He had died well. Behind him I saw the charred remains of what I took to be Faren and her children. Wulfstan's son would never be a knight like his father. Before the grief consumed me I gave orders, "See who lives.  Find the dead and we shall bury them."

Wulfric, John and Leofric were all as touched as I had been.  Wulfstan had been as much a part of their lives as mine and he was now gone. I put my hands beneath what had been Wulfstan's arms, his body was still warm from the flames which had singed and I dragged him from the building and the dead raiders. I saw that it had been the fire which had killed him. He still held his sword. Without a word being spoken Wulfric and my men at arms carried the corpses of Faren and her children.  I saw that Wulfstan's son still held his seax in his hand.  He had died a warrior.  I had no doubt that his father would be proud. I was not proud, I was angry and full of vengeance.

Richard of Yarm brought forth four women of the village and a youth I vaguely recognised.  They were young and they were tearful. "These are the only survivors, lord.  They are the family of Old and Young Tom the fletchers.  We found the two Toms. They took many with them."

"Tell me what happened?"

The boy stepped forward to speak, "We heard the sound of battle, Baron.  My father sent me to look after the women, my mother and my sisters.  He told me to shelter by the beck. We hid deep in the undergrowth." He bit his lip.  "I wanted to help but my father had told me to watch for my family and I obeyed my father."

I ruffled his head, "You did the right thing.  What is your name?"

"Tom son of Tom the Fletcher."

"And can you fletch?"

"I was learning, Baron."

Then you can bring your family to the castle and you can fletch for me there." I nodded to Tom's wife. "You will be safe within my walls."

She said, gratefully, "We are indebted to you, Baron."

"But Baron, the willow grows here by this beck! I will need these to make my arrows!"

I laughed, "Young Tom, the new fletcher of Stockton, it is but a mile or two from my castle to this stand of willows.  You have young legs and you will manage. Now," I became serious, once more, "How many men did you see?" I had a sudden idea.  "Can you tell the difference between men at arms and knights?"

"I think so Baron." He pointed to Wulfric, "He is a man at arms."

I nodded, "How do you know?"

"His weapons Baron, his mail and his hair." He looked at the horse Wulfric was holding, "And you have a better horse."