Knight of the Empress (2 page)

"Lothar, Konrad, this is Baron Alfraed of Norton.  He and his conroi will be escorting us home when my father allows us to leave."

I saw a look exchanged between them. Their English was crude at best. "We need no Normans!"

"Then it is as well that I am English and not Norman." I smiled broadly.  I learned that this just irritated them.  Once I discovered that I smiled ever more. The Empress held her hand over her face to disguise her expression.  She too was laughing. The King had told me I was in charge.  Before I had met them I had thought to defer to them but now I took the bull by the horns. "When King Henry gives us permission to leave then I will let you know. It has been good to meet you.  I daresay we will get to know one another on the road back to Regensburg." I gave a slight bow to the Empress and then, impulsively lifted her hand and kissed the back of it.  "It will be an honour to serve you." I stood and looked at the two Germans.  "And to protect your life with my own." If Matilda feared her bodyguards then I was letting them know that they would have to go through me to get to her. Their eyes narrowed and, although they said not a word, I saw pure hatred on their faces.  I would need my men to keep their eyes upon my back.

Edward saw me smiling as I entered the stables.  He and Harold were helping the other men at arms to groom the horses.  "From your smile I take it that we are going home after all."

"No, Edward, I fear that we will have to endure a journey to Regensburg with the Empress. And the Teutons who come with us are as unpleasant a pair as you are ever likely to meet."

He spread his arms in exasperation.  "Then why in God's name are you happy, my lord?"

I gestured for the two of them to join me. Once we were away from curious ears I said, "Because this promises to be an interesting journey.  The Germans are not to be trusted." Their eyes widened.  "Do not tell the men yet but make them aware that they need to keep their eyes and ears open." Edward and Harold nodded.  I could trust both of them. "And Edward, I want you and Harold to go into the town later and see if you can get another sumpter or two. With the fighting being over they have come down in price.  I fear we may need them."

"Do we have enough coin?"

I nodded. "And I will work out a way to get more."

Considering how depressing the events of the morning had been I felt remarkably happy. Part of it was the Empress; she was hard to refuse but more than that it was the thought that I was doing something of which my father would have approved. That, to me, was more important than anything else.

We left ten days after the meeting with the Empress.  Over those ten days I discovered, through conversations with Robert and Matilda, the reason for the visit of the Empress.  I had to piece it together from the two of them but it seemed that Henry wanted the support of the Emperor.  He had his eyes on Flanders. Anjou was too large a mouthful for the son of the Conqueror but he had his father's appetite for land.  Anjou would be his but it would take subtlety.  It explained why Matilda had arrived without the entourage of an Empress.  She was there as Henry's daughter. When I discovered this I felt much better.  I understood such plotting; it was Byzantine. King Henry would use anyone to achieve his ends. He had remarried recently in the hope of fathering another legitimate male heir to the throne.

Edward and Harold had managed to acquire more sumpters.  It meant that all of my men at arms could ride and we had four horses for our equipment. The two Germans only had enough horses for six of their men and the two of them cast envious glances at our mounts. I had seen little of them since that first acrimonious meeting.  I had still to bring up the thorny issue of command. It was not that I baulked at a confrontation with them but I preferred it to be on the road. There I would have the advantage of all of my men around me. If I had to then I would abandon the Germans; nothing would get in the way of my mission.

I had seen Matilda each day. I was obeying the King's instructions; I was getting to know her. When we were in company she spoke of me as Baron but when alone it was 'Alfraed'.  It was as though she was two different people: the Empress and the vulnerable young woman. She had told me why she feared the two Germans.  I had thought, at first, that her husband wished her ill as she had yet to conceive but the Germans, it seemed, had another paymaster.  She could not determine who but she felt at risk. I would have to find out who wished her harm.

She said farewell to her father while I spoke with Robert, Earl of Gloucester.  "Watch over my little sister, Alfraed.  We have different mothers but she is as dear to me as though we had the same." He slipped me a purse of gold.  "Here is some recompense for you. You may need it on the journey." I nodded, "And watch those Germans.  Like my sister I do not trust them."

Once on the road I set the precedent of riding next to the Empress with Edward and Alan ahead of us and Harold and Wulfric behind. With my archers as scouts the Germans had little choice but to follow behind. The rest of Edward's men at arms brought up the rear with the horses.  The Germans were trapped.  They could attempt no treachery in such a position. 

We had been on the road but half a day when Matilda said, "Baron, I have to tell you that we are not going to Regensburg as we said in Caen.  We are going to Worms."

It did not matter overmuch to me, in fact Worms was closer but I was curious. "Why the deception? Did you not trust me?"

She had the good grace to blush, "When your father is Henry and you are Empress you give away as little as possible.  Forgive me. I could not risk word leaking out of our real destination.  I know that we have to travel on the same road but the lands closer to Regensburg are easier for ambush.  We could be waylaid and captured there."

"The Empress of the Holy Roman Empire?"

She nodded, "It is why I came west in disguise."

"I do not understand why you took such a risk.  If it is a dangerous road then why come all this way?"

She lowered her voice, "I came with a message from my husband for my father.  You need not know the content of the message but I am the only one they can both trust. It is a burden I must bear alone."

"Then why did he not send better guards?" I jerked my head in the direction of the Teutons.

"I had four Swabian knights when I set off. They were loyal to me. When we reached Nancy they ate some bad fish and we had to leave them there to recover."

Suddenly everything became clear. "You had a larger escort then?"

"We did. These two were the only knights not affected by the bad fish."

"That seems a little suspicious." My voice was also almost a whisper.

"That was when I began to fear for my life."

"And the men at arms?"

She shrugged, "I know not."

I began to plan at that moment. The first thing we needed to do was to change the route we had agreed. Lothar and Konrad had been too agreeable to the idea.  I did not like that. "Will your knights still be in Nancy?"

"I know not.  Perhaps. Why?" I ignored the question for I was busy trying to remember the maps I had studied with Robert. "You are planning something?" I nodded.  "And when are you going to tell me what it is?"

"Empress Matilda, when I have worked out the details then you shall be the first to know." I was acutely aware that I was more than naïve when it came to the politics of Europe.  The politics of the east were familiar to me.  "Tell me, Empress, do we have enemies on the route we selected?"

"Not enemies as such but Louis of France and my father have had disagreements in the past.  The Count of Flanders is an enemy of both my husband and my father."

"We avoid the northern route." She nodded. "I think we will avoid Paris too then."

"Why?  We were welcomed there on our way west."

"That was when you were accompanied by your German guards. They may take offence at twenty five Normans marching through their city.  It would be best to avoid confrontation."

"But that will take us close to Flanders."

"Yes but it is a shorter route." I could hear the doubt in her voice.  "Trust me, Empress.  We will get you home and I am happier now for I believe I know the problems we face.  That is easier than travelling in the dark."

We stayed that night in the castle of Evreux.  The lord was with Henry but we were treated with both honour and respect.  After we had eaten I took Edward to one side, while the Empress chatted to the lord's lady. I told him of our suspicions.

"I can just slit their throats tonight, my lord.  It would be no bother." He grinned, "We have done it before."

"A nice thought but I suspect the ramifications would come back to haunt us.  No we just watch the two of them. Who are the two men we trust to watch them?"

"Any but the best would be Roger and Edgar.  They are both bright lads and handy with their weapons."

"Good then ask them to keep an eye on the two knights.  Have them ride behind them.  And tomorrow watch out for trouble when I take us to Rouen."

"Rouen?"

"I want to stay in Normandy as long as I can.  We cross the narrow part of France.  We just have Rheims to pass through and then we should be away from the French."

"Are we at war with them?"

"No but we aren’t at peace either."

"That is a pity.  If we were at war then we could make a little bit of gold out of this!" Edward was always looking for the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow; even when there was no rainbow!

I slept outside the Empress' chamber. I woke when she opened the door in the small hours of the night. She gave a squeak of surprise when she almost stumbled across me. "Why are you sleeping here? Is there no bed?"

I stood and stretched. "Aye but this way I guarantee your safety."

She took a dagger from the folds of her shift.  "I am armed."

"That did not help your Swabians. I will endure this until we reach Nancy.  I will be happier when we find those loyal to you."

As I expected Konrad and Lothar questioned my route when I took us north east towards Rouen."

"This is not the way we agreed."

"No, but it is the way we shall be travelling." I stared at Lothar. He was not willing for a confrontation yet.  We outnumbered them but I could see in his eyes that he wanted to pull his sword and kill me there and then.

He shrugged, "It matters not.  Once we cross into our homeland there is but one way to go."

That confirmed what I had thought, it would be closer to Lorraine where the danger would come.  We had to pass through Nancy in Lorraine and the danger would come before we reached that city. The two of them needed watching and I would not let them anywhere near our food but I did not think there would be an ambush until we were forced to rejoin our original route.

The first five days were relatively easy for we were travelling through Normandy.  When we saw Rheims in the distance I began to fear for our safety. We were now in foreign parts. Our shields and livery were unknown but we were marked as Normans by our style of dress. People stared at us as we rode through the narrow streets. Matilda oozed confidence and smiled at those we passed. I admired her strength for I knew that, inside, she was as fearful for her life as we were. Miraculously we were welcomed. We were accommodated in the Bishop's Palace.  At least we four knights and Matilda were.  Our men had to camp in the grounds.  It was a small price to pay for the security the Bishop afforded.

As we left, the next morning, hope began to soar in my heart that this might not be as hazardous as I had expected. I was heading for La Cheppe.  There was a small castle there and I hoped that they would offer us hospitality.  We were now in unknown territory.  Lorraine and the Empire were friends but that did not mean that we would be welcomed. The Empire was a loose confederation. Every landowner could, potentially, be a prince or a king if events went in their favour. Smiles in these parts meant nothing.

"Harold, take Dick and ride ahead to the castle.  Let me know what it is like."

"Do you want us to speak with them?"

"No, but just see if they have a closed gate or an open gate.  Do they have banners hanging from their walls?"

He grinned, "Yes my lord, to see if they are friendly!"

"Exactly."

Harold had been an outlaw before he joined me.  His father had been the leader of my father's archers after the conquest. He had shown that he had the potential to be something better than an archer and I was training him to be a knight.  Although he had much to learn the task I had given him was perfect for him. When I saw the two of them galloping hurriedly back I knew that there was trouble.

"What is it, Harold?  Is the castle prepared for war?"

He shook his head, "The castle has been taken and burned.  But there is more.  There are warriors in the woods ahead and there is an ambush waiting for us."

I did not insult him by asking how he knew.  He was as skilled at laying ambushes as any.  If he said there was an ambush then there was one. I held up my hand and then waved the two Germans forward along with Edward. "The castle we were heading for has fallen and I think that those who took it have seen us and are waiting in ambush where the road passes through the forest."

The Empress asked, "Think you that they come for me?"

"Possibly but I doubt it. They could not know we were coming this way.  I believe this is just a coincidence. Now we cannot go another way so let us spring this trap. Padraig and Geoffrey you ride on either side of the Empress. Keep her safe." They nodded, "Dick, take the archers in a long sweep to the south of the road. Use your arrows to attack those ambushing us." I turned to Lothar and Konrad.  Have your men at arms guard the horses at the rear. We four and our squires will be the vanguard and draw the sting of this ambush."

Konrad looked incredulously at me.  "You would ride into an ambush?"

"Unless you have a better idea, then yes. Are you afraid?"

He shook his head, "We are afraid of no one.  We will ride with you!"

"My men will take care of those on our right.  Our shields should protect us from those on our left. Once we know where they are then we will attack. The four knights and the two squires will charge whoever awaits us.  The rest ride through as quickly as you can. It is the forest so we will just use our swords." Everyone nodded. "Dick, ride!"

My archers headed south. I doubted that the ambushers would spot them for we were more than a mile from the woods and there was a slight rise before us.  When we crested the rise in the road then they would anticipate our arrival.  They would nock arrows and prepare spears.

I said, more for the benefit of the Empress Matilda than anything, "Take it nice and steady.  Let us appear as though we do not except an attack and allow Dick and the archers the time to get behind them. Those on the right, slip your shields to your right arms." I loosened my sword in my sheath. "Steady, Scout." The fact that we had not changed to our warhorses would add to the illusion that we were unprepared for an attack.

Edward was a little nervous, I could tell from his question, "How many do you think there are, my lord?"

"Enough to take a castle. Perhaps too many for us but we will try them anyway."

Lothar sneered, "And risk the Empress?"

I turned and glared at him.  "The Empress will be safe.  I guarantee that! You have the word of an English knight and I am never foresworn."

My answer made Edward smile. I knew that I had good mail; it had been made in Constantinople by a master craftsman.  The helmet too afforded me protection and was still light.  However when you were riding into an ambush you had no idea what Fate had in store for you. My father had always been quite philosophical about death.  The problem with Christianity was that it did not allow for accidents such as fate.  I would have to trust in my armour and my skills.