Northern Knight (14 page)

It was no solid line which hurled itself at us. There were too many obstacles in their way.  Now my archers had targets and they released arrow after arrow.

"Ready!"

Our spears were jammed against the cobbles of the road and braced across our shields. Their sharpened, deadly heads protruded before us.  This time there were no horses to take the first of the spear heads.  As the Scots clambered over the bodies of the horses which were a barrier before us they jabbed down with their own spears. We took the blows on our shields but, more importantly, as they opened their bodies for the thrust they became an easy target for the archers.  Inevitably some of those struck were either pushed or fell forward and they were then impaled upon the spears. As spears shattered then my men drew their swords. I saw that the other spears in our front ranks had been broken.  I took my own spear and punched it forward at the knight who towered above me. His attention was on the faltering line and my spear found a gap and scored a hit along his side.  The head came away bloody as he smashed down with his sword and broke my spear in two.

I drew my sword just as a warrior with neither helmet nor mail leapt down at me with a vicious looking axe. I barely managed to push his axe away with my shield.  A spear jabbed out from behind me and stuck him in the chest. As he died before me he spat out a curse in Gaelic.

The knight was still above me, standing on the carcass of a dead horse. I swung my sword sideways. He had expected the blow and he jumped.  The body of the horse was slick with blood and he lost his footing. He fell backwards. I was tiring and I knew that my knights would be too. I yelled the command, "Second rank, change!"

We had practised this. The hiatus of the knight's slip afforded us the opportunity. We all turned to the right, presenting our shields to the enemy as Wulfric led ten fresh men at arms and their spears to take our place. We moved behind the rear rank. The new wall of spears greeted the knight as he regained his feet.  He urged his men on and they had to try to break this new wall of spears. The results were the same.  The men who survived the spears were struck by arrows. The knight realised the futility of the attack and he ordered his remaining men to fall back.

I knew that they were doing so reluctantly when three warriors suddenly ran, full tilt, towards our line.  They launched themselves in the air.  Their movement was so swift it took my archers by surprise. One of the Scots impaled himself upon three of the spears but his crashing body allowed the other two to land amongst the men at arms.  Their swords flashed and men died.  I saw the mighty Wulfric raise his sword to decapitate one of them while the other was transfixed by an arrow in the middle of his head. The battle of the bridge was over when the last wild warrior fell.

Wulfric was both upset and annoyed that the last suicidal attack by the three Scots had cost him two of his men. He and his men hacked the three bodies as they lay on the ground.  It was a futile gesture but I understood it.  Wulfric and his men had a bond and to lose any comrade was a blow.

I strode past them and clambered on to the dead Scottish horse which had acted as a wall for us. I saw the Scots as they trudged back to their leader and the ones who had not attacked.  We had not destroyed these raiders but we had hurt them. Sir Edward and Sir Richard joined me.

"Will they return, Baron?"

"I know not, Richard.  We have hurt them and we are still as strong as ever. We clear the bridge for they could use the dead to their advantage in the night. Have the bodies of the Scots thrown into the Tyne. We will have to butcher the horses; they are too large to shift otherwise."

Edward rubbed his hands, "We eat well tonight.  The men love horsemeat!" My men at arms were strange.  They had such affection for their own mounts that they would weep at small injuries but they would happily devour an enemy's horse.

"Collect any weapons and armour."

"They are poor quality."

"I know Richard but we can make more caltrops.  They are a good warning system and I have an idea for another kind of barrier too. Edward, take charge."

I walked back to my men, taking off my helmet and pushing my coif back over my head.  I saw Wulfric and he still had an angry face. "Have you vented your anger, Wulfric?"

"Not yet my lord; that should never have happened."

"I know but it is in the past.  Put it behind you. Have your men collect as many daggers, spear heads and broken swords as they can. Then tell them to take the handles from the swords and daggers and then I want small logs.  Ram the spear heads, daggers and broken swords into the logs so that they stick out from every side. They will make a more effective barrier than caltrops and will prevent us from being surprised."

"An excellent idea, my lord." He had suddenly brightened.  His anger could now be directed into making a wicked weapon with which to hurt his enemies.  It was not my original idea.  I had seen them in Byzantium. There the Emperor had many such fiendish weapons.

"Dick, how is the supply of arrows?"

"We have used too many."

"Then send two of our men back to Hartburn to collect more from Tom the Fletcher." Having brought men to watch the horses we had the ability to replenish our supplies.

"Aiden, go across the river and find out what the enemy intend."

"Aye, my lord."

"And Aiden, be careful!"

He laughed, "My lord you will be telling me next how to gut a deer!"

Leofric appeared at my side. "We won my lord! Can I be at your side next time?"

"There will be a time for you to fight at my side but it is not yet." I handed him my sword.  "Put an edge on that and ask Sir Tristan to go to the manor and tell Ralph and his wife that we have horsemeat aplenty.  If they want some tell them to come and collect it."

This was a bounty we would share.

That night the air was filled with the sound of meat being roasted over open fires.  The Scots still camped to the north and I knew that the smell would be doubly galling. It was their horses we ate and the smell of the roasting flesh would be making them hungrier. Aiden slipped back into camp after dark.  Wulfric berated the sentries who had not spotted our ghost of the woods. I smiled.  It was an incredibly gifted guard who would spot Aiden if he wished to remain hidden.

"I crept close to their camp.  I could not understand what they said but they appeared to be unhappy.  The knight who led them was arguing with others who wore the same coats."

"You have done well.  Are they all within the camp?"

"Aye my lord.  They had sentries set too." He cheekily smiled at Wulfric. "I slipped past those as well."

"You have done well.  Go and eat." I turned to my knights. "We will see what the morrow brings but be ready to ride out and see if we can intimidate them back to Scotland."

Our new logs embedded with blades had the advantage that we could move them easily and they would not bar our progress across the bridge.  They were secured by ropes beneath the bridge.  If an attacker tried to remove them they would have to expose themselves to a rain of missiles.

When dawn broke the Scots were still on the slope leading north. I left only my archers at the bridge and, after we had cleared a passage across the bridge I led my conroi of knights and men at arms up the road. I did not want to fight them but I needed them to move.  If they chose to attack then I would respond and then fall back to the bridge.  Dick and his archers had enough arrows left to cause the Scots a problem. I used the same formation I had done before and we filled the road.  The Scots' trumpets sounded as their camp came to life.  I noticed that they now had but a handful of mounted men.  We had eaten well the night before and would feast on horseflesh for another week at least. Their lost men at arms and knights meant that the Earl of Moral had to rely on the poorly armed men he had brought.  This was better than I had hoped.  His foot were armed with swords, axes and daggers.  They would not stand against a mounted charge by mailed men.

I halted my line a hundred and fifty paces from them.  We all lowered our lances which indicated our intent; we would charge. We were still outnumbered but the Scots faced forty five horsemen; all of us were mailed and armed with a lance. "For the Bishop of Durham and King Henry! Charge!"

It was ridiculously easy. As soon as we began to canter the Earl ordered a retreat. He and his remaining knights and men at arms led by example and they galloped away.  The men on foot were leaderless and they melted into the woods.  We caught five of them and two who tried to stand were slain but the rest ran back to Moray, Dunbar and Fife. They had left a great deal in their camp.  There were spare weapons and mail as well as food.  It was not a great deal of food but we took it anyway.  The Earl and his knights had tents and we took those. Unfortunately every horse, no matter how poor was taken as they fled north to lick their wounds and reflect on their disastrous foray into England.

The men were in high spirits as we divided our gains.  I sent Tristan and Harold with four men at arms to escort the prisoners to the Bishop and to ask for the first part of our stipend.

I gathered my remaining knights around me. "I think we will be safe for a few more days, at least.  I have no doubt that there will be more raiders, but the Earl of Moray will make them rethink their strategy.  I doubt that they will cross again here.  Edward, take some men and ride to the New Castle.  Tell the Constable that we have sent these raiders packing. While you are there see if the castle could withstand an attack. The rest of us will make this fort more defensible and more homely.  Now that we have more tents we can do so."

When our scouts returned to say that there was no sign of the Scots within ten miles of us we took off our armour. There was an old Roman bathhouse by the river.  It no longer functioned but we found we could change there and bathe in the river for the Romans had made a small stone breakwater and it prevented the current from sweeping us away. I used it first for I was more used to bathing than the Normans. Once they saw me there then they, gradually, joined me.

Sir Raymond had grown on me a little.  He was nothing like his cousin.  I had been wrong and Wulfstan had been right. He smiled as he entered the chilly water. "We have had more success than I expected.  The Scots seemed remarkably easy to defeat."

Sir Richard laughed.  He dropped below the water and as he rose, dripping from it, said, "The more you fight alongside the Baron the more you will realise that he is a leader who thinks. Had we tried to fight on horseback we would have lost but he saw that we could fight on foot. Tristan and I have become richer since following his banner.  Hartness will become as rich too."

He nodded, "Already my men are smiling more.  Coins in their purses induce such smiles."

I cautioned them. Sir Geoffrey and Sir Guy nodded their agreement as I added, "This is not the end of our campaigns and they will learn. I have no doubt that they will try to employ archers.  They will not be as good as ours but they will make life difficult for us. I want every warrior to practise for half of each day. We have a unique opportunity here. Our squires can learn from each other and our men at arms can learn to fight as one.  There will still be a place for each banneret to use his own men but the more we fight together the more success we will have."

When Edward returned, later that afternoon from the east, he seemed quite happy about the ability of the garrison to hold out. "It seems that the Gospatric family took their loyal retainers with them. The ones in the castle now are locals who have lived there since the north was emptied by the Conqueror.  It is their home and they will defend it."

I was relieved at that and so we began half a month of peace and order.  The men practised and all became better warriors.  When they were not working at becoming better warriors and improving their skills they took it upon themselves to make things.  Aiden and Leofric used some of the bones from the horses to make a chess set.  They each carved the pieces.  Aiden had decided to use some of the blood from the animals we hunted to dye one half a rusty brown.  It looked very effective.  Others used the bone to make adornments for their scabbards and their horses. Every man at arm and archer had something to keep his hands busy. The practise took the need for fighting away and the beer we had from Ralph's wife was not strong enough to fire the blood.

The messengers returned from Tom the Fletcher with more arrows and Tristan and Harold returned with the stipend from the Bishop and a holy relic. The Bishop was so pleased with our work that he had sent one of St. Cuthbert's fingers in a silver pendant which was encased in a casket and a priest to watch over it. Father Richard was an earnest young man.  He was keen to use God to fight the Scots and he asked if he could bear the Bishop's banner. That suited me for I needed all of my knights and squires now to fight.

For half a month we had peace and then the scouts found a trail. It was a trail from the north and it told us that the Scots had returned. The scouts saw the animal dung.  They had horses.  There were also the tracks of a single cart.  They had come for war and not a raid. We prepared to do battle once more.

The Scots had learned.  With the long days of summer drawing closer they could move through the forests more easily.  Aiden deduced that they rode palfreys and not destrier and that the men they brought were more lightly armed for the tracks they left were not as deep.  Most importantly they were heading for the gaps in the wall the Romans had built.  There were no manors to the west of Hexham and no lords there with castles to guard the border. The castles were further south and the Scots had slipped by us without us knowing.

We left our servants with the supplies and the spare horses.  Two men at arms were all that we could spare to guard our home. I asked Ralph to call out the fyrd.  It was high summer and there would be men to spare. We had to use a precious palfrey for our priest who insisted upon accompanying us, swearing that St. Cuthbert would bring success to our venture. I would take any help I could get. There was a certain amount of guesswork involved in our route. If they carried on due south from their crossing points then they would hit high ground with few animals to steal.  It would not be worth their while.  They would have to swing to the south of Chollerford and strike at the Tyne and Wear valleys.  The animals born a few months ago were now almost ready for market and it would be a perfect time to raid them. The farmers would be busy in their fields with the cereal crops they needed to tend and weed.

We headed south too with my scouts spread out in a large half circle as we sought to catch them on the march. The rest we had enjoyed since our last battle had prepared us better than I could have hoped. We had eaten well, trained hard and we knew that our enemies could be beaten. Our scouts had told us that we would be outnumbered but we had been at a disadvantage the last time and still won. Confidence was worth a hundred men.

We found their trail not far from Corbridge. They had had to use the Roman Road for part of their journey and the droppings of their horses marked their trail. I sent Edward and half of our force to the east. They rode along the old Roman Road which led to the New Castle and they rode hard.  They would wait close to the castle of Prudhoe.  By riding hard and fast they could reach it before the slower moving Scots. This was another castle where the lord of the manor was in Scotland but I hoped that Edward could hold it as a bastion against the Scots.  I guessed that they had chosen this route because they knew that they would be unopposed. Edward, his four knights and his men at arms might prove to be a shock to them.  I retained the archers.  I would need them.

Aiden came galloping back. "Baron, they are two miles ahead and approaching Prudhoe."

"How many are there?"

"I estimate two hundred.  They are mainly lightly armed horsemen and foot soldiers.  I only counted ten knights and eight squires."

Aiden had become more proficient of late and knew the difference between knights and squires. The squires tended to wear their hair shorter. There were more knights than we had expected.

"Will they push on to Prudhoe do you think?"

He hesitated for his answer was crucial. "Aye, my lord."

It all depended upon Edward now and the speed with which he had ridden. "We ride hard!"

I threw caution to the wind. If they could make Prudhoe then they could capture a base and we were too few to assault a castle.  We could hold one but not take one. We would need an army to rid the land of Scots holding a castle. Dick rode back to me.  "They are but half a mile away!"

"Ride to their southern flank and harass them. Do not endanger your men but we need them halted so that Edward has the opportunity to reach Prudhoe."

"Aye my lord."

With my archers committed we moved east. There was little point in using lances for we would be fighting in woodland and so I sent the men with the lances to the rear. I halted my line.  "Form a line of attack with knights to the fore." There were seven knights in the front rank. The squires, banners and the priest were in the second and then fourteen men at arms made up the third and fourth ranks. It was not a huge force but I relied on surprise.

We heard the shouts and alarm from the south.  Dick had attracted their attention.  I hoped that whoever led them would assume this was their main opposition.  I wanted their attention to the south. I drew my sword and led the wedge of warriors. We trotted through the woods.  The trees meant we could not ride knee to knee and it was a looser formation. We came upon the first body some two hundred paces into the woods. It was a Scot who had an arrow sticking through his neck. We found another three in the next sixty paces. Dick was drawing them south, away from the castle.  I knew what he would be doing. Half of his men would be loosing arrows whilst the other half held the reins of their mounts. I saw the flash of colour in the woods; it was the Scottish knights riding behind a mass of men at arms as they drove towards the archers who were whittling them down. My archers could not possibly hope to defeat them but they could irritate them and draw them on.

We had our opportunity for the knights were so busy trying to get at the archers that they did not see us.  The woods through which we travelled muffled the sound of our approach. As soon as we galloped they would know where we were. We did not need to ride hard; we were not using lances and we did not need a weight of warrior and horse to break a line; there was no line.  We were less than a hundred paces from them when one of the Scottish squires turned and saw us. He shouted the alarm and faces turned towards us.

"On! There is no need for caution now!"

I spurred Scout and he leapt forward.  I leaned out over his head.  I wanted to strike the first blow. The Scottish line had turned to face us but they were still drawing swords when we struck.  I brought my sword around in a wide arc to strike a red and black shield with a yellow griffin.  The knight reeled but kept his seat. We needed the knights eliminating and I jerked on Scout's reins to bring his head around. As the knight swung at my shield I stood in my stirrups to bring my sword down on his helmet. It stunned him and my blade continued down his helmet and hacked through his mail and into his neck.  He fell from his horse.

I felt a sharp pain in my side. I turned and saw a spear held by a man at arms. He saw the blood on the end and was laughing when Leofric jammed my banner into his neck.  He died with a surprised look on his face. Nodding my thanks I turned Scout to head towards the Scots who were now rushing to meet us. We had lost our organised ranks but I hoped that I still led mounted men.  That way we could escape to Prudhoe if things went awry. The trees aided us for they hid our numbers. I knew that they outnumbered us but they had no idea how many they faced.

I saw men on foot.  A sergeant at arms was trying to organise them into a shield wall.  Suddenly an arrow came from the woods to my right and he fell dead. As the warriors looked to their left I swung my sword and hit one in the shoulder.  He fell and Wulfric smashed his war axe into the head of another. The other five ran. I was about to order my men to charge once more when Wulfric said, "We are almost surrounded my lord, look."

I had been so keen to get at them that I had not seen that we were being drawn into a circle of swords.  Ahead of us there was a continuous line of spears and shields with horses behind. They had learned and they had tried to trap us.  The only thing which saved us was the band of archers led by Dick.

"Fall back!"

As I turned Scout I saw that the Scots were trying to close the neck on this net of steel. The large number of foot aided them.  Dick and his hidden archers carefully picked off the men who were trying to close the gap.  Wulfric and I were the last ones through and we had to smash our way through with our swords. The blows that were struck hit our mail and not our horses.  We would be battered and bruised but we managed to escape. We kept going until we made the road. There were empty horses and I knew that we had lost men. The Bishop's priest was already seeing to the wounded. Harold and Sir Geoffrey had been wounded.

Leofric rode next to me. "Baron! You are wounded."

I remembered the blow.  Shaking my head I said, "We have no time for that.  Ride for Prudhoe.  We can rest there."

Now that Leofric had mentioned it I felt the dull ache in my leg. Then I felt the blood as it trickled down the inside of my armour. I found that we were but a mile or two from the motte and bailey castle of Prudhoe.  There were just six men guarding it.  There was no banner flying.  The lord of the manor was not at home. The Bishop's banner gained us admittance. The Sergeant at Arms was an old, grey haired warrior. He bowed as I reined in, "Sir Marmaduke has taken the cross, my lord.  He is in the Holy Land but you are welcome to spend the night here."

I smiled, "It may be more than a night sergeant," I pointed behind me.  "There are Scottish raiders in the valley."

His face fell, "We have few supplies laid in store, my lord."

"Do not worry about that. It is shelter we need." I went to dismount and I had forgotten about my wound.  As I put my injured leg on the ground it gave way and I collapsed in a heap. Leofric and Wulfric ran to my side.

"He was stabbed in the leg by a spear, sergeant."

Wulfric took off his mittens and put his hand beneath my surcoat.  It came away bloody.  "Get him inside." He stood and yelled, "Sir Edward, the Baron is wounded."

"I will take command.  Put him in the hall. The Scots are approaching.  Every man who can wield a spear, get to the ramparts!"

Just then Edward and the rest of my men arrived.  I could see from the angry look on Edward's face that he was not happy to have let me down.  I did not mind.  It meant we had numbers once more and we could face our foes. As I was manhandled towards the steps of the keep I knew that, in my present state, I could not stand on the walls. I would do more damage than good. Edward knew how to hold a castle. I was laid down on a pallet in the small hall.  Sir Marmaduke was not a rich knight.  I knew now why he had taken the cross.  He needed the rewards.  "Get to the walls.  I will be fine."

Wulfric came in with his pouch of needles and cat gut. Leofric followed. "Leofric, take my banner to the walls. Make the Scots think I am there still." He looked at Wulfric who nodded. Father Richard came in with four men at arms carrying Sir Geoffrey and Harold. "Wulfric we have a priest now.  You will do more good on the walls. Go."

He was torn but he obeyed, "Aye my lord."

I looked in concern at Harold who appeared not to be moving. Father Richard saw my concern.  "He received a blow to the head.  He is breathing and he should recover. I have placed the saint's finger close to the wound.  God will heal him."

Sir Geoffrey had a nasty looking cut to his left upper arm.  I saw that his mail had been torn and an edged weapon had scored a line along the muscle. When he saw the priest threading the needle he said, nervously, "Perhaps the relic will work for me."

The serious priest said, "No Sir Geoffrey, you and the Baron need repairs; the young knight is the one who needs the intercession of the saint."

His needle was finer than that used by Wulfric and, despite is serious demeanour he had a gentle touch.  I was reassured when I saw his skill at stitching Sir Geoffrey. He had to remove my mail leggings to get at my leg. I saw that the spear had struck the muscled part of my leg and missed the bone.  I had also been fortunate that it had not struck an artery; if it had then I would have been dead.  He cleaned up the wound and examined it carefully. "You have been lucky.  It is a clean wound and nothing has been driven into the flesh.  This will heal." He took some herbs from his pouch and moistened them with water. He put them to one side while he stitched. It was a sharp needle and I winced at the first stitch. "Close your eyes, my lord, and pray. The pain will subside."

It did not but closing my eyes helped.  I opened them as he packed the moistened herbs around the wound and then bandaged it. All the time he had been working I had been aware of the clamour from outside. "Help me up, Father Richard."

"You need to rest your leg."

"Help me up.  I do not intend to fight but I need to see how this goes.  I promise I will return here as soon as I know." Reluctantly he helped me up. I saw the Bishop's banner propped in the corner.  "This should be on our battlements.  It will make a good support, eh Father?"

I used the staff of the banner to take the weight of my injured leg.  When I reached the door I breathed a sigh of relief.  My men stood on the walls still.  I could see that Edward had spread the archers out and that each knight stood with his own men on the walls.  It was what I would have done. Leofric spotted me and spoke to Edward.  He turned and I saw him shake his head.  He said something to Leofric who, leaving my banner on the wall clambered down the ladder and ran to me.

"Sir Edward says that all his well and he has everything under control.  He wishes you to return to your bed."

I smiled, "I am thinking that he used stronger words than that."  He nodded.  "And how goes it?"

"They have no archers, my lord, and they are wasting their spears to try to get at our men.  They have no ladders and each time they try to scale the walls they are driven away.  They have not attacked for some minutes."

"Good.  Then I will return inside but let me know if anything changes. Here take this to the battlements.  It may frighten the Scots." I handed him the Bishop's banner.  As I limped back inside, I felt the pain as I put weight on my leg. I barely made it back to my pallet. Father Richard shook his head but said nothing as he continued to finish bandaging Sir Geoffrey.