The Temporal Knights (40 page)

“This Countess,” Matt said still pushing his point, “is the mother of Æthelstan, Leoforic’s older brother and current Earl of Mercia and she’s the daughter of King Alfred. This gesture may go a long way in the near future. And as far as pilots go...send Gardner with Giles if it will make you feel better.” Giles sent Matt a knowing look, and a slight smile. Matt was very persuasive, and Giles felt sure he could sway even the obstinate Colonel with time.

“Plus,” Giles added, “now that the new tower is assembled we should be able to stay in constant communication. If there’s something you don’t like turn us around.”

Lemay noticed both the look and the smile, but said nothing. He was weighing the odds against the rewards and thinking very hard.

“Very well, Gardner goes,” he said patently ignoring their look of triumph. “But listen well Captain Giles. I don’t want either of you to put yourselves or your planes in any danger whatsoever. Land well clear of any threat and let Leoforic walk in and explain. It’s his family, his people. If she agrees, she’ll come, if not, have Leoforic and Leoforic alone approach and inform you. You see anyone else, take off and head home. Got it?”

“Yes Sir,” Giles said, saluting and smiling at the same time, but before they could leave Lemay grabbed Matt by the arm.

“This is a risk Major Thane...let’s make it a good one. Giles, you and Gardner go in hot, so we can monitor the progress through the GBF,” Lemay said staring Thane directly in the eye, and though he had not always agreed with Matt or his actions since their arrival, he still had the utmost confidence in the man’s intelligence. He was a good soldier, and a very smart one.

“Yes Sir.”

“One more thing,” Lemay said. “I want you to circle the General and his group over Kingston. The town’s about forty miles to the east our position, and from what the Ealdorman tells me it’s quite large, so you should have no trouble finding it. Make sure both the boy and his mother are aware of the deviation. I don’t want her getting excited over a misunderstanding.”

Both Matt and Murphy nodded, each thankful that the Colonel was on their side. He was a solid number two man and never missed a beat, large or small. They saluted and headed off to inform Gardner of the trip, and to prepare the Bots. Tamworth was just over a hundred miles away, well within the effective range of the small plane. The Bot was very easy on gas. Nevertheless, they were indeed taking a great risk for the Lady of Mercia.

They explained carefully to Leoforic what they needed of him and took off twenty minutes later. The boy rode with Captain Gardner and was clearly excited. He was smiling and happy for the first time since his father’s death, which had hit him very hard. It didn’t help that his knew friend Doctor Rice was also absent. But in the air he was back to his old enthusiastic self, and pointed out as many towns and landmarks as he could name. The flight took just over an hour and before the boy knew it they were circling over Tamworth. Leoforic shouted in his excitement and leaned out the window to wave and yell down to the terrified citizens.

“Easy now,” Matt said surveying the scene with Lemay, through Giles helmet. “Find a cultivated field well out and away from the town,” he said knowing that at least a cultivated field would be relatively free of rocks. The people of Tamworth would just have to forgive them for the transgression. Down below, the people were running and pointing to the planes as they flew over the Earl’s walled fortress. It was impressive, by far the most impressive fortification they had seen thus far, dwarfing even the stronghold at Countisbury Hill.

“Now that’s almost a castle,” Giles said into the headset, and both Matt and the Colonel were forced to agree. The town wall had no less than eight wooden towers; the largest four were placed at each corner. Two smaller towers sat in the middle of the long walls that ran north and south of the main gate, which at the moment was thrown open. The thick wooden walls looked to be about twelve to fourteen feet high and came complete with ramparts where a number of guards stood nervously looking up at the planes as they flew overhead. The entire town was ringed by a deep, dry ditch that could only be crossed at the bridge at the main gates. From the air they could see numerous narrow cobblestoned streets that zigzagged their way through the town. 

The place was crowded with people all gazing upward in terror. It was by far the largest town they’d come across up to now, though both Leoforic and the Lady Merwinna insisted Winchester was larger still. They circled back and found a field about a half a mile north of the walled town. They scanned the area carefully to make completely sure that no one was about, but the surroundings appeared to be bereft of people... the Bots had a way of doing that to the locals. They landed without incident and taxied across the field so that they were once again facing into the wind. From their vantage point they had a good view of the surrounding countryside and of the main gates which were now closed against the perceived threat. All was clear so they let Leoforic out. Both pilots cut their engines, but remained alert and strapped in, as the boy waved and took off toward home at a run. They waited nearly three quarters of an hour before the
town’s gates were once again swung open. At first no one emerged but then a carriage escorted by no less than twenty knights on horseback rode out and headed directly toward the planes.

“Start them up,” Matt ordered from the command tent, viewing the scene from Murphy’s camera. The new tower was really boosting the signal and the picture was strong and clear, much to everyone’s satisfaction. “What do you think?” he asked the two pilots. Lemay tensed but said nothing.

“The carriage is a good sign,” Giles replied from his position in the cockpit, “unless it’s an attack carriage. You didn’t really expect the Countess to walk all that way did you?”

Lemay sighed at the Captain’s cavalier attitude. “Your call,” he said.

“Don’t take any chances…gun the engines if you have too, it should keep the horses away,” Matt advised and as predicted the carriage and knights stopped well away from the noise of the running planes. Even so several horses skittered around nervously and one knight even had to retreat half way back to the gates before his horse finally settled down. The remaining knights stared down at the noisy flying beasts with undisguised hostility and suspicion.

Leoforic was first out of the carriage. He smiled and waved to his friends and then he reached up and helped a beautiful woman out of the carriage. She studied the planes from a distance, clearly nervous about them.

“Magnify twenty,” Giles said and they got their first real look at the Æthelf
læ
d, the Lady of Mercia. She was short, only about five foot tall, and she had thick jet black hair. She gazed fearfully at the strange contraptions that waited for her in the field below. Her face was pale, with clean elfin features, and her large brown eyes were wide with excitement. She wore an attractive red taffeta gown with a matching head piece. She was truly the most beautiful woman any of them had seen in many, many years. Moments later Leoforic helped another young woman from the carriage. The second girl was nearly the twin of the first, same black hair, same dark eyes and smooth pale skin. She stood next to the first, both eyeing the planes nervously.

“My god,” Lemay exclaimed and Matt looked up at him curiously. As far as the Major knew the Colonel had no interest at all in women. “There are a couple of beauties for you.”

Matt could only nod in agreement. “Twins you think?”

Lemay shrugged. “Sisters perhaps…how many daughters did Alfred have?”

It took a moment for Matt to call up the information on his computer. “Three I think…the names are confusing.”

“Yeah, but I’m more confused as to how the hell I’m going to squeeze that dress into the cockpit,” Giles quipped as he set the brake and climbed from the plane. Leoforic was moving forward but the two women remained frozen in place despite his coaxing.

“I believe I’ll have to go and calm the ladies down,” Giles added, wanting very much to get a close look at them both.

“Careful,” Lemay said but sensed no real danger from the group.

“Computer switch to Captain Gardner,” Matt said as Giles removed his helmet and slowly approached Leoforic and the two nervous women.

Leoforic was smiling widely as Giles approached but the two women were not reassured by his appearance. They stood very close to one another for support, though to the Captain’s relief at least they were not clutching at each other in terror. “Captain Giles,” Leoforic said when he was near enough. “May I present me mother, Lady Æthelf
læ
d, the Countess of Mercia and me aunt the Lady Æthelgifu, soon to be the Abbess at Shaftesbury.”

Murphy bowed slowly to hide his own growing nervousness. The Countess was indeed lovely, but it was her sister…younger obviously, who captured his attention. She was startlingly beautiful and watched him with wide, curious eyes.

‘Abbess,’
he thought bleakly and his heart fell, though he’d only just been introduced.

“Ladies,” he said as he straightened up.

“Countess, if you’d follow me,” he said and held up a hand to lead the way. He could hardly believing that this dark eyed beauty could be Leoforic’s mother, after all Leoforic was fifteen, or there about, and he had an older brother who was pushing twenty or so. The woman before him could be no more than thirty and didn’t look that.  Her hair was raven black, as were her eyebrows which stood out starkly against her pale, clear skin, but somehow Murphy did not find this unattractive, instead it made her look all the more real, which only added to her beauty. She had a small nose and mouth, but her lips were full and dark red. She smiled at him, but her eyes were large and sad.  Leoforic had obviously already informed her of her husband’s recent demise.

The Countess quickly turned back to her sister and gave her a quick hug.

Murphy’s glance returned to the smaller woman, her features were much the same, though fresher, unspoiled by time or pain. As she embraced her sister, Æthelgifu stared boldly up into Murphy’s eyes and he felt his face grow hot.

“I’ve told Mum all ‘bout the flying plaines,” Leoforic said excitedly, “but she na one to believe me much.”

“Twas na disbelief,” the Countess said in a soft clear voice that tinkled to the pilot’s ears. She looked from Leoforic, to her sister and then back to Murphy before her eyes settled on the nearest plane. “Well, forsooth, mayhap twas disbelief. Whilst ye help me son, I be terribly a feared,” she admitted easily.

“Mayhap ye should take the carriage,” her sister said softly, almost as if she didn’t want Murphy to hear.

Murphy welcomed the excuse to look at the young woman again, amazed to find that his heart was pounding heavily in his chest.

‘Get a grip!’
he thought and smiled at her.

“It’s perfectly safe,” he said, though he still addressed the younger of the two.

Murphy smiled again, feeling somewhat mechanical and slightly goofy. “Come I will help you,” he encouraged and moved slowly toward the Countess, which thoroughly aggravated the nearby knights. Æthelf
læ
d, sensing only kindness in this dark haired stranger, waved them off.

She turned and shot a glance at her sister. “We’ll meet
ye at Athelney Giffu,” the Countess said and gave the younger woman a quick kiss on her cheek. “Escort the Abbess to Athelney,” she told her knights in a loud, clear voice, full of authority. The Captain of the guard lingered for a moment, undecided, but then finally nodded and signaled to the others.

With the Countess on his arm, Murphy took one last look at her sister before turning back to the planes. Even through normal magnification, Colonel Lemay could see the large smile resting comfortably on the pilot’s face and actually felt a twinge of jealousy.

“Hope he doesn’t wet himself,” the Colonel commented offhandedly and Gardner laughed. But when Giles glanced to the west his smile fell away almost immediately. Low on the horizon was a dark band of clouds, sinister looking and promising great problems.

“Please ma’am, we must hurry now...a storm is rising and we mustn’t get caught in it,” Murphy said and hurried her along, pulling her closer and closer to plane. He did not notice her
look of dread as they closed within a few feet of the machine; instead he signaled to Gardner and then nodded toward the approaching storm. The other pilot instantly realized the danger and flipped open the passenger door.

“Come on Leoforic, time for us to go,” he yelled. “Colonel we’re going to have to cancel Kingston. We’ve got a pretty good squall line coming in from the west,” he said then slipped his helmet back on and turned to give them a view.

“Roger that,” Matt answered. “Any idea on its speed or heading?”

“Negative, but it’s dead calm here at the moment,” Gardner answered as Leoforic jumped in beside him. Gardner looked over at Murphy who was busily trying to stuff the Countess’ dress into the small cockpit.

“Pay the dress no mind Captain,” Æthelf
læ
d said, nervously watching the man work familiarly with her clothing. But Murphy just smiled and continued to carefully tuck it in here and there, trying to be safe and gentle. She studied him as he worked. He was tall, with dark curly hair and a boyish face, which was quick to grin. He wore no beard, which the Countess found a bit disconcerting and a little unmanly. But she had to admit it made it easier to read his thoughts and expressions. It was clear to her that he was only trying to please her and did not mean any real affront.