Baron of the North (6 page)

Once we had guards set I gathered my knights. "Tomorrow we advance upon Berwick!"

I waited as the knights erupted.  "Berwick! I thought we came to recapture Alnwick!"

"That is our intention and believe me Sir Raymond we will."

"Baron, we have few enough men to attack Alnwick why would you risk going further north and taking us closer to enemies?"

I stood and drew my sword.  I marked some lines in the sand.  "Here is Alnwick and here we are at the Aln. As you can see the castle cannot be supplied from the sea.  The land to the west is poor and has little growing there at the moment. To the south is the land we now hold and control. If we besiege Alnwick from where will we get our food?"

"Why the land around of course."

"Exactly Sir Hugh and that land belonged to our people.  They will either have fled or have been captured. The result is the same, there will be no farms there and no food. Alnwick has to get its food from the north. We will move into that land.  We are now in Scotland.  From now on every mouthful we take is taken from a Scotsman."

Harold suddenly laughed, "You do not mean to take Berwick."

"Of course not.  Do I look a fool? I ride north so that we cut off the supply of food to Alnwick and threaten the north. We will take food from the Scots north of here. Fitzwaller will have to come forth from his castle to eliminate us.  He will already have sent a message to his allies further north that we threaten him. When he realises we are heading to Berwick he will send more riders for help and we will stop them.  I intended to use some of the archers and scouts to cut the north road. They will ambush any riders.  Before dawn tomorrow they will go here." I jabbed my sword into the sand. "Warenford. It is far enough from Alnwick for the riders to think they are safe." I smiled," We will also gain some horses. We isolate Alnwick and take the battle to the enemy rather than wasting men assaulting a castle."

"And how far north do we go?"

"Before I left Durham I spoke with the Dean there and looked at some old maps.  There used to be a castle at Bamburgh but it was reduced by the Vikings. King William also laid waste to it.  As far as I know it has no castle there now but it is a good site and easy to defend. We draw them there."

"And if they do not come?"

"Then after laying waste to the area and gathering supplies we head south for by that time the garrison will have eaten any supplies they laid in for a siege.  If they remain behind their walls because they fear an attack then that fear will grow each day we do not attack. We move slowly and care for our horses.  We eat everything we find north of here and we keep together. "

Dick chose just four archers for the ambush.  Those and the four foresters would be all that we would need.  They were not there to stop an army just single or pairs of riders. Ralph of Wales led them. Dick and I made sure that they understood their task and we told them where we would be.  As well as stopping news leaving they would gather news for us and keep us informed.

The land north of the Aln was made up of small farms and farmsteads. Although the people fled they were not able to take their animals.  We captured and slaughtered as we went.  I knew that some would flee to Alnwick while others would head north.  It suited us for it spread panic. Fitzwaller would know it was me and be wondering what were my intentions. When the animals were butchered the archers spread hunks of meat on either side of their horses' rumps.  We would eat well. The going, however, was slower than I had hoped. The roads were small roads and we only made the small fishing village of Craster by nightfall.  Many of the fishermen and their families fled by sea when we approached; others just headed north.

We found food in the homes and the fish they were drying.  We demolished a hut to make the fires to cook the meat.  The men were in excellent spirits as we dined like kings on beef, mutton and smoked herrings. Far from being hungry we had food to spare.  An army which was well fed fought better than one with empty bellies. We moved along the coast towards the small village of Seahouses.  Unless I missed my guess many of those who had fled Craster would have taken refuge there.  As we approached the cliffs which guarded the southern side I sent my archers north of the town to make sure that the people who fled took as little as possible with them. The high ground afforded a view into the small bay.  We had been seen and I saw a veritable fleet of small ships heading north to Berwick and safety. We found more supplies for, like Craster the people here smoked and dried fish. More importantly they left food in their homes too.

"We will camp here for the day."

Sir Geoffrey approached me, "We could move far quicker if we need to, Baron."

"But there is no need.  What is travelling far faster than we are is the news of our advance and the panic is setting in.  Fitzwaller may not be concerned that we are here, as yet, but the Lord of Berwick will and he will mobilise men soon enough."

"You want to fight the Scots?"

"I want to fight them on ground of my choosing. If we besieged Alnwick then we might be trapped between two forces.  This way we eliminate the threat whilst keeping Fitzwaller nervous. The King has charged me with recapturing Alnwick and this is the only way I can see to do it with the forces I have at my disposal."

A messenger came from Ralph of Wales. He had with him two horses.  "They sent a pair of messengers yesterday, Baron.  We took this document from them."

I opened the hastily scrawled piece of parchment.  I saw a seal at the bottom.  I did not recognise it but I took it to be that of Fitzwaller.

To the Earl Gospatric,

I am trapped inside Alnwick.  The Baron of the Tees has come north and is ravaging the country with a large battle. He has many knights with him.  We need help. Our supplies are running out.

Fitzwaller

I smiled.  He had overestimated my forces and now I knew of Gospatric's continued treachery. I would show this to the King.

"Have you stopped any messengers from the north?"

"We have seen none.  The road is quiet, Baron."

"Then we will continue to annoy the Scots and weaken their resolve." The fact that there were no supplies moving south told me that the villages we had emptied must have been the ones supplying the castle.

We moved towards Bamburgh. It was on a small promontory surrounded on two sides by the sea and on the other two by dunes. The wooden remains of the old castle could still be seen but the Vikings had done a good job of demolition. It would need work to make it habitable once more. We set up camp on the high ground across the bay while I went with Sir Richard and Hugh to inspect what remained.

There was a ramp and we walked up it.  To our right the rock rose naturally and I saw, at the top what had been the wooden stakes driven into the earth. The gatehouse, or at least its remains, showed signs of burning. Once inside the ground rose steadily to the stone and wood keep.  Little remained. The stones had fallen in when the tower was fired. The seas protected two of the sides while there was a ditch running around the other two. The sand dunes would stop a rapid advance.  I wondered how the Vikings had managed to take such a formidable castle.

Hugh scratched his head, "I can see how the Vikings took it.  The ditches would have caused little trouble to them."

I laughed, "If you had examined the gate you would have seen that was the way they came. Unless I miss my guess at high tide this ditch fills with water.  It has not been cleared for some time but you can see weed at the bottom and there the sand is damp. That is why the gatehouse is burned.  They must have set fire to it and then rushed in but they would have taken many casualties."

"You have a plan, Baron?"

"I do, Sir Richard. We put the archers and crossbow men in here.  When the men of Gospatric come from Berwick the knights, squires and half of the men at arms will appear to flee for we shall be frightened.  We will appear to be heading south and we shall ride along the side of what the Scots will think is a deserted castle. The archers and crossbows in the ruins will whittle them down and the rest of the men at arms will attack from the west while we turn and attack from the south. They will not know in which direction to turn." I turned to walk back to our horses.  "Come we shall put the archers and crossbows in here now.  Dick can improve the defences and make the attack more effective."

I sent our scouts north towards Berwick.  It was just twenty odd miles away.  I suspected that the fleeing ships and those who had been displaced would have reached the town in the last couple of days.  They would have waited a short time for news from Fitzwaller and to gather more warriors.  I estimated they would reach us by the next day but I wanted confirmation from the scouts.

I allowed the men to shed their armour, at least for half a day. Our war horses were taken to the remains of the castle where they would be ready should we need them. When we fled they would be waiting for us south of the castle.  We would charge on fresh horses. I also had our supply of lances left there. The priest and the Pyx, along with the banner of Durham, would remain hidden until my archers' attack.  It would have an effect on those men who had followed Gospatric.  It would show them that we had God and St. Cuthbert on our side.

That evening as we ate the last of the meat we had collected and the smoked fish, Sir Raymond asked me about my plan and how I had devised it. "It is not my own, Sir Raymond.  I stole if from the Parthians. The Romans invaded their land and the Parthians led them on for they were a nation of mounted men.  When they had them where they wanted them they sent in a force of horse archers.  The Roman cavalry pursued them. They turned and destroyed them with their arrows and were then able to surround the Romans and slaughter them.  It was a huge defeat."

"But you have changed it."

"Of course.  I looked at the terrain and I have used what was available.  They will have foot and when they chase us the knights and men at arms who are mounted will outrun them. They will be the ones we destroy first and then we can fall upon the foot."

"It sounds easy."

"Every battle plan sounds easy. Ask me again tomorrow after the battle.  There are a hundred and one things which can go wrong.  If they do then I will have to adapt my plan."

The scouts returned the next morning. "Baron, there is much activity at Berwick.  We waited until late at night to return as there was much going on at the castle. Many knights arrived with their conroi and they had mercenaries who came from the west."

"Exactly what sort of activity?"

"Riders coming from the south and from the north; people fleeing north too."

That worried me.  If they had messengers from the south then it suggested that, perhaps, they had found a different route north.  Gospatric would know who faced him. It could not be helped. I gathered my knights and my captains. "They may come today.  Wulfric take half of the men at arms and wait to the west of the town.  There are hills and folds in the land which will hide you. Dick I know you will have put markers out for the distance I suggest you put traps on the western side of your lines to deter them.  It will keep the archers occupied. Leofric go with Dick.  I want the war horses on the southern side of the castle ready for us to change."

The three of them left. "I want us to appear surprised.  Squires, as soon as you are given the command I want you to gallop south as though the devil himself was after you.  Ride to Leofric and help him with the horses. You will make as much noise as you can as you run. The rest of us will appear indecisive.  The fact that our banners are fleeing south should encourage them to keep up the chase. They will be eager for revenge and see a small number of knights fleeing them.  I have made a nuisance of myself before now.  I will give the command for the squires to run, then the men at arms and finally for the knights. It must appear as though we have been taken by surprise and we are frightened. I want their horsemen to be encouraged and to pursue us closely.  Do not worry; our horses will be fresher and we will be riding down the slope towards the castle.  We will easily outrun them."

I had the scouts to the north of us.  I sent them in pairs so that one could rest and one could watch. What I could not possibly know was the makeup of the army or the conroi which was heading south. I would have to judge that myself.

The thunder of hooves told me that the scouts had returned. "Baron, they are right behind us.  They spotted us.  I was asleep."

"Do not worry, now gallop south." I heard the host but could not see it as it was hidden by a fold in the land.  "Squires, prepare!" I saw the banners begin to appear.  "Squires flee!" I lifted the reins and made Scout rear.  It added to the illusion of panic. "Men at arms! Go!"

The enemy knights and warriors were just four hundred paces away when they appeared over the crest. This all depended now upon timing. I was already pulling Scout's head around when I shouted, "Retreat! We are doomed!"

Harold laughed but he obeyed my command.  The ten of us spurred our horses. I glanced over my shoulder and saw the men who pursued us were just a hundred paces from us. The knights at the front of the Scottish line were leaning forward eagerly.  I noticed that they had neither spears nor lances. It was hard to estimate numbers for the vanguard hid those who followed. Our fresher horses began to extend our lead.  I saw that the knights were riding their destrier. Our palfreys were faster. Ahead I saw the men at arms as they disappeared into the sand dunes. It would appear as though they had panicked. We headed that way too. Our lead was now almost two hundred and fifty paces. We galloped through the dunes and I saw the squires waiting. I leapt from Scout and mounted Star.  He snorted and stamped his foot. He was eager for war. John handed me a lance. The scouts would follow us but not until we were all armed and ready.