Housecarl (2 page)

I shrugged.  “He hates me
and I know not why. Can we not be friends and play?  I have no
friends yet.”

He seemed to like that idea.
“Can we play chasing? I cannot catch the others but I might catch
you.” I had never played that game, it was not one of Nanna’s but I
had seen the other children running around the yard and knew the
general idea.  “I nodded and touched him. He immediately
reached for me but I had leapt away and was screaming into the yard
with the squealing Ridley in hot pursuit.

That first game did something to
both Ridley and me, it bonded us together. We were evenly matched,
for he was the same size as me and, and we both had something we
had never had before, a companion.  It was the beginning of a
friendship which lasted beyond that fateful day at the bridge and
the dark days which followed.  We soon began to play a whole
variety of games as my life changed for the better.

The whole family always ate
together in the hall but that first day when the limping warrior
returned, the atmosphere changed. The chair at the head of the
table, my father’s place was left empty as usual but the seat at
the other end, the one my mother had used but latterly had been
occupied by Nanna was claimed by Aethelward. Egbert and Edgar had
returned from hunting and been in congress with Edward so that by
the time they arrived for the food the three of us were seated at
one end of the table.

Egbert was a brute of a
man.  He worked on his sword play each day and his arms were
like the branches of a tree. He glowered at Aethelward who was
picking at one of the two partridge he had taken.

“You! My brother tells me you
have warned him to leave the Runt alone. What gives you the right?”
Aethelward ignored him and Nanna leaned over to encourage me to
eat.  As I looked at her she winked.  I was somewhat
taken aback and picked at my food but kept a surreptitious eye on
the proceedings. I could sense violence in the air. “I am talking
to you!” In anger Egbert smashed the pommel of his sword on the
table.”

Aethelward calmly wiped his
hands on his breeks and then looked at the glaring, angry face. His
voice was measured and yet threatening at the same time. “Boy! Did
my sister and her husband teach you no manners? Have you forgotten
the laws of hospitality? Not to mention the sin of bringing and
holding a weapon during a meal.”

Egbert was taken aback but he
suddenly looked foolish with a sword in his hand in his own
home.  He reluctantly put the sword back in its scabbard and
on the adjacent table. He quickly turned around. “It still doesn’t
answer my question old man.  What gives you the right…”

My uncle was on his feet in a
moment and his hand gripped the throat of my brother.  His
eyes were narrow and angry and his voice was filled with anger as
he pressed his face close to Egbert’s. “Firstly boy I am Thegn
Aethelward of the Thingmen and I am your uncle so do not talk to me
about rights. Your father is not here which makes me the senior
Thegn and whilst I have overlooked your rudeness before I will tell
you this, the next time you raise your voice to me will be your
last breath on this earth.  That is my right.  Is that
clear?”

My terrified brother nodded and
he was dropped to the floor by my uncle who sat down.  He
turned to his mother. “I am sorry for my outburst mother.  You
certainly brought me up better than that but some people needed a
lesson in manners.  I can see that I have come back just in
time.”

Edgar sat up as though poked
with a stick.

“You are staying?”

“Of course I am staying.” He
smiled a wolfish smile.  “Why nephew am I not welcome?”
“Well no but…” his answer tailed off and I saw Edward and his
brothers all pale.  It was now obvious that they had thought
they would go back to their cruel ways once he had left but now
they were faced with the unpleasant prospect of a guardian angel
watching over and protecting their victim.  Suddenly the food
before me tasted much better and I began to eat heartily.  I
did not notice the smile exchanged between mother and son but I did
feel Nanna’s hand pat me gently on the head.

“When your father returns I will
make a proposal to him,” he leaned forward.  “Make no mistake
I am here to stay and, “he glanced down at me, “there will be a
change in the way this family lives.”

That night as I snuggled next to
Nanna, Aethelward sat with us. “Nanna has told me of your suffering
young Aelfraed and as you heard that will change but your life will
change as well. Soon there will be just the two of us.”

I looked up at my grandmother,
my eyes filling with tears as the import of his words sank in. “No!
You cannot leave!”

“I am going nowhere my child but
I will be leaving.  It is the way of all of us and I will be
with your mother soon.  I want to tell her that her favourite
son is well.”

“I was her favourite?” It was
the first time that I had been told but I had picked up the idea
that I was in some way special. My brother’s hatred of me confirmed
the fact.

“You were and now that her big
brother is here to watch over you and to train you then I can
depart happy.”

Aethelward put his arm around
his mother.  “Had I known I would have returned sooner.”

“It is wyrd. You are here
now.”

He looked at me again.  I
begin to train you on the morrow, we will make a warrior of
you.”

I looked up at him. “But men are
warriors, Edward is not even old enough to be a warrior yet and he
is much older than me.”

“He should be a warrior and he
should have been trained.  My training began when I was
younger than you. We will work every day for a time is coming when
you will need to fight and defend this land.”

I shrank into my grandmother’s
side.  Fighting! My life had been turned upside down in less
than a day and I began to feel real fear for the first time. 
The bullying of my brothers had been predictable and, with Nanna’s
help, manageable.  Now I was going to be thrust into a world
where I knew nothing and I was scared.

Nanna’s voice was reassuring and
gentle. “Fear not, Aelfraed, for you were born to be a
warrior.  It is in your blood.”

“Then I am an aelfe!”

Mother and son looked at each
other and then laughed.  No my child but you are the son of a
great warrior.”

Doubt filled my mind for no one
had ever said that Edwin of Medelai was a great warrior; perhaps I
had misjudged my father.

My three brothers left early the
next day.  Aethelward grinned from ear to ear as they galloped
out of the yard. He looked at me. “It is the small things which are
the mark of a man and tell you much about him.  I now have the
measure of your brothers and believe me I would not wish to stand
in a shield wall with them.”

“You have stood in a shield
wall?”

Everyone knew that only the best
of warriors stood in a shield wall.  I wondered once again
about my father for I knew that he had never stood in a shield
wall.

“Aye for I was a Thingman.” I
looked up at him sheepishly.  I did not know what a Thingman
was and had not wanted to ask. He noted my look. “Never be afraid
to ask if there is something you do not know.  That is how we
learn by asking questions.  Those who fear to ask questions
never learn and soon perish. I see you are puzzled by the word
Thingman. The Thingmen were the bodyguard of the king and when we
fought the king never lost a battle.”

“Is that where you hurt your
leg?”

“Aye.  We fought some Danes
and one of them feigned injury, when I passed him he hamstrung
me.”

“So you cannot fight now?”

“Oh I can fight but not in a
shield wall.  I have learned to ride a horse.”

“But my brothers ride
horses.”

“Aye but they do not fight from
a horse.  I went to the French northmen and learned
there.  They are like the Danes but they fight from the backs
of horses and use lances. They are a powerful foe. Now that is
enough about me for a while.  When we have a break I will tell
you of Constantinople and the land of the Romans.” My eyes must
have shown my excitement for he patted me on my head.  “You
are my sister’s son and more, I can see that. Come, pick up your
sword.” He had made me a wooden sword.  When I lifted it I
found it very heavy.  “You notice its weight eh?  That is
to build to your muscles.  Tonight your arms will ache and for
the next few weeks but there will come a time when they will not
hurt and then you will be ready for a real sword.”

I was so young and so desperate
for play of any kind that I threw myself into the training.  I
had spent so many years hiding and making myself as inconspicuous
as possible that it was liberating to be having so much
enjoyment.  I know that it was not meant to be enjoyable and
my dour uncle tried to make it hard work but in all honesty it was
not. I had the energy of a child if not the strength and picked up
the skills very quickly.  It must have impressed my uncle for
he stopped after a while to question me. “Have you done this
before?  Perhaps in play?”

I shook my head. “Until you came
I had not played.  I play with Ridley.  Chasing.” I
looked embarrassed.  Chasing did not sound like a warrior
skill.

Surprisingly he nodded. 
“Chasing is a good game.  It speeds up the reflexes and makes
you supple.” I gave him the confused look with which he was
becoming familiar. “Supple.“ He grabbed me and twisted me. 
His touch was not rough and tickled and I giggled. He suddenly
grabbed me in both arms and held me close to him. I felt tears
steam down his face.  “That is how Gifu, your mother looked
when she laughed. Gods but you are her twin.” He put me down. 
“Go and find this Ridley, I have an idea.”

Ridley was not hard to find for
he was watching us from beyond the cow byre. He approached the
fierce looking warrior nervously. “Come child you need not fear me.
I am Aelfraed’s uncle and it will save time if you call me uncle
too.  Will you do that?” Ridley nodded. “Good.  Your
silence is good sign that we shall get on.  Would you like to
learn to fight as Aelfraed does?” Ridley grinned and nodded so hard
I thought his head would fall off. “Good.  Then wait here
while I get you a sword.”

And that was how it began. 
My training became much swifter as I had someone the same height as
me to fight.  Aethelward could see my posture better and he
corrected it. Ridley loved both the training and my uncle. 
His father, the Steward, was a serious man neither given to play
nor conversation and he suddenly found that someone paid him
attention. The exotic wounded warrior was an intriguing and
exciting grown up. We spent three days with just our swords and
learned to block, thrust and stab to Aethelward’s satisfaction. He
smiled at our bruises and said they were marks of honour marking
our progress and we proudly boasted of them to each other.

Once, when I had turned my back
on Ridley and he had struck me I turned angrily around.  My
uncle restrained me. “No, Aelfraed, the fault lies with you and not
your opponent.  Always be ready for the unexpected attack.” He
pointed to his wounded leg with his stick.  “I discovered that
even those we think are dead can be deadly.  Remember too that
there will be more than one enemy on a battlefield and not all will
be to your front. No do not chastise Ridley, rather thank him for
providing a valuable lesson.”

We had then practised with Uncle
trying to dart in behind our guards when we were engaged with each
other.  From his nods I could see that he approved of our
progress.

“Tomorrow we shall see about
getting you two a shield each.”

Our burgeoning and excited
questions were halted by the clatter of hooves in the yard as my
father and my brothers returned. All four of them stared
malevolently at uncle who turned to us.  “You two go and play,
I think the Thegn, your father, wants a word with me.” I must have
looked afraid for he suddenly grinned and gave me a wink. 
“Fear not.  I am going nowhere until I choose.”

We watched as he limped over to
the hall.  It was then I noticed that he always wore his wolf
skin cloak about his shoulders and, just peeping from the bottom I
could see the tip of the scabbard of his sword, worn across his
back. It struck me as odd for I had never noticed them when facing
him but now, seen from the back, they showed that the warrior was
still wary and still prepared for action. We half heartedly prodded
and poked at each other in the yard but the raised voices from the
hall intrigued us and, without words, we ceased our training and
ran to the wall to eavesdrop.  We knew that we should not and
that, if discovered, we would be punished but the angry noise from
inside was just too irresistible.

“Are you forgetting Edwin the
debt you owe me?”

“It is not honourable for you to
mention that and the debt will be repaid when I am ready.”

“It is not honourable to treat a
helpless boy like a thrall and to treat a warrior like a
criminal.”

There was a silence and I
wondered what their faces showed for I had learned to look at the
faces of men when they spoke and, more importantly, when they
remained silent for they often told you more of their thoughts.

I heard my brother, Egbert,
suddenly shout, “What is this debt?  We owe this man no
debt!”

My uncle’s voice was laden with
threat. “I think, Edwin, that you stay away from your hall too
much.  You should be here to teach this pup lessons in manners
for if he shouts at me again he will lose more than his
tongue.”

“Try it old man…”

“Silence!” My father’s voice
cracked like a whip and I wondered at Egbert’s defiance for I
remembered how he had been held like a squirming fish by the
warrior he called an old man.

Aethelward’s voice laughed a
reply, “Any time you are ready Egbert you can try your blade but,
ask your father first, for he knows that you would lose.”