Knight of the Empress (8 page)

"He is in Blois gathering men for the campaign."

"It is late in the season to campaign."

"And that is why we shall go for Charles will not be expecting it.  We have a truce with Count Fulk and this is our best chance to hurt him."

"Beware the Emperor, I think he plays a dangerous game, my lord. Your sister is not happy."

"I know, she spoke with me at length when she visited."

"Are there any men at arms for hire here?"

He shook his head, "No, my father is struggling to raise enough warriors. The Empire and the frontier are restless." He shrugged.  "He will be glad that you have returned safely.  It confirms his trust in you and gives him a commander he can rely upon."

"Me? I know nothing!"

"And yet you survive and you profit. I have heard of this Count of Stuttgart.  If you defeated him then you are remarkable.  Do not disparage yourself." He patted my arm, "On a personal note I am pleased that you saved my sister. I am more than fond of her. She served my father and has been ill served by her husband."

"What do you mean?"

"He sends the Empress with an escort so small that bandits could take them?  I think he used her as bait to tempt out his enemies."

I had not thought of that but it made perfect sense. And I had done no better. I had left her with him.  My only consolation was that my three brothers, the Knights of the Empress, were there and they would die before allowing harm to befall her.

The King was away for four more days which allowed me to have my armour repaired and a new shield made. I had the stable master check out Star's wound and he passed him fit.  We would go to war with sound armour and horses. We had three spare warhorses now and four palfreys. I could, if I they were available, hire more men at arms.  What I needed was another knight.  Harold was coming on but far too slowly.

It was relatively pleasant to be in the castle and enjoy the company of Robert of Gloucester.  He might have been an illegitimate son of the King but he was the best general I ever served with and that included Henry.  The fact that we both held Matilda in such high esteem also helped.  The earl spent two nights asking me about the Empire and our travails crossing it.

"I knew about the Count of Flanders but these other enemies were a mystery to me."

"I hate to say this, my lord, but I am not certain that the Emperor holds your sister in high regard, for if we had not discovered the plot then the two Teutons would have killed her. She deserves a better man."

He smiled at me.  "You are smitten, Alfraed, but you can do nothing about this.  She is an Empress. Put her from your mind."

I nodded but my thoughts told me something different.  How could I forget her?  Our destinies were irrevocably bound together. My father and his oathsworn had spoken of wyrd, fate.  This was wyrd!

When King Henry returned he looked weary. I later learned that he had had to bully and threaten many of his subjects to fight for him.  In the past I had been naïve enough to believe that the wives and children of his knights who stayed in his castle were guests.  They were hostages.  This time there were no hostages.  He had brought ten knights and forty men at arms. I waited to be summoned.

"Harold, you had better prepare the men. If the King has returned then we will be campaigning soon." He nodded. "How is Alan's arm?" I worried about his ability to defend Edward.

"It is almost healed, Baron.  He will be able to hold a shield.  I had suggested putting padding there to cushion the shock of the blows.  His right hand is stronger than it was."

That was no surprise he had been forced to use his right arm for all things.  The wound had not been all bad.  When his left arm healed he would be a stronger warrior.

"Baron Norton, the King will see you now."

The King was slumped in his chair and Robert of Gloucester stood behind him.  He smiled when he saw me, "Come, and sit the two of you." After we had seated ourselves he pushed across the pichet of wine.  "You bring a little hope into my life, Alfraed of Norton.  From what my son says you and your men were assailed all the way to Worms and back; yet you succeeded."

"Yes, your majesty.  There are strange alliances being formed out there."

"I know.  The Count Flanders I knew about.  And I had heard that Louis was putting forward my nephew, William Clito as a candidate for this land but I knew not about the Emperor." He shook his head, "I have sacrificed my daughter and I cannot trust the man she married."

"He appeared to me to be a complicated man, your majesty but I do not think he has control over his Empire."

I saw the interest in the King's eyes. "You think not?"

"He has some knights such as the Count du Bar who protect his lands but many others regard themselves as their own rulers.  I can see the attraction of the alliances.  He protects his borders.  He is at peace with you, the French and now, it seems, the men of Flanders.  I think he is like the duck which sails upon the pond.  Upon the surface it is serene but beneath it is paddling like fury. He plots and he plans.  He is a man to be watched."

"You use your eyes and your head.  That is good.  My son tells me that you have been made a Knight of the Empress?" I nodded, "My daughter has created her own order of knights.  She is thinking then.  I wish that she had been born a man and then I would have an heir after I die."

Robert said, "She still could be."

"What and leave my land to the Emperor?  When I married her to him I did not think that my only son and heir would drown on the White Ship. I still have time for a son if God lets me live that long."  He shook his head as though to clear the thoughts from within. "We leave tomorrow for Ghent. I will teach this Charles of Flanders that he threatens me at his peril.  Had we more men then I could conquer his lands but the Welsh and the Scots are being troublesome."

My ears pricked up.  Was my home safe?

"When this is over we will return to England to deal with these irritations."

To me a threat to my home and my people was not an irritation.  It was a cause for concern. The sooner I returned the better.

This time we were able to leave some of our booty and our spare horses at Caen as we headed north to the land of the Flemings. It was a not a large Battle which the King led.  He had ten household knights and twenty others.  Of men at arms we had a hundred but of archers we had barely fifty. They were a valuable commodity and I prayed that Wulfstan was training more at Norton and Stockton.  I could hire men at arms, there were many of them, but an archer could only be raised on our island home. It was one reason why Henry was so successful.  Our archers gave us an edge over the enemy but this campaign that would be an exceedingly thin edge.

The land through which we travelled was flat and well cultivated.  It had been cleared of trees in the time of the Romans.  It made it valuable land for farming. As we rode towards Calais I spoke with Robert of Gloucester about the small numbers his father led. This was more of a warband than an army.

"The problem, Alfraed, is that many knights from Normandy have joined the Hautevilles. They are carving out a kingdom in southern Italy much as grandfather did in England. There they can win great estates." He smiled sympathetically at me, "My father has only poor estates such as Norton with which to reward his knights.  Hauteville slaughters the Italians and gives their rich land to his followers.  There they win great estates. Others have gone to the Holy Land.  One reason that we can leave Normandy at this time is that Count Fulk is believed to be heading back to the Holy Land.  So you see this Battle is as large as it will ever be."

One of Henry's household knights came to me.  "Baron Alfraed, the King asks you to take your conroi and discover what defences they have at Calais. The rearguard will watch your war gear and horses."

"Edward, let us ride." As I led my tiny conroi north I knew why Henry was making this deviation in the direction of Calais.  Bruges, Brussels and Ghent were all fortified and this was the heartland of Flanders.  If things went awry then Calais would provide an escape route back to England.

"Dick, take the archers and ensure that we are not surprised."

As they rode away Edward said, "They should not be expecting us."

"True Edward but my father always told me to expect trouble everywhere.  I think that was why he survived so long."

"Aye and it is sad that he died in his own manor."

"I believe that he was happy to do so.  He was, for the first time in his life, actually defending his own home.  He spent his youth fighting for Harold Godwinson and his adulthood fighting for the Emperor.  At the end he died defending something far more valuable; a tiny wooden manor at the very edge of the world. It is all in the perspective and how you view your world. The Empress is not happy and yet she jointly rules the second largest Empire in the world. Perspective."

Edward laughed, "You are becoming a philosopher Baron."

Dick halted us at the rise which overlooked the port of Calais. We could see the castle there.  Although there were flags flying none of them were the yellow flag with the rampant black lion which would indicate the Count was present. "Aelric, ride back to the King and tell him that the castle is occupied but not by the Count of Flanders."

While we waited we examined the defences of the castle.  The gates were open and there were just a couple of men at arms lounging by the bridge over the moat. "You know, Edward, I think that we can take this castle ourselves."

"That would be a bold move, my lord.  How would we manage that?"

"Have the men sling their shields around their backs.  Dick, keep the archers here.  They would identify us immediately. Alan, put your left arm in the sling again and have the men take off their helmets.  We are a party of Flemings returning from a raid on Normandy. Edgar, ride by me and use your German if they ask us aught."

I sensed the excitement as my men did as I had asked.  We descended down the road towards the castle of Calais.  We rode casually as though we had every right to be there. The town gates were open too and there were just two men standing guard.  They looked suspiciously at us. "I am Guy de Brus sent with a message from Count Fulk for the castellan" The lie came out with such confidence that they waved us through. Our passage through the town of Calais also afforded us an easy approach to the castle.  I made sure that we were on the bridge over the moat before we stopped.  This time the guards crossed their pole axes to prevent entry.

Edgar played his part well; he could have been a mummer! "This is Count Raymond from Stuttgart we have a message for the castellan."

As two of them turned to go into the castle I said, "Now!" The two remaining guards were quickly overpowered by my men and we rode into the castle. "Edward, take some men and hold the gate and signal Dick to bring the others!"

We galloped into the bailey. The door to the keep was open.  "Harold and Wulfric, keep the door to the keep open." As we dismounted I almost laughed. Edward had most of our men at the gate and I was about to capture a keep with a man at arms and a squire. I put on my helmet and raced through the open keep door. This was the last refuge in the castle.  I ran up the stairs expecting to meet someone coming down.  When I reached the first floor I breathed a sigh of relief. The Great Hall was empty.  Was the castle deserted?  I found no-one close by and I headed up the stairs to the quarters of the castellan. I was beginning to work out that the lord of Calais must be with the rest of the Count's army at Ghent.

Suddenly I heard giggling.  I walked towards the noise.  It was coming from a room at the front.  I stood next to the door and listened.  From the voices there were at least three people within. I hefted my shield around and pushed open the unlocked door. I leapt in expecting to find danger instead I found a small middle aged man romping around the bed with two young girls.

He pulled the sheet up and said, with as much dignity as he could manage, "What is the meaning of this intrusion?"

I managed to hold back the laughter.  The two girls were dressing, seemingly oblivious to the castellan and his predicament.  "If you are the castellan then I have to tell you that your castle has fallen. I am Baron Alfraed of Norton and I have taken Calais Castle for my liege lord Henry of England, and Duke of Normandy!"

The castellan sank back into the bed.  Whatever happened now he would lose his comfortable post. The Count of Flanders would not take kindly to his castle being taken without a blow being struck in its defence.

The girls gave a curtsy as they scurried down the stair.  "I should get dressed if I were you.  The King will be here shortly.  It would not do to create a bad impression, would it?"

The castellan wrapped a robe around his body as he prepared to dress. I descended to the bailey. "You two can go up to the hall if you like.  The castellan is dressing."

Wulfric grinned, "I have been a man at arms for ten years my lord and I have never see a castle taken so easily!"

I shrugged, "I think it was just luck."

"No sir, you saw the opportunity and you went for it.  You make your own luck!"

Dick and the archers galloped through the gates.  They were laughing as they did so. "You should have seen the old men at the gate, sir, when we galloped through.  They dived for cover!"

"Well done, lads.  Now get those flags and banners down. The King will want his own up as soon as he arrives."

Aelric must have ridden like the wind for we soon heard the commotion as the King arrived with the rest of the army. I stood, with Edward on either side of the bridge. "You have Calais, your majesty."

He leaned down, "Perhaps I should send you scouting more often Baron Alfraed. Did you lose any men?"

"Nary a one. We tied up the guards and the castellan waits within."

"Then we will stay here this night.  It means we have a base now.  "Robert, go with Baron Norton here and stop any ships from sailing.  We can use one to send a message to Dover. I would have this castle garrisoned."

We took my archers and men at arms with us. As we rode through the streets to the harbour Robert said, "A remarkable feat and it helps us immeasurably.  We now have something with which to bargain. We may not even need to fight the Flemings."

I was not so sure but I held my tongue.  They had tried so hard to stop us returning the Empress to her home; I could not see them allowing us to take Calais and then bargain a peace treaty.  They would want their swords bloodied.

In the harbour there were just fishing boats and one small trader. My archers swarmed aboard the trader as the captain tried to set sail. "Have your men prepare to sail to Dover with a message. I will write it now."

"Wulfric, how many men would you need to control this crew?"

"Me and Edgar could do it on our own, my lord."

"I think you had better take all the men at arms and three of the archers too.  I would hate to lose you.  Just leave me Dick and Aelric.  We may need scouts."

"Right sir; come on lads, let's introduce ourselves to the crew eh?"

Robert returned a short while later. He boarded the small ship, "Deliver this to the Constable in Dover castle. He will send back some men with you. I doubt that you will be back before tomorrow." He handed Wulfric some copper coins. "This is for your trouble."

Wulfric knuckled his head, "Thank you my lord."

I knew my men by now.  Wulfric would pocket the money and take whatever the crew had stored below.  This would be the spoils of war.

One of the unexpected finds was a map of the area.  We had our own but this was a detailed one and showed the location of the forts and castles.  We added Utrecht to our list of enemy strongholds. It proved to be invaluable intelligence. I was now considered almost as close to the King as his household knights and I was summoned later that afternoon.

"Alfraed, you have done enough by capturing this castle so easily and I will send Sir John de Warenne with his conroi to spy out the enemy dispositions but what I need from you is an assessment of the Flemish forces.  You have come up against them a few times."

I nodded, "They like ambush. They use crossbows and not archers.  They are a little reckless.  I think that our knights have more control.  When we fought them they did not keep knee to knee and they use the line. When we used the wedge they could not stand against us. They do not appear to have any flexibility. I also noticed that they have the older type of shield.  They do not cover as much of their bodies as our shields do."

"Good.  That tallies with what I had seen. Then when they are found I have my plan ready." He slapped his hand on the table.  "An unexpected pleasure thanks to Baron Norton! We sleep in soft beds tonight."

Two days later four ships arrived back in the harbour.  One had Wulfric and my men on board and the others brought over some of the garrison of Dover. We now had archers and men at arms.  We could leave Calais in safely in our hands while we went to face the Count of Flanders.  Sir John de Warenne had discovered them moving west to meet us. I felt guilty for not preventing anyone from leaving Calais when we had taken it.  I had been so concerned with capturing the stronghold that I had neglected to hold the town gates.  Someone had taken the news to the Count.

Robert of Gloucester put my mind at rest.  "This is better.  The Flemish army comes to us and they will be tired.  We still have our castle in to which we can retreat and with the extra archers we have the edge once more."

We were also honoured for Dick was made captain of the archers.  He led the one hundred men and would command them during the battle. We found the Flemish squarely positioned on a very low ridge.  It was so low as to be almost indiscernible. The King saw that they had their crossbowmen arrayed before them. Their men at arms guarded their flanks and their knights sat atop the hill. Numbers did not matter.  This battle would be determined by a right of arms.  Robert of Gloucester took the King's standard and I escorted him as we rode to meet with the Count's men.  Two knights rode forward.  One carried the black lion rampant on a yellow field while the other had a red shield with a black fess. Had it just been a plain red then I would have been convinced that it was the mysterious knight who had plagued me for the past months.

As we rode across I looked at the knights and I saw the shield and banner of De Brus. I did not see his face for he had a full face helmet.  Next to him I saw the knight with the red shield.  He had an open helmet and I saw his face for the first time.  Although he was in the distance I could see that he was older than I was.  I marked his features and his position.  In the coming battle I would seek him out.  Honour demanded it.

The Flemish knight spoke first. "Charles the Count of Flanders demands to know why you have invaded his lands and imposed your will upon our city, Calais."

Robert of Gloucester spoke calmly, "We are here for the many insults your master has heaped upon King Henry; not least of which was the attempt to abduct and harm his daughter the Empress Matilda."

For the first time there was a reaction from the knight, "That is a lie! We did no such thing."

Robert of Gloucester looked at me and inclined his head.  I spoke, "Do not call me a liar, sir, or we will settle the matter here and now.  I fought with your knights and made them flee and yonder knight," I pointed to the knight with the red shield, "was present each time.  Is he not one of your knights?"