Outlaw (Aelfraed) (29 page)

I addressed the men. “The Normans intend to slaughter us all.
  We take no prisoners.”

The grim resolution on their faces told me that they understood. “Horsemen!”

The column of men rode down the road.  There were thirty of them led by a knight. I nodded to Branton who loaded one of his precious knight killers.  We waited until they were level with us and as soon as Branton’s arrow had flown, the other archers loosed their missiles and we charged.  I rammed Boar Splitter into the side of the sergeant behind the knight before he had the chance to draw his weapon. We had the advantage for their shields were on their right which was the other side to our attack and, as they turned to face us we slashed and hacked at horses and men alike. Although we were outnumbered Branton’s archers could pick their victims off at will and we were in no mood for kindness. Soon there were thirty of their men dead on the ground but we had lost four and four more were wounded.  In a war of attrition we would lose.  I did not doubt that for one moment; the question was, how many of the enemy could we take with us?

When we reached camp we found that Ridley and Osbert had also encountered William’s men. The Bastard was making sure that the north would not rebel again, by killing everyone he found! Six more of our men lay dead close to the Tees.
  William could not afford to allow us to live. We had killed sixty of his men, including two knights and he began a sweep to destroy us.

The sentries saw the columns coming long before they reached the edge of the forest. He had brought over two thousand men; including fifty knights.
  We noticed that he had not brought his crossbowmen; the forest did not suit them.  His men at arms rode but we were under no illusions, once they reached the forest they would dismount for the trees were no place for horses.

We held a short meeting. “My plan is to divide the men into three groups.
  Ridley and Osbert, you take one each and I will take the third.  We will divide the archers.  I will take Branton and Ridley you can have Edward.”

I paused and Osbert asked, quite mildly in the circumstances, “And we fight until we die?”

Although Ridley nodded, I shook my head.  “No we withdraw further north and west. I will use the five camp guards to move the horses close to Persebrig and the Roman Bridge.  Those who survive meet there.”

“And?”

“And then we decide what to do with whoever is left.”

They nodded for we were now in the hands of the gods. I did not think that we could defeat two thousand men but, as Aethelward had often told me, three hundred Spartans had held off the largest army ever assembled.
  Who knew what we could do? “I will take the centre.  Ridley you will be a mile to my right and Osbert a mile to my left.  We should be able to slow them down for a while.  And remember, when they are killing us, they cannot kill our people.”I looked at each in turn and grasped their arms.  “I will not say goodbye for I do not think it will end here in the forests west of Medelai.  I will say that you are my brothers and it has been a privilege to fight alongside you.” They nodded their goodbyes and we separated.

Branton and I headed due east with the other twelve warriors.
  I almost laughed at the pitiful numbers; six archers and eight warriors.  Our only advantage was that they did not know where we were but their numbers meant we would hear them coming. “Branton, tell your archers to reserve their knight killers for the mailed warriors and be prepared to use you swords.”

“Will we survive?”

I shrugged, “I know not but this seems as good a place to die, in as good a company as it is possible.  I think Aethelward and my father would approve.”

He nodded. “At least we have a chance here but at Senlac they were doomed from the first flight of the fyrd.”

With our hooded tunics we blended into the woodland well and I was not worried that they would see us first.  One of the scouts held up his hand and we halted.  I trusted my men and the sign meant that the enemy were close. I waved Branton forwards and then the rest of us hid in the undergrowth.  I was amazed at how quickly Branton and his men disappeared. The forest was filled with the sounds of silence and then we heard a scream, and another; suddenly the forest was filled with the noise of men as Branton and his archers ran through us. I had left Boar Splitter with my horse and I held Death Bringer.  The comfortable, worn shaft seemed to be part of me.  My shield was slung on my back and I was ready for death if it was my time. The knight who hurtled through the trees was intent on killing an archer.  As I stepped out, I was already swinging my blade and the sharpened edge cut him in two so quickly that I swear he almost looked at me before death took him.  The man at arms behind him was taken by the backswing; Death Bringer took his head. My third victim stopped and looked at the two corpses before him.  His hesitation cost him his life.  There were now lines of Normans but Branton and his archers shot volley after volley, thinning their ranks.  “Back!”

The archers covered us as we ran through the trees to form up behind Branton.
  There were now but six of my men left.  I had not seen the other two warriors fall; I hoped that they had had a good death for all of my men were as brothers to me. The Normans were more cautious now and they used their numbers to try to flank us. I gestured for Branton to split his archers, three on each side and they ghosted away, suddenly invisible.  I pointed to the ground and we all sank to our knees.  The Normans were maintaining their eye level search and they saw what they expected to see, trees. I pressed myself as close to a tree as I could and I smelled the Norman before I saw him. I slid my dagger out and held it in my left hand.  He was beyond me before he was aware of my presence, by which time the dagger had ripped out his throat and he had died a silent death. I waited until the next two men had passed beyond me before I stepped out to hack Death Bringer through one man’s spine and then swing it upwards to split the other in two.  I quickly ran towards the west and I felt the sword slice down to the place I had occupied.  I turned quickly, just in time to parry the sword aimed at my head. I lowered my head and drove the small spike into my opponent’s face.  I did not strike an eye but he fell backwards and I chopped at his bleeding face. The two men approaching me were wary of the whirling blade and so I charged one of them.  The problem with forests is the roots of the trees and he fell over one.  I stamped on his face and then whirled the axe at the man approaching my back.  He died as the axe took off his head. I did not even look at the man on the floor I just hit him with the axe. I was suddenly alone with the corpses lying around me. I checked that no-one was close and then I ran west.  I almost tripped over Ralph’s body; he had taken five Normans with him. “It was a good death Ralph of Yarm.  I salute you.”

Night was falling and, in the deep forests the gloom became darker. I halted and waited behind a thick pine.
  Soon I heard noises behind me as the enemy made their way through the dead and the dying. I heard an occasional scream and a clash of metal on metal and still I waited.  The line of skirmishers nervously edged through the trees.  I waited, almost holding my breath as I saw them move westwards.  I waited until I was certain that they were before me and then I stalked them. I slung Death Bringer and drew out my sword and shield. I saw dim shapes before me and knew that they were close. The knight who was at the rear had sounds masked by his helmet and mail coif. He never heard death approach as I walked behind him. There is a slit in the side of  a mail shirt and, approaching from the rear, it becomes an easy target. I slid the sword upwards through his body, directly into his heart.  He fell with a soft sigh at my feet. Darkness was almost complete and I heard shouts in French. I crouched, waiting for they would have to pass by me and I intended to kill as many as I could. The men at arms were easier to spot than the knights for they had white faces.  I aimed my silent sword at their throats and they died silently, one by one.  I could hear their terror as they shouted one to another and then the steady escape became a rout as they raced through the forests to escaper the ghosts that were there. I lost count of the Normans who died at my hands.  Sadly most were men at arms and not knights but the ones who died would never slaughter another villager again.

I found myself in the camp.
  I could see that there had been fighting there and I saw two of my archers, dead but the Normans lay like leaves in autumn.  I took the arrows from their quivers and bade them goodbye.  I was tired but I knew that I would have a long walk to reach the horses. As I trudged through the forests I saw no more dead but I could see that others had passed that way.  I was cautious for I was not certain that all the Normans had fled.  Perhaps some were waiting to ambush me as I had ambushed them. Dawn broke and I was exhausted.  My arms and legs felt leaden but still I pushed on. The trees ended and I found myself looking at the ridge overlooking Persebrig.  Would I find Normans there or the rest of my men?

When I reached Persebrig I was as tired as I can ever remember. There were parts of the last few miles I cannot even remember. I rested against a tree and suddenly, Branton appeared next to me.
  “We thought we had lost you, my lord.”

I gave him a wan smile, “No Branton, I am still above
ground but how I do not know.”

They had built a small camp and it was big enough for the twelve of us who had reached journey’s end. I saw Edward, Osbert, Tadgh, Ridley and the seven others. Only Branton and myself had avoided wounds.
  Perhaps my life had been protected by those who had died before me and perhaps I still had some purpose to fulfil.  I suspect Nanna and Aethelward had been watching over me. I shook my head in the sadness of the deaths, “We did not do so well then?”

Osbert laughed, “My lord, if that was the last act to the Red Horse Company then men will sing the saga for years to come. The forest is littered with Norman corpses.
  They call us the ghosts of Hastings and they fear us.  They will not venture into those woods for many a year.”

I looked at Ridley, “Truly?”

He smiled back at me, “Truly. I feel proud today, to be an Englishmen for less than fifty men have killed over two hundred Normans.  Many knights lie dead in the forests above Medelai.”

“So we are all that is left?”

“Aye, my lord, and what a glorious death for all.”

Branton put his arm around my shoulder. “I saw the web of death you wove in the forest, my lord.
  King Harold and your uncle would have been proud. I watched as men ran weeping from the monster of the forest. They fled from the Hooded Man.”

I tried to laugh but I was too tired.
  “And now?  What?”

“My lord, whatever you wish, for you bear a charmed life and the Normans fear you.
  We may only be twelve in number but the Normans see a greater threat in the woods of the north.”

We tended to the wounds we had suffered and took what rest we could on the bank of the river at Persebrig.
  Gradually we noticed people arriving, in ones and twos and sometimes in small family groups. At first they were wary of armed men but the sight of the red horse on our shields encouraged them and they flocked to our fire.  We discovered that they were the remnants of those villages and farms in the east which had been destroyed by William and his men. The scale of the devastation was truly immense. Ripon had been sacked as had Thirsk and other large towns.  It seemed, at the time, as though William was intent upon destroying the Saxons who lived in the north. The exhausted refugees slept knowing that they would be safe with us.

“What now then Aelfraed?”

“I do not know.  I had thought to continue the fight but we have a duty to these people.”

“There is always Dunelm, my lord.”

Dunelm; I wondered how long that would survive if William was intent on destruction.  The church of Cuthbert might provide a sanctuary which even a Norman would not violate. “That looks like the only option we have Osbert.  We will leave tomorrow.  Branton and I will scout south for I would not wish to be surprised while guarding these people.”

Dressed in our tunics once more we headed back the way we had come.
  We also sought any horses and wounded warriors. The signs of our fighting were everywhere and we found many of our men with four or five bodies around them.  My company had not died easily and I could see, from the disfigurement of the bodies that the Normans had made sure that the Hooded men they had killed were all really dead. By the time we had reached Medelai we had counted more than a hundred dead Normans but we had not seen any living. “Perhaps they have gone back to lick their wounds, my lord.”

“No Branton, he will now be even more determined to destroy us.
  It is even more urgent that we deliver those refuges to safety before William comes after us.”

My childhood home was now a shell of burnt out wood and stone.
  No one would live there again. I dismounted to walk once more amongst the buildings. Perhaps Nanna was watching over me for, as I stepped from my horse the crossbow bolt flew over my head.  Branton kicked his horse forwards with his sword held before him.  The man with the crossbow was torn between reloading and taking out his sword.  In the end he did neither and Branton ran him through. I quickly mounted again and drew my sword.  It was an ambush and they had waited for us.  The over eager crossbow man had triggered the attack prematurely. The Normans were hidden at the edge of the forest and I followed Branton to take the fight to them. They were all on foot and my long sword scythed down on either side of my horse’s head as I cleaved my way through the terrified men at arms.