The Fallen Crown (23 page)

"I am glad that you were here, Alfraed. Were you not afraid?"

"Of brigands like that? No, my lady, but from now on we only go out with a larger escort than this."

As we saw the Tower ahead she breathed easier.  "The Archbishop mentioned something about unrest.  Mobs like this have been gathering throughout the city."

"Then I am glad the coronation is the day after tomorrow."

"As am I!"

That evening as we discussed matters with the Constable of the Tower he concurred with our views. "There have been rumours of crowds gathering and speaking of Stephen as the rightful king." I said nothing.

The Empress looked worried, "I fear it is the army which is gathering in Kent.  The people of London are fickle.  They will go with the might rather than the right."

I smiled, "And I agree.  We just have one day to hold on and then, when you are crowned we can leave this pestilential hole!"

Geoffrey de Mandeville whose family was from close to the city said, mildly, "You like not the city, lord?"

"Do not take this the wrong way my lord but in all the wars I fought against the French in Normandy, the Welsh in the marches or the Scots in the north, I have never yet fought alongside any lord or man at arms from this city.  They are happy to leech off the blood of warriors but seem a little unwilling to shed it themselves."

He looked outraged at my words. The Empress said, "You must forgive my champion, Constable.  He has ever been blunt and spoken what was on his mind.  It endeared him to my father but I can see how it might offend."

He nodded, "I am unused to such honest comments."

"Then here are more.  We cannot stay here in this Tower after the ceremony.  It would be as though we were besieged.  We have no army to protect us. Tomorrow I will have horses prepared so that on the day after, we can leave the city and head for Oxford. It is a place of safety.  D'Oyly is loyal and we are close to the Earl of Gloucester and his men. I would not have the Empress spend a moment longer than necessary here so close to her enemies."

Geoffrey of Mandeville smiled, "And in that, my lord, I think you are right.  Choose the best horses which we have."

The next morning we went down to the stables and chose the best horses that we could find.  Although none were war horses that did not matter.  I looked for mounts which would have stamina.  They would need to outrun any pursuit. I had the squires sharpen their weapons and then I went to find the sergeant at arms of the Empress' guards.

"When we leave here the day after tomorrow it will be before dawn.  I want the men to ride as close along the side of the Empress as they can.  Let no one near her.  Slay any who approach close enough to do harm."

"We will my lord but where will you be?"

"It there is danger before us then I will be in the van and if we are pursued then I shall be the rearguard."

"And to where do we flee, my lord?"

"That I will decide when we leave."

It was not that I did not trust him but he could mention it to one of his men who might speak in the presence of some of the servants.  The fewer who knew we were heading for Oxford the better.

In the end we did not have that luxury. One of the Constable's spies rode in during the middle watch of the night.  It was less than an hour to dawn. I was barely asleep and I was summoned, "You had better hear this, my lord."

The man was exhausted; I could see that, "Lord, Queen Matilda is bringing an army led by William of Ypres.  They intend to stop the Empress being crowned."

"Where are they now?"

"They are camped twenty miles south of Southwark. If they leave early they will be here by noon."

"Thank you! It is time to put our escape into motion. The coronation cannot take place." I went to rouse my squires and knights. Although we had everything ready, dawn had broken before we mounted.  The Constable and four of his men came with us. Before we could make our escape the guards on the west wall came for us.  "Constable! There is a mob clamouring at the city gate. They are armed and they demand that we hand over the Empress to them."

"We have tarried long enough.  We leave by the north gate.  It means we will have to travel the length of the city wall but there is no other choice."

The sergeant at arms had his men mounted.  "Which way my lord?"

"The north gate!"

"Then you had best beware.  There is a postern gate from the city and my men said they saw movements there in the middle watch."

"Then I will lead with my knights." I could now hear the shouts and cries from the west gate.  They would not be able to break in but that would prevent us from using the gate. I turned, "Anyone we see with a weapon is an enemy!" I drew my sword.  "We will protect you my lady.  Wilfred,  Edgar, take the rear and guard out backs."

I nodded to the men at the gate.  They opened it and we galloped across the bridge which spanned the ditch. As the sergeant had suspected there were men waiting for us.  A mob of thirty armed with shields, spears and swords raced out to get us.  I recognised the man I had hit the previous day.  He was their leader.  This had been planned. I yelled, "The rest ride on! Stockton! Charge!"

It was the one thing they were not expecting.  They thought they had surprise on their side and they did but seven knights and squires charging them was not the result they expected. I leaned forward and brought my sword over my head. It sliced across the shoulder and chest of one man. As a sword cracked into my leg  I jerked my horse around to bowl over a second and allowed my sword to slice across the throat of a third. My squires were not fighting knights; they were fighting mercenaries and brigands.  As I turned my horse I saw them both laying about themselves with their swords.

The leader was shouting orders; he was screaming, "Kill the bastards! Get the woman! She is worth money to us!"

He was standing at the back with men before him.  I rode at them.  This was not a war horse but I knew how to make it one.  As I drew near I jerked back on the reins.  It reared.  Then I slapped its rump with the flat of my sword and it jumped forward.  Its hooves caved in the skulls of two men and knocked a third to the ground. I took the head of a fourth.  The leader was panicking for he had no one left before him.  I spurred my horse towards him. He had an axe. With nowhere left to go he snarled and leapt at me.  I blocked his strike with my sword and then kicked him under the chin.  His face was already swollen from the blow of my mace and he reeled.  As he did so I slashed across his chest.  I tore it open to the bone.  He spun around and fell face forward in the city ditch. It was filled with excrement and dead animals. He landed face down. I did not wait to see if he lived or died.  I spun my horse around.

I saw that the Constable and the sergeant at arms had led the Empress north towards the Shore Ditch.  This was a long deep ditch which prevented movement from east to west.  We would have to ride north until we could cross it. Before then, however, we had to escape the mob which had heard the fighting and flooded through the postern gate.  I saw Wilfred and Edgar whirl around, flailing their swords before the mob. The Empress was clear and I shouted, "Fall back! Join me!"

We hurried after the Empress and her guards. I saw that all of my men had wounds.  We had been fighting brigands but we had had no shields and we were outnumbered. My worry now was not the mob but Ypres' men.  My only hope was that they would think we were heading north for Lincoln. When we reached the ditch I saw that we could not jump it.  "Keep heading north.  There must be a bridge!" Eventually we found a place to cross.  It was not a bridge but a cart had fallen in and provided a platform which allowed us to cross. Once we reached the Moorfields I led us towards Clerkenwell. There were no castles there but two monasteries.  If we were caught we would claim sanctuary.  It was not a perfect solution but it might do.

We passed it without incident and I halted at a small stream to allow the horses to rest.  I now regretted not bringing archers. They could have kept enemies at bay.

I went over to see the Empress. She looked to be in shock.  He ladies were comforting her.  When I approached she threw her arms around me, "They hate me! How can I be Queen of England?  The people hate me."

"No, my lady.  The people are afraid of the army which marches on them.  This way they are not harmed.  It is what ordinary folk do.  I do not like it but I understand it.  Now listen, my lady.  We are not safe yet.  We have another sixty miles to travel.  We cannot stop before Oxford.  William of Ypres will reach the city about now and he will realise that we have fled.  He will send men after us. We only stop for the horses."

She nodded, "I am in your hands now."

"And the hands of God.  I pray he helps us!"

We were now exposed for we made a long line as we headed north and west. I had Wilfred and Edgar at the rear and they would let me know of any close pursuit. We had just passed the village of Thame when we saw our pursuers. We were less than ten miles from Oxford.  Edgar shouted, "My lord, horsemen!" I slowed down so that I could ride with them.  Edgar pointed over his shoulder.  I saw them almost two miles away for the road was long and straight. "They will catch us lord for they are not mailed."

"Then we will look for an ambush site." I spurred my horse on and reached the head of the column.  "Constable we are going to be caught.  I will delay them but you must swear to get the Empress to Oxford."

He was not used to such exertions and was out of breath but he gasped, "I will my lord."

As I slowed down to join my men the Empress, who had heard my words, shouted, "Do not throw away your life, my lord!"

"I will not."

It was then I spied, just ahead, a bridge over the river Thame. I held up my hand and shouted, "Knights, we ambush them here!" I stopped.  The river was tree lined.  This was no Roman Road and the trees grew close to the road. I pointed to the trees beyond the bridge.  "We will hide yonder.  Sir Edward take Sir Harold.  You and your squires wait on that side. When we hear them clatter across the bridge we take them! Hurry!"

I could hear the hooves of the pursuers' horses in the distance.  They had been too far away to estimate numbers accurately but if we slowed them down then that would allow the Empress to reach the safety of Oxford. The five of us waited in silence.  The short rest would aid our horses which had performed better than I could have hoped.  I heard the hooves on the bridge.  I counted to five and then shouted, "Now!"

We had been completely hidden by the trees and we burst upon them from two sides. We were attacking from their sword side and they had not seen us. I sliced across the neck of one man and he fell from the saddle.  I saw that, in our initial attack, we had cleared the road of six of their men.  To our left there were another ten at least and ahead of us four more. We had done enough.

"Fall back!"

The ones behind us were in disarray as they tried to negotiate riderless horses and the bodies of the dead and wounded who lay in the road. We charged toward the other four.  If we could halt these then the Empress might escape. One was a knight and he recognised me.  "I may have lost the Empress but I will have her dog!"

He had a shield and that gave him an advantage. As he charged at me I switched sides with my horse. He expected me on one side and I went to the other.  His blow missed me but bit into the neck of my horse. It began to tumble. I kicked my feet from my stirrups and, as I began to fall forward, I tucked in my head.  I was lucky.  I hit the rump of one of my enemy's horses and it broke my fall. As I rose to my feet the knight galloped at me.  I held my sword in two hands. He saw that he had me and he raised his sword for the blow which would end the life of the Warlord of the North. I feinted to go to his right.  He made the mistake of adjusting his attack and when I jinked to my right I brought my sword hard across him and took his left leg high up. He fell to the other side and took his horse with him.

The first of those at the bridge had recovered and seeing us, just fifty paces up the road, began to hasten towards us. I pulled on the knight's horse's reins as I pushed his mortally wounded body from the horse.  As it rose, I slipped my leg over the cantle and slapped its rump. The horsemen were less than twenty paces from me.  I saw my squires turn in their saddles.  I waved my sword and shouted, "Ride! Ride!"

I leaned forward over this strange horse and began to speak to it.  "Come on my beauty, show me how you can run!" It seemed to respond.  I risked a glance under my arm and saw that they were no longer closing with me. We had five more miles to run. I knew that Oxford was not far ahead but until I saw the gates of its welcoming walls then we were not safe. When my horse began to labour I knew that he was hurt. The horsemen behind must have sensed it for a couple of them began to gain on me.  My next glance showed that the main group was fifty paces from me but two of them were less than ten paces behind and they were closing.

I heard a voice from ahead, "Hurry, my lord! We are almost there!"

There was no point in killing this brave beast.  I began to slow.  I slipped my dagger into my left hand. I had to time this well.  When I felt that they were close I pulled back hard on the reins and then hacked to the right, blindly with my sword. My horse stopped and my sword struck flesh and bone. My triumph was short lived as a sword struck my left side.  I felt something crack and then the warm flow of blood. The rider had drawn ahead of me and he turned to charge me.  I spurred my horse and, standing in the saddle, rammed the dagger into his mouth which was screaming his victory.  My dagger was torn from my hand.  I looked over my shoulder.  The enemy were thirty paces from me. They would soon begin to gain but I could not surrender.  It was not in me. I would ride until I died or until they caught me. I dug my heels into the flanks of this brave horse and he responded moving forward towards Oxford.