The Fallen Crown (7 page)

Gilles hacked at the man at arms and his sword bit deeply into his leg.  When the blood spurted I knew that it was mortal and the rider slipped from the saddle. The knight stood in his stirrups and tried to smash his axe into my shield.  As I lifted it to block the blow I angled it so the heavy headed axe slid down the shield. The knight began to overbalance and I swung my sword underarm to bite deep under his arm.  He kept his saddle but Richard, using my standard like a lance, punched him to the ground.  As we continued down the road he was trampled to death.

I saw that the archers had thinned the enemy considerably.  "Charge those at the foot of the hill. On! On!"

With my squires and men at arms we burst through the shocked and disorientated knights and men at arms who had found themselves surrounded by enemies. At the bottom of the slope the reserve and the mass of horsemen suddenly realised that the Warlord of the North was descending upon them.  They vacillated and that is always the wrong decision for it is no decision. Some decided to flee and some to stand. They got in each other's way and we ploughed into them. Another knight in a red and yellow surcoat tried to turn his horse to face me.  He had a spear and that is not the weapon of choice in a mêlée. It banged ineffectually off my helmet and I thrust forward with my sword.  It went into his side and he yelled, "I yield!"

"Richard! Take his sword."

This was no time to slow down and Gilles and I pushed on. The three warriors we chased had no armour and poor nags between their legs. I smashed my sword across the back of one, laying him open to the bone.  A second threw a spear at me and it clattered off my shield.  He lost his balance and fell from his mount.  Gilles took his head in one blow.  The third one threw down his sword.  "Mercy! Lord give me mercy!"

Those who had not managed to flee followed suit.  Swords and spears were hurled to the ground.  We had won!

As we rode back up the bloody, body littered road I could see that we had been lucky. I had managed to take their leader out of the battle with almost my first blow. As we neared the site of the first encounter I saw one of his squires with him.  He lay on the ground.  I could see the head of the spear still embedded in his shoulder. He grimaced up at me.  "End my life now! This wound means I can fight no more."

I turned to Edgar.  "Bind his wound and make a litter for him.  I want him alive."

"Did you not hear me? Kill me!"

"You are worth more to me alive than dead."

"You will get no ransom!

"Who said ransom?  You are the cousin of the Earl of Essex. I have no doubt he sent you up here to increase your family's domain.  You sought power.  Power works two ways.  I have it and I shall use it."

Sir Richard of Yarm dismounted, "I am sorry we were a little late.  I wanted to raise the fyrd."

"Thank you for coming.  Your arrival was timely. I would have you take the wounded back to your castle now.  It will take some time to clear the field.  Take and watch Mandeville.  He is valuable to us."

"Aye lord.  A great victory!"

As I watched our dead being placed on the backs of their horses I wondered. Wulfric rode across from the field where he had pursued and slain some who tried to flee.  His white horse, Roger,  was spattered with blood and I saw that his war axe was nicked. "Lord you are our leader! Why do you behave so recklessly? You charged into the heart of them! You should know that a leader needs to have his eyes on the battle at all times!"

I smiled for he meant well despite the vaguely insolent and disrespectful tone. "That may be true for other leaders, Wulfric, but I trust my knights and my captains.  Had there been danger then any one of them could and would have reacted. You cannot change your nature Wulfric. The day I stop leading my men is the day I die!"

We did not manage to leave until almost dusk. The enemy dead were burned.  The prisoners were tied while their horses were used to carry the armour and weapons we had taken and we headed north. I knew my men and my horses were exhausted.  How could they be else? But I also knew that they had the grit and determination to keep going until we saw our home. The thirteen miles we travelled seemed to take forever.  I rode with my squires for I wished to speak with them.

"You both did well.  I say this because I know that sometimes deeds of squires often go overlooked.  You two did your duty.  You watched and protected your lord.  Remember this day when you win your spurs.  Gilles of Thornaby did that today.  He was heroic and he was steadfast. He is the model you should follow but know that I am pleased. With you two as my chamberlains I could sleep in a room of vipers."

Aiden and his two falconers had husbanded their mounts well or perhaps they had secrets we knew not.  Whatever the reason they left us at Yarm and galloped to Stockton to warn John and Alice of our return.  The result was hot food and servants waiting to see to our needs. I was beyond sleep.  I had had but two hours in the last two days and I needed to think. I went to my solar.  Although it was dark and I could not see the sun I knew where the south west was and that was all I needed.  I took a jug of wine and sat to think and ponder what I ought to do next and how best use the prize that was Fitz Mandeville.

We had had a great victory but what would be the result of the dead on both sides? Helmsley would be a great loss to Stephen. The land to the north and the east of York was now lost to him. Yet all would be wasted if I did not have a lord who could rule there.  There was only one choice: Wulfric. I would give Gilles of Thornaby his spurs and he could go with Wulfric.  Wulfric's constable would have to hold Normanby.  With Malton destroyed and Helmsley in our hands it would be easy to subjugate Pickering. One thing was clear, I needed men and many of them.

It was almost dawn before I came up with the solution. It was not a perfect solution but in these anarchic days what would be perfect?  In the short term I had ransoms to arrange and letters to write.

When Alice came up to clear my solar she frowned as she spied me, "My lord have you sat up all night? The Good Lord decrees that we should spend the night in sleep and not awake and worrying."

I smiled, "When a knight wins his spurs he has to spend a night awake keeping vigil   Consider this my vigil."

Shaking her head she placed the goblet, platter and empty jug on the wooden tray."I will have a doe's liver prepared for you.  That will give you strength.  You are our rock lord and you cannot fail!"

"I pray I never do and thank you for your concern.  I will be fine."

"You need a woman, lord, to keep you in check. All great men need a woman to steer their course!"

As I went to my chambers to wash and to change I reflected that a woman did steer my course.  It was Empress Matilda.

My morning was spent dictating letters.  With Philip now in Piercebridge I would have to use a written missive to inform the Archbishop of events.  He was old but he had a sharp mind.  He would read between the lines. The letter to the Earl of Essex was more direct.  My communications with him would take some time.  I had no doubt that he would spurn my initial offer.  The chances that he would defect because of an errant cousin were slim but his response would tell me just how much or how little he valued his cousin. On our way north I had had Sir Edward discover the value in terms of ransom of each knight.  We had captured eight. John wrote letters to the families of the eight laying out the terms of their ransom. As all eight had rich estates to the south of us the ransoms were proportionately higher than those we demanded from the Scots to the north of us.

Before they left I gathered my knights and their squires in the Great Hall along with my Constable and Steward. "We had a great victory yesterday.  Gilles of Thornaby, you have won your spurs. We shall knight you on midsummer day."

The decision pleased everyone.  I saw Sir Edward nod his thanks. As much as he would miss his squire he knew that it was the right decision.

"Sir Wulfric, for the time being I would like you and your archers and men at arms to be based at Helmsley."

"And what of Normanby, lord?"

"If we hold Pickering and Helmsley then there is little threat to Normanby."

He nodded, "We will have few men to hold two such castles."

"I know.  When
'Adela'
returns whatever men are sent you can have for the garrisons.  Gilles your first task as a knight will be to help Sir Wulfric by being constable of Pickering.  It will mean that the two of you will have to reduce by force it but with Baron Fitz Mandeville in our hands that should not be a problem." I turned to Sir John of Stockton.  "Sir John I have a new role for you. I will give you a conroi of archers and men at arms. You will spend your time travelling from here to Normanby thence to Pickering, Helmsley and finally back here. You and your men will be a mobile castle.  You will spend a couple of nights in each castle.  It means, Sir Wulfric, that you have reinforcements within a day's ride of you at all times."

I could see that John was pleased but Dick looked worried. "We are stretching ourselves thin, lord.  With Sir Philip now gone we are short of archers.  If the war was over then this would not seem so reckless an act."

"It may seem reckless, Dick, but it is necessary.  Would you have me return the castles we have taken to their masters?  Would you take them again?  Next time it would not be as easy and we would lose more men."

"I am sorry lord.  I am still just an archer from Sherwood at heart. I cannot see the greater plan."

I smiled, "Nor can I.  We seem to lurch from one crisis to the next.  I would have you and John of Craven speak with the prisoners. There may be some who we can use as men at arms or garrisons for our castles."

Sir Edward said, "That is a risk, lord."

"We are knights, Sir Edward, we take risks each time we mount our warhorses. Besides I intend to spread them out among all of our castles and only take those whom Dick and John deem fit for purpose."

Sir Harold said, "And the rest?"

"I have yet to give that thought.  We will wait until Dick and John of Craven have finished their work. Sir Wulfric, Sir John and Gilles, you have tasks to complete.  God speed and we will meet again here on Midsummer Day.  We will dub Gilles and Philip on that day."

When they had gone and my letters despatched I went to speak with my priest. I found him with Father Thomas. They were tending the garden which Father Henry had created. "A great victory lord and we have only a few men to bury.  The Good Lord is truly on your side."

"I pray that he is. Father Thomas, I am pleased to see you looking better than you once did."

"Thank you, lord. You have truly saved my life. Knowing that I was the only one to survive that horror has made me more determined than ever to give my life purpose."

"And what would you?"

"I would be as Father Henry here. At Durham we were cloistered clerks and we saw not the people.  I would be like Father Henry.  The people of this manor come to him as a father. That is what Christ intended for us.  I would be a priest to people and tend to their needs."

"Then perhaps we can help each other.  Philip of Selby is now lord of the manor of Piercebridge. There is a church in the manor but no priest. The priest at Walworth was slain.  If you would accept I would have you as priest and shepherd for those two churches."

His face brightened and then a frown came across it.  "Lord, can you do that?  I thought such an appointment as that was the responsibility of the church."

"It is and you are right.  However as the present incumbent of Durham is, like Stephen of Blois, a usurper these are abnormal times.  I will write to the Archbishop.  I am certain he will approve your appointment."

Father Henry nodded, "I concur, lord and I think that this was meant to be. I will add my endorsement to the letter. Those poor people need you Thomas."

"Then I accept!"

"And now, Father Henry, I need your advice and your counsel." Father Thomas made to go, "I pray you stay for your advice would help." I led them to the river where Father Henry had a log upon which he would sit and contemplate. We went there. "I intend to offer employment to some of those men we captured at the battle. My problem is the rest. I will tell you what I plan and I would appreciate it if you would give me honest counsel."

Father Thomas nodded and Father Henry said, "I will lord, although I fear these are military matters and I am a man of the Church."

"I will give the rest their freedom, having first taken their arms from them and I will have them swear, here in this church, not to take arms against the Empress or her supporters again. What think you?"

"I think that is fair but these men are soldiers.  If they cannot fight for King Stephen then you deprive them of their livelihood.  They will starve."

"I am not that cruel.  There are lords who fight for neither side and the Archbishop requires guards for his city. I would even give any who wished it passage to Anjou."

Father Henry nodded, "And those who will not swear?"

"They will lose their right hand. That way they cannot fight."

Father Thomas said, "That seems cruel, lord."

Father Henry said, "It is kinder than you know.  After battles most prisoners are slain.  A merciful punishment is often blinding.  This is more than fair for if they will not swear it means that they will bear arms again.  Next time they may hurt the very people you minister to Thomas." I could see the effect of the words on the young priest. "I will walk amongst the prisoners, lord."

"Thank you, Father Henry.  We will make the offer this evening.  My men are finding those who might serve us.  They too will take an oath but they will make it on this sword as well as the Bible!"

We had over fifty prisoners. More than half wished to join me.  John of Craven and Dick whittled that down to just eighteen that they trusted. When I offered the rest the choice of swearing not to fight against us they all accepted the offer.  Fifteen wished to travel to Anjou while the rest would travel, under escort, to York where they would offer their services to the Archbishop.  I was a realist.  I knew that a good third of those who had sworn an oath would find some way of breaking that vow but it would take time.  I was not a naturally cruel man.  Dick and Harold had shown me that men were sometimes placed in a position where they had hard choices to make.  Who was I to judge? I had had a pampered upbringing.  I had never known hardship. The decision made, I felt much better.

Sir Richard of Yarm had brought the wounded who had survived to my castle a few days after the prisoners had departed for York.  As the
'Adela'
had still to return not all had yet left. Some of the wounded did not need to swear an oath.  They were already maimed or lamed.  The ones who would recover happily swore an oath.

Baron Fitz Mandeville had been seriously wounded by my spear thrust.  Sir Richard's priest had saved his life but the Baron looked smaller somehow.  He had lost weight but he had lost none of his arrogance and hatred.  He glared at me when I spoke with him.  I gave him a room which was constantly guarded.  He was fed and he had a servant yet all I received from him were scowls and insults.  I knew why.  He had wanted death and I had denied him that.