The Revolt of the Eaglets (53 page)

‘Nay, I would not ask that of you, but the King of France would see you and speak with you.’

‘Does he wish to make a truce?’

‘He wishes only to speak with you.’

‘When?’

‘Now.’

‘You have come to take me to him?’

‘Come as you are. In your armour. He does not ask you to come humbly. He would wish to receive you as a friend … a cousin.’

‘Should I tell my father?’

‘Nay, that is the last thing. He wishes you to come with me now.’

‘How do I know that I may trust him?’

‘He gives his word. As I give mine.’

Richard did not look for deceit in others. He said: ‘I will come.’

‘Then let us leave at once.’

Together on horseback they went through the lines and when they came to the French camp Philip of Flanders led Richard to the quarters of the King of France.

The King of France came out of his tent and looked up at Richard seated on his horse. Few men could sit a horse as Richard could. He looked magnificent, godlike almost in his shining armour seated on his splendidly caparisoned horse.

‘Richard,’ said the King of France. ‘Cousin, welcome.’

‘What would you have of me, Philip?’

‘Friendship,’ answered Philip.

‘Offer it to my father.’

‘I have none to offer him. Come into my tent. We will talk together.’ The King of France did him the great honour of holding his stirrup.

‘Why, Richard,’ said Philip, ‘how tall you are. You are a veritable Viking.’

‘So I have been told. It comes from my ancestor the Conqueror.’

‘And proud you must be of him.’

Together they went into the tent.

‘Take off that of your armour which encumbers you. You may trust me, Richard. See, I am unarmed.’

‘And I in the midst of the enemy’s camp.’

‘By God, Richard, I believe you would give a good account of yourself if the whole of my army came against you. But it will not. I have asked you here in good faith. I would not allow aught harmful to touch you.’

‘Smooth words,’ said Richard.

‘Spoken from the heart! Sit here where I may see you,’ said Philip.

Philip gazed at him intently.

‘Did you have some matter to discuss?’ asked Richard.

‘You and I should not be on opposite sides.’

‘How could it be otherwise?’

‘It would be otherwise if you did not fight beside your father.’

‘I would not wish to fight against him.’

‘It would not be the first time he has fought against you. He has betrayed you, Richard, again and again. What of my sister Alice? Why is she not your wife?’

‘My father has continually postponed the marriage.’

‘Why, Richard?’ Philip laughed. ‘There have been rumours. She is my sister, a daughter of France. She is going to marry you, Richard, and then you and I will be brothers in very truth. You are the heir to England and we shall be friends, you and I. Wars between us destroy us both. Your father is my enemy, not you, Richard, and I have brought you here to tell you that if he is not your enemy he is not your friend. You are fighting beside him. For what reason? That he may disown you and set up another in your place? He deceived my father … again and again he deceived him. He won the battle against Louis VII not with sword and lance but with sly cunning; he shall not win against Philip II. I ask you to consider this. Should you and I not be on the same side?’

Richard said: ‘If that is all you wish to say to me, I shall be going.’

‘Nay, sit awhile. Have no fear. You shall be safely conducted back to your father’s camp.’

‘I have no fear.’

‘’Tis true, Richard. You are a great warrior. Never have I seen you without my spirits being lifted. This is why I want you for my friend.’

Richard had risen to his feet and Philip stood up; Richard was the taller by far.

‘Noble Richard,’ murmured Philip. ‘I know that you are to be trusted. Richard Yea and Nay. If you said I will be your friend, I would know you meant it. There are not many men on whom one can rely. I am eight years younger than you Richard – yes, I have known but twenty-two winters and you thirty – but I am wise in the ways of the world and I respect you, Richard. I want you for my friend.’

‘You honour me,’ said Richard.

‘If you gave me your friendship I should be honoured.’

‘I will go now and think of what you have said.’

Philip lifted Richard’s hand to his and kissed it. Then he helped him on with his armour.

‘Such an honour,’ said Richard, ‘the King of France, my dresser!’

‘It is I who am honoured,’ said Philip softly.

They stepped out into the night. Philip of Flanders who had been waiting stepped forward.

‘Conduct my good cousin safely to his camp,’ said the King of France.

Richard thought of the strange interview and wondered what it meant. None could have appeared more friendly than Philip. And he was warning him against his father. Could it possibly be true that his father was planning to disown him? And why was Philip so eager to help him? Was it because Philip’s sister was his betrothed?

Richard was puzzled.

As soon as dawn broke he went to his father. Henry looked haggard and ill in the harsh light of morning.

‘Well come, Richard,’ said the King.

‘You are not well, my lord.’

‘It is my complaint. Richard, I like not the position. It would seem to me that the King of France is determined on war.’

‘He was ready to consider a truce.’

‘But on what terms? He wants to humiliate me, force me to do this and that.’

‘You mean relinquish Alice.’

‘Alice,’ cried Henry. ‘The Princess Alice? But you are to marry her … when the time is ripe.’

‘The ripening has been so long delayed. Do you forget, Father, that I am thirty, and Alice is no longer young.’

‘She is of a good age for marriage and you were not ready before.’

‘Why should
you
be so concerned at relinquishing her?’

‘I was not thinking of Alice. How I wish Louis were alive. I could reason with him.’

‘Philip is stronger than his father.’

‘He is a headstrong young man.’

‘I think he is more subtle than his father; he will be a clever ruler.’

‘I fear so. That is not good, Richard. I want to avoid a direct conflict. I see no good in fighting a war in which much blood could be shed to no purpose.’

‘It could be that there will be no alternative.’

‘I have thought of something. I am getting old, Richard, and my sins sit heavily upon me. It has often occurred to me that I should go to the Holy Land after all. You remember Heraclius, the Patriarch, and the ill news he brought us. It has sadly disturbed me that at the time I refused him, although it was on the advice of my ministers.’

‘I know full well,’ said Richard coldly, ‘on whose commands they advised against your going.’

‘My son, I had my dominions to govern. A king cannot forget his duty to his people for the sake of his own sins.’

‘That is what you wish to do now.’

‘Nay, nay. I will go on a crusade and ask Philip to give me a truce for two years while I am away. I believe he is a cynical young man but even he would not dare attack my dominions while I was fighting a holy war.’

‘I have always felt an urge to fight the Infidel,’ said Richard.

‘I know it, my son. We will go together. I shall send envoys into the French King’s camp and tell him of my intentions.’

When Philip heard Henry’s request he smiled slyly.

He sent for Philip of Flanders.

‘Do you know, Count, what the King of England suggests? That I give him two years’ truce while he goes to the Holy Land.’

‘He will never go to the Holy Land.’

‘I know that well.’

‘He is old and sick.’

‘Though a lion still.’

‘A mangy lion.’

‘He can still growl fiercely and has some of his teeth. Let us not forget that, Count.’

‘What will you do, my lord King?’

‘Accept the truce. Let him go to the Holy Land and we will see what happens to his dominions while he is away.’

‘You would attack them? While he was away on a crusade?’

‘Let us say that I would have no hesitation if I saw the opportunity. But rest assured, Count, he will never go on a crusade. That is what he told my father. He merely wants to postpone a battle. He has no intention of going to the Holy Land.’

‘What do you wish then?’

‘To say, yes. There shall be a truce for two years. Now let him go to the Holy Land! It is time Henry realised that I see right through his schemes. Let them go. I cannot wait to hear what the King of England has to say.’

Even before the envoys returned Henry was in despair.

He sent for Richard whose knowledge of warfare was so much greater than John’s.

‘I wouldn’t trust Philip,’ he said. ‘If I went on a crusade how should I know what was happening to my country? He is not like his father.’

‘Nay,’ agreed Richard, ‘he is indeed not like his father.’

‘It occurs to me that he may accept my terms. If he did, how could I go on a crusade? How could I, Richard?’

‘You would risk losing all if you did.’

‘Then how could I go? And the other alternative is war. I will take you into my confidence, Richard. All those years when Philip’s father was King there was conflict between his country and mine. Sometimes I think there always will be. What am I to do? I must have a truce. I must avoid war.’

Richard looked at his father. He could not believe that this was the great Henry Plantagenet speaking. How grey he looked, how drawn! He was more ill than he would admit.

‘Richard,’ he said, ‘you must see the King of France. Ask him for new terms for a truce. I am not prepared to go to war. The King of France is eager for it now, which can only mean that he is aware of his strength.’

‘
I
… see the King of France,’ cried Richard. ‘You would ask
me
to go … as a suppliant?’

‘I would ask you to go in all honour but to see if you can bring him to terms.’

‘You have offered him terms. You will go on a crusade for two years’ truce.’

‘I cannot go on a crusade! I dare not. Nay, Richard, there must be other terms.’

‘And you think he would offer those terms to me?’

‘You are my son, my eldest son …’

‘Methinks that is something you often forget,’ said Richard quietly.

‘Bring about this truce and I will remember it always.’

Spoken from the heart but what did that mean with Henry Plantagenet?

‘I see I must needs go,’ said Richard. ‘I must be humble and I like that not.’

‘Sometimes momentary humiliation is necessary for glory to come.’

‘Then,’ said Richard, ‘I will go to the King of France.’