Defender Of The Crown: Heir to the Crown: Book Seven

by Paul J Bennett

  "Shrewesdale comes to mind," said Fitz. "They've been unhappy ever since we executed Lord Montrose for treason."

  The queen turned her gaze to Lord Spencer, "What of Eastwood?"

  "I haven't the foggiest," he replied. "To be honest, I've spent less than a week there since I inherited the title. All my time has been consumed by matters here in Wincaster."

  "I think we can assume Kingsford is loyal," noted the queen, "but Colbridge fought for the king during the civil war."

  "That leaves us in a difficult position, Majesty," said Hayley.

  Anna turned to the Baron of Bodden. "In Gerald's absence, you now command the army. What think you, Lord Fitzwilliam?"

  Fitz looked around the table. "Until we receive word from each city, we must assume the worst. I shall, of course, dispatch riders, but it will take some time to confirm their loyalty or lack thereof. Valmar had a lot of influential friends, I doubt very much he planned this all by himself."

  "You suspect the Dark Queen?" asked Hayley.

  "No," Fitz continued, "this does not feel like her work. I have to believe Norland gold fuelled this uprising. It seems too incredulous to believe the coincidence of an uprising just as an invasion commences, not to mention the attack on the queen."

  "If it's an invasion," said the queen, "what would be their objective?"

  "The logical target would be to overrun Hawksburg, then continue down the road to Tewsbury."

  "Hawksburg can't put up much of a fight," advised Hayley, "they're still rebuilding."

  "Yes," agreed Aubrey, "but there's a decent garrison there."

  "Tewsbury is walled," offered Stanton, "it won't give in easily."

  "A reasonable assumption," said Fitz, "and for once, I agree with you, Alexander, but still, we are only guessing at their objectives. We need more information."

  "How do you propose we get that," asked Stanton, "simply ride up and ask them?"

  "Sir Heward commands the frontier," said Fitz. "I've seen his first dispatch, and it indicates a strong force of cavalry. That doesn't seem to suggest they're out to siege a city."

  "Of course they're out to capture our cities," said Stanton, "why else invade?"

  "Your Majesty," said Fitz, "are the Norlanders aware that you have returned here?"

  "No, we gave them no indication that Aubrey's magic could do that."

  "Then I suggest the invasion is meant to topple our government," said Fitz.

  "By attacking Hawksburg?" asked Stanton.

  "No, I now believe they may be marching to support the uprising. Likely, they expect allies at their destination. Hawksburg would offer little in its present state, but Tewsbury would give them a strong base of operations from which to push on to Wincaster."

  "Then we should attack their lines of supply, if that is the case," offered Lord Spencer.

  "Not if they have a sufficiently large army," said Fitz, "and Sir Heward's preliminary report seems to indicate such. The problem, for us, is how to maximize the effectiveness of the few troops we have."

  "What are you suggesting?" asked Stanton.

  "I need to go to Hawksburg myself," said Fitz, "especially if I am to understand their strategy."

  "An excellent idea, Baron," noted the queen. "We shall leave first thing in the morning."

  "We?" said Fitz.

  "Yes, Aubrey and I will accompany you, along with Albreda. We will be better equipped to repulse this invasion if we are closer to the battlefield."

  "Are you sure that's wise, Majesty?" said Fitz.

  "I will not be convinced otherwise," said Anna. "My people need me. I refuse to skulk here in the capital while my realm is under threat."

  "Very well," said the baron. "Then I suggest we all get some rest. It will be a hectic day tomorrow."

  Twenty-Five

  The Hills

  Fall 964 MC

  * * *

  Beverly crouched, slowly moving forward to peer over the ridgeline. "See anything?" she asked.

  "The horses are definitely here," noted Arnim, "but I'm not sure how easy they'll be to recover."

  They were only three miles north of the castle, looking down into a slight depression, dotted with tufts of long, green grass. A wooden fence enclosed the area, stopping any horses from escaping their captivity.

  Beverly stared down at the scene. "We'll find a way," she said. "We have to."

  "Perhaps our luck will hold," suggested Arnim. "After all, we managed to make it out of the tunnels without pursuit."

  "That wasn't luck, it was caution. Our foes were too afraid of encountering us in the cave system, but they'll catch up with us soon enough, just you wait and see."

  "They may have already," noted Arnim, pointing. "Look."

  Beverly swivelled her gaze to see a group of soldiers arriving to replace those that had been guarding their mounts.

  "Oh, great," said Beverly, "as if we didn't have enough problems."

  "I'd say there's twenty, at least." He shifted slightly, trying to get a better view. "No, make that thirty."

  "We only brought two dozen men," said Beverly. "Do you think that'll be enough?"

  "It'll have to be. We don't have time to go back and get more."

  "Even if we wanted to, we couldn't," she said. "They're needed to guard the others."

  "All right then," said Arnim, "how do you want to proceed?"

  Beverly looked back over her shoulder to where the Guard Cavalry waited, minus their mounts, which were still in enemy hands.

  "Can we make our way around to the east?" she asked.

  "I don't think so. The area flattens out in that direction. This is about as close as we can get without revealing our presence."

  Beverly sighed. This was starting to become too much work. "Very well then, I suppose we'll have to make a more direct approach."

  "At least they don't have cavalry," noted Arnim.

  "Except for that officer!"

  "That's not an officer," he replied, "that's a noble."

  Beverly stared some more. "So it is, but I can't make out which one."

  "Let's go and talk to them, shall we? If we kill their noble, maybe the rest will flee?"

  "I admire your faith," she replied, "but I doubt it'll be that easy."

  She waved the guard forward, waiting until they were crouched just behind her to continue.

  "We're going down that hill," she explained, "and there are Norland troops down there, guarding our horses. When we advance, make sure you keep a steady pace, and whatever you do, don't break ranks. Our very discipline is what's going to win us through today. Does everyone understand?"

  They all nodded their heads.

  "Good," she said at last, "then let's go."

  Beverly rose, and stepped forward, confident her men were following her. The enemy troops were quite far away, and she pondered the distance as she walked. Had there been Norland cavalry present, she would have been more cautious, but years of fighting on the frontier gave her the confidence that her troops could out-fight footmen in a one-on-one melee.

  Once they drew close enough for the enemy to notice them, the Norlanders drew weapons, but the horseman waved them down. He trotted towards the approaching Mercerians, his hands held high in the air.

  "We mean you no harm," the voice said. "I am Lord Creighton of Riverhurst."

  "My lord," said Beverly, "do you mean to stop us?"

  "No," the earl replied, halting just in front of her, "quite the reverse. In fact, I'm here to help you."

  "Why would you do such a thing?"

  "I do not desire war with Merceria," he replied, "and I can assure you that there are others that feel the same way. I regret we were unable to stop Hollis and his allies, but we can at least make amends by helping you escape his clutches."

  "Where is Hollis?" asked Beverly.

  "To the south," replied Creighton, "likely in Merceria by now. He planned his war carefully."

  "Merceria's been invaded?" asked Beverly.

 
; "It has," said the earl, "or at least that was the plan. I cannot, of course, speak of what has truly transpired, for we are too far from the border to know for certain."

  "Will you not suffer for helping us?"

  "Lord Hollis will try, but I have my own household troops. A war is upon us, Dame Beverly, and I speak not of the invasion of Merceria, but rather a civil war that has erupted within Norland at the death of King Halfan."

  "Civil war?" she said.

  "Indeed," he replied. "While the king's ill health was known for some time, the earls vied with each other to become his successor. Since his death, it has erupted into all-out war, and Hollis intends to defeat Merceria once and for all. Should he succeed, there will be little to stop him from claiming the crown of Norland as well."

  "And what would you ask of us in return?" asked Beverly.

  She was expecting him to say peace, but instead, he reached into his cloak, producing a carefully folded letter, complete with a wax seal.

  "Give this to your queen when you return," he said. "It may aid her in her fight with Norland."

  "You would betray your own kingdom?"

  "It is not my kingdom I am betraying, but the machinations of a power-hungry nobleman."

  "We shall not forget this," said Beverly.

  "Good," replied Creighton, "then my men will let you retrieve your mounts. The saddles and other accoutrements are over there," he said, pointing at a small hut. "May the Gods be with you, Dame Beverly of Bodden."

  "And you as well," she responded.

  * * *

  Lord Creighton's men were true to his word, watching from a distance as they gathered their mounts. When Beverly called her men into formation, the Norlanders turned and headed west.

  "That was quite unexpected," said Arnim.

  "So it was," Beverly agreed, "but we've still a long way to go to get out of Norland. I don't imagine the other earls will be so generous.

  "Gerald and the rest should be miles away by now," said Arnim.

  "Yes, but we've been gone from them for some time. I only hope our pursuers haven't encountered them yet."

  She urged Lightning forward, the rest of the horsemen falling into step behind her. Arnim, surprised by her sudden start, quickly caught up, taking up a position to her right.

  "How long till we catch up, do you think?" he asked.

  Beverly looked skyward, judging the sun's position. "I don't expect we'll catch them till mid-afternoon."

  "Should we send some men ahead?"

  "No, best to stick together. We can't risk losing anybody."

  Arnim looked left and right, examining the countryside as they rode by. "This is very rough terrain," he said, "you could hide a whole army in these hills."

  "That can work to our advantage," said Beverly, "but also against us."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I mean that we must be careful of who we attack. A small group on a hill might be a tempting target, but there may be others behind, out of sight."

  "That's not a problem as yet," said Arnim. "We haven't spotted anyone."

  "True," said Beverly, "but we must be prepared, nonetheless."

  They rode on in silence.

  * * *

  Gerald stood on a hill, watching as his people trudged by. They were tired and hungry, he knew, and they couldn't keep up this pace much longer, but they must reach a defensible position first. Glancing westward, he searched for any sign of Beverly's men. It had been a gamble, sending them off, and he cursed himself for dispatching so many warriors, but without horses, his ragtag group of Mercerians was doomed.

  He noticed a servant fall, her legs simply unable to carry on. One of the queen's foot guards bent over, lifting the woman and placing her over his shoulder, then continued marching. How much farther could they go, Gerald wondered?

  A cry from the back of the group drew his attention. A warrior was pointing to the northwest, and Gerald let his eyes drift off to a distant hill where a group of horsemen appeared, the sun glinting off their armour. Was this Beverly?

  He cursed the sun, for the glare made identification of the distant target impossible. When the riders started descending the hill, he scanned their numbers quickly, but there was no sign of a large black horse. Beverly was not among them!

  "Norlanders," he shouted. "Everyone gather round!"

  Fear energized them, and they rushed towards him, their eyes betraying their panic.

  He pointed west. "Horsemen are approaching," he warned, "and we must make a stand. I want all the guardsmen facing west. Those servants who have weapons will line up behind."

  "In a line?" asked a sandy-haired youth.

  "Not exactly," said Gerald. "We're going to form a triangle. The guards will form the base, facing the enemy. The rest will create two lines, one facing northeast," he pointed, "the other facing southeast. Any non-combatants will remain in the centre. Be quick about it now, we don't have much time."

  The Mercerians took up their positions. The westward-facing men were all battle-hardened warriors, each protected by coats of mail, but the rest were little more than an armed rabble.

  Gerald glanced at the enemy as they drew closer. "Now remember," he said, "no matter what happens, hold your position. We're all in this together, if one of you fails, the rest will suffer."

  He saw the look of determination on their faces and grinned. "Now stand by," he said, "this is likely to get hairy."

  The horsemen, numbering two dozen, halted a spear's throw away. Two of their number rode forward, bringing them within talking distance.

  "Surrender yourselves," said a well-dressed man, "and avoid unnecessary bloodshed."

  "It is your blood that shall be shed," countered Gerald. "Return to your men and leave us in peace. We wish only to be rid of this land."

  "Alas, I cannot," said the Norlander. "My orders were quite specific on that point, but can I offer you a deal if you're interested?"

  "Go on," urged Gerald.

  "Hand over the queen, and we'll allow the rest of you to go free."

  Gerald smiled. "That, I cannot do," he said.

  "You Mercerians can be so stubborn. Can't you see that you have no hope of survival without negotiation of some sort?"

  "And doubtless, you can see the folly of your attack," said Gerald. "We are Mercerians, each and every one of us trained as a warrior. Do you seek now to break our wall of steel with just your horses?"

  The Norland commander stared back at him. "Surely you jest," he said. "I see warriors, of course, but only a few, the rest are nothing more than peasants!"

  "Then you know nothing of our culture!" said Gerald. "Come, stop your prattling and test your steel against us, unless you're too scared?"

  "Very well," the Norlander replied, "it seems you leave us with no choice. Prepare yourselves, for you shall not live to see the sun set." He turned his mount around and trotted back to his waiting horsemen.

  "Was that wise, Lord?" asked Donald Harper, a guardsman.

  "We have little choice," said Gerald. "We cannot move with those riders on our tail, they'd cut us to pieces. Better to face them now and get them off our back."

  "And you think we can defeat them?" asked Harper.

  "We have to. We must protect the queen."

  "But the queen is back in Wincaster by now, isn't she?"

  "Likely," said Gerald, "but the Norlanders don't know that. If we allow them to shadow us, they'll soon know she's not among our numbers."

  "Then we shall fight," said Harper, "though only the Gods will know of our bravery."

  "Buck up, Harper," said Gerald, "we may survive this yet."

  The marshal took his position alongside his men, facing the distant cavalry. The Norland leader appeared hesitant at first, as if trying to decide what to do.

  "Damned Norlanders," said Gerald, "can't even make up their minds."

  "I wish Dame Beverly were here," muttered Harper.

  "Dame Beverly?" said Gerald. "Not your Captain, Lord Cast
er?"

  "He's a tough warrior," said Harper, "no doubt about it, but Dame Beverly has that magic hammer. Now that would do some damage against these curs."

  Gerald couldn't help but chuckle, "I suppose it would."

  "They're turning, Lord."

  "So I see."

  The enemy rode off slowly, scanning the terrain to either side.

  "What are they doing?" asked Harper.

  "I suspect they're making room to charge," said Gerald, "not that it'll help them."

  "Why is that?"

  "Take a look at our line," said Gerald. "If you were a horse, would you charge it?"

  Harper cast his eyes to the shields, readied to face their foes. "No, I suppose not, but what if they attack from another direction? Our weakest fighters are behind us."

  "They won't," said Gerald. "I've challenged his bravery, he'll want to show he's not intimidated by us."

  "Are you sure, Lord?"

  "I've been doing this a long time, Harper. Trust me when I say I know Norlanders, I've fought more than a few of them on the frontier."

  "If you say so, Lord."

  The enemy finally came to a stop. They chatted with each other for a moment, then started spreading out into a ragged line, facing the Mercerians.

  "They're getting ready," said Harper.

  "You're very chatty for a guardsman," said Gerald. "How about you stop stating the obvious and get your shield up?"

  "Yes, my lord."

  Gerald watched as the horsemen started moving. It was a slow trot at first, the officer chiding his men to keep the line intact. When they finally fell into a proper formation, their leader barked out a command, and then the horses picked up their pace, sending clods of dirt flying from the damp ground.

  "Brace yourselves!" called out Gerald. He planted his back foot while leaning forward slightly with his shield held before him, his sword peeking over the top of its rim.

  Closer and closer, the enemy came, the ground shaking with their approach. Gerald remained calm, concentrating on the lead horseman, who was heading straight for him. Finally, at the last possible moment, the horsemen swerved, avoiding a direct confrontation. The riders slashed out with their swords but did little other than rattle against the defender's shields.