King in Waiting

by Griff Hosker

  His fingers bit into my shoulder, for he was slightly drunk, and then he stood. “My lords, we have amongst us someone who is from common stock but know this – stand, please, Gerald.” I stood. “Gerald War Bow is a warrior and a great warrior. I can give him no higher praise. Along with my good friend, Roger Mortimer, they have taken me from a dark place and brought me into the light!” He spread his arms and the hall erupted, as drunken lords banged the table. I stood and bowed. I walked out with a red face. Many lords would say it was wine, which was too strong for a commoner, but I was simply embarrassed!

  The next morning more lords arrived, and my archers and I practised. We used the green, for both the wards were filled. It was there I saw Captain William and Ralph Dickson as they rode towards the castle. They stopped close to us and dismounted. Both looked much older than the last time I had seen them, a year ago, before the battle of Lewes. I grasped Captain William’s arm. He beamed. “Good to see you, Gerald! I see you have prospered.”

  Shaking my head, I said, “We have survived, but now that Lord Edward is freed then we can prosper once more. Where are the rest of your men?”

  His face fell and his smile disappeared. “This is all that I have left: Sergeant Ralph and myself. It may be that Lord Edward will not need us.”

  “He has learned from Lewes, Captain William, and he knows he will need you. There are many men at arms heading here in prospect of battle. You will find more.”

  He nodded and took his reins. “We will go and see Lord Edward. We will talk later, for I can tell that your tale is a better one than mine.” He and Ralph walked their horses towards the castle keep.

  “Is that a knight, Captain?”

  “No, Peter, he is a man at arms, and he leads men who serve Lord Edward.”

  John of Nottingham said, “And there is a lesson for you, Peter. We all fought in the same battle, and Captain William led many men at the battle, but just two survived. Our captain may be young, but he has a mind for war.”

  That evening, when we ate in the warrior hall, we learned that most of Captain William’s men had been slaughtered. The knights had been taken for ransom, but men at arms had no value save the mail they wore and the weapons they bore. Sir John had been the saviour of Captain William and Ralph. He had managed to escape with them.

  “We have had a home this last year with Sir John. We offered to serve him, but Sir John is loyal and he said we were Lord Edward’s men. He was convinced that all would be right.”

  Sir John had been a good squire and now he was a good knight.

  Ralph grinned. “And, we have heard, Captain, that it was you and your band of cutthroats who effected the escape! That was well done!”

  John of Nottingham and Ralph got on well with each other, and John was game for the banter. “For an archer it was not difficult, but for a man such as you lumbering around in mail, it would have been impossible.”

  There then followed a debate between Ralph and John on the merits of their arms. Captain William and I left and went to the inner ward. “You were right, Gerald, Lord Edward does want us to form another company for him. It will take time.”

  “And time is the one thing we do not have, William. I have spoken with Baron Mortimer.” Captain William raised an eyebrow and I shrugged. “I have done him no small service and he seems to like me. He told me that the Earl of Leicester has sent emissaries to meet with King Llewelyn. That does not bode well. I think that de Montfort would give the Welsh back their marches just to have England his personal fiefdom.”

  The captain nodded. “And King Henry?”

  “Is kept as close to de Montfort as it is possible. The Earl of Leicester has lost one Plantagenet, and he would keep the other close. The king’s brother, Richard, is heavily guarded in Kenilworth too. So, you begin your search for men on the morrow?”

  “Aye, I have gold from Lord Edward. I shall be choosy, for it is better to have fewer men that you can rely on than men like Tilbury who simply cause trouble.”

  Tilbury had been one of his men at arms. It had taken a mighty blow from Jack of Lincoln’s fist to make him heed orders.

  I was summoned not long after dawn. Lord Edward had returned from his incarceration a different man. He was like a pup that has suddenly changed to become a guard dog with a purpose. Once he had been under the sway of de Montfort, and now he would use his knowledge to bring down his former mentor. Lord Edward was with de Clare and Mortimer. I was not greeted as a hired bow but, almost, as a friend.

  “Your men are ready and eager, Captain?”

  “Aye, Lord Edward. Our horses are recovered, we have arrows and we are keen to serve you once more.”

  He smiled. “Sir Roger has told me of your exploits. It is good that you have remained loyal to me.”

  I was no fool. If I had become Baron Mortimer’s man then Lord Edward, for all his smiles, would never have forgiven me. I gave a slight bow and Lord Edward continued. “I need to know where de Montfort is gathering his army. Ride south as far as Gloucester.”

  I looked at de Clare, who shook his head. “I fear de Montfort has taken my home.”

  Lord Edward put his arm around the shoulders of his former adversary. “Never fear, we shall take it back. Captain, I need to know how many men are in Gloucester. I want to know if we can take it and I trust your judgement. I will bring the army behind you. Hereford will fall too, and with Ludlow and Hereford as bastions here we can cut off de Montfort’s tentacles one by one. I have called for my loyal barons to meet me at Worcester.” I nodded. “But I need the main crossing of the Severn in my hands!”

  De Clare added a word of caution. “My lord, young de Montfort, de Ferrers and all of de Montfort’s allies lie to the east. If he can combine with those men, then we shall be outnumbered.”

  This was a new Lord Edward I saw before me. His recklessness was gone, and he appeared to be in control both of himself and his emotions. “Fear not, Gloucester, I have a plan, but first I need my archer to tell me how to take back your home!”

  We had no time to lose, for Gloucester was almost fifty miles away. As we headed down the road, with our spare horses carrying our arrows and war gear, I thought about the major problem that not only we, but Lord Edward and his army, would face – the River Severn. It was a mighty river and, for many years, had been a natural border with the Welsh. Consequently, the bridges which crossed it were well guarded. We would have to choose our crossing point wisely.

  I headed for Worcester. Lord Edward had already sent Sir John with a conroi of knights to hold the town. I daresay that had Captain Williams had his company, then they would have been with Lord Edward’s former squire. We reached Worcester in the late afternoon. We could have hurried on, but I wished to see what I could learn from Sir John.

  “Well Captain, it seems that the earl’s son, Simon, is gathering an army in the Midlands and London.”

  “Then it seems our task is vital, for if Gloucester is fortified by the rebels then Lord Edward could be trapped here in Worcester.”

  Sir John smiled. “This is a different man from the one who left his father and charged after the Londoners. King Henry does not rule any longer. He may sit on the horse, but it is Lord Edward who holds the reins. He has lost his kingdom once and he will not do so a second time. He was a reckless youth, I fear, but now he will be a ruthless man!” He and I could speak openly, for we were both Lord Edward’s men.

  We camped outside Gloucester. There was irony in the fact that this was where King Henry had been crowned as a boy king. With sentries set around the camp, which was just a mile from the town’s gates, I spoke to the rest of my men. “David the Welshman and I will change into ordinary clothes and enter the town. I intend to spend tomorrow walking the streets. Tomorrow evening we will return, and I will want two men to return to Worcester with the news we find.”

  “That is risky, Captain, you are known, and since the rescue, the bounty on your head will be even greater. Let me go.”

  “N
o, John, you could do the job, I know that, but I would recognise more of the lords than you. If I know who commands then that will help Lord Edward.”

  We slipped out at dawn and waited outside the town gates. My men insisted upon waiting where they could see the town gates and yet remain hidden. There were others there, for the town was secured each night. This would be our best chance to get inside the town. Our story was that we were swords for hire: we had taken a couple of shields from Worcester, plain, faded, red ones that looked to be the sort a down-at-heel soldier might carry. My sword was a good one and would tell any questioner that I was a warrior.

  In the event, we were not questioned. The gates opened and the mob outside flooded in. This was not a town under siege. In fact, I saw few soldiers except for the ones on the walls. The castle was garrisoned but I did not recognise the livery.

  David and I walked the town. We found that the bridge was well guarded; that was to be expected. We found a tavern close to the castle where we had ale and pie. We did not question, but we listened. Soldiers from the castle came here to drink and they were free with their tongues. David and I huddled in a corner, our heads down, and learned much. The reason for the paltry garrison was simple: Simon de Montfort was heading for Wales. He was at Newport and preparing to meet with the Welsh king. The men of the castle believed he was going to defeat the Marcher Lords before turning his attention to Edward, whom he assumed was in Ludlow. There appeared to be a great deal of confidence and belief that de Montfort would be able to defeat the reckless Edward. They spoke disparagingly of the reckless prince who had thrown away the battle of Lewes. I knew better. I also learned that the garrison was fewer than sixty men. Some of it was deduction, but they said enough for me to be fairly certain of my estimate. Having learned all that there was to be learned, we left the tavern.

  We were followed by armed men. I had no idea of numbers, but I knew that we were being trailed. Both David and I knew how to track animals. You listened for subtle sounds. I had heard the sound of metal. Ordinary folks had little metal about them – metal meant soldiers. As we had been close to the castle, I had to assume that we had been observed and someone had been suspicious.

  David looked up at me and I nodded. He, too, had heard the noise. I lengthened my stride. It would not appear to those following that we were alerted, but we would reach the gate quicker. I saw that the two sentries who had admitted us now lounged on either side of the portal. The busy part of the day was over, and now it would be quiet until those using the market left. It was tempting to run, but the two sentries would simply cross their spears and halt us.

  We were ten paces from them when there was a shout from behind. “Stop these two men from leaving! I think they are spies!”

  The two sentries did as I had feared and crossed their spears. They would slow us enough to allow those in pursuit to catch us. I took another three paces towards the sentries when a commanding voice from behind shouted, “You two, halt, or I will have you cut down like a dog! There is a crossbow aimed at your back!”

  I turned, but took another step back as I did so. I also put one hand behind my back to rest on my belt. I could reach the dagger there in a heartbeat.

  I saw that there were four men wearing livery. One was six paces away and had a crossbow; it was aimed at my chest. It would be a quick death.

  “What do you want with us? We have done nothing wrong, save have an ale!”

  The leader was a sergeant at arms. He wore mail beneath his tunic and had his hand upon his sword hilt. I noticed such things, for when I fought, I had to know the weaknesses of my enemy. They were relying on the two sentries and the crossbow to hold the two of us. The other two had leather jerkins and both looked young.

  “I want you to come with me to the Sherriff. You were in the tavern.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “When did it become an offence to drink ale? Would you lock up every man in England?” Behind me, I heard one of the sentries laugh. It was a sign that he was relaxing a little and saw no threat.

  The sergeant at arms, however, was no fool. He drew his sword. “Aye, friend, men may drink ale, but they do not leave ale in their beakers when they leave, and they generally talk while they drink. They do not sit in a corner and listen to the words of the garrison. If you are innocent then you will be released, and if not,” he leered, “then you will be mine!” His leer told me it would be a painful death.

  I had to think quickly and rely on the quick wits of David the Welshman. The danger was the crossbowman, and then the sergeant. The crossbowman was now five paces away from me and had allowed enough space for the crossbow to have a direct line to my chest. I used the distraction of my right hand to draw my dagger. The sentries would see the movement and shout, therefore I had to be quick. I waved my hand to the right and began to speak: “I had…”

  I saw the crossbowman’s eyes flicker to his left. It was natural. In one movement I drew and threw my dagger at him. I was lucky; the dagger struck him in the cheek. It made him drop his crossbow and the bolt fell to the ground. The string released. Even as I drew my sword, David the Welshman had drawn his and rammed it into the sergeant’s thigh as he swung at me.

  “Run!”

  The two sentries turned their spears to face us. We had the advantage, for we knew what we would do, while the sentries looked from one to the other. As a spear came towards my chest, I grabbed the shaft below the head and then slashed at the man’s leg. His leather jerkin afforded too much protection for me to disable his body. David held his dagger in his left hand, which allowed him to deflect the spear and then step inside the sentry’s guard. He hacked across the man’s wrist. The half-severed limb bled heavily. He would not be able to hold a weapon.

  We hurtled through the gate. Behind us, I heard cries as the guard was called out. There were men in the towers and in the castle, but they would take time to reach us. We ran for the woods. Suddenly two arrows flew into the air. I heard a cry and, turning, saw that one of the men who had chased us lay dead; his body had two arrows sticking from it. The others had halted. Ahead of me, I saw John of Nottingham and my men. I daresay that we might have been able to deal with the two men following without them, but this was easier.

  John said, as we passed, “Jack and I will hold them while you fetch the horses for us, Captain!”

  We had half a mile to run. I hoped that would be enough time for our men back at camp to have readied the horses. I whistled and, as I neared our camp I shouted, “Peter, horses!”

  The horses were already saddled, and he led Eleanor and Bess towards us. I threw myself onto Eleanor’s back and grabbed the reins of Bess. Tom and I turned and galloped back. Tom still had his bow in his hand, mine was in my case. I saw that John and Jack had been compelled to move deeper into the wood, since the garrison had crossbows on the town wall. There were two other men being dragged back inside the walls of Gloucester. We did not like to use our bows from the backs of horses but if we had to, we could. As Jack ran back to his horse, John sent an arrow towards the walls, while Tom used his bow to send a flight at the gate. It allowed John to throw himself into his saddle, and turning, we galloped.

  There would be horses in the castle, and it would not take them long to follow. I shouted, “Take the Worcester road; we have learned all that there is to learn!”

  Only David and I did not have a strung bow. If we had to turn to discourage our pursuers, they would be our best weapon. For that, however, we needed open ground. The wood did not suit us. The wood was not a large one, less than a mile in total length. We burst from the wood and galloped across the bridge over the small brook. There were open fields for the next mile or so, and then we would hit the hamlet of Twigworth. We had only recently travelled this road, and its features were clearly etched in my mind.

  I glanced behind and saw half a dozen horsemen just emerging from the woods. When I heard them on the bridge, I looked behind and saw another eight following. I shouted, “Prepare to stop, turn
and send a couple of flights at them. Try to hit their horses!”

  There was a chorus of, “Aye, Captain.”

  I saw the hamlet ahead and shouted, “Now!” I wheeled Eleanor around and made as though I was going to charge them. I drew my sword and raised it. They slowed. It was not by much, but it was understandable. They wanted their fellows to join them and form a solid line. Nine arrows soared and then another nine. One man fell from his saddle and another clutched his arm. Three horses were struck, and two of them headed off into the nearby fields. As the last arrow fell, another man was hit in the leg.

  “Ride!”

  My men had not been as accurate as usual, for they were on their horses, but the eighteen arrows had generated a good return. We had slowed down our pursuit and made them wary. Each bend and rise in the road made them slow, and we increased our lead. Even as we galloped through Twigworth I began to plan how we would replace our horses. By the time we reached Norton, they had lost interest in us, and we reined in so that my men could unstring their bows and put them back in their cases. As they did so, I told them what we had learned.

  John of Nottingham shook his head. “I was right though, Captain. Any of us could have done what you did. Why take the risk? Lord Edward thinks highly of you; do you think that we would still be employed if you were gone?”

  “I am still captain, John of Nottingham, and my father taught me that a captain leads, and that means being at the front. All is well and I am whole!”

  We were weary when we rode into Worcester. Lord Edward and de Clare were there. As we were stabling our horses, Sir John’s page, Richard, found me. “Captain, my lord asks you to come to the hall.” He did not say great hall, for Worcester was still a timber castle. “He is there with Lord Edward and the Earl of Gloucester.”

  “Is Baron Mortimer with them?”

  “No, Captain, he is gathering his men to join us here. Lord Edward thinks the cost of taking Hereford is unnecessary. Gloucester is more important.”

  It was a tiny hall, and I knew that this would just be a jumping-off point for an attack. The two men were poring over a map as I entered. Sir John waited behind them. They were eager for our information. This was one of those times a commoner was more valuable than a noble, for we could go where they could not. We could spy and gather information.