The Earl of Mercia

by M J Porter

  A swirl of colour caught his eye, and he inadvertently sighed at the sight of Earl Godwine. In the end Godwine had once more managed to remain in England, despite his calling to join his king and while, after his conversation with Hakon, Leofric might have hoped that his king would have censored Godwine, it seemed that hadn’t happened.

  Still, he’d come this far. He was prepared to listen to Godwine and Emma’s word, for the queen swirled into the hall after Godwine, her son behind her and her young daughter impeccably dressed as a young woman. Leofric gave a little start of surprise to see her adorned as a princess and suddenly wondered if this meeting was more relevant than he would at first thought.

  The queen was also flanked by the archbishop of Canterbury and others of the abbots and bishops who’d managed to tear themselves away from their flocks during the busy Easter period. It seemed that this was a meeting in which the queen expected to accomplish much despite her husband’s continued absence.

  Leofric watched Emma carefully, seeing whom she made eye contact with and whom she didn’t, from beneath her own golden coronet. She wasn’t prepared to let her husband’s traditions fall by the wayside just because he wasn’t in attendance. The coronet crowned her slightly greying hair and yet it was artfully arranged so that the grey could be more taken as reflection from her golden crown, than her own age. Leofric suppressed a smirk of amusement. The queen seemed unwilling to accept that she aged. His sister had told him something similar but he’d thought the lengths she’d go to would be less extreme.

  He watched her nod her head at Earl Godwine, in his seat at the front of the hall, and also at the archbishop and a few of the king’s thegns. Then he gave a start as he realized that other than Godwine, none of the king’s earls were in attendance. Hakon, he knew, was with Cnut, but he was unsure of all the other earl’s current whereabouts. He felt immediately uneasy. What was it that the queen wished to discuss without her husband, or rather, on her husband’s orders?

  “Good people,” Emma said, standing and looking warmly at those before her. “I wish you all well and would thank you for your prompt attendance here at the king’s witan. The king sends his best wishes and thanks to all his loyal followers, and assures us that soon he’ll be back in England. In the meantime, he’s asked that Earl Godwine speak on his behalf.” Her voice was smooth and carried well throughout the hall. She was regal as she voiced the words, but there was a flash of something in her eyes and along her face, whether it was unhappiness at Godwine, or whether it was still her annoyance at her husband’s continued delay, Leofric was unsure.

  Earl Godwine was dressed well, as always, his tunic a rich blue, decorated with tiny pieces of gems that flashed in the sunlight, while his trousers were a dark colour, perhaps black or brown. Yet it was the wealth on his fingers, and on his arm that attracted Leofric’s attention.

  Godwine had a number of rings around his fingers and also arm rings snaking along his left arm. He looked almost more Danish than when Leofric had last seen Cnut.

  “Welcome,” he offered, turning to face his audience. He already had a pleased expression on his face and Leofric instinctively knew that before the Witan was dissolved, he’d be the proud owner of yet more land gifted by the king. Leofric couldn’t deny that he was envious of the man’s great wealth and advances. He’d not exactly come from humble origins, but he now could claim far more land than even Leofric’s own father had ever managed to claim, although perhaps not quite as much as Eadric had once been given.

  “As the queen says, I’ve been instructed by the king to discuss some weighty matters with you, but also to assure you, as he did last year with his letter, of the king’s good intentions toward the people of England and of his hopes that he’ll be home shortly.”

  The words seemed simple enough to Leofric but he heard mutterings from amongst those sat with him and also from the king’s thegns nearer the front of the Witan. He wasn’t the only one unhappy with the way Cnut was treating his conquered realm.

  Yet Godwine ignored the rumble and instead smiled with delight.

  “Firstly, the king wishes to thank you for your endeavors on his behalf, and for assisting with the collection of the tithes for the church.”

  “Secondly, he wishes to inform you that he has made a lasting and binding treaty with the great Emperor Conrad. It will ensure the borders of Denmark and Conrad’s empire are peaceful.”

  This news was met with some exclamations of surprise. Leofric hadn’t even known that there were problems on the borderland with the Empire, and it seemed that he hadn’t been alone. He happened to glance at the queen as he absorbed the news and saw something like fear flash across her face.

  “Thirdly, as part of this accord, King Cnut and Queen Emma are delighted to announce that a marriage has been arranged between Emperor Conrad’s son, and the king and queen’s own daughter, Gunnhilda.” Godwine spoke as though this was the best news in the world and it certainly accounted for Gunnhilda’s elaborate clothing but Leofric imagined it was this that was upsetting the queen. She too had been a child bride, although older than Gunnhilda when she’d made her first trip to England, escorted by his father, and his sister had said that she longed hope to keep her daughter close to her. She was not to have her wish.

  He hoped that Godwine’s next words would speak of her leaving in a few years time, when she was older and her mother had spent more time with her, and her father had returned to England, but he was not to get his wish.

  “I’ll be escorting the Lady Gunnhilda to meet her father in Denmark in the next few weeks, and Cnut will then take her to meet her future father-in-law. The queen hopes that you’ll join us in a celebratory mass in the morning, led by the archbishop, in which we’ll pray for the future happiness of the Lady Gunnhilda and her new husband and for the union of England and the Empire.”

  Earl Godwine turned to look at Gunnhilda then, and the radiant smile on the young girl’s face attested to the fact that she was enjoying the extra attention, without perhaps understanding what it all meant.

  He pitied her. She was so young and yet it seemed that Cnut had already begun his plans of using his children to further his own ambitions. He imagined it wouldn’t be long until Harthacnut was sent back to Denmark and then Cnut would only be left with his two sons with Ælfgifu. He wondered if Emma appreciated the precariousness of her current situation and how she’d be devoid of all her assets, other than herself. He could only imagine that Ælfgifu would be delighted when she was apprised of the information.

  There was a low rumble of approval from the men in the hall, some clapping their hands, and others offering words of congratulations. Leofric thought it was a muted response to the news, but a welcome one all the same. He suspected there was no one in the room who could doubt Gunnhilda’s pleasure, or Emma’s sadness. He almost pitied Cnut when he did finally return to England and his livid wife.

  “But now to other news. The king is confident of victory this year in Norway and when Olaf Haraldsson is removed from the kingdom Swein once laid claim to, he wishes it to be known that Earl Hakon will resume the duties of standing as his regent in the kingdom when he returns to England. Earl Hakon will not continue in his duties in England.”

  That piece of information was of mild interest to Leofric, but, as it was Earl Hrani who was earl of Mercia it mattered little whether Hakon returned or not. No doubt Hrani would simply assimilate his other lands as well. The rest of the news that Godwine wished to tell the assembled men and women of the Witan was of little interest to Leofric as he sat and mused about Cnut’s current decisions. It seemed that he was almost making it a certainty that he’d live in England, once the rest of his empire was peaceful, and that his son and daughter with Emma would be put to work to ensure that peace remained. What could his intentions be for his first wife, and his older sons?

  Did he intend to use them, as he already had his younger children, his sister, his brother-in-law and his cousin? Or did he plan on ignoring th
em? Was it this overlooking of her sons that fuelled Ælfgifu’s rash attempts to find her son’s allies and to ensure that Northumbria looked to her sons as their next earls, or even kings? Did she want to split the kingdom as he’d suggested to her? Perhaps it would be the ultimate revenge for Cnut’s abandonment of her.

  And perhaps more importantly, what did Cnut’s closest advisors think of her and her claims? He’d not lied to her when he’d spoken to her the previous year and said that no one in the southern kingdoms put much store by her claims that her sons were also Cnut’s. Had Godwine made any efforts to become her ally or to prevent her making other alliances or had the work all been laid at his door?

  And had he failed in his attempts because his frustration had overwhelmed him? Was it possible that in doing nothing and in hiding away, he’d actually done more damage to his future chances?

  Annoyed by his constant attempts at second-guessing, he followed the rest of the attendees as they left the church, and he thought of the following day. What would the queen dress Gunnhilda up in for her celebratory mass tomorrow? Would he even see the child again once she went to meet her future husband?

  The thought depressed him. She was a little younger than his son and yet her future was already written for her because her father was a powerful man who influenced events as opposed to being swept along by them.

  He needed to do more for himself, make a decision and stick with it. It was just a pity that unlike his father, he never seemed to know the correct political position to adopt.

  Angrily, he didn’t notice that Earl Godwine was standing in front of him until he spoke his name, perhaps not for the first time.

  “Apologies my lord,” Leofric finally managed to utter, seeing the hint of annoyance on Godwine’s face.

  “No need for apologies, but I would speak with you, if now is a good time?” It was phrased as a question but not intended as one, and Leofric indicated that Godwine should talk. Godwine looked furtively around and then walked some way away. It was obvious that he wanted privacy and Leofric thought that perhaps Godwine was about to answer his questions regarding the general opinion regarding Ælfgifu and her sons.

  “I needed to speak with you, quietly, and about something that I only have half the information about.”

  Leofric was immediately intrigued as he watched the other man. Was this about Ælfgifu? He waited impatiently for the earl to find the right words, and the ones he found weren’t at all what Leofric had been expecting to hear from the earl he thought of as his enemy.

  “I have news, or rather, I’ve heard news about some of your men from Holy River, the Helgeå.”

  He’d thought he’d put aside his grief for Orkning when he’d arranged for masses to be said for his soul in his church at Deerhurst, but hearing his name, and out of the mouth of the man he little liked or cared for, all of his grief seemed to swamp him once more and he was glad that Godwine continued to speak without expecting a response from him.

  “I, I don’t really know how to say it, but there’s rumors that Orkning is alive and living in Denmark.”

  Leofric felt his mouth fall open in shock and wonder. If Orkning lived, why had he never returned to England, to Leofric and more importantly to his family?

  “The news is second hand and comes to me via someone who doesn’t even know if it’s true or not, but one thing was made clear to me. If it is Orkning, he remembers nothing of his former life. It was a chance observation from one of the shipmen when he overheard a conversation about you. He happened to mention that he’d seen Orkning in Hedeby, working on the ships, and a member of the king’s army. He’d tried to speak to him but Orkning had denied all knowledge that he knew him. It’s a strange tale. I … I don’t like to offer even the glimmer of hope where there might be none, but I thought you’d want to know.”

  Leofric was speechless, he didn’t know what to say and yet at the same time, he wanted to be in Hedeby, immediately, to see if Orkning did truly still live. He pushed aside all his doubt, and fear that Godwine might be trying to lure him away from England, and started to consider how soon he could get to Hedeby, if he should go himself or send Orkning’s brother, Olaf, and as his thoughts swirled he failed to see the manipulative expression on Godwine’s face.

  “I could seek him out for you, when I take Gunnhilda,” Godwine offered but Leofric was already convinced that he needed to go himself.

  “Thank you for your offer, but I feel that I should go, or even his brother, give him the opportunity to see a face he might recognise. But my lord, my sincere thanks for passing on the information you have. I never dreamed that Orkning could still be alive after all this time.”

  “You wish to go to Hedeby?” Godwine asked, with just the right amount of inflection to make Leofric doubt his idea, and immediately decide it was the right thing to do.

  “I do my lord, yes. I’ll arrange it as soon as I can. Perhaps I should check with the queen, ensure she’s happy for me to leave England at the moment, although she does rarely seek me out these days.”

  “I’d planned to leave within the week,” Godwine continued, “but of course, and only if the queen agrees, you could go in my place. The queen, despite what you might think, trusts you unreservedly. She might approve of the symmetry of having you deliver her daughter to her future husband, just as your father once brought her from Normandy?”

  Too late Leofric realized that he’d been led into a trap entirely of his own making, and he could hardly refuse Godwine when his intentions were so noble. Yet, although Leofric agreed with the suggestion, he was left worrying that Godwine might have lied about Orkning and that really, he was simply being given yet another unpleasant task by a man who had more land, and far more power than he did.

  Chapter 17

  AD1028

  Hedeby, Denmark

  The journey had been uneventful, Gunnhilda taking delight in the short sea voyage, and although she’d cried some pretty tears for her mother, as soon as the coast of England was out of sight, she’d turned in the ship to face the way they were going, and had been looking that way ever since.

  She spoke almost nonstop about her father, and Leofric understood that the girl was pleased to be seeing her father shortly, and that perhaps she didn’t realize that she would soon probably never see him again. It seemed cruel and heartless and yet Leofric also understood the king’s wishes to expand his area of influence on the border with the Empire. It was a fractious area, similar to the border that England shared with the Welsh kingdoms, and one that needed to be expertly managed.

  Gunnhilda travelled with a number of women her mother had selected for the trip, some to help her reach Denmark, as his own sister did, and yet others to travel all the way to the court of Emperor Conrad. Emma had made it clear that her daughter wasn’t to travel alone, and had even instructed one of the monks of Winchester to go with her, with the intention that he’d continue her education, but would also be able to ensure she was treated correctly, and with the force of the Church and the papacy to back him up should he be unhappy with any of the arrangements made for Gunnhilda.

  Leofric pitied all of them as he watched them disembark from the ship before him to be greeted by Cnut’s sister, Estrid, and her own sons. The boys were younger than their cousin Harthacnut by a few years, and wore the characteristic looks of Cnut and Swein. The family resemblance between them all was striking.

  Yet he gave the matter scarce attention, being more concerned with raking the harbor area with his eyes as he sought out anyone who might look like Orkning. His sister, escorting the Lady Gunnhilda, had taken him to one side and cautioned him as they’d rowed into the harbor but although he’d nodded and agreed with her warning, he knew that the moment his feet his dry land, he’d be beside himself until he found Orkning, or at least some trace of a man who looked like him. If he failed to find anyone, when he returned to England he’d be furious with Godwine and demand an apology from him.

  He only hoped that on this o
nce occasion, Godwine had put aside his hopes of self-preservation and actually told the truth. Leofric almost felt sick with the thought that Godwine would stoop so low just to prevent another return to Denmark.

  It was with a combination of fear and hope that he set foot onto the wooden pilings to land in Hedeby. Although he’d been tasked with escorting Gunnhilda, he’d made it clear to his sister that she’d have to perform his functions as he tried to find Orkning. She’d grudgingly agreed but he already knew her thoughts. She’d already decided that Godwine had lied and that Orkning was long dead at the Battle of Holy River.

  So intent was he on his quest that he walked straight into a woman who was waiting for him on the quayside, surprised when he felt strong arms catching him as he tripped over her feet.

  He heard a giggle of laughter that he thought he recognised and looked into the open face of Estrid. He was sure she’d walked away with Gunnhilda and the rest of the party, but it seemed he was wrong. Her sons had trailed away with their cousin, but Estrid had remained with just two men to ensure her safety on the busy waterfront.

  “I think I know why you’re here,” she offered, when they were both on their feet once more, and he looked into her beautiful face and felt his pulse quicken. She was a stunning woman, but more than that, she had about her an aura of silent menace. She was just as deadly as all the Danish men he knew, if not more so, because she was the daughter of Swein Forkbeard, granddaughter of Harald. She had a fine lineage to her name.

  “Why you came instead of Godwine. Let me help you?” she offered, and Leofric was taken aback.

  “Why would you want to help me?” he quizzed, without so much as a hello, and she grimaced at him.

  “My brother lost many good men in the battle, but worse, many of those men didn’t die and occasionally they wash up on my shore and I do all I can to reunite them with their families. Many of them have no recollection of who they are, or why they’re here. I believe that many of them were injured in the deluge of water, that they obtained blows to the head that have deprived them of their memories. It’s not always possible to discover who they truly are, but even I’ve heard rumors of a man who looks like Horic roaming around the settlement. I’d been about to contact you but it seems there was no need.” She ended on a puzzled note, as if asking why he’d come when he’d not known, and Leofric was quick to both thank her and tell her Godwine had informed him of the possibility of Orkning’s survival.