The King Is Dead

by Griff Hosker

  "But the smoke..."

  He smiled, "Do not worry, lord, we have the range and we will just keep loosing. If we cannot see them then they cannot see the arrows. We will be fine!"

  The confidence my men had was inspiring. I hurried to Dick and Wulfric. "They are using smoke. Wulfric you will have to judge when best to use the pigs. We have but two."

  "And where will you be, lord?"

  "We will sally forth when they attack the bridge."

  Wulfric frowned, "When the pigs are gone we will join you, lord."

  "You join me, Wulfric, when there is no threat to either this gate or the north gate. If we lose the bridge we can survive but if they gain entry to the castle then all is lost. Do not fear, help may yet arrive." I sounded more confident than I felt.

  Rolf, the Swabians and my men at arms awaited me at the sally port. Although Rolf and I would lead the Swabians my men would be close behind us. The eight of them, led by Karl, were like my Varangians, they preferred fighting on foot. There were but twenty of us and two were squires but each of us was covered in mail and well armed. We were attacking from their sword side. Unless they turned they would have no defence. The archers on the bridge and on the walls would have clear targets.

  I nodded to Rolf and he opened the gate. Old Raymond could not fight but he was a gatekeeper and he would close and bar the gate once we had gone.

  "Good luck, my lord! Gut the bastards!"

  We slipped through and formed up in the narrow strip of land between the walls and the river. I was on the right. Already the smoke was making men cough. The castle deflected most of it to the sky but it still formed a thin fog and the river was covered in it. I could hear the clamour from the northern and eastern walls. It was the closest part of the castle to the enemy. I wished I could be there with my son but I was needed here.

  We waited, hidden by the wall. I saw the handful of archers behind their barriers releasing arrow after arrow. I knew that a column of men was advancing. Robert of Derby commanded the archers and I knew he had spied me. He and his archers would fall back just before the enemy rushed the bridge. That would be our signal to attack.

  The noise of battle spread to the east wall. I heard cries and screams. Suddenly one of the crudely made ladders we had seen slid before us into the river taking two Frenchmen to a watery grave. I noted where the ladder lay; it would not do to trip over it. We needed to hit their column in a solid mass. I saw Robert wave his arm and shout, "Fall back!"

  I said, "Now!"

  The French knight leading the column must have thought victory was his. They ran hard to the barrier. Rolf and I saw them as we passed the end of the castle. With our two shields held before us and swords at the ready we ran hard into the middle of the Frenchmen. The two of us took five out with our attack. Two fell to our swords while the other three were knocked to the ground. Robert and my archers had stopped and were releasing their arrows at point blank range. The knight who led had his throat pierced by Robert of Derby's arrow. It emerged from the back of his neck. Now that we were free from the restriction of the narrow neck of land we spread out and a half circle of Swabians and Stocktonians began to harvest the French column.

  I swept my sword sideways while holding my shield to protect Rolf's right side. A spear jabbed beneath my sword and struck my side. The pressure went when the spearman's throat was slashed. They outnumbered us but they were being attacked from three different directions. My archers in the bridge and the bridge tower rained arrows on them while we relentlessly harvested their bodies.

  Suddenly there was a whoosh and a wall of flame as Wulfric released the first of the pigs. Without turning I knew what was happening. The ditch had been filled with faggots and men. The burning pig had ignited the faggots and it was now a pyre of burning bodies. "On, we end this now!"

  We had impetus and I took blows on my shield as I slashed and stabbed at the enemy who had had victory snatched from them with a flying pig! When they broke and fled they were not immune from danger. My archers continued to rain death upon them. Then I heard the horn sound three times. The north wall was in danger! The shortest way to help my son and Leofric was to go towards the enemy rather than through the castle. I yelled to my men, "Follow me!"

  We chased the fleeing Frenchmen as they ran along the road. It was no longer as slippery as it had been but it was now littered with the dead, dying and wounded. Those who were tardy or slipped before us were slain but we hurried on. I glanced to the left and saw Wulfric, his men at arms, and my archers rushing to the beleaguered men on the north wall. As we neared the end of the east wall I saw that there were ladders thrown up against the wall. I saw that many had been knocked down and the ditch was filled with faggots of wood and bodies. My defenders had done well.

  There was no time for order. This was a time for action, "Charge!!"

  We ran into their flank. Once more surprise gave us the edge. Our shields were superior and we were heavier men. We ran into them with swords held forward. Those near to the ditch were knocked within. My sword tore through the thigh of a man at arms. The bright blood spurted as he tumbled to the ground. I took a blow from an axe on my shield and, dropping to one knee rammed my sword up through the jaw of the warrior.

  "Rolf take your men and clear this side of the ditch.""

  "Aye! This is sport, is it not? This is better than guarding a palace!"

  "Stockton, on me!" My six men stood in a half circle. "We cross the ditch and destroy the ladders."

  I led the way across the undulating pile of bodies both living and dying. I was relieved to reach the narrow strip of land next to the walls without falling. Theobald and Stephen the Grim were behind me. We ran as a small wedge. I did not stop when I reached the first ladder. I held my shield close to me and relied on the weight of my two men at arms. Our weight worked; the ladder toppled to the west and I heard screams as the men on the top began to fall. They crashed into the next ladder which wobbled also and then tumbled into the ditch. We ran on. Theobald suddenly fell into the ditch as a javelin was thrown into his right arm. The thrower was felled by Karl. Stephen the Grim and I continued with the other five in close attendance. We smashed into the already wobbling ladder which now fell into the ditch. Behind me I heard the death cries as my men at arms slew those who had survived the fall.

  We had reached the northern gate and there were two ladders. I shouted, "Leopold fetch your axe!"

  My man at arms ran up. I stepped aside and he swung his axe at the ladder. He sheared it in two and it fell backwards away from the wall. Leopold did not stop. He ran to the second ladder and did the same.

  "Shields!" The six of us stood with our shields locked to guard the gate. "Rolf, fall back!"

  As they edged back I saw Theobald crawl from the ditch and, clutching his right arm, made his way to us. Guy de Senonches had seen his opportunity. He and his knights thundered towards us. There were just eight of them with their squires and twenty men at arms but they held lances and spears. This was the reserve he had kept for just such an opportunity.

  "Shield wall!"

  Rolf and his Swabians dropped to their knees before us and we held our shields horizontally across the top of theirs. All of us held our swords before us like a steel hedge. This would be a test of our shields, our mail and, most of all, our nerve. Suddenly, when the horses were a hundred paces from us the sky became darker as Dick and his archers loosed volley after volley of arrows. Horses fell. Knights were struck and either veered away or fell from their mounts. Yet still they came. The closer they came the more damage our arrows caused. Yet I saw de Senonches, flanked by two men at arms as he managed to evade every missile. He seemed to bear a charmed life. The three of them punched with their lances. Two failed to strike as arrows took their riders before the blow could strike but De Senonches' went into a Swabian before me.

  I saw Sir Guy de Senonches's eyes; they flamed with fury. He wheeled his horse around and galloped north. Three arrows struck his back but still
he did not fall. He had good mail. Above me I heard a cheer. We had won. We lowered our shields and stood. Then I saw that the Swabian who lay with a lance through him was Karl. Rolf had lost another brother and I had lost a friend. I had another reason to end the life of De Senonches.

  Above me Sir Thurstan yelled, "Victory! We have prevailed!"

  I turned and looked up at the gate. If my son had sounded the horn then he was in danger. I saw his face, Leofric's and Sir Thurstan's peering down at me. They cheered as I turned and I raised my sword in acknowledgement. We had won and it was one of those victories I could savour. My own family had survived and survived with honour. It had been against the odds and we had paid for it with the lives of irreplaceable men such as Karl, but a victory was a victory no matter how expensively bought.

  Chapter 20

  I looked up at the sky, the afternoon was rapidly turning into dusk. We had carefully laid our dead together and piled the enemy ready for a pyre when night fell. From the walls I heard a sentry cry, "A knight and men at arms, my lord!"

  "Is it the French?"

  "I know not. I do not recognise the banner."

  The sentry was one of my archers and that meant it could not be the Earl of Gloucester either. "Stand to. Archers to the walls!"

  I wearily picked up my shield as did Rolf and Wulfric. The others were within the walls. There were just the Swabians and my men who were left without. We formed a hurried defensive line. The north gate was still nailed shut. I did not want us caught in the open. This way we could be protected by Dick and his archers.

  There were two or three knights and twenty five men at arms. Their banner was furled and I could not make out the surcoat. The knight's helmet covered the top half of his face. It made identification difficult.

  "Who is it my lord? An enemy?"

  "It is likely to be, Wulfric, if it was a friend they would have un unfurled banner and we would recognise them."

  When they were thirty paces from us I shouted, "Halt and identify yourselves lest I have my archers unleash death!"

  A voice I vaguely recognised said, "And Dick is a fine archer I know that!" He raised his helmet and I saw that it was my friend and fellow knight of the Empress, Sir Guy de la Cheppe.

  Rolf roared, "Do not give a scare like that again or I shall have to box your ears!" There was joy in his voice for Sir Guy was our oathsworn.

  Sir Guy dismounted and, as he did so saw Karl's body. "Karl is dead?"

  "Aye and Godfrey. Along with Sir Edward we are the last four Knights of the Empress. Come let us speak within my castle. We all have much to share. Wulfric finish off here. We will bury our dead by the flames from the death fire."

  Dick had come to greet the knight with whom we had fought alongside when the Emperor was still alive. He grinned at Sir Guy. "I hesitated, lord, else you would be dead. Next time tell the Earl of Cleveland your name sooner. You will live longer."

  "I have often told my friends of your skill with a war bow and they never believe me."

  After I had introduced him to Sir Thurston, Sir Leofric and my son, we sat around the fire and we toasted the dead. I told him of the three day siege and our victory. Wulfric joined us as we were finishing. "My lord, do you want us to light the pyre now?"

  I looked at Rolf and he nodded, "We will. Come let us do honour to our comrades."

  We first lit the fire on the enemy dead. It was not a mark of disrespect. Their bodies had been laid out with reverence. They would not be left for carrion. When the flames had taken hold and the graveyard was illuminated by the leaping flames we put our fifteen comrades into their graves. Each one still held their sword. We placed a board over their bodies and then rocks. Everyone who had fought took part in the ceremony. We each laid rocks until they were covered and then we each took spadefuls of earth and did the same. It joined us and the dead together. We would all remember them and talk of them on cold winter nights when great deeds were recalled. By the time we had finished there were fifteen graves, each with a cross made of broken spears.

  I said my words first, "Thank you warriors. We fought together and you did your duty. Go now to God. You will serve him in heaven as you served me on earth."

  Then Rolf took Karl's surcoat and laid it on the grave. "Karl you are the last of my oathsworn. Whenever I fought you were there with your sword and your shield. One day I will join you and the others. Until then keep a place for me."

  It was a sombre procession which re-entered the castle. I was remembering the times I had fought with Karl. For Rolf, having been a young knight with Karl, there were even more memories. Once back in my hall I broached another jug of wine. "Well, Sir Guy, on with your tale. I am intrigued at the reason for your visit."

  "As you know my manor is close to France. I owe feudal rights to King Louis even though I live in the Empire. I was approached a month or so ago. I was asked if I wished to be part of a venture to capture land in Blois, Anjou and Maine. I did not need the coin it would bring and so I refused besides it did not sit well to attack those who were my friends. Then I began to hear rumours. I heard of a new lord of the manor on the Angevin border; a knight who had incurred the enmity of King Louis. When I heard that he was close to the Empress and Count Geoffrey I became uncomfortable. I had my men ask questions and discovered, just six days since, that Guy de Senonches was bringing a large force here to capture your castle and that you were the new lord. There were rumours of great quantities of treasure."

  "As with many things that Guy de Senonches says, it is a lie."

  He nodded, "I have met the man and he is a snake. We rode hard. On the road we met stragglers who had been involved in the attack. We met the first yesterday."

  "He must have been a deserter."

  "He was. He told us how you had used sorcery and magic to destroy men."

  I laughed, "That sorcery was a pig skin filled with pig fat and ignited."

  "Just so." He laughed. "Today we met others who said that the siege had failed and many men had been slain. Now that I have seen the pyre I can see they were speaking true." He emptied his goblet. "I am sorry that I did not arrive in time."

  "Perhaps you did. How stand you in regard to de Senonches?"

  "I am not certain what you mean?"

  "Have you sworn an oath not to take arms against him?"

  "Of course not. Why?"

  "I intend to kill him and take back the tax and gold his man stole from my people."

  "His castle is not as good as this one but, even so, you do not have enough men to assault its walls."

  "With your help I do not need to."

  "I am intrigued."

  I spent an hour going through an idea which had just come to me. Even as I told it I was refining it. They all nodded as I spoke.

  Rolf nodded, "I like it! I wish vengeance on that man."

  Sir Guy said, "And I owe a brother knight. I will help you."

  "Sir Leofric, you will stay here with the garrison of those who were wounded and your own retainers. It should suffice until the Earl of Gloucester or the Count of Anjou come. We have held longer than I promised. They should come soon. We ride in the morning and catch the tail of this villain."

  "What of the treasure, mail and horses, lord?"

  "The horses can be used by Sir Thurstan's men. Divide the other between the four knights who defended the manor."

  Sir Thurstan said, "But I only had a few men!"

  "Nonetheless you took the same risk. This way you might be able to afford more men at arms and better mail."

  We left before dawn. It was two hard day's riding which lay ahead of us. Our only advantage was that Guy de Senonches would have had to skirt Le Mans. We could take a more direct route. We would gain time. Sir Roger had not seen any sign of the band.

  "Were you attacked?"

  "No but I heard that the Earl of Gloucester and Stephen of Blois met a large enemy battle at the border with Blois. They faced each other for three days and then the French, wisely, withdrew."
>
  "Then our precautions and plans paid off."

  "So it would seem. You were the only ones who suffered losses. At least, that is the way it appears."

  I shrugged, "I was always the target. I would not have others suffer for me and now I end this."

  "Would you like more men?"

  Shaking my head I said, "If I cannot achieve this with what I have then I will have failed anyway. I pray you send a report to the King and the Earl to tell them what I am about."

  We spent some hours catching up with our lives. He had not heard of the Christmas assassination at my castle nor about the privations on the border. He, it seems, had risen in the nobility of the Empire. Although his father had died and his elder brother had inherited the title, Sir Guy was now the lord of three manors.

  I felt heartened as we headed towards the border with France. Bloodshed had been avoided and King Henry had lost neither land nor face. If I could end this now it would be a good year. I rode in silence. We had come so close to disaster and yet it looked like we would be stronger than ever. Count Geoffrey and the King were reconciled. I had still to discover the poison in Anjou but that would come.

  There was a huge forest to the south of Senonches. We halted there while we prepared for the last part of the journey. There was just a couple of hours until dusk and we were but four miles from the castle. Much depended upon Sir Guy de la Cheppe. His squire and three other men at arms would accompany him. They were all volunteers. Dick and six of my archers had also volunteered for a crucial part of the plan. Once we reached the edge of the wood we saw the town just a mile away. A large patch of water protected one side leaving just the main gate to guard.

  "Good luck, Sir Guy."

  "I would not have my manor if it was not for you, Earl. It is an honour." He looked at Dick, "Let us hope you have not lost your touch my friend."

  Dick took his art seriously, "Never, my lord."

  "Then let us do this."

  He spurred his horse and the five rode hard to the castle. They played their part well and shouted as they galloped. Dick and his archers gave them a forty pace start and then followed. I wondered if Dick had misjudged it for he appeared to be closing with the men at arms. I could see men appearing on the battlements. Dick and his archers suddenly stopped and knocked arrows. Dick and Ralph of Wales were the ones who would aim. The others loosed away from the fleeing men. Dick and Ralph sent two arrows at Sir Guy's young squire. One struck the cantle the other barely glanced off the squire's helmet. He leaned to the side as though he had been hit. The two men of arms rode next to him to support him. It was a perfect piece of play acting. Crossbow bolts flew from the battlements and my archers rode hard for the forest. They galloped past us and then reined in.