Kingmaker (The Anarchy Book 12)

by Griff Hosker

  Chapter 10

  As soon as William left me I sent Dick and some of my archers to La Flèche for funds. William would need ships and he would need money. My money meant nothing; blood meant all. I would ensure that he had all that he needed in the Holy Land. Matilda heard from Henry of my loss and she came to see me with her ladies.

  "You have had more calamity and tragedy in your life. This is unfair."

  I nodded. Their sympathy was not what I needed. It would make me more upset. "We bear these events with fortitude. It is what makes us men." I gave her a sad look. "Perhaps I am being punished for my sins."

  Her hand went to the cross about her neck and her eyes showed the pain. "Perhaps and it may be that I too am being punished by God." She forced a smile upon her lips. "And your son now goes on Holy Crusade?"

  "He does. He now speaks with the Duke. I fear he will not return to Ouistreham."

  Maud came close to me, "Should you need somewhere private I have my own chapel."

  "Thank you Empress but I shall keep busy. We need to find a ship to take him across the Middle Sea. If 'Adela' came into port then that would solve a problem."

  "Is she due in?"

  "She will be making her next voyage any time soon."

  "Then perhaps God will make up for your trials by sending her in time."

  I did not see William until the evening. He spent all the time closeted with the Duke. Henry, too, was involved in the discussions. It seemed I was to be excluded. The three of them emerged from the Duke's chambers. Geoffrey approached me, "I have tried to dissuade him, Earl. This is hasty and we both need him here but he is adamant."

  I knew that my son was like me. Once he gave his word it was like a steel covenant. "He has sworn an oath, lord and they are always binding. We must make the best of it and besides, it is not the end of the world. Your father went there and became King. Others have served and returned home. I pray for the latter."

  He nodded, “Then I will pay for his passage to the east. He deserves that for the service he has given me.” The Duke turned to his son, "Come Henry, let us leave the Earl and his son to speak."

  I saw the gratitude on William's face as they left us alone and we could talk. "Now we just need ships."

  "I am hoping that my ships will be here soon. I would not normally use them again but a voyage to the Holy Land might not be the trial the German Sea would present."

  "And how would you get home?"

  "Do not worry about that. Besides we have unfinished business with the Count of Flanders."

  "I am sorry that I will not be here to aid you with that task. I would enjoy riding through Flanders with you and Henry. He will be a good king, in time."

  "And you are a good knight, William. In case I do not get a chance to tell you again know that. I am as proud of you as any man is of his son. I would choose you to guard my back in any battle against any odds. I know that your mother would have been proud of you."

  "Until I sinned she might. Now I think that she would disown me."

  "You could not have saved your family. I was not at home when your mother and sister died."

  "No, but mother chose to sacrifice herself and you were obeying the King's command. It is not the same."

  I could not convince him otherwise. We spent some time discussing his vague plans. He knew he wanted to go to fight in the east but he only had a vague destination in mind. When my men returned it was with the bad news that there were no ships to be had but we had the supplies. My reputation meant that I was given time to pay for them. It was not altruism. Without ships in port there were no other buyers.

  Three days later my men rode in with the chest of coins to pay for the goods we had bought. William was loath to accept it but I smiled, "Consider it your inheritance. If you are in the Holy Land when I die how will you get it? Besides I am sure we will continue to make profits. When you are in the Holy Land, if you need any funds then send to me."

  "You have done more than enough already."

  "A father can never do enough for his son."

  My two ships pulled in to the quay two days later. I had been distracted for those two days as the Empress had gone to live in the Priory. It was as if my world was being turned upside down. I went with William and Henry to the quay. William of Kingston beamed when he saw us, "Are you ready to come home, lord?"

  I shook my head, "No and I have a commission for you and for Ethelred's ship."

  He frowned, "It is getting close to the autumn storms lord...."

  "I wish you to take my son and his men to the Holy Land."

  I had stunned him. I decided to put his mind at rest immediately. "Both crews will be paid. The Duke of Normandy is paying. You will also be able to trade with Constantinople. I have contacts there and you can make a fortune for yourselves."

  "I need no convincing, lord. It is just that my wife will worry. She is expecting our second child and I told her I would return before she gave birth."

  My son said, "Think of the gifts you can bring to her from the east. They have clothes finer than anything they have here."

  My captain bowed, "I am the Earl's to command. It will take until the evening to unload. If we are to sail then I would like it to be on the morning tide. I will have to see if I can buy charts for I know not those waters."

  "So be it."

  Henry and my son hurried off to organize the horses and men. I told my captain why my son was going. His face fell, "My lord I am so sorry. I would have said nothing had I known. I should have realised that there would be a good reason."

  "And had I know that Morag was with child I might not have made the offer to my son. Have a swift voyage and a safe one."

  The parting was hard. It was not just me who was affected. Most of my men had known William since he had been a child. The Duke had grown up with him. He was making the reverse of the journey I had made all those years ago. As my father might have said, wyrd! My son and I had said our goodbyes in private and while others spoke I remained silent. I did not take my eyes from my son. I wanted to remember him. I fixed every detail of his face in my head. I wished I had had an artist make a likeness of him. It was too late now. As the two merchant ships headed down the Seine towards the sea I wondered if I would ever see him again. If the war ended badly for us I might join him. The thought cheered me up.

  I did not have long to brood. The next day a rider rode in from the north. I saw him throw himself from his horse and then run into the Great Hall. I was with Henry and Richard. My leg had improved and I was practising with them. They were young and agile. It kept me on my toes; quite literally. One of the Duke's guards ran from the hall a short while after the messenger had entered, "Lord, the Duke wishes conference with you and his son."

  I could sense the excitement in Henry as he raced ahead, "Henry, it is unseemly for a future king to run even if it is his father who commands. He will not speak until I am there at any rate. Walk with me."

  He obeyed for he still heeded my commands.

  When I entered I saw that the Duke had convened a hasty counsel of war. He was surrounded by his barons and earls. He looked up when I entered, "Earl this rider, Robert of Mortain, is from the castle at Abbeville. The Baron Guillame D'Aubigny has been attacked by Thierry of Flanders. We are needed. The castle of Abbeville guards the crossing of the Seine. If it falls then the enemy can attack us anywhere! What is our best course of action?"

  I went over to the map. "Why?"

  All eyes were upon me. "What do mean, Earl? I cannot understand the question. You mean why go to his aid? Surely it is obvious. Flanders makes war on us."

  I knew the lands in question. I had studied the maps to occupy my mind in the days following my son's departure. I knew the value of knowledge. I gathered it whenever I could. "But why Abbeville? Why not Amiens where the river is easier to ford? He chooses the place with one bridge. The castle defends the one bridge. We would have to cross that bridge to reach the castle. We would be packed tightly and an e
asy target for an ambush."

  The Duke waved his hand as though dismissing my words. "We cannot leave the baron without aid."

  "I did not suggest that. You have a good garrison in Amiens?"

  "Sir Jean de Formerie was one of my father's old retainers. I gave him the manor as a reward for his long service. There is no one more reliable."

  "Then he will still hold it. It sits astride the Somme. You will, perforce, have to take warriors who are afoot. I will take my men at arms and horsemen. I have all mounted men. We will cross the river at Amiens and travel behind the enemy. His eye will be fixed on you. We should be able to attack his men from the east. He will not expect it. He cannot fight the castle, me and ambush you. It will enable you to raise the siege."

  Geoffrey of Anjou smiled, "A goodly plan but you do not have enough men. Gilbert de Bois, your conroi is all mounted. I wish you and Richard of Thiberville to go with the Earl under his command. That will add forty men to his numbers."

  "And I will go with my men." Henry straightened his back and faced his father.

  "Your men?"

  "My mother paid for twenty men at arms. They are my bodyguard." He grinned, "When the Earl's men are busy at any rate."

  "But that is dangerous."

  "If I am to rule England one day then I should face a little danger first. I need to know how to command men in battle is that not so, Warlord?" I nodded. "I ride with the Warlord of the North. I will be safe."

  Unlike me the Duke had more sons. He could afford to lose one and he nodded his agreement. If Henry died then Geoffrey would become the next Duke. "It did me no harm when I was your age. You have my permission. We will ride on the morrow."

  "Before we do how does the castle lie?" Unlike Geoffrey I wanted as much information as I could. The maps only told me part of the story. I needed information about the castle itself.

  Robert of Caen spoke, "There are two bridges and an island between. The island has trees and houses upon it. The castle has a stone keep and stands on a high piece of ground above the river."

  "Good. Theni have all that I need." I could picture the land now and a plan began to permeate my head.

  We had the longer journey and we left before dawn. The two knights who accompanied me were soon given a rude shock as my men rode hard. We were used to this and they were not. This was not a leisurely ride; this was a forced march. Even though we were travelling through friendly lands I had scouts out and we rode in a tight formation. It was noon when we crossed into the castle. We had been seen from afar.

  Sir John reminded me of my father. He was a greybeard and his paunch showed that it had been some years since he had campaigned. I could see why the Duke had rewarded him. Amiens was a fine castle. He rubbed his hands, "I will bring my men, lord! It is time I unsheathed my sword again."

  Shaking my head I said. "You can let us have twenty of your men at arms, but only if they are mounted. It would be useful to have men who know the land but the Duke needs you to hold this castle. They might well attack this one too. I would prepare for a siege."

  "You are right. Count Fulk always feared fighting you for you were like a rock. I shall try to copy you." As he turned he said, "You say the Flemish are besieging the castle?"

  "Aye."

  "Then I wonder why the castellan did not send to me? I am but a few miles away. It will have taken his man half a day to reach you. I could have gone to his aid within the hour."

  It set me to wondering too. The men of Flanders had shown themselves to be cunning. I would not take anything at face value. When we left, after watering the horses, I had my own men and sixty Normans too. I knew the Normans were not of the quality of mine but the force was large enough to be a threat to Count Thierry. We were all mounted and with my archers I had an edge which might tip the balance of a battle.

  Sir Jean gave us his sergeant at arms, Raymond, to lead his men at arms. He reminded me of Wulfric. He rode next to me and said, "You want to surprise these bandits from the north lord?"

  "I do."

  "There is a road comes from the north east, through Saint-Riquier. It is not the road the men from Flanders would have used. There is a forest until just a mile from Abbeville. It will hide you from his sight.”

  "Then lead us there."

  "We take that greenway ahead, lord."

  We pulled off the main road and headed down a greenway with a high hedge running down both sides. I waved Dick forward. "I fancy we can teach these Flemish men to fear our archers. When we reach the forest I will take half the men and attack the Flemish warriors. We will see if I can get them to pursue us back to the forest."

  "It will depend, lord on the forest. We need a clear line to our target. There are only thirty of us."

  Henry said, "Dick, thirty of you are worth a garrison of others." The future king knew the value of English archers better than any.

  The greenway twisted and turned. I confess I was completely lost and in the hands of the old warrior. We crossed small roads but still we kept along the greenway. Suddenly we burst out on to a road. The sergeant at arms pointed to the south, "There is your forest, lord, and beyond it Abbeville."

  "Dick, send two men ahead of us." He detailed Henry Warbow and Rafe to gallop off and scout out the road.

  The old sergeant at arms was correct. We were well hidden by the forest. The road did not run straight and it was a gloomy road. It suited us.

  Henry Warbow and Rafe galloped up as we saw the sky becoming lighter. "Lord, there are no siege works! The men of Flanders are not there."

  Henry said, "Has my father raised the siege?"

  Rafe shook his head, "I doubt it, my lord. The castle shows no sign of damage and there is no evidence of siege works. There are no counter castles, and neither ditches nor fascines."

  "It is a trap."

  Henry turned as I spoke and said, "What?"

  I turned to the old sergeant, "Is the castle at Abbeville a strong one?"

  Shaking his head he said, "A simple ditch with a lower bailey and then a stone tower for a keep. The baron has a garrison of no more than sixty men."

  "Rafe, what did you see?"

  "Just that lord, a stone keep with a wooden wall around it. We could take it. If an army came then it would have fallen."

  "Then we approach cautiously. Furl the standards. Alan of Osmotherley and Alain of Auxerre, watch Henry. Dick, keep your archers to the rear. They mark us as English."

  As we left the forest I saw ahead the castle and around it the houses of Abbeville. There was no sign of an army attacking. The standard of Normandy still flew. We rode easily down the road. I wanted whoever was in the castle to believe that we were the men of Flanders. I hoped they would believe we were reinforcements. I now knew that the castle had fallen or had surrendered. It mattered not which. I suspected treachery. This was a border castle and I knew the temptation to change sides might be greater here. This was a trap to get the Duke and his son.

  As we neared the castle I saw that the houses were still occupied. If there had been a siege they would have fled. As we rode through I raised my hand and waved. I smiled. I halted and turned to the Sergeant At Arms. "They know my surcoat. Ride ahead of us and pretend to be from Ypres. Say that I am Eustace of Ypres come to reinforce the Count."

  "You wish to get into the castle?"

  "I do. I would turn the tables on this Count. He thinks to trap the Duke. I intend to do the same to him."

  The sergeant rode ahead of us. His men spread out making it hard for them to make out my livery. The gate was closed but the bridge was over the ditch. As we approached I heard him shouting up to the guards on the top of the gate. I thought, at first, that it was going to work but then a sharp eyed sentry saw my archers.

  "English!"

  I spurred Edward on and shouted, "Dick! Clear the walls."

  His men were off their horses in an instant. We distracted the sentries by galloping towards the bridge. Their crossbows clattered as they sent bolts at us. I
took two on my shield. Then I saw two of the crossbow men pitch into the ditch as my archers did their deadly work.

  "Richard, Gunter, scale the walls!"

  The two of them rode over the bridge and jumped up to stand on their saddles. They pulled themselves up. A spearman ran at them. It was though a giant hand grabbed him as two arrows plunged into his chest and threw him from the wall. When my men reached the top, I saw Günter draw his sword and swing it around his head. He had a longer sword than most of my men and like all Swabians was a master with it. Richard disappeared. I had an anxious moment and then the gate opened and Richard stood there. The sergeant at arms galloped in with me. We chased after the remaining sentries. The gate into the upper bailey was open. I spurred Edward. He was the fastest horse I had owned. I was dimly aware of Henry and his guards on my right shoulder but their mounts would struggle to keep up with Edward. The enemy should have shut the gate but they held it open to allow the last couple of men through. Edward leapt in the air to clear the cowering man who had fallen before the gate and then I was through.

  I whirled his head as I slashed my sword at the men at arms who were trying to unhorse me. When Alain of Auxerre burst through and joined me I knew that we had succeeded. They would not close the gate again. The two of us whirled our horses around and our swords sent the men at arms fleeing towards the keep.

  Whoever commanded the keep, however, had learned their lesson and the huge door of the stronghold slammed shut. As my men galloped through the gate the men outside either surrendered or died. We were briefly troubled by a few crossbows until my archers arrived.

  "Edgar, you and Dick keep them occupied. Henry, come with me and we will see what tricks the men of Flanders have prepared."