Kingmaker (The Anarchy Book 12)

by Griff Hosker

  "Aye lord."

  "Ralph, collect armour and weapons."

  It was a harsh reality that we had to look after ourselves first. Others had fought and would claim the booty for themselves. Richard and I rode towards the priests who had gathered the wounded, "You did well today, Richard. That was bravely done to carry the two banners."

  "I was honoured, lord."

  "Soon you will be a knight. Not this year but next."

  "I am still happy to be your squire."

  "I know but I need knights such as you. The war I fight will last some time."

  Edgar was on his feet when we reached the improvised hospital. His arm was bandaged and I saw another around his head. There were two cloaks covering my surcoats. Two of my men had died. That was a grievous loss. Edgar saw my glance as I dismounted and said, "Henry of Langdale and Gurth."

  "Gurth?" Edgar nodded. "He had served me a long time."

  "He died well. They both did."

  "Leopold?"

  "His armour save him but it will be some time before he can fight. The cut was deep."

  "And the others?"

  "Leopold's is the worst."

  "We will send them back to Rouen. You will command them. I do not want to risk them more."

  "Are you not finished here, lord?"

  "I think that the Duke will need to punish the Count. He will need our aid."

  He nodded, "The young Prince did well."

  "Aye he did. It would have been easy just to charge in but he brought the knights in solid lines."

  "He will be a good king... in time."

  I smiled, "You mean when I have finally defeated Stephen the Usurper?"

  Edgar laughed, "That is not in doubt lord. If you had command of all of the Empress' armies, then it would be King Henry already!" Edgar had fought alongside me longer than most and I accepted his praise.

  After I had spoken to all of my men I sought out Ralph and Alan. "Have the booty placed on the horses. Edgar will escort it and the wounded back to Rouen. When William of Kingston returns it can be placed aboard the ships."

  It was dark by the time we returned to the castle. The prisoners were all being guarded and the baron and his family were with the Duke. He rose when I reached him. "We will hold a trial on the morrow, Earl. I would like you to be the judge. Choose twelve knights to be the baron's jury."

  I nodded.

  Henry asked, "Has Dick returned?"

  "Not yet. But you know Dick. He will want to make sure that the enemy has fled. He is a careful warrior."

  Duke Geoffrey said, "It seems you are luckier in your knights than I. I have traitors in my midst. I cannot see any of your knights betraying you. Rather they would die for you."

  "I am lucky, I know that."

  Henry shook his head, "It is not luck Earl. It is skill and I will try to acquire that skill too. When I am king I will surround myself with loyal knights and I will be unstoppable!"

  I was woken in the middle of the night when Dick returned. He looked tired. "They took the road to Bruges, lord. They left their dead in their wake. They will not be a threat for some time."

  "Good. Get some rest. Tomorrow I need you to be a member of the jury which tries Baron Guillame D'Aubigny."

  "A trial? Why not just hang the bastard?"

  "You sound like Wulfric." I laughed, "Because the Duke needs to be seen as a man who abides by the law. He will still die but we will do it legally."

  The Duke summoned the priest when he awoke. He had problems focussing. The priest gave him a draught of something which eased the pain. "I will have a couch brought so that I can observe the goings on."

  I had never judged a trial but I had held enough assizes to know the principle. It seemed simple. I would ask for testimony and then the knights I had chosen would decide if he was guilty. My task would then be to pass sentence. I had done my best to be fair. I had chosen only those knights, like Dick, who could be trusted to be fair. That was my way. We held the trial in the outer bailey. The baron's family were present as were the rest of the knights. I was given a chair which had been rescued from the keep.

  After the jury had been seated I began. "We are here to discover if Baron Guillame D'Aubigny is guilty of treason." I pointed to the priest who held the cross and a box containing holy relics. "Each man who speaks must first put his hands upon the cross and the pyx and swear that they tell the truth. Robert of Mortain, take the oath."

  After he had been sworn in I began my questions. "Did you ride to Rouen and tell Duke Geoffrey that Abbeville was under attack from the men of Flanders?"

  He could not deny it as we had all heard him and he nodded.

  "Speak your answer so that all men may hear."

  "I did."

  "Were the Flemish warriors attacking Abbeville?" He hesitated and I looked pointedly at the priest, "Your soul is at stake, Robert of Mortain."

  "He shook his head, "No they were not."

  "Was it your decision to lie or another's?"

  "It was the baron who issued my orders. He was my liege lord." He flashed a guilty look at his master.

  I waved the messenger away and said, "Baron Guillame D'Aubigny, come and take the oath."

  The baron strode defiantly forward and placed his hand on the box and the cross. "The words I speak shall be the truth. I may lose my life but I will not be damned."

  The man had courage. His two sons, his daughter and his wife huddled together with fearful expressions upon their faces. His words had brought home his fate.

  "Did you send Robert of Mortain with false information to deceive the Duke of Normandy?"

  "I did."

  His answer took me by surprise. I had expected more. "Do you wish to add anything?"

  He shrugged, "I could say that I prefer to be ruled by Count Thierry rather than an Angevin who is little better than a robber baron but that would avail me nothing. Let my peers make their judgement and then I will hear your sentence."

  There was much to be admired in this knight despite his perfidy. I turned to the knights. "You have heard the evidence. Do you need time to deliberate?"

  Gilbert de Bois shook his head, "No, lord. The baron has condemned himself. We are all agreed. He is guilty."

  I suddenly realised that I would have to deliver the death sentence. There was no other way. I could, however, make it a swift end. I would not order a slow death or a dishonourable death. There were other sentences. I rose, "Baron Guillame D'Aubigny, your peers have found you guilty of treason. Your actions caused the deaths of many noble knights and could have ended the life of a future king of England. I have little choice other than to order your death." I turned to the Duke, "Do you have an executioner, my lord?"

  He waved over a huge man at arms who carried a double handed sword. I saw that he was a Swabian, "Guiscard will carry out the sentence."

  I nodded, "Then, baron, I give you a short time to take leave of your family and to confess your sins." I looked at the sky, "You will be executed at noon. May God have mercy on your soul."

  The Duke had appeared ill at ease during the trial and he barely made it to the execution before he keeled over and the priest rushed to him. Henry looked terrified, "Father!"

  The priest said, "It is the result of the fall. I warned him not to leave his bed."

  I shouted, "Have a tent erected here in the bailey for the Duke and fetch a bed from the keep."

  The baroness pointed an accusing finger at the Duke, "This is a punishment from God!" She glared at me, "And you too, Warlord, will be punished."

  I smiled, "Lady I have been punished enough. There is little that God could take from me."

  By the next morning the Duke had recovered enough to hold a council of war with his leaders. There were four of us present. "I had thought to punish Count Thierry by taking my army into Flanders and bringing him to battle but I fear we do not have the men thanks to the baron's treachery. We need to show Flanders that we are not to be taken lightly. Warlord, what would you s
uggest?"

  "I agree with you, lord, that we cannot fight a major battle but our allies in Hainaut and Holland might gain some respite if we were to use four conroi to make raids into their heartland and take horses and the smaller castles."

  "Five."

  I looked at Henry, "Five?"

  "I have my own men and I can do as you suggest, Earl."

  His defiant stance told me that he was ready to argue. His father, however, made the decision for me. "Of course you shall lead a conroi but it will be a larger one than the twenty men. Richard of Thiberville, you and your men will form the conroi for my son. Let us see what the young cockerel can do."

  Sir Richard sounded less than enthusiastic when he intoned, "Aye, lord. I am yours to command."

  While Henry conferred with his father I took Sir Richard to one side. "Henry will listen to advice. He is young but he has a sound mind."

  "Then perhaps he should lead your men, Earl!"

  "Perhaps he should but I think his father thought an Angevin should lead the men of Anjou and Normandy. After all he will be Duke of Normandy one day and then he will command you. Who knows this may well advance your position."

  I could see that he had not thought this through. He nodded, "You are right and I apologise. You have fought alongside him I know."

  "Do not forget, Sir Richard, that but for his intervention then the Duke and I might be dead. He handled that well did he not?"

  "Aye he did."

  I left the meeting and hurried to find Dick and my men. They had made a camp some way from the Normans and Angevin. They were Englishmen and preferred their own company. "We ride at dawn. We have free rein to raid Flanders." Their faces lit up. They knew that this would be an opportunity to make a fortune. "We will take palfreys rather than warhorses. I do not want to risk damaging such valuable creatures. We will raid Poperinge first. It is close to Hainaut and I would help Lothair if I could. Besides it is deep in enemy land and they will not expect us to strike there."

  I looked at their faces. They were eager. "Wilfred, in the absence of Edgar I would have you lead the men at arms. Have those with slight wounds remain in camp to watch our horses. We will be raiding a second time. All will have the opportunity to become rich." That pleased them all.

  Henry came to see me before I retired. "Am I ready for this?" He had offered his sword and now wondered at the wisdom of his actions. It showed he was still reckless but he had given his word and could not go back on it.

  "I would have spoken up if I was in any doubt. Sir Richard is an experienced knight. Do not be afraid to seek his advice. It does not show weakness. Have you decided where you will raid?"

  "Le Touquet. I wished to try Boulogne but Sir Richard told me that its defences were formidable. Le Touquet is close enough to Boulogne and is smaller."

  I smiled, "You are learning. This is about hurting the Flemish and not our own men. Whatever we take from their people will hurt them and help the Normans."

  "And you?"

  "We go to Poperinge. It is deep enough into enemy land for them to feel safe but the land is flat. Besides it will aid the Count of Hainaut. He is our ally."

  His face fell, "I should have realised that. You think of everything, Earl."

  "I have been doing this for over a quarter of a century. You will learn. You have learned much already." I was not flattering him. In the last year he had ceased to be a youth and was becoming a man. I was proud of him.

  Chapter 12

  We left before dawn for we had seventy miles to travel to Poperinge. Ralph of Wales and Garth son of Gurth were the archers who scouted. Garth had pleaded with Dick to be allowed to do so. He wished to show us that his father's death had not affected him. We allowed it. He was a good archer and had many of his father's skills as a swordsman. He was a good companion for the older Ralph

  As we rode Richard questioned me, "Why Poperinge, lord?"

  "It is close to Hainaut but it is also a growing town which does not have a city wall. They make fine cloth and that is a valuable commodity. If we are successful then Flanders will have to draw men from the border with Hainaut to defend the land."

  "Then we will need to capture wagons to carry the cloth."

  "Good! You are doing as I do. You see the problems and then find solutions. Tell me what other problems will follow the capture of the cloth."

  "If we have to capture wagons then we will travel back more slowly."

  "And that is why I left before dawn. It will take us twice as long to get back." I swept a hand around me. "And the route I have chosen passes few places." We had travelled some thirty miles and had not seen a castle. We had barely seen anything larger than a village. We had skirted all but the most isolated farm. When we returned, we would ride down the main road but I wished to reach our destination unseen.

  Garth rode back with the news that they had found the town. "There is no river, lord and the wall is a wooden palisade intended to keep animals out."

  "Are there sentries?"

  "It looks like there is a town watch."

  "Good. We will give them plenty of warning of our arrival. Dick, have ten of your men ride around the town. When they flee allow women and children to escape. Any wagons should be stopped. If the men resist then they will die."

  "You want them to flee." It was a statement and not a question.

  "Aye, I want them to leave their cloth and save their lives. We make a bold show and frighten them to death!"

  We reached the outskirts earlier than I had expected and I organised us in two lines. With the men at arms in the fore Dick's archers looked like a second line of mailed horsemen for they all wore helmets. We crested the low rise before the town and then cantered across the open ground. The hooves of our horses made the ground shake. I heard the church bell sounding the alarm. I kept an eye on the gate. They did not bother to shut it and the sentries on the walls fled. It was not cowardice. Had they tried to stand against us they would have been slaughtered. It was a wise decision.

  We galloped through the gate and I saw that doors were swinging open showing how swiftly they had fled. My men knew their duties. Some went to find the wagons we would need. I had no doubt that every horse had been used in the flight. My archers would bring those back. Others went to find the lace and cloth which were as valuable as gold. My archers returned with half a dozen horses. Will Red Legs was grinning, "The men on the horses almost filled their breeks my lord when we emerged from the woods."

  "Did you have to hurt any?"

  He shook his head, "We just pointed our bows at them and they gave us the horses without a murmur!"

  Long Tom shouted, "We have found two decent sized wagons, lord."

  "Then, if you use six horses to each one, we should be able to move at a good pace. Find anything else of value. Look in their hiding places. I want to leave within the hour."

  "Aye lord."

  With Dick and his outriders ahead of us we made rapid progress along the main roads. If there was any opposition then it fled before us. We arrived back at Abbeville after dark. As we approached the castle we could hear great celebrations within. As we passed the first of the sentries I halted, "What is going on?"

  The man grinned, "It is the Duke's son! He has had a great victory. He and Sir Richard came upon a column of men heading for Boulogne with treasure collected by the men of Flanders. He slew four men and captured great quantities of gold and silver as well as many knights who yielded to him. They talk of him as the next Warlord!"

  I was pleased at Henry's success but the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I did not know why for I could see nothing wrong in this happy turn of events but my father had always taught me to trust my instincts; would that I had.

  I turned to Dick, "Have the wagons and cloth stored safely."

  "Aye lord. It is good news about the young lord is it not?"

  "It is, Dick. He has grown."

  "And much of that is to do with you, my lord."

  When we reac
hed the king's camp I saw that everyone had been drinking heavily. Duke Geoffrey looked a little better. He tried to rise as I approached, "No, my lord, stay seated."

  "Have you heard, Earl? My son has achieved a great victory! In one fell swoop we have punished Count Thierry for his treachery!"

  "And you are looking better too."

  "It is nothing, Earl. The priests worry overmuch. Did you have success?"

  "We did. We relieved the burghers of Poperinge of some cloth."

  He looked disappointed, "Cloth? You are slipping, Earl! My son found gold and in great quantities too!"

  I smiled at the insult. The cloth was a bonus. We had ridden deep into Flanders and returned unmolested. That would draw men from the border of Hainaut. I had not managed to turn Geoffrey into a great leader. I hoped I would have more success with Henry.

  The young Prince bounded over to me. He was in his cups and his red cheeks showed that. I could not blame him. He had led his first independent command and been successful. Who was I to gainsay him?

  "Did you hear, Earl? What a victory!" He waved over a servant who thrust some wine into my hand, "Come, celebrate with me and let me tell you all."

  "Of course." As I sat I thought of my other son, William. I had missed the opportunity to hear of his success for we had been separated by the English Channel. This was a chance to make amends.

  "We came upon the Flemish force. I used scouts as you had taught me." He leaned in and said in what he thought was a quiet voice, "Thiberville did not think to do so!" I glanced up and saw that the Norman had heard those words. "When we discovered them I sent riders ahead and then swept down on the column. We rode boot to boot and we scythed through them! I slew two knights and took many prisoners!"

  "Well done."

  "But that is not the best." I was pleased that although he had drunk he was not drunk. His eyes were still bright and his words cogent. "We found chests of coins and they were fresh minted from France. King Louis might be off to the Crusades but he still intends his allies to make mischief. We have hurt Flanders and we can now retire back to Normandy! We need raid no more. There will be little of more value to take. Your plan was a good one." He glanced over to the Duke, "Even if my father does not recognise your true worth, I do." He raised his goblet, "Warlord!"