Kingmaker (The Anarchy Book 12)

by Griff Hosker

  I saw that the prince had used his men's sacrifice to extend his lead. There was little point in pursuit. Our horses had charged and his were fresh. Durham was close and he would be within its walls inside an hour. I wheeled to my right and galloped towards Sir Harold. He and my men at arms were falling upon the backs of the Danes. Dick and his archers had now begun to target the Danes. Each archer was aiming at the gaps. The range was less than a hundred paces and at that distance their arrows could pierce their hide armour. The Danes were brave and they had nowhere to go. Flight would have meant their deaths anyway and so they closed ranks ready to strike at any horse or warrior who came too close. I saw one of Sir John of Elton's men at arms go too close to them and an axe hacked through both his leg and his horse.

  When he fell I shouted, "Hold! Dick, hold your arrows!" behind me I heard the sound of slaughter as Wulfric led my men at arms in a pursuit of the fleeing Scots but around the island of the Danes there was just the panting of breath and the stamping of horses. I shouted in Saxon, "Danes, you have done all that could be expected of you. If you stand we will slaughter you all. My archers have many arrows. It will not be a glorious death!"

  I wondered, briefly, if they would do as King Leonidas and his Spartans had done and resist to the end. I heard their voices behind their shields. There were just forty of them left alive. Finally a voice shouted, "What will happen to us if we surrender?"

  "We will escort you to Hartness and you can take ship. Use the coin the Scots paid you to go elsewhere and ply your trade. Miklagård still values axe men."

  "You will let us go?"

  "You are mercenaries. You were hired by a faithless prince who has abandoned you. I would not have you abroad in my land but you fought bravely and I respect that. Answer me quickly for my patience is worn thin."

  "We accept."

  "Then lower your shields." I turned to Sir Harold. "Take your conroi and Sir John's. Escort them to Hartness. Stay with them until they find ship."

  "Aye lord. Is this wise?"

  I pointed to Roger of Thorpe who lay with his dead horse. "I would not lose one more warrior. We have more important matters to consider."

  "Aye lord."

  I saw that Sir Tristan had taken some Scots prisoner. "Sir Tristan, guard those prisoners. I have questions for them and we need more slaves."

  "Aye lord."

  I dismounted to rest Edward and, as I stroked him, I began to plan my next moves in this battle for a throne.

  Chapter 17

  We left for home the next day. We made a barrow for our dead. Erre and Edgar were laid at the two ends and the rest of our warriors and their weapons between. Everyone who had fought helped to build the barrow and we laid turf on the top. It would stay by the road marking the place where so many had fulfilled their oaths. We had captured many horses and they took back the mail, gold and weapons we had collected. The Danes had been paid well and our men were richer. We made a pyre of the enemy dead and rode south with its black smoke billowing above our heads.

  Wulfric rode with me, "What now my lord? Do we besiege Durham?"

  "It would be a waste of time and men. They could laugh away a siege. No, we let the Prince lick his wounds. Those prisoners told me that King David is at Carlisle. I will go there with Sir Hugh. It is time I spoke to him directly. If he is an ally of the Empress and Henry FitzEmpress then it is time he acted like one."

  "He may not be pleased with your treatment of his son."

  "Equally he may not be happy with the actions of his son which do nothing for the honour of Scotland. My mind is made up. If I am to make a king of Henry then I need to act as his representative. I think my days as a warlord are numbered. You can only butt heads for so long. I need to talk. This war has gone on long enough."

  The proudest in my army were the boy slingers. They strode proudly through the gate of my town. I saw their anxious mothers watching for them. None had been harmed. At the head of them strode Tom, son of Watt clutching his bow and Will, son of Osbert with his captured sword on a Scottish belt. Richard had told me that they had both promised to become warriors like Edgar and Erre. They were the future.

  William of Kingston had still not returned from Normandy and so I was blind. I had no information. It would not change my plans. I sent for Alice. "I need my best surcoat. I am to travel to meet with a king."

  She smiled, "I had hoped you would, my lord. While Mary and her ladies were working on the tapestry I made two new ones. I also made one for Richard. A knight should have a well dressed squire."

  "Good. You are an angel. We will be leaving on the morrow."

  "I will sort some clothes out for you."

  "How is the tapestry, by the way? I thought that Mary's marriage would have dampened her interest."

  "They work on it every day. I think, now that she is with child, she enjoys talking to Morag about impending motherhood. It will be finished by Midsummer's Day."

  "And that is perfect for I have a mind to knight Richard then too."

  "I will begin the plans for the celebration. We rushed it for poor Sir Gilles."

  I knew I was being admonished, albeit gently. I did not mind. "What would I do without you Alice?"

  She blushed and left. John the Steward had been waiting outside. "You had a great success my lord."

  John saw things in terms of profit and loss. Men's lives seemed incidental. "Edgar and Erre do not think so."

  "I am sorry lord. I grieve for them. They were both fine men but Sir Wulfric told me that they died well. I meant no disrespect."

  I softened, "I know. I am to visit Carlisle but I would have Richard knighted in June and I think that Sir Gilles can take over Norton. I need a knight there and the others are settled."

  "He is a good choice, lord. I will begin the documents he will need."

  I waved a hand to dismiss him, "Thank you John."

  I went to my solar and wrote a letter to Matilda. It would have to wait until William returned for me to send it but I was anxious to tell her what I had done and what I had planned. I would not tell our son yet. He still had some of the impetuousness nature of his father. I would speak with King David before I spoke with him. The letter penned I stared across the river to the south. The river was still the border and the attack of the Scots had shown me how little land we actually held. We were prosperous it was true but if the Scots, or Stephen the Usurper chose to bring a huge army, then we would be defeated. There were no allies left in England. I could not win the war with the forces at my command. I would have to use other means; no matter how distasteful.

  I did not take Dick with me. I needed him to train more archers. I took four of his archers and four men at arms. It would be enough until we reached Sir Hugh. I was not going to war. I was going to talk. Aelric led my archers and Ralph of Nottingham led my men at arms. I needed Wilfred to take over Edgar's duties. It would take time for him to do so and he did not need me looking over his shoulder. I knew that Dick and Sir Harold would help him. We called at Piercebridge so that I could keep Sir Phillip informed about events. He offered me his men but I wanted all of my castles to be ready for any danger. The arrival of the Danes had been a warning.

  Sir Hugh's castle was a welcome sight. The weather had turned a little unpleasant and a cold wind had raced in from the east bringing a chilling rain. Sir Hugh was saddened by the loss of two such experienced warriors. My young knights had all spoken to me of the effect it had had on them. If Edgar and Erre could fall with their experience then it showed them their own mortality. He was more than pleased to be my escort. "In truth, lord, I feel that I have not served you well. While you and the others have been fighting battles I had been lodged safe behind these walls with my family."

  "Your task was harder, Hugh. You have had to be alert to danger and to watch for enemies. You served me as well as any knight who drew sword."

  We took twenty of his men at arms as well as his squire. They were all proud of the honour. With my four archers assistin
g Sir Hugh's scouts we headed towards the rugged land of the west. Filled with high crags and deep lakes it had no lords of the manor. Those who had ruled there had fled when the Scots had been given the land by Stephen. Many had gone to the Holy Land and others had been given manors in other parts of the land by Ranulf Earl of Chester. It saddened me as we rode through verdant valleys that the reward of this land went to the Scots and not to Henry FitzEmpress.

  We were spied when we took the road from Brampton. There was a Scottish lord ensconced there but my banner made him keep to his walls. He did, however, send a messenger to warn his liege lord of my approach. The result was that, when we neared Carlisle, we were greeted by a cavalcade of knights and men at arms. I recognised Baron William Douglas. We had fought at Northallerton and he had fled with the King.

  "Earl is this visit peaceful or shall we draw weapons?"

  I smiled, "Baron if I came for war then you would have known. I bring a handful of men to protect me from brigands. I wish to speak with the King. He is an ally of the Empress, his niece, is he not? And I am her loyal follower. Is there a problem?"

  My calm manner made him uncomfortable and I saw him squirm a little, "No, my lord. We will escort you."

  Carlisle Castle had been built by William, Henry's great grandfather. Since then it had been improved. Why Stephen had given it away I could not understand. As we dismounted Sir William said, "Your men will be housed in the barracks."

  I nodded, "They know how to fend for themselves." I nodded to Ralph who grinned as he bowed. Although this was a mission of peace they would glean as much information as they could. I had given them strict instructions to be frugal in their intake of ale and to keep their eyes and ears open. If this mission failed then we might have to take more direct action.

  As Baron Douglas led us inside I said, "Is there somewhere we could change? We have travelled far and I would not offend the king's nose."

  "Of course, my lord. We have two chambers for you in the west tower."

  "Thank you." Richard and John, our squires, carried our chests.

  Washed and changed I felt able to approach the king. We strapped on our swords and headed down to the Great Hall. Alice had done a good job with the surcoats. These were not surcoats for war. They were delicate and fine. She had had my wolf emblem embroidered on my chest. She had used gold and silver threads which stood out well against the blue background.

  Sir William was waiting for us. He gestured towards the wine, "Help yourself, my lord. I will fetch the King."

  There were two guards in the hall but they looked to be part of the normal routine. I did not think they had been placed there for us. It was a goblet or two of wine later that I heard the babble of voices as the king approached. He entered surrounded by a gaggle of advisers. I recognised a couple of earls but the two clerics and officials were unknown to me.

  He gave me a smile as he approached, "The infamous Warlord of the North; what brings you from your stronghold in the east?"

  "I came to speak with you," I looked pointedly at his advisers, "in private."

  There was a murmur of disapproval from his advisers. The king held up his hand and smiled at me, "I think they fear you wish me harm, Earl."

  I shook my head and took off my sword and dagger. I handed them to Richard, "I come in peace, my lord."

  "I know and I also know you to be an honourable man. If you wished to kill me you would not use this as a subterfuge. Come, we will walk in the inner bailey. There my advisers can watch like old women twitching behind a tapestry and they will see that I am safe." He waved over a servant who handed us two furs.

  He did not speak until we were out in the cold. The warm fur kept out the worst of the cold wind. "How is my niece? I was sorry to hear that Robert died. I had thought he would die with a sword in his hand."

  "The Empress is now in a priory in Normandy. I am sure you knew that."

  He smiled, "I did but I know that you keep in close touch with the Empress. And how is her son?"

  "He will be a fine King of England." I stopped, "Unlike your son, my lord. He is the main reason I am here."

  He frowned. "My son?"

  "Did you know that he hired Danes and brought an army to attack me?"

  I watched his eyes to see if he knew of the attack. If he did then my visit would be wasted. He shook his head, "Are you certain?" He was not lying. He did not know.

  "We fought north of my castle. I spoke with him and offered a challenge. He refused. I thought, lord, that your country supported the Empress and her son's claim to the throne."

  "I do."

  "Then this appears to be something of a problem. I have not attacked Scotland. My men have not ventured into the land you took. I have kept my side of the bargain even though the taste was bitter."

  He shook his head, "My son resents you, Earl. Northallerton was a harsh defeat made worse by the fact that you followed him here. He felt humiliated."

  "Then he was a boy; now he is a man. A man behaves differently. I would know, my lord, if there is to be war between us. If you tell me aye then so be it but if you say there will be no war then I need assurances that Prince Henry will be curbed."

  He frowned again, "You make demands of a king?"

  "It grieves me to do so but the actions of many lords, kings and usurpers have made me Warlord. I cannot shed that skin until Henry is crowned."

  He nodded, "You are an honourable man in a world which is full of treachery. I admire you, Earl. I would have peace and I would have Henry on the throne. Is that good enough for you?"

  "It is and your son..?"

  He chuckled, "You are persistent are you not? I will have words with my son and my lords." He hesitated, "Was he hurt in your encounter?"

  "He was not for he fled before we could come to blows but we burned the bodies of over three hundred Scots and Danes that he led."

  He shook his head, "What a waste. Tell me, Earl, is Henry in England?"

  "No, he is in Normandy. Why?"

  "I would meet with him and offer my assurances personally."

  "Then I will try to arrange that."

  He looked up at the battlements. His advisers and barons were lined up. "We had best go in. Give me your arm, earl. It will be sign to all that there is peace."

  Arm in arm we walked in. "I have to say, lord, that Henry and I would have returned to England those lands which Stephen gave to you."

  He laughed and it was loud and fulsome, "You care not what you say, Earl of Cleveland. It is refreshing to meet someone who speaks his mind so plainly. Let us leave that until we have helped Henry achieve the crown and then we can see if those differences might be resolved."

  At the feast that evening I was questioned by many of the King's knights. This was a rare opportunity for them. The wolf of the north was someone who was used to frighten Scottish children and now they had the chance to speak to him. Many knew my life story and I was asked about my time as a Champion as well as the time I had fought for the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire. It was flattering for I could see the regard in which I was held.

  The next morning I was summoned along with Sir Hugh and our squires to the Great Hall. A cleric clutched a parchment. The King stood. "Let it be known by all that there is peace between Scotland and Matilda, daughter of Henry and rightful heir to the English throne. Let it also be known that I support her son, Henry FitzEmpress’, claim to the throne." He tapped the parchment which the cleric unrolled. "This document has been prepared to let posterity know of my decision. In addition I state here and now that the Earl of Cleveland is a friend to King David and an attack on him constitutes an attack on me!" He glared around the room. His eyes met mine and he nodded. I nodded back. "Good!" The cleric melted some wax on the bottom and the King used his seal. The parchment was placed in a chest.

  The cleric said, "This will be taken to St. Andrews where it can be kept safe. Let all here acknowledge the King's words."

  There was a collective shout of, "Aye!" With
that my war with Scotland ended. It was a war which had lasted over twenty years. It was a strange feeling.

  Two days later, as we prepared to leave, the King handed me a beautiful dagger in a finely crafted scabbard. "I would have you take this token, Earl, of our new found friendship. If you have to draw it to take Scottish blood then it means I have failed."

  "I hope then that I do not need to draw it for I see hope in this new friendship, my lord."

  "Farewell."

  As we headed home Ralph told me all that they had discovered. I had been right in my judgement of the ruler. The king had known nothing of his son's actions. The word amongst the ordinary warriors was that Henry wished the throne for himself. I saw then that the king's actions were not entirely altruistic. I was a means of helping him to control his wayward son. However, I was pleased that we had an accord. I was silent as we headed to Barnard Castle for I wondered if I should have done it years earlier. If I had how many of my men might still be alive? I parted at Barnard and we pushed our horses to reach Stockton before dark.

  My first question concerned my ship, "Has 'Adela' docked yet?"

  "No lord, nor the 'Mary'. It is now some time since they left."

  John knew the vagaries of the tides, winds and seas better than any for he fretted about the goods the ships carried. I knew from his face that I was worrying overmuch. She was not due. I went directly to my solar and began to write two letters: one was to the Empress and the other to Henry. The news they contained could change Henry's future. The Empress might not be in England but she had to know that we were, once more, close to securing the crown. This time it was I who would hold the reins and not the Earl of Gloucester. Perhaps his death had been meant to be. The darkness it had created was now lit by the light of hope.

  I was full of ideas and I was restless. I woke before dawn and I sought out John of Craven. I allowed Richard sleep. John of Craven was older. He needed to rise early if only to make water. As I had expected he was awake. He was alone for the new watch was still abed and the ones on duty would have to wait until an hour past dawn to be relieved. The air was filled with the fresh baked bread which had been brought for the watch. He stood when I entered the guard room, "Lord is there aught amiss?"