Return of the Knight

by Griff Hosker

  “It is almost Christmas. How could we have done other? Edward take them to one of the warrior halls. My wife is arranging food.” I turned to James Broadsword. “We captured a great deal of war gear from the French. I am sure it would fit and would be better than the rags your men wear. There are boots too. It would be an improvement on going barefoot. I will speak with you after you have eaten.”

  I saw my wife, well wrapped against the cold, watching from the door to the keep. I headed towards her and she watched the line of weary warriors enter the warrior hall. When I reached her, she threw her arms around me and began to weep.

  “What is amiss my love? Is it the baby?”

  She shook her head. “It is a mixture of things. Those men and what they have endured and your face. Our son will never see the handsome man I married. He will see you with teeth missing and a broken nose. He will see your misshapen face.”

  I laughed and put my arm around her. “He will see a warrior. He will see a man. My face and my body are the result of what I have done. They are part of me. It could be worse. Think of the knights we have known who have lost limbs. This baby… I suddenly stopped. “You said ‘he’. You know it is a boy?”

  She smiled, “I dreamed for the last three nights. Each dream was different save in one regard. The baby I bore was a boy and this,” she touched the unborn child, “feels like a boy.” She stepped away from me, “But do not be angry if it is not.”

  “You goose! I will not be unhappy whatever it is. Come, this cold can do neither of you any good at all.”

  Sir William still voiced his concern as we ate. My wife put him in his place. “When you came upon Johann and myself up in the cold northlands we could have been spies. We could have been a danger.”

  He laughed, “Of course you couldn’t. How could you have hurt us?”

  She smiled, “Because we are women we cannot kill? We do not wear mail but we can fight. We could have been sent by your enemies to poison you or to deliver a blade in the dark. We did not. My husband is a good judge of character and he will judge these poor men. I watched as they came in, Sir William, they have been ill-treated. It is Christmas let us see what the lord has sent us.”

  Chastened William nodded. He came with me after we had eaten and I visited the warrior hall. “I am not sure I understood what Lady Margaret meant lord. I knew that Lady Margaret and Johann needed our help. These soldiers are different.”

  “Because they are not noble? Because of the way that they look? You must learn to look beyond that and see the man beneath. William des Roches betrayed us but, at heart he is still a good man. He has done what he has because he believes it is right for Normandy and Anjou. He is wrong but I can understand his motives.”

  We entered the hall and everyone stood. This was the smaller of the halls. It was the one which had the most room as eight of my men were married and had homes close to the wall we had spare space.

  “Sit, we came merely to see if there was anything else you needed. The food was satisfactory?”

  James Broadsword grinned, “The last food I ate that was as good as that was when we feasted at Bamburgh. I shall sleep well tonight, lord. And the wine was better than any I have ever tasted. We are grateful.” He looked at his men. They were willing him to say more. I could sense it. “Sir Thomas, what say you to our offer to be your men?”

  “I say that I would have you think about it. Stay here for the twelve days of Christmas feasting. There will be no war for any of us. Enjoy the time and see if we are warriors you would like to join.” He was about to speak and I held up my hand, “We are now alone. We sent the French packing but they will return. I have ships and I can offer you passage back to Amble or anywhere in England. Do not feel that you have to stay here and to serve me. When you have spoken with my men and my people and when we have feasted then you can come again to me and ask me. Until then enjoy yourselves. Here you are safe. This, for the next fortnight, is your home and after that, if you still wish it then you shall be given my livery and become warriors of the gryphon.”

  James Broadsword stood, “My lads, his lordship could not say fairer and that’s no error. We will take up your offer, lord, but I can tell you now that our minds will not be changed.”

  For all of us in that castle this was our first Christmas where we all felt safe. That was almost a contradiction for we were surrounded by a sea of those who wished us gone but we had prevailed against odds which should have seen us drown. It was a happy time and reminded me of those Christmases in Stockton. My face had settled down. Father Michel had managed to straighten my nose. The missing teeth were an inconvenience. I had to think how I ate. I was alive when but for my helmet I would be dead! My only sadness was that I had not received a letter from my aunt. I had sent a message as soon as I had reached my home. I prayed that all was well. The fact that Eustace de Vesci appeared to be opposed to King John gave me hope for Alnwick was just two days ride from my former home.

  During the twelve days of feasting I discovered more about the new men who wished to join us. There were thirteen archers and sixteen men at arms. They would be an invaluable boost to my numbers. Eight of them, five men at arms and three archers were men who were past their prime. What they did possess was experience and it was that experience which had enabled them to stay together and to stay alive. The younger ones were looked after by the ones like James Broadsword. Edward son of Edgar and David of Wales confirmed what I had thought. They were honest men. Their lord had been killed and they needed a banner to follow. My men felt sympathy for many of them had been in a similar position. What was interesting was that Edward discovered that there were more men such as these. Not every lord supported King John. They were not opposing the King openly but I had hope that I might have allies.

  All them of men remained true to their word. They all confirmed that they wished to join me. I gave them the opportunity to join me or to become Sir William’s men. My former squire had realised that he was wrong and he was happy to be the leader of such men. Twenty of them, all the younger ones, chose to follow Sir William. I did not mind. I had to hide my smile as Sir William realised that he would have to have surcoats made. I had more than enough for my men. He also needed more horses. That was when we came up with the idea of a chevauchée. The French had shown us that we were enemies. I would not risk the ire of William des Roches or King John but the French were a different matter. If we raided them we could take horses and weapons. Both would be needed. My child would be born in March. I decided to raid in February. It would be cold but the new grass would be growing and new horses would have been foaled.

  Before that happened, I received a letter from my aunt.

  You know who you are and I hope you know that I think of you every day! Each night you are in my prayers.

  I was overjoyed to read your letter. And that you had returned to La Flèche. And we are both delighted that you have taken a wife. The family name will live on.

  As for England, I have to tell you that it is not a happy place. The taxes are too high and people starve. The King does not care. His Sheriffs are a law unto themselves. There is much unrest amongst the barons. I fear the war which is in Normandy may well spread to England soon.

  Are you safe in La Flèche? There are rumours that the Duke of Brittany has been captured and King John is winning. We both pray that you are safe. I am afraid that we are both too old to travel to visit with you. God willing the tyranny that is John will end soon enough

  We pray for you each night as do all those who live in the manor. Our family is still well thought of. Our home is your home and always will be.

  Xxx

  I showed the letter to my wife. She had read the others. “Your Aunt Ruth sounds like a strong woman. If there are more like her in England then perhaps King John might be defeated.”

  I did not argue with my wife but she was wrong. It would take a force of arms to defeat John Lackland!

  I did not take the new men on the chevauchée.
We were going to get horses for them and I wanted my castle defended. As chevauchée went ours was a small one. I intended to attack the Chateau-sur-le-Loir. There were a number of reasons. It was close. It had been captured by de Senonche and it had belonged to William des Roches. Like my betters I could play these games. I still believed that William des Roches would see through the falsehood of John Lackland and we would fight together once again. By trying to hurt those who had taken his castle from him I was putting him in my debt.

  We left before dawn and headed north and then east along the small roads which criss-crossed the valley of the Loir. It was cold and there was dampness in the air. I was riding Skuld and I carried my new helmet. My face had healed as had my arm and my leg but the cold and the damp made them ache. In England it would be a living hell! I carried the helmet deliberately. I needed to see and hear well. A chevauchée relied on surprise and speed. I hoped that we would have the former but our horses were the best and I knew that we would have speed. My local men acted as scouts. We would not be foolish enough to risk attacking the actual castle but there were many smaller halls. William des Roches’ knights had lost their land. Their animals and workers still lived there.

  The first farm we found had a tower in the hall. However, the fields with the horses were unguarded. As I led my men at arms into the fields to collect the horses my archers formed a protective screen. When the French knight sent his men to stop us they soon discovered how effective my archers were. It cost him four dead men to gain that knowledge. Amongst the eight horses was a war horse. We headed south and east and saw smoke from a hall. It was on the other side of a hill and a wood. Leaving two men with the new horses in the woods we filtered through them and found a field filled with horses. There were fourteen of them. None were warhorses but they were palfreys and that was just as good for an archer or a man at arms. This time we had complete surprise for we descended from the woods like wolves. Our archers did not have to draw bows. We almost had enough horses and we had too many to risk another raid. We turned and headed west.

  Sir William was ebullient. “That was easy!”

  “But when we return tomorrow for more horses it will not be as easy. They will be ready for us and we will have to fight. The difference is that we will have more men. We can bring your men at arms and my new ones too. If they were counting our spears today then they are in for a shock tomorrow!”

  We left Sir William’s archers and the old guards to watch the castle. William was surprised when James Broadsword and the older warriors who had joined me came with us. “Why not leave those to guard the castle and bring my archers, my lord?”

  “For what we do we do not need archers as much as experienced men at arms and I would see them in action.”

  “You think that we will have to fight to take horses today?”

  “I know it. Yesterday we rang a bell of alarm for the French. They will heed it. Whoever is now master of the castle and the lands thereabouts will wonder if it is us or if it is King John. Chateau sur le Loir is now the border. You and I know that knights who guard a border cannot afford raiders.”

  We headed further south towards the Tours road. We rode through land which was tilled and showed signs of new growth. We passed vineyards and terraces. Then we turned north. The vineyards became fewer. We saw more cattle in the fields. The fields were smaller as were the farms and let them be. We were after horses. If we found a larger herd of cattle or sheep then we would take them. Our scouts found just such a farm. It lay tucked away in a shallow valley. There was a fortified hall but there were horses, ten of them, and a small herd of cattle. There was also a banner flying. It had a green background and two white birds. It belonged to a knight who was a relative of de Senonche.

  Will son of Robin had found a place where the archers could dismount and, using the cover of a small copse, cover us with their bows. It overlooked both the hall and the fields with the animals. I led the largest number of men at arms since the Baltic. Moe than half, however, were new to me. I would be wary. I rode at the fore with my squires, Sir William and my most experienced men at arms. James Broadsword and the new men rode at the rear.

  There were horse guards. The six of them fled at the sound of our galloping hooves. I heard a horn from the direction of the hall and I drew my sword. I was not wearing my helmet. That hung from my cantle. “James Broadsword, have the men begin to drive the cattle and horses south.”

  “Aye lord.”

  Even as they did so I saw that the knight with the two birds had been ready for us. Armed men galloped towards us. There were the gonfanon of three knights and there were more than thirty riders. There were another thirty on foot. I did not think they had seen our approach. That became obvious when David of Wales and his archers rained arrows on their right flank. They had just been prepared was all.

  I spurred Skuld and hefted my shield to my side. We had to ensure that James Broadsword and his men had time to begin to drive the animals south. We could not drive animals and fight off the French. Fótr and I were flanked by Ridley the Giant and Edward son of Edgar. Now that Ridley rode one of the captured warhorses he did not look so ridiculous on the back of a horse. In fact, he looked intimidating. He carried a war axe with a long handle. He was one of the few warriors with the size to be able to do so. For the first time William was protected by four of his new men at arms. Eight of us hit the approaching French. Our archers made the French to our left wary. Their right sides were exposed and I saw a knot of them turn to ride up the slope towards the copse. It diminished the effect of the attack.

  Perhaps the French knights thought to capture us and take ransom or that their superior numbers would guarantee them victory. Either way they were wrong. Ridley’s axe almost hacked in two the horseman with the banner who rode next to one of the knights. I took a blow from my left with my shield and, without a helmet I had a better view and I was able to duck beneath the backhand sweep from the other knight. I lunged with my sword and the speed of the knight’s horse brought him across my sword. I rasped the blade across his mail and, as he fell from his saddle I saw that my blade was bloody.

  Skuld kept going. The ones behind their front rank were looser in formation. I did not have two men to deal with. I stood in my saddle and brought my sword down hard across the shield of the man at arms who rode at me. He had on a bascinet helmet and I saw his face fill with fear. He was already jerking around his horse’s head as my blade smashed into his shield and arm. Horse and rider fell in a jumble.

  Seeing those before me were on foot and slowing I turned, “Back! We have done enough!”

  One of the knights still maintained his saddle and he galloped at me. Skuld was stationary. Skuld had wonderful reflexes. Once I determined the knight’s approach I waited until the last moment and then spurred Skuld while pulling the reins to the left. The knight’s speed took him past me and I swung my sword across his back. His arms went into the air and his back arced. He was hurt.

  As I rejoined my men I saw that we had not escaped unscathed. Roger of Lymm lay dead. Two of my men at arms were putting his body over the saddle of one of the French horses. Others sported wounds. The clash had yielded us another six horses including a war horse. I could ill afford a dead man at arms but casualties were to be expected. We also had a prisoner. One of the squires had yielded to Johann. We took him back with us. I was not concerned about ransom but I wanted the information which the young squire might yield. Johann guarded him closely.

  Despite our losses there was an ebullient mood as we crossed the bridge and entered the eastern gate of my town. People looked up as we drove the horses and the small herd of cattle through the town square and then into the castle. Since the siege we had cleared the land between the road and the moat. Now we would use it for the cattle. First, we would examine them. Any that were sickly would be slaughtered.

  As we dismounted I said, “Fótr find the man who lost his home in the siege, Jean of Durtal.”

  “Aye lord.�
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  “Johann, take your prisoner into the hall.” Once his helmet had been removed we had seen that the squire had seen barely fourteen summers. I wondered if Johann would be disappointed at the ransom we could expect. As the horses were led away I realised we would need a third stable. As a temporary measure we would let the horses graze in the ward. There was plenty of grass.

  “Good horses, lord.”

  “Aye James Broadsword. The French were waiting for us.”

  “You handled them well, lord. You use archers like a general. I heard that your family used them well. Growing up in Amble I heard the stories of the Warlord and his archers. You have inherited that skill.”

  I nodded, “It seems to me, James, that when an English knight uses men at arms and archers then he is invincible.”

  Fótr hurried up with Jean of Durtal. He was not a young man. He had with him his two sons. His farm had been the most serious loss in the siege. He had farmed north of the woods and although he and his family had been safe within my walls his farm had been razed to the ground. All that he had possessed was lost. I had been seeking a way to repay him.

  I pointed to the cattle. The three sickly ones had been taken towards the kitchens. There remained sixteen cows. “Jean of Durtal I give these cattle to you.” We had already discussed the site of the farm. Jean had come up with the idea of extending the moat with ditches to keep the cattle from straying and to provide protection for a new farmhouse. We had yet to begin building it.

  “My lord, you are too generous.”

  “Your rent for the farm and the cattle will be four gallons of milk a week for the castle. What say you?”

  He dropped to one knee, “That I am your man lord and I accept your offer.”

  As I walked back to the hall James Broadsword said, “You remind me of Sir Gilbert. He was like you. He worried and fretted about his folk. Many barons do not. We were right to come here. Perhaps our footsteps were guided eh lord?”

  “Perhaps.”