“Sir Gospatrick, control yor horses and men,” Ealhswith barked, not wanting to look weak and frightened before these men.
“Aye M’lady,” he replied and was proud that his own horse, a veteran of many battles, was perfectly calm and still. He signaled the two having the most difficulty to leave and let their mounts work off their fear. The two knights immediately headed off, away from the approaching Americans.
“Make no move, Sir Knight,” the Queen added, her meaning perfectly clear. Sir Gospatrick nodded having no intention of interfering unless his Queen’s life was in imminent danger. He watched the four men approach. Two he saw were dressed strangely while the others were dressed as average noblemen.
“Da!” The Lady Ellyn finally gave a shout, and then she was down on the ground and running toward the men.
“Dottir!” Sir Oldalf shouted, catching and swinging Ellyn around in his arms, happy for her embrace. Sir Ceorl smiled a greeting at her when she released her father as did Lemay and Peebles. She was pleased to see them all and even went so far as to give the General a squeeze on the arm.
“Methinks that be Sir Ceorl, the Captain of me own guard,” Æthelflæd commented as the five of them now approached. Ealhswith remembered Sir Ceorl from the year prior during the Earl’s visit on May Day. She remembered him as a fine and honorable knight and friend of Sir Gospatrick’s, and she felt herself relaxing ever so slightly. The two men with him however, were strangely dressed and both were exceedingly tall, taller even than her husband, who was something of a giant in his time. The strangers wore no armor that she could see and were very muscular, with powerful looking arms and shoulders. They were very, very large men, at least a head taller than the gangly Sir Ceorl. The man in the lead had a strong, rugged face, though it was scraped clean as both Æthelflæd and the Lady Ellyn warned the Americans were want to do. He had very short dark hair and bright blue eyes, and carried himself with the easy grace of a swordsman who was very good at killing and knew it. They walked through her escort with no obvious concern, which clearly annoyed Sir Gospatrick, however they stopped well away from the carriage. The Lady Ellyn beamed at the Queen while holding tightly to her father’s arm.
Sir Ceorl approached a step farther leading the stranger she had so thoroughly inspected earlier.
“M’lady,” the knight from Warwick said bowing low, head down in supplication. The two strangers did likewise, and the near one greeted her with a voice so deep she could hardly understand him, and something in it shook her to the depths of her womanhood. She glanced at the Lady Ellyn, unaware that she was squeezing her daughter’s hand very tightly. Æthelflæd looked briefly at her mother with an amused smile. Ealhswith scowled at her and turned back to the men.
“Sir Ceorl,” the queen greeted, but quickly returned her attention to the stranger. “And ye must be Genaral Peeebles,” she added, trying to sound calm.
“Yes M’lady,” the man replied and quickly returned to his full height. Ealhswith was again taken aback by the man’s great size. They studied each other for a moment that stretched on so long that both Sir Ceorl and Sir Oldalf grew uneasy, as if they had interrupted a pair of lovers. Suddenly coming to a decision, the queen quickly stood and nodded for Sir Ceorl to help her down.
“Compton, get down,” she told her driver who obeyed at once, seemingly not the least bit surprised. “Daughter, if you too will excuse us.”
Æthelflæd smiled, guessing the intent and was also helped out of the carriage by Sir Ceorl.
Standing next to the General the Lady Ealhswith found that her head only hit the middle of his chest, and that she had to look near straight up to see his face. He was smiling down at her.
“If ye wold be so kind,” she said and turned her back on him and reached up for the bars near the front of the carriage. She felt his large hands on her waist, and he lifted her up to the step with ease.
“Come Sir Peeebles,” she said taking the reins and motioning for him to join her. He nodded and followed her up, making the carriage tip dangerously with his great weight. Sir Gospatrick rode up beside them.
“M’lady?” he asked.
“I shan’t go far,” she said and snapped the reins, and the horses started off, glad to be moving and burning off their nervous energy. She headed across a wide field toward a small stream, and a nicely tended grove of trees. Ealhswith sighed with relief, happy to be away from the rumbling wagons of the strangers. She was nervous but hoped it didn’t show. She finally stopped just outside the line of trees, still in easy sight of those left behind and then she turned to the General.
“Let us walk along the creek,” she suggested though the General got the impression it was an order. It struck him then that here was a woman accustomed to command and he suppressed a smile at her natural leadership. “The water relaxes me,” the queen continued, “and we can get to know one another.” Peebles nodded but said nothing and quickly stepped out of the carriage then turned and helped her to the ground, very conscious of the woman’s small waist. The queen was older, perhaps fifty or so, but she was still very handsome and he knew now where Æthelflæd got her beauty. He felt attracted to this woman, though at this point in her life she could no longer be said to be pretty. Still her face, though aged, was attractive and she had intelligent, dancing eyes. She was confident and had a commanding presence all her own. ‘Too bad she’s married,’ he thought, knowing that all his life he had been attracted to strong, independent women. Weakness from anyone, even his own children, was a nearly unbearable irritant to him. King Alfred had chosen his wife well, and Peebles estimation of the man grew.
He followed as she led the way, away from the carriage, and away from prying eyes, though he knew under magnification he was still within easy sight distance for his men. They soon reached the bank of the stream. The brook was small, but moved quickly as it bubbled its way over and around fallen branches and the many stones resting along the bed. All along the banks and throughout the grove of trees there were large rocks and rock outcroppings, and they worked their way silently through them until the Lady finally stopped and leaned against one especially large boulder.
“Whilst thee answer some questions, Genaral Peeebles?” The Queen asked as she ran her hand along the rough stone. Peebles nodded, but again said nothing.
“Why are ye in these lands?” She asked truly curious, most of her fear dissipated. The man standing before her, though very large, was clearly not in the same league as the Boneless.
“We were driven from our own,” he answered truthfully, very accustomed to this line of questioning. “To live, we fled here. To grow strong, we fled here, and from here we will someday return and destroy our enemies.”
“Tis a terrible thing to have enemies wantin’ yor homelands,” she answered and wondered just what kind of enemy could defeat a giant man such as this.
“Straight from your nightmares.”
“And now ye have joined with Lord Eadwulf in Rovescester? Have ye become an enemy of mine, Genaral?”
“Please call me Stephen,” he said not knowing why, he just wanted to hear her say his name.
“So Stephen?”
“Lord Eadwulf is dead,” he answered and ignored her gasp of surprise. “We have taken Rovescester and dispersed his army.”
“So, ye are here to take our land and killin’ our people,” she shot back angrily, the sparkle in her eyes flaring.
“No M’lady,” Peebles said holding up his hands in defense. “Sir Eadwulf attacked us, killed two of my men. He tried to take me hostage in an attempt to force the rest of my men to turn on your husband, your King.”
Ealhswith was silent for a moment, taking this new information in. This was a well known tactic of Eadwulf’s, in fact, most nobles employed it at some time or another, either for their own protection or to force an alliance, though the Earl of Kent took hostage taking to extremes. She understood Eadwulf’s tactics all too well, since her very cousin Ordmere was one of his guests.
; “If he could have held me prisoner, the plan might have worked, but once he killed my men and threatened Eve, it was over for him,” Peebles replied, unaware that his face had hardened as he thought of Private Hamilton’s death. “This above all things will not be tolerated while I’m alive.”
“Ye have killed Eadwulf? Taken his castle?” Ealhswith asked in wonder. Sir Eadwulf had a mighty army, mayhap larger than Alfred’s own fyrd and Rovescester was a strong fortress. The General nodded. “And could ye have killed the King and taken Maiden castle?” she asked with a gesture towards the mammoth walled town behind them.
Peebles paused for a moment then decided perhaps the truth was needed. “Easily,” he answered confidently. “But we are not here to take this land, we’re here to help your brother, and drive out the Danes and any other invaders.
Ealhswith stood silently staring at the large man before her for a long moment, and then the General sighed and rubbed his face. He wished the good doctor was here.
“Why...if the whole of the land is open to ye. Why na take it?”
“M’lady....”
“Call me Ealhswith,” she interrupted, just to hear him say her name.
“Ealhswith,” he repeated with a smile, which she returned. While she smiled he could easily see the beautiful young girl that was inside her. “Let me tell you our story...from the beginning. There will be a lot that won’t make sense, but let me tell you anyway.”
The Queen nodded and he told her, without interruption, the entire story, as he would have told someone of his day. He did not adjust the telling to help her understand; he just told the tale simply from beginning to end. As he predicted, she didn’t understand many things, and some of what he spoke of was simply too fantastic to be believed...but somehow she did...his straight forward manner dispelled any notion of deceit. Still the tale was wildly unbelievable, monsters from the skies; yet she somehow she believed this man. But how could... Her head was swimming with unanswered questions when he finally fell quiet. She stared at the man before her. Some of the feats he described could only be achieved by God. Were these men Angels of God? It would explain their great size. Were they driven from heaven by the demons of hell? It seemed possible. Stephen was certainly larger than life.
“I...I dunna understand,” she finally confessed. “Are ye Angels of the Lord?”
Peebles smiled, but did not belittle her. “No, we are just men. Over the years we have discovered some of the laws by which the universe works, and we’ve made machines to take advantage of those discoveries.”
“But ye have said that ye be from the year 2027 after the death of our Lord Jesus Christ...and this is the year 893...can even God do such a thing?”
“Whatever man can do, I’m sure God can do as well,” he replied, becoming nervous about this line of questioning, again wishing for Rice, or Robertson, or even Thane, all of them would be able to handle the topic better than he.
“Your messenger…Erdwine, has told us that your husband has taken his army down onto the Lizard to fight the Danes and that Alfred feared a trap. That is why he sent for Eadwulf, correct?”
Ealhswith nodded; still confused by all the information he had freely given her. “Yah, and me daughter was to bring her Mercians here and watch Eadwulf’s back. Ye see, we have never fully trusted the Earl of Kent, but he is strong and Alfred will na be able to drive out the Danes without him. Eadwulf is a foul man and holds…heh, have ye news of me Cousin Sir Ordmere of Surrey? He’s a prisoner of the Earl.”
“Sir Ordmere?” Peebles asked in surprise.
Ealhswith visibly brightened. “Yah, ye have news of him?”
“Yes, he was in my cell before we escaped. He was brutally whipped, but we managed to get to him in time. He’ll live, but Doctor Rice is still concerned.”
“Docktor Rice...tis the man who can cut a baby from its mother but cast a spell to make her live?”
Peebles laughed. “Yes, that is the same man, but there was no spell.”
“I have heard of him.”
“Your daughter has an army?” Peebles asked smiling still. He had never met a woman with her own army before and it was intriguing.
Ealhswith smiled back at him with pride. “Flæd is the Lady of Mercia, feared almost as much as Eadwulf, and nearly as much as me own dear husband.”
“Well, Lady Ealhswith, I plan to take my little army to the west and take up Eadwulf’s place in support of your husband. But don’t worry; we’ll not betray him as Lord Eadwulf most likely would have done.”
“Ye will fight for me Alfred....forsooth?” she asked, eyes sparkling.
“Yes,” Peebles answered.
“Then me daughter and her fyrd will go with ye,” she stated, then, before the General could say a word of objection, she started quickly back along the path to the carriage. On the ride back Peebles studied the surrounding countryside, and spotted several suitable locations.
“M’lady...may I ask your permission to do something?”
She looked at him questioningly.
“I’d like to mount some equipment there,” he said pointing to the top of the tallest tower of the castle. “It will allow us to talk with both Rochester and to our men in Athelney.”
She stared at him, wondering once again if this man be flesh, but she nodded her agreement and snapped the reins. Soon they’d rejoined the others.
“Come, we will eat and ye may rest a while before ye continue yor journey,” she said and Lemay raised an eyebrow.
“Dottir,” Sir Oldalf exclaimed just as the carriage pulled to a stop. “I have something for ye...tis a letter from Mayjor Thane. Docktor Rice gave it to me just afore we departed,” he said and handed her the letter as they walked through the massive gates of Maiden. The place was enormous, and the General and his men found themselves to be truly impressed. This was no small walled village like Athelney. Winchester was large and the walls ringed the entire town but Peebles also noticed that there were also cultivated fields in the interior, plus another large fortress with walls of its own near the center of the enclave. In all, the General estimated the outer walls ringed an area of perhaps one hundred acres. The town itself was maybe three miles across by five miles deep, all in all a very impressive place.
Colonel Lemay caught his General’s eye and nodded. “This is how I envisioned this time period,” he said softly and Peebles could only agree.
The Lady Ellyn was now used to the majesty of Winchester and ignored the imposing view of the approaching fortress; instead she cradled the letter from Matthew Thane, too nervous and afraid to open it in front of the others. She rode happily in the carriage, anxious to be off and to her rooms.
Sir Gospatrick watched her face closely as they moved through the bustling city streets. He’d seen her father pass her the letter, happiness etched all over her face. For the first time in his life the easygoing Gospatrick felt like killing another man; he actually wanted to kill. It was a strange sensation but not altogether unpleasant. Well, one day he would meet this American the Lady Ellyn was so enamored with and then they would see what was what. With effort he banished Ellyn from his mind and began to do his job keeping the Lady Ealhswith safe from the Americans. He did not like the fact that so many strange men were allowed inside the city walls, and though they came on foot and wore no weapons, he still felt uneasy. But perhaps the Queen was wise to trust these men, he couldn’t say and would just have to wait and see what tomorrow brought.
The Lady Ellyn took little notice of the stricken knight and rushed to her rooms. She jerked open the door, startling Trudy, who was concentrating on mending a pair of hose. She glanced up and instantly realized that her mistress was very, very happy.
“Wot?”
Ellyn held up a letter, and rushed to the bench that sat before the window. She opened it carefully, as if it would break and began to read silently, Trudy perched over her shoulder, staring at the small strange lettering.
My dearest Ellyn,
I cannot tell
you how sorry I am for hurting you. It was truly not my intention. I have come to love you deeply in the short time we have known one another, and I know there are some who would doubt such a love. Let them doubt. My pounding heart does not doubt. My tortured mind does not doubt. My body that yearns to be by your side does not doubt. Thoughts of you haunt my days and nights. My entire being is attracted to you. When I think of you I feel as though I’m always falling, always circling, like a moon trapped by some great and wonderful planet. I am helpless to resist, forever revolving around you. You are my world. I know that now. I hope you can forgive me, because my feelings for you have not lessened with your absence. Somehow I will be with you. I must. My love, my Ellyn.
Forever, your faithful moon,
Matthew
Ellyn started to cry softly. “Oh, Trudy tis it na wonderful?”
Trudy frowned. “Tis well written to be sure, but ye know I canna read...come Mum, tell me wot it says,” she insisted, fairly bursting with curiosity.
Ellyn started to laugh through her tears. “Sorry Trudy,” she said and then began to read the letter again. She read it over and over that afternoon, sometimes aloud, sometimes not, and at first Trudy shared her Lady’s happiness but late in the day it began to wear, and before the evening meal even she could recite the letter by heart. Trudy said nothing however, and kept to her mending.
Chapter Sixteen
No one much cared for the idea of the Lady of Mercia traveling with the Americans, certainly not Colonel Lemay who thought she’d be nothing but a distraction. Sir Gospatrick was also not enamored with the idea, especially when the Queen released him from service and ordered him and his friend Master Ædwin to watch over and protect her daughter. Gospatrick, though curious about these Americans, was not happy about leaving the Lady Ellyn behind. If he was going to win her affections, he needed to be in her company.
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