by Smith, Skye
"Well, he committed suicide then, didn't he,” replied the second in rough French. This immediately gained Matilda's attention so he continued and told the story in good detail until the end where the bishop had refused to try his kinsman, even when the church was burning. "Suicide. All he had to do was hold the court and listen to the witnesses, and then go back to Dun Holm in peace. Instead a hundred men died in the fire, and now thousands are homeless because of another damn bishop."
"Your French is tainted with the accent of the Vexin. Were you ever a bowman in France?” asked Matilda.
"Aye, I was, and in Flanders. Won your brother his county for him. Helped your son hold Gerberoi, didn't I."
"My husband still has a weeping wound from that battle. An arrow punctured his hand and then his side. The physicians bleed him endlessly and sometimes his is better, but then the wound begins to weep again and the fever begins again."
"Ah, well you should be speaking to ....” The second stopped talking to rub his ankle which had just been kicked hard by Cristina. "ugh, speaking to a Frisian healer from the Fens. Why hasn't your son Robert brought you one. He knows some. One of the healers from my village lives at the court in Paris, and your son knows her, and of her skills. Her name is Gesa."
Matilda's face flushed with anger. "I will not let that sex witch anywhere near my husband. Besides, she is in Paris."
"Ugh, too bad. But your son knows of others. When I was at Gerberoi with him, the Countess Judith would visit with him, and she always travels with Frisian maids. Judith is back in the Fens now, where every village has a healer,” His face brightened. "Wait, she is niece to your husband. Send to her for healers. They will fix him up right quick."
Matilda's face was staying angry. She did not approve of her son's choice of women, and even this peasant in the middle of nowhere knew about them. "Is that all that you can tell me about this wound?"
"Well, the man is lucky to still live. I suppose that is because his hand slowed the point so the chest wound is shallow. The point must have pushed some filth into the wound. A shallow wound is easily cleaned. If it were deep, he would be dead already, so the filth must be inside his skin but not inside an organ. He will eventually die if you don't send to Judith, for it will never heal by itself."
Matilda thanked him and dismissed him and then turned to Cristina. Under her breath she said, "I will not ask that, that, .... Judith for help."
Cristina knew all about Judith from listening to Raynar's stories. She couldn't help herself from saying "Then ask your son to ask her for help. I thought they were to be wed?” From the dark cloud that passed across Matilda's face, Cristina understood that her words had touched home. "I mean, I thought father and son were reconciled now. It seems an easy thing to ask."
"Enough,” said Matilda with a stern voice. "I have ridden a long way to discuss alliances and strategies with Malcolm, not my son's bed warmers. If William were well enough he would have come himself, for the political map of Europe is changing quickly. Will you stand aside so we can ride on to Dunfermline?"
Cristina also turned stern and business like, "You expect me to believe that you have brought an entire army here as an escort for a diplomatic mission. Your majesty, be truthful with me, for you are not just blocked by a handful of bowmen on a bridge, but by thousands of dispossessed Daneglish supported by half the Scottish army. You will not cross the Tyne without my permission."
"Normally I would have come by ship, however Odo has told us tales of a Danish fleet off these coasts. That fleet is one of the reasons that we hurried to cross from Normandy and now have hurried north. Unfortunately, at the same time, Odo has seeded a rebellion across the northern shires, so we travel with an army as an escort to ensure my safety. It truly is meant only as an escort."
"If I guarantee your safety,” offered Cristina, "will you sail with me today to Dunfermline and leave your army camped here where they will come to no harm and can do not harm."
"I will gladly, for I am horse tired. My son, however, will refuse the offer and will demand that he and the escort deliver me."
"Oh, I assure you madam, that you will be much safer with me on my ship and protected by my bowmen, than surrounded by Roberts army. On the highway into Scotland they will be watched by every vengeful man in these lands."
"Never the less,” said Matilda softly, "that is what my son will demand. Can you arrange for safe passage for his army?"
"I will see what I can do. You are welcome to stay with my women while I send out messengers, or do you wish to return to your army?"
"I would much prefer to stay here, but I must tell that to my son in person. I look forward to the company of your women at some future time,” Matilda stood and stretched and farted, "My sister in law, Gertrude of Flanders, would enjoy the company of these women. She has no patience with the wee fluffies that men bring to court. Women who do not know how to do anything are a waste of breath. These able women are the opposite extreme. I envy you their company."
They walked arm in arm back down to the bridge. "Cristina, one of my convents needs a new prioress. It is in Romsey, near to Winchester. I would be most pleased if a useful woman like yourself would accept the position. You could bring some of your women with you."
"That interests me greatly for I am sick to death of Scottish winters. My decision must wait until I have finished here, and until I have obtained a furlough from my sister. How long will the position remain open?"
"Why my dear, I will not fill it until you tell me no."
* * * * *
Robert's small Norman army was escorted in front and behind by guards of the Scottish army and were led north to the firth and then west along it's banks to a camp that was waiting for them at Egglesbreth. The Daneglish were warned to keep far away, preferably to remain on guard at the River Tyne. Meanwhile, Cristina and a few nuns who were returning to their duties in their own nunneries, traveled in the relative comfort of the Anske.
Malcolm decided it politic to hide the fact that Robert and Matilda had come on a diplomatic mission by bringing forward the christening of little Edith. Robert and Matilda were honored to be named as godfather and godmother to Malcolm's only daughter.
"But I was to be the godfather,” Raynar complained. Margaret remained silent. He rarely stayed angry long, so it was better to let him rage about and then calm down before reasoning with him. "And to be replaced by him, he that ruined Judith. I suppose this means that I am not even invited.” He paced the room stomping his feet and chuntering incoherently.
"I will welcome your presence. Is it my fault that you do not want to be recognized by either Robert or Matilda. It is an old church with small windows. Just keep to the shadows.” Margaret rolled her eyes. This was the second such scene in less than an hour. Cristina was livid at being replaced as the godmother. Her anger would last for weeks.
Cristina consoled herself by spending many hours holding and playing with Edith. When there were no toys near by she used whatever she had close by to please the child. Edith was at that lovely age when she was grasping at everything with her tiny hands. It was the type of baby play that all women encouraged for it built body skills and strength. When there was nothing else at hand, and the baby needed distracting, Cristina would shake the veil that hung from her collar and Edith would grin and gurgle and grasp it and play tug of war with it.
Raynar was hiding from courtly company, so he would often join Cristina's play time with Edith. He did not have a woman's need to hold the oft sodden little being, but he did have a man's need to see the happiness of woman and child together.
In the old church, he hid in the shadows of a wooden column which was quite close to the font. This Christian ceremony was very strange to him, and he considered it just another way that the church took good money for doing the obvious or for doing something that did not need doing. Margaret's bishop had insisted he do the ceremony, probably because there were so many royals present.
Edith did not lik
e the bishop or all the large bodies and large faces staring at her, so she did what was natural for babies, she peed on the bishop. In his hurry to get rid of the child Edith was almost flung into Matilda's arms. Her bladder empty, Edith began to have fun again and then gave an endlessly cute smile to Matilda, who melted as any mother would, and then grabbed her veil and pulled at it with that spasm jerk so common with baby concentration.
The congregation was in shock. A woman removing her veil in front of the alter was as discourteous as a woman wearing a hat, or a man not covering his head. Cristina began to laugh, and Raynar called out from where he was laughing behind the pillar, "Edith wants her crown as well.” Matilda laughed and thought nothing of it, but there was a sudden murmur of gossip around the congregation. Meanwhile several priests were crossing themselves because often the future was foretold by babies and young children.
* * * * *
Every man on the firth was nervous with the Norman army camped on it's banks, and it was a great relief that its stay was short. No one was so rude as to suggest that Robert and Matilda were not welcome, except, that is, for the Scottish winds that blew in early and cold from the northern hills and chilled everyone to the bone.
Diplomacy completed, and with a cold wind at their back, the Norman army again marched, this time south, and again with an escort of Malcolm's Scots to keep a buffer between the army and the thousands of dispossessed Daneglish living a poor life in Scotland. No one was more relieved than Raynar, who no longer needed to hide his face and sleep in a watcher's hut on the hill above the palace, and could once again enjoy Margaret's company.
The next time that Margaret got both Malcolm and Raynar to herself, she scolded them fiercely, "This whole diplomatic farce, and the risks of having that army in our kingdom, was all your doing. You pretended to be the Danish fleet to scare Odo away, and instead you attracted the attention of the Conqueror.” She was very angry. They knew this because she was slamming things.
Despite Raynar motioning frantically for him to remain quiet, Malcolm told his woman, "Wife, this is unseemly.” He had to duck to keep from being brained by a small statue.
While her husband was still ducking, Margaret aimed her wrath at Raynar, "I suppose you are leaving with her. I suppose you will both sail away together."
Raynar looked at her with eyes wide, "Which she are we talking about. Certainly not Matilda."
"Cristina of course. She asked my permission to visit England and I granted it. Now I find out that she has accepted, on a trial basis, the position of prioress to some convent near to Winchester. So, are you taking her there. Are you? You've been alone with her for two months on the Tyne. What is really going on?"
It was Malcolm who was now signaling to keep quiet, but Raynar ignored the signal, "Alone on the Tyne. Alone as in surrounded by a thousand woeful and needy folk and a hundred nuns. Alone as in spending every waking hour at some bedside or other. What is really going on? You mean like being covered in blood and puss and spittle and puke and shit. Oh yes, very romantic."
Margaret's shoulders drooped and she let out a mournful wail and began to sob. Cristina must have heard the wail, because she entered the room without knocking and pushed the men away from Margaret and held her. "Get out,” was all she said.
On the way out they passed the young maid who looked after little Edith. "Fools,” she said, "she is already missing Cristina. She is frightened by the thought of losing her company, her support, and her lifetime of sisterly caring. And no wonder when the men in her life are such asses."
Malcolm turned to say something, but the maid slammed the door in his face. "Come on,” he said, "lets grab some wine and get drunk up on the tower."
When they reached the watch platform of the tower Malcolm told the guard to take a break, and once they were out of earshot, he began to speak.
"Margaret was right. This diplomatic mission was all due to the sighting of the Danish fleet. To judge how important it was to them, think that they left a sick William to come here. Williams fortunes have suffered a stunning reversal in the last few years. King Philippe and the counts of France have pushed him back into Normandy. His own son was their pawn. Robert of Flanders has built a solid border to the north of him. Denmark is now ruled by a man who swears to win England back. The bishops in the Germanies side with Canute against all these harrowings, with the result that now even the pope is complaining about William's cruelty.
His own nobles are disgruntled by the military losses and are not earning from their English estates because they are so poorly managed. The young nobles now look to the east to make their fortunes rather than to William. He is weak and sick and that always brings about rebellion.
Suddenly, my friendship is worth enough to bring the Royals here and to offer me rewards. They have told me that if I can get the Daneglish out of Bamburgh fortress, then it is mine. Instead they will build a new bailey on the north side of the Tyne, probably on that hill above the bridge where the Roman ruins are. The next Earl of Dun Holm will be a nobody, just to fill the position. My son Duncan is to be made a knight and to be given English honors. My wife's brother Edgar is to also be given honors in England. All this because of our little prank with the ships pennants."
"And what did you promise them?” asked Raynar.
"Simply that I will not allow Canute to use my harbors, nor to recruit the Daneglish that live here. Hah, as if Canute would bother with my harbors. He will either make a beach head in the Humber, or in the Wash, or in the Thames itself."
"Or in Rouen,” said Raynar. That began Malcolm thinking and drinking again.
"You mean with the help of Robert of Flanders?"
"His daughter Adela will likely become the Queen of Denmark. Robert has always hated William, despite that he is his brother in law. Perhaps because of it."
"And you, Raynar, what now for you?"
Raynar pulled his cloak close around him to keep out the icy wind. "Well it is certain that I will not stay here for winter. That means I must sail soon else I may be stuck here."
"You do realize that if you give her a few days to calm down, Margaret will come and plead with you to take Cristina safely to Winchester,” said Malcolm softly. "You know, I think Cristina is still a virgin. What a waste."
"You are as bad as your wife. Get that thought out of your head. I don't do virgins."
"She would be grateful."
"She would be grateful for a day, and then hate me for the rest of her life. All virgins are like that. Well, female ones anyway. No, I enjoy her company too much to lose it."
"You are a strange one Raynar. Do you know how many times I have dreamed of having both sisters. Isn't that a common dream of all men. Pah, you are so strange."
Raynar bit his tongue to stop him from saying how he had been shared and used by sisters too often in his life. It would have sounded like boasting, and that was not how it was meant.
"When you are in Winchester delivering Cristina, will you save William's life?” asked Malcolm.
"What?"
"Cristina says that you can save William's life. Will you do it?"
"Why would I save the life of the man who I have wished dead for over a decade now?"
"Well, for a price, obviously. A king's price. They are looking for a new Earl for Dun Holm."
"You know me better than that," Raynar snapped at the king. "I have no interest in estates and honors."
"Think of something, anything. If William won't pay it, Matilda certainly will."
* * * * *
* * * * *
The Hoodsman - Queens and Widows by Skye Smith
Chapter 22 - Taking Cristina to Winchester in October 1080
The delivery of Cristina to Winchester took longer than it should have. The Anske left Queensferry under oar struggling against a north east wind. When they finally could turn south out of the firth, they could not sail quickly for the wind was blowing strong and they had to reef the sails, and with the swells they wallowed rat
her than sped.
Cristina was continuously sea sick until they took shelter in the Humber to wait for a storm to pass. At that point she pleaded with them to take her up the Ouse to Selby so that she could continue by horse. This plan was killed by reports from some friendly carters on the near shore who told them that the same storm that had pushed them from Scotland had turned the highways to mud.
Cristina finally agreed to continue by ship, and was relieved when they found that the seas had calmed and they sped on towards the Wash under full sail. They stopped first at Spalding, for Cristina wished to visit the Countess Beatrice who she had first met on her way north a dozen years ago. There they were told that Beatrice was in Huntingdon while a new roof was being put on her own manor.
When they reached Huntingdon, they were met by Beatrice, Lucy, and Maud, but not the Countess Judith. Now it was Raynar's turn to be disappointed, but he hid it well by immediately joining in the play with the two girls. Only later when the girls were skipping together ahead of them did Beatrice tell them that Judith had been summoned to Winchester. She had been gone now for almost two weeks.
Raynar's blood ran cold at the news of the summons. "Why didn't you stop her? She could have gone back to Brugge."
"Calm yourself, “ Beatrice replied. "The summons was delivered by a royal escort, and she left with them the following day. It was go, or have her Frisians murder men in Royal colors. She went."
Raynar looked over at two local bowmen who were carrying their packs. "How did Norman knights ride up to this burg and take away your countess? Why aren't they in damp graves in the Fens."
"She told us not to,” replied one of the bowmen. "She recognized the knights. They had served some friend of hers in France."
"He means Robert of Normandy, for they were his men,” Beatrice interrupted. "She will come to no harm. Robert will protect her, and she took three Frisian women with her."
"Three women, against knights."
"They were healers. They can take care of themselves."