Varangian

by Griff Hosker

  “Go on Aelfraed, you intrigue me.”

  “Has this city fallen before?”

  “Only after a costly assault.”

  “They will feel secure behind their walls. They will have seen that you have no siege train and they will be waiting for you to waste your men in a useless assault against their fortifications.”

  “Precisely!” Nicephorus was becoming impatient with my slow and patient build up.

  I ignored him and said, instead to Alexios. “Are there men in the army who know the city?”

  “There should be.” He waved over an aide and whispered something to him. The aide left. “Go on. I feel there is an idea behind these questions and unlike our friend Nicephorus I have a little more patience.” Nicephorus gave an apologetic smile.

  “Suppose we created a little terror inside the city walls?”

  “Terror?”

  “Yes. If we could somehow get six or seven warriors in at night time they might cause them to believe that there were traitors in their midst. “

  “What sorts of things do you have in mind?”

  “A city in a siege situation needs plenty of food and water. If they were threatened, then the city is not as secure. They must be housing horses; if those horses were released from their stables and ran amok then damage would be caused.”

  The aide returned and spoke quietly to Alexios. “There are some men who lived in Amasya so there is a chance but would this not mean the deaths of these men. If they could get in and they could cause this damage then how would they escape?”

  “Oh they would have to escape. There should be no connection to you and your army. Then when you go and demand that Roussel be handed over they might be more amenable.”

  There was a silence as everyone considered the plan. Alexios nodded. “If we could do all as you say then there are no drawbacks to this plan and it would work but where would you get men who were not connected to my army?”

  “My men. We use some of the Norman and Frank armour we retained after the battle so that, if we are seen, and heard they will assume we are Franks for our languages sound similar to the Greeks do they not?”

  Andronikos grinned, “They both sound like someone bringing phlegm from their throat!”

  Everyone laughed and Alexios, after a moment or two held up his hand. “But how would you get in and out?”

  “In is the easier part. There will be some way in and those who know the city amongst your men, if they were soldiers will know those ways. Getting out will be the same way and, if our work is not discovered then it will be easy but if they are seeking us then it will be more difficult.”

  Nicephorus looked at me. “You intend to lead this?”

  “I could not expect my men to do something which I would not do myself.”

  “It is a risk, Aelfraed.”

  “It is what warriors do every day, strategos. They take risks. The difference is I have calculated the risks here and they are acceptable.”

  “How many men would you take?”

  “Five others and me.”

  “But not Ridley.” It was a command and not a question.

  “Why not? My lord, he always goes with me.”

  “If you were to fall then who would command my Saxons? No it is either you or Ridley who commands this mission but not both.”

  Without hesitation I replied, “Then I will lead.”

  Alexios looked at the commanders in turn, Nicephorus nodded as did Andronikos and the others.”Well, reluctantly I give you my permission but if you find it will not work then return for I would rather another strategy be tried than lose my Droungarios of Saxons.”

  Ridley, of course, was not happy and tried to persuade me to let him lead. “No Ridley it is my plan.” I drew him to one side out of earshot of my other officers. “Who is better at improvising old friend, you or me? I would have taken you but the strategos forbade it.”

  “I preferred it when we made decisions and did not have to follow orders.”

  “Aye as do I, but the Normans put an end to that did they not? This is our first payment on that debt.”

  Andronikos brought the two men who had lived in Amasya and they drew a plan of the city. Egbert found me five men to accompany me. All of my officers had volunteered but I knew that, if I did not return, then Ridley would need them even more. Besides, this gave me the chance to observe my men first hand. We even had two who could speak Frank, Tadgh and Gurth had both served as mercenaries for a Frankish leader and they would be invaluable. The others were Alan, Sweyn and Alfred. We first changed into the captured clothes. Ridley had been thinking about it and said, “You will only need the helmet and tunic. The armour would only slow you down and you just need to pass for the enemy.”

  I clapped him on the back. “Sound thinking. And we will not need shields so just take the Frankish swords and daggers.”

  When dressed we could not be differentiated from those Normans and Franks we had fought. The men from Amasya had found us a way in. “Here, lord, there is a small gate. It is guarded but the sentries use it to relieve themselves and to let the garrison smuggle items in under the noses of their leaders.”

  I looked at Andronikos. “Would they speak Greek or Norman?”

  “I will send one of these men with you. They were both keen to join you within.”

  I shook my head, “No they can come to the door and get us in but they must not enter. We need no connection to Alexios for this plan to work. We have to make them think that their new guests cannot be trusted.”

  The two men nodded and agreed to come with us. They too dressed as Franks but they still looked like Byzantines close up but they would wait for us outside the gate and guard our exit. If we were seen fleeing then they would still look like us. To make it look as though we were men from Roussel’s contingent who had planned this we would have eight horses tethered close by and our escape route would be towards the coast where Andronikos would wait with a bandon of cavalry.

  Nicephorus cleared the guards at the head of the road before dusk. His frustration at losing Roussel was lessened as he, at last, had action and the guards fled back to the safety of the city. His men held the pass while we rode over the ridge and dropped to a spindly stand of trees eight hundred paces from the walls. It was pitch dark but there was the thin white mark of a rough trail. The two Greeks led us down the path. We halted in a small gully while we watched the men on the walls. They were not expecting an attack from this side for there were only two sentries patrolling the whole length of the wall. We ran the last few paces to the gate and then my men separated to stand on either side; their daggers drawn. The two Greeks, who had poured wine down their tunics to make them smell of alcohol, knocked noisily on the door and demanded, drunkenly, to be let in. The door opened and the two Greeks feigned a backwards fall. The two guards came out laughing at their discomfort and, as they leaned forwards to help them up we slipped out and slit their throats. We dragged the bodies back inside to make it look as though they were killed on the way out and then, leaving the two Greeks to watch the door, we entered the citadel of Roussel de Bailleul.

  After looking at the map drawn by the Greeks I had memorised the route to the well and led the way. This part of the fortress and city was deserted and we made swift progress. I hoped we would not meet any Franks for they would soon realise that we were intruders and, equally, I felt guilty that we might be killing Greek soldiers who chanced upon us but they had made the wrong decision in supporting this traitor, or at least their leaders had and, as in any conflict, it is the poor soldier on the ground who pays the price for his leader’s mistakes.

  There were two Greeks guarding the well, they were throwing dice. They looked up when they heard our approach but relaxed when they recognised the uniforms and continued with their game. Their bodies were dumped in the well. That part of our plan had worked successfully. We could have left then but I wanted the populace to be rid of their guests speedily. We headed towards the granary
. I knew that it would be guarded but I relied on the fact that it would be Greeks who would do so. Again the guards allowed us to approach and paid the same price as those guarding the well. The grain was in huge silos and I wondered how best to spoil it. Alan spied the brazier and we emptied it into the grain which, as it was dry began to burn. Now we had to work speedily for the fire would alert the guards to their danger and we headed quickly and furtively to the stables. Here I was certain that we would find Frankish or Norman guards and I placed Tadgh and Gurth, the Frank speakers at the front.

  There were four guards at the entrance and they viewed us suspiciously. Gurth said something and they relaxed a little. We approached a little closer and one of them spoke to Alan who shrugged. We were now less than five paces away and as I saw their leader, a sergeant from the look of him, begin to draw his sword, I shouted, “At them!” They were brave men but only one had his sword drawn and our daggers were already in our hands. All four fell but not without much screaming and shouting. Alan’s arm was bleeding from a sword thrust and my original plan would not now work. “Sweyn begin the fire. The rest of you release the horses and, each of you, get on one, we will drive them through the city to the gates.” I helped Alan to mount and Tadgh held Sweyn’s horse for him. Sweyn had thrown the brazier on the hay which soon caught fire. We mounted and then shouted at the terrified horses to make them stampede.

  I rode ahead of the men and horses to lead them to the gates. There were just two Greeks at the gates and they fled in fear as the wall of horses galloped towards them. I dismounted and began to lift the bar on the huge double gates. I could hear, in the background, the sound of alarm and arrows began to thud into the wood. Sweyn jumped down to help me for, even with my strength, I was struggling to raise the heavy wooden beam. The two of us managed to throw down the bar and, with the gates opened the horses fled to freedom. I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as I mounted but as we struck the road I could see that all of my men were there. I just hoped that the two Greeks had heard the noise. As we headed for the camp I turned to Tadgh. “Ride to the other horses and bring our Greek friends.”

  Looking behind me I saw the flames flickering from the two fires. Unfortunately our plan had not worked quite the way we had hoped and we were heading in the wrong direction, we were heading for the Byzantine camp. Alexios and Nicephorus were waiting for me. “What went wrong?”

  “There were more guards than we expected and they raised the alarm. They will still believe it was Franks for they all saw us leave on the horses.” As I started to dismount I felt a sudden pain in my shoulder and I fell to my knees. Aidan and Ridley were close by and they raced to my side.

  “You are wounded my lord. You have an arrow in your back!”

  “”Fetch a surgeon. Lie down Aelfraed.”

  I shook my head, “Not until I know the others are safe.”

  Just then Tadgh and the Greeks galloped in leading their string of horses. Then I sat down. As I did so I had a sudden idea. I could see the concern on Alexios’ face and I smiled. The arrow wound was nothing. I had had worse. “Do not worry strategos, I will not die and I have an answer to our problem. Tomorrow you take me and my men, bound and tied to the gates and say you captured us. Tell the people you will exchange us for Roussel.”

  “That might work, but your wound?”

  “We will make it even more convincing. I assume there is blood on the tunic?”

  “It looks like a pig has been slaughtered.”

  “Good they will see it and believe it then when Roussel is handed over we will have won.” I gave them a sardonic smile, “Unless you do actually hand us over to them.”

  Alexios laughed, “No my friend, although I believe you are resourceful enough to escape if we did do that.”

  By the time dawn broke the surgeons had dressed my wound and I recognised Reuben’s paste! When they offered me the white powder I declined for I knew I would need my wits about me at the exchange. We had to assume that they would think that we, as Norman rebels, would not wish to stay with the Byzantine army and they would not expect us to return to their ranks. With my wounded shoulder and Tadgh’s arm in a sling we did look as though we had suffered.

  Nicephorus rode up to the gate and made our demands. When he returned he was grinning. “It seems that we did not need to make the exchange. The city fathers want nothing more to do with Roussel. They have him and his lieutenants in chains and they say we can execute the prisoners for them.” He turned to Alexios. “They apologise for making an error in judgement my lord.”

  Alexios laughed, “Well Saxon it seems your Byzantine plot has succeeded. You have learned our ways as well as our language.”

  I was glad that we did not have to continue with our ruse, I felt I had tempted wyrd just a little too much and the Norns’ webs had pitfalls and traps within them. I was looking forward to meeting Roussel. He seemed to me a resourceful man. I think he was trying to emulate the Guiscard brothers in Italy and carve out his own kingdom as they had done. When he reached our camp he did not have the arrogant look of William of Perci or Guy of Evreux, the other Normans I had met. He seemed to have a pleasant disposition which is why, I assume, that the people of two cities took to him so readily. He and his men made obeisance to Alexios and begged forgiveness for their indiscretions. Alexios was not moved by their pleas and turned to Nicephorus. “Escort them back to Constantinople and imprison them. I will let the Emperor deal with them. We will follow with the army.”

  As he was led off he halted close to me. He spoke in Greek to me, “Are you the Saxon who gave my men a bloody nose?”

  “I am, Aelfraed Godwinson.”

  His face showed that he knew me. “Ah the Saxon bastard who gave The Bastard the run around in England. And from your disguise I assume that you were the ones who spoiled my stay in Amasya?”

  I gave a slight bow, “I had a part in it.”

  He nodded. “It is a pity that we will not have time to talk of your life for I think we would have much in common.”

  As he was led away I hoped that was not true although, like me, the Norman appeared to be a survivor. I hoped that I did not fight merely for power and glory. Alexios watched him depart. “If the Emperor has sense he will execute that snake, for he is slippery and full of guile.”Then he smiled at me. “I am pleased that John brought you to meet me for you have already saved me the lives of many men but, “he wagged an admonishing finger at me. You are a Droungarios and I think one day perhaps a Tourmache or even a strategos so be a little more careful and take less risks.”

  Ridley and Aidan fussed over me and I knew that Ridley was unhappy about being left behind while I had led others on the raid. As we trudged along the road back to the capital I took the opportunity of explaining our new life. I had to admit that it had taken turns which I had not expected but I knew that my life was being directed by someone other then me.

  “Listen old friend. Remember when you became Thegn of Coxold and you did not like to be away from me and my men.”

  “I remember.”

  “Well think back to how you felt when the Normans slaughtered your people. They meant more to you at that moment than I did and that was right and proper. You are now Komes and command more men than the fyrd and your men at arms. Like your fyrd you will come to care for them and when you take over from me as Droungarios you will have all of them under your wing. I will always be there Ridley but we cannot always fight side by side.“ I shrugged, “It is wyrd.”

  “I know Aelfraed but I would go back to the times when we fought for your father.”

  “Ah but we can never go back.”

  Aidan gave a small cough. “Have you never thought of embracing the Church my lords? You can find much comfort in God and Christ.”

  “I dare say, Aidan, but when you have seen the cruelty we have you wonder if the God who allows that is your kind and thoughtful God.”

  “But you believe in God do you not?”

  “I believe in a god but
I think there are other forces directing us.”

  He shook his head. “I can see the pagan world in you two.”

  I waved a hand at the men behind us. “I think you will find it close to all of the men who follow us. They would all rather die with a sword in their hand than a cross. You are welcome to be a priest to them Aidan but do not be surprised if they do not embrace your ideas. To a man of God, your God is understandable and reasonable but to a man of war he is not. We do not turn the other cheek.”

  I did not mind Aidan’s attempts to change me. It was his job just as my job was to fight. I think I did my job better for he never convinced us but I became even better at fighting and killing in this new Byzantine world.

  Chapter 9

  Constantinople 1076

  By the time we had reached Constantinople my wounds had healed and both Ridley and I could speak Greek well. We could even speak some words in other languages. This was our life now; living in a world far removed from England. We bade a sad farewell to Aidan as we landed. He had helped us immeasurably and, as a healer, he had saved many of my men’s lives. He would go back to the palace and his duties as a clerk. For a brief time he had been a priest once more but he had failed to convert any of us to his ideas. My men were still the warriors they had always been. What delighted me was the swagger of them as they stepped proudly off the transports. They had been involved in the most fighting of any of the warriors on the campaign and they had emerged with the most glory. While they had not been lacking in confidence when I took charge now they were brimming with I and it showed. I allowed Egbert, Edward and the others to lead them through the city. We were the first to return as we were the easiest to transport and they enjoyed the cheers of the crowds. Word had got out that the danger in the east had been averted and that the rebels had been captured. We had spent some time securing the province and Roussel had been returned for over a year with Nicephorus taking much of the credit for his capture. I suspected Nicephorus had spread that tale.