by Griff Hosker
Sir John said, "Then you do not have far to go. Come I will bring you to them."
I was left with Gilles who had hovered by the back wall during the time we had been speaking. He had known William in Normandy and he knew me too. "Lord, if I may speak?"
"You know that I like honesty, Gilles. Speak."
"I have spoken with those who have served you the longest: men like Wulfric and Dick. They tell me that your father was a great man and well respected but that you are nothing like him."
"That is true."
"Then I would take it as something in your family's nature that each generation changes. Your son is not you and you are not your father. Your father was the son of a peasant so he changed too. Accept your lot my lord. Life will be easier. Your son is beyond your grasp. You must let him live the life he chooses or else face conflict and you would not wish that. You will have a grandchild; that is surely a good thing."
I smiled, "Words of wisdom from one so young. Thank you Gilles, I will consider your words. I will visit the church and pray."
"And be close to your wife, lord."
"Aye Gilles, the Lady Adela."
My church always brought me peace. There were always flowers or, in the winter, greenery on the tomb of my wife. I knelt before it and spoke to her in my head. I did not hear William enter but felt his presence as he knelt next to me. I suddenly sensed the spirit of his mother and I enjoyed a feeling of inner calm. Adela was happy. He was half her and half me. She had been a pragmatic woman and I had been lucky to have married her. William appeared to have inherited her pragmatism. I stood and left the church.
William joined me a few moments later. His eyes were wide. He said, quietly, "Mother was there. Her spirit, I mean. I know her body lies there but I swear that I heard her voice. She said she was happy for me. How can that be?"
"Your mother gave her life for this place and she loved both of us more than you can possibly know. I often come here and take comfort from her. I sensed her joy too. She loved you dearly, William, and would wish for happiness for you." I smiled, "And were Harold and Tristan happy to see you?"
"Aye, like Wulfric they cannot believe how much I have grown."
"We have you for but one day. Let us make the most of it. What would you do?"
"See Sir Edward, see Norton, walk Stockton and speak with Alf. Who knows the next time I will return here?"
The visit to the church had healed any rift there might have been and we spent the day doing all that he wanted. After a feast which Alice had lovingly prepared and when all my knights had left us I gave William my message for the Empress. I also wrote a letter for her. When I gave it to him he gave me a knowing look. "You are closer to the Empress than any man save her husband. Even her brother is more distant than you. That is strange is it not?"
I did not like deceiving my son but there were things he could never know for they would threaten the future of England. The Empress and I had a secret which could never be revealed. "The Empress made me her champion and the King ordered me to protect her. I fulfil an oath, that is all."
"And you do it with all the zeal of a crusader. It is to be admired. And you should know that I also took an oath. I swore to protect Henry, her son. He is young yet, but when he is old enough to go to war then I will be amongst his guards and protectors."
"Then I am happy for Henry will be safe."
"He will be as safe as my child will be." My son gave me a knowing look.
The 'Adela' left on the late tide. Captain William wished to sneak out and be down the coast before dawn. There were still pirates who preyed, at dawn, at the mouth of the river. This would be her last voyage before winter for she needed her keel stripping of weed and repairs to her masts. John, my steward and Ethelred made sure that her holds were filled with trade goods. Normandy was our market now!
As I lay in bed that night I wondered how much my son had deduced. Life was complicated. We all held secrets. I thought I knew my son's. Did he know mine?
The knighting of my three new knights barely interrupted the frantic work to get as much work done on the two new castles before the ground became too hard. Once we reached Yule the ground would be frozen and mortar would not set. On one of my visits to Barnard Castle, not long before Yule, Sir Hugh had some interesting news.
"My lord, my scouts have seen many lords travelling twixt Durham and Carlisle. There are ongoing peace talks I believe. I made a point of crossing the trail of the Bishop's emissaries when they returned to Durham. I discovered that peace talks are at an advanced stage. I think that Stephen and King David will soon be reaching an agreement." My face must have shown my displeasure for he said, "Peace talks and a truce were inevitable were they not my lord?"
I shook my head, "We had Scotland here in the palm of our hands. Had I had but five hundred more men I could have reconquered the land the Scots have stolen! We have wasted an opportunity."
"The peace you negotiated holds, my lord."
"I did not negotiate I demanded and I made it quite clear that I intend to take back Scotland when we have the rightful ruler on the throne once more." He nodded. "When the Empress and the Earl land again I will be taking some of my men to join her."
"Will I be required, my lord?"
"I have put Wulfric and Erre in command of two castles so that I can leave a ring of defences around Stockton. You are vital to that defence. No, I shall not leave this land defenceless. I know that the Empress and the Earl must fight where they have their strength and that is far from here. You and my knights will defend and hold what we have bled for."
"You know that I will follow you anywhere, lord."
"I know and that is why I can go knowing that I leave my land in safe hands. The knights I leave will be a bastion against any predators."
"And who will you take?"
"Harold, Dick, Tristan and John. Those four knights, my archers and my men at arms are worth ten times their number."
"It will be strange not to have Wulfric with you."
"It will but I have begun to worry about Wulfric. Since Roger of Lincoln fell he has not been the same. He had what my father called the look of the berserker on his face. He was hurt because he recklessly charged the enemy. It was almost as though he wished to die. His last wound healed but, after, Northallerton, he was weary. He is not finished as a warrior but I will give him a different challenge. He deserves a rest. He has served me well."
"Does he know he will not be going to war with you?" I shook my head. Sir Hugh laughed, "I would like to be there for the delivery of that piece of news."
After seeing his wife and new baby we left to ride along the northern route to my home. It meant we passed close to Durham and I was curious as to the defences of Durham. William Rufus had declared for neither claimant to the throne. He was trying that most difficult of tricks, sitting on the fence. There was always a danger one could fall off!
We met no lords but the farmers we encountered were unhappy. They were subject to bandits, brigands and Scots. They paid their taxes and received little in the way of protection. Times past I would have offered them my shield but I could barely hang on to the manors within my own lands. I would help when at least one of my enemies was no more. Tristan and I parted and he returned to Barnard and I headed for Stockton.
Yule was as festive an occasion as any since my wife died. We now had two young families living within my castle walls and new men who had never had such a home before. Thanks to 'Adela' and her bulging hold we had wine and spices as well as wheat. Alice organised the cooks well. There would be the puddings laced with wine as well as rich cakes made with spices and the last of the fruit from autumn. She had Aiden and his hunters catching game to hang ready for the celebration.
Aidan came to me, "Lord, Alice wishes a wild boar. I know you allow us to hunt but wild boar is for lords of the manor is it not?"
"It is but you could hunt it if you wished."
"I would but Edward and Edgar are not experienced e
nough. I am loath to lose one of them to a boar. They are deadlier than the wolf."
"Then we will find one for Alice. It will be good to join my knights and squires in the hunt. Find us a boar and we will go the day after tomorrow."
My knights were eager for the hunt. Gilles had hunted with his father in Normandy but that had been deer. Deer rarely attack. A wild boar can attack with a body riddled with arrows and spears. They are hard to kill and therefore all the more delicious when eaten. We went to Alf to get some new board spears. The spears he normally made were for war. A boar spear needed a small bar close to the end of the haft to stop the spear head penetrating too far. I had seen boars almost eat ordinary spears. If a man came within range of the tusks he was as good as dead.
Aiden and his scouts had found a family of tuskers three miles upstream in the woods which bordered the river. It was half way between my manor and that of Yarm. It bordered Sir Tristan's at Elton. Only the knights rode and that would only be until we reached the woods. We had brought two stable boys to watch the horses. With thick leather jerkins and gloves we set off through the forest. Aiden was going to bring us so that we were down wind of the beasts. They had a great sense of smell. There was no snow but the ground was hard. That was a mercy. At least we would have a firm footing. We did not follow the trail but went in three loose lines. Aidan, Edgar and Edward led, then the four knights and lastly, the squires with spare weapons. I held my spear before me with both hands. I had hunted wild boar before. Harold had and he had the same grip as I did. Sir Tristan and Sir John held their spears one handed. They were going for the throw.
Aiden held up his hand and I knew that we were close. I relaxed and then tightened my grip. I would need firm hands when the beast was close. Aiden led his two scouts to the west. They would approach from upwind. They would make a noise. The animals would be driven towards us. I made sure that we were spaced apart and we waited. As with a battle this was the hardest time. It was still and I could hear the squires breathing heavily behind us. It was nerves. It was like going into battle. The anticipation built within.
Then I heard the rustle of leaves ahead. There was a squeal and Aiden's voice shouting, "Huzzah!"
I said not a word for if my companions did not know that we were about to see wild boar then I had misjudged them. Four young boar raced towards us followed by a female and two males. One of the males was an old tusker. I allowed the four adolescents to run past me. It was the older males I wanted. Sir Tristan hurled his spear at the female. It glanced off her thick hide and she veered towards the young knight. His squire tripped as he raced to hand him another spear. It was lucky that Harold was there. He ran forward and rammed his spear into the side of the sow. It was not a mortal wound. In fact it just scored a wound along her flank but it drove her away from both Tristan and his stricken squire as she hurried after her young.
Sir John had learned from Tristan's mistake and he changed his grip. I braced myself with my right leg behind me and, as the young male passed me I lunged at the old boar. He had been hunted before and he swerved at the last moment. My spear struck him in the shoulder rather than the mouth or eye. He was powerful and I felt myself being pushed over. John was as strong as Wulfric. He had little skill with a boar spear but as the old male turned his head to eviscerate me with his tusk John rammed his spear though the side of the tusker's skull. It twitched and then life left his eyes. He was dead.
I turned and saw that the rest of the small herd had fled. It was good. There was another male to carry on and we would hunt him some time in the future. The sow would heal and learn from her experience. "Is anyone hurt?"
Sir Tristan shook his head, "Just my pride and that of my squire. I have learned a lesson today."
We took some time to tie the beast to four boar spears. It would help us to carry it. Aiden and his two hunters emerged from the woods. They had a brace of game birds. They had not been idle!
"We have put the boar on spears. You two falconers help the squires to carry him. He is a big beast. You did well to find him, Aiden."
I smiled as they struggled to lift him. He would feed my castle! As we walked back I anticipated the delicious roasts as well as the sausages we would make. Nothing would be wasted. His head would adorn the wall above my fire in my hall.
We marched triumphantly through my gates. The hunt was more than a way of getting food. It taught my squires and young knights how to fight an unpredictable enemy. The lessons learned could be translated to the battle field.
Part 3
The Empress returns
Chapter 11
I had been eager to travel to Chester to see Ranulf de Meschines, Earl of Chester, but, after Yule, we had blizzards and storms which made life hard enough in the valley and would have made the high passes impassable. So it was that, as we headed over to the west, Stephen's emissaries were travelling to Durham to conclude the peace treaty. Thanks to the intelligence gleaned by Sir Hugh we knew that Stephen had given away almost everything: Prince Henry was given the earldom of Northumberland and was restored to the earldom of Huntingdon and lordship of Doncaster. King David, himself, was allowed to keep Carlisle, Westmorland, Cumberland and Lancashire north of the Ribble. Stephen had only hung on to Bamburgh and Newcastle. He had bought off the Scots with half of the Earl of Chester's lands. All that we could have won had been given away. King David had lost the battle but won the war.
I had with me my four knights and their squires, Philip of Selby and half of my archers and my eleven men at arms. Deaths and knighthood, not to mention my garrison in Anjou, had taken their toll. The eleven were more than enough. We took three servants too but left our warhorses at home. I did not think that we were going to war. We were going to find allies.
The blizzards had long gone and, once we crossed the top of the col across, the snow thinned and we made better time. I was not worried about enemies: there were too many of them but as the Scots were just interested in the lead mines to the north of us and the land before Chester had few people, I was confident we could reach the Earl safely. No one with any sense would be out at this time of year. What I did not know was how I would be received. He had sided with Stephen. Even though he was married to Maud, the Earl of Gloucester's daughter, he had decided to take the opportunity to ingratiate himself with Stephen. I was disappointed. I had thought better of him. There were many such men who had taken Stephen's offer of money and titles.
I sent Ralph of Wales and Walter of Crewe to scout ahead. They could both pass for natives of the area. I wanted to avoid any conflict before we reached Chester. It was with some relief that we saw the huge castle and my two scouts returned to tell me that they had entered the city without incident. We might not have such an easy time. We rode through the outer gate without too much trouble. I think the guards there were half asleep or perhaps the cloaks we had wrapped tightly about us hid our identity. We rode through the narrow streets of the busy city. We passed the cathedral and saw the castle with its fine keep. When my banner was unfurled and our cloaks opened armed guards rushed to the gate. A sergeant at arms asked, nervously, "What is it you seek, my lord?"
I had fought alongside many of the Earl's men and they knew me. More importantly they knew my reputation. "I am here to speak with the Earl. I come in peace." He looked beyond me at my men. I said quietly, "If we came for war, sergeant, then you would be lying dead with arrows in your body. You know that. Let us enter. I promise you that your master will not be harmed."
He nodded and stood aside.
We rode through the gate into the castle. It had a large square keep and a huge bailey. We rode up to the keep and I dismounted. My men remained outside with the horses. I knew not what reception we might receive. The Earl himself came to meet me. He was flanked by his half brother Sir William de Roumare and his wife Maud. I was happy to see that she was smiling. She had always liked me. The Earl and his half brother looked worried as though they feared I would draw my sword and slay them all.
I smiled, "My lord, I am here on an embassy."
"From whom, my lord?"
"Is this the place for such discussions, my lord?" I saw him hesitate, "I told your guards that you would be safe. Do you fear that an old friend will turn violent?"
Maud snapped, "This is Aelfraed, husband! You will be safe!" She came next to me and put her arm through mine. "William, see to the Earl's men." She walked into the keep with me. "Tell me, my lord, have you heard from my father or the Empress?"
I said, quietly, "I have my lady and I have travelled here at their behest."
"Good." She spoke equally quietly, "I have told my husband that he has sided with the wrong ruler but..."
We had reached the Great Hall and she let go of my arm and clapped her hand. "Food, wine, hurry! We have a distinguished guest."
I was seated between the Earl and his wife. His half brother faced me. I could see the discomfort in both men's faces. When the wine came Maud poured me a beaker. "I hear, my lord, that you were at the battle of the standards?"
"I was."
"Then let us toast a hero for the Scots would have been at our very gates had you not done so." The two knights were forced to accede to her request. "Tell me, Earl, who led the men at the battle?"
"It was the Archbishop, Thurstan himself, who led us, my lady."
For the first time Ranulf smiled, "I fear you are not being totally truthful. Thurstan is a brave fellow but he has no more idea of dispositions for a battle than my wife here." I smiled as she giggled. "I hear that it was you."
I did not answer his question directly. "Sadly, my lord, I had no power. If I had had the command I would have followed King David to Carlisle and defeated him once and for all." I paused, "Stephen has allowed King David to keep the lands he has taken."
"That is a lie!"
I said quietly, "Careful, Ranulf. I promised you that I would not harm you but do not insult me. When have you ever known me to lie?"