by Griff Hosker
Edward and the others had worked hard and the ground floor of the castle was completed. William had narrowed the entrance and I tried it with Scout. I stripped to the waist and began to help. Judith, William’s wife, saw my bandaged ribs, “My lord you are injured. Should you be working?”
“Injured or not this is my castle and I will work as hard as any to complete it.”
I spent a week there and we saw a massive change. We had a wall on the second floor which came to my waist. I ascended the ladder and looked out across the river. I imagined when it was finished and I would have a view to the hills in the south. This would be a fine castle. It was as I stood there with Harold and Edward that we spied the two riders leading a third horse, approaching the southern bank from the west. I was not worried; it was, after all, just two riders. Ethelred took the ferry over for he was ever keen to make a profit.
“What do you make of it Harold?”
“It looks like a knight and a squire.”
“Can you make out the coat of arms?”
I knew which ones I had to be wary of and I had learned caution.
“It looks to be a plain blue shield and he wears no surcoat.”
I was intrigued. He had approached from the west. We had had little contact with the west. When we had visited the quarries the land had been empty. Had he come from the west coast? My speculation was pointless. He would soon be here.
We kept on working. I actually enjoyed pulling on the rope as the crane hoisted the huge stone blocks into place. I would soon have to visit Alf and have my armour repaired once more. I was still broadening out. I heard Edward laugh, “My lord, haul slower, we cannot position it if you pull so fast.”
“I should have hired stronger men at arms.”
“My lord, you should have employed Titans!”
I could see that William was pleased with the progress. He had worked on a carved stone over the gate. It was my father’s axe and I was pleased. It was a reminder of our past and our connection to Harold Godwin and the Housecarls.
I caught sight, out of the corner of my eye, the knight, his squire and his horses as they left the ferry. They would have to travel a hundred or so paces to reach me or they could head directly north for Norton. They headed for the castle. Edward had just tied the stone to the crane and waved to Harold and me. We began to haul. The stone was half way up when I heard a Norman voice ask Edward, “How do I reach Baron Ridley of Norton?”
Edward ignored him as he was continuing to hold the rope taut. If he had let go then we might have lost a valuable piece of stone.
“I am talking to you; fellow with the rope. Do you not understand Norman?”
I kept pulling but shouted down, in Norman, “He understands you but he is busy. Just wait!”
Harold grinned and kept pulling. I heard the knight curse and say to his squire, “Impudent serfs. They should be whipped!”
I shook my head and hauled on the rope. As William pulled it into place and began to smooth the mortar I grabbed the rope and slid down to the ground. I landed next to his horse.
“Now then! What is it you wish to know?”
The knight had taken off his helmet and lowered his mail coif. I could see that he was only a little older than I was but he was a little thin, as though he had not eaten well lately. His squire was much older and looked like a skeleton in mail.
The knight looked imperiously down his nose at me. I waved to Harold to bring a drying sheet for I was sweating heavily. “I wish to know how to get to your master, Baron Ridley. And be quick about it, my man. I already have some bad reports to make about his serfs. Do not exacerbate the problem. Tell me quickly how do I get to the Baron?”
Edward, Aiden, Harold, everyone was grinning at the knight’s mistake. As Harold brought me the drying sheet I winked at him. After I had dried my face I dropped to one knee, “Oh I pray sir that you give no bad reports of me. I cannot stand another whipping.”
He nodded, “Very well but be quick. How do I reach Norton?”
I stood and pointed to the north. “Well sir, if you keep on this track for a couple of miles you will see his castle at Norton.”
“That is better. And what is your name so that I might tell him of your assistance?”
I smiled and said, “I am Sir Alfraed of Norton, Baron Ridley’s son.”
If a silence could be said to echo then this one did. I nodded to Harold, “Harold, get dressed and escort….”
The knight recovered his composure and said, “Sir Richard Fitzherbert.”
“To my father, tell him I will join him for the meal tonight. I am sure it will be interesting!”
It did not take Harold long to throw on his tunic and mount his palfrey. After the knight had gone Edward and his men fell about laughing. “What did you make of his war gear, Edward?”
He stopped laughing and composed himself, “Old fashioned mail. It must date from the invasion but it is well cared for. He has a good squire. He has a good palfrey but the destrier is old. His shield is old fashioned and bears no mark. He has no lord. His squire is a little like me, my lord, his face shows that he has been on the wrong side of an argument.” He laughed, “I quite like that. They have not eaten well lately but they are close.”
I was intrigued, “How do you know?”
“When you mocked him his squire’s hand went to his sword. He is oathsworn. He is no hired man.”
“Thank you Edward. We will finish for the day. I shall go back to Norton. You can come with me if you wish.”
Edward grinned and began to rub himself dry. “No thank you my lord. We can stay here and get an early start.”
William laughed, “Do not worry, my lord, he and the ale wife have become quite close since he arrived. It is the lure of her bed which is attractive.”
Edward shrugged, “What can I say my lord? My needs are small.” His nephew was about to say something and Edward, laughing, pointed at him and said, “And that is all that is small, nephew!”
I stripped off and dived into the river to clean off the sweat, stone dust and dirt of the day. It was no hot bath but it sufficed to make me feel cleaner. I had clean hose and my tunic had lain in the sun all day. Aiden and I rode back towards Norton feeling replete. There was something satisfying in physical work. As I looked back and saw another course on the castle I saw progress; in every shape and form.
It was approaching dusk when we saw the gates of Norton. After the stone gate of Stockton it seemed a little flimsy but I knew that its ditches were sown with traps and it would be well defended. Branton and his archers would rain death on any attacker.
I saw the horses of the knight with his squire watching them. The knight was nowhere to be seen. William’s son had begun to build new structures to house the new men who had arrived and although they were as yet unfinished I was sure that the knight and his squire could be accommodated. The rules of hospitality meant we had to offer the impoverished warrior shelter for the night.
Aiden took the horses away. He had captured a couple of dogs a few days earlier and I heard them howling their welcome as they scented him. I heard him shout to them, “I’ll be with you in a moment you noisy buggers!” Aiden now had a complete life and was as happy as any within Norton’s wooden walls.
The knight was seated with my father at the table. Faren had served them some ale. I held out my hand and she poured me a beaker.
“I hear you have met our new knight, Sir Richard?”
I smiled, “Aye although he took me for a serf!”
Sir Richard flushed and saw an irritated look flicker across my father’s face, “You must excuse my son, Sir Richard. He has a wicked sense of humour.”
Sir Richard forced a smile onto his face. “I can remember when I had a sense of humour but then my father died and I was forced from my own land by my own brother to make a living. You are lucky Sir Alfraed, you have no brothers and you will inherit this fine manor.”
I toasted Sir Richard, “In which case I apolo
gise for my jest but we were in good spirits. The castle is coming on apace.”
The new knight nodded, “It is well situated. When do you move in, Sir Ridley?”
“I do not. It is my son’s castle. He and my mason have designed it and he and his men at arms build it.”
“But you only have four men at arms!”
It was my turn to flush. “At the moment, aye but Wulfstan serves me too and he is a mighty knight.” I looked around. “Where is he, by the way?”
“He and my oathsworn heard reports from Thomas Two Toes of strangers on our borders. He has gone to investigate.”
It was getting on towards summer and our land burgeoned with young animals and growing crops. If someone was going to raid then this would be the opportunity. “In which case I will take my men from the castle building and we will join Wulfstan to hunt down these intruders.”
“They may be a figment of the old man’s imagination.”
I pointed to my ribs, “That old man has sharp senses, father, if he says there are intruders then we should be worried.” I looked at Sir Richard.
My father saw my look and nodded, “So, Sir Richard, will you serve under my son?”
He stared at me and then smiling, bobbed his head, “It will be an honour my lord but I should warn you that I stay only to make my fortune.”
“Then I am afraid it will be a brief stay for enemies travel here in hope and their bones and riches remain here in Norton.”
My father shook his head and touched the hammer of Thor he wore alongside his crucifix. He still spoke of the weird sisters who wove their webs. I did not believe such nonsense but he had been brought up in a different time.
We were about to sit down to eat when a weary Wulfstan and the others entered. They sat at the table and downed their ales in one. “I was ready for that.” Wulfstan briefly looked at Sir Richard before addressing my father. “The old man is right. There were tracks north of the forest. There were no hoof prints but the marks of men. Someone has been scouting our land. We followed them west to the Durham Road. They crossed the road.”
My father looked at Sir Richard. “Did you cross the Durham Road, Sir Richard?”
“We came along the south bank of the Tees and we saw no-one. My squire, Carl, had begun to think that no-one lived in these parts.”
My father nodded to Wulfstan who continued, “We rode down to Edward at the castle and warned them to be on the lookout for enemies.”
I frowned, “I will send Harold to bring them back here. William can stop work on the castle for a while and work here. We need to quash this raid before it begins.”
Sir Richard put down the piece of bread he had been eating, “Would it not be better to wait behind these walls and see where they strike?”
The comment was addressed to my father who began to open his mouth to speak but I forestalled him, “We are a small manor, Sir Richard, and we are well mounted. We can patrol the borders to the north and the west. Better to destroy them before they hurt our people.”
I was pleased to see a nod and a smile from Wulfstan. Sir Richard picked up his bread and began to chew. I could see that he was thinking. “My son is impetuous and speaks before his elders and betters but he is correct. “
Osric belched and swallowed some ale. “And I do not think it is those Normans we had trouble with last year. I think that this will be the Scots.”
“What makes you say that?”
He reached into his purse and pulled out a feather. It was the feather of a golden eagle. “Unless I miss my guess, this came from one of the scouts. I have never seen a golden eagle in these parts but they have them in Scotland and they like to adorn their hair with them.” He nodded to Egbert, “Remember those lads who came to join the Varangians? They had tattoos, limed hair and these hung from their pigtails.” Egbert nodded his agreement.
“Then it is a slave raid. You are right my son. Send Harold to Stock’s ton. Tomorrow you go hunting Scotsmen.”
Chapter 16
Thanks to the earlier raids we had plenty of horses and ponies. We left Ralph, Branton and four archers to help my father defend the castle while the rest of us, all nineteen of us, including Aiden, set off to hunt that most dangerous of game, man. My ribs were a reminder of how dangerous wild animals could be and man could be even more fatal.
Aiden said, as we left the castle, “I have brought Wolf, sir. He is almost trained.”
I looked around at the huge hound which Aiden had saved during the winter. He had come half starved with a damaged paw and Aiden had brought him back to life. The huge wolf like beast now growled threateningly at the men at arms as they passed him.
“Almost?”
Aiden shrugged, “He only bites those I tell him to.”
I laughed, “Very well then but remember our avowed aim is to find these raiders.”
“I know, my lord and we will find them.”
“Then take your beast and head for Thropp. That is the last place Wulfstan saw them.”
He kicked his rouncy on and the wild dog led him north west.
Wulfstan nudged his horse next to mine. “So, young Alfraed, you need no advice?”
“Of course I do but you did say the tracks began near Thropp did you not? And the farm which is furthest from the manor is that of Grim son of Aelfric.” He had a farm far to the west. He had been one of the few farmers who had had cattle before my father had bought some. He now had a healthy, although small herd. He and his three sons were clearing the forest. He had ambitions to make a much bigger farm. When I had visited him he had told me that there was land which could be cleared for farms for his sons. If the Scots were raiding he was a prime target.
“You are learning. How will we deal with the raiders, should we find them?”
I knew Wulfstan well enough now to know that he was doing my father’s bidding and asking me leading questions to test me. “We need to do more than stop them. We must make pay such a price that they choose other manors.”
“Grim and his sons may pay the price.”
I set my face. “I know and I will try to do all that I can to minimise the damage but we have the whole manor to think of and not just one farmer.”
He nodded, “I agree but it is good that you are aware of the consequences of failure.”
I looked at him, as sternly as I could. “We will not fail.”
Our route took us past Thomas Two Toes farm. He and his sons waved. I noticed that they were armed and his animals were within his enclosure. If we were wrong then it might be Thomas who would pay the price. I was gambling that the Scots would strike as far away from the manor as they could. I had no doubt that the Normans who had raided us would have spread the word about the new teeth on the old dog that was my father. The land dipped below Thropp and then rose to the small ridge. Aiden waited there. He was on the ground, examining the tracks.
He pointed to the hoof prints. “These are the prints of the hooves of the raider’s horses. They have four of them. See how they are much deeper than those of my rouncy. They carry mailed warriors. It is hard to estimate the numbers of those on foot but I would say there are at least twenty.”
“Good. And where are they?”
He pointed to the west. “They are heading for Grim’s farm.”
The farm was less than two miles away. The track twisted, turned, climbed and fell. The raiders would have to tread warily. I needed them all inside a trap. “Wulfstan, you take the oathsworn and the archers. Approach from the north. I will take Edward’s men and our new knight. We will approach from the south. We should trap them between us.”
“We will keep the same road for a mile anyway, Alfraed.”
“I know but once we are close I shall move quickly. We take no prisoners but let one live.”
Osric had been listening and he cocked his head to one side, “One?”
“I would have a message go back to the north. Find easier pickings than Norton!”
We were a mile away when w
e heard the sounds of screams. I kicked Scout on. Sir Richard rode his destrier. I did not know why. This would not be a battle. Wulfstan and his column disappeared through the woods. I shouted to Aiden, “Keep out of the battle. Use your bow to stop any mischief.”
“Aye my lord.”
I rode knee to knee with Sir Richard as we thundered along the track which led to the southern entrance to the farm. I smelled smoke.
Grim had built a wall. It was mainly to keep his animals in but it had served to slow down the Scots. I saw one half naked dead warrior at the gate. It was a heavily tattooed body. It was a Scot. A slave’s body lay close by. Sir Richard had a lance but I had a long spear. As we galloped through I saw that the Scots were hacking at the door of the large hut and they had fired it to make those inside leave. One warrior, at the rear of the band, turned as he heard us. I punched my spear into his chest and flicked the body to one side. I stabbed at a second warrior but the man dived to the side and I merely scored his ribs. The three mailed warriors had dismounted and were organising a ram. I held my spear aloft and I hurled it towards them. A warrior called a warning and an enormous Scot turned just in time to have the spear plunge into his chest. He was such a large man that he fell amongst his comrades and knocked some of them to the ground.
As I drew my sword I saw Sir Richard still using his lance. I leaned to the side as Scout galloped towards a knot of warriors I swung it horizontally and it cracked and crashed into the side of the skull of a man at arms. His falling body jerked my blade from his head. A warrior with a spear lunged at Scout and I whipped his head to the left. The spear head rose over my pommel and I smashed down with my sword. The head broke from the haft. I backhanded the man and my sword ripped across his face.
I saw two of the raiders fall at my feet, their backs pierced with arrows and I knew that Wulfstan had arrived. The three mailed warriors now advanced towards Sir Richard and me. I galloped Scout towards them. He was a brave horse but he would not charge their wall of shields. I reined him in and leapt from his back. Harold grabbed his reins and took him away from the fray. The three knights advanced menacingly towards me. I was not worried. Edward and his men were already dismounted and rushing to my aid. I just had to hold them off until they arrived and Harold returned.