Irish War (Anarchy Book 16)

by Hosker, Griff

  Alf helped me to groom. My father had instilled in me certain values. One was to be both clean and well groomed. That came from living in the East. I had combs and oils. Alf had been born in the east and he understood the rituals. My squire combed my hair and beard. He trimmed the ends of my beard and then nodded. He was still clean shaven. “Have you any instructions for me, lord?”

  “Just do as you did this morning and listen. Did you learn anything?”

  “Just that there are many enemies of the king. He has few lords who support him from what the other squires and servants were saying. If I was King Malcolm I would surround myself with many warriors.”

  That had been my fear. The sooner we had the agreement the better. If Malcolm was deposed it would not make much difference if King Henry had the parchment. We had the men to take and hold both counties by force. The worst thing which could happen would be if he died without signing the precious document. He was a young king without experience. Had he been older then the squires and servants would not have been so free with their criticism.

  I was eager to get to the feast. We had, however, to wait until we were summoned. Before we left I summoned John of Chester. He was my sergeant at arms. “Keep a good watch and make sure that none of our men are tempted to speak with the garrison. I fear either treachery or a trap.”

  “Do not worry, lord. As soon as we neared the Scots our men became careful.”

  We walked to the castle. Our horses would be able to graze and we did not need them. There were more of us this time and I felt safer amongst them. I noticed that Wulfric and Dick flanked me and I knew, without looking, that Harold would be behind me. It was ingrained in their nature to protect me.

  Just as there were more of us so there were more of the Scots. Although Ferchar, Mormaer of Strathearn and his men had left they had been replaced. I noticed that Fergus and Uhtred of Galloway were present. The only smile we saw was on the face of the king. My knights and men at arms could smile now. They were almost relaxed but none of them would drink too much. They would wait until we were back in England for that.

  “Earl, you and your men put us to shame.” I noticed then that the Scottish lords had not made any effort to dress for the feast. My men all wore clean surcoats and they too were well groomed. The ones who had been present earlier had not bothered to change and most of the ones we passed whom we had not seen smelled of horses.

  “My king and my father would be disappointed if it were not so.”

  He led me to the head of the table and waved his other hand. The Canon appeared with a parchment in his hand. “All it requires, Earl, is your seal and the signatures of the Canon and your priest. We have wax.”

  The priest unrolled it and held it flat. I read it but I knew that the king would be true to his word. When the wax was dropped I used the seal King Henry had given me and then my own seal. That made it unique. Brother Peter and the Canon dipped the goose quill into the ink and signed. The Canon’s signature was very flowery while Brother Peter’s was quite simple. When the wax had hardened it was rolled up.

  I handed it to Brother Peter. “Keep this safe, Brother.”

  I saw the malevolent looks from the leading Scottish nobles. They had not accepted this loss of so much land, stolen from us, with as much equanimity as the king. They would want the parchment. It was evidence of the agreement. The would destroy the document of they could. Without it they could dispute the agreement. The king and I sat next to each other but other than that there was no mixing. The Scottish were on one side and the Normans on the other.

  King Malcolm seemed genuinely interested in the Crusades. “I should like to have gone on one, Earl, to fight for Christ against the infidels. What greater glory is there!”

  “I fear, your majesty, that the Seljuk Turks have won. The Crusaders I met, Hospitallers apart, were out for one thing, riches. The Muslims have religion at their heart. They care not for riches as do the Frankish and English knights who are there. They care not for power, which is all that the kings and princes seek, they want one thing. They want the world to be Islamic! You cannot defeat that. We can stop them encroaching on our land, as they have done in Spain but we can do nothing about the Holy Land. Christians will bleed but they will never recover that which we once had. There are too many fanatics who are willing to die for what they believe.”

  “I believe you, Earl, but it is a depressing thought. Are their warriors better than ours?”

  I shook my head, “No, your majesty, man for man, we are better but they are like fleas on a dog. No matter how many you kill there will a dozen or more to take their place. They are fanatics. They believe that dying for their religion guarantees them a place in heaven.”

  “I was born too late.”

  “You could still go to the Holy Land, majesty. It is a remarkable land. My wife is a Jewess and I lived with her family. It is a pity that we cannot all live there in peace.”

  “With the killers of Christ and Muslims?”

  I heard the outrage in his voice. My argument was wasted. “Perhaps not, your majesty and it is a perilously long journey to get there.”

  “I may go.” He glanced around at his lords. They were loud and they were drunk. They did not eat their food, they tore it. They were not happy. “Then again, I may have to gain control of my own country first.”

  He ate a piece of venison but I am not even certain he tasted it. He washed it down with a wine which was not as good as the wine from Anjou which my father kept in his cellars at Stockton.

  “I fear I will have to grow up quickly. Perhaps I shall live in Huntingdon. It sounds like a more civilised place than here. I fear the daggers in men’s eyes. You know that others claim the crown?”

  I nodded. “I fear you will always have enemies.” I liked Malcolm. I knew that I was disobeying King Henry but I would not have been my father’s son if I had not spoken. “You understand that you will owe obeisance to King Henry as Earl of Huntingdon?”

  He nodded, “I am not a fool and I know that he will be my liege for my English land, but it will gain me a knighthood. Once I am a knight then I can look my lords in the eye. I see it in their faces. Why should they be commanded by a milksop?”

  I lowered my voice, “To be fair, your majesty, none of them have covered themselves in glory. My father has trounced them more than enough. You were wise to sign the document. With the men I have now, I could sweep these lords from any field they chose. That is not arrogance. I know my men and I know what I can achieve. My father is with King Henry now in Aquitaine and Anjou. The rebels there are lost and do not know it.”

  “How have you and your father managed to get to such a position? I pray you tell me for I genuinely wish to know.”

  “Both of us surrounded ourselves with men we chose and who chose us. They fight for us and we treat them as equals. King Henry himself was my father’s squire. He was trained by men like Wulfric and Dick here. You must immerse yourself in your men…. if you can trust them.”

  He pushed away his food and quaffed some wine. “Aye, there’s the rub. They all wish my throne. Whom can I trust?”

  I felt sorry for King Malcolm. He was a king without loyal supporters. Dick had been listening and he leaned forward to speak, quietly, to the king. “Seek out those who are good warriors and who wish to follow your banner. Ignore those who seek power and glory. Make those men whom you choose as your heart. Make them the heart of Scotland. It may be a small heart but it will beat in time with yours and it will grow. It does not happen overnight.” He drank some wine. “When the Warlord found me, I was an outlaw in Sherwood. I saw in him someone I could follow, as is Sir Harold. I have never regretted that decision for one moment.”

  I nodded, “Wulfric was a man at arms whom my father hired. He treated him well and knighted him. From those beginnings, my father built the legend that terrifies Scotland still.”

  King Malcolm nodded, “You are right. There are mothers who threaten their naughty children with th
e Warlord. My own father would visibly shake when his name was mentioned.”

  “Your county and your estates are vacant. You may take possession whenever you wish.”

  “Where is the king now?”

  “As I said, he is in Anjou. Like you he has enemies who seek to undermine him. He and my father are teaching them the error of their ways. He will be back soon enough.” He nodded and I saw relief on his face. He had land in England. He had somewhere secure should his rivals oust him.

  I saw that the food had finished but, more than that, I sensed that the Scots were becoming more than boisterous, they were becoming belligerent. I rose, “I fear it is time we were abed. I thank your majesty for your hospitality.”

  He stood and clasped my arm. “We will have your castles emptied within two months. Grant me that, I beg of you. I have allies and they will help me enforced my will.” I felt his fingers bite. “And no matter what happens I am glad that I both met and spoke with you. You have shown me more kindness and respect than any of my countrymen. Go with God.”

  We left together and I made certain that Brother Peter and the precious parchment were surrounded by the rest of us. Every shadow was a threat, as we headed through the castle and across the bridge to our camp. If I had thought that all I had to do was ride here, negotiate and leave then I was wrong. I had only just begun to perform the task set for me by King Henry.

  John of Chester greeted me, “Good evening, my lord.”

  “Is all quiet?”

  “All is quiet, lord, and now that you are here we will put more traps around the entrance to the camp.”

  “Traps?”

  I saw his teeth in the dark. He was grinning, “These are Scots, lord. They would steal the pennies from a corpses’ eyes. They will not get past our men this night. You can sleep safely.”

  “Good.” I turned to face my knights and Brother Peter. “I thank you for this night. You showed great forbearance in the face of insults from the Scots. They will pay for that should they try to harm us. Brother Peter, you may keep hold of the parchment. I will assign two of my men to act as chamberlains and they will ride with you on the morrow. I would try to make Barnard Castle. The road twixt here and there may be fraught with danger. Whatever happens that parchment must reach Stockton.”

  The former Knight Hospitaller nodded, “Aye lord. You are right to fear treachery. I was not in my cups this night and I watched the Scots. They plot and they plan. The king is surrounded by snakes!”

  I retired to my tent. Alf followed me. “Fetch me a light, Alf. My work is not yet complete.” I was tired but I needed to get a message to Queen Eleanor informing her of the treaty. When King Henry returned he had to know quickly. He had planned on coming north to deal with the Scots. Now he did not need to. However, I needed the Queen to know that there were castles which required their lawful lords. I would also need to send a letter to the Countess of Chester. Carlisle and Cumbria had been part of her husband’s land. It was the men of Chester who would have to invest the castle with a castellan and a garrison. The Earl had died and his son was under ten years old. I had confidence in Maud, Countess of Chester. She would appoint a lord to hold Carlisle. I had walked its walls and I would not have wanted to take it by force. I could see how lucky the Scots had been when Stephen had given it to them.

  After finishing the letters, I managed an hour of sleep before I woke and roused Alf. “Fetch me Edgar and Edward.”

  I had not been disturbed in the night. Either the Scots had not come to do me harm or my men had thwarted them. As I stepped out and walked towards the fire Henry son of Will approached me, “Morning lord.”

  “All quiet?”

  He nodded, “It is now, lord. Two assassins or thieves came in the night. They were good, just not good enough. We caught them near Brother Peter’s tent. They put up a fight. I am sorry we could not keep them alive for questioning.”

  “Where are their bodies?”

  “We took all of value and slipped them into the moat. They will rise, eventually, lord but by then we will have gone.”

  They had tried something. My men had done well but I wished they had not disposed of the bodies. I might have recognised them. “Fetch me their goods.” He hurried off as Edgar and Edward arrived. I handed them the two letters. “I want you to ride to Stockton with these letters. They are addressed. My Steward will send one, by ship, to London. I want you two to take fresh horses and ride to Chester and deliver the other, personally, to the Earl of Chester. Take a spare horse and change them at Barnard Castle. I need you to reach Stockton with all haste.”

  “Aye lord.”

  “I know that it would be a shorter journey to ride to Chester from here but the news you carry is secret. I need two of you. There will be Scots who will seek to find these letters and take them. Do not let that happen.”

  They both grinned and Edward said, “If we let Scots get them then Aiden would skin us alive. He trained us better than that. We will do as you command, lord.”

  “And tell my wife that I am safe. I will be home ‘ere long.”

  They hurried off.

  Henry returned with the assassins’ belongings. There was little to identify them save one thing. One of them had, attached to his dagger, a circular piece of metal. On it was the sign of a boar. I had seen it before. It belonged to the men from Galloway. I had seen it on Uhtred’s shield. I knew one of my enemies now.

  We left before dawn. We rode as though to war with Sir Hugh’s scouts ahead of us and Dick’s archers flanking the column. Brother Peter rode in the centre with John of Chester and Henry son of Will on either side of him. We were helmed as we rode and, this time, we carried spears.

  We were passing Penrith when the scouts rode back. “Lord, there are Scots waiting close by Brougham Castle. They are hiding in the walls and on the other side of the river too.”

  “Did they see you?”

  Alan of Bowes looked offended but he just shook his head, “No, lord. We did not use the road.”

  “How many men are there?”

  “Their numbers were hard to estimate, lord, but I would say there were sixty of more in the castle and another fifty in the woods. The ones in the woods were mounted.”

  I tried to picture the place we had camped. There was a bridge over the Eamont which led to the castle. The road then continued east to our home. They would attack us once we were on the bridge. It was a clever move. I turned to speak to Dick. “They mean to attack us on the bridge.” He nodded his agreement. “I would have you and all of our archers ride ahead and secure the bridge. I will lead the knights and men at arms to the woods where the horsemen wait. Can you hold those who will come from the castle?”

  “We can and if they get too close we can mount and ride as though heading east.”

  “Good. Brother Peter, you and your bodyguards will go with the archers. Dick will keep you safe.” I turned to Alf, “Go and tell Harold One Eye to take charge of the baggage train and keep on the road. They are to follow the archers.” As he rode off I shouted, “The rest of you prepare for war! We are going to upset some Scots!”

  My men cheered. I wondered if the Scots would hear us. The woods in which they hid was just a mile and a half away. I decided that I didn’t care. If they heard and were prepared it would not save them. Dick and the archers galloped towards the bridge with Brother Peter and my two men with them. Harold One Eye and the other servants, with swords drawn led the baggage after the archers. I raised my spear and spurred Alciades up the slope across the open ground towards the woods in the distance. I knew we would be seen but that did not matter. The leader of the horse would have a dilemma; which of our two bodies would they attack or would they realise that their trap had failed and withdraw? Indecision is the worst of faults in a leader. They delayed and in that time, we approached to within four hundred paces of the woods above the small farm.

  They decided to charge us. We were not, as we normally were, boot to boot. The ground did not suit th
at. We were one loose line. The Scots were on smaller horses than ours. Some were armed with spears and others javelins, Only the four knights who led them had mail. I recognised the banner as that of Fitzalan but I could not see him. He was a large and distinctive warrior who wore a full helm. This knight had an open helmet. That meant it was one of his knights. I rested my spear on my cantle and I pulled my shield a little higher. Most of the Scots had the round shield their forebears had borne. They were easy to carry and very useful when on foot. On a horse they offered little protection.

  I chose the man I would hit. Their mailed men were to my right and I could not reach them. It seemed to me that they were trying to get at my archers. Sir Hugh and his men at arms held the right. He and Sir Harold would deal with them. I spied a Sergeant at Arms. He had a mail vest and open helmet. He was leading some men who had no mail. He had a spear. The Scots were always brave, not say reckless warriors. This one was no exception. He came at me eagerly. Perhaps he saw my mail and horse as prizes worth the risk. He had momentum for he was coming down the slope. I lifted and couched my spear. He held his overhand. We were approaching spear to spear. I pulled back my right arm as I spurred on Alciades. I began to move my long shield across my middle. My full-face helmet restricted my view but it also meant that I would only be hurt with a very lucky blow through the eye piece. A long spear, wavering up and down is hard to control. I was aiming for his middle. Timing was everything and I pulled back and punched it at him when he was five paces from me. As I had expected his spear came for my head and clanked off the side of my helmet. It shook my head. I felt my spear strike metal and then tear through into his middle. He screamed in pain. As my spear was torn from my hand I drew my sword.

  I ignored the Sergeant at Arms. He was dead, badly wounded or unhorsed. I was just in time to bring up my shield and block the blow from my left. A Scot had seen my victory and tried to strike me unawares. Helped by the slope I wheeled Alciades around and swung my sword across the Scot’s back. My blade bit through to the bone. He threw his arms up as his spine was severed and his lifeless body tumbled to the ground. I used the slope to continue down towards the mailed men who had been fighting Sir Hugh and Sir Harold. I saw that two of them, with the banner of Fitzalan, were heading west to Carlisle. Their followers galloped after them.