Earl

by Griff Hosker

  He too tried to spin but it is a move which needs to be practised and he had not. He stumbled and I took the opportunity to dart my blade along his side again. This time I heard my sword tear the links of his hauberk. To those watching it would look as though we were evenly matched. They were too far away to see the rips and tears in his mail but the two of us knew of them. I was making his mail weaker. It was a slow process and we would both be tired by the time I had succeeded.

  He faced me once more. He held his sword a little higher than he had done before. He was changing his strategy. As a taller, bigger knight he could bring the sword down from on high. He was going to batter me to death. I braced myself to endure blows which I knew would come quick and hard. I pulled my shield a little tighter to my side and I shifted the weight, subtly to my left leg. When he swung his sword I just raised my shield a little higher and took the hit using my braced left leg for support. The sound of the sword hitting the shield echoed across the field and I heard a cheer from his supporters. My shoulder ached and I felt numbness in my left arm again. My fingers tingled. It was my old weakness returning.

  I turned slightly so that my right leg was behind me. He swung again and this time the blow was a backhand one across my shield. This strike did not have as much force as the first. He was tiring slightly. Had my arm not been weakened then I would have punched him with my shield. I just had to take the hits. His strike however, had exposed his side again. I jabbed my sword towards the tear in his surcoat. This time he grunted and there was a tendril of blood on my blade. The cheers from his supporters still sounded for they only saw the massive blows he was making. I was forced to recoil with each one.

  As he pulled his sword up again for another strike I prepared to move. My right foot was behind me and my left planted firmly before me. I did the unexpected. As he swung his sword towards my head I stepped into him with my right foot. The pommel of his sword caught the side of my helmet as he struck at me and the blow made me briefly see stars but I was able to push my sword across his mail. This strike was higher than the ones which had wounded him and I heard the mail links as my sword grated along them. I continued my move and, as I stepped behind him I pushed hard with my shoulder. His blow had already overbalanced him and he had to take two or three steps to regain his balance. I was on him in an instant. Whilst he was struggling to stand upright I brought my sword in a wide sideways arc to sweep into his weakened mail and wounded side. This time I did strike flesh. Blood spurted and it was the turn of our men to cheer. The blood was clearly visible on my sword although his red surcoat hid the damage from his men.

  Perhaps the cheer distracted me for he brought his own sword around in a mighty blow to smash into my shield and weakened arm. I lost all feeling from my shoulder to my hand. Now I was in trouble. I forced myself to concentrate on his sword and to recall Athelstan’s words. ‘A fight is never over until you lie dead at the feet of an opponent’. I could still move my feet and I could see that he was bleeding in two places. I just had to stay away from his sword and keep my left side as protected as possible.

  I saw that his sword and his shield were held slightly lower than they had been. He was tiring. There was nothing wrong with my right arm and my hand darted forward to strike beneath his helmet. He was taller than I was and the tip of my sword beat his defence and forced his head up. I had no feeling in my arm but I used my body to push my shield into him. Overbalancing he fell backwards. He was a large man and I felt the ground shake as he hit. I was also losing my balance. I had one chance. As I stepped over him I stabbed downwards. Perhaps fortune guided my hand or Athelstan’s training took over; whatever the reason the blade went beneath the metal plate which protected his left shoulder. As I tumbled over his body I kept hold of my sword and felt it grate along bone and then tear free. He screamed in pain.

  I was on my feet in an instant and I spun around. He lumbered to his feet. His shield hung from his now useless arm. We were both even now and similarly weakened. Blowed flowed freely. It was a mortal wound but he was not yet dead and he was dangerous. I would not underestimate him. I had seen men last for hours with such a wound. I could hear his heavy laboured breathing as he circled me. Suddenly he raised his sword high in the air. I thought it was the precursor to a strike but it was a signal. The rebel knights lurched forward towards our line. I was almost distracted by the movement and de Coucy lunged at my head. He was like a wounded bull and I stepped out of his way but left my sword pointed at him. The force of his charge knocked me to the ground but drove the sword deep within him. He fell dead on my right arm.

  I saw a bandit above me with an axe. I tried to move my left arm to bring up my shield but there was no power. My left side was numb. As the edge of the axe bit into my arm an arrow appeared through the side of his head and he fell at my feet. I struggled up. I felt the blood flowing from the wound. It could have been worse. Had the arrow not slain him I would have lost my arm. I saw the siege engines were being destroyed but also that the focus of their attack was me. Another two men fell to the arrows of my archers as they defended me from afar. I wearily swung my sword at the wild warrior who ran at me. It was a weak blow but it bit into his unprotected neck. I saw four mailed warriors run at me and knew that my time was done and then I heard a roar as Wulfric led my three squires into a frenzied attack on the men at arms. I believe Wulfric was so angry that he could have slain them all on his own but my three squires fought like terriers. With the men at arms dead they stood before me in a protective wall.

  Then the King and the other knights arrived and the battle began to go our way. I tried to raise my sword but I had no strength. I saw the blood puddling at my feet and I sank to my knees. I heard Wulfric roar, “Edgar!”

  As I lay panting on the ground William took my sword and held it. “You have won father!”

  Then Edgar appeared, “Lie down my lord, you are losing too much blood.”

  Leofric took off my helmet as John laid me on the ground. I stared up at the blue skies filled with scudding clouds and heard the sounds of battle around me. It felt strange and I remembered my dream. Then I seemed to be floating and now it felt the same. Was I dying?

  I must have blacked out for the sky disappeared. I knew I was not dying when I heard William’s voice close to my head, “Do not die father!”

  I forced my eyes open and sat up. Edgar said, irritably, “I pray you stop moving, my lord. I am trying to staunch the bleeding!”

  I saw that he had pulled away the damaged mail and ripped my sleeve. I saw that it was a deep wound but he had tied a piece of cloth around my upper arm. Having seen the wound I knew I would not die, at least not yet. “Leofric, fetch a torch. You must cauterize it, Edgar.”

  He laughed, “You have seen my needlework then, my lord.” He turned to William, “Fetch your father two goblets of ale from the camp.”

  He looked at me and I said, “Obey Edgar, he is a healer.”

  As he ran off I surveyed the battle as I could see it from my prone position. Wulfric’s rapid arrival and my archers’ skill had stopped this becoming a disaster. I now saw that the fight had been planned so that they could destroy our siege engines and catch us unawares. It had been the arrogance of de Coucy which had saved us. He should have given the signal earlier but he wanted the glory of defeating me first. John could see further. “How goes the battle?”

  “There are horses coming from the castle, my lord.”

  That would be a disaster if they attacked our men. It was a mêlée and there was no order. A line of mounted men could sweep through our lines and the King would be in danger. Leofric arrived with the torch. Edgar took it and said, “You two lads hold tightly. He will thrash around. I am sorry, my lord.”

  I felt John and Leofric grip my shoulders. My right hand was still on the ground. I closed my eyes and nodded. I felt warmth become heat and then smelled burning hair and flesh before an excruciating pain raced up my arm and through my body. I gritted my teeth and waited for the ag
ony to subside. I kept my eyes closed and then felt a sudden shock of cold. I opened my eyes and saw that Edgar had poured one of the goblets of ale on to the wound. He handed me the other. I drank it down. I needed wine to numb the pain but the ale helped.

  As John stood he said, “My lord, the horsemen! They are fleeing south! The enemy are running.”

  It seemed that Puset and Breteuil were fleeing to fight another day. I lay back down. We could go home. I must have dozed off for the next thing I knew I was in a tent in the camp. Wulfric stood over me. He smiled when I opened my eyes. “I have sent the men and the squires to collect the treasure from de Coucy and the men we slew. The men of Blois and Anjou hung back a little too much for my liking. That was a good fight, my lord. He was a tough warrior. I knew you would defeat him but…” He nodded towards my arm. “I am sorry I was too slow to stop that bastard with the axe. It was a good job that Dick had his wits about him.”

  “Did we lose any men?”

  He shook his head, “Their best men rode off while the bandits were slaughtered. The King is in the town now. He is an angry man.”

  “And what of the counts?”

  “The Count of Blois is with the King.” He sniffed, “He is like a dog picking up scraps. Sorry my lord, I spoke out of turn.” I waved a hand to show it did not bother me. “The Count of Anjou is gathering his men. He intends to follow Hugh lord of Puset. He seems to think he was insulted.”

  “What says the King about that?”

  “He does not know. He is still in the town.”

  “We shall return to Caen when the King has finished with the burghers of Thymerais. I do not think he will be in a conciliatory mood. I have had enough of this land. I would return to Stockton.”

  “Aye my lord and perhaps the pestilential air will have been cleansed from our home by then.”

  We did well from the battle. I would need a new hauberk and surcoat but the armour of de Coucy was well made and Alf would be able to use many parts of it. We had gained no horses but there were many coins and weapons from the dead. Some of them had been taken in battles with the French. My three squires did particularly well out of the battle.

  It was night by the time the King returned and I was rested and dressed. I had left the tent. I wanted an open sky above me. I saw the smoke from the burning corpses drifting towards the town. I saw that the King’s standard and that of Blois flew from its towers.

  King Henry strode over to me. He had a worried look upon his face. “Once again I am in your debt, Cleveland. You were right about treachery and I thank God for your archers. I intend to make a decree that every manor in England must train archers such as yours. Things would have gone badly else.”

  “That is a wise move, my liege. Archers will save England. The town is ours?”

  “It is. I shall stay here for a few days to make it defensible. I would not wish Louis to take advantage of the blood of Anjou.” He suddenly looked up. “Where is my son in law? I saw him not.”

  Wulfric said, hesitantly for he was in awe of the King, “His is pursuing Hugh of Puset, your majesty. He said his honour had been impugned.”

  “The fool! Then I shall have to follow him. I cannot have my daughter widowed a second time.”

  “You will return to Caen?” I nodded, “Do not leave before I return. I will not be long.”

  “I had hoped to begin to rebuild my life in the north, my liege.”

  “I know but I needs must speak with you about…” he was suddenly aware that others were around, “well you know of what I speak.” He turned to William, “Your father is someone whom you can admire and emulate. He is a true knight. He is probably the finest English knight in the land. Chivalry and honour course through his noble veins.”

  After he had gone I issued my orders, ”Wulfric have the men ready to leave in the morning. I care not how you get them but find as many spare sumpters as you can. I think that, for a while at least, we can use the good offices of my name.”

  Wulfric laughed, “Do not worry, my lord, we will have enough horses for all that we have taken.” He looked at my arm which was heavily bandaged. “Shall I have a litter made for you?”

  “If you do then you can find another master to ride upon it! I will ride Scout!”

  We rode at a leisurely pace for our animals had worked hard and we had no spares. Even so it only took us a day longer to reach Caen than the outward journey had taken. The first treasure we had captured was there with Sir Richard’s men. The news of our new victory had not reached Caen. It did not take long for the news to spread. The castellan insisted that we stay in the keep. It suited me. My men would be in the warrior hall but it would be more peaceful in the half empty keep. I intended to sleep and rest as much as I could. Despite my words to Wulfric the combination of the blows to my arm and the wound from the axe made me worry about my left arm. This was where I missed the surgeons from Constantinople who knew how to deal with such injuries. The healers in the castle were often relying on guesswork.

  I had just reached my chambers and my squires were about to help me take off my mail when there was a knock at the door. It was Judith, the Empress’ lady in waiting. “Sorry to disturb you my lord but the Empress would like to invite you to dine with her in the Great Hall this evening. She has been lonely since her father left. Rolf and the Swabians will be there. She asks if your sergeant at arms might join her too.”

  “We would be honoured.”

  After she had left and my squires took off my mail and helped me to bathe I pondered her words, ‘since her father left’. Not her husband but her father. What was the significance of that? Leofric promised to pass the invitation on to Wulfric. He would come but he would be less than happy. He hated having to watch his manners. He was always happiest in the company of men. He would never marry for that reason. Still I knew that there were many Wulfrics spread across England, Scotland, Wales and Normandy. He might shun their polite company but Wulfric liked women and they liked him in return!

  Chapter 18

  I still had some fine clothes which I had brought with me from my last visit to Constantinople. Leofric trimmed my beard and hair. He anointed my face with the sweet smelling lotion we had brought from the east and when he was satisfied he left. Edgar had told Leofric to make sure I wore a sling for my arm. Leofric insisted that I obeyed orders. Later that night I was pleased that he had for it ached the whole time. Had I not had the sling then the pain would have been unbearable.

  I was the first one to reach the Great Hall. The Steward had obviously had his orders from the Empress. He waved a servant over to me with a goblet of the heavy red wine she knew I liked. I sat by the fire and stared into the flames. I had learned the habit from my father who swore that he could see battles and great deeds in the flickering firelight. I found my mind drifting. I had told the King I wanted to return home as soon as possible but was that really true? Perhaps I had been deluding myself. I wanted to be here in Caen. Stockton was now a place of haunted memories for me. Every room and corridor would remind me of my wife and my child. My empty bed would make me feel lonely. The meals with just my son for company would reinforce the fact that I lived in a home without women. I had grown up in such a house and I knew how it had eaten away at my father. It was another reason he had left the villa to come to England.

  My melancholic reverie was ended by a clap on the back and a roar from my Swabian brothers. “If it is not the hero of Thymerais. We would have been here sooner but we spent some time with Wulfric, Dick and your squires. Do you have to win every battle single handedly?”

  “I just follow orders.”

  “Do not lie to your blood brothers Alfraed. You went into battle with this giant thinking you would die. That is why you asked the King to take your son as a ward.”

  “I was thinking of my son it is true but I did not want to die. That would be a sin.”

  “You are not speaking the truth again; you know that your men would have raised your son as Athelstan raised
you. Speak the truth and shame the devil!”

  He was right of course. I had thought that I would die and now be with Adela. It seemed that I was incapable of fighting badly. I changed the subject. “The Count has taken himself off after Hugh of Puset. He thought he had been insulted by him. The King is not best pleased about that. He is a brave enough youth but he lacks both manners and judgement.”

  “And there you are being kind for we have not seen any behaviour like that in Anjou.”

  I did not like to be seen to be belittling the Count, “We have, at least, recovered the lands which Blois lost.”

  “I am surprised that Stephen is not here. I hear he is in England still.”

  Rolf was a clever man and he kept a close eye on the Blois brothers. Like me he knew of their attempt to abduct the Empress. The four of us, along with Edward were the only ones who really knew of the perfidy of the King’s nephew. The sixth member of the Knights of the Empress, Sir Guy de la Cheppe lived in France. We had not seen him for some time but I knew that he too would have his suspicions about the Blois brothers.

  Wulfric joined us. I hid my smile for it was obvious that he had made a valiant attempt to tame his mane and his beard. He had failed. This was not his natural environment. He could never make the change from man at arms to knight as Edward had done but I would not exchange him for any ten knights. Gottfried was also fond of him. They enjoyed the same activities and they greeted each other like two he bears. Wulfric’s entrance stopped us talking politics and, instead, he embarrassed me by telling the Swabians, in even more detail the battles I had had in Wales and in Scotland.