by Griff Hosker
My men had just returned when we heard the approach of horses, “Stand to!”
A knight, a squire and ten men at arms appeared from the road ahead. I held up my hand to indicate we would speak. “Hold!”
“Who are you that dare to rampage and raid through the lands of the King of France?”
“I am Alfraed Earl of Cleveland and this is Count Geoffrey of Anjou.” The knight gave a slight bow of deference. “And we are here pursuing these rebels who attacked the King’s person. Who are you?”
“I am Phillippe de St. Jean and I serve King Louis.”
I nodded, “Then, Phillippe de St. Jean, we will return to our King and thence back to Normandy.”
“I could stop you and take you to my King.”
I sensed, next to me, Wulfric begin to raise his axe. “Hold, my friend. This is a young knight and he is merely doing his duty. We have killed enough today.” I spurred Scout to close with the young knight. “You are a brave knight but we outnumber you. Take my advice and return to your king and report our presence. He would not want you to throw your life away. And you would die. The men behind me have been killing for three days. They have the blood of many dead men in their nostrils. There is no honour in being butchered.”
He looked to his sergeant at arms. He was a grizzled old veteran, “Best do as the Earl suggests, my lord. He is right we are outnumbered. My lads can fight but these are knights. Look at their mail and their horses. Remember what your father said, ‘pick your battles’. This is not the battle to choose.”
“You have a wise father.”
The young knight nodded, “I will do as you suggest but I order you from France!”
It was a gesture and I fought back the smile. I nodded, “We will do as you command!”
As we headed west Count Geoffrey asked, “Why did you not attack him? We could have defeated them easily.”
“Despite what the King said in the heat of the moment we do not want a war with France. I allowed a young naïve knight to save face.” I smiled at Count Geoffrey. “Do not all such knights deserve one chance?”
He laughed, “You are a wise man, Alfraed, and you do well to remind me of myself.”
We told the King what had occurred when we reached the camp. “You made the right decision. Come we take our prisoners and our plunder and head back to the border. The Earl is right. This is not the time to start a war.”
We reached Blois by late afternoon and camped inside the borders of the King’s ally. The King spent an hour despatching captured squires with ransom demands. They were exorbitant. With his huge castles at Rouen and Caen the King could keep his prisoners there until the ransoms were paid. We had captured many horses. These were not palfreys only there were many fine war horses too.
As the knights settled by the fires I took Wulfric to patrol the perimeter. Count Geoffrey said, “Why bother, my lord? Surely someone else can do that.”
“And if someone does not do it and we are surprised, my lord, what then? Will your squire, Gille, have to ride to your wife and ask for a ransom?” He began to rise, “No, my lord, Wulfric and I can do this. We are used to the borderlands and night attacks.”
The sentries were, thankfully, in place. I think the presence of Wulfric alone ensured that they would be vigilant. He looked weary as we headed back to the warmth of the fires. “Tired, Wulfric?”
“I am ready to go home, my lord. Roger’s death has made me miss our other comrades: Edgar, Brian all of them. You know not what you have until it is taken from you.”
“You are right. I prefer the hills and rivers of England. We have enemies but we know who they are. Here we fight against some of those who were allies not so long ago.”
“Tomorrow take John and fetch my squires and horse from Dreux.”
When we reached the camp the Count was speaking with the King and Sir Richard. The King gestured for me to sit by the fire. “Ah, Cleveland, take a seat. The Count was just telling me of your diligence. You are an Earl. There are others who can see that we have sentries.”
“My father always told me to remember from whence I came. Besides I like to sleep easy at night.”
“Perhaps you are right. I have forgotten the rigours of a campaign. Tomorrow we will ride to Blois before I head back to Rouen. We need words with the brothers Blois. Things could have gone ill with us.”
In the event we did not leave for an army came from the east. It was led by the Duc de St. Denis. We were ready to ride and so were mailed and armed. We rapidly formed a line in case they attacked. The King and Sir Richard rode forward to greet them. The Count asked, “Will they attack do you think?”
“They came in column so I think not and they have no lances. I think they come to threaten and to intimidate. If so they have chosen the wrong king.”
Sir Richard turned in his saddle and waved the Count and me forward. I saw the young knight we had met the previous day. He gave a slight nod of acknowledgement. “I thought you should hear this from the Duc’s own lips. Repeat your demands, my lord.”
“King Louis demands that you return all the knights and the horses you captured whilst on French sovereign soil. Do so and you shall be allowed to depart back to Normandy.”
The King nodded, “Firstly this is not French soil upon which we stand. This is the land of Blois and belongs to my kinsmen who pay homage to me. Secondly the men we captured were rebels or are you saying that they served King Louis?” I saw the Duc suddenly look flustered. “If so then King Louis has declared war on Normandy and that demands a different ultimatum.”
“The King had nothing to do with the attack on Dreux.”
King Hendy nodded, “I did not say where the attack took place. Interesting.”
“It is common knowledge.”
“And as the rebels fled back to France I can only assume that they came from France. Was that common knowledge too?”
The Duc had no answer to that.
King Henry said, “Take this message back to your King. Tell him if he continues to support and give sanctuary to Norman rebels then I will have no other recourse than to punish France. Ask him does he remember the battle of Brémule. He ran home quickly enough that day.” The King’s tone had become increasingly aggressive. “Now leave the land of Blois before I really become angry.”
As the Duc began to turn I said, “And tell King Louis that the next time he sends assassins to kill me they had better succeed or I will come for him!”
“You must be the Earl of Cleveland. I have heard of you.”
“I am sorry I cannot return the compliment for I have never heard of you.”
He flushed as some of his men hid their smiles. “You threaten my King?”
“No but I promise revenge on any who try to hurt me or mine.” I reached into my pouch and took out a coin with the image of Conrad upon it. I tossed it to him, “Here; this is the blood money he paid De Waller. That knight now lies dead and will no longer need it. The black hearted witch who was with him will also die when she falls into my hands.”
He nodded, “You are an arrogant knight.”
“True but even my enemies say that you can bank on my word. I am never foresworn. Tell King Louis that.”
He jerked his head around and the French column headed east. The King laughed, “You do not care who you upset do you?”
“I like to think that people will know where I stand.”
Sir Richard led the bulk of the army back to Rouen with the prisoners. The rest of us rode to Blois. I decided that I should keep Wulfric with me for I had plans for him. John went for my squires along with Griff and Ralph. I had never seen the castle before and it was a well sited one. It nestled on the river and had a solid keep and high curtain wall. The gate was opened and we were admitted. The King wasted no time and led the Count and myself to meet with Theobald and Stephen of Blois. We had seen the standard flying and knew they were at home. Theobald hurried to greet us, “My liege, I am happy to see you. We feared for your life.”
I could see the rage on the King’s face and heard the anger in his voice as he said. “Let us speak somewhere quietly!”
He led us to his hall and, when we were inside he had the doors closed so that there were just the four of us within. Theobald glanced at the Count and myself, “Do we need these here, your majesty. Is this not between us?”
“Unlike you and your brother the Earl and the Count heeded my summons and came to the aid of Dreux. We have defeated the rebels and it was no thanks to you.” Silence echoed around the room. “I am waiting.”
“My brother is in England. When I first received the summons I sent out for my men.”
“Then why are you still here? Is Blois so large that it takes men more than ten days to go to the aid of the Duke of Normandy?”
“By the time they reached us I heard that you had defeated the rebels.”
King Henry laughed, sardonically, “You have a glib tongue Theobald and I do not believe you. I will tell you what I believe; you waited in case the rebels won and then you would have thrown your lot in with them. That is why Stephen is not here. Is he plotting too?”
“Your majesty! I protest!”
“Protest all you like you have lost my faith in you. The Earl here has warned me for years of the treachery of the brothers Blois and I have chastised him for those views. Now I can see that he was right to question you and your motives.”
Theobald glared at me. Another enemy joined the ranks against me. “I will swear on the Bible that I have never tried to plot against you.”
“Do you know I believe you? You need a spine to plot and you have none.” He pointed an accusatory finger at him. “Know this, the next time you are summoned you follow hard on the heels of my messenger.”
“I promise you that we shall. Will you stay the night?”
“We will, if only to have some hospitality from the brothers Blois.”
Leofric came over to take my horse. As Wulfric passed I said, “Find out the truth of what happened here, Wulfric.”
“Aye my lord.”
It was a fine and well apportioned castle. The King was given a fine chamber. The Count and I shared a room. “Why do you hate the Blois brothers so much, Alfraed?”
There had been a time I would not have told him but I had come to like Geoffrey. I still did not think he was good enough for the Empress but that was another matter. He would be the knight who would care for young Henry. I told him of the attempt by Stephen of Blois to abduct the Empress.
“But you have no direct proof that the red knight and Stephen of Blois were one and the same?”
“No. But I know. Sir Edward of Thornaby knows. My men know.”
“I believe you for he has much to gain if anything should happen to my wife. But I can see that the King finds it hard to believe that his nephew would try to hurt his daughter.”
I nodded, “It is why I kept my own counsel. Now the King begins to believe me.”
“And why Rolf and the Swabians are so protective. I wondered why they stayed when the Emperor died.”
“They gave their word and, like me, Sir Edward and Sir Guy de la Cheppe, we are all knights of the Empress.”
He smiled, “You know I was jealous of you at first. My wife spoke of nothing else but you and your deeds. I began to think she was in love with you.” He shook his head, “Foolish I know that now. I can see that you and the others have protected her. I would that I could inspire such loyalty.”
“You have. The knights we trained never left your side in the battles we have just fought. My squires told me how they threw themselves at the rebels who tried to attack your blind side. That is loyalty. You have achieved it. You now need to build upon it.”
We left the next day. The King had been quiet all night and his farewell to his nephew was perfunctory. We headed for Angers. Wulfric rode next to me while the Count and the King discussed matters of state.
“My lord, Stephen of Blois left for England not long after we arrived in Anjou.”
“What mischief is he up to I wonder?”
“The Count did summon his men but kept them within his walls. They are annoyed for the Count of Anjou’s men at arms told how much treasure and booty they had gained. He does not have a happy conroi.”
“Thank you Wulfric.”
“Do we go home after this, my lord?”
“Perhaps.”
All thoughts of a speedy return home evaporated when we reached Angers. The Empress was ill. It seemed there was a danger of her losing her child. The King stayed too. He sent for his own doctor and we held a vigil to pray for the safe recovery of the Empress and her child. It must have worked for after two or three days she showed signs of recovery. The doctor arrived from Caen and he ordered the Empress to stay in her bed.
He took the Count and the King to one side and they spoke for some time. The King said, “I will leave my doctor here but I shall return to Rouen with my household knights. I am not only a father; I am a ruler too. You understand, Geoffrey?”
“I do my liege. Thank you for bringing your doctor.”
“It was the least I could do.” He waved me over. “I know that you are fond of my daughter but you too have responsibilities in England. Do not tarry overlong here.”
After the King had gone the Count took me to one side. “The doctor said it is her age. She is over thirty. Most women have begun to give birth when they are much younger. But Henry was such an easy birth. The second should be easier.”
“The King is leaving his doctor. She will be in good hands.”
“And we shall pray in the chapel each night.”
“The King has ordered me back to England, my lord. I cannot tarry as long as I would wish.”
His face fell and then he nodded, “I expected something like this. I have now seen you on the battlefield and know how important you are to the border. You must go.”
“First I will have to arrange a ship.”
“Leave that to me. I will have my steward find you one. It is the least that I can do. You have done so much not only for us but for my wife’s family that I can never repay you.”
My squires arrived with Hunter and our other belongings. We were ready to return home. It took a few days to arrange passage and to ensure that all that we had collected, including our horses, were ready for the journey across the Channel. I spent those days with the Swabians. The assassin and the fact that Lavinia was still abroad worried me. She was vindictive and might strike at the Empress. Rolf swore that they would watch for her.
“And thank you old friend. You have changed the Count into a man. We all appreciate that act.”
I shrugged, “I am not certain that Count Fulk was much of a father. I hope he is a better one to Henry. You will watch over the young Count won’t you? One day he could be King of England.”
“We will.” Rolf leaned in, “The Empress has asked to speak with you before you go.”
I nodded. Having been confined to her bed I had not see her since our return. Margaret and Judith’s faces lit up when I approached the room. “The Empress will be delighted to see you, Earl. Your visit will do her more good than all the bleeding and potions the doctor has to offer.”
Margaret said, “It is nothing to do with a doctor anyway. The fault lies in the father.”
“Margaret!” Judith looked shocked.
“It is true. Come, my lord, we will take you in.”
She looked very pale beneath the mountain of covers but her smile lit up the room when I entered. Judith said, “We will watch the door, Empress. The Earl leaves before noon.”
As the door closed she said, “So soon?”
“I am sorry but your father commands that I go back to England. Rolf and the Swabians have promised to watch over you.”
“The best decision I ever made was to create the Knights of the Empress.” She patted the bed. “Come and sit by me.” I sat on the bed and she held my right hand in hers. She stroked the back of it. Her hand was warm and he
r touch as soft as a feather. “Have you seen much of Henry since you have returned here?”
I shook my head, “His nurse is normally with him or he is asleep. I have been busy.”
She shook her head and laughed, “What am I thinking. Of course you have been busy. He is the most gentle of babies and he looks just like his father.” She squeezed my hand as she said that.
“I would not hurt Count Geoffrey. I have come to like him. In many ways he feels like another son to me.”
“And does that make me his mother? We are the same age, Alfraed!”
“No, Empress. Do not confuse a war horse like myself. You know I have no skill with words.”
“No, for you are both honest and true. Perhaps you are the last true knight. After all how many other knights are chosen to champion an Empress and then a King.” She squeezed my hand again. “But take care, Alfraed. Both the King and I will need you again.”
Before I could speak the door opened and Margaret slipped inside, “Your husband, Empress.”
As I began to rise she grabbed my face and kissed me on the lips.
“Take care.”
I stood and tried to regain my composure. Margaret went to straighten the covers and I opened the door. The Count was half way down the corridor. He spied me. “Excellent. I was going to suggest that you said goodbye to my wife but your ship is loaded and the captain is keen to depart.”
He came down to the quay on the Maine. “I will let you know how things go here across the Channel.” He clasped my hand. “And promise me that when he is old enough you will train my son Henry to become as great a knight as you.”
“I swear that I will do that, my lord.”
“Then God speed.”
We boarded the cog and headed west down the twisting Maine to join the Loire and then the sea. It would be a long journey home but I had much to occupy my mind.
Epilogue
The wind helped us to fly home. We had been away so long we had missed almost half a year. Summer was all around. John son of Leofric had mountains of letters and messages; many were from the Bishop of Durham whilst others were from the Archbishop and the Earl of Gloucester. My absence had, it seemed, been noted. Father Henry took the news of the death of the assassin with rather more joy than I would have expected from a man of God and my men at arms mourned Roger of Lincoln’s death by drinking the town dry. Roger would have appreciated the gesture. My squires were busy with their war horses and I had time to sit and reflect.