The Bloody Border

by Griff Hosker

  I was relieved, “Then all is well. How long can you stay?”

  “Not above a month.” We had entered my keep and I saw the memories flooding back, Sir Robert’s face looked pained. He turned to look at me. “You have made it homely. She would have liked that.” He took off his cloak and handed it to his squire. “Take this Edward and then go to see to my horse.”

  I knew he wanted to speak, “Matthew, take John and fetch us wine, bread and cheese, then leave us alone. Ask Mistress Anne to prepare us food and we will need your chamber emptying for Sir Robert and his squire. You shall share my chamber.”

  “Aye lord.”

  We sat. One of the tasks John had completed was to smooth the roughly hewn furniture which had so offended Sir Eustace. My guests no longer risked splinters in the buttocks!

  “I came, William, to exorcise my demons. I have lost sleep thinking about how I abandoned these good people. When you were appointed it happened so suddenly that I had little time to dwell on it. My wife has been woken by my nightmares. The news of the attacks by the Scots, the loss of Walther of Coxold all made me unwell. It was Isabelle suggested I come with the men. She is right. Already I feel better for I can see the changes you have wrought. You are no longer the callow youth I first met. I see steel in your eyes and confidence oozes from you. I will have to speak to Rafe and the other farmers. They need to know why I left them.”

  I nodded. Matthew and John returned with the refreshments. “We will go and move our gear, lord. Mistress Anne says there is a deer ready to be butchered. Garth Red Arrow hunted it three weeks’ since. It is ripe for eating.”

  “Thank you.” I poured the wine and, after sipping it to make certain that they had brought my best wine, I cut a hunk of oat bread and cheese. “Know you, Robert, that the farmers did not blame you. Rafe told me that had his wife been the one killed then he would be dead for he would have gone to the land of the Scots and tried to kill all of them!”

  “He is a strong one. I know that but I have to look them in their eyes and tell them myself.” He smiled as he quaffed half of the beaker of wine, “You do not mind my presence?”

  I laughed, “I am delighted! It will be good company. I am just saying that you need not do this.”

  “And Sir James?”

  “He is ready to…” I shrugged, “I know not what he is ready to do but I know that he is weary. He asked his nephew to take over the manor. He refused.”

  “Sad. As I recall Sir James has a small manor on the south bank of the Tyne. I am guessing that he would like to retire there. This is a bleak place for one who has lost his family.” I knew he was talking about himself.

  I told him all that had happened and he gave me the news from the valley. “My brother seeks a manor but I have told him to be patient. He is young. I think he sees your success and envies you.”

  “Success?”

  “You have done, in less than a year, that which we could not do. You have kept your land safe. More, it has prospered. I have never seen the fells with so many grazing animals.”

  “Perhaps you are right. I just try to make decisions the way my father would.” I told him of my encounter with Sir Eustace and my fears.

  He laughed, “You are your father’s son. Only the son of Sir Thomas would challenge an older knight! I knew not Sir Eustace. He came after I had left. Sir Ranulf I knew.”

  “It is now just Sir James and myself who guard this bloody border and it is, indeed, a perilous task. The men you bring are a godsend. The Scots have been quiet for these last months. They will seek vengeance.”

  The small feast was a fine one. The men at arms and archers ate in the warrior hall and Alan of Bellingham and Brother Paul joined me and Sir Robert in my keep. It was as though we had been in a closed room and suddenly, we had let in light. Our world had been the handful of miles to the Scottish border and now we heard news from far and wide.

  The next day, while the new men became acquainted and continued to improve my walls, we went with Sir Robert and his men. We rode first to Otterburn, where we met Sir James. Afterwards, Sir Robert said he was shocked at the changes time had wrought. For his part, Sir James was delighted to see my brother in law. As we drank wine he said, “I fear the Bishop of Durham is ignoring my pleas, Sir William. My nephew has gone south. He has been promised a manor close to Stratford. His wife does not like it in the north There is little likelihood of a replacement for me. This will be where I will end my days. It is a shame. I have a small manor I have barely seen. I thought to end my days learning how to fish. It seems God and the King have determined otherwise,”

  When we left the old man both Sir Robert and I were in a reflective mood. We stopped at the Roman fort and the sight of the place where Walther of Coxold had died did nothing to improve it. The next day Sir Robert asked permission to visit with the farmers. He asked to do it alone. I was more than happy for him to do so for I had yet to properly greet my new archers and men at arms.

  The men at arms were all foreigners. By that, I mean that they had served abroad rather than in England. They had all been on crusade in the Baltic. They had served Jarl Berger. He had been my father’s friend. The four of them just sought employment. Kurt the Swabian, Jean of Landvielle, Eric the Dane, Gilles the Frank were all grizzled veterans. Their arms and armour showed that they had been fighting for their whole lives. These were men who knew how to fight. I was pleased to have them but I worried that I would not be able to afford them and they would leave me when the money ran out,

  The archers had come to my father because he had let it be known in York and Lincoln that he sought archers. Dewey of Abergele was from Wales. Ged Strongbow and Adam Green Arrow were father and son. Jack son of Jack, Alf Broad Shoulders and Tim son of Tom had served in the garrison at Lincoln. The difference between these men and the ones who were already here was experience. The ten men had served in wars from the Baltic to Wales. They would be good additions to my men and now meant I could afford to leave a couple behind when I went on patrol.

  Sir Robert spent three days travelling my manor and spending time with those he had known. His face, when he returned, showed that it had been worthwhile. The ghosts of the past had been laid to rest. I had not hunted for some time and so the first day after Sir Robert’s visit with my farmers, we took our squires and my page to go hunting. I took Garth Red Arrow with me for he was not only my best archer he was also the one who knew my forests better than any. The day we rode was an overcast day. It was the first day of July when we left my castle to ride north and east. Garth had hunted to the north and west. Thus far we had not ventured into these woods save to look for signs of bandits. We had bows with us. Matthew was more confident with a bow than a spear and his broad shoulders meant he could pull a war bow.

  When we found sign of deer we dismounted and tethered our horses. Four of us had bows and John had his sling and a short spear. We followed the tracks as they first climbed up the game trail and then descended towards the water. We knew they were fresh tracks from the dung. Garth had brought us so that the smell of the deer came towards us. The five of us were all silent. Had we had more men then we might have been heard. We tracked them for what seemed like miles and then I spied, not far below us, a flash of red. It was a deer. Garth had already seen them and he nocked an arrow. He would only release if we missed. The day was a day for lords and their squires to hunt.

  The trees were pine. There were needles on the ground and so we stepped carefully. Our squires flanked us and Garth and John followed. I saw that it was a small herd. The male had fine antlers. We would not hunt him. We would come again after the rut when there were damaged and injured stags. Our hunt then would make the herd stronger. I saw the hind I would hit. She was favouring one leg and she had no fawns about her. Timing was all. I saw the stag raise his head and sniff the air. I drew back on my arrow. Even as I released the stag took off with the herd behind. I heard three other arrows as they flew towards other targets. Edward’s arrow had hit a
young deer in the rump. It was not a killing blow. Then a red-fletched arrow hurtled through the air and struck it in the neck.

  Matthew had sent an arrow at my hind and it died quickly. We had to follow Sir Robert’s kill. We found it six hundred paces from us. It was dead. We slung the deer over our sumpters and headed back. We were all in good humour. Three deer would feed the castle for a week or more. The hides could be tanned and used. The hooves could be used to make glue. Bones could be carved. Nothing would be wasted. If we had to then we could salt and preserve the meat. We had plenty and we would eat it fresh.

  When we reached the castle, Garth quickly gutted the animals. The heart, liver and kidneys were put to one side and the rest fed to our dogs and hounds. We could have hunted with dogs. It would have been quicker but I preferred the challenge of man against animal. Garth organised the archers to skin and butcher the beasts while we went to wash and change. It had been a good day. You learned a great deal about men when they hunted with you. Edward was hasty while Matthew was steady. Sometimes you needed a squire or a knight who was hasty for it normally meant that they were fearless. I preferred one like Matthew, steady. We had arrived back in the late afternoon. The nights were almost non-existent. The overcast day had not produced rain but we would be denied a sunset.

  While we waited for the food to be prepared, we took a stroll around my fighting platform. To the northeast, close to where we had hunted, I saw rain was falling. Sir Robert pointed to it, “We were fortunate. Rain would have spoiled the hunt.”

  “Indeed. God smiled upon us.”

  We walked around my walls until we faced north-west. I saw a thin column of smoke rising in the distance. Sir Robert said, “That will be Sir James’ manor. I wonder what he is burning?”

  “He has moorland there, perhaps he is burning that although it is normal to do so in August. There will still be nesting birds.” I turned and pointed to the structure we were building close to the kitchens. “We are building a dovecot. We will have eggs and doves during the winter.”

  “You have thought of things here which will make this a good place to live. You should seek a wife.”

  “You were lucky, Sir Robert. You found my sister. I have seen none who would be suitable since we came here. I will wait.”

  “If I am a lesson to anyone it is to seize the moment. Do not tarry. Be as Edward here, be hasty. This is not the time to put off something which may never come.”

  It was my afternoon patrol who brought us the dire news. Harold Hart and Ralph of Raby galloped in even as the smell of cooking venison wafted towards us, “My lord, Otterburn is under attack. The houses are on fire and the tower is surrounded.”

  I wasted not a moment. “You and Ralph stay here. Matthew, have the men armed and ready to ride. Let us pray that we are not too late.”

  Sir Robert turned as he hurried to change into his hauberk, “At least you have twelve more men this time.”

  “Aye, it is almost as though you were sent here for just such a purpose.” I looked to John, “You stay here too but first warn Alan of Bellingham, Brother Paul, Rafe and the rest of the villagers.”

  By the time we reached my horse, the men were all ready. Harold had told the men my news. My original men all knew old Sir James and his men. This would be personal. I mounted Eagle. Matthew handed me my spear. “Do I need the standard, lord?”

  “No, Matthew, today you fight.” I wasted no time and spurred my courser through the gates. We still had about three hours of good daylight left. I wondered if the plan had been to take Otterburn and then attack us in the early hours. From now on we would need night sentries and not just rely on the dogs and hounds. We did not need scouts out. When we crested Monk Ridge, we would see the tower. It would be laid out below us. It took less than an hour to reach the ridge for we rode hard. Even as we reached the top, I saw the kindling around the base of the tower begin to burn. I saw that there had to be almost eighty men attacking it. The smoke from the burning houses drifted north and west. That was the smoke we had seen. There were bodies littering the riverside. Sir James and his men had defended themselves.

  “Garth, take the archers to the west of the river. Use the river for defence. Harass them. The rest of you we fight in a line the width of the road! For King Henry, England and for James!” I lowered my visor and hefted my spear. I spurred Eagle.

  We were six hundred paces from them and it was all downhill. Sir Robert and I were in the centre and we were flanked by four of Sir Robert’s men. I knew that Roger Two Swords and my men would take offence at that. I was his lord and he wanted our men protecting me. The Scots saw and heard us when we were three hundred paces from them. None were mounted. The fire was licking the walls of the tower and smoke poured across towards the river. It had helped to hide us. When we were spied the Scots ran for their horses. The ground flattened out when we were two hundred paces away and I spurred Eagle again. Sir Robert kept pace with me and we lowered our spears together. I heard cries from my left. My archers were killing the enemy.

  The smoke would make it harder for us. A figure loomed up out of the smoke. I instinctively rammed my spear and it caught him in the shoulder. Blood spurted and I twisted the spear to free it. A Scot lunged at me from my right. Sir Robert’s spear punched forward and tore through the man’s cheek. A sudden gust of wind flurried the smoke away and I saw that the Scots were trying to organise a shield wall. As Garth and my archers were sending arrows into their unprotected right sides it was difficult for them. My spear flashed forward above the shields of the nearest two warriors. It struck one in the chest but the other used his sword to hack off the head of the spear. One of Sir Robert’s sergeants fell from his horse as an axe-wielding Scot hacked at him. Drawing my sword, I made my horse rear. The warrior whose sword had taken my spearhead had his skull caved in by my horse’s hooves.

  The shambles of a shield wall had bought enough time for some of the Scots to mount. I recognised Sir Duncan and as the knight close by him was wearing the same livery I took that to be his father, Sir Malcolm. There were ten mounted men in total. I pointed my sword at Sir Duncan and shouted, “I promised you death the next time you were in England. Today is the day you die.”

  I spurred Eagle. This was now a mêlée. There was no longer any order to it. We had broken their wall but the battle now ebbed and flowed around us. If we had not had the support of our archers then things might have gone ill but Garth and my archers were less than forty paces from the Scots. They picked their targets. I saw a red-fletched arrow knock Sir Malcolm’s squire from his mount. Roger Two Swords had the freedom to ride through Sir Robert’s men. He used neither a shield nor a spear. Instead, he laid about him with his two swords. The Scots had never seen anything like it.

  I rode at Sir Duncan aware that Sir Robert and his squire were on my right and Matthew on my left. This would be Matthew’s first serious battle and I prayed it would not be his last. Sir Duncan did not have a spear. As he turned his horse to come at me, I worked out how I would end this. I held my shield horizontally across my cantle and my sword behind me. I intended to let him have the first blow. It was a calculated risk. When I had fought him before he had not struck me as a strong warrior. He was a clever one. Perhaps he had learned his fighting in tourneys. I had told him I would kill him and he would put all of his effort into the first blow. That suited me. As we neared each other, he swung his sword from behind him in a long sweep intended to take my head. He saw an unguarded shoulder. I flicked up my shield and his blade made my arm shiver. I quickly stood in my stirrups and brought my sword down towards his head. He could not react quickly enough and my blade hit his helmet. I dented it. His arming cap and coif had taken some of the force from the blow but I had driven the helmet lower down so that it was now over his eyes. I punched him with the side of my shield. I broke his nose. I pulled back my arm and lunged towards his open mouth. He was disorientated and he did not move.

  I heard his father scream, “No!” My sword ignored
him and the young knight, dying from a mortal blow, fell backwards from his saddle. His father came at me. Sir Robert, Edward and Matthew were fighting three men at arms. I would fight the old lord. He had an axe. His open helmet was a mask of hatred, “You will die, you English bastard! I will gut you like a fish!” He spurred his destrier at me. He was swinging his axe as he came. I spurred Eagle and my horse raced beyond the swinging axe. He struck fresh air and I wheeled Eagle to come behind him He had unbalanced himself and his axe was on the same side as his shield. I hacked into his side. He had good mail and it held but I bent links and hurt him. He swung his axe instinctively at the blow but I had passed him and I turned Eagle. I rode at his right. He would not be able to use his shield for protection. He pulled his arm back to swing at me. As he swung I aimed my sword at his axe and hacked down. I drove the axe down and watched it gouge a hole in his chaussee. He wounded himself with his own axe. A piece of wood was chipped from the axe.

  “Surrender or you will suffer the same fate as your son.”

  “We outnumber you!”

  At that moment four arrows flew and three of his men, rushing to his aid, fell. “But for how long?” His leg was bleeding and I had hurt his back. I swung backhanded at him. He tried to block it again with his axe and this time my blade hacked it in two. He was weaponless. I pricked his cheek with my sword, “I ask again, will you surrender or shall I send you to meet your son?”

  Many of his men seeing that I had my sword close to his face, decided that the battle was over and they turned to run. Sir Robert and the rest of my men continued to fight. Matthew slew Sir Duncan’s squire.