by Griff Hosker
Already the bandits had seen us and they began to press on. They had goads and they began to beat both animals and captives. The three riders mounted their horses. I saw light glinting from helmets.
The Sherriff said, sulkily, “I know not!”
I looked at one of his archers, “You! What is it called?”
“Caud Beck, lord. It can be jumped but at this time of year it is muddy.”
“Good. Take your archers and ride to the west. Get ahead of them and then begin to send your arrows and kill the bandits!”
“Aye lord.” He seemed eager to do my bidding. “Come on, you heard the Earl, let us ride!”
The Sherriff said, “We must capture them and put them on trial.”
“I believe you tried that before and it failed. Let us try something a little more Draconian. Hitherto the blood spilt on this border has been English. Let us even it up! Form line! For King Henry and England!”
We began to canter towards the animals and captives. Those riding on virgin snow made the fastest progress. Those of us riding in the centre along the black and muddy line of mud and dung struggled. We were seen and the bandits knew the game was up. They did what they had done before. They left the animals and ran. It soon became obvious that the bandits had left the animals and captives to their own devices. The captives and animals waited just north of Caud Beck. The bandits were heading for Hobkirk. It was more than thirty miles away but they must have thought that they could evade us. They did not know of my ambush. We reached the captives and I shouted, “We will return for you. You are safe now!” I noticed the hateful stares cast in the direction of the Sherriff. Once we cleared the animals and captives the going became easier. The Scots, even though they were on foot, knew the land and they were like mountain goats.
Henry Samuel, riding to my left, pointed west, “Look, Earl!”
I saw that the Carlisle archers had dismounted and their arrows were falling amongst the raiders. It drove them east. The ones ahead disappeared over a low ridge. Our horses were tiring now. When we crested the rise I saw, ahead, a thin line of men and their horses. It was David of Wales. The archers of Carlisle were adequate bowmen. Mine were the best. They were hitting everything that they aimed at. The three riders leading the warband waved their men towards the east and tried to lead the survivors away from the two bands of archers and my horsemen.
“Charge!”
We wheeled and began to hunt them down. The Carlisle archers mounted their horses for they could not release without hitting us. David of Wales and his men continued to weed out the bandits. Ridley and my men at arms were ahead of us. I saw their swords as they struck heads and backs which had no mail to deflect the blow. The white snow became pocked marked with red. My men were so efficient that I had a clean blade. None I had passed were alive. Soon there were just three Scots who remained and they rode horses. “Ridley, follow them!”
“Aye, lord.” He led my men at arms after the three horsemen.
I reined in and turned. “Where is the Sherriff?” I could not see him. The last sight I had had of him was when we had crested the rise and seen the bandits being attacked by my archers.
Mark pointed to the north-west, “There, lord, with his squire!”
“Sir Fótr, Sir Gilles, after him. I want him as a prisoner.”
“Aye lord.”
“The rest of you, back to the captives.”
As we rode, I looked to the sky. The afternoon had but a couple of hours of daylight left. “Sir Geoffrey, we will have to leave these animals and captives at Gilsland. Ride ahead and warn them of our return.”
“Aye lord.”
It was dark before we reached Gilsland. The captives were exhausted. The archer who commanded the bowmen of Carlisle was Richard of Brampton. “Richard of Brampton, I charge you with returning the animals and captives to their homes. They have suffered. When you return to Carlisle there will be a new order. The Sherriff, if he is not already dead, will be tried for treason.”
“We did not enjoy watching people suffer, lord.”
“I know. That will change. We will head back to Carlisle.”
“Thank you, Earl, you have brought hope to the lands of the west.”
As we headed down the Roman road to Carlisle I wondered if this delay would hurt my son. The conspiracy was clear. It would take two or three days, perhaps more, to get to Elsdon. His castle could have fallen. I had wanted to destroy the nest of vipers that was Hobkirk. That would have to wait. Ridley the Giant caught up with us when we were less than two miles from the castle. There were three horses that they led.
“They died?”
“They were piss poor warriors lord but they resisted.” He pointed to the three hauberks draped over the saddles. “All were sergeants at arms. One had the remnants of a surcoat. It was the livery of Fife, lord.”
That was the last piece of the puzzle. The horses were exhausted and we were weary. Before they were stabled, I said, “We ride at dawn for Elsdon. Give the horses grain.”
The stable master said, “I will have to ask the Sherriff for his permission, lord.”
“The Sherriff is no more. I will appoint a new castellan until I can inform the King of the disorder and unrest in his northern marches.”
“Yes lord.”
Sir Geoffrey had ordered food for us. We washed and then ate. I wondered why Sir Fótr and Sir Gilles had not returned. “Sir Geoffrey I would have you stay here as constable until we can have a new Sherriff.”
He nodded, “You will arrest the Sherriff?”
“If we can capture him. He is a slippery man.”
We had just finished when the doors of the Great Hall burst open and Sir Fótr and Sir Gilles hauled the Sherriff in. They threw him to the ground. Sir Fótr pointed an accusing finger at the former Sherriff, “He has no honour. He sent his squire to slow us down! He was a brave youth and he died.”
“Sir Richard of East Harlsey, tomorrow you and your men at arms will escort the former Sherriff to Durham. Tell the Bishop all. This creature will stand trial. For the rest of us, we ride to do that which we planned. We go to the aid of my son and Sir Richard of Otterburn and I pray to God that we are not too late.”
Chapter 18
The late return of my knights and the arduous day we had endured meant we left late and travelled more slowly than I would have liked. As we left Carlisle and headed along the road which ran south of the wall the snow began to fall harder. My leg ached and I pulled my cloak more tightly about myself. Henry Samuel, who had been silent all morning while we had prepared, asked, “Lord, you and your knights fought the Scots before and defeated them. Are we destined to fight them for the rest of our lives?”
“When we fought last time, it was us against knights. We fought French knights and we fought Scottish knights. This is different. This is more insidious. There are traitors involved.”
“Lord, what is insidious?”
I smiled at Mark. He still had a long way to go to become a knight. “It means less obvious. This is an attempt to retake England piece by piece. The men who fight were men at arms, some may even be former knights but they seek to make this land inhospitable. It is already a harsh and unforgiving land. If your family is taken captive and your animals were stolen then you might leave. If people leave then the lords who live here will have to leave also.”
Henry Samuel nodded, “You said a conspiracy, lord?”
“Aye, Sam, the Sherriff and Sir Eustace have joined forces with the Earl of Fife. Until King Alexander exercises his power they will continue to conspire. The King does not know that his throne is at risk. The county of Northumberland is a rich prize. If the Earl of Fife could get his hands on that then he might be able to grasp the crown and wrest it from Alexander’s head.”
We rode in silence until we came to the small road which crossed the wall and headed north to the tiny village of Cawburn. The raiders had attacked the village. As we passed through some of the captives the archers had rescu
ed waved at us. I saw men hewing wood to make a palisade. They would fight harder the next time the Scots came south. We were riding the borderlands. The border was not marked anywhere. There was no sign indicating which country we trod. There were no manors in this bleak and empty land. There were no lords with armed men to protect them.
Sir Robert nudged his horse next to mine. Just as I was worried about my son so he was fearful for the fate of his brother. “Do you think we will be in time, lord?”
“I honestly do not know. We were tricked and manipulated and I was led west. That had to be for a purpose. If we had had time, I would have beaten an answer from the Sherriff but that would have taken too long. Time is something we do not have. If we are too late and find devastated manors then rest assured the Scots will suffer. The King has made me Earl Marshal of the Northern March. If he does not like the way I do things then he should dismiss me. Until that time I do things the way I have always done them; my way!”
Sir Fótr had joined us, “And how far do we ride this day, my lord? The horses are already weary.”
I looked at Sir Robert, “You know this land as well as I do. Where can we find shelter for the night? This weather will do none of us any good if we have to sleep outside.”
“There are no manors lord. Bellingham is large and has a small church. If the Scots have not taken it then that would be the place to which I would head but there is no castle there and if the Scots chose, they could easily take it and cut off your son from the south.”
The Palatinate was too far south. The Bishop of Durham needed another manor and castle at Bellingham. I urged on my men. The further north we travelled the bleaker were the prospects for Sir William and Sir Richard!
The snow had stopped as we approached Bellingham. The night was clear and I could see the breath forming before me. Torches appeared in the dark and armed men stood before us, “Identify yourselves! I am Erik the Crusader.”
I saw by the light of the torch that he was mailed and held a Danish war axe. “And I am the King’s man, Thomas, Earl of Cleveland. My men and I seek shelter.”
He stepped forward and grinned, “And right glad we are to see you, my lord! Your son will be even happier!”
“Then he lives?”
“Aye lord and no thanks to the Scots and that traitor Sir Eustace of Rothbury. Come we will find shelter for you and your knights. I fear the fare will not be what you are used to but it is honestly produced.”
“I care not, Erik the Crusader. Already you have warmed my heart with your news and filled me with joy. We thought we had come too late.”
Erik accommodated me, Mark and Henry Samuel. My knights and squires also shared accommodation with the villagers while my men and archers slept in the church and in barns. We were all sheltered from the icy night.
I heard from Erik the Crusader of the battle of Elsdon. I grew angry as he told me. The sinister plot had almost succeeded. Erik’s account of the battle of Otterburn was second hand but I knew that Sir Robert would be relieved to know that his brother had survived.
“How is it that your village survived, Erik? I do not wish harm upon you but it seems to me that your village would be easier to take than Elsdon or Otterburn.”
“You are right, lord. It has surprised us too. When we headed north to relieve your son, we captured a Scot. He was badly wounded. In return for absolution of his sins from our priest, he told us that this was a blood feud. Sir Malcolm is of the Clan Eliot and they are related to the Duncan clan. The Earl of Fife and Sir Malcolm are cousins. You have incurred the wrath of the Earl of Fife and he seeks to hurt you and your family. It is personal, lord.”
I nodded, “Thank you for that information.”
“I am sorry, lord, but that is the way it works. The Clan Armstrong live across the border from us and they are totally different from the Eliot clan. They are relatively peaceful by comparison. These feuds are passed down from father to son. So long as your son is here then they will try to kill him.”
“You think I should take him to safety?”
“I know your reputation, lord, and that will not happen. No, I am just telling you the reality of life on the border. There are murders here which go unpunished. Cattle and animals are stolen. It is a way of life.”
“And yet you came back from the crusades to live amongst it?”
“Aye lord,” he laughed, “I served my God and now I serve my land. My family have lived here since the time of the Danes.” He patted his axe. “This was carried by one of my forebears. I am of Viking blood and we know how to fight for what we have. Many of the villagers can also claim Viking blood.”
“Then I understand. I served in Sweden. I am pleased that my son has you for a neighbour.”
As we spoke, I learned that the Clan Eliot also lived in Hobkirk. The connection suddenly made sense. I would destroy that nest of vipers next.
The next morning, we rode the ten miles to Elsdon. I saw that it was like an ant’s nest as men swarmed over the tower of the church. My son was making his manor stronger. I saw new walls and new buildings. I had been expecting a devastated manor. I saw that in the short time since the battles he and his people had worked hard. The buildings were not finished but they had achieved a miracle.
He ran to greet me. Even though it was freezing, he and his men were working without furs. “Father, you came!”
I dismounted, albeit slowly. The cold and the ride had stiffened my leg. I embraced him and said, in his ear, “Aye son but I am sorry that it took so long.”
He stepped back, “Yes father, we expected you more than a month since. But I can hear in your voice that the delay was not of your choosing. Come, we will try to find accommodation for all of you.”
I shook my head, “Not all of us will stay here. Sir Robert is anxious to visit with his brother. I will send him and Sir Peter, along with half of my men there. It will share the load and we are not here to feast. We are here to right the wrongs that was done to our manors.”
I had left Sir Geoffrey and his men at Carlisle. Sir Richard and his men had gone to Durham. With Sir Peter and Sir Robert at Otterburn, there were just Sir William of Hartburn, Sir Gilles and Sir Fótr to be accommodated. I shared my son’s chamber and the other three knights had the squires’ room. The squires and pages hunkered down in the Great Hall. My son had good people. The women of the manor made a great fuss of us. We were fed better than I might have expected. While we ate, I told my son of our campaign. I saw his face as we told him of the depredations of the raiders and the perfidy of the Sherriff. It became darker and angrier.
“You are right, father, this is a conspiracy. Do you think the King knew of this? Was that why he appointed me here and you as Earl Marshal?”
“Perhaps but, if he did, then it was almost a miscalculation.” I looked at my son with fresh eyes. He had managed to do, with a handful of men, that which lords with mightier armies had failed to do. He had withstood a siege and defeated an enemy set upon vengeance. “What is it that you wish me to do?”
I saw the surprise on his face. “You are Earl Marshal and I am just a humble knight.”
“And I am your father as well as the Earl. What would make your life easier and safer?”
“From what you say I will never be safe so long as I am lord of Elsdon but I would not relinquish the title. I owe it to these people. They are good people, father, and they deserve my protection, our protection. You ask what would make my life easier? Destroy the Clan Eliot and end the life of the Earl of Fife.”
“The former we can do. The latter?” I shook my head, “That may take a war for he is close to the King and he lives beyond my reach. We will rest here for a few days. I have no doubt that the news of my arrival will have reached our enemies. Let them worry about our intentions. I will send my scouts across the border. You say they have a tower?”
“Aye, and, since my raid, it may well be manned.”
“You have preserved your animals and denied them to the enemy. We ha
ve denied Hobkirk the animals they stole. They will have to tighten their belts. I will send a message to Sir Ranulf. I would have him and his men ride with us too. None expect us to go to war in the middle of winter. Ridley and I fought in the Baltic. Snow does not stop the Swedes and it will not stop us!”
I would have gone the next day to make war but our horses had ridden hard. They needed rest. I knew that we strained my son’s resources but I planned on making good by taking from the land of Sir Malcolm. We had endured Scottish raids. The Scots would now feel our iron fist. I would not take captives. We were not slavers but I would take every animal between the border and Hobkirk. You could not prosecute a blood feud if you could not feed your men! The Scots would starve.
I noticed a real difference between my men and those of my son. Mine were like me. They were well worn. All were married. Our scars told the story of our lives. We almost creaked when we moved. Of course, when the battle came then my veterans would fight as hard, if not harder than William’s young bloods. It was as they ate and drank you saw the difference. Some had lost teeth either through war or ill use. Anne and the women who cooked for us quickly realised this and my older warriors found the meat they were given was so tender that it needed little chewing. They were given the less crusty bread. They drank as though the ale was the last that they would consume. Like me, their joints ached. I wondered how many more campaigns would see Padraig, Ridley, David of Wales, Dick One Arrow and the rest following my banner. I would watch them in this campaign. They had served me well and I owed it to them to let them enjoy the twilight of their years in comfort. Edward had been a lesson for us. Since he had been injured and lost the use of his left arm, he seemed to have gained something. He smiled more. He might have put on weight but he looked to have more energy. His farms were the most fertile in the valley. I would like my men to enjoy the same life.