by Griff Hosker
He laughed, "Because we are squires and that is our task."
When the horses had been watered we mounted and headed along the road. I had given Dick enough time to get into position and begin his attack. As we crested the rise I could hear the sounds of men dying and people fleeing. A family ran straight at us. As soon as they saw my banner they cowered before us. Behind I saw the bodies of the garrison. All had been slain by arrows.
Others joined those whose flight had been stopped by our arrival. One man with a withered arm said, "Spare us Warlord! We are poor people."
"I know and you will be spared but you cannot stay here in Aldeneby. You have a choice. Return to Scotland and ask King David for protection."
"We are not Scottish!" he held up his withered arm. "I was hurt at the battle of the Standard."
I nodded, "Then head south. The Scots ravaged and emptied the village close to Barnard Castle. Sir Hugh is the Lord of the Manor. If you farm there then we will give you protection. You have my word."
I spurred Rolf. They would debate and they would argue. Some would take me up on my offer and others would not. Life on the frontier was hard and the decisions you made could be fatal. My archers had already collected the weapons and the three horses which were there. I could see that it had been a sergeant at arms and eleven men who had protected the manor. Of the lord and his family there was no sign.
"Burn it!"
Sir Hugh said, "But lord, that will tell them where we are! I thought we came in secret."
"By the time they spy the fire we will be north of the wall. If it draws some of the garrison of Carlisle here then so much the better. The folk who are here will tell them where we have gone. We move swiftly. Let us ride!"
My archers set about setting fire to the hall. The huts and farms would be unharmed. If any chose to stay there I would not harm them but they had had a warning. As we headed towards the Roman Wall Henry asked, "Was that manor in England or Scotland, Warlord?"
"It was England but your cousin, Stephen, gave it to the Scots. Until you are King it will remain Scottish."
He was silent. Wondering, I have no doubt, if he would ever become king. It seemed that too many others were making their best efforts to deny him that opportunity. We reached the wall just after dusk. We headed for the Roman fort close to the deserted farmstead of Gilstad. There was water and walls. More importantly it was just a short ride to Arthuret.
Henry had never campaigned in England. He had stayed in castles and manor houses with his mother. This was a rude awakening for him. Sleeping on the hard cold ground this far north was never pleasant. Gilles came from Normandy and he showed Henry how to use his cloak and horse blanket to make an improvised bed. He pointed to the other squires who put their blankets close together so that they would be warmer. He would learn.
I sat with my knights as we planned our campaign. "How many men were there in the raiding party, Sir Hugh?"
"It was hard to tell, lord. We cut their trail and counted forty horses but that could have been just men at arms. We caught none alive."
I noticed Wulfric shaking his head. He was thinking that he would have caught at least one and made them talk. The trouble was Sir Hugh was clinging on to his part of England which was closer now to Scotland than anywhere else. He was not as aggressive a lord as Sir Wulfric. I knew we had to get the border back to the wall, hold that, and then push on further north. The days when we had held Hexham, Norham and Morpeth were a distant memory.
"Then we cannot know the size of the garrison at Carlisle."I waved Aiden over, "Tomorrow, Aiden, I would have you scout Carlisle. I need to know the numbers of knights and men at arms there."
"Would you wish me to enter the walls, lord?"
"There will be little to be gained by such a risk. Just rough numbers will do."
Sir Gilles had not been in this part of the world before. "And Arthuret, lord, what can we expect there?"
We had attacked it once before but that was some years earlier. "It may be that they have built a castle there but if so it will be wooden and not stone. We use speed." I nodded to Wulfric, "I think Sir Wulfric here wishes to hack his way through the wooden walls anyway."
Wulfric nodded, "Wooden walls are no match for my axe and the lads I have are handy with them too. So long as Sir Dick and Sir Philip keep them from the fighting platform on the walls then we shall get us in." He sniffed, "I think it will be poor returns though for these border Scots have little worth taking."
Sir Edward who knew Wulfric as well as I did smiled, "I think the Earl knows that, old friend, which is why he hopes to draw the enemy from Carlisle on to our spear points."
"Sir Edward is right. Even without a castle we can use the natural defences of the river and the town to make it a killing ground. My aim with this raid is to make the enemy bleed and to take his horses and mail."
I sent Dick's scouts out before dawn. We had fifteen miles to go. Although there were few roads the land was forgiving. It rolled gently to the west. We rose mailed and ready for war. Henry had asked if he could carry the standard into battle. Richard had chided him, "When you have been to war and seen how I carry it then we shall see. I watched Gilles many times before I was ready."
"But what is there to it?"
Gilles laughed, "You carry your standard and shield as well as your reins in your left hand. You ride your horse with your knees. When the banner blows into your face so that you cannot see and you are attacked we will see just then how easy it is. Watch Richard. Holding the standard is a vital task. If it falls then the army loses heart. You have to be where the Warlord goes. It is a sign of our success or failure in battle. If it goes deep into the enemy ranks we are winning and if it quits the field then we have lost. If Richard falls then your task will be to take up the standard and stay by our lord."
Suitably chastened he rode in silence and I smiled. I had never carried the standard but Wulfstan had often taken me to task for something I had done which displeased him. In the end it paid off. You learned not to make mistakes.
The scouts returned as dawn broke. "They have a ditch and a palisade, lord."
"A castle?"
"I would not call it one. Rolf could jump the wall in one bound. It is this side of the river. There are many cattle, pigs and sheep. They have built it up since last we were here. The river is very shallow. A man could ford it and keep his backside dry."
"Thank you Ralph." I turned in my saddle, "Sir Wulfric, take your men and force the bridge. Sir Philip have your men cover them. Sir Tristan, Sir John and Sir Harold, take your men to the south and ford the river. Capture as many animals as you can. Sir Hugh and Sir Gilles, take your men north, ford the river and capture as many animals as you can."
"And do we stop the people fleeing?"
"Let the people go but slay any with weapons."
I pulled up my shield and loosened my sword as we cantered down the road. There was just Sir Edward, Sir Richard and myself left with our three columns of men. If things went awry we would be the reserve but I did not think it would. We rode at the rear so that I could view the castle and the river. As we crested the rise I saw the magnificent sight of three columns of mailed men charging towards the river and the castle. The two flanking columns were already splashing across the shallow Esk while Wulfric and his men reined in as Sir Philip and his archers dismounted and prepared to release their arrows. I think whoever commanded miscalculated for he looked only at the sixty men who had dismounted. He could not see the two flanking columns and we must have been too far away to see numbers. I saw men racing to the walls.
Even though Sir Philip only had twenty two archers they were superb bowmen and the range was less than a hundred and fifty paces. I watched as five flights of arrows soared towards the gate and the walls. Where there had been a line of helmeted men holding spears there was now nothing. It was a though a wave had washed them away. Wulfric led his men across the bridge to the gate. As we closed with the walls I could hear the sound
s of their axes striking the wood. They were thick timbers but Wulfric's men's axes were sharp.
I saw two riders leave by the rear gate. They might escape my men for the two columns were still sweeping around. It did not matter for I had planned for that. I heard a roar as the gate was shattered asunder and Wulfric and his wild warriors burst into the castle. There was a flood of men, women and children from the rear gate. Their route to safety was now barred by two lines of nights and men at arms. I just caught sight of swords slicing down and then they were hidden from me as we crossed over the bridge and into the castle. The garrison was slain. The townspeople and farmers who remained stood fearfully together.
I pointed to the damaged and open gate, "Go! I give you your lives and the clothes on your back! Any who remain here will be enslaved!"
There was hesitation and then Wulfric shouted, "Go!" They fled through the gate.
It took until afternoon for my men to return with captured cattle, horses, sheep and pigs. We slaughtered a heifer and a pig for our food and set sentries on the walls. There was little in the way of treasure and their granaries were empty but we found beans ready for sowing as well as much wool ready to be spun. Sir Harold discovered two carts.
I gathered my knights. "The constable of Carlisle may come tomorrow but I think he is more likely to scout tomorrow. He will not know our numbers. If he does come tomorrow then that will mean he is reckless and that is a good thing. Sir Gilles I want you to take your men and load the two carts. Drive the animals, along with the captured supplies, back to Barnard Castle and then return here."
He looked disappointed. Wulfric, his mentor said, "Do not worry Gilles there is still fighting to be done. I promise you that."
"He is right. Tomorrow Sir Edward and I will see what other morsels are waiting for us to pick from them."
Aiden rode in late at night. He was smiling. "The hen house is full of activity this night, Warlord. I watched the people flee into the walls after your raid. The gates are barred and they await your attack. Those who passed me spoke your name as though you were the devil himself. They call you the wolf!"
"Good. That means they will not come tomorrow. And how many men?"
"It has a large number of men. The walls were filled with helmets and shields. I would say there are three hundred men within the walls. They sent riders north as soon as the first two horsemen reached the fortress."
"You have done well. Rest." Turning to my knights I said, "Then we have time to prepare for them. Sir Edward and I will ride north tomorrow. Sir Wulfric take the rest of our men. There is a hill north of Carlisle. It is more of a knoll than a hill but it is less than a mile from the river and the castle. Two of its sides are protected by two small becks. We will wait in the lee of the hill. Do not array all our forces in plain view. Keep most hidden. Sir Edward and I may be able to intercept the reinforcements they have requested."
"You know how you will attack them, lord?"
My men all knew but then we had done this many times. Young Henry did not. "I do, Henry. We use the arrows from Sir Richard and Sir Philip to attack their flanks and keep them in the middle and then we charge with two lines of men. They will have the river at their back and a narrow bridge to safety. If I time the charge correctly then we can hurt them."
"And if they stay within their walls?"
"Then we will enjoy ourselves collecting animals and food from their farms. When we have taken all we will return home and they will starve."
Sir Edward nodded, "And that is why this Malcolm mac Athol will come forth. He showed, when he attacked Sir Hugh, that he is aggressive and wishes to make a name for himself. What better name than the knight who defeated the Warlord of the North?"
It was only eight miles to Carlisle and just over seven to the hill. Wulfric would have plenty to time to reach it. Gilles would be arriving at Barnard Castle even as Wulfric arrayed his forces and by the next day he would be returned. We would have all our men available then. Sir Edward and I headed north. We would have no archers with us for I needed them to prepare their defences on the hill. It was not much of a hill but it had a slope and that was important. Dick and Sir Philip knew their business.
Taking our spears, we went north west. I knew that there was a small settlement there. It had been Viking but now it was Scottish even though it retained its Viking name. Loc-hard's by was a prosperous place for there were many sheep and the wool spun there was considered valuable. It was seventeen miles away but if there was a relief force heading for Carlisle then it would use that road. Although I did not have archers I had Edgar and Edward. They were my eyes and ears ahead of us. We were five miles from Loc-hard's by when Edgar galloped in on his small horse. "Lord, there is a column of men. Half are on foot. They are two miles ahead. Edward is watching them."
"Do they have scouts?"
"No lord but they march close together as though they expect an ambush."
"How many men are there?"
"Forty on horses and forty on foot. We counted three banners."
I turned to Sir Edward. "This is a relief column for Carlisle. We ride at them. Edgar is there a bend close by us?"
"Just over the rise lord. It twists and rises up to this ridge."
"Then place yourself where you can signal when they are at the bottom of the slope and heading up." He turned and galloped up the road. "Gilles watch for his signal."
"Aye lord."
"Wilfred and Theobald. You will ride next to me and Sir Edward. Gilles you and the squires will form the rear rank."
Sir Edward said, "My son, John is ready for the front rank. He will be on my right. That way we will fill the road." Sir Edward was keen for his son to be knighted. By giving him the chance to fight in the front rank he was giving him the opportunity to impress me.
We formed ourselves and waited for Gilles to shout. I had no idea where Edgar waited but Gilles could see him.
"Now my lord."
I spurred Rolf and he began to head towards the crest. The Scots should have had scouts out but then they were used to my tricks and ambushes. Travelling in a solid column made ambush less effective. They could have a wall of shields ready in an instant. They would form a shield wall if we attacked with arrows. As we reached the top of the road I saw them a couple of hundred paces below us. They were half way up the slope. It was not steep but they would struggle to gain momentum. In contrast we were galloping. I reined Rolf back a little so that we stayed in a straight line. We had to reach them together. Two arrows arced from the woods at the side of the road and found two bodies. The effect, however, was far greater than just two arrows. They thought it was an ambush rather than just my two scouts. They turned the spears on their right to face the woods. More importantly the men on foot stopped moving.
I had not used a lance for some time and it felt a little unbalanced. I adjusted my grip as I approached the leading knights. I leaned forward as I pulled back my weapon. The Scots had not lowered their lances yet and there was confusion as they did so. We struck them when they were almost stationary. I punched my lance at the chest of a knight wearing a variation of the De Brus livery. Although he managed to get his shield up my blow was so powerful that it knocked him from the saddle. Rolf was a big horse and he shouldered aside the next two mounts. My spear struck a man at arms in the shoulder. The steel head of the spear penetrated his mail and threw him to the ground. The head broke off, embedded in his flesh. I threw the stump of the spear at the next man at arms and drew my sword. He flinched when the spear haft came towards him and I was able to slash down at him with my sword. It came away bloody and we were through the horsemen.
Men on foot who are not prepared are terrified of horsemen. I pulled back on Rolf's reins and stood a little. My horse reared and that was enough to make five men on foot try to flee. It was too late for two of them. His mighty hooves crushed their skulls. As the blood, brains and bone spattered the others Sir Edward and my men at arms arrived. It proved the final straw and the men on fo
ot fled.
I whipped Rolf's head around, "Finish the horsemen!"
I could not see John of Thornaby but my men at arms and Sir Edward were still with me. The Scottish horsemen who were still mounted were beset on all sides. I saw Gilles and Richard fighting one knight while Henry kept the standard as close to them as he could. Sir Edward was flailing around with his sword like a Viking Berserker. He seemed oblivious to the blows being rained upon him. He was in danger of being too reckless and I spurred Rolf towards him. I stood in my stirrups and brought my blade down on the back of one of his enemies. He arced and then fell to the ground. As Sir Edward took the head of a second the last four knights held their swords by the blades. They were yielding.
I looked around and saw that at least one of my men was unhorsed. Sir Edward threw himself from his horse and knelt by his son who lay on the ground.
I shouted, "Wilfred! Secure the horses! Gilles, you and the squires take charge of the prisoners. Make sure they are safe!"
"Aye lord."
I dismounted and hung my shield from my cantle. I knelt next to Sir Edward. His son was not moving. "How is he?"
"He took a blow to the head. I am not sure."
"Hold him while I remove his helmet." I took off his helmet and then untied the ventail and removed his coif as gently as I could.
Once his helmet was removed I could see a tendril of blood dripping from the side of his mouth and, as I cradled his head, my hand came away bloody. I saw, however, that he breathed. "He is alive. Let us get him back to Father James. There is little point in having a healer and not using him."
Sir Edward had regained some of his composure now. "You are right. I will mount and carry him." He turned to one of my men at arms. "Put our helmets and shields on his horse, Theobald."
He climbed on his horse and then Raymond of Le Mans and I gently lifted the squire up to his father. Sir Edward looked down at me with pain etched upon his face, "This is my fault. He was not ready."
There were no words of mine which would change his dark thoughts. I knew that. I slapped the rump of his horse. "Four of Sir Edward's men, escort your lord. The rest, collect weapons and treasure."