by Griff Hosker
"My squire does not make foolish decisions. There will be something." We raced up the steps to the fighting platform. Gilles and Richard were armed and ready. Gilles pointed to the stream. "I saw shadows moving, lord. I am certain that there are men there."
"You may be right. There are many small streams and rivers in Flanders. I have heard that many of the warriors from there can swim. We will watch from here. If they come close I will lead a sortie."
We peered into the dark and I saw a brief flash of white. It was a face. I heard a grunt in the dark and a whispered curse. They had found the caltrops. A movement behind me made me turn. It was Dick and my six archers. I pointed into the dark. He nodded and they prepared their bows. I could see why they had chosen this night. It was a cloudy sky with no moon. It was warmer than it had been and they would think we were preoccupied with the attack of their siege engines.
Dick hissed, "Now!" and seven bow strings twanged. We heard cries and bodies fell.
"At them!" A surprisingly large number of Flemish warriors rose like wraiths from the ground. They were dripping and wet but there were many of them. We could not allow them to get to the gate and damage it.
"Gilles, Richard, fetch your men at arms. Dick, continue up here. Kill as many as you can" We descended and I said, "Open the gate. Hit them and hit them hard." There were no caltrops close to the door. We had a thirty paces piece of ground to defend. The twelve of us would have to do the job unaided.
I was the first out and, drawing my dagger and sword I ran at the first Flemish warrior. As I had expected they wore no mail. The first two were carrying a ladder. Their hands were full. I hacked one in the neck with my sword and gutted the second with my dagger. I plunged into the dark. Four men with axes loomed up. They had round shields and I recognised them as Frisians. They were hard men to kill. This was not the time for caution. These were the ones who would batter and break my gate and I ran into the heart of them. Even as I slashed my sword at head height one fell transfixed by an arrow. My sword bit into the neck of a second. An axe came towards me and I just managed to deflect it with my dagger. The fourth raised his axe triumphantly and Gilles launched himself like a spear. His sword went through the Frisian and came out of his back.
I did not want to go beyond Dick's view. My archers would decide this. We had to form a human barrier between them and the gate. "A wall! On me!" I saw Henry with his sword. "Stand behind me, Henry!" I picked up one of the Frisian shields. It was heavier than mine but it would block a blow better than my dagger.
Numbers were hard to estimate. More men were landing each moment.
"No one gets beyond us. We do not move and we are like a rock!"
The next wave rushed towards us. Arrows plucked some from their feet but inevitably some got through. "Go for their heads! They have no helmets."
As I blocked a spear with my shield I brought the edge of my sword around to take the top of the warrior's head. Pieces of bone and blood spattered those to his left and right. As I scythed backhand it hacked into the shoulder of the man to his left. When the warrior's shield lowered Richard stabbed up into his chest. A Frisian with a war axe smashed down onto Gilles' shield. It was a powerful blow and my squire was knocked to his knees. I lunged into the side of the Frisian with my sword. It rasped off his ribs. Just then a sword appeared behind me to stab into the stomach of the warrior who thought he had my back. As I helped Gilles to his feet I said, "Thank you Henry." I saw that our line was shorter. There were six of us and more warriors emerged like creatures from the depths to try to take the gate. Suddenly there was a roar and Dick led my six archers to sortie from the gate. They were all good swordsmen. The extra mailed men made all the difference. With renewed energy we hacked and chopped our way into them. The Flemish did not ask for quarter and we gave them none. When there was no movement and just the moans of the dying we halted. I waved my line forward. We reached the steam and saw that none remained alive.
"Take their weapons, we can use them. Put the bodies into the stream, the current will take them to the Thames and Stephen and William will realise that their plot has failed."
The Sergeant at Arms, had a wounded leg but he lived. He pointed to his dead men. "And what of these lord?"
"They are your men. Would you have them burned or buried?"
"Let us bury them lord here where they fell. This will be a place where we can remember them."
Dick said, "I will collect our arrows. We will have further need of them."
It was dawn when we finished clearing the field. A priest came to join the Empress and her ladies as we bade farewell to those who had fallen defending the gate. We used the ladders to make crude crosses. When this was all over the Empress promised a carved stone with their names on it.
The stones did not fall upon our walls that day and overnight it began to rain. It was not a slight downpour but a storm of Biblical proportions. The icy rain found gaps in clothes and was relentless. The ropes they used on the war machines would be useless. God had come to our aid. The wind which drove the rain towards us made the corpse of the murderous doctor spin as though alive. It terrified our men and, I had no doubt, the enemy. The rain lasted for four days. When it stopped the skies cleared and became cloudless and at night the ground froze. We woke to bright blue skies and hard frosty ground. Winter had come. It meant we were saved from war machines but we froze in our castle. The enemy stopped his assault. They had another weapon; winter. We had limited wood and we were forced to burn the dried horse droppings. The castle was filled with an acrid smell but, when we were close to the fires, we were warm. On the walls men wrapped themselves in as many layers as they could. We had no luxuries such as braziers. Those on watch came back inside blue with the cold.
As December arrived Stephen and William of Ypres approached under flag of truce to our gate. The Empress joined me on the barbican. It was a sad day for us. Two of the castle servants had died of hunger or perhaps they were sick with something else and the lack of food hastened their demise. Whatever the reason the Empress and I were sad. The first deaths would be just that, the first, and others would follow.
"Cousin it pains me to see you still trapped within your walls. Take my offer. You and your men can march out and we will escort you to Bristol where you will take ship for Anjou. I am being fair."
She pointed to the rope which still hung from the gate. The winds, torrential rains and the animals had long since shaken the skeleton free and it had sunk into the moat but the ropeways a reminder nonetheless. "And was the murder of the Constable fair? The traitor sent by your dog of war there!"
Stephen flashed his head around to glare at his lieutenant, "I knew nothing of murder and I only learned of the spy when I saw his corpse. I am sorry cousin. It was not on my doing."
"Perhaps it was your wife then but either way it was William of Ypres, Count of Flanders, who hatched the plot." The Empress' voice was as hard as I ever heard.
She looked at me and I spoke, "William of Ypres, are you a man of honour? If so I will come forth and we will have a trial by combat." He was silent. "Surely you are not afraid of one man!"
When he spoke it was thickly accented, "I will not fight you for I have no need. You are going nowhere and soon hunger and winter will bite. The plague will come and we will be able to walk in."
"Then we have no more to say." I turned to Dick. I spoke loudly so that all could hear, "Put an arrow in the heart of that mercenary!"
The Count had quick reactions and he whipped his horse's head around. Dick's arrow hit his horse's rump and the animal threw the Count to the ground. He scrambled to safety. Stephen shook his head and laughed, "You can never predict what you will do, Alfraed. It is a shame you never joined my side. I wish, cousin, that I had such loyalty from my earls." He turned his horse's head and walked back into the town.
"Sorry my lord. He was quicker than I expected."
"His pride was hurt. That will have to suffice."
The next day the sn
ow came. Blizzards blew and two more servants died. The horses had been grazed upon the motte and the bits of grass which were in the bailey but now it was covered in snow and we had to slaughter more of them. Soon we would have barely twenty left. The day we killed them would be the day we lost. The days grew colder and colder. Outside the world was a blanket of white. You could not see any features for they were covered with snow. Even the siege machines had disappeared. We were forced to take up the crosses of the dead and burn them for firewood. One morning it was so cold that we struggled to open the gates. A man at arms had frozen to death on the walls.
That night as we ate our frugal meal I wondered if this was the end. We were down to the last jug of wine and perhaps that set my mind and my tongue working. "The Constable is well out of this. We thought his death slow but this is death by inches. Each day we grow weaker. Our future is as black as ever."
Dick said, "I confess I have looked for hope and I see none. All I see is a sea of white."
A voice came to me and I said, "Say that again."
"What lord? All I see is a sea of white?"
"That is it. Do you not remember what the Constable said right at the very end? I thought he was rambling but in those last moments, before he died, he was lucid. He said, ' but when there is white there is hope. Watch for the ice.' It is white and the ice is here."
"What?"
I could see they were confused but I had clarity of thought in that moment. I understood what the Constable had been saying. "Gilles, Dick, come with me." I raced out and went to St. George's Tower. "Richard, get your cloak." Henry was with us but I would not risk him. "Open the sally port and follow me." I know they thought me mad but I was not. Once we were outside I led them to the stream. The snow was deep but it had frozen and there was a crust upon it. I stepped on to it and it held. "Richard, walk across the stream to the other shore. If you feel or hear the ice crack then return as quickly as you can."
"Aye lord."
It was nerve wracking watching him and listening for the crack which would announce his death. He returned, grinning. "It is solid, lord."
"Henry, go to your mother and tell her we leave with her ladies. Richard go to our chests and find those white cloaks Alice gave us. They will disguise us in the night. Gilles find the Constable and then go and saddle the horses for us, the ladies and our archers."
"Aye lord."
"And Dick, we will see if it will bear our combined weight." We were both wearing mail and were big men. Watching to the west and the town walls, we edged across. There was not a sound. Our breath froze before us but the ice held. We reached the other bank and I saw no sentries. Without a word we headed back. The ice felt solid. The stream was shallow. I doubted that either the moat or the river would have frozen as hard as this. The Constable knew his castle and his land. We went directly to the Keep. There the Empress and her ladies looked at me as though I was mad. Roger de Villiers was there too.
"We have little time. The castle cannot be held much longer. Would you agree with my assessment Constable?"
"I would. Men are dying of the cold and we have no fuel."
"Then tomorrow morning I want you to surrender the castle."
The Empress said, "But we will be captured! We will be prisoners."
"No we will not. Richard, the cloaks." He handed out the white cloaks. "Wrap these around your own cloaks. The stream is frozen and will bear our weight. We leave now. I will take my archers and our squires. We have enough horses for them. If we leave a large gap between us then we can cross the ice and mount on the other bank."
The Empress nodded, "It seems impossible but you have never let me down. We will trust your judgement. Come ladies. Let us see if we can disappear."
I clasped the Constable's hand, "Stephen is a fair man. Delay your surrender as long as you can. I do not think there will be many guards out on a night like this."
"Good luck, Earl, but I think that you make your own luck."
I led a gaunt Rolf through the sally port and across the hard frozen snow. I pointed to the rear and to Dick. He nodded. I took a deep breath and stepped on to the ice. I had done it once but would the weight of my horse cause it to crack? The ice was so thick that it took our weight. Would it survive the passage of another thirteen horses? When I reached the other side I mounted. I could barely see the others. It was their horses which I could see. This might just work and I thanked Alice. She had not planned this but she had given us our escape; the white woollen cloaks had kept us hidden. We blended in with the snow.
As they crossed successfully, one by one, I worked out our strategy. It had to be to go to Wallingford and Sir Brian Fitz Count. It was as strong as Oxford and was prepared for a siege. Disaster struck when Rafe and Dick were almost across. There was a loud crack and the ice began to break. Rafe ran and he and his horse made it across the icy stream. Dick and his mount sank into the water. It only came up to the horse's withers but the crack had alarmed some of the enemy sentries close by the west gate of the town.
Gilles helped Dick to pull his horse from the water and we mounted. "We ride to Wallingford. Richard stay by Henry. Gilles watch the Empress. Walter of Crewe look after the two ladies."
"We need no help, my lord!"
"Nonetheless you shall have it. Dick, you and Rafe watch our rear. Long Tom with me!"
I would have to gamble again. There was a bridge across the Thames close to Oxford but I guessed that would be guarded. We would head to Abingdon. It would mean we would have to cross the Thames twice but there might be fewer enemies that far away. The frozen ground was hard for horses which had been on short rations and were carrying mailed men. I dared not ride either as hard or as fast as I might have liked. The air was so cold that it actually hurt. The breath from our horses and from our mouths formed a thin fog before us but we had escaped the trap. A week ago I had spied no hope and now there was a glimmer of a chance.
Abingdon had been held by forces loyal to the Empress but we had been in Oxford so long that I could not guarantee that it was still so. It was but a few miles to the bridge and as we closed I said, "Long Tom, draw your weapon. We may have to fight our way across."
I heard his sword as he drew it. My archers had trained with Wulfric and Dick so that they could fight from the back of a horse. They were the most valuable and valued of soldiers. As we neared the bridge I saw the light of a brazier. It was guarded. The hard and frozen ground meant that a stealthy approach was impossible.
As we neared I saw some figures. One turned and shouted, "Who goes there?"
I decided on the truth, "We are for the Empress!"
"Traitors and renegades all!"
I spurred Rolf and he responded. They were still drawing their weapons as I brought my sword down on the captain of the watch. Years of pulling a war bow had given Long Tom an arm like an oak branch. His sword split the watch's head in two. Our horses bundled the other two over the side into the icy river. Once at the other side we reined in to watch for more enemies but there were none. When Dick and Rafe crossed we returned to the van and continued on.
We had travelled no more than four miles when Dick shouted, "Lord, horses. We are being followed."
As we had passed Abingdon there should be no more enemies before Wallingford but our horses were weak and they would catch us. "Gilles, Richard, escort the ladies to Wallingford. We will guard the rear."
"Aye lord."
As she passed the Empress said, "Take care Earl! We are so close. Let us make Wallingford I beg of you."
"That is out of my hands, my lady. Watch your mother, Henry. I am relying on you."
They rode into the night and their white cloaks made them disappear almost instantly in the snow covered country.
"How far behind, Dick?"
"A mile. They are catching us."
"Then let us meet them." We rode down the road until we came through a tiny hamlet. There were three huts. I stopped. "I will wait in the middle. Use your arrows when they com
e to me." I wheeled Rolf around and drew my sword.
"Aye Lord. Rafe, Tom, Walter, you go yonder."
I could not hear the hooves as the riders hurried after us. I pulled my shield closer to me. It felt more reassuring than the Frisian one I had last used. My cloak was still around me and I would be hard to see. They, on the other hand, were easier to see for they stood out against the snow. As they neared I reared Rolf and shouted, "Go back or die!"
They had not seen me and they stopped. That was my intention. My archers let fly and struck men and horses. I galloped towards them. I was one man but they could not all hit me for fear of striking each other. My archers would not hit me and I wished to make them fall back. They were Flemish. They were not the best of riders. I slashed my sword and punched with my shield as I burst into the heart of them. I felt blows landing on my shield. One struck my helmet. One hit my hauberk on the right but while my sword was bloody my body was whole. I wheeled Rolf around as horses tried to move out of our way and riders flailed at me with weapons. My archers were the ones who saved me. Four arrows plucked the nearest four riders from their saddles and Dick shouted, "Now, lord! Ride!"
I needed no urging and I spurred my weary mount. I did not glance over my shoulder. My archers watched over me. I heard their hooves and then Dick was beside me. "They are not following, lord. We dropped six of them and you slew three. They have had enough." He spat. "Mercenaries!"
There was no longer the need for speed and I wished to save our horses. We rode slowly down a silent road until I saw the glow from a brazier on the walls of Wallingford castle. The smell of wood smoke was most welcome. The hoof prints in the snow showed that Gilles and Richard had managed to reach the castle. This was no Oxford. Brian Fitz Count was well used to a siege. I could not see Stephen travelling through winter to begin siege again. We had won. As we clattered through the gates I felt like cheering and then I saw the face of the Earl of Gloucester.