by Griff Hosker
"But you were not. I want your men ready to ride with me tomorrow. You will skulk in your castle no more. Tomorrow we go to war."
Chapter 18
As we walked into his castle he asked, "Why did you say skulk lord? Have I let you down?"
"Not just you, all of my knights but when I find an enemy camped close to one of my castles then I must question that lord of the manor. If you cannot control the land within a hundred paces of your castle what can you control?"
"You were not here, lord. We kept watch on our walls and the bridge."
"I will not waste time arguing with you Sir Philip. There will be time for recriminations when I have brought security to my land once more."
Dick and the archers entered. "They are the men of De Brus lord. I am not certain which De Brus but I recognise the livery. They had coins about them; silver coins."
"We ride with Sir Philip's men for Stockton on the morrow. I want a garrison strong enough to hold the walls but I need all of your archers."
I retired early. I knew that I had been harsh with Sir Philip but I was angry with all of my knights. Unless they had attempted to lift the sieges they had let me down. Sir Edward was the most culpable. I had left him in command.
We left before dawn. We knew these roads. I sent Long Tom to Sir Hugh telling him that I needed twenty of his men. There were no armed men at either Elton nor Hartburn. I had not expected there to be any. I expected them at Stockton. I rode through the gates with a heart and a face as black as thunder. I strode to my hall shouting, "I want my knights before me now!"
John of Craven, Sir John, Sir Tristan and Sir Harold rushed in as though there was a fire. John my Steward followed them. I threw my cloak to the floor and rounded on them. "I had thought there must be a plague or you had died fighting yet here you stand before me."
"My lord?" Sir Tristan looked bewildered.
"I cannot believe that you left your father besieged in his castle at Yarm! I thought at the very least you would have relieved that siege."
Sir Tristan looked distraught and Sir Harold said, "Sir Richard and his good lady are both dead, lord. The castle was overrun before we could relieve the siege. We rode as soon as Sir Richard sent word. When we arrived his head was on a spear. The castle is in the hands of Sir Rufus Leverhulme. They had destroyed the middle spans of the bridge. There was nothing that we could do."
I had been hasty and I relented immediately. "I am sorry for your loss and sorry that I spoke as I did." Sir Tristan nodded.
Sir Harold said, "They partly destroyed the bridge. The only way across the river now is by the ferry."
"And Sir Edward?"
"Sir Edward's son John died not long after you left. His mother was in such turmoil and despair that she threw herself in the Tees and Sir Edward has not been himself."
"But the messenger, Rafe of Barwick, who sent him?"
"I did, lord. I visited with Sir Edward and made sure that he was being cared for. I did not know the messenger had got through."
"He did but he died on the way back. I thank you for what you did but why did you not go to the aid of Wulfric?"
"Sir Edward received word of a Scottish war band to the north of Norton. They came just days after news of the attacks on our castles. You were not here, lord and we knew not what else to do. If we had left to go south then Norton and perhaps even Stockton might have fallen. We did not want to risk losing the valley."
I sank into my chair. Fate had intervened. The knight I had left in command had not done as I had asked. I could not blame the others. "Sir Harold, ride to Norton. I want everyone brought here. Even man woman, warriors, every child cow, pig, everyone and every animal!"
Dick asked, quietly, "What will you do lord?"
"As soon as Sir Hugh arrives we cross the river and we take back Yarm. It will be your castle Sir Tristan. Then we march to Pickering and relieve the siege."
"And Sir Edward?"
"I will deal with Sir Edward. John of Craven, I want your Frisians and your men mounted. You come with us. Erre and his men can guard Stockton. With the combined fyrd of two manors that should be enough to deter a warband and when we have relieved Pickering we scour the land and hang every Scot that we find." They nodded. "Gilles, come with me. Richard, prepare our horses."
As I strode towards the ferry Harold ran to keep up with me. "I am sorry we let you down, lord but we did not know what to do for the best. We heard that you were captured or dead. We did not wish to lose the valley."
"This is not your fault. It is mine. I left and I should not have done so. I will not do so again. My place is here. I have learned that I can do nothing in the south and the west. The Earl of Gloucester will do as he chooses. I am used as a pawn in a game of thrones. I berated Sir Philip and I should not have done so. I should have taught him better."
"Be gentle with Sir Edward, lord, he has lost much."
I smiled, "I will be careful in my choice of words." We had reached the ferry, "Have we enough food in store?"
"We have lord. The river only froze just around Christmas and thawed again last week. The 'Adela' has kept us supplied."
"Good. Tell the others... never mind I shall tell them myself when all of this is over."
There was a film of ice on the river but the stout ferry soon cleared it. I said nothing on my journey across. I understood Sir Edward's grief. I had endured it myself. Perhaps I had been wrong to ennoble him. Had he still been a man at arms this tragedy might not have happened. The walk to the castle helped to focus my mind. "When we go in the castle, Gilles I want you to find out how many men we have available to fight from the garrison."
"Aye lord. Things look black do they not?"
"They do but not as black as Oxford eh? I must stop feeling sorry for myself. We have lost one castle, Yarm, and that we shall recover. Pickering I held, along with Helmsley, to spite Stephen. It was pride and arrogance I can see that now. When the siege is relieved I will destroy Pickering."
We were admitted straightaway. Ralph, who was the Steward, approached and bowed. "Where is the lord of the manor, Ralph?"
"His is in the Great Hall lord." He hesitated, "He has been drinking."
I nodded, "Go with Gilles. He will tell you what I need. I want the castle emptied. All must cross the river to Stockton. It is for their own good. There may be other bands of men and I need every warrior to retake what we have lost.
As soon as I entered the hall I could smell the ale. It was like an ale wife's house. Sir Edward stared into the fire. He looked like an old man and was hunched over. This was not the knight I had known for over twenty years. He barely noticed my entrance. "Edward."
Even though I spoke quietly he started and knocked over his ale. It spread like a bloody puddle on the stone floor He dropped to his knees and began to mop it up. I took his arm firmly and raised him. "This will not do, Edward. It is unseemly and not like you."
"Did they not tell you, lord, John died and my wife...? I will never see her in heaven for she took her own life."
That was a hard burden to bear. At least when I died, if God permitted, I would go to heaven and there see my wife, Adela. Sir Edward would not. "When I lost my wife and daughter you told me to be strong. I tell you to do the same. Ale will not bring them back."
"But how can I go on?"
I was becoming angry and I forced myself to remain calm. "You have a daughter and you have a son. Your daughter is of an age to marry. She will have grandchildren. Your son will be a warrior."
"No! He will not die too."
"He will for we all die. It is the manner in which we die which makes us men. You are the lord of the manor. I left you in command and you did nothing when they took Yarm."
"You were not here! I was told you were dead! I did not want to throw more lives away."
"Wulfric was your oldest friend. Would you let him and his men rot away in a siege?"
"I cannot leave my people here undefended."
"And you will not! Ev
en now they are gathering what they own and I will look after them in my castle. Norton comes too. We have stores of food and we can laugh away a siege. But I need you to lead your men! I need you at my side. I need a warrior and not a drunk. Which will it be?"
In answer he took the jug he had been holding and threw it into the fire. "I am a warrior and I will fight at your side again... if you will have me."
"You too are a knight of the Empress. Come we have much to do."
We left Gilles and Ralph to organise the transportation of those who lived in the castle. The horses were already aboard the ferry. When we reached the north shore Ethelred was there. "Do you have the old ferry yet or was it broken up?"
"No, lord, I have it still. If this one is damaged then I can use it."
"It floats and is serviceable?"
"Of course but why? Is there anything wrong with this one?"
"Tomorrow I will use it to transport warriors down to Yarm."
"But how will we get it back?"
"I know not how but it does not matter. Until the bridge at Yarm is repaired we need a way to cross the river there. You do this for the valley Ethelred. If we do not then you lose all!"
He nodded, "I just hate waste lord, that is all!"
"It will not be wasted for it will regain us Yarm."
As I strode into my bailey I felt like a weight had been lifted. I was going to take action. I was no longer reacting to others. I had a plan and I would make it succeed.
John my steward greeted me in the hall. "Where will we put all these people from Norton lord?"
I smiled, "And the people of Thornaby. I know not yet but you and Alf can devise something. I have war to make. This task is appointed to you."
He must have realised my mood for he said, "Aye lord. We will work something out."
"You can use the warrior hall for the women, children and old. Most of the warriors will be with me."
The day went in a blur. I spoke with my knights and my men at arms. I checked what weapons we had and how many horses would be fit. By the time dark arrived most of the two manors were dispersed and all that we awaited was Sir Hugh and his men. Alice had been the calmest person in the castle. She was pleased to see the return of me and my squires but she, above all, understood Sir Edward's pain and she was determined to make my castle as normal as possible. She created a feast worthy of a king. All of my knights and their families were there as well as my constables, sergeants and captains at arms. It would be a council of war as much as a feast.
I stood when the platters had been cleared and silence fell upon my hall. "These are perilous times in which we live. Our world is changing. We have lost fathers and we have lost wives. Sons have died." The words hung in the air making the warm room seem colder. "I was absent when I should have been here. For that I am sorry. I have blamed others for what were my errors. For that I apologise." I saw some of my knights trying to speak but I silenced them with my hand. "That is the past; it is another country. Once more we are alone and we begin to claw back the gains which the enemy has made. I fought the Empress' war; now we fight the Warlord's war. This is our valley and we will fight to defend it!"
I knew I had said what they wished to hear when they began banging their daggers' hilts on my table.
"Our enemy thinks that this is winter and we will wait until spring. We attack tomorrow. This castle is strong and can withstand an attack from raiders. Tomorrow I will take my men on the old ferry and we will sail down to Yarm. It will take most of the day. I will take John of Craven and the men from my castle, Sir Edward and the men at arms from Thornaby. Sir Richard will lead all the rest to surround Yarm. I want it cut off. When we arrive with the ferry we will attack the walls. Our Frisian warriors will make matchwood of the palisade."
I paused to take a drink. "I sent Aiden and his scouts to spy out the castle. From what he could see no one who lived in the castle is now alive. The enemy slew them all. It makes it easy. All that we find will be the enemy." I paused. "Slay them. Every one!"
We had forty warriors on the ferry and every one of them held a long pole to move us up the Tees. The icy river was sluggish but what current there was flowed against us. The mist on the water made it look as though we sailed in a cloud. We grounded once but our progress was steady. It was not a long journey. Had it been summer I would have feared watchers but this was winter and this Leverhulme did not know my land. With the middle of the bridge destroyed he would feel secure from the north and the south was held by Waleran and his men from York. If my men thought I was still in Oxford then so would the enemy. The indecision of my knights would actually aid us. If we had not stirred yet then it was unlikely we do so now.
As we turned the last bend towards the bridge my only worry was Sir Edward. It had been some time since he had been himself. How would he fare in battle? He looked resolute enough but I could no longer see into his heart.
The castle lay five hundred paces from the river on a low natural bluff. The motte had been made from the ditch which surrounded it. I knew that my horsemen would have reached the York road and closed it so that the enemy was trapped. Their attention would be on Dick and my men. His archers would already be stringing their bows. When we landed we would have to race as quickly as we could up the slope and get across the ditch. We carried the poles for they would be our bridge across the obstruction which was the ditch.
I saw that they had just destroyed the central span of the bridge. It could be repaired. The bank was covered in virgin snow. No one had been down to the river. I stepped ashore with Richard and Gilles. We did not bother to tie up the ferry. It would drift down the river. If it grounded I would send Ethelred to free it. We had to run. The snow was not soft. It had fallen some time ago and had a hard, frozen crust. The going was far easier than I had expected. Behind me I heard the crunch of feet on snow. My men and those of Sir Edward, carried the poles. The only ones who did not were the four of us.
We were spotted with just two hundred paces to go. The four of us stood out from the rest for we led them and we became the target for their stones and their arrows. We made another hundred paces before the first missiles hit our shields. We reached the ditch and made a shield wall. John of Craven led his Frisians and they hurled their poles across the ditch. Then they joined our shield wall and the enemy wasted arrows. It did not take long to make an improvised bridge. We moved carefully over and the four of us held our shields above us as my Frisians began to chop their way through the wooden walls. Thankfully it was just stones which were dropped upon us. They had neither oil nor water prepared. As more men crossed there were more men cutting holes in the walls.
Günter of Bruges was a huge warrior and it was he who made the final breakthrough. His axe hacked through a timber, dislodging the two on either side. He said, "Stand aside my lord!" He put his shoulder down and used his body and shield as a human battering ram. He burst through the remaining wood.
"In!"
I was the first through after Günter. A man at arms was lunging with his spear at Günter's side. The reckless Frisian did not have his shield held as high as he should and invited the strike. I brought my sword over to smash the haft in two. I twisted the blade and stabbed upwards under his chin. The blow was so hard his helmet was knocked from his head and I tore the weapon out through his face.
"Stockton, to the gate! Sir Edward, secure the keep."
"Aye Warlord!"
Yarm had but one way in and out. Sir Richard and his men had defended it well for, as we ran towards it I saw that it had been hastily repaired. Had it not been built of stone Dick and the others could have forced it themselves. The Frisians are frightening looking warriors. The men at the gate fled at the sight of them. While John of Craven and his men opened the damaged gate I turned towards the wooden keep. We ran up the slope and passed the stables and the bakery. The Frisians were busy clearing a path for me. The men of Thornaby had done as I asked and gone straight to the keep. Sir Richard had made this more secu
re and the bottom floor was made of stone. The ladder leading to the door had been raised and, when I reached it, Sir Edward and his men had it surrounded.
He turned to me and I saw a spark of the old Edward. His surcoat was spattered with blood and his blade was bloody. He was grinning. Laughing he took off his helmet. "God but it is hot! We have them now my lord
"Aye we do." Behind me I heard those who had not made the safety of the keep being slaughtered. My plan had been to kill them all but I now knew that it would cost me men and I was now short of warriors. "I will speak with this knight." I turned to Gilles, "Come with me but keep your shield up. I want no more deaths!" They could not escape now and we had them surrounded and outnumbered. It was over.
"Aye lord."
I turned, Dick and the rest of my knights had joined Edward. I saw that they had taken off their helmets and were laughing at something Dick had said. They were old comrades. "Have the archers ready. I will go and see if they wish to surrender. It will save us losing men in an attack."
"Aye lord, but be careful. Beware treachery"!"
Holding our shields before us we approached the keep. I lowered the ventail on my coif so that I could speak. "Sir Rufus Leverhulme! I would speak with you!"
I looked over the edge of my shield towards the fighting platform. A young face looked over. Every knight I faced now seemed younger than my son. "Is that you? The Earl of Cleveland?"
"It is and I ask you to save slaughter and surrender."
"I thought you dead."
"You were misinformed."
"It matters not. Your castles will be taken one by one. You have no machines of war. You cannot take us!" I saw him nod and crossbows appeared and let fly a volley. Gilles and I barely had time to raise our shields before the bolts thudded into them.
I heard Dick shout, "Loose!" and a black cloud of arrows appeared above us.
Sir Harold shouted, "Run, Warlord!"
Holding my shield behind my head I joined Gille to run back to the safety of my archers. I was so busy watching my footing that it was not until I reached them that I saw the body of Sir Edward. A bolt had pierced his forehead. He had joined his family and I was now the last Knight of the Empress.