Housecarl

by Griff Hosker

  The exhausted Welsh drew back and I could see Gruffyd conferring with his lords. It was a heated debate and we could see the gesticulating arms of his advisers pointing to the north east, down the valley. It was infuriating to stand there knowing that the enemy had faltered but we could not attack as the terrain did not suit us. Had we had the fyrd with us then they could have been loosed to chase down the demoralised enemy. It was stalemate; they could not advance against our superior weapons nor could we end it.

  Finally Gruffyd took the decision for us and as flight after flight of arrows rained down upon us he and his spearmen left the battlefield. For a second time he had evaded us. As soon as the arrows stopped the Earl gave the order, “Forward!” and we trotted forwards our shields held before us and our spears in our hands. Form his horse Aethelward could see that the Welsh were not heading down the valley but up a smaller valley which led west. He was heading for the mountain of the dragon and we would struggle to dislodge him from that lofty perch. The Earl sensed that this might be the last chance he had to capture the elusive king and he urged us on but a band of his bodyguards were there to prevent that. Just as we had blocked his escape route so the sixty or so bodyguards halted our pursuit. We would have to kill them before we could follow. They were brave men and all resigned to their fate. They began to keen a lament in their own language. As we advanced I felt its beauty wash over me; to the warriors who were about to die it must have had a calming effect.

  Sweyn shouted, ”Wedge!” and we forgot about their song as we clashed our spears against our shields. There was a kind of symmetry to it all; our slow advance marked by our own rhythm and their steadfast song, almost a barrier in the valley. We could not employ our normal tactic of a run and a rush as the ground was too uneven and the last thing we needed was for someone to fall and disrupt the wedge. When Sweyn struck the enemy line it was a crash of metal on wood and then, as we pushed on the ranks before us so the ranks behind pushed on us. We had the disadvantage that we were pushing uphill but we had the weight of almost three hundred men concentrated upon the tip of the arrow. Inevitably we split their line but they still fought, every moment they held us was more time for their comrades and their king to escape.

  We were on the right in the fourth rank and the warriors who were on our side were slightly below us. Our spears outranged their swords and they frantically held their shields before them to protect themselves. The sheer weight of numbers began to tell and while the warrior before me could protect himself against Boar Splitter , Wolf’s spear stabbed him in the side and he fell backwards. Their line was thin and we filled the gap so that the warriors were fighting before and behind. It could not last but they bravely fought on even after having suffered mortal wounds and we had to cut their throats just to make sure they were dead. We all remembered the story of how my uncle had been hamstrung by a warrior feigning death and we took no chances.

  Ulf stood exhausted before me his arm bleeding from a sword thrust. “They were brave men and deserved a better leader than Gruffyd. “

  I too was disappointed with the Welsh king and when Aethelward rode over to see how we had fared I told him so. He shook his head. “It is not easy being a king. The choices we have they do not for they are like the guardians of their land. Sometimes they have to live to regroup and defend the land rather than dying and allowing someone else to take it.”

  As I thought about that I thought of the wisdom of the words. He was right; we defended our lord , that was the extent of our decision making. We only had to think of the shield wall and naught else. We all turned, weapons at the ready as we heard horses clattering up the trail. To our relief they were our warriors, Earl Tostig’s scouts.

  Sweyn led us along the path to allow the scouts to continue the pursuit of the enemy for there was no way we could close on the swiftly moving archers and horsemen. We began to help the wounded but as there were few of them we searched the bodies for any booty. The warriors were not laden with treasure but we found enough to make the exercise worthwhile. By the time we had finished, Earl Tostig and Edwin, Earl of Mercia had arrived. Sweyn led us down the trail to make camp while the leaders conferred. The mountain pass was cold but we were able to light a fire, unlike the previous night when we had had to remain hidden. We managed to catch some sheep and we roasted the meat. It was a little chewy but the hot food was just what we needed.

  “All we need now is some ale to wash it down and we will sleep easy tonight.”

  “And tell me Ridley where do you think we would get ale here on this godforsaken mountain?”

  “I didn’t. I just said it would have finished the meal off.”

  Osgar shook his head, as he picked some meat from his teeth with the tip of his dagger. “Instead you have just made us pine for ale and thereby spoiled the meal. Well done Ridley.”

  My friend’s face fell. He meant well and said little but when he did speak he frequently said the wrong thing. “Sorry Osgar. I meant nothing by it.”

  I saw Osgar relent. Baiting Ridley was like shooting fish in a barrel and he patted the gentle giant on the back. “Never mind Ridley we now have enough coin to buy a barrel the next time we visit a town.”

  Our discussions were ended by the arrival of my uncle. He dismounted and joined us by the fire. We had saved him some of the meat and he gratefully gnawed on a bone. I noticed the pained expression on his face and I knew what caused it. His leg had been worsening of late and the cold, high mountains made it ache even more. I threw my wolf skin cloak over his leg and he nodded his gratitude. “Well we will be out of these mountains soon. And for that I am glad.”

  I looked up in surprise. “We do not follow Gruffyd?”

  Aethelward shook his head. “He is clever and slippery nephew. He has chosen a route which only lightly armed men can follow. The Earl is sending the horse and the archers to pursue him and we go to Rhuddlan.”

  We were partly disappointed for we had wanted to finish what we had started but Rhuddlan meant comfort, food and ale.

  The guards we had left at the fort looked disappointed as the army hove into view. The scouts and horsemen had returned to the main body to tell the Earl that the Welsh were ensconced in their rocky crags and an assault was a waste of time. The empty saddles testified to the fact that they had tried. The Earl Harold was annoyed with his failure to destroy the Welsh wasp. He was also annoyed with his brother for not following the fleeing king closer after he had fled although he did not say that to Earl Tostig. Tostig took his portion of the army back to Jorvik leaving us with the same force we had had the first time we had fought Gruffyd.

  I was invited to join the Earl, Sweyn and Aethelward as we celebrated high summer. There was little joy at the meal.” We will stay here this time for I want Gruffyd to suffer in the mountains. We will make him come to us!”

  Aethelward leaned back to stretch his lame leg. “The problem we have is that the Housecarls are too ponderous to strike at such a mobile force as the Welsh.” I could see Sweyn bridle at the implied criticism. “I mean no disrespect Sweyn you know that. I was a Housecarl and I know the value of that rock but sometimes the rock moves too slowly or the enemy evaporates before it, like fog on a spring morning. You need to have some lighter armed warriors who can force the issue or,” he looked at Harold, “knights on horses such as the Normans use.”

  “That is something I think we can aspire to but we would need to train the men to do that. It would not happen overnight.” He suddenly looked at me. “Aelfraed how long did you train to be a Housecarl?”

  “Uncle began my training when I was seven.”

  Aethelward shook his head, “That was training to be a warrior you began your training as a Housecarl when you were twelve.”

  “So more than seven years to become an accomplished Housecarl.” I felt myself redden at the compliment. “We would need seven years to be able to have a knight ready for war and I do no t think that the Welsh and the Scots will wait seven years.”

 
; “You could go to Duke William and see how they do it? Perhaps ask for some advice.”

  Harold shook his head. “No I think the Duke has his eyes on England’s throne. I have heard it said that the Norman churchmen brought over by King Edward are here to prepare the ground for the Duke’s arrival.”

  I leaned forwards eagerly. “We would fight the Normans?”

  Harold smiled indulgently, “I don’t think it would come to that , the Witenagemot would have to invite him to be king and if they did that then a war would be pointless.”

  “He might invade.”

  “Aelfraed he has horses, how would he transport an army that was big enough to defeat us? No he would either be invited or he would not be a king.”

  My uncle had been playing with the pieces of the chess set which was on the table. “I would not be too sure my lord. Duke William’s ancestors came from the north in ships. I am n o expert in ships but , it seems to me that if they could get enough ships then they could invade.”

  The words of Aethelward made Earl Harold think. “Perhaps I need to discover if he could invade using ships. I know the Danes still use ships for war but they do not have horses.”

  Sweyn slurped the last of his ale and then put it on the table. “That still does not solve the problem of Gruffyd though. How d o we get to him?”

  Suddenly my uncle sat bolt upright holding a chess piece in his fingers. “If this was a chess game and we wanted to get the king which piece would we attack, if his knights and the bishop were protecting him and h is rook?”

  Harold and Sweyn looked befuddled. Perhaps because I knew my uncle better than they did and perhaps because I had played chess against him so many times, the answer was obvious to me.”

  “The Queen!”

  “Precisely nephew.”

  The Welsh Queen was Ealdgyth and was the sister of Edwin of Mercia . She and her daughter , Nest , were obviously not with the king and I wondered where they were. Harold suddenly became interested. “So if we use her to bait a trap…”

  “That and offer a reward for the head of Gruffyd.”

  “Would his men betray him?”

  “I do not know but h e has deserted them twice before and failed to stand up to you. Perhaps he might but if we hold his wife and child then that just may stir him into action.”

  Sweyn belched, “But where in the Almighty’s name is she? She isn’t with him and she isn’t here. She could be anywhere.”

  The thought suddenly came to me and I blurted it out. “S ain t Asaph, with the monks.”

  When I said it I felt foolish for the three men just stared at me but I discovered that they were staring because the answer was so obvious and yet they had failed to make the connection. “Well done Aelfraed. Of course that is where she would be, close to the court and yet safe. We will ride there on the morrow.”

  I felt so proud when Aethelward came over to me and put his arm around my shoulders, “That was well done Aelfraed. I think today I saw the boy become a man.”

  As the one with the idea I was included in the party which headed for the monastery the next morning. There were twenty of us mounted on all the horses that were not being used by the scouts. Although we did not wear our mail we had our weapons with us and there could be no doubt that we were belligerent.

  Brother Aidan came to greet us. He looked from the Earl to Aethelward to me and gave a slight smile as he bowed. “I am afraid you will find no one here to fight my lord.”

  “You know who I am then friar?”

  “We all know the Earl Harold. How can we be of service? ” Here he looked directly at my uncle. “As you no doubt know the monastery is poor, save for cheese and honey.”

  I think he meant to insult Aethelward and myself as he had l known me when I was still a child but I was now older and had killed men. The friar’s insults meant nothing to me.

  “We seek Queen Ealdgyth.”

  A look of annoyance flashed across the monk’s face and I could see the dilemma he faced. Should he lie to us or brazen it out and defy us. I knew that there were almost a thousand monks in the complex and they would fight if they had to. Harold could also be devious and he smiled disarmingly before the friar could lie. “I know that she is within your walls and I come to offer her my protection for he brother has now been made Earl of Mercia.” He leaned forward to emphasise his next words. “And I appointed him. he would wish for me to look after his sister.”

  “And if she were within these walls would she not be safe here?”

  Harold inclined his head, “I think the lady herself should make that judgement not you friar for, after all, you are a man of the cloth and not a man of the world.”

  I saw the monk become angry and he opened his mouth a s though to argue but then thought better of it and returned the Earl’s smile. “I will ask the lady but if she prefers to stay here…?”

  “Then I would have to persuade her.” The threat was subtle. It was in his tone and his words for his hand was upon his sword. When the monk re-entered the monastery Harold turned to Aethelward. “This is more than a mere monk, this man dabbles in politics.”

  “I think you are right my lord.” We cooled our heels for over an hour until eventually the door opened once more and Brother Aidan stood there with Queen Ealdgyth. She was not as beautiful as the Earl’s lady, Edith, but she had an attraction about her which stirred the loins. Her dark eyes were framed by her dark hair which gave her a sultry look. She enhanced the look by lowering her eyelids as she looked up at Earl Harold. I knew he was smitten when he leapt from his horse and dropped to one knee. “My lady I am here on behalf of your brother to offer you protection .”

  She smiled demurely and took his proffered hand. “And why would I need protection my lord?”

  “These are parlous times. Your husband has lost another battle.” I saw the pained look on Brother Aidan’s face at the word, ‘another.’ “And who knows when he will be able to return here. No doubts the monks here mean well but I am sure that my Housecarls can afford you better protection and I promise you, my lady, that when your husband sues for peace I shall return you to him unharmed. I swear it here in these holy grounds where the Saint himself lies interred.”

  It was a clever move from Harold to make such an oath. Any oath would be binding but his wording had been the key to his trick, Gruffyd would have to sue for peace and I could not see that happening. Ealdgyth was torn but I could se e that she too was attracted to the Earl. The small child with her, her daughter Nest, clung to her mother’s skirts and the Queen looked down at the child and then at the Earl. “Under those conditions I submit myself to your protection.” She turned to Brother Aidan. “Thank you for the sanctuary you offered. I will go with the Earl.”

  “Are you certain majesty? You will be safe here I can assure you of that. No matter how many men are sent to get you, you would be protected.”

  I saw Harold’s face harden and his hand slip to his sword. “Be careful what you promise priest.”

  He turned to face the Earl. “I am a man of God and I do not fear the sword.”

  The Queen came between them. “No father, I go of my own volition and I would not wish harm to come to you.”

  The Earl pre-empted any further discussion by mounting the Queen on one of the spare horses we had brought. Nest was placed behind her mother. I watched Brother Aidan as we left and I could see the anger. I hoped that the oath Harold had sworn would not be broken.

  That evening I saw a different side to Earl Harold for he became the gallant, the would be suitor to the Queen. It felt unseemly to me for he had a wife , Edith; I knew that they had not married in the church but they had children and the Queen herself had a husband. I did not know what was going on in his mind. Years later I discovered the truth that the Queen was distantly related to King Edward and Earl Harold was strengthening his claim to the throne. I also believe that he did find her attractive and the feeling appeared to be mutual. The feast that Earl Harold gave was as magn
ificent as could be expected this close to a war but it was aimed to show him off at his best. I have to admit that he was a fine looking man. I was never a Catamite but had I been one then the Earl would have been someone who would have attracted me and women found him even more attractive. That evening he was as amusing and funny as I have ever heard. It is said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach but the way to a woman’s heart is through her laugh. The feast proved to me that, for a woman, at least, that was true. I was sat across from them next to Ulf and Sweyn and I saw the accidental touching of the hands and the simpering looks they exchanged. When the Queen’s servant took Nest to bed I saw Harold flash a knowing look at Sweyn who immediately stood. “Thank you my lord for such a magnificent feast and now I think it is time for us to retire.”

  The older men knew what the statement meant but the younger ones like Wolf looked disappointed that the feast was ending. Of course it was not for we retired to the warrior hall to continue drinking whilst the Earl and the Queen slipped away. I believe that was the night that Harold fathered his first child with the Welsh Queen. .

  The next few days were the courtship of the Queen. Earl Harold took her hunting, he composed songs and poems for her and he played with Nest. I found it distasteful. I was wandering around the grounds of the palace and I thought I was alone until I happened to overhear a conversation between the Earl and m y uncle who were on the other side of Yew hedge. Once again I conveniently forgot the words of Nanna advising me not to eavesdrop .