Housecarl

by Griff Hosker

  None of us liked that thought. Most arrows rained down from the sky and you could use your shield but the bolt had a flatter trajectory and was harder to see. “We just use our shields then.”

  “Aye Ulf but he has archers as well. It means that you need two shields. When the enemy horse come at you they have a bloody great spear, tipped with metal. If you are lucky your axe can break it but if you don’t then it will pierce your mail like a ripe plum.”

  There was an uncomfortable silence as we digested that information. When Aethelward spoke his voice seemed unnaturally loud. “There are two answers to that problem. One is mounted archers who can ride at the flanks of the charge and pick off the horses and the second is to have ditches and pits with spikes.”

  “That sounds too defensive. You mean you don’t attack?”

  Aethelward smiled at me. “When you defeated your brother did you attack?”

  “Why, no.”

  “You outnumbered him and yet you just stood, why?”

  “His men were better armed and better quality than my farmers.”

  “Precisely. Your men at arms absorbed the attack and allowed you to win. I do not think that we will be using the wedge against the Norman horse. Perhaps if the Earl of Mercia brings his mounted men then we might be able to attack.”

  Ulf asked, “Why is he not here, along with his brother?”

  “Tostig. If he attacks Jorvik then the earls must be there to defend it. Do not worry we have more than enough men on the south coast to repel an attack. He has to get his horses off his ships and that is when he is vulnerable. I have advised the Earl to keep us as close to the south coast as we can and as soon as the fleet is sighted then send the army there to fight them on the beaches and drive them into the sea.”

  Aethelward’s comforting words reassured us and gave us hope through the long winter ahead.

  King Edward died in the dead of winter. He slipped into a sleep and did not awake. We wasted no time in having the Witenagemot confirm the Earl as king. The only voices which might have dissented were the Norman clergy but the Housecarls who stood behind the council persuaded them to be silent. Harold was crowned King and it was the proudest moment in my life for I had helped an Earl become a king. I was in no doubt that it would make me more important for, after the Earls I, along with Ulf and Aethelward was seen as the next order of commanders. When we fought I would lead not only my men at arms but those of other lords who would flock to the banner of the White Horse. There was also a good omen in that Ealdgyth gave birth to twins Harold and Ulf. His namesake was inordinately proud of the fact that the Queen had chosen his name. It also helped me for I felt less guilty about leaving Gytha alone. She was now waiting on the Queen and the two were inseparable. It meant that I was able to train with the men at arms ready for the war to come.

  We saw little of my uncle and the Earl for they were busy looking at maps and listening to the reports of the ships which brought news from foreign ports. One spring morning we were busily working with the Housecarls when the Earl and my uncle rode up. Their faces were serious and they summoned me to a conference with Sweyn.

  “Bad news Aelfraed, my brother has persuaded Harald Hadrada to invade Northumbria.”

  “When your majesty?”

  “Soon I fear. I want you to return to Jorvik with your men and apprise the Earl of the danger. We need to raise the fyrd.”

  “And what of the Normans?”

  Aethelward became a little impatient. “You are not the only warrior we have nephew. We might just be able to defeat them without you, it will be hard but…”

  The King put his hand on my uncle’s arm, “Aelfraed is thinking of not only us two but his wife are you not?”

  I nodded. I could not take Gytha into a war zone and yet, if I left her in London she might be in a battle and I would not be there to protect her. I knew that Aethelward was worried about me and had not meant what he had said. “Will Gytha be safe here?”

  Aethelward clasped my arm. “I give you my word.”

  All things considered Gytha took the news well. I think that the Queen had warned her of my impending departure. Her affection for me remained unabated. Gytha told me that the Queen loved my honesty as well as my courage. “It is a sign, my husband, of the esteem in which the Earl holds you and the trust he places in you. I would be at your side but I am afraid that I am a little ungainly at the moment.” She glanced down at the bump which seemed to grow bigger each day.

  “My uncle has promised to look after you should…”

  Tears sprang into her eyes and, throwing her arms around me, she hugged me tightly. “You will return and I will still be here when that day comes.”

  Our parting was tearful but sweet and my men impatiently waited for me to mount. As I headed north, with the Thames at my back I wondered when I would see my wife again. My men were full of cheer for the Earl had paid for mail shirts for all of my men and arms and Osgar had given Osbert an axe as the two had become friends. With the pack horses laden and no pregnant woman to worry me we covered the two hundred odd miles in less than five days. We rode hard for we knew that the Danes could land at any time. I sent the men at arms on ahead to prepare Maiden Bower for defence and I retained Branton and his archers as I went directly to Jorvik and the court of Earl Morcar.

  The Earl must have had word before my arrival for there was a great deal of movement around the city and I was pleased to see the defences being strengthened. The Danes were not known to have siege weapons and if we failed to defeat them then we would, at least, have the security of its Roman walls to protect us. I was admitted as soon as I reached his headquarters. The warriors all knew me, I was the Hero of Rhuddlan and bards wrote songs about me. As I stepped across the ancient portal I just felt dirty and tired, as un-heroic as it was possible to feel.

  I always liked Morcar. He was not as flamboyant as his elder brother, the Earl of Mercia but he was earnest and brave. He was a man on whom you could rely. Later, in more peaceful times he showed himself to be resilient and resourceful too but that was in the future.

  He greeted me like an old friend, “Welcome Aelfraed. Are you the vanguard? Does the King follow?”

  I shook my head. “No my lord. The King waits for the Normans who threaten our south coast.”

  He looked sad and downcast for a brief moment. “I see intrigue here. Earl Tostig chooses his moment well.”

  I wondered about that. The mysterious assassins were linked to the Normans and Earl Tostig by my father. I thought about the damage the traitor could have done. He had been privy to all the debates and councils. I was just grateful that my uncle had not trusted him and kept valuable information to himself. “The traitor knows the city perhaps we ought to look at changing the way it is defended.”

  He looked at me curiously. He knew from the talks around the fires that I had been part of the discussions with Aethelward and Harold before the battles in Wales and I knew that he respected my opinion. “How so?”

  “Everyone knows of our Roman walls and the river so if we add defences which were not there before then we may surprise an attacker. He will see what he expects to see.”

  “Come we will walk the city and you can advise me.” As we headed towards the river he added, “My brother is bringing his Mercians to aid us.”

  “And that too is worrying.”

  “Worrying? That my brother comes to aid me?”

  “No my lord but your brother has the only cavalry who can stand up to the Normans and they will be here in the north if the Duke attacks.”

  He laughed. “Aelfraed your mind works in a different way to mine. You are correct it would be better if he was with the King but I fear that without him we would have little chance.”

  “How man men can we field?”

  “With my brothers and the fyrd … probably a little over five thousands.”

  Not as large as most armies and smaller than the King’s. I wondered if it would be enough. We had reached the south
ern gate and the river. “If they come by sea they will have to head north from Riccall. This is the first place they would strike. If we damage the river defences then the river will flood this land and make attack impossible. We could use the other gates and protect them in different ways.” When we had walked the whole area we decided to deepen the ditches on the other sides of the city walls and sow the bottom with wooden stakes. I remembered how a few had been effective in Wales. The Danes had destroyed all the towers but one and I suggested that the Earl build wooden ones to allow us to defend it better.

  That night as we supped in his quarters he asked me how I would fight if I was the general. It was the first time I had thought about commanding more than a handful of men and so I visualised the chess board and imagined that Tostig was my opponent. “Hadrada will have the advantage for he knows where he will land and we do not. We cannot keep the fyrd waiting all summer for him or the people will starve. We need to use the demesnes on the river to watch with riders and warn us when they approach. Our problem will be gathering our forces together. The Danes have the advantage that they will all be landing at the same place and be an army already. We should have some means of slowing them down. Your brother’s horse would be perfect for that. I know, having faced them that a charging horse is terrifying.”

  “And yet you defeated them.”

  “My uncle chose his defence well. If we can find out where they are and slow them down then we can gather the men at arms and the fyrd can be raised. We know that they will have to land in the south so perhaps gathering the men at arms now in the city might save time but it will impose upon the supplies for this city. How are you fixed for a siege?”

  “Enough water but we lack food and it is just spring now.”

  “Then we must get more. Tell your lords to bring their own supplies when they are summoned.” I shrugged, “My Steward will have to provide for my men.” The Earl looked downcast. “Fear not my lord for these warriors fight as us. Man to man with shield wall and axe. We can beat them. If it were the Normans…”

  He shook his head sadly, “I fear that day is not long off Aelfraed.”

  And he was right.

  I left the next day to begin gathering the men. I had given Osbert instructions for the smith to produce better weapons for our fyrd. They might not be armoured but they could at least have a functional weapon which might actually hurt someone. I had already asked him to begin making helmets before we left but that was a long and hard process and it was swords and spears that we needed. As we neared Coxold I called Branton, “Ride to Lord Ridley and ask him to join me at Maiden Bower and request him to get his Steward to cut a hundred ash staves.” Branton knew me well enough not to waste time with questions and he rode off while we headed to my home.

  It was reassuring when I saw the tower rising above the gate and the men at arms on the walls. Thomas and Osbert ran to me as I trotted through the gate. “Welcome my lord I have done everything which Osbert asked of me.”

  “You are a good man Thomas and now you must begin to preserve meat.”

  “Meat my lord?”

  “Aye for I will be taking my men down to Jorvik and we needs must provide for ourselves.” I turned to Osbert. “When Branton returns send him with his archers and those of your men who are good hunters. We need as many wild pigs and deer as they can hunt.”

  “It is spring my lord.”

  I knew what he meant. We liked, whenever possible, to preserve stocks by only hunting the older beasts in spring. It made the rest of the herds and flocks stronger. “Tell him to try to take older ones but we must have food. How are the weapons coming?”

  “Ralph has produced fifteen spear heads and now is working on the swords.”

  “Good when Ridley comes we should have the spear staffs. We will need arrows too but Branton needs to get the food first.”

  “Aidan can fletch; I will set him to work.” Osbert gestured at the floor of the farm. “We have enough goose feathers.”

  “Thomas, warn the fyrd that they will be needed sooner rather than later. We will not take the old ones, they can work still and we will leave those younger than ten. The others will be needed as slingers.”

  Thomas looked troubled. “It has been a harsh winter my lord.”

  “It will be a harder summer.” I smiled, he meant well, “do your best old friend and go to Medelai and bring any surplus.”

  Thomas snorted, “It is easier getting blood from a stone than ought from that man. I know he is Lord Ridley’s father but…”

  “Don’t worry, Lord Ridley feels the same. Osbert, send Aedgart, I think he will get the necessary blood from this stone.” Osbert grinned Aedgart was his friend but was one of the toughest warriors either of us had ever met.

  Thomas ventured, “And the lady Gytha, my lord, how is she?”

  “Thank you for asking Thomas. She blooms. Being with child suits and she is with the Queen in London so she will be safe. Lord Aethelward protects her.”

  I could see the relief on his face. This was why we were fighting, for decent men like Thomas against tyrants like Tostig and my brothers. It was why we would never be defeated because we fought, like Housecarls, for each other.

  Chapter 12

  Summer arrived and there was still no sign of Tostig and his Danish allies. Morcar arranged for beacons to be built and lit when the fleet was sighted. It all meant that we were slightly better prepared. The news that the Normans were still in Normandy also helped us to sleep easier in our beds. The delay increased the size of my retinue as my name and reputation drew volunteers who wished to join my men. Osbert, Branton and Aedgart were more than up to the task of finding the best and getting rid of the rest. Ridley took some of our cast offs, but not many. By early summer I had forty warriors, fifteen archers and twenty five men at arms, fifteen of whom were mailed. The fyrd were all armed with spears. Most had a shield and many had a sword. Even the boys were armed with daggers. Ridley had a similar number with less mail as his estates were not as rich as mine and I have to say that Gytha’s dowry helped. Needless to say we were both proud of our men. We had spent the long early summer days in mock battles using sticks and shields. We had many bruises and occasionally it became heated but we knew that we had better warriors for all that.

  The rider from the Earl of Mercia arrived at the gates one day in August. We had wondered when the message would come. “My Lord Topcliffe, the Earl says that the Danes have sailed and are heading west.”

  “Ride to Lord Ridley and tell him the same. Where do we gather?”

  “Easingwold my lord.”

  Morcar had taken my advice and was gathering his men away from the river. I did not know how long it would take them to reach our shores, that would depend upon the wind. I idly wondered whose side God was on; ours or the pagans? I went to Thomas and Sarah. “While I am away old friend the estate is yours. I know that you will look after it and manage it well. If I should fall,” I saw Sarah’s hand go to her mouth in horror, “It might happen. Then look after the land for the Lady Gytha and my son. If we lose then Tostig and the Danes will return but you have lived through that and will do so again. I have not taken all the fyrd; when you are able bring our people inside the walls. Ralph can make more weapons and you can, at least, defend yourselves.” I was touched by the tears in both their eyes. Sarah kissed my hand and I embraced her and I clasped Thomas’ arm. “Farewell my friends.”

  “Take care my lord.”

  As I mounted my horse I thought that we all looked like seasoned warriors. With twenty mounted men at arms and ten mounted archers we were more mobile than most and I wondered if we would be needed to travel south after we had defeated the Danes to fight the Normans. I was confident that my men could make a difference. The fyrd looked like warriors too and not the ill armed rabble I had seen in Wales. They all had weapons of war rather then weapons to hand and the fifty men and ten boys followed the men at arms proudly out of the estate.

  We headed down t
he Roman road. I had sent word to Ridley and I felt a lump in my throat as his warriors joined us. He had fewer weapons for his fyrd and less mail shirts but it was an impressive host and he rode next to me, his retinue joining mine to fill the road. We encountered other lords who were also heading south. They all looked enviously at our men and armour and, indeed, our numbers. It pleased me that so many had heeded the call for I had worried that there may be others like my father who were on Tostig’s side but the numbers on the road made me think that my brothers were an exception.

  Easingwold was a huge armed camp. The Mercians were a large contingent and you could smell where they were camped from the horses and their distinctive aroma. The two Earls had tents side by side and leaving Osbert and Aedgart to sort our men out Ridley and I went to the two Earls to gather intelligence. Morcar was delighted to see me and greeted me effusively. Edwin was more reserved but I think he was trying to maintain the position of general. In Aethelward and the King’s absence he was the senior warrior. “When did the fleet sail then?”

  “One of the traders in wood who use the port of Whitby said he saw them gathered at the Danish port and they were boarding.”

  “So they may not have sailed or they may have.” I could see that they had had the debate themselves. “But if your horsemen are watching the river…”

  Edwin dismissed my words with an imperious wave of his hand. “My brother told me of your idea but you are not a horseman Aelfraed. You cannot keep horses on patrol and then use them in war.” I could see that Morcar had put my ideas forward and I was horrified that the leader of our army had ignored my advice. I bit down a retort. I was just another Thegn and my association with Harold and Aethelward meant nothing. I was a young lord but I knew that if the King had been with us he would have listened.

  “So they could have landed?”

  “I did order beacons Aelfraed, as you suggested and they have not been lit yet.”

  “Well at least we have time to prepare our strategy for the coming fight. I had hoped that the Norwegian king would fight the Danes rather than us.”