Housecarl

by Griff Hosker

  “That is because you are a warrior. And where is my other warrior, Aedgart?”

  Osbert’s face clouded over. “He fell protecting you my lord and died at Stamford. It was a good death.”

  I nodded. He had died as a warrior should with a blade in his hand. I was sad for his passing but pleased with the manner. Sarah and Thomas returned with a bowl of soup and some of her freshly baked bread. I suddenly realised that I was hungry. My comrades helped me to sit up but a pain ripped through me and I winced.

  “The wound will take time to heal properly, nephew. It went to the bone. But it is healing, slowly.”

  “Tell me all as I eat. What happened to Harold, my father and brother? Does Gytha know and what of the Normans?”

  They all laughed at the usual torrent of questions which poured from my lips. “We could be here a long time then Aelfraed. Well let me answer the questions in the correct order. King Harold has left for the south for we had a message that the Normans had landed. He promised to tell Gytha of your wound on the way and I sent those of your men who were fit enough to go with him and escort her back here.” His face darkened. “As for the traitorous Edwin and Edgar.” He rubbed his wounded arm. “I searched for them on the field and first I found Edwin. The craven coward begged for his life and swore allegiance to King Harold; as though anyone would trust the turncoat snake. I killed him where he cowered. My sister was avenged but your brother Edgar is every bit as dishonourable as your father and attacked me from behind. Luckily he is as incompetent as he is sly and the blade merely pierced my arm. My sword took his head and we left them on the field for the birds and foxes to devour. You are now Lord of Medelai as well.”

  I had not thought that through. With the rest of my family dead I was indeed master of one of the largest estates in Northumbria.”But I thought you were master?”

  “No Aelfraed, I held it for a short time whilst Edwin and the others were traitors. No Harold insisted that it was yours. Fear not for me. The King has promised me estates of my own.”

  “And the King himself?”

  “We finished off the remains of the invaders and pursued the survivors to Riccall. There were but twenty four boats needed to take them back to Norway. I think the Norse threat is over. I do not think they will venture south again in our lifetime. The King then received the news of the Normans and hurried south to meet them.”

  “Wolf, Osgar and Ulf?”

  Aethelward laughed. “They live. They would have come with us were the need of England not greater.”

  “But we lost so many men. Will he have enough to face Duke William?”

  Aethelward shrugged. “The Housecarls were intact but the forces of Mercia and Northumbria which Harold had counted upon were too weak to follow.”

  I suddenly realised what my uncle’s presence meant; Harold did not have his strategos and the army did not have their lucky charm. I was distraught. Had their concern for me cost the King his throne? “Uncle, why did you not accompany the King? He will need your advice, now more so than ever.”

  “My wound was bad enough to keep me here anyway and I would have slowed them down. I suppose I could have followed but I felt my place was here with you for I was responsible for you fighting that day.”

  “You? How do you come to that conclusion?”

  “Had I not trained you to be a warrior then you would have remained at Medelai and never fought. Now you would be the Thegn of Medelai without the wounds which cover your body.”

  “No uncle. If you had not come to Medelai and trained me then when Nanna died I would have left home to seek my fortune away from that nest of vipers.”

  “Besides I promised your mother that I would watch over you and I neglected that for many years. I was too wrapped up in the glory of combat. And now that you have finished your meal you need to rest. I will ride over to Medelai with Osbert and inform the Steward of his new master.”

  “It might be wise to leave Osbert there to keep an eye on that one for I trust him not and when I am well I will appoint another Steward whom I can trust.”

  “Your wounds have given you wisdom nephew.”

  I was tired and I lay back but sleep eluded me for a while as I absorbed all this new information which had come my way. I had thought that I had died; the fact that I breathed seemed a reprieve somehow and I wondered if wyrd had caused the bones to fall the way they had. Was it a new chance for me? Were Gytha and I about to embark on a happier time? I yearned for her next to me but, at the same time, I wished to be walking for she would fret and fuss at my present state. I realised that I did not know how many days it had been since the battle. Was she already on her way north? As I drifted into a deep sleep I resolved to heal myself faster.

  The next day I received another visit from Ridley who had also been wounded. I had not had time to talk to him the previous day and I had not even noticed his wound. He told me that he had wanted to go with the Housecarls to fight the Normans but he had few men at arms left and his wound would have slowed him down. “When I saw you lying in that pool of blood I thought you were dead. I became so angry I wanted to kill all of the Norse on my own. Later, when I saw how few of my faithful men of Coxold remained, I felt guilty that they had followed me and died because of my anger. This leadership is a double edged blade is it not?”

  “Aye old friend, life was easier when we were Housecarls.”

  “When I watched Wolf and Osgar march off with the king I wished I was with them. Does that make me a bad lord?”

  “No Ridley for you are a warrior first and a lord second.”

  We talked for a long time of all that we had done until Sarah tut tutted her way in and almost threw a grinning Ridley out. My Sarah was a force of nature alright.

  I was on my feet two days later; much to the annoyance of Sarah who hovered nearby like a mother watching her bairn walk for the first time. I used Boar Splitter to help me but Thomas left to cut me a better one for Boar Splitter had suffered in the battle and needed repair. I would have to give it to Ralph to have the head reshaped and sharpened.

  As I stepped out into the October sunlight my men at arms who remained and were practising with Branton gave a huge roar as they saw me. It did my heart good to see their loyalty. I wondered how many men had been sent to London for there looked to be remarkably few left.

  I had learned from Aethelward that I had been unconscious for three days which meant that it was now five days since the battle. The wound on my back had become itchy which Aethelward took to be a good sign for it meant the wound was healing. I could not see that wound but each time Sarah dressed it and applied a fresh poultice, I heard the intake of breath as she viewed it. The concern in her face made me glad that I could not see it. The wound on my leg was angry and it too itched but, unlike my uncle’s leg wound, it did not appear permanent and I exercised each day to make it stronger. I had adopted a hunched walk for it was easier on my back. My uncle and Sarah allowed this for a few days but then my uncle chastised me. “If you want to be a hunchbacked cripple for the rest of your days then continue to walk as you do but if you would lead your men again then straighten you back.”

  I gritted my teeth and slowly stretched. At first I thought that I would do it painlessly but suddenly a sharp pain seemed to rip through my body as though I had been struck again. “Aargh!”

  “There will be pain. Believe me I know from my leg but the pain will lessen. You must persevere.”

  I was about to tell Aethelward that the pain was too much when Sarah said, quietly, “It will worry the Lady Gytha less if you walk with a straight back my lord. Your uncle is right although it pains me to see you so distressed.”

  With the thought of Gytha in my mind I tried again. It was painful but I bore it knowing that the result would be that Gytha would be less worried and she had enough on her mind with the birth of our first child but a few months away.

  “Come, Aelfraed, let us go to the river.”

  I hobbled after my uncle. Had Edw
ard been alive how he would have mocked the two cripples and that thought helped me through the barrier of pain. Branton and my archers followed, intrigued. When we reached the river I wondered why uncle had brought me. “Take all you clothes off.”

  “But uncle it is cold!”

  He laughed, “Are you a woman? I want you to take your clothes off and lie in the river.”

  I was puzzled. Branton and some of the archers had wandered over, partly to protect us and partly out of curiosity. “Why?”

  “When I hurt my leg some monks did this with my wound and it helped to heal me. I admit it was easier to put just one leg in the water but if you will try to fight two men at once this is the result.”

  If it had worked for my uncle then I would try it for I was determined to be well again sooner rather than later. When I was naked I felt foolish. There is something about a man being naked which makes him try to cover his manhood it was one of the things I had always wondered about berserkers- how could they have fought naked? I saw my men grin at my discomfort and heard my uncle say, “We have all got one, besides, nephew. the moment you step into the water it will shrivel up and disappear inside your body so get on with it.”

  I stepped into the water which was flowing swiftly. I knew that this bank was quite shallow and relatively safe but even so the shock of the water on my feet was like a blow from a war hammer. Branton unstrung his bow and reached it out so that I could hold one end and balance better.

  “Keep going until it is up to your knees!”

  I glared at Aethelward. He had no idea just how cold it was! I obeyed him and faithful Branton also stepped into the water. When it reached my knees I found that I could not feel my feet.

  “Now sit down in the water!”

  Sitting was an excruciating agony for I had to bend my back. That pain was replaced by the shock of my buttocks hitting the icy stream. It was as painful as the wound.

  “Now lower yourself. Help him Branton. Just keep your head above water and try to relax.”

  That was easier said than done but I managed to recline myself, grateful for Branton and the other archers who were either side of me. Branton managed to look sympathetically at me and nodded encouragingly. Strangely that helped and soon I found the pain from my back disappearing as my whole body became numb. I wondered how long I would have to stay there. I had no idea how long it was. It felt like an age but there was nothing to measure it by. Eventually I heard my uncle, “Right lads help him up.”

  As we reached the bank he placed my tunic over my body and I felt a fire permeate my skin. It was a strange, although not unpleasant, sensation. I could see that my legs and body were blue; I had never seen anything like that before although when we were in the high passes of Wales amongst the snow I had seen warriors with blue fingers. As we walked back to the castle I found that I could move easier and the pain was not as bad as it had been hitherto. Once next to the fire I felt tired but better than I had since I had woken days earlier.

  “Now if you do that every morning you will find that you will heal quicker.”

  “How does it work?” For work it did.

  Aethelward shrugged, “I have no idea but as the monks taught it to me perhaps it comes from God.”

  Gytha reached home on St Paulinus’ day, October the tenth. I was now walking much better for it was almost fourteen nights since the battle. One of the riders accompanying her had ridden hard to warn us so that the whole household was there to greet my bride. She was still riding despite the fact that she had the large bump which was my unborn child. She had a look of concern on her face which told me that she had interrogated my men and found out about my wounds. I tried to walk as easily as I could and made sure I did not use a stick. Branton hovered by my weaker right side, ready to support me should I falter.

  I threw my arms around her and kissed her long and hard. “Oh my love, “ she sobbed, “I heard you were almost killed.”

  I stepped back a little and opened my arms. “Do I look as though I am dead?”

  “No but I can see that you are drawn and thin. I know that Goody Sarah would have fed you well so there is a tale to tell here.” She noticed Aethelward for the first time. “It is good to see you my lord.”

  Sarah took charge. “The two of you get off your feet and get inside. I will bring some food for you. Now come on Branton help them into the warm.” Thomas stood there with a look of pride and resignation as his wife told the lord and lady of the manor what to do. Shaking his head he went to the see to the horses.

  Once we had been fed she demanded to see my wound. “But we have just eaten!”

  “And Sarah insisted that we eat immediately but I have spent the last one hundred and ninety one miles worrying about you my husband and I want to see the wound!”

  I showed her my leg. She gasped. “There,” I said, “nothing for you to worry about.”

  “No, my husband, show me your back!”

  I cursed my soldiers and then relented. Gytha was a forceful woman and she was their mistress’ they could not have denied her. I stripped off and turned. She gasped in horror and when I turned I saw her eyes were huge with tears. “It is healing.” I reassured her.

  “But how could you survive? It is enormous and runs down your back!”

  I shrugged. “I have not seen it and I cannot judge but my uncle and Sarah are pleased with the progress and it hurts less every day.” As I dressed I asked her, “And the child is he well?”

  She giggled, “How do you know that it is a he? It may be a girl.”

  “I care not so long as it is healthy with the correct number of fingers and toes.”

  We both laughed and suddenly all tension was gone and we were as were before I had left to fight the Norse. We shared our mutual news. She was astounded to know that we now had two manors. “I have not learned how to manage one, let alone two.”

  “We will learn and we are lucky with Thomas and Sarah for they are invaluable. What of Harold and the Normans?”

  Her face darkened. “I believe they had spies somewhere for they landed within a day or so of the King marching north. The Queen did her best and raised the fyrd and mobilised the local lords but without the king there was no one to take charge. When he returned it was as though a weight had gone from us but when I saw the pitiful state of the men, they were exhausted, then I feared for him. The Queen said that he was going down to the Lewis country for he knew that land well and she said he would fight, what was the word? Ah yes, that was the phrase, a defensive battle.”

  “Good, that is welcome news.”

  She looked puzzled. “Why is that good news? He will still have to fight.”

  “Yes my love but the Normans have horses and can be mobile. They will find it hard to defeat him if he finds a good site, like a hill.” I suddenly realised that if the King won then we would have to fight again. My face fell.

  It was as though she could read my thoughts. “You will have to fight again will you not?”

  “Aye, unless the King can totally destroy the Normans and even then the Duke will not leave for we are a rich prize which is worth fighting for. However if Harold is defeated then he can come north where we have the might of Mercia and Northumbria to resist the invader. With Harold and Aethelward together again we can defeat Duke William. So long as Harold Godwinson is King then England shall live.”

  “But you are not ready to fight yet.”

  “No but in the spring I will be and that is when we would be needed. So I will be able to see the birth of my child and, perhaps I will not need to fight. However we will prepare. I have already sent out instructions for Osbert and Branton to begin recruiting men to replace those who fell. Fortunately we have much armour from the battlefield and we now have more money. We will be able to afford a better army and we will bloody the Norman’s nose.”

  I could see that she was not convinced but then why should she? She was not privy, as I was to the politics of power. I wondered if my whole life was preparin
g me for the challenge that we would now face.

  A few days later, following much love and care from Gytha saw me fit enough to mount a horse. I had to use the mounting step which I had had built for Gytha but it enabled me to sit astride my horse again. The true test would be when I tried to move. My experience in the water had shown me that some pain was necessary to move forward and I kicked hard on my horse. The jolting motion sent shock waves of pain up my spine. I gritted my teeth and rode in circles around the yard. To my immense relief the pain did not worsen, it did not lessen either, but it was a pain I could live with. The following day Ridley, Aethelward and myself rode to Medelai. I had a new Steward in mind, Thomas had recommended a farmer who had too many sons and would benefit from having an estate to run allowing his sons to continue their farming without conflict between them. The problem would be when I told Oswin of his fate. I took Ridley with me for he was Oswin’s son and I did not wish to do anything behind his back.

  Osbert had sent me daily messages about the estate and I knew that I would have no surprises there. What did shock me was the state of Oswin who appeared to have aged almost overnight. His hair was now pure white and he looked emaciated and old. I glanced over to Ridley and saw that he too was shocked by his father’s appearance. It was now obvious to me that, even if I wanted to, I could not allow Oswin to remain in charge.

  I dismounted with some difficulty and wondered how I would remount without a mounting step. That was a bridge I would have to cross later. “Oswin. You have heard the news of the lord and my brothers?”

  “Yes my lord.”

  “And you know that makes me the new lord of the manor?”

  His eyes flashed anger, briefly and then he nodded, “Yes my lord.”

  “I believe that we need a change of Steward to take things forward.” I softened my voice, “There has been a history Oswin and I would not wish to cause you pain. I will be sending over the new Steward on the morrow.”

  He nodded and said dully, “Yes my lord.”

  This was difficult; if he had been angry then it would have helped me but this dull acceptance was harder to deal with. “Have you anywhere to go?”