Targets of Treachery : A gripping, action-packed historical epic (Lord Edward's Archer series Book 4)

by Griff Hosker

  My men saw to the horses and John left my home. I embraced Mary. It had been only days since we had left but it felt longer. I was aware that I smelled of sweat and blood, but I hugged her anyway. She said quietly, in my ear, “Robin is returned to us and none were hurt. My prayers were answered.”

  I kissed the top of her head and pulled apart a little. “Aye, and we rescued other slaves. I feel that we were meant to go there. I was anxious when we left, but now, I am content. If King Edward chooses to censure me, then so be it.”

  “I do not think that Queen Eleanor would allow it. You know that she is very fond of you.”

  “She barely knew me.”

  “She comes from Castile, you know, and there they have a hero, Rodrigo de Vivar, who was known as El Cid. Although he was a knight, she said that you had much in common with him. You never baulked when the odds were too great and although you fought like a lion, there was honour in your fighting. So long as she is queen, then you have an ally and King Edward will not punish you, no matter what you do.”

  I had not known that the queen’s feelings for me were so great. I knew that I had saved the lives of both of them but that was my duty. What I did know was that I would not abuse my position. I had risked what I had for Robin, but I hoped I would not need to do so again.

  I bathed the next day, and that in itself took half a morning as water had to be heated and the bath we had bought in London filled. When we had returned, Mary had asked for little, but she had been brought up in Constantinopolis and was used to baths and cleanliness. Even the Mongol princess she had served had enjoyed clean water and baths. As it was the only request she had made, I acceded, and as I washed myself clean of the detritus of battle, I was glad.

  The result was that it was the afternoon when I was able to walk out of my door and speak with my people. Men had been waiting for me and I saw Richard, his son, Robin, Peter and the man at arms, Stephen de Frankton, detach themselves from the others and head towards me. It looked ominous!

  It was Robin who spoke, and I saw in his eyes and heard in his voice that he had changed. Incarceration will do that to a man. “Captain, I thanked you once for my rescue, but I would do so again, here at Yarpole, and reiterate that my father and I, along with Mags, are reconciled and my misbehaviour will cease.”

  “Good.” I waited, for I saw in the looks he exchanged with the others that there was more.

  “Captain, I have a boon to beg. I know you have done much and if you refuse, then I would understand. Peter and Stephen fought alongside me and while I have known them for a little time, they are now shield brothers. You know what that means, Captain. Both would like to serve you.”

  I had thought that this was what they wished, and I nodded. “Peter, my wife said we would not throw you out and you know that you have a home here.”

  He nodded. “I know, Captain, but I do not wish charity and I am no farmer. I know that I cannot fight as a man at arms, for I am one-handed, but I can still fight. My right hand is still what it was, and I can fashion a buckler to strap on to my arm. I would stay here but Robin is right; we are shield brothers and I would fight for you. If nothing else I can train your archers to use the sword better.”

  I smiled, for I liked his attitude. “You had a place already, but I am pleased that you still wish to fight. Of course, you may serve me as a warrior. We brought some war gear back. Choose what you will. The rate I will pay will be the rate for an archer: three pence a day.” That was less than a man at arms. He nodded and I added, “Go get your gear and I will speak to Stephen de Frankton alone.” Peter nodded and turned. Robin looked as though he would stay, and I said, “Alone!”

  Richard said, “Come, son, let us help Peter choose the better pieces.”

  I looked at the man at arms in the eye. “Peter was promised a place by my wife and I would not throw out a wounded man. You, however, are without wounds and you could ply your trade elsewhere.” He made to speak, and I held up my hand. “Let me finish. You did us great service with your knowledge on the way home, but I will have no man argue with me. I am a captain of archers, I am Lord Edward’s archer, and if I offer you a position then you must understand this. The pay is that of an archer and all of my commands will be obeyed.” He nodded. I shook my head. “I cannot see why you agree to this, so explain.”

  “Captain, I hate Prince Llywelyn and the Welsh. They took all from me. You are right; I could seek service with a lord, de Clare or de Bohun, and I could be paid more, but you are Lord Edward’s archer and you will be there when King Edward finally realises that he must destroy this snake. I know from Robin that you are not wasteful of men’s lives. Lord Jasper was, and I know of other lords who are, reckless with the ones who fight for them. If I serve you then I have more chance of survival and of fulfilling the promise I made to myself to rid this world of Llywelyn.”

  I liked his answer and it made sense to me.

  He smiled. “And I think that I can give your company something you do not have at the moment, protection, for even with one arm, Peter is a good warrior and with the two of us before your archers, we could buy you the time to loose another ten arrows each. I have seen the skills of your men and know that your company is the equal of any Welsh band. We will make Captain Warbow’s Men the finest company of archers in England.”

  I held out my arm. “Then, Stephen de Frankton, welcome to my company!”

  I had my doubts, even as I accepted his offer, but he was right. As archers, we were vulnerable, and having two swordsmen, even a one-armed one, gave more protection to my family.

  It was August and that meant there were no idle hands. Crops were harvested and animals tended. Food was preserved and game was culled before winter. It was also when Lord Edward was crowned and became King Edward I! I was a mere gentleman, and I was not invited to the coronation, but I knew, from messengers who travelled along the road from Shrewsbury, that Prince Llywelyn had not travelled to London. I became a little uneasy. Had I been responsible for his non-attendance? If so, then I could expect an angry response.

  I had sent David and Will Yew Tree to Alberbury to see if retribution had been meted out. They found four of the men we had freed, including the wasted giant who we learned was called Ralph of Alberbury. The others had also escaped but they had fled the borderlands. Lady Alberbury had closed up and emptied the hall. There was no longer a lord of the manor and King Edward would need to address that particular issue. The Welsh, it seemed, had been hurt by our rescue and escape. That did not mean that they would forget us, but Llywelyn was busy fermenting dissension in the lands to the south. We were safe.

  We began to improve our defences. It was simple enough to do. Without the permission of the king, we could not crenulate, but there was nothing to stop us from building walls and gates.

  The road through Yarpole headed west to Wales and then northeast to join the main road which went south from Wigmore to Leominster. The houses which lined the road belonged to those like the smith, Sarah and others who had lived in the village before we had come. My hall lay behind them and I had built the warrior hall parallel to mine. Behind the halls were the barn and the stables. It occurred to me that we could use the barn as a sanctuary for other villages in case of an attack by the Welsh. By building a wall with a gate from the warrior hall to my hall, and then a wall from the warrior hall to the barn and another from my hall to the stable, both of which lay to the south of us, we had a defensive structure. We put a second gate in the stable-barn wall. To the south of that lay the cottages and smallholdings belonging to my men – Richard, John, Jack and the others.

  We did not build the walls all at once. We built the foundations first and then added a wall at a time. The first was the north wall and gate, and we put two small towers on either side of the gate. With a fighting platform, the eight-foot wall was surmountable, but defended by the villagers and my men, an enemy would pay a high price for entry.

  The two easy walls were next, and one benefit of them
was that we were able to build a larger bread oven against the barn wall. It increased our capacity to bake and we allowed the villagers to use it.

  By October we had the last wall and gate in place. We had all laboured on the defences and that brought us all closer together. Even one-armed Peter showed hidden talents. He had skills in bricklaying. He could not lift the stones, but he knew how to mortar.

  It was while we were building the last wall that Sir Roger Mortimer and his men arrived. I had heard that he had returned from London, but I had not had the chance to visit with him. He reined in and dismounted. While his horses were watered and his men fed, I took him along my defences. I wondered why the old knight had come to see me.

  “These are good walls, Gerald. I hope that they will offend the king.” He shook his head and smiled. “You were lucky, you know? I heard about your rescue, for it was the talk of the court. Those who arrived late for the coronation could not wait to tell the king. Not everyone is your friend.”

  I knew that but it did not bother me. “Baron, they had fed the bodies of dead Englishmen to the pigs!”

  He waved a hand. “I realise, but you know King Edward. As it happens, Prince Llywelyn chose not to attend the coronation and that displeased the king mightily. He is due to come to Shrewsbury in November when King Edward will accept his homage.” He paused. “You are ordered to attend too!” I nodded. Then the baron smiled. “Know that I am happy with all that you have done,” he gestured towards my new walls, “and all of this pleases me.” He put an arm around my shoulder. “And now I need you to do something for me. Have you heard of Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, a lord from Powys?”

  I shook my head. “I have not heard the name.”

  “It seems he was involved in some sort of plot against Prince Llywelyn, and his son was taken as hostage. He also lost some of his lands. His family were powerful and ruled Powys in times past. He and his wife live in Rhayader. It is thirty miles to the west of us. King Edward asks that you find this man and offer him sanctuary.”

  “Here?”

  He shook his head. “No, either my castle or Shrewsbury. King Edward sees him as a pawn to be used.”

  “Will not this make the prince think that King Edward was behind this plot?”

  “The king was on crusade with you when it occurred but, in any event, the king cares not. I fear that the snub from Prince Llywelyn will not easily be forgotten.

  I did not like this, for I would be travelling through the heartland of those who supported Prince Llywelyn. Was it a trap? I hoped that King Edward would never deliberately seek to put my life in danger, but this seemed reckless. “I am not happy about this, so let me clarify what I must do. I do not have to bring back this plotter?” The baron shook his head. “I just deliver a message and return home?”

  “That is all. The king trusts you and he knows that if you say something is done, then it is true.”

  “And if Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn does not believe me? He may suspect a trap. Do I have any written assurances to give to him?”

  The baron shook his head. “You have a certain reputation, Warbow. It is another reason you were chosen.”

  “That and the fact that I am expendable. I am not a lord, and if I fail then no blame can be attached to you or the king.”

  The smile the baron gave me was sad. “I see that you know how to play this game, Warbow.”

  “That does not mean I have to like it. Can I refuse?”

  “Had you not raided the mine and killed his people then perhaps, but now…”

  I was defeated. Robin and the men I led were more important to me than any king. I dared not lose that which I had, and I would do as I was ordered. This was not a request. It was an order. “And when do I leave?”

  “The sooner the better. At the moment, Prince Llywelyn just has Owain ap Gruffydd as a hostage. His mother, Hawise, is with Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn. The king needs his potential ally safe.” I was silent, and I think the baron took that to be an attempt by me to negotiate. It was not, but he said, “And you need pay no taxes for a year.”

  “I will do this, my lord, but I hope that King Edward does not need me to be his emissary again. I have a family now and I do not wish to jeopardise their future.”

  The baron’s eyes became hooded. “Then you will continue to do as the king commands!”

  The Village After the Work on the Defences

  Chapter 5

  As I had expected, Mary was less than happy with my news, and it took all that I could to persuade her not to write to the queen. Mary was, despite her time at the Mongol court, naïve. The queen had influence, but she would not interfere in such matters. She might only make things worse by annoying her husband.

  “I will do this, for we will have one more year without paying tax and that will make us more comfortable. There should be no need to fight and if I go with a small band of men, four or five, then we can remain hidden. The journey there should take just one day. I will be returned within five days.”

  She hugged me and tears coursed down her cheeks. “I thought it would be different in this realm. The Mongol lords and ladies were happy to use slaves like me to their own ends, but I thought that your service to Lord Edward, and that you were a free man, meant it was different for you.”

  “I fear not, my love.”

  I sought David the Welshman’s advice. He knew the land. Like me, he was resigned to obeying the king. “Who else do we take, Captain?”

  “Tom and Martin have shown themselves to be handy.”

  He nodded. “And how about the new man, de Frankton?”

  I wondered at that. He hated Llywelyn, and so should have been a perfect choice, but he was not an archer. Then I realised that his presence might help. He seemed to have intimate knowledge of the world of Welsh politics and the lords who held the power. I nodded. “Then let us tell them what we plan.”

  David had not heard of the Welsh lord Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, but Stephen had. “Captain, he is not a clever man; if anything, he is a fool. What had he to gain from plotting against Prince Llywelyn? He wants a piece of land which the prince refuses to give him, but is that worth having your son taken hostage? I do not like the prince, but I know that he is popular. This reeks to me of his brother Dafydd. He is a treacherous man and has already sided with King Henry. Why Llywelyn forgave him I know not.”

  I nodded. “Thank you, for all information is useful, but it does not change what I need to do, does it? I do not have to get into bed with him. I just deliver my message and come home. It does not even matter to me if he refuses the king’s offer.”

  “I just thought that you should know the kind of man you are dealing with.”

  “Stephen, I have a low opinion of all men until they redeem themselves in my eyes. It has enabled me to live longer!” That made them all smile. I addressed David. “And is there any danger twixt here and there?”

  “There are no castles if that is what you mean, but the people have no love for the English.”

  “It is thirty-odd miles and we will do it in one journey. If we rise early then the first part, to Leominster, can be travelled in the dark, for the road is familiar to us. We will leave the day after tomorrow. That will allow each of us to prepare.”

  *

  We travelled as though to war and each of my men wore a leather brigandine and a cloak. They all had a good sword and knew how to use it. Their war bows were in a leather case and each had a warbag of arrows; this time I had them take five arrows each which were tipped with a bodkin.

  We made good progress along the road to Leominster. Despite the hour, there were still travellers on the road, but they were heading in the opposite direction. There was a market in Ludlow, and some were heading there to sell while others to buy. The fact that they might have a three-hour journey in each direction meant that they only took the road when it was necessary. We waved and spoke to all of them. It was not mere politeness. We were each listening for a Welsh accent. Not all Welsh travellers w
ere a threat, but a Welsh voice would make us wary.

  “Stephen, forgive my interest but you seem to know a great deal about Welsh politics. How is that?”

  “I was in Gascony, fighting for King Henry, when I heard of the deaths of my family. The news took four months to reach me, and so I knew that even if I left directly, I could not do anything for them. I resolved to discover as much as I could about the Welsh, and I began by asking questions of the Welsh who were on campaign with us. None were Llywelyn’s men, but there were men at arms and archers who had served in the Welsh Marches. I began to gather nuggets of information. I left the service of my lord during a truce and headed home. I went to London. It might be a cesspit of the worst of England but, if you know where to look, you can find men who know what is going on all over this realm. I had their names and I sought them. By the time I reached Alberbury, I knew as much as any about who was who in Wales.”

  “You chose Sir Jasper?” I was beginning to see inside this enigmatic man.

  “Sir Jasper was not a subtle man. He made no secret of the fact that he intended to raid the Welsh. It is why we were ambushed.”

  “And yet you still went?”

  He nodded. “I am good at what I do, Captain, and I always believe that I will survive. No man, neither knight nor man at arms, has ever bested me. I assumed that I would survive, but the chance to steal the silver from Prince Llywelyn was simply too great an opportunity for Sir Jasper.”

  “Sir Jasper sought the silver?”

  “Sir Jasper had ambitions, but to further those ambitions he needed coins. He sought to build a land inside Wales that was English. He looked to Gilbert de Clare as his hero.” I was silent and Stephen said, “So, you see, Captain, you can trust me, for I am a driven man, and my motives are purely vengeful.”

  I turned sharply. He was a clever man and had read my mind. I would still be wary of him, but his answers were plausible, and I was content.