by Griff Hosker
Sheathing my sword, I ran to Sir Harold. His son Richard, kneeling by his father, said, “My father said that you would come and when he heard the horn it gave us heart.”
“How is he?”
“He lives lord but he has a serious wound.”
“Fetch healers! Brave men need them!”
I looked around and saw Sir John with a dented helmet but alive. Sir Padraig and Sir Tristan grinned at me. Sir Philip was nursing a bloody head but he was alive. I saw his son Thomas run up to him and begin to tend to his wound. Then I looked at where my men were gathered. I saw the bodies of Sir Ralph of Gainford and his squire. They both lay dead. My daughter was a widow. I saw that he had been cut by many weapons.
Stephen the Grim said, “Lord he stepped into the breach when James of Tewksbury and Peter fell. When he was struck his squire stepped before him. They took many Scottish lives before they were felled. “
I nodded. I was dumbstruck. I had been too late. Sir John of Fissebourne approached me. He had his helmet in his hand. “They died well lord but I am sorry for your loss. I was lucky. He held up his helmet.”
I turned for I had bad news to give him. He must have seen it in my face, “The Warlord he is not…”
I shook my head, “He lives but he has another wound.” I put my hand on his shoulder, “Your son, Simon, gave his life protecting him when he was felled. But for Thomas of Piercebridge then it might have been worse.”
I saw his lips tighten. He nodded, “We all take risks and death is always a sword thrust away but a man should not outlive his children.” He suddenly realised what he had said, “I am sorry Earl. That was crass of me! Of course, you know and your bairns had less life on this earth than Simon. I am sorry.”
“That was many years ago and it was God who took them.”
“Where is Simon buried?”
“La Flèche. Leofric will tend his grave.”
“We will visit the grave. My wife, Lady Edith, will need to grieve properly.”
A knight galloped up. He was one of the knights from the New Castle. “My lord, the Sheriff and the Baron d’Umphraville wish to see you. The siege is relieved. The Scots have gone!”
Another victory but this one was the sourest one yet.
I handed my helmet to Ralph, soon to be Ralph of Thornaby. He shook his head, “I am sorry, lord for your loss. Sir Ralph was a valiant knight. Your son has taken it hard.”
I had forgotten Samuel. I turned and saw him on his knees next to the body of his friend. He was openly weeping. He was not unmanned for they had been like brothers. This was another death I could lay at King Henry’s door. If I had not been taken away from my home for what I considered an unnecessary task then Sir Harold and Sir John would not have had to do that which was my appointed task!
“A great victory Earl! You were right to come so quick.”
“Aye Sheriff but obviously not quick enough. My daughter’s husband died.”
“I am sorry.”
There was an uncomfortable silence. It was not their fault. “We rest for a day and then push on to Alnwick. This King William will pay for this!”
I saw the Sheriff shift from foot to foot, “Lord the men…”
“The men will do as I order!”
There were no more arguments.
We buried our dead by the church. The Scots were burned but our dead were treated with reverence and honour. We had lost men at arms and archers. I did not care that others had lost men. These were my men. Each one was precious to me for I had fought alongside them all. For Samuel this was his first grieving. This was personal and I saw a change in him from that day. He became more disciplined and a little colder. Both made him a better warrior. He also developed a hatred of the Scots. He would become their nemesis. That was some years off. For the present he grieved, as we all did.
We had four hundred knights left and I devised a plan. I discussed it with my leading captains as well as my household knights. I saw that James de Puiset stood close to Samuel. He was aware of what was going through Samuel’s mind. He had ridden with them when we had fought at Norham.
“I know that many of you think I am driving the army too hard. I am not. We have to finish this war quickly for the Earl of Leicester with the Earl of Norfolk and they are advancing from the south. There will be no reinforcements coming to aid us. Carlisle is under siege and the Earl of Chester forced to defend Chester. The enemy outnumbers us and their numbers will grow. We have one chance, we take their King. We cut the head from the hydra!” I saw nods. “Our men at arms and our archers have suffered losses. Our knights have barely been touched.” I saw my son flash his eyes in my direction. “The ones we did lose will be avenged. I propose to ride with every knight that we have. We will be ahead of the main army. I will use my scouts to find the King’s camp and we will attack him at dawn. Baron Prudhoe you will stay here and repair your castle. Sheriff you will lead the rest of the army.”
Odinel d’Umphraville asked, “You would ride with, less than four hundred men into the enemy camp and try to take King William?” I nodded, “That is suicide.”
“It is a risk I grant you but one worth taking. I have the two finest scouts in the land and they will find him. Once we have him then the army can protect us.”
There were many more questions but none came from the knights I would be leading.
“The wounded men and knights who can ride will accompany the army. The rest will stay here in Prudhoe. It is fifty miles to Alnwick. Each knight will take two horses. One to reach Alnwick and one on which he will fight. We leave here in the afternoon so that we can travel during the night. They will not expect us then. You all have the night and the morning to rest.”
Leaving them to discuss my plan I left and sought Masood and Aiden. Edward and Edgar had been with Sir Harold. Now I could use them too. “I need to know precisely where King William is camped. It will be close to Alnwick for that is the castle which is being besieged. He will not go west to Carlisle. It is too far. We will be following on the road. You must find him.”
“Do not worry lord we will. It will be for Sir Ralph and the Lady Ruth.”
I went to the horse lines with Ralph and Thomas. Both were more serious than they had been. Sir Ralph had been popular with everyone. “I will ride Goldie and take Volva.”
“Do we bring the banner and accompany you, lord?”
“No Ralph. The squires will be the horsemen who ride with the army. You will all have a great responsibility. All the squires did well in the battle of the New Castle. You must behave as well tomorrow.” The Sheriff would only have the squires if my plan failed.
As it was July the days were long and the nights were short. I did not sleep well. I was rehearsing how I would tell my daughter that her husband had lost his life and it was my fault. I had not kept him close to me with Samuel and I would have to live with that for the rest of my life.
It was a hot day. I did not ride in mail. I felt reckless and yet I also believed that there were no Scots between us and Alnwick. I was saving Goldie. All life was precious to me, even my horse. We did pass Scots but they were stragglers and deserters. They fled when they heard our horses. We had just ten men at arms with us. They would guard the horses. All were volunteers and all were my men.
Edward met us north of Warkworth. Warkworth Castle had not been defended. Roger Fitz Eustace was with us. His castle needed repairs and he had not defended it. As we had ridden through the village which nestled beneath the castle mound and walls Fitz Eustace regretted his decision. The villagers had been slaughtered. The church of St Lawrence in which many had taken refuge had been burned to the ground. The unburied bodies hardened the hearts of every knight. It hardened every heart against the Scots. They were savages.
“We have found them lord. He is at Alnwick. There are three large camps around the castle and the King has a smaller one with sixty of his household knights. It is in a bend of the River Aln. We can ford the river, lord. The others watch it. I
will lead you there.”
Night fell and we continued north and west. When we reached the farm of Ledbury we halted. I had pushed the men hard. We needed to change into war gear and to mount our warhorses. I noticed that a fog had descended. Would that hinder or help us? Only God would know that. It took longer to prepare than I had expected. That was mainly because the knights had no squires and some had forgotten how to saddle a war horse. Leaving the men at arms with the horses we mounted and followed Edward. The fog became thicker. It was hard to judge distances and to hear sounds. It was as though everything was muffled. I rode bareheaded but many of my knights had helmets upon their heads. They were in a grey tunnel.
Edgar met us in a wood. We had left the road at Ledbury. He spoke quietly. “Lord they are on the other side of the river. The fog is masking their sounds but Aiden and Masood can hear them. It is almost dawn and they are rising. Aiden says if you wish surprise you should strike quickly.”
I nodded and signalled for men to prepare. I tightened the straps on my shield. I checked to see who would be rising close to me. Samuel, Sir Padraig, Sir Morgan; all my valley knights were there along with Sir James de Puiset. We would ride in together. To ensure that we all arrived together I had divided us up into ten groups of knights. Each would cross the river at a different point. The signal to advance would be when Volva stepped into the river.
I raised my spear and spurred my horse. Dawn was just breaking behind us and the fog was dissipating but it was a slow process. I leaned back in the saddle as Volva stepped down from the bank. The river was narrow but the water came up to my knees. I was just leaning forward as Volva climbed out when I heard a splash and a shout. One of the knights further along the river had fallen into the river. I heard the sound of a horn as the alarm was sounded. We would not have the surprise that I had hoped. I spurred Volva and shouted, “Death to the Scots!” The cry was taken up along the river as my men also spurred their horses.
As soon as we broke through the trees which grew along the river we were in the open but there was still fog lying like a blanket on the ground. I had to trust that there were no stakes hidden beneath the grey fog. I was aware of knights to my left and right. The sun came up, suddenly, behind me. It must have cleared the trees. I saw the royal tents and, beyond them King William and his knights. This time he did not flee. He was going to charge us. The fog had aided us. He would not see our true numbers. For the first time that I could remember we outnumbered our enemy. Both lines were ragged but we were prepared for war and the Scots had woken to it.
The first knight who reached our line had the misfortune to meet me. As a royal knight he was skilled but I was vengeful. I pulled back my spear and rammed it hard towards his right side. It went under his sword and came up to strike his mail shirt. My punch was hard and I drove the spear head into his body. I twisted and pulled. It looked like I had pulled snakes from his body. I veered Volva to the left and caught a Scottish knight by surprise. He had seen a chance to attack me on my left when suddenly he found my spear lunging at his throat. As he tumbled backwards his dying body he pulled the spear from my grasp.
As I drew my sword I saw Padraig charge at King William. Sir Morgan was on his shoulder. The two of them were obeying my orders. They were trying to kill the King. Padraig’s spear took the King’s horse. That saved the King’s life for Alf’s spear hit the shield of the King as he fell from his mount. As soon as he was down the Scottish knights behaved as a King would hope they would. They dismounted and made a shield wall around him. “The knights with spears attack!”
The sun had now cleared the trees and the fog was disappearing quickly. Already half of the Scots had died and, so far as I could see, we had lost not a man. When the knights with spears began to stab and skewer the Scottish knights the circle of Scottish knights shrank. I nudged my horse forward.
“King William you are surrounded. These are brave men! Do not let them die needlessly for they will die!” As if to make the point one Scottish knight ran at Samuel with his long sword held in two hands. My son deftly pirouetted his horse and as the Scot struck fresh air my son’s sword bit through the back of his neck and took his head.
King William shouted, “Enough! We yield! Curse you, son of the Warlord!”
Sir Samuel laughed, “King William your curses are about as effective as your plans. The war is over and Sir Ralph is avenged.”
My household knights all chorused, “Amen!”
We could go home and I could see if Brother Peter had managed to help my father.
The Warlord
Epilogue
My son had, once more, made me proud. It was six months since the battle of Alnwick and it had been as complete a victory as one could wish. King William had been taken, first to the New Castle and thence to Falaise. We had heard that as part of the treaty King William had sworn to acknowledge King Henry as his liege lord. The Scots would have to give up their claims to the land of the north. Armies were coming from the south to occupy Roxburgh, Berwick, Jedburgh, Edinburgh and Stirling. The Scots were finished and it had been in my lifetime. My work was done. I had saved England from King Stephen and my son had saved the north from the Scots.
The sad news of Ruth’s husband’s death had cast a pallor over the castle and the valley which stopped us enjoying the victory. Ruth grieved and entered a dark place. That gloom was lifted when Eleanor bore Samuel a son. He was named Thomas and he was a healthy boy. I had a great grandson. The blood of Ridley the Housecarl would flow once more in the veins of a warrior who would defend England.
While all that had been going on I had been fighting my own battle. I had fought it alongside a warrior monk from the east. Brother Peter had shaved my head and I was given drugged wine to make me sleep. When I had awoken my head had been bathed in bandages. Brother Peter had had a serious look on his face when I recovered from the drugged wine.
“You could not heal me?”
“I have mended the broken skull, lord but…”
“Brother Peter, I am a man and I have lived seventy years. Whatever you tell me I can take.” He nodded. “And whatever you tell me is like the confessional; it does not leave this chamber.” He looked at me. Questions were in his eyes. “I would have you swear. You are an honourable man and a priest.”
“I swear.” He sighed. “I fear that your life will be measured in months not years. I saw something inside your skull. It should not have been there. This is beyond my limited skills. I can do nothing about it. You may have less pain but…”
I had smiled and put my hand on the old crusader. “Then I will enjoy what time I have left. Remember your oath. I would have you check me each month. Let me know when my time is nigh. I will then make preparations for the end.”
He had kept his word. My son had returned when the bandages had been removed and just the raw scars remained. The stubble on my head had begun to hide them. When Ruth had been given the news, she had come to me and laid next to me sobbing. I had cradled her head in my arms. If I could have exchanged places with her dead husband it would not have needed a moment’s thought. I had not been there. My days of war were over.
When she had finished crying she had said, “Thank you grandfather. Somehow your silence helped. I felt your thoughts.” She looked at me. “Is that blasphemous? Am I a witch?”
“No, my love, you are of my blood. I know what you feel.”
“Then know this I shall never marry another. I could not replace the love of my life.” She shook her head. “I was not meant to have children. I lost one bairn before he could be born. I swear that when my brother’s wife has a child then I will care for that as though it was my own.”
“But the child will have a mother.”
“Then I shall be the best aunt. And I can also make certain that the people of Stockton are protected. I will do good works. There are poor here. I have money left by Ralph. I will use that. Do not worry, grandfather, my life will not be wasted. There is a purpose to it. There must be. I
had Ralph for such a short time but I lived for those few years.”
And when Thomas was born Ruth was as happy as her brother and his wife. My son and his wife beamed and I felt complete. My blood had been passed on. In my heart I knew that Thomas would be as I had been, as his father was, he would be a Warlord. He would be the bane of the Scots and he would defend this land with his life. Wulfstan had once said that the world was a circle and held together by webs we did not understand. He had told me of hidden threads that bound together men born long apart. When I held Thomas’ hand, I felt such a thread. I looked into his clear blue eyes and it was like looking into a mirrored pool; my land would be safe in Thomas’ tiny hand.
The End
Glossary
Aldeneby - Alston (Cumbria)
Al-Andalus- Spain
Angevin- the people of Anjou, especially the ruling family
Arthuret -Longtown in Cumbria (This is the Brythionic name)
Bannau Brycheiniog – Brecon Beacons
Battle- a formation in war (a modern battalion)
Booth Castle – Bewcastle north of Hadrian’s Wall
Bachelor knight- an unattached knight
Banneret- a single knight
Burn- stream (Scottish)
Butts- targets for archers
Cadge- the frame upon which hunting birds are carried (by a codger- hence the phrase old codger being the old man who carries the frame)
Caerdyf- Cardiff
Caparison- a surcoat for a horse; often padded for protection
Captain- a leader of archers