Outlaw (Aelfraed)

by Hosker, Griff

  I found myself in the camp. I could see that there had been fighting there and I saw two of my archers, dead but the Normans lay like leaves in autumn. I took the arrows from their quivers and bade them goodbye. I was tired but I knew that I would have a long walk to reach the horses. As I trudged through the forests I saw no more dead but I could see that others had passed that way. I was cautious for I was not certain that all the Normans had fled. Perhaps some were waiting to ambush me as I had ambushed them. Dawn broke and I was exhausted. My arms and legs felt leaden but still I pushed on. The trees ended and I found myself looking at the ridge overlooking Persebrig. Would I find Normans there or the rest of my men?

  Chapter 15

  When I reached Persebrig I was as tired as I can ever remember. There were parts of the last few miles I cannot even remember. I rested against a tree and suddenly, Branton appeared next to me. “We thought we had lost you, my lord.”

  I gave him a wan smile, “No Branton, I am still above ground but how I do not know.”

  They had built a small camp and it was big enough for the twelve of us who had reached journey’s end. I saw Edward, Osbert, Tadgh, Ridley and the seven others. Only Branton and myself had avoided wounds. Perhaps my life had been protected by those who had died before me and perhaps I still had some purpose to fulfil. I suspect Nanna and Aethelward had been watching over me. I shook my head in the sadness of the deaths, “We did not do so well then?”

  Osbert laughed, “My lord, if that was the last act to the Red Horse Company then men will sing the saga for years to come. The forest is littered with Norman corpses. They call us the ghosts of Hastings and they fear us. They will not venture into those woods for many a year.”

  I looked at Ridley, “Truly?”

  He smiled back at me, “Truly. I feel proud today, to be an Englishmen for less than fifty men have killed over two hundred Normans. Many knights lie dead in the forests above Medelai.”

  “So we are all that is left?”

  “Aye, my lord, and what a glorious death for all.”

  Branton put his arm around my shoulder. “I saw the web of death you wove in the forest, my lord. King Harold and your uncle would have been proud. I watched as men ran weeping from the monster of the forest. They fled from the Hooded Man.”

  I tried to laugh but I was too tired. “And now? What?”

  “My lord, whatever you wish, for you bear a charmed life and the Normans fear you. We may only be twelve in number but the Normans see a greater threat in the woods of the north.”

  We tended to the wounds we had suffered and took what rest we could on the bank of the river at Persebrig. Gradually we noticed people arriving, in ones and twos and sometimes in small family groups. At first they were wary of armed men but the sight of the red horse on our shields encouraged them and they flocked to our fire. We discovered that they were the remnants of those villages and farms in the east which had been destroyed by William and his men. The scale of the devastation was truly immense. Ripon had been sacked as had Thirsk and other large towns. It seemed, at the time, as though William was intent upon destroying the Saxons who lived in the north. The exhausted refugees slept knowing that they would be safe with us.

  “What now then Aelfraed?”

  “I do not know. I had thought to continue the fight but we have a duty to these people.”

  “There is always Dunelm, my lord.”

  Dunelm; I wondered how long that would survive if William was intent on destruction. The church of Cuthbert might provide a sanctuary which even a Norman would not violate. “That looks like the only option we have Osbert. We will leave tomorrow. Branton and I will scout south for I would not wish to be surprised while guarding these people.”

  Dressed in our tunics once more we headed back the way we had come. We also sought any horses and wounded warriors. The signs of our fighting were everywhere and we found many of our men with four or five bodies around them. My company had not died easily and I could see, from the disfigurement of the bodies that the Normans had made sure that the Hooded men they had killed were all really dead. By the time we had reached Medelai we had counted more than a hundred dead Normans but we had not seen any living. “Perhaps they have gone back to lick their wounds, my lord.”

  “No Branton, he will now be even more determined to destroy us. It is even more urgent that we deliver those refuges to safety before William comes after us.”

  My childhood home was now a shell of burnt out wood and stone. No one would live there again. I dismounted to walk once more amongst the buildings. Perhaps Nanna was watching over me for, as I stepped from my horse the crossbow bolt flew over my head. Branton kicked his horse forwards with his sword held before him. The man with the crossbow was torn between reloading and taking out his sword. In the end he did neither and Branton ran him through. I quickly mounted again and drew my sword. It was an ambush and they had waited for us. The over eager crossbow man had triggered the attack prematurely. The Normans were hidden at the edge of the forest and I followed Branton to take the fight to them. They were all on foot and my long sword scythed down on either side of my horse’s head as I cleaved my way through the terrified men at arms.

  “Follow me!”

  I decided to head south and strike the road for we needed to get north again as soon as possible. Suddenly I caught sight of some mail and saw a knight. From his moustache I knew who it was, William of Perci. As usual he was lurking at the rear of his men and I urged Sweyn through the trees, aiming at him. He was not expecting an attack from me and he frantically tried to turn his horse. In the end he managed a half turn, which probably saved his life for my sword smashed at his shield and not the head I aimed at. He tried to kick his horse away from me but I stabbed downwards. The sharp point of the sword went through the upper part of his leg and into his horse. Both rider and horse crashed to the ground but before I could finish him off I heard Branton shout, “My lord, flee there are more men coming!”

  Cursing Perci’s fortune I chopped at the spearman who bravely tried to defend the recumbent knight and then we were away from the ambush riding as quickly as we could. Once I was certain that there was no pursuit I halted to allow the horses to regain their wind. Branton was white and I saw the bolt sticking in his calf. “You are wounded. Let me look at it.”

  “We have not got the time my lord.”

  I dismounted. “We will make the time.” I took a leather lace from my satchel and tied it tightly around the leg above the bolt. The quarrel was in deep but they did not have barbed heads. I took one of Branton’s arrows and gave it to him. “Bite down on that. This will hurt.” He nodded as he put the arrow between his teeth. I grasped the end of the short bolt and turned it slightly one way and then the other. I heard a low moan as the movement sent waves of pain through my sergeant. Blood oozed out of the wound and I hoped that I had loosened it sufficiently. I tightened my grip and then tugged as hard as I could. The bolt popped out and the arrow snapped in Branton’s teeth. I handed the bolt to him and then took out a piece of cloth. I wiped the blood away from the wound and then took out the small pot of Reuben’s paste which I still carried. I smeared some on and then tied the cloth around it.

  “That should do until we reach camp. Keep loosing and retying the lace or you will lose the leg.” Unable to speak Branton nodded. “You lead and I will watch the rear.”

  A couple of times on the journey I thought he would slip off but he held on manfully. I had confidence in Reuben’s paste, for it had save Ridley’s life but Branton had lost much blood. It was late afternoon when we rode into camp. The refugees had been fed and organised. I smiled when I saw Osbert’s concern; the two bantered and bickered but Osbert looked after his younger brother like a mother hen and her chick.

  Branton flashed a wan smile, “The revenge of the crossbow eh Osbert?” He slid from the horse into his brother’s arms, mercifully unconscious.

  Osbert looked up at me, his face filled with distress. “I have b
ound the wound with Reuben’s paste and he will live. He has lost much blood.”

  We laid him on the ground and covered him with a fur. “Will we be pursued?”

  “Not for a day or two.” Ridley wandered over. “They were waiting for us at Medelai. Perci!”

  Ridley’s eyes lit up. “Does he follow?”

  “No, but he is badly wounded, he would be already dead now if it were not for the fact that we were outnumbered.”

  “I am glad, for I will be the one to kill him.” The one regret that Ridley had to his dying day was that he did not manage to kill William of Perci, Baron of Topcliffe but my blow to his thigh meant that he was never again able to fight and had a limp, the limp of Aethelward.

  While Branton slept we rebound his wound and cleaned it up. We could see that it had not struck the bone and the vein had been missed by a fingernail. “It is the first wound he has sustained.”

  “I know Osbert; he has been lucky.” I spread my arm around the men. “When you think how many times we fought and against whom then it is no surprise that we all bear scars. Remember Aethelward and his limp?”

  He grinned, “Aye, now that was a bad wound. You could tell when it was damp for he would curse and shout at all.”

  “I know why he did that. The wound in my back always likes to tell me when the rain comes.” I looked at the sleeping refugees. “Tomorrow Ridley and I will take Edward and the archer as a rearguard. You will take the refugees ahead.” He looked at me as though he was going to argue but I held up my hand. “Branton will be with the refugees and you will watch them all. I do not think they will pursue us for they only saw Branton and myself. Besides they would have to get Perci back to Jorvik. We will be safe for a day or so.”

  The journey was slow but uneventful. We picked up other homeless wanderers as we went for they had all come from the south to try to find a haven far from the Normans. The priests at Dunelm were sympathetic and I gave them coin for food but Father Norbert shrugged. “It is Christian and kind of you my lord but there is no food to be bought; no matter how much gold there is.”

  “I know Father. I will try to get some for you.”

  He looked at me strangely. “Where from? Will this be a miracle of the loaves and fishes again?”

  I laughed, “No father more the miracle of the Men of the Hood and the Normans.” He cocked an eye at me. “The Normans eat well!”

  Branton refused to stay at Dunelm. We had managed to pick up another couple of volunteers, young men who wanted revenge. They were not trained warriors but beggars could not be choosers. There were few enough of us now to sit in a circle while I explained my ideas. “We are going south to rob the Normans of their food.” Ridley grinned wolfishly. “Jorvik will be too heavily defended but I guess the Normans will be busy building their forts and castles. It seems to be their way. We do not have the luxury of a large number of archers so we will have to use stealth to achieve our ends.”

  The ever practical Osbert nodded, “How will we get the goods back here?”

  “We won’t. We will get them to Persebrig and I will ask the priests to collect them from there. That way we will be able to fight any pursuers and the priests can be the carters.” I pointed at the horses. “We have enough horses for their riders now lie dead in the forests south of Persebrig. That is our advantage.”

  “It is a slim one.”

  “Aye Osbert but better a slim one than none at all.”

  Edward now assumed command of the five archers we had left. Our numbers were up to a score but Branton was wounded and five were young men, callow as warriors. We spent the next few days searching for any Normans who were foolish enough to wander into our land. We were heading for Topcliffe when Edward reported that he had seen a column of men with wagons heading north towards Medelai. Were they going to rebuild? I left Ridley and Osbert with the men and joined Edward. There were two wagons. They had ten men at arms walking close to them and ten outriders. Each wagon had two men but, although we were outnumbered, I could see neither knights nor crossbowmen. The best place for an ambush was where the road to Medelai left the Roman road. It twisted and turned through hedgerow and trees. We left one scout, an older experienced warrior called Aedgar who was to keep watch on the column in case they deviated from their route.

  We headed for the ambush point and I sent a rider towards Medelai to see if there were Normans there. It would not do to be caught between two such groups. “We will wait to the right of the road with the bulk of the men. Edward you take the archers ahead of us and go to the left. When you loose your arrows I hope to draw their horsemen after you. If you ride then they will follow and we can attack…”

  Suddenly, our scouts galloped in. “The Normans, they are not at Medelai. They are building a castle on the high rocks above the Swale.”

  “How many of them?” The place they spoke of was less than two miles away. With the small numbers at my disposal discretion might be a better option.

  “There look to be no horsemen but about fifty foot soldiers. They are still digging the ditch.”

  I smiled, “Well they cannot use our people to build their castles if they have killed them all. It seems that the Normans are a victim of their own success.”

  “We go ahead then my lord?”

  “We do Osbert, and then we might return at night to give these Normans a visit from the ghost warriors.”

  Aedgar rode in soon after. “They are coming. About a mile behind me, my lord.”

  “Good, you join Edward.” We waited in the trees. Branton was in no condition to fight so I gave him command of the new men. They would be used to plug any gaps. I was using Boar Splitter for I needed to be able to have a longer reach against the wagons. They had learned their lesson, following our previous ambushes and there were two riders well ahead of the column. Two more looked to be some way distant and the others were spread on either side. I turned to Osbert. When we attack you take the rearguard. We don’t want them bring reinforcements.”

  He grinned, “It would be a long ride.”

  “You never know.” The vanguard drew level with us and they halted, the lead rider almost sniffing the air. Had they seen or heard us? He said something to his companion who laughed and then they carried on. Edward would have to decide how to take out the two riders and launch his attack. I readied Boar Splitter and made sure that the strap on my shield was tight. The two daggers were in their scabbards above and below my arm and my sword had been oiled; it would slip easily from my scabbard.

  I neither saw nor heard the arrows but two men at the head of the column fell. The outriders were too far away to see. Immediately the riders from our side galloped towards the danger and the foot soldiers closed with the wagons. We just leapt forwards, Ridley on the right, Osbert on the left and me in the middle. Boar Splitter sank easily into the neck of the first man and I twisted it to turn it and then pushed it through the driver of the second wagon. It went in so far that it struck his companion and I released it and drew my sword. I put one foot on the wagon and climbed on. The driver fell to the ground beneath the terrified horses and I despatched the wounded man. One of the riders had turned and charged towards the wagon, his spear held over hand. He hurled it at me from a distance of no more than five paces and I ducked behind my shield. Its point struck the boss and flew into the air. When I lowered the shield his sword point was slicing towards my head. His shield covered his body but he had no coif and my sword went straight through his neck.

  And then it was over. We saw one rider, wounded; galloping away south but the others lay dead or dying. We removed the bodies and headed the wagons back towards the Roman road. Our casualties were light, in the scheme of things but our numbers were so few that every wound and death diminished us greatly. Two of the new men and one of my older warriors had perished. As we rode north I examined the content of the wagons. One was food while the other was tools and weapons; we would use the weapons. It was not perfect but it would have to do.

 
The priests were waiting for us at Persebrig. We gave them the wagons. “One of them contains tools, it may be some use. We will bring more directly to Dunelm when we get more.” I turned us around and headed back to the new castle. I wanted to get there before they knew that their supplies would not reach them. My men were tired but, if we could hit them hard then we could rest for a few days before trying a third time to strike back.

  We found a spot some eight hundred paces from the workings. It was close to the river and below the cliff. I chose it because it was the one side they would think they did not need to protect and guard. I chose the best and fittest twelve to accompany me, leaving a sulky and unhappy Branton with the wounded, the new men and the horses. Osbert gave his brother little sympathy. “That’ll teach you to be more careful.”