Northern Knight

by Griff Hosker

  I nodded and turned. I heard Sir Hugh speak with Sir Raymond as I strode to the waiting ships. Already the sky was darkening in the east. Night was falling. I glanced around for the headman, Harold of Elwick. I had been suspicious of him when I had met him. Now he was nowhere to be seen and that, with a new lord of the manor was equally suspicious. I could do nothing about it yet but I would seek him out when I returned.

  The horses had all been loaded when I reached the two boats. Neither was large and we would be cramped aboard them for the journey down to Normandy. We waited until Sir Hugh joined us before boarding. I left Edgar in charge of the men at arms who were on the other ship, 'La Reine' while Dick and the archers came on board our ship, 'Le Duc du Normandie'. Both captains were eager to get some sea room and we set sail without delay.

  This was the first time I had viewed the river and my land from the sea. I could see why the captains had come to Hartness. The walls of the town rose high on a cliff above the sea. The estuary, in contrast looked to be a marshy and dangerous tangle of small streams and sandbanks. I knew, from Olaf, that it was not and the main channel was easy to find once you had sailed it a couple of times. It might explain why we did not have more ships visiting our river. I wondered what we could do about that. More trade meant prosperity for all.

  As I looked around the small coastal vessel I realised that we would not be comfortable. There was just a main deck and a hold. Harold and Aiden would sleep in the hold with the horses as would a couple of the archers. They would look after the animals on the voyage. I did not envy them. The smell was bad enough but when you allied that to the pitching motion of the ship it was a recipe for sea sickness. All that we had above the hold was a couple of canvas awnings spread amidships close to the mast. I was just grateful that the journey would take but a few days. With just dry rations and stale beer it did not promise to be an enjoyable voyage.

  "Harold is the armour safe from the salt of the sea?"

  "Aye my lord, we wrapped them in oiled sheepskins. They will be fine."

  "Good." I stood on the side of the ship facing the coast and watched the river recede into the darkness as the sun set in the west over my valley. Sir Hugh joined me, "Your opinion of the rebel De Brus is well justified you know but not his cousin."

  "How so?"

  "He is now with Count Fulk and they are in France with William Clito. He plays for high stakes. He is gambling that the King of France will gain Normandy for William Clito and he will regain his estates that way. Sir Raymond fought against Count Fulk's men and earned the high opinion of many of us."

  I nodded and, as darkness finally fell, I turned to face the Earl's emissary. "Would you have rewarded the de Brus family with the estate at Hartness, Sir Hugh?"

  He had the grace to smile. I saw it in the light from the lantern the helmsman used. "If I am to be honest then, no. I would have rewarded him but not with Hartness. There are many estates further south. Hartness is not rich but it is vital. One day it will be the largest port on the coast."

  "Then why give it to de Brus?"

  He shook his head. "You must ask the king. I am just a humble knight."

  "As I am and Edward here but we have minds and we can think."

  My fellow knight smiled, "The trouble is, Sir Alfraed, that you were brought up in the east where there is intrigue and plotting."

  "Come Edward, remember when we escorted the Empress home?" He nodded. "There was more deception and self interest than I ever witnessed in Constantinople. But you are correct, Sir Hugh, and I will ask the King."

  "He will not thank you for the question."

  "Nonetheless I will speak what is on my mind and in my heart. It is my way."

  It was not a pleasant voyage and we encountered rough seas. I admired these sailors. When we had sailed from Constantinople to Genoa we had enjoyed blue skies and calm waters. Here it was black skies and grey water. I was just grateful to see the Orne River and Normandy. I would return to my home across the short crossing and travel through England. It was longer but preferable.

  We sailed down the river to the castle of Caen. While Edgar supervised the unloading of the men and animals I strode with Sir Hugh and Edward to the castle. I had discovered that the Earl was still in England. I smiled at him as we strode through the streets of the town. "You have another sea voyage to take, Sir Hugh."

  "Aye, I am not looking forward to it. Still it will be a shorter one; just across the Channel and then back to the Earl."

  "Is he at his western estates?"

  He shook his head, "He is in London. Between you and I, there are factions there who require close attention. Not every enemy comes at you on a horse and wearing armour."

  "You are right there." I remembered how a churchman had almost succeeded in delivering Durham Castle to rebels.

  We waited for the King in an antechamber. When we were beckoned within the King dismissed his servants and attendants. "Guard the door, Guiscard. We must speak in private." With the door secure he turned to me and, ignoring the other two, spoke directly to me. "I must ask you to go back into the Empire and fetch the Empress and her retinue back to Caen. I know that I ask much of you, Baron, but I believe you are the only man who can do this. The journey will be even more dangerous this time. Then she was the Empress and the Emperor lived. When you bring her back she will be in even greater danger."

  He leaned back in his chair and suddenly looked old. "You now have a child, I believe, and you will be able to understand what I am about to say. As a father you make plans for your children. I sought a good marriage for my daughter. The Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire should have brought her security and power. I was wrong. They had no children and her husband is sickly. I planned for my son to rule after me and the storm took him and the White Ship to his death. Now my daughter is in danger."

  He stood and went to the map which was spread across the table. It was elaborately decorated. "Until I become a father again then I must consider that Matilda may become the heir to England and Normandy. She must be kept safe. There are many who would want her dead; my nephew, Clito, and King Louis are two such men. Others would wish to use her. Count Flanders could hold her hostage. My brother, the Curthose, has supporters close to us who would do anything to remove me and my line from the thrones." He shook his head. "There is just my daughter and my nephew, Stephen of Blois, who give me hope."

  The hairs on the back of my neck suddenly prickled. Stephen of Blois had been involved in the attempt to ambush the Empress on our journey back to Worms. I could never prove it for he had been in disguise but I knew it. The King had not mentioned him as a threat but I knew him to be one.

  "So, as you can see, your task is to be a hard one."

  I knew that I had to speak. "I am not objecting to travelling to Worms and bringing back the Empress but would a larger force led by either yourself or the Earl not be more appropriate?"

  The King and Sir Hugh looked at each other. When I had asked the question I had expected an adverse reaction from the King but he looked sad and more than a little uncomfortable. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure; she is my child. However that could be misconstrued as an act of war by my neighbours and if I did not take enough men then I could be captured and held to ransom. The same would be true of my son, Robert, but he is in England. I have enemies there too." I nodded. That made perfect sense and I could see why an obscure knight from the north of England could be gambled to save a possible future Queen of England.

  Part of me thought of my enemies and the risks we would face but I remained silent. My father had put the needs of others above his own his whole life. I would do the same; especially for the Empress.

  The King smiled. "However I have four knights who can accompany you. With only the two of you, you are perilously short."

  I shook my head, "Do I have to take them?"

  Although the King looked surprised Sir Hugh did not. "Why would you not take more knights?"

  "If I am to be brutally
honest my liege it is because I do not know them. The two Teutonic Knights who accompanies the Empress were not her choice and it almost ended in disaster for her. I would rather ride with the men I know and trust even though they are few in number. I believe the Empress will feel the same."

  "You have surprised me, although not, it seems, my son's emissary."

  "That is because he has seen treachery at close hand. I agree with the Baron; better a smaller number that he knows than strangers who may bring their own problems." He turned to me. "And your route; have you decided upon that?"

  It was my turn to smile, "I will take a leaf from the Empress' book. I will decide once we are on the road. I will not even tell my men until we are at a junction in the road."

  "You trust only yourself?"

  "No, my liege, I trust all of my men but I do not trust them to let a careless remark slip out at the wrong time. This way, if it goes wrong, then I can blame only myself."

  "My daughter's choice is justified, it appears. We have a knight who knows his own mind and that of his men."

  "Your daughter's choice?"

  The King laughed, "Aye, Alfraed. She asked for you and Sir Edward by name. You made an impression on my daughter."

  This time there was no hurry to leave. The Emperor was still alive. Before we had left the King, it was made clear to me that I was to get the Empress out as soon as the Emperor was buried. Although she was popular she had still, apparently, made enemies. We did not take the knights who were offered but we did take the six spare horses. They might prove to be the difference between success and failure.

  As we left the mighty citadel I wondered if it was my imagination or the fears within me which made me suspicious of every sour face which turned our way. I had no doubt that there were spies in Caen. Were they reporting our departure? Although there had been no hurry to leave the castle once we were on the road I intended to ride as hard as we could. Later we could slow down but if someone was trying to get ahead of us then we would heard them as they hurried along the road to catch us.

  There were just thirty five of us who left Caen. It had been more than the last time we had crossed to Germany but still not enough. Five of my men at arms were new men but all of the archers had served with me for some time. Gille of Gainford was also new. He was the nephew of Sir Guy. As Sir Guy had his own son as a squire Gille was keen to train to be a knight and Edward had been satisfied with him once they met. He was determined that he would train him better than he had Alan. I kept telling him, as did Harold, that he had done as well as he could but it was just fate. He would not listen.

  Edward and I rode at the fore whilst Aiden and Dick ranged ahead to scout out danger. The last time we had stopped at Rouen and Rheims. That time we had had the Empress with us. Her presence had determined our route. I did not wish to let our enemies know where we were. We would avoid such places. I could trust no one on the road. We kept to the main road only until the first night when we camped by the road in a sheltered dell. My fears were proved to be based on fact when we heard the thundering of hooves along the road. I had two sentries on the road and they stepped out with nocked bows to stop the rider who hurtled down the darkened road. Their Norman was limited and I heard the rider hurling abuse at them.

  I reached him and his face changed when he recognised my surcoat. I vaguely recognised him. I had seen him in the castle. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

  "I am on the King's business! Let me pass!"

  "Show me proof."

  "What?" I could see that he had hoped to bluff us and force his way through by using the name of the king.

  "If you are from the King then he will have given you a document or a seal. He would not expect you to risk being stopped would he now…?"

  I got no further. He kicked out and struck Will the Wanderer in the chest knocking him over. He then slapped his horse's rump. It was a bold move and it was a quick move. In most cases he would have escaped but he reckoned without Griff of Gwent and Alan son of Garth, my archers. Their arrows threw him from his saddle. "Harold, Gille, get his horse."

  The body was brought back to us and, when we searched him, we found a document which was unsigned but which informed Lord Alain of Flanders that Alfraed of Norton was heading for Worms and the Empress with thirty men. There was a spy in Caen. This was just the messenger. He would have been ordered by someone who was much more powerful. I had no doubt that there might be others but we had delayed the message. After taking his weapons, armour, valuables and helmet we covered his body with leaves and finished our disturbed sleep. The armour and helmet were unlike ours and could be of use if we needed a disguise.

  The next day we disappeared from view. We took to small greenways and forests. My woodsmen hid our trail and Dick and Aiden kept us from prying eyes ahead. I headed for the one place on the whole road where I knew I could be safe. We reached La Cheppe without any warning.

  Sir Guy du Cheppe was also a knight of the Empress and the castle at La Cheppe had been his reward from the Emperor for saving his wife's life. When we had last been here, it seemed a lifetime ago, the remains of the old burnt out castle were a scorched and blackened pile. Now he had built a fine wooden castle and his banner flew proudly from its tower. It was not a large castle but it guarded the western end of the Empire. Sir Guy was a knight whom I would trust to guard my back.

  He stood with his hands on his hips as we clattered across the wooden bridge and into the outer bailey. "I wondered when you would get here."

  I dismounted and clasped his arms as all warriors do who have faced death together. "But how did you know I would come here at all?"

  He laughed as he led us towards the second gate and the keep. "All of the Empire knows that you are coming to the aid of the Empress once more." He lowered his voice so that my men at arms would not hear. "There is a price on your head, Alfraed of Norton!"

  "Who wishes me dead so badly?"

  He enumerated them on his fingers, "Flanders, France, Anjou why even Lothar and Konrad's fellows seek your head." He gave a rueful smile and laughed, "Oh to be so popular. Come you shall spend the night with me and enjoy a roof over your head instead of the greenwood."

  "How do you know we have not enjoyed comfortable nights?"

  "We would have heard of your route and your armour would not show flecks of rust!" He was as clever as he was brave.

  My men ate with Sir Guy's warriors while we ate in his hall. It was not yet a Great Hall but it was comfortable and well made. He filled us in on the events further east.

  "The Emperor is not yet dead but the wolves are circling. He has named his nephew, Frederick as the heir to his estates but he is unlikely to gain the throne. Thanks to the Emperor's problems with the Pope it seems likely that Lothair of Supplinburg will be named Emperor. Oh they will have an election but the Pope will decide who the new King of the Romans is to be. The election will be a formality. This time the Pope will have his own man ruling the Empire."

  I nodded, "Then the Empress should be safe for a while."

  "I am afraid not. Lothair hates Henry. He can do nothing about him but he can humiliate him in death by taking the Empress hostage. She is a useful bargaining counter. Already there are suitors lining up to propose the moment that Henry dies!"

  "You cannot be serious!"

  "I am afraid so. Tell me who ordered you to rescue her? King Henry?"

  "Yes."

  He nodded and leaned back, "But the Empress requested it. She fears for her life and trusts only you."

  "Yes, how did you know?"

  "My uncle and I visited Worms last year to visit with the Emperor. The Empress had a word in private. The Emperor had the wasting sickness even then. She said she feared for her life and asked if you still lived. When I said I did not know she became sad and said she would send a message to her father."

  "Rolf and the others; they are still at her side?"

  "They are there with her but there are but three of them and their ten
men at arms. They may be fine warriors but they cannot stop the numbers who would try to take her."

  "Then we had better leave in the morning. Perhaps you were wrong about the price on my head. We had no trouble getting here."

  "That is because you were hidden from view. Once you pass my uncles' castle at Bar then all the world will know where you are. You were lucky to cross France once; with the Empress and her retinue it will be impossible."

  I took this news in and wondered how I could possibly achieve what I wished. "You and your uncle; how are you viewed by this Lothair?"

  "He does not like us. The Counts of Aachen and Stuttgart have his ear and they will gain power at my father's expense. The trouble is that my uncle is an honourable man."

  "As are you."

  He nodded, "As am I. It is lucky I came back richer. I have more men at arms now and a squire. We shall come with you as far as Bar and I will see what my uncle says."

  "I do not expect you to risk all for the Empress."

  He showed me his palm where we had taken our blood oath. "We swore an oath if you remember and I will not be foresworn. We have cast the dice; let us see what occurs."

  Chapter 2

  When we reached his magnificent castle the Count of Bar looked considerably older than the last time I had seen him. Events had taken their toll of him. He guarded the western edge of the Empire and he now had enemies at his back too. However his castle was built of stone and it would take an army and siege engines to bring it to surrender. Here our men and arms and archers had plenty of room for he had a large warrior hall. He took Sir Guy, Edward and myself to a west facing tower. He called it a solar. There we sat with his two sons to discuss events in the Empire.

  "Your visit, Baron, is a double edged sword. On the one hand I am more than pleased that the Empress' life will be safe in your hands but, at the same time I know that my family will incur the wrath of Lothair."

  "Then we will leave, Count. I would not, for the entire world, put you and your family in jeopardy. If it were not for you we might not be alive."