Earl

by Griff Hosker

  The line was now forty paces from us and they would soon charge.

  "Ready Erre?"

  "I am always ready to fight, my lord, and I have picked out the trinkets I will claim when we have defeated them!"

  It seemed they had not seen the first ditch and three of them were pushed in by the weight of numbers behind. I heard their screams as they fell onto the fire hardened stakes. They began to spread around the sides of the ditch. They looked eager to get at what looked like a handful of men in the gate. Once again their sheer weight of numbers caused at least three more men to fall into the ditch. I saw their leader exhorting his men forward.

  "Ready! They will charge soon!"

  Having endured the barrage of arrows and the trap filled ditches the mercenaries from Dublin were keen to get at us and they came like a wild torrent as soon as they saw the clear entrance to the six Varangians who stood before them. Wulfric and his five best men were behind them and then I stood with my knights and my banner. The eighteen most powerfully armed men in my conroi were ready to face this horde. They were attacking the strongest part of our defence. I heard a wild feral scream from the entire enemy and they hurled themselves at Erre and his men.

  Suddenly spears appeared above the shoulders of my Varangians as they thrust their long weapons forward at head height. They were strong men and the powerful blows easily penetrated the mail of the Dubliners. The slope had meant the Vikings did not have the speed they needed and they did not have numbers behind them to give them more power. The first six Vikings fell. Two of my men had broken their spears and they grabbed their second one. The next attackers arrived piecemeal and were despatched just as easily. I heard commands shouted and the whole of the enemy line ran towards the wall. It was not a high wall and it looked easy to scale. The ditch provided another barrier to them and more fell to be killed or wounded on the fire hardened and dung covered stakes.

  The enemy gathered together again at the gate. I knew we had to rely on the archers and my other men at arms if we were to win. Wulfric saw the sudden attack and, as the next twelve Vikings rushed towards the gateway he shouted. "Push!"

  His timing was perfect and my twelve men ran forward, aided by the slope, and slammed into the advancing Vikings. Three were knocked into the ditch where they writhed in pain. My best warriors now outnumbered them. No mercy was shown and they were slaughtered.

  It was at that moment that I judged the time to be right. "John! Horses!" I had waited for the Welsh Prince to commit all of his men to the attack. The centre of the enemy line was now the weakest. I grabbed a spear and leapt on to Star's back. The smell of blood always excited him and he stamped the ground, eager to be away. We did not need a solid line and, as soon as I was mounted I shouted, "Clear the gate!"

  Wulfric had been waiting for the command and they parted like the Red Sea for Moses. Half pushed to the left while the other half to the right. They cleared a path for my six knights. I rode to the left of the gate and jabbed my spear into the face of a surprised Welshman who was hurrying to aid his allies. I twisted as I pulled it free and then looked for the Welsh prince. I could not see his face but I saw the lions on his shield and surcoat. I galloped directly at him. He had no horse and was at a disadvantage. The knights around him hurried to form a barrier before him as Star thundered down the slope towards him. They say a horse will not step on a living man. That is not true. Star trampled and smashed the bodies of many dead ones that day and threw himself at those who were before him. The Welsh who had sense threw themselves away from his black hooves. Some did not; they lay crushed and broken on the bloody green hillside.

  I was aware of horses coming behind me. My knights were eager to support me. The result was that we struck them like a giant arrow. Richard and Edward flanked me. My spear smashed as it struck the shield of a warrior trying to protect his prince. Star did the rest. He raised one huge hoof and smashed it down on the falling knight. As I drew my sword I kicked at the Welsh Prince. It distracted him enough so that his sword struck fresh air.

  I whipped Star's head around and, despite his size and his speed he did so remarkably quickly. The Prince turned to face me and he tried to stand on my shield side so that I could not use my sword. I dropped my reins and, standing in the stirrups, swung my blade down on him. My sword struck him a blow on his helmet and then slid down to hit his shoulder. I heard something crack and then he screamed. I turned again. His shield was hanging down. I raised my helmet and shouted, "Yield! Surrender your men!"

  "Never! I fight on!"

  I lowered my helmet. I had given him his chance and he had spurned it. He was a brave young man but a foolish one. I rode at him and feinted. He tried to get on my shield side but his wound had slowed him up. I swung my sword sideways and it hacked through his coif and into his neck. He fell dead.

  As soon as their paymaster died the Vikings turned and ran. Had the prince been their jarl then they would have fought to the death but he was not and they fled. Star had done enough and I leaned forward to pat his neck. I took off my helmet and turned to see if we had suffered. John was behind me. He had a huge grin on his face.

  "Signal Dick to join me." I saw Sir Richard some paces up the slope and he was kneeling next to his squire William. He had been wounded. At the gate I only counted five of my Varangians. We had been lucky. Having the slope with us and being mounted had made all the difference. Our speed of attack had caught the Welsh unawares. They had thought we would sit behind our walls and fight them beard to beard. Had we done so they would have won for they outnumbered us.

  Dick rode up, "My lord?"

  "Take my archers and see where they go. Risk no one. You have done well this day as have all of the archers."

  "Edward, take charge here. I fear I have lost one of my men." All the time I had been speaking I had kept an eye on my men. When Father John only made a brief visit and then left I feared the worst.

  Erre heard my approach and stood. "It is William the Tall, my lord. He has died well and will be with your father and the other Varangians." I saw that William had many cuts and wounds. He stood a head taller than any other warrior and would have been a big target. There was a line of bodies where they had fought. I could see that our charge down the hill had not only disorganised the enemy it had left my six men exposed. They had suffered the attack by those who were close to them.

  "Take whatever you wish from the dead, Erre. You and my oathsworn have merited that honour."

  "Thank you, my lord."

  I saw that we had a couple of dead men but the walls had given us the advantage. Others were wounded and I was glad that we had brought the priest. With his help and God’s they would be healed and fight another day. I dismounted and handed Star's reins to John. I will ride Scout."

  As I rinsed my face with water I heard the cries as the enemy wounded were despatched. It was a kindness. The only ones who could have been healed were the wounded who were fleeing Dick and his archers. Drying my face I saw the men at arms and archers searching the bodies in the ditch and on the approach to our camp. They would take their pay from the dead. John and the other squires would divide the booty from the knights. Our accurate archers meant we only had three extra horses but that did not matter. We had won.

  It was almost dark when Dick returned. "They have departed in their dragon ships my lord." He grinned, "They could barely crew them they had lost so many. We caught up with a couple as they fled. They are now dead. The Earl of Chester came to his walls. He asked to speak with you in the morning."

  "Thank you Dick."

  We burned the stripped bodies of our enemies. Their pyre lit up the sky and illuminated our camp. The smell of burning flesh was a familiar smell after a battle. It no longer bothered us. The men ate well and drank the ale from the skins the enemy had brought with them. Vikings liked their beer and knew how to brew it.

  Richard of Yarm's squire had a serious wound. Like my two men at arms he would struggle to ride. Richard kept looking at his s
on while we ate. He had been his father's squire before William. I knew what he was thinking. It could have been his son who was hovering between life and death. I had promised my own son that he could come with us next time we fought. Had that been a wise promise to make?

  I wandered over to my men at arms who had found the skins with ale amongst the men from Dublin. Wulfric sat next to Erre. I joined them. Erre proffered the skin. I shook my head, "Thank you, but no."

  I sat. Wulfric nodded, "I was just telling these lads that they saved us this day. I have never seen such ferocious fighters."

  I smiled, "I knew, Wulfric, from my father and from what I saw when we fought for the Emperor that they could do what they did and more." I put my arm around Erre's shoulder. "You may not be a rider, Erre but none of my mounted men at arms, save Wulfric could have done this day what you did."

  "It was good to fight today, my lord. William died with a smile on his face." He gestured towards the pyre. "They were enemies I recognised. Fighting Thracians is not the same. They are wild tattooed barbarians. This is England and today, I felt I was fighting for England. I never fought for King Harold. Today it felt like I was."

  My hand went involuntarily to the hilt of my sword and the blue stone. As Athelstan might have said, 'Wyrd'.

  We broke camp and headed back to Chester. There was still no word from the Earl of Gloucester. I had expected it before now. Our Welsh prisoners carried litters with some of the wounded while we used two horses to make one for William of Yarm. We reached Chester at noon. The Earl of Chester's men were still searching the siege works for booty and any enemy who had not fled.

  "Wulfric, make camp yonder where we first encountered the enemy. The land is flat. I suspect we will not be here long."

  I led my knights and squires into the castle. Men cheered as we passed through the gates. My banner had told them who we were. The castle still looked much the same as it had the first time I had seen it. The Earl needed to improve it. Had we not arrived then I fear the reinforcements would have swung the balance in the favour of those besieging. My castle was stronger and had better defences. This siege might just be the spur the Earl needed.

  Ranulf de Gernan, the Earl of Chester, approached me. His smile told me of his happiness. I had met him before. Slightly older than me, he had less experience and that had showed. When I had campaigned in Wales with the Earl of Gloucester he had not been with us.

  "Thank you for your help. I fear it would have gone ill for us had you not arrived when you did."

  "It was Robert of Gloucester, your father in law, who summoned us."

  He nodded, "When you rode away I wondered why, but now that I see how few you were in numbers I understand your strategy. Where is the Earl?"

  "I know not. I sent riders to him but they have not returned. I discovered from prisoners that their leader is Owain, the Prince of Wales and he is south of here." I pointed to our camp. "I will join him on the morrow. Will you accompany me?"

  "Aye but I can only take a few men. There is much work to be done here and we are too close to Dublin to leave this back door to England unguarded."

  I nodded, "I have some wounded whom I will leave here. Some of them can fight. I also have some prisoners your men can set to work repairing their damage and we captured some grain. I expect that you are running short of supplies."

  "We are! Come. Let us go into my hall and I will entertain you."

  "First I must see to my men. John, ride to the camp and have Wulfric send over half of the food we captured, the prisoners and the wounded."

  Ranulf’s wife was the daughter of Robert of Gloucester. Maud was lively and vivacious. She had something of her Aunt, Matilda, in her. Her laughter and her smile seemed to light up the room. They had laid on a meal for us. It was not as grand as they might have hoped but with our extra supplies it was bearable. Warriors always enjoyed food after a battle. Even the plainest of fare tasted good when you had been close to death. After we had finished the two of them questioned me closely about my exploits.

  "My father speaks constantly of you. He entertained us royally with the story of how you have rescued the Empress twice."

  I nodded, "Sir Edward here was with me both times. We are both Knights of the Empress. It is a great honour." I subconsciously fingered the medal she had given me. I still bore it around my neck. Like my blue pommel stone I believed that it protected me. I am certain that Father Matthew would not have approved of such pagan beliefs. I told them, as modestly as I could, how we had saved her.

  Maud clapped her hands, “My lord, you tell a story well. You could have been a troubadour!”

  When the interrogation had finished Ranulf de Gernan asked. "What do you think has prevented Maud's father from coming to our aid."

  Maud said, defensively, "If he could have reached us he would!"

  I smiled, "Fear not, dear lady, I too, know that it was not carelessness which prevented his arrival. It is why I have ordered my men to break camp and to leave before dawn. We needed this day to recover from the battle but I have succeeded in the first part of my task, I have relieved Chester, but now I must ride to the aid of the Earl. If he has not come then he must have found trouble. Owain is the dangerous one."

  I saw the look on Maud's face. It was a mixture of relief and gratitude.

  "I wonder how the King of Gwynedd will take the loss of his son."

  We all looked at Edward. "I do not know, Sir Edward, but it is not the old man we need to fear. Owain ap Gruffudd is the real power in Gwynedd these days. If they had been conducting the siege of my castle then I fear it would have fallen. He is a ruthless man and he is loved by his men. He is a dangerous foe."

  "All the more reason why we will leave early." I rose as did my knights. "I will take my leave my lady." I kissed the back of her hand. "My lord, I will see you on the morrow."

  "We have rooms for you and your knights, my lord."

  "Thank you, my lady but, when I can, I share the hardships of a campaign with my men." I shrugged, "It is my way."

  Chapter 6

  When we left to find Robert, Earl of Gloucester, the Earl brought five household knights and ten men at arms. They had suffered too many casualties for more. The Vikings and the Irish had constantly attacked their walls during the siege. We left my wounded men at arms and William of Yarm. He was recovering and Lady Maud promised to keep a special eye upon him.

  We headed south and east to try to meet up with either the Earl of Gloucester or discover the whereabouts of the rampaging Welsh army. I remembered the last Welsh incursion. The salt and the cattle on the Cheshire plain always seemed attractive to the Welsh. I sent Dick and four archers out towards Nantwich to see if they could pick up their trail. As we rode I asked the Earl why he had not fortified the lands to the south and west of his castle.

  "There are still Vikings in Man and in Dublin who raid my west coast. I have knights patrolling that area. We had thought the Dee was a barrier. The castles along the border did not seem a priority. I can see now that they were."

  I nodded and pointed to my two young knights who rode ahead of us. "I have given these two manors which protect my land to the west and the south even though they are safe areas. Sir Richard has a castle which also guards the crossing of the Tees. Rivers make good barriers but determined men can cross them. A castle is a better deterrent."

  "But it costs."

  "Stone is cheaper than the lives of your people. I use my gold to make my home stronger."

  We spent the next few miles discussing how he might raise revenue without raising taxes. He seemed pleased with my advice.

  It was two hours into our ride that Griff of Gwent galloped in. "My lord, we have found the Earl. He is being assailed by the Welsh. They are on a hill some few miles from Nantwich. There looks to have been an old hall there."

  I was just turning to ride to the aid of the Earl of Gloucester when Dick, Aiden and the rest of my riders galloped in. Dick shook his head, "My lord, you are too fast f
or us. We rode to the camp but found you gone. The Earl has need of you. He is at Deofold."

  Ranulf said, "That was where Harold Godwinson had a hunting lodge."

  I felt a sudden shiver up my spine. It felt as though the past was reaching out to me. "And is that the same place that Griff of Gwent spoke of?"

  "It is."

  I was tempted to gallop off and go to the aid of the Earl but I did not have enough information. "How many men surround him?"

  Aiden was a good scout. "They are mainly on foot. He has some Vikings but the majority appear to be his own warriors. They have fifty mounted men and I would estimate almost three hundred on foot."

  I turned to Ranulf. "We must make this Owain think there are more of us than there are. And I would drive him south and west towards Oswestry. We will ride north and then east so that we approach this hill from that direction. If you have your men on the extreme left of our line, Sir Edward and my knights can be on the right and I will occupy the centre with my men at arms." I turned, "Dick, ride on our flanks. I want him to think you are men at arms. When we charge… if we charge then I want you to close and harass them with arrows."

  Aye my lord.""

  Ranulf said, "You will trick him?"

  "If I can I will defeat him but if he sees us coming from the north east and fears he will be caught between our two forces he may withdraw south and we can rejoin the Earl of Gloucester. Aiden, keep ahead of us and warn us of danger."