Baron of the North (9 page)

Our faces were close together. I hissed my words at him. "This time there will be no ransom.  The Fitzwallers die here in this empty space between Scotland and England.  Your bones will whiten the ground and no one will remember you or your evil.  It will be as though you never existed!"

He punched with his shield and we broke apart.

"There is no Wulfstan and his seed is ended that is proof that I existed, Greek bastard and son of a peasant and my mark will fill your heart until you die."

I smiled for he was deliberately antagonising me. It would not work for I was as cool as ice. I swung my sword and he did not dare counter with his axe, instead he used his shield.  I could see that it was badly cut already. It smashed into it hard. I pivoted and swung backhand.  He tried to move his feet to bring his shield around and they became entangled in the hem of his hauberk. He only kept his feet by stepping rapidly back. My sword tore across his upper arm and this time it was not just the sleeves of the hauberk which was torn, my sword came away bloody. I could barely raise my sword for I was exhausted but I forced myself. I pulled it all the way behind me and then swung it high over my head. I aimed it for his right shoulder. He held up the axe and the shield but my sword shattered the axe shaft in two and continued down to bite deeply through the mail and into his shoulder and neck.  It continued down until it jammed between his bones.  He screamed; it sounded like a vixen protecting her cubs. I tore the blade from the wound and I felt it grate along his bones. He crumpled dead at my feet as his blood flowed freely.

I stood panting and then I heard a cheer and my voice being chanted. I turned and saw my warriors behind me.  The field was filled with the dead who had followed Fitzwaller. He had gambled and failed.  My superior numbers and better trained knights, squires and men at arms had proved too much for an already exhausted force. We had won.

As we counted the cost I realised that we had been lucky.  There were few of my men who did not have a wound. Roger de Bertram's squire had died and others had lost men at arms.  It was just the archers who had avoided heavy losses; when Dick returned they had lost but three archers. "And the Irish?"

"Most were slain but some may have escaped. We did not pursue for very long for I worried how you might fare." He shook his head, "I should have known you had the beating of him."

I spread my arm around me. "We bury our dead. Build a pyre and we will burn the dead when we have taken all that we can from them.  There is no ransom but they will have pouches filled with their ill gotten gains." I pointed to the small village on the hillside.  "We will camp there this night and head east tomorrow."

Wulfric nodded and pointed to the dead horses, "At least we eat well tonight and we go home rich men!" As ever Wulfric was the practical soldier. He had survived and that was what was important.  There would come a day when he would not but Wulfric would not begrudge those who lived the spoils of war.  Most of my men at arms felt the same way. I knew that I thought about things too deeply; I could not help it.

Everyone seemed in good spirits. Everyone that is save me. I would have traded all of our success for my old mentor to be alive. He had made me the knight I was.  When I had come from the east I had been an arrogant and spoiled young man.  I was not fit to lead brigands let alone fine warriors such as I now had.  Wulfstan had changed all of that. Now just Osric was left.  I had travelled far with fine companions and now they had left me. My world would never be the same.

I led Scout towards the circle of huts and farms.  My squire, Hugh followed me.  He now bore a wicked looking scar across his cheek and had come within an ell of losing his eye. "He must have hated you, Baron."

"How so?"

"He travelled all the way from Alnwick just to hurt you. He could have travelled west if he had wanted safety. He could have abandoned his men and sneaked back across the border to Scotland but he came to revenge himself on you and yours. This was hatred."

"True and he could have stayed at Alnwick if he had wanted to kill just me. This was an old fashioned blood feud, Hugh.  My father told me how the Vikings and some Saxons would lose all sense if they felt they were honour bound to avenge a family member.  I killed his father and he wanted revenge on my family.  He was arrogant enough to believe that he could hurt those that I loved and then kill me. Perhaps he thought I would be weaker if they were dead."

The villagers had had a fine view of the battle and they stood fearfully watching now.  The headman bowed when he spied me approaching. "I am Baron Alfraed of Stockton and the King's appointed Baron of the North.  We have defeated some rebellious Normans and Scots this day.  We will spend the night here and you are more than welcome to share our food."

He nodded, relief etched across his mahogany coloured face. "Thank you. Baron." Sometimes victors would not be sated by the blood of their enemies and would wish more.

"Have you an ale wife?"

"Aye Baron."

I took a silver coin from my leather pouch and threw it to him.  "Then we shall buy all that she has!" He hurried off and I turned to Hugh, "Take my hauberk from me.  I am weary and then get John to put an edge on my sword." I suddenly realised I had not seen my young squires since Fitzwaller's squire had been slain. "Where are they?"

"They were searching bodies with Harold, Baron. They did well today. They were fearless and slew many who tried to attack your blind side."

I smiled, "And I have no doubt that you did the same.  I am fortunate to have such skilled and brave squires."

I felt much better without the hauberk and I walked to the end of the huts to watch the pyre of bodies as they were burned.  I knew that the farmers of  Lanercost would find a use for the dead. Their ashes would be spread and the fields fertilised. This was a cruel land and little was wasted. The better crops of the following years would be down to the men who had fought and died here. Gradually my men headed up the hill.  Harold, John and Leofric were amongst the last ones to join me.  Harold held a pouch in his hands.

"Treasure, Harold?"

"Of a kind, Baron.  We found them in the saddle bags of Fitzwaller.  They are letters and documents. He was a clever man, Baron.  We wondered why he did what he did. It was not just for revenge. He was paid to do so." He held up three pieces of parchment each one bearing a seal, "The De Vries family, the Le Hongre family and the de Bouvilla family all had a hand in this venture." He handed them to me and then proffered the last one, "And this is the authority from the Earl Gospatric to take the historic lands of Scotland."

I was both excited and saddened by the news.  Excited for it meant we had evidence against these traitors but saddened for it meant I would have to take them to King Henry.  He would need to see the documents before he acted. The phrase
'historic lands of Scotland'
was important. The Scots believed they had a right to all the land as far south as Hadrian's Wall. That was ominous. Gospatrick wished to be earl of the old land of Northumberland. It was almost a kingdom.  The old man was gambling for a throne. "You have done well. The light is too poor this night.  I will read them in the morning before we leave." I noticed that John and Leofric were carrying suits of mail. "What have you there?"

John grinned sheepishly, "I found a man at arms who was the same size as me." He held up the hauberk, "And I slew him.  I will now be better protected."

"And I have the hauberk of the squire I killed. It is not as long as John's but it is well made."

"Good and this day will serve you well in the future.  The experience will make you better knights."

The horsemeat was good but I barely touched mine. Wulfstan's demise had robbed me of all appetite. Harold, too, picked at his food and Tristan spent the whole night trying to cheer up his friend.  He had his mind on his dead people too.

I barely slept and I rose before dawn.  My mind was on the four documents which Harold had discovered.  I took them out and saw that they contained revelations which would have an impact beyond my little valley. Individually they told a tale of intrigue and plots but when taken together they were a threat to both England and Normandy. The impending marriage of Geoffrey and Matilda had not brought peace it had induced fear, for King Henry was seen as an Empire builder. Not for the first time I missed Edward.  He always had sage advice and a sound mind. Wulfstan too had been someone in whom I could confide. I trusted my knights but the conspiracy I had uncovered was beyond their comprehension.  My father had told of the plots at the court of the Emperor and this ranked alongside those. I replaced the documents in the leather pouch.  I would have to keep a close watch on it until I could deliver it to the King or Robert of Gloucester.

We took three days to return to Stockton. We had much armour and weapons to transport and there was little point in making tired men and horses work harder than was needed.  We went east to Hexham. I confided in Sir Hugh that Fitzwaller had been involved in a larger plot but not the detail. I warned him not to trust Earl Gospatric.

He had snorted, "Trust Gospatric? The man has more faces than a broken mirror! I know not why King Henry allows his knights to own land in Scotland and to swear fealty to King David for their Scottish lands! They have to break one oath. I know I would not do that for I would not be foresworn."

"You are right.  I will need to travel to Normandy with the information I have. While I am away keep a close watch on the borderlands.  My knights will be ready to return should you need them. I will leave a large garrison at Stockton and they are soundly led by Wulfric."

"Aye, you are lucky there.  He is the best Sergeant at Arms I have seen."

"Have the ransoms arrived yet?"

"Not yet but I will see that the knights and their men receive their share. It is time we made profit from this land!" He was a bluff knight but he showed that he had a soft side. He put his arm around my shoulder, "I never met this Wulfstan but I know how much he meant to you. I am sorry for your loss."

I nodded my thanks but his sympathy would not bring back Wulfstan. His young sons would never grow up and there would be a black hole where they had once lived.

O
u
r last call was at Durham.  I told Hubert and the Dean of my fears. And, as with Sir Hugh, I warned them of the Earl and his treachery. When I said I intended to visit with the King in Normandy Hubert became concerned and agitated.  "You would leave the land undefended?"

I sighed, "Not undefended.  My knights will still be here and we have ended the threat for a while. You have knights who never stir from their manors, Castellan.  They should bear some of the responsibility of defending Durham from the raiders."

"You are right but they are now accustomed to the Baron of the North taking on that mantle. I confess that I sleep easier knowing that you and your knights ride the northern fells."

"And they will still be here.  I take just my squires. I should not be away too long. Who knows the King may even be in London when I reach there."

"I doubt it.  The Empress Matilda marries next month."

"Nonetheless I shall be away for the shortest time that I can."

The reminder of impending Matilda's marriage put me in a black humour all the way back to Stockton. My other knights all left me as we headed south so that, when we reached Norton, I just had Harold and my conroi left. Harold would stay at Stockton for a while.  It would be too cruel to return him to the charnel house that was Elton.

I left my men outside Norton when I went in to speak with Osric.  He had heard the news already.  My wife must have sent him word. He looked ashen and to have aged ten years. "Wulfstan was younger than I was! I had thought he would stand at my grave and say words over me." He took my hand and I noticed how thin and bony his old hands were. They were crisscrossed with purple lines. "I pray, Alfraed, that you take care of yourself.  I cannot outlive you. We swore an oath to your father to protect you and I am the last."

"And I now have my own oathsworn.  End your days in peace, Osric. You have done all that an oathsworn should do.  I am honoured to have known you.  I want you to be there to be a grandfather to my son.  I want you to tell him tales of the Varangian Guard and Miklagård. Your work is not yet done!"

He smiled, "I can still tell a tale."

Even as I rode through my half finished gatehouse I knew I would have to leave again within the week. The plot I had uncovered would not stop and I had a duty to the king. The letters had to be delivered personally.

William the Mason was working on the gatehouse as I rode past him. "Baron I have hired more men to build this gate house.  I hope you do not mind.  Your Steward seemed unhappy about the cost."

"The recent attack showed the value of your fine stonework, William.  Hire as many men as you wish.  I will speak with John!"

I greeted Adela and my children with even more warmth that hitherto. The charred bodies of Faren and her children sprung to mind. That would not happen here. "Harold will stay here for a while, I do not want him alone."

She nodded, "He is more than welcome and you know that.  What is the real reason, husband?"

"Can you read me so easily?"

"I am learning."

I waved the servants over to take the children away.  When we were alone I told her of the letters, "There is a plot to undermine us here in the north and to attack the King in Anjou. I have to take the letters to him. He must read them for himself and see the seals."

"Then you must go. I will get your fine clothes ready."

I kissed her. "You are a good wife but I do not leave until the end of the week.  I have matters which need my attention here before I go.  I will just take my squires."

"Is that safe?"

"I am travelling through the heart of England. I will be safe. And now I must have words with John."

She smiled, "I see William has spoken with you."

I nodded, "The trouble with John is that he thinks it is his money!"

I went to the door and waved a servant over, "Tell my Steward to meet with me in the west tower." As much as I wanted to take off my hauberk and bathe I had to deal with John first. He hurried in, "I am sorry about Wulfstan, Baron, he was a good man."

"Thank you; he was. I will come directly to the point John, William the Mason can hire as many workers as he deems necessary to build the gate house.  He is an honest man and he will not rob me.  I trust his judgement."

"But my lord the cost!"

"Ride to Hartburn and see the cost!" He was silent. "John am I running out of coin?  Do we lack gold?"

"No, Baron but we must be thrifty and use the gold wisely."

"I agree and a wise use is to ensure it pays for a solid castle and men to defend it.  That is my priority. Is that clear?"

"Yes Baron."

"And we have made coin from this latest conroi. Do not cross me on this matter." He nodded, "Now, on to more urgent matters. If there are new settlers then they should be encouraged to go to Elton and Hartburn.  I will appoint a new lord of the manor when I have spoken with the King."