Knight of the Empress (20 page)

As my archers went amongst the warband killing those that survived I went to one warrior who had fallen from the walls.  I could see from the unnatural way he lay that his back was broken and he would have to be put from his misery but I needed answers to my questions. I put my sword to his throat, "Your back is broken and you will take many hours to die.  You are in pain and that pain will become worse. I will end it now if you answer my questions." I spoke in Saxon for he did not look Norman or Norse. If he had not answered then I would have assumed he was a Scot.

"Ask what you will for the pain is unbearable."

"Where are you from?"

"South of the New Castle."

"Then who leads you?  Which lord?"

"No lord.  We were starving. The Scots attacked the New Castle and then crossed the frozen Tyne.  They stole our cattle and animals.  When our families began to starve we asked our lord for food but he said he had none.  He said he had given our cattle to you and we came to reclaim them. "

I nodded, "And you came because you wished to feed your families."

He tried to nod but he could not move, "A real man cannot stand by while his bairns die of hunger and cold."

"I know.  Go to God."

I slit his throat with my sword. Osric and Athelstan had joined us.  Osric shook his head, "I am beginning to think that gaining cattle is more trouble than it is worth.  It invites thieves."

"This was poisonous seed planted by the treacherous William of Morpeth.  It is as well we prepared our people well and provided food for them.  Did you lose any men?"

"Our men at arms were all on watch and they died raising the alarm. Had they not done so then we would be dead."

I could not wait for spring. "I will base Edward and half of my men at arms here.  Edward can be the lord of Norton."

I looked in their faces for resentment but all that I saw was relief. "That is a wise decision, Alfraed." Osric clapped me on my back, "You speak true and do not spare feelings.  It is what your father would have done. Edward is a good man and will make a fine lord of Norton.  We will do all that we can to aid him."

I went inside with them while my archers collected the bodies and made a pyre of them.  There was little to be had from their emaciated bodies.  Their weapons could be melted down and Alf could make ploughshares.  We had been very fortunate and I knew it.  Had these men been led by knights then there might have been a different outcome. My men at arms returned sometime later.

Edward dismounted, "They fled rather than fight my lord.  They were bandits."

I shook my head, "There were men with starving families. William of Morpeth sent them here to reclaim the cattle."

"Truly?  Then we should go an teach him a lesson in manners."

"There is little point.  He will deny it and the men who could have gainsaid him are dead." I put my arm around his shoulders, "Edward I wish you to be lord of Norton and be based here."

"But Osric and Athelstan…"

"Are both happy about it. Chose six of the men at arms and six of the archers.  Wulfric and Dick will be with me but you may choose your own.  You know them as well as I."

He nodded his acceptance, "We will come and get my war gear tomorrow."

"I charge you with defending Norton. I know you have few men with which to do so but you have a soldier's eye for defence. I know you can make this plum hard to pick. When I am summoned by the King for service you, as will Wulfstan, shall be with me."

"Aye my lord." He paused, "Thank you for the chance, my lord. Until I was hired by you in Northallerton I was doomed to wander the land hiring out my sword.  I now have a home and it is thanks to you."

As we knew it would the winter eventually ended.  We had escaped remarkably well.  We had lost farmers and a few warriors but having had the raid by the desperate men we knew that others had fared worse.  Our animals, too, had survived.  We put them out to pasture as soon as we could and were gratified when they put on weight and showed signs that they had young. When Olaf and his ship headed up the river then we knew that winter was finally over. We had survived. We had not beaten winter but we had shown him that he could not defeat us.

The winter ended and the green land was slowly revealed as the snows melted and the frost ceased. Adela had the slaves and the servants begin to clean out the castle and the halls. Our extra guests had long since returned to their farms and the castle seemed emptier.  This was exacerbated by the fact that Edward and half of my men now lived in Norton. I found I had more space in my own home now.  I could sit and think without being disturbed.

As it was coming up to Easter and all that that entailed I sat with John and went though the finances of the manor. It was coming up to the annual collection of taxes. My position as defender to the valley would mean nothing to the officials who would travel from York to scrutinise my accounts.

"You are doing well my lord.  There is a healthy surplus.  The extra cattle and gold were unexpected and we can pay whatever taxes are demanded of us."

"Can we afford more men at arms?"

He frowned.  He was a clerk and not a soldier, "It would be better if a knight came to serve you.  It would incur less expense."

I sighed, "I have told you before, John, knights are rare in these parts.  We are the poorer end of the country.  If I could induce a young landless knight to serve then I would. So, answer me, can we afford more men at arms?"

"Aye my lord we can."

I smiled, "Good, then we shall hire some and can we make improvements to the castle and the town?

He brightened a little, "The castle? Aye my lord.  What have you in mind?"

"We need a stable block. The animals did provide some warmth this winter but I fear the smell in the summer is a poor trade."

"We could do that quite easily.  We can fit one between the keep and the northern wall.  You said the town, my lord; what improvements did you plan?"

"The roads in the town were deadly this winter and now they are a quagmire.  I would have stones laid.  We need a stone jetty.  The wooden piles are unsatisfactory.  And we need a church."

"I can see the need for a church, my lord, but that is expensive. If we built one then we would not be able to do the other things you wish."

I knew he was right, "We need the improvements.  They will encourage more people to come to live here and we will make more from taxes."

"The town burghers should incur some of those costs my lord." He hesitated, "Perhaps a council?"

"Perhaps. But in terms of the costs I can use some of the monies from the sessions to pay for civic improvements."

"They are yours by right, my lord but it would be a source of revenue."

"Good.  Have notices prepared.  We will have our first session of the year seven days after Easter. I will speak with Alf and Ethelred and see if they would wish to form a council."

As I was preparing to leave Adela entered. "You are going out, my lord?"

"Yes, my lady. I go to Stockton to speak with the people there."

"I hoped that we could resume our weekly circuits of the town together now that winter has released his icy grip."

"Of course but I warn you this may be boring for I will be speaking business with my tradesmen."

"A walk with you, my lord, is never boring." She smiled, "And it is almost Easter."

I donned a cloak for there was still a chill wind blowing from the east.  I spoke with every man who had a trade in the town and suggested the formation of a council.  Ethelred was the only one who was suspicious.  He had done well from the growth of the town and had become rich.  I think he worried about having to spend some of his money. We arranged to hold the first meeting the day before the sessions in my hall. There was nowhere large enough in the town. I saw the wisdom in John's suggestion.

The next day I had Harold prepare Scout for I needed to visit Norton and my farms. John would accompany me with his wax tablet. The King's tax man would want to extract every coin he could from my farmers and they needed to be prepared. Once again, Adela approached me.  "I would deem it an honour, my lord, if I could accompany you."

"This will not be like a pleasant stroll around my town, Adela, this will be a long ride.  You would be all day in the saddle."

"I have been cooped up here for over six months my lord.  I would see something of the world even if it is only Norton.  It was my home once."

After we had visited Wulfstan we headed east and, Norton.  I was pleased I had brought her for she was lively company and remarked on many things I had taken for granted.  She saw ways that the farmers might improve their fields and their homes.  John scribbled away and nodded at her ideas. The first thing we did was to visit the church and Father Peter. We had decisions to make.

"Father Peter, the last winter was so severe that we could not come to church as often as we would have liked. I believe we need a church in Stockton."

"You are right, my lord, but I cannot be in two places at once."

"No, we need a priest too."

He nodded, "I will write to the Abbot at Guisborough. There may be one of the lay brothers there who wishes to become a priest.  It will take time to build a church."

"It will indeed."

We stayed too long at Adela's former home.  I enjoyed talking with Edward, Osric and Athelstan. My father's warriors were more content now that Edward was there to manage the defence of the manor. I saw that he and his men had worked to improve the defences of the village which had grown beyond the walls of the hall. The damage from the attack had been repaired and the walls were solid once more. It was getting towards dark when we headed south.

As we rode back I was silent.  Adela asked, "What bothers you, my lord?"

"I am thinking about those hungry men we killed in the winter. They were only doing what any man would do.  They were trying to feed their families."

"We must have laws, my lord."

"I know, John, but that did not make what we did right."

Adela leaned over and put her hand on mine."

"You think too much, my lord. It was the lord of their manor who was at fault.  You cannot be responsible for everyone."

"I know."

To clear my mind of such dark thoughts and guilt I threw myself into the manor. When we held the first council meeting John and I helped Alf and the others create a set of rules.  Ethelred was the stumbling block for many ideas the others on the council had.  Eventually I used my authority. "Ethelred, you are now a wealthy man." He smiled and nodded.  "That wealth has come, largely because I allow you to operate a ferry on my river." I emphasised the word river. "The King's authority to me extends along the length of the Tees.  If I choose to award the ferry to another man then what would you do for income? Rely on your tanner? Perhaps I should tax the exports of hides?"

"My lord, this is unfair! I am an honest man.  Is it a sin to try to make money?"

"No but it is a sin not to use that money for good. I am going to have a church built in the town.  I could ask for a tithe from every burgher in the town and the church and the King would approve. However if I am willing to pay for the church then I would expect you, Ethelred the rich, to improve other aspects of the town."

He subsided a little, "My lord, it sounds as though you are threatening my livelihood."

I laughed, "Of course I am!"

Alf and the others all joined in the laughter at Ethelred's expense. The smith smiled, "I will explain it to him over a jug of ale my lord. He cannot see beyond his tight purse strings. We are all more than happy to pay for civic improvements.  We will all benefit in the long run.  But, my lord, if I could suggest a fair when you hold the next sessions.  There will be many strangers in the town and we can all profit." He nudged Ethelred in his ribs, "Especially those who operate the ferry."

It was Ethelred's turn to laugh. "I had forgotten the sessions.  Forgive me lord.  Alf is right; I must take the broader view and think of others."

Ethelred would never change.  He would always think of himself first but his enterprise was good for trade and that meant we all profited.

The sessions and the fair went well and I even managed to hire three more men at arms and two archers.  They had come to the sessions with a claim against the smith of Hartness and they stayed to serve me. William the Mason and John worked on the plans for the new church which would be built at the western end of the town on a rising piece of land.  It was a clever piece of planning for it meant that when the people in the town looked west they would see both the church and the castle.  In the summer we would be framed against the sunset and be a physical reminder of the power of God and the King.

When the tax man arrived we were all prepared to pay our due but that was not the most important aspect of his visit.  He brought a missive from Robert of Gloucester. The normally officious official was almost humble when he went through my books.  I left him with John while I read the letter. I read it twice to make sure that I had understood it properly. The tax collector, Roger of Ripon, looked at me when I put down the letter.

"It is grave news is it not, my lord?"

I nodded, "It is." John and Adela had questions written all over their faces. I held the letter up. "The lords north of the Eden have risen in revolt.  There is a threat to the King's authority.  We are summoned to war."

I sent riders to all of my knights and ordered them to Stockton. This would be the first time I met my new knight, the lord of Normanby, Sir Guiscard d'Abbeville.  I would have visited with him before had it not been for the wolf winter. Edward and Wulfstan rode over directly. I showed them the orders. "Wulfstan, I will not leave the valley undefended. I wish you to stay.  I will leave four of my men at arms to help you."

I saw the relief on his face.  His third child had been born during the coldest part of the winter.  His second son, Thomas, would be a hardy warrior when he grew. Aiden's hand had healed and he had not lost the use of this other fingers as we had feared. He wore the fur of the wolf which had taken his finger as a reminder of how close he came to death.  As he said to me, "I wear death on my back; it is fitting that the dead wolf should protect me still."

When the other four knights arrived I discovered that they had suffered badly during the harsh winter.  The wolves had decimated their flocks and outlying farms.  All were keen for war as that meant profits. Success breeds success. The castle was full on that last night before we left for war and we ate well. Adela sat on my right hand side.  During the meal she leaned over and asked, "How long will you be away?"

I shrugged.  "It could be as it was when we went north and over in a few days or it could be like the Welsh campaign and last weeks.  Why?"

"I wondered if you might be back by Midsummer's Eve."

I smiled as I remembered my promise. "If I am not back then you can send me a message with your answer."

"I can give you the answer now."

I shook my head, "I said you had a year to think and I will not go back on my word.  Who knows what may happen. I may be wounded and disfigured so that you may not even want me."

She shook her head violently, "Do not say that but it would matter not.  It is the man beneath the skin that I would wed."

We were both aware of the sudden silence which had descended.  When I looked around the table I saw a sea of smiles.

When we left the next morning for the gathering at Carlisle, we showed that we had learned our lessons.  We had more rounceys, sumpters and palfreys to carry all of our war gear and tents. The wolf winter had given us time to make leather and linen tents.  The surplus of cattle hides had proved useful. It was also the first time I left feeling sad as I saw a tearful Adela waving from the north gate. She and John would have to run the Manor while we were away. It was also the first time that the people of Stockton came to wave us off.  I was touched. There were my folk and they were showing it.

We each had a squire and I put them in charge of the destrier and our weapons. Wulfric commanded, as he had before, the men at arms and they followed the squires. Dick and the archers rode ahead. We were slowed by the crossbowmen and those archers who had no horses but it could not be helped.  Not all the lords were as well off as Edward, Richard and myself.

I used the first leg of the journey to the castle at Barnard to get to know Guiscard d'Abbeville.  He was Norman and the manor of Normanby was his reward for bravery during the border wars against Anjou. After his first winter he was wondering if it had been a mistake to accept the title.

"You cannot upset the King, my friend, and Normanby is a fine manor."

"But you cannot grow wheat there!"

"Have your farmers tried?"

"I was told…"

"Do not listen to those who say you cannot.  Try and then you will know.  And if you cannot grow wheat then rye and oats can be grown. Trade for wheat. Our river teems with salmon.  Encourage fishermen. Your land has iron in the hills.  Trade that."

He nodded as thought considering the ideas.  After a short while he ventured, "I am told that you are not Norman.  You are a Saxon brought up in the Eastern Empire."

"Half Saxon but I feel English rather than anything else. It is in my blood."