The Heart of the Lion (12 page)

Chapter IV

THE SICILIAN ADVENTURE

T
he English fleet had arrived from Marseilles and lay off the

Sicilian capital. There were a hundred galleys and fourteen large busses in which were soldiers, provisions, arms and horses. Pennants and banners fluttered in the wind and from the shore the Sicilians marvelled.

Tancred was seized by a great fear. This mighty fleet belonged to the brother of Joanna who was now his prisoner. What would Richard do when he arrived? Fortunately for Tancred Richard was not yet there. He had left Marseilles before the fleet and had come via a different route, but Tancred had to face the fact that he could reach Messina at any time now.

The Sicilians, who had heard stories of Richard’s might, and knowing that their King had imprisoned his sister believed that the King of England had come in anger, trembled to contemplate what might happen next.

Meanwhile the French fleet limped into Messina. It had been beset by severe storms and it was said that only a miracle had saved it from disaster. As it was horses and provisions had had to be thrown overboard to lighten the ships and save men’s lives.

It was with some relief that Tancred received Philip and his men. They were in a sorry state and needed shelter and the time to repair the damage to their ships; but at least this was the King of France and the storm’s havoc could only be a temporary setback. It seemed to Tancred that if he fêted Philip he could find an ally in him but when he looked at the magnificent ships of the King of England and compared them with the shattered ones of the King of France, he was uneasy. All the same he felt he might be in urgent need of help, and Philip was at least King of France.

Tancred entertained Philip in his own palace and told him how much he admired his resolve to go and fight the Infidel.

‘How I wish I could go with you,’ he told him. ‘It would be the desire of my life fulfilled.’

‘Why not join us?’ asked Philip slyly.

‘I have just taken over this kingdom.’

‘Ah yes, and your presence is needed here I see. You fear that Henry of Germany might take action on behalf of his wife if you were not here to protect your newly acquired possession.’

Tancred shifted uneasily.

‘When one has possessions,’ he said, ‘one has to be constantly prepared for enemies.’

‘In particular when others feel they have a prior claim to them,’ added the King of France.

Tancred was unsure whether the King of France would be with him or against him. He had heard that there was a friendship between the Kings of France and England but he did not altogether believe that those two monarchs could be anything but rivals and therefore enemies.

He said: ‘As you know the sister of the King of England is in Palermo.’

‘Your prisoner,’ added Philip.

‘Scarcely that. She is . . .’

‘Under restraint?’ Philip suggested.

‘She had to be prevented from communicating with my enemies.’

Philip shrugged his shoulders.

‘Your losses must be great,’ said Tancred. ‘I hear the storm was terrible.’

‘It was nearly the end of us.’

‘You must at this time be in need of money.’

‘There is rarely a time in a king’s life when he is not in need of money.’

Tancred leaned forward a little. ‘I am rich,’ he said.

‘Ah yes, you . . . er . . . inherited great wealth recently, I know.’

‘If I could be of use to you . . .’

Philip looked at him shrewdly. ‘You would bargain with me?’ he asked.

‘I would wish to help you, my lord. Would you call that bargaining?’

‘You are new to our profession,’ said the King of France. ‘It is customary when one King helps another that he requires to be paid for it.’

‘I would be amply paid by your friendship.’

‘The friendship of the King of France would have to go at a somewhat high price. Come, my friend. You see out there the galleys of the King of England and because you hold his sister captive you fear he comes in wrath. You perceive that you may need powerful friends and lo, here is one sent to your shores as if by Heaven.’

‘I am ready to pay dearly,’ said Tancred.

‘You greatly fear the King of England, Tancred, I perceive.’

‘They say he is a mighty warrior but not more so than the King of France.’

‘Then they lie. There is not a better general in the world than King Richard. There is not a more courageous fighter. On the battlefield he has the strength of ten men and is worth twenty. Perhaps I can vie with him in strategy. Perhaps I can outwit him with words. If you could choose your ally you should choose Richard, but since you cannot, for he is the enemy, you are perforce obliged to try for me.’

Tancred was bemused. He did not understand the King of France. He fancied he mocked him, but he was in too desperate a position not to seize any chance that came his way.

‘I can offer you a fortune in money,’ he said. ‘If you will allow your son Louis to be betrothed to one of my daughters.’

Philip shook his head sadly. ‘The King of England and I have sworn an oath. We are going together to the Holy Land.’

Tancred knew then that he could not expect Philip to help him stand against Richard.

The Sicilian people were crowding on to the beaches for on the horizon appeared a wonderful array. The rest of the English fleet was approaching and with it came King Richard.

Those who had already arrived mingled with the French and told each other that this would be a day of rejoicing.

Near to land came the ships. The sea was frothy with the motion of the oars and on the decks stood the men, the sun shining on their polished armour; banderols fluttered with the pennants and banners. Never before had the Sicilians seen such a glorious array. Trumpets rang out; those on the shore who had been awaiting the arrival of their leader began to cheer. The French as well as the English expressed their delight that King Richard had arrived safely at Messina.

Philip, hearing the tumult and seeing the magnificent array of ships off the coast, smiled wryly to compare them with his own fleet. A fair escort, he thought, for the most handsome of kings; and because he longed to see Richard, to take his hands and look up into those ice-blue eyes which could warm on occasions, he went down to the shore to be among those who first greeted him.

There was a hush among the people as Richard came ashore. He certainly had the bearing of a god. None was as tall as he, none stood so straight, none had those clean cut beautifully modelled features, that brilliantly fair colouring.

Philip forgot all enmity, all rivalries as he went forward to greet him.

They embraced not as rival kings but as the dearest friends they were at such moments.

‘I feared for you,’ said Philip.

‘Did you doubt then that I would come?’

‘I knew only major disaster could prevent you. But alas such disasters there can be. See how my own fleet suffered.’

‘’Twill not delay you?’

‘Nay. I hope to leave at once for Acre . . . now you are come.’

Richard nodded and arm in arm the Kings of France and England left the beach.

Philip accompanied him to the house set among vineyards which belonged to a certain Reginald de Muschet who had felt himself honoured to place it at the King’s disposal.

‘So you got there first,’ said Richard. ‘Who would have believed it when I saw you on your sickbed in Genoa!’

‘My illness passed as soon as I had seen you, and I set out.’

‘Determined to be here first.’

‘That I might be here to greet you,’ said Philip with a smile. ‘You look . . . magnificent.’

‘It has been a long journey. Acre is only fifteen days away. How soon shall we set out?’

‘You know what is happening here. You know Tancred is now the King.’

‘I had heard he had taken the crown on William’s death. That is an affair for the King of Germany.’

‘He has imprisoned your sister.’

Richard’s face turned pale. ‘For what reason?’

‘She has opposed Tancred. He is a usurper, she declares.’

‘If he will give me her dowry back, which is what I have come to claim, I should have no quarrel with him. But if he has imprisoned my sister by God he shall free her.’

‘I thought that was what you would say, and I trust this matter will not delay your stay in Messina.’

‘I shall certainly see that my sister receives her dues,’ said Richard. ‘I will send a message at once to Tancred demanding her release and the return of her dowry. By God’s eyes, if the man does not free her and return her dowry I will take the whole of Sicily from him.’

‘Send to him then without delay. I have no doubt that he, trembling, awaits your commands.’

In her apartments in the Palermo palace Joanna knew that great events were on the way. Tancred had come with all speed to Palermo and her guards had suddenly become more respectful.

From one of the women who were in attendance she heard that the English fleet had arrived at Messina and that the King of France was there with his, which had been considerably battered by the storm. When it seemed that Richard’s arrival was imminent, Tancred had apparently thought it wise to leave Messina for Palermo.

And Richard would soon be here – the handsome invincible brother. She exulted at the thought. She spent long periods watching from the window expecting to see him riding into Palermo any day.