Northern Knight (3 page)

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."

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."

"No, Baron, honour demands that we help you. There are responsibilities to power as well as rewards." He turned to his nephew.  "You swore an oath to protect the Empress.  You have to go with the Baron."

"What of La Cheppe?"

"We will protect that for you." He leaned forward. "I must warn you, however of the dangers you face.  Lothair will do all in his power to stop you leaving.  If you do manage to escape with the Empress and reach here then you will have to run the gauntlet of Louis of France and Charles of Flanders.  I can only protect you within Lorraine.  Beyond that…"

I smiled, "Count, you have given me hope! I feared that our journey would end somewhere in the Empire.  With your nephew and his men at my side then I believe we can overcome whatever comes our way."

Edward looked unhappy about something, "Baron, we have a long way to go and then to return.  We will need more horses or these will be dead on their feet before too long." He looked at the Count.  "We could not take the Count's horses so where shall we get them?"

"Your man is right, Baron, but you may well be able to get horses in Worms.  Unless the Emperor is dead the Empress will still have influence.  I would get as many horses as you can when you reach there. You should also buy as many supplies before the Emperor is dead.  Use her influence while she has it.  Once the Emperor is dead then you will need to sleep with one eye open!"

I nodded, "They are both good suggestions.  Thank you, Count, and we will leave first thing in the morning.  I would not wish to bring any more attention to you than we have.  Besides which I feel that we ought to get to Worms as quickly as possible."

"Then my sons, Geoffrey and Raymond, will escort you as far as my borders. It will deter any would be attackers."

It was a powerful force which left the Count's castle. Dick and Aiden were accompanied by some of the Count's scouts.  They did not understand each others' language but they were all woodsmen and they communicated somehow. We were approaching the borders of the Count's land when they all galloped in. My men reported to me while the Count's scouts reported to Geoffrey and Raymond.

"My lord, just beyond the borders there is a force of knights awaiting us.  They are the men of Flanders.  I recognised the livery."

I had wondered about this. While we were protected in Lorraine by the Count of Bar's men we would be safe but once beyond the borders then we were fair game. They would wait until we were a smaller conroi and then attack. "How many are there?"

"It is hard to say.  When we spied them the Count's men rode back here."

"Just a guess then, Dick."

"I saw twenty banners."

"That means at least twenty knights.  Add another hundred men at arms and we are outnumbered." I stroked my beard. "Archers?"

"We saw a company of crossbowmen.  I would say no more than twenty of them."

"They outnumber our archers then?"

Dick laughed, "My lord, we are archers! They will fill their breeks when our arrows rain upon them."

I nudged Scout to join the Count's sons.  "It seems they know you will be returning home.  Thank you for your help thus far."

Sir Geoffrey laughed, "If you think that we will turn back at our borders and let our kinsmen be slaughtered then you do not know us, Baron."

Sir Raymond nodded, "Besides our borders are notoriously badly mapped."

"You are sure?"

"Our cousin did well when he fought with you.  We will take our chances."

I looked at the sky.  There were about two hours until dusk. "Good then let us walk into this trap.  Dick, come here, this is what I want us to do."

Once everyone knew exactly what I intended I sent Dick and the archers, along with Aiden off to the north of the road. I sent Sir Geoffrey and Sir Raymond with their men at arms to the south of the road and then I led my knights into the trap so carefully laid by the Count of Flanders.

It looked as though we were unsuspecting but we were not.  Our casual gait belied the careful preparations we had made. I had Edward to my left. Behind us were our squires. They were laughing and joking as I had ordered. Then came Sir Guy and his squire.  Edgar led my men at arms and those of Sir Guy.  They rode in a four wide column   That was deliberate.  They were our largest force.  They had to fight as one. The last three would guard the baggage when the trap was sprung. The rest would form a solid phalanx to come to our aid when we were attacked. It was eerily reminiscent of the ambush when we had had the Empress with us.  The difference was that we had no woman to protect and we had no traitors fighting in our ranks. There was a rise ahead.  The men of Flanders had hidden behind the rise. I guessed that they had a man watching to signal them for as we rode down the old Roman Road they appeared on the rise with lances and gonfanon.  Dick had estimated well. There were twenty of them. I could see a second line of another twenty men at arms. Their flanks had ten crossbows protected by another twenty spears. Finally I could just see the spears of more foot soldiers behind the men at arms. This was a powerful body of warriors.

Edward said, "Someone wants us dead, Baron."

"Let us try to disappoint them then."

The ambushers steadied their line and came down towards us.  They came confidently keeping knee to knee. These were experienced knights who knew their business. Our squires flanked us.  Sir Guy and his squire made us six deep at the front.  Behind us the twenty eight men at arms rode in seven lines.  I was going to use us as a battering ram to punch a hole in the enemy line.

This was not my warhorse, Star, I was riding but Scout was an intelligent horse and I intended to use intelligence to defeat these men of Flanders. I lowered my lance across my cantle as we trotted up the gentle slope towards them. I saw the crossbowmen to our left level their weapons as the spearmen protected them with an array of spears. If we were foolish enough to charge them then the battle would be over in the blink of an eye. They were not expecting the arrows which Dick rained upon them. They were taken in the flank.  Neither spears nor crossbows had any shields and the first three flights of arrows ended the threat from our left. I saw the leader of the knights, with a yellow shield and rampant lion, wave his arm.  The crossbows and the spears on their left flank hurried down the slope to begin to harass us. The enemy were so concerned with this column of men which advanced upon them that they did not see, until it was too late, the men at arms led by Sir Geoffrey and Sir Raymond which galloped across the hill to plunge their spears into the defenceless men. A horseman loves attacking archers or crossbows in the flank. The men of Bar needed no urging to fall like wolves on these sheep.

Their leader made the mistake of slowing down to decide what to do.  It was a mistake and I took my chance, "Charge!" They should have continued to move steadily down the slope but their leader had been distracted by the appearance of our allies.

I spurred Scout and he leapt forward. I aimed my spear at the leader.  He shouted "Charge!" too but it was a lifetime too late. I hunched down behind my shield and concentrated upon the cantle of his saddle. He may have heard of my technique for he tried to turn his horse away from my lance.  It was another mistake.  His lance went over my head and I stuck his shield square on. He began to fall away to the right. Without a cantle to stabilise him he fell off his horse and beneath the hooves of the men at arms who followed closely.

The men at arms who followed were not as tightly packed as the knights had been and when I saw the next line I had time to turn my lance to the man at arms on my right.  I pulled back my arm and risked standing slightly and leaning forward as I punched. It was a manoeuvre which allowed my lance to strike him just a moment before his struck me. The head of my lance tore through his mail and he fell off.  His weapon punched me on the side but his fall stopped the penetration as he fell from his horse.  My lance broken I sat down and drew my sword. I pulled Scout's reins to the right and rode along the line of men at arms. As I did so I saw that Sir Raymond and Sir Geoffrey had brought their knights to attack the far end of the line of men at arms.  My move had brought my knights to the nearer end of the enemy line and the remaining men at arms were like the nuts in a nut cracker.

They found men coming at them from both sides and they panicked. I brought my sword across the man at arms who tried to turn, very slowly, his lance to face me.  He had no defence against my blade which tore through his arm and his chest. I continued my turn so that Scout and I were amongst the men at arms, many of whom still had their lances.  They should have thrown them away and fought with their swords but their panic meant they clung on to the now useless weapons. I found myself behind a man at arms who was trying to turn his horse; it is not easy to shift eight feet of ash lance held before you and his slowness caused his death. I brought my sword down vertically to strike between his neck and his shoulder.  The sword ripped down and almost severed the arm.

As he fell from his saddle I had a clear view to the side where Dick and his archers had wrought such death amongst the crossbows.  I saw them still releasing arrows and the knights who remained had had enough and were fleeing. There were still a handful of men at arms who were not fighting and they joined the rout.  I used the time to look for my men.  Gille was down as was Edward but Harold, Sir Guy and his squire remained on their mounts. Sir Guy's cousins brought their weary horses next to mine. 

"A fine victory Baron Alfraed.  Had I not witnessed it then I would have thought the story of such a rout the work of a troubadour."

Sir Guy said, "I told you he is like a terrier.  He goes for the bull and cannot be shaken from its neck." He saw Sir Edward's empty saddle.  "Edward!"

We rode to the fallen knight and his squire. I could see blood.  Edward had been hit and wounded. I dismounted and after taking off my helmet pushed back my coif.  We had no Wulfric to heal them this time. I was relieved when he opened his eyes. "It is my shoulder, Baron.  But how is the boy?"

"I will tend to him in a moment. Harold! See to Gille!"

We took off Edward's helmet and his surcoat. I could see that the head of the lance had entered his left shoulder.  The force had torn through his mail and broken the links.  It had continued through his gambeson and into the flesh of his shoulder. The head had broken off and its shattered end stuck out. I looked up at Sir Guy, "Do you have a healer?"

He shook his head, "My uncle has a priest who has skill but…"

I nodded, "Then it will have to be me.  Have my archers build a fire and fetch water."

Harold appeared with a white faced Gille, "He was stunned when he was knocked from his horse.  He will live."

"How is Sir Edward?  He took the blow when I was knocked to the ground."

Edward opened his eyes.  He smiled weakly, "I am happy that you have survived." He winced as he tried to move.

"Lie still! I am no healer and not as gentle as Wulfric." I took out my dagger.  I knew that Wulfric would put the blade in a fire but my men were still gathering dried wood and kindling.  I had to risk it.  Blood was still coming from the wound.  Harold and Gill, hold his arms so that he does not move."

I took off my mailed gloves and wiped away some of the blood with the edge of the surcoat. I saw the edge of the wooden lance.  I put the tip of the dagger between the flesh and the wood.  I heard a grunt from Edward but that was all. I had to work quickly.  I began to pull the wood out with the dagger. At first it would not move.  I put my finger and thumb around one of the jagged edges and tried to pull.  The first time it was too slippery. I tried again and gripped even harder.  Suddenly the end popped out with a spurt of blood.  Harold was quick thinking and he jammed the surcoat over the wound.

Dick had got the fire going and his short sword was already in the flames as he began to heat it.  I had no cat gut to sew the wound together.  We would have to use fire.  "Gille, remove some of the links so that we can see the whole wound.  Harold, keep up the pressure." I stood for my hands were shaking.

Sir Guy put his arm around my shoulder.  "That was well done, Baron.  Wulfric could not have done better."

I shook my head, "Wait until I have staunched the bleeding before you heap praise upon my head."

Sir Raymond and Sir Geoffrey had taken their men at arms off when I had begun work and they now returned. "They have fled.  They left four dead knights and eight men at arms. Your archers slew all of the men with crossbows."