The Temporal Knights (10 page)

Sir Æthelnoth and his men sat calmly on their mounts as General Peebles gave the signal to move out, but once the first truck started up all hell broke loose. The noise of the engines was considerable, especially against the utter quiet of the calm English morning. All of the horses immediately spooked, and Sir Ældwin’s mount took him on a half mile run before the knight could get the horse back under control. He did not attempt to rejoin the group, but instead trotted along after them at a distance. The Ealdorman and his other knights envied him, and could barely contain their own terror at the rumbling of the strange wagons the strangers called trucks. But the strangers were clearly unconcerned with the noise and even climbed willingly into the bellies of the noisy beasts.

Dr. Rice was watching the locals closely, and could see the fear reflected in their eyes, so he went to the closest truck and quickly untied the canvas covering, and pulled it back to show them that the men were indeed safe and sound, sitting quietly on two long benches.

The Ealdorman swallowed hard, wondering just what kind of beast would allow its skin to be peeled back, but he found the courage to remain in the vicinity, feeling at least a little better, but not much.

After several anxious moments they finally began to move out and Æthelnoth was astounded that the wagons did indeed move on their own, though at a very, very slow pace, but despite their sluggish movements, the vehicles were still very impressive to the locals. The speed of the convoy was slow because Peebles refused to move ahead of the twin towing vehicles which were pulling the alien ship along. Over this terrain Matt thought it best to keep below ten miles an hour for safety. But their slow pace buoyed Æthelnoth’s confidence somewhat; magical and strange these men might be, but they would not be surprising anyone overmuch, though again he had to wonder how they managed to move so far into his lands undetected.

The trip took just over four hours, and created a circus type atmosphere around Æthelnoth’s Burh. The Ealdorman and his men felt a wave of relief as they reached the outskirts of the walled town, feeling somewhat safe for the first time since meeting up with this strange army moving across their lands. By now the knights of Somerset had grown accustomed to the noise of the trucks and Æthelnoth took great pleasure in the obvious fear and awe showed them by his people. Most hid behind rocks, trees or ran screaming to hide behind the wooden walls of the small town.

And the town was small…surprisingly so, and only consisted of perhaps forty or fifty buildings within the protective walls. There were also a few dozen structures huddled sadly outside the perimeter, but only a couple of these looked to be dwellings. From just outside the walls, Peebles could see a large three story building near the center of town, but to him it appeared to be just a large house and definitely not a castle like he was expecting. Granted there was a stone tower built on one side, but otherwise it appeared to be a large manor house. As far as he could tell there was no drawbridge, no moat, no turrets save the one, all in all Athelney was rather disappointing. Within the walls, the town was crowded and very dirty and smelled strongly of unwashed bodies and urine; every road was a mass of mud and filth. From its size, Peebles guessed that Æthelney’s population was no more than three or four hundred.

The Ealdorman rode out in front of the expedition and was pleased to see that the strangers carefully avoided the cultivated fields. He led them to a lightly forested area adjacent to the banks of a small river, just south of the main gate. It took a bit of time to arrange the vehicles properly but eventually they parked and were mercifully turned off. There was only a half-hearted greeting from the people of the town, most were still fearful and stayed hidden, but some seeing the Ealdorman and the other knights mingling with the strangers, grew daring and came out to meet them. Most of these were peasant children and a handful of bold men, but there were a few women and young girls sprinkled in. It was the females, young and old, that instantly caught the attention of the strangers. At first the Ealdorman was concerned by their intensity, thinking they might have theft and rape on their minds, but after a moment he recognized the reverence in the men’s eyes. He was reminded of his stay at the Abbey in Westminster. During his brief visit he met a nun who claimed to have seen the face of God. Her eyes had the same fervent appearance about them. It was the same look the men reserved for Eve, and he quickly realized that his womenfolk would be safe. Æthelnoth thought it likely that some terrible calamity had befallen the womenfolk of these strangers, mayhap death, mayhap capture and slavery. They would bear watching, but he did not think they meant any harm.

General Peebles was also worried about this first meeting between his men and the women of the land, but he too recognized the look in the eyes of his fellow soldiers. Human life had taken on a new meaning for them all, especially female human life. Women were something to be truly cherished, and he realized immediately that he would have no trouble from any of them. Lust was not a component of his men’s expressions; it was entirely missing and replaced by wonder and awe. He was positive that the men would police their own behavior far better than he could.

The trucks were parked in orderly rows where they would sit unused unless absolutely necessary. Gasoline was now a very rare commodity and needed to be strictly rationed. The Humvees however, were parked directly out front in such a way that they could be deployed quickly, with a few dispersed throughout the new camp in order to cover against any possible attack. The tents went up that first day with quiet efficiency, much to the General’s amusement since he had not ordered them to make camp. He let it go however, sensing that the men were full of nervous energy, eager yet currently unwilling, to mingle with the local females. Despite his age, Stephen Peebles found that he shared their feelings and was very aware of the growing number of girls who were overtly studying them from afar.

They’d just finished setting up camp when a messenger from the Ealdorman appeared and invited the General and twenty of his men into the Hall for a feast, apologizing that he could not fit more. The messenger then assured them that a due number of hogs and cattle would be slaughtered so that all could share in the upcoming meal, and of course, there would be plenty of mead and wine available. The messenger also mentioned that the Lord of Somerset had sent out riders to notify the surrounding counties of their presence so that they could send proper greetings.

Peebles nodded that he understood, but couldn’t help but notice that the man before him acted just a bit uneasy as he passed along this news, and wondered about it. He left Sergeant Moore and Staff Officer Logan in charge of the camp, with orders to indulge themselves in moderation, but a perimeter guard must always be present and the M60’s manned. He was absolutely confident that his orders would be carried out to the letter.

He then gathered his team together; they consisted of Colonel Lemay, Major Thane, Rice, and Robertson, who carried along a small computer tablet. He also brought along Giles, Sadao, Jefferies, Private Brooks, and Captain Hersey. Only ten men in all, the General did not want to overwhelm his new friends, and felt it would be easier to watch and control a smaller group.

“I don’t need to tell you men,” he said addressing them outside his tent, “that the next few hours and days are crucial to the success of our mission. Be alert. Be careful. Be courteous.” Most smiled at him, excited, though he knew they shared his nervousness.

They moved out with an armed escort from the Ealdorman, which was not overly threatening since it consisted of only two men. Matt was giddy with expectation as he picked his way through the mud and filth of town’s streets. The wooden buildings that made up Athelney were crammed together tightly, with barely an alley between them and the roads were exceedingly narrow, barely wide enough to allow three horses to walk abreast. The place was definitely a fire hazard but thankfully everything appeared to be thoroughly soaked. However, despite the recent rains, the stench of the town was barely tolerable but even so Matt was as excited as he’d ever been in his life. From the moment he first caught a glimpse of a woman
here, he was bubbling over with anticipation to talk to one of them. He’d forgotten just how much he enjoyed the company of females.

Dr. Rice was equally excited, not only to speak to the women of this time but also the men, to find out exactly how they thought, what they truly believed in and how they lived on a daily basis. It would be fascinating, and his head bobbed and jerked this way and that as he tried to take in every detail and nuance of his surroundings.

The Main Hall was large; perhaps four stories tall, impressive, but not overly so, with a round tower built onto one side, like an afterthought. The Hall itself was made entirely of white stone, the only stone building in town. The only windows on the front face were located well above ground level, and were heavily shuttered, probably to guard against an attack. A large door was located directly in the middle of the front of the Hall, and was made of wooden beams perhaps six inches thick, but what intrigued Matt and the rest, was the portcullis, a metal gate which could be raised or lowered directly in front of the door. Inside, the Hall was dominated by a huge room, which was conveniently called the Manor Hall and took up three-quarters of the lower level. The ceiling was very high; probably three stories up and was heavily beamed.
Hanging from the ceiling were a great number of flags and pennants. Each one was different, but they were all colorfully designed, though what they represented none of the Americans could say. Just under the windows and along three sides ran a narrow, wooden balcony. At the moment there were a half a dozen bowmen gazing down at the hall from above, weapons in hand. Peebles and Lemay frowned together, but said nothing and the others paid the men no mind.

On either side of the great hall, a pair of very narrow staircases spiraled up past tapestries, shields, and a wide selection of medieval weapons. On the north side of the hall, the stairs angled past a large wooden shield displaying what Rice believed to be the Ealdorman’s coat of arms, before reaching the balcony above. The room itself was dominated by two enormous oak tables, which looked impossibly heavy and must have been built inside the hall, since they would never have fit through the front door, even if they could be lifted. The tables ran down the entire length of the room on either side, but the Hall was so large that there was still ample room between the two for dancing and performing or what not. The other dominating feature was an enormous fireplace, which stood on the north wall, complete with a large wooden mantel, and a blazing fire. Out in front of the fireplace was another smaller, though much more ornate table. Gordon Rice gasped at the magnificence of the room, and the others concurred with his sentiments.

“Brutish?” Peebles whispered to him jokingly. Rice only smiled.

The Ealdorman, who was conversing with a group of local men and a finely dressed lady, turned as they entered. He smiled a greeting and escorted the woman over to them. He was curious to see how these strangers would react to a situation where he was clearly in control, where they were firmly under his power and goodwill.  He made a quick check to make sure his archers were in position on the balconies and that his huscarls were guarding the main door. Everything was in order, but as he approached the newcomers he was surprised to see that the General had brought along less than a score of men. The Ealdorman frowned. The strangers did not appear to be very worried at all.

“Ho Genaral...me wife, the Lady Merwinna of Somerset,” he said obviously proud of her, and though Merwinna knew herself to be no beauty, she suddenly felt like the Virgin Mother herself as she approached these tall, exotic strangers. They were very aware of her presence, and she was very aware of the rapt attention they were giving her...all of them, not one seemed distracted by the surrounding activities. They each watched her approach with such a mixture of open admiration, awe and lust that she found herself blushing strongly like a young maid. She gave them a helpless smile as she tried to control her emotions, and from that moment on she was very much moved in favor of these strangers despite her husband’s apprehension. They were clearly well bred and gentlemen.

“My Lady,” Peebles said bowing, and though the smell in the hall was nearly overwhelming the General couldn’t help but notice that the Ealdorman had recently bathed. Merwinna remained speechless by the enthralled attention of the men before her.

“Come,” the Ealdorman said confused by his wife’s lack of words. He motioned to the long table to the right of the fireplace.

“Ye’ve met me son Harden,” he said as they came upon the young lad, who nodded and smiled a greeting. Then the Ealdorman made all around introductions, of which seven included the knights of the day before, but there were enough newcomers, knights and area noblemen alike, to thoroughly confuse the General. Peebles absently hoped that Dr. Rice was keeping all their names straight. Other local notables included Father Gillian, a priest and long ago Irishman, and Leoforic, the fifteen-year-old son of the Earl of Mercia, cousin of the King. His father was the nobleman directly responsible for the lands of Northern England, which included Yorkshire. But it was the women of the group who held sway over Peebles and his men.

The Ealdorman and his wife sat at the end of one table, and General Peebles was placed next to Merwinna on his right and Sir Oldalf was on his left and then came Colonel Lemay, then the Lady Cronin, then Sir Tomkin Cronin, and so on. They were placed in such a way that there were several locals, one of which was a knight in between any two of the strangers, and so that the newcomers were spread out throughout the hall. General Peebles noticed the ominous seating arrangements, as did Colonel Lemay, but if the others under his command were aware of the possible danger, they gave no sign.