The King Is Dead (4 page)

"Where will they head, lord?"

"This road leads to Otterburn.  Dick and my archers are there. They will not get any further."

William showed that he was now becoming more thoughtful, "But they are rebels and Scots. Their lands are to the north."

"And they will try to take the road west, to Hawick.  That is in Scotland."

"Will they not try to go across country?"

Aelric laughed, "I wish they would, young lord, their heavy horses would struggle and my archers would have fine sport hunting them." He was right.  The moors and high grounds did not suit mailed men on heavy horses. They would have to stay on the roads.

My men were riding fresher horses.  We had not charged very far while the enemy had charged twice. They would tire sooner. Scout was eager to ride and we made good time on the twisting road south.  There were places they could turn off but each one was held by a garrison. Otterburn had no lord of the manor and just a tower. That was their best chance of escape. I had ten men at arms and ten archers with me.  The nine men we pursued would be caught. Sir Richard I knew. He had rebelled before.  The other two I did not although I recognised their liveries.  One was a Balliol and the other a de Vexin. I hoped to capture them.  They were worth more to us alive than dead for we could ransom them and I also wanted information.

"My lord could we not ride ahead?  Our horses are fresh and it will worry our prey."

"Aye Aelric, that is a good idea but be careful.  You are more valuable to me than these rebels."

Their horses took off like greyhounds.  I had no doubt that they would spy them before too long. The land began to rise to the pass which would allow us to spy out the land ahead and around.  I saw a knot of riders ahead. They were too far away to identify but John's sharp eyes saw that they had helmets.  It was the men we sought.  The dead ground ahead hid our archers from us but I had no doubt that the riders saw them. They sealed their own fate when they took off west. Hawick was just fifteen miles away but it would be across country.  They were going to risk the high moors on tired horses.  Aelric would be rubbing his hands.

"Wulfric we head west to cut them off."  Although our horses would also struggle on the rough ground we could cut the traitors off. Their eyes would be on Aelric and his archers.  I did not worry about my archers.  When they reached arrow range they would stop and loose arrows at the fleeing men.  They would wear them down.

There were paths and tracks across the moors; animals and hunters made them. They were not always straight but if you had the time to watch for them then they made easier going than the tussocks, rocks and hidden holes which would trap the unwary. Our enemies were fleeing.  They would not look for safe paths. We lost sight of the nine as they dropped into a lower piece of ground.  When they emerged, sometime later, I saw that there were but seven of them.  Two were missing. The seven survivors disappeared again and we focussed on negotiating the trail.  When they reappeared I saw that they were just a mile away and we were converging.

Wulfric shouted, "I can see Aelric.  He has their backs covered.  We have them."

They must have realised so too for they stopped and waited for us. As we approached they dismounted and I saw that one of the horses was lame. Even as we drew close its rider cut its throat. No horseman wanted his mount to suffer.  I saw that the seven who awaited us were the knights and squires.  Only one man at arms remained. I saw Aelric and his archers leading two horses.  I knew the fate of the two men at arms.

We, too, dismounted when we reached them, our horses needed rest. "Your swords!" With archers approaching and Wulfric glaring at them, they complied. John and William gathered the weapons. I took my water skin from Scout and drank. I wanted them to wonder at their fate. 

Aelric rode up. "The two men at arms tried to escape south." He grinned, "They didn't."

"So Sir Richard, a fruitless and less than honourable chase.  Who are your companions?"

"I am Robert de Balliol."

"I am Guillaume de Vexin."

I saw that the two knights were very young.  They looked to be recently knighted squires.  Sir Richard, in contrast, was the same age as Harold. "Do you give your word your will not try to escape or should I have you bound?" All of them nodded. "Is there ransom for you?"

The two younger knights shook their heads. "Then you will be taken to Durham for the justice of the Prince Bishop.  And you Sir Richard?"

"Aye."

I saw that the solitary man at arms had the livery of de Vere.  "You, ride to your master's family and tell them he will be held at Hexham until a ransom of a hundred gold pieces is paid.  If they want the squire too then it will be a hundred and ten."

I had done this enough to know the right amount.  It was a large although not excessive ransom.  Any less might have insulted the de Veres. They were a rich family with lands in Scotland, Normandy and England. Sir Richard nodded.  When his man at arms headed south I knew that he would be going to the land around Skipton.  There was a de Vere castle there. Guillaume de Vexin had been the knight who had slain his horse.  "Aelric give one of the captured horses to Sir Guillaume. You others, we ride to Otterburn. Aelric, ride to Norham.  We will join you there when these are safely ensconced in Hexham."

As we rode south I questioned them about their families. Their answers told me little I didn't know already but it encouraged them to talk and I learned more about Sir Guy de Senonches.  It became obvious that Gospatric had sent for him.  Sir Richard was quite scathing about the stance of the Earl of Northumbria who preferred to hire men to do his fighting for him. Although they did not mean to, they confirmed that Gospatric and the King of Scotland were working hand in hand.  King David would not break the peace but he would happily encourage others to do so. I was not worried about Gospatric; I had fought him many times.  He had never bested me.  It was Sir Guy who was a bigger threat.  The fact that I had had to let him go was my fault.  I should have brought more men with me. I could make myself the excuse that I was just making a progress but that was not the truth. I should have known there might be a greater danger. I had made the mistake of letting my knights enjoy their families.  I had only brought bachelor knights.  I would not be so generous the next time. I needed to become more ruthless.

Sir Guy had been willing to have captives murdered.  He was, as Wulfric had suggested, very like his father.  He waged war in a different way to me.  I would have to learn from him.  He might keep his promise not to attack in England but he would fight in Normandy. I needed to send a message to the Archbishop.  The King needed to know of this enemy. I had let him go and he would make his way back to King Louis and that would place him close to Normandy.

We reached Otterburn just before dark. Dick and his archers were there and we had a warm welcome. With just one door in the tower we were able to secure the prisoners easily. Otterburn had no lord of the manor but the Bishop had a castellan who worked the land close by. John of Trimdon had been a man at arms.  He and his sons were farmers but farmers who could handle weapons.  The tower was a bastion, a refuge in times of attack.  When we brought news that the danger was over those within returned to their homes and we had more room.

John of Trimdon was concerned about the potential attack. "We are remote here, my lord, and very close to the Scots. There is naught between us and the border.  Rothbury can send help but not quickly."

"Then you must improve the defences and train the men who farm the land." I pointed to Dick, "Dick, how many archers would you need to hold this tower?"

"Give me six men who know the war bow and we will hold this until judgement day." He looked at John. "You have a river yonder.  It would take little work to divert it and give you a barrier.  You and your sons have mighty backs can you not use a bow?" He nodded.  "Then you can train others.  Start tomorrow. The Earl here makes the men of the manor practise each Sunday."

"He is right, John of Trimdon.  I believe the threat has gone for a while but I will patrol the border for a month.  When I am to return to my home on the Tees I will come back this way.  I will see what improvements are made. And I will fetch weapons we took in battle.  We can, at least, arm you."

"Thank you, my lord.  You have comforted me much."

Wulfric and my men at arms escorted the prisoners to Hexham while I led my archers back to Norham. We went by the road to the east.  It was shorter but we still had fifty miles to travel. I was grateful that we all had such fine animals. We ate at Rothbury where I spoke with Sir John and told him what we had done.  "I will keep a close watch on Otterburn but we are precariously placed here too, my lord."

"Then like those in Otterburn you must use the men who work this land. You have a fine castle with a good position. You can stop an enemy until help reaches you. I would invest in some fast horses and messengers who can disappear in this land."

"But I thought we had peace."

"So did I but King Louis and King David think otherwise. There will be dark times ahead but we will prevail.  The Bishop is a good man."

"I would the King spent more time in England."

"As would I but Normandy must be held!"

We reached Norham by dark and my three knights were worried about me. I smiled, "It is comforting that you doubt my ability to escort seven men a few miles down the road."

Sir Hugh shook his head, "No, my lord, there are brigands about too.  When Leofric escorted the captives he was told that there were bands of outlaws who were flooding across the border.  They had raided even before the Frenchman."

I frowned.  Perhaps I would need to spend longer in this area. "Sir Hugh, you had best return home on the morrow. We will scour the land of these robbers.  I will make a few examples of them."

"Do you not need my men, my lord?"

"I need you to ensure that the Bishop's castles are all held.  Not enough is being done to train men to defend their land.  You are the exception.  I will give you authority to order defences to be strengthened. When I return to the Bishop I will press him to make John of Trimdon Lord of Otterburn and to use some of the taxes of the see to make his lands stronger.  This is too far from my valley."

"Aye, my lord."

"And when you head south call in at Otterburn and give John of Trimdon some of the weapons we captured the other day."

"And helmets?"

"If they are any good then yes."

The next morning Sir Hugh left before dawn.  He had a long ride; almost seventy miles. He would reach home after dark. After we had broken our fast I sat with my three knights, Wulfric and Dick. "Until Wulfric returns we only have sixteen men at arms We will divide into four columns.  Sir Roger you will need to leave five men at arms and five archers to watch your castle.  Take the rest and ride to the west.  Find the bandits.  Sir Harold and Sir Tristan, you take your men and cover the south.  I will take my squires and my archers to the east."

Leofric ventured, "But my lord the people I spoke to said the brigands and outlaws were operating to the south and west of here."

I smiled.  He did not wish to appear to have taken the easier task.  "And we have just come from there.  I think they may have moved east however if we have a pleasant ride I will do penance.  How say you?"

"Sorry, my lord. I forgot myself."

"No you do right to make me question myself." I stood and went to Sir Roger's map. "The monks who told the Bishop of Sir Guy de Senonches were from Lindisfarne.  How did they learn of this?  I do not doubt that they are holy men but they are not worldly men and they may have been used by others."

"You think these are not brigands?"

"It strikes me that it is more than convenient that they are preying on farms just before the French come.  I smell Gospatric's fingers in this."

We headed east. It was not far, less than seventeen miles. Of course the causeway meant that we might arrive when the tide was in but it was important to see the abbot. It was comforting to have all of my archers with me once more and they rode ahead of us in a wide circle.  Woodsmen all, they would be able to see any signs of brigands, bandits, outlaws or rebels. We were close to Etal when Ralph of Wales waved us over.

"My lord, men camped here some days since.  They had horses. I am guessing thirty of them."