lose. If I defeat them then Fitzwaller will take the blame. If I am defeated then they will all benefit from the victory. Many will fight behind false liveries; I have seen it before in Flanders. We have this winter to make the three of you into fine warriors. With luck, Hugh, you shall be knighted next year."
"I fear I have much to learn and… to be truthful, Baron I am a little fearful of going back to Gainford."
"I can understand that. You should be looking around now for those men at arms you might like to follow your banner when you have one. It would not do any harm to visit Gainford now and again. Remember what Dick said about archers. If I were in your position then I would train up a large number of archers."
"But will we be campaigning in the coming year?"
"Aye. As soon as the first sign of spring comes then I will send for my barons and we will move north. We will have to leave before the lambing season and before the animals are returned to their pastures."
Often times we make plans and when we attempt to put them into operation they fail. At other times you make plans and they are jeopardised from the start. My most reliable knight, archers and men at arms belonged to Edward. He came to see me a week after I had received the letter from the King. His face told its own story as he approached me in my inner ward. "Baron, I have been summoned to Anjou to attend the wedding of the Empress Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou."
Now I saw the reason for the short letter from the King. The King knew what he was doing. "It is not your fault, Edward."
"I know but you are going to campaign in the north and I will not be there."
"But you go to guard the Empress, possibly for the last time. I am happy that you, Rolf and the Swabians will be there to watch her once more. It is right that you go."
"I do not need to take my whole garrison."
"No, but you will need to leave some men to guard your manor. I shall be away and Wulfstan will be hard pressed enough as it is."
"Baron, I leave you with a heavy heart." His face showed his earnestness. "Beware this Fitzwaller. Your young knights think that they have easily bested him but from what you have told me he is a cunning warrior. Be wary. Expect tricks and expect treachery. I have served such knights when I was younger. I know what they are like. I will return as soon as I am able."
"Thank you, Edward; I too will miss your mighty right hand. When you see the Empress…" I tailed off lamely.
"I know Baron. I will find the words."
"The words are easy, old friend; they are goodbye."
Without Edward I had more planning to do myself. In this I was aided by both Hugh and John my steward. John and Leofric were both willing squires but they were unused to such enterprises. We spent the next few days poring over lists and musters and determining which knights we should take and how many of their men. It was not as large a list as I had hoped. We only took archers who could be mounted. That limited my choice for some knights did not have horses for all of their men. We had to leave men at arms and archers to guard the castles and manors we left behind; I was mindful of the words of Edward and, as we would be away during the busy season on the land we could take no servants with us. It meant we had but eight knights, ten squires who would be required to see to all of our needs, forty four men at arms, forty archers and five crossbows. I know that Dick would be angry at the crossbows but, if we were to assault a castle, then I needed all the missiles I could muster.
I spent a week, with my squires, riding around the manors and telling them of my orders. They were all gratifyingly happy. Tristan was convinced that he would gain a manor in the north from this. I did not like such over confidence. The others had not campaigned with me in the autumn and were eager for action. We left at the end of March. Even that was later than I would have hoped but it
"I fear I have much to learn and… to be truthful, Baron I am a little fearful of going back to Gainford."
"I can understand that. You should be looking around now for those men at arms you might like to follow your banner when you have one. It would not do any harm to visit Gainford now and again. Remember what Dick said about archers. If I were in your position then I would train up a large number of archers."
"But will we be campaigning in the coming year?"
"Aye. As soon as the first sign of spring comes then I will send for my barons and we will move north. We will have to leave before the lambing season and before the animals are returned to their pastures."
Often times we make plans and when we attempt to put them into operation they fail. At other times you make plans and they are jeopardised from the start. My most reliable knight, archers and men at arms belonged to Edward. He came to see me a week after I had received the letter from the King. His face told its own story as he approached me in my inner ward. "Baron, I have been summoned to Anjou to attend the wedding of the Empress Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou."
Now I saw the reason for the short letter from the King. The King knew what he was doing. "It is not your fault, Edward."
"I know but you are going to campaign in the north and I will not be there."
"But you go to guard the Empress, possibly for the last time. I am happy that you, Rolf and the Swabians will be there to watch her once more. It is right that you go."
"I do not need to take my whole garrison."
"No, but you will need to leave some men to guard your manor. I shall be away and Wulfstan will be hard pressed enough as it is."
"Baron, I leave you with a heavy heart." His face showed his earnestness. "Beware this Fitzwaller. Your young knights think that they have easily bested him but from what you have told me he is a cunning warrior. Be wary. Expect tricks and expect treachery. I have served such knights when I was younger. I know what they are like. I will return as soon as I am able."
"Thank you, Edward; I too will miss your mighty right hand. When you see the Empress…" I tailed off lamely.
"I know Baron. I will find the words."
"The words are easy, old friend; they are goodbye."
Without Edward I had more planning to do myself. In this I was aided by both Hugh and John my steward. John and Leofric were both willing squires but they were unused to such enterprises. We spent the next few days poring over lists and musters and determining which knights we should take and how many of their men. It was not as large a list as I had hoped. We only took archers who could be mounted. That limited my choice for some knights did not have horses for all of their men. We had to leave men at arms and archers to guard the castles and manors we left behind; I was mindful of the words of Edward and, as we would be away during the busy season on the land we could take no servants with us. It meant we had but eight knights, ten squires who would be required to see to all of our needs, forty four men at arms, forty archers and five crossbows. I know that Dick would be angry at the crossbows but, if we were to assault a castle, then I needed all the missiles I could muster.
I spent a week, with my squires, riding around the manors and telling them of my orders. They were all gratifyingly happy. Tristan was convinced that he would gain a manor in the north from this. I did not like such over confidence. The others had not campaigned with me in the autumn and were eager for action. We left at the end of March. Even that was later than I would have hoped but it
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