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Authors: Griff Hosker
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shoulder plate protecting my right shoulder, I took his head.
My old wound in my left arm began to ache. This was the longest I had used a shield in some time. I had been warned that it would be weak. I was just grateful that we were almost through the camp. I saw the woods ahead. I slashed at the last two men I saw to my right and then I was in the woods. I rode for ten paces and then, after reining Scout in, turned around. I saw Leofric. He was grinning. His spear was gone, shattered no doubt during the brief but furious mêlée.
I knew that the last man in my line would be Wulfric. I had given him that most dangerous of roles for he relished the challenge and the honour of being the last man in the line. Along with Roger of Lincoln they were the most reliable of all my men. When he and Roger arrived I headed towards the road. Behind us we could smell the smoke and the burning. We could hear the cries and the shouts from the camp. One thing was certain, they would not attack us in the morning.
When we reached the ford Dick was waiting. He had thirty captured palfreys and sumpters with him. He also had eight head of cattle and four sheep. He shook his head, “I am sorry, my lord, the rest ran off and we could not capture them.”
“Fear not you have done well. We have added to our horses and it will take them some time to recapture the others. Did you lose any men?”
“Michael of Hartburn. He fell from his horse and they butchered him. His killers died.” His tone told me of the revenge his archers had extracted. My archers were not the men I would choose to cross.
It had been one of Harold’s archers had fallen. He would be upset. I waited close to the castle as the riders rode past. I saw that we had lost some men at arms. None were of my retinue but I felt their loss nonetheless. Sir Phillip and his squire had both died in the attack. They had come for glory and treasure. They had their glory now. I wondered if the manor of Elsdon was cursed. It seemed to bring the lords there no good fortune despite its fine aspect. Sir John of Rothbury was also wounded. He would not be of much use until his wound was healed. All things taken into consideration it had gone as well as I could have expected. Now I just waited for them to disband their army and go home.
Dawn was breaking. As I wearily led Scout through the gates of Norham I saw a relieved William. He was no longer a child but not yet a man and I saw, in his face, the desire to rush down and embrace me on my safe return. John had his hand firmly around his shoulders. He would stop any such indiscretion. I nodded to Sir Roger, “We are safe for another day at least. They will not attack today.”
Sir Roger came close and said, quietly, “Food, my lord, is scarce. This time of year we have lean provender but with your men too…”
I smiled, “My archers have captured some animals. We will butcher them. The men can eat the meat and the women and children can make a stew from the bones and greens. There should be plenty at this time of year.”
“Of course.” He looked relieved. I wondered where I had acquired such knowledge. I had grown up never worrying about where my food came from. Now I knew how to manufacture food from nothing.
I was mindful of Sir Roger’s comments as I ate my frugal meal in his hall. It would take time to butcher and cook the animals. That would be a task for the day. I decided that when Dick and his men went scouting this day they should hunt too. I hoped it would not be necessary. Perhaps we had bloodied the Scots enough but it paid to be prudent.
After the meal I bade farewell to Sir Roger. “I will see my men and then I will share their camp. It does not seem fitting that I should have abed when they are enduring the hard ground.”
“But you are an earl!” He sounded shocked.
“And not long ago I was a baron like you and before that a squire.
My old wound in my left arm began to ache. This was the longest I had used a shield in some time. I had been warned that it would be weak. I was just grateful that we were almost through the camp. I saw the woods ahead. I slashed at the last two men I saw to my right and then I was in the woods. I rode for ten paces and then, after reining Scout in, turned around. I saw Leofric. He was grinning. His spear was gone, shattered no doubt during the brief but furious mêlée.
I knew that the last man in my line would be Wulfric. I had given him that most dangerous of roles for he relished the challenge and the honour of being the last man in the line. Along with Roger of Lincoln they were the most reliable of all my men. When he and Roger arrived I headed towards the road. Behind us we could smell the smoke and the burning. We could hear the cries and the shouts from the camp. One thing was certain, they would not attack us in the morning.
When we reached the ford Dick was waiting. He had thirty captured palfreys and sumpters with him. He also had eight head of cattle and four sheep. He shook his head, “I am sorry, my lord, the rest ran off and we could not capture them.”
“Fear not you have done well. We have added to our horses and it will take them some time to recapture the others. Did you lose any men?”
“Michael of Hartburn. He fell from his horse and they butchered him. His killers died.” His tone told me of the revenge his archers had extracted. My archers were not the men I would choose to cross.
It had been one of Harold’s archers had fallen. He would be upset. I waited close to the castle as the riders rode past. I saw that we had lost some men at arms. None were of my retinue but I felt their loss nonetheless. Sir Phillip and his squire had both died in the attack. They had come for glory and treasure. They had their glory now. I wondered if the manor of Elsdon was cursed. It seemed to bring the lords there no good fortune despite its fine aspect. Sir John of Rothbury was also wounded. He would not be of much use until his wound was healed. All things taken into consideration it had gone as well as I could have expected. Now I just waited for them to disband their army and go home.
Dawn was breaking. As I wearily led Scout through the gates of Norham I saw a relieved William. He was no longer a child but not yet a man and I saw, in his face, the desire to rush down and embrace me on my safe return. John had his hand firmly around his shoulders. He would stop any such indiscretion. I nodded to Sir Roger, “We are safe for another day at least. They will not attack today.”
Sir Roger came close and said, quietly, “Food, my lord, is scarce. This time of year we have lean provender but with your men too…”
I smiled, “My archers have captured some animals. We will butcher them. The men can eat the meat and the women and children can make a stew from the bones and greens. There should be plenty at this time of year.”
“Of course.” He looked relieved. I wondered where I had acquired such knowledge. I had grown up never worrying about where my food came from. Now I knew how to manufacture food from nothing.
I was mindful of Sir Roger’s comments as I ate my frugal meal in his hall. It would take time to butcher and cook the animals. That would be a task for the day. I decided that when Dick and his men went scouting this day they should hunt too. I hoped it would not be necessary. Perhaps we had bloodied the Scots enough but it paid to be prudent.
After the meal I bade farewell to Sir Roger. “I will see my men and then I will share their camp. It does not seem fitting that I should have abed when they are enduring the hard ground.”
“But you are an earl!” He sounded shocked.
“And not long ago I was a baron like you and before that a squire.
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