Emperor's chest. "I fear he is dead!"
Another said, "Hold a glass to his mouth. Sometimes his breathing is so shallow that he appears dead."
They held a glass and a tiny amount of moisture formed. "He lives still."
The door was suddenly opened and the Archbishop stood there with the three counts. The Archbishop frowned when he saw Harold and me there while the Count of Stuttgart almost erupted like a volcano. "What is that Norman doing in the presence of the Emperor?"
"He is with me, Count and I am still Empress whilst my husband lives."
The Archbishop smiled, "Peace. We should all close our eyes and pray for the soul of the Emperor."
The others might have closed their eyes but I would not. I trusted not one of them.
The Emperor was tough and he clung on to life but, an hour after the Archbishop had entered the room, he died. In England we would have said, 'the King is dead, long live the King' but here there was no natural successor. The Archbishop blessed Matilda and said, "We are sorry for your loss."
She nodded, "If you would all leave me I would like to spend a few moments alone with my husband."
I knew that I was included and we all left the room and stood in the antechamber. The Archbishop must have been well prepared by the others. "What will you do now, Baron Alfraed? Return to England?"
I saw his three companions watching me intently. "I will ask the Empress what she wishes me to do."
Count Lothair snapped, "She is not Empress any longer."
I was not certain about the protocols but I was fairly certain that the title would still be hers; more importantly she had to have a title for her own security. "Correct me if I am wrong but until there is a new Emperor, who is married, then my lady will still be an Empress."
The Archbishop was a shrewd man and he knew that I spoke the truth. He nodded, "Let us not concern ourselves with titles. A great man has died let us think on him and his soul."
As soon as Matilda left the room I made sure that Harold and I flanked her. I did not think they would do her harm but I wanted none of them any closer to her than they had to be.
When Edward relieved us he told us that the gates were now manned by the men of Lothair of Supplinburg. "Did they stop you entering?"
"No, but they tried to frighten me." I smiled; that was impossible. "I laughed at their pathetic attempts. I am not certain, however, how we will manage to leave without a fight."
"I have that in hand." Harold and I took the clothes the women would need and we left. As we neared the gate I saw what Edward had meant. It was like a siege except here the danger was from within. Two knights held up their hands. "Where do you think you are going?"
"Back to the estate of the Empress. She wishes us to return these clothes to her estate. She has need of black for the funeral."
I could see that I had confused them. I held up the medallion. "This is the authority of the Empress; we need to pass."
One of them sneered, "Only until after the funeral Norman and then you have no protection."
I smiled, "God will watch over me!"
I was pleased that my men had made all the necessary preparations for flight. When Rolf and the Swabians heard about the men at the gate they were angry. "Alfraed, let us return tomorrow. We will stay by the Empress until the funeral. There is no danger to us but there is for you and your men. You cannot leave during darkness."
"What about Edward?"
"We will keep him with us until daylight. He can pick up the surcoats and we will stay by the Empress until the funeral."
I was going to argue but Sir Guy said, "It makes sense. The more they see you the more chance there is of a confrontation and the Empress' life would be in even more danger. Let them think they have cowed you. Do not let a stiff neck bring disaster."
I nodded my acceptance. They were right.
We spent the rest of that night packing jewels and coins into bags placed in the saddles of our
Another said, "Hold a glass to his mouth. Sometimes his breathing is so shallow that he appears dead."
They held a glass and a tiny amount of moisture formed. "He lives still."
The door was suddenly opened and the Archbishop stood there with the three counts. The Archbishop frowned when he saw Harold and me there while the Count of Stuttgart almost erupted like a volcano. "What is that Norman doing in the presence of the Emperor?"
"He is with me, Count and I am still Empress whilst my husband lives."
The Archbishop smiled, "Peace. We should all close our eyes and pray for the soul of the Emperor."
The others might have closed their eyes but I would not. I trusted not one of them.
The Emperor was tough and he clung on to life but, an hour after the Archbishop had entered the room, he died. In England we would have said, 'the King is dead, long live the King' but here there was no natural successor. The Archbishop blessed Matilda and said, "We are sorry for your loss."
She nodded, "If you would all leave me I would like to spend a few moments alone with my husband."
I knew that I was included and we all left the room and stood in the antechamber. The Archbishop must have been well prepared by the others. "What will you do now, Baron Alfraed? Return to England?"
I saw his three companions watching me intently. "I will ask the Empress what she wishes me to do."
Count Lothair snapped, "She is not Empress any longer."
I was not certain about the protocols but I was fairly certain that the title would still be hers; more importantly she had to have a title for her own security. "Correct me if I am wrong but until there is a new Emperor, who is married, then my lady will still be an Empress."
The Archbishop was a shrewd man and he knew that I spoke the truth. He nodded, "Let us not concern ourselves with titles. A great man has died let us think on him and his soul."
As soon as Matilda left the room I made sure that Harold and I flanked her. I did not think they would do her harm but I wanted none of them any closer to her than they had to be.
When Edward relieved us he told us that the gates were now manned by the men of Lothair of Supplinburg. "Did they stop you entering?"
"No, but they tried to frighten me." I smiled; that was impossible. "I laughed at their pathetic attempts. I am not certain, however, how we will manage to leave without a fight."
"I have that in hand." Harold and I took the clothes the women would need and we left. As we neared the gate I saw what Edward had meant. It was like a siege except here the danger was from within. Two knights held up their hands. "Where do you think you are going?"
"Back to the estate of the Empress. She wishes us to return these clothes to her estate. She has need of black for the funeral."
I could see that I had confused them. I held up the medallion. "This is the authority of the Empress; we need to pass."
One of them sneered, "Only until after the funeral Norman and then you have no protection."
I smiled, "God will watch over me!"
I was pleased that my men had made all the necessary preparations for flight. When Rolf and the Swabians heard about the men at the gate they were angry. "Alfraed, let us return tomorrow. We will stay by the Empress until the funeral. There is no danger to us but there is for you and your men. You cannot leave during darkness."
"What about Edward?"
"We will keep him with us until daylight. He can pick up the surcoats and we will stay by the Empress until the funeral."
I was going to argue but Sir Guy said, "It makes sense. The more they see you the more chance there is of a confrontation and the Empress' life would be in even more danger. Let them think they have cowed you. Do not let a stiff neck bring disaster."
I nodded my acceptance. They were right.
We spent the rest of that night packing jewels and coins into bags placed in the saddles of our
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