They landed close to Riccall just as Harald Hadrada had. They were not as numerous as Tostig and the Norwegian King’s horde but then there were no Saxons to oppose them. As the Normans deigned to use the fyrd there were just the Norman troops in the region left to fight. Baron William retreated to the partly built castle at Jorvik. It freed us to move around at will for the Normans were too busy with a real army to worry about my rag tag band. I had a dilemma. Should I throw in with Edgar? Fight alongside the Danes and overthrow the Normans, or, join the Normans?
The night before we left the camp we sat around the fire debating the issue, “We cannot fight for the Normans my lord?”
“Yet if we help the Danes might they not be tyrants like the Normans?”
I just listened and the memory of Aethelward came to me. I wondered what he would have done. At least he would be proud of my silence but I was still unsure of how he would view my actions. I closed my eyes and remembered my mentor and listened to the words of my friends.
“But they are both our enemies!”
I opened my eyes and sat up, “I remember Aethelward telling me of when he fought in Byzantium. There was an Arab wise man who said to Aethelward, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’.
Ridley looked confused which made Branton and Osbert smile. “Huh?”
“Who do we fight?”
“The Normans.”
“Who are the Normans enemy?”
“Now? The Danes.”
“Then they are our friend. It may well be that they prove to be as bad as William the Bastard but we will deal with that later.”
“We join their army?”
“No, but we make hay while the sun shines. We attack and harry the Normans. We burn their castles and we rob them of supplies. The advantage we have now is that we do not need to hide. We can ride in mail and unfurl our banners.”
And so, as the year petered to a wintry end, my small army went to war. We headed to Coxold, mainly because Ridley had not seen his people since the previous Christmas and Ralph’s reports were not as detailed as he wished them to be. We rode close to Topcliffe and, seeing the new ramparts on top of the blackened mound we detoured to see what mischief we could cause. The four men left to guard it ran off when they saw the column of men with the red horse shields. “Fetch a couple of them back, Branton.”
They had only had time to put new wooden stakes in ready to attach the ramparts. They pulled out easily. When we went to the new hall built close by the river we saw that they had built this of stone and wood- it burned well. Branton returned with one of the men. I lifted one eyebrow and he shrugged, “They wouldn’t stop.”
“Do you speak English?”
“Yes my lord.”
“You know me?”
“Yes my lord, I was one of Thegn Skipton’s men. I fought at Fulford.”
“And yet you fight now for the Normans?”
“The Thegn is dead and his land belongs to William of Perci. I needed to eat.”
I looked at the man who was shivering, not with the cold but the fear of imminent death. “What is your name?”
“Tadgh my lord.”
“Tell me, Tadgh of Skipton, how many men does the Baron have?”
He shrugged, “I was never a counter my lord, more of a fighter but he has many horsemen. He came here with, oh must have been fifty armed horsemen and five hundred foot soldiers, I was one of them, and thirty or so crossbowmen.”
“Why were you left here? To make sure the castle wasn’t wrecked again?” He gave a half smiled, “That really pissed him off.”
My men laughed. “He expects much of his men. Four of you to defend against my men?”
“That’s why we run sir. The lads and me, well we can’t fight the men of the hood, no-one can.”
Osbert asked, “Men of the hood?”
“Yes sir, that’s what they call you. Well they say, ’Hommes de la Capuche’ or something but one of the lads said it means men with hoods or of the hood he wasn’t certain. They think you are the ghosts of the men who fought at Hastings.”
I was curious. “Why do they call us that?”
“Well first off there’s never any bodies after you fight and then you appear in places where you shouldn’t and disappear, like you did at Catherick.”
I looked over to Osbert who was as interested as I was in the man’s story. “So he went to Jorvik.”
“Yes my lord, he was collecting his men from the other castles on the way. The Vikings are back they say.”
“That they are. Now then Tadgh you present me with a dilemma. We should kill you. Indeed there are men behind me already whetting their knives in anticipation. On the other hand you are an old comrade. I will give you a choice, death, and I will make it quick and as painless as possible or become an outlaw and join us.” I heard Osbert snort behind me. I turned, “Remember Aedgart? He fought against us and proved to be a valuable comrade did he not?” Osbert nodded, Aedgart had been one of his truest friends.
“Well sir, you give me a choice of life or death, no contest. I am your man.”
I smiled cynically, “Just as an hour ago you were Baron William’s man. You may join us but you will be watched so do not think of running. Branton here can hit the eye of a hawk at four hundred paces.” That was an exaggeration but Branton enjoyed the compliment.
“Yes my lord.”
“Find yourself a horse; there are some spares at the back. Edward, keep an eye on him.”
Leaving the burning building behind, we headed for Coxold. Ridley rode knee to knee with me, “Men of the hood eh? I wonder how we can use that.”
“What do you mean use it?”
“They think that we are supernatural creatures; let us use that idea. Strike more at night and make them fear their own rooms and chambers.”
“I prefer a stand up fight. I miss the shield wall and fighting alongside you, Osgar and Wolf.”
“As do I old friend but those days are gone. There will be no shield wall again; William the Bastard has seen to that.”
The pall of smoke rising in the distance told us that Aux Gemons had struck again and I saw the anger rip across Ridley’s face for he knew the land and the only manor nearby was his. We found the first corpses on the outskirts of the village. They had been running away and all bore wounds in their back. Here the buildings were Ridley’s buildings. The Normans had not claimed it yet but they were all burnt. There was a smell of human roast which made some of the younger men gag as we approached the village of the dead. The smithy was ashes and the warrior hall had four timbers left and the rest was blackened debris. The only building which still stood was the church. We could not see any bodies but we searched anyway. Tadgh nervously edged closer to me as the men began to stare with open hostility at this man who had been with them until a short time ago.
“Tadgh,” I said loudly, “were you here?”
“No, my lord.”
“Do you so swear?”
He put his hands between his legs and said, “I so swear.”
The open hostility stopped but the men still did not take to the stranger. The men searching the church came back shaking their heads. There were no bodies in there. Suddenly we heard a noise and every man’s hand went to his weapons. I held my hand up for calm when I saw that it was fifteen or so women and girls. They rushed, crying, up to Ridley, “Oh my lord! I curse the day that you left.”
He dismounted and took the woman in his arms. It was the most gentle I had ever seen Ridley. “Tell me Edith what happened.”
“One of the boys, young Alan, came and said that the Normans were coming, lots of them. Ralph heard and told the steward to get everyone to run away or be prepared to fight. He said that the Normans were the new rulers and we would have to get used to it. Ralph just told us to run and he looked so fearful we did. We ran to the trees overlooking the village and Ralph got his hammer. They just started killing everybody. There was only Ralph with a weapon and he hit a few of them, then he went into his smithy and he never came out,” she began to cry once more.
“You are doing well my pet, now what happened next?” Ridley’s voice reminded me of Nanna’s, soothing and gentle, encouraging confidences.
“Well they set fire to the smithy and then some of them found some of the girls who hadn’t run and,” she looked up at Ridley and blushed, “and did things to them. Oh sir some of them were only nine or ten and they screamed.” She shook her head. “I can still hear them and then when everyone was dead they threw the bodies in the buildings and set fire to them.”
I felt so sorry then for Ridley for this had happened to me and I knew the dark pain which now ripped and gripped him. His eyes were filled with tears. I turned to Branton, “Branton, bring the box with the coin.” He went to the pack horse at the rear. “Osbert, detail eight men to escort these women to…” my mind went blank. Where was safe? Perhaps the luck ones were the dead, the dead who had died quickly.
“How about Medelai sir, that should still be standing and the Steward, well he will know what to do.”
“Good idea, well done Osbert. Here ladies. There is coin here so that you will not be poor. Go with these men to Medelai. They will watch over you and the Steward there is a kind man, rough but kind.” I shrugged, “Neither Lord Ridley nor myself can offer you any comfort save that we will be revenged on these killers of children.” She kissed my hand and then Ridley’s and led the women off. Each one bowed to Ridley as they passed and each one kissed his hand.
There was an eerie silence after the crying women had gone. Ridley had a determined look upon his face as he stared at the burnt manor, “I let these people down Aelfraed. We all let them down.”
“What could we have done old friend. We had no defences; we would have died with your people.”
He turned on me, suddenly angry, “Well perhaps that would be better because we would have killed some of those bastards. There was a time when I felt sad for Wolf and Osgar now I know that they are the lucky ones for they do not have to look on this Norman world. They died defending an England that was worth defending. What do we do? Sneak around in the night. Burn a few bits of wood and feel like heroes. Well I for one do not feel like a fucking hero!”
Something changed that day in my relationship with Ridley. He was still loyal and fought as hard as any warrior but he was never as close to me again. His people had suffered and he blamed me. The sad thing is this was just the beginning. The scene would be repeated but on a far larger scale. The world we had known had ended and we were about to enter a world which was more like a nightmare than a reality.
We had planned on staying the night in the comfort of the warrior hall but that was out of the questions. Instead we made a camp in the hills some five miles south of Coxold. The hunters shot some game but we did not enjoy the meal and ate only out of habit. There were none of the ribald stories or songs for almost a year ago we had shared our food with these people. The women who had been raped had danced with these men and we had been happy; they had been happy. We would never dance or eat again without thinking of Lord Ridley’s people. Branton began keening a lame, quietly at first and then as others joined in it became louder but still a gentle hymn to the fallen. When it finished the last notes seemed to echo around the hills and then there was silence as each man remembered in his own way.
As we prepared to ride I sought out Osbert and Branton; Ridley had barely said a word since the previous night, “We will need to watch Ridley today, especially if we run into Normans.”
“I think that we have more chance of running into the Danes, my lord.”
“That is my intention, not to fight with them but to let them know we too fight the Normans. Branton, have Edward and two men ride to the south of Jorvik towards Riccall. When they find the Danes return to me and then I will go and have a talk with them.”
“Is that wise my lord?”
I laughed, such an unnatural sound that every man looked at me as though I was mad. “Not wise? Tell me one sane thing that we have done since Fulford.” I put my hand on his arm, “I no longer know what is wise and I just do what feels right.”
The trail of William was clear to see as we neared Jorvik, dead bodies and burning buildings. We camped close to the western end of the city and I waited for my scouts to return. We approached the city walls and saw, immediately, the improvements they had made. The towers and gates had been strengthened; the ditches were deeper and there were sentries patrolling the length of its walls. It was obvious that Morcar was no longer in charge. We were seen when we approached for I wanted them to know who we were. Ridley was with me and I could feel his seething anger as he stared intently at the walls as though he could see through them into the black heart of William of Perci. One of their crossbowmen tried a shot but it fell short. I turned to Branton, the range was four hundred paces but I thought he could attempt the shot, “Branton see if you can hit the walls, a man would be a bonus but the wall would be good.”
He spent some time selecting an arrow and only then did he string his bow. He pulled it back to his ear and I felt sure that the bow would snap and then he released it. We watched it arc high into the air and, amazingly, the Normans watched it too. They were so intent that the crossbowmen who followed his flight had a real shock when it plunged into his upper arm and they all dropped from sight. All of us, apart from Ridley, laughed with the relief of the tension. Although the other archers were not as good as Branton, we outranged the crossbows which they used.
The scouts returned the next day. Edgar and the Danes were moving towards Jorvik, taking the same route the other Norsemen had years earlier. I took Osbert to one side. “I would take you with me but I worry that Lord Ridley will do something foolish if left alone. You know how to handle him. I will take your brother and Edward. They both keep their wits about them.”
“I will watch him my lord.” He hesitated, “If you don’t mind me saying so my lord, Lord Ridley worried about you when the Queen died. You came through it and I am sure he will too.”
Osbert could be surprisingly gentle for such a bear of man and he understood people. I suppose that was what made him such a good leader of men. The three of us left the next day; we were lightly armed for if the Danes chose they could take us easily. Branton had been with me before and for some reason appeared confident when with me. Edward was a little more nervous, glancing at every bush and looking for enemies who were not there. I did not think that the Danes would bother with ambushes; their aim was to take Jorvik. We headed for the road south of Jorvik for that would be the route they would have to take. I had my helmet back from my face so that I could be recognised but the prominent shield told the world that I was Aelfraed Godwinson, Housecarl.
There were scouts who were out and they raced up to us with weapons readied. “Steady lads, just hold your arms away from your bodies.”
When they saw that we were not aggressive they took our reins and led us down the road. Edgar and Sweyn led the army. Edgar had filled out in the last two years but he was still young to be leading such a force. Sweyn looked like a more rotund version of Hadrada and I knew the two had been great rivals. Sweyn’s warriors closed around their King and then Edgar smiled, “Fear not King Sweyn. This is my half brother Aelfraed. He fought at Fulford and Stamford.”
Sweyn’s face opened into a grin. His English was good, far better than Hadrada’s, “Ah this is the famous Housecarl whose men killed my great enemy Hadrada.”
I nodded, “And it is good to meet the man who has come to rid us of the hated Normans.” I was careful in my choice of words for I was still a warrior and would not lie. “This, mighty King, is Branton, the archer who slew Hadrada.”
Sweyn dismounted and turned to speak with his men. I signalled to the other two to dismount. Suddenly they all cheered and Sweyn strode up to Branton and grabbed him in a bear hug. “We owe you much Branton for Hadrada would have taken our land had you not killed him.” He disengaged himself and took a golden bracelet from his arm. I could see it was intricately carved. “Take this as a token from the Danish people. You will always be honoured in my land.” Branton looked at me as he held the object and I nodded. Sweyn then took my arm, “Come Aelfraed Godwinson, walk with me and we will talk.”
Edgar turned to me eagerly, “We heard that you had not submitted and you continued to fight.”
“Who told you that?”
“The warriors of Earl Morcar who joined us.”
I spat, “Then I would watch those carefully my lord for I have fought with them twice and both times they ran.” I shrugged, “That may have been their leader I know not but they could have joined me ere now.”
Sweyn and Edgar exchanged glances. Sweyn nodded, “I have heard Aelfraed that you were well trained by Aethelward and I see it now. You are known as a fearless warrior and a leader of men. How many men do you have?”
It was a blunt and honest question and I gave it a blunt and honest answer, “Not as many as the days following Stamford for we have fought, alone, against greater numbers. We number less than fifty but,” I added proudly,” I would back those fifty against any hundred others.”
Sweyn said something to the men behind and they laughed and answered their king. “My men say they would like to try such valiant warriors.”
I grinned, “Let us beat the Normans first.”
“Tell me Housecarl, how do you defeat the Norman knights? Are they not impregnable? Did they not defeat Harold?”
I shook my head, “No, they did not defeat my father. He had too many untrained men with him, the fyrd, and when they became out of control, he was surrounded and my brothers died. And we defeat them by only using trained warriors. And we have a secret weapon. Show him Branton.” Branton took a knight killer from his quiver and handed it over. “This is Branton’s invention. It penetrates the mail. Of course you have to be a good shot for they use their shields for protection. And when you face them in a shield wall then use your weapons against the horses. Once they are on foot they are easy to defeat.”
Sweyn passed the arrow back to his men and translated. Edgar took the opportunity to speak with me, “My sister Margaret is now Queen of Scotland.” I had not heard that but it made sense and also gave Edgar a refuge. “I was sorry to hear about the Queen.” I looked at him sharply. He held his hands up, “I swear to you Aelfraed I had not part in the plot of my mother’s. The old bitch is deranged. I am sorry, genuinely.”
I relaxed a little, his words sounded like the truth. “In the end it was that bastard William who was responsible for their deaths but the men who killed her now lie dead.”
“I heard that they were killed. I would not like to be your enemy Aelfraed.”
“Then rid the land of the Normans and you will not be.” I think I saw him actually shiver then.
Sweyn was still talking and we walked north. He bit his lip and then looked at me, “I visited Fife and met your... I met the Lady Gytha.”
I gave a wry smile. “I am a warrior Edgar, you can speak openly with me. My wife Gytha now plays the Dane with Calum, Thegn of Fife.”
“Men speak truly of you Aelfraed.”
“Why what do they say? That I am someone without the gift of gilded speech?”
“No they say that you do speak the truth and men trust your words.” He smiled, “In my world that is a rare thing for all men flatter me and promise me everything.”
“You have to be true to yourself and true to your men. We are on this earth for a short time but our deeds live on after us. Our father Harold was a great warrior, betrayed by a brother but at the end, his men were still loyal to him and died in brotherhood. I lost many friends that day.”
Sweyn’s voice next to me almost made me jump as it boomed out, “And it is good for England that you did not die that day for you have kept the spark of rebellion alive. I have heard that William has a higher price on your head than either Hereward or Edgar here. He fears you Aelfraed for you are the undefeated and you have never submitted.”
We had reached Fulford and I recognised the hill from which Hadrada had launched his attacks. “If you would take some advice I would camp here. It is the field of Fulford and many brave Housecarls died here on that day but it is a good place to defend. You are close enough to Jorvik to smell the shit in the drains.”
Sweyn laughed and slapped me on the back, “I will take your advice and then we will eat and we can get to the bone of your visit and decide how to take this city.”
Branton was feted like a hero by the men of Sweyn’s bodyguard. An intelligent man he quickly learned some of their words and, with the aid of sign language, they began to communicate. I sat with the two leaders; Edgar wisely said little and listened much; Aethelward would have liked him. “They have begun a new castle and they have deepened their ditches. Their horsemen are within the walls but they cannot sally forth if you are closer to the gates. They have, however, deepened their ditches and an assault would be costly. Their crossbows are deadly and can be fired so that you do not see the man.”
Sweyn nodded and chewed on the mutton bone he held in his huge fist. “Well strategos, what do you suggest?” I looked up sharply. “Yes Aelfraed, I had heard of your uncle and knew his skill. You have such skill and you are, I can see, an honest man. Advise us.”
“If you have archers then use them to clear the walls. Have your men make shields which are oblong, like the ones the Romans used and man sized. They can shoot from there. Attack at night. They are vulnerable to those kinds of attack.”
He laughed, “We have heard that you and your men are called ghosts, what is it, men of the hood?”
I shrugged, “When you only have a handful of men you do whatever you have to. Jorvik has fine Roman walls but they stretch a long way and they cannot defend all of them equally. If you attack a gate on one side then men could climb over the walls.”
Edgar looked puzzled. “How they are higher than a man?”
“We have done it. You have two men hold a shield above their head and a third man climbs on to that. He can reach the battlements and pull himself up. Once you have a few on the walls it becomes easier.”
Sweyn shrewdly watched me, “You are a thinker Aelfraed. And how would you attack the gates, without losing too many men?”
“Cut down one of the oaks hereabouts. “I grinned, you have axes I assume.”
“Aye and when we have a moment I would like to view Death Bringer.”
“You shall. Cut down a tree and sharpen the end. Fashion four wheels and then have your men pull it towards the gates. I would suggest the Mickelgate, to the south of the city. The road slopes down to it a little and should make it easier to pull. Have the men pulling protected by men in mail with shields. You will suffer casualties but if it is night time there will not be as many. Remember you only need to draw men to the gate. You do not need to force the gate. Then when your men have captured another gate you attack there.”
“So I split my forces?”
“I would have my better, more experience warriors at the northern gate. You will need fearless men with the ram but…”
“It is an acceptable risk. And you Aelfraed where will you be?”
I smiled, “I will attack the western wall with my men.”
Edgar almost coughed up his food, “But you only have fifty men.”
“Aye Edgar, but they are my men! Besides it increases the odds of success. With two attempts at a breach we may succeed.”
Sweyn laughed. “I like that plan. I am glad we met, Aelfraed.”
“One more thing; the people of this land have suffered greatly at the hands of the Normans. They suffer them in their city they do not welcome them. Kill only Normans or,” I added darkly, “you will have to answer to me and my men.”
Edgar coloured and Sweyn went silent. “In other men I would find that boastful but in you, Aelfraed Godwinson, I heed the warning and you have my word, the people will be safe.”
We spent the next few hours discussing how we would coordinate the attacks. It would take the huge army some time to reach the northern and gate and for the southern attack to manufacture its ram. While Sweyn was asking Branton about his arrows I took the Aetheling to one side. “I understand why you have brought the Danish king to help you regain the thrown,” I did not mention that I had as much right to the throne as he, perhaps more, “but when you are king, what assurances do you have that Sweyn will honour them?” He looked shocked but I continued, “I do not doubt that Sweyn is an honourable man, I like him but I also know that when men gain power they can change. Our father did.”
“I envy you Aelfraed for I did not know my father. You fought with him. What was he like?”
“He was fearless. The Housecarls loved him. Why else would they have given their lives for him? Did you know that at Stamford Bridge he rode alone to the Viking lines to speak with them? And he was funny too. He made men laugh for he could talk with them as one of them.” I shrugged, “When he became king he became a little more distant. Power, you see.”
Edgar looked at me with suddenly wise old eyes, “It is strange Aelfraed but that is the description men give of you and when I saw you I shivered, for it was as though our father walked the earth again.” He stared directly at me. “Perhaps you should be king.”
I laughed and put my arm around him. “No Edgar, you say I am like my father and I am honoured that you think so for he and my uncle Aethelward are my models. But as much as I would like to be my father I would not wish to be king. No you can be king and I will support you but first we have to defeat these Normans and that will take iron from you. Can you do it?”
“Aye brother, with your help we can do anything.”