Knight of the Empress Read online

  "Surely you can afford one now, Sir Guy. You have some of the coins we took from the dead Flemings."

  "Not enough. I would have to equip him with armour and horses."

  "But we have spare horses we captured."

  He brightened, "True, and if we can win the tourney then I may be even richer."

  I did not want him under any illusions about the tourney. We would be the target from all but the Swabians. I took him to one side and explained the Emperor's attitude.

  He did not seem put out. "If they all come for us so much the better. We can show them how brave and skilled we are. Do not worry Alfraed, we are good. I know that sounds like boasting but that charge up the hill showed me how good we are." He put his arm around me. "And do not worry; tonight I drink only wine and I will be less boisterous than I was last night!"

  I saw my companions look at each other as we entered the Great Hall. Apart from me they appeared to be shabbily dressed compared with the fine gowns and clothes on display. It looked like a deliberate attempt to put us in our place. To me, it seemed like a statement of our status; we were good enough to be hired swords only. The tables were set out in a large hollow square and we were directly opposite from the Emperor and Empress. Matilda did not look happy although she smiled when anyone addressed her. The food and the drink were brought to us continuously. It was the first time I had eaten German cuisine and there seem to be a lot of heavy pork dishes and sausages. There was wine on offer and, like Guy, I stuck to that.

  I chatted with Rolf, on one side of me, and Sir Guy on the opposite. I would miss both of them when I returned west. Sir Guy would be with us as far as Bar but it was unlikely that I would ever see my Swabian comrades again. Rolf surreptitiously pointed out some of the more important people. "The man seated next to the Empress is Count Stephan of Stuttgart. He fancies himself as a swordsman. He and his conroi usually win the tourney. I expect he thinks they will win this one too. On the other side of the Emperor is Count Charles of Aachen. He is the most untrustworthy man in this whole room. I would steer clear of him. He is keen for power. If I were the Emperor I would keep both eyes on him. He smiles but it is a false smile."

  I swallowed the wine that was left in my goblet. "I have already had enough of this intrigue. We leave as soon as the tourney is over. If the King does not need me then I return to the Northern Marches."

  "You wish for a dull life then?"

  Edward had heard the comment, "Dull? I think not my friend. We have had less fighting on this journey than we see in a month at home."

  "Whom do you fight?"

  I held up my goblet to be refilled, "There are Scots. We still have occasional Viking raids and then there are traitors like the De Brus clan who are a Norman version of the Count of Aachen. They would get on well together." Edward and Guy laughed.

  The Emperor's Chamberlain banged his staff on the floor. We all fell silent. The Emperor stood. He looked a little thin and pasty to me. He was no warrior. He smiled and spread his arms as though to embrace the room. "We are here to celebrate our dear wife, the Empress' safe return. Thanks to our brave knights she came to no harm. In honour of these knights we are holding a tourney so that they can demonstrate the skills which kept Empress Matilda safe." Everyone cheered and banged the table. The volume of each cheer was an indication of the amount of beer and wine they had consumed.

  He held up his hands for silence. "We have decided to reward them for their services to the Empire." He waved his arms and three servants appeared behind us. They had three of the Great Helms similar to the one worn by the Count du Bar. They were magnificent. "To my brave Swabian knights, Sir Rolf, Sir Gottfried and Sir Carl I present these helmets."

  The three Swabians took them and lifted them up. The whole room cheered. As he sat down Rolf said, "I bet the damned thing doesn't fit. I have an enormous head you know!"

  When silence fell once more he waved his arm again and a servant came behind us with a purple cushion. "I know that Sir Guy of Dijon has worked tirelessly in my borderlands. To Sir Guy I give the demesne of La Cheppe. Since the last owner was so treacherously slain it is good to know that I will have a guardian for my road once more."

  Sir Guy stood and, taking the chain of office, put it around his neck. Once more there was cheering. I wondered what our reward would be. I could not see us being given a manor and if it had been a helmet we would have received ours with the Swabians. I was intrigued more than anything else. When the Emperor stood I knew it was not going to be anything good. He had a sly smile playing about the edges of his mouth. "The two English knights have served their king well and I have no doubt that King Henry will reward his men in his own way."

  Two servants came behind us and placed a cushion before both Edward and myself. On it was a single coin. It was a gold piece of Flanders. The face of Charles, Count of Flanders, stared up at me. Edward looked at me and I gave a slight shake of the head. I stood and, smiling, said, "We thank the Emperor for his gift but he is quite correct we need no reward. The Empress Matilda's safe return to her home was reward enough."

  As I sat down, this time amid a hubbub of chatter, Rolf said, "This is a disgrace! You and Edward did more than both myself and Sir Guy here. He is insulting you."

  I said, calmly, "Of course he is but at least we know where we stand now, don't we Edward?"

  Edward laughed, "Aye sir, and this will come in handy! It might not be much to him but it is half a year's earnings for me."

  I was only half listening for I was watching the flushed face of the Empress who had obviously not approved of what she had seen and heard. I also saw the sniggers from the two Counts who were seated on the top table. From the animated conversation which was going on between them and the Emperor they were obviously a party to it.

  Sir Guy turned to me, "I feel awful about this, Alfraed. You have nothing and I have my heart's desire."

  I smiled, "I am happy for you and for your uncle. La Cheppe is close to his manor and it makes that part of the road safer. I expected nothing. It appears I have upset the Emperor. He has no reason to suspect me and I can do nothing about his thoughts. I will soon be gone from here. Do not let it worry you. I will soon be back in England and I will be far from his influence."

  "Thank you for your understanding." He studied the seal of his new manor. I realised that I had obtained my manor in a similar way. One owner died and the king, or in this case, Emperor, replaced him as though he had never existed. Such was life. We were pawns to be used in this grand game of chess which Emperors, Kings and princes played. I remained quiet. Our table was relatively quiet; the others examined the three Great Helms and discussed how they might affect a knight when fighting.

  "We shall discover this at the tourney. I, for one, am looking forward to this." Gottfried was turning the helmet around in his hands.

  "It might impair your vision and your hearing. The holes for the eyes have to be small else a blade could get in there and render the whole thing useless." Edward was ever the practical knight. He had been a man at arms for almost fifteen years and what he did not know about fighting was not worth knowing.

  "Possibly but it would be very hard to get a lance below the edge and almost impossible to force such a helmet off a head. I have seen it tried before and failed."

  Edward pointed a thumb at me, "The Baron here doesn't go for the head. He goes for the middle."

  "Surely that is a harder target?"

  I had not being paying close attention. I was still watching the top table, "What? Oh the middle. It is a bigger target than the head. If you miss when you aim at the head you have a good chance that your lance will go above your enemy's head. A middle thrust which misses either hits the chest or the cantle. Both can dismount a rider."

  Rolf nodded, "Interesting but perhaps you have given your secret away for the tourney."

  I smiled, putting the Emperor and his machinations from my mind, "Perhaps I have others."

  "You will bear watching."

/>   The eight of us were the first to retire. I did not fall asleep straight away. Although I had done nothing to justify my treatment by the Emperor I knew that I had in my thoughts. Matilda was an Empress and the daughter of a king. What could she see in a lowly Baron who had a tiny manor at the edge of the world?

  I was up early and I resolved that I had sat on my backside long enough. I sought Wulfric and Dick. "Today we become warriors again. I want every weapon sharpened. We need more arrows manufacturing. I want every shield painted blue."

  "Already done, Baron and Sir Edward mentioned the gambesons for the archers. We bought some dye yesterday and they are drying now. We found a washer woman who made them blue for a few copper coins. She said if we get some blue stars she will sew them on for us too.

  Dick nudged Wulfric in the ribs. "Of course old Wulfric here sweet talked her too, eh?"

  Wulfric sniffed, "There's more than one way to skin a cat, my friend."

  I clapped them both on the back. "Excellent. We have a tourney coming up and as soon as it is over we will be heading back with Sir Guy and his men. He now has a manor."

  "Good, I like him, sir. He is approachable. Not like that Sir Richard. I never liked him!" My men were honest to the point of bluntness.

  We went to the tailor and picked up our surcoats. He promised me that the others would be ready by the tourney. I was about to leave and he said, "Baron, I hope you don't mind but someone heard I was making your surcoats and asked which one was yours. I told him the one with the blue flower in the middle of the upper star. I hope I did right."

  I nodded, "It matters not but could you tell me who it was?"

  "It was the steward of the Count of Aachen."

  "Thank you."

  I did not bother Rolf or the Swabians with that information but I did tell Edward, Sir Guy and my men at arms.

  "That means they will be looking for you on the field."

  I smiled, "Better me than one of you two. It seems I have made myself a target. When this tourney is over we will revert to plain blue stars."

  The tourney was to be held on the site of an old Roman fort. There was a circular ring which the Roman Cavalry had used when they had trained. I had seen them in the east and when we had travelled from Genoa to Caen. In the time of Charlemagne they had begun to use it again to practise formations. The Emperor had extended its use. He entertained his people. It now afforded a good view for spectators and was large enough for charges and retreats. We lined up before the dais containing the Emperor and the Empress. Emperor Henry stood. "The prize for the winner today is this chest of silver." It was a small chest but worth winning. "The judgements of my heralds will be final. If you fall from your horse then you are eliminated. If you are knocked to the ground you are eliminated. All other decisions will be made by my heralds. May God be with you."

  There were four conroi and each had a table where there were wooden swords and spare lances. I suspected that they would all come for me as soon as it began and I would be eliminated first. It mattered not. I had already sent a message to the Emperor, through Rolf, telling him that we would be leaving immediately after the tourney. An early elimination would not hurt. Apart from the conroi of Swabians there was the Count of Stuttgart and his team. There was another team who were dressed like Lothar and Konrad. They had black surcoats with a white cross above their hearts. I suspected they were their friends and they would seek to hurt me.

  As we waited for the trumpet signalling the start I said, "Our only chance is if we fight as we did the other day. Stay tight on me and listen for orders. Let me know when danger comes." I nodded in the direction of the Teutons. "They will come at us in a wild rush. Rolf and his Swabians will challenge the Count."

  "How do you know?"

  "Rolf told me!"

  The trumpet sounded and, as I expected, the three Teutons hurtled at us. Thankfully they came at us individually and did not keep as tight as we did; it gave us a distinct advantage. We galloped towards them and I pulled my arm back. I punched forward at the middle knight's cantle with the long lance. As I did so I lifted my shield and it deflected his spear up. Mine hit him squarely in the middle. I had used Star to lean in too so that he was thrown from his saddle. I saw Edward do the same to his. The lances of Sir Guy and the last Teuton were broken. We rode back to replace them. I had the opportunity to watch the other battle. Carl was down but Rolf and Gottfried were holding their own.

  "Sir Guy, can you take the last German?"

  "Having watched you two, yes. Go and help Rolf."

  With new lances Edward and I galloped to the other side of the circle. Rolf had knocked one of the Count's men from his saddle but he was then struck from his by the Count himself. Karl fought bravely but he was outnumbered. He was knocked from his saddle.

  The two knights turned and rode back to their table. Protocol determined that we had to let them re arm. We galloped towards them. I intended to take out the Count but he had other ideas and he made directly for Edward. He charged across my front and his horse was fast. His lance thudded into Edward throwing him from his horse. I wheeled around and shattered my lance as I smashed its head into the shield of the other knight. He was not thrown from his horse but I could see that I had hurt him.

  I returned to pick up a second lance and saw that Sir Guy had finished off the last of the Teutons. "Two against two eh. Baron? We have a chance."

  "Watch out for the Count he is tricky."

  Sir Guy had the joy of battle upon him. I had seen it before. He did not wait for me but turned and charged the two last knights. It was a mistake. The Count led with his injured knight protecting his lance side. It meant that they could hit Sir Guy with two lances.

  I spurred Star to help my friend. Even as I charged I knew I would be too late. Sir Guy was dumped unceremoniously from his horse and, worse still the two knights, with whole lances, came directly for me. I had, however, seen the fate of my companion and I would not fall into the trap. I knew the Count was the stronger and I decided to take out the man I had injured. As I approached them I made them think I was going to the Count and the two knights closed up. Using my knees I moved Star right and then jerked the reins around so that I rode directly for the injured knight. Once again I punched but this time there was anger in my blow. There was a huge crack as my lance broke when it struck the shield. Then there was a cry of pain.

  I wheeled my horse around to replace my lance. At any moment I expected a blow from the lance which the Count still held but it never came. When I turned, at the table, I saw that the injured knight was being helped from his horse. He could no longer continue. The Count handed his lance to one of his retainers and was handed another by a sergeant at arms. I grabbed my own and turned Star. It was now the Count, the knight who always won these tourneys, against me, who had never fought in one until that day.

  I allowed Star a few moments to recover. He was a powerful horse and he was eager for battle. I needed to control him. I saw the Count move and I spurred Star. I shortened my reins and held my shield tightly to my head. The Count had a Great Helm upon his head. I relied upon the fact that his vision might be slightly impaired, I raised the tip of my lance so that it was aimed at his head, as his was with me. I pulled back my arm and braced myself. As we closed I ducked behind my shield and punched at his cantle with my own lance. I heard a whinny from Star as his lance struck her on the mane and then punched into my right shoulder. I felt a sharp pain but my knees still gripped Star and my own lance had made the Count and his horse stagger to the right. I threw away the broken haft and drew the wooden sword.

  It was now my sword skills which would be tested. I rode after the Count who was trying to control his horse. Star was angry and snorted as he leapt after them. I stood in my stirrups and brought the sword down across the middle of the Count's back. I think he must have thought that I was down for he had not drawn his own sword. He was, however, a good horseman and he wheeled his horse in a tight circle whilst drawing his own sword.


  I could not afford to let this superior warrior get the better of me. He had the advantage for he had done this before. I was a novice. I swung the sword, as we closed horizontally. I saw the weakness in the great helm for he only saw that it was coming for his head at the last moment. It clattered into the helmet and his head jerked back. As we passed he smashed his sword across my back. It hurt.

  I pulled to the right and headed for his sword side. He, too, turned and, standing in his stirrups brought the sword above his head. I raised my shield above my own head, spurred Star and swept my own sword across his middle. Star's speed, my blow and his unbalanced stance meant that he tumbled backwards over his horse's rump to land in a heap on the floor of the arena.

  The cheers from the stands told me I had won and when Edward, Guy and the Swabians rushed to me, it was confirmed. I took off my helmet and felt the cool air around my hot head. Edward patted Star's mane, "That was superb sir. You cut him down to size." Suddenly he stopped and held up his hand. It was bloody. Star had been cut. "Baron, look at this."

  The others stopped smiling and looked at the bloody hand. Rolf examined Star's neck. "There is a long cut here."

  "Perhaps the lance splintered. See if there is wood within."

  Rolf shook his head, "No, Sir Guy, this was made by metal it is sharp." He pointed to my surcoat. "And there is a hole in Baron Alfraed's surcoat. This was a metal tipped spear."

  I held up my hand. "I am not hurt and Star will heal. Say nothing. Let them think that we do not know what they have done. Come on, smile and cheer, we have won."

  Rolf shook his head, "You are a strange one but we will go along with you."

  They led Star to the dais. I dismounted and approached the Emperor and Empress. I saw the joy on the face of the Empress and the thin lipped smile on the Emperor. He was not happy and I wondered how much he had had to do with the attempt on my life. I had no doubt that he had used the Count to try to hurt me. As we waited for them to descend I glanced over and saw the Count and his men leaving the arena. I would have to watch out for him.