The Duke and the King Read online

  “And if we both live long enough, I may have one. When Gisela is of an age then you and she could produce a son.” He smiled. “I can hope. Without that hope then my future is bleak.”

  “Bleak?”

  We were alone but he looked around, “There are men who seek my crown. Count Arnulf and Count Robert of Poitiers both plot and conspire. Count Robert’s father ruled Frankia briefly. His son seeks the crown. Arnulf wishes a larger Flanders.” He leaned back. “I know, Count, that you may have been apprehensive about coming here today. We will touch on Wessex tomorrow but your survival and presence in Normandy is the only thing preventing my enemies from taking my crown.” He looked at his goblet and pushed it away. “I have said too much. It is the drink. We will talk in the morning when I have a clearer head.” He stood, “You are a clever man and belie your reputation. Would that I had spoken to you before you burned my bridges, eh?” He left me alone in his feasting hall.

  I finished the jug of ale and watched the fire. I had much to occupy my mind. I had more power and influence than I knew. It explained much. Now I understood why the Archbishop was slow to censure my lack of enthusiasm for Christianity. The King needed me. The Church in Frankia needed me. I went to bed when the jug was finished but my mind was a maelstrom.

  The King, despite his libations the previous night, was bright-eyed when I saw him the next morning. There was a table laden with food. “Having you at my table, Count, seems to do me good. I slept well last night. I have invited your men and mine to join us. We will be hunting this morning and after we can talk.” He gave me a wry smile. “It might put their minds at rest for they fear I have had you murdered in your sleep! My captain tells me that they are loyal men!”

  I saw the relief on the face of Mauger and the others as they saw me when they arrived. The hunting hall was filled with all manner of hunting gear. There were even clothes. I guessed that some of those who came here were ill-equipped for hunting in these woods. Nothing would have fitted me but the leather byrnie I had brought was perfect. I would have brought my Saami bow had I known what we would be hunting. I took one of the Frankish ones. I now saw why the Franks were such poor archers. They had inferior bows. The boar spears and javelins were more to my taste. We would be riding to the hunt and dismounting to actually kill. I preferred that. My horse, Blue, was a good one but he was neither fast nor nimble. You needed both to be able to hunt from the back of a horse.

  His woodsmen led us down a trail. They walked and it soon became clear that they knew their business. My grandfather had been a good tracker. He had been trained by Ulf Big Nose. Those skills had been passed down to me but I was not as good as my grandfather had been. The three men who took us deep into the forest were as good as the legendary Hrólfr the Horseman. We said nothing as we headed into the heart of the hunting grounds. The straining leashes of the men with the dogs told us when we were getting close to the animals. The leading tracker held up his hand and then waved at the King. The King dismounted and we followed.

  I knew there was an etiquette to hunting with a king. He would have the first strike and only then would the rest of us be allowed to make a kill. The leading woodsman spoke with the King and then he led the hounds and their handlers to head further into the forest. I saw that they headed south. We were facing west and the wind came from the north-west.

  The King smiled, “We now wait for the animals to come to us.” He waved over a servant. We were each given a horn of ale. The King and I were served first. The King raised his horn, “To a successful hunt and a good outcome to this day!” We toasted and then handed back our emptied horns.

  The King took a bow. I chose a pair of javelins and a boar spear. The huntsmen had told us that we sought deer but there were wild boars in this forest. We moved, when the King commanded, further into the forest. Servants watched our horses. The King and I were surrounded by our bodyguards. When we heard the horns and then the barking of dogs we stopped. The King nocked an arrow. I rammed the spear and one of the javelins into the soft earth. Being the tallest I had the best view. I was the one who saw the deer hurtling towards us. I grabbed a javelin. This was a large herd. The dogs had terrified them. A huge stag led them and it was coming for us. The King loosed his arrow. It was a well-aimed arrow. It went into the shoulder of the stag but both the arrow and bow were inferior to those used by my best archers. It merely angered the beast and it turned to come at us. We were all free to release our arrows and javelins. I pulled back and hurled my javelin. It hit the stag close to where the arrow of the King had struck but it was not a mortal blow. I picked up the boar spear as one of my hearth weru stepped towards the stag with his javelin held before him. It was brave but foolish. Even as I braced myself and my spear Siggi Svensson stabbed the stag in the chest and was then struck by its antlers. Blood sprayed over us as the antlers gored him. He was mortally wounded. I lunged with my boar spear. I hit the stag beneath its skull and the iron spearhead drove up into its brain. My strike saved my life for the antlers just missed my head as its head was lifted up and life went from the stag’s eyes.

  I let go of the spear and ran to Siggi. Even as I reached him, I saw that he was dying but he had managed to grasp the hilt of his sword. He opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was his death sigh. “Farewell, Siggi. You kept your oath to the end.”

  The hunt had disappeared behind us. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up at the King. “I am sorry Count. This man’s death can be laid at my door. I am not as good an archer as I thought. I should have gone for a doe.”

  I stood. “Do not blame yourself, King Charles. This was meant to be. Siggi was a warrior and he died a warrior.”

  The King looked down and saw the sword in Siggi’s hands, “Scratch a Norman and you see a pagan.”

  I shrugged, “We would bury him here if that is permitted.”

  The King nodded, “Not in a churchyard. I understand. We will be with the horses.”

  I stood, “Mauger, fetch the heart of the stag. These two warriors will be laid together.”

  We used Siggi’s sword and the boar spears to dig the grave. When it was deep enough my men found stones in the forest and made the shape of a boat. We curled Siggi into the position of a babe in his mother’s womb and placed his sword in his hands. Then we put the deer’s heart in the grave with him and covered the body. Standing in a circle we were alone in the forest. “Allfather, take this warrior. He deserves the honour of sitting with you and those around your table. He kept his oath and died well. We will see you soon enough, Siggi Svensson.”

  We washed and cleansed ourselves at the hall. The mood was more sombre than it might have been. As well as the stag we had taken more than eight deer. It was a good hunt but Siggi had died. I sat with the King and we spoke.

  “The death of your man told me all that I need to know about you, Count Robert. You are still a pagan at heart.” He held up a hand to stop any argument. “You are a pragmatic man. I am too. However, you raided Wessex and I cannot allow you to do so again.”

  My eyes flashed angrily at the King. I was not a man who was told what he could and could not do. “King Charles, I have not broken my oath. I did not attack Franks!”

  He shook his head, “I care not if you attack Franks so long as they are not Western Franks!” He sighed, “Let me explain. King Edward is an ally. In a sea of enemies, he is one who would watch my back and he is no threat to my land. Had I had a son then he would be betrothed to King Edward’s daughter, Eadgifu. Wessex now controls the island that was Britannia. I beg you, for my sake, do not lose me an ally.”

  Had he said this before I had attacked it would not have prevented the raid but the raid had served its purpose. We had coin and new men had been blooded. I had no intention of raiding again for we had taken all that they had. The treasure we had taken was almost the same as the payment King Charles had made after the battle of Paris. I could be magnanimous, “For our friendship, King Charles, I will accede to your request.
”

  The relief on the King’s face made me smile. He then went on to tell me about his enemies. They were all counts and they ringed him. The Count of Poitiers, Count of Paris and Marquis of Neustria and Orléans, Robert of Neustria was the most dangerous of them. The fact that he had three such titles told me how powerful he was. Each of his lands was bigger than Normandy. He was the son of Robert the Strong who had been, briefly, King of the West Franks. This Count also hated me for I had helped to defeat his father. Count Arnulf of Flanders was the most treacherous. He appeared to support King Charles but he sided with the Count of Poitiers. The last enemy he named was known to me. Count Gourmaëlon of Cornouaille sought to become Duke of Brittany. The King could not allow that.

  “And have you no allies, King Charles?”

  “Two who have power, you and King Edward of England. So, you can see the dilemma you placed me in when you raided Wessex.”

  “Aye, I can see that.”

  “Hagano of Lothringia, my wife’s cousin, is an ally but he is not popular in my court. You can see, Count Robert, that I tread a fine line. It is like a line of stepping stones across a raging river. One slip means my doom.” We were both silent as we considered the situation. When he spoke, his words made me jump for I was thinking about how I could use this knowledge. “I would ask a favour of you. You can refuse although I suspect that you will agree.”

  My eyes narrowed, “Is this the price for my raid? I aid you and I am forgiven?”

  He smiled, “No, Count, you are forgiven so long as the act of raiding Wessex is not repeated. My request is this, I would have you deal with the Count of Cornouaille. Unlike the other two his lands are close to yours and my spies tell me that he has plans to take back the land of the Bretons from the Normans!”

  I nodded, “Did your spies also tell you that I was considering attacking him?” The answer he gave would determine our future relationship.

  He looked me in the eyes and answered honestly. He passed the test. “Your men were not close-mouthed. Yes, Count Robert.”

  “And you know that if I take Brittany then the land I will control will be enormous, a Dukedom, in fact?”

  He laughed. “I have heard that you title yourself, Duke of Normandy, anyway. Does it really matter?”

  It was my turn to laugh, “My lords seem to think I deserve it.”

  “You probably do but that is a step too far. It would give my enemies more fuel to use against me. I do not mind what your men call you in your own land. I will continue to call you Count.” I nodded. He was admitting that I was Duke. “And I take it you will attack the Bretons?”

  “I will but I will do so without informing you of the time or the manner. That is for your protection. You have enemies and they might well use that against you. This suits me anyway. I have told my men to keep word of our attack secret and some did not. This will allow me to discover whom I can trust.”

  “Good. I am pleased that I invited you. My lords may not understand it but I trust you more than any of my lords. You are still a barbarian and, at heart, a pagan but I believe you have honour and that is rare in leaders.”

  I gave a mock bow, “That does not sound like praise but I will take it for I have always been a man of my word.”

  He stood, as did I, and we clasped arms. It was a bond between a duke and a king. Neither of us broke that bond. We were both faithful until, well that is the future, and it does not do to upset Skuld. In all, I spent three days with the King and we learned much about each other. That would be the only time we met. We needed no further meetings for we knew each other’s minds. I would not raid Wessex and he would support me if the Pope demanded action. I could go to war and know that Frankia would not intervene. Brittany was alone and was isolated. It was a plum ripe for the picking.

  Chapter 5

  When I returned to Rouen I spoke at length with William. He was my heir and he deserved to know all that had been said. He was as happy as I was that our war had been sanctioned but, like me, he was concerned about the fact that the attack was common knowledge. I summoned Egil. He had a clever mind and the three of us, along with Godwin Red Eyes, spoke of how we could smoke out our enemies. We came up with a cunning plan. We had just two months before the raid. William and I divided my land into two halves. We would ride my land and speak to my lords face to face. We would look into their eyes and we would see if we could start our prey. This would be the first real test for my son as a leader. We would tell each of the lords something slightly different in the hope that when we heard rumours, we could identify whence they emanated. I took north of the river and William the south. The real reason for that was that I was more confident about the lords who lived south of the river. From things the King had said I was more suspicious of the ones whose lands bordered Flanders.

  I headed north with my nine hearth weru. We had not replaced Siggi. In truth, I would not select one. One would be selected for me in battle. Nine would do when we fought the Bretons. We headed first for Djupr. I could speak with my lords who lived between Rouen and Djupr. It would allow me to gauge the mettle of the men I would lead in battle. Olaf Olafsson held the most important town north of me. As his port was on the coast it handled more trade than Rouen. What concerned me, as I headed north, was the accounts Father Harold had shown me before I had left. Djupr appeared to pay fewer taxes than any other of my towns and that included Caen. I wondered if it was an oversight or something more sinister. I had no evidence that there was any wrongdoing. Once I had met with Olaf, I would travel the borderlands and then head back to Rouen. There were just five lords north of the river. Olaf was the most important and, after visiting Leif Galmrsson and seeing no deception in his eyes, I headed to Djupr. We met four lords on our way north. I saw nothing but honesty in their eyes. My hearth weru concurred. While I spoke with the lords, they spoke with the hearth weru of each lord. I felt more at ease as we headed to the coast.

  The loss of Siggi had affected my men. They rode closer to me and viewed all we met with suspicion. Their attitude towards others bordered on rudeness. When we reached Djupr they looked at the sentries as though they were enemies and not friends. My hearth weru were powerful warriors. They dressed for war and their weapons showed them to be men to fear. Olaf’s sentries recoiled when we entered their gates.

  Djupr was a bustling port. It looked and felt prosperous. As I had expected we were treated as though I was a king. Olaf fawned. His father would not have done so. He would treat me with respect. I had never fought with Olaf, his son. I did not know him. This would be my first opportunity to get to know him. I was given fine quarters. I was accorded a thrall to look after me. I had never needed such things. All that Olaf did made me suspicious and I should not have been.

  He had laid on a great feast. I had not warned him of my arrival but he was rich and accommodation was not a problem. The lords north of my river all deferred to Olaf. He wielded great power. He taxed, for me, all that came and went from Djupr. That was the main reason for Father Harold’s surprise. The taxes he collected should have rivalled Caen or Rouen. They did not. Something did not add up. I wondered if he was being robbed by his own clerks. I did not drink as much as Olaf wished. I wanted answers.

  First, I spoke to him of the gathering of ships at Caen. He nodded. He had already been warned of the muster when he had visited me in Rouen. I told him that we would be attacking by sea only and that we would need his ships. With that out of the way, I sought other answers. “You have done well here, Olaf. Your father would be proud.”

  “I hope so but he set his standards too low. The lord of Djupr is a powerful man and should be treated accordingly. He was content with a small hall. He allowed all to speak to him as though they were his equals.”

  I put down my goblet, “As do I. You are saying I am wrong?”

  He knew he had said what he should not and he backtracked, “No, lord. It does you great credit but you deserve honour for what you have done. It is just that I am half Frank. Pe
rhaps that half of me makes me different from my father and from you.”

  “My mother was a Frank.”

  I could see in his eyes that he had wished he had drunk less and been more guarded in his words. “Perhaps you are right. I will try to change.”

  I nodded and ran my finger around the edge of the goblet. It was made of silver. I did not have silver goblets. I used horns or wooden beakers. “Tell me, Olaf, have you and your port had a bad year this year?”

  He grinned and waved an expansive hand, “No, Duke, we have done well! The crops were good and we have many ships which use the port. I have added two quays and three warehouses.”

  “Then why do you pay fewer taxes than Caen, Bayeux and my other towns?”

  He almost choked on the wine he was drinking. “I am certain that there has been a mistake, lord. Are you sure?” He recoiled when my eyes bored into him. He was treating me like a fool.

  “There may have but it was not mine. It was yours. If it was a clerk with sticky fingers then the fault is still yours. If you want a fine hall and silver goblets then the price you pay is vigilance and, most importantly, honesty! After we have chastised our foes I will return with my clerks. We will look at your accounts. If you have been cheated by your men, we will discover it and we will punish them.”

  He looked relieved, “Good. I confess that I am not as knowledgeable about such matters. I will make amends. I will go over every figure myself. I will find who has been cheating us!” I saw his eyes. He was shifty. “And how do we attack the Bretons?”

  “You have the greatest fleet of ships. We rely on you. Bring your fleet and all of your men to Caen at the start of Tvímánuður.”

  “Surely I should leave men to watch my borders?”

  “No, Olaf, there are other lords who do not have ships. They can watch your borders. I need you. I need the ships and sailors of Djupr!”

  “Then I am honoured that you think so highly of me.”

  That night I did not sleep well. Perhaps it was the food. Olaf had served us dishes I did not recognise. Whatever the reason my sleep was disrupted by disquieting dreams and voices. When my brother’s face loomed up out of the dark with a dagger in his hand I woke. I was sweating. What did the dreams mean? Were these voices from the dead warning me and what was their warning?