Bold Conquest Page 5

  Athelstan lay dead on the field, surrounded by most of his knights. Aedward saw them while keeping his eyes skinned for Wulfric, and when he finally tried to flee it was too late and he was captured. The Normans dealt swiftly and surely with their prisoners, thinking themselves merciful in sparing their lives. Aedward managed to escape again, but not before his hand had been chopped off for "daring to raise it against William."

  On Sunday, the fifteenth of October, while Aedward was desperately making his way home, William called his top-ranking knights together to plan their strategy "There is a great fortified castle at the port of Dover. This will be our first target. We will take it by siege, then move on to Canterbury, and thence to London. I will take half the men with me. My brother Robert de Mortain will take one-fourth of the men with him and go westward and come to London the other way around. The remainder will separate and go north toward London, securing all towns in my name. Each commander is to take his own knights, and any towns that you can hold in my name, I will give you lordship over. If you meet resistance, burn the towns, but try not to slaughter the people wholesale. These are now my people. Rebuilding huts before the cold of winter arrives will keep them occupied and give them pause before they rise up again. If they still resist, chop off a limb. Kill only when necessary— I would not make enemies of these Saxons, but loyal subjects. If we secure all roads into London, the country will fall to us. As in our other campaigns, all valuables or treasure will be gathered and your share distributed when all has been tallied. Be sure to keep a true tally. Theft from me will not be tolerated, petty or otherwise."

  Chapter 5

  Guy de Montgomery had a force of forty knights, including his two younger brothers, Nicholas and Andre. He was thirty years old and had been father and brother to these two for the last ten years of his life. Nicholas was only nineteen and Andre twenty. The young men were very close, went everywhere together, did everything together. They were always laughing and would hazard any bold adventure life offered, their arms slung about each others' shoulders, their handsome dark faces filled with mirth.

  Guy often sighed and shook his head at them, realizing he took life too seriously, but circumstances had demanded he take responsibility for the whole family at an early age. He was a natural leader of men. They respected him, gave him their complete loyalty, and some, like his second-in-command, Rolf, loved him. Guy called his brothers and Rolf. "We are not to go with William, nor with my good friend Robert de Mortain. It has fallen on us to go north from here and claim the towns close to London for William as his sovereign right. Many others go north also, but we will travel with only our own forty knights. When we get closer to London we will pick out a few wealthy towns and hold them in lordship. As we go through the villages and towns we will strip them of any treasure or valuables and take it with us. Nicholas and Andre can be in charge of transporting this and bringing up the rear. It may be quite dangerous as there will be a constant threat of looting. If you two do your jobs well, perhaps there will be a town for each one of you to hold. Rolf and I will take the lead and decide the route. I will give you command over twelve knights," he told Nicholas and Andre. "Try to keep them in check," and he winked at Rolf, knowing the difficulties this would encompass. Men faced with riches and women laid out like a feast for their taking would tend to be greedy and gorge themselves to excess. William's soldiers had often gone hungry, and they were restless and had torn France into small pieces in their greed. They had been a danger to their ruler until he found land for them across the seas.

  The pale golden Saxon maidens were very desirable to these young conquerors from France. They were such a contrast to the black-haired women of their own country, who often had a tendency to sallow skins.

  The knights presented a terrifying sight to the Saxon countryside. They were extremely tall and large in their hauberks and chain mail; shields slung at their necks and their helmets laced each with a nose guard. Each knight sat astride a huge war-horse with its own armor, their lances raised and their pennons flying in the breeze. They were determined, turbulent and strong men, not given to compromise or half-measures. When they came to a very small hamlet the villagers quaked and trembled at the very sight of these Normans. In the smaller places they only had to announce, "William, Duke of Normandy, claims England his by sovereign right," and if the people swore fealty, they took only the valuables and of, course ravished any women who took their fancy. When they came to a larger town that showed a force of resistance, they sacked it, burned the houses, killed or maimed their attackers and afterward raped if they felt so inclined.

  The horse found its own way into the stables at Godstone, and Aedward fell from the saddle unconscious. The man on night duty in the stables did not recognize him at first, so filthy was his appearance. It was long past midnight, but the stableman saw his condition was poorly and carried him up to the hall. A young squire was urgently dispatched for Lady Alison.

  "Carry him upstairs for me," she directed, "we'll put him in the very last chamber at the back, I think. Thank you, I can manage now. Go back to the stable and say naught of his return," she warned. She went swiftly along to Lillyth's door and tapped quietly.

  "Lillyth, I will need your assistance with something." She hated to do this to Lillyth. If she could have spared her the shock, she would have done so, but a woman had to face so many terrible things in this life, and she knew Lillyth was woman enough for anything, as she herself was.

  "Put on a warm robe. Awaken some of the servants, send down to the kitchen for boiling water. I'll get my medicine box. Be prepared for a shock, Lillyth. Aedward is in the back bedchamber— they've cut his hand off!"

  Lady Alison watched her daughter covertly for any recoil as they looked down at the young man. His appearance was one of filth, his beautiful hair and beard matted with dirt and blood. The stump of his arm was red and raw in parts, festering in others where the cauterizing had not done its job. Lillyth gently felt his brow, and as she touched him he roused slightly. "He's fevered, mother."

  "Yes, I'll give him camomile, and reach me that green balsam made from adder's-tongue, it is very effective in taking the inflammation from wounds. Help me strip him."

  They took off his chain mail and his leather tunic and he sat up with wild, fevered eyes and tried to prevent them, but his strength soon ebbed and he fell back into a faint. Edyth came in with hot water and they stripped off his chainse and chausses. His body was very pale and he looked so thin.

  "I'll wash him, mother," said Lillyth quietly. "Did he come alone? Did he speak to anyone?"

  "He was alone, perhaps others follow. He has told us nothing so far. I put him in this back chamber so we wouldn't arouse Lady Hilda. Do not tell his mother of this for a while, the shock would be too much in her poor condition."

  Lady Alison bound up his stump and they put him in the clean bed and piled up the furs. Aedward began to mutter and then to ramble, "All dead ... all dead ... battlefield terrible ... slaughtered, dead ..." He quieted after a while.

  "I'll stay with him until morning, mother."

  "No, daughter, go to your chamber and get what rest you can. Tomorrow, when he wakes up he will benefit from your company, and we will have much to decide on, I fear."

  When the dawn streaked the sky with pink, Lady Alison came quietly to Lillyth. "Aedward is awake and much improved, God be praised, but he brings terrible tidings. My Lord Athelstan is dead, Lillyth. Aedward saw him with his own eyes."

  The girl put her hands over her mouth to prevent the anguish from rushing out.

  "He saw all our knights slain. Wulfric is dead also— we are both widows this day."

  Lillyth felt giddy with relief and bereft with sorrow all in the same moment. She had such a mixed welter of feelings within her breast, she shook her head in bewilderment. How can I feel sad and happy at the same time? she wondered. It's like I'm two different people.

  "We can't even bring them home for burial. All the English are dead or fle
d north, and Aedward says there is such a Norman horde, none can stop them, and believe me, Lillyth, they are almost upon us. Wake everyone, all the girls and women, and all the squires and servants. I will come down and speak to them after they are gathered in the hall."

  "Mother, are you all right?" she asked anxiously.

  "I will grieve later— now there is no time for such luxuries."

  Lady Alison stood before the household and held up her hands for silence. "Listen to me, ladies. Harold was killed at Hastings and the Normans are come to conquer us. The lord of this hall is dead and all our men with him. Your fathers and husbands are slain. As far as I know, Aedward is the only survivor. The Normans are almost upon us. They are killing, burning and pillaging everywhere. We stand only one chance, and it is a slight one. I intend to surrender this fiefdom when they come and beg for mercy."

  "But we will be raped!" cried one of the girls.

  "Rape is the least that can happen to you," emphasized Lady Alison.

  "Saxons can rape as well as Normans," sneered Lillyth, clenching the dagger at her waist.

  "Get rid of that dagger, Lillyth," her mother ordered. "Listen to me, all of you. They are men, and they are conquerors. The only thing that ever conquered a man is a woman. If we are fortunate enough to escape with our lives, we will have nothing but our lives, but that will be enough! We will own nothing, have no status whatsoever— we will be their slaves, but clever women have made slaves of men before this, and I am counting on each one of you to play her part. I want no treachery. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. I will do all I can for you. The rest will be up to yourselves. I will go out to the serfs and talk to the men and women myself. We will take up no arms against them whatsoever. No weapons must be found, and the long and short of it is, what will it matter to the serfs if they have new masters, so long as they are not harmed?"

  Edyth was crying beside Lillyth and young Rose looked wildly about as if she were ready to take flight.

  Emma clutched her breast and whispered, "Dead? All our men dead? That cannot be! Oh please, dear God, no. Mark, Mark, please don't be dead, please don't leave me alone." She was growing quite hysterical.

  Lady Adela came up to Lillyth and said quietly, "Let us get the ladies away from the household servants or they are going to start a wholesale panic."

  Lillyth gathered the ladies and said gently, "Come up to the solarium where we can be private." She felt a calmness she knew was irrational under the circumstances. Lillyth was relieved that Lady Adela seemed to have a firm grasp on herself even though she was in the same position as Emma, and her husband Luke was lost to her.

  "They will torture us. They will nail us to crosses and crucify us! They cut open your stomachs and set fire to your entrails!" screamed Emma.

  Lillyth slapped her face sharply. "Stop that, Emma. We must think, we must plan. Pull yourselves together," she admonished Edyth and Rose, "That is absolutely enough weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth! They are men without women. Their needs will be the same as other men. They will need feeding, they will need their clothes washed and mended," said Lillyth, trying desperately to point out what use they might be.

  Emma stopped wailing. "Do you think they may spare us because we are women?" she asked desperately.

  "We must hope so. To think otherwise would be unbearable and self-defeating."

  Emma was looking somewhat relieved, but now Adela, who had been so calm, started to tremble uncontrollably. "Dear God, they will ravish us. You know what soldiers are like when they have been deprived of women!"

  "Adela, I don't believe Rose has any knowledge of men. I see no point in frightening her witless."

  "If only I'd let Walter have his way," sobbed Edyth. "I feel so guilty because I denied him and now he's ... dead!"

  Lillyth knew she must use strengthening, not softening words. "Yes, Edyth, they are all dead, my father among them, but I beg of you to dry your tears. Your life may depend upon your face being pretty. Mar it not with tears; men cannot abide them," said Lillyth softly.

  Edyth looked so woebegone, Lillyth said, "Remember when you chided me for being afraid? I will give you back your own words— they are only men after all. Come, let's have a drink of mead."

  Lady Alison stood before all the serfs. They had gathered nervously in tight family groups. The swineherd with his wife and children, the oxherd with his family, Edgar the shepherd with May and their two children. Similarly the men who tilled the fields and grew the crops bunched together silently, their fear of the unknown overwhelming them.

  "I know you have all heard rumors and have been wondering just what is the truth. Lord Athelstan and our knights have been killed in battle. I will not lie to you. We are all in grave danger, so we must help each other. The Norman conquerors are almost upon us. If we make no resistance, we may be safe. I plan to surrender this fief, the hall and all its buildings and animals. No weapons must be found in your huts. I am certain if you raised up against them, the punishment would be death! However, if you obey them and work hard, I see no reason why your lives should be very much altered." She felt, a panic rising within her but crushed it instantly before the peasants sensed her fear. She said a silent prayer under her breath that the words she spoke so confidently would not be too far from the truth.

  News had traveled quickly. The peasants already knew what Lady Alison was telling them. Her calmness in the face of danger lessened their fears only slightly. Most of them would have run off into the forests, if fear of the consequences had not held them immobile. Anyone found in the forest was officially deemed an outlaw and could be killed by anyone with complete legal impunity. They feared these Normans greatly, and did the only thing they could. They resorted to prayer as a means of insurance, and to be doubly sure of divine protection, bribed Morag for a spell, an amulet or a talisman. Morag's business had never been so good. She was working night and day to keep up with the demand. She was almost being wooed as she was plied with food and firewood to keep her all winter. The problem was, this was one situation where she derived no pleasure from duping her neighbors, for her salvation hung with theirs. She wished for the hundredth time that there really was a spell that would keep the sinister gods at bay.

  In all that fiefdom only one young man decided to take his chances with the elements. To live in the open air, in the forbidden forests, but to remain free of the Norman yoke, Morgan would brave it out. He quickly sought out Faith, hoping he could persuade her to join him, but if not, he would chance the winds of fortune alone.

  "Faith, I'm leaving today. I'll take only the bow and arrows I made ... and you, if you, will trust yourself to me." He slipped a strong protective arm about her and drew her to him.

  "I'm afraid, Morgan," she whispered, wide-eyed, clinging to him.

  "I know, love. You are afraid to stay and afraid to go. But consider if you stay they may kill you or rape and torture you. At the very least they will enslave you. Come with me and we will take our chances together. Is not just a short time of freedom better than a lifetime of slavery?" he demanded.

  She could not disagree with him.

  "lf you will not come with me, I will go alone," he vowed.

  Faith could not contemplate life without him. If he would stay with her at Godstone, she could put up with serfdom if they could spend the nights in each other's arms, but take that away from her and existence was like ashes in her mouth.

  "I'll come," she whispered, as his courage flowed into her.

  He sensed the moment was upon them. 'We'll go now," he said, pulling her after him into a stand of oak trees. He led her to a lightning-blasted tree where he extracted the homemade bow and arrows.

  "We have no food," she realized aloud.

  He grinned. "Don't worry, I will snare us a cony and we can spit it over a fire. I've done it many a time rather than go hungry," he confessed.

  As they made their way deeper into the forest, Faith clung to Morgan's hand desperately because the fore
st seemed so dark and sinister, but as the hours passed and their eyes grew accustomed to the gloom, a calming quiet slipped over them. He caught the rabbit, just as he said he would, and they licked their fingers over the strong dark meat. They gathered bracken for their bed and piled it under a low-sheltering evergreen. Morgan built up the fire and pulled Faith close in his arms. He caressed her for hours until finally her body relaxed against him and she began to respond. It was the closest they had ever been to paradise.

  Lady Alison knew that Aedward would be killed if the Normans discovered him, so she decided to move him into a hut with one of the peasant women, and fastened a long-sleeved work shirt over his stump so that the newness of the wound would not be noticed.

  "Aedward, are you feeling well enough to get up, my dear?" Lady Alison asked urgently.

  He grimaced. "I think the fever is gone, my lady. I don't want to endanger you with my presence, nor endanger your people in the huts. I'll go home to Oxstead and take my chances."

  "Aedward, we are all endangered. The people at Oxstead are no exception. I'm sorry you must live with a peasant family, but I think that is the safest place."

  "lf you are willing to have me at Godstone, I shall stay, but please do not apologize, Lady Alison. I see no hardship whatsoever," he assured her.

  Her eyebrows rose in mild amusement. "Oh, Aedward, you will find it vastly different from life in the hall as a young lord. These one-room huts are used for everything— cooking, eating, sleeping. There is no privacy, whatsoever. They have an open fire, very little furniture, not even light except from the doorway."

  He silenced her gently. "It is enough."

  She took him down the long row of huts to where Edgar and May lived. "May, I want Lord Aedward to live in your hut for the time being. I will come each day to dress his wound. I will see that you get extra food so that your children won't go without, that is, if I can find it humanly possible to do so. I want the Normans to think he is a peasant. If they learn he is a soldier there is every reason to think he will be slain. Do not treat him as a young lord, I beg of you. That will draw attention to him instantly. Try to treat him as you do your son and daughter. I know I am asking a lot of you, but nevertheless, I am asking it."