Evreux could ride them down. Impulsively, and remembering
dear Nanna, I hurried to their side and took her arm for the ground
was muddy and churned up. “Here Mother, let me take your arm.”
She looked up at me in surprise
and then smiled. “Thank you, young sir. That is very
Christian of you.” I understood her comment for many of the
Housecarls were not Christian and she was surprised that one
behaved in so thoughtful a manner. Rather than slowing up when he
spied us Guy accelerated and I could just see the grin on his
face. I would not move and I made sure that I was on his side
of the couple. I was not afraid for I remembered the attack
in Wales. The horse would veer away, even if the warrior
tried to run us down. I would not give him the pleasure of
seeing us run. I was also ready with my right hand to ward off any
blow and I kept my eye on the horse. The knight was aiming at
us and, although the horse was trying to avoid us I could see that
the reins were jerking his head to strike me. I knew that he would
crash into us and I did the only thing I could think of, I punched
the horse as it drew close. It immediately reared and veered
away throwing the young knight to the floor. I escorted the shocked
couple to the cathedral and noticed some of my comrades smiling at
me.
“Well done young Aelfraed.
An interesting approach.” Osgar was leaning on the cathedral wall
but keeping an eye on the knight. I saw him nod his head and
I turned to see the angry young man storming towards me, sword in
hand.
“You Saxon dog! How dare you
strike my steed. Defend yourself.” I had not known he could speak
our language until then.
I was, to my own surprise,
calmness personified and I spread my hands. “With what Norman
cur? Unlike you we do not ride armed in a peaceful town at this
holy time of year.”
A crowd had gathered and I heard
the clatter of hooves as other Normans approached. Seeing them
emboldened the young knight. “Well go and get a weapon and then I
will teach you a lesson.”
“And why would you need to do
that Guy of Evreux?” The man who spoke was the leader of the
knights, Odo of Mortain. A powerful baron and a
confidante of Duke William we had heard.
“He struck my horse and I
fell.”
One of the other knights
laughed. “And you want to kill him because you are a poor
horseman?”
He reddened at that and pointed
his sword at me, “He has insulted me and I demand
satisfaction.”
Odo’s voice was chillingly
threatening. “Sheath you sword. This is a holy day and
we will not spill blood.” He seemed to see me for the first
time. “Housecarl what have you to say?”
“I was escorting the gammer,“ I
pointed to the terrified old lady and her grandson, “to the
cathedral and he rode in too fast. Had I not struck the horse
then we would have been hit ourselves.”
Odo flashed his eyes at Guy, “Is
this true?”
“I was in charge of my
horse.”
“Were you young Guy of Evreux?
So much so that you were close enough for this man to hit your
horse. Go back to the quarters and I will deal with you
later.” As Guy rode away I could see the look which he gave me and
knew that this was not over. “You have courage to stand and face a
charging horse but I would advise you to move a little quicker the
next time.” With that he turned and rode away his companions
clanking after him.
I turned to see ten Housecarls
advancing on me, all of them cheering. “Well that is a Christmas
gift and no mistake. Come Aelfraed, this Stephen’s day you do
not buy ale for we are all delighted that the Norman was humbled
so.”
“You are a fool!”
My uncle’s words sobered me up
in an instant. The day had been a blur of praise and banter from my
comrades. When I had returned to the hall my uncle’s
glowering face had warned me of a storm. The drink had made me
bold. “Should I have let him knock down the old lady?”
“You should have bitten back the
pride
dear Nanna, I hurried to their side and took her arm for the ground
was muddy and churned up. “Here Mother, let me take your arm.”
She looked up at me in surprise
and then smiled. “Thank you, young sir. That is very
Christian of you.” I understood her comment for many of the
Housecarls were not Christian and she was surprised that one
behaved in so thoughtful a manner. Rather than slowing up when he
spied us Guy accelerated and I could just see the grin on his
face. I would not move and I made sure that I was on his side
of the couple. I was not afraid for I remembered the attack
in Wales. The horse would veer away, even if the warrior
tried to run us down. I would not give him the pleasure of
seeing us run. I was also ready with my right hand to ward off any
blow and I kept my eye on the horse. The knight was aiming at
us and, although the horse was trying to avoid us I could see that
the reins were jerking his head to strike me. I knew that he would
crash into us and I did the only thing I could think of, I punched
the horse as it drew close. It immediately reared and veered
away throwing the young knight to the floor. I escorted the shocked
couple to the cathedral and noticed some of my comrades smiling at
me.
“Well done young Aelfraed.
An interesting approach.” Osgar was leaning on the cathedral wall
but keeping an eye on the knight. I saw him nod his head and
I turned to see the angry young man storming towards me, sword in
hand.
“You Saxon dog! How dare you
strike my steed. Defend yourself.” I had not known he could speak
our language until then.
I was, to my own surprise,
calmness personified and I spread my hands. “With what Norman
cur? Unlike you we do not ride armed in a peaceful town at this
holy time of year.”
A crowd had gathered and I heard
the clatter of hooves as other Normans approached. Seeing them
emboldened the young knight. “Well go and get a weapon and then I
will teach you a lesson.”
“And why would you need to do
that Guy of Evreux?” The man who spoke was the leader of the
knights, Odo of Mortain. A powerful baron and a
confidante of Duke William we had heard.
“He struck my horse and I
fell.”
One of the other knights
laughed. “And you want to kill him because you are a poor
horseman?”
He reddened at that and pointed
his sword at me, “He has insulted me and I demand
satisfaction.”
Odo’s voice was chillingly
threatening. “Sheath you sword. This is a holy day and
we will not spill blood.” He seemed to see me for the first
time. “Housecarl what have you to say?”
“I was escorting the gammer,“ I
pointed to the terrified old lady and her grandson, “to the
cathedral and he rode in too fast. Had I not struck the horse
then we would have been hit ourselves.”
Odo flashed his eyes at Guy, “Is
this true?”
“I was in charge of my
horse.”
“Were you young Guy of Evreux?
So much so that you were close enough for this man to hit your
horse. Go back to the quarters and I will deal with you
later.” As Guy rode away I could see the look which he gave me and
knew that this was not over. “You have courage to stand and face a
charging horse but I would advise you to move a little quicker the
next time.” With that he turned and rode away his companions
clanking after him.
I turned to see ten Housecarls
advancing on me, all of them cheering. “Well that is a Christmas
gift and no mistake. Come Aelfraed, this Stephen’s day you do
not buy ale for we are all delighted that the Norman was humbled
so.”
“You are a fool!”
My uncle’s words sobered me up
in an instant. The day had been a blur of praise and banter from my
comrades. When I had returned to the hall my uncle’s
glowering face had warned me of a storm. The drink had made me
bold. “Should I have let him knock down the old lady?”
“You should have bitten back the
pride
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