Free Baron of the North by Griff Hosker

We captured and slaughtered as we went.  I knew that some would flee to Alnwick while others would head north.  It suited us for it spread panic. Fitzwaller would know it was me and be wondering what were my intentions. When the animals were butchered the archers spread hunks of meat on either side of their horses' rumps.  We would eat well. The going, however, was slower than I had hoped. The roads were small roads and we only made the small fishing village of Craster by nightfall.  Many of the fishermen and their families fled by sea when we approached; others just headed north.
    We found food in the homes and the fish they were drying.  We demolished a hut to make the fires to cook the meat.  The men were in excellent spirits as we dined like kings on beef, mutton and smoked herrings. Far from being hungry we had food to spare.  An army which was well fed fought better than one with empty bellies. We moved along the coast towards the small village of Seahouses.  Unless I missed my guess many of those who had fled Craster would have taken refuge there.  As we approached the cliffs which guarded the southern side I sent my archers north of the town to make sure that the people who fled took as little as possible with them. The high ground afforded a view into the small bay.  We had been seen and I saw a veritable fleet of small ships heading north to Berwick and safety. We found more supplies for, like Craster the people here smoked and dried fish. More importantly they left food in their homes too.
    "We will camp here for the day."
    Sir Geoffrey approached me, "We could move far quicker if we need to, Baron."
    "But there is no need.  What is travelling far faster than we are is the news of our advance and the panic is setting in.  Fitzwaller may not be concerned that we are here, as yet, but the Lord of Berwick will and he will mobilise men soon enough."
    "You want to fight the Scots?"
    "I want to fight them on ground of my choosing. If we besieged Alnwick then we might be trapped between two forces.  This way we eliminate the threat whilst keeping Fitzwaller nervous. The King has charged me with recapturing Alnwick and this is the only way I can see to do it with the forces I have at my disposal."
    A messenger came from Ralph of Wales. He had with him two horses.  "They sent a pair of messengers yesterday, Baron.  We took this document from them."
    I opened the hastily scrawled piece of parchment.  I saw a seal at the bottom.  I did not recognise it but I took it to be that of Fitzwaller.
    To the Earl Gospatric,
    I am trapped inside Alnwick.  The Baron of the Tees has come north and is ravaging the country with a large battle. He has many knights with him.  We need help. Our supplies are running out.
    Fitzwaller
    I smiled.  He had overestimated my forces and now I knew of Gospatric's continued treachery. I would show this to the King.
    "Have you stopped any messengers from the north?"
    "We have seen none.  The road is quiet, Baron."
    "Then we will continue to annoy the Scots and weaken their resolve." The fact that there were no supplies moving south told me that the villages we had emptied must have been the ones supplying the castle.
    We moved towards Bamburgh. It was on a small promontory surrounded on two sides by the sea and on the other two by dunes. The wooden remains of the old castle could still be seen but the Vikings had done a good job of demolition. It would need work to make it habitable once more. We set up camp on the high ground across the bay while I went with Sir Richard and Hugh to inspect what remained.
    There was a ramp and we walked up it.  To our right the rock rose naturally and I saw, at the top what had been the wooden stakes driven into the earth. The gatehouse, or at least its remains, showed signs of burning. Once inside the ground rose steadily to the stone and wood keep.  Little remained. The stones had fallen in when the tower was fired. The seas protected two of the