Free Earl by Griff Hosker Page A

the stripped bodies of our enemies.  Their pyre lit up the sky and illuminated our camp. The smell of burning flesh was a familiar smell after a battle. It no longer bothered us.  The men ate well and drank the ale from the skins the enemy had brought with them.  Vikings liked their beer and knew how to brew it.
    Richard of Yarm's squire had a serious wound.  Like my two men at arms he would struggle to ride. Richard kept looking at his son while we ate.  He had been his father's squire before William.  I knew what he was thinking.  It could have been his son who was hovering between life and death.  I had promised my own son that he could come with us next time we fought. Had that been a wise promise to make?
    I wandered over to my men at arms who had found the skins with ale amongst the men from Dublin. Wulfric sat next to Erre.  I joined them.  Erre proffered the skin.  I shook my head, "Thank you, but no."
    I sat. Wulfric nodded, "I was just telling these lads that they saved us this day.  I have never seen such ferocious fighters."
    I smiled, "I knew, Wulfric, from my father and from what I saw when we fought for the Emperor that they could do what they did and more." I put my arm around Erre's shoulder. "You may not be a rider, Erre but none of my mounted men at arms, save Wulfric could have done this day what you did."
    "It was good to fight today, my lord.  William died with a smile on his face." He gestured towards the pyre.  "They were enemies I recognised.  Fighting Thracians is not the same. They are wild tattooed barbarians. This is England and today, I felt I was fighting for England.  I never fought for King Harold.  Today it felt like I was."
    My hand went involuntarily to the hilt of my sword and the blue stone.  As Athelstan might have said, ' Wyrd '.
    We broke camp and headed back to Chester. There was still no word from the Earl of Gloucester.  I had expected it before now. Our Welsh prisoners carried litters with some of the wounded while we used two horses to make one for William of Yarm. We reached Chester at noon.  The Earl of Chester's men were still searching the siege works for booty and any enemy who had not fled.
    "Wulfric, make camp yonder where we first encountered the enemy.  The land is flat.  I suspect we will not be here long."
    I led my knights and squires into the castle. Men cheered as we passed through the gates.  My banner had told them who we were. The castle still looked much the same as it had the first time I had seen it.  The Earl needed to improve it.  Had we not arrived then I fear the reinforcements would have swung the balance in the favour of those besieging. My castle was stronger and had better defences. This siege might just be the spur the Earl needed.
    Ranulf de Gernan, the Earl of Chester, approached me.  His smile told me of his happiness.  I had met him before.  Slightly older than me, he had less experience and that had showed. When I had campaigned in Wales with the Earl of Gloucester he had not been with us.
    "Thank you for your help.  I fear it would have gone ill for us had you not arrived when you did."
    "It was Robert of Gloucester, your father in law, who summoned us."
    He nodded, "When you rode away I wondered why, but now that I see how few you were in numbers I understand your strategy.  Where is the Earl?"
    "I know not.  I sent riders to him but they have not returned. I discovered from prisoners that their leader is Owain, the Prince of Wales and he is south of here." I pointed to our camp. "I will join him on the morrow. Will you accompany me?"
    "Aye but I can only take a few men. There is much work to be done here and we are too close to Dublin to leave this back door to England unguarded."
    I nodded, "I have some wounded whom I will leave here.  Some of them can fight.  I also have some prisoners your men can set to work repairing their damage and we captured some grain.  I expect that you are running short of