Robert de Ferrers . The King has sent De Brus and Balliol from London with mercenaries. " I frowned and the Archbishop held up his hand. "They are on the side of England in this. I know that you doubt their loyalty." He paused. "I have sent them by ship to meet with King David to discuss terms."
I began to lose my temper, "They have allegiances in Scotland; you cannot trust them! What were you thinking? They are traitors!"
He waited for me to subside, "I hope, my son, that you trust me." I paused and nodded. "We still prepare for war. Will you join us?"
"That may be a moot point, your Grace. If David comes south then he will have to cross the Tees. I believe that he will come to take Stockton. I may not be able to join you for I may be the only thing which keeps King David from Yorkshire."
"My sources tell me that he has more than twenty five thousand men with him, Aelfraed, can your castle hold out against those odds?"
It was a grim smile I gave him, "Whatever the outcome you would not have to face twenty five thousand men, your Grace for my castle is strong. We will make them bleed for every inch of my land. I know what you are asking and the answer is no, I will not abandon Stockton to the Scots. They are beasts and my people deserve more."
Sir William spoke for the first time, "My lord, you are wilful! Think of the country! We need your men here with us! It is known that the Scots fear you. Abandon Stockton. We can rebuild a town but if we are defeated then we lose the country."
"What is the country if it is not the people? Would you have me abandon my people? I would not be a knight if I did so. I will bleed for you, your Grace, we will die for you. But I will not leave my castle. When we are gone they will have to cross the river upstream of Yarm. They will have to come down this road. If you dispose your men between here and Northallerton you can halt him. My people will be as the three hundred Spartans, Themistocles, and buy you the time!" I smiled as did the Archbishop.
"I am flattered by the illusion but do not die just yet, Earl. Our emissaries may yet succeed."
I laughed, "And the sun may rise in the west! Balliol and De Brus will not bring you success. They bring only treachery!" I rose. "I will return to my home and prepare for the worst. If that worst becomes fact then I pray that you will tell the Empress, the Earl of Gloucester and my son that I did my duty."
"Do not throw your life away, my son. The loss of the land north of the Tees would not be the end of things."
I stared at him, "It would be for my people, your Grace. Farewell."
I rode north, in the dark. I could have stayed but I was angry. The lives of my people rested upon the shoulders of two hypocritical traitors. Once more I was on my own. Sir Hugh's words came back to me. We would have twenty five thousand Scots descending upon us and I had less than two hundred and fifty warriors to defend my valley.
I headed through Yarm even though it was after dark. "Who goes there?"
"Stockton!"
I was admitted. "My lord! What is the danger?"
"It is the Scots. An army of twenty five thousand is heading south. We will hold them at Stockton. I came here, Sir Richard to offer your wife and the family to sail to safety on the 'Adela' . She waits in Stockton."
Lady Anne put her arm through her husband's. He smiled, "There was a time, my lord, when I doubted my duty but no longer. What can I do?"
"The Scots will attack me but they may try to force a crossing here. Deny them and slow them down. That is all. The Archbishop has an army south of us but there will be no more than ten thousand of them. If we live then we will join him."
"I will do so lord. But I do not fear for Stockton. With you on the battlements the Scots will waste their fury on its fine walls."
It was beyond late when I entered my gates. "Alice, fetch me red wine! I have need of it. Sir John, Gilles, Wulfric, Dick, join me I have
I began to lose my temper, "They have allegiances in Scotland; you cannot trust them! What were you thinking? They are traitors!"
He waited for me to subside, "I hope, my son, that you trust me." I paused and nodded. "We still prepare for war. Will you join us?"
"That may be a moot point, your Grace. If David comes south then he will have to cross the Tees. I believe that he will come to take Stockton. I may not be able to join you for I may be the only thing which keeps King David from Yorkshire."
"My sources tell me that he has more than twenty five thousand men with him, Aelfraed, can your castle hold out against those odds?"
It was a grim smile I gave him, "Whatever the outcome you would not have to face twenty five thousand men, your Grace for my castle is strong. We will make them bleed for every inch of my land. I know what you are asking and the answer is no, I will not abandon Stockton to the Scots. They are beasts and my people deserve more."
Sir William spoke for the first time, "My lord, you are wilful! Think of the country! We need your men here with us! It is known that the Scots fear you. Abandon Stockton. We can rebuild a town but if we are defeated then we lose the country."
"What is the country if it is not the people? Would you have me abandon my people? I would not be a knight if I did so. I will bleed for you, your Grace, we will die for you. But I will not leave my castle. When we are gone they will have to cross the river upstream of Yarm. They will have to come down this road. If you dispose your men between here and Northallerton you can halt him. My people will be as the three hundred Spartans, Themistocles, and buy you the time!" I smiled as did the Archbishop.
"I am flattered by the illusion but do not die just yet, Earl. Our emissaries may yet succeed."
I laughed, "And the sun may rise in the west! Balliol and De Brus will not bring you success. They bring only treachery!" I rose. "I will return to my home and prepare for the worst. If that worst becomes fact then I pray that you will tell the Empress, the Earl of Gloucester and my son that I did my duty."
"Do not throw your life away, my son. The loss of the land north of the Tees would not be the end of things."
I stared at him, "It would be for my people, your Grace. Farewell."
I rode north, in the dark. I could have stayed but I was angry. The lives of my people rested upon the shoulders of two hypocritical traitors. Once more I was on my own. Sir Hugh's words came back to me. We would have twenty five thousand Scots descending upon us and I had less than two hundred and fifty warriors to defend my valley.
I headed through Yarm even though it was after dark. "Who goes there?"
"Stockton!"
I was admitted. "My lord! What is the danger?"
"It is the Scots. An army of twenty five thousand is heading south. We will hold them at Stockton. I came here, Sir Richard to offer your wife and the family to sail to safety on the 'Adela' . She waits in Stockton."
Lady Anne put her arm through her husband's. He smiled, "There was a time, my lord, when I doubted my duty but no longer. What can I do?"
"The Scots will attack me but they may try to force a crossing here. Deny them and slow them down. That is all. The Archbishop has an army south of us but there will be no more than ten thousand of them. If we live then we will join him."
"I will do so lord. But I do not fear for Stockton. With you on the battlements the Scots will waste their fury on its fine walls."
It was beyond late when I entered my gates. "Alice, fetch me red wine! I have need of it. Sir John, Gilles, Wulfric, Dick, join me I have
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