Conquest

‘Sir, you asked for two hundred of the best. Here they are, and our baggage train is trim, just as you wanted it. Also, sir, twenty-three thegns of England have come to join your cause. You will know many of them.’ Edmund waved towards the trees in the middle distance.

As he did so, a squadron of thegns emerged from their hiding place, knightly leaders of England’s army. They were men from backgrounds like his own; the backbone of England. He recognised many he assumed would be dead: Wulnar the Black, Starelf, Hogor, Gaenoch, Ylard, Toste of Rothwell, his brother Godwin, Broher the Brave, Alutas Grugan, Wenotus, Wulfric the White. With men like these, he could storm the walls of Constantinople.

Hereward addressed the beginnings of his new army. ‘Men, it is good to see you.’ He jumped on to a wagon so that he could be seen and so that he could look into the eyes of all the noble men who had rallied to his cause. ‘That I am here today is a miracle — a miracle worked by my friends who fought with me on Senlac Ridge, and by Torfida, my beloved wife, who nursed me from the brink of death. Sadly, she is not here to share this day with us, but she is here in spirit, an inspiration to us all in her abiding love for England.

‘I have heard the accounts from Edmund and Edwin of what life in England has been like under the heel of Duke William. I know this monster; I have witnessed his depravity. He has blighted our land and we must rid ourselves of him and his henchmen. He uses only one tactic — the slaughter of anyone who gets in his way. He knows only one strategy — unyielding terror towards his opponents. But our ruthlessness will be greater than his, our desire for victory more powerful, our determination to triumph more overwhelming, until we rid our land of this evil tyrant.’

A great cheer rose from everyone present. Hereward’s presence was a glimmer of hope after nearly three years of oppression and brutality.

‘At the request of Edith Swan-Neck and the surviving members of the Witan, I have returned to give leadership to a revolt on behalf of Edgar the Atheling, who, by right of blood, is the true heir to King Harold’s throne.’

Another roar rang out from the assembly.

‘The Duke and his Norman lackeys have started to build mottes and baileys for their protection. That is wise; they are going to need them! But we will burn the Norman towers to the ground and slay those hiding inside like the cowardly vermin they are!’

Hereward lifted the Great Axe of Goteborg and raised it high above his head.

‘For Harold, for Edgar, for England! Our quest begins!’

Within the hour Hereward summoned all the thegns and senior housecarls to a meeting, at which everyone was assigned their tasks. The thegns were given squadrons to command and Einar was made Captain of Hereward’s personal hearthtroop, a corps of twenty who would be selected on merit. Alphonso was made responsible for all covert operations and training. Edmund was to be constantly at Hereward’s side as his standard-bearer, and Edwin would be his aide-de-camp. As always, Martin Lightfoot would act as leader of a corps of messengers.

Hereward then asked Edmund of Kent to update them on the latest military situation.

‘Sir, matters are not as positive as when we spoke in Aquitaine.’

‘Don’t worry, Edmund, our course is now set and our destiny is in our own hands. Tell us what we need to hear.’

‘Edith Swan-Neck is angry with her sons. They defy her and continue their sporadic raids in Devon. Their men are ill disciplined and they are squandering the inheritance from their father on too many Danish and Irish mercenaries who seek only plunder. The people of Exeter have risen to support them once, and paid dearly for it, when Duke William sent a squadron to punish them. Many were executed; they are unlikely to support them again.’

Hereward interrupted Edmund to ask about the Scots.

‘King Malcolm of Scotland lends support to Edgar the Atheling, and to anyone else who needs a safe haven north of the border. He did send a large force down the west coast from Carlisle but, when they reached Penrith, they turned west and started to burn and pillage in Cumberland. We have learned not to rely on his men. There is good news in Mercia, especially Shropshire and Herefordshire, and Chester is strong in its support for us. Their leader is a thegn, Eadric the Wild. He attacks from the Welsh Mountains where he is being aided by Bleddyn, Prince of Gwynedd, and his brother Rhiwallon, Prince of Powys.’

Hereward had another question. ‘What are these men like?’

‘They fight well enough and have helped Eadric become a sharp thorn in William’s side. They destroyed a half-finished Norman motte and bailey at Hereford and now hold the borders, more or less unopposed. William’s heavy cavalry are no match for them on high ground.’

‘Do you think they would venture beyond the borders and move east to attack Nottingham, Warwick, or even Lincoln?’