Northern Knight Read Online Free Page A
Author: Griff Hosker
Tags: Historical fiction, Historical, Literature & Fiction, Military, Genre Fiction, War
Empire. Sir Guy was a knight whom I would trust to guard my back.
He stood with his hands on his hips as we clattered across the wooden bridge and into the outer bailey. "I wondered when you would get here."
I dismounted and clasped his arms as all warriors do who have faced death together. "But how did you know I would come here at all?"
He laughed as he led us towards the second gate and the keep. "All of the Empire knows that you are coming to the aid of the Empress once more." He lowered his voice so that my men at arms would not hear. "There is a price on your head, Alfraed of Norton!"
"Who wishes me dead so badly?"
He enumerated them on his fingers, "Flanders, France, Anjou why even Lothar and Konrad's fellows seek your head." He gave a rueful smile and laughed, "Oh to be so popular. Come you shall spend the night with me and enjoy a roof over your head instead of the greenwood."
"How do you know we have not enjoyed comfortable nights?"
"We would have heard of your route and your armour would not show flecks of rust!" He was as clever as he was brave.
My men ate with Sir Guy's warriors while we ate in his hall. It was not yet a Great Hall but it was comfortable and well made. He filled us in on the events further east.
"The Emperor is not yet dead but the wolves are circling. He has named his nephew, Frederick as the heir to his estates but he is unlikely to gain the throne. Thanks to the Emperor's problems with the Pope it seems likely that Lothair of Supplinburg will be named Emperor. Oh they will have an election but the Pope will decide who the new King of the Romans is to be. The election will be a formality. This time the Pope will have his own man ruling the Empire."
I nodded, "Then the Empress should be safe for a while."
"I am afraid not. Lothair hates Henry. He can do nothing about him but he can humiliate him in death by taking the Empress hostage. She is a useful bargaining counter. Already there are suitors lining up to propose the moment that Henry dies!"
"You cannot be serious!"
"I am afraid so. Tell me who ordered you to rescue her? King Henry?"
"Yes."
He nodded and leaned back, "But the Empress requested it. She fears for her life and trusts only you."
"Yes, how did you know?"
"My uncle and I visited Worms last year to visit with the Emperor. The Empress had a word in private. The Emperor had the wasting sickness even then. She said she feared for her life and asked if you still lived. When I said I did not know she became sad and said she would send a message to her father."
"Rolf and the others; they are still at her side?"
"They are there with her but there are but three of them and their ten men at arms. They may be fine warriors but they cannot stop the numbers who would try to take her."
"Then we had better leave in the morning. Perhaps you were wrong about the price on my head. We had no trouble getting here."
"That is because you were hidden from view. Once you pass my uncles' castle at Bar then all the world will know where you are. You were lucky to cross France once; with the Empress and her retinue it will be impossible."
I took this news in and wondered how I could possibly achieve what I wished. "You and your uncle; how are you viewed by this Lothair?"
"He does not like us. The Counts of Aachen and Stuttgart have his ear and they will gain power at my father's expense. The trouble is that my uncle is an honourable man."
"As are you."
He nodded, "As am I. It is lucky I came back richer. I have more men at arms now and a squire. We shall come with you as far as Bar and I will see what my uncle says."
"I do not expect you to risk all for the Empress."
He showed me his palm where we had taken our blood oath. "We swore an oath if you remember and I will not be foresworn. We have cast the dice; let us see what occurs."
Chapter 2
When we reached his magnificent castle the Count of Bar looked considerably older than the last time I
He stood with his hands on his hips as we clattered across the wooden bridge and into the outer bailey. "I wondered when you would get here."
I dismounted and clasped his arms as all warriors do who have faced death together. "But how did you know I would come here at all?"
He laughed as he led us towards the second gate and the keep. "All of the Empire knows that you are coming to the aid of the Empress once more." He lowered his voice so that my men at arms would not hear. "There is a price on your head, Alfraed of Norton!"
"Who wishes me dead so badly?"
He enumerated them on his fingers, "Flanders, France, Anjou why even Lothar and Konrad's fellows seek your head." He gave a rueful smile and laughed, "Oh to be so popular. Come you shall spend the night with me and enjoy a roof over your head instead of the greenwood."
"How do you know we have not enjoyed comfortable nights?"
"We would have heard of your route and your armour would not show flecks of rust!" He was as clever as he was brave.
My men ate with Sir Guy's warriors while we ate in his hall. It was not yet a Great Hall but it was comfortable and well made. He filled us in on the events further east.
"The Emperor is not yet dead but the wolves are circling. He has named his nephew, Frederick as the heir to his estates but he is unlikely to gain the throne. Thanks to the Emperor's problems with the Pope it seems likely that Lothair of Supplinburg will be named Emperor. Oh they will have an election but the Pope will decide who the new King of the Romans is to be. The election will be a formality. This time the Pope will have his own man ruling the Empire."
I nodded, "Then the Empress should be safe for a while."
"I am afraid not. Lothair hates Henry. He can do nothing about him but he can humiliate him in death by taking the Empress hostage. She is a useful bargaining counter. Already there are suitors lining up to propose the moment that Henry dies!"
"You cannot be serious!"
"I am afraid so. Tell me who ordered you to rescue her? King Henry?"
"Yes."
He nodded and leaned back, "But the Empress requested it. She fears for her life and trusts only you."
"Yes, how did you know?"
"My uncle and I visited Worms last year to visit with the Emperor. The Empress had a word in private. The Emperor had the wasting sickness even then. She said she feared for her life and asked if you still lived. When I said I did not know she became sad and said she would send a message to her father."
"Rolf and the others; they are still at her side?"
"They are there with her but there are but three of them and their ten men at arms. They may be fine warriors but they cannot stop the numbers who would try to take her."
"Then we had better leave in the morning. Perhaps you were wrong about the price on my head. We had no trouble getting here."
"That is because you were hidden from view. Once you pass my uncles' castle at Bar then all the world will know where you are. You were lucky to cross France once; with the Empress and her retinue it will be impossible."
I took this news in and wondered how I could possibly achieve what I wished. "You and your uncle; how are you viewed by this Lothair?"
"He does not like us. The Counts of Aachen and Stuttgart have his ear and they will gain power at my father's expense. The trouble is that my uncle is an honourable man."
"As are you."
He nodded, "As am I. It is lucky I came back richer. I have more men at arms now and a squire. We shall come with you as far as Bar and I will see what my uncle says."
"I do not expect you to risk all for the Empress."
He showed me his palm where we had taken our blood oath. "We swore an oath if you remember and I will not be foresworn. We have cast the dice; let us see what occurs."
Chapter 2
When we reached his magnificent castle the Count of Bar looked considerably older than the last time I
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