Prologue #2
William’s eyes narrowed at Christopher’s younger brother.
“Nay, it is nothing new,” he said, irritated that he was interrupted.
“But what if I told you that our good friend William the Lion is trying to convince the Norse princes of the outer isles to help him gain back Northumbria? Unfortunately, it is true. Jon Harraldsson and his brother, David, are the Earls of Orkney and Shetland. I realize that William has had a tumultuous relationship with them, but my agents tell me that William has promised them lands in Northumbria if they’ll help him regain what he believes belongs to Scotland – and the Northmen.
Harraldsson has gone so far as to send word to his Norse brethren in Hordaland and Danmark that they, too, will be provided lands in Northumberland if they help the Scots.
I fear a Norse army is about to move into the north and the results could be devastating. ”
It was astonishing information. Christopher looked at the man, incredulous. “How long has this been going on?”
William sighed heavily. “More than a year,” he said. “I was only informed about it six months ago and that news came down through the House of de Bourne, Lords of Bernicia. Do you know them?”
Christopher, still dazed, nodded. “I do,” he said. “I fought in a couple of battles in the north and they served under the Earl of Northumberland. I seem to remember someone telling me that they are direct descendants of the last King of Northumbria.”
William nodded. “They are,” he said. “That is why the title they hold is Lords of Bernicia, of the ancient kingdom. If you are unaware, their castle is called The Keld – it is a large place that sits on a major road into Scotland. They control most of the southern portion of Northumberland and even parts of Yorkshire. Their family is an old and distinguished one, but their relationship to the crown of England has historically been… difficult. Our ancestors stole Northumbria from their ancestors.”
“But what does all of this have to do with de Velt marching into Scotland to massacre the Scots?” David wanted to know. He was always the impatient one. “Why has de Velt amassed his army?”
William held up a hand to be patient, looking at the host of concerned and curious faces around him.
“Because loyalists of William the Lion sent word to de Bourne and asked them to be part of the movement to wrest Northumberland from England,” he said.
“Now, I would think that to the House of de Bourne, such an offer would be most inviting, but they surprised me. Alastor de Bourne is a man with a head on his shoulders because he knows that if he agrees, the rest of his life and probably the lives of his children and grandchildren would be nothing but warfare. He knows he cannot stand against the English armies that would roll into Northumberland to regain it, so he sent me word instead about the offer to warn me. I already had spies in the Scottish court and they have confirmed these plans.”
“Who are the agents?” David asked.
A gleam came to William’s eyes. “As I said, I have agents all over England,” he said.
“Of course, the men in this room are my core, the men I utilize the most, but I have agents in the north who are buried so deeply in their covert actions that you would never guess who they are… and what they are. It was those men who secured some of what I needed to know. I informed John of the situation and, for once, we agree that we must act. This conspiracy between the Scots and the Norse is so widespread that we must have a Scotsman who is entrenched in the situation, one who knows the details of this unholy conspiracy because I want answers. Therefore, de Velt is taking his army into Scotland to obtain my prize. At any cost.”
Christopher glanced at the faces around them. No one seemed to be following William very well. He was still being somewhat vague.
“Be plain, William,” he said in a low voice. “We’ve all come a very long way because you said that this was urgent, so be plain with the situation and what you need from us.”
William’s gaze fell on Christopher, hearing his mild irritation. His eyes, yellowed with age, studied the man a moment before he downed the contents of his cup.
He set the cup aside.
“Cole de Velt is Jax’s eldest son,” he said quietly.
“He has also been an agent for me for a few years. I know most of you did not know that, but Sean did. You see, Cole has been assuming Sean’s role with William the Lion.
As Sean is the protector of John, Cole has spent the past few years moving through the Scottish ranks to get close to the king.
He is English, that is true, but he mimics a Scotsman perfectly.
He’s been pretending to be Scots all this time.
He is the one who has identified much of what I have told you, but he has also identified something else – someone who knows a great deal of this conspiracy.
I’ve sent Jax and Cole to extract Alpin Canmore from Fountainhall Castle.
I want that man. He’ll tell me everything I must know. ”
“How can we assist?”
William fixed on Christopher. “You will take your army into Northumberland,” he said.
Then, he looked at the rest of the knights.
“Those of you in command of armies will go as well, because if Canmore knows as much as I think he does, William the Lion will not take his abduction lightly. He could take half of Scotland and the Norse princes and march into Northumberland to retaliate. Now do you understand?”
The seriousness of the matter settled deep. This wasn’t a simple operation William was speaking of; this was war. Massive war between Scotland and England, with the Norse pulled into it.
Something like that could easily tear the north apart and then some.
“I will have to tell Edward, my lord,” Dashiell said. “The Duke of Savernake must know this so that he will grant me permission to take his army north.”
William nodded. “You have my permission,” he said. “The duke’s massive army is essential to this operation. Bric?”
The big, Irish knight answered smartly. “My lord?”
William looked at the man with the pale blond hair and eyes so blue that they were silver.
“You may tell your liege and request his army,” he said.
“I have every confidence that Daveigh de Winter will permit you to bring his army to the north because I need the de Winter war machine. Cullen, the same can be said for you – tell your father what I have told you and request his army. Gart, I require yours, as well. Christopher will be in command of the battle, of course, and you will rendezvous with his army at Sheffield. From there, you will go north to The Keld. De Bourne will welcome you. That is where you shall stage the armies and, hopefully, it will be where de Velt brings the hostage he currently seeks.” He sobered dramatically.
“Good men, this is mayhap the most serious situation we have faced in recent memory. If we do not destroy Scotland’s plans, they will surely destroy us. ”
William didn’t say it to exaggerate. He said it because it was the truth.
They understood what the stakes were and the consequences, and perhaps Christopher and David most of all.
They’d seen more battles than they could count, but this one…
this one might prove to be the most serious.
If what William said was true, they were facing an invasion from the north.
In fact, Christopher seemed particularly subdued, staring into the fire as he contemplated what was to come. After a moment, he turned his head towards the group.
“Peter, Cullen, Dash, and Bric,” he said. “You will go down to the courtyard and wait for me. Kevin, go with them. The rest of you will remain for a moment. I have something more I wish to say to The Marshal.”
The five younger knights broke off without another word and cleared the chamber.
When the door shut softly behind them, Christopher found himself looking at those who remained.
These men were older, men who had seen a great deal of war and strife in their careers.
Christopher, David, Sean, Maxton, Kress, Achilles, Caius, Alexander, and Gart had all seen action in The Levant, as they had gone on crusade with King Richard.
That bonded them more than most and there was a brotherhood there that could not be shaken.
Christopher’s gaze returned to William.
“Did you truly unleash de Velt, William?” he finally hissed.
William nodded slowly. “I did,” he said.
“I want the Scots to know that we will stop at nothing to destroy this ridiculous conspiracy, including using de Velt as an attack dog. I want to strike fear into their hearts and that is exactly what this move will do. The first strike must be bold and decisive. You know that.”
Christopher nodded, though he wasn’t entirely sure releasing such death and destruction was the right move.
“You must do what you feel is right, of course,” he said.
“But de Velt… once the Scots are finished being terrified, they will strike back and strike hard. We may find ourselves in a nasty war regardless, even though that is exactly what you are trying to prevent.”
William leaned back against his chair, sighing wearily. “That is what de Lara said.”
Attention turned to Sean, who had remained silent since entering the chamber.
He wasn’t simply a seasoned knight, but also heir to a large lordship.
He and his brother, Kevin, hadn’t been on speaking terms for years even though they served The Marshal together.
They could work well enough together, but that brotherly bond had been badly fractured by Sean’s mission as the king’s loyal bodyguard and Kevin’s disgust in his brother’s dedication to his duty over his noble reputation.
But every man in that room held Sean in great esteem for his sacrifice.
And his unparalleled knowledge.