Chapter Ten #4
Deston was listening carefully. “Edward? Or you?” When Brandt shook his head, Deston put up a hand to silence him.
“Brandt, we all know it is you who is the military intelligence behind Edward. It is you. You have planned the systematic weakening of the Aquitaine and you are the military leader planning the Black Prince’s movements.
Edward may be a great leader of men, but you are the man behind the leader.
Make no mistake. England understands that and so do those in France.
When all of this is over, you will be an extremely powerful man in both countries. ”
Brandt didn’t have much to say to that. He returned to his bread and cheese, ripping off great hunks of bread and washing them down with the rich red wine.
Deston could see the man was silent on the matter of his greatness, as most great men were.
He was not humble, but he knew the truth.
He saw no need to confirm it. Deston poured himself more wine.
“It is well known that you are a master of chevauchèe,” he continued quietly.
“Quite an effective tactic – burn, pillage, and loot, and then move on to the next town. I understand that Edward has used your tactics for the past year quite heavily. That is what has weakened the Aquitaine most of all and I am sure that is why the French call you l’ange noir.
Even they know who is truly the master behind the prince – Exeter, the Angel of Death. ”
Brandt glanced at him. “Where did you hear things like that?”
Deston grinned. “Erith is well-traveled,” he said. “We have many visitors. I hear many stories. Is any of this untrue?”
“Of course it is true.”
“Then you must be a very wealthy man from all of the time spent looting the Aquitaine.”
“I am well-rewarded for my service.”
It was a mild way of putting it. Deston chuckled softly before draining the rest of his wine.
“When do you return to France?” he asked, shifting the subject slightly. “More importantly, how many of my men will you need when you return?”
Brandt sighed heavily. The wine was starting to relax him and his professional manner was easing.
“I will not be in England long,” he said, suddenly looking very weary as he reflected on his future plans.
His burdens were huge, dragging at him. “My directive from the Prince of Wales is to return for fresh troops and join him in the Aquitaine in three months’ time.
We are beginning the systematic weakening of the north of France.
Without going into a huge amount of detail, it is our intention to take Chartres, Tours, and eventually Poitiers.
The prince wishes to set up court in Poitiers and rule from there. ”
Deston was looking at him seriously. “Is this true?” he breathed. “My God… you have a task ahead of you, man.”
Brandt nodded, slowing down his food and alcohol intake as a thought occurred to him.
In returning to France as soon as he was, he would have to marry Ellowyn quickly if he were going to spend any amount of time with her before he left.
Odd that now, instead of returning to France where Edward was waiting for him for fresh men and supplies, all he could think of was Ellowyn and how he did not want to leave, not while they were just becoming close.
“I will be soliciting men and material from the Duke of Carlisle, the Earl of Wrexham, and move across the middle of England soliciting what support I can,” he said.
“I will perhaps ride to Carlisle and Wrexham because their sons, St. Hèver and de Lara, serve me. I know the families well. To that end, what support can I expect from you?”
Deston took a deep breath, sighing heavily with thought. “Five hundred men at the most,” he said, scratching his blond head. “The six hundred you brought back should expect to stay here. What kind of supplies do you need?”
“Arrows,” Brandt said without hesitation. “The archers go through them at a maddening pace. They recover as many as they can, but supplies are short. We can also use any kind of combat weapons you can provide – axes, poleaxes, swords. Anything. Horses would also be well-met.”
“I will see what I can do,” Deston said. “How long will you be staying?”
“No more than a day, two at the most.”
“Then let us spend tonight feasting and enjoying life. We will speak of the serious things tomorrow.”
“Agreed.”
They lifted a cup to each other before drinking deeply. Brandt was thinking heavily on re-introducing Ellowyn into the conversation for the purpose of asking permission to court her when his knights entered from the bailey.
They were exhausted, dirty, and hungry just as Brandt had been, so Brandt kept his mouth shut as Deston greeted them and the men settled down to wine and food.
All the while, he kept thinking of how he was going to broach the subject of Ellowyn with her father, because it had become increasingly apparently during the course of the conversation that Ellowyn was Deston’s pride and joy.
He wasn’t quite sure how the man was going to view someone who would take her away from him.
Downing his wine, he tried to think of a way to break it easy to the man.