Egelric attends a meeting

Egelric was relieved to be out of Gunnilda’s house, but he was not much more comfortable at this big table in the castle, surrounded by shields and swords and banners, and most particularly seated across from Earl Cenwulf.

Every time he looked at the Earl he thought of a lion. He had never seen a lion, but once in his reading he had read about ‘men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions,’ and he had thought of Cenwulf.

Cenwulf was nothing like his lord. His lord joked about everything; Cenwulf was serious about everything – or so he had thought. Tonight he was suprised to see the Earl laughing and joking with his lord just as any other man might.

But Egelric was still uncomfortable. The Earl and the Duke were joking about their wives, and Egelric could certainly not participate in a conversation that made light of noble ladies. And so he sat stiffly and smiled stiffly and hoped the king would hurry.

“Sigefrith!” Alred cried when the door opened. “What, no wine? Is this not an occasion to celebrate?”

“Sorry, Alred, I want to talk seriously here.” He clapped Cenwulf on the back and nodded to Egelric. “Good evening, Egelric. I’ll be Sigefrith tonight, if you please, and here’s Alred and Cenwulf.”

“Not mac Dogface tonight?” Egelric smiled.

“Perhaps, if Alred can convince me to send for wine.”

“About that wine,” Alred insisted. “You know how they did things in old Godwin’s court!”

“I know, Alred,” Sigefrith sighed as he sat down. He explained to Egelric, “Whenever old Earl Godwin – that’s Matilda’s uncle – had something to decide, he and his men would get roaring drunk in the evening and make a decision, and then they would go over it again in the morning when they were sober and decide if it were the right one.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Egelric grinned.

“Sure it does,” Alred groaned, “as long as your decision needn’t be put into application before morning.”

“Get Alred to tell you the story of how he came to marry Matilda, sometime!” Cenwulf laughed.

“So, if Cenwulf is done making an ass out of me in front of my man, I want to know when that wine is coming.”

“Alred, don’t forget that I have to go up to Maud after this.”

“Sure, but we don’t!”

“You’re the only man I know whose wife is pleased to see him come shambling home drunk,” Cenwulf said.

“That’s because she gets to have her way with me,” he said, rubbing his hands together in satisfaction.

“Perhaps we shall have wine later,” Sigefrith said in a voice that put an end to the foolishness. “Now, it’s late and I would like to see my wife. Let’s quickly go over the situation. Alred: Matilda’s cousins.”

“They’re still in Ireland with their Norsemen,” Alred replied, immediately serious, “but they’re talking of moving back into Wales. I think they’re waiting to see the outcome of Malcolm’s experiment. They were burned badly the last time.”

“We can’t keep moving individually,” Cenwulf grumbled. “If we had had the Scots at Ely…”

“Never mind Ely,” Sigefrith said. “So we can’t count on Harold’s sons. Egelric: the Scots.”

Egelric flushed. He hadn’t expected to be asked to speak out like this. But Sigefrith gave him a look that showed he clearly expected a competent reply, and so he stammered, “The Scots – ah – King Malcolm has taken a small army to Durham with Prince Edgar, where they were joined by a number of English, but most of his men are out raiding in small bands throughout Northumbria. The Normans are starting to raise forts, and they’re trying to put a stop to that.”

“What did you think about the Aetheling, Egelric?”

Egelric shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

“Speak up – he’s no relation of mine. Or scarcely – you would have to ask Matilda. Anyway, not close enough to mind.”

“I wasn’t very impressed by him, Your – Sigefrith. He’s young, and he didn’t seem to have much of a will of his own.”

“That’s exactly what Matilda said,” Alred said, pounding his fist on the table. “He’s a puppet. First Stigand, then Morcar and Edwin, then William, now Malcolm. At least Harold’s sons are men.”

“Even Harold’s sons recognize his right to rule,” Sigefrith cautioned. “Cenwulf, what about us?”

“We sent almost fifty men to Ely, and twenty-​​three of them have returned, although five of those lost a hand. In addition we have had forty-​​one men of fighting age come in from the east, some with their families.”

“How many can we spare?”

Egelric looked up in suprise.

“None,” Cenwulf sighed. “But if you want a serious answer, I suppose we can send fifty again.”

“All under your banner, Sigefrith?” Alred asked.

“Did you have something else in mind?” Sigefrith replied.

“You’re not leaving me behind again!”

“I am, I’m afraid.”

Egelric watched as the two men stared at one another. It was Alred who looked away first. “Don’t go alone, Sigefrith,” Alred muttered.

“Cenwulf?” Sigefrith asked. “You can still swing a sword, I gather.”

“Gladly,” Cenwulf replied, “but what about Maud?”

“What about Maud?” Sigefrith asked impatiently.

“You leave Maud with only Alred and Matilda.”

“And Colburga and Theobald and so on… what of it?”

“I would not consider Colburga and Theobald capable of managing your land, Sigefrith,” Cenwulf said.

“You worked things out when Alred and I were at Ely.”

“I helped the Queen. Alred or Matilda would need to do that now.”

“And? Alred, what are you looking so guilty about? What’s the problem here?”

“Maud and Matilda aren’t speaking, Sigefrith,” Alred explained quietly.

“What?” Sigefrith cried. “Am I to leave Cenwulf here and go off alone to war because Matilda and Maud aren’t speaking? Bang their damned heads together until they do speak, and let’s be done with it. I’ll not have your wife’s tongue making trouble in this valley.”

“It was your wife’s tongue!” Alred corrected.

“Maud? You lie!”

Egelric tried to sink back into his chair as the two shouted back and forth in front of him.

“Gentlemen!” Cenwulf roared. Once they had quieted, he said, “Sigefrith, I shall be frank. Your wife has no interest in managing your land, and it would be just as well for everyone if she be left out of it. Leave behind someone with the authority to make decisions and be done with it. She wants to be left alone with her babies. Once Colburga is able to get out, I shall have her spend more time at the castle. She can tell Maud anything that Maud needs to know.”

“So do you stay or do you come with me?”

Cenwulf glanced at Alred. “I think I should stay,” he said.

Sigefrith, whose eyes had followed Cenwulf’s, nodded. “So what about you, Dogface mac Dogface?” he said, turning to Egelric.

“Me?” he gasped.

“I saw you crossing swords with Gog and Magog more than once.”

“I’m a farmer, Sigefrith! I know nothing about fighting!”

“I don’t need you to fight, I need you to lead. I know you can do that. If I go out there alone with fifty men, all it would take would be for me to fall off my horse and land on my head, and there would be fifty men without a prayer. These are our men, Egelric. They respect you, and they would follow you. What say you, Alred?”

“I say, don’t you forget whose man he is,” he grumbled. “He shall wear his lady’s colors.”

“I don’t understand,” Egelric said, his head spinning.

“Alred will make you his squire,” Sigefrith said. “You will go in his place.”

A squire! What would his father have said to that?

“I don’t know anything about being a squire,” he admitted to Alred.

“Nothing to it,” Alred muttered. “Sigefrith, when do you leave?”

“I told the Aetheling to allow me a week here before I turned around again. Better make it five days.”

Egelric looked around in surprise. Sigefrith had not mentioned any of this to him.

“All right. Better come home with me, Egelric. Matilda will want to see you. Will you excuse us, Sigefrith?” he asked, standing. “I’m beginning to feel terribly ill,” he added sarcastically.

“No wine, friend?” Sigefrith asked gently.

“No. Good night.”

“Good night then. I’ll send for you tomorrow, mac Dogface,” he said as they left.