Casca 31: The Conqueror by Tony Roberts

Author:Tony Roberts [Roberts, Tony]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2014-05-06T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The wife of the dead king confirmed that the man Casca had killed was, indeed, Harold Godwinsson. The Duke took her into his care and promptly ennobled Casca as Baron Casca de Longeville. For the moment it was merely a titular honor, as they hadn’t taken power. Walter Giffard took Casca into his immediate entourage and with him came Arnand and Eustace, plus two others who looked big and mean.

The day after the battle a priest had come up to Casca and told him a wounded man found close to the battlefield was insisting he talk to the scarred warrior, but by the time Casca was shown the man, who turned out to be Carl, the poor man had slipped into unconsciousness.

Casca had questioned the priest, who was tending the badly hurt, as to what had been said but the priest shrugged and merely said that Carl had asked for Casca, and it had taken hours to find him. Casca had then insisted that the priest tend the wounded man closely and let him know the moment he came round.

“I have other poor souls to attend,” the priest had said.

“I am Baron de Longeville and I insist,” Casca had retorted, his eyes boring into the cleric’s. “If he survives, then I may look to add you to my household. If not…..” Casca let the threat hang in the air.

The priest swallowed and nodded. The chance of becoming a household priest in a new kingdom was an opportunity not to let pass, so the priest promised to take Carl into his care and look after him personally. “It’s in the hands of God,” the priest had said.

“God has more than enough on his hands at the moment,” Casca had growled. “Carl is in your hands and I will judge his recovery or death as such.”

The Normans had returned to Hastings to recover and resupply. News of the victory would spread quickly so the Duke expected the local Saxons to submit to him. To his surprise nobody came, so five days after the victory he ordered the army out of Hastings and to march eastwards to Chent and Canterbury, where he was intending to install a bishop friendly to him.

Casca marched with the army, his four bodyguards in close attendance. Walter Giffard had loaned him a sum of money to be paid back as soon as Casca could afford it, so that Casca could pay the four men their wages. He also asked if Lesalles was with the army, and was told by Giffard’s advisor that he was, and in fact he was part of the immediate entourage of the Duke.

“Why is that? He was absent from the battle,” Casca frowned.

The advisor tutted. “A leader does not merely rely on soldiers. There are clerics, merchants, lawyers, and other professions just as important. Lesalles is one of the chief money lenders to the Duke and so without this sort of money all this would not be possible. Remember that. Remember your lord’s generosity.

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