England in Anarchy by H. A. Culley

Author:H. A. Culley [Culley, H. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Orchard House Publishing
Published: 2013-04-22T23:00:00+00:00

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Henry Plantagenet lunged with his sword and Waldo just managed to bat it away with his shield before making a counter stroke with his own sword. It thumped into Henry’s shield then Waldo shoved his shield hard against the prince’s making him stagger backwards. Whilst he was off balance the squire landed a blow against the younger boy’s side which made him wince.

‘You are definitely getter better, Henry.’ Waldo grinned. ‘You nearly had me this time.’

Henry let his sword arm drop and smiled ruefully. ‘If only I could go back to letting my companions lose against me. It was better for my ego.’ Henry was now fourteen and still stocky whereas Waldo had developed into a gangly seventeen year-old. He was no longer squire to the sire de Tankerville, that position having gone to one of Henry’s erstwhile companions; he was now officially Henry’s squire, although the boy wasn’t a knight yet, of course. The prince’s former companions had all become squires over the past year or so and had been replaced by some twenty young knights who now formed Henry’s own mesnie.

The two boys walked over to where a barrel of water stood and took a long drink each before pouring some over their sweating heads. It was really hot, even for August in the middle of Normandy. Waldo looked into the distance where the heat haze made it look as if there was a lake in the middle of a dusty pasture. He turned back to the prince.

‘Have you heard any news from England recently?’

‘Nothing much changes. My mother and uncle still hold most of Oxfordshire and the south west. The only interesting development concerns Earl Ranulph of Chester. You know that Stephen invited him to court and then arrested him last year?’ Waldo nodded. ‘Well, Ranulph swore to surrender all his castles except Chester in return for his life. However, having handed them over, he has now risen in rebellion saying that Stephen is foresworn as he broke the conditions of the safe conduct implicit in his invitation to Ranulph to attend court. He’s quite right of course.’

‘I grant you that Ranulph is no saint from what I hear. But the point is that it has broken Ranulph’s power in the north as he no longer holds the castles to dominate the area; Stephen does.’

At that moment a page ran up panting. ‘My lord prince, your father has returned and is asking for you. I had trouble finding you so I don’t think you have time to change.’ He looked doubtfully at Henry’s homespun, sweaty and slightly torn clothing and his dishevelled appearance with water dripping down from his unruly red hair.

‘I wouldn’t have anyway.’ Henry was known for not caring about his appearance. He detested it when he had to wear fine clothes. ‘Come on Waldo, let’s see what he wants.’

‘You want me to come with you to see Count Geoffrey?’

‘Why not? It’ll save me having to tell you about it later. My father wouldn’t send for me to say hello.

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