Page 34 of Knight of Chaos
“Aye. ’Tis obviously an urgent matter” Richard replied.
“The great hall?” Theobald asked knowing he must needs hurry.
“Nay,” Reynard answered with a nod of his head. “Her solar. ’Tis up on the next floor and down the passageway—”
“I was told last night where the Empress’s solar is located,” Theobald interrupted irritably before lowering his voice so as not to awaken Ingrid. “I shall join you shortly.”
The two men looked as if they were going to further comment on what would cause Theobald’s delay. He shut the door in their faces even as he heard their laughter echoing down the corridor. The damn taunting curs!
He quickly made his way to the hearth to throw wood onto the dying embers. There was a chill in the air this morn and ’twas no wonder. He had no idea where the time had gone when August had turned into September. Soon winter would be here, and snow would cover the ground once more. He could only ponder how much longer they would remain in what was left of the town of Winchester.
Grabbing his garments, he quickly donned them. Strapping his sword into the scabbard at his side, he leaned down and kissed Ingrid’s cheek. Her eyes flickered open whilst a frown formed on her brow.
“You are dressed,” she murmured covering her yawn with her hand. “What is amiss?”
“I must needs attend the Empress. Hopefully I will not be gone long.”
Her eyes grew wide. “The Empress! I should get dressed so I can attend her if she calls for me.”
He ran a hand down her flame-colored hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. “Nay. ’Tis still early enough that you will not be missed as yet. Stay in bed and dream of me, my sweet,” he whispered. He kissed her lips and watched her close her eyes once more. Although he would rather join her in his bed, he had no further time to dally. One did not keep the Empress waiting for too long.
He took the stairs two at a time to the next floor and made his way down the passageway. A guard stood outside the solar and opened the door for Theobald. ’Twas clear he was expected. The Empress sat in a throne-like chair; Richard and Reynard stood off to her right. Her half-brother, Robert of Gloucester, was pacing the room as though he was caged. This could not be a good sign.
“You took long enough, Norwood,” the Empress said through clenched teeth.
“My apologies, my—”
“—there is no time for groveling,” she interrupted him with a wave of her hand toward her half-brother. “Robert, you may begin your report.”
Robert quit his pacing of the room and came to stand next to the Empress. “As you are most likely aware, Queen Matilda and her one thousand strong militia have set up camp on the east side of Winchester. I suppose she is representing her husband, the usurper Stephen, and acting on his behalf. With her descent upon the city, our forces are now unfortunately blockaded inside. My scouts inform me that the queen’s men are well provisioned while ours suffer from lack of food. I tried to weaken the blockade by attempting to fortify Wherwell Abbey, but we were defeated and sustained heavy losses.
“Our supply situation is dire, and I have proposed to our Empress that we must leave Winchester. We can plan an orderly withdrawal with an advance guard of our best knights designed to protect the Empress. I will command the rearguard and hopefully draw them away whilst she makes her escape.”
“What of the main body of men?” Richard asked.
Robert began to pace again. “They will be used to guard the baggage.”
“And the advance guard? Where are we to head?” Theobald inquired with the assumption he was to lead the Empress to safety.
The Empress tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair before she pointed to two men standing next to her chair. “This campaign will be led by my close associates, Brian fitz Count and Reginald of Cornwall. Norwood… you and your men’s focus will be to guard me and scout out the area ahead as we make our escape. We can use the road that crosses the River Test at Stockbridge. From there, we will head to Ludgershall about twenty miles away. We can rest there overnight before continuing onward to Devizes Castle. Another forty miles will then have us arriving at Robert’s home in Gloucester where we will finally find a safe haven.”
Theobald was about to voice his concern for the distance the Empress would need to travel, but his brother spoke up first.
“Stockbridge is… what… eight miles from here? Will that be far enough away to make our escape unseen?” Reynard inquired raising his hand to his chin whilst he contemplated their situation.
Robert at last stood still. “I have every faith in you to keep the Empress safe. You will need to ride hard and fast initially. ’Tis nigh unto fifty miles to reach Devizes and even further to Gloucester. ’Twill take several days before you arrive and I am certain the Empress will be exhausted whilst traveling at a pace to which she is unaccustomed. But the rest of us bringing up the rear will be enough of a diversion to give you ample time to see that the Empress escapes capture.”
Theobald bowed. “We will not fail you,” he said with his hand over his heart. What more could he do? He had his orders and could only follow them.
The Empress rose from her chair. “See that you do not, Norwood. I am trusting you with my life and those of my ladies. Now, go and see that everything is prepared for our departure,” she ordered before she took her leave of the men with Robert and a small entourage following close behind her.
Richard gazed upon Theobald. “Will it work?”
Theobald shrugged. “Let us hope so, but there is only one way to find out. I pray the Empress is prepared to spend several days traveling without the comfort and luxury of a wagon.”
They left the solar to make their way to their chambers to begin packing their gear. Theobald gently woke Ingrid and explained the plan whilst she, too, began to scurry about the chamber collecting her things that Theobald had kept for her in a chest. He could only pray that time would be on their side when their escape was put into motion. He did not relish being captured by that Queen Matilda’s men. God only knew what revenge she might enact upon the people who continued to hold her husband captive.
Chapter Twenty-Two
