I Became The King Of Crusaders [EN]: Chapter 123

Excalibur (3)

* * *

“Why all this fuss over a few falling comets?” Henry II asked, frowning.

Nobles and clergy alike lowered their heads in silence.

“But Prince Baldwin accurately predicted the comet’s appearance. This is unprecedented,” the Bishop of Lichfield said. His white beard trembled each time his lips moved.

“Such a prophecy the moment we find King Arthur’s remains. Who could doubt it?”

“Surely scholars can predict the movements of comets and stars well enough,” Henry II scoffed. He waved his hand dismissively. “And there are fortune-tellers too.”

“But Prince Baldwin even accurately predicted that the comet would split in two.”

“So, you’re saying that Baldwin really received a revelation from King Arthur? Huh?!”

“Your Majesty, I mean…”

“I am the King of England, not Baldwin! I, Henry! If it were Arthur, the King of the Britons, wouldn’t he have revealed himself to me?!”

“Young Henry was with Prince Baldwin, so…”

The young noble quickly shut his mouth at Henry II’s fierce glare.

“Ah, it’s nothing, Your Majesty.”

“You all seem to have forgotten. Before I ascended the throne, this England was no better than a pigsty!” Henry II exclaimed.

Nobles and clergy alike fell silent.

“The old walls were crumbling, and pillaging and looting were rampant. It was I who brought order and peace to this land!” Henry II slumped back on his throne, catching his breath.

“That Baldwin has bewitched my son with all sorts of lies and schemes. What connection could Arthur’s remains possibly have with Eleanor [likely referring to Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II’s wife] in the first place?”

“…”

Silence fell. You could hear the blinking of eyelids.

“Summon Baldwin and Henry to London immediately. I must silence him before he spouts any more nonsense.”

“As Your Majesty commands.”

Henry II waved his hand.

“All of you, leave. I need to think alone.”

The men all hurried out of the audience chamber.

After a moment, someone emerged from behind the throne.

“Did you summon me, Your Majesty?” A black robe and a sinister voice.

Henry II waved his hand as if accustomed to it. “I have a task for you.”

“Just give the order.”

“Henry and Baldwin will surely be coming here with Arthur’s Cross. They’ll pass through Amesbury.”

Henry II leaned forward on his throne. He looked the man straight in the eye. “They’ll probably stay there overnight. Hire mercenaries to dispose of Arthur’s Cross, but don’t touch the Holy Cross.”

“Then I shall lead my men. We are far more capable than those ignorant mercenaries…”

“No, not your men. If one of them gets caught, they’ll spill everything. Hire men you can use once and dispose of.” The king shook his head. He glared at the man. “And if even a hair on my son’s head is harmed, I’ll tear out your heart, grind it to bits, and feed it to the pigs. You know I keep my word, don’t you?”

“…Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Then go quickly. You never met me today.” Henry II waved his hand in the air.

* * *

“W-we’ll be arriving in Amesbury soon. I, I grew up with the lord there,” Young Henry stammered.

“It seems they’ve prepared a welcoming ceremony,” I said, stroking Bolt’s mane.

Young Henry and I were greeted by cheering crowds of citizens wherever we went. The Holy Cross upon which Jesus Christ died, and now Arthur’s Cross as well. People flocked from all directions to see these two relics.

“There are s-stone structures near here that were built a l-long time ago. They say they were built in the time of Arthur and Merlin…”

“Stone structures, you say? I’ve heard tales of them as well.” So, this is the famous Stonehenge. I never thought I’d see it like this.

The city of Amesbury was smaller than I expected. The walls were wooden palisades, not stone. There weren’t many buildings inside either.

As we approached the palisades, people greeted us. “Long live the great King Henry! Long live Arthur!” “Long live Holy Jerusalem!”

The lord walked forward, about the same age as young Henry. He knelt and said, “Your Majesty, it’s been a long time.”

“It has been a long time, G-Godefroy. How have you been? Th-this is Prince Baldwin from Jerusalem,” Young Henry pointed at me. “He has been a great help to me.”

“Welcome, noble guest from the Holy City. Though it is a humble place, please make yourself comfortable.”

I nodded lightly in greeting. “I regret that we cannot stay long. We will resupply and then…”

“Oh, why not spend the night here?” Young Henry stammered. “It’s almost sunset anyway, so it will be difficult to march further. It would be better to s-spend the night here than to camp in the forest, w-wouldn’t it?”

“It does seem the sun will be setting soon.” I looked up at the sky. The sun was slowly sinking toward the horizon. It’s frustrating not having a clock.

I called Ruarc. “Inform the soldiers that we will be staying here tonight.”

“Understood, Your Highness.” Ruarc nodded. He looked at the palisades. “The city is small, so we will have to set up camp outside the walls. The lower part of the hill would be suitable. By the way…” He scratched his head. “Pilgrims are still gathering nearby. What should we do?”

“Then we’ll set up a separate watch. We’ll accept only the minimum number, so as not to disturb the soldiers’ rest,” I said. Whether it’s Italy or England, people flock to see the Holy Cross. And now there’s Arthur’s Cross as well.

Then Godefroy pointed inside and said, “Come this way. We have prepared a small meal and entertainment for Your Majesty and Your Highness.”

“I look forward to it.” I stared at him. Joy and pleasure. There were no particularly strange emotions.

Young Henry took the lead and said, “Th-then let’s go quickly, Your Highness.”

* * *

“Everyone, rest! We’re camping here tonight! Everyone, pitch your tents!” Knights and soldiers. The entourage moved busily, preparing tents and meals. Cooks prepared pigeons and sparrows, while others gathered branches nearby for firewood. The sun slowly set, emitting an orange glow.

A man entered the camp with a bottle of liquor. “Captain, I got a few bottles from the city.”

“We’ll be on guard duty soon, so it’s best to drink only a little, John,” Kang laughed and waved his arm. “I don’t need any, so give it to the others.”

“Are you sure? Well, it’s good for us.” John took a swig from the bottle and handed it to his companion next to him.

“This forest isn’t too bad either. I bet there are a lot of deer.”

“Those are ‘deer’ we can’t hunt. Keep that in mind,” Kang said. He took out a dagger and whittled a piece of wood. Nearby, drunken soldiers were already singing.

“Now that His Highness is paying us separately, there’s no reason to risk hunting.”

“Then how about we get a formal permit later? We’ll go hunting just among ourselves, like in the old days,” John said. He put his bow down beside him. “And we’ll include His Highness if he wants. Rumor has it he’s amazing with a crossbow.”

“Call him ‘Your Highness.’ Unless you want to be arrested for insulting royalty.”

“Yes, yes. I have no intention of having my tongue pulled out either,” John shrugged. He sat down next to Kang and said, “Do you remember when the tinker got caught in our trap? He was hanging there, passed out.”

“And you tried to shoot that idiot, thinking he was a deer.” The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.

John opened his mouth. “By the way, those Saracen [a medieval term for Arabs or Muslims] archers traveling with His Highness. Their way of shooting arrows is quite unique. It’s the first time I’ve seen guys shoot so well from horseback.”

“We probably have a lot to learn too. Let’s hang out with them sometime when we have time.”

Darkness fell, and soldiers gathered near the fire. Pilgrims who had come from afar knelt before the two crosses and prayed. Songs and voices echoed from all directions. The atmosphere was as relaxed as could be.

It was then that Kang noticed something strange. “Hey, John. Don’t those look like torches?”

“Aren’t those the soldiers on guard duty? Looks like they’re coming to relieve us,” John, who had woken up from his nap, answered groggily. He frowned, reeking of alcohol. “It’s not time to change shifts yet.”

“Then they must be going to take a piss and coming back. Or would bandits attack such a large army?” Instead of answering, Kang grabbed his bow. “Yeah, there’s no way there’s a gang of robbers crazy enough to attack an army. But something’s wrong.”

Just then, a familiar sound rang out, *ting*. The sound of releasing a bowstring.

Kang jumped up and shouted, “Enemy! Ring the bell!” An arrow fell in front of Kang with a *thud*.

Soldiers who had come to their senses picked up their weapons one by one. Arrows flew through the darkness, falling everywhere in the tents. Soldiers who had woken up stumbled into each other as they stood up.

“Battle formation!” “Knights and Holy Sepulchre members, take the lead! Surround them!” Ruarc’s shout echoed.

Knights on horseback charged toward the forest below the hill. Kang glared into the darkness. The arrows were all coming from the forest below.

“We have to catch them before they escape!” A familiar voice. This time it was William Marshal.

Dozens of knights rushed forward.

“Captain, shouldn’t we go too?”

“No, we’re staying here,” Kang shook his head. He glared at John, who had a bewildered expression. “There aren’t many arrows that fell. They shot a few and then ran straight into the forest.”

“So, they only attacked to scare us?”

“No, they lured us out. It’s already too late to call the knights back,” Kang said. He grabbed his bow and ran to the center of the camp, where the Holy Cross and the pilgrims were. The pilgrims were startled by the sudden commotion and gathered to one side.

“What kind of lure…”

“What did we do when we raided tax collectors?”

“A few people drew attention from the front, then we attacked the empty rear,” John shouted loudly. “They’re after something in the camp! That’s why they lured the knights out first.”

“They wouldn’t do this for petty cash.” Kang looked around. There weren’t many knights wearing heavy armor. All that was left were archers, spearmen, entourage members, and pilgrims.

“They’re probably after these two crosses,” Kang said. “If I’m right, they’ll attack here again. Go tell the others to grab their bows and gather in the center.”

“Understood.” Watching John run off, Kang gripped his bow. As the clouds covered the moon, the sky was dyed with darkness.

* * *

“Y-Your Highness! W-why are you suddenly d-doing this?”

“Someone is attacking the camp,” I said, taking the helmet Aegir handed me as I moved.

“T-the camp is under attack? Surely Godefroy wouldn’t…” Young Henry frowned. I shook my head. “Lord Godefroy would not have planned this. I would have noticed it.” I put the helmet on my head. Godefroy also looked quite surprised. Whatever it is, he had nothing to do with it. But something had definitely happened outside. Excitement and fear poured in like a flood. Soon the sound of bells followed.

Bandits?

No, even at night, they wouldn’t fight against an army. The risk was too great compared to the profit. Then who would be bold enough to attack us? Other lords of England?

All sorts of information spun around in my head. There could only be one answer. The King of England.

“They’re after the crosses. They’re trying to keep us from reaching London,” I said. I put on the chainmail and moved again. As I went to the stables, Bolt greeted me. He was already waiting.

“S-Sir Ruarc and Lord Marshal are left in the camp, so th-there shouldn’t be any big problems,” Young Henry said, panting. He also put on his helmet and armor and mounted his horse. “And it’s no use c-conducting a chase in this dark night anyway…”

“Whether it’s night or day, it doesn’t matter to me.” I received the sword and spear Aegir handed me. The hard texture of the spear was felt on my fingers. The camp must be in chaos. I’ll have to take the lead myself. I looked at young Henry. “I can find where to stick the spear.”

* * *

Additional explanation: In fact, the theft of holy relics was a common occurrence in the Middle Ages. In particular, competition between villages and cities to enshrine holy relics was fierce. Even royal relics and corpses were often attacked.

‘Young King Henry had willed that his body be buried in Rouen Cathedral, but as his funeral procession passed Le Mans, people rushed in, seized the young king’s body, and buried it in the cathedral there. The enraged residents of Rouen threatened to burn Le Mans to the ground if they did not hand over the body, and King Henry intervened. He sided with the residents of Rouen so that his son could rest where he had wished. His tomb statue, buried in Rouen Cathedral, can still be seen today.’

― Eleanor of Aquitaine (Alison Weir)