The Tudor Rose over Brittania

[Yi Sun Sin]

Madeleine watched Edmund as he buried himself in his work back in England. Although he was the oldest male Tudor at the palace, Henry decreed to the Privy Council that Eleanor was to remain as regent, confounding many since the closest and oldest male relative of the king traditionally served as regent. However, it became apparent to her, as well as court, that Henry blamed Edmund for allowing Richard de La Pole to land with his army onto English soil while the Duke of Albany had somehow persuaded the King of Scotland to invade northern England. From the last reports, both Berwick Castle and Carlisle Castle was under siege, while Scottish raiding parties were sighted as far south as Durham, taking livestock and terrorizing the locals as they went.

Madeleine was infuriated at her Scottish brother-in-law. The one thing that made she could not blame the duke was how he treated her sister. The duke enjoyed the privileges that came with being both a husband and having the blood of her family, for John Stewart indeed felt more at home in France than in Scotland. As such, he had an incentive to treat her sister well. However, the duke spent more time with common whores and the fact that he did not any of her nephews or nieces indicated to all that the private life of her sister was not very happy. Moreover, the duke then had to challenge Edmund on their wedding celebration and it was only because of how Edmund handled it were they able to avoid a public brawl. And now, the duke had to force himself on international matters and thus threaten the bonds between England, France, and Scotland.

She had enough intimate knowledge of the Scottish court, alongside what the ambassador had described in his reports before he had to cross back into England, to know that King James valued peace with England. The Duke of Albany must have pressured King James to consent to Scottish entry into the war and partcically self-appointed himself as the leader of the Scottish force, which numbered at least thirty thousand. Key commanders include the Earl of Lennox, the Lord Maxwell, and the Earl of Arran, essentially all of the leaders of the war faction in the Scottish court. Alongside Richard de La Pole, England was facing formidable opponents.

Edmund’s task of raising an army to meet both the last Yorkist claimant and the Scottish invaders was very difficult, particularly since all of England’s best commanders were in France. He might have had Denny at his side, but Madeleine could see that he had to scrape together an army led by men who were too green or inexperienced in the art of war. Among them was a few knights including one by the name of William Eure and a few other nobles such as Lord Darcy, Lord Northumberland, Lord Dacre, and Henry Clifford, heir of the 10th Baron Clifford. They were influential throughout northern England, but they were hardly experienced enough to organize a major army.

As for the threat against Richard de La Pole, the only men of note that were in a position to raise men were Sir Henry Long from Wiltshire and Henry Pole, Baron Montagu, eldest son of Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury. Henry Long from an old family established when William the Conqueror came, but his family was gentry, while Henry Pole was a grandson of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence and son of Richard of York. Still, they were facing bad odds, for Madeleine heard that both Sir Henry and Lord Montagu could only muster eight thousand men from throughout Hampshire, Warwickshire, and Wiltshire, while Edmund’s own men in Somerset and Cambridge numbered a total of three thousand, bringing a total army of eleven thousand men to face against an army of over twenty-five thousand, led by experienced officers and armed with French artillery. Meanwhile, agaisnt the Scots, Percy, Dacre, Clifford, and even Lord Derby could only bring together fifteen thousand men and that would take time.

“Are you all right, Ned?” Madeleine expressed her concern.

Edmund rubbed his forehead. “Look, Madeleine. I am sorry, bu it is not a good time right now.”

“No, no. I can help you.”

“Really? Can you lead an army? Can you fight a battle? Can you organize supplies for troops? I do not remember that as part of your education,” Edmund snapped.

Madeleine remained stoic, while she put her hands on her belly. “Please be careful with your words. I am carrying your unborn child after all.”

Edmund’s eyes softened and he approached her while touching her stomach. “I am sorry, Madeleine. I just have much to do, and I cannot afford to make any mistakes.”

“Is it because of Harry?” Edmund nodded slowly. “What did he say to you?”

“He blamed me for not controlling Albany and not stopping Richard de La Pole from landing in England.”

“That is preposterous. He cannot blame you for that.”

“It is partly my fault,” Edmund admitted. “I was not attentive enough to the coasts.”

Madeleine placed her hand on Edmund’s cheek. “Nonsense. You only did as much as you could have. And there was nothing you could have done about Albany. He is just… not someone you can control.”

“No, you do not understand, Madeleine.” Edmund closed his eyes. “When he yelled at me at Calais, I saw what our bond was really like. We might be brothers, but during the important times, I was reminded that Harry is the king and I am just his subject. That is why it is important that I succeed, for he will punish me like any other man.”

Madeleine exhaled. “I am sure that Harry does not actually mean those words, but he could be saying that because he knows you well enough. He knows how to motivate you and to push you into doing something. Maybe he is looking to see how well you perform in these straits, for you are his brother after all.”

Edmund swallowed. “I just fear that I will disappoint Harry, for my father made me promise to be his strongright hand.”

“And you will be. Just know that I will be here for you.”

Edmund kissed Madeleine’s palm before he had to go about his business again. For Madeleine, she was disappointed that Edmund’s mind was distracted, but she understood that he had to protect the kingdom and that came first.

 

[HortenseMancini]

I really hope things improve for edmund and madeleine. at least they'll soon have a new baby to focus on.

 

[Jonathan1997]

I really hope things improve for edmund and madeleine. at least they'll soon have a new baby to focus on.

I belive Edmund just noticed that Henry is not his big brother but in fact his king first

 

[Yi Sun Sin]

James FitzGerald rode his horse alongside Louis de Lorraine, the fourth son of the Duke of Lorraine, as they marched towards Dorchester, the first major fortress on the road along the English coast from Exeter. Behind them was half of the infantry in Richard de La Pole’s army, ten thousand men, along with half of the artillery. Following the ancient Roman road that ran from Exeter along the coasts and then north towards London, this army would continue to enjoy the protection from French fleet, which shadowed them. However, they were still unsure of how long they would be resupplied, for if the English fleet did not resist them before their landings, they were surely going to fight them soon.

Many of Richard de La Pole’s commanders, including Robert Stewart, Lord of Aubigny, recommended sending all of their troops along the coastal route, as they could take Dorchester, Portchester, and then threaten London from the south. However, some like Claude de Lorraine reasoned that by this point, England would assembling their forces and they might be trapped if they remained close to the coast. To spread out the army and reduce the risks posed to them, Richard de La Pole would take sixteen thousand men northward towards Cirencester and then wheel towards St. Albans, while James FitzGerald, Cormac MacDermot, and Claude de Lorraine would take the rest, mostly infantry, and take Dorchester, Portchester, and then go northwards to Reading. Once both armies were at Reading and St. Albans, they would close in on London.

“What do you think of this strategy pursued by King Richard?” James asked Louis in French.

“I am not sure if it will work, my lord. After all, I am but a stranger to these lands, as are you.”

“Indeed. However, I think that the strategy used by King Richard is an effective one. By spreading out his forces, we can ensure that we have the most time and space on our side. We are already seen as invaders and our enemies know this ground well, for it is their home, so we have to flexible.” James spent time studying the campaigns of Charles VIII in Italy and thought that the geographical limitations faced by his army on the march to Naples contributed to how his army could not obtain the final victory.

“I do not think that I share your enthusiasm for King Richard’s strategy. We are invaders, true, but more than that, we are supporters of a claimant to the English throne. I have read on the history of House of York and it is amazing that they were able to obtain and keep the throne for as long as they did, considering the odds against them,” Louis answered.

“But?”

“Richard de La Pole is not from the senior line of Yorks, his mother being a mere aunt to Queen Elizabeth, who was born from King Edward himself. By the laws of inheritance and with the deaths of her brothers, her claim to the throne was unquestionable and that claim is now held by her Tudor sons.”

“I know this, my lord.”

“And more importantly, it has been over twenty years since a claimant tried to take the English throne, and I do not have to tell you that much can change during that time, such as the people’s aversion to an outsider taking the crown.”

James looked at Louis, impressed. “For a admitted stranger, you seem to know very much about what has happened in England.”

“When I was told by King Francis himself that I was going to England, I had to read up on what this country has been through. Just like his Yorkist ancestors, Richard de La Pole is facing long odds. But the question is, can he overcome them like Richard of York or Edward IV?”

In front of them, Cormac appeared on horseback with five men. He had volunteered to scout out Dorchester himself, as he was not the type to sit patiently while the army moved in a deliberate manner. “I bring news, my lords.”

“What is the strength of the enemy forces at Dorchester, if there are any?” James asked him.

“So far, we counted three thousand men, mostly Dorset men. We know that their commander is a man called Sir John Grey, who is a younger son of the previous Lord Dorset.”

“Then let us proceed. It should be an easy fight, with our guns and our numbers.” Louis spurred his horse forward, while James and Cormac prepared themselves for the fight ahead.

---

Lord Surrey received Edmund at Portchester Castle, who came at the head of a combined force of two thousand men from Cambridge and another two thousand that he had managed to recruit from Norfolk. The plan was to first reinforce Portchester Castle once word reached them of the defeat of Sir John Grey at Dorchester and move north towards Circencester, in the hopes that Sir Henry Long and Lord Montagu had managed to assemble their forces there and hold off Richard de La Pole.

“Dear cousin.” Edmund hugged him tightly. Having grown up at court, Thomas was the only cousin that Edmund liked, their bond encouraged by both the previous and the current Duke of Norfolk. Indeed, out of the York sisters from Edward IV, only a few grew to adulthood, with Lord Surrey being one of them.

“How are you, Ned?”

“I have been busy. Portchester Castle treating you well, I trust?”

“Very much so.”

Lord Surrey brought Edmund to the main hall of Portchester Castle, which was currently filled with maps and wineglasses. But considering the nature of Edmund’s visit, they had no time to feast. Also attending was Sir John Grey.

“Your Highness.” Sir John bowed deeply, in apology for his defeat.

“Come on, Sir John.” Edmund shook his hand. “We have much work to do. If you want to redeem yourself, help us plan.”

“So, Ned, at this point, we know that the French forces have split into two. One is led by Richard de La Pole and they are advancing towards Ilchester and then to Cirencester, while another was able to defeat Sir John at Dorchester and are moving along the coasts. However, their advance will be blocked at Southampton Castle, after which they will have to bypass or try to siege it, both of which might work in our favor,” Thomas explained.

“Who commands at Southampton Castle?” Edmund asked.

“No one at the moment, although the senior official there is the Sheriff of Hampshire, William Paulet,” Surrey answered.

Surrey was familiar with the Paulet family, who came from old and well-established members of the Hampshire and Somerset gentry but did not have titles. William Paulet’s father fought against the Cornish rebels and was the current head of the Paulet family served admirably so far.

“What is William Paulett doing to secure Southampton Castle?” Edmund asked.

“He is raising as much forces as he could while I gave him the survivors from the battle at Dorchester,” Sir John said. “By the time the enemy arrives at that castle, Southampton and the castle should be secured altogether.”

“And that is where we have to meet him.” Edmund focused his eyes on the map. “The terrain along our shores makes for very ideal grounds for a battle of maneuver. Sir John, you say that the enemies that you faced were mostly infantry and had cannon?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Their cannon tore us to pieces.”

“But no cavalry?” Edmund asked further.

“No horsemen, if that is what you are asking.”

Edmund nodded, as did Thomas. “That allows us much options. Since we do have at least one thousand men on horses, we can charge at their flanks and harrass the enemy footmen until they are out of range of their cannon. That will be when we unleash our longbows on them.”

“That is a good plan,” Surrey agreed. “However, we cannot waste time. We have to move to Southampton Castle with the men we have and set up our positions first before we do battle. And we also have to be careful of the French fleet, for the enemy could escape.”

Edmund shook his head. “We might be able to raise merchanters, but most of the fleet is protecting our main armies in France. The ships that we have now will never be able to fight against the French navy.”

“What about reinforcements? Can the king spare troops?” Sir John asked.

“No, he said that he needs every man who is already in France. We have to repel the enemy all by ourselves.”

Surrey sighed. He knew exactly why Edmund was sent back to England, but he felt that the king was being too vindictive, which was the last thing everyone needed when they had two enemy armies invading their home soil.

“But Sir John, were you able to get a count of the enemy’s casualties?”

Sir John swallowed. “We were outnumbered three to one and outmatched in terms of weaponry, we were able to inflict two thousand dead and many others wounded with our arrows and swords before they unleashed their cannons onto us. We also had horses, so we were able to manuever widely.”

“Two thousand dead… that would leave less than eight thousand left in the current force who can still fight?”

“Indeed, Ned.”

Edmund tapped his fingers on the map. “Then, our only chance is to consolidate our forces at Southampton and attempt to make the enemy do battle with us prematurely. They can only march as fast as their cannon, so we should use that to our advantage.”

“We also have horsemen with us, so we and William Paulet can skirmish with the enemy and do some injury to them before the main battle happens,” Surrey added. “We should also deny them food and livestock, so we should issue orders to have all of the people between Dorchestser and Southampton move eastward for the time being.”

“That will take time and it will be too late by then,” Edmund pointed out. “We have to defeat this force here with the men that we have now. If we can defeat them, we can move towards Cirencester and fight Richard de La Pole evenly, as he will be without many of his French cannons and much of his infantry.”

“Your Highness, how many guns can we field?” Sir John asked.

“I have brought with me eight cannons and two that were used against Roscommon Castle,” Edmund answered. “But given the French are ahead of us when it comes to artillery, we have to be able to maximize our cannons’ effects on the enemy without endangering our troops.”

Surrey knew that the battle had to be fought at Southampton, which brought his attention to another area. “But before Richard de La Pole can reach Ilchester, he is going to have to secure Taunton Castle, for as long as that castle remains in our hands, his advance from Exeter will be threatened.”

“I have put Sir John St. Loe as commander of the castle in my place,” Edmund said. “He is a good man and reliable, so he will not surrender, not while Lord Montagu and Sir Henry Long are putting together an army.”

The St. Loe family in Somerset were also an old family with no titles, but they also had distinguished history of providing knights for every war since William the Conqueror empowered them and Sir John had served under Edmund in the Irish region of Munster, where he gained five hundred acres.

“At this point, all that we need to do now is defeat our enemies one by one,” Edmund said. “If we can defeat this force heading towards Southampton, we can move against Richard de La Pole. If we can defeat Richard de La Pole and perhaps capture or kill him, we can then move northwards to fight the Scots.”

Surrey could see that Edmund was very much committed to the task given to him by the king, but he had to slow him down. “We need to do this one step at a time, Ned. If we rush things, it will only invite disaster. Steady course.”

Edmund nodded, acknolwedging Surrey’s advice as sound. “But still, we have a battle to fight. We will know the results of our efforts probably by the end of this month.”

 

[Yi Sun Sin]

I really hope things improve for edmund and madeleine. at least they'll soon have a new baby to focus on.

If Edmund succeeds, all will be better.

I belive Edmund just noticed that Henry is not his big brother but in fact his king first

That's another thing that will define Edmund's relationship with Henry, so he is going to be careful from now on

 

[Jonathan1997]

It kind of explains why Henry murdered his elder brother William and had his eldest brother Robert iii Duke of Normandy eyes removed and castrated. Edward IV had his younger brother George killed by drowning wine. It can be very dangerous being related or around royalty. Henry VIII like having men around him who old everything to him. He liked Thomas Cromwell because he never showed any fear which often disarmed Henry who was a natural bully.

 

[Yi Sun Sin]

It kind of explains why Henry murdered his elder brother William and had his eldest brother Robert iii Duke of Normandy eyes removed and castrated. Edward IV had his younger brother George killed by drowning wine. It can be very dangerous being related or around royalty. Henry VIII like having men around him who old everything to him. He liked Thomas Cromwell because he never showed any fear which often disarmed Henry who was a natural bully.

Henry might have brotherly love for Edmund, but Edmund was now reminded of how different they really were in terms of power. Edmund should not overstep himself, or he is going to suffer the consequences, particularly if some courtier gets the idea to subvert Henry by using either Edmund or his children

 

[Yi Sun Sin]

Edmund observed from horseback as the force of Frenchmen and exiles, from what he discovered came into the view. Besides seeing the banners of families such as the Duke of Lorraine, he also saw the arms of the attainted Earls of Desmond and the deposed MacDermot family. As Sir John Grey told him, he looked upon less than eight thousand men, all of them on foot and armored. He could also make see the French cannons, similar to the ones that made Italy tremble, and counted nine of them.

As for Edmund, he held at his command seven thousand men, fresh troops from Cambridge and Norfolk that were to support the battered men from Dorset and Hampshire. Sir John Grey, his cousin Surrey, and William Paulet were in command of the combined force. They had longbowmen, eight cannon that were of smaller caliber than the French ones, and at least one thousand cavalry. Naturally, the longbowmen were placed in the rear line to afford the most protection from the enemy's advance. In addition, Edmund had the men armed with weapons such as pikes and swords right in front of the longbowmen. The left and right wings of the army, right next to the infantry, were cavalry. The right wing consisted of knights and other mounted longbowmen who could supply their own horses, allowing for great mobility in the battle

Lastly, at the rear were Edmund and his cousin Thomas Howard, the latter of whom served as his second-in-command due to his rank and station.

"Are you nervous, Ned?" Surrey asked him.

"A little bit," Edmund admitted. It was the first true battle that he would fight. These were not Irish rebels, but were Frenchmen who had so far managed to defeat Englishmen on their own soil.

"Good," Surrey answered.

"Good?" Edmund looked at him in confusion.

“That means you can see what is ahead and that you must put in double the effort if you want to walk out of this alive," Surrey told him.

"Any advice, Surrey?"

"Just be patient and let us rush things just because you want to show the men that you can fight," he reminded his royal cousin. "Discipline and prudence will win the day, especially against the odds were facing."

"Right," Edmund affirmed.

Then, Edmund and Surrey could see who appeared to the commanders approaching them under a white flag. Getting his own white flag from Sir John Grey, he and Surrey moved towards them. What do they want?

As they got closer, Edmund could see more clearly the how well polished the Frenchman’s armor was while his sword was encrusted with jewels. It certainly befitted a senior nobleman of France, but it confused Edmund in that he couldn't see the connection between how he was dressed and how he was commanding troops. It seem as if this man already knows how this battle will be fought.

While Surrey wore plate armor covering his upper arms, legs, and chest, Edmund donned a helm allowed him great vision and wore had plate armor that had the royal arms of England on his breastplate.

Edmund had kept his helm up, making his face visible as they approached the Frenchman and his captains. Once they had stopped with their horses just a few feet away from each other, the Frenchman put up his helm. He could see a little bit of his brown hair, his brown eyes and moustache, but his face told Edmund that he was just as inexperienced in war as Edmund was.

However, he recognized James FitzGerald and Cormac MacDermot, both of whom had fled Ireland.

"James FitzGerald, Cormac MacDermot," Edmund addressed him while not bothering to use th titles that they had long forfeited. “Who is this French gentleman before me?”

“Prince Edmund, I am Louis de Lorraine, Count of Vaudémont, fourth son of René, Duke of Lorraine,” he replied in French.

“An honor, my lord,” Edmund dipped his head in respect. “However, I was not aware that you had traitors in your ranks, for that is what these men beside are in the eyes of English law.”

“I'll come to the point," Louis said. "I have burned many farms and villages so far, have besieged your pathetic citadels at both Exeter and Dorchester, and I am on the way to take Portchester and then to Reading. My forces have beaten you and your men were no match for my cannon."

"Your point being?" Surrey asked in French, as he did not need another to tell them what their situation was.

"There are two ways to avoid a fight. Withdraw from the field, or better yet, lay down your arms and surrender," Louis offered. "If you two take either, I will see that you be treated properly and that no harm comes to you."

Edmund scoffed. "You will forgive me, Lord Louis, but I hardly think that you will do so, if French conduct in Italy is to indicate anything.”

"I am not King Charles, nor King Louis," Louis shook his head disapprovingly. “And unlike you Englishmen decades ago, I do not kill prisoners.”

"Take care of your words, Lord Louis," Surrey warned him. "You are speaking to the man who completed the conquest of Ireland."

"And who are you to address his lordship?" one of the French captains barked.

"This is my cousin, Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey and heir to the Norfolk dukedom," Edmund answered. “You will show him respect.”

“As you have people have shown respect to mine?” Cormac scoffed. “Never.”

“Then… it would appear that we have nothing more to talk about.” Edmund knew that a battle was unavoidable.

Louis held his held up haughtily. "So, you will not withdraw or surrender then?"

"You invaded our lands, so we will send you back to the sea," Edmund declared.

"So be it," Louis nodded, but with glee forming. "I shall look for you in the field."

"Do not hurry yourself. Our English fury shall come for you all," Edmund called out as Louis, James, Cormac, and the French captains returned to their troops.

Returning to their positions, Surrey could only remark, "That went well."

"As expected," Edmund simply replied. "We cannot step back, so we must fight."

"Are you ready, Ned?" Surrey drew his sword.

"Always," Edmund cracked a smile before nodding to one of his personal guard, who pulled out a hunting whistle and blew on it, its shrill sound being heard throughout the field.

To provoke the French into attacking, the archers under Edmund' command nocked their arrows. "Loose!" he ordered as hundreds of arrows flew through the air and landed on the center formation of the French and rebel Irish footmen. Many fell with the first volley.

Seeing that their enemy had gotten the first kills of the day, the French center charged forward alongside their right and left wings. As for Louis, he held himself back, as if waiting to see how the battle would go.

Edmund turned to another of his personal guard, nodding to him as he waved his personal coat of arms to and fro. The cavalry under his command then withdrew from their positions, leaving their own center exposed from the flanks. But for the final outcome to be realized, they had to be risked. Hopefully, the men won't suffer too much under so much steel bearing down on them.

At the last moment and as the last of Edmund' cavalry were able to withdraw, the French footmen broke ranks and let out a collective war cry, the same happening with their left and right wings.

"Hold!" Edmund shouted. Their center already had their pikes raised and had assumed a V-shape formation, which could be used to blunt a charge from heavy cavalry. "Hold!" He could tell that some of them were nervous, having never seen so much plate armor coming at them, but they also knew that there was no turning back.

At last, the combined might of the footmen under Louis crashed into their formation. And as Edmund expected, many were run as pikes pierced either their cuirass or through the exposed areas of the bodies.

"Archers, release at will!" Edmund ordered. At such a close distance, it was easy for them to pick off French footmen with their arrows, as they could see their marks at the head and neck. However, the French cannons opened fire, causing cannonballs to land in the middle of the English ranks.

Edmund was about to call for the cavalry back, only for Surrey to stop him. "Wait, Ned. Wait. I know you don't want these men to suffer long, but timing is important. We send for the cavalry too early or too late, we lose."

Edmund nodded, thanking Surrey for the reminder. "Then, I shall join the men."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Surrey warned him. "The men are already struggling to hold as is. If Louis sees you off your horse and fighting alongside them, he will charge in and increase the already heavy weight on the troops so that he can kill you."

"Exactly," Edmund nodded. "Plus, if the troops see their commander on the field with them, they might hold much better than they are right now."

That was when Surrey understood. "You crafty man," he grinned before he moved to get off of his horse. "Then I guess I shall join you. No longer in the practice yard now."

"We will see about that," Edmund dismounted while putting down his helm and bringing his sword up.

Walking through the lines, both Edmund and Surrey made it to the vanguard. Grabbing a dropped pike from the ground, Edmund found a French footmen trying to hack one of his pikemen and ran him through in the neck. As for Surrey, he unsheathed his sword, ran up to another French footmen, and swung at his left leg. Pulling him down onto the ground, he then stuck his blade between the exposed area of his neck..

"Line, forward one step!" he shouted as the vanguard pushed against the pinned cavalry. Many of their horses stepped back, some not so gently as their riders fell off. One of them got up and swung at Edmund with his sword. Hewas able to parry it, secure it with his sword, pull it from his hands, and put a blow against his forehead with his blade. Seeing him stunned, he spun around and used the momentum gained to knock his opponent off of his feet before swinging it downwards onto his face. Bits of skull and brain splattered across the ground as his face was no more.

He then moved on to another. Deciding to see how sharp his blade was, he ran up behind him, grabbed him by the shoulder, and pulled him down as he got a secure hold on his armor. Since it was too close for him to swing his sword again, Edmund pulled out his dagger and buried it in his throat.

Edmund looked up, to see the remainder of Louis's force charging at him, this time with him leading personally. He ran back behind his lines and found his personal guard, the one who had the whistle. "Blow it! It's time!" He then pulled it out and blew hard so that the sound would not be drowned by battle.

As Louis's reinforcements joined the fray, Edmund's own cavalry also emerged after withdrawing from their initial positions. They charged into the flanks of the combined French host and engaged them from horseback. Although not as well armored, Edmund' cavalrymen could move more flexibly and had the better positions. What is more, after dismounted from their horses, the longbowmen pulled out their bows, assumed their traditional formations, and released a continuous arrow stream into the massed French force, felling many more.

The charge of the cavalry into their flanks, and then against their cannons, whose cannoneers did not expect horsemen to charge at them, had made the French force begin to falter. The only reason why they kept fighting vigorously was because only the vanguard had engaged with him. That would end, however, as the second line marched around those who were already engaged in a wide circle to reinforce their own cavalry, effectively restricting them. But as their rear remained open, the temptation to retreat from troops with superior positions would become very enticing.

Scanning the nearly sequestered French host, Edmund spotted a Frenchman, with the coat of arms of the Duke of Lorraine breastplate. "Come at me, Prince Edmund," he said to himself as he forced his way through.

Louis was busying swinging away in order to avoid getting stuck by an English pikeman. While he succeeded in parrying the pike away and stabbing him through the heart, he failed to notice Edmund running towards him and pushing against him, hard. Falling down to the ground, he stood up and faced the Duke of Somerset.

"Looks like you found me after all," Edmund remarked.

"You will regret showing your face to me!" Louis snarled.

"Then come claim your prize!" he challenged as the French count charged towards him.

Edmund brought his sword up, but as Louis closed the distance, he feigned striking from across and instead ducked as he avoided the French's swing before using his sword’s pommel to push him away and throwing him off-balance. But Louis possessed better footing than anticipated, as he quickly recovered from his push.

His blade clashed against the head and shaft of Edmund’s sword, the sound of steel striking each other with a sharp cling. Although he was very able as a swordsman back in France, he did not expect for the little brother of King Henry to react so quickly to his strikes and to wield a weapon so well, as seen from his eyes widening through the openings of his helm.

Edmund wrenched the shaft of his sword upwards and moved its head to the right as their weapons continued to clang against one another, with Louis having no choice but to go with the move as Prince Edmund forced himself forwards and thus made the third son of the Duke of Lorraine move backwards, all to keep his footing, even as his sword seemed to come alive in how fast it twisted around his own blade.

As the duel between them continued one, the French count struggled to keep a grip on his weapon, forced to take his left off. With his joints being made to assume unnatural and uncomfortable angles that started to take a toll on his body in addition to how much armor he was wearing, a single strike of Edmund' elbow towards the French's helm got the Duke of Somerset to force him back and down again. That weakened the Frenchman’s sword arm just enough to allow Edmund to reach forth and take hold of his hilt while grabbing Louis's hand. Then, doing something that he never done before, he banged his helm against the French's, causing loud rings to echo in each. However, Edmund recovered quickly enough and used the stun that Louis was still in to snatch his sword from his hand.

As he took the sword away from him, Edmund could hear, "Protect Lord Louis!" He prepared himself to fight more of the Frenchman's entourage, only for Surrey and then Sir John Grey to rush in and hold them off.

But while his personal guards were engaged, Louis also recovered and threw a punch at his helm while grabbing onto him. Rolling around in the dirt, Edmund punched back with his right hand and got Louis off of him before he moved to get His sword, which he had dropped when the French surprised him. Before he could, he pounced on Edmund again, pinning him and his right hand down.

Edmund then elbowed Louis's face, knocking him off again before turning around and trying to punch him with his left hand. Pushing his face away, Edmund then lunged for his sword while Louis went for his. But Edmund was faster that time and before Louis could bring up his blade in a upward slice, Edmund swung downward, catching it before it touched him and forcing it from his hand. And due to the sheer force behind his sword, Louis's blade snapped into two and thus leaving the French count without a weapon.

Edmund then unsheathed his knife and held it to Louis’ neck. “Yield!”

Louis gulped, but he nodded his head and shouted, “Stop!”

Upon seeing their commander captured, the French troops dulely dropped their weapons. James FitzGerald and Cormac MacDermot then turned around and ran back to their horses, no doubt knowing what their fate would be.

“After them!” Surrey ordered. “The rest of you, secure the prisoners and make sure to get a count of any Frenchman above the rank of knight. They will make for good ransoms.”

 

[HortenseMancini]

Daaamn edmund did it!

 

[Yi Sun Sin]

Daaamn edmund did it!

He still got two armies to deal with

 

[Jonathan]

He still got two armies to deal with

True but a victory boost moral and will strike fear into the other French especially if they believe the English may harm the prisoners and the Irish fleeing before being hung as traitors.

 

[Hoyahoo9]

bk01997 - - A quick proofreading note: You have Louis declaring himself to be the 4th son of the Duke of Lorraine in the pre-battle parlay, but then describe him as the 3rd son during the personal combat with Edmund. Otherwise, though, this continues to be an excellent effort!

 

[Yi Sun Sin]

“My lords, a great victory was achieved on the fields outside of Southampton,” Henry announced. “My brother, Prince Edmund, was able to defeat a force led by the Louis de Lorraine and the Irish rebels James FitzGerald and Cormac MacDermot. While the Irishmen were able to get away, we were able to capture Louis de Lorraine, a few other sons of the French nobility, and over one hundred French knights, along with four thousand French prisoners. As we speak, the Duke of Somerset is consolidating his forces with the Earl of Surrey, William Paulet, and Lord Montagu for the clash with Richard de La Pole.”

The commanders in his tent applauded, including Norfolk, Kent, Lord Fitzwalter, and Lord Hastings.

“However, we still have much ahead of us, despite the victory at Southampton. We have received word that the emperor will send a Flemish force under the command of Floris van Egmont to support our advance on Paris. With the armies of King Francis stretched thin, there is no better chance to press our advantage than now,” Henry added. “Lord Norfolk, I am appointing you to take charge of the advance from Calais and to unite with our other army and our Breton allies as they advance towards us. But while you do so, I charge you with conducting a campaign that will rival the chevauchee that the Black Prince of Wales and John of Gaunt conducted over a hundred years ago. We will raise hell on the French, while we will march on Paris and take what Henry V achieved at Troyes.”

“Hear, hear!” Norfolk pounded his fist on the table repeatedly, as did the others.

“Lord Kent, Lord Fitzwalter, I put you in charge of this and command you to link up with our brothers-in-arms coming from the west. As an added incentive, I only ask that you turn over half of any plunder that your men receive, while the other half shall be distributed among you and the men at your discretion.”

“You honor us very much, Your Majesty.” Lords Kent and Fitzwalter said together.

After they were dismissed, Henry felt Norfolk remain in the tent. “You have something more to say, Lord Norfolk?”

“With the victory at Southampton, Your Majesty, we must consider sending whatever men we could spare back to England to fight against the Yorkist claimant and the Scots,” Norfolk suggested.

“As I said, Your Grace, I need all of the men who have landed here on French soil,” Henry repeated. “We cannot leave anything to chance against the forces of King Francis, even though they are currently engaged elsewhere.”

“Your Majesty—”

Henry raised his hand to stop him. “My decision is final, Lord Norfolk. Do not question it.” He knew why Norfolk was doing this. Besides seeing the benefits of a close bond between his heir and his brother, Norfolk genuinely liked Edmund, although he would never admit that. “Besides, I have my reasons for making Edmund fight this battle on his own.”

“May I ask Your Majesty why you are making him do this without your help?”

Henry exhaled heavily. “Because you were a loyal servant to me so far, it is only right that I give you the answer you seek. Edmund might be a father and already proven himself to be a leader of men, but he is becoming too comfortable where he is. I blame my mother the Dowager Queen for that, coddling him while not educating him on what a life of a royal really is.”

“Surely, Your Majesty, Lord Somerset is not a spoiled man nor is he green.”

“I know he is not, but I gave him responsibilities without having my choices vindicated thoroughly. When I received word that the French managed to land on our shores with Richard de La Pole, I found him eating dinner. That is not the type of behavior that I would expect of my commanders, especially my brother who is supposed to be well-informed. I treated him too softly, so now I must make him learn that even someone like him will have to face the consequences of any mistakes made on his watch.”

Norfolk swallowed, but he nodded in acceptance. “Your Majesty, I do hope that you will develop a better opinion of Prince Edmund after this campaign.”

Henry chuckled. “I hope so too. That is why I must see him succeed, for that means that my faith in him was not misplaced after all.”

---

James FitzGerald rode as hard as he could northwards, with Cormac MacDermot not far behind. They were being chased by mounted English cavalrymen, but they had to leave behind many of the Irishmen who came with them across the sea into France. Both of them knew what would happen, as under English law, they were rebels and thus would suffer severe punishments. The captured Irishmen would not have long to live, but for their sake, they had to live. Someone needs to continue seeking our vengeance.

Fortunately, for them, they saw French horsemen approaching them. Turning his head around, James saw that the Englishmen had withdrew, knowing that the main army under Richard de La Pole would not be far behind and thus they needed to return back to their English masters.

“Identify yourselves,” the lead French horsemen commanded.

“James FitzGerald, vicomte.” James held his hand up high.

The French cavalry brought them back to the tent of Richard de La Pole, where he alongside those like Robert Stewart were waiting. “What happened, my lords?” Richard asked.

James described how the battle went, with Louis de Lorraine and other such gentlemen captured and many dead. Richard sighed and shook his head in despair, while the Frenchmen and the leader of the German mercenaries grew nervous.

“With the loss of half of our regular infantry and many of our guns, our situation has become more precarious. We certainly need to revise our current strategy.”

“King Richard, I strongly suggest we consider a withdrawal from English soil while we still can,” Lord Robert said. “With many of our men captured and dead, our rear is exposed and we will be trapped here if we continue.”

“Lord Robert, I am not going to turn back despite this setback,” Richard answered. “Henry Tudor suffered more than his fair share, and yet with less than ten thousand men, he won against my uncle Richard at Bosworth and gained the crown. There is no reason to believe that the same cannot happen to me.”

Lord Robert shook his head. “With respect, King Richard, Henry Tudor had plenty of local support on his side. However, our army, or what is left of it, is made up of mercenaries, many of whom have not received the rest of their payment that you promised them. And we are without half of our guns, while we are facing an enemy that is growing in size and is led by a boy who is not so green after all. What is worse, where is the support that was promised to us? It cannot be just us against Englishmen. We must have Englishmen in our ranks as well.”

That was when James realized that the promises Richard made were all baseless. Indeed, it had been over twenty years since the last Yorkist claimant had made an active attempt on the English throne and the houses who were traditionally aligned with House York had long made their peace with the Tudors. Nobody in England wanted another conflict over the succession and the only reason why they were able to land in England was because King Francis wished to distract England from their campaign in France.

Slowly, everyone began to see the truth and Richard de La Pole could not deny it any longer. However, he could not give up, not after so long and seeing so many of his family dead, and James could sympathize with that.

“Well, King Richard, what are your orders? I did promise yourself to your service and it is only right that I go where you go. I have nothing much to lose anyway,” James stated.

“I feel the same,” Cormac affirmed.

“Well, I do not,” Lord Robert answered. “As the commander of the French troops still remaining, I must protest any decision to stay and fight. It is clear, King Richard, that you are too blinded by your family’s many deaths to think clearly. Therefore, if you decide to stay, then I shall retreat, without you.”

Richard narrowed his eyes. “If you do that, then I will have you tied up and charged as a deserter. Even if you do make it back to France or choose to return to Scotland, you will never regain your honor, for who will ever fight with a coward?”

Lord Robert scoffed, but he acquiesced. “No matter, King Richard. If I am captured, they will hold me for ransom.”

“Do not expect things to be so easy, Lord Robert.”

James had to redirect the discussion to other topics. “What about strategy, King Richard?” Should we continue to St. Albans?”

Richard nodded. “Our Scottish allies are keeping the northern English lord at bay, so we must press to London. However, given the circumstances, we cannot continue to Cirencester. We must advance on Reading. That is now our only remaining chance if we are to win.”

James nodded. “And if that fails, King Richard?”

“I will not retreat. By the end of this month, I will either be on the throne of England or dead.”

James nodded, in acceptance. However, the rest of the commanders were not so convinced, particularly the German mercenaries who only fought for pay.

After Richard dismissed his commanders, Robert Stewart approached James. “My lord, you are not seriously going to follow King Richard into the abyss, are you?”

“I have nothing to lose, as you well know.”

“But just in case, I have made separate arrangements should things not go in our favor. I invite you and your MacDermot friend to join me, if our efforts prove to be in vain.”

“I do not back away from a fight easily, Lord Robert.”

“It is wise to be prepared, my lord. And if you really want to take your revenge, then live.”

“Why are you concerned about my safety?”

“As I said before, my lord James, you have a good life in France, with a title and estates. Are you really prepared to risk losing King Francis’ generosity?”

James could not be dissuaded, but he would not have run from Munster if he had not valued his life. That was something for James to think on.

 

[Yi Sun Sin]

Madeleine watched as the French prisoners, sent from the fields outside of Southampton, were treated to a feast at court. Or at least those who had the proper rank and station such as Louis de Lorraine. Those who knew how to use cannon were also given comfortable accommodations, while the common soldiers were put to work as farmhands and laborers until an agreement was reached on their eventual return to France.

Madeleine stood next to Elizabeth, as they both witnessed their French guests, or hostages if one wanted to be more accurate, were given the treatment of the Tudor court. Also with them was Lady Maud.

“It is good that Prince Edmund won a victory at Southampton. Whatever doubts many at court had regarding his abilities should be swept away,” Maud said.

Madeleine nodded as she eyed Louis de Lorraine, someone she only knew from one meeting at the French court. “I agree. No one should doubt what my husband is capable of, although everyone will not fully accept him until he brings the corpse of Richard de La Pole.”

Elizabeth sighed. Richard de La Pole was her first cousin by way of their common ancestor, Richard of York. Madeleine could tell that it still pained her how much her Yorkist family were torn to pieces by both the necessity to secure the Tudor line and from the squabbling amongst the Yorkists, but everyone knew that her loyalties and affections were to the Tudors who came from her womb. “I am just afraid that we will see a repeat of the cousins fighting each other like they did so many years ago, but if Ned bringing Richard’s head will end it, I shall accept it.”

Madeleine turned around and held her mother-in-law’s hand gently. “It will be so, mother. If there must be peace gained from one more death, I shall accept it also.”

She might have come from a good noble family in France, but her family’s history paled in comparison to the Plantagenets of old, a story that involved plenty of killing amongst relatives and a series of weak kings which allowed for the vultures from the Lancastrians and then the Yorkists to descend for their prize. Nevertheless, she too wished that such conflicts would never happen again, although she would be naïve in believing that her wishes would remain true.

Elizabeth smiled in gratitude. “My late husband’s efforts to secure permanent peace are threatened, but I know my children well enough to know that they would never willingly wish harm upon each other. Margaret will do what she can from Scotland, it is good that Ned showed mercy by taking prisoners, and Henry will use all that knows to bring a swift end to the war. As for Mary, I envy her, for she is far away from here in Denmark and thus does not have to deal with war.”

Madeleine shrugged. “Hopefully, a war does not come to Denmark, unless those who follow Luther’s teachings are bold enough to overthrow the social order.”

Elizabeth exhaled, as she too knew of what Luther was doing throughout Europe. “What Luther is saying, it has been said before. But I guess that only now are people listening. Still, I cannot countenance an attack on the holy Catholic Church.”

“I agree.” Madeleine also witnessed the abuses of the church that Martin Luther was pointing out, but breaking with Rome was a step too far for her.

Accompanied by Lady Maud and a few Yeomen of the Guard, Madeleine approached Louis de Lorraine. “Your Highness,” Louis bowed in respect.

“My lord.” Madeleine held out her hand. “It has been a long time.”

“Yes, it has.” Louis kissed her hand. “My congratulations to your son, Prince Alfred, and to your unborn child. Let us hope it is a boy, for England needs as many princes as possible.”

Madeleine chuckled. “Indeed. But I, like my husband, wishes for a girl this time. The succession to the English throne is secure and England needs princesses.” She then walked with Louis, still accompanied by her guards. “How is your brother, Duke Antoine?”

“He is doing fine, Princess Madeleine. He is currently trying to maintain peaceable relations on the border with the Holy Roman Empire, but with King Francis fighting hard against the Emperor and the fact that Lutherans are spreading like locusts near his lands, that is becoming too difficult for him.”

The Duchy of Lorraine occupied a unique position in the French kingdom, as it retained partial independence from the French crown while all of the affairs along the French border in the east were to be handled by the duke himself. Madeleine also knew that the current Lorraine duke was married to a well-connected lady from House Bourbon, so Duke Antoine held a lot of influence at the French court.

“I do not envy your brother’s position, my lord. Still, until your ransom is paid, you can sit out from this war for the time being.”

“Under certain conditions, however. I have to admit that I was surprised at how willing Prince Edmund was in fighting with his troops. Of course, there are princes and kings who still want to lead from the front, but with the changing conditions of war, that is less likely to happen.”

Madeleine knew that Edmund was trying to brave in order to make up for his earlier failure, but she wished that Edmund was more considerate of her. “As a wife and mother, I cannot support my husband risking his life so easily. But as a princess, I understand that he has to be a leader to his men.”

“And he must. One day, if the Lord God proves cruel, Edmund and his son might wear the crown of England.”

Madeleine narrowed her eyes at Louis. “My lord, take care to not say such dangerous things. You might enjoy our hospitality, but we can make things very uncomfortable for you.”

“It will be good for you too, Princess Madeleine. If your husband becomes king, you will be a queen.”

“Enough.” Madeleine gritted her teeth. “Should I make things difficult for you then, my lord? Perhaps we should demand a higher payment from your brother?” Louis was wise enough to stop. “That is what I thought. If you ever say such things again, I will make sure that you know just how ruthless the English people are.”

Louis crooked his head at Madeleine. “Your transformation into an Englishwoman is complete. But I wonder if that will be of use to you in the future?”

Madeleine dismissed Louis while she went to observe the other French gentlemen at court who had some standing.

---

Sir William Douglas accompanied the main force sent to Chillingham Castle, deep within Northumberland. Unlike the castles such those at Berwick, Norham, and Bamburgh, Chillingham was reported to possess a weaker sort of structure, one that was never designed to withstand a full-on siege. As the previous ambassador to the English court, he had ample time to study which fortresses along near the border would present the most opportunity to strike.

However, William knew that the war was already going badly for them all. The French were not sending the troops that they promised to the Duke of Albany, Richard de La Pole suffered a major setback, and Carlisle and Berwick Castles had still not fallen. With this in mind and the fact that the northern English lords were about to bring the full strength of their forces to bear, the Scots had to seek new options and Chillingham Castle was one of them.

Departing before dusk, a contingent of five hundred troops led by Sir William himself moved under the cover of night towards Chillingham Castle. As they approached the walls, twenty troops moved to hug the walls. After seeing a few guards on duty, the men pulled out ropes and metal hooks, throwing them up to the battlements as they fastened rope ladders

Securing the ropes, Sir William and the other lead knight nodded to the rest and started climbing. The rope ladder was secured well, as all they needed to focus on was to not lose their footing or their grip. But they had to move fast since they had only a small window before a guard found the hooks.

Luckily, they all made it to the top of the walls. One of the guards spotted them and tried to yell, only for a man from Roxburgh to pull out his axe and throw it, the axe head lodging into the guard’s forehead. They helped the others up on the walls and started to swiftly kill the rest of the guards on duty.

The Scots then climbed down a flight of stairs to the courtyard and took on another few guards. Sir William, unsheathing his sword, used an upward slice that struck a guard's leg, bringing him down before he lodged his blade into his heart. With the courtyard still asleep, all of them moved carefully towards and opened the gate. Another Scotsmen drew his bow, used a nearby torch to light his arrow, and let it loose.

Having hidden themselves in the forests around the castle, the Scots emerged out of hiding and used the cover of darkness to charge through the gates. The troops let out a war cry, thus awakening the sleeping guards in courtyard and in the keep.

"Come on!" Sir William yelled as the rest charged through the gate. Some were killed by the crossbow bolts shot from the walls, purchased from France, but others found themselves overwhelmed by the mass of soldiers coming upon them and taking them out of their slumber.

Sir William saw a man from Jedburgh swung his axe down on one guard, with a force so strong that it dug deep into his shoulder as to leave a deep and nasty cavity that no doubt cut his heart. He then blocked another's sword swing with his axe, its steel shaft preventing the sword from chopping it in half and thus allowing the Jedburgh man to push the sword away and stun him with a strike with the shaft against his forehead. He then used the distraction to swing the axe to his neck, nearly chopping the head off. One of the guards got too close for comfort for him, prompting the Jedburgh man to switch grips and use the bottom of the shaft to hit him away while using the axe's head to get cuts into his left arm. Once some distance away, he then caught his attacker's sword with the axe, pulled the shaft down and thus ripping the sword from his hands before pushing the axe's head deep into his throat.

As for Sir William, he parried a Chillingham guard's spear with his sword before he spun around and slashed at his neck, severing the vital blood vessels there. He almost missed seeing another swing his sword down at her, but he then remembered that the blade was not the only part of the sword. Acting quickly, he grabbed at the blade with his left hand, careful not cut himself too deeply, but he used his right hand to push the hilt directly into the guard's temple, stunning him. Still holding the blade, Sir William thrusted his sword through his exposed armpit and deep into his torso, cutting through his lung and several vessels in the process. Pulling it out, he push kicked another guard away and closed the distance fast enough for him to stick his blade into his mouth, the blade coming out the back of his head.

Having quickly subdued the guards in the courtyard, the troops moved quickly into the keep.

"Arm yourselves! Arm yourselves!" Sir William heard one of the guards shout to his comrades, who were still lying on the floor of the great hall. They only barely stood up when Sir William and the other Scots charged into the hall.

Within moments, all of the guards were either dead or subdued. "Stay down, dog!" Sir William kicked a guard hard in the face after he tried to reach for an axe.

 

[HortenseMancini]

If chillingham has a weaker structure and cannot withstand a siege, why bother trying to take it? also madeleine was very clever to shut down louis's talk of henry's possible death.

 

[Jonathan1997]

One thing I do not like about this period is the compound weapons kings and generals no longer lead their armies from the front. And will soon delegate the responsibility two professional soldiers and vassals. Guns drastically change a story both politically and culturally nobility stops being soldiers but become traders and loose their purpose. The last King to be killed in battle was Charles XII of Sweden. There's many reasons why presidents and prime ministers don't lead there armies anymore. That it my only real criticism for any story set in the 16th century and going forward. Power goes from king and nobility but towards parliament and the merchant classes.

 

[Cate13]

Just caught up, great battle scenes. I really appreciated that you used loose instead of fire

 

[Yi Sun Sin]

If chillingham has a weaker structure and cannot withstand a siege, why bother trying to take it? also madeleine was very clever to shut down louis's talk of henry's possible death.

At this point, the sieges of both Berwick and Carlisle are taking too long, so the Scots have to keep moving.

One thing I do not like about this period is the compound weapons kings and generals no longer lead their armies from the front. And will soon delegate the responsibility two professional soldiers and vassals. Guns drastically change a story both politically and culturally nobility stops being soldiers but become traders and loose their purpose. The last King to be killed in battle was Charles XII of Sweden. There's many reasons why presidents and prime ministers don't lead there armies anymore. That it my only real criticism for any story set in the 16th century and going forward. Power goes from king and nobility but towards parliament and the merchant classes.

Not necessarily true. The upper class did maintain soldiery as an honorable profession with the British purchase of commissions, but yeah. By the time that system had been implemented, the kings did not lead their troops into battle anymore.

Just caught up, great battle scenes. I really appreciated that you used loose instead of fire

It was the more accurate term after all. Glad you like it

 

[Jonathan1997]

It also that parliament overthrown the power of the King and that one of many reasons Princes and Kings cannot lead armies there will be no Caesars or Augustus to seize power.

 

[Yi Sun Sin]

It also that parliament overthrown the power of the King and that one of many reasons Princes and Kings cannot lead armies there will be no Caesars or Augustus to seize power.

Yeah, Cromwell really set back the martial tradition despite the innovations