Dramatis Personae
The Saxons
Raedwald, Thane of Gordale (Randy's past life)
Berthoald, son of the Saxon lady Matilda and stepson of the Norman Earl of Wolfswood Halfdan, he has thrown his lot in with the Normans and rules Wolfswood in his stepfather's absence (Bash's past life)
Wihtlaeg, Slave to Harald (Niall's past life)
Banzleibs, an unlucky Saxon troubadour (Bucky's past life)
The Normans
William II of England, King of England, third son of William the Conqueror
Prince Henry, fourth and youngest son of William the Conqueror
Lady Tove (Theresa's past life)
Harald, Son of Baron Magnus of Malham who rules in his father's absence (Howard's past life)
Sir Sigtryg (Stevens' past life)
Sir Kjotve of Whitecliff (Ken's past life)
Setting: England, 1093. Twenty-seven years have passed since the Battle of Hastings and William II rules England while his younger brother Henry holds domain in Domfront.
ACT I
London. The Castle of William II.
William II of England. William Rufus. William the Red. These were the names of the third son of William the Conqueror the son to whom England had went. The second son Richard of Normandy had predeceased his father so upon the Conqueror's death his domains of Normandy and England were split between his firstborn son Robert Curthose, who got Normandy, and the son whom was named after himself, who got England while Henry, the Conqueror's youngest son, was given money to buy land.
Standing the courtyard of his castle, the King took aim at a target. He was, as William of Malmesbury would put it, "well set; his complexion florid, his hair yellow; of open countenance; different coloured eyes, varying with certain glittering specks; of astonishing strength, though not very tall, and his belly rather protruding." He was thirty-seven years old.
Standing not far away was the young Norman knight Kjotve, listening as his king spoke to him.
"I scorn the Saxons and their culture." Said William. "Edward the Confessor named my father is heir but they made Edward's brother-in-law Harold Godwinson king after his death!" William released his arrow and watched as it hit the target dead center. "For what they did, the Saxons must know their place in the world and we must remember ours but we cannot collect taxes from rebels so we must not go too far with them."
"Yes, Sire." Said Kjotve.
"I will not permit the mixing of their blood and ours but I will make exceptions to this rule." Continued William. "Aethelred the Unready, Edward's father, after all was married to Emma of Normandy, my great-great-great aunt thus making Edward the Confessor and my father cousins. But that is enough now! You must be on your way to Malham! Go and enjoy yourself in the company of that bastard Harald while his father is away."
Malham. The Castle of Earl Magnus.
Playing chess with Harald sat the Saxon Thane of Gordale Raedwald. Raedwald's grandfather had been a member of Edward the Confessor's court, the one member who had not objected to William the Conqueror being Edward's heir. Regardless, the rest of the votes were for Harold Godwinson.
Raedwald was best described as an idle wastrel. He often avoided work and was a wasteful person. And then she entered the room: the Lady Tove. Raedwald was so enchanted by her that he made a move that placed his king in danger.
"Who is winning, Harald?" asked Tove.
"Better to ask who has won, Tove." Replied Harald. "Since I just have. A first. It is usually Raedwald who wins."
"Tove?" asked Raedwald. "I have never seen you before!"
"I am recently arrived from Normandy." Replied Tove. "I have come to meet my fiancé Sir Sigtryg."
"A vile man whom I would not go into battle with!" Everyone jumped as Kjotve entered the room. "Always a pleasure, Harald."
"Greetings, Kjotve." Returned Harald.
"Are you two still so ill at ease around each other?" asked Raedwald. "So you both unhorsed each other at the tournament, it is no reason to be uncomfortable around each other!" Kjotve walked over to the small table between Raedwald and Harald and brought his foot down on the table with such a force that the table broke. "Are you a Norman or a Scot, Kjotve? Calm down."
"Sigtryg will be arriving tomorrow I hear." Stated Harald. "You will be able to meet him then, Tove. And Kjotve, you owe me a new table and judging from my chess pieces a new set as well. I'll take that chess set of walrus tusk you have back at Whitecliff."
"What brings one of King William's knights here?" asked Raedwald.
"To oversee the wedding between Sigtryg and Tove here." Replied Kjotve. "It was arranged you know. Sigtryg has inherited a rather large garrison and Tove here is rather wealthy. Both things to make military campaigns successful. Large garrisons and wealth! I'd rather be fighting the Welsh. Where is that serf of yours, Harald? I'm thirsty! I need the wash the dust from my throat."
"Have you tried your own pi—"
"Wihtlaeg!" called Tove. "Bring in a goblet of wine for Sir Kjotve."
"Thank you, Tove."
Gordale. Raedwald's hall.
Raedwald looked down at a book in his hands. It told of the Battle of Hastings, the battle where Saxon England died and Norman England was born. Had the Saxon nobles just accepted the Conqueror as the Confessor's chosen heir there would not have been a battle.
But yet Raedwalkd could not help but wonder if he and Harald would still be friends. Harald's family would have still been in Normandy or they would have come over and had a new title made for them.
And Tove? Had there never been a Battle of Hastings would she have never come to be here?
Raedwald was quite happy with how things were but there were some things that he could not ignore. The way a great many of his people were treated by the Normans had caused him to recently come into conflict with Norman law. Raedwald's minstrel Banzleibs had been assaulted. The attacker had been a Norman in Sigtry's employ. Raedwald intervened and accidentally killed the Norman. Thus was the reason why he had been visiting Harald that day. To inform him of what had happened so his trial would be not as terrible as it could have been.