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knights.  They are teaching one of our neighbours a lesson. Pray, stay the night. He should be back in a day or so.”
    “We are anxious to reach Normandy.”
    Eugene shook his head, “I cannot give you permission to cross the land of Lord Archambaud.  You will need to stay here until he returns.” He saw the looks exchanged between Ralph and Garth. “I have no doubt that he will grant you permission but Lord Archambaud is sensitive about such things.  He likes matters to be conducted properly.”
    It was a pleasant castle to visit.  We stayed in the hall normally used by the household knights.  It was empty for Eugene just had the ten men at arms to guard the castle. They wore leather armour but all had a helmet, a spear and a shield. When we ate, that night, I asked Eugene if this was a typical castle.
    He smiled, “You have not seen Frankish castles before?”
    I shook my head. “Constantinople and its mighty walls are my only experience of such buildings.  These seem so small by comparison.”
    My father snapped, “Alfraed, do not be rude to our host.”
    Eugene laughed and waved away the apology, “I am not offended.  I have heard of the mighty walls of that great city. No, my young friend, we do not compete with a large castle but we have walls we can defend with a small number of knights and we can control large swathes of land from here with our knights.”
    “How many knights does his lordship lead?”
    “He has three conroi.  Each one has ten knights.  The ten knights have their own men at arms and they are mounted too.”
    I took in the information. “Father, is it the same in England? You and the others fought on foot.”
    Before he could answer Eugene said, “We often fight on foot too.  The horses are the quickest way to get to a battle but a man fighting in armour will soon tire a horse.” He laughed, “Your son is most curious, Lord Ridley.”
    “I apologise for him.”
    “No it is interesting for me to meet someone who looks like us and speaks our language and yet is a foreigner.”
    I liked Eugene.  He told wonderful stories of fighting with his master Lord Archambaud and carving out this little domain of theirs.  It seemed that Louis the Fat was increasing his control over the lands and eventually there would be conflict with Lord Archambaud. Eugene did not appear to be concerned about the prospect of war with a king. “There have been strong kings of France and weak ones.  We shall see.  I have lived a long time, Alfraed son of Ridley, and I have learned to take life as it comes.  I would advise you to do the same.”
    Lord Archambaud returned at noon of our third day in his land.  He was a most imposing knight. He shunned the new style of helmet and still wore the same kind as my father did. I noticed that the knights of his conroi all had the mail which still had a detachable face piece; it was called a ventail.  I knew then that Lord Archambaud liked things done the old ways. He and my father got on famously for they had both fought the Normans.  I think we could have stayed there for some time but my father was aware of the passage of time.
    Lord Archambaud seemed to understand. “I will have my conroi escort you to the edge of my land.” He laughed, “I doubt you will have any trouble for I have imposed my will on my neighbours. They each lost household knights.” I had noticed the wagons and horses which he had brought back into his castle. Frankia did not seem a dull place to live.
    He left us at a small village.  There was no accommodation but there was a wooden wall around it and the presence of the knights of Montluço n   ensured that we were welcomed. As we ate our frugal meal my father told us what he had learned from the Lord of Montluçon.
    “It seems there is a battle to control the parts of Anjou, Normandy, Poitou and Touraine.” The names meant nothing to me.  My father, who was always patient with me, said, “They are the duchies through which