Fear – The Wrong Place to be
Fear haunts the land when Ailie, daughter of a Scottish clan chief, arrives on the banks of the Yorkshire Ouse with just two companions. With rumours of approaching armies swirling the land the Danish locals see all strangers as threatening. Their fear swells when a priest’s body is found in a nearby wood.
The year is 1066, a year of four kings in England. While travelling south Ailie’s party has passed several sacked towns and patches of devastated farmland. At the village where she should meet her future bridegroom Ailie learns that throughout September three Viking armies have been on the move. These are converging on the country’s second largest and richest city, Jorvik (York). Terrified country folk have already bloated the city’s population, seeking protection within its walls. Unfortunately Jorvik Minster is where Ailie’s wedding to a Flemish count is due to be blessed.
Although she is an outsider and this is not her fight, she is drawn into efforts to protect the people inside the city. Her gift for languages and ability to think strategically enable her to carry messages between the opposing sides. Along the way she befriends other outsiders and is befriended in turn by helpful and influential citizens. Also she is still immature enough physically to disguise herself as a loriner’s boy, which allows her to enter the city unremarked. Exiting it again is not so easy.
Fear – the spur to foolishness
In several incidents people driven by fear make wrong decisions. Fear also whips the crowd into a mob, a dangerous and unpredictable beast. Lack of information, false rumours and failure to understand the point of view of others all drive the terror. Ailie arrives from another culture and with an open mind; this is why she is able to help when asked.
1066 Battle’s Eve is a sequel to 1065 October Snows. Both are fictional but set against historical backgrounds. They make use of primary and secondary sources and include or refer to major historical people and events. Each of the books have Historical Notes giving details of the evidence used. This information would make useful additions to classroom studies or help readers who wish to further their own studies.