Old Men at Pevensey by Rudyard Kipling. Short summary

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A tale from the Tales of Old England series. The dishonorable knight Fulk has decided to deprive de Aquila, Sir Richard, and Sir Hugh of their lands by guile and cunning shenanigans in order to open the way to a renegade duke in England.

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Knight Richard continues to tell his story to his children Dan and Una. After Sir Richard and Sir Hugh return from their journey, they settle at Pevensie Castle with a friend of De Aquila, who tells them the latest news: King William the Red is murdered and his younger brother Henry has taken the throne. Henry is opposed by some barons and Robert of Normandy, who plans to land in England and seize the throne.

Soon the three friends learn that there is a traitor in the castle — brother Gilbert, who kept the accounts of the Pavensie estate. He wrote denunciations to Knight Fulk, who wanted to defame De Aquila before the king and get his estate. Soon after Foulk’s capture of Pevensie, Robert of Normandy’s troops were to land here and launch an invasion.

The three friends exposed Gilbert and Fulk and forced him to exonerate De Aquila to the king. The Norman invasion did not take place. De Aquila safely ruled Pevensie and guarded the naval «gateway to England» until his death.