The Briton and the Dane: Concordia
Page 24
Jafri and Yara lived out their days in peace, naming their first born son after Chad and calling their daughter Concordia.
Umar decided to remain in Britannia and quickly settled into the throes of daily life with his new wife, Diera. His days were spent catching fish, but his nights were filled with scholarly pursuits. He learned to read and write the Saxon tongue and expressed an interest in the Christian religion, much to Diera’s delight.
The entire village attended Umar’s baptism, celebrating his conversion well into the night, the night that Diera conceived their daughter. Concordia was born on the very day her namesake had died, a fitting tribute to a woman much loved.
Emidus had been in Mercia when word reached him of Concordia’s death. He returned to Wareham in record time, riding day and night with little rest. When Lord Stephen escorted him to the crypt, he noticed his father’s pale demeanor and unsteady gait and realized he had yet to come to terms with Concordia’s passing. They prayed silently together, remaining in the dimly-lit room until Elizabeth collected them for the evening meal.
As the days passed, Emidus’ visits to the Chapel lessened because he was at peace, but he feared for his father’s health. He was reluctant to return to court, to serve Prince Edward, but his father and Elizabeth had reminded him that he had his own life to live, which is what Emidus did.
Emidus faithfully served Prince Edward who became king upon his father’s death. King Edward continued to be harassed by the Danes, only to lose many good men in battle. Once again, terms for peace were discussed, but there was treachery and Emidus died protecting his king.
Lord Stephen became withdrawn after Concordia’s death, spending his days alone in the crypt, speaking to his daughter for hours on end. Elizabeth was beside herself with worry, believing he had lost the will to live. She had to beg him to eat and found herself preparing sleeping potions, otherwise he would never rest. His Confessor had tried to reason with him, but his words went unheeded, and the many healers that examined him could not name his illness because his disease was not of the flesh.
Elizabeth was grateful that their children, Gabriel and Oriana, were away at court, because she could not bear to have them witness their father’s torment. She spent hours on her knees, until they bled, praying to God for His intercession, but her prayers remained unanswered.
When Lord Stephen learned that Emidus had died in the service of his King, he took to his bed, spending his days staring at the ceiling through watery eyes. Elizabeth kept vigil alone, taking her meals in their bedchamber and never leaving his side.
Elizabeth sent for the priest once her husband’s words made no sense. On the day he was shriven, he became delirious, crying out Arista’s name while begging to die. Elizabeth could not hold back her tears as she held her husband’s hand because her fears had not been unfounded. Arista had always held his heart just as she suspected.
Lord Stephen’s suffering lasted many days, but he died before Gabriel and Oriana returned from court. Elizabeth had him buried beside Concordia, believing his soul was finally at peace.
After the traditional mourning period had passed, Gabriel returned to court, but Oriana refused to leave her mother, settling into a daily routine as befitted her station, ministering to the sick and tending to the poor. When the king arranged Oriana’s marriage, she requested that Elizabeth accompany her to her husband’s lands where her mother lived out the remainder of her days in peaceful solitude.
Gabriel remained at court throughout his entire life, serving the needs of his king. He never took a wife and died in his bed on his seventieth birthday.
Brantson returned to his old command shortly after Concordia was laid to rest, with Bryce serving as his First Officer. The army was always engaged in a campaign against the Danes who coveted the fertile kingdom of Wessex. Both men fought with such fervor that songs were written of their prowess in battle. However, Bryce succumbed to wounds received after an incursion against the Northumbrians.
Brantson never fully recovered from Concordia’s death, becoming more withdrawn after Bryce died. He remained in the army until his fiftieth year when he joined the Benedictine Order, taking the priest-cowl at Exeter Abbey where he lived out the remainder of his years in the service of the Lord.
###
Author’s Notes
This novel is a work of fiction. Any interaction between authentic historical figures referenced in this novel are the result of the author’s imagination and are therefore fictitious. The names of the remaining characters are also authentic. However, these names were randomly selected and any reference to an actual person who lived during the historical period represented in this novel is purely coincidental.
Saracen Pirates
By the Ninth Century, Saracen pirates roamed the Mediterranean Sea, wreaking havoc on travelers sailing the waterways en route to Rome. The Vatican was damaged when Saracen raiders sacked Rome in 846. The Saracens also raided many coastal cities periodically through the Tenth Century, and also controlled the passes in the Alps, which made overland travel extremely dangerous for pilgrims. There is also historical documentation supporting Saracen pirate havens along the coast of Spain as referenced in this story.
Glossary of Terms
Aachen: Charlemagne’s capital city (modern day Germany)
Abbess: Female administrator of monastery / abbey
Abbey: Monastic community
Abbott: Male administrator of monastery / abbey
Allah: Islamic term for God
Aller: Village where the Baptism of the Danish King Guthrum took place
Alms: Gifts of money / services / goods for the poor
Amulet / Talisman: Charm worn to protect against evil and bring good fortune
Angles: Germanic peoples who settled post Roman Britain
Anglo-Saxon Britain: 5th Century to Norman Invasion (1066)
Applewine: Cider
Bailey: Outer courtyard of a fortification
Banns (Bans): Announcement of forthcoming marriage
Battlements: Defensive structure along the outer edge of the wall-walk
Benedictine Order: Religious community founded by St. Benedictine
Bid: Ask
Bishop of Rome: The Pope
Bishopric: Territorial jurisdiction of a Bishop
Bow: Front of a ship
Britons: Ancient Celtic peoples from the island of Great Britain
Burh: Fortified town
Caliph: Head of state
Cast Rune: Psychic interpretation of runic alphabet symbols to tell the future
Cell: Single room in an abbey / monastery / nunnery
Chapter House: Religious community administrative center
Charlemagne: Charles I also called Charles the Great (742 AD – 814 AD)
- King of the Franks (from 768 AD) and Emperor of the Romans (from 800 AD)
Calling: Religious vocation
Celts: Dominated Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages
Christendom: The Christian world
Ciborium: Chalice and paten set using during the celebration of the Christian Mass
Circus: Open arena for chariot races and other forms of entertainment (games)
Cloister: Enclosed inner courtyard in a monastery / abbey
Coddle: Pamper
Coffer: Chest
Comely: Beautiful
Compline: 9:00 pm prayer service
Confessor: Spiritual advisor
Contagion: Contagious disease
Cowl: Monk’s hooded cloak
Dane: People of Denmark
Denarius: Main silver coin of the Roman Empire
Diet: Parliamentary body
Diocese: District or See under the supervision of a Bishop that is divided into parishes
Dolt: Stupid person
Dragonship: Viking longship, longboat
Emir: Prince
Eucharist: Consecrated bread and wine that becomes the body and blood of Christ
Feign: Pretend
Fishmonger: Person who sells fish
Flameworker: Glassblower
Fealty: Swear loyalty and allegiance to an overlord / ruler
Forthwith: Immediately
Fortnight: Fourteen days
Frisians: Germanic people living in East & North Frisia, The Netherlands, Denmark
Garb: Clothing
Garderobe: latrines (toilet)
Gate: Heavy wood doors for entry
Gatehouse: Main entry with towers / barriers on each side of a wood gate
Give quarter: Spare life, take prisoners
God Speed: Safe travel
Gong Farmer: Cleans the latrines (toilet)
Grapple: Bind together
Great Hall: Main room for meetings / dining
Guffaw: Laugh
Habit: Clothing worn by members of the religious community
Harried: Raid / pillage / harass
Hispania: Spain
Holy Roman Emperor: Title conferred by the Pope; ruler of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire: Frankish Kingdom (present day Germany)
Holy See: Seat of the Pope’s office in Rome
Hull: Watertight body of a ship
Ignoble: Baseborn; illegitimate
Iliad: Homer’s ancient Greek poem set in the Trojan War
Ill-begotten: Illegitimate
Illumination: Artistically decorated manuscripts
Inner Bailey: Courtyard in the center of the fortification
Keep: Large tower
Knucklebones: Game similar to Jacks
Lauds: 3:00 am prayer service
Lunge: Quick thrust or jab by leaning forward
Lyre: Harp
Magnificat (Song of Mary): Ancient Christian Hymn, taken from the Gospel of St. Luke
Mantle: Cloak-like garment that can be richly decorated
Matins: Midnight prayer service
Mead: Intoxicating beverage made from water, honey, malt and yeast
Meddle: Interfere
Minstrel: Musician
Monastic Orders: Religious communities guided by a particular religious rule
- e.g. Benedictine Order
Moor: A Muslim of mixed Berber and Arab descent. Invaders of Spain in the 8th C
Njord: Norse god of the sea
None: 3:00 pm prayer service
Northman: Viking or Norseman: Scandinavian seafaring warriors
Nunnery: Convent
Palace of Aachen: Charlemagne’s royal seat built in the late 8th century
Palfrey: Riding horse
Parapet: Wall rampart
Parry / Parried: Block / deflect a blow
Paten: Plate of precious metal used in church services
Patrimony of St. Peter: Papal States - territory in Italy ruled by the Pope
Pilgrim’s Staff: Walking stick
Plantain Leaves: Medicinal herb; reduces pain
Point: First and most exposed position in combat formation
Portico: Entrance
Posthaste: Immediately
Postern Gate: Secondary gate at the rear of a fortification
Poultice: Medicinal paste
Prime: 6:00 am prayer service
Prioress: Abbess
Priory: Abbey
Prow: Front of a ship
Psalter: Book of Psalms
Psalms: Sacred poems
Quill: Writing pen
Quiver: Case for carrying arrows
Rampart: Embankment that encircles the fortification
Recompense: Give compensation for an injury or loss
Reparation: Give satisfaction for a wrong or injury
Revels: Feasting
Revenant: Lost soul whose ghostly form walks amongst the living
Rope Pulling: Tug of war
Rucksack: Backpack
Runes: Ancient alphabet letters
Saracen: By the 12th C synonymous with Muslim;
- originally from the Roman Provence of Arabia, distinguished from the Arabs
Saxons: Germanic peoples who settled post Roman Britain
Scabbard: Sheath (case) for sword or dagger
Sconce: Mounted torch holders; Candlestick
See: Domain of authority of a Bishop
Sext: Noon prayer service
Shipwright: Boatmaker
Shriven: Free from guilt; sacrament of reconciliation (confession/penance)
Sjaund: Funeral ale ritual drinking celebrated seven days after a person’s death
- Norse pagan custom
Smithy: Workplace of a smith or blacksmith
Solstice: June 22 first day of summer; December 22 first day of winter
Stand: Halt / stop
Standard: Flag
Stern: Back of a ship
Sternpost: Upright structural post at the stern (back) of a wooden ship or boat
Succor: Refuge
Tabula: Board game similar to backgammon
Take the Cloth: Join a religious order
Take the Cowl: Become a monk / brother
Take the Veil: Become a nun
Talisman / Amulet: Charm worn to protect against evil and bring good fortune
Tarry: To delay
Terce: 9:00 am prayer service
Thurible: Metal censer suspended from chains in which incense is burned
Thrust: Push or drive with force
Tonsure: Head partially shaved prior to joining a religious order
Tumbler: Acrobat
Tunic: Simple knee length or longer garment
Turret: Small tower
Valerian Root: Medicinal herb; pain reliever and sedative
Vellum: Parchment made from animal skin, high quality
Vespers: 6:00 pm prayer service
Vestment: Liturgical garments, clerical clothing
Vicar of Christ: The Pope
Vie: Compete
Viking: Scandinavian warriors / seafarers
Villa: Roman styled house favored by the Roman Briton upper class
Wall-Walk: Walkway on top of a wall that encircles a fortification
Whetstone: Sharpening stone to grind and sharpen edges of steel tools, weapons
Wimple: Covering worn over the head and around the neck and chin; nun’s clothing
Yarrow: Medicinal herb; stops bleeding and reduces fever
Yield: Give up
Discussion Items
Did you read the complete trilogy? If not, would you read the entire story to better understand the characters’ plight in the current story? If you did read the trilogy, were you able to remember the complex relationships without having to refer to the character lists associated with each volume?
Was the glossary useful? Were there words referenced in the text that did not appear in the glossary? If so, would you contact the author to update the list?
Reference material is available on the author’s webpage. Did you look at the Resources Section? If so, did you print any of the documents for easy reference?
Did you relate to any specific character in the novel? Did you understand why a certain character chose a particular path to follow? Were you overly judgmental when agreeing or disagreeing with a particular character’s actions, especially since a person is a product of their environment? Have societal mores changed much over the centuries? Are not the same conflicts seen today? Can you name a modern day persona for each character of the story that exhibits the same emotional drive?
Did you consider the dangers Christians faced living in a land where a person lost his/her life for his/her beliefs? Would he/she fear discovery for praying in secret? Do not people in countries where religious tolerance is suppressed fear discovery in this century?
The Saracen pirates terrorized travelers, instilling fear while seeking plunder and human cargo. Is not the same fear exhibited today in certain parts of our world? Has warfare changed over the centuries? Are not warriors needed in this day and age to protect the land?
The relationships
in the storyline are quite complex and the emotional gamut diverse. Are these feelings any different than those expressed today? Would you have reacted differently if you were in a similar situation or would you have made the same choices?
Would you contact the author to express your views? If so, visit the author’s webpage for email instructions.
Reference Material
Visit the Resource Section on the author’s webpage (www.maryannbernal.com) for the following printable files: Character List; Discussion Questions; Glossary; Maps.
About the Author
Mary Ann Bernal, author of The Briton and the Dane novels, is an avid history buff whose area of interest focuses on Ninth Century Anglo-Saxon Britain during the Viking Age. While pursuing a degree in business administration, she managed to fit creative writing classes and workshops into her busy schedule to learn the craft, but it would take decades before her “Erik the Viking” novel was ultimately published.
Mary Ann is also a passionate supporter of the United States military, having been involved with letter writing campaigns and other support programs since Operation Desert Storm. She has appeared on The Morning Blend television show hosted by KMTV, the CBS television affiliate in Omaha, and was interviewed by the Omaha World-Herald for her volunteer work. She has also been a featured author on various reader blogs and promotional sites.
Mary Ann is a New York “expat,” and currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska.