by A. E. Albert
Finally, they hurled themselves into a chair laughing.
“Ugg, this hat needs to go!” moaned Jeanie, as she took off the long cone hat. “It was fun for a while, but now it feels like it weighs a ton.” She gave her head a shake. “Ahh, that’s better.”
Billy rested his head against the back of the chair, his legs appreciating the break. He couldn’t believe how much fun he was having. Until that day, Billy had never danced a day in his life. This was one of the best days of his life, he thought. In fact, he realized, the time he had spent with Dickens and Jeanie had been the best time of his whole life.
How can that be? he thought. We’re running for our lives, we’re lost in time and my father is about to destroy the planet. But everything seemed so distant at that moment. Never in his life had he felt the freedom to just say what he wanted, to feel what he wanted. Nobody judged him; no one bullied or humiliated him. In fact, he had done things that he never thought possible. Instead of fading into the background like he usually did, he had found that there was a leader in him.
He looked over at Jeanie. She was the best friend he ever had. Maybe Leonardo was right; he needed to just appreciate their friendship for as long as he could.
Once again, they were disrupted by a familiar voice.
“Excuse me, my lady.”
Billy looked to his left to see the haughty profile of Niccolo, who was currently executing a low bow in front of Jeanie. Again, his cronies were behind him.
“It would be my pleasure if you would be my partner in the next dance,” he smiled, looking at her expectantly.
This guy was unbelievable! Was this kid that conceited and felt that entitled that he thought Jeanie would dance with him!
But before Billy could intervene, Jeanie met his stare and said, “No thank you, I don’t dance with mean and arrogant boys who pick on people smaller than them,” and she stood up to leave.
Niccolo grabbed her arm. “I would advise you not to refuse me again,” he threatened in a low and menacing tone.
“Let her go!” demanded Billy.
Niccolo turned to the shorter boy and smiled that cocky smile. “Or what? I defeat you again?” Niccolo continued to stare at Billy and then abruptly released Jeanie’s arm. He looked her up and down and said in a disdainful voice, “You are not worth it, you red haired wench.”
Billy took Jeanie’s arm and began walking away, but Niccolo came to stand in front of them.
He then said in a low voice so his companions couldn’t overhear, “You have humiliated me for the last time, first in front of my friends and now in my father’s house. You will both regret it. I promise you.” As the boy walked away, Billy felt the cold chill of dread.
Everyone returned home that evening tired and ready for bed. As much as Billy had come to love Pisa, he couldn’t wait to leave because of Niccolo. He scared Billy. He wasn’t a typical bully from his time. Here he was the son of a powerful man and of noble birth, who had in his power to do something terrible to them.
As Billy fell into a fitful slumber, a loud crash awakened him, followed by hysterical screaming. Billy jumped from his bedroll and ran downstairs, only to see Jeanie being dragged from the house by uniformed soldiers.
“Billy, Dickens, stop them, please!” she frantically screamed.
Billy ran for the door. The last thing he saw was a fist coming toward his face.
Then nothing.
Chapter 25
It was early morning when Billy’s eyes fluttered open. His vision was out of focus and full of shadows. As he lay there, trying to remember how he came to be lying down, the dark outline of someone’s head loomed above him. Georgii’s face began to materialize, a look of concern etched across his features.
Billy attempted to sit up, only to experience a white hot pain shoot through his head, pushing him to lie back down again. He then felt something cool being pressed against his temple.
“Lay back, son, you’ve got quite the goose egg,” said Dickens in a hushed tone.
In the span of a second, everything came back to him. The banquet, Niccolo, Jeanie…Jeanie! Billy bolted upright, ignoring the searing pain.
“Where is she, Dickens? Where is she?” he yelled in a panic stricken voice. The three faces surrounding him responded with only silence.
Finally, Leonardo spoke, his head hung low. “She has been taken to the Pisan jail.”
Billy urgently looked into the stricken faces before him and in a strangled voice he asked, “Why? She didn’t do anything, she-”
“She has been accused of witchcraft.” For the first time since Billy had known Dickens, he saw true fear upon his face.
“Witchcraft? Isn’t that like in Salem or something?”
“Billy, there were witch hunts in Europe for a thousand years. Even a civilized metropolis like Pisa was not immune to them.”
Georgii and Leonardo both exchanged a confused look. Billy really didn’t care what they were thinking about Dickens’ and his conversation.
Billy stared at the pale faces sitting around him. They knew something he didn’t. “What? What is it?” His volume was beginning to reach deafening levels.
Dickens looked Billy in the eyes and calmly stated, “They are going to burn her at the stake at noon tomorrow.”
Never in his life had Billy felt such fear. Even the danger in Syracuse was different. This was about Jeanie. Jeanie, who didn’t have a mean bone in her body; who liked everybody just for who they were. Why was this happening?
Billy looked at Dickens; his expression must have communicated his thoughts. “The mayor’s son accused her of giving him the evil eye and ill wishing him at the banquet. His friends will bear witness to this. Compounding the problem is her red hair. Unfortunately, red hair is considered to be the mark of evil in these times. So, we’re dealing with irrational fear and the word of a noble. It doesn’t look good,” stated Dickens, his countenance straightforward and dark.
Billy was sitting in numb silence when a quiet voice to his right spoke out. “A knight does what is right for rights sake. Even done in small measure, one will be remembered.” With that glint of determination in his eyes, he added, “We shall save her.”
Billy returned Georgii’s gaze and gave him a knowing smile. “Georgii is right, our lady is in distress.”
Leonardo began to sputter, “But the jail is heavily guarded, you are just boys! Dickens, talk some sense into these young men!” he raged, jumping to his feet. The two boys just gazed at him, their jaws set. Leonardo continued to passionately argue, shaking his hands in the air. “This is absurd, what can children do against Pisan soldiers?”
Dickens put his hand on Leonardo’s shoulder. “You were right, Leonardo. Love is the ultimate reason for living. Can you tell these boys not to do what needs to be done for someone they love?” His voice was quiet and soft.
“But Dickens…” implored Leonardo. His shoulders sagged in defeat and his eyes shone with sadness.
“A knight must be unwaveringly loyal to those he deems worthy. I know no other more worthy than our Gianna,” announced Georgii. His mind already made up, his manner silently stating his unwillingness to compromise.
Georgii had understood what it had taken Billy forever to understand. He now understood the importance of Leonardo’s words. No one can live without friends. When you realize that, you have to do what you have to do to protect them.
As he gazed at Georgii’s unwavering features, he now understood the message of the knight’s code. Being selfish and doing what you want to do, is the easy and safe path. But doing what is right is narrow and filled with obstacles. Only you can choose what path to follow. There was no debate, no further contemplations.
Billy turned to Georgii, his expression mirroring his. “Ok, Georgii, what’s the plan?”
The hours were passing quickly and time was running out. As Jeanie was locked away in her prison cell, soldiers were preparing her funeral pyre in the town square.
The plotters
sat around Leonardo’s kitchen table, trying to agree on a plan to save her. The mathematician still had his reservations about the entire scheme.
Leonardo looked exasperated. “We cannot put our trust in this, well…baker’s son, no offence, Georgii,” he quickly added.
“None taken, Signor Leonardo,” replied Georgii in his usual casual manner.
Billy looked at Leonardo with incredulity. “You know what! No one in this town seems to even know Georgii! Trust me, he knows this city like the back of his hand. If he says it’ll work, then I, for one, believe him!” declared Billy.
“And I trust Billy’s opinion,” seconded Dickens.
“All right, all right!” exclaimed Leonardo as he shook his head, finally accepting that the two young men were not going to be thwarted in their plans.
Billy bent his head and in a conspiring whisper said, “Ok, so tonight…”
Chapter 26
As night fell on Pisa, Billy and Georgii garbed themselves in dark cloaks and quietly left Leonardo’s home. Billy was surprised by the emotions he felt saying his goodbyes to Leonardo. He knew the man’s objection to tonight’s actions was out of concern for their welfare. For, ultimately, he too wanted Jeanie safe and sound.
Billy and Dickens agreed to meet at the apple tree outside of Pisa. He gave Dickens a solemn nod of the head as goodbye and he and Georgii crept silently out into the night.
Their first stop was Georgii’s father’s bakery, a few streets over. He and Georgii entered through the back door. There were baskets on the counter filled with unsold bread from that day. Georgii and Billy each took an empty one and quickly began filling it with bread and pastries.
They both then crept into the cellar to obtain some small jugs of wine. All of a sudden, a candle light appeared in the doorway. Standing there was Georgii’s father, wearing his night clothes. Billy had just enough time to hide behind a tall shelf.
“Georgii, what are you doing this late in the evening?” his father inquired with surprise on his face.
“Oh, papa, I am just gathering food and wine for the guards at the jail house,” Georgii replied, inclining his head in apology. He then added, “I am sorry I did not receive permission first.”
The larger man beamed at his slight son. “Ah, Georgii, you are a good boy. It is better to be goodhearted then smart, yes,” he declared, as he gathered his son in his arms.
It startled Billy that people in this age equated intelligence with the acceptance of your lot in life. Billy could hear the man give his son a gruff hug and a loud kiss.
“Hurry up then, it is getting late. You do not want your mama to worry,” he said, as he ruffled his son’s dark hair and then turned around and promptly returned to the main floor.
As they walked from the bakery, Billy felt it was safe to talk again. “That was close. I can’t believe you actually told your dad what we’re doing. He could’ve kept you in for the night,” he said as he smiled with relief.
“A knight does not lie, Billy. Anyway, I do not lie to my papa. He is a good father and I wish to be a good son.”
“Ya, but what if he said you couldn’t leave the house?”
Georgii gave Billy a half grin. “Then we would have found another way.”
Georgii led Billy through a maze of lonely streets and alleys in order to avoid being seen. He knew where to go in order to avoid groups of people and the curious stares of nosy townsfolk. But it was easier to avoid them than the piles of horse manure, which seemed to be all over the place. Billy watched Georgii step over the heaps of dung without so much as looking down. When he tried that, he immediately felt his boot settle into a soft squishy mound of the foul stuff.
Pisa was the quietest Billy had seen it so far, due to the festival being over and everyone resting from the five day long festivities. However, that did not stop them from encountering the odd merrymaker reluctant to end their revelry.
As they turned around a corner, leading into a seemingly quiet street, Billy and Georgii bumped into a trio of this very kind. The young men had their arms wrapped around each other’s necks, while they sang an old folksong, definitely drunk on too much wine. The man in the center noticed Billy and Georgii first and broke away from his comrades.
“Oh, look, it’s Georgii! What brings you out so late in the evening? Have you taken it into your head to prowl the streets of Pisa on the lookout for evil doers? Are you going to use your wooden stick or a loaf of bread to attack them?” he asked, as he swung his arms around like he was holding a sword.
His companions began laughing as if their friend had told the funniest joke in the world. It seemed to Billy that people either treated Georgii with cordial condescension or outright scorn. Unfortunately, these fools were the latter. They slapped each other on the back and continued to roar with laughter at their friend’s remark.
Georgii started to walk away when another young man said, “Oh, come on, Georgii, we’re just having a little fun. Show us your skills, eh. Or better yet, let me have a try.” He grabbed Georgii by his shoulder and yanked the wooden sword from its sheath.
“Hey, give it back to him!” yelled Billy, as he tried to retrieve the sword. However, the young man was surprisingly quick and agile and jumped out of his reach.
Georgii just stood there, staring at the foolish man as he began swinging the toy around his head. “Look at me! I am a knight! I shall defend Pisa by day and bake rolls by night! My comrades in arms will be the fattest knights in all of Italy!”
Billy and Georgii continued to stand there and stare as the revelers proceeded to fight a mock battle. One used Georgii’s sword, while the other brandished a piece of broken wood. They laughed and stumbled as they attempted to swing their weapons at each other. But as the man who held Georgii’s sword swung at his friend, the other ducked and the sword hit a wall, shattering it into pieces.
Billy felt his face grow hot and his fists clenched at his sides. “You jerks! Look what you did!” he shouted.
Even Billy had once thought that the sword looked stupid hanging from Georgii’s side. But that piece of wood was important to him and represented a part of who Georgii was. Billy turned to his friend and saw that his face was impassive, as usual. Only a slight flex of jaw revealed any emotion. Billy knew that Georgii wasn’t going to say anything.
Billy took a step towards the man who broke the sword. “You had no right to do that!”
“What are you going to do about it!” the man sneered, as he kicked the remains of the sword into the gutter. Billy just stared at the bigger man. He really didn’t know what he was going to do about it.
The man grinned and began to saunter towards them. “If you are friends with Georgii here, then you must be as stupid as-” His words were abruptly cut off. All Billy saw was the man’s feet shoot up into the air, reaching over his head, causing him to land hard on his back.
“What…” the young man groaned.
His friend ran to his side, he too slipping on the stone road and landing on his backside.
The fallen fool felt underneath him and brought his hand to his face. “Ugh, horse dung! It’s all over my hose!” he exclaimed, as he examined his soiled clothing.
That was when Billy started to laugh. So hard, in fact, that he had to hold his legs together because he thought that he might have an accident in his pants. As he continued to do so, he could hear Georgii joining in at his side. They both just howled as they gazed at the two morons sitting on the ground before them, covered in horse poop.
“Shut up!” one yelled, as they attempted to stand.
Billy and Georgii simultaneously turned around and began to run down an abandoned alleyway, clutching their stomachs the whole way and just barely holding onto their baskets.
Billy turned around to steal a glance at their pursuers. He saw one of them slip on another mound of horse dung, their friends stopping to try and help him up.
The boys continued to run until they thought they were safe, finally stopping to catc
h their breath. Billy sat down on a nearby crate and began wiping the tears that had run down his face from laughing so hard. But the memory of Georgii’s demolished sword suddenly came back to him and his mirth rapidly died away.
“I’m sorry about your sword, Georgii,” he said with sympathy.
“All things happen for a purpose, Billy. I suppose, I shall just have to find out what it is,” he replied, as he gave Billy a slight smile. However, Billy could see the loss in his deep brown eyes.
Georgii stood up and said in that determined voice of his, “Let’s go,” and the two boys continued their journey into the night.
Chapter 27
As they lurked in a dark alleyway, the two boys spied a large stone structure, heavily lit and guarded. As they approached the jailhouse, Billy could see about six jailors guarding the front entrance. The scene before him began to make him anxious.
“There’re too many. How are we going to sneak past them?”
“Faith.”
Billy gazed at Georgii with an expression of disbelief. “Faith is going to just let us march in there?”
“Faith is the cornerstone of the knight’s code, Billy. It is faith that enables a knight to live up to their ideals; to do the things that a knight knows is right and just.”
Georgii boldly walked toward the guards at the door. As they approached the group of soldiers, Billy started to lose any faith he had in this plan.
As they drew near, a tall and robust man called out to them, “Ah, little Georgii, what are you doing out this late, eh?” The man’s manner was friendly.
