“Brother Petrus,” he called out without looking back. “Have refreshments sent to the guest house and organise for two rooms to be prepared there. We will be proceeding there now and will be in the reception room while that happens.” With that he strode off.
While we just trail along in his wake.
~~~
They walked there slowly, talking of the weather. They entered the large wooden guesthouse. I have been here many times to tend to visitors. The familiar polished timber walls and floor, the plastered ceiling, the rugs to ward off chill; they are all comforting.
When they were seated and refreshments had arrived and servants had left, the Metropolitan began in earnest. “So, Christopher, you seemed to have been much changed by the world you entered so reluctantly. I certainly did not recognise you, nor did Brother Petrus.”
It was only once he heard the door close that Christopher removed his helmet. “Your Eminence, neither did Praetor Michael, who directed us here.”
“By your dress, are you still a priest or are you now a soldier? Who is this part-kharl woman and what news do you bear for me that cannot be said publicly?”
“I am still a priest, but now I bear arms as well. This lady is not a part-kharl called Helena, but I will let her tell the story as she has more part in it now than I do and she is one of the leaders of a free village. After we have spoken I crave that you hear my confession and that you also give me advice and, if I may ask, lend me a priest.”
The Metropolitan nodded agreement and Christopher indicated to Theodora that she should begin.
She stood and removed her helmet and then took her amulet out of her right ear lobe. Christopher saw the Metropolitan’s eyes grow wide. He obviously understands the significance of her appearance. That will make it easier. “Your Eminence, I am Theodora do Hrothnog, I suppose that I am now a former Princess of Darkreach and also, by right of personal conquest and acclamation, I am Princess of Mousehole.” Curiosity flickers across the Metropolitan’s face. “I will explain…” and Theodora sat again and launched into a short version—for a bard—of what had transpired.
“…so you see, before we venture on this expedition in the summer, we felt we should tell someone what is happening in case we fail. I will also try and send a message to my ancestor. If we fail, between you and he, something should succeed. As well, and this is part of why we need a priest, Father Christopher will not abandon his new flock without someone to pastor to them. I said that this is part of why we need a priest. No doubt Father Christopher will tell you of the other part himself.” She smiled.
Christopher looked at her curiously. What is she talking about? If I am to do that, would someone please tell me what the other part is?
“So all of these lost traders that we have heard of, some of whom have had their remains discovered, their loss is all down to this lair of iniquity? These so-called ‘Masters’ have some sort of evil secret plan and have agents to aid them all over the Land?”
“Yes, Your Eminence. We have a few ideas about them, which I would prefer not to share where magic can spy upon us, but none as to their goal.”
“Well, one thing they have done is to nearly cause war over most of the Land. Freehold is blaming the Khitan for the death of traders. The Brotherhood blames everyone and appears ready to boil out of their misguided land in revenge. Haven came close to doing the same but, for some reason, backed off. I now know the reason for that. Obviously the rulers of Haven have not told Freehold what you first found out or else have not believed what they were told.” He paused in thought. “Princess, you are sure that your land is not involved in any way?”
“My land is now confined to a few days’ movement around the little village of Mousehole, Your Eminence. However I am as sure as I can be about anything my ancestor does. He does not consult me about his plans, but I am certain that he would have stopped me if I had interfered with one of them. My guard, who was sent directly by my granther to look after me, is even more certain.”
“Then I will give you a priest to take back with you. Need he be a soldier?”
“No, Your Eminence, just a man who is tolerant of the ways of the world. If you will pardon me, I will use myself as an example of what he will face. I am sure that the good Father will inform you once you are alone with him, but I love another…who is also a woman and I seek the blessing of the Church on our union. Father Christopher has told me that there may be precedent for this. I hope so as we love each other. We have another two women in our village who have suffered much and have sought solace in each others’ arms and we have another arrangement where there is a man and two women…one of whom is Muslim and I think they might all wish to marry. This is the choice of the women, not of the man.” She drew breath. “While I tell you of these, I will also mention that many of our women are accustomed to working with their tops bare. They do this out of practicality, not lasciviousness and I might mention, that the Holy Church at home…sorry, I mean Darkreach…tolerates this under some circumstances as long as it does not lead to evil. My partner and I have already adopted one of the children of the village and, with Your blessing wish to raise her in the Church and find her a good husband and our other two women are already raising the sister of one of them in a similar way. The younger of these two women, who was a Hindu, has just been baptised by Father Christopher into the Faith in anticipation of Your blessing. The elder was raised in the Faith already.”
This string of information surprised the Metropolitan more that the earlier story had. “I think that I will let you retire to your room for a while and I will talk with Christopher alone now. I may see you before I go tonight. If not I will have answers to your many questions tomorrow. Go in peace and with my blessing, my child.”
~~~
When Theodora had left, the Metropolitan said, “She then really is who she says she is and everything she says is true.”
“Yes, Your Eminence,” said Father Christopher, “although I am not sure what else I want a priest for. She is a good woman, as is her partner, who, although she is a Hindu of high caste, attends all of my services, and encourages others to do so. As a matter of fact, the whole village usually attend when they can, even the Muslims and the Khitan. Ayesha, she is a woman ghazi, tells me that her people like that I only preach from the Old Testament, for that is all I have available to me to use. The Muslims come to me for their sermons and then do their own prayers. God alone knows why the Khitan attend.”
“Did you say a woman ghazi?”
“She is the first and so far the only one. As Theodora said, our village is an unusual one but, for all of the suffering it has gone through, it is full of Christian love for each other. I have already performed three marriages in a few weeks and will hopefully have two or three more when I get back. After that we will have run out of men…we also need more good single men who are not afraid of work…and of being ruled by women, as I think that will ever be the way with Mousehole.”
“And yourself, what are your plans?”
“Your Eminence, I should make you aware of my failures during my confession.”
“Then, my son, if you have no more to add to your story at this stage, let us proceed to that…”
Looking firmly at the floor in front of him, Father Christopher began the litany of his sins. He began with the usual small sins that everyone has committed, or at least imagines that they have committed, but then he moved on and began to detail his relationship with Bianca and his growing lust for her at the first wedding. He concluded with the story of the bare-topped Bianca riding the horse and his reaction to it. It was all too much for his superior and, despite his long experience in the Confessional, he finally burst out laughing at the change in the man in front of him and his imagined sin.
Christopher looked up in surprise. I can feel the shocked expression on my face. I have never been laughed at by my confessor before. It is even the Metropolitan that I am confessing to and he who is laughing at me. What have I sa
id that is funny? I was accounting my sins!
When he was able to control his mirth the Metropolitan put on a sterner expression and addressed the priest. “This woman,” he said, “you admit that she is the plainest and least beautiful of all of your parishioners?”
I am squirming like a young novice caught out pinching apples. “Except in her heart, Your Eminence. She has a good heart and I do not see her as plain. I hope I see her as she is.”
The Metropolitan nodded. “So, apart from the fact that she fits in with the odd habits of her adopted home, and the fact that she has tortured evil-doers to get the truth from them—something that she has consulted you about and on that point, and I suspect that more has been said in the confessional that you can not mention on this point—” Father Christopher nodded, “then, apart from these points, she is a good woman?”
“Yes, Your Eminence. She has a strong faith and is disturbed by the way she feels she has had to act. I worry that I cannot go back there to be exposed myself, and what is more to further expose her, to further temptation.”
“And you admit that you have seen others of your very attractive parishioners dressed in a very similar fashion and, indeed, far more frequently, and yet you have not entertained the same feelings towards them?”
Christopher swallowed hard. “Yes, Your Eminence. I admit to sometimes having admired their beauty, but that is merely an appreciation of God’s handiwork, for they are all indeed beautiful and they have managed to keep their beauty through great hardship. However at least I can honestly say that I have felt no lust towards them.”
“Then your path to penitence is clear. Your other sins I will talk about soon, but in regard to Bianca, when you return, and you will return, you must immediately remove temptation from you both by asking her to marry you.”
My mouth has dropped open. Yet I have no words.
“Close your mouth. I mean immediately. It will be your first act upon going home. Listen to me. You are going to be the priest of a village. It is a small one now, but I suspect it will grow. Because you are a priest and not a monk you must marry anyway. What you think is lust is another emotion that you…because of your lack of experience with the world… have failed to recognise. You silly man…you are in love. You do not need Absolution over this, but another Sacrament. This is the other matter that Theodora said you needed a priest for. She obviously saw what you did not. It does not matter to us that your wife to be is of the schismatic rite. As well, although their Pope rails against us in Freehold and persecutes any of us they catch, they pragmatically sanction their people attending our services when they are on the peripheries of their lands. Their traders all know this. It is the same for our traders going to their churches, even if ours may be a little circumspect in the confessional. Their Church would rather keep their habits of worship than that they be prey to heathens and pagans. I am sure that she will agree to marry you.”
He finished with the rest of Christopher’s penances and gave absolution. “Now fetch the Princess back while I compose my thoughts.”
When he arrived back with Theodora the Metropolitan addressed them both. “To be blunt, there is no precedent that I can think of for two women to marry.” Theodora’s face fell. “However, there are several precedents that are in the diary of events that is passed down the line of Metropolitans, for the marriage of two men. Although such has not been done for a long time, the precedent exists. If we can marry two men, I see no logical difference in marrying two women. Christopher tells me that you are in a loving relationship and are already making good Christian provision for a child. I give you both my blessing and I hope that Christopher may, in time, convert your wife as he has already converted this other bride-to-be. I am very pleased with his efforts.”
“Now, as to the other matter of the priest to go with you… I may have to ask around on this, but be assured that I hope to send one to you tomorrow. I will also need to brief Brother Theodule, as he should be the most suitable, if he agrees. He has been a priest before, but his wife died and he returned here hoping for a quiet retirement, but he is the only person that I have at hand who is suitable for this. I do not want to send a younger man. Having already been married and had children, and being an older man, he need not marry again, unless, and given your unlikely village it is always possible, he does desire to venture it once more. He can stay with you as long as he is needed, for all his life if he is happy to. Father Christopher will stay in his role as the senior priest among you, but Theodule will look after the flock while Christopher is away helping in your holy fight against these ‘Masters’, and he will also perform that second service by marrying Christopher and Bianca…that is, if you think she will accept.”
Christopher looked at Theodora. She returned a smile. “I think it very unlikely indeed that she will refuse. Like our Father, she does not know her own mind and she feels guilty, as does the Father, at the feelings she has. She was raised schismatic and…” she shook her head. I can hear the disbelief in her voice. “…they disobey direct scripture and do not let their priests marry for some reason. She cannot reconcile that history with her feelings for the man before her…feelings which are evident to all of us except our Father.”
The Metropolitan clasped his hands. “I thought that you understood. As long as Christopher asks correctly,” here he gazes at Christopher. I am…feeling flustered…again, “I am sure he will succeed in his petition.” He stood up. “If that is all, the night is now late. If he consents I will send you Theodule tomorrow morning. If I have to seek further you may have to wait here alone. It would be suspicious if I saw you again.” Addressing Theodora he added, “At some stage I would also like to talk to you about the state of the Holy Church in Darkreach. Please feel free to visit me again after this is over.” He gave them a blessing before leaving.
When he was gone, Theodora grinned at Christopher. “I am going to get married,” she said joyfully, “and so are you.” She gave Christopher a kiss on the cheek and hugged him.
I am not sure how I look, but I feel…stunned. There is nothing I can say.
~~~
They were breaking their night fast next morning when there was a knock on the door. Theodora answered it, after putting on her disguise. Christopher stood to the side in shadow where he could see without being as easily made out.
A monk stood there, a mature, but handsome man far shorter than either Christopher or her. The hair around his tonsure and his beard showed more than a touch of grey. He was dressed for travel in leather trousers and a thick tunic with a long sleeveless buff leather jerkin over it. In his hand was an old forward-pointing leather cap, like those the Khitan wore. It was lined with fleece. He had a belt that bore a dagger and an old looking, but serviceable sword. He looked her up and down.
“Bless you, my child. You must be Helena. I am Theodule and I will be leaving with you and…Georgiou. I have here all that I will take with me.” He waved towards a large backpack and then towards a sack, “and food for our journey, and some more things. I do not look forward to carrying all of this a long way on foot and I believe we have a long way to go.”
“Come in, Father,” Christopher noted that she gave a bob, as they were used to doing in the village—although usually she received them. “We need only travel for a day and then it will get much easier. We are just finishing breaking our fast and then we will be off.”
Theodule came into the room. He looked at Christopher in the shadow. “You must be Georgiou, whom the Metropolitan has told me so much about.” He smiled at Christopher, who had already dressed in his armour, but had yet to put on his coif and helm. “He told me that you were a shepherd, but you are well-armed for such. Your sheep must indeed pasture in a dangerous area.”
Christopher smiled in return at this word play from the older man and returned his greeting before they finished their food and set out. Theodora took the backpack while Theodule was given the carpet and Christopher slung the sack over his shoulder. As th
ey walked away their conversation stayed an apparently innocent one such as would occur between strangers going on a journey together. This did not change until they were well away from anyone or anything that might harbour a listener.
Theodule checked his surrounds before saying, “So, Christopher, you have been changed by the world. You cannot have your way and be a monk and so you drag me away from the monastery as well?”
“It was not my desire to rob you of your rest and contemplation,” said Christopher in apology.
“Do not be alarmed. To tell you the truth, after having cared for a village and taken part in raising our six children to where they have their own families now, and having lost my beloved Kale, I thought that a contemplative life would be good for me. However, I find that I miss life in all its richness. Not only do I miss the teaching, but I also miss caring for everyone and, to be frank, I was getting a little bored and I am glad that you have brought me out.” He smiled. “You are about to marry—do you have a wife for me as well?”
Christopher heard Theodora laugh from behind them. He began to splutter. I don’t know what to say to that. Theodora laughed harder. She said, “Father, you will fit into our village very well. You have a sense of humour that will be appreciated.” She paused with perfect timing. I am being made fun of. I am the butt of a joke. “Now that we are speaking frankly, you realise that ours is not the most conventional village?”
“Young lady, the Metropolitan told me that you would tell me more of yourself when we were on our way, and that it was your story to tell. He also told me that he had blessed the arrangements that I would find as being in the best interests of the ecumen. I said that I wanted to get out in the world again and, if I am going to leave my contemplation, it would be boring to have only the normal issues to deal with.”
Engaging Evil (Warriors of Vhast Book 2) Page 30
