She broke off, squaring her shoulders. "What difference does it make? It's either Caesare or one other, and either way if I don't get married it's a bastard."
She shook her head. "Never mind. My cousin Mario is a sweet man—I've known him since I was a kid—and he says he doesn't mind. It'll work out. I won't marry for security and I won't marry for position and I definitely won't marry someone who still doesn't know if he's a fox or a wolf."
She looked at Claudia and Valentina. They were staring at her. I'm babbling, she realized. And why am I telling this to a couple of thieves? "So. Enough of that. Where can I put you off?"
"Er. Here will do fine," said Valentina. She sounded as uncertain as Maria sounded to herself.
THE ROAD TO ROME
When Father Eneko Lopez and his two companions recognized the three horsemen who overtook them on the road to Rome, their jaws fell. Even the Basque priest, for a moment, lost his composure.
"Your Majesty?" croaked Diego. He glanced at Lopez, seeking confirmation. Lopez had spent time with the Emperor in private discussion; Diego hadn't.
Eneko's jaw snapped shut, almost audibly. "This is most unwise, Your Majesty. The Holy Roman Emperor should not be traveling the roads of Italy escorted only by two bodyguards." His eyes squinted at the costume Charles Fredrik was wearing. "Especially not disguised as a prosperous merchant."
Charles Fredrik's scowled. "Nattering at me like Trolliger! And here I'd been looking forward to your company, too."
He plucked at the rich fabric. "As for this, it's far more comfortable than my imperial robes—much less armor. And it's necessary, anyway, to keep my identity a secret. It is essential that I be able to meet with the Grand Metropolitan in person." Breezily: "I'll not forget to put in a good word in favor of founding your order, Eneko, be sure of it." Less breezily: "And—ah—I felt the secrecy was needed, not for only for its own sake, but because—ah—"
Pierre barked a laugh. The Emperor's face darkened a little.
"Well, yes," admitted the most powerful man in Europe. "The last time a Holy Roman Emperor visited Rome he may have left some residue of ill will. Seeing as how he sacked the city. So I felt a certain modesty and discretion would make for better diplomatic results. I have got to bring this damn Petrine-Pauline feud under control. Down to a simmer, at least." He brought hard eyes to bear on the three priests who hoped to found a new brotherhood of struggle against a rising Satan. "As I'm sure you will agree, under the circumstances."
Eneko nodded. "As to that—certainly. But . . . Your Majesty, it's simply dangerous."
The Emperor's laugh sounded like a lion's roar. "Oh, nonsense!" He slapped a meaty hand on the even meatier shoulder of the man riding to his right. "Here I have my nephew, who quite recently"—the ferocious old man couldn't keep the pride out of his voice—"broke the back of a Svear demon. You saw it yourself, Father! And to my left—"
Another meaty hand slapped a shoulder which, though sinewy rather than massive, sounded more like iron than flesh. "The finest scion of Clann Harald!"
Eneko smiled grimly. "Who, on the same day—unless I'm badly mistaken—gave Chernobog himself the worst headache of his life." He raised his hands in a little gesture of surrender. "I suppose you're right, Emperor. With such an escort, you probably don't have much to fear from highwaymen."
"I'd say not," murmured Diego. "In fact . . . I'd feel a little better myself, having them accompany us."
"Done, then!" pronounced the Emperor. "You will provide us with still more in the way of disguise—pilgrims going to Rome—along with your own convivial conversation, of course. And we will keep the odd ruffian from pestering you."
Pierre nodded solemnly, in the sage manner of peasants everywhere. "Well said. Ask any Savoyard. It's always best to have a second string for your bow."
THE PIAZZA SAN MARCO
Venice slept. The last celebrants had gone home. Dawn would be here in a few hours, but for now the great winged lion looked out over a sleeping town. Well, nearly.
Kat and Marco stood in each other's arms at the base of the Lion's column, looking out at the moonlight on the dark water of the lagoon.
The moonlight cast a great winged shadow over them, and the piazza that is Venice's heart. Like a shield.
Characters
Principal Characters
Aldanto, Caesare:
Sellsword, spy, Milanese of aristocratic family, formerly a Montagnard agent.
Bespi, Fortunato (Harrow):
Formerly Montagnard assassin.
Dorma, Petro:
Head of the commercially powerful House Dorma, head of the centrist faction, member of the Council of Ten, one of the Lords of the Nightwatch.
Dorma, Angelina:
Petro Dorma's younger sister.
Lopez, Eneko:
A Basque cleric and magician.
De Chevreuse, Francesca:
Courtesan, formerly of Orleans.
Dell'este, Enrico, Duke of Ferrara:
The Old Fox. One of Italy's leading tacticians. Grandfather of Marco and Benito.
Garavelli, Maria:
Boat-girl, part of one of the Arsenalotti clans.
Marina, Luciano (Chiano):
Strega Master Mage.
Montescue, Lodovico:
Head of the formerly powerful House Montescue. Sworn enemy of the Valdosta.
Montescue, Katerina (Kat):
Lodovico's granddaughter.
Montescue, Alessandra:
Lodovico's widowed granddaughter-in-law.
Valdosta, Benito (Benito Oro):
Grandson of the Duke of Ferrara, illegitimate son of Carlo Sforza.
Valdosta, Marco (Marco Felluci):
Grandson of the Duke of Ferrara.
Manfred, Prince, Earl of Carnac, Marquis of Rennes, Baron of Ravensburg:
Nephew to the Holy Roman Emperor.
Hakkonsen, Erik:
An Icelander, and bodyguard and mentor to Manfred.
Minor characters
Aleri, Francesco:
The head of the Milanese trade delegation, also the spymaster-in-chief of the Montagnard faction.
Badoero, Count:
A pro-Montagnard noble.
Bartelozzi, Antimo:
Agent and adviser to Enrico Dell'este.
Belgio, Father:
Cleric and healer.
Boldoni, Ugo:
Pastor of a poor parish in Venice.
Brunelli, Lucrezia:
"The most beautiful and courted woman in Venice," sister to Ricardo.
Brunelli, Ricardo:
Head of the pro-Rome faction.
Calenti, Lord:
One of the Lords of the Nightwatch, one of Lucrezia's admirers.
Capuletti, Bishop:
A pro-Pauline bishop.
Chernobog:
A Slavic demon.
Destre, Giuliano (Jewel):
Minor thug, Dandelo bullyboy.
Evangelina, Sister:
A Hypatian Sibling.
Foscari, Doge Giorgio:
Doge of Venice. Elderly.
Frescata, Aldo:
Venice's condottiere.
Von Gherens, Ritter:
A Prussian knight.
Giaccomo:
Owner of a tavern, connected with smuggling.
Gianni:
One of the "loco" in the Jesolo marshes.
Guiseppe:
Trusted elderly servant at the Casa Montescue.
Jagiellon:
Grand Duke of Lithuania and Poland, possessed by a demon (see Chernobog).
Laivetti, Mercutio:
A flashy young thief.
Valdosta, Lorendana:
Deceased. Mother of Benito and Marco, daughter of Enrico Dell'este. Headstrong, loyal Montagnard.
Madelena:
Trusted servant and former nursemaid at the Casa Montescue.
Maggiore, Father:
Head of Servants of the Holy Trinity in Venice
Matteon
i, Alberto, Stephano, Luciano, Giovanni:
Enforcers, debt collectors and rent-a-beating boys.
Pellmann:
Erik's batman.
Hohenstauffen, Charles Fredrik:
Holy Roman Emperor.
Sforza, Carlo:
The Wolf of the North, Milan's chief condottiere. A military legend.
Sophia:
The partner of Chiano, a Jesolo marsh healer.
Von Stublau:
Knight-Proctor.
De Tomaso, Raphael:
Artist and friend of Marco Valdosta. A Strega initiate.
Della Tomasso, Captain:
Master of a smuggling coaster.
Trolliger, Baron Hans:
One of the Holy Roman Emperor's courtiers and advisers.
Uriel, Brother:
Straight-laced monk, one of the Servants of the Holy Trinity.
Valentina & Claudia:
Thieves, musicians, Strega.
Ventuccio:
Commercial House which gives shelter to Marco and Benito.
Visconti, Filippo, Maria:
Duke of Milan.
Sachs, Abbot Hans:
Head of the Servants of the Holy Trinity mission to Venice, in charge of the Knights of the Holy Trinity there, too.
Sister Ursula:
A nun and one of the leading experts in Christian magic, accompanying the Servants and Knights.
GLOSSARY
Adige:
River to the west of the Venetian lagoon, barge-route to Verona, and thence the Brenner Pass.
Aquitaine:
An independent kingdom, encompassing parts of what in our universe would be France and England.
Armagh, The League of:
A loose alliance of Celtic/Nordic states.
Arsenalotti:
The workers at the Arsenal, Venice's state shipyard.
Ascalon:
A port in Palestine.
Aqua alta:
Winter high-water.
Auslander:
Foreigner—a term of derision
Bacino:
Harbor basin.
Barducci's:
A tavern well known for music.
Botega:
An artistic studio. A group of artists gathered together for commercial production of art, usually under a master artist.
Brenta:
River just to the west of the lagoon.
Bretagne:
Brittany. An independent Duchy, part of the league of Armagh.
Basse taille:
An enamelling technique.
Capi di contrada:
Officer of control.
Carnac:
Capital of Celtic Brittany.
Case Vecchie:
Great houses.
Chioggia:
Settlement on the West of the lagoon.
Chrysostom, John:
Charismatic preacher associated with St. Hypatia, at the breakpoint between this universe and ours, born 349 A.D.
Colleganza:
A collective trading venture.
Collegio:
Senators of the Venetian Republic.
Curti:
Lit. short—the Case Vecchie who had not been ennobled for many years.
Caique:
Eastern Mediterranean sailing vessel.
Cassone:
A carved chest.
Cotte:
A surplice-like garment—the predecessor of coat.
Dalmatia:
The Western Adriatic coastline. Once the source of much of Venice's timber.
Emeric:
King of Hungary.
Ferrara:
City-state in the Po valley in Northern Italy, known for steelworking, particularly swordsmiths.
Fruili:
Region to the northeast of Venice.
Fjells:
Peaks (Norse).
Godar:
Priest-chieftain.
Guidecca:
Long island across a wide canal from the Rialto Islands.
Galliot:
Small galley.
Hohenstauffen:
The ruling house of the Holy Roman Empire.
Hypatia, St. Of Alexandria:
Patron Saint of the Hypatian order. Neoplatonist philosopher and librarian of the great library at Alexandria. Her saving of the Library from the mob instigated by Cyril the Patriarch of Alexandria is, along with Hypatia's conversion to Christianity and alliance with John Chrysostom, the breakpoint between this universe and ours.
Ilkhan Mongol:
A Mongol khanate, ruling Egypt and much of the Near East.
Istria:
Peninsula to the south of Trieste. A Venetian possession.
Jesolo:
The marshes to the east of Venice in the Venetian lagoon.
Koboldwerk:
Cunningly wrought mail made by dwarves.
Longi:
Lit. long—a Casa Vecchie which has been ennobled for many years from before the creation of the Doge.
Marangona:
The bell which rang for half an hour from dawn, to summons the Arsenalotti to work.
Marciana:
The library and art gallery across the Piazza San Marco from the Doge's Palace.
Mestre:
Mainland port of Venice.
Murano:
Island in the Venetian lagoon reknowned for glassworks.
Marquetry:
Inlaid work in wood or ivory.
Popli minuta:
Lit. small people. Workers, commoners.
Misericord:
Thin dagger intended to penetrate joints in armor.
Narenta:
Large river on the Dalmatian coast.
Negroponte:
Venetian trading outpost on the east coast of Greece.
Outremer:
orig. Outre mer—Beyond the Sea; i.e., The East—on the far side of the Mediterranean.
Paulines:
The faction of Christianity taking its lead from the writings of St. Paul. In this universe the dominant religious faction in the north of Europe. More heirarchical and militaristic than the Petrine faction.
Petrine:
The "gentler," more tolerant southern faction of the Church.
Piave:
River flowing into the Venetian lagoon on the east.
Polestine Forts:
Venetian defences on the river Po against invasion from the North.
Pells:
Heavy wooden posts used for sword practice.
Poignard:
Dagger.
Ritters:
Teutonic knights.
Racasse:
Scorpion fish, with highly toxic spines.
Rebec:
Stringed musical instrument.
Scaliger:
The ruling house of Verona.
Schiopettieri:
Mercenary soldiers under the control of the Lords of the Nightwatch (Signori di Notte)—roughly equivalent to police.
Scuolo:
Guilds.
Signoria:
The Doge, Ducal councillors, heads of the forty, de facto the government.
Småland:
Part of Sweden, near Lake Vattern.
Spleto:
Lit split—a port in Dalmatia
Squalos:
Trans:
sharks. A Jesolo marsh gang of particularly unsavory reputation.
Swabian:
From Swabia—southwestern Germany.
Seizin:
The act of taking possession, and what is so held.
Surcoat:
Loose sleeveless garment with insignia normally worn over armor.
Tintoretto:
Artist.
Trompe l'oeil:
A still life painting designed to give the illusion of reality.
Veneto:
The region of northern Italy, which includes Venice.
Veneze:
People of Venice.
Vinland:
North America.
Visconti:
The ruling House of Milan.
Water-door:
In a city of canals: a door straight into the water.
Zianetti's:
Student tavern.
HERBS & DRUGS
Agaric (Fly Agaric):
Powerful hallucinogenic and psychotropic.
Artemisia:
Source of artisminin, a treatment for malaria.
Belladona:
Deadly nightshade. Psychotropic, also containing atropine, used as a cosmetic or part of a cosmetic to dilate the pupils of women's eyes.
Colt's Foot:
Leaves as wound dressings—anti-inflammatory.
Corn-poppy:
Sedative.
Red and White Clover:
Cough remedy.
Dead-Nettle:
As a tea—a treatment for earache.
Lotos:
Blue and black, hallucinogenics. A drug originally from North Africa, the black is much stronger and enormously addictive.
Lance-leaf Plantain:
Leaves used for poultices and dressings.
Opium:
Commonly available from Turkey and Greece, as a painkiller and soporific, especially mixed with alcohol (laudanum).
ITALIAN TERMS
Barene:
Marshy areas with sparse vegetation.
Ciao:
Greeting—hi (also used for parting—good-bye).
Calle:
Street.
Camerata:
Salon.
Canale:
Larger canals.
Ponto:
Bridge.
Fondamenta:
Levee.
Finocchio:
Fennel.
Pasticceria:
Pastry-cooks.
Rio:
Lit. river (narrow canals).
Sotoportego:
A built-over alley.
Velme:
Vast muddy areas.
FOOD
Asiago:
Semi-hard cheese.
Boccalao:
Salted dried fillets of cod.
Bruschetta:
Crispy toasted white bread, rubbed with garlic and sprinkled with olive oil. It is sometimes served with a topping.
The Shadow of the Lion Page 94
