Burning Shadows (28 page)

“We’ve only now heard of this plan,” said Bernardius. “I still believe for those who wish to move on that midsummer is the time for us to go.” He shrugged. “Neither I nor Bernardius have the authority to command these men to stay or to go. If it suits their purposes, then, no matter how reckless it may be, we won’t have the right to keep them here.”

Mangueinic pursed his lips. “I don’t think it is prudent to set out so early in the season of travel, but there is little I can do about it, except to tell them my reservations, which I have done.”

Priam Corydon made the sign of the fish and then the sign of the cross. “May your leaving not harm you, or us, and may God protect you on your journey.” He went toward the door. “I ask you to take time for private contemplation, that you not discuss what you have heard here with one another until tomorrow, so that none of you reaches a conclusion that hasn’t been examined in your own souls. You are worried and you are unhappy with living here. If you will implore God to grant you His Wisdom in your dreams, I will be content with your outcome whatever it may be, for it will have come from God.” He made the sign of the fish again and left them.

Mangueinic leaned forward and shoved himself to his foot as he reached for his crutch. “Come,” he said to Hredus. “I’ll take you to Dom Sanctu-Germainios.”

Hredus looked at the other men, tempted to disregard the Priam’s orders. Then he hitched his shoulder. “The sooner he treats me, the sooner I will recover,” he said, approaching Mangueinic. “I’ll follow you.”

Hovas took a step to block Hredus’ leaving. “Tonight I’ll think of questions to ask you in the morning. I will want answers, messeng.”

“Hovas, don’t badger the man. He’s had a long, hard journey and is entitled to rest,” said Brevios, who then addressed Hredus.

“You may rely on Dom Sanctu-Germainios to employ all he knows to rid you of the trouble you have with your skin.”

“I pray it will be so,” said Hredus as he moved around Hovas and fell in behind Mangueinic, making the sign of the fish as he went.

Mangueinic pointed out the old wooden chapel as he and Hredus approached it. “Long ago this was a pagan spring, and that chapel was put up for those who came to consult the keepers of the waters, and to find shelter in their travels through the Carpathians. Then a pilgrim stopped here, more than two centuries ago, and saw the Virgin Maria above the spring, and it became a holy place for Christians. Sanctu Eustachios had the monastery built when he retired from the world. Once the monastery was complete, the chapel fell into disuse.”

Hredus had heard the story before, but he responded with interest. “That transformation has happened in other places.”

Mangueinic nodded, and rapped on the side-door. “Dom Sanctu-Germainios . I have a new patient for you.”

Nicoris opened the door and nodded a welcome. “You and the new patient are welcome. Dom Sanctu-Germainios is with Giraldus, Antoninu Neves’ lieutenant; he hammered his hand while working on the outer wall.” She stood aside to admit them.

“Is he badly hurt?” Mangueinic asked, coming through the door and leaving room for Hredus to enter with him.

“He has broken two bones in his hand, the Dom says, and he has made a splint to help the bones to heal straight.”

“Poor man,” said Hredus, because he knew a response was expected of him and would gain him the good opinion of Mangueinic, which would be useful.

“It is unfortunate,” Nicoris said, encouraging the two to move toward the alcove where Sanctu-Germainios had his raised table.

Mangueinic stumped toward him. “I’ve brought you the messenger from Drobetae, Dom Sanctu-Germainios.” He nodded to Giraldus. “I’m sorry to hear about your hand.”

“It was a foolish thing to do,” said Giraldus. “I don’t know how it happened.”

“You will need to wear that sling during the day, and to wrap your hand in cloth during the night,” said Sanctu-Germainios to Giraldus as he got off the raised bed. “If you have swelling or pain, use ten drops of this tincture”—he held out a large vial—“and drink it in a cup of water or wine. Do not use it more than twice a night.” 

“Very well,” said Giraldus, accepting the vial with his uninjured hand. “Lucky thing it was my left hand I struck. At least I can still use my sword.”

“As you say: fortunate,” was Sanctu-Germainios’ dry answer. Nicoris escorted Giraldus to the main door; she wished him well and went back to the alcove where Sanctu-Germainios conducted his examinations, waiting near the hearth and listening. When Hredus had finished his account of his trek from Drobetae, he held out his arm.

Sanctu-Germainios took it and held it up to the waning light; as he inspected the purplish area of skin, he asked, “Did you have a rash before the color changed?”

“Some chafing,” Hredus allowed. “How did you know?”

He took on his most academic tone. “The rash was the cause of your infestation. As you scratched, you moved animalcules from the rash to lodge beneath your skin. I will need to open the skin and insert a curative ointment. It is not a pleasant procedure, but if it is not done, the animalcules will spread through your body and will rupture your organs.” He saw the shock in Hredus’ eyes. “I do not mean to frighten you, or to cause you distress, but you ought to be aware of the danger of delay, or superficial treatment.”

Hredus’ face went blank. “Then it must be done,” he said without inflection.

“I have an unguent that will deaden the pain of the cutting, and syrup of poppies to relieve any pain you feel afterward. I will need some time to boil my instruments, as the physicians of Roma used to do.” He regarded Hredus. “Would you rather have supper and rest until the first quarter of the night?”

“You said it was urgent that it be treated,” said Hredus.

“It is, but if you are tired and hungry—”

“Let us be done with it,” said Hredus.

Nicoris came up to Sanctu-Germainios and said quietly, “You have very little of the sovereign remedy left. Four vials are all that remain.”

“I know,” said Sanctu-Germainios. “And I have neither the moldy bread nor the athanor to make more.” He sighed. “Still, there is enough to treat this man, and have a little left. If I must, I can pack wounds with moldy bread, if I can persuade the baker to provide me with some. For now, I will deal with this messenger.”

“Then shall I put the flensing knives to boil, and the closing pins? Which astringent herbs shall I use?” Nicoris went to the red-lacquer chest.

“Nettles and tarragon,” Sanctu-Germainios answered, then escorted Hredus to the raised bed. “If you like, I will prepare a composer for you.”

“No need,” said Hredus, and got onto the bed, watching Sanctu-Germainios , revealing nothing.

Text of a report from the factor Artemidorus Iocopolis to Patras Methodos, both in Constantinople; written in Byzantine Greek in fixed ink on vellum, and delivered by footman.

To the estimable priest, Patras Methodos, this accounting of the assets of the Eclipse Trading Company, as requested to facilitate the liberation of Rugierus of Gades, who is presently being held under house arrest, and to regularize the evaluation of the business.

The Eclipse Trading Company is presently owned by Dom Feranescus Rakoczy Sanctu-Germainios, regional guardian at Apulum Inferior in the former Province of Dacia, who has nine hundred aurea in deposit with the Secretary of the Metropolitan for its continuing operation.

The Company owns nineteen merchant ships, all plying ports from Trapezus, through the Black Sea, the Adriatic, the Mediterranean, into the Atlantic Ocean and as far as Gallia Belgicae; 
additionally, the Company sponsors three caravan troupes that
trade as far as Herat in Persia and Medina in Arabia. All tariffs on
goods brought to market in Constantinople are current, in accordance with Dom Sanctu-Germainios’
specific instructions, and all
taxes on the property of the Company are current. Bona fides copies
of bills of lading for the last year are included with this information,
for your diligent review. Eclipse Trading Company maintains offices
in twenty-seven ports; a list of these is provided in this report.

One hundred aurea accompany this as a donation to the
law-
courts and the Church, in the interests of justice.

By my own hand, sixteen days after the Vernal Equinox in the
Christian year 439,

Artemidorus
Iocopolis

factor, Eclipse Trading Company
Constantinople

7

Three days after Enlitus Brevios and his little company of fifty-eight refugees departed for Drobetae, two of the sentries came down from the high peaks running, their eyes wide and breathing hard; they hurried to the travelers’ dormitory and began to pound the platter of hammered brass that hung outside the main door and served as the alarm for all the monastery. In response to the clamor, monks, men, and women came at a rush, a few of the older women shooing children into the old chapel as they sped. The sentries continued to slam the leather-headed mallet into the hanging platter until more than half the residents of the monastery had reached them.

From his vantage-place on the roof of the old chapel, next to the drum-dome, Sanctu-Germainios shifted his attention from the distant clouds to the residents of the monastery, who surged into the central open square, some carrying weapons, and all of them restive. With a sense of distress, he climbed down from the roof, and stepped inside the building. “It’s starting,” he said to Nicoris.

“Are you going out to join them?” She seemed unflustered as she reached for his surgical tools. “I’ll put these to boil.”

“No, I won’t join them. I’m too much of a foreigner for many of them, and just now, they are wary of foreigners.” He said it readily enough, but there was an echo of loneliness in his admission.

“Then I’ll stay in, too. I am also a foreigner.” Her quicksilver eyes glittered. She came up to him.

Contemplating her from his vantage-point above her, he said, “Foreigner to foreigner, I can be counted upon to keep a confidence.” He touched her birthmark with the tip of his finger.

She looked away from him. “That’s good to know,” she said distantly.

Outside, there was an increase in the noise as the crowd grew larger.

Luitpald, the younger sentry, began shouting as people gathered closely around them. “Horsemen!
Horsemen!
At least fifty of them! Coming this way!”

There were shrieks of dismay and demands for more information. The people moved closer to the sentries and one another. “Huns?” The question ricocheted through the crowd.

“It’s God’s judgment!” exclaimed Monachos Kyrillos, making the sign of the fish as he hurried toward the church.

“Huns or not, when will they get here?” Bernardius’ voice cut through the general babble.

“Mid-afternoon!” the second sentry bellowed, his voice cracking. “If they keep up their pace.”

“Call the herders in from the pastures and put the herds and flocks in the barn!” Bernardius ordered. “Then post all the Watchmen on the battlements! Women into the dormitory.” Forgetting the ban on his Latin phrases, he yelled, “Cavi tempum!”

“We have time enough to man our posts, and guard the livestock!” Neves roared. “My company! Gather your weapons!”

“Not yet, not yet,” exclaimed Priam Corydon as he pushed his way through the crowd to the sentries. He held up his hands for silence, and gradually the crowd went quiet. “Now, Luitpald, Oios, tell us what you saw. Keep your description simple, and do not report what you did not actually observe.”

“Horsemen,” said Luitpald. “Coming up the trail at the trot.”

Do you know which direction they came from before they took the road up the mountain?” Priam Corydon asked, unflustered and purposeful. “Just horsemen? Might they not be reserve troops sent to aid us? Why did you give the alarm?” He regarded the two sentries calmly.

Oios frowned. “They’re too far away to be certain where they came from, but I think we should prepare to defend the monastery.”

“They carried no Legion standards; a few of them had pikes topped with horsetails,” Luitpald reported, the panic in his eyes unmistakable.

“Huns,” said Neves loudly. “They have horsetail standards.”

Another tide of whispers swept through the assembled  residents, and Mangueinic, once again in charge of the Watchmen, bawled out, “Gather your arms! Bring in the livestock and brace the gates!”

There was an eruption of activity that only stopped when Priam Corydon slammed the mallet into the brass platter and cried out,
“Wait! All of you!”
This time the gathering did not go entirely quiescent, as many of the men began to fret. Occasional shouts burst through the growing mutters while Priam Corydon strove to gather his thoughts. “We have discussed how we are to mount our offense, and we’ve agreed to abide by our plans.”

“Fifty Huns are coming this way!” shouted one of the men from Tsapousso. “Some of us can still escape!”