Dark Age Maiden

Old fashioned funeral. Carina fears for Uberto

Chapter Twenty-Two

        The deaths of the two most powerful and loved men in both Nice and Tiberio’s domain shocked everyone and was a cause for great mourning. Those who owned black garments wore them. Bishop Gregorio and his clerics made arrangements for their combined funeral to be celebrated in the cathedral. Each was dressed in his finest military garb and a solemn mass was said in the packed church. Hundreds more of the townspeople silently stood outside.

        Carina sat with her family in the front pew, but she scarcely heard the eulogies and she did not pray. She was angry at a God who would not listen to her and who would take from her those whom she loved.

At the end of the service, the somber church bells sorrowfully tolled their passing, as the people streamed outside beneath leaden skies. The slow procession after mass led to the graveyard. More words were spoken by the bishop, and Carina looked away when their bodies were lowered into the ground.

In death they would rest close to each other as in life they had fought together. Carina turned away when she heard the dirt being shoveled onto their blanket covered bodies. She trembled with emotion. Her brother, Renzo, on one side, and Corrado, her father’s most trusted knight on the other, led her away.

        She was in utter despair. She sat on her bed in her darkened room. Her brother, Amadeo, came to her and they embraced and then sat in silence. Neither had anything to say. Amadeo left after a time, and Carina remained there, sitting on her low lying bed, her head bowed down.

Antonia came to her room. The two women hugged, and Antonia tried to lift her spirits until she realized how depressed Carina was. Antonia embraced her again before leaving, and then, turning back at the door said, “Carina, get on your horse and ride.”

        It was the best possible idea. Carina changed her clothes, put on her belt and sword, and walked down the hallway. She went outside, and turning neither to the right nor to the left, made her way to the stable. No one was there, not even the stable boy. She went to Callista’s stall, spoke to her, and readied her to be ridden. Then she mounted the animal and went to the gate.

        “I will ride,” she said to the gatekeepers.

        There was no answer and the gate remained in place.

        “The countess will ride,” she said again, louder. She saw with satisfaction they were opening the gate. She carefully made her way down the hill until she reached level ground. Then she urged Callista to a gallop, yelling to her until the horse was going as fast as she could.

Carina steadied herself on the animal and became one with its rapid movement, glorying in the speed that caused the wind to rip around her, making her hair stream out behind her head. After a time she slowed down, telling Callista, “Good girl,” and turned back toward the fortified city. On returning to the stable she toweled the sweat from the animal, hand fed her hay, and caressed her before returning to the stronghold.

        The Saracens who had besieged the town sailed away from the coast of Nice. There was no longer any reason for Carina’s people to stay. That same afternoon they began making preparations to return home the next morning. The peasants hoped their lives would not be more difficult now that Tiberio would no longer be their lord. Those few who were older knew there were ill tempered, greedy and dishonest lords. Tiberio had not been one of them.

        Unknown to Carina, three knights rode into the city with an important message for the bishop. Bishop Gregorio was troubled by what they told him. It was the Saracens. Again, they had fielded another large army and had massacred many thousands of Franks led by Duke Odo in a bloody battle at the River Garonne. From there they had plundered the nearby city of Bordeaux and were now laying waste to southern Francia, pillaging everything of value and slaughtering all those who stood in their way.

        Duke Odo himself had escaped, and with the remnant of his army he sought the protection of Karl, the Mayor of the Palace, who was in fact the actual ruler of those Franks not under Odo’s control. At this very moment, the Saracens were continuing their slow march north, looting, killing, and heading toward the treasure to be found in the cities of Tours and Paris. Karl and Odo, former enemies, now sought all available military help to stop them.

         The news was indeed bad, and Bishop Gregorio realized at once if the Saracens were not turned back, the whole country would fall into their hands. It would mean the end of Christendom.

His people had already fought hard, defending themselves against a smaller Saracen incursion. He hated to ask them to leave to fight a war in another place against the hated infidels. And yet, he knew he must. It was necessary to send at least a portion of the knights of Nice and some of those from Tiberio’s domain to fight the enemy.

        That evening, news circulated in Nice that the bishop would visit Giancarlo’s great hall at suppertime to speak to the knights. Though the purpose of his visit was not known, every knight knew for a bishop to come to the hall was of enormous consequence.

         Carina and her brothers entered the hall along with Corrado and Tiberio’s sister, Dora. As Carina came in, Uberto was already at table with his friends, Guy and Wotano. Carina saw him idly spinning a round biscuit on his trencher. She would have laughed at his casual manner had her heart not been so full of sorrow.

He looked up briefly at her entrance. The hall began filling up with knights, their families, clerics and dignitaries arriving to eat a light supper and to wait for the bishop. As people began eating, the continuous conversation among those waiting began to die down.

        The bishop entered through a side door. He was accompanied by Father Carlo and two other clerics. He was a tall man, aged, with a full head of white hair partly covered by a scarlet skullcap. He came into the room and on reaching the center he stopped. Without introduction, in full voice he began to speak.

        “My honored knights and your families. We have endured much and by God’s grace have defeated the enemy at our gates. Even though we have suffered painful losses, God rest their souls, I must again ask for your services. The Saracens have won a major victory, I am sorry to say. I have received word today they have taken Bordeaux and are marching toward the holy shrine of St. Martin of Tours.”

There was a hush in the hall as the bishop paused. He continued. “My people, brave knights, we know if they take Tours they will stop at nothing, even going on to Paris. Karl, Mayor of the Palace and Duke Odo are readying an army to stop them. They are asking for the help of all available fighting men to withstand the great army of the Saracens.

I come to you, knowing full well of your bravery in defeating the enemy at our walls. I come to you, ready to give you the apostolic blessing, the blessing of God Almighty, to prepare you to fight the infidels. I am confident, in the name of Christianity, and by the power of God, we will stand up once more to defeat them and wipe them from the face of all Francia.”

        There were loud cries for victory and a great many knights began moving to where the bishop stood. He told them. “Not all should go on this mission; some must stay to protect Nice and Tiberio’s manor.”

        Carina looked on those who had moved to the fore. She was glad their number did not include either of her brothers. She saw Uberto and Wotano standing with Bishop Gregorio but not Guy or Coco.

Somehow it made her angry that Uberto was going off to fight. Had he not risked enough already in being part of the team rescuing her? Was she to lose still another of those whom she had come to care about.? It is not right! she told her God, the God she would no longer pray to. She knew she could not stop Uberto, and she felt just as certain he would not come back alive. She closed her eyes at the thought of still another death. 

Yes, she still cares for him. But will he come back alive? And, if he survives, will he still have feeling for her? We are coming closer to the end now. Thank you so much for all your reads, comments and votes.