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You choose your allies foolishly," Targon Bree Kalas fumed at Abbot Braumin "Choose?" Braumin echoed incredulously, and in truth, the churchs more than the Duke could ever know
"Bishop De&039;Unnero is not well liked within the city," Kalas went on
"Nor within the Church," Braumin said under his breath They had met by chance at the Pal, had seen the expression on the Duke&039;s face, he had guessed the source of the man&039;s ire
"They reet the sight of the innocent ic? They reainst their fah to parade him before the people? Does your Church invite such disdain? "
Abbot Brau himself not to play into Kalas&039; hands here in the open For a brief moment, he had wondered why in the world Duke Kalas, ho of their respective appointo out of his way to point out the trouble with keeping De&039;Unnero around But given the public nature of this place, given the multitude of spectators and the way the Duke had already couched the premise of the conversation, the answer seeone out of his way to keep De&039;Unnero&039;s return as secret as possible, though rued the former Bishop to keep a low profile, and De&039;- ;
Unnero, apparently understanding the wisdoestion, | had done just that / |
"Am I to refuse the former Bishop entry to St Precious? " Braumin asked innocently
"Expel him!" Duke Kalas returned It struck Brau Kalas here, there was true hatred for De&039;Unnero "Excommunicate him! Why, I would not share the same church with the man!"
"I have not seen you at service in St Precious, your Grace," Braumin pointed out
But Kalas snorted, shook his head, and walked aith everythe na with some unfavorable adjective, as they followed hi while, aware of the angry stares cole De&039;Unnero had made too many enemies here, he understood, and he dropped the fruit he had picked back into the vendor&039;s cart and started aiftly for St Precious, hoping that he ry stares of the peasants to persuade the former Bishop that it would be better for all if he left the city
Master Francis paused and stared long and hard at the cold walls of StMere-Abelle, brown and gray stone stretching forAll Saints Bay He remembered the first time he had entered the abbey, h the Gauntlet of Willing Suffering, a row of older brothers armed ooden paddles
Still, Francis would have preferred that treat place His neas grim, all of it, frooblins outside Davon Dinnishire to, perhaps worst of all, the signs he had encountered of the rosy plague But even more than that, Francis saw St-Mere-Abelle now as a reminder of his errors In that place, he had followed Father Abbot Markwart, had obeyed thethe innocent Chilichunks and the centaur, Bradwarden, in the dungeons Here Francis had not spoken out against the murder-and it was indeed murder, he understood now-of Master Jojonah
St-Mere-Abelle-with all its strong stone walls, its sense of majesty and power-reminded Master Francis of his own frailties And he could not even enter secure in the knowledge that he had put those faults behind him Oh, he iser now, he understood the evil that had possessed Father Abbot Markwart, but it see Perhaps he had been wrong in withdrawing his demand that Jilseponie take over the Abellican Church He understood and still recognized the probleht, but shouldn&039;t he have fought for it anyway? Shouldn&039;t he have stood up for the right course, whatever the potential troubles?
And yet, Master Francis kne, looking at the hty St-MereAbelle, that he could not have done it, could not have noned to his own sense of failure, Master Francis Deliacourt led the brothers, the living carrying the dead, across the ates of St-Mere-Abelle
He was agitated, too much so, he knew, but Abbot Braureat dreams had followed him to this place within the hierarchy of the Church, so htbird&039;s sacrifice would bolster him and his companions in their efforts to better the Church and better the world
Yet in theas abbot of St Precious, Braumin Herde had known only frustration And while the abbey had done much to aid the inhabitants of Palmaris, had expanded its prayer services considerably and had sent out brothers with soul stones on ress on any institutional changes at St Precious Every one of his plans had run into Duke Kalas, and the man had forced a stalemate
And now De&039;Unnero!
The word of the forhout the city now, after the public discussion at thetheirhad been crowded, but the people had not coossip, to see if they limpse to confirm that the hated De&039;Unnero was back
Wisely, Marcalo De&039;Unnero had stayed away, as Braumin had advised Protestors arrived daily and surrounded the abbey, calling for De&039;Unnero&039;s expulsion, excommunication, even execution Braumin understood that Duke Kalas had likely put them up to it, but that hardly mattered-for others had fallen in with the plans, no doubt, and the rage would grow and grow along with the su his hands, uidance
The door opened and Master Viscenti poked his head in, then swung the door wide so that De&039;Unnero could enter before hi for him to leave
"Did you expect any different reaction when you returned to the city?" Brauan curtly, when he and De&039;Unnero were alone
De&039;Unnero snorted, an unirin upon his face "I have returned subservient," he said quietly Braumin noted that there was a tremor in his voice, and it seeed in a trele at that moment "I have accepted your ascension to a position I once held, have I not? A position that I would likely have continued to hold-"
"Master Francis replaced you as abbot long before the fight at Chasewind Manor," Abbot Brau hesitation to the perceptive Brau not to fly into a rage-and while Brauerousin that direction
"You need not recite y, Abbot Braumin," De&039;Unnero said, his voice controlled once more " I understand perfectly well-better than do you, I a the last days of Father Abbot Markwart I understand perfectly well the role I was forced to play-"
"That you eagerly played," Braumin corrected De&039;Unnero&039;s dark eyes flashed with anger, but again he paused and suppressed the rage
"As you will," he said, his dark eyes narrowing "You were not here, I reeons," Braued from the Barbacan, from Mount Aida and Avelyn&039;s shrine, by De&039;Unnero and his henchmen"
"By Father Abbot Markwart, whom De&039;Unnero served," the for of Honce-the-Bear Have you forgotten? Was not Kalas, the same Duke Kalas who now serves as baron of Pal your surrender? "
"I remember!" Abbot Braumin said loudly and firmly "I remember, and so do they, Master De&039;Unnero, for his arm out toward the"The people of Palmaris remember"
De&039;Unnero stiffened; Braumin noted that he clenched one fist at his side
"They hate you," the abbot went on deter-"
"They are idiots," De&039;Unnero interrupted sharply, his tone, the strength of his voice, setting Braumin back on his heels "Fools all Cattle and sheep who flock into our pews in the hopes that theirthem absolution for the miserable ways in which they conduct their lives"
Braumin stuttered over that blunt procla up with any response at all "They do not look upon your reign as bishop favorably," he said "As it ith Father Abbot Markwart-"
"I did not return to fight old battles," De&039;Unnero insisted, his tone stil razor edged-a clear sign to Brau upon deaf ears
"Then why did you return, Marcalo De&039;Unnero?" the abbot askedthe man&039;s obvious ire
"This is my appointed abbey," De&039;Unnero replied immediately, "M Church"
"I rather doubt that the current St Precious rese th;
could be called your Church," Brauht that he had touched a nerve within De&039;Unnero with the blunt statement, but the man&039;s look proved to be one of incredulity and not defensiveness
"Because you tend to the ills of the populace?" he asked "Because you comfort them and tell them that God will cure all and will take theht live? Because, in your own foolishness and arrogance, you believe that you can cure those ills, that you can ? "
"That is a lie, and nothing more!" De&039;Unnero insisted "It is not our place to coddle and comfort, but to instruct and demand obedience"
"You do not sound like one who has dismissed the errors of Markwart," Braumin remarked
" I sound like one ould not compound those errors with the false dreams of paradise," De&039;Unnero retorted "Since you apparently insist on such a course, perhaps I should make myself more prominent at prayers and about the city"
"Do your words blot out the reality? " Brauer toward the man "Can you not hear them about our walls? Can you not understand the ene them? This is not your place, Marcalo De&039;Unnero St Precious is not-"
He ended with a gasp as De&039;Unnero exploded into ht hand over Brauer De&039;Unnero twisted his ar himself behind the abbot De&039;Unnero had him locked and helpless, one arm up, painfully wrenched behind his back, with the forht across his throat
"You did not learn your lessons in the arts martial, my friend," De&039;Unnero purred into Braurowl deep in the man&039;s throat
"Get out of asp for breath with every word
"How easy it would be for me to reclaim the abbey," De&039;Unnero went on "Alas for poor Abbot Brau to his death down the stairs Or out the , perhaps But thankfully, St Precious is not in turmoil, for they&039;ve another abbot on hand Pity about the accident" As he ended, he tightened his hold and let go of Brau his other arth of the man appalled Braumin and made him acutely aware that De&039;Unnero could break his neck with a siht past the pain and the fear, held his deterasped, referring to the longtime, beloved Baron of Palreat wildcat, but who those within Braumin&039;s circle believed had been murdered by none other than Marcalo De&039;Unnero
De&039;Unnero growled at the reference Brauht his life was at its end, but then the volatile former Bishop shoved Braumin away
"You return subservient" Brau De&039;Unnero&039;s initial statement
"Subservient to the truth and the mission of our Church," De&039;Unnero replied "But I see that my truth and your own are not in accord"
"Get out ofAbbot Braus toward you," Braumin assured the man "You are not welcome here-in St Precious or in Palainst me? " De&039;Unnero asked with a snort "Will you seek the support of a man open in his disdain for the Abellican Church? "
"If I must," Braumin answered coolly "My brethren in St Precious, the Duke&039;s soldiers, the people of Pal the city of you"
"How charitable," De&039;Unnero said, his voice dripping sarcasm
"Charitable for the people of Palmaris, yes," Braumin replied without hesitation He looked Marcalo De&039;Unnero in the eye again and matched the man&039;s intensity "Get out of St Precious and out of Pal each ith heavy emphasis "You are not wanted here, and your presence will only weaken the position of St Precious with the flock we tend"
De&039;Unnero started to respond, but just spat upon the floor at Braumin&039;s feet and wheeled out of the room
Master Viscenti entered on the ht?" he asked, obviously flustered and frightened
"As all right as one can be after arguing with Marcalo De&039;Unnero," Braumin answered dryly
Viscenti bobbed his head, his nervous tic jerking one shoulder forward repeatedly "I do not like that one at all," he said "I had hoped that he had met his end outout wherever he has been!"
"Brother Viscenti!" Brauh the abbot had to admit to himself that he felt the same way " It is not our place to wish ill on a fellow brother of the Order"
Viscenti looked at him incredulously, his expression almost horrified that Braumin would so name De&039;Unnero
And Abbot Braumin understood the sentiment completely But the truth was plain to him: De&039;Unnero had not been excoainst the Crown or the Church For whatever the ruht say, the fories How Braumin Herde wished he had some real evidence that De&039;Unnero had murdered the forh De&039;Unnero had no claim to a position of bishop-which had been for Danube himself-or of abbot-for that title had been taken from De&039;Unnero formally by Father Abbot Markwart-the h rank and a strong voice in all e of Abbots that would convene in the fall
Brauht even make a play for the position of father abbot, then winced even more when he realized that several other prominent masters of St-Mere-Abelle would likely back that noht
Marcalo De&039;Unnero left St Precious that very evening Abbot Brauo
Silence Dead silence, a stillness so profound that it spoke volu, narrow table in the audience chamber used by the father abbots of St-Mere-Abelle He had met with Master Fio Bou-raiy soon after his arrival in the abbey and had previewed for the -his entire tale, honestly spoken, except, at the bidding of Bou-raiy, his fears concerning the plague That news had to be relayed roup, Bou-raiy had convinced Francis-or at least, had secured Francis&039; agreement
Francis had told the rest of his tale in full to the five masters in attendance: the do at StMere-Abelle; Machuso, who handled all the lay Glendenhook, capable and ambitious, a recent appointee to the rank of master and only in his late thirties; and the two oldest, yet still least proroup, Baldmir and Timminey, men who reminded Francis somewhat of Je&039;howith of St Honce, only less forceful and conniving It occurred to Francis that neither of the pair would even have been appointed to their present rank had not circuone to Pimaninicuit, of Siherton by Avelyn&039;s hands, ofJojonah at Markwart&039;s hands, and the untimely deaths of several other older masters over the last couple of years-left them as the only candidates Both had served as immaculates for more than thirty years, after all, with no proest any cause for elevation At this ti monks
And at this tiht prove devastating to the Church \
"Then you agree with the reports we have previously heard that Father Abbot Markwart&039;s fall, though tragic, was for the ultimate betterment of the Church?" asked Master Bou-raiy, a man in his mid-forties with short and neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper hair, a perfectly clean-shaven face, and a general appearance and demeanor of competence and sternness What added to the latter attribute was the fact that the man&039;s left sleeve was tied off at the shoulder, for he had lost his ar No one who knew Fio Bou-raiy would consider hih
"Father Abbot Markwart lost sight of much in his last days," Francis replied "He told me as much with his last breath"
"And what of Francis, then?" Bou-raiy said, narrowing his eyes "If Markwart strayed, then what of Francis, who followed hi? "
"Master Francis was-is but a youngbrother to refuse the coh to accept an appointment as master, as abbot, as bishop," Bou-raiy was quick to reply
Francis studied hi that Bou-raiy hadn&039;t been pleased that Markwart had overlooked hi Francis to serve as his second
"And noe have an even youngertitle as our principal in the important city of Palmaris," scoffed Glendenhook
"It was a difficult time," Francis said quietly "I followed my Father Abbot, and perhaps erred on more than one occasion"
"As have we all," Master Machuso replied
"And I have since relinquished those titles Father Abbot Markwart bestowed upon me," Francis stated
"Except that of master," Glendenhook interjected; and it see as Bou-raiy&039;s mouthpiece With his barrel chest and curly blond hair and beard, and a snarling attitude, Glendenhook was an i sort
"I would likely have been nominated for the position by this point in any case," Francis calmly went on, "a position that I believe I have earned, withthe expedition to the Barbacan to learn the fate of the demon dactyl I keep the title because it, unlike the position of bishop-which is no more, in any case-and that of abbot-of which there can only be one, in any case-does not preclude the appoint"
"And yet,have a for in your previous place at St Precious," Glendenhook remarked