Courted Sanctuary

  Chapter 12

  The days and nights it took to reach Vienna blurred together. On a couple of nights, Luitgard and Justin were able to lodge in small inns, but for the rest they camped. The trees and the fields passed by in a green streak. Luitgard's exhaustion obscured any of the beauty she might have seen.

  She had been wearing Klára's dress which had added to her discomfort. The arms pinched her skin while the faded yellow dye of the fabric reminded Luitgard of home.

  When they crossed the Danube and she saw the Romanesque towers of the cathedral in the centre of the city, she felt a mixture of relief that the latest part of their journey had come to an end and dread that they would be unable to evade Justin's mentor.

  Justin had seen the towers too. "Any other time in my life," he said, "Those towers would have given me comfort. If I were in any other kind of trouble, I could even have sought sanctuary there, but there is no such place for me anymore."

  She said nothing but she felt his sentiment apt. The very same destruction of security had happened to her.

  The moment they passed through the gates, both she and Justin kept their eyes open for a fabric merchant named Leopold. Arnold had not been lying. Everyone knew Leopold. In no time at all, they were riding up to his home, a structure even larger than Arnold's with even more tables out front. As they approached, a tall man with a large belly was yelling at a man with a pedlar's cart.

  They appeared to be arguing over the cost of some wares the pedlar was selling. When Leopold pointed out the man was required to sell something to him, and good luck finding another merchant willing to offer a better price, the pedlar relented and handed over a small bundle, the contents of which Luitgard had no hope of guessing.

  The tall man gave him a small pouch of coins in return and the pedlar left.

  "Are you Leopold?" Justin asked.

  The man nodded but his brow was still creased from his dealings with the pedlar.

  "We have something for you from Arnold," Luitgard said, holding out the ring.

  He snatched it and began to examine it an inch from his nose. "Will wonders never cease," he muttered. "I always thought he sold it." He looked up at Luitgard, ignoring Justin entirely. "You must have some talent to get him to return this to me."

  "I knew nothing about it until he asked me to give it to you," she said. "He told me you could help us on our journey."

  He squinted at her. "What kind of help do you need?"

  "For the moment, just directions to an inn," Justin said.

  Leopold turned his squint on Justin. "Arnold would not have sent this with you if he thought that was the only help you required," he explained. "Who are you running from?"

  Luitgard straightened. "No one," she said. "We just have a long journey ahead of us and need a place to have a good rest for a day or two."

  For a moment he considered. "There are two places safe enough and in respectable areas that I could recommend to you," he said and then gave them directions to each of them.

  One was an inn across from the cathedral and the other, in the wealthier part of the city, was the house of a lower noble who rented rooms to wealthier pilgrims. Justin and Luitgard thanked Leopold and left.

  They did not even discuss which they would chose. They both turned away from the cathedral and headed to the noble's house. There was a stable nearby where they could pay to house the horses. They did so and walked the rest of the way.

  Upon seeing their simple clothes dirty from the road and their meager belongings, the noble yelled at them for thinking his home no better than a stable. It was only when Justin said Leopold had sent them that the man relented and allowed them to purchase board for the night. Luitgard had hoped they could spend more than a day in Vienna, just to rest her bottom if nothing else, but the room was expensive and they dared not spend any more in a single city. They were taking risk enough appearing to be able to afford such a place even for one night. Two nights would guarantee scrutiny.

  That evening, they sat in the main room eating a dinner of lamb kebabs, rolls, and cheese. There were several other guests eating their own meals. Luitgard said her meal prayer silently in her head.

  Though Luitgard and Justin kept to themselves, they could not avoid overhearing the others.

  "Did you hear?" a haughty woman asked her husband. "Some ladies in the market were saying today that the king's men found pagans living north of here."

  Luitgard stopped eating mid-chew.

  "There are all sorts of pagans north of here," her husband said, unimpressed.

  "But these were planning to kill the king," she said. "They were amassing an army and performing horrible rituals."

  Her husband was still unconvinced. "And sleeping with their sisters and eating their babies too I suppose," he said. "Such tales are as old as God. You are so gullible woman."

  With a large harrumph she said, "Well, either way, I heard the king's men killed every last one of them. At least he had some sense. If you were in charge, we would all be slaughtered in our beds and our innards offered up to some pagan god."

  Luitgard had lost her appetite. Her heart was skipping too quickly for her to think of anything but what the woman had said. Had the Mintharchs been killed? Had it been because she had left them? The tilt of the room no longer seemed right.

  Justin appeared to notice her distress. He set down the large piece of cheese he was about to eat and suggested they return to their room.

  "The man was right; there are many known pagans to the North," Justin reasoned as they climbed the stairs. "They were likely Norse."

  "Or Mintharchs," she said, feeling as though she were about to vomit.

  When they reached their room, Justin changed the subject. "What do you think of Leopold?" He asked as he tried to make another firm bed for himself on the floor. At first Luitgard thought him callous for it, until she realized he was likely trying to help her feel better.

  "I think we will be gone by morning and he will not matter," she said.

  Though she had not lied, she was not as easy about him as she had sounded. There was something about their meeting with Leopold that had unsettled her. She shook her head to clear the thought. She was in a very different place than she was accustomed. She was probably imagining it.

  As Justin continued to fight with the blanket, Luitgard walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. "You can have the bed tonight," she said. "I never end up sleeping on these horrid things anyway."

  After a moment, he relented and left the blanket to her to climb into the bed himself. When he was settled, she said good-night and blew out the candle.

  She walked to the window and pushed open one of the shutters. The Goddess' womb , the crescent moon, hung in the sky above her.

  "Please," she whispered. "Let me know they are safe."

  She waited, leaning against the sill of the window, for even the smallest sign the Goddess had been listening. There was none. The streets below were empty and quiet. Even the inn fell silent as the last of the well-adorned guests found their beds.

  Justin began to snore behind her.

  Footsteps echoed from further down the lane. They were followed by the creak of a door and the thunk of it being pulled shut. Luitgard continued to wait for the sign. The moon continued its trek across the sky undisturbed by her concerns. He joints became stiff as she waited. Nothing came.

  Hours later, after her tears had been exhausted, she gave up waiting for the Goddess' reassurance and tried to find rest upon the floor.

  Drip. Drip. Drip.

  Luitgard was not sure where the dripping was coming from all of a sudden. The sky had been clear. The only water in the room was in the bowl and there had been no sound to indicate it had been disturbed. It was too dark for her to see anything.

  Drip. Drip.

  "Please!" The voice cracked as it begged. The despair of it echoed upon stone walls. But the distress and the echo were not enough for it to evade her recognition.

  "Dragonf
ather?"

  "Luitgard, please!" There was a loud crack and he shouted in pain.

  Drip. Drip. Drip.

  "Dragonfather?"

  At first there was no response. She could hear nothing except the dripping.

  "Luitgard," he whispered through his anguish. Drip. Drip.

  "Dragonfather? Where are you? What have they done to you?"

  Drip.

  "No. No! No, no, no, no no." His desperation was followed by another crack. He screamed with the force of the bottom of his lungs. When they were spent, he panted.

  Drip, drip, drip, drip.

  "Dragonfather!"

  "Help me, please."

  He screamed once more. The tone of it reached out loud and long. The vibration of it tore through her body and her adrenaline jolted her awake. Her muscles tingled like they were being burned away by acid.

  The room was bright. Justin was stirring. She flexed her fingers repeatedly and watched her skin stretch over her knuckles as she did so. She was awake. Was she not?

  Justin cleaned himself and dressed. Moments later, she did the same. When they went down the stairs, they could hear the church bells begin their morning call. Leopold was sitting at one of the tables, eating.

  "On your way to Church?" he asked with a smile as he wiped his mouth and stood. "I will walk with you."

  "We have a long ride ahead of us still," Justin said.

  "And snubbing the Lord is no way to start a long journey," Leopold insisted. "You should be blessing your journey in a sanctuary of God." He wrapped an arm around Justin's shoulders to guide him from the inn.

  "But we have not had a chance to break our fast," Luitgard said.

  Leopold waved his hand dismissively. "Your own fault for sleeping in," he said. "Even if the Lord would wait, the priests will not."

  Feeling powerless to protest further without appearing suspicious, Justin and Luitgard relented and walked with Leopold down to the cathedral.

  The streets outside the large stone church were filled with people on their way to mass. A little girl sat on the edge of the stone steps, a basket of flowers in her lap. She was singing and braiding the stems of the flowers together. Several more flowers had been set in her dark hair.

  When the crowd slowed as it squeezed through the doors, Luitgard could hear her song.

  The crows fly upon the north wind

  Their bellies are full of flesh

  Your caw echoes to the south wind

  For there is his life and truth.

  "Justin," she whispered. "Did you hear that girl's song?"

  His face was as stone and he had his eyes forced down to focus upon the back of the man in front of him. "What about it?" he asked out of the side of his mouth.

  "Have you ever heard it before?"

  "No, why? It's just a girl making up songs."

  She did not answer. She was sure the song was for her. With everything inside her, she knew it. But what did it mean? Crows were carrion eaters. She swallowed hard, forcing down the dry lump in her throat. She looked back at Justin.

  They were surrounded by people and yet all she wanted to do was tell him everything. She needed to know what he thought. This journey was as much his as it was hers.

  Her guts twisted and she thought she might vomit right there in the middle of the crowd. If her people were dead, she knew it was her fault−her stupidity−for insisting upon leaving them.

  In desperation, she reached out and took Justin's hand in hers. He squeezed it back but kept his eyes forward and his mouth shut.

  The people spread out once they were inside the cathedral. Justin used the opportunity to separate them from Leopold. He held Luitgard's hand more tightly and pulled her behind him as he traversed the crowd. He dodged and pushed the people as best he could until they were at another door in a corner of the church. It was a small door that looked like it was rarely ever used, especially not by the throngs. He opened it just enough to push around it and pull her through before slamming it shut again.

  "We need to hurry to leave the city," he said.

  She nodded her agreement and they ran, hand-in-hand, back to the stables near the inn to retrieve their horses. As they readied the animals, a man's voice made them both freeze.

  "Justin, it is not like you to miss mass," the man called from the entrance.

  Luitgard and Justin were both on the far side of their horses from the entrance but he was across the aisle from her. He did not speak. He indicated with a small flick of his head and several mouthed words for her to hide. When he saw that she was crouching down behind a small wall to do just that, he walked out from behind his horse and replied to the man.

  "It has been a long time, Merek."

  Merek walked closer. Luitgard heard the crunching of hay as she crouched lower and pressed herself into the wall.

  "Did you find God's truth?" Merek asked.

  "I'm not sure yet," Justin said. "I am still looking for one more thing."

  Merek laughed. "I think you found her," he said. "You thought God wanted you to find what is between a pagan woman's legs?"

  Luitgard could hear nothing but when Merek spoke again, he was not laughing.

  "Watch yourself, Justin. Your great grandfather was just like you," he said bitterly. "He would not listen to me when he should have."

  "I did listen to you," Justin said through clenched teeth. "I did exactly what you wanted and I suspect everything is happening exactly as you planned."

  Luitgard's horse relieved itself inches away from her. The fresh stench nearly curled her toes and she had to clap her hand over her mouth to prevent cursing because of it.

  "Well," Merek said, "Thanks to me, we are quite pleased with you. You have made even one as far away as Rome happy. After all, you have helped with a decades-old problem."

  "What do you mean?"

  After a moment, Merek called, "Come out little pagan. I know you are here."

  Luitgard did not move.

  Merek huffed. "I saw the two of you come in here. Do not be completely stupid. Or perhaps you would like it if I came and fetched you."

  "Come out now, Luitgard," Justin said. The uncharacteristic panic in his voice drove her to comply. She stood up and walked out from behind her mare.

  Merek was the same height as Justin but his frame was thicker. His black robes stretched across his broad shoulders. His face was square and hard and his eyes had no love in them. He looked her up and down.

  "Now I see why you are travelling with her," he said with a sneer.

  Luitgard stared forward, keeping her face impassive. She would not cower before anyone, even someone who appeared to enjoy his capacity for sadism.

  "How did you know what I would find?" Justin asked.

  Merek moved only his eyes back to focus on Justin. "An old mentor," he said, before returning his attention to Luitgard. "One I saw in Rome ... perhaps it was 12 years ago? Was that it?"

  Luitgard took in a sharp breath and instantly wanted to hit herself for it.

  He smiled. "I have many old friends and they are always telling me the most interesting stories. That is still the most enthralling one I've heard so far but Leopold told me quite an enlightening one last night about two travellers who seemed to have reason to run from the church."

  Merek smirked and nodded. "Poets may be unfair in describing some merchants," he said, "In Leopold's case, they were too kind. It is best never to trust a merchant, pagan. Merchants are as clever as they come, at least the successful ones are. Can't become as rich as a king if you are a halfwit."

  Luitgard did not even care about Leopold. She had never trusted him, but Merek's insinuations about her Dragonfather had nearly knocked her over.

  "Where is he?" she demanded.

  "I am quite sure you left him back at the church," Merek said. "Don't you remember?"

  "You know that is not who I mean!" she yelled, stamping her foot like a child. "What have you monsters done with him?"

  Merek smiled again
. "Is that why you are headed this way? You are looking for him in Rome?" He chuckled. "Then ride fast, my little pagan. Though it might already be too late. God knows you have already failed at saving your entire race. The Pope was very interested to learn that one of his most loyal had become a Cathar and was hiding with his cult in the Spreewald."

  She tried to lunge at him, but Justin held her back.

  Merek laughed again. "Is she that fiery beneath the sheets, Justin? I have to say I am surprised. I thought you actually took your vows seriously."

  "Get out, Merek," Justin seethed.

  Merek shrugged. "I have other matters to attend to anyway." He turned and walked from the stables, humming to himself.

  "What is wrong with your church that it has men like that in it?" she yelled as she threw his arms off her.

  "Few are as twisted as Merek," he said. "He joined the Church to gain protection for his misdeeds. He cares nothing for God's laws. He does what those above him want and Heaven help you if you are below him."

  Justin kicked at a pile of hay. "I should have figured it out back then," he grunted. "I was the only one below him that he was ever kind to. He's been using me this whole time. There is no point going back to Rome. He just answered all my questions."

  Luitgard returned to securing her saddle. "Well he did not answer mine," she said. "Dragonfather must be in Rome and he is in trouble."

  Justin walked up to her and rested his hand on hers, preventing her from moving it. "And what of your people?"

  The little girl's song came back to her as did the noblewoman's story from the night before. Her chest tightened, forcing all her emotions upward until her tears fell freely from her face. "You heard him. You heard the woman last night and that girl's song this morning. They are already dead." She rested her forehead against the saddle. "I have already failed them."

  "You cannot be sure of that," he said. "If we turn back now, we might still be able to help them."

  She shook her head. "If the barrier has been breached, I have no way to help. The Goddess has left them. If the barrier is strong, Merek may be hoping we return and lead him straight to them. And ... " she took a deep breath. Her fingers were trembling. "Dragonfather's life may still be saved."

  "You have about as much way of knowing that as you do of knowing what has happened to your home," he insisted. "Now that Merek has seen us, they will be waiting for us. They may even see to it that we are murdered on the road."

  She fell to her knees. "I don't know what to do," she cried as Justin wrapped his arms around her.

  In her mind, she could see Sieglinde and Adalbern. She could see Oda and Julia grinding herbs and Boris and Friedmann carrying the logs for the storehouse. She would never see any of them again and it was her fault. She had failed already.

  To return to see the dead bodies was not within her capability. Even the thought of what mangled limbs and lifeless faces she might see made her muscles weak. She could not remember them that way.

  She could see the dying shack and her dream came back to her. Dragonfather had asked where she was. He had been waiting for her and he was afraid. He needed help out of Rome. He needed her help. She would not fail again.

  "I have to go to Rome," she said between sobs. "He needs me."

  Justin began to stroke her hair. "You realize it could take another month to get there," he whispered.

  "I have to try." She heaved a sniff.

  "And it would be another month and a half before we made it back," he added. "If the others need our help, that could be far too long to wait. Can you live with that?"

  She buried her face into his chest. "Never," she whispered. "But I already am."

  "And you still want to risk your life going to Rome?"

  She looked into his eyes. "I have to."

  He pulled her to her feet and held her close. "Then I will stay with you," he said, "And when we have found your grandfather. I will get you home."