The Illegitimate Tudor

by James M Stuart

  I stood up. The rain and then gusting wind were getting stronger with every passing minute, threating to burst into our fragile shack. ‘Fine! If you don’t want to help me. I’m going alone, then,’ I said and started putting my armour back on.

  Aeron made to stop me. He grabbed my arm whilst I was sheathing my sword. ‘Don’t be dumb, you’ll get yourself killed. We ought to stick to the initial plan and leave the city. Don’t fantasise about alliances with the pope. They cannot happen!’

  ‘Leave the city and then what?’ I asked, freeing my arm from his grasp. ‘You don’t understand. The king is too powerful, he cannot be touched unless one even more powerful force their hand into his affairs…’

  ‘Why are you so obsessed with King Henry?’ Aeron asked ignorant as he was.

  ‘Because he’s my FUCKING BROTHER! AND HE MURDERED MY FAMILY!’ I shouted, my voice disrupting the whistling and hammering of the storm.

  Aeron gapped. Of course, how could he have known? I had only confided the truth to Belfrigh, but the time had come that I came out of the shadows of my past. I wanted to shout it to the world that I was the cursed bastard son of King Henry VII. I brushed my long hair away from my eyes to calm my nerves, and I told him my story. Well, he and whoever else was present. Although I hardly knew Eleanor and Agnese, we had just saved their lives, and I was confident I could trust them, in any case, I doubted they could understand me, as I spoke in English.

  They all listened in silence, looking at me transfixed, awed. Only Belfrigh had his attention elsewhere and was gazing at the flaming woods of our little fireplace, he had, after all, heard the story before. Perhaps, he did not want to listen to the drama once more, or else it somehow reminded him of his own tragedy, which I had still to discover…

  ‘So, what’s your story Belfrigh?’ I asked. ‘Everyone now knows mine. Why don’t you share the exploits of your past with us?’ I paused, but Belfrigh did not utter a single word. Instead, he continued staring into the fire. ‘Who the hell was Captain Rogers and what was all that about?’ I asked more aggressively than I had intended.

  ‘Perhaps some other time, lad,’ Belfrigh said and stood up. ‘I’m going for a piss,’ he stated and went out to the raging storm.

  Aeron looked at me puzzled, and I told him precisely what Captain Rogers had said to Belfrigh in the dark dungeons a few hours before. ‘Maybe, he was a City Guard soldier,’ Aeron suggested.

  ‘To be honest, I don’t really have time to spare to dwell on Belfrigh’s past. I’ve already got enough on my mind. What I really wish to know now, is whether you’re with me or not, Aeron,’ I asked him directly and trying to keep my voice casual, as I did not want to sound too desperate. If I had something left in me, it was my pride.

  ‘Ed, listen to yourself. How the hell are we going to find the pope? And even if we do, how d’ you intend to convince him that you’re really are who you claim and make him your ally?’

  ‘The pope and I have mutual interests in this story, Aeron,’ I argued. ‘He wants to restore his supremacy and authority as Head of the Catholic Church, whilst submitting England to Catholicism, thus gaining ground on the battle against Luther and his Protestants. As for me… Well, I simply desire my revenge. I want to destroy the king if he really is the one responsible. Killing him, is not enough for me, frankly.’

  ‘Your plan is so boldly foolish, that it might actually succeed.’

  I looked around in surprise, for it was Eleanor who had spoken for the first time that evening. The two women who all this time that we were speaking English seemed to not understand a single word had now stirred their interest and most of all they spoke our language. I did not want to sound rude, so I took a moment to consider what I would say: ‘With all due respect, my lady, but how would you know?’ I asked, and then without being able to contain myself added: ‘And why the hell didn’t you tell us you speak bloody English?’

  ‘You never asked, sir,’ said Agnese quietly.

  ‘I am no sir, my lady,’ I said once more, feeling sentimental... I had always desired to be a knight.

  ‘And we are no ladies,’ Eleanor added. She paused, but when I did not say anything she carried on taking a deep breath. ‘We’re prostitutes.’

  ‘And how does a prostitute come to speak a language that is so far from her birthplace?’ enquired Belfrigh, who had apparently returned to the shack without us noticing. He was soaking wet.

  ‘We were taught in a young age…’ replied Agnese.

  Belfrigh frowned suspiciously. ‘Together? In the brothel? Did your madam teach you so you could approach your customers better? You know you don’t have to talk when you’re fucking,’ he concluded with scorn.

  In a sudden movement that nobody saw it coming, Aeron had risen from his seat, grabbed Belfrigh by the neck and banged his back against the wall, next to the fireplace. ‘You will not insult them again, you hear me?’ he said his voice trembling, his face turning red with rage similar to how it had been hours before when he had attacked those soldiers. Belfrigh looked at him as if for the first time.

  ‘Oi!’ I protested and grabbed Aeron by the shoulder, forcing him to release Belfrigh. ‘This isn’t the time to fight amongst ourselves. We ought to stick together if we are to survive this ordeal.’ Aeron shot another dirty look to Belfrigh and released him. He flexed his muscles, whilst Belfrigh started coughing violently.

  I looked at them with estranged eyes. Something had changed us all that night. The horrors of war had brought back traumatic memories on my already troubled mind, and apparently, I was not the only one who was suffering. I had come to realise that Belfrigh was hiding something after the accusations of Captain Rogers, but as it seemed, so did Aeron… The way he had killed those men, and how he had demanded respect for the poor prostitutes made me wonder. Was there something in his past that had triggered undesirable memories, something sensitive that would make him feel protective towards prostitutes and raped women?

  I turned my gaze away from my two companions and faced Eleanor and Agnese again. I hesitated. I wanted to choose my next words carefully, for I did not want to ruin even the tiniest possibility that they had some piece of information which could assist me in finding the pope.

  ‘I’m sorry about that,’ I apologised on behalf of Belfrigh. ‘It appears that you might have some knowledge related to our topic of conversation here…’ I paused, waiting for a response and when the only one I received was Eleanor’s raised eyebrows and Agnese’s disdain, I added: ‘If you are aware of the pope’s whereabouts, or alternatively if you have any idea how to discover him, would you please consider sharing it with us?’

  ‘I know where to find him,’ Eleanor responded after a few moments.

  ‘Who are you, woman?’ Belfrigh asked aggressively.

  ‘Will you shut your mouth?’ said Aeron without looking at him. ‘Are you so determined to ruin what might be our only opportunity to escape this city?’

  ‘Look here, boy. I will not be spoken to like that by a dirty Welshman,’ Belfrigh fired back, whilst the rest of us looked in hopelessness.

  ‘Your bloody king has Welsh heritage, you filthy Englishman,’ Aeron countered.

  ‘He is not my king, and I am certainly not going back to his damn kingdom,’ Belfrigh said almost shouting now.

  ‘Well, we are. And you are the one who brought us in this difficult situation in the first place. Shut up, then, so we can get this over with and on the morrow, we may all head in our own paths,’ Aeron said who had apparently warmed towards my plan in the last few minutes.

  ‘I’m the one who brought us here? Belfrigh asked exasperated and made a movement towards his sword. This was when I realised they had gone too far.

  ‘That’s enough!’ I said firmly. ‘Both of you. Do not speak to one another for the rest of the night. I don’t know what’s happening in your heads, but I know what’s happening in mine and it isn’t pretty. This war has altered us all and has brought back hurting memories that ran deep in our
minds and hearts. You cannot erase, though, the past two years we have spent together, fighting alongside. That would be heartless on your behalves. Please, sit down and try to forget the past just for a moment…’

  ‘Forget the-’ Aeron started, but I interrupted him.

  ‘Aeron, please!’ I was aware the Welshman was the most hotheaded one and therefore would be the trickiest one to calm down, but he agreed to stay silent at the end whilst I attempted to persuade Eleanor and Agnese to help us.

  ‘I know where the pope is, but why would I assist you in your plan?’ said Eleanor in a tone as if the commotion had never occurred. Her green eyes were glittering in the light of the fire.

  ‘Because my plan can prove to be your escape route too.’

  ‘Your plan? You mean manipulating the Holy Father for your own purposes?’ said Agnese.

  I was once more shocked to see how people kept their faith in these circumstances. It is a weakness which we all possess as human beings. In perilous situations, we search for the help of God or of those supposedly anointed by Him; the pope for instance, or the king. It is, though so peculiar to me how this weakness of ours tends to be our curse. For we always fight in the name of our God and blood is spilt for Him, and instead of rewarding us He punishes us as we are all sinners. I have thus come to realise through my years of experience that whatever we give the Almighty, He will strike us down, ever so heartless and merciless as He is. Sometimes with no reason, for the cruelty of this world we live in is often so unreasonable that if one ventured into that very thought would lose their mind.

  The massacre I had witnessed in the steps of St Peter’s Cathedral earlier that evening, was one of these unexplained occasions when God had permitted the slaughter of the ones who were defending His representative on Earth. Unless the pope was but a man of the cloth and nothing more, he had been elected on this position because of his political influence and power, he was after all a Medici, and his family had been ruling over Florence and much of Italy for the past century. What if that was the reason he had become the so-called Holy Father? What if that was the reason God had punished him for letting his city be destroyed and his guard slaughtered?

  Then I remembered something my old tutor and family priest, Father Edmund had once told me: ‘No one escapes the judgement of God, Edward. Indeed, we are all sinners, but some are more than others, and their retribution is often merciless and brutal.’

  Hence, as the corruption of the Catholic Church had started dawning on me, and beginning to see reason on Martin Luther’s reformation, I felt no regrets for wanting to manipulate the pope.

  ‘Where is he?’ I asked straightforward this time, without any plea in my voice.

  Agnese did not speak and looked to be disapproving Eleanor as she answered to me: ‘After his guard fell, the pope took rescue into the Castel Sant’Angelo. The fortress is merely half a mile east of St Peter’s Basilica.’

  ‘How did he get there undetected?’ Aeron enquired before I had the chance. Apparently, his curiosity made him forget his anger.

  ‘The Passetto di Borgo, I guess,’ she said simply, but when neither of us understood she explained further. ‘It is a secret passage linking the Vatican with the Castle. Only the pope has access to it, and very few people know about it.’

  ‘And how do you know?’

  Again, she did not answer. She was giving the impression of a noblewoman. The way she spoke, the way she behaved and the information she held. Even though they claimed to be prostitutes, I sensed something was hidden in their past too. ‘How did you end up in Rome?

  ‘That is not your concern, sir,’ she said.

  ‘I am no sir!’ I reminded her.

  ‘We saved your damn lives, woman! You owe us some answers,’ said Belfrigh looking exasperated and Aeron started fuming again after a few moments of calmness.

  ‘That you did, and we will be forever in your debt,’ said Agnese now. ‘However, some information is worth more than our very lives…’

  ‘Fine!’ I said, trying to focus on my burning matters. ‘How can we approach the pope, then?’

  ‘You’ll have to sneak into the castle. Which is practically impossible. So, I’d suggest you make friends with the Holy Roman Empire and enter the castle with them.’

  ‘Don’t jest, miss. I’m being serious.’

  ‘Not jesting, at all. ‘Tis the only way in. Unless you’re planning to break into the castle with just two men at your side,’ Eleanor countered.

  ‘Then we should let you know,’ Belfrigh started, ‘that we’re wanted men and we cannot burst into the enemy camp and seek an alliance with them. What do they have to gain?’

  ‘Well, the fact that you are wanted men doesn’t matter anymore. The command of the city has, as you might have noticed, changed. For the imperial troops, you are just three rogue warriors. You must earn their trust. It would be difficult, certainly, but it isn’t impossible,’ Eleanor suggested.

  We all stopped to think until Eleanor spoke again: ‘Well, it’s quite obvious, isn’t it?’ she said in a slow voice like talking to unschooled children.

  ‘No!’ said Belfrigh ironically. ‘Would you enlighten us?’

  Eleanor ignored him. She was looking at me all this time. I so wanted to trust her but, how could I? Her beauty was immeasurable, even in her current state, all bruised and dirty, covered with nothing but an old travelling cloak. ‘You have to sell your story, Ed,’ she said eventually looking deep into my tired eyes. It was the first time she had ever uttered my name, and it was like lightning had struck me on the head. What a fool I was. For if men spill blood in the name of God, so they do in the name of love with often disastrous consequences…

  ‘We must not waste time,’ said Aeron. ‘The longer we stay here, the more likely it is to be discovered. ‘We must move at dawn and head for the city. We’ll figure out a plan on the road.’

  ‘I believe we ought to give this more thought before we make our move to side with the imperial troops,’ Belfrigh suggested, and I agreed. Whatever our differences in the past few hours, he was experienced, and I trusted his judgement.

  ‘Oh, so now you’re with us, are you?’ Aeron said turning aggressively to face him.

  ‘Don’t start,’ I warned him and then I addressed everyone in the miserable little shack. ‘We are all in this together, whether you like it or not. We have shared secrets and schemes that could prove dangerous should they be heard by the wrong ears.’ Whether involuntarily or not, everyone nodded. ‘I suggest we try to get some rest now. There is nothing we can do in this weather anyway,’ I concluded, and everyone fell silent and did not speak again that night.

  I was so exhausted, but I could not let myself sleep, I had to stand guard. What if the enemy found us, we needed to stay alert. After a few moments, though, I gave away to my tiredness, I felt my eyelids drooping and next thing I was lying on the rough floor, asleep.

  *

  The next morrow the storm had died itself out, to give way to glorious sunshine. Golden sunrays were penetrating the broken roof of the shack thus awoke me from my restless sleep on the cold ground. I had yet again been visited by my dead family members. Some of them calling for revenge, others giving me the blame for their death…

  My head was strangely heavy, and it hurt. I sat up and rubbed my eyes to shake off their fogginess. When I could see clearly again, I faced the room and knew instantly that something was amiss. Eleanor and Agnese had disappeared and what was more, so had Belfrigh. As I stood up, I noticed that Aeron was lying next to me, fast asleep himself, having noticed nothing.

  ‘Aeron,’ I whispered. I was afraid to speak louder, my instinct told me that we were in peril. ‘Aeron, wake up,’ I said again, but this time bend down to shake him.

  He opened his eyes and looked at me: ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘Something’s wrong, get up and grab your armour and sword and-’ I did not finish my sentence as I had just realised our armours and weapons were all missing. Did Be
lfrigh have something to do with his? I could not believe it. Although, his sudden disappearance with the two women was highly suspicious. I could not claim anymore to know that man and I was thus unable to even guess his motives.

  In the meantime, Aeron had stood up, fully awake now and was searching around the shack for any clues that would indicate what had happened. It took him mere moments given the fact the shack was a few paces wide. ‘What now?’ he asked, rather rhetorically for there was no answer.

  ‘Let’s get out of here before anyone finds us,’ I suggested, and we went out to the sunlit but chilly morrow, wearing nothing but a pair of trousers, boots and thin shirts that were meant to be worn under our plated armours.

  The direct sunlight dazzled me. However, as my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I started seeing the silhouettes of what must have been at least a couple of dozen soldiers, who were pointing long spears towards us. I was in awe. Aeron and I raised our hands in the air in a sign of surrender. My raised hands blocked the sun away from my eyes, and I was able to distinguish two female figures amongst the soldiers, who seemed quite pleased with themselves. It was then I understood we had been set up.

  I also saw Belfrigh who, in contrast with the women, seemed extremely angry and his hands were bound together; he was a captive. ‘You, fools!’ he shouted at us as we were being restrained too. ‘Women cannot be trusted, most of all whores. That was my number one lesson, remember?’

  I turned and looked at Aeron, expecting to hear his response, but he did not say anything. He just looked as shocked by this betrayal as I was…

  CHAPTER V