by D. N. Carter
“That is the same as I and all my men,” Thomas remarked and nodded at Upside.
“But is that not the way all people feel?” Paul asked.
“No, Paul…the majority of people do not,” Theodoric answered and sat back in his chair.
Upside leaned forward with his elbows upon the table and looked closer at the apparatus.
“You may think me mad, but I believe all you tell me about great ancient civilisations for I sense one of such great antiquity that it still calls out to us even today…I am not a born Celt. but something deep inside calls me to its ways. I have always had this strange feeling for years that I am not of where I was born, but of a far off land from where I am now. Call me mad, but I yearn to go home, and by home I mean where my heart tells me that it feels at peace,” he explained.
“Amen to that and join the club,” Thomas remarked and smiled.
“It would be my pleasure and my greatest service if I am allowed to join you. If Nicholas is in agreement, then you have just increased your order by two,” Upside said as he looked at Thomas. Paul put his arm around Alisha and turned to face Upside upon hearing his words.
Alisha’s heart jumped at hearing that Nicholas would be staying. Her stomach turned and she placed her hand across her tummy.
“A wise decision my friend. Very wise…though next when we are out in the harsh desert saving some Muslim or Christian pilgrim from the clutches of slave traders you may regret it,” Thomas said and nodded.
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“I doubt that,” Upside replied and smiled.
“So Nicholas will stay with us?” Alisha asked.
“Looks that way,” Thomas said as he stood up. “And our green man here can, I am sure, help him back to full recovery,” he explained as he pointed at Attar.
“And me…,” Theodoric interrupted feigning indignation at not being mentioned.
Port of La Rochelle, France, Melissae Inn, spring 1191
“Nicholas staying…that has disaster written all over it?” Sarah commented, shaking her head disapprovingly.
“’Tis indeed beginning to sound like a Grail romance…with Alisha being Guinevere, Nicholas Sir Lancelot and Paul being the king,” Simon stated.
“Simon, as ever you surpass yourself…that is a good example of what could unfold…but before your mind runs away with itself, let me finish if you will,” the old man asked.
“But having Nicholas stay, with his feelings for Alisha…it will lead to trouble I just know it will,” Ayleth protested looking saddened.
Gabirol saw her expression and immediately tried to steer the conversation away onto a different subject.
“’Tis truly amazing what you tell us of Theodoric for he is full of surprises. I would love to hear his story in full,” Gabirol remarked.
“Perhaps one day I shall tell you of his earlier adventures…perhaps,” the old man replied.
“You mentioned that Attar was referred to as the green man…as you explained before about the Ancient Egyptian Green Man symbolism…is Attar somehow connected in this fashion, symbolically or allegorically?” Gabirol asked.
“Gabirol, your mind is sharp for you see the connections clearly. But in answer to your suspicions that it would be a disaster if Nicholas was to stay, let me say that in this life, physical attraction is common, but a mental connection is rare… Once you’ve had the latter, the former will never be enough again,” the old man replied.
“Ah but who had that connection with whom?” the wealthy tailor asked.
“That’s you stuffed for life then,” Sarah joked looking at Simon.
“I wish to know why Attar wears green all the time and why you draw our attention to that aspect of him. Is there more?” Gabirol asked. “And Percival for he too wears only green.”
“To be brief, yes there is more,” the old man replied.
“Then at the risk of delaying yet further, please, if the others are in agreement, will you tell us?” Gabirol asked as he looked at the others in turn, looking for their approval.
As they all nodded in agreement, the old man smiled and proceeded to explain.
“As I have already mentioned before about the Green Man for you, recall I said you should pay particular attention to the myths surrounding him.”
“Yes that is why I have it highlighted here,” Gabirol said, pointing to a note in a side column on his note pad.
“Well for your benefit, Ayleth, for you were not present when I first mentioned this, the Green Man or foliate god is the animus of nature…the spirit of the forest and of the hunt, and is pictured as a spirit face in the form of gathered leaves and sprouting tendrils. The Green Man is also linked to the constellation of Orion, the hunter, and is also depicted as being green. He, like Attar and Percival, always wore green. In Percival’s case it was purely coincidental…to a degree for nothing is really coincidental, but with Attar it was a deliberate choice. As I said then, the Green Man symbolism is vast and you may recall I recounted details about Daniel explaining Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a ‘great tree in the midst of the earth and of great height’…I said then that ‘the watchers’ is an Egyptian name for ‘divine being’ or ‘god’ or ntr, or Neter, which means ‘one who watches’. Neter-neter land is the name of the place in the stars where these beings dwell, along with the Green Man or Gardener. In Sumeria, this is known as another earthly land of the An-unnaki, the land of ‘ones who watch’. And as you correctly deduced then, Gabirol, the old woman who follows Paul, whom Theodoric met in the Emerald Isle…she is a divine being, yes…a watcher and likewise connected to the Green Man in ways we will not be able to fully understand or know of in our times.”
“And as you said then, the Green Man can be found within the Hadith on the Qur’an and named Al Khadr, yes?” Gabirol asked as he quickly checked back over his notes.
“Yes,” the old man replied and nodded then continued. “In those Hadith, Al Khadr, the Green Man, is a man of godly wisdom, transcending this life. Even the prophet Moses did not possess the wisdom of Al Khadr.”
“You said earlier he was called Al Khidr, meaning ‘the Green One’ but the name Khidr is found only in Hadith literature, such as the case when the Prophet Muhammad is said to have stated that Elijah and Khidr meet every year and spend the month of Ramadan in Jerusalem…is this the same person?” Gabirol quizzed further.
“Yes just spelt differently. That is all…for Al Khadr is the one who can see beyond life on this earth and beyond death of the physical body. The Green Man is a mystery that spans thousands of years and is a symbol of mysterious origin and history. Interwoven throughout various religious faiths it has survived almost in the same form from its beginnings. It began as a pre-Christian entity as a spirit of nature personified as a man. His earliest images have been dated to long before the coming of the Christian religion, depictions dating back before the days of the Roman Empire. He has been found in other far reaching cultures such as India. Despite the vast distances between locations of the Green Man, he is most often associated with the Celts, particularly in today’s Britain and France, by the high number of stylised images found in these regions. But he can be found all over this world we live upon. His face is always encompassed by leaves, vines and flowers, seeming to be literally born from the natural world. ’Tis another reason why the bloodlines of families are portrayed upon a tree, as a family tree with its roots and vines are used to symbolise them,” the old man explained but then paused for several moments in silence before continuing. “Because of these depictions, the Green Man is believed to have been intended as a symbol of growth and rebirth, the eternal seasonal cycle of the coming of spring and the life of man. This comes from the pre-Christian notion that man was born from nature, as recounted in all mythological accounts of the way in which the world began, and the idea that man is directly tied to the fate of nature. It is the natural changing of seasons that presents the passage of time that ages man, thus depicting the Green Man in such a way that overwhelming
ly illustrates man’s relationship with nature highlights the idea to worshippers that one cannot survive without the other. Man was predominantly reliant on nature until recent centuries, so the Green Man as an expression of this close relationship is a powerful message. With the cycles of the year comes the end of the year; with the cycles of life comes the end of life; and with the excessive use of nature comes the eventual end of nature. Like that poem Theodoric read out. The Green Man’s other important, powerful affiliation is that of death and of endings. The symbol of the Green Man can be summarised in the three Rs…for rebirth, reliance and ruin.”[94]
“Another trinity then?” Miriam suddenly said aloud.
“Yes indeed. Yes indeed,” the old man sighed but followed it by a smile. Miriam blushed. “You should speak more for you are wise and far smarter than you presume yourself to be.”
The Templar smiled broadly and clasped her hand close to his chest and nodded in agreement.
“And Paul, his home…it was indeed his very own Camelot with his own knights no less?” Gabirol remarked.
“Indeed you could say that. His home was a home for the brotherhood,” the old man replied.
Chapter 57
Prophecy & the Seeds of a Promise
Cairo, Egypt, April 13th, 1183
Alisha took a plate of warm food from Sister Lucy for Brother Nicholas. As she stood, Paul looked up at her.
“Do you mind if I give this to him?” she asked softly and smiled.
“Of course not. I will be up for bed shortly,” Paul replied and ran his hand down her side gently.
Attar looked at Theodoric and raised an eyebrow. Upside noted this but said nothing.
“So Theo…you have a special place in your heart for all things Celtic and the sacred Emerald Isle then?” Upside asked, drawing everyone’s attention back as Alisha left the room.
“I do not hear many call her such these days, but aye, that I do,” Theodoric replied and moved so Sister Lucy could sit beside him. “I have felt the gentle kiss of the morning mist blow across my cheeks as I watched the slow moving clouds drift down the hillsides and into the valleys like a sheet being pulled over me…for I have smelt the freshness of the Emerald Isle’s air, of a purity unlike anywhere else,” he continued, raising his hand and looking upwards in an exaggerated and dramatic fashion. Sister Lucy nudged him, laughing.
“Show him your Celtic tattoo,” she said and tilted her head slightly.
“Oh he would not be interested in such a thing,” Theodoric replied and pulled Sister Lucy close to him and held her in his arms.
“I would like to see this now you have aroused my curiosity,” Upside remarked. “And perhaps you will tell me how you came to be in possession of this?” he asked as he pushed the threefold water disc gently back across the table toward Theodoric.
“The tattoo I shall show you later…but the disc, well, we found several both here in Egypt and Jerusalem…oh and plus one in Georgia. We did find several in the Kingdom of Bosnia,” Theodoric explained then laughed as his mind clearly wandered back to an earlier time. He shook his head and laughed again before continuing. “But the ones we found in Bosnia, inside a great pyramid…buried and hidden yet in plain sight, were all smashed.”
“A pyramid you say?” Paul asked, puzzled, just as Ishmael walked in covered in dust and dirt. Quietly he entered the room after giving a slight wave.
“Yes, a pyramid for there are several in that region. So very ancient,” Theodoric answered as Ishmael quietly moved to the single seat at the furthest end of the table.
“My apology for my lateness in returning. Luke and I were delayed at the docks. The ship from Malta did not arrive. I only pray it arrives on the morn tide and is not lost,” Ishmael explained quietly as he lowered his chain mail hauberk and filthy quilted gambeson to reveal a sweat soaked aketon cotton shirt. “Excuse my state for I had to carry Luke back as he drank a little too much whilst we waited.”
“You went dressed for trouble?” Paul asked, puzzled.
“A precaution as Thomas advised for several ships have come in recently with mercenaries aboard,” Ishmael explained. “I shall rest a short while then I shall clean myself up if that is acceptable?”
“Of course it is,” Paul replied as Ishmael smiled in acknowledgement.
“I have some warm food just cooked if you are hungry?” Sister Lucy informed him.
“That would be most welcome,” Ishmael replied.
“Why were you at the docks today then?” Paul asked.
“We received word that came in on an earlier ship to be at the docks to receive an item sent from Malta…for you…on the eve tide. We thought it best I and Luke fetched it,” Ishmael explained as Thomas nodded in agreement.
“It cannot be from Reynald or Stewart surely…to let us know they arrived back safely?” Paul asked, bemused.
“No it cannot be that…for the journey times do not match,” Theodoric replied, shaking his head.
“You do know don’t you that Arnold de Tarroja is still Grand Master but Gerard will cement his position if he returns safely after this as Reynald will endorse and bribe all and anyone to get him sworn in as the overall grand master?” Upside said looking tired.
“More reason for you to stay here, with us,” Thomas interjected and raised his tankard.
Alisha knocked on the bedchamber door and slowly opened it. As she peered in, a single candle flickering in the corner of the room meant she was able to see Nicholas struggling to sit himself up. With just his night shirt on he pulled the sheet up. In pain he sat up as best he could as Alisha entered carrying the small bowl of warm food.
“I have brought you some of Sister Lucy’s vegetable soup. ’Tis thick and tasty and will help you,” she said softly as she sat upon the bed next to him.
Nicholas looked at her as the light from the candle danced across her beautiful face. She smiled and his heart simply melted. He sighed slightly and Alisha quickly placed her hand across his forehead to check his temperature. He closed his eyes and savoured every second of the feel of her soft touch. He looked a wreck, he knew, his beard unshaven and unkempt but he knew Alisha saw past that.
“Did I say much in my delirium…and how long have I been here?” he asked as she removed her hand. “And is Upside well?”
“No you said nothing wrong…you have been here nearly four days past now and Upside is well…now eat,” she replied and lifted a spoonful to his swollen and split lips. He winced in pain as the spoon touched his mouth. “Sorry…but you must eat,” she said gently.
In silence she fed him the soup until it was almost gone, his eyes never leaving hers. It was easy for Alisha to look down at the soup to avert his gaze but she knew he was looking at her intently.
“I have to ask…did Upside…,” he started to say.
“Yes, yes he did and I did read your letter before you say any more,” she stated, cutting him short.
Nicholas let out a slight laugh and rested back into the large pillow. He sighed and shook his head.
“And Paul knows of this yet still saved my backside no less…I knew he would understand as my letter said.”
“He knows…and he has no concerns…for whatever you feel or hope for, he knows my heart belongs to him.”
“Ah…but you did once say I have a part of it,” Nicholas replied and tried to move but stopped immediately in pain as he coughed. He looked upwards feigning indignation. “I get the hint, my Lord,” he joked and held his sides.
“Yes, and if you stay here as Upside wishes, to join Thomas and his men, then you will need to banish any such hopes,” Alisha explained softly and tilted her head as she looked at him.
“I know nothing of staying here. What has Upside agreed too?” he asked, puzzled, then coughed in pain.
“To join Thomas and his men…and you also.”
Nicholas looked over his shoulder and strained to look at the single flickering candle, a reminder almost that he was a Templar for it was a Templar
practice leaving a single candle lit at night. Slowly he returned his gaze to Alisha.
“Ali…you and I both know I cannot remain here,” he said, his voice dry and low filled with a clear sadness that made Alisha’s heart drop. She smiled, but it was a pained smile, her eyes giving away the emotion she felt at his comment. “We only part to meet again…and you should recall my poem…to die and part is a less evil but to part and live, there, there is the torment. But now, to stay here, with you around me always, that would be a burden I cannot carry,” Nicholas said and sighed.
Alisha placed the empty bowl on the side table, looked at him for several minutes in silence then placed her left hand upon his face. His eyes searched hers, the vain but desperate hope that she would say something to keep him there. But she simply looked deeper into his eyes and without words told him all he needed to know. She felt for him and he knew it, but he also knew in that moment she would never ever be his. Not in this lifetime. His heart physically ached and he felt the emotion suddenly swell up in an uncontrollable wave of such intensity he could not control the tears that suddenly welled in his eyes. It must be the fatigue and injuries, he told himself, as he felt connected to her, her hand acting like some bridge to his very soul. Her eyes widened as she saw his fill with tears. As a tear rolled slowly down his cheek, she leaned in close and kissed his face wiping away the single tear as her lips gently pressed against it. She closed her eyes and held the kiss and as she did, Nicholas felt a sense of peace and comfort he had never experienced before and he started to sob unashamedly. He put his arms around her gently and rested his head against her as his heart poured out as if every pain he had ever suffered both physically and emotionally was being drawn from him. Part of him was crying from the knowledge he would never hold her and be able to love her in the fashion he would wish. As those thoughts ran through his mind, he felt a pang of guilt as he thought of Paul. Slowly he pushed Alisha back until they just looked at each other. There was no awkwardness or embarrassment, just a shared knowing between them and a final understanding.