Outremer III

by D. N. Carter

  “So this is why they use a harp as their national symbol is it for without this Lugh could not have accomplished what he did?” Upside said.

  “Well in time it will be for it is little used presently…yet you know it as their symbol,” Theodoric replied.

  “Aye…always have. Perhaps this is why I have this yearning to find where I belong as I explained,” Upside said and shook his head, a little bemused, and laughed to himself.

  “Don’t move,” Theodoric said excitedly and quickly got up and left the room.

  “I did warn you…once you get him started, there is no shutting him up,” Sister Lucy said and laughed lightly.

  “Is he a Druid for his knowledge is certainly most vast?” Upside asked. “He only needs a harp and he would be the bard,” he laughed.

  “Funny you say that,” Attar remarked and smirked at Paul just as Theodoric came rushing back in carrying a lyre.

  “Here you go, my boy…we shall have music this eve,” Theodoric said excitedly and sat beside Upside.

  Ishmael folded his arms and looked on bemused as Sister Lucy looked at Theodoric, surprised. Paul noticed her frown.

  “A lyre…and such a fine piece,” Upside exclaimed, smiling as he took the oak lyre from him.

  “I thought you swore a vow never to play it again,” Sister Lucy interrupted.

  “I did…but that does not mean our friend here cannot,” Theodoric replied with a large grin on his face and beckoned with several head gestures for Upside to play it.

  “Aye, that I can do but do not expect me to sing,” Upside replied and took up the lyre.

  Alisha clasped her hand upon Paul’s and rested her head against his shoulder again as Upside plucked a few strings.

  “I have a bow if you prefer that?” Theodoric stated and moved to sit beside Sister Lucy and put his arm around her.

  Upside studied the lyre with a loving eye revealing a softer and gentler side to his nature as he became lost in its simple beauty and a thousand memories from his earlier days.

  “No, I prefer the simple block and strum method,” he answered quietly as the fingers on his left hand tuned the strings by blocking them until he could gauge the tone and tune of each, remembering their every sound with a smile.

  Paul kissed the top of Alisha’s head and put his arm around her. As the familiar scent of her hair entered his nostrils, he breathed it in to saviour the moment and thankful he was with her. He looked at Upside and could not help but smile seeing this other side to him. He did not know Theodoric even possessed a lyre, and was more surprised at Sister Lucy’s comment. He would ask about that later. Paul knew exactly what type of lyre it was as his father had shown him so many when he was younger. His mind wandered back to those early and so easy years. He knew the lyre was a seventh-century Germanic type made with a shallow box with two extended arms, made of one piece of oak, hollowed at the lower half and a thin oaken sound-board. A separate yoke was joined with arms and held by oaken pins. There were two narrow slits at the junction of the sound-board and arms for affixing the supporting cord which was attached to the arm of the player. Six gut strings of the lower-end fastening type attached to the boss projecting from the body with a frontal type fastening of tuning ends; iron tuning pins were inserted into the yoke, anterior type and a movable bridge. It was an expensive item.

  Paul closed his eyes and listened as Upside started to play it. The soft tones seemed to drift effortlessly through the air in harmonious waves. Such beautiful music sounded almost heavenly in its serenity and gentleness. Paul thought of his father and prayed that Stewart was alive. He knew the pain would crucify his father if he was dead. He sighed and kissed Alisha again. She turned to look up at him. In the low light of the lanthorns, she looked more beautiful and incredible than ever. He lowered his hand over her tummy and raised his eyebrows. She knew exactly what he was intimating. She placed both her hands over his on her tummy and smiled. It was still too early to know if she was pregnant or not, but somehow she also instinctively knew she was. She looked up to see Sister Lucy smiling at her. The door to the main corridor opened and Percival and Nyla entered curious to see where the beautiful music was coming from. Upside did not stop playing as he was lost in the music himself. Thomas winked at Theodoric as Percival and Nyla sat down opposite Alisha and Paul. They all sat in silence for over an hour as Upside played several tunes before finally stopping and resting the lyre down gently. He sniffed and wiped his eye and just feigned a smile but it did not hide the emotion in his eyes of a lost life he could have had, so different from the one he had now.

  “Well I think I can safely say you are of the Lugh line somewhere in your blood for I have never heard a lyre played so beautifully and delicately in all my born days,” Theodoric said, breaking the silence. “For that, I shall indeed show my tattoo later this eve.”

  “’Twas truly beautiful…thank you,” Sister Lucy said quietly.

  “’Twas more than that…and it has made me feel very tired so I am afraid I must take myself away to bed,” Alisha said as she slowly stood. “Will you join me?” she asked Paul, holding his hand.

  “Shortly…very shortly I promise,” Paul answered as she walked for the door.

  “’Tis late indeed,” Thomas said and stood up stiffly. “Percy, I know you have only just got out of bed this past hour, but I would advise a return to it…to sleep…for we have a long patrol scheduled in the morn.”

  Nyla laughed, more out of embarrassment at Thomas’s comment, as Percival pulled her close and simply shook his head smiling. Theodoric started to pour himself some more wine just as Sister Lucy stood up.

  “I am away to our chambers. Make sure you are not long…and make that your last,” she said waving a finger at Theodoric. He shrugged his shoulders.

  “Better make it a large one then,” he replied and pretended to duck from some imaginary swipe from her.

  The dining hall was silent, the stillness of the early hours enveloping everything in a hushed blanket. Theodoric held his wine with both hands, Paul sat beside him whilst opposite Attar and Upside sat.

  “You know I deliberately did not mention in front of the others certain aspects of the Lugh story and Danann…for in Scythian Danu means a river as well. Also, Danu’s castle was said to reside in the Milky Way, up there in the heavens. In the Rigveda, Danu is a description of the primeval waters, where life originated, but the primal waters are not physical down here but celestial waters…up there in the heavens,” Theodoric explained in a whisper.

  “That is so,” Attar remarked quietly. “There are lots of parallels with the Welsh mother goddess Don, also for Caer Gwydion, which also means Milky Way in traditional Welsh and is also the place where Danu or Don’s children came from…in other words from the heavens. Danu is definitely connected to the Milky Way but too many seek and focus on earthly waters instead of the heavenly counterparts!”

  “I am totally lost on all you speak of…,” Upside said, shaking his head.

  “But there is some argument that it refers to the Nile for it mirrors the Milky Way,” Attar explained.

  “Paul, you looked troubled,” Theodoric said, seeing Paul was staring blankly.

  “Oh sorry. Did I miss something?” he replied and sat up. “I was just going over in my mind Turansha…that even before I was born he was trying to kill my family. ’Tis something I cannot shake from my mind. I worry for Arri and my daughter when she is born.”

  “So you are certain the baby is a girl?” Attar asked.

  “Yes…without a doubt.”

  “’Tis the female line you must worry about for Turansha knows the Crimson Thread flows through their lineage…’tis only strengthened by the male line,” Theodoric explained.

  “One day man will again learn why and how this is so but we simply have to accept it from what we have been shown,” Attar said quietly.

  “Why…why I just do not understand it all I really do not,” Paul remarked shaking his head.

  �
�Look, Paul, it all stems back right to the beginning of the Crusades… You know the history,” Theodoric said and moved to sit nearer to Paul.

  “I do not know,” Upside interjected and smiled, trying to lighten the mood.

  “Okay, to refresh Paul’s mind and inform you, I will briefly explain,” Theodoric replied, took a large mouthful of wine, downed it and continued. “It all started on the 27th of November 1095 when the Pope declared a holy Crusade. He granted a papal bull that all murderers, rapists and criminals et cetera would be pardoned if they went on the Crusade. So you can imagine all the unsavoury types that were instantly attracted can’t you? In 1089 those very same people captured Jerusalem and slaughtered every man, woman and child whatever their religion was. After this, nine monks all related in one way or another gave up everything they possessed in France and ventured to the Holy Land. But they also had nearly thirty attending support members. Together they excavated beneath Solomon’s old temple on Temple Mount. They excavated over 200 feet down. Whilst they carried out these excavations nothing was heard of them for a further nine years…then suddenly they recovered something and speedily returned back to France. ’Twas after this that there was a sudden explosion of Grail romances and poems. They were based in Troyes in Champagne wherefrom as you know Count Henry comes. In the new Grail romances, the so-called Grail cup is very much like the Celtic Cauldron of Plenty…but as you are learning, there are many forms of the Grail from the cup at the last supper to the womb of Mary. The nine knights returned to France in 1128 and became rich overnight. At the time it was rumoured that the Jews in AD 66 had buried over two hundred tons of gold. Bernard of Clairvuax was a nephew of one of the nine original knights. Then followed the most successful recruitment drive in history by the knights as well as being given grants of land all over Christendom. Originally knights had to come from noble families, and prove a legitimate descent. When the original nine knights returned to the Holy Land, they had over three hundred knights…after just three months….an impossible task to arrange and complete.”

  “So how did they do it?” Upside asked.

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  “They already had many of their recruits pending before they even returned, that is how.” Theodoric paused as he looked directly at Upside. “As you know full well look what just eighty of you did at the battle of Montsigard back in 1177. It just proves what a dedicated full time standing soldier, with the best equipment and a Destrier war horse can do. Huh… are you not the only force that even teaches its horses to kick and fight?”

  “Not the only one for we do also…,” Thomas remarked.

  “’Tis a dangerous power the Templars now hold and are gaining more all the time,” Attar said and quickly checked one of the jugs of drink. “You Templars have a fierce reputation that you will never leave a battle or ever accept being ransomed. ’Tis a reputation that says you are almost suicidal.”

  “Aye…that I cannot deny for there are those who even seek death eagerly,” Upside sighed. “Sometimes that fanaticism worries me greatly… and Reynald and Gerard exploit those traits. If Gerard ever becomes the Grand Master, then he will have power without limit.”

  “The Templars are already a state within a state, a Church within a Church,” Attar replied, looking at him seriously. “They may presently be the most secret of secret societies, but it is their control of hidden wisdom I fear that will be abused the most should Gerard ever learn of what is really at stake.”

  “You confuse me for I know not what you speak of,” Upside replied.

  “Good…that makes two of us,” Thomas laughed and poured himself some wine and offered more to Theodoric.

  “Aye thanks,” Theodoric replied as he pushed his tankard for Thomas to refill. “You see, in 1150 the Templars introduced the cheque system so there was no need to protect pilgrims, which they did not do anyway. But the cheques meant they could offer high profile loans which are against church teachings, so they charge rent instead. All the monetary systems are protected by their unique Cipher system and Atbash code. A Papal Bull absolved all Templars from all taxes and they are able to cross all borders and only answer to the Pope and no other king. ’Tis why your father still travels when he does in his Naval Templar uniform,” Theodoric explained and nodded at Paul. “If Gerard does become the Grand Master, I am sure there are machinations in place that will see him not long in that position.”

  “Paul…I understand you had dreams of a great battle where the Templars meet Saladin between two great horns…is this correct?” Attar asked.

  Paul looked at Theodoric immediately.

  “Yes, but I have only told Theo this…in confidence,” Paul replied.

  “Oh do not question Theo for it was I myself who have dreamt the same. I just needed to hear you confirm it,” Attar quickly replied then looked at Upside. “My friend, ’tis a warning…a portent of things to come that must pass. But a whisper of a prophecy for I too have seen the Blue Wolf, known to you as Muzaffar al Din Gokbori, clash between the horns with the Red Wolf of Kerak, Reynald…I would urge you caution should the day come if you find yourself trapped between two great horns…keep that in mind for I see other paths for you.”

  “Hey don’t put him off…we need him with us,” Thomas said in a half protesting manner.

  “Keep in mind what I say. And know also that despite being enemies, Saladin has more than a fair respect and admiration for Templars. I know he seeks in time a joint union of his knights with yours. A draft treaty has even been prepared should the day arise when the likes of Reynald are no more,” Attar explained.

  “What, Muslim knights becoming Templars. Impossible!” Paul replied.

  “Nothing is impossible…nothing,” Theodoric stated.

  “It will happen and it will come to pass,” Attar remarked.

  “As Upside will confirm…as will your father…the Knights Templar Order has always been an institution of leaders, and not followers. ’Tis not about secretive fraternities with questionable agendas known only at their highest levels, imposing control over their brethren and sisters for no such philosophy or practices exist in the Order,” Theodoric explained as Upside nodded yes in agreement. “A brother will only advance within the Order on what is earned by merit with equal opportunity, and are granted based upon the roles and activities which members voluntarily choose to contribute. That includes the female members…members whom the Church tries to hide from the roll call.”

  “But as you said in Jerusalem along with Count Henry, the Order is structured so only a handful at the top fully understand the true secret teachings and wisdom,” Paul interrupted.

  “Yes, and as explained, it is a path that is nevertheless open to all members if they so choose to advance themselves. But there are many who simply do not choose to,” Theodoric answered.

  “He is right, Paul,” Upside said. “There are many whose motives have to be questioned and who are worse than zealots in their eagerness to serve and follow the simple practices and seek a glorious death in battle. Trust me, I have been in many a conroise charge that was suicidal…”

  “Paul…,” Attar said quietly, drawing his attention. “The ancient sacred knowledge is inherently the collective heritage of humanity, and was never supposed to be secret or hidden. The only reason such information has been secret is simply because it was suppressed or overlooked as lost history. It is the primary mission and strict policy of the Knights Templar to ensure that all secrets of humanity are reassembled, restored and published for the world, to the fullest extent of its institutional capabilities… but that cannot happen for many many years, so in the mean time they must simply be its guardians. Do you understand this?”

  “I understand this…but how can Upside leave the order if he so chooses?” Paul asked.

  “’Tis a misconception that one cannot leave the Order,” Theodoric started to explain. There has never been any prohibition against leaving the Order, and certainly not any negative consequences whatsoever for doing s
o. Take Princess Stephanie’s father for a start. He resigned did he not?”