Hoodsman: Popes and Emperors

by Smith, Skye

  "Do you play Okaki, Captain?"

  "I have watched it being played in Venice, and I know how each piece moves, but I do not understand the strategy."

  "Were they playing by the old rules, with dice, where the king is the most powerful piece, and you must capture the queen; or by the modern rules without dice, where the queen is the most powerful piece and you must capture the king?

  "Capture the king."

  "Ah, good. You will notice that my pieces are not carved to resemble folk and animals. That is not allowed in Cordoba due to the Quran, but the size of the pieces makes them obvious. This Okaki problem is to capture the king in three moves. Can you see it. It escapes me."

  "Which of the pieces is a skirmisher?" Raynar asked, looking down at the playing cloth of red and black squares, and the carved game pieces.

  "You mean which is closest in function to a skirmisher. Well not the eight infantry because they cannot retreat. I suppose the chevalier."

  "Then here is the solution in one move," and as Raynar said it, he picked up the knight piece and skipped it across the squares and knocked over the king piece.

  "But that move is not allowed. A chevalier does not move like that."

  "The chevalier has become a skirmisher. They always target the leader, and they do not play by the rules of the regular army. That is why they are so hated by generals."

  Gregos was laughing. "Then I take it captain, that you are a skirmisher. An archer skirmisher."

  "I prefer to be called a bowman skirmisher. A bowman makes every arrow count, not like the rows of archers who fill the air with un-aimed points.” Raynar looked down at the man's rubbing. The letters were in Greek, and in another script similar to Hebrew. "Do you mind if we speak in Greek. I need to keep in practice."

  "I would welcome it." Gregos replied in Greek. "And, of course, it means that you may tell me more of your secrets, for none of my men speak Greek. Tell me more of your mission to kill the Pope."

  "You misunderstood Giselle’s introduction. She wants me to stop an evil man from becoming the next Pope."

  "Ah, Odo of Bayeux then," said Gregos. "May Allah be with you. It is a worthy quest."

  "How did you know it was Odo?"

  "It is my job to know these things, so that I can prove my worth to my Emir. In truth, I had heard rumours in Paris that Bishop Odo has been throwing gold at the Cardinals, and that Duke Guiscard of Apulia was championing him to the Romans. Odo is the contender with the most evil of reputations. A good Norman."

  "Then perhaps you can advise me," Raynar said softly.

  "You were companion to the most talented of all oracles, and yet you want the advice of a mere sinner?"

  "Giselle can divine the truth in a man's thoughts, and she can read his inner most thoughts, and she can advise him of those thoughts. Her advice is helpful, but limited to the mind of one man, in this case me."

  "Ah, I must remember that," replied Gregos thoughtfully, "Her sage advice to a buffoon will be the best advice that buffoon can give. Tell me of your dilemma, and I will try to help."

  "Odo is Regent of the English, and the folk suffer greatly under his rule. I want Odo to leave England, and take many Norman lords with him from England to Rome, but I do not want Odo to ever become the Pope. The dilemma is how to do both, despite what King William may do.”

  "Ah, this is the same problem as that Okaki puzzle. When you watched the players in Venice, did you see how they would move the piece but keep their finger on it until they were sure. They do this because every time you move a piece to fill a new square, you also empty a square. Games are quickly lost by not paying attention to that newly emptied square."

  "That is not helpful," Raynar complained.

  "When Odo leaves England, he will leave a great hole in the command of that kingdom. William will not agree with his leaving with men, or treasure, even if he agrees with Odo becoming the Pope. That is Odo's dilemma. Odo needs three things to become Pope. Treasure, an army, and a weak William."

  "What about a dead William?" asked Raynar eagerly, holding his breath, waiting for the answer, hoping it was yes.

  "Does William have a powerful son?"

  "No."

  Gregos waved his hand over the Okaki pieces, "If you kill William, then his sons will fight amongst each other for Normandy, and Odo will crown himself King of the English, and never leave for Rome. Besides, you are in luck. William is already weak. The fool has picked a fight with Fulk of Anjou, the champion general of the King of France. William has laid siege to the commune of Le Mans, and Fulk is marching with an army to relieve it."

  "So Odo must leave England soon, before William calls the Normans in England to his side at Le Mans. If I can encourage him to leave, then ...." Raynar smiled as he thought of the diplomatic agreements that he carried in his scroll pipe. They may be just enough to decide Odo to leave for Rome. "Ah, but then the other side of the dilemma. Once Odo is in Rome, how do I stop him from becoming Pope?"

  "Emperor Henry will not allow Odo to become Pope, not with Guiscard's army stranded halfway to Constantinople. Believe me. Henry will soon be marching on Rome to put his own man on the pontiff throne."

  "Then all I must do is to hurry Odo away from England!" Raynar exclaimed in relief. "Thank you Gregos."

  "Acha," said Gregos with disappointment in his voice, "and I was hoping for a few days, perhaps a week of your good company. Well then, you must promise to visit me, and Giselle, in Cordoba."

  THE END of Popes and Emperors

  For more adventure read The Second Invasion

  The Hoodsman - Popes and Emperors by Skye Smith Copyright 2010-13