His eyes aquiline, his face ursine, Rugerius Fabbro was the embodiment of all things male and brutish. He was stronger than most and vile to a fault. He was a whirlpool of contradicting desires prone to violent outbursts.
As I have stated previously, it was a purposeful decision to focus on Pero’s opponents before the reader learns much of anything about Pero.
Gherardus Fabbro claimed the throne after his father died from an apparent assassination and has been ruling for 28-years now. A secret meeting was held in a remote cella of the palace at Parthenope where the plot to destroy Capua and Pero was finalized.
Rugerius, who was last seen strutting boldly out of that secret meeting with his second, Bergus of Brindisi, is defined a little bit more in detail with a flashback scene.
How did Rugerius come to be so cruel?
How did Rugerius and Bergus become good friends?
One summer evening in the summer of the Lord 1175, the pages of Cole Hensting were performing routine labors in the kitchen when Bergus did the unthinkable and initiated first contact with Rugerius, He proposed a journey. A quest.
Rugerius was born a nasty and violent child. And as was often customary in those times, Greater Lords would send their eldest sons to page and squire for other Lords in other castles.
Rugerius hated that his father sent him far away to Germany to be educated by Lord Hensting.
Rugerius refused to speak German. He brooded and fought with the other boys, making no friends. He had to be beaten almost daily for insubordination. His resistance to authority sometimes bordered on madness.
Bergus, who was thirteen, a year older than Rugerius, decided he was going to befriend the villainous boy. They were both Italians and both unhappy being in Germany.
“I know where Dugaro will be tonight,” he said. “The bastard will be drunk and alone. He will be vulnerable.”
Wisely, Bergus retreated one full step, maintaining his firm and certain stare.
Dugaro was a Spanish brewery thrall who worked in the castle. Bergus knows that Rugerius really hates this guy. Bergus is betting that Rugerius hates this guy more than he wants to fight him for talking to him.
Bergus’ bet pays off.
Rugerius agrees to go with him and they sneak out of the kitchens which wasn’t a difficult thing to do. They knew they would be punished for it but they were accustomed to being beaten, sometimes for things they didn’t even do or could control.
With modest stealth, the youngsters crossed the ill-guarded bailey and tumbled headlong into a poorly lit stable. There was no one in the barn. Bergus led Rugeriuis between the dark stalls, horses neighing and yawning on either side of them.
Rugerius is not a follower, and he is uncomfortable with this situation. Bergus leads him to an empty stall where he retrieves two small blades, two sharp seaxes he hid in a pile of hay.
In his left hand, Bergus skillfully twirled a blade, offering the hilt to Rugerius. “Come on. Take it. What are you waiting for.”
Rugerius seized the weapon and beamed.
The stakes have been raised. These two youngsters are out to find this Dugaro and do some real harm.
Bergus leads Rugerius again, this time out of the castle itself and into the countryside.
Not one for conversation, but not enjoying the silence either, Rugerius is bothered by Bergus’ motives.
Why does Bergus want to help him?
Without being asked, Bergus provides his answer.
“It’s alright. I know about the buggery in the wine cellar.”
Rugerius cringed. A dark wraith swept down from the past and covered his soul, its black wings suffocating him, debilitating him.
It turns out, as strong and as quarrelsome as Rugerius is, a grown man is still stronger and has been doing more to Rugerius than just beating him.
Much of Rugerius’ rage and angst centers on this perceived weakness he sees in himself. This was a matter Rugerius had meant to keep secret.
Bergus, who had developed a mighty thirst for wine, often snuck into the wine cellar for a few drinks, and while down there one day, he secretly witnessed one of these awful episodes.
Bergus knew he was good with a sword and would get better but he was a bastard without any heredity to help him. He believed that hitching his wagon to Rugerius might help him rise. If he could get on Rugerius’ good side, the eldest son of Parthenope, he might be able to follow him wherever life led him.
The boys walked in silence for a long while before Bergus continued informing Rugerius about their destination.
“Every Friday night, Dugaro visits this farmhouse and beds the wench who lives there. He will drink to excess, beat her some and fall asleep in the pasture with the sheep, unless it rains.”
Rugerius was relieved that the sky was clear and there would be no rain.
“That is Elysium, my friend. Later tonight, Dugaro will wander out there with a bottle in hand. The shit-faced, fathead will sing a little tune before passing out.”
At the farmhouse, the boys hid behind the sheep pen and listened to the noises inside the house.
As Bergus predicted, the man and woman inside fought and he stormed out with his trousers half on. Drinking ale, he stumbled by them without seeing them crouched in the dark, singing his stupid little song.
“Oh Venus, you love, you charming sweet dame, smile and kneel, afford, entertain. Touch not my soul, but arouse this old flame, kiss me, inhale me, be not ashamed.”
And Dugaro swooned and fell out in some tall grass.
Rugerius Fabbro and Bergus of Brindisi stared at one another. This was it. Equally mindful of this premediated opportunity, the boys brandished their hallowed knives and smiled with forsaken souls.
“Tonight,” Rugerius exclaimed, “we become brothers.”
And from here you should go and read the tale for yourself as the boys tore Dugaro to pieces.
They also, after some extra considerations, entered the woman’s home and took advantage of her before killing her.
It was a dreadful and gory scene for the law officials in the district to discover a few days later. Their sluggish investigation came up empty. The atrocity was chalked up as a heated quarrel, a lover’s triangle simply gone wrong. She was a prostitute and Dugaro a trivial brewery servant. No one really cared that they were dead, and no one suspected the boys.
The secret Rugerius and Bergus shared about this eventful night, became an unspoken and unbreakable bond between them. And as Bergus had supposed, Rugerius, because of his heredity, violent nature and martial skills, was promoted at every turn – and Bergus was right there, raised up with him.
And that is all for today’s edition.
Until next time, stay inspired and keep reading!
Author Allen M Werner 
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