“Therefore, surreptitious necessity compels me to command the following. You will avoid Benevento and travel directly to Melfi utilizing a remote and ancient trail known as Eagles Pass.”
Francis suspended the reading. This command was absurd.
Absurdity, however, was no match for Pero’s madness. He cracked a devilish smile, nodding his head up and down, speaking to himself. “Eagles Pass. Eagles Pass. Fucking Eagles Pass.”
Excerpt – The Crystal Crux Series: Betrayal
When we left off, Francis Whitehall is reading a letter from the Court in Parthenope instructing Pero de Alava to step down from his post at Capua to oversee negotiations for kidnapped princess in Melfi. The command is outrageous on the surface considering the tension between Parthenope and Capua, but when it commands him to travel on Eagles Pass, outrageous becomes absurd.
Pero knows it.
Francis knows it.
Even Guidus Salvatore, the provost who delivered the letter, knows it.
At first, Francis tries to convince Pero to read the rest in private, but the Spaniard demands he finish.
Francis reads…
“No one outside your trusted circle must know of this. You will take every precaution necessary to complete this mission efficiently. You may secure the aid of two scouts.” Francis bit down hard on his tongue before finishing the reading. “Do your duty soldier and may God be with you. It is signed Gherardus, Lord Commander of Parthenope.”
Excerpt – The Crystal Crux Series: Betrayal
Up until now, Pero had a morsel of hope left. He really believed in his heart that the Fabbros would devise some chastisement to reinvent the peace, but this letter didn’t even address the problem between them as if the problem didn’t exist.
Before more could be said, Guidus rose and went to Pero. He knelt. “My lord, I regret being the courier conveying this hurtful letter. If I had been advised of its content, I assure you, I would have refused to bear it. We’ve had our differences, but I pray you know that I hold you in much higher esteem than this and have no part in this abhorrent decision.”
Excerpt – The Crystal Crux Series: Betrayal
I feel this is an important moment for the reader because we know that Guidus Salvatore is an important man in the court at Parthenope and for Gherardus Fabbro to choose him specifically to deliver this letter without informing him of its content, should sound off alarm bells.
Guidus was unhappy before but now his unease has reached a new level.
Pero helps Guidus back to his feet and assures him he feels no ill-will towards him.
“Francis, send men to La Torre and fetch Anthea back at once. Send word when she has returned. I will meet with her in her apartment before leaving.”
Excerpt – The Crystal Crux Series: Betrayal
Everyone seems to sense Pero’s confusion and pain as he leaves the hall through a private door on the back end of the room.
Francis asks Guidus if Gherardus wanted an immediate reply. Guidus says he was instructed to spend the night and enjoy himself. He should return to Parthenope the next day after seeing Pero ride off.
Francis realizes how poorly they have treated the provost up to this point. He assures Guidus that everything possible will be done to provide for his comfort for the rest of his stay.
Francis then gripped the damning scroll between his hands in a vain attempt to murder the words. The dragon icon poked him and made him madder. Scowling, Francis marched from the room the same way he had entered. The sergeants rose from the bench and bowed as the estate steward fled.
Excerpt – The Crystal Crux Series: Betrayal
Readers have probably forgotten that the two young sergeants tasked with escorting Guidus Salvatore to Capua are in the room and listened to everything that was happening.
Cheerless, ashamed, Guidus revisited the open archway. A small green lizard was sitting on the ivy in the corner of the sill. Guidus thought to swat it away but felt no real compunction to harm anything or anyone. ‘There has been enough damage done,’ he thought.
Excerpt – The Crystal Crux Series: Betrayal
The presence of another set of eyes and ears were in the room, and up until now, these little green lizards weren’t often seen in Capua.
His escorts began to whisper boldly. Their whispers elevated, transforming into unfitting giggles and eventually outright laughter. Guidus rounded sharply on them as though he had authority over them, even if his influence might only be his age and title. He blasted them with a terrible menacing stare, the sternest he could muster. The young men were not intimidated. They made no effort to amend their insolent behavior. They chortled even louder.
Excerpt – The Crystal Crux Series: Betrayal
Guidus is seeing this moment as rather solemn, the leader of Capua is being treated like dirt, and these young men are laughing about it.
Guidus considered reporting their insolence to their commander when he returned to Parthenope in the morning, but he quickly remembered who they answer to. Rugerius Fabbro. The castellan whose jaw was broken by Pero.
Rugerius would be laughing with them if he were there
Guidus is starting to realize that something bad, really bad is coming, but he can’t yet figure out what it is.
The reader should be thinking the same thing.
And that’s it for this installment.
Next up, Anthea returns to Capua and Pero visits her in her apartment to tell her what is happening, about the letter and his decision to address it.
See you next time.
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