Dark Queen Watching by Paul Doherty

Author:Paul Doherty [Paul Doherty]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House
Published: 2021-07-29T00:00:00+00:00

PART FOUR

‘The lowest rank in the Garduna was held by the Goats’

Katarina Fitzherbert could only lean against the long refectory wall and stare in horror at what was happening. The entire abbey community, be it monks, lay brothers, servants, as well as the weak and ill, plucked from their beds in the infirmary, had been forced to gather here. Katarina gazed across to where young Henry clustered with the other scullions, stable boys and servitors. He looked dirty and dishevelled, as did Jasper, now all shaved and shorn, standing with the rest of the lay brothers. Everyone in the refectory watched the sinister figure, clothed completely in black from head to toe, who was striding up and down the long hall. Now and again, this eerie figure would pause, as if lost in thought. Katarina realised he was in fact using the silence to deepen the fear of all those present. The great refectory had a number of doors, all guarded by similar macabre, dark-garbed figures. Each of these, like their leader, was harnessed for battle: they carried an arbalest and, when their cloaks slipped open, iron-studded warbelts could be clearly seen.

The nightmare had begun the previous evening. Eight Friars of the Sack, or so it seemed, approached the main gate of the abbey, preceded by a cross bearer and an acolyte carrying a hooded lantern. Such funeral processions were common enough. To all intents and purposes a brother had died and wished, for a wide variety of reasons, to be buried in God’s Acre at Chertsey. They had been allowed in and given permission. Jasper, in fact, had been one of the lay brothers who’d helped set up trestles in the sanctuary, where the coffin would be placed and the funeral party keep its requiem vigil, the Night Watch, until the dawn Mass was sung. Katarina had heard about this from the conversations of the others, but she had not given it a second thought. Chertsey was a holy place, built on consecrated ground. The Benedictines had a duty to assist in such sacred rituals. Apparently this was no different, and so the abbey returned to its normal horarium.

Darkness fell and the abbey settled for the night. However, the silence and harmony was shattered by the strident ringing of hand-bells. The alarm was raised and, in accordance with the rule of the abbey, all members of the community were to assemble in the nave of the church. People wearily dragged themselves from their beds, hastily wrapped cloaks about them and hurried down. However, they found the doors of the church locked and a host of armed, hooded and visored men guarding every approach.

Immediately chaos broke out. Two young lay brothers tried to resist and were swiftly cut down, slashing cuts which opened their throats. The invaders seemed to be everywhere. One of their captains shouted orders in English, though his voice was tinged with a strong foreign accent. Katarina suspected these unwelcome guests were Spanish, Castilian or Aragonese. Despite their deep hoods, Katarina glimpsed swarthy faces, skin burned by the sun.

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