CHAPTER EIGHT
The events that had occurred over the passed few days affected almost everyone in Pomperaque and other parts of Phoride.
In Gothal, the Holy City, the nuns at the Abbey of Our Holy Saint
Mariot, performed a funeral service for Mercedes and most everyone from
Pomperaque, and Gothal itself, turned out to pay their respects.
The day before the funeral, Cassta and Ledo were married in Gothal by the Abbey Mother and Brook presided over it. The ceremony was performed in secret, in the name of the True Living God, and just a small number of friends attended. Miel was there with Aria. Empal was there with his family, and the greatest of Pomperaque's Prominants, Brook and Dearborne, were there.
Everyone was happy at the wedding and somber at the funeral, as it was normal to be.
There was anger in the eyes of some of the coenobites when they found
out that Ledo had married Cassta. They could now do nothing to her.
She was indeed above their rights of having her bare a Holy Child.
Cassta saved his darling Ledo, just in time.
To most, however, the saving of a life or a soul meant little when compared to the loss of one such innocence as Mercedes. All that there was to benefit from salvation was the relief that it brought to the saved, and those close to them. Relief, by itself, had no real value.
Good and Evil each made their own laments.
While mourners and wailers cried for the death of an innocent young woman, so did the monks at Halls, cry and mourn for the brutal death of their best and most respected Cardinal Allen.
As it was; a customary show of respect to a dearly-departed coenobite, a pure woman was chosen to be entombed with the body. This chosen woman willingly accepted requests made to her to share her eternity with the dead cleric, and carried with her the love and honour of each individual member at Halls. The love and respect was given to her, through physical sex, by each monk, before she was taken to the tomb with the deceased brother. While the corpse lay in state, there was a room set aside, adjacent the big hall in the chapel. The chosen women lay unclad in soft beds and each was fornicated with by each individual at Halls; from the lowest novice to the ArchBishop himself.
Prior to the monks looking upon the body of their dead brother, they entered the room and gave their all to the woman. During the copulation, the men repeatedly chanted: "Take this to our friend; a sign that we love him!"
At the end of the day, when all the men had gone through with their ritual respect, they took the limp, unconscious woman and set her on top of Allen's dead body. Both were then carried to the grotto, in the cliffs at the ocean's edge, and were sealed inside, forever. From the moment of the bodies' entombment, all those that were in Halls Cathedral abstained from any and all normal human functioning for three days. During this three day period — a further show of respect for their dead — no one ate or had sexual intercourse and during this time they kept themselves from sleep, and prayed for the Cardinal's soul.
From the Cathedral spires the Rogjans called out to the countryside some cantorial chants, announcing and honouring, and strangely, even canonizing the Cardinal Allen.
On the evening of the third day, all those residing at Halls made preparations for a day of feasting, and at sunrise the feeding began. To enjoy this day to the fullest, the coenobites brought to Halls a caravan of women from Iÿnondan and they caught up from their three day celibacy.
Everyone was fulfilled, promising their living spirits to Allen's resurrection as they reflected on his well-rounded life.
After their observations of praise, Manguino and Tohm repaired to the office to speak of their friend. Of all the brothers at Halls, they two knew him best and regarded him most highly.
"How he will be missed by all!" Tohm told Manguino. "Most everything that I know, he showed me.
"Even the few, and greatest, amongst us falter. He made a mistake and so paid for it." Manguino explained to Tohm that Allen's obsession to inseminate Dearborne overtook him. The manner of his death, however, greatly puzzled him.
"I would like to know how such a dainty woman as she could break the neck of a man as physically powerful as Allen?" questioned Manguino. "I don't believe that Brook had killed him."
"That is something we all ask, Your Grace. We must bring them both to justice, regardless of guilt!" Tohm was speaking like his teacher. He didn't care, now. He just wanted Allen's death avenged.
"I agree, but it's said that Allen was caught forcing her and Brook himself admitted to the killing our friend. Yet, I know that he's lying."
"Would you like to know my thoughts?" Tohm asked Manguino. "I believe it was that northern man, that had disappeared, who was the man that killed Allen. What perfect place to hide from us — at the Blue Mansion!"
The Archbishop's eyes glared for a moment but refused this idea. He speculated that the dissident was long gone from Pomperaque by that time.
Tohm, however, carried on until he began to convince Manguino of his idea.
"We must bring the Lady Dearborne to trial then, if only trying her on the basis of her refusal, as your subject, to bare his Holy Child. We can try Brook on harbouring a dissident and charge him with heresy."
It didn't matter to Tohm about the deaths of more people. As far as he was concerned the whole of Phoride could be sacrificed to avenge Allen's murder.
Manguino wanted no more bloodshed. He couldn't trust Brook either, and he had to decide. Brook's show of power, as of late, had made him seem greater and more beloved, by the people. Then there was the letter that he sent with Allen's body.
Manguino
My promise fulfilled, Brother.
Recompense shall not be tolerated.
Let it pass for the good of your
own condition!
Sovereign Lord B. S-B.
He, as ArchBishop, wanted to fold, and pass on this retaliation, yet, just couldn't convince Tohm of that desire.
His views to go ahead, seemed more sound and he was urged by Tohm, like he was urged by Allen so many times before.
"She is Lady Dearborne Scullion, Tohm; Brook's wife — you do understand? You did hear me tell Allen that night, I am not responsible for him — even though I did wish him success."
Tohm's impatience poured out of his soul. He sighed heavily cutting into Manguino's line of thought, and in leathery breaths, filled the office with his hostility.
"We cannot hold back, Your Grace. We must act, now! We must take this scourge of the earth, this Brook Scullion, by total surprise. We have to make the Phoridenes to believe that Brook and his wife are Evil, and that they should be punished under the Canon Laws, for their crimes."
Manguino nervously paced around as he listened to Tohm's inspiring confidence and need for justice. This was building excitement within his heart.
"He is not a clean man, my great one. Let us storm his house and find the proofs of his blasphemies and sacrilegious practices. Let them receive their judgement from you!"
The ArchBishop shook with excitement. His whole body trembled, the layers of fat migrating all over.
He sat at his desk and glared with passion right into Tohm's eyes.
"Yes, yes! We could do it, no matter how great our Lord Brook is. We must plan, Tohm. We have much work to do!"
The ArchBishop was finally sparked. He absorbed Tohm's passion and ferocity, and what's more, he no longer feared his brother.
Tohm continued.
"Our Almighty can be swayed to see his practicality. It is grand to have a god in your confidence." Tohm sank to his knees and prostrated himself before Manguino. "Let us go, my Almighty! Let them feel your wrath!"
Manguino stood up from his chair and with fire burning in his eyes, he slammed his fists on his desk.
"Yes — they shall feel my wrath!"
He turned. Facing Tohm, Manguino then lifted the front of his robes.
Tohm looked up at Manguino and smiled then his head disappeared under
Manguino's robes.