PART II: THE BIRTHRIGHT AND THE SCEPTRE
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Patches of wispy-like clouds passed over the moon, in the humid night sky.
Pomperaque was unusually quiet this night and the star-gazing Cardinal
Orren had noticed it. He also felt ill-at-ease, this night.
With pale blue eyes he looked at the moon for most of the evening and after midnight he saw an odd sight in the northern skies. It was a vision that he did not want to accept. At first he thought that his tired eyes were causing the vision but the corresponding feelings that he had when he saw the strange sight, made him take notice, and he reported it to the ArchBishop.
Orren was one of the most trusted Cardinals in Manguino's legion of coenobites. He had all the qualities of his late father, Cardinal Allen, and this was fitting, as he was the great sainted cardinal's eldest of thirteen sons.
Cardinal Orren had gained the favour of the ArchBishop, not only because of his decent from Allen, but he had saved Manguino's life when some oppressed peasant attempted to kill him several years ago.
For his reward, Orren was given the command of Phoride's armies and he became somewhat of an administrator, in place of Manguino.
He resembled his father, Cardinal Allen, so closely that many were led to believe that when Allen died, his soul entered into the body of his first-born son, Orren. With this belief came Orren's high honours and unquestioned obedience from those around him. He was conscientious and he improved on Manguino's spy network, spanning the continent. He wanted to know anything and everything about the other states and kingdoms, realising that Manguino's concentration on producing progeny with Eckma left his rule and life vulnerable to hostility.
Now, Orren had never before played on his intuitive impressions concerning threats against the cleric rule, but this night had actually frightened him.