fiend like that commands it of a heretic like this, I say keep away from magic banners,’ said Orsino.
‘England will not succeed against the French without it,’ said Bardi.
‘I am a Londoner, what do I care for England? The king asks permission before he visits my city,’ said Edwin. He sat straight.
‘Think what you have done, Edwin,’ said Bardi. ‘You have walked in the darkness. Now return to the light.’
‘Do you think God would favour whoever found this banner?’ said Orsino. ‘Could so doing wipe away sin?’
‘It’s a powerful relic. It would take great effort to find. Of course God would smile on whoever located it,’ said Bardi.
The priest’s head slumped forward. Then he nodded slowly. ‘I will ask my devil. He led us to the boy. He may lead us to the flag.’
Bardi clutched his wounded arm.
‘If you open the gate to Hell again, make sure I am far away.’
‘Unless our knowledge deepens, that will be impossible,’ said Edwin, ‘many more demons are free in the world tonight. I thought we could force it back. We couldn’t and I will not attempt this again until I am sure I can dispel what I summon. Devils are one thing. These demons another.’
‘You sound like you believe their heresy,’ said Bardi.
‘I do not. I believe what the church believes. Yet it seems true that some creatures of Hell bow to God, while others do not and so the distinction is useful.’
‘You spend too long in the sewer, you’ll eventually get shit on you,’ said Bardi. ‘Make sure you respect the faith of the holy church.’
‘I embody it,’ said Edwin.
‘Then the boy? He is a heretic and should be hanged. Goodwill favour us for that.’ said Bardi.
The priest pursed his lips as if he were a condescending master and Bardi a thick-headed apprentice. ‘No. Hell favours him. That may be to our advantage. We’ll see what use he can be for a while.’
‘If you think that’s best,’ said Bardi. ‘Orsino, you will go with him.’
‘Why?’ said Orsino.
‘I think I should keep an eye on the priest and this boy,’ said Bardi, ‘and a spell in his stinking hovel of a house might teach you to mind your manners in future. Make sure they apply themselves, Orsino, and report to me monthly. I want to see progress in finding this banner.’
Orsino snorted. ‘It will be a rare hovel that’s more unhospitable than the moors.’
‘Now,’ said Bardi, ‘I’m going down into the town to fix my arm and stay with a merchant friend of mine. Accompany me, Orsino. We head for London tomorrow. At first light,’ said Bardi to Orsino.
‘Not first light,’ said Orsino.
‘Why not?’
‘Because before we do anything, me and the father here are going to bury my friend.’
Bardi nodded. ‘Return once you have seen me to my lodgings. Work through the night and say your mass at dawn. Clear the rest of this mess as well – including Pole. We’ll leave his family to wondering what could have happened to him on the road back to London. I will stop at Windsor to report our findings to the king. After that you are at my disposal. Fetch me my horse. And you priest, prepare to work. Your salvation, England’s salvation and indeed mine, depend upon you.’
10
London was unbelievably vast, stretched out as wide as the moor along the north bank of the river. A huge spire to Dow’s left, an enormous white castle and tower to his right shone in the umber dusk. On the river, tiny boats moved, some with lamps, some unlit, all heading for the shore as the sun went down.
They had arrived later than his escorts had intended after detouring to drop Bardi at Windsor. Windsor castle had terrified Dowzabel, so big, so unnatural looking. The biggest building he had ever seen before was a church. This was ten times bigger. The Devil’s Men said that the creator Lucifer would return one day to throw down the high men. Could even he breach the walls of a place like that?
From Windsor they’d travelled with a party
‘England will not succeed against the French without it,’ said Bardi.
‘I am a Londoner, what do I care for England? The king asks permission before he visits my city,’ said Edwin. He sat straight.
‘Think what you have done, Edwin,’ said Bardi. ‘You have walked in the darkness. Now return to the light.’
‘Do you think God would favour whoever found this banner?’ said Orsino. ‘Could so doing wipe away sin?’
‘It’s a powerful relic. It would take great effort to find. Of course God would smile on whoever located it,’ said Bardi.
The priest’s head slumped forward. Then he nodded slowly. ‘I will ask my devil. He led us to the boy. He may lead us to the flag.’
Bardi clutched his wounded arm.
‘If you open the gate to Hell again, make sure I am far away.’
‘Unless our knowledge deepens, that will be impossible,’ said Edwin, ‘many more demons are free in the world tonight. I thought we could force it back. We couldn’t and I will not attempt this again until I am sure I can dispel what I summon. Devils are one thing. These demons another.’
‘You sound like you believe their heresy,’ said Bardi.
‘I do not. I believe what the church believes. Yet it seems true that some creatures of Hell bow to God, while others do not and so the distinction is useful.’
‘You spend too long in the sewer, you’ll eventually get shit on you,’ said Bardi. ‘Make sure you respect the faith of the holy church.’
‘I embody it,’ said Edwin.
‘Then the boy? He is a heretic and should be hanged. Goodwill favour us for that.’ said Bardi.
The priest pursed his lips as if he were a condescending master and Bardi a thick-headed apprentice. ‘No. Hell favours him. That may be to our advantage. We’ll see what use he can be for a while.’
‘If you think that’s best,’ said Bardi. ‘Orsino, you will go with him.’
‘Why?’ said Orsino.
‘I think I should keep an eye on the priest and this boy,’ said Bardi, ‘and a spell in his stinking hovel of a house might teach you to mind your manners in future. Make sure they apply themselves, Orsino, and report to me monthly. I want to see progress in finding this banner.’
Orsino snorted. ‘It will be a rare hovel that’s more unhospitable than the moors.’
‘Now,’ said Bardi, ‘I’m going down into the town to fix my arm and stay with a merchant friend of mine. Accompany me, Orsino. We head for London tomorrow. At first light,’ said Bardi to Orsino.
‘Not first light,’ said Orsino.
‘Why not?’
‘Because before we do anything, me and the father here are going to bury my friend.’
Bardi nodded. ‘Return once you have seen me to my lodgings. Work through the night and say your mass at dawn. Clear the rest of this mess as well – including Pole. We’ll leave his family to wondering what could have happened to him on the road back to London. I will stop at Windsor to report our findings to the king. After that you are at my disposal. Fetch me my horse. And you priest, prepare to work. Your salvation, England’s salvation and indeed mine, depend upon you.’
10
London was unbelievably vast, stretched out as wide as the moor along the north bank of the river. A huge spire to Dow’s left, an enormous white castle and tower to his right shone in the umber dusk. On the river, tiny boats moved, some with lamps, some unlit, all heading for the shore as the sun went down.
They had arrived later than his escorts had intended after detouring to drop Bardi at Windsor. Windsor castle had terrified Dowzabel, so big, so unnatural looking. The biggest building he had ever seen before was a church. This was ten times bigger. The Devil’s Men said that the creator Lucifer would return one day to throw down the high men. Could even he breach the walls of a place like that?
From Windsor they’d travelled with a party
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