again, and this time, spurred on by his father, succeeded. The sight that
met his eyes caused him to blink and look again. The links of chain mail on the
hauberk glinted in the light of the candle in their sconces.
“Go on,” Simon said. “Lift it out.”
Hardly daring to believe his eyes, Amaury withdrew a perfect set of
armour, fashioned to fit a boy of his size. He was seized with such a fit of
trembling he could hardly talk, let alone try it on. Walter saved the day by
running around the table to help him put it on. After a small struggle, Amaury
stood proudly in front of his father, not noticing his mother’s tears as she
viewed her baby’s first step towards manhood. She knew from this day on that
his dependence on her was over.
Simon rapped on the table to gain everyone’s attention. “By your leave,
Milord Thibaut, I have something to say to you all, and it concerns my son and
heir.” Amaury looked up from admiring his new armour when he heard his name
mentioned. “This day week,” Simon continued, “Amaury will set forth to
Leicester, where he will go as page to my uncle, the Earl.”
Everyone at the high table applauded. The Earl of Leicester was well
known to them all—a powerful lord and a warrior of great distinction.
Amaury was stunned. This was his dream come true, but he hadn’t imagined
it could happen so quickly. He looked at his mother, who quickly hid her tears
with a brave smile. This was what he had wanted for as long as he could
remember, so why didn’t he feel the way he thought he should feel when this
time came? He tried to smile when all the young pages crowded round to
congratulate him. He was glad when Walter suggested he take off the armour,
though. It was heavy!
The rest of the evening was anticlimactic for Amaury. Even the
troubadours and their music could not arouse any interest in him. Guy was still
fast asleep under one of the trestle tables and had missed most of the evening’s
events. Far from joining in all the fun and games, he had kept awake hardly
long enough to eat anything! Amaury debated whether or not to leave him where
he lay. He looked quite comfortable lying against one of his father’s hounds.
Upon reflection, he thought that his mother might not be happy if she found out
that her younger son had spent the whole night in the great hall with the dogs
and their fleas and those members of the company who were too drunk to find
their proper sleeping quarters. So shaking the little boy awake, he dragged him
up to the bedchamber where several pages were already asleep. After pushing him
with some difficulty into the middle of the bed (even a sleeping four-year-old
could be heavy, he discovered), he climbed in beside him and fell into a
dreamless sleep.
Chapter Four
Occitania, South of France
1199 AD
The Occitanians
The funeral of Arnaud’s wife took place the day after the visit her
parents had made to prepare her for her final resting place. Arnaud had allowed
her to be buried according to her Cathar beliefs and those of her family. In
truth, he had drawn comfort from the simple goodbye the believers had made to
his wife. They had consoled him with their practical kindness and he had been
overwhelmed by the help they had offered him at this time of sadness.
A funeral was not a mournful event for those of the Cathar faith. They
believed quite firmly that Arnaud’s wife was by now reincarnated into another
being and were happy with the thought that she might even inhabit the body of
her little daughter. As far as they were concerned, this was no reason for
sadness! A family had been found for Maurina in Lavaur, and the baby had
already arrived to live with Saissa Boutarra and her husband Pierre, a
good-living couple who were also believers. They already had four children of
their own, the youngest being but two weeks older than Maurina—a little
girl they called Braida—and they hoped the children
met his eyes caused him to blink and look again. The links of chain mail on the
hauberk glinted in the light of the candle in their sconces.
“Go on,” Simon said. “Lift it out.”
Hardly daring to believe his eyes, Amaury withdrew a perfect set of
armour, fashioned to fit a boy of his size. He was seized with such a fit of
trembling he could hardly talk, let alone try it on. Walter saved the day by
running around the table to help him put it on. After a small struggle, Amaury
stood proudly in front of his father, not noticing his mother’s tears as she
viewed her baby’s first step towards manhood. She knew from this day on that
his dependence on her was over.
Simon rapped on the table to gain everyone’s attention. “By your leave,
Milord Thibaut, I have something to say to you all, and it concerns my son and
heir.” Amaury looked up from admiring his new armour when he heard his name
mentioned. “This day week,” Simon continued, “Amaury will set forth to
Leicester, where he will go as page to my uncle, the Earl.”
Everyone at the high table applauded. The Earl of Leicester was well
known to them all—a powerful lord and a warrior of great distinction.
Amaury was stunned. This was his dream come true, but he hadn’t imagined
it could happen so quickly. He looked at his mother, who quickly hid her tears
with a brave smile. This was what he had wanted for as long as he could
remember, so why didn’t he feel the way he thought he should feel when this
time came? He tried to smile when all the young pages crowded round to
congratulate him. He was glad when Walter suggested he take off the armour,
though. It was heavy!
The rest of the evening was anticlimactic for Amaury. Even the
troubadours and their music could not arouse any interest in him. Guy was still
fast asleep under one of the trestle tables and had missed most of the evening’s
events. Far from joining in all the fun and games, he had kept awake hardly
long enough to eat anything! Amaury debated whether or not to leave him where
he lay. He looked quite comfortable lying against one of his father’s hounds.
Upon reflection, he thought that his mother might not be happy if she found out
that her younger son had spent the whole night in the great hall with the dogs
and their fleas and those members of the company who were too drunk to find
their proper sleeping quarters. So shaking the little boy awake, he dragged him
up to the bedchamber where several pages were already asleep. After pushing him
with some difficulty into the middle of the bed (even a sleeping four-year-old
could be heavy, he discovered), he climbed in beside him and fell into a
dreamless sleep.
Chapter Four
Occitania, South of France
1199 AD
The Occitanians
The funeral of Arnaud’s wife took place the day after the visit her
parents had made to prepare her for her final resting place. Arnaud had allowed
her to be buried according to her Cathar beliefs and those of her family. In
truth, he had drawn comfort from the simple goodbye the believers had made to
his wife. They had consoled him with their practical kindness and he had been
overwhelmed by the help they had offered him at this time of sadness.
A funeral was not a mournful event for those of the Cathar faith. They
believed quite firmly that Arnaud’s wife was by now reincarnated into another
being and were happy with the thought that she might even inhabit the body of
her little daughter. As far as they were concerned, this was no reason for
sadness! A family had been found for Maurina in Lavaur, and the baby had
already arrived to live with Saissa Boutarra and her husband Pierre, a
good-living couple who were also believers. They already had four children of
their own, the youngest being but two weeks older than Maurina—a little
girl they called Braida—and they hoped the children
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