=========================================================================
Date:         Mon, 29 Apr 1996 09:56:34 -0500
Reply-To:     Bob Gansler <rgansler@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU>
Sender:       Highlander TV show stories <HLFIC-L@PSUVM.PSU.EDU>
From:         Bob Gansler <rgansler@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU>
Subject:      Knights Temporal, Part 5

Chapter V Knights Temporal

THE STREETS OF PARIS
OCTOBER 11, 1995
   Oliver De Penne sauntered leisurely through the streets of Paris.  It
was, by far, his favorite city.  He had found no other in his Immortal life
that brought him such joy.  However, he knew that his time in the City Of
Lights would be short.  If the plans of the Order were to reach fruition,
they would soon have a new home.  The Order would once again perform the
duties that it was charged to do so many centuries ago.  De Penne offered a
silent prayer for the success of the Order.  Once his prayer was completed,
his thoughts were interrupted by the ringing sound emanating from his pocket.
   De Penne fished through his pocket and dug out his cellular phone.  He
flipped it opened and answered it, "This is De Penne."
   The voice at the other end stated in a raspy voice, "We need you to go to
Marseilles and oversee the transfer of some materials from there."
   "Ah, Marseilles.  It has been a long time since I visited her fair
streets ..."

THE GARRISON OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR - MARSEILLES
JUNE 5, 1307
   De Penne entered the Templar garrison.  It was a small facility, nowhere
near the size of the Templar headquarters on Cyprus.  Still it was one of
the mightiest Templar strongholds within France.  Sometimes he thought that
it was improper for the Templars to be here in France; he felt that he
should be in Cyprus, where he would at least be within striking distance of
the Holy Land.  Still, they were here at the Pope's command.  It had taken a
few months to respond to his summons, but the Templars were ready to meet
with him to discuss the initiation of a new Crusade.  De Penne felt a twinge
of disgust at their fellow Orders - the Teutones and Hospitallers.  They had
refused to answer the Pope's call.  However, rather than cursing them, De
Penne hoped that God would grant them the vision to see that they were all
pledged to strive to retake the Holy Land under the direction of the Pope.
   De Penne's thoughts about the other Orders faded away as he entered the
room of the Grand Master.  He expected to see the Grand Master making final
preparations to go to the Pope's temporary residence in Poitiers.  Everyone
referred to it as temporary, since no one knew where the Pope would
officially and permanently reside.  It had been some time since the Bishop
of Rome actually set foot within the Ancient City.  However, De Penne was
surprised as he overhead the conversations of the other Templars already
present in the room with De Molay.   The words astounded De Penne - De Molay
was going to meet with Philip the Fair, King of France, to discuss the idea
of the merger of the Military Orders!"
   De Penne reached De Molay's side, "Grand Master, why are you going to
meet with the King?  His idea of consolidation is ludicrous."
   De Molay took a deep breath..  His seventy-year old body was weak, but
his spirit was strong and youthful.  He responded in a raspy yet forceful
voice, "I have been ordered so by the Pope.  He wishes that I see the King.
I will tell him of the miracle of your recovery and your holy war against
the demons."
   This was a new development.  De Penne had not heard of any other
communication with the Pope since his original summons the preceding
December.  "Then I must come as well, Grand Master."
   De Molay thought about it for a moment.  "I suppose it is appropriate.
We should show him the living proof of your continued existence."  De Molay
decided.
   De Penne agreed wholeheartedly, "Yes, just as Thomas needed to be shown
that Our Lord had risen."

THE COURT OF KING PHILIP IV - PARIS
JUNE 10, 1307
   King Philip the Fair sat slouched on his throne.  Despite his lack of
posture, he was a very handsome man - hence the appellation of 'fair', it
was not in reference to impartiality or decency.  He scowled and rubbed his
chin.  "Templars."  He shook his head.  "I had to borrow money from them to
pay the dowry for my daughter's wedding!"
   "My Lord, the Templars approach," the man standing behind him whispered.
   Guillaume De Nogaret, Keeper of the Seals, was one of the king's many
advisors.  De Nogaret had distinguished himself in his service to the Crown,
and so Philip had decided to have him in attendance at this meeting.  Philip
had heard something about De Nogaret's parents having been burned for
heresy.  Whether it was true or not, it did not really matter to Philip.  De
Nogaret had served faithfully and effectively in his dealings with the
Papacy.  Only one of De Nogaret's guile could have made a charge of magic
against the late Pope, Boniface VIII, sound plausible to the faithful.  He
had even charged Boniface with harboring a pet demon within his papal ring.
His actions had caused a rift between the papacy and Philip as well as his
own excommunication.  Still,  Philip retained his services, for De Nogaret
was a very clever man to have at his side.
   Philip straightened his royal garments, laced with purple and gold, and
rose from the throne.  A wide smile beamed from his face and he extended his
hands.  With a trumpeting voice, he addressed the entering knights, "We bid
you welcome, brave Knights of the Temple.  We are pleased that you have
graced our humble court with your presence."
   "The honor is ours, Your Majesty," De Molay replied as he bowed.  The
other Templars with him, De Penne and De Nomie, bowed in similar fashion."
   "What news have you with which to inform us, Grand Master of the
Templars?" Philip inquired.
   De Molay lifted his head and looked at the king. "We come bearing good
tidings, Your Majesty."
   Philip's eyebrows arched, "And what might this be?"
   Taking a step to the side, and extending his hand toward De Penne, the
Grand Master explained, "I present before you the knight Oliver De Penne,
the sole survivor of the Fall at Acre.  He has been on death's door many
times, but the Lord has seen fit to raise him each time to continue to fight
for the Church."
    "Quite extraordinary, my dear Grand Master, quite extraordinary, indeed.
Have you proof of these resurrections?"
   "We have his word, as a Templar, that he revived after the debacle at
Acre.  I also have the sworn statements of many brother knights who saw him
expire and revive when he washed up on the coast of our headquarters on Cyprus."
   Philip motioned De Nogaret to his side.  He put up his hand and whispered
into De Nogaret's ear,  "Nogaret, make a note of this.  These Templars speak
blasphemy when they claim that one of theirs has returned from the dead."
  Nogaret rubbed his hands together devilishly.  "A Templar returns from the
dead?" , he thought.  "That would provide a good weapon against the
Templars, if we so desired."  He whispered back to his lord, "Perhaps you
can persuade them to detail what 'glorious' feats this resurrected knight
has accomplished, my King."
   Philip nodded and motioned for De Nogaret to resume his place at his side.
   "Very good.  We would not impugn the word of any Templar.  But pray tell,
what wondrous deeds has Brother De Penne since his return to life?  But
first, we would not be a gracious host if we did not provide seats for our
honoured guests."  He clapped his hands and a pair of attendants hurried
into the throne room.  Philip addressed them. "Bring comfortable chairs for
our honoured Templar guests and be quick about it."  The rise in his voice
caused the attendants to quickly go about their task.  In a matter of
seconds, they had brought three ornate wooden chairs and placed them behind
the Templars.  With a quick bow to the king, the attendants exited the room
and closed the heavy wooden door behind them.
   De Penne nudged De Molay, indicating that he would like to speak.
   De Molay turned back to Philip, "If it please your Majesty, Brother De
Penne would like to describe his actions in his own words."
   Philip waved his hand.  "Be seated, and let him speak of his deeds."
   De Molay and De Penne sat down.  De Penne took a step forward and a deep
breath into his lungs.  "Your Majesty, since the Lord has seen fit to save
me, I have had the duty of ridding the land of demons that infest it."
   "Demons, you say?"  Philip interjected.
   "Yes, Your Majesty, demons.  Demons in the guise of men who walk the
world, seeking only to visit death and destruction.  These demons are mighty
creatures; they are difficult to vanquish.  Even when defeated, they seek to
possess me, but the Lord is my strength and my soul has remained inviolate."
   De Nogaret thought about the Templar's words, "And they burned my parents
during the Albigensian Crusade as heretics.  People rising from the dead,
fighting with demons.  The blasphemy and pride of these Templars is
astounding.  If I should take it upon myself to bring these haughty knights
down, I could curry the favor of Philip even further, perhaps to the office
of Chancellor."
   De Penne took his seat now.  The Grand Master addressed the king, "The
Lord has blessed the Order with the return of De Penne. We view it as a sign
of his pleasure with our work.  We go now to talk to the Pope of a new
Crusade.  We hope that you will gather the power of France to be one of the
leaders of this Crusade.  We will convey your best wishes to his holiness.
Now, with your permission, we will take our leave."
  De Nogaret leaned over to whisper in Philip's ear, "My lord, allow me to
investigate these words of the Templars.  They seem to border on heresy, and
it would not be fitting for Your Majesty's lands to be tainted by such.  I'm
sure that such an investigation  would be looked on kindly by the
ecclesiasticals.  Consorting with demons!  Corruption, I have heard, runs
rampant within the Order.  As you have stated on many occasions, the
Templars have more money than any one organization should have.  How much
better if that money were to be in the hands of France?"
    Philip nodded at De Nogaret's suggestion.  An idea began to form in
Philip's mind, but it would require that he talk to the Pope first.   "Good
knights, with such wondrous signs as these, we would be honoured if you
would stay for a day or two at our court."
   De Molay knew better than to decline a request from royalty.  "We would
be twice honoured to be your guests.  We would like to note however, that we
are due to see the Pope, and we would not wish to keep him waiting."
   "Of course, of course," Philip said enthusiastically.  "But for now,
enjoy our court.  We shall take our leave now but shall rejoin you anon."
   As Philip walked proudly out of the room, accompanied by his personal
guard, visions of power and wealth floated in his head.  The Templar
treasury in his hands would be a very nice acquisition.  Once he and his
entourage had exited the throne room,  Philip said to no one in particular,
"I shall make them rue the day that they refused to induct me as an honorary
member of the Order."  He turned to De Nogaret, "Make the necessary
preparations.  We ride for Poitiers upon the dawn."

THE COURT OF KING PHILIP IV - PARIS
JUNE 22, 1307
   De Molay, De Penne, and De Molay sat in the throne room again.  Every day
since their arrival, they had been ushered here by the king's attendants.
Every day they spent waiting for the king to appear again, but he never did.
When they returned to their quarters at night, the Grand Master had to
listen to the grumbling of the other Templars in the entourage.
   "We are forced to stay at Philip's court.  He said for a day or two, and
it has been nigh on two weeks." De Nomie said with unmasked frustration.
   "Surely, Grand Master, we must not tarry any longer.  We must ride for
Poitiers." De Penne stated with a more diplomatic tone.
   "We can afford to antagonize Philip, but we must have an audience with
him so that we may depart." De Molay said in a placating tone.
   "The court attendants continuously tell us that he is otherwise engaged.
I find this hard to believe." De Nomie's frustration had been simmering for
a few days now.  "Does he not realise the extent of his debt to us -
financial and otherwise?  Our Temple provided him refuge when the populace
rose up against his imposition of new taxes."
   "Perhaps we may acquire better information from one of his sycophants if
a modicum of pressure is applied," De Penne suggested.
   "Well said, Brother De Penne.  And here is an adequate subject for that
pressure."  De Nomie pointed to the gangly steward who brought in the
afternoon meal.  Despite the powerful appearance of the steward's clothing,
his demeanor spoke of no backbone whatsoever.
   "Steward, a moment, if you please?" De Nomie asked with forced civility.
   The steward walked gracefully but fearfully towards the knights.
   "My good steward," De Nomie began innocently, until he lifted the
frightened young man by his fluffy collar, "Where is His Majesty?  The
Knights Templar would request an audience with the king."
   "I know not, sir knight."
   "His Majesty has left for a time, but we were informed to see you Templar
guests wait until his return." the steward babbled.
   "He deliberately left us waiting here!" De Nomie fumed.  "Has the man no
honour?"
   "Peace, brother." De Penne laid his hand on De Nomie's shoulder and
indicated that he should release the steward from his grasp.  "Your anger
serves no one."  He tuned to De Molay,  "Grand Master, grant me leave to
ride to Poitiers to inform the Pope of our delay."
   The steward stumbled but managed to keep his footing after De Nomie
released him.  He scurried out the door fearfully.
   De Molay thought hard about De Penne's request.  He did not want to
insult the king by not enjoying the hospitality he offered.  However, the
Order's first responsibility was to the Pope.  It would not be fitting for
the Order to keep its lord waiting.
   "Go then, De Penne.  Ride toward Poitiers and inform His Holiness that we
shall arrive as soon as possible.  I shall deal with any ill will that may
arise with the king because of your departure."
   Bowing as he spoke, De Penne replied "As you command, Grand Master."
   As De Penne opened the heavy wooden doors, De Nomie called out, "Go with
God, De Penne.  Ride hard and true to Poitiers."


Bob Gansler
EPRI HVAC&R Center
rgansler@facstaff.wisc.edu
http://www.engr.wisc.edu/~gansler/

"Reality - a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." - Me
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