It had been a tiring journey the road was a long and adious, the Pope was always strict with travel plans not every monastery was fit for his emissaries therefore a day’s ride was up to 17hours to ensure the comfort of a warm bed. They had stopped not far from Beeston hill. The old hall was damp and miserable, but welcoming and allowed him to catch up on the news of the area.
As he listened to the lord’s council discussing the business of the day, he dug into his plate of boar. The suculent meat had been well cooked and fell about in his mouth.
“Cardinal?”
Septimus, looked round and Lord Carden was looking at him questioningly.
“My apologies Sire, I was lost in my thoughts, how can I help?”
Carden coughed, “Cardinal you came with a request?”
“You are most correct, Æthelfrith of Northumbria is 10 days north from the rendezvous village. Are you and you clansman ready?”
Carden looked down at his plate, then back at the Cardinal, his mouth twitched. War is what he lived for and the sheer thought of it made the hairs on the backs of his hands tingle..
“We are ready, but at our last meeting we where to give the Cadwal Crysban,Creal and the King one more chance.”
“Again you are right in what you say but the Heretic church has gone unchecked , hiding behind a veil of the true Church” , Septimus stood and raised his goblet of wine. He walked round the horseshoe table. Stand infront of Lord Carden he spoke again,” The church must go ,the High Council has spoken and WE have been charged to carry out the orders.”
“You’re not having second thoughts?”