A Brother's Love - Book 3 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

An early summer that year, brought many changes to Chanoine. The entire band at the manor house, including Mortimer and the tutor, Sergius, were summoned to Frencberg and a new band arrived, under the direction of a knight named Sir Frank.

Reeve Tyrell, who had become a believer, was also replaced.

The Chatelain family, once more 'reoriented' by a new band, felt again that they were walking amongst a gang of spies and eavesdroppers.

Luke had a new tutor, a younger man this time, named Enoch. Upon introduction, Luke immediately began an explanation of the 'Enoch' of the Old Testament, a man who 'walked with God.' Before he had gone very far, the tutor silenced the lad by saying harshly, "Stop it! Don't expect this Enoch to go along with such unbelievable poppycock!"

Louis Chatelain, who had been formally commissioned by the king to build another printing press, was having difficulty in finding a carpenter skilled enough to help him. Norman had died from the plague and no one had filled the gap he had left in the village. There were plenty of builders, those who could work with logs and planks, but no makers of fine furniture, no carvers.

Chanoine had no goldsmith either, at present, no one to form the springs and fine screws.

Louis wrote to the king, explaining the dilemma and stating that he would have to do the work himself, but without help it could take him over a year to get the press to the stage where ink could be applied and paper tested.

Carving enough letters of the alphabet would be something he would leave to do in the winter months. Maybe Luke could help him with this. He did not tell the king that he intended to continue to hand-copy the Scriptures and much of his time would be involved with serious transcribing.

The bell in Chanoine rang out the toll, calling people to gather in one hour for the announcement of a decree from the king. People were unwilling to leave their labor and when the time came, only a small sprinkling of the citizens were present.

Louis was at work in his copy-room and Luke was writing up a special assignment set him by Enoch.

Elissa and Jobyna waited in the village square to listen to the new decrees. If they held anything of interest, Louis had said to report back to him, otherwise he would learn of it, tonight while they shared their evening meal.

Many decrees read out were mainly reinforcements or clarifications of older Frencolian laws.

The decree yet to be read out today was one entirely new to the kingdom of Frencolia. The new Reeve's voice rang out across the square, "His Majesty, King Elliad, King of Frencolia decrees: All Gospel Books are to be surrendered to the Reeve in each district. Therefore, as of this hour, today, there will be no more public readings of the Gospel Book. All Gospel Books, small volumes and large, including those still in part, will be surrendered by the Thirtieth day of September or those who possess them will be imprisoned and put to death. Children of offenders will be enslaved. The King of Frencolia has so written. So be it." With that, the Reeve took the decree and nailed it to the board in the square.

Elissa did not wait to read the dreaded paper; she hurried towards home with Jobyna close at her side. They did not speak, but rushed straight upstairs and knocked frantically on the door of the chamber where they hoped to find Louis.

He could not believe such a decree! He was speechless for a several seconds and then he exclaimed, "Quick, we must gather up the books! We mustn't lose one volume! They must not know how many books we have!" Even as he spoke, he knew it was too late. The king would know. By now, he would have found out all he needed from Mortimer and old Sergius. "We must complete all we can and dispatch them speedily to those who have requested the volumes. We have two months. We must pray to God that Elliad won't remove the Word from before the eyes of the people!"

When the Reeve arrived at the manor house to reinforce to Chatelain the king's directive, the copy room had been cleared of all evidence.

It puzzled Louis why the king had allowed two months grace. As he mused upon the new decree and the lapse in the time, a chill that he could not shake away gripped his heart. Following the premonition that he could not shake off, he made arrangements regarding the six originals, the five recently completed copies, and the ten partially written Gospel volumes. Packing them into grain bags, he sent them with Sabin, up the mountainside to be hidden at Shepherd John's cottage. Some incomplete pages were left, and one old copy that was so worn, some of the repaired pages had torn.

The answer to the puzzle came, that day, before nightfall, and Louis' worst fears were realized.

Sir Clare arrived with a large company. He spoke his command to the first guard he saw at the gate, "Louis Chatelain is to present himself in the courtyard." He then waited in the great hall of the manor house with part of his large company. 

When Louis appeared, he ordered, "You will come with us, Chatelain, to the capital. The king wishes to have your counsel again. We are to take all copies of the Gospel Book with us." A wave of his hand caused the company to divide into fours and move quickly to search every chamber.

Elissa couldn't believe this was actually happening. Not only were these invaders going to confiscate every page and book they could find whether it was a Gospel Book or not, but they had practically arrested her husband!

Followed by a white-faced, wide-eyed Jobyna, Elissa confronted the knight while Louis went with Sabin to fetch his clothes and riding gear. "Please, Sir Clare; my husband is under oath not to leave Chanoine!" Elissa was so fearful, she could not prevent tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Madam! When the king issues a command, no-one questions him!"

Elissa thought of the journey to Frencberg and pleaded, "It's late, Sir Brian. Can't you leave in the morning?" She saw that the knight was already impatient with her, and murmured, "Please grant us a little time to bid him farewell."

Louis prayed with his wife, his children, and Sabin, before he left with the knight and the large company. Elissa feared she would never see him again. Her dread increased when she realized that Jobyna had the same feeling, only much worse. Her active imagination was at work. All the dreaded punishments of criminals, explained in detail by her brother, were circulating through her mind and as Jobyna remembered Luke's description of Elliad, she imagined how this 'devil' would treat her beloved father, a believer in the Gospel Book.