Homelands
Chapter Twenty Five: Land of Snow and Ice
Part 3
Prelude:
Between the sacking of Abauj and 1250, Catholicism remained in a state of suspended animation. Its members were left leaderless and for a while they managed to keep things running, appointing a council of cardinals and bishops to lead the Church in the absence of a Pope. Twenty years later, on the exact date, Catholicism died. A lone bishop preached the end of the Catholic Church and the Catholic way of life. The council agreed, which surprised many and left a power vacuum following their self dismissal. The news took time to travel around Europe, but after it had, Catholics in Western Europe tried unsuccessfully to reunite their separated brethren. In Eastern Europe it was gone, just gone. In its wake was a surge of Unionism and Revisionism. Wallachian Unionism, Hungarian Unionism faced off with Prussian Unionism, Orthodoxy and Revisionism. Roving bands of armed civilians began to fight amongst one another leaving soldiers stunned and confused with who to arrest and who to protect. Eventually Karnak had to intervene with the long arm of the law, calling on Royal troops to practically reinvade and reoccupy Hungary. Karnak's ruling was quick and severe: follow Memelgrád. This, in turn, brought interest from Constantinople. The Emperor and Patriarch reminded Karnak that the Prussian Church was essentially a vassal of the Church in Constantinople and that the Hungarian Unionists should be following Constantinople. So, one hundred and fifty three years after Aethelweard separated Prussia from one Rome, Karnak separated Prussia from a second.
The division of Orthodoxy and Unionism in 1250. Red provinces are Prussian Orthodox, Olive are Roman Orthodox, Purple are Prussian Unionist, Blue are Independent Orthodox Churches that allied with Prussia, Army Drab are Independent Orthodox Churches that allied with Rome, Green are Roman Unionist. The red outline shows the de jure boundary of Prussia, the purple outline shows the de jure boundary of the Roman Empire.
November 10th, 1250
"Gelágæ," the priest finished his sermon. The congregation repeated the amen and began to shuffle out of the church. The laymen didn't notice much difference in church, especially those in central Prussia, far from the wars of Russia and the riots of Hungary. But the priest did. He could do his sermon in a language his people understand. He smiled as he close the Bible at the altar and waved as people left. The local Lord thanked him, as he always did, extending a warm hand shake and smile. Father Darius, the head priest of a small town in the region south of the Memel River, took his hand and asked, seriously, "Was it better in Prussian?"
The Lord nodded, "Very much so. I saw fewer people sleeping. If they know what you are saying, they are compelled to listen and follow every word."
"Then I can finally do my job." Darius smiled and followed the Lord to the door of the church. Outside he could see children running to and fro. It was Sunday so their parents were not working the fields. They had a few hours before chores would call them kick and screaming back into their small huts and farm houses.
"Father, do you think this will blow over... you know, this thing with Rome? Or will we always get to understand the sermon?" The Lord's Lady asked. "It was so amazing, the way that our savior fed all those people with so little."
"Well, m'lady, I have no idea. I am a simple father who enjoys teaching his flock, hopefully we can. I would like that very much." The Lord and Lady excused themselves and Darius waved as they walked back to their home.
"Okay, okay... you can be the Black Knight... jeez," a young voice said. Two boys stood across from each other with sticks. The other smiled, pointing his stick threatening at the first.
"Good, Andres. You be the evil Hungarian overlord... I shall be the good King Jakob!" Jakob struck a dramatic pose and then swung his sword in a fancy parry. Andres shook his head, dismayed. But as they began to get ready a circle of children formed, from those just young enough to walk to the older ones.
Just as the two were about to start a man stepped into the circle, "Okay young ones, please step aside you are blocking the road." The two mock knights looked up and saw a herald wearing a deep Burgundy marked with a black eagle. The man didn't look annoyed, just tired from a long ride.
"Klaudijs? Klaudijs! I want to watch them! Let them finish," another voice called. Klaudijs, the herald, rolled his eyes before turning around, trying to remain presentable. "Dammit, Klaudijs, I am fifteen years old and father has me traveling like I am not only six... but a woman, too! Not that I don't appreciate your company, my good friend." From a carriage stepped forth a young man wearing a similar garb as Klaudijs, only he had a small circlet around his head. He was only a year or two older than Andres and Jakob.
"Very well, sir, boys you may continue." Klaudijs let out a sigh and stepped out of the way. The young man stood and watched, when Andres and Jakob looked at him for permission he nodded and then crossed his arms in anticipation. The two lunged at each other. They had fought each other many a time, and anticipated each other's attacks and counter attacks. The young man watched for a few minutes and then called it off.
"Okay, you two are pretty good. But you got to watch for openings. You guys watch too many stage fights."
"What fights, sir?" Andres asked.
"You know, staged fights... fights in Greek plays and stuff... where the two actors basically just strike and parry and then the one who is supposed to lose basically just lets himself lose. Have you not been to a play?"
"I have not sir, I have never even left the town... except that one time when Klara said she'd kiss which ever boy stayed the longest in the forest over there... I left town for that," Andres smiled and a girl turned beet red and ran from the group. The young man laughed. He smiled and put his arms around Andres and Jakob.
"Klaudijs, I should really enjoy having these two join me on the rest of our journey!" Klaudijs rolled his eyes and sighed again. The young boy scowled, slightly, and then chuckled, "Klaudijs... you face is going to get stuck like that if you keep doing it!" The young man exaggerated the face and acted as if it was stuck. Even Klaudijs laughed and he nodded.
"My mother warned me, but I never listened to her."
"Good man, Klaudijs! Good man!" The young man patted Klaudijs on the back.
"Why does Mr. Klaudijs listen to you? I never get to boss adults around... though I should!" Jakob exclaimed.
The young man nodded, "And that you shall, for while you are my guest, Klaudijs is at your command... though you should be nice to Klaudijs... I like him a lot more than that cranky old Stefans, so we want Klaudijs to feel appriciated." Klaudijs smiled and nodded.
"Yes, I really do enjoy being with Master Kiten, warm bed, good food for the wife and kids... and I never had to grow up."
"That's the spirit!" Kiten said, "Now go pack your things! We leave soon!"
"Yes, sir, Master Kiten!" Andres and Jakob saluted their new friend and ran off to find their parents.
When they were out of earshot the group dispersed and Klaudijs turned to Kiten and said, in a whisper, "Damned, Master Kiten, what am I going to tell these boys' parents... or your parents for that matter?!"
"Klaudijs, father has only you, myself and the royal guard for enjoying life! There's my mother and my five sisters! Five, Klaudijs! Five, and they are all older than I am!"
"I couldn't imagine a greater hell, sir." Klaudijs said, trying to keep himself from rolling his eyes again. But Kiten picked up on the attempt and snickered. From one home the two boys came running out with two men in close pursuit. Klaudijs became tense when he saw how big they were, but he knew that a whole guard stood spitting distance away from where they were.
"Who are you to come and kidnap my son?" the first man asked, putting his hands on his hips to make himself look even larger than he already was.
"I am his royal majesty: Kiten, Prince of Prussia; heir to the throne of Prussia and all her environs... and some other stuff... but I forgot them." Klaudijs looked at Kiten in horror, his eyes wide open.
"Is that so?" The farmer asked. Kiten nodded, but it soon became obvious that the men believe him as they suddenly grew large smiles. "My son gets to go to the academy?! My... boy?" the man sobbed. "O glorious day! Did you hear that, Jakob? You are going to be a real knight one day! And have titles and a real name!" The man's bottom lip quivered as he said this. He looked down at the boy and patted him on the back, almost knocking him over.
"My boy too?" The other asked.
"Yup, I don't see why not," Kiten replied.
"Gelágæ, your majesty. Thank you so very much!"
"But father, what of the fields tomorrow?" Andres asked.
"Don't worry about them boy! You are bound for greater things than a wheat field! I'll have the Father help me write to you, okay boy? And you come back and visit one and a while, you understand? Your mother would die if you didn't."
And with the boys loaded up into the carriage and some children waving them off, Andres and Jakob shared a laugh and a hearty handshake. No more pretending to be knights. But after a few miles of quiet time, Jakob turned to Andres and said, "You really got a kiss from Klara?! I thought she was lying so I went back home!" Andres smiled and Kiten laughed.