August 12, Afternoon, Florence
“So the rumours are true!”
“They are, monseigneur: Maria de Medici is being tortured by a Herr Drakken, otherwise known as the German”, the large Greek replied.
Bertilucci’s otherwise kindly face turned into one filled with horror and concern. After a palpable silence, his vigour returned.
“I will act in the way a humble old man can. But do not despair! For it is written: “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations””
The other man merely nodded as they parted their ways.
Father Holmes entered the small monastery room where they were staying from the back. After absorbing the ascetic tranquillity for a moment, he slowly spoke:
“I have found several nobles in whom the fear of the Lord is indeed strong. I did not even have to suggest that their lord Cosimo could’ve been deceived by the fallen bearer of light. One of them wields great influence over the council.”
“These are good tidings. Arrange for a trial at the earliest possible date. I have a dark challenge ahead of me and I must make haste!”
August 12, Afternoon, Florence – Palazzo Vecchio
Offering a quick prayer, Bertilucci stepped up the large steps leading to the entrance of the palace. With grace he moved through the halls. He carried a large pouch containing a bell, a book and a candle. Instead of going to this master Sebastian, who apparently wielded quite an influence while his master was gone, he went to a minor aide who Maria’s Greek friend thought trustworthy.
“Excuse me, my son, I am looking for a man called Heinrich Drakken.”
The young boy grinned suspiciously: “I just saw him entering the prison. No-one is to disturb him, under orders of Sebastian.”
“Well,”, said the venerable man, staring intently at the young aide, “I am here on matters of heaven or hell, I am sure no one will deny the Papal envoy access.”
The young man whispered the agreed password: “Genitum, non factum.”
“Consubstantialem Patri”, answered Bertilucci in a low voice.
The aide nodded and handed him a key. Bertilucci quietly made his way to the locked but unguarded door that led to the dungeons. He opened it and made his way down.
Coming at last to the very darkest part of the Dungeon, he saw a diminutive figure fiddling with a lock of a cell door. The man appeared quite nervous and indeed
“Herr Drakken, I presume?”
The figure made some barely audible yet agreeing sounds.
Bertilucci put his staff against the wall, opened his pouch and put it in a small alcove that was conveniently located in the wall. He took the candle from it and lit it. Then he took the book and opened it on a random page.
Drakken finally spoke audibly “Would you please leave, sir? I have some work of my own to do, and I don’t like being disturbed.”
Bertilucci didn’t answer. Instead, he read aloud from the book:
"We exclude him from the bosom of our Holy Mother the Church, and we judge him condemned to eternal fire with Satan and his angels and all the reprobate, so long as he will not burst the fetters of the demon, do penance and satisfy the Church."
Drakken stared at him, dumbfounded.
Bertilucci closed the book and put it away, replacing it for the bell. He held it up and sounded it once, signifying the toll of death. The warm, but doom-ridden sound easily filled the dungeon. Without saying anything, Bertilucci held his candle upside down and, after it had gone out, dropped it on the floor, signifying the removal of Drakken’s soul from God’s sight.
He took his staff and purse, turned his back to Drakken and left the dungeons.
