Chapter 1: In which we meet Cosma and his Uncle, the Doge
5th May 755AD
The House of Boi was established in the 5th century when Alfonzo Boi first found his fishing boat in Venetian waters and began a quiet little business of providing fish for a humble price in one of the many markets in the bustling city. From such inauspicious beginnings, his son Alfonzo, the second of his name (being the only word his father could spell) rose to become the premier fishmonger in all Venezia. He, through keen eyes and intimidating bulk, as well as a slippery tongue, muscled in on and took over the entire fish market and some of the grain exchange as well. Of course, this last grasp of the ladder rung upwards was met with extreme downward pressure from many boots already controlling the grain trade in and out of Venice. This pressure translated into one mugging, two assassination attempts and one successful murder, leaving the family business in the hands of his fifteen year old son Enzo-
The boy who had been reviewing his family history looked up from his desk. The whinny of a horse echoed up from the road far below from where the small but well-appointed villa stood. The valley saw its share of riders and horsemen of course but rarely coming up the high path to the house. The boy was thus intrigued as he heard not just the horse but the rider upon it once again, and closer this time. He quickly ensured that all of his notes and documents were safely put away in his drawers before picking up the stool he had been sat on and moving it to the window. He could, if he stretched, just about see the outside world-the sky, the clouds, the mountains of northern Italy-but alas, not enough to see below him. The boy pondered for a minute on which would be faster, finding a cushion of some sort to raise his height or going outside to look. The sound of footsteps on the corridor outside his room made such questions moot. He hurried back to the desk and was just about to take out the parchment again when the door opened.
“Child, your uncle is coming.”
The boy turned around in shock. His Uncle? But…alone? No guard? Unannounced? Surely not-
The light tap he received on the crown brought him back to his senses. The matronly woman stared down at him with something akin to humour in her eyes. Of course, to the boy’s mind she always seemed a little merrier than one could be without rather too much liquor inside of them. Not that he truly spoke from experience-he had taken precisely one cup of wine before thinking it as sinful to his stomach as the Church said it was to his soul-but the two kitchen boys said so behind her back often enough for it to be so.
A slightly firmer tap made him smile rather bashfully. “Sorry,” he said.
“Child, you cannot be seen like this! Ink on your hands, stain on your shirt-why what would the Master-?”
It turned out they were both going to find out what the Master of the house would have thought as he strode through the door at that moment. “The young sir,” he wrinkled his nose, “will be shown to the Dux now, if you please Madam Roe.” He certainly said it like he thought it was a terrible idea and one that would see the whole house collapse on top of them.
But then again, he always did sound like that when Cosma was in the room.
Cosma, for that was his name and what a name it was too, as Madam Roe said, stood and looked nervously at the woman.
“Well I suppose you must go out then child,” she said, placing her fingertips on his shoulder. She would have had to stoop to touch his back and one
did not slouch in front of the Master. Still, it was a nice gesture, the best she could have done in front of him. Cosma wasn’t sure why the Master hated him but he did. Mind you-
“Go on boy!” the Master said irritably, and Cosma did so quickly. The gesture of the Master’s feeling would not be a gentle one should he be provoked. Walked as quickly as he could without appearing to run, he went through the door and down the stairs into the courtyard. Or he would have done, had he not been immediately hit with a bout of shyness as soon as he saw the figure of his Uncle tending to his horse. The Doge, or
Dux as the Master insisted (he didn’t hold with all this ‘Italian’ nonsense. Latin was Latin, and that meant dead, dry and on a page if at all preferable) cut an imposing figure next to his charger. He seemed to Cosma to be an even larger giant than the ones he lived with. Better fed too, and as merry as Madam Roe but without the liquor-which, as the kitchen boys said solemnly, made him all the better.
“Ah! Cosma, my boy. Good to see you,” the man’s voice boomed from across the yard and engulfed the boy like a warm blanket. Even his words sounded heavy. And his eyes, those eyes that twinkled somewhat no matter how light (or not) it was, captured Cosma’s own and held them in a somewhat fierce gaze for a fraction of a second before melting into something rather nicer. “Come on, it’s alright,” he said, and suddenly it seemed to be so, at least a little. Cosma inched forwards and then tried actual steps with his legs. That seemed to not cause any disasters and so he continued forwards, trying to look as aloof and confident as the Master. He felt a little sick.
But then his Uncle was in front of him and the man that should have been towering far overhead was looking him in the eye from his own height. Cosma thought that was rather nice too, especially as it meant his Uncle’s knee was going to get muddy kneeling like that.
“Now then, how are you doing my boy? I was passing through on business and Lorenzo-you do remember the Captain don’t you?-he said we would be close by and I decide to visit. He’s down in the town now. His horse lost a shoe so I went on ahead.” He winked and looked around conspiratorially, “He’s probably not very happy with me right now.”
Cosma giggled. The Doge possessed the bushiest beard imaginable and was thus both extremely funny and extremely scary when he wished to be. Only the Captain came close, with his well-maintained whiskers-oh, and the Master of course, whom possessed the freakish power of being terrifying without any hair at all. But the thought of his uncle being in trouble with either of the other two was funny, in a silly kind of way. The Doge didn’t seem to mind though, he smiled a little wider as if he shared the joke.
Cosma wished he could have a beard so he would never be afraid of being told off either.
“Uncle, I’ve learnt the history of the family, and the history of the Venetians, and the history of Rome this week,” the boy said, knowing that would be the next question. His lessons were easier now than they had been but even the Master had said learning the letters and knowing the numbers was harder than anything afterwards. And the Master knew so much that it was true.
“Excellent,” the Doge said, “and you have been good to your teachers?”
Cosma squirmed but admitted, for lying to his uncle was impossible, “It’s...it's hard to be nice to the Master.”
Fortunately his Uncle seemed to take it in good humour. “Ah,” he said, placing a hand on Cosma’s shoulder, “but Master Galbaio is the finest mind this side of the Alps and a good man, with a prickly hide. You will find in life Cosma that there are far stupider men than he, far more unpleasant and yet far more important and powerful. How we deal with others is important, as any wise man knows but to we Venetians it is essential! Trade and profit are in our blood and that is where our power lies, and our family’s too. And you cannot sell to a man whom hates your guts. But you will need to sell to such men, in time.”
“How do I do that?” Cosma asked, enthralled.
“By making them love you. A good marketeer knows everyone, is friends with everyone and enemies with as few as possible. A kind word or gesture will set you far ahead in most people’s books. There are other things too you will learn and be taught but for now, remember to be kind and polite to everyone, even your enemies. In private confidence you may plot against them, you may curse their mothers and their dogs and plan to have them all thrown in the dung pile but in public! Be the man who extends an arm and smiles to the world. Always.”
Cosma nodded several times at this. It sounded wise, and because it was his Uncle talking it was probably even wiser than that. “So I must be nice to the Master?” he asked tentatively.
His Uncle smiled and stood up, ruffling his hair. “Yes, you must. You can shout at a door all day and it won’t open. Knocking politely would get you much further, don’t you think?”
Cosma frowned. He could think of many reasons why that wouldn’t work. What if they were out? What if they were deaf? What if-
“And now, we shall walk together,” his Uncle said as if that made it so. Of course it did. Cosma smiled happily and took the huge man’s hand in his. Somehow, though he never got any bigger, he always felt three times his size when he was with the Doge.
…
It was late, and it was very dark. But Cosma, for reasons known only to a small part of his head, was up and about. ‘About’ was presently being hidden behind some crates piled against the Master’s study and listening in to the fire inside crackle as the two men talked. The Master of course was present but so was his Uncle and that was more than enough reason for Cosma to listen in. Though he wished he could have skipped the Master’s bits.
“-so really, how is he?” one of them asked. Cosma thought it might be the Doge.
“The boy is as healthy as I can expect. If you could find those attachments we spoke of, it would be prudent for him to ride daily or as much as possible. If you speak of his mind, again I remind you that it is a singular one. He questions much, with increased frequency. Teaching him to read might be the biggest mistake I have ever made.”
His Uncle’s laughter rang out and Cosma bit his lip. He didn’t like it when the Master said something his Uncle agreed with. That wasn’t supposed to happen.
“I think it remarkable he does so well…considering…” his Uncle’s voice tailed off. He sounded distant, though he hadn’t moved from the room so far as Cosma knew. He sounded sad.
“Yes, a terrible business,” Cosma perked up at that. The Master sounded genuinely sad too! How odd. “But, well, your brother-”
“Will remain unmentioned in this house,” his Uncle said firmly.
“Of course. Forgive me,” the two voices stopped for a moment and Cosma found himself drifting off to the sound of the fire. Then suddenly, “Yes, he is clever. Very much so. He’s learnt three languages in six months, a general history as you recommended, the Latin alphabet and memorised a good portion of the Book. The local priest visited once and remarked that-”
Cosma shuddered. God, the priest was a bore and an unpleasant figure in general. How he managed to get so fat on his meagre meals, he did not know. The kitchen boys said he was so greedy he ate the air. Cosma could believe that.
“-but I doubt the Church would take…
him.” Cosma had missed some of the conversation whilst thinking but pricked his ear again.
“Fools, the lot of them. I shall make him a bookkeeper of the highest order, you see if I don’t. All the gold in Venice and he can count it all. Though if he is as smart as you say, I might point him at the architects as well. We’re in dire need of some refits to the-”
Cosma zoned out again. Venice, it was always Venice. He did dream of the city often but it was fast becoming something of a sticking point in his throat. Why, oh
why did the place matter so much? He didn’t live there, he wasn’t going there anytime soon and it didn’t even sound like a particularly fun place to be if
he could improve it a touch. Still, counting lots of gold sounded interesting. He hoped it wouldn’t take too long though. He wouldn’t want to spend an entire day doing it. And now he was back listening to the crackle of the burning logs as the night swept onwards and then…
“Well now, a spy.”
Cosma jerked awake and fell into the arms of his Uncle. His mouth was covered as he shouted in surprise.
“None of that, child. It’s too late for shouting and screaming today.” The Doge did not seem that put out at finding his nephew sprawled on wooden boxes, asleep after listening in on his secret meeting. “I’ll be taking you to your room now and you shall be staying there, are we clear? I shall know if you wander.”
And Cosma knew that he would. His Uncle knew most things and the Master knew the rest.
…
The next morning, Madam Roe had outfitted him in a much nicer shirt that he must on no account get dirty in any way and sent him to the Master’s study to meet with the Doge.
“The Master tells me you find your studies well,” Cosma’s Uncle said slyly after wishing him a good morning. It seemed that there would be no mention of what was or was not heard last night. “Now, are you happy here? Do you have everything you need?”
Cosma thought about it. Compared to what he had before, having enough food and clothes and warmth to stay healthy seemed like more than enough. He fought down a desire to ask for the Master to go away. He doubted his Uncle would be that mean, since it was the Master’s house and all.
“I think so,” he said carefully, but he wasn’t really sure. If the Doge was asking the question, it meant he certainly thought there was more to give. What he didn’t seem to understand was that being given
something after a lifetime of nothing meant the
something given became exceptionally special, precious even. The Master had a term for such gifts from God, miracles. If this was Cosma’s miracle, then he was happy to have had it.
“Hm. Good,” said the Doge, after looking at him carefully. “But I wonder, would you like a companion?”
“A companion?” Cosma did not fully understand. By which he meant, he did not have any idea what one of those things was.
“Yes, I think it would benefit you to have one and the Master agrees. It so happens that one of his many relations is in need of one also…and a better tutor. What say you?”
“
I would be a companion?” Cosma asked.
“Yes,” said the Doge. Then he tilted his head and smiled, “A friend, I mean.”
“Oh.” Well, that sounded much nicer than being a companion. And the kitchen boys gave Cosma the impression that they didn’t like him much. The name calling and such gave a little away. “I would like that.”
“Splendid,” the Master said, speaking for the first time. He didn’t sound like he meant it. Mind you, Cosma was in the room so that might have been it. “I shall send for him at once.”
“Him?”
“You thought I would subject a lady to your continued presence boy?” the Master said before shuffling out of the room.
The Doge snorted. “Hmpf, he is in a mood today little one. But I do believe it would be a good thing for both of you to be friends and companions you know. A man needs allies yes, and perhaps even servants but the services of a friend grant far greater earnings than any other. It…it’s also fun.” He shrugged. “The boy’s name is Leone. Of the House Galbaio. Be nice to him, he’s younger than you. Might even be smaller.”
Cosma nodded. Youth, and the more you had of it, seemed to be a very important ‘commodity’ in life, at least to adults. Children were most precious because they had the most, or something like that. In any case, he would be nice to the other boy. It was too small a house to have enemies…and his Uncle didn’t want him to have them, even if he lived in a palace the size of the valley.
“Very good. Now I must be off. I will try to write every few weeks, and you must practice the same. Keeping correspondence is a key skill.”
“Yes I know. Thank you Uncle.” Cosma said it dutifully, because he had to but also meant it a lot, because Madam Roe said that thanking someone with your heart sounded different than merely doing so with your lips. He didn’t really understand what she meant, and yet he thought he did when he said it to his Uncle.
The man paused, seemed to consider something and then crouched down in front of Cosma. “I have thought about adopting you, bringing you into my own household. I…will not, yet, I don’t think. But I think in time things will be different.”
Cosma thought about it for a while, which was hard because his eyes seemed to have gotten rather moist. “I hope things are different soon then,” he finally managed.
The winning smile and crushing hug he received told him he had given the right answer far more succinctly than anything the Master had ever said. In that moment Cosma understood that actions spoke louder than words. Even when the words were important too. The world was funny like that. It didn’t feel funny right now though. It just felt right.