SWORD AGAINST THE ROBE
by: Ted Anthony Roberts
Availiable in Trade Paperback and Kindle Ebook at Amazon(dot)com
CHAPTER 1 AVAILABLE IN MY STORIES PAGE, HERE AT AUTHOR'S DEN; OR, SIMPLY VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBPAGE:
https://tedanthonyroberts.webs.com/swordagainstrobe.htm
Chapter 2
At the Guard's Headquarters
In the morning, Charles d'Avaloy heads straight to the gates of the Guard's Headquarters, where he holds a position therein as lieutenant. He barely makes his way into the courtyard, though, when a Guard seizes his attention.
"Holla – d’Avaloy!" the Guardsman calls out. "And, what makes you in such haste this morning?"
At this, d'Avaloy turns around and notices a small group of soldiers who were having a conversation when he entered. Charles stops his advancements and begins to rest his eyes upon the one who had addressed him thus, recognizing the man immediately, though he had not known him for very long.
"I am in haste," Charles says to the speaker, having no expression upon his face at all, whilst delivering the announcement with an obvious bitterness that's not hard to miss, "for I am in hopes of passing by before you would notice me, dear Monsieur l'Forney!"
"Ah! Surely you jest, my friend," l'Forney says, grinning widely, eagerly awaiting the results of the conversation.
"And, why should I do such a horrible thing as to jest about such a serious matter?" Charles asks, continuing his sarcastic tone.
"Why, because, dear sir, I would think that you would be speaking to me in a kinder manner than this, considering that you are perhaps touched by divine grace this day."
There's a pause on d'Avaloy's part. But, just as soon as this line is delivered, the small assembly of Guards, who are standing directly behind l'Forney, begin laughing a little. Charles slowly surveys the small group with a careful eye, for he's not an acquaintance with any of them, because he's but recently been admitted to his post as lieutenant, and has not had the chance to make known who each Guard is. And, as far as he being a Guard for several years now, we must take note that Monsieur d'Avaloy is not one to make friends with many people; therefore, he knows but only a quarter of the Guards personally, and most others by face alone.
"And, what mean you by that, sir?" Charles finally asks, looking back at l'Forney.
"Why," l'Forney begins, "only yesterday a stranger in priestly robes stopped by here looking for you. I know he was looking to know of your whereabouts," he continues, sarcastically turning his gaze slowly toward his listeners behind him, hoping to get more laughter – and, he not being able to fight the grin that has now embe dded itself upon his face, "for, I was fortunate enough to have had the pleasure of eavesdropping in on the captain's conversation with him." He then looks back at d'Avaloy. "A priestly brother, eh?"
There's certainly more laughter from the small group of soldiers, and l'Forney continues to grin with satisfaction. "Is this really the case, brother d'Avaloy?" he adds, stressing the word brother, which has a religious ring about the way he pronounced it. This last statement causes the small group to laugh with even more vigorous zeal.
D'Avaloy, after a very brief reflection, decides to turn his grim look into his usual sarcastic, swaggering grin. "First of all, dear l'Forney," he begins, "it's not a strange thing to have a priest in one's family, and neither does it indicate that the rest of the family would be enticed into such a lifestyle just because that's the case; and, secondly, did you not know that it is a serious offense to insult an officer? I would think that the good manners would have to come from you, for I do outrank. Also, as I am to understand, you come from too good of a family to be insulting them in such a manner as to being nothing more than a bully."
"Really?" says l'Forney, beginning to lose his grin. "As to my family traits, they're no concern of yours," he amply implies. "And, as far as your rank is concerned, you can choke on it – I have been transferred to a better unit than this as of tomorrow!"
"Oh? Is this true ? And, what Guard unit is better than this one? The Cadets?" d'Avaloy adds, with a more sinister grin. "You forget, we are in the unit of Captain des Essarts; which is, in my humble opinion, the best of all the Guard companies!"
"I am transferring into the company of Musketeers – which is better than any of the regular Guard units – and, as a lieutenant, to boot!"
"Lieutenant of Musketeers?" D'Avaloy says, laughing loudly. "They couldn't have picked a better man!" he adds, mockingly.
"Too true , I was the better man," l'Forney concludes, insinuating that he was a better pick than d'Avaloy for the position.
D'Avaloy gets the point. And, after stopping his short laughing spell, he – now, with a very serious expression – takes a step toward l'Forney, to where he's only twelve inches away from him. L'Forney stands his ground, gravely staring at d'Avaloy, without even blinking an eye.
"Good," simply says d'Avaloy to him. Then adds: "But, a better man for the job should know not to insult a better man at the sword; for, he may see that a high rank does not entail that he's manly enough to back up his insulting words behind a blade!"
"All in good time, d'Avaloy," l'Forney says, beginning to smile once again. Then, as he leans forward a bit, he says with a wink: "Finish your other quarrels first."
At this, there's more laughter from the small group.
This last statement really does strike home! D'Avaloy knits his brows into a frown. Does l'Forney know of the mysterious note that d'Avaloy received just the night before?
"What do you mean, sir?" d'Avaloy asks, very seriously.
"Nothing, sir," l'Forney says, leaning back to where he was originally, and still continuing with his smile. "Soon enough, my friend," he implies, whilst starting to walk away, "soon enough!"
The small group of soldiers walk away also, and are still laughing at d'Avaloy – who is standing very still, quite vexed, not knowing what to think about what he had just heard. He finally breaks away from where he was standing, and looks all around to see if anyone is watching him. He notices nobody looking, so he proceeds on to the captain's office.
Walking into the captain's antechamber, d'Avaloy is greeted by a servant who asks what he's needing.
"An audience with my captain."
"Presently, lieutenant. Please have a seat, sir."
"Alright."
He sits on a chair near the entrance of the captain's chambers, while his mind is in a whirl. He hardly notices anything that is going on in the room because he is totally mixed up in his own thoughts; though he does imagine that he sees somebody looking at him. But, just as soon as he looks in that soldier's direction, the soldier returns his attention back to the small group of men with whom he was conversing. D'Avaloy shrugs it off as nothing out of the ordinary.
Just afterward, the servant walks out of the captains' chambers and asks d'Avaloy to enter. He does so.
"Lieutenant d'Avaloy, reporting for duty, sir," he says, saluting his captain, just as the servant leaves, who has shut the door behind him.
Captain Alexandre des Essarts, of his majesty's Guards – a middle-aged, yet slightly muscular gentleman – jumps up from behind his desk upon the soldier's entrance, holding out his hand for d'Avaloy to shake. Having, too, a look of concern about him.
"Are you feeling well, sir?" asks his captain, while d'Avaloy shakes his hand.
"Quite well, sir. Why do you ask?"
"There have been a couple of strange events that have happened since I had seen you yesterday," the captain announces.
"Yes, sir. I know. My brother had come to see you yesterday, asking where I lived."
"I was surprised to see that you have a brother, for I did not know that you had one. I was reluctant to give out your address at first; but, as you may or may not know, my personal servant has taken holy orders himself, and had been an acquaintance of your brother in the church, and he was able to verify him as a reliable and honest man. I then gave out your address on such grounds. However, having a brother that you have not seen in many years is hardly a strange occurrence, and is not what I am referring to; though, it was the first of a couple of events that were about you."
"Alright, you now have my curiosity up; for, verily, some strange things have been happening to me since last night, and not just my brother showing up. But, please tell me what you mean, sir."
"Well," continues Monsieur des Essarts, as he walks back around to his desk, sitting down again, "like I said, it started with your brother asking for your address; and, no sooner had he left, when a stranger showed up also asking for your address."
"A stranger?" d'Avaloy asks, interrupting his captain's tale.
"'Tis true . I had never seen him before. And, he said that you two have never met, but that he was trying to warn you that your life is in danger, and that it was most urgent for him to meet with you. I refused to give him your address, of course, but I promised him that I would send you a note, telling you of his request to see you. That is why I sent you that note last night."
"You sent me that note?" d'Avaloy asks, surprised, raising his voice a little.
"Of course. I signed it, didn't I?"
"Are you then my murderer?"
"Your murderer? What ever do you mean by that, sir?" asks the captain, with a frown.
"The note that was delivered to me last night was signed by my murderer, and was challenging me to a duel at noon today."
"Really?" says the captain, confused. "Well, I assure you, sir, that I sent you no such note; it was of an entirely different nature. You say that you have been challenged to a duel? Well, that is nothing new for you. But, what has become of my note to you, then? . . . Apparently, my messenger never reached you."
"The only messenger that I saw last night was one enveloped in a dark cloak, being careful to conceal their identity."
"I see," says the captain, thoughtfully, while looking away, as if he could more easily see this whole situation by looking out the window. "It appears," he continues, looking at d'Avaloy once again, "that my messenger is then dead."
"Dead?" asks d'Avaloy, frowning in his turn. "I don't think that it is as serious as all that, now!"
"My boy, I think that you are mixed up in a rather pretty net; and, the catcher is just about to reel you in."
It is now d'Avaloy's turn to look out the window, perhaps to see what his captain was seeing. He then turns back. "Are you sure?" he asks, with some doubt.
Looking attentively at his captain, while his captain looks attentively at him, d'Avaloy begins to reenact in his mind the events of last night.
"I have not yet told you all," the captain continues, not giving Charles any time to finish his thoughts.
"There's more?" asks d'Avaloy, his eyes widening.
"Yes, yes. It's concerning the stranger who asked for your address last night. It would seem that he didn't get too far. Only five minutes before you were announced this morning, I was informed that he was found two streets down, in an alley, dead! One of my Guardsmen who lives in that quarter happened to see him there, and had recognized him as to have been the one who visited me last night. I was just about to send a small troop out to search for you, but thank the Lord that you are safe and sound! I fear also for your brother's safety."
"Oh, as far as he is concerned, his God will protect him."
"His God?" asks the captain, curiously. "Is He not your God, as well?"
There's a moment of silence as d'Avaloy slowly answers: "...of course."
"I think that now, of all times, you will need Him for your well being."
"Of course," d’Avaloy mechanically repeats a second time.
The captain scans his lieutenant’s countenance with all the scrutiny of a parent who holds his child's protection in his hand.
"But, as far as this duel at noon is concerned," the captain says, continuing, "you must not attend."
"But, captain," d'Avaloy protests, with a slightly raised voice, "my honor is at stake!"
"You mean your life! You know as well as I that duels are forbidden. You, being an officer, have to set an example for the men."
"That's exactly why I must attend – to be an example!"
The captain sighs. "True," he admits, shaking his head a bit.
"What kind of a lieutenant would I be if I decline such an engagement?"
"A scorned and cowardly one."
"Now you see why I must attend – even at the risk of my life."
"I'm afraid that it will be at the risk of your life. This letter that you mentioned smells of ambush to me!"
"Well . . . what must one do?"
"Well, one – such as myself – will send an attachment of Guards with you to make sure that all will be fair play . . . Unofficially, of course."
D'Avaloy smiles at his captain's cleverness. "Of course," he says, with satisfaction.
"Still," the captain continues, "we must find your brother for protection."
"If I know my brother, he will show up at the duel at noon. Otherwise, I know not where to find him."
"Why do you say that he will show up at your duel? Is this priest fond of fighting?"
"Nay; but, fond of saving my soul! That is why he was looking for me last night, to get me to give in to his – I mean our God."
"Oh, I see . . . Well, a little religion never hurt any soldier; myself included. I pray under my breath before every skirmish, bloody as well as political – though, there's very little difference between the two! Well, if your brother will be at this duel, as you say, then we must try and convince him that his life is perhaps in danger, as well. Hopefully, waiting until noon won't be too late to warn him. Get this matter over with as quickly as possible, and I will try and find out what this whole thing is about concerning you as best as I can."
"Thanks, good captain."
"Don't thank me yet – there's still much we must do!"
END OF CHAPTER 2
This book has already been published, and is available at Amazon(dot)com in both Trade Paperback and Kindle Ebook.
