The Council of the Cursed

‘Brother Gillucán was sitting calmly at our table last night,’ the abbot reflected sadly. ‘Now he is dead, killed by robbers while leaving the city this morning, his body stripped and dumped in the river after his throat was cut. How can such things happen?’

‘I meant to ask Brother Chilperic how Gillucán was recognised as belonging to the abbey when it was his naked body that was discovered in the river?’ asked Eadulf, sipping his water.

‘Apparently by his tonsure. Some boatmen brought the body to the abbey to be identified.’ The abbot looked troubled. ‘As a senior member of our delegation, I asked Brother Gebicca to examine the body so that I could make a proper report to the bishop of Ard Macha.’ He hesitated. ‘When he did so, there was one thing which he found curious.’

Immediately Fidelma’s head rose a little. ‘Go on,’ she said.

‘They cut poor Brother Gillucán’s throat and threw him in the river…but in spite of that, faeces were clinging to parts of his body, under his fingernails and smeared on his flesh. I had to order that his body should be completely washed and ritually cleansed before burial. It was as if the poor boy had crawled through a sewer before his death. It was rather disgusting.’

Fidelma was thoughtful. ‘The river where he was found…do the city’s sewers empty into it?’

‘I suppose so,’ admitted Abbot Ségdae.

‘Were the sewers at the spot where he was found?’

‘Not really. But even with the sewerage in the water, well…that would not account for the smearing on his legs and arms. The current of the river is quite strong as it passes by the city walls and the effluence is carried along rapidly. I would not have thought it would have covered his body in the way it did if he had simply been immersed in it as it flowed down the river. It seemed to me, as I have said, that he had crawled through it or had been flung in it.’

The abbot was clearly distressed at the idea of the mistreatment of the young religieux.

‘It does seem curious,’ Fidelma admitted quietly. ‘And no witnesses have come forward? I mean, no one who saw Brother Gillucán leave the abbey, pass through the city gates or noticed if anyone was following him? I thought guards were at the city gates all the time.’

‘I am told by Brother Chilperic that the guards saw no one. No one at all. Tell me, Fidelma, do you think that there is some connection between the deaths of Dabhóc and Gillucán?’

‘I wish I could give you an answer, Ségdae. On face value, there seems none, and yet I do not entirely believe in coincidences.’

‘So you have come to no conclusions as yet?’

‘Not yet.’

‘So sad, so sad,’ muttered the abbot. ‘Brother Gillucán was leaving for home this morning. He told me that there were some pilgrims going back to the five kingdoms who were staying in the city. He was supposed to be travelling with them.’

‘It would have been better to have joined their party,’ agreed Fidelma, glad that the question was raised, as she could not have mentioned that Gillucán himself had told her as much. ‘What made him change his mind?’

‘I don’t know,’ replied the abbot. ‘He seemed strangely frightened last night. The first I knew that he had left on his own was when Brother Chilperic announced the finding of the body.’

‘Who were the pilgrims?’

‘Three members of the community of Mágh Bhíle in the north. They had been staying as guests of a wealthy lady in this city. Beretrude is her name.’

Fidelma did not allow herself to show any recognition of the name and hoped Eadulf would not say anything.

‘Do we know whether he contacted these three pilgrims before he left?’

‘We don’t. I am told they left this morning.’

‘Are many religious attacked by robbers in such a fashion in these parts?’ asked Eadulf.

‘According to Brother Chilperic, it is unusual for a religious to be killed by robbers. They are usually interested only in money or goods, not in taking a life.’

‘Yet poor Brother Gillucán was stripped and robbed and, although we cannot be sure, his naked body was defiled by being thrown into excrement,’ Fidelma observed thoughtfully. ‘The circumstances sound unusual at the least.’

Abbot Segdae regarded her unhappily. ‘This council is turning into a nightmare. If it were not for the important decisions that have to be made, I would suggest that our delegation withdraw.’

‘That would not be good politics,’ Fidelma pointed out.

‘You are right, of course. We must stay focused on the issues before us.’ The abbot rose abruptly. ‘I will leave you now, but if you come across any information which may help me with my report to Ségéne of Ard Macha…’ He did not finish but left them.

‘Brother Sigeric will be anxious to hear what we have discovered about Sister Valretrade,’ Eadulf told her when they were left alone.

‘Then we’d better tell him,’ Fidelma agreed. It was clear that her mind was elsewhere for the moment and they left the hospitia in silence.

They found Brother Sigeric at work in the library, sitting quietly in a corner transcribing some manuscript. He looked up and an expression of hope quickly flitted across his face. Fidelma’s demeanour told him there was none, however, and his features resumed their wistfulness.

‘We saw Abbess Audofleda, but she simply confirmed what Sister Radegund had told you-that Sister Valretrade left her community about a week ago, having refused to obey the Rule.’

‘Lies!’ snapped Sigeric hotly.

‘Why would you say they were lying?’ asked Fidelma.

‘Because she would not leave here without me,’ the young man replied simply.

Fidelma nodded sympathetically. ‘I have heard similar comment from Brother Budnouen.’

‘Budnouen used to take messages between us,’ Brother Sigeric acknowledged. ‘I had heard that he had returned to Autun but have not seen him yet. He is a merchant and…’

‘We travelled here with him the other day,’ Eadulf informed him. ‘The thing is, Sigeric, if Abbess Audofleda and Sister Radegund are telling lies, what is their purpose and where is Valretrade?’

Brother Sigeric scowled. ‘I’ll wager that she is imprisoned somewhere in the Domus Femini as a punishment for her relationship with me,’ he said, answering the second question first. ‘I will break in and find her.’

He half rose as if that was his immediate intention but Fidelma reached out a hand to stay him.

‘That will serve no purpose, my young friend,’ she said. ‘Calm yourself. Let us try to work out a better strategy. Meanwhile, you must have a care. If you are right about what has happened to Valretrade, then Audofleda might surmise you would take that action. I think that the abbatissa is one who will hold a grudge. She even threatened us with punishment.’

Brother Sigeric sank glumly back on his seat. ‘In the early days, Bishop Leodegar punished those who were reluctant to divorce their wives. He had some flogged.’

‘Do you mean that they were not given a free choice to leave if they did not agree with his Rule on celibacy?’ Fidelma was horrified.

The young scribe shrugged to show she was right.

‘It is hard to believe,’ observed Eadulf.

‘Yet believe it you must. I know it is unusual to you. From what I have heard, there are few places among the Gauls and Franks and even in your western islands, where abbots, bishops and the religious are not married. But these celibates are a small band of fanatics who can only impose their views by force.’

‘Can you give any reason why Abbess Audofleda would deny that Valretrade was in the Domus Femini?’

‘Only to keep us apart,’ was the young man’s immediate reply.

‘She claims that she knew nothing of your relationship. Sister Radegund supported her in that, saying that she had not mentioned your visit to the abbess.’

‘Then I say she lies again.’