Surprise Guests at Lauvitel

1203, Summer

Guillaume had brought the news, including the exact date of next summer's tribunal. It would be held at Rochehaut this time; by tradition in the Cisalpin Tribunal meetings were not held consecutively at the same Covenant, and at the last Tribunal Pandrin had hosted, but was able to deny Bremerren the right to host the next Tribunal. Gossip in the Tribunal marked this as a sign of Bremerren's decline, and Pandrin said openly that Bremerren had fallen into Winter. To Rochehaut, therefore, fell the hosting duties for this tribunal.

With Guillaume had come Antoine, who was preaching regularly to the villagers when he was not catching up with Etienne on the events of the last few years.

Into this pleasant ferment came an unsuspected shock. The farmers in the lower village heard hoof-beats down the valley, and soon after a small troop of men, led by one of the peasants of Venosc, rode into view and approached.

Leporideas walked out of Phillippe Charpentier's shop at the sound of the commotion. The young mage walked slowly out to the horsemen and raised his hand in greeting. "Welcome to Lakehome."

There were eight horsemen and Leporideas saw immediately from their equipage that they were come from the Bishop of Grenoble. Seven were soldiers of some kind, one looked like a clerk or priest. This last looked over Leporideas carefully, obviously trying to place him in the hierarchy with which he was familiar and just as obviously failing. "Good afternoon," he said at last. "I am Father Jurgen. Whose domain is this?"

Leporideas looked around somewhat bufuddled at the question, in hopes that a villager would chime in.

"Come now," the man became impatient. "Who is lord here?"

Silence greeted him. Growing more impatient, the priest continued, "I was told the lady Lilia Abdelnour dwelt here at Lauvitel, or as some call it, Lakehome. I see no suitable dwelling. Does the lady live here?"

Leporideas perked up at the mention of Lilia, "Oh yes. The lady Lilia does call this home." He stepped forward, "if you would wait here I'd be honored to fetch her."

The man made a sign of assent.

Leporidaes looked around frantically among the gathered villagers catching the eye of Etienne walking up to see what the commotion was about. The fisherman spoke up, "What is going on here?"

The young mage sighed in relief that someone more attuned to such matters had arrived, and started off toward the covenant. As he rounded the closest building he changed into his hare form and was soon at top speed racing across the field.

The priest eyed the insolent man in front of him. "I seek the lord of this land and the lady Lilia Abdelnour. That one," he waved in the direction Leporideas had taken, "said he would fetch her."

"That one," he imitated the man's tone," will do as he says. What is your business here?" replied the man who did not seem intimidated by the priest.

"Taxes," said the man succinctly. "And other things." He looked about him with a proprietorial air.

Etienne looked around and answered, "We are not interested in taxes," bringing some chuckles from the growing crowd. Sensing that he had pushed the man just about as far as he was comfortable, Etienne relented. "While you wait, would you or your men like something to drink? your ride must have been hard."

"Yes, that would be good," he dismounted and indicated that his men should do the same. He looked around, noting the carpenters shop and the small farms set into the canyon walls. "The lake is up there?" he asked. Receiving a nod he continued to examine the surroundings as they waited for Lilia.

Eyeing the men suspiciously Etienne probed for information casually, "You mentioned other things as a reason for your visit. Is there anything I can assist you in. I have lived here for over a year." Etienne was concerned, for Antoine had arrived not much earlier and here was a priest with an armed contingent, he hoped it was a coincidence.

"The bishop wishes to know more about his correspondents," said the Priest. "There is no reeve here? No representative of the lord?" Father Jurgen returned the probe.

"Lady Lilia will address your concerns," he answered. "If you would excuse me, I must get back to my tasks." Etienne bowed ever so slightly and returned to helping Phillippe bend a wheel.

Lilia, just readying herself to visit Marcel and the pigeons, was surprised to see Leporidaes. "Goodness!" she exclaimed, seeing Leporidaes' flustered face. "Take a deep breath and tell me what has you in such a dither." "There are men at the village, one is a priest, that have come looking for the lord of the land. They mentioned your name." He rapidly caught his breath, and cinched the woolen wrap around him that he grabbed on the way into the convenant. Fortunately, he remembered to save Lilia the embarassment of seeing his naked form...this time. "Oh, dear. I imagine they come from the Bishop in Grenoble. I had a feeling he would not let all his questions go unanswered so easily." She moved to the mirror to fix her hair and adjust her dress, hoping to look a lady to meet the visitors. "Lucien... Leporidaes, would you quietly let Terrus know these men are here. He is truly lord here, though I doubt he or the priests want to deal directly with each other. Tell him I will try to handle whatever they want, but may need him, should the requests of our visitors outdistance my authority." Lilia flashed a nervous smile and touched Leporidaes' arm in reassurance as she passed him on her way out to the visitors. "I am glad to be found, Father. Pray, what brings you here? Surely there is no ill news from the Bishop so fast on the heels of our pleasant visit." Lilia smiled warmly at the priest. "No, no ill news," said the priest. "His Excellency is well. He simply wanted to send along a few pigeons," the man pointed to a cage attached to one of the horses, "and was interested as well in this village which has so recently sprung up in his diocese. We must stay overnight, certainly," he said he looking at the sky, "and perhaps for a few days. I will hear confession and say Mass."

"Of course! We shall see what we can do to put together a suitable feast this evening so you may meet the villagers and they you." She took the pigeons from the man. "I shall hand these lovely creatures off to Marcel, my pigeon keeper. Would you care to meet him now, or would you like to see to your horses and settle in."

"I fear we have no inn here, nor adequate accommodation. We can provide you warm water to wash and food and drink, but you may have to camp outside. For that, I am sorry." She gave him her warmest smile. "Now, what would you care to do first. I am at your service."

"No lodging?" the priest seemed slightly incredulous, but then he looked around.

Phillippe Charpentier spoke up, "You are welcome to rest in my workshop. It is not much, but it is better than nothing."

"Yes," the priest nodded again.

	*		*		*		*

Jurgen celebrated Mass and listened to confession, a little surprised that the peasants all claimed to have confessed recently; which they had courtesy of Brother Antoine.

Eventually, frustrated and suspicious, but with outward smiles, Father Jurgen and his men left, taking a few pigeons with them to return to Grenoble.