The Mindwalk Pavilion

20211109

The offices of the Pater Patrum Giovanni Archinto were bright and airy. Largely uncluttered, the room was a veritable art gallery of Mithraic art, which adorned every surface of the walls. The marble flooring reflected the seven grades of the Order of Mithras.

Archinto and his companions were lying on four lecti, arranged around a low table, on which were laid refreshments.

"It is a terrible thing for a woman to be taken so young. My deepest sympathies are with you Lucius. And the child?"

"It would have been a boy Pater."

"Ah! A sad loss indeed, a terrible loss." The Father of Fathers leaned across and laid a consoling hand over that of Fernando Lucius de Moncloa, the Proconsul of Iberia.

"Without death life would have no meaning Pater." Lucius was philosophical about his losses, "and I thank you for your kind thoughts."

"You were not there?"

"No Pater, the child was not thought due for some weeks. It was my intention to have set out for Albion to be with her, when I received the news. Instead I came here, as I knew that you would wish to know of this."

"That was very devoted of you Lucius. A note from our ambassador Pater Palladio found us here scant hours before your own arrival. You're of course correct, the islands of Albion are often in our minds, and we welcome your most valuable input to our discussions. We must consider the implications of a new Queen."

"It is quite certain that they have chosen the young woman Boudica to be their Queen?" This question came from Bernado Filippo Bruno, a cadaverous figure who controlled the finances of the Mithraic church.

"Yes quite sure. I received a message from one of my friends on the Celtic Council. Within hours of poor Mary's death, Boudica had been selected as the new Queen."

"It seems a strange choice, I would have thought Cecil would have made a better choice, or even that young peacock Pawl Llewellyn." Bernardo frowned, "We do not know how they are selected?"

"Mary would not tell me. Me! Her own husband, and she refused to discuss it."

"It is rumoured that their foul witchcraft is involved. It could be that they summon demons to guide their choices." Gaius Suetonius Paulinus was Proconsul of Gaul, and had a peculiar horror of what he termed the 'foul Celts' abominable practices.'

"However they arrived at the choice, we now have to reassess our position in respect of Albion." said Archinto.

"What does Palladio say about her?" asked Bruno.

"She is another Tudor, Queen Mary's step-sister. The daughter of King Harry and Katherine Rothersay, his third wife. Twenty two years old, unmarried and unattached. Palladio states that she of high intelligence and fluent in several languages. Lucius, you have met her I believe?"

"I have Pater, and she is a pleasant young woman, though rather serious and reserved. I would agree with Palladio that Boudica is highly intelligent. I have heard that she is a talented witch."

"As was Mary." Interjected Suetonius.

Lucius glowered briefly.

"As was Mary, yes. Yet despite your misgivings she never practised her arts upon me Suetonius, and I believe she was close to becoming a dutiful wife, who acknowledged Mithras."

"We will never know now, so that is rather academic Lucius." Suetonius tossed back.

Ignoring the rude interruption, Lucius addressed his next remark to Archinto.

"I believe Pater, that it may be possible to repeat the experiment with perhaps even greater success."

Archinto, his thoughts unreadable behind a mask of neutrality, regarded Lucius.

"Do you mean that we should find a suitor for the new witch Queen?"

"I was going to suggest that I should present myself as a suitor."

"Is that likely to work? There was an age gap between Mary and yourself, Boudica is even younger."

"I do not think that need be a bar to my marrying her. As she is young, she will naturally look up to her elders, she could be led. The Celts will see the advantages to an ongoing relationship with the Proconsul of Iberia."

Suetonius made a sound that could have been a snort. Lucius refused to be drawn.

"I had heard that many in Albion were unhappy with your marriage Lucius."

"Perhaps amongst the peasants, but the members of Council are more pragmatic. They understand that marriage between powers is politic. Normal considerations of age and romantic inclination are suspended if a suitable match offers itself."

"I see that you are already set upon this idea Lucius." said Bruno, and a half smile played upon his lips, "Apparently she is a very comely woman."

"Do you honestly think that their council will let you, the widower of their late Queen, roll up and marry her step-sister, who happens to be their new Queen? I find the notion to be somewhat outlandish to say the least." Suetonius' voice dripped with disbelief.

"I believe I could persuade their new Queen to favour me." shot back Lucius.

"Can we find no other suitors for her?" asked Archinto, "With no slight intended to yourself Lucius, would not some handsome young buck serve better to sweep her off her feet?"

"You will forbid me to try then Pater? As the late Queen's husband, I have the perfect excuse to visit and share commiserations with her dear sister."

"Step-sister" corrected Suetonius.

"There was as much love and affection between the two that they could have been fully sisters." Lucius' tone was dangerous.

"That is true Lucius." Bruno soothed, then he addressed Archinto, "I think it would do no harm for Lucius to make a play for her, and as he has stated, he does have the perfect excuse to move quickly. There is little to lose and much to gain in what he proposes."

Lucius gave Bruno an appreciative nod.

"Very well, Lucius you may make your play for her with my blessing."

"Thank you Pater Archinto." Lucius shot Suetonius a triumphant look.

"We had better plan our next steps then." said Suetonius blandly.

"Indeed it is always prudent to have alternative plans." Bernardo Bruno agreed, "Do you have some suggestion Suetonius?"

"I do not think we should sully ourselves in contact with the witches. We should eradicate them."

Bruno rested the tips of his fingers together, and regarded Suetonius over them.

"Assuredly it is distasteful to have dealings with the Celts, but as I'm sure you are aware Suetonius, we cannot spare the resources to mount any serious attack upon them. Especially as they can call upon their witchcraft to aid them. Our forces are deployed to maintain a delicate stalemate with the heretics based in Silesia. The point of engaging with the Celts is to add their forces to our own for a time sufficient to destroy the heretics."

"Once that is achieved," he continued smoothly, "then we shall be able to turn our attention to cleansing Albion of its witches, and bringing the remaining populace under Roman control. Really it is a matter of pursuing our goals in the correct order."

Archinto now focused on Suetonius, who knew he could not argue against Bruno's analysis. He had been party to the plans for Albion, and understood the need to borrow their strength.

Grumbling he fired one last volley,

"If we launched a surprise attack on them in Chester, we could destroy their precious council and leave the rest ripe to be brought under my command."

This time it was Lucius who lectured him,

"Suetonius, you're ignoring the fact that these are witches. They have amongst their number those with the second sight. They see the future. It is not likely that a surprise attack would be any surprise at all. We would likely find them waiting for us, and they would use their witchery to destroy our troops. Besides, I do not think they should be under your command."

Bruno could see an argument brewing, and moved to head it off.

"This is all academic, we do not have control of Albion yet. Lucius has a plan to try and gain power, and for now that will have to suffice."

Archinto then brought the meeting to a close with prayers and a blessing.

Lucius and Suetonius left and went their respective ways, Bruno however remained.

Archinto asked,

"How are our alternative plans progressing Bernardo?"

"I am happy to say that it seems that Mithas has smiled upon us Giovanni. We now have a handful of probable psychics, one in particular seems very promising."

Archinto smiled and poured his friend another glass of wine.

"Go on." He invited.

"He is a Sicilian, goes by the name of Iliaster da Ragusa. He has the rank of Miles, and I'd say he was about 40. Son of a fisherman, with an uncanny ability to predict storms. He moves around a lot, usually when his powers have given him away."

"What powers?"

"It seems he has unconscious influence on the elements. Most recently he saved his brothers from a fire that had trapped them in a dormitory. As you might expect the story quickly grew, but several of the brothers attested that he commanded the flames, and they did not burn him. He was able to lift the latch on a door that was already blackened by the heat, yet his hands were unscathed. He has admitted that he influenced the flames, but states that he does not know how he did so."

"He does indeed sound promising. What is our next step?"

"We have some potential, now we need to nurture and grow that potential into something that we can use. One problem we face is that these potentials are naturally fearful of being hung as witches. I do not believe it would be productive for them to continue to have that fear."

"You have a suggestion Bernardo, I can tell."

Bruno pursed his lips.

"You know me too well Giovanni. I would like to suggest we set up a new and secret order of brothers. They will be given a sense of identity and purpose. They will appear to be scholars, tasked with rooting out heresy. This will provide them with a reason to have access to the Forbidden Library. Amongst the books placed on the Index are many of an occult nature, it would be useful for them to study these."

"Agreed. Do you have a name in mind for this new order?"

"I have given it much thought, and suggest we call them the Mithraides."

They will need a place to live and work in - somewhere remote, so that they can become the tools we require. They will have to be exempt from the usual constraints as regards the practices of an occult nature, so we must place them where they cannot be observed by those who would not understand the necessity of this."

"Such as Gaius Suetonius."

"Indeed."

"Will they be dangerous to us?"

"I have given the matter much thought."

"And what conclusions have your deliberations brought you to?"

"Any weapon is potentially dangerous to those using it. A cannon for instance may explode and kill those who intended to use it to assail a castle wall. These men could be very dangerous, but if we treat them well, and sell them the benefits of being a part of this secret order, they will be less so I think. If they do prove dangerous, then if they are all together in one remote place, it should be possible to employ a suitable force to destroy them."

"I am inclined to think it is worth the risk. This stalemate is debilitating, the situation must be pushed in our favour. Very well. You may found your secret order, I shall provide you with a charter enabling you to do so."

"Thank you Giovanni."

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes. I would like this Iliaster to take a leading role in getting things set up. It would be helpful if we could elevate him to at least the grade of Leo."

"Very well, I shall arrange that."

"Thank you Pater."

"You are welcome Bernardo. I have every hope that our alternative plans will prove to be the key to breaking our deadlock."

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