The Valley Beyond. T. A. Nichols
for taking certain risks mainly that of committing treason?” asked the bishop.
“If I am king, I will appoint you the archbishop of Toledo, a very powerful and rich office. Imagine, you will have jurisdictional authority over all the bishops under your domain, and I will overlook you pilfering the pockets of your flock,” said Don Raimundo with a smile of contempt.
The bishop sat up straight in his chair, as Don Raimundo hit a nerve. “What do you mean by such an accusation?” protested the bishop.
“Come now, Bishop. Don’t pull the look of innocence on me. I know that you steal from the collection plate after every service to live in a vainglorious manner. Remember, I’ve been to your palace and seen your silver candleholders, gold goblets, and expensive tapestries. In many respects, you live better than the king,” said an angry Don Raimundo, who attempted to quickly put an end to any misconceptions that the bishop might have in not backing his plan. He continued, “Don’t ever underestimate my abilities, Bishop, as it might be your last.”
The bishop sat back in his chair, took a drink of wine, and said with a smile as he put his goblet down, “Relax, Don Raimundo, what cleric would turn down an offer of being made the archbishop of Toledo? Just one more thing, since I am taking a great risk in helping you, I would expect to be paid a small percentage of the booty gained in your raids into the interior, as you have so boldly stated.”
Don Raimundo took a deep breath. “How much of a percentage?” he snapped.
“Oh, I’m not really a greedy person, Don Raimundo—say, fifty percent.”
Don Raimundo laughed. “Fifty percent? That’s outrageous! And you call yourself a cleric, a man of God.”
The bishop took a final gulp of wine, stood up, and said, “Everyone has his price, Don Raimundo, and that is mine. After all, without me to put the crown on your head, you will have no real legitimacy among the people. Also, once king, you will need my continued support, especially in clearing your name with His Holiness if he should decide not to recognize you as a legitimate king, even though your claim to royalty goes back to the Visigoths.”
Don Raimundo laughed. “Congratulations, my Lord Bishop, I have clearly underestimated you. All right, fifty percent. Just make sure that you turn out to be the ally who warrants such a fat price. Remember, I have spies in Segoia.”
The bishop laughed again. “So do I in Donato.” With that, the bishop walked to the door, turned back to Don Raimundo, who was eying him suspiciously as he walked out of the antechamber to leave, and said, “Until we meet again. Buenos días, señor.”
Don Raimundo was furious that he had been exploited by a cleric of all people, but the plan must go forth, and if it was costly, well, so be it.
Again thinking to himself, Don Raimundo realized that the amount of gold to pay for the size of the army needed to meet his objective would be more than he could currently put his hands on, but Doña Lucía’s wealth added to his own would make the difference. He must first obtain her wealth and her royal bloodline. This would take time. After all, she was only six years old, and to ask for her hand in marriage at such a young age, without the arrangement of a parent, would seem odd, if not suspicious. He must wait until she is at least twelve years old, the legal age of consent, and then make his move. Meanwhile, he would, over time, plan a strategy and find mercenaries to carry out his objectives when needed. Above all else, he must appear above suspicion at all times.
Both Don Fernando and Don Alfonso Coronado were convinced by the bishop to take the cross and go to the Holy Land for the greater good of Christianity despite the fact that much was still needed to be done to rid the peninsula of the Moors. Don Raimundo, to avoid suspicion, also agreed to take the cross as well and, most importantly, to ensure that his plan to have both of the above captured, which he had put into play, would be successful.
The king hated to lose his most trusted advisers and reluctantly gave his blessing but realized that he would still have Ávila by his side. The king was thankful that only a few thousand men had agreed to take the cross to go abroad to fight the Saracen, as the rest was needed to fight the Moors at home. The king appointed Don Fernando, Don Alfonso Coronado, and Don Raimundo to lead their countrymen to the Holy Land, and now plans were underway to organize the expedition.
Don Fernando decided to have Father Baldwin, whom he had come to trust, as Lucía’s regent, along with the king and queen, Lucía’s uncle and aunt. Avraham ben Shmuel, a Sephardic Jew from the royal court at Burgos, would assume the role of financial minister and ensure that all contracts were properly carried out until Lucía reached the age of consent. Zito would be in charge of the peasants in the vineyard, and Captain Gómez would remain in charge of the army of Segoia.
Don Alfonso Coronado decided to allow Isabella to stay in Segoia, to the glee of both Lucía and Isabella, as the two were now inseparable. Both would be under the tutelage of Father Baldwin. The Condado of Gustavo would be put under the direction of an alcaide appointed by the king.
The time to say goodbye was getting closer, as the camp of crusaders had been building outside the city walls for weeks. Tents of all sizes, shapes, and colors could be seen for miles. The scent of cooking food could be smelled throughout the city, along with the scent of rather nasty-smelling latrines.
Each day, Lucía and Isabella, when not doing their studies or other duties, went to the highest tower of the palace to watch as knights and soldiers, priests and bishops, along with an entourage of pages, squires, and servants from all over Castile, came to Segoia to make camp outside the city before they left for the Holy Land. In total, there would be five thousand souls to journey to the Holy Land, and for those who fought, the promise of penance and booty awaited. Many of the knights and soldiers wore a white surcoat over their chain mail embroidered with a bright-red cross.
The night before Don Fernando left for the Holy Land, the great hall was filled with barons and knights from all across the kingdom for a banquet. Lucía and Isabella, who were each seated next to each other and next to their fathers on the dais at the head table, engaged in their own conversation.
After the bishop gave a long-winded blessing, all partook in the feast. Father Baldwin, who was seated next to both Don Fernando and Don Alfonso Coronado, attempted to explain some of the conditions they could expect to find while in the Holy land, as to geography and climate, which could be quite unsuitable for some Europeans not accustomed to a hot, dry climate full of dust and sand flees. The king and queen were busy speaking to the bishop, and the Infanta, Doña Berenguela, was joining in the conversations with Lucía and Isabella. Everyone was having an eventful time, trying to forget their coming departure and whether or not they would ever see their homeland again.
The next day, Lucía went to the stable to say goodbye to her father. Don Fernando hoisted his daughter on top of a barrel. “Now remember what I told you, mi pequeño sol.”
“Sí, Papa, to obey, study, do my duties, and be good and not to cause any trouble, especially with Yamina, as she is getting up in age and can’t swing the spoon as hard as she was once able to do.”
Don Fernando laughed at her response.
“Papa, when will you be back?”
“Just as soon as I can, but in the meantime, I want you to be brave. Can you do that, Lucía, no matter what happens?”
“Sí, Papa. I promise.” She gave her father a final embrace. “Adiós, Papa,” said a tearful Lucía.
“Adiós, mi pequeño sol.”
Don Fernando took his daughter off the barrel, put her down, and mounted his horse with his barrel helmet tied to his saddle horn. Lucía used this time to study her father one more time to make sure that he was engraved in her mind so as to never forget his face. Don Fernando also paused for a couple of seconds and took one last look at his daughter, and then he rode off to join the very long column of men, along with supply wagons and various sundry varieties of animals, servants, and household staff who followed behind.
Everyone patiently waited for their leader to give the order to advance. Lucía