I.I - Hugh at Bonneval Abbey
I.I
In the House of the LORD; Bonneval Abbey
Hugh of Murat
It was after Terce that Hugh now found himself in the presence of his master, Friedrich of the Palatinate, in a section of the library reserved for theological discussion. The older monk was considered by many of their order and beyond as a wise man; Hugh, by extension, was therefore considered to be lucky to find himself the novice to Friedrich.
he had not initially felt lucky; their relationship had begun somewhat poorly. Friedrich was an intellectual and theologian of the highest sort, a master of rhetoric and logic. His career had begun in the service of the Elector Palatinate where his advice was considered sage, even at a young age.
Hugh, on the other hand, was of peasant stock. His people were farmers since time immemorial in the Auvergne. While he barely remembered his father and mother, he did recall that they sacrificed greatly to put him among the number of the Cistercians so that he could avoid the tumultuous conflict his countrymen found themselves in against the English. While it was no guarantee that they had saved him from the chaos of the wars, he liked to believe so; it made their sacrifice more Christ-like.
Their pairing did not seem to be divinely ordained. It was natural then from their backgrounds that Friedrich and Hugh had many miscommunications early on. It seemed at times that, while they were discussing the same topic, Friedrich's words had so many different meanings Hugh could not decipher which was most appropriate and he often selected the incorrect version. As a result Hugh often found himself confused as opposed to illuminated, something that must have initially offended the sagacity of his master. Those early memories now seemed funny in retrospect, whereas they were frustrating in the moment.
Friedrich raised a white, fuzzy brow, somehow aware Hugh had become distracted.
"Apologies, master." Hugh offered.
The elder man chuckled, "It is not entirely unexpected for a novice to be prone to distractions. Nos Veniam Vitia in Adolescentia. Would you like to discuss where your fancy has taken you? Sometimes it is worthwhile pursuing a thought brought to us not from the rational mind, but from the inspired."
"No," Hugh almost blurted, feeling his cheeks grow flush. Another testament to the growth between the two was that Friedrich had softened somewhat, interpersonally, as Hugh's acumen with theology grew. It seemed a reward that Friedrich would sometimes now treat him less as a novice and more as a peer. Asking about flights of fancy was nonexistent early on.
The man nodded, "Very well. Now, where were we?" He glanced down at his desk. "Ah, yes. If we were to examine the core principles revealed to us by St. Bernard in this treatise-"
"Master Friedrich." Another monk, Guy of Vendome approached. The gaunt man held in his hand a sealed letter. The novice's eyes were drawn towards the wax seal that fastened the letter - mon Dieu! Two crossed keys, the Curia! Guy held out the letter, erect and full of the authority granted a messenger of the holy vicar.
Friedrich nodded and received the letter from his peer, "Thank you, brother."
Hugh perked up and tried to spy the contents as his master broke the seal. Guy too seemed to be rather nosy, as the man retreated somewhat but stayed in the vicinity.
Friedrich began to read, but stopped and smiled. "Brothers, if this information concerns you I will assuredly let you know with haste."
Hugh leaned back, flush once more, and Guy bowed somewhat before exiting the room awkwardly.
The elder monk resumed reading, he mouthed some words early on but stopped as his eyes lowered down the page. Finally, he stopped and put the missive on his desk. The man sighed, "It seems the lessons from St. Bernard will have to wait still. It must be divine providence at this point that we pause our reflection."
"What did it say, master? Was it from the pope?" Hugh asked, forgetting himself.
The elder monk, with restraint, knocked Hugh's head with two knuckles, "Come now, lad."
Hugh apologized, and his master relented. "It seems to me we are due a trip. We must seek our abbot's permission, but it seems to me that is the least of our barriers. Horse and safe passage, provisions, and such must be obtained as swiftly as we are able."
For a peasant-turned-monk whose memories outside the abbey were slim, the excitement inside Hugh that now had built was nearly uncontainable. A chance to explore the outside world beyond just reading about it! He never realized it before now, but on the verge of it becoming reality, Hugh realized how much he yearned to see the lands beyond their abbey. Now he knew he was in fact lucky, for his noviceship with Friedrich was surely the factor in their selection of a holy mission - whatever that may be.
Friedrich must have sensed this as he grinned, "Come now, Hugh, we should not delay in seeking audience with the abbot."
The two men rose to leave, the act caused the letter to fall from Friedrich's grasp. As the elder monk bent over to grab it, Hugh spied a name near the bottom: "Ioanna de Arc."