MISFIT

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

France, 1307

Summer wasn’t sure why this particular person in whose presence she had come to find herself in had taken a special liking to her. His name was Gregory, a name she couldn’t trace in the history of France. She had never been a big fan of history but Kuzo probably would identify him. He was Tall, slender and a beauty that could be likened to a maiden. He was a beautiful man, she could say, with curls in his hair and lips ladies in her time would have made appointments with cosmetologists to have. A fine brown line of mustache graced his upper lip. He was extrinsically attractive.

On this particular day, she found herself walking with this stranger in the Kings Court, she had come to know he was an amazing swordsman. After what had happened in Rome, she had become a target, some had called her a witch, some had called that she be burned at the stake but thankfully, Gregory was there and had cooked up some story about she being French and under the protection of the French Monarch and no harm should befall her. She had travelled with Gregory back to France and she fit in perfectly with the crowd till the Kings son, Louis had confessed he admired her to is best friend, Gregory.

"You've already told me not to ask questions about where you came from, so I won't, you seem so learned"

"I just know quite a lot about…..certain things"

"Like?"

"Time, History, Poetry…."

"Poetry" Gregory repeated and then he stood before her and smiled, his pale blue eyes looking directly into hers.

"In that book, which is my memory,

on the first page,

that is the chapter when I first met you,

appear the words,

here begins a new life……
la Vita Nuova, Dante Aleghieri" Gregory said.

"Beautiful, but Dante Aleghieri was Italian, I didn't think a man as you would be intrigued with foreign literature"

"Why, if I might ask?"

"I'd rather think a man like you would be more fascinated with exploring women, finding treasure, winning wars and strategizing, a man like you would rather be more interested in good wine, good food and…."

"Women?" He concluded for her. She shied away.

"Well I am fascinated by good wine, good food and pretty women too but on a scale of one to ten, my admiration for battle falls below a quarter"

Gregory said and she began to walk again, he followed at her side.

"Tell me milady, what would you like in a man, wait, let me guess, good charms, strong arms, large farms?" He said and she laughed.

"You really do love words" Summer confessed.

"I find it rather charming that your name happens to be my most favored time of year, you are a mystery, has anyone ever told you that?"

Summer hesitated.

"No" Kuzo popped up in her head.

"Your friend…" He began to say, as if he had read her mind.

"You do think of him, you're tensed…..worried"

"I should be, I'm in France in the year 1307…"

"Which year would you rather prefer?" He laughed, finding her statement amusing. She knew why, she kept mute and refrained from saying any more to substantiate therumor that was already spreading like wildfire about a sorceress among them.

"It’s a crazy year, I wouldn’t want to be in it either, with all this templar nonsense going on, and the King being outraged about this empire within….."

Then it hit her. She froze.

"What is today's date?"

"October 5th" Gregory replied.

"Friday the 13th, the Templar arrests" Summer thought aloud. There was a second of silence that felt longer than just a tick.

"How did you know that?" Gregory for the first time looked at her like she indeed was a witch.

"I know this sounds crazy, but I do know about the Templar arrests on Friday the 13th of this month, I know De Molay is gonna be charged and tortured, I know some are gonna be burnt at the stake for false crimes made up by high officials of the King"

"Don't talk like that, it is treason"

"But it is true…look, I don't know why I was brought here, I don't know why I met you but I do know we cannot stop what's gonna happen but there is something here that I have to find and i need to speak with the Templars, they might know how I could get to it"

"Do you know anyone I could talk to?"

"Well I do know someone who could help"

"Who?"

"Louis, he's the only other person who can get us an order to get one of those Templars to see us"

"That’s your plan?, are you crazy, the King cannot know, look I know Louis is your friend but we can't risk the King finding out"

"Just leave it to me, come, I'd take you back to your quarters, wait there, id send you a message" Gregory said, Summer sighed.

***

Louis leaned against the fine table in his chambers, the hand that held the golden goblet with wine interlocked with the free hand against his chest and he stared at his friend like he was blurting out words from a drunken mind.

"So you're saying Summer, innocent, naïve, Summer has business with the Templars, France's greatest threats?"

"Look it's not what you're thinking Louis and this girl is anything but naïve, she knows about the raid on the 13th which hasn’t even been decided by the King yet.

At that, Louis slowly placed the goblet on the fine wooden table, a treasure believed to have been made by Da Vinci himself.

"How does she know that, she could be a spy"

"Oh come on, she's not, I need to speak with her" Louis said.

"Hey don't go causing any messes" Louis ignored his friend and walked out, Gregory followed.