PROLOGUE
MAY 1307
THE ROYAL DUNGEONS, PARIS
Philippe walked gingerly down the steps into the dank, fetid air of the dungeons, a trip he had done weekly ever since Jaques De Molay had been captured. ‘God willing, the old fool will talk this time.’ Philippe thought to himself.
So far, despite horrendous tortures De Molay had refused to speak.
Philippe stepped over the freshly laid straw and gagged at the smell, feeling his shoes sink into whatever excrement and urine was underneath.
He looked over at the naked De Molay crouched in a corner, suspended by chains that held him in position, not allowing him to sit properly and causing him severe pain in his broken legs.
The signs of torture were to be seen all over his body, welts from the whip, burns from the irons. Bruising and blisters covered his body, but it was the face that shocked Philippe the most; his eyes were bloodshot and the skin around then was purple. His mouth hung open showing empty tooth sockets where the torturers had yanked teeth during previous attempts to have De Molay confess.
‘Well old man. Are you willing to talk this time?’ Philippe snarled at De Molay.
‘I will talk with you, but only alone. If you wish me to speak, remove these cretins from my sight.’ De Molay answered.
‘Be gone all of you. I will be alone with this blasphemer.’
When all had left, De Molay motioned Philippe over.
‘My Lord King you may ask of me what you will.’
‘Old man, you know why I keep returning. I want the location of your Templars and the treasure.’
‘Sire, you have our treasure, unless your men stole our gold for themselves.’
‘Don’t fool with me De Molay. You know of the treasure I seek. I want the blasphemous head your minions pray to.’
De Molay shook his head and smiled before answering. ‘You can never be one who looks on the head; you are a heathen and blasphemer to the true God.’
Philippe raged towards De Molay kicking his legs. All De Molay could do was let out a quiet whimper.
‘Philippe, you and your puppet Pope are nothing. I am nothing. The word will live on. For every one Templar you have captured one hundred and more are now in hiding, and will wait their time, for it will come, and you and your like will kneel before the Knights of Solomon and beg for mercy.’
‘Old man, I promise you will beg for mercy before my inquisitors have finished with your body!’
‘I may be an old man, but I chose this end for myself. I will make you a promise as well. You should heed this as a final warning. Note to yourself the date I die, for within the following twelve months, you and your pope will also die, and it will be in my name. If I were in your shoes, standing in my shit, I would ensure that I came to no further harm and lived a long life. For when I pass to my Lord, the sands in the timer start running out for you, and my will be done, heed this you bastard oaf.’
Philippe stuttered, he knew of the power of the Templars and that ninety percent of the Knights, along with their prized treasures, had escaped his clutches. He knew that if De Molay said this then it would happen.
‘Old man, I will keep you alive, not out of fear, but because it will prolong your suffering, and I wish to see you beg to die.’
‘I am already dead to this world; you can only keep this husk as a reminder of your limited time. I am in another place which is great and good, now be gone you putrid imbecile or I might just stop breathing and start your death throws.’ De Molay then looked into Philippe’s eyes and let out a cackle showing his tortured mouth.
Philippe almost vomited and had to turn away. He then left the dungeon passing the guards and inquisitors.
‘Make sure De Molay continues to suffer, but if he dies then you all will have a taste of his suffering before you die. Do I make myself clear? De Molay is to remain alive!’
King Philippe returned to his chambers shaking with rage but also in fear. He shouted for his servants to bring wine and once it arrived he consumed enough for him to pass out in a stupor, only for De Molay’s toothless grin to torment him in his nightmares.
Back in the dungeon the inquisitors gently laid De Molay on the ground having removed his chains. One washed the body of the old man while another fed him bread and weak soup.
‘You do not need to do this.’ De Molay said between mouthfuls of soup.
‘My lord the King commands us to keep you alive and your suffering to continue on pain of our own deaths.’ a young inquisitor replied.
‘I am sorry for your suffering my Lord; your Knights were good to our village.’
‘Young man, do not fret for I am not in this place any more. I am happy, this body can only become a husk and I will no longer suffer. But for your own sake find another course of work; for Philippe will kill you all after this body succumbs. Heed my words, the King will destroy this body and then kill you all.’
Back in their quarters the inquisitors and guards discussed what De Molay had said.
Within a month half of them had been replaced, but three of them, including the young inquisitor, stayed to ensure De Molay’s continued life.’
JULY 1311
‘Albert’ whispered De Molay ‘why do you still stay here? I am weakening and the King grows angry at his failure to have me speak of our great ‘treasure’. I told you to leave for your own sakes.’
‘My Lord De Molay, I made a vow with my friends who also stayed to protect you, but also to allow the King to think you were still being tortured. I owe it to you and your Knights, my family know of this and are prepared to see my death as a forfeit to atone for my sins of torture in the hope I can see God and heaven before I am sent to hell.’
‘Albert you will see the angels in heaven for you have both my forgiveness and blessing but you must leave here soon. I will give you warning again, the King is going to have me burned at the stake before too long. I need you and your two friends to be as far from this place as possible before then. Will you do that for me?’
‘How can you be sure my Lord?’
‘I am sure of my death, but of the time and place I am still unsure but when I know you must leave.’
FEBRUARY 1314
‘Albert come closer, I need you to understand this.’ came the weak voice of De Molay.
Albert leant in nearer to the old man’s mouth. He felt shame at the state of De Molay. The once great leader of the Templars was indeed reduced to a husk, he had even insisted that they carry out torture on him and the cruelty of the past three years was now evident on his ravaged body.
‘Albert, heed this, my last words to you and your friends, I will die soon, by the fire and when I am gone Philippe will look to eliminate you all. I told you before but you refused to go. Now I do not ask, I order you all to leave tonight.’
‘But my Lord, who will attend to your needs?’
‘I will have little need of your kindness. I need you to carry a message from here to the Knights Teuton in the east. You must deliver it to the Großgebietiger Ludolf von Plauen. ‘Remember this phrase to gain entry ‘My Master is at one with your Master.' Repeat it.’
Albert did so.
‘Tell the Großgebietiger that De Molay wishes to seek justice for his captors within the year. Repeat it my boy.’
Again Albert repeated the words.
‘Now, you and your friends who have been kind to this old wreck; leave this place of death tonight and do not stop until you find the Knights I ask you to.’
‘What will you do?’
‘Why Albert I will die. I’ve known this all along and Philippe the bastard is now thinking that he will be safer if I am dead and gone.’
Albert knelt beside him tears rolling down his face. ‘Goodbye my Lord. May your going be peaceful.’
‘It will be.’ lied De Molay. ‘I no longer feel pain.’
That night three ragged men left the dungeons and headed out of the city. It took them three weeks to reach the territories of the Teutons and another two before they made contact with the Großgebietiger.
He listened to the words Albert spoke then lowered his head in prayer. ‘I have to tell you that Lord De Molay has been put to the fire more than a week ago by the Frankish bastard.’
Albert and his two friends had tears on their faces at this news and decided to confess to their part in the torture.
Von Plauen listened then spoke. ‘I know of all your deeds and that De Molay ordered you to carry on with his tortures. This he did for your safety, did he absolve you?’
‘He did sire.’
Then your part in this is over. You may all stay within these boundaries, or you are free to leave and if that is your choice then you will receive fair recompense.’
Albert chose to go on but his friends decided to stay.
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