Historical Setting: 793 C.E. Aachen, Francia
When I was a hermit at Tours new to the lands of Gaul, before the Merovingian kings were steeped in their own fratricides, Clovis was the head of that clan. He ruled from Aachen. And now these centuries hence, the lands of Burgundy, Aquitaine, Nuestra, and Austrasia are bound together again as Francia. The boundaries are easily lost in this unity. So, I’ve been sent to find the wise man for the king of all of Francia, who is known as Charles. Apparently, King Charles has chosen to restore the palace of Aachen and rule from that place once again.
Here, now, I find the old palace a construction site. Walls are dreams marked with scaffolding. The population is men in leathers cutting and hefting great stones quarried up from the bowels of the earth. It has no intricacies of a royal court. Only a plan.
I ask. “Where will I find Alcuin, the wise man for the king?”
“The king isn’t here.”
“I don’t need to see the king. I am looking for the scholar of his court, Alcuin. I have a letter to deliver.”
“The king isn’t here.”
This is not a problem of language. We speak the same words here.
“I do see the palace is under construction. So where is the business of the king being done?”
“We work for Odo of Metz. He will know where the place to put messages will be someday.”
“Is Odo of Metz here?”
“No.”
“Where can I find him?”
“In Metz.”
“Of course. When do you expect him here?”
“He will inspect on Friday in a month.”
“So, who is in charge here while Odo is in Metz?”
“I am.”
“Of course.”
Riding on to Metz is no obstacle for me. I wanted to find a reason to travel that way and perhaps wander through my lost homeland.
These summer days I follow rivers with familiar names. And so many years ago I knew the names of the innkeepers on this path, and they gave the wines their family names. All that is left now of what I once knew are the names of the rivers. Even the river path is called a particular road with a name. This road laid low in the river’s edge will soon carry the king’s entourage to the renovated palace.
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 