Chronicles of the Brittany Kings Part 5

 5

Constan left the hall and proceeded to the chapel at the rear of the castle. He was there when he was not needed for training or at the hall with his father, the King. The lad took to the altar and prostrated there. He found his solace with God there, ever since the departure of his mother.

Constan hardly knew his father who was away most time, but he was cared for by servants and tutors. They gave him almost everything he needed but real love. He strived for it but even his mother forsaken him.

“You are your father’s son, not of mine. I cannot bear with you near me.” Constan heard his mother then and was shunned by her. He was too young to understand and soon the chambers resonated with other babies' cries. He was told by the servants, that he has a brother and then another, but was never told of their mother. His father held the babies were his only consolation that they were his brothers.

Constan grew up with them; with some years apart but he learned to love them as they were of his bloodline. It was when he was older, he was with Lord Vortigern most time. With the Lord, he learned new skills and soon found himself further away from his brothers. Lord Vortigern nurtured himself differently; teaching him fighting skills. He learned to kill the living creatures, and how to skin the furs. 

“You will be King one day, and for one to survive as a King, you need to know how to fight like one.” Lord Vortigern told him from the onset of the training. “No one respects you if you are weak. They will kill you then. It’s the way of life.”

Constan learned that until he met Gildas the Monk. He saw the monk in the chapel one afternoon in deep prayers. He saw behind the monk and after a long session of silence, the monk turned to him.

“Young Constan, I am appreciative you are here. Have you completed your training with the Lord?” Gild asked the lad. Constan had seen the monk in the castle some period back and ignored him as many others stayed there as guests, but that monk was near his father most times. He saw them argue and at times in deep prayer.

“Who are you, monk?” Constan had asked.

“I can see the arrogance run deep in the bloodline.” Gildas smiled. “My name is Gildas, and man serving God. I shelter inside his house most and ever willing to extend an invitation to others. Are you here on his invite?”

“I am named Constan, the eldest son of the King, and this castle is my home. This chapel is …..” Constan reply was cut short.

“This chapel is only a chamber if God does not hold it as his chapel. Do you know what is a chapel?” Gildas looked at Constan. “The Chapel is the chamber where one can talk to God. Ad God talks back. Why are you here, young lad?”

“I… I am here to pray. I do my prayers to God here.” Constan replied. “Alone.”

“As it would for you. Please proceed. I have done mine. God is free to talk with you.” With that Gildas took leave of Constan but the words of the former rang in deep inside Constan mind. It was much later, that Constan approached the monk for more talks on God, and soon he was spending more time with God.

“You are spending time with the monk. He will make you weak.” Lord Vortigern cautioned the young lad. The Lord saw his acts of mercy and disliked them. He knew the cause of it was Constan’s mind was eroded by the monk. “You will be weak as a King. It was seen in the battles. I will need to re-train you.”

With the opposition of his mentor, Constan’s mind was in conflict and thus he spend more time reconciling with God for the direction as he did when younger after the loss of his mother’s love.

“You are here with God again, Constan.” The lad heard the monk coming in and taking the place next to him before the altar. “How do you find your time with God?” 

“I am reconciling my thoughts, Father Gildas.” Constan replied.”How is my birth father doing? I did not see him much with the campaigns ongoing.”

“Your birth father fares well. He will soon embrace God as you did. It’s the works of the ‘superbus tyrannus’ that sow the seeds of evil into your father and soon yourself. Bear my words, that Lord is no mentor to the ways of life.” Gildas held a personal dislike for Lord Vortigern and refused to call his name, and used the pseudonym; ‘superbus tyrannus’ to identify the Lord. “He is the evil personified here.”

Constan kept his silence on the accusations. At times, he had questioned his affiliation with the Lord but to be King, he has to learn both lessons of good and evil. And more to it, Lord Vortigern is influential and held an army outside the castle. It’s his loyalty to the King that stayed within his reach to topple the King.

“Has he come to redemption on the killings?” Constan asked Gildas. He had heard of the killings at the monastery. It was the talk of the land but none will accuse the King lest they lose their heads. Constan had not killed anyone in battle; wounded or maimed. He was taught that life is a gift of God, and should be preserved till God calls its return. His reluctance to take life was one of the weaknesses seen by Lord Vortigern.

“Soon, my son. Soon, he will come to seek redemption for it.” Gildas replied. “Even sinners in the clutches of the Devil can be offered redemption if they confessed and accept the right lessons.”

“Amen, Father.” Constan took to offer the prayer to his father. His thoughts went out to his brothers. They are of the same age as the sons of Lord Brian. He recalled the four lads playing together and now they are dead. The news of the killings never reached the brothers’ ears or if they knew they did not speak of it to him. Lord Vortigern forbids anyone to mention this in the castle. Even the other Lords were forbidden to speak with the King on it.