AVIGNON March, 1348 AD
The next morning, there came a knock at the door to Clément"s study. A flustered guard bowed and spoke,
“Sire, the Magistrate is without, says he must talk with you and it"s urgent.”
Clément hastily pushed a bottle on his desk out of sight behind a pile of parchments.
“Admit him.” This interruption displeased the Pontiff.
“What do you want, Magistrate? It is barely twenty-four hours since you were here. Do you not know I have a sermon to prepare for the sext service?”
“My apologies, Sire, but I have received grave news. After the deaths of last week, today there are more. A woman and her two children, then two sailors at the docks…”
Clément narrowed his gaze to the man.
“This is, as you say, serious news. Would it seem there"s something afoot?”
“We have not
