“I will give you a chance to defend yourself,” says Afonso III.

“You commanded the Queen’s confessor to give sacramental wine poisoned by you. You covered up the murder, by creating the Friars Minor myth of them predicting her death by divine intervention. A premeditated act of murder,” I admonish, while pointing at the Mestre.

“There is no way I murdered my Queen. I had no reason to,” says the Mestre.

“I can give you a good reason. Your motive for committing regicide, is that Afonso II specified that his son should be heir, and if he was in his minority, the Queen should be the ruler.  An extraordinary regent Queen she could have been. Her grandmother was Eleanor of Aquitaine and her sister was the regent Queen of France,” I say.

I inhale.

“But, you wanted to be the regent. The only way you could be regent, is if you killed the Queen,” I say with my voice rising.

“These are lies. You have no proof,” the Mestre says.

“It worked because you became the Chancellor in 1224, the year after the king died. Sancho II, the king’s eldest son, and the heir was only twelve years old. For eleven years, you were the most powerful person in the Kingdom of Portugal. After you became the Bishop of Guarda,” I say.

“More lies!” the Mestre says. His shaking is getting worse and mine has disappeared.

“I showed you had the motive to kill for power. I proved, you had the temperament, because you attacked a person injuring them seriously in Évora. I further showed, how you used people to commit a crime with your nephews attempted murder,” I say.

“Are you finished?” Afonso III asks me.

“Yes, I believe I am,” I say.

“Now is your chance to say something,” says Afonso III while looking at the Mestre.

“This trial is not real. This is conjecture and hearsay. I’m leaving!” he says as he floats away.

I taste metal in my mouth and I smell incense. I feel an ‘event’ coming on.

The members of the court surround him again and push him with their hands. Then they step away. Afonso II and Biatrix hold onto the Mestre.

“We have heard enough. I ask the members of the court, to give counsel whether Mestre Vicente is guilty of murdering Queen Urraca,” says Afonso III.

He looks toward the Saints. The three nod. Afonso II shakes his head and nods. Queen Urraca nods. Biatrix nods.

“I agree with the advice. I find Mestre Vicente guilty of murdering Queen Urraca,” says Afonso III.

“What will happen to me?” Mestre Vicente sobs.

Afonso III turns to me and says, “Thanks very much for your help. You have been an excellent advogado[1].”

I nod to him. I lean on Dad and take off my glasses. Dad puts them in their case. We leave the tomb room and exit the monastery. I feel like a heavy weight has been removed from my shoulders. I’m pleased I showed Queen Urraca and her husband can proceed to heaven whatever that is.

Footnote

[1] advogado – lawyer

Read Chapter 28 The Drive Home