SHREWD SERPENT 

"Look, I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves." - Matthew 10:16

Abbott Jeromy became excited when this verse crossed his mind. All his doubts and worries started vanishing away like early morning dew being exposed to the morning sunshine. The heavy heart that was burdening him was lifted away gradually. Why had he been so worried yet, all he had to do is present his burdens and worries to the Holy Mother.

'It all looks impossible, dauntingly heavy until it is accomplished', this phrase crossed his mind.

Reflecting on the message from the verse which had taken away his concerns. He discovered that he had to be shrewd like a serpent when dealing with this Knight Templar Yosef Gideon but also preserve his innocence as a servant of the church.

"Holy Mother, full of Grace, thank you for revealing to your humble servant this message in his deepest hour of need. All my worries have been laid to waste, pray you to grant me the courage and wisdom to implement this plan to complete fruition. Let our enemies be defeated in whatever schemes they may have laid before us."

Abbot Jeromy, raised his head from the cold concrete floor, with the back of his hand, wiped away the perspiration that had collected on his forehead. Knelt properly after adjusting his aching knees. With a fervent look of gratitude, folded his hands before his chest while looking at the altar with utmost conviction, of a man who was lost but is happy to be saved.

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word."

Finishing his prayer of gratitude, Abbott Jeromy stood up and adjusted his robe that had become wrinkled from kneeling and prostrating himself on the floor. Patted his neatly combed grey hair, ensuring it was not disheveled. This done, 'I think am now presentable, an Abbott has to maintain his dignity and prestige,' was the thought that he dwelt on.

He turned around and began walking slowly from the altar to the door at the farthest end of the monastery. His heavy sandaled footsteps echoed in the empty hall, he had never paid attention to the sound his footsteps made whenever walked in this hall since most of the time it was filled with pilgrims praying, or the singing of the choir. His heart swelled with excitement and pride. This is my church, the pilgrim treasure, and the Holy relic is ours. As the sovereign of this place, I will fight for what is ours even if it is Master Balian of Ibelin or his delegated Knight Templars.

He stopped in steps, looked at the roof, and raised his hands, before shouting.

"RENDER THEREFORE UNTO CAESAR THE THINGS WHICH ARE CAESAR'S, AND UNTO GOD THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S".

At the entrance to his office, he saw a figure dressed in the plain black uniform of a sister with a white veil, she was zealously cleaning the floor with a scrub.

Abbott Jeromy was thinking of how to deliver a message to Knight Yosef Gideon that he was not going to make it to their appointment. It was already more than one hour since the time they had agreed to meet up in the bathhouse. Knowing how rigid and stubborn Knight Templars were, he was of the view that this particular knight was still waiting for him. He had to send someone over to postpone this farce to another day.

Approaching her, "Hello sister Diana, thank you for your devotion to this work." He spoke to her, having discovered that it was someone he is familiar with.

"Hello Abbott, I will be done here shortly." Sister Diana replied while she bent to finish her task.

"Call for me brother Philemon, tell him to hurry up. I need to send him on an important errand. You can continue this after you have informed him" Abbott Jeromy communicated to sister Diana when he found her outside his office cleaning the floor.

"Ok Abbott, let me go and inform him immediately." Sister Diana bowed to him, as she put aside her scrub, wiped her hands, and went to inform brother Philemon.

Abbott Jeromy continued to his office. He sat behind the heavy wooden desk. It was a well-furnished desk, almost empty except for a small stack of folded papers & manuscripts on the right-hand side. Next to the stack of papers was a fountain pen lying on its side as well as a small inkpot made of glass. The dark blue ink had tainted the insides of the glass, attesting to its heavy use.

***

Meanwhile in the Roman bathhouse. Yosef Gideon was getting impatient and anxious to know what could have befallen the Abbott Jeromy for him not to show up to a meeting they all agreed upon.

He had waited for more than one hour. Some People had come and gone, but he was here still waiting. Alone in the big empty bathhouse. It was beginning to look awkward, him being the only person in the water.

To kill time, he had been moving from one end of the bathhouse to the other end and back. When he got tired of the water, he walked out, and laid back on the wooden bench next to the pool, looking at the light streaming through the circular skylight on the roof.

He even began thinking of hundred scenarios that could play out to prevent Abbott Jeromy from showing up.

'Maybe he has developed a severe case of indigestion or diarrhea, after all, he was a pompous and fat man with an exaggerated appetite. Looking at him, it looked like his priestly robes were straining on his bulky frame, and if he consumed a few extra meals. It could rip apart from the middle.'

'Maybe he had fallen sick, after all, he is an elderly man. These old men were susceptible to very many diseases in such a hot area like Jerusalem. Or he could have contracted a disease from the hundreds of pilgrims he greets daily.'

'Besides that, being an Abbott of a prominent monastery in Jerusalem was a full-time and demanding job. It could not be surprising if he had been taken up by abrupt and unplanned official duties. Just because it is mealtime does not mean he gets time off.'

'He could have also completely forgotten that we met yesterday night, and agreed to have a meeting today in this bathhouse. Some old men have poor memories, it is a natural process of aging.'

Yosef turned on the wooden bench. His heart was seething with frustration. He had also missed the meal time at the accommodation. The stomach was also starting to grumble. Informing him, that it needed to be taken care of even if he was preoccupied with thinking about the Abbott and his failure to turn up for their meeting.

'Since he has not turned up my now. He is most likely not going to show up, and am just wasting time sitting here. Let me head back to the accommodation, and find something to eat before I think of a proper plan on how to follow up with him.' Thought Yosef.

"Excuse me, Mister Knight!" A short, bald man with a few wisps of black hair on the sides of his head, piercing blue eyes, appearing to be about forty years. He was wearing a black hooded cloak, approached him as he waited to be given change by the bath attendant.

"You are excused. Do I know you?" Yosef asked him while scrutinizing him from head to toe. The way he approached him, it looks like he knew who he was already.

"Not exactly mister. But I know you. Where are my manners, this humble servant here is brother Philemon. Abbott Jeromy has sent me to you." The man called brother Philemon speedily introduced himself, all the while extending his hand in greeting.

Yosef extended out his right hand too in greeting, "It is good to meet you, brother Philemon. You have come at the right time. I am anxiously worried as to why the good Abbott has failed to honor our appointment by several hours."

"Let me talk to you in private," Philemon whispered to Yosef.

"Come this side, am eager to know what you have to say." Yosef dragged Philemon by the elbow to a shaded and secluded corner outside the bathhouse.

"That's why am here mister. The Abbott has sent me. He sends his utmost apologies for keeping you waiting all this long. He will not be able to make it today or in the next few days. Some unforeseen clerical matters have arisen that have taken him up. He will be away for a week. He begs for your patience, he will send me to reschedule when he returns to the city." Brother Philemon spoke in his fast-paced voice.