Chapter Text
Copia clung to the edge of Primo's sleeve. "Don't go yet," the child begged. "One more story? Please?"
Primo paused, then sighed in surrender. "One, okay? As much as I'd like to stay up all night telling you about our history you need to sleep."
Copia beamed and settled further down in bed, pulling his quilt up to his chin. "I wanna hear about Saint Johanna."
"Oh." Primo's brows raised in surprise. "Okay. Very well." He straightened his posture and cleared his throat quietly. "Saint Johanna was born a farm girl and lived a very humble life from childhood. Despite her gentle nature with the cows and sheep, she didn't have much love for people."
Copia frowned a little. "She didn't have any friends?"
"She didn't need them," Primo tried to assure him. "Johanna was more than content to do her work and go to her congregation. In fact she was so devoted to the Lord that the people in her village were afraid of her…intensity. Some claimed she was a demon herself, and maybe she was. But Johanna knew she was loved. She knew her purpose.
"At the age of 16, she got her first visions. It was the first time in her life that she was truly afraid at first; she was given visions of her beloved home, visions of all of Sweden being overtaken by the south. God's country." Primo leaned in. "The visions continued for weeks, and she tried to beg her priest to believe her. Finally, she convinced herself to go directly to the king and warn him."
"Did the king believe her?" Copia's eyes widened.
Primo smirked. "Well, not at first. Of course, a farm girl can't march into the throne room and proclaim that she knew of a catastrophic impending attack. So she had to be put to a test. What Johanna wasn't supposed to know, was that the man who sat on the throne was not the king. He was a stand-in to keep the real king safe, a trusted confidant. And not only did Johanna see through this deception, the Lord Themself whispered in her ear where the true king really was. But she didn't give away his location, no. She turned and walked right out of the throne room in front of all the nobles of the capitol and found the king herself."
"And the true king, back then, he had a gift for seeing the light. He knew who was chosen by the Lord, and the moment he saw Johanna, he knew They sent her with a message personally."
"And the king made her a knight!" Copia beamed.
Primo laughed softly. "Well, Johanna had to go through some very arduous training, but yes. She was given sanctuary in the king's chapel and she was trained to serve by his side. Now, the invasion did begin during her training, and the southern countries had started to occupy land in the name of God. But she finished in time for the king to gather his full army, in which she was given command."
"Did the visions stop when she met the king?" Copia asked quietly.
"Oh, no." Primo shook his head. "Johanna would tell the king's war council of every vision that passed her in the night. With her help, it was easier to track the invading armies and help to pinpoint where they'd attack next. The only thing that she never told the king was that she knew how everyone would die. Even herself. When she was finally given her armor, she led her troops in a prayer that the Lord would protect them, and that they were all promised glory in Hell."
"Johanna fought for months to push the invading armies back and win back their rightful land. But she knew her time was finite, she knew that the armies would soon overwhelm her. She knew she was going to be captured."
"No!" Copia sat up with a frown. "Did she escape? Did she defeat her capturers, too?"
Primo rested a gentle hand on the child's shoulder. "It was time for her to go home, Copia. The Lord was calling her back, but she made sure that the men she led through battle knew to keep going. Not to give up because she was gone." His eyes dimmed for a moment, and he took a deep breath. "They had to watch as they burned her at the stake." He swallowed, leaning back.
Copia's eyes filled with little tears. "Why?"
"Because her sacrifice led the king's army to victory. As the enemies lit her pyre, she sang for them. She sang for her enemies, and she sang for her friends to hold strong to their faith. And her death unleashed a curse on the enemy's army. Weakening them." Primo tried to crack a smile. "She was made a saint when the king won all his land back. That's why we have a statue of her in the courtyard."
Copia frowned and nodded, settling down in bed again. "I hope that I'm as brave as her when I grow up."
Primo laughed softly and brushed Copia's hair back before he stood up. "You won't have to be fighting any wars, my boy. All the fighting's done for your lifetime."
"But you were a soldier." Copia yawned.
Primo turned off the lamp by his bedside. "I was, yes. Not anymore," he told him softly before walking back to the door. "I promised you one more story, so go to bed."
Copia rubbed his eye with a long sigh. "Goodnight, Uncle Primo."
"Goodnight, Copia." After shutting the door, Primo crossed his arms loosely and went to stare out one of the stainglass windows, right out to the lone statue in the courtyard. "Goodnight, my friend," he whispered.