Historical Fiction by K. D. Kragen

"The Black Death followed them like a flock of hungry gulls. Their ship was history's hearse, albatross and pelicans its mourners. Days passed as centuries. Dead bodies were cast into the vessel's blood-red wake. Him, too, but for the girl. Always, there was the girl, the beautiful, merciful god. The kind god who pointed to the suffering god, all the while an inexplicable happiness sparkling like dawn in her child's eyes." (Plagueman, pp. 47-48.)

"Often the artist, to begin with, first works to understand something, about creation, about the Fall, about suffering, the human predicament, joy, life (life external, extra-mental, or life internal, internal to the artist, mental, psychological, existential). Then the artist creates the work of art as a reflection of this seeking to understand, and—the God willing—the artist creates the work of art as an indirect communication of some new understanding gained in that seeking, that seeing, that praying."  --Author K. D. Kragen

First there was the plague.  Then there was Plagueman.

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Cast of Characters

SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA (c. 1347-1380)
Pope CLEMENT VI (c. 1291-1352, Pontificate 1332-1352)
King CHARLES IV (c. 1316-1378, German King 1346, Holy Roman Emperor 1355)
THERESA, Dominican postulant, spiritual guide and confidant to Catherine
KIERKIVE of Sarai, 1st Lieutenant, Kipchak Tartar Army, Western Mongol Horde
GORGONOVITCH Khan, Commander, Kipchak Army
RAGNAUG, 2nd Lieutenant, Kipchak Army
MONGO, Sergeant, fire-control officer for siege engines, Kipchak Army
Father ARPI, Priest, Theresa’s guardian in the Crimea
FIRENZI, Captain, Genoese merchant guard, the Crimea
GIOVANNI PICCOLOMINI, Theresa’s father, merchant and wealthy weaver of Siena
PALIA DELLA QUERCIA, Genoese city consul

BARTOLINO ROZZI, Sienese strong man, mad man, bandit
Bishop GUIDO, Bishop of Siena
PETRUCHIO, bishop’s servant
MARY, Theresa’s maidservant
MARTA LUZZIANO, Theresa’s girlfriend
FUCCINI, Sienese stone-cutter and Il Palio champion
PETRACELLI, man with no teeth, peasant
Mother HARMONIUM, abbess of Belcaro
PINA, ANNETTE, BEATRICE, FELICITY, CHARITY, novices, Siena Dominican Convent
MARIANNA, CELANDRA, murdered nuns of the Siena Convent

le Marque di LOTHAR, man with no lips, secretary to Cardinal Français, Curia di Cardinales,
        Palais-Vieus, Comtat Venaissin, Avignon
ALBANES ROGER, Commander, 4th district, Papal Guard, Avignon
GEORGIO, Sergeant, 4th district, Papal Guard, Avignon
EPHRAIM MELECH JOICHIM, Jew from Villeneuve, across Rhône from Avignon