Latium, near Rome
"Get that excommunicated out here!"
There is a large group of angry mob standing outside the main estate of the House of Tusculum. They are holding torches, pitchforks, rakes and all kinds of farming tools. They are screaming, demanding that the excommunicated Count get out so that they can beat him. If not for the guards holding them back, they would have barged in the estate and kill the Count.
"Tsk, those people are treating me like a wizard or something!" said the Count.
"That's why we have to kill that Pope, and fast!" said another member of the House of Tusculum.
"Yes, I think that other noble houses has begun to make a move."
While the men are talking inside the lounge, a woman in black goes into the estate's secret tunnel. She gets out on the other side of the valley and gets on the carriage, leaving Latium, heading to Rome.
Inside the carriage, the woman takes her veil off, she is the Countess, Emelina.
***
In Rome
The young Pope, Benedict IX, is currently celebrating a Mass dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, the Mother of God, in the Basilica of St. Mary Major, this is one of the three Masses instructed for him to celebrate when he was ordained a priest.
"Consider Mary your own mother, she will take care of all your needs, especially spiritual ones..." said Benedict, opening his homily.
Before, when he was Giovanni, his birth mother, who was very devout, instructed him to consider Mary as his mother also. After his mother made herself clear that she opposed Giovanni's vocation, he became even more devoted to the Blessed Virgin, and much more, after his mother's demise.
Remembering the Blessed Virgin and his birth mother makes Benedict remember the Countess Emelina, Theophylact's mother, Count Alberic III's wife.
("We wonder what does she think about the whole matter of excommunication and her son is Pope.")
***
After the Mass, a Cardinal goes up to Benedict and says:
"Holy Father, the faithful want to confess their sins to you!"
"Uhm, prepare the confessional booth for Us."
Benedict sits in the confessional to hear confession of penitents. He is currently wearing a violet stole because it's a requirement as he is performing the a Sacrament.
("Well, it's time for Us to do it after all!")
Benedicts sits in and he patiently hears the penitents out, whatever they say, not just confession of sins, but also their doubts, their asking for advice,...
***
After some time, Benedict prepares to get out of the confessional when he hears someone coming in.
"Theo, it's me." it's the voice of a woman.
("But We don't know who you are!") replied Benedict inside his head.
Then there is silence in the booth.
"You don't recognize me, your mother?" the woman asks again, seems a little hurt.
"No, mother. We are too surprised to see you here. Aren't you suppose to confess to your confessor?"
"I come here to meet you, son! I want..."
"You want to tell father has a plan to kill Us, right?
"So you know?"
"Return, mother, and do what you feel necessary! Just don't commit sin!"
Despite being surprised, Countess Emelina gets out of the confessional booth. She knows what she is going to do. She understands that her son has matured, at least a little bit and she will cooperate with him in all things.
("She would be a powerful ally.") though Benedict while still sitting inside the confessional booth.