Dawn brought with it a covered sky, painted in a monotonous gray that presaged more precipitation. On the third floor of the castle, Urraca's chamber remained dim, faintly lit by the light filtering through the cracks of the heavy curtains. The murmur of the rain, soft but constant, seeped through the crevices of the wooden window.
Urraca awoke and, for a few moments, remained lying down, letting herself be carried away by the hypnotic rhythm of the drops. With a sigh, she got up and walked barefoot to the window. Her hands, guided by routine, released the latches and, with a push, let the fresh air of dawn invade the room. There was no glass to fog up, just an open gap that let in the reality of the new day.
As she looked out, the sight of the city submerged under the waters of the Arlanzón struck her forcefully. The streets near the river had been hidden under the turbulent water. Some areas showed just a few centimeters of water, while others were submerged in up to four meters of the river's fury. "My God, what can we do?" she thought, feeling concern and responsibility settle in her chest.
With a gesture of frustration, she brought a hand to her forehead. The image of her partially flooded city awakened in her an urgent need to act. She shook the bell vigorously, summoning her servants immediately.
While waiting, she went to her wardrobe and selected suitable attire for the emergency: practical, but befitting her position. She dressed quickly, her movements reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
A maid entered with a breakfast tray, but Urraca barely paid attention to it, dedicating a few minutes to eat with determination. Each bite was a reminder of the need to stay strong for her people.
She descended to the courtyard where the carriage awaited her. The coachman, surprised by the early summons, awoke from his lethargy and greeted her with a hurried gesture. Urraca climbed into the carriage and, without delay, ordered: "To the town hall."
The carriage set off, and through the window, Urraca observed the consequences of the overflow. The concern for her fellow citizens weighed on her heart. "These streets used to be full of life and commerce," she thought, "and now, they are submerged in silence and water." She promised herself that she would do everything possible to return normalcy to her city.
The carriage traversed the streets, avoiding the worst flooded stretches. Urraca prepared to make crucial decisions, aware that the well-being of many depended on her leadership.
The carriage stopped with a gentle rattle next to the town hall, under an eave that offered shelter from the rain. Urraca descended gracefully, her imposing figure standing out even in the simplicity of the emergency. She pushed the town hall door and entered without hesitation, her steps resonating with authority in the silence of the lobby.
She went directly to the council room, where the door opened before her to reveal a hall already full of guild masters, the mayor, and the captain of the guard. All faces turned towards her as she approached the dais and took her seat with the dignity her position required. Just at that moment, as if nature itself echoed the solemnity of the moment, the rain stopped. The silence that followed was so palpable it seemed like a truce granted by the sky.
Upon sensing the change, a wave of relief and cautious smiles spread through the room. Those present exchanged glances of hope, aware that the pause in the weather gave them a necessary respite to face the city's recovery.
Urraca, with her gaze fixed on the horizon visible through the large windows, addressed the mayor. "How much will it cost us to return the city to its previous state?" she asked with a firm voice, but not without concern.
The mayor, a middle-aged man with a brow marked by responsibility, took a moment before responding. "I believe that with about five thousand gold coins we could repair the damage and restore the city to normal," he said cautiously.
Urraca nodded thoughtfully and then inquired, "And if we take the opportunity to improve the entire flood prevention system? What would we need for deeper ditches, containment walls, and efficient gates?"
The mayor quickly consulted some papers before looking at her again. "It would be another five thousand gold dinars for the works. Additionally, we would need between 700 and 800 gold dinars annually to hire staff to take care of constant maintenance. If we opt to employ serfs, the cost would be reduced to about 300 to 400 gold dinars a year."
"How many gold dinars do we have available?" Urraca asked, her mind already calculating the possibilities.
The mayor took a deep breath before revealing, "We have about twelve thousand gold dinars in total, but considering that we might need to buy food, we could only freely dispose of half."
Urraca reflected for a moment and then proposed, "If I ask my father, the king, for help, do you think he will agree?"
The mayor seemed skeptical. "If we weren't at war in the south, perhaps we would have more chance of receiving support."
It was then that the captain of the guard, a man seasoned in a thousand battles, intervened with a strategic perspective. "No, it is precisely because we are at war in the south against the Moors that we can ask for more. If he does not give us the necessary help, we can threaten to withdraw our support from the army."
A murmur of agreement ran through the room. Urraca contemplated the faces of her counselors, aware that the decision she would make would have repercussions not only on the reconstruction of the city but also on the politics of the kingdom. With the rain stopped and the future of Burgos hanging by a thread, she knew that each move had to be calculated with the utmost precision.