“Ah,” I nodded, ignoring Alex, who hadbeen paying keen attention and was clearly sensing there wassomething going on. “I see. That makes sense.” I stood then, butwhen the two Parisii looked up at me, I said, “I need to relievemyself.”
Then I weaved my way through the hall, whichwas made somewhat difficult because it seemed that everyone presentwanted to call my name, and while we could not communicate, theymade it clear that they were offering me their well wishes, andmore than once I heard “Petuar,” so I assume that I was beingthanked for my role in its defense. It helped that I did need torelieve myself, but despite not drinking nearly as much mead as Ihad pretended, I welcomed the sharp night air, which helped meclear my head. I lingered a moment, as part of me argued with therest of me, trying to convince me that this was a horrible idea,and it would, at best, keep me in captivity. The worst possibleending would mean that I would never leave this island alive, but Irefused to entertain that thought. Finally, I took a breath, thenmade my way back into the hall, resuming my half-stumbling,half-weaving progress back towards the table, and I was encouragedby how both the king and his brother gave me a quick glance, thenreturned to their conversation. It felt like it took aninterminably long time, but then I was standing at the tableoccupied by Berdic, Bronwen, and some men I knew were loyal to himwho had drifted over during the course of the feast, and I stoppedwalking. I also stopped weaving about as I stared down at Berdic,who did not notice me immediately. Bronwen did, if only because Iwas closer to her than I was to Berdic since a table was betweenus, which was not ideal, but it could not be helped.
She looked up at me, and a range of emotionsflashed across her face, but I chose to focus only on the look ofwhat I was certain was gratitude, but while I addressed her, thewords were for Berdic.
“I’d like to ask your betrothed,” Isaid, much more loudly than was necessary, “a question.”
Her eyes went even wider, but the purplebruising under and around her eye was all I saw as she gasped,“Centurion! Please! I…”
“I said,” I repeated, and while I didnot raise the volume of my voice, the other celebrants werebecoming quieter, “I want to ask him a question.”
With visible and obvious reluctance, Bronwenturned to Berdic, who at least had determined that something washappening, because he rose to his feet as Bronwen presumablyrelayed my words.
I got the answer in the form of a shrug andgesture that indicated he was listening.
“Ask him,” I said, “if when he hityou, it was this hard.”
Then, before she could even begin, I leanedforward and slapped Berdic across the face, hard. And, much to mysatisfaction, he went reeling backward, blood beginning to pourfrom his lip. Somewhat surprisingly, it was actually almost asquiet as when Mandubracius had been speaking, although for acompletely different reason.
“Gnaeus! What are youdoing?”
“This is what I needed to take care ofbefore we leave,” I told Alex, never taking my eyes off ofBerdic.
Who, now that he had recovered from theshock, clearly intended to leap across the table, but I was stillcounting on the king. And, before Berdic could react, Cogidubnushad leapt to his feet and, again in a manner that would do aCenturion proud, he roared what was obviously an order to him. Tomy disappointment, Berdic obeyed, although he was clearly unhappyabout it, but it was Ivomagus who intervened.
“What is the meaning of this,Centurion?” he demanded before even consulting with his brother.“Why did you strike Berdic?”
“Because,” I tried to sound casual, “Iowed him for hitting me over the head. And,” I added, “I don’t likemen who hit women.”
Cogidubnus whirled on Ivomagus, whohurriedly translated, but it was Berdic who responded first,shouting something while pointing a finger at me. Now that I hadseen that, for the moment, Berdic was obeying his king’s order, Iturned my back on him and walked around the table to drop into myseat.
As I suspected would happen, and needed tohappen, this enraged Berdic even more, and he began shouting atCogidubnus, his face flushed a deep red as he changed his targetfor his finger to Cogidubnus. Who, to my eye, did not like this anymore than I do.
“Gnaeus!” Alex hissed. “What are youdoing? And,” he added, “whyare you doing it?” When I did not answer immediately, hesaid, “Do you want to stay here? Is that it? You don’t want toleave…” He waved a hand in Bronwen’s general direction, and as muchregard, respect, and love I have for Alex, I looked at himcoldly.
“Her name is Bronwen,” I said quietly.“And you need to be careful.”
“I need to becareful?” Alex’s eyes widened, then he indicated Cogidubnus, whowas now engaged in a shouting match with Berdic, while Ivomagus wasdesperately trying to intercede between the two. “Look what you’vedone!”
After resuming my seat, I pretended to takea long drink from my cup, then watched with what I hoped seemed tobe bleary interest as the king and his nobleman raged at eachother, both of them gesticulating wildly and, every heartbeat orso, pointing directly at me. Bronwen was staring down at the table,refusing to look anywhere but there, and I longed to go to her andassure her that I was doing all of this for her. Which, of course,was a lie, because it was as much for me as it was for her.Finally, Ivomagus managed to get the two men to quiet down, and theonlookers stopped talking excitedly to each other to watch thedrama being played out.
After an exchange with Cogidubnus, Ivomagusturned to me, his face a mask, but I heard the emotion in hisvoice. “Centurion Pullus, I need to inform you that Berdic hasdemanded to be accorded the right to respond to this outrageagainst him.”
Now I absolutely knew that the responseBerdic intended would not involve words,
