“If we can conclude our business,” shetouched the necklace as I tried to hide my disappointment. “I wantyou to have something to remember the Parisii by,” she continued,but I noticed, or thought I noticed that there wassomething in the way she said itthat indicated she was not just talking about the necklace. Thatsuspicion seemed confirmed when she reached out her hand as shesaid, “But I would prefer to go somewhere a bit more private. If,”she added mischievously, “you are not afraid to be alone with aParisii.”
I took her hand as I stood, although I haveno idea what I said, other than indicate I was happy to be ledwherever she wanted to go. Her hand was, as one would expect, soft,but I also sensed a strength there that pointed to working with herhands, and I wondered if perhaps she made some of the jewelry herfather sold.
“Oy! Pilus Prior!”
I glanced over my shoulder as we werewalking away to see that it was Columella who had called out, butit was the leering grin on his face that I remember as he shouted,“Don’t let her eat you alive, Pilus Prior!”
“I’ll try,” I had to shout thisbecause we were heading to the back of the hall, behind the longwooden partition that sectioned off the private area for Segovax,or at the moment, Cogidubnus.
To my surprise, I saw that there was morethan one wooden partition; in fact, there were several, creating,in effect, smaller rooms that, as Bronwen had indicated, affordedsome privacy. She glanced over her shoulder as, still holding myhand, she led me to the far side of the hall, and her smile seemedto promise so much more than a necklace that I am afraid I stoppedthinking altogether, at least with the head that I should have beenusing. The partition only slightly muffled the sounds of thecelebrating, so we still would have to raise our voice a bit to beheard, but it was as she pulled me into what I was certain was theprivate area used by the lord of the hall when everythingchanged.
The smile vanished, and the tears confusedme, but it was her whispered “I am sorry, Centurion. I was given nochoice” that gave me a fraction of an eyeblink of warning.
I spun about, or I tried to, and I onlycaught the barest glimpse of a snarling face framed by a blackbeard and black hair before something struck me across the head…andthat is the last thing I recall, at least for a period of time.And, since I was not present for what came next, I have asked Alexto tell of the events that concerned me and my fate.
My first indication that something was wrongcame in the form of a shout from outside Gnaeus’ tent, where I wasfinishing packing up for our departure the next day. Although Icould not hear what was said, the note of alarm in the man’s voicegot me moving, where I was met at the tent flap by Saloninus, whoseface bore an expression I could not recall ever seeing from him.Before he could open his mouth, my mind leapt to the onlyconclusion that seemed appropriate, given his expression.
Fortunately, Saloninus correctly interpretedmy gasp, and he said hurriedly, “He’s alive, Alex. But,” hiscountenance hardened, “you need to come with me to hear this.”
Of course, I followed himto the Porta Praetoria, butinstead of exiting, he strode up the rampart, and when I joinedhim, I let out another gasp. Sitting on their horses were all ofthe officers who attended the feast, save one, but it was the facttheir hands were obviously bound behind them, and because severalof the mounted Parisii around them were carrying torches, we couldsee that they all had marks around their faces and heads,particularly Mus and Gemellus, that indicated they had beenbeaten.
As shocking as this was, it was the sight ofIvomagus, also astride his horse and surrounded by horsemen, thatignited in me a feeling of such utter yet helpless rage that beforeI could stop myself, I was shouting, “What have you done, youfucking barbarian? You savage! We trusted you to be honorable andyou betrayed us! Where is the Pilus Prior?”
Ivomagus sat impassively, saying nothingduring my diatribe, waiting for me to be done. I was not actuallyfinished, but I had to draw a breath, which he took as the sign tospeak.
“Your Centurion is aliveand relatively unharmed,” he called out. “But as you all know, yourCenturion disobeyed the orders of our King, my brother Cogidubnus,and by doing so, he has almost certainly risked war with ourenemies, the Brigantes. In anticipation of that, my brother hasdecided that, while you will all be allowed to leave unharmed andunmolested tomorrow, we will be holding Centurion Pullus here untilwe are compensated by Rome for the expenses we will be incurfighting our enemies because of his actions.”
I could not even think of anything to say,and when I glanced over at Saloninus, I could see he was in asimilar state. It was extremely difficult to do so, but I forcedmyself to think.
“Let’s get the othersreleased,” I muttered to Saloninus, thinking that it would beappropriate for him to demand this.
He pointed down at ourofficers as he said harshly, “And what about the injuries to ourmen? Are they going to becompensated,” he used the wordIvomagus had with a disdain that I could see Ivomagus heard andunderstood, “for their injuries? And,” he went on, “I demand thatyou release them now!”
“You are in no position todemand anything, Centurion Saloninus,” Ivomagus shot back, and Isaw that he was angered, or perhaps he was feigning it; I do notknow. “Do I need to remind you that you are heavily outnumbered andfar from home?”
It was as the Parisii was speaking that Isensed movement behind me, except when I turned to look Saloninushissed, “Don’t turn around!”
Ivomagus did not notice, because he wascontinuing, “As far as the injuries to your men, as you can see,they are minor. Besides,” he gave a shrug, “we told them not toresist, but they chose to do so.”
I do not know if heintended to say something else because Saloninus, with a simplegesture, changed everything, as
