Mortuus Virgo

The streets were more crowded the nearer they got to the Forum and human chains passed water buckets from hand to hand as they fought in vain to fight the fires. The sounds of shouting filled the air as people searched for their loved ones, and tempers became frayed in the confusion. Squads of soldiers tried to calm the situation though were often the brunt of the anger due to their reluctance to get involved in the fire fighting. Rubria kept her head down and followed Rose through the throng towards the Temple. They stopped in a dark corner to catch their breath, coughing the smoke from their lungs.

‘How far now?’ asked Rubria.

‘Five minutes,’ said Rose, ‘The maintenance shaft in the sewer was on the opposite side of the Palatine. We have had to come the long way around to avoid the patrols going back and fore to the Palace. Miss, can I ask you a question?’

‘Of course,’ said Rubria.

‘Why are you risking your life going back to the Temple?' Even if you are successful, there can be no future for you there. If what you say is correct, then the Pontifex Maximus will have no option but to denounce you. Whether he forced you or not, just the fact that the Emperor had sex with you, condemns you to a horrible death. The Senate will always support the Emperor, whether they believe him or not.’

‘Do you believe me?’ asked Rubria.

Rose hesitated.

‘It is not my place to judge,’ Miss,’ she said. You are a Priestess of the great mother, and, as far as I am concerned, no matter what he has done to you, you will always be of Vesta.’

‘And that,’ said Rubria, ‘Is exactly why I am going back. When he was doing those things to me I thought only of the Great Mother. When I was down amongst the Phasmas, her spirit outshone those of the dead. My fate was sealed in the tower of the palace, but the aura of Vesta remained, sustaining me so I could carry out one more task. The Pontifex Maximus may reject me. The people may doubt my purity. Even my Sisters can forsake me. But not the Great Mother. No matter what happens, Vesta will always be there. Even to the end.’

Suddenly, a woman’s voice rang out above the noise of the crowd.

‘Mother help us,’ it screamed, ‘The Temple is on fire!’

The two young women ran through the smoke filled streets and within minutes, stood amongst a huge crowd before the Forum. Rubria forced her way to the front and could see flames through the shutters of one of the rooms at the far end of the courtyard. Two of the Eunuch guards stood at the entrance, fidgeting nervously.

‘Where are the Priestesses?’ shouted Rubria.

‘Still in there. I think,’ answered one of the guards.

‘Why aren’t you helping them?’ she screamed, ‘Somebody, in the name of all that is holy, we have to help!

For hundreds of years, access to the Vestal Temple had been denied to the common man on pain of death, and, despite the urgency of the situation, the risk of being condemned to death was too deeply ingrained into the psyche of the people. No one moved.

‘They may be trapped!’ screamed Rose.

‘Who are we to interfere with the will of the Gods?’ asked the eunuch.

‘It is not the Gods who have caused this,’ snarled Rubria, ‘But the hand of a madman.’

Rubria indicated for Rose to step to one side so they could talk without being heard.

‘How on earth did it start in there?’ asked Rose, ‘There are no flames anywhere near.’

‘I think I know,’ said Rubria, ‘I’ll explain later. I have to get in there, Rose, and I need you to do something.’

‘Anything,’ she answered.

‘I need to get passed the guards,’ she said, ‘Do you have any ideas?’

‘Leave it to me,’ she said,’ Just be ready.’ They returned to the archway and made their way to the front of the growing crowd.

‘Ready?’ asked Rose.

‘Yes,’ said Rubria.

Without another word, Rose ran forward and drove her shoulder into one of the guard’s midriffs, driving him to the floor. Immediately, the second guard ran over to grab her, and, in the confusion, Rubria ran through the smoke filled courtyard and into the Temple.

The smoke filled her lungs and she tried to call out but her attempts only ended up in coughing fits. She looked around frantically, desperate to find any sign of her fellow priestesses. Up on the surrounding balcony she could see all the doors to the cells swinging outwards, the glow of flames visible even from the floor below and Rubria feared the worst. Suddenly her eyes returned to the one cell that was not open. In fact, the door was wedged closed by a table leaning against it. Rubria ran up the stairs and towards the cell.

‘Hello!’ she screamed, over the noise of the flames, Is there anyone in there?’

‘Rubria?’ came a muffled reply, ‘Is that you?’

Rubria grabbed the table leg and heaved with all her strength until it moved slightly. She pushed again, until, finally the table fell away and the door sprang open. Over twenty people came stumbling out of the cells, including several terrified young girls. The high Priestess was amongst them. She threw her arms around Rubria.

‘Oh thank the gods,’ she said, ‘Where have you been?’

‘I’ll tell you later,’ said Rubria, ‘We have to get the Sisters out of here.’ The two of them ushered the Priestesses along the balcony and down the stairs. They managed to cross the courtyard towards the archway. The chief Priestess stopped short gathering her breath.

‘You go on,’ she said, ‘There is something I must do.’

‘What?’ asked Rubria. ‘All the Sisters are safe.’

‘The treasures!’ said the high Priestess, ‘I can’t stand by and watch the artefacts of the great mother destroyed.’

‘But it is too late,’ shouted Rubria, ‘The flames are out of control.’

‘My life has been dedicated to the Goddess,’ said the head Priestess, ‘She has given me my whole reason for living. I cannot forsake her now.’

Rubria stared at her.

‘You are right,’ she said. ‘I am ashamed.’ She reached out and took the hand of the high Priestess before adding, ‘We will go together.’

Despite the pleading of everyone around them, they turned around and ran back into the temple.

Flames were roaring from the windows on the upper levels of the Temple and forcing their way out between the red clay tiles of the roof. People shielded their faces from the heat as they peered into the inferno for any sign of the two Priestesses. Suddenly a figure forced himself to the front of the crowd.

‘What’s happened?’ he shouted above the noise.

‘Two of our Sisters ran back in to save the treasures,’ said a coughing Priestess.

‘Who? asked Dragus, ‘Who went back in?’

‘The High Priestess and Rubria,’ she said.

‘How long ago?’ he demanded.

‘No more than a few moments,’ she said.

He looked around and focussed on a bystander holding a redundant bucket of water, his mind racing furiously.

‘Give me that,’ he said and started to remove his cloak.

‘It’s no good,’ said the onlooker, ‘This is the last. One bucket won’t make any difference to that lot.’

‘Don’t worry,’ said the Centurion, ‘I won’t be wasting it on the flames.’ He shoved the cape into the bucket until most of the water had been soaked up into the fabric, and poured what was left over his head. He wrapped