Glaucus' Story
Chapter 31 - Remembering
"Feeling better, dear?"
Eugenia's eyes were full of concern. She noted the strain on Glaucus' face as he pushed his luncheon of bread, cheese, figs and nuts around on his plate, his appetite clearly blunted. Marius, on the other hand, found that the excitement of finding a link to Maximus' past had made him ravenous and he talked animatedly between mouthfuls. As she served the food, Eugenia provided a commentary about her life in Rome since the day she had been liberated by Marcus Aurelius.
She had tried to start anew in Rome as a business woman by investing her money in a small fish shop but her suppliers and customers soon realized that she had no head for business and cheated her on both sides. She closed her shop and fled her debtors, reluctantly returning to the only life she knew. But the competition in Rome was fierce and she was not able to establish the high-class brothel that she dreamed of where she would direct operations from her silk-draped quarters and never have to service a man again herself. But, over the years, she had managed to maintain a small operation with fairly reliable girls and consistent clients. She could have done worse, she reasoned.
Glaucus took a gulp of the well-watered wine then tried to politely pull the conversation in the direction of interest to him. "Please tell me what you know about my father."Eugenia regarded the attractive young man with a maternal kindness. He was so like his father in may ways yet very different in others. "He arrived with his army one day after Cassius had declared himself Emperor. We didn't know any differently -- we were told that Marcus Aurelius was dead and we believed it. So, when your father arrived claiming otherwise it was quite a surprise. But, we believed him. There was something about him that just made you trust him. He just seemed to be so... earnest and so powerful. Besides, we wanted to believe him. Cassius was a terrible, cruel man and your father was so kind. All the girls were crazy about him. General Maximus went to a party held by Cassius a night or two after he and his army arrived. You could tell that the two men hated each other and General Maximus threatened Cassius outright. To tell the truth, we didn't think your father would live to see the sunrise. But... this is where Julia comes into the story."
Glaucus nodded in encouragement. "She was assigned by Cassius to keep your father company... and to keep an eye on his activities and to report back to Cassius. But, she was really aiding another man who she thought was an enemy of Cassius. She hated Cassius, you see. Only the gods know what kind of perversions he practiced on the girl... and he was a cruel man. She looked like a delicate flower but underneath she was pure iron." Eugenia stopped to collect her thoughts before she continued. "She was attracted to your father right from the beginning, you could tell... and he felt the same about her, I think. They spent some time at the party in privacy and he even had her ordered to his tent that night and she didn't come back until morning. We were all dying to know what he was like but she just kept to herself and wouldn't say anything." She added in a conspiratorial whisper, "I think she was real jealous of any of the rest of us getting near him," and nodded for emphasis.
Glaucus relaxed his rigid jaw, only to find the tension transfer to his neck and shoulders. Why should it bother him that his father had spent the night with a beautiful whore? After all, hadn't he been the one who had implied to Jonivus that something must be wrong with his father if he could go for so many long years without any woman other than his absent wife? It shouldn't bother him... but somehow it did.Eugenia continued with her story. "General Maximus devised a plot to kill Cassius and asked Julia for her help. Then Julia asked me to help as well. She trusted me, you see. We confided somewhat in each other... and she knew that I would never betray General Maximus." A smile flitted across her face, taking years off her features. She pushed back a lock of coiled gray-streaked hair and continued. "We hid Maximus." She laughed. "He was guarded in his tent but he escaped and came to our residence. We hid him in a bathtub. Julia filled it with water and scented oils that bubbled and got into the tub with Maximus. When the guards came looking for him she pushed him under the water where he held his breath until they left." She shook her head. "We were so worried about him drowning. The guards insisted on searching the bathing room even though it was obvious that no one was there but us and all the while Maximus was under water holding his breath, covered in bubbles. The guards ordered Julia out of the bath and she enticed them into the atrium while we pulled the poor general out of the water." She laughed again. "His uniform was soaked--"
"He was wearing his uniform?" Glaucus asked, clearly surprised.
"Well... not the whole thing. Just his tunic. I remember that the oil stung his eyes and he rubbed them. I helped dry him off." Then her levity evaporated like the bath bubbles and she straightened her back. "He asked me to help him. I am the one who carried messages from General Maximus to his men," she said proudly. "He trusted me to do that."
Glaucus nodded and smiled. He liked this courageous woman who had lived such a hard life. And... she had talked to his father, served his father, touched his father... all things that he so longed to do. "Tell me more."
"I don't know many details about how they did it, but Julia helped General Maximus kill Cassius. Your father was so brave, Glaucus. He was in an enemy camp but he just took over like he was an emperor himself. It was almost a week before Marcus Aurelius finally arrived and he managed to maintain control. We didn't see Julia in all that time so we couldn't get any details."
"Where was she?"
Eugenia hesitated -- she had sensed Glaucus' conflicted emotions. "With your father," she said gently. "He kept her with him the whole time." She quickly changed the subject. "You should have seen the celebration when the emperor arrived with his armies. They all cheered your father and Marcus Aurelius hugged him just like he was his own son."
Glaucus' throat restricted and he tried to gulp down the lump that settled there. The men had cheered his father. The emperor had hugged him -- just like he was Marcus Aurelius' own son.
"What happened next?" Marius asked.
"A few days later we were all set free and sent to Rome to start a new life with a generous allowance from the emperor. We were free for the first time in our lives. Your father arranged that, Glaucus. He bid us goodbye personally."
"Julia went with you?"
"Oh yes, she did. She was devastated, though, to be leaving your father. I think she would have given up her freedom to stay with him, she loved him so much. A young guard was particularly fond of her but she wouldn't have anything to do with him."
"What did my father do then?"
"He went back to Spain -- to you and your brother and mother."
Glaucus slowly shook his head. "No, this happened before I was born."
"Oh." Eugenia was clearly surprised. "He never told you about it, though?"
"Domina... I never knew my father."
Eugenia's green eyes widened. "Never?"
"No. I was born a few years before he disappeared but he never saw me. He was in Germania the whole time I was a baby."
"What do you mean... disappeared?"
"Almost without a trace... at the time Commodus became emperor."
"Oh, I was so sorry when I heard that Marcus Aurelius had died. He was such a wonderful man. By how would your father disappear? I don't understand."
"Let's just say that he had a disagreement with Commodus and he hasn't been seen since. I'm trying to find him... or discover what happened to him. I thought that finding Julia might help."
"Your mother never heard anything from him?"
"Domina, my mother and brother were murdered at the time my father disappeared... on order of the new emperor."
Eugenia gasped.
"My father was also ordered murdered but he escaped. No one in my family knows what happened to him. The soldiers who were under his command don't seem to know either."
"Oh my... oh my." Eugenia's hand fluttered to her throat and she sputtered for breath. Marius quickly shoved a glass of wine into her hand she upended it, drinking until it was empty. Slowly she lowered the glass then looked at Glaucus, her green eyes rimmed with red. "Now I understand."
"Understand what?" Glaucus asked.
"Why your eyes are so empty. Why there are lines of worry on a face so young."
Glaucus averted his eyes. He hadn't realized that his face revealed so much pain.
Eugenia's words were soft and kind. "I doubt very much that finding Julia will help you find your father, Glaucus. It was very clear -- when he sent her on her way to Rome -- that he was dismissing her from his life. They were together for only a short time and he used her just like all men did -- to suit his own purposes. It was Julia's misfortune to let him into her heart."
"I know that chances are he never saw her again... but chances are all I have. A man has told me that he saw my father in Rome. Julia came to Rome. There is a chance... no matter how small."
"Well then, the best thing I can advise you to do is simply go where she might be and watch for her."
"What would she look like now?"
"Probably much the same but older." Eugenia smiled. "We're all older. There's no way to avoid that. Her hair may be grayed a little but she'll still be beautiful... you can count on that."
"Where should I look?"
Eugenia laughed. "Silly boy. Where else would you look for a woman? Any woman. At the shops, that's where!"
Chapter 32 - The Trajan Market
Glaucus shook his head, snapping himself back to reality. It was so easy to fall into a daydream as he sat week after week in the tavern at the edge of the bustling, multi-storied market. Occasionally Glaucus roamed among the shops and stalls, alert for any woman who might fit Julia's description, but mostly he sat and watched -- his vantage point just inside the main door allowing him to observe most of those who entered or left the market.
He sat alone, Marius having gone back to the libraries to continue his neglected studies and pursue the search for any reference to Maximus among the thousands of historical documents. He also discretely investigated the whereabouts of a Christian doctor named Marcianus who had worked with the northern legions two decades ago. Glaucus missed Marius' company but knew that they had better potential for fruition if they split up. But, so far, they'd had no success.
The Trajan Market was one of the most interesting structures in Rome and one of the busiest. The Market bordered the Forum of Trajan -- a vast square with porticoes which was entered from the Forum of Augustus through the triumphal arch dedicated to Trajan. In the center of the square was the equestrian monument to the emperor. At one end of the square was the massive Basilica Ulpia, the largest in Rome. Two libraries -- one Greek and one Latin -- faced the square, making it convenient for Marius to sometimes meet Glaucus for lunch when the young scholar did his research there. Between the libraries stood the great column of Trajan with its relief commemorating the Roman conquest of Dacia.
The Markets of Trajan -- the commercial center of Rome -- dominated one end of the square with three levels of enclosed shops. Above that were another three levels of establishments, for a total of 150 stores, making the complex the most massive commercial center in the empire. It had everything -- bakers, fishmongers, butchers, milliners, tailors, barbers, fruit sellers, money lenders, real estate brokers, mat makers, cloth dyers, spice sellers, clothes cleaners, goldsmiths, lace makers, sandal makers, belt makers, purse makers... and everything else you could think of. Goods were imported from every corner of the empire and from exotic locales in the far east. Taverns and food stands attracted people looking for food and entertainment. This was also the building where foodstuffs were distributed to the people, making the place almost impossibly crowded. But corridors, with open arches to catch the breezes, made it bearable especially now that autumn had firmly settled in.
For weeks now Glaucus had roamed it's arched galleries, browsing in storefronts and suffering jostles and bumps from determined shoppers. He feigned interest in goods, fingering this and that while he puckered his brow in a pretense of contemplation, but his green eyes constantly scanned the crowd for a tall woman with red-gold hair. He sometimes stood at the rail of the third gallery staring down into the two lower floors looking for Julia, his ears vibrating with the echoes of bartering voices, laughter and footsteps. More than once his heart had suddenly raced when he caught a glimpse of red hair but he had found the women to be too young, or too short, or simply too plain.
Finally, by the end of the forth week, Glaucus resorted to slipping coins into the hands of the shopkeepers and asking them questions about the mysterious woman. He had success with the fifth shop on the second floor -- a man selling precious and unusual imported silks from the far east. He had seen Julia. Often. She was a regular customer.
Marius met Glaucus at the tavern at noon and both started talking excitedly at once.
"Wait, wait," laughed Glaucus as he held up a hand. "Me first. You have to hear this."
"You found her?"
"Well, not quite but I found a shop that she visits often -- although she hasn't been there in a while -- and all I have to do is watch it until she shows up again. She's as good as found."
Marius beamed. "That's wonderful news. Let's find a table." The two men settled into their seats and Marius immediately revealed his news with a casual, understated significance as he scanned the menu. "I found out where the doctor is."
"What?" Glaucus leaped out of his chair and he grasped the edges of the small table, staring down at his companion. "How did you do that? Where is he?"
"Sit down, my friend. You're attracting a lot of attention. Don't get too excited because he's not exactly close by. He's in Arabia Secunda -- in Petra."
"Petra?" Glaucus' fingers played a drumbeat on the table as he struggled to recalled his schoolboy knowledge of Roman geography. "The city in the desert carved into rock cliffs?" he asked tentatively.
"Yes."
Glaucus' face fell. "That's a long way from here."
"That's what I said. You'd have to travel from Rome to Alexandra by ship then cross the Red Sea and go overland across the desert to Petra. It'd be a tough journey and a very, very dangerous one."
"But he's the key person, Marius. He's the one who may have my father's most important belongings. He's the one who knows what really happened that night in Germania. I have to go there."
Marius nodded as he accepted a jar of wine from the serving girl. "I knew you'd say that."
"Why, of all the places on earth, would he have gone there?"
"Petra is on the edge of the empire and is almost inaccessible -- a perfect place for a Christian sect to find a safe haven. Most Christians are in such places now if they wish to be left to worship their god in peace. You know as well as I do what is happening to Christians who remained in Rome. They're tortured and murdered in the Colosseum for the enjoyment of the crowds. He was wise to get out."
Glaucus sipped his wine and, slowly, a sense of satisfaction that he hadn't known in years settled over him. He had information about both Julia and Marcianus -- two huge pieces of his father's puzzle. "That may not be the only reason he went to Petra. He may be in possession of things that he'd rather not be found -- even if it's simply information. My father may even be there with him," said Glaucus, his excitement rising. "However did you find him?"
"Many Romans have friends who are friends of Christians... even though they aren't anxious to admit it. It was simply a matter of being patient and asking the right questions of the right people. But, forget Marcianus for now. We're a lot closer to Julia. I sure am anxious to meet this woman."
Glaucus grinned with contentment. "So am I. The shopkeeper assures me that she is still tall and beautiful with red-gold hair despite her age. She should be easy to spot. I just hope it doesn't take too long."
"It won't bother you, will it? Meeting a woman who was your father's lover while your mother was still alive?" Marius cracked a snail shell and popped the succulent mollusc into his mouth before sopping up butter and garlic with bread.
"To tell you the truth, I have wondered that myself. When I first learned that my father had been faithful to my mother for years on end I thought that he must have been a very odd man, then I found myself liking that idea.. So, it was rather a shock when Eugenia revealed that he had openly taken Julia as his lover in Moesia. But, by all reports she was quite a woman so I can understand his weakness for her."
"I wonder if your mother ever knew?"
Glaucus simply shrugged. He had wondered that too.
"I can't stay long, Glaucus. I just wanted to deliver the good news and grab a quick bite."
"I appreciate it, Marius. I hope you know how much."
The slender man smiled at his Spanish friend. "I know. Besides, it's fun for me. I enjoy trying to solve a good mystery." He fumbled in his robe for coins and Glaucus extended a hand to stop him.
"No, it's on me. It's the least I can do."
"Well, I won't argue. I'll see you later, my friend. Good luck Julia-hunting."
Chapter 33 - The Ship, A.D. 180
Julia and Apollinarius watched Maximus meander aimlessly through the garden from their position on her terrace. Earlier he had wandered the library and paced in the courtyard.
"He'll come around. He just needs time," Apollinarius tried to assure Julia.
"We don't have time. He knows it too and he's trying to keep away from me so he doesn't hurt me."
Apollinarius was surprised. "Hurt you? He would never hurt you."
"He thinks he'll hurt me by loving me." Julia's eyes glittered with tears that were close to spilling. "He needs love so much but he won't allow himself that most basic human need because he's afraid he'll hurt me. Instead, he hurts himself."
Apollinarius felt the need to explain Maximus' actions, thinking them quite selfless. "He's a man accustomed to putting other's lives and concerns ahead of his own. He knows no other way. That's who he is and that's why you love him."
"I know." Julia watched Maximus stand on a garden path gazing at nothing in particular, the dappled sunlight playing over his dark hair and broad shoulders.
"Why don't you go to him?" Apollinarius coaxed.
"Because he'll just push me away somehow." Julia swiped at her eyes then turned to the man beside her. "Apollinarius, I need to get him away from here... away from memories of guards and chains. Help me."
Apollinarius sighed, a furrow shadowing his brow. Gradually the shadow melted and was replaced by a sly grin. "I have an idea."
A few minutes later Julia scurried into her bedroom, her face alight with hope, while Apollinarius headed to the stables.
"General! General Maximus!"
Maximus walked to the end of the path to find Apollinarius standing in the gravel road holding a magnificent bay stallion, saddled and prancing. Maximus grinned at the man who gingerly held the spirited animal's reins, and securely grasped the bridle before caressing the horse's velvet nose. "Yours?" he asked Apollinarius.
"Oh... no, no, I don't ride, General. But I thought you might enjoy one." Apollinarius kept his voice casual as if offering a stallion to a slave who was really a Roman general was something he did every day. "There's a great deal of the property that you haven't seen -- a wonderful fish pond, for example." He pointed down the road and Maximus' eyes followed. "Go down this road a bit towards the city then veer off when you get to a dirt path. It's not far. Just go through the woods then across a field and you can't miss it."
Maximus smiled and nodded his thanks before effortlessly vaulting onto the horse while Apollinarius hastily dropped the reins and scrambled backwards, glad to be rid of the terrifying beast. The gladiator smoothed his short tunic then swung the stallion around and pranced down the road, kicking up gravel, quickly disappearing behind the trees. A short time later Maximus saw the path and steered the animal off the road, slowing the horse to a walk while he brushed errant branches out of his face. He soon reached the field which was a delightful mixture of sweet grasses and wild flowers and he let the horse gallop, enjoying the wind in his hair and the powerful muscles moving effortlessly beneath his thighs.
He reined in and the stallion pranced, not wanting the run to end. Maximus shielded his eyes and squinted into the distance where a strange shape sprouted from the middle of the field. The shape had a tree growing from the middle of it. No... no it was a mast not a tree. A mast with furled sails attached to a ship. Curious, Maximus drew closer and the ship got larger until he realized it was a full-sized vessel, not a small replica as he had first suspected. Puzzled, he studied it as he rode until the horse reached the edge of a large pond surrounded by rushes. In the middle of the pond the ship sat looking for all the world like it had just docked there. Surrounding it were marble sculptures of all kinds of sea creatures -- real and fanciful. He rode around the perimeter of the pond marveling at the detail in the wooden ship. It's sails were furled and rigging creaked in the wind. On deck were barrels and crates just as a real merchant ship would have. He circled the pond again until a break in the rushes revealed a path to the ship consisting of flat-topped stones evenly spaced for easy walking. He dismounted and patted the horse, urging him not to stray far, then stepped onto the first rock.
As he ventured further into the water he examined the large marble sculptures of flipping fish and coiled sea monsters, then realized that large silver shapes -- real fish -- darted among their stone brethren. The sun glinted off their backs like molten metal. Eight steps later he reached the ship, grabbed the rope ladder and pulled himself to the rail which he grabbed with both hands before vaulting to the deck. It sounded hollow under his feet. He looked up the dizzying height of the mast then touched a nearby barrel. He walked to the stern and looked into the water, a substantial distance below. In front of the ship was a marble statue of a mermaid, her fishtail curling seductively around her hips and her long hair obscuring her breasts. It was a magical place -- fanciful yet so very real. Maximus turned and leaned back against the railing. He raised his face to the sun and closed his eyes, listening to the song of the wind through the rigging. It was easy to imagine that this was a real ship and that he was really escaping slavery.
Slowly he realized that a human voice had joined the song of the wind and he opened his eyes to find Julia where she hadn't been a moment before, singing a song of sweet, sweet sounds. She sat on a barrel near the cabin, her hair unbound and wafting in soft tendrils around her face. She wore a water-blue gown that shimmered green when the light caught the fabric, and it sparkled like the sun on the waves. The gauzy fabric drifted around her like a veil as the breeze played across its surface. Captivated, Maximus pushed off the rail and moved closer. The bottom portion of Julia's gown was decorated with soft feathers the same colors as the fabric and it fell to the deck and drifted behind her as she stood and walked slowly towards him, still softly singing. As she approached, her hair floated back over her shoulders revealing a glittering, sheer bodice cut so low that most of her breasts were revealed.
Maximus stopped, entranced. When he spoke his voice resonated, deep and husky. "I don't know how Odysseus resisted you, beautiful siren."
Her final notes wafted on the breeze and she smiled, her eyes liquid with love.
Maximus continued, "Sirens tried to lure Odysseus to his death with their song and their beauty. Should I be afraid, lovely siren?"
"The only people who need fear me are those who try to harm my handsome Odysseus." She floated to him and caressed his bearded cheek with the back of her fingers. "You are safe with me, dear Odysseus." Her hand encircled his neck and she pulled his face to hers and kissed him gently.. "We're at sea...," she whispered against his lips. "Rome is far behind us and we're drifting across the waves... just the two of us." She kissed him again, deepening the kiss this time, and his hands reached to pull her closer -- one in her hair and the other at her waist. "Beloved Odysseus", she whispered again before he captured her mouth in a searing kiss.
He was lost.
His lower hand moved lower still and he spread his fingers across her buttocks, crushing the feathered fabric in his fingers as he pressed her against him. Julia melted as his tongue captured hers in a feverish kiss that dissolved her bones, leaving her body a formless mass to be sculpted by his hands. She moaned as his bearded mouth trailed down her neck to her shoulder where he shoved aside the thin fabric that stood in his way then impatiently pulled it completely down to reveal the peak of one creamy breast. His mouth followed his hand.
"Maximus," she breathed.
He raised his head, his urgency clear in his eyes. "Where?" he gasped.
"The cabin."
He bent and slid one arm behind her knees, lifting her effortlessly. He was at the door in two long strides. Stooping, he entered the low cabin then kicked the door shut behind him with such force that the sound echoed across the meadow and through the trees.
The sun that slanted through the round porthole revealed a wide bed almost obscured with shimmering silk-covered pillows. He knelt one knee on the soft mattress and propped Julia against it while he hastily tossed pillows onto the floor. Julia covered his face with wet kisses, circling his ear with her tongue, wordlessly inciting him to hurry. The feverish sound of their combined breathing filled the small space.
Maximus laid Julia gently back on the bed, cradling her head, while her hands ripped at his tunic, quickly baring his muscular shoulders. She had little patience for gentleness. She grasped his neck and nipped and sucked at his exposed flesh while his hands roamed across her chest and brushed her breasts before cupping them firmly. He groaned; she gasped as his fingers rubbed, rolled and plucked at her taut nipples.
"Too many clothes... too many clothes," Julia breathed and Maximus reared up on his knees and yanked off his belt before pulling the tunic over his head and tossing it away. Julia devoured his chest with her eyes and hands as he tentatively fingered the fabric covering her ribs, searching for some kind of opening. Julia laughed, "Oh, Maximus, just rip it. I don't care." But before he could do her bidding she grasped the fabric herself and shredded it to her waist, totally exposing her upper torso to his gaze and touch.
He didn't need any further coaxing and her skirt quickly met the same fate. He flung it into the air where it billowed and floated in a flutter of feathers before gently settling on the floor. She was completely naked underneath. Maximus couldn't tear his eyes from her as he stepped out of his undergarment. "I feared that my imagination had embellished your beauty. You're just as magnificent as I remember you to be," he breathed as he watched her breast flutter with the wild pounding of her heart.
"Well, you are even more so, my darling," whispered Julia as she traced her eyes down his body, settling on his midsection. She extended her arms and opened her legs. "Come, my love, I've waited too long for you."
Apollinarius watched the sun set from Julia's terrace, humming contentedly to himself. It was obvious the young couple wouldn't be back tonight. He knew that the enchantment of that place -- and the irresistible costume -- would do the trick.
Hours later Maximus groped for the lantern and fumbled for the flint. When a dim golden glow filled the room he padded to the door and opened it a crack to cool the place down. Every smooth surface was covered in dewy moisture, including their skin. Julia patted down the feather mattress so she could get an unimpeded view of her lover as he cooled off in the evening breeze. She might have thought him a marble sculpture chiseled by a master craftsman -- Triton emerged from the sea -- if she did not know how warm that skin felt under her fingers and lips. She stretched like a cat and smiled in utter contentment as she surveyed the damage to the room. Her costume lay on the floor in complete tatters with green and blue feathers scattered on the carpet and across the bed. One of Maximus' sandals lay on the desk and the other by the door. His tunic had landed on the upside down chair, one leg comically projecting through the armhole like a skinny, stunted limb -- quite a contrast to the arm that had filled it a few hours ago. She chuckled.
Maximus turned and smiled at her -- a small, lopsided smile that gradually grew in width and warmth.
Julia said, "It's a good thing I thought to bring a bag with more clothes for both of us or we'd be quite a sight arriving back at the villa in the remains of what we were wearing." She held out her arms and he returned to the bed. She shifted so he could lie down then draped one arm and leg across him possessively and snuggled her face into his neck. He wrapped her in his strong arms.
"What is this place?" he asked against her temple.
"It's a replica of the ship that started the business that I now own. The first one in the fleet," came her muffled reply. "You know I can't swim so I didn't like to go on the ships. This one is my own personal ship -- a safe one where I go to get away from the villa and the servants. I made this little cabin so I could read here." She laughed. "It's funny, but you have no idea the number of times I fantasized having you here, making love to me."
"It's my first time."
She laughed. "Pardon?"
"It's my first time aboard a merchant ship -- except for when I was thrown into the hold of one as a slave on the way to Zucchabar."
She pushed up on one elbow and looked down at him. "Really?"
"Yes. I grew up far away from the sea and I almost always traveled by land as a soldier. I went to Britannia once but that was on a military ship." His face softened into a boyish grin. "I had no idea that merchant ships came equipped with their own sirens." He glanced at the small table. "Wine and food too. Everything a man could want."
She traced his eyebrow with an elegant finger then continued down his nose to his mouth where she stroked his lips. "Sweet mouth," she said, then she leaned down and captured his lower lip between hers teeth, sucking it gently before releasing it. "I dreamed it would be like this. For years I dreamed it would be like this with you. It's so different from anything I have ever experienced. It's wonderful... magical."
Maximus caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Your past is long behind you. You¹re a different woman now."
"But this is the first time that I truly feel different. I... I have to admit that I was scared a little. Afraid that even being with you would bring back some difficult memories." She dropped her lashes. "I haven't been with a man since Moesia."
Maximus' brow creased in curiosity. "Your husband?"
"No, I told you... remember? I vowed to never be intimate with a man again unless I loved him and gave myself freely." She gazed sincerely into his deep blue eyes. "You are the only man I have ever loved. It's like my past doesn't even exist anymore now. I finally understand what the words 'make love' mean. To me they had always been meaningless because I couldn't see anything loving in the act. I could only ever associate it with painful emotions. Now I understand. Thank you for that, my darling."
She kissed him again and he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss. Her hand threaded through his hair and she grasped the short curls while her hips slid on top of his and she captured him between her legs. Maximus grasped her buttocks and she clutched his shoulders as he rolled her over and under him.
I wasn't until dusk the next night that Apollinarius spied the bay stallion walking up the road with two riders merged as if one. It's a good thing the horse knew the way home because both of the riders were occupied only with each other.
Chapter 34 - The Sighting
Glaucus stood at his usual post leaning against the railing of the second level of shops in the Trajan Market opposite the silk seller's store. Over two weeks had passed since he had learned of Julia's habitual patronage of that shop but she had not yet returned. Shop keepers who were once suspicious of his presence now greeted him with a friendly nod, assured that he was not a potential robber.
His back facing the open gallery below, Glaucus folded his arms and yawned. His anticipation had gradually faded to boredom over the days and he found himself playing games to keep his attention focused. There were two thousand, three hundred and sixty-two bricks over the lintel of the silk shop. Seventeen women wearing a new style of sandal had passed by so far this morning. Hew laughed to himself. Imagine him knowing anything about style, new or otherwise. Lurking in the Market had certainly been an education in fashion, if nothing else.
He had also found that the barber in the stall next to the silk seller had exactly the same morning routine every day -- he opened his iron gate, slapped his hands, strapped on his apron, and polished his mirror before he sharpened his razors on a long leather strop. He was as predictable as the tides.
Glaucus yawned again and smoothed back the lock from his forehead. It stubbornly bounced back into his eye as he ran his hands over his shaggy beard. He had somewhat neglected his appearance lately as he was so obsessed with his mission. The barber busily dusted his countertop and then started to polish his worn, brown leather chair. Glaucus had stood here for weeks, nodding in greeting to the man. Maybe it was time that he tried his services. He pushed off the railing then waited until a groups of shoppers passed before he crossed the short distance to the barber's door.
The short man smiled a friendly greeting as he peered up at Glaucus. "I was wondering when you were going to come over here. That hair of yours would look very good in the newest style that is very popular with young men your age. I could tame those curls and arrange them very nicely around your face."
"Forget trying to tame my hair. It's impossible," Glaucus smiled. "I could use a trim, though, if you've got time."
The barber smiled a welcome and expertly snapped open the apron as Glaucus settled into the leather chair, dented by the backsides of many customers. The large, polished mirror on the wall in front on him afforded him a clean view of his own face and the corridor behind him. The barber began to expertly trim the flipping curls, his wrist twisting the razor in a rhythmic dance. "You have very thick hair, sir," said the barber. "It would look very good a bit shorter."
"Thank you but I'm used to it the way it is. I'm afraid I'm a bit lazy when it comes to my appear--" Glaucus sat bolt upright and the barber's razor clattered to the floor.
"Wuh?" the astonishment man muttered as his customer stared in shock at the mirror. The barber could see nothing amiss -- he hadn't lopped off an ear by mistake. There was no blood.
Glaucus whirled and bounded out of the chair in one movement, the apron swirling around him like a cape. "Wait!" he shouted. "Wait!" as he leaped towards the doorway -- and the pale face framed with red-gold waves that had appeared there fleetingly. The huge, anguished blue eyes had met his in the mirror for only an instant before the face had disappeared.
"Wait!" the barber echoed as his customer appeared about to bolt with the apron still attached and no payment rendered. He grabbed at the tail of the apron and held firm causing Glaucus to choke and gag as the heavy fabric tightened around his neck. The young Spaniard grasped it with both hands and tore it from his body then turned towards the doorway before being abruptly halted again. "Wait!" the barber yelled, his cries having attracted a curious crowd now gathered in the doorway. He clutched Glaucus' tunic and held tight. "You owe me my fee!"
Frantically, Glaucus fumbled for some coins and tossed them at the man, having no idea -- and not caring -- if they were sufficient to cover the payment. But the barber released the black garment and seemed pleased with the amount as he stooped to retrieve the money.
Glaucus shouted, "Julia, wait!" as he pushed his way through the throng of curious onlookers. He stumbled as his foot caught in a shopping basket and just managed to regain his balance before he sprawled to the floor. He raced to the silk shop and quickly scanned the small room. Two women shoppers stared back at him -- neither one was Julia."
"She was just about to walk in," said the silk merchant as he bustled forward, "when I saw her stop real sudden. Then she disappeared. A moment later she ran down the corridor looking like she'd seen her own ghost."
"Which way?" Glaucus demanded.
The merchant gestured with his head and Glaucus exited the shop at a gallop.. She couldn¹t have gotten far. He headed west, briefly checking every shop along the way. She was not in any of them. When he reached the end of the corridor he glanced up and down the stairs. She was nowhere to be seen. Taking a guess, Glaucus headed to the first floor taking the steps three at a time.. He continued to check every shop with no success then ran to the market outside. It was no use. The massive crowd could have swallowed the emperor and his entire entourage without a trace. Glaucus' shoulders drooped and he sagged against a column. "Shit!" he spat. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" He pounded his fist against the green marble in intense frustration. He had lost her. He couldn't believe that he had lost her. He felt like crying.
For the rest of the day he listlessly prowled the massive market and forum hoping that she would return.
She didn't.
Chapter 35 - Departure, A.D. 180
For the remainder of the week Julia and Maximus reveled in each other's company spending long hours alone in her apartment or at the ship or on the secluded beach. Apollinarius rarely saw them and nothing suited him better. The glorious glow on Julia's face when he did catch a glimpse of them told him everything he needed to know. The general's deep, rumbling laughter and Julia's silken sighs filled the villa like sunshine and flowers and everyone within hearing walked with a lighter step, their mood lifted by the infectious joy of the young couple. Apollinarius' heart soared... only to crash to earth when he reminded himself of what was surely to come.
And it came too soon.
The pounding on the front door resonated throughout the atrium and a servant rushed to answer. His heart filled with dread, Apollinarius watched from the courtyard. The door swung open with such force that the servant jumped back to avoid injury. It thudded against the wall then bounced back to be stopped dead by the booted foot of an armed guard. A smaller, bearded man stepped past the guard into the shadow of the atrium then three more heavily armed men took up post at the door. "I've come to collect my gladiator!" he announced in a voice that threatened like an impending storm. "Go find your mistress!" he ordered the servant who slunk away like a kicked dog.
Apollinarius gathered his strength and stepped out to face the angry man. "May I help you?" he asked with almost absurd cordiality.
"Yes, you can help me. Get my gladiator. He's been here much longer than was agreed to and the games have commenced again. I want him right now. He is scheduled to fight later today."
Apollinarius smiled and bowed his head in greeting. "Proximo, welcome again to--"
Proximo bustled forth to stand directly in front of the white-haired man. "Ah yes," he drawled. "I remember you. You're the man who arranged this little visit -- the man who rented my gladiator--" Proximo glanced at his guards "-- on behalf of his mistress I am told."
"Yes... that is how it is done."
Proximo dismissed Apollinarius with a wave and headed with purpose towards the courtyard and the library beyond. "You owe me considerably more money than we originally agreed to."
"You'll be paid in full," Apollinarius called out as Proximo crossed the courtyard. "The general is not in the library, sir."
Proximo stopped and turned around. "Then fetch him for me right--"
A door in the atrium opened. "What is it, Apollinarius? What's all the noise?" asked Julia... then her eyes settled on Proximo and she froze.
Proximo arched an eyebrow and bobbed a quick bow. "Well, m'Lady. Your beauty was not exaggerated." But he was interested only in Maximus and he swept the gladiator from head to toe with his practiced eyes when Maximus stepped protectively from behind Julia. "Where's your armor? We've go to go. You're fighting today."
"No," Julia murmured as she grabbed her lover's hand. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her tight to his side.
"How touching," said Proximo with mild sarcasm and he raised his eyebrows knowingly. "Fetch his armor," he ordered the cowering servant. "It belongs to me and I never relinquish anything that belongs to me." His eyes deliberately met Julia's. "Spaniard -- get into the wagon."
Trembling, Julia tried to step forward to confront Proximo but Maximus restrained her. "Julia," he whispered, "don't say anything. I have to leave. We've talked about this... don't make it worse." His soft words held a note of warning.
She opened her mouth to speak but only a choked sob escaped. She drew a deep, shuddering breath and started again. "You know who this man really is, Proximo. You cannot keep a Roman general as a slave."
"I can and I will," replied Proximo with exaggerated courtesy. "He was a half-dead slave when I purchased him -- no general."
"He was a favorite of Marcus Aurelius--"
"Marcus Aurelius is dead. Commodus is emperor now. He is no favorite of Commodus."
The servant returned with the leather armor and headed towards Maximus but Proximo swept out a hand and grabbed it. "I said it belongs to me. Now get in the wagon, Spaniard."
"I need a few moments, Proximo," stated Maximus with a general's calm authority.
"There is no time. I will be paid then we will leave." He turned to Julia with expectation and held out his hand. "M'Lady?"
"I will get the payment," muttered Apollinarius when Julia seemed unable to move.
"I'm sorry," Maximus whispered into Julia's silky hair as Apollinarius walked swiftly towards the library.
She shook her head soundlessly, her eyes wild, then she forcefully pulled away from Maximus and stood between master and slave, her eyes darting from one to the other. Slowly, she collected herself until she stood outwardly composed and calm despite her inner turmoil. "I want to buy him," she told Proximo.
Maximus scowled. Proximo laughed. "He's not for sale, m'Lady. As I said, I have come to claim what is mine."
"I'll pay you any sum you ask. Name your price."
Returning from the library, Apollinarius stood rooted to the courtyard tiles, envelope in hand, shocked at Julia's open-ended offer.
Proximo shook his head. "M'Lady--"
"Any amount, Proximo. I'll pay anything for him."
Proximo twisted his lips and folded his arms as he regarded the lovely young woman. "My, my... so he kept you that satisfied, did he?" He turned laughing eyes on his slave. "Well done, Spaniard, well done. Another talent of yours that I can exploit when we return to Rome."
Maximus' maintained dignified silence.
Julia made no attempt to keep the note of desperation from her voice. "Everything. I'll give you everything I have... my villa... my fleet of ships... my apartment in Rome. Maximus could never earn that much money for you in two lifetimes."
Apollinarius was speechless. He moved hastily into the atrium, the forgotten envelope dangling from his fingers.
For the first time Proximo seemed truly moved and his voice softened in sympathy. "My Lady, let me explain. Your offer is a generous one indeed and for any other slave I would readily accept. But I will not sell Maximus for anything that you could pay me. You see, Roman patricians have already offered me much more than that for him. But in Maximus I have something that I value more than any villa, or any fleet of ships, or any amount of money." He held her eyes with a serious gaze. "I have the envy and respect of every gladiator-owning patrician in the empire. Oh, there are men who own thousands of gladiators and can afford to outfit them in golden armor. I, alas, cannot. I am merely a former gladiator who earned my freedom and started a small school of my own. I managed to make a reasonable living but I was sneered at by the well-born men with large schools that boasted a flock of champions." He regarded Maximus who maintained his rigid silence. "Then I stumbled upon this man and now I have something that is more important to me than any amount of money -- the envy and respect of patricians who wouldn't lower themselves to speak to me before. Nothing you can offer me can equal that. Do you understand, m'Lady?" Proximo seemed almost sorry for the wretched young woman before him. He tossed the leather armor to Maximus who caught it reluctantly then he accepted the envelope from Apollinarius.
"Proximo, I need a moment alone with her," insisted Maximus as he dropped the leather armor at his feet. "Just one moment," he added when his master seemed disinclined to agree.
But the gladiator-owner nodded curtly. "We'll wait outside. Don't be long." He and the guards filed out leaving Maximus alone with Apollinarius and Julia.
The white-haired man stepped forward and grasped Maximus' shoulders. "I'll miss you, my friend. You're a fine man and I am honored to know you. I... I wish you luck in Rome." Apollinarius dropped his gaze as his eyes clouded and he quickly exited the atrium, leaving the lovers alone.
Julia stood facing the library with Maximus at her back, her body rigid and her fists clenched. She seemed like she would shatter if touched.
"Julia?" Maximus whispered close to her ear. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I lead you to believe that it could end any other way."
"It was nothing you said, Maximus. I fooled myself into believing that we could have a life together... that our love would... would somehow make things...," her voice trailed away and her head dropped as sobs wracked her body. She spun and threw herself into his waiting arms. "Oh Maximus, oh Maximus, I can't live without you," she cried into his neck as she clutched at his shoulders, seemingly trying to crawl into his body and merge as one.
Maximus buried his face in her hair, his own voice unsteady. "Julia... we knew it would come to this. We knew it."
"It doesn't make it any easier."
"No... no it doesn't," he whispered before he kissed her mouth with a painful intensity. Then he pulled her arms from his neck and stepped away from her. "I must go."
Julia made no move to stop him but she stated with conviction, "I'm going to Rome too -- in my carriage. I'll be right behind your wagon. Maximus, I will be at the arena every time you fight. You will never be alone because I'll be there with you. Always."
"Come along, Spaniard, before I have you shackled!" demanded Proximo from just outside the door.
Maximus ignored him. "Julia, stay here. Stay out of Rome," he implored. "There will be nothing but pain for you there."
"No. I want to be where you are. I will be there with you... every day." Her voice choked with tears.
Maximus grasped her gently by the shoulders. "It would be better if you didn't see me fight. I can't guarantee a positive outcome." He dropped his voice to a bare whisper. "You know what I have to do."
Julia cupped his face in her hands. "Maximus, if there is any way that you can accomplish what you must do and...and live... promise me that you will return to me."
"That's highly unlikely, Julia."
"Maximus... please. Promise me that if you can find any way to kill Commodus and save your own life that you will take it. Promise me."
"Yes... I promise." He took her hands in his and raised them to his lips, gently kissing each delicate finger. Then he released her and turned away, walking slowly towards the doorway, his demeanor that of a general facing a dreaded but long-anticipated battle.
"I love you, Maximus."
He turned at the door, his eyes full of tenderness and regret. "I promise," he whispered. Then he was gone.
Julia felt drained... bloodless, boneless, lifeless, soulless. She was nothing but a shell filled with dust rather than life force.
Outside, Maximus walked with purpose towards the wagon then pulled himself inside and sat with his back towards the villa. He couldn't bear to look at it through the bars. When the door didn't slam shut as he expected he twisted his head. Proximo stood there contemplating his gladiator. "I'm sorry, Maximus," he said quietly as he slowly shut and padlocked the door.
In the atrium Julia stood until she heard the wagon door shut, barely aware that Apollinarius was beside her. She heard the driver call to the horses and the crunch of wooden wheels on gravel as the wagon carried Maximus back to the Colosseum and back to servitude.
"Apollinarius," Julia said with quiet determination. "We're going to Rome."
