Hostage to Fortuna

by R. W. Peake

  Ships did come to Petuar; during my time there, at least one ship a week came from downriver, the most potent sign that it was from across the channel, but it was always a bit of an occasion. Despite having witnessed it before, I could see this time was different, if only because the townspeople now standing on the deck seemed to be splitting their attention between me and the approaching vessel equally. It was an interminable amount of time as I stood there, shading my eyes, straining to catch a glimpse that might tell me something, but when it happened, it was not so much what my eye saw but the manner in which one of the figures standing in the prow behaved. It was nothing much; I could see him turning away, presumably to address one of the men standing behind him, but there was something in the way he did it that caused me to gasp aloud, which I did not want to do but could not help.

  “Pullus?”

  I glanced over to see that Gorteryn was standing next to me, and he was the one who called my name with a raised eyebrow.

  “Nothing.” I shook my head, but I could see he did not believe me, although at this moment, I was not entirely certain that my eyes were not seeing what I wanted them to see. After a span of what was probably another thirty heartbeats, I was certain enough to turn and, with a broad smile on my face, tell Gorteryn, “I’m going home.”

  I saw Gnaeus standing on the dock when we were still more than a furlong away, although I was not altogether certain it was him because of the blue cloak he was wearing, but during my time in Petuar, I had not seen any Parisii his size, with the exception of Berdic, but I could see that this man was clean-shaven. Once we were close enough that I was certain that it was him, it is difficult to describe the wave of emotion that assaulted me. Elation, certainly, but as quickly as it came, it was shoved aside by the trepidation I felt at the thought of telling him of the cost of his freedom. It was this that caused me to suddenly turn to face Squillus, who was standing at the steering oar, guiding the ship the final distance to the dock.

  Cupping my hands together, I called to him, “Stop! Don’t dock! Not yet!”

  He understandably looked startled, although he shouted down to the Hortator to stop the oarsmen, and he was not the only one who was surprised.

  “Pullus? What is it?” Marcellus asked after coming to stand at my side. “Is something wrong?”

  “No,” I said quickly, but then amended, “at least I don’t think so. But I’m wondering if maybe I should row ashore first and talk to Gnaeus.”

  He considered this, then seemed to accept it, because he asked, “Do you want one of us to go with you?”

  I appreciated the gesture, but I shook my head.

  “I just want to have the chance to talk to Gnaeus first and find out what he wants us to do.”

  With that, I made my way to the stern to tell Squillus what was happening. He was unhappy about it, muttering something about wasting time, but what mattered was that he barked out an order to one of the deck crew to unlash the boat, then to another to drop the anchor about a hundred paces downriver from the dock, and perhaps twenty from the riverbank. We were within missile range, but I did not consider this to be likely, if only because none of the people I saw clustered on the dock were warriors. The crewman who unlashed the boat dropped down into it to row me ashore, and I followed him down into the boat, shakily, but I managed to avoid falling into the water. He began rowing as soon as I sat down, and I saw Gnaeus pushing his way through the crowd so that he could meet me.

  As we were pulling alongside the dock, he called down, “You took your time! I thought you might have decided to just go home and forget about me.”

  Even without the broad smile on his face, I would have known he was jesting, but he was not quite done having fun with me, because when I raised a hand towards the dock, he leaned over, then with an ease that made it seem as if I was a doll, he lifted me out of the boat with one hand, to the gasps and laughter from the crowd.

  “Do you always have to show off?” I grumbled, but he just laughed and retorted, “What do you think?”

  Then we were embracing, and I was only vaguely aware that the people around us were affected in some way, either shouting with joy, applauding, and some were even weeping.

  “Gnaeus, what did you do?” I asked as soon as we broke our embrace. “Why are these people acting like this?” I was about to make a joke about how it was probably because they were about to become wealthy, but I held my tongue.

  Gnaeus just grinned and, having to speak loudly over the noise from the crowd, he said, “Because I’m a hero, that’s why.”

  “A hero?” I did not understand, but he just shook his head and said that he would explain later.

  Then he turned serious and indicated the Salacia with his head.

  “I’m assuming that the only reason you’re here is because you were successful,” he said, and when I nodded, I could see that he was pleased, but also worried. “How did Septimus raise the money? What did he have to sell?”

  I had been dreading this question from the moment we left Arelate, but now it was my turn to say, “It’s not important right now. We can talk about it later.” Before he could say anything, I asked, “So, what do we do now?”

  This clearly startled Gnaeus, and he admitted sheepishly, “Actually, I have no idea.” He considered for a moment, then decided, “I suppose I need to go inform Ivomagus that you’ve arrived.”

  “Ivomagus?” I asked, somewhat confused. “Where’s Cogidubnus?”

  Gnaeus made a face as he explained, “He’s off hunting again. He came back to Petuar a few days ago because you’ve been expected, but he makes himself scarce. I’ve only seen him a couple of times.”

  There was something in Gnaeus’ demeanor that told me there was more going on beyond the obvious, but I did joke, “And Ivomagus is still alive? That must have been hard for you.”

  Again, he did not react as I expected, but all he said was, “A lot has happened, Alex. Now,” his tone changed into one that I knew meant he was not going to continue on the same subject, “go ahead and go back to the ship, but stay aboard and stay where you are in the river. I’m going to Segovax’s hall to let Ivomagus know. He’ll send for his brother, and we can get this over with. Then, once I take care of something, we can leave.”

  I knew he was trying to sound casual, but I know Gnaeus too well, which prompted me to ask suspiciously, “Take care of what? What do you need to do before we leave?”

  “Oh, it’s nothing.” He gave me a careless wave, but he was not looking at me. Before I could press him, he turned away and called over his shoulder, “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Now that I know what this “something” that Gnaeus wanted to take care of was, he was wise not to let me know about it, because I might have called on Marcellus and the other men to tackle him and drag him aboard ship.

  We rode at a hard canter to the hall, which I remember not at all because my mind was racing with what I had planned. I had certainly thought it through beforehand, several times, but now that Alex was here, there was an urgency to it that added a new dimension. I told Alex the truth when I said that Cogidubnus had gone hunting, but I also knew he was not fooled by my vague talk of needing to do “something” before we left. This was a time when, even if he had tried to talk me out of it, I would not have listened, and I preferred the idea of asking his forgiveness after the act. Ivomagus had mentioned that Cogidubnus wanted to hold another feast, which was supposedly why he was out hunting, where he would announce his decision, but just as I knew I had not fooled Alex, I could tell that Ivomagus understood he had not fooled me into thinking that there was any possibility his cunnus of a brother would not take every single coin of my ransom. Of course, there was also what had happened the last time the King of the Parisii had held a feast in my honor, and I was almost certain that, even if Cogidubnus did not have anything planned, Berdic did. Unfortunately, I could not think of any other way to arrange matters that would allow me to achieve my goal without acquiescing
to the idea of that feast. Even before we arrived at the hall, we could see by the number of horses and chariots that Cogidubnus had already returned, and my stomach began to tighten at the prospect of having to face the arrogant bastard celebrating his enrichment at the expense of my family.

  Keep your mind on the goal, Gnaeus, I reminded myself as I slid off the horse, but it was Gorteryn who went rushing into the hall first, undoubtedly to be the one to bring the news to his king. And, even before I reached the doorway, there was a roar of male voices shouting in triumph that cut me so deeply I almost turned around, mounted the horse, and went galloping back to Petuar. Somehow, though, I forced myself to enter, stopping to let my eyes adjust to the dimmer lighting, and doing my absolute best to keep my face a mask. After several heartbeats, I saw at the back of the hall, just in front of the wooden partition, a cluster of figures standing around the table that I suppose had been more or less permanently placed there as long as Cogidubnus was present. While most of their backs were turned to me, it was easy to see what they were doing, trying to outdo each other in congratulating Cogidubnus, of whom I caught a glimpse sitting on the other side of the table. And, of course it was Berdic who noticed me first, glancing over his shoulder to see me standing there, and he called out to Cogidubnus. Whatever it was that he said the others thought quite funny, because they roared with laughter, but I noticed that when Cogidubnus stood, since he was looking in my direction, he looked acutely uncomfortable. Most surprisingly, however, was when he snapped something at the others, although he was looking directly at Berdic when he said it, and I saw that the black-bearded warrior clearly did not care for whatever the king had said. Cogidubnus made a shooing motion, and the other men moved out of the way so that I had a clear path to walk up to the table, which I did, ignoring everyone but the king. Ivomagus was nowhere to be seen, so I had no idea how we were supposed to communicate; fortunately, he came hurrying out from behind the partition with Gorteryn behind him.

  “Centurion Pullus,” Ivomagus addressed me formally, which was appropriate, “I was just informed by Gorteryn that your slave has returned.”

  I had to bite the inside of my cheek, and I silently asked Alex for forgiveness as I only said tersely, “Yes, Alex has returned.”

  “And?” Ivomagus pressed, “Is what Gorteryn says true? That he has brought the ransom?”

  “Yes.”

  My response seemed to irritate Ivomagus, but although he opened his mouth, I believe that he saw my expression and understood how tightly I was reining in my temper, so he turned to his brother instead, presumably to confirm that he was about to become even wealthier. Cogidubnus listened to Ivomagus, then turned to me and, in a complete surprise, offered me a grave bow as he said something.

  A glance at Ivomagus was all I needed, but I suppose his cunnus brother felt the need to observe the formalities, because Ivomagus spoke, completely avoiding my eyes, “My brother wants me to inform you that, while he gave it a great deal of thought, he regrets that he cannot honor my request that your ransom be forgiven, even with your actions that helped save Petuar…and saved my life.” There was something in the way Ivomagus hesitated before he mentioned himself that indicated to me that he was adding this on his own, not that it mattered. “The reason is…”

  “The reason is because he’s a greedy cunnus,” I interrupted. “That’s the only reason that matters.”

  Ivomagus flushed, and I could see he was angered, although I did not know whether it was because I called his brother a cunnus or I was speaking the truth. Cogidubnus was watching, and I saw his eyes narrow in suspicion, making me wonder if Ivomagus had told him what cunnus meant.

  “The reason,” Ivomagus repeated, and I recognized that he had been explicitly ordered by his brother to provide some form of explanation, “is that, while we have driven Diviciacus and the Brigantes from our lands, my brother the King has received reports that their retreat into their territory is temporary.”

  “So, because we chopped down two trees on the wrong side of the river and only brought one back, the Brigantes are willing to keep fighting? That,” I said dryly, “is an expensive tree.”

  Ivomagus tried to hide a smile, and only later did I realize that he was doing me a favor, because if he had reacted, Cogidubnus would undoubtedly want to know what I said that was so humorous, and even as angry as I was, I recognized that my attempt at levity, however bitter, would have been enjoyed by the king and the sycophants around him to a degree far beyond the actual humor of my remark.

  “Tonight, the King is holding a feast in your honor,” Ivomagus continued, and this time, I managed to refrain from pointing out what happened the last time such a feast was held, because I actually needed this feast to happen. He turned, and there was another exchange, and Cogidubnus rose from his seat, but it was the manner in which the others reacted that allowed me to anticipate what was coming, and Ivomagus explained, “The King will accompany us down to the dock now.”

  “Down to the dock?” I did my best to sound puzzled. “Why would we be going down to the dock?”

  “To unload your ransom, of course!”

  I addressed my words to Ivomagus, but I made sure to look Cogidubnus in the eye as I said flatly, “I’m not releasing that ransom until I’m aboard the ship.”

  Cogidubnus looked over sharply at his brother, but Ivomagus ignored him to implore me, “Please, Centurion. My brother will take this as an insult to his honor and as a sign you do not trust him.”

  This time, I did not have to feign my astonishment.

  “Are you serious, Ivomagus? Of course I don’t trust him! The whole reason I’m here is because he betrayed me and had me taken prisoner!”

  “But we have treated you well, and honorably during your time here!” Ivomagus countered, but before I could say anything, Cogidubnus interrupted, questioning his brother sharply.

  As Ivomagus predicted, Cogidubnus did not react well, offering a bellow that, in all honesty, was quite impressive, one that would not bring shame to any Centurion, but then he pointed a finger in my direction and aimed whatever he said next directly at me. Long before I knew the truth about my father, I have always detested it when someone shoves a finger anywhere near me, and Cogidubnus had come close enough that I could have snatched that finger and broken it like a twig; at least now I know that this is a family trait. And, the gods know, I wanted to, very badly, but I stood looking at him calmly and let him vent his anger and indignation.

  Once he subsided, I asked Ivomagus, “Is he finished?”

  Ivomagus translated, and the king gave a curt nod.

  “Ask your brother,” I spoke carefully, “why another day matters? The money is here, and we both know I’m not going to be allowed to leave until he has it in his possession. Now,” I shrugged, and as calm as I tried to appear, I felt my heart beating rapidly because I knew I was taking a risk, “if the money is more important to him, we can go to the docks now, and I’ll be gone today.”

  It was a gamble, but I did not feel it was all that risky; I had seen enough of Cogidubnus’ behavior to feel somewhat confident that his pride would not allow him to cancel this feast, if only because it gave him the chance to remind his subjects of his cunning and ability to turn a situation to his advantage. Of all the things I had observed about Cogidubnus, the one firm fact I was willing to rely on was that he enjoyed playing the part of a king very much. I kept my eyes on Cogidubnus as Ivomagus translated my words, and I was rewarded by the flash of alarm that crossed the king’s face. He cut his brother off, said something rapidly, and I heaved an internal sigh of relief even before Ivomagus began speaking.

  “No, that will not be necessary, and,” I found this surprising, “my brother apologizes for his behavior. He says you are correct, that you are an honorable man, as is he, so there is no need for haste.”

  I knew that I was supposed to offer some sort of compliment, but all I said was, “Thank your brother for me, Ivomagus. Now, I would like to return to Petuar
to tell my friend Alexandros what to expect, and that we will be handing over the money tomorrow.”

  Once Ivomagus was done, Cogidubnus gave a nod, and I wasted no time, mainly because Berdic had edged his way to a spot at the edge of my vision, and while I did not think he would try something, I was unwilling to risk it. What I had planned had to happen in a certain way, and this was not the time.

  Chapter Eight

  When Gnaeus returned to the dock, he was accompanied by eight Parisii warriors, dashing my hopes that we could effect an escape, which I had discussed with Marcellus and the others, the idea being that Squillus would move the Salacia quickly to the dock from our spot in the river, we would jump onto the dock and essentially snatch Gnaeus, being gone before the Parisii could react. With his escort, he was rowed to the boat where I got another surprise, albeit a happy one in that once he was aboard, he did not immediately press me for details on where the money came from.

  “Show it to me,” he said, and I led him down below, where it was Trio’s turn to guard the chests, but when a pair of warriors tried to follow, Gnaeus shook his head, and in yet another surprise, they did not argue.

  As Marcellus, Hemina, and Celer had done when I introduced Gnaeus to them, Trio popped up from where he had been sitting on one of the chests, coming to intente, and offering a salute, and as he had with the other three, Gnaeus returned it, then informed Trio that was the last time he needed to show military courtesy.

  The key for both was hanging from a thong around my neck, and I used it to unlock them both and opened the lids, and just as it had happened with me the first time I saw that much gold, Gnaeus gasped, “Pluto’s thorny cock!”

  His mouth was hanging open as he gazed down at the dully gleaming pile of coins, and I explained, “It’s not all in coin. There are some ingots, but they’re at the bottom of the chests.” Deciding to try and lighten the moment, I joked, “What? You didn’t realize how much you were worth?”