Eagle of Seneca

by Corrina Lawson

  He nodded, biting back the anger that always came when he thought of that desperate time. “I understand that. But the Mahicans burned the original town of Seneca to the ground. After that, all we could do was fight.”

  She nodded for him to continue.

  “Tabor and Dinah forged an alliance with the Vikings. Dinah married Gerhard, their chief, and our combined forces defeated the Mahicans at what you call the Battle of the Thunder.”

  “By making the ground rise up against them,” she said.

  He took a deep breath, remembering the bodies and blood. He’d done that. “I was there. And I never want to see anything like it again.”

  Her eyes widened. “You were in the battle?”

  “I was a boy.” He took a deep breath. Better she hear this from him. “I followed through on my mentor’s plan for victory. I was the one who set the explosives that caused the ground to shake, Sky.”

  Sky snapped to her feet. “You?”

  “We used black powder to cause the explosion. It’s the same powder we use in our cannons. It was our only chance for survival. If I had to, I would do it again. Anyone would, to protect their own.”

  Sky would not meet his gaze. She stepped back, retreating from him.

  “This was the destruction depicted in the mural?” she asked.

  “Yes.” His throat went dry. He’d hoped, no, he’d dreamed last night that there was some way to be with her. But the differences between them were a vast chasm.

  “Do you hate the Mahicans?” she asked.

  “I did then,” he said. “Many of my friends were killed. My mentor died. My only home was wrecked. I wanted vengeance.” The desire for revenge had fled when he saw the corpses strewn about the battlefield. “Tabor, Dinah, and Gerhard were far wiser. They insisted on negotiating with the Mahicans and creating the peace that’s held since then.”

  “You mean that they imposed peace,” she said.

  Her face had gone blank.

  “I think everyone has benefitted, including the Mahicans. I’ve learned from them. I think they’ve learned from us. And no one has died in battle in almost a generation.”

  “If someone destroyed my friends and my village, I would hate them forever,” she said. “I would not make peace.”

  Now she looked him in the eye, fierce.

  “There is no use in hatred,” he said.

  She looked away. “Do you think you could learn to respect my people and work with them, like the Mahicans?”

  “Of course.” This was the opening he’d hoped for. “Tabor surely would love to have the same arrangement with the Lenape. You’ve met Makki, but you can only guess at what he’s like. I know. He’s here at the orders of the emperor. If Manhatos falls, Makki will set his victorious army on your people. He can bring destruction like you’ve never seen.”

  “And Tabor won’t do that?”

  “Has Tabor ever shown that he wants to do that? He wants us to co-exist. That’s why he made peace with the Mahicans. You surely see that.”

  She nodded, slowly. “I know the truth of what you say, Ceti.” She sighed. “But my people aren’t ready to die for Romans, not if they can stay clear of your war instead.” She paced away from him. “And you? Where are your loyalties? Would you come with me if you could? Leave this city?”

  May Minerva help me, I think all my loyalties are with you, Sky. But I cannot desert my post. “Tabor is my commander. He saved my life and my town. I’d die for him. He’d do the same for me.”

  Sky nodded, her face grim. “I don’t want anyone dying for anyone.” She reached a hand up and traced his jaw with her fingertips. “Especially you.” She pressed her body against him.

  He enclosed her in his arms, his every nerve aware of her body. “You should not be here. War’s coming. I expect Makki’s fleet to be sighted at any moment.” He stroked her back.

  She framed his face in her hands. “I want to be here.”

  He bent his neck and kissed her. He wanted to crush her mouth against his, lift her up, carry her to the bed, make love to her and never again worry about battles and alliances and fleets.

  He wanted to show her how to fly.

  But instead, he touched his lips to hers gently, torturing himself by holding back. It was Sky who demanded more, wrapping her hands around his neck while she opened her mouth to him. She tasted of apples, she smelled of the fragrances from the bath last night, and everywhere he touched her, he soared.

  She broke the kiss. He released her, cursing Tabor for holding his loyalty and the Imperial Fleet for coming to destroy his world.

  “I would like to see your town, now. And your workshop,” Sky said.

  “It would be my honor.”

  ****

  Sky blossomed when they were out in the sunlight. He’d suggested that she continue to wear the Roman clothes that Tabor provided to prevent drawing attention to herself. Actually, he would have preferred to wrap her in a cloak so that she was completely covered from prying eyes, especially today when chaos threatened the city.

  Instead, Sky had changed back into her native clothing, which also showed off the eagle tattoo on her shoulder.

  “If our people are to friends or, at least not enemies, then I should be out in the open. People should know who I am,” she said as they walked down through the villa’s gardens. “Strangers are wary of each other. The first step to becoming friends is to let people see me.”

  “You will be stared at constantly.”

  “I don’t mind. I visit new villages with my father all the time. And I am my mother’s heir. That always draws attention.”

  As they descended into the main market of the city, Sky drew the expected attention immediately, not only because of her Lenape garb, but because she was also strikingly beautiful, and that was not just his judgment.

  Several men stopped in their tracks to stare at her and others turned to catch a better look. Ceti realized that while Sky accepted being stared at, it was a new and unpleasant experience for him. No one noticed engineers until they needed one.

  He took his cue from Sky by smiling at the bolder ones and ignoring those who slid their glances away. A few men tried to approach. Ceti scowled at them and touched the spiked end of the hammer strapped to his belt.

  At the outdoor marketplace, Ceti bought Sky more of the thin, crusted bread she’d enjoyed yesterday, though he had to shoulder aside several men who tried to cut in front of him.

  “Is it always this crowded?” Sky asked.

  “No,” he said. “Word has gotten out about Makki’s fleet, likely passed around by the legionary soldiers. People are trying to sell and buy goods quickly, before the siege begins.”

  Sky bit into the bread eagerly, then raised herself on tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

  “Thank you.”

  He hoped no one noticed the blush he felt on his face. You are welcome to far more than that.

  The more crowded the streets with buyers and sellers become, the more attention Sky drew. Ceti cut through the tradesmen’s alley, hoping to eliminate any problems and to reach their destination faster.

  The tradesmen’s corner of the city was far less crowded than the marketplace, but even at this early hour, the merchants had begun to set out their street displays. They, too, wanted to make a final profit.

  With delight, Sky stopped and watched the jeweler put out his wares. She examined the tray of rings, bracelets, and torques made from copper, silver, gold, and other metals. Her wide eyes and clear delight made Ceti wish they had time to browse so he could pick just the right piece for her.

  The enterprising merchant held up a necklace of emeralds set in silver. Sky took it eagerly in her hands, holding it up to the light with clear fascination. The necklace sparkled in the sun.

  “It’s yours,” Ceti said to her. “How much?” he said to the jeweler. He had no time to haggle. And he wanted to see Sky wear it.

  Sky shook her head. “This is too much for a gift. And while it is beauti
ful, I don’t have to possess it. The memory of it is enough.”

  Ceti nodded and handed the emerald necklace back to the merchant. “The domina says no.”

  The man sighed dramatically—Ceti knew how he felt—and set the necklace back down with the rest of his wares. Sky was right. As a gift from him, the necklace was too much. It was the gift of a husband to a wife.

  He swallowed. Husband. He’d never once considered marrying. There didn’t seem to be a point to it. He liked his work more than he liked any of the women that he’d been with and he didn’t particularly care for children.

  Yet he’d known Sky only a few days and suddenly, he was thinking marriage. He’d not even made love to her yet.

  I don’t care.

  He picked up his pace. Sky stayed even with him.

  “If I ever have a chance, Sky, I will ask Dinah to make you a necklace equally as beautiful as that one. Consider it a show of friendship between our people,” he said.

  “Dinah is an artisan?” Sky said, her voice high with surprise.

  “She created the dragon design on the flag flown by the Viking longboat. The same design is also etched into the rings that she and Gerhard wear, rings that Dinah made.”

  “A necklace from her would be a great honor,” Sky said with a smile. “Let us hope we create the friendship between our people, then.”

  “Yes.”

  The next street, full of taverns, was quiet and nearly empty of people. Sky asked why.

  “No one has the coin to spend on food and drink in the taverns right now save the soldiers, and they’re all busy at work or sleeping off exhaustion,” Ceti said.

  “You must pay coins to relax among friends?”

  “Yes. No.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You pay for others to prepare the food and drink and for the singing and other, um, entertainment.”

  “Does anyone on Manhatos go hungry for not having these coins?”

  “Sometimes,” he admitted. “People still can fish or hunt in the lands around us.” But some did live without homes. Last winter, those sleeping in the streets had frozen to death.

  She scowled. “Surely, feeding others of your people is more important than coins?”

  “The coins represent all that a person might be able to have,” he said. “It’s like a trade good. You swap it for what you really want.”

  “I see.”

  But she didn’t, he could see that in her frown. She had a point. Her tribe could care for everyone while his Romans allowed even children to die from lack of shelter.

  Ceti decided not to tell Sky about the whores who worked in the taverns. He knew sex was a free exchange among the Mahicans. He suspected it was the same for the Lenape. If Sky hadn’t understood about coins for food, she’d never understand about coins in exchange for sex.

  “The land is generous. It could provide for all of you. You Romans should be more careful with it,” Sky said.

  “Yes.”

  She turned left but he steered her in the opposite direction. If she’d been appalled by the taverns, she’d be horrified what was down that street.

  “There’s noise that way. People are shouting. I want to see,” she said.

  He took her hand to keep her going right. “We’re going this way. That street is dangerous.”

  “You might be attacked in your own town?” She frowned.

  Ouch. “Today, as you noticed, people are in a hurry and desperate.”

  “Oh.”

  If he interpreted the shouts correctly, a slave auction was being held. They’d been brought over by the merchant ships still docked at Manhatos. Likely, their owners hoped to sell quickly and sail away before the battle.

  Sky glanced back, but made no more protest. They began going down the hill, toward the docks and his final destination. The outer walls of Manhatos loomed above them.

  “Those must be as high as ten men.” She tilted her head to look upward.

  “Yes, that’s about right.”

  “How do you get them to stay upright? And how do you make them so thick?”

  “I’ll show you in a moment.” Ceti walked to the main entrance gate and nodded to the guards. “Where is Godwin?” he asked them.

  “He’s gone to the crumbled section of the north wall, Tribune,” one of the guards answered. “He left word for you to meet him there as soon as you can.” The guard frowned. “The work to shore it up is not going well.”

  “We’ll fix it.” Ceti clapped the guard on the shoulder. He didn’t need fear spreading among the soldiers.

  With her fingertips, Sky traced the stone steps that led to the upper walkway on top of the wall. “It’s strong enough to hold a building on top of it?”

  “Strong enough to hold several buildings,” he said.

  He pointed at the cement between the multi-colored stones. “This bonds the stones to each other. We call it concrete. It’s made by mixing a special kind of ash with the rock.”

  “And the cement turns all the little stones one big one.” She frowned. “Where did you get all the stones?”

  “This island is full of them.”

  “Well, it used to be.” She stared at arched gate. “Aren’t you afraid that it will collapse and fall on you?”

  “The arch is a strong design. The weight presses down on the keystone.” He tapped the center stone of the arch, slightly larger than the others. “The keystone distributes the weight to the sides of the arch, allowing the walls to take the weight.” He traced how the force would be pushed to the sides.

  She nodded, considering, and he was reminded of her expression when he’d helped her build the model aquila.

  “I could help your tribe build these kinds of walls. It might protect them better from attack,” he said.

  She shook her head. “It would alter the land a great deal, far more than our timber walls.”

  “Not necessarily. This was built years ago, when Romans first arrived. But if you know how, you can work around the land and avoid changing it so much.”

  “Is that what you do?”

  He nodded. “It’s what I’ve specialized in. I create designs that reflect the land and work with it. It’s what I had in mind when designing the new town of Seneca.”

  “You mean the Viking town carved into the cliffs that my father spoke of? He was very impressed by it.”

  “Yes, I helped design that. But I also helped design Seneca. We used a lot of local materials and I tried make it blend with the landscape.”

  “You”—she pointed a finger at his chest—“are full of surprises. Romans are not supposed to care about the land.”

  “We do in Seneca. When all this is over, I’ll show you what I built there.”

  Her smile was wistful. “Maybe.” She glanced up. “Where do the steps lead other than the building?”

  “There’s a walk way on the top of the wall. I intend to use it to reach Godwin, if it’s acceptable to you.”

  “It’s more than acceptable.”

  Sky practically glided up the steps in her haste to see the top. Not satisfied with the walkway, she went further and climbed on top of the parapet.

  One step more and she’d fall down and be smashed on the ground below.

  “Have you no fear of heights?” he called.

  She shaded her eyes from the sun, looking across the great river. “This is glorious! It’s like the view from the top of the Weehawken.”

  Weehawken. That was a native word that meant rocks that looked like rows of trees. Sky was talking about the great pale cliffs that loomed over the eastern side of the Mahicanituck River, across from Manhatos.

  “I wish our walls were as high as the Weehawken. They might hold better against the fleet,” he said. “Will you come down now?”

  There were shouts from below. Sky had attracted a crowd from the docks. From the yelled comments, those at the base of the wall were split between thinking she was a foolish girl who deserved to fall and those who thought she looked like a godde
ss came down from Olympus.

  Sky turned on her precarious perch, looking in all directions. The wind whipped her hair back. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  Definitely a goddess.

  Was the wind was strong enough to knock her down? His face went pale at the thought of her broken body at the foot of the wall.

  “Will you get down?” he asked. “You’re scaring me.”

  She leaped down from her perch to the walkway in one easy motion. He resisted the urge to hug her and make certain she was safe and whole. The guards were watching.

  “How can heights make you nervous if you had the courage to fly the aquila?” she asked.

  “It was watching you taunt fate that scared me.”

  She slipped her hand in his and kissed his cheek once more. “Thank you.”

  That drew hoots from the direction of the guardhouse. Ceti blocked Sky’s view of the soldiers.

  “If you’re finished making my hair turn gray, let’s go,” he said.

  ****

  Despite the panic Sky sensed from the inhabitants, she decided that Manhatos was the most amazing place. There were as many people packed into this small corner of Mannahatta as there were in all of her tribal lands.

  I don’t want to see it destroyed.

  Still, she had been horrified when Ceti said it was unsafe to walk in some areas. Romans would hurt each other like that? But then she’d thought about how many lived in Manhatos and how frightened they were right now. Also, there were always a few troublemakers in any village. In a community this size, of course there would be more than usual.

  Troublemakers like Ahala.

  She rubbed her neck, thinking of the knife at her throat. That one was not just a troublemaker; he was a malevolent spirit. Kill Tabor, he’d ordered. She would not. Ahala likely guessed that.

  So why was she still alive? She should ask Ceti or Tabor, but she was not quite ready to commit her people to one side or the other. It felt too much like a final step.

  She looked out over the river, past the Narrows and toward her home. You fool, she thought. She was walking on a Roman wall, she’d fallen for a Roman engineer, and she’d been threatened by his enemy.

  I’m already committed.