by Carol Ashby
“Good night, Decimus. Rest in peace.”
“Good night, Valeria.” He remained by the ladder until she disappeared into the loft.
Her wrapped in his arms and enjoying it―it had been a good night already.
Valeria lay in her bed, thanking God for Decimus becoming like part of her family and for his willingness to read God’s word. Even more fervently, she prayed for him to decide that he wanted to follow the Way like they did. If he did, maybe he wouldn’t have to leave when he finally healed.
Decimus lay on his bed, remembering how good it felt to feel her heart beat as he held her in his arms and imagining what it would be like if she could grow to love him like he loved her. There was still the problem of her being a Christian, but he could figure out how to deal with that if she would only decide she loved him.
Chapter 31: The Whole Story
After breakfast, Decimus restrained a frown as he watched Valeria braid her hair. She was going to work with Galen in the high meadow until lunchtime. No chance for the stiff breeze to give him an opportunity today.
Valeria had taken Rhoda aside, probably to tell her to make sure he didn’t try to do something that might hurt him. He let a smile escape. She was subtle how she tried to keep him from doing too much, but he knew most of her tricks now.
By mid-morning, all he’d done was sit on the porch and watch Rhoda with Astro. He’d promised Valeria he would rest his leg, but it was hard to sit doing nothing. He was bored almost beyond endurance when Rhoda walked over to keep him company.
She sat down beside him on the bench and took his hand. “Would you like to come inside and read to me?” She smiled up at him, an unusual glint in her eyes. “You can read me my most favorite of all.”
His mouth curved into a smile as he looked down at her. “Certainly. We have plenty of time before lunch, so pick whatever you like, and we can read it all.”
She led him by the hand to the bed and patted it to indicate where he should sit. He was expecting her to climb into the loft to get her scroll of fables. Instead, she walked to the cupboard where they kept the codices. She took out the one she always picked when it was her turn and carried it to him. Then she hopped up on the bed next to him and laid it in his lap. She opened it to the first page and looked at him expectantly.
“This is my favorite writing about Jesus. Luke wrote it, and he was a physician like Father.” She snuggled over against him, and he wrapped his arm around her as he began to read.
“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
“In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was...”
Most of Decimus’s own library were histories. It shocked him to find that their religious codex started off like it was a history. Like the best historians, this Luke described gathering information from eye witnesses so he could write an orderly account of the events. The codex’s finely crafted literary style made it enjoyable to read. The author had been a well-educated man and a skillful writer.
As he read, it surprised him that so many of the events were fixed in time relative to real men that he’d read about in other histories. But the events themselves were stories about their Jesus, who was supposed to be a god who took human form to ransom people from having to face the just punishment for what they’d done wrong.
That didn’t make sense to him. There were many stories about how the Roman gods sometimes took human form, but they always acted like selfish people who happened to have special powers. He’d never heard of any god who created people to love them and sacrificed himself to save them from the punishment they deserved.
He didn’t believe any of the stories about the Roman gods. They were merely part of Roman culture, not something real that intelligent people would believe strongly enough to die for them in the arena. If the Christians believed the stories in this codex were true, that could explain why they were so willing to die rather than deny their god. It could explain why Valeria didn’t seem to care about what might happen to her when she obeyed her Jesus’s teaching and brought him home to care for him when he was still her enemy. It also could explain why she was more concerned about her friend Inge choosing the Christian god than about her dying.
There was a lot about this Christian god that he needed time to think about. He wanted to understand Valeria, but that was impossible unless he understood her faith in her god.
When Valeria walked into the cottage to start making lunch, Decimus was finishing the story about how Jesus rose from the dead and showed himself to his followers after being crucified. Rhoda was snuggled against Decimus, and he was so totally immersed in the codex he was reading to her that he didn’t immediately look up. Valeria’s heart leaped when she heard the words in his deep, rich voice.
Thank You, God! Thank You for Rhoda finding the perfect way for him to learn Your whole story. Please take the seeds being planted right now and grow them into true faith for him.
She had watched God heal his body. How she longed to see God save his soul!
Decimus suddenly realized someone had come into the cottage and looked up. He didn’t know how long she’d been there, but she looked so happy watching him read, just like she did when he read in the evening. Her face was extraordinarily beautiful when she was that happy.
He read the final sentence and closed the codex. Rhoda lifted it off his lap and placed it back in the cupboard. Then she came back and hugged him. “Thank you so much for reading it all to me. I love hearing the whole story at once.” He stroked her hair as she continued to hug him.
“I enjoyed it, too.” As he spoke the words, his eyebrows rose. Strange as it might seem, he meant them.
Chapter 32: Lessons
Lunch was finished, and Baldric and Otto would arrive soon. Valeria brought some long strips of cloth from the loft to wrap Decimus’s leg before the training session.
She tipped her head and contemplated him as she tried to decide how to proceed.
A half-smile played on his lips. “Do you want me to sit or stand while you do this?”
“Father always wrapped the stallion’s leg while he stood, but there really wasn’t a choice. I’m thinking the muscles might be more relaxed if you’re sitting, and that might be better.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his pant leg up as she knelt at his feet. She began from his ankle and wrapped up to just below his knee.
“I don’t want to wrap it too tight, but it won’t help if it’s too loose. You’ll have to tell me when it just feels snug. This is the first time I’ve tried this, so we may have to adjust it some later.”
“I would hope you haven’t had a lot of practice doing this for a man. I’d like to be the first for you.”
Her eyes snapped up to look at his face. Sometimes she didn’t know how to interpret what he said. Sometimes he sounded serious, like he truly meant what he was saying, and other times she could easily tell from the tone in his voice that he was joking with her. This was one of those times that she wasn’t sure. But his eyes were looking at her with that usual twinkle, so he must just be joking again. He was a confusing man sometimes.
“There, stand up and see if it feels better when you walk.”
He rose and walked to the cottage door, then back to her.
“This is the best it’s felt since I’ve been here. Yet again I am amazed by your knowledge and skill, physician.” He picked her up and swung her around in a circle. “It’s never felt good enough for me to do this before.”
She chuckled. “And you shouldn’t be doing it now. Put me down. You’re twisting your leg too much.”
“It does
n’t seem so to me, but whatever you say, physician. I’ll try to be a good patient, at least until after the training session.” He set her down.
A lock of hair had fallen onto Decimus’s forehead as he was spinning around. She pushed it back into place and ran her fingers through his hair, trying to get it to stay. This had become his favorite of all her habits. She didn’t even say anything about him and Galen having such similar hair. That was even better. Maybe she was beginning to see him as something other than an extra brother in the house. That thought spawned a grin.
Galen stuck his head in the cottage door. “Otto’s here.”
Decimus donned his sword. “Time to see if I can do as well as the old stallion did.”
Baldric had just reached the cottage as Decimus walked out the door. They nodded at each other in passing as Decimus stepped off the porch to go join the boys. Galen and Otto were already practicing some of the moves he’d taught them the day before. Their grins and laughter promised the eager attention of his students on their second day of lessons.
Baldric relaxed on the bench beside Valeria while he watched the swordplay. He was by far the best swordsman in the area, but he had already learned a few things himself watching the Roman. He and Otto could practice the sword skills later, and he would teach his older sons some of the new moves he had learned. It was definitely worth his time to have brought Otto back today.
“Your Roman is moving much better today, like his leg is hardly hurting. I am surprised after seeing how sore he was yesterday.”
“I wrapped his leg like Father did for the old stallion. It seems to be working well.”
“I remember that stallion, the one that broke his leg trying to reach the mare.”
“Don’t tell Decimus that you know that story. He thought it was hilarious how it ended, but he told me not to tell it to you.”
“Was he afraid I might get ideas about how to deal with him?”
Her head snapped back as her eyebrows rose. “Why, yes. How did you know?”
He chuckled. “Your Roman and I understand each other a great deal better than you realize.”
It was a warm afternoon, and the exercise had her Roman and the two boys sweating. He was showing them some things to do when two men were attacking at once, with them being the attackers and him defending. The longer Baldric watched, the more his admiration for the Roman’s skill grew.
It was a good thing that he and the Roman would never have to fight. He might have been able to defeat him, but he wasn’t sure. They would probably both have ended up badly hurt or dying.
He had seen enough to know the Roman posed no physical danger to Valeria or her family. Emotional danger was another thing.
The way the Roman looked at Valeria―Baldric did not like it. The Roman clearly saw her as a desirable woman, but the attraction was not just physical. He might be in love with her. Valeria was the kind of woman who could make a man fall in love without even trying. She probably would not even realize she had done it.
She treated him like a brother, not a man who stirred her emotions. It needed to stay that way. The Roman was destined to leave soon, and Baldric did not want to see her heart broken like his had been when Elka died.
When Rhoda stepped out the cottage door, Valeria turned toward her. “Rhoda, would you please get a bucket of water and take it to the boys? They need to take a break and cool down.”
Rhoda got the bucket and two dippers and skipped off towards the well.
Decimus saw her coming back. “Time for a break, boys.”
He slid his sword into its scabbard. Then he rested his hands on the top of his head while he arched his back to stretch and relax it. It had been a good session. The boys were both having a good time and learning fast, and his leg was hardly bothering him at all. He could understand how a stallion might forget he was hurt when his leg was properly wrapped.
Rhoda offered him the first dipper of water, and he took a long, cool drink. Then he poured the rest on his head. When Rhoda offered the two dippers to the boys, they each took a deep drink, then flung the remaining water on each other. Suddenly it turned into a water fight, with each scooping water out of the bucket to fling at the other as fast as they could and Rhoda squealing as she got soaked in the process.
Decimus stood smiling at the horseplay until Galen flung a dipper of water on him. With a laugh, he scooped the bucket out of Rhoda’s hands and dumped the remaining contents on Galen’s head. Galen stood there sputtering and laughing with everyone else.
One corner of Baldric’s mouth pulled up as he watched the boys’ antics and Decimus’s revenge on Galen. “I can see why you might think he is a friendly farm dog. He keeps the wolf on a tight leash.”
“Yes, he does.”
Valeria’s gaze swung from Baldric to Decimus. It was a good thing Baldric didn’t know about the man who attacked her or the two robbers. She didn’t want him to keep thinking Decimus was dangerous, even though she knew he was. There was a wolf there, but he would never hurt her or the ones she loved.
Baldric rose and walked over to Decimus.
“It was good training, Roman. I am coming tomorrow to get the mare. Are you planning sword lessons again?”
“I have enough worth teaching for one more day.”
“I will bring Otto. After lunch?”
“Yes.”
Baldric nodded his head and turned toward Otto. “Time to go.”
Otto went to fetch the horses as Baldric and Decimus stood calmly looking at each other. Valeria walked over to join them. Their silence didn’t make her nervous like it had the other day. She only wanted to say goodbye to Baldric.
“It’s been good having you visit. You’re more than welcome to bring another mare if you wish.”
Otto handed his father the reins, and Baldric mounted. He smiled down at Valeria. “I intend to. Farewell, Valeria.”
“Farewell, Baldric.”
As he turned his horse, he looked down at Decimus. “Tomorrow, Roman.”
Decimus nodded once in response “Tomorrow.”
Baldric and Otto trotted away.
Valeria stood close to Decimus and crossed her arms as a smile spread across her face.
He glanced down at her. “Why are you looking so happy?”
“I think Baldric is starting to like you.” He raised one eyebrow.
“No, really. I can tell. He said that you and he understand each other. I don’t think he wants to kill you anymore.”
The corner of Decimus’s mouth rose. “Well, that’s progress.”
“I didn’t tell him the story about the old stallion, but he remembered it. It was funny how he knew you might think it would give him ideas about what to do to you. That’s when he said you understood each other.”
Decimus rocked with laughter. “Maybe it’s not so much progress after all.”
Valeria looked up at him. “What’s so funny?”
He pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Your kind heart amazes me sometimes. You really don’t understand men.”
He’d taken hold of her hand and was gazing down at her with that odd look. Her ears felt warm. There were those butterflies again.
She turned her eyes away, and he released her hand. “I must admit you were right about the wrapping. My leg hardly hurt at all. I’ve fared much better than the old stallion, but then I didn’t lose my head and go after something I shouldn’t. So, do we leave my leg wrapped or not?”
“I think we should unwrap it and rewrap it tomorrow. I think I can trust you not to do something to hurt it for the rest of the evening.”
He chuckled. “Probably, but you have my permission to tell me to stop if you think I am. I might even do what you tell me.”
“I would hope so. I’m only trying to help you heal.”
“Ah, Valeria.” A smile played on his lips as he pushed the loose strand of hair behind her ear again and drew his thumb along her jaw as h
e took his hand away. There was an odd warmth in his eyes as he gazed at her. She felt a little warm with him looking at her that way. It was time to change the subject.
“Time for supper. Let’s go in.”
She was acutely aware of his presence as he walked beside her into the cottage.
As Valeria headed out for her evening of star-gazing, she stopped and turned toward him. A smile and an outstretched hand drew Decimus to her side. She led them to the edge of the porch for the widest view of the sky.
“I want to thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being so good to Galen. You were right about training him. I’ve tried so hard to make up for them having no father or mother, but I’m only their sister. I can never do for Galen what Gaius would have. He needs an older brother for that, not a sister.”
The corner of his mouth twitched before he answered.
“Any man would be proud to have him as a son. I enjoy teaching, and Galen’s an excellent student.”
His answer started with a trace of that edge that she sometimes heard when she told him what to do, but it was gone when he finished. Valeria glanced at his profile and saw a slight smile. Maybe she’d imagined his irritation.
“I’m glad to do anything I can to help your family.”
The warmth in those words emboldened her to ask what she longed to know.
“You made Rhoda very happy today reading all of the gospel by Luke to her.” Her heart beat a little faster. “What did you think of it?”
“I enjoyed reading it to her. The writer was skillful. His Greek was beautifully crafted, as good as any in my collection.”
That wasn’t her question. She turned and looked up at his face.
“I was really asking what you thought about the story.”
Even in the moonlight, Decimus could see the eagerness in her eyes. How he answered the question obviously mattered a great deal. What answer would make her happy?
