Buried Too Deep

by Jane Finnis

  “That’s right, in the boat that was sent out for the gods. Voltacos put them there. He really wanted some woman called Elli, but he said as long as he’d got Elli’s baby, the other girl would have to do instead.”

  Elli gave a low moan, and Aquilo put his arm round her.

  “But I was at the ceremony!” Balca spoke up. “There were no live people in the boat when it was launched. Just two dolls.”

  Rollus nodded. “Of course there were dolls then. But later Voltacos went after it in his own boat and put in the girl and the baby instead.”

  “Why?” Aquilo asked. “Has Voltacos some quarrel with Bodvocus?”

  “Quarrel? Hardly! It was Bodvocus who ordered us to do it. Ordered Voltacos, that is, and paid him. Coriu brought the money, but it was the Chief wanted it done.”

  “No!” Elli shrieked. “It isn’t true, it can’t be. Father—where’s my father? I’ll fetch him, he’ll tell me you’re lying.”

  He shrugged. “Whether you believe me or not, it doesn’t alter the truth.”

  “Elli,” I said, “don’t forget, some of the Gauls tried to capture you today. They took me instead, and when Voltacos found his men had brought me and not you, he was furious, and said something about the Chief being angry, but it was the baby he really wanted. He sent his men back to look for it. They must have found Illiana with your son at the feast.”

  “That’s right,” Rollus agreed. “I was with Voltacos when they brought you to him. He said Bodvocus wanted his daughter and the baby dead, on account of they’d brought disgrace on his family, but especially the baby, because being a boy it would be more of a threat if it was allowed to grow into a man. Voltacos sent his men back to the feast to find them both. He didn’t think you’d survive your swim,” he added, looking at me.

  “I wouldn’t have done, if you hadn’t insisted they untie my hands before they threw me in. I owe you my thanks for that.”

  “Just common sense, like I said. And, well, when you mentioned your brother’s name…”

  But our own family concerns weren’t the important issue just now. “So the raiders came back here,” Aquilo said, “and saw Illiana with our baby, and made another mistake.”

  Rollus nodded. “That made Voltacos madder than ever, but he said they couldn’t waste any more time. That was when he told us what he intended to do with the lass and the child. It disgusted me. Raiding and pirating, that’s one thing, but killing an innocent girl and child…I made up my mind to leave Voltacos straight away. But I didn’t dare risk an open quarrel about it. They’d have killed me on the spot. So I said I’d got a bad belly ache and lay low in one of our caves till I got the chance to sneak off. I knew the place they were going to raid, the farm where the gold was supposed to be. I went and warned the people there, and gave myself up.”

  Elli stepped slowly towards the prisoner. I tensed, thinking she was going to attack him, but she stopped in front of him, her face only a hand’s breadth from his. “I’m Elli, daughter of Bodvocus,” she growled, “and I’ve heard what you have to say. Do you swear it’s all true? Because I shall ask my father about it, and if I find you’ve made it up to save your life, I’ll kill you with my own hands.”

  “I swear. By my father’s life, and by the gods of the sea, I swear it.” He added after a pause, “I’m sorry, lady.”

  She covered her face with her hands and began to sob. “They’ve killed my baby! They’ve killed him!”

  “Not necessarily,” Quintus said. “The currents around the bay are strong, but they change with the tide. Surely there’s a chance the boat may come back to land again while they’re still alive.”

  “There’s no chance.” Elli’s voice was like the cry of a tortured animal. “They’re both as good as dead!”

  Aquilo said, “Don’t give up hope, love. The gods of the sea won’t allow such an injustice. They’ll let the boat come ashore again.”

  “The gods have no choice in the matter. They’re given a little help by their priests.”

  “Help?” Aquilo said, and we all stared at her blankly, not understanding.

  She dried her tears. “ If the Mother-gift comes back to land, it brings a curse on the people. It happened once years ago, the boat came ashore after three days, and there was a drought all summer long, and a cattle-plague and a famine. So now the priests make sure the boat has a small, slow leak in it. Wherever the currents take it, it will always sink, and never return.”

  Quintus was the first to break the stunned silence. “How long have they got?”

  “A day and a night, perhaps,” Elli answered. “But this night is cold and damp. The baby won’t live through it, even if the boat does.”

  “Then let’s waste no more time. Rollus, you know these shores well enough. Can you make a guess at which way the gift-boat will drift?”

  “Perhaps.”

  “Will you sail out tonight and try to find it?”

  “What’s the point? I’m an outlaw, a prisoner in chains. You hinted about sparing me, but I’ve no reason to trust you. Why should I risk my life out there, if all I have to come back to afterwards is death?”

  “Please,” Elli begged him. “Ask whatever you like, I’ll give it to you, only please say you’ll try to save my baby.”

  Quintus said, “Rollus, I’ll make a bargain with you. If you’ll take a boat and crew out now and look for them, I promise, before all these people, that I’ll spare your life and let you sail away a free man. I, Quintus Antonius Delfinus, give you my word.”

  Rollus considered, then he looked at Lucius. “What about him? Will he promise too?”

  “I, Lucius Aurelius Marcellus, give you my word too. Now will you try?”

  “I will.”

  Chapter XXX

  Rollus chose a hide boat, the kind the natives use, with benches for six rowers. “It’ll be fast, and large enough to bring them back. I’ll need five strong lads. Who’ll come with me?”

  A dozen volunteers stepped forward, but the most determined and persistent were Aquilo, Titch, and Brutus with his two men. Elli clung to Aquilo, but he insisted on searching for their son. Balca gave Titch a hug and a goodbye kiss. Brutus and his men dragged the frail-looking craft to the water’s edge, while Rollus issued a string of instructions. “I want to take blankets for the girl and the child, and sheepskins too, anything to warm them. Also a lantern, and water and food. After we’re gone, keep a big fire blazing above here to guide us back. And if the mist doesn’t clear, blow a horn nice and loud now and then to give us a direction to head for, in case we can’t see the fire.”

  It was all done remarkably quickly. As they stood ready on the sand, Rollus raised his right hand. “Gods of the sea, protect us now. Injustice and blasphemy have been committed in your name. Help us to find the girl and the baby and bring them safe home.” He turned to his crew. “Let’s go, lads.”

  We watched as they rowed out across the bay and vanished almost immediately in the darkening mist. For a little space we all stood in silence, gazing out to sea, feeling the need of quiet. I know I sent an urgent prayer to Diana and Apollo. I expect the others prayed too.

  Quintus and Lucius began organising a stock of dry logs to be positioned by the nearest fire. I heard Balca suggest to Elli that the servants should use the fire to heat up some cauldrons of watered wine. Elli agreed, but she was too lost in her own despair to give the orders, so I went to help Balca, and together we got them bustling about. Everyone seemed glad to have something to do. I wondered fleetingly where Elli’s mother was, but neither she nor Bodvocus were to be seen.

  As the sky grew dark, especially to the east above the ocean, Lucius said he’d go and find a good lookout point near the cliff path. As he set off I fell into step beside him.

  “Lucius, this man Rollus…”

  “I know. That’s why I asked Quintus to bring him. I think he could be our brother.”

  “So do I. But after being deceived once
, I’m being cautious.”

  “I was the one deceived, not you. You were always cautious.”

  “But this one’s story fits all the facts we know. Still…he’s lost his ring, and his letter.”

  Lucius nodded. “But he knows that they exist. And the story of how he lost them has the feel of truth. But above all, it’s his looks, isn’t it?”

  “As Father himself said, it’s strange that his British son should be the only one to take after him in looks.” Suddenly I wanted to laugh. “Gods, first we thought we had a traitor for a brother, now we find he’s merely a sea-raider with a price on his head.”

  “Not now. He’s been pardoned, because he’s also a man who refused to leave a woman and child to drown. If he is our brother, that’s something to be proud of.”

  We halted at the edge of the cliff. “This should do for keeping watch,” my brother said. “There’s some shelter from those trees, and it’s away from the fire. I want our eyes to be adjusted to darkness when full night comes, so we don’t miss anything out to sea.”

  “Right. I’d better stay close to Elli. She’s near breaking point, poor girl. I’m afraid she may do something violent.”

  Even as I said the words, I heard Elli’s voice raised in an angry shriek. As I hurried back to the crowd near the fire, I could hear her screaming curses and abuse, and realised that Bodvocus was approaching.

  “You kidnapped my son!” she was shouting at him. “You told the raiders to put him in the mother-gift boat today, and leave him to drown. You wanted to drown me too! How could you, Father? How could you do such a dreadful thing?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Elli.” The Chief spoke slowly and patiently, as if to a disobedient child. “You should go back to the house now and lie down. You’re over-excited, you’ve not been well. The boat had the rag dolls in it, as usual.”

  “Yes, when it left here. But not now. One of the sea-raiders has told us everything. Illiana and my baby were offered to the gods, on your orders. Do you deny it?”

  “Certainly I deny it, daughter. Whoever told such a tale is lying, to try to save himself presumably.” But his face had gone as white and hard as chalk. “Where is the man who accuses me of such a deed? Let him repeat his lies to my face, and I’ll make him take them back.”

  She ignored him. “You wanted to punish me, but you should not take vengeance on an innocent child. He was mine. Mine and Aquilo’s. And now he’s gone!”

  “So you admit that you have borne a child?”

  “I have, and you have no right to touch him, let alone kill him!”

  “I would have had the right,” Bodvocus said calmly. “But I did not exercise it. How could I? I didn’t realise you had a baby, let alone that the father might not be the man you’re betrothed to.” The icy scorn in his words made Elli turn pale, but she stood her ground as he went on, “I see now the meaning of your so-called illness. You weren’t sick, you were carrying a bastard child, and you managed to get away from here to give it birth and keep it secret from me. As I knew nothing about it, I could not have ordered its destruction.”

  “You lie. You knew everything.” Elli’s mother stepped forward to stand next to her daughter. She looked frightened, but also very determined.

  “Be quiet, woman, and get back to the house!” Bodvocus snapped. “Leave me to deal with our daughter, who has brought disgrace on us all. It’s none of your concern.”

  “Of course it’s my concern. And I’ve had enough of lies and deceit, my lord Bodvocus. You knew about Elli’s child because I told you.”

  “Mother!” Elli cried. “You told him? I trusted you, and…”

  “I’m sorry, Elli. He made me. If I’d realised he intended to murder you both, I’d have died before I betrayed your secret. He threatened to kill me more than once, that’s why I finally gave in.”

  “To kill you? But surely a few angry threats…”

  “Look!” She flung off her thick cloak, and then swiftly unclasped one of the twin brooches that held her tunic. The fabric fell away from her, revealing the flesh of her right breast and shoulder, discoloured by several large purple bruises and a livid red knife-cut.

  “Mother!” Elli cried. “Did he do this?”

  “Cover yourself!” Bodvocus roared. “You should be ashamed before all these people.”

  “No, the shame is yours.” She began to fasten the tunic again. “You did this to your wife, before you murdered your grandson.” Elli helped her put on her cloak, and the two women stood together, their arms round each other, crying as if their hearts were broken.

  “So, Bodvocus,” Quintus said. “Do you still deny you ordered the death of Elli’s baby?”

  “And my sister!” Divico exclaimed. “You’ve murdered my sister too, and by the gods, if Rollus doesn’t find her I’ll kill you.”

  “He won’t find them,” Bodvocus snapped. “Nobody will ever find them. They’ve gone to the gods.”

  “Rollus knows where to look for them,” I said, expressing more confidence than I felt. “He’ll bring them back safe.”

  Bodvocus gazed at us with malevolent snake’s eyes. “You Romans can’t alter the Parisi code of honour. I have the right to do what I must with my own family, by our law and by Roman law.”

  “But not with mine!” Divico shouted. “You’ve murdered my sister, an innocent girl, just to take revenge on your own daughter.”

  “I didn’t intend to involve Illiana. I ordered Voltacos to take my own slut of a daughter and her bastard.” Now that he’d admitted it, he glared round us all, defying us to say anything against him.

  “You ordered Voltacos? So you admit it!” Divico shouted, and then stopped and went on in a tone that was quieter and infinitely more frightening, “You foul old man, I’ve just seen through you. You’ve been giving orders to Voltacos and the sea-raiders for months. Orders to rob and plunder. Orders to kill Belinus!”

  “No, Divico, I never ordered Belinus killed, I swear it. Belinus was one of our own people, I’d never have harmed him. The Long-hairs…”

  “The Long-hairs were acting on your orders. They’re dead now, but you still live. I’ll take a blood price for my sister and her man, and I’ll take it now.” He flung himself forward, his hands reaching for the old man’s throat. But Bodvocus was quick, very quick for an old man, and he twisted out of Divico’s reach and raced away from the circle of firelight into the near-darkness around us. Divico followed, and Quintus was close behind him.

  “He’s trying to get to the cliff path,” Elli cried. “Head him off, don’t let him escape!” We all began to run seaward, but we were too slow to be of any use. Bodvocus made a desperate run, but Divico was younger and faster, and closed in behind him, letting out an exultant cry as he caught up with his quarry. He leapt on the Chief’s back and brought him crashing to the ground, and they grappled together, rolling on the short turf only a few paces from the cliff edge.

  “May the gods of the Otherworld curse you!” Divico called out, and I saw a faint gleam as the firelight caught the long blade of a knife in his hand. As he plunged it into Bodvocus’ body, the old man made a supreme final effort, lifting himself off the ground. Divico let go the knife and stepped back just in time. In the blink of an eye Bodvocus’ body plunged over the edge of the cliff, and we heard a despairing cry, then a splash from below. After that there was only the sound of the sea.

  Chapter XXXI

  It was a long, long night.

  If we’d had clear skies as we waited there by the shore, the moon and the planets would have reassured us that the hours were passing, however slowly. But our whole world was shrouded in fog.

  Quintus led men down the cliff to look for the Chief’s body, but the tide was high, and they came back empty-handed. Divico approached him as he reached the top of the path, for once without his usual air of truculence.

  “I’ve taken my blood price, which was my right. I’m not running away,
I must wait for Illiana. What are you going to do with me?”

  “Nothing at all,” Quintus answered. “I’ve no jurisdiction here. With Bodvocus dead, there isn’t a local magistrate to deal with a case like this, but if there were, I imagine he’d rule that you were acting correctly under tribal custom. Don’t you, Lucius?”

  “Certainly,” my brother agreed. “But surely the person you should be asking is Lady Elli.”

  Elli and her mother were clinging together, trying to comfort one another. When she heard her name, Elli looked up, and Divico walked to her and, to my astonishment, knelt down.

  “Lady Elli, I’ve taken my blood price. I had the right to, but he was my Chief, and your father. I am in your hands.”

  “Please forgive my son.” Old Esico limped out of the crowd. “For my sake, and for Illiana’s. She has helped…will help you with your baby. And without Divico, she and I can’t survive.”

  Elli looked at Divico for a few heartbeats. Everyone else stood silent, watching and listening intently. Then she reached down her hand and raised him to his feet. “He was no true father to me. He would have killed me, and I think he’s murdered my son. So you have avenged me, Divico. I’ve no quarrel with you.”

  “Thank you, lady.” The crowd relaxed, and there was a murmur of approval. She had done the right thing.

  Albia went to her and spoke softly for a while, then beckoned me over. “We’ll take Elli and her mother to the house, Relia. Can you help me get them to bed?”

  But Elli refused absolutely to leave the cliff top. “Help my mother to her bed, please, Albia. It’s what she needs. But I’ll wait here for Aquilo and my son. I don’t ask the rest of you to stay,” she continued, raising her voice. “Go to your homes if you want to, and for our guests, my people will find you accommodation in our house.”

  Nobody moved, and Balca said, “We’re all staying, Lady Elli. Just tell us what we can do to help.”