The Gift

by Bryan M. Litfin

  A voice called down from the mainmast. “Sail ho!”

  The first mate jumped into action. He grabbed a swab bucket and doused the captain, who sputtered and sat up. “Sail on the horizon, sir!” the first mate said.

  Wincing, the captain shook his head and wiped his eyes. “Coast guard or merchant?”

  “Merchant!” the lookout shouted.

  “Put on canvas and pursue.”

  The captain’s expression cleared as he seemed to regain his senses. He stood up, turning toward Teo with a malicious smirk. “We’re leavin’ Hahnerat, landlubber. You mighta won the prize, but I didn’t say nothin’ about transporting it. If you want that woman you’ll have to find your own way onto the island. And off it.” The captain’s trickery brought guffaws from the pirates.

  “Dishonorable from first to last,” Teo said.

  The captain waved to his men. “Throw this scum overboard!”

  Teo managed to snatch his rucksack and weapons before he was seized. The pirates forced him to a gap in the bulwark.

  “Good riddance,” the captain sneered.

  “Same to you,” Teo answered, then jumped into the sea.

  The sunny, blue-sky day was the kind that always made the Overseer anticipate a heavenly blessing. Today the gift of Deus would be obvious: the secret diary would soon be translated. Ambrosius the Overseer fully expected to know the location of the New Testament by the time the sun went down.

  He rode along a little-used track between the city of Roma and its port. His plain clothing would attract no interest, and besides, bandits had been eradicated in the district around the city. It was one of the few perks of Borja’s tyrannical rule. Any would-be highwayman was too afraid of being sent to the quarries. It didn’t take much to get a man declared “defective” by the Exterminati. Everyone lived in fear of that awful, arbitrary designation.

  Not for long, the Overseer thought as he rode toward the port. Soon the power of the Promised King would be harnessed to defeat the evil master of these lands. The satchel hanging from the Overseer’s shoulder contained a scribal copy of the diary written by the knight Borregard, who had hidden a New Testament before he died. Almighty Deus, in his wise plan, had chosen Teofil of Chiveis to uncover the diary’s long-lost secrets. Excited by that idea, the Overseer urged his horse into a faster gait. It wasn’t long before he arrived at the port.

  The inn where Teofil was staying appeared to be a decent establishment. As the Overseer dismounted and handed the reins to a stableboy, he examined the building’s tidy exterior and well-kept yard. It was a good sign. Although no one here knew about his mission, he wanted to avoid contact with the rough seamen who hung around the waterfront.

  “Psst!”

  The Overseer couldn’t tell where the whisper came from. He swiveled his head but saw no one.

  “Up here!”

  Ambrosius looked up and saw Lady Vanita Labella standing at an upstairs window. As he started to greet her, she waved him off. “Don’t go inside,” she hissed. “Meet me at the outhouse.”

  The Overseer nodded and did as he was told. The structure had two separate privies. He entered one. Soon he heard the door on the other side open and close.

  “I’m sorry to meet you in a place like this,” Vanita said through the slats.

  “Never mind that. Is something the matter?”

  “There are Exterminati in the tavern. Two of them. They arrived an hour ago and went into a back room. There’s no way out of that room, so I think they’re just sitting there waiting. I’ve been standing in the hall keeping an eye on them until you got here. They must know you’re coming.”

  “Impossible! No one knows about this mission except a trusted few. The Exterminati couldn’t have found out.”

  “Somehow they did because they’re here.”

  “Where’s Teofil? He’ll protect us.”

  “That’s the other thing I need to tell you. He’s gone.”

  “Gone? What do you mean, gone?”

  “He boarded a ship earlier today and sailed away with some pirates. He left me a note explaining it all.”

  The Overseer was incredulous. “Why would he do such a thing? He’s supposed to translate the diary!”

  “Don’t fault him, okay? He discovered that someone very beloved to him might be—” Vanita hesitated. “Trust me, it’s a long story. But there’s no question he had to leave.”

  “This is bad news indeed! I’m not a swordsman. I’m not prepared to defend myself against assassins.”

  “Deus will defend you, Brother Ambrosius.”

  The Overseer let out a sigh. Lady Vanita was right. He acknowledged her wisdom and silently asked Deus’s forgiveness for his lack of faith. Even so, his heart continued to race. “It’s not safe to be here,” he said. “I have to get the diary back to the basilica right away.”

  “I know. I paid for a fresh horse already. The boy has it in the stable waiting for you.”

  “You’re a quick thinker, Lady Vanita. And generous.”

  For a moment she made no reply. Finally the woman spoke solemnly from her side of the outhouse. “I have a lot to atone for.”

  “Bless you, daughter of Deus.”

  There was another short silence, then Vanita said, “Go now, brother. Get out of here before you’re seen.”

  The Overseer hurried to the stable and found the waiting horse. Though he had ridden all morning and was looking forward to a rest, the urgency of the situation made him prefer the trail to the tavern. He rode away from the yard at a slow pace so as not to draw attention to himself. Once he reached the road outside the port, he asked the horse to canter. The leagues slipped by, and an hour later he had neared the city of Roma. The area was remote, for he wasn’t following the main road that ran along the river. He passed a few travelers along the way but did not greet them.

  As he crested a low rise at the outer precincts of Roma, the Overseer spotted the distant dome of the basilica gleaming in the noonday sun. Relief coursed through him, and he began to relax in the saddle. He decided the Exterminati must have come to the inn only to spy on Teofil. They had no way of knowing about the copy of the diary in the satchel. Though he did not understand why Teofil had suddenly disappeared, the Overseer rejoiced that the diary had not fallen into enemy hands. He closed his eyes and turned his palms toward the sky, holding the reins loosely.

  “Great and mighty Deus, I thank thee—”

  “Shut up, priest.”

  An arrow whizzed through the air, followed by the sickening thud of its impact against flesh. The horse jerked and snorted, then tumbled to the ground with a feathered shaft protruding from its flank.

  Fear gripped the Overseer as he was thrown from his mount. He rolled over in the dust to see two heavy boots in front of his eyes. Squinting against the glare of the sun, he discerned a giant man towering over him in black chain mail. As the priest tried to scramble away, the man stepped on his robe and pinned him in place. Since flight was impossible, the Overseer waited until he was allowed to stand up. He faced the dark warrior, straightening his shoulders and lifting his chin. Dignity was called for, and courage. Give me your strength, Deus!

  “There was no need to kill the horse,” he said. “That was cruel.”

  “The horse’s suffering will soon be the least of your worries.”

  “Who are you?”

  “We are legion,” came the rumbling, echoing voice of the warrior in black. “Now hand me the diary.”

  Teo waded ashore, clambering over the red rocks that lined the beaches of Hahnerat. He held his rucksack out of the water along with his weapons. Kneeling, he opened the pack and inspected the contents. Everything was fairly dry, for the pack was tight and well sealed. The oilskin in which his books were wrapped had done its job. Water beaded up on the outside, but no moisture had penetrated the cloth. Setting the rucksack aside, Teo removed his leather jerkin and linen shirt, then hung them over branches in direct sunlight. He also made sure to dry the blad
es of his weapons against a clump of grass.

  The pirates’ barque was now a white dot on the horizon. Teo turned his head and surveyed his surroundings. A ruined castle stood on a peninsula, and a large complex of buildings poked out of the undergrowth nearby. One of the structures was topped with the kind of spire that probably marked it as a temple of Deu. The island was low and piney, and it appeared uninhabited. Teo decided to have a look around.

  A narrow trail led into the forest, then opened into a lavender field, although the purple blossoms were not yet in bloom. Teo was examining a faded footprint when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked up. A young woman stood across the field.

  Teo’s heart sank. It’s not her. Disappointment gathered in his gut like a solid lump. The woman was too gaunt to be Ana. Her hair was limp and short, not at all like Ana’s lustrous, honey-colored hair. She . . .

  Squinting, Teo took a closer look.

  His heart began to race.

  Ana watched the pirate ship sail away, rebuking herself for not having been watchful enough to notice its arrival. The ship had obviously approached Hahnerat and then departed, perhaps because Drake wasn’t around to give the all-clear signal with his torches. Ana knew the day was coming when pirates would come ashore despite the lack of a signal. She had scouted two or three hiding places in the woods and had stolen a dagger from the supplies. It hung around her waist on a rope belt.

  The afternoon was growing late as Ana made her way back to the beach near the monastery. She thought of that place as her “home” on the island, perhaps because human dwellings were there. However, since the night the demon visited her, she had refused to sleep in the temple of Deu. She slept under the stars now, though fearsome dreams plagued her still.

  Ana had been lugging her stone ball for several minutes, so she dropped it while she caught her breath at the edge of a lavender field. She also set down the basket of wild asparagus she had harvested. The fresh vegetable would provide a nice change from salt pork and ship’s biscuit.

  As she was about to pick up the ball, Ana experienced the eerie sensation of being watched. She glanced up. What she saw made her stomach clench into a knot.

  A shirtless pirate stood in the distance, staring at her. Unlike the scrawny Drake, this man was tautly muscled. Though Ana reached for the dagger at her side, she knew she could not overcome a man like him. He started forward, then broke into a run. Ana felt her knees go weak. A terrified gasp burst from her lips. There would be no escape.

  The pirate rushed toward her, parting the lavender stalks as he ran. Ana clenched her jaw as she gripped her dagger’s hilt. The man would feel the bite of steel before he took her.

  Ana watched him draw near. He was incredibly powerful.

  And he was coming for her.

  The closer Teo got to the woman, the less he could contain the hope that swelled within him. He hadn’t dared to believe a moment like this could ever occur. Now his defenses crumbled. He discarded his unbelief and let hope have its way.

  The woman was thin and bedraggled, but as Teo sprinted across the field he began to recognize her. The way she carried herself . . . her posture . . . the shape of her face . . .

  Can it be? Deu, can it be?

  He ran. She did not move.

  It’s her! It’s really her!

  He was close now, running at full speed. Jubilation overwhelmed him, an unspeakable feeling of exultation and delight.

  “Ana!” he cried.

  Her eyes went wide. Her expression changed. Her arms reached toward him. She stood motionless in the sunlight, radiant like an angel, waiting for him to come.

  When the pirate called her by name, Ana swallowed in disbelief.

  No!

  Is that . . . ?

  No! How could it be? It’s impossible!

  She looked again. The man was only seconds from reaching her. She stared at his face. He was smiling. Ana began to tremble.

  Teo!

  She dropped her dagger, threw out her arms, and received him.

  His coming was like a whirlwind. Teo enclosed Ana in his embrace and gathered her to himself, weeping uncontrollably. She wept too—the pent-up tears of her profound love now flooding out.

  “It’s you!” he cried. “Ana, I can’t believe it! You’re alive! Oh, my Ana, you’re alive!”

  “Yes, Teo, yes, it’s really me!”

  She matched his hug with a fierce ardor of her own, squeezing him with both arms around his chest. Her face was buried against his neck. Teo’s scent was the same as ever: a manly, woodsy smell. It triggered a rush of memories, though in the intensity of the moment she couldn’t tell them apart.

  He separated from the embrace and gripped her by both shoulders as he examined her face. She beamed back at him, unsure what to say. His expression became concerned.

  “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

  That’s Teo! His face is all banged up, yet he’s looking out for me.

  “I’m fine,” she said, suddenly self-conscious beneath his steady gaze. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smoothed her ragged shift as if that would matter. “I’m sorry I’m so”—she looked down at her feet—“disgusting.”

  Teo let out a gasp. “You’re not disgusting! You’re the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen!” He clasped her to himself again. “Ana, I can’t believe it’s you! I’m so happy . . . so happy . . .”

  He held her for a long time. Ana remained in Teo’s embrace, not wanting to be anywhere else in the world. They laughed and cried together, delighting in one another’s presence. At last Teo parted from her once more. His eyes were tearful, but his face was joyful.

  “We have to do something,” he said. “Before we tell our stories, before anything else, we have to pray. Right here, right now we have to thank Deu for what he’s done.”

  Ana knelt, pulling Teo down in front of her. “You go first,” she said. “Then I will.”

  Their prayers ascended to heaven along with the scent of lavender. Teo earnestly thanked Deu for the great miracle he had accomplished. He prayed for Ana’s recovery from her hardships and for their future together, whatever that might be. At those words Ana felt her heartbeat accelerate, and she whispered a quiet affirmation to the prayer. When Teo was finished Ana also praised Deu for his abundant grace but then faltered and quickly ended the prayer. Her soul had grown troubled. She sat on the ground and folded her legs beneath herself.

  “Teo, there’s so much to say.”

  “I know!” He grinned as he seated himself across from her. “But we’re stuck on an island without a boat, so we have plenty of time to catch up.”

  “Seriously, Teo. We . . . we drifted apart. It was my fault.”

  Teo noticed her serious mood and looked at her intently. Ana had forgotten how handsome he was, with those gray eyes and his dark, tousled hair.

  “I know what you mean,” he said. “Somehow we became estranged. I never thought that could happen after all we’ve been through, but it did. Things got complicated.”

  “It was more than that. I sinned against you. I sinned against Deu. I’ve already confessed it to him. Will you forgive me too?” Ana felt tears return to her eyes.

  Teo reached for her hand as it rested in her lap. “Of course I forgive you. And I hope you’ll forgive me for not being everything you needed.”

  Ana removed her hand from Teo’s and covered her face. “You were everything I could have asked for. I was the one at fault. I just felt so weak. I got caught up in a lifestyle I don’t believe in. And I think evil spirits were tricking me. But those aren’t excuses! I chose my own path. I became arrogant and sensual and . . . immodest!” She winced. “I feel so ashamed.”

  “Don’t be ashamed. You made your confession to Deu. That’s enough.”

  “I can’t believe how I treated you! You didn’t deserve it, Teo. I’m . . . I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay. Remember how you forgave me when I sinned? Well, now I forgive you to
o.”

  Ana sniffed and glanced up. “Really?”

  “Yes, really! How could I not forgive someone I love as much as you?”

  “What about all the terrible things I did? You were so faithful to me, but I kept pushing you away. I even . . . oh, it’s awful! I vomited on you!” The memory of the night she became drunk at Count Federco’s party stabbed her with remorse. She stared at her lap, unable to endure the thought of having done such a thing. It was embarrassing and repulsive.

  Teo patted Ana’s hand, and she peeked at him from underneath her eyelashes. He smiled gently at her. “You want to know something? It wasn’t as bad as you think. In a strange way I was happy to do it. I wanted to protect you from that shame. I wasn’t even bothered by the . . . you know . . .”

  Ana put her hand to her forehead and shook her head with her eyes closed.

  “I’m telling you, it was no big deal. How about if we just forget it and move on?”

  “Can we? Can we truly start over?”

  Teo scrambled to his feet. “Sure.” He bowed and looked down at Ana as she sat on the ground. “I’m Teofil of the Fifth Regiment,” he said in a formal tone. “May I have the name of such an exceptional woman?”

  Ana sucked in her breath as she heard Teo’s words. They were the words he had used when he first met her. That had been long ago, in a land called Chiveis, a land of unlimited possibilities and unbroken dreams. Ana realized Teo was offering her the ultimate grace: the chance to begin again, to start afresh with nothing between them anymore. His kindness touched her deeply, and a lump gathered in her throat so she couldn’t speak.

  Unable to convey the words she wanted, she stood up and gazed at Teo with conflicting emotions. She felt an overwhelming desire to be in his arms again, yet hesitated to move. As Teo stood facing her, so lean and muscular and intensely masculine, Ana became aware of a sexual attraction she wasn’t prepared to handle. Sensing her confusion, he approached until he stood very close, though he did not touch her. Slowly she bent her neck upward so she could speak into his ear.