by David Adkins
Time was important but it seemed to me that it was worth waiting the two weeks to travel east on the Laodike, particularly if I was able to see Corelia once again before I left. I settled down in my simple but adequate room to wait out the two weeks before the coming voyage and to hope that once more I might feel the delectable hand of Corelia upon my cheek.
*
During that time thoughts of Corelia never left my mind but, to my great distress, she did not come. I had not yet decided whether to leave the ship at Ephesus or Byzantium for I was torn between which of the two missions should take precedence. My head leaned one way but my heart leaned the other. It was in this state of indecision that I arrived once again at the Laodike. I walked down the ramp and boarded the vessel, clutching my travelling bag, and presented myself to Captain Laocrates who stood on the deck of his vessel shouting instructions to his busy crew. “Greetings, Hylas.”
“Greetings, Captain,” I replied, handing him a pouch containing payment for my passage.
“Thank you. You did not tell me you had a friend who has also booked passage to Ephesus.”
“A friend, Captain? I am sorry, but I do not know what you are talking about.”
“A young lady was asking for you and when I told her you were to travel on the Laodike she also booked passage, so I thought it safe to assume she was a friend. Am I right?”
My heart leapt and it was difficult to contain my excitement. “Yes, she is a good friend, but I didn’t know she intended to travel with me. Where is she?”
He grinned, obviously taking note of the pleasure his words had brought me. “She is in her cabin.”
“May I see her?”
“Of course, we will sail at sunset after final preparations have been made. Now Bara will show you to your sleeping quarters and then he will take you to the cabin of our female passenger. All passengers are respected at all times on board this vessel.”
“I understand, Captain, and thank you.” I followed Bara below deck and he took me first to my cabin. I threw my bag into the small confined room, barely glancing inside. Bara then walked several paces down the narrow corridor and knocked at the door of another cabin.
“Come in,” a voice answered his knock.
He pushed the door open, ushered me inside, and then retreated back down the corridor.
I stood facing a young woman who was lying on her bed. I stared at her open-mouthed. I had been so sure it was going to be Corelia and the disappointment was crushing.
“Don’t look so upset, Hylas. It is not good for a girl’s self esteem.”
“Who are you?” I asked suspiciously.
“I may not be as beautiful as Corelia, but I am quite pretty don’t you think?”
I felt agitated. “Yes, you are pretty, but who are you?”
“My name is Aria. I am pleased to meet you, Hylas, for I have heard much about you.” She smiled sweetly.
“I have not heard about you, so tell me who you are,” I had raised my voice slightly.
Her smile grew wider. “Are you getting angry, Hylas?”
“Just tell me who you are and why you are here.”
“I am a gladiatrix at the school of Petronius in Rome. I am training under Corelia and Sextus, like many others, to be a great gladiatrix, which seems to be my destiny. Not as great as Corelia, of course, but one that can command an audience in the Colosseo and make money for Petronius.”
“Why are you here?”
“I am here to help you, Hylas.”
“I do not need help.”
“Then my job will be to keep an eye on you. We have much in common. We are both warriors – at least, as a member of the Praetorian Guard I assume you are a trained fighter. We both share a common aim to keep Corelia safe and alive. Above all, Hylas, we both worship Corelia.”
“What are you talking about?” The agitation was returning.
“Come now, Hylas, are you denying you worship Corelia?”
I ignored her question. “Did Corelia send you here to accompany me on my mission?”
“She sent me here, but not to go with you to Ephesus.”
“Please explain,” I said coldly.
“She received your message asking her to come to Brindisi before you left for the east. She was not able to come because of the demands of Domitian who wanted her at his beck and call. Instead she sent me and my task was to inform you of her warm regards and feelings and to encourage you to do as she desired, namely to prevent Amina ever coming to Rome. I was then to return to Rome and report back on whether I thought you would carry out the assignment.”
“You do not seem to have carried out the instructions of your mistress,” I observed.
“No, I have been a naughty girl and Corelia would be furious with me. I decided it would be better to accompany you to make sure you did what was required and if you were not up to the job, or too cowardly to see it through, then I would attempt to carry it out myself. That is how much I love my mistress. Do you love her as much as I do?” She challenged me.
“I do not know,” I said, sighing. “You seem to love her a lot.”
“I love her enough to die for her,” she said very seriously, and then she threw back her head and laughed. “When we get to Ephesus we will deal with Amina together. Is that not so, guard Hylas?”
“I do not know. Did Corelia tell you that dealing with Amina is not my only assignment? I have another that most people would consider far more important.”
“Yes, she did. You have to make sure that Marcus Gracchus and those other senatorial traitors pay for their crimes by finding an important witness who will prove their guilt. Are they guilty?”
“They are guilty,” I responded
Our conversation was interrupted by the voice of Bara yelling down the corridor. “The Laodike is leaving port.”
“Shall we go on deck, Aria, and watch as Brindisi recedes into the distance?” I was becoming accustomed to the idea of her presence.
“Yes, let’s,” she replied.
*
Laocrates greeted us on our arrival on deck. “It is always a big moment even for seasoned sailors like us when the ship leaves port and we are committed to weeks at sea.”
“Much bigger for me – I have never travelled at sea before,” I replied.
“Neither have I,” added Aria.
“You must both be tired so you will wish to return to your cabins after our departure from Brindisi to get some much needed rest, but tomorrow night I would be honoured if you would both join me in my cabin for an evening meal.”
“Thank you, Captain, we would enjoy that,” I spoke for both of us.
“Now I have ship work to do so I will bid you good night and hope that you enjoy the sunset.” With that Laocrates returned to his crew.
We stood on deck watching the coastline of Italy disappear while the red orb also began to disappear spectacularly below the distant horizon.
“Are you going to leave the ship with me at Ephesus and deal with the most important task first?” Aria asked.
I stroked my chin with the palm of my hand. “I don’t know, Aria, both tasks are important.”
“If you love Corelia as much as I do then you would disembark at Ephesus and do what must be done to save her.”
“Do you not think she can beat Amina?” I asked.
“Sextus, our Roman trainer, went to Ephesus some months ago to watch Amina fight in the arena there. He reported back that he had never seen such a formidable gladiatrix. She has enormous strength and she also has speed and agility which belies her size. Corelia is amazing but it is unlikely she could defeat Amina.”
“Have you a plan?”
“No, I hoped you might have one,” she replied.
I shook my head. “Corelia said she could delay matters, I suppose by pretending illness or injury, so I thought that might give me time in Dacia to find my witness and then go to Ephesus afterwards.”
“I will go to Ephesus even if you go to Dacia for I a
m not prepared to wait – delay will only further endanger Corelia.”
“How will you get to Amina?” I asked her.
“I don’t know, but if it is impossible I will challenge her publicly to a contest in the arena at Ephesus. If she is challenged publicly by a gladiatrix from Rome then she cannot refuse.”
“You would have no chance,” I was almost shouting.
“You do care,” she teased me. “Perhaps you do think I am beautiful after all.”
“I think you are crazy. Now you are putting two women on my conscience.”
“So, Hylas, it seems you love Corelia a lot and me a little.”
“I don’t love you at all, but I do not want you to throw your life away,” I responded.
“I am wondering whether I should be flattered or not?” She smiled.
“Are you going to spend the whole journey tormenting and teasing me?” I asked.
“Of course, Hylas, it is such fun and the journey would be so boring otherwise.”
With that we both retired to our cabins as darkness descended over a peaceful and gentle ocean. As I lay on my bunk and pondered the words of Aria I still did not know whether I would leave the Laodike at Ephesus or Byzantium.
Chapter 5
The next evening I was once again standing on the deck with Aria. The sun had set a couple of hours before and the night sky provided a black background for a star-studded sky and a bright, luminous moon. It was this large crescent that provided light for our lonely vessel. I had not enjoyed a good day for I had suffered a dose of unpleasant sea sickness. Aria had been quick to point out how well she felt and I had retired to my cabin to relieve the nausea and escape her scorn. I had recovered well enough to attend the captain’s meal and eat a little and now, up on deck in the bracing night air, I felt considerably better. The captain had been most gracious and did not ask probing questions, and Aria had been on her best behaviour so the evening had been a success.
“Do you not think it’s romantic?” Aria asked.
“What is romantic?” I inquired irritably, because I had not forgiven her for the jibes when I was feeling ill. Sea sickness was not a laughing matter.
“You and me on deck under the beautiful moon,” she answered.
“Romantic does not apply to our relationship, Aria,” I informed her.
“I thought you cared – you rejected the idea of me entering the arena with the formidable Amina,” she laughed.
“I do not want you to be slaughtered like a lamb.”
“I am no lamb, Hylas. You are more of a lamb than me and that is what worries me about our impending mission.”
“Stop worrying, I am a trained Praetorian Guard,” I told her.
“You looked quite helpless earlier.”
“That was sea sickness as you well know, and if you don’t drop the subject then I might decide to toss you overboard.”
“I would like to see you try, Hylas, but if we don’t go below deck we might soon be blown overboard.”
She was right; a stiff wind had risen up quickly and was starting to squall around the deck. “We had better return to our cabins,” I said and on our way we passed some of the crew moving rapidly onto the deck as we moved below. I lay down swiftly on my bunk; I was starting to feel unwell again in the rough waters but I did manage to go straight into a deep sleep.
*
It must have been about two hours later when I woke up to Aria shaking me violently. “How can you sleep, Hylas? That stiff breeze has turned into a fully fledged storm. The captain has ordered us to stay below while he and his crew battle the elements for control of the ship.”
“Are we in danger?” I asked as I tried to raise myself from the bunk and stand up. I was hit by a tidal wave of nausea which sunk me to my knees and I was sick all over the cabin floor.
“That is disgusting,” she scolded me.
“I am dying,” I moaned, feeling terrible.
She pushed me out into the narrow corridor. “Lie down there while I clean up the mess.”
“Can we do anything to help the crew?” I asked.
“I thought you were dying. No, Laocrates was very clear that he wanted us to stay in our cabins. I think if we went on deck we would only get in the way.”
“Can I go to your cabin and lie down then?” I pleaded.
“No you cannot, you keep away from my cabin, just stay in the corridor. I will get a bucket, some water and some rags,” she said, stepping over me and walking towards the stern. A few minutes later she returned and proceeded to clean my cabin.
I was still fighting the overwhelming feeling of nausea. “Thank you, Aria.”
“Do not thank me,” she said sweetly and then laughed. “I will be expecting payment.”
“I dread to think what that will be,” I moaned.
“At least you still have your sense of humour. Now be quiet while I finish off.”
After a few more minutes she put the bucket in the corridor. “Luckily it was all on the floor and none was on your bed. You can get into bed now because you’re next to useless at the moment. I will come and get you if conditions worsen.”
I got back onto my bed as Aria shut the door behind her and returned to her cabin. I lay still as the ship was buffeted by the dangerous winds but at last, as the hours passed, I began to feel better and I sensed that the winds were calming. Once more I got out of bed but this time there was no nausea and, just as I was savouring the relief, the door opened and Aria stood on the threshold of my cabin once again. “Do you feel better now?” she asked.
“Yes, I do,” I replied.
“That is good. You may have noticed that the wind has greatly lessened in strength. The captain wants to see us on deck.”
I followed Aria onto the deck. The captain and the crew all looked exhausted and I felt a little guilty that I had been of no help.
*
“Greetings, Hylas and Aria, I am sorry about all the disturbances during the night.” He turned to me. “Aria tells me you were unwell. I hope you’re feeling better now.”
“I am feeling better, thank you, Captain. There is certainly no need to apologize – you are not responsible for the elements.”
“Those elements have not been kind to us – but we still live and the Laodike was not badly damaged. However, we have been blown badly off course and we are now close to the Sicilian coast. I intend to put in to the nearest port for repairs. This will make us several weeks late for our arrival in both Ephesus and Byzantium. I hope that this is not too much of an inconvenience.”
“If you say that this delay is inevitable then there is nothing to be done. I was hoping to travel to Dacia from Byzantium and arrive before winter sets in.”
Laocrates looked surprised. “Dacia is a volatile land, and that is a long and dangerous journey. You have left it late in the year for such a trip because winter comes early in the land of the Dacians and with this delay I doubt that the journey will be feasible until next year.”
Aria looked triumphant and spoke to the captain. “He will have to stay with me in Ephesus and make the journey next spring.” I shook my head at the prospect which an unkind fate seemed to have inflicted on me, but at least a decision was being forced upon my indecisive mind.
“We will make up as much time as we can.” Then Laocrates looked amused. “May I ask you a question, Hylas?”
“Of course you may,” I replied.
“I do not usually pry into the business of my passengers. Why they are going from one place to another or who they are going with is not my concern. However, you two puzzle me. Are you brother and sister?”
“We are not.” I must have sounded indignant for Laocrates continued to seem amused and Aria looked angry. “Why do you ask?”
“You are obviously not man and wife and you are obviously not lovers, but you argue a lot so I thought you may be brother and sister.”
“We are friends,” I said.
“Are we?” added Aria.
“We mus
t now continue to Syracuse in Sicily for those repairs,” he said. “I hope we will be spared any further storms and that you will get over your sea sickness.” With that he walked away barking out orders to his crew and we returned to our cabins.
*
To be more specific we returned to Aria’s cabin for a discussion on this new turn of events.
“You will not be able to go to Dacia until next spring,” stated Aria firmly. “We will get off the ship at Ephesus and complete our business there and then you can go to Dacia and I can return to Rome, brother.”
“It seems that way, but let us see if Laocrates manages to make up time.”
She ignored that possibility. “We will have to kill Amina, that way she will definitely never go to Rome and will never threaten Corelia. It will be easier to kill her than injure her or kidnap her”
“We will make that decision when we reach Ephesus and see what the situation is but I fear you may be right.”
“I am right,” she replied.
“There is a question I would like to ask you.” There had been a subject I had wanted to raise ever since our conversation before the storm but I had hesitated to do so.
“What is it, brother?”
“Stop calling me brother.”
“What is it, friend?”
“Are you and Corelia lovers?” I asked, feeling a little embarrassed.
“You are not very worldly, are you, Hylas? Did you not have women at the palace?”
“We did, but they were women from Domitian’s royal family and were out of reach under pain of death. I was just a guard.”
“It was very different at the gladiatorial school. There were many gladiators and the recent influx of women to be trained as gladiatrices made for a, how shall I put it, bawdy atmosphere. Indeed many knew they did not have long to live, so they intended to make good use of the time they had left. The overseers recognized this and turned a blind eye.”
