The visions of alienation and exclusion continue to assault him. Maximus has no choice. Dante needs to be removed. At all costs.
(3)
Herod and Morgana wait patiently along a bench on the shoulder of the Cobblestone streets, just across from Malamuk’s Tavern. The full moon is out and its grand luminescence bounces off the cobblestoned streets, creating a warm glow in the otherwise dark streets. The remaining vestiges of the fog that had blanketed the streets are now dissipating, further accentuating the moon’s glow. The night is late and only a few lanterns remain lit during the night.
Herod pulls out his pocket watch and looks at the time. “The boy will come, you have no doubt?” asks Herod for the third time in ten minutes.
“He is struggling to stop the nightmares and he believes this is the only way to bring peace.” She looks further down the street and observes the shadowy figure of a large canine. “Look.” She says. “His dog, Phates, do you see?”
Maximus walks up to Herod and Chastity and bows at them. “Good evening, Herod-Sai and Lady Chastity. We are well met. May I sit?”
“Ai, you may young-Sai,” says Herod.
Morgana puts her arms around him and he immediately warms to her touch. “You have made a hard decision, young-Sai. Set watch and warrant it so that it is the right one. You have done a genuine service to yourself and your countrymen. You are patriot exemplarus.”
“I don’t feel like a patriot, Sai. I feel like a traitor.”
“Self-doubt is natural. Trust me when I say you are a nobleman and have made yourself worthy of bearing your father’s name. One day, you will be King. And rightly so.”
Maximus perks up at this news. “Do you ken, Sai?”
“Ai. And you have done your part to rid your school of the vermin that would threaten our way of life, our people, and our Empire.”
Morgana had already gleaned from him the information telepathically. Herod needed to hear it first-hand. “So, tell me young-Sai the details.”
Maximus sighs deeply. “Primera Docturna will take place on the Ides of March, three weeks hence and will begin at dawn along Colter Pass, where the large jagged plateau meets Lake Ager.” Herod smiles. He knows the spot well.
“Do you ken, Sai?”
Herod nods. “Ai. I know it well.”
Maximus looks at Herod, a look of consternation forming on his face. “What will you do with him? You made hard promise no harm would come to him. You ken?”
Herod nods. “Of course, Sai. Set watch and warrant no harm will come to Dante. He will be removed to a safe location and permitted to live out the remainder of his life in peace. He is not meant for the Brotherhood.’’ He pauses. “Most importantly, you will attain Kingship one day.”
Maximus nods, growing hopeful. “Ai. I want nothing more than that. I want my life back as it should be.”
“It is what you deserve, young-Sai.” Herod motions to Morgana. Morgana gets up from Maximus, who feels a palpable chill the moment she is gone. For a moment, he is dubious and unsure.’’
“Recruits need their sleep. Go and sleep the peaceful slumber that only the truly noble can enjoy.”
“Ai, Sai.” He gets up with Phates, bows and then walks off. After several yards, he turns around to address them. “You made a promise, Sai. There will be no harm to come to Dante. I have your word? Promise me.”
Herod nods enthusiastically. “Ai, Sai. You have the word of a Councilman. My word is as good as the Kings. I warrant such.”
Maximus seems satisfied and turns around.
Tennyson opens the carriage door for the couple. Herod turns to Morgana. “At last, we will make the necessary arrangements to eliminate him.”
Morgana looks at him sternly. “He must be buried alive on consecrated ground or you risk everything. His mark has to be extinguished. If you don’t, his death will be to no avail. The Brotherhood will only grow more powerful with his death and his ephemeral presence still.”
Herod looks at Morgana, contemplatively, considering what she says. He nods. “Ai. No need to be hasty now. I have trusted you so far.”
“There is one other matter, Herod.”
“Speak it.”
“Your seed, your only seed must be intricately involved in his death. Do you not ken?”
“My incompetent son, the snake wrangler? To have him involved in such an important matter which could decide the future of this coup forever more. It is not a tripe matter. Is there no other way?”
Morgana shakes her head. “He will not be performing this task alone, Herod. He does not need to abduct the boy himself. There are expert men who can track and abduct the boy. If he does nothing more than nail down the coffin and bury the boy, set watch and warrant, it will be enough.”
Herod sighs in resignation. “Little worry to have him nail a coffin. Even an imbecile could handle such a task.”
Morgana beams. “It is the sure way to ensure success and your dynasty, great one.”
Herod smiles. “The end of the Brotherhood is nearly at hand- and a most deserved one at that. My time is here.”
“That it is,” agrees Morgana.
Chapter 42: Let the Games begin
Herod sits at his large mahogany table, enjoying a brandy sifter and a small plate of truffles. Morgana sits across from him, enjoying the sweet and expensive cognac as well. Morgana looks up seconds before Herod hears the tell-tale boot thuds of Caius Cassius. Herod rolls his eyes at his son’s lack of grace and sensitivity. He stands before Herod, as he had been instructed to do. “You called on me, Father?”
“I did, boy. I have an important task for you. It is a simple enough task, but one of such vital importance. I would be eternally indebted to you if you were to perform it for me. Do this for me and you will be worthy to be called my son. All the misgivings I’ve harbored for you will be dismissed as soon as the deed is done.”
“To be worthy to be called your son is all I have ever wanted father. Name bidding and watch it come to fruition. You have only to speak it.”
Herod looks at Caius Cassius gravely, trying desperately to embed the seriousness of his calling to him. Caius matches his gaze and maintains it. “I have commissioned thirty men for the task of abducting Dante during his Primera Docturna. They will be doing most of the work I would not deign to trust you with. Along Colter Pass near a jagged plateau that abuts Lake Ager, there is consecrated ground. King Arthur himself is rumored to be buried there. No one knows its true location.” He looks at Morgana. “Until now. Even you will find the markers there. They will be cordoned off. When the boy is handed to you by my man Pelibus, you are to bury the boy within these markers. He must be alive when you bury him there. If there is any deviation from this, set watch and warrant, I shall know about it and there will be repercussions. Do you ken?”
Caius nods. “Ai, Father. Set watch and warrant, it will be done.” He turns to leave but then stops and turns to his father. “And what of the wolf, Father?”
He looks to Morgana, as if unsure of what is or is not mandated. She shrugs. It’s his choice. The canine is of little importance. Herod hesitates.
“Kill the beast, Father?”
Herod ponders. He shakes his head. “No. I have heard such wonders of this wolf. Tranquilize him and bring him to me. I should like to make her my own. She may prove invaluable to me. If for some reason, she can’t be tamed, I will dispose of her. But in the meantime, permit her to live and bring her to me.”
Caius nods. “Ai, Father.”
“Their bond is intrinsic and strong, Herod. Take caution with her. There is no length to what she will do if she believes the boy to be in mortal danger.”
Herod dismisses her worries with a casual wave of his hand. “I have men for such things. It is a trifling matter. Accompany me to my hearth so I may revel in the fruits of success to come.”
“Of course, Sai. But let us have a proper celebration when the boy is dead and his seed never more.”
“Such to transpire
soon.”
(2) The Ides of March: Primera Docturna
Germanicus looks out along the stretch of hilly plateaus, jagged outcroppings and the orange, reddish hue of dawn as the sun begins to sneak over the horizon. The temperature is somewhat cold now, but in several hours, it will be quite comfortable.
Germanicus knows this place well. It is nostalgic for him, the place where he had successfully completed his Primera Docturna. As it was with him, eighty percent of the recruits had already been dismissed and many were vying for their place among the recruits. Many would not make it. Germanicus knows the perils well. The recruits had been well-schooled in tracking, navigating through the stars, moon and the absence of them, coordinating their position, even if they were suddenly turned around.
With their dogs, such tasks were mere pube play. They all knew how to perform these tasks on their own, but the absence of their wolves could plunge even the most resilient of recruits into panic. And if they gave into panic, they could easily navigate off course. Being off course for even a small length of time would ensure failure. They would summarily be removed from the program.
Though the boys’ counterpart wolves are incapable of navigating off course, even the most able bodied of dogs could never hope to close the distance once their counterpart lost his bearings.
Germanicus addresses the recruits as Merlin stands by his side and breathes in the salty air from Lake Ager, remembering his own Primera Docturna.
“Congratulations, recruits. You have reached your Primera Docturna. You have proven yourself resilient beyond measure. You have succeeded where most have failed. Some of you will not be successful in your endeavor. But even if you do not succeed, you are still among the elite. There is no shame. If any of you feel unsure or that you are incapable of completing this task, you may voluntarily leave of your own accord. Speak now. There is no shame in withdrawing. No one will think less of you. You will save yourself much discomfort. Set watch and warrant it so.”
As Germanicus had expected, none of the recruits step forward.
“You have been given a small ration of food and enough water to last you four days, which will be more than ample for your journey. You will have to be back here at dawn on the third day, reunited with your wolf. Any of you who have not returned will have failed the program. Do not give into panic. We will find you. A word of caution: Do not over-exert yourself. Calm yourself through prayer and center yourself. Your training has prepared you for this. Over-exerting yourself will lead to drinking more than your ration. You must be disciplined.”
Germanicus pauses. “If you follow your coordinates exactly to find your dog and you rest for ten hours a night, you will make it back here in just two days. You have an extra day should you make a mistake in your coordinates. But set watch and warrant, there is very little room for miscalculation. Use your skills accordingly. You venture off course for more than even a few hours, you will never be able to make up the time.” He pauses again.
“I am proud of you all, no matter what transpires here today. You are all champions in your own right. Calm yourself and use your wits and training and you shall return. You ken?”
“Ai, Dottore!” exclaims the recruits in unison.
“Then what say you? Let us begin Primera Docturna.”
“Ai, Dottore!” shouts the recruits in nervous anticipation.
Merlin brings out a large trunk, which holds the boys’ food rations and a large water moccasin with fresh spring water. It also holds a number of blindfolds and a number of specially modified handcuffs. They have letters on them matching the pin tumblers needed to open the contraption when the recruit spells out Primera Docturna. The device can also be picked open with a small tool the boys hold in their pockets. They are all given several tools for survival. Nothing is left to chance. The boys are observed and if one fails to escape from the cuffs, he will be rescued and summarily removed from the program.
Cammilia nuzzles Dante’s side affectionately, nearly knocking him down. Dante has no doubt of his survival skills, even in the remote desert. But, it will be the first time they will be separated from each other for such a length of time. The psychological stress of his separation from her will be especially troubling at night when he will have to make camp on his own.
He pats her head affectionately and she licks him in response. “I shall miss you as well, old girl. In two days’ time, we will reunite. Now, off with Merlin.”
Merlin whistles loudly, calling all the dogs in. They comply.
“All right then boys! The time is now. Atticus will cuff you and load you on the wagons.”
The boys watch as their canine counterparts are loaded up on to their wagons.
As they watch, Atticus approaches each boy, grabbing their hands and placing the cuffs on them. Some boys flinch uncomfortably. Their hearts beat faster in anticipation.
Then they are herded off onto their own wagon, where a team of oxenules wait to take them to the starting point. They watch one last time as their dogs leave in their wagon, obscured behind a cloud of dust. And then, darkness ensues as Atticus blindfolds them. Dante laughs as his blindfold is placed over his eyes.
Chapter 43: The Abduction
Pelibus peers through the hyper-oculars at the wagon of recruits being carried to their destination. He cannot risk venturing any closer for fear of being caught. If Atticus has any suspicions at all, he will not hesitate to call on the Brethren. They carry those dog whistles on them at all times and Merlin’s canine is rumored to hear it from several kilometers.
Attius calls out the name of a boy. When his name is called, he stands up and jumps off. His gear is then thrown towards him. This task is a solitary one and the boys are actually forbidden to have any contact with each other once they begin their competition.
From this distance, Pelibus cannot distinguish the individual boys, except for Maximus, since he is a full head taller than the other recruits. Pelibus surmises that Dante is close. He knows that Dante is blind and he will not be disoriented as the other boys are with blindfolds on. He will not easily give himself to panic.
The tallest of the boys jumped off the wagon. It’s Maximus, clearly. Pelibus observes two other boys jump off the wagon after Maximus and both are quite disoriented. One of the boys has trouble trying to escape from the cuffs. Neither of them is Dante.
Pelibus follows the wagon surreptitiously for a couple of more kilometers, unsure of whether or not Dante has jumped off. He has been given strict orders not to let any of the other recruits see him since his identity could be compromised. He is a stranger to these parts and his association with Herod is unknown, but it would still be a liability. And a liability to Herod is a sure way of getting a bullet to the head and one for his family as well.
There is only one boy left. He observes the boy and unlike the other recruits, he gets up nimbly and seems to have no trouble navigating to the edge. He appears to have no trouble with his spatial dimensions, almost as if his lack of sight does not affect him. He jumps off and, like the other recruits, his gear is thrown to him.
This boy lands on his feet and then immediately begins to work on manipulating the lock on his cuffs. In seconds, it’s off and it drops to the ground. He then removes his blindfold and walks over to his gear. He takes a small sip of water and then puts it in his knapsack, aware of his rations. He is completely in control of his faculties, confident and task-oriented, not given to panic. It’s got to be him.
“I do believe we found our pube, Johann,” says Pelibus, matter of fact.
“Let me have a looksee.”
“Why? You can’t see shite for nothing. Set watch and warrant, it’s him.”
After escaping from his cuffs, Dante goes through his knapsack. Inside it is a flask, starch rod for starting a fire, a utility knife, hunting knife, a compass (though with a water spring he would be able to fashion his own), a roll-up sleeping bag, water moccasin for exactly four days of water rations and a pair of dense denim socks, which
could come in handy for laying traps, warmth or sustaining a fire, whichever the situation calls for. The provisions are perfectly adequate, no more than needed and no less.
Once Dante takes inventory and drinks a small amount of water, he ascertains his position. The sun is out in full force, making the task easier. Dante is hypersensitive to light and fluctuations with the sun. He can detect even the most remote shadow. And all his life, he has an internal clock which never failed him. He knows, for instance, the ride out to his drop took approximately four hours to reach, making the time approximately eleven am, which would make sense with the sun beating on the nape of his neck and his backside.
He recalls that during his ride, he was traveling in a southwest direction. He is sure of it. He pulls out his compass, which had recently been magnetized and runs his finger across the glass surface. He feels a spark of static electricity, coming from the north. Now he knows where true north is. He must travel in a northeast direction to get back to Colter Pass. No need to worry about Cammilia. Her sense of direction is innate like all her species. She will find him, as long as he is in the vicinity of Colter Pass. He just needs to make sure he does not veer too much off course.
Dante begins to walk and notices a peculiar smell. It is cacti shrubbery. He knows that the spindles on the cacti are very sharp and can easily pierce him, but if he is able to penetrate the thick, viscous layer of skin, he can find an easy meal. He knows grubbs dine inside the succulent fruit of the cacti.
He just touches the sharp, spindly point on the cactus. He extracts his hunting knife and carefully tears open a small section, large enough to accommodate his hand. He pulls back the layer and pulls out a handful of grubbs. The oily crustaceans are full of fat and protein and an easy meal he cannot pass up on. A couple of handfuls will sustain him for much of the day. He must ration his own jerky to avoid hunger.
He ingests a large handful of grubs. The taste is disgusting and he nearly vomits it but manages to hold it down. The second handful is not nearly as bad. He washes it down with a small amount of water, careful not to drink too much.
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