Insurgent of Rome Page 30

  As all waited, Julius called for both Captain Fundanus and Centurion Drusus to stand aboard for more discussion. During the short hours of the voyage, he had given much perusal to the missive from Melglos. "...and what I tell is only from the script that was sent by Melglos, thus do not ask me to explain anything not understood. After leading the rabble away from the warehouse that night, to allow Ngozi and the Sage to escape, he spent the night in the trees but, the next morning, moved to the road between the port and the city. But, there as he was breaking his fast at a kiosk, he heard of the bounty on the heads of the two miscreants that had assaulted innocent men in a portside warehouse. It seemed unwise to enter the port in daylight with all in look for a large man of unknown countenance."

  Now, for the benefit of Drusus and Fundanus, he spoke of earlier events. "There is a man, the second Steward of the domain of King Antiochus, who commissioned us with the royal missive that we delivered to the Senate - the instrument that began the talk to gain agreements between Rome and the Monarchies of Antiochus and Tigranes. Timotheus is his nomen, and giving some surprise to all on the Petrel, we found that the man had once made friendship with Melglos, after the Thracian delivered some service of value to the man."

  "With his metal, no doubt," was the comment from Fundanus.

  "Aye. Some matter of assault to the son of the Steward and another, but given violent stop of the miscreancy by Melglos with his blade." Julius paused, looking back toward the land for any sign of the returning missive-ship. "To continue, our shipmate turned his steps into the city proper of Antioch, in hopes of finding his friend in the Palace, and obviously did so. But... More than just succor was found by Melglos, apparently. But do not ask what. His scribbling did not give the reason to meet him in yon port of Persidium, but it is apparently more than just allowing the return of our shipmate. Mayhap..."

  "Capitaneus!" Julius ended his words and jerked his head around to the call from Densus. His first thought was the old man below had given up his being, but the rotund cook would not have called in such haste had such been so. And, he could see from the expression that the news was not entirely badsome. At a wave and another call, "Come!" Julius almost ran to the scuttle to descend below. There, as he turned to look at the soft mat of the old man, giving silent gratitude to the gods for the open eyes that were obviously seeing his Captain approach.

  He kneeled beside the mat and very lightly placed a hand on the arm of the oldster. "By the reeking backside of Zeus, men from the Homeric lands are uncommonly difficult to dispose of! I have seen scrapping soldiers succumb to less than your harms, and yet you have managed to give the back of your hand to the guardian of the Elysian fields, whatever he may be called."

  Densus kneeled on the opposite side, placing a hand to the back of the old man's head as Pontika gently offered a cup to his lips. Patroclus managed a sip, then another, nodding for the sufficiency.

  For some reason the hold began to darken, and long before nightfall, to the confusion of Julius, until he looked up toward the scuttle opening. There, every man on deck was attempting to give gaze below, to ascertain if the goodsome news was true. Calling impatiently, he shouted, "Back away and give us light. I will come with the news, shortly."

  The hold brightened and the old man managed two words. "How long?"

  "A pair of days. No more."

  Only the eyes of the oldster moved, but he glanced from side to side, then asked, "How did I return to the ship?"

  Now Densus shook his head, looking first at Julius before saying, "Nay. That tale would take the rest of the season. For now, your task is to lay and rest. Care you for a nibble of some meat?"

  As the cook hurried to get a small bite of food, Julius said, "Aye. Our cook has it said correctly. Your need is rest and gain of some strength. I have much to do, and do not wish to make my moves without consulting your wisdom." As Densus knelt again, the Captain gently patted the arm again, then turned to climb the scuttle ladder. On deck, he gave the goodsome news, but with some caution. "The old man has a long climb to reach his whole being, but such begins with a first step and he has made the first."

  "Capitaneus." This was Kaeso, standing and pointing. "Yon comes our boat."

  That was goodsome news - the quick return of the speculatoria probably meant that the mission had been accomplished, that Melglos was indeed waiting as said in his missive. Had the boat taken the entire day to make its return, no such hope would be forthcoming. And indeed it was so. All could see the large Greek standing with a hand on the mast as the swift vessel turned to drop its sail then coast to the side of the Petrel.

  Beside him was another, and not one of the crew for the speculatoria. "By the gods," muttered Kaeso. "That is the missive deliverer from our departure at Antioch. Timucus or some such."

  "Timotheus," returned Julius. "The Conservator for the King of Antioch."

  Flavius tossed a thick knotted rope over the beam and quickly the Greek was on deck to the grins and backslaps of his shipmates. The older official was slower, hoisted to the deck of the larger ship with both arms by two men. The big Thracian nodded to Ngozi, grinning himself, then said one word to Julius, "Patroclus?"

  The Captain nodded, then said, "This has been a day of sunshine sent by the gods. The Sage arrived back from his near-journey to the under-lands even as you were on-ship to the Petrel." More solemnly, he continued, "He is in sore condition below, but regained his waking only in the last hour. Time will be the judge." He paused, then, "What of your findings? I admit, the missive from yourself was brought with both surprise and wonderment..."

  "Capitaneus," interrupted Kaeso. "Decimus wish to know if his presence is desired."

  Julius looked over at the speculatoria, now pushed away from the side of the Petrel and being held away with extended oars. Coming alongside another vessel in a protected harbor was an easy task, but in the open sea even a small rogue wave could reduce the little boat to splinters against the much larger Petrel. Quickly giving thought, then turning to the other ship-Master, he said, "Nay. Capitaneus Fundanus, we will make for Salamis, on the east coast of Cyprus. It is only a thousand stadia to the west and the winds are fair." The man nodded and called for his skiff as Julius turned to the official of the King. "Our need for planning and converse will be far easier in a harbor." Without waiting for an answer, he turned to walk to the weather beam to shout the same orders to the Captain of the little missive vessel. Quickly, the cloth was raised on each ship and all pointed to the west.

  Giving the command to Kaeso, Julius waited until the big Greek descended for a quick look at the now-sleeping oldster, then waved him and Timotheus to the after cabin. At the tiny table, he set three cups, filling them from the wide flat-bottomed amphora. Then he said, "You talk. I will listen. You may begin at the time that Ngozi took the skiff back to the Petrel."

  Melglos nodded. "I took a stance at the entrance of the shed, waiting for the shouts to gather a goodly mob of men, then led them up the harbor road to give Ngozi a path to escape with the Sage. In the blackness of the night it was more effort to allow enough sight for the raging city-men to follow than to just disappear. By now the city was well up in arms, although most had no idea of the reason for the alarm. I could hear someone giving orders to find two men who had slain the guards of the warehouse. It may have been that none had given connect to our presence that night, that we were there in rescue of our old comrade. My thoughts are that the men of Dionysophanes were making assumption that ours was a vengeance attack and the ordinary townspeople assumed a raid of bandits on the warehouse."

  He paused, but no question was made of his statements and he continued, "I could hear the commands to find a black man and another of considerable size, and made decide that my chances of making way back to the Petrel were slim. Spending the night in the trees, I moved at first light to the drómos that leads between the city and the port, but while breaking my fast at a kiosk, I heard of the bounty on the heads of the two miscreants that had assaulted in
nocent men in a portside warehouse. It seemed unwise to enter the port in daylight with all in look for a large man of unknown countenance."

  "Thusly, you went to the city to find your previous acquaintance," said Julius.

  "Aye," nodded Melglos. "It was my hope that the good Timotheus..." He waved at the man sitting next to him. "...was still in residence, as caretaker, and that I might find some refuge - and a manner of getting word to you about my absence." Now he grinned. "Indeed he was, but instead of finding an empty Paláti, with my friend and a few servants in care, I discovered that the King and his Mother were in august presence."

  "The Royal Court is in Antioch?" asked Julius, with some surprise.

  Now Timotheus spoke for the first time. "Aye. They have come to affirm their claim for the land for which they claim sovereignty, now given legitimacy by treaty with Rome and Tigranes."

  "It took no small argument," continued Melglos, "and a few tales, to move a message to my friend around the disbelief of guards at the gate." Now a wider grin. "As a noble Roman, you may not have realization that a man of the streets, and with torn and red-stained tunic, does not merely stroll into a royal compound when the Majesties are present." He drank, then continued, "Timotheus greeted me with some disbelief, but quickly gave word to the royal Family that a man had come, and one who was a crewman on the Petrel. After hearing my tale, a message was given to a pair of urchins. They apparently successfully made earn of their coin."

  "Aye. At least one," replied Julius. "You spoke with the King?"

  Melglos snorted. "Again, you confuse your lofty status with one of a tattered commoner. Be assured that I did not. Indeed, I did not even place my eyes on the Royal Family. All converse was through Timotheus and the moldering Mnesiphilos, who is Camerarus to his Majesty..." The big Thracian paused to find a replacement for the unfamiliar word. "...Chamberlain, mayhap?"

  Julius nodded. "Calling him the first Steward will be a good enough label."

  Timotheus gave a warning shake of his head. "Mnesiphilos is not a man you would wish to trust, Kapetánios. If you indeed make travel to see King Antiochus, beware of speaking words that you wish to keep from others. His eyes and ears are behind every wall."

  "I have little experience with royal courts," said Melglos, "but I would give full agreement that the man is a bloated bástardos and no doubt. One that would sell his own Mitéra for the gain of an obol."

  Timotheus leaned forward and spread his hands. "The King wishes to give meet with you, the intimation being that much gain may come for both factions upon agreement."

  Julius just looked at the official for the moment, then said with some drollness, "King Antiochus has desire to meet with an unknown sea-Capitaneus? Were we in the taburna, I would give assumption that my companion had been lifting too many cups."

  Now Timotheus shook his head. "Nay. I suspect that the being of your Captaincy is not the reason, but the fact that you are of a powerful family of the Roman domain, with attachments to powerful men of Latium. And, of course, the King knows of you because of your hasty delivery of his missive to the Senate."

  Julius just sat in thought for the moment, a wasted effort since he had far too little knowledge of any reason for the startling request. Seeing the eyes of the official giving gaze with widened eyes, apparently in speculation, he said, "What are you not saying?"

  Timotheus looked around, more from mannerism than any thought that other ears were listening, then said, "I must ask for your confidence for my next words."

  "Aye. You have my oath on it."

  "The throne is sat on by King Antiochus Asiaticus, three and tenth of his dynasty, as is told to me, but the master of that domain is actually the Queen Mother."

  "Kleopátra Selene." It was not a question.

  "Aye, and a woman who has survived peril and threat that would have taken a man to the Elysian Fields between one breath and the next. One should always look beyond her statements, and those coming from the throne, for... substance other than given by the words. Look for meanings within meanings, and plans within plans." Another look to his rear, cut off even as he realized the action. "You may have heard of the... unrest in the city - and the domain - at the whispers that the King will return from Damascus to take abide in Antioch?" A nod from his listener and he continued. "The citizenry are not enthralled with such a prospect. Indeed, the rule of the Antiochus line for generations has been without concern with the needs of their subjects. Taxes are usurious and the treasury officials have grasping hands. The Adjudicators are less than concerned with law than filling their own coffers. The wealthy own all of the city, even as they exact fees and rents that have little scale to the fact."

  Melglos suddenly said. "Why do you stay in their service? A travel of a handful of leagues would gain you another place and away from any grasp of the King - mayhap Tarsos. Or Damaskos. I have seen your quarters. You are not destitute of wealth."

  A grave expression crossed the face of the official. "I have given dream of such, but I have a family, and my two sons have theirs. Should word reach the King that a man of his court was about to depart without his auspices, both man and family would be slaughtered. There is no doubt by any man of the court, that his servants and slaves are direct conduits to the royal ears. Antiochus is not forgiving, but the Queen Mother is such as to make him as the god of mercy."

  Julius gave a dismissal expression, then replied, "I doubt that any ruler around the Great Sea has more interest in anything beyond his own needs - and I include those of my land."

  "Aye, but the dynasty of Antiochus has been as a man standing between the wolf and the serpent, with the lion in wait for his chance at the meal, and their skills for such endurance have become great, indeed. I have little doubt that the Royal Family is in plot to continue their sovereignty and without care as to the requirements for the deed..." Now, in a quiet voice, unnecessary but by reason of long habit in self-preservation, he continued, "My thoughts are that the domain of Antiochus is doomed, no matter their skill in plotting. They will be as a kernel under the wagon-wheel when the far greater lands that surround them turn their attention to the matter..."

  "Rome, you mean?" said Julius.

  "Mayhap." A pause, then, "Or not. There is also the kingdom of Pontus in the north, with Mithridates a grasping monarch in search of ever more land and wealth. Rome has already fought with that King twice in only the last fifteen years. I would give wager that the armies will be in march again before many seasons have turned. And Tigranes to the east has a greed that matches any monarch in the great world. When a pack of dogs gives fight over a fallen haunch in the street, only one enjoys the feast."

  Julius nodded. "I cannot give denial of your reasoning. The domain of the great Alexander is a prize of richness, and I give admit that Rome has never been reticent in trading blood for wealth."

  Now the court official spoke again, "Two of the factions will ally with the other, to reduce the third. To say against that would be a foolish wager. The only question is, which two? To find and join that combined faction is the entire focus of Antiochus and the Queen Mother."

  The harbor of Salamis was on the horizon at the rise of the sun, and within the hour the three ships had wharfed. This was a minor trading port, and without any agent of the family in residence, but as always, men arriving with coin are welcomed in any land. Julius could now allow both the sailors and the Legionaries to take enjoyment in the small city, and without worry of either firepots coming aboard their ships, or throats being cut in passage by an alleyway.

  As the men went ashore, he called a meeting of his officers and the Centurion, giving them the words from Timotheus of the desire of conference with King Antiochus. And the general belief that this gigantic land would soon fall into the chaos of despoil under the feet of marching armies.

  Captain Fundanis had no reticence in giving his opinion. "...my thoughts tend to give that we should leave that reeking land to the unfortunates required to live there, and find our tr
ade elsewhere. When the victor has claimed the prize, we can return for trade in a city of normalcy, hopefully."