I was in my hut preparing my lunch when I heard it. I tried to brush it off. It was just my mind playing tricks on me. There was no way what I heard was real. No way. But it had to be real, despite my objections, because the noise slowly grew louder. My heart turned to ice and then constrict, like someone had it in their fist and they were trying to squeeze my life out of it. I had no time to run, nowhere to go, no way to escape. It was a single set of hoof beats, so I doubted it was someone from the town looking for revenge of the two lives I took. No. It was worse. The person I knew it had to be made me feel sick.
Aretha.
She must have been on a lone mission to finish me off. They must have caught Cato, Lucius, and Avilius, as much as it grieved me to determine that, it was the only explanation. Cato, I just knew he would die with my name in his mind, locked away as a secret but would the other two? I concluded they must have given my name and my assistance away and so here she was to finish the job. With no one here this time to stop her.
I grabbed my hunting knife, looking down at Hiral whose hackles had lifted and a low growl had begun to build in her throat. This time I would have to get her before she could get me. This time I would have to be stronger and I would have to surprise her, it was my only chance.
As the horse reached the front of my hut, I snuck to the door and gently placed a finger along the edge of my hide door to draw it back just enough that I could peek out. I was surprised I didn't hear the rider dismount but I didn't allow that to distract me from my duty which was protecting myself. I gently moved the skin and glimpsed out, to find a tall dark mount standing facing the hut, a figure hunched over on its back.
Cato.
He crumpled to the side, causing the horse to shy slightly. The jerking movement unseating him and he tumbled to the dirt in a heap. The black steed, sweaty from his obviously tremendous journey nervously danced away. My heart leapt into my throat and for a moment I couldn't comprehend what was before me. Or more so, who was before me. It was all too unreal, it must have been a dream I would wake from any moment. But no, it was fact, for Hiral let out a bark of excitement and bolted to his side, jigging next to him, unsure what to do when he didn't move to greet her. Only then did my mind and body connect, screaming for my feet to carry me to him, my knees to catch the ground as I drew close, and my hands to pull him over, so I feel him and see his face and no for sure this was authentic.
He was injured, crimson tears trickled from a cut across his cheek bone, not new but recently torn open. He clutched his side, from which he also bled, causing fear to make my hands shake. I cupped his unbloodied cheek in my hand, willing those eyes to open, praying he wasn't dead. Not when he had only just been returned to me.
With a flutter of movement his eyes opened slowly, cautiously, and he gazed upon me as if I were a dream. Curse those beautiful blue eyes, my heart danced in my chest and I felt my breath catch, invoking a knowledge that I would never get used to those clear pools of stunning cobalt. I found myself stroking his cheek, grinning so widely I thought I felt tears pricking at my eyes.
"What have you done to yourself now, you silly Roman," I barely managed to force past the lump that was growing in my throat. With a small, almost pathetic smile he seemed to come to the realization that this wasn't an illusion but I was in fact true. He inhaled deeply and with great effort, managed to work up the strength to speak, so leaned in close to catch his words.
"It would seem… that I again require your… assistance, witch."
