:III:
Irony
Mother must have seen me storming from Marius's study. Angry tears threatened to overtake my eyes as I was envelopedin the familiar warmth and scent of the stables. I had adopted the horse that was originally my brother's as my own a few years before. I named her Boudica for the ancient Iceni queen who nearly drove Rome from Britain hundreds of years before.
I reached for my saddle and started to prepare Boudica for a long journey. The house of Marius Honorius was riddled with worms and rot; evil and shadowed. To stay would be to kill me. Neither would I marry the Centurion from Gaul. Not because I had something against the man himself, having never even met him, but I would not play a puppet to Marius. Not any longer.
"Viola," My mother said loudly.
I turned to her figure by the door. The hood of her cloak covered her curls that were pulled up except for a few strands that framed her face.
"What are you doing?" Her questioned urgently as she rushed over to me.
"Leaving, mother." I stated, picking up a nearby saddle bag.
"You will do no such thing." She replied, taking the bag from me and throwing it to the ground, "You will not leave me."
"I do not leave for you!" I cried, the tears finally coming, "I leave because I cannot stand to be in this house any longer! I leave because I will not be dictated to and expected to love a father I cannot even respect! I leave because I cannot stand by and watch as he tears apart the lives of innocent people!"
"Do you think it's been easy for me?" She replied, taking my hands, "Marius has been like this for years, yet I stay. I stay! For you and Alecto," She cupped my damp cheek with her fingers, "I stay because I love you. Do you not love me as well?"
I threw my arms around her neck as she embraced me.
"I do mother," I answered with a soggy voice.
"Then stay my daughter."
Suddenly hurried footsteps came running into the stables. I looked up to see Alecto panting with his hands on his knees. I let go of mother as we stood and waited for him to speak.
"Strangers on horses," He managed, "Sarmatian knights, I'm certain." I felt mother stiffen beside me, "At the gates."
"It is a wonder you have come!"
I followed my mother and brother as we emerged onto the rampart overlooking what lay beyond the gate. Sure enough, proud horsemen on grand steeds watched as Marius came out to greet them.
"Good Jesus!" Marius cried, clasping his hands as if in prayer, "Arthur and his knights!" He reached out to stroke the mane of one of the knight's horses. The animal retreated from his touch.
So, these were the great Sarmatians. At Marius's statement mother took my hand. I stood between her and my brother who watched with wary eyes.
"You have fought the woads? Vile creatures."
"Our orders are to evacuate you immediately." The Roman called Arthur spoke plainly.
I looked over at my mother to ask what he spoke of. However, I found that her eyes were fixed upon the knights. She looked as though she had seen a ghost. Her grip on my hand tightened.
"T-that is impossible," Marius stuttered.
"Which is Alecto?"
Surprised to hear the name of my brother come from the mouth of this great leader, I turned to him.
"I am Alecto." He replied in his firm, loud voice.
The knights turned their gaze upon the wall where we stood.
"Alecto is my son," Marius said, his arms rigid at his sides. Alecto turned and started down from the rampart. I followed, still holding onto my mother's fingers, "And everything we have is here, in the land given to us by the pope of Rome." I heard Marius state as we walked down the stairs.
"Have you ever seen them before, mother?" I asked in awe of the grand figures at our gate.
"Once," She replied in a wavering voice, "When I came here as a bride. They accompanied me to your father's house." The word father seemed to come reluctantly from her lips.
As we came out from the gate I could hear Marius arguing with Arthur. I still did not know why we had to depart.
"I refuse to leave." Marius stated foolishly. As we approached, I noticed his hands were trembling slightly. I wondered what had been said.
The man called Arthur was even grander up close. We had all heard tales of the horsemen and their leader but I never had seen them. Arthur was a man tall in the saddle with dark curls and a clearly Roman face. He held a kingly air of authority that made me understand why Marius was shaking.
"Go back to work!" Marius cried to the gathering villagers who stood watching the events unfold, "All of you."
I looked down at my feet in shame as the soldiers began to push and beat them to get back to work. Suddenly, the urge to leave that I had felt earlier returned full force. This was why I wished to go. I could not stand by and watch.
I felt my heart jump to my throat as Arthur dismounted and approached Marius. My father was dwarfed by the mighty warrior. Marius retreated slightly as Arthur came close.
"If I fail to bring you and your son back, my men can never leave this land. So you're coming with me if I have to tie you to my horse and drag you all the way to Hadrian's wall myself, my lord," Arthur's voice was reminded me of the low growl a dog gives before it attacks. I inwardly wished he would follow through on his threat, "Lady, my knights are hungry." The soldier said, turning to my mother.
Mother reached out to Marius to retrieve his blessing.
"Go," Marius brushed her away with his hand.
Though I wished desperately to stay and see what unfolded, my mother took my arm and tugged me toward the gate. Reluctantly, with a last look to Arthur, I followed. My mother's hood fell back as we came into the courtyard. Her face was more pale than usual and her breathing was shaky.
"What troubles you mother?" I asked, unable to see why leaving this accursed place would bother her.
"Nothing," She whispered, as we came into the kitchen that was already abuzz with the news of the knights.
Eventually I found out from the servants that the reason why we had to be evacuated was because of an approaching Saxon army that was taking land and killing people as they went. The Romans would not send a retaliating army to drive them off. I was not surprised. The Rome was once was, was decaying. Barbarians were taking over every corner. It would not be long till the city itself fell.
I did not realize that Alecto had not followed us till he returned back to the kitchen.
"This Arthur is a great leader," He said, helping with one of the baskets of food, "But a strange man with stranger philosophies."
"We can speak of Arthur Castus later," My mother ordered, "Now we must pack our own belongings. We are leaving this place."
I chuckled as we made our way from the kitchen. The irony of this day was almost too much to bear.
Bear followed me, barking, as I led Boudica out from the gate. I had few belongings that I treasured here; a necklace my mother had given me on my fifteenth birthday, a small carved figure of a woman that my brother and I had found in a nearby creek bed, a doll that I had slept with all through childhood. My mother had packed my clothing with hers in a trunk that was now being loaded unto one of the carts. Except for my doll, the figure and the necklace, I brought nothing.
The drive was aflame with activity; Men and women running to and fro readying carriages and carts, animals raising their voices in a cacophony of sound. The snow that was falling steadily did nothing to help the chaos. Boudica gave a chary whiny and retreated slightly. I held tightly to her rein and turned to face her. Her eyes were darting with confusion. I looked back to see mother and Alecto approaching. I also saw something that greatly frightened me.
A few monks were being ordered and watched by several soldiers as they blocked up the opening to the old arms cellar. They were entombing the woad girl and the child! I ran toward mother, Boudica trotting behind me and Bear barking at my feet.
"They are blocking up the cellar!" I cried, taking her hand and nodding toward the door that locked from the inside.
Her face went white as she looked back toward Arthur.
"You must say something," She whispered urgently, "Go tell Arthur Castus."
I nodded and started over to where the commander sat on his horse by the gates, watching the pandemonium with calm eyes. His attention turned to me as I came near.
"My lord," I began, laying my hand on Boudica's neck lightly, "I am Viola, daughter of Marius Honorius." I pointed back to the cellar, "They should not be doing that." It sounded ignorant coming from my lips but Arthur's attention was caught as he leant down toward me.
"What is the trouble?" He asked evenly, his green eyes intense and wondering.
"There are people down there," I replied in a low voice.
His eyes grew wide for a moment then he sat back up and walked his horse over to the cellar. I wondered if he had heard me but as he drew his sword and dismounted, I knew he was going to do something.
As he approached, the soldiers foolishly attempted to block his way.
"Move." Arthur ordered, pointing the blade toward them, "Move."
The Sarmatians rode forward, a few with their swords out. I made my way back to mother.
"Move!" The soldiers drew back, "What is this?" Arthur asked one of the monks, pointing toward the cellar.
"You cannot go in there." The monk replied, standing his ground, "No one goes in there, this place is forbidden."
Arthur moved the men of god gently aside with his blade. Marius then noticed what was happening.
"What are you doing?" He demanded, approaching, "Stop this!" He was halted by a large bald man with a sword on horseback. That was enough for my father.
I stood with mother and Alecto a few feet away, watching as Arthur touched the stones that blocked the door. A few of the knights seemed to be getting restless and impatient but Roman ignored them. In the distance the constant beat that had been sounding since I came back outside suddenly took hold of my conscious. They were war drums. Saxons. Mother took my hand once again. They would be here soon.
"Dagonet." Arthur stated, motioning to one of the knights, Mother's hand suddenly gripping my tightly.
The large man called Dagonet approached the door. In his hands he held an axe with ease. Mother stiffened beside me as the blade hit the stones. He drew up again and again till finally the wall of stones fell.
"Key," Arthur ordered of the soldiers.
"It is locked," One said, "From the inside."
Arthur gave the knight Dagonet a nod as he kicked down the door. Arthur, Dagonet and two other Knights entered the mouth of the cellar with the two monks. I closed my eyes and looked down, trying to forget the terrible place. Soon, they emerged back into the light, the first Sarmatian throwing a torch down to the soggy ground. Arthur appeared close behind with the Woad girl. I breathed a sigh of a relief at seeing that she still lived.
"Water!" Arthur cried, carrying the girl, "Get me some water!"
My mother needed no coaxing. She approached Arthur and the emaciated form of the girl and helped him as they managed to have her drink some from the cask. She looked worse than she had the evening before.
I noticed that the knight called Dagonet had come out into the light carrying the boy. Without thinking, I went to him and held the child up wordlessly as we managed to have him drink.
"His arm is broken," I said quietly, trying not to move him by his wound.
"And his family?" A man who had brought the cask asked.
The knight called Dagonet shook his head and looked up at me. For a moment, I could not look away. The man called Dagonet was nothing out of the ordinary. A decoration of scars embellished his shaven head and his mouth was stern and unwelcoming. But his eyes were familiar. So familiar it frightened me.
The man called Dagonet had my eyes.
Marius's voice interrupted my thoughts abruptly.
"Stop what you are doing!" He cried, storming forward toward Arthur.
"What is this madness!" Arthur questioned, rising to his feet. My mother cradled the woad girl's head in her lap protectively.
"They are all pagans here!" Marius replied, Alecto watching with dark eyes.
"So are we," A nearby knight answered.
"They refuse to do the task god has set for them! They must die, as an example!" Marius roared.
"Do you mean they refuse to be your serfs!" Arthur shouted, sharp as the blade of his sword.
"You are a roman. You understand! And you are a Christian! You!" Marius suddenly turned to my mother, who looked up with frightened eyes, "You kept them alive!" He cried and struck her hard across the cheek.
I stood feeling uncontrollable rage overtake me, "Do not touch her!" I yelled, but a hand gripped my arm before I could challenge Marius.
I was about to tear away toward him but Arthur got there first. He belted Marius to the ground and held the point of the blade to his throat. I prayed to god that Arthur would finish him right there. Instead he just stood there.
"When we get to the wall, you will be punished for this heresy." Marius spoke.
Arthur drew him up by the cloak and brought the blade closer to his throat.
"Perhaps I should kill you now and seal my fate." Arthur growled.
"I was willing to die with them." I turned my attention to a monk who had emerged from the cellar with them. He was pale from lack of sunlight. He must have been one of the monks who looked over the innocents, "As to lead them to their rightful place."
Arthur looked up slowly in horror at the monk beside him.
"It is god's wish that these sinners be sacrificed." The monk continued, "Only then can their souls be saved."
"Then I shall grant his wish." Arthur replied, the monk fashioning a serene look upon his dirty face, "Wall them back up." For a moment I thought that Arthur meant to wall the boy and Woad up as well. I started to tug away from the gentle grip of the person who still held my arm, ready to fight for these people.
"Be still, maid," I turned to see it was Dagonet's hand that held me, "Worry not."
"Arthur," One of the men on horseback said, obviously ready to ride out.
"I said wall them up!" Arthur cried.
Soon I realized that he meant that only the monks be walled back up in the cellar.
"Don't you see it's the will of god that these sinners be sacrificed!" The monk cried as he was dragged back to the cellar by one of the villagers. Dagonet let go of my arm and knelt to pick up the child.
My eyes followed him as he walked toward the carts. In the chaos that ensued I looked back to my mother where she sat by the woad girl. Her own eyes followed Dagonet as he carried the boy in his arms. When she looked back at me, I held her gaze for a moment.
She was connected to this knight called Dagonet. Somehow, I was connected as well.