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Chapter 8
The Briton
The next morning Lucilla woke up with a splitting headache. The whole world seemed to be spinning around her. Opening her eyes she was surprised to see the empty room, almost forgetting that she was no longer in Rome. Trying to push herself up in order to look out the window, Lucilla realized it was no bad dream. She really was in Britain.
Pushing herself out of the warm fur covers she threw on her bearskin cloak. Giving a quick shiver, she moved toward the window to see something she had never yet seen, the fog rolling in to the ancient fortress. It was a beautiful site, the white washed walls of the milecastle seemed to blend into the gray fog, and not knowing where the wall ends and the landscape of Northern Britain begins. You'll never see that in Rome, Lucilla commented to the empty room.
Moving over toward the large closets, Lucilla gave a sigh remembering she still needed to unpack all the chests. Not wanting to destroy how everything was packed she starting opening each chest, although she was still in her robe. The first chest she opened was linen. The thin sheets she expected, she wouldn't be using anytime soon. Putting them towards the back of the closet she continued on.
The next chest were some of her clothes, most were the light, airy summer dresses. But she was able to fit a few of the thicker fabrics on the bottom. Finding a light green color dress she put it on, yet the matching shawl was too thin so she found her fox lined cloak and wrapped that around her. Fastening it with a olive tree shaped brooch she was finally warm.
She hadn't even been dressed for fifteen minutes when a quiet knocking came on the door. Wondering if that is what she heard she moved closer to the door, where she heard it again. Pleased that she wasn't imagining things, she opened the door to find a smiling Vanora.
Vanora wore a light chestnut colored dress, which unfortunately had beer stains on it from the tavern. "Good morning!" The plucky woman announced.
"Good morning to you." Lucilla responded, suddenly a head ran in front of Lucilla into her room.
"Tag! Your it!" A child's voice shouted.
"Nu-uh! You never touched me Six." Another shouted back, chasing the other further into the room.
"Four! Six! That's enough, get out of her room." Vanora shouted back, the children quickly obeyed. Lucilla must have had a questioning look on her face, since Vanora began to explain. "My apologies Lady Lucilla. Children now a days always wanting to play a game." The infectious smile Vanora gave made Lucilla reciprocate.
"They're your children?" Lucilla wondered.
"Oh, aye, just a few of the many. Bors is downstairs with Nine and Ten." Turning towards the children she whispered. "Go get the plate we prepared." The children quickly ran off down the stairs, still playfully shoving each other. Lucilla remembered a glorious summer afternoon in Northern Rome where she spent an entire day playing with her dear friend.
"You name your children numbers?" Lucilla chuckled as Vanora entered the room.
"Well the first one we named Gilly, but it was too hard to name the rest, so we gave them all numbers." Vanora walked over to the window, "oh you have a wonderful view of wall."
"If you need I could help with some name." Lucilla wasn't sure if it was a proper offer or not, but out here in the nothingness of Britain who was to say what was proper or not?
"Oh, well that would be very kind of ye, but Bors and I would be hoping for either Celtic or Sarmatian."
"Of course, and who wouldn't." Lucilla smiled as the two children reappeared.
"Six, stop touching me or your gonna make me spill it!" The older boy scalded his younger sister. The girl responded only by sticking her tongue out.
"Six!" Vanora scalded. The girl looked toward the ground in shame.
"Now there's no of that here. It's alright." Lucilla chuckled at the child's antics. Walking over to the young girl Lucilla bent down to eye level. "You know, I used to act the exact same way."
"Really!" The girl's eyes lit up like the sun.
"Really. My friend used to steal my clothes when I swimming in the stream so I would come out of the stream in only my undergarments. Walking into my home, my mother scalded me too." Six seemed to be enjoying this story; in fact Four and Vanora were both listening. "So when I saw my friend I used to loosen the girth of his saddle so when he went to his lesson, he would fall off." The children began to laugh.
"So even you acted silly sometimes." The girl noted.
"Every acts silly sometimes."
"Not true!" The young boy announced. "Arthur doesn't act that way."
"Even as a boy, I'm sure he had his moments." Lucilla didn't understand why she began to defend the commander she had met only momentarily.
"We brought your breakfast up for you. Enjoy it." Vanora smiled and shuffled the children out the door.
The eggs and toast weren't as glamorous as the food she'd eaten in Rome, but it was food nonetheless that filled her stomach. She had just finished as was prepared to continue unpacking when another knock came on the door. Giving a small sigh of disappointment that she couldn't continue unpacking.
Opening the door, Gaius stood before her. The young man seemed different than he was just yesterday. The curly black hair didn't have pieces of grass or mud embedded in it; it was neatly combed. The golden armor was recently cleaned and the emblems shined.
"Morning Lady Patrious," his voice was smooth but sounded tired.
"A long night Gaius?" Lucilla smiled as the centurion became nervous.
"Yes… my lady." Opening his mouth to perhaps explain, Lucilla quickly intruded.
"Please spare me the details."
"With pleasure." Lucilla opened the door enough to let Gaius inside. "General Marcus insists that you eat the mid meal with him."
"I'm sure he does," Lucilla commented under her breath.
"I am also to take you a quick tour of the wall. So you don't lose yourself."
"Gaius, how would you give me a tour? Considering you arrived her just yesterday?"
"I'll get a knight." Gaius quickly retorted. Lucilla only shook her head, but instead of arguing fixed her hair a bit, putting it up properly and followed Gaius out the door.
Making their way downstairs, the tavern was full although it was late morning. The knights had formed themselves around a large table with food all around. Mugs of juice were being passed back and forth. But Lucilla was able to look over and saw the large man, Bors cradling a baby.
"Something amusing Lady Lucilla?" Gaius rudely questioned.
"Yes, you trying to act sober." Lucilla comically replied. "Where's Marcus?"
"Talking with Arthur, where else?" A now angered Gaius answered.
Coming from behind the tavern, Arthur appeared. He wore the same armor Lucilla had seen him don earlier, but now his face was full of rage. Seeing Lucilla he shook his head and walked towards his knights who were all aware that Arthur was not happy.
"What now?" Gawain wondered.
"Knights, we leave." Arthur simply stated. Without question the knights all stood and walked over to the stables. Staying a few steps behind them Lucilla followed, Gaius apparently needed to speak with barmaid he enjoyed so much the night before.
The stable was as large as her chamber. The stalls were situated around a large training ring that allowed a good deal of sunlight into. Keeping her distance, Lucilla was able to overhear what Arthur was telling the men.
"What has the fool commanded this time?" Galahad asked.
"To patrol the wall." Arthur told them, but he wasn't sincere.
"What else?" Lancelot looked to Arthur who was already putting the saddle on his white steed.
"We are to protect the wall, but we come across any Woads we are to bring one back with us."
"Has the fool lost his mind?" Bors questioned. If one could see his blood, Lucilla assumed it would be boiling.
"Marcus must understand that if we bring a Woad into the fortress, he will quickly see and learn the layout of the keep. The next time the Woads attack the fortress they will have an advantage to what they had before. They will know the weaker areas of the Wall." Bedwyr explained, his voice showed how appalled he was at the decision of Marcus.
"I do not fight for the Wall." Arthur began to explain. "The Wall is made of bricks, those can be rebuilt. It is for the people living inside these bricks we must fight for." Arthur's voice was authoritative, but it showed no anger or hatred.
"So we're going to obey these insane orders?" Cai wondered, the thought all the knights were having.
"We will, and we will ride with dignity. If General Marcus wants to speak to Woad, we shall give him one to speak with." Arthur told the group.
Without another moments hesitation the knights saddled the horses and mounted. The animals were anxious to be moving as they kept bobbing their heads, and prancing about as if they were dancing on flames.
Lucilla made her way towards the tavern where she knew she would be able to find Vanora. Lucilla didn't understand at the moment why she felt so much pity for the knights. The Empire had given them a place to stay, a civilized place, she must add and way to make the world better. But then again they needed to do things they deemed unworthy and insane. All part of the job, Lucilla told herself as the horses thundered past her.
As the people of Hadrian's Wall heard the inner gates closing behind the knights, Gaius appeared at Lucilla's side.
"I told you I would give you a tour, yet due to my ineffectiveness in this area I have acquired a different man to guide you around the Wall." Gaius stepped aside and there stood Jols, Arthur's steward.
"I give you good greeting, my Lady." Jols said in a heavy British accent.
"And to you as well," Lucilla replied.
Inviting Lucilla next to him with a wave of his hand, Lucilla complied. Gaius stayed a few feet behind her at all times. Jols started off at the forward battlements. Taking Lucilla to the top of the Wall, he began to explain its reasons for construction.
"So ye see, Emperor Hadrian never got to see the final construction of the Wall but we're sure it's something he'd be proud of. Now these aren't the original battlements. A century ago the Wall stood a good ten feet lower, but it was thought by some that it was too easy for the Woads to climb over so they added ten feet of rock in order to make the Wall even more menacing."
"They succeeded," Lucilla commented. Jols continued on about the battlements and how each section was built. Forts that were connected together by patrolled Roman Roads then the milecastles until finally the Wall had been finished. Apparently, Roman architectures believed it would frighten the Woads if the stones were whitewashed. Lucilla wasn't sure if the white washing frightened the Woads but it surly made the Wall gleem in the sunlight.
Lucilla was only listening with half an ear. Her mind kept wondering to the reason Marcus would want to speak with a Woad. She kept pondering this until her thoughts were I interrupted by a familiar voice. "Ready for the mid day meal Wife?" Marcus asked.
"Yes, thank you." Marcus led her to a room with a large rectangular table. The table sat two at the head and four on each side, large enough to make a statement but not so large as to appear menacing.
Marcus being the Roman gentleman, helped seat Lucilla at one head of the table while he took the other. A few servers brought out enough food to feed a small army. Eating in almost complete silence, Antonion came bursting through the door. Marcus, a bit angered by the intrusion, looked up from the meal of grilled venison.
"The Knights have returned with a blue demon." He whispered to Marcus, nodding he walked over to Lucilla.
"Care to join me?" Marcus held out his hand and Lucilla took it with a smile. He really can be a gentleman when he tries, Lucilla commented to herself, pleased with Marcus.
They strode out to the courtyard where just yesterday Lucilla, herself, had arrived. The stone courtyard was nowhere near as filled as it was before. The horses were able to manipulate themselves around the square. In the center stood Arthur with the Woad standing in front with his hands tied behind his back. Cai, Bedwyr, Tristan and Lancelot stood to Arthur's left with Gawain, Galahad, Bors and Dagonet stood to his right.
"Well done fair Knights!" Marcus announced as he took a few steps down towards the Woad. Lucilla took a few steps forward herself, just to get a better look at the man.
She should rather say boy, the Woad could have been no older than eighteen summers.
His blonde hair was matted down with the blue paint that was also painted all over his young body. He was naked to the waist with a few visible scars on his chest. Within some of the blue paint, was a red stain… blood, Lucilla guessed.
She looked the Knights and was able to realize they were also bloodied, but none looked wounded. The blood of the Woads ran thick on the Knight's armor and weaponry.
"We've deliver a Woad to you General. As ordered." Arthur told Marcus.
"So you did," Marcus smiled to Arthur putting a hand on his shoulder. The other knights scoffed at Marcus's action. Turning toward the Woad, Marcus looked into his eyes. "What do you want with Hadrian's Wall?"
"I could tell him that," Galahad whispered to Gawain, but the Woad was deathly silent.
"Do you want to die? Is that it?" Marcus asked the boy, again no reply. Suddenly Marcus threw his fist into the boy's stomach, thrusting him backward into Arthur. He stumbled a few steps but grabbed the Woad by the shoulder and made his stand before Marcus, yet again. "Anything to say in your defense?" With more silence came another punch, but this time Marcus added a second punch while he was cowering.
Lucilla needed to turn away for the slightest moment. She couldn't bear to watch Marcus abuse this poor boy. "Marcus," she whispered no louder than a slight wind. As Marcus continued to beat the boy, even the Knights grew disgusted. Lucilla was finally able to raise her voice loud enough to be heard. "Marcus. Please stop."
He glared at Lucilla, utter rage filling his eyes. How dare she speak to me in the presence of my men, he must have been thinking to himself.
"I must concur," Arthur stepped forward. By now the boy was lying on the ground in his own blood. He was still alive, thankfully.
"Get rid of him," Marcus told Gaius. Walking towards Lucilla Marcus motioned for her to enter the dining room where they had been eating.
Within the security of the room Marcus lost his temper. "How dare you command me to stop! I am the dux Britanniarumnot you!"
"Marcus he didn't deserve that beating and you know that! You don't need to prove yourself at the expense of others. That boy had done nothing wrong!"
"He is a Woad, that is evidence enough."
"And we are Roman and this is evidence enough for them, the barbarians. We are not barbarians. We are better than this."
Lucilla was hoping that she struck a nerve of Marcus's and he would not resort to the basic abuse she was used to.
Coming within an inch of Lucilla's face Marcus told her, "If you ever again presume to interfere in my affairs, I will, I promise, send you back to Rome in pieces." Walking out of the room Marcus slammed the door shut. Lucilla stood there breathing heavily happy she was alive to see the sunset.
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