Chapter 14: The Poison and the Remedy

The next morning, Aislinn woke before the sun had even begun to rise. She supposed that after having been there for several weeks doing so, her body was acclimating well to the routine. She got up and dressed quickly, then went out into the main room of the quarters to ask Claude what was going on in the palace that morning. To her surprise, Commodus sat in the chair across from her waiting. He stood immediately when he saw her. He looked very grave.

"Commodus, what is wrong?" she asked urgently walking towards him. A figure stepped out from behind the farthest tapestry. Aislinn gasped. "Tormod!" she exclaimed. Her brother raced to embrace her tightly. "How did you get here? What's going on? Is everything safe at home? Were you hurt getting here?"

He placed a hand on the side of her face to quiet her. "Two days with you having not returned worried maithair. She sent me to find you. We know how you feel about rescuing, but with the soldiers being spotted the day before, I knew there was some kind of foul play involved," he explained in Gaelic.

"Gracious! How did you get here without being tortured or killed?" she asked. He smiled.

"Apparently the men were told to bring any Celts that came after the 'captured warrior' to the emperor. Here I am, unharmed. But you..," he said looking over the three great wounds that were bandaged on her. "They've already sent you to their arena. You got out lucky with only these."

"Oh, these didn't happen in the arena," she said. He looked very peeved. He raised a brow as he turned and looked at Commodus. Commodus gulped. Even by Roman standards this man was tall, stocky, and had the face of a wild-man. His burning red hair mingled with his beard and mustache, making him appear to have a helmet and face mask of thick hair. He had piercing green eyes as well, and very sharp features. It was no wonder that the Praetorians had sent home stories of the Celts being fierce monsters. The man was dressed in traditional tartan and boots, adding to the ferocity of his appearance was the wolf's paw that dangled from his belt.

"Then how did you come about them?" he asked still staring hatefully at Commodus.

"It's not important. You need to go home. I'm doing very well. These happened when I was showing off my fighting skills," Aislinn lied. She was a terrible liar. Tormod shook his head. The soldiers had spoken along the way about the 'savage Celtess' being wounded by the mighty Caesar during practice. "I will tell the emperor that you are a messenger from my homeland sent to..," she was at a loss for an identity to make up. There really was no need for another Celt to have wandered out of the highlands. Commodus might've suspected she was royalty, but she didn't want it confirmed. God only knows how much further that would drive him away from her.

"He's already made preparations to send me back. Until you meet him in the arena as you 'agreed', none of our people are to be harmed, and anyone captured coming into Rome from the highlands is to be brought to him to receive orders to be sent back with a warning. I am so happy to see you alive, piuthar," he said kissing her forehead gently and pulling her to him in a very relieved hug. Aislinn inhaled him, trying to regain some part of the normalcy she had lost several weeks ago. She felt tears streaming down her cheeks. He held onto her for a few moments, then let go of her and held onto her shoulders in front of him. "Listen, whatever you do, do not allow him to know of your birthright. It could cost us our freedom, and worse, it could cost you whatever shred of dignity he's left you with in public."

She nodded. "When are you being sent back?"

"Right now, this morning. I only arrived in the city yesterday. The emperor felt that it would be fair to let me speak with you," he said with his eyes flashing at Commodus again. Aislinn knew that he must've been terrified of her brother. Tormod was, in fact, the smallest of her four brothers. Seamus, Cailean, and Eoin were much bigger and far more intimidating. She supposed that they had sent him so as not to arouse much suspicion and fear, to do otherwise would've been a death sentence for Aislinn. "I will wait just at the border and head back in time to meet you outside the city on the third day of Samhain."

"Good. I will be there, Tormod," she said wiping away more tears. He smiled, kissed her again, then turned and left quickly. After he had left the room, Aislinn looked up at Commodus with concern. "He's the largest of the clan. They just came to see about me since the clan keeps a fairly close watch on its women," she lied again.

"Aislinn, I don't know how your family learned Latin, but they have. When your brother was brought before me he told me who he was. I realize now that I have been right all along. He didn't say this, but I can tell by your behaviour and his; you are in line for the throne. You are royalty," he said shaking. It wasn't so much out of fear now, as it was out of shame and sadness. He had come to love Aislinn, thinking she was less than him and something to be conquered. Aislinn was royalty, and among her people commanded far more respect than his position in Rome did. Aislinn was a Celt and therefore inherited the right to rule with counselors under her. If her older brother had not been given the throne, it meant that he was a steward with a goal to protect their land at any cost with his sword. Aislinn could've dispatched him already; she could've sent for aide and taken the capital. With the city being in the state that it was, it wouldn't have taken much. Aislinn was truly kind, and would make a far more beloved ruler than he could ever hope to be. He looked down. "I am so sorry. I have respected and been enamored with your people since I was a small boy. Now I've wronged their leader."

"I do not lead, yet, Commodus," she sighed in a resigned tone. "Yes, I am royalty. But I am not a ruler alone. All of the clans have their heads of affairs. My family just happens to reside over all in the land of the Stiubhart. We are more than just kings and queens. You must continue to see me as an equal on the battlefield. Nothing should change between us." She put her hand on his shoulder tenderly. "Nothing."

"I can't fight you, Aislinn. I thought at first that I would simply be fighting with a belligerent warrior from the borderlands of your home. You are necessary to your people. I know that better than anyone," he said looking very displeased with himself. "But I find myself in a whirlwind that is inescapable. I have already given the order that you and I will fight to the death in the arena. I cannot go back on it, even though I know for certain that it is wrong. One of us has to die, Aislinn. Unless..," he knelt in front of her and took both of her hands. "Unless you are my wife."

She stiffened and moved her head to the side slightly. "Commodus...I can't," she breathed sadly.

"Yes! Yes, you can! If you become my wife then you are a citizen of Rome! We can possibly unite the highlands and your people will be safe and free forever! Please, Aislinn, I know that this will be good for us, for you, for Rome!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm Aislinn had never seen before. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Aislinn," he said in a softer voice trying to get her to look him in the face. "Aislinn. Please, just think for a moment about what this will mean. You'll never have to worry about getting home again because you'll already be home! Here, at my side," he said trying to look directly into her eyes.

"Commodus, no," she said beginning to cry. "Please, I want to go home. This isn't my home; this will never be my home! A union between us wouldn't mean the freedom of my people." She pushed his hands away. "It wouldn't even mean my freedom! I won't be your wife! We have to fight!"

"I won't fight you, Aislinn! I love you!" he shouted grabbing onto her shoulders.

"If you loved me then you would know better than to ask me to give up my place among my people just to be your wife!" she said throwing his hands away from her.

"Just my wife? Aislinn, you will be wife of the Caesar! Don't you know what that means?" he exclaimed trying desperately to get her to see the genius in his plan.

"Commodus my people need me. My brothers are stewards they haven't been trained to rule. I have to be there for my clan!" she replied trying to back away.

"Oh, Aislinn!" he said rolling his eyes with slight irritation. "Your people have strong children all the time! There will be someone to fill the throne!"

"So my people are just breeding cattle to you, is that it?" she demanded.

"No!"

"I was expendable and that is why you had me brought here?"

"No, Aislinn you're being unreasonable!"

"Am I? You think that just anyone can assume our thrones because we aren't civilized?"

"Aislinn you're not listening to me!"

"I most certainly am, Caesar!" she said looking defiantly in to his face. "You see me as necessary to your purposes but you still don't see my position as a ruler to be of any significance because I'm not really necessary for anything but your enjoyment!"

"Aislinn stop it! I am not demeaning your person!" he chastised grabbing hold of her shoulders again to calm her. She looked down at either of his hands and then back up at him.

"Let go of me," she said in a low voice.

"Aislinn, just..."

"Let go of me!" she yelled. He simply stared at her and remained still. She glared at him. "If you value your life and your throne you will let go of me!" she screamed the last few words and threw him away from her. He lost his footing for a moment.

Such power in her arms alone! he thought. Oh dear, she's been holding back all this time. She is a true warrior! She could've killed me! She has been biding her time to do so! His mind raced feverishly. Unfortunately for anyone in Rome, especially himself, Commodus had a very bad habit of flying off the handle when he was afraid of something. He had been frightened of her brother that morning and now the power and defiance she was displaying were terrifying him. He stepped back. "You will watch your words, Boadicea Christian," he growled. He seemed to command her respect when he used this term for her. As well as being hot-blooded, Commodus was unfortunately inept about women as well. The term infuriated Aislinn. It reminded her of the arrogance and cruelty he had displayed before her initially. She took a step back and snarled at him like a caged tigress. "You are not royalty here and you will show me the respect I command."

"Then command my respect, Caesar. You haven't done it yet. The only things you have commanded me to do are to fight with you, sing for you, shut up, hold still, and quit making you crazy!" she said. "Oh! But you have been very good about commanding my obedience. I daresay that being brutalized by you has certainly taught me a valuable lesson when it comes to the place of a woman in your presence!" He glared at her and his nostrils flared. "So tell me, when did your sister learn such a lesson? Did you thoroughly thrash her as well?"

"Enough!" he shouted as loudly as he could. To his disappointment, Aislinn did not cower and slink away this time. He waited for a moment. Any minute now, she would come back with an apology about her being out of place. She was always good about doing that. He waited for her to bow and speak softly. He continued to wait. More than a minute passed. He growled louder. "You were out of line, Aislinn."

"I was not out of line, you are out of line; and I am out of place. You will fight me in the arena and you will not speak to me as a child, or a peasant, or a Roman woman again!" she yelled throwing a nearby statue at him. Commodus stepped back before it could hit him. He had never seen Aislinn lose her temper like this, not even when she had first been presented to him and he had essentially assaulted her. It was very frightening.

"Very well, Boadicea Christian. I will fight you. And you..," he said looking down into her fiery eyes, "Will bow before me and beg for your life."

"You don't love me, Commodus. You don't love anything," she said in a low voice. "Not even your family." With that she turned and walked back into her room.

Commodus felt years of anger and frustration surface. He grabbed an enormous bust of Trajan and slammed it into the floor, shattering it into a thousand testimonies of his rage. He stormed out of the quarters and slammed the door shut, locking it. He turned to the guards.

"Keep your watch on her doubly secure. She is not to be trusted, or fed!" he shouted and began to walk away. He stopped and walked back over to them. "Make sure she eats in the evening, I won't be forced to bury a foreign commoner." The guards nodded. Quintus approached him.

"Sire, what about you're practicing with her?" he asked.

"It is over. The little... woman, has learned all that she can from me. From now on she will be sent into the gladiator's training yard for three hours every morning. Am I clear?" he demanded looking into Quintus's eyes firmly. Quintus could see past the anger straight to the hurt and humiliation his emperor was feeling. It was painful to watch. He raised his fist to his chest and nodded.

"Yes, Caesar," he said.

"Good. Ready my horse. I need a good, long ride to forget her wickedness," he said fighting back his tears harder than he had ever fought with anything. Quintus watched the emperor walk away, a cloud of desperation following him. He sighed and shook his head. Whatever had transpired, Commodus had not handled it properly and Aislinn hadn't either. Perhaps he should speak with Maximus and Gracchus about this.

(*)

Aislinn heard clamor in the rest of the palace that evening. She tried to look through the windows to see what was going on. No one was making immediate sense to her. Everyone was running about like there was a terrible storm approaching and they spoke so quickly to one another. When someone knocked on her door, she answered instantly. A young servant girl was holding a tray for her with food. Aislinn grabbed the girl's hand.

"What is happening?" she demanded.

"It is the emperor. He has succumbed to a sudden and very strange illness since he returned from riding. He's in a terrible fever and turning blue," the girl replied quickly. Aislinn gasped in horror. She threw the girl to the side without thinking and ran past the guards to the royal bed-chamber. She was far too quick and agile for the heavily armored palace guards. She ran into his room and pushed past all of the healers that were asking questions to one another and wagging their heads. She looked down. Commodus was very pale, but writhing in pain. His lips were bluish and he made only slight murmuring sounds. Everyone was so shocked to see Aislinn, that no one said anything as she knelt beside him, taking his hand. "Commodus, tell me what happened. Where does it hurt?"

Lucilla suddenly came into the room and watched. She was also too horrified to do anything.

"My arm...the desk... in here... how did... red and black...Aislinn," he muttered. Aislinn's eyes dashed to and fro. She grabbed the other arm out from under the blanket and looked at it. On his forearm was a nasty-looking bite. She was surprised that no one had noticed the swelling that was now very pronounced on his arm. She reached down and took the dagger off of his belt. The doctors began muttering something and the guards moved forward to stop her. Lucilla motioned for them to be still as Aislinn worked. She reached down carefully with the knife and cut a small incision over the bite. She reached down and began to draw out the poison from his bloodstream. All of the people in the room, save Lucilla, groaned and gasped in disgust. Aislinn finally finished and tore a piece of cloth from her skirt, binding the wound tightly. She looked over at the table of herbs that had been brought to try and remedy his ailment. She took a few of them and dropped them quickly into the mortar and pestle that had also been on the table. She mashed and ground the plants until she had formed a make-shift salve of the herbs themselves. She untied the wound and put as much of the paste as she could on it. She then took some of the clean linens nearby and bound the arm tightly. Aislinn breathed deeply and waited. Commodus opened his eyes momentarily. He looked up at her. A soft smile crossed his face. She smiled slightly for a second, then let a torrent of tears stream down her face. "Aislinn, my queen," he muttered. Everyone shouted in horror. Lucilla rushed forward and backhanded Aislinn. Aislinn flew a little ways across the room and landed at the feet of four waiting guards. They lifted her by her arms and forced her to stand.

"Take her back to her quarters until Caesar and the senate passes judgment upon her," Lucilla said angrily. The guards carried Aislinn away. As they went out of the room, they passed Lucius who was waiting to see his fallen uncle. He ran up to the guards and Aislinn.

"Aislinn," he said in tears. "What can I do, can't I help?"

"Yes, lad. Pray," she instructed.

"How?" he asked noticing that there were no statues of the gods around at the moment.

"Come with me a moment, I'll show you. Your uncle has already done it once," she replied.

The guards had been seeing Aislinn's behaviour in the courtyard and somehow doubted that Aislinn had attempted to murder the man that she seemed to be madly in love with. They allowed her a moment alone with Lucius in the hall. They hoped that they would not regret it. Afterwards they led Aislinn back to her room. There, she prayed harder than anyone had ever done in years.