TIME MACHINE CHAPTER FIFTEEN
(A/N: As I've just shown the kindest member of the ED staff as a villain, time to redress the balance and show the more benign side of a famous character from history.)
"I don't know about you but I'd like to see Caesar and Cleopatra for real" Ben said.
"What kind of food do they have here?" Ethan was wondering. As usual.
"We shouldn't look too out of place here" Connie said.
"No but we'll look like foreigners. The Romans could be nasty to foreigners"
Cal put in his spoke.
"What country hasn't been?" Dylan snapped.
They followed the jostling crowds and saw Julius Caesar, an austere-looking middle-aged man, being carried aloft on a litter. Behind him came Cleopatra, the legendary 'Serpent of the Nile". She wasn't actually that beautiful but had charisma. She was smiling at the cheering crowds and still managing to look as if they were all beneath her.
The slaves, to their vast relief, were able to set down the litters as the Great General of Rome and the Queen of Egypt stood in a hastily prepared space to address the crowds.
Then, suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Cal saw it. A man with a dagger aimed at Caesar, poised to throw it.
Without thinking, Cal ran forward and pushed Caesar out of the way.
And knocking himself right into harm's way.
"He attacked the great Caesar! Crucify him and sell his companions as slaves!" bawled an onlooker.
Cal watched in horror as Connie and the others were dragged away, leaving Morpeth gibbering in terror.
He flung himself at Caesar's feet.
Now, good reader, you must be thinking 'that Tanith Panic has not explained something. How can they be speaking in, and understanding, Latin when they're from the 21st century?' I shall tell you.
Professor Hanssen, being an evil genius, had programmed an instant translation device into the card that went with the time machine. One member of the group carried it with them at all times, and fortunately Cal had it on him that day.
Just as one of the crowd was poking poor Morpeth with a stick, Caesar spoke:
"Fools! This dagger-" he pulled the offending dagger from the wall – "Was meant to slay me, and this man saved me. He shall dine at my villa and henceforth, anybody who lays a finger on him shall be thrown to the lions.
"Please, Great Caesar, they've taken my friends away as slaves and frightened my creature."
"After those fools! Behead any of them who lays a finger on one of his friends, and bring those friends back here safely! And lift this little creature on to my litter."
"What is your name?" he asked Cal.
"Caleb Knight, I'm from – um - Saxon country beyond the sea."
"Caleb, you and your friends shall live at my expense."
The slavers were dragged back by the crowd, while Connie and friends, now VIP's, were escorted back to Cal, and were happy to stand near the translation device once more.
"Ethan, are you all okay? Connie? Rita?"
"They pushed us around a bit but that's about all", Connie said.
"I notice you don't ask if I'm okay" whined Ethelfritha.
"Oh this is indeed wonderful. We do not have such thrilling events in Egypt!" purred Cleopatra.
"These slavers must be punished; behead them at once!"
Once again Cal bowed.
"If you do that, Great General, their suffering is over. Let them live and become slaves themselves, I beg you."
"Wise words, it shall be thus, and they shall pay in sweat for their crime."
Everybody else in the party was now being placed on litters and carried off to Caesar's Villa. Dylan hoped Ben wouldn't fall off.
A little later, Connie found out that if everybody touched the key to the machine, they would have a basic knowledge of the language spoken in wherever they travelled to, and this would last for twelve hours. Everybody lined up for instant Latin Class.*
Some time later, the travellers were sitting at the table of the Great Emperor himself and enjoying dinner. Especially Ethan. Meanwhile, Morpeth, who had been given a little garden of his own to play in, was cheerfully snoring and breaking wind, his little gut full.
During the banquet a soldier entered and saluted:
"Great Caesar, we have found the man who tried to kill you."
The man was dragged in; he was terrified.
"Now, Caleb, you shall be rewarded indeed for your swift action. This man shall fight the lions in the great arena and you shall have a seat at the front for your courage!"
Caleb didn't feel hungry after that though Ethan worked his way through at least one more chicken and several grapes.
The next day was revolting for most of the travellers. The ladies had been excused on Caleb's lie to Cleopatra that it was not a suitable 'time of the moon' for the ladies to see such horrors. Ethelfritha, however, had said that there was nothing wrong with her and had proudly taken her seat beside Cal. She watched the whole event with relish in her eyes, as the lions soon tore the weeping man apart.
Dylan was as white as a sheet, Ethan looked green in the face, and Ben fainted. He was carried out by two slaves.
"What's wrong, darling?" Dylan whispered. Ben had hardly eaten a bite during dinner and had left the room in the villa to be physically ill in the yard twice. Dylan had wished Ethelfritha were a man just for a few moments when she had bawled to Ben: "Don't you dare be ill near Morpeth and upset him, you weakling!"
"It's… all that cruelty. That poor man…"
"I know, sweetheart, but he was an assassin."
Ben glared, which was very un-Ben.
"Even an assassin doesn't deserve a death like that. It was vile, Dylan. But then I'm a weakling, aren't I?"
"Don't you dare believe what that butch brat told you! Ben, you're strong where it matters. Here."
He put his hand on Ben's heart and felt it thumping unevenly.
"A weakling wouldn't have turned down an offer to be a court minstrel and be safe, Benjie."
"Yeah" said Ben, a weak smile on his face, "And you shook the crap out of me for it."
"I was out of order. But now I'm going to hug the crap out of you."
Meanwhile, Ethan, having needed fresh air to calm down, went in search of the room he was unofficially sharing with Jess. A hand snaked out and pulled him into a room on the way.
"You're gorgeous, Ethan. Are all Saxons as handsome as you group?"
Ethan wanted to answer Cleopatra but was too overawed by her.
She stretched like a cat and walked over to him, stroking his chest.
"I am in love with Lady Jessica" he said staunchly.
"What has love to do with this? This is pleasure!"
Just as Cleopatra was moving her hand just south of Ethan's belly, which was still firm despite the feasts he'd enjoyed lately, in burst Caesar himself.
"So this is how you betray your host! Saxon, do you realise that such an act with my Queen is punishable by death?"
Ethan went pale.
"However, I am prepared to overlook it. I have a great regard for your pretty lady Jessica. Give her to me for the night and you will be spared."
Ethan stood firm.
"She is not my property to give, great Caesar, so I must decline."
Ethan's heart was pounding so hard that he hoped he had a coronary right there and things would just be over.
But it looked as if that wasn't going to happen.
*(Yes it's far- fetched. It's fantasy. At least that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)
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