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Chapter Two
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Guest and Hosts
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Earth – 1661 E0. Dies Mercurii XX Aprilis CLXXX (180 AD) Earth-0 28 January 1845
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Roman Spain, Galleacia, Trupillo Meridius' farm south of Lucus Augusti
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- Mother, there is a man riding over… He comes from the road, and he has three horses more than needed.
Flavia Terilla Meridia frowned at her son's antics and let go of the dough to walk out of the kitchen.
And indeed, there was a man riding towards the villa. And he had four horses. All with saddles, even the spare horses.
She signed towards Karikal, the man who was the Estates Main Foreman and who oversaw the slaves. He was also an old legionary of her husband who, after having lost a hand to a crippling injury, had accepted to work for Decimus' wife at his estate.
He nodded and she could see him enter the shed where his weapons were hidden.
She waited the three minutes Decimus had asked her to count before she walked towards the Villa's entry.
Two more of the Villa's employees had found themselves around the porch and both were holding staves.
The man with his four horses reached the portal and stopped.
He was weird with a strange hat and even stranger features covering his eyes.
- He looks weird, said Primus who was holding her left hand while her right one was discreetly holding a dagger.
And, indeed he looked weird with his laced leather boots, his large pantaloons with several large pockets, his vest with just as many other large pockets and what looked like a conical black straw hat.
The weirdest thing being the black mirror he was wearing before his eyes.
He took the mirror off his nose, folded it and slid it into one of his vest pockets.
- Hy, my name is Geoffroy d'Arcy and I'm in charge of your husband's safety during his trip home.
- His trip home, said Primus, Papa is coming back?
- He sure is coming here, son, and I have been sent to ensure that nobody bothers him on his hurried way to his estate.
His smile disappeared.
- And now that I'm here, I consider myself in charge of your safety too and it would be prudent for the man who's currently aiming at me with the hidden scorpio on my right, to stop bothering me. I hate it to be threatened.
He pointed at the horses behind him.
- Those were the horses of people I considered untrustworthy and suspect. Once I asked them to move to some other safer place, they tried to kill me with their bows and arrows.
He smiled at Flavia.
- They failed and very shortly after their death, their nine no longer friends decided that insisting wasn't worth the risk.
Flavia nodded twice which was the sign for Karikal to join her.
- You know my husband?
- Who doesn't know your husband? I do know him and as I said I'm here to ensure his safety along the road.
He looked at young Primus.
- He should be safe now, all those who wanted to harm him are either dead or in a great hurry to be somewhere else.
Karikal finally arrived.
- Hello Decurio Demetrio, I heard that you went back to your father's name. Karikal, the Phantom Rider…
- Do I know you?
- No, you don't but that doesn't imply that I don't know you. When all is said and told, it's my job to be invisible and unknown until it is too late for the enemies of Rome to skid back into their burrows.
His smile increased but mirth never reached his eyes.
- Too late for those who believe that they are so much smarter than everybody else.
He looked at Primus and then at Flavia.
- May I dismount?
- Yes, said Flavia, please.
- But no sudden movements, please, added Karikal.
- I can kill even in slow motion, my dear Decurio. But it is good that you are prudent, even if you wouldn't have been prudent when the real killers would have come to slaughter you.
- And why would that have been?
- Because you would have welcomed them like the old Legion chaps they were. Prax, you do remember him, don't you, was not ten miles away from here when I convinced him to get out of the province as soon as possible.
He let out a satisfied sigh.
- As I see it, he won't stop before Burdigala. Sometimes it is not worth dying for money.
- Why would Prax want to kill me?
D'Arcy shrugged.
- He would probably have offered you to let you live if you would have accepted to forget your duty. Since you wouldn't have, he would have had no choice… One of you would have died.
D'Arcy smiled at young Primus.
- Would you bring my horses to some place where they could drink and get a good rubbing? Meanwhile your Mama and Karikal will show me the surroundings of your estate.
Primus took the first horse and pulled it after him.
- I'd like to speak to you at a place where we can be sure that nobody's able to listen or read on lips. Do you have a place like that?
Flavia looked at Karikal who finally nodded.
- Had I wanted you dead, said d'Arcy, you would all be dead, and nobody would have seen me coming.
Flavia pointed towards a small path meandering around the estate.
- Follow me, there is a safe place where we can talk.
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They had climbed for at least half an hour until they had reached what was probably the highest point of the whole region.
A hidden tower had been built behind a rock and a man had been surveying the surroundings.
Karikal pointed at d'Arcy.
- Is that the man?
- Yes, he is the man who killed the others. But they did shoot at him while he was just sitting on the ground.
Karikal nodded.
- Go get Claudius and come back here in…
He looked at d'Arcy.
- An hour should be enough, answered d'Arcy. There are a lot of things I should be able to speak about even before servants and guards. But there are things I won't.
- Should I leave, too? Karikal's question was a mix of fear and determination.
- Yes, you should but since you've promised your General to protect his wife, you will have to stay. Should I decide that you are a risk, I'll just have to kill you, that's all.
- He could stand on the tower and we could speak together at the Fairies' table. He could see me and if you look at me, he won't be able to follow.
- I don't have an opinion on that matter, Domina. It must be him who decides if he can risk your life or not. I know that I'm not here to harm you. He doesn't and even though his being here wouldn't change a thing would I decide to kill you; he still would see his responsibility for your death if he isn't at your side.
- I'll stay, said Karikal. I promised my Master and General to stand at your side and protect you. And, besides, added he with a smile, I want to know.
- Well, said d'Arcy. Let's climb up there. At least we will be sure than nobody listens to our conversation.
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- First of all, I don't exist, and you are not allowed to ever talk about my existence.
He looked at the both of them.
- Is that clear?
Karikal nodded and Flavia agreed with a whisper.
- Second, there are a few things you need to know. Especially that Marcus Aurelius died a month ago and before he died, he chose Decimus to be his Heir.
He could see that both people facing him did exactly understand what his last sentence meant. And why those men he had killed on the road had been there.
Flavia was clearly under the shock, and it was Karikal who asked the evident question.
- Did Commodus kill his father?
- Not your problem, answered d'Arcy with a genuine smile to sweeten his words. Marcus had been very ill for years, and he could have died of his old illness. But that has no importance for us, now and here. Marcus has chosen Decimus as his Heir and after Marcus' death, for us, your husband was the new Emperor. Commodus didn't agree and chose to ignore his father's decision and the first order of Commodus has been to have Decimus and his family killed.
He shook his head.
- It was indeed an unethical order but that is secondary and not why we decided to intervene. What's important is that he had no right to give those orders and that's why I'm here. For us, Commodus not being the Heir wasn't allowed to give those orders. Commodus was my Master's son but by my Master's decision he was no longer Caesar. Commodus knowingly refused to obey the Emperor's orders. Doing so, he has forsworn his life, it's just a question of time. But I can't act before I know if there is an alternative.
- How so, asked Flavia.
- Decimus asked for a delay before giving his answer to Marcus. Marcus granted him a night to think about it. And the Emperor died that very night.
D'Arcy snickered.
- My job is based on suspicion so you can probably guess what I think.
He sighed.
- But as it is, I still don't know what Decimus' decision is. Until I have heard it directly from him, I can't decide who is the rightful Emperor and do what must be done. While in doubt the only sane decision is to accept my Liege's decision and consider that Decimus is the rightful Emperor. So, my first duty is to protect him and his family…
For once it was Flavia who asked.
- What if he refuses?
D'Arcy's smile became the archetype of silent threat.
- If he refuses Marcus' offer, Commodus is the rightful Emperor and his orders stand.
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