The Warrior's Princess

by Barbara Erskine

  ‘I agree.’ The old man nodded. ‘Please, be our guests. We have plenty of room. Antonia, my dear, take the young ladies and see that they are made comfortable.’

  The two rooms they were given led off the peristyle. Exclaiming in delight they settled in, the lamplight flickering on painted walls and mosaic floors, examining ivory combs and soft towels.

  Eigon was standing staring down into the basin of warm water that a young woman servant had brought her to wash in when there was a quick knock at her door. It was Antonia. ‘I came to see if you have all you need.’ She smiled. Tall and slender, very like her brother in looks, she had sent Eigon several friendly glances as the evening progressed and had seemed fascinated by all Eigon had to say. ‘May I come in and talk or are you too tired?’

  Eigon beckoned her inside and closed the door softly. ‘I don’t know what we would have done without your help. We are so grateful.’

  Antonia sat down on the edge of the bed. ‘One of our servants has been out on the streets to try and find out what is going on. The Emperor gave one of his concerts and then got drunk with his friends. Somehow a riot started, but it is quieter now.’ She studied Eigon’s face for a moment. ‘The mob is always mindless.’ She shivered. ‘But you were afraid of something other than the mob. You thought someone was after you personally, didn’t you?’

  Eigon looked up in astonishment. ‘How did you know that?’

  Antonia shook her head. ‘I was watching you. You didn’t seem surprised at what happened.’

  ‘They were calling my name. They knew I was in here. No one else noticed.’

  ‘Do you know why anyone should do such a thing?’ Antonia asked gently.

  Eigon shrugged. ‘I do, yes. But it’s a long story –’ She looked away. ‘Maybe not for tonight.’

  ‘I understand. It’s none of my business.’ Antonia didn’t seem upset. ‘I just hope your family aren’t going to be too worried. Would you like a messenger to be sent –’

  Eigon shook her head. ‘We are not supposed to be out at all. It may be that they haven’t noticed that we’ve gone. My father isn’t well. Sometimes my mother goes for days without speaking to me or even registering that I’m there.’

  ‘How sad.’

  Eigon nodded. ‘My tutor will notice, but he will check and realise that Julia and Flavius aren’t there and guess we’ve got caught up in this trouble.’

  Antonia’s eyebrow shot up. ‘How old are you? You seem too old to have a tutor. I gave up studies as soon as I could.’

  Eigon laughed. ‘I think I’m about fourteen or fifteen. I’m not sure.’ She shrugged. ‘Am I too old? Melinus says one can remain a student all one’s life. I enjoy my studies.’

  ‘That sounds very serious.’ Antonia made a face.

  ‘Not all the time. That’s why Julia and I came into town. We were shopping.’

  ‘Even so. Where do you live?’

  Eigon told her and Antonia seemed impressed. ‘I thought that was an Imperial villa.’

  ‘It did belong to the old emperor. He saved our lives. He gave us the house.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘My father was – is – a king in our own land. He was captured and we were brought to Rome to be paraded and killed but the Emperor spared us. It’s a long time ago now.’

  Antonia shivered. ‘It is a cruel world we live in.’ She sighed. ‘You must have been so scared.’

  Eigon nodded. ‘But Claudius was good to us. And so far the Emperor Nero has left us alone.’

  Antonia shook her head. ‘He seems a very wild young man. Hence his enthusiastic part in the riots tonight!’ She sighed. ‘But while Seneca and Burrus rule for him, while he amuses himself, Rome is relatively safe. They are sensible men and in a few days everyone will have forgotten all about the riot and Rome will have calmed down again.’

  ‘He seems foolish in the extreme!’ Eigon was still in shock. ‘Aelius, that’s our steward, tells us that the mob are always coming up with rumours and horror stories about him.’ She bit her lip. The events of the night had shocked and frightened her.

  Antonia put her head on one side. ‘What land was it where your father was king?’

  ‘We lived in the Pretannic Isles. Claudius calls it – called,’ she corrected herself, ‘Britannia. My father was – is – king of the Catuvellauni and the Silures, which was my mother’s tribe. Our tribes had the bravest warriors and the land was beautiful beyond dreams. I sit sometimes and conjure up the memories. Gentle green hills and forests and cattle and sheep and beautiful ponies and dogs. And soft wooden houses with rounded walls and thatched roofs. We never went to cities like Rome. Perhaps there were none. Camulodunum was the largest I saw there, but that was a village compared with Rome.’ She edged round to study Antonia. ‘And you. Where do you come from?’

  ‘My grandfather’s family have lived in Rome for many years Our mother and father died several years ago when a fever swept through the hills around the summer villa where we were staying.’ Antonia gazed down sadly at her folded hands. ‘Julius and I came to live here with Grandfather who is a senator.’

  ‘And what are Christians?’ Eigon asked. ‘Flavius seemed to know, but I haven’t heard of them, I’m sorry.’

  ‘We are followers of Christ. God’s own son, Jesus Christ, became a man. He lived amongst the Jews in Judea and taught and healed and the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, sentenced him to be crucified. He wasn’t as lucky as your father. He was killed. But then God woke him up and he is alive again, in heaven.’

  Eigon frowned. ‘He is one of your Roman gods then?’

  Antonia shook her head. ‘There is only one God. That’s the point. The Roman gods are not true gods. And neither is the Emperor.’

  ‘Something one should not dare to say out loud!’ Eigon raised an eyebrow. ‘And our gods from Britannia?’

  Antonia shrugged. ‘The same, I suppose. We are taught that perhaps,’ she tried to soften the remark with an apologetic smile, ‘the old gods were angels. Servants, messengers of God.’

  Eigon sighed. ‘Melinus would not agree.’ Or would he? She wasn’t sure. He had never mentioned Christians to her.

  ‘Who is Melinus?’

  ‘My tutor. He is a Druid.’ Eigon laughed at the look of incomprehension on Antonia’s face. ‘What you would call a priest and a philosopher. A learned man.’

  ‘And he came with your father as a prisoner?’

  Eigon shook her head. ‘Another long story, I’m afraid.’ How could she tell her new friend that Melinus was a slave? They had already gathered that their host had given all his slaves their freedom. As freedmen and women they still worked for him but that was their choice and they were paid for their work.

  Behind them the door opened and Julia stood there wrapped in a shawl. ‘I thought I heard talking. Aren’t you two tired?’ She yawned as though to underline the point.

  ‘You are right.’ Antonia stood up. ‘I’m sorry. It was thoughtless of me to keep you awake. We will talk some more in the morning. Goodnight.’

  They watched as she hurried down the peristyle and out of sight. ‘Did I interrupt something?’ Julia plumped down on the bed beside Eigon.

  Eigon shook her head. ‘We were talking about the gods.’

  Julia looked incredulous. ‘Why weren’t you talking about her dishy brother? Is he spoken for?’

  Eigon laughed. ‘Julia!’

  ‘We must find out. First thing in the morning. Then I shall ask my aunt to introduce us to the family formally. I think he would make a very good husband, don’t you?’

  ‘For me?’ Eigon could feel herself blushing.

  ‘No, you idiot. For me!’

  * * *

  The rooftop garden had grown dark. Jess stretched out on the chair with a groan.

  ‘Ah, at last you are awake!’ Carmella appeared in the doorway. ‘I rang Kim in case she was worried about where you were and I told her you were going to stay for supper with me.’ She put a glass down in front of Jess w
ith a chink of ice cubes. ‘Campari. Now, the story goes on for Eigon,’ she smiled. ‘but we need to sort you out. To keep Dan out of your head.’

  Jess could see a spread of cards lying on the table. It had not been there before. ‘Have you been doing another reading?’

  Carmella nodded. ‘And I saw him in the sfera di cristallo He is nearby.’ As was that other listener who she sensed stirring whenever she looked into the cards for Jess. It was another woman; another reader of the inner pathways. But who was she and how did she fit in to this story? Carmella didn’t know.

  ‘So, Dan is in Rome.’

  Carmella nodded. ‘Of course. Where did you think he was?’

  ‘He told us he had gone back to England, but I didn’t believe him.’

  ‘You’re right, he is here. And very near.’ Carmella glanced up at her. ‘I am sorry, Jess, but he does not mean you well. And there is something strange about him now I have had the chance to watch him closely. There is another man – a vicious man – inside his head. If I were to guess, I would say he was possessed.’ Her face was full of concern. ‘This other man feeds off Dan’s hatred and fear.’

  Jess stared at her. ‘Another man?’ She couldn’t take this in.

  Carmella nodded. ‘A dead man, Jess. You do understand. A ghost.’

  ‘Oh my God!’ Jess felt herself grow cold. ‘Do you know who?’ Her mouth had gone dry.

  Carmella shrugged. ‘I do not see him as a face. Just a shadow. But I feel the cold of his grip. He is an evil man. And I fear they are plotting terrible, irrational things. Something dreadful is going to happen, Jess!’

  ‘What do I do?’ Jess whispered.

  ‘You must avoid Dan.’ Carmella held her gaze for a moment. ‘Do not let him find you. Why he lets this other man into his soul I do not know. Perhaps he doesn’t know it has happened. I will teach you to fight him off psychically, but better you do not let him come near you. I am afraid of what he may try and do.’

  Jess shivered. She nodded bleakly. ‘You don’t have to tell me to be afraid of him. I am terrified. And you are sure he is here in Rome still?’

  Carmella nodded.

  ‘Then you must help me convince the others. They will not believe me. They think I’m mad.’

  It was well after midnight when Carmella led the way downstairs and guided Jess to her car. ‘I will not let you walk at this time of night alone. Not with someone like him around.’ She unlocked the neat maroon and silver Smart car, which had been parked nose to the wall in the next street, behind a rank of overflowing rubbish bins. ‘It will only take us a few minutes to reach Kim’s.’

  They roared through warm streets, ducking and weaving with terrifying speed past floodlit piazzas and fountains, busy bistros and trattorias, drawing to a halt at last outside the palazzo. ‘Take care, cara mia, and remember what I have taught you.’ Carmella leaned across to plant a kiss on each of Jess’s cheeks. She unlatched Jess’s door and pushed it open. ‘See you soon, OK? Ciao!’

  She waited, her foot toying with the accelerator as Jess climbed out and made her way across the street. As soon as the front door was open, Carmella let in the clutch and with a wave roared away.

  Jess closed the door behind her and stood for a moment in the vestibule listening to the silence of the old building settling around her. She was exhausted. It seemed to have been a very long time since she had left the building that morning. Heading across the marble-floored hall towards the staircase she was about to start up towards Kim’s front door when a figure stepped out of the darkness. ‘Good evening, Jess. I thought you were never going to come home.’

  She spun round. ‘Dan!’

  ‘The very same. You’ve become an elusive woman lately. Strange when you think how pleased you used to be to see me.’ He smiled.

  She stared at him. He was unshaven and unwashed. She could smell his sweat from several paces away. ‘Dan, I thought you had gone back to Nat.’

  ‘I have.’ He grinned. ‘I think you will find that everyone knows I am in England with her and the kids.’ He took a step towards her.

  ‘Where did you get the key?’

  ‘Same place you did, I expect.’ He paused and folded his arms. ‘Kim seems to keep dozens of spares in the kitchen. She is too generous by half when it comes to giving her guests free access to her apartment. I bet she doesn’t even know how many she’s got. Not that I took them for long. I copied them and then put them back so there won’t be any missing.’

  ‘And what are you planning to do now?’ Her heart was hammering with terror, the palms of her hands clammy. She reached out to the bottom of the heavy swirl of banisters which led up to the first floor, steadying herself.

  He smiled coldly. ‘To tell you the truth I am not sure.’

  ‘I could scream.’

  ‘You could. But I doubt if anyone would hear. Not even Sir Galahad. I saw you and Will together, you know. You still love him, don’t you? You hate me and you love that stupid, ineffectual prat! Well, he can’t save you; no one is going to hear if you scream. The apartments on this floor are all empty for the summer and Jacopo is probably drunk and fast asleep. Even if they heard you upstairs, by the time they came it would be too late.’

  ‘What do you mean, too late?’ Her mouth was dry.

  He laughed. ‘What indeed? Maybe you would already be lying dead on the floor, robbed, mugged and murdered in this oh-so-dangerous city. Or maybe you would tell them that Dan was here and attacked and threatened you even though nothing actually happened and even though they know he is in England and can prove it. They would shake their heads and look at each other and sigh. Poor Jess. Imagining things again.’

  ‘You are enjoying this insane game of yours.’ She was clutching the newel post as though her life depended on it.

  ‘Indeed.’ He smiled. ‘If you threaten to ruin my life, Jess, you can expect no less.’

  ‘I have told you I don’t intend to ruin your life.’

  ‘But it is going to happen. You’ve told Will, haven’t you? Did he believe you? He’s besotted enough to. Some time, somewhere, it will get out. You will always hold it over me and for the rest of my life you will have power over my destiny.’

  ‘I won’t –’

  ‘Oh, I think you will, Jess. And I can’t allow that, can I?’ He stepped towards her, his hand outstretched.

  With a cry of fear she turned to flee up the stairs just as with a rattle of keys in the lock someone began to push open the heavy front door behind them.

  Dan swung round. Not waiting to see who was coming in, he dived towards the door, elbowed the newcomer aside and fled into the street.

  A flood of Italian invective echoed round the hall as Jacopo staggered in. ‘Che cosa?’ He stared round blearily. ‘Signora?’ The front door hung open. Dan had disappeared into the night. The old man pushed the door closed. He could barely stand.

  Jess took a deep breath. Trying to steady the thunderous beat of her pulse in her ears she turned back to the staircase. ‘Buonanotte, Jacopo!’ she called back slowly. He was shuffling across the floor towards the doorway in the corner that led into his own quarters and didn’t hear her.

  Somehow she managed to haul herself up the stairs and let herself into the apartment, locking the door behind her. The flat was in darkness. They hadn’t waited up. She stood for several seconds staring at the back of the door and finally found the bolt. Drawing it across she made for her bedroom.

  She was halfway across the room when the bedside light came on and Will sat up in the bed. ‘Jesus, Jess!’

  ‘Oh God!’ Jess stood still, her heart thudding with fright. ‘Oh Will, I’m so sorry. I forgot we’d changed rooms.’

  He grinned, running his hands through his hair. ‘Don’t worry about it. Are you OK?’ Concern registered on his face as saw how white she was.

  ‘Dan was downstairs. Inside. He’s copied Kim’s keys.’ She sank down on the chair by the table.

  ‘Shit.’ Will climbed out of bed. He was na
ked. She smiled wanly as he turned and with his back to her hauled on a pair of jeans.

  ‘Where is he now?’ he asked as he dragged a T-shirt over his head, turning back to her.

  ‘I don’t know. Thank God the concierge came home. Dan pushed past him and ran for it. He’s long gone now. He’s been living rough as far as I can see. He stinks and he hasn’t shaved and he’s convinced you all think he’s back in England with Nat and that you all think I’m mad.’ She rubbed her face with her hands wearily. ‘Perhaps I am mad. What am I going to do, Will?’

  Will sat down on the end of the bed. ‘Perhaps you are the one who should go back to England. Leave him playing his little games here.’

  She stared at him. ‘But what about Eigon?’

  He sighed. ‘What about Eigon, Jess? You saw her in Wales. No doubt you can go on with your research or whatever you call it there.’ He shook his head. ‘Is she really that important? Compared with your safety?’

  She nodded. ‘Yes, she is. I can’t explain it, but that’s the way it is. I don’t want to go home, Will. Not yet.’

  He sighed again. ‘Well, the important thing is, you’re safe now. Go to bed, Jess. We’ll discuss this in the morning, OK?’

  ‘He said you wouldn’t believe me if I told you I’d seen him.’

  ‘I believe you.’

  She nodded miserably. Turning towards the door she glanced over her shoulder. ‘Thanks for being here, Will.’

  ‘My pleasure!’

  ‘See you in the morning.’

  He nodded.

  As the door closed behind her he wandered over to the window and stood staring thoughtfully out into the darkness.

  In the garden a figure stood staring back, though Will couldn’t see him in the deep shadows. Dan’s eyes narrowed in anger at the sight of him silhouetted against the light. So, the bastard was even sharing her bedroom again. He swore under his breath and then on tiptoe, turned for the gate. Carefully locking it behind him, he ducked through the alleyway and crept back towards the street. He paused. Then a small grim smile strayed across his lips. He turned and retraced his steps into the garden. Tiptoeing across the lawns and gravel paths he made his way to the flower-bed below Jess’s window and bent to look for the ladder.