The Warrior's Princess

by Barbara Erskine

  Jess nodded. She gave an embarrassed laugh as she groped for a tissue. ‘I’m sorry. I was asleep. I was dreaming about the dog my mother had when I was a child. I thought he was here in the room with me.’

  ‘Dio!’ Her hostess shook her head. ‘You were asleep. That is why you didn’t hear me before!’

  ‘Hear you?’

  Margaretta nodded. ‘It was your sister. She said you weren’t answering your mobile. She said it was important.’

  ‘I must have been very tired if I didn’t hear. I didn’t mean to worry you. I’m sorry.’ Jess shrugged.

  The woman stared round again suspiciously, then she stepped back. ‘If you are OK. You will call her now, yes?’

  ‘I will. I promise.’ Somehow Jess managed a smile as she closed the door gently in Margaretta’s face; she had no intention of returning the call. Behind her the room was empty.

  Dan pulled into the side of the road. He felt slightly sick. He had been driving for hours and he couldn’t remember when he had last had anything to eat. The urgency inside him to drive on was immense, pushing him forward, the picture in his head relentless. He had to find Eigon. He clasped the wheel in front of him tightly and shook his head. Not Eigon. Jess. He had to find Jess. If he didn’t sort her out, she would destroy him. He could feel the sweat standing out on his forehead. Once she was in the litter no one would see her. The slaves would never dare question him. He would use drugs as he had before. He slipped his hand into his pocket. The small bottle of pills was there. She would know nothing about it. She wouldn’t be frightened or hurt. He would deal with her quietly and leave her somewhere to be found when he was long gone from the scene. But the voice was there again pushing, always pushing. You are not going to leave her, you are going to enjoy her first. You enjoyed it before, didn’t you? Seeing her helpless. Watching the fear in her eyes. Isn’t that what you want?

  Dan dashed the back of his hand across his face, wiping away the sweat. Why couldn’t the voice leave him alone! The crazed sadistic bastard was there inside his head all the time. He couldn’t think straight. He couldn’t function rationally any more without him interfering. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. He rested his head on his hands for a moment and took several long deep breaths. It was all irrelevant anyway. He didn’t know where Eigon – Jess – was. They had hidden her somewhere. Or taken her back to England. Or to Ty Bran again.

  He frowned. Had she gone back to the cold misty distance which was Britannia? The posting they all dreaded because it was about as far as you could get from Rome without falling off the edge of the world. He shuddered. Those wild Celtic women with their flying hair and their bright mocking eyes, luring men on, even the children desirable; the children of the enemy, to be subdued and punished and destroyed. But she hadn’t been destroyed. She had lived to watch him with those reproachful eyes, lived to recognise him, to identify him, to threaten his position, his future, his life.

  So, where is she, Titus? You’ll have to find her, because I can’t. Dan sat up and put his head back against the headrest, his eyes closed. I can’t do it. She’s gone. Escaped. If you want me to kill her then you have to help me. He opened his eyes again suddenly and stared ahead out of the windscreen. So what did you do, Titus? What did you do when you finally got your hands on her? Did you live out your fantasies? Did you rape her and torture her and kill her? Was it her spirit that escaped you? Is that what this is all about? Even with your hands around her throat did she look into your eyes and smile, knowing you couldn’t follow her where she was going!

  * * *

  Julius closed the door behind him and came to stand near her in the still room. He was out of breath, his face pale. Turning to him she reached out her arms to him and smiled. ‘Julius?’ The smile faded on her lips. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

  ‘Eigon, are you all right? Has there been any trouble out here? The streets of the city are crawling with soldiers. Nero has decreed a vendetta against Christians. He blames us for setting fire to Rome. He is rounding us all up. People we know, our friends, have been taken to the dungeons on the Esquiline. They are going to be thrown to the wild beasts.’ There were tears in his eyes. ‘He is crazy, completely crazy!’

  He put his arms around her and rested his face for a moment in her hair. ‘Oh, Eigon, what are we going to do?’

  For a moment she snuggled against him, clinging to his tunic, then with a sigh she pushed him away. ‘Your father? And Antonia? Where are they?’

  ‘My father has left. The house was burned to the ground. He and the servants have gone to the country. I think he’s safe – but who knows? I don’t know why this is happening.’ He shook his head in genuine bewilderment.

  ‘And Antonia? Where is she? I tried to persuade her to stay here, but she wouldn’t. She was so worried about you and your grandfather.’ Eigon held his gaze fiercely. ‘Where is she, Julius?’

  He shrugged. ‘I don’t know.’ His voice was so husky the words were barely audible. ‘That’s why I came. I know your mother has forbidden me to come to the house but she loves Antonia. Surely she would understand my worry.’

  ‘Of course she would.’ Eigon dismissed her mother’s views without hesitation. ‘Where have you looked?’

  ‘Everywhere. I’ve asked everyone.’

  ‘Won’t Antonia have gone to your country estate? Surely that is the safest place?’ The worm of unease in her stomach was growing. She paused. ‘What about Peter?’

  ‘He’s safe for now. I don’t think Nero would dare touch him.’

  ‘Could she be with him?’ Eigon caught his hands. ‘Isn’t that what she would do? When she found the house gone, and no sign of you or your grandfather, she would have gone to him. Or to Paul. Is he still in Rome?’

  He shrugged ‘It’s a thought. Everything is so confused. I’ll ride back and check. But you, Eigon.’ He gazed down at her. ‘I don’t think you are safe here. That is why I came. You must hide. People are whispering that you are a Christian. You have been seen too often in our houses; you have been seen sitting at Peter’s feet.’

  ‘And still I prevaricate.’ She smiled sadly. ‘Peter sees me as a challenge but I have told him I cannot give up the gods of my mother and father’s country.’ Standing on tiptoe she kissed him on the cheek. ‘Go, Julius. You must find her. Take her to your grandfather.’

  ‘I can’t go without you. You are not safe.’ He put his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her sternly. ‘You know I love you, don’t you.’

  She smiled. ‘I know, Julius.’

  ‘And do you love me?’

  She nodded. ‘I believe I do.’

  ‘Will you marry me?’

  ‘Even if I’m not a Christian?’

  ‘You are in your heart. Jesus sees that.’

  She smiled. ‘Whatever Jesus thinks, my mother and father must come first, Julius. I cannot go against their wishes.’

  The door opened so suddenly behind them that they had no time to jump apart as Aelius appeared. He surveyed them for a moment, his lips pursed. ‘There are two officers of the Praetorians in the courtyard asking for you, princess.’

  ‘No!’ Julius caught her arm. ‘Don’t go.’

  Eigon hesitated. ‘What do they want, Aelius, do you know?’ Her stomach knotted with fear.

  The steward shrugged. He eyed Julius with open dislike. ‘Why not go and see what they want, lady. They asked for you to go out to them particularly.’

  ‘No!’ Julius was still holding on to her. ‘You must not go out there.’

  ‘Shall I refer them to the king your father, then?’ Aelius asked. ‘I am sure he would be able to deal with their request, whatever it is.’

  ‘No.’ Eigon pulled away from Julius. ‘You know we can’t do that, Aelius. My father is resting. I shall deal with it.’ She turned to Julius. ‘I want you to go. Now. Go and search for Antonia. I shall be quite safe out here.’

  ‘I don’t think you will.’ He looked down at her sternly. ‘At least
let me come out to see these men with you. Find out what they want.’

  ‘And let them see me consorting with a known Christian?’ She smiled. ‘Then it might be you who is in danger, Julius, and it would make things worse for me. Go, please. Go out through the kitchens, take your horse, and leave by the north gate. It will do none of us any good if you are arrested; and even if you aren’t, what use are you to Antonia and your grandfather here? Please.’ She stood on her toes again and kissed him.

  Aelius raised an eyebrow. ‘Shall I come with you to see these men, lady?’

  ‘Yes, please.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Come now,’ she instructed as she hurried past him.

  To her relief she did not recognise the two officers in the courtyard. They saluted as she appeared and one of them stepped forward. ‘I have a letter for you, lady.’ He held out a scroll. ‘We have been instructed to escort you to a house in the next village.’

  She frowned, glancing from one man to the other as she unrolled the letter. The taller of the men had green eyes. His face was tired and dusty.

  ‘You’ve been fighting the fire in the city?’ she asked. He nodded. The other man was smarter, his back straighter, his eyes hard, the colour of flint. She found herself disliking him instinctively. The letter was short and to the point: Eigon, I need you. Please come. Tell no one. Antonia.

  The writing was shaky but it was Antonia’s. Eigon glanced up at the taller man. ‘Who gave you this?’

  ‘One of my colleagues, lady. He was to have delivered it himself, but he was injured in the fire.’

  ‘Do you know what it says?’

  He nodded. ‘We’re to take you to a house a couple of miles or so away from here up the Via Flaminia. There is a young lady there. She has been injured, I believe. She needs your care.’

  ‘Aelius, quick! See if Julius is still here!’ Eigon called over her shoulder. ‘Tell him this is from Antonia. Then ask a slave to fetch my bay mare.’ She turned to the officers. ‘Wait. I shall go and collect up some medicines and bandages.’ She paused. What if this was a trap? ‘What is wrong with her?’ she asked suspiciously.

  They both shrugged. The shorter man smiled. ‘It is serious, lady, from what I hear.’ She studied his face thoughtfully. His expression did not reassure her, but what could she do? She could not abandon Antonia. Turning on her heels she ran back into the atrium and through towards her rooms. It took only a minute to throw some phials of tincture, some small clay jars of medicine and some linen bandages into a bag. She pulled a light cloak off the hook behind the door and was out in the courtyard again in seconds.

  Aelius had reappeared. ‘I was too late, lady. He had gone.’ He hesitated. ‘I should come with you, myself.’ He too seemed worried.

  ‘There is no need.’ The taller officer spoke as he stood forward. ‘We shall escort the princess Eigon. She will come to no harm with us.’

  Aelius hesitated. ‘Someone should go with you. It isn’t fitting –’

  ‘Hurry, lady.’ The shorter man dragged the reins of his own horse over its head and swung himself into the saddle as the slave, Silas, appeared with Eigon’s pony. ‘Come or don’t come but don’t keep us waiting.’

  ‘You go!’ Aelius directed the slave as the young man knelt and put out his hand for Eigon’s foot, tossing her onto the horse’s back. ‘Run with her. Stay with her. You are her escort, understand?’

  ‘Sir!’ Silas nodded. He grinned at the officers as the second man mounted in his turn. ‘Just don’t ride too fast, sirs!’

  They set off at a fast trot, veering onto the Via Flaminia at the end of the track and following it for some two miles before turning off up another dusty road towards a ruined villa which had belonged to one of their neighbours who years ago had moved away to Actium.

  Eigon scanned the surrounding countryside warily. It was so seldom that she rode outside the gates she was for a moment disorientated. She reined in her horse. ‘There’s no one living here. This can’t be right.’

  ‘Your friend is in hiding, lady, as I understand it.’ The younger officer with the flinty eyes reined back alongside her and reached for her rein. ‘That’s why she is here. Where no one will find her. I think we should hurry. She doesn’t want to be found by the authorities, now, does she. As a Christian.’

  Eigon stared at him, their eyes meeting across the horse’s neck. ‘You are the authorities, are you not?’ she challenged tartly.

  He shrugged. ‘I just do what I’m told. I’ve nothing against anyone in particular. I carried a message; I am bringing you as instructed. Then we go back to the barracks.’ He urged the horses on.

  They dismounted in a weedy, abandoned yard behind the villa. Eigon stared round, full of misgivings. ‘This doesn’t feel right.’ She glanced at Silas. He was carrying her bag, still trying to regain his breath after trotting on foot after them. ‘Where is she?’ She turned to the taller man.

  He shrugged uncomfortably. ‘I’ll go and knock.’

  The door opened almost at once. The doorway, deep in shadow, hid the man who stood there. Eigon took a step towards him. ‘Where is Antonia?’ Suddenly she was frightened. She shouldn’t have come with just one slave. She should have brought an escort.

  ‘She’s inside. She can’t stand. Her ankle is sprained.’ The deep voice was reassuring. ‘Antonia, can you hear?’ he called over his shoulder. ‘Your friend is here with her bandages. You’ll soon be fixed up.’ He was answered by a whimper of pain. He glanced at Silas. ‘I suggest you ride back, young man, with the lady’s horse. Come and collect her tomorrow with a litter for her and her friend who by then will be well enough to be moved.’ He stood back waiting for Eigon to enter. She glanced at Silas doubtfully, anxious to get to Antonia, reassured by the voice of the man looking after her, yet worried at the thought of remaining on her own.

  Silas was hesitating. ‘I should stay, lady.’

  Another moan from Antonia made up her mind. ‘Do as he says but tell Aelius where we are.’ She took the bag from the young man and walked past him into the house.

  Antonia was lying on a pile of straw covered by a filthy rug. There was a rag tied across her mouth. Her eyes were frantic. Eigon spun round but the man who had ushered her in had gone. There was no sign of Silas. Someone else stood in the doorway. She recognised him at once. Titus Marcus Olivinus.

  Dan smiled. So, you caught her at last. You caught both of them. What a bonus! Was she really so naïve she walked in like that without even hesitating? He sighed, glancing out of the windscreen. Black storm clouds had massed on the horizon. The heat was intense inside the car with the air conditioning off. He didn’t want to be caught in a storm by the side of the road; time to head into Rome. He gave a grim smile as he reached down for the ignition key and turned on the engine. If Titus wanted him to find Jess, Titus would find a way to tell him where she was.

  24

  Jess took a deep breath. She was being a fool. She had to follow Carmella’s instructions and protect herself psychically against Titus. There was no way she was going to allow that evil bastard into this room again. Thoughtfully she picked up the bag. Inside, with her things, was a do-it-yourself psychic protection kit Carmella had put together for her: a candle, a clove of garlic – not that Titus was a vampire, she thought wryly. A bowl for water. A clean duster. ‘Make sure there is no dust or dirt anywhere. Open the window, turn on all the lights, bring in the sunshine,’ Carmella had called after her as they parted. Jess glanced at the window. The sky was dark. ‘If you sense him, picture a sword in your hand, Jess. A strong sword made of flame.’ And what was it Rhodri had said? Now might be the time to try the odd prayer.

  Jess sighed. She had needed none of that. Not in the end. Just her beloved old Hugo.

  She sat down on the bed again.

  ‘Eigon? What happened next?’

  Titus walked slowly towards the straw bed where Antonia lay and pulled out a dagger. She gave a moan of fear as he casually reached out with it and flicked it lightly acros
s her cheek. A line of red appeared; it hardly bled at all. Her hands and feet, Eigon could see now, had been tightly bound. He turned towards Eigon. ‘So, princess, at last we meet face to face, properly. I have waited so long for this moment. You do, of course, know who I am? And that we met before, a long time ago.’

  ‘Titus Marcus Olivinus.’ She said the words softly, her voice steady.

  He looked startled for a moment. ‘So, you knew who I was all along?’

  ‘I’ve known for many years.’

  ‘And you told no one?’

  She shook her head. ‘You were in no danger from me.’

  ‘Why?’ He folded his arms.

  ‘My mother did not want my father upset by something so trivial.’

  He coloured slightly. ‘Trivial!’

  ‘To us, yes.’ She tried to keep her voice calm. It was important she didn’t upset him. It would be harder to kill in cold blood, she suspected, even for a man like him.

  He smiled, as if reading her mind. ‘It was so easy to kill Julia. She was a whore, ready to do anything to try and save her own skin, but in the end she didn’t think what I did was trivial.’

  ‘I’m sure she didn’t. Was she tied and helpless too, like a sacrificial lamb?’ Eigon glanced at Antonia who moaned again. ‘That can’t have taken much courage on your part.’ She took a step towards him and was pleased to see him take a step back. ‘If you are a courageous man, you will let Antonia go. Then you will have me on my own to do with what you will. That is your plan?’ She raised an imperious eyebrow. ‘To kill women who are bound hand and foot is the mark of a coward.’

  He gave a bark of laughter. ‘You call me a coward?’

  She smiled. ‘I do. Only a coward would rape a child.’

  ‘You and your mother and those other slaves were scum. The enemy. Defeated. Bound for the arena. You were ours to do with what we wanted.’

  ‘The punishment for the rape of a queen and a daughter of the royal house was death!’ she flashed back at him. ‘Why else have you lived in craven fear all your life since? We were not destined for the arena! We were destined to live in state as the guests of the Emperor of Rome.’ She smiled at him coldly. ‘Whatever you do now, you are doomed to die. I have left instructions as to what to do and where to look should anything happen to me. I wrote them down years ago when I first realised you were watching me.’ Her fear seemed a million miles away, walled off behind a sheet of adamantine crystal. She took another step forward, her eyes fixed on his.