by Carol Ashby
“Valeria, I’ve been wondering. You’re Germanic, not Roman, but you have a Roman name.”
“When I decided to follow Jesus, I was born again as a new person. I asked Gaius to give me a new name. He and Priscilla chose Valeria because it means strong. They thought it described me much better than the name my parents gave me.”
“What was that?”
“Alba.”
“But Alba means white. That suits you, too. You’re so bright and pure.”
She chuckled. “You’re thinking like a Roman. Not everything is Latin. My parents were Germanic. Alba means elf. I didn’t want to be called Elf anymore when I left my old religion and the old ways.”
“Why did they call you elf?”
“My mother chose it. She wanted a son, and she was terribly disappointed when I was born. She never treated me like she wanted me. I was a tiny baby, but she had a very hard time giving birth. I was the only baby she ever had. I think she always blamed me for that. Having many children, especially sons, is a measure of worth for women here. If Father blamed me, he never let me know. Working with the horses made us close. I was both son and daughter to him.”
Decimus nodded. “My mother had no interest in raising her children, and my father and I were never close when I was growing up.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve been blessed with two good fathers, and Priscilla was everything a mother should be. I’ve tried to mother Galen and Rhoda like she did.”
He rested his cheek on the top of her head.
“You’re a wonderful mother.”
She flexed her shoulders and settled back against his chest. The heat from her body radiated toward his heart. He held her a little closer.
What if you were the mother of my own children? It was a satisfying thought.
“I’ve seen how you are with Rhoda and Galen. You’ll be a wonderful father someday.”
The corner of his mouth rose. Father, not brother.
After several more minutes watching the stars while wrapped in his arms, she stepped away from him and took his hand. “Time to go in.”
As was now her habit, she held his hand until she reached the ladder.
“Good night, Decimus. Rest in peace.”
“Good night, Valeria.”
He watched her disappear into the loft before lying down.
Valeria lay in her bed, thanking God that he had blessed her with Gaius and Priscilla as her second parents so they would lead her to Jesus. If only Decimus would be open to her leading him to Jesus, too.
Decimus lay on his bed, thinking about what a wonderful mother she would be and wondering whether he would be the one who would father her children someday. Just how would a tribune marry a Christian? The marriage ceremonies he knew all involved worship of the Roman gods. She wouldn’t do that. Well, he’d figure it out later if he decided to ask her and she accepted his proposal. There must be some way.
Chapter 34: A Different Kind of Danger
Decimus had slept well, and he hadn’t awakened as early as usual. When he finally did wake up, Galen was standing by Valeria, watching her stir the porridge.
“I think I’m going to need an extra bowl today, Val. We’re going to be working really hard on the stable, so I’d better eat a big breakfast.”
She pushed back the hair that always seemed to fall onto Galen’s forehead.
“You always need an extra bowl no matter how hard you’re working. It makes the cook feel truly appreciated.”
Decimus stretched and walked over to the fireplace to join them. “A beautiful cook should always know she’s appreciated.”
“I wouldn’t know about that, but a good cook does like to know when someone likes her food.”
Valeria pushed back the stray hair from Decimus’s forehead, too. When she did, his eyes changed from joking to intense. The half-smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth made her cheeks feel warm. She spun and stirred the porridge, and she heard him walk away from her to take his seat at the table.
After breakfast, Valeria stood in the doorway and watched Decimus limp along the far side of the corral with his hand on Galen’s shoulder. She couldn’t hear his words, but they pulled a peal of laughter from Galen.
Today he would be teaching Galen the next steps in building a log stable. They had all the logs cut to length and laid out parallel to the final wall positions. The first round of logs was in place to make the start of the four walls with a door in one of them. She could already see what the shape of the stable would be.
She carried her sewing to the porch bench. She tried to focus on her needle, but her gaze kept drifting to the tall man across the corral. Decimus had spoken the truth when he said he knew exactly what was required to build the stable, and he was teaching Galen so many things. He was so patient as he explained how to figure out where the notches needed to be and then showed Galen how to shape them with the hand ax so the logs would lock together just right.
Watching him work was pure pleasure. He had his back to her, and he’d just finished chopping the notch into a log. Now he was standing with his fists on his hips watching Galen make the next notch. Except for his injured leg, he was so strong. He made it all look so easy. It was fascinating how his arm muscles bulged when he was using the ax or moving the logs into place. Even when he stood still, like now, she could see how muscled he was under the shirt that fit his shoulders snuggly.
He must have felt her gaze. When he began turning to look back at her, she looked down at the sewing in her lap. She blushed at the thought of him discovering she’d been watching him and thinking about how strong and handsome he was.
When she looked up again, Gunther had entered the farmyard, clutching his arm. He was not one of her favorite people. He was well known for his drunken revelry, his bragging, and his total lack of respect for women. Still, he looked like he was in pain, and she would never refuse to help someone.
He walked over to the edge of the porch. “I need help with my arm.”
Pain twisted his mouth as he cradled his right arm with his left. He might be a notorious liar, but this time he was speaking the truth.
“I see that. Come with me.” She led him into the cottage. “Sit at the table and let me look at it.”
“Must I take my shirt off? I’m not sure I can.”
Her nose twitched at the thought. “You don’t need to. I can see your shoulder is dislocated.”
She didn’t have the strength to pull his arm out far enough for the bone to slide back into the socket, but Galen should be strong enough.
She stepped to the cottage door and called out to Rhoda. “Would you please get Galen? I need his help right away.”
Decimus and Galen had just finished lifting a log into place when Rhoda skipped over to them.
“Galen, Valeria needs your help in the cottage right now.”
Galen shrugged at Decimus and trotted toward the cottage.
Since they were taking a break, Decimus decided to go to the cottage as well. Nothing could be more refreshing than some conversation with Valeria.
He froze in the doorway. A man sat on the chair while Valeria stood beside him. Galen stood next to her, getting ready to pull on the man’s arm. The way he was cradling it, Decimus could tell the shoulder was dislocated.
The man took one look at Decimus, and his lip twisted into a sneer. “Well, Valeria, so you have a man living with you. That’s something no one would have expected, but I guess you’re no different from all the women I’ve had. This will cause quite a stir in the village.”
“He’s only my patient, Gunther. Nothing more. He’ll be leaving as soon as he heals enough.”
Gunther’s chuckle had a cruel edge. “No one is going to believe that. I certainly don’t. He doesn’t look hurt to me.”
Decimus limped a few steps into the room and stopped. He crossed his arms and stood with his gaze fixed on the leering face.
He knew such men. This
one would enjoy spreading the lie in the village. Men like him didn’t like virtuous women, and he would enjoy dragging Valeria down.
Gunther’s eyes darted away, unable to meet Decimus’s steady gaze as he stood there in silence.
He limped over beside Gunther. “Let me fix his shoulder. I know exactly what needs to be done.”
He seized the arm and began to move it slowly as he fixed an icy stare on the man’s sneering face. Gunther drew in his breath with a hiss at the sharp pain that movement caused.
“Do you know Baldric?” Decimus edged his words with ice.
Gunther nodded, scrunching up his face when the pain increased as Decimus moved the arm farther.
“And you know Baldric was a good friend of Valeria’s father, that he looks on her almost as a daughter?”
Gunther blinked faster and swallowed hard. Decimus moved the arm farther. Beads of sweat popped out on Gunther’s forehead as he gritted his teeth.
“Do you know what he would do to a man who spread lies and ruined the reputation of one of his daughters?” Gunther flinched and blanched. Decimus moved the arm farther still. “It would not surprise me if he killed him.”
Gunther’s whole body began to tremble. Both pain and fear brought tears to his eyes.
“I would never say anything to anyone to even suggest that Valeria is not a fine woman in every way.”
Decimus kept increasing the pull on Gunther’s arm.
“Stop! I’ll never say anything.”
“I’m sure you won’t, since Baldric would hear of it and hunt you down.” Decimus put his lips next to Gunther’s ear and whispered, “And if he doesn’t, I will.”
As he spoke the last word, he pulled hard on Gunther’s arm and popped the bone back into its socket. Gunther screamed in pain.
Decimus stepped back. He crossed his arms and locked dagger-eyes on Gunther. “Now pay the physician what you owe her.”
Gunther fumbled with his purse and began to open it.
“There’s no charge.” Valeria’s eyes flipped from one man to the other. Gunther needed to get out of there fast before Decimus did anything else to him.
Decimus uncrossed his arms as if he was going to take a step toward Gunther.
“Go, and remember what I told you.”
“I’ll never say anything!” Gunther scurried out of the cottage before Decimus could move toward him.
Valeria’s lips tightened and her eyebrows lowered as she faced Decimus with her hands on her hips.
“You deliberately hurt him.”
“No more than was necessary to make my point. It always hurts to pop a shoulder back in place. I really have done this many times. I just did it a little slower than usual.”
“You didn’t have to do that. No one would have believed him if he told them those things about me.”
He stepped close and looked down at her.
“People are always eager to believe the worst about a good person. Even more so when she’s beautiful as well as kind.” He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before stroking her cheek once with the back of his fingers. “I couldn’t let him hurt you when I could easily prevent it.”
He spoke gently. His eyes that had been so hard as he manhandled Gunther had softened as well. She couldn’t stay mad at him.
“Well, I guess I should thank you for protecting me, even when I don’t agree with how you did it.”
Baldric was just riding into the farmyard when he saw Gunther running toward him. Baldric’s mouth and brows pulled down when he saw the fear on his face. He moved his horse to block Gunther’s path and glared at him.
“What are you doing here?”
Gunther held his hands up in front of him. “I only came to get my shoulder fixed. I would never do or say anything to hurt her. You have my word.”
“Make sure you don’t.” Baldric had no idea what that was about, but he moved his horse to let Gunther pass. He would find out from Valeria.
He tied his horse to the corral railing. Galen and Decimus were walking out the door as he reached the porch. Valeria was right behind them.
Decimus tipped his head. “Baldric.”
“Roman.” He scowled. “What has happened here?”
“I took the liberty of making Gunther a promise for you. I was certain you would have told him yourself that you would kill him if he tried to damage Valeria’s reputation.”
Baldric raised one eyebrow and the scowl vanished, replaced by something that was closer to a smile. “I would have. We understand each other well, Roman.”
Decimus nodded once, then turned to Galen. “Let’s go see how much more we can get done before lunch. We’ll leave Valeria to enjoy Baldric’s visit.”
As they walked toward the stable, Decimus tousled Galen’s hair and rested his hand on his shoulder.
Baldric lowered himself onto the bench, and Valeria sat beside him.
“Your wolf has become very protective of you.”
“I know. He’s become like a member of the family. He’s the big brother Galen never had before.”
“Being so protective only makes him dangerous in a different way.”
Valeria’s head tilted. “What do you mean? How can that be?”
“You think he is becoming part of your family, another brother like Galen. He is not. He is a man who looks at you as a woman, not a sister. Someone is going to get hurt because of it.”
Her eyes widened before she shook her head. “I don’t think that’s possible. He often jokes about me being a beautiful woman, but I’m sure he doesn’t mean it. He jokes with Galen and Rhoda all the time, too. It’s just his way.”
Baldric shook his head slightly. She was determined not to see what was so plain to him. The Roman loved her, but he was destined to return to his legion soon. He needed to heal and leave before she committed her heart to him. The safest thing was for her to keep seeing him as another brother.
“You know him much better than I do.” He shrugged to make her think he was agreeing with her, but his disagreement could not have been more complete. He would say no more that might open her eyes to the Roman’s real thoughts.
As Baldric watched her Roman giving instructions to Galen about the next part of their task, a better idea for protecting Valeria struck.
“Your Roman is a good trainer of swordsmen. Does he know what he is doing with the stable for your future horses?”
“Very much so. He’s teaching Galen many things I never knew.”
“Then I will have Otto come to learn from him again.”
Valeria’s eyes brightened. “I know Galen would enjoy that, and I’m sure it would be a big help. Decimus has a habit of doing more than he ought to with his leg not completely healed. Some tasks require two people, and he won’t let me help with the things he shouldn’t be doing yet.”
Baldric fought a wry smile. Of course he wouldn’t. A man like either of them would rather risk injury than let a woman do his work. She really didn’t understand men.
He stood to go. “I will speak with your Roman about Otto. I expect we will be back tomorrow.”
He mounted and rode over where Decimus and Galen were working on the stable wall. He sat relaxed, leaning on his horse’s neck, as he gazed at Decimus until the Roman turned toward him with an inquiring look.
“It looks like you know what you are doing, Roman.”
“I’ve built things before. It’s just a matter of thinking about what to do before you do it.”
Decimus’s head tilted as he straightened and squared his shoulders. Where was this conversation going? Baldric never spoke just to hear himself speaking.
“I would like Otto to come and learn. You might teach this as well as you do sword fighting.”
Galen’s eyes brightened at the thought of his best friend joining them. “I like that idea. It would be fun.”
Decimus masked his amazement at the request. Surely Baldric knew as much or more
than he did about building. He didn’t need any help training his son. But it would be a huge help to have another person working with them, especially with the heavy lifting that made his leg hurt, even with Valeria wrapping it. With both Galen and Otto working, he wouldn’t have to do as much of that.
He focused on Baldric’s face, trying to understand why he might be making the offer of help. Probably because Valeria had said how much she worried about him hurting himself.
“We’d be glad of the help.”
“Then he will be here tomorrow. When should he come?”
“We start first thing after breakfast.”
Baldric nodded. As he turned his horse to leave, he looked back at Decimus. “Tomorrow, Roman.”
“Tomorrow, Baldric.”
Baldric wore a satisfied smile that the Roman couldn’t see as he rode away. If Otto helped and the Roman didn’t delay his healing with a new injury, he would be leaving soon. He could be gone within two weeks. The sooner the better if Valeria was to be spared from losing a man she loved. For the moment, this was the only thing he could do to keep her Roman from hurting her. It had better be enough.
Decimus was seated by Galen at the table, more than ready for supper. He rubbed the back of his neck before flexing his shoulders to loosen the tired muscles. They’d worked hard, and the walls were now above their knees.
He’d found it necessary to stop in the early afternoon. His leg hurt from all the lifting, but Valeria had wrapped it well before they began. It wasn’t as bad as it might have been. The liniment and her massage had relieved most of the soreness. Otto would be there to help tomorrow, and having an extra worker would lessen the stress on his leg considerably. He was glad Baldric had volunteered him, whatever his motive.