Rome and the Conquest of Mesopotamia (Book 8 of the Veteran of Rome Series)

by William Kelso

  “I like soldiers,” a woman’s smooth voice suddenly cut in, and as Fergus hastily scrambled to his feet, he saw the young woman he’d noticed earlier in the courtyard. The lady slowly glided across the floor and came to stand at her husband’s side. Then she turned to gaze at Fergus and, as she did Fergus was once again struck by her beauty and attractiveness, so much so that it nearly made him blush.

  “Soldiers know how to obey. I see that you are enjoying my husband’s company,” she said in a confident voice. “My name is Julia and I hear that you have come to purchase Adalwolf’s release with gold. That is a bold undertaking.”

  “It is,” Fergus replied lowering his gaze.

  “Has my husband told you that Sanatruces arrived by ship across the Hyrcanian Ocean and that he is currently anchored off the coast at Derbent. Did he tell you that he holds your friend Adalwolf hostage aboard one of his vessels?”

  Fergus raised his eyebrows in surprise as he forced himself to look at Julia. “No, I didn’t know that,” he replied.

  At his wife’s side, a blush had appeared on Licinius’s face. Half-heartedly he raised his hand in a dismissive gesture.

  “I was going to tell him,” Licinius said, turning to his wife with a chiding expression. But she ignored him, and her eyes remained on Fergus.

  “If you have not done so already, you should invite him to the King’s banquet that’s taking place in two days’ time,” Julia said to her husband, as she continued to gaze at Fergus. “His company will be a refreshing change to the usual stuffiness of the occasion. I insist.”

  At his wife’s side Licinius suddenly looked helpless.

  Chapter Twenty-Two – Seduction

  His companions were already sitting around the long wooden table eating breakfast when Fergus strode into the kitchen. Silently he took his place at the end of the table as Licinius’s slaves hastily laid some food out in front of him. Casting a quick glance at his companion’s faces, he could see that sleeping in a proper bed and having a roof over their heads had been good for them after spending so many days out in the wilderness.

  “Licinius is a good host Sir,” Flavius the German said cheerfully, as he turned to Fergus whilst stuffing his mouth with sausage and bread. “He puts on a good feast and this is only breakfast. What will he serve us for dinner?”

  Fergus nodded but said nothing, as he quickly glanced at Barukh. The young Jew was staring at Flavius in silent disgust at his eating habits, but the German was blissfully unaware.

  “How come Saadi gets her own room whilst the rest of us must share,” one of the Italian brothers exclaimed, giving Saadi a mocking wink. “That doesn’t seem fair Sir.”

  “It’s for your own protection dickhead,” Saadi snapped, glaring across the table at the brother. “I have seen your cock and it’s the smallest I have ever encountered. Your mother must have mated with a midget.”

  Saadi’s words were met with a howl of good humoured jeering and cries. Across from her, the brother was grinning.

  “I told you she wanted to see my cock,” he cried out proudly.

  “You two,” Fergus said wearily, as he looked up in the direction of the brothers. “Leave Saadi alone and stop picking on her. She is not interested in either of you and she’s right. The separation is for your own protection.”

  “Maybe Sir,” Flavius interrupted, his mouth still half full of bread and sausage. “Maybe Arlyn could sing one of his native songs for us tonight at dinner. I always like his songs,” the German added, as he pointed his finger at the tall, red haired Hibernian. “They remind me of good times.”

  Around Flavius the table grew quiet except for a few sniggers.

  “You must be the only one,” Skula said, breaking the silence with a little disbelieving shake of his head, as he turned to stare at Flavius. “Who actually likes his songs? When Arlyn opens his mouth and sings, the rest of us just want to cry and go to sleep. His songs are so fucking depressing.”

  “Ah thanks a lot Skula,” Arlyn snapped with an offended look, as he chucked a piece of bread at the bald Alan tribesman.

  “It’s true,” Skula exclaimed, raising both his hands. “Ask anyone except the ugly German over there.”

  “There is no need to call me ugly,” Flavius responded.

  “No,” Numerius suddenly chipped in. “No. But it’s all right for you to call me thick is it?”

  “That’s because you are thick,” Flavius retorted, as he looked away in disgust.

  In his seat around the long table Fergus rose to feet.

  “Barukh,” he called out, gesturing for the young Jew to come over. “I need to discuss something with you. It’s important. After breakfast. Let’s go for a walk.”

  ***

  Fergus held out his arms in front of himself and stood still, as the slave fussed around him, carefully straightening and brushing the white toga he was wearing. The toga belonged to Licinius - a spare, but the ambassador had insisted he wear it to the banquet being held by the King of Caucasian Albania, at the royal residence later that evening. As the slave completed his task, bowed and quickly left the room, Fergus frowned and looked down at himself. Wearing a toga was not something he was used to, but if diplomatic etiquette required him to, then he would go along with it. He didn’t particularly want to attend the party tonight, but Licinius and Julia, the ambassador’s wife, had insisted. They seemed keen on his company and maybe it wouldn’t be a complete waste of time if he could pick up some useful information. Two full days had passed since they’d arrived in Gabala and the ambassador had been nothing but helpful and cooperative. Licinius seemed genuinely pleased to have received him and had eagerly interrogated him about all the news from back home. The enforced rest at the ambassador’s residence had been good for his companions too, and had raised their spirits. And they were going to need the rest for the long arduous journey ahead, Fergus thought grimly.

  “You look very handsome Sir,” Flavius said with a grin, as Fergus stepped out into the corridor of the ambassador’s house and locked the door to his room behind him.

  Fergus nodded without much enthusiasm. “Flavius,” he said quietly. “Keep an eye out tonight when I am gone. See to it that there is no trouble.”

  “Are you expecting any trouble Sir?” the German ex-boxer replied quietly.

  For a moment Fergus fixed Flavius with a serious warning look. However, he said nothing as he strode on past his deputy and started to descend the stairs to the ground floor.

  ***

  The banquet was a dreary affair and Fergus was soon bored. In the great hall of the royal residence a long wooden table ran the length of the room, and seated on either side were around a hundred chatting guests. The table itself was covered with plates, jugs of drink and rich food dishes - some the like of which Fergus had never seen before. In the corners and vestibules of the hall, braziers filled with coal were alight, filling the hall with warmth. Along the walls torches lit the banquet in a dim, flickering reddish light. The smell of incense hung thick in the air and the floor was covered with warm furry animal skins. Near the doorways motionless guards and slaves stood pressed up against the walls, staring into space. The King of Caucasian Albania sat at the head of the table on a gleaming throne made of stone, wood, gold and silver. He was a short, fat, vulgar looking man, with a small crown on his head and he was laughing like a hyena. Seated nearest to the King were the most prominent guests and amongst them Fergus could see Licinius. The Roman ambassador too was laughing, as he raised his cup in a toast. Fergus however was too far away to hear what the King was discussing. Reaching out for his cup of wine, he took a sip and sighed. He’d been placed at the far end of the table with all the less important guests, sandwiched in between a drunken Sarmatian whom he couldn’t understand and an Albanian woman who had nothing to say. Sitting directly opposite him however, was Julia, Licinius’s beautiful wife and she seemed to be enjoying herself. As the dinner had progressed and the mood had grown less sober, Fergus had noticed the a
ttention Julia was receiving from the other guests. It was only natural though he thought, considering her beauty and attractiveness. Turning once more to glance in the direction of the King, Fergus was surprised when Julia suddenly called out his name, speaking in Latin.

  “Do you have a wife Fergus?” Julia asked as she fixed him with a stern unsmiling look.

  “I do,” Fergus replied quickly. “Plus, five beautiful daughters. They await my return in Antioch.”

  “Ah, Antioch,” Julia said with sudden longing, as she took a sip from her cup. “I miss that great metropolis. It’s so much better than this primitive shit-hole. Nothing but drunk Sarmatians and entertainers making bears do tricks. That’s what this city offers.”

  “Don’t let our host hear you say that,” a tipsy guest, seated beside Julia exclaimed, with a grin as he leaned into her. But Julia ignored the man; her eyes were fixed firmly on Fergus. And as she gazed at him, Fergus had to look away, for she was a truly stunning looking woman. Easily the most beautiful he’d ever met, and her attractiveness seemed to be casting a spell over him.

  “It must be hard for you and your wife to be apart for such long periods of time,” Julia said, as she gazed at him from across the table.

  “It is,” Fergus replied, as he forced himself to look at her. “But we are used to it and she has five children to take her mind off me.”

  “And what do you have?” Julia asked studying him without smiling. “How do you cope with being apart from your wife for so long? It must get lonely.”

  “I am a soldier,” Fergus replied quickly. “I do as I am ordered. I have a job to do. I focus on the job, the challenge and the welfare of my men. I try to survive.”

  For a moment Julia said nothing, as she studied him from across the table. Then her face cracked into a little seductive smile and, as she smiled at him, Fergus blushed like a boy.

  “I like you,” Julia said quietly. “I like you a lot Fergus.”

  Fergus turned to look away without replying. Suddenly he gasped as he felt a shoeless-foot gently poke its way into his groin. Across the table from him, Julia looked amused. Hastily reaching under the table with his hand, Fergus pushed the foot away, but it came straight back at him.

  “Do I make you feel uncomfortable?” Julia asked as she smiled at him from across the table. “You look uncomfortable Fergus.”

  “I am all right,” Fergus replied stiffly, as he battled the foot under the table with his hand, but again it came straight back worming its way towards his groin. Julia was playing footsie and she was not accepting no for an answer.

  “If you are uncomfortable now,” Julia said, with an amused smirk; “you will be even more so in a while when this banquet becomes an orgy. That’s what usually happens when it gets late and too much wine has been consumed. Fucking is all that the King seems to care about.”

  Fergus nearly choked, as he hastily reached for his cup of wine.

  “So, before a lady of Rome must suffer that indignity,” Julia said with a sigh. “I would like to retire to my home. Will you escort me Fergus? The streets can be unsafe after dark.”

  “Your husband. Surely, he can take you home,” Fergus replied quickly, as he turned to gaze down the table. And as he did, he saw Licinius casually glance in his direction.

  “No,” Julia said sharply. “Licinius shall stay here. He has business with the King that needs taking care of. It will have to be you.”

  And without waiting for an answer, Julia rose to her feet and prepared to leave. As she came around the table towards Fergus she bent down beside him. “Come on. I am going to fuck your brains out tonight,” she whispered into his ear.

  ***

  The Roman embassy compound was quiet and the two guards at the front gate leading into the courtyard, were not at their posts. It seemed as if all had called it a night and had gone to sleep. Silently Fergus and Julia walked into the courtyard and started up the stairs to the second-floor bedrooms. In the courtyard the night air was cool, and in their stables, the soft whinny and snort of the horses was the only noise. Fergus followed Julia up the stairs, and in the light from the flaming torches he had a fine view of her perfect arse. They had spoken little whilst she had led him back to the embassy through the darkened streets of the city. Fergus was struggling with himself. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do. Julia seemed to have bewitched him, and his body, overwhelmed with desire, was following her. She was truly, the most attractive woman he had ever come across and no thoughts of Galena seemed to make him immune from a growing and raging desire. Galena would never know. His wife was far away and there was a chance he would not be returning from this mission. Better to have his way with this beautifully hot woman then. But at the very back of his mind something was nagging at him - a tiny warning voice that would not go away. There was something about all this that was not quite right, the voice in his head was screaming.

  As they entered the long-dark corridor on the second floor, Julia suddenly turned and pushed him back up against the wall and a moment later her hot little tongue was pressing into his eager mouth. She moaned as her hands flitted over his body and his eager hands over hers, and for a few moments they stood pressed together kissing. Then she broke free, and catching his hand she pulled him towards one of the bedrooms. Kicking open the door, she giggled as she let go of him and stumbled backwards onto a large bed. The room was large and lit by burning lamps fixed to the walls and, in the far wall was an open window. Following her into the bedroom, Fergus paused to gaze at Julia as she sat up on the bed. She was staring at him. Slowly and deliberately she spread her legs, and slowly started to undress herself, as she beckoned for him to join her. Fergus felt his heart thumping in his chest. It was wrong, but he didn’t care. The sight of this woman was driving him crazy. He was going to have her. But the stubborn little warning voice in his mind would not go away and suddenly he hesitated and his fingers reached up to touch the Celtic amulet, hanging around his neck. Galena might never know but he would know. He would know he’d broken the vow he’d made to her. It would be a dishonourable act, however much his body willed him on. Once more he hesitated.

  “What’s the matter?” Julia purred as she saw his hesitation.

  “I am not doing this,” Fergus said at last, forcing the words from his lips. “I have a wife.”

  Swiftly before his resolve crumbled he turned on his heels and headed for the door. But just as he reached the doorway, from the corner of his eye, he caught a sudden movement in the shadows. With a cry, a man armed with a knife launched himself straight at Fergus. He was quickly followed by another armed man. Crying out in shock and fright, Fergus had just enough time to raise his hand and block the man’s knife hand, before the momentum of the attack sent them both tumbling and crashing through the doorway and into the corridor beyond.

  “Kill him. Kill him. Find the key,” a woman’s voice screeched. “He has the key on him.”

  And with a shock, Fergus realised the voice belonged to Julia. On top of him his attacker was grunting and straining as he tried to slice open Fergus’s exposed throat. The man was terrifyingly strong. With a howl, Fergus bit the man’s hand and was rewarded by a shriek of pain and a momentary slackening of the man’s grip. Crying out and with a mighty effort, he managed to roll his attacker onto his back and with a vicious and furious scream head-butted him straight in the face. He was rewarded with a horrible crack as he broke the man’s nose. Then someone kicked him in the head and he went crashing backwards onto the floor, his head spinning. Blurrily he saw the second man advancing towards him clutching a knife. The man was cursing as he prepared to finish him off. Weakly Fergus tried to raise his hand to protect himself, but it wasn’t going to do him much good.

  Suddenly his attacker groaned, stiffened, dropped his knife and slowly sank to the floor, and behind him, in the dim light, Fergus caught sight of Flavius, clutching his bloodied sword. The German’s eyes were wild and blazing with fury, as he kicked the dying man. Scrambling to
his feet, Fergus steadied himself against the corridor wall as Flavius turned and swiftly despatched the attacker with the broken nose. Unsteadily, his head screaming in pain, Fergus stooped to pick up the discarded knife and staggered back into the room. Julia was still on the bed staring at him in horror. Then with a snarl of rage, she came at him clutching a small knife. But as she lunged he caught her arm, spun her around and savagely slammed her forehead hard into the wall, knocking her unconscious with a single blow. As she collapsed, with blood streaming down her face, her little knife went clattering onto the floor.

  Breathing heavily, Fergus turned to look around the room but there was no one else.

  “What the fuck is this?” Flavius hissed furiously as he entered the room and, with wide staring eyes, gazed down at the unconscious woman. “What the fuck just happened?”

  Fergus raised his hand to rub his head as he tried to focus. His breathing was coming in gasps and his hand was trembling as he realised how close to death he’d come. Silently he gazed down at Julia. The woman had tricked him. She had nearly managed to lure him to his end. But why? Then his face darkened.

  “Wake the others,” Fergus whispered hoarsely, as he quickly placed his hand on Flavius’s shoulder. “Tell them that we are leaving right away. I mean right fucking now. We take the horses and we go. But we do it quietly. And thank you. If you hadn’t shown up I would have been a dead man.”

  “You told me to keep watch,” the German hissed. “So, I did. When I heard the commotion, I came right away. What’s going on Sir? Why did they attack you? I don’t understand. They have been so hospitable.”

  “They want the gold. They are after Adalwolf’s ransom. Licinius and his wife have been planning to rob us from the moment they found out about the gold. And they will murder us to cover their tracks.” Fergus snapped, as he turned and hastened away down the corridor.