by P J Mann
“Who’s going to take care of him? Here, Cassandra is following his every step because he cannot manage everything on his own. He still, and forever, will need assistance with bathing, eating, and a few other issues. Who is going to do this?”
“Nara will. He has always been there whenever Saul needed something,” Flavius reassured.
“Can he be as good as Cassandra from your point of view? It might be that I am becoming old, but seeing Saul with Cassandra opens my heart. They like each other. If you mean the best for Saul and you are his friend as you always claimed, then behave as such and leave him here with her,” he said, playing his last card.
“I want him for me. Can’t you understand how my life with Claudia is? I hate her. I need someone at my side. I need Saul.” His plea escalated to anger. “If this means that I have to take Cassandra too, then she is coming with us, but Saul comes with me today!”
Marcus Tiberius toughened his expression. He strode to his son, and slapped him, the smack resounding in the room. “Get out of my house and don’t come back until you have learned to respect me. Go!”
“I am not leaving without Saul.” He stood firm.
Marcus Tiberius left the room and called for Saul, who came quickly, having foreseen the storm between father and son.
“You called me, Master?” Saul asked.
Flavius looked at Saul then his father; he didn’t want to give up his slave, especially because he couldn’t understand the reason his father had claimed him back.
“I haven’t mistreated my slave. I haven’t done anything wrong to him. On the contrary, I am going to find out who dared to ruin him,” Flavius insisted.
“Your voice is trembling, Master. Is there something you fear? Are you sure I have been ruined? I can now see better into the hearts of men. I don’t consider myself ruined,” Saul replied, turning his head in the direction of Flavius’ voice.
Marcus Tiberius’ heart thumped harder. Saul’s calm confidence made him uncomfortable.
Flavius exhaled and the creases on his forehead relaxed as he smiled.
“There is something you are hiding from me, and I will find it out. You cannot claim that I have mistreated Saul. I indeed left my house undefended, but this doesn’t mean that I intentionally harmed any of the people in my household. Why can’t I get Saul back? What is the real reason?” Flavius pursued.
“Master, there is nothing we are hiding from you, but you do not see things in perspective. You are blinded by anger. Try not to fall into easy revenge. It won’t lead where you want to go.”
Flavius looked down and nodded. “Are you trying to tell me something? Father, why do I have the impression there is something I should know, but you don’t want to say?”
“Why do you think that?” Marcus Tiberius asked, fearing that Flavius had begun to suspect something.
“I don’t know. Saul, are you sure you told me everything about your accident?”
Marcus Tiberius, calmer now, said, “Seems like you already have your own idea, so tell me what it is because I really can’t say.”
With a nod, Flavius presented his theory. “It is true. I talked to Uncle Titus. He thinks that whoever ruined Saul wanted revenge for something I did. In this optic, my kidnapping would make more sense than the mere money request. Whoever is behind the accident is also behind my kidnapping. He needed more time than the period I was supposed to spend on my journey. He would have been someone who knew that Saul couldn’t join me.”
Saul struggled to keep calm as he thought about Dionysius, Lukos, and Leandros. What was their fault? Why did they have to kill them? She knew Flavius’ kidnapping would also make Marcus Tiberius suffer. Despite all his efforts, he could not prevent his eyes from filling with tears of pure pain.
“Is something wrong, Saul?” Flavius asked.
“I can’t believe that someone is willing to do anything t to teach you a lesson. I can’t believe there is someone eager to kill anyone who crossed his path…” Saul cried.
“Flavius, I was not ready for such a possibility, but what you are saying makes sense. Yet, you can’t be sure that this is what happened. If you want to find the truth, you have to consider and investigate all the possibilities,” Marcus Tiberius said. It was difficult to believe that Claudia could contrive such a cruel yet elaborate plot—for the thirst of revenge, for jealousy of a slave. How could she plan the kidnapping of her own husband, the man who granted her a safe and comfortable life?
This is insane. Marcus Tiberius wiped his forehead with his hand.
Now, more than ever, he could not let Saul return to that house. His life would be in danger, and he wasn’t certain whether Flavius would be able to protect himself or Saul from such a cold-blooded assassin.
He wasn’t sure he wanted his son to go back, but how could he tell him the truth? How could he warn him about the danger sleeping beside him every night without raising his suspicion or telling him the truth?
Saul asked, “Master, may I be dismissed? I suppose you would like to talk in private.”
“Of course, Saul, you may go,” Marcus Tiberius replied absentmindedly.
Flavius hugged him, then guided him out of the room.
Chapter 21.
Cassandra led Saul away. “What happened in there?”
“Flavius came to claim me back. I am not sure if he wants me because he needs my services, or if he misses me in his bed. He looked confused.”
“I expect it is normal to feel baffled after being kidnapped without any apparent reason, then coming home to find his favorite slave ruined by intruders. Maybe he also feels guilty; if he hadn’t been away, none of this would have happened. Don’t be too severe in judging him,” Cassandra tried to reason.
Saul considered the entire situation. “You might be right, but I am expecting my Master to be a strong leader. Well, he will have time to regain himself before Marcus Tiberius allows me to go back to him.”
“There is something more, isn’t there?” Cassandra asked.
“Yes. Flavius figured out an interesting theory, and if it turns out to be true, then Claudia could be more dangerous than we imagined, and her threats are even scarier.” Saul updated her on the theory Flavius had proposed.
Concerned, Cassandra said, “Who knew better than Claudia? She knew when Flavius was due back. She was jealous. This was a way to warn him that he should have given more importance to his wife than to a slave. Great Juno! This means that not only are you in danger if you go back to that house, Flavius is too.”
“Exactly what I thought, and I believe Marcus Tiberius has the same fear. I asked to be dismissed because I was thinking about the three slaves who had been assassinated during his kidnapping. They were young, strong, educated, and highly valued. Slaughtered like animals, left to rot in the dirt… I knew them all.” His breath caught as tears choked him.
Cassandra held him to her as she wept with him. She had no words to console his grief, nothing to say that would bring back those slaves, nothing that would help.
Saul parted from her. “What should I do? I can’t just tell him everything. I fear her threat.”
“She can’t reach you while you are here. Now you have the opportunity to do the right thing, but no one would blame you for defending yourself. I won't, and I am going to be with you forever, whether you are with Flavius or not.” She tried to smile.
He relaxed his expression. “I know and will think about it. There is no reason that can convince me to leave this house, and I know I have time before Flavius will take me back to his home.”
“Meanwhile, I will do my best to make you happy.” She pulled him toward her.
“Then we should move to a more private place.” He held her body against his. “I don’t think our Masters will need us. Marcus Tiberius is busy with Flavius, and Flaminia is out with a couple of friends at the Thermae. And you definitely need to be taken care of,” she giggled, guiding him to the bedroom.
Marcus Tiberius sighed and looked at
his son.
“Father, how do we solve the situation?” Flavius asked,
breaking the grave-like silence between them since Saul left.
“I understand that you want to have him back. If the two events are connected, then whoever is responsible might take further actions against you or Saul,” Marcus Tiberius warned his son.
“So, you are suggesting that I should solve who was behind it before bringing Saul back? That might make sense, but I am still far from solving the entire mystery. I can’t even be sure this theory is the right one.”
“No matter whether it is true or not, why take the risk?”
“So it shall be, but please. If Saul remembers something, whatever it might be, don’t keep it to yourself. Please help me solve this case. I probably won’t do it on my own.”
Marcus Tiberius touched his son’s shoulder and smiled cordially. “You are my son, the most precious gift the gods allowed me, and I would do anything to help you; you should know that. I will try to reconstruct with Saul what happened that night or on previous days that might help. Be careful, though, sometimes, finding what you are searching for is not a solution to the problem.”
Flavius looked at him, puzzled. “I am not sure I understand what you mean, but thank you for your help, or at least for trying to help.
“It’s time for me to return to my wife. She does not like me being away. I think she missed me,” he said as he exited the room.
Flaminia arrived at the same moment as he was leaving. “Flavius, I didn’t know you were coming. I would have remained home to spend time with you.”
“Tomorrow, mother. I shall return every day until I can bring Saul home with me.”
“Why can’t you have him right away?” she asked.
Flavius looked at his father; he thought she knew everything about what had happened.
“Well, sweetheart, I believe that a Master should be able to avoid any accident to his properties, so I am keeping him until I know what happened that night,” Marcus Tiberius replied.
“You will always fight over Saul, won’t you?” she said, shaking her head.
Flavius laughed as he waved goodbye. “Maybe this is what the gods want for us.”
“Marcus Tiberius, I have a strange feeling that there is something more than a simple deal that keeps you from giving Saul back to Flavius. What is it?”
“It is a long story. Maybe it is better if you know what transpired. I’m sorry I have kept the truth from you, but it was for the best,” Marcus commenced as he mulled over how much he would tell her of what had happened. “Come sit with me in the garden and I will tell you.”
Once ensconced side by side on the bench, Marcus Tiberius took her hand in his. “The day after the accident, Saul came here escorted by another slave. He told me about people intruding in the night. When they realized that a slave saw them, they wounded him and disappeared. Saul also told me that Flavius had been missing for weeks. I was upset with Claudia for not telling me. Had I known, I could have done something to find him. When I talked to Claudia, determined to know the truth, what I got from her was more gruesome than the fact that Flavius was missing. He was kidnapped, and strangers had come to the house demanding money for his release.”
Alarm widened her eyes. “Flavius was kidnapped? What do you mean? Why wasn’t I informed?”
“Because you would have gone insane from the pain. I wanted first to see if we could solve the situation. Now that Flavius is back unharmed, I can tell you. Unfortunately, that is not all. Flavius believes Saul’s accident was not an accident, and that his kidnapping was related, He believes someone wanted revenge for something and decided to attack the person dearest to him—Saul.”
“We are dearer to him than Saul,” Flaminia replied, nervously shaking her head.
“Yes, but the assassination of a Roman citizen like us would bring more severe consequences than ruining a slave if he was discovered. This person wanted to play it safe. Under the law, there aren’t real penalties for a person who damages someone else’s property, besides a fine. Think about it.”
She realized that whoever was responsible had planned every detail. “But who would have anything against Flavius?” she asked, not convinced about the hypothesis.
Marcus Tiberius was not sure whether he should tell her about Claudia. Maybe it was too early, and Flaminia first needed to digest the news about their son.
“Why didn’t Claudia tell us anything? What was her excuse?”
“She claimed she was scared about it and couldn’t find the courage to bring such news to us. Somehow, I understand her, even if I am not totally convinced about it. Until the full story comes to light, I prefer to keep Saul here. If someone still wants revenge on Flavius, he might become dangerous for both Flavius and Saul.”
“So, Saul will remain with us forever?”
“Well, at least until Flavius finds out who is behind the plot.”
“Are there any leads?”
Marcus Tiberius tightened his hold of her hand. “Not yet, but I am sure that sooner or later he will find one.”
Skeptical of the version of Marcus Tiberius, her eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head. “Is there something you are not telling me?”
“No.” He hesitated. “Why?”
“Because you can’t lie to me. You can hide things, but you are a terrible liar. If there is something else, please tell me. Anyway, no one is in danger anymore,” she replied, crossing her arms across her chest.
He smiled at how well she knew him, then his eyebrows tightened together as he exhaled. “I know who did it. Saul told me. He did not want to say anything because he was afraid. I had to punish him, promising further punishments to get the truth from him.”
“You know? So why do you not tell Flavius?”
“Because it will make everything more difficult. Promise me that you will not tell him.”
“I do not know…” She hesitated.
“Promise!” he said, raising his voice and grabbing her by her shoulders.
“Let me go! Fine, I will not tell anybody.”
“It was Claudia who blinded Saul. She did so because she was jealous. Saul is Flavius’ lover, and they were spending most of their time together, not only by day but also during the night. Flavius will never love her, regardless of whether she loves him or not. Unfortunately, Saul finds himself in the middle, and Claudia took the chance offered by Flavius’ absence.” He scrubbed his chin with his hand. “If it is true that Saul’s accident and Flavius’ kidnapping are connected, then she needed to postpone his return to give her time to secure help to put her plan into action.”
Flaminia glanced at him, as the corners of her mouth twitched in a desperate effort not to cry. “That can’t be real… That can’t be true!” she cried out, “She got revenge by damaging Saul. That is cruel.”
He sighed and held her. Saul was, to everybody, more than a slave. She had loved him at first sight when Marcus Tiberius presented him to her. It was like having another son. He was her treasured one. She loved it when he sang, and told stories told about his land so far away, and she had suffered when she realized the dire consequences of the accident.
Her husband kissed her forehead and wiped the tears from her eyes with his knuckles. “Flaminia, I knew I shouldn’t say that to you. We all hold Saul dear, all of us in different ways. Unfortunately, Claudia is not of the same opinion. She is cruel to all her slaves.”
“Why shouldn’t we tell Flavius?”
“He has a hotter temper than I, and I am afraid he would do something he might regret forever. He is not able to act with calm. If you had seen the way he spoke about finding the man who did that to Saul…” he sighed.
“Are you worried that he might…”
Marcus Tiberius combed his fingers through his hair and grimaced in pain. “I am afraid of everything when we talk about Flavius. I don’t want to hide this from him forever; I was just thinking to give him more time to calm his spirits.”
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br /> “Maybe you’re right, but don’t you think that if he finds out, he will be upset with you?”
“I do not know what I should do. I do not want Flavius to act too impulsively. I am upset as well about what she did to him, but before getting blind revenge, we have to be level-headed and seek justice. I am wondering if Flavius is in danger living with her. Soon she will realize that it is not because of Saul that he does not love her; it is just so.”
“I still think that you should let Saul tell the truth to Flavius. He is a wise youth and has always been able to talk to his Master with the right words. He can reach where other people, including you, cannot. Let him speak to Flavius,” she proposed.
He had to admit that this time she was right. Saul could speak directly to people’s hearts. He was able to keep calm, except for one single time in his life.
“Maybe I should try…I will speak to Saul before Flavius arrives tomorrow.”
Flavius retired to his working room to think. He needed solitude to focus on all the happenings in his mind, to fit the pieces together, but no matter how much he tried, something didn’t fit. He could not name anyone who had any reason to seek revenge on him, and at the same time, have such a profound knowledge of him to know how dear Saul was to him. He recalled the names of the people he knew, all the people he had as customers, those who worked with him, and even those he’d met just once. Yet, he could not find a reason for anyone to be so upset with him that they would want revenge of that nature. But then, why Saul?
He propped his elbows on the desk and cradled his head with his hands. The more he tried to make sense of it, the less he could find any reason; everything sounded surreal.
His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Nara in the doorway.
“Forgive me, Master. Mistress Claudia ordered me to tell you that dinner will be served soon, and she requests your presence,” he said in a low tone of voice.