Aquila Et Noctua

by P J Mann

  “No, Master,” Saul cried.

  Flavius let him go and leaned over to gently caress his face. In a calm voice, he said to Claudia, “You see? I’m not crazy. My slave still believes I am not.”

  “A slave does whatever you order him to do because otherwise he gets punished.” She grinned.

  Flavius’ patience and rationality faded. He grabbed both Claudia’s and Saul’s hair, dragging them closer to each other. “Look at my slave, Claudia. Look into his eyes carefully.”

  “Let me go, you maniac!”

  “Look at his eyes, Claudia!”

  She looked into Saul’s absent foggy eyes, unable to see or ever express anything again, constantly reminded her of that night when they were blinded.

  “What do you see?” he asked in a serene tone.

  “What should I see?” she asked, fearing for her life.

  Tears flooded Flavius’ eyes. “I used to see the rage of the underworld in his eyes, the darkest of nights, the most intense eyes I’d ever seen. They are gone, never to return.” A lump in his throat choked his breath.

  “That was an accident, Flavius.”

  Flavius pushed Saul violently away and grabbed her by the shoulders, pinning her to the ground.

  “LIAR! Was my kidnapping an accident too? Was the assassination of Dionysius Lukos and Leandros an accident? Were all the slaves you beat up without reason an accident? How many accidents do I have to accept?”

  She looked at him, gasping for air as terror pervaded his soul. Does he know what happened, or is he trying to make me confess? Did Saul tell?

  She dismissed the thought. Saul would never have said a word about it. Then the strange dream she had when she was unconscious came to mind. She remembered Nara telling her that she would confess to Flavius. But was it really Nara? She started to doubt it.

  “I have no idea who kidnapped you. It was a shock for me, too. Do you think it was fun for me to have these men threatening to kill you?”

  He glanced at her and burst into laughter. “Or maybe it was you threatening them,” he said. “Not even Orcus can threaten you. I am sick and tired of you. I hate you; I despise you. I'd rather die than kiss you, and the reason is your cruelty, Claudia.” He stood, straightening to his full height. “Can’t you be honest for at least once in your miserable life?”

  She cried silently, fearing that the end of her secret loomed closer, but how, if she hadn’t said anything? How, if not by the mouth of that filthy slave, she thought.

  She turned her face to look at Saul. He kneeled on the floor trembling unable to see, or to predict what was coming, incapable to run away.

  She thought she should have killed him.

  Disgusted, she stood up.

  “You are not leaving,” Flavius said, deadly calm.

  She glared at him. “What do you want from me?”

  “I thought it was clear, or maybe I have behaved too crazily for you to understand. I want the truth,” Flavius replied, struggling to keep the same tone.

  His soul was still in turmoil; he felt exhausted and out of strength.

  Claudia tilted her head, failing to understand what he was saying.

  “What kind of truth are you seeking?”

  “The truth you are hiding from me. I don’t believe someone intruded that night just to hurt a worthless slave like Saul. Why would they do that?”

  A glimmer of hope that he didn’t know the truth sparked. “I have no idea who, or why they did it.”

  “They? How many? According to all our slaves, no one had seen anyone in the house that night.”

  “I…I haven’t seen anything, I just thought…”

  “What have you thought? Did you think that to blind a slave you needed more than one man?” he asked provocatively.

  “Shut up!” She raised her hands to cover her ears.

  Flavius came nearer and grabbed her wrists. “What happened that night?” he asked between clenched teeth.

  “I don’t know. I was sleeping,”

  Flavius let her go and slapped her. The SMACK resounded in the morgue-like silence of the room. “What happened to Saul?”

  “I have no idea. You should ask him!” Her hand cradled her stinging cheek.

  Flavius looked back at Saul, who still cringed on the floor. “You know? That is a great idea.” He grabbed the slave by the hair and pulled him to face Claudia.

  “Come on, slave, now it is your turn. Your mistress just called you into this story, and I order you to tell me what happened to your eyes.”

  Saul tried to free himself from Flavius’ grip, but his Master’s hold tightened, pulling more of his hair. “I gave you an order, slave.”

  “Master, I…” Saul protested.

  “OBEY MY ORDER!”

  “And I am the one who is cruel to the slaves?” Claudia said sarcastically.

  “Master, I told you already what happened that night. Why do I have to repeat it?” Saul said in a trembling voice.

  “Because your mistress seems to have forgotten, and needs her memory refreshed,” he said softly at his ear without releasing his hair.

  “It was Mistress Claudia who blinded me as a punishment for having been between you two,” he replied, closing his eyes.

  Claudia felt her heart was going to explode. She slapped Saul. “Liar,” she hissed.

  Flavius released Saul’s hair, pushing him away, and snatched Claudia’s wrists. “You are right, Claudia. Slaves obey their Master’s orders…blindly,” he said. “And, when there is a choice who to obey, they are like pets; they obey the Master who cares for them the most. Therefore, I can always rely on Saul’s honesty, but I can’t rely on yours. Of course, you are not a worthless beast like a slave is, are you?”

  “Let me go. You can’t really believe him,” Claudia whimpered.

  “Why? Isn’t it so that he will obey whatever order I wish?” Flavius asked, tightening his grip. “ISN’T IT SO?”

  “Let me go, you are hurting me,” she pleaded.

  He complied and slapped her again. “Now that it is clear who did that to Saul, I wish to understand something I don’t know yet. I am confident you will tell me, considering your loyalty to your husband,” he said sneering, grabbing her shoulders.

  “I have nothing to say,” she taunted.

  “Let’s see, was it also you who organized my kidnapping just to buy time to hurt Saul?”

  A chill coursed through her veins as her blood froze. Her body shook.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. No need to answer. Your body is answering for you. Lukos was slaughtered like a beast trying to save my life. Dionysius and Leandros probably didn’t even have the time to realize they were in danger when they were killed. Aside from Saul, they were the best slaves I had. Then I was kept a prisoner for two weeks, not knowing if they intended to kill me or release me.” His voice rose to a crescendo. “Chained to a wall like an animal—all for your desire to punish a slave?”

  She remained silent, wondering how he could have connected the two facts. How do I survive this? She assumed an indignant attitude.

  “Flavius, I could never plan something like that. How could I?”

  “I have no idea, but if it wasn’t you, why did you freeze in fear?” He could not be sure of that, but it would have matched perfectly.

  “I am shocked that you thought me capable of that,” she replied, trying to get out of his grip. He let her go, ready to grab her if she tried to flee; he wasn’t done with her. A burning thirst for revenge blazed. Justice was no longer sufficient. Nothing was enough anymore.

  Flavius held his head between his hands and tried to rationalize, recalling the warnings of his father.

  “Explain how the two men who kidnapped me knew about my family and my life.”

  Her gaze flitted around the room as if searching for the answer, her eyes avoiding his. “How I am supposed to know something like that? No plebeian is traveling with three slaves. Moreover, they could get your identity by the p
late on the slave’s collar.”

  “And how did they know I was going on a business trip? How did they know the day I was coming back, or where I was going?” he pursued.

  Striding to Saul, he helped him up and onto the couch.

  He whispered in his ear, “Determine if she is lying,”

  Saul just smiled.

  Claudia pinched the fabric of her skirt between her fingers. “Flavius, I know it doesn’t make sense, but it doesn’t make me guilty either.”

  “Hmm, maybe I should ask around. Perhaps someone saw something, possibly suspicious visits at night, by, from the people who kidnapped me.”

  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” she said, losing her composure.

  “Who were those visitors you had? Were they connected to Saul?” he asked as his voice trembled with impatience.

  “I told you; I don’t know what you are talking about!”

  Flavius hit her again.

  She hit him back, taking him by surprise.

  “Didn’t anyone teach you not to hit women?” she yelled.

  “Women, I will never hit, but you are not a woman; you are a cold-blooded monster.”

  “Conspiring against your own husband is a serious offense, Mistress,” said Saul, breaking his silence.

  Both Flavius and Claudia turned to him in surprise.

  Claudia stepped closer to Saul. “Accusing a Roman without any proof can lead you to crucifixion, slave,” she said between clenched teeth, grabbing his face by the chin.

  “I have nothing to lose, but maybe I have the proof. How about a dark night, two strangers knocking at the door, being received by you alone with no slaves around? One is speaking, the other is silent… Do I have to go on?”

  She wobbled as her legs couldn’t stand her anymore, glancing at Saul petrified.

  Saul knew he was lying, and he risked paying for it with his life, but he trusted his instincts. Her heart had spoken to him and revealed all the details.

  Her heart raced, and Saul perceived it.

  Claudia couldn’t believe it! She had made sure that no one ever saw or heard what was going on, on that side of the house.

  “You, liar…” she whispered. “LIAR!” she screamed, hitting him as hard as she could.

  Flavius grabbed her by her hair and pulled her closer. “You are a liar. You plotted everything to get revenge. To get what you want, you would slaughter your entire family, and feel no regret as you wipe their blood from your hands. These men were unpredictable; they were ready to kill me. You don’t know what they did to me,” he yelled, lying about the way they treated him.

  “They didn’t hurt you at all!” she shouted.

  “And how do you know? Because these were your orders?”

  “No, because you returned safe and sound without a scratch,” she replied bitterly.

  “But how can Saul know about these two men?” Flavius asked. He was sure Saul got it right.

  “I told you he was lying.” She tried to wriggle from his grip.

  “Still, you got nervous,” Flavius muttered in her ears.

  “Flavius, you are accusing me of things I haven’t done.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “So, it is a lie that you blinded Saul?”

  She looked at Saul with narrowed eyes, planning how to get revenge for this as well.

  Flavius pulled her hair more, his cheek touching hers. “Answer me.”

  Claudia felt breathless for the terror.

  “ANSWER ME.” His self-control failed him, and he didn’t care. He wanted to lose control, to be able to act as he should have.

  She parted from him reaching the middle of the room. Her arms spread and her face contorted into a rageful mask. “Yes! I should have killed him instead. He cursed my marriage with you and my entire social life. He poisoned my air. I hate you, Saul. I HATE YOU!”

  “Why do you hate me so much, Mistress? I tried to please you. Nothing is enough for you. Nara and all the other slaves fear you rather than respect you. Why do you do this to us?” Saul asked in a low voice.

  “Because you are too beautiful, smart, and skilled, too good. I am jealous that a worthless slave can be considered better than me and take my place in my husband’s bed and heart. You don’t understand, Saul,” she said, tears streaming from her eyes.

  Saul felt her pain and somehow felt mercy. His eyebrows drew in.

  Flavius watched them, not sure he understood what was going on, but he trusted Saul. He wasn’t a liar, and the gods had given him a merciful spirit.

  “You harmed Saul just because he was better than you?” Flavius asked. “You should kill the entire world then because there is no one worse than you.”

  Bitter tears filled her eyes, but not for what she did to Saul. The only thing she regretted was that she hadn’t killed him. If she had listened to the advice of the man she commissioned with the job, she would never have been in that situation; she wouldn’t have needed to plan a fake kidnapping of her husband either. She fell to her knees, out of strength, hoping she could cover up enough to make him think it wasn’t her behind the kidnapping too.

  Flavius looked at her with disgust and drew closer to Saul. “I guess I can take it from here; you can leave now. Do you need any assistance to leave the room?” he asked. Kindness warmed his tone.

  “Master, are you sure you want me to go?”

  “I don’t know, but I think it is better if Claudia and I start to understand what happened between us. If you are worried I might lose control, I am afraid that your being here won’t make a difference. I don’t want you hurt, and besides, this is a question between my wife and me; you have nothing more to do with it. The question of your accident has been solved. I’ll call Nara,” he said as he exited the room.

  Chapter 24.

  The silence in the room was broken only by Claudia’s non-stop sobs. She looked at her tears falling on the floor. Saul did not have anything left to say. He knew she’d ordered him to keep his mouth shut, but he could not lie to Flavius. It was not just a question of loyalty between a slave and his Master; it was more a question of loyalty between two friends.

  A short while later, Flavius returned with Nara, who guided Saul out of the room.

  Alone now, Flavius sat on the couch, waiting for Claudia to regain her composure.

  She began, “It is not my fault our parents arranged our marriage, and you knew from the beginning that I didn’t like Saul. Why did you have to bring him to live with us?” she asked, standing up.

  “Do you mean it is entirely my fault that you hurt Saul? Should I blame myself for your despicable actions?” he asked, almost amused.

  “I mean that you are responsible for my cursed life, Flavius, but despite everything, I continued to love you. For some foolish reason, I can’t hate you.”

  “You don’t have the slightest idea of what love means. From your lips, it is a useless, foul, dirty word; almost a curse when you pronounce it.”

  “You know nothing.”

  “When my father announced to me that you would become my wife, I thought the entire world was collapsing around me. I asked for Saul because I needed to have somebody I could trust in my house; I have never liked you. I always considered you an empty, soulless person. Extremely beautiful, finely educated, smart, tasteful; however, an evil, cruel, selfish, and egocentric person. I couldn't love you, but, despite it all, I tried to make our lives a peaceful existence, but I failed. Achieving that target was impossible. Nothing was enough for you.”

  She tilted her head back and laughed with a hint of hysteria. “You tried everything? How did you try that? Spending every night in Saul’s bed, searching for pleasure in his body, when you should have spent your nights with me? How do you think I feel?” She spat, pounding her fist against her chest. “Don’t answer, I’ll tell you—humiliated and rejected.” She glared at him. “I felt like less than a slave, but of course, what do you care about a monster like me? I treat slaves the way they deserve, like be
asts. They have been our enemies; we fought against them, and we won. We are superior, and that’s the reason they are our slaves. You…you treat them almost as equals.” Her anger morphed into a mirthless chuckle. “How silly that seems to me.”

  “Don’t you feel anything for what you did to Saul?” he asked.

  “Of course, I do. I regret that I didn’t kill him,” she replied casually.

  “When did you decide you would punish Saul that way? Was it when you realized that, it would have been easier to get advantage of my absence? Was this the reason for my kidnapping?” he asked quietly, barely able to tolerate the bad taste in his mouth.

  “I told you I had nothing to do with that.” Her voice harshened, but she couldn’t hide a quivering timbre in it.

  “Who were those men? Do I know them?” he pursued.

  “STOP IT!”

  Flavius came closer and clutched her hands. “Stop lying to me; I don’t believe you!” His flashing eyes locked on hers.

  “I don’t know anything about it!” she replied, flames burning in her eyes.

  Grasping her by the shoulders, he shook her. “I don’t believe you.”

  She freed herself from his grip and ran toward the door. In two swift steps, Flavius caught her. They both fell on the floor.

  Flavius pinned her beneath him. “You are not going anywhere until you tell me what happened, because I don’t believe you. Saul knows something about it, so I will give you the chance to tell it yourself. Or maybe I should ask Nara.”

  She didn’t know how he could possibly know of the dream she had while unconscious. Fingers of fear encircled her soul and squeezed. She realized that no matter what, the truth would come out and she couldn’t stop it.

  He hit her head against the floor as he shook her.

  “Please, Flavius, let me go,” she cried.

  “The truth, Claudia.”,

  “It doesn’t matter anymore. Caius was right. I never had you, and I never will,” she said, crawling farther away from him.