And he was sure that she would never see the silver coin that her husband had just received.
He smiled.
They made the ascent. Weakened by seasickness, it took a good hour until they were up. To their surprise, they immediately met a fortified coastal road, and they followed according to the advice of the former Emperor to the southeast.
After an hour, they came to another military road, which had a signpost. From there, it led directly to Nemetacum. And another hour along the way, they reached a small village, where their money was interesting enough for the inhabitants. For new horses, their means were no longer sufficient but for a warm meal and a ride on the donkey cart of a merchant who had some space left and only gladly rented it to payable travelers. Treveri was also located in this province, and they had thought for a moment about going there. Ultimately, however, Valens had decided that it would be better to go directly into the care of friendly men of the local military administration instead of traveling incognito through the country for any longer.
With aching feet but full stomach and generally of good mood, the two refugees settled into the cart, staring tirelessly at the backs of the two donkeys and rattling the road eastward. The nausea subsided.
They had left Britain.
21
Rheinberg was glad to leave Trier. Making a journey that was supposed to be useful increased his willingness to say farewell to the Emperor’s court for a few days, and to abstain from its political stench.
Although, there was no real pleasure in his journey.
As Magister Militium, Rheinberg was no longer a private man, and as a figure of public life he had to travel in style. In this case, it meant that the “little excursion,” which he carried out on urgent requests from Engineer Dahms, led to quite a convoy of men and carts. Once he had told Gratian of his plans, coupled with the request not to make a great upheaval, the young Emperor, wisened in these matters, had only smiled.
Of course, this trip had in any case some benefits. There wasn’t only the fact that Dahms had arrived from Ravenna to accompany him on this trip. To be together with the engineer was a very pleasant change after weeks of political play. The clear, technical mind of the man and his focus on very tangible problems, all of which had to do with the improvements that they wanted to introduce in the Empire, were a salutary experience for Rheinberg. The engineer’s interest in the political developments was relatively limited; he had become completely engrossed in a multitude of other problems, for whose solution he now needed Rheinberg’s help. He did as he had been asked, because he had the feeling that the goal of their multi-day trip was of a highly symbolic nature.
The two Germans accompanied twenty horsemen from the emperor’s bodyguard, handpicked of course, and with the grim determination to protect the master of the army with their lives. Not that there was any threat to expect wherever they went. When he had informed Gratian about the destination of his excursion, the reaction of the Emperor had been happy. He knew the area well – his father had had a summer palace built nearby, where the young Gratian had often stayed. In recent years, however, the building had hardly been used and was only maintained by a group of servants. Of course, it was now planned to be a place of stay for the commander-in-chief, as there was hardly anything more appropriate in the area.
Along with the twenty armed men, Rheinberg and Dahms, who at the end successfully declined the use of carts for themselves, followed three donkey carts with supplies and servants.
Aurelia wasn’t with them.
On the day he had given signed her the certificate of liberation from the magistrate, he had returned to his villa in the evening and went to bed at once. When he had inquired about his former servant the following morning, he had been informed of the fact that she had packed her things, and Rheinberg had left no doubt that everything she owned was actually her property. She had disappeared from the house together with the document. He had also been reported that his order to give her a larger sum of money had been faithfully executed, and the young lady had received the purse without any comment.
Rheinberg hadn’t felt well, at least at the beginning. Then he scolded himself repeatedly. Had he really assumed that the young woman, who evidently felt “offended,” would stay with him voluntarily? As what? As another servant among many? What exactly had he hoped for?
Now that Rheinberg sat on his horse, which trotted along a rather bad road, all these thoughts came to his mind again. His face must have shown that he pondered not too gratifying thoughts, for Dahms looked at him frowning. Of course, he knew about the gift from Renna, but the very practical officer had never been inclined to gossip and never asked about her.
It was a while before the fresh morning drove the melancholy out of Rheinberg. That he had finally made the right decision, he was deeply convinced. As much as he obviously missed her presence, he felt in his stomach that he couldn’t have delayed it any longer. She was now in charge of her life. She made her own decisions. She now belonged to herself, was young, educated and adequately endowed with funds. She would go her way wherever it would lead her.
Rheinberg raised his head, looked at Dahms, and smiled. They were already on their way, and before they reached their destination they would be traveling for a few more hours at leisurely pace. They were in no hurry, especially Rheinberg. Leaving Trier and seeing a bit of nature was already worth the trip.
Dahms also looked around eagerly, but he searched for something special, the rationale for this trip.
He needed hard coal, as much and as soon as possible. His demands quickly revealed that the Romans were aware of hard coal but didn’t make much use of it. The main fuel was and remained wood or charcoal. Only in a few places in Germany, he had been told, coal would be mined as a locally used fuel – and, as chance would have it, one of these areas wasn’t too far from the current Emperor’s residence. And it had yet another symbolic meaning that hadn’t escaped even the practical thinking of Dahms.
It was already dusk when the river became visible. The military road led directly to the bridge, which bent over the winding water. On the other side, one clearly could see a stone fort, manned with a small garrison of about two hundred men guarding the trade routes, the small localities nearby, and not least the summer palace erected by Valentinian. It was a peaceful afternoon. This was a quiet area, marked by agriculture, where the eruptions shattering the rest of the Empire had simply passed by. Rheinberg bridled his horse, and the whole column came to a standstill. Dahms looked around. From the top of the hill, they had a beautiful view of the river, which in their time was called the Saar. And there, around the fort, was the market patch close to the Saar, the Vicus Sara, Saravicus, the ancient forerunner settlement to the city which would name their ship, Saarbrücken. They had, in a fashion, arrived home.
Rheinberg had once visited Saarbrücken – the city of his time. It was a dynamic, growing place, in a region benefiting from the boom in coal and steel production, an industrial center of the German Reich and of great importance for the German arms industry. He had visited the castle of the Count of Saarbrücken, an open, spacious building that didn’t resemble a castle, but rather a summer palace, a place of relaxation. Rheinberg turned to the left and peered down the river. Somewhere over there, the castle would be built in the future. The fort lay a little farther, at another, strategically important place close to the Saar.
Dahms cleared his throat. “Somehow everything is missing – every reference to what we know. And yet I have the feeling of … I don’t know …”
“Endurance,” Rheinberg helped. “The same thing von Geeren told me about when he looks at the city gate in Trier, which still exists in our time. It is something that can outlast everything else, something that can’t be lost.”
Dahms nodded. He couldn’t describe it any better.
As it was slowly getting late, they would just try to reach the palace
before nightfall, spend the night there, and then head for the coal mining area. They had been promised a local guide. Here, the hard coal was systematically mined from the ground, and there was also a small iron industry, which made use of these deposits – another parallel to the Saarland Rheinberg once had visited. If everything was as Dahms hoped, it would be an opportunity to start industrial coal mining and to send the proceeds to the south as quickly as possible. Dahms had great plans, and he needed fuel to realize them, quite apart from the fact that the functionality of the cruiser depended heavily on it.
They reached Valentinian’s summer palace at nightfall. Slaves with torches and lamps came to meet them as the large outer gate opened and let them in. Of course, their impending arrival had been announced, and everything was well prepared. The major-domo, who immediately reminded Rheinberg strongly of Felix, approached quickly, and asked them, with repeated bows, to join him to the main house where food and drink had been prepared. Rheinberg took care that his companions were well taken care of, and he didn’t miss the grateful glances of his bodyguards when he showed concern for their welfare.
It wasn’t long before Dahms and Rheinberg were sitting alone in a large room, which had once served as a study for Valentinian. It had taken a while before the major-domo had been assured that everything was fine, and that they really wanted to be left alone. Rheinberg enjoyed the hubbub now.
“How are things with the Saarbrücken?” he asked finally, after pouring a cup of wine for his engineer. The local supplies unfortunately didn’t include beer, as Dahms had to accept with a certain regret.
“All is well. Joergensen and Langenhagen have the crew well under control.”
“What about the mutineers?”
“I have nothing negative to report. Most are grateful for the second chance and behave exemplary. All of the crew are doing well. Those who are somewhat intelligent have been assigned into the great training program – either they teach Romans or learn something from the officers. The Latin and Greek courses are accepted more and more, even by those who have muttered their disgust before.”
Dahms grinned and took a sip. “This is due to the fact that we have been able to allow quite some shore leave because of the long time the Saarbrücken is lying down, and the men have obviously become interested in the local ladies. In any case, there has been some positive development.” Then the smile left his face. “We have to make some important decisions, Captain. Not all of the men are wildly screwing around, only interested in their fun without commitment. There are decent fellows among them, many at home … in our old days … had a bride with serious intentions. They haven’t suddenly become different persons. Some of the men have sincerely fallen in love and want to make it official.”
“There is no marriage registration in the Empire, as we know it,” Rheinberg reminded. “There is not even a formal ecclesiastical ceremony.”
Dahms nodded heavily. “We thought about it. We have also discussed the matter with the Bishop of Ravenna. It seems as if he has a great interest in the liturgy we have brought from our time. The idea of a formal marriage ceremony has fallen on fertile soil. And as for the administrative act …” Dahms shrugged. “… the captain may marry anyone according to old custom. Langenhagen and Joergensen can do it in your absence. We should find a solution that satisfies everyone. Above all, we should allow marriage, even without individual case examination. People have to settle down, if only to forget, well … at least the pain missing those forever unattainable for us.”
Dahms looked at Rheinberg with a stony face. He had left his wife and child in the Germany of the future. One of the reasons why he had plunged so hard into his work since they arrived was surely an effort to forget the notion of ever seeing them again. All those who had been stranded here without a firm attachment, like Rheinberg himself, would certainly have it easier.
For a moment, he thought of Aurelia. He corrected himself. It was simpler for those who were able to properly communicate with a woman. The new Magister Militium of Rome apparently didn’t belong into this category.
He sighed. “I’m far from the shot, and it’s hard to make these kinds of decisions,” he finally admitted. “Get in touch with the other officers and find a solution, and have my blessing. But sooner or later will the men not want to leave the ship in order to have a proper family life?”
Dahms nodded. He poured himself some more wine and frowned at the candied fruit, which stood in a bowl on the table. “This will happen. It’s not imminent, but it’ll come. And we won’t be able to hold anybody back. Think of Volkert.”
Rheinberg grimaced. “Heard anything of him?”
“No, nothing. He has disappeared into thin air. We have evidence that he was involuntarily conscripted into the Roman army. But we lost his track and, well, we didn’t particularly push the matter. It’s no use to hunt the poor boy across the Empire. We can get around to taking care of him when other matters are settled, and the Romans can ignore the fact that we want to pardon a deserter as much as a mutineer. The matter with the Senator’s daughter is the problem. The Romans are very prudish and self-confident. We have to allow the grass to grow densely over this issue.”
“You talked quite differently some time ago, Mr. Engineer,” Rheinberg replied. “Are you getting soft?”
“I’m getting older. And I see how hard everything is here. And how badly we were initially organized. Volkert shouldn’t have to pay for this. I understand things better now. The only one I’d like to see hanging from a tree is von Klasewitz. And Tennberg, the weasel.” Dahms raised his hands. “And before you ask: No, no one knows where they are. And that gives me much more headaches than young Volkert’s whereabouts.”
“I share the same concerns.”
“Von Klasewitz really worries me. He hasn’t failed forever just because his mutiny didn’t work. And he didn’t act alone. He had allies.”
“We still know little about his backers.”
“What about this Maximus – who was involved, in our history, in the downfall of Gratian?”
Rheinberg sighed. “This discussion about him evolves almost daily in Trier. He hasn’t been guilty of anything in this course of time – or he is acting more cautiously than we would have liked. I cannot reproach him for his deeds in another timeline – in another world. This could trigger a witch hunt, because Maximus wouldn’t be the only one to look out for.”
“But we keep him in mind?”
“General Malobaudes has made this his personal task. If it were for him, we would dismiss the Comes from all responsibilities and kill him right away, only for the dear soul to find rest. I have opposed this notion, and so far Malobaudes has accepted. But he is the right man for the task of watching Maximus. He sent spies to Britain and reports to us regularly. Unfortunately, it always takes a long time for those reports to reach us.”
Dahms smiled. “This can be remedied. My plans for a telegraph network are ready. As soon as we have enough electricity, it won’t be a major technical problem to put at least a primitive, military facility into operation.”
Rheinberg nodded. “Better today than tomorrow. We are barely able to cope with all the projects, and we are limited in our resources. You have taken this long trip for this very reason. The coal we can mine, but men with the necessary technical knowledge and abilities can’t be excavated with any shovel!”
Dahms nodded his head and continued to smile. He had hardly anything to say to counter this assertion. He looked into the fire the slaves had ignited in one of the mighty chimneys, which was both a source of warmth and of light. Then he sighed. “I’d really like to know what happened to Volkert,” he murmured softly. “Damn, the boy makes me really feel sorry.”
Rheinberg didn’t reply.
22
“Bertius, stop whining.”
The fat legionary grimaced as Volkert turned to him. He labored hard on his ho
rse. The first twenty miles on the caterpillar of the expeditionary army, he’d tried to preserve some dignity. In the evening he’d gone to bed with loud complaints. Volkert had avoided divesting him for guard service, for that would have been a torture for his comrades. Now, two weeks after their departure from Noricum and with the instruction to increase the marching speed a little each day, the cavalry troops made a good four miles a day. Most of the foot soldiers, who had been selected because of their basic ability to hold on to a horse, now sat in the saddle like Alannian veterans. They rejoiced in the new invention of the stirrup and the fact that their back muscles were put to the test, but legs and feet stayed unmolested.
Except for Bertius.
This was by no means due to the fact that he couldn’t ride. His heroic stories about the breathtaking escape from Germanic enemies were undoubtedly invented, but the basic prerequisite, namely the fact that the legionary knew perfectly well how to use a horse, was absolutely correct. Volkert had seen Bertius, when he thought being unobserved, cultivate his riding-animal with almost loving thoroughness. He tied it neatly, dried it, gave him food, and whispered encouraging and friendly words in his ear. The horse was obviously satisfied with the attention it received from his master, as it was never disobedient, willingly followed directions, and sometimes even looked around for his master when he was too distant.
But Bertius wouldn’t be Bertius if he didn’t find grounds for complaint. And he was grateful for any kind of audience: his comrades, his Decurion, his Centurion, and even the occasional senior officer, in whose ears he found attention. He had received two penalties, not from Volkert, but rather a highly annoyed tribune, who simply couldn’t stand the chatter anymore.
Bertius, of course, didn’t budge. Anyone who managed to doze off in the saddle during the day while his horse followed the line of the other horses with remarkable discipline, and without being asked to do so, was able to withstand minor infringements on his ability to complain.
The Emperor's Men 3: Passage Page 21