by T. A. Uner
The cart rumbled past an inn. There he saw a stable boy feeding a horse. The animal was lathered, no doubt having completed an extended journey.
The boy looked up and stared at Reptilius suspiciously.
“Hey there, boy!” Reptilius called out.
The boy stood, petrified. Reptilius figured the child was intimidated by his black helm and scaled breast plate. He stopped the cart. The boy approached him.
“Yes…s-s-Sir?” he asked nervously.
Reptilius laughed and tossed a denarius at the boy who nearly dropped it.
“What is this for Sir?” he said before scratching his head. “We d-don’t have any rooms available.”
“Not looking for a room, kid,” Reptilius said, “I’m looking for information.”
“What type of information, s-s-Sir?”
“Did a man wearing a Leopard pelt pass through here lately?”
The boy thought hard and shook his head. “I-I d-don’t know, but the innkeeper m-might b-be able to help y-you. His name is Y-Yorkon,” he stammered. “He’s my f-father.”
Reptilius climbed down from his cart. “I’ll ask him.” Reptilius walked toward the entrance, then stopped and turned to face the boy. “Whatever you do child, don’t get too close to Sawtooth. He’ll take your arm right off! Hee! Hee!”
Inside the inn’s lobby was a man sitting in a leather chair, sleeping. Reptilius walked up to the front desk and rang a small hand bell. It woke the sleeper. A moment later a heavy-set one-eyed man lumbered up to him and shot him a friendly smile.
“Can I help ye?” he asked. From his accent Reptilius figured he was a Goth.
“Looking for someone. Maybe you can help?”
“Depends who it is.”
“Looking for a man they call the Leopard King.”
The Goth stared at him and shook his head. “Never heard of him. Now if ye won’t be needin’ a room can I interest ye in a meal?”
“No,” Reptilius said. His instincts told him this man was lying to him. Years of living in the marshes had refined his senses. But he was pressed for time and had no desire to make the boy an orphan. He turned around and left the inn. As he walked out he noticed the sleeping man in the lobby was gone. Outside he was greeted by a sharp gust of cold air that whistled around him.
“Hey, you!” someone said. The voice emanated from a shrub near the front gate of the inn. Reptilius walked over to it. Looking around he noticed the stableboy was gone.
“Here! Psssst!” the voice said. Reptilius looked around and saw the man from the lobby sitting on a small rock. Eyes red, he looked drunk.
“What do you want?”
“I can help you,” the man said.
“How?”
“Yorkon, the innkeeper, he knows this Leopard King you are seeking.”
“I know,” Reptilius said, “what is that to you?”
“For a price, I can tell you where he is.”
“How about I let you live,” Reptilius said. He drew his hand ballistae and pointed it at the man’s head.
“You’d shoot an unarmed man?”
Reptilius shrugged. “Talk.”
The man looked at Reptilius with contempt. “This Leopard King you seek. He passed through here a few weeks ago. Told Yorkon he was heading northeast to find some old wizard named Hradack.”
“Wizard?” Reptilius scoffed. “I’ve heard that all wizards are dead.”
“Not this one. There! I told you, now don’t kill me.”
“I suppose I’ll let you live,” Reptilius said.
The man turned around and shuffled off.
“Hey!” Reptilius said.
The man turned around. Reptilius tossed him a brass sestertius. “For your trouble.”
After climbing onto his cart Sawtooth hissed at Reptilius. “I know, boy, you must be hungry. Let’s find you a chicken or two.”
{V}
Wolfsbane would avenge his son, and if Serpentus stood in his way he would deal with him as well. He had agreed to help the Snake Lord but promises were made to be broken. He was back inside the comfort of his Alcazar, surrounded by his Wolfguard. He sat on his throne and contemplated his next move.
“Father?” Tiranus said.
“What is it?”
“Do you mean to do this Snake Lord’s bidding?”
“You know we serve no one but ourselves!”
“Forgive my insolence, Father.”
“Fetch me the harpy witch!” Jarkos said. “I am in need of her skills.”
“Maeva?” Tiranus smirked. “I don’t like her, father, she is…unpredictable.”
“Unpredictable is what I need. Do as I command.”
Tiranus nodded and ordered the witch be summoned immediately. She arrived, four Wolfguard in tow who watched her intensely. Her yellow eyes gleamed from beneath the shadow of her hooded cloak. She bowed her head respectfully to Jarkos. “How may I serve you, my Lord?”
“I am in need of your services, Maeva,” he said. “Can you curse something for me?”
A smile spread across Maeva’s black lips. “But of course,” she told him. “For what purpose?”
“I have my reasons,” Jarkos replied. “I’ll have my Wolfguard bring a Demonsteel cage to your sanctum.”
She bowed again. “As you wish, my Liege.” He dismissed her and she shuffled off to tend to her duties.
Tiranus watched her disdainfully. When she was out of earshot he said, “I don’t know what you see in that old hag.”
Jarkos smiled. “She has powers, my son. Powers that we can harness for our own use.”
“Still, I don’t like those old Cultists,” Tiranus said. “Their powers are sinister.”
“They are not much different than us,” Jarkos told his son. “Now we should focus our attention to finding this Leopard King. We shall have his blood, and, I mean to collect on that debt.”
“The men are ready to ride,” Tiranus said.
“Good! Take Byrock Blackheart, fifty of our best riders, a handful of Wolfguard and two dozen attack wolves. Use the information Maeva gave us to track this Leopard King.”
“I would rather use the scouts to find him, Father,” Tiranus said.
Jarkos pointed a long, bony finger at his son. “She sees visions, and I happen to trust those visions! I will hear no more dissent from you on this matter.”
Tiranus nodded and left the throne room.
He is still impulsive, Jarkos thought. The curse of youth.
He thought about his vengeance, and how sweet it would taste once he had this Leopard King. Not even the Snake Lord could deny him that.
{VI}
The banquet hosted by Caligula was like nothing Eliana had witnessed in her life. People ate and drank amidst much merriment, but the advances Caligula made upon nearly every woman in the room was quite carnal. Eliana made sure to keep her distance from the psychotic ruler who had begun his rule amidst much hope and fanfare, only to have it descend into a realm of salaciousness. Every rumor she had heard about Caligula’s sexual perversions was true as he often invited women of rank to dine with him and their husbands before excusing himself during the meal to copulate with them. Only a few moments ago he had returned with one senator’s wife, a lady called Persephone, and explained in explicit detail his sexual escapades.
“It was quite good really,” Caligula said as his guests laughed nervously.
What else could they do? Eliana thought. If they didn’t he’d have them killed or maimed, but not before humiliating them.
She almost regretted taking this position. She hadn’t been able to learn anything new about his latest plans to eradicate the Dryads. She looked at Cassius Chaerea who was enduring Caligula’s latest mockery of Claudius, who had been forced to juggle fruit while standing on a chair with one foot while his nephew hurled food at him.
When he tired of watching Claudius’ escapades, he dismissed his uncle and turned toward Eliana. “You! Girl! Refresh my wine cup,” he said.
Eliana caught a glimpse of Chaerea who nodded at her before she went to refill Caligula’s cup. The emperor leered at her like a depraved animal.
He could easily pass for a dog, Eliana thought. But even a dog would have more compassion in it than this tyrant.
“You look somewhat familiar,” Caligula said. “Where have I seen you before?”
Eliana blushed. “I am new here Excellency,” she replied politely, “hired at the bequest of your uncle Claudius.”
Caligula laughed. “That idiot hired you?”
“It is true, Excellency” Cassius Chaerea added. “Your respective uncle did indeed hire her.”
“What is your name, girl?”
“Adele,” Eliana said, using the false identity Claudius had provided for her.
Caligula wrapped a sweaty arm around her and she nearly went for her dagger. She would like nothing more to put the blade through Caligula’s throat. He had earned it.
“As a God of Rome, I welcome you to my palace, Adele,” Caligula said before belching in Eliana’s face. She smelled the wine on his foul breath and it almost made her gag. Caligula then stood up and passed out onto the floor. Much to the surprise of his guests.
Chaerea approached Eliana. “You best leave now,” he whispered into her ear as guards carried the unconscious emperor out of the dining hall. She excused herself and left also. As she headed toward the pantry she heard footsteps behind her. Turning around she saw it was only Claudius. She exhaled in relief.
“I am sorry to have startled you, my dear girl,” Claudius said.
“Not as sorry as I was to have to endure your nephew’s lewd behavior.”
Claudius looked at her understandingly. “I have news for you.”
“About the Dryads?”
Claudius nodded. “My nephew claims to be having dreams about them. Apparently these visions are ordering him to detain them.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Eliana replied.
“There is more.” Claudius swallowed hard and wiped his sweaty brow with a handkerchief. “He plans on finding the chief Dryad, Myrrdin Brightstar, and executing him publicly.”
Eliana’s jaw dropped.
Myrrdin?
“Where did you learn this?”
“My w-w-wife,” Claudius stammered. “In my house, I overheard her speaking to one of her friends. With her powerful political connections she is often privy to matters of the state Caligula would not dare to mention in my presence.”
“Why? He doesn’t consider you a threat to his authority.”
“True,” Claudius said before he looked around to see if he was being watched, “still, he doesn’t trust me.”
Eliana thought hard. “I need you to do me a favor, Claudius.”
He looked at her neurotically. “W-what?”
“I want you to get Messalina drunk, I mean really drunk. It’s very important you do this.”
Claudius rubbed his chin contemplatively. “That shouldn’t prove too difficult. She drinks and pisses herself regularly. But how will this help us?”
“I need you to see if you can learn more details about how they plan to kill Myrrdin.”
“Why don’t I ask Chaerea? That would be easier.”
Eliana shook her head. “That’s even riskier, if you two are caught you could both be executed. Or worse, you could be tortured and betray the rest of our movement.”
“I see your point. I suppose I could pull this off. It’s not like she remembers what she’s done after her drunken escapades.”
Eliana smiled. It was the first time she had felt herself smiling since the night she and Lorien had been together.
“Good. I’ll hold back contacting Myrrdin until after you’ve spoken to Messalina.”
“I’ll try your plan tomorrow night and get back to you,” Claudius said. “I’ll contact you when I’ve learned something.”
“We’ll meet at the Lupercal cave,” she said before they parted ways. Each carefully took their leave separately to avoid detection.
Eliana lay in her bed, trying to comprehend the conflicting feelings she was having. The night she had spent with Lorien was like nothing she had experienced before. They had explored one another’s bodies in a manner that differed greatly from her experience with Tullus. Still, she had known Lorien was attracted to her for quite some time. Now that they had consummated their relationship, Eliana felt it could only complicate their mission.
She turned her thoughts to Myrrdin. She wanted to send message to him to warn him, but that would be too risky. She would have to be patient and wait for Claudius to learn more about the plot before acting. Her father had always told her that impulsive behavior brought dire results. It was one of the few redeeming traits she found in him.
Not able to sleep she dressed and left her room. Careful not to attract unwanted attention, she wandered the palace grounds. She recalled the day Norbanus had given her and her father a brief tour shortly before encountering Tullus. Her heart filled with happiness when she thought of him before a pang of guilt stung her conscience. She eased Lorien’s image from her mind.
A hand grabbed her arm and she instinctively reached for her dagger before she found herself staring into the wizened face of Arsis Proudfeather. He released her.
“My apologies, Lady Eliana,” he said.
“Arsis? What are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” he said.
“Neither could I,” she said before rubbing her sore arm. “But I go by the name of Adele now, please don’t make that mistake again. It could spell the end of us both.”
The former griffin trainer nodded. “Have you learned anything?”
“It’s worse than I expected. They’re planning to capture and kill Myrrdin,” Eliana whispered.
“I must get word to him,” Arsis said.
“No! We cannot risk detection. Claudius is trying to learn more about the plot. I promised him I would not take action until he reported back to me.”
Arsis scowled. “All this waiting is making me sick,” he said disgustedly before producing a small wineskin from his belt and taking a pull.
“How can you drink at a time like this?” she asked.
“It calms me,” Arsis replied, “maybe you should have some.” He extended the wineskin to her but she pushed it away. He took another pull.
“What have you learned in the stables?” Eliana asked.
“Only that Caligula spends an absurd amount of time and money on Incitatus,” Arsis said. “But I did hear something the other day that caught my attention.”
“Such as?”
“He claims a powerful voice is speaking to him. Someone named Serpentsong.”
The name held no relevance to Eliana. But she noticed that Arsis looked disturbed. “Arsis? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“Aye, I know this name. If what I hear in the stables holds true, it is a dangerous one.”
“Tell me,” she pleaded.
“Do you know anything about the Cultists?”
Eliana shook her head. “Not much, these days those topics are shunned.”
“I know,” Arsis said before coughing into his fist. “When I served as griffin trainer, that name was spoken often inside the Paladus. It is the appellation of a dangerous man…Afaa Quetznāgal. He was once a Cultist who once served the Serpent Cult.”
Eliana didn’t know much about the Serpent Cult other than they had been involved in a destructive conflict related to The Serpent Wars. “So, this Serpentsong is speaking to Caligula?”
“Hard to say. Afaa is supposed to be dead, but if he is alive, perhaps he is behind Caligula’s sudden persecution of the Dryads. It would explain a great many things. If the Cultists are attempting a revival, eliminating the Dryads would be the first logical step. They were allies of the Air Paladins.”
Things were worse than Eliana anticipated, but at least they were piecing together the mystery. She remembered what Claudius had told her about Caligula’s vision
s. They were likely associated to the voices Caligula was hearing.
“We must find this SerpentSong and put an end to his hold over Caligula.”
“That won’t be easy, Lady Eliana, I mean Adele,” Proudfeather said. “He could be hundreds of leagues away, hiding. But even if we could find him, we’d be no match for him. He has powers beyond our understanding.”
“There has to be a way to break Afaa’s spell,” Eliana insisted.
“There is a way,” Arsis replied cautiously, “but it could cost us our lives.”
{VII}
“War is upon us and there may be no stopping our enemies,” Nilox said.
“We’re isolated here,” Decimus began, “but if we could get word out perhaps the Emperor could send another Legion to assist us.”
“I’ve tried that many times in the past,” Eolus said irritably. They sat around a table planning the war: Eolus, Decimus and Nilox, plus the Camp Prefect, a man named Leonius Cato, and two experienced tribunes from Eolus’ staff named Albinus and Faustus. Decimus could feel every man’s trepidation.
Leonius stared at Decimus and smiled. “I bet you regret your promotion to the 21st, eh Decimus?” he said jokingly. A few of the Tribunes laughed nervously. Decimus liked Leonius. He was of modest birth, like himself, and a long-serving military veteran that had tirelessly worked his way up the Legionary ranks to earn his position as Prefect.
“No, Prefect,” Decimus said. “I knew they wouldn’t send me up here to be a milkmaid.”
This time they all laughed. It was good to have eased their nerves, Decimus thought.
“Perhaps we could negotiate a temporary truce?” Eolus said. His words were met with grumbling and criticism from his staff.
“You mean negotiate with these savages?” Albinus said. “With all due respect, Legatus, that is madness!”
The men started arguing amongst themselves before Eolus held up his hands and called for order. “What other options do we have? Sit here and wait for them to starve us out?”
“The Legatus is correct,” Decimus added. “Anything beats starving to death.”
Leonius nodded his head. “I concur with our Legatus and Primus Pilus, Decimus.”