Love's Pardon

by Darlene Mindrup

  Anna sat down next to her on the bed and squeezed her hand. The two women stared at each other in silent understanding, leaving Lucius isolated from their camaraderie. They had a communication that transcended words and Lucius was surprised to find himself envious of that bond.

  Anna gently pushed the hair away from his mother’s face and his mother sighed. He watched as the mandragora drug took effect and her lashes slowly drifted downward. Both physicians had put her fate into the hands of unseen beings that were ready to send her to the hereafter.

  He couldn’t accept their ready resignation of such a prognosis, however. Since Phlegon was an old-school physician, and Levi, by his own words, was lacking in knowledge, Lucius knew what he must do. He had to get his mother to Rome as soon as possible. He knew other physicians who had a more modern and complete understanding of the human body. There had to be something that could be done. He wasn’t about to lose his mother.

  He moved to the door, casting Anna and Levi a commanding look.

  “I need to speak with you.”

  Tapat took Anna’s place next to Leah, the tearstains on her face an indication of a recent weep. Satisfied that his mother was being watched, Lucius motioned with his head that the others were to follow him.

  Levi followed Lucius from the room, Anna close behind them. Lucius waited for them to exit before closing the door. He descended the stairs, his tense posture warning Anna that whatever he had on his mind was very serious and probably about to change her life again.

  Lucius stopped in the atrium and turned to them, his shoulders set in an uncompromising line.

  “I’m taking my mother to Rome.”

  Anna felt her heart drop in panic, her mind going blank as she tried to come to terms with all the implications of that one statement.

  Levi was the one who answered him. “To move her now would be dangerous.”

  Lucius studied his grandfather, several thoughts flitting across his face. That he didn’t trust Levi was obvious.

  “You say she has only a matter of time. How long?”

  Sighing, Levi shook his head hopelessly. “Only Elohim knows that. It could be days. It could be weeks, maybe even years.”

  The room settled into silence for several heartbeats. Anna watched Lucius struggle with his decision on what was best for his mother, his mouth finally pressing into a grim line.

  “I have decided. We are going to Rome. I will make certain that she is well cared for and protected from the elements.”

  He turned to Anna and she felt the full force of his persuasive personality in the look he gave her.

  “I want you to come too.”

  Astonishment gave way to pure horror. Did he even have any idea what he was suggesting? A Christian in Rome would be fair game for the enemies of Christ who were trying to annihilate them. And that included his mother. But, then, was it truly any better for them here in Jerusalem? Christians seemed to be hated everywhere. But, at least this was home.

  She slowly shook her head. “I cannot.”

  Lucius’s eyes darkened with animosity. “You would desert my mother after all she has done for you?”

  “That’s unfair, Lucius,” Levi objected heatedly. “You have no idea what you are asking of her.”

  “I have every idea. I’m asking her to give my mother the same courtesy that was given to her when she had nowhere to go and no one to rely on.”

  “She has Tapat,” Anna remonstrated, not wanting to usurp the other woman in Leah’s affections. Anna was very fond of Tapat and wouldn’t hurt her for the world.

  Anna couldn’t understand the look that passed across Lucius’s face.

  “Tapat can’t go. She needs to stay here. She has...obligations.”

  What obligations could the other woman have that would preclude her from leaving Jerusalem? The glare Lucius gave her warned her not to ask. But, if what he said was true, there was no way Anna could allow Leah to go to Rome on her own, especially not in her condition. Swallowing hard, she nodded her head slightly.

  “I will go.”

  Lucius released his breath, closing his eyes briefly. “Thank you.”

  Levi interrupted. “And if your mother refuses to go?”

  Anna didn’t like the smile that graced Lucius’s face. It hinted at a ruthlessness she had yet to encounter in him, reminding her again that he was very much a Roman.

  “Leave my mother to me.”

  Thinking she understood Levi’s objections, she told him, “You could come, as well.”

  He shook his head, his long, gray sideburns swaying from side to side. “No, my place is here. This is the place where my Lord walked for so long. I feel an affinity for Him here.”

  Anna understood. Despite her hard life, she loved Judea. The desert spoke to her in ways that a Roman coming from the green and fertile land of Italy couldn’t possibly understand.

  Lucius glanced from one to the other. “I will see about making arrangements for this house to sell and for immediate transportation to Caesarea Maritima.” He took Anna by the arm. “I will be at the Antonia. If anything happens to my mother, send for me at once.”

  Anna nodded her head and watched him until he exited through the door. She turned to Levi and found him watching her instead, one eyebrow lifted, but he said nothing.

  Coloring hotly, she wondered if the feelings that had suddenly descended upon her had been visible on her face. How was it possible to have such strong feelings for a man she had known for such a short time? Her feelings of gratitude had subtly evolved into something much stronger and much more confusing.

  Levi stroked his beard thoughtfully, staring up at Leah’s room. “I suppose I should go and pave the way for Lucius’s return.”

  “What is it that concerns you most, Levi?” Anna asked, realizing that something serious was on the old man’s mind.

  Levi sighed heavily. “If she really doesn’t want to go to Rome, I’m afraid the worry could kill her more quickly than staying here.”

  Anna set her shoulders resolutely. “Then we need to pray before we do anything.”

  Levi acted as though he hadn’t heard her. “My daughter will be walking into the very heart of Satan’s domain,” he mumbled, his shoulders sagging wearily. “I will never see her again.”

  Touched by his misery, Anna laid a hand on his shoulder. “You never know,” she disagreed.

  When he turned to her, Anna felt herself go cold all over. His eyes were glassy and his voice sounded hollow, like a temple priest who had just come from the Holy of Holies.

  “The beginning of birth pains.”

  Chapter 9

  Lucius watched a cargo ship glide through the stone column entrance of the port of Caesarea, awed by the marvel of man-made engineering that had been commissioned by King Herod many years ago.

  Herod had named the port city for his friend Augustus, and it was Jewish only in location. The spirit of this city was Roman, as were most of the buildings and trade, allowing Lucius to relax his guard for the first time since he had entered Israel. This city was like a miniature Rome, and he felt more at home here than anywhere in this wretched country.

  The harbor was lined with buildings of white marble and limestone, their walls glistening in the bright sunlight. Several ships were anchored here, workers busily scurrying about with amphorae of wine and salt, baskets of grain and a host of other supplies waiting to be loaded onto them.

  Several merchants had set up tents on the stone walkways to do their work out of the sun.

  Lucius made his way to a Roman galley anchored close by. A new group of legionnaires had debarked only this morning and would be replacing Lucius’s group. The waiting ship would then take him, his family and his troops back to Rome.

  Some unseen hand had provided the means by which h
e could leave Judea and return to his homeland. As he had been looking into a way to sell his mother’s villa, a post had arrived recalling his group to Rome. A new general would be taking over, one who was much more rigid than his predecessor. With tensions rising here and the threat of revolt a very real possibility, Rome was taking no chances.

  At the same time, one of the centurions stationed at the Antonia had mentioned to Lucius that he was looking for a villa in the upper city. In moments, a deal had been brokered and Lucius was free of any hindrances that might keep him here.

  Lucius walked up the gangplank that was still attached to the dock and met Andronicus at the top. He glanced quickly around at the hive of activity on the ship.

  “Has everything been made ready?”

  Andronicus nodded, a sardonic grin splitting his face. “Aye. Your cabin has been remade into a luxurious harem.”

  Lucius gave him a look that warned him that his attempt at humor was not appreciated, and Andronicus laughed, not at all disturbed by his superior’s vexation.

  “It has been made comfortable,” he amended, still grinning.

  “I only hope I’m not making a mistake,” Lucius told him, his brows drawing down into a frown. “I will never forgive myself if something happens to my mother on this trip.”

  Andronicus turned serious. “You are certain she was not poisoned?”

  Lucius watched a stuppator caulking the sides of the ship, his agile movements while hanging from a rope speaking of many years’ experience. “At this point, I’m not certain of anything.” He glanced back at his bodyguard. “But it seems highly unlikely. Apparently my mother has had a condition for some time that she failed to apprise me of.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Lucius recognized his condolences with a slight nod. “Let me check with the captain and I will let you know when we can leave. It will probably be several days, so take advantage of the entertainments here if you would like.”

  “I might do that. There’s a chariot race at the Hippodrome today I would like to see.”

  It had been some time since Lucius had been to a race. “I might join you.”

  Perhaps he could persuade Anna to attend with him. He was fairly certain that she had never seen a chariot race before, but would she like it?

  He parted from Andronicus wondering why he should even care.

  Anna got up from her seat next to Leah’s bed, brushed back the graying hair from her sleeping face and quietly walked out onto the balcony of the villa Lucius had brought them to. The house was owned by a friend of Lucius and he had welcomed them, literally, with open arms.

  Leah was doing much better, although her body was still half paralyzed. The frustration with her condition was evident in her dark eyes, but she never complained. Her speech was still slurred due to the paralysis on the left side of her face, but it was still understandable, at least more so now than in the beginning. She slept a lot, leaving Anna with a great deal of time on her hands.

  The Great Sea was visible in the distance, as was the busy harbor. Anna had never seen anything like it in her life. Never having been farther from her home in Bethany than Jerusalem, she had always thought that nothing could ever compare in beauty to Jerusalem, but she knew now that she was mistaken.

  This city was a glittering testament to Herod’s love of wealth. It was now Palestine’s major seaport and had been created, literally, out of the sand. Not being close to a freshwater source, the huge aqueducts in the distance were built to bring water from Mount Carmel nearly ten miles away. They spanned the desert sand for as far as the eye could see. No expense had been spared to make this city as much like Rome as possible.

  The thought brought her no pleasure. Here among all this wealth and beauty were dozens of statues and temples to the various gods the Romans favored. If this city was only a speck compared to the great Rome, as Lucius had told her, her heart quailed at the thought of the paganism she was about to live among.

  Noise from the courtyard below caught her attention. Three children, two boys and a girl, were chasing a small wooden ball around the yard. Anna recognized them as the children of the owner. The girl’s name was Cara, the oldest boy Cassius and the youngest Flavius. They were all under the age of ten with the girl being the youngest.

  Their laughter and squeals brought a quick smile to Anna’s face. Children were the same everywhere. Wasn’t that why the Lord had said that the kingdom of heaven was for such as them? Their uninhibited joy, their innocence. If she stretched past the pain in her memory, she could remember such a time herself.

  Cara stopped suddenly, her eyes widening with delight at something just beyond Anna’s vision. With a scream, she ran forward, dark hair flying out behind her, and met the man who was just coming into Anna’s sight. He lifted the child in his arms, hugging her fiercely and bringing on a fit of giggles from the girl.

  Anna recognized the man now. Petronius. He was the child’s father and the owner of this villa. His purple-trimmed toga showed that he had access to the Imperial Senate, yet Anna found him to be surprisingly spontaneous and friendly. Her perception of Romans had been colored by the only ones she had ever known, soldiers of the Roman army sent to bring her people into subjection, men like Lucius who had lost their ability to see past their orders.

  But then, that wasn’t exactly true either. What she had seen of Lucius in the past two weeks had altered her opinion of him greatly. His gentleness and care for his mother had impressed her considerably. No expense was spared in giving her comfort on this journey, and that care had been extended to Anna, as well. No, Lucius was a man like none she had ever encountered.

  Petronius carried his daughter over and joined his sons, who were quietly awaiting him. Petronius turned Cara until she was able to cling to his back. He then grabbed the ball Flavius was holding and threw it on the ground, kicking it with his foot.

  Cara screamed encouragement as the boys immediately joined in the game of keep-away.

  Petronius was a good father. It was obvious that he adored his wife and children.

  A sad smile tilted Anna’s lips. What would her life have been like with such a father? She would never know.

  Watching the children brought on a mood of melancholy. As for herself, she had given up long ago on the idea of marriage, but, oh, how she longed to have children and a home of her own.

  Perhaps in Rome she would find a man who would look past her plain appearance and lack of dowry but, after all she had been taught to believe, could she possibly marry a Gentile even if he was a Christian?

  Lately, whenever she tried to picture herself married, the tribune’s face seemed to hover in her mind. It bothered her a lot that she couldn’t banish the man from her thoughts, especially since he was not a believer.

  As though her reflections had conjured him, he walked into his mother’s room. Glancing at her sleeping form, he changed course and made his way to where Anna stood watching him guardedly.

  She could remember only one time when she had seen him out of uniform. Lucius’s formidable looks gave him the appearance of a man to be reckoned with, as she had already found out was true.

  Facing her, he leaned one arm against the balcony and glanced over at the garden. “What are you looking at?”

  He was too close for her peace of mind. Her heart’s tempo increased to a fevered pitch, her palms growing sweaty. She followed his look and realized the peristyle was now empty. “I was watching Petronius playing with his children,” she told him, moving slightly away from him to put more space between them. “He’s a very loving father.”

  Lucius’s smile lacked humor. “Something you and I would know nothing about.”

  Their eyes met and she could see the gleam in his that told her he had noticed her withdrawal from him. A warm spring breeze blew inward from the sea, molding her soft blue tunic agai
nst her and his look changed instantly to one she couldn’t interpret. She quickly turned away.

  “Perhaps that is so, but it is good to know that there are fathers who are not like ours.” She leaned both forearms against the balcony, watching the birds playing in the garden’s fountain spray. “Loving fathers. Just like Elohim.”

  Anna wasn’t looking at Lucius, but she felt him tense. She glanced his way and saw that any trace of humor had fled.

  “This Father God of yours who let His Son die on a cross, who allowed you to be abused, who is allowing my mother to die?” he asked coldly.

  Sighing, Anna asked him a question in return. “Did your mother ever ask you not to do something that you did anyway?”

  His narrow-eyed gaze clashed with hers. “Of course. What has that to do with anything?”

  “Your mother told me that when you were a small child she would tell you stories from the scriptures before you went to sleep at night. I know you are aware of the creation story, so you know that Elohim created a perfect world free of evil and sin. It was mankind that destroyed that.” She turned away again, unable to face his determined opinion. “It would be useless to argue that with you when you know it to be true.”

  “So it’s our free will that causes all the evil in the world?”

  He moved closer and this time it was she who tensed. She kept her gaze fixed firmly on the ships moving in and out of the harbor in the distance. He moved her hair from in front of her shoulder to behind it, and she caught her breath.

  “What of your life of brutality?” he asked her, his voice growing husky and sending alarm ringing through her mind. “Why should you be punished for something you had no control over?”

  It took a great effort on her part to be able to look him in the face again, and this time, there was no looking away. She was caught by the intensity of his expression.

  “If not for my father,” she told him softly, her own voice becoming huskier, “your mother and grandfather would never have been reunited. There is a purpose for everything, Tribune.”