The Barbarian's Mistress

by Glover, Nhys

  As more recriminations piled up in his mind, he hurriedly cut and gathered branches. Then he dragged them back to camp, tripping over several times in the dark on the uneven ground.

  He saw her huddled outline on the edge of the blanket, much as she’d been when he’d left. This angered him. She was supposed to have eaten. Why did he bother providing for her if she wouldn’t eat?

  ‘Move the blanket next to the side of the carrus,’ he snapped at her.

  She jerked upright in shock and scurried to do his bidding. Then he leaned the longest branches against the side of the chariot with the blanket beneath. He took the shorter, more flexible branches and wove them between the uprights. While he worked, she didn’t question him. Instead, she seemed to anticipate his needs and began to move their possessions under the low-slung carrus.

  By the time the wind began to get up, they had a small lean-to ready for habitation, and they were able to crawl inside. Vali wrapped his cloak around his shoulders and braced himself against the carrus wheel, drawing his mistress in beside him so he could wrap the cloak around her too. They both bent their knees up to keep them away from the edges of the prickly fir.

  Once they were settled, they waited silently as the storm grew outside. Vali felt the tension in Lara’s body as if it was his own. She was frightened of him, obeying him out of fear rather than affection, as she’d done before his revelation. How could he blame her for being nervous around him, after the punishing kiss he’d forced on her. She must be waiting in terror for him to attack her again.

  The sudden downpour was expected, but its ferocity was shocking. The branches around them shifted and bent under the pounding onslaught. His companion snuggled in closer, despite herself, as the wet wind lashed at the edges of their makeshift shelter and drips found their way through the thick foliage.

  Vali tightened his arms around her, feeling the first taste of contentment in the very long day. With her soft body pressed against his side, it was easy to forget the tensions between them. It was easy to forget that they were on different sides of an impenetrable wall. It was easy to think of them simply as a man and a woman, united against the elements.

  He could smell her, beneath the dirt and sweat they both wore. His nostrils flared as he caught the warm musky scent. Without realizing he was doing it, he rubbed his cheek against her hair that still smelled faintly of citrons. She lifted her head, as if trying to see his face in the pitch blackness. His hand that clutched his sword to his right side suddenly released that prize and felt for another.

  Tentatively, his fingers traced her cheek and pushed her bedraggled hair back from her hot, damp face. When she lifted her chin a little higher, he cupped her jaw in the palm of his hand and held it in place as he lowered his lips to where he knew her forehead would be. He kissed her gently there. Then, when she made no move to draw away, he kissed her small nose.

  Vali dare not do more. If he claimed her mouth, it wouldn’t take long for his harsh desires to resurface, trapped as they were in this warm cocoon. And if he loosened the reins on his desire he would terrify her even more. He wasn’t sure he could be with her as she needed, gently, tenderly. Those finer feelings had been driven out of him, if he’d ever felt them at all. Whether he wanted to or not, he would hurt her, destroy her sweet innocence, and any lingering trust she might feel for him.

  As if to support his noble self-control, the cold reality of their situation came home to him as one of the woven branches snapped and flew away, letting the rain find access to their snug shelter. Reluctantly, he put her aside, reaching up to close the breach as best he could.

  Already the wind was easing and the rain seemed less heavy. The summer storm, so suddenly upon them, would soon pass.

  When he settled down again, she dropped her head onto his chest and burrowed in, trying to escape the increasing amount of water that was getting through their bower. He let himself stroke her hair, but made no move to touch her further. It was enough that she was now relaxed against him, all tension evaporated. A start.

  Lara pressed her head into Vali’s warm chest, relaxed for the first time since that long ago morning. She was so tired, so bone weary she didn’t know how she stayed awake, even with the storm raging around them, and the cold splashes of water that made their way through their makeshift shelter onto her head. The coarse wool cloak was protection, but even that would soon be soaked through.

  She tried not to remember Vali’s anger earlier. It didn’t help to think about that awful savaging of her mouth. If there had been any doubt in her mind that this Vali wasn’t the man of her childhood, then that attack had been evidence enough. Even after she’d apologised, he’d remained closed to her, keeping her at a distance, furious with her.

  But now it was as if the old Vali was back. He held her so gently, so protectively. When he’d rubbed his cheek against her hair, she hadn’t known how to take that gesture. And looking up to try to see his expression, to read his mood, hadn’t helped. The darkness around them was absolute. When his hand had come up to stroke her cheek, she wanted to cry. This was her Vali, this gentle giant, touching her with tentative strokes, afraid he would scare her away. When he’d pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and then to her nose, she had felt her heart begin to beat faster. Not with fear. It beat with expectation, excitement, wanting him to kiss her mouth next.

  But he had gone no further, kept it brotherly. And though she was disappointed, it was far better than what he’d done before. How could she keep him like this? What did she have to do to help him let go of his rage and become this man. There was no reason for him to wear a mask now. So this Vali was real. And somehow she would help him win the battle with the other.

  As the rain eased up and the wind dropped, Lara felt exhaustion take over. Her last impressions, before oblivion claimed her, were of a steady heartbeat thundering against her ear, and the slow, reassuring strokes of fingers through her hair.

  When she woke again, it was to find herself lying full length against her Norseman, the canopy above them gone. Still groggy with sleep, she looked up at the twinkling stars. There seemed to be so many of them it would take a hundred lifetimes to count them all.

  Vali’s breathing was deep and relaxed. If she moved, she knew he would be awake instantly. So she remained where she was, head pillowed on his heavily muscled shoulder, arm stretched across his chest, holding him to her in sleep, just as he held her, his left arm curled around her, big hand placed possessively on her hip. The cloak was damp against her skin, but the night was hot and so it was bearable. In fact, for all the hardness of the ground, the smell of their filthy bodies, the incessant mosquitoes buzzing around their heads, and worries about her father, she realised she was happy. Content. Free.

  With that realisation, she smiled and allowed herself to drift back into sleep.

  When she woke again it was to find Vali gone. She jerked upright and scanned their campsite for some sign of him. He wouldn’t leave her, would he? Certainly, he was angry enough to do so yesterday, but then they’d had those moments in the storm. Surely they meant he felt enough for her to stay? At least until Pompeii.

  She struggled to her feet and began to search in earnest. The horses were gone!

  Just as she felt panic rising, she caught sight of him in the distance, watering the horses at the canal. It was pre-dawn, and no canal boats had started to move along the waterway yet. And she knew there weren’t any other travellers camped nearby. Vali always made sure of that. So once again she was struck by their utter isolation. It was as if they were the only two people in this marshy world.

  Taking the opportunity to relieve herself, she hurried into the trees. Then she began to sort out their possessions from under the carrus. Surprisingly, the storm had not reached them and everything was in good order. She pulled out a spare tunic and undergarments from her bag. The clothes she wore were filthy and damp, smelling as foul as the marshland itself. If anyone who had known Anniana saw her now, they wouldn’t
recognise her.

  With quick efficiency, she removed her clammy clothing, feeling the fresh morning air caress her bare skin. Soaking a little of their fresh water onto the edge of her discarded tunic she washed her body as best she could. Then she donned the fresh, dry clothing. Finally, she unbound her hair and ran her comb through the tangled mess. It was filthy, and no amount of daubing at it with the edge of cloth would change that. But at least with it combed and rebound, she looked tidy. Lara was complete.

  She heard the horses before she saw them, bent over their food stocks as she was. When she looked up, fearful of what she would see, her heart gave a little dance. Vali grinned at her, his face freshly washed, his beard shaved. Even his hair was damp and combed flat. And he had donned a fresh tunic, just as she had.

  ‘Ah, I see you had my idea. Smelling like the swamp was getting to me.’ Vali tethered the horses to a nearby tree and came to sit on the blanket with her.

  ‘I just needed clean, dry clothes,’ she said with a tentative smile, carefully feeling her way with his mood. He seemed to be the gentle Vali, but who knew how long that would last?

  Vali accepted a slab of bread soaked in oil with a chunk of roast meat on the top. He wolfed it down as if he hadn’t eaten for weeks. Then he drained a mug of watered wine.

  ‘That’s better,’ he said as he reclined beside her on the rug that had so recently been their bed. ‘I didn’t get to eat last night and my stomach was complaining about it.’

  ‘More? There’s still plenty.’

  He nodded and watched with a contented smile as she prepared him another offering. She had already eaten as much of the meat as she could stand and managed some stale bread, soaked in oil to soften it up. At home she rarely ate meat. Her kind heart rebelled against the slaughter of animals for food. But on the road, it seemed necessary. And there was something pleasing about eating meat they had cooked themselves over an open fire.

  ‘We should only be an hour or two away from Tarracina. By midday we should have found a ship that will take us south.’

  Her heart sunk. Vali was still determined to cut their journey short. He was still keen to be rid of her. There was nothing she could say or do to change his mind, so she refilled their earthenware mug and drank down the watered wine.

  ‘If there’s time, we might be able to find a bathhouse. How would you feel about getting properly clean?’ It was as if he was offering her a peace offering, to make up for his desire to get rid of her.

  ‘That would be very nice,’ she mumbled, as she began to pack up their food and stow it away under the carrus seat.

  Chapter Eight

  23 August 79CE Tarracina, LATIUM

  Just as Vali had predicted, the coastal town of Tarracina was just two hours away. It spread up the hillside on the southern side of the headland, above the sapphire blue harbour. Its sunbleached, flat-roofed houses looked white and pristine in the early morning light.

  They had already passed vehicles heading north, out of the town. Most people looked anything but happy to be on the road again. Though Vali continued to greet these passing travellers, their perfunctory responses seemed to be telling her that they were as tired of travelling as she was.

  The first thing Vali did was find a livery stable where he bargained a good price for their carrus and horses. As he added the handful of gold coins to his small purse, which he carried tied to his belt, he smiled his satisfaction at her.

  ‘Not bad. I didn’t expect to get that sort of money for them. I suppose few people sell their animals mid-journey, but others who find a horse pull up lame would put a premium price on any sound beast they could find.’

  She nodded and picked up her carry-all and another bag that held their food. Vali quickly took the carry-all from her and handed her the horse blanket instead.

  ‘This has our gold. In case there are thieves around, I’ll keep this close. It’s too heavy for you anyway.’

  Again she nodded and turned to look in the direction of the township proper. It looked just like the last town they passed, except here the air was fresh with the smell of the sea rather than the dank odours of the marshes.

  Following a little behind Vali’s long, energetic strides, she watched the people as they passed. They seemed less harassed than their city cousins, and better fed for the most part. Children played in the narrow lanes while their mothers hung fresh washing from lines suspended between buildings overhead.

  It didn’t take long to find the Forum, and it was already in full swing: vendors trying to attract the attention of passing trade; live animals in cages honking, squawking or chattering; little, barefoot children running from one table of goods to the next, laughing as they dodged and hid from their friends.

  The shipping agents were all located together at the dockside end of the forum. From them Vali quickly discovered what ships were heading south to Stabiae that day, and the comparative costs for such a journey. Once he’d established a suitable vessel, a small coastal craft called the Minerva, and the approximate time of its departure, he led the way to the dockside to find the ship’s master and make their booking.

  Having seen the harbour at Ostia, with its hundreds of vessels in dock, the tiny port of Tarracina seemed insignificant to Lara. There were only a handful of small merchant ships tied up at the dock or moored in the harbour. It was easy enough to find the Minerva, with its name carved into each side of the stern post.

  While Lara stayed with their pile of possessions, at a little distance from Vali and the master, she watched the ships being loaded and unloaded. Slaves carried huge amphorae, tied by rope to wooden beams, which they carried across their shoulders. The weight seemed more than many of them could bear. Their faces were filthy and sad, as if they carried the weight of the world on their shoulders, not just earthenware pots.

  ‘That’s done. They set sail as soon as they’ve finished loading. Less than an hour. Thirty nine denarii each. I’ll get you settled and then run back up to the forum and buy some fresh bread and fruit. We’ll reach Neopolis just before dark, if the wind holds, he told me. We’ll spend the night onshore and then set sail at dawn. We’ll reach Stabiae, Pompeii’s port town, a couple of hours later.’

  He hefted their bags over his shoulder and led the way up the gangplank. One of the crew indicated a space on the deck where they could settle themselves. There were already other passengers moving about, trying not to get in the way of the slaves who were loading the hold. Lara smiled shyly at several women passengers who studied her curiously.

  Their space was directly forward of the deckhouse on the poop deck. Unlike many of the other passengers, they had no canvas to provide cover for them. Vali folded the horse blanket in half so it was just wide enough for them both to lie close together on it, and wedged the rest of their possessions against the deckhouse.

  ‘Keep this close. You’ll be safe here, but don’t let the bag out of your sight,’ Vali told her softly, before taking off at a fast jog back up the dock toward the forum on the hill.

  ‘Your man is very athletic,’ said a middle-aged woman reclining on her thick mattress a little way distant from Lara. She was very thin, and her eyes had dark circles under them. Frizzy black hair was arranged artfully around her face. When she smiled her rotten teeth were evident.

  ‘Yes, he is.’ Lara knew that she needed to be polite, so as not to attract too much attention, but this woman frightened her. And her smile, when she looked at Vali, reminded her of her mother’s.

  ‘Where are you lovebirds headed?’

  ‘Pompeii. To Vali’s patron’s villa.’

  ‘Not master? Are you liberti then?’

  ‘Yes. Vali was recently freed and will repay his ex-master by managing his estate.’ Lara had to think fast to come up with a suitable story. They hadn’t discussed what they’d say to people if they asked, only that they’d call themselves married and freedmen.

  ‘Smart too? Well, little bird, you’re the lucky one ain’t you? I wouldn’t mind ha
ving that young buck warmin’ my bed at night. Sire good, strong sons on you too, I’d be guessin’. He’s from Germania ain’t he?’

  ‘Ah… yes,’ she answered uncertainly. These questions were getting too personal, she needed to redirect the conversation, or risk being caught out. ‘Where are you headed?’

  ‘Oh, me and my husband, Petrius, are returning to Messana. Petrius is a wine dealer and he was looking for new outlets in Rome. I came along to visit my sister who lives in the city. Are you from Rome?’

  ‘No… No, we’re from a villa in the Albion Hills south of Rome. Is Messana a nice town?’

  ‘Nice enough. Small. Maybe twice the size of this little town… Oh, that was quick, your man’s back with bread and cheese already. You’ll eat well today.’

  ‘Vali eats a lot,’ she found herself confiding.

  ‘Well, there’s a lot of him to feed. There’s my Petrius talking to the ship’s mate.’ She pointed at a short, skinny man with a badly receding forehead. ‘What he lacks in size he makes up for in enthusiasm, if you get my drift.’ The woman sniggered.

  Lara didn’t get her drift, but she nodded and smiled to give the impression she did. Then she was able to focus her attention on Vali, who had just leapt down off the gang plank and was heading toward her. He seemed happier than she’d seen him since they’d met.

  ‘I got some cheese as well as fruit. I thought you’d prefer that to the left-over pork,’ Vali said, dropping down at her side, his big back resting against the deckhouse.

  ‘Lovely, thankyou. The crew seemed to be getting ready to sail.’