Taurus shrugged. His military title was Supreme Commander, but his men often referred to him as “the General.”
“Panua has lots of men in the military,” the girl reflected. “All men are conscripted into service. Correct?”
“True.” Taurus grudged the reply.
“Hmm. Your army is large, but not as large as neighboring countries. A frustrating fact when your allies are few and far away, General,” she mused.
“Are you here to give advice on the military, young one?” His voice dripped with sarcasm.
“No.” Her laughter echoed around the wood. “I merely need to know the chances of having the whole Roman army follow me into Panua.”
Taurus sat down with a thud and gave her his full attention when she mentioned Rome. The emperor was a young man who had come into power in the last five years. Taurus bristled. He despised the arrogant, supercilious Romans and their attitude toward the rest of the world. Panua sat inconveniently near the wandering eyes of Rome and its ruler, Caius Gregorian, who had for the most part ignored the tiny neighbor. Taurus desired to keep the sights of Rome focused elsewhere.
“Is there a reason for the Romans to come after you? Are you and your friend criminals?”
It was the girl’s turn to shrug. “It depends on what you consider a criminal offense.” She popped another ration into his mouth. “We ride to the capital of Panua, and there you will be released. That’s all you need to know.”
The girl’s plan made no sense. She walked into a trap. He almost felt sorry for her, but remembered the look on Barca’s face as the giant had tugged him into view. And he, the Supreme Commander, Governor of Panua, sat bound and handfed like a lapdog. On that basis alone he must execute them both. He gauged his opportunity to overpower her, even with tied hands, but she held a knife at the ready, and he had witnessed her skill with a bow and arrow.
“What’s in Panua?” He swallowed the ration.
The girl raised her large eyes level with his. For the first time he saw their startling blue-grey color, resembling storm clouds before a heavy rainfall.
“The governor’s residence.”
“You have business with the governor?” Taurus considered the state of her sanity. She seemed clear-headed enough, but to ride to the capital and knock on the door of the governor doomed her plan to failure from the beginning.
“I cannot tell you my purpose, but be assured you are safe and will come to no harm.” A beautiful smile lit her face, and Taurus thought the sun had come from behind a cloud. “Is he truly the monster they speak of in Rome?” The girl made a sign to ward off evil.
Indignation rose in his throat. “Monster! You Romans need look no farther than your own emperor to find a true monster.”
“I agree. Caius Gregorian is worse than a demon from Hades.” Her reply left him speechless for a moment as she packed away the remaining rations and water with a sigh.
“What do you know of Gregorian?” Taurus asked.
She offered her hand to pull him up from the log where he sat. This was the moment to upend her and use the knife to slit the ropes, along with her throat. He jumped to his feet in an instant, about to knock her off balance.
“I am his sister, Kalliassa Gregorian.”
Taurus paused in mid-swing, erupting into fits of laughter at the ridiculous claim. Noble Roman women did not cavort through the countryside shooting arrows, riding horses, and taking prisoners. “Come now, be truthful.” Taurus chuckled, amused by the girl. “No one in their right mind would believe such nonsense.”
She moved out of his reach. “It does not matter what you think. The governor will believe me, and he is the only one important enough to assist me.” She mounted her horse and signaled for him to do the same.
Taurus smirked as he swung into the saddle. She eyed him curiously. “You may call me Kallie. I have no wish for my real name to be used for now.”
He made a concerted effort to keep a straight face. She planned to see the governor of Panua but did not know she conveniently held him in her grasp.
“What of my men?”
“My friend will release them later today, but not the one named Barca.” Kallie smiled ruefully at Taurus as though she understood his asking. “I will give you a token to return to the camp. My companion will know I have safely arrived at the governor’s house. Your officer will be free once the token is delivered.”
Taurus settled in the saddle, planning to make her pay for this insult. He would be home by sunset, and life was about to take an interesting turn, if she was truly who she claimed to be. Meeting a Gregorian was the last thing he’d envisioned, but now his imagination ran wild at the unexpected appearance of this strange girl, disguised as a boy, calling herself sister to the emperor.
Chapter Two
The home of the governor stood on the remains of an old Roman fort that over many years had transformed itself into a palace. To the outside world, it proved an impenetrable rock on the top of a huge hillside overlooking the city. It had been the governor’s residence for the last two decades, ever since the Romans killed his father. Lidia Paulinus had singlehandedly turned Panua and the surrounding region into a separate state, defying Rome and the old emperor, making Panua a law unto itself. When she adopted a boy in her son’s memory, she groomed him as the heir and eventual master of Panua. An old woman with deep wounds, Lidia harbored a hatred of Rome that burned like an eternal flame, flaring out of control every once in a while. The people had fought many battles on her behalf to keep the enemy from their door, but when the old Roman emperor died and the new one took his place, Panua had waited and watched for his first move.
Now, as Taurus rode behind a woman claiming to be the sister of Caius Gregorian, he considered this might be part of a devious plan by the young emperor, or a fortunate gift from the Fates. To have a family member of Gregorian under his control tempted him beyond reason, even if she were a touch strange. To hold her hostage gave him a huge advantage in negotiations with a hated enemy. Lidia would be beside herself with joy at the prospect of having the girl at her disposal. Caution was required when dealing with Lidia. He superseded her wishes in all things, but she could be wily and persuasive.
The girl slowed the pace, and Taurus drew level as she eyed the terrain ahead.
“It would be best to enter the city by the east gate,” he offered.
She shot him a look of suspicion.
“General, I do not intend to enter the city with you at my side. You have been my guide this far on deserted back roads, but one word from you and I would be mobbed by soldiers.” She smiled, perhaps knowing he would not like her next words. “We enter the city under cover of darkness. You will remain hidden until we are within steps of the gates to the fortress.”
Taurus shook his head.
“Between now and our arrival in Panua you will tell me the layout of the fortress. Otherwise you may not see your friend for a long time.” She tossed her dark hair, confident in the outcome. “I will find a way to meet the governor. Trust me, he will want to see me. You have done no wrong to your master.”
Yes, he will want to see you, Taurus scoffed silently. “How do you intend to travel unnoticed through the city?” He may have doubted her ability if he hadn’t seen her in action.
“With this,” she mocked, and reached over to pick the money pouch from his belt.
Taurus grudgingly admired her. “You commit another offense against me, woman. Are you sure you want to add theft to the charges I will bring against you?”
She heaved a sigh and kicked her horse forward. “There is no point in arguing, and I am in a hurry. The giant waits for word within two days.”
****
Taurus’ back itched like mad as he writhed on a stinking pile of wet straw covering the floor of a rickety cart. The indignity of it enraged Taurus, and he mentally added a further insult to his ever-growing list. Planning his revenge came easily as the methods she applied against him gave him an idea. Arrows, ropes, wet straw…an
d, best of all, it must be slow and painful. The cart rattled along the ruts of the city streets, and Taurus’ head bumped on the rough wood. It was pitch black. Muffled sounds reached his ears, but nothing helped him determine their proximity to the fortress. My fortress! He swore to enact a law to search every cart entering the city but quickly derided his impractical idea.
The cart came to a halt, and the girl removed the straw covering his face. She shook him with concern, as he lay inert, his bones aching from the journey.
“General, are you all right?” She pressed her ear to his lips for a sign of breathing.
“Barely,” he groaned. With that assurance, she questioned him on the sentry positions and their numbers at night. The sound of soldiers marching reached them through the darkness, signaling the change of guard on duty for the night watch. Taurus had an urge to call a command and have the men respond to his order—a familiar action to bring an end to this nightmare. The girl sensed the danger and pressed her mouth onto his, ending the possibility of a last-minute discovery. Her lips lingered for a long moment, much longer than he anticipated. The will to resist evaporated, and he responded to her inviting lips with equal interest as her hands explored his chest, skimming the fabric of his tunic, sliding to his shoulders. Her fingers curved around him, pressing his powerful muscles with her light touch.
“What is your name, General?” she whispered, as she released his lips.
Unable to retort acidly that it was little of her concern, he muttered, “Taurus,” in a daze. The numbness in his body began to ease.
“I will remember you,” she mused.
“Yes, you will,” he said flatly, the unexpected euphoria gone.
She pushed a token into his hand. “Take this, and the giant will release your friend. Go quickly. You have little time.” A cold blade touched his wrist, and the ropes fell away. He made a move to grab her, but…she was gone.
Taurus sat up and shook the dampness from his chilled bones. Shortly, a patrol would be along to escort him to his richly appointed suite in the fortress. He intended to make it as easy as possible for his kidnapper to have an audience with the governor of Panua. She must not be disappointed.
****
Kallie slipped through the halls of the governor’s residence. It became a simple matter to blend with the constant flow of servants and soldiers weaving to and from their duties. The fortress employed many people, and Kallie bided her time until the opportunity to pilfer a ladylike dress befitting her station arose. She disliked dressing as a noblewoman, but as sister of the emperor she followed the rules of noble society, having attended more than her fair share of pretentious dinners at her brother’s palace. Everyone loved Caius, the new emperor. Everyone except Kallie! She had reasons to despise him and seek out the governor of Panua to ingratiate herself and gain his assistance with an untenable situation.
The opportunity presented itself in the form of a maid with an armful of clothing, clean and on its way to the owner. Kallie slipped a dress out from the inattentive girl’s bundle and ducked into a darkened alcove to change. She smoothed out her hair with her fingers and rubbed the dirt smudges off her face. She had stumbled on water and cleaning salts in the kitchens earlier, and she was as fresh and clean as possible in her unusual situation. The gown fit a little tight across her deceptively curvaceous body, but the pastel tone enhanced her dark hair and eyes, suited to most palettes. With little chance of a reflective surface coming within reach before she managed to find the governor’s office, Kallie had to trust in her looks as they were. Time had run out for further preening and primping. After one last look down the vast hallway of the mansion—she must mention to the governor he lacked adequate security—she took the last few steps to an ornate door and steadied her nerves. In a moment she would be at the mercy of the Monster of Panua!
Kallie edged through the doors without making a sound and closed them with a soft thud. In the dim light a man sat at the far end of the room, working on parchments. She absorbed the essence of the governor’s well-appointed office, and the signs of a wealthy, powerful man buoyed her confidence in seeking the governor’s assistance. She moved with grace to the man as he sat in great concentration. “Hmm, hmm.”
He raised his head from his work.
Kallie hoped her disappointment did not show — her first impression must be a lasting one — but the man failed to meet her expectations from the well-known tales of Panua’s ruthless leader.
“Governor Paulinus, I am pleased to meet you,” Kallie began, relieved the man’s initial reaction remained calm. “My name is...”
A voice rang out from the alcove to her right. “Stay exactly as you are or prepare to die.” Someone hidden in the shadows had interrupted her speech.
Kallie turned to gape at the owner of the familiar voice as he stepped from the dark recess, holding a bow and arrow aimed at her chest. She froze as a rugged face and broad shoulders filled her view. The lamplight glinted off the golden strands running through the general’s tawny hair. Confident and superbly masculine, he had a unique, intriguing quality. Before she managed to collect herself, a guard appeared.
“Tie her hands behind her back,” the commander barked.
The guard briskly did his job.
Kallie returned her attention to the man at the desk. “Governor, please, I mean no harm. I have an urgent request, and as the sister of...” She flinched as the guard yanked the rope to guarantee the knot stayed in place. The general lowered the bow and arrow, took hold of the rope now wrapped around her waist, and tugged eagerly. She stumbled to him.
“You clean up well, for a fugitive,” he said smugly, catching her in one arm. His gaze boldly ran over her figure, previously concealed in men’s clothes.
She ignored him and twisted against his hard body to speak with the man at the desk. “Please, I must inform you of my purpose here, Governor.” She tried to evoke his sympathy.
Completely uninterested, he focused on the general and waited, like a dog standing beside its master. He said nothing.
“You have had your audience with the governor. I am afraid he is unimpressed with your escapades.” The general smirked, and signaled for the man to leave the room.
“You!” Kallie realized her mistake. “Why did you keep silent? Why not tell me who you…”
Taurus raised a hand. The soldier gagged her in mid-sentence. Her eyes grew wide at his insolence. To treat a woman with such blatant disrespect was unseemly, especially a noblewoman. But this was no ordinary man. He was the son of Paulus Paulinus; the most feared and hated man in all of Rome for over a generation.
“I owe you no explanation. You are my prisoner. Your brother, if indeed Caius Gregorian is your brother, will be informed of your capture, when I choose.” He sat on the edge of his desk and held Kallie tight. “I hold a long list of charges against you, Mistress. The price for offending me is high. Higher than a little girl from Rome can afford to pay.” His voice growled dangerously, and his eyes glittered with suppressed rage. His fingers snapped, and an armed escort appeared. “Take our prisoner to her accommodations and secure the area.”
They led her out of the governor’s office. Eight men carrying a variety of weapons deterred any attempt at escape. Kallie recovered quickly from the initial shock, chiding her blindness at not seeing the general was in fact the governor of Panua. Strong and powerful, she had miscalculated his position in the forest, busy rushing to Panua before her brother’s envoy arrived with a missive full of lies and deceit, and now it was too late. She had humiliated the man with a supreme insult. To be captured by a girl, dragged to his stronghold, and treated as nothing more than a common prisoner was unacceptable for a man in his position.
Taken through a maze of hallways, she considered what he meant by “afford to pay.” She assumed he meant death, after a suitable amount of torture and degradation no doubt ten times worse than what she had conjured for him. As her jailer opened the door to the so-called accommodation, she saw his p
lanned revenge. Barred windows and a thick wooden door, with iron hinges and bolts, sealed her fate. She shook her head at the wet straw on the floor in place of a bed. A hard wooden board lay underneath, for good measure. He’s a madman!
A woman who had discreetly accompanied the escort shot Kallie an apologetic look as she handed her a cloak after the ropes were untied. As soon as the gag came off, Kallie fired a question.
“Has the emperor contacted the governor?”
The woman stared at Kallie in wide-eyed surprise.
“Has the governor sent my token to the camp to free his friend?” The woman shook her head and shrugged to indicate she knew nothing. Kallie nodded, looking around the room.
The woman squirmed in discomfort. “I apologize. Please do not think we are barbaric because of the governor’s bad manners and unsuitable accommodation.”
Kallie extended her hand in friendship. “Thank you for the kindness. What is your name?”
“I am Lady Virga Paulinus. I will try to improve your treatment if the governor will listen to my plea.”
The door closed, and Kallie was left alone. Virga Paulinus! She must be his wife. The governor must believe he held an important guest. Otherwise, he would not allow his wife to greet her. “Would he?” she muttered. “Would the monster allow his wife to consort with a kidnapping, money-stealing, disguise-wearing criminal?” Kallie shook her head in dismay and lay on the straw. She had slept in worse conditions and, wrapped up tightly in the cloak, tucked her head down and closed her eyes. Today did not go according to plan, and her difficulties had increased. As she strove to find sleep, she sighed. At least she was far away from her brother Caius and his manipulating ways.
****
“Well?” Taurus asked.
Virga repeated the girl’s questions and informed him of the girl’s lack of concern at the accommodations. “I would die if I had to sleep on a bed of wet straw. Has she truly been running in the woods, commanding an army of Roman giants?”
Taurus stared into the brazier at the bright red coals. It never failed to astound him how fast word travelled through the fortress. Always a mix of truth and fantasy, blended by tongue-waggers, became twisted into a bizarre version of events. He waved Virga away in a sudden fit of gloom, tired and itchy from a long cart ride through the city and the events of this evening.
Taurus Page 2