“Yeah, Constan promoted me this morning,” Athos said.
“How can he promote you to Kentarches when he is only a Dekanos?”
“Governor Maurice promoted him to Tourmarches at the meeting this morning.”
“Wow!” She took another look at the uniform and said, “That uniform seems a little loose on you.” She inserted her arm into his and said, “We have a table for you. Right this way love.” Athea led Athos to a table in the back corner of the tavern. The table was cast in shadow so the other patrons couldn’t see the table or its occupants, This table will allow me to sneak some kisses with Athos without offending the other patrons.
Athos pulled one of the chairs out to sit. The chair legs created a scraping sound as they rubbed up against the uneven wood floor of the tavern. Before Athos had a chance to sit, Athea wrapped him up into an embrace. Their lips met, and her tongue pushed its way into his mouth and began exploring, She tastes so good. His pulse hammered in his head and he felt his manhood stir. Finally, Athea ended the embrace.
Giggling she asked, “So what can I get you, love?”
Athos, his face still flushed replied, “A bottle of the Cappadocian. Can I have some lamb as well?”
Athea smiled and grabbed his uniform with her right hand, “A good idea, love, we need to fatten you up some to fill out this uniform.” She closed her fingers on one of the loose folds of his uniform and pulled him closer. Their lips met again for a fleeting second, and then Athea withdrew. She turned and walked away from him. As she entered the kitchen, she turned her head, smiled at him, and winked.
Athos looked around at the other patrons. They talked in hushed tones and kept to themselves. A large change from the last time he was here before the battle, The news of the damned must be spreading. Athea emerged from the kitchen with a steaming platter of chicken and a bottle of wine, She works so hard. Now that I am a Kentarches she doesn’t have to work anymore.
Athea brought the platter and the bottle to a couple seated at one of the other tables. As she bent over to set the tray down Athos admired the fine lines of her posterior as they pushed up against her linen dress, She is so beautiful. He watched as she stopped by the table of another man. The medallion that hung around his neck identified him as a low-level administrator. She smiled at the man as they exchanged words. Athos couldn’t quite make out what they were saying, I want that smile all to myself. She doesn’t need to work this hard anymore.
The administrator dropped a few Nommi into Athea’s outstretched hand. As the man stood to leave, she bent over the table to clear it. The man intentionally brushed up against Athea’s rump as he went by. Athos’ cheeks burned red, and he gritted his teeth at this turn of events, I hate seeing other men touch her. She doesn’t need this job anymore! The rage built up inside of him.
Athea finished clearing the table and gathered up the plate, goblet, and empty bottles. She artfully balanced the entire load and headed for the kitchen, Ugh, I hate it when pigs like that think they can brush up against me. I’m not a whore, and I certainly wouldn’t want that wretch.
She disappeared for about a minute into the kitchen and then emerged again. She was carrying a steaming plate of lamb set in a bed of green beans, peas, and sliced apples with her right hand. In her left hand was a bottle of the Cappadocian and a goblet. The wooden floor creaked as she moved across the room towards Athos. Arriving at his table, she set the plate down in front of him along with the bottle and the goblet.
They both reached for the wine bottle, and their hands met. Athea squeezed Athos’ hand for several seconds and then picked up the wine bottle, “Let me do my job hun.” Acquiescing, Athos smiled up at her and withdrew his hand. She returned his smile and poured wine into the goblet.
“Athea, I’d like to talk to you about.” The door opened, and a couple came walking in. Athos, knowing what was coming, stopped talking.
“Let me take their order, love. I’ll come back as soon as I can to talk,” Athea turned and left without waiting for Athos to reply. As she walked away, he again turned red. He gripped the edge of the table with his fingers, and his knuckles turned white, As long as she keeps this job I will always come in second. I don’t deserve that anymore. He took a few deep breaths and let them out slowly. Feeling more relaxed he started on his meal.
Athos stabbed a piece of the lamb with his dagger. He then held the blade up and pulled the piece off of it with his teeth. He closed his eyes and smiled, as the juices from the lamb spread across his tongue. Chewing slowly, he savored every bite that was on his plate. Athea spent the entire time tending to other customers in the tavern as Athos ate.
Athea finally walked up to Athos’ table. Her eyes fell on his empty plate, and she smiled, “You must have hated that.” She grabbed the empty plate and left before Athos could finish chewing on the last piece of lamb. He turned red again, and his hands shook. He could hear the sound of his heart pounding in his ears as the anger flowed through his body like a raging torrent.
Athea disappeared into the kitchen. A few minutes later she emerged with a large plate and headed over to the new couple. The stink of their selection permeated the entire tavern. “Eww, fish,” he said out loud not caring who overheard him.
Athea looked over at him and for the first time that Athos could ever recall she frowned at him. I certainly don’t like that expression on her face. Athos poured himself another goblet of wine. He downed it in one gulp, slammed it down on the table, and refilled the cup again.
As he looked up, he saw that Athea was heading his direction. The floor boards of the tavern squeaked with each step. As she covered the distance between them, he set the empty wine bottle down on the table. Athea smiled at him. Not the genuine smile of adoration but the fake smile Athos has seen her use on patrons, “More wine?”
Athos nodded, “Yes bring me another bottle. It seems I have nothing better to do than drink tonight.”
Athea grabbed the empty bottle off the table, “Fine.” A hint of irritation tinged her voice.
As she turned towards the kitchen Athos grabbed her arm, “We need to talk.”
“Athos, I’m doing the best I can. You’re acting like it’s my fault we’re busy tonight.”
“Well, if you would listen to what I had to say you wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore,” He tried to muster a smile and failed.
What game is he playing? I loved him because he was so genuine not for what he could give me. He wore his heart on his sleeve and didn’t play games. She yanked her arm from his grasp and walked away without replying.
Athos’ mind exploded in rage as he watched her curvaceous backside walking away from him, How dare she make us wait! The realization slowly dawned on Athos that it was a distinct voice inside his mind causing these feelings of anger towards Athea, Nikas’ voice. Opening myself up to that voice today helped me to be a better leader, but now it is making me do stupid things with Athea.
Athos closed his eyes and drew himself into his mind. Once there, he began the struggle to silence that voice within. The tavern faded away. Concentrating, he imagined himself fighting the image of Nikas in his mind. “You’re pathetic, Athos. I don’t know what I saw in you,” Nikas said.
Angry, Athos swung his Spatha at Nikas with all his strength. Nikas easily sidestepped Athos’ feeble attack and kicked him in the back of the left knee. Athos toppled face forward into the mud. Nikas taunted him, “Just stay down there in the mud where you belong. I’ll make sure Athea is well taken care of tonight.”
Athos screamed in rage, “I’ll kill you if you harm her!” No matter how hard Athos fought, he was always too slow, or too numb to land a blow that would lock Nikas back up into a corner of his mind. The wine, Athos realized, The wine is making me too slow. The realization came to him too slowly. Nikas, disarmed him, pushed him into a cell, and barred the door, “No!” Athos screamed but it was too late, Nikas had control.
Athos/Nikas banged his goblet on the wooden table three times, �
��Where’s my wine?” he yelled out.
Athea emerged from the kitchen. Her gaze met Athos’, and she walked briskly to his table. She slammed the bottle down on the table and turned to leave. Athos’ hand shot out from under the table and grabbed her arm. His fingers closed on it like a steel vise. “Where do you think you’re going?” Athos/Nikas asked.
Athea yanked her arm from his grasp and glared down at him, “You want to talk? Fine, talk.”
“Athea you work so hard every day. I was thinking now that I am a kentarches you don’t need to work anymore.”
Athea frowned, “I see.”
“Your job gets in the way of time we could spend together.” Athos/Nikas stated leering at her breasts as they heaved up and down. She was breathing hard.
“Athos, I enjoy my job. I get to talk to people all night. This tavern is the center of Damascus. People have solved problems here, people have found themselves here, and people have fallen in love here. We fell in love here…”
“Athea, it’s a job. I make enough to take care of you now. I need you to take care of me, so that I may be strong for Damascus.”
“Do you think that just because I don’t swing a sword my job is less important than yours?”
“Yes.” Athos/Nikas replied.
Athea’s face turned red. Her hands formed fists, and her lower lip started quivering, “If we don’t keep places like this tavern. Places where we can all come together and share our hopes, dreams, aspirations, doubts, and fears over a meal why bother to fight at all?”
“To preserve the Empire of course,” Athos/Nikas replied. Inside his head, Athos pounded on the door that Nikas had locked him behind, “God, please no! She’s going to hate me!” Athos screamed trying to get Nikas to stop.
“To preserve the Empire,” Athea hissed in a low voice.
“Yes, I-I,” Athos/Nikas stammered for a moment. Inside his head the door that was holding Athos cracked. Sensing victory he pounded on the door harder. A cracking noise came from the wood as it buckled under his onslaught. He stood back and threw himself at the door with all his effort. With a loud thwack, his body slammed into the door. The wood shrieked at his blow, and Athos smashed through it, I’m free!
Athos fell to the ground as the pieces of the door fell away. Nikas was waiting for him grinning, “A leader does not need a woman. A woman makes him weak.” Nikas drew his Spatha and struck Athos in the head with the pommel. Athos’ vision faded into darkness.
Athea fumed, “Athos, I thought you were different. I thought you loved me for me and not for what I could do for you. I thought you understood me. Clearly, I was wrong about that and us. We’re done.” The last she said with tears in her eyes. Holding back a sob she ran for the kitchen.
Athos/Nikas stood, kicking his chair to the floor. His entire body shook with rage. Everyone in the tavern stopped their conversations and turned to look at him. He grabbed the full wine bottle from the table and drank it down in a single long gulp. He then threw the empty bottle at the doorway to the kitchen that Athea had just disappeared into. His aim was off, the bottle hit the door frame, and smashed. Shards of glass exploded in all directions. Athos/Nikas yelled, “As you wish, I don’t need to waste any more time on you.”
Athos/Nikas stormed toward the door. As he passed the couple eating their fish he reached out and grabbed their bottle of wine. The man stood and said, “Hey!” Athos/Nikas paused, grabbed the pommel of his Spatha, and started to draw it. The man’s eyes widened at the blade being drawn, and he sat back down, “Take it, and just go.” said the man. Athos took his fingers from the pommel of the Spatha, and the blade slipped back into the sheath with a snapping noise. He reached into his purse and flipped the man a nummi.
The room seemed to sway around him much like an ocean as he stumbled toward the door. Athea watched him as he left, Good riddance, getting promoted has gone to his head. She continued watching as he almost tripped on the door seal, recovered, and then slammed the door shut behind him.
Athos/Nikas froze on the Thirsty Palm’s stoop. Nikas addressed Athos within the mental cell he had been imprisoned, “Athos, you are weaker and more pathetic than I could’ve possibly imagined. Women, especially that woman, will do nothing but sap your strength. You have a responsibility to your men. You need to be an absolute monster to them so that they will be hardened in the forge of your hatred. Thus tempered, you will lose fewer of them in battle. You will have made them strong.”
Statement finished, Nikas faded away. The door to Athos’ cell opened. He was back in control of himself. He took several steps into the street and sank to his knees as the full realization of what had just happened slammed into him. He cried out, “God, why?” As he pounded his fists into the dirt sobbing. Buttons the cat had been approaching him hoping to get a snack, but she hissed and drew herself up in challenge at his unexpected behavior.
Horrified, Athos sobbed for several minutes before he collected himself and stood up. The walk back to his new room seemed to stretch out for an eternity. As he walked past the spot of last night’s ambush, he silently prayed that the cloaked figures would attack him once again and put an end to his painful existence. Reaching his room, he succumbed to the alcohol coursing through his veins, collapsed onto his bed, and slept.
Chapter 26
Morning, August 17th 636 Tyre Road, Syria Province, Byzantium
Justin, Boulous, Baltazar, the city guardsmen, and the wagons continued their journey down the Tyre road heading west. The group ascended from the desert floor up into the Golan Heights from the east. As they continued to ride west, they looked upon endless fields of olive trees billowing in the cool, gentle breeze that blew down from the mountains that loomed above them to the north. The eight members of Boulous’ team rode at the head of the column, and the city guardsmen covered the remaining flanks.
“Something feels wrong,” commented Justin.
“Is it the fact no one seems to be tending to these olive groves despite the trees being heavy with ripe olives?” asked Boulous
“I don’t think so,” Justin replied, “The tops of the trees further out seem to be moving around a bit too much for this breeze.”
Baltazar placed his hand on his forehead to shields his eyes from the glare and looked, “You’re right. The olive trees closest to us don’t appear to be moving with the breeze, but now they are.”
Obscured by the low hanging branches, without warning hundreds of the damned burst out of the olive groves on the north side of the road. Justin and Baltazar stood stunned as the threat stood mere feet away. A veteran of many battles it only took Justin a few seconds to recover, “Men, dismount, face the groves, and form a shield wall!” but it was too late. The creatures attacked, each man desperately fighting individually, trying to stay alive, as they attempted to dismount from their frightened horses.
Kicking a creature in the forehead that was reaching for his leg Boulous yelled, “Ride 8th Mesopotamian!” Obeying the command, the eight trained cavalrymen of the 8th Mesopotamian charged down the road.
At the same time, four of the city guardsmen were pulled off their horses and consumed alive. Their agonizing screams distracted the damned for a few precious moments. This gave the thirty-four survivors, Justin, and Baltazar a chance to dismount.
Justin yelled again, “Form shield wall or die where you stand!” This time the men were able to comply with the order.
Baltazar took a moment to look around, “Saints preserve us there are hundreds of the bastards coming out of the groves! Sir, we can’t stand here and fight. We’ll die.”
Justin replied, “Well we can’t get them to remount. These buggers can barely ride much less fight from horseback.”
Baltazar yelled, “Everyone get into the wagons!” Relieved, the quivering city guardsmen fell back and climbed into the wagons. As they did so, a few of the damned were able to pull two of them down onto the ground. They were quickly overwhelmed and consumed.
Justin now in the lead wagon
yelled to the driver, “Get us out of here!”
The driver cracked his whip over his horses and yelled, “Heeya!” The large beasts took off running down the road. As they did so, they smashed into several creatures and ran over them. The bodies of the damned made squishing sounds, as the wheels of the wagons rode over them. Boulous and his riders chose that moment to reappear. Their horses thundered down the road toward the fleeing wagons.
Boulous yanked hard on his reins which caused the horse to stop. He then shot an arrow into the head of one of the damned racing toward the wagons from the north side of the road, and yelled, “We’ve almost reached the edge of the heights, and it is clear in front of us. If you can fight them from the wagons, we can make it.”
Justin looked back to see how the wagons behind them were faring. The horses bereft of their riders became the target of the damned. Some tried to run, others used their hooves to defend themselves. A few horses managed to slay scores of the damned by bucking and kicking, but it was no use. In the end, they were overwhelmed, ripped apart, and eaten.
Some of the undead ignored the horses and ran after the wagons. Justin watched as the guardsmen desperately fought to keep scores of the damned from clambering aboard the wagons behind them. Then it was their turn.
Four creatures simultaneously lunged at Justin’s lead wagon. Justin drew his ax and struck a putrid female, who was pulling herself over the side of the cart, in the head. She fell to the ground and would trouble them no further.
On the other side of the wagon, Baltazar drew his Spatha and removed the arms of another damned attempting to climb on board. The former farmer moaned in protest as it bounded down the road and got crushed under the pounding hooves of the horses pulling the next wagon. Despite being slain its arms still held onto the side of their wagon.
Justin noticed the next creature had a calculating look on its face as it ran toward the wagon. Instead of jumping at Justin like the damned typically do it leaped and grabbed one of the horses. As it pulled itself up onto the horse, it bit down into the animal. The horse screamed in pain, jumped into the air, and bucked in an attempt to get the creature off. The horse failed. Spooked it veered to the right carrying the wagon into the drainage ditch alongside the Roman Road.
Byzantium Infected Box Set Page 34