Chapter VIII
"To change your mind and to follow him who sets you right is to be nonetheless the free agent that you were before." - Marcus Aurelius
'Aulus, we're soldiers and we're in the business of killing her people. What does she want with you? There must be a hundred young men around who would oblige her intellectually. Why you?'
The morning sun was shining as we walked to the temple of Athena. Lucullus had adopted the temple as his headquarters because it was central and had a huge square in front of it. He liked to stand on the steps and address his men where they could see and hear him easily.
'Junius, are you jealous? She genuinely likes me, I know it.'
'In your dreams my friend! She wants something from you and you're too love-struck to see it. Listen to an old hand! Women use men. It's been like that since the beginning of time.'
'You just can't face the idea that she wants my company and not yours!'
'Wanting your company is not the same as wanting your body you know. Maybe that had escaped you!'
'It's too soon for that. Anyway, she is married already. What am I supposed to do, challenge her husband to a fight? I would have to go all the way to Armenia to do that.'
'This is the stupidest conversation I've ever had. We probably will be going to Armenia so you'll have your chance to challenge Mithradates if you survive long enough. If Lucullus found out that you were visiting the Pontic Queen in the evenings, I don't think he would be very pleased. Do you? He would regard one of his soldiers consorting with the enemy as treason.'
‘Do you really think so?’
‘Yes.’
‘I wonder what Mithradates would think?’
‘Doesn’t matter, he’s never coming back anyway. He’s hiding with the Armenians and when we crush them we’ll crush him too.’
We had arrived at the temple. Outside the temporary headquarters, we both saw Asinnius simultaneously. We stood still in surprise and gaped as he approached.
'Well it is good to see you two! I thought we had lost you both forever. What happened to you? I had my hands full for a while in that alley, I can tell you, but I managed to fight my way out and got back here. The only way to get them to search for you was to say you'd deserted and it worked. They sent out search parties everywhere. I'm so glad you're both alive.'
'If all that is true sir, can you explain how the corsairs knew where we were? Who was the man they had in the legion? Can you explain how the corsair who we delivered to you didn't die of torture but was alive and well on the ship that we were enslaved on?'
'Maybe you were mistaken. These foreign chaps all look very similar.'
'We can check about the one we brought in.'
Asinnius scowled.
'If it comes to it, it's only your word against mine, and I think they will take my word over two deserters, don't you?'
'You bastard,' Junius said.
'You will address me as befits my rank and don't forget it. If I find either of you have said a word of this to anyone, the time you spent on the corsairs' ship will seem like a dinner party compared to the rest of your time in this army. I will make it happen. Understand?'
Junius, whose face was turning a dark shade of red, was about to reply with the venom he felt, but I lifted my hand and gently pushed my friend out of the way.
'Of course we understand, as long as you cut us into the deal.'
'You want in?'
'Yes, we aren't stupid. We know when we're beaten.'
'A bit of sense at last from you two. We can talk about it later, meanwhile you have to report to Meridius across there, in the guardhouse,' he indicated to the right where there was a small building.
'Thanks Asinnius, I mean sir,' I said and half dragged Junius away in the direction of the guardhouse.
As we walked away, Junius looked at me with a puzzled frown.
'What in Mount Olympus are you doing?'
'We have to be smarter than him. There's no point in giving him a hard time now. We need to tell Meridius about the whole business. He's as honest as a Vestal.'
'Frankly, I trust none of these officers. They're all untrustworthy and won't take our word against that of a Centurion. You need your head examining.'
'Meridius will believe me. I know him. Trust me.'
As they entered through the low doorway of the guardroom, I was dismayed to find Marcus Mettius there with Meridius.
'Aulus! How nice to see you again! We were just talking about you,' Marcus said.
Meridius looked at him with puzzlement in his face.
'This isn't a social gathering Mettius. They're here to discuss matters of secrecy and importance to the Pontic war. You can do your socialising on your own time.'
'Sir,' I said standing to attention.
'Mind if I stay?' Marcus said hopefully.
'Yes I do mind. This is top-secret military business and the less people who know about it the better. No doubt I'll see you later Marcus,' Meridius said testily. He had had enough of the new man for one day and found that Marcus grated on him.
'By the way Marcus,' Meridius said.
'Yes?'
'Put some blacking on that stupid shiny armour would you?'
'What?'
'We never polish our armour because it attracts enemy bowmen like moths to a candle. If you don't, then I will see to it you stand all on your own if we ever get to a battlefield. I have no intention of being skewered by an enemy arrow because you're nearby!'
'Oh, right,' said the apparently nonplussed Marcus. As he left, he told me to look him up after we had finished. He walked smartly out of the door but I heard him pause outside to see if he could glean anything useful.
'So you two had a rough time of it I hear,' Meridius said.
'Pretty rough sir,' Junius said who had recovered some semblance of his composure after his meeting with Asinnius.
'I didn't think you had deserted. It didn't fit with my own assessment of you. You had better tell me what did happen. I may have some special duties for you. The Legate has instructed me to find that treasure and it will require another sea trip I hear.'
We told Meridius the entire story including the supposed death of the corsair captain under torture.
'There was no torture and no prisoner.'
'I know that sir. Asinnius lied to us and we think he was in league with the corsairs all the time. It would explain his escape when we were caught.'
'It would require proof and that seems to be sadly lacking,' Meridius said, 'It's only your word against his.'
'Asinnius thinks we want to be part of his plot, which might be useful.'
'Yes, I suggest you play along with him and report back to me when you have some evidence. I will have him followed.'
'What do we tell him?'
'It's not important what you tell him. If he's being followed by one of my men he won't be able to do anything too bad.'
'If we're caught, will anyone else know that we are innocent?'
'It's enough that I know, I don't want any loose gossip. I will however, write a report on this and see that Lucullus gets it, if it makes you feel any better. He's probably the only person in the army who doesn't need money.'
'Can I ask a question sir?'
'Of course.'
'Why are you giving the traitor so much room for him to do his damage?'
'There is more at stake than corsairs raiding the coast. I can't tell you all the details but the General has things he wants hidden from the Senate. He is a man who worries about security. The whole idea of spies in the army makes him nervous since his ultimate aims are not something he wants broadcast across the political ranks of Rome.'
'I don't really understand.'
'Don't worry, all I need from you is to string Asinnius along and see what comes of it. He is going to be followed and there is no way he can escape, now that we know about his treachery.'
We then discussed the location of the shipwreck and Meridius decided that the best person to guide u
s was the Queen. The chance of true cooperation from her, we all acknowledged, was only slim, but I volunteered to try to persuade her.
'You think she'll listen to you?' Meridius said in surprise.
'She might sir,' Junius said, glancing sideways at me, 'Aulus and the Queen were quite friendly throughout the journey and she knows that she owes us her life.'
'Very well, Aulus, you should go to the palace and see if you can persuade the Queen to enlighten us but if you can't, you two will just have to take a team of engineers and retrace your steps. Hear me?'
'Yes sir,' I said.
As we left, we noticed Marcus Mettius at the corner of the square walking hastily away.
'Do you think he heard anything?' Junius said.
'He might have if he was outside the doorway. I don't think it matters if he does. There isn't anything he can do, is there?'
'Are you really going to see him later?'
'That man may be implicated in my parent's death, or at least his father was. I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire,' I said with feeling.
'Dangerous to feel so strongly about an officer. He obviously doesn't know that you guess. That's if he actually knows anything.'
'He knows, all right. It's written all over his face. He doesn't fool me with his friendly attitude.'
'What if you're wrong?'
'Do you think it was just a coincidence that he joined the Ninth Legion? I' don't'
We walked to the palace.
'I can deal with this by myself if you like,' I said hopefully. An opportunity to be alone with Hypsicratea seemed too good to be true.
'Not on your life. It's my neck too. We do this together or not at all.'
We walked in silence to the Royal Palace. At the gate, they let us through without difficulty because we used the name of Lucullus.
The Queen's servant greeted us at the entrance to the building and walked us through to a garden with seats at the side of the building. Servants brought watered wine, dried fruit and nuts on silver trays.
Hypsicratea joined us. She looked radiant. She wore a loose fitting long purple gown of a material that hung from her frame as if it were part of her. Her golden belt held it in at the waist and showed off her hourglass figure.
'I trust you both slept well after the banquet?' enquired Hypsicratea.
'Better than ever, thank you Your Majesty,' I said. Junius looked up at the sky impatiently. He might as well have been invisible for all the attention I paid him.
'Your Majesty,' he said, 'we are here at the request of our officers to ask you if you will help our engineers to pinpoint exactly where the ship sunk.'
'Which ship was that?' Hypsicratea smiled broadly.
'The one we all escaped from. It may have been carrying something of value?'
'Yes, but why should I help the Roman oppressors seek those things of value. They are the property of the King of Pontus and not the Senate of Rome.'
'Some might suggest that they were the spoils of war. Might they not?'
'Even if they were the spoils of war, that does not entitle Rome to possess them once they have escaped the custody of the General Lucullus,' Hypsicratea said.
'It belongs to Rome now and we will get it back.'
I glanced at my friend. To hear a country boy, a farmer, talking like that to this great Queen, whom I worshipped, seemed insulting both to her and to me. It irritated me.
'Junius, perhaps you should go back to the house of Polymecles and let me discuss this with Hypsicratea. I am sure an agreement can be reached.'
Junius showed no sign of irritation, merely a calm resignation that surprised me, for it seemed out of character.
'I know when I am not wanted. I'm going.'
He bowed and took his leave. I looked at the Queen.
'I will be pleased to help the Romans find the wreckage as you ask, if it will bring mercy and kindness for my people from the conquerors,' she said, 'I will receive your engineers then and I will look at some maps with them but I cannot travel away from Sinope again. It is here that I serve my husband best in protecting his people and his city. I know that now. I should never have tried to escape. You had better go now Aulus.'
I stood up since she had dismissed me, and I said, 'am I still welcome tonight?'
'Tonight? Oh, yes, I had forgotten. We can talk and have some refreshment Aulus. It will be nice to lay aside my mantle of formality even if it is only for one evening,' she said, all stiffness gone for the moment.
She smiled and waved her hand at me in dismissal. As I walked away, I was aware of my heart beating rapidly in my chest and an involuntary and uncontrollable tumescence beneath my tunic. I realised then, that my feelings were unreasonable, for I had had no indication that Hypsicratea had any feelings for me apart from friendship. It seemed that all she wanted was polite conversation. Despite myself, I knew I could hardly wait for nightfall.
I had difficulties working out in my head what was happening. Hypsicratea was a Queen. Logically she would no more think of me the way I thought about her, than she would want a suitor made of garbage. I knew it deep inside but fantasy is a strange thing and who is responsible for their fantasies? Certainly not a young soldier like me, for whom half of life was already a fantasy. Dreams of greatness pursued my sleeping and waking hours in the same measure as my thoughts of Hypsicratea. It was like the games I played with Julius in my childhood. Dreams of greatness, but in this case the dream was close at hand even if in reality it might as well have been on the moon.