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Home Coming by Murielle L Petitpas
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Rated "G" by the Author.
Remus is an exhile of Rome. Forced into serving in the great Emperor Julius Cesaer's army will he ever see his home land again?
The day started like most had since his arrival to Julius Caesar's farthest reaching post. A dull, leaden grey with clouds hanging low, threatening to yet again empty their contents on the people below.
Remus struggled to stay on his feet, leaning heavily against the spear and pinching himself to keep his eyes from falling shut. Forced into the Roman army to pay off his father’s debts young Remus could only think of his mother and sister who were sold into slavery while his father lamented in a jail somewhere in Rome. The boy’s future had once been bright with the promise of having a seat in the Roman Senate and the arranged marriage to the daughter of one of the city’s most prominent citizens. But his father had lost his wealth and with it his properties and family. A sharp wind began to blow and Remus struggled to keep his cape around his shoulders. The combination of constant dampness and the coming of another harsh winter had caused Remus’ health to decline dramatically. Once healthy and robust with hair the shade of black ink and sliver eyes that were brilliant and quick he now stood a shadow of what had been. The first winter had been one of near starvation and various attacks from nearby barbarian tribes had caused Remus to witness the cruel and wasted deaths of many of his friends.
Huddling against the cold Remus could make the outline of his replacement approaching. His eyes glassy from a fever that had been with him for the past fortnight, brightened a little, for now he could get some rest. After reporting to a hulking brute by the name of Casius, who had the intelligence of an orange, all he got in reply was a grunt of “Uh huh” and a hard shove that nearly knocked him over.
Making his way to the city of tents that served as a refuge for the much hated conquers of the recently occupied land, it was a place where the sons of Rome could speak of philosophy, and politics and how much better things were at home, among the civilized and cultured instead of this untamed country among the barbarians with their rough ways and superstions.
As he walked, Remus could hear his armour clink against itself, and as he passed the tents of the officers he could smell roasted venison while the regular soldiers gathered around large bon fires. The smoke from one of these fires caught Remus in just the right way to cause his terrible cough to return. Deep, racking coughs caused him to double over and his chest to ache. After what seemed like an eternity the coughing subsided but left him gasping for air. He felt eyes on him and looked up to see a woman watching him from one behind one of the tents.
Her beauty was dazzling. Her hair as red as flame and eyes as the same brilliant shade of green as the rare jade from the east. She was obviously from a barbaric tribe. Her clothes was coarse and simple, her skin was the fair alabaster of the tribes of the north instead of the olive complexion of the south. He was not surprised to see her there as many of the women from invading tribes had been forced into slavery to serve the men of the camp. Usually, when the people of this land were forced into slavery, they had hate or fear in their eyes. This woman had neither and in fact as she approached Remus felt the weight of his problems lift.
“You look like you could use some warming up young warrior”
Taking the boy by the hand she led him to a hut on the outskirt of the tent city. Remus found this very odd and slightly suspicious as his own tent was near the outer boarder of the camp and he had never seen the hut before but in his fevered and delirious condition the wariness faded as quickly as it came.
The hut was made of turf and thatch served as a roof. Inside, Remus saw it was a neat and warm little one-room house. A fire blazed in the hearth as various herbs dried on the mantle. A large cauldron sat over the fire and the strange woman took a bowl and ladled some of the contents of the pot into it. Remus gratefully accepted the steaming bowl and sipped the delicious tasting broth.
“Now then young man. Tell me what is your name” she settled before him and picked up her spinning wheel.
“Remus” he answered gulping the cooling soup.
“I am Brigit. Finish drinking the broth, it will help you sleep”
She continued her weaving and stared into the fire. There was a long silence before she turned her jade coloured eyes to him.
“Your mother must worry about you being so far away from home”
“My mother doesn’t know where I am. She serves a family to pay for my father’s debt” Remus said rather bitterly.
“She still worries, finish that broth. It will help you sleep”
No sooner had she said those words than Remus felt his eyelids feel heavy. The hot broth had chased away the chill and his muscles no longer ached from fever. Instead he felt relaxed and warm for the first time in months.
“Come now Remus.” Brigit helped him to his feet and led him to a pallet. “Come and sleep your family waits for you”
Remus blinked but in his sloth the words did not register. All he could think of was sleep. As he drifted off into slumber he could hear Brigit sing a soft song of home and country.
Remus could still hear the song being sung as the morning sun pierced his eyes. Suddenly he felt some one jump on him. Sitting up bolt straight, it was his baby sister Octavia.
“Wake up Remus, you promised to take me to the market today!”
It had been a dream. The whole thing a terrible dream. Octavia scrambled out of the room and his slave Joshua helped him bathe and dress. Coming out into the courtyard sat his mother. She was talking to the cook Hestia and turned to her only son.
“Remus, finally you are up. Your breakfast is waiting in the dining room”
Remus sat and joined his father and sister at the table. Octavius was reviewing accounts while Octavia was speaking animatedly to one of the maids about their trip to market.
The food was glorious. Fine Roman wine sweetened with fresh honey from his father’s country house. Freshly baked breads and cheeses instead of the squalid rat infested hard tack and disease-ridden water he had been forced to drink in the horrible army camp.
He took Octavia to the market as promised and made the purchases his mother asked of him, the nightmare of his experiences almost fading into obscurity. He helped his mother in the gardens and basked in the warm sun. He spent time in his father’s library and savored the works of Homer and discussed his future in the senate with his friends. He was finally home and the memory of the camp in the exiled regions of Julius Caesar’s reign was but a faint dream.
__________
The clouds finally let go of the rain that had been threatening for most of the day. A small group of soldiers gathered for Remus’ funeral. Having died of the consumption that had badgered him for most of his army life, the poor boy had finally given in to the terrible disease and was granted the wish common to all who were posted on the isle the great Emperor had christened Britannia. The wish to go home.
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