The Baby and the Battlefield

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Salix and Tsuga Return

Arcius had dwindled to a mere point among the mountains obscuring the horizon, and the breeze had turned cool. A single leaf fluttered to the ground, reminding Marcus that autumn was quickly approaching, even if at this lower elevation the leaves were mostly still green. Marcus led the horse down the path, and Marcus’ mind was empty. The horse’s hooves made a steady, lazy tlot, tlot noise on the well-beaten path; Marcus’ own shoes were silent. He did not see the mysterious figure in black secreted to the right of the path, nor the other ahead and to the left, or the third that fell in behind him. That is, Marcus did not notice them until they all set upon him at once.

In an instant the lead had been torn from Marcus' hand, the horse plunging and rearing in surprised anger. Marcus drew his sword, and glared at his attackers, all men, all dressed in black, all with their faces obscured. Marcus' assailants, too, had drawn swords, and they were surrounding him. They seemed a lot more professional than the last set of bandits they had encountered, on the road to Byford Augusta. In fact, they didn't seem like bandits at all. Bandits wouldn't be dressed all in identical black, with matching black masks, and they would have demanded money, not just started attacking him without provocation. Marcus’ heart sunk. How was he to face three opponents, each coming from a different direction? He had never been a great swordsman. At best, he was a competent one. And even a great swordsman would have trouble with three assailants who had surrounded him. Marcus whirled to confirm that it was so, and it was; all three were rapidly advancing on him, swords drawn. The horse was now free and galloped off in fear. Marcus did not even bother to curse his luck.

The first man’s sword crossed with Marcus’, then Marcus whirled to stop the second man from stabbing him in the back and the third from knocking the sword out of Marcus’ hand. I am going to lose, and quickly, he realized. He imagined it would be a painful, unpleasant death, but he was resigned to it. Hopefully, death would at least come quickly. At least if he were dead he could spend time with Gaius, he reasoned. In fact, he was almost at the point of laying his blade down in despair when a pair of young women descended from the sky like vengeful shield-maidens.

“Florae!” Marcus exclaimed, recognizing first their clothing, and then the girls themselves.

As the two young women descended towards him, Marcus' attackers scattered. It was as if a switch had been turned somewhere, changing them from marauders into frightened children. As suddenly as the attack had begun, it ended.

It was late in the evening before Marcus returned to Byford Augusta, accompanied by Salix and Tsuga. Aurelia had been fitful before Marcus came, but upon seeing him she clapped her hands and kicked her feet with delight. Mulberry was surprised that the little girl was so attached to the foolish boy, and impressed that she had apparently not forgotten him in his absence. Mulberry herself was relieved; the Florae had been gone nearly as long as Marcus, and in Mulberry's mind Petro was little use as a protector for a woman and a baby.