Mary Reed: Four for a Boy

“It turned out to be a bad alliance,” Felix observed. “But Opimius is nothing if not shrewd. I was on duty when that delegation of senators arrived to present their petition to Justin. It was signed by every single member of the Senate and Opimius and Aurelius formally presented it to the emperor. Justin understood right away when he saw those two advancing toward him together, practically arm in arm.”

Felix scowled at the memory. “To formally petition an emperor to agree to share his throne with an impatient upstart, even if that upstart is his nephew…to demand that an emperor give up power…I wish I hadn’t been witness to such a spectacle. If those senators had had the courage to attempt a proper coup I would have enjoyed putting my sword in every one of them. Unfortunately, it was all legal.”

His scowl grew more pronounced. “Yes,” he went on, “Quaestor Proclus glanced over the petition and explained it to the emperor as if he already knew its contents, which I’d wager he did. It’s a sorry thing to see men disgrace themselves, and none worse than Opimius. After all, he abandoned his principles, and in supporting Justinian has betrayed Justin, a man to whom he had proclaimed loyalty.”

“I think Opimius was acting more out of loyalty toward his daughter,” John replied. “He abandoned his principles rather than Anna. What would have become of her if her father had been arrested and executed for opposing Justinian? Everything the senator owned would no doubt have been forfeited. Anna would have been left not only fatherless, but destitute and homeless as well.”

He paused. “And speaking of shrewd senators, when Senator Aurelius suggested in front of his friend Opimius that I interview Tryphon and Trenico, he was as much as anything giving Opimius a clear warning. I’m certain he had spoken about it to him privately, but perhaps he felt it would be more persuasive to place two of the other conspirators under direct suspicion. You know, Felix, I would not be at all surprised to discover that Aurelius were pagan also. That would explain the close friendship between him and Opimius, despite their political differences. Our faith binds us strongly together.”

“You are back in Opimius’ good graces, I suppose. Are you tutoring Lady Anna again?”

John shook his head. “It is best I not see her just yet. I did speak to the senator in private, but our conversation was brief since Aurelius and Anatolius arrived. Somehow the tale of my flight from Avis’ tower has got around, and in its travels become much exaggerated. Apparently I was halfway up the Bosporos before I fell out of the sky.”

Felix chuckled. “I’ll wager young Anatolius was thrilled to hear that story.”

“He looked very disappointed when I explained I’d left the wings in pieces on the docks. Then he asked his father to make certain that Avis had a few coins now and then to continue the project.”

“That’s not very likely to happen, is it?” Felix observed. “Aurelius must be thanking whatever gods he worships that it was you who first tried out those wings, and not his son.”

“It is strange, Felix,” said John. “Consider that here there were two sons, both of them only children. One would think Fortuna had bestowed enough favor on Anatolius, making his a prosperous family when so many others are destitute. Yet he was saved from certain death the night he decided to join the Blues, while that poor grocer’s boy died playing in the gutter.” Felix said nothing. He glanced uneasily at the statue of Vitalian and then resumed walking.

“Lady Anna must have gone to her father immediately,” he said. “Once she relayed the warning you gave her, he wasted no time in throwing his support into Justinian’s camp. Now Justinian has recovered, and frankly I begin to wonder if he was half as ill as was reported. He’s been just as swift in removing the Gourd from office. The question is will anyone believe Justinian’s claims that the Gourd has been poisoning him? With all those guards around him, not to mention Theodora constantly at his side, how could the Gourd possibly have managed it?”

“True or not, the Gourd cut his own throat by persuading everyone he was able to perform magick,” John observed with a wry smile. “You can do all sorts of impossible things with magick. Besides, Justinian’s accusation is all the proof any court of law can afford to consider.”

They had reached the building overseen by the leprous Hermes. Felix gazed back uneasily over the frozen throng populating the square. “There’s something strange about seeing all those statues crowding about in public as if they’re about to start rioting. Speaking of which, the superstitious are already spinning tales about how that statue of Christ miraculously punished Timothy.”

He frowned and went on. “As to Justin, in the end he was rather relieved by the senators’ suggestion that he and Justinian co-rule. It would certainly lift some of the burden from his shoulders, so he will be considering it, or so he was muttering to Euphemia this very morning. Yet still I feel I have somehow failed him. I don’t know why.”

“Justinian considers we have both aided him, and it’s his opinion which matters now.”

Felix looked thoughtful. “Do you realize Justinian has reason to be doubly grateful to you? First, you disarmed those opposing him by uncovering the real murderer of Hypatius and making it impossible for them to use his death against Justinian in some way or another. Then, on top of that, you were instrumental in persuading Opimius, the leader of the conspiracy, of the wisdom of publicly declaring himself one of Justinian’s staunchest supporters for reasons we will never see made public.”

A wry grin crossed the excubitor’s face. “Not that Theodora will thank either of us for any of our efforts,” he continued. “I have a strong suspicion she does not enjoy the notion of Justinian being grateful to anyone except her. If he was, such people might well have some influence with him and she’s the sort who cannot tolerate even the thought of any such possibility. Still, aside from that, it’s all been tied up very neatly.”

“There is one matter still left unfinished.”

Felix gave John a questioning look.

John’s fist smashed into the excubitor’s jaw, sending him to the ground. He looked up at John, his expression more bewildered than angry.

“Don’t you recall what you said outside Isis’ house?” John asked. “‘Watch your tongue, slave, or I’ll give you a thrashing you won’t soon forget.’ Those were your exact words. Were you too intoxicated to remember? A man can’t allow himself to be insulted in such a manner, but a slave has no choice. A slave does not dare retaliate. There can be no real friendship between a man and a slave.”

John extended his hand. Felix took it warily and allowed himself to be helped to his feet. He rubbed his jaw, frowning.

Then he grinned widely.

“I see you’ve guessed, my friend,” John said. “As a reward for my services, Justinian has granted me my freedom.”

Felix’s shout of joy disturbed several seagulls rooting among the gutter debris. They rose, squawking with indignation, into the slate gray sky.