Kevin Ashman - Mortuus Virgo

‘That is why we must build it in here,’ said Rose, looking around. ‘Right here in this cave. No one needs know except those who are devoted. All we need is enough room to establish a central hearth and space for those called to service to lay their heads. Do you think we can do that, Dragus?’

Dragus stared long and hard at the beautiful ex slave before looking around the gloomy space.

‘I have been told there is a second cavern behind this,’ said Dragus. ‘It has not been used for generations and is filled with rubble but if I can clear that, perhaps there will be enough room.’

Rose took his hands and kissed him gently.

‘Thank you, Dragus,’ she said, ‘Now, I have to leave you for a while. I need to pay my respects to her earthly remains and prepare her body for burial. You go and speak to the chief and see if it is okay that we stay here.’

‘Leave it to me,’ said Dragus and returned the kiss, ‘Henceforth my life will be devoted to you, the child and the Goddess.’

‘What about the memory of Rubria?’ asked Rose, in mild surprise.

‘As far as I am concerned,’ said Dragus, ‘There is no difference. In my eyes, Rubria embodied the very essence of Vesta herself. She was the Goddess.’

Dragus didn’t return to the cave and Rose spent a lonely sleepless night on his furs. Finally she must have fallen asleep for the sound of Dragus’s voice in the distance dragged her back to consciousness.

‘Rose,’ called Dragus’s voice, ‘Wake yourself. There is work to be done.’

Rose stood up, and, wrapping one of the furs around her shivering naked body, walked sleepily to the cave entrance. She squinted against the sunrise before looking down at Dragus on the clearing below.

‘About time,’ called Dragus, ‘The day is almost done.’

‘The day has just started,’ contradicted Rose. ‘Who are these people?’ She indicated the hundred strong crowd behind the ex-Centurion.

‘These,’ said Dragus, ‘Are our workforce, Rose. These are the people to build the shrine to Vesta.’

‘The chief has agreed it?’

‘Absolutely. He has seen the holiness in the eyes of the child and adopted Vesta as one of his own gods. He has given us fifty slaves for labour, Rose, the rest are volunteers. Stone workers for statues, miners to enlarge the cavern and foresters to provide the supports. He has even decreed that every villager will provide tribute of food to the Temple. I know it is not the Temple she craved Rose, but until the time of Nero is over, I will make this cave a tribute to the Goddess and Rubria herself. And, in years to come, when Nero is rotting in Hades, we will build that Temple, Rose. We will clear a hill of trees and build a Temple in the sunshine that Vesta herself would be proud of.’

Rose gasped in astonishment.

‘Is this really true’? she asked.

‘It is,’ said Dragus, ‘And the task will be led by Reynard himself. During all that time with Rubria, he became converted to the worship of Vesta.’

Rose looked down at the crowd, unable to quite take it all in.

‘Well,’ shouted Dragus, ‘Do we start or shall I send them all back to the village.’

Rose wiped the tears from her eyes and her face broke into a wide smile.

‘You send them back, Roman, and you will be doing all the work yourself. What are you waiting for?’

Dragus returned her smile and gave the signal. The huge workforce flowed past him and up the slope. For a few moments the Centurion and the slave stared at each other over the heads of a hundred workers before she had to move to allow them into the cave. The work on Britannia’s first Temple of Vesta had begun.

England 2010

Brandon opened his eyes slowly wondering where he was. Suddenly he sat up as his memory kicked in and he remembered his predicament. He looked at his watch. Four hours had elapsed since the Nun had locked him in, and for two of those he had been asleep. At first he had heard various people going back and fore outside the room, and he had waited nervously for one of them to open the door, but nobody did. He stood up from the old dusty mattress where he had finally fallen asleep and walked over to the door, listening to see if there was anything happening.

After a few moments, he heard the faint sound of someone coming up the corridor. This wasn’t the sound of confident footsteps of someone who had a right to be there, but considered steps, careful not to be heard. Brandon considered carefully and when he heard a muffled conversation, being carried out in whispers, he took a calculated gamble. Taking his gun from his belt, he stood to one side of the door, and held his gun in both hands, barrel facing upwards in the ready position.

‘Bernice,’ he said hesitantly, ‘Is that you?’

The voices stopped and silence fell.

‘Bernice,’ said Brandon, ‘If that’s you, you have to let me out. There are lives at risk here.’

The steps came closer and stopped outside the door.

‘Open the door, Bernice,’ said Brandon, ‘Please, don’t make this any worse.’

He heard the sound of the bar being slid back and the door swung inwards, creaking on its rusty hinges. Brandon stepped out into the open and levelled his gun at the person in front of him.

‘Bernice!’ said the woman, ‘Who the hell is Bernice?’

‘ India! ’ gasped Brandon in astonishment, ‘What are you doing here?’

‘She’s with me,’ said a male voice, as Gatilusi came into view, aiming his own gun at Brandon.

‘ Gatilusi ,’ gasped Brandon, aiming his own gun at the Greek policeman, ‘What on Earth is going on, here?’

‘Long story,’ said Gatilusi, ‘We can catch up later, suffice to say, there is not much time. Now, I didn’t expect to come across you in these circumstances, but there is an advantage to be gained here. I intend to find what I came for. I can leave you both locked in this cell or we can work together. This place has secrets we both need to solve if we are to retrieve our respective items.’

‘The girl is not an item’ snapped India.

‘Whatever,’ said Gatilusi, ‘The point is, both seem to be intrinsically linked. ‘I want the Palladium. Nothing more, nothing less, and I believe, by finding the whereabouts of the artefact, you have a good chance of finding the girl. Together, we stand a greater chance of not only being successful, but also of getting out of here alive. It makes complete sense. Your call.’

Brandon glanced at India before answering.

‘Okay,’ he said, ‘I will trust you.’ He slowly lowered his gun and reached around his back to place it in the holster on the back of his trouser belt.

‘Good,’ said Gatilusi, and lowered his own gun. ‘Right, let’s see what this is all about.’ He turned and made his way up towards the cavern door, closely followed by India and Brandon.

‘What is going on here?’ asked India as they walked.

‘I’m not sure,’ said Brandon, ‘But Sister Bernice told me about a secret inner order within the convent. I think they have something to do with it.’

‘Sister Bernice?’

‘Yes, a long story but I don’t think she is part of this, whatever this is.’

‘Where is she now?’

‘I have no idea.’

‘What about him?’ asked India, indicating the back of Gatilusi.

‘We have no option but to trust him,’ said Brandon, We are on our own here.’

‘Shouldn’t we just call the police?’ asked India

‘Not possible,’ said Brandon, ‘There are no phone lines here and apparently the only place you can get a signal is at the top of the hill at the end of the valley.’

Gatilusi stopped before the giant door to the cavern.