Stewart Binns - Anarchy

‘Fine, but it may get a lot worse before it gets better. I’m relying on you.’

By mid-morning, our situation began to improve. The ladies were drying their new clothes, not that they were thrilled by the cut of their leather jerkins, nor the elegance of their cotton leggings, but at least they had something to cover their fine but flimsy underwear. A simple wooden comb had been found on one of the bodies and the shoes of some of the young deckhands had been trimmed to fit their small feet.

The salvage teams were starting to bring in weapons and a few tools and utensils, and they had found some flagons of wine. By the end of the day we had a stock of rabbits and fish, some herbs and a few berries. The shelters were habitable, the latrines usable, and we had an adequate pile of firewood. No other survivors had been found, even though we scoured the beach for several miles, and we held a simple interment ceremony at dusk. Sandro said a few words in Veneto, as a mark of respect, and we all reflected on how lucky we had been to survive. Enough weapons had been found to arm each man with at least one means of inflicting damage, and several shields had floated to the surface after the shipwreck. Unfortunately, the caskets of silver and jewellery were nowhere to be seen.

By nightfall, we were sitting around a roaring fire eating grey mullet and sea bream stuffed with herbs, followed by roasted hare and rabbit garnished with whatever edible leaves we could find, all washed down with good North African wine. For most of us, famished from a day and a night without food, it was as good as a Doge’s banquet. However, the ladies appeared to find negotiating a whole fish or rabbit impaled on a skewer fashioned from a twig a little challenging – especially without the aid of a fork. They did not comment, but had to concentrate hard on their task.

By the time our bellies were full, the scouts had returned with their report. As they ate, we listened anxiously to what they had to say.

‘Sir, the nearest settlement is about fifteen miles to the north-west. We could see its smoke from a high point about five miles up the coast, but did not get closer than that. It’s a small settlement and unlikely to offer any threats; it’s almost certainly a fishing village with no garrison. All we could see inland were more and more hills of pine, with higher peaks in the distance. There are probably roads in the far valleys, but none nearby. There will be deer and boar in the forests, for sure, but also leopards. This coast is famous for them.’

Our position was a lot bleaker than I had hoped. No farms and no settlements meant no horses. At least there would be boats at the fishing village.

‘Thank you for your report. How far is to Kalonoros?’

‘At least forty miles, sir. Perhaps fifty.’

I turned to Sandro.

‘What will we find there?’

‘There will be a Byzantine garrison. Not a big one, but this land is under the rule of Constantinople, so there will be a fortification and a governor. From memory, and it is from a few years ago, there is a strong fortress on a hill that extends into the sea with a small harbour and village beneath it. The hinterland may be peaceful, but there may also be hostile Seljuk Turks – Muslims who raid the coastal cities all the time.’

I stood up to talk to the assembly.

‘We have two choices. We either send a small group to the nearby fishing village to find a boat to sail to Kalonoros to bring help. Or we set off overland as a group.’

I looked towards the ladies, who seemed bemused by the options in front of them.

‘If we decide to walk overland, it will be difficult and we will have to sleep where we can. If we find horses, we will have to steal them as we have nothing to buy them with.’

‘Will these help?’

Lady Livia handed me five freshly struck silver coins, Venetian ducati, bearing the mark of Ordelafo Faliero. It was sought-after currency anywhere in the Mediterranean.

She smiled at me mischievously.

‘You would be amazed at what a woman can have sown into her underwear.’

‘Thank you, my Lady, how very resourceful of you. What would be your preference? To sit it out here and wait for help, or try to go overland?’

‘I am happy to go along with your advice. You are in command.’

‘Thank you, Lady Livia. I will think about it overnight.’

As everyone started to settle down for the night, I asked Sandro and Eadmer to walk down the beach with me.

‘What are your thoughts, Gentlemen?’

Eadmer was the first to answer.

‘We will be safe here. There is food and fresh water, and we can protect Lady Livia. I think we should send a small party to the Byzantine Governor at Kalonoros and ask him to send a ship to collect us.’

‘Sandro?’

‘I’m not sure. Even though we have a few weapons, if someone sees our smoke and word gets back to the Seljuks in the hills, they could come in numbers and we’d be practically defenceless.’

‘You both make good points. Let me think more about it.’

I walked further along the beach, deep in thought. After five minutes or so, I saw a dark figure coming towards me. I put my hand on my dagger and called out.

‘Name yourself!’

‘Livia Michele, Princess of Venice.’

‘I’m sorry, my Lady. You startled me. You shouldn’t stray too far from the camp. Did the sentry not warn you?’

‘He was relieving himself, so I just walked past. I was only taking some air. Have you decided what we should do?’

‘I think so, my Lady. I am going to send Sandro with some marines on foot overland, to bring a ship from Kalonoros.’

‘Very good, then we will find things to do to occupy our time. Perhaps you can teach me the languages of the north?’

‘It would be a pleasure, ma’am. Perhaps you will help me improve my Veneto and my Greek?’

‘It is a bargain. But you will have to start calling me Livia. May I call you Hal?’

‘Of course. But I must continue to address you formally in front of the others.’

‘Agreed. And so we have another bargain.’

She turned and walked off down the beach, a little jauntily, and I tried to convince myself that she had been flirting with me. I also wondered whether my decision to sit and wait for help had been influenced by a hidden yearning to spend as much time as possible with her in our remote refuge.

Sandro and seven marines left the next day to make the long journey to bring help. I estimated that a ship could be back to us within a week.

As agreed, Livia and I spent each evening before dinner helping one another learn our various languages. She spoke four – Veneto, Greek, Lombardian and Genoese – and I spoke English, Norman and Latin. Lady Alice was very wary of me and always stayed within earshot, which inhibited our conversations a little. Then, one night after supper – yet more fish, but this time with a main dish of venison – Livia asked me to stroll along the beach with her. She made a point of telling Lady Alice to go to bed.

It was a beautiful summer night. The day had been hot, but the temperature had fallen to a very pleasant level, helped by a cooling breeze from the sea. There was a half-moon casting silvery ripples on the sea, and the gently lapping waters to our left contrasted sharply with the incessant buzz from the creatures of the forest to our right. We had gone some way before Livia spoke. I could sense that she was tense.

‘Are we going to survive this?’

‘Yes, of course. Sandro will be back with a ship any day now.’

‘If you say so. I’ll try to stop worrying…’

She paused.

‘May I confess something to you?’

‘Well, I am not a priest, but I will help if I can.’

‘It is not a sin – or, at least, I don’t think so. It’s just that I am frightened about meeting my betrothed. I know it is what I must do… but he is much older than I am… and I don’t know what he’s like. Also, Antioch is surrounded by Muslims who would slit a Christian throat in the blink of an eye.’