Taurus (12 page)

The steward looked grim. “Master, a message has come from Panua. An envoy from Rome awaits your presence.”

Taurus dismissed the steward with a nod. “I am surprised but not shocked by the news. Rome has chosen to move quickly. Why?” Taurus turned to Kallie. “Well, well!” Scorn flowed on his tongue. “It seems your presence has caused Rome to turn her eyes in our direction.”

“Caius will demand my return. You must forbid it.” Kallie intended to use every drop of her influence to remain under his protection.

The governor’s gaze narrowed, weighing his options. “First, I meet the envoy, and then I decide your fate.”

****

Taurus strode into his office with Kallie in tow, sifting through possibilities in his mind. No doubt the Romans were here to make demands. “Where is the envoy?” he yelled.

“With the Lady Virga, on the terrace,” Kristokus replied stiffly.

Taurus threw him a look of annoyance. “Alone?” He questioned the man’s sanity.

“The lady has a guard near at hand.”

Kristokus followed them as they hurried to the double doors leading to the garden. The lilting sound of laughter filled the air. Taurus rarely heard Virga laugh. The light musical quality hinted at enjoyment of the envoy’s company.

He blocked Kallie’s view, and she came to an abrupt standstill when he halted. When she edged around him to see the envoy, she pitched forward in surprise, her mouth open but with no sound. The envoy and Virga turned as Taurus stared in calculation.

Kallie spoke first, her voice a thin whisper of its usual strength. “No…”

Taurus reached to catch her as she swooned, lifted her in one quick motion and passed her limp body to one of the guards, and waved for Kristokus to attend to her needs.

Then he pivoted to face the envoy. Virga smiled coolly at him. “May I introduce Calvinius? He comes from Rome to meet with you, Governor.”

“Calvinius! A messenger for Rome. Hard to believe, given the treason you spill.”

The envoy nodded agreeably. “I carry a missive, bearing the imperial seal. Rome is aware Panua protects their noble sister at her request. The family merely wishes a clear understanding of her position while in your care.”

Taurus poised ready to fight verbally or physically. “They have no rights here,” he growled.

“Is the lady ill? She looked pale and distraught,” Calvinius observed.

Tall like Taurus, an impressive man in his own right, Calvinius, the older of the two, had an aristocratic air that bothered his host. Taurus tensed with an almost feral attitude. The men warily eyed one another.

“Come now!” Virga spoke up. “We all have the lady’s welfare on our minds. Is she truly ill, Brother, or simply overtaxed from your time at the lake?”

Taurus eyed Calvinius with disdain. “I saw no problem until the Roman appeared.”

Calvinius opened his arms in a gesture of friendship. “I mean no harm. I come in peace to negotiate terms between Panua and Rome.”

“Terms!” Taurus bellowed. “The satrap has the ear of Rome. I hardly trust your master’s way of negotiating, Calvinius.”

“And yet Rome’s most important sister must be returned. You understand the betrothal between Rome and the East is a simple matter of diplomacy. There is no plot to undermine Panua and its people. Your state will rise as the fortunes of Rome begin to rise.”

Calvinius spoke smoothly, staying calm and self-possessed while Taurus remained tense and irritated, but the envoy’s words appealed to his intellect.

“Rome wishes to swat at us like an insect flying in her face,” Taurus retorted.

Virga reached for the wine pitcher and poured each man a generous drink.

“Rome is changing, as the world changes,” Calvinius began. “They wish to align with their neighbors and begin the process of rebuilding from the inside out. A glorious new age will change the old ways of the empire into a fresh, all-encompassing power. They cannot fight off adversaries forever. There comes a time when the depletion of men and resources outweighs the benefits of world domination.”

Taurus eyed Calvinius. “You speak your ideals, not Rome’s.”

“That was true of the old emperor, Primus Gregorian. But the current emperor has made no move to make war. He simply moves to ally with former adversaries through diplomatic means.”

Taurus’ feathers remained ruffled. “His sister came seeking political asylum from an unwanted union.”

“Do you offer the women of Panua the choice of a husband, or are marriages arranged by the head of the house, as in Rome?” Calvinius glanced at Virga. The clever envoy made his argument clearly and concisely.

“That is not the point. Our women do not run around foreign countries, trespassing and causing mayhem wherever they go.”

Calvinius looked slightly amused. “True. Lady Gregorian is a handful. The family has given their guarantee she is released from the contract with the satrap. The imperial document has been archived. I have a copy for the lady. She has no reason to fear a return home.”

Taurus drank from his cup and gestured for Calvinius and Lady Virga to sit with him. Kristokus entered the room and sidled up to him. Taurus gave him permission to speak.

“The lady is resting and will likely sleep for a few hours.”

“Good,” Taurus said, inwardly relieved.

Calvinius smiled congenially. “The Romans mean no harm to Panua, and to convey this message with sincerity, I have come to propose an offer of marriage between Rome and Panua.”

Taurus’ body tensed, like an arrow waiting for release from a bow. He could never consider such a proposal.

“I am heir to Panua, and as such it is my duty to marry a woman from Panua. The blood of my sons must be untainted by foreigners. There can be no other choice for the leader of a small, violable nation.” Taurus spoke the words by rote, having heard them from Lidia for years as she championed her cause against Rome.

Calvinius nodded politely. “You misunderstand me, Governor. The emperor seeks a wife, and word of your sister’s unparalleled beauty and unblemished character has reached him.”

Taurus stood up, flaunting his usually imposing height. Calvinius stood also, casually matching the intimidating stance.

“You need time to weigh the benefits of an alliance with Rome. Let me assure you, Governor, there are many. The sister of the emperor must be returned, and he in turn will marry Lady Virga in a show of Rome’s good faith. Otherwise Panua will be left to the jackals that roam the periphery of their good fortune.”

Calvinius paused and eyed Taurus for a brief moment. “Unless you suggest a more equitable solution, I suggest you thoroughly deliberate the matter.”

Taurus was taken aback by the offer. The last thing he had expected was an opportunity to align with a power that could easily trample them after a few years of organized restructuring.

“An escort is waiting for my return. If you agree to the terms, then send a messenger to the border by sunset tomorrow.” Calvinius paused and turned to Lady Virga, who waited breathlessly nearby.

Taurus spoke. “Your master will be disappointed with your work here, Calvinius.”

“I’ll wager him more than satisfied.” He laughed lightly. “It has been my greatest pleasure to be your guest this afternoon, Lady Virga.” He took his leave.

Taurus stepped onto the terrace overlooking the city and gazed into the distance. Virga joined him and they stood together, silently waiting until they spied Calvinius on his dark horse, riding to meet his escort party.

“Well?” He waited for his sister’s reaction to a possible union with Rome.

“I will do as you wish, Brother. I am unafraid,” Virga replied, not taking her eyes off the rider far below, a fine sight to behold on a huge horse with plain trappings.

“Calvinius. An odd choice, don’t you think?” Taurus remarked.

“Extremely,” Virga agreed, her eyes avoided his.

“I must go to Lady Gregorian.”

“May I come too?”

He nodded, and Virga followed as he hurried to his suite.

****

Kallie lay in the governor’s huge bed, awake and alert as he entered the room. “Has my silver-tongued brother convinced you to return me into his loathsome care?”

Taurus sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed her hair.

“Calvinius laid out terms on your brother’s behalf.” His arm slid around her and he pressed his lips to her cheek.

“Calvinius?”

“Yes,” Taurus said patiently. “You swooned before meeting the man.”

Kallie shook her head. “I only remember seeing
him
and then it becomes dark and unclear.”

“You dislike him. Why did he cause you distress today?”

“I did not expect the emperor to be in the room. For a moment I thought Panua captured, and the tides turned.”

Taurus glanced at Virga as she moved closer to the bed, staring as though in a dream. “The emperor…in the room?” Virga asked, her voice high and light.

Taurus shook his head. “You are confused, Kallie. You saw Calvinius.”

Kallie thought he had gone mad. “I know the emperor. He is my brother, and I saw him today.” She moved her hand onto Taurus’ arm. “Did he secure a promise from you? Will I be returned?”

Taurus’ face turned into a furious mask of frustration. “Damn that Caius Gregorian. He walks into Panua pretending he is Calvinius, using smooth words to gain his way, and leaves with an ultimatum. How dare he?” Taurus growled. “Masquerading as a scholar!”

“Ultimatum?” Kallie sat upright. “Be careful, Governor. He is shrewd.”

“He
is
Calvinius.” Virga exclaimed. Kallie tried to disagree, but Virga continued. “He is both Calvinius and Caius. It makes sense. He prepares Rome to face the coming years of change, planting a message in the minds of the greatest philosophers of our time. They adopt his ideals as though they thought of them. He has naught to do but wait for the right moment and agree to the demands of his people.” She laughed. “I admire the simplicity of his plan. Caius. Calvinius. He is one and the same.”

Taurus absorbed the information Virga imparted. He glared possessively at Kallie. “You will not be returned. His claim on you was forfeited to me when you entered Panua.”

Kallie breathed a sigh of relief, the tension flowing out of her body.

“I’ll be damned if I will negotiate with a man who sneaks into my home in disguise,” he hissed.

****

Virga watched as Kallie and her brother exchanged smiles. She marveled at his tenderness with the girl, and she imagined Calvinius stroking her and worrying over their future. An idea occurred to her, born out of watching Kallie and her unconventional way of doing whatever she wanted. Virga silently left the room while Taurus recounted the emperor’s visit.

Taurus had failed to notice their connection earlier when Calvinius held out his hand to her in farewell. Her palm had slid against his, and their eyes held fast, a hidden message in their shimmering depths.

Surely he had spoken of
his
desire to take her away. Is that what he meant?
My purpose will be clear soon, and it is an honest one, be sure of it.
His exact words blurred in the memory of his blinding smile. To think clearly after he suggested marriage to the Emperor of Rome required concentration. Calvinius
was
the emperor! He had come to meet her under the guise of negotiating for his sister’s release. His words rang in her head.
Unparalleled beauty. Unblemished character.

Sunset tomorrow.

Chapter Nine

Caius sat in the large command tent of his makeshift camp. Men patrolled the borders, watching Panua with keen eyes. The order had been issued to bring any messengers directly to the emperor. Captain Ovidius suggested the emperor sat in grave danger by waiting for word from the governor until sunset the next day.

Caius gave the appearance of listening, but his thoughts were on today’s events. His conclusions regarding the Lady Virga had far exceeded his hopes. The writings he’d collected over the years had given him an insight to her intelligence and wit, but he had been completely astonished at the woman’s grace and beauty. Word had circulated for years about the sister of the governor: reputed to be a cool beauty, her face resembling carved marble, her figure lithe and trim, and her aloof and calculating manner similar to her adoptive grandmother’s. Caius had been intrigued when he read her first scroll to Rome, which had landed in his hands by accident. Virga had written to request permission to view documents pertaining to Panua and Rome, from decades-old treaties to political appointments of bygone days. Caius personally answered those letters under the name of Calvinius, a convenient way to disguise his identity, and as the years passed he looked forward to her responses. In his mind she became a faceless friend who offered encouragement as he followed his path to enlightenment. When the opportunity arose to meet her, Caius jumped at the chance, cloaking himself in the identity of Calvinius and riding into Panua as an envoy of Rome. He had craved seeing her, to discover if his personal fantasy woven around the mysterious woman proved accurate.

Tonight he sat in his tent berating himself for leaving without one word of assurance she considered him a suitable husband. After their initial conversation, as he kissed her hand, one of the guards had arrived as a chaperone. Caius knew the proper etiquette, but it irked him to have no further time alone to cement a bond with Virga. Careful and cautious in his daily duties as Emperor of Rome, in this matter of the heart he found his usual logic lacking, and his mind drifted to the moments spent with the blonde beauty.

A soldier called a challenge outside the command tent. The tent flap pushed back, and a familiar soldier entered.

“Any word from Panua?” Caius’ brows drew together.

“We have discovered two men who carry a message for your ears only.” The soldier’s tone was tinged with skepticism, unconvinced his emperor should meet the messengers without the usual interrogation from a subordinate. Caution must be adhered to when spies and assassins were common tools used by the enemy.

“See them in.” Caius stood, his body tense, his mind burning brightly. The governor would reject his terms without consideration, but perhaps he tabled a new proposal.