Wolfbane (Historical Fiction Action Adventure Book, set in Dark Age post Roman Britain) (55 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The small hill provided Augustus with a good view of the old villa. Set out as a perfect square with a central courtyard, the villa had but one entrance. Tegula tiles made from local clay covered the pitched roofs—the nearby abundant clay deposits having also provided the material for the brick walls of the buildings. The structures were pristine, and overlooked a fountain-adorned courtyard. An inner veranda attached to the inner walls of the buildings provided a covered walkway around the perimeter of the courtyard. 

The November day was cool and muted, somewhat diminishing the sparkle of the villa. Even so, Augustus had never seen such a magnificent structure. In comparison to the villa below him, he now realised he had unwittingly spent his entire life inhabiting a primitive hovel.

He considered what to do next. Because the villa had only one entrance (no doubt an adaptation introduced by Griff for his security), this was a problem. Yet, to enter the villa was unavoidable. If Cate was inside, as he hoped she would be, then he had to find a way in and rescue her. To simply walk down, go through the gates, then have a casual look around, was not an option, though. For now, he could do no more than sit, watch and wait.

An hour passed as Augustus awaited developments. During this time, he had seen two men and two dogs take air in the courtyard. He guessed one of the men to be Griff. The other man was a Negro.

It was the first time in his life that Augustus had set eyes upon a black man, and the sight had made him gasp. Everything from the man’s black skin and tight hair, to the fluidity of his movements, which although lithesome, hinted at bridled strength, was alien to Augustus.
Another problem to deal with and me still not back to my best
, he thought, as he shifted his weight onto his elbow to ease the pain in his torso. Now he was at a loss. He could not think of what to do next.  

A further hour passed before his simmering frustration changed to attentiveness when a covered wagon rolled down the road below him and up to the gates of the villa. Inside the villa’s perimeter, two women emerged from their quarters and scurried across the courtyard to open the gates. The wagon entered and continued to the opposite side of the square.

As Augustus watched, Griff summoned the women to fetch horses. Then he instructed the wagon driver to enter the building. Moments later the man emerged, pushing two bound figures before him towards the wagon’s open back door. Both were adult; both seemed aged.

The gates to the villa were still open as the wagon driver mounted his cart and lifted his reins to send the hefty dray across the courtyard and through the gates. Augustus tensed with anticipation as Griff and the Negro, with the dogs bounding around them, mounted their horses and followed the wagon. He realised the opportunity to get inside the villa had just unfolded before him.

He watched as the entourage passed below, taking a side trail that wound beyond a grassy knoll. Looking back at the villa, Augustus could see the gates were still open and wondered why.
An oversight or normal practice?
He didn’t care.
Now was the time to move.

Grimacing from the pain in his ribs, he got to his feet and made his way down the hill. Glancing around nervously, he walked across the open expanse of ground in front of the building. When reaching the outer wall of the villa, he stopped by its open gate. He chanced a look inside and saw the courtyard empty. The two women had gone.

Nerves jangling, he slipped through the opening and entered, then made for the wall adjacent to the gates. As he reached the veranda, he welcomed its concealing shadow and crouched to make himself small. The veranda continued to the next corner, then turned a right-angle to run alongside the next wall of the villa until reaching another corner, and so on, continuing as a square to join the gates again.

Augustus could smell wine. He noticed a row of large, sealed, clay jugs near to him, and realised he must be next to Griff’s wine store. Now he decided to make his way around the inner walls of the villa, keeping under the veranda. If Cate was here, he must surely come to her if he continued around the square.
Surely, she must be in one of the rooms.

He quickly moved behind the cover of the wine jugs as the two women again ran across the floor of the courtyard. Their urgency and anxiety unsettled Augustus, but he was unseen as they passed him by, ten paces away.

They ran to the gates, which they immediately shut. Their relief was palpable. They had forgotten to shut the gates and had feared a lashing from Griff for their lapse. Augustus realised how lucky he had been to enter the villa, as the women, now at ease, walked back across the courtyard. He watched them enter a room at the far end of the courtyard, then he emerged from behind the wine jugs and moved on.

He reached the first inner corner of the villa and started to follow the next wall. An intricate mosaic floor lay under his feet. He was careful to tread lightly so as not to produce footfall upon it. He came to his first door and listened carefully outside before giving it an exploratory push. Crouching, he opened it enough to peek into its gloomy space. A hollow dripping and the smell of stone and water told him he had found the bathhouse. Seeing it empty, he moved on.

The next rooms (also empty) were austere but well furnished. Augustus guessed they were the quarters of a high-ranking servant. Possibly the black man he had seen earlier. He cast a nervous glance across the courtyard towards the gates as the Negro again entered his thoughts.
He had to get this done. Had to get Cate, and get out.

He reached the second corner and started to move along the side of the third wall—the one that faced the gates. He passed another apartment. His careful look through its window opening confirmed that it was lavish and opulent.
Griff’s fun palace, no doubt
. The next door, which was twenty strides away and open, led into the room the women had entered.

Augustus pressed his huge bulk into the shadows as the women again walked out onto the courtyard. This time, chattering amongst themselves and lost in their tittle-tattle, they strolled past Augustus, merely yards from him. They walked towards the wine store and entered it.

He waited until they were out of sight before moving silently to the nearby open door. Voices came from within the room—one belonged to a girl, the other to an adolescent boy.

Augustus patted his belt and found his knife. Happy it was there should he need it, and knowing that time was running on, he slid into the room and shut the door behind him.

Before him
,
seemingly relaxed and well cared for, sat Cate, chatting with Griff’s boy, Ciaran.

Both, now startled, looked at Augustus as he entered the room. Augustus hushed his lips, then held up his palms; the gesture telling them to keep calm and quiet. Ciaran immediately shrank back against the wall; away from Augustus’ intimidating bulk.

Cate, for her part, blinked disbelievingly at Augustus, as he stood larger than life before her. Bewildered and unable to take in Augustus’ sudden appearance, she was stunned into inactivity for a moment.

Although fleeting, the ensuing silence led Augustus to believe that Cate either did not recognise him, or did not welcome his intervention. Maybe her life at Griff’s villa was what she now wanted. But Augustus was wrong. Cate wanted to see her brothers again; wanted the protection of the big, honest man who now stood before her. Only too well, did she recall how he had made her feel during their brief meeting. She again thought of her brothers, and realised she may yet see them again. She ran to Augustus. 

‘We have to go
now!
’ said Augustus, knowing there was no time to talk. He let go of Cate and glanced at Ciaran who still cowered by the back wall.

Augustus’ glance was not lost on Cate. ‘His name’s Ciaran and Griff treats him terribly,’ she said. ‘He’s been my friend here. Please, can we take him with us?’

Augustus could see no problem with it. Anyway, he did not have the time to argue the matter. He looked at the youth. ‘Come on, lad,’ he said. ‘You’re about to take a long trip through the forest, do you think you can manage that.’

Ciaran, still wide eyed with astonishment, gave a quick look towards Cate, who nodded her encouragement. Ciaran reciprocated Cate’s nod, turning it to Augustus. ‘Y-yes … I think I can manage it,’ he said.

‘Follow me, then, and keep close,’ said Augustus. He turned and left the room, followed by the children.

Across the courtyard from them, stood Griff, the dogs, and Ambrosius. 

Griff immediately recognised Augustus, who stood immobile and dismayed beside Cate and Ciaran. Meanwhile, Ambrosius, who held the dogs, made to move against him, but Griff now realised that an opportunity had presented itself. He quickly stayed Ambrosius’ arm.

Griff signaled for the wagon driver to throw down the sack that lay at his feet. The sack landed heavily beside Griff. At a signal from Griff, one of the women ran over, picked up the sack, then took it to Griff’s apartment.

Augustus had watched as the woman had passed him by, aware that Griff had combined his trip out with a visit to his gold cache, wherever that might be.

Augustus now turned his attention to the dogs, which pulled against their leads, eager to do their ghastly work upon him.

Griff, though, realised the animals would be indiscriminate in their maiming, and so risk injuring and possibly killing Cate and Ciaran if set free. With this in mind, he grabbed the dogs from Ambrosius and continued to restrain them.

Augustus stood unmoving at the far end of the compound, his body now shielding Cate and Ciaran.

Griff advanced ten paces with the dogs and stopped. He knew he had the upper hand. His man, Ambrosius, was lethal with a sword; having been a knight with the legions before being caught and castrated by the Gauls—the mutilation being the uppermost consideration when Griff had employed him.

Even so, the big Briton opposite seemed formidable to Griff. Although gaunter in the face since their last meeting, the giant exuded a massive corporeal presence. Griff glanced at Ambrosius, who quivered with the strain of his suppressed inactivity. It would be his sword against the Briton’s knife. Ambrosius locked his stare upon Augustus, awaiting Griff’s command.

Griff, though, had already decided that no Gladiatorial combat would occur within his compound that day. He would not risk his best man to injury, no matter what his weaponry advantage. No … he had a far better plan than that.

As the horse and cart stopped ten paces from Augustus, its rider remained seated, high and safe away from him.

The restrained dogs gave low throaty growls as Griff shouted to Augustus. ‘You have been caught in the act, Colossus, and now you have nowhere to run!’ Augustus looked around him, then instinctively backed up towards the building. ‘It’s no use heading for the villa,’ continued Griff. ‘There is no opening large enough to allow your bulk through.’

Augustus stopped his backward progress, but still stared defiantly at Griff.

Griff walked a further five paces across the dusty floor of the compound with Ambrosius beside him. Again, he gave Augustus his ultimatum. ‘Do as I tell you and the girl will live. Try to move against me and I will release the dogs.’

Augustus tensed as he looked at the two animals. Before him were beasts that had no respect for his size or power—beast that would not only attack him if released, but also attack Cate and the youth. He knew he was in a quandary; knew there were few ways to get out of this. Desperate, he attempted to reason with Griff.

‘Why not just send your man to fight me?’ asked Augustus. ‘Surely you must have confidence in him. After all, it would be his sword against my butcher’s knife. If I win, I take the girl,’—he nodded towards Ciaran—‘and the lad as well if he wishes to leave.’

Griff pointed to the women who now watched events from the veranda near the wine store. He laughed dismissively. ‘What … and just leave me with my two servant wenches? No, my giant, there will be no fight here today. I’ll not have my courtyard despoiled with your blood. But do not worry, you
shall
have your fight, but not here … not now.  And, yes, I accept your terms. Win the fight and you can leave with the girl.’

Augustus nodded his assent, having little other choice. ‘What would you have me do then?’ he asked.

‘Get in the wagon,’ said Griff, simply. ‘It will take you to a place where you can have your battle, away from the fragility of my beautiful villa. That’s your choice … throw down your knife and get into the wagon or I
will
release the dogs.’

Cate grabbed hold of Augustus upon hearing this. Her face was aghast. ‘No, don’t do it. Please don’t do it. I know what they do to people who leave in the wagon.’ Augustus looked at Ciaran. The youth gave him a barely perceptible shake of the head.

Yet Augustus
had
to get into the wagon. He knew that. He had no choice. He would be hard pushed to protect
himself
from the dogs, should Griff now let them go. Pained at what he had to do
what he must tell Cate
he whispered to her. ‘I
have
to do it. I have to get in the wagon or the dogs will come. Maybe this will end well … just wait and hope … that’s all I ask.’