Full Circle 3 of 8

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Chapter 3=20

Methos awoke with a start as a blow to his side rolled his body away =
from the pile of corpses that he had been placed on. The air scorched =
his lungs with the stench of burning flesh as he was took his first few =
breaths of life once more. He turned his head enough to see another blow =
was heading his way.=20

"Get up!" Greyson's foot arced closer to Methos, but Methos reached out, =
grabbed it and twisted it so that Greyson tumbled to the ground.=20

Methos groaned and sat up with a stiffness in his muscles that seemed to =
make him feel like he was actually a mortal--and a very old one at that. =
He whipped out the knife that was still hidden underneath his short =
tunic, holding it before him as his only means of defense against the =
blade that Greyson had whipped up to his neck.=20

Greyson got back to his feet, the point of his blade never wavering from =
Methos' neck. Methos also got to his feet then knocked Greyson's blade =
away, grabbed him roughly by the tunic and drawing him in close.=20

"Care for a little dance with death?", Methos icily sneered as both =
stared eye to eye with each other, the blood hatred still pounding in =
their veins. "Or would you prefer to let me loose and I you?"=20

Greyson's eyes turned frosty with his anger; he reached up, grabbed =
Methos tightly against him as he swiftly raised his knee into Methos' =
groin area.=20

Methos collapsed in agony at his opponent's feet and released his grip =
on Greyson.=20

"Tie him up and put him with the other slaves. And make sure you check =
him for other weapons." Greyson smoothed his tunic out, then reached =
down to wipe his blade off in the tall grass. He turned to go then =
hesitated and turned back as the soldiers tightly bound Methos' arms =
around his back. Raising a hand to indicate those other Roman soldiers =
still alive and already bound hand and foot he stated, "Those there you =
can have, but not this one. He's special; he is for my father. He is not =
to touched, understand?"=20

When the soldier was slow in answering he found a hand slapping him =
across the cheek so that it stung when it connected. "Understand?" =
Greyson repeated in a cold voice, one that was filled with authority. =
The soldier nodded and they dragged Methos, still gasping and choking =
out his pain, away as the others were led in chains towards a pen.=20

Greyson shielded his eyes, searching for his father, carefully noting =
how the rest of the battle was going. The main part of the Roman army =
was now clustered about in small groups rather in the normal line =
formation and spread over the entire field. The battle was winding down =
and he could tell that a great victory for the Visigoths had occurred, =
thanks to the gods and to the calvery.=20

High overhead the vultures circled, waiting for their dinner. =
Occasionally, one or two swooped down and began to prey on the dead as =
well as those too incapacitated to fight them off, tearing small hunks =
of flesh off and gulping it down.=20

Greyson smiled as he watched them feed as he picked his way back through =
the lines towards his father's tent, over the mounds of bodies strewn =
helter-skelter on the ground. He also smiled at the scores of camp =
followers that came to rob the dead or mourn them depending on which =
side one had been on.=20

Finally reaching his destination, he slid indoors to the coolness of the =
tent's interior and shoved aside all that stood in his path. He ran a =
hand through his hair, pushing it back away from his eyes and accepted a =
beaker of wine from a man who bowed in deference to him. He never =
noticed him, and even less noticed anyone else as his eyes locked onto =
the broad back of the man he had been in search of while feeling the =
might of his immortality as it touched his.=20

"A great victory is yours, Father." He waited as the man turned to the =
sound of his voice.=20

The man who turned his pale eyes on his son stood tall; his arms were =
wrapped with coils of gold about his upper arms and a torc surrounding =
his neck. A full beard that cascaded to his chest covered it where his =
tunic lay open, revealing the skin underneath. His hair was plaited into =
two long braids on either side of his face while the back hung freely. =
He held himself proudly and without fear of the man in front of him and =
smiled broadly at him. "Claudianaus! Have a seat! Wine?"=20

Greyson shook his head "no" as he strode to the chair and sat. "It's =
Greyson now Father, remember?"=20

A deep chuckle rumbled in the standing man's chest and he nodded. "Yes, =
I will have to get used to the name change, won't I?" He sighed then =
rubbed his hands wearily over his face. "We have them on the run, don't =
we?" He looked at a young boy, who ran over and poured a beaker of wine =
for his master.=20

"Indeed, we'll soon have Rome itself eating out of our hands, Father. If =
we go now, pursue them, we could soon be at their gates knocking on =
their doors." Greyson took a sip and frowned as he thought about it. "We =
could sack the city, pillage it and bring them down to their knees. They =
would beg us for mercy and give in to our demands if we were to do =
that."=20

"There are other concerns now, my son. After word gets back to Rome, =
they will quake and offer us land to settle upon. I have seen this =
before and know how it works. It might take more time and more blood =
spilt but if it does--so be it." Darius took a long drink from his cup, =
then leaned against the table as he thought upon what Greyson had said. =
"In good time Rome will fall to us.=20

They are weaker now than what they were before and the people cannot =
agree upon common things. Let us wait it out and we will see what will =
happen."=20

Greyson's eyes shone in admiration for the man standing before him. He =
was everything to him and Greyson had decided long ago that he would =
follow him to hell and back if he were to be asked. Darius was his =
adopted father; his mentor; his friend, his teacher. And he wanted to =
emulate him in every way possible. "It could take years of waiting--why =
not attack now?"=20

"It is not time yet to do so. We must lure them into acceding to our =
demands little by little, just a s a spider entices a fly into its' =
web." He smugly smiled. "Time is on yours and my side, my son. =
Patience."=20

Greyson templed his fingertips together and contemplated them before =
replying. "Very well, Father. I will try to be patient." His face =
brightened for a moment and he smiled at Darius. "I found a little =
something for you today on the battlefield. Something that you should be =
very pleased with."=20

Darius' face became a reflection of his curiosity. "Oh? And what could =
that be, Greyson?"=20

Greyson shifted his gaze at the soldier who stood guard at the tent's =
entrance; the soldier came over, bent down as Greyson whispered =
instructions in his ear then uprighted himself and went off. "You'll =
see."=20

Shortly afterwards, Darius stiffened, casting a glance in Greyson's =
direction who smiled back at him. "Who is this?" he whispered to Greyson =
as the Immortal's buzz increased with each moment.=20

The tent flap was flung open; a man in chains was thrown roughly inside =
and fell to his knees in front of Darius. He wore nothing but a =
loincloth--all else had been stripped of him except his sandals and his =
eyes blazed at the two of them as he raised his chained hands in front =
of him, shaking the chains in fury.=20

Darius turned and got his sword from the table. "Your name...what is =
your name?"=20

The man remained silent but unmistakably furious at his treatment.=20

Darius looked up at Greyson. "What is this?"=20

"Spoils of war, father. A trophy, if you wish. What you do with him is =
up to you." Greyson pushed himself up off the chair and grabbed the =
prisoner's dark hair, snapping his head sharply backwards. "Answer him. =
What is your name?"=20

The man's silence hung thickly between the three of them and Greyson =
flung a hand backwards then downward across the man's cheek. "Don't be =
insolent to this man. Answer his questions!"=20

His cheek stinging sharply, the man worked his jaw about to see if it =
still was working then directed his blank stare at Darius. "I am =
Methos."=20

Darius lifted his swordpoint to under Methos' chin and lifted it. "You =
are nothing except my slave. Remember that. No more, no less and you =
will be killed by my son--" he indicated Greyson "--or by me if you =
forget it."=20

Greyson's voice chimed in. "Remember that, slave. Remember--or face the =
consequences."=20

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