Full Circle 7of 8

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Chapter 7=20

Greyson impatiently sat on his horse as he shielded his eyes from the =
glare made from the hundreds of Roman shields ahead of him. "Let's get =
this fiasco over with so we can enter Rome!" he muttered to himself as =
well as his aide-de-camp who sat beside him.=20

They were waiting for the Roman envoy who was riding swiftly towards =
them so as to give them escort and the time of when the Goths could =
enter Rome and meet with the Emperor. As he rode a large cloud of dust =
rolled out from behind him and thunder boomed from overhead in the gray =
skies.=20

The envoy took in the thousands of warriors and calvary spread before =
him and shivered. He had fought them before in prior encounters and knew =
first-hand of their ferocity and cruelties on the battlefield as well as =
the aftermath of it. His whole village had been burnt to the ground when =
the Goths had passed through; he had seen both his mother and sisters =
raped by Goth soldiers. He had good reason to hate them and yet it was =
his sworn duty to invite them into the heart of the city where the blood =
of the Roman Empire had flowed in order to make it as it was and always =
would be. It was like inviting the wolf into the sheep's herd for dinner =
and not expect him to eat what was laid before him, he thought to =
himself.=20

He pulled up yards in front of the two Goths, and raised his hand in =
greeting. "Hail and well met! Rome greets you and bids you to enter her =
gates!"=20

Greyson looked over at his aide-de-camp and smirked then turned to look =
at the envoy. "Our greeting to Rome and the Emperor. At what hour shall =
we enter mighty Rome's gates?"=20

Thunder crashed overhead and a brilliant flash of lightning lit the sky. =
The Roman envoy looked skywards then back at the Goth. "At the hour of =
sunset. But there are conditions that are imposed upon you--and your =
army."=20

Greyson's face clouded over in fury momentarily then he regained his =
self-control, saying tightly, "What conditions?"=20

"The general, Darius, shall come to the palace to meet with the Emperor, =
Theodonius, and may only be accompanied by one hundred of his war-" The =
envoy paused for a moment and rephrased himself. "His soldiers. You will =
be escorted by a Roman contingent so as to honor you and your most =
esteemed commander. Is this agreed to?"=20

Scowling, Greyson nodded. "Very well. One hundred warriors only." He =
lowered his voice while nudging his horse in the ribs so that it =
advanced towards the Roman. He wanted only the envoy to hear him. =
"Frightened of us, is he?"=20

The envoy frowned in confusion. "Who?"=20

Greyson fully smiled at the envoy; the envoy recoiled at it. It was a =
smile that was akin to a hunter who had just captured its' prey and was =
about to kill it.=20

"Why the Emperor, who else?" The envoy's discomfiture around them made =
Greyson laugh; it chilled the Roman to the bone.=20

Blustering, the envoy replied, "Of course not. He is afraid of nothing!" =


Greyson turned his head to look off towards Rome as rain began to pelt =
the ground. "I am not a Goth, you know. Once upon a time, I was a Roman =
citizen but circumstances changed...." he said wistfully, but then his =
voice changed to iron. "I changed." He turned his attention back to the =
Roman, his hawk-like eyes drilling into the emissary's while his voice =
held nothing but contempt.=20

"Perhaps, the Emperor should be frightened of something. Any man who is =
not is a fool!"=20

"Is that a threat to Rome?" the emissary retorted.=20

Greyson raised his eyebrows in mock indignation. "Did I say anything of =
the sort? Go and tell him that we will come as he requests and when he =
requests."=20

The envoy curtly nodded, and turned to go but paused when he heard =
Greyson say one last thing. "What did you say?"=20

Greyson wheeled his horse around so that it reared then fell back to the =
ground. "Be afraid; be very afraid."=20

_________________________________________________________________=20

Inside a hide tent far on the edge of the Goth camp, sat an old woman. =
The wrinkles and furrows in her face seemed to crawl about in the =
firelight; she glanced upwards as the tent flap was pulled back and a =
lone figure entered and stood silently. A hood was drawn up against the =
rain causing its' shadow to mask the identity of the man completely. But =
there was no need to guess who it was--one could tell by the way the man =
carried himself that it was Alaric's commander who had come to call on =
her.=20

"I expected you sooner, lord," she said without raising her eyes to look =
at him. She turned about and gathered pots, small amphorae and a chipped =
bowl worn from much use. Slowly with gnarled hands she reached in and =
measured out various amounts from the differing powders, liquids, and =
pieces of dried herbs then put them into the bowl and began to stir her =
concoction.=20

"Did you?" Darius pushed back the hood from his face, squinting at the =
light from the fire. "What can you teach me today crone, about these =
herbs and medicines which you carry about?" He squatted by the fire, =
watching in fascination as the concoction in the bowl thickened before =
his eyes. "Is that to heal--or to kill?"=20

She glanced up at him. "Both. If given in the right amount it will make =
you healthy; if you give too much, it would be a slow and painful =
death." Smiling in satisfaction, she scraped the thickened goo onto a =
soft leather piece, then folded it up and placed it behind her. "What do =
you need of me?"=20

"My fortune told. What say the heavens about what we start today?" He =
slowly relaxed, sat down and ran his hand over the top of the flames, =
unmindful of the flames licking at it. He glanced skywards as another =
crash of lightening cracked overhead, followed by a swift clap of =
thunder. "Will I succeed in what I start this day?"=20

The woman frowned and reached into an old worn bag that she had about =
her neck, withdrawing several small, irregularly shaped stones each with =
a runic symbol etched upon it. She spat upon the ground, then grabbed a =
knife, slit a small gash into her flesh and let the blood drip upon her =
spittle. Taking a fingernail, she stirred it until it was mixed.=20

She began to hum as she shook the runic stones in her hands then =
released them where they fell helter-skelter upon the ground, some in =
the blood and saliva, some out. Heaving a sigh, she muttered a soft =
incantation to her gods so that she might read the omens right as she =
intently studied them.=20

Darius grew impatient when she took her time in deciphering the meaning. =
"What is taking so long?" he asked angrily. "What do you see?"=20

Shaking her head, she glanced up at him. "For this moment in time, you =
will succeed. But it is unclear what will happen after that. I see a =
bright light after much fighting and bloodshed."=20

"What is that supposed to mean?" Darius reached over and picked up a =
stone, studying the word written upon it before closing his fist upon =
it. His eyes glittered ice blue in the firelight causing them to look =
almost unearthly.=20

"It means that from what you start doing tonight you will succeed in but =
I cannot tell you the outcome. Something is blocking my sight--I cannot =
tell you more." She lowered her head. "I know no more than this."=20

Pursing his lips, Darius thought about what had been foretold. His =
thoughts were interrupted by another clap of thunder overhead, and he =
stood. "You will teach me all that you know of the healing arts, old =
woman. I want to know it all--what heals, what kills. Do you =
understand?"=20

The old woman bowed in assent. "Yes, Lord."=20

Darius turned to go, his cloak swirling about him. "Very well, we begin =
tomorrow."=20

__________________________________________________=20

Methos rubbed the whetstone he had found along the scrap of iron that he =
had retrieved in the reject pile of scrap metal near the weapons-makers =
forge then tested the edge with his thumb. Instantly, blood welled up =
the crease where his skin had been split and, just as quickly, it =
healed.=20

Satisfied that he was at last getting the edge he needed to take a head, =
he continued to draw the stone repeatedly over the iron, then eyed it =
down it's length. It wasn't a pretty sword--quite the contrary. But it =
would do in a fight if it came down to it. He still needed a guard of =
some sort as well as a hilt, but the blade was nearing completion.=20

He had managed to hide it under Darius' nose and work on it covertly as =
his time allowed. The whetstone he had found near an old riverbed where =
he had gone to retrieve water for his captor one morning on the trip to =
Rome. He knew if given the chance, his freedom would lay just within =
Rome's walls; he also knew that he had to try to gain it, despite the =
consequences if he failed. A noise snapped his head about as well as the =
queasy feeling another Immortal caused him to experience; he quickly =
wrapped up his prize and hid it.=20

Greyson entered the tent as he slid the wetness off his muscular arms, =
shook his clothes out and looked about. Puddles formed about his feet =
and his eyes searched all the nooks and crannies of the tent's cramped =
space. He directed his attention to Methos. "Where is he?"=20

"Who?" Methos replied sarcastically.=20

"Don't try to play your little games with me. Don't think that I don't =
know what you are doing, slave." Greyson sneered arrogantly at Methos. =
"I know--" he took a threatening step towards Methos. "--that you know =
exactly what you hope to accomplish. It won't work."=20

"Are you trying to threaten me?" Methos began to laugh loudly. "I've had =
children do that more effectively." He lowered his tone as he narrowed =
his eyes. "You don't want to cross me, mark my words well. You are still =
a child and behave like one--an Immortal one, but still a child."=20

Greyson growled, "I should have killed you while I had the chance. You =
seem to forget yourself-

-" He drew his blade and pointed it at Methos' neck. "I am the one in =
charge this time, not you." He walked around Methos looking him up and =
down appreciatively. "You might get lucky and get a good owner the next =
time around--providing you're still alive."=20

"Oh, I will be. I'll be alive long after you're dead." Methos said as he =
prepared himself for what was to come, if anything.=20

Greyson reached over and grasped Methos' meager tunic, yanking it =
downwards, shredding the fabric then stood back to look him over. =
"Perhaps, I'll give you a taste of something you'll not forget in a very =
long while." He ran his hand over Methos' chest, then slapped it hard =
enough that it left a red welt that quickly faded.=20

Methos leapt backwards, his eyes furious and his face contorted in pain. =
He composed himself then replied, "I seem to have a long memory already; =
I'm not accepting anymore contributions today. Sorry; you'll have to =
make it another day."=20

Greyson furiously arced his sword backward over his head and was in mid =
swing when Darius entered his tent. He swiftly took in the situation and =
grappled with his son in order to stop the downward motion. "Enough--he =
his not yours to punish! He is my property--remember that, my son. My =
property!"=20

Methos slipped away during the struggle between Darius and his son to =
the outside and disappeared. "At last, a chance at freedom!" he said to =
himself then chuckled as he ducked behind a boulder. He then remembered =
his sword left inside the tent and he cursed vehemently. He looked =
skywards as the clouds opened up, pouring a large downfall of rain on =
him and the rest of the earth. "I hate water. I truly do."=20

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