Agnes Smith Return to Rome 848 A.D. Palermo ......... The trip across the ocean reminds you how much you really don't like sailing, even after all your years with Brian. You even feel a slight twinge of seasickness. Perhaps you'd become more acclimated to the desert than you thought. Antonella, on the other hand, stands on the prow and looks ahead eagerly, anticipating her return to Europe despite herself. Unlike your previous voyage across the Mediterranean, you are not required to stay in the hold on the return trip, though Kemal does advise you to stay out of the crew's way and not hang around above-decks *too* much. The ship is small, and your group was only able to obtain two compartments, one for Kemal and Techo to share, the other for you and Antonella. Much as you long to spend more time with your husband in private, arranging for Antonella and Techo to share the other cabin would simply be improper, no matter how trustworthy Techo is. And Kemal and Techo seem to have a lot to talk about themselves. In fact, disconcertingly, on several occasions their conversing fades away when you and Antonella come within hearing. You have the sense that they are planning something. This suspicion is confirmed when Kemal casually makes reference to waiting for Techo to return to Palermo, after he has conducted you and Antonella safely to Rome. But Kemal remains loving and solicitious towards you and Antonella, not looking forward to your parting any more than you are. He even drills you a little more on your swordwork, in the rocking hold of the ship, trying to spend a few precious last moments reinforcing what youi've learned from him these past few years. And he advises you to get what wisdom you can from Techo. "I have mentored three other immortals now, not counting you and Antonella, but counting the unfortunate Marwan. But my master has mentored scores of our kind, men and women, and he has outlived most of his pupils." You make landfall early one evening, returning at last to the port of Palermo, on the island of Sicily, from which you left as a slave. You will spend perhaps a few days here, before Kemal will be able to secure passage for you, Antonella and Techo to the mainland. <><><><><> [Agnes] After years in the desert, the sea is a joy to her. After a short while on the ship that joy is tempered with seasickness, and thoughts of the lurking horrors in the deep. As it is obvious that Kemal wishes to spend time with Techo, Agnes occupies herself by watching the seamanship and the weather, trying to understand the handling of the ship. She valiantly tries to interest Antonella in the working s of the weather, the ship or the crew, but it is an uphill struggle. Given their circumstances on their last visit to Palermo, Agnes does not particularly wish to revive memories, and tries to persuade Antonella that they ought to remain indoors as much as they can until boarding their ship. She has no particular desire to meet in the street those that captured and raped her. She would likely kill them on the spot - and as Kemal pointed out, that would be bad. AS for Kemal and Techo's plans. No doubt they would tell her what they were up to if they wanted her to know. Obviously they don't. As she suspects that it will be several years before she gets back to see Kemal, she is not particularly perturbed by their scheming. <><><><><> [GM] Antonella is anxious to go exploring, sightseeing, and shopping, but Palermo is still a Muslim city, and thus you can't rid yourselves of your robes and veils yet, so it doesn't offer any more freedom than Tunis or Carthage. And Kemal warns you both that there are other Muslim immortals here, and neither of your should go wandering, without him or Techo accompanying you. Antonella bides her time in the women's quarters adjascent to one of the royal garrisons, where Kemal has obtained lodging for you. He assures you he will find someplace more private before you leave, so you can spend at least one more night together. That day is as boring as any you spent in Ifriquiya, with nowhere to go and practice swordsmanship, all of your sewing and weaving supplies packed, and Kemal and Techo running around town in search of a ship heading for Ostia, and doing whatever else they are doing, while you are confined to these quarters. It reminds you how glad you'll be to finally return to a land where a woman can leave her home and walk the streets alone, without permission and without a chaperone, and not be stoned for it. (Though in truth, in many European cities it still isn't particularly wise for a woman to wander the streets unaccompanied, and many women do NOT have that freedom, under the authority of their father or husband.) That evening, the buzz of the Quickening tells you Kemal and Techo are returning. After you and Antonella are called forth from the women's quarters, the two male immortals lead you across town, to someplace farther from the docks. Kemal tells you Techo managed to prevail on another one of his acquaintances and procure a small villa, of antique origins, where the four of you will stay until you leave Sicily. Halfway there, everyone but Antonella senses *another* immortal within range. Kemal and Techo tense. A richly-dressed young man with a haughty expression, leading a horse, pauses in front of your party, and looks over the four of you. "Al-salam alikum, Joshu ben Naru," Kemal says, in a cool tone. Almost imperceptibly, the two men edge closer together, protectively forming a barrier obscuring the other man's view of you and Antonella. "Wa alikum al-salam, ibn-Hakim ibn-Daud," the other immortal replies politely. He looks at Techo, then at you and Antonella again. Antonella clearly realizes something is going on, but for once, refrains from immediately demanding an explanation from you. Joshu ben Naru seems to be expecting one of them to say something more, then realizes he's looking a bit foolish, standing there in the street, when the others aren't saying anything. He clears his throat. "I didn't know you were back in Palermo," he says to Kemal. Kemal replies "I am." And stands there, waiting. Joshu ben Naru shifts. "Your companions..." he glances around, then says in a lower voice, "I don't recognize them." "You can call me Abdul," Techo says pleasantly. "May Allah smile upon you, I am pleased to make your acquaintance." You think you detect just a hint of sardonicism from the elder immortal. Joshu looks pointedly at the two women again, and Kemal and Techo pointedly stare back at him, pointedly offering no further information. Finally, the other immortal smiles and says "Well, please visit me soon, ibn-Hakim ibn-Daud. I would not want it said you were in town again and I failed to offer proper hospitality to you and your....companions." "You are most kind and gracious, Joshu ben Naru," Kemal replies, with a slight bow. "Rest assured, I shall come to pay my respects at the earliest opportunity. But now, I fear I have business to attend to, and cannot tarry here, much as I would like to." "Of course," Joshu replies wryly, watching as the four of you continue on your way. Once he is out of sight, Kemal says over his shoulder "Joshu ben Naru is a good Muslim, but one of the most ardent proponents of aggression in all forms against infidels. If you ever encounter him alone, Agnes, be prepared to fight, or flee. He is quite fanatical." Kemal says this as if the idea that some might consider HIM fanatical has never occurred to him. <><><><><> [Agnes] She is definitely in a 'going home' mood. For as long as she doesn't think about leaving Kemal, she is content. She starts off by making whimsical plans about what clothes she'll buy, and what she'll do when she gets back to Italy. She brings Antonella into it when it is obvious she is bored too. The two of them while away the day in this way, making up even wilder, more fanciful, plans as time goes on. When the other immortal turns up, she lets Kemal deal with things, hiding behind the veil. She smiles under her veil - partly at her willingness to use it whilst at the same time looking forward to being rid of it, and partly at Kemal's comment about Jushu ben Naru's 'fanatacism'. Later, she asks Kemal how immortals ever find out about each other. "From what I've experienced, so far, I've met about a fourteen, and five are dead already. There doesn't seen to be much love lost or sharing of information." She looks at Techo. "And then with others giving false names, how does one ever find out about the ones to fear or avoid?" "Apart from mentors and their pupils," she smiles, "and us, immortals don't seem to stick around with each other. Will you visit ben Naru, and if you do, what sort of thing will you talk about? The events with the Qaid? Or are we not meant to talk about things like that?" <><><><><> [GM] "Some of us use false names," Techo says. "But Kemal swears he will never use any name but the one he was born with. It depends on whether you *want* to be known to other immortals. I prefer to avoid trouble, and I also rarely settle down for very long, so I use pseudonyms freely." "We come to know one another by appearance, by reputation, and by modus operandi, for the most part. Many immortals become very set in their ways, and even if they change their identities over the years, they can be counted on to still be engaging in the same practices, seeking the same goals....for instance, your mentor, Peter. He used several names over his lifetime, but they were usually variations of the one you knew....Peter, Piotr, Petros, Petres...he wasn't particularly creative." Techo smiles apologetically. "And anyone who had heard of him, who learned of an immortal residing in a monastary in Britain, would probably guess it was him." "Morrigan, the dreaded ancient of Hibernia, and one of the few remaining immortals who is even older than me, is known for her madness, her influence over the weather, and her affinity for ravens." "Casca may be identified by the fact that he usually lives in a wealthy, powerful city, and he has numerous ties with the church and state, and mercantile interests...and the fact that he never risks his own neck when facing other immortals, but conducts business through a bodyguard, unless you're one of the few immortals he trusts." "Others have simpler trademarks. I've met immortals who pretended to be vampires, others who pretended to be sorcerors...and one or two who really *did* have magical powers-" "I knew a madman in Arabia, once, who believed he was a ghul," Kemal interjects. Techo nods. "And some develop preferences for a certain type of clothing, a certain type of weapon, a fondness for burning temples, a love of sailing, an obsession of one sort or another....after many years, certain patterns can become imbedded in your psyche. That is the greatest challenge, as I get older and older....avoiding such patterns. As I prefer not to be easily identified." He chuckles softly. "My master's pattern is that he IS so elusive," Kemal laughs. "Every other immortal I have known, who knew of him by any name, says that you can find him only if he wishes to be found. That he is like a ghost, disappearing and reappearing at will. That he can walk through walls, and hide in plain sight, and that he can walk across a silk sheet and not leave the slightest wrinkle." "A slight exaggeration," Techo says with a smile. "But I have become quite good at avoiding notice, I've been doing it for so long." "We tend to make friends infrequently, but within that select circle, we share information, warning one another of immortals of whom to be wary," Kemal continues. "I have been meaning to tell you of those I know of, in Europe, but my master is far more knowledgeable." He grasps your hand and squeezes it. "Yes, it is rare for immortals to form lasting bonds with one another." "But not unheard of," Techo adds, with a smile at the two of you. "Always treasure such bonds. You are fortunate indeed if you have someone whose love and trust you can count on, through many lifetimes." You notice Antonella is walking with a head-down shuffle, meloncholy apparent even from beneath her robes. All this talk of immortality, and your potential long future with Kemal, is probably overwhelming her, and making her feel rather small. Kemal goes on. "I will visit Joshu ben Naru, and probably tell him of my...adventures, in Ifriquiya. Leaving out any mention of you and Antonella, for your own good. He is an ally, of sorts, at least against evil immortals. But he would never understand forming friendships...or more, with infidels." "The one piece of information we do convey, to all others we meet, is news of one who breaks the Rules. All honorable immortals will slay Rulebreakers on sight, or attempt to. We even exchange such reports before a duel, so that the survivor will be alerted if he should meet the violator himself in the future. So word does get around." As you enter the villa, Antonella murmurs "Excuse me" and slips away almost immediately. Surrounded by three immortals discussing ancient history and things they might be doing centuries after she expects she will be dead, she clearly feels left out. Kemal looks after her with mild surprise and puzzlement. Techo's expression is a little more sober, as if he perceives better than your husband what's troubling your co-wife. "You're probably wise not to tell her about her status just yet," Techo says tentatively. "But being with you, Agnes, she's probably going to be confronted with other immortals. It will be hard to prevent her from learning the truth eventually, even before she dies her first death. I hope you will be prepared for her consequent shock and anger, since she'll probably feel, with some justification, that you've been harboring this secret from her all this time that she should have been entitled to know." <><><><><> [Agnes] "Thank you Techo," Agnes replies. She looks in the direction that Antonella headed in. "However, if you will excuse me, I think I ought to go and see her." She leaves her husband and Techo, and hurries after Antonella, intent on apologising for being so rude. <><><><><> [GM] Antonella has already sprawled herself on her back, lying on a bed and staring up at the ceiling. She hasn't bothered to take off her robes yet, but she's clutching her veil in one hand. She doesn't look at you as you enter, but sighs. <><><><><> [Agnes] "Forgive me Antonella. I have been selfish. I got the conversation to cover the topics I wanted without considering your feelings. That was thoughtless of me." She sits on Antonella's bed and takes her hand. "In only a few days we'll be back in Italy. You will be back with your family and friends soon enough. You won't have to suffer the three of us talking about immortality in front of you." "Let's get out of these robes, and into something more like what we will be able to wear in the streets of Rome," she suggests cheerfully. <><><><><> [GM] "It's all right," Antonella sighs, still looking up at the ceiling. "It's kind of interesting, actually. It just makes me think how insignificant I must be, to Kemal and you....all of us mortals." She wipes at a tear. "I used to flatter myself and think I was special in Kemal's eyes, but I'm just like Nadi, I'll get old and die and he'll have plenty of new women....he must have had dozens like me." She sits up, only slightly cheered by the suggestion of trying on clothes. She begins choosing some outfits, somewhat listlessly. "I really need to think about ny prospects now. Once father gets over the shock of my return, he'll want to marry me quickly. My younger sister may already be married. How long will you stay in Rome, Agnes? I suppose you'll at least wait until my wedding?" Antonella is immediately drifting back into the old mindset, the assumption that she must be properly married off and that her family will see to it that she is. But she sounds even less enthusiastic about this prospect than ever before. <><><><><> [Agnes] She steps forward and hugs Antonella tightly. "Oh, Antonella, we do not think mortals are insignificant. We might live a long time, but we still have to live with people, deal with them, love them even. Do I appear so arrogant that I do not to care about all the others in my life? I am really sorry if it appears so. I shall amend my ways if that is the case." She releases the girl slightly, and then wipes the tear from Antonella's cheek. "You _are_ special, Antonella. You are my friend. And you are special to Kemal too. Why else do you think that you are his wife, whilst Nadi, who has been with him longer, is still a slave? It's because you are significant; he does care about you - although at times he doesn't think to express it." She listens to Antonella talk of her return to her family. As they sort through garments, she comments, "You know, if you return to your family with the expectation that your father will marry you off at the first available opportunity, then that'll be exactly what will happen. And he won't be thinking of your future happiness, he'll be doing it for political reasons - for the good of the family, not necessarily for you." "Why not stay with me for a while when we return, long enough to demonstrate some independence. This will let you gauge your family's reaction to your return, and their plans for you before you throw yourself upon their mercy, so to speak. Your father will also have a chance to see that he won't be able to just marry you off at the first opportunity. Then you will have time to decide what you really want to do, rather than allow yourself to be pressured or ordered into something that you come to regret." Trying to lighten things, she adds, "You never know, you might even find the 'right' man." "Either way, I promise I'll stay in Rome as long as you want me to, and I'll help you as much as I can." <><><><><> [GM] "No," Antonella murmurs in a small voice as you hug her, "You aren't arrogant. You do care, I just...." she starts crying again, feelings of smallness, and impending separation from Kemal, and the mixture of elation and apprehension at finally returning home overwhelming her. Later, she listens to your advice and says "I would like to, Agnes. Stay with you, I mean. But as soon as my father finds out I have returned, he will expect me to come home, you know. I mean, Roman women really *aren't* independent. Except for the lower classes, it's unheard of for a woman to work, even run her own business! You must have much more freedom in Britania and Carolinga. I don't think my family will let me 'run around' on my own, or in the company of a....forgive me, Agnes, but a Saxon peasant. That's how they'll see you." <><><><><> [Agnes] She holds her pupil, and friend close, letting the tears flow, gently stroking the girl's hair. "You'll soon be back in Italy; seeing friendly faces." She smiles at Antonella calling her a Saxon Peasant. "Well .... a Northumbrian Peasant really. Remember, Antonella, only circumstances forced me to become independent. Circumstances can force you too - if you want them too." When things are calmer, she says, "You know, your family think you are dead. You don't have to rush straight back to them. You could prove that you can look after yourself before you go back. Maybe three, four years?" <><><><><> [GM] Antonella looks at you wide-eyed. "You mean...not return to Rome?" She drops the clothes she was inspecting in her lap, and looks down at them. "But, where else would we go? What would we do? You told me it was very dangerous for women to travel by themselves." She looks up at you. "And I *was* rather hoping to see Rome again at least....and wouldn't it be rather cruel to let my mother go on thinking I'm dead?" She sighs. "Oh Agnes, this is too much, I just don't know what to think!" <><><><><> [Agnes] "You could pass through Rome, if you wanted. We needn't travel alone, we could travel with someone: we could settle down in a city. We could do a lot of things. Yes it would be a bit cruel letting your mother think you dead for an extra year or two, but if that allows you to avoid an arranged marriage not to your liking, is that not a price worth considering? Now, mind, I'm not telling you that you should do any of these things, I'm just making you aware of other courses of action that you might want to consider in preference to going straight home. It is your choice to make, and once you tell me you have made it, I shall respect it." She lets her go, and picks up the clothes. "We have a few days yet, before we sail, and then there is the voyage itself, so there is time enough for decisions." Attempting to lift the mood, Agnes smiles and says, "Come, let's dress as if for Italy, and show Kemal." <><><><><> [GM] Dressing up, and preening for her husband, does cheer Antonella up, and Kemal responds appropriately, with a smile and an appreciative clapping of his hands. "Has any man ever had such lovely wives?" he says to Techo, who simply smiles and doesn't answer the rhetorical question. Antonella slides into Kemal's arms, cozying up to him almost instinctively, after the two years of friendly rivalry for his affections. Kemal, however, holds onto her with one arm and pulls you to him with the other. "I see you are looking forward to returning to Christian society, and wearing European garb." He sighs, with a wistful smile. "I wish you both happiness. And I will look forward to...our reunion." In Arabic, as in most languages, the "our" can be taken to include or exclude Antonella, depending on how the listener hears it. "Both of you must find a place in Christian society...if that involves taking a new husband..." he struggles for a moment to accept the unwelcome thought, "I shall understand." He sounds extremely reluctant to concede this. Even Techo raises an eyebrow, before drifting away to find something to do somewhere else. <><><><><> [Agnes] She holds him tightly. When he concedes that she may have to marry another, it is almost too much. It is not a concession she would ever have asked of him. She put her head on his shoulder, and replies, "Thank you, Kemal, I hope that it never comes to that." It is only after a few moments that sufficient of her tears will have soaked his robes for him to notice. "I will look forward to our reunion too." <><><><><> [GM] Antonella also begins staining his robe with her tears. "Oh Kemal, if only you weren't a heathen, you could come back with us!" She clings to him as tightly as you, out of genuine emotion now, not an attempt to absorb more of his attention than you. Kemal, choosing to ignore the 'heathen' remark, typically tactless of Antonella when she's in an emotional state, holds his two wives close to him, and says "But even if I were of your faith, I would then be allowed but one wife, and I would have to choose between you." He gently separates himself from both of you, and then takes Antonella's hands and kisses them. "Choosing between you even so far as who I will spend the night with is always difficult, which is why I have usually been content to let the two of you decide on a satisfactory arrangement." He gives you a tiny smile out of the corner of his mouth, recalling your discussion before leaving Carthage. "But tonight, which may be our very last night together, I must choose Agnes. Forgive me, my sweet child, but Agnes is your senior wife, and while you almost certainly will find another husband to care for you and protect you, Agnes- I hope- will not be forced to make that decision." Antonella sniffs and her lower lip trembles. "But..." she says in a small voice, looks at you, and then casts her eyes downwards. She nods silently, tears running down her cheeks. <><><><><> [Agnes] Much later, back in his room, she lies, caressing his back gently, blissful. "Kemal? Go and visit Antonella. It's her last night with you too. She deserves it. You can return to me afterwards." She kisses him on the lips gently. "Please? For me, and for her." <><><><><> [GM] Kemal does visit Antonella. He comes back to you shortly before dawn, sliding back into bed with you and holding you closely, but a little wearily. Satisfying two wives can be very demanding even on a man like Kemal... In fact, however, the two of you have two more nights in which to share him, as a boat to the mainland isn't found as readily as he hoped. During this time, Antonella becomes increasingly cheerful, except in the evenings when she clings to Kemal and is reminded again of how much she'll miss him. On the morning that you and she, and Kemal and Techo, finally stand on the Palermo docks, preparing to board a small ship carrying silk and perfume from the far east to the Ostian port across the water, she manages to keep from crying, but she looks at Kemal mournfully, and holds his hand tightly. Techo proceeds up the plank to the ship, leaving the three of you to make your last good-byes. "I won't ever forget you, Kemal," Antonella whispers hoarsely. "Nor I you," Kemal replies with a smile. Antonella throws her arms around him and says "Good-bye, husband. Oh, how I shall miss you!" She pulls away slightly. "Do you think I will ever see you again?" Kemal smiles gently. "If God wills it," he murmurs, and lifts her veil (soon to be discarded entirely, no doubt, as soon as you're out of sight of the docks) to kiss her on the lips, a rather indecent public display in Muslim society, but no one here is likely to admonish Kemal ibn-Hakim for it. "Good bye, my beloved wife. Go with God, and may He protect you and watch over you...as He will Agnes. And make sure that you continue to heed her, for she will take care of you also. You will never have a better friend or mentor." Antonella nods. "I will," she whispers. She glances at you, and then finally slides free of Kemal's embrace, and slowly ascends the boarding plank, leaving you alone with Kemal one last time. <><><><><> [Agnes] She takes his hand and holds it, whilst looking out across the harbour. "I will think of you always," she says. She turns and embraces him tightly; words having failed her. "Take care, my love." She lifts her own veil, and kisses him. "I must go now, or I will not have the willpower to resist staying." She kisses him again, and then turns and walks aboard the ship. She knows it is the worst thing she can do, but she stands at the stern clutching the rail, and watching Kemal, as the shhip leaves; watching him and the dockside get smaller until they disappear from view. Only then does she go to the cabin, sit down quietly, and sob quietly to herself, trying not to let the tears come annd it she to Antonella, but grieving for her loss nonetheless. <><><><><> [GM] Techo stays up on deck, as does Antonella. Eventually, however, Antonella comes down to seek you out. She sits down next to you, looking solemn and a little teary-eyed herself. With a little smile, she hesitantly puts a hand on yours."Agnes, I've been thinking about what you said." "I really appreciate everything you've done for me, and offered to do for me. Adventuring sounds very exciting, but what are the chances of another adventure turning out as well as this one did? I mean- we got to live with Kemal in the end, and that was worth it...." Her voice trails off. "But we both went through a lot of terrible things before that." Unconsciously, she brings one clenched hand up to her breast, rubbing against the spot where a scar still marks her, beneath her blouse. "I don't want you to think I'm a coward, Agnes. I'd go anywhere you want to take me." She lifts her chin proudly, and a bit defiantly, as if daring you to suggest otherwise. "But...but I want to return home and at least see how my parents react. Maybe my father will let me learn something about his business. You seem to know an awful lot about trading! And I'll bet now I could show my brother a thing or two about fighting! And once I'm back in their favor again, they *will* try to bring suitors for me, but I'll pick and choose among them. After all, father can't really *make* me marry someone I don't want to." Her bravado and self-confidence is returning, but so, perhaps, is her delusional optimism. When excited, Antonella has always had a habit of conceiving of plans that aren't remotely feasible, so it's hard to tell if her estimation of what her parents may let her get away with is based on her realistic appraisal of her family, or on the enthusiasm which now infuses her, as home comes closer and closer. Doubt creeps into her expression, again, as she looks at you worriedly. "You aren't disappointed, are you, Agnes?" she asks. <><><><><> [Agnes] "It's alright, Antonella. I thought you would want to return to your family. I was just trying my best to let you see that there were other options if you wanted to take them." She looks at her hands, and the deck. "I'm sure your family will be overjoyed to see you." She lets Antonella's gross overconfidence and ability to assume that everything will turn out right in the end, wash past her. "I'm sure you are right," she replies, knowing that the chances are that she is wrong. "I will go back to Rome with you, and see who's there. I'll stay a while, and see how you get on. Who knows, maybe I'll settle a while. But of course, it'll only be for a limited number of years, and then of course, I must move on." She forces a smile. "Of course I'm not disappointed, Antonella. You have to choose what's best for yourself." Trying to lighten the mood, she continues to smile and gets up. "Come on then. I've had my sniffle. Let's see what Techo is getting up to." She heads back on deck. <><><><><> [GM] Techo is standing on the deck, leaning against the rail and looking over the side, as if staring back through the centuries. He's probably made this particular trip countless times, having lived in the Mediterranean for over two millenia (a concept you still have difficulty really appreciating.) The timeless air about him is somewhat reminiscent of the eerie agelessness you sensed about Peter, when you first sailed with him from Lindesfarne back to the mainland. But compared to Techo, Peter was just a short-lived youngster. He doesn't turn when you and Antonella come up on deck, but after a few moments, he nods at the sea. "This is the only thing in the world that doesn't change, you know," he says, with a faraway voice. Then he shakes himself, and turns to you with a smile. "I'm sorry, you don't want to endure one of my reveries on the passage of time." You notice Antonella stays close to you, as if slightly intimidated by the ancient immortal, which isn't hard to understand. Although Techo has never been anything but courteous and friendly, and his usual demeanor is certainly less stern than Kemal's. <><><><><> [Agnes] She stares out across the sea too, and then shivers. "Somehow, I get this creepy feeling about the sea. It's not so bad here, where the waters are often blue and you can see that there is nothing lurking beneath the surface. But off the coast of France or Britannia, or even here in rough weather, the dark waters could conceal all manner of things." She shakes her head. "Enough of this talk. You must think me a foolish superstitious old woman." She glances at Antonella, "And I dread to think what educated Romans think of me." She turns to put her back to the rail, and looks at Techo. "Where are you travelling to, Techo, that allows you to escort us back to Italy?" She smiles. "It is generous of you, and certainly appreciated by both of us." <><><><><> [GM] Techo shakes his head. "'Old' is the last thing I'd call you," he chuckles. "No, some sailor's tales are superstitions, but I have seen some strange things, beasts that..." he notes your expression, and Antonella not-so- subtly shaking her head, and changes the subject. "Actually, I came to Ifriquiya to find Kemal. When I did, he was in the process of bringing you back to Italy, of course. He was concerned about your safety, once you left his side, so I offered to escort you." He shrugs. "It's not a major detour. Once you're safely settled into Rome, I'll be returning to Palermo to rejoin Kemal." He smiles back at you. "You've had a remarkable effect on him. You brought out a softer side to him that I never expected. He's a stubborn old fanatic, he was already full of that Mohammedism when I met him, but I always knew he had a great deal of compassion in his heart. I never imagined he'd show it to a pair of 'infidel' women, though. I think you brought him a great deal of happiness, which he really needed." <><><><><> [Agnes] "Thank you anyway, Techo." She looks embarrased. "We were good for each other. We .. um .. were a trial for each other, and I think we are both better for it." "I just hope that I can readjust to life in Christendom. I'm sure I will ...." With that Agnes looks wistfully out to sea, thinking of what was and what will be again. <><><><><> [GM] The short journey across the channel to the Roman Port, opposite Ostia, takes less time than the trip from Ifriquiya to Sicily. You land just after sundown. Techo does not dress like a wealthy man, but he readily produces a handful of silver coins, with which he buys horses for the three of you, and then secures two rooms at an inn catering to wealthy merchants, one for himself and one for you and Antonella. "We'll ride to Rome tomorrow," he says. "I imagine we can find another group travelling around the road, which we can join." Antonella, meanwhile, is virtually overwhelmed by the new, more familiar surroundings. Europeans, dressed in European garb, and a Christian church, so much like home, and yet after just two years in Ifriquiya, you feel almost like a foreigner, who must become reacclimated. Antonella, for whom this is truly her native land, apparently feels likewise, but she wants to go walking along the streets, despite the late hour, eager to begin the reacclimatization. Techo shakes his head and smiles indulgently. "I'll accompany her on her evening stroll," he says. This sailor's port is a terrible place for a woman to go walking alone after dark, and even with Techo accompanying her, the likelihood of harassment is pretty high. Kemal would simply have told her no. "Will you come along, or wait here at the inn?" Reading your thoughts, he adds "Don't worry, we will be all right, whether or not you come along." <><><><><> [Agnes] "Thank you Techo. I will stay here then. I must get out of the habit of being overprotective of her. I will be at a distance from her in Rome after all. Yes it will do the two of us good to be out of each other's company for a while." Agnes spends a while in her room, sorting her clothes; folding and putting away for the future those that she will not wear until she returns to Africa. That done, she goes to the main room of the inn. Taking a seat in a corner, she nurses a mug of wine. The scene was one that she had seen so often in the past, and yet after two years of seeing no inns, it seemed ... uncomfortable. The wine tasted strong, though no doubt it was of the watered variety, as it too was a forgotten taste. She tried to convince herself that she was glad to be back in Christendom, but as yet she could see no particular benefit. She wondered idly how much money Techo had with him, and whether it would last a trip with Antonella. <><><><><> [GM] Another element of European society to which you must reaccustom yourself soon intrudes on your drinking and brooding. The unaccompanied woman sitting in the corner soon attracts a number of interested men, whose passes range from tolerable to disgusting (especially after not having to endure any of this for the last two years.) Antonella and Techo return about an hour later. Antonella couldn't do too much damage to Techo's purse, since nearly all shops close their doors at sundown. When she finds you, though, she tells you excitedly about a pair of ruffains that thought to bother the two of them. "Techo just spoke to them politely, like he'd recognized an old friend, not spotted a couple of hoods with ill intent," Antonella says, marveling. "They were completely off-guard! And then he reached out and took one man's hand-" she reaches out and clasps your hand to demonstrate- "and then he....twisted, or something." She frowns in puzzlement, twisting your hand just a bit, not enough to hurt, as if trying to duplicate the feat from memory. "He didn't actually hurt the fellow at all, but the ruffain screamed like he was being shoved onto a stake! Techo just held onto him with one hand and had him dancing around on his tip-toes and whimpering, and hardly seemed to be using any strength at all! Then he gave him a shove that sent him sprawling into the other hood, and the two of them took off running!" Antonella giggles, and claps her hands together. "It was neat!" At this point, the hero of her tale passes by and tells you he will be retiring for the night, advising you to do the same. The reason for his advice is clear...the only ones still awake in this inn are late-nighters who are getting increasingly drunk, and you and Antonella wouldn't want to be down here alone. <><><><><> [Agnes] She impressed at the tale, but tries not to show it to either Techo or Antonella. She agrees that their room is a good place to retire to, and makes sure that Antonella goes with her. Before they settle for the night, she ensures the door is securely barred and the shutters shut. "I will take a while to get used to Christendom," she comments quietly, thinking not only of the their potential vulnerability, but of the level of drunkenness that passes as normal. <><><><><> [GM] No one rattles the door or otherwise tries to disturb you during the night, though you do hear loud drunken voices continually, and occasionally unsteady feet thudding up and down the stairs, and past your door. Antonella doesn't seem to feel threatened by the men downstairs, probably due in part to the security of having you and Techo close by...a security she will have to learn to do without. She does complain several times about them disturbing her sleep, and at one point, actually seems on the verge of going outside to demand they quiet down. The next morning, Techo is up before either of you, and if he had trouble sleeping, he doesn't show it. He greets you both pleasantly, helps you saddle up the horses, and brings you to the group of travelers that will be riding or walking up the Roman Road this morning. Your horses and fine clothes are evidence of wealth, so the other travelers are more respectful than you're used to. The consensus they seem to arrive at is that you must be Techo's wife, so most of the attention of the other riders- all merchants, except for one young man who says he's a nobleman's son, and by his arrogant, rude demeanor, probably is- is focussed on Antonella. And she loves it. Finally freed of her hated robes and veils, she dresses like an eligible young maiden, and flirts shamelessly. Not totally beyond the bounds of propriety, but knowing Antonella, and knowing European men, you know that she's intimating a lot more than she thinks she is. After two years of confinement in Muslim society, she's getting giddy with the sudden relative freedom. You know she loved Kemal, and misses him...but she's obviously adjusting very quickly to her separation. Techo has a slight frown as he watches her giggle and banter with the young nobleman...a swaggering lad of sixteen, and probably the sort that thinks Antonella will be flattered when he propositions her, and definitely the sort who will be insulted when she knocks him off his horse in response. He rides forward a little. "Excuse me, milord, but just what are your intentions towards my sister-in-law?" The nobleman, in the middle of another ribald jest, and gradually edging his horse closer to Antonella's, pauses, mouth open, and looks at Techo. "Uh....." He blinks. "I...Intentions? Why, I have no intentions, good fellow, merely-" "Good," Techo says, and remains close on Antonella's opposite side, looking at him pointedly. The boy's face twists a little, he seems to think about giving a belligerent response, then simply closes his mouth and smiles tightly at the older man. He falls back a little, and Antonella turns an indignant scowl on Techo, while the other riders try to suppress their amusement. <><><><><> [Agnes] Agnes is disappointed in Antonella's actions, but says nothing. It is, after all Antonella's life, and who is she to criticise, when she hasn't told her that she will be immortal. She rides to the other side of Antonella from Techo, after her intervention. She looks across at him, past Antonella. "Thank you Techo." Turning her gaze to Antonella, she asks quietly, "Wouldn't it have been more polite to wait until you were no longer travelling with me and Techo, before you abandoned all memories of Kemal, and started to flirt with young men who will have only one aim?" <><><><><> [GM] Antonella flushes, and looks indignant. "I have *not* abandoned all memories of Kemal!" she hisses. "I loved him too! I mean, I still *do* love him....even if I'll never see him again." Her voice catches for a moment, and her eyes glisten, then she regains her composure and resumes glaring at you. "But I've spent the last few days resigning myself to the fact that I *won't* see him again, which you don't have to! Which means I need to start thinking about my future! Or did you expect me to wait three months, Muslim-style, as if I'd been widowed?" "And my future doesn't include *him*!" she adds, with a disdainful gesture at the foiled nobleman. Riding a couple of horselengths behind, the boy is craning his neck, obviously trying to hear your whispered conversation, though he's much too far away. "For God's sake, Agnes, we were just *talking*! You act as if I was getting ready to jump off my horse and run into the woods with him!" "We're *home*, Agnes! You can pout and mope if you like, but *I* am going to at least enjoy not having to hide my face from every man but my husband anymore, and even be appreciated!" She tosses her long golden hair and sits up straight in her saddle, chin held high with some of her old haughtiness. But the irony of her telling you to stop moping doesn't seem to have escaped her either...you notice her hands tremble slightly as she clutches the reins of her horse. <><><><><> [Agnes] She hisses back in reply, "Well, you may not have been planning to jump off your horse and run into the woods. But I bet *he*," she glances at the young nobleman, "got the impression that you were. *I* certainly did." She holds Antonella's stare a few moments, and then casts her eyes at the pommel of her saddle. She stares at it intently for a while, and quietly adds, "I can mope and pout if I want to." She knows she is sinking into self-pity, but she doesn't care. In her mind, she fights to stop blaming Antonella. It is not her fault that she has not died her first death, and that Agnes is going to have to hover at the fringes of the girl's life until she does... And all the while, Kemal is across the sea in Africa. The pommel holds her interest for some time, as she lets herself slip into a mire of self-pity. <><><><><> [GM] Antonella opens her mouth and gasps, then looks indignant and offended, and hurt, when you say you believed she was going to run off into the woods with the young man. The rest of the ride passes in mostly silence, among you three. The conversations of the other travelers flow around you, discussing the weather, taxes, a Saracen raid last month to the south, and one man claiming a sea serpent was seen actually swimming upriver, two weeks ago. To which another man replies scornfully "Stop with that fairy-tale nonsense! Everyone knows sea serpents only live in the deep ocean!" Antonella does not converse much with anyone else, and gives a cold shoulder to all the nobleman's attempts to resume their converstion. She starts to get nervous as Rome appears in the distance, and then grows closer. As you ride through the gate, she looks almost frightened. "Oh Agnes, what should we do?" she asks, suddenly forgetting your quarrel. "I..I don't know if I can just arrive on my father's doorstep and say 'I'm back!' Maybe...maybe we should go elsewhere for a couple of years after all!" Techo looks over his shoulder at the girl, and then you, but offers no comment. <><><><><> [Agnes] "Well, Antonella, you can wear a headscarf and a shawl to remain hidden, and maybe spend a few days looking around to see what has changed - if anything. You could put off making a decision for a few days that way. If, at the end of that you want to keep moving, then I will go with you." She clasps Antonella's hand. "You were so sure that you wanted to return to your family a few days ago. What has caused you to change your mind now?" <><><><><> [GM] Antonella looks at you fretfully. "I keep thinking about what you said....being forced to marry someone, and being stuck with someone I don't like. I wouldn't want to be tied down like that....but I don't want to wander around for years and years either! I just don't know whether I'll be better off returning home. I feel like I should." She sighs. "It would be nice to have someone like Kemal, but *here*, in a civilized, Christian nation, and someone I could have children with." Her brows knit together thoughtfully for a moment. "Although come to think of it, children might not be so wonderful either. But I always just assumed I'd have them." Techo glances at you, with a sad, resigned look in his eyes. "If you like, Antonella, I can at least check on your family....find out how they have fared in your absence. Probably feel out what their reaction might be if you returned." Antonella looks at him with eyes wide in appreciation. "Oh, could you? Would you please?" It sounds like he's simply offering her another opportunity to stall, but she seizes on it. <><><><><> [Agnes] She returns a pained look at Techo. She feels awful about the continuing deception, but there is no point in changing her mind now, especially outside Antonella's city. "Please, Techo." "But first, let's find somewhere to stay, shall we?" Looking over at Techo. I know where some others were staying two years ago. Do you want to see if they are still in Rome?" <><><><><> [GM] "Was it Valerius, by any chance?" Techo asks. "Or Semmoch?" He nods and turns the horses down a street leading in the direction that Sancho took you, two years ago, to meet a man who called himself Lucius. "Might as well find out who is in residence now, I haven't been here in a while." Antonella looks uncertain, not eager to be the sole mortal in a group of immortals again. "Have there been immortals living in Rome all along?" she asks. "Will they try to fight you?" <><><><><> [Agnes] She sits in thought for a moment, as their horses continue down the street. "I am sorry, Techo, I can't remember. I was taken by the Arabs the day I arrived in Rome, so I only briefly met them." She looks at Antonella. "It's all right, Antonella, we just need to meet them, and see who they are." She smiles. "If Sancho is around I can also claim back my chainmail." "Then, we need not hang around them, as I know the conversation depresses you." <><><><><> [Agnes] She sits in thought for a moment, as their horses continue down the street. "I am sorry, Techo, I can't remember. I was taken by the Arabs the day I arrived in Rome, so I only briefly met them." She looks at Antonella. "It's all right, Antonella, we just need to meet them, and see who they are." She smiles. "If Sancho is around I can also claim back my chainmail." "Then, we need not hang around them, as I know the conversation depresses you." <><><><><> [GM] "It's all right," Antonella murmurs. She's looking down at the ground, and continues to do so as you move to the ancient edifice set next to St. Peter's Basilica, where you last met the current elder tenant of Rome. The man called Lucius looks mildly surprised to see you, and tremendously surprised to see Techo. "Pilaetus, you old dog!" he exclaims. "I thought you were off in the far east, running errands for Casca!" "Not for over a century," Techo chuckles. "No, I've been exploring deepest, darkest, Africa." "Really!" Lucius sounds eager to hear tales. Then he looks over Techo's shoulder at you and says "Agnes, you must have quite a tale to tell as well! We thought you were taken by the Saracens. Poor Sancho was terribly worried about you. He sent envoys to Sicily and Ifriquiya, you know, trying to locate you and buy you back, but when they couldn't find you, and you didn't turn up soon thereafter, we thought..." he shrugs. "We thought one of the Saracen immortals took your head." Then he takes a closer look at Antonella, and says "Oh!" Perhaps realizing that she isn't a full immortal. "Ah....you must introduce me to your friend." <><><><><> [Agnes] SHe looks embarrassed at the thought of Sancho going to all that effort to try to find her. SHe blushes. "This is Antonella, Lucius. She found herself in the same circumstances as me, and Pilaetus agreed to help me get her back to her family." She stares Lucius in the eye. "Though she is not one of us ... she knows that Pilaetus and I, and you of course, are immortal." She smiles again, " I have been trying to look after her, although her proximity to me has probably caused her a lot of pain and hardship. Now we just intend to rest a few days whilst Pilaetus scouts out Antonella's family to see what has happened since her abrupt departure, before she decides her course of action. For myself, I intend to stay in Rome a while, perhaps. I'm not really sure. Is Sancho still in the area, or has he set off on his travels again?" <><><><><> [GM] Lucius nods, looking at Antonella. "I see," he says, a bit doubtfully. He shakes his head. "Sancho lingered in Rome for almost a year, hoping you'd return. Finally, he resumed his travels. He did leave a message for you....I was to tell you, if you ever showed up again, that he will follow the same route that brought you here, and that he will eventually make it back to Rome....which he does, every four or five years. Oh, he also left something for me to give you, should you return." Lucius stands, and goes to another room, returning at length with a bundle wrapped in silk. You know as soon as Lucius lays it in your hands, without unwrapping it, that it's Peter's broken sword. <><><><><> [Agnes] She listens to Lucius, and watches him go and fetch the bundle. She can tell what it is as soon as she sees it in his hands - even before he has set it on the table. She can't really give the reason why, even if anyone asked , but she bursts into tears at the sight of it. With tears streaming down her face she steps towards the table, and carefully unwraps it. The pieces of broken sword lie on the silk, and Agnes picks up each in turn, lovingly running her fingers over them, oblivious of the others. She places them back on the silk and wraps them up again. With wet cheeks, she looks round at the others. "I'm sorry. The sword means a lot to me. Peter gave me it, and one day I will reforge it, or have it done for me." "I'm sorry Lucius, may we impose upon you? Might we stay with you a few days whilst we sort out lodgings and some work, and the situation with Antonella's family. <><><><><> [GM] Lucius nods. "I suppose that won't be too much of a problem." Antonella watched you with some surprise, during your emotional reaction to Peter's sword. After Lucius has arranged for some rooms for the two of you, she says "You know, my father can easily afford the best blacksmiths in Rome. I could ask him to have your sword reforged. I mean, if I was able to introduce you..." She bites her lip. "Oh Agnes, I wish I could bring you to my household. But the only position my family would consider appropriate for you would be as a maid." She is sitting in a chair, and looks nervously down at her hands. "If I get married, though, I can choose anyone I want to help me run *my* household. That's if you really are going to stay in Rome, that is." <><><><><> [Agnes] "Thank you, Antonella. But it would mean more to me if I got the sword re-forged." She listens to the other's suggestion of taking a position in the household. It would be a good plan, but it failed in one place. She had been with Kemal long enough to know her own reasons why it would never work. She was surprised that Antonella hadn't thought of them. A shiver ran down her spine. The reason was pride. She and Kemal might have mellowed each other a bit, but she still wasn't very humble. She couldn't bring herself to be a maid in Antonella's family's household. "And I'm sure I can find something to keep a roof over my head." <><><><><> [GM] "Oh, I'm sure you can," Antonella says. She keeps looking down at her lap, fidgeting nervously. "I was just thinking....wishing there was some way you could stay close by. I mean, if you wanted to, but I'm sure you'll want to go back to living your own life soon." Unexpectedly, she blushes. Antonella's nervousness at being back in Rome, and preparing to be reunited with her family, continues. She definitely has mixed emotions about the whole thing, and almost seems to want you to either talk her out of it or assure her everything will be all right. Over the past couple of years, she has matured slightly and in general become much more self- confident (and she was pretty self-confident for a woman of her age and culture before), but she's also always been mercurial in her emotions, and now she's practically having a nervous fit. You stay with Lucius for two days. Lucius mostly ignores the two of you, seeing to it the servants attend to all your needs. He doesn't really seem keen on having other immortals in his abode. Techo goes out scouting the city, and takes two days before he sits down with you and Antonella for dinner, with news from her family. "Your family is doing well enough, but they aren't nearly as prosperous as they were," he says. "That raid two years ago destroyed a lot of your father's property, and drastically reduced some his most important trade opportunities. They're still maintaining appearances, but I believe your family is struggling a bit, financially." Antonella looks distressed. "Papa always did a lot of trade indirectly with the Saracens," she says, stirring food on her plate with the piece of bread one uses to scoop it up. "And when they, they captured me, they razed the villa where I'd been staying." Techo nods seriously and goes on. "Right now your younger sister is being courted by numerous suitors. Some of them very wealthy and prestigious. Your father may have trouble paying the dowry most of them would expect." Antonella looks more distressed, squishing her bread against her plate. "Lavinia is only fourteen now," she says. "Papa always said he wouldn't let either of us marry until we were at least sixteen." She looks at Techo. "What of my mother? And what do they think of me? I mean, what would they think, if I returned now?" Techo shrugs slightly. "Your mother is alive, but I only saw her briefly. She gave the impression of being....aged. If she hasn't always been meloncholy and dispirited, I'd say a combination of your disappearance and the decline in the family fortune is taking a heavy toll on her." Antonella blinks, and tears glisten in her eyes. "I suspect your father wants to get your sister out of his household as soon as possible, so she'll become-" he softens his tone, trying to sound more gentle. "-the responsibility of someone else. But he also needs to do so with as little cost as possible. If you return...I assume like any parents, they'd be overjoyed to have their daughter back, alive, but most likely you'll be pressured to marry very quickly."