Read Online After the Fall by Morgan O'Neill - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Morgan O'Neill
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swallowed, tasting nothing but red, fruity wine.
Heart pounding, Magnus waited a long moment.
Everyone was silent, watching him, until Queen Verica chuckled. “He looks well, does he not — and he got the first drink! I would ask all here to swear an oath of silence regarding his selfless act, else his wife will be quite vexed, and none of us shall ever hear the end of it.”
She gave Magnus a smile, relief shining in her eyes. He handed the goblet back to Alaric.
The king grinned. “Magnus, I am indebted by your audacious act of courage.” He turned to Athaulf and his captains. “Any objections to Attalus’s offer?”
“I should think so!” Sergeric said as he stepped forward. “My lord, you know he lied. The Roman pigs,” he frowned at Magnus, “are holding back. This is Rome , after all. Their treasure hoard must be vast, much more than two score of wagons.”
Alaric turned to Magnus. “What say you to this, my friend?”
Magnus swallowed hard, his thoughts in turmoil, for he knew the truth. Scrambling for an answer, he opened his mouth to speak, but Athaulf stood and blurted, “Enough! There is enough treasure in the Roman wagons to buy us the whole north of Italia, if a homeland is what we truly seek. We should accept the offer and end the siege.”
Surprisingly, the group affirmed this with the banging of swords on shields, and even Verica nodded to Alaric. Only Sergeric scowled.
Alaric raised his hand. “No more discussion? This is it?” he asked. “Well then, I declare the siege over, and our next move shall be to the north. The noose is around Honorius’s neck now, so let us ride to Ravenna and draw it tight.” He turned to one of the sentries. “You there, go and fetch Attalus.”
As people began to file out of the tent, Magnus felt a touch on his sleeve and turned. Randegund stood there. “If the cup had been poisoned,” she said, “you would now be dead.”
He looked straight into her eyes. “Indeed, I would.”
“I thank you for protecting him,” she added and abruptly walked away.
There was something in the way she’d spoken, a spiteful edge in her tone, which made Magnus smile. He knew what it must have cost her, also knew he could not trust her, could never let down his guard.
She had not changed. She was his oldest enemy, and she would never forgive him for the loss of her husband, whom Magnus had fought beside in battle long ago. Although the death was not his fault, Randegund never wavered in her belief he had been negligent. Her hatred was all still there, despite her show of gratitude.
She was his enemy for life.
• • •
Gigi sat down across from Attalus as food and beer were placed before him, and he stared at the fare with longing. When he finally lifted his gaze to Gigi, he looked tormented.
“I cannot eat while Rome starves.” He pushed the plate and mug away with trembling fingers.
“Senator Attalus,” Gigi said, taking his bony hand in hers, “are you well? How is Placidia? She’s not ill, is she?”
“She is weak, as are we all. It is strange, what starvation does to a body, but women do better than men, and the princess is young and strong.” Attalus sighed. “We have tried to convince Alaric this was not Rome’s fault. We know he feels this is his last, best hope to get satisfaction from that horse’s ass in Ravenna.”
Gigi smiled in agreement.
Attalus spread his hands. “Unfortunately for Rome, the policy is sound. In his place, I would do the same.”
A sentry poked his head into the tent. “The king has called for you, Priscus Attalus.”
“So soon?” Attalus said, nervously wiping his hands.
Gigi wondered what the hurried summons could mean. Had the Visigoths rejected Rome’s offer out of hand?
Within moments, she and Attalus stood at the fire pit again, facing Alaric, Athaulf, Magnus, and the other chieftains, with only Verica and Randegund absent. The crowds had also vanished, the people now going about their daily
Heart pounding, Magnus waited a long moment.
Everyone was silent, watching him, until Queen Verica chuckled. “He looks well, does he not — and he got the first drink! I would ask all here to swear an oath of silence regarding his selfless act, else his wife will be quite vexed, and none of us shall ever hear the end of it.”
She gave Magnus a smile, relief shining in her eyes. He handed the goblet back to Alaric.
The king grinned. “Magnus, I am indebted by your audacious act of courage.” He turned to Athaulf and his captains. “Any objections to Attalus’s offer?”
“I should think so!” Sergeric said as he stepped forward. “My lord, you know he lied. The Roman pigs,” he frowned at Magnus, “are holding back. This is Rome , after all. Their treasure hoard must be vast, much more than two score of wagons.”
Alaric turned to Magnus. “What say you to this, my friend?”
Magnus swallowed hard, his thoughts in turmoil, for he knew the truth. Scrambling for an answer, he opened his mouth to speak, but Athaulf stood and blurted, “Enough! There is enough treasure in the Roman wagons to buy us the whole north of Italia, if a homeland is what we truly seek. We should accept the offer and end the siege.”
Surprisingly, the group affirmed this with the banging of swords on shields, and even Verica nodded to Alaric. Only Sergeric scowled.
Alaric raised his hand. “No more discussion? This is it?” he asked. “Well then, I declare the siege over, and our next move shall be to the north. The noose is around Honorius’s neck now, so let us ride to Ravenna and draw it tight.” He turned to one of the sentries. “You there, go and fetch Attalus.”
As people began to file out of the tent, Magnus felt a touch on his sleeve and turned. Randegund stood there. “If the cup had been poisoned,” she said, “you would now be dead.”
He looked straight into her eyes. “Indeed, I would.”
“I thank you for protecting him,” she added and abruptly walked away.
There was something in the way she’d spoken, a spiteful edge in her tone, which made Magnus smile. He knew what it must have cost her, also knew he could not trust her, could never let down his guard.
She had not changed. She was his oldest enemy, and she would never forgive him for the loss of her husband, whom Magnus had fought beside in battle long ago. Although the death was not his fault, Randegund never wavered in her belief he had been negligent. Her hatred was all still there, despite her show of gratitude.
She was his enemy for life.
• • •
Gigi sat down across from Attalus as food and beer were placed before him, and he stared at the fare with longing. When he finally lifted his gaze to Gigi, he looked tormented.
“I cannot eat while Rome starves.” He pushed the plate and mug away with trembling fingers.
“Senator Attalus,” Gigi said, taking his bony hand in hers, “are you well? How is Placidia? She’s not ill, is she?”
“She is weak, as are we all. It is strange, what starvation does to a body, but women do better than men, and the princess is young and strong.” Attalus sighed. “We have tried to convince Alaric this was not Rome’s fault. We know he feels this is his last, best hope to get satisfaction from that horse’s ass in Ravenna.”
Gigi smiled in agreement.
Attalus spread his hands. “Unfortunately for Rome, the policy is sound. In his place, I would do the same.”
A sentry poked his head into the tent. “The king has called for you, Priscus Attalus.”
“So soon?” Attalus said, nervously wiping his hands.
Gigi wondered what the hurried summons could mean. Had the Visigoths rejected Rome’s offer out of hand?
Within moments, she and Attalus stood at the fire pit again, facing Alaric, Athaulf, Magnus, and the other chieftains, with only Verica and Randegund absent. The crowds had also vanished, the people now going about their daily
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