CONTENT: Myth, Allegory, Satire, Fantasy.
TONE: Comedy, Serio-comedy.
MOOD: Lighthearted.
STYLE: Anything goes. Be Dickens or Hemingway or anyone in between.
PERSONAL CHARACTERS:
NON PERSONAL CHARACTERS: (To be added as they appear)
CONTENT: Myth, Allegory, Satire, Fantasy.
TONE: Comedy, Serio-comedy.
MOOD: Lighthearted.
STYLE: Anything goes. Be Dickens or Hemingway or anyone in between.
PERSONAL CHARACTERS:
NON PERSONAL CHARACTERS: (To be added as they appear)
"Yes, we want to borrow your donkey" Jayhawk said to the small man behind the counter.
"We'll pay and I'll send someone to send it back to you."
"It is my only donkey, my Lord."
"Coo-ee, Jayhawk, what do you think of this silk dress?" Incon called out from the nearby shop.
"Can we take this too?" MRed asked toting two huge baskets of herbs and spices.
"Haven't you had enough of carpets?" the angel asked PAC when she returned with one.
"Err, well, from the outside their rather nice..." she stammered,
"Did I show you the jewelry I found?"
"How much for the donkey?"
"I couldn't sell her, offendi, not even for 30 silverlings"
"Here's 60 and I'll bring her back."
He slipped a jeweled gold band of his arm.
"You can sell this if I don't get it back, this should buy you an army of donkeys.
The man's eyes went large as saucers,
"Ye..e..e..es, offendi" he gulped.
Jayhawk took the leash of the donkey and looked at it, then he looked at the stack besides him.
"I should have looked for a camel" he mumbled.
"Scipio!"
"My lord Jayhawk"
"Hold this for me, I still need to buy some kohl and malachite paste."
"But..."
The angel disappeared into the crowd.
Some moments later Jayhawk arrived at the stall of an Egyptian selling paint and kohl. He quickly bought his stuff, turned round and bumped into a slender, elegantly dressed, raven tressed young lady.
"A thousand apologies, my lady. Are you alright."
His eyes met a pair of large, brown eyes set in a pale face.
"Gustavia!" he cried and lifted her of her feet in a big hug.
"I didn't know you were in the city. Come meet the others, mouse is here, and Incon. They'll be ever so happy to see you."
"Mouse and Incon are here with you? Wonderful news!"
Jayhawk shifted the basket, peering inside at stacks of silks and obvious feminine trinkets.
"Yes, we are on our way to Egypt. There is a small problem to solve with some ... unexpected results from our last visit.." Jay started to explain.
Gustavia breathlessly interupts, "Whatever it is, it isnt as important as the getting a branch of the Roman Society for the Protection of Carthaginian Elephants started in Egypt immediately! There are terrible things being done, they are organizing armies and vigilante groups against to poor Elephants. Why, I was just on my way to send a message to Incon in Londinium when I bumped into you!"
"Well, let's look for the others, they were just over by Tiffanekop's Jewelery shop a few minutes ago" Jay said, as he led Gustavia gently away from the multi-colored silks she was admiring.
"You dont think she would Scanning the crowded bazaar for the others, he muttered, "No, Gustavia, I dont think that will be a problem."
"Incon!" Jayhawk called, approaching her. "Wonderful news! Gustavia's joined our mission, and she's got news on the elephants in this area!"
"Fantastic!" Incon replied, giving her friend Gustavia a hug. "So...what about Tusky's offspring in the wild?"
"Erm..." Gustavia hadn't expected to be questioned so quickly.
Just then, Tusky started snuffling. He sniffed around, and then started pointing East.
"What's up, big fella?" Incon asked.
"I think he's got the scent of the wayward pachaderm tribe," Jayhawk commented.
Tusky nodded vigorously, and pointed harder.
"But...we haven't finished our shopping expedition!" Incon insisted. "Mouse is still in the dress bazaar, and MRed's still in the herbal section! We can't possibly go now!!"
Tusky gave her a pleading look. Then he started stamping his forelegs.
"I'll gather the others up," Jayhawk told her, "you see you your...big baby. We'll meet up at the next convenient oasis. Okay?"
"Well...if you say so...but I *really* liked the look of that nice silk ankle-length--"
Tusky cut her off by wrapping his trunk around her waist, popping her on his back and trotting off in the direction the scent led him. "Okay...see you at the oasis!!" Incon managed to call back as they departed the city boundaries.
"Does that elephant go *anywhere* without her?" Gustavia gasped.
"Well, if that were true we wouldn't be here in the first place," Jayhawk replied, and led her off into the bazaar to gather up the rest of their party...
"Commander," said Scipio. "Jayhawk may be stopping by the Governor's mansion before he rejoins Incon. Last I saw and heard him he said something about 'I'll catch up to you' as he was struggling with a stubborn donkey and a lot of bazaar things. I'm not sure if he said it to me or Incon. Then the donkey up and bolted and Jayhawk was chasing the infernal beast into a crowd."
Civis chuckled. "I would have liked to have seen that. Very little I know of would defy Lord Jayhawk, but a donkey would be just the thing that could...and get away with it too!" Civis laughed all the more at the mental image of the angel chasing after a loaded down donkey, people scattering and things falling.
"Well, Scipio, you have one more task before your day is done. Please see that Caius Menginus is in this room at 8:00 pm sharp. After that, you may complete your day as you see fit. You have done well. Thank you." Scipio left the room. Civis picked an object from the basket of fruit on his writing desk. Peeling the orange, Civis again had appear before his mind's eye the image of Jayhawk, red-faced and frustrated, foot pounding after the donkey (the angel wouldn't use his wings in a place like that). Again Civis chuckled to himself, then broke out into uncontrolled peels of laughter. Wiping the tears from his eyes, he finally turned his attention to finishing the peeling of his orange, having regained self-control once more...barely.
________________________________________
-Civis Romanus
“YOW!” yelled the now drenched and rudely awakened Lethargic “Once and for all, knock it off. I don’t need a cold shower Rudolph. And if I did I could wash myself.”
Rudolph playfully squirted Lethargic one last time and ran back to the pool. Flavius and Sandy tried to hold themselves in check as Lethargic rejoined them. Flavius finally lost control and broke out in laughter.
“What’s so damned funny?” asked Lethargic as he wrung out his robe.
Flavius pointed to the elephants and answered with a smile. “All these years we’ve traveled together I’ve always tried to imagine what kind of family you would have when you finally settled down. In all those years I never imagined you would have nine children who turned out like them."
“Funny, very funny” replied Lethargic. “Damned kids. They just don’t have any respect for their father, I mean elders. Good grief, now they’re even making me talk as if they were my kids. Well does anyone have any idea how we’re going to get to Antioch unnoticed with this heard of delinquents? With half the Roman army and every prefect in the Middle East wanting to throw them into a zoo cell, I don’t think we can just casually stroll through Judea with nine elephants and meet up with the others.”
“Don’t call them delinquents,” said Sandy with a frown. “They’re only being playful. It’s not their fault their father abandoned them. And they were quite nice to help me when I got lost in the desert and my horses died. That’s the last time I got out to buy holiday toys for my ungrateful customers.” Sandy picked up another pomegranate and continued to eat. “But no, I haven’t come up with any idea yet.”
“Well, we could cut across the desert and keep off the roads to avoid trouble” suggested Flavius as he continued to idly toss his dagger into the air and catching it before it could hit the ground..
“No good,” replied Lethargic as he scratched at his itchy fake beard. “Not enough food or water to feed the animals. We’ll have to stay on the main road where we can at least survive. There’s got to be another way.” Lethargic finally removed the infernally irritating beard.
Ahab joined the group. Sandy had been amazed to see that the old man could juggle several coconuts at the same time and complimented him on his skill. She hadn’t seen juggling like that since she visited the Coliseum in Jerusalem. Ahab thanked her for her kind remarks and said it was a skill he had learned to amuse his grand children. They always loved to see jugglers. Lethargic’s face suddenly lit up with a smile.
“I’ve got it,” Lethargic said. “ I know exactly what we need to do. Sandy, have the elephants gather all the pomegranates they can find. Ahab, start cutting our bed sheets into long strips. Flavius, make a fire and heat up some water. And will somebody please boil this damned beard till its passengers disembark.
And even little Rudolph trumpeted in agreement. ------------------
1. Civis is at an impasse until Caius Menginus shows up for his 8:00 pm rendevous with Livinia, which he doesn't know is scheduled. It's Civis' surprise. We need the real Caius to make this contribution. Caius, are you with us?
2. Bob the Lethargic: You'll have to carry the storyline in your scene yourself as I don't think anyone knows what you will be doing with the material and pomegranates. Are you going to transform the elephants into reindeer and thus spawn the tradition we know and love?
3. Jayhawk, Incon et al: Your eastern jaunt with Tusky in pursuit of the scent is yours to direct. I'm looking forward to its progress.
_____________________________________________
-CIVIS ROMANUS
Nope, not exactly reindeer. But I promise it will be unique and Christmas related. It will have to wait until after the New Year since I only have internet access at my office.
"Hail, Civis"
Jayhawk walked into the commander's room.
"Jayhawk, " Civis smiled, "did you catch up with the ass?"
The angel's eyes flashed briefly,
"I finally caught up with the infernal beast at the hippodrome. At least the goods were secured well enough not to be lost." He smiled
Oh well, I could do with the excercise"
"I heard Incontinentia is off with Tusky, following the elephant's trail?"
"So she is, I'd like to request transport to follow her."
"Anything, my friend. What would you need?"
"Half a dozen chariots would do, I guess. We'd need two with drivers for the luggage and a letter of credit to change horses at the inns."
"They're yours. When will you be leaving?"
"I'd like to be out of the city before noon. Incontinentia has quite a head start and I'd like to catch up with her before she gets too far away from me."
He smiled
"You know how she is..."
Civis laughed heartily
"I wish you a merry chase"
Somewhat later the small group was ferried across the Bosporus to Asia Minor. There a small cavalcade of chariots left the small settlement and raced off over the Anatolian plain.
"Where are we going?" Gustavia asked the angel as she managed the two horse team confidently. Waves of grain cast a golden shadow over the fertile land.
"Southeast," Jayhawk replied his eyes fixed on the horizon
"I can feel her out there."
*Knock at the door*
Civis walked over to answer the knock. Opening the door he found standing before him the governor's daughter dressed in an absolutely lovely white gown with blue girdling. He stepped aside to allow her to enter.
In her usual direct manner Livinia opened the conversation with, "Is he here yet?"
"No, not yet. But he soon will be. You are prepared to ask him the questions we talked about, you know, about his story and how he can prove it is false?"
"Yes, Commander. I'm prepared."
"Okay, when he enters he will find only you here. The guards will be outside if you need them. I'll be two rooms away."
"I doubt I will need the guards or your protection, Commander," replied Livinia. "I don't think Caius is as dangerous as you think."
"Regardless, they are there for your protection. I do not want to be the bearer of bad news to your father regarding yourself or try to explain anything about this 'meeting'".
"Do not worry, Commander. All will be well."
"I hope so, Livinia. I will leave you now."
Civis left the room through a doorway to an antechamber. Livinia found a nearby chair, sat down and began a patient wait for the appearance of Caius Menginus.
______________________________________________
-Civis Romanus
“What in the name of Rah is that supposed to be?”
Below him the shapes of nine elephants, two camels, and four humans can finally be seen. And this is obviously not like any raiding war party he has ever seen. Eight of the elephants are harnessed to a red sleigh with a female drive wearing a white beard and red robes. Each of the elephants has a large red bow tied to the top of its head while on each side of the chariot there is a camel with a human juggler. One is juggling five coconuts while the other is juggling three daggers. In front of the harnessed elephants stands a smaller elephant that keeps dipping its red-stained trunk into the water jars latched to its sides. The elephant continues to spray red streams of pomegranate stained water high into the air that looks like falling red rain much to the delight of the watching guards and villagers. And as the final absurd touch, on the smaller elephant’s back stands a masked gladiator in a Roman toga blowing on a trumpet.
“Halt and identify yours before we fire on you” shouts the Commander of the guard.
The masked gladiator puts down his trumpet, picks up a megaphone of palm leaves and replies.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry. Come one, come all. Appearing tonight, and for one night only, outside the north gate of your lovely little village – “The Lethargic Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus”,
Come see Sandy Claws, the bearded-lady as she puts her trained team of performing pachyderms through their acrobatic paces. Come see Ahab the Amazing as he performs dazzling feats of juggling skill. Watch Flavius the Fearless Sword Swallower as he defies death. And come see the amazing little Rudolph the Red Nosed as he defies the laws of gravity and flies through the air with the greatest of ease. And of course I am your Ringmaster, the world famous elephant wrestling Masked Legionnaire. BTL Enterprises is proud to bring you this world famous entertainment direct from its six week engagement in Alexandria. Tonight for the low, low price of only 10 sestarii you can see the Wonders of the Western Desert.” A wild cheer is raised by the guards and villagers at the thought of such wonderful entertainment in their small village. Besides they all know that circus elephants with large bows on their heads could never be a real threat. The Commander is finally persuaded by the villagers to order the guards to open the gates and escort the circus troop as it parades down the main street of the village. Sandy hands out small toys to the local children from a bag she has kept in the chariot. The troop finally exits the north gate and then begins to set up camp for the night. As Lethargic sets up the performance area, Flavius approaches him. “A Flying Elephant, Lethargic?” Flavius asks. “Exactly how are you going to make Rudolph fly? Lethargic only looks up, smiles, and replies “Trust me buddy, I know what I’m doing.” Meanwhile the local children merrily run through the streets shouting to their parents. ------------------
Caius Menginus walked slowly down the hall towards Civis' room. His keen scences quickly picked out the presence of guards watching him from some hiding place. The Byzantium Palace was well known across th empire as having hundreds of secret hiding places where one could watch others unnoticed.
"What does Civis want with me now?" he thought to himself, He's had plenty of opportunity to talk to me, He knows my story, what is the problem?"
He entered the room and saw no one. "This is strange," he thought. "I was told to be here exactly at this time. I really don't like this."
"Civis?" He spoke out loud. "I have come as you have instructed me." He walked farther into the room, looking around. He reached the window on the opposite side of the room, looked out at the city thoughtfully for a moment. When he turned around, the last thing he ever thought he'd see accosted his eyes.
"Thank you, Caius," Livinia said as she slowly walked towards him.
A sudden flash of heat coursed though Caius' chest as his heart almost stopped. It then began to pound so quickly and loudly that Caius had to turn around and look out the window, fearing that Livinia would notice.
"Where is Civis?" Caius asked gazing down at the courtyard below him. No escape was possible that way if he had to get away. Guards were stationed at several places in the courtyard.
"He's elsewhere," Livinia responded. "I asked to have a private meeting with you and he agreed."
"Why?"
"Don't you want to talk to me?" Livinia asked. "Why won't you look at me?"
"I...I...can't." Caius mentally kicked himself for showing such weakness as soon as the words crossed his lips.
"Why not?"
Caius leaned forward, his hands on the window sill, and hung his head. "I just can't alright?" his temper flaring slightly. "Besides you still havn't told me why you want to talk to me."
"Because," she paused, "Because I don't believe everything that I've heard about you. I don't really think that you are the kind of person who would do such things."
Caius turned around and looked at her. "Why shouldn't you believe it all? Maybe it is all true."
"Why would you turn yourself in?" Livinia countered.
"I am a fool," Caius tore his eyes off her and stared at his feet. "I thought I could make Civis believe me. I thought he would believe a friend who had saved his life rather than some imbicel from Palmyra who makes his living on the black market."
"And who would that be?"
"What do you care," Caius lashed out. "You're just after me for your own pleasure. Once you're through with me you'll just discard me like an old rag. I know your kind."
"That hurt Caius."
"Good," Caius looked at her once more, expecting to see the hard and impassive eyes of a liar he was so used to seeing in women who tried to snag him. But to his astonishment, he could see tears slowly welling up in Livinia's eyes. He mentally kicked himself once more, this time harder.
Livinia turned away from him. Caius expected her to leave the room balling, but he was surpised once again. Once she had wiped the tears from her eyes, she turned on him with the fury of a pack of wolves.
"What do you have against me? What did I do to you? I come in here trying to learn something that would convince Civis that you were innocent and you repay me with this?" Caius was staring at the floor again. "Look at me," she demanded.
Caius slowly raised his head and gazed into her eyes.
"Why are you so bitter? I can see in your eyes that you don't really believe what you just said about me. You are trying to hide something. What is it?"
Caius couldn't hold back any longer. The tears he had ben holding back since he was 17 broke loose and ran freely down his face. Livinia reached out to comfort him, and he didn't resist. She led him to a seat and he sat down. She sat down beside him and placed her arm over his shoulders. She had no idea it was this serious.
A came to the door to investigate the sounds of crying he had heard, but turned away when Livinia motioned him to leave.
When Caius finaly calmed down, he poured out everything. He told her all about his commanders wife who he refused to sleep with and how she tried to destroy him. How he blamed the crimes of his commander's wife on the entire female gender. He told her of his fight to get back to respectability. How he had changed his name and his whole identity until he had taken his revenge out on his commander and his wife. How he once again became Caius Menginus and rose the ranks of the Roman army. How his father had taught him the ways of the sorcerer and how he lost his power and nearly his life to his own hands after his mind was touched by the evil Hun ruler. How he became Assistant Imperial Commander. How he was given a highly important assignment only to be betrayed by Brutus. How they were ambushed by bandits. How he escaped. How Brutus denounced him as the traitor. How Brutus had conned his way up the ladder to become governor of Palmyra. How he had become a pirate so that he could collect evidence of Brutus' guilt. How he believed he finally had his saving evidence in the captain of the last ship he hijacked only to have that evidence slip through his fingers when the captain was set free by Civis. How no one believed him. How he wanted to die.
"No, Caius," Livinia interupted. "You have friends that believe you. Civis is only doing his job. He must consider all possibilities. Do you think he would have allowed me to speak to you like this if he totaly believed you were guilty?"
"No," Caius responded quietly. The child he was never allowed to be was finaly coming to the surface. The hardened man he had become had finaly melted away.
Livinia looked at the weeping form beside her. As he had cried and choked his way through his story, she had cried along with him. She wanted to kiss him now, but knew that he would withdraw and never open to her again. She needed to tread carefully. "I believe you Caius, I believe and trust you. Do you understand that?"
He nodded then looked up at her. "Can you leave me alone now? I need to think."
"Of course." She rose and walked to the door. She looked once more at Caius, wiped her eyes, and walked to the room Civis was waiting in. She knew she had what she needed to aquit Caius, if only she could get Civis to get that captain again...
Meanwhile in the Anatolian inlands...
They had changed horses twice now and still no sign of Incontinetia. The rich grainfields rolled past and the landscape became a tad more rolling. Small villages dotted the landscape.
The chariots rumbled on, Jayhawk's still in the lead.
"What's that?" Gustavia asked as the setting sun started to paint part of the landscape orange.
The angel looked in to the direction she pointed.
"Ah!" A bright smile painted his features, lighting them up, a mirror to the sunlight.
"Pamukkale" he whispered.
"Gustavia, ride towards it, there should be a city with baths here"
His friend turned the chariot around as Jayhawk, leaned over and called out to his friends.
"Look! It's Pamukkale. The city of Hierapolis awaits us."
A short time later the chariots thundered towards the towering white travertine terraces. The waterfalls glistened in the dying light of the sun.
"This is beautiful" Gustavia whispered.
"Wait till we get to thermae. I could definitely do with a hot bath"
Up they went and ended up near a large inn. Jayhawk jumped out of the chariot and, followed by his friends, entered.
"Marcellus. Rooms and baths please"
The gaunt innkeeper looked up a surprised smile on his face.
"Lord Jayhawk! Welcome back, sir. Your usual rooms, I assume?"
Marcellus showed them a set of lovely connected rooms and then led them to the baths. The warm water was misty in the chill of the evening as they slid beneath it's surface.
Sometime later found them in an alcove of the main room of the in. Food was pile dup and wine flowed freely.
"What brings you to these parts again, Lord Jayhawk?"
"I'm looking for a friend of mine. You may have seen her. Slender girl rides a great big elephant."
Marcellus grinned.
"Oh, I've seen them. The came riding in yesterday morning. Plunged in the bath, grabbed some food and a barrel of beer and rode off again."
"We'll never catch up with her, " muttered mouse.
Civis sat calmly, unspeaking, considering what he had just heard. "I am inclined in his favor, but there is just one little element missing. A demonstration of sorts. I don't know what it should be, but it is something that would tip the scales entirely in his favor. Well, we shall see what we shall see. Livinia, I thank you. Would you like to return to your quarters now?"
"Yes, Commander. I trust you will treat him fairly, then?"
"As fairly as it is within my power, young lady...your escort is outside. I'll bid them to enter." Civis called to the guards waiting outside and all three entered promptly.
Livinia turned her head to look at them and turned back, expression changed. Unexpectedly she said, "Commander, one thing you should note down and remember. May I record it for you on a scroll?" Civis nodded and rose to fetch a scroll from his writing table. The guards stood nearby, nervous but quiet.
Livinia picked up a writing instrument and began to write.
'Caution - I know all of the governor's guards. These I do not recognize. They are not from Byzantium.'
Livinia is right! It's a woman who did this to me and it took a woman to make me see the truth! Why couldn't it have been this young woman of Byzantium I came to know first instead of the other. What a fool I've been!
With that, the healing of one young Roman was finally complete and memories of past wrongs exorcised. Caius leaped up from his chair with new determination. "I must see Civis!" he exclaimed out loud to an empty room. He then left through the same portal used by Livinia and made his way to Civis' antechamber.
He paused at the door, alarmed. This is not right. Sounds of a struggle, thrashing bodies, a human choking...? He threw open the door...
Livinia lay on the floor a few yards away, her face pale and her eyes closed. Near her were two crumpled figures, guards it seemed, unconscious and unmoving. Rolling on the floor were two men, one a very familiar man of medium heighth and the other a guard. The guard was a foot taller than the other with thick, muscular arms ending in huge hands. These hands were closed like a vise around the neck of Civis Romanus, who despite his desperate struggling, could not break the man's grip or push him away.
Caius didn't hesitate but for the shortest of moments. He ran to where the two men were struggling, grabbed a vase from a nearby table and shattered it on the head of the burly guard. The guard looked up stupidly, then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed onto the floor, lying unconscious near a gasping Civis.
Civis lay there while cool air began to soothe his bruised and battered throat. 'Livinia' was all he could say. Caius hurried to her side. The girl moaned, opened her eyes, saw Caius and without hesitation reached up and grasped him around the neck, holding him closely as tears of relief began to flow from her eyes. He held her just as closely for awhile then gently removed her arms from around his neck. "I must see to my Commander, Livinia."
Caius returned to Civis, who was sitting up massaging his throat. "What happened to him," croaked Civis pointing to the false guard. "He simply let me go."
Caius replied, "I introduced the goon to grecian art. Seems it was too expressive for his taste. Not too worry though, the vase seems to have shattered. He was a little hard headed on the subject, it appears."
"Livinia?" asked Civis. A young woman's voice responded nearby. "I am well, Commander, thanks to Caius." The young Roman's face turned a little pink at Livinia's mention of his name.
Civis finally bent his head back, somewhat painfully and looked directly at Caius. "You saved my life...again. You could have let him finish me off and your problems with me would have ended."
"Never occurred to me, Commander," said Caius with the hint of a smile. "I'll get help to put these three in chains."
Later:
The Governor of Byzantium sat at a table with Livinia, Civis, and Caius. "They were assassins, sent to destroy Caius by any means possible. They thought they could kill you and my daughter and have Caius blamed for it. I, of course, they expected would put Caius to death for these crimes. Your arranged meeting between Caius and my daughter was the opportunity they were looking for. They killed three of my guards and took their places in the hallway and chambers. You know the rest."
"Yes," said Civis. "One grabbed Livinia and threw her across the room. She hit her head on the floor or something and missed the rest of the event. I got that one with a chair and the second got a permanent image of my signet ring on his nose. The third jumped me with a knife. I knocked it out of his hands, but he was too big to wrestle and soon I was in a lot of trouble. Until Caius arrived. I owe him my life." And this time Civis looked at Caius with the smile of old, the one Caius remembered from good times past.
Civis directed his next words directly at Caius. "My friend, we have a Captain to find and a traitorous villain down south to unmask!" Caius sensed the warmth and goodwill in these words and responded as a good soldier should. "Yes, Commander. By your command!" But he couldn't prevent a smile breaking out across his own face and decided to allow this personal failure in military discipline just this once.
No such inhibitor as military discipline prevented Livinia from displaying a beaming smile that lit up the room and shined particularly bright on her young Roman, Caius Menginus.
____________________________________________
-Civis Romanus
“For our final entertainment this evening, the amazing Rudolph the Red Nosed will now defy gravity.”
Little Rudolph walks through the long red curtains that hang down from the top of the nearby wall tower wearing a bright red blanket. While Ahab begins playing “When You Wish Upon a Star” on the trumpet, Sandy waves a wand at the elephant and speaks the magical words “Hocus Pocus.” Rudolph suddenly spreads his ears flat out from his head and begins to spray a fine mist of red water over his head. To the amazement of the crowd he leaps from the ground and then begins to fly back and forth in front of the curtain while staying ten feet above the ground. The crowd lets out a collective gasp and breaks out into an enormous round of applause. No one seems to notice the red stained rope that leads from Rudolph to the top of the curtains that Rudolph’s water spray helps hide. Nor do they notice the red painted pulleys hanging from the tower at the very top of the curtains.
Meanwhile behind the red curtains….
“One more pull and then let him down gently” whispers Lethargic.
Flavius and Lethargic strain and give the rope one last pull with their remaining strength and then gently put slack back into the rope till Rudolph is firmly back on the ground.
As Rudolph bows to the crowd Sandy comes over and furtively cuts the rope hidden beneath Rudolph’s blanket. She then leads the elephant to the edge of the audience where the crowds come forward to both praise and pet this magnificent animal. Behind the curtains Lethargic quickly removes the ropes from sight. Then he and Flavius come through the curtains. The whole troupe bows to the audience and exits the performance area to the wild cheers of the crowds.
“See Flavius,” remarks Lethargic, “That’s how you make an elephant fly!”
Just then Sandy excitedly ran behind the screens. “Lethargic, come quickly. The entertainment director from the city of Jerusalem just happened to be in the audience. He wants to book our act into the Jerusalem Hippodrome this week. And he says we can name our own price!”
While denarii signs begin to flash before his eyes, Lethargic speaks to Ahab. “Quick, find a reliable messenger. I can finally send a message to Civis telling him to meet us in Jerusalem.”
"Incon!" Lethargic grinned widely. "How good to see you! Is the rest of the gang here?"
She just stared at them, shocked and wide-eyed. Beside her, Big Tusky tried to give them all warning glances with his eyes.
"You...you..." she stuttered, "...you're out here, making elephants...*perform*??"
"Uh-oh," Flavius muttered under his breath.
"It's not what it looks like!" Lethargic said. "We're just...raising funds for the mission!"
"What's her problem?" Sandy chucked a thumb at the awestruck governor.
"YOU!" Incon pointed at her. "NOW I remember where I've seen you before! You were at the Londinium HQ of the RSPCE six months ago! Trying to buy some of our elephants for...a CIRCUS ACT!!"
"I do not understand the mem'sehab's objections," Ahab turned to the guys. "Personally, I thought the show was rather good."
"Mem'sehab is the head of an organisation that is violently opposed to making elephants - or any animal for that matter - perform tricks for the amusement of the public," Flavius explained.
"How did you procure these elephants?!" Incon demanded.
"Well," Sandy shrugged and grinned, "Londinium's RSPCE is a bit sticky about selling their elephants to performers. But your Numidia branch doesn't have such...restrictions, shall we say. For the right price."
Incon glared daggers at them all, and began mentally composing a strongly-worded scroll to the manager of Numidia branch of the RSPCE.
"Look, Incon," Lethargic sighed, "we haven't really harmed the elephants."
"You suspended one of them over an un-netted flooring by a ROPE!!" she wailed.
"How did you see the rope?!" Flavius couldn't help asking.
"Oh - come ON!" she replied angrily. "I've worked with pachaderms for years! They're not exactly airborne creatures!! The only way you'll ever get one of them to fly is if you shoot it out of a very large CATAPULT!!!"
"So...I guess Jerusalem's out, then," Ahab shrugged.
"Not on your life!" Sandy cried. "Not for the fee they're offering!"
"You'll have a ruddy jammy job doing your act without any elephants," Incon grinned. With that, she raised two fingers to her mouth and whistled a special signal. Instantly all nine of Sandy's elephants were in a group behind her, awaiting her next command.
Flavius' jaw dropped. "Incon...you wouldn't..."
"Oy!" Sandy snapped. "Those are MY elephants!"
"And this is my Tusky's trunk!" Incon growled back. "Tusky?..."
"WAIT!" Lethargic (who knew what was coming next) approached the angry governor. "Incon, come on, now. Surely we can talk about this? You do want Tusky to see his babies, don't you? And we *do* need funds for the expedition..." He led her off to a quiet corner.
"C'mere, babies!" Sandy called to her elephants. "Blitzen? Rudolph?? Come to mummy!"
All nine stood rooted to the spot. One of them burped.
"What's he up to?" Ahab pointed at Lethargic's silhouette.
"Probably calming Incon down, and talking her into agreeing to this," Flavius explained. "It shouldn't be a problem. The RSPCE has sanctioned certain hippodrome performances in the past, with an approved RSPCE elephant-handler in attendance. I shouldn't worry; we'll get to Jerusalem yet."
Meanwhile...
A knock at the door brought Civis to his feet. He opened the door to the figure of a messenger with a scroll in his hands.
Civis read the message. He rolled it up and dismissed the messenger. At last, he thought, word from Lethargic...and Incontinentia too. Excellent! But I wonder if Jayhawk knows Incon took a right turn somewhere in her eastward jaunt and is now in Jerusalem? Well, not to worry. The angel knows her well enough and can find her even if searching with one eye open. Caius must hear about this. Now where is he? Wait Civis, you know where he is.
The Commander hurried to the veranda just outside his room. Yes, as usual, down in the courtyard with Livinia. "Caius, hurry, there is news..." The Roman reluctantly took his eyes off Livinia and looked up to the place from where Civis called to him.
"I will be there shortly!" he called back. The two parted in the courtyard and Caius ran into the building and up the stairs to Civis' room.
The next day...
"I heartily thank you for your hospitality, Governor," said Civis. "The Emperor shall hear good things about your province and its management. Do not worry about the, uhhhh, 'incident'. Sooner or later they would have had to take a chance. Better here than elsewhere. Livinia, you have said your goodbyes to Caius?"
Livinia stepped forward with a side glance towards Caius. "Yes, Commander. Now may I say my goodbyes to you?"
"With your father's permission..." but Civis was cutoff in mid sentence by the impetuous young lady's swift glide and immediate enveloping of Civis in a gentle hug followed by a warm kiss on his cheek.
"May the gods keep and protect both of you...promise me you'll bring him back to Byzantium in one piece, Commander Civis," she whispered. "I have plans for him," she added in a conspiratorial tone.
"Designs I think is the right word, young lady. But you have my promise," was Civis' whispered response. The Governor shook his head feeling helpless to explain his daughter's unusual behavior. He really didn't need to so far as Civis was concerned. The image of Apolita materialized in Civis' mind. No, Governor, you really don't have to explain.
Now enroute to Jerusalem, Caius and Civis rode their respective horses side-by-side, just as they did in their adventures in times past. "Just what did she say to you, Civis?" Caius finally mustered up the courage to ask.
"Who, Caius?"
"Livinia, of course. You know who I mean."
"She wished us well."
Caius stared at Civis, then blinked his eyes. "She said more than that and you know it!"
"Do you doubt your Commander's word?" asked Civis in mock surprise contradicted by the twinkle in his eye.
"No, not his word, just his motive. I sense a conspiracy brewing again between you and Livinia...about something!"
"Nooooo, never! I wouldn't even conceive of such a thing. Besides, she's completely absorbed with a young Roman she knows."
Caius' eyes opened wide. "Who, Civis...who is it? She spoke of no one to me, ever!"
"Sorry Caius, she swore me to secrecy on my father's honor. I cannot tell you," lied Civis. "But if I were you, I would not stay away from her too long once we finish this business."
Caius said nothing as he mulled Civis' words in his mind. Civis had to look the other way to keep control and not laugh out loud. Rotten trick to play, but someone had to light a fire under the lad. How am I doing, Apolita, he thought to himself. Have I learned them well?
They continued trotting down the road to Jerusalem, one Roman lost in thought and the other Roman rather pleased with himself, at least for the moment.
______________________________________________
-Civis Romanus
They turned south east heading in the general direction of Palmyra past Sidon and Tyre. A caravan master going North told them he'd encountered a girl and a huge elephant heading south for the the Eternal City of Jerusalem.
"Strange, " mouse piped up, "why would she be going there?"
"I don't know, maybe she heard something on the way."
The angel turned back to the caravan master.
"Have you any other news?"
"Well, my Lord, they say the City is rife with talk about a show with a flying elephant."
"Incon, " Gustavia and mouse chimed in together.
Jayhawk wished the trader a safe voyage and the chariots thundered further southwards.
Past Aleppo and then turning south towards the Dead Sea, it's water thick and slick as oil. Then the walls of Jerusalem rose high and wide before them. The smell of incense thick in the air wafting down from the Temple. A murmer of voices can be heard even outside the city walls.
The angel breathed in deeply and adjusted one of his bracelets.
"Jerusalem..." he sighed.
Jerusalem hadn't changed much. Mysterious as usual, exotic in its appearance, and its people predictably resentful of Romans despite the peace, order and general prosperity the conquerors had brought to the area. This matter of religion seemed to be a constant irritant between Hebrews and Romans. Something about a 'messiah'. The 'Roman' in Civis didn't understand these things nor tolerated them very well. The 'human' in Civis understood the resentment in the minds of a conquered people, but the 'Roman' in him held sway; for Civis felt Rome had brought far more in the way of positives to these people than they were willing to admit.
His train of thought was interrupted by Lethargic. "Civis, I have more information you must know, but which we must keep quiet among us, at least for now.
"Huh? Oh yes, of course, Lethargic. What is it we should know?"
Lethargic glanced briefly over his shoulder to where Incontinentia sat chatting with Jayhawk and company. Lethargic lowered his voice quite noticeably. "These people we seek, smugglers and conspirators who cheat Rome and its citizens; who tried to assassinate you and frame Caius..."
"Yes," said Civis, his curiousity piqued. "Go on, man, tell us!"
Lethargic continued. "The trade they conduct...it's in luxury goods. Incon musn't know this yet or she will lose her objectivity...Civis, they trade in Sharp intakes of breath punctuated the circle of men. Involuntarily all quickly glanced to where Incon was sitting. "I understand now, Lethargic. You are right. I will accept responsibility for not telling her. But I must inform Jayhawk. He must know as his help will be crucial when the time comes, as it surely will. You both have done well. I am grateful. One last thing though..." "Yes? replied Lethargic and Flavius together. "By the gods, you two. I saw the posters. How
___________________________________________-
-Civis Romanus
"Erm," Sandy interrupted politely, "I'd like a word with Incontinentia, if that's alright."
"Yes? What do you want? (Little Miss Elephant-Torturer?)" Incon asked her sweetly.
"Incon," Jayhawk said in a warning tone.
"Well, it's Donner," Sandy told her. "He doesn't look as though he's feeling all that well. I mean, I know the trek to this city was a long and dusty one, but he's managed longer treks before. I just don't know what's up with him. I don't suppose...you could have a look?" She looked at the Londinium Governor pleadingly.
Incon's heart softened. Despite making her pachaderms perform, this woman obviously cared a great deal about their well-being. Incon nodded. "Alright. Take me to him."
Sandy led her to the elephant stables, where Donner stood in his stall looking decidedly queasy. "We need him for tonight's performance! It won't be the same without him!" Sandy insisted.
Incon approached the ill elephant. "Whassa matter, little boozhy-woozhy puppy-chops phana-na-na-na??" Incon crooned, stroking Donner's trunk and placing her hand on his massive forehead to feel his temperature. Her brow wrinkled. She placed her hand between his forelegs, to get a better temperature reading. Her brow furrowed further.
"Is everything alright?" Sandy asked anxiously.
"I'll know in a moment," Incon replied, feeling her way along the elephant's flanks, under his stomach, down his sides.
"Nothing serious, I hope...?" Sandy pleaded.
"Please," Incon asked politely, "let me do my job."
Jayhawk entered and took Sandy's hand. "Donner's in the hands of an expert," he told her. "Why don't you join us in a cup of wine? This won't take long, I'm sure."
Sandy reluctantly agreed, and joined the party by the campfire.
"Everything alright?" Caius asked, joining the campfire party.
"Donner's sick!" Sandy cried, a tad upset. Gustavia put a comforting hand around her shoulders.
"Oh?" Lethargic asked. "What's wrong with him?"
"He's not a him," Incon, who'd just walked up, informed them, "...he's a *her*."
Everyone gasped in shock. "That - that can't be!!" Sandy choked. "I specifically insisted on nine *boy* elephants when I made the deal!"
"Oh, please," Incon scoffed, "didn't you bother to check their...erm, 'under-carraige'...when you purchased them??"
"Well, no..." Sandy had to admit.
Incon rolled her eyes, muttered "Amateurs," and reached for an empty bucket by the campfire.
"What's that for?" Civis asked.
"I need to take a urine sample," Incon informed him matter-of-factly.
*"EEEEEEUUUUUWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!"* everyone couldn't help wailing at once.
Incon shrugged at them, and went back to the elephant tents.
A few minutes later, she returned. "Well, I've got good news and bad news," she told Sandy. "Which do you want first?"
"The bad news, I suppose," Sandy replied.
"Okay. The bad news is, Donner won't be going on tonight. Or for many nights hereafter for quite awhile, I should imagine."
"Oh ye gods," Sandy sighed. "And...the good news?"
"She's pregnant."
Sandy stood up, stared the governor directly in the eye...and promptly fainted. Lethargic and Flavius rushed to her side and attempted to fan her back to consciousness.
"How did *that* happen?!" Caius asked, aghast.
Everyone looked at him as though he'd never had a proper education.
"I mean - I KNOW how it happened," he glared at them, "What I want to know is...who's the father??"
"Three guesses, and the first two don't count," Incon replied, and glared at Big Tusky. Tusky had the decency to look incredibly guilty (while hiding a tiny little grin) and hid his face in his suppertime bale of hay.
"Someone's *got* to keep an eye on that pachaderm," mouse announced.
"But, what about the show?" Ahab enquired. "We need nine elephants to do it properly!"
"I volunteer DADDY over there," Incon replied. Tusky looked at her pleadingly. "Oh - grow up, big fella! It's the least you can do after what you've done," she informed her faithful pet. Tusky sighed resignedly. Then burped.
Meanwhile...
As the noonday sun reaches it’s zenith, cheers are heard from the crowd filled Jerusalem Hippodrome as the LB & BB circus performers take their final bow and exit the performance area. Lethargic walks over to check with Incontinentia who has been overseeing the entire performance. “Now are you satisfied that the working conditions for the elephants are safe?” he asks. “Even Big Tusky has his lambada dance number down pat.”
“Okay” answers Incontinentia reluctantly. “Everything is satisfactory now that the safety net is being used and no more than two performances a day are scheduled. But I still don’t like the idea of Tusky’s little boy flying around all by himself on a single rope.”
Lethargic responds, “I’ll double up on the rope then. Once and for all, it’s the only way we’re going to get through this area without having the elephants thrown into jail on trumped up charges of malicious damage. Trust me on this! Besides we still have to wait till Civis decides what to do.”
Just then the curtains part and the Jerusalem entertainment director enters carrying two large sacks of coins. He gives them to Lethargic who immediately hands one to Incontinentia for her RSPCE society as they have previously agreed to. He then splits the other bag evenly with Flavius, Ahab and Sandy. The director then tells Lethargic that the show is an immense hit. It has become so popular that the Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate himself, has bought out this evening’s performance for himself and his invited guests. Even Herrod, the King of Judea, will be attending. He asks if they can add a little something extra to tonight’s performance to really impress the governor. Lethargic quickly agrees and the satisfied director departs.
“Now wait a minute. Just what do you have in mind?” asks a thoroughly skeptical Incontinentia.
Lethargic smiles and says “Just a little change in the flying act. Trust me! Come back tonight before the performance and you can check it out. Now everyone go and get a bite to eat before tonight’s show.”
- - - - - - - - -
As Incontinentia and the others enter the Hippodrome later that evening, they see a 50-foot tall stone obelisk standing in place in the center of the performance area. Workers have finished installing 20 red ropes and pulleys to the top of the obelisk and connecting them to a huge 20-ton counterweight. Finally red drapes are placed along all the sides of the obelisk and lit torches are placed on the top of the structure. Netting has been placed all around the obelisk. As the gates are opened and Pilate’s guests begin to fill the Hippodrome, Incontinetia quickly runs over to Lethargic who is putting on his costume.
“All right” she says with a look that would freeze any sane person. “What are you up to now?”
Lethargic stops and stares back. “The act is having a little change. I plan to have the entire chariot team and Sandy joining Rudolph in the finale. They’ll be talking about this act for centuries to come! Besides it’s totally safe. I’ve doubled the number of ropes, installed a counter-weight, and have placed netting all around the performance area. Nothing can go wrong.”
“Don’t just stand there Lethargic. Get ready. We’re on in less than five minutes.” says Sandy.
“Oh no”, responds Incontinentia. “ I won’t permit it. There’s no way I’ll let Tusky go flying through..….”
Inconintentia never has a chance to finish her sentence before Sandy knocks her unconscious from behind with her wand. A flabbergasted Lethargic can only watch in stunned amazement as Sandy grabs the unconscious Incontinentia, drags her to the performers large clothing trunk, gently places her inside, and then padlocks the lid shut. Sandy finally looks at Lethargic.
“Dog gone it Sandy. Why did you do that to Incontentia?” blurts out Lethargic. “I could have eventually persuaded her. When she wakes up there’s going to be the devil to pay!”
Sandy answers with a glazed look that scares even Lethargic. “I hated to do that to her since I do like her. Hope I didn't hit her too hard. But no one, and I mean no one, is going to keep me from becoming a Then the music starts and the performance begins. A performance that will definitely be remembered but for probably all the wrong reasons. ------------------
Not succeeding in opening the trunk, she felt around in her robe pockets for something to jimmy it with and came across the single coin Lethargic had "generously" donated to the RSPCE. "That swine," she muttered, "I distinctly recall agreeing to a donation of a BAG of coins...not just one single gold coin!!" She resumed pounding on the locked trunk lid.
Donner, hearing the commotion, wandered over to the bouncing costume trunk. Hearing the voice of the human who'd eased her morning sickness (and confirmed her joyous news), she reached her trunk down to the padlock and began fumbling with it...
“Only if the elephant really flies,” responds an indifferent Pilate.
As the finale music begins Sandy drives forward from the obelisk’s red curtains in her chariot. All eight elephant’s (including Big Tusky in Donner’s place) are harnessed to the chariot with little Rudolph standing in from of them. As Sandy stands in the chariot she addresses the small audience held within the Governor’s reserved area.
“And tonight for your viewing entertainment, little Rudolph the Red Nosed will defy gravity. And for the first time ever he will endeavor to have the entire team fly with him.”
Even the jaded Pontius Pilate leans forward in anticipation after hearing Sandy’s words and watches as Ahab begins to play “Did You Ever See an Elephant Fly” on the trumpet. Sandy waves her wand and says the magical words “HO, HO, HO!” Rudolph stretches his ears straight from the side of his head, sprays red stained water high into the air, and then leaps from the ground. And to the audience’s amazement the other eight elephants follow him pulling the chariot and Sandy high into the air twenty feet above the ground. As they fly circles around the obelisk the crowd stands up and cheers.
Meanwhile behind the curtains.
“See Flavius” whispers Lethargic; “with the counter-weight it’s no problem lifting them all.”
Just then the lid to the performers trunk flies open after Donner succeeds in picking the lock and an irate Incontinentia emerges with fire in her eyes. She looks first at Lethargic and then upward when she hears Big Tusky let out a trumpeting sound. “Not that one”, yells Lethargic just a little too late. As Incontinentia pulls on the rope the huge counterweight is released from the pulleys and crashes to the ground. With no counterweight the obelisk begins to resemble an out of control pinwheel as the elephants and Sandy are flung through the air. Luckily the elephants all begin to land unhurt in the empty plebian bleacher sections. All except little Rudolph who is thrown clear over the Hippodrome wall but safely lands in a feather merchant’s stall in the bazaar amidst a cloud of flying feathers. Sandy lands in the lap of the startled Governor and stares up at him with her fake beard hanging from one side of her face. “Thanks” she says with a smile. With the sudden release of all the weight the obelisk starts vibrating like a tuning fork throwing the torches atop it to the ground. One of the torches happens to land in Lethargic’s backpack setting it on fire. Lethargic yells out a warning for everyone to run and take cover. Ahab and Flavius grab Incontinentia and run from the obelisk just before the two fire-sticks in the backpack explode, destroying half the base of the obelisk. The obelisk tilts and falls headlong into the patrician section of the stadium narrowly missing the Governor, the King, and all the guests. And as the dust and debris finally settle, the souvenir pieces of the Sphinx’s nose lands squarely on the head of Herrod, knocking him out cold. “Arrest those terrorists and assassins”, yells Pilate. “And all their flying elephants too.” Roman guards, Jewish prefects, gladiators, and charioteers immediately surround Lethargic, Flavius, Sandy, Ahab, Incontinentia, and the elephants. “Now look what you’ve done” screams Incontinentia as she looks at the demolished Hippodrome. Lethargic shrugs and meekly says, “Maybe we can blame it all on the ------------------
"A fine mess you made of this, all of you! Have you any idea what Jayhawk and I had to go through to convince Pilate and Herod to let you go free? Do you know what it will cost to clean out and repair the Hippodrome? This province has enough trouble already without your adding to it! Flying elephants indeed! From this point on, elephants keep all four feet on the ground. Nothing more, nothing less. Is that clear?!"
Lethargic, Flavius, Sandy and Incon shuffled their feet while mumbling their understanding. Incon shot Sandy a mean look before she finally acknowledged Civis' warnings.
"Now," continued Civis. "Let's get back to business. Jayhawk has some information he collected today that may be of some help to us. It seems a caravan driver of his acquaintence has knowledge of the smuggling route used between a sea port south of us and an inland location where goods are harvested or stored. He wasn't sure which. Nor was the driver sure whether the inland site is below Egypt or east beyond Judea. Anyway, I'll let Jayhawk fill in the details..."
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-Civis Romanus
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