Para Bellum by Simon Turney

Author:Simon Turney [Turney, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781804540299
Publisher: Head of Zeus

11

Messembria never changed. A juxtaposed collection of white stone and dark timber buildings crammed, with no concept of organisation, onto what had once been an island, connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway, the whole place surrounded by powerful walls. Messembria was one of the empire’s most powerful and busiest ports on the Euxine Sea coast.

They had been to the city a number of times, mostly in the old days, riding as part of the scholae palatinae, escorting one imperial cargo or another to or from a ship, emperors and empresses, princes and princesses, and, on one notable occasion, the emperor’s favourite dog with his own mounted escort. Those had been good times, full of humour and glamour, even with the dog.

The last time they’d visited was different. The last time had been around a year before the disaster at Hadrianopolis, and therefore a year after Marcianopolis, and already the ghosts of what they had done dogged their every step. As such, the place held mixed emotions for Focalis as they rode around the curve of the bay and towards that causeway. There was the comfort of a place he knew well, the trepidation of the unknown, the sadness of his private decision to leave the others there, the chill of the memory of their last visit, and the hope that it might mean safety for the rest of them, particularly Martius.

The five of them slowed as they approached the causeway, and then reined in and dismounted in the late afternoon light.

‘Safety first,’ Focalis urged them. ‘I can’t see the place being full of Fritigern’s spies the way Sigeric suggested, but let’s not test that theory. Anyone entering the city by land has to cross the causeway and go through the main gate, and if anyone is looking for us, that’s the place to start. So we split up. We’re less obvious separately. Martius and I will cross first. Wait here until you see us go through the gate, then the next one can join the queue. Once you’re inside, make for the Wanton Siren and meet there. There’s enough of a stream of people and animals going in and out, hopefully we’ll be lost in the mob. Just try not to look like soldiers.’

This agreed by the others, they wished one another luck, and Focalis and Martius led their horses into the queue of sodden locals making their way into the city. The causeway was wide enough for two carts abreast, and so divided comfortably between those entering the city and those leaving, not a surprisingly high number, but then the causeway was always busy thanks to the city gate at the far end, through which they had to filter.

As they sloshed their way through the gathered puddles towards that gate, Focalis’ view played constantly over the other people, though he found nothing amiss among them. No one stood out, no one was armoured, no one was watching them. The entire gathering, whether entering or leaving the city,

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