CHAPTER 3

 

 

BACK IN HER tent, Lynara invited Constance to sit on a small chest near the bed. Although her accommodations were cramped, it was big enough for the two women to be comfortable.

"What is it you wish to know?"

"You don't waste time, do you?" Constance asked, tipping her head slightly as she made eye contact with the young officer.

"I'm a warrior. Time is precious to those who may die at any minute."

"I imagine it is. Before we begin, tell me something about yourself, lieutenant."

Lynara stared at the historian for several seconds. The last thing she wanted was to talk about herself.

"I thought you were to write about our queen."

"That is my intent, of course, but to understand her, I must understand those who serve her."

"Understanding me won't help you to know Boudicea. It will only take up valuable time."

Constance smiled.

"You're a philosopher."

"If a warrior makes it to my age, he or she can't help but be one. It helps to make what we do and say meaningful."

"And how old are you?" Constance asked, guessing that the young woman could be no older than three decades.

"In years or in life experiences?"

"Let's start with years. Then we can discuss your experiences."

Lynara hesitated before answering. Were she to tell Constance the truth, it would sound too incredible to believe. Still, it would be fun to watch her expression. The woman was too...

Too what? she asked herself. Self-assured? Confident?

"I have been around for a few decades." She prevaricated after deciding Constance would be an interesting challenge.

Constance didn't miss the subtleness of the answer but decided not to press Lynara further. She had two weeks to unravel the mystery. Instead she focused on her original goal.

"Well, how about telling me how this war started?"

"Didn't Boudicea tell you?"

"Yes, but I want to know what others believe. One person's story isn't entirely dependable."

"If Boudicea told you, then it is. She always speaks the truth."

"Then she's rare indeed. My experience has shown few people always speak the truth."

Lynara shrugged. She couldn't argue that point.

"Where do you want me to begin?"

"Perhaps you can tell me what happened to Prasutagus?"

"The king? He was a great warrior. The Romans were wise to keep him on the throne. It's a shame they showed less wisdom with Boudicea."

Constance nodded her head sagely.

"Yes. She would have been better as an ally than an enemy."

"Had they not tried to humiliate her or raped her daughters, she would have been less of a threat."

"No one should endure that. Nero's generals gave him poor advice. He should have known better."

Taking her knife from her sheath, Lynara examined the edge carefully, testing its razor sharp edge with her thumb. It was more a habit than a necessity.

"Rome's generals are known for their greed — not their intelligence. The only thing they know is power and money," Lynara said, not looking up. "The Iceni were forced from their lands and then tortured because they couldn't pay the ridiculous assessments with which Rome burdened them."

"It's a common mistake that humans make," Constance replied.

Her use of the word humans caught Lynara's attention and she glanced toward the entrance curtain to see if any of the guards were within hearing distance. All officers had at least two guards stationed at the openings to prevent unauthorized entry. Seeing they were talking quietly amongst themselves, she turned to the historian.

"Who are you?"

Realizing her mistake, Constance made eye contact and held the officer's gaze for several seconds. Finally deciding not to challenge the lieutenant, she lowered her eyes.

"A historian. Nothing more."

"I find that hard to believe," Lynara retorted.

Constance shrugged.

"Believe what you will. We're wasting time. Tell me what else you know."

Lynara suspected there was more to the historian than she was saying, but decided not to press her further. Her instincts told her she was dealing with someone quite capable of holding her own in a verbal duel.

"Like I said, the Romans tried to humiliate our queen. They stripped her naked and tortured her while her people were made to watch. Then the soldiers took her two daughters and raped them in front of Boudicea, hoping to break her will. Obviously they miscalculated her inner strength."

"Obviously. What was her crime that they were so brutal?"

"Her crime?"

Lynara snorted and threw the knife at a nearby wooden chest. Sticking in the wood, it vibrated back and forth.

"Her crime was being loved. Her husband left her as partial heir to his estate instead of leaving everything to Nero. Roman law requires all possessions of the dead pass to the Emperor. Prasutagus thought he would insure their safety by naming Boudicea and his daughters as co-heirs to his estate."

"That wasn't very smart considering the Roman obsession for obedience."

"I believe his mind was damaged by all of the battles he had fought and then the embarrassment of having to bow to Roman law. During his last years, he acted strangely. His servants said he would wake up screaming in the night. He rarely spoke and at times suddenly burst into tears. Everyone was afraid he had gone insane. Perhaps that's why he defied Roman law."

"It's a common problem amongst warriors. I've seen many who act that way. I do believe their experiences unbalance the mind, much like a hard blow to the head."

Lynara nodded. She too had seen it happen many times.

"Yes."

"How did Boudicea escape?"

"The Romans, in their arrogance, released her. After all, she was only a woman. She rescued her daughters and fled to the hills. Her people rallied around her, one-hundred thousand strong, and she has made her torturers pay dearly for their atrocities. She put fear in the hearts of her enemies when she destroyed Londinium. There wasn't a Roman left alive when we left."

Standing, Constance walked over to pull the knife from the chest. Returning it to Lynara, she sat back down.

"I have heard she is heartless and takes no prisoners."

"She fights a just cause. Sometimes it takes cruelty to achieve that goal."

"The end justifying the means."

"The means justifying the end," Lynara said. An ancient exhaustion overwhelmed her.

Humans waste so much of their lives. I fear they will never grow beyond their petty squabbles.

"We should continue this tomorrow," she said. "It's late and I have an early meeting with my men. You can sleep on the bed."

"Where will you sleep?"

"On a blanket, on the ground. I'm a warrior. It won't kill me."

Knowing it was useless to argue, Constance stood and removed her outer layer of clothing, aware that the lieutenant watched her every move.

"Do you like women, Lieutenant?" she asked boldly, giving Lynara an impish grin.

"I've had my share," Lynara answered, not intimidated by the question or the woman. Indeed, Constance was extremely attractive and well-endowed. "And you?"

"I've had my share," the historian replied in a teasing tone. "But not tonight. I'm too tired."

Lynara laughed. Their time together was going to be very interesting.