“It’s something to think about,” Lucius replied.
She was probably right. The trek out would be arduous under the best of circumstance, and they couldn’t just move through the mountains to avoid the Parthians, not in the winter. If they didn’t want to freeze to death, they’d have to move down into the lowlands and try to navigate through the roads and towns there. Neither he nor Mylitos spoke the language well enough to pass. Someone would gladly turn them over to the Parthians to curry favor or earn some coin.
“You can stay with Tigran and me in the mountains until it’s safe to travel. We still have friends in the highland villages,” Zati said, breaking the silence.
“I’d be honored to accept your hospitality, Ariazate.”
She nodded her head regally, though it was marred somewhat with the thick cloth wrapped around her head and body. Lucius struggled to stay in the saddle for the two-hour ride to the village. Without an enemy pursuing him and after the heart-pounding tension of the standoff, his body wanted to succumb to the exhaustion threating to topple him from his saddle. He kept himself upright and awake for long enough to get to the village.
An elderly man with a bushy beard and a merry twinkle in his eyes bowed deeply to Ariazate. “You honor our village with your presence, Princess. You and your brother may stay in our home while you remain here.”
Lucius looked at Zati, an eyebrow raised. She rolled her eyes at Lucius and then nodded respectfully to the village’s headman. “Thank you. You honor me with the offer of your home. My brother and I would be glad to accept it. Please show our guests to your home. I’ll be along shortly.”
“Of course, Princess.” The man gestured for Lucius and Mylitos to follow him.
Lucius had understood the basic conversation, though he wasn’t sure if he’d misheard the “princess” part or not. His Armenian was still quite rudimentary after all.
He nearly fell to his knees when he dismounted but caught himself on the saddle until he could get his feet under himself. They were escorted into a well-built home with a roaring fire. Stripping out of his armor, Lucius found a patch on the floor and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
NINETEEN
The next morning, warm porridge was brought into the house, along with steaming buckets of water so they could bathe. It wasn’t the baths at Antiochia, but the hot water and soap felt divine. After he and Mylitos had cleaned themselves, Tigran and Ariazate joined them to break their fast.
“If we take off soon, we can make it to our next stop before sunset,” Ariazate said, spooning some porridge into her mouth.
Lucius stood up and fetched a couple things from his bag. “I guess now is as good as any other time. Caesar’s last command for you was to be free.” Lucius handed the conical felt hats to Ariazate and Tigran. “The pileus represents your freedom. He also gave me money to pass on to you.”
Ariazate looked at her brother, then down at the hats, then the fireplace. Tigran nodded at his sister. Standing up, she threw the hats into the fire, watching them smolder and catch. When they’d been rendered into ashes, she turned and stood in front of Lucius.
“His money, I will take.”
Lucius handed her the pouch of coins. She stashed it inside her garments in some hidden pocket, then sat down and scooped more porridge into her bowl. They ate in silence until one of Ariazate’s people stepped into the room announcing the horses were ready.
“I’m going to go thank our host for his hospitality. Tigran, with me.” Ariazate turned and left the house.
“They didn’t seem too appreciative of the imperator’s gift of freedom.” Mylitos spoke lowly so only Lucius could hear him.
“I don’t think she thinks much of the institution of slavery. And the freedom she is granted is to be in a country that’s become a proxy for Roma and Parthia to express their power. Now, because she came to our aid, the Parthians will be hunting her. Besides, these are her people. She’s already free in her mountains. We are guests here, so mind your manners and guard your tongue.” Lucius infused the last with the authority of his command.
“Yes, Centurio,” Mylitos replied crisply.
They finished the bowls in silence and walked out to join Ariazate and Tigran so they could disappear into the mountains of Armenia to wait out the winter and the Parthians.
Lucius and Mylitos spent the winter in the highlands of Armenia with Ariazate and Tigran. Lucius used the time to improve his Armenian while helping Ariazate and Tigran get better with their sword skills.
One evening after Mylitos had disappeared to spend time with a woman he’d been chasing and Tigran had gone to bed, he sat by the fire drinking watered wine with Zati.
“Who are you, Zati? Through every village we went through, they’ve greeted you like a queen and Tigran like a king.” Lucius had his suspicions, strongly had them, and wanted to confirm them.
“I am nobody. I am your friend, Lucius,” she replied, staring into the dancing flames.
“Ariazate and Tigran are family names, aren’t they?”
She didn’t reply or give any acknowledgment for a while. Lucius thought she would just choose to ignore the question as he joined her in staring at the flames.
Finally, she nodded. “They are.”
If they truly were the heirs of Tigran the Great, no wonder they commanded respect among the people, even if those who sought to gain power by paying homage to Roma or Parthia didn’t pay them any honor. More than likely, their birth would make them a target for those seeking to curry favor with the powers who influenced Armenia. If the Parthian woman found out who’d thwarted her, Ariazate and Tigran would be hunted for the rest of their lives.
Lucius sighed. Armenia wasn’t Roman anymore. The last of the legions and those local power brokers who’d bet on Roma were filtering out of the country. By now, the Parthians and their factions were in charge of the mountainous country. Lucius wouldn’t be safe if he were pinned as a Roman loyal to Trajan.
Trajan—an emperor no more, dead and gone, though his works would remain. The news had even made its way deep into the mountains. It had shaken Lucius to core, another of the foundations of his life pulled out from under him. He had no idea if Hadrian would care about the mission his predecessor had sent Syphax and Lucius on, but he knew the new emperor would be dangerous to Ariazate and Tigran if he found out who they were.
He waited until he caught her gaze. “Zati, you can’t stay here, not when the spring comes. The Parthians will be back, and they’ll be looking for you.”
“My people won’t betray me.”
“But are they all your people? Can you vouch for everyone? Are there some whose loyalty can be purchased with Parthian gold? I know Roman gold buys a lot of eyes and willing hands.”
“What else can I do? Go begging to your imperator? I will be a slave to Roma no more. I’d rather die in my mountains than give up my freedom.” She poured more wine in her cup.
“Can I present a third option that requires neither giving up your freedom or dying?” When he didn’t hear an objection, he continued. “Come west with me to Belgica. My parents will adopt you and your brother. You would be my sister and Tigran my brother. Someone will need to take over the business my father has built.”
“Isn’t that your duty when you muster out of the legions?”
