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Back Emperor
Chapters (76)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. I
  4. II
  5. III
  6. I - INVADER AD 43-70
  7. I
  8. II
  9. III
  10. IV
  11. V
  12. VI
  13. VII
  14. VIII
  15. IX
  16. X
  17. XI
  18. XII
  19. XIII
  20. XIV
  21. XV
  22. XVI
  23. XVII
  24. XVIII
  25. XIX
  26. XX
  27. XXI
  28. XXII
  29. XXIII
  30. XXIV
  31. XXV
  32. XXVI
  33. II - BUILDER AD 122-138
  34. I
  35. II
  36. III
  37. IV
  38. V
  39. VI
  40. VII
  41. VIII
  42. IX
  43. X
  44. XI
  45. XII
  46. XIII
  47. XIV
  48. XV
  49. XVI
  50. XVII
  51. XVIII
  52. XIX
  53. XX
  54. XXI
  55. III - EMPEROR AD 314—337
  56. I
  57. II
  58. III
  59. IV
  60. V
  61. VI
  62. VII
  63. VIII
  64. IX
  65. X
  66. XI
  67. XII
  68. XIII
  69. XIV
  70. XV
  71. EPILOGUE
  72. I
  73. II
  74. III
  75. IV
  76. Afterword

In the intervening years he had all but forgotten Severa’s mysterious document. ‘That old bit of spookiness. Does it still exist?’

‘Yes. And in a way it has been fulfilled, or so my mother believes. There are three lines relevant to our century, she thinks.’

Relevant to our century. Despite the gathering warmth of the day Brigonius shivered. ‘Are there words relevant to other centuries, then?’

‘Oh, yes,’ she said. ‘I always did argue with my mother about whether the Prophecy was more than just a tool for her to further her ambitions. Once her plans imploded she started to think about that. And she has decided the Prophecy is a warning from the future, that a Weaver of history has sent it back in order to influence our times - which to him would be the past.’

‘And what do you think?’

‘I still believe it all has something to do with Christ. Remember, the Prophecy was delivered at the birth of my forefather Nectovelin, who, it happened, was born in the same year as Jesus of Judea. I think the Prophecy actually has some connection to the destiny of Christianity, and this business of conquering provinces and building walls is all incidental. My mother denies this, though; she’s nothing if not a loyalist to the gods of Rome. We’ve always argued about Jesus ... But it’s not the future outcome of the Prophecy that concerns me now but its present.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘The Prophecy is the issue of my mother’s supposed sedition. The Emperor’s court have always been suspicious of the Prophecy. Now she has been accused of subversion. And where better to investigate the case than here, where the Prophecy originated?’

‘So that’s why Sabinus was sent here.’ They sat for a moment, with the Wall splayed brightly across the countryside around them. Brigonius said sadly, ‘You know, here we are talking of mothers and emperors, of walls and prophecies. We aren’t talking about us.’

‘But there isn’t really an us to talk about, is there?’

‘No,’ he said hotly. ‘But I will always—’

She leaned from her horse and pressed a finger to his lips. ‘It’s better not said.’

He nodded. ‘We should return. The day is advancing.’

‘Of course.’

He spurred his horse, and the two of them trotted side by side back to Banna to resume the business of the day, the business of their bifurcated lives.

XXI

XXI

Three days later Galba Iulius Sabinus convened what he called a ‘necessary meeting’ on the matter of Claudia Severa.

Brigonius wanted nothing to do with it. He would have preferred Severa to pass through Brigantia and on again without his ever seeing her. But to his dismay he found he was summoned to the ‘meeting’ - and at the behest of Severa herself.