Revelations

Author: * Hylas Ariston - 14 Posts on this thread out of 129 Posts sitewide.
Date: Apr 4, 2008 - 11:47

(This post continues from the events described in (Quinctius Bestia's Villa) The Cat, The Bear and the Serpent)

Hylas wept helplessly all the way back to the Insula Arriana Polliana, held and petted alternately by Felix and Idris. “I’m not upset,” he wailed between sobs, wiping his eyes before fresh tears spilled forth, “I’m just relieved! It could have been so horrible! You might have been killed! Felis might have been killed!”

Felix kindly patted him, knowing the young Greek was of a sensitive disposition and had no taste for the more violent forms of Roman entertainment at the best of times. He had been genuinely upset to see his friends involved in this evening’s brutal spectacle. The Sicilian reflected ruefully that his arm was going to bear the marks of fingernails for days where Hylas had clutched at him in terrified panic for the entire duration of the fight, when he didn’t have his hands over his face.

“I know it’s late, but I think you’d better come in for glass of wine, or two,” Felix remarked quietly to Idris when they reached the apartment.

The Silure nodded and put his arm round Hylas, hugging him close, offering him silent comfort. He suddenly remembered that he still carried in his belt the piece of writing Hylas had found before the fight – it had excited the young Greek a good deal at the time though it had been forgotten since, and Idris realised it might be a useful distraction for Hylas as well as something that might potentially interest the investigator.

While Felix fetched a jug of watered wine and cups, Idris settled Hylas against his side on the couch and took the pieces of parchment from his belt. “Now we’re home, you can tell me what’s so exciting about this?” he prompted with a gentle smile.

“Oh!” Hylas brightened immediately and sat up straight. “Well I only had chance to read it very quickly.” Felix returned with the wine and Hylas took the parchment from Idris and handed it to the investigator. “I thought this might be important,” he explained.

Felix raised an eyebrow at them both; Idris shrugged and Hylas simply beamed at him, all thoughts of the fight apparently now driven from his mind. As Felix’s eyes scanned the parchment they narrowed in concentration, then he muttered a sharp exclamation. “Mehercule! This is incredible! I have no idea what Quinctius Bestia has to do with this but what good fortune you found it, Hylas!”

Hylas preened smugly. “And have you seen the date on it?”

“Yes – a month ago! Idris, this is incredible news!” Felix grinned broadly, as close to loosing his elegant Sicilian composure as Idris had ever seen him. He actually grabbed the complacent Greek and hugged him, causing Idris to frown in consternation.

“Excuse me, but I’m starting to feel I’m missing out on something here,” the Silure pointed out rather dryly, “WHAT is such incredible news?”

“You may have the honour of telling him since you found this,” Felix told Hylas, cheerfully waving the parchment in the air, “I’m going to find that last bottle of best Falernian I’ve been saving for a special occasion.”

Hylas smiled at Idris, then impulsively threw his arms round his neck and kissed him before starting to explain. “It’s about Eirik and Spurius! Well, actually it’s not about them, which is the whole point!” Idris stared at him in baffled incomprehension, wondering if this was going to be another of Hylas’s hopelessly muddled explanations. “The letter was from one of Bestia’s kinsmen in Nola, relating the latest news – latest as of a month ago, that is. He tells Bestia that two men have been arrested in Nola on charges of treason against the emperor, and so certain are the vigiles that the right men have been caught, all searches in Baiae, Oplontum and Pompeii have been called off!”

Idris just stared, speechless for a moment while he let the implications sink in. Finally he found his tongue. “So Eirik and Spurius – are safe? No one is looking for them any longer?”

“Exactly!” Felix toasted him flamboyantly with the wine jug and grinned happily, “I told you the news deserved the best Falernian!”