Coventina (3 page)

“You are Denizen,” Layla grinned.

“I am Inquilina.”

“So, then who or what is Coventina?”

“I have a feeling we are going to find out.”

Latin 101

Layla looked at Denise and smiled. “Mulier pulchra es,” she said softly.

“Fusce. Pulchriora sunt,” Denise smiled back before kissing her.

“Not bad after two days I must say.”

“Conversational Latin coming up, even though next to nobody will know what we’re saying,” Denise laughed.

They had established that the voice Denise was hearing with the volume turned up was that of someone by the name of Quintus, and that he is coming, and that he wants to find Coventina.

“Are we matchmakers?” Layla asked.

“Hardly. We’re not being told everything.”

They had been at it nearly twenty hours each day hoping that when the time came, they would be able to kind of carry on a conversation with Quintus and whatever else was part of it all.

“Vis ire ad urbem pizza?” Layla said.

“Very good. Yes, but only if you drive.”

“My treat.”

“Tenues grandia crusta dulcia una pipere?”

“Haaa. I think you’re ahead of me in this lingo course, but if that means large thin crust sweet pepper, that would be perfect.”

“And if it don’t?” Denise grinned.

“Anything but anchovies really.”

“Let’s get dressed.

All the way to town they would pronounce the word for objects they were passing and the other had to say what it was.

“Arboribus,” Denise said softly.

“Uhm, trees?”

“Etiam. You’re turn.”

“Equus.”

“Horse.”

They continued all the way to Pagliai’s Pizza. “Bona olet,” Denise said, walking through the door.

“Always smells good.”

Layla could tell when Denise was having a conversation, even if it was a one-way link, with Quintus. “Anything new?”

“He’s not alone.”

“Oh?”

“Do you want what I think the lineup is?”

“Will I still want to eat?” Layla giggled.

Denise just smiled at her. “Petilius, Odomnus, Venutius, Marcus and Lucius.”

“Well, they all sound very Roman.”

“They are arriving soon, I think.”

“How soon?”

“I don’t know. I have no idea where they are from. I have no idea where they are arriving at. I only know they are speaking fluent Latin from the days of the Roman Empire, and one of them has an obsession with Coventina.”

“I bet they will like pizza.”

“How can they not like pizza?”

“Please order, I must go pee.”

Denise reached for her iPhone when she noticed someone from the class she briefly attended a year earlier wave to her from a far table. She waved back and smiled. He walked over to her table. “Hello, Denise right?” he said.

“Good memory, Gary right?”

“Good memory. How have you been?”

“Ok, how about you?”

“Going to do some sculpting this summer.”

“Really? I was thinking the same thing. Taking a crash course in a language at the moment.”

“Which one?”

“Latin, the Latin the Romans used. It’s intense.”

“Whoa. Why Latin?”

“I know huh, study a language no one uses anymore?”

“You know my roommate speaks it perfectly. As a matter of fact she may be a Latin scholar.”

“See how popular it is?” Denise laughed.

When Layla returned to the table Denise introduced them to each other. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Gary,” she said.

“Layla, Gary was telling me his roommate is a Latin scholar, speaks it fluently.”

“Well, there’s one other person we’ll be able to share it with,” Layla laughed.

“Here Gary, give her my number and ask her to give me a call,” Denise said.

“I will Denise. It was great seeing you again. Have fun trying your hand at sculpting.”

“Thanks, you do the same.”

“Now I gotta go pee,” Denise laughed.

“Food tastes better when you don’t have to pee.”

“Oh yeah.”

When Denise returned to the table the pizza had arrived.

Midway through the pizza an incoming message had her reeling. “Oh not during dinner.”

“Bad timing,” Layla said, reaching into her bag to pull out a pad and paper.

“Thanks. Ready?” Denise asked.

Layla nodded.

“Same message. Basically Quintus arriving soon, searching for Coventina. Wait,” Denise motioned for her to write. “Membra sumus legionem nonam.”

Layla waited patiently. “Think that’s it?”

“Yeah. Just put it away, I’ll deal with it later,” Denise sighed.

They finished eating, paid and got up to leave. When they stepped out of the restaurant, Gary was opening the door to a car. “Hello, again,” Denise said when they walked by.

“Oh hey, Denise, what timing. This is my roommate I was telling you about, Denise Lucilla, Lucilla, Denise.”

“Lucilla, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Denise said.

“Denise is studying Latin,” Gary said.

“Really? And I thought I was the only one in Southern Illinois who knew Latin,” Lucilla smiled.

“I hear you’re a real pro.”

“You hear well.”

“Hi, I’m Layla. What does this mean?” she said, handing Lucilla the pad she had just written the latest new message on.

“Interesting. It says, we are members of the ninth legion.”

Lucilla handed the pad back to Layla. “Thanks,” Layla smiled.

“See you around.”

“Goodnight.”

Denise asked Layla to stop for some ice cream before they headed home. “Members of the ninth legion?”

Layla just shook her head looking somewhat puzzled.

“Well I am not going to let it keep me from enjoying this rich delicious malt,” Denise said.

Both of them could not help wondering what it all meant as they headed south on Highway 51.

Ninth

The better part of a week had passed. In that time, Denise and Layla finished their language lessons. They commissioned Lucilla to tutor them and enhance their communication skills. She arrived daily in the mid-afternoon and would stay for hours. She was also quite the authority on all things Roman, a ‘walking history book’ as Layla put it. She knew all there was to know about the Ninth Legion, certainly one of the most popular. She seemed genuinely delighted that anyone else would take an interest not only in learning Latin, but also about Rome and Roman life.

Lucilla turned to see Denise with her hand raised and head cocked to the right side. “Yes Denise,” she laughed.

“So, there is still no solid evidence anywhere about what actually happened to the Ninth Legion?”

“Strange as it may seem, thorough record keepers that the Romans were, yes, that is true.”

Layla raised her hand.

“Oh stop it,” Lucilla laughed.

“The last concrete evidence of the legion itself can be traced to York in England yes?” Layla said.

“The Empire was expanding, or should I say had expanded as far as it could. It was a monumental task to have the necessary troops to control it. Rome had made many enemies, and the Britons were a force they could not control. There are many theories about what happened to them.”

“Is it possible they simply disappeared?” Denise asked.

“Just disappeared? I guess anything IS possible. Some believe they were completely destroyed while in Brittania, which would explain the arrival of Emperor Hadrian shortly after the slaughter of thousands of legionnaires, with a legion that he left there. He also ordered the construction of Hadrian’s wall that would divide north and south Brittania, making it harder for them to unite and cause more horrible Roman loss of life.”

“When were they at York?” Layla asked.

“Around 71 C.E.”

Perhaps we should take a trip luv?
Layla thought.

I have a feeling that will happen soon.

“Other theories?” Denise asked.

“That they were not slaughtered at all. They may have been badly decimated and what was left sent to other legions as replacements. There is a record of at least a few of their commanders serving in the Middle East after the time spent in Brittania. They may have been destroyed in battle against the Parthian Empire.”

“Parthians?”

“Persians. In all likelihood they were lost somewhere in battle. The mystery of absolutely no documentation being found about their end remains. No one can say for certain what happened to the Ninth Legion.”

“How long were they in Brittania?”

“They arrived during the reign of Claudius around 43 C.E. There is evidence of them being in Brittania from then through York, with them vanishing from the records sometime around 117 C.E.”

Denise raised her hand again.

“Denise.”

“I have to go to the bathroom.”

“I think that will be all for today,” Lucilla laughed.

“My stomach’s grumbling. Would you join us for dinner in town?” Layla asked.

“Sure.”

Lucilla followed Layla and Denise to town for a Mexican dinner.

“Where did you acquire an interest in all things Roman?” Denise asked.

The waitress arrived and started serving their meals.

“Ever since I was a little girl living in Chicago, I have felt a strong attraction to Rome. It is almost as if I were living in the wrong time now, and the wrong place. I am certain that somehow, in a past life perhaps, I was a Roman.”

“Funny, but I get the same feeling, well got the same feeling when we were in Chicago a few weeks ago. There is a stone from the Colosseum imbedded in the outer wall of the Tribune Tower. When I touched it, vivid images of being inside of it as a spectator flashed in my mind,” Denise said.

“I have experienced that my entire life.”

Are you going to tell her about the voices?
Layla asked.

No. Not yet. I don’t want to scare her away,
Denise replied.

“Do you have any idea what era you were there?”

“Funny you should ask Denise. I believe I lived there more than once.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Around 43 B.C. and again around 120 B.E.”

“Amazing,” Layla said. “I guess I’ve always believed in reincarnation.”

“As have I,” Lucilla smiled.

“Count me in,” Denise said.

“This meal is delicious. I have never been here before.”

“We eat in restaurants too often perhaps,” Layla said.

“Have you ever been to Rome?” Denise asked.

“No. I know, it sounds crazy that someone obsessed with the place and that time has never been there, but no, I have not. I have a feeling that if I do ever go, I will not return.”

“Not return, in a good way right?” Layla asked.

“Yes, at least I think so.”

When their dinner was finished, they left the restaurant and walked back to their cars.

“Will you be by tomorrow Lucilla?” Denise said.

“Yes, if I can come by a little earlier than usual.”

“We’ll arrange to be around all day after oh say, ten a.m.?”

“Perfect. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.”

“Bona nocte.”

“Bona nocte,” Denise and Layla chimed.

Barn

Layla had just gotten out of the shower when Denise called to her from the front door. “Going out to the barn.”

“Ok, have fun.”

“Oh yeah,” she said.
I just love working on a face of someone I don’t know.

She walked back to the fridge for a bottle of water before she stepped outside.
Another glorious Southern Illinois day,
she thought as she walked to the barn.

When she opened the door a strong pair of arms grabbed hold of her, one hand over her mouth, the other holding a dagger to her throat. He spoke in Latin, “Do not try to get away.”

“Which one are you?” she managed to get out in a mouth covered mumble.

“My name in Marcus.”

Darling, the Romans are here with me in the barn, one with a dagger at my throat. Approach with caution.

“What is your name?” another voice asked from the shadows in the still dark interior.

“Inquilina,” Denise said.
Remove your hand from my mouth and lower that dagger.

Marcus moved his hands to her shoulders after replacing his dagger in its scabbard.

“You have nothing to fear,” a different voice spoke, stepping out of the shadows, pushing the hood of his cloak back off his head. “I am Quintus.”

“Nor do you have anything to fear,” Denise said, glancing from Quintus to the strong hands still resting on her shoulders.

“Marcus, release her.” His hands dropped but he did not move from his position behind her.

Do you need me, are you ok?

So far I think I am.

We can always rebuild the garage.

I’d rather not.

“I have been hearing your messages for weeks now. How were you transmitting those messages?” Denise asked.

“The explanation for that will come, in time, if we can work together,” Quintus said.

Denise heard a car coming up the drive. “Oh damn, that is undoubtedly my Latin tutor coming to help us improve our Latin, so we can communicate better. You must give me time to explain your presence to her, or she will leave and never come back.”

Quintus looked at her with the strong gaze of a warrior in command. “I believe you speak the truth Inquilina. We shall remain hidden until the time is right.”

“Yes. Don’t leave, stay here, I won’t be long. She will welcome the opportunity to meet you.”

“We will wait.”

Baby bring Lucilla into the house, I’m okay. I will be right there.

Marcus stepped out from behind her and moved towards the others. When he did, his cloak brushed the cloth Denise had over the face she had been sculpting causing it to slide off, revealing the head of a woman.

Are you sure?

Yes, trust me.

Quintus pointed to the sculpture with a mixed look of glee and horror on his face. “You have seen her? You have seen Coventina?”

“No, well not in person. I created that from images in my mind. Are you saying that is the face of Coventina?”