23 AD

"Welcome to Rome. City of emperors and den of bloodthirsty mobs."

Ynyr's voice barely registered as Helix drank in the views around them. Four days of riding had brought them to the Servian wall and through the Esquiline Gate. He had thought Aquila was grand when he'd first arrived, but Rome was something else entirely.

Built on and around seven hills, the landscape itself was a breathtaking display of rising and falling earth. Stone roads wove around the masterfully crafted buildings. Many of the larger ones with high pillars and statues, were tastefully completed with tended gardens and vibrant trees. The rich smell of flowers, spice and cooking food blended not so pleasantly, with that of refuse and rotting organic matter. Helix wrinkled his nose for a few moments before becoming distracted by the sound of a woman laughing. The voice was familiar, beautiful and above all dreadful.

Head snapping toward the sound Helix tensed. Up the road, and a bit to the right side stood a red-haired woman carrying on a casual conversation with a few other ladies. She was exactly the same as the last time he had seen her. Her dress was even the same alluring hue of green that brought out the tint in her eyes.

As Sal's gaze was focused on one of her speaking companions, Helix moved his horse close to Ynyr's hoping to ask the man where they were going. Hoping he did not already know the answer.

"Why if it isn't young Helix! My how you've grown."

Hiding his grimace, Helix looked at Sal. Her white, perfect teeth glinted as she smiled. A wave of her hand sent the women around her scurrying away, more than one giggling as they openly gawked at the two muscled men.

To Helix's surprise, Ynyr spoke, his tone cheerful, and his eyes following the small group of retreating women.  "Decuma darling, creating new playthings?"

Eyes whipping to the commander Helix about choked on his own bile. The commander general, the man that had been training him over four years, the leader that he had grown to trust, in-spite of obvious secrets, seemed comfortable with Sal. Of course, Helix had suspected they knew each other the night of his enlistment when Sal had claimed she had a hand in his training.  Not only did Ynyr know her he seemed glad to see her.

During the three day trip from Aquila to Rome, the commander had refused to answer any questions. He said only that he would explain everything after they reached Rome. The prisoner, hands still bound and still eerily silent around Ynyr, had remained meek and obedient the entire trip. Now, she tensely sat on her horse, eyes locked on the horse's mane.

Frustration and anger threatening to boil out, Helix returned his gaze to Sal. She was studying him an eyebrow raised.

"Hello."

A simpering giggle escaped her lips as the toneless word entered the space between them.

"I see manners aren't part of your training Ynyr." Her green eyes met the commanders. "I take it he's finally ready then?"

"A few lessons are left but, this one," Ynyr yanked the rope enough to jolt the prisoner and elicit a hiss of pain. "Pushed us into a rush."

Their familiarity sickened Helix. Suspicion, searing hot, burned toward the commander. He felt somewhat like what he imagined a sheep served to the wolves would feel like.

"Little witchling!" Glee laced her outburst. Her eyes flicked about, settling on Helix. "Come. My current home is just around the corner." We must make up for lost time, and you simply must tell me everything!"

She turned,  her luscious hips swaying with each step.  Ynyr gave a low whistle as he urged his horse to follow. Sal giggled at the attention.

Grinding his teeth Helix followed, hanging back behind where the prisoner rode, still studying her mares mane. The recollection of every painful moment of their battle flitted through his mind. She seemed so subdued now. Whoever these people actually were, they must be truly terrifying to make someone like her afraid.

During the short ride to Sal's house Helix continued to study the buildings around him. While his interest in their beauty was greatly lessened, he still took note of where the streets turned and wove around. He had not spent years being trained to pay attention to details for nothing. If he needed to leave in a hurry he would know how to get back to the gate. The thought of running appealed greatly, but there was his oath to the legion to consider. If he ran he'd be hunted as a deserter. Not to mention Helix highly doubted he could ever outrun Ynyr. It simply was not feasible unless the commander was somehow incapacitated.

Sal's 'home' was a huge sprawling, one story mansion. Twelve small pillars, carved from ivory marble lined the front of the building. Two taller pillars held the rich, rust-colored, tile ceiling higher in the very center. In front of the house, there was a circular stone drive and manicured grassy yard.

As they approached a half dozen stable boys and just as many servants appeared on the front porch. After dismounting, their horses were whisked away to a barn near the back of the villa's grand expanse. One of the stronger looking men attempted to take the prisoners rope from Ynyr, but the commander shook his head, dismissing the man.

None to surprised, Helix found the interior of the villa to be just as grand. Polished white marble floors led them through the main entrance and into a dazzling courtyard. Small manicured shrubs were scattered throughout blankets of cultivated flowers. The occasional ornamental tree lent an air of peace to the space. Six carved benches sat along winding marble paths in the interior garden. The centerpiece of the view was a long narrow pool, edges rounded at both ends. Statues of dark bronze sat in the narrow, tended strip of grass to either side of the crystal clear water.

Taking a deep breath Helix stepped into the courtyard. To his surprise, the air in here was not near as foul as that in the streets beyond. It smelled heavily of jasmine and primrose.

The walls of the villa surrounded the courtyard, a covered porch, roof held aloft by more ivory pillars, gave ample space to walk around the entirety of the interior garden. Cut glass windows peaked out at regular intervals along the porch. Directly across from the main entrance sat an ornate door constructed entirely of flawless red glass. Light shimmered from somewhere inside, casting glistening red beams along the white marble floor.

The strange sensation of the building being larger inside, then it looked from outside made Helix look over everything twice. As he followed his commander, the prisoner, and Sal through the artful glass doors he became absolutely certain. While large, and grand from the outside, there was something amiss in this house. A sweeping double stair stood before him. Eyes swiveling upward Helix became dizzy. Not only did this one story house have a second story, but it also had a whole damn tower inside it. Blinking away the nausea Helix counted nine balconies above him.

"Grand isn't it?" Sal had turned to face him, her hand casually brushing the rail of one of the staircases.

Helix shrugged an indifferent shrug, attempting, and only half succeeding, to look bored by his surroundings. She laughed.

"Take your prisoner below Ynyr. You remember the way. I'll show Helix around a bit and then we can chat over dinner."

His heart gave a lurch as the commander nodded and left with the woman. Alone with Sal his already tense muscles tensed even further. After a long silence where she just stared at him, Helix decided to speak. "How is it done? The house growing on the inside I mean."

Sal flashed another of her infinitely gorgeous smiles and crossed to him. Taking his hand in hers she tugged him toward a set of rooms to the right of the grand stairs. Helix allowed the touch, albeit with an unhindered scowl. "Such a droll question. But I'll humor you." The first room they entered was a massive dining room. The table was big enough to seat at least thirty people with room to spare. A crystal chandelier hung above it. 

"Most of my establishments are only half in your mortal realm. The other half, the interior, resides in the place between the spectral lands and here."

She may as well have been speaking the strange foreign language of the witch woman, for all Helix could understand of that explanation. With a casual nod, he answered, "Ah I see."

Her lips twitched upward. "Uh hu."

From room to room she led him. Her hand entwined uncomfortably with his. She began announcing each rooms purpose and what things she liked best about it as the traversed the house. To his relief, she did not seem to mind his lack of conversation. Helix filed every detail about the house, the servants, and her away. He had no intention of being caught unawares by her again.

When at last they met Ynyr in the dining room Sal finally released his hand. The commander's expression was still twisted into that borderline lustful grin when he looked at Sal. Hatred for the look, for Sal and for all the things he could not understand, settled deeply in Helix's chest.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Dinner was a miserable affair, in spite of the good food and drink. Helix ate but absolutely refused to touch the wine.  Sal and Ynyr discussed what was happening in Rome as quiet servants came and went at a steady rhythm. They spoke of a whole lot of nothing, but parties and political plots, except for the Berber tribes rebellion.

"With the proper motivation, Ares is sure to turn up there."

Sal nodded, her elegantly bejeweled hand holding a goblet of wine. "And can we motivate him properly?"

"Yes." Ynyr's eyes swiveled to Helix as he answered. "I have a few tricks with which to bait your trap."

"I suppose that brings us around to you then Helix."

Forcing a bored expression Helix met her look. "How so?"

"Well, we do have a bargain. A favor for your help in reuniting Ares and I. Any ideas what you would like for that favor?"

Feeling somewhat ashamed, Helix realized just how comfortable he'd grown in Aquila, with Marcel, Marjani and all his other friends. He had grown to consider them more like family. While he had not ever forgotten his deal with Sal, and what he hoped to gain from it, he had stopped pondering the possibilities.

On one hand, he had had only agreed to the deal to try and get revenge on Zeus. On the other, Helix had not forgotten that he was marked for death. While Ynyr had never explained the invisible mark further, Helix did not doubt it existed.

Regardless of some gods, damn mark Helix did not see what he had to worry about. So far everything had worked out fine. Still...

"I haven't decided."

She pouted slightly. "Pity. Ah well. I'll know soon enough I suppose." Her emerald eyes looked back to Ynyr. "Tell me about the witchling? Surely you must have a reason for toting her about with you?"

"She was sent from Tacfarin to kill Dramus, the emperor's cousin."

"Oh? Why her? Do you think Tacfarin suspects?"

"I have not finished questioning her. My guess is he knows what she is, and possibly knows even more than that."

"Then your meeting with Dramus never happened."

"No. He fled when she arrived. He would have died but Helix intervened."

Her gaze snapped to Helix. "Intervened? Intervened how?"

"She started killing people. So I stopped her."

A look entered her eyes then, an excited gleam that flashed with malicious intent. "You fought the witch? And won?"

He glanced at Ynyr. The commander gave an imperceptible shake of his head. Helix thought he understood and forced a smile. "Yes, I fought her. As for winning, you saw her bound hands when we arrived."

"You turned out even better then I had hoped. Well done Ynyr."

Helix ignored the comment as politely as possible. The conversation turned again to things the young soldier did not understand. Something about a man named Dramus, who Helix finally realized was the emperor's cousin.  Tiring of the confusion, and not feeling comfortable asking any questions around Sal, Helix stood up and excused himself. "Thank you for dinner. I need some air."

Ynyr waved absentmindedly in agreement as he continued talking. Sal though, glanced up, her eyebrows raising in a, 'I've heard that before,' fashion.

Heat filled Helix's cheeks as he quickly strode out of the room. Once in the hall, he paused, a hand coming to his chest. The air was to thin, the walls, in spite of their height, to close. Gasping for air he struggled to push the mental images away. Though it had been years ago, in her presence, the memory was so fresh.

The feel of silky skin. Sal moaning his name.

Snarling, he strode toward the exterior door. He had to get out of this house, away from her!

His hand on the red glass of the door, a shrill cry, so faint that Helix was not sure he had actually heard it, made him pause. For a moment he just stood, listening intently.

A heartbeat later he heard it again. Glancing around he spotted a small, brass vented hole in the corner. Walking to it he bent down to listen. Sure enough, the whimpering sounded again, emanating from the grate.

Helix knew he should leave it be. Knew it was probably the witch, knew she probably deserved whatever was happening below. Still, his curiosity distracted him from his own thoughts.

It took some experimenting but, after several turns that led nowhere exciting, Helix finally found a stair leading down. Two men, dressed in boring brown servants attire stood at the top of the open door. They bore no visible weapons, however, their stance was one Helix knew well. These men could fight if need be. As he approached, they watched him back.

"I need to speak with the woman." He tried to sound commanding, firm, like he knew what he was doing, and not like some illiterate, unknowing fool. The servants exchanged a look. Helix forced his breathing to remain even and stood tall as another cry of pain echoed from the torch lit stair behind them.

*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: Get ready. And let me know what you think!