Fic: The Dead Can Live (part 2 of 14)
Esca looked up from his work for what felt like the hundredth time that day but this time he was rewarded by the sight of the cart lumbering down the road that led to the farm, Marcus perched atop it, and he smiled fondly. Setting down the tool he’d been mending, he walked part of the way to meet the cart, raising his hand to welcome the traveller home. Usually Marcus would return from his trips to Calleva much earlier in the day, eager as he was to escape the bustling town and his uncle’s endless talk, but he was late on this occasion and Esca had considered riding out to meet him in case the cart had thrown a wheel or some other disaster had befallen Marcus and their precious supplies.
“How goes it in Calleva?” he called out when Marcus was close enough to hear over the rumbling of the wheels on the uneven surface of the ground. “Were you delayed on the road? I was almost beginning to worry.”
Marcus pulled up the cart next to him, his eyes remaining fixed on the rump of the sturdy old cart-horse before he looked down at Esca and gave him a half-hearted smile.
“My mind was elsewhere today I think and I let Agilis wander home at his own pace instead of hurrying him along,” he replied. “I did not mean to worry you. I am sorry.” Marcus seemed preoccupied with his thoughts, his unusually quiet voice trailing off and his eyes scanning the fields around them as though he had suddenly forgotten Esca’s presence. A deep breath which he blew out between pursed lips soon brought him back to the here and now and this time he bestowed a much heartier smile upon Esca although it took obvious effort to do so. “As I am late,” he offered, “I shall unload the cart myself and let you rest on a bale of hay while I work. Agreed?”
Esca grinned and took hold of the horse’s bridle, leading him the rest of the way to the barn. “A fine idea,” he said, “one of your finest, but this old man needs to be taken care of.” He ran his free hand over the velvet muzzle of Agilis and smiled to himself as he always did when he thought of the irony in the name of the large, ungainly horse. “Shall I rub you down while Marcus labours, eh? We can think up more ways to punish him for his tardiness.”
He glanced up at the cart but Marcus had once more focused his attention elsewhere and was not listening, his handsome face stony and unsmiling. Agilis however gave Esca his full attention and nodded his approval, butting his head gently against Esca’s chest as they came to a halt in front of the barn. Marcus climbed down from the cart and immediately busied himself with unloading the supplies he had brought back so Esca freed the horse and led him to his stable, still talking to the animal as he rubbed him down and settled him in his stall.
When he was done, Esca considered helping Marcus but a loud rumble from his stomach announced that his time would be better spent preparing them some dinner so he made his way into the house and began to warm the remainder of the fish stew over the fire. He set out their eating bowls, bread and water to drink and it was not long before Marcus joined him and the two of them sat at the rough-hewn table to eat.
“Did you get everything we needed?” Esca asked when it became apparent that Marcus had no intention of initiating a conversation while he stared at the stew in his bowl and barely ate any of it. “The cart seemed full enough.”
Marcus nodded, tearing a chunk of bread from the loaf and dipping it in his bowl but he said nothing so Esca tried again to engage him.
“Is all well?” he asked. “There is no bad news about your uncle I hope.”
“No,” Marcus replied quietly. “He is thriving, as ever.” Done with his food, he stood and dropped a coin purse on the table. “He even purchased some of the goods I took to trade, his way of adding to our coffers.”
The old man had always been generous to them but Marcus sounded unexpectedly aggrieved, as if his uncle’s money was an insult to his pride. Esca could not decide whether it was weariness that made Marcus so unlike himself this evening or some other misery come over him but he shrugged it off as one of his friend’s Roman moods. Sometimes, time spent with his uncle saw Marcus revert to stiff, proper Roman ways until Esca could draw it out of him, stripping away the old formality as he stripped away Marcus’s clothing. He smiled at the thought, a flush of heat warming his cheeks as he pictured Marcus coming apart underneath him later that night, straining and eager for release after two nights away from home.
“Are you glad to be home?” he asked, watching Marcus pour water from a large, plain pitcher to wash his hands and face. “I’ll wager you’ve missed some of the comforts of our lowly farmhouse that cannot be had at your uncle’s villa,” he added slyly, putting as much promise of pleasures to come in his voice as he could.
Marcus momentarily stilled then continued his ablutions and it was several seconds before he replied with no more than a faint hum of agreement. A sudden wave of annoyance washed over Esca at the unenthusiastic response and he drew his brows together, his mouth pulling into a pout and his jaw clenching. Whatever it was that had got under Marcus’s skin had better not deprive him of the sport he’d anticipated ever since he’d watched the cart rumble away at the start of its journey to Calleva! He abruptly left the table and stalked outside, leaving Marcus to his mood, and finished his few remaining chores in the darkness that had fallen while they were eating. Damn it all, the man had not even asked how things had been at the farm since he’d been away!
When he returned to the little house, Marcus was sitting by the fire and staring down at the floor in contemplation, his leg stretched out in front of him while one hand rubbed at his thigh. It was a sight Esca had seen too many times before and his annoyance gave way to the care that always gripped him whenever he saw Marcus in discomfort, whether it was the leg itself that pained him or old thoughts of what his injury had cost him. There was more to this than just his leg though and Esca resolved to discover what.
“What troubles you, Marcus?” he asked softly, moving to sit beside him at the fire, hoping to coax a confession from him that could then be dealt with, laughed over and forgotten. “Tell me and we shall share the burden between us."
Marcus looked up at him as though about to speak but then he seemed to change his mind over what to say, sighing and once more staring down at the floor.
“I am tired and my leg troubles me.” He stopped rubbing at his thigh but with his face lit by the fire, Esca could see lines of pain around his eyes and the way his mouth pulled tight. “If there are no more chores to be done, I shall go to bed.”
Esca shook his head, holding back the desire to scold Marcus for overtaxing his leg once more.
“Shall I see to it for you?” he asked, rubbing his hands together to warm them but Marcus waved him away, his eyes looking everywhere but directly at Esca.
“No need,” he mumbled. “I would prefer simply to sleep. I’m sure all will be well by morning.”
Esca reached out and laid a hand on his arm as he had a thousand times before but Marcus seemed to shy away from him, his whole body tensing as he drew in a deep breath.
“I am tired,” he said again, finally meeting Esca’s eyes with his own, a strange expression of sadness and uncertainty on his face. “Good night Esca.”
Slowly, as if the movement caused him great effort, Marcus stood and turned away, leaving Esca frowning after him.
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Two pallets lay on the ground in the sleeping area, one for each of them although every night they would push them together to make one larger bed and lie close. Marcus always slept on his back while Esca preferred to curl up on his side, nestling into Marcus, head resting on his shoulder while Marcus’s arms encircled him. Tonight however Marcus had laid on his own bed without moving Esca’s near.
As he stood in the shadows with his arms hugged tightly across his chest and watched Marcus sleep, Esca still pondered what had happened to make him behave so strangely. Perhaps he was simply so tired that he had fallen on his pallet and immediately been overcome by sleep before he’d had the chance to move Esca’s bedding near. Perhaps he expected Esca to do it himself when he retired for the night. Still, there was something about his manner since his return from Calleva that made Esca hesitate to move his pallet closer to where Marcus lay, on his side for once, his back towards where Esca would lie. He knew Marcus, knew him as well as he knew himself. They were each two halves of the same being after all but there was something more to this than pain in his leg or the legacy of a visit with his uncle. Still frowning but recalling Marcus’s words and hoping that all would indeed be well come morning, Esca removed his tunic and huddled under his bedding, feeling cold despite the lingering warmth from the dying fire.