Eyre leaned on her elbows, chin on her palms staring at her mother.

“Okay that was Scotland, but what about Rome?”

“You are a persistent child aren’t you?”

“If you’d stuck around instead of almost dying you’d have figured that out.”

Enid made a face and sighed.

*****

When Enid was next aware of her surroundings she was face down on a table made of wood. A woman with long flowing black hair was holding her hand and speaking to the man who had rescued her. The words were reassuring.

“Even with all my gifts I cannot save her my love. She is too far gone. It would take an act of the gods that is beyond even you to save her from dying. Unless you were to…give her blood.”

She saw the man pacing. He shook his head vigorously at her last few words.

“She is too young, not even saving her life is worth it.”

“Then you have brought her here for nothing save that she dies in our arms.”

“It is better then dying alone, abandoned in a snowbank.”

“She is Mariana’s age, we can simply not watch her die.”

“What would you have me do?”

“Petition the Gods as you did for Mariana!”

He frowned.

“That is the reason we are in this predicament you would have been renew my debt?”

“For a girl who you flew around the world to retrieve. Surely if they sent you they must want her to live?”

He frowned.

“I was told if I ask again I will regret it.”

“Please husband I ask you for little.”

He nodded and left the room. The woman sat beside her still holding Enid’s hand. She looked at her in much the way Morag would.

“Dear child. I can tell you have suffered greatly.”

Enid nodded tears dripping down her cheeks.

“Let me die.”

Her voice was barely a whisper.

“Oh dear child, you are safe here. You will find only love within this home.”

Enid could feel something she never felt before, a warm breeze in the midst of winter.

“Where am I?”

“You are in Rome.”

“How can you understand me, how can I understand you?”

The woman smiled and squeezed Enid’s hand.

“My husband has made it possible; It will not last long and you will need to learn our language, but take comfort that we mean you only the best.”

Enid shook her head. She could sense the truth when she heard it but her mind refused to want to live. She was to die this night.

“I saw my death.”

The woman quirked her head.

“You saw a death. But sometimes death is a symbol of rebirth. My husband will return with the fruit of the gods and you will eat it. Your flesh will heal, then my husband will deal with the man who dared call himself father. Jupiter himself fears the wrath of my husband, your father will know he has done great wrong.”

Enid shook her head.

“He will die in two weeks.”

The woman smiled.

“My husband knows of fates far worse than death. I assure you the punishment will fit the crime.”

“I am just one…”

“Yes, but you are one he already has a soft spot for. I could tell by his eyes.”

“Save someone worthy.”

“Oh, dear child, I can read your mind, I know exactly why you lay here before me, you choose many lives over your own with no hesitation. That takes bravery. Not many people would choose a painful, long suffering death over a quick one. Let alone most children. They would hold out hope fate would spare them. But not you, brave, strong little Enid, no you looked death in the face and said: Come take me instead of them. You will be a great woman one day.”

Enid blacked out again when she woke a fruit was being pressed to her lips. She bit into it, and she felt a tingle on her lips. She felt instantly better and devoured the rest hungrily. The fruit was unlike anything she had tasted before. She closed her eyes and she felt the blood in her lung coming up she coughed it up in a gob the dagger fell out of her back and her eyes opened wide. When she looked around she saw the woman and the man looking down at her. It was like she hadn’t been hurt that night, no stab wound, no frost bite, no pain. The woman smiled at her. The man nodded and threw the core into a pail and offered his hand to Enid.

“Come Enid.”

She took his hand and he guided her to a room in what seemed to be an endless building of corridors surrounding a garden. He pushed the curtains aside and motioned inside.

“Your room while you stay with us. You may choose whatever dress you like. They are second hand, but we will have new ones made.”

His eyes glanced at the doorway when the curtains were brushed aside. Enid blinked at a girl who seemed to be her age, but was her opposite in almost every way, save the pale skin. She had blue black hair, and dark brown eyes. Her lips had a blue tinge to them. She looked of death, where as Enid looked like life in bloom. Their eyes met and the girl smiled. The man motioned to the girl.

“This is my daughter, Mariana, she does not understand your language, but she is eager to find a new friend in you…actually no, a sister.”

He smiled. Enid blinked up at him and the girl.

“In time, Enid, in time. You are safe here. You will come to no harm within these walls.”

Mariana started poking through the assorted dresses and found one and motioned to it nodding to Enid. Enid took it. The fabric was softer than anything she had ever known. The man spoke in a foreign language to Enid and Mariana quickly left. He nodded to Enid and left her there to change. She hugged the dress to herself the feeling against her skin was unreal. She looked at the bed that she thought looked to soft and laid on it. Within moments her eyes closed.

*****

Mariana and Enid lay on a blanket in the shadow of a great oak tree. The sun streamed through the branches. The pair of twelve-year-old girls had been inseparable since Enid’s arrival in Rome. Winter had turned to spring and spring had given way to summer. They were just outside Pompeii near the shores of the Mediterranean. They watched the columns of centurions marching towards the city. Enid was propped up on her elbows watching them march in unison.

“So many men.”

“You don’t have armies where you come from?”

“Not that big, and never that organized.”

“Interesting.”

Mariana was laying on her front chin on her palms.

“It feels strange to be this lazy.”

“Lazy?”

“Just laying in the sun.”

“Why? I do it all the time. It’s the best part of Pompeii in the summer.”

“I don’t understand how everyone can be so lazy. I keep feeling like I’m failing at preparing for winter.”

“This isn’t the wilds of the Roman Republic Enid. Our father is the wealthiest person in the empire. We can relax and enjoy the passing of the seasons because he worked hard for us already.”

“It doesn’t seem right.”

The legions vanished in the distance and Mariana spun around looking at her sister. The sunlight made the blue tinge to Mariana’s lips and paler starkly apparent.

“You need to relax Enid. There is plenty of time to worry.”

Enid looked at her sister’s pale face and blue lips. Her concern must have crossed her face because Mariana’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Do I have something on my face?”

“No, I just, you look so sick all the time. I have seen people look like you before and they were soon to meet their ancestors.”

“I’m fine, I don’t look any different then I usually do, do I?”

“No, but the sun makes it far more obvious.”

“You’re a truth seer so I’ll say it again.”

“I am not sick.”

“Okay, sorry, just, I feel death around you. You wear it like a cloak.”

Mariana laughed.

“I do, that’s why I see ghosts.”

Enid nodded and lay down staring up at the blue sky through the branches of the oak. Her hands folding behind her mass of curly red hair.

“I think I’d rather see ghosts then know if someone is lying or seeing the future. It would be nice to just take people on what they are say instead of what I sense. People always lie. I’d rather not have to know that.”

Enid moved to lay on her front chin on her elbows almost nose to nose to Mariana.

“Except you. You have never lied to me once. Even when it would have been in your best interest. It is a rare gift you give me.”

Mariana smiled.

“You have a good heart Enid, even if you hide it with a mean face.”

“Mean face.”

“Yes, you get a mean face. When you don’t think anyone is watching. Your nose crinkles up your eyes narrow. Like you’re remembering you’re supposed to be angry. I wish I could help you not be so sad and angry when you are alone.”

Enid felt her cheeks getting red she looked away from Mariana.

“See always the truth even when it hurts. I think that’s why we’re such good friends, everyone always lies to me. Oh your hair isn’t that red, the freckles are cute. I won’t do it again I promise…”

Mariana leaned forward her nose touching Enid’s.

“We’re not friends Enid, we’re sisters.”

She showed the almost healed cut on her palm. The one that matched Enid’s own. Enid touched her own palm to hers.

“Sisters forever.”

Mariana nodded. Mariana put her hand back under her chin. They pair sat silently for a while and then Mariana smirked.

“You’re making that face again.”

“Oh, stop it.”

“You first, keep making that face it will stay that way.”

Mariana crinkled her nose and did her best angry Enid face copy. The pair rolled over and dissolved into giggles. They struggled to catch their breath when they heard a familiar and very stern voice, her Greek accent was quite apparent.

“That is where you two got off too. You skipped blade training and Greek lessons!”

“Amara, mother said we could have today off!”

“Don’t talk back to me you little she-devil! I won’t be swayed by your innocent looks and silver tongues.”

Amara grabbed the sisters by the top of their ears. She was a tall woman, with tanned skin. The sisters weren’t quite sure who she really was, all they knew is she came from a Greek city-state called Sparta and was several hundred years old.

“Lazy lay-abouts, would that your father had let me raise you in the Spartan way. You’re both going to run triple laps today. If you do well, I’ll let you throw javelins, if you don’t you’ll be cleaning fish guts. I’m sure I can find a fisherman who would love the help!”

The girls groaned and began to run around the oval track. They both collapsed in the lounge area of the estate after being forced to run a marathon and throwing javelins for the better part of two hours.

“I don’t understand why she makes us work so hard.”

“Because she’s trying to make us strong. I appreciate her using her time to train us. I’ve learned so much, even if my arms feel like they are going to fall off. I can throw a javelin further then most boys and I can actually hit what I want.”

“Enid, we don’t need to know how to throw a javelin, or swing a sword that is what boys are for!”

“I do not ever want to need a boy.”

“What’s this about not needing boys?”

Both girls bolted upwards their exhaustion momentarily forgotten at the sound of the voice. Mariana was already moving forward and almost broke the blond-haired boy when she hugged him.

“I missed you too Mariana, is this Enid, our new sister?”

“Yes, Lucius, this is Enid.”

At the sound of her name Enid peaked out from behind her red curls. Lucius and Enid’s eyes met and for them the world fell away. They stared at each other. They were two halves of the same soul and the bond was formed immediately. Mariana waved her hands in front of their eyes. The connection broken Enid looked away hiding behind her mass of red curls once again. Lucius staggered a bit.

“Hello?”

Lucius looked at Mariana.

“What? I’m sorry Mariana.”

“You two were just staring at each other for well forever. I was wondering when the fight was going to start.”

“Don’t know must be tired from the trip.”

Lucius wrapped his arm around Mariana’s shoulders.

“You stink, what’d you do run back and forth to Rome?”

“Feels like it, Amara was in a rare mood today.”

“Isn’t she always? She told father I should be sent out naked to survive in the wilderness to prove I’m a true warrior.”

Enid avoided Lucius’s gaze and he did the same. Mariana could feel the tension in the air between the two.

“What is going on with you two?”

“I need to go get changed.”

Enid rushed off.

“Sorry Lucius, she is usually more friendly than that. She’s amazing. Drives me a bit crazy when we’re sparring. She always seems to know what I’m going to do before I do.”

“So, she can see the future?”

“And this annoying ability to tell if someone is lying, according to everyone else, but I’ve never noticed.”

“That is because you never lie Mariana. Because you tried and you sucked at it.”

“That is true. Hey, did father come with you?”

“No, he is still back in Rome, he will be coming soon though.”

Enid threw herself into training with a new vigor over the next few weeks. Studying and training long past her allotted time. Amara was pleased. Sextus when he arrived and witnessed it was not. It was early evening when Sextus walked on the practice ground to see Amara running Enid through a sword exercise. Enid was drenched in sweat and looked exhausted. Finally, the practice sword fell out of Enid’s calloused hand as she leaned forward hands on her thighs. She was gasping for breath. Amara put a hand on Enid’s back.

“That’s enough for today Enid.”

Enid shook her head and leaned down and picked up the sword from the dirt of the training grounds. Amara smiled.

“I ponder if you weren’t born in Sparta, it has been a long time since I’ve seen such drive. But you need food and drink.”

Enid shook her head.

“I can eat later.”

Sextus stepped out of the shadows.

“Amara is right, you need a break, and you will take a few days off to recover.”

Enid shook her head her eyes a bit wide. Sextus frowned. He sensed her fear.

“That wasn’t a suggestion. Put your sword away go get washed up and eat. Go.”

He pointed to the interior of the estate. Enid sighed heavily and put the blade back on the rack leaving Sextus to speak to Amara. Enid slept in late the next day and woke up with every part of her aching. Three weeks of back-to-back twelve-hour training days had left her sore. She ate a late breakfast and the mid-afternoon found her reading a Greek work of fiction in the original language while pacing back and forth in the warm sun that streamed down on the garden path. She caught movement in the corner of her eye. When she looked saw that Lucius was reading something and pacing exactly as she was while he did it.

The bundle of papers she was reading fell to her side her hand still holding it soundly. She peaked at Lucius through the laurel bushes that separated the garden’s halves. His perfect nose, his clear blue eyes, his long blond hair. Everything about him made her heart flutter. She watched as his lips mouthed the words of what he read. She could tell by the creases in his forehead he was struggling with whatever was before him on the scroll. He looked in her direction and she flitted behind a bush. She heard him start to pace again and she peaked out again. Her heart fluttered again when she caught sight of him passing the small opening in the bushes. She hadn’t noticed he was staring back at her. She stepped back when he pushed throw the opening and met her gaze close up. He reached out his hand and she met it with hers their palms met and each felt a surge of energy as they touched. They stared into each other’s eyes. Lucius finally spoke.

“I’m Lucius.”

“I’m Enid. Did… did we meet before? When I first arrived?”

“No, but I feel like I’ve seen your face before.”

Enid looked at the ground her cheeks turning a bright red.

“I’ve seen yours before too.”

Enid shook her head.

“I have seen you before in my dreams.”

“If we had met before I would have not forgotten. I could never forget seeing such a beautiful girl.”

Enid buried her face in her red curls. Her cheeks were on fire.

“I’m not beautiful.”

Lucius put his fingers under Enid’s chin and gently lifted it so their eyes would meet again.

“To me you are Venus made flesh. Its like my heart has always belonged to you, my very soul.”

Enid’s heart skipped a beat as it pounded against her chest. The gift told her every word he said was the truth. She laced her fingers into Lucius’s.

“I know, I have the same feeling. Like we were never meant to be apart.”

Their eyes met once again. Even having only met so much was said without words.

“Soldales Bond!”

Lucius’s exclamation jolted Enid out of the spell his eyes were casting on her. She had been soaking in every detail. She had seen him so many times in her dreams she could have drawn him in detail, but it couldn’t match the real him.

“What?”

“We are soul-bound. Father told me about this. How sometimes souls are meant to be together. Not severing that bond is one of his people’s highest laws.”

“So, we were meant to meet?”

“I have never felt so complete.”

“I thought I was.”

*****

Eyre’s green eyes were like saucers.

“Oh mom, that is so romantic. What happened to Lucius? Why did you marry father?”

Enid had turned away and was wiping away a few blood tears.

“I do not know what changed but he turned cold. Look its not something I feel like talking about.”

“But mom, if you were soulmates why are you not with him?”

“Not tonight. Please.”

Enid stood up from the bench and leaned on the stone wall that overlooked the beach and the sea. She got lost in thought. Eyre nodded and sighed walking up and leaning beside her mother.

“Sorry Mom.”

“It is alright the betrayal still stings. I promise, more tomorrow night.”

Eyre put her arm around her mother’s shoulders.

“You don’t have to.”

“No, you need to know about this so you know why he cannot be trusted but we’re immortal it can wait another night.”

Eyre nodded and the pair looked out at the full moon reflecting off the calm sea before them.

“Mom, did you meet Jesus?”

Enid groaned.

“He was my nephew, yes, I met him. Mariana and I traveled with him.”

“Tell me please?”

“Read the bible, brat.”

“Why did you let him die?”

Enid blinked up at her.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, I know you, you would never let family die if you could save them.”

“He had a convincing argument.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I was with him the night before he died. I was ready to drag his ass to Rome to keep him safe.”

“You were at the last supper?”

Enid laughed.

“No, why would I show up for a meal? Besides I barely held myself from snapping Judas’s neck when I saw him giving up Jesus. Eating a whole meal would end in his death I guarantee it.”

“Tell me about it?”

“Fine.”

*****

Enid crouched on the roof, listening to the conversation below.

“You know he is causing trouble. The Romans are growing impatient we cannot let this fester. We must bring an end to this heresy.”

“I cannot do as you ask he is my brother.”

“All men are your brothers. Would you sacrifice the rest of us for one man?”

“No, but…”

“Your father’s taxes are behind, we can pay them, would you make your father homeless to protect this heretic?”

“No, fine I will turn him in, I will lure him to the shine in the gardens. At midnight.”

“Thank you my son, you will be honored for bringing peace to our troubled people.”

Enid snarled clenching her fists. She had the urge to just behead the traitor but she leaped down from the roof and rushed to find her sister and her nephew. She found the pair talking outside the building that housed the group. Supper was done and Mariana was fidgeting.

“I told you Judas couldn’t be trusted.”

Enid snarled as she flickered out of the shadows.

“Then he has done it?”

Jesus looked up at his red-haired aunt.

“Yes, you knew he was going to betray you?”

“Of course, then it is tomorrow then.”

He smiled and nodded.

“Why are you happy? They are literally going to crucify you!”

“Aunt Enid, calm yourself.”

“I’m going to grab you by your ear and drag you back to Rome you little brat.”

“And what purpose would that serve?”

“You’d be alive wouldn’t you?”

“My aunt, you do not understand.”

Mariana reached out to grab Enid’s arm. Enid shrugged her off and grabbed Jesus’s ear.

“You’re coming with me. We’re both your elders and you will listen to us.”

Jesus laughed softly and hugged Enid tightly.

“It is nice to be so loved. Come let us walk Aunt, and if you still want to take me back to Rome I will not resist you.”

“You are an insolent welp.”

“Yes, but you are curious, let us satiate that and then we can discuss.

“Fine, but you’re not going to change my mind, you do not know what’s best for you.”

“Ah but I do Aunt, I do.”

Enid shook her head and released his ear. Jesus started to walk Mariana began to follow. He held up his hand towards her.

“No Aunt Mary, this is for Aunt Enid’s ears alone.”

Mariana nodded and sat on a bench. She watched the pair disappear into the night.

“You’re being an idiot.”

“I know it seems that way. However, I ask you, what if you could save all of humanity from suffering with one small sacrifice? What if you could save all of God’s creation? Would you do it?”

“Those are dumb questions, there is no way one person can make that much of a difference.”

“I disagree. One person’s love can make that much of a difference. Answer my question please, if you could, would you? Of your own free will?”

“Of course, the good of the many outweighs the good of the one, that’s not even worth asking. You’re talking nonsense, like you always do.”

“Aunt Mary does not see what I say as nonsense, why do you have such difficulty seeing the truth of it?”

“Because I’ve lived four of your lifetimes.”

“Age is not wisdom, it is only experience.”

“So says the thirty-year-old mortal.”

“I love you Aunt Enid. I know you love me as well. You think you know what is best for me, but I ask you to listen and not get angry. I see you, the real you, you are angry and you are scarred. You have suffered as I will soon suffer. You want to save me that suffering. You see me with your human eyes, your ten-year-old human eyes. But you don’t see the truth.”

“I can still spank you.”

He laughed softly placing a hand on her shoulder.

“You aren’t taking the fact one of your followers just condemned you to be tortured and killed tomorrow very seriously.”

“Tell me Aunt, does Judas still live?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Surely your personal code of honor demands he be punished with death for his transgression.”

“You made me promise to keep your followers safe. I keep my word when I make it.”

“Was that the only reason?”

“I suppose I pitied him as well, he wasn’t doing it for selfish gain, the basically threatened his father. I wish he had more balls, but it won’t be his fault if you’ve fled…”

“You spared a mortal. That is unlike you Aunt Enid.”

“Don’t rub it in.”

“You have a good soul, you try to deny it, but you know love for your fellow man that few can feel. Someone taught you that, showed you mercy, showed you that the world is not an evil place and it wasn’t grandfather. It was your mother.”

“My mother died in child birth.”

“Not the mother of your blood, the mother of your heart.”

“How do you know any of this?”

“My father spoke of it to me. He told me many things.”

“Joseph? How the hell would he know?”

“No, Aunt, my true father in all respects, the father of everyone.”

“God, right. Sure, he talks to you. I bet he’s telling you that you need to sacrifice yourself. I can’t imagine a parent asking that of their child.”

Jesus nodded.

“Why are you listening to the voices in your head? I told you that way lies madness.”

“I know you have never understood.”

“You know you can only perform your miracles because you are literally the descendant of a god? A real god one that is living in Rome as we speak, not some imaginary creator. And that your grandfather and mother ate from the fruit in the garden of Eden, it has nothing to do with some immaterial entity.”

“And who created the garden then? And grandfather?”

“How the hell should I know?”

“Is it so hard to believe that I am the avatar of a greater being? Put here to enact a great plan?”

“Why would such a powerful being let its avatar as you call it be killed by humans, let’s face it they’re a pathetic lot.”

“Love”

“That’s a bad answer.”

“Love is the only answer. It is the greatest gift humanity has received.”

“More nonsense.”

“You are looking at it through the eyes of a human, or used to be human mind. My real mind is far too expansive to be contained in a human body. I can see it still in echoes and shadows. I will admit I resisted the reality of the situation for a long time. I wanted to be your nephew, you and Aunt Mary have such love for me, it is easy to want to stay. Not belief and faith, but genuine love. It is an experience I will remember always and I will repay when the time comes. In truth, Enid, it is I who is your father.”

“You really have lost it.”

“Look at me Aunt Enid, listen to my words, use the gift that I gave you. Listen with this. The knowledge I am about to give you is for you alone and must never be shared.”

He touched her chest where her heart lay underneath. Enid looked up at him meeting his gaze.

*****

Enid’s voice trailed off. She got a far off look in her eyes her gaze rising to the sky above.

“What did he say after that?”

Eyre shook her mother.

“Mom, what did he tell you?”

Enid gave a sad smile to her daughter.

“I can’t tell you daughter.”

“Why didn’t you write a gospel?”

Enid laughed.

“A gospel written by a non-believer woman. That would float about as well as a brick of lead. Look, I made a promise to not repeat what I was told. Just know he was a wise for his age. Loved his fellow man and was capable of miracles. Just as I am, and you are. Whether you believe he was the messiah or not is on you. I just know he was my nephew, I loved him like a son and he chose his fate as much as you chose yours when you agreed to be turned.”

“So you could know the truth, or some secret of creation and because you promised you will not tell anyone?”

“If you told me a secret would you not want me to keep my promise?”

“Yes but, you know something, I can tell. A secret about me wouldn’t change the world but what you know could.”

“The only secret you need to know was the one I already spoke. According to him, love can change the world. Love will save the world. I think its horse shit but, take it for what you will.”

Eyre sighed at her mother.

“Wait you said he said he was your father.”

“He called everyone his son or daughter. It was a thing.”

“Oh.”

Enid spun the rose she had picked earlier in her fingers and looked back over the water.