The Eagles Prophecy

'There,' Vitellius pointed, and the boat eased forward and bumped against the rock. The tribune scrambled over the side and stepped ashore, keeping a firm grip on the mooring rope. One of his bodyguards went after him while his comrade helped Ajax and Minucius out of the boat.

'Sir, shall I tie her up?' asked one of the bodyguards.

'No. Best pull the boat up, over by the base of the cliff where it won't be seen.'

While the two men heaved the boat out of the water and dragged it across the seaweed-covered rocks, Vitellius led the others over to the foot of the cliff and at once saw the begi

'Trebius, you first. Go up and see where this comes out. We'll follow behind…'

'Yes, sir.' The man's reluctance to climb a cliff in the dark was evident to all, and Vitellius leaned closer to him.

'Think of the treasure, man. Now go.'

The bodyguard started up the cliff-face, climbing steadily from hold to hold. Vitellius waited a moment and then heaved himself up. 'Me next. Then Ajax, then Minucius. If the boy tries anything fu

'Yes, sir.'

Vitellius nodded to his other bodyguard. 'You take up the rear, Silus.'

They slowly ascended the cliff, taking great care. Ajax, who had climbed the cliff many times before, was much more certain of the way and would have pulled far ahead of Minucius had the centurion not grasped his ankle and reminded him of Vitellius' threat. Twice the lead man lost his way and the others had to stop while he backtracked, and Ajax whispered instructions to help him find the right holds again. But at last they emerged, one by one, into a small cutting at the top of the cliff where the ground was strewn with fallen rubble and Vitellius realised that they were standing in the ruins of a house that must have collapsed into the sea. Around them rose the pale walls of other houses, their windows shuttered against the cool night air. For a while they sat in silence, recovering their breath.

Then Vitellius whispered, 'Boots off. Tie the laces and hang 'em round your neck.'

Once they were ready he nudged their prisoner.'Time to move. Remember, the centurion will be right behind you. You try anything, and he'll kill you before you know it. Understand?'

'Yes,' Ajax replied softly as he rose up. 'This way.'

He led them over the rubble until they came to the remains of a wall that gave out on to a narrow street beyond. They waited a moment to make sure that all was still and then climbed quietly over the crumbling masonry and crossed to the black shadow of the building opposite.

'How far?' Vitellius whispered.

'Up this way, across a small junction, up the slope to the gate.'

'You go first.'

For an instant, Vitellius thought he made out a smile on Ajax's face, but it was probably just a shadow. Then the young man crept forward, closely followed by the four Romans, as they silently made their way up a narrow cobbled street, boots bumping their breasts as their bare feet padded over the stones. Ahead a dim light glimmered, silhouetting the end of the street, and revealing the open space beyond. Ajax crept forward, but Minucius held him back firmly, then went ahead and peered slowly round the corner.

The junction opened on to a small square and in the far corner a fire burned on the cobbles. Around it huddled the sleeping forms of men wrapped in blankets. One was awake and sat with his back to the junction, staring into the flames. Keeping his eyes on the man, Minucius waved the others on and he grabbed Ajax's wrist as the young man trotted by. They ran along the front of the run-down houses facing the square. Crouching low, they moved as quickly as they could without creating any sound, until they were clear of the square and had disappeared back into the shadows of a short alley that led up to a large gateway. The doors had long since rotted and now leaned against the sides of the arch. Ahead was a small courtyard and beyond it, the squat, square mass of an old fortified watchtower. Light spilled from the edges of a shuttered window at the top of the tower and on the platform above they could hear men talking in low voices.

Minucius stopped inside the arch and pulled Ajax down while the others came up behind.

'Is this the place?' Vitellius asked softly.

Ajax nodded.

'Where are the sentries? There should be sentries at least.'

'Maybe they're down by the wall,' Minucius muttered.'In case Vespasian tries an assault in the night.'

'So who's up there on the tower?'

'Catapult crew,' said Ajax. 'There's one mounted on top of the tower.'

Vitellius glanced up at the dim outline of the battlements, then looked carefully around the courtyard before turning back to Ajax. 'All right then, how do we get inside?'

'Follow me.' Ajax rose up, still in the centurion's grasp, and pointed with his spare hand. Vitellius pressed Minucius in the back.

'All right. Go.'

They crossed the courtyard and moved down the side of the tower until they came to a large studded door. Minucius groped across the weathered timber and his fingers closed on a large heavy iron latch. He was about to lift it when there was a sudden snort only a few paces away, and a shape stirred on the ground, before a raucous snoring rumbled in the darkness. All five of them started at the noise, and when he recovered from the shock, Vitellius pulled Trebius closer and whispered. 'Take care of him.'

There was a quiet scraping from the man's scabbard. The bodyguard leaned over the snoring sentry and, clamping a hand over the man's mouth, he thrust the tip of his dagger under the sentry's chin, through the bottom of the skull into his brain, and twisted the handle violently from side to side. The sentry's body spasmed, and jerked before going completely inert. Trebius slowly removed his hand and pulled the blade free. He wiped it on the sentry's tunic and returned the dagger to its scabbard. He bent down, lifted the body under the shoulders and dragged it round the corner before padding back to the others.

'Inside,' Vitellius commanded, and Minucius lifted the latch and slowly pushed the door back. The faint creak did not create an echo and he knew that there was only a small space beyond the door. The centurion stepped inside tentatively and slid his bare feet to and fro, until his shin brushed up against the edge of something hard. He leaned forward and felt with his hands. A step, and beyond that another.

'Stairs, here to the right of the door,' Minucius whispered. 'What now, lad?'

'Go up. My father's quarters are on the corridor to the left. The stairs continue up to the catapult platform at the far end.'

Minucius led the way on all fours, a step at a time until his fingers detected the landing. He peered round and saw a dim light under a door a few feet away. Beyond that the corridor was barely visible before the darkness swallowed it up again. The centurion crept forward to the door, lowered his head to the stone floor and squinted through the small crack ru

'I think we're alone,' he whispered towards the staircase, and there was a faint shuffling as the others joined him.

'Stay back and keep hold of Ajax,' said Vitellius. 'My bodyguards will go in first… Right, open the door.'

The latch grated faintly and then the glimmer along the floor instantly spread up alongside the door as it opened and a moment later they were looking into Telemachus' quarters. As the bodyguards padded ahead, Vitellius and the others followed them inside and the tribune quietly shut the door behind them.