Tallis returned to an empty marketplace. As he approached the north gate, he heard a voice call out. “Help us!” Tallis looked up and saw Priam staggering toward him, and raced to his Decanus. “Some thugs attacked us on our way home. They captured Benson and dragged him up a wadi.” Priam said as he gasped to catch his breath. “We weren’t able to follow them due to our injuries.” Welts and bruises covered his arms and face. Every soldier in his Conturbenium suffered cuts to their legs and upper extremities also.
Tallis’s worst nightmare had come true. He grabbed his horn and blew, hoping Bazak and his troops would respond. Tallis yelled at some of the men working on the new doors to come assist him as Moss raced off to fetch the doctor. Snatching some linen strips from one of the vendor’s tables, the Triplicarious ripped the material into smaller pieces before handing them to the less injured soldiers. He kept the last cloth and placed the compress on Elrad’s shoulder and applied pressure as the soldier’s strength faded due to blood loss. With his free hand, Tallis blew his horn again as Priam sat down, leaning against a building with a dazed look on his face. Sweat ran down his forehead as a lump continued to swell around his right eye.
“Where did the attack occur, Priam?” Tallis said while continuing to apply pressure to Elrad’s shoulder.
“Along the highway where the wadi comes down between the hills. They used slings to pelt us with stones and attacked us using their short swords and knives. They waited until we’d passed their hiding place then assaulted us from behind. Elrad suffered the most severe injuries. I hope Benson is still alive, but I don’t think they’d take his body if he were dead.”
Elrad moaned as the blood continued to trickle down his arm. I didn’t know if the doctor could stop the bleeding or not. In the distance, I heard people running, coming closer to the marketplace. “Stay with me, Elrad. Help is on the way.” Looking to his left, Tallis saw Bazak sprinting toward him. “I’m glad you’re here. I need some more linen strips to place on this wound.” Tallis pointed to the other side of the road. “There on the table in front of the second stall.
“How are the others?” Bazak asked when he returned with the fabric.
“They suffered less severe injuries and will survive. Did you recognize your assailants, Priam?”
“No, Tallis. Like I said, the attack came from behind and happened so fast. We didn’t have time to react until they were upon us. Benson brought up the rear.”
“Were there any other people nearby who might help us identify your attackers?”
“A few women with small children, but I don’t think they realized what happened.”
“I need to send a runner to Kaleb, Priam, but I’m afraid whoever I send might receive the same treatment as you and your men got. I suppose Bazak and his soldiers could go, but Hammath would remain unprotected since your Conturbenium isn’t able to stand guard until you recover from your wounds. Whoever captured Benson will want to keep him hidden from sight, and who know how far away they are by now.”
“You don’t have much time, Tallis. When I was at the fortress, I heard people saying Herod and his family plan to leave Tiberias and travel to his palace east of the Salt Sea. The Tetrarch intends to take an entire Century or more with him along with his military leaders and advisors.”
Tallis needed to move fast. He knew who to send to Kaleb. “Bazak, keep the pressure on this wound for me. I’ll return as soon as possible.”
The Triplicarious sprinted to the synagogue to find Nammi or his wife. He had trouble traveling along the road. Too many folks had heard the commotion in the marketplace and wanted to see what had happened.
Abigail and her mother were talking on the far side of the room when Tallis arrived. As he approached, Nammi noticed him heading there way and said something to his wife. He waved as the two women stood and began walking toward him.
“What’s wrong, Tallis? There’s blood on your uniform. What happened? You look frazzled?”
“The Conturbenium led by Priam came under attack, Abigail. The assailants kidnapped one of his soldiers. I need to get word to Kaleb, but I don’t dare send one of my soldiers for fear they will face the same treatment. Where can I find Avidan?”
“You can’t send him. He’s too young. Mother would never let him go.”
“He’s not a child, Abigail. He’s Hilarion’s age, and not a baby anymore. I don’t have a choice unless you want to deliver the message in his place. My fear is they might recognize you too. Have him meet me inside the north gate.”
Abigail turned to Nammi. “Where can we find Avidan, mother? Tallis, return to your men. If we can’t find my brother, I’ll go in his place.”
“Tallis, you’re back. Each of Priam’s men suffered various injuries. Nothing too serious, except for Elrad. Though the doctor assured me he will survive.”
“Thanks for the update, Bazak. Tallis glanced at his injured Decanus. “How are you doing, Priam?”
“I am overwhelmed with guilt, sir. How did I ever let my guard down? I lost a man today. Who knows what they will do to Benson. We must rescue him.” Priam struggled to stand. “I don’t have any idea where to begin searching for him. I hope they didn’t kill him. His memory would burden my soul forever.”
Tallis turned to Bazak. “I need you to find one of your fishermen friends to transport Abigail’s sibling, Avidan, or my wife to Tiberias. I must get a message to Kaleb. I’m afraid to send anyone on foot after what happened. They need to leave within the hour.”
“I know someone I can trust to help you. Come with me. I may not recognize your relative unless Abigail goes. What’s her sibling’s name, Tallis?”
“His name is Avidan. Let’s go”.
Turning around Tallis saw Abigail’s brother approaching their location. “Avidan, come with me. Bazak, I’ll take him to my house so I can write the message for Kaleb. Ask him to wait so he can bring my nephew home once he meets with our Centurion. We’ll rejoin you at the lake.”
“The entire village is discussing the attack on your troops, Tallis. Are they going to be alright?”
“Of course, Avidan. One man suffered a severe cut to his shoulder, and he lost a lot of blood. The attackers also kidnapped one of my soldiers.”
“You said something about us going to the lake, but you don’t own a boat. How will I get to Tiberias?”
“Bazak has a friend, who owns a boat, and has agreed to take you and bring you home. He’ll remain at the dock while you deliver the message to Kaleb. I want you to wait for a reply unless he dismisses you after reading my letter.”
“When do I leave?”
“Come with me. It’s time to go.” Tallis handed the letter to Avidan. “I want you to carry this and give it to Kaleb. Tell the guards at the gate you are my nephew, so they allow you to enter the fortress. While you wait for a response, pay attention to everything going on around you. It may prove useful somehow. Are you ready?”
“I’ve never traveled by boat before. Neither have my friends. I can’t wait to share my adventure with them.”
“After Kaleb gives you his reply, return to the boat and enjoy the ride home. Your sister or I will meet you when you return. We’ll talk then.”
Reaching the water, we turned toward the boat dock. Bazak waved when he saw us approaching. “Welcome.”
“Tallis, Avidan. This is Jonathan. He consented to help us this afternoon, and he’ll wait at the dock to bring you home.”
The fisherman helped Avidan into the boat before pushing off. Tallis yelled, “Thank you,” as they drifted away from the pier, heading toward open water. Jonathan sat in the stern while two other men rowed into the breeze. The trip home would take much less time.
“Bazak, thank you for convincing your friend to help me. Traveling by boat is much safer under the circumstances than hiking to Tiberias. Walk with me. I have to continue patrolling our streets. Would you believe I haven’t made it to the south gate today? I hope Kaleb gives Avidan a quick response, so he doesn’t need to wait too long. The
winds will increase as the day progresses, and traveling through rough water might scare my nephew. He said he’d never ridden in a boat before.”
“I hope he enjoys his big adventure.”
“I’m sure he’ll have a great story to share with his friends when he returns. If the weather turns, though, traveling in a small craft might dampen his spirits and make him afraid to venture out on the lake again.”
“Don’t worry so much, Tallis. I’m sure he’ll rise to the occasion. He’s not a child anymore.”
“Let me ask you something, Bazak. If I’d sent both Conturbeniums to Tiberias this morning, would our soldiers still come under attack, or would the barbarians rush the marketplace?”
“I suppose they study our movements in advance, so they figured out what time we leave and return to Hammath. Do you think they spent the entire morning hiding in the Wadi, waiting for our troops to come marching along the highway? But, if you’d left the marketplace unguarded and they attack the villagers, Kaleb and Nikolaos would be looking for you, and I’d be running away as fast as my legs would carry me. What if a different group attacked them and not the Zealots who cause problems for us? This might be nothing more than a band of robbers who happened to be passing through the region.”
“It’s possible, Bazak. I didn’t want to risk sending one or two soldiers to deliver the message to Kaleb. Instead, I figured nobody would recognize Avidan.”
“Do you think anyone witnessed the attack this morning?”
“Priam said he couldn’t remember seeing much traffic on the highway when the assault occurred. I know he didn’t recognize anyone, but in the heat of battle, your focus is on staying alive, not looking around to see who is watching. … I hope Elrad recovers. It’s been a tough day.”
“He’s a strong man, Tallis. The doctor said he can save him, so he’ll recover. How many troops do you think we need to protect Hammath?”
Tallis stopped walking as he analyzed Bazak’s question. “I don’t believe that we will ever have enough troops. One or two more Conturbeniums would help us perform our duties better. Of course, everything depends on how many men attacked Priam and his soldiers, or the number of folks spying on us during the night. It’s possible their organization is growing, too. I may need to visit Tiberias and meet with my contacts. It’s too late to go now, and I’d need another boat owner to transport me.”
“Do you think Kaleb will send extra troops to help us? I heard Herod began recruiting a day or two ago. Could be a rumor, but we need soldiers with experience not some more novices, like Acaph and Mered, who turned and ran at the first sign of trouble. Those two were worthless, weren’t they?”
“I’d like to meet both of them again sometime, but this morning we learned Priam and his men will stand and fight when troubles arise. Bazak, why don’t you go home and get some rest. I’ll continue to patrol the town, and I want to check in with Moss to find out how he’s progressing on the new doors. I’ll meet with you and your soldiers at sundown.”
Tallis returned to the marketplace and found the streets deserted. He hoped Priam made it home okay. “Moss, how are you doing?”
“I’ve cut, planed, and sanded all the wood. Tomorrow we will assemble the doors and mount the hinges on the frames. Should we get done in time, we’ll hang them and attach the braces so you can close and secure the gates by nightfall.”
“You’ve made good progress. Thank you. How are the men Kaleb sent you working out? They appear to be hard workers.”
“I’m more than pleased. My helpers knew what they were doing, and didn’t complain. They worked hard and followed directions. Please thank Kaleb on my behalf.”
“This is great news, Moss. I look forward to seeing the doors hanging from the gates. Securing both entrances to Hammath will lessen the workload for my soldiers and me. I appreciate your hard work, and I’ll pass your gratitude along to Kaleb.”
The sun began to sink behind the western hills, and darkness would cover the valley floor in the next few minutes. Tallis wondered why Avidan hadn’t returned by now. As brazen as our foes had become, he couldn’t wait much longer for Kaleb to assign more troops to his command. If the attacks continued, the citizens of Hammath might rise up and take matters into their own hands. If this happened, he and his soldiers might end up fighting their neighbors.
As Tallis arrived at the dock, a boat came into view with the sail raised. He hoped Avidan was on board, and Kaleb gave him a positive response after convincing Nikolaos to provide the Triplicarious with the troops he needed.
“Welcome back. How was your first boat ride?”
“It was great, Tallis. We sailed so fast coming home.”
The smile on Avidan’s face reassured Tallis all was well. “Fantastic. Tell me how your meeting with Kaleb went.”
“He met me in the courtyard, and I presented your letter to him. Kaleb read it in front of me but didn’t respond. Then he told me to wait right there for him to return before he left and walked to a large building. He didn’t come back for a long time. When he did, Kaleb told me to tell you he’d see you in the morning.”
“Did he say anything else? A hint on what he was thinking.”
“No. Kaleb turned around and went back into the same building while another soldier escorted me to the gate.”
Tallis sighed and shook his head after hearing the news. He’d hoped his Centurion would send at least a few more troops to help secure the situation in Hammath.
“What’s the matter, Tallis?”
“Nothing. I want to thank you for helping me this afternoon, Avidan. Abigail and I will have you and your mother over for a meal one evening. Let me walk you home.”
“You don’t need to. I’ll be okay. I’m not a little boy anymore.”
The sun had disappeared behind the hills, and darkness covered the region. Tallis wanted to complete one last patrol before meeting with Bazak and his Conturbenium but didn’t have time. Tallis hoped everything would remain calm during the night. He didn’t have enough troops available to prevent another attack. It would surprise everyone if Priam and his men recovered from their wounds to be on duty in the morning. Tallis decided it would be a good idea to ask Abigail to say an extra prayer for his soldiers and him tonight. He also hoped Kaleb would be open to some other ideas he’d been contemplating while patrolling Hammath’s streets today.
Chapter 18