The Straightforward Task of Writing a Letter

or, The Tenth Move of the Civil War

The Captive by John Hamilton Mortimer

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The Ninth Move | The First Move | The Civil War Index | The Eleventh Move

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Partinax knelt in the middle of the cell, water festered about his knees and feet. With his wrists chained behind his back a little tight and the chains around his ankles a little loose he could stand in an awkward way if he chose, instead he remained kneeling with his chin resting on his sternum.

Maedicius observed the legate through the small opening in the oaken door banded with iron. Partinax had been stripped of his armour so he would feel vulnerable and left with his plumed helmet in the corner of the room so he would be reminded of his rank. Reminded of the oaths and duties it represented. ‘Open the door,’ the Emperor growled. A dull ache pulsed from the arrow wound in his right shoulder.

The guard saluted, unlocked the door, and stepped aside for Maedicius and Aegidius to enter. The soldier stared ahead at looking at nothing. ‘Leave us,’ Maedicius ordered. The clean shaven guard threw a salute and marched down the dank hallway and climbed the steps to the surface. At the slamming of the horizontal door Maedicius returned his attention to the treasonous legate. ‘Partinax, I see they are keeping you well.’

The legate spat a wad of phlegm. The warm spit splattered against the bridge of Maedicius’s foot. Aegidius surged forth and struck Partinax across the jaw. The legate was jarred to his left but did not fall, the chains rattled and strained against his wrists. Aegidius circled the prisoner, glowering down at him all the while.

‘Control your dog,’ Partinax spat blood upon the carved rock base of the cell. ‘Torture is it? Then death? Is it to be crucifixion? The bull? One versus ten with the barbarians?’

Maedicius crouched, ‘Nothing of the sort. You are a Legate of the Imperial Republic, a citizen of Elysia, and are entitled to certain rights, though not ones that can be fully realised here in Ovilava.’

Partinax pressed his tongue across his top front teeth, cleaning the blood off, and swallowed. A trickle escaped to stain the stubble on his chin. ‘And what must I do?’ His eyes narrowed seeing the Emperor’s right arm in a sling, ‘Tell me it’s infected.’

‘Legally? Nothing. Realistically? There is one great task ahead of you. Survival,’ Maedicius rose to full height forcing Partinax to arch his neck upwards. ‘No infection, you should have poisoned the arrows.’

The legate sighed, ‘A dishonourable Emperor suggests a dishonourable tactic.’ Partinax shook his head, ‘Tell me, how do I survive? I’m certain you’re dying to tell me.’

‘Should Livicus learn of your predicament he is certain to send assassins or, if he is sensible, a division to rescue you. Neither will succeed, so long as you remain my prisoner. I cannot attest to the quality of Opiter’s legion. Food will be poor and limited. Disease is guaranteed, long marches also. This war will not be over quickly,’ Maedicius’s voice rolled like stone over stone.

‘Is that all?’ Partinax stole a glance to his plumed helm.

‘To avoid Livicus’s ire, receive meals more befitting your station, and to be free of shackles when in this cell there are certain… avenues open to you. I am here to collect the first.’ Aegidius exited the cell and returned with a low table, ink, and papyrus. He set it down beside Partinax and drew a quill from his belt.

The legate frowned in silence, the iron chains rattling behind him.

‘You will write to the Consul that you defeated my legion but failed to capture me and a century of my troops. You will report that I fled into the forest and you expect the northerners to finish me off.’

Partinax erupted with spittled laughter. ‘Livicus won’t believe that ruse. Besides how long do you think you can keep such a thing secret? Merchants, travellers, your own soldiers, you will be found out before the pigeon ever arrives in Elysia.’

‘I do not care for comments on my strategy only that you fulfil your role within it.’

‘I am no sophist nor philosopher but I’m not wasting my time on a foolish endeavour that will only get me executed for treason when Livicus’s legions crush you into dust,’ Partinax spat a second glob on Maedicius’s foot.

The Emperor growled inwardly and struck Partinax with the back of his usable hand clean across the cheek. The legate snapped to his right, the iron manacles digging into his wrists. A bloody welt weeped on his cheek. ‘How does a legate with such an exemplary record fall so far?’

Partinax tongued the inside of his cheek, ‘You insult the crown you wear, the throne you sit, and the ground you walk on. For decades you have wrestled with the Diet and every Consul, demanding more powers, more privileges, greater legions. You have forced through laws with baying mobs, disregarded sage counsel, and now ignored the Diet altogether. Elysia will not suffer a king again.’

‘Odd, I see Partinax but hear Livicus. Not as eloquent or drawn out but Livicus all the same,’ Maedicius said. ‘The letter, Aegidius will dictate what you are to write.’

‘To hell with you! Livicus is right about you, tyrant-in-waiting.’

‘Can you not see how he twists history to suit himself? I have organised no mob, they cheer my name because I am willing to stand for them. It is true a couple have gotten out of hand, the fire in Valerius’s year was a tragedy but I funded the rebuilding of the streets destroyed. The mob has not, to my recollection, marched on the Diet but remained concerned with Assemblies and votes. The need for greater legions came with greater territory to defend, as is my duty. A difficult one to perform from the confines of the City and harder still when the Consul attempts to claim my imperium. Do you not see how he has clouded your mind, Partinax?’

‘I am no sophist, your words are wasted on me. I will not write your letter and I will not surrender to the will of a tyrant who thinks his voice is the law.’

Maedicius sighed, his shoulders sagged, the ache throbbed quicker, and a profound regret settled in his heart. ‘I am sorry to hear that,’ he nodded to Aegidius who lashed Partinax with his scourge. The knotted leather whip cracked against the legate’s back, parting the skin and causing him to arch backwards. Maedicius cracked his knuckles and punched Partinax beneath the sternum before he could recover. ‘Write the letter and it will all be over. A warm bowl of bacon and puls, perhaps a few eggs too.’

‘You think a legate of Elysia would betray his fine city for an egg?’ Partinax grinned, his teeth coated in shimmering blood.

‘Betray? Not at all. To follow one’s Emperor is to be loyal. A pardon is only a few good acts away after all,’ Maedicius’s left fist hammered down. He felt the legate’s nose break. A gush of blood sprayed across the stone. Aegidius’s scourge followed soon after.

Partinax twisted and roared while the iron chains rattled a familiar chorus. His cries echoed against the stone as the Emperor and his Legate began pummelling and whipping Livicus’s general into submission.

Maedicius wiped the blood from his knuckles with the stagnant water pooling on the floor of the cell. The water was already pink at the edges and crimson in the centre by Partinax’s knees. The traitorous legate swayed, his arms pulled taut behind him by the chains, his face a mess of split skin and infant bruises. Aegidius’s scourge dripped with blood and strands of flesh knotted with the leather. One eye was engulfed with swelling from eyebrow to cheek. Partinax’s nose zigzagged and spouted blood over a split lip. The only part not stained red were his hands.

‘Cease,’ Partinax moaned. The word lacked formed and the man failed to part his lips to allow the sound to escape.

Maedicius crouched, ‘Say that again.’ The pain in his shoulder was constant and spread into his ribs and down into his right hand. He buried it beneath anger and calculation.

Partinax raised his head a degree and a gush of warm air with a fumbled word escaped, ‘Cease.’

The Emperor set the low writing table before the man and unrolled a length of papyrus. Beads of blood bloomed upon its surface. ‘Aegidius, free his right hand.’

The loyal legate freed the hand of the treasonous legate. Partinax groaned in relief and steadied himself on the table with his free hand. He reached for the quill and dipped it in the ink. ‘What am I to write?’ The words were muffled.

‘Consul, the traitor’s legion has been crushed yet the traitor has fled into the forests of the barbarians,’ Aegidius recited the first line from memory.

The quill touched the papyrus and on the upward motion of the ‘l’ of consul Partinax lunged, tip first, for Maedicius. The Emperor flinched, battered Partinax’s arm from its trajectory, and punched with his right. His fist cratered the fool’s jaw. Two teeth burst out and struck the wall with a trail of bloody phlegm. Ink blended with blood. The sling hung from his shoulder and Maedicius sucked down short sharp breaths as his shoulder screamed in agony.

Partinax hung from his left wrist kicking his legs to try and stand. He spoke in whimpers and grunts but the words were trapped on his tongue, his jaw broken. With his free hand he reached for the quill laying in the water by his knee. He grasped it and in one fluid motion yanked himself upright and stabbed Maedicius in the calf.

The Emperor clenched his teeth and inwardly roared. His spatha was in his right hand and with a single swing he carved a bloody ruin through Partinax’s neck. The treasonous legate slumped to the flood with relief in his visible eye as his life drained away.

‘Most Venerable?’ Aegidius furrowed his brow, his lips parted in confusion.

‘Call my medicus, the ink will need to be drawn out,’ Maedicius cleaned his sword on his sling and sheathed it. A deep ache spread from the arrow wound in his right shoulder and down his arm yet all that occupied his mind was this ruined stage of his plan.

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The Ninth Move | The First Move | The Civil War Index | The Eleventh Move

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