Hannibal: Enemy of Rome

Waking early the next morning, Aurelia dressed in her warmest clothes. She was relieved to find only a finger’s depth of snow covering the statues and mosaic floor in the courtyard. Pausing to tell a sleepy Elira where she was going, and to raise the alarm if she was not back by nightfall, Aurelia went to the stables and readied her father’s grey horse.

She had never ridden so far from the farm in the depths of winter before, and was stunned by the beauty of the silent countryside. It was such a contrast to the spring and summer, when everything was bursting with life. Most of the trees had lost their leaves, scattering them in thick layers upon the ground, layers that were now frozen beneath a light covering of snow. The only movement was the occasional flash of wildlife: a pair of crows tumbling through the air in pursuit of a falcon, the suggestion of a deer in the distance. Once, Aurelia thought she saw a jackal skulking off into the undergrowth. Gratifyingly, she heard no wolves, and saw no sign of their spoor. Although it was rare for the large predators to attack humans, it was not unheard of. The chances of seeing them grew as she climbed, however, and Aurelia was grateful that she had taken a bow as well as her sling.

Her anticipation grew as she neared the hut. Its peaceful atmosphere would assuage her worries about her loved ones. With a growing sense of excitement, Aurelia tied up her horse outside. She scattered a handful of oats on the ground to keep it happy, and stepped towards the door. A faint sound from inside stopped her dead. Terror paralysed Aurelia’s every muscle as she remembered the bandits whom Quintus and Hanno had fought. What had she been thinking to travel alone?

Turning on her heel, Aurelia tiptoed away from the hut. If she made it onto her saddle blanket, there was a good chance of escaping. Few men possessed the skill with a bow to bring down a rider on a galloping horse. She had almost reached her mount when it looked up from its oats, and gave her a pleased whinny. Frantically stroking its head to silence it, Aurelia listened. All she could hear was her heart pounding in her chest like that of a captured beast. Taking a good grip of the horse’s mane, she prepared to scramble on to its back.

‘Hello?’

Aurelia nearly jumped out of her skin with fright.

A moment passed. The door did not open.

Aurelia managed to calm herself. The voice had been weak and quavering, and certainly not that of a strong, healthy man. Gradually, her curiosity began to equal her fear. ‘Who’s there? I’m not alone.’

There was no response.

Aurelia began to wonder if it was a trap after all. She vacillated, torn between riding to safety and checking that whoever was inside did not need help. At length, she decided not to flee. If this was an ambush, it was the worst-laid one she could think of. Gripping her dagger to give her confidence, she padded towards the hut. There was no handle or latch, just a gap in the timbers to pull open the portal. With trembling fingers, Aurelia flipped the door towards her, placing her foot against the bottom edge to hold it ajar. She peered cautiously into the dim interior. Instead of the fire she might have expected, the round stone fireplace was full of ashes. Aurelia gagged as the acrid smell of human urine and faeces wafted outside.

Finally, she made out a figure lying sprawled on the floor. She had taken it first for a bundle of rags. When it moved, she screamed. ‘S-Suni?’

His eyes opened wide. ‘Is that you, Aurelia?’

‘Yes, it is.’ She darted inside and dropped to her knees by his side. ‘Oh, Suniaton!’ She struggled not to weep.

‘Have you any water?’

‘Better than that: I have wine!’ Aurelia ran outside, returning with her supplies. Gently, she helped him to sit up and drink a few mouthfuls.

‘That’s better,’ Suniaton declared. A tinge of colour began to appear in his cheeks, and he cast greedy eyes at Aurelia’s bag.

Delighted by his revival, she laid out some bread and cheese. ‘Eat a little at a time,’ she warned. ‘Your stomach won’t be able to take any more.’ She sat and watched him as he devoured the food. ‘Why didn’t you leave after my last visit?’

He paused between mouthfuls. ‘I did, the next day. About half a mile down the track, I tripped over a jutting tree root and landed awkwardly. The fall tore the muscles that had just healed in my bad leg. I couldn’t walk ten steps without screaming, never mind reach Capua or the coast. It was all I could do to crawl back to the hut. My food ran out more than a week ago, and my water two days after that.’ He pointed at the hole in the roof. ‘If it hadn’t been for the snow that came through that, I would have died of thirst.’ He smiled. ‘They took their time, but the gods answered my prayers.’

Aurelia squeezed his hand. ‘They did. Something told me to come up here. Obviously, you were the reason why.’

‘But I can’t stay here,’ Suniaton said despairingly. ‘One heavy fall of snow and the roof will give way.’