Once free from the dark woodland, the wolf made his way into the open meadows and tasted the autumn on the air. In the distance, Arsenio could see the shape of a small group of elk. They appeared to be shuffling slowly across the flatland toward the safety of the forest on the other side. There were maybe four of them, dark shapes that inched until they could not be seen.
Arsenio scented wolves on the edges of the mesa. It was marked well enough for the misthofóros to understand he had no business crossing into their terrain. The auburn fighter did not stop from circling the edges like a hungry dog. His icy gaze flickered to the innards of the territory before he barked, testing the air with the power of his voice.
If there were any who patrolled the length of the territory, they would find him on its edge.
compelled to stay.
it was what he had told crowfeather.
the man put a borderline around the perimeter of the mesa, and it was there he heard first the voice and beheld the man.
"this is akashingo." germanicus stood before the stranger in the air of a captain who has put his hand upon the hilt of his sword. the eyes were measuring. "what business do you have here?"
A dark wolf approached the edge of the mesa and held his footing like a man who knew his worth. Arsenio eyed him with a sharp glint of his icy gaze. He drew his head upward, tall and proud, a single sweep of his tail was offered before it settled.
No business.
The auburn wolf shrugged lightly, a motion that might have been missed. The grizzled silver hairs on the other man's face captivated Arsenio for a moment. I am but a fang for hire, seeking work, fýlakas.
germanicus did not respond to the burnished presence of the man until the last word. the translation was swift and immediate. the man's curiosity grew. "eísai misthofóros."
not a question. an assumption. "ti kanei enas ellinas toso makria apo ti thalassa?"
At once, the Greek man drew his tongue across his lips and smiled a rogue's smile. The silvered man spoke Arsenio's tongue with ease, the clever thing. Pale blue shined upon Germanicus with new praise.
Ah,
he began with a casual shrug of his shoulders and a careless smirk. Arsenio drew his sights back to the silver warden and met his eagle eyes boldly. Me pétaxan apó to vounó, me pétaxan makriá apó ti thálassa. O Días me évale se néo drómo. Tóra apodeiknýo ti dýnamí mou prin xanavró to neró. Ótan epistrépso, den tha eínai misthofóros. Tha eínai me ti dýnami enós Theoú.
an ambitious man. germanicus gave a nod of approval. "enó periméneis na gyríseis, tha boroúsa na sou dóso douleiá."
businesslike. but the pleasure of the meeting was not missed by the eagle. akashingo had war put upon their heads, however. and germanicus wanted an advantage.
Good fortune smiled down on him, the Gods had blessed him again. As Arsenio thought over the prospect of work, he realized that the only other individual he had believed he would be able to serve – the pale woman in the flatland – had ended up leaving without making an offer. The Greek wasn’t bothered by this. Some would pay and others would not.
Arsenio nodded his head to the silver warden, confident in his acceptance.
Nai kalá. Sas ypóschomai ton kynódontá mou, loipón, stous lýkous sas.
The auburn wolf felt much more at ease in the presence of the greying guard than he had the injured woman. It helped a great deal that they could share a language with each other.
Arsenio stepped forward to bow his head. The misthofóros was ready to accept his first task.
How did I know you would make this such a fun writing session? Hahah!
:D
a swift pledge. "eimai germanikos," he said, flicking an ear to indicate he had heard and accepted the pledge. "ypárchei pólemos. ypárchoun paidiá kai athóoi se aftí ti gi."
"To akashingo eínai ekeí pou écho kánei to stratópedó mou." the eagle gestured toward the tall mesa. "den eímai misthofóros eímai stratiótis."
he looked back toward the hirefang. "sto akashingo eínai mia néa vasílissa me evgenikí kardiá. den tis axízei na pethánei gia mia paliá diamáchi."
"tha ypireteís sto paláti kai tha tin ypireteís os fýlakas tou prosópou tis, aná pása stigmí. tóso edó óso kai éxo apó to akashingo. allá tha anaférete móno se ména, óchi ston arravoniasméno tis, faraó ramési."
it was an open-ended assignment. this was the first strike against it. but it was truly for crowfeather that germanicus chose this path. he had already hurt the boy. if he chose to stay and coordinate during a war, he would do whatever must be done to keep more agony from the young heart.
and yet he knew the unspoken truth. "ákou chorís na akoús. parakolouthíste chorís na parakolouthísete. kai pes mou ta pánta." there was enough looming without further inner intrigue. germanicus must know both the serious and the peevish.
Arsénio
the misthofóros returned. Germanikos, he repeated to himself. It was a curious name for the man, but he was not to question such things.
The silvered wolf went on to speak of a brewing war. Curiouser still, the auburn wolf wondered what tensions had risen to cause strife in the land of the mesa. Beyond that, Arsenio wondered what their numbers looked like, should a war take place upon their lands. Germanicus was a soldier, or so he revealed to the Greek easily enough. The cut of his figure and the unbroken features was a good indicator of that.
The soldier spoke of a queen to the wolves, a kind-hearted woman who did not deserve the tides of war that licked at her heels. Arsenio smiled. He bowed his head in understanding. The woman was to be guarded and watched after at all hours. Any activity that occurred was to be relayed to the soldier.
Curious indeed, but the misthofóros was won. It was a job fit for him.
Katalavaíno,
Arsenio answered with a swift and toothy grin. Who is the queen, stratiótis?
"vasílissa sátsou," germanicus answered. a wry smile touched his lips. the amusement of arsenio the mercenary had become contagious.
"eínai mállon ómorfi. den tha eínai tóso dýskolo na stékesai stin parousía tis káthe méra."
"come," germanicus said in the air of a man clapping the shoulder of a friend. "i will make introductions." he turned, waiting for arsenio to come to his side before setting his gait toward the mesa.
Not a Greek, but it did not matter in work. The lady Satsu would be well-guarded at all hours, even as she rested in her bed. Arsenio did not take lightly the assignment that had been made to him. The misthofóros was cocksure and blithe when it suited him, which it often did. Still, Arsenio understood the value of the work he would be doing within the ruler’s lands. A Pharaoh, he had not imagined that the Egyptians were common in that area.
Another grin was presented to the silvered wolf. It pleased Arsenio to know that the woman he was to protect would be an easy sight.
Prochóra, stratióti.
The auburn figure trotted forward to fall in step with Germanicus.