SONS OF THE FATHERS

Chapter 9: A Rock And A Hard Place

He got on his knees, pulling her to his chest, kneeling there as wave after wave crashed into his back.  Tangling his fingers through her hair, he held onto her, her bare belly pressed into his, Dess nestled between his parents as the tide rose around them.
******************
Locked in the firm grip of his arms, the worry passed.  She laughed slightly. "That was...odd."  How silly of her to waste this precious, perfect moment with phantom thoughts.  Sid didn't even know where they were.  Himself had made sure of that. Besides, he was in Canberra, busy with Bunny.  

 

Feeling back to normal again, she suddenly lunged forward, causing him, unprepared as he was for her onslaught, to topple backwards into the surf.  A wave washed completely over him and he sat up, spluttering.  

 

"I will get you for that!" he growled in mock menace.  

 

She shrieked happily, pushing herself back with her feet, but he was too quick for her and was fully atop her, pinning her down as the next wave approached.  Just when she thought it would cover her face, he pulled her up into his arms, standing, then letting himself fall backwards into the water, taking her with him.  A large piece of seaweed floated in, curving itself over her head so that when she sat up, it remained there, dangling down to her shoulders.  

 

Maximus smiled.  "Your hair is be-ribboned again."  

 

"You like my veil?" she asked, cocking her head.  

 

He sat up, facing her, his legs around her.  "As your husband," he said, taking both ends of the kelp in his hands, "it is my right to remove your veil."  He slid it off her hair, leaning forward to kiss her, long and slowly.  

 

Another wave came in, breaking over both their heads.  He looked up at the house, tucked into the shadows of the trees.  "Perhaps you have had enough sun," he said, standing and holding out his hand to her.

 

They were covered in the fine, white sand and sticky from seasalt.  "A shower?" he asked, looking at her meaningfully.  

 

Before standing, she looked up the tower of his body.  "I rather like your armor of sand," she said.  

 

"Will it offer much...protection...do you think?" he replied, the corners of his lips twitching.  

 

"Not from me," she laughed, taking his hand and letting him pull her to her feet.  

 

"I could surrender now," he added, tipping his head down a bit.  

 

"I'll accept the offer of your sword...in the shower," she giggled, beginning to run for the house.  
 

The house was marvelous, with sliding doors everywhere that had been left wide to the breeze, gauzy white curtains billowing into the large, cool rooms.  They padded softly across the polished floorboards, leaving little trails of wet sand to mark their passage. Soon clouds of warm steam filled the bathroom and Maximus, his hands lathered with sweet-smelling soap, made circular motions gently over her belly.  

 

"Washing Dess will not always be so easy," she smiled.  

 

He stopped his washings, just looking at her as the rivulets of water curved and swirled their way down her shoulders, around her breasts. Cupping her face in both his palms, he kissed her.  

 

"I think I need to...surrender...now," said the General of the Felix Legions, the Commander of the Armies of the North,  his voice low and husky.

They stayed on the island a full week, and as they stood again on the little dock, the sound of the outboard growing closer,  she looked back at the curve of the white beach, the shaded house.  

 

"It was as though time stood still for us," she said, a catch in her voice,
"as though for seven days there was no time, there was only you...and me...and this place."  As she said the words, that odd chill rippled through her again and she shivered despite the warm sunlight.  

"Hallo again!" Lachlan said cheerily, waiting on the tarmac with Wanda near Himself's jet.

The rest of the cast (except for our Canberraed duo) had spent the week in and about Nana Glen and Coffs.  Franki had got Nash to go whale watching with her whilst Ando had taken her Melbourner to the giant statue of the banana just out a bit from Coffs because it so reminded her of the place on her Romper Stomper video where the tape now always stuck because of overuse.  

 

Lachlan flew Maximus and Joimus back to Coffs and the next morning
flew them all down to Sydney again.  How, you may ask, does the entire cast FIT on Himself's jet?  It is not, howsomever, a thing one needs to worry one's pretty head about as the answer as ever, is the time-honored one of, "It's an epi, for Pete's sake!"

 

Lachlan, who by now was getting quite used to the modern plane, then took Wanda with him out to Canberra to pick up Sid and Bunny.  

"YOU?" Sid growled, seeing who the pilot was.  

 

"Trust me," Lachlan grinned.  

 

Wanda nodded in agreement.  "He missed the Harbor Bridge by a good two feet, Sid," she said brightly, "and though we almost splattered against the fort...we didn't...as you can see since we're here."

They all met for dinner at Otto's on the Wharf.  Maximus looked up as Sid escorted Bunny to their table.  For one brief second the General let his eyes linger on her mid-section, ripe with his child.  She was now 7 1/2 months along as the past week had taken Joimus to a full 8.  Joimus was aware of his glance, but pretended she hadn't noticed.  Sid, too, saw the look and his eyes narrowed, his arm going out to encircle Bunny possessively.  

 

Finishing his steak quickly,  Maximus stood.  "Let us go walk in the Botanic Gardens," he suggested, knowing that was something she would never turn down.  

 

Autumn was coming on in Sydney now and a cool breeze blew inland off the harbor waters.  He curved the right-hand side of his cape about her as they walked.  He didn't talk, though his mind raced with thoughts.  Seeing Bunny and Sid again had stirred in him things that had lain, tucked carefully away, for the past week.  A few other couples strolled not far away in the gathering darkness, final streaks of peach and yellow spreading out just beyond the bridge.  

 

Steve and Laura had arrived at the curve of Farm Cove, watching the sunset.  He had not brought his camera, preferring to center all his attention on the woman at his side.

 

The Captain had taken Rose out onto the balcony of Himself's apartment.  It had become, for them, his "deck" and they had missed it while at the farm.  

 

"It pleasures me to see them so happy...so safe," he said, his gaze traveling across the waters to the dark curve of land to his left where he knew Maximus and Joimus walked.  

 

Then his gaze settled on her small form as she leaned against the rail, her red dress blowing attractively.  Sliding his thumb and forefinger under her chin, he added, "You...Rose...pleasure me."  He was in full uniform now that it was cool again, and as she looked at him, standing so closely before her, her own pleasure at the sight of him brought a certain light to her eyes that he saw clearly in the rising moonglow.  

 

"You do not mind then," he asked seriously, his thumb pad lightly stroking her chin, "my feelings for you?"  

"M...mind?" she whispered, unable to comprehend at this moment a thought so far removed from her heart.  

 

"Yes," he continued, taking a half-step toward her so that his ruffles brushed her neck. "You do not mind that I want to do...this...."  He leaned down, kissing her right eye. "And...this."  He kissed her left eye. "And even...this." His lips found hers.  

"Mrs. Macquarie's chair," Joimus said as they rounded the curve of the point.  "Could we sit awhile?" she asked.  

 

"Of course," he replied, handing her up the step to the wide, sandstone bench that formed from the lower section of the outcropping.  He sat beside her, leaning close, his cape about them both.  

 

"I see easily why she liked this place," he commented.

"Imagine what it was like in her day," Joimus said, "without the bridge, the Opera House, all the buildings and even the finished landscaping of the Gardens."  

 

"And sails in the harbor," he added.  

 

"Yes," she nodded, "Elizabeth lived in Jack's time.  He would have loved the look of the harbor then."  

 

"He loves it now," Maximus said, turning his head toward Woolloomooloo, back and to the right.  "But you are right.  He would have loved it more the way it was then."  

 

"I think this is my favorite spot in Sydney," she sighed, tucking herself still more closely into his side.  

 

"As long as you are with me," he whispered, laying his cheek atop her head, "any place is my favorite spot."  

 

She let her fingers walk firmly up the length of his thigh.  "Some spots," she giggled, "are favoriter than others."

 

"You wish to return to the apartment?" he laughed fondly.  

 

"Yes," she sighed dramatically, "the Sydney beaches are just far, far too...peopled."  

In the morning, while Joimus slept late, tired for some reason, Maximus dressed quietly and walked down the long apron of the Wharf.  He happened upon Sid and Bunny as they emerged into the light from the large side entrance to the other apartments between the Northern one where Himself's were and the W Hotel.  

 

He stopped. "Bunny," he said, inclining his head as he did when offering respect.  Then, standing straight with no motion of his head, he added, "Sid."  

 

Ignoring Sid, he looked back at Bunny.  "You are feeling well?"  

 

"I'm doing fine," she said, checking the smile that started to spring to her lips.

"And the baby?"  

 

"He's fine, too," she replied, her hand going to the side of her rounded belly.  

 

"I'm glad to hear it," he said, then turned slightly stiffly on his heel and continued down the pier, his cape swinging.  

 

"Pompous ass," Sid snarled, watching him go.  

 

Bunny watched him, too, wondering how the General would handle the actual presence of the child.  

Evening came again and Joimus and Maximus headed around the curve of the inlet toward the Gardens.  It was cooler than the day before and he had forgotten his cape after dinner.  When he felt her shiver, he said quickly, "Let's go back and get the cape."  

 

But they were already well down the path and with Dess' weight so out front making her back ache, the thought of the walk back to the Wharf was not appealing.  "I'll just go on and wait for you at Mrs. Macquarie's chair," she suggested, putting both palms on the sides of her body and arching a bit to relieve her muscles.  

 

"Your back is bothering you again?" he asked.  

 

"Quite a bit," she nodded.  

 

"We could just return to the apartment," he offered.  

 

"I'd really like to sit in Elizabeth's chair a while and look at the harbor," she said.  

 

"I don't want to leave you alone," he explained. "It's almost dark."  

 

"It will only take you a moment," she countered.  "I'll be fine.  I'll just sit there and wait for you.  I promise I won't budge off the spot."

 

Reluctantly he began to sprint down the path, stopping once to turn and watch as she rounded the curve at the tip and crossed to the chair.  He bit his lip.  He did not like this. Not at all.  

(NOTE: As the chair is at the tip of the green point, Maximus would have had to run back down the length of that, curve around the end of the cove on the right and go all the way out the rectangular, white Wharf to get his cape.)

The sky was that deepest of blues that slides so silently into black that one cannot tell the moment of the change.  There were several large cloud puffs behind the Opera House and the bridge and she sat there, entranced by the lavender pinks that glowed around them.  This harbor was, indeed, one of the lovelier spots on earth.

Sitting there alone, her thoughts went to Elizabeth and she pictured the Governor's wife also sitting there, alone, watching a sunset.  Surely the look of the harbor was different after the passage of so many years, and yet the seat was in the same place and the position of the setting sun was the same.  She closed her eyes, listening to the lap of the water on the nearby shore, the sounds of the night birds, the rustle of a few crisp leaves blowing down the path.  All sounds Elizabeth would have known.  

 

 

She got up, walking out about five steps just to look back at the large seat Lachlan Macquarie had had shaped for his wife, making it more comfortable for her than the simple sandstone ledge it had originally been.  

 

"Did he love you, Elizabeth, as Maximus loves me?" she whispered.  "Did you love him?"  

 

She realized she knew almost nothing about the woman whose favorite spot this had been for some 12 years.  Her eyes roamed over the wide seat, studying the lines of it, how it was made, the carved words that had been put above the back of the bench section.  The moon was full tonight and very bright, creating a sudden sparkle in a crevice just under the left-hand end of the bench that caught her eye.  

 

"What's that?" she wondered, going to it and kneeling in front of the crack.  She reached her fingers in as far as they could go, hoping no spiders were using it for a home, and the tip of one finger barely brushed against something hard and smooth.  

 

"Hmmmm?" she said, pulling her hand out and looking for some sort of stick to use as a tool. She found one just in from the path and, poking it into the crevice, had soon fished the object out.  

 

She turned so that the moonlight fell on what lay in her palm. It was a piece of jewelry, a small oval brooch framed in gold braid.  Peering at it closely, she saw that it was a delicate painting of a dark-haired woman. She turned the brooch over, rubbing her fingertip across its back, feeling the deeply engraved letters "E. M."  Her eyes widened.

 

 

"Oh, MY!" she exclaimed, looking back at the tiny portrait.  "Is this you, Elizabeth?" She sat back on the seat, holding the pin in her hand. Had Mrs. Macquarie put the brooch in the deep crevice for some reason all those years ago?  Why would she do that? She turned it over and over with her fingers.  Tomorrow she and Maximus would take it to Government House on the far side of the Botanic Gardens.

For now, not wanting to lose it, she decided to pin it to the front of her dress. Tipping her head down, she stuck the point of the pin through her gossamer fabric.  Suddenly the world shifted, spinning rapidly.  She gasped, holding onto the edge of the seat as a great nausea flooded through her.  The harbor, the path, the lawns and trees all spun in three directions at once.  She lay on her side, pulling her feet up onto the bench.  The pin, not yet fastened, fell onto the seat, bouncing down the step and rolling under the edge of a small bush.  She closed her eyes, fighting the nausea, trying to keep her grip on the edge of the chair else she be flung off by the violent tilting of the world.  

 

Grabbing his cape, Maximus ran rapidly down the path toward the chair.  Rounding the final curve, he almost skidded so sudden was his halt when he saw it was empty.  

 

"JOIMUS!" he called.  Where was she?  "JOIMUS!" he called again, a note of fear creeping into his voice.  

 

Throwing the cape over one shoulder, he walked completely around the area of the chair then went down to the edge of the harbor.  

 

(NOTE: The chair is up atop the line of high yellow you see on the point on the left. That's Fort Denison out in the harbor on the left, and Woolloomooloo is tucked out of sight just around the curve of the green point.)

 

 

"JOIMUS!"  

 

Only the gentle lapping of the water answered him.  He tuned back to the chair.  Had she left him a note?  Looking at the long seat, he saw that her long pale yellow gossamer scarf was lying there.  He picked the end of it up, his strong brown fingers curling through the thin fabric. Why had she gone and left her scarf?  He intended to put it inside his cuirass, but as he continued his lifting of it, he suddenly realized it was stuck to the seat.  Frowning, he leaned over to examine it.  He had half of it in his hands, but the other half disappeared...into...the stone.  His mouth dropped open.  

 

What?  Kneeling in front of the bench, he pulled again on the scarf.  It wouldn't budge.  It was simply...embedded...into the stone, completely out of sight.  Clenching his teeth, he yanked with all his strength, only managing to create a large tear in the material in his hands, a small piece ripping completely off.

Sid was standing next to the large window with Bunny, looking out at the glittering lights of the huge city at night.  "I...," he began when the door to their room burst inward, hinges and all, crashing onto the carpeting.  Maximus strode over the fallen door, gladius in hand, and clutched the surprised Sid by his collar.  

 

Pressing the blade a good quarter of an inch into the curve of Sid's neck, the General hissed, "Where...is...she?"  

 

Completely taken off guard, Sid just stood there a moment while a horrified Bunny watched a thick stream of blue ooze its way down the shoulder of his suit.  

 

"MAXIMUS!" she cried, but he turned such a look on her that she backed away, running down the hall toward the Northern Apartments to get Himself.  

 

The General repeated his question, more slowly even, his words rasping out of his throat. When Sid continued his look of non-comprehension, Maximus backed up four or five steps, still clutching Sid's throat, and with a tremendous bellow of rage, charged with him toward the window.  Sid's back crashed through the glass and the two men fell the two stories onto the apron.

Maximus was cushioned by landing atop Sid, though he was dazed by the impact just enough for Sid to roll out from under him and stagger to a piling.  Shaking his head to clear it, Maximus gained his feet.  With a low roar, he swung his sword, but Sid managed to side step and the blade bit deeply into the wood of the piling.  

 

Himself, Jack, and Terry rushed up, none of them able to believe what they were seeing.  Maximus stood there, arching slightly forward, his legs spread, as his chest heaved and the muscles in his arm corded.

 

Himself knew he was going to swing the sword again and shouted, "MAXIMUS!"

As though he hadn't heard the shout, Maximus stepped forward, his swordarm moving back.  Jack and Terry ran behind him, grabbing him.

 

"No, Maximus!" Jack cried desperately.  

 

The General wrenched his torso around, throwing Terry to the planking, turning his blade toward the man gripping his arm. He saw it was Jack and an almost animal-like sound escaped his lips.  

 

Jack reached up, putting his hand over Maximus' on the hilt.  "No, Maximus," he repeated gently.  

 

The gladius clattered to the planking and Himself bent, picking it up, his eyes going to the window of Bunny's room.  "Why, Maximus?" he asked.  

 

The General moved his swordhand close to his own face, clenching and unclenching his fingers as the muscles in his jaw worked. Silently, then, he held out his left palm, a small piece of torn yellow gossamer crumpled upon it.  

 

Jack gasped.  "Joimus?"  

 

Maximus nodded, not taking his eyes off Sid.  "Where...is...she?" he said again.  

 

Sid gathered a small handful of broken window glass, pressing it to his throat.  "I have no idea," he said, glaring back at the General.

 

"You...lie," Maximus hissed.  

 

Terry had gotten to his feet.Looking at the fabric he asked, "Where did you get this?"

"The chair," Maximus said, his voice suddenly breaking.  

 

"The chair?" Himself repeated.  

 

"Macquarie chair," Maximus said, still not taking his eyes off Sid.  

 

"How did it get torn?" Terry asked, his brain already going into gear.

"Embedded," Maximus sighed, his shoulders finally sagging.  He looked then at Terry. "The rest of it is embedded in the stone."  

 

"Embedded in the stone? How?"  

 

Maximus shook his head wearily, then looked back at Sid. "Ask...him."

 

Sid squared his shoulders.  "I had nothing to do with this. Nothing at all," he protested.  

The General looked levelly at Himself.  "Give me my sword," he asked, knowing already what the answer would be.  Shaking off Jack's hand, he turned and ran down the Wharf, heading for the Botanic Gardens.

Himself, Jack, and Terry found him sitting on the paving in front of the chair, his right hand gripping the piece of yellow fabric that remained above the stone.  He looked at them, his eyes brimming.  

 

"She's gone," he said, his voice flat.  "He's taken her again."  

 

Jack knelt on one knee beside the General, placing his hand on his shoulder. Maximus looked at him.  "It was not enough that he wanted one of my sons." He closed his eyes.  "Now he has them both."  His fingers played with the end of Joimus' scarf.  He pressed his lips together tightly, then looked back at Jack.  "He will die this time." His eyes sought his sword, still in Himself's grip.

 

"Maximus," Terry said gently, reasonably, "if you kill him, he cannot tell you where he has taken her."  

 

Maximus sucked in a deep breath,  knowing Terry was right.  "May I?" Terry asked, stepping close to the chair, wanting to examine the scarf. Maximus shifted slightly to the side and Terry squatted in front of the seat, lifting the scarf end.  He whistled slightly.  The scarf did, indeed, disappear into the depths of the stone.  He'd never seen the like of it. How had Sid managed that? HAD Sid managed that?  Seeing it, holding the scarf in his own hand, he was not so sure.  

 

"Perhaps," he said, looking at Maximus, "this is not Sid's work?"

 

"PAH!" Maximus replied, standing quickly, inadvertantly knocking Terry onto his backside for the second time that evening.  "Who else would take them?  Who else wants my sons?"  

 

Himself stared at the bench, licking his lips thoughtfully.  He, too, was not so sure Sid was behind this.  There was something strange going on here...stranger even than usual. He motioned for Terry to join him.  

 

"Come first light, you, Zack, and Bud come back here and have a careful look around."

Terry nodded. "You don't think it was Sid, do you?" he asked.  

 

"No," Himself said quietly, looking at Maximus, "but we'd better keep the General away from him for a while."  

 

"He doesn't need that gladius, you know," Terry added.  "He'll kill him with his bare hands."  

"We'll find her," Jack was saying to Maximus.  "You were only gone a moment. He can't have taken her far.  She's got to be somewhere here in Sydney, somewhere near."  

 

How right the good Captain was.  She was, indeed, near.  Very, very near. She still lay, in fact, upon the chair.