Happiness
Chapter 5
�Take this road west,� he pointed out the direction, �and ride straight until you get to the Tiber. Then follow the river downstream � it will get you to the port. You should recognize it � that is where you were first brought here�� (Damon visibly cringed at the reminder, causing Marcus to falter in confusion). Leila mounted quickly inviting Damon to do the same. The latter approached his horse and ran his hand pensively along the animal�s side that was slightly damp from early morning dew. He turned to Marcus and nodded, �Thank you.� The boy smiled somewhat absently, as if waiting for something else, and waived his hand. He remained standing still until the two riders disappeared from view and then ran back toward the lodging of the guards.
***
�What is bothering you?� Leila asked finally, as they rode about half way down the Tiber.
Damon looked at her, a gloomy concentrated expression on his face. �Tell me something, Leila��
�Yes?�
��how did you get Marcus to help you?�
She shrugged her shoulders. �He seemed like a nice boy. I asked him to help and offered him my ring��
�Your ring?�
�Yes. I had a nice golden ring.�
�I thought all the possessions were taken from the slaves by the guards,� Damon slowed his horse down a bit to keep the same pace as Leila.
�Not this one,� she replied with a sly smile. �I had hidden it well.�
He nodded pensively. �And Marcus agreed to help you right away?�
�No,� Leila was beginning to get intrigued by this line of questioning but went along regardless, �he said he would think about it.�
�And?�
�And he came to me the next day and said he would help.� She looked intently at Damon, �Why do you ask all that?�
He shook his head. �This was all too easy, the escape I mean. He got the key; he let us out; he managed to lead us beyond the hills without alerting a single sentry � even though I am sure they were all at their posts; he prepared two good horses for us. All this by a boy who is barely twelve years old. And all for one golden ring?�
Leila frowned at the way he pieced the events together, and he detected a note of worry in her voice when she asked, �What are you suggesting?�
�Merely that it was too easy an escape.�
�Maybe we just got lucky�� she tried to smile.
�I don�t believe in luck,� he quipped. �I trust my guts in such cases, and my guts tell me that it was a bad set-up.�
�A set-up?�
He nodded. �I could almost bet that by the time we get to the port there will be someone waiting for us. And it will not be a welcoming committee.�
The girl grew pale. �But what should we do then? Can we go somewhere else?�
Damon shook his head. �No. That port is our only way out, our only chance. All the other ports are further away, and the longer we stay in the country, the greater are our chances of getting caught.� He smiled bitterly, �They knew what they were doing. It is a perfect trap.�
�But why?� she sounded almost desperate.
�Why?� he echoed her question. �To get a reward for capturing the runaway slaves . . . in addition to your golden ring,� he added somewhat bitingly. �Our only chance, dear girl, is to get aboard a ship before they see us. There is no turning back now.�
She nodded, licking her suddenly dry lips. He noticed a shadow of fear in her eyes and said the only thing he could come up with at the moment to comfort her, �Come. Let us pick up the speed. After all, we would not want the guards to have all the advantage, would we?�
She smiled faintly, appreciating his awkward attempt at humor, and the two of them raced downstream along the broad bank of the Tiber toward the port, toward their only hope for rescue.
***
The port was dazzling with its enormity and constant commotion. There were people everywhere � sailors, merchants, slaves, slave traders, barefoot youngsters, and, of course, passengers of all sorts. In all that noise and bustle it was all too easy to get lost, and Leila, realizing that, reached up for Damon�s hand, clutching it nervously. Damon, who was dragging the two horses behind him through the crowd, looked down at the girl, surprised and somewhat uncomfortable with this unexpected display of emotions. The only kids he had encountered up until now were the little market place brats � petty thieves, swindlers and ruffians, who were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves (at least, in Damon�s view). But he was not used to dealing with kids like Leila who now clung close to him helplessly, afraid of being separated, depending on him to take care of her. He frowned, not sure how to respond. Part of him wanted to push her aside and tell her to get out of this mess on her own � after all, she was the one who had gotten them both into it in the first place. Yet something else inside him told him to leave the child�s hand in his, and, for some reason, he obeyed.