Tlachtga stood up. “Caratacus, what words of wisdom do have for us?”
“Well, I’ll put a twenty-four-hour surveillance around the mine. The army will be in complete charge of the operation, but getting it to market and selling it might be a whole different ball of wax. You can’t sell that amount of copper and not arouse suspicions. Short term there is no problem, but long term is fraught with insurmountable difficulties.”
“Well, go ahead with it, but if Rome gets wind of it, it’s curtains,” sighed Publius.
They debated for another hour before dinner was served. Afterwards, the lovers returned to the gardens. Once they were distanced from the madding crowd, they found a bench, sat down, and were back at it.
“You know, I had my priestesses divine the future. They saw no war with Rome, but they saw a dark cloud which they perceived as ominous. That dark cloud is me, and I know this will all end badly. But I can’t live without you,” cried Tlachtga.
“Nor I without you. What a predicament. You know, I could take you back to Rome with me, and we could live a happy life.”
“How I wish it were that simple. Besides, that's where your wife resides. If we’re caught, I’ll go the funeral pyre. We'd better be getting back or we’ll be raising suspicions.”
They rose and walked back to their company. For two people who were supposedly enemies they spent an inordinate amount of time together, thought everyone. The time between dinner and bedtime was spent around a campfire singing and drinking. Publius thought, I could get used to this. At midnight everyone retired to their sleeping quarters. Publius by design was close to Tlachtga. At midnight Tlachtga’s door slid quietly open.
“Hurry up,” cried Tlachtga.
Publius scampered across the floor, dropped his robe, climbed into bed, and into the waiting arms of his beloved. The mine and war became figments of their imagination. Passions flew like thunder in a summer storm. An onlooker would have sworn the ground beneath their feet would quake, such was the activity of the lovers. With passions spent, they lay back and panted like fighters in a Roman Gladiator arena. When the frenzy was over, Publius fell out of bed and made his way back to his abode, exhausted but the happier for the experience. The next morning everyone sat down to breakfast Tlachtga and Publius were both in a jovial mode as though the mine never exited. Oroveso was becoming more and more convinced there was more to this than met the eye, but for now it served their purpose.
The company around the table included Oroveso, the priests and priestesses, Flavio and all the Roman crew members. A happier gathering you couldn’t imagine. The repast lasted an hour, and then Tlachtgaa made the excuse to walk with Plubius in the garden before he left. Discretion was never Tlachtga’s strong suit.
