Word Spreads

Word Spreads
Marcus

Fiona has just kissed me, and I can’t help but smile, still reeling from the shock. A woman initiating a kiss… that alone should tell me she’s telling the truth about being from another era.

“Tell me,” I say finally, “what’s our first course of action?”

At first I didn’t believe her. A woman from the future? Vesuvius erupting in just a few days? It sounds preposterous, but why would she lie about being from the future or about Vesuvius covering the city in ash? 

She is kind, selfless, and brave. She helped Lucius and me without hesitation and consistently helps my servants. She asks for nothing in return other than a roof over her head and a meal once in a while, and I have to admit, it begins to make a kind of sense that she’s not from this time. Where else would she have come from that she can’t simply find her way back?

“Is there a place we could move the festival—outside of the city, away from the mountain?” Fiona asks. 

I think about her question for a moment and realize we can simultaneously move the festival and protect the people. “Yes, there is a way.” I think it through quickly. “The meadow near the vineyards far northwest of town. It’s far enough from Vesuvius and the city, but still accessible to the people.”

“That’s a brilliant idea,” she says. “And you’re the one with the authority to make that change.” 

“I don’t have the authority on my own,” I admit. “But I have a brief meeting with the council members already scheduled for this morning. I will convince them that it’s for the best.” I have no idea how I will do that, but money talks. I’ll have to focus on that.

“Then, we’ll have to tell all the vendors,” she says, tapping her chin, lost in thought.

“We’ll do it together,” I say. “Come on. I don’t want to be late.”

Fiona and I make it to the council meeting just in time. She waits outside as she’s not allowed in. Only members are. I wait patiently for my turn to talk. Some of the other members are concerned about the lack of sales at the forum. I use that to my advantage and suggest we move to where there’s more room, where we can have more live entertainment.

The pushback is hard, especially at first. Of course, the festival has to happen in the forum, but the more I talk about a lack of revenue, the more they understand. Finally, the council agrees. We should move the festival. As soon as the meeting is over, I rush outside. “Fiona!” I say, finding her standing with Felix beneath a tree. “We did it!”

She squeals and wraps her arms around my neck. “You mean you did it!” She kisses my cheek, and my stomach twists into a knot. Her touch has my skin lighting on fire.

When we get to the forum, we’ll start spreading the word. The last three days of the festival—August twenty-second through the twenty-fourth—will be moved to the open meadow past the vineyards.”

We start at the edge of the forum with the first stall, Felix tagging along at my heel.

“Good morning,” I say to a man selling fabric. “We are going to change the location of the festival for the last three days.”

He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Moving? Where?” he asks. 

“To the meadow past the vineyards northwest of town,” I say. “There will be more space there, and people will come through to buy your wares.”

Fiona adds, “There will also be more room for performances, which will draw a larger crowd. You’ll reach more people than you do here. And please, tell the other vendors, and all of your customers.” 

He studies us for a moment but then nods and goes back to his work. I see him shaking his head in confusion, probably thinking about how difficult it will be for him to move everything. He’ll thank me later.

We move on to a woman selling sandals. “The festival is moving for the last three days,” Fiona says.

“Why would you move it out of the forum?” she asks.

“It has outgrown this space,” I say. “The meadow northwest of the city will hold more stalls, more people and make room for more activity. The council just made the decision.” 

Fiona says, “You won’t lose business. You will gain it. People will have more room to shop.”

“Please share the message with everyone you meet today,” I add. 

The woman ponders our announcement. “Dominus, this is your funeral,” she says with a grin and a wink.

If only she knew. I smile back at her, and we keep moving, Felix staying close. We stop near an open space where a group of dancers are gathered together, stretching and practicing their routine. 

“Good morning,” I say. “I have an important announcement. The last three days of the festival are being moved.”

They all exchange shocked looks. “Moved where?” the tall, lanky one asks.

“To the meadow past the vineyards far northwest of town,” I say. “There will be more people coming through.”

Fiona adds, “And more space for performances. You will have a larger audience than you would here.”

They pause, taking that in.

“It’s by order of the council. And please tell the others,” I say. “Anyone performing in the festival. The location changes are for August twenty-second through the twenty-fourth.”

They nod. “We will tell them.”

We keep moving, Felix staying close at my side as we walk into the bakery. He lets out a soft whine, and I glance down as his ears perk forward.

“All right,” I murmur.

I step up and buy him a fresh loaf, still warm. When I turn back, Felix is already watching me like he knows exactly what he’s getting. I tear off a piece and feed it to him. He takes it eagerly, and then I turn back to the baker.

“The festival is moving for the last three days,” I tell him. 

“Is something wrong?” he asks.

“No,” Fiona says. “It is being expanded.”

“Expanded?”

“Yes,” I say. “More space. More people. We’ll provide stalls for those of you who have your own shops. Just bring your baked goods, and we’ll have a place all set up for you.” I’ve already cleared this with the council. 

“Thank you, Dominus,” he says, returning to his work.

We step back out into the forum as Felix finishes chewing, and I give him another bite. He follows as we move, eating as he goes.

The temple is just ahead, its courtyard already busy with people gathering. As Fiona and I pass through, we spread the message again and again—relaying that the festival is moving to a larger space, and there will be more room for performances, a larger audience, and more business for the stalls and traders. By the time we reach the far side of the forum again, the word is already spreading.

As we walk, I start to worry about how I’m going to tell Quintus about Vesuvius and the change in the festival venue. Everything has become complicated so quickly, and I’m not sure how to manage each step of this journey. Fortunately, I have someone with me who always seems to know exactly what to do and say in every situation.

I look over at Fiona. “I’m struggling with how to tell Quintus,” I admit. “After all of our work—days and days of planning and preparing for the festival—it’s been decided at the last minute to uproot the entire celebration and change the location. He will be confused at the least, if not angry at me.” 

Fiona reaches for my hand. “Let’s talk it over, but I think we should get a drink of water first.”

“That’s a good idea,” I say, happily holding her hand in mine as we walk. “And Felix could use some water, too.”

We drink from the fountain, and I make sure Felix gets some water as well before we find a shady spot and sit down. 

“Do you think Quintus will believe us if we tell him Vesuvius is going to erupt?” she asks, glancing back toward the forum. “We shouldn’t be telling everyone the truth. We don’t want people to panic. There would be chaos in the streets.” She looks up at me. “But what do you think about telling Quintus and Cornelia the truth?”

“I think that’s a good idea,” I say. “I just wasn’t sure you’d agree. I don’t know how they’re going to react, but if anyone is going to listen, it’s them.”

We spend the rest of the morning moving through the forum and the nearby streets, delivering our message over and over. 

At midday, we stop long enough to eat lunch in the shade. We get bread, olives, cheese, and grilled pork from a street stall. Felix gets more than his fair share of the pork.

The afternoon is more of the same. We walk, we talk, we repeat the message until it feels like we’ve been everywhere twice. Eventually, most people already seem to know it before we reach them. Word spreads faster than we can keep up with, and I believe an official decree from the council has also been made.

By the time the sun starts to set, we meet Quintus and his family at the location where the parade will launch. Torches are being lit, and priests and priestesses are getting in line, as well as the other performers and participants. 

“Good evening, Quintus,” I say, walking up to them. “Could I have a moment with you and Cornelia? Privately, please?” 

Fiona looks at Cornelia. “Would it be all right if I take Gaius, Julia, and Felix up to the grassy area to play for a bit? Just so you three can speak in peace.”

Cornelia studies her for a moment and then nods. “Yes, that would be fine.”

Fiona inclines her head in thanks before leading the children away toward the grassy rise above the forum, Felix bounding up the hill behind them. 

Once they are out of earshot, Quintus and Cornelia turn back to me. I lower my voice. “The council has changed the festival location, in case you haven’t heard. The last three days will be held in the meadow past the vineyards well northwest of the town.”

“They’ve already moved forward with this? After all the work we’ve put into this festival?” Quintus asks, his tone a mixture of shock and confusion. 

“There are things happening with the mountain,” I say quietly. “We’re trying to get everyone out of the city and away from Vesuvius. Staying here is no longer something we can risk.”

Quintus’s eyes narrow. “What are you talking about? And how do you know this?”

Cornelia looks at me for a moment, her eyebrows arched. “Marcus, you’re scaring me.” 

I keep my voice quiet. “There’s no reason to be afraid because we know about it ahead of time, and you will be far enough away that it won’t hurt you or your children, but friends, Vesuvius is going to erupt.”

Quintus’s jaw drops. “And how could you know such a thing?” 

“Explain yourself properly, Marcus,” Cornelia adds. 

“I wouldn’t have asked for this change unless I was certain enough to act on it, and I need you to trust me. On the twenty-fourth of August, Vesuvius is going to erupt and cover the city in ash. Whether you help us relocate the festival or not, I just need you to be safe—take everything you can carry and leave the city,” I explain. 

Cornelia’s eyes search my face. “You’re serious?”

Quintus doesn’t look away from me. “Marcus doesn’t lie. I trust him with my life.” He turns to Cornelia. “We will help relocate the festival, take our children, and leave.”

Relief hits me. “Thank you for trusting me. Take your valuables, anything sentimental, and go. Start over somewhere new… and be grateful you lived to tell the tale.”

“Where should we move to?” Cornelia asks, her gaze moving from Quintus to me and back to her husband.

“I’ll go with Fiona and my family to Neapolis,” I say. 

Quintus gives a single nod. “Neapolis it is.”

“Good, then it’s settled,” I say, clapping Quintus on the shoulder. 

I look back toward Fiona and the children playing and lift my hand. “Fiona,” I call, waving them back over.

Just before the parade begins, Fiona comes back with Julia, Gaius, and Felix, and we watch the procession move through the forum. Dancers in bright colored outfits lead the way and are followed by jugglers tossing their props in the air above the moving line of performers. 

Behind them come musicians playing flutes and drums, the sound carrying across the open space as the procession continues through the streets lined with spectators. The priests and priestesses at the end of the line, moving with formal precision, carry the symbols of the gods as the parade advances around the square. 

I look over at Fiona and know that she is the hero in all of this. She’s the one who will save them all, and I will do whatever it takes to help.