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Marius shivered, somehow chilled through to his bones despite the heat of the weather. If he shouldn’t come back– and yet he would. That was a fact. Courfeyrac would return, his affairs settled. Was that him he spotted on the crest of the hill? No, it was just some traveler, his dog at his heels. He kept his eyes firmly away from his guards, one of them poised ready to run for the executioner when the sun set. It was already well on its way to doing so, and again Marius shivered, thinking back to the day of Courfeyrac’s trial.
“May I be permitted to go home one last time? My father is growing old, and my brother is young and needs my authority to stand behind him as our father’s heir. I also have some accounts I should like to take care of and debts I should like to settle.”
“And why should I believe you’d come back? You’ll cut and run once I let you loose.”
Courfeyrac’s face fell, and Marius felt a sudden impulse.
“I will stand as surety for him.”
A half-strangled “No!” came from Courfeyrac, who looked over at Marius in a mixture of pain and admiration.
“Should I accept your word and good faith, and should your friend not return, let’s see, in three weeks’ time, you will die in his stead. It is for you to accept this.”
“And should I accept?”
“Courfeyrac will go free, for now, But should he not have returned by sunset, three weeks from this day, you will be executed, as I said.”
Marius swallowed, a lump in his throat threatening to choke back his next words.
“I accept.”
“You know what it is you are bound to?”
“I do. I am bound to him anyway, whether we live or die. We swore that as boys.” And Marius looked over at Courfeyrac, eyes blazing.
“Very well. Release him.” He nodded to the guards.
The sun was still making its way across the sky, and still there was no sight of Courfeyrac. One of the guards nodded to the other, who turned on his heel and ran back into the town. Marius closed his eyes, took a breath, and reminded himself of his friend’s words before he had left.
“I will come back. Fire, storm, pirates, shipwreck, nothing can stop me from returning.”
They’d been close since boyhood, sparring with sticks, reading together, talking, playing, laughing, travelling, eating together for more than ten years. As he turned to go, Courfeyrac had pressed Marius’s hand, smiled as gently as he knew how to, and said words that had made Marius come very near weeping then and there.
“I love you. Have no doubt of that, whatever should befall.”
And he had kissed that same hand.
Marius looked down at it. Ordinary enough, and yet because of that memory infinitely precious.
Please come soon, he thought, hoping against anyone else’s hope and somehow knowing beyond his own belief that Courfeyrac would return.
The guard who had left was now returning, the executioner following. He will come. Marius went quietly as the other guard kept tight hold of the rope around his wrists. He will come. The two guards conversed in low tones, occasionally glancing back, and he knew they were pitying the poor young man betrayed by his friend. He will come. Marius took care not to stumble. He will come. He could see the king standing there at last, and bowed his head. He will come. He heard footsteps in the distance, hurried running and panting, and thought nothing of it. He will come. Probably just children playing. He will come.
The guard holding the rope tugged on it, and Marius went to his knees without a word. He will come. The king’s words washed over him, drifting past his ears as he stared out to sea. He will come. Whoever was running was drawing near. He will come. Probably some messenger. He will come. And then he felt a change in the air. He will come. He didn’t dare look up as the executioner drew his sword. He will come. And then a voice came ringing through the air, a voice that he would have known beyond all others in the world. He has come.
“Good evening, sorry to be late, kidnapped by pirates, you know how it is, sir.”
“Kidnapped by pirates is good!”
An audible shrug. ‘It’s the truth.”
“You returned.”
“Of course I did. Ask Marius, when have I ever not kept my word? Especially to him.”
The king nodded slowly. “Let him free.”
The guard slashed through the ropes binding Marius’s wrists, and he turned and ran to Courfeyrac. “I knew you would come.”
“Of course you did,” Courfeyrac half-laughed, taking Marius in his arms. “No more words, now kiss me.”
And Marius did.
They held each other until the king coughed. “It’s a pity to interrupt this, but you said you were kidnapped by pirates?”
“Yes, I did. That’s why I’m late. I was on my way back here, to Syracuse, when my ship was attacked by pirates. They took me prisoner. but I jumped overboard and swam to shore, and made my way here as fast as I could.” Courfeyrac dropped a soft kiss into Marius’s hair. “Just in time.”
“I have never before seen such friendship and love and trust.”
“The sun has set. Is it now time?”
Marius clutched at Courfeyrac’s hand.
“There is no need. You may both go free, no bargains or petitions or begging needed. It is better for you two to have each other than for me to be rid of a man who only maybe was plotting against me.”
“We give you all our thanks.”
The king waved his hand dismissively. “There is no need.”
And the two young men set off on the road home, hand in hand, leaning into each other as if they feared to not be touching as much as possible.