Valeria’s Cross (5 page)

He lowered his head and kissed her then, lightly and gently, but her lips felt as if they were on fire. How was it possible to love someone so much and still survive when separated?

When he pulled away, his face only inches from hers, she asked, “How long will you be gone?”

His jaws clenched before he answered. “Until God brings me back to you. That is all I can tell you, my love, for only He knows what tomorrow will bring.”

Swallowing a sob, she cried softly, “Oh, Mauritius, how will I bear it?”

“The same way I will. We will pray each day—each moment, if need be—for the strength and courage to do what we must, and for God to grant that we be together again … in His time.”

Once again, his lips touched hers, and Valeria thought she would die with the exquisite pain of loving him. And then he released her.

“I must go,” he whispered. “The longer I stay, the more difficult it is to say goodbye. And the more we risk being caught. We have to do this the right way, Valeria. We must gain your father’s permission to marry, and perhaps my service in Gaul will enable us to do that.”

“What do you mean?”

“If I can be a hero in your father’s eyes, he will surely grant me your hand in marriage.”

“But you must give me your word that you will be careful and not take any unnecessary risks. I would surely die if I lost you,” she cried.

Mauritius lifted his cross and kissed it. “I have God’s protection.”

“And my prayers.”

As he pulled away, Valeria clung to him, her sobs escalating as she spoke. “Do not go,” she pleaded. “Please, Mauritius! Not yet …”

But Mauritius pulled away and did not look back. When Valeria could see him no longer, she threw her hand over her mouth to prevent her cry from escaping. Once she had
collected herself enough to speak, she whispered into the night, “God be with you, Mauritius, my love!”

After many days at sea, the Theban Legion landed near Rome. They marched through northern Italy, across the St. Bernard pass, and encamped near the Swiss border to await their orders from their leader, Maximian, Diocletian’s co-emperor of the Western Roman Empire. It was barely a week until they began heavy fighting against the Gauls.

While other Roman legions suffered major defeats at the hand of the Gallic barbarians, the Thebans marched, victorious in every battle. As a result, Captain Mauritius captured the attention of Emperor Diocletian. Usurped by Mauritius, General Galerius seethed with jealousy, not only for the young captain’s exemplary military skills, but for Valeria’s love as well. At their first encounter, the girl had ignited a passion in him unlike any he had ever known.

Galerius was a man who stopped at nothing to get what he wanted. Had Valeria not been the emperor’s daughter, Galerius would have forced himself into her sleeping chambers and stolen her virginity when he was a guest at the palace in Elephantine. Fortunately for Valeria, his lust for power burned hotter than his sexual desires. The fact that she was Diocletian’s daughter provided the ambitious Galerius with all the restraint he had needed to resist the nubile creature. He was confident that the plan he had devised for his future would soon get him everything he wanted, including Valeria.

Valeria and Nanu were inseparable after the men they loved left for Gaul. They spent their days together studying
with Prisca at the monastery or at parties with other Egyptian girls, who were also forced to entertain themselves in the absence of the men they loved. On the days they stayed at the palace, Valeria and Nanu, who were both adept at needlework, spent hours with the ladies sewing Valeria’s trousseau. But Valeria’s favorite pastime was taking long walks upon the beach, where she retraced the steps she had taken with Mauritius. Meandering along the beach, she relived every kiss he had given her and repeated every word he had whispered to her. On one such walk, Nanu took Valeria’s hand in hers.

“My dear sister, I have exciting news for you today.”

Valeria’s heart leapt with expectation. “Are they coming home? Mauritius is on his way back to me!”

Nanu nodded. “I am sorry, but no. However my news should still make you smile.”

“Then please, do tell! The suspense is killing me.”

Nanu took her friend’s hand and placed it upon her own stomach to reveal her surprise. “I have a baby growing inside of me.”

Valeria squealed. “Nanu! This is wonderful news. You are going to be a mother, and I am going to be an aunt—once I marry your brother, of course. Oh, if only he would return to me so I could!”

Nanu touched her friend’s face. “You will be our baby’s aunt, regardless.”

Valeria embraced her. “I am so happy for you. Have you sent a message to Baraka?”

“Yes, and he has written to me that he is overjoyed with the news of our child. He says our baby makes him fight even harder so he can return home to me as soon as possible.”

“So you have known for some time.” Valeria’s face fell. “Why did you not tell me?”

“I wanted my husband to be the first to know that we were having a child.”

Valeria nodded. “I understand. Creating a baby together is such an intimate, beautiful experience that a husband and wife should share the news before telling anyone else. But how can you be sure the news has reached Baraka?”

“Just this morning a ship brought letters from Europe, and I received a letter from him. You will probably have one from Mauritius too.”

Valeria smiled as hope filled her heart. “Mauritius must know he will soon be an uncle. I am sure he is as happy as I am about the news. Will you forgive me that I must cut our walk short to see if a letter has arrived from Mauritius?”

“I will walk back with you, but you must slow down. Remember I have a baby inside of me now.” She patted her tummy affectionately.

Valeria slowed her pace and put an arm around Nanu. “Tomorrow morning we shall begin to sew clothes for your baby too. It has been so long since Mauritius and Baraka left us that if we keep creating clothes for my trousseau I fear there will not be enough drawers and chests in the land to hold them!”

Nanu giggled, and then looked down at her expanding waistline and sighed. Her eyes glazed over with a faraway look as she spoke. “I hope Baraka will come home in time for our baby’s arrival.”

Valeria grabbed her hand. “Of course he will. But if he does not for any reason, I promise you, my friend, I will be at your side holding onto your hand tightly as you bring this child into the world.”

The days of Nanu’s pregnancy flew by. The women filled these long months with their usual activities, spending more time on their needlework than on their studies with the
monks. As a result the baby’s layette was so complete that there were more clothes than a child could possibly wear in a lifetime. Yet with the baby due any day now, the women had accepted the fact that perhaps the child’s father would not be home in time to greet the newborn.

Weary, Nanu began to fret. “I cannot do this alone,” she complained.

“I have told you that you will not be alone. Eugenia and I will both be there with you,” Valeria promised, though she, too, worried that their men had not yet returned.

The next day Valeria appealed to Alara, the young monk, during their studies. “Why are our faithful prayers for the return of the men we love unanswered?”

Alara was sympathetic, but he assured the young women that while they may not understand God’s reasons, they could trust His plan for their lives.

Valeria shrugged. “I suppose we have no choice. We will wait on the Lord.”

Valeria was up later than usual that evening, reading a letter from Mauritius, until she finally drifted off to sleep, clutching the missive in her hand. Barely an hour later, Eugenia came into her room, softly calling to her.

“What is it?” Valeria asked, pulling herself from a deep sleep and alarmed that Eugenia was the bearer of bad news.

“Nanu sent a servant to tell you she is having her baby.”

Remembering her promise, Valeria rubbed her eyes and jumped out of bed. “But it is the middle of the night,” she complained

“A baby waits for no one, not even the emperor’s daughter. Come, you must get dressed. Hurry!”

Eugenia and the servants helped Valeria dress. In less than an hour the women were at Nanu’s side, watching her writhe in pain. Valeria tried to comfort her hysterical friend, but to
no avail. Exhausted and concerned, she whispered to Eugenia, “Is Nanu going to die?”

Eugenia laughed. “She will be fine. This is typical of what happens when a woman has a baby.”

Valeria turned up her nose with distaste, thinking that perhaps she never wanted to have a child of her own.

Several hours later the baby boy arrived, but Valeria was not there to welcome him. Moments after her arrival, she fainted and had to be carried to a nearby room, where she now slept soundly. Eugenia sat beside her and patted her back.

“Wake up, beautiful dreamer. There is someone you must meet.”

Valeria pushed herself up with her elbows. “What happened?”

“You fainted.”

Valeria’s hand flew to her forehead. “I broke my promise to Nanu! Is she angry with me?”

“I doubt if Nanu is aware you were not there.”

Disappointed that she had missed the big event, Valeria scampered into the other room with Eugenia close behind. She gasped when she saw Nanu propped up on pillows, cradling her child at her breast. It was such a beautiful sight that Valeria burst into tears, as her previous concerns about not wanting a baby herself evaporated. Not only did she want one baby, but many—and she and Mauritius would surely have them!

Valeria soon learned that having a baby meant little time for the mother to do anything other than care for the helpless little one. Nanu was either feeding, bathing, or playing with her son, Babafemi, whose name meant “loved by his father.” Valeria struggled with her feelings of jealousy for Babafemi. Although she thought a baby was the grandest thing, she quickly became bored with watching the tiny creature. Nanu,
however, never seemed to tire of it. She refused to leave Babafemi. Every breath he took was a miracle so far as Nanu was concerned, and she was not about to miss a single moment of her son’s life.

“You will understand when you have a baby,” Eugenia reassured Valeria. “You will feel different when it is your own child.”

Valeria shook her head with doubt that she would ever allow herself to be a prisoner of a baby like her friend had become since Babafemi’s arrival. Without Nanu as her constant companion, Valeria complained that the time crept by far more slowly and her longing for Mauritius to return had increased tenfold. Despite attempts by her mother and Eugenia to keep her occupied in lessons and her studies with the monks, plus endless social activities, Valeria moped around the palace so much the older women became worried about her.

As Babafemi grew older, Nanu came around more often, bringing her baby and her nurse with her, but not often enough as far as the emperor’s daughter was concerned. Valeria sulked until Babafemi began to walk and talk, and then she took more of an interest in the boy and grew to love him. Babafemi adored his aunt as well.

Although her relationship with Nanu had changed, Valeria soon became comfortable with the idea of a threesome. Eugenia smiled as Valeria’s conversation was filled with the news of Babafemi’s latest accomplishments, even as Valeria’s studies continued.