Centurion

'You wanted a welcome fit for a hero,' Cato responded. 'Well, here it is. At least the general is making the most of it.'

Macro glanced ahead and saw that Longinus was bowing his head gravely to each side and holding his hand up in an aloof gesture of acknowledgement. The centurion sniffed. 'From the way he's carrying on you'd think he had already been awarded his ovation and was marching down the Sacred Way in Rome with a vast crowd on either side and a personal escort of vestal virgins.'

'Perhaps he's treating this as a dress rehearsal for the real thing,' Cato added wryly.

'Do you really think Longinus deserves a prize for what he's done? Those Parthian boys nearly had us cold.'

'You know how it is, Macro. Doesn't matter how many men you lose, nor how many mistakes you make along the way. As long as you get the right result. And any victory over the Parthians is bound to go down well in Rome. So there'll be a celebration. Anything to keep the plebs happy.'

'Great…'

Cato looked round at the other officers and then lowered his voice still further. 'And it has the added benefit of separating him from his legions for a while. Given his ambitions, that's no bad thing.'

Macro nodded. Despite having frustrated Longinus' plans to build up an army capable of overthrowing the Emperor, they had still not uncovered enough evidence to prove his treachery. Narcissus was not going to be satisfied with their efforts, Macro thought with a sinking feeling.The Emperor's secretary was not noted for his patience with those who failed to deliver what he required of them. Macro and Cato had been sent to the eastern provinces to expose Longinus as a traitor. Whatever else they had achieved, Longinus had not incriminated himself enough to justify removing him from office and destroying him. It had been different in the days of Caligula, when any Roman could be executed on a whim. His successor was determined that such extrajudicial excesses would no longer be encouraged.

Macro smiled to himself as he reflected that Narcissus probably pined for the brutal simplicity of the previous regime.

Just then he caught sight of a familiar face on the edge of the crowd and he paused a moment and stepped out of line. Cato turned with a quizzical expression and joined his friend. 'What's the matter?'

'You go on. I'll catch you up.'

'Why? What is it?'

'Someone I have to speak to. You go on,' Macro said firmly.

Cato shrugged, then rejoined the column. Glancing back he saw Macro walk slowly towards the small crowd of ragged people lining the street and stop in front of a girl.

Then the procession passed through the arch and into the large courtyard in front of the royal palace. A guard of honour, formed from the surviving Greek mercenaries, lined the steps leading up to the palace entrance, where Thermon waited in front of the two columns that supported the portico. General Longinus rode across to the base of the stairs and reined his horse in before slipping gracefully down from the saddle. He gestured to his officers and Balthus to follow him and climbed the steps towards the entrance. The commander of the royal bodyguard snapped an order and the mercenaries turned smartly inward, stiffened to attention and presented their spears. Thermon bowed deeply as Longinus approached him.

'My lord Cassius Longinus, it is a great pleasure to welcome you back to the city.The news of your victory has been the cause of great joy and celebration in Palmyra.'

'So I noticed,' Longinus replied acidly as he nodded towards the avenue leading back through the city. 'It seems that your people must still be sleeping it off.'

Thermon paused a moment as he understood the tone of the Roman's remark and then he smiled at Balthus. 'My prince, the king is delighted by your success and looks forward to embracing his conquering son.'

'I'm sure,' Balthus replied.

'If we might get a move on,' Longinus interrupted. 'I must report to the king and then I must return to my army and see to the men's needs.'

'Of course, my lord. If you would be kind enough to follow me.' Thermon bowed again and backed away through the entrance before turning to lead the party down a long wide hall whose walls were richly decorated with bright paintings celebrating the exploits of past kings of Palmyra. At the end of the hall were two large brass-plated doors which were swung open by palace guards to reveal the king's audience chamber. Vabathus sat on his throne, raised above the heads of those around him by a round dais approached by a small flight of steps. A throng of Palmyran nobles and the richest men of the city stood before him in their best robes. They parted before Longinus and his party and retreated on each side. There were more guards inside the chamber and these now took up position to create an avenue of spears and shields leading towards the dais and King Vabathus.

Behind the general, Cato's eyes darted round the chamber. He saw Sempronius standing close to the king, then looked over the crowd until he saw Julia, standing slightly apart from the rest beside one of the gilded pillars. He gave a brief nod towards her and smiled quickly. She half raised her hand in acknowledgement, her face illuminated by a mixture of relief and joy at the sight of him.

Thermon led Longinus up to the foot of the steps and then stood respectfully to one side as he announced them formally.

'Your Majesty, I present Cassius Longinus, governor of the Roman province of Syria, his officers and Prince Balthus.'

The king nodded at his guests and there was a short pause before he drew himself up on his throne and spoke.

'General Longinus, we welcome you to our palace. There are no words adequate to express my thanks to you and your fine soldiers.You have delivered us from the hands of Parthia and those traitors amongst my people who would have sold their city into slavery to the Parthian kingdom.' There was a slight tremor in his voice as he continued. 'I understand that Artaxes died on the battlefield, by the hand of Prince Balthus.That is, perhaps, fitting. But while I grieve for the loss of yet another son, even one who betrayed me, I accept that I am for ever in Rome's debt.'

Cato noticed Balthus stir at these words. The prince frowned and his lips compressed into a thin line as his father continued.

'Such is my gratitude that I have today signed a treaty with the ambassador of Emperor Claudius. Henceforth, Palmyra and its domain will be accorded the status of a client kingdom of the Roman Empire.'The king paused and looked straight at his surviving son. For a moment there was pity in his eyes and then sad resignation. 'I understand, full well, that this treaty will not be to the liking of some of my people. But the choice that faces us is between being an ally of Rome or a conquest of Parthia.'

'No!' Prince Balthus shook his head, then pointed at his father. 'You know what client status means, Father. Once you are gone, Palmyra will become a Roman province. We will lose our independence. We will lose our king and fall under the heel of Rome.'

'Yes,' Vabathus said loudly. 'But that is the price that I must pay, and that you must accept.'

'I shall not accept it,' Balthus replied hotly.'It is the king's duty to preserve his kingdom. Anything less would be a betrayal of the people of Palmyra.'

'You speak to me of betrayal,' Vabathus said icily. 'You dare to speak to me of betrayal? You who betrayed your own flesh and blood and ordered the death of your brother Amethus?'

Balthus shook his head.'I did no such thing!You have no proof.'

'No?' Vabathus turned to the side and barked out an order. 'Bring him out here, where all can see.'

There was a soft grunt and moan of pain and some sounds of shuffling footsteps from behind the dais, and then two of the king's bodyguards emerged carrying a dirty bundle of rags and scabbed and bruised flesh between them. They dragged their burden round to the front of the throne and threw it down.