“True,” Justus remarked. “Gaius is a good lad. He’s strong, intelligent, and eager. It’s this last trait that gets him in trouble. He tries so hard to please me, but in doing so he becomes reckless. I do hope when he gets older he’ll be able to temper his aggression with prudence.”
“Think he’ll follow you into the legions?”
Justus nodded immediately at Pilate’s question.
“Without a doubt. He’s incredibly smart, and his potential is unlimited no matter what career path he chooses. However, I know that in his heart he wants to be a soldier. I can’t say I’m disappointed, although I do make certain he studies his academic lessons well. If my son is going to be a legionary, then he will be an educated one!”
Pilate smiled at his friend’s enthusiasm. Justus was not known for showing emotions of any sort to his children, and yet he could not stop from beaming when talking about them to his friends. Inside Pilate wondered if Gaius would ever know how his father felt about him.
“So,” Justus said, changing topics, “what do think of the Praetorians so far?”
“They’re not bad,” Pilate replied with a shrug. “Rather pompous, most of them. But then I guess they have earned that right.”
“Yeah, most of them just avoid me if they can,” Justus observed. “They see me as nothing more than a minor irritant; not only because I am but a soldier from the legions, but also because they know my purpose here is not simply to build goodwill between the rankers and the Praetorians. They know the eastern governors do not trust all that comes through the imperial post, but they did not want to cause a stir by having to dispatch a diplomat.”
“And is there reason for them to feel they are being left in the dark?” Pilate’s voice was lined with concern.
Justus sought to dispel it. “It’s not that bad. I mean, everyone knows your boss, Sejanus, screens everything going in and out through the imperial post. However, I think the eastern legates are given all the information that is relevant to their duties. If anything, Sejanus censors the bits of unsubstantiated gossip that would only serve to tarnish the Emperor’s good name and act as a distraction to the governors. A private courier comes about once every six weeks to see what information I may have. I give them just enough to keep them intrigued, and therefore keep me here in Rome.”
Pilate laughed and slapped his friend on the shoulder. Justus was a good soldier; one who had seen his fair share of battle in the east. He despised being used as a political pawn. However, with no wars to fight he figured he would make the best of his situation. Pilate could only do the same.
“So who in the bloody hell was that?” Artorius asked later, when the section was sitting at a table outside a café by the docks.
“Diana Procula,” Decimus replied without missing a beat.
All eyes turned towards the legionary who was busily devouring his lunch of strip steak and freshly baked bread. He looked up and stopped chewing when he saw his companions staring at him.
“What?” he asked with a shrug. “She’s Proculus’ cousin, or at least some type of relative. She came here to see him before going off to run his new country estate.”
“What of the young girl?” Magnus asked.
“That’s her sister, Claudia,” Decimus replied through a mouthful of bread.
Gavius nearly choked on his wine. “That’s not our Pilate’s Claudia is it?”
Decimus nodded in reply.
“I knew she was young, I just did not realize she was still a little girl.”
“Well, that works for Pilate,” Magnus conjectured. “From what I remember, he loves the bachelor life, and he won’t have to marry her for some years yet. Getting the betrothal out of the way just secures his alliance with her family, which, I must say, is quite influential.”
“That they are,” Decimus concurred.
Artorius remained quiet. He had hardly spoken a word since they left the forum. He knew that Diana Procula was of the patrician class and therefore off limits to a lowly legionary. And yet he could not help but still feel enraptured by her gaze. In the moment that he had been able to lay his eyes on her, he knew that she exuded everything he found most noble; a strong mind, a physically fit body, a noble yet kind demeanor, and to say nothing of her sheer physical beauty.
“Artorius, you haven’t said much,” Carbo remarked as everyone turned their attention from Decimus to their decanus.
“Huh?” Artorius shook his head quickly, clearing his mind. “Sorry, I was miles away.”
“No you weren’t,” Carbo retorted. “You were still back in the forum, admit it!”
Artorius’ blushing caused his friends to start laughing and heckling him in their amusement.
“Alright, so maybe I was still back there,” he replied. “You can’t tell me none of you were stunned by her beauty.”
“To be honest, we were all too busy watching you run into the pillar,” Magnus said, causing Artorius to turn an even deeper shade of red.
“I caught sight of her,” Carbo remarked, eyes looking distant. “She really is beautiful; clearly out of any of our league, though. I wouldn’t even know what to do with someone like that.”
Valens put his arm around Carbo’s shoulder and started to speak in a consolatory tone. “Well, you see it’s like this; when a man and a woman who love each other very much. . actually they don’t necessarily have to love each other. . in fact, as a man even liking them is really optional. . anyway, they get these certain urges. .”
A quick rap from the back of Carbo’s hand interrupted the rest of his dissertation. “Alright, finish up and let’s get ready to move out,” Artorius ordered. “There’s a new slaver in town that set up shop by Four Corners Road, and I want to make certain he’s keeping a watchful eye on his wares.”
As the section donned their helmets and started away from the docks, Magnus gave him a smack on the shoulder. “If it helps, I know the town brothel got in some new stock yesterday. You might be able to get something fresh and unspoiled, if you know what I mean.” “Those girls are expensive!” Valens complained.
“You get what you pay for,” Gavius observed.
Valens could only shrug and nod in reply.
Artorius took a deep breath and stepped out ahead of his men. They were right, of course. Someone like Lady Diana would view the likes of him as little more than a serf, even if her cousin had come from similarly humble beginnings. He would have to settle for spending a few coins on some new and exotic entertainment to satisfy what he figured was nothing more than overborne lust.
He was still adjusting to their new assignment, but after the Sacrovir Revolt, he knew he owed it to himself to enjoy his good fortune. Policing a rapidly growing city was far different than securing the frontier against rampaging barbarians, or suppressing rebellions when outnumbered and uncertain as to who one’s allies were. Still, it was part of his duties as a soldier of Rome.
Heracles strode through the rubble and ash that still smoldered; the charred remains of Sacrovir’s mansion house. The Romans had taken anything of value that they had been able to find. Corpses were left where they lay. He climbed over mounds of fallen roof tiles and collapsed walls, searching for. . well, he was not sure exactly what.
He came to the remains of the great hall they had been meeting in. The roof, as well as the entire second story, had collapsed on this area. The charred ruins of furniture still smoked, even though the rains had long since put out the fires. And then he saw it, a glint in the gloom of the destroyed building. He crawled over until he could see it plainly; a gilded sword handle, sticking out of the pile of rubble. It was Sacrovir’s weapon, the one he had had made by the best smiths in all of Gaul.