“Did your father ever tell you how he met your mother?”
“No, he did not,” Gaius replied as his ears perked up with renewed interested.
“Oh, wonderful; let me indulge you then. As it so happened, when your father was back in our camp, after his rescue of me, it was your mother who nursed him to health when he finally woke up from his long slumber.”
“Really, she did? Why was she in the camp?” Gaius asked with a wide smile.
“Well, as I’m sure you already know. Your mother was quite a talented healer. And too, she was a strikingly beautiful woman; some think your father acted through most of his recovery just to be around her longer. Many of the men, including myself had desired her, but it was your father who won her heart. Even still, I never saw what she saw in that big lug, but the two ultimately fell in love. However, there was one big problem that stood between their union.”
“What was that?”
Valerius looked down at Gaius and spoke softly as he answered, “Your mother was a slave.”
“A slave?!" He gasped, truly shocked by the revelation.
“Yes, I’m afraid so. She belonged to our camp prefect, and since she was beautiful, and a talented healer, the prefect was not willing to part with her. Nevertheless, that fact did not stop your father from approaching him and requesting that the prefect sign her over to him — he even offered to buy her.”
“What happened?”
“I’m getting there,” Valerius laughed. “Well, by the time your father woke up and started his romance with your mother, word gotten out about your father’s heroics on the battlefield, how he saved a certain promising officer with strong family connections, myself, from a hundred rampaging Carthaginians — or was it two hundred? I forget. Needless to say, your father was a real hero of Rome. The prefect offered him anything he wanted, promotion, money, other slaves, land and more, but it was only your mother whom he desired. Not wanting to lose face in front of his men, the prefect agreed to sign ownership of your mother over to Julius.”
“Then what happened,” Gaius asked eagerly.
“Well, you’re here aren’t you,” Valerius chuckled.
“That isn’t what I mean. What happened next? Did they marry?”
“Well, your mother was now the property of your father, and he could have forced her to do anything he wanted. However, the first thing he did was give your mother her freedom. I tried to talk him out of it. I believed she would run the moment, she was a freed woman, but to my surprise, she remained and agreed to marry your father. A few years later the war finally ended. Your father was awarded land for his bravery before he eventually left the army and retired to his property, where you grew up.”
Valerius’ smile widened as he admitted a hard truth to himself. “I must confess, while I’ve enjoyed my life, wealth, privilege and the chance to train many fine young men, I have always envied your father greatly. He found true love, something that is precious, and something that so few men actually manage to find.”
“I never knew any of this,” Gaius commented as his thoughts drifted.
“I suspect they never wanted you to know, not now any ways."”
Gaius smiled as he looked up at his new friend, “Thank you, Valerius.”
The veteran just smiled.
“You should hear about our exploits in Africa, your father and I. Now those were some harry days,” Valerius bellowed with a funny grin.
“Please tell me.”
Gaius stood taller as his stare fixed on Valerius as he began another story. For the rest of the night and the days that would follow, the apprehension between the two had left. They had bonded, overcoming the fear that lingered between the two. Now, from this moment on, Gaius was not fearful of what lie before him. He knew he could trust the old soldier as much as his father had, and for the first time, was excited by the adventure he was about to embark on.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The smell of fresh wheat that was a few days from being harvested filled Gaius’ nose. He loved that smell, the scent of life and hard work. It reminded him of home and the life he left behind, now seven days ago.
He and Valerius were now on the southern tip of Italy, heading toward the Sixth Legion’s barracks, which the old veteran commanded. It had been two days and nights since they had talked by the camp fire, sharing the stories of Valerius' past, which included tales of Gaius’ mother and father.
He had been afraid of the older man when he first saw him, but now neither one of them was uncomfortable with each other’s presence. They had become fast friends as they shared a common interest and love for Gaius’ family.
Valerius told more stories about his and Julius’ exploits in their youth, and Gaius listened to each one with keen interest. He figured, given time he would have his own story to tell, one that would equal his father’s. Even so, at the same time, the tales of his father’s deeds made him lonely. He had never felt altogether comfortable around his father — he had been closer to his mother, but since her passing the small house had been empty and cold, even though the two men shared it together. The only release Gaius had was when he was with Antony and Julia. At least with them, he could be a child, living life as he should, not troubled by the worries of men.
He missed his friends greatly. He wondered what they might be doing now, without him. So too his mind thought terrible things; he nearly convinced himself that they would forget about him in time, maybe even within a few months. It saddened him greatly, but no matter what his mind told him, his heart reassured him that he was doing this to fulfill his promise to Julia. He would grow strong, confident and skilled in new trades that he could protect her and keep her safe. From what, it did not matter, and for now, those thoughts kept him moving forward.
The field came into view as Gaius and Valerius rode over a hill, the sounds of their horses’ hooves clopping in a soothing pattern mixed with the joyful sounds, the singing birds and casual conversations of the workers in the fields as they readied the harvest. The sun was high and pleasantly warm. Gaius’ eyes widened as saw children running to and afro, playing in and around the fields, their mothers warning them every few minutes to stay where they could be seen. Hundreds of men and women walked casually down the narrow paved road with bushels of already gathered wheat on their backs, or carried in horse-drawn carts.
In the distance, he could make out the outline of the legion barracks, which was surrounded by a high wooden wall. Further still were hints of a small town.
A number of workers acknowledged Valerius, calling out greetings as the two rode slowly passed them. Gaius could see on the old veteran’s face that he enjoyed the small pleasantries as he sparked short conversations with a number of the men, asking about their families, knowing many of them by their names.
“Are these people your slaves?” Gaius’ head was on a swivel as he took in every detail, sight and sounds, feeling that he was on a grand adventure.
Valerius chuckled as he glanced back with a thin smile.
“No, these men and women are all freeborn. I pay them to work the field. We share in the bounty; my men are fed and clothed while the workers sell the goods in the town or export elsewhere. It is a simple arrangement that works for both parties. It is about balance, Gaius.”
“Balance?” Gaius asked confused. It seemed to be a lot of work to him for so little reward.
“Yes. Look at them. Look at each of their faces. Are those the faces of slaves?”
“But Rome has many slaves.”
“Indeed, it was built on the backs of slaves. Countless generations of people, both from our own piece of the world and from lands not seen by my eyes have lived under the crack of a whip. Even today, without them the whole system would cease to exist, and the Republic would crumble.”