Grabbing a lantern, which hung on the wall near the entrance of the stables, Gaius walked down the narrow path that was centered between two rows of holding pins that housed the army’s horses. When he reached the one, he was moving toward, Gaius opened the gate where his horse, a black-coated stallion, which he named Apollo, raised his head with interest as Gaius stepped inside, hanging the light on the wall.
The horse lifted his ears and nodded his head as Gaius ran his hand along Apollo’s neck.
“Hello, my friend, guess what?” Gaius spoke softly.
Apollo, whom Gaius had named in honor of his father, recalling the story that Valerius had told him ten years ago near the camp fire, about his father’s bravery, of course did not respond as he nudged his master, indicating that he wanted Gaius to continue rubbing his neck.
“We are going to Rome,” Gaius finished, his voice still low. In the distance, he could hear the beginnings of celebration as word had spread quickly about the prospects of going to war.
Most of the legion was young — legionaries from sixteen to twenty-two, with a few hundred older veterans, yet few who saw action during the last war. So, with excitement, the Sixth was eager to prove itself in doing what it had been trained for, glorious war. Gaius’ mind was, however, trapped in the past. It hadn’t dawned on him that he would be going home, back to Rome until Maurus had said as such. Now, his thoughts plagued him with memories of Antony and Julia, who had never been far from his mind.
“I wonder what they are like now. Antony was only a year younger than me — how he must have grown. And his sister, Julia — I’ve told you about her, haven’t I?” Gaius mussed.
Again, Apollo failed to reply.
“She must be sixteen. I wonder what has become of her, how beautiful she must be now, nearly a woman — a Roman lady.”
Gaius felt silly, not because he was speaking with his horse, but at the memories of the girl, he only remembered as a frightened child that had cried in his arms when he left home.
“I wonder if she even remembers me. So much time has gone by. I’m not so different, am I?” Apollo lifted his head, staring at Gaius with his big brown eyes. “I am being silly, aren’t I? We were children, and she was much younger than I. Our time together was brief, less than a year. How can I expect either of them to recall a distant friend they hardly knew?”
Gaius knew that he could not expect their memories of him to be as cherished as his. They had lives of their own; years to make new friends, to fall in and out of love. He couldn’t help but feel selfish and arrogant to think that he meant as much to them as they did to him.
“I should not worry about such things, should I? We might be going to war soon. I’ve trained, and I’ve excelled at becoming a soldier. I have a duty to my men and to my country, and yet, I can’t stop thinking of them — of her.”
Gaius put his head down on his horse’s neck, rubbing its fur with his hand as he asked his last question.
“Tell me, Apollo, am I a fool for being in love with a dream?”
Gaius waited, but Apollo just made a faint noise that was either disagreement, or a statement that he was indeed a fool. Which it was, he could merely guess.
“Thanks, you are a lot of help, you know that,” Gaius smiled as he went back to brushing his horse. Outside, the camp was making preparations for war. What would come next filled Gaius’ young mind with all sorts of possibilities. At the very least, he would get the chance to see Rome again. He wondered how much the city had grown since his last visit.
In three days time, he would know.
CHAPTER TEN
A harsh wind cut through the city just as thick gray clouds opened and unleashed their captive water, which seemed to fall like buckets down onto the sooty paved streets.
The rain beaded off Gaius’ red cloak as if it was in retreat the moment it touched him. The discomfort wasn’t enough to impair the joy that he felt, to be back in the grand city he had only visited once in his youth. Nothing about Rome seemed to have changed from last he remembered; running through the streets as a boy, enjoying all the wonders his young mind hadn’t experienced before. Only now, his perspective was different as he looked at his city with older eyes.
He wore full armor, the same dark leather plate that his father had given him ten years ago, when he left home for the Sixth Legion. A long red cape draped from his shoulders and wrapped around the hindquarters of his horse. Apollo trotted in a slow rhythmic pattern as if the animal believed he was on parade. The hooves of Valerius’ steed, who rode beside Gaius, echoed down the crowded streets, causing all who stood before them to step aside as they headed towards the great forum, in the heart of the city, and while not customary to ride horses in the city, Valerius wanted to reach the Senate without pause.
A week ago, Gaius was frightened by the prospect of returning to Rome. Now, he could hardly contain his excitement as he caught himself talking in every sight and sound, with the same enthusiasm he had when he was twelve.
Valerius, on the other hand, did not have any interest in the city, and in fact, he loath it. Gaius knew the old Roman well enough to know that he preferred the open country to the artificial stone and wooden structures and narrow streets of the city. He might defend Rome to his last breath, but walking through it was another matter.
Valerius kept his attention forward. A tight-ridged expression that Gaius had lovingly become used to over the years was present on his weathered face. It was painfully clear that he wanted to hurry and get to the Senate, and be done with his duty, and off to join the campaign. Gaius tried his best to follow his mentor’s example. He rode tall atop his horse and gripped the reins firmly; chin held high like an officer on display. Even the continuing annoyance of the dripping water from the brim of his helmet was ignored. Still, despite his best efforts, he found that his attention continued to drift from one sight to the next as it had done when he was younger.
The streets, even with the heavy rainfall, were filled with hundreds of people who shopped or ate at the numerous stands that lined the busy corners. There seemed to be a pub or brothel on every block, Gaius noted, and not a single one seemed short of business.
One brothel caught his gaze as he rode by. It was quite elegant, made from white stone and freshly painted red wood. Out front stood several beautiful women who chatted to each other, or enticed only the wealthiest of men to enter their establishment, with wooing comments of great pleasures and wondrous exploitations of the flesh they won’t soon forget.
The women wore silk dresses that were cut low around their breasts, and had slits that showed their long and shapely legs. They adorned themselves with a wide assortment of jewels in their ears and or around their necks. Many of the women wore bright-colored wigs of red, blonde, black or other assorted colors that weren’t natural to the female body. However, most engaging about them was their odor; their exotic perfume carried over the street, drawing any man to them like a Siren' call.
One woman caught Gaius’ eye, in particular. She was an extremely beautiful young lady with lengthy hair. Her skin was tanned and seemed softer than a bed of feathers as long lashes, heavy with dark mascara wrapped around her piercing eyes, giving her an exotic, foreign look.
She watched Gaius as he rode past her, never taking her eyes off the young officer.
He smiled at her with a boyish grin, which she returned pleasantly.
So focused on this woman, Gaius veered his horse into Valerius’ own animal as both horses neighed and nipped at each other. This quickly brought Gaius’ attention from his fantasy as he corrected his error.
Valerius looked oddly at him, not saying a word as Gaius quietly voiced his apologies.