Gaius stood taller.
“You’re orders, General?”
“Break camp and regroup with the column. We have to reach Rome before Hannibal does, or both the city, and we will be caught out in the cold with our asses hanging in the air.”
“I won’t allow that to happen. Not ever.” Gaius saluted Valerius, who just grinned as his young officer turned and left him.
Outside, the doctor was waiting. Right away, Gaius recognized the grim look on his face. He knew he was going to bear bad news.
“How bad is he?” Gaius asked, speaking first. The silence would have just killed him.
“Not good, I’m afraid. I’ve removed the majority of the splinters, but more than a few fragments are still lodged. They aren’t what concern me, however. I was unable to remove a large piece of the arrow head.”
Gaius gasp as the doctor paused and allowed his words to sink in.
“I’m sorry. But when he fell from his horse during the battle, he accidentally pushed the arrow deeper into his chest, too far for me to remove it without killing him.”
“What, will happen to him?”
“Infection will set. His blood will be poisoned, and then he will run a temperature. Eventually, the fever will kill him.”
“How long before that happens?”
“It is hard to say. I’ve seen men live days, even weeks. It will depend on how strong he is. Nevertheless, in the end, it will kill him. I’m sorry. I know how close you two are.”
Gaius was silent for a moment as the doctor’s words sank in. Again, he found himself forced to hold back his emotions, but every fiber of his being wanted to break down. First his father, then Antony, and now Valerius; he just didn’t know how much more he could take.
“Does he know?”
“Of course, but he won’t show how it is affecting him. He’s as tough as they come. I will do what I can to keep him comfortable, but his fate is in the hands of the gods now, and I don’t think they have much mercy for our people, not these days, any ways."”
“Thank you, doctor. I won’t keep you any longer from your duties. Prepare your patients. We will be moving within the hour.”
“Yes, sir.”
As the doctor left, Gaius had to rest against one of the poles that supported Valerius’ tent, to collect his thoughts. He couldn’t, not now, not when there was too much to do, allow his emotions to get the better of him. So, he took a deep breath, straightened himself, and continued onward. His work in the coming days would have to sustain him. When it was done, perhaps afterwards, and only then, would he allow himself the time he needed to grieve.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
There was a heavy fog that hung over the city as Gaius looked upon Rome and its outer walls. He stood along one of the many hills that dominated the surrounding countryside, staring with interest through the solid haze, trying to catch sight of anything that might seem out of the ordinary. He half expected to see the city surrounded by Hannibal’s army when the high walls first came into view. However, here and now, four days since the battle with the gladiator army, and nearly two full weeks since Cannae, he saw nothing, or no one, literally.
Typically, during this time of the year, the roads that led into the city would have been packed with people, carts and wagons bringing with them all sorts of good from around the Republic. Despite the war, commerce continued, but Gaius saw nothing, save for the wet and empty roads in all directions. Even the river and ports were devoid of any traffic.
He sent scouts in all directions, and when they first reported back to him hours ago that they saw no sign of Hannibal’s army, he sent out more and told them to go further, and find any signs that his army was here, or had been.
He simply couldn’t trust his eyes. The banners of the city-watch were still hung high over the walls, indicating Rome controlled its own walls. However, he couldn’t trust that either. As far as he knew, with no army, save for the city guards, which were only good at keeping the peace on the streets, not fighting wars, the city fathers could have turned Rome over to Hannibal instead of waiting out a prolonged siege. He found that hard to accept, but anything was possible, and the all clear signs on the walls could merely be a trap to lure in what remained of Rome’s armies.
Finally, after nearly an hour one of the riders he had sent to the city came racing back towards his direction. It was Avitus, Gaius could see. A few minutes later he was with him and quickly began to relay what the city guards had told him.
“The city is clear and still in our hands,” Avitus began to say the second his horse stopped. “We still control the city from what I’ve been told, but there are only a few thousand guards along the walls. They are stretched to the limit. And were they glad to see us.”
“What of Hannibal?” Gaius asked. He was still concerned about marching his men into Rome. With thousands of soldiers, wagons, supplies, and hundreds more wounded men from Cannae and the gladiator camp, it would take him hours to get the whole column into city. The last thing he wanted was to be caught between an approaching Carthaginian army and Rome’s outer walls.
“They said they've seen nothing of him. A few scouts here and there, but no army within miles of Rome.”
“Nothing?” Gaius asked shockingly.
“Yes, sir, nothing — in fact, no one seems to know where Hannibal is right now.”
“General!” Another soldier called from behind Gaius. It took him a moment to realize that it was he that was being addressed. With Valerius off of his feet, the legion and its survivors fell to him, so his men addressed him accordingly. He wondered if the title, if he should be allowed to keep it, would ever fit right on him.
“Soldier?”
“Consul Paullus, he would like to speak with you, sir.”
“Very well. Tell him I will be with him momentarily.”
The trooper nodded and saluted, then turned and raced back towards the main column.
“Return to the city and inform the watch captain that I will be brining in our men, through the east gate. Tell him to have a list of needed watch-posts, so I can get our men on the walls the second we are in the city,” Gaius commanded Avitus, who too saluted with a quick and eager, “Yes, sir, General,” before he turned his horse and trotted back down the paved road and disappeared a moment later into the thick haze.
Gaius walked through the long formation of his army. He was among the wagons and carts that carried the legion’s supplies, as well as the wounded, sick and injured. Paullus’ wagon, which was draped so to protect the consul from the elements, was in sight. Right away, Gaius saw Claudia standing outside the wagon. She smiled the moment she saw him.
He had come to welcome her pleasant greetings whenever the two met over the past four days. She was lovely and had caring eyes. Her long brown hair signaling her Greek heritage was pulled in a pony tail, still matted and dirty from her ordeal. Her clothing, a lengthy drab dress was stained with blood, most of it from the consular as she tended to him after Cannae.
Gaius admired her loyalty and devotion to Paullus. She could have abandoned him weeks ago, or could have joined Calfax and his other freed slaves, but she had remained and nursed Paullus during the worst of times.
“General,” she greeted Gaius warmly.
“You choose to walk and not ride inside with the consul?” Gaius asked as he stepped up to her and accepted her warm reception with his own wide smile.
“Oh, I’ve been stuck in there for days. I needed to stretch my legs. Besides, I’m eager to see Rome once more."” She ran her hand through her hair, seemly a bit vain about her appearance before she spoke once again. “Is it true that Hannibal isn’t anywhere near here? I’ve heard rumors among your men.”
“It would seem. Nevertheless, I still have men out there making sure that he isn’t near to us. Regardless, be ready to move quickly once the order is given. Now, is the consul free to speak to me?”