“He is. Even so, do try to keep it short. While he would not act like it, he is still in a lot of pain and very weak.”
“I promise to make it quick. And, I’m sure with your loving care the consul’s recovery will continue.”
Claudia blushed as Gaius walked past her and over to the rear of the wagon that carried Paullus. Two guards stood, ever vigilant outside. Each stepped aside as Gaius pulled himself inside.
Paullus lay on a floor of the wagon, covered with several thick blankets. He was awake and was seemly reading over a stack of clay tablet; each one, the various reports from the quartermaster and cohort centurions about the status of the legion.
Gaius would have preferred that the consul rest since he had regained consciousness and his fever broke two days ago, but Paullus needed to keep himself busy and feel like he could contribute something to this ragged army. While the law dictated that Paullus could have taken command of the legion, even in his current state, not once had he made such a request. He allowed Gaius to make all the decisions, despite that he knew Valerius was no longer fit for command. The consul just wanted to be brought up to speed on what had been happening over the past two weeks, nothing more.
A part of Gaius was thankful. While he did not want the command of the Sixth like this, the thought of another man, other than Valerius giving the orders, was strange and unwelcome.
Paullus managed a smile, or as best he could when he saw Gaius. His face was still badly bruised as large purple welts had formed over the cuts to his forehead and cheeks. One eye was totally shut, and fresh cuts above it indicate that the legion doctor had been bleeding him, so to lessen the swelling before it risked his eye. The other cuts upon his body had already been stitched up, but the consul still had very little feeling in his legs and feet, and his left arm was nearly useless. He may never regain its use again, or so he was told.
Gaius could see in his one good eye that Paullus was in a lot of pain, but he had insisted that most of the medicine be used for those soldiers worse off than he, so he endured as best he could and tried to keep his mind active.
“General,” Paullus said, still being formal despite his more relaxed attitude he, for some reason, tended to show around Gaius. He was in the field, so Paullus kept his soldierly manner raised until everyone was in the city and safe. “I’ve been told that your men have not found any traces of Hannibal or his barbarian allies.”
“It is true, sir. And we’ve made contact with the city guards. They’ve confirmed as much.”
“Next I assume you will be marching the legion into the city and take up defensive positions along the wall?”
Gaius noticed that Paullus didn’t make it an order, but addressed his words as a question. He was still very new to this, given so much responsibility over so many lives. Paullus certainly knew this, but seemed to trust him to do what needed to be done without having to state the obvious.
“I will be, sir.”
“Good. You must ensure that our march into the city is done quickly, but calmly. We cannot afford to be caught between the city walls and Hannibal, if he should show up.”
“Of course; I’ve already begun preparations, even as we speak.”
“You’ll also want to meet with the Senate as soon as possible. You may represent me in my stay. When I am set in my estate and capable, I will receive them. But until then, I will be placing you in command of the soldiers inside the city, and those that are already under your authority.”
“Sir, is that wise? I am not a knight or a member of the senate. Certainly, an older and wiser officer should take command of Rome’s defenses.” Gaius was humbled and troubled at the same time by Paullus’ command that it should be he that carries out Rome’s defense.
“Do you feel that you are not up to the task, Gaius?” Paullus asked as he raised himself up a bit on his elbows.
“No, sir, I am more than ready, if that is your orders.”
“It is.”
“Some might argue this,” Gaius added.
“Not with this.” Paullus reached, squinting in pain, which nearly caused Gaius to step over to him and help, but he held back as the older man grabbed a sealed roll.
“If anyone, and there will be more than a few that will give you trouble about you taking command of the city’s defenses, show them this. The Senate will back it up.” Paullus handed the document over to Gaius, who took it and carefully stared down at Paullus’ crest, which had been sealed in wax.
“My orders are in writing. No one will dare to cross you, not until the threat has passed.”
“Yes, sir. I won’t let you down, sir.”
“Very good. I won’t keep you from your duties any longer. You are dismissed.”
“Consul,” Gaius nodded and was about to turn and leave Paullus, but he quickly called Gaius again, low and barely auditable.
“Sir?” Gaius had the feeling since he first came that Paullus hadn’t summoned him just for a report or to give him some last minute orders.
“Will you go see her, Julia, when we are back in the city?” Paullus asked.
Gaius hesitated for a moment. He had thought about little else over the past few days when he had a moment to his own thoughts.
“I–I doubt I will be able to for some time. I must see to the city’s defense and coordinate with whatever officers remain within Rome,” Gaius answered, speaking the truth, but also knowing he was avoiding the fact that he didn’t want to face her, not just yet.
“I understand. I…” Paullus paused again, “Don’t think I could see her right now either. Not like this. Not after everything…”
“I understand, sir,” Gaius replied as Paullus turned his head away from him, seemly more frail and weaker than ever.
It pained him greatly to see the man as he was, broken and beaten. He could see in Paullus’ eyes the weight and guilt he carried on his shoulders. He lost the army, his army. Death might have spared him the torment of knowing that. But he had lived when so many tens of thousands had not.
Neither man said more as Gaius turned and left, leaving Paullus alone with his own doubts and painful thoughts.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Gaius walked through the gates of Rome four times in his life. Twice it was jubilant; the city was new to him and full of wonders. He thought he could have lost himself. But now, like before, after the defeats at Trebia and Trasimene, the city was foreign to him — a ghost of brick and marble. Those few thousand city guards who had remained behind, those that had not abandoned their posts and fled with their families had long faces and tired eyes. The return of the Sixth Legion and the survivors of Cannae were not enough to give them hope, as the column of soldiers marched through the gates in the pouring rain.
Gaius tried as best he could monitor the long march into the city. He had sent one cohorts in first so that they could take positions along the walls, while leaving the last two outside to protect the rear. He set up an unbroken chain of communications, starting five miles beyond the city limits, to his current position. If even a hare was spotted, he would know of it within ten minutes. The walking wounded, sick and wounded were then allowed into the city once he was certain he had set up a strong defense. He made sure that his prisoners were brought into the city through a different gate. He couldn’t afford to have them making any trouble, or more so, the Roman guards wanting to exact their built-up aggressions and fears on those men, not until each had been debriefed for whatever information they could reveal.
After, Gaius assumed that all of them would be tortured and then crucified — placed outside the city walls as a warning to any future slave who may think of siding with Hannibal. Unfortunately, while Gaius would have preferred to have stayed with his men until every last one of them was safely inside the city walls, he had been hounded continuously by officers and aids to the Senate. Their questions were endless and asked with such frequency that he barely had time to answer one before another was asked.