Swords of Rome (48 page)

“He knew what he was doing,” Julia said softly. “He followed his father like a good son should, and fought to protect his country like every man should.”

“And he died for it. They all died for nothing. They were led by foolish men, even those with the noblest intentions. In the end, we are no safer now than we were before...I should have been there.”

“Maybe so, Gaius,” Julia looked up at him, rubbing her hand over his still youthful features. “But he
sent you away, not to save you or to protect me, but because he loved you as his brother. He could not change his fate, and he knew that. Even so, he knew he could spare you a similar end.”

Gaius clutched the medallion tightly in his fist as Julia’s words sank in. He then bent down and kissed her, which she returned with a passion bef
ore she rolled over, facing him and again shared the same breath as, he.

“I love you more than life, Gaius,” she uttered softly as she ran her hand over his bare chest. “And I know you will leave again.”

He tried to say something, to deny it, but she stopped him before a word left his mouth.

“Nothing that happens from this poi
nt onward will ever change what we feel about each other.”

Julia took the medallion away from him and carefully placed it back around his neck, un
til it rested against his chest where it belonged.

“You will
come back to me when this is over. I know you will. And until that day, I will be waiting for you.”

He kissed her again as he lowered her down onto her back. This would be his moment, the one he would live for –
the one that would sustain him and allow him to see the war to the end.

For her, he would come back, no matter what.

“Gaius,” Claudia
greeted Gaius with a wide smile. She was less formal than she should have been with a person of his status, being that she was a slave and he now a general, a legate promoted as commander of the Sixth Legion. He, however, did not care for social edict, least of all when he saw her warm and loving smile. She was his friend, regardless of her class, and he greeted her as such as he embraced her with a long and meaningful huge.

“Claudia, it is good to see that you are well,”
Gaius replied as he knelt down and kissed her youthful cheek. He realized that this was the first time that he had seen her cleaned and in proper clothes. She was very easy on the eye, long brown hair and blue eyes. However, Claudia had been raised into slavery, so the only alien aspects about her, were her features and not her accent or manners.

“It does my heart good to see you in better spirits, general,” she grinned, which caused Gaius to blush when she addressed him by his rank.

He stared down at her and smiled, perhaps looking at her a bit longer than he should have. She really did look different, but she didn’t seem to mind his long glare. 

“I never got the chance to thank you. I mean, really thank you for what you did for me and the consul.” She looked up at him, who was considerably taller than she. “What you did, I do not think others would have done. I thought I was going to die there. I should have.”

“I did what any good Roman would have done,” he replied, not wanting to take too much credit for what he had done.

In his
eyes, the operation was still a failure, to some degree. Calfax escaped.  Valerius died as a result of the battle, and hundreds of Romans had been tortured and murdered. He didn’t think he would ever let himself off the hook for that day, what he could have had done differently – acted sooner to save more lives.

“Perhaps, b
ut it was you that saved us. And for that, you have my gratitude, and love.”

Gaius smiled at her, accepting her words.

“Claudia, could I ask you something personal?”

“Of course.”

Gaius hesitated. He thought that perhaps he couldn't ask his question on second thought, but he saw, as she looked up at him, waiting eagerly for him to ask that she want to hear him.

“While you were in the camp...well, it was filled with runaway slaves, many like you, young women. They had their freedom, even for a short time, yet, you stayed with the consul when you could
have left him – ran away or joined the slaves if you so wished. Why did you stay with Paullus, despite that it could have cost you your life?”

Claudia crossed her arms
as she lowered her head and thought about his words.

“To be honest, Gaius, I did think about it...many times. But I couldn’t...I couldn’t leave, Paullus...I...”

Gaius observed that Claudia had not called Paullus by his title, as she should have. Her words seemed to trail off as her mind returned to those days, now weeks past. She looked as if she was going to say more even though she seemed afraid to continue, but she didn’t have to as Gaius placed his hand on her shoulders, easing her nerves.

“It is okay. I understand.”

She smiled and escorted him towards the rear of the house. When they turned the corner, they walked into a large room. Gaius saw Paullus right away as he was standing near the far corner, near the balcony. He was dressed, shaved and cleaner than Gaius had recalled seeing him, and as he turned and faced them once Claudia had announced Gaius’ presence, Paullus smile with a big grin as he limped over towards the man who saved his life.

Gaius met Paullus halfw
ay, not wanting the man to injury himself further by trying to make the journey to greet his guest.

The swelling around
Paullus’ face had gone down considerably, and he had even managed to gain back some of the weight he had lost. Still, Gaius knew that Paullus should have remained in bed a few weeks longer. However, he obviously wanted to make the effort.

“Consul, it does my heart well to see that you are up and about,” Gaius said as he took Paullus’ hand once it was extended.

“And it feels good I assure you. In fact, it feels amazing to be alive.”

Gaius noticed
Claudia's smile as she listened to her master’s cheerful words as he escorted Gaius over to a series of plush chairs.

“Wine, breed, fruit?”
Paullus offered as Claudia helped him down into his chair.

Gaius made sure to sit after the consul had before he politely declined the display that was set out before him.

“I am sorry to hear that Valerius did not survive his wounds,” Paullus then said, his voice filled with genuine sorrow.

“As am I; h
e will be missed by the Sixth,” Gaius replied.

“He will be missed by all of Rome. While I did not know
him, as well as I would have liked, I always liked that he spoke his mind, and seemed to know more than he let on. He properly could have been consul himself if he hadn’t distanced himself from Rome and politics as much as he had.”

“He loved Rome, but detested its politics. His end came as he had wanted, in battle, among his men.”
             

“I’
m afraid very few men such as he is left. This war has claimed many of our city fathers, and greatest generals. Rome, and this war will be passed to men such as you, Gaius – our youth.”

“Rome has you, sir.”

Paullus smiled as he shook his head before taking a sip of spice wine that Claudia had poured him moments earlier.

“No. I had my chance, and I failed
. It is hard for me to admit, but I was as foolish and brash as my predecessors were. How many of our brave sons could still be here if better men than I had led them? Instead, I marched them to their doom. I’m done with politics and the army. I will sit the rest of my term as consul out, and let Rome be as it will be. My service is done.”

Paullus seemed sadden by his words, but Gaius could see in his eyes that he was indeed tired. His brush with death
was it. He wasn’t afraid Gaius felt, but the very thought of having to go out there again and face Rome’s enemies, must have terrified him. He didn’t blame him.

“Then
, what will you do now?” Gaius asked.

“You
know I really don’t know. I never wanted this life to begin with. However, family legacy is important to our people, so I was expected for this life. So I had to follow it. Perhaps now, maybe, I will marry and grow something useful. I have – had a farm that I enjoyed a great deal, until Hannibal burnt it down last year. I think I will rebuild it next summer and start anew, start a family and just grow old and fat.” Paullus had a funny smile as, his words drifted off, as his mind was already in that field working under the hot glare of the sun, planting and cultivating the land as his children ran about, enjoying their freedom.

“I think that is wonderful...A worthy goal indeed.”

“Do
not worry, before I go, I will make sure that Valerius’ Will is honored in the Senate. His wealth, his lands and the Sixth Legion will be yours, as he instructed.  Congratulations, General,” Paullus said with a raised goblet.

Gaius nodded his thanks. He couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud. He
not at any time wanted this, and did not expect it. Valerius had at no time made any mention of his plans after his death. Gaius assumed the Sixth would be given to another officer who was appointed by the Senate, or handed to one of the senior troopers within the legion – those still alive. However, times had changed, and very few capable and experienced officers were left at this point, so there would be no argument over who was now appointed the command. 

“Tomorrow,” Paullus continued, “the Senate will appoint Fabius Maximus as dictator.”

“Really?” Gaius asked surprised. He knew that politically a dictator was only appointed in the most extreme of crisis, and even then, it was very rare.

“Yes. It will fall to him to begin a new campaign and try, somehow, someway, to win this war. At
least, those fools in the Senate won’t be able to undermine him, and with no consul, including me to second guess him, perhaps we may survive this after all.”

Paullus put his goblet down and leaned in closer towards Gaius. A big smile appeared on his face as she stared at the young general.
“However, I did not bring you here to fill you in on dreary politics or current events, Gaius.”

“Oh? Then why did you summon me?”

Paullus stood up to his feet even though it seemed to cause him some pain.

“You saved my life that day when it would have been easier to ignore what you had discovered.”

“Consul,” Gaius said as he shook his head. “It was not just I, and really it was nothing.”

“Oh? Saving my life was
nothing?” Paullus asked amused.

“That was not what I meant,” Gaius replied nervously.

Paullus laughed.

“I meant; I did what was required of me, as a Roman, a soldier and an officer of the Republic.”

“Please, Gaius. I know more than a handful of men that wouldn’t have tried what you, and your men did. You should have left us to our fate and returned to Rome. You exposed your men to uncertain dangers, and perhaps even put the whole Sixth at risk. Hannibal could have arrived at Rome’s walls before you had, or there could have had been a larger force in the camp...There was any number of
if's
and
buts
that could have gone wrong. However, you acted quickly and without thought to your own safety. I don’t think many men could have done as much, least of all without thought to the reward you would be given by saving a consul of Rome.”

Gaius wanted to say more, deny what Paullus was
saying that he believed more men, all men, all good Romans would have had done the same. He saved his arguments and allowed Paullus to continue.

“But since
you did save a consul of Rome, you should be rewarded. I would like to offer it myself. Name it, anything, and it shall be yours, Gaius.”

“Consul, you’ve already granted me the Sixth Legion. What more could I ask of you?” 

“Those were Valerius’ wishes. And frankly, there is no one else that could command the Sixth at this point. Regardless, I would request that you ask for something, anything that your heart desires.”

Gaius glanced over at Claudia. She stood near the far corner, a big sm
ile on her face as she listened, seemly sensing his uneasiness.

“Your friendship would be all that I ask,” Gaius stated.

“Bah! That is already yours,” Paullus replied as he sat back down and stared at Gaius for a long while. Clearly, he wasn’t going to let him leave his house until he made an honest request.

After a long moment of silence, Gaius actually laughed as
an amusing thought crossed his mind. Paullus smiled and ask, “What is so comical?"

Gaius shook his head as he remembered the first story that Valerius had told him many years ago.