Bedrock of Empire

by Thomas M D Brooke

  Food was brought and then taken away by large burly men. They were closely watched by military guards, who stayed on the other side of the barred gate. Each time we asked our captors for news from the palace their responses were either nonchalant shrugs or strings of verbal abuse. I was pretty sure they didn’t know much more than the gladiators.

  Publius, Flavus, and I whiled away our time discussing places in Rome we knew, and what we missed about the great city. All three of us were wondering whether we’d ever see her again. Flavus found us some threadbare blankets to warm us through the night, but the cacophony of snores and other unpleasant sounds from the gladiators, mixed with anxiety and worry, made sleep difficult at best.

  That was why I was only half-asleep when I heard the sound of armoured men coming down the steps in the middle of the night. I shook Flavus on the shoulder, and he immediately opened his eyes. I placed a finger over his mouth to ensure his silence and signalled to the direction of the stairs. The sound of the heavily sandalled feet and clinking armour was clear, and he sat up silently and woke Publius. I crept over to the bars on the gate and watched the long file of soldiers come down the stairs and gather outside. I looked over with concern to Flavus and shook my head when he picked up his gladius. There were far too many for us to fight.

  I once again signalled for the other two to remain quiet as we slipped further back into our confined space to buy us some time.

  ‘Who are they?’ whispered Publius.

  I just shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. I looked around, seeking help from elsewhere. Most of the other gladiators appeared to be asleep, and no one roused, but I guessed that some of the more alert would now be awake and listening to what was about to transpire. Should I shout out and warn them, call them to arms? Would anyone listen to me? Unlikely.

  I heard the gate being unlocked, and a centurion I didn’t recognise stepped through. He cleared his throat, then declared, ‘We are here for Cassius Aprilis.’

  I heard the odd grunt come from the sleeping forms of the gladiators as some turned over in their sleep. Not one stood up and asked why. These men were clearly used to being told what to do, and they weren’t interested in involving themselves in something that wasn’t their business. I’d find no help there; the spirit of Spartacus didn’t live on in our bunch of gladiators. Flavus looked at me and I held my hand on his chest; there would be no hiding from this either. I stepped forward out of the shadows. ‘I am Quaestor Cassius. Who are you, and what do you want?’

  Publius and Flavus stood by my side, hands on the hilts of their gladii. Access to weapons in this dungeon wasn’t an issue, but we were hopelessly outnumbered. A hedge of spears faced us from behind a solid shield wall. The centurion simply said, ‘Drop your weapons.’

  Flavus looked at me, and I gave him a nod of compliance. We unbuckled our weapons and let them drop to the floor. Instantly, strong men from the group of soldiers came and grabbed us and dragged us through the cell gate. I heard the cell door slam behind us, and we were dragged up the stairs. I felt my panic rise. This wasn’t how quaestors of Rome were normally treated. As the guards pushed me up the stairs, one of them twisted my arm behind my back.

  ‘Take your hands off me,’ I spat at him through gritted teeth. ‘I am here on the orders of the imperial family. I demand to be taken to the governor.’

  Flavus and Publius joined in with my protest, objecting to our rough treatment. The centurion stopped on a landing in the stairs and held his hand for the soldiers to halt. I felt a rush of relief. ‘Can you please tell these men that this is no way to treat a full quaestor of Rome!’

  The centurion didn’t even look at me; he just addressed one of the soldiers holding me. ‘Gag them.’

  My eyes popped in shock and anger, but before I could protest further a gag was tied painfully around my mouth. I struggled against the men holding me, bitterly regretting that I’d surrendered our weapons so easily. It was hopeless against so many men, but I was lost to my fear and panic now. Memories of being dragged in a similar manner in the Teutoburg flooded my senses. I knew what it meant to be dragged to one’s death; I wasn’t going to go easily. I tried to kick and twist my way out of their grasp.

  The centurion’s face was impassive as he said, ‘Tie his legs if you have to.’

  I felt my arm being twisted further up behind my back, as a guard told me, ‘If you don’t stop, I’ll snap it.’

  I gave a stiff nod. I was in a cold sweat, fear coursing through my entire body.

  We were hauled further up the steps and then into a long dark corridor, before being taken down a long flight of stairs on the other side. This ended in a stout door, which the centurion pulled open and urgently beckoned the soldiers to take us through. I tried to ask where they were taking us, struggling as I was pulled past the centurion, but he ignored my mumbled protests. The dark and dimly lit passages didn’t bode well. It was clear I wasn’t being taken to an audience with the governor as I’d hoped.

  At the end of the next corridor, I saw two men in deeply hooded cloaks. I redoubled my futile struggles against my captors as blind panic lent me strength. I’d been brought up in Rome, and I’d heard of the ritual strangling of her enemies from a young age. Were these our executioners?

  The guards holding me cursed as I tried to kick and struggle free from their grasp. One of them pushed my arm further up my back, but even the threat of a broken arm wasn’t enough to quieten me now. From the sounds coming from behind me, Flavus and Publius were also struggling. A guard swore as I kicked him in the knee and he drew his gladius in anger to quieten me properly.

  ‘Stop,’ shouted one of the hooded men in a loud authoritative voice.

  We all stopped in surprise and I turned to see who had spoken. He lowered his hood, revealing the face of the commander of the palace guard. ‘Marianus,’ I whispered.

  The larger man by his side also lowered his hood and I almost cried in relief as I saw my friend Marcus standing there. He said sternly to Marianus, ‘You told me they wouldn’t be hurt.’

  Marianus gave a long sneer. ‘Can I help it if they struggle against my men?’

  Marcus’ face was red with anger, but he kept his composure. ‘Let them go at once.’

  Marianus turned to his men, saying in a hard tone, ‘Do as he says. The sooner they are out of here, the better.’

  One of the guards gruffly pulled out the gag from my mouth and they pushed me towards their commander. I was so relieved that I thanked Marianus as I stumbled towards him.

  ‘Don’t bother thanking me. I’m not doing this for your welfare,’ he said in a bitter tone.

  I rubbed my arm, which was sore from being bent so far behind my back. ‘Then why?’

  Flavus and Publius came up behind me as Marianus answered with a sneer on his face. ‘Because the governor’s wife won’t be able to rule for long. If the old man dies, he’ll be replaced by someone sent from Rome. That man might ask awkward questions about what befell the quaestor Augustus sent. I’d rather not be the man left to answer that.’

  Marcus handed me my gladius, the one previously owned by Varus. ‘Hopefully you won’t need this, but you should have it. We need to go now. My men have already left the palace with Aulus. If Abelia hears of this, she’ll try and put a stop to it.’ He opened up a door behind him that led to the streets of the city.

  I smiled as I felt the reassuring weight of my own weapon back in my hand and the cool breeze from the night air. ‘Then let’s get going.’

  Chapter Forty

  ‘I still can’t believe they let us go,’ said Flavus, leaning on the bulwarks of the Severitas as we sailed out from the port of Tarraco. It was another hot day, but the gentle coastal breeze that filled the ship’s sails prevented it from being uncomfortable.

  I shrugged and gave a sigh. ‘I was surprised too, but I guess we’d fulfilled our purpose. Maybe Livianus awoke and after his temper cooled decided that incarcerating one of Rome’s representatives wasn’t su
ch a good idea after all.’

  Flavus rubbed his eyes. ‘Any news on Livianus?’

  I shrugged. ‘There was no official announcement in the city. So I guess he still lives, but Abelia might still be running things.’

  ‘I bet she wasn’t happy finding you gone?’

  ‘She may not even realise we’ve slipped through her grasp. I have a feeling that Marianus will keep it quiet from her for as long as possible.’

  As soon as we’d left the stadium, we’d run down to the city’s port and been reunited with my Praetorian Guards. Marcus had commandeered a portside warehouse where we could wait until Bricius came sailing into the harbour with the Severitas. There was a tense couple of days whilst we waited in the warehouse until he came sailing into port. We hadn’t wasted any time in coming aboard, but bringing Aulus’ new horse on board had taken a bit of negotiating. Bricius had only agreed after Aulus offered to pay him a small fortune when we returned to Rome.

  Flavus gave a bitter laugh and looked at me. ‘Each day we sat in that warehouse I kept expecting Marianus to change his mind and send his men after us.’

  I leant down on the bulwarks, watching the white seabirds circle around the fishing vessels that were bringing in the day’s catch. ‘I did too, but I think Marianus knew that Livianus never really cared about you. He only wanted to use you and the other men to humiliate me during his show.’

  Flavus gave a chuckle. ‘Well that didn’t go to plan. How does it feel to have fought on the arena sands?’

  I felt a cool shadow envelop the ship as the sun passed behind a cloud. ‘You know, the worst thing about it is that part of me really enjoyed it. The thrill of the stadium, the screaming crowd. It’s everything I hate about Rome, but I felt energised by it.’

  Flavus stared out over the waves. ‘I used to watch you practice with my brother when I was young. You always had a natural fighting style that both of us envied. But what I saw in that circus went far beyond that. I’ve never seen anything like it. It bordered on perfection.’

  I looked down at the gentle waves parted by our vessel and scoffed, ‘There’s no such thing. Although I agree that I needed to be at my best to beat that Thracian. I’ve met many great warriors over the years. The outlaw Aleixo was one, a Parthian who came close to killing me in Syria was another. But I’ve only met two men who were better than that gladiator.’

  Flavus looked sceptical that such men existed. ‘Better than him? Who?’

  I looked around and saw the commander of my Praetorians discussing something with Maris. ‘Well, Marcus for one. If the governor had realised how good he was, it might have been Marcus he’d wanted to see fight, not me.’

  Flavus looked at Marcus with an appraising eye. ‘He’s that good?’

  I nodded. ‘Oh yes, better than me.’

  Flavus turned his attention back to the harbour, which was slipping behind us. ‘I find that hard to believe, Gaius. I don’t think you realise how good you are when you’re in the midst of combat. No disrespect to Marcus, but I know who I’d prefer to fight for my life.’

  I saw the high walls of Tarraco slowly diminish, as the coastal breeze pushed us further out to sea. ‘Well, let’s hope it never comes to that again.’

  ‘So, who was the other? You said two.’

  I felt uneasy and looked back down at the waves. ‘Your brother’s champion, Ewald. I killed him in Germany before I came here, although only the gods know how. He was the best I ever faced.’

  Returning the conversation back to Julius, Flavus’ tone turned more serious. ‘My brother. It seems neither of us can hide from his presence, even here on the other side of the world.’

  I stood up slightly straighter on the ship’s deck. ‘No, we can’t. Now we’ve left Tarraco, Livianus will no longer be able to harm you, but don’t expect Rome to be any safer. Plenty of others will seek your death.’

  He looked at me. ‘But you’re no longer one of them?’

  I nodded. There was no point in pretending any more. ‘Yes, you’re right. I don’t know why, but I now believe in your innocence. When I saw you back there in the circus, waiting for your death to follow, I knew it. I also knew I needed to do everything in my power to prevent it. That may have started in the arena fighting those gladiators, but it doesn’t end there.’

  Flavus looked confused. ‘How do you mean, Gaius?’

  I explained what had been passing through my mind these last few days waiting in the warehouse. ‘Bricius has told me that he doesn’t intend to sail through the Corsican straights this time around. His men were too badly shaken the last time, so instead we’re heading north, via the port of Massalia.’

  Flavus tilted his head. ‘So it will take us a few days longer to return to Rome? But what’s the significance of that?’

  I took a deep breath. ‘I intend to release you there. You can start a new life, take up another identity. A man with your military skill can always find a living somehow.’

  Flavus looked at me, shocked. ‘No, Gaius, you can’t! Augustus will have your head if you don’t return with me.’

  The same thought had occurred to me. ‘You let me worry about that. I’ll say you escaped, that it couldn’t be helped. He might send men after you, but with the lead you’ll have over them, you’ll easily be able to disappear. You can head north, far from Rome.’

  I didn’t say it, but there was another option for him. He could head north-east and rejoin his brother. That was the one place both of us knew Rome could no longer reach. He didn’t answer at first. He took a few steps away and then looked up to the skies. His back was still turned to me as he said, ‘I can’t do it, Gaius. I can’t let you return without me.’

  I walked up behind him. ‘They’ll kill you, Flavus. I can’t see it going any other way. Before, I believed what Aulus told me, that Roman law would prevail and decide upon your guilt or innocence. But Roman law can be manipulated, moved, changed by monsters like Livianus and Augustus. It serves them in any way they wish it to, and if the imperator or his family wish you dead, no Roman law can protect you.’

  He turned around and looked at me earnestly. ‘I’ll not have you imperil yourself for me. You need to return to Rome, and I intend to go with you. I have no wish to live out the rest of my life hiding from who I truly am. I am a man who is meant to serve in the legions. If the only way I can achieve that end is to prove my innocence, then that is what I’ll do. You say that no Roman law can save me if the imperator’s family want me dead. Then we’ll have to convince them otherwise.’

  I gave a solemn nod. ‘You know our chances of success aren’t high? Aulus is a great lawyer, but there are others just as good, and the odds are stacked against you.’

  He put his hand on my shoulder. ‘There are many risks in this life. Let me see this one through.’

  Marcus came over and joined us. ‘All the men are billeted below decks. They’re happy enough, although the smell from the horse dung is causing a few grumbles.’

  Flavus smiled. ‘Is Aulus still insisting on staying down there with his prize stallion?’

  I folded my arms. ‘After all the problems we went through getting that horse below decks, it’s the least he can do.’

  The seas on our return trip were, for the main, calm. We encountered a brief storm as we traversed southern Gaul, but we sheltered in the deep harbour at a town called Antipolis. I again gave Flavus the option of leaving us there, but he again declined. I briefly considered leaving him there anyway, but dismissed the idea. I knew that without a name and connections, starting a new life in the Roman provinces was hard. I’d tried it myself and almost drunk myself to death in the process. I still shuddered in self-disgust when I recalled my time in the Gallic provinces after Western-Gate Pass. Did I really want to inflict the same fate on this young man? Besides, Flavus had the right to clear his name if he wished to, however unlikely that prospect.

  As we sailed down the coast of Italy, past the ports of Fufluna and Cosa, my mind started to turn to Num
eria and how much I missed her. Since Aulus had decided to sleep below decks on the voyage home, I had the deskside cabin to myself, and my nights were filled with dreams of my lover. I thought of her face, the smattering of freckles on her sun-browned skin, and her soft and windswept hair. I remembered her half-smile, the one she reserved for me in times of intimacy. I groaned in loneliness each morning when I awoke, but secretly I relished the prospect of falling asleep again each night, knowing that once again I would see the woman who lay waiting for me in Rome. Occasionally, an image of Viviana would pop into my mind unbidden, normally of that night in the mountain cave. These thoughts brought on feelings of guilt and I reproached myself each time they sprang into my mind. Although, truth to be told, I wasn’t sure why. I hadn’t been unfaithful to Numeria, and my conduct with Viviana was beyond reproach. But sometimes just the thought alone can bring on feelings of betrayal, and that was how it felt for me concerning the Spanish tribal chief’s granddaughter.

  When the lookout announced we were finally approaching the port of Ostia, I ran to the ship’s bow to see the great seaport loom into view. Aulus and Marcus joined me, my brother-in-law openly weeping when he saw the familiar sight that was the gateway to our home city. ‘I never thought I’d ever see her again.’

  Marcus smiled. ‘Yes, this adventure turned out to be slightly more than all of us expected.’