The Kin
Page 8
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The library was awash with sunlight and Marius stood transfixed by the dancing dust motes as they spun and swirled in the sun beams.
Eventually bored of watching, he sat down on a chair and wondered once again where Junius was. By the position of the sun he could see that it was close to the middle of the day and though they’d not agreed a specific time he was worried.
Marius glanced at the scrolls he’d set out and had tried for several hours to decipher. He could speak a rudimentary form of Aramaic, but reading it was a different matter. Nor had he had much chance of studying the maps back at Susa. The legion’s scribe had been tasked with copying the maps for their assignment, but he had been taken ill, so they’d had to make do with the brief sketches drawn by Junius from the charts on the wall of the General’s office. Unfortunately they were in amongst his friend’s belongings and they had agreed that he wouldn’t go in there this morning. Which was why he was sitting here waiting, whilst no doubt Junius slept peacefully upstairs oblivious of Marius’s frustration.
Sighing, Marius pushed himself out of the chair and wandered over to the door. He peered out into the hushed palace, so different from the hustle and bustle of last night. The place was deserted. He was the only living thing that moved along the dingy, eerie corridors, except for the scuttling servants who had provided him with water and food, but had refused to say anything and had scurried away back into the shadows.
There was still no sign of Junius. The boy had obviously spent the night with someone and was now sleeping it off. Marius shook his head, knowing it wouldn’t be the first time. It was well known in the Twentieth that Marcus Junius Silanus was allergic to mornings. The General even knew, but had had no reason to discipline his second in command, because Marius always managed to get his friend up and to daily staff meetings before the legate arrived. Sometimes it had been a close-run thing and only been achieved because others had stepped in to distract the commander. Normally such tardiness would be seen as a weakness, but in a brave and respected officer such as Junius it was a human quality the men could relate to. Consequently when he did appear smiling ruefully and shamefaced, the men would give a cheer safe in the knowledge that he would be a little more lenient with them for the next few days.
Marius wandered back to the charts and tried again to make something out of them. He was sure that he’d identified the two rivers that cut across the land, but he couldn’t make out the cities that had grown up alongside them and across the fertile crescent of land between them.
“I’m sorry, Marius, I overslept. Have you found anything?”
Marius jumped. He hadn’t heard the door open. He spun around to see Junius dressed in the same loose costume favoured by the Kin walking across the library towards him.
“I didn’t hear you come in.”
“The door was open. Have you found anything?”
Marius indicated the maps and charts. “I can’t read the words and I don’t know the area, but I think I’ve identified the Tigris and Euphrates.”
“But you speak Aramaic, why can’t you read the maps?”
“I can speak it, but I’ve never been shown how to read it. Anyway, it’s a totally different type of writing. See?” he said pointing down to the strange lines scratched onto the parchment.
Junius studied where Marius was indicating. He was silent for a while, then turned. “Is there any water left?” he asked noticing the amphora. Marius nodded and Junius moved away from the table and poured himself a cup of water and downed it in a few gulps, then poured another two in quick succession. He pointed at the selection of breads, cheeses and meats that Marius had left. “May I?”
“Be my guest,” Marius replied and sat down in the chair to wait whilst his friend broke his fast.
Junius looked at the maps whilst he ate, then he moved a few and compared them side by side. “What’s in these?” he asked pointing to some scrolls still rolled up on the table.
“I couldn’t understand them,” Marius replied. Curious, Junius opened one and studied it, then popped another chunk of bread into his mouth and chewed as he contemplated the map. He rolled it out and set it down next to the other two.
“Have you found something?” Marius asked getting out of the chair and coming over. Junius shrugged, put another piece of bread and cheese into his mouth, reached for the other scroll and unravelled it.
“Towns,” Junius mumbled with his mouth full and pointing at this latest map.
“Empty your mouth and try again,” Marius advised.
Junius pulled a face then swallowed. “This one has the towns on and there you can see the sea to the south of Susa.”
Marius studied the chart and finally he could see it, but it had taken Junius and his greater knowledge of the geography of the land to make it clear. “So this shows the area that we’ve just annexed?” Marius asked to clarify his understanding.
Junius nodded. “I think so, and we already have charts like these back at Susa. So, I would imagine that there will be others like these for different parts of the Parthian empire, which we don’t already have. We simply have to find them.”
Marius turned to survey the shelves of neatly rolled scrolls. “We’ve got a lot to get through.”
“Have fun,” Junius said clapping him on the back.
“What? Why?” Marius asked indignantly. “Where are you going?”
“Back to bed. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“So you’re going to leave me to find these other maps for you?”
“Marius, I’ll be back soon, I promise. I need to sleep now though, I’m tired, bone weary.”
“But you’ve only just woken up.”
Junius looked at him and as he did so he tried to stifle a yawn. “Does it matter what time we’re up and about? Surely whilst we’re here we should try and fit in with our hosts?” He gave Marius one last look and left the room.
Marius sighed, Junius did have a point and a good one, but first and foremost he was a Roman soldier and he would endeavour to maintain the standards and discipline of a legionary for as long as possible.