“Obviously different from the ones for females. Yes. Jenna was quite fan of them.”
Minerva laughed. It was such a surreal conversation to have with her brother.
“Did you detect any military presence or guards?”
“The Institute is guarded. I saw men in black patrolling the perimeter but they did not carry swords. They had some strange metal instrument slung over their shoulder. I presume this is their weapon.”
“Did you find anything startling?”
“Jenna showed me some images of her and her family on a small black object. Almost like a catalogue of her life in pictures.”
“Like a mural?” Minerva quizzed.
“A little, but smaller and almost as perfect as the original. Jenna has travelled very extensively for one still so young. I even saw what your temple in Athens looks like in two thousand years’ time,” he smiled at his sister.
“It still stands?”
“Yes, it casts its shadow proudly over a very developed Athens.”
“What else did you see?” she asked eagerly.
“I was not exposed to a great deal. But there was much in Jenna’s room I did not understand.”
“Such as?”
“Their method of illuminating rooms. They don’t use candles. Instead they touch a panel and the room lights up. Their decorations are fascinating too. Rooms are of different colours and textures. Jenna’s bed was huge, with four pillars and a canopy dressed in a rich fabric. But it was so soft.”
Minerva laughed. “You are starting to sound like Apollo. He would travel two thousand years into the future only to describe a maiden’s bedchamber.”
“Other than her tutor’s study and her chamber, I saw just glimpses of elsewhere. Their books are fascinating, with bright colour images and people clad in various fashions.”
“What is her building like?”
“Huge. With tall ceilings, and hundreds of stairs. Her chamber was located up a long winding staircase in what once could have been a watchtower. It is truly a shame I could not spend longer there but her tutor was insistent I did not stay too long.”
“What of the gateway?”
“Travelling through it is no different to transporting. But the gateway is guarded on the other side.”
“I guessed as much,” Minerva sighed. “One day I will get to go through.”
“The day you do, I think we will lose you permanently. It does appear to be very much an equal society for men and women.” Mars headed to the door. “Now if my interrogation has finished, I do have a city to marshall.”
Marcus found Laurentius waiting for him at his villa. He was very much in demand today.
“I am sorry to drop by uninvited, but I need to speak with you.” His friend looked quite out of sorts.
Marcus showed him into his study. “Come in. Wine?”
“Please,” Laurentius took the goblet gratefully.
“What can I do for you?”
Laurentius paced about. “Octavia has told me everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes. About her child. I knew she was not a virgin when I married her, but I never suspected she had given birth to a baby.”
“We all hold many secrets, my friend.”
“But this was monumental.”
“Sometimes we have very few options open to us. Once she had given up the child, it was a burden she had to bear for most of her adult life, always wondering what had happened to it. For a mother, that must have been punishment enough.”
Laurentius exhaled loudly. He was not as forgiving as Marcus. “Not only did she abandon the baby, when she runs into the poor girl later in life, she treats her so badly.”
“I’m afraid that if Octavia is after a reconciliation with Jenna, she is out of luck. She refuses to accept Octavia as her mother, such was her bond with her adoptive parents.”
“So Jenna does not want to be recognised?”
“No. Your family name will remain unblemished. Although your children do now have another sister.”
“Portia could benefit from having such a bright light as Jenna in her life,” Laurentius sighed. “Will she meet with me?”
“I will ask her. In the meantime, we can perhaps move with a little stealth. Dextus gets on well with her friend Julius, so we maybe we can arrange for the boys to get together one afternoon. Jenna of course will need to supervise Julius.”
“Perhaps she could give the boys a masterclass in sword fighting. Rumour has it she is rather good.”
Marcus laughed. “Please do not encourage my future match, I have enough trouble keeping her out of mischief.” He paused for a moment. “How is Octavia?”
“Still in a complete state. I guess it must have been quite a shock to recognise one’s own daughter from just a tiny birthmark.”
“But it is a unique mark. Jenna was touched by Mars himself.” In more ways one than Marcus sniggered to himself.
“Our relations are obviously a little strained at the moment. It is hard to get over such a betrayal.”
“But you were not married at the time.”
“No, we were betrothed. And now I know why our wedding was delayed. She had gone away to have the child discreetly.”
Marcus rested his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You are forgetting that Octavia was very young and naïve at the time. Do not be too harsh on her. We all make mistakes.”
“I know, but it does not mean I have to let her off the hook right away.” Laurentius regained a small twinkle in his eye. “It is not often I have the upper hand, so I am going to milk this for all I can.”
Marcus laughed. “Spoken like a true man.”
Laurentius headed to the door. “I’m due at the Senate. Can you ask Jenna if she will bring Julius around the day after tomorrow?”
“I will check with her. But I am sure Julius will be delighted.”
He watched his friend leave. It must have come as a real shock to him when Octavia had confessed all. But Laurentius was a good man, he would forgive her in time. Did she deserve him? Perhaps not.
CHAPTER 25
At first Jenna thought it was Augustus at the front of temple when she saw the flash of purple. It was Captain Lucius.
“Captain,” she smiled. “What brings you here?”
“Emperor Trajan has asked if you would meet with him at the Palace.”
“When?” She had half been expecting this.
“Now.”
“Oh,” she was shocked. The guy didn’t waste any time. “Fine. Let me get my cloak.” Visiting the palace, she needed a little more than just a headscarf.
She was in a daze as she descended the steps. This was not a meeting she really wanted. It could be so awkward. What was she supposed to say? Hi, dad?
They rode the short distance to the palace and Captain Lucius took her straight up to Trajan’s study. This meeting was to be very private it seemed.
Trajan rose as soon as she was shown in. Her nerves were all over the place. Ridiculous really considering she’d met him a few times before. But not as her father.
He smiled warmly and came forward. “Jenna,” he took her hands and squeezed them. “Thank you for coming at such short notice. I hope I did not inconvenience you?”
“You are the Emperor, I am only happy to do as you bid.”
“Today, however, I am a little more than an Emperor, am I not?” He indicated for her to take a seat. “I always hoped this day would come, that I would set eyes on the child I could not keep.” He sat down next to her. “I often wondered what had happened to you; were you one of the faces in the crowd I glimpsed, or the young ladies I smiled at? And it turns out my own daughter saved my life.”
“When you came to visit me at Marshall Vilnus’ villa, you asked about my parents. You knew, didn’t you?”
“I had a pretty shrewd idea, there was something about you that was so familiar. It was almost like looking in a mirror, I saw so much of myself in you.”
�
�I have not spoken to Octavia, I dislike the woman intensely, so would you be good enough to tell me what did happen between the two of you?” Jenna was keen to understand just what had gone on.
“I was a general in the army at the time, back in Rome to celebrate a successful campaign in Gaul. Emperor Augustus had arranged a banquet to which the leading noble families were invited. Octavia’s family had only recently returned to Rome and she had not yet been tarnished by it.” He gave a deep sigh as he recalled those times. “She was just sixteen, and looked so fresh faced and innocent. I fell hard. After years of fighting and bloodshed, this young woman offered me a new lease on life.” He stood up and poured two goblets of wine.
It struck Jenna as rather sweet that such a man could get choked up thinking about the past.
“A married man of my years and standing should have acted better, but I was totally captivated by her. I hoped some of her softness and beauty would make me feel again. I pursued her, almost gave her no choice and we started a short lived affair. It was callous of me as I knew she was betrothed but sometimes our hearts do not always let us act honourably. The poor girl came to me in a state one day declaring she was with child. It was ironic that I longed for a baby, but could not conceive one with my wife. Anyway, with the help of her mother, we made the necessary arrangements so the pregnancy could be concealed and after the birth, the baby would be given up. She would then continue with her betrothal and I with my career.”
He took a long drink of wine. “Holding you just the once after you were born was the best and worst day of my life. You were perfect, the child I always dreamt of having. You had even been marked by Mars himself. You truly were my daughter. Then I had to kiss you goodbye forever.”
Jenna was shocked to see how glassy his eyes had become. Evidently it was painful to recall the memories.
He took hold of both her hands. “My decision has haunted me these past eighteen years. If I could go back, I would have made a very different choice. I would have acknowledged your birth and Pompeia could have raised you as ours. Now I am older and wiser, I am not about to repeat that mistake. I am happy to announce to the world that you are my daughter, if that is what you would wish.”
Jenna was floundering a little. “That is a great honour, but probably not the wisest of moves.”
He tilted his head in query. Jenna smiled, she often did exactly the same move herself.
“Not only would that embarrass Pompeia, highlighting it is she who cannot conceive, but it could throw into question the line of succession. There would be much consternation when you consider my relationship with Marshall Vilnus. Were we to form an official attachment, he would have access to the throne and with the military behind him as well, he would be an unstoppable force. There are many in Rome who would do everything in their power to make sure that did not happen.”
“The Marshall is well respected in Rome.”
“He is also feared for the power he holds. They do say that whoever controls the army controls Rome.”
Trajan smiled. “I will do well to remember that, thank you. And I would be happy to sanction such a match. You could not find better than Marcus.”
“I know, but I’m way too young to be considering that yet.”
“So our relationship is to remain a secret.”
“It seems it is for the best.”
“You will still be a regular visitor here because no-one saves the Emperor and gets away free.”
Jenna laughed. “That would be a pleasure.” She stood up and wrapped her arms around him, a move which surprised him. He kissed her forehead in response. The last time he had done that was over eighteen years ago.
“You are my daughter, Jenna. Whatever you want is yours.”
She paused as she reached the door. Trajan had said the magic words, so she might as well milk it. “There is one thing I would ask from you,” she smiled.
Jenna was looking forward to her afternoon ride with Hector. She knew Marcus would not be happy, but he could not understand that it was possible for men and women to be just friends. And Hector was fun and easy to be around.
“Where is the rather cute Hector taking you?” Amelia leant against one of the columns.
“Matsillis. It’s a short way from Rome on the coast.”
“The Marshall cannot be too happy.”
“Marcus has to learn that I have male and female friends.”
Amelia laughed. “I think you have a better chance of Emperor Trajan putting on salsa dancing lessons at the Colosseum. Especially as Hector is no gargoyle.”
“He can huff and puff all he wants, I won’t be intimidated.”
“You are one brave woman,” Amelia shook her head.
They watched Hector ride up leading a beautiful chestnut mare.
“Such a gargoyle,” Amelia murmured wandering back inside.
Jenna walked down the steps to meet Hector. “She is a fine looking horse,” she stroked the mare’s neck.
“I hope you like her,” Hector smiled. “She’s from the family stables. Has attitude apparently, so I thought you were well matched.”
“Cheeky,” she fixed him with a hard glare.
The ride out to Matsillis was just a beautiful as Hector said it was. North of Rome was more lush and green than the dusty roads south. The road they were on was reasonably quiet so they increased the pace.
“This is wonderful,” Jenna beamed as they cantered along, the wind blowing through her wild hair. She felt totally free.
“I have rarely seen a woman ride as well as you.”
“Where I’m from, riding is in our blood.”
“Yes, your emancipated homeland. We have to keep you away from our noble ladies before they start demanding the same rights as you have in Arula.”
“We might have the same rights at home as men, but it does not come without its challenges.”
“Such as?”
“With equal rights come equal jobs. Women fight alongside men in our armies.”
Hector slowed his horse. “Your women go to war?”
“Yes, we fight on the front line.”
“Men are happy to take orders from women?” he sounded almost horrified.
“Women are just as capable of making decisions as men. Some of our greatest rulers have been women.”
“I do not believe a battlefield is any place for a woman.”
“So a woman cannot defend her homeland?”
“Women are too gentle for the horrors of war. I am surprise your Gods permit it.”
Jenna smiled. “You’re not going to catch me out that easily.”
“Was I so transparent?”
“Very. Religion is the one subject we will not discuss.” She hoped she’d stated that firmly enough.
They rode into the little market town of Matsillis. It was remarkably clean and well laid out. She followed Hector through the centre and out the other side, stopping at a beautiful spot overlooking the sea.
“What a stunning view,” she dismounted and gazed out over the deep blue waters.
Hector took her horse and tied it to a nearby post where a trough full of water stood. “Come, there is a pergola with shade.”
The marble structure was cool and welcoming, furnished with chaises and cushions. But most importantly cool water. She took a goblet gratefully and eased her dry throat. Miraculously, there was also a platter of dates, figs, grapes and sweetbreads.
Jenna flopped down on a chaise and chewed on a couple of dates. Hector deposited himself on the opposite chaise. “So other than riding, what else do you do for leisure?”
“I’m a woman, I love to shop,” she admitted guiltily. “I also love the theatre, various sports and learning different fighting skills.”
“A woman playing sport?” Hector sounded like he was going to need therapy after this trip.
“You’re forgetting equal rights and abilities,” Jenna tossed a grape at his head, impressed he caught it. His reactions were quick.
&
nbsp; “Sorry. What kind of sport?”
“Most would be too difficult to try and explain. One that you have, or used to in Athens, is javelin. I’m pretty good at that.”
“And the fighting skills?”
“I study the oriental style and am passable at it. I also fight in competitions with a very thin light sword.”
Blood Never Lies (Mark of Mars) Page 19