“That’s highly risky,” the Professor shook his head. “What if we get stopped? The man doesn’t speak Latin.”
“Marshall Vilnus will not think that unusual if he is Arulian.” Gaius paced about for a few minutes. “Trust me on this, Daniels, I think we could pull it off.”
“We’ll need Poulssen agreement first. I don’t think he’s ever done a field visit before.”
“First time for everything,” was Gaius cheery response.
“So why does the Marshall have Jenna anyway? You never clarified?”
“The Marshall has very strong feelings for Jenna. It is common knowledge on the streets of Rome. I guess after she was injured, he saw the perfect opportunity to have her held at his home.”
“He’s in love with her?” the Professor was astounded.
“I think love might be too strong a word where the Marshall is concerned. I don’t think he experiences emotion. Let’s just say infatuated.”
Professor Daniels rolled his eyes. “I think the less I know the better for my sanity. I will see if I can persuade Poulssen to join us tomorrow. I’ll see you late morning.” He headed back through the gateway. He was fast getting one hell of a headache. Students were a complete liability.
Jenna felt like she was floating, her body was completely weightless. Her skin was cool to the touch, her throat was dry as a bone. She tried to recall where she was, but nothing came. Her mind was like one big void. She drifted in and out of consciousness for what seemed like an eternity, before her thoughts finally became lucid. Well as lucid as they could be when she met those fabulous black eyes.
“Jenna, you’re back with us,” Marcus said a little breathlessly.
“Did I go somewhere?” her voice was very raspy.
“You took a good few steps into the underworld, but we managed to drag you back.” The relief was plain for her to read on his face.
“I don’t remember. What happened?” Her thoughts were still a blur.
“Do you remember the riot? Saving Trajan? The fire?”
“Yes, yes and I think so.”
“To be brief, a burning building fell on top of you.”
“Oh.” She was lost in thought for a moment. “If I was under a burning building, I would have been killed.”
“I got to you in time.”
“Thank you,” she murmured looking into those inky pools. From having a faint heartbeat, it was now pumping at full speed. Even on her sickbed, he could reduce her to a useless mass with just one look. Life was so cruel.
“I promised to keep you safe. And I always will.” He stood up and came around her side of the bed. “Now, I’m going to take you out to the peristyle where Aius will bring you some breakfast. You must eat, physician’s orders.”
He pulled the gold cover aside and slid his arms underneath her. “Let me know if you hurt.”
Jenna glanced down at the cream silk robe she was wearing. “Who changed my clothes?” she eyed him suspiciously.
He gave her a wicked grin. “Whilst I am keen to see your naked body, Jenna, I would prefer to do so when it is about to be wrapped around my equally naked form.” He lifted her up as though she weighed no more than a feather. “One of the female slaves changed your clothes.”
Jenna felt her cheeks turn bright red. She was not sure whether it was being so close to Marcus or remembering how perfect his naked body was. She was glad when he put her down on softly padded bench.
He passed her a goblet of peach juice. “I thought you would prefer this to wine.”
Too right, she thought. Wine for breakfast was down the very shaky road to becoming a homeless wino. The silky liquid eased her scratchy throat.
“Trajan,” she sat up suddenly. “Is the Emperor alright?”
Marcus pushed her back down. “He is very much alive and in danger of replacing his current Praetorian guard with Arulian women.”
Jenna laughed. “I can’t actually believe I got to fight side by side with Rome’s greatest Emperor.” It is not something she would forget for the rest of her life.
“I’m pretty sure it was a novel experience for him too.”
“He is amazing though, he was staring death right in the face yet he never showed the remotest sign of fear.”
“That’s because he was, and always will be in his heart, a General. If he is to die, it is the will of the Gods.”
“Mars would be insane to let so great an Emperor die before his time.”
“And he didn’t,” Marcus smiled. He passed her a platter of fruit and sweet breads. “I have no idea what you usually have for breakfast, so I hope this selection will suffice.”
Coffee and croissant would be terrific about now, she sighed. Failing that, she chewed on a fresh fig.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
“Not bad actually for having a building land on me. I can move almost every limb which means there is no paralysis. As for my head, there was always a question over the working of my brain.”
Marcus laughed. “I think you are well on the road to recovery.”
Amelia and McVale suddenly popped into her mind. How could she have not thought about them until now? She blamed Marcus, he always made her think irrationally. “My temple…..”
“Gaius and Amelia have already been to see you,” Marcus cut her off. “They will return later today with an Arulian physician.”
Bloody hell, thought Jenna, they really must be worried if they’re bringing Dr Poulssen. No doubt the good doctor will take blood too, she shivered. She thought it kind of ironic that however sick or broken you were, doctors loved to take blood at any opportunity. She remembered once nicking her artery on a nail as a child and almost bleeding to death. The doctor was worried the nail might have been rusty so wanted a blood sample to check for any contaminants. Why he felt the need to draw some out of her, there was enough on the floor for a good few vials!
“Tell me more about your world?” Marcus asked out the blue.
“What would you like to know?”
“Is it common for women to be educated there?”
“Yes, every child from the age of five goes to school, until they are sixteen. After that, it is purely optional.”
“But are girls not married by then?”
“No.” Jenna puffed out her cheeks in relief. “A girl cannot marry until at least sixteen and then only in exceptional circumstances. Most girls marry in their twenties, sometimes early thirties.”
“Why so late?”
“There is no need to marry young. A woman can support herself, even if she has children outside of marriage.”
Marcus looked quite shocked. “Bastard children are readily accepted?”
“We no longer use that term as it is of no concern if a child’s parents are married or not.”
“But would that not hinder a woman finding a husband if she has already had a child by another man?”
“Not really, no. Women are much more liberated than here. Most women have a few sexual partners before settling down to marriage. Divorce rates are also quite high, so it is common to have families where the children are not all related to both the mother and father.”
“Are dowries returned after a divorce as we do here in Rome?”
“Dowries haven’t existed for a very long time. Women choose their own husbands and often bring more money to the marriage than the man.” Jenna laughed at Marcus’ horrified expression. “Arula is a very emancipated country. Women have the same rights as men, they even fight alongside them in our armies. You would positively hate it!”
“Rome must seem very backward to you?”
“On the contrary, it was Rome’s influence that started us on the road to development. Without this great civilisation shaping us, we would still be living in mud huts.”
Marcus seemed pleased with her response. It was true though. The Britons were living in mud huts when Rome invaded. Roads, sanitation, order were all introduced by them.
“I would very much live
to visit your world one day,” he gazed at her.
It struck Jenna as strange that both Marcus and Aurelius had referred to ‘her world’. Was it just her translation or was there really something else behind it. Did they know? Perhaps it was time to ask the question. “Why do you call it my world and not my homeland?” she challenged.
Marcus eyes were fixed on her. “Because I know……” His gaze shifted suddenly. “Yes?” Aius’ timing was spot on again.
“Gaius and some other visitors are here for Jenna.”
Marcus scowled, he hated having his time with Jenna interrupted. “Fine. Show them into the bedroom momentarily.” He got to his feet and scooped Jenna up.
“I am more than capable of walking,” her voice was a little high pitched.
“I would disagree. You’re still very weak.” He carried her back to bed. He met Gaius outside the door.
“How is she doing, Marshall?” Gaius asked.
“She is improved.”
“Good. We have brought our Arulian physician. He will not take long.”
Marcus stepped aside and let Gaius, the physician and another gentleman into the room. He left them alone, but was not so far away that he could not hear what they were saying. Unfortunately, he did not speak Arulian.
“Jenna, you’re back in the land of the living,” Gaius grunted.
“So it would seem,” she grimaced as she tried to sit up.
“How are you feeling?”
“Remarkably good considering I took on a Roman building.” She glanced at Dr Poulssen. “Have you got some slightly more advanced equipment in that bag than what they have here?”
“Yes, I just hope to God no-one stops us and searches me.” He looked anything but pleased to be here.
“Actually, it’s Vediovis you should be praying to.”
“Who?”
“The Roman God of Healing,” Professor Daniels answered. “Now I need to check, Jenna. Are you quite safe here?”
“Yes, Professor. I know the Marshall and his family well.”
“Our concern is that he won’t let you leave,” Gaius sighed. “He is dead set against us moving you back to the temple.”
Jenna smiled. “He can be a tad possessive. Give me a day of ordering him around then he’ll be glad to see the back of me.”
“Pleasantries over with, can I now get on and examine Jenna?” Dr Poulssen grunted. A field trip was most certainly not in his job description. He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible before someone decided he should become part of the entertainment at the Colosseum.
Jenna let herself be prodded and poked, eyes examined for any brain haemorrhaging and blood extracted.
“’What have you been given?” he asked.
He needed to work on his bedside manner, Jenna thought. “I have no idea. Some elixir,” she pointed to the table by the bed. “Good stuff whatever it is. It knocked me out for over twelve hours.”
Dr Poulssen removed another syringe from his bag. Jenna immediately shrank away. “It’s not for you,” he whispered and leant over to pick up the glass vial. He removed the lid and drew a very small amount up the syringe. “Purely for research.” Perhaps it was worth coming on this trip after all.
“Your verdict, doctor?” Professional Daniels asked.
“I can see no serious damage, but I would still prefer to give Jenna a full body scan.”
“Is she fit enough, in your estimation, to travel back to the Institute tomorrow?”
“Yes, if she continues improving.”
“That’s if we can get past the Rottweiler at the door,” Gaius grunted.
Jenna giggled. “Leave him to me.”
Marcus burst in, almost right on cue, making everyone jump. “Sorry to intrude, but Emperor Trajan has just arrived and wants to see Jenna.”
CHAPTER 30
“The Emperor is here to see me?” Jenna asked incredulously.
“Yes.” Marcus cast a glance at Professor Daniels and Dr Poulssen. “I would suggest you two stay in here out of sight. Gaius, you are more than welcome to join us.” He went over to the bed and picked Jenna up.
“I can walk, Marcus,” she turned red.
“Debateable,” he grunted and carried her out to the peristyle.
Gaius looked at his two colleagues and shrugged. “Sorry, but this is my once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the greatest Roman emperor.”
Jenna rose from her bench as Trajan appeared under the canopy. He looked every inch the leader in his gleaming white and gold toga, bushy white hair and wreath of golden laurel leaves. “Jenna,” he grabbed her hands to steady her. “Please sit before you injure yourself further.” He sat down next to her. “I wanted to thank you in person for saving my life yesterday. It was a most courageous act.”
Jenna could hear Gaius practically choking next to her. “It was my honour, Emperor Trajan,” she smiled dutifully.
“I have never seen a woman fight as you did. I was enthralled.”
“I have studied different fighting styles. I find a mix often works well.”
“Could I tempt you to leave your temple and train my Praetorian guard instead?”
Jenna laughed. “Tempting, but I think I’ll stay with my current position.”
Trajan nodded to a Praetorian Captain standing just inside the canopy. “Would you be good enough to tell Captain Lucius that the threat you issued him with yesterday only applied to getting me safely back to the Palace. The man won’t let me out of his sight out of fear now.”
“No,” Jenna beamed. “You need protecting, especially through these bumpy times.”
The Emperor glanced over at Gaius. “Is the priest your guardian?”
“I guess Gaius is very similar to a guardian.”
When Trajan nodded in his direction, Jenna thought Gaius was going to fall over. “When you are fully restored to health, I hope you and your guardian will join me at the Imperial Palace for a private dinner. I would very much like to hear about your life and how you learnt to fight so well.”
“It would be an honour.”
“Now my dear, I would like to reward you for your courage. What is your preference? Gold, jewels?”
Jenna’s head was in a spin. A reward from the Emperor. What she would give for a huge sapphire the size of her fist! However, one thing did spring to mind. “It is only because we were delivering provisions to a lady in the Via Lata region who provides shelter and food to the street children that we came to overhear the conspirators. Maia shows courage and compassion on a daily basis to help starving children. If you wish to reward me, then I would ask that Maia is given help and food to be able to carry out her monumental task.”
Trajan remained silent. She began to think she had made the most dreadful error. He eventually spoke. “The words of a true heroine; her reward goes to someone she believes is more worthy. Very well, your request is noted. I presume Gaius knows where we can find this Maia.”
“Yes, sir,” Jenna smiled.
Trajan appeared to study her face for a moment. “Your parents, Jenna. Who are they?”
Jenna looked at him in surprise. “My parents died many years ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. What were their names?”
“Alexander and Amanda Duvall.”
He smiled briefly. “You remind me of someone I once knew. I thought perhaps you might be her daughter.”
“My mother never came to Rome.” Well, not in this time anyway.
Trajan rose. “Sadly I cannot stay any longer, I am due at the Senate. For some reason Senator Aurelius keeps insisting I attend. He thinks I can get the Senate to agree matters quickly rather than enter into lengthy debate,” he sighed wearily.
Jenna contained the smile that threatened to spread across her face. She almost felt a little guilty. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Emperor.” She attempted to rise, but Trajan pushed her gently back down.
“Stay seated, and that is an order. You have already done enough for me.” He nodde
d again in Gaius direction and headed off.
Gaius flopped down next to Jenna after the Emperor had left. “Trajan, in the flesh,” he sounded a little dazed.
“The man himself,” Jenna grinned.
“And you owe me an explanation, young lady.”
“I just made sure history stayed as it was meant to be. Trajan lives for many years yet.”
Mark of Mars Page 24