Book sample: Marcus Lucius wondered how she could sit here for so long without complaining. As a girl from a noble family, she used to stay in more comfortable places.

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Ancient roads, Appius, Appius’s legionnaires, Blackstone Edge, book samples, ebook, impression of assurance, Julia Fabia, legionnaires, Marcus Lucius, Nerva, Octavian, Roman legionnaires, Roman road in Blackstone Edge, Roman road in Britain, Roman soldiers, WAY TO BRITANNIA

One of the finest examples of a surviving Roman road in Britain, Blackstone Edge, on Rishworth Moor near Manchester

Marcus Lucius waited patiently for her to move. She pressed her right side against the wooden, cold wall for some more minutes. She trembled, because it was chilly. She was used to Mediterranean warmth and she wasn’t comfortable with the bleak weather of Britannia. It was rainy and moist. She didn’t have proper dresses for such muggy places. Marcus Lucius attentively covered her with another blanket. She stopped trembling and started looking somewhere, where her eyes didn’t meet his. She had a runny nose for the first time. She didn’t like it at all.

Soon after the talk, Nerva appeared feeling insecure. Marcus Lucius assumed that Nerva and Octavian had already exchanged the latest news and instructions from Appius. Nerva looked indeed exhausted. He was wet from sweat and the dust of the road collected on his tanned skin. His short, completely black hair was wet, as well. He introduced himself, not sure whether Marcus Lucius remembered him. Nerva saluted, Marcus Lucius nodded with his head while sitting on the floor next to Julia. It wasn’t a proper behaviour to let your subordinate sleep in your bed. Nerva was totally surprised and unsure what was happening. It felt like in a trap, but Marcus Lucius gave him an impression of assurance. He didn’t treat Nerva as an inferior, but as a peer. It showed in the sound of Marcus Lucius’s voice as he said:

-You should wash yourself. When you come back here, tell Octavian, we’re ready to go.

Nerva nodded. Before he left the wagon, he gave Marcus Lucius and Julia their letters from Appius. Julia didn’t read her letter immediately. She held the paper cautiously, gently. She stared at it for a while. In the meanwhile, Marcus Lucius had scanned his message. It wasn’t long. Appius wasn’t a person using a lot of words. Then, Marcus Lucius kneaded the paper powerfully. Apparently, he didn’t have to read it twice to brand the information in his mind.

After a couple of minutes, Nerva re-appeared, with the same insecurity in his eyes, but without dust and sweat on his face. Julia didn’t notice his stunned, perplexed state of mind, because he stood straight and proudly like a typical soldier, who shows discipline and respect.

-Take two blankets from over there. – Marcus Lucius ordered while showing at a plain dresser in the room. – You are allowed to rest. Lie down and sleep.

Nerva thanked him without words, with a simple nod. He followed Marcus Lucius’s orders and the minute, he laid down, he immediately fell asleep. He snored loudly, blustering. In the silence of the room with limited light and space, Julia had to laugh about the sound of snoring. She tried to control herself, but she wasn’t able to hold back the quiet laughter. For the very first time Marcus Lucius heard her laugh. It was cheerful, simply pleasant. He had to laugh a little, too. It was a bit painful, but he wasn’t able to stop himself, either.

They sat next to each other on less comfortable pillows. Marcus Lucius wondered how she could sit here for so long without complaining. As a girl from a noble family, she used to stay in more comfortable places. He wondered why she never uttered a word of objection, even rudimentarily. Marcus Lucius was a soldier and familiar with very limited, basic conditions. He had spent some nights in the fields, without any linen, simply lying on the solid ground. Once, when he was wounded, he had spent some time on a wooden board without any comfort. He knew what discomfort felt like.

Julia didn’t give the impression of having had a similar experience of inconvenience or incommodity. Still, she didn’t complain at all. He respected her for this attitude. She wasn’t one of the cheeky little misses Marcus Lucius knew from some parties organised by his mother and the Roman elite and where he was supposed to find his future wife. Nobody expected that he would choose a girl from an unknown, socially worthless family. It didn’t fit into the concept. Not only his mother was singled out by his decision. What Marcus Lucius didn’t know, the whole society isolated Decima, because she wasn’t part of it. The aristocrats perceived her as a virus, like a small infectious agent with the ability to replicate inside the living cells of any kind of organism. They wanted to stay immune and didn’t invite Decima to any event. They avoided her on the streets and other public places. Decima didn’t tend to enter this strange world either, so the both existed apart. Marcus Lucius didn’t have any idea about it. He never had the time or even will to analyse it. Decima never complained. And his mother never told him anything, either, as if already talking about Decima would spread or activate a kind of virus.

He was ten years old, had two months of fascinating journey between Rome and Britannia behind, and he had to work like a real legionnaire

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Ancient roads, Appius, book sample, journey between Rome and Britannia, legionnaires, Maximus, Roman roads, Roman soldier, Roman soldier Marcus Lucius, Romans constructed a comprehensive network of paved trunk roads, Sample from Vengeance and Remission

In Britain, as in their other provinces, the Romans constructed a comprehensive network of paved trunk roads

Marcus Lucius barely knew his father. There weren’t many opportunities to spend time together, even if they lived in one place for a year. Once, Marcus Lucius was taken to Britannia by his father. It was a long, fascinating journey with many short, but remarkable memories. Marcus Lucius saw snow for the very first time in his life. The surrounding had another shadow of green and the sky was mostly clouded. Even the blue sky looked different there. He loved the rain and the sun. He loved the free spaces there. He was ten years old, had two months of fascinating journey between Rome and Britannia behind, and he had to work like a real legionnaire.

His father gave him to the regular temp full of soldiers and send for him just every now and then. Maximus didn’t visibly intervene in the daily routine of his son and relied on the supervision of his friends. One of them was Appius, a tall, slim and bony man with shrill tone, when he was unsatisfied. He threw comments, orders and straight looks. He was hard, but fair. His advices were always adjusted, even if communicated in a brutal, direct, short way. Appius reminded Marcus Lucius on slave driver. Appius used to scream every now and then, because his look said more than thousand words. Marcus Lucius tried as hard as he could not to attract negative attention. It was quite hard to move the heavy sword properly, but every further day of training made it easier to handle to weapon. Mostly, he was good, but just good enough for his age. Compared to other legionnaires, he was simply too young. A ten years old boy couldn’t really contest with trained 20 years old ones. They were bigger, stronger and they have been training since years. Already during the first day, he had to sweep the stakes, even if he tried to deal blows as well. He lost every combat during the first training, but he always stood up and was ready to fight further. He had so many bruises and some wounds, but it didn’t matter. He stood heavily breathing and looking patiently and respectfully around.

-You’re a brave little man. – said Appius when he came closer to him. – You’re a brave little man.

Marcus Lucius didn’t feel proudly or satisfied. He lost every battle and he wanted his revenge. Suddenly, his father appeared behind him and Marcus Lucius heard how Appius welcomed Maximus in the training camp. You just simply knew that Maximus was around, because his charisma was in the air.

-You can be proud of your little boy. He doesn’t lose the overview in the hardest situations and he acts with honour. I never have seen such a spirit in such a small body.

Maximus laughed and slapped his son on the back. Only then, Marcus Lucius felt better.

While returning to the tent, where the soldiers were sleeping, Marcus Lucius didn’t expect his father talking with him. However, Maximus didn’t keep silence. He walked proudly, made big, self-conscious steps, and talked with his engaging, manly voice:

-Stay focussed. Don’t let anyone or anything distract you. You fought well, even if you lost. You can learn more from one lose than from thousand victories. You have to stay focussed more next time.

Marcus Lucius nodded with understanding and enjoyed the short personal contact to his father. Some days later, his father appeared again at the end of the training and slapped him friendly on the back.

-Stay focussed, my boy. – He repeated and Marcus Lucius was sure that he won’t hear anything else from his father.