Marius stood in front of the gate, announcing his titles, and they opened the gates wide, the men marching in, impatient. Clavius went to settle them and Marius joined the officers in charge, the men grim.
“Greetings, Commander, I am Julius Septus Quintus, centurion in charge since the death of our general.”
“Greetings, Julius. How are things?”
The men looked at each other, and Julius cleared his throat. “We have a bit of an unrest amongst our men. Hopefully, this will cease with your arrival.”
Marius shot him a look but decided not to comment. “And the rebels?”
“They’ve been quiet lately. We have a couple of villages nearby, but the inhabitants keep away. We don’t know for sure if they are in contact with the rebels.”
“Fine. We’ll convene tomorrow morning to address the troops. I want everybody in the main yard, ready, at dawn. Centurion Clavius is in charge now as second in command.” The other centurions mumbled, but Marius silenced them. “There’s no room for unruly behavior, not from your men, and not from you.” His blue eyes bore into them and they fell silent, saluting and leaving.
Julius turned to him. “Your quarters are ready. There’s a small bath linked to it. Do you need a slave?”
Marius shook his head. “I have my personal slave with me... somewhere...” He wondered where Kyle was, vaguely anxious. Julius nodded and shifted on his feet, the younger man embarrassed, smoothing his blonde hair back, and Marius raised his eyebrows. “What is it?”
“Our Commander had a whore... a personal one... so I mean... would you like to have her?”
Marius just stood, blinking. “What? No. No, I don’t need her. Who is she?”
“She got offered to him a year ago by one of the village leaders, she’s his daughter, actually. You know, to seal the peace.”
Marius turned to him. “You’ve just said she is a whore.”
Julius shrugged. “Well, she is one now.”
Fucking perfect.... Marius sighed, pondering. “Would her family take her back?”
“I highly doubt it. They know what’s going on between these walls. I mean, we have more of them...”
Julius shut up, a bit anxious at seeing him so concerned, and Marius steeled his face. “Fine. Just keep her with the others. I don’t need her.”
Julius nodded when the door opened and Clavius strode in, followed by Kyle. He was so covered in mud that Marius had a hard time recognizing the slave.
Clavius pestered. “Those damned carts... they had to be pulled out again... but they’re finally here...”
Kyle breathed quietly, his whole body trembling from the effort, a thin stream of blood flowing down his arm, blending into the dark mud. He could not feel the wound, covered in mud, chilled to the bone by the icy rain.
Marius spoke to Julius, walking to Kyle. “Take me to my room.”
Kyle and Clavius followed him, and Julius left them alone. He closed the door and Kyle collapsed on the floor, his head dizzy, the pain flowing down his arm.
Marius kneeled down, concerned. “What’s wrong?”
Kyle’s eyes flew to his shaking arm, the adrenaline rush dying down, the pain biting into his flesh.
Clavius noticed the wound first. “He’s hurt... look.”
Blood was oozing through the muddy paste on Kyle’s arm, the clay-like earth dark red, gently trickling down to his fingers, spattering on the floor.
“Fuck...” Marius helped Kyle up, pulling him to the small bath. He sat him down, taking his clothes off, Kyle numb, shaking. “Come on, pet, in you go.”
He slid him in the hot pool, Kyle’s head resting on the side, his eyes closed. Marius and Clavius took their armors off, helping each other, and went into the pool, Marius pulling Kyle against him, washing the mud off his arm, his face. Blood flowed softly, swirling in the steaming water. It was heaven after that drenched icy ride, just to lie there. Kyle came out of the haze, the pain bearable. He looked at his wound, a large cut on his arm, less vicious though than what he’d thought. Something had cut it whilst he had been struggling to free the cart.
Kyle relaxed in Marius’ broad arms, his head laying on his chest, his eyes closed, and Marius just stroked him, grazing his knuckles on his face, his black hair falling into his eyes. Clavius watched them, warmed by how caring Marius looked, a side which he rarely showed, hiding behind that brooding, angry look most of the time.
Clavius washed his hair and climbed out, drying himself off. “I’ll go and find some food in this shithole.”
