Julius saluted and left to prepare.
Marius rose and went to his room, looking for Kyle. He was cleaning, washing the floor on all fours, and Marius watched him, leaning against the door.
Kyle turned his head around. “Back already?”
“Don’t mind me. I’m admiring your ass.”
Kyle rose and stepped to him, wiping his hands on his tunic. “I’m dirty...”
Marius kissed him. “I know... but, as much as I would like to fuck you to pieces, we need to leave.”
Kyle arched his eyebrows. “Leave? Where?”
“We’ve been invited to a banquet by one of the savage chiefs, the father of that whore girl, of all things.” He rolled his eyes and watched Kyle get ready, washing quickly and changing his clothes, putting on a pair of pants and a shirt.
Marius smirked. “You are even sexier like this...”
Kyle pulled his tongue at him, making Marius growl and catch him from behind, his strong arms lacing around his chest, pinning his arms down. “Don’t provoke me...” Kyle’s breath quickened when he felt Marius’ mouth on his neck, his teeth biting down softly. “Mhm... you taste delicious...” He smacked his ass, letting him go. “Enough... we’ll be late. Come, I need you to drive the mule cart.”
They left to join the party, waiting on the main street of the camp, facing the gate. Kyle climbed on the cart and they rode off, the huge double gates wide open. He was thrilled to leave but also vaguely anxious, and they rode next to the wild river flowing behind the camp, its current strong, white frothy waves running like mad horses.
They followed the envoy on his stocky brown horse, the mood light, discussing how they would get the supplies for the upcoming winter. Kyle watched the pine tree forest around them, the river still wildly flowing to their left, the narrow path dwindling, following its curves. The dark woods made him uneasy, and he wondered how the officers’ mood could be so light, Marius’ booming laughter echoing in the forest.
They had been riding for a good hour, maybe more, when a clearing appeared in front of them, letting some sunshine in. It looked idyllic, with the wild river, the strong hush of the waters somersaulting on black rocks and the whispers of the pine trees. Marius marveled at its beauty, when a piercing cry made his blood froze, Clavius’ head whipping up, their wide eyes locking, their hands flying to their swords.
Kyle watched in shock as the barbarians poured out into the clearing from the woods, their bloodcurdling war cries echoing, slamming into the Romans like a hammer. Marius shouting orders above the chaos, his sword already out, slashing at them as they surrounded them. The mules reared, and Kyle jumped, tumbling off the cart. Thankfully, they didn’t care about him and he ran towards the chaos along the river, frantic to get at Marius.
Marius fought, shouting all the while to his officers, his eyes darting towards the soldiers who were struggling to fight back, but Roman discipline and fearfulness got the best of the barbarians who were superior in numbers but lacked fighting and defense skills. Still, they were fierce, and they fought hard, blows raining on their armors, making Marius pant in pain each time when he had to then retaliate. The clearing was too small, and the river didn’t allow any escape. They could only hope that there were not more of them.
Marius’ rage was plain, slashing the warriors to pieces with his sword, his face lashed with their blood. He whirled with his horse when time stopped. He watched in slow motion, in utter shock, as Clavius fought a barbarian, not seeing the other one raise his sword. Marius shouted, or so he thought, and for the briefest moment their eyes locked when the blow fell on Clavius’ face, blood spurting from the horrid wound. His horse reared, and the centurion fell into the swarming river, his body swallowed by the hungry tides.
Marius’ throat dried out from howling, spurring his horse forward, and his eyes grew wide when he saw a swift shadow run on the riverbank and then a lean muscled body, bareback, plunge into the hurling tides headfirst. He knew that muscled back too well and his world froze as he watched it disappear in the grey and white tides.Kyle.
The world froze as Marius watched the two men who meant the world to him disappear into the frothing waves.
A blow to his back made him whirl, slash out with his sword to split the barbarian’s head in half, his shock still too plain to be able to fight properly, and his arm trembled from the next blow. Then, the barbarian in front of him fell, his eyes wide, pierced by a sword, and Julius appeared, the young centurion’s eyes wide, pulling at Marius’ horse’s rein.
“We have to go. Now!”
Marius stammered. “They... they might be alive...”
Julius looked at his shocked face and yelled, yanking at his rein. “Maybe... but we have to go now! Come!”
He spurred his horse, not letting Marius’ rein go, and his horse flew after Julius’, the surviving officers behind them, fleeing before other enemy reappeared.
The journey home had been a blur, Marius replaying the scene in his head, disbelieving, knowing full well that even if he’d survived that wound, Clavius could not have survived in full armor in that wild river.And Kyle...He closed his eyes, nausea invading his senses as his horse ran. He clutched the mane, the fort finally in sight, the foaming horses almost dying of exhaustion. Julius shouted the password, and the gates opened, letting them in.
Marius jumped off mid-stride and threw up, his hands on his knees, the shock washing everything out of him. His hands shaking as he was trying to recompose himself, a concerned, blanched Julius’ hand on his back.
“Commander...”
He sighed, knowing he could not be weak now, his mind reeling from grief. “I’m fine...” He panted, straightening. “Thank you, Julius...” The young man nodded, and Marius pushed the words out, his voice stronger. “Assess the damages. I want a full report. Meeting room, now...”
He sat with his officers in the meeting room later, his eyes on Clavius’ empty chair, and his heart constricted, painful, almost knocking the breath out of him.My friend, forgive me...Julius handed him the report.
Human losses: 12 soldiers, Centurion Clavius
Material damage: 2 mules, 1 cart, 20 jugs of wine, 10 loaves of bread, vegetables, fruits, vinegar, 1 slave
