Tabia arrived then and set the table, putting her huge pot of broth in the middle.
She served a copious amount to Marius, and he sighed. “I don’t think I can eat all this...”
Tertullia chuckled. “Just start eating. You won’t be able to stop.”
He shrugged and dug in; the taste bursting in his mouth, making it water. He ate without thinking and Tabia smiled. She then poured a pale-yellow liquid out from a jar, its perfume pervading the room. Her thick voice filled the space. “This will get rid of the wine, dominus, and your heavy head.”
He sniffed at it, but Tertullia toasted him, bringing her cup to her lips. “Cheers to us, dear.”
Marius drank deeply and the cool, sweet taste washed down his throat. He finished his bowl, slightly amazed that he’d eaten it all, the spicy food making his body tingle. He also felt all of a sudden incredibly sleepy, his nerves soothed, and he yawned, vaguely embarrassed. “I’m sorry... I never feel so sleepy usually…”
Tertullia smiled, putting her full cup down. “It’s the shock, dear, of my humble appearance. Sleep then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She helped him up and walked him to his bed, tucking him in, watching his blue eyes roll up, and he was knocked out in seconds.
Tertullia turned to Tabia. “Just how much valerian did you put in that drink?”
She grinned. “Enough to knock out a rhino, domina.”
They laughed softly and left him, his soft snores filling the room.
“The week is up, and we have already enough money to get out of this shithole!” Clavius was grinning, putting the coins into purses, Kyle silent, exhausted, watching the soft rain fall outside.
It was late afternoon and their last day in the city. Clavius had already informed the eunuch that they were not staying, much to his dismay. He had offered an insolent amount of money for Kyle, but Clavius had, of course, refused it, already sick of this whole affair.
He gently touched Kyle, making him face him. “You’re alright?” Kyle nodded, too tired to talk. “Let’s go... we need to buy that cart, the mule and supplies, and get the fuck out of here.”
They walked to the market, Kyle still vaguely made-up, an entire week of it making it difficult to wash it off, but nobody seemed to care. They struck a deal fast and shopped enough food to last for their journey. The fort was a week’s ride away, at last, and they set off, not wanting to lose time, Kyle awfully quiet, leaning against Clavius driving the cart.
The weather was turning foul, icy rain falling from the cold sky, the mud churning on the road and Clavius cursed softly each time the cart or the mule slid in it.
They traveled uninterrupted, crossing other travelers, but Clavius’ impressive scar made other folks shy away, even rogue barbarians, their eyes just fleetingly glancing it over, mumbling, riding forward.
He grinned at Kyle. “This scar is scaring the bastards. I guess I should be thankful to the barbarian scum who did this.” They laughed, but Clavius could not ignore Kyle’s grey eyes swimming in sadness and fear. “Marius eating at you?”
The young man closed his eyes. “Yes... a bit.”
“I’ll talk to him. I owe my life to you and your able ass... he has to shut up and shove it.” He grinned, but Kyle wasn’t so sure.
Finally, the fort came into view in the dusk through the curtain of rain and their hearts raced.
“Now... we don’t have the password, but if we’re lucky, they’ll let us close enough so that one of my guys recognizes me... or so I hope...”
They approached slowly, stopping short in front of the gates, and Clavius’ voice boomed. “Anybody from the fourth century on duty?”
A soldier answered. “What’s that to you, peasant? Fuck off quickly before we shoot your ass full of arrows.”
They laughed on the wall, and Clavius grinned. “Balthus, you son of a bitch, if you don’t open up, I think you’ll hear of the general and myself.”
There was a long silence, and the soldier poked his head out, his voice choked. “Centurion Clavius?”
“Not his ghost, that’s for sure...”
“We buried you yesterday...”
“Well, I’m back. Open the goddamn door before I freeze my ass off in this rain.”
The gates opened, and they were let in, his soldiers around Clavius, clasping his back, hugging, grinning.
