Free Swords of Rome by Christopher Lee Buckner Page B

provide.
    “Hey, it looks like you have some company,” Antony commented as he looked up towards Gaius’ home, which finally came into view.
    Gaius had to put his hand over his brow, so he could see through the bright glare of the sun. Indeed, he saw two horses standing outside, each one packed with enough supplies to last a week.
    “I wonder who it could be,” Antony pondered as, he and Gaius quickened their pace.
    “I do not know. We don ’t typically get many visitors,” Gaius replied, curious, as he kept his eyes ahead. It was just then that he recalled his father, when last he saw him mentioning that someone was coming on this day, and for whatever reason he insisted in him meeting the stranger.
    As the three friends came nearer to the small home, Gaius could see that the horses had been branded with the seal of the sixth legion, with a second mark under it that read, S.P.Q.R . The larger of the two was black and looked as if it could carry a heavy individual wearing full armor and kit, while the second was lighter and smaller, more a beast for someone's Gaius’ age.
    Antony and Julia remained with their slave as Gaius approached his front door. He couldn’t shack the bad feeling that was brewing in the pit of his stomach. And then, as Gaius went to reach for the door handle, it was pulled open before he could reach it.
    Gaius stumbled back, eyes wide as a large man stood before him, seemingly not noticing the boy who had to tilt his head; eyes panicked as Gaius squared himself, fist clenched into a tight ball.
    The burly man was about the age of Gaius’ father, only a bit larger and with a thick grayish beard. He wore a lion-skinned cloak over his shoulders; its paws dropped down over his chest, which was covered with a loose-fitting, brown leather chest plate, which bore the same engraving of the white wolf that Gaius had seen several times. It was, however, what was in the man’s hand scared him the most, a small dagger.
    As the stranger finally looked down, Gaius could see a long scar that ran from the top of his brow and ending just above his cheekbone. It seemed recent, and gave him a menacing appearance.
    At first, the man’s expression hardened his stare cold as he studied the boy who was standing before him, and then he spoke.
    “You don’t look like much. I expected you to be bigger by now,” the man said in a deep and raspy voice.
    Gaius could smell the scent of cheap wine coming off of the man’s breath as he spoke.
    “I guess it could be worse. You could have taken after your father,” the old soldier then laughed as his expression suddenly changed to a friendly grin.
    The man raised his knife to his other hand and sliced a piece of dried beef, before putting the meat into his mouth and began to chew; with a big grin as he continued to take in Gaius, who  stood like a statue.
    “Very funny coming from someone with a face like yours,” Julius spoke from behind the old soldier, which too sounded as if he had been drinking all day.
    Julius stepped out, moving the other man aside so he may stand in the doorway. His hand was placed on the stranger’s shoulder as he looked down at Gaius with a big, uncharacteristic smile that reached from ear to ear.
    “Gaius, I would like yo u to meet an old friend of mine, Legate of the Six Legion, Claudius Augustus Valerius.”
    “You said that already,” Valerius mused. “And actually, I have met you once before, lad. Only then you were too young to remember me as you were just a little nip, still suckling on your mother’s breast.”
    Gaius’ face hardened, not liking the picture that formed in his head as Valerius knelt down and extended his hand. However, he refused to take it.
    “Now don’t be rude, Gaius,” his father spoke.
    Gaius hesitated for a moment, but then obeyed his father and reluctantly accepted Valerius’ gesture of friendship. As he took the legate’s wrist, he tried as best he could make sure his grip was tight, but compared