Free Legatus Legionis: Book Two in the Gaius Claudius Scaevola Trilogy by Ian Miller Page A

don't know. You're not a woman, and you're not in Rome."
    "And neither are you," Gaius said, then hastily added, "in Rome, I mean."
    "You noticed the other?" she said, then suddenly she became more serious as she realized that he had gone out on a limb for her, and she added, "I'm sorry! I should thank you for your kindness, and not . . ."
    "I can ignore a pretty lady once," Gaius interrupted, "and that's careless, but to ignore her twice, to discard her to the vilest of the little or big boots, that is, well . . ."
    "In Rome, it's what's called 'playing it safe'," she reflected sadly. Then she decided to change the subject. "How did your expedition go? How many barbarians did you kill, how many villages did you burn, how many . . .?"
    "We killed those we had to," Gaius replied simply, "and we brought back the minimum required tribute. Rather than pillage, I tried to make the local villages semi-allies. I see no reason to kill or destroy for no reason."
    "I'm sorry," she frowned. "Neither do I, but that view is not commonly held. Tell me, what are they like, these barbarians."
    "They're not barbarians," Gaius corrected her. "They're civilized, in their own ways. They dress differently, they don't inflict shaving on themselves, they don't wash as much as we do, they pray to different Gods, but they make quite intricate metal ornaments." He paused, then added, "I've brought members of the family of the chief back. They speak Latin. Why don't you ask them what you want?"
    "Prisoners won't . . ."
    "They're not prisoners, and they're not slaves," Gaius interrupted. "They will be treated as chief's sons and daughters, and eventually they will return to their tribes, to lead them. They are to return with the feeling that Rome is good."
    "Even if in some ways, it isn't," she muttered.
    "Look, I'm sorry for your problem, but I promise you, you're safe here."
    "Even you can't refuse Little Boots," she warned. "If he orders me back to Rome . . ."
    "I'll say you're unavailable."
    "He's hardly likely to believe that," she snorted. "He'll come here for me personally, probably kill you, and . . ."
    "If you're polite and look after our guests from across the river," Gaius shrugged, "you could always escape across there. I can't see Little Boots going after you himself."
    "Living amongst the barbarians could be nearly as bad," she said. "There'd be nobody to protect me, and . . ."
    "On the contrary," Gaius interposed, "if the chief gave his word, you'd be quite safe. But it mightn't come to that. Let's try to enjoy the present and let the future take care of itself. Will you join me for dinner?"
    "I'd like that," she smiled.
    The dinner was small, informal, but Gaius had ensured that the cook understood that he wished to impress his guest. Vipsania was impressed; even Gaius was impressed. Since he was aware that Vipsania's father was interested in wine, he had found some older Pannonian wine that had been stored in a small cask for some time.
    "This's marvellous," Vipsania said, after tasting it for the first time.
    "Those in the know only buy old casks," Gaius said. "Most people drink fresh wine."
    "I thought old wine turned to vinegar," Vipsania frowned.
    "That's the downside of buying old casks," Gaius agreed. "If the air gets in, it's awful."
    They ate, they drank, and when Vipsania asked him about dropping rocks into rivers, he took her hand and invited her outside. It was cold, and he wrapped a cloak around her and drew her close to him. She put her arm around his waste, and almost snuggled against him.
    "Look up there?" Gaius said.
    "Stars?" Vipsania asked. "I know some of the constellations."
    "Do you know what the stars are?"
    "Just stars? What do you mean?"
    "Aristarchus thought . . ."
    "Who's Aristarchus?"
    "A Greek philosopher," Gaius explained, in what he was to reflect later was an overly serious tone. "He said that the Earth is a planet like Mars, and goes around the sun. Other Greeks thought the stars are other suns, in which