Scar in the soul

by Dizzy

Ever wondered how cicero ended up with those unpretty scars on the face?

Massilia was a lively little city facing the sea. The sound of the sea was something so persistent it took Maximus four days before to get used to it and sleep. Quintus seemed instead a person capable of accepting the most drastic changes, he'd slept the whole night the first day they'd arrived. Maximus envied this in his friend.

As the first rays of a pale day rose from the ever moving sea beneath the villa of the Prefect, the General took a look outside, breathing in. It was a marvelous gift from the Gods. The darkness slowly faded into a warmed red and purple strips of clouds embroidered the sky like soft veils of silk. The sun appeared over the horizon.

The door separating the bedrooms of the two friends screeched lightly. Maximus didn't turn and kept admiring the dawn. A sound of metal and leather announced the entrance of his friend.

"Have you slept tonight, General?" asked Quintus in a murmuring voice. He nodded. "I'm glad of it. Your footstep is as heavy as an elephant's and tonight I was getting worried not hearing it."

Maximus smiled and turned, the armor sounded as he moved. "Neither you are a dancer…" Said in a mocking voice.

"I'm not of course as good at it as your wife."

Maximus smiled again, turning and closing his eyes as a far music reached his ears; he swung lightly, humming. While he was still losing himself, as sometimes happened when he wasn't at home, in the sweet memory of his home he heard Quintus approaching him. He turned, the man had crossed the arms on the chest and rested the back on the wall and was now staring at him with perplex large eyes. Maximus shook the head blinking. What did he want?

"You've to tell me why, with all the professions you could do, you've chosen to be a soldier if you feel so much the distance…especially now that you're a General…"

Maximus looked at him, scanning for a moment his expression, was he joking again? He'd to admit, though, that since he'd been made General, two months before, he'd seen his home twice, for no more that a pair of hours. But it was worth their safety.

"It's because I care so much for them that I've chosen to be a soldier, to protect them." Said. Quintus didn't seem to believe his words as he sighed.

"Oh…"

"You don't believe me?" Asked surprised.

"No, no. I believe you." Answered the thin man moving toward the door. "It's simply too simple to sound real…" added, turning a bit as he opened the door. "You're a philosopher, Maximus, not a soldier." Said out of the room.

Maximus shook his head, smiling; his friend found always the right way to make him laugh and feel lighter the loss of his family. He followed him in the silent corridor. Little oil-lamps lightened the half darkness, the shadows danced and trembled in the corners as they passed and made the flames tremble.

"And is this so bad?" asked the Maximus hurrying to reach Quintus.

"No…" Sighed the man as they walked under one of the arches that marked the peristylium. Maximus took a look around, the columns were finely decorated with false plants and the real plants, that marked the edges of the piscina, were surrounded by little colorful statues. The sun shone through the light clouds and made the golden decoration of the pediment glitter. It was a beautiful home indeed, but Maximus didn't envy all that opulence.

A young female servant was taking care of the plants. "There should be more men like you." Added Quintus as they walked past the servant, finishing his speech. The young woman raised her eyes for a moment and looked at Maximus, the General noticed the glance and gave her a broad, though innocent, smile, making her cheeks burn as she hurried back to her work..

"I'd close the door of the cubiculum, if you don't want her in your bed tonight." Whispered Quintus, bending on a side, with the arms crossed behind his back. Maximus was going to answer but a huge woman dressed with a blue bright tunic, embroidered with so much gold to shine in the rising sun, intercepted them as they were going to the exedra to meet the prefect.

"Salve,Augusta Anna ." Said with a slight smile Maximus. Quintus simply bowed.

"Salve vobis." Answered the woman smiling toward the young, attractive general. Maximus didn't do it on purpose, he couldn't be cold, he had to smile and express himself when and how he liked - and Quintus sometimes still reminded him the embarrassing situation he'd found himself into when, an year before, he'd found in his bed the youngest daughter of the man who was hosting them, simply because he'd said to her she'd a pretty smile. The woman glanced at Maximus, a disquieting smile cropped her red lips and Quintus coughed, touching lightly his arm with a hand.

"Was there something you wanted to tell us, Augusta Anna?" asked Maximus, after a quick glance at Quintus. The Prefect was waiting for them and even if he was gentle with everyone, he hated to be late.

"My husband asked me to tell you he's waiting for you outside."

"Thank you a lot, Augusta Anna." He turned slightly, "Quintus."

They said good bye to the woman and left, heading toward the outer part of the villa.

The complex was immense, the columns that circled the outer garden reached the shore and it took a bit to them to arrive there.

As they walked, Maximus looked at the hundreds of tall and short, fat ands slim statues that adorned their way to the garden. Surely the Prefect knew how to impress his guests, even if everything sounded to him like the scenography of a spectacle, a facade.

"It seems the Prefect wants us to be impressed by his wealth…" murmured eyeing the petrified satires that rested on the edge of a rock on his right side. The way toward the outer garden was marked by plants and statues and by two little rivers the lost somewhere near the sea.

"Yes, well…but we're here with the power of the Senate and he's not going to escape." Answered Quintus pointing with a light movement of the head at the thin man who was waiting under a pergola. As they came closer to the man, Maximus breathed in. "You've to admit it, though, Quintus. This place is far better than that deversorium on the way toward here…"

"My home will be even better if I had the money he'd stolen." Remarked with an harsh voice Quintus, turning immediately when the man moved, directed toward them.

The man approached them. Maximus showed the most serious face he had, crossing the arms on the chest, making the mantle flutter lightly behind his shoulders. He wasn't wearing his helmet but his figure hit the Prefect, who stammered a greeting as Quintus copied Maximus's posture.

"Prefect, you know why we're here, so I won't waste time reminding it to you." Said with a serious, tense voice the General.

"Yes, yes… would you like to walk as we talk?" asked the thin man, swallowing and playing nervously with his tunic. Maximus nodded and the little group moved. The Prefect walked looking away from the two other men.

They reached the shore without a word. The voices of the sea-gulls pierced through the ears and the sand entered their sandals, Maximus though kept walking on the prefect's right side with his steady face and the arms on the chest. Quintus was fighting with one of his sandals, removing as he could the sand.

"Prefect, I don't want to waste my time but if you've something to say before we go, I'd listen." Whispered in a warmer voice, looking into the prefect's eyes, he didn't hate that thin short man. And there was something about the whole thing that didn't sound right to him, as the house. More he looked at the man who was now trembling before him, more the doubt carved an hole in his mind.

The man sighed deeply then stopped and looked straight in Maximus's eyes.

"If I'm judges and condemned, nothing will happen to my family, right?" asked the man; Maximus took a look at Quintus who was reaching them then talked.

"No, nothing will happen to them." Seeing that Quintus was getting closer enough to hear them he said aloud "Then, Prefect, are you ready to come with us and receive your punishment?"

"Yes." Whispered the thin man, nodding.

"Quintus. Prepare your stuff, you're going to accompany the Prefect, today."

"But Maximus…"

"I want to go home, the Emperor didn't say we'd to be together on the way back and if you leave today you can arrive a day before the trial, so that the Prefect will have the time to get used to the prison and the distance from his home." And started walking on the shore.

He waited, walking as slowly as he could and soon heard the hurrying steps of Quintus behind him but didn't stop; Quintus reached him and opened his mouth to speak but Maximus kept walking, Quintus then grabbed his arm and made him pivot.

"What's the matter?!" murmured surprised.

"He's not guilty…" said Maximus moving to give the back to the Prefect. He didn't want the Prefect to hear or see his face.

"But…but he confessed." Remarked Quintus, his voice shrill for the astonishment.

"He confessed and he'll go through the trial, he'll be judged and punished with the exile." Said staring at the sea then turned and looked into the eyes of the friend, "He'll pay for someone else's fault, though."

"What?! Maximus what are talking about?!"

"I'm sure he's not guilty, have you seen him? Have you looked at him. His tunic is as poor as mine or yours," he touched first his chest then Quintus's, to mark what he was saying "he doesn't wear rings, even if with all the money he should have he could have a ring for every finger; the dinner was rich only for us, he'd not eaten with us." He was gesturing only with light movement of the hands or of the head, whispering not to make the Prefect listen.

"But the house…"

"The house is a fiction, the dresses of his wife are a fiction…"

"He's protecting someone then…" interrupted in a thoughtful voice Quintus. He's finally seeing it…

"I'm sure of this."

"Why doesn't he talk then!"

"He cares too much for the safety of his family to do it."

"And he's going to live far from the people he loves, forever, because he loves them?"

"Everyone does what he thinks is better to protect the ones he loves." And with those words he turned and started walking back to the villa. That prefect, even if he didn't approve the way, was doing the same exact thing he did marching throughout the empire. Protect the people he loved.

He walked past the Prefect, who was waiting for Quintus to reach him, and patted on his shoulder, smiling. "I know." Whispered leaving the man before he could talk.

He didn't want to come back to the villa though, he needed to walk, alone and kept proceeding on the shore, closer to the murmuring water.

The water entered his sandals and he decided to take them off. The soft sand welcomed his feet as he walked, the sandals over one shoulder, the mantle kept up with a hand. He looked now at the shore now at the sea. Thinking that somewhere, on the other side of the sea there was Rome. He sighed lightly, he could have seen it accompanying the Prefect, but he felt too much the loss of his dear wife and his little son, only one year old. At Rome, probably he would have met Lucilla and he didn't want to see her again, by now at least. He stopped and moved the fingers of the foot as the salty water washed them again and again.

Her screams still sounded in his ears when he thought about their last argument, on the way back from the south, from Panormun. He'd wanted to go home in that occasion and was preparing to leave the camp on the way that connected Ostia to Rome. "Where do you think you're going?!" had shouted Lucilla several times, but he'd not turned, probably he'd to apologize instead of grinning at her without a word. But he'd always be polite with her except that grin, without encouraging her, even if…she was beautiful and at Panormun…But it'd been a mistake, and he'd told it to Selene as soon as they'd met. His wife had simply nodded, understanding him. He was thankful to Selene for that.

A loud scream pierced through his ears and shook the General from his thoughts. Maximus looked around, it seemed the cry of an animal in anguish but there wasn't any animal around. Then something rolled down the side of the hill. On the top of the hill - and Maximus noticed he was now near the harbor- there were some young men, laughing and shouting. The thing stopped when it crushed against a boat, turned upside-down and covered by some nets. Not a sound came from it. He moved closer.

"Laugh now, slave!" shouted a brawny young man as he reached the hill, keeping on looking at the immobile thing. Thing that appeared to be a person, there was something like an arm stretched out and a pair of thin legs.

Maximus hurried to the poor person, a young person probably, judging the measures. The young men on the top of the hill were going to finish their work and started descending the side of the hill but saw him and silenced coming back on the top as fast as they could, probably fearing the armor.

Maximus bent down, with one knee on the ground and examined the young man. He was covered by poor discolored clothes, torn by the fall, and the legs and the arms were covered by scratches and assorted bruises of every size, some were lighter others probably done by the side of the hill or by the kind children that were now silently watching his every movement. He checked the vital sign. The young man was still alive. Maximus examined the legs and the arms, to see if they were broken but everything seemed intact. The head instead was bleeding. As he touched the area around the wound the boy moved, a feeble call came. Maximus tried to touch the young boy, to help him up but he jumped up like a grasshopper. Two deep brown eyes stared at first with surprise then with fear at the general.

"You're not dead?! It's a pity for you, slave!" shouted again the brawny young man, with the hands on the sides.

The young man looked up at the boy who'd talked then again at Maximus and, before he could stop him, ran away.

"Run, run away, slave. I'll find you!" Maximus looked up at the young man with reproachful eyes and the boy simply stared back at him with anger then left, followed by the other children.

That afternoon, after Quintus had left, Maximus decided to see the city, he'd only seen part of it, at midnight, after days of journey and liked to see how it really was.

He was in his room, removing the heavy armor and wearing a simple mantle over the tunic, covering with it the sword he never left. Someone knocked on the door.

"Come in, the door's open." Said without turning. The door was open then closed but no one talked so he turned and saw the young servant of that morning looking at him with innocent eyes.

"What do you want?!" asked. Quintus was right then, but the servant hadn't waited the night.

"Sir, I didn't want to disturb you, but…sir, I've heard you're going to the city and…sir, well…come I come with you?"

Maximus looked at the girl. Quintus, you should have been here! He smiled, nodding.

"Yes. What's your name?"

"Agathe, sir."

"Let's go then, Agathe."

The servant shifted aside and waited for him to open the door and exit then followed him out of the room.

Massilia was truly a wonderful, though little, city. It was a warm afternoon, there weren't many people around but Maximus liked it; in the silence and the peace he looked around, appreciating now a statue now the facade of a building. Sometimes a dog barked but in the complex tearing the silence, but Massilia was indeed a splendid place.

After an hour of silent walking through the city Maximus, surprised by the silence of the young servant and without seeing any reason for her to come with him, he stopped in the shadow of a portico and turned toward the young servant.

"Why have you come with me?" The girl didn't answer. Maximus saw shyness in her burning cheeks. It's better if I stop her now instead of pushing her out of my room tonight… "Listen, I've a wife, a young son and I'm not going to-"

"It's for Cicero." Cried out the girl, looking away.

"Who?"

"Cicero." Repeated the girl. It wasn't of help, he didn't know any Cicero.

"Who's Cicero? A dog? Your boyfriend?"

The girl shook her head then her eyes looked up at him. "The boy."

The boy?! Which…wait a minute! "The boy fallen from the hill?"

The girl nodded.

"You know him?"

"He…is my elder brother, he's seventeen years old but he's not as strong as the others and they kick him and punch him and…" the girl burst into tears. Maximus knelt near her, smiling, caressing the head of the girl. "Gaius…he's challenged him…" Gaius? Oh…he'd to be the bold boy… " and he'll kill him!"

"Challenged him?"

"Yes, Gaius is the son of the blacksmith, he can pick some swords and has challenged Cicero. Cicero is not a good swordsman…our father hated violence and never taught him how to use a weapon…he's going to die!" the girl bent the head forward, on his shoulder. "You've to save him, sir…" murmured crying the girl. Maximus, smiled, embracing the girl and caressing her hair.

"Where is the duel?"

The head of the girl spread up, her eyes sparkled in the light of the sun. "On the shore, they're probably already there… Cicero's left the house when we left."

Maximus nodded and stood up.

Running as fast as he could, followed by the girl, he arrived at the villa, burst inside and reached his room.

"What are you doing, sir?!" asked the girl, stopping on the doorstep.

"They'll recognize me with my armor on and probably they will not fight." Explained, groaning to settle the pieces of the armor and after a bit of effort, he was ready.

"This way!" called out the girl and Maximus followed her.

When they reached the outer garden the girl stopped screaming, pointing with a trembling hand at a dark boiling spot on the shore not too far form them. Maximus looked at the shore and saw the young men. They'd already started.

"Stay here." Said to the girl and ran toward the children. He couldn't see any particular, he only saw figure moving but when he arrived near enough to distinguish what was going on, Cicero was already bleeding, a not too deep wound marked his left leg but he was still standing, grinning. The other boy was playing with him, it was clear he'd studied. Cicero instead fought only with rage and anger, without technique, he wasn't going to last. The children around the two fighters were shouting loudly, inciting Gaius to cut the throat of the other boy. What had Cicero done to deserve such a punishment?!

Maximus did the last meter that separated him from the circle of shouting children that surrounded the fighters with a steady step, making as much noise as he could. The children saw him and silenced, someone called Gaius but he didn't stop. Cicero had stopped instead, looking a the man. He seemed to recognize him and looked at Maximus with surprised eyes, blinking and frowning a bit. Maximus nodded to him then looked the other boy, "Cicero!" shouted the man as he saw Gaius raising the sword, Cicero turned and tried to parry the blow that made him fall. Gaius kicked him in the stomach and the boy bent forward, spitting blood. Gaius kicked him and made him roll on the back then sliced his face. Cicero let out a loud scream of pain and covered his face with the hands as blood started dirtying the sand. After some sounds the boy silenced.

"Now you…" Started Gaius, an evil mad light sparkled in his eyes. Maximus couldn't believe his eyes, the boy was goin to hit him again? He'd won, what else did he want?

He reached the boy, pushing the children away from his way and grabbed his arm, raising him a little. "What are you doing?!" Shouted shaking the arm of the boy.

"Let me go!" barked back Gaius and with a sudden movement tried to slice Maximus. The General pushed away the arm of the boy before the blade could touch him, sending the boy on the ground. The boy stood up immediately trying to reach his sword but Maximus drew out his sword. "I wouldn't do it. I've never fought with a child but for you I'm ready to do an exception." Thundered, pointing it straight at the heart of the young man. A sudden rage for that being had filled him. Never, neither from the worst soldier, he'd seen a behavior like that and could not tolerate it.

The boy looked at him, with anger - Maximus thought he was ready to jump at him- then ran away. Maximus relaxed and sheathed the sword, with a sigh. The children looked silently at him, with the mouths open for the surprise. Agathe arrived and fell near his brother, shouting in pain and worry then, crying, she embraced his body. The boy seemed dead in her arms, blood dirtied the white tunic of the girl as she caressed his face, removing from before his eyes locks of hair. Maximus knelt too, examining with light touch the deep wound. The boy had cruelly cut both the cheeks of the boy, and the cut looked like a continuation of the mouth. He picked up the young man from the arms of the sister. The girl stood up, only a dull pain in her eyes as she looked at her hands, red with the blood of her brother.

"Call the doctor. No, go to the tavern and ask for Aurelius Papirus, tell him that Maximus Decimus wants him and to take with him his bag." Said to the young crying girl. The girl was still looking down at the blood on her hands. He bent toward her. "Have you heard?" 

Agathe finally nodded "Aurelius Papirus." Repeated before to run away.

Maximus took the boy into his room and waiting for the friend to come he cleaned the wound with some water and a clean piece of cloth. He then sat down near the bed, watching the boy, trying to see a movement but the boy didn't move; the only sound coming from that poor being was a low suffering breath. Maximus thought with anger at Gaius, at what that boy had been able to do to another boy. It was incredible! He'd seen men, soldiers looking at their enemy with those eyes, with that animal rage, with the sword raised ready to cut and slice. But a boy! He was old enough to be a soldier but Maximus couldn't' still understand the rage he'd seen in his eyes. Poor Cicero…peace is a bad attitude in these days…

He sighed standing up and looked out at the sea. The calm waves murmured under his window under the bright light of the sun. Marcus will never learn that rage…

The door burst open and Maximus immediately turned.

"Aurelius!" called aloud as he recognized his friend.

"You're not wounded…what do you-" started the tall man, replacing a lock of blondish hair behind the ear and carrying with big effort his bag with the other.

Maximus pointed at Cicero and Aurelius's face contracted first with surprise then with worry. He placed the bag on the empty chair and started examining the wound. As the expert hands of his Greek friend moved on the wound Maximus started walking up and down the room. Time passed, slowly. So slowly Maximus thought it'd stopped. But only two minutes after he'd entered, Aurelius spoke again.

"Maximus, I'd work better if you stopped walking up and down!" shouted, turning the head toward him.

"Sorry Aurelius." Murmured the General embarrassed. He tried to calm down and concentrated on the peaceful view out of the window. His feet though couldn't stay immobile and he started rocking back and forth, with the arms crossed on the chest. After another, long while, Aurelius sighed and stood up, cleaning the hands from the blood.

"Then?" asked Maximus moving toward the friend.

"It's better than I thought. But he's lost a lot of blood. I don't know-"

"You can save him, can't you?" Asked with impatience. He only wanted Aurelius to say. 'He'll be fine, don't worry'.

"I can try."

"Try then!" shouted with a sudden gesture toward the boy then crossing again the arms on the chest with a loud sigh.

"Calm down, Maximus." Said Aurelius then turned toward his bag and started searching for the things he needed to operate. "This boy" started still searching inside the bag "…is he your…lover?" ended, turning toward the friend.

"Aurelius!" shouted Maximus, what?! He wasn't that kind of men!

"It was a question, don't get so angry!" Aurelius raised the hands as he talked as if to protect himself.

"Do your work and shut up!" shouted the General, and turned toward the window.

"Yes, yes…" murmured the doctor.

Maximus eyed the friend then sighed. "I met him this morning, some other young guys had thrown him down from the hill but he ran away before I could do something. This afternoon I wanted to see the city and one of the young servants of this house came to me and asked me if she could come with me. She then burst into tears and explained what her purpose was, she's probably seen me this morning and thought I could do something to save his brother, that boy, Cicero. Another young man had challenged him and before I could do something sliced his face with a sword."

"What a cruel boy." Whispered Aurelius.

Maximus sighed, looking at his friend as he worked on the young man. The wound, Aurelius had said, wasn't so bad but the cut across his face seemed so big. The General turned toward the sea. Gaius will probably try to finish his work… he then saw something moving on the shore. Agathe. He smiled lightly, remembering her sad eyes when she'd cried on his shoulder. Poor Agathe.

Other time, slow, unmerciful, time passed as Maximus moved from the window to the door, to the bed and again to the window. The sound of his armor was the only noise in the room.

The silence coming from Aurelius was so distressing! He knew he was one of the best doctors in the Empire, who'd saved his life and the lives of many of his men but now that silence was increasing in him like a dark hole of worry. He was even surprised by how much he cared for that boy. Surprised but not worried. No he wasn't falling in love with him! He simply saw another young man in that sleeping scarred boy, a boy he knew quite well…

Maximus sighed and closed his eyes as a soft breeze came in from the window. Images of his childhood came into his mind, disordered images of various experiences, the first time he'd ridden…He remembered how much hurt the legs and the bottom after, but it was a pleasant memory. His father with him as he rode through the golden fields, through the forest, where he'd cut his leg with a branch and that was the first time he'd met Aurelius, the son of the doctor who'd sewed his leg. How many scars had added on him after that! He remembered the first time he'd seen his future wife and her screams when he'd scared her with a dead worm on the head. He remembered, and that was something similar to Cicero's experience, he'd been challenged by a young man who wanted to marry Selene, he'd fought and lost, and two new scars were added on his arm… He remembered her smile after she'd said unrepeatable things to that young man. The day he'd left to be a soldier. 'I'll wait for you, forever.' The day they'd gotten married, years and scars later…the day, oh well it was at night…the day his son had seen the light for the first time…when he'd called him 'pa'…and now, what were they doing?! Maximus let his mind wander freely without concentrating on anything in particular. That kind of experiences were something he felt he needed, leave the body and wander without a goal through his own mind, discovering and remembering memories and sensation he thought he'd lost. Now that he was far from home the more persistent were the memories of his home, of his family, of all the sounds and the smells of the fields, the vineyard, the wind whispering through the olive-trees and taking in the jasmine's sweet smell at night.

The sun was slowly setting when he opened again his eyes. He took a look around, Aurelius was going away. Cicero was still sleeping.

"Then?" asked, stretching out the arms and finding out he'd fallen asleep on the edge of the window.

Aurelius turned. "You're awake finally…he'll survive, we've to see how things will go tonight, though."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm hungry, I need something to eat…wanna come?" Aurelius had a relaxed expression, things weren't so bad after all.

"No, thank you…"

"Don't worry, she'll stay with him." Said the man pointing at someone sitting near the bed.

"Agathe!"

The girl simply smiled at him and he smiled back. Then Maximus rose and reached Aurelius.

"The sister then not the brother…" whispered the man as Maximus closed the door. The general slapped him on the back of the head. Aurelius turned but Maximus looked at him with narrow angry eyes. "I understood…there was no need to be brutal." After a meter Aurelius started walking faster, Maximus didn't accelerate, "both of them then?!" said Aurelius, turning and Maximus started running after him.

"Where are you running?! You coward!"

After all that tension accumulated with the hours that run, that childish run, helped him and Maximus found the happiness to laugh as Aurelius tried to escape through the house. His twenty-eight years weren't a problem.

Maximus came back to his room when the moon was already rising above the dark murmuring sea. He opened the door slowly and walked in on the tips of the foot, trying to make no noise. Agathe had fallen asleep, the head on the bed and the hands holding her brother's.

In the darkness lightened by the milky moon he slowly, carefully took off the armor and placed it on the ground, eyeing the girl as he moved. A cold breeze whispered inside and Agathe moved lightly, murmuring. The General moving carefully picked his mantle and placed it on the shoulders of the young woman who whispered again "Maximus…Decimus…" he smiled and looked around to see where he could sleep. "no, no…" murmured the girl, her face contracted with pain "Maximus!!" shouted, opening the eyes. Maximus touched her shoulder looking at her with a warm smile.

"Go and rest I'll watch him." Murmured. The girl shook her head. "If you don't sleep you won't be able to assist him tomorrow." The girl, finally convinced, stood up and reached the door. Maximus was sitting on the chair but stopped halfway when he turned toward the door and saw Agathe still there.

"Thank you, sir Maximus Decimus." Cried out the girl embracing Maximus. The General was at first startled by that behavior then embraced the girl, caressing her head. He stood that way for a moment waiting for the girl to move but Agathe wasn't moving; he frowned and when he tried to free himself from the embrace found out the girl had fallen asleep. He sighed. Quintus was right, somehow; the girl is in my bedroom at night…asleep, but she's here. He slowly rose holding the girl in his arms and reached, moving as noiseless as he could, the other side of the bed and placed the girl on it. Moving silently he removed the cover and placed Agathe under it then came back to the chair and covered his shoulders with the mantle. Without wanting it Maximus fell slowly asleep.

A bright light made Maximus wake up. He looked around, blinking. When he moved the hands he discovered a little pale hand on his. He picked it up, eyeing Cicero, and freed his hands. Maximus took then a look at his face, he was sleeping; after a deep sigh of relief he looked at the still sleeping girl, she was holding the other hand of her brother.

Moving carefully he reached the window, yawning.

The sea was more silent, there were no cloud in the sky and the sun was already shining bright. He'd slept too much, noticed shaking the head. Someone knocked on the door, the blows were so strong he thought they were going to destroy it. He reached rapidly the door and opened it as soon as he could, he didn't want the children to wake up.

"What do you" started in an angry louder voice then, when he recognized Aurelius, his voice dropped, reduced to a whisper "want?"

"See the boy and tell you that we're waiting for you. We're late, we'd to be already on the way by now." Maximus nodded moving aside and Aurelius entered.

"I'm sorry. I'll be ready in a moment." And as the friend started examining the boy he started fighting with his armor. The metal sounded as he picked it up and he looked at it with angry eyes. He'd to move as silent as he could, he wanted to leave immediately.

"Yes, yes. Uhm…he looks fine now… the scar will remain but at least he's still alive. He doesn't have to speak for at least a couple of weeks though."

Maximus nodded, too focused on the armor to pay attention to what Aurelius was telling him; when he realized what he was saying he stopped. "Why are you telling me this?" Asked, he was going to leave that place, those were things Aurelius had to say to Agathe or to Anna.

"Because…" Aurelius stopped and looked at him with questioning eyes. Maximus answered him with the same surprised expression, he didn't understand what the friend wanted him to do. "Aren't you leaving him here, are you?!" asked then the doctor and Maximus opened the mouth to answer then shut it again. He'd never thought about bringing the boy home with him…surely Gaius was a problem and he'd probably try to kill Cicero again but… he couldn't… "I can't." said simply, without knowing the reason of what he was saying, he only knew he couldn't.

"You can't ? Maximus, don't tell me you've the courage to leave this boy here, with that other young guy who waits only your departure to finish his pretty work of chiseling on him?! I don't recognize you Maximus!"

Maximus tried to find an answer but couldn't. Aurelius was right but…

"Please, take him with you, sir Maximus Decimus." Asked a whispering sleepy voice. Maximus turned toward the bed. It was Agathe, the girl was going to cry again. He stammered another "I can't." and as he talked he started thinking that there weren't reasons for him not to bring the boy at home. Maximus didn't want to separate the brothers - yes that was a good reason- but if even Agathe was asking him to take Cicero away well, probably…

"Heard?" Said Aurelius pointing at the girl. Her gloomy sad eyes were something irresistible for the young General, and as he talked those eyes stared at him, piercing trough him like poisoned arrows. What he could say?

"Agathe, there are a few chances that you'll ever see your brother again. Do you really want me to take him away?" Asked looking straight into the eyes of the girl. He waited as the girl thought about what he'd said and in the meantime he picked up his mantle and put it on.

"Yes, take him with you, Sir Maximus Decimus." Stated then the girl in a firm voice, an adult voice, noticed Maximus. The only thing he'd to do now was saying…"All right then." Agathe smiled at him and he smiled back at her. Aurelius patted on his shoulder, with a proud smile painted on the face. He felt proud too, somehow.

"I knew you would have said yes. For this reason," and showed him the bag he'd carried with him and Maximus noticed it wasn't his usual bag "I've already prepared the stuff of the young guy, here you are." And handed him the bag. Maximus placed it on his shoulder, it was so light he thought it was probably half empty.

"But…Anna?" Asked, stopping Aurelius on the doorstep. The man turned.

"The wonderful creature that owns this place? I've set her too, she's agreed immediately, without giving me the time to try one of my well know monologues…" Explained the doctor, the voice slightly disappointed. Maximus smiled at the friend as he exited and closed the door, sighing. He took in a deep breath then and turned to face Agathe. The girl was looking at him with eager eyes. The child was stronger than he thought, and it was good since she would probably have to face Gaius, alone. He didn't want to leave the girl in danger…

"If it's all ready I think we should go now." Murmured moving toward the bed. The eyes of the girl were focused on him, the lips a bit parted, all in the girl was eagerness and sadness and happiness, all at once. "Help me." Asked and Agathe jumped down without a noise and reached him. Maximus tossed away the cover and as he held the boy up Agathe wrapped him up in another cover. Maximus then held the boy in his arms, Agathe tenderly replaced a hand under the cover. Maximus was expecting tears rolling down her cheeks but she simply caressed the forehead of the brother and kissed his cheek. Her eyes then looked up at him.

"Take care of him, sir Maximus Decimus." Said, turning, and Maximus noticed the light sobs that started shaking the girl as soon as she turned.

"Why don't you come with us." Asked Maximus - where had those words come from?! The girl turned. "I'm serious, I can ask Anna to let you come with me."

"Would you, sir Maximus Decimus?"

He smiled as he nodded to the child. "Let's go." Said pointing at the door and Agathe started crying again, this time her lips were smiling though. The girl ran to the door and opened it then closed it again after Maximus had exited. He didn't remember being so difficult passing through the door with the boy in his arms; and to be frank he didn't remember much of what had happened, the worry had been washed away and with it, the memory of that afternoon.

"Sure! Take her with you!" Shouted Anna opening the arms and smiling as much as she could. Maximus blinked at the woman; what had he said to convince her? A servant came in from the door and after a light bow announced "Sir, your soldiers are waiting for you outside."

Maximus nodded. "Agathe, go and pack your things, we're leaving at once."

"Sure, sir!" and ran away.

Anna dismissed the servant with an annoyed gesture of the hand and the young man disappeared behind a curtain.

"Thank you for all, Augusta Anna." Said Maximus, giving the woman another smile; probably it was for his smiles that the woman was allowing him to take away two of her servants…

"Thank you for your visit." Answered the woman. Maximus bowed lightly and stared walking away. When he was on the door. "Take care of the children." Heard the woman saying and then her footstep lowering as she left the atrium.

Outside the villa what remained of his troop was waiting for him. A commander reached him and, after a rapid salute, helped him placing the sleeping boy on the carriage were Aurelius was waiting. The friend smiled mischievously and he frowned then smiled.

"Marcus, we're waiting for another passenger." Said to the commander, mounting on his black horse. The man smiled. "If you mean her, " started pointing at the girl who was on his horse. "We can go, Sir"

Agathe turned and smiled at Maximus, waving lightly the hand. He answered with a light nod of the head. "Let's go then." Ordered in a loud voice, his usual thundering voice, and Marcus hurried to his horse. From the saddle of the horse, Maximus scanned the area around the house, frowning; it was strange for the General trained at the sudden attacks of the enemies, that Gaius wasn't there, hidden somewhere, ready to attack; he'd looked at him with eyes so angry it was all too quiet. But probably he was a fearful boy after all, and his armor had stopped him. He kept looking around though, who knows…that boy is probably as rancorous as he's angry…

Agathe yelled as the horse started trotting under her. Marcus turned and said something to her. Maximus spurred lightly the horse and the troop moved behind him. They're really cute together… thought with a light smile, letting his body wave lightly, rocked by the regular slow pace fo the horse. He was so relaxed he felt his body was going to melt under the warm sun. He was coming back home. Peace was all a round him.

After a whole day of march the troop stopped in a plain, there weren't villages on the way and after the soft life in the city, Maximus thought that a night under the stars was what his men needed. The camp was lightened with one fire in the middle, the carriage and the horses covered one side of it and a grove covered the opposite. The men were silent or talking in a low voice. Maximus had told them not to shout as they usually did, because the children needed to sleep.

The tent were they had been placed was guarded by two men, half sleeping near another little fire. As Maximus approached they opened their eyes and jumped up, saluting him; he answered with a movement of the hand and they dropped again. As he entered Aurelius turned toward him, welcomed him with a light nod and turned again, he was doing something on the light wound on the leg of the boy.

He reached the doctor with light steps and patted on his shoulder.

"How is he?" asked murmuring and trying to see something over the shoulder of the doctor.

"Not too bad." Aurelius pointed at two chairs not far form the bed and Maximus sat down, Aurelius took another look at the boy then sat down too. "He woke up during the journey. I fought a bit trying to calm him down and to convince him he was alive and safe…"

"You could call me."

"I tried…but you were lost in one of your…how can we describe it?…dreams and probably didn't even heard my voice…"

Maximus lowered the eyes, embarrassed. He remembered a far echo while he was thinking about what to say to Selene to explain why he'd come back with two children. "Sorry Aurelius…"

"Never mind…"

The doctor rose and reached the furthest corner of the tent, something metal sounded and then glasses clinked and when Aurelius turned Maximus smiled, recognizing a little bottle and two glasses.

"You've taken it with you…I can't believe it!" said Maximus recognizing the bottle. That was a secret liquor Aurelius had bought from Greece but Maximus thought he'd left it at Tolosa, where he lived. Hat short bottle brought back hundreds of memories and as the liquor started warming him up the two friends started talking about their past adventures, the journey to the north, the tempest they'd been through to reach the Britannia…

"That has been my first and last journey on a boat!" said laughing Aurelius as Maximus filled his glass again and laughed with him.

"We've traveled a lot together…" commented Maximus stretching the arms of the little table between them.

Aurelius nodded. The liquid swinging inside the glass hypnotized Maximus, Aurelius started talking about something Maximus didn't understand and kept talking for a long, long time. Maximus felt his eyelids slowly fall over his eyes and stood up with a sudden movement. He yawned and placed the glass on the table.

"I'm tired, I'm going to bed now…"

"But you've not heard what happened me on the way to Lutetia!"

"'nother time, Aurelius…" murmured stretching out the arms, he knew what had happened to Aurelius on the way to Lutetia…Aurelius'd told it at least four times, he couldn't bear it again.

"'night then." Sighed the doctor and he nodded exiting. He stopped on the doorstep. "Wake me up if something happens."

"Don't worry I will. I surely will."

As he walked toward his tent he started thinking again about Cicero. The boy looked and probably was a sensible person, too sensible to attack Gaius or harm him in a way so terrible to provoke in the other boy that anger…A strange sound attracted his attention, a rustling sound coming from the grove. Probably it was an animal who couldn't sleep…as me… He reached his tent, saluting his soldiers as he met them.

Inside it was warm and Maximus fell on his bed then, without taking off the armor he lay down, the hands crossed under the head. An animal, outside, howled then a dark silence fell on the camp.

Maximus couldn't sleep though. Cicero occupied his mind, mainly because he'd thought he was the right person to come with him now that he was a general and he needed someone to take care of his stuff when he was away but the boy seemed so fragile…he'd to teach him how to fight and how to write and read if he'd to come with him and he was too lazy to sit at a table and write.

While he was thinking about this a loud scream and some voices torn the silence. He jumped up and ran out of the tent. Just outside he crushed against Aurelius.

"Cicero." Said Aurelius.

Aurelius took him behind the tent of the children. As they came closer Maximus started distinguishing the voices of his men, the cry of Agathe and the clashing sounds of swords. Maximus preceded the friend. In the trembling light of some torches Cicero, grabbing a sword, was facing Gaius.

"I knew he would have come!" murmured as he felt Aurelius's presence behind him.

"Is that the boy?"

"Yes, and we've to stop them, Cicero's going to die. I've seen that boy fighting…" He drew out his sword and took a step.

"What do you want to do with that sword?" asked Aurelius.

"Don't worry." Answered Maximus, getting closer to the fighters.

The soldiers saw him and Marcus approached him. "Sir, we've tried to stop them but that boy is mad!"

Maximus nodded and moved closer to the boys.

Gaius seemed to recognize him and gave him an angry glance then attacked. Cicero parried the blow, grinning. The cut on his face had started bleeding again. The General was going to stop Gaius but Cicero glanced at him, shaking the head, gesturing him to stay there. Maximus nodded. That boy was going to be a big problem…but he was somehow happy to be the one with that problem… Gaius pushed him down and Cicero fell, without losing his sword though. Maximus shouted him to stand up and attack. It was like he was fighting with the boy, an echo of the past battles whispered in his ears as he incited the boy. Cicero glanced at him and tried but Gaius shifted aside and Cicero hit only the trunk of a tree. Aurelius arrived behind him.

"Oh my…Maximus do something!" shouted the doctor.

Maximus shook the head and turned lightly. "This is his battle."

"Maximus you're as mad as that boy! If you're not going to stop them, then I will do it!" and before he could stop the friend, Aurelius picked up a sword from a soldier and hit with all his strength Gaius's blade, disarming the boy. The echo of the swords meeting lost in the darkness. Gaius looked at the doctor with eyes full of anger but didn't move.

"Cicero." Called, turning. Cicero hesitated a moment then turned, Agathe ran to him, crying. Maximus was going to reproach Aurelius for the interference but saw a movement behind the man and shouted. "Aurelius!"

Aurelius Cicero and Agathe turned at once. The girl jumped forward and put her body between the blade and the doctor. Gaius stopped, startled as he saw Agathe panting before him, with the blade deeply inside her stomach. The boy removed the blade and Agathe fell down sighing. Aurelius knelt near her, examined with a quick eye the wound then looked at the face of the girl, the eyes were dully staring at the sky; he closed them and turned toward Maximus, too surprised to react, shaking the head with sadness. Agathe…

"No!" came Cicero's shout.

In a moment the boy was attacking Gaius, furiously, startling the other boy, making him move backward with every blow, tears rolled down his cheeks. Gaius fell down on the back, losing his sword. Cicero towered above him, panting and crying. Gaius tried to reach his sword but Cicero lowered the blade and the boy withdrew immediately the hand. Cicero raised the sword, preparing to kill the boy. The hands trembled as he stood in that position.

"No, Cicero…you won't bring Agathe back to life in this way." Said Maximus, Cicero wasn't that kind of man, he wouldn't allow him to be like Gaius. Cicero tightened the grip of the handle then lowered the hands.

"Go away." Murmured to Gaius. The boy, startled and terrified crawled away from him. "Go away!" shouted the boy. Gaius ran away.

Maximus reached the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder disarming him with the other. Cicero turned and looked at him, blood and sand dirtied his face, then bent the head forward and cried on Maximus's shoulder. Silently, without a movement of the body. Maximus touched his shoulder and Cicero raised the head. "Agathe…" murmured and Maximus turned. Aurelius was taking the body away holding it in his arms. The long brown hair fluttered framing her peaceful face.

All that could be seen of the tomb was a little amount of dirt under a big tree. Cicero scratched the name of his sister on the trunk.

"In perpetuum, ave atque vale, Agathe." Murmured Cicero, picking up some dirt and letting it fly away in the cold whispering breeze of the dawn.

"Ave atque vale." Repeated the soldiers. Maximus then moved toward Cicero and placed a hand on his shoulder. He knew what the boy felt, he'd lost his mother when he was as old as him and knew how much it hurt when you lost someone you love.

"You'll meet her again, Cicero." Murmured.

"I know." Answered the boy drying the tears with a sleeve of his tunic.

The soldiers left heading to the horses. Maximus and Cicero stood another moment. Cicero caressed the name carved in the trunk then ripped a little piece of the bark and held it tight in his hand.

"We've to move now, sir." Said then the boy and slowly left the tomb. Maximus left too, heading to his horse as a pale sun started his journey through the blue sky. The last stars died slowly as the troops started moving.