Callista Chapter 2
After the Battle
Callista looked over the advancing line of the enemy and teasted the string on her bow as she awaited orders her heart thumping so loud in her ears she feared the man next to her must be deafend from it. Finally she saw the line of oil lighted before her and looked up to gauge distance. she heard the order to ignight her arrow and did so lighting the tip and drawing back her arm holding strong until that order came...
"LOOSE!"
Callista let her arrow fly with the hudred of others the smoke making her eyes water a little as she heard the large catapults fire their loads in to the enemy lines. she stopped as she saw the infintry advance and obviously they did not want to fire on their own men. From where she was she could see her brother in his charge and offered up a prayer to the gods that he would live and make it back to her and his family.
During a battle it is very difficult to make out each man until it is over and once it was she looked back to the emperor a nod from her and a beseeching look to go find her brother.
The old man nodded and she was soon lost amoung the men in her haste to find him. By the time she did he was standing near a tree in which his sword was embedded and she threw herself at him ignoring the dirt and blood that covered his armour and hugged him. Maximus smiled and stroked her hair as his looked down to her.
"we have won..."
He looked up suddenly as the emperor approached and Callista pulled back both nodding their head in greeting Callista stepping back to let the emperor speak to her brother
"you have proved you valour Maximus...let us hope for the last time...how can i reward my greatest general?"
the old man smiled to him
Maximus looked to Callista
"let me go home?"
Just then Callista looked up to see the emperors son Commodus riding down to greet them and she rolled her eyes a little. It wasn't that she disliked him that much but they were the same age had even played together as children but Commodus had never outgrown the spoiled brat he was and it irked her.
she stepped behind the large form of her brother and watched as Commodus walked up to them. She didn't really pay attention to what was being said as she looked around suddenly a hand grasped hers and pulled from behind her brother and she came face to face with Commodus.
"Hiding little Sister?" came Commodus's silky voice
"No" said Callista gently pulling her hand free as he tried to kiss the back of it
"forgive me" she said "my hand is dirty"
Commodus looked to her and nodded
"so i see you continue to play soldiers Calli..."
"i do not play Sire merely help where i can"
Commodus studied her for a moment she was shorted than him only about 5,7 long raven black hair which was wavey and currently in need of washing there was a scar on her face going from under right eye and across the bridge of her nose, dark brown eyes looked out from under long lashes at him.
Commodus was about to say somthing when he was stopped by his father saying he needed to go so he nodded to her and turned to help his father.
Callista turned to her brother and looked up to him
"please i need to go change" she smiled before suddenly turning and loosing herself in the crowd of men.
The battle had been fierce and bloody and Callista made her way back to the tent she shared with her brother covered in cuts and scrapes and exhausted. She slumped down on a seat and threw her bow on the floor as she sighed suddenly realising soneone was watching her. She looked up to see Cicero standing there with a flagon of wine in one hand and a cup in the other.
"Oh...Cicero i did not see you there..."
The servant merely smiled and poured her a drink holding it out to her which she took and sighed
"Cicero...do you think im playing at soldiers?"
Cicero stopped what he was doing and shook his head
"No MIss Callista i do not...i think you merely want to help your brother in your own way. Not to mention you have proved yourself time and time again with him and his men...i think you are a good soldier"
Callista nodded and smiled making her way to her part of the tent where Cicero had already filled the small bathtub with hot water. She was soon stripped and soaking in the water trying to wash the smoke and blood from her hair and skin.
soon after she was back at the main tent washed and cleaned she made her way through the crowds of men nodding hello to some and lookng for somthing to eat.
As Maximus made his way through the crowd he spotted a familiar blue cloak. He walked up to his sister and placed an arm aorund her shoulders
"Callista why do you insist on wearing that ragged old thing?"
"You know...because father gave it to me...i can't bring myself to part with it just yet" she smiled
Maximus smiled somtimes he wondered if letting her fight with him had been a good idea...or course there had been much opposition to her and when maximus had said he would not go without her they had had to give in to his wishes. she was a tough little thing and the men seemed to treat her like a universal younger sister and any who showed anything else were soon put off by the sudden protectivness around her.
Callista excused herself and made her way through the crowd until she was stopped by a voice
"Callista!"
She turned to see who it was seeing Lucilla heading her way she stopped and turned to the woman bowing her head
"Yes My lady?"
Lucilla smiled
"please call me Lucilla...Still making your mark as a soldier i see?"
Callista smiled
"i never was one to sit around doing nothing"
"what will you do when you get home Callista...im sure there are a few suitors waiting for you"
Callista pulled a face
"no thank you...i have no plans to become a trophy wife just yet. I want to see my family and nephew first"
Lucilla looked over to Maximus and then back to her
"i see...well i wish you all the best Callista maybe i will see you in rome soon"
Callista bowed and left the woman to her thoughts before heading out
As she made her way back to the tent she realised she never did get anything to eat and gave up too tired now to think about eating she entered the tent.
"good Evening miss"
Cicero was there to meet her with a cup of wine. She smiled and took the wine.
"thank you cicero...and how many times do i have to say just call me Calli like Maximus does i do not mind"
Cicero gave a small smile and nodded "very well"
Callista sipped her wine and sat down heavily in a chair
"i am so tired..." she sighed
she watched ceciro for a few moments he was older than her with dark brown hair that fell in to his dark eyes. His face was scarred with one running up from the left side of his mouth and a curled scar on his other cheek. she traced a slender finger over her own scarred heek
"cicero... please sit with me for a moment and have a drink"
Cicero paused
"as you wish"
he seated himself in the chair next to her and poured some wine
"i can't wait to get back home..." said Callista "i want to go riding over the fields again and feel like im flying"
Cicero smiled
"im sure the General will be glad to get back also...i know he misses his family"
he glanced to the small clay figures near the fire.
When he looked back to Callista she was fast asleep. He smiled and pulled a blanket over her gently pushing a stray lock of black hair from her face as he did so.