Finally finishing up the Festival Arc. After this, it'll be Charleston… not
Chapter 5: Feast of Fortuna
'Today's the day' thought Cary.
June 24th, the day of the Feast of Fortuna. It was one of the things the whole legion was talking about. While the food and festivities were something to look forward to, it was also a day of tradition of worship.
That is why Cary was tagging along with Amber and the Fifth Cohort to Temple Hill. This was a sacred place where religious practices were observed, and offerings were made. Cary recognized the sanctity of such tradition and tried to be as respectable as possible. He was staying silent and just complying with orders from Jason and Gwen. The First Cohort went out first to pay their respects followed by the Second, Third, Fourth, and finally Fifth Cohort. By the time Cary and Fifth Cohort were in transit, it was already the afternoon, and they haven't had lunch.
Jason and the Fifth Cohort were walking around each temple dedicated to the gods and goddesses of the Roman Pantheon. The first temple they visited was the Temple of Mercury, who was the patron of travelers and tradesmen. All the legionnaires went up to his altar to pray and offer their respects in the form of sacks of grain, though some of them brought cereal boxes or oatmeal packets.
Cary lingered around as he ran Jason's lessons over breakfast. He couldn't help but wonder about his decision on who should be worshipped first.
Earlier this morning for breakfast.
"So today, Cary. We are going to Temple Hill to pray and offer to our gods. I hope you remember the ones back from School," said Jason. Jason was sitting with Cary, Amber and several others at their table for breakfast. Thanks to the amount of clout he had with the wind spirits, he brought over a party platter of cheeses, meats, and toasts for the table.
"Yeah, So there's Jupiter, Neptune, Mercury, Minerva…" Cary listed.
"Actually, there's no temple for Minerva or Neptune. We only have a shrine for Neptune," Jason corrected, "Well, I don't think we need to worry about giving you the crash course. We're going out after lunch to give offerings. We are going after the other cohorts. Go ahead and help Amber load the wagons with the tributes and offerings. We're starting with the Temple of Mercury, then we go around, and finish up with the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus."
"I'm sorry. Jupiter what?" Cary asked.
"Optimus Maximus. It means 'best and the greatest'. Normally, worshippers start with his temple, but I like to leave him for last," Jason answered.
"Saving the best for last?" Cary asked coyly.
"Something like that," Jason curtly answered, "Eat up, Cary. We're not going out for a while until the Fourth Cohort comes back." Jason departed the table to wash up.
"So, who are you hoping you're related to?" Cary asked Amber, who had just finished her breakfast.
"Honestly, I don't care. I really just hope to be claimed," said Amber.
Back to the Afternoon
Cary stood by and waited for the Cohort to finish up at the Temple. Once they finished up, Cary quickly stepped in to give a small prayer to Mercury. Since he was not a Roman, he wasn't obligated to follow with the rest of the cohort, but out of courtesy and paranoia, he simply stepped in.
"Lord Mercury, please grant me safe passage back home to my family when school starts again," he whispered to himself. Cary felt more protected after finishing his prayers.
Most of the temple worship went by quickly. The Fifth Cohort went through Diana, Bellona, Mars. There were also multiple shrines dedicated to Apollo, Neptune, Janus, and Pluto. Cary couldn't help but notice that Neptune's shrine looked dilapidated. No one from the previous cohorts left any offerings. The Fifth Cohort offer just as many offerings to Neptune as the other gods. Cary could see that the lack of care for Neptune felt intentional. 'Is this because of 1906 or something else?' he thought. Before he fell behind the procession, Cary decided to take a couple of quarters out and leave it on Neptune's shrine. He didn't have any food so it was the best he could offer.
The one temple he wasn't comfortable with was the Temple of Mars. Even though Bellona's domain was war as well, her temple housed an aura befitting of a museum for the strategic aspects of war and respecting those who protect, while Mars's Temple felt like a museum for the physical aspects of war dedicated to those who fight and take lives. Of course, Jason corrected him earlier today saying Mars didn't enjoy bloodshed; instead, Mars was supposed to embrace honor and duty. Cary didn't deny that his impression of Primo contribute to his bias against Mars, but he couldn't help but replace the statue of Mars with Primo in his head. Still, he didn't want to get smitten for thinking out loud, so he just prayed to Mars with the simplest of courtesies.
Finally, they've stopped at the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. It was the largest and grandest of temple. Cary looked up at the golden statue of Jupiter with a bolt of lightning in his hand. The pavilion had columns as wide as sequoias and polished marble floors. Cary thought the room was a bit intimidating. The statue's expressions intimidated him. What he also wasn't ready for was Octavian of the First Cohort standing in front with a gold dagger in his right hand. Jason and Gwen handed him what appeared to be a stuffed animal as Cary and the Fifth Cohort lined up to pay their respects. Thanks to Jason's and Gwen's planning, there was just enough offerings for Jupiter. Cary noticed that Jupiter had more offerings from the other cohorts than the other gods. Hence, the altar was more stacked than the other gods' altars. 'For a society built on worshipping the Olympians and their counterparts, it's disconcerting to see gods face unequal respect from the campers.
Since there were forty people in queue, no one except Jason and Gwen stayed too long in the temple. The Fifth Cohort stayed outside after finishing their prayers, while Jason and Gwen consulted Octavian in the temple. Cary looked around to chat with Amber, he turned a corner past the stairs leading up to Jupiter's Temple to find a shrine hidden in the temple's shadow. There was a little girl wrapped in blankets tending to an open hearth in front of the shrine. Cary couldn't explain it, but the girl possessed a welcoming aura that beckoned him to come closer.
"Hi, there, do you need some help, miss?" Cary asked, he wasn't sure what compelled him to ask. The girl turned around and Cary could see her in closer detail. She was a little brunette girl with the brightest brown eyes that resembled a fireplace.
"Ohh, sure. I'm tending the fire here. I can certainly use the help here. Do you have any offerings for me?" the girl asked.
"Ummm, I'll have to ask the Cohort if there's anything left…" he answered.
"Oh, no. I meant to say do you have anything to offer," she clarified.
"Umm, I'm sorry, all I have is some spare change and my prayers. Is that okay?" he asked. The girl stretched her hand out to accept it and threw it into the fire. Cary walked up to the altar to pray. "Who am I praying to?" he asked.
"This altar is for those who keep the fire going. However, not all gods get to receive offerings, so this altar stands for those who have faded away from memory," he answered. "I see, thank you for doing this," said Cary.
"No problem. But I like you to visit me again tonight after the festival," said the girl. Cary promised to see her again and wished her well. The girl saluted back, "See you again Cary Chang." Cary had turned away just as she said those words. He did a double take when he realized he never introduced himself to the mysterious girl. But when he turned around, he saw that the girl and the whole shrine was gone, as if it was never there.
Cary wondered what just happened, but before he could ask himself some questions, he was brought out of his thoughts by Maylene shouting for him. "Hey, Cary. Jason and Gwen are done here. We're heading back to camp." And with that encounter, the short pilgrimage to Temple Hill was done.
The rest of the afternoon was a leisurely time for the other Cohorts. The other cohorts were taking a break waiting for the Fifth Cohort. Some of the legionnaires were playing cards, tossing a ball around for catch, or just simply laying down in bed.
Norman and Darren were playing Texas Hold-em with a couple of others to pass the time. Most of them were skipping lunch for the feast this evening. This gave them an opportunity to have a conversation about what their fortune hold.
"So, you guys going to pig out tonight?" asked Darren amusingly.
"Totally, I'm going to take as much meat as possible and wash down as much soda as possible," said a random legionnaire. "I'm going to try my luck with Praetor Arellano," said another.
"Come on, let's not make fools of ourselves tonight," pleaded Norman. The Feast of Fortuna was a special time for cohorts, but someone always go nuts and end up embarrassing themselves.
"Speaking of tonight, do you think Praetor Richards have anything special to announce?" asked Darren. Sullivan's outing into the city was made public to the legion and everyone wonders what he brought back. His strength lies in his firm-but-fair approach in diplomacy. As a legacy of Venus, that skill was in his blood.
"He's probably bringing in gifts for us tonight after dinner, or maybe some guests. Last year, he did bring over former legionnaires to train us and take us on quests," suggested Norman.
"Do you think his quest has something to do with the new guy and girl?" asked another.
"I don't know. I kind of find it strange that we don't see him wearing camp attire. I don't really see him around a lot. He stays close to Amber. You think he and Amber are friends or something more," Darren inquired.
"Hmmm, nah, that's a bit of a stretch. Amber's not eligible to bring a mortal guest here. It must be something Reyna or Sully wanted," said the other legionnaire.
"Maybe we can ask Cary or Amber when our centurions aren't looking. Leila and Oz haven't said too much about it after that dinner," Norman added. He would continue more until Darren started hearing footsteps. Leila's footsteps.
"Shoot. Guys clean up. Leila's coming. We can't get caught." Last time Leila caught them playing with cards, they got sent to dusting the barracks.
Leila turned a corner just as they cleaned up. "Darren, Norman. Good to see you. I wanted to inform you that Jason and Gwen have returned from Temple Hill. Let's get ready to meet them. Grab the rest of the Fourth Cohort." ordered Leila.
"RIGHT," answered the legionnaires. The Fourth Cohort rallied up outside the camp by the Praetorian Gate with other three. The Fifth Cohort marched into position next to the Fourth. Darren and Norman saw Cary lined up next to Amber. Right now, isn't a good time to ask.
"Hey Leila, Oz. How have you been?" asked Jason.
"Fair enough. Have you received your fortune for your cohort from Octavian? He told us that our cohort will face great struggle this summer," answered Leila.
"Wellll… Octavian told me that the Fifth Cohort faces the worst of what is to come. It's pretty much the same, except the tone is different," Jason replied. Although he didn't show it, Jason was worried about his Cohort. Sure, he put a hundred percent into training his legionnaires -and in return they bring out the best despite their reputation- but the cohort faced immense pressure to impressive its four counterparts. When Jason became of age to become a legionnaire, he had the opportunity to join the First Cohort, but he turned it down to join the Fifth and work his way up. As a centurion and the Son of Jupiter, eyes were on him to see if he surpasses their expectations. Now, Jason must get ready to bring honor to his cohort this summer, assuming that the situation across the bay is contained.
"Do you think we'll have to deploy across the Bay?" Jason asked.
"Honestly, I think we'll have to. Sully goes to the city to negotiate, Octavian and Primo bringing in veterans, stockpiling Imperial Gold and weapons. It's not a question of if, but when," answered Oz as he scratched his messy hair.
"TWELFTH LEGION FULMINATA," shouted Sullivan. He called the legion to attention, and all the Romans stood straight. "Yesterday, we faced an incident that threaten the sanctity of our celebrations and annual pastime. However, we must consider ourselves lucky that nothing of value was lost and that our lives were not endangered. I'm bringing the party supplies here tonight. Tonight, Camp Jupiter and New Rome celebrate the Feast of Fortuna. Ave Roma!"
"Ave Roma," shouted the Twelfth Legion
The festival was a blast. For Cary, it was a potluck, a party, and a mixer all together. The mess hall was packed with drink and snacks. Cary put himself in party mode and went around to introduce those he hasn't got to formally greet. By his count, he knows Amber, Maylene, Darren, Norman, Sullivan, and Jason rather well. On the other hand, his relations with Reyna and Octavian were lukewarm, and he felt very uncomfortable with Primo and his peers in the First Cohort. Cary stuck close to the Fourth and Fifth Cohorts.
Amber stayed close to Maylene and was having a chat with the female blacksmith. "Tell me, May. How did you discover your lineage?" asked Amber.
"Oh, it wasn't anything astonishing. My dad was the son of Vulcan and he put me to work into his shop when he saw me playing with his hammer. And I got to say, I have no qualms about taking after him and my grandpa," Amber answered with a toothy grin. She took a bite out of her chicken as Amber pondered about her answer. "What's eatin' you, Ambs?" she asked.
"It's just… I got a book as a gift from the bookstore. It supposed to help me find my divine lineage. So far, I've only tackled the first two chapters, but the whole text just gives me vague notions and personality advice like a Sunday's morning horoscope," Amber lamented.
"Don't lose hope, Ambs. You'll find out soon enough before the end of summer. Jason and Gwen believe you. So does Sully. Reyna… just give her time," Maylene assured.
"And Octavian?" Amber asked.
"Octavian and the First Cohort are always hard to impress. Even when you're not a probatio, he still won't like you because you're the Fifth Cohort, Maylene answered, "Why don't we change the subject? Tell me more about your friend, Cary." He was hanging out with Darren and Norman, sharing stuff outside of camp and stories.
"Cary, what about him?" she asked, "He's a great friend, but he gets himself in situations he doesn't belong in. Now, it's kind of my fault he's here, but he always thinks he needs all the answers just because he was one of the top students back home. I just want to send him back home when we're done. And maybe leave this place."
"Hey Amber. Good to see you again tonight," Amber turned around from Maylene to see Sullivan talking to her, "I was wondering if you and I can have a chat together alone when you're available," Sullivan requested.
"I'll leave you two be," Maylene departed. Maylene walked off to hang out with Darren, Norman, and Cary. Sullivan mood turned from festive to professional, "Amber, Reyna told me that you ran away from Camp a few days ago when I was in San Francisco. She told me that as punishment, Cary and Jason are now responsible for keeping you in line. Jason continues your training, and Cary helps you study. After the festival, the legion is going to resume training and they'll need help this summer. Are you in or out?" he asked sternly.
"I… um," Amber stalled as long as she can. She didn't want to stay, but she felt pressured to. Amber had planned to learn about her lineage and then run back home as soon as possible. If she knew her real parents, then maybe they could protect her and raise her. She loved her adoptive parents, but she didn't want to put them in danger, and they couldn't understand what she would be going through.
Before she could give Sullivan an answer, both were distracted by a ruckus at the Fourth Legion table.
"So, Darren, I was wondering if you knew anything about a little brown-haired girl that hang out on Temple Hill today?" Cary was conversing with Darren and Norman, both had introduced their colleagues, Fern and Aldo -a brother/sister duo in the same cohort as them.
"A little girl. Nope. And you say she was attending an altar that disappeared in a blink?" Darren asked, "Sorry, I don't recognize it. Maybe it was a ghost."
"What do you mean ghosts?" Cary asked, "It's not funny." He wasn't amused with the supernatural. In fact, he wasn't amused with the idea of the gods being real because it puts a dent in his worldview. For Cary, science and logic were supposed to make sense, not religion.
"No seriously. We have ghosts around camp. Don't worry, they're not dangerous, but I don't recognize the person you saw at camp," Norman answered.
"Oh well. So how long have you guys been at camp?" Cary asked. Darren and Norman have been here since they were kids, but they didn't join the legion until a couple years back. Fern and Aldo were also in the same boat. Maylene, who was just joining, also took part. However, she was placed in the Fifth Cohort after having skipped too many crucial tests to qualify for higher Cohorts. Nevertheless, she was treated as an honorary Fourth Cohort legionnaire by the gang.
"So, you guys snuck out to explore an abandoned apartment in New Rome?" Cary was following a tale by Aldo and the gang. Apparently, as kids they snuck into an apartment and ended up locking themselves in. By the time their parents found them, they were bawling their eyes out.
"Yeah, but it wasn't as scary as the scolding we got from the adults," laughed Aldo. "Anything you want to share."
"Not really, I tried not to be a troublemaker. I usually try to help others. I do well enough in school that I get paired off with classmates in need of assistance. That's how I met Amber. She was struggling with math, so our teacher paired us off. Ironically, I get paired with her in P.E. because I need her coaching."
"So you guys were close in school. Do you have a crush on her?" Darren bluntly asked.
"Uhhh, I ummm," Cary choked out, "Well, I would be lying if I didn't say she was a good friend, it's just…" he didn't get a chance to finish when they were interrupted.
"Well, well. If it isn't Aldo's entourage and the outsider." The mood soured as Primo entered the conversation.
"What's up Primo?" Aldo asked.
"Nothing much, just wanna take a seat next to you guys. Make room for me." He rudely ordered.
"We don't have any space, why don't you a bring a chair over?" asked Fern. "I would, but it's beneath me to grab one. After all, you lower cohorts are only here to make us 'Firsties' look good," Primo answered.
"Come on, Primo. Take it down a notch, the legion isn't yours to just boss around. We work together as one unit," refuted Aldo.
"Don't give me that 'we're equal under the legion' talk. If you ask me, people who have the best bloodline are more worthy than those with none. Warriors like us are needed more than scholars and blacksmiths," he insulted.
"Well, maybe scholars and blacksmiths are more useful behind the scenes. They're the ones making sure your swords don't break and everyone comes back home," Cary snapped. Aldo and the gang were shocked that their mortal visitor would snapped back.
"Please, we do just fine without that thing you called intelligence. My ancestor, Mars Victor, believe knowledge goes out the window on the battlefield. That honor belongs to those that win wars," Primo smugly answered.
"Oh really, well tell your god thanks for all the wars he's dragged America in. Thanks for Vietnam. Oh, and thanks for Iraq. I'm sure mortals like me were thankful of it," Cary would continue to rant, but Primo dragged him by the collar and threw him to the wall.
"Maybe, I oughta teach ya a lesson by breaking your teeth." Primo threatened. "Bring it, tough guy," Cary answered.
Primo threw a punch, which Cary blocked. However, Cary wasn't quick enough to block the knee to his guts and went down on the ground. Primo's goons started to swoop in, until Aldo's entourage intervened to block them off. Before long, the whole table turned into a fighting ring.
"ENOUGH, BREAK IT OFF," yelled Sullivan. He and Amber heard the sounds and made their way the end, "Primo take your friends out of here. Mr. Chang follow me."
'Crap, I'm in trouble,' Cary felt ashamed that he screwed up tonight. He was wondering what Sullivan was going to say to him.
"What happened?" Sullivan pulled him out of the mess hall to talk. He wasn't furious, but he was concerned. "Sorry, it's just… with all due respect, Primo is a self-serving prick who can't respect personal space or opinion. He won't leave Amber alone, he has no respect for the other cohorts," Cary answered angrily. Cary wanted nothing more than to get Primo out of his sight.
"I understand. However, Primo's family is one of the richest in New Rome. They have ties in the Senate, in the military, and have a strong ancestral history. Many of his predecessors were centurions and officers in the army. And we need those today. Can you please not make too much of a fuss? I like to keep the party going, especially with tonight's announcement?"
"Tonight, what's wrong?" Cary picked up on what Sullivan was hinting. To him, it sounded like the praetor was going to share some bad news.
"Later, for now just enjoy the party."
The party continue with much fanfare and pomp after the incident with Primo. Cary returned to Aldo's group with Amber in tow. It was great to see Amber in a brighter mood these days. Aldo and his friends were a lot more friendly than other legionnaire, but Cary did wonder what exactly scare Amber to desert the camp.
"Amber, how are you?" asked Cary as he took a bite out of pizza. He wanted to ask if she was doing well after tonight.
"It's good. I'm glad to have spend some time with Maylene. I wouldn't have met Aldo and his friends," she answered happily. Cary hesitates to ask in a public setting, but he wanted to know something. During the few days he spent in camp, he noticed Reyna and the Roman officers being on edge.
Despite announcing the festival repeatedly, there were signs that the party was a smokescreen for something down the line. Maylene was busy yesterday handling metalwork, and Reyna was shuffling messages back and forth with the centurions. She passed a sealed letter to him meant for Jason earlier today after breakfast and forced him to swear that he won't peek inside. Now, Sullivan said he wanted to keep the mood up for some big news tonight.
-RING-RING-
"Twelfth Legion. Today, we honored the Goddess Fortuna to ask for her blessings," Praetor Richards announced.
"Earlier Today. You all visited Temple Hill to offer prayer and tribute to the gods. Now, we will hear augur Octavian of what blessing Fortuna has to offer." The augur walked to the front wielding a torn stuffed animal in his hand.
"For many moons, Fortuna has blessed us luck for many years and many lifetimes. But today, she speaks a grim omen. We cannot delay any further. This summer, we must march to Mt. Orthys across the Bay and overthrow the reviled Titans!" shouted Octavian.
The augur was answered by murmuring voices dialing up to panic.
"Silence!" Reyna yelled, "Octavian may have delivered us some terrible news. But the Twelfth Legion will not falter in the face of adversity." The legion was quiet.
"Praetor Arellano is right. During my time downtown, I noticed monster appearance showing up more frequently. Our barriers in camp will hold, but the time to go on the offensive must be this summer. That is why my trip into the city was crucial. I was negotiating with local veterans and civilians to mobilize our numbers and conscript reinforcements. For the first time since the legion departed Rome, we will form an auxiliary force to support our legion!" Praetor Richards continued.
Sullivan was met a grandstanding round of applause and chants. However, not everyone was on board. Cary was still processing what he just heard, but his stomach instinctively clenched at the thought of war, and Amber wasn't any better. She was clenching her fists so hard that her nails were digging into her palms. Cary was realizing what he was here for. He wasn't helping Amber adjust to Camp Jupiter, he was making sure Amber survives because the Fifth Cohort will be on the battlefield this summer.
"Crap," Cary muttered.
Finally finished the festival. Now it's war preparation. Next Time, training for war, but first we revisit the altar. This is where things get dicey with continuity so I can certainly use help.