Chapter 8: Now we March…

Commodus paced up and down his chamber, muttering to himself…Falco could not be trusted. That much was evident from the last conversation he had held with the senator. And if one member of the senate was ready to rise against him, then there could only be more plotting against him.

He spun around, startled by a sudden noise but he relaxed as he saw who it was who had disturbed him.

"Sister."

"Commodus…perhaps you should rest. I can hear you pacing all the way from my chamber."

Commodus sneered at her.

"Do you care sister? You know I cannot sleep alone…" He leered at her, edging forwards, inviting a kiss.

Lucilla turned slightly, pretending she had not noticed.

"You are not alone brother…here…" Commodus ignored the glass of water she was holding out to him.

"I have decided. Tomorrow is the day." He spoke softly

"The day for what, brother." Lucilla asked, already knowing the answer. The hesitance obvious in her voice.

He turned to face her, a soft smile playing across his face.

"To announce the dissolution of the senate. Senator Falco cannot be trusted. I felt it today…if he is ready to rise against me, there must be more. Tomorrow Senator Falco will be arrested, the senate dissolved. And it will just be me…me and you and the people of Rome. They way it should have been from the beginning."

Lucilla tried not to flinch from the mad glint shining in her brothers eyes.

"Sleep, brother." She said softly, before turning to leave the room.

Maximus could feel his heart pounding. The sound echoing through his head as the enormity of the situation dawned on him. He was doing what no other General had done.

He was taking an army. The Imperial armies of Rome. And he was going to attack Rome.

Even the thought terrified him. Rome. The golden city. The heart of the Empire. Everything he had lived, and would gladly die for. And now he was going to march an army into her heart.

Quintus sneaked a look at Maximus, the general held his head high, staring straight ahead, but Quintus recognised the tense set of his shoulders, the unflinching gaze and knew this was taking a greater toll on his commander than he was letting on.

There was a feint buzz amongst the men gathered in the parade ground, an air of curiosity as they watched the procession approach. Whispered exclamations of the identity of the cloaked man spread through the men like wildfire. By the time Maximus had reached the parade ground the men were quiet – an apprehensive silence hanging over them.

Maximus stared out at the men, struck by the familiarity of the situation. He paused, desperately wanting to glance at Quintus, to make sure what he was doing was right. That this was not just some foolhardy quest for revenge but he dared not, fearing it would be a display of weakness.

He walked Hercules forwards ahead of his guard and stared out over the mass of men before speaking. His voice was low, but carried easily across the hoards of men before him.

"My name is General Maximus Decimus Meridius…" an excited buzz broke out amongst the men causing a slight smile to form on Maximus' face, which he quelled almost as soon as it began. "General Claudius is no longer in command. He has resigned his post and is under arrest." Maximus could sense the confusion in the camp. "As of now I am back in command…"Maximus paused as a cheer broke out amongst the gathered men, he let it go on for a moment before raising a hand to quell the noise, a slight grimace broke out across his face as the movement tugged at his ribs. He hesitated before speaking again. "I have one favour to ask of you – you do not have to do it – but I ask you to act on your loyalty to Rome and your Emperor Marcus Aurelius before making a decision…"

Petillius paced in his quarters. He was worried. He had men posted – albeit thinly – in the provinces near Rome where he believed Maximus…and Quintus could hide. But he knew it was not enough. The Praetorian Guard was small enough, but with Commodus executing men for their failure to find Maximus their numbers were dwindling.

The guard totalled only 870 men. Commodus had executed 30 officers only days before – the emperor kept almost 100 men with him at all times as his bodyguard and escort. There were men needed to guard the imperial palace and to police the streets of Rome…he did not have enough men to find Maximus…he was not even sure that Maximus should be found.

Maximus stared out at the men, they had fallen quiet after the solemnity of his statement, he could sense the tension in the air but did not dare risk a glance behind him to look at Quintus for fear it would show weakness. He could feel the tension rolling off the older man in waves, and understood it. For if this went wrong. If they did not receive the backing of the army, if the men were not willing then it would all be for nothing. He would have to retreat, to hide. Alone. A shadow of his former self. Always knowing that he had failed his family, and that their murderer was alive and well.

Maximus paused, not quite knowing what to say.

"I need your help. " The men began to murmur, this was not what they had expected. "There is a criminal and a murder at large in Rome, and we must find him." The murmur grew louder, this was not what they were for! They were soldiers, not policemen. The Praetorians kept peace in the city. "This is a task for which the Praetorian Guard are not well suited…" He paused "Your Emperor was murdered." The men grew louder. Commodus was dead? Maximus continued "And his son sits on his throne with impunity." The men fell quiet instantly. "Almost 2 years ago Marcus Aurelius called me into his tent. He asked me to watch over Rome as its protector until the Senate were ready to regain control and return her to a republic. He had no intention of his son taking power. Commodus" He sneered the word "Murdered his father. I refused his hand and was arrested." He smiled slightly "And now I return to fulfil the Emperors dream. The man on the throne is a murderer, a fraud and he must be bought to justice."

Maximus stared out at the men. He had taken a huge risk he knew, he had no right nor authority to take these men, if the men favoured Commodus then he would be arrested, handed over to the emperor and executed. He continued.

"We must remove Commodus. He is not a moral man. He cannot rule, he must not rule." Maximus felt a little stronger as he head Marcus' words. "You know this. And what I ask of you now is what no other Roman has done. To save Rome, we must march on her. This will not be an easy battle, we are fighting out own countrymen…" Maximus' words were drowned out as the men called, as one.

"For the Emperor!"

Maximus at last allowed himself to look at Quintus, the relief was clearly visible on Quintus' face, and he felt a huge weight off his shoulder himself. He remembered the old mans words "Commodus knows you have the support of the army…". Had Marcus seen this all along? Had he foreseen that Maximus would never really be anything other than a soldier, and to save Rome he must first wound her grievously? He turned to face the men once more.

"We have only hours. The Praetorian are looking for Quintus and I and we must push forward whilst we have the element of surprise. Strength and Honour." Maximus turned and began walking away, though a sudden shout made him twist in his saddle, the sudden movement tugging at his ribs and making him grimace painfully. He raised his helmet in acknowledgement of the men before walking away to the cries of the men.

"Maximus! Maximus! Maximus! Maximus!…"

Maximus rode of the parade ground, a huge weight lifted from his shoulders, but still bowed down by the enormity of the situation. He looked at Quintus.

"Thanks you, my friend. For being at my side." He said softly, the words almost inaudible. Quintus paused and looked at him, a small smile playing across his lips.

"And that is where I shall remain." He answered solemnly.

Maximus smiled back, a friendship so deep that it could never be removed still blossomed between them. And it only grew deeper.

"Good, for now we march."

Authors note – so sorry guys! I can't believe that this story is taking me 3 years! 3 Years can you believe it? And its only 30 pages long! I've had toilet breaks that used more paper! LOL

For those of you that are still out there – especially AA Battery (you made me get this posted tonight!) So sorry for the delay, I hope you bear with me, and if you like what I have I want to do my sequel to "Strength and Honour" and I have a half written fic on paper which is 95sides of A4 at the moment called "Dying is Easier" which I hope to type up soon…but…I have work and horses that take first place…and I am trying (though not very hard) to research Narcissus so that I can write a fictional novel on the life of the gladiator that really killed Commodus!