"Of all that could have lived, it was that one?" Maximus commented as they watched the only untouched powderganger flee out of Nipton.

"I do have to abide by the rules of the lottery." Vulpes said smoothly.

"Which is why the mayor coincidentally was called for being burned among the tires?"

"Too many coincidences leave cause for questioning. How will those that we take back to the fort learn to trust us if I have everything work out in my favor? I need them to believe that the Gods chose to spare them."

"I'm glad you burned him. He was the most vile of them all."

"I read your report from last month. That may or may not have inspired the reasoning behind it" he stated, lowering his voice as the other legionnaires joined them upon the stairs of the town hall. Maximus suppressed a surprise grin.

"Sir, there's a survivor." One of the men shouted, pointing to a woman coming up the center road of town.

"No. There were no reports of a vault dweller residing here. It could just be a traveler attracted to the smoke. Let me speak to them." He looked to Maximus, her face hardening. "I see the gun. They're wielding it wrong, you have nothing to be worried about." He said so only she could hear. He descended the steps and waited out of earshot for the person to approach. Maximus stood by, shifting uneasily, waiting to attack if needed. After a few moments, the vault dweller turned and began walking out of Nipton. Vulpes returned to the group and ordered them to march back to their camp. As the men moved forward, Vulpes dropped back to Maximus' side. "We found ourselves a messenger of our cause." He stated lowly.

"An unassociated banner man is too much of a gift to waste. Where did you send them?"

"The outpost."

"Clever. How can you trust them?"

"I can't, but I know of them. She was the courier shot back in Good Springs. She's the only exciting thing to come out of this area—aside from me, or course. People will listen to what she has to say."

"And if they don't?"

"I believe we've left enough of an impact in this area to cause a stir. We will not go unnoticed." A beat passed in which the serious nature of the day dissipated. "Speaking of going unnoticed" Vulpes said, looking down at her arm. She couldn't see his eyes, but she knew where they were focused. She tensed and pulled her sleeve down over the wrap on her upper arm. "I don't understand why you still keep it wrapped up. It's been healed for over a month now and everyone is aware of its existence."

"It's embarrassing." She stated through gritted teeth.

"I'm quite fond of it. Does that not count for anything?" he said coolly.

"You aren't the one being harassed about it."

"That hasn't gone unnoticed, either."

"The last time we were at camp, one of the posters of you from the NCR was left on my cot with the top cut off, so it only said 'You are his bitch'. There are whispers of the nature of our relationship that could lead to us being crucified. So, no. Your fondness counts for nothing."

"Nobody within the Legion would be brave enough to come forward with such allegations. I would not put much weight on that." He lifted his goggles to rest on his cowl, giving her a playful look in the low light of sunset. "Though, it might help your cause to be seen with a woman from time to time."

"I can't bring myself to lie with a slave. It feels pathetic to require the affections of someone who can't say no."

"The priestesses?" she tensed for only a moment.

"The idea makes my skin crawl. It's too maternal given how long I resided with them as a babe. What about you, it's not as if you're screwing your way through the masses as the Legate does?"

"According to Caesar, I may have sisters within the priestesses, and though I am not blood, the idea doesn't settle well with me. You've known my opinion of the slaves since we were children—they are dissolute. My reputation out in the wastes however is enough to keep attention away from me." He said with a cocky smirk. A jealous spark flew down Maximus' spine.

"So I should just fuck the first free profligate I see and that'll save me?" she asked, bitterly.

"If they are not priestesses, if they were not born among us, they are all profligates. Your standards are too high for only flesh. It's not as if you need to take a wife." He stated calmly, trying to diffuse her temper. She collected herself, knowing her emotions were pointless.

"Maybe, if you took me to New Vegas, I would be successful on that front."

"Soon enough. That scar however will be a problem. Perhaps, you should maintain the bandage, after all."

"Maybe I should just burn it off." She bit out.

"We both know you like it more than you let on." He said smiling over at her knowingly. She raised an eyebrow in challenge. "You stroke your thumb along the fox on your blade when you're agitated or nervous. When your arms are crossed, you stroke your index finger over the edges of your wrap." She broke their eye contact. Not saying anything in return and continued marching in a tense silence.

In the following days, the group packed up their small camp and returned to Cotton Wood Cove, moral high from their success. Though it wasn't as spacious as her tent back at the Fort, Maximus was happy to have privacy, once more. They were due to return within the week upon the return of a few straggling raiding parties. Night had fallen and Maximus sat next to Vulpes among a group of higher ranking legionnaires who were departing one by one to sample the unbroken group of slaves kept by Canyon Runner to celebrate. Maximus peered up to the balcony above them to see Aurelius thrusting into a woman on her knees before him, a bored look on her face.

"How is it that he ended up overseeing this outpost?" she asked Vulpes, nodding in the direction of the balcony.

"Punishment, if you would believe it." He said, not bothering to look in the direction of the man.

"How?" she asked, disdain laced within her voice.

"He hasn't been promoted in years and his new station comes on the tailcoats of my victory. It is the greatest slap to the face Caesar could grant him."

"He seems to be taking it well." Her point made as a strangled groan cried out from the balcony above them.

"He's only trying to boast his abilities to men who have none. A failure of a power move, if any. A real man would have made the woman cry out, like that. She barely winced as he sheathed himself within her." Maximus felt a blush creep across her features at the idea of Vulpes attentiveness. She stood up, stretching as she turned away from him.

"I'm going to retire, for the night. Suddenly, this display has me seeking a less conscious state." He nodded up at her, looking back to the fire. "Vale." She said on a yawn and walked to her tent at the edge of the camp.

Once inside, she began dismounting her armor and placing it on a makeshift rack in the corner of her tent. She removed her boots, as well, leaving her in only a tunic and her bindings. After grabbing a bar of soap and wrapping it in a cloth, she extinguished the lantern illuminating her space and waited patiently by the entrance, listening for signs of people nearby. When it seemed clear, she ducked low and snuck out into the night, down to the river's edge.

Vulpes was restless. The sounds of the camps celebrations bled into his tent interrupting any attempt at sleep or leisure. Though his tent rested away from the center of camp, the persistent squeal of women and the grunts and cheers of men inspired a growing headache. He stepped outside of his tent, noticing that no light shone through the canvas of Maximus', envying them for being able to sleep through such noise. Not wanting to disturb them, he walked down to the shore and began walking down the river. Perhaps the fresh air and a night swim would help clear his head until he could return for rest.

A little over a half mile down the river, Vulpes heard movement ahead of him and quickly ducked behind a gathering of boulders close to the river's edge. After a moment, sure that he hadn't been spotted, he peeked out from behind the rocks and spotted someone in the water. He couldn't make out who they were or what their allegiance was in the dark, but continued to observe. From what he could see, the person was clearly bathing. Dipping below the water, periodically and rubbing a cloth across their body. As the cloud cover broke and the moon light was able to shine through, he was surprised to see the figure of a woman, before him. After the initial confusion of why a lone woman would be out here so close to legion territory, he surmised that she could just not know where she was, or even an NCR member from a nearby ranger station. The thought gave him pause and he took a moment to observe his surroundings, in case she wasn't alone. There was nobody else in sight. He turned his attention back to her, entranced by her muscular figure in a world with little resources to maintain one for her size. Her silhouette showed a gentle curve of small but perky breasts and a generous and tight posterior that rose above the water as she broke through its surface, slicking her short hair back out of her face. Aside from the light reflecting off of her cheekbones, the rest of her features were obscured by darkness.

Vulpes was conflicted as she waded back to shore, close to his hiding place. He could most likely capture her with ease, but would he want to keep her? He certainly wouldn't want any other man touching such a prize but he was too busy to condition and train a slave—which would make him a hypocrite based on what he had shared with Maximus. He had never been so conflicted over a woman before, and he knew nothing about her, including what she looked like up close. He felt foolish but was broken from his internal conflict as she began dressing herself, hiding her wonderful body from him as she pulled on a set of undergarments. His eyes trailed up her strong legs, appreciating the reflection of the moonlight along the striations of her musculature. His eye traveled upwards and he became confused as he watched her wrap a tight band around her breasts, flattening them and obscuring her figure. He was even more confused when she took a smaller band and wrapped it around her upper arm, tucking the edges under it to secure it in place. But, the most confusing of all was when she dressed in her final garment that swallowed her body and fell to her lower thigh, the unmistakable crimson tunic of Caesars Legion.

Very little had ever thrown Vulpes off. He could not recall a time that he had gasped, or slipped or faltered in any form of a reaction, but in that moment, a low intake of breath and the falling of gravel beneath his feet alerted her to his presence. It was only a moment of shock, but it was enough to give her a head start in running as she fled into the rocky landscape surrounding the river.

Maximus had heard movement near her and the unmistakable gasp of a man. Without her armor or weapons, she knew holding her ground was not wise. If it was NCR, she would die before being taken captive. She felt foolish at the risk she had taken, so sure she would be unnoticed as she had been so many times before. The gravel and rocks of the terrain she was sprinting on stung her feet but she would not slow. She climbed further up the bank and into the ridges hoping to lose anyone that may be pursuing her. When she came to a stop, hidden by the underbrush and boulders, she listened and watched for anyone following. Several moments passed, her heartbeat drummed violently in her ears making her doubt her ability to pick up on anything else. She forced herself to breathe slower, to calm her body down as she continued to observe.

An hour had passed before she came out of hiding and carefully slunk back to camp. The majority of men had retired, the few still awake were around the fire, far from her tent. After making sure the way was clear, she edged her tent and slipped inside without a sound. As the sound of her tent flap closing met her ears, a weight of stress had fallen off of her shoulders. She was safe. Breathing out a sigh of relief, she felt in the dark for her lantern and made quick work of lighting it. As soon as the space was illuminated, she turned and was met with the enraged visage of Vulpes. Tension filled the air between them as they squared off from across the tent. Locking eyes with him, she knew that he knew.

"Vul…" she began. But she did not know what to say.

"Do not use that name. You will address me by my full name or my rank. You will not dare speak out of familiarity with me." He growled, a tone she had never heard from him before.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, still at a loss for words.

"Sorry? Sorry is what you say when you misstep or speak out of turn. This? This is a crime against the legion and Caesar, himself!"

"What was I supposed to do?" she asked, voice raising to match his. "This is what I was raised to be!"

"Least you want anyone else to know of your crimes, I suggest you lower your voice, woman." he growled through clenched teeth. They glared at each other, jaws clenching and unclenching, both in defensive poses, waiting for the other to act. "We will return to Caesar and seek his council on the matter once our raiding parties return." He bit out, breaking the silence.

"They'll kill me" she said, with wide eyes. "Fuck, they won't just kill me, they'll drag it out, make an example of me."

"Perhaps, or maybe you'll be given a life of servitude for your lineage-there is no place for a woman within our armies." He said harshly.

"I served you well!"

"I cannot expect a woman to serve as anything more than a slave!"

"You can't be serious? Vul, it's me—"

"I said do not speak to me, like that!" he roared. Tears brimmed her eyes but she fought them back out of pride as she stared back at him, awestruck. "When the raiding parties return, you will board the raft back to the Fort. I will follow shortly after once my mission to the strip is complete and we will seek council. In the meantime, consider yourself demoted. You are no longer welcome within my ranks." He spat lowly before turning to leave the tent. Maximus collapsed to the ground as soon as the tent flap closed, accepting the inevitable she had been warned about her entire life.

Vulpes stormed back to his tent, anger and confusion clouding his every thought. He did not know how to process what he had discovered and felt it a personal failure for never having figured it out, to begin with. So many strange coincidences suddenly became clear as day, but did not help the fog that coated his mind. He would need a distraction before this way of thinking tore him apart. He changed his trajectory to the building hosting Aurelius and his priestesses, slamming open the door upon his arrival. Startled gasps and sleepy groans met his ears as the group of women sat up from their blankets and pillows, reminding him of a prewar harem he had once read about. The concept gave him a mild thrill, but it was fleeting, as his mind wandered to the body of Maximus shining in the moon light. He tried to break the thought.

"Who among you is a child of Caesar?" he demanded to the group. A look of confusion swept across the faces of many of the women. "The daughters of Caesar, who among you are his?" he demanded, again. This time, a handful of women raised their hands timidly. "Is there anybody else?" he asked, calmly, trying to make a decision. Only one more raised their hands, among the group. He took in their features, all light haired as both Caesars wife and concubine. "Tomorrow, you will return to the fort at first light. Do not allow any more of your blood to return." He stated, a threat to his voice. He looked across the group, a few faces nodding in agreement until his eyes landed on a small woman with delicate features, tanned skin, long hair and dark eyes. Nothing like Maximus. He gestured to her to rise and follow him. She nodded, both fear and excitement flashing across her features.

For two days, Maximus attempted to speak to Vulpes, hoping his temper had calmed and his bias had dissipated, but he refused to see her, going as far as stationing a guard outside of his tent to inform her that he was "indisposed" each time she came by. She would have to depart by sunset and the sinking feeling of dread plagued her every moment. The majority of her belongings had been packed and set aside. Anything that remained was to be shipped back by the slaves. She doubted anything would make it back once her true identity had been unveiled. With every jumbled thought mocking her for her carelessness, she could only think to write a letter to not only clear her head, but explain herself to the only person that mattered.

Vulpes,

This has never been easy. My greatest regret having lived this lie is that I could not share it with you. However, I do not regret what I have accomplished. The things I have endured to make it this far are more than I believe most men could bear. For that, I am proud. I have denied myself the pleasures of life, hiding myself and refusing the affections so seldom offered to me. Even in freedom, I would have denied them, for you are the only one I have ever wanted. Our friendship was the shining beacon upon which I relied to get through my darkest days and as those days grew longer, my love for you blossomed. Over the course of our lives, I have burned for you; stronger than any punishment I may face. For that, I will obey your request for me to return to the Fort. I will wait for you and I will face Caesar at your side, as you see fit.

Forgive me,

-Maximus

Maximus sealed the letter and tucked it into her armor before fixing her machete to her side and exiting the tent. As she walked across the camp to his tent, her thumb idly rubbed over the fox on her hilt. Her heart beat heavily in her ears, not unlike the night he had discovered her.

"Maximus!" she turned to see a decanus hailing her. She approached them, a formation of legionnaires preparing before him. "I heard about your rank." He said boldly. Her eyes squinted in annoyance, knowing it was an inevitable topic that would be spread. "I mean no insult, I only meant to extend an offer into my party." He quickly corrected.

"You fight under the Legate." She stated, plainly.

"And you fight under nobody, if my information is correct." He countered.

"I am to report back to the Fort for reassignment, but I will consider your offer, for now." She said, a half-truth. "Where are you going?"

"Nelson." She nodded and bid him Vale before heading back in the direction of Vulpes tent. Upon approaching, the guard held out his hand, an instruction for her to stop.

"Awe, Vulpes Inculta is currently—"

"Indisposed. I know. Just give this to him, for me." She snapped pulling out her letter and handing it to him, before turning and heading back to her tent to retrieve her pack. She hadn't even noticed that her head was hung low until she ran her shoulder into another man. Recovering, in passing, she apologized lowly as she looked back at him as he kept walking next to another legionnaire. She turned back towards her tent, ignoring the situation before looking back at the men, something seeming off. They approached Vulpes tent and were granted access making her temper flair. As they entered, she noticed their armor and realized what was wrong. They wore the garments of a recruit and a vexilarius but the recruit was wearing a coyote cowl, the vexilarius head was bare. Something was wrong. She ran back to the tent, ignoring the guard as he once again told her Vulpes was indisposed. Upon entering, she drew her blade and brought it out just in time to block the blade of the man she ran into as he brought it down on the lying form of Vulpes. Quickly, recovering, he swung out at her, barely missing as she dodged and kicked out forcing him to fall back and shatter a table centered in the living space. The second man swung his own blade at her, but was less skilled and easily dispatched, blood streaking across the canvas behind him as his body fell to the floor. The stinging pain of iron meeting flesh brought her attention back to the first man as he sliced across her upper arm. With a deep scream, she drew back and struck at him, knocking him back. Unrelenting, she continued to strike, even after his weapon was knocked from his hands and his body lied in bloody ribbons, she did not stop until the strength in her arms gave out and the pain had won. Panting and covered in blood, she reached down and into the tunic of one of the men and ripped from his body a pair of NCR dog tags. She stood, turning to Vulpes.

"They were NCR, sent to assassinate…" she stopped at the sight before her. Vulpes laid naked, his body shielding that of an equally nude woman. Her breath caught in her throat for a moment, unable to hide the hurt and shock on her face as her machete dropped to the floor beside her. The sound of it hitting the ground brought her back and she quickly steeled her features, locking eyes with Vulpes. He was unreadable. "Indisposed, indeed." She said with a raised eyebrow. "It seems they were sent to assassinate you. It's a shame that a woman couldn't protect you" she bit out, her chin nodding at the woman. She tossed the dog tags at him, now coated in a mixture of blood from the assassin and the free flowing wound on her arm. The woman screamed, wincing away. Wanting to witness no more, she turned and stalked out of his tent and back to hers. Ignoring the urgent demands for explanation from those around her.

As she entered her tent, she sat down and pulled the sleeve of her tunic back and removed the binding already placed over her scar, revealing a cut clean across it bleeding profusely. She mechanically began to clean and dress it, leaving the bloody rags and gauze on the table before her. Unable to stop moving, she gathered her pack and marched back out into the camp. Chaos was still unfolding at Vulpes tent across the way which made it easy to slip into the group of men marching out to Nelson.

"Maximus." A voice said from beside her.

"Dead Sea." She acknowledged.

"I thought you were returning to the fort for reassignment?" he asked with a raised eyebrow not questioning the blood that coated her.

"I had a change of heart. Perhaps war will do me some good."

"Do you plan to win with your bare hands?" he asked amused.

"It appears I am at a disadvantage" she looked around, walking a few feet away from the group for a moment and plucked a spear out of a nearby practice target before returning. "And now it appears I am a ranged weapons specialist." She said, rejoining Dead Sea as they continued marching out of Cotton Wood Cove.