6. Friends

Apulia Calabria

The six stood alone in a field. They were safe, even if they had no escort nearby. No Romans would have approached them, even if they were a legion. You did not venture onto the haunted field of Cannae at night.

Shegovia stood at the place where the standards had fallen at the end. She placed a brass brazier on the ground, filled it with water. She drank from a small bladder, and then poured what the others hoped was wine from it into the water. Her dagger cut a circle into the ground around the brazier.

Giving her daggers to Drakko, she turned back to the brazier. She raised her hands and began to sing. The song was a keening wail, the words indistinct, or utterly foreign. The glow from her hands traveled up her arms toward her face. Was the wind picking up, or could they hear other voices?

At last she turned to face Hannibal. Her entire body glowed, with her eyes blazing green fire. Her smile was corpse like. When she spoke, her voice was hollow, toneless.

The strength of Rome is more than steel,

Flesh and sinews, 'tis also will!

Truer words were never spoken,

Rome's iron spirit must be broken!

To end this war, to win this fight,

Strike not at Ronicus, but to his right!

The wind died down, the glow faded. Shegovia brought her hand up to her forehead.

"Once you get them to start talking, the dead just won't shut up!"

"But must they always be so cryptic?" Drakko complained.

"And use such bad poetry." Eddorix added. "I mean, it has rhyme and some meter, but the structure! You couldn't put it to a lyre to save your life. Yea, verily."

"Look, I had to translate from the Latin, into Ligurian, and then Punic. It's going to lose some zip."

Hannibal shook his head. "We aren't competing in a poetry contest in Athens; we're fighting a war in Italy. The meaning is clear enough. The key is Ronicus's companion, the Masked Warrior of Mystery. Whether he is the strength that must be neutralized, or the weakness that must be exploited, the effect is the same. Shegovia, the Masked Warrior will be your next task. Drakko and his band will assist you."

"We will meet at the cliffs outside of Ostia in three weeks. First, an army approaches Herdonia, two legions. It is time our newest member sees how the rest of you earn your pay."

They returned to their horses. Shegovia climbed into her wagon. Senioris turned to Hannibal.

"You already have a plan, General?"

He smiled. "When have I ever not had a plan?"

"Only once, sir, but you were nine at the time."

Rome

Lucius Quinctius Cincinatus High School (War is not a game: look at how they keep score.)

"As you all know; seven days ago we were defeated in a great battle…"

Kim stared at her wax tablet. She listened to Barcus without hearing. Her thoughts were still with first period, Traditional Roman Family Values. They were preparing to ritually mourn the news of Herdonia when the principal came for Tara.

Tears fell on the wax as she remembered how she and Bonillia helped Tara down the steps to the litter waiting to take her home. Tara could barely walk, and she kept sobbing.

"Drusus! Drusus! Oh, my brother!"

They helped her in. Bonillia put her foot in to follow.

"Tell Mrs. Hatcheta that I took Tara home. One of us needs to go, and I've known her longer. Besides…" she turned to Kim, and she was crying. "…I can't bear the thought of seeing that, that Minotaur stomping up and down in front of those boys bellowing about Gloria and Fama! By all the gods I can't!"

As badly as Kim had wanted to go with Tara, she sensed another friend would need her. She watched Ronicus closely as Barcus moved through the class.

"The Senate will investigate, and will deal with those who chose to value their lives over their honor, and that of their families."

Ronicus gripped his stylus so tightly that it snapped. Barcus affected to ignore it. Ruffio peeked up, and glared at him.

"Satis, nunc."

Kim watched Barcus through red eyes. For the first time, Kimora Possibillis agreed with Bonillia Rockwallerus.

SPQR

"Thanks for the practice tonight, MW. I really needed it."

Ronicus and Kim sparred with sword and shield on the hills outside Rome. The last thing she wanted to do after today was to don armor and wield weapons, but she knew that Ronicus would need to work through his latest humiliation.

Actually, an angry Ronicus seems to be a focused one. I haven't had to repeat myself once. Barcus has no idea of the warrior he has here, or does he?

He made a lunge. Kim stepped aside, and swung the Gallic shield she had brought. He spun around nicely, but before Kim could smile at her work, his legs tangled with hers. She lost her balance, and they began to tumble down the hill.

Kim held onto her helmet in a panic. She could not lose the mask. Ron slid down past her. Finally they landed at the foot of the hill. She was across his chest.

She started to get up. Ronicus tried to help her, inadvertently touched an exposed part of her leg.

The effect was electric. Every hair stood up on Kim. She gasped and sprang back. Ronicus appeared to be as embarrassed.

"Sorry, MW."

"It's all right, Ron. I can call you Ron, can't I?"

"Sure! My friends all call me Ron, well, Kim and Monique, mainly Kim, but even she doesn't as much anymore. I think her Father has been onto her to be more patrician. I miss it."

Kim smiled behind the mask. "I'll call you Ron, then. Let's pick up our gear and go home."

"All right by me. Hey, what's that on your chest?"

Kim looked down. Her necklace had somehow worked its way out. "It's a, a good luck charm."

"Can I see it then? I could use some of the MW factor myself."

She hurriedly grabbed it and began to stuff it back into her cuirass. "Sorry, I bought it from a wandering miracle worker. He said that if anyone else ever sees it, all the bad luck it has warded off will return like Furies."

"Got you." Ronicus nodded. "I guess I'll have to make my own luck. We'd better head home. Where's Ruffio?"

Ruffio emerged from under Ronicus's shield. He staggered a bit.

"Oh, ubi centurio est cum uno eges?"

SPQR

The bakery next to Villa Stoppabulli was a popular graffiti site. Personal, political and business messages regularly changed, much to the delight and interest of the public.

"Look, MW, there's something for us tonight."

The wall was one of Wadeamedes's many points of contact. His artist was very distinctive. There was a one-eyed lion, surrounded by a heart. It was repeated.

"What does that mean?" Ronicus asked.

Kim's answer was a sing-song. "Hannibal's got a girlfriend, Hannibal's got a girlfriend."

Ronicus smiled. "Really? There's someone for everyone, even the bad guys! That's a comfort."

Or is it a menace? Kim wondered. "We may have someone else to watch out for."

"A woman a threat? Just doesn't seem plausible."

He stepped out of the chariot. "Good night, MW."

"Good night, Ron." She watched him climb into his window.

She took out the amulet. It was actually a cameo she had had for years; ten to be exact. She was afraid he would recognize it. Her mother had it done for her at a festival. Her father was not sure, but her mother loved the new artistic style that rendered children as children. A gawky blond boy smiled beside a red headed gangly girl. On the back was an inscription in an awkward girlish hand.

Kim et Ron, semper noti.

Kim and Ron, always friends. With all that's gone on today, can I call you friend enough? I'm sorry if I've seemed more distant. I didn't realize it. You've been the perfect friend, for both my guises, Senator's daughter and Masked Warrior.

"Ron."

She said it again, then again. As she drove the chariot away, she was singing 'Ron' softly to herself. It was child like, far from patrician. She did not care. Ron was her friend.

The chariot moved past a tree next to a building. Her song carried into the shadows. A pair of luminous green eyes sparkled at the sound.

"Touching. Almost too tender…for a boy."

Notes

Satis, nunc…enough already

Oh, ubi centurion…Oh, where's a centurion when you need one?

Semper noti…always friends