11. Suspicious Minds

Rome

"Another school week, Ruffio."

Ronicus was on his way to the Villa Possibilla. Kim should be up and getting to the breakfast table any time now. He had become a master of judging this over the years.

"There's no cadet class today, so this will be about my only chance to ask her about her date. Then tonight I can ask MW about his. Kind of a coincidence that they both had dates on the same night, don't you think?"

Ruffio peeked out of Ronicus's tunic. "Funditus."

"I'm not so sure. I mean, Kim has never really had a date like this before, and I don't know if MW has ever had a date before of any kind. Don't remind me! I know I haven't had a date."

He climbed the steps. A servant opened the door. Senator Possibillis welcomed him at the entry of the dining room.

"Good morning, Ronicus. You're right on time. Kimora should…"

DWEE (Crash!) BIN (Smash!) I !(Splosh!)

The Senator blinked. "Then again, you may be a bit early. Won't you have a seat?"

"Looking forward to today, Ronicus?"

"Sir? Oh, you mean this afternoon? Yes sir, very much so."

"So am I. It's been a long time since I've taken a serious look at a new horse. I'm glad your Mother contacted me. Can we get you some fruit?"

Some time later Kim stormed in, wearing a second dress, and with partially dried hair.

"Uh, good morning, Kimmicubus."

"Do the Macedonians have a Foreign Legion?"

SPQR

"So, how did he treat you? Was he polite? Did he do anything improper?"

"No, Ron, he was a perfect gentleman." Kim had calmed down during the walk to school. Ron's my practice run for a thousand recaps today.

"Glad to hear it, KP. I'd hate to have to go after a war hero, but I took an oath."

Ruffio nodded "Uh-huh, uh-huh, semper fideles."

Kim smiled. "I appreciate that, from both of you."

"So, was that it or will there be more dates?"

"I don't know. The war makes everything so iffy." A line from Josh's song gave her an involuntary shudder. "He has permission to call on me when he's in town."

"Your Father likes him, eh?"

"I gave him permission, Ron."

Ronicus said nothing, but his stride was thrown off. He was no longer in sync with Kim.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinatus High School (Date Night Updates Today)

Ronicus was glad he went over for breakfast at the Villa Possibilla. Kim was surrounded by her classmates from the moment they were within sight of the school steps. He would have had a better chance of cutting his way through Hannibal's bodyguard than getting close to her. Even the Guidance Counselor was in on it. Ron was at his locker.

"Can I speak with you?"

Bonillia Rockwallerus stood behind him. Her arms were crossed, and the frown was even deeper than usual.

Ronicus looked to see if she was talking to someone else. He saw no one. "Sure."

"Talking to you isn't pleasant, so I'd like to say this just once. For some unknown reason, Young Scipio liked his night with Kimora, and is interested in seeing her again. Now understand that I am not jealous. Not in any way. The Flaggiones and Scipiones are both Cornelii, so he's not nobler than Brickus."

"Say! That means that if you marry Brickus, and she marries Scipio, then the two of you would be related." The look of disgust on her face was far more than Ronicus had dared hoped for.

"Don't go there! What I'm trying to do is help her, though I don't know why. If she is going to have a chance at a real match, then she has to act the part of a Senator's daughter. That means not being seen with the wrong people; no matter how long she's known them. You claim to be her friend, maybe you should act like one."

SPQR

Ronicus, his Mother and Senator Possibillis were at the stables. Ronicus watched carefully as the Senator went over the black charger.

"Good teeth, solid muscles, very nice coat. Now, what about the blood line?"

"The very finest, Senator. Samnite here is son of Neptune's Fury, out of Ostian Fire.

"I recognize the names, but I want a pedigree back at least five generations on both sides. Can you get them for me?"

"If I don't have them here, Senator, I know where I can get them. I'll be right back."

Senator Posibillis talked to Ronicus as he continued to look the horse over. "You can't over-estimate the importance of blood. Without the right breeding, all the training and care in the world will do you no good. Even the slightest dip in quality can throw a bloodline off for generations. It's part of your responsibility to protect the lineage. Do you understand what I'm saying, Ronicus?"

"Yes, sir. I believe I do."

SPQR

The Masked Warrior and Ronicus walked down toward the training area in the old tombs. Kim hoped she could keep the details of her imaginary date separate from the real one.

"So just dinner and a skit?"

"Yeah, you know what it's like to be on a tight budget. What did you do?"

"Actually, I was here most of the night."

"Really? That shows dedication."

Ronicus and Ruffio looked at each other, Ronicus turned a little red. "It wasn't so much dedication as, well, I was on the floor. Unconscious."

"Unconscious?"

"Well, I was working on the problem of the Catapults, handling multiple attackers. You'll see when we reach the practice area."

They rounded the corner. Eight practice dummies were on posts in the main area. Each was a head and torso, with a shield and either a wooden sword or a bag of sand at the end of a rope. Strike the shield, and the dummy swung its own weapon. Ronicus drew his sword, and hefted his shield off his shoulder. Ruffio jumped down.

"I start here." Ronicus ran to the first one and struck. He ducked under the retaliatory swing and went to the next one. His movements were quick and sure. Kim watched with growing admiration.

Ruffio was not so sure. Soon he covered his face with his paws. "Non spectare queo."

Ronicus had made it through twice when he said. "About here I sort of lost track…"

"Ron!" Kim shouted. A sand bag was headed right for him.

"What?" Ron stopped. The bag caught him in the back of the head. He staggered into the path of a neighboring shield. Wham! He flew backwards.

Kim waited for the dummies to stop spinning. She ran over to Ronicus. He was out cold.

"All right. The first thing we do now is take some of those Bene Kebob royalties, and buy you a helmet."

SPQR

Spring flew by. Ronicus bought his horse, and a helmet. Kim saw Scipio a couple more times. Although he tried to hide it, Ronicus found his resentment toward the man growing more each time she saw him. Hannibal at least was not much of a problem at the moment. He was trying to break the siege of Capua, without success.

Hannibal's Camp, Campania

Shegovia made her way to the center tent. It was late, only guards stirred. The ones at the entrance saluted with their spears to let her by.

Hannibal was alone at a sand table. A model of the Roman fortifications was on it. His one eye was red. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"I just can't figure this out."

Shegovia came up behind him. She touched his shoulders. "You're one great knot!" Gently she massaged his shoulders, her fingers just glowing. "Too much stress from all this worky-worky. Someone needs a little break."

"A break?"

"Yes." She whispered. "Not half a mile from here is a stream. It has a pond. Private."

"Private?"

"As private as a man with his own army can make it. I've packed some wine, fruit, and a loaf of bread. I know how poorly you've been eating. Senioris has arranged an escort. I believe you could use a moonlight swim."

Later Hannibal was looking at the stars. A breeze was drying his skin. The escort was a discreet distance away. One was playing a flute. Another was singing an Iberian love song. The plaintive words caused his mind to wander.

I am General and Champion of Carthage, but could I even recognize it if I saw it? Yet a simple song from Iberia makes me homesick.

He looked down. Shegovia was half draped over him. Her head was on his chest. He could feel her humming along with the flute. She looked at him lazily.

"A drachma for your thoughts, Babe-ca."

"I was thinking of home, or rather, what is home? I fight for a city I have not seen since before you were born. I know Iberia better, I know Italy better. They have not sent me any help worthy of the name, and yet still I fight for them."

"Loyalty. Whether it's to family, city, or nation, eventually it always bites you. That's why my loyalty is now to coin. You bite it—gotta be sure it's the genuine article."

She rested her chin on his chest. "Now, how about my plan?"

"A return to Rome? I still believe you're completely off regarding the Masked Warrior. And if you were trying tonight to say I can do without you, you failed spectacularly. Even so, you may be able to draw him out, do some damage. How can I refuse you? Take Drakko and his band."

"Just Drakko and Eddorix. We'll need more than just simple disguises. I can transform three well enough. A dozen would be impossible. Besides, this is a mission of stealth."

"We'll leave in the morning." She moved up, her lips finding his. "Happily, that is some time from now."

Notes

Funditus—completely, entirely.

Semper fideles—ever faithful, who doesn't know this one?

Non spectare queo—I can't look