Daniel and the other soldiers parted so that Asriad and the Roman man could go through. The Roman man brought ten guards with him, and the other Romans made camp in the almost battlefield. Now that Daniel could see their army, he realized he was wrong. Horribly, terribly wrong. The Roman army was made of men. Huge strong man, who looked like they could lift a horse, each. They were dressed in identical red and leather armor. The pleated skirts went to their knees and hanging on each waist was a short sword. Not only that, but there were a lot of them. There must have been five Romans for every one man in Daniels army.
As a few of the Romans took wooded swords and sparred, he realized that they were also much better trained. It would have been a slaughter. We might as well have been sheep in a field. Daniel thought, close to tears now. As he walked home, he cried. Daniel hoped desperately that the Romans weren't too cruel.
When he got home his brother was already there. His mother took both boys in her arms and cried. His sisters come out to greet them as well. Their reunion was short lived though, as one of Asriad's close friends came and told them to greet inside.
"Ariad will hold a town meeting to tell us about the Romans conditions, after he finds them for himself. Pray to the gods, dark times are coming, I think."
His voice was quiet and grave. When mother nodded he went to go warn the next family. For the rest of the day Daniel's whole family sat around their makeshift shrine and prayed. They prayed and prayed. They prayed that the Roman's price wasn't to high, for those awful people to leave with out takeing to much, without hurting too many people. Daniel prayed especialy for his mother and sisters. He knew what the Romans could take from them, and he didn't want the to be hurt like that.
As the sun set word spread that there was to be a town meeting that night. People trickeled, slowly, cautiously, out of their homes and tword the bonfires, where the meeting was to be held. Asriad looked solom, he stood on a box, so that everyone could see hm. The Roman man stood on the ground to Asriads right. Once most of the town was present, Asriad raised his hand, to signal silence. The quiet murmurs stop imidietly and everyone turned to face Asriad with pained, sad eyes.
"This is General Blandus. He has informed me that for our safety we will become a city of Rome. We will learn the Roman language, Latin, and pay Roman taxes. He also says for us to feed his men while they stay here. Some of his men will stay behind, to enforce his laws and taxes. We will be required to give them food and board. He has also asked for twenty of our people as slaves.
In return we will become an officil city of the country Rome. The soldiers who stay will protect us from whatever power that may rise to claim our town. Should it be reported that we are in famine or drought, other cities in Rome will ofer their aid to us. We are also considered Roman citizens, and have every rite any Roman citizens have.
General Blandus has requested that he hand pick those among us who will be Roman slaves. He will do so now."
When Asriad finished the people cheered. They knew how much worse it could have been. They already had paid taxes to the kingdom they owned their town before hand. If they were considered Roman citizens, then they would pay the same, assumably affordable, taxes that Romans paid.
General Blandus stepped up on the wooden box after Asriad had stepped down. Everyone quieted then, as they remembered that twenty lives would be ruined forever as price.
"Good evening. I apologize, but I do have my own quota to fill. First, would the boy, who spoke out before the surrender, please, step forward." Blandus' voice was calm, almost pleasant, if not for what he was saying.
"Yes sir" Daniel hated how his voice shook.
"Tie him with the other slaves." Nobody looked while Daniel was led away. Not even his mother gave him one last goodbye. Never had Daniel felt to lonely as walking through that crowd with one Roman Soldier at his back.
Daniel had left his sword at home. His brother had said that it would be a bad idea to take it, but he wanted it desperately now. The sword had belonged to his uncle, who, it had been said, fought bravely and fell only to the hands of five people attacking him at once. He had died long ago though, and Daniel didn't remember him.
The Roman soldier led him to a cart, which he was chained to. other men were chained to carts to, around him. At his cart though there was only one man, he didn't look any older than Daniels brother, though he seemed weak and was dressed in rags. The man said something to him in Latin.
"Sorry, I can't speak latin." And Daniel was truly sorry. The man might have been trying to warn him about something.
" you are going to need to learn it quickly. The soldiers here will only speak latin to you, they will expect you to understand their commands." The mans voice was deep and sad.
"What's your name? Can you teach me?" Tears sprang to Daniel eyes, they would beat him, they would kill him. He was sure of it.
"Yes." The man smiled, but his eyes were sad, always sad. " And my name is Festus. But don't look at me like that. Try to be happy."
"Happy? why should I be happy?" Daniel still was crying, already missing his home, even though he was still close enough to see the furthest building in town.
"Listen, do you want to be sad all your life?"
"no"
"Than be happy, because the only happiness you will ever know again, is happiness you create yourself." The man's voice sounded confident, though he didn't seem to heed his own advice. His eyes were still sad, always sad.
Daniel nodded, but he cried for most of the night. He cried for all the people still at home. He cried for all the things he didn't get to do. Daniel cried for all the other people chosen, and while he recognized the men chosen, he didn't say anything to them, and they offered him no comfort.
The slave Festus put his arm around Daniel, and silently, slowly, calmed him down. That night Daniel slept with his head resting against Festus, and his back resting against the cart. And in the morning, they moved on.