Notes from Kanuro5: Happy I am able to release another chapter. Real excited because I was planning on introducing this character since I came up with this story. Enjoy!


IX

The Wolf on the Waves

Capua

"So, who are we searching for exactly?"

Ligadis groaned with a roll of the eyes, "Did you not hear him the first time, Ardunas?"

"I heard him say a Roman name, so we are tracking down a Roman within a Roman city. Such is like searching for a grain of sand within a desert!"

Vitus joined in, "He's a Scipio, he would be of the highest class of society. He would be a most distinguished grain of sand. We must venture to the Governor's Palace and request an audience with him."

As always, Vitus led the column of his mounted bodyguards from the front. They passed by many onlookers on the Via Appia, many with hung jaws and widen eyes. The Scipii capital was in his sight about three hundred meters away. Capua, like the other capitals of the Three Families, was a huge city that could occupy around 300,000 citizens within, and yet the city was dwarfed by the size and significance of Rome itself. A white wolf on a blue field—the Scipii the banner—draped royally over the large walls of Capua, with blue flags staked on scattered points of the walls that billowed in the wind.

"Look at their dockyard, it's huge!" Ardunas said.

In this, Vitus, could not deny. A mile out from Capua was the port of Capua, where all its maritime trade from Africa, Gallia, and Hispania arrived to fill Scipio coffers. From what he could see, a hundred different wharves were established in the dockyard with an abundance of Scipii sails anchored there. The size of that fleet alone dwarfed the Julii fleet in Arretium.

"What a city," Ardunas commented.

Vitus shrugged with a small smirk, "Eh, I suppose so. Cannot hold a flame next to Arretium."

The Gallic archer turned to him, "I do not understand you, Romans. For one people, you all are divided, these Three Families are so scattered throughout this peninsula, why is that so?"

"It occurred centuries ago, Ardunas. Politics, deception, betrayal, and war. Tell me, do you recall the expeditions of the Three Families, where the Senate told them to expand their borders?"

"I do, the Julii were told to venture north to conquer the barbarians. And the Brutii, were uh… were sent to the east to conquer the Greeks."

"Very good. And where were the Scipii sent?"

"Um, to the south to conquer the Carthaginians and Africans."

"Based on these expeditions, our capitals were settled in those directions. Now, Ardunas, what formidable obstacle lies south of Italia?"

He had to think on it for a few moments before answering, "The sea!"

"Indeed. Centuries ago, the Carthaginians controlled the sea and Rome had to build up its fleet to combat Carthage. Now, the Roman Navy is mighty, and it is the Scipii who sail to Africa constantly, and that boasts the mightiest naval power. The Julii and Brutii have our own fleets, but they often pale in comparison to the Scipii."

Vitus' retinue approached the gateway to Capua, where two guards of the Capuan Town Watch stopped them.

"Halt!" the guardsman bellowed with a hand. Some of the Thracians placed their hands on the hilts of their swords, but Vitus raised his hand to calm them.

The second guard blinked in confusion, "You're a Julius! What the hell are you doing here in Capua?"

Vitus cleared his throat. "I am Vitus Julius Germanicus, Legatus of the Twenty-Eighth Legion. I'm on imperative business under orders of the Dictator, Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix, here is his seal."

He showed them both, the guardsmen looked at one another in a pale sweat. "The Di-Di-Dictator?!" one of them stammered. "The Butcher of Rome?!"

"Quiet, you fool! Do not insult Sulla in front of his agent!" the other snapped.

"I stand no agent under Sulla's employ, just a man tasked with mission who intends to complete it. Shall there be trouble?"

"No! No trouble at all, Legatus!" they both snapped to attention.

"Be at ease. My retinue and I demand entrance into the city, we intend no harm, yet our weapons shall stay by our sides. Sulla has heard of the arrival of a Scipio, I need to meet with that man. Do you know his name?"

"Do you plan to investigate the death of Patriarch Quintus?"

"You know of that?"

"The whole damn city has heard of this! His wife, er, his widow has offered substantial coin for the capture of his assassin."

"Hmm, I do not plan to investigate that matter, but I need to know of the arrival of the Scipio recently, what is his name?"

"He is Gaius Scipio Lupus."

Vitus blinked, " 'Lupus'… the 'Wolf on the Waves'?"

The guard nodded fervently, "The very same. He and his entire fleet sailed into Capua yesterday. The whole city turned up to the dockyard to see him."

"He is the only Scipio in the city?"

"Excluding the Patriarch's wife and the wounded Heir, yes he is."

"What is the man's appearance?"

"He's of a good size, holds a natural-born soldier look to him. He has hair black as coal and hair that is long and wolf-like. He also sports a beard. His face would stick out in a crowd."

Vitus rubbed his chin, "What is his character?"

The other guard spoke, "A soldier's soldier. Loud and vulgar, fond of drink and women, a lively one, he's different from most Scipii that we have seen. Once boasted of bedding a quarter of the women in this city."

"That be true, many women say they had his bastards."

"That Lupus is a pure wild man."

"Any discernable retinue that surrounds him?"

"Well, he has a really young body slave and he is accompanied by this African girl. Very dark and very beautiful, you wouldn't miss her."

"Where is your Governor's Palace? I need to find him immediately."

"Oh, uh… I believe he shall not be there, Legatus."

"Explain."

"Well, uh... I heard from Papinius, he's a friend in the Watch whose shift usually tends to the Palace, Lupus has only visited the Palace once, and such was the day on his arrival. And this appears to be solely on formality. Other watchmen noticed that he frequents the 'Darling Oyster' around this time of the day."

"The 'Darling Oyster' what establishment is this?"

"An establishment of whores," said the other guard.

Vitus exhaled, "Of course…"

"It's to the west of the Forum on a hill that overlooks the dockyards, it holds white walls and blue doors, you cannot miss it."

"Gratitude to you both for your service."

The gates creaked opened inwardly, the two guardsmen called for the stable servants to hitch the Julii horses away in the stables. The guards bowed their head and allowed them entry. The sound of Capua exited outward from the gateway, the Julii retinue entered. A group of young men and women near the gate had ceased with their chattering and stared at the armed men in Red.

"Huh, what surprise on their faces," Ligadis remarked, "you would think that they've never seen a Julii before."

"Most likely because they haven't."

"What do you mean, Germanicus?"

"It's quite rare for a member of the Three Families to enter any settlement that is not their own. The only city where the Families intermingle is Rome. Be prepared to be gazed upon… a lot."

And he wasn't wrong. Many more citizens looked on at them and murmured incessantly. He even was stopped several times and questioned by Capuan guardsmen and Scipii legionaries, all ascertaining his presence in the Scipii capital. With each stopped interrogation, Vitus grew more frustrated. But the Julius kept his calm and simply and respectfully stated his business and showed them the seal of Sulla. That stopped the guards and soldiers rather quickly. It was quite strange being in this city, it reminded him of Arretium, yet except for the constant color scheme of red that perforated the city, nearly everything was blue. Blue flags of the Scipio ruffled in the air, Capuan citizens sported blue tunics that ranged from light to dark, not all citizens were wearing blue but just enough to notice the trend. Yet no citizen wore either Julii red or Brutiii green.

They asked for directions for those who responded, and they found the whorehouse. Vitus instructed his bodyguards to watch the entrance and took Ligadis and Ardunas inside with him. It was near afternoon in Italia and well into peak business inside the brothel.

Proculus had offered to take him into many brothels in the past; some were depraved and filthy as one was where customers fornicated in the open and where homely whores charged pleasures with the mouth for five denarii; and others were high-classed that demanded fornication be done in privacy and held the most beautiful courtesans from all over the world and would charge pleasures with the mouth for fifty denarii. The Darling Oyster was the former. Whores, both women and men, were walking around shirtless and being catcalled by loud lust-driven patrons who shouted out prices as if purchasing slaves at auctions. Some men were opening fornicating in the corners of the room with false screams of pleasure by the prostitutes echoing throughout the building. All of this made Vitus uneasy. Whenever Proculus used to bring him to places like these and show him some women; Vitus had turned them down, he did want to lose his virginity, but not in that manner and at his own pace.

A scantily-clad women swayed over to Vitus. He blushed, the whore had massive breasts and pressed her bare bountiful bosom against his armored chest and beamed with a smile. "You're mighty cute, soldier boy. Do you care to sheathe your sword into my scabbard?"

"That's uh… kind of you to inquire, b-but I am here for business."

She gave him a playful wink and a caressing hand on the outline of his groin, and purred, "As am I."

Ardunas leaned behind him with a smile, "If you won't be having her…"

Vitus raised his hand to him, "And neither shall you."

The Gaul groaned, and the whore took the hint. She backed away and winked at him once more, cupping her breasts playfully, "My name is Vena, call for me if you wish to play with my girls!"

His loins were stirring, Vena's "girls" were thrice as big as Titia's… No! No! Do not think those thoughts! Do not be as Proculus was in the past! Find Lupus and leave!

"The tits on her!" Ardunas acknowledged. "Gods, she must be an Iberian!"

"Enough of the prattle, let us find this Scipio," Vitus said curtly. "If we had to find a man famous for bedding a quarter of the women in the city, where would we find him in the brothel?"

Ardunas cleared his throat, "It is from my experience, Germanicus, that the men of higher status and higher purse fuck on the higher floors."

That sounded good to Vitus, anything to get out of the cesspool of the main level. They snaked their way through the rivers of moans and pants to make their way to the top floor. Vitus was awakened to debaucheries that he could not imagine, nor desired to witness. Two men were taking a woman from behind, screaming for them to ravish her anus harder. A small Roman was passionately fondling the testicles of a burly Egyptian as he licked the lengthy shaft. The rest of the rooms thankfully had their curtains closed for the patrons' privacy, Vitus gave a sigh of relief, he wasn't sure how much he could take.

Before him was a large curtain that shielded the doorway to the "penthouse" of the brothel. From behind the curtain, the orgasmic moans of a woman were penetrating the hallway. Vitus eyed the ground bashfully at the sound as he walked closer to the room. He and his men were stopped by someone guarding the entrance. The guard was quite young, about fifteen in age with a slender body and held the beauty of a maiden in his face. He looked as if he belonged to an acting troupe. A brown collar was wrapped around his neck loosely and a tag of the Scipii hung from the collar.

The boy held out his hand, "Halt! State your business." His voice was pleasant and sweet, his accent was Greek.

"I've come for Scipio Lupus," Vitus said.

"Apologies, but Scipio Lupus does not desire to be disturbed at the moment. If you have any need of business, please break words with me."

"And you're his body slave?"

"I am. Now what would you have of him?"

A shrill cry of pleasure came from the room behind the slave. "Auctus!" came a voice from inside the curtain, "Get in here, I need you. Now!"

Vitus noticed a beam of glee in the slave's face. "At once, Dominus!" He spun on the balls of his feet and darted off into the room, leaving Vitus, Ligadis, and Ardunas alone to look at one another quizzically.

Following the woman's moans of pleasure was now a man who was howling in ecstasy.

"Should… uh, should we go in?" Ligadis asked.

"It's never best to part a man from climax in an intense fuck," Ardunas mentioned. "Best way to get cut to pieces, that is."

Vitus sighed, "A small price to pay. I've already dishonored myself by being seen entering this establishment and I shall not wait any longer."

He parted the curtain as he passed through it, his nostrils were smacked with heavy aroma of musty sex that wafted within the room. There were about three whores present as they poured wines into empty cups and began to consume them with hearty laughs. After one finished her drinking, she began caressing the others' breasts and kissing on them. On the bed were three bodies moving in intimate fashion. The slave boy, and a grown man thrusting into a dark-skinned woman beneath him. The man who was thrusting fit the description of Scipio.

He was a sizeable man. Though he had the facial structure of a proper Roman—the cheekbones, the nose, and the jaw—his physical appearance was anything but. His hair was black as the night sky and was long and messy, falling past his ears. He bore a blackened beard that was unkempt yet wasn't bushy or thick. In all appearance, he did indeed look like a wolf. Vitus pondered if that was why his cognomen was "Lupus".

The boy slave that had initially guarded the doorway was currently wrapping his lithe arms around Lupus' neck and entwined his tongue with the Roman's. Lupus was thrusting harder into the black woman, she was bucking back, her legs wrapped around his waist, her voice rising in octave. He pulled out and slammed vigorously into her and moaned inside the boy's mouth, his climax reaching its peak. The woman's back arched off the bed, her toes were curling, her voice was louder than a trumpet. Lupus broke the kiss from his boy-toy and collapsed on top of the black woman, immediately tonguing her with voracious ravenousness.

Vitus cleared his throat.

The shaggy-haired Scipio turned his eyes towards the Julius. "Who the fuck are you?" his voice was a baritone.

Ligadis spoke for him, best way to show authority. "This here is Vitus Julius Germanicus, Legatus of the Twenty-Eighth Legion."

The lusty atmosphere in the sex-stench room died away. Lupus eyed Vitus with a raised brow. He got off the woman, "A Julius? In Capua?" He scoffed with a grin, "A rarity to find you in Scipii territory."

"These are strange times. Normally, I would not have ventured here."

"Indeed, these are strange times. And why wouldn't you visit Capua? You do not desire the color blue? You Reds and your fucking pride." The Scipio grunted and looked at Vitus' sword belt, "Why are you armed?"

"You can never be too careful nowadays."

"Two for two, your truth speaks volumes of your wisdom."

"And I do take it that you are the ranking Scipio in Capua?"

"Indeed," he exhaled with a smirk, "That I am." He held his arms out triumphantly, "You have the lovely pleasure of gazing upon Gaius Scipio Lupus, the Wolf on the Waves, Admiral of The Howling Sails, and Victor of the Battle of the Cyrenaican Sea."

"Apologies, Dominus, I told them you would not desire to be disturbed," the young slave boy uttered.

"You did well, Auctus. You held them off until I finished. For that, I believe you deserve a reward."

Auctus' smile grew from ear-to-ear. "Gratitude, Dominus. You are so kind to—"

Lupus quickly, yet softly grabbed the boy's protruding erection through the tunic. The slave gasped with crossed-eyes of pleasure. Lupus planted a gentle kiss on his lips and whispered, "Shh. Do not speak. Just strip and lay on all fours like the puppy you are. And make sure you shake that ass, little pup."

"A-HEM!" Vitus cleared his throat even louder. "I am still here!"

Lupus turned with irritation, "So you are… well do not stand and gawk, you see all these whores with sopping cunts? Take out your cock and fill some holes, and drink some wine while you're at it."

Ardunas grinned, "I like this Roman." He began to undress.

"Nooooo." Vitus sharply said, blocking the Gaul with an extended arm. "I do not indulge with prostitutes."

"Fine, be that way. How about this one?" he pointed to the nude African by his side. "She is no whore. This here is my woman. Her name is Suba. A true beauty from the lands of Numidia." He brought his arm over her shoulder and cupped her breast. Vitus' eyes were drawn to her nipples. Unlike Titia's, this Suba had darkened nipples like beads. Her eyes were as brown as her skin, and her thighs were thick with flesh. Her wavy and luscious hair was flowing down past her shoulders and seemingly darker than black. Lupus did not lie about her beauty. Such exoticness radiated from her short face, her large lips, and supple cheeks that she shone regality as if a tribal princess.

She sucked her lips mischievously and eyed the Julii up and down before giving her answer. Her accent was rich and sultry, "He's small, but fit, he is decent-looking and those two eyes of his… blue and green…" she breathed hard as if her climax was being dragged out, "…exotic. The most wonderful color of gems." She smiled at her lover and nodded with a coo. "I can have him."

"Wh-What? No, no, no! I'm not here for that. And besides, I am married!"

Lupus and Suba just stared at him. Suba said to Lupus, "I can have him."

"By the mercy of—" Vitus grumbled. "Lupus, focus! I am serious here!"

Lupus clenched his eyes and groaned loudly, "Gods, I guess you really aren't here for cunt or ass. For what purpose do you fucking interrupt me?"

"You are called to aid the Republic."

Lupus unleashed a guttural laugh. "What did you say?"

"I did not stutter."

Lupus squeezed the breast of Suba and enjoyed the breathless moan she gave. "Unless the 'aid' is to pleasure someone, then I am not interested." His tongue entered her mouth as his hand fondled the testicles of his slave boy.

"I am afraid you do not understand. You are called upon, it is no matter of interest."

Lupus broke his kiss with a groan. "So, Germanicus, who calls me?"

"The Dictator, Sulla."

"Sulla?! He calls me?" Lupus continued to laugh. "Here, come sample this Falernian! A man skilled in jests must be skilled in drink."

"I do not jest on this accord."

"You must be! To have the 'Great Dictator' personally request my ass to aid the Republic, ha!"

Vitus narrowed his eyes and looked around the crowded room, "Tell your people to leave, I have something of import to speak upon."

"Whatever it is that you choose to speak upon, you may do so around them. One is my lover, the other my trusted body slave, and the rest are whores. Your secret is safe."

Safe among whores? He sighed. Looks like he had to say it. Vitus stood tall. "As safe as you were or your entire family five nights ago?"

The jovial expression on the bearded face of Lupus evaporated. Vitus noticed the wrinkling of his brow and the steel in his eyes as he commanded his people with a single word. "Out."

The whores promptly scattered, but his slave Auctus, and his lover, Suba, stayed. She said, "Gaius, my sweet, what is—"

"Out! Both of you, now!"

Suba grabbed her clothes, she and Auctus scampered out. Auctus moved in great discomfort, holding his untreated erection in mild pain. Vitus nodded to Ligadis and Ardunas, they left without saying a word. Now both Julius and Scipio were left alone.

Lupus found his undergarments and clothed himself as he stood to his feet. "What do you know about those assassins, Julius?"

"That the Three Families of Rome: the Julii, the Brutii, and the Scipii, were all targeted in a coordinated assassination attempt five nights ago. Only men of the age of 14 and older were targeted, every one of them. I was with my brother and both of our wives in Genua on that night, four masked men came in with swords to kill us. We killed them, but my brother was wounded. Our host for the night was part of our family, and thus he was killed. They came for my uncle Decius, the Patriarch. He was wounded but his guards killed the masked men… but…" Vitus struggled with the words, "But Statius, Decius' son and my cousin, and the Heir of the Julii, was murdered that night. This is personal for me. And Sulla received letters days later of the attacks from all three Families, all across the Republic.

The Blue Wolf blinked incredulously. "You're serious, it wasn't just us Scipii?"

"No."

"Fuck…" he guzzled wine from his cup.

"What had happened to you?"

Lupus looked at him, then sat on the bed, his eyes focused on the floor. "I arrived in Sicilia to rest from the wars with the Gypts and landed in Syracuse. In the hour of the moon, two men, with blackened facemask and dark cloaks came at me in the dead of night. I had just come from a drawn bath when they attacked me. As I fended them off, I told Auctus to gather the guards and he ran off. I took one of their swords in the struggle and slashed one of their throats. The second one nearly had me, but Suba came to my aid and killed him."

Vitus raised a brow, "She did?"

He gave a soft grin, but it was of pride. "She did. Ran her sword straight through the assassin's back, mere moments before he could have killed me. She was trained from girlhood to fight. Oooohhh I fucked her good that night for what she did for me."

Vitus rolled his eyes. Lupus ran his hand through his beard and asked, "Did Sulla send these men or—"

"No, the same masked men who attacked all of us had tried to kill him in his own home two weeks ago."

"What? What is going on in this world?"

"A question I dearly want answered. But back to your story, if you were in Sicilia the night of the Bloody Ides, then why did you return to Capua?"

"I sailed to Capua to speak to our Patriarch, Quintus Scipio, yet I was told that the same men who tried to kill me had slaughtered him. His son, Gnaeus, barely survived and is in a wounded-sleep and may not awake. His guardsmen managed to kill one of the assassins, and he wore the exact same outfit that those bastards wore when they tried to end me. The other managed to flee. Yesterday I had to console Quintus' wife." He sighed remorsefully with a somber shake of the head, "Bad business, that was."

"I know what that is like, and I grieve for you."

For a moment, Vitus thought he saw the iron in the Scipio's eyes fall, as if accepting the Julius before him. "Gratitude for that, but you may keep your grieving. It shall not resurrect the dead… Who were these people that attacked all of us?"

"They are… shit…"

"What? Who are they?"

"I cannot say. Sul—" he sighed, "Forget it, you shall find out anyway if Sulla shall speak to you… they are assassins of the Arcani."

"The fuck is that?"

"An order of merciless killers trained from the shadows under the direct employ of the Senate."

Lupus bolted up to his feet, "So it was Sulla?! Fucking Sulla?!"

"No! No! Not him, do recall they made an attempt on his life. And this order of assassins went rogue and now started targeting the Three Families."

"For what purpose?"

"We still do not know."

"But you're here to find out?"

"Yes. Sulla needs to know more information from all families. He is aware of the death of the Scipii Patriarch and Heir and wonders who commands the capital. You are in command of the Scipii capital? Correct?"

"As I am a Scipio, yes, technically. For the moment. I am not meant for governorship, and I hold no idea if our Heir shall survive his wounds. I hold no notion of the ladder of succession for Patriarch and Heir in the Scipii. But I did receive a letter that Vibius Scipio is seeking to ride to Capua to take command of the settlement. He can have it, in the meanwhile, I plan to enjoy myself before returning to war with the Gypts. The Urban Prefect can manage this city without me, no; he can manage this city better than I." He put his wine down and sat with his chin in his hand for a quiet moment of reflection. "This was my plan, but it seems that Neptune has other ideas for me now."

Vitus nodded, "Indeed he do. First, we must return to Sulla so that he may inform you of everything that is going on.

"I understand. But before that, I have something… valuable, to show you."

"What is it?"

"Follow me and you shall see. Come with me to the dockyard."


They ventured a mile out of Capua on horseback, both of their retinue accompanying them, and arrived in the great dockyards of the Scipii capital. The heavy smell of saltwater was rather invigorating from the stench of sex that had filled Vitus' nose sometime prior. Aboard a galley was a sail marked with a blue wolf on a white field, the inverted coloring of the Scipii banners, Lupus' personal standard. Two Scipii soldiers were on board guarding a hatch below deck.

Lupus spoke to Vitus, "Leave your guards here, Germanicus."

Vitus' eyes narrowed, but he agreed to it despite the protest of some of his men. One of the Scipio guards handed a torch to Lupus, the other opened a hatch below deck. Lupus descended the stairs first. Vitus followed him below and as he reached the bottom, the hatch above him closed.

Startled, he went for his sword, but Lupus shushed him and moved the torch closer to Vitus' face to see. The ship was rocking with gradual ease from the calm waters. The scent of salt dissipated completely, only to be filled with an odor of immense displeasure. It smelt like the air was burning, it had a sour and bitter smell to it, yet it was no flame that was burning wood. The stench was everywhere below deck. What a horrid smell!

"Wow, what is this strong… odor? It dizzies the mind…" Vitus remarked.

Lupus cackled and patted him on the back, "That is no odor, but aroma. Aroma of poppy, I've took some in my voyages from the East. It… lightens the mind and calms the nerves in controlled dosages. A beautiful gift from the Earth Mother."

Lupus took the torch and lit other torches attached to the walls, providing the compartment better lighting. Vitus noticed a man with a bag over his head, his hands and legs tied to a chair, who was sitting quietly in the middle of the compartment.

"Lupus, what is this?"

"Hmm… Do you recall when I said that I killed one of my assassins and Suba killed the second?"

"Yes?"

The Scipio gave a simple shrug, "Eh, I bore false tongue on that recollection. I knocked out the first man, and then Suba killed the second."

"Why deceive me?"

"Simple. I did not trust you; we just met half an hour ago. And before you finished your tale, I was mighty suspicious of you. For all I could have known, the Julii could have sent those men to kill me, and if you believed one of them alive…"

"I see your point. Who else knows about him?"

"Just my crew and you."

"You did not inform your family?"

"Before they know, I personally desire to inquire why this man tried to have me killed, then I will give him to whoever governs Capua."

Lupus approached the subdued Arcani and quickly pulled the black hood off his head. The assassin had dried blood caked around his mouth and nose, a piece of cloth was used to gag his mouth. He looked gaunt and pathetic, was this man of the same physical stock that tried to murder Vitus a few nights ago?

"What did you do to him?" He approached the tied-up man, and suddenly he clenched his nose and winced. "By the Gods, he reeks!"

"I kept him in that chair with no light, no food, and very little water for four days. I gagged him in case he decided to end his life by biting his tongue. He fouled himself a few times, so I'm hoping that such may encourage him to speak. I have not spoken to him yet. Knowing these assassins, he probably would refuse to speak. And with this method of mine, I believe he shall talk."

Vitus stepped back, the smell of shit evaporating amidst the rankness of burning poppy. "And this man has been in a room with his shit and this poppy mixed in the air?" Vitus coughed.

"For four days, straight. Every six hours, I burn an additional batch, stronger than the previous ones."

"That's, well… that's quite a stash of poppy you have then."

"I am aware. Such is the length I am willing to go to get some information from this mumping bastard." He grumbled softly to himself, "Making me waste most of my poppy, you damn worm…"

Lupus looked to Vitus, "Allow me to speak to him, he did try to come for me after all. Are you ready, Julius?"

"By all means, Scipio."

Lupus removed the gag from the assassin's mouth and kicked the immobile man hard in his shin. "Wake up, you fucking peacock!"

The man grumbled into consciousness and recoiled at the sight of the flame with a hiss. After that hiss, he unearthed a whining cry and began thrashing his head back and forth. Lupus smacked him in the face with a "Hey!"

The detained man shrieked. And once he stopped, his head was rolling from his shoulders like a ball, "Shadows! Dancing, angry shadows! Why me?! Dancing and angry, and angry and dancing! Harm me not, oh shadow man!" he then began to weep.

No food, very little water, no sunlight, covered in feces, and drugged constantly for four straight days… no wonder he is speaking nonsense, Vitus thought.

Vitus leaned into Lupus' ear, "He is delirious. Are you certain you can gather anything from a mind of mush?"

"Well we shall see, won't we?"

The Scipio placed his palm on the assassin's cheek, he recoiled instantly. Lupus began to quickly shush him. "Be at peace, you are safe. With me."

"Father? Father? Is… that you?"

"Uhhhh… certainly, my boy… do you not recognize your own father?"

"It is so dark, your voice, sounds like... oh my head, my stomach… are the walls, melting? Why are these black walls melting, Father?" he slurred.

"Uh… they are not melting, my son. Be at peace with me."

"Father, oh Father. I do not feel so well… so hungry, so thirsty…water…"

"My boy, my precious boy, uh… uh, do you recall what I named you, my son?"

"My head feels like it shall split open! My head!" he screamed.

"My son! What is your name?"

"My name, Father… is Quintus."

"Quintus… my son, my strong son."

"Mother! Mother! Is she here, Father?! The walls are melting, Mother!"

Lupus shushed him with a tender finger, "Your mother is sleeping. You must lower voice. Do you desire to see her again?"

"I want to see her again, I desire to apologize for what I have done!"

"And what have you done, my son."

"Many things, Father. Many things…"

"Tell me my son, and I shall tell your mother to forgive you."

He whimpered for some time before speaking, "I dishonored our family."

"What is our family name?"

"Paetus, Father, I have dishonored the Paetii family…" tears rolled down his eyes.

"What have you done my son?"

"I have dishonored Jupiter Optimus Maximus…" His head slumped down, his voice a whisper, "So thirsty… so tired… I cannot sleep, the world smells bizarre—"

Lupus gripped the back of his head, "Focus, Quintus. My son, what have you done?"

"I have robbed men, women, and even children…"

"Of their purse?"

He shook his head fervently. Lupus leaned in close and whispered, "Did you rob them of their lives?"

Quintus Paetus nodded softly, but sobbed loudly. "For many years in the shadow, I have done this."

"Have… Have you ever embraced such a deed close to your heart?"

"Once I have, when I stole your purse and fled to Philippi, forgive me for that, Father."

"I shall forgive you, from where did you go from Philippi?"

"I traveled to Rome, father, and I found them, the Great Ones."

"Who are the 'Great Ones', my son?

"If I speak their name, I shall die."

"You will not die, son. You have my word."

"NO! They will kill me! I know it!"

Lupus started sobbing and cupped the prisoner's cheeks tenderly. "My son, my brave son. You honor our family with your strength! Jupiter has blessed me with a son as strong as you Quintus."

Vitus could have sworn he spotted a tear falling down Quintus' face. "Father…"

"You seek to protect us from these 'Great Ones', my son. My wonderful son. Do not be afraid, they cannot harm us."

"They can. Both of them can."

"How can they both harm us? What can they do?"

"They can do anything."

"They are but mortals, my brave boy."

"No. Taurus and Vipera can strike any mortal down from anywhere."

Vitus and Lupus looked at one another. " 'Taurus' and 'Vipera'? The Bull and the Snake?" Vitus asked softly.

Lupus turned to the strung-out man. "Who are 'Taurus' and 'Vipera', my son?"

"The walls! By Jupiter, the walls are closing in on me! They shall swallow us! Swallow us all!"

"Quintus, my son! Are Taurus and Vipera the 'Great Ones'?"

Quintus was trembling, "How do you know their names? Now they shall kill you."

"Your mother grieves, Quintus. She knows of the Arcani."

"NOOOOOO!" the drugged man screamed with mighty thrashes. So sudden were his movements it caused Lupus to jump backwards. "No, we must hide her!"

"It is alright, Quintus. She is safe."

"No! She is not safe, you are not safe! They kill everyone who knows of them! Great men and weak ones! No one survives!"

"Do they lead the Arcani?"

"They do."

"Both of them?"

"Yes."

"What of them? What measure are they? Uh… um… uh do they measure more than your father."

"Yes, more than anyone I have known. Taurus is strong and righteous. Yet Vipera is silent and ruthless. Vipera shall kill mother. Vipera shall kill her, you, and me. Because of what I said, those graced with the name Paetus shall perish… Vipera shall kill them."

"What are their names?"

" 'Taurus' and 'Vipera'."

"No, their true names?"

"I do not know, they tell no one but those close to them… F-Father…"

"Fine. Do you recall their great appearance?"

"They look like mortals, but they are greater than mortals!"

"What do they look like? Do they hold scars on their face? Is one taller than the other?"

"They are greater… than mortals! So says Jupiter Optimus Maximus! His will is great! His will… Father, I am so hungry…"

"I shall give you some food, but first I must know more."

"I cannot tell you… oh no," he let out a wail. "My stomach twists in knots! Father, please provide me food, anything!" His weeps were becoming louder. "Father, please!"

"Tell me more, and you can get some food!"

"I'm hungry! Please, Father! I beg of you." The hunger pangs made the man double over in his bindings in agony.

"Lupus," Vitus whispered through his teeth, "give him some food so he can continue to talk."

Lupus turned around and growled softly through his teeth. "No! I shall not reward this cockswallower food or water. My piss and shit shall be better nourishment for this cur!"

He turned back to the delirious man, "Quintus, oh Quintus. I love you, Quintus."

Tears rolled down his cheek. "I love you, Father."

Lupus leaned in and hugged the crying man. Vitus was surprised someone would embrace another who reeked of shit.

"Whose life did you try to end, Quintus?"

"A Scipio. Gaius Scipio. Cipius and I were dispatched to end his life. Yet we failed… we failed in our training… and Cipius is dead yet I remain alive to be punished by Vipera and Taurus."

"Why did you seek to kill that man, my son?"

"Because he was decadent! They all were!" Quintus suddenly screamed. "The Scipii, Brutii, and Julii! The whole damn lot of them! They sided with that Butcher, Sulla! They betrayed the foundation of the Republic! Demolished the Great Temple of Jupiter in Rome! They have destroyed everything that Rome held dear! Vipera and Taurus claim so and Jupiter Optimus Maximus demands their deaths!" He then fell into a hard fit of coughing. Lupus gave him some water.

"So sleepy, Father… so…"

"Hey! Wake up, Quintus!" Lupus lightly hit him. "What else do you mean, how are the Great Families decadent?"

"They're viiiiiiile creatures filled with viiiiiice, whose only talent is to bring ruin… to the Republic and claim that such is rewarding, yet the only ones who profit are them. I was to end one of the most decadent of the Scipii, yet I failed."

"What would you have done if you succeeded?"

"Returned to Athens as a hero..."

"Athens?!" Vitus blurted out.

Lupus moved away from the tied man to address Vitus. "What about that?"

"By the Gods… do you recall when I said that I was tracking down information of Sulla's assassin? One of the people I spoke to mentioned sightings of the assassin in Athens. And now this man mentions him returning to Athens as well?"

Lupus' eyes widened, "What was that assassin's name?"

"Hilarus Murio."

The bearded Roman nodded and returned to Quintus. "Now Quintus, do you recall a man named Hilarus Murio?"

"What?! H-How do you know of him?!"

"Answer my question."

"How do you know these things, Father?! Why do you know?" he cried.

"Answer the damn question!" Lupus' impatience sang out in his voice.

The bound man sobbed a few more times, "He... He was one of us, new and eager to prove himself. He was very devout to Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Taurus took note of his zeal and sent him to purge the Dictator."

"What of Vipera?"

"Vipera was vocal in opposition, he cited… he cited he was too inexperienced, but Taurus countered that his faith shall carry him. Yet, Sulla still draws breath, and Vipera was correct in the end. Always correct… correct he be, that Vipera."

"So, you would return to Athens?"

His head began to droop, his words were lagging, "Yes… Faaaaather… I woulddddddd..."

"Where in Athens?"

"I d-d-do nnnnnot know… where…."

"Yes, you do. Think, Quintus! Where would you go?"

His head was dropping more frequently, his eyes were rolling in his head. "Father… I…"

"Hey, Quintus, wake up!" he slapped him on the cheek.

"Father…" was the only word he slurred.

Lupus gritted his teeth and slapped him even harder, "Fucking wake up! Do not close your eyes on me! Wake up!"

The Arcani's eyes closed and his head dropped down and he did not stir, no matter how many times Lupus had hit him.

"Gods!" Lupus roared with both hands on his waist, "So close! He had to fall to a deep slumber at that moment! Fuck!"

Vitus patted the Scipio on the shoulder, "That was incredible to watch! You did it! You divulged such precious information. Now we know their possible sanctuary."

"We don't even know where in Athens they reside."

"We can always wait until he confesses through torture."

"No, such action would take too long. We need to leave now. Since they attacked us five days ago, they may have already left Athens. We need to be on their trail immediately."

Both men left the unconscious assassin and ventured back up the deck of the ship.

"Thank Neptune for the sea air," Vitus exhaled. The stench of the poppy and that Arcani was near unbearable in that cramped space below. The bracing breeze and the salty smell of the water was rejuvenating for his nostrils. To the pier, his men looked relieved to see that he returned unscathed.

Vitus looked over his shoulder, "You are right, Lupus. There's no time to waste, the Arcani need to be tracked down. Hey, you have my utmost gratitude in aiding me in this. I shall not forget this."

And with that, Vitus motioned to leave the ship and was halfway off until…

"Julius, wait!"

"What is it?"

"You seek to return to Sulla?"

"Of course, he needs to know. And you'll understand that you'd need to come as well and with the prisoner."

"Understood. And after that?"

"These assassins are nested within Athens. My soldiers will be there and put them to the sword."

Lupus folded his arms, "You believe it possible to force march your legion from Italia to Greece, specifically Athens? By the time your tired troops arrive, the Arcani would have surely vanished back into the shadows."

"So what do you suggest?"

"An entire body of water is accessible to cross, which shall save you half the time on land. And an entire fleet at my beck and call to transport you."

"Wait a moment, your fleet?"

"The Howling Sails, consisting of about 60 ships: quins, quads, and triremes at my disposal; all manned by the fiercest marines birthed from the dregs of society that frighten Triton himself. We shall sail down the Mediterranean and get our vengeance.

Vitus blinked incredulously. "You are coming as well?"

"Of course I am. I may not hold such affection to my family as much as you, but I am still a Scipio, damn it! I have my pride. These Arcani, I believe that this is not over yet, that if we sit and wait, they shall attack us again. I do. If they believe that we will just roll over and die because they attacked us, then they do not know who the fuck we are. My ancestors were renowned for decimating their enemies who had claimed first blood against the Republic! Cross the sea and venture into Carthage! And speak with their leaders and ask them of us Scipii, but do not be alarmed when there is no one present to hear. We are the Scipii. We do not wait for the storm, we bring the storm!"

Vitus continued to stare at him. By the Gods, those eyes of his, he was serious. His points were valid as well. They can shave much time if they sail instead of march. And a fleet of experienced sailors and marines could always come in hand. But then again, he was a Scipio… But then again, this was now a war…

"I cannot recall the last time the Julii and the Scipii formed such an alliance."

"Neither can I, but these are trying times. Listen, Julius, I shall accompany you to Rome, I shall speak with Sulla, and I shall allow your legion to sail in my ships. With these men of intrigue who can attack us so fiercely from the comfort of our own residences, then such means that Hannibal is now at our gates."

"Indeed, they are. As such, the Republic cannot stand if we are divided."

Vitus Julius extended his hand.

Gaius Scipio gave a short chuckle and shook it firmly with a wicked smile, "Your soldiers, my ships. Oh what glorious trouble we shall make for them. So, am I to be your second in this endeavor of ours?"

"We are to be equals."

"There are no 'equals' in the Republic, I thought you were aware of such. But alas, if we shall be equals, then we are equals."


Yep, the Scipii are now officially in the story! With Legion and Navy combining into one mighty force! Whoo! So excited to where this will lead.

Thank you for reading.

-Kanuro5