Notes from Kanuro5: Not much to say for this chapter. Enjoy!


XI

The Green Centaur

"Again!"

Titus Labienus growled as he lunged forward. He swung his sword twice at his opponent, Gnaeus Domitius. Domitius took half a step back and blocked the attacks. Labienus was putting more weight behind his swings, but Domitius could see all of the attacks coming. The ship went over a particularly large wave, the sudden movement off-balanced Labienus and he went skirting forward. Domitius did a flawless half-spin and smacked Labienus hard on his thigh with the flat side of the sword.

Labienus grunted in pain and fell to the deck. Some of the Scipii marines and sailors were wagering on the sparring, many of them were chuckling and laughing at the misfortune of the young man. All Vitus could do was sigh, "First point, to Domitius."

The Twenty-Eighth Legion had been at sea for six days on their way towards Athens. Neptune had favored their cause, for the wind has been with their sails the whole trip and the water was serene; so much so that they would arrive a day ahead of their perceived schedule. Vitus and his fellow officers were stationed on Lupus' flagship, his hexareme, during the voyage. Vitus spent his time on the ship by going over the strategy in his head on how to capture the Arcani in the city and what to do if they engage them, he also took the time to get to know his new Tribune better, but the most engaging time passer was his training of his news wards: Gnaeus Domitius and Titus Labienus.

When he told the two sixteen-year-olds that their experiences with his legion wouldn't be a cushy means to elevate their careers, they responded with youthful eagerness. Youthful, Vitus had to remind himself he was only three years older than them. But Vitus meant what he said, he would make them combat ready. So he pitted them against one another in sparring in order to witness and improve their swordsmanship. However, the only weapons he had on hand were genuine gladii, the sudden arrival of the two and the mission he was on did not allow Vitus to procure training weapons.

They needed to know the feeling of wielding real steel, to feel the weight and sharpness of the weapon, to know that every swing should not be taken for granted, as if the weapon was made of wood. And if they received wounds from their training, then they ought to learn from their mistakes in the future.

There have been close calls, though. Once, Domitius thrusted his gladius into Labienus and it did puncture the armor around his stomach, yet Domitius exercised control and had used half strength. The tip of the blade broke the skin of Labienus and only drew a drop of blood. Domitius was horrified and Labienus was furious, not at Domitius, but at himself to have dropped his guard and be stabbed as a result. He told Domitius to harden his nerves and try again, determined not to get wounded again. These two had personalities as different from one another as night and day.

Domitius held a more conserved nature, while Labienus' nature was that of fire. Labienus loved profanity, Domitius rarely uttered a curse and only did so if he hurt himself by accident. They both were roughly the same height, yet Labienus was the more athletically fit of the two. He had muscles on him that were more defined than Domitius' body and would overpower Domitius in wrestling with ease. Despite this physical attribute, in terms of swordsmanship, Domitius was clearly the better fighter in swordsmanship. It wasn't in accord for Labienus' poor ability, Labienus was quite skilled. But Domitius emphasized sharp defenses with energy-efficient movement whilst on the defensive. When Labienus used quick attacks, Domitius would defend with using his sword with one hand; and when Labienus put more weight into his heavy swings, Domitius instantly used both of his hands to put more weight behind his blocking. He was a natural swordsman. However, within tactics, Labienus was the better strategist.

As they played the board game of latrunculi, Vitus noticed that Labienus played aggressively and Domitus more cautiously. Yet Labienus was bold without being reckless. He pressed hard the moment he saw opportunity and did not relent. Such aggressiveness won battles. Out of their ten games that Vitus had witnessed, Labienus had bested Domitius eight times.

Both of these young men were perfectionist. They craved excellence in everything they accomplished. Such desire led to a natural rivalry between the two, nothing antagonistic, but a healthy and friendly feud that bolstered the strengths of youths.

Labienus rose to his feet, caressing the growing red welt on his thigh. Both boys had reset into their sparring positions. Labienus was breathing hard, gritting his teeth in anger. He sprang off his feet and charged, bellowing like a demonic goat and swung wildly. Domitius dipped lowed and struck Labienus' sternum with the pommel of the sword. Labienus buckled backwards with a pained grunt, Domitius held his ground, confident in his defense. Labienus lunged his sword towards Domitius sternum, but Domitius sidestepped and smacked Labienus hard on his back with the flat side of the sword. Using the blow he received as momentum, Labienus spun suddenly and swung his sword with impressive speed. The move nearly caught Domitius off guard, he just barely raised his sword and absorbed the full blow. The move made Domitius stumble, Labienus pressed his attack with a yell. But Domitius recovered with quickness and dashed inside Labienus' guard, firmly placing the tip of the sword against Labienus' stomach. Labienus had stopped at once, realizing he lost this round.

"Second point, to Domitius," Vitus announced. "Domitius! I'm glad you followed my instructions in utilizing the whole sword as a weapon, nice pommel strike. And good use of speed to get inside your opponent's guard."

Domitius beamed, "Gratitude for your words, sir!"

Vitus turned to the defeated lad, "Labienus! You charge as if a rabid animal. Alerting your opponent to your anticipated attacks. Are you a wild barbarian or a proper Roman?"

"I'm a Roman," he panted, on his knees with hands on hip.

"What?!"

"I'm a proper Roman, sir!" he said louder.

"Then rise to your feet as a Roman and take position again! Remember, control your striking. It's a sword, not a meat cleaver, it's primarily meant for stabs and thrusts. Exercise patience, not wrath."

"Yes, sir."

Domitius approached Labienus with open arms, "If I may offer suggestion, Labienus?"

"Oh, by all means, offer away, Achilles. Let me bask in your knowledge of your swordsmanship!"

"Hey, Labienus! No one tolerates a sore loser," Vitus snapped. "Not your parents, not your peers, not your soldiers, and not the Senate. Stow that attitude."

He sighed in contempt, but nodded his head genuinely, "Yes, sir. I apologize."

"Good, now continue, both of you."

Gnaeus Domitius took a firm defensive stance and steadied his sword. Labienus took an aggressive stance and moved forward with controlled thrusts towards Domitius torso. Domitius sidestepped and deflected the thrusts and countered with a lunge; however, Labienus was able to do a riposte with his blade and brought the sword over Domitius' head. Domitius was quick in his recovery with a skyward block, followed by a parry which placed the edge of his gladius directly underneath Labienus' Adam's apple.

"Domitius has scored a third consecutive victory today, he stands Victor," Vitus announced.

Domitius smiled easily, as did the marines and sailors who placed wages on him.

"This is infuriating!" Labienus suddenly growled in defeat. Drops of sweating were cascading from his head and unto the deck. "How is it that I am stronger than him in all regard, except the sword?! It makes no sense!"

Vitus sighed. He understood that Labienus' frustration was growing and could see why.

"You are improving, Labienus, you are. But you use too much unnecessary movement. Simple and precise moves will do the trick. That is why you are winded and Domitius is not, you're usually moving all over the place while he conserves his strength. Why waste energy and precious seconds hacking and chopping, while you can use a simple thrust to end it all."

"I… I shall remember that."

"Good. See that you do. We fight not to win individual glory, but to protect our men. We fight cohesively to conserve stamina. We can outfight and outlast any warrior on the planet, be they barbarians or Spartans. But we rely on patience, Labienus."

The young man nodded, seemingly the words Vitus had preached had reached his head. He was still visibly frustrated, but he seemed to be learning from his shortcomings.

Domitius scooped up a cup of water from a barrel and drank it ravenously. He then asked, "Germanicus, if I may ask, how old were you when you first received training?"

"Oooooooooh… good question… I believe I was around eleven when I first wielded a sword?"

"So young…" Domitius mentioned with enlarged eyes. "For what purpose did you train at that age?"

Vitus looked out unto the sea, "Do you two have any brothers?"

"No," Labienus replied.

"Two," Domitius answered.

Vitus didn't turn around, "Are you the elder, the middle, or the younger?"

"The elder. Lucius is in his fourteenth year and Titus is in his eleventh."

"Many pressures are put on you as the elder, are they not?"

"Yes… they are. My father desires me to be Consul one day."

Vitus nodded his head, "A noble aspiration. One that many fathers wish upon their sons."

"Do you have a brother, Germanicus?" Labienus asked.

Vitus turned around with a smirk, "I do. His name is Proculus, my elder by five years. He was everything my father wanted him to be. He was tall and strong, and beautiful, like Mars molded into mortal flesh. He had the look and tongue of a leader; he commands a great air of dignitas around him. He had the making of a future Consul of the Republic."

Domitius lowered his head and raised his eyebrow, " 'Had'?"

"Well, he still does. My father was grooming him to be his successor of the Legio XXVIII, he placed many pressures on my brother. And I believe, that such pressures caused too much strain. Proculus became a hedonist. He drank to excess and whored to excess in his youth, ultimately disgusting my father. And after that, he turned his attentions on me, his second son. My brother fell to the corruptions of vice around his eighteenth year, so my father decided to groom me at a younger age."

"And he drilled you everything?" Labienus asked. Both of the sixteen-year olds were getting closer.

"Everything. Be it sword, spear, or bow, my father made me train. He even trained me on the sling at on instance. He desired my brother and I to be the best at everything, to be generals that would surpass him. And once my brother had failed in that endeavor, my father dedicated morsel of training upon me. Endless hours I endured in the baking sun or the rigid wind. I rode my horse for so long my thighs chafed as if they were made of leather and I walked bow-legged for weeks." He showed them his palms, "I held the sword and pila for so long I developed bloody blisters in my hands."

"Where did you get that scar on your palm?" Domitius asked, pointing to the old horizontal wound on his hand.

Biua… he remembered. It was so cold that day… "I received that from the daughter of a Germanic chieftain."

"Wait, a woman did that? How?" Labienus asked perplexedly.

"She did, she was quite skilled in the sword. And she nearly killed me. She stole my dagger from me and had my own blade placed against my neck, right here," he pointed at the location on his flesh. "But I resolved that I would not die that day, and I grabbed my dagger from her hand and yanked it from her. I yet recall the razor agony of the dagger biting into my hand, how it stung so bitterly, especially with the freezing frost in the air."

"You grabbed your own dagger?!" both of the boys remarked.

He nodded, "I did. She would have killed me if I did not. You see, Labienus, Domitius, training is not only for you to be skilled in combat, but it mentally and emotionally molds you to be the best you can be. That under any adversity you encounter, you shall have the burning resolve to overcome it. No sacrifice is to great, as long as you have the will to live."

"H-How old were you when you did that?"

Vitus smiled, "I was sixteen." Both boys gasped softly.

Vitus continued, "From the training of my father, a Thracian Aristocrat, and my father's soldiers, I was able to survive a most wretched campaign at that age. I fought against a Germanic champion wearing Roman armor, who I felled with the help of three other men. I have slain the chieftain's daughter who came for me, I have put many barbarians to grass with my own hands that are too numerous to count, and I have even crossed swords with the Briton King, Lugotorix." Vitus exhaled in remembrance, his mind drifting to all those events, and ending on the image of that man… the man he promised he would defeat if they ever met each other in battle. "You two, I take training seriously, for what good is a sharpened weapon if the wielder himself is dull. We all have a destiny in this world, I shall prepare myself the best way I can in order to meet it. I shall not fall prematurely in the face of my destiny. Shall you two?"

Both youths stared at Germanicus in awe, their jaws ready to hit the deck.

Vitus modestly chuckled, "Apologies, I ramble when I reflect on the past. Listen, you both have ambitions that can be reached by zeal and skill. You have the zeal, now here comes the skill. Continue your training."

"Yes, sir!" they said as one.

The young men clanged their weapons at one another in respect and took their starting positions.

"I would be cautious if I were you," Rupilius muttered as he approached his legate from behind, "It would not do you well to place these young men in harm's way."

"Then why did they join the military?"

Rupilius just chuckled then ate his plum in a grinning delight.

"Rupilius, have you seen, Lupus?"

"The Scipio? I believe he shelters himself below deck. For what purpose do you seek him?"

"I desire to speak to him upon Athens and our mission. Keep watch over those two, I shall see him now."


Vitus walked his way down to the opening of the ladder that led below deck. He came down the hull and was greeted with the unwelcome sight of Lupus thrusting into his woman, Suba, his testicles slamming into her backside, and her loud moaning echoing off the wooden compartment.

Vitus sharply recoiled, "Oh Gods! Can you stop that?!"

"What?" he panted with a deeper thrust into Suba. "I'm almost there! Al-Almost—! Just wait a—"

Vitus scurried back up to the deck before Lupus could finish, his cheeks were blushing, and his eyes were strained. Several of the sailors were laughing. He gave them a glare, but they still continued.

Two minutes passed before he heard from below, "Germanicus, are you up there?"

"I am," he said, annoyance was evident in his tone.

"Come back down."

"Are you done?"

"I am, come on down."

"I swear to all the Gods that if you're still lying with her—"

He came down the stairs and was greeted by Suba and Lupus, both clothed and enjoying a cup of wine. The cabin stunk of their lovemaking and both of them were covered in sweat and wore the expression of bliss on their face. Lupus' body slave had a towel and was sensually wiping his master and his woman down. Suba smiled at the reddening Vitus, "My offer still stands if you choose to lie with me."

"Do you offer any other words than sex?"

"Hey! I would have you know that I offer advice, and, uh… my sword… and witty retorts!" she beamed.

Lupus kissed her on the cheek, "Isn't she perfect, Germanicus?"

"Apparently the perfect woman for you to bury yourself in…"

"If you are horny, then you should have brought your wife along to keep you company," she told him.

"I shall not subject her to this dangerous mission, which your man does not seem to have a care for."

"I do care." Lupus declared. "These men need to be stopped. But we can't do that now at this exact moment, so why not enjoy life's pleasures." He smiled and smacked Suba's dark posterior. She yelped in surprise and then giggled.

Suba kissed Lupus' cheeks and said, "There are pleasures in this life that we can indulge for later, my sweet. But I shall go on the deck and leave you two to your business."

"What is the matter you desire to break words over, Germanicus?" Lupus asked.

"Athens. Do they know we are arriving?"

"They do not."

"Shouldn't we have sent word?"

"To what end? They'd believe such message a jest, most like. Conjure this in your mind, Germanicus. If you're resting in Arretium and you received a letter that a Scipii fleet carrying a Brutii legion was sailing in your ports on a delicate mission to enter your city in search of a shadowy organization, would you believe such a tale?"

He sighed, "Okay, you have me there."

"Exactly. I believe it best that we tell them upon arrival."

"Hmm."

"Have you ever been to Greece before?"

"No."

"I have. Several times. To the once great city-states that ruled the known world, until Rome came and conquered them. These cities are massive and could nearly rival Rome in size, yet not in splendor. Hundreds of thousands reside in these cities, comprising of Greeks, Romans, Latins, and Macedonians. Men and women of different cultures and tongues intermingled into one body. So, what do you believe the odds are for locating Sulla's gold?"

"You mean, 'the Republic's gold', correct?"

Lupus cracked a short chuckle as he raised his eyebrow, "Sure. 'The Republic's gold'. Yes. How many sesterces do you believe were in those coffers? Do you truly believe that we shall find the original sum still in the chest, untouched?"

Vitus sighed, "Of course not. But Sulla filled the Republican coffers with proscription money. Nearly a year's worth. I do not believe anyone can spend that much in a short amount of time."

"Then obviously you have never been wealthy before. Or waged a war."

"I have waged war before, how do you believe I won the name 'Germanicus'?"

"I mean a war when you lead more than 6,000 men. A war where you must fund thousands of mercenaries, tens of thousands of soldiers, ships, with food and wine to supply them all."

"You still believe that Mithridates is the culprit?"

"It makes sense… who's the biggest threat this far east with an army in the hundreds of thousands? None other than the king who is immune to poison, Mithridates of Pontus. He looks for a pretext to expand his kingdom and if not for Sulla, he would have completely conquered Anatolia and moved on to Greece. And the fact that the Arcani reside in Athens, the same city that Mithridates' agent infiltrated and tricked the Athenians into rebellion, is that not a coincidence as well? And how this Arcani style attack mimicked Mithridates' Vespers in which hundreds of thousands of Romans were murdered, is that a coincidence too? Listen to me, Germanicus, if it's brown, foul to look at out, and it reeks; then it is obviously shit."

Vitus nodded slowly, "Alright then, if Mithridates is the true culprit behind this, then what are we to do? Commit to the war in Pontus?"

"…Well… they could always use more men…"

"I believe so, but that's not our mission, we are here just to investigate and seize the Arcani and their two leaders. We're not even sure that Mithridates is behind this. We need more evidence. And we go off of what Sulla declared about the Arcani, if they are truly fervent of Roman dominance and righteous in our pantheon, then why ally with Rome's enemies?"

Gaius Scipio rubbed his bearded, his eyes thinning suspiciously, "I couldn't say it with Sulla present, else my head mount the spikes in the Forum. But Sulla was lying out his ass. These Arcani were once loyal to the Senate, but because Sulla fucked them so hard, they are willing to violate sacred vows for revenge. Didn't a member of your family, Sertorius, threaten rebellion once Sulla became Dictator?"

Vitus softly sucked on his teeth, "Almost. He was close, yet my uncle persuaded him otherwise."

"Sulla has many enemies that would see him dead. And his bloodshed with his bloody proscriptions does not help his cause. And I can believe that his enemies would stop at nothing to see him deposed and deceased."

"I understand, but Sulla truly insisted on the Arcani's belief. Like, he knew what they stood for and what their honor was."

Lupus smiled with narrowed eyes, "I believe you an intelligent man, Julius. Do you truly believe everything that Sulla tells you? That old man knows something crucial about these Arcani assassins, but elects not to divulge vital information? Some senatorial secrets perhaps? Coverups? His greatest failure? And we are the ones cleaning up his mess. What do you suppose that old fuck is hiding, huh?"

A sailor came halfway down the staircase and called, "Apologies, Admiral."

"What is it?" Lupus called up.

"We have arrived off the Port of Piraeus!"

Lupus laughed, sprung up to his feet and roared like a wolf. "Yes! Finally! Light the signal pyres on the ship to the rest of the fleet. They are to form a wedge behind my flagship and follow us into the port."

"Yes, Admiral!"

Vitus could hear the ruckus of dozens of boots running above deck. He sighed to himself, this was it. He followed Lupus above deck and took a look out into the sea. Many miles in the distance, he could see it. The Acropolis of Athens. Standing high on a defined hill above the city. Just like his tutors told him when he was younger. Though it looked like a speck to him, he realized it was only because of the distance, for Athens stood nearly 6 kilometers away from the port-city of Piraeus.

Before the fleet could enter the harbor, Vitus could see the destruction of war upon the port. Hundreds of piers seemed to have once stood at this harbor, yet now it remained in the medium double digits. Brick walls once surrounded the port, but around 95% of the walls were torn down with rock and fire, and the open patches were replaced by wooden palisades. Sulla truly was vengeful upon the Athenians.

"Well what is this?"

Vitus was standing beside Lupus, who pointed at a bireme sailing to them with Brutii sails. The bireme pivoted horizontally to block the entry into the port. Lupus gave his signaler the command to halt, and the signaler yelled below deck to the employed oarsmen to cease their paddling. The signaler also motioned for his trumpeter to blow a loud cadence to have the entire fleet stop sailing.

On the starboard side of the ship, a man in military armor with a Greek helmet walked to the edge and faced the Roman vessel, both the bireme and hexareme were no more than 20 meters apart from one another.

"Halt! I am Heraclides Fluvo," the apparent captain of the bireme called out to the larger ship. "Who is in command of this fleet? And under the name of the Brutii, state your purpose! For what reason do you lead a fleet into this dockyard?"

"Salve, Fluvo. I am Gaius Scipio Lupus, Admiral of the Howling Sails. I request permission to dock in the shipyard of Piraeus."

"Only the sails of Brutii may be allowed to dock."

"You must understand, my mission is of grave importance. I once again ask for permission to dock."

"And I told you to fuck off, Wolf Boy! No Blues may dock in Green territory."

Lupus sighed and laughed in annoyance. "Your name was Heraclides Fluvo, correct?"

"I am."

"Alright, Fluvo. I just sailed an entire week, from Arretium to Athens on the word of His Most Excellence, Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix. Do you recall who Sulla is, and do you recall his infamous wrath? I am sure everyone in Athens recalls that name. He sent us to speak to the governor of Athens and you shall deny us passage at port? Fine, allow me to sail my ships back to Italia for another week and let me explain to the Dictator how a certain Heraclides Fluvo denied us entry unto a port. So, shall I sail back?"


Within half an hour, most of Lupus' fleet had docked within Piraeus. A vast crowd of Greek and Roman citizens began crowding the shipyard, murmuring among one another at this perplexing sight. The sails were ridden up and the landing board was placed onto the pier. Lupus' body slave was fastening his blue cape to the back of his armor as Suba was fixing his hair to look presentable. The Scipio admiral looked to Vitus, "Ready for the welcoming party?"

Vitus chuckled as he held his helmet at his side and fluffed the plume, "Ready. But let us walk out at the same time, makes a better show of unity."

"Ha! You just don't want to be on the ass-end of a Scipio." His lips curled into a knowing smirk, "Admit it."

"I do, you find problem in that?"

"Not at all, clever move. Fine, let us walk together in 'unity' and allow these Brutii to marvel."

Both men stood side-by-side and placed their helmets on, then walked forward down the plank in unison, standing tall and proud. As they made their way off the pier, the sight that greeted them was an entire maniple worth of Town Watch standing at attention in their green armor. Behind them were the curious crowds of onlookers that consisted of sailors and merchants, but all of them wore the masks of apprehension. The Town Watch parted like a disciplined door, and a man on a horse came through and stopped directly in front of the Julius and Scipio.

On top of a beautiful brown horse was a soldier of clear distinction. An aristocratic Roman. He had a long face that had a near gloomy expression. He had short, curly blond hair, he was bowlegged from riding on his horse quite frequently, had a nose that seemed to be broken several times, and battle scars were on his arm and neck. By a crest fastened to the shoulder, it revealed a white gladius angled downwards over a green field. This man was of the House of the Brutii.

The Brutii looked down on them from on high, "Such is strange. Julii soldiers, upon Scipii sails… landing in a Brutii port. What is the meaning behind this?" the Brutii asked.

"Good evening, I am Legatus Vitus Julius Germanicus of the Twenty-Eighth Legion."

"And I stand Admiral Gaius Scipio Lupus of The Howling Sails. Pardon me for asking, but by Venus' teats, who are you?"

The horseman straightened himself proudly within the saddle, "I am Marcus Brutus Athenicus Equestris, Acting Governor of Athens."

" 'Athenicus?' Of Athens?" Scipio remarked.

"You heard of them?" Vitus asked.

"Faintly, they are the Brutii branch of Southern Greece, specifically Athens."

"Indeed. I come from a minor branch of the Brutii. My branch had the noble distinction of fighting bitterly against the Southern Greeks and laying siege to Athens and taking the city within months, and were thus honored with the title 'Athenicus' upon our names."

Brutus' horse galloped closer, his stare lingering downward on them. The Brutus continued, "You have yet to answer my question. What are the Julii and Scipii doing in Athens with a legion and a fleet.?"

Lupus placed his hands on his waist, "Can never be too careful, eh? So many men in this world oft to shorten one's life."

Equestris' lips tightened. "So it is true, it happened to your families as well," he said, a hint of anger was in his voice.

"Unfortunately," Vitus replied. "We heard the Brutii were hit the hardest from these attacks."

"That… That we were. Chaos reigns within our provinces. Scores of Brutii dead, Mithridates at our gates, and our Patriarch and Heir dead. Utter madness… So, you two lead investigation over these assassinations?" He scoffed mightily. "What authority do you have?"

"We are under orders from Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Dictator of the Republic. Here, it is his words which bear his seal."

Vitus held out the sealed scrolled, one of the Brutii militiaman reached for it and handed to the quizzical Brutus Equestris.

"Hmm, I have seen him before… and his seal here is genuine."

The Brutii broke the seal and unraveled the document, studying every word with care, occasionally looking up from the paper and at Vitus and Gaius. He made a grunt and rolled the document back up, with an amused smirk. "So what you say bears truth. What is this 'phantom danger' that he spoke about that resides in Athens?"

"A matter better discussed away from unwanted ears, I believe," replied Vitus.

"Preferably over a cup of wine?" Lupus mused with a raised brow.

Equestris chuckled lowly, "Sounds nice. Somewhere private, eh?" He examined the two of them closer, seemingly gauging their faces for deception. "Captain!" Equestris called.

"Yes, governor."

"These soldiers and these ships are on a special diplomatic mission under the authority of the Dictator. They are to be treated as an extension of the Dictator himself. As our army is in Pontus, this legion and its sailors shall be housed in the Urban Barracks. Understood?"

"Understood, governor."

"Well, Julius and Scipio, I extend a welcome to my city. I might as well take you and your men into Athens; you two, however, shall accompany me to a private residence. We must traverse the Long Walls, it ranges for several miles, though."

"I am used to marching," Vitus smirked.

Equestris chuckled. He ordered the Town Watch into an about face and began the march back to Athens. Not to be outdone, Vitus ordered the disembarking legionaries into marching formation and proceeded to follow the Brutii forces. Through the gates of Piraeus, the Legion followed the Town Watch through the battered Long Walls of Athens, a pair of walls that extended for miles and looped around Piraeus and Athens to connect the city to the port.

The Long Walls were a part of Athenian strategy against siege warfare. Back in the Golden Age of Athens, the strongest attribute that Athens had was its fearsome navy. With walls that surrounded both the city and its port, especially a port defended by one of the strongest navies in history, Athens was virtually untouchable. They could not be starved out by land armies since their ships could resupply the city by sea

It was their first and greatest line of defense for the Athenians, but Sulla had proved that it was ultimately fruitless to defend itself against Rome.

In this day and age, Athens was only a feeble shadow of what it used to be, it had no Navy and its army was weak and pathetic. So, Sulla and his friend and second-in-command, Luculls, simply raised two separate sieges, one army besieged Piraeus and the other besieged Athens. How did he besiege both? He knocked the walls down around Piraeus with sappers and onagers. With the port besieged, Athens starved to the point where it was said that the great philosophers had to eat the leather of their shoes and the hair on their own beards to sustain themselves. After five months of a siege, Sulla sacked both port and cities and slaughtered many Greek, fully emphasizing that the glory of Athens was a memory and bedtime tales for children.

Passing by the Long Walls now was evident of such destruction. "These walls are in disarray, are they not to be rebuilt?" Lupus asked.

Equestris shook his head, "After Sulla retook the city, he demanded for us that the Long Walls shall never be rebuilt. They are to remain desolate as a reminder to the Athenians that they may no longer hide behind their walls. But in case of attack, the walls around Athens itself have been rebuilt for the protection of the city. But the Long Walls that lead to the port are to remain unfixed."

"Sulla's wrath is truly frightening, eh?" Vitus said.

"It is. To the shame of the Brutii… we were ousted by Pontian infiltrators and some of my family were put to death by the rebels, all in name of 'Greek Freedom'… make no mistake Julius and Scipio, Sulla's methods are brutal, but he saved us from the Greeks and Mithridates, so we are loyal to the man!"

"Hmm, of course, Brutus," Scipio groaned.

"Where will you take us?" Vitus asked.

"I'll escort you two and some of your retinue to my estate for where the governors reside. Best way to keep you both safe and away from prying ears. And know this, you may not receive this very prestigious offer."


The three aristocratic Romans entered the Governor's Palace of Athens that was located near the Acropolis of Athens. Equestris extended them privacy at the atrium as he went to speak with his wife and slaves. The layout of the Governor's Palace was a distinguishing mix of Roman and Greek architecture. The Palace exterior was made in a Greek design with Athenian marble and mirrored the outlook of a Greek temple. Yet inside was a distinctive Roman aesthetic with a triclinium, deities within the Roman design, and busts of prominent Brutii stationed within the area.

Lupus was chuckling to himself, and Vitus asked him what was so funny.

"Did you catch the name, 'Equestris'?"

"Yeah, it means 'mounted'. Odd, isn't it? I recall that name in passing of the commanders of the Brutii forces. Allegedly, the one who bears the name 'Equestris' is a superb cavalryman and scout, able to ride as if they were Alexander of Macedon."

"He's a great horseman, huh? Hmm… do you believe he fucks his horses?"

"You're named after a wolf… do you fuck wolves?"

"Well, Suba does howl when I'm with her, so…"

Vitus rolled his eyes, Of all the men to be assigned with…

Six slaves of both sexes presented themselves in the corridor and stood parallel of one another. Brutus Equestris entered alongside with a young woman who carried a toddler in her arms. He had shed his armor in favor of a prestigiously magnificent green tunic with gold inlaid in the seams of the fabric.

He extended his arms out, "Julius Germanicus and Scipio Lupus, welcome to our home. This is my son, Marcus. He's two. Wave to the nice men, Marcus."

The toddler didn't smile but held his hand out to mimic waving with large curious eyes upon the strangers. It was rather adorable for Vitus, he reminded him of his nephew at that age.

"And this is my wife, Servilia."

She did a subtle curtsy to the them and gave a polite smile. She was of average height but was rather plump, yet still had an air of grace around her. She had black hair and a cute nose that accented her face.

"It is truly a momentous occasion to have a Julius and a Scipio enter our abode," she smiled warmly.

"Gratitude, for hosting us in our sudden arrival." Vitus politely nodded.

"I extend gratitude as well, we shall be honored guest in your house," Lupus added on politely.

"Please make yourself comfortable and I shall have the slaves prepare you a meal, but I regret that I may not be a part of your meal." She lowered her head in respect and excused herself out of the triclinium with the toddler, leaving only the men present with the slaves.

"I must say, your wife masks her contempt for us well," Lupus mused.

"Indeed, the gesture of politeness is appreciated," Vitus added, "but we all know the true feelings of the two of you."

"Formalities are always necessary for friends, and foes, of the most prestigious families," Brutus smiled, somewhat smugly. "But you cannot blame her. She, as well as I, did not expect our home to be visited by a Julius and a Scipio today. You are only here so that I may speak to you in confidence."

"Here? In your home and not in a tavern?" Lupus questioned.

"This place is secure, and we are away from wandering and prying eyes, especially from the citizens and other prominent officials."

The slaves brought out the goblets of wine that were mixed with water, presenting them to the three men. Each one took the goblet and drank steadily, a strong sign of confidence and a social grace uttered among equals.

Equestris exhaled after drinking, "So, let us reach for these questions."

"Oh, allow me," Lupus smiled. "So… 'Equestris' for mounted horseman. Quite a bizarre name."

The Brutii raised a single eyebrow with a grim expression, "This coming from a man named 'Lupus', eh?"

Vitus smirked, "Told you."

Equestris continued, "I came by the name for my love of horses." Lupus quickly raised his eyebrow in an "I told you so" motion towards Vitus. Vitus was fighting back an immature chuckle. The Brutii kept talking, "I love to ride. The feeling of the wind as it caresses your face, the sun that kisses your cheeks, the way your mount pounds the ground in strides as you reach a speed impossible to attain by Man of a natural nature. I have been known as "The Green Centaur" for I have been known to ride with grace that it looks natural, as if I was a centaur myself. When I gallop on my steeds, I feel… alive."

Lupus blinked incredulously, "Amazing! That's how I feel when I ride the sea in my ships! The breeze in your face, the warm sun, the way the ship rocks. Everything! You understand! Germanicus, he actually understands! And here I thought he had that name for he was a freak who fucked horses! But no, he understands! He understands!"

"Wait, what did you jus—"

"You do understand!" Lupus continued excitedly. "Everyone labels me bizarre for my fascination, but you understand what it means to be one with something that's not human! To meet a kindred spirit, in the form of a Brutus in all things. Outstanding!"

"I see, but allow us to hold a moment… did you say I 'fucked horses'?"

Vitus forced a laugh that was more awkward than he realized, "Ignore him, Equestris, please. He's a Scipio, foolishness falls from lips like rain from the sky."

Brutus' face was turning red, "How can I ignore such a comment! I invite you two into my home and you dare debase me in front of my slaves?! The balls on you, Scipio! To comment that I lie with animals, and to my face no less?! You must be quite the animal yourself with your unkempt hair and ridiculous beard, how many mangy mongrels do you rut with on that ship of yours, you feral fuck!"

Lupus only laughed. He looked at Vitus while pointing at Equestris, "This is a Brutus is all right. Prim and Proud. I'm really beginning to like him, though." He turned back to the fuming host, "I offer sincere apologies. Julius Germanicus is correct. I am a Scipio; we are a proud bunch and shit spews from tongue without a spigot. Look upon my appearance, do I truly seem like a man who thinks before they speak? You have invited us into your home, and I have dishonored you, for that I offer sincerest apologies, Brutus Equestris. My question was rude, and my comments were worst. A thousand pardons and a request for forgiveness, I offer you."

Equestris supped on his wine for a moment, studying the sincerity on the Scipio's face. He looked back to Vitus, then back to Gaius.

He sighed, "The reason you are in my home is because of news of these assassinations. Pray I find your words appeasing or you saw be one with your parted kin."

Vitus kept on his stoic expression, but internally, was truly contemplating whether this Brutus Equestris would actually have them killed, and will he himself have to fight out of this situation?

Germanicus sat up in his chair and leaned in, "Dismiss your slaves. This is a matter of confidentiality."

Equestris examined Germanicus' eyes, then relented. He told his slaves to leave, and they exited quickly with a bow. Likewise, Germanicus and Lupus dismissed their retinue to outside the triclinium. The three men were now alone.

"So, it seems you two are privy to some knowledge. What do you know about these masked assassins?" the Brutus asked them.

"Heard of the Arcani?" Vitus Julius whispered.

Marcus Brutus' eyes narrowed, "No, should I have?"

"You shouldn't. If you did, then you would be dead," Gaius Scipio mentioned.

"Well, I guess it is this Arcani that tried to kill me even without my knowledge of them. What exactly are they?"

Vitus entwined his hands together, "An extremist cult devoted to Jupiter. They believe they are his divine scourge upon the enemies of the Republic."

Marcus' face contorted; he began to growl from his teeth. "Fanatics… my entire kin were attacked by damn fanatics?"

Gaius said, "All of our kin were attacked by these men… though not even fanatics could be as coordinated as they were upon a single night."

"These stand no ordinary fanatics," Vitus continued. "For over a hundred years, they were once the personal assassins of the Senate, dispatch to silence all enemies of the Republic."

Marcus looked to Gaius, who nodded in agreement. "The Senate had professional assassins, for over a century?" Marcus asked.

"They did. Truth of the matter is that they did not start out as such. My ancestor, Scipio Africanus, formed them to help combat Hannibal. But the Scipii apparently figured their purpose was more of intrigue than warfare, and they gave them to the Senate to seek favor and political position. I was surprised when I found out about this myself."

"But… why Greece?"

Vitus Julius rubbed his jaw, "We're not completely sure, but we believe that Italia is too close to Rome and its legions. The next logical civilization that exists which seconds Rome and is quite distant would be Greece, where their organization could hide from within."

Gaius Scipio chuckled, "Perhaps because Greece is so magnificent in its culture and history. Especially Athens. I adore Athens. Many great men were born, resided, and were taught here. Themistocles, Aristotle, Pericles, Alexander of Macedon, Themistocles, Sophocles, Herodotus, Miltiades, Themistocles—"

"You said 'Themistocles' thrice…" Vitus said with a half-hearted grin.

He gave them a toothy smile, "I adore Themistocles!"

Equestris smirked. "Then your Greek must be fantastic, correct?" he said in the Greek tongue.

Lupus laughed, "Oh I can assure you that my Greek is better than yours!"

"Your accent is rather remarkable. You sound like a genuine Athenian!"

"Well, the Scipii never accept anything substandard, we hire the best tutors. I can you give a Spartan accent if you please, or perhaps one that originates in Corinth?" his accent changing on the spot.

"Hmm," Equestris was rubbing his chin in contemplation. His next accent sound Greek, but it had its own distinction, "What of an accent from Macedon?"

"Ohhh," Lupus laughed, rubbing his hands. "Especially a Macedonian accent!"

Both men chuckled. Equestris then turned to Vitus and smiled smugly, "What of you, Julius? How is your Greek, is it as proper as ours?"

Germanicus laughed uneasily, but then his eyes became alert and he uttered in the foreign tongue, "Well, it's true, us Julii do not need Greek as much as your Families in the East. But it is still a necessity for us to learn." Vitus fully smiled and said in Latin. "But if I must be honest, my Germanian needs work, but I can hold a conversation," he finished in his Germanic tongue.

All three of them shared a laugh. Vitus could breathe easier, it seemed as if Equestris was calming down and forgetting about Lupus' earlier comment. He was actually lightening up.

Lupus then asked, "So, how is the second war with Mithridates going?"

Marcus Brutus groaned with a shake of his head. "Poorly. We were fortunate that Sulla was with us during the First War, though few Brutii would admit it, I can swallow my pride. Now that he returned his legions back to Rome, Mithridates assembled a new army and they have been scoring victories within the East and are slowly beating us out of Pontus, as he seeks to steal Armenia and Bithynia. All because of that fool Murena, he attacked Mithridates hungry for glory and he was promptly defeated… Mithridates was beaten like a dog, and since he bested Rome, such an action revitalized his people and encouraged them to continue their conquest. The Pontic king's next move seems to be the city of Halicarnassus, and with his momentum, he just may take it."

"And what of Lucullus?" Vitus questioned.

"The only general that has a brain this far east. At last report, he scored a victory against one of Mithridates' captains, Lucullus had two legions against 15,000 Pontians. We need more victories like this, but Pontus has an abundance of manpower that we can't seem to match over here in the east. Most of the Brutii are serving under Lucullus with their personal legions."

"So, if most of the Brutii are fighting him, then why are you here?"

"My men have been in the campaign for so long, they need to rest and refit. And I need to gather more men as well. Also, the Greeks having been rebellious as of late. It wasn't too long when the Athenians had rebelled against us…"

"If manpower proves problematic, then why not swell your ranks with hired swords?" Vitus asked.

"That was our first thought, but strangely for the past few months, we are unable to purchase any group of mercenaries. They all have been bought up by someone."

"Who?"

"We do not know. We assumed it was Mithridates who purchased their services, but upon battle with him, reports dictated his forces did not contain a trace of mercenaries. They were all hired by someone and seemingly vanished."

"All the mercenaries in Greece and Anatolia, have vanished?" Lupus grumbled.

"Apparently."

Lupus scratched his beard and looked over to Vitus, "That would take substantial amount of coin to do so."

"Quite."

Marcus cleared his throat softly, "Back to the business at hand, Sulla sent you two to go after these Arcani?"

"He did. I believe we are the few men he can trust. Well, on short notice anyway…" Lupus shrugged.

"Indeed, I believe he would have called on Lucullus to aid in this matter if he wasn't busy fighting Mithridates."

"Also, it's personal for us."

Marcus raised his head, "It is?"

"Yes." Vitus affirmed. "Masked men. All in black. I was with my brother and our wives when it happened. Four of them came in the night to kill us in the Governor's Palace in Genua. My brother was wounded, as was I; but we killed all four of them. Yet they had killed the governor of the settlement we were residing in. When I returned to Arretium, I had learned that the Arcani had butchered my cousin, Statius, and left my uncle inconsolable in the loss of his only child."

Gaius bared his teeth, "I had emerged from a drawn bath in Syracuse that night, when those cowards ambushed me. Two of them. Can you believe the cock on those fuckers?! But I fought them off and knocked out one whilst my woman, Suba, killed the other. I interrogated the one I knocked out and we received most of the information upon the Arcani from that man."

"And where is he now?" Marcus asked.

"In the hands of Sulla."

A smile curled on Marcus' face, "May the Gods have mercy on that man to be in the hands— no! He deserves no mercy; Gods are good that the filth is rotting in Sulla's hands."

Vitus finished his drink, "We never asked, but how did you survive the night?"

"I was fortunate in surviving their attack. I had just tucked my son into bed and had joined my wife for the night. As we were…" he looked at the two, a mild blush was on his cheek, "…coupling, the slaves were fanning us off to ward off the midnight humidity. In mid-coitus, one of the slaves shrieked and called out a snake. My wife is terrified of such creatures and screamed as well, sighting the reptile on our bed, half a meter away from our legs. It was a long, venomous viper and it was rising high; I swear I thought I heard it screech. Fortunately, it didn't lunge at us, not even when my wife and I rolled sideways off the bed in panic. I recovered and threw the sheets over the reptile and bundled it up, Servilia was white with terror.

"Near the entrance of the bedchamber, I saw a dark flash of a blackened figure running. I called out to him and chased him, absent weapons or clothing. I made a dash past the corner and I saw the figure suddenly spin with a drawn sword aimed at my neck. My reflexes saved me, and I ducked the slash. He then started attacking me, I got close to his guard and disarmed him. He then started punching and kicking me with great force, that bastard must have been a professional fighter, he hits hard. The guards came and the assassin pushed me off of him and he ran out of the Palace."

Vitus and Gaius took it in solemnly. Gaius spoke, "You are fortunate that you and your wife yet draw breath."

"I know, and then to later hear that nearly all of my family had been attacked, and so many have been killed, wounded, or maimed…"

"We both know that feeling, Equestris," said Vitus. "And know that we are here to exact swift vengeance upon these assassins."

"You do not stand alone in such regard. I shall allow you two to search my city for these vermin."

"Gratitude, Equestris. Be assured, we shall not linger long in the city. We are to search Athens and Piraeus and the surrounding area to capture these criminals."

" 'Surrounding areas'?"

"Odds are, after a week or so after their attack, they most likely may have fled to the outskirts of Greece."

"And if they have, then the two of us shall track them down to the ends of the earth," Lupus affirmed proudly.

Brutus grunted. He studied the faces of his guest. "Not two, but three."

"What?"

"Three. I didn't finish earlier. I shall allow your men to search within Athens, but on the sole condition that I accompany you on your travels."

Both men nearly gasped aloud, "You seek to join us?" Vitus asked.

Marcus Brutus rose to his feet, and walked around the triclinium, "Julius, Scipio, the Arcani were in my home. In my home they sought to end my life and that of my wife. They slipped a venomous creature to end our lives in the midst of our love. They didn't even have the stones to charge in with swords drawn to properly kill me, but had to use intrigue and shadows. They thought they had a kitten in their midst, but realized they ambushed a lion. I desire vengeance as much as you two."

Lupus smirked, "What can you offer our forces, beside yourself? I have my fleet, whilst Julius has a legion."

"I am in command of a cavalry force 2,000 strong that is a coalition of men from Rome, Macedonia, Thrace, Scythia and even Parthia. 700 of which are light cavalry, 800 of which are heavy cavalry, and 500 are missile cavalry. Currently I only have 500 of my light cavalry here in Athens, the rest are in the city of Thermos in the Aetolia region. If you desire outriders to scout the lands, then you'll need my cavalry." Brutus began to smile, "So, what do you say?"

Scipio slammed his cup on the table and chuckled, "And so our forces grow. I accept, Marcus Brutus."

Julius smiled as well, "As do I, welcome to our inquisition."

All three were now standing up. Brutus looked at them with a smug smile, "And do note, this does not make us friends, I am only allied with you two to fend off this menace."

"Oh, as am I, I made that clear with Julius," Scipio roared with laughter.

"Well, comrades do not necessarily need to like one another, but they must get along professionally," Vitus explained with a reserved grin.

"Comrades, eh?" Brutus chuckled, then shrugged. "All right, I can drink to that." He ordered the slaves back in to refill their cups. Once filled, he shot his wine cup out and cheered, "To new comrades, the Julii and the Scipii."

"To new comrades, the Julii and the Brutii," Scipio shot his wine cup out and cheered.

"To new comrades, the Brutii and the Scipii," Julius shot his wine cup out and cheered.

The three drank their wine. Scipio studied Brutus, "You seem young like us, how old are you, Marcus Brutus?"

"I'm in my 21st year."

Scipio nodded, "Interesting, I am 22. Vitus, how old did you say you were?"

Julius looked off to the side, "I am turning 20 in a week."

"Look at us, young men out to save the Republic. What songs they shall write about us?"

"Songs of triumph over this mystic evil."


And now the Brutii join the fray.

BTW, the game that Labienus and Domitius were playing is called "ludus latrunculorum/ latrunculi / latrones" (it had many different names). It's pretty much a strategy board game that is similar to modern chess and/or checkers. It was very popular in ancient Rome and used to determine military stratagem of players in whoever could seize the most territories or pieces.

Thank you for reading.

-Kanuro5