Conn Iggulden - The Death Of Kings

“Steady…” Brutus called over the heads of his men. Just a few more paces and the advancing lines would be in range.

Without warning, the order to halt rang out and the opposing ranks shuddered to a disciplined stop. Brutus raised his eyebrows in surprise, scanning the faces of the enemy. He caught sight of Julius and suddenly laughed out loud, to the bemusement of those around him.

“Stand down!” he ordered his twenty and watched as they restrapped their javelins and sheathed their swords. When everything was back in place, he marched them toward the halted soldiers, chuckling.

Julius spoke first.

“Have you any idea how close I just came to carving you up?” he asked, grinning.

“I was thinking much the same thing. My men would have dropped a couple of spears through you before you came ten paces closer. Still lucky, I see.”

“ I recognized you,” Cabera interjected smugly.

Brutus whooped to see the old man still alive. All three embraced, to the complete confusion of the battle lines surrounding them. Julius broke away first and noticed the three linked arrows on Brutus's breastplate.

“Gods! That's Primigenia, isn't it?”

Brutus nodded, his eyes bright. “I have command, though we're a little understrength at present.”

“How much understrength?”

“By about four thousand men, as it happens, but I am working on it.”

Julius whistled softly. “We have a lot to talk about. Does Tubruk know I'm back?”

Brutus looked over his shoulder at the white walls of the estate. The figure of the estate manager raised an arm in greeting from the top. Cabera waved back enthusiastically.

“Yes, he knows,” Brutus replied, smiling wryly.

“I'm going to have to find barracks in the city for my men,” Julius said. “They can set up tents on the estate while I see to a few matters, but I need somewhere permanent for them as well as training facilities.”

“I know just the place and the man to train them,” Brutus responded. “Renius came back with me.”

“I'll need him, and you,” Julius replied, already planning.

Brutus smiled. His heart felt light as he looked on his old friend. There were new scars on his face that gave him a harsher look than he remembered, but it was still the same man. On impulse, he put out his arm and Julius gripped it firmly, caught up in the same emotion.

“Is my wife safe?” Julius asked, searching Brutus's face for news.

“She's here, with your daughter.”

“I have a daughter?” Julius's smile stretched right across his face in a foolish beam. “Why are we standing here? A daughter! Come on!”

He called a quick order to set up camp around the walls and rushed off, with Brutus marching his twenty behind, his mind whirling. There was so much to tell Julius. About Sulla's murder, and Pompey's daughter, the Senate gossip his mother told him. Julius would have to meet Servilia! With Julius back, it seemed as if the world was steady again, and Brutus felt his worries lift away. With his old friend there to help him, he would remake Primigenia back to its old strength, beginning with the men Julius had brought with him. Julius made problems seem easy and he of all people would understand why the “Traitor's Legion” had to be reborn.

Brutus laughed as he came face-to-face with Tubruk, who had waited for him inside the gate with a wry expression of amusement.

“Good eyes for a man of your age,” he said to the old gladiator.

Tubruk chuckled. “A soldier pays attention to details, like who the commander is,” he said cheerfully.

Brutus shrugged off his embarrassment. “Where's Julius rushed off to?”

“He's with his wife and daughter, lad. Give him a little time alone with them.”

Brutus frowned slightly. “Of course. I'll take my men back to the city barracks and stay the night there. Let him know where I am.”

“I didn't mean… you don't have to leave, lad,” Tubruk said quickly.

Brutus shook his head. “No. You're right. This is a time for him to be with his family. I'll see him tomorrow.” He turned stiffly and ordered his men into a marching column outside the gates.

Cabera wandered into the estate yard, beaming at everything. “Tubruk!” he called. “You are going to feed us well, yes? It's been such a long time since I had good wine and those civilized little dishes you Romans are so proud of. Do you want me to see the cook? I liked that man, he was a fine singer. Are you well?”

Tubruk lost the frown that had creased his forehead as Brutus marched away. It was impossible not to be touched by the wave of enthusiasm Cabera seemed to bring with him wherever he went. He had missed the old man as much as anyone and came down the steps to greet him.

Cabera saw the old gladiator glance after Brutus and patted his shoulder.

“Let the boy go. He always was a prickly one, remember? They will be like brothers again tomorrow, but Julius has a lot of catching up to do first.”

Tubruk blew air out of his cheeks and gripped the slender shoulders of the healer with rekindling enthusiasm. “The cook will despair when he sees how many he has to feed, but I promise you, it will be better than the rations you're used to.”

“Aim much higher than that,” Cabera replied seriously.

Cornelia turned quickly when she heard running footsteps. For a second, she didn't recognize the officer standing there, tanned and thin from his travels. Then his face lit with pleasure and he stepped forward to wrap his arms around her. She held him tightly, breathing in the smell of his skin and laughing as he lifted her to the points of her feet.

“It's been such a long time without you,” he said, his eyes sparkling over her shoulder as he pressed the air out of her. Her ribs ached by the time he let go, but she didn't care at all.

For a long time, Julius was able to forget everything but the beautiful woman in his arms. At last he put her down and stepped back, holding her hand as if unwilling to let her stray from him again.

“You're still gorgeous, wife,” he said. “And I hear we have a daughter.”

Cornelia pursed her lips in irritation. “I wanted to tell you myself. Clodia, bring her in now,” she called, and her nurse entered quickly enough to make it obvious that she had been standing outside waiting for them to finish.

The little girl looked around with interest as she was brought to her parents in Clodia's arms. Her eyes were the same soft brown as her mother's, but her hair was as dark as Julius's own. He smiled at the child and she beamed back at him, her cheeks dimpling.

“She's almost two now and a terror round the house. She knows a lot of words already when she's not too shy,” Cornelia said proudly, taking her from Clodia.

Julius wrapped his arms around both of them and applied a gentle pressure.

“I used to dream of seeing you again at the worst times. I didn't even know you were pregnant when I left,” he said as he released them. “Does she walk yet?”

Both Clodia and Cornelia nodded and smiled at each other. Cornelia set her daughter down and they watched as she trotted around the room, stopping to examine everything she came across.

“I called her Julia, after you. I wasn't sure if you were coming back and…” Cornelia's eyes filled with tears and Julius held her tightly again.

“All right, wife, I made it home. That's an end to it.”

“Things were… difficult for a while. Tubruk had to sell some of the land to pay the ransom.”

She hesitated before telling him everything. Sulla was dead, thank all the merciful gods. It would only hurt Julius to know what she had suffered at his hands. She would warn Tubruk to say nothing.