Адриан Голдсуорти - Brigantia

‘You really are worse than they are.’ Sulpicia Lepidina had walked to stand over him, arms on her hips as she smiled down at them. She was in pale blue, a colour she often wore, and with her golden hair she was like the serene statue of a goddess. His fevered dream flashed into his mind, and part of him wanted to pull her down as well. Instead he eased the children off and sat up.

‘I try my best, lady.’ Little Flavia was sticking her tongue out at him. He cupped his hands around his mouth and roared again.

Enica was shaking her head. ‘And the emperor pays you a generous wage. Extraordinary.’

‘He does indeed, and it is worth every last coin.’ Claudia Severa came alongside her friend and grabbed the little girl by the arm. She grinned at Ferox. ‘Looks really can be deceiving.’

‘That’s true,’ the Brigantian allowed. ‘One of my tutors once said that I would grow up to be wise like a philosopher.’ She sniffed back a laugh. ‘Silly old fool.’

Sulpicia Lepidina had grabbed the smaller Flavius, but turned. ‘There’s still time, my dear, if you ever do grow up.’

‘Oh, I hope not!’

The mothers led the children away, asking Enica to watch the baby for a moment, and leaving a slave woman, waiting discreetly in the shadows in case there was need. ‘Perhaps you can take care of our guest for a few moments? We shall not be long, but these urchins need to be cleaned and prepared for their meal,’ Claudia Severa said.

Enica finally abandoned her combs and dropped them on the sleeping Achilles. He stirred, and when his mistress gave a flicking gesture with one hand he scampered away.

‘Well, centurion, how shall I take care of you?’ She stood, the silk dress shimmering with every movement. It was high necked, with short sleeves and although it hinted at the outlines of her figure, it was nowhere near as sheer as the dresses that had caused such a scandal in Nero’s day. Her hair was carefully arranged, if a little less ornately than when he had last seen her and apart from a pair of small earrings and a couple of rings she wore no other ornament.

‘Shall I dance?’ She walked past him towards the infant. ‘Or sing? You would be better off asking dear Lepidina in that case, for she has a true gift.’

‘Yes, my lady. I have had the honour of hearing the prefect’s wife play and sing.’

‘So what’s this about a lion? Does the army make a habit of battling with beasts? Or is this how you occupy your time when off duty? Oh, do not worry,’ she went on before he could answer. ‘I am sure you had good reason. The tribune said it was a lioness. Seems cruel to pick on a girl, and you such a big fellow.’ She frowned. ‘You know, you are not easily teased, prince of the Silures.’

‘I’m just a centurion, my lady. Haven’t seen my tribe for twenty years and probably won’t for another twenty. And as to teasing, I should say that you are doing a good job.’

‘Of course I am, for I am of the blood of Cartimandua – and what’s more, I am also a Roman lady so must occupy my time somehow or other. Have you met my brother?’

‘No, lady.’

‘He is even more of a Roman, as solemn as a Cato when he needs to be. Has served as a prefect of a cohort, as narrow-stripe tribune with a legion, and in the last few years has commanded the royal guard for our late father.’ She stooped down and scooped up little Marcus. The baby gave the briefest of protests at being disturbed, but then nestled contentedly against her. Enica was wearing less makeup this morning, although her lips were still rouged. She pursed them now, blowing noisy kisses to the baby and shaking her head from side to side.

Ferox stared at the son he could not acknowledge, longing to hold him, but not knowing any decent way to suggest it.

‘Huh, he’s a weight,’ Enica said. For the first time Ferox thought she looked both natural and happy, which made him wonder whether Ovidius was right and maybe this was another act. ‘Still, his father is a big man, a brave and handsome soldier, so we should not be surprised. I hear he resembles him a good deal.’

‘The prefect is a fine man,’ Ferox said, trying to judge whether or not she was hinting at the truth, for the baby had a mop of black hair just like his.

‘I have not had the pleasure of meeting him as yet.’ That seemed to settle the matter, until she went on. ‘Dear Lepidina has a picture, of course, and in that I am afraid I cannot see the likeness. Still, often art robs the life from someone’s face.’ Enica glanced at him just once, before gazing back down at the baby. She started to let him grab at her fingers. ‘Lepidina and Claudia both speak very highly of you, do you know that? Much of it is surprising, some rather hard to believe. Have you really saved Lepidina so many times and others too?’

‘They exaggerate, my lady. Perhaps a couple of times I have helped. Others were there as well.’

‘A modest hero? Well, that is something new indeed. Men usually brag about anything, and the boldest surely have something truly glorious to brag about. It would be like expecting me to be modest about my beauty and charm.’ Her eyes darted up to watch his reaction, her face briefly glaring in mock annoyance. ‘That was your signal to say something about the radiance of my beauty and how it must be praised at every opportunity! Hmmm. For a man who has spent time in Rome you lack many of the graces.’

‘I am merely a centurion, and was there for less than a year, training with the praetorians and the horse guards before I was sent to a legion. Before that I was four years in Lugdunum.’

‘Oh, that hole. It was such a joy to be taken from there to Rome. Still, the people were welcoming. I stayed with the Fulvii, do you know them?’ Before he could reply, the baby was beginning to nuzzle against her, lips starting to suck with enthusiasm. ‘Oh dear, I fear he wishes for something I am unable to give. Take him for a moment, while I fetch the nurse.’ The baby was thrust into his hands and he took him, amazed at his lightness. Marcus was still making earnest attempts to suckle, and Ferox gave him his finger and felt the surprisingly strong suction. His eyes started to prickle.

‘I will do my very best for him.’ The voice was soft, little more than a whisper. He had not noticed Sulpicia Lepidina return. ‘And so will Cerialis. He is a good man.’

‘Is he well?’ Ferox knew the child had had some bouts of sickness.

‘Strong as an ox, and greedy with it.’ She smiled and pressed his arm. Ferox felt he was in a dream as impossible as his encounter with the bathing goddess. Here he stood, under the afternoon sun, with his son in his arms and this beautiful, beloved woman beside him. Yet she was as unattainable as a goddess, even if she had been free, for a senator’s daughter might deign to wed an equestrian, but never someone of his lowly rank. What they had done put them both in danger, for the law was severe and the emperor known for his strictness in adhering to it.

The lady glanced quickly to make sure that the garden was empty. ‘I am sorry about what happened. It was not my doing.’ The words were so faint he could only just hear them. ‘But I do need your help. My brother is in trouble and may ruin us all. He is playing foolish games and has not even been discreet.’

‘You know you have only to ask.’

‘It may mean a death,’ she whispered, just as Enica and Claudia reappeared, the wet nurse following.

The Brigantian laughed to see him holding the child. ‘Be careful, he will drain you dry! And being a soldier no doubt your blood is more wine than anything else and we shall have a drunken infant on our hands!’

Ferox handed Marcus to the nurse, who had already removed a brooch so that one breast was exposed. He gave the slightest of nods, hoping that Sulpicia Lepidina would see and understand. Somehow the expectation that he would kill for her did not surprise him. All along he had known that their love was as absurd as it was impossible. She was not some slut of an aristocrat, of the type he had seen hanging around the training grounds in Rome, watching the guardsmen and foreign youths like him at the exercises, or drooling over the gladiators in their ludi . He thought that she loved him, but she was clarissima femina, her duty to her family greater than anything else in life. Probably she knew that her brother was a pompous halfwit, but he remained her brother and honour and family were everything. Now Ferox could be useful and she expected him to do her bidding. The price for loving a goddess was never cheap. For some reason he imagined what Vindex would say. ‘So I get to hump her and all I have to do is kill some poor bugger! Is there a queue?’ Ferox guessed that he would do what she asked, but for the moment all he could do was wait.