[Mkguild] Roman story part 29

[cokane8116 at aol.com]

 Here is the next part of my Roman story. Sorry for the delay. All previous parts are available on my DA site:  https://www.deviantart.com/captfox/gallery/73691223/roman-story
We left Bitt wounded after a fight.
ChrisThe Lurking Fox




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   Bitt woke up in the Valetudinarium – thehospital. The bed he was in was in a cool part of the building. It was a largeroom with beds lining the walls. He seemed to be the only patient there. Aslight breeze drifted through the open doorway bringing the soft sounds ofpeople to him.    “Well good morning!” Tossius saidcheerfully. “How are you feeling you lazy fox?” The lion was standing in thedoorway.    “Tossius!” Bitt said cheerfully. “Good tosee you. I’m feeling stiff and my side hurts,” he said and touched his bandagedleft side.   “You’re lucky it didn’t go any deeper,” the lion said calmly.    The fox nodded in agreement. “Yes, but itstill hurts.”    “The pain will subside with time,” was thelion’s answer. He patted the fox carefully on the back. “You did well. Like areal Legionnaire.”    “Thank you,” Bitt said and nodded his head.“That means a lot to me coming from a veteran like you.”    “Brought you a gift!” Tossius said and heldout his hand.    Bitt reached into the lion’s hand and foundhimself holding an arrowhead. “This the one they took out of me?”    “It is!” Tossius responded. “Thought you’dlike to keep it as a memento.”    Bitt looked at the arrowhead. It was of ironand clearly well made. “Yes. I’d like that.”  *******************     Bitt was assigned to the Valetudinarium forseveral days. His wounds had to be cleaned and the bandages changed daily buthe wasn’t bed bound so he was allowed to sleep in his own bed back in thebarracks. Until the wounds healed he couldn’t do anything strenuous. Lest hereopen the wounds. This left him with a lot of free time as there was only somany duties in the legion that didn’t involve using his arm.    The worst part wasn’t the wound in his arm.That was fairly simple. It was the one in his side that was the problem. Thearrow had gone deep and torn flesh and muscle. It seemed that even the simplestmovement would send pain lancing through his body. But there were some dutiesthat required no real exercise.    “Cook?” Bitt asked. Incredulously.    “Yes,” the Decanus said firmly. In his handwas a large wooden spoon. Of the type used for cooking. The two were standingin the room they shared with the rest of the Contubernium. “You can prepare themeals for those of us who have to take up the work you can’t do.”    “Me cook?” Bitt looked at the spoon as if heexpected it to sprout tentacles and go for his throat. “I’ve never cookedanything.”    “You never helped your mother in the kitchenwhen you were young?” Vinius asked.    “No,” Bitt answered. “Mom doesn’t cook. Mymother is . . “ he paused for a moment. “Important. Cooking isn’t part of herclan duties.”     “Well, they ARE part of yours. So nowyou’ll learn. And try not to burn the bread like Laturicus did,” he pushed thespoon towards the fox.    Bitt reluctantly took the spoon. Holdingwith the tips of two fingers. “Can I get some lessons? Or at least some hints?”    Vinius pointed to the sack of beans andvegetables. “Those go into a pot of boiling water till they are eatable.”    The fox looked from pot to sacks and back atthe Decanus.    “You’ve been watching and helping Tossius,” Vinius commented. “You will do fine.”  *******************     Bitt watched as the rest of his unit left.He looked at the fire and the various items of raw food scattered around it.Cooking. Never had he actually done anything like it. He wasn’t afraid of it.But he was High Clan, the Empire called that social class nobility. It was notexactly a perfect description but it was close enough. That meant he never hadcooked or cleaned. It was done for him. When he was hungry someone brought himfood. When he was thirsty someone brought wine or water. When his clothes weredirty, someone else took them and cleaned them. Brought them back clean andfolded nice.    But it wasn’t as if he had a life of leisure– just laying around being bored. He’d seen too many empire nobles who did justthat. His clan were firm believers in ‘With great power comes greatresponsibility.’ For Bitt that meant learning how to fight, ride and defend theclan from any attacker. He was given his first lesson at age eight and neverstopped for a decade. And when he wasn’t practicing with sword and spear he wasbeing tutored. Bitt could read and write seven languages. He was being groomedto lead. To lead clan in peace and war. Most of his clan had expected him towind up fighting against the legion. That that he was IN a legion had upsetmany people. His parting for the legion had not been pleasant with many people.Few people understood his real reason for joining the legion.  *****************     They day passed quickly for the members ofBitt’s contubernium. There was the daily drilling and marching, sentry duty anda rest of the day spent cutting trees and clearing brush. It was with sometrepidation that they returned to their quarters to see how the fox had donewith their evening meal.    The first thing they noticed when theyentered their quarters was the smell. The air was filled with the scent of foodcooking. They detected meat, spices and other things mixed together. Makingtheir way to the back of their quarters they found Bitt sitting by the fire.There was a copper pot on the fire and bubbling slowly.    Bitt took a bowl and filled it with a ladlefull of liquid from the pot. “Welcome.” He handed the bowl to Vinius.    “What is it?” The canine asked nervously ashe took it. The bowl was filled with a brown liquid in which was floating bitsof meat, vegetables and beans.     “Lamb stew,” the fox answered proudly.    The legionnaire took a spoonful of the stewand tasted it carefully.    Bitt leaned forward. “Well? How does ittaste?”    “Not bad!” Came the answer.    “Tastes good!” A second added. “Who helpedyou?”    “You don’t believe I did it myself?” Bittasked.    “No,” the group answered in unison.    The fox shook his head and his tail droppeddown and his ears drooped. “I got help from Kiana. The cook who works for thecenturion’s family.”    The whole group laughed.    “I did help,” the fox offered in way ofexplanation.    After everything was cleaned up from dinnerVinius assembled the whole contubernium.    “In honor of your first combat,” the houndsaid with great earnestness. “For wetting your blade you are awarded the bronzePhalerae.” With that he extended his hand. In it was the size of the palm ofhis hand and had the image of a roaring lion on it.    “For being wounded in combat,” the decanussaid. “You have earned another.” The second disk he handed him was of brass andhad the image of a sword and two drops of blood. One above the blade, the otherbelow it.    Bitt took the two disks tenderly. This was agreat moment. He was no longer a tiros but was now a fully blooded Legionnaire.An equal to the others. And the second showed he had done well and had notdishonored family, clan or himself.    “Thank you,” he managed to say.    The badges would be worn on a harness on hischest, over his armor during parades and special occasions.    Cups were taken down from a shelf and passedaround. A jug of fine wine came out from a locked chest and the cups filled.    Vinius held up his cup. “To Bitt. Who hasfinally seen the elephant.”    Bitt sipped the wine and found it was prettypotent stuff.    “Be careful,” Rolozius joked. “Drink toomuch of that and you will be seeing elephants.”  *************** 
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