[Mkguild] Roman story part 34

[cokane8116 at aol.com]

Another part. Here the after effect of the dealing with the elemental.
ChrisThe Lurking Fox


****************     The march back was quiet but relaxed. Thevillagers were grateful for the help and things seemed calm. They also gave thelegionnaires a jug of wine and a basket of dates and fruit as a reward.    The legate came up to Bitt as they marched.He patted the fox on the back. “You did quite well. I’m sure it would have gonea lot worse without your help.”    “Thank you,” Bitt said with a nod of thehead. “I never expected to ever need those lessons Grecinius gave me.”    “All knowledge is valuable,” the legatecommented. “And this shows why. I’m sure Grecinius would be happy to know hislessons paid off so well.”    It was early evening by the time they gotback to the fortress. Vitellius dismissed them with the orders to fall out thenext morning after the usual morning formation.    The whole contubernium went to the local innto celebrate. Good food, loud music (with bad singing and even worse dancing)and lots of wine. *********************     Theywere all still hung over when they reported to one of the small rooms set in aside building. There along with the legate were several other furs.    With the legate was a rabbit. The brownfurred lapine was wearing a toga colored a deep blue with a pattern of stars indifferent colors. Bitt knew that the pattern represented a rank and title buthe didn’t know exactly what. They marked him as a member of Schola Magisterium.A secretive society of mages. One of the largest in the known world. At leastthe rumors were that it was the largest. There was little solid information onthe organization. But regardless of the rumors there was no doubting theirmagical power. They were magic users to be respected.    “You just happen to speak an obscure languagethat no one else has head of?”    “It’s not obscure to us,” the fox responded.“They are our neighbors.”    “Friends? Allies?”    Bitt was silent for a moment. “Adenydd askedme that question too. I still don’t have an answer.”    “That in of it’s own is an interestingquestion,” the mage commented.    “A long time ago the clans made a treatywith the Na cinn scála,” the fox explained. “And in the five hundred yearssince they have stayed on their side of the border and we on ours. Not a singleincident from them.”    “Nothing?” A mage asked. Surprised.    “Nothing,” Bitt echoed and waved his handsin emphasis. “Aside from the occasional strayed cattle or lost traveler. I’veheard that Clan Eaniagh has some trade with them.”    “That’s it?” The mage asked. Somewhatconfused.    “They’ve been good neighbors,” Bittexplained. “They don’t bother us and we don’t bother them.”    “That sounds like a good neighbor to me,”the jackal joked.    “Can you get the Parthians to do the same?”Eteiwi joked.    The mage nodded. “Good neighbors. But onecan’t help but wonder what they have been doing all this time?”    Bitt was silent for a moment. “Goodquestion. Until now we haven’t given them much thought.”” He laughed. “We’vebeen preoccupied with the Empire.”    “What was that thing we saw?” Tossius asked.    “An elemental,” the mage answered. “A livingcreature of pure stone. We are not sure just yet of exactly which type.”    The mage turned to Bitt. “The Fae aredifficult to negotiate with. You were lucky to have resolved it so well.”    “Really?” Bitt asked. “He seemed quitepolite.”    “Perhaps this will lead to more communicationwith them,” a mage commented.    He pondered Adenydd’s final words to him; “Notalways. They were drawn in before. They will be drawn in again.” For a momentBitt considered mentioning it but it would bring up other questions. Ones moredifficult to answer.    “What would have done if you hadn’t found alanguage in common,” the mage asked.    “Try something else,” Bitt answered.“Perhaps draw symbols on the ground.”    “Why didn’t you just attack him?” The mageasked. “Kill it on sight?”    Bitt cocked his head to the side. “Why wouldwe do that? He wasn’t attacking us. He went out of his way to be peaceful.”    “We’re Legionnaires,” Vinius responded. “Weprotect the empire. Fighting is just a small part of what we do.”    “Besides,” Vinius added. “You think ourswords would really effect that creature? I mean banging a good sword againstrock and stone will only shatter it.”  ************     The entire morning was spent with the magesasking them an unending series of questions. It left them all tired. Finallythe Legate told the mages that the interviews were done and sent them on theirway.    Bitt and his contubernium were given achance to relax a little back in their barracks.    “I think the mages are mad that you achievedmore with that creature in one day they have in years of trying,” Tossiuscommented.    “Sounds about right,” Vinius added.    “But why did this thing talk to you soreadily?” The hound asked.    “His name was Adenydd,” Bitt commented. “Andhe did seem kind of chatty.”    “How can rock be chatty?” The jackal joked.    “It wasn’t truly rock,” Kegan added.    “What was it?” Bitt asked.    “What it was,” Eitiwi said. “Was friendly.And that’s a good enough answer for me.”    Vinius nodded his head. “Sounds good to me.”    “But it still doesn’t answer why he talkedto me and not the mages?” Bitt asked.    The hyena took a sip of wine. “Adenydd isthe only one who could answer that. And he didn’t seem to want to explain.”    Th lion shrugged. “We all have our secrets.”
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