[Mkguild] Roman Story 34

[cokane8116 at aol.com]

Here we have another part. We see the aftermath of the encounter in the previous part.
ChrisThe Lurking Fox
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   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.”    The lion shrugged. “We all have our secrets.”
 *************     “Hewas the Legionnaire involved when we met with Gavrus about Mozta,” the tribunesaid.    TheLegion commander nodded his head. “He was the rude fox.”   Septimus nodded in agreement. “But he was absolutely correct on what washappening there.”    “I wassurprised by his admission of his ancestors. Also surprised that he didn’tattack Gavrus,” the Commander said. “That would have been inconvenient.”    “Butwell deserved.”   “Vinius knew what to do to contain him,” The Tribune countered. “Thisfox doesn’t seem the type to lash out blindly. He is also correct that thisissue will remain so long as Gavrus refuses to change.”    TheCommander sighed loudly and nodded his head.    “Heconsiders Gavrus a bigger threat than the Parthians,” the legate commented.“And I agree.”   “Something more permanent will eventually need to be done about Gavrus,”the commander said in a cold tone.   “What of the Prefect?” The Legate asked.    “Heis more interested in the Capital than anything happening here,” the commandercommented. “We need to wait for the right moment. When he is distracted.”    “Wecan always let Bitt deal with Gavrus,” The Legate said. “He would cheerfullykill him.”    “I will admit that I am surprised that he isfrom the Nine Clans,” the Legatius Legionis said. “But exactly how does thatchange things? He doesn’t seem to be inclined to restart a war over for acentury.”    As commander of the 76th legionthe praetorium the stag had was a large and lavish mansion. It was attached tothe rear of the Principia - the legion headquarters.    They were in the inner courtyard seatedaround a fountain whose water burbled and splashed, cooling everything. Thepraetorium had two courtyards. The outer was for the regular business ofrunning an empire legion. The inner was for personal affairs or things theLegatius wanted to be kept private. Like this meeting.    Septimus looked down at the cup of wine inhis hands. He watched the small bits of fruit in it float about for a moment.Reminding him of ships maneuvering in a sea battle. “Legend has it that whenemperor Marcus Anthemius Tarquinius decided to invade Teraloca the idea was nothis own.”    “That is hardly new information,” Thecommander responded. “It is well known that the Magna Bibliotheca seduced himinto it.”    “To get rid of an old enemy,” Vibinia said.The doe was seated next to her husband. “And remove a rival they were jealous of.”She had the same dark brown fur with white spots as her husband. The lady was tallerbut thinner than her partner. She was wearing a long-pleated dress that flowedall the way to the floor. It was a dark blue and had silver edging and matchingflowers across it. Prominently displayed on her right shoulder as a fist sized goldbrooch of the charging bull emblem of the 76th.    “The Baile Eolais,” officer responded. “Thename means Home of Knowledge.”    “It’s open knowledge,” the doe said. “Thatthe Grand Library forces assaulted that library. Killed all inside, destroyedthe building and took away all the knowledge.”    The oryx shook his head. “That is theofficial story. The one in our own official history of the legion.”    “Are you telling us it’s wrong?” she asked.    “Wrong? I am not sure. I have heard,” thelegate hesitated. Looking for the right word. “Rumors. Stories that beforeSenaloca fell they hid the library. Or at least parts of it.”    “Unconfirmed rumors and legends,” the doecountered with a dismissive wave of the hand. “Another tale of lost treasure.”    The Legate shrugged. “Perhaps. But whatisn’t a rumor is that some of Cairrge Brachaidhe survived. That clan survivesto this day. He is proof of that.”    The stag shook his head. “You cannot becertain of that. What do your other sources know of Senaloca?”    “Little,” Septimus answered. “Tirontach is along distance from here. I have been worrying about closer threats.”    The doe laughed. “We have enough moderntroubles to handle without an old enemy reappearing.”    “I’m not certain he is an enemy. He hasserved the legion well,” Septimus responded. “But he does need to be watched.Carefully.”    “Agreed.”    Septimus nodded his head. “He did quite wellwith my little test,”    “Perhaps we need one more,” The stagcommented.  ******************* 
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