<div style="color:black;font: 10pt arial;"> <div><br> </div> <div><font size="2">Bitt and his squad get to visit Petra. A long time ago I too got to visit the 'Rose Red City half as old as time'. It was an amazing visit!</font></div> <div><br> </div> <div><br> </div> <div><font size="2">Chris</font></div> <div><font size="2">The Lurking Fox</font><br> </div> <div><br> </div> <div><br> </div> <div><br> </div> <div><font size="2">************************</font></div> <div><br> </div> <div><br> </div> <div><br> </div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They continued to march along for several days dropping off and picking up legionnaires at the various castrum along the route. <a name="_Hlk518519871">The road lead into the mountains climbing higher with each dusty step. Bitt was glad to see the last of the desert behind. Even if it didn’t get much cooler. Following the caravans the legionnaires soon found themselves on a road that weaved it’s way amidst the hard, rose red stones and into a deep valley. The walls loomed up high and close, towering over them and casting the road into perpetual shadow.</a></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The path flattened out but the walls closed in till the pack animals had to move in single file. No one liked being on this stretch of road as it made for the perfect spot for an ambush. He held his hand on the hilt of his gladius as he looked nervously around. The walls were sheer and seemed to go straight up. Leaving no place for an attacker to hide.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bitt heard the sound of water burbling. On the left at shoulder height was a ledge with water moving in it. It was running deeper into the mountains in the direction they were headed. He realized that it was an aqueduct taking water to somewhere. </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Suddenly the walls fell away plunging them into a narrow valley flooded with bright sunlight. In front of them carved into the opposite wall was a magnificent façade that towered some one hundred, fifty feet high. It was decorated with columns and carvings that would do credit to a fine building back in the capital.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bitt stopped in the center of the road and stared at the façade. “Wow. What is that?”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s the tomb of some dead king,” the lion commented. He pushed Bitt on the back. “Now keep moving you’re blocking traffic.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The space on the floor of the canyon wasn’t very big; only a half mile at its widest point and barely a mile long. Running the full length of the valley was a stone flagged, wide road that was flanked by colonnades on both sides. Spreading out from that road were the buildings of all shapes and sizes that went back to the valley walls. More buildings filled the small gulley’s and side canyon. None were more than two or three stories high but was an impressive number of buildings to have packed into such a small place. All seemed to be of the same reddish tan color of the rocks themselves. The only color was a large colonnaded building in the middle of the city that was painted bright white. It was clearly some sort of temple or church.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At the start of the road was a tall, ornamental gate over a hundred feet high that straddled the road. It was highly ornamented with statues of imported marble and intricate carvings. All meant to impress the visitor. Being only a few courses of stone wide it certainly had no defensive value. Especially since it wasn’t connected to any walls. But the sheer ruggedness of the mountains made those unnecessary. It reminded him of similar gateways he’d seen in other empire cities. Usually honoring some long dead general or emperor. This one was no different. There were statues in many spots but located dead center over the top of the arch was the statue of a rabbit. He was wearing the armor of a leader and the crown of laurel leaves of a conqueror. Bronze letters below it announced the name of the illustrious emperor Marcus Ulpius Traianus. Bitt vaguely remembered him as a person dead for several centuries.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bitt gave the arch scant notice. There was so much else to see. So much going on around him. What amazed him with the population. Everywhere he saw people. Young, old, male and female of every species he had ever seen and many he had never seen before. They jostled for space with carts and wagons laden with all manner of things. Long caravans of camels or horses made their way through the crowds. Using their large size to create room for them to pass. The legionnaires made their way down the street in formation. No need for them to jostle as the crowd parted ahead of them. Conversations stopped momentarily and people looked nervously at the passing legionnaires for a moment. Then returning to their own issues.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Both sides of the street were lined with shops, taverns and inns. Lots of taverns and inns.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bitt noticed that high up the valley walls (which were of the same hard, red stone) there the facades of buildings. Each façade seemed to have been carved into the stone itself. “What are those?” He asked and pointed to a particularly grand one.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Someone’s tomb,” Keagan responded. “The rich and powerful like to be buried in those stone mansions.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“You cant get more grand than that,” Vinius added.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Suddenly a shiver ran down his spin as a wave of weakness washed over him for a moment.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Now everyone please watch your step,” a female voice said in a frighteningly cheerful tone.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He turned to the voice. Standing some twenty feet away was a small group of people of a half dozen different species. They were all dressed in very strange clothing. Everyone else was gone, even his fellow legionnaires.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The tall, tan stone walls of the canyon were there, still standing guard against time. The same as always. But the city beneath them was gone. All he saw was sun baked stones interspersed with a few scraggly bushes. Where the long colonnade had been was now just a few stones on the ground and a few weathered and battered columns. He could easily trace where it had been. The grand plaza was gone completely. Just a bare, stone platform remained. Surrounded by the remains of about a score of columns. None more than waist high.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Only a single, massive stone block told of where the great gateway had been. It was chipped and smashed in places and was devoid of any markings.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Only one thing he recognized. Standing off to one side in the cool shade was a tall, thin antelope wearing the robes of a Bedine.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bitt was confused. He shouldn’t be seeing all this but he was. But what was he seeing? Some delusion? His heart told him this was real. Somehow.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Where did all the people go?” A little feline of a species he had never seen before asked. She was wearing shorts and what seemed to be some type of tunic. On it was painted what looked like a pink pony? A wide brimmed hat protected the tan colored cub from the sun.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“They left.” The tall, female antelope was dressed in a loose flowing robe that reminded her of the type the locals he knew had worn.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Why?” The little one asked.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“This city ran on trade,” the antelope replied. “Great merchant caravans came through carrying spices and silk to the empire. When the empire collapsed the caravans stopped coming. And with no caravans people had to go elsewhere to make a living.”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“BITT!” Someone shouted in the fox’s ear making him jump.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Suddenly Bitt was back in the city he knew with all it’s hustle and bustle and life. No ruins or strange visitors.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Bitt?” The dog was standing next to him. “Are you all right?”</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He stood there for a long moment. The only thing moving were his eyes as they darted back and forth frantically. Unsure what had just happened.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I . . . I don’t know,” he stuttered.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871">***********</span></div> <span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk518519871"></span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The castrum was hardly luxuriously accommodations. Vexillatio Petraea North was quartered in a quartet of plain, huts made of the same stone as the rest of the city. A small well sat at the center of the tiny courtyard with the huts spaced on all four sides. The whole thing was surrounded by a stone wall barely ten feet high. The one gate in was of solid but highly sun baked wood and guarded by a single legionnaire. It was really hardly worthy of the term castrum but technically it was fortified.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The only saving grace was it was sited higher up and above ground level on the north side of the valley. It made for a great view of the whole valley. And more importantly it made for a cool breeze blowing most days.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Their vexillation (Detachment) was a century of 74 legionnaires. It should have been 80 but no century was at full strength. There was another century stationed in a similar castrum on the south side. </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Their task was simple; patrol the trade routes to protect the caravans<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">. </b>Absolutely nothing could be allowed to slow or stop the steady flow of goods headed west to the empire. And almost as important the legionnaires were there to remind the locals that the empire was in control. The city itself had its own soldiers to guard the walls and it’s own Vigile to patrol the streets.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For Bitt and his fellow legionnaires it meant long hours patrolling along the same stretches of road. Two days east and two days back. Only interspersed with bouts of duty at the barracks itself. Usually either guarding the gate or walking sentry duty along its small walls. Of course, there was always a meal to make or something to fix or clean. And there was the ever-present war to keep out the worst of the dust. But that seemed to be a losing battle.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><a name="_Hlk525432174"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They were lucky in that they were stationed in the city itself</a>. The benefit was there were literally in a large city with a wonderland of different entertainments and ways to pass the time.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“The first stop is the bathhouse!” Tossius said cheerfully.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“After this we’ll go get some sweet meat!” Sabinus barked cheerfully.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The rest of the group nodded and barked in agreement.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Been far too long,” the hyena growled.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bitt looked from one to the other. “What are you talking about?” He was sure he wasn’t grasping some point.</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal">************</div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal"> </div> </div> </div>