The Centurion's Woman

Chapter 10

IXILLIUS WAS SITTING at the table, drinking the second cup of wine Alex had poured, when Brasus returned. The Optio didn't knock before coming in this time, assuming he would find Ixillius in thought and not wanting to disturb his friend more than necessary. Brasus set the bag on the bench beside the washstand and removed the contents, noting that Ixillius cringed at the sound of the chains quietly clinking.

        Ixillius filled the first cup from the wine that was left in the skein and set the cup at the edge of the table closest to where Brasus was folding up the bag.

        "Nothing like strong wine to bolster your courage when you feel your balls crawling into your belly to hide," Brasus stated, then downed the full cup in a draught and set it back on the table.

        Ixillius huffed a single laugh as a reply.

        "Do you want me here for this?" Brasus asked, holding out the collar to his commander.

        Ixillius downed the rest of wine, and then glared at the band of leather and bronze as if it was a snake.

        "You had it plated," he commented.

        His name had been stamped neatly into a small bronze plate with a chisel, and the plate affixed to the leather band. Brasus set the collar on the table, weary of holding it.

        "It seemed fitting," was all he replied. They both regarded Alex for a moment.

        "I should wake her. We're meant to be at the baths soon."

        "All the property cleaned before counting so as not to offend the delicate senses of the accountant," Brasus said, mostly to himself.

                                                                ***

        Alex heard the two men talking, but stayed in the warm and fuzzy place between asleep and awake. The cot was a lot comfier than it had appeared, and it smelled better than her furs. The pile of furs she'd been living on needed an airing something fierce, and she noticed it a lot more as she started feeling better.

        Eventually one of the stools squeaked and bootsteps crossed the floor to stop beside the cot, leather creaking as she guessed Ixillius knelt beside her. A hand gripped her shoulder lightly and shook gently.

        "Alex," Ixillius said.

        She cracked one eye open. Sleep was still pulling at her, but his serious expression roused her enough to sit up. The two men both looked like they were going to throw up, and neither one would look her in the eye.

        Eventually, Ixillius held up a leather collar and pointed at a bronze plate tacked to it.

        "Ixillius Traversi," he read out loud, tracing his name stamped into the plate with a finger, then held the collar out to her. "Ixillius proprius Alex," he said, carefully enunciating each word.

        When she didn't take it immediately, he set it on the bed beside her. He looked around at Brasus, as if seeking support, but his second also seemed at a loss. Ixillius suddenly grabbed his cloak down from covering the window slit.

        "Ixillius proprius pallium," he said to her, speaking clearly and slowly and holding the cloak in both hands in front of her. He set it aside and pulled his sword and sheath from his belt. "Ixillius proprius gladius," he said while holding the sword in both hands, then set it aside and picked up the collar. He held it against her throat, but didn't try to put it on her yet. "Ixillius proprius Alex," he said again.