The Centurion's Woman

Chapter 4

IXILLIUS AND MARCUS heard the swell of distant cheering, but didn't have a reference yet for why, as Aquilus Naevius skidded his exhausted and muddied horse to a stop beside the front of the 6th and 4th. Ixillius and Marcus had made a full route around the century they commanded, and the men were as prepared as they were going to get for the long fight through the mud ahead. As they'd come back to the front of their century, the Senate's Inquisitor had stepped away from Quintus and started back toward Ixillius. Faced with a choice between the Inquisitor and Aquilus Naevius, Ixillius turned toward the Inquisitor as if not seeing the other officer.

        "Stand forward, Centurion!" Naevius called out, kicking his stumbling mount through the last rows of men of the 6th and 3rd. Ixillius cursed under his breath and changed his direction, noting that the Inquisitor was advancing quicker now at the promise of more drama.

        "What news, sir?" Ixillius called politely, Aquilus's countenance darkening further at the blatant insult that he was a messenger.

        "You arrogant whelp!" Naevius bellowed. "Disowned and dishonored, below a freeman, and you speak to me like that?"

        Ixillius ground his teeth around the immediate reply that sprang to mind, stoically marching toward the patrician, noting that his men – already on edge from the interviews and having no respect for the mounted Centurion – were now watching him closely for any cues that they would be allowed to brawl openly. He forced himself to provide them none, although he would have enjoyed nothing better. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he observed that the cheering was coming closer, saw the fresh mud on the exhausted and whip-sore horse that Aquilus rode, the flushed coloring on the faces of all of his surrounding men, and the slowing of the Inquisitor's steps as Quintus caught up to him and started speaking.

        "Apologies, Centurion," Ixillius growled loudly through gritted teeth.

        "To add insult, you maintain your hold of ownership over the claimed bastard daughter of Avilius?" Naevius accused and then spit at the walking Centurion's feet. Ixillius stopped walking and rocked back on his heels, the accusation crashing all his other thoughts.

        "I maintain hold of ..." Ixillius stammered.

        "As a lawful heir of Avilius Victrix," Naevius interrupted, "I demand you release the bond and the supposed bastard daughter to me immediately!"

        "Heir?" Ixillius added his voice to the rest of the murmurs around him, catching from a few of the voices that Victrix was the father to Tacito Severus, making Naevius Alex's uncle or cousin. Meaning he was rightfully her guardian, had she been free.

        Ixillius felt dizzy as the roar of cheers suddenly burst loudly nearby and he barely noticed. But I still own Alex by law! Echoed in his thoughts over and over.

        A stallion's fight scream ripped through the cheers, elevating them, and Ixillius turned as one with the men to see Max coming hard and fast beside the line. The big stallion was coated in fresh mud, a sheen of lathered sweat across his chest, and Verus mounted behind Alex on his back. The little stud that Aquilus Naevius rode screamed in reply, but his was in terror. The little beast staggered and jittered, his sudden flurry of motion dumping the arrogant Centurion unceremoniously in the middle of the road, then tore off among the men as fast as his exhaustion would allow.

        Max fought Alex to be able to chase down the smaller horse as she skidded him to a prancing stop a few short paces from where Ixillius stood and Naevius struggled to stand up and scurry away on all fours at the same time. Verus easily slid off the back of the brute to his feet, grinning savagely. Alex turned Max hard to the side of the road, opposite the direction that Naevius's stallion had fled, into the grass. She urged the big stallion into a rear, slicing the air with his hooves and walking forward on his hind legs, to the raucous delight of the surrounding men.