The Centurion's Woman

Chapter 12

CW - some NSFW content in this chapter.

(Five weeks out of Bonna)

ALEX RUBBED DOWN Max with a soft cloth, clearing off most of the sweat from the day's activities. It had been over a week since she'd howled at Naevius, then later disappointed Verus by only knowing how to howl well, and how to warble two bird calls that weren't that good. An old trapper had taught her when she was a child, and she loved being able to do it so always practiced when she could.

        Since that night on the Training Ground, Naevius had yet to come and speak to her again. It had been a rather pleasant week in that regard. Max had adjusted quickly the past couple of days when Alex had started wearing armor, as well. He was not, however, as forgiving when she'd mounted up this morning to ride him.

        She'd stayed on him the entire day until he'd finally quieted, mostly because he was too tired to keep fighting with her, and it was now past dinner. Tonight, Alex was looking forward to a hot meal, a good wash, and a hard sleep. Marcus was waiting beside the fence as she saw to Max, ensuring that she had an escort back to Verus's tent while the First File took over the Training Ground for the evening's usual activities.

        Alex grinned at the thought of the amount of men who now trained nightly. Her gigno would most likely just nod stiff approval that the troops were staying well within fighting trim, then lie awake at night snickering that they followed his daughter's routine and habits. She completely understood that the people here, who only ever saw her gigno in public, knew him as the efficient and heartless bastard he needed to be. It would be a confusing lesson for Ixillius once things got worked out to learn that her gigno was also just a man.

        Max hung his head low as she started walking him around the perimeter of the pen to finish cooling off so he wouldn't get chilled. She coddled the big brute as much as he would let her while still wearing the offensive armor, eventually succumbing to chin scratches and loads of praise. When she left him for the night he was happily munching his own rations, after she'd shared most of her leftover biscuit from lunch with him. Alex didn't know what kind of abusive things Mark had done to make Max so full of hate and fear when it came to the armor, but she couldn't pretend to feel even slightly bad about the permanent way that Verus had taken care of the problem.

        The last of her audience drifted away from the pen as Alex climbed through the fence to meet up with Marcus and head to Verus's tent. She momentarily wondered if she would ever not have an audience and an escort, then cast off the thought. She'd created the monster, the audience just came to see it and the escort made sure she wasn't caught alone if the audience became a mob. Marcus nodded politely.

        "Lady," he greeted her.

        He held out his arm and turned in the opposite direction to the way of the tent, and dinner. She cocked a single eyebrow at him.

        "Apologies. The First File has ordered a quick stop before retiring for the evening."

        Alex sighed heavily, her stomach rumbling, and took the offered arm as she tried to figure out just what Verus had planned for her tonight.

                                                               ***

        Ixillius scrubbed his hand over his face as he continued to wait. The woman in the small tent with him hadn't looked to him at all since he'd arrived, and she'd stayed in the farthest corner available that was away from him. Her actions toward him were making him uncomfortable, but he dare not leave the tent now. Two months ago, he wouldn't have noticed her nervous reaction as any different from any other time he was alone with a woman, and he tried to remember that instead of how his woman always seemed at ease.