The Prodigy

Pleasantries and Introductions

It was the next morning. The sun had just recently ascended to its dominant position over the sky, and songbirds selflessly assaulted the crowd of people with their delicious tunes from somewhere out of sight, alighted along the grove of apple tress that dotted the public park.

Caesar and his cohort of officials had just exited the Consulate and were heading the caravan of black vehicles with tinted windows and tiny Roman flags sticking from either side of their headlights. Caesar waved to the endearing crowd, who was still agush over yesterday's festivities celebrating his 72cd birthday.

Among the entourage, sidled next to his father young Jake was on his first official day of duty. After proving himself in the arena, it was a unanimous decision that he be allowed to join a legion pre-adulthood. He wouldn't be the first to ever do so, but the first in a long time. A throng of young girls in the crowd were cheering at him, and he averted this eyes in bashfulness, causing a hardy round of giggles from his young beautiful fans.

The procession of soldiers and statesmen finished the short walk from the massive stone building and began separating to their appropriate vehicles. The soldiers moved to the seven escort vehicles on either end of the large, reinforced limousine, and the statesmen to it.

As they began to split off, Jake being designated to one of the escort vehicles just behind the executive limo, Caesar turned to him, and one of the soldiers came over with a thick, expensive looking briefcase, a gold legion insignia embossed with gold at its center.

"Justinus Alexander Kaeso Maximus", Caesar began, Jakes face swelling with suffocating pride, "I hereby issue you your official legionary rifle."

The soldier opened the briefcase and tilted it so Jake could see the contents. Held in five separate pieces, stuffed into rich red velvet indentions perfectly proportioned, was the standard Gladio rifle. The blade portion was in its own section. Running along the blade, written in gold, it read 'bellator', warrior.

Jake looked to Titus, who had a stern but look on his face, but gave a nod of permission, then to Caesar.

"Cats...I mean, Caesar. I don't..."

Caesar closed the case and handed it to Jake.

"No need for words, Justinius. Only action. You will have to earn that gladio, in the form of thousands of hours of training."

Jake nodded excitedly and pulled the case close to his chest.

"Now off to your position, we have a meeting to get to."

Jake nodded his head with a single quick movement, bowed, and ran off to the truck behind them. With the rest of the elites already in the car, Caesar and Titus moved to enter, being the last people, besides a few lictors, to not have entered. As Titus moved to the door, Caesar stopped him.

"Titus, I hope you can forgive my prudence with young Justinius. It's only that...perhaps...", a huge embarrassed grin splayed across his face, "...I am substituting my own lack of a son and heir."

Titus shared his amusement, at least, in show. He took one hand from its clasp behind his back and put it on Caesars shoulder.

"No, perhaps is it I who hold him back too much. He should be so lucky as to have a guardian such as yourself. A... grandfather, if you will.", he said, looking up to Caesar with a smile, knowing it would be well met.

Caesar blushed, nodded his head a few times bashfully, and said "Thank you, Titus." And crouched into the car. Titus did not follow. "Aren't you coming?"

"No, I am afraid I have a legal matter to attend to back in the Consulate. I will catch up in an hour or so."

Caesar looked disheartened, concerned, but nodded and let Titus close the door. TItus himself moved back to the car with Jake. He came to the window, his solemn look returning. He looked at Jake with sympathetic but stern eyes.