Domina Victrix

Chapter 16: 22 AD, Antioch, Roman Syria

Old Marcus lay awake in the darkness, trying to determine where everyone was in the house. He could hear Lucius and Junia talking in their room as little Epona fussed. She had two bottom teeth trying to come in and it was making her feverish and cranky. General Marcus walked down the hallway.

"Victory isn't home yet?" he asked.

"No," Juba said. "Neither is Bolt."

"I don't expect him till later," General Marcus said.

Old Marcus plumped his pillow and closed his eyes. Roman boys became legal adults at age fourteen. They could not join the army until they were eighteen. For prominent and wealthy young men, that meant four years of unbridled freedom. The exploits of Mark Antony and his two brothers in the tabernae, bordellos, and gambling dens of Rome were legendary. Marcus and later his three sons brought the legend to the backstreets of Antioch. Now a fourth generation was testing its limits.

"Its been only six months since we got home," General Marcus said. "It's a bit early for a baby boom."

"I think it's more sick children during winter, colds, croups, belly aches," Juba said. "Crispinus stopped by twice to tell me his mother Vinicia and Mileta were passing Victoria around their calls."

"At least she's not drinking and getting in fights," Gaius said. "Damn his hide. You'd think after the fight he got himself and Lucius into at his coming-of-age party, he would've had enough. But, no!"

"We can't call him out," Marcus said. "We did much worse at his age. Antonys are supposed to stir the shit."

Someone opened the kitchen door.

"Is anyone up?" Crispinus called out.

"We're in the atrium," Juba answered.

Crispinus entered the room. "The Young Man and Centurion Cornelius are both in the infirmary. It's not good."

General Marcus and Gaius both found their cloaks and left, following Crispinus and Juba back to the castrum. Bolt sat on a stool in the exam room. Victoria had stitched a cut above his eye. Lysias was examing several bruises on Bolt's ribs as he cradled a splinted right wrist, doubled over in pain and embarrassment. Cornelius had a deep cut on his left forearm.

"What happened?" Gaius demanded.

"We weren't bothering anybody!" Bolt said. "Somebody at the next table made a pass at one of the girls and tried to feel her up. She didn't like it. Cornelius told him to leave her alone. The man called Cornelius a bloodsucker and started yelling at me about Great-Grandfather being a traitor. I flipped him off, so he threw a jug at me. We tried walking out but then someone else with a dagger went for Cornelius' back. I saw it, because I was behind him, and I threw a bottle and a stool at the man. He got Cornelius in the arm and somebody else hit me in the face. I punched him back and my wrist snapped. Some other soldiers got us out of there, but not before someone else tried to stab me, too."

"Did they find the men with the daggers?" Marcus asked.

"They're in custody now, Sir," Tertullus said.

"I know many men carry daggers and get in bar fights, but to stab a uniformed soldier and someone under his protection takes a certain kind of gall," Marcus said. "I want to know what's going on. Put them to torture if you have to."

Victoria finished bandaging Cornelius' arm.

"No archery for me tomorrow, Victory," Cornelius said.

"Just rest and try to come to my wedding," she said.

Bolt dressed and Juba supported him as they walked back to the house.

"No archery this year," he said. " I guess it's up to you to beat her out."