Kairos

Chapter 12

"Take that to the generals' tent." Someone ordered and gestured at the soldier. I pushed the foot cart towards him and furrowed my eyebrows when he turned and walked off. As I walked, I took in the battle ground that would become soaked with blood in the next few days.

Gusts of south-westerly Volturnus wind raised clouds of fine dust across the dry Apulian soil, on both sides as the two army camps bustled with movement.

"Follow him! Follow him!" Avia snapped and I jumped. First off, where had she appeared from? I decided it was probably best to humour her though, so I followed the soldier out of the tent.

"Why couldn't he just take the cart, if he's leading me to the generals' tent anyway?" I huffed as I dragged one of the badly designed wheels out of a small ditch.

I struggled as the cart appeared to have a mind of its own and my arms strained, already aching after a morning of chopping unending vegetables. I hoped that the cart wouldn't tip. Funny, I used to wish for my crush to like me back or that I would pass an exam. Funny, how frugal your wishes were when you weren't living frugally. Damn, I should be a philosopher.

"Hannibal has captured Cannae," There was an angry voice and then a loud thud as if something had been thrown to the ground.

"That has no effect on us, Cannae was insignificant." The second voice was cool.

"No effect? He now has enough resources to camp throughout the winter with little to no need to pillage surrounding villages! He has gained the upper hand."

"I'll admit the morale of his troops will be bolstered by the shelter and rest."

"Exactly! We need to instigate the battle on our terms and get rid of this pest once and for all."

We came up to the tent flaps and the soldier stood to attention outside, glaring at me to go in. I swallowed and pushed the trolley through the tent flaps, cursing the squeaking. Luckily the circle of men around the table didn't pay me any attention. Instead of parking the trolley and escaping, like I wished to, I took my time unpacking the food, listening to the discussion.

"Fighting on the flat favours Hannibal's cavalry, if we move West there is broken ground better suited for our infantry."

"The legions are trained for open ground, plus the rivers and hills restrict any extensive cavalry manoeuvres from behind us."

"Varro, your inexperience shines through, his cavalry is ten thousand strong." The older man's patronising tone made me annoyed and it wasn't even directed at me. Who was Varro? The name was familiar, but I couldn't place it in my studies of Rome.

"Oh, and you're so knowledgeable? The Illyrian war had no pitched battles, there were no demands for any sort of skill to control a field army." This Varro shot back, face red. He appeared to lack the stoicism of the second man.

"Control yourself, butcher boy."

"How dare you!"

"Perhaps now is not the time." A red-faced man asked, I would say he was someone high in command in the army. But the way he kept his gaze to floor rather than meet eyes of the two arguing suggested that he didn't have leadership qualities. Unfortunately, Cassia hadn't met any of them in person which meant all I had were names that I couldn't match to faces.

"Someone bring me some wine." The man opposing Varro clicked his fingers and after a second I realised he meant me.

"I'll have some wine as well." Varro spoke up and I nodded.

I froze in front of the two jugs, one water and one wine. I knew Romans mixed their wine but what was the ratio of each? Oh no they were like looking at me like I was an idiot. I hastily poured in a third of the cup wine and then filled it up with water and repeated with the other. I ungracefully moved towards the men and held the cups awkwardly out to them. He didn't even look up and snatched it from me. I did a half bow, just in case they were important people (which I guessed they were), and then retreated back to my corner where the trolley was.