Domina Triumphans

Chapter 24: 47 AD, Rome, Londinium, Antioch, and Lugdinium

Poplicola paced his home office, planning his rebuttal to the various charges against him. The two beatings would not stick. Summary physical discipline was a part of military life. Officers were expected to react severely to bad behavior on the part of subordinates, slaves, or anyone on post. Wearing eagle feathers disrespected the divine genius of the Emperor and Jupiter, and the Legion itself. Squealing, sniveling, and calling attention to oneself in any way was bad form. Besides, most of the witnesses were dead or far away. An orderly entered the room and waited to be acknowledged.

"Yes," Poplicola snapped.

"Quartius hanged himself in his cell last night."

Poplicola checked two more charges off the list. His Broad-stripe, Decius Quartius, could be blamed for orchestrating the attempted assassination of Antonillus of Gaul, and the deaths of the interpreters, without him being able to respond and prove otherwise. Poplicola poured himself a neat glass of wine and raised a middle-finger salute.

"Take that, Varmint!"

He was aware of Vinicius' death, and would be shedding no tears. He had served under Vinicius in III before later commanding that Legion. Personally, Poplicola had no feelings about him either way. Vinicius had been Antonillus' supervisor at Bodona and had seen the aftermath of the assassination attempt and the beating. Poplicola had objected to him sitting on the court-martial, but Balba had overruled him. So be it. Poplicola knew that Vinicius had hopes of Marcellus being a rival heir of Britannicus and Nero. He had put that information in the right hands and knew it could still bite him in his posthumous ass.

....

Rubellia sat trembling on an exam table as Miklos readied his instruments to excise three polyps from inside her nose, and to remove her tonsils. She had been through a lot since coming to their family, but it had been worth it. Marius engaged a dentist, who used silver to fill several cavities and begin the process of straightening her teeth with wire. Nyssa blended a soap that toned down the acne and body odor. Diana discovered that Rubellia excelled in math, and was fluent in Armenian. Iotapa was teaching her to ride and shoot. Walking, swimming, and weight training dropped a few pounds and toned her flab. A late bloomer, her breasts and hips were growing. She would be curvy, but attractive.

Today was another milestone. Surgery was painful, even with myrrh. Sepsis, shock, and bleedout were constant fears. Grown men shrank from it, but for her there was no option. The largest polyp was deep inside the right nasal cavity and removing it would take some doing. In addition, her tonsils were always patchy and she risked quinsy if they were not taken out. Both surgeries would be done at once and Bolt had given permission to use the infirmary. Layla approached her, stirring myrrh, henbane, and gall in posca.

"This tastes horrible, but you'll thank me later," she said.

"Take a deep breath and knock it back," Marius said.

Rubellia stared at the cup, gathering her courage.

"Hail Caesar!" she said. "Advance Twelve and Six!"

"Ave!" Marius, Bolt, and Spurius Crispinus replied.

She chugged the liquid and slammed the empty cup on a tray in her best imitation of a soldiet's toast. Bolt handed her a canteen of water to wash the medicine down.

"Prefectus, stand on the left side," Miklos said.

Marius took his position and gathered her in his arms.

"Look at me, and only at me," he said.

Bolt made ready to pin her legs if she wriggled too much.

"Let's do this," he said.