Descendants of Rome (#3 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Hadrian hurried forward, pushing those men aside that were too slow, and looked up ahead.

The corners of his mouth which had been tilted upwards, waiting to break out into a grin of triumph when he saw Krista's dead body, instead vanished when he laid eyes upon the scene in front of him.

He did not see Krista's lifeless form, instead he saw his men fighting a pack of followers, blindly faithful to Krista, which remained behind.

Amongst the fighting, Hadrian caught sight of a body being dragged from the field, her legs running along the ground trying to keep up with those that carried her.

The corners of his mouth now dropped and his lips parted to speak but it wasn't his voice he heard.

"Make way! Make way!" The voice was shouting just before the rhythmic beating of a drum started, filling the air around them.

It felt as if each beat ran through the earth beneath him and vibrated up through the soles of his boots, shaking his very bones.

Turning slowly, Hadrian saw lines and lines of infantryman falling to their knees and bowing their heads around him until he was the only man left standing, apart from those which continued to fight in the distance.

Hadrian's heart was thumping against his chest as he looked up and saw the thick neck of a black horse. It gave a loud neigh and shook its mane as Hadrian watched him.

Looking upwards, past the mane and up the arms of the man holding the reigns, Hadrian felt his bottom lip tremble slightly when he saw who was riding.

"Emperor Trajan," Hadrian fell to his knees immediately before him, "Sire, you are-"

"-Where is Commander Octavia?" The Emperor interrupted him and glanced around the field at those bowed before him.

"Emperor-" Hadrian found it difficult to speak.

"Bring her forward!" Trajan ordered.

There was a moment of silence where Hadrian saw those nearest to him look at each other for guidance in what they should do.

Hadrian gave a small nod of his head and two men got to their feet, still bowing to the Emperor as they walked back as far as they could before having to turn around.

Hadrian did not know what was happening behind him but when he glanced a look up at the Emperor, and at Polonius who was sat on his own horse next to Trajan, he could see the confusion etched across his face before his eyes widened in realisation.

A few moments later Octavia's body was laid on the ground beside Hadrian and before the Emperor.

The two men stepped back and knelt once again.

Polonius climbed down from his horse and walked over to Octavia's body. He crouched beside her, his back to Hadrian so he could not see what he was doing.

A moment later he stood and told the Emperor, "She is dead."

Hadrian noted that there was no sympathy in his voice.

Emperor Trajan was equally unmoved by his Commander's death. His voice sounded slightly strained but as he asked the following question but that was all, "How did she die?"

Hadrian looked at the ground.

"Answer me!" Trajan ordered

But when Hadrian did not respond, knowing what the answer meant, the Emperor turned to the men who had carried her body.