THE EMPERORS WOLVES - Gathering the Wolfpack

THE EMPERORS WOLVES - Gathering the Wolfpack - Prologue pt1

Prologue pt1

Tertio opened his eyes and could still hear the crying. It was reverberating inside his head, seemingly trying to find a way out. He was laid on the bed facing the wall and turned over with a groan. The glow underneath the door confirmed what his ears already knew, Julia, the mistress of the house, was in the kitchen with the unhappy baby Titus. Tertio closed his eyes and tried to ignore the noise, but it was still being emitted. The eight month old sounded like he was being slow roasted. Tertio started to count his heartbeats, at ninety nine he sighed and gave up on sleep.

The wailing continued and Tertio wondered when the little loud mouth would take a breath. He sat up and swung his legs around, planting his feet firmly on the tiled floor. A slight shake of the head removed more of the earlier night’s wine which fogged his senses. He stood and stretched out his arms, pulling his muscles taut and yawned involuntarily. His outstretched arms slowly bent at the elbow as he tensed his muscles drawing his tight fists toward his shoulders in a slow but deliberate movement. Tertio was naked. He reached down and scratched the hair of his crotch before cupping his scrotum. Stretch, itch and check completed. He bent and picked up his faded grey tunic from the stool and pulled it over his head before making for the door. Tertio paused and took a deep breath, he loved the boys but crying babies were not something he could stand for long, he lifted the latch.

Julia turned sharply at the creak of the opening door. Tertio emerged to an apologetic look which flooded across her beautiful, oval face. Her tired eyes looked down to the babe and back to him.

‘Oh Tertio. I’m sorry we’ve woken you.’

He smiled. Julia could disarm him with just a look.

‘It wasn’t you I could hear. He doesn’t sound happy, is he sickening?’

She gave a small shake of the head. ‘Our little hero is cutting teeth and nothing will soothe him, except your mother’s honey.’

She glanced at the clay pot on the table and Tertio now understood why she had her little finger in the child’s mouth. He watched as Titus’ cheeks worked furiously, sucking every last morsel of the natural sweetness.

‘I’d try him with some wine if I were you. It seems to put me to sleep.’ Tertio admitted.

He moved past the table to pick up a small jug of watered wine and two beakers. He poured one for himself and one for Julia.

‘Thank you,’ she said as he placed the drink on the table in front of her. ‘If I thought for one moment that it would work, I’d try it in a heartbeat. I didn’t want to wake Decimus. He and Tenus are meeting with the merchants tomorrow to discuss this year’s prices. He needs his sleep.’

‘Mine is of less value I suppose.’ Tertio frowned.

‘Oh no, I didn’t mean….well, no.’

The worried expression on her face told the truth before she even spoke. His mischievous grin drank in the smile she gave him. The wailing started again and she quickly popped her finger into the sticky mixture. The sound stopped once it was back in the baby’s mouth.

‘You’re a wicked sod Tertio. I know you too well to fall for your teases.’ She looked up at him again. ‘Decimus told me you were at Tenus’ place today. How’s your mother?’

Tertio had seen his mother earlier that day, he had visited the old villa estate. The two properties were separated by twelve miles of lush, fertile valley. A road had been built to connect the two properties and a spur ran off to the main road, linking the valley to the rest of the Empire. The old villa, as everyone called it, was a traditional two storey rural family property. It had been extended and updated over the generations and was ringed by a high twenty foot wall. The wall and its guards kept any unwanted visitors away. Tenus was the current occupier; he was two years older than Decimus and lived in the villa with his family and his father, Titus.