Blood-Born

Chapter X - Part 2

As he stood amongst the armed and ready soldiers above the main gates of the Farm, Leviticus LaRouchette looked over what appeared to be nothing more than flat empty fields pockmarked with white stones that never seemed to be found out of place or askew.

Not ever, in all the memories that he had of this place.

Not even once.

The entire time that he had spent mired in this cursed place.

Continued use of foolish and untimely battle drills had long overrun even his soldiered patience.

Relieved perhaps with lack of complaint from their stalwart wights; memory of their mortal counterpart's beleaguered discomfort in their place weighed heavy upon his mind.

A feminine groan of irritation allowed certain distraction while they waited for whatever it was that they had been alerted to wait for.

"L'idiot ... who designed this ... plaque de ternissement never invested serious thought for how it hugs ... serres comme ceinture upon the fairer of us ..." Observed Natalia De Lascanti with severe disdain as she tugged at the waist of her breast plate.

Leviticus could only smile at her discomfort.

"If I recall correctly that was why I had him sacked, drawn and quartered ... replaced with lesser men who knew better than to let the servant girls wear such items while mounted tight with bit to suffer crop or twitch for pleasure before I was first allowed what was mine to have."

He looked up as if struck by sudden thought.

"Although, now that I consider such things," He added with stifled amusement, "... the ability to properly loosen an alluring concubine's tight girdle is a skill to be practiced repeatedly as her master finds such activities necessary in pursuit of ... better expertise shared equally and often amongst the rest of his flock ... should they even be allowed such luxury of tended care and softer keep."

She simply frowned at his cavalier attitude.

"Cat has been put on notice that your ... messieurs' courtoisie allows him access to proper measurement and le reglage correct."

Having learned the futility of argument, Leviticus simply gave slight nod of agreement.

The thought of their smith Cat having taken intimate measurement of any woman certainly put a far more amusing spin on the day.

"I am surprised to find that you are so well graced by the sturdy armor of my ninth." He mused, "Pleasantly so, but surprised no less."

"Mon Cheri, the ninth fell under faux primaute du droit and now serves with greater strength than ever as ours."

"That false rule of law which marshaled so many astray that day among the mists has indeed been proven true beyond words." He sighed.

"Your protégé requires these s'exercer jusqu'a ce que?"

"They exercise until such time as our Praetor deems necessary and no less."

"Has she reported her proper pleasures at this performance as of yet?"

Leviticus turned and scanned the farm works, having marked each armed cluster as he found them properly stationed and ready; men along the wall watched and reviewed every visible angle available to them as nothing moved to have raised such an alert.

With proper attention drawn of the nearest legate he moved to listen as detail of the alarm and where it had been reported were recounted.

Steep with concern, LaRouchette quickly descended the wall only to have found that Natalia had already summoned the Praetor's elite chariot and its powerful mares.

"Your lack of ... meme un peu compassion would leave me uncomfortable and alone at a time like this?"

With the reins accepted from her when he stepped aboard, he simply continued to muse at her expense.

"Compassion can be a troubled armor in and of itself."

Without having waited for a response he snapped the reins sharp and they surged forward.

Gates opened and shield walls parted to allow passage while they moved past silent buildings.

"Ne vous sentez la brise fraiche...?" She observed, having found nothing amiss or out of order.

"My dear, that cool breeze that you feel is solid roman determination, nothing more and certainly nothing less."

When they neared the final field gate, Leviticus reigned to a halt as he began to realize the extent of the problem and why they had not seen Rubicon; his eyes moved across the tops of several nearby oubliettes while he made note of the open hatches.

Natalia was initially puzzled at the appearance of sudden growing concern upon her companion until she also began to notice the problem around them.

She watched as he stepped from the chariot and walked ahead alone amongst the smaller domes.

Both hands rested upon the rounded curve of the chariot rail, Natalia suddenly found what her companion had just realized as well as Rubicon had before them.

Without hesitation she made her way to the nearest of the legates to deliver what orders that they had not thought necessary or in need of practice in the very midst of their stronghold.

Leviticus strode back, now with purpose having already found that she had prepared what needed to be done.

A messenger ran forward and fell to one knee before him.

"Fetch me the keeper of the hornets." LaRouchette commanded.

He watched the younger man rise and salute before he ran back amongst lines of approaching troops that moved along by order of quick march.

Leviticus turned back to face the large oubliette dome in the distance as the sound of marching feet became louder and armored lines moved toward the center of the field.

While Rubicon's fastidiousness with rehearsal had made them ready, he would make them proud.

Perhaps protégé was indeed the right term, he mused darkly.

Meanwhile he had a shield wall and hornets to prepare.

Lycans were afoot that needed to be reminded of exactly who was in charge.

He was sure that where they eventually found the missing lycans, they would find Rubicon.

And any that she had failed to put down by then would find him waiting for them with open arms.