Guardian of Rome (#2 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Back inside the tent at camp, Krista leaned across the map and pointed to a patch of high ground less than five miles away, "Rheia and her men are positioned here from what we could scout out." They had hurried to locate Leonidas but he'd disappeared and Krista had to order Frieda to retreat. It went against everything in her body to leave him, and Frieda had needed a lot of persuading, but she recognized their odds were low and it was time to remember the people she had behind her. They had come straight here. 

"From there," Artorius scanned the surrounding areas on the drawing, "she'll be able to see us coming from all directions."

"Nobody said she wasn't smart," Frieda snapped as she clipped another belt of daggers around her waist to join the sword that rested on her hip, her eyes flashed to Krista before away again quickly. Krista clenched her jaw before looking back at the map and trying to conjure up a plan. They couldn't sneak up from behind or from the sides; Rheia would see them coming.
They had no element of surprise on their side, they had wanted their position known. 

"There's only one thing we can do," Krista sighed as she leaned against the table, wincing when the child inside of her turned abruptly as if he could read her thoughts and also hated it, "An all-out assault."

"We're at half-strength ever since the disease," Artorius argued, "And even then the men are weak. They will not survive it," He added in a soft hush as if the men were listening at the doors. 

"It doesn't have to be for long," Krista shook her head as she started to strap on her armour, still talking with Artorius, "Just long enough for us to get Leonidas and the others back. We're not looking to win a battle."

"It will take time," Frieda said, "Rheia will have put a number of obstacles between them and us. It is a trap after all." 

"How do we even know they're there?" Artorius interrupted. 

Krista took a slow breath as the baby kicked inside of her once again agreeing with his father, she was really going to have her hands full with both of them against her. "We don't. But we know is that Leonidas has gone out there and hasn't returned. We have to find him."

"Leonidas is a friend," Artorius charged forward and gripped Krista's arm, making her look at him and she saw the turmoil reeling in his depths as he whispered the next words, closing his eyes as he did so as if he couldn't believe he was saying them, "But please do not ask me to risk your lives for him." 

Krista's lips parted as she stared at the male in front of her, her heart beating against her chest as she felt their child turn, almost smoothing the area he had just kicked. 

Yes, I know, you're your father's son. 

Lifting her hand she cupped his cheek and rubbed the pad of her thumb across his lower lip, as if she was suddenly seeing how much fear was coursing through his veins, "You knew when you fell in love with me that I cannot be caged.  Leonidas saved me," she reminded him, "I will not leave him to this fate, and neither can you if you were honest with yourself."

"Then let me go," Artorius pressed a kiss to her thumb as he reached up and grasped her hand in his, "There is no need for you to be harmed."

"I can lead this army," Krista pulled her arm from his grasp and tightened the armour on her shoulders. He still thought the babe inside made her weak but whilst it may slow her down it just made her all the more determined to win. 

"Your leadership is not at risk," Artorius raised his voice, "Your life is."

"My life is always at risk," Krista told him as she walked over to the table and adjusted her sword until it rested between her shoulder blades, no longer able to reach it when it is positioned at her hips.