Descendants of Rome (#3 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 

The sea rocked beneath them, testing the ship as they crossed the open waters despite the shining sky.

The convoy from Rome was heading for Gallia. Consisting of five ships, they would make port in the nearest roman town before they continued on by foot to Alesia.

They had been sea-bound for nearly two days, allowing Octavia time to re-run her plan through her mind, to find the weaknesses and draw them out like poison from a wound.

But even she needed respite and, for the first time that day, Octavia walked from her cabin onto the deck and marvelled at the isolation.

In the middle of nowhere, with her ship leading point, and no coasts on the horizon Octavia felt, for the first time, at the mercy of another.

She was at the mercy of the sea, at the mercy of Neptune, and Octavia hated it.

She had been at the mercy of too many people in her short life to ever feel comfortable with the sense of powerlessness, the sense of not being in control.

Octavia had, in some way or another, always had control over something in her life. Something to keep her mind steady in the chaos that was life.

For the short time that Octavia was not in control of the situation she would feel like the sea itself, churning and roaring in a mindless and pointless rhythm.

It was a feeling she would not forget.

“Commander,” A voice spoke from behind her and Octavia glance out of the corner of her eye to see that it was Hadrian.

“You appear consumed in thought,” Hadrian joined her besides the railing, looking over the edge at the sea, “Anything I may assist with?”

Octavia did not need to look at Hadrian to know that those brown eyes were watching her with loyalty, his plain face did not invoke the passions of women but it was a comfort sight to see on the battlefield.

Octavia knew that if she saw that face she would always have an ally.

But that did not make him a friend and only a friend would understand her situation.

“We will defeat the uprising,” Hadrian tried to soothe her thoughts, “And Rome shall be free.”

Octavia nodded as she turned to look at where the sun was rising, “Krista will have left Greece by now. She shall be in Gaul within three days.”

“Then we have our deadline,” Hadrian smiled, “Three days to reach Alesia and defeat the usurpers.”

“By the end, Rome will be an unconquerable,” Octavia stood tall, honouring the vision her father had always dreamt of, her eyes looking out across the sea towards her future.

* * *

Taking a small breath, Lazarus awoke from his sleep to find his eyelids heavy, refusing to open.

Rubbing the heels of his palms against his eyes, Lazarus finally managed to open a single eye and peer out at his room.

The first thing he registered, through the haze of his tired mind, was the sunlight streaming through his window.

He calculated that it had to be nearly midday.

This horror jolted his other eye to open as he rushed to feet. He had been too tired the night before to undress for bed, so as he left his room he was already prepared.