“Aia—will you bake bread for me?”
Her beautiful lips parted and gave me my answer.
“Yes, Lucius.”
A noise off to my side informed me of the return of Sergius. I looked to the doctor with a scowl as Aia quickly pushed herself away from me and stood beside the cot, straightening her dress. The doctor glared at her as he approached and checked my dressing.
“You are coming along nicely,” he said. He stood and looked to Aia. “A word, slave.”
I saw her hands tremble at his command.
“I will have words with you,” I said quickly to the doctor. He paused and nodded. “My progress is sufficient, and I will begin to make plans to return to the legion camp.”
“You are not yet ready for battle, Tribunus,” he said. “Another week, perhaps two-”
“I’ll be returning to the legion camp in two days,” I informed him. “I can continue to heal from there. You will prepare all that I need to take with me to further my recovery.”
“If you insist, Faustus.”
“I do.” I sat up slightly and looked from the doctor to the slave girl and then back again. “I wish to speak to Cassianus. Bring him to me.”
“He is likely on his way to the gladiatorial games,” Sergius said. “Juno’s day approaches.”
“Upon his return then.”
“I will inform him of your desire for audience.”
I glared up at the doctor.
“You will inform him that he has been summoned,” I corrected. “I expect him here.”
“Of course, Tribunus.”
He again checked the dressing on my wound in silence, poured another cup of foul liquid down my throat, and took his leave, his plan to discipline Aia forgotten. I took the opportunity to continue my previous conversation with the slave.
“I would give you worth,” I told her.
“I don’t understand, Faustus.”
“I will buy you from your master,” I clarified, “and you will accompany me to my camp. You will continue to tend my wound and provide me with other distractions from the battlefield.”
Her eyes widened as she stared at me.
“Are you agreeable?” I asked. Her preferences should not have mattered to me, but still I inquired. My eyes bore into her as she looked at me with awe. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed and nodded her head.
“Yes, Lucius,” she said softly. “I would be most grateful.”
A slow smile spread across my face as I saw the truth of her words in her deep blue eyes. She wanted this as much as I did.
“Then it will be done,” I swore to her softly.
Her agreement brought a smile to my lips, and again her worth to me increased.
IV
“Bring Antonius to me.”
I clenched my teeth and stood on shaky legs as Cassianus watched me warily.
“Sergius tells me you are not yet fit for travel,” he said. “He says you need more time to heal. A few more weeks at the hospital will undoubtedly-”
“To further line your pockets for treatments?” I interrupted with a snort. “No, I don’t think so.”
“I fear you would be forced to make another long journey, forced to return here when your wound becomes inflamed,” Cassianus said with conviction. “By the gods, you must stay with us another week at the very least.”
“No.”
“A few days, then,” he insisted. “Allow my skilled doctor to continue to treat you. You are far too important to the Emperor to allow you to leave without proper care at your disposal. Sergius says you need many medicines still, and they must be properly administered to ensure their affect.”
I sighed outwardly. Inside, I felt nothing but the smug sensation of having him fall into such words so easily. I couldn’t have scripted his role with any greater accuracy than he offered me on his own. It was exactly as I had planned.
“I’ll take that nursemaid slave,” I said with a dismissive flick of my hand, as if the thought had just occurred to me, “the one who has hung about here like one of Juno’s tits just waiting for me to come up with the desire to suckle. She’s done more for my care than your doctor. I’ll take her with me.”
“Aia?” Cassianus asked. “She belongs to me.”
“Yes, a Roman citizen sold into slavery to cover the debts of her father,” I sneered. “You apparently support the breaking of our laws. Perhaps I should make that known to your friends in the Senate.”
He blanched as his eyes widened. As soon as I saw his reaction, I knew he had already been aware of her circumstances. I felt my muscles tighten and considered destroying the man in front of me. Had I been uninjured, I would have done so.
“What is her worth?” I said as I turned to stare him in the eye. There would be no backing down from this, and I wanted to be sure he knew I was quite serious in my intentions. I intended to make Aia mine, and it would be so. He would either agree without argument, or he would discover just how much wrath I could bring upon him and his household.
She will be mine.
“She’s a hard-working slave,” he said as he rubbed at his chin. “She’s learned much during her time-”
“So train another,” I interrupted. Again, I waved my hand at him. “I’ll buy this one from you for five coins—easily three times her price.”
“It is not in my plan to sell her,” he said. He set his jaw as he stared into my eyes.
Forcing myself to my full height, I stepped closer to the man and looked down upon him.
“I suggest a change of plans is in your interest,” I informed him. “You undoubtedly know my reputation for getting what I want. I suggest you consider your next words very carefully, or you’ll discover just how determined a man you face.”
He darted his tongue across his dry lips, considered for a moment, and then nodded.
“Five denarii,” he capitulated, and I smiled as I handed him his coin.
She is mine.
Sergius and Aia returned from the far room, and the doctor walked to his employer’s side. Before he could speak, Cassianus turned to him.
“Faustus shall be leaving us,” Cassianus stated to the medicus. He glanced sideways at me before looking to the slave. “Aia, prepare yourself. You will be leaving with the Tribunus.”
“Dominus?” she questioned as she looked to him.
“No more,” he said with a shake of his head. “You belong to Faustus now and will address him accordingly.”
She looked quickly from Cassianus to me and nodded her head.
“Of course,” she replied. A hint of a smile graced her lips as she bowed slightly in my direction. “Dominus.”
Within the hour, we were on the same rickety cart and headed north.
“Your plans to return to battle concern me,” Antonius stated as the driver of the cart shook the reins and the horses leapt forward. “Both the medicus and Cassianus expressed worry over your condition. They say you are not yet fit.”
“My worth as Tribunus cannot be measured from a hospital bed,” I said. “I must be with the men.”
“And how shall your worth be measured if you go into battle already hindered?”
Antonius and I exchanged glances, and I took a long breath.
“I return to my tent only,” I reassured him. “I can lead for now without fighting.”
Antonius looked to the slave woman wrapped in a blanket as the cart pulled us north. Her eyes did not leave the ground, but I was sure he saw her slight smile. He looked back to me with raised brow.
“As you desire, Faustus,” he said.
“I do desire,” I replied softly. I reached over and placed my hand on Aia’s thigh, gripping it gently as she looked into my eyes and held me there.
I pushed aside the entrance to the tent and made my way inside with Antonius right behind me. My side ached slightly though months had passed since I was first injured. I no longer walked with a limp, which was more important to me than any pain I still felt. Showing weakness to the men under my command would not serve me well.