Mark of Mars Read online

  Jupiter smiled. “Has something upset you, son? Or should I say someone?”

  Mars snorted loudly in response.

  “Jenna would be my guess. She is the only one who could make you send shockwaves through the city. What has my favourite mortal done to make you so black?”

  “I found her in the midst of a riot, fighting alongside my soldiers. She all but broke my nose. Disarmed me without me even thinking about it. And absconded in the night from my villa. Does that not give me the right to make the city tremble just a little?” Mars spat angrily.

  He poured himself a goblet of wine and thrust one at Jupiter who had started to laugh.

  “I’m glad you find my pain so amusing, father.”

  “I’m sorry, son, but you fail to see the irony of it. The God of War being tormented by a diminutive female.” Jupiter took a drink of wine. “I have to ask though, how could she disarm you?”

  Mars turned to look out the study window onto the peristyle. “She wanted to look at my sword.”

  “But she can’t……?”

  Mars turned back to his father. “Yes, she can. She lifted my sword as though it weighed no more than a feather.”

  Jupiter’s expression turned serious. “Just so there is no misunderstanding. Jenna lifted your celestial sword?”

  “Yes, father.”

  “This cannot be. No mortal can do that.”

  “Apparently this one can.” Mars was quite pleased that smug look had been wiped off his father’s face. “This diminutive female possesses the ability to kill a God.”

  “Does she have any idea of the power she has within her?”

  Mars shook his head. “No. She was just admiring its craftsmanship.”

  Jupiter fell silent for a moment. His eyes suddenly snapped up. “I hate to remind you, but could she be the one?”

  “’She is a time walker and not Roman.”

  “The Oracle never said your match would be Roman.”

  “Jenna is from a long way in our future. The Oracle could not see her coming.” He doubted the Oracle could see very much, she lived in an opium haze. But he could never forget the prophecy she gave him centuries ago when he turned from boy to man. Beware the one who bears your mark. Fire and blood will tie you together, but time will tear you apart. A black band will bring you happiness, a golden band will extend your life. Choose wisely as the future of Olympus rests on your choice.

  “Can Jenna touch any of the others through their statues?”

  “I wouldn’t know,” Mars grunted.

  “We need to find out whether it is just with you she has this effect.”

  “And how would you like to go about that? I’m certainly not asking her to feel up Apollo’s statue.”

  Jupiter laughed. “Do not concern yourself with that. I will take her to my temple one day soon and see first-hand the results.” He got to his feet, draining his goblet. “I need to advise the family of this development. It affects their safety too.” He paused at the door. “And please try to keep your temper in check, the last thing the city needs is an earthquake.”

  Amelia threw her arms around Jenna as soon as she stepped into the temple.

  “Bloody hell, Jenna. I’ve been worried sick. What took you so long?” she fired off her interrogation.

  “Sorry, I just had a few issues to sort out with the Marshall.”

  “You looked like you were about to lay him out flat,” Amelia puffed.

  Jenna bit her bottom lip guiltily.

  Amelia grabbed her right hand and turned it over. The bruise was starting to show. “Oh Jenna, please tell me you didn’t.”

  “He got no less than he deserved. It was about time someone brought him down a level or two,” Jenna sniffed.

  “He’s going to be so pissed at you.” Amelia was not sure whether Jenna really knew what she was playing with. Picking a fight with Rome’s most senior military official really was not a good move.

  “I’m sure he is. But then he’s never met a twenty-first century woman before.”

  Jenna had trouble sleeping that night, not just because of the rumblings from an earth tremor. All she could think about was what would have happened if the two Senators had not shown up. She was undeniably attracted to Marcus, he was incredibly handsome. Would he have been content with just kissing? She was after all alone with him in his house and the Romans were known for their sexual exploits. She ran a hand over her abdomen, she was starting to experience a longing deep within. It seemed her body and head were not in agreement with each other. Men were a complication she really did not need, especially ones two thousand years older than her.

  CHAPTER 17

  Jenna had a couple of hours spare and decided to head up to the Forum Romanum. She was keen to have a good look at the buildings. All seemed fairly quiet in the early afternoon sun as she strolled through the streets. The Forum was still a buzz of activity and Jenna was quite happy to perch on a stone seat and watch the good people of Rome come and go. She tried to imagine what occupations they had. Senators were easy to spot; their togas were trimmed with purple. There were not many women around. They usually ventured out for shopping, errands or the bath house. It was rare to see one sitting for no apparent reason like herself.

  “I very much hope you are here to see me,” a deep voice spoke and sat down beside her.

  “Senator Aurelius,” she smiled “I was hoping to run into to you.”

  “Have you come to accept your challenge?”

  “Only if you have time.”

  “For you, I do.” He led her over to a marble table and two benches that were nestled under the shade of a pine tree. The two people that were already playing took one look at Senator Aurelius and vacated their seats.

  “How did you do that?” Jenna was impressed.

  “They may have been under the impression that if they want to progress in the Senate, it is not good to upset one of the leading senators.”

  They reset the black and white Latrunculi stones. “Can I just check with you that we play with the same set of rules?” Jenna quickly ran through how the pieces moved. “All stones can move any number of spaces in either a horizontal or vertical direction. A single stone is captured if surrounded by an enemy stone on two opposite sides. A stone in the corner can be captured by two stones placed across the corner and multiple stones can be captured along a line. And finally, to win the king has to be immobilized by being surrounded on all four sides.”

  “You know the rules well. Now you have no excuse when I beat you,” he beamed.

  Jenna had to admit that she had never concentrated so hard, so much so that she was oblivious at first to the crowd that was watching.

  “Do you usually attract so many spectators?” she whispered to Senator Aurelius.

  “No, my dear. Sadly I am not that popular. I think they are intrigued by a woman playing the game.”

  “Women do not play Latrunculi here?” She hoped she had committed a huge error in etiquette.

  “Not often. But I think it is more the fact that one of the leading players in the city is having to play his best game to beat a slip of a temple maiden.”

  Jenna giggled and continued her assault on his stones.

  About half way through the match she tried a diversionary tactic. She stared at the Senator pensively. “Do you mind if I ask you a slightly personal question, Senator?”

  His grey eyes rested on her. He was curious. “If it’s only slightly personal, it cannot be too damming.”

  “It’s about the Gods.”

  “Go ahead and ask,” he was non-committal. Was it just a co-incidence she was asking him or was there an ulterior motive lurking behind those blue eyes?

  “The worship of most deities is based on beliefs passed down from generation to generation. We just accept it. Here in Rome the beliefs seem to be very ingrained. But how do you know the Gods truly exist? Excluding the crazy myths, has anyone actually met a God?”

  Aurelius did his best not to l
augh, of all the people she could have this conversation with, it had to be him! “Some people would say the good fortune they receive throughout their life is proof enough of the Gods’ existence.”

  “Spoken like a true politician,” Jenna sniffed derisively.

  “Meaning?”

  “You gave a very diplomatic answer but did not give me your personal view.”

  “I am sure the Gods watch over us and steer us in the right direction. And there are people who will openly admit to meeting a God.”

  “I think we can discount the crazies who said a God fathered their child. They had obviously had far too much wine and could not remember who they spent the night with. A God is an easy option to pick on as they are unable to refute the fact.”

  “So you think Gods are unable to have a relationship with mortals?”

  Jenna puffed out her cheeks. “If that were possible, I’d be first in line for Mars,” she mused.

  Aurelius laughed heartily and Jenna turned bright red. “Sorry, I did not mean for that to be said aloud.”

  “But I am sure Mars would be delighted to know he has affected such a lovely young lady.”

  Jenna decided she had distracted the Senator enough, in fact she had succeeded in totally distracting herself as she tried to remove an image of Mars’ magnificent torso from her mind. “I do believe I have just taken another of your stones, Senator.”

  His eyes twinkled. “So you have. Now what can I take from you?”

  She was damned and determined not to let the Senator beat her, but he was just too good and she finally had to concede the match. He was positively brimming with delight.

  “I have to say, Jenna, you were a very worthy opponent. No-one has ever come that close to beating me before.”

  “But you still won,” she grumbled. “It’s not that I mind you winning, it’s the forfeit I’m not looking forward to.”

  “Most women would love to have an outing with one of the city’s most eligible bachelors.”

  “Just not me. So, put me out of my misery, who is it I’m supposed to meet up with?”

  “I will let you know when the time is right. Perhaps I might persuade our very own God of War to meet with you.”

  “Sadly the forfeit was for one of the city’s eligible bachelors, and last time I checked, Mars was not on the list.”

  If only she knew he was actually at the top of that list, Aurelius smiled to himself. He stood up and led her away from the crowd. “As I will be subjecting you to such horror, I do feel somewhat obligated to show you around the civic buildings, if you will let me?” he offered kindly.

  Jenna didn’t need asking twice. Senator Aurelius gave her a very detailed tour of the civic offices, the law courts and meeting areas. He then took her to the Forum Julius. “Not many people are aware, but the Senate building, the Curia Julia, has a back entrance off the Forum Julius.” He crossed the length of the Forum to a dark studded metal door.

  “Are you sure the building is empty?” Jenna asked nervously. She would hate to get the Senator into trouble.

  “Yes, it is quite empty, Jenna,” he smiled knowingly and opened the heavy door. Jenna held her breath as she stepped inside the Curia Julia. She was one of very few women who had ever stepped over its threshold.

  “Wow,” was all she could say.

  Each side of the building was lined with tiered wooden seats. At the end they had entered was a raised platform where the presiding magistrate would sit, the Emperor in many cases. Jenna glanced at Senator Aurelius.

  “Let me guess, you sit there?” she pointed to the seat on the platform.

  “What gives you that impression?”

  “Only someone of extreme importance would agree to let a woman inside this building without giving it a second thought.”

  She spun around looking up at the ceiling. “Magnificent,” she murmured. She remembered from her classics lessons that the building was approximately twenty-two metres high. There was a series of decorative windows just below the roof, which itself was made from wood, the design of which was quite stunning. Murals covered any remain empty space around the top of the walls.

  Senator Aurelius took her arm to steady her, staring up for such a long time had made her dizzy. She was glad to get a chance to look down. The floor was made up of bright tiles, they really added such life to the building.

  “Have you seen all you need to?” Senator Aurelius asked.

  “Yes, thank you so much.” Jenna would forever be grateful to him for giving her such an honour.

  He led her out the front door into the Forum Romanum.

  “Thank you again, Senator Aurelius. Now I think I should let you get on your way.” Jenna felt she had taken up more than enough of the Senator’s time.

  “I will walk with you, I’m headed in the direction of your temple.” He fell in beside her. “I am curious to know why you were questioning the Gods’ existence when you so clearly believe.”

  “A tutor of mine does not believe in their existence and set me the task of finding evidence to prove my belief.”

  “What sort of proof were you hoping to find?”

  “That’s the tricky part. Aside from introducing Mars or Jupiter to my tutor, I’m not sure what I could unearth that would convince him.”

  “Well, I’ll see what I can find for you,” he grinned mischievously. If her world needed proof of the Gods’ existence, he was more than happy to oblige.

  “Are you meeting with the Emperor again?”

  “No. I need to call in at Jupiter’s temple. Have you been there yet?”

  Jenna shook her head. “Not yet.”

  “Which other temples have you visited?”

  “Apart from Apollo’s, the only other one I have been inside is Mars’.”

  “Why choose Mars over Jupiter?”

  “That glorious statue would be the first thing that springs to my mind,” she openly admitted. “Something tells me Jupiter does not have quite that body.”

  Aurelius could not help but laugh. Perhaps in his youth he had a physique to rival his son’s, but not anymore. “Anything else, other than the attraction?”

  “There is just something that draws me to him. Whether it’s his raw masculinity, or exceptional fighting skills, I’m not sure.”

  “How would you feel about coming face to face with him?”

  It was Jenna’s turn to let out a small laugh. “I’d probably turn into the ultimate girl, swoon and faint at his feet.”

  “Well, we are going to broaden your learning.” Aurelius stopped outside a small temple. “Come on in and meet the God of Gods.”

  Jenna knew it would cause great offence to refuse, so followed close behind Senator Aurelius. He stopped before a huge marble statue; Jupiter was seated upon his ethereal chair, staff in hand.

  “What’s your verdict?”

  “He looks like the ruler of Gods and Man. Actually, you bear an uncanny resemblance to the statue. You’re not related?” Jenna joked.

  “You’ve unmasked my secret,” Aurelius teased, finding the whole situation rather amusing. If she only knew how true her words were.

  Jenna reached out to touch the statue’s arm then stopped. “You will not be offended if I touch the marble? It is how I commit things to memory.”

  “Be my guest,” Aurelius responded, eagerly waiting to see if he suffered any ill effects. Luckily there were none. It appeared it was just Mars she affected. “Doesn’t all marble feel the same?”

  “Strangely enough, no. For some reason, the marble Mars was cast from feels incredibly warm. Almost as though I am running my hand directly over his skin.”

  “Then you must have some connection with him, to be able to feel his warmth.”

  “If only,” Jenna sighed wistfully, then blushed profusely. Why could she not keep her thoughts about Mars private around the Senator?

  When Aurelius excused himself to speak to the temple guardians, Jenna studied the statue in more detail; Jupiter really was
impressive. She could imagine him reigning supreme over Olympus. Then it struck her. Much was written about Olympus, the home of the Gods; often described in vivid detail. And unless someone back in these times had a terrific imagination, where did the foundation of these descriptions come from? It had to have started somewhere. She gave her head a shake. Proving the Gods existed would not be an easy task. Why couldn’t the damn statue just spring into life and help her out.

  A hand touched her shoulder and she almost jumped out her skin. It was Senator Aurelius.