Mark of Mars Read online

  “And in return, you will need to tell me all about Arula.”

  As they approached the temple steps, Gaius flew out. “Thank Jupiter you are safe, Jenna. I turned around and you had vanished.”

  “Senator Aurelius kindly escorted me here.”

  Gaius looked at the Senator in awe. “I cannot thank you enough, sir.”

  You already have, Senator Aurelius chuckled to himself. He smiled politely and nodded his head in Jenna’s direction. “Once you’ve settled in, I hope we will see you in the Forum Romanum.”

  Jenna watched the Senator leave. “Such a lovely man.”

  Gaius shook his head in disbelief. “In the city scarcely two minutes and she gets an escort from Rome’s highest ranking Senator. See, I was right, you are trouble.”

  Jenna giggled and headed up the steps into the most stunning of temples. Amelia flung her arms around her instantly. “Don’t do that to me. We thought we’d lost you.”

  “Sorry, just got side-tracked by shiny objects,” Jenna did her best to look suitably chastised.

  She gazed around the temple; it was amazing. A large statue of Apollo filled the centre of the room, and as she suspected, it was not as alluring as Mars. Frescoes and inscriptions lined the walls, along with burning torches. At the back of the main room was the most ornately carved, marble altar Jenna had ever seen. And it was filled with offerings to Apollo.

  Their new tutor, Cassandra, settled them in right away. “Our quarters are in a separate room off the back of the temple. We sleep and eat here and even though we have our own water supply, we use the Baths of Trajan to wash.”

  “I’m liking it already,” chirped Amelia.

  “You’ll find life quite laid back. The temple is however one of the most high profile in Rome. Not only are we situated close to the Imperial Palace, but the front door alone is made of gold. We therefore have a lot of visitors and plenty of offerings. What we don’t eat ourselves, we distribute to the children of the poor. Now as you can see, the altar is filling up so food needs removing and bringing into the back room, as well as lots of sweeping of the dusty floor.”

  The girls were soon lost in the world of temple maintenance. Jenna found it totally surreal; a few hours earlier she had been sipping a cappuccino and texting a couple of old school friends.

  CHAPTER 4

  Professors Daniels made his way to the Medical Wing; it was never good getting a summons from Dr Poulssen, it usually meant one of his students was sick.

  He found the doctor in the research sector of the wing. “You needed to see me, Poulssen?”

  Poulssen looked up from his microscope. “I need to speak to you about Jenna Duvall.” He removed the sample from under the lens and slipped in back into its protective case.

  “Is there a problem?” He hoped not as he had just sent her through the gateway.

  “Not as such. I’ve examined her blood sample and it has thrown up some peculiarities.”

  “She’s sick?” Daniels was worried. A twentieth century illness could have a devastating effect on an ancient civilisation.

  “No, she’s perfectly healthy but there were some abnormalities.”

  Daniels stared at him pointedly. “Would you care to elaborate?”

  “Jenna’s blood showed traces of diseases long extinct.”

  “Her parents did travel with her to some fairly remote and inhospitable places which is probably where she picked up some supposedly extinct viruses.”

  “She also possesses antibodies that have not been around for millennia.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Her blood is fairly unique for this day and age. In fact it’s quite difficult to catalogue.”

  “So she comes from an ancient blood line,” the Professor shrugged.

  “Perhaps,” Poulssen sounded unconvinced. “I would however like regular samples from her to check that she remains healthy.”

  “I have no problem with that, although Jenna might.”

  Professor Daniels headed back to his study. He couldn’t understand why Poulssen was getting so concerned about Jenna’s blood sample. As long as Jenna was healthy, he really didn’t care if she had an old blood line or not.

  Amelia and Jenna had done a good job on cleaning the temple and it was now sparkling. Cassandra was pleased with them. “Great, well if you’re both up to it, we have some offerings to be distributed to the needy. It’s not too long before the sun goes down and you definitely don’t want to be out on the streets then. You don’t need to be fully cloaked out on the streets, just a light wrap around your head and shoulders will suffice.” Cassandra handed them each a pewter pin which had a laurel leaf decorating the top. “This needs to be clipped to your dress whenever you are out in public. It is Apollo’s emblem and identifies which temple you serve.”

  Standing on the steps of the temple, she pointed out the direction they should take. “There is a plaza about ten minutes’ walk from here in a fairly run down area. I think perhaps that is the best place for you to start.”

  Jenna draped the sheer material of her new wrap over her head and around her shoulders. “How do I look?”

  “Very chic,” giggled Amelia.

  Laden each with a basket, the two friends left the safety of the temple on their next great adventure.

  “I can’t believe how developed the city is,” Amelia mused. “I think this is actually a whole lot better to some of the places back home.”

  Jenna was surprised just how modern this ancient city looked. The buildings were all white and beautifully built, the paved streets amazingly clean. And the initial smell that seemed to overpower her had all but disappeared. It really did look like a television set. In fact, Disney could not have built it better!

  Despite the talk of violence on the street, Jenna felt completely safe. Cassandra had been right, no-one stopped them. They passed easily through the streets until it looked like they had reached their destination. In the middle of the little square was a small group of youngsters playing.

  The children mobbed them for food. It made her sad to think that for such an advanced city with its glorious buildings and sanitation, the life of those in poverty had not changed. She knelt down and handed out her goods, talking briefly to each child. She was keen to get a glimpse into what their world was like. Some were orphans, but the majority had working parents. Day care was not yet available, and with no-one to watch the children, they had the run of the city. They were all in need of a good bath, and their clothes had seen better days, but not one of them complained.

  The children were so thankful for their food from Apollo. It dawned on Jenna that this was perhaps the only real food they had had all day. She knew she would have to toughen up when it came to dealing with the harshness of day to day life in the ancient times. No unemployment benefit or government hand-outs here, if your parents didn’t work, you starved.

  Suddenly the children dispersed quickly. “What’s wrong?” Jenna caught the arm of one young boy.

  “Soldiers are coming.” He looked quite terrified.

  And it was not surprising. Three men on horseback rode into the square. Jenna could not take her eyes off one of them. He was sat so tall in the saddle and exuded an air of power and arrogance. He looked quite magnificent, with his black cloak hanging down over the back of the horse. She could not see much of his face for the helmet, which was decorated with a black brush. He walked his horse over to them.

  “What the hell do we do?” Amelia hissed in her ear.

  “His sword is not drawn, we are fine.” Jenna felt no threat. She did make sure however that her wrap covered most of her face.

  He stopped his horse right by her. “This area is not safe, especially for young handmaidens. There is a group of well-known rioters not two streets from here.” His deep voice sounded wonderful to Jenna’s ears.

  She glanced up, making sure she did not meet his eyes. She noticed he was wearing a black tunic under his cloak, and had the most amazing black chest ar
mour. His soft black leather boots were laced almost up to the top of his calf. And hanging on his left hand side was the most enormous sword.

  “Thank you for your advice. We will head back to our temple shortly.” She thought perhaps she sounded a little too self-confident for a temple handmaiden. But then she was never lacking in confidence.

  One of the soldiers shouted something she could not hear.

  “It seems the rioters have got closer. We will give you safe passage back to your temple.” He extended his arm as if to suggest it was an order not an invite.

  Jenna went on the defensive right away. “It is not necessary, we can make our own way back.” She never liked being told what to do. She turned and walked away from him, picking up her basket.

  “It is not a matter up for debate,” he barked.

  “Good, I wasn’t debating your offer, I was declining it.”

  Amelia scuttled after her. “Jenna, he looks like he’s about to burst a blood vessel.”

  Jenna resisted a snigger. “Serves him right, pompous ass.”

  Her triumph was short-lived. His horse blocked the one exit from the square. “If you remain out on these streets, you will be taken for rioters and thrown into jail.” His dark eyes bore into her, challenging her.

  “That’s my decision made,” Amelia grunted and selected the cuter looking of the two centurions. He swung her up onto the back of his horse.

  Jenna scowled up at the officer in black. Perhaps she was a little too new in Rome to pick a fight with this guy. She gave a loud, frustrated sigh before placing her slim arm on his. Sitting side saddle on the back of a horse required balance, something she was not sure she had. She gently rested her hands on his waist.

  As his horse moved, Jenna’s hold on his waist increased. She definitely preferred to be in the saddle not on the back. Whoever this guy was, people leapt out the way as he rode past. Maybe it was a good job she hadn’t antagonised him too much. It did not take long for them to reach Apollo’s temple. And then it struck her. “How did you know which temple we came from?”

  “You wear Apollo’s emblem on your dress,” he stated bluntly, swinging his leg over the horse’s head and slipping out the saddle. “Will you permit me?” he asked. Jenna nodded. He reached up and took hold of her waist, lifting her down as though she weighed no more than a feather. She made the mistake of looking into his eyes, they were jet black and the longer she looked, the more light headed she felt. From what she could see of his face, he was certainly a lot younger than she expected and very easy on the eye.

  “I would advise you to stay close to the temple, these are unsettled times on the streets of Rome.” He leapt back in the saddle and Jenna was left staring as he rode off with his centurions behind him.

  “In Rome less than a few hours and you get a personal escort from Marshall Vilnus,” Cassandra sighed wistfully behind them.

  “From who?” Jenna thought perhaps she should find out more.

  “Marcus Vilnus. Marshall of the Peace. Rome’s great protector. A real honour indeed.”

  Crap. Marshall of the Peace. Only she could pick a fight with Rome’s most senior officer.

  CHAPTER 5

  Marcus was waiting outside the Curia Julia, he was due to update the Senate on the riots. He saw his father approaching.

  “Senator Aurelius,” Marcus nodded his head in respect. No-one in Rome knew they were father and son.

  “Marshall,” his father responded with a gleam in his eye.

  “Something amuses you, Senator?” Marcus queried.

  “I had the pleasure of meeting your time walker yesterday. Such a delightful bundle.”

  Marcus snorted loudly. “Outspoken harpy is a better description.”

  “So you have met her,” Aurelius grinned. “I have the distinct feeling she’s going to breathe life into our otherwise mundane existence.”

  “I like my life as it is,” Marcus glared.

  “We have much to learn from this young woman. I believe she is the key to our future, so do not antagonise her too much.”

  “Antagonise her?” Marcus hissed. “She is belligerent and ….”

  “Marshall Vilnus,” Senator Vitus appeared in the doorway, “We are ready for your address.”

  Marcus stalked inside the Senate House with his father’s laughter in his ears. Perhaps his father had met a different time walker, there were more than one. But the young woman he had met in the square was definitely the one who had touched his statue, he recognised her face. Close up, she was breath-taking. He recalled her soft blonde curls, those deep blue eyes and her flawless, creamy complexion. He gave himself a shake. This was not the right environment to start thinking about what he would like to do with this time walker.

  The girls were on their way to the public baths for the first time. The Baths of Trajan were spectacular as Romans took bathing very seriously indeed. Handmaidens had the opportunity to use a private bathing chamber, which was situated just off the natarium, the main bathing pool. It was a good sized room, with a set of stairs at each end of the fabulous sunken bath. When Romans built baths, they built them to stand upright in, almost like a small swimming pool. The whole room was covered with tiny mosaic tiles. The bath was filled with warm water, lightly perfumed, and had rose petals floating on top. At each end of the bath were stone seats. The room was lit with hundreds of candles.

  Jenna fell in love with it on sight. It rivalled any spa she had been to. She felt no embarrassment bathing with Amelia, they had been to a girls boarding school after all.

  “Life is certainly improving each day,” Jenna mused as she submerged in the wonderful bath.

  “Yes, I could definitely do with one of these back home.”

  “It is strange to think that Athens was once the centre of the civilised world. Then power moved to Rome.”

  “Yes, and over the next few centuries, power will be held between Spain, France and England, before Britain becomes the super power,” Amelia said proudly.

  “It’s sad that Athens and Rome have fallen so far from power. Will that be us someday?”

  “Not in my life time,” Amelia floated in the silky water. “Now let’s talk about a more cheerful subject, like how in the space of just a few hours you managed to pick a fight with Rome’s most eligible bachelor?”

  Jenna laughed. “Just bad timing, always has been my problem. Besides, he was way too up himself.”

  “Well whatever it is you do, keep it going. Because when you meet a gorgeous man, there is always another cutie next to them for me.”

  “I hate to disappoint you, but I hope I don’t run into the arrogant toad for a while.”

  Jenna hauled herself out of the bath and wrapped a cotton sheet around her. Unfortunately large fluffy bath towels were not yet invented. Next to the pile of bath sheets were small amphorae filled with perfumed oil. She dripped this over her arms and legs and gently rubbed the oil into her skin. She smelt fabulous.

  Walking back to the temple she felt so relaxed, the baths had certainly worked their restorative magic. No wonder the Romans swore by them. All the buildings they passed were stunning, most looked like they had just been built they were that white. The streets were a hive of activity as most errands and business were done in the morning before it got too hot. Amelia kept a firm arm on Jenna just in case she decided to dawdle over some street vendors’ stalls.

  “Just saving you from yourself. In fact, I’m amazed you sat still long enough to take your exams.”

  “You’re such a kill joy,” Jenna grunted. “’Weren’t we supposed to turn right back there?”

  “I don’t know, I wasn’t paying attention, I thought you were,” shrugged Amelia.

  “I’m the distracted one,” Jenna rolled her eyes. She was busy trying to get her bearings, she didn’t see him at first.

  “You seem lost.” His deep voice made her jump. That and the sight of his black clad figure looming out from the shadows.

  “That’s because I a
m,” she retorted, trying to recover her composure. “Is that a crime in Rome as well?”

  “Not yet, but I could make it one if you insist?”

  Jenna was about to respond until she realised he was playing with her. “Could you at least prove a little bit helpful and point me in the direction of Apollo’s temple?” she asked as sweetly as she could.

  “I could. But there is a strong likelihood you’ll get lost again.”

  Jenna scowled at him. She wondered what the penalty would be for punching him in his handsome face. “Forget I asked.”