Mark of Mars Page 8

  “None of us have been down to the Tiber,” Amelia added.

  “Or the Domus Augustana” Jenna said brightly.

  Luke shook his head. “Strange as it might seem, there aren’t scheduled tours of the Imperial Palace.”

  “Time to introduce a new custom. I’m sure Emperor Trajan would be keen to increase revenue for the Empire.”

  “Back on planet earth,” Luke rolled his eyes. “We could always visit the library attached to the Baths of Trajan?”

  “We’re female, Luke,” Amelia sighed. “Women aren’t allowed inside.”

  “Sorry, I forgot women are second class citizens here,” Luke snickered mischievously. Both girls punched him on the arm simultaneously.

  “I would really love to take some horses and head south along the coast. It must be quite beautiful without any modern day buildings,” Jenna mused.

  “That’s fine for you, you’re an experienced rider. For the likes of mere mortals like Luke and I, we’re really not that skilled on a horse.”

  Luke looked up and groaned as his eyes settled on a bank of red. “Is the one scowling at me your guard dog, Amelia?”

  Amelia glanced up to see Augustus staring intently at her. “He does make an exceedingly cute pet. Do you think the Institute will allow me to take him home?” she sighed wistfully.

  Luke shook his head. “You two are trouble. I’m leaving before I get arrested for talking to you.”

  Jenna and Amelia both threw their arms around Luke and kissed his cheek. He made a hasty exit to the sound of their laughter, muttering something about insufferable females.

  The two girls headed across the market towards Augustus. Something sparkly caught Jenna’s eye and she was gone, leaving Amelia alone with Augustus.

  He removed his helmet and shook out his light brown hair. Amelia felt her pulse quicken just a little, he really was very distracting.

  “The temple priest is your friend?” Augustus couldn’t quite disguise the hint of jealousy as he spoke.

  “Luke? Yes. We all came here together,” Amelia responded brightly.

  “You showed him great affection.”

  Amelia wondered what he meant for a moment, then she remembered, like Jenna, she had hugged Luke goodbye. “In our homeland, we embrace friends.”

  “You all looked deep in discussion.”

  “We were trying to plan our next excursion together.”

  “He was with you yesterday at the Circus Maximus?”

  “Yes. How did you know I was there?”

  “It was the talk of Rome last night that Brutus and Axia were fighting over two lovely young women, one of whom was closely linked with the Marshall. And as Jenna is the only woman the Marshall has ever publicly expressed an interest in, it followed that you were the other woman.”

  Amelia felt herself shiver with excitement. Well, every girl likes to be fought over. “It was nothing.” She waved her hand dismissively, she could see Augustus was really not happy. “I need to head back to the temple. That’s if I can find Jenna.”

  “Does she always wander off so easily?”

  “I’m afraid so. When she sees something shiny, she’s gone.”

  Augustus shouted something to two soldiers who disappeared into the crowd. A few minutes later they appeared, each with one arm firmly on Jenna.

  “Are these brutes with you,” Jenna glared at Augustus.

  “Yes. Just saving you from yourself,” he smiled back. “Now, shall I see you both back to your temple?”

  “Are you not on duty?” Amelia asked.

  “Yes. And my duty is to make sure the two of you are kept safe.” He had strict instructions from Marshall Vilnus that the two girls were to be accompanied at all times, where possible. He was very happy with those orders. He had not met a woman like Amelia before, she was shy yet outspoken, so used to dealing with men but so unused to being alone with one. He was eager to find out more about her, but she was reluctant to say too much. Her aim was to find out all she could about Rome, especially the life of an ordinary Roman. And he was as ordinary as they came, so he was more than pleased for her to study him. Preferably in great detail.

  CHAPTER 10

  A busy afternoon beckoned. Luke was taking Jenna and Amelia to the festival of Bacchus, the Roman God of Wine. Apparently it was one of the highlights on the events calendar in Rome. The festival largely centred around the Byzantium Forum, but due to sheer numbers, people soon filled up the various side streets as well.

  A makeshift altar was set up at one end of the Forum and a statue erected. People would come and leave flowers in exchange for wine. And according to Gaius, the wine flowed like water. There was dancing too and much good humour, but he had given strict instructions that they were to leave well before sunset. After that, the streets became a very dangerous place with drunkards loitering at every corner.

  Dressed once again in their blue and red outfits, the girls seemed to pass unnoticed through the busy streets.

  “So is it mainly just drinking?” Amelia asked Luke.

  “Pretty much. Romans consume a huge amount of wine, and this is a good excuse to give homage to the God himself and drink even more of his bountiful offering.”

  “I guess it’s not different to Oktoberfest in Germany where huge amounts of beer are consumed,” Jenna yawned. For some reason she was quite tired that day, she hoped she wasn’t sickening for anything.

  Luke stopped at a street vendor and purchased three flower wreaths. “These are basically the equivalent of tickets. You need to give Bacchus an offering to get the wine.”

  The Forum was packed and the excited chatter and music filled the air. After they laid their wreaths at the foot of Bacchus, Luke moved them on to the wine. He passed ceramic goblets their way.

  “Bona valetudo,” he raised his glass. Good health.

  Jenna took one sip and spat it out. It tasted as sour as hell. “It’s like vinegar. I’d rather drink balsamic than that.”

  Amelia took a tentative sip. “It’s fine. Trust me I had a lot worse on holiday in Greece.”

  Luke agreed. “It’s no fine vintage, but it’s perfectly drinkable. You’re a snob.”

  “Am not,” Jenna responded sulkily. Despite the lively atmosphere, she really wasn’t feeling that much in a party mood. Actually she felt a tad nauseous.

  “Ooh, dancing,” Amelia squealed after she and Luke had finished their wine. She grabbed her friends’ hands and dragged them over to where the most noise was coming from. People where dancing round an effigy of Bacchus, a bit like dancing around the maypole. “Come on,” Amelia pulled them into the thick of the action.

  Within a few minutes, Jenna had gone from nauseous to feeling violently ill. She was sweating profusely and any minute would throw up whatever was in her stomach. The mass of dancing bodies just made her feel claustrophobic.

  She’d lost sight of Luke, so grabbed hold of Amelia. “I’m going to puke,” she hissed and fought her way out of the centre of the square to a quieter side street. She sat down on the edge of a small water trough and bent over double, trying to stop the pains now wracking her stomach.

  “Hell, are you alright?” Amelia puffed, having just managed to catch up with her friend.

  Jenna’s response was to projectile vomit. “Does that answer your question?”

  “That’s gross.” Amelia touched her forehead. “You’re burning up. We need to get you back to the temple.”

  Jenna tried to stand but suddenly her legs wouldn’t hold her weight, she was so shaky. “I’ll be fine in a minute.”

  “Don’t be stupid, you’re sick as a dog. I can’t carry you back, but Luke can. Wait here whilst I try and find him,” Amelia said with authority.

  “Bossy mare,” Jenna responded lightly and bent back over as another pain shot through her.

  Trying to find Luke was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Amelia pushed her way through the throng of people, desperate to find her friend. She kept jumping up, trying
to see if she could catch sight of him.

  “Is this a new dance?”

  “I’m looking for someone,” she retorted to the man behind her.

  “Me, by any chance?”

  “No.”

  “Such a disappointment, especially after you gave me your favour just a few days ago.”

  My what? Amelia thought and spun around. It was Axia, she would recognise the set of his jaw anywhere. Definitely Germanic. “I’m looking for my friend, I need to leave urgently.”

  “But the festival has just started, you cannot leave yet.” He wound his arms around her waist.

  Amelia rolled her eyes. Give a man a drink, in whatever era, and he thought he was irresistible. “I will leave when I want to,” she responded firmly, trying to remove his rather powerful arms from her waist.

  “You’re feisty,” he murmured, taking this to be a challenge.

  “And you’re going to feel pain if you don’t release me,” Amelia hissed. She was not above kicking a man in the groin if need be.

  His grip tightened as he lifted her off the ground and dragged her to the edge of the dancing. “I love lively women,” he grinned, his hands starting to go places they shouldn’t.

  “I said let me go,” Amelia squealed, trying to squirm free but he had too good a hold of her.

  “When I’ve finished with you, woman.” He dragged her further from the crowd. “Come, most women would be thrilled to spend time alone with a top charioteer.”

  “I’m not most women, you moronic male. Now release me at once.” It appeared the more she wriggled, the more aroused he seemed to get. It was not a pleasant experience and she was starting panic.

  “When I’ve had my pleasure,” his breath was hot in her ear.

  Amelia stopped wriggling. “Fine, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.” She spun around and brought her knee up swiftly into his groin. He dropped to the ground gasping for air, his left arm still holding on to her.

  “Bitch,” he rasped and raised his right hand.

  “I would advise you to release the lady, as she has requested.” The voice could not have been more welcome for Amelia.

  “Leave us, Centurion,” Axia grunted. “This does not concern you.”

  “This woman is under the direct protection of Marshall Vilnus. You are therefore ordered to remove your arm this instance or I will have no choice but to run you through.”

  As soon as Axia saw Augustus’ sword drawn, he released Amelia. “We were just having a harmless bit of fun.”

  “Not from the lady’s point of view. Now leave the Forum or you’ll have more than a bruised groin to deal with.”

  As soon as he had gone, Augustus re-sheathed his sword and took hold of Amelia’s shaking hands. “Are you unharmed?”

  “Yes, thank you,” she murmured. “I don’t know what I would have done had you not stepped in.”

  “You seemed to be managing quite well, but I’m glad I could help. Where are your companions?”

  “Jenna,” Amelia squealed. In her tussle with Axia, she had all but forgotten her. “She’s sick. She collapsed in a neighbouring street. I was trying to find Luke.”

  “Jenna’s is unwell?” Marshall Vilnus appeared at her side.

  “Yes. I need Luke to help me get her back to the temple.”

  “I’ll take her,” the Marshall barked. “Where is she?”

  “I don’t know the name of the street.” She pointed in the vague direction. “It’s over that way. She is by a water trough with a statue of Minerva next to it.”

  “I’ll find her. Augustus, take Amelia back to her temple. We will join her there.”

  Amelia was starting to get used to having her own bodyguard. Whenever she was with him, she felt so incredibly safe.

  Jenna was hit by another wave of nausea, her whole body dripped with perspiration. She glanced at the water in the trough, the temptation to drink some was almost overwhelming, but she did not know how clean it was. It could make her very ill indeed. She wretched, trying her level best not to be sick again. She failed.

  Where the hell had Amelia got to? If she couldn’t find Luke, they were stuck here until she felt strong enough to walk.

  “Here’s a pretty one all on her own.” A rather sinister voice made her head snap up. Two scruffy looking men stood in front of her.

  “Go away, I’m sick,” Jenna groaned. She suddenly wished she was wearing her temple outfit instead. No-one bothered temple handmaidens.

  “Too much wine stops women from putting up much of a fight,” one responded with menace in his eyes.

  “I have a fever you idiot,” Jenna snapped. “I am not drunk. If you want to risk catching some possibly deadly disease all for a quick tumble, you are more than welcome to try.” She squealed as another pain shot through her.

  “Think she be telling the truth,” the taller of the two muttered. “Seeing as she’s so sick, let’s just relieve her of that fine bracelet instead.”

  Jenna struggled as he grabbed her wrist and wrenched off her pewter bracelet. “Give that back, you lowlife,” she shrieked, but she was no match for the man’s strength and certainly could not chase after him.

  “Thank you for your generous gift,” the man chuckled. Amusement drained from his face quickly and he and his companion made a hasty exit along the street.

  “Did they hurt you, Jenna?” Marcus voice thundered down the street.

  Her head was resting on her lap, she felt too weak even to sit up. “They stole my bracelet,” she whispered.

  She heard the sound of hooves disappear down the street. Right then she did not care for her bracelet, she just wanted to be curled in her bed. Would someone help her back any time soon?

  A short while later, Marcus materialised at her side. She hadn’t heard his horse.

  “I have your bracelet, Jenna.”

  She lifted her head a fraction and went to take it from him. As she did, she noticed a couple of specs of blood on his arm.

  “Are you hurt?”

  “It’s not mine,” he wiped it off.

  Jenna snapped her head up higher. “You…you killed them?” she was horrified. “It was only a bracelet.”

  “They threatened you then stole from you. Had you not been sick, I’m sure they would have taken a great deal more.”

  “But to kill them?”

  “They broke the law and resisted arrest. That is the penalty,” he responded bluntly, slipping the pewter band onto her wrist. “Now, I need to get you back to your temple.”

  “I’m waiting for Amelia,” her voice was getting weaker by the second.

  “She ran into some trouble also. Augustus is escorting her back.” He scooped her up and sat her just in front of his saddle, before hauling himself up.

  It was rather unnerving being held tight in Marcus’ arms as he rode over the Apollo’s temple. Luckily she could blame her fever for the rise in her temperature and flustered state. It did not take long to get there at the speed he was travelling at. He carried her up the temple steps then stopped abruptly. Cassandra appeared at the entrance.

  “Jenna, what’s happened to her?”

  “She started to get sick at the festival,” Amelia ran up the steps with Augustus in tow. “She collapsed a short while later.”

  “Well, bring her inside,” Cassandra instructed.

  Marcus remained where he was. “I am not permitted to cross the threshold of this temple.” His brother would have a field day if he attempted to enter his house uninvited.

  “I’ll take her,” Augustus offered.

  “You will need to remove your sword first,” Marcus responded. No swords were permitted in a God’s temple.

  Augustus unbuckled his sword belt and dropped it to the ground before taking Jenna from the Marshall. He reappeared moments later.

  “Thank you, Augustus,” Marcus passed him back his sword. “I would be grateful if you could stay close to the temple and keep me updated on Jenna’s condition.”

  “As yo
u wish,” Augustus nodded. He was only too happy to stay close to Amelia.

  Amelia was doing her best to bring Jenna’s temperature down, she felt like she was burning up. She put another cloth wet cloth on Jenna’s forehead.

  “What do you think she has?” she asked Cassandra.

  “Hopefully just a bout of flu, but we’ll need Gaius. He can take a blood sample and hopefully McVale will diagnose the problem and be able to treat it.”