them.
A short distance into the town, the friends’ attention was drawn by the delicious smell of frying food. Following their noses, they found an open-fronted restaurant on one of the first side streets off the main thoroughfare. Seeing that the place was packed with off-duty soldiers, they decided to eat there. Eavesdropping in such a place might prove fruitful. They found an empty table against the back wall and sat down. A blowsy-looking woman who reeked of cheap perfume came and took their orders. Three asses bought them two bowls of hearty stew, served with fresh bread, and a jug of watered-down wine. In between mouthfuls, they talked in lowered voices, all the while listening in to the conversations around them.
At length, Navio pushed his empty plate away with a belch. ‘Gods, but I needed a feed like that.’
‘It was good,’ agreed Carbo absently.
‘Longinus doesn’t mind that we’re outnumbered five to one!’ announced a gnarled soldier at the next table. ‘The motherless cur needs-’
‘Shut it, Felix,’ warned his companion. ‘Never mind Longinus. If an officer hears you talking like that, you’ll end up on a charge.’
‘What do I care?’ Felix slurped sourly at his wine. ‘We’re about to be slaughtered anyway. I might as well have a last night in clink before the end. The mattresses in there don’t have as many bedbugs as mine.’
His friend snorted with laughter. ‘That’s as may be, but twenty lashes for insubordination will hurt a lot more than a few stinking bites. It won’t get you out of fighting either. Every man who can hold a shield and spear has to report for duty. The surgeons have been ordered to empty the hospital of all but the most severe cases.’
‘I know. I heard the announcement too,’ grumbled Felix. ‘It’s just that-’
‘Close your trap,’ ordered his friend, pouring more wine. ‘Enjoy another drink, for it might be one of your last.’
The two legionaries fell into a rambling chat about where they should go next.
‘Did you hear that?’ whispered Carbo. ‘It sounds as if Longinus is going to fight.’
‘Neither of them said that exactly.’
Navio was right. What they’d heard wasn’t enough. Hiding his scowl, Carbo took another drink and casually cast his eyes around the nearest tables. To his left, four soldiers were devouring a roasted leg of pork. Beyond them, a couple of what looked like merchants were talking business. On his right were the pair that they’d heard moaning and then a table of three legionaries who were swilling down wine and arguing over a game of knucklebones. Behind Navio, a junior officer and a trumpeter were amusing themselves by seeing how high a scrawny mongrel would jump to catch their leftovers. The conversations of those who were further away were impossible to make out.
Carbo told himself to be patient.
By the time that they’d finished their jug of wine, however, they had heard nothing more of interest. ‘Time to move on,’ he muttered. The afternoon was passing. It wouldn’t be that long until it got dark.
Navio’s answering grin was huge. He leaned towards Felix. ‘Hey, friend! Where might two thirsty men find a decent watering hole? Preferably one that has whores who aren’t riddled with pox.’
‘That’s easy. Try the inn two streets up, on the right. Vulcan’s Anvil, they call it. You can’t miss it. Full of soldiers, night and day.’
‘It’s a good place to get hammered,’ added his comrade with a wink.
‘The pussy there is top notch. Expensive, though.’ Felix’s red-rimmed eyes regarded them closely. ‘I doubt you’ve got the brass to pay for one whore between you.’
‘You’re right, friend,’ said Navio, getting to his feet. ‘But there’s nothing to stop us admiring the flesh on display as we drink, eh?’
‘True enough. That’s what most of us do in there, unless it’s payday. We might join you later.’
‘We’d be honoured to buy you a drink,’ said Carbo, thinking the exact opposite. He nodded an amiable farewell. As soon as they were out of earshot, he muttered to Navio, ‘Let’s find somewhere else.’
Navio pursed his lips regretfully. ‘It would be a little dangerous, eh?’
‘He said it would be full of soldiers! Another inn would be far safer.’
‘Think about the whores, though.’ Navio’s tone was wistful.
‘The ones we can’t afford?’
‘Can’t we?’
‘No,’ snapped Carbo.
With a sly look, Navio pulled on the leather thong that held his purse around his neck. ‘I found two aurei in one of the farmhouses we sacked a while ago. There hasn’t been anything to spend them on until now.’
‘Spartacus said not to take much money,’ protested Carbo.
‘I know, I know. But a man’s got his needs, hasn’t he?’
‘What do you think an aureus will buy?’
‘What won’t it buy? You’ll get the fuck of your life or my name’s not Marcus Navio!’
Lustful thoughts filled Carbo’s head. Then he pulled himself together. ‘Not in Vulcan’s Anvil,’ he said firmly. ‘Somewhere else.’
‘There’ll be more than one good brothel in town,’ said Navio with a shrug. ‘Let’s try another inn, see what we can hear. There are bound to be more off-duty soldiers complaining about Longinus.’
They began pushing their way through the crowds.
Neither saw the figure slip from the shadows opposite the restaurant to dog their trail.
Despite the warm glow from the wine, Carbo couldn’t fail to notice the pinched faces and ragged appearance of the town’s inhabitants. Squads of legionaries tramped to and fro, driven on by the shouts and vine canes of their officers. No one looked happy, especially the shopkeepers, who stood in the doorways of their empty establishments, regarding the passers-by with sour expressions. There were beggars everywhere, squatting on the rutted mud at the side of the street or working their way through the throng, dirty hands outstretched. Spartacus is responsible for this, Carbo thought, shocked yet proud. We all are.
Their quest to eavesdrop on conversations proved more difficult than the pair had supposed. Wandering the thoroughfares, they found numerous inns of one kind or another. There were soldiers in all of them, but the confined spaces meant that it was difficult to secure a table near enough to have any chance of listening in. The friends had to be discreet about what they were doing and, more than once, they had to content themselves with standing at the bar, or sitting on the other side of the room to the men whose banter and complaints they wanted to hear. On the one occasion that they managed to settle down next to a party of legionaries, all they gathered was that no one wanted to be serving under Longinus, two of the men had the pox and that it was three months until the next payday. When Carbo let his gaze linger for too long on the group, he was told in no uncertain terms to mind his own business unless he wanted to be picking his teeth from the back of his throat. The pair quickly moved on.
Although they only drank watered-down wine, they visited enough establishments in the subsequent hours for their senses to become dulled and their levels of frustration and anger to grow. The fifth tavern was the worst of the lot, a dingy hole down a side alley. It had rickety furniture, a couple of ancient whores and the foulest wine Carbo had ever tasted. He spat out the first mouthful, and just sat, furiously studying the contents of his clay cup as a soothsayer would. But he found no inspiration. When a drunk spilled his wine over him, the young Roman struggled not to beat the fool into a bloody pulp. Glad that he had mastered his temper, he then had to stop Navio from eyeballing a couple of legionaries who were challenging the other customers to a wrestling match. ‘Leave it. Don’t go looking for trouble.’
Navio tore his eyes away from the soldiers, who had stripped to the waist and were parading around in circles, flexing their biceps and threatening to cripple all comers. ‘I could beat both of them,’ he said truculently. ‘At the same time.’
‘I’m sure you could,’ Carbo soothed. ‘But now is not the time. Remember why we’re here.’
Navio shot him a sour glance. ‘Not having much luck, though, are we? That old bitch Fortuna must be in a really bad mood.’
‘Our luck will turn. Let’s find another drinking hole. That’ll be the one where we hear something useful,’ said Carbo with all the enthusiasm he could muster. ‘And simmer down. Remember where we are.’
Navio grumbled but followed Carbo outside without further argument.
Seeing a temple dedicated to Fortuna, the goddess of luck, Carbo led his friend over. He saw Navio’s incredulous look. ‘She might need placating. Wait here. Do not cause any trouble.’ Buying a small offering of a votive
