“I,” I sighed, “really missedthis.”
“No, you miss what you do with it,”Alex retorted, and I laughed because it was true.
The noise from beyond the partitionhad been steadily increasing, and it was almost dark, so I decidedit was time to make an appearance, but this time, things would bedifferent. When I emerged out into the hall, while not everyoneimmediately stopped talking, the sudden reduction of the noise wasdramatic, and even those who were still conversing had turned toface in my direction. I was wearing my helmet, which I diddeliberately because I knew the fact that the crest was only abouta foot from the roof of the hall would be noticed, and I wascarrying my vitus, but I sawthat most of the attention was in the area of my waist. The setupwas identical as the first time, with an open chair to Cogidubnus’right, but while he stood up, it was Ivomagus who moved first,coming from the other side, his eyes on my gladius.
“Centurion Pullus…Gnaeus,” he gasped.“You cannot wear your sword to this feast! All weapons areforbidden!”
“I’m wearing my full uniform tonight,Ivomagus.” I did not say this in a menacing manner, trying to keepmy tone matter-of-fact. “It’s my last night here, and for the firsttime in a long time, I feel like a Centurion of Rome. If,” I threwmy first dice, “you want to disarm me, then have Berdic tryit.”
He stiffened, but I was a bit disappointedto see that he did not appear all that surprised.
“Very well,” he said. “Please staythere for a moment.”
He did not wait for my answer, turningand going back to Cogidubnus, where he leaned down to whisper inthe king’s ear, who listened while his eyes never left me. Then,his eyes dropped to my gladius, and I cannot say who was moresurprised, me or Ivomagus, when, with a shrug, Cogidubnus waved meto my seat. I was not done, however, because when Ivomagus pointedto the table where my officers had been seated the first time in aclear signal to Alex, but I shook my head.
“No,” I said flatly, and pointed to aspot next to me. “He’s sitting here with me.”
To his credit, he did not try and argue,curtly calling to one of the serving slaves to bring a chair. Onlythen did I sit down next to Cogidubnus, who as he did the firsttime, offered me a cup, the same one he had offered at the firstfeast. I had the feeling he expected me to refuse, but I did not,taking it with a nod, then lifting it in the manner of a toast,took my first, and what would be my last real sip. It becameobvious immediately that the other attendees, most of whom Irecognized by this point, had been watching this, because there wasan audible sigh of what must have been relief, and the noisequickly returned to its previous level. Then Berdic entered thehall, and at first I thought he had come alone because I did notsee Bronwen, but just when I began to relax, he stepped to the sideto stop and greet Matugenus, and I saw her standing there behindhim, eyes down. She was wearing the green gown, except this time,her hair was bound back, although it was not piled up in what I hadbeen told is the Parisii sign that she was married, and I assumedthat this meant something and was not just her choice for fashion,since I had never seen it in this manner. Watching her stand there,obediently waiting as Berdic ignored her as he roared with laughterat something Matugenus had said, the pair of them making no attemptto hide they were looking in my direction in an obvious signal thatit was about me, I almost came out of my chair.
“Gnaeus,” Alex said loudly enough sothat only I could hear. “What is it?”
“Nothing,” I lied.
Then Ivomagus called me, and I turnedtowards him and was soon engaged in a conversation with him andCogidubnus. Who, I will say, seemed to be going out of his way notto mention the gold sitting a bit more than a mile away from here,and as I hoped, my decorations drew his attention.
He pointed to one of thephalarae, and Ivomagus translated,“My brother wants to know if this is one of the gods Romansworship.”
This made me laugh, and I turned and relayedthe question to Alex, who had the same reaction.
Turning back, I said, “You could say that.This is Caesar Augustus. We call him Divus Augustus now.”
Both their eyes went wide, reminding me thatthere is no part of the known world, even on this island, where thenames Caesar and Augustus are not known.
“But he was a man,” Ivomagus said, andI nodded, although I replied, “Yes, he was a man, but once he died, he became a god.” Iwas not surprised that both Ivomagus, and once he explained it tohis brother, Cogidubnus found this confusing, so I did try toexplain, “His father, Gaius Julius Caesar, is a god. So,” Ishrugged, “that means when Augustus died, he became one like hisfather.”
As I expected, the mention of Divus Juliusproduced a reaction from both of them, their faces darkening asthey exchanged a glance, but then Cogidubnus said something to hisbrother, who reacted with an exclamation of surprise, and whateverit was brought him to his feet.
“My brother just reminded me ofsomething!” Ivomagus told me excitedly. “We have a surprise foryou.” He immediately saw by my reaction that this was the wrongthing to say, and he flushed a deep color, “No, Gnaeus. It isnothing bad. In fact,” he assured me, “I think you will find itquite interesting!”
Then, before I could say anything one way oranother, he hurried off, heading out of the hall.
“What’s happening?”
“I have no idea,” I told Alex. “But heswore he wasn’t going to hit me on the head.”
“And you believe him?” Alex snorted.“He clearly did something to it the first time, then.”
This exchange was cut short when the platterof sizzling meat arrived, and we were being served when Ivomagusreturned, but he was by himself. When I asked him what washappening, he said that
