“What are you doing here? I told youto wait with Algaia and the baby. And,” I asked suspiciously,“where’s Bronwen?”
“She’s with Algaia and Iras,” heassured me, then admitted, “but I couldn’t stand the wait, and Ifigured this would be the first place you came once you got throughwith the Primus Pilus.” He paused, but when I said nothing, heasked impatiently, “Well? Has there been any decisionmade?”
“There has,” I felt a bit guilty thathe had to ask, then I stepped past him as I headed for what I stillthought of as my private quarters, “but we’ll talk inprivate.”
It was Balio who coughed and did so in amanner that I knew meant he wanted my attention. When I turned tolook at him, he was plainly nervous.
“Pilus Prior, the Primus Pilus hasmade some…changes in your absence.”
Of course, I thought with some chagrin, andI intended to convey that I was not going to be holding Balioresponsible for what he was about to tell me, but before I couldask, the inner door opened, and someone stepped out to demandirritably, or at least start to demand, “What’s all the talking outhere? I was trying…”
Licinius stopped in mid-sentence, hisjaw dropping, so I suppose that in one sense we were twins, butbefore I could stop myself, I gasped, “He made you Pilus Prior?” I had not meant it the way itcame out, at least not completely, but Licinius’ face flushedbefore I could say, “I…apologize, Licinius. I know how thatsounded. It’s just that I’m surprised.”
I could see this did not appease him thatmuch, although his tone was polite as he explained, “With Structusdead, I am the most senior Centurion in the Cohort…Pullus.”
While I could not honestly begrudge himrefusing to address me by a title that I no longer held, it stillrankled, but before I could make matters worse, Alex spoke up.
“He did confirm Saloninus as PilusPosterior and moved Gillo up to Princeps Prior.”
This did make me happy, and having a momentto think, I realized that this was not only appropriate, it madesense. My initial objection to the idea of Licinius being PilusPrior was that his tenure with the Fourth was not all that long,but he had been the Hastatus Prior of the Third Cohort, one of theonly Centuries of the dead Malugenensis’ Third that acquitteditself well when we had been ambushed in the battle where my fatherfell during our rescue of Segestes and his family. And, now thatsome time has passed, I also recognize this had colored my view ofLicinius as well, but he was a competent Centurion. Besides, byrights, Saloninus’ promotion to the Centurionate had always been asource of worry for me because of his missing eye, so not onlyhaving it confirmed, but having him stay with the Second Centurywas something for which I could be grateful to Sacrovir forallowing, and Licinius too. Calpurnius was remaining as thePrinceps Posterior, which was important as well, because I stilldid not trust the man, and I knew I was not alone among the otherCenturions.
I cannot lie; it pained me to do so, but Ithrust my arm out to Licinius, and with as much sincerity as Icould muster, said, “I’m happy for you, Licinius, and I think theCohort is in good hands.” The look of gratitude and relief on hisface was quite rewarding, but I knew I was still treading onpotentially dangerous ground, which was why I said, “I have arequest to make.” Licinius agreed, albeit cautiously, but when Itold him, “I’d like to go visit all of the boys and see how they’redoing,” he was clearly happy to comply. On an impulse, I added,“I’d also ask that you can join me so that you can tell me howbadly we got hurt on the voyage back.”
“Let me grab my vitus,” he agreed, which gave me a moment totalk to Alex.
“You didn’t unpack, did you?” He shookhis head. “Good. I also need you to get my personal items fromstorage, because we’re leaving again.”
His eyes searched my face, but when heasked, “Where to?” I shook my head and whispered, “Not here. Laterwhen we go to your apartment.”
While he clearly did not like this, neitherdid he hesitate, already slipping out the door before Liciniusreappeared.
“Now,” I said, as much to forestallhim asking about Alex’s disappearance, “let’s go give thesemisbegotten bastards a surprise, shall we?”
The news about my Cohort, which is still howI think of them even now, was better than I dared hope, almostastonishingly so.
“It took about two months, but we gotall but about two sections’ worth of men back,” Licinius explainedas we headed for the quarters of the junior officers. “And, if thetruth be known, I don’t think they died; I think they alldeserted.” When I glanced at him with a raised eyebrow, he simplyrattled off the names and their respective Centuries, and with oneexception, I believed he was right. Just before we got to theirquarters, Licinius stopped me. “Pullus, I just wanted to let youknow that, while I know you promoted Mus acting Optio of the First,I didn’t keep him.” I was opening my mouth to ask why when heapologized, “I’m sorry, I didn’t say that right. He’s still Optio,but I moved him to the Third to serve under Gillo and broughtClustuminus with me. I trust him, and he’s been with me since Icame to the Fourth.”
This was something that I could notargue against and not be a hypocrite about it since I had done thesame thing with Saloninus when I took over the Cohort, and I toldhim as much, which clearly relieved him. Then, in something of apetty move, I was the one who rapped on the door with myvitus before throwing the door openwith even more vigor than I would do normally, the crashing of itagainst the wall making the four men who were sitting at theirtable leap up,
