Armenia Capta (Book 7 of the Veteran of Rome Series) by William Kelso

Author:William Kelso
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: rome, armenia, hadrian, legions, parthia, trajan
Publisher: William Kelso

Chapter Eighteen - A Lesson in Respect

“Galena to her Fergus, dearest husband, I hope you are well and that your new posting out in the desert is not too harsh and isolated. I miss you Fergus. Yesterday I at last received long-awaited news from Rome. Kyna writes that she is well and in good health. She seemed surprised that we thought otherwise. I am so happy for this must remove the fear that I know has lain heavy on your heart. The girls have started to feel finally at home in Antioch, as have I. They miss you and Briana is constantly asking when you will come home. Hadrian does not talk about you. We do not see much of him for he is always busy and away at the imperial palace, but when he is at home he sometimes brings the girls flowers which they adore. I think he likes having the children in the house. Every day now new contingents of soldiers have been passing through the city, heading northwards. The rumour here in Antioch is that the war with Armenia and Parthia will begin in earnest in the spring. No doubt you will be taking part. So, I am thinking about bringing the girls out into the desert to visit you but you must let me know if this is a good idea. Keep my amulet close and keep your senses about you Fergus. We are all praying daily for your safe return to us…”

Silently Fergus lowered the letter onto the table and for a moment he fondly traced his finger across Galena’s words. Then he rubbed his hand across his cheek. There was no chance that he’d invite Galena and his daughters to visit him out here on the frontier. Not with the situation so volatile. He was sitting alone in his quarters and, outside in the courtyard of the fort, he could faintly hear the Numidians laughing as they went about their training exercises. A month or so had passed since the encounter with the Arab raiding-party and Galena’s precious letter had arrived just that morning, passed to him by merchants from one of the regular trade caravans. So, his mother was well, despite what Marcus had said, Fergus thought. It was good news but it confirmed that his father had not been telling the truth. He had suspected that. It also meant that his father had known about the assassination attempt on Hadrian. Kyna’s letter to Galena had all but confirmed that. Fergus sighed. It gave Hadrian the moral right to take revenge. Galena had been careful not to include any reference to the assassination in case Hadrian was somehow secretly monitoring her letters. Good girl, Fergus thought, for that was just the sort of thing Hadrian and Attianus were capable of doing. Then with growing despair Fergus groaned and lowered his head into his hands. His whole family were however still in mortal danger and it was all his father’s fault. How had

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