Reluctant Siege by J Clifton Slater

Author:J Clifton Slater [Slater, J Clifton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-02-17T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter – 22 The Senate In Session

No more solicitors arrived at the stairs or on the porch. Alerio decided, he either had been forgotten or his presence deemed unnecessary but, no one decided to tell him. In both cases, it meant the same thing. He stood watching as weak, defused light from the rising sun revealed the masses of citizens. Lounging around in clusters, people filled the Capitol grounds waiting for announcements from the Senate.

A door opened and very young man marched towards him.

“Lance Corporal Sisera, follow me,” he directed.

They entered a center door, crossed the corridor outside the senate chamber, and stepped into a huge room filled with loud voices speaking to be overheard by other loud voices. The Senate of the Republic was in full volume debating issues that would affect all the citizens.

On the flooring by the doors and across the chamber, people stood. Some left and ran to a Senator who beckoned them. Alerio spied Belen on the far side of the chamber.

Alerio expected to be taken to the public gallery behind the sitting Senators. Instead, the lad guided him down the curved walkway in the opposite direction. Legionaries stood guard on this end of the chamber. The lad nodded at the guard and walked Alerio by him.

He ended up in a small gallery, high up but behind the speaker’s podium. Alerio had a view of the tiered rows of extra wide seats that wrapped part way around the chamber. Unlike those in the public gallery, he could see the faces of the Senators. Also, in the private gallery were a cavalry officer in full armor standing off to the side, several older and obviously important men, Armenius Peregrinus, and the Peregrinus’ household administrator Photius.

Alerio marched to Armenius and whispered, “How are you feeling, Tribune?”

“They administered a drug and I can’t remember the last three days,” admitted Armenius.

“You will not speak to young Master Peregrinus,” ordered Photius.

“The Tribune and I fought our way through patrols of murderous barbarians,” Alerio growled.

“We did?” inquired Armenius.

“Yes sir, we did. You were captured and tortured. After I freed you, you ran on painful legs like a veteran,” Alerio stated while glaring at the household administrator. “Despite all the obstacles, we completed our mission.”

“We did?” asked Armenius.

“Yes sir, we did. And because we shivered, bled and sweated together,” Alerio spoke to the old man. “No one can prevent me from speaking to my Tribune.”

“You had a mission?” demanded Photius. “What mission?”

Before Alerio could explain, a tall man at the podium pounded a gavel and shouted for silence.

***

“The next order of business before the Senate of the Republic is the elections of Consuls,” the man announced. “Who will nominate first?”

All the Senators looked in the direction of one Senator. Spurius Maximus sat relaxed and appeared bored. With a dismissive gesture of a hand, the chamber erupted. The man at the podium searched for another Senator willing to propose a candidate for Consul.

One jumped to his feet and shouted, “I nominate Senator Appease Clodus Codex for Consul of the Republic!” The Senator sat and another stood and raised his arms.

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