Rome Divided (Guardian of Empire Book 1) by Kelso William

Author:Kelso, William
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KelsoBooks Ltd
Published: 2023-07-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nineteen - The Fury of the Desert

Perched on the high ground just above the western banks of the river the triangular shaped Roman fort dominated the narrow valley of the Euphrates. The last fort on this stretch of the Syrian limes. The wide and placid turquoise coloured waters of the Euphrates bending sharply to the east. The deep green of the narrow river valley contrasting sharply with the reddish yellow expanse of the desert that stretched southwards to the horizon. It was near noon and extending off northwards into the distance, placed at intervals along the Roman military road, were a line of watch towers and accompanying beacon fires to rapidly send signals up the limes. The defences manned not by Roman troops but by Palmyrene soldiers. The men were equipped with a mixture of Roman weapons, body armour and helmets but clad in the loose fitting desert clothes of the Bedouin. The banners of King Odaenathus were fluttering from their battlements.

Just outside the entrance to the fort Corbulo was busying himself checking and preparing their horses for the journey into the desert, while Badurad was sitting on a rock repairing one of his boots and Dog was pruning himself nearby. The animal half twisted around on itself as it growled and gnawed at its own fur, trying to remove ticks and fleas. At last appearing satisfied that the horses were as well prepared as he could get them Corbulo paused and turned his gaze towards the desert coloured fort. Taking in the arched gateway and the defensive towers that rose from its corners. The separate cemetery with its robbers graves located just beyond the confines of the military post.

A few civilians were sitting about in the shade hoping to sell some trinkets and refreshments to the soldiers and among them were some men who were of fighting age but who were out of uniform. Clad in the clothes of the Bedouin and armed with swords, knives, spears and bows. The bearded men were idly observing him and his small party as they sat about smoking Scythian cannabis. The sweet scent of the drugs drifting across the rocky plateau upon which the fort sat. Eyeing the men Corbulo’s paused again. Then he shifted his attention to two young girls, no older than thirteen or fourteen, who were sitting together in the shade cast by the fort’s walls. Shoeless and clad in rags they appeared to be homeless orphans. The flotsam of society. Just like so many orphans and runaways he had seen working the streets of the great cities of the Roman east. The children often openly abused by sexual predators. Sold and worked like cattle or lured into gangs and a life of crime that was short and brutal.

But instead of begging one of the girls was carefully working on rubbing and cleaning her sister’s hair. Removing the dirt and desert sand. Now and then dipping her fingers into an old cracked earthen bowl filled with a little water as she softly sang a little song.

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