The Arc of Dacicus (Vialegio Book 2) by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter 20

Casca observed the strapping youth as he furiously attacked his opponent with a heavy wooden gladius on the training fields. He nodded imperceptibly in assent as the youth shouted a harsh battle cry and swooping low, struck the other legionary a deft blow to the ankles, sending him sprawling into the dusty arena of the vast Campus Martius.

He clapped and shouted, ‘That’s the spirit, Gaius, strike them low and hard. You’ll become a renowned fighter if you focus on your technique!’

Six months had passed since the senator’s indulged and haughty son Gaius had been handed over via Cletus for legionary training. The early days had seen the young man disdainfully rejecting all approaches to join in the training protocols.

His sneering attitude had made him enemies within the camps, and Casca had been forced more than once to rescue the arrogant and spoilt youth from receiving rough soldierly justice at the hands of his tent companions.

A month of latrine duty, cleaning out the camp’s ordure filled pits and digging ditches to receive the legionaries’ cloacal outpourings had reduced him to a stumbling numb wretch.

The next month he was allowed a single day off latrine duty to clean the equestrian stables and wash down and groom the war horses. Slowly but surely the youth’s attitude softened, and his face shone with glee when he was given duties in the stables.

Gaius was at his happiest with the strong and heavily muscled war horses, and obsessively fussed over their grooming and harnesses with great care.

The latrine days were whittled down to two days in the week, and Gaius was given duties in the forges to heave the huge bellows and carry the back-breaking loads of raw iron ore and black rough charcoal for the blacksmiths.

As the months passed, Gaius’ muscles had grown visibly larger and filled out, and he had developed an imposing figure from the rigorous work loads and increased stamina, enabling him to handle the most strenuous physical tasks.

His regular beatings with the optios’ cane rods lessened as his attitude evolved to one of humble respect. Casca took him aside after his work duties and instructed the youth in rudimentary combat drills.

After four months, Casca considered that Gaius was ready both mentally and physically to join in with the punishing field training exercises of the legionaries. Gaius willingly ran at full speed with the double weight packs, and hoisted the heavy levers of the mighty onagers under the armourers’ strict guidance.

He endured forced marches in full battle dress for vast distances on double pace timing, even throughout dark and lightning-filled stormy nights. On the dusty training fields, he took severe strikes from battle hardened warriors, and lifted himself up smiling after having been viciously struck down.

In the camps he sat laughing and joined in the raucous and heart-warming camaraderie of his fellow legionary companions.

Gaius had finally acquired a sense of belonging and identity. The previous callow and overindulged youth had shed his skin and self entitled attitudes, and had emerged as a proud and confident soldier with a humble and respectful attitude.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.