The Iron Way by Tim Leach

Author:Tim Leach [Leach, Tim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781800242968
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

15

Before the gates of the fort, Lucius waited.

Runners and messengers came one after another, trying to drag him away from that place, to get him to attend to the hundred endless tasks of a commander – punishments to be given, arguments to settle, orders to decide upon. Yet none of them seemed to matter so much as remaining in that place and watching the land beyond. Hoping to see his friend come back.

A feeling like madness, to be waiting for men he knew would not return. For the patrols and scouts had all been marked one by one upon the tablets of wax, their reports given. Only two were missing, hours after they should have returned – Gaevani, and Kai.

A changing of the watch, and braziers lit high upon the walls. A muttered exchange of passwords with those new guards who came to man the gate, and then once more, the waiting.

His rare gift, Kai had once called it. For Lucius remembered a night about the fire, on the journey that had taken them to the Wall. A night when they had drunk too much posca, for reasons that Lucius could not now remember. A festival day, perhaps, or merely a reckless need had taken them over, the need to forget the long journey ahead and all that they had left behind. And so, drunk, they had spoken to each other as heroes, picked out the blessings that the gods had given to them both. Lucius had named Kai as a prince of kindness, a man unafraid to stand alone, and Kai had pulled a sour face at those words.

‘Those are not thought great virtues among my people,’ he had said. ‘But I suppose we are not grateful enough for our blessings.’

‘What of me, then?’ Lucius had asked, suddenly and shamefully needful for praise.

Kai had grinned at him. ‘You wait. Better than any I know.’

‘That is all?’ Lucius shook his head. ‘You might praise a stone for such a quality.’

‘Wait long enough, and the world shall turn to your advantage. Watch long enough, and you shall see the thing that no one else does.’ Kai had looked around the campground, suddenly wistful. ‘Anything may pass, if one only has the patience for it. It is an art my people have never learned. We would not be your slaves if we had.’

Now, the sun had almost gone, the sky marked blood red above the Wall. The gate guard looked at Lucius – a nervous man, for the gate was open when it should be closed, and already it seemed that the Sarmatian had learned to think of the world in the Roman way, to fear the danger that came when things were out of order, out of time.

A count to a hundred breaths – that was the bargain that Lucius struck with himself, the prayer he offered up. Let the gods know that was all the time they had left to conjure up their miracle. For once he closed the gates, it would be done.

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