Veterans of Rome (Book 9 of the Veteran of Rome Series) by William Kelso

Author:William Kelso
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: rome, legion, hadrian, legionary, britannia, parthia, trajan
Publisher: William Kelso

Chapter Fifteen – Petrus Delivers

The forest was quiet and peaceful as Marcus and Petrus strode on down the narrow, overgrown and twisting path back towards the villa. It was late in the afternoon and the fine summer weather bathed the wood in light and warmth. In between them, resting on their shoulders, hanging suspended from a wooden pole, was the carcass of a small deer. Blood from the arrow wound where Petrus had brought down the animal had stained its light fur and its large sightless eyes were staring at the ground. A week had passed since Marcus and Kyna had returned to Vectis. Leading the way, Petrus turned his head to give Marcus a little triumphant grin. The hunt had been a success and tonight the family would dine on fresh wild meat.

“So, your Christian god does not mind you killing animals. I thought the basis for your religion was love, love of all things.” Marcus said as he noticed the small wooden cross hanging from around Petrus’s neck.

“A man still has to eat,” Petrus replied with a shrug, as he led the way through the forest. “But I do not eat pigs. They are filthy animals. They are not like this noble beast of the forest. Tonight Marcus, at dinner, a word of thanks from you for my highly developed hunting skills would be a nice touch. I am the best hunter on Vectis, but no one ever thanks me for what I bring to the table.”

“I wonder why,” Marcus said sourly, as he followed Petrus through the wood. “Maybe it’s because you are never on the estate to help with the farm work. Maybe it’s because people think you are lazy. Tell me, how much time do you spend hunting. From what I hear you also like to get drunk in the taverns on the mainland?”

“There is nothing wrong with liking a drink,” Petrus said defensively. “But I do my share of the work. The family benefits from what I bring back and it was I who helped Esther disappear or have you already forgotten our little trip to Rome.”

Marcus grunted as he remembered the fraught journey to Rome with Petrus and Esther, the Christian slave who together with Dylis, had murdered her master Priscinus and who needed to disappear before Priscinus’s vengeful family could catch her. It had been on that visit to the eternal city that Marcus had made friends with Paulinus and had become re-acquainted with Lady Claudia.

“What about Armin?” Marcus said, abruptly changing the subject. “Did you ever take him hunting?”

“Armin,” Petrus exclaimed with a frown. “He was a strange boy. Bit of a baby. Didn’t say much. Can’t say I ever took him hunting. He spent a lot of time in the stables. He loved the horses and he seemed to pine after his sister’s company. Sometimes I would find him out in the forest crying his eyes out. It was strange.”

“So, you never spoke to him?” Marcus asked in a disappointed voice.

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.