The Kin

  Chapter Eleven

  Dacia; newest province of the Roman Empire.

  In the first year of the reign of Publius Aelius Hadrianus Augustus.

  “Have you seen my son?” The imperious voice cut through Marius’s concentration causing him to swing wide with the hammer so that it missed the fence post.

  He straightened and took a deep breath in preparation to face Aemilia Lepida, Junius’s intimidating mother.

  “He might have gone out for a ride,” he suggested, turning to face her, though he knew full well that considering the hour, Junius was more than likely to still be asleep.

  “Oh don’t be stupid, Marius, we both know that that’s unlikely. I’ve searched in all the usual places and can’t find him.”

  Sometimes, in his experience, things could be where you least expect them. “Have you tried his room?” It had been known on the odd occasion for Junius to actually sleep in his bed.

  Aemilia Lepida, the daughter of one of the most aristocratic families in Rome, smiled witheringly, reminding the Roman soldier of her son at his most patronising. “Of course,” she replied curtly, “and the servants’ quarters.” Marius tried not to smile, he had no doubt that she’d searched thoroughly. The woman was terrifying; he’d rather face a horde of screaming tribesmen in preference to an encounter with this Roman matron when she was on her own warpath. It was no surprise that the slaves and servants were petrified by her. “Find him for me; I need to speak with him.”

  “Of course.” Marius bowed his head and watched as she turned away and walked back into the house with the proud bearing of her lineage.

  “You’d better find him quickly, otherwise I wouldn’t like to be you. Guest or not,” the servant he was helping advised.

  “You’re right, I’ll be back as soon as possible,” Marius replied and handed him the mallet.

  The weathered farmhand nodded. “Depends where the young master’s gone this time. He’s not taken a horse, so he shouldn’t be too far.”

  “Let’s hope,” Marius replied clapping the man on his back to show his thanks. He surveyed the immediate vicinity of the grand villa, which was just one of the many estates owned by the wealthy and distinguished Junii family. Yesterday he’d found Junius over by the olive groves, so that was probably the best place to start his search.

  They’d arrived in Rome three weeks ago, straight from Antioch, where they’d been questioned and had made numerous reports to the General and Governor of the province, before they’d been allowed to go on to Rome. Both he and Junius had been worried that they’d be laughed out of the army, but surprisingly their story had been accepted by their superiors.

  Soldiers were superstitious and both men had heard various legends from the locals about a dead city and its bloodthirsty inhabitants. Naturally they’d not taken any notice and had simply dismissed the locals’ stories as fanciful nonsense, but when Junius and Marius had returned after several months in the desert, with detailed accounts of these creatures, the men in charge had taken note and had partly believed them. The General and the Governor had both written full reports and then ordered that the area was out of bounds to all army personnel. They’d also written to the new Emperor Hadrian, as he’d spent time out in Parthia as well.

  Once their reports had been made and they’d been fully debriefed, both Junius and Marius had been given leave and allowed to return home to Rome. They’d travelled together, and only separated once they came to Junius’s family estates. Marius had gone on into Rome to visit his relatives, but after a couple of weeks, he’d decided to pay his commanding officer a visit, as he was still concerned about Junius’s wellbeing.

  He’d arrived at the family estate and walked straight into a family dispute because Junius’s parents were not impressed by their son’s exploits and were using it as leverage to force him to resign from the army. Junius was resisting, but was gradually being worn down by their persistence. Marius had decided to stay for moral support, so that Junius could come to his own decision about his future.

  But that wasn’t the only reason Marius stayed: Junius still worried him. The younger man was regularly beset by night terrors and he remained uncharacteristically quiet and withdrawn, though, considering the circumstances that was only to be expected. At least since Belinda had appeared out of nowhere, Junius had seemed easier in himself, but it was obvious that the scars went deep and Marius doubted that his friend would ever be the same.

  It really didn’t help that his parents refused to believe the story, they merely dismissed it as sunstroke and couldn’t understand the changes in their son, looking upon it as moral weakness on his part. Even his youngest brother and sister, who seemed inclined to believe their brother and were sympathetic to his being at loggerheads with his parents, were wary of him. Marius suspected that they weren’t the closest of families, but there did seem to be genuine warmth and closeness between the children as if in reaction to their distant and overbearing parents. Though, he suspected that the younger Junii were somewhat confused and shaken by the fact that their older brother, who they’d always looked up to and admired, seemed a shadow of his former self.

  The olive grove was empty, which wasn’t really surprising, as Junius rarely spent two nights in the same place. But it had been a good starting point and from this position on the hillside he could scour the land and look for tell-tale bumps of white, which would indicate a slumbering Roman.

  Over by the stream he spied something that was out of place. It was hard to make it out, as it was partially obscured by the reeds, but he was pretty sure that he’d found Junius.

  Marius sighed and trudged down the hill; it would be so much easier if his friend found his way into the slave’s bed, that at least would be something his parents would understand; but coming out here, night after night to be alone was beyond their comprehension, and if he was being honest, it was beyond his as well. Marius was coming to realise that despite Nasir’s and Junius’s assurances, his friend was a long way from being all right.