Maximus' Story
Chapter 36 – Reforms
The next few days at Felix III were very busy for Maximus as he reviewed the troops and met with his tribunes and centurions, learning as much about them as he could. Marcus did not want to rush Maximus into making any major decisions too hastily and encouraged him, instead, to visit the other legions under his command. So, the general spent the next two months traveling along the Danube and Rhine Rivers, meeting the leaders of the legions, discussing military strategy and establishing his authority.
Maximus was also responsible for the morale of the approximately 75,000 men in the fifteen northern legions and he made sure that their military responsibilities were balanced with social activities. He established libraries in camps to promote reading and appointed tutors for those who couldn't but wished to learn how. Formal baths were quickly constructed outside camps that did not have them and the soldiers had ample relaxation time to visit them, or to simply rest. Organized sporting events were encouraged for fun and to keep men in good condition. Maximus ensured that clothing and bedding were cleaned regularly, and that food was plentiful and of good quality. He turned a blind eye to the prostitutes who frequented the camps but made sure that the men were educated about potential diseases, and medical care in general was improved. Leave time was plentiful and he encouraged men to visit their families often. Worn weapons were replaced and training was more rigorous with daily drills and maneuvers. Maximus reviewed these maneuvers and wrote a critical report for the general of each legion. He coached the officers on how to be fair, how to maintain order and inspire obedience without threats and he ended, as best he could, the practice of bribery for special favors. He established a system for recognition of jobs well done and presented honors where they were earned.
Maximus tinkered with what was already good in the army and changed what was not. He left every camp a better place than it had been before he arrived. He made it clear that he expected absolute obedience and loyalty from his soldiers and he got it -- along with their total respect and admiration. He especially enjoyed his return to Felix VII where he was given a hero's welcome and spent some time with old friends.
When he finally returned to Felix III Marcus complained, good-naturedly, that Maximus was costing the empire a fortune and that he expected to see a big return on the investment. Maximus assured him that he would get it.
The new general took the next day to rest and continue his correspondence with his wife. Despite his travels he had not neglected his letters to her and they were long and full of details about his new responsibilities. In return she wrote letters to him reassuring her husband that she was well and that the farm was running smoothly. They missed each other desperately.
When the brief period of peace ended only a few days later, Maximus and the legions were more than ready. Trouble broke out first at Lauriacum west of Vindobona and he rode for that camp immediately. Each legion consisted of about 5500 men but a Germanian tribe could have over five times that many with a seemingly inexhaustible supply of replacements. The tribesmen were not well equipped, well trained or well fed, though, and skirmishes were often short with loss of few legionnaires. But both Marcus and Maximus knew that continuous small battles would accomplish little and never establish a secure border. Eventual full scale war was inevitable.
Maximus noticed the change of seasons first through his keen sense of smell. It was the sweet odor of decay -- of leaves dying, drying and dropping. The greens of the grass and leaves were replaced by browns, yellows and golds and scarlets. Soon the branches would be bare and the weather turn cold and snowy. That gave a distinct advantage to the native Germanians over the Roman soldiers, many of whom had grown up in the south as he had. Maximus altered training techniques to accommodate the northern geography and made sure that no Roman soldier would be cold during the long, dark winter.
The passage of time reminded Maximus continually of the birth of his child which would happen sometime early in the new year -- in the dead of winter. Maximus was determined to return to Spain and knew he would have to leave soon before the roads became impassable. He had also not yet told Marcus that he planned to leave again.
"Maximus, come in, come in. You wanted to see me? Here... sit down," said Marcus. "I hope it's not another request for more funds." The emperor smiled.
"No, Sire, this is personal. Caesar, my wife is due to give birth soon and I promised her that I would return home before that happened. Once the deep snows come that may not be possible. I wonder if --"
"If I will give you leave to return to Spain?"
"Yes, Sire."
"Do you think you deserve it?"
Maximus was totally taken aback. "Well... yes, Sire."
"Tell me why."
Maximus looked at his hands and wondered what the emperor wished to hear. "I think that the armies can function without me for a while even if there is a full-scale battle, which is less likely this time of year."
"Why can they function without you?"
"Because they have been well-trained--"
"Who trained them?"
"I did, Sire." What was the emperor driving at?
"Yes, you did. Since I put you in charge, Maximus, the northern armies have never been stronger -- or more content. You did that. I'm not sure that you fully realize the extent of your importance to Rome, Maximus, or how well you serve Rome. Rome cannot do without you."
Maximus' heart sank. Marcus was not going to let him go. He studied the carpet under his feet. "I understand, Sire."
"No, I don't think you do. You have done such a good job that you are quite expendable -- for a short while. Go home to your wife and don't return until you have held your child in your arms."
Maximus stood up so quickly that he knocked over his goblet of wine. "Thank you, Sire."
"Take six Praetorians with you for protection -- no, I insist," said Marcus when Maximus started to protest. "Rome cannot afford to lose you. Now go and prepare for your journey. I expect you'll want to leave within the week."
"Yes, Sire. Thank you."
"I shall miss you, my boy."
"I'll miss you too, Caesar."
"Marcus."
"Pardon?"
"Marcus. Just this once, Maximus, call me Marcus."
"Marcus. Thank you... Marcus"
The men embraced then Maximus was gone.
Chapter 37 - The Storm
Three days later Maximus was on the road accompanied by six Praetorians. At a different time of year he might have attempted to cross the Alps but he elected to skirt their edges and keep to the foothills -- a longer but easier route. There were many mountain ranges to cross before he would be home and he estimated that the journey could take a month. He had sent a courier off as soon as Marcus gave him permission to leave so Olivia would have about a week's notice of his impending arrival.
Cicero helped Maximus prepare for the trip by ensuring that plenty of nutritious food was packed and that his master had lots of very warm clothing including woolen tunics and trousers, heavy hooded capes, furs to wrap up in at night and woolen socks to stuff inside his boots. He hinted heavily that he thought he should accompany his master on this trip but Maximus wouldn't hear of it. Why uproot any more men than he had to?
Argento was prepared, too, with thick blankets for warmth. Hercules would follow the horse as usual but Maximus had rigged a special leather pouch that he could wear over his shoulders and rest on Argento's rump in case Hercules grew tired and needed a ride.
The morning they left the sky was gray with low clouds and occasional snow flurries. They made good time that day and were able to spend that night and the next at military camps but soon the camps disappeared as they headed away from the border. For the next week travelling was good and the air very cold but invigorating. Every morning the ground was covered in heavy frost which made footing slippery and travel slow but they found inns in small villages in which to spend the night.
He was never cold when he slept as Hercules insisted on sleeping with him, most often curled up at his feet but sometimes snuggled right against his stomach. When Maximus slept on his back Hercules rested his big head on his master's chest and breathed dog-breath into his face. Maximus enjoyed the dog's company but occasionally had to shake the animal gently when his snoring became too loud.
For the next two days they ascended a mountain range and settled the second night into a high altitude hunting hut. It started to rain soon after they retired and it kept up all night, making the cramped hut feel like the inside of a drum. Maximus slept very little and the next morning he awoke early and dressed quickly as the air was very, very cold. When he opened the door of the hut and stepped out into the darkness his feet went out from under him and he fell heavily, sliding some distance before he managed to catch some low branches to halt his skid. He ducked his head as something hard and sharp fell around him. He heard Hercules slipping in his direction yelping in fright and he reached out and grabbed the dog by a hind leg before he slid right by. Gingerly, Maximus tried to get his feet under him but slipped and fell again. Taking off his gloves he felt the ground. It was hard as a rock. Hard as -- ice.
"General?" The Praetorian leader, Licinius, was at the door.
"Don't come out here! We must have had an ice storm last night and it is impossible to walk."
"Are you alright?"
"I am as long as I hold onto this branch. I can't tell exactly where I am because it's too dark so I'm just going to stay here."
"I heard the dog..."
"I caught him. He's alright."
Another voice joined the one by the door. "What's going on?"
"Everything's covered in ice," replied Licinius.
"Ice? I thought it rained heavily last night. It must have been ice."
Maximus called out again, "Don't come out here. I could be on the edge of a cliff for all I know. I'm not going to move until I can see where I am." So, for the next half hour he sat stroking Hercules and listening to the branches overhead groan and crack under the weight of the ice. His thoughts turned to Argento and the horses who were tied up behind the hut. His horse was covered ears to tail in heavy blankets but the storm had been severe. Maximus ducked his head as the wind came up sending an ice shower shattering to the ground around him.
The earliest pink rays of the sun revealed a site that Maximus had never seen before and never could have imagined. Every twig of every branch, every bush and piece of grass, every rock and the entire hut was coated in thick ice turning the world into a jewel box of glittering diamonds. Maximus sat with his back against a tree in complete awe and just stared. Evergreen trees were bent in two under the weight and many branches were down completely.
"General, we're going to throw some rope down to you."
Maximus nodded and tied the rope around his waist, holding onto Hercules as the Praetorians pulled him back up the slope. He hadn't been in any real danger as a dense thicket of bushes would had stopped his fall, but he would have had great difficulty getting back to the hut without their help. Once safely inside his first thoughts were about the horses that had been tied at the rear of the hut. How were they going to get back there? The Praetorian leader, Licinius, hacked at the ice outside the door with his axe and managed to break enough of it to step outside. Then he hacked up more and moved a bit further. At this rate it would take hours to get to the horses as the ice was at least two inches thick and the thin rays of the sun were not about to melt it.
Maximus decided that he and Licinius would crawl on their hands and knees using daggers in each hand as picks. Behind them, working at a much slower rate, the other five Praetorians would chop the ice with axes. Going was slow as one dagger always had to be in the ice to avoid slipping down the grade from the cabin. Once, both of Licinius' knees slipped out flattening his stomach against the ice and he slid ten feet or more before he finally regained his grip with the daggers.
Maximus reached the horses first. The animals had huddled as close to the hut as they could and had avoided the worst of the ice but were still covered in it. A couple on the outside were shivering. Their bodies had shielded the ice from hitting the ground so Maximus could stand right beside them and he lifted the ice-caked blanket off the closest animal, the fabric stiff enough to retain it's horse form before it cracked and shattered when Maximus squeezed it in his hands. He shook out the ice crystals then put it back on the animal.
Licinius joined him and Maximus issued instructions. "Get all of the blankets off and shake out the ice then cover the horses up again for now. They all need to be rubbed down to work the circulation back into them then they need to be fed." He looked at the overhanging branches of the evergreen trees that they had figured would provide protection for the horses. "Once the ice nearby has been chopped up we need to move the horses away and knock the ice off the trees above them before it falls and injures them." The two men used calming tones to sooth the frightened animals as they worked and before long the other soldiers had joined them.
Argento had been closest to the hut and had fared well but his tail was caked in long streamers of ice and his ears were frosty. Maximus spent a great deal of time with the young stallion soothing him and checking him for injuries. By the time the horses had been cared for it was early afternoon and the men were starving. They walked gingerly back to the hut and dug into their rations.
"Go easy," Maximus instructed. "The air has turned even colder -- can you feel it? Who knows how long it will be before the ice melts enough that we can leave here." He sat in the doorway staring at the terrible beauty and wondered how many days their journey would be extended.
Chapter 38 – Home
After spending over a week in the cramped hut with six other men Maximus decided it was time to act. Conditions had not changed and he figured they could be there until spring. He sat in the doorway of the hut every day, stroking Hercules, and memorizing the landscape around him in preparation for his flight from the Praetorians. They had been ordered by the emperor to keep him safe so Maximus knew that nothing he said would dissuade them from doing just that -- by force if necessary -- so he would have to lose them. He estimated that it could take him at least four days to get off the mountain and he hoped that as he descended the ice would disappear. Four days. That would put him a full two weeks late getting home. Olivia would be frantic.
That afternoon, as the Praetorians were tending the horses, he packed his bag with just enough supplies to last five days if he ate light. He couldn't skimp on warmth, though, and he stuffed in all of his extra clothes. Early in the evening he hid the pack, along with provisions for Argento and Hercules, at the back of the hut keeping out only what he needed for that night. Every day for the past week Maximus had dug earth out from under the hut where it wasn't frozen. Substantial quantities of the gravelly mixture were now hidden in the cavities left by his digging, packed inside makeshift cloth bags.
That night he waited until he could hear the deep breathing of all six men, then he rolled up his furs and tiptoed for the door, Hercules right at his heels. He cringed when the dog shook to rid his body of sleep, his collar jingling and gums flapping.
"General?" It was Licinius.
"Go back to sleep," Maximus whispered. "The pesky dog just needs to go out. I'll be back soon." The door creaked slightly as he pushed it open then closed it firmly behind him. The night was pitch black and Hercules stayed close by his side as he scurried to the back of the hut, retrieved his supplies and tied them to the surprised horse, securing one bag of the dirt to his own waist. He jammed a protesting Hercules into his leather pouch and secured that to the horse as well. Then he turned Argento around by his bridle and stared into the pitch blackness. Was he crazy to do this? Would it be better to arrive home very late than risk sliding over a cliff and never arriving at all? Thinking about the prospects of being in that dismal hut for one more day made up his mind. He was leaving.
Maximus skirted the hut and when he felt the ground start to slope he dug his hand into the bag at his waist and spread the gravel in front of him in a wide, sweeping motion. Then he tested the ice with his foot and found that the gravel made it fairly secure. Slowly he started down the grade, placing every step with care, then coaxed Argento after him. Even though he could see nothing more than the indistinct shapes of rocks and vegetation, he knew exactly where the trail went and the location of every bush and tree within sight of the hut. He kept close to the ice- covered shrubs so they would break the slide of the horse if the worst happened. He was far more worried about Argento than himself because it didn't take much to snap the foreleg of a horse.
Maximus forced himself to be patient and it took two hours to finally be far enough away from the hut that he could relax a little. He was still close enough, though, to hear the door creak open and Licinius call out, "General? General where are you? Are you alright, sir?" Silence. There was a touch of panic in his voice now. "General?" he hollered. "Do you need help, sir?" Hercules whined and Maximus grabbed his snout to silence him.
A indistinct jumble of other excited voices reached Maximus' ears. "What's going on?"
"The General's gone."
"What do you mean, gone?"
"I think he's taken off."
"Why, in the name of the gods would he do that?"
"If anything happens to him the emperor will have our heads."
"He couldn't have gotten far."
"What are you implying? That we should go after him? I can't see a thing out there."
"We'll leave at first light."
"On the ice?
"Well he did it, somehow. Pray we don't find his body at the bottom of a cliff."
The door creaked shut. Maximus waited a minute to make sure they weren't trying to fool him into revealing his location, then started very slowly down the slippery slope again. It was painstaking and exhausting work. By the time he saw the sky start to lighten in the east he was far enough south of the hut to feel some of the tension leave his shoulders and he continued on, spreading the gravel and taking cautious steps on the icy ground. That night he bundled up in his furs, along with Hercules, and slept intermittently, listening to the howl of wolves in the distance and shushing the dog when he started to yip in reply.
The next day was much the same as the first and he made steady progress down the mountain. By the third day his feet cracked through the ice and his steps were much more secure. On the forth day ice was limited to the areas shaded by the bushes and he was able to move quickly. By midday he was riding Argento down the lower slopes and could see grassy lands ahead. A wonderful sense of freedom filled his heart. He was on his way to Olivia.
Olivia sat on a bench overlooking the lane and the road beyond where she had been every day, all day, for the past two weeks yearning for a glimpse of her husband. The servants brought food to her because she refused to go inside to eat. Her sisters-in-law read her stories hoping to distract her from her terrible fears for Maximus' safety. Olivia's hands stroked her huge belly continuously as if trying to comfort the baby inside. The strong kicks were reassuring and the baby had dropped quite low, a sure sign that birth was imminent, according to Flora and Augusta, and Titus was on alert to ride for the midwife at a moment's notice. Olivia shifted uncomfortably to ease the ache in her lower back but kept her eyes on the road. The chilly wind whisked around her ankles and she pulled her thick woolen shawl protectively around her belly.
Suddenly Olivia sat up straight, the throbbing in her back forgotten. She could see some dust in the distance. Flora followed her eyes. "Olivia, don't get your hopes up. That could only be a lone rider and I doubt that Maximus would be unaccompanied." Olivia thought of the Praetorian guard that had come to fetch him and her hopes dropped but she kept her eyes riveted on the horizon nonetheless.
As Flora had predicted, a lone rider was soon revealed on the crest of the hill, still too far away to identify. As the horseman drew closer Olivia distinguished the dark shape of a horse and rider with a cape flying behind him, then she saw the armor gleaming on his chest. She stood up and her shawl dropped off her shoulders. A smaller shape ran at the heels of the horse. Olivia shrieked. "Maximus! It's Maximus!" Despite her advanced stage of pregnancy she bounded down the steps and out into the lane.
Maximus came through the gate at full gallop then pulled Argento to such a quick stop that the horse reared in surprise. Maximus slipped backwards off Argento over his rump, further confusing the animal. As soon as his feet hit the ground Olivia was in his arms, pressing as close to him as she could and whispering his name over and over. They stood that way for a long time, hugging, exchanging kisses and whispered words of love, Maximus gently rubbing his hand over his wife's huge belly and feeling his baby kick.
Finally Olivia managed to laugh through her tears. "Maximus you look awful. Look at you! The trip must have been terrible."
"It was. There were ice storms in the high mountains, rain and mud in the lower areas. I'm exhausted, hungry -- and filthy. I've got mud all over you. I was so worried I wouldn't get here on time."
Olivia laughed through her tears. "Just in time, I think. Our baby will be born soon. Come inside, darling and we'll get you a hot bath." Olivia looked around. "You're alone?"
"I wasn't when I started. Six very angry Praetorians should show up sooner or later. They can stay with your father and leave us alone." Maximus kissed his wife's forehead and nuzzled her neck as his hands slipped from her ample waist to trail down her arms. "You're cold. Let's go inside."
Within a short time Maximus reclined in the marble bath with his wife kneeling on cushions at the side massaging soap into his hair. "Look at this beard," she said. "It's even shaggier then when I first met you."
"Hmmm," was the only sound that Maximus could muster as Olivia's fingers massaged his scalp and worked down his neck to his shoulders. Suddenly her hands froze and Maximus roused from his reverie to look at her startled eyes then followed her gaze to the floor under her knees and the rapidly-spreading puddle of liquid.
"Relax, Maximus, she'll be fine," said Titus.
"That's easy for you to say," grumbled Maximus as he paced the atrium of his home. He winced every time he heard Olivia groan out or cry. "It's not fair that a woman should have to suffer so."
"No, I suppose it isn't but it's the way of it and no man can change that."
Olivia cried out again. "Maybe I can comfort her," said Maximus as he headed for their bedroom.
Titus stepped in his way and grabbed his arm. "You'll only be in the way of the midwife. There are plenty of women in there with her, my friend. Come on, let's play checkers."
Maximus looked at him like he was a lunatic and returned to his pacing. He walked, and he walked. Hours passed. "How long does it take, Titus?" Maximus demanded angrily.
"It really hasn't been that long and it could go on for quite some time yet, I'm afraid."
"It's been hours."
"It takes hours."
Both men turned around as Olivia's father came through the front door. "Anything yet?" he asked.
Maximus shook his head miserably and sat in a chair, his forehead in his hands.
Marcus teased him. "You can tell it's your first, my boy. It gets easier every time."
"For whom?" demanded Maximus. He was about to berate his father-in-law for that remark when a blood-curdling scream made his heart jump to his throat. He listened. All was silent. Maximus' hands started to shake and he stared at the door of his bedroom, more frightened than he had ever been in his life.
Not a soul in the house stirred as every ear listened for the next sound.
Suddenly a feeble high-pitched cry drifted to their ears. The cry grew stronger until it became a wail. Maximus sprinted across the atrium and barged into the bedroom earning a scowl from the midwife. "We're not ready for you yet," she said.
"Olivia?"
"I'm fine, Maximus." Her voice was weak. "We have a son."
Only then did he turn his head in the direction of the wailing bundle and the midwife thrust the screaming child into his hands. He stared at the scrunched little face and the shock of thick, black hair and raised the baby high in the air, claiming the child as his own. He then cuddled the bundle and approached his wife, tears glistening in his eyes. "Thank you, my love. Thank you."
Maximus placed the boy in her arms and she gazed at the child's face for the first time. "He looks like you," she said.
"No, he looks like you. Look at his beautiful black eyes. Just like his mother's."
Two faces appeared at the door. "Well?" asked Titus.
Maximus gathered the baby into his arms and proudly approached his father-in-law. "You have another grandson, Marcus."
Marcus pursed his lips and made cooing sounds at the baby. "Do you know who your papa is, little one? He's a famous general, you lucky boy."
Maximus said, "His name is Marcus. Marcus Decimus Meridius."
Marcus frowned. "He must have your name, Maximus."
"Olivia and I decided otherwise. He's named after two men who are very important to me." The baby stopped crying and grasped Maximus' finger, soothed by his father's deep voice.
The midwife bustled over and removed the child from his arms. "We've got more work to do. Go now and leave us." When he seemed disinclined to move she scowled at him. He walked to Olivia and kissed her on the lips and she squeezed his hand reassuringly, then he reluctantly joined Titus and Marcus outside the door.
It was quickly slammed in their faces as the women continued their work with the baby and his mother.
Chapter 39 - Baby Marcus
Olivia woke slowly to find her husband already dressed in a simple tunic, sitting by her side on the bed and smiling sweetly as he gazed at her and their baby. Marcus was snuggled in her arms and just beginning to stir. Maximus grinned as he watched the child curl his fists, his face reddening as he prepared to scream for food even before he was fully conscious.
Olivia placed the child at her breast and he latched on quickly, sucking hungrily. Maximus tickled a little fist with his smallest finger and was gratified when the tiny fingers curled around it. As he stroked the small hand with his thumb Maximus leaned over and kissed Olivia's hair, then her forehead, nose and mouth. "Good morning," he said. She smiled a reply, her face radiant. Maximus reached to the floor with his free hand and fumbled for the package that he had placed there. It was small and square and wrapped in pretty paper. "For you," he said as he handed the box to Olivia.
Olivia balanced the baby in the crook of her arm and slowly opened the box, wanting to suspend time, to make each day with her husband last as long as ten. She gasped as she removed the lid. Inside the box sat a wide golden bracelet and loop earrings. "Oh. Maximus. These are beautiful." She clasped the bracelet onto her wrist and help her arm up to the light, the sun glinting off the precious metal. "I've never owned anything so beautiful."
"You deserve much more but I don't have time to do what I really want to do for you. I want to drape you in gold and diamonds and rubies and emeralds and --"
Olivia stopped him with a laugh. "I don't want all of those things. Just you and our child. That's all I want."
Maximus' face clouded.
"When do you have to leave?" she asked.
Her turned to look out the window at the distant hills. "Tomorrow. The Praetorians arrived yesterday and are demanding that we return."
"Don't you outrank them?"
Maximus laughed. "Considerably, but Marcus Aurelius told them to keep me safe and I already tricked them back on the mountain. They aren't in a very good mood, I'm afraid." He became serious. "It'll take at least a month to get back to the northern front this time of year if we push as hard as we can and hit good weather. I can't afford to be away any longer than that."
Olivia put on her bravest smile. "I understand. You are a very important man and I have to share you with Rome. I knew that when I married you, Maximus."
"There is nothing that I want more in this world than to stay here with you and Marcus. To watch him grow. Please believe that."
"I do believe that. I am sorry for myself that you must leave but I am mostly sorry for you." Marcus started to fidget and she switched him to her other breast. "We have one more night together."
"Yes, but I have errands to do right now concerning the farm. I'll be back early this evening." Maximus kissed his wife again and caressed his child's head then left.
A cold dread settled over Olivia.
Neither one of them slept much that night. They lay in each other's arms with the baby cuddled between them and Maximus tried to memorize his child -- his small body, his baby-smell, his gurgles, even his cries. His skin was so tender compared to Maximus' battle-callused hands. The intensity of the love he felt in his heart for his wife and child astonished him and frightened him. How could he live without them? Briefly, he considered taking them with him but immediately dismissed the thought as selfish.
It was almost as if Olivia had read his mind. "What's it like in Germania?" She wanted to hear Maximus talk, to lose herself in his deep, soothing voice. When he wasn't here she found she could recall his face but it was so hard to remember those rich tones that rumbled from his chest.
"It's... dark. Especially this time of year. The days are very short and the nights long and cold and dark. The camps run efficiently but small villages spring up outside the camps so local farmers and craftsmen can sell their goods to the soldiers. The people live in... hovels. There's no other way to describe them. The children are filthy. They wear rags. They have so little. The smells can be terrible. The animals are half-starved. And that's on our side. I can't imagine what it's like across the river."
"Do soldiers have families there?"
Maximus considered his answer carefully. "Many do, but they are local women... women who have always lived there and are used to it. Those that do try to follow their husbands from the south don't last long and are miserable while they are there." Maximus propped his head on his hand and looked at his wife's profile in the soft night light. "It's a hard, hard life for a woman and it's dangerous with the barbarians just across the river." Maximus was silent for a while. "It's terrible what conquering armies do to women and children. If we ever lost a major battle..." His voice drifted away. "Olivia, I couldn't function -- I couldn't do my job properly if I had to worry about my family's safety. It is so important to me to know that you are here close to people that you love, people who can look after you in my absence."
Olivia turned her face to him. "No matter what, I would go if you wanted me to. I just need you to understand that."
"I do, but I need you here, in Spain, where Marcus can grow up to be strong and healthy and safe. Where he can play with his cousins and learn to ride horses and farm the land. And hopefully he'll soon have brothers and sisters to play with too."
"We'll always be here, Maximus, waiting for you. When ever you can come to us." Olivia smiled. "And you had better come home soon if we are to give Marcus brothers and sisters."
"I will. I'll be back soon." Maximus had no idea how wrong that statement would prove to be.
The next morning Olivia stood on the steps of her house with her baby bundled in her arms and watched her beloved husband ride away from her, accompanied by six heavily-armed guards. She wore the bracelet and earrings that he had given her and she held her head high, her eyes dry, her throat aching. Maximus had wept that morning as he had held his baby in his arms and she did not want to make his final parting any more difficult for him than it already was. She watched the men ride down the lane then turn into the road and kept her eyes on them still as they steadily decreased in size then finally disappeared over the crest of the hill. Then she turned and walked into the house, the unshed tears finally streaming down her cheeks.
Maximus led the Praetorians through the valleys this time, avoiding even the foothills of the mountains. It was obvious from their demeanor that they were still upset with him but he relished the silence as he was not in the mood for even casual conversation. He spoke to them only to issue instructions or orders. The weather held and they made good time with Maximus pushing them to the limit of their endurance. Every night he collapsed into his furs drained of all energy and all emotion -- the only way he was able to get any sleep.
Two weeks on the road, they approached a village and found a barn in which to stable the horses for the night. The barn looked cleaner than the inn so the soldiers stayed there too, rolling up in their furs in the stalls. Maximus settled in for the night with Hercules at his side. For the first time since he left Spain he rummaged through his pack for the small leather draw-string bag and the carving that Olivia had made for him after their marriage. Snuggled inside the furs he opened that bag and pulled out the carving of Olivia but his fingers connected with something else as well. He removed another figure -- a smaller one -- and held it up to the beam of moonlight that filtered through a window high in the stone wall. It was a child. A little boy. Maximus gasped and quickly rolled to bury his face in Hercules' fur to muffle the sobs that engulfed him.
Chapter 40 – Fortification
Maximus returned to Felix III to find Marcus Aurelius gone. Cicero explained to Maximus that barbarian tribes had invaded Italy while the emperor was occupied in the north and that the eastern borders were unstable again as well so Caesar was forced to leave. Cicero added, "He told me to tell you that he feels the northern legions are in very capable hands and that is why he felt he could go. Here, sir here is a letter to you from Caesar."
The letter simply elaborated on what Cicero had already told him and emphasized the emperor's faith in him as a commander. Maximus immediately wrote a response and told Marcus that he had named his son after him. He also sent notice to the other legions that he had returned and would be visiting soon. Couriers set out that very afternoon with the letters. Maximus was truly in charge now. Decisions of life and death rested in his hands and his hands alone.
Maximus' territory included the Danube and Rhine rivers -- a combined distance of some 2,500 miles. A system of crude roads had been built years ago along this route but Maximus employed soldiers to considerably improve the roads to make troop movement -- and his own travels -- much easier. In some places sturdy wooden fences had been built and wooden watchtowers and forts constructed. The Germanians loved to cross the rivers at night and burn them to the ground so Maximus had them pulled down, stone watchtowers and forts built in their place, and new ones constructed at regular intervals along the route.
It seemed to Maximus that he was always on the road and started to travel with both of his horses to give them adequate rest. His journeys even took him through Gaul and across the water to Britannia where he inspected legions at Londinium and traveled to the northernmost part of the Empire at Trimontium where it rained nonstop for two weeks. He found Britannia wet and foggy and was often chilled to the bone. He longed for the sunshine of his home and was forever grateful that his wife and son were warm and safe there.
As in Germania, he was appalled at the living conditions of the native peoples in these countries. Their lives seemed to have little joy as they spent every waking hour eking out meager livings in any manner possible. He was forever being approached by whores who were attracted to the clear signs of wealth and power evident in his horses and his clothing. Beggars trailed after him and so did young children in rags, begging for food and coins. Maximus made it clear to every soldier that these people were part of the Empire and must be treated fairly with adequate provisions for food and shelter.
He left Britannia at Clausentum and landed in Gaul at Coriallum before riding up the coast to the Rhine again. On his way back to Vindobona he stopped once more at every fort and every camp where he observed drills and maneuvers, and inspected all construction on roads and towers. The entire trip took almost a year but he was certain that the northern borders were as secure as they could be. Winter was approaching again and it was time to plan spring forays into enemy territory to squelch uprisings against the Empire and bring the tribes beyond the Rhine and Danube to peace for as long as possible.
In January Maximus requested the generals of all of the northern legions to meet in a central location between the Rhine and Danube, far enough away from the border to ensure the safety of the leaders. For two weeks the men planned strategy, discussed politics and got to know one another socially over dinners and games of chess. Despite the fact that many of the leaders were older than he, every man in attendance knew that Maximus had been hand-picked by the emperor and respected him for that. By the time the meetings were over they respected him for who he was and knew exactly why Marcus Aurelius had chosen him. Maximus was smart, clever and thoroughly understood battle strategy. He was also polite and thoughtful and listened attentively to their ideas. But there was never any doubt about who was in charge in anybody's mind and it had nothing to do with the favor of the emperor. Maximus was a man who attracted attention without asking for it: he had tremendous presence and a quiet but commanding authority. When he spoke people listened. He was extremely likeable but the generals knew he would be deadly if crossed -- his reputation as a fighter was legendary. But above all, he was simply very, very good at his job. Maximus was no upper class lackey sent from Rome. This man had grown up in the army and knew its workings intimately. He understood the life and mentality of a soldier. He was one of them.
There was really only one main issue on which Maximus disagreed with the other generals and that was slavery. Many of them favored leading attacks into Germania simply to capture as many tribesmen as possible and ship them to Rome as slaves. After all, they argued, Rome needed a steady supply of slaves in order to function and it was best if the slaves were strong, healthy warriors.
The whole concept of turning conquered soldiers into slaves bothered Maximus terribly. How were those men any different from Roman soldiers? They simply fought to preserve their way of life and protect their families. If they lost a battle did they deserve to become slaves? If so, did that not mean that any legionnaire deserved to be a slave to the barbarians if he were so misfortunate to be captured in battle? The generals scoffed at that idea. Imagine a Roman soldier being a slave to a barbarian -- it was unthinkable. Although Maximus couldn't disagree with their confidence in their soldiers' abilities he was still adamant that no raids would take place for the sole purpose of capturing slaves. He did have to agree, however, that tribesmen captured in battle would be shipped to Rome as slaves, even though the entire concept made him very uneasy. It was the way of the Empire.
Maximus tried to imagine what it would be like to completely lose your freedom in the blink of an eye. To have no more will of your own, no more authority over your actions, your body. To lose your family, your heritage, your identity. To belong to someone else who could use you in any way they wished, to sell you or even kill you if it pleased them. It was beyond his comprehension. But it could happen to any of them if fortune turned against them.
