Soldier of Rome: The Sacrovir Revolt (The Artorian Chronicles) (9 page)

He then contemplated Agrippina’
s reaction to the new circumstances. While Drusus considered Agrippina a friend, the Emperor wondered just how genuine her feelings of friendship were. Would she look to undermine or cause harm to Drusus or Livilla as a means of hurting him? Tiberius could not be sure, but he would make note of it and warn Drusus to watch himself around that vile woman. He did not wish Drusus to cease in his friendship with Agrippina, he would rather he kept her close and under watch.

Plancina was
frantically pacing in the atrium of the house where she and her husband were being kept, when the door opened. Livia entered the foyer, her face expressionless. Plancina immediately fell to her knees and clutched at Livia’s stola, weeping uncontrollably.

“Oh
, Livia, you’ve got to help me!
Agrippina’s friends will not stop condemning my husband. They will kill our son and me as well!
Please,
you’ve got to help me!” She came to her feet, her face white and her eyes wild; fearful tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

Her expression unchanged, Livia backhanded the woman sharply across the face.
“Do you
really
think I will help save anyone who played a part in my own grandson’s death? To say nothing for the sedition and rebellion your wretched family has been the cause of!” she hissed.

Plancina held
a hand over her cheek, which was turning red, and shook her head. “No,” she replied, “it wasn’t me, I swear it! I had nothing to do with Germanicus’ murder. Please, you must believe me!”

“Oh
, come off it, woman!” Livia scoffed. “Your husband was little more than your whipping dog. He never could make a decision even so simple as how to wipe his own bottom without consulting you! And don’t think I don’t remember the hatred that existed between you and Agrippina well before Germanicus was ever sent to the east. So don’t play so innocent with me, otherwise I’ll come up with the most unpleasant means of disposing of you imaginable. And believe me, my imagination runs deep.”

Plancina fell to her knees again, her hands folded together against her forehead. She
ceased in her sobbing, but her body still trembled. “You must believe me,” she pleaded. “Yes, I did hate Agrippina, and I still do. I’ve never denied that. And it seemed like both of them were bent on our family’s downfall. The quarrels between Piso and Germanicus started from the day they arrived. It never ceased. We had to do something, lest our family be ruined!”

“So you
resorted to sedition and murder.” It was a statement, not a question.

Plancina shook her head
frantically. “No,” she said softly. “If I bore any guilt, I would gladly share the same fate as my husband. I only told him he had to do something about Germanicus. I had no idea he was going to have him murdered and then start an insurrection amongst the legions. I’m amazed we even walked out of that place alive. Piso was a changed man after that. I could no longer speak with him, my influence over him completely evaporated.” She gazed up at Livia, eyes red and puffy, her cheeks tear stained. Again she took hold of Livia’s stola.

“Livia, if you cannot save me, please allow my son to be spared. He truly is innocent in this affair. After all, could a son, even a grown one, really deny his own father? I’m so afraid for him, and I don’t know what else to do.”

“You will compose yourself, woman, and you will do exactly as I tell you,” Livia replied sternly. “You will tell me who committed the act of murder against my grandson. I want names and where they can be found. Furthermore, you will separate yourself from your husband’s defense.”

Plancina nodded and rose to her feet, a fleeting hope glimmering in her eye
s. “There was a notorious woman named Martina. She made poisoning people an art form. Her price was quite high. It nearly bankrupted my husband. She’s being offered immunity from the prosecution if she will testify against Piso.”

Livia raised an eyebrow. “Continue.”

Plancina swallowed hard. “She is supposed to be arriving within the next few days. There is a squalid tavern that she plans to stay at. It’s rather inconspicuous and fitting for her type. Oh, Livia, does this mean you intend to help us?” She clutched Livia’s stola, only to have the Empress slap her across the face once again. “I have promised you nothing! You will get no such promises of safe passage from me, vile woman. If you know what is good for you, you will distance yourself from your husband and do exactly as I tell you.” With that, Livia turned and left the room.

Plancina sank into
a chair, her hand again on her swollen cheek, her mind in torment. She did not know whether there was any hope for her and her son or not. Their fate lay solely in the hands of Livia, who would dispose of them as she saw fit.

Artorius walked up as the section was checking the contents of their baggage cart. Magnus and Valens were inspecting their tent, making certain there were no holes or signs of rot in the leather. Carbo and Gavius were inventorying the stakes and poles for their tent, while Decimus checked the cart for serviceability with several other
soldiers from the century. Four sections would share a cart with which they would load their tents, cooking utensils, as well as most of their rations. Each legionary carried about a week’s worth of hard biscuits which would serve as a supplemental ration in the event of an emergency.

“So would you mind explaining to me just why we’re crossing the Rhine again?” Carbo asked.

“We’re going to have a look and see what are old enemies are up to, if anything,” Artorius replied. “A simple reconnaissance mission, shouldn’t take more than a couple of weeks to find out what their intentions are.”

“There have also been rumors regarding the demise of Arminius,” Magnus added. “I’m pretty certain Silius is looking to see if we can verify these.”

“That will break a lot of hearts if he is dead,” Gavius added, the sarcasm thick in his voice. “I just think it’s a pity we didn’t get that bastard when we had the chance!”

“But hey, at least our fearless leader here killed that other jackal, Ingiomerus,” Valens remarked. “I mean come on,
Artorius, you cannot tell us that wasn’t at least somewhat satisfying!”

Artorius
shrugged as he helped Magnus and Valens finish rolling up their tent and hoist it onto the cart. “I didn’t really notice at the time,” he replied. “We were a little bit preoccupied trying to fight our way into that stronghold, and besides, I did not know who he was. I just noticed that he was a lot older than most of the other warriors.” “If I remember right, it was one of the auxiliary troopers that identified him,” Magnus remarked. “Germanicus had them check all the bodies and see if we had netted anyone of importance.”

Carbo and Gavius had finished inventorying their stakes and poles, and set about bundling them up and loading them onto the cart.

Carbo gave an audible sigh. “You know, we haven’t talked much about Germanicus since we received word of his death. You guys cannot tell me you haven’t been thinking about it, though.” Carbo had been thoroughly devoted to his former commander, in spite of the fact that the two had never met personally. “Do you guys remember the night before Idistaviso, when the aquilifer came and had supper with us?” Decimus asked.

“I remember that,” Artorius replied. “I thought it was rather strange, but he seemed like a decent enough fellow.”

“Well, I heard from Camillus that that was not the legion’s aquilifer, but rather it was Germanicus himself. He had decided to disguise himself as such, so that he could gather what he could about our morale and disposition.”

Everyone
smiled and nodded at Decimus’ statement, though none were necessarily surprised.

“You know, that actually doesn’t surprise me,” Magnus thought aloud. “What I want to know is, do you just like hanging out at the Principia or what? You always seem to be the first one to find out anything that’s going on.”

Decimus shrugged at the assessment. “Camillus is an old friend of the aquilifer, so we go and see him sometimes. His position gives him a lot of access to information the rest of us will never be privy to, which makes him quite the useful source. He has been keeping us informed as to all the latest gossip from Rome regarding Piso’s trial.”

“And you didn’t think to share any of this with the rest of us?” Valens asked.

“I know the death of Germanicus is a painful subject for us all,” Decimus answered. “So I’ve kept most of what Camillus has told me to myself.”

“So what
did
he tell you?” Artorius persisted.

Decimus paused before continuing.
“Only that it is getting bad in Rome,” he replied. “All the supporters of Agrippina continue in their assault against the Emperor, blaming him for Germanicus’ death.” “Agrippina, she’s always been a bit of a puzzle to me,” Carbo replied. “You know there were times when it seemed like she had a genuine concern for the lads, and others when she was standoffish and completely self-righteous.”

“I had to deal with her once,” Valens mused. “She seemed to think I was coming on to her.”

Carbo had been taking a drink from his water bladder and, at Valens’ remarks, he spewed water everywhere and started to laugh and cough uncontrollably. “For the love of…why does that not surprise me, Valens?” he asked, completely perplexed. “I don’t even remember what I said,” Valens remarked. “I wasn’t even checking her out. It was her maidservant that had the really cute ass…anyway, Agrippina starts screaming at me, calling me all sorts of foul names. I didn’t know whether to be insulted or flattered. Then she chases me out of the room with some sort of club in her hand! Of course, she stopped when one of the tribunes came in and saw the spectacle.”

“You never told us about this!” Carbo said.

“Yeah, well I was a bit embarrassed that I had almost gotten thrashed by a woman. Tribune Pilate was very understanding and promised not to say a word to anyone.”

Artorius just shook his head and continued to load equipment onto their cart. They had all forgotten how they had even gotten on the subject in the first place, which suited Decimus just fine. He decided he would not tell them
, just yet, what he had learned about the fate of Martina, the notorious alchemist.

Martina
ate greedily from the bowl of figs Livia offered her. The journey had been long and tiring, and she was still recovering from the shock of having been found by Livia’s agents. She had no sooner sat down in the inn’s tavern to eat when she was apprehended by three armed men. They brought her to a private room in the back where Livia sat alone at a table.