Antony laughed. “Oh I am sure you will make certain of that!” He had walked back to the entrance as he spoke, but now turned again to face them. “But when he is done with you, I wonder, will you both be so willing to service me?” he asked, re-emphasising the plans he had already intimated to Melissa outside Caesar’s tent. She blushed and looked away as he laughed again and left, shouting something to the guard outside.
Chapter 9
Quintus Vitruvius was a loyal soldier. He had served under Mark Antony throughout the Gallic campaigns, distinguishing himself on many occasions. He was a little shorter than Antony and a fraction less well-built, but he was tough. In a fight, he was more than capable of taking down a man twice his size.
Despite his success in the legions, Vitruvius was a disappointment to his family, who came from the very region in which they were now encamped. His father was a smallholder, and he had always intended Vitruvius to work the land with him to help provide for Vitruvius’ mother and younger twin sisters. He wanted his only son to have a good education and had scraped every sesterce to pay for a tutor, thinking that improving his son’s knowledge of alternative farming methods would help them to improve the farm’s output. Unfortunately, the tutor opened the eyes of a humble farm boy to far more than crop varieties and harvesting techniques. As soon as he was old enough to wear his first toga, Vitruvius ran away and joined the army.
His education gave Vitruvius an advantage over many of his colleagues in the legion: Vitruvius had a mind of his own and was not afraid to use it. At Alesia in Gaul, during Caesar’s Gallic campaigns, he had saved the life of his superior officer, Gaius Trebonius, who was one of Mark Antony’s friends. Caesar’s army had encircled a hilltop fortress, trapping inside the chieftain Vercingetorix, who had become a thorn in Caesar’s side by uniting the region’s many tribes against the Romans. Other chiefs sent forces to relieve the siege and their men had surrounded Caesar’s army, thus trapping them in front and from the rear. Antony and Trebonius were in charge of the defences of one section of the line which came under attack from both sides. The fighting was intense, with many Gauls succeeding in climbing the ramparts, forcing them to fight hand-to-hand with their attackers. As Trebonius fought one Gaul, another came at him from behind, intent on running him through. Vitruvius saw the Gaul before anyone else. He defied his orders to stay in formation and abandoned his place, leaping past two of his fellow-soldiers to save his officer, parrying the assailant’s blow when the blade was only a fraction from Trebonius’ back. He then engaged the attacker in a bitter fight to the death, even though he was injured himself and now had a long scar running the length of his right thigh as a constant reminder of the day. Antony witnessed the entire event, but had been blocked from going to his friend’s aid by the sea of bodies fighting between them.
Vitruvius should have been flogged for defying his orders, but Antony intervened on his behalf. Antony encouraged freethinkers and rewarded Vitruvius’ valiant defence of Trebonius by transferring the brave soldier into his personal command with the promise of increased responsibilities and promotion opportunities. Vitruvius had always hoped for promotion to centurion, when a post became available, and, as he walked into Caesar’s tent on that cold January day, he honestly believed this was what was going to happen. Needless to say, he was more than a little dismayed to discover he had been chosen to guard two foreign dignitaries.
Caesar complimented Vitruvius on his prowess as a legionary soldier and insisted that he was the only man to be trusted with a mission as vital to the security of the Republic as this. Caesar promised the mission would be difficult and would tax Vitruvius to the limit of his experience. Vitruvius felt honoured to be regarded so highly and was pleased that he would be given such a chance to prove himself. His initial thoughts of dismay left him and he had willingly accepted the task.
It was only after he had been dismissed and was walking to Curio’s tent with Antony that he learnt the full truth. Vitruvius had been chosen to play nursemaid to the two women that Antony and Curio found on the way back to camp. It turned out Caesar had taken a liking to them and they were to remain off-limits to the rest of the men. As Vitruvius saw it, he was being assigned to guard Caesar’s whores! He would be the laughing stock of the legion when the rest of the men found out.
At least one thing Caesar had said was true. It was a task that would be far from easy. Trying to keep hundreds of men away from these women would keep him on his toes day and night, but that was only one problem he had to overcome. The biggest threat was not necessarily from the men, but from Antony and Curio, who both had terrible reputations when it came to enjoying themselves. He only hoped that the thought of disobeying Caesar’s orders might keep the pair in check, at least for a while. He would find it especially difficult to refuse his commander access to the women if he was ordered to do so. Antony was a man Vitruvius admired and looked up to more than any other for his military prowess, despite Antony’s less reputable behaviour in his social life.
The night passed without incident. As Vitruvius remained at his station outside Curio’s quarters, he was asked by a couple of the other men what he was doing, but he simply shrugged his shoulders and said he had been told to stand there by Antony and so that was what he was doing. He knew that to play dumb would keep most of the men disinterested. Luckily none of the others seemed to realise Curio was not in his tent, which had no doubt helped to keep them away. No one would dare to try anything all the while they believed a well-respected officer was entertaining the ladies.
The following morning Antony arrived early with a basket containing food and a flask of water. Vitruvius saluted his senior officer, but did not step aside. Antony looked at him quizzically as he waited for an explanation.
“Forgive me sir, but you said no one was allowed inside. These women have Caesar’s patronage and so I cannot allow you to enter them. I mean enter there, sir.” Vitruvius stared straight ahead as he made his statement explaining his actions.
Antony grinned at Vitruvius’ unintentional slip. “That is exactly why you were chosen. You were the only man in this rabble that I knew would take my orders literally. You have done well, but they must eat and I must speak with them, so you had best join us inside. That way you can be sure nothing is entered that is not meant to be. And knowing the truth of what is going on will help you to keep a better eye on your charges.”
Vitruvius nodded and stepped aside to allow Antony to enter before him. Antony stepped forward and then stopped suddenly. “Have you seen them yet?” he asked.
“No sir,” Vitruvius answered. “You told me to remain outside the tent and that is what I have done.”
“Only the older one understands us. She is tricky and not to be underestimated. The younger one does not speak any Latin, but is …” Anthony paused as he thought about Rebecca, then continued, “... Well, you will see for yourself. Come!” Antony placed his hand on Vitruvius’ shoulder. “I am afraid this task is about to become a great deal harder for you, my friend,” he added and then entered the tent.
It took Vitruvius a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dullness inside Curio’s tent, compared to the brightness of the clear morning outside. He saw two figures sitting together on the camp bed. The first woman was reasonably attractive and appeared quite confident, or perhaps it was defiant, he was not sure. The second was younger and had a bad bruise on her face. It was very swollen on the line of the cheekbone, so much so that her eye was partially closed. As she turned her head to whisper to her companion, Vitruvius saw the undamaged side of her face and gasped involuntarily. Antony looked at him and smiled knowingly. He had expected a reaction of some sort. Vitruvius may have been the most honourable man Antony knew, but he was still a man and the blonde was stunning.
Antony put the basket down in front of Melissa and Rebecca and pulled the cover off. They seemed reluctant to accept his hospitality at first until he picked up a piece of bread and bit into it himself. Sensible, Vitruvius though
t. If the situation was reversed he too would wonder if food provided by his captors was safe to eat.
The older woman spoke as she passed some bread to her companion, who ate it hungrily. “Thank you. We appreciate your kindness. Can you tell me what is to happen to us today?”
Antony laughed and pulled a chair over to sit on. “I find it most interesting that you see Caesar’s future so clearly, yet you are unsure of your own.” He watched Melissa for a response, but got none and so continued to speak without attempting to hide his sarcasm. “First some introductions and a little history for your guard here,” Antony waved at Vitruvius, who stopped staring at the blonde and turned his attentions to his superior officer. “Vitruvius, this is Lissa and ...” Antony paused, realising he did not know the second woman’s name.
“Rebecca,” Melissa prompted politely. Antony nodded slightly in appreciation. Re-be-kah. Vitruvius was repeating the name over and over again in his head. That was a Jewish name, but this woman did not look Jewish. Her skin was too pale and delicate and her hair was the colour of gold, not the darker browns of most women from the Eastern Mediterranean region.
“This is Lissa and Rebecca,” Antony repeated, bringing Vitruvius back to reality. These two say they are seers, allegedly sent here from a far distant land to assist Caesar in his endeavours. They are to be his guests until they have proved their worth, or he decides he no longer needs them. Apparently they can only see the future whilst their virtue remains intact and that is why you have been assigned to watch them. You are the one man in this entire army I can trust to keep them whole, regardless of who you have to kill to do so, provided it is not me, that is.”
Antony turned his attention back to Melissa. “Deciding what to do with you has not been easy for me. Caesar has ordered that you must remain untouched, unless he decides otherwise, and I must ensure that his orders are carried out. There are many men in this camp and news travels fast. Because you are not unattractive, it will put you in greater danger though that swollen eye your friend has may help her for a time as damaged goods are always less desirable. We are to break camp this morning and as men on the move have no time to act on their desires, you will be reasonably safe until tonight. Vitruvius will be guarding you at all times. It is the best I can do.”
Melissa was far from convinced. This was nothing more than a token gesture to appease Caesar, and it left her and Rebecca considerably exposed. She was hoping for more and decided to see whether this was all Antony was offering or whether he intended to negotiate.
She decided to start with a tact she did not think he would anticipate. “I thank you, sir, for your generosity, but I must express my concern for this soldier. He cannot be expected to remain on duty both day and night. He must be allowed to rest.”
Antony was surprised at Melissa’s concern for Vitruvius. He had fully expected Melissa to attempt to negotiate, but not on the behalf of one of his men. His curiosity was roused, so he decided to play along and see where it would lead.
“How touching of you to show such concern. What do you suggest I do to solve that problem?” he asked casually.
“Perhaps you should assign another guard to help him in his task,” was Melissa’s response.
“I can put another man outside the tent, but Vitruvius is the only man Caesar will trust with you, other than me. You would not thank me for relieving him.”
Melissa thought for a moment. “What if he sleeps in here with us? This is a large tent. We could find a way to divide it so that he has his own area near the door. That way any person entering the tent would disturb him before they could get to us. You could put any other soldier outside. We would feel secure and he would be able to get his rest.”
“An interesting suggestion, but it is impractical for two reasons. Firstly, you have made the assumption that you are to remain in these quarters, but Curio is not prepared to give up his accommodation for another night. Unless you are willing to share his bed, you will need to be accommodated elsewhere. Secondly, for you to share a tent with Vitruvius under the circumstances you suggest would only make your predicament worse. Not all the men are stupid and many would try their luck, assuming you were common prostitutes and so fair game.” Antony waited for a minute to let Melissa consider his words. “Of course, there is another option I can think of, but I doubt you would be willing to entertain it.” He shook his head as if dismissing his own idea.
Melissa could tell she was being manoeuvred into a corner, but she had started these negotiations and now she had little choice but to continue. “Please continue, I would like to hear it,” she said, trying to appear keen and not suspicious.
A smug smile spread across Antony’s face. He could tell she did not trust him, but had little option other than to listen to his proposal. “The most logical solution is to tell the men that you are my property, gifted to me by Caesar. That will aid Vitruvius in his task as most of the men would not dare to take something of mine, and the ones who would are not worthy of my concern and I would willingly flog them as an example to the others.”
Antony rubbed his hand across his chin as he considered the finer details of his plan. “The two of you would need to move to my tent for this ruse to be believed and, of course, I will also need to continue to sleep in it to keep up the pretence. We may still separate the tent as you have suggested saving you any embarrassment, though it is of little concern to me either way. When I am present, Vitruvius can rest. If I am away, I will order him to remain with you at all times to protect my property, thus allowing him to stay inside the tent without arousing too much suspicion.”
Melissa was far from impressed. Despite her earlier misgivings, she knew that having Antony so close could be an advantage in terms of their safety, but it would present its own problems. Rebecca would struggle to separate this Mark Antony from the Anthony Marcus she adored, and she might willingly go to the former’s bed if the temptation became too great.
“The question is whether I can trust you to exercise the same restraint as your men?” Melissa asked coldly.
Antony smiled at her with the same smug air of satisfaction. He wanted Melissa within reach of him at all times, in the hope that she would let her guard drop and be more easily caught out. He was surprised at how willing she was to consider his suggestion, but was eager to press his advantage rather than quiz her further at this stage. “I give you my word that all the while Caesar wishes it so, I will not touch you. Should the situation change he will give you to me and so it is sensible for you to be within easy reach. Do we have an agreement?” Antony extended his hand towards Melissa in a businesslike fashion to seal the deal. He had no intention of letting her think too long.
Melissa hesitated. They would be safer with Antony than apart from him, that was certain, but there was still her worry over Rebecca. She looked at the girl who had sat quietly eating throughout the conversation, and tried to decide whether it was worth taking the chance. Rebecca did not notice Melissa was looking at her. She was too busy staring at Antony.
Antony moved his hand backwards slightly as if to withdraw the offer, forcing Melissa to choose. She stood and grabbed his forearm in the typical Roman way, allowing him to do the same to her. “Yes, we have an agreement,” she replied, but could not hide the nervousness she felt at her decision. Melissa knew he was going to make the situation almost impossible for her to control.
“Good! I will tell Caesar it is so.” Antony’s eyes twinkled wickedly as he relished how easily he had won. “Get them ready to leave, Vitruvius. I do not want them to hold us up.” He stood up and left without another word.
Vitruvius too was concerned at the thought of Antony being so close to the women every night. He was loyal to Antony and would give his life for him if he was asked to do so, but he still regarded him as one of the biggest threats he would have to face to keep these women from harm. He had a feeling that the older one could put up a good fight and would be too much trouble for Antony or Curio to bother with, but Re
becca looked so delicate either one of them could crush her like an ant.
Vitruvius shifted his attention to Melissa. “You need to eat as your friend has done. It will be late before we stop again. I have sworn an oath to Caesar to protect you and I will do so, but you will need to do exactly as I say at all times. Do you understand me?” Melissa nodded.
Vitruvius crouched down in front of Rebecca. He reached forward towards her face, but she pulled back in terror. “Tell her I do not intend to hurt her, but I wish to look at her wound.”
Melissa spoke quietly to Rebecca and put her arm around her comfortingly. “It’s OK; he just wants to look at your face. He wants to help us.”
Rebecca moved forward slightly, allowing Vitruvius to examine her face. His hands were rough, but he was surprisingly gentle with her as he pressed along her jaw line and up onto her cheek to gauge the extent of the damage. Rebecca flinched as he got closer to the cut.
He spoke to Melissa without taking his eyes off Rebecca. “Tell her I do not believe the bone is broken, but it will take time to heal.” Melissa translated for him as he spoke. He ran his hand into Rebecca’s hair and gently pulled it down from behind her ear to cover the good side of her face. “Tell her to keep her hair like so. Display the bruise prominently, not the undamaged side. Antony is correct; it will put some of the men off. The others will most likely think he gave it to her for resisting him. It will help to mark her as his property.” He turned his head to Melissa. “Perhaps I should hit you also?”
“No, thank you. I will take my chances. Some of the men saw Antony kiss me outside Caesar’s tent. That will be good enough to mark me as his.” Melissa was appalled at the suggestion Vitruvius had made, but she appreciated he meant it with the best intentions.
Vitruvius nodded thoughtfully. “Most probably, it is a start at least. I would suggest that you do not encourage him to kiss you again, he will most likely take it as an invitation and I will not intervene to save your life if you encourage him. I will get you cloaks so you can cover yourselves. Now hurry up and eat, for all our sakes.” He stood up and left, pausing at the door to look at Rebecca one last time.
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