Chapter 50

Hadrian hurried forward, pushing those men aside that were too slow, and looked up ahead.

The corners of his mouth which had been tilted upwards, waiting to break out into a grin of triumph when he saw Krista's dead body, instead vanished when he laid eyes upon the scene in front of him.

He did not see Krista's lifeless form, instead he saw his men fighting a pack of followers, blindly faithful to Krista, which remained behind.

Amongst the fighting, Hadrian caught sight of a body being dragged from the field, her legs running along the ground trying to keep up with those that carried her.

The corners of his mouth now dropped and his lips parted to speak but it wasn't his voice he heard.

"Make way! Make way!" The voice was shouting just before the rhythmic beating of a drum started, filling the air around them.

It felt as if each beat ran through the earth beneath him and vibrated up through the soles of his boots, shaking his very bones.

Turning slowly, Hadrian saw lines and lines of infantryman falling to their knees and bowing their heads around him until he was the only man left standing, apart from those which continued to fight in the distance.

Hadrian's heart was thumping against his chest as he looked up and saw the thick neck of a black horse. It gave a loud neigh and shook its mane as Hadrian watched him.

Looking upwards, past the mane and up the arms of the man holding the reigns, Hadrian felt his bottom lip tremble slightly when he saw who was riding.

"Emperor Trajan," Hadrian fell to his knees immediately before him, "Sire, you are-"

"-Where is Commander Octavia?" The Emperor interrupted him and glanced around the field at those bowed before him.

"Emperor-" Hadrian found it difficult to speak.

"Bring her forward!" Trajan ordered.

There was a moment of silence where Hadrian saw those nearest to him look at each other for guidance in what they should do.

Hadrian gave a small nod of his head and two men got to their feet, still bowing to the Emperor as they walked back as far as they could before having to turn around.

Hadrian did not know what was happening behind him but when he glanced a look up at the Emperor, and at Polonius who was sat on his own horse next to Trajan, he could see the confusion etched across his face before his eyes widened in realisation.

A few moments later Octavia's body was laid on the ground beside Hadrian and before the Emperor.

The two men stepped back and knelt once again.

Polonius climbed down from his horse and walked over to Octavia's body. He crouched beside her, his back to Hadrian so he could not see what he was doing.

A moment later he stood and told the Emperor, "She is dead."

Hadrian noted that there was no sympathy in his voice.

Emperor Trajan was equally unmoved by his Commander's death. His voice sounded slightly strained but as he asked the following question but that was all, "How did she die?"

Hadrian looked at the ground.

"Answer me!" Trajan ordered

But when Hadrian did not respond, knowing what the answer meant, the Emperor turned to the men who had carried her body.

"You there, tell me, how did your Commander meet her death?"

The men looked in utter fear as they answered, "She- She challenged Krista, Sire."

"I see," Trajan nodded, a ghost of a smile coming to his lips, "Then let that be the end of it."

"Sire!?" Hadrian lifted his head and shouted at the Emperor.

Trajan narrowed his eyes, "Commander Octavia went against my wishes. Instead of quelling a simple rebellion, she has caused further unrest among my empire."

Hadrian frowned.

"As you have been fighting here, in a small part of Gallia, other uprisings have been occurring across the land. Slaves are breaking free and killing their masters, peasants are taking up arms and refusing to pay their taxes."

"Sire," Hadrian bowed.

"Polonius was the only man good enough to inform me of what has been happening here and, it is for that reason why I shall be appointing him as the new Commander of my Legions."

Hadrian clenched his jaw and looked up at Polonius from the corner of his eye.

"What would you have me do, Sire?" Hadrian looked back down.

"Call all your men back," Trajan told him, "We leave for Rome immediately."

"Retreat? But Sire-" Hadrian rushed to his feet, "What of those who still remain in the fort?"

Trajan looked up towards the building on the hill where someone had just disappeared inside, the front double doors shutting behind him.

"Leave them," Trajan answered to a crowd of murmurs, "Too much blood has already been shed here. I doubt," Trajan added when he saw Hadrian about to speak again, "A handful of farmers are going to give us much trouble."

Before Hadrian could speak again, Trajan turned his horse until it was beside Polonius's, who was seated in his saddle once more.

"Emperor," Polonius awaited his orders.

"I wish for you to send a message on my behalf." Trajan smiled.

* * *

"Shut the gates! Get them shut now!" Someone shouted as they re-entered the fort.

Those which had been left behind positioned themselves in a circle around the courtyard, watching silently as they returned but Lazarus barely looked at them.

His arm was wrapped around his mother's waist, helping to support her, whilst Marcia stood on the other side.

Krista's arms were stretched over the back of their necks and Lazarus could feel her fingers gripping his shoulder.

His sword bashed against his knee as they crossed the courtyard.

The sound of their boots scuffing against the ground as they walked, and their ragged breathing, was the only noise he could hear, until the sound of the gates closing behind them cut through the air.

It was a sound that signalled that they were safe, that the horde of Roman infantryman was far away enough for now not to do them further harm.

As the noise echoed out of the courtyard, Krista's feet, which had been partly carrying her onwards, crumpled beneath her and she slid out of his arms with a cry of pain.

"No, Mother-" Lazarus reached for her and, as he did so, he slid to the ground on his knees.

Krista was panting heavily as she landed on her back, her eyes clenched shut in pain as her hand reached up to cover her side which was drenched in her own blood.

Lazarus touched her shoulder, "Mother?"

Krista blinked her eyes open and turned her head slowly to look at him.

There was a smile on her lips and her eyes held a distant look to them as she gazed up at him.

It was the same way she had looked at him and Marcia when they had rescued her a few moments earlier; they held wonder and amazement.

"You-" Her voice was hoarse as she spoke, "You look so much like your father." Krista reached out and trailed her fingertips across his cheek before her arm fell like dead weight back to her side.

Lazarus clutched at her hand, tears filling his eyes, "Father . . . he's- is he-?"

Krista did not speak a word, the thoughts too painful for her, but the haunted expression in her eyes when she looked up at him was enough of an answer.

Lazarus clenched his eyes shut in agony, trying his best not to reach for his sword and run straight at the Roman army.

"My- My parents . . ." Marcia knelt beside Krista, "Are they too . . ." Marcia couldn't utter the word.

Krista nodded and squeezed her hand.

Marcia stared down at Krista for what felt like eternity. She wasn't aware that she had blinked in all of that time.

She had been clinging to the belief that Varinius was wrong, that he had only been attempting to upset them, to unnerve them. She was confident that her parents would live, that they were too good and precious to be killed.

Marcia hung her head, her hair slipping down to create a curtain between herself and the world from where it had broken free of its braid.

The silence around them was absolute. Nobody spoke nor dare draw breath as they watched.

Marcia could not remain still any longer and she stormed to her feet, Krista's hand slipping from hers as she turned and stormed into the crowd.

Her parents could not be dead. Krista was wrong. Marcia knew she was right about a lot of things but this . . . she must be wrong about this.

However she only made it a few steps when she heard a gut-wrenching small choke behind her.

"No!" Lazarus shouted and as Marcia turned she saw that he was now holding both of Krista's hands, resting them above her chest as he called to her.

"Stay with me," Lazarus begged her, "You cannot leave! We need you- I need you!"

Marcia heard the agony in Lazarus's voice and stepped forward to comfort him when she stopped.

Krista's chest was rising and falling rapidly, her lips parted, as she took large gulps of air, trying to soothe the burning sensation that was coursing through her lungs.

But she seemed unable to stop this approaching tide and this, she realised, was one battle she did not wish to fight.

Why prolong the pain when giving in meant she would see Artorius again?

Krista turned to Lazarus and gripped his hands tightly where they were already clenching hers, "Look . . . look after y- your brother and sister."

Lazarus clenched his jaw, "No, you're going to be fine," He released one of his hands and pressed it against her wound.

He shouted for someone to bring him some rags and water.

Nobody moved. Everybody's eyes were transfixed upon Krista's body.

The famous Gladiatrix- the famous warrior - that had rallied them to fight, the woman they had promised to die for, was now perishing before their eyes.

It seemed impossible that this great woman- the woman that had defeated an empire, could die.

"Why are you not helping!?" Lazarus turned and screamed at those around him.

Krista groaned in agony as she reached out and clasped her hand to his cheek, turning him back to look at her.

Her face was contorted in concentration, trying to stay alive long enough to say what had to be said but even now she could feel her heart beating its last few beats.

"I- I know I said . . . that you weren't- but you are," Krista winced, "You- you are a good warrior-"

"No," Lazarus knew there was only one reason she was saying this, "No, there is still much for me to learn. You need to stay alive to teach me."

"I- I need you to . . ." Krista shut her eyes momentarily against the pain, "to do something for me . . . Something I could not."

Krista crashed back to the ground on her back, unable to support her weight for much longer.

"What?" Lazarus leaned in close, "What is it, mother? Tell me and I shall do it!"

Krista looked deep into his eyes. They were barely a few inches apart and he could see the gold flecks in her eyes.

As he stared into those magnificent eyes, Lazarus could see her as a young girl fighting upon the sands- he could see her whole life flashing before him up until this point.

Lazarus spoke softly as he began to accept he could not stop this, "What do you need me to do?"

The corner of Krista's lips tilted up in a small smile and spoke clearly, "Let me go."

Tears spilled down his face as he heard her words, "I- I love you," He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead.

Pulling back a little, he looked down and saw that she was smiling up at him, "They- They are waiting."

Krista's eyes darted past his shoulder, looking up at the sky with confidence.

Lazarus looked over his shoulder but all he saw was the sky alight with sharp reds and oranges as the last few drops of sunlight were bled to give way to the night.

As he was looking at the sky, Lazarus felt Krista die as the air around him grew too silent. He could no longer hear her laboured breathing as she fought to remain here.

He closed his eyes as an unimaginable pain engulfed his body and a large void opened up in his chest.

Turning around, Lazarus opened his eyes reluctantly to see his mother laid out before him. He was still holding her hands but her chest was no longer rising and falling rapidly.

Her fingers had relinquished their hold on his, and somehow the world already felt a lot emptier.

Her head had lolled to the side and Lazarus saw a stain of blood trickling from her lips. Her eyes were open and staring at the sky.

Lazarus's hand trembled as he reached out and closed her eyes.

His heart was eclipsed with pain as he leaned back on his haunches and let out a guttural, heart-wrenching scream of pain that felt as if it would tear his throat in two.

When there was no longer any air left for him to scream, he collapsed forward and began to cry silently over his mother's body.

Marcia stood and watched Lazarus with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Krista, the woman who Marcia had grown up hearing stories about from her Mama and Papa, had died before her very eyes.

Her story was legendary and it seemed against nature that she could be killed.

The small handful of people that lined the courtyard were fixed to the spot in shock and awe. Marcia could see that a few were crying, others and removed their swords and were kneeling before them in honour of their fallen leader.

Silence reigned over them when there was the sound of a knock at the gates.

Marcia lifted her head with the others, but Lazarus remained where he was. He seemed unwilling, or unable, to hear anything.

There was another, more persistent, knock before a voice called out to them, "I CARRY A MESSAGE FROM THE EMPEROR TRAJAN TO THE LEADER OF THE GALLIA REBELLION."

Everyone broke out in whispers as they heard the Roman Emperor's name.

"COME FORTH AND RECEIVE THE MESSAGE!"

Everyone looked to Lazarus before they turned to her.

Marcia turned numbly and walked over to the gate but before she could reach it, Marcia was halted before a line of warriors.

They looked at each other hesitantly before one spoke in a soft tone, his eyes darting over to Lazarus still knelt on the ground, "Is this wise . . .?"

Marcia did not say anything, she no longer cared, and she simply stared at them each in turn.

They must have seen something in her gaze as they stepped back and allowed her past.

She opened the gate and walked out, a man followed her out. She neither thanked him nor cared.

She was met with three Roman cavalry in a arrowhead formation.

"Yes?" Marcia demanded.

The Roman at the front glared down at her, "Emperor Trajan has ordered all of his forces to return to Rome and . . ." The man looked at his comrades, as if he did not wish to say the next part.

"And?" Marcia snapped.

"And has declared this battle won by the gallant and sacrificing effort of the Gallia Rebellion."

Marcia's eyes widened his shocked.

"The Emperor requests an audience with the leader of the Rebellion before dawn."

Fulfilling his duty and imparting the message bestowed upon him, the cavalry man turned and cantered off down the hill, his comrades following close behind.

"What was that about?" The man asked from behind her.

"I think we just won." Marcia watched the trio of cavalry speed off into the distance, thinking that it had come only an hour too late.