Centurion

Vabathus sighed. 'Have you finished, my son?' When there was no reply, the king gestured towards Sempronius. 'You see? What hope is there for Palmyra?'

'There is always hope,Your Majesty,' Sempronius replied smoothly. 'I am certain that whoever succeeds you will be able to count on the friendship and support of Rome. Rome never abandons her allies.'

Prince Balthus laughed at that, and turned to face the ambassador. 'It's fu

Amethus scrambled off his couch and glared down at his father. 'No brains… That's what you said. No brains. No mind of my own. Well, let me tell you… I've had enough of it. I'm not an idiot. I may not have the intell…' He paused and his brow twisted in concentration. 'Intelli…'

'Intellect?' Balthus suggested. 'Intelligence?'

Amethus nodded vigorously. 'Yes! That's the word.'

'Which one?'

'Both. Either. Anyway, the point is I still have a good heart. I know right from wrong and I would be a good king. That's what Krathos says. So I've had enough of being called a fool!'

Amethus turned and strode across the roof garden and disappeared through the formal doorway, leaving the other guests shocked by the ope

Vabathus shook his head sadly. 'You see what I have to put up with. You see my dilemma? I could weep for my people.'

Cato and Macro had been startled by the previous outbursts and an embarrassed silence hung over those seated around the banquet tables. At length Sempronius cleared his throat and spoke in as reasonable a tone as he could manage. 'It has been a long day, Your Majesty. I expect everyone is exhausted.'

'Yes.' The king smiled. 'Too tired to tame their tongues.'

'Then perhaps we should all retire for the evening. I am sure that Centurion Macro and Prefect Cato are most grateful for the honour you have shown them tonight and would not object to an early end to the banquet, to allow tempers to cool.'

'You are right,' the king conceded. 'It would be for the best.'

The guests began to rise from their couches to take their leave of the king. Balthus went with them. Macro glanced round and then pulled a bread basket towards him and started loading it with the food spread out on the other platters. 'Here, Cato, lend a hand.'

Cato frowned.'I'm not sure if this is the time or place for foraging.'

'Well, if it isn't, when is? Suit yourself.' Macro cleared a few more platters and then grasped the handles of the basket and turned towards the king.

'Er, thanks once again, your majesty.'

Vabathus acknowledged the remark with a lift of his fingers and continued chewing slowly. The Romans were almost the last to leave, and as they reached the entrance to the roof garden Cato looked back and saw the lonely figure of the king sitting at the abandoned banquet, with only his chamberlain still standing before him to keep him company. Night had fallen and the velvet heavens were sprinkled with stars. Low on the horizon a nearly full moon was rising over the desert, bathing it in a faint ethereal blue glow.

Cato fell in alongside the others.'Even if we do hold out until Longinus arrives, what will become of Palmyra?'

Sempronius shook his head. 'I don't know. Unless Vabathus chooses an heir we can work with, Rome will have to intervene.'

'Intervene?'

Sempronius glanced round hurriedly and lowered his voice. 'A

Macro nodded. 'With those two sons of his, there is nothing else.'

As they headed down the corridor to leave the royal quarters Cato found himself walking alongside Julia. Her scent came to him again and as a warm rush of longing swept through his body he felt his heart beating against his chest. More than anything in the world he wanted to ask her to come to the signal tower again and gaze out over the city and the surrounding landscape. This time he would not be surprised by her presence, and it would go far better. He had sensed some kindred feeling in her and the desperation to know if he was right gnawed at him.

They reached the end of the corridor, and the arch that gave out on to the paved area between the buildings and the gate. The ambassador's quarters were one way, and Macro and Cato's the other.

Sempronius paused and clasped each officer's arm in turn. 'Fine work this morning. When I get back to Rome I will be sure to inform the Emperor.'

'Thank you, sir,' Macro replied.

Cato nodded.

'Well, then, good night. Come on, my dear.' The ambassador and his daughter took a step away.

'Julia,' Cato blurted out. They paused.

'Yes?'

'I wondered… I wonder if you would do me the honour of walking with me.' Cato winced at the awkwardness of his words.

'Walking with you?' Julia arched one of her fine eyebrows. 'Where?'

'Ah! The, er, same place as last night, I was thinking.'

Sempronius turned to her and smiled as he patted her cheek. 'There, I told you the prefect was interested in you. Go, my child. Walk, talk, but nothing else, mind. Cato, I trust you are an honourable man.'

'Yes, sir.'

Sempronius stared at him for a moment, and a flicker of anxiety crossed his face before he smiled. 'Good night to you all, then.'

He turned away and made off through the moonlight towards his quarters. Macro shifted awkwardly. 'Me too. I'll see you later, Cato.You too, miss.Tomorrow I mean.' Macro turned away, took a few steps and then paused. 'Want me to save you any of the food?'

'No, thank you. I'm fine.'

'Well then. Be good.' Macro nodded and trudged off into the darkness. Cato and Julia listened to his footsteps fading away, and then turned to each other with shy expressions. Julia's lips parted in a smile.

'Now that the parents have gone…'

They both laughed, and then Cato took her arm in his and tugged gently. 'Let's go, then.'

The anxiety of a moment ago had disappeared and in its place he felt a pure joy at being with her, even here in the besieged citadel, sensing the warmth and softness of her arm against his in the cool night air. They walked in silence for a moment before Julia spoke.

'I feel so sorry for him.'

'Hmm?'

'King Vabathus. He looks so weary, so heartbroken.'

'Yes,' Cato said vaguely. The comment had jolted him back from his little reverie and now the prospect of the troubled days to come settled on him like a dead weight. 'It can't be easy for him, but he has to be strong for all our sakes. If he lets the situation in the citadel overwhelm him, then Artaxes has won, and we…' He could not complete the sentence as a vision of Julia lying amongst the slaughtered Romans flitted through his head. 'Anyway, let's not think about it. It's early, and there's so much I want to say.'

'Like what?'

Cato laughed. 'I don't know. Nothing… Everything. I don't care.'

'Oh dear.' Julia knitted her brows. 'That doesn't sound very specific. But I'm sure we will manage.' She gave his arm a little squeeze as they reached the base of the signal tower and stepped into the dark entrance to the staircase.

'Careful,' Cato warned. 'It's pitch black in there.'

Julia lightly stepped ahead of him. 'Coward. There's nothing to be-'

She gave a sharp cry and pitched forward.

'Julia!' Cato leaned forward and felt for her arm. As he found it, his fingers closed and he lifted her back to her feet and out of the darkened entrance. She looked shaken and Cato saw that there was a dark smear down the front of her stola.

'There's someone in there.' Her voice trembled. 'I tripped over him.'