The Gladiator

'We'll make a show of ma

'I hope so.'

Macro glanced at his friend and saw the young man's concerned expression. 'You're worried about Julia.'

'Of course I am.'

'I'll make sure she's safe. If it looks like the acropolis is going to fall, then I'll do my best to protect her and get her safely away'

'And if you can't?'

'Then I will protect her until they cut me down.'

Cato was silent for a moment. 'I wouldn't want them to harm her.

If there was any risk of the slaves taking her alive...'

'Look here, Cato,' Macro began awkwardly. 'I'm not prepared to prevent her falling into their hands. If that's what you mean.'

He paused and cleared his throat.' Not unless you really want me to.'

'No. I wouldn't ask that of you, or anyone. That's her choice.'

'I suppose.' Macro poked his vine stick at a crack in the stonework. 'She's a brave one, and proud too. She'll do what's right, if the time comes.'

Cato felt his stomach lurch. This conversation did not feel real.

They were talking in the calm, measured tones of men who might be casually discussing the solution to some kind of technical problem. The image of Julia, powerless and terrified before the faceless rage of the vengeful slaves, filled his heart with a pain he had not known before. At the same time, he could not bear the thought of her being put to death, even to spare her a worse fate before death eventually came. He felt sick and gripped the edge of the parapet with his fingers. It was tempting to abandon his journey to Alexandria and remain in Gortyna to defend Julia. After all, the Legate of Egypt would probably deny them the forces needed to put down the revolt. It was a fool's errand.

He took a deep breath to calm his growing anxiety and pushed himself away from the wall, and straightened up. 'Well, let's hope that it doesn't come to that. I'll return as soon as I can.'

'You do that.'

They clasped arms and then Macro nodded towards the administration building. 'Have you said goodbye to Julia yet?'

'No. I've been putting it off. I don't know who she is more angry at, me for going or her father for sending me.'

Macro chuckled and slapped Cato on the shoulder. 'I warned you, old son. A soldier should never let himself get too involved with the fairer sex. It unmans him, and preoccupies his mind when it should be focused on other things.'

'Too true,' Cato replied. 'Too bloody true. Anyway, here I go.'

He raised his hand in mock salute.' Those who are about to die salute you!'

Macro laughed as he turned away and made his way along the wall towards the gatehouse, where some of the auxiliaries were struggling to mount an old ballista that had been discovered in the acropolis's armoury.

Cato climbed down from the rampart and wearily made his way across to the administration building. Julia was in the office, head bent over a table of figures. She did not look up as Cato entered the room.

'What do you want?'

Cato swallowed nervously. 'I've come to say goodbye.'

'Is that all?' she replied quietly, still not looking up. 'Well, you've said it, so you can go now.'

Cato stood in the doorway, torn between leaving the fraught atmosphere, and never wanting to leave her presence ever again.

Then he saw a falling twinkle of light, caught by the sunshine pouring through the window and realised it was a tear. At once his heart was filled with the warm ache of compassion, and he swept across the room and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he tenderly kissed the back of her head.

'Julia, my love, don't cry.'

'I'm not crying,' she mumbled even as her slight frame trembled.

'I'm not.'

Cato gently drew her up from her seat and put his arms around her, holding her close to his chest as she buried her face in the folds of his cloak.

'It's not fair... We should never have ended up here. We should have been in Rome by now, pla

'We're here because we're here,' said Cato. 'There's nothing we can do to change that, Julia.'

'I know that. I'm not a fool.' She looked up, eyes red-rimmed and glassy. Her lip trembled as she continued. 'But why do you have to leave me?'

'Because I must. Your father has ordered it.'

'Why didn't he send Macro instead?'

'He thought I was best suited to carry out the task. He needs me to do it. He's depending on me, Julia. And so are you, Macro and everyone else here. If I succeed, there's a chance we may defeat the rebels and go to Rome as we pla

She stared at him and then nodded reluctantly.

'You must be brave.' Cato lifted her chin and kissed her. 'I will return.'

'Swear that you will be careful.'

'I will be careful, I swear by all the gods.'

They looked into each other's eyes and then kissed again, before Julia abruptly broke free of his arms and eased Cato back.' Then go, my darling. Now '

Cato almost felt a pain as she separated from him and nearly gave way to the impulse to hold her again. One last time. But he nodded slowly, and then turned towards the do or and strode steadily out of the room, along the corridor and down into the courtyard without once looking back. He did not trust himself to.

The shepherd paused as he reached a bend in the track and pointed towards the sea. As he drew level with the man, Cato reined in and looked down on the fishing village. To call it a port was a bit of an overstatement, Cato reflected as he scrutinised the scattered handful of dwellings that fringed a narrow curve of grey sand between two rocky headlands. The water was clear all the way out past the headlands that protected the bay. The wave that had destroyed the port at Matala had swept past Ciprana, causing much less damage. A few houses closest to the shore had been destroyed, but those built on the slope well above the sand had survived intact. Most of the fishing boats and the nets that had been drying on frames by the shore had not been sofortunate. They had been washed away and smashed against the rocks of the headland. Some of the least damaged boats had been salvaged and were being repaired on the beach. Only one was drawn up on the sand ready for use.

'Come on.' Cato waved to his escort and they continued in single file. A short distance further on, the track began to wind its way down the hill in a long series of zigzags. As the small party began its descent, a few of the villagers had emerged from their homes and were watching the approaching strangers cautiously. Cato saw one of them run towards the largest of the buildings, and a short time later a group of men emerged and made their way across to the place where the track entered the village and waited for the Romans.

Cato raised a hand in greeting as he approached the men. Behind him, the guide and Cato's escort looked round warily.

'Stop there!' one of the villagers called out in Greek as he stepped forward and pointed at Cato.' Who are you?'

'Tribune Quintus Licinius Cato, from Gortyna.'

'Really?' The villagers' leader was a broad-shouldered man with short, powerful legs and tightly curled grey hair. He cocked his head on one side and continued in a suspicious tone. 'What brings you here, Roman?'

'I am on imperial business. Urgent imperial business.'

'What business?'

Cato reined in a short distance from the man. 'I am carrying a message from the governor of the province to the Legate of Egypt. I need a boat to take me and my men to Alexandria.'

'Why would such an important official come here for a boat?'