The Centurion's Woman

Chapter 26

CW - violence.

VERUS'S FATHER MADE the day into a party, celebrating the survival and retirement of his son. Everyone who was anyone in Verona was in attendance, at least those with daughters of a marriageable age. Quintus grinned behind his hand as another young woman was repelled from the sullen ex-First File by his latest scathing comment.

        "May I speak with you?" Quintus asked politely from slightly behind Verus, his tone privately quiet. Verus turned toward him, his mouth snapping shut on the intended insult, leaving Quintus again fighting with a grin. "Now that you're free of the Legions, a greater effort in being polite to your... peers may serve you well," Quintus chided. Verus looked away, glaring at another young lady obviously working up the nerve to speak to him. She met his gaze for a moment and turned back to the conversation her father was engaged in.

        "I was released from the Legion," Verus spit the sentence as if the words left a foul taste in his mouth. "But Ennius offered to keep me as his... pet."

        Quintus let the silence hang for a few moments.

        "I have a friend who offers you work that would keep you close to the Legions, if that would interest you?"

        That caught the younger man's attention. They walked to a quiet corner, Verus leaning heavily on his cane, and Quintus presented the offer that Sertor had sent by messenger to Quintus: confirm if Verus was able to start learning the trade of being trusted implicitly by the Emperor. When they parted, Verus was in obviously better spirits, and Quintus was confident he'd made an excellent recommendation for Sertor's successor.

        After an appropriate amount of attention was placed on a girl that had been desperately vying for Verus's attention throughout the afternoon, to the point she was now gloating, a shadow passed over Verus's face and he quietly took his leave from his father and his father's current wife on the excuse of his leg bothering him in a worse fashion than for most of the day. He quietly left the gathering, ensuring that the Lady Healer didn't see him leave. As had been his task for many years, Quintus followed the man that Sertor had identified, ensuring not to be noticed. This evening, that was a surprisingly easy thing to do as the younger man was absorbed in his own thoughts, limping badly when he eventually turned into a lodge.

        Quintus followed him inside an inconspicuous amount of time later, joining Verus at the table nearest the window as if by chance. Quintus made note of every turning in the conversation and the outward tells he knew of his nephew, finding nothing out of the ordinary in Verus's habits or speech. The same finding as he'd often boasted to Sertor in the past when promoting Verus as a successor.

        Quintus left first, tucking easily into a dark corner in the street to wait. Some hours later, Verus emerged, his steps uncertain and leaning heavily on the cane. Quintus thought for a moment to aid his nephew, but Verus called out to one of the passing Legionnaires – Marcus Lucilius, Quintus recognized with a start – and they walked away together. Staying well back, Quintus followed them.

                                                                 ***

        "On your way to the prostitutes?" Verus asked lightly once he'd caught up.

        "The body's needs must be met," Marcus shrugged, closing his eyes against staring at the ex-officer before turning away.

        "Very true," Verus agreed. "We should walk together, as we're both now going the same way."

        Marcus fought and lost the internal battle to say no. Verus held a one-sided discussion of what he was interested in from a prostitute, beginning by describing nearly the exact sex they'd already had, then adding more about what Marcus had shown the most interest in that night. The reaction from Marcus was exactly what Verus was looking to see by the time they arrived.