Descendants of Rome (#3 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

With Ahern's small hands gripping onto her waist, Marcia pushed her horse up the steep embankment and through the opening gates.

Her knees brushed the wooden doors as they were opened just enough to allow them to pass through.

Pulling her horse around in the courtyard, Marcia remained in the saddle with her brother and watched Lazarus charge through next; Cassia sat in front of him as he held Zeph under his arm.

The fort was a hive of activity as Marcia slipped to the ground from her horse and reached out to Ahern.

Pulling him down into her arms and holding him close, she felt his arms tighten around her neck, unwilling to let go as he began to cry against her shoulder in relief.

Moving forward, Marcia maneourved herself through the crowds and towards the gate, her eyes peeled to the front as she waited for their parents to return.

There was a lump in her throat as she heard Artorius call his children's names.

Looking out of the corner of her eye she saw Cassia run into her father's arms before he scooped her off the ground; his other arm reaching down to pick up Zeph.

A second later Lazarus was by her side, reassuring her, "They'll be here."

Marcia jerked her head in a nod before she looked at Lazarus as she remembered Krista, seeing her laid on the ground beneath Octavia, and she knew that he had seen it also.

Children grew up thinking that their parents were invincible and nothing could touch them; the children of Gladiators believed it even more so.

However, today they had come face to face with reality.

Marcia saw the worry in his eyes, despite how much he tried to hide it, "She'll be okay." Marcia returned the favour.

Lazarus turned and smiled at her when someone shouted about the return of the gladiators.

Everyone seemed to surge forward, hoping beyond hope that their leaders had returned victorious and there would be no need for them to die today.

Unfortunately, they were faced with the opposite as their eyes settled on the beaten bodies of the gladiators.

Krista drew the most attention as the crowd parted to allow her past, people too afraid to stand near her.

Their conversation turned to whispers as they saw her condition; it made the people's belief waver.

Lazarus and Marcia were at the front of the crowd and they saw Krista approach; blood ran down the side of her face from a cut to her temple, as well as from the corner of her mouth, dirt covered her flesh and lumped together in her wounds as she limped past them.

"Marcia! Ahern!" Diomed exclaimed when he spotted them in the crowd, running over with Frieda.

Marcia handed Ahern to their mother whilst she hugged her father, "What happened?" Marcia asked him.

Lazarus was listening close by as her father replied, "Octavia knew about our men in the woods and was waiting for them."

Marcia looked to Lazarus.

"Come," Diomed urged them to follow, so they did.

Krista sat down on an empty barrel and rubbed her jaw delicately, inspecting that she still had all of her teeth, when she reached for Zeph, needing to feel him in arms.

"Mama," Zeph cried and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

Krista allowed her eyes to shut as she inhaled his sweet baby smell that somehow still lingered on his skin. It soothed her in this time of need, and she tried to imprint it on her mind.