"Courier. You have heard Caesar tell you what he desires. If you will listen, though, there is more I would have of you."
"Would you?"
"I began to tell you at camp, but we were not truly alone, or not enough for me to speak freely." Vulpes paused, one of the few times she'd ever seen him at a loss for words. Though he recovered his speech shortly, she filed away the mental image for reference. "You know I would give my life for Caesar. Any soldier in the Legion would do the same."
The Courier nodded, and he continued.
"Unless another successor is found, rule of the Legion will pass to Legate Lanius when Caesar dies. Have you heard of him?"
The Courier shuddered.
"Is something the matter?"
"His name was mentioned at the camp. I was told to beware of him." That much was true, making improvisation easier. "They said he'd been following me at a distance since I arrived."
"I did not see him." Vulpes's voice stayed the same, but his grip on her thigh had tightened.
"Perhaps they imagined it, then. I gather you don't like him?"
"A fine warrior. Finer even than myself." Another pause, and Vulpes did not speak until the Courier put her arm about his shoulder. "Unsuited for command of a nation."
"Caesar wouldn't appoint someone like that, would he?"
"He has had little choice. Until now." He looked her in the eye, unblinking. "If a woman may be a doctor or a priestess, perhaps one may become an Empress."
The Courier gasped.
"You don't mean-"
"I do not know. I have done my best to convince Caesar to turn his gaze toward a certain woman, beloved by all the tribes he wishes to join him. A woman already believed by some to have strange powers, rising from the dead when assassins laid her low. The Legion would continue to be a great power, but now with a face to inspire love."
So that's what his game was. A power grab, with her as figurehead. At least he'd put all his cards on the table now, and she wouldn't have to keep guessing.
"I- I would need to think about that. I've sort of blundered my way through this far, I don't know if I could manage-"
Vulpes shut her up with a kiss. This one took her by surprise, and left her gasping.
Torch Songs 8/?
"Would you?"
"I began to tell you at camp, but we were not truly alone, or not enough for me to speak freely." Vulpes paused, one of the few times she'd ever seen him at a loss for words. Though he recovered his speech shortly, she filed away the mental image for reference. "You know I would give my life for Caesar. Any soldier in the Legion would do the same."
The Courier nodded, and he continued.
"Unless another successor is found, rule of the Legion will pass to Legate Lanius when Caesar dies. Have you heard of him?"
The Courier shuddered.
"Is something the matter?"
"His name was mentioned at the camp. I was told to beware of him." That much was true, making improvisation easier. "They said he'd been following me at a distance since I arrived."
"I did not see him." Vulpes's voice stayed the same, but his grip on her thigh had tightened.
"Perhaps they imagined it, then. I gather you don't like him?"
"A fine warrior. Finer even than myself." Another pause, and Vulpes did not speak until the Courier put her arm about his shoulder. "Unsuited for command of a nation."
"Caesar wouldn't appoint someone like that, would he?"
"He has had little choice. Until now." He looked her in the eye, unblinking. "If a woman may be a doctor or a priestess, perhaps one may become an Empress."
The Courier gasped.
"You don't mean-"
"I do not know. I have done my best to convince Caesar to turn his gaze toward a certain woman, beloved by all the tribes he wishes to join him. A woman already believed by some to have strange powers, rising from the dead when assassins laid her low. The Legion would continue to be a great power, but now with a face to inspire love."
So that's what his game was. A power grab, with her as figurehead. At least he'd put all his cards on the table now, and she wouldn't have to keep guessing.
"I- I would need to think about that. I've sort of blundered my way through this far, I don't know if I could manage-"
Vulpes shut her up with a kiss. This one took her by surprise, and left her gasping.
"I know you could, Courier. And that is enough."