©2002 by WILDBEARIES

This story is based on characters created in the film, "Gladiator" and in no way intended to infringe upon those characters or the story of that film. References to real people are strictly the product of the writer's imagination and meant to entertain the reader.
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Gaul in the winter, Maximus decided, must be Hades on Earth. He had thought for years that northern Germania held that distinction, having lived through numerous winter seasons on campaign there, but for sheer bone-chilling cold and dampness, Gaul far surpassed its northern neighbor. He rubbed his hands over the charcoal brazier in his command tent before walking back to resume his seat at the map table.

They were two months gone from Spain and he had begun to question his wisdom in accepting the assignment to chase down the rebellious unit of the Victrix Legion. They seemed to have melted into the snow and mud - which, upon reflection, wouldn't be a bad thing except they kept popping out to raid the farms and homes of the local citizenry, who were fed up with losing livestock, grain, stores of dried vegetables as well as manpower to the rebels.

Antoninus recognized the lines of frustration on Maximus' face and, with a glance of assent from his commander, dismissed the staff meeting for the day. "That's all, gentlemen," he said quietly, "you have your direction."

The centurions, legates and tribunes filed out, scattering once outside the command tent to go to their various units and commence the day's activities. Antoninus gestured to Gaius Strabo, the general's aide, who came forward with heated wine and honey to pour into their cups. "Thank you," Maximus said absently, his eyes studying the map where they'd been tracking the movements of the rebels. "It seems to me, 'Ninus," he finally said, tapping the marks that showed known hideouts, "that they are remarkably able to make these lightning raids of theirs and simply vanish again afterwards. Is it possible, do you think, that some of them are originally from Wolf's Bane?"

Antoninus, who had begun to think along those lines himself, nodded, "Yes, sir - perhaps transferred to Victrix from the garrison at Emerita Augusta? It would make sense - they are using our own tactics to outsmart us."

Maximus nodded, glancing up with a grin that Antoninus hadn't seen in a while, "Yes. Perhaps it's time to turn the tables on them - how many Wolf's Bane-trained cavalry do we have with us?"

"About a hundred, sir."

"I want you to take charge of them, 'Ninus, let's think like these rebels do - like we should have been - and try to anticipate where they'll go next." He began showing Antoninus places on the map, "Here is where they struck last week and stole the smoked meats and the vegetables from the farmers in Avelorum." His finger tapped a bit farther west on the map, "Here is where they were the week before that, and took much of the winter grain and corn from the citizens in Dunnorum Minor."

"They are working their way east, it appears," Antoninus agreed.

"Yes, but I think that's as far east as they felt it safe to go," Maximus contradicted. "See - it's very close to here. They would know it was foolhardy to try to steal from Felix III's encampment - even they cannot be so full of themselves that they would think to get away with that. No. I think they will go back here," he tapped his forefinger on the mark farthest to the west, where the rebels had raided two large farms almost six weeks before and stolen much of the farmers' stores for the entire winter, in the process burning down some barns and hay storage buildings. "I say let's sent our Wolf's Bane people here and see if they try this area again, thinking these poor farmers have recouped some of their losses and are ripe for the picking once more. Perhaps we can give them a nasty surprise."

Antoninus and Maximus grinned at one another, two feral-appearing smiles below eyes that glistened with the challenge ahead. "Yes, sir!" Antoninus said smartly, and donned his cloak, preparatory to taking charge of the cavalrymen. "Shall we leave today?"

Maximus nodded. "This afternoon - see to it. Send me daily couriers - twice daily if need be - keep me informed. In the meantime, I will see to reinforcing the watchmen at these other sites just in case I'm wrong."

"I don't think you are, Maximus," Antoninus said firmly, "We'll soon see."

"Indeed we will," the General of the Armies answered, already busy writing notes to himself on a sheet of parchment. "Gaius," he called softly when Antoninus had left, "is there any bread or fruit?"

His aide brought him a much-delayed breakfast - freshly baked bread, some stewed dried apples and some of the wonderful flaky cheese from the region. "Thank you, Gaius," he said, still concentrating on his notes, but breaking his fast as well. When he finished his notations, he opened an already-started letter to his wife and began adding to it.

"And so," Ana read aloud to her women and the children - Marcia, Decimus, Lucius Verus - "We have set out to trap these rebellious soldiers who are using my own tactics against me, but turning these very tactics against them and anticipating their movements. Time will tell if we are successful or not."

"What else does he say?" they all wanted to know.

Ana smiled at the rapt attention on all the faces surrounding her chair. It was ever so when a letter reached them from Gaul. Maximus was an inveterate letter writer and his words spurred the imaginations of the listeners so that they could almost see where he was and what he was doing. Lucius Verus - a centurion now and home on a short leave for Saturnalia - ached to be with his father. He was frustrated to be garrisoned in Emerita Augusta, but Maximus had been adamant that he stay with the Felix III legion there and not come to Gaul. "I hate that I'm not there," Lucius said for the dozenth time.

Ana patted his shoulder, "Lucius - sometimes I wish you were with him also - but for now, it can't be."

"I know it, but it's so frustrating!" Lucius sighed and fiddled with the buckles of the leather belt - just like his father's - that bound his tunic around his slim middle.

"Indeed, as it is for me," Ana agreed. She shook the last fold out of the letter and read, "Antoninus is well, as are all the officers and troops of our acquaintance. Please pass word to the families to reassure them. It is cold, but we are surviving and be sure we are utilizing every bit of the warm wool clothing you so generously packed for us to take." She laughed along with everyone else. They all were aware that the general had protested the number of cloaks, wool tunics, drawers and undershirts she had insisted Maximus take, but it seemed she had guessed right. He was using all of it and had no doubt shared his extra garments with those of his officers who had not had the forethought to burden themselves with an extra trunk of warm clothing. "I knew the Gallic winter would take its toll on him," she added.

"He ends with love to all of us," she read, "and wishes us Io Saturnalia since he cannot be here."

She rolled up the scroll and tied the ribbons holding it furled. "And now, I believe we all have things to do?"

Everyone jumped to their feet or otherwise got going on their daily tasks now that the letter from the general was read. Ana held little Aurelius and stroked his black curls with fingers that remembered the feel of the same curls on his father's head. "I miss you," she whispered to the baby, but the words were meant for his father, far away in the north, doing the work of the Empire. "I forgive you," she added, hugging the sleepy child close to her breasts and rocking him a bit.

"Come back to me safely, Maximus."

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Copyright 2002 by wildbearies

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