Sid's eyes were bright. This would be his first 'official' meeting with Maximus.

"A meal has been set for you in the adjoining room, Sir," he said mildly, inclining his head in a bow.

Brianna's stomach did an unpleasant flip, remembering her last dining experience with Sid.  But she gained control of herself and purred, "Is there...wine?"

Maximus shot her a brief glance. Strange question. What would there be to drink if not wine?

Sid smiled innocently at her. "A superior vintage, I assure you."

Maximus walked closely up to Sid, studying him.  "Who are you?" he rumbled.

"Your servant, Sir." He bowed again. "At your service."

"Not that," Maximus continued. "WHO are you?"

Sid lifted his head, meeting the General's gaze straight across as they were, of course, the same height. "Siddius, Sir. My name is Siddius."

"You are Arizonian?" Maximus asked, thinking of Cort's homeland.

 

"I have been there, Sir, but am not from there myself."

"Why are you here...in this place? Why are you here?"

"I am here to be of service to you, Sir."

Maximus was growing frustrated with the lack of solid answers. "How long have you been

here?"

"Several years, Sir. It has become like home to me now."

Maximus cast his eyes quickly around the room.  "Is this Commodus'?"

"I am not at liberty, Sir, to reveal the owner."

"Why not?"

"My family, Sir. I am sure you will understand the danger to them should I disobey."

Yes, he was familiar with such things. "Your appearance. Why do you look like me?"

"I assure you, Sir, that I have looked this way for many years before this day.  That we bear some...resemblance...it is not of my doing."

"There were...others. I saw at least two men besides you who look like me. Do you know anything about that?"

"No, Sir.  All I know is that I was asked to serve you while you are here."

Maximus rubbed his hand roughly back and forth across his chin, regarding the man. "There has to be some...reason...." he mused under his breath. Then he turned to Brianna.  "Someone is playing mind games here. There is something not...right...in all this."  He looked silently back at Sid.

 

Brianna sighed, thinking, Oh, Maximus, if you only knew!  She was amazed at how Sid could meet the General's piercing gaze straight on and maintain that innocent look in his eye.  But, then, what else could one expect from one so professional at deception?  "Have you any connections, Siddius,  with the Meridius family of Spain?" she asked, deciding to enter the lists herself.

That backfired. Maximus turned his eyes sharply on her again. "You know my family name?"

She gulped. How stupid of her.  What could she say now?  Oh, yes!  "I was in the arena. The day you took off your helmet and made your...announcement."

 

With relief she saw the fire in his eyes die back down, though she could also see every muscle in his body was on the alert.  He was not comfortable with what was transpiring. That was evident.  His eyes searched Sid's face.  The man was too...smooth, too perfect. 

"Why am I here?" he asked Sid.

"I am sure, Sir, that will be made plain...in time."

"Am I free to leave?"

"I doubt, Sir, that that is the case."

Brianna rolled her eyes slightly and Sid resisted the impulse to frown at her. "Would you be ready to dine?" he asked.

Mutely, Maximus and Brianna followed him to the other chamber.  Maximus sank heavily onto a large pillow. He'd been hungry shortly before, but his appetite seemed to have left him. There was too much still unanswered.  "Where is Cicero?" he asked suddenly, looking up at the hovering Sid.

"I was told he went back to Ostia, Sir."

He looked down at his plate. Cicero would only do that if he thought his General was not coming. What had happened? How had he gotten here? How? He pushed the plate away, suddenly feeling terribly 'off' again and without a word, rose and walked to his bed. He lay on his back, his right hand spread across his torso, his left over his eyes, and turned his face toward the wall. 

Both Sid and Brianna stared after him then Brianna glared at Sid. "All is not well with him," she hissed.  "How long do you plan on continuing this charade?"

 

Sid kept his eyes on Maximus.  "As long as it takes."

"What takes, Sid? WHAT?"

At that he did look down at her, a bit of a smirk on his face.  "Yours not to reason why, Brianna, my lovely. Yours but to do and...die." Chuckling, he left the room.

Maximus lay there, trying to fit pieces together that just did not match.  The tunnel.  What had happened to him in the tunnel? He was hurrying to meet Cicero. Then he was here...in this bed.  None of it made any sense!! He squeezed his hand tighter over his eyes.  And these men who looked like him. How did they fit in with all this? Why did they look like him?  And now one of them was assigned as his servant? No, none of it made sense. Commodus had to be behind it somehow. He had come up with some new plotting.  What the Emperor had been trying in the arena was not working.  He must be taking another road with it.  Something far less public than the arena itself.  His days were numbered. That much he knew for sure.

He started at the touch of a soft, cool hand on his right shoulder, dropping his hand and turning his head to find Brianna sitting on the edge of his bed. "Are you all right?" she asked.

He did not answer her question. He did not know the answer to it.  "How are you a part of all this?" 

She tipped her head, her loosened blonde hair spilling forward over her shoulders. "I don't know, Maximus," she replied. "I can tell you honestly, though, that I do not like being used like this and I am sorry for it."

 

He moved his right hand, touching the fall of her hair lightly, briefly, then let it rest back on his chest.  "I, too, am sorry you have been made a part of it."  Though he found himself then thinking that maybe that was not, after all, the entire truth.  He looked back at the wall.

She slid off the bed, sinking to a seated position on the floor beside it, letting her forearms fold on its very edge and resting the side of her cheek atop them.  His face was mostly turned from her, but she studied the line of his jaw, the edge of his neatly trimmed beard and the fine cording of the muscles in his neck.  Then, still a bit drowsy, she let her eyes close. 

After a few moments, he moved his head again, looking toward her, surprised to see her head resting there on her arms, her hair spread like a veil over them. He found the color of her hair so different, so lovely and he shifted slightly so he could let his fingers trail over it. 

She was almost asleep when she felt his light touch.  Not moving, she stayed as she was, letting him.  Something way down in her belly and beyond, stirred.  Hidden beneath her waving veil, she blinked back a tear.  Don't stop, she prayed. Oh, please, Maximus, never stop.

He thought she must be asleep and he let his fingers grow bolder, lifting a wave, letting its curl curve around his hand.  Like the early morning light  glowing on the mountains.  He'd lived for so long with so much darkness that his soul yearned for the light of it. He leaned a bit more, kissing it softly, then lay back, angry with himself.  This is not yours that you should permit yourself such liberties, he reprimanded.  He was weak, lost, but that did not excuse it. "I'm sorry," he whispered, though he thought she would not hear, had not even known of his lapse of control, and he rested his right forearm across his eyes.

 

She did hear, though, and when he withdrew his hand she felt the loss of it. Silly woman!  What do you expect from this man, anyway?  She lifted her head just enough to look at him, wanting to touch his face. She ached with the wanting of it. But she did not move her fingers. He is not yours, Brianna, that you should do that.  And, besides, soon he will hate you for your part in this.  When he knows.  When he finds out he is not in Rome and that you knew all along. She lowered her head to the bed, blinking hard.

 

 

ON TO PART 5

 

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