Six months later

*Click*

*Click*

Swoosh, swoosh…… Booooooom

*Click*……*click*...*click*

Swoosh…. Boom

The sound of claws scraping across stone and the sounds of small explosions reverberated through the open court yard as a group of women rode silently around in big circles on the backs of creatures the size of horses.

The animals looked reminiscent too ancient dinosaurs. In the fact that they looked reptilian in form, but with longer Fore limbs and covered in a goldish red fur.

With mouths filled with double rows of needle like teeth, which were constantly snapping at each other, and long black clawed hands built for grabbing and shredding.

The women them selves where a site to see.

There were 14 in total and they all where dressed in golden segmented armor, with sharp spike like protrusions popping out at the shoulder and elbows. The helmets themselves looks a lot like the old Corinthian helms, with a giant black and white plumed crest falling down to the middle of there necks.

On there backs were long black capes, with a symbol of two white ravens in flight. In there right hands was a short two prong spear with a small hole in the middle that they currently held aimed at a target in the middle of the wheeling like formation firing at targets being called by an unseen voice.

“Lower left leg, fire” came the voice. Causing 13 lances of red light to reach out and touch the designated target. While one went of course and impacted a wall behind the target.

“God’s be Damn Priscilla, keep a tight reign on that breast or you'll get someone and yourself killed.”

“Yes mam,” came the reply.

“Don't you think your pushing them a little too hard my vigil,” I said sitting next to Amelia on the balcony.

Looking down at the girls doing drills brought a smile to my face, as I thought back to the condition they where in when I first meet them and the following few days our took for them too wake up from the drugs Amelia administered that first day.

According to the testimony given by them. They where recently captured slaves from the northern mountains in Gaul territory. The Romans had apparently restarted their incursions back into Gaul country, after the hiatus they where forced too because of the recent war between Mark Anthony and Octavian.

They were to be sold at auction in the city of Placentia after a three week journey through the Roman country side often stopping to buy and sell slaves and supplies from the villas and mines they passed regularly.

“I must be hard on them,” came Amelia's voice pulling me back to the present. “If wee are to journey too the city as your so set on doing, they must be able too protect your imminence and this villa along with themselves.”

I have a snort of mirth before turning too walk back down the stairs. I traveled the halls lost again in my thoughts as I planned our little excursion into the city.

I've had Amelia doing some close reconnaissance in and around the city for the last few weeks and what she brought back was disconcerting to say the least.

According too the rumors floating around bands of warriors from the Germanic tribes where running around the country side killing and pillaging farms and villages north of the city, slowly getting closer as the days go by.

There's supposed to be a reinforced legion on its ways from Parthica, 30 miles south of Placentia and would be arriving set the same time as we would be leaving for the city.

“God I hope nothing goes wrong while we're there,” came the stray thought…. “We are not ready to show our hand yet.” I sighed shaking my head too get rid of those thoughts, before continuing with my planning.

Next morning, East gate into the city.

“God’s why are we always stuck on gate guard duty” groans a legionnaire station on the left side of the gate watching the last of the baggage train roll past into the city.

“Because you can't hold your wine,” yells a tribune walking past too search the next group of refugees fleeing from the North.

“It’s not my fault the wine in this city, hardly watered down. They take my coin either way.” He mumbles too the tribunes back careful not too let him hear for fear of being assigned duty’s worst the gate guard.

“What in God’s name, would you get a look at that,” said the tribune as he looked behind the cart he was inspecting. “What are those women riding?”

“I don't know sir, should I sound the muster horn,” asked the same legionnaire who just a moment ago was wishing he was anywhere but here, started to pray too any god who would listen that he would donate any sum amount in offering, in his head that he didn't have to fight those monstrous creatures that a group of women where riding towards the gate as a slow walk.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“No just call the rest of them men out of the watch tower and form up in front of the gate,” he paused for a second as he thought of something “tell them too keep there swords sheathed, until tools other wise. Now get to it.”

“Yes sir”. The sound of running and the scrambling of men could be heard behind the tribune as he stood there watching the women approach at leisurely paste.__________________________________________________________________________________

“Holt, and be recognized,” said the soldier in front of me. I pulled on the reigns slowing the Gila to a stop, it snarled at the man in front of it drool falling from its open mouth, serrated teeth gleaming in the mid morning sun. However the man made no move too react just a tightening of his palm around the pommel of his gladius ready too draw at a moment's notice.

“What is your business in the city” he asked after a moment of silence too stare at me, my 2 selected guards and our mounts.

I took a moment also too stare at him and the soldier’s lined up behind him ready for action, some with shields at the ready and a few having there swords drawn. While the rest had spears clenched in hands or bows with arrows nocked.

“I'm here on business I answered,” starring the man in the eye allowing a little of my true eye color too show. Causing the man to swallow the bile in his throat. “What’s it to you, what I'm doing,” I asked him.

“All visitors must be questioned and searched before entrance into the city it's allowed. Especially armed and armored individuals riding monstrous animals around like it's a normal than too do.” He said making a pointed look at the Gilas we where riding.

I nodded before hoping down and waving at the two behind me to also get down. “I understand how long will this take, I have much too do today,” I asked opening up a couple of satchels attached to the saddle.

“Not long at all,” he answered waving a few soldiers forward to begin the search.

“If you don’t mind me asking where you would get these mounts from.” Came his voice as I turned too stop the Gila from taking a chunk out of a soldier who got too close to its head.

“Why, my family breeds and raises them in honor of the Goddess Trivia tribune, it is tribune correct,” I asked turning back.

“Yes ma’am”

“Well as I was saying tribune, my family breeds these magnificent creatures in service of our goddess for the eventual time when she allows us to participate in the wars of men.” Came the pre-planned lie.

“Oh really, so you are all priestess at done temple nearby. I didn't know there where any temple’s dedicated too Trivia around here.” he said as a soldier came up to him and said it was all clear. He waved him off and continued to stare at me. “In fact I didn't know the temples of Trivia had an army.”

Perceptive one this man is I thought too my self. “Yes, you are correct at least you would have been correct if this was a few months earlier. This was a recent proclamation from our goddess. I said, hoping up into the saddle signaling that I was ready too go.

“Yes, well I'm afraid I'll have too ask you too keep your mounts out of the city walls.” He said motioning to the size where a few horses where currently staked “we can't allowed armed individuals to ride into the city, all must walk from hear too where ever. It’s just a deterrent just in case they start trouble and try to flee.” He said with an apologetic expression on his face.

I nodded my head before hopping down again from the saddle. “Casella watch the mounts, Nexium with me,” I said walking past the soldiers by the gate. Sounds of confirmation ranged behind me as I stepped beyond the gates to get my first look at the city.

“What a shithole”, I think as the smell of manure and unwashed bodies flowed into my nose making me gag on reflex. “First thing I’ll do when I began the conquest is burn this place to the ground” I mumble to myself.

“Nexium, lead the way to the slave markets,” I order stepping over a pile of horse shit.

“Yes ma’am, this way” she says leading me through a bunch of twist and turns pushing sometimes punching people out of the way as she guided my through the crowded streets filled with people. Most of them refugees coming from the north as the Gaul’s continue pushing south.

We arrived at the slave markets after about 30 minutes of walking through crowded street. I looked around and wasn’t impressed with what I saw.

Dirty malnourished slaves in cages to the left, with a big crowd of people standing in front of a stage yelling at an auctioneer currently presenting a group of male slaves.

What a despicable bunch of people.

“Can I help you two” says a voice to my left.

I look over to see a man in a dark blue toga standing with a rolled up scroll and a slave standing next to him.

“Yes, I’m here to buy, show me what’s in stock,” I explained tossing up and down a purse heavy with gold.

I could practically see the money sign flashing in his eyes as they followed the rise and fall of the bag.

Look at him practically has drool dripping from his lip.

He clears his throat before waving me over to the cages. “What type of slaves are you looking for, pleasure slaves, work slaves, servants, male or female” he asked standing in front of the cages with his arms waving at certain cages as his list of the types.

“I’m looking for all types only female, ages 16 to 30. All must be in good condition body wise doesn’t matter if they’re sick unless there moments away from death and wont survive a short journey.” I tell him throwing the purse of gold to him, “Give me as many as that’ll give me and don’t try to cheat me I’ll find out and you’ll not make it through the night.” I threaten moving to the cages looking in on the cowering people.

They where mostly paled skinned a few where darker in color about a light tan with some being really dark. I performed a slow walk around mentally assigning them jobs, just like the first group

Clinicus 10 A doctor usually following the legions Legionnaire x 90 Heavy infantry Sagettarii x 30 Archers, including horse riding archers. Medicus x6 A combat Medic or Physician TOTAL 136

“How long do you supposed this will take Nexium”

“I don’t know ma’am depends on how much that purse of gold was worth” she answers keeping an eye on the people around us making sure nobody looked threatening.

“Well I need you to do something, here’s a bag of gold search the city for some carts and a group of people to drive them. I’ll defer to your judgment on how many we will need. Also try to get some additional supplies I’m tired of eating food from the food processors.”

“Yes ma’am” she said catching the bag of gold before leaving the slave market.

Ahh such fidelity these prospects.

I continued to look into the cages for another 10 minutes before joining the crowd of men in front of the stage. I was there for another 2 hours before the man from the entrance came to tell me that my order was ready.

I followed him to a building outside the market that was filled with women in a few cages. “How much did all of them cost?”

“About 600 Denarii, not to mention house tax and the cost of the cages. So about 750 Denarii.”

Just about how much was in the bag.

“You don’t mind if check them do you.”

“No, not at all,” he said watching her.

For the next hour or so I slowly checked them over and was pleased.

When I finished I heard some commotion outside. Sounded like a bunch of horse’s stampeding around and some men yelling.

Nexium came through the front door to tell me everything was ready. I allowed her and the hired help to move the women to the carts outside.

. “Did you encounter any trouble?”

“No ma’am”…. “People were actually throwing themselves and their children at me, for the sake of a paying job that didn’t involve prostitution for the women and mercenary work for the males.”

“How much are you paying them?”

“About 15 Danrii for a day's work."

“Good I want to outside the city’s gates no later than sun down”

“Understood ma’am, I’ll see to it’s done.’