"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Blacksmith Incident - Part IV (Conclusion)

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Blacksmith Incident - Part IV

By Douglas E. Gogerty

The group of citizens discussed their plans for the evening. Their assault on the inn was not going to be easy. Thus, they had to determine who was going to do what. While the group they were going after was not large, they were in a good safe place.

On the other hand, Gaius was on his own with the magistrate. Thus, he did not stay around for their discussions. He knew what his part was. He wanted to look over the magistrates house. He wanted to learn more about the magistrate's security. He leaned against a tree looking at the house for quite a while. It was about an hour before dawn, when Gaius went into action.

The local magistrate awoke from his sound slumber when Gaius sat on his chest. The man struggled against Gaius's weight, but he was completely restrained. Gaius's dagger sat on the magistrate's chest and glimmered in the faint light. The magistrate saw it and struggled more furiously. However, Gaius had him fully under control. Further, Gaius had the magistrate's mouth covered with his hand, so he could not cry out.

"Some citizens of this town are rising up against its bad elements," Gaius whispered into the ear of the restrained magistrate.

The magistrate attempted to say something, but Gaius continued to cover his mouth.

"Apparently, there was a gang of thieves working out of the local inn, and a group of citizens are taking up arms against them. They had to take this action because the local magistrate took bribes rather than doing his job."

"Hmmmph hmmmph," replied the magistrate.

"They discussed what to do about the magistrate's fate, and I volunteered to speak with you about it."

"Mmm mmm," answered the restrained man.

"If you call out, it will immediately seal your fate -- not that it would do you any good. Do you understand?"

The magistrate nodded, so Gaius removed his hands from the mouth of his prisoner.

"I... I..." muttered the magistrate.

"Do you know why I am here?"

"You believe that I have not been doing my job," sobbed the magistrate.

"It has nothing to do with what I believe. You have not been doing your job. That has already been established. This is why these people are taking the law into their own hands."

"I can explain..."

"I am not here to hear your explanations. Some people are going to get hurt and some are probably going to die tonight. Do you want to try to explain that?"

"That was not my intent."

"Of course not. However, the results tonight are all your doing. You had a job to keep the peace and order. You did not do your job."

"But..."

"I have heard enough," stated Gaius as he picked up the dagger from the man's chest.

"Wait!" cried the magistrate.

"Say your piece," replied Gaius.

"I did not mean to hurt anyone."

"Travelers throughout the Republic came here and were robbed by a mountain of a man. You did nothing. How is that not hurting anyone?"

"No one was really hurt -- they just lost some property."

"So, you did not want anyone to be hurt physically, but they could be hurt financially. Is that it?"

"Well -- that is not what I meant...."

"Go on."

"The offenders made reparations to the government," the magistrate said with an excited glow.

"And the government helped the victims in what way?"

"By providing services!"

"Such as a magistrate that would punish bandits?"

"Exactly -- wait."

"You see the lack of law and order hurts everyone. The merchants lose patrons. The citizens may live in fear. Most of the town feels the effect of a crooked legal system."

"Others do it."

"The last argument of a guilty fool," laughed Gaius.

"But nobody complained."

"Does a slave complain as her master beats another slave?"

"It was all small stuff. If they moved onto bigger things I would have stepped in. I would have drawn the line."

"Now I have heard more than enough!"

"Wait! Please do not kill me! I have children to look after."

"No you do not."

"What?"

"You have no worries left in this life. Do you have any last words?"

"I -- I -- I do not. I am sorry, and now must face my punishment."

"Good words," replied Gaius as he covered up the magistrate's mouth before he could scream. "However, actions speak louder than words."

Gaius plunged his dagger into the again struggling man's throat. The magistrate continued to struggle until his life was gone. Gaius left him there on the bed and walked out into the house's atrium. He cleaned himself up in the impluvium. He stepped over a few dead guards on his way out of the house.

As he passed a couple more dead people in front of the house, Gaius turned back and looked at the house. A once lively household was not lifeless. Gaius felt a little sad that it had to turn out that way. However, Gaius believed that is what the fates wanted. Thus, it had to be done.

It all put Gaius in a reflective mood. He thought of all the people he killed on this trip. There was a trail of dead bodies all the way back to Rome. Death and destruction followed Gaius not matter where he went.

He had hoped to find somewhere where that did not happen. He had hoped that perhaps Sinuessa would be the place where it all ended. This could have been the place where he could have been at peace. However, he had to move on now. He would be blamed for all of the killing that night. That was fine with him, but it did not have to be that way.

Nonetheless, it was time to move on. Gaius went to the tree where his tunic hung, and walked to the stables. Gaius did not say goodbye to his old friend or to anyone. He just mounted his horse and rode away in the dawn's early light. He did not know where he was going, but sure as anything there would be trouble there.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Blacksmith Incident - Part III

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Blacksmith Incident - Part III

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Discovering that Porcius was not in the blacksmith shop after sunset was not particular surprise to Gaius. Most towns restricted business traffic during daylight hours. Thus, shops in those towns had to obtain their supplies at night. Thus, Gaius would have to wait in the shop; however, he did not want to be seen there. Therefore, he sat in a dark corner of the shop.

Gaius sat there for quite a while. It was sometimes a struggle for him to not fall asleep. However, after some time had passed, a group of a dozen men entered the shop. Gaius froze. He could not tell if his old friend was among the men. He just sat there in his dark corner and hoped no one would notice him.

"Part of our job has been done for us," said one of the men after they all entered the shop.

"What do you mean?" asked another.

"Have you not heard?" replied a third

"Yeah! That thieving beast tackled with the wrong man. He was killed this afternoon."

"Really?"

"I saw the body myself."

"Apollodorus," Gaius heard a familiar voice mutter.

"What?" asked another man.

"Nothing," was the reply.

"We should move quickly on the rest of them."

"Agreed," most of them replied.

"What will we do about the magistrate?"

"If we work quickly and quietly, he would not need to be involved at all."

"Should we not have a bribe ready?"

"If we come across their ill gotten booty, we will use that to ensure justice is served."

"Are we going to move tonight?"

"The blame may fall on our benefactor if we do."

"All the more reason..."

"He helped us greatly in our plan," came the same familiar voice. "It would be wrong to saddle him with the blame for our deeds."

"You are right. He did take care of the worst of them for us."

"That beast could have taken two or three of us down," explained one of the men. "This man must be a formidable fighter."

"We do not want to get on that person's wrong side," added another.

"However, he was taken into custody. Therefore, he should be in the clear as far as blame goes."

"There are still going to be questions."

"They may think our man was hired to take care of the monster, so we could take care of the rest."

"Everyone in the area knows that these people were preying upon travelers."

"Yeah! They should be happy that they are gone."

"The magistrate is not going to be happy."

"He has been paid well to look the other way on their activities."

"He is going to lose a good source of income."

"Do not worry about the magistrate," came a voice in the darkness.

"Who said that?"

"Is there someone one in here?"

"I will take care of the magistrate," replied Gaius.

"Who are you?" asked one man.

"Apollodorus," Porcius responded.

"I am Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius," corrected Gaius. "If you take care of the rest of the bad elements in town, I will take care of the magistrate."

"How do we know we can trust you?"

"I killed your so-called beast. Thus, the blame will fall on me anyhow."

"How did you escape from the magistrate?"

"We came to an understanding."

"But, what are you doing hiding in here?"

"I need Porcius to fix my weapon. The magistrate let me out to take care of this business. However, I was given the strict order to not be seen."

"Is this true Porcius?"

"We made some arrangements to meet today," replied Porcius. "I did not expect it to be this late."

"I ran into some trouble," explained Gaius with a understanding nod.

"No more than usual," replied Porcius.

"Most importantly," added another conspirator. "Can we trust him?"

"We fought in the Servile War together," replied Porcius. "I trust him completely."

"You will handle the magistrate?"

"I will," replied Gaius. "But you must promise to keep this town clean. You must fight corruption because I will not be here to fight it for you."

"Agreed!" the group replied.

"What about my shamshir?" asked Gaius.

"Are you going to need it tonight?" asked Porcius.

"It would be nice," replied Gaius. "I feel slightly vulnerable without it."

"Vulnerable? You?"

"Perhaps that is the wrong word. It is just that it has become a part of me. I just feel strange without it."

"It has been a while since I worked in the dark, but I could still repair the damage for you tonight."

Porcius stoked his forge and added some more fuel. When it got to working temperature, he took the sword from Gaius. Under the light of the glowing embers, Porcius looked at the damaged scimitar. He observed the huge nicks in the once sharp blade.

"What were you fighting -- a stone giant?" asked Porcius.

"A person along the road got a hold of it and was striking it upon the stones in the road."

"I assume he will never do that again."

"You assume correctly."

"It is damaged pretty badly, but I think it is not damaged beyond repair."

"That is good to hear."

"If I had time, I would forge you an entirely new one."

"You cannot replace an old friend like that."

"I understand," replied Porcius as he stuck the sword into the forge. "I will handle it with care."

When the sword blade was red hot, Porcius pounded upon it on his anvil. The blade went back and forth between the forge and the anvil. Occasionally Porcius would inspect it closely by glow of the forge.

Gaius felt nervous as he watched the smith pound on his sword. He almost could not watch as Porcius went back and forth with his prized weapon. Eventually, Gaius's faithful friend was plunged into a bucket and the water roared.

"Once it has cooled a bit more, I will take a stone to it to sharpen it. It should be serviceable again."

"I do not know how difficult it will to be to finish my part of this bargain, but it will be nice to have my trusty shamshir should I need it."

"I do not know how you are going to manage it. His place is pretty well fortified."

"We will find out when the time comes."

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Blacksmith Incident - Part II

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Blacksmith Incident - Part II

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Gaius went quietly as the local magistrate took him into custody. While he considered fighting, he would likely have to fight the entire town. Without his scimitar in working order, he just did not think that would be the best course of action. Thus, he handed over his things and went peacefully. After all, it was not the first time he was in trouble with the authorities.

He was also hoping that his old friend Porcius would be able to help him out with his weaponry. Porcius was skilled at sword repair when the two of them were on the run with Spartacus. He was the primary smith for weapons, and highly respected. However, that had been quite a while ago but he was still a blacksmith. Thus, Gaius hoped that Porcius would not be too rusty. Nevertheless, Gaius felt he could trust him.

However, first he was going to have to clear up the trouble in town. If the innkeeper was powerful and no one had trouble with the -- now dead -- robber, then he could be in for quite a long stay. Certainly someone had trouble with this enormous man. You do not go around threatening people for money just on a whim.

"Why did you kill him?" asked the magistrate.

"I have said this numerous times before," sighed Gaius. "He threatened me with his sword and asked for money. I was defending myself."

"This man has never caused any problems before..."

"I highly doubt that," responded Gaius. "I gave him every opportunity to move along. He refused."

"He would not get out of your way, so you stabbed him."

"He had a sword and he came at me. It was either him or me, and I was quicker."

"The innkeeper wants to see you dead."

"I do not doubt that, but I was defending myself against that big brute. It was either him or me."

"Do you have any character witnesses?"

"I have not been in town long, but I would guess there are plenty of people glad to see that man dead."

"So you killed him as part of some vendetta..."

"If that were true, I would likely have killed the innkeeper as well. Rather, I explained what had happened to that man, and he summoned you."

"You think you are pretty smart don't you!"

"Hardly. I just have been in a few scrapes. That is all."

"Just how many people have you killed between here and Rome?"

"It has been a fairly quiet trip," Gaius replied.

"You lie!" shouted the magistrate. "You have left a string of corpses all along the Appian Way."

"Does my reputation proceed me?"

"A man was through here speaking of someone leaving dead bodies all along the road."

"You mean a liar or a coward was passing through town."

"What do you mean?"

"If someone left bodies all along the road, and there was someone bragging about it, that person obviously ran away from a fight or is making the entire thing up."

"I never thought of it that way."

"After all, why would this dangerous man let anyone live?"

"You have a point there."

"Thus, either this man is telling stories, or he deserted his friends as they fought for their lives."

"You talk a good game there stranger."

"As I said, I have been in a few scrapes."

"To be honest, I am glad that brute is dead."

"What?"

"I was just making sure you were telling the truth earlier."

"I see...."

"However, I thought you may have been some hired thug from out of town."

"I am an ordinary guild owner. I am simply on my way to Campania to obtain a few slaves to work in my trade."

"There was a man passing through telling stories of an incredible fighter leaving bodies all along the road. Have you seen or heard anything?" asked the magistrate in a confidential tone.

"I try to avoid trouble as much as possible; however, some days you just cannot side step it."

"I hear you there," said the magistrate in an exasperated voice.

"The man pulled his sword and demanded money. There was nothing I could do. Is it my fault I was faster?"

"No. I understand your situation. However, I am still going to have to hold you for a while."

"When will the trial happen?"

"I am the magistrate, so it will happen when I say."

"I just have some minor business to take care in town."

"You cannot rush justice."

"I do not intend to, but my business may take a couple of days. I would rather not have to stay where I am not wanted for those days."

"What is it? Perhaps I could help."

"A family heirloom has been damaged in my travels. I was hoping to have a smith look at it."

"What kind of heirloom."

"As you are probably aware, I am not a born Roman. This item may not sit well with you as a natural born Roman."

"Say no more."

"I had arranged to meet with a smith this afternoon. However, this detainment has prevented me from making that meeting.

"I cannot just let you go," explained the magistrate.

"You have my horse and I swear by the gods and on my honor that I will return."

"You will have to do better than that. You have to make sure no one sees you."

"I could travel after sundown."

"Very well, but I will be forced to punish I hear any reports of you."

"Fair enough."

Thus, after the sun had gone down, Gaius made his way to Porcius's shop. He went as stealthily as he could. He was somewhat practiced as this type of thing, but he wanted to be extra cautious. He finally made it to the shop, and crept inside. However, Porcius was not there.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Blacksmith Incident - Part I

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Blacksmith Incident - Part I

By Douglas E. Gogerty

The stretch of the Appian Way that Gaius now traveled was near the coast and some of the views were spectacular. The warm salt air was enjoyable, but the regular combat, which seemed to follow Gaius everywhere, was exhausting. To make matters worse, he had to find someone to repair his scimitar. It had been badly damaged in his last encounter. He did have the spear from one of the men in his last fight and his dagger, but he felt vulnerable without his trusty sword.

While there were blacksmiths at every station he visited, most had no experience with the scimitar. Further, he was not sure he could trust them. With his cover as a blacksmith guild owner, he could not show any ignorance in the craft. He was going to have to be particular and careful with who could repair his sword.

The trip had been long and arduous, so Gaius was surprised by a day of incident-free travel. While he was no longer concerned about any type of schedule, he was pleased by the time he made that day. He rode into Sinuessa the next day. It was the last coastal town before the road turned inland. Gaius decided he was going to spend a day there. He would attempt to get his sword repaired in this town, but first some relaxing time. Sinuessa was widely known for the healing quality of its hot springs, and Gaius was ready for some of that.

After the baths, a good meal, and a restful night's sleep, Gaius began exploring the town. He was looking at some of the places looking for just the right smith. He was approaching one shop when someone approached him.

"Apollodoros?" came a whisper. "Is that really you?"

"Why Porcius as I live and breath!" replied Gaius.

"Why aren't you dead?" the men asked simultaneously.

"You first," insisted Gaius.

"Crassus needed a smith," replied Porcius.

"Why did you not end up in Rome with him then?"

"His love of money..."

"He sold you?"

"I am thankful for that. I smithed many nails that hung our comrades along the road. As we got closer to Rome, my usefulness was ending."

"And you ended up here -- that is nice."

"In a round-about way."

"What do you mean?"

"I have had a couple of different guild masters."

"You have been sold a few times?"

"I was purchased from Crassus by none other than the family of Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix."

"The dictator?"

"The same. Oddly, I ended up in the employ of the family of Sulla's rival Gaius Marius."

"If I remember hearing correctly, he hid out just north of here."

"That is right. He hid in Minturnae, and the family that survived Sulla's proscriptions, stayed in this area. In hiding -- of course."

"Do you not miss those days of freedom?"

"Some days I do -- but I am a smith. It is what the fates had intended for me to do all my days. I am happy with that."

"The fates have been kind to me on this day," asserted Gaius.

"Why is that?" asked Porcius.

"I am in need of a skillful smith that I can trust."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"What?"

"I am afraid I cannot help."

"Sorry?"

"Relax! I am joking my brother."

"You should not joke with a person who has killed as many men as I have."

"Nobody has killed as many men as you."

"You may be right, so you should not joke with such a person."

"My shop is just down there. Meet me there after the midday meal, and I will see what we can do. I also look forward to hearing your story."

"Call me Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius. Apollodoros is no more."

"That explains a few things... In any event, I must be going. I will speak to you later."

Gaius's friend rushed off. Gaius was happy that there was a likely solution to his problem with his sword. His friend had been a trusty smith for Spartacus's army. He knew how to handle weaponry.

However, Gaius still had to find something to do with the remainder of his morning. Hopefully, trouble was not going to follow him for a while. After all, he went an entire day without killing someone. He hoped he could do that for two consecutive days.

Gaius walked to an inn along the Appian Way to see about getting some food. He was almost to the building when a gruff and gravelly voice spoke to him from around the corner.

"Give me your money," growled the voice.

"What?" sighed Gaius.

"You heard me. Give me your money," repeated the voice.

"You have got to be kidding," Gaius moaned.

"Do not make this hard on yourself."

"It is the middle of the day," complained Gaius.

"I mean business!" growled the voice.

"You do not have to do this."

"I am armed."

"And..." sighed Gaius.

"I know how to use it."

"I doubt that," grumbled Gaius as he slowly unsheathed his dagger.

"What?"

"Nothing..."

"Quit stalling."

"It is not too late for you to forget this."

"That is some tough talk," said a very large man as he stepped out of the shadows.

"That may be, but it is true."

"I have heard enough! Now give me your money."

Before the man could blink, he found Gaius's dagger in his throat. The man blindly swung his weapon at Gaius who easily side stepped the thrust. The man attempted to roar at Gaius, but it came out as a sickly gurgle. He attempted to stay conscious, but was stumbling around. He swung wildly a few more times. Eventually, he put his hand upon the building to steady himself. Gaius considered taking another blow, but he simply pushed on the man who fell to the ground.

Gaius walked into the inn and notified the people there as to what had happened. However, this was going to be trouble for Gaius. The innkeeper was related to the dead man. So much for the trouble-free day for which he had hoped.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Vengeful Friends Incident - Part II

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Vengeful Friends Incident - Part II

By Douglas E. Gogerty

The three remaining men learned their lesson from their latest fallen comrade. If they were to break formation, Gaius was a very formidable opponent. However, if they stuck together the trio would have a chance to defeat Gaius. At least, it was currently at a stand-off.

Gaius continuously attempted to flank them and test them for weakness. All of the men moved left and right with each looking for an opening. They were all being cautious. Trying not to leave an opening for the opponent because that could only mean death.

In their ever shifting positions, one of the men picked up Gaius's scimitar. Now, every time he would thrust his spear, they would attempt to parry with the thrust with the scimitar. This bothered Gaius, as the scimitar was not designed for that type of duty. Each parry could destroy his weapon. In this way, Gaius's opponents were attempting to force Gaius into doing something rash.

"What is the matter barbarian?" shouted the leader. "Afraid of damaging your own weapon with someone else's?"

"Fear has nothing to do with it," replied Gaius.

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

"Currently, it is not a concern."

"Perhaps if we start smacking it on the ground..."

"If you wish to destroy a viable weapon," responded Gaius. "Be my guest."

Despite his cool exterior, Gaius was concerned about his scimitar. It had been a trusty weapon for many years. He did not want to see it destroyed. It was not meant for steel on steel contact. It definitely was not meant to be smacked against the cobbles of the street. However, he could not let on that he cared. His opponents could use that against him.

The stand off continued. Everyone continued to look for a weakness or an opening. Each combatant remained vigilant for a mistake by their opponent. Gaius continued to probe their defenses with the spear. He continued to move right or left in an attempt to flank them. The three men stuck to their formation and blocked any thrust by Gaius. In this situation, someone would eventually tire and make a mistake.

Gaius had hoped that as the time continued, that his opponents would give up on their fight. However, with him killing three more of their comrades, they were more likely to continue to fight until he was dead. Thus, there needed to be something to break the stalemate. Gaius devised a plan.

When the time was right, Gaius turned and ran to his horse. With the shaft of the spear, he planted it on the ground and vaulted up above the mare. He was quickly on her, and turned towards the three remaining men. With some urging, the rider and horse went into the men. Their formation was broken.

Gaius had the spear, so he could reach the armored men as they sprawled upon the ground. He attempted to get them in a vulnerable spot. The first man managed to avoid his thrust, but the second man had the spear point find his leg. He shouted in pain as the blood began to flow. He attempted to get up, but Gaius knocked him back down with another thrust. A final thrust caught the man in the neck, and he was through fighting.

While this was happening, the two other men regained their formation, and grabbed the other spear. The point stuck out between them, and the shaft was braced upon the ground. This hampered their mobility as they had to keep the spear braced upon the ground. However, it prevented a similar move that Gaius just made.

Further, Gaius had a spear of his own. Thus, he had more range while mounted. He also had speed, and he could flank the two men more easily. They continued to parry his thrusts where the could. However, more were striking their shields and their armor. It was clear that Gaius now had the upper hand.

"Why do you not dismount and fight us like a man?" asked the leader.

"As if bringing five guys to fight one man is fighting like a man."

"Does your honor mean nothing to you?"

"Living is the only honor that means anything to me," replied Gaius as he thrust the spear against the leader's shield.

"The Fates will not let you live long with that hubris of yours."

"That is funny!"

"What is so funny?"

"I am completely an engine of destruction for the Fates."

"What?"

"It is you that started this fight which has led to your destruction. It was the Fates that brought you to your doom. It has nothing to do with me."

With those words, Gaius urged his horse towards the men. With the weight of the horse behind it, he gave a hard thrust to the shield of the leader's ally. The force knocked him backwards, but shattered the spear. Gaius drew his dagger and jumped down onto the man. A thrust to the throat, and the leader was the only opponent left.

However, Gaius was vulnerable. He only had his dagger. However, the leader forgot all of his training. His rage got the best of him as he dropped his shield. He roared and rushed at Gaius with his short sword above his head.

Gaius rushed back and put his shoulder into the man's chest. Gaius drove the man back, and tackled him to the ground. Gaius put his knees on the leader's arms to prevent him from using his sword.

"Any last words?" asked Gaius.

"You will get yours," replied the leader of the group.

"Indeed I will," replied Gaius as he thrust his dagger into the man's throat.

Gaius cleared the road of the dead men's bodies. He checked his scimitar, and found it badly damaged. He would need to seek out a smith to have it repaired. He tied the spear to his horse, and mounted. He found that the spear was handy, and would be an excellent weapon with his scimitar in need of repair.

He rode on to the next way point. It was a tough battle. Although it was relatively early in the day, Gaius needed to rest. He would spend the remaining daylight hours there and start off again in the morning.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Vengeful Friends Incident - Part I

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Vengeful Friends Incident - Part I

By Douglas E. Gogerty

In his previous encounter, Gaius realized one of the flaws of his cover identity. He was supposedly a freed blacksmith; yet, he knows nothing about smithing. He had watched his guild members work, but he knew little of what they were doing. He was surprised it had never come up before that encounter. Nonetheless, he was not sure what he could do about it if it came up again.

He and his horse had plenty of rest in Formia, and they were ready to travel. It started off uneventful, and they reached the first stop well before midday. However, Gaius would not be so lucky on the second leg of the journey.

"We have been expecting you," stated a man as Gaius rode up.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting," replied Gaius. "There was some trouble in Formia."

"It would seem that the stories we have heard about you are true," stated the same man as five more came onto the road.

Two of the men held long spears which they braced upon the road. They were the type to bring down horses or their riders. It was clear that they were there to prevent Gaius from riding past. The remaining three had military-grade roman short swords. Furthermore, they were all dressed in legion brass armor and they had the accompanying Roman tower shields. It was obvious to Gaius that these men had been in many fights. He thought that they may be hired mercenaries. At the very least, they were former Roman legionnaires.

"Stories?" asked Gaius. "Who would be telling stories about me?"

"A man you faced recently has been spinning quite a yarn all along the Appian Way."

"I recall a man who ran away while I brought down his comrades. He did not even stop to help. Was he a friend of yours?"

"What? No! "

"That is good because you can tell the type of people you are dealing with by the company they keep."

"This coward tells of bodies which are strewn along the path as you pass through."

With the two spears anchored in the road, the remaining men flanked the spearmen. They formed a small line behind the man who was speaking to Gaius. All three drew their swords and brandished their shields.

"Is that so? Were you looking to join that group?"

"That is quite bold talk!"

"It was just a question."

"Perhaps the name Lucius Servius Cresces would mean something to you?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Do you always kill someone without noting their name?"

"Not always -- just most of the time."

"He was our comrade."

"That does not help me determine who he was."

"It does not matter at this point."

"Well, you brought it up."

"You are going to join that group of corpses for which you are responsible. That line of corpses along this road ends with yours."

"Is that right?" asked Gaius as he dismounted and patted the mare on the behind to have her move off.

The leader drew his sword and Gaius followed suit by drawing his scimitar.

"Are you ready to die?" asked the leader of the small band.

"I guess I will find out soon enough," replied Gaius.

The two men with spears held their ground, but the three others and the leader formed a line. The four men moved towards Gaius in a standard Roman legion formation. That is, they were four men behind shields with their short swords sticking out of the gaps as they approached Gaius.

It was clear to Gaius that these were well disciplined fighters. His scimitar would be no match against their shields or their short swords. Further, in order to save his horse, he had to give up his mounted advantage. This was not going to be a simple fight.

Gaius feinted to the left, and made a dash to the right of the four-man formation. They men turned slowly to not ruin the formation. Hence, Gaius managed to outflank the group. However, instead of attacking any of the members of the formation, he attacked one of the spearmen who remained in reserve. The man with the spear was completely surprised by this move and found his neck quickly opened by Gaius's scimitar.

Gaius dropped his scimitar and grabbed the bleeding man's spear. With it, he swung it around and caught the other spearman in the back of his helmeted head with the shaft of the spear. This knocked the man forward who tumbled to the ground with his helmet spilling off forward. With a quick thrust of the spear into the back of the neck, Gaius was down to only the four men. They had managed to turn their formation to face Gaius. The leader whispered some commands to prevent the type of flanking maneuver to be successful again.

With the spear, Gaius menaced the men in formation. However, they were too savvy to break from their positions. There was defensive strength in the way they lined up. Gaius would have difficulty penetrating the defense as long as that group worked together. On the other hand, they could not approach Gaius enough to inflict damage as long as he had the spear. They were at somewhat of a stand-off.

"What is wrong barbarian -- afraid?" yelled the leader.

"It is four against one," replied Gaius. "Although -- it was six against one."

"We will avenge their deaths as well."

"You are doing fine so far."

One of the men was tired of the taunting, and broke formation. He rushed Gaius swinging his short sword. He was too close for Gaius to stab with the spear, so he had to side step the rushing man. Gaius hit him in the back with the shaft of the spear as he went past. The soldier lost his balance and fell on his face. Before the man could get up, Gaius placed the spear point into a vulnerable spot in the thigh. Blood began to spill in great quantities.

The remaining men attempted to flank and save their comrade, but Gaius kept them at bay with the spear. The lone soldier was not dead, but was bleeding quite rapidly. He would lose consciousness at any moment. He tried to get up, but in the brief time, he had already lost too much blood. He collapsed back down, and Gaius went back to the remaining three men.

"I stand corrected," taunted Gaius. "It is three against one."

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Old Friend Incident - Part II

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Old Friend Incident - Part II

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Gaius asked around about his friend's owner. His name was Tiberius Pomponius Velus, and from most reports he was a fine upstanding plebeian citizen. That was a problem for Gaius. If this man was an honest hardworking citizen, Gaius would have qualms about killing him. Even if it cost his friend his freedom. However, Gaius knew that appearances could be deceiving.

A completely different picture unfolded when speaking with Tiberius's slaves. Each spoke of his cruel nature. Every one of them remarked on how quick to anger he was. They all told tales of incidents where they were nearly beaten to death. To his fellow citizens, Tiberius was a man of honor and dignity, but to those poor unfortunate souls who were owned by him, he was a monster.

Nevertheless, this was quite common in Rome. Most agricultural slaves were regularly beaten. This was particularly true since the war against Spartacus. Many masters wished to prevent another uprising by being even more cruel. It was the nature of things. However, was it enough to warrant death? Tiberius was not acting that differently from the other Roman citizens. If Tiberius's actions were enough to warrant death, then most Roman citizens deserved to die. Gaius was not about to take on the entirety of Roman citizenry.

It was obvious that Gaius would need more information to go through with the assassination of his old friend's master. If Gaius were to believe that the Fates wanted Tiberius dead, Gaius would have to know about some dark secret not easily observed. There was no easy way to determine this in the given time frame.

Thus, from what he had observed, Gaius was not going to be satisfied that the Fates wanted Pomponius dead. Thus, he began making his way to where he was scheduled to meet his old friend. He was going to tell him that he could not do the job. However, before he got there, someone met him in the street.

"Are you Ferrarius?" the individual asked.

"I am called Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius," replied Gaius.

"We need your services," the man stated desperately.

"I am a guild master -- not a smith. You could never afford my services."

"Please," begged the man.

"I will come, but I will make no promises."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!"

Gaius followed the man to a large estate overlooking the ocean. There was a pile of pots, pans, and cutlery on the ground.

The man pointed at the pile and said, "Could you fix these?"

"Hah!" laughed Gaius. "You could never afford my services, but in an emergency I would consider helping. I would never consider this work an emergency."

"But you are a smith..."

"I purchased my freedom long ago, so I would never have to smith again," Gaius lied. "There are local guilds for this type of work. You should contact one of them."

"But my master..."

"Your master had better make a deal with a local guild," interrupted Gaius. "There are guild rules that need to be followed. I cannot help unless a set of guidelines are met. Fixing tableware is not permitted."

"My master is -- in -- a disagreeable position -- with the local guilds."

"Sadly, that is no concern of mine."

"But could you not help us just this once?" begged the man.

"No," replied Gaius firmly.

Gaius turned around and began to walk back to the center of town. As he walked away, he heard a disturbance behind him. He turned to see someone beating the man who had brought him to this estate. Presumably, this was the slave's master punishing him for failure to procure someone to smith the damaged kitchen equipment.

"Hey!" yelled the man.

Gaius continued walking.

"I said hey!" called the man again.

Gaius continued walking.

"I am talking to you barbarian!" shouted the man.

Gaius continued walking. However, this time the man ran up to Gaius and grabbed his arm. Reflexively, Gaius stepped behind the man. He freed his arm, and put the man in a headlock in a smooth quick motion.

"What can I do for you?" asked Gaius calmly into the man's ear.

"Why have you not fixed that pile?" the man asked.

"I am not a slave," replied Gaius. "More importantly, I am not one to be bossed around."

"I will have your head for this," threatened the man.

"Excuse me?" asked Gaius.

"You should not handle someone of my import in this manner -- you freedman barbarian."

"You are correct," replied Gaius as he snapped the man's neck. "You may now tell your friends what they should do to me."

The man's lifeless body tumbled to the ground as the slave stood there in shock.

"He should not have accosted me," Gaius explained to the slave.

"You were well within your rights," replied the slave in astonishment.

"There will be questions," sighed Gaius to no one in particular.

"No one will miss Tiberius Pomponius Velus," replied the slave.

"What?" asked Gaius.

"I said no one will miss Tiberius Pomponius Velus..."

"That was Pomponius?" asked Gaius.

"That was him. The world became a nicer place today. Thank you."

"It is what the Fates wanted," replied Gaius coldly.

"I guess so."

"Tell Caprimulgus that his planned worked," Gaius stated as he turned to walk away.

"As you wish."

"Also tell him to never speak to me again," Gaius stated over his shoulder.

"It will be done."

Gaius believed that he had been tricked into killing Pomponius. It seemed clear that Pomponius's hubris was out of control. This was the type of thing the Fates regularly called upon Gaius to take care of. Thus, it was clear in Gaius's mind that it was what the Fates wanted. However, being brought to this conclusion in this manner was not to Gaius's liking.

"The Fates will have their way," stated Gaius as he left Formia.

The local magistrate had heard the story, and Gaius had been cleared of any wrongdoing. He was free to continue on his journey towards Campania. However, Tiberius Pomponius Velus left provisions in his will for the continued use of his slaves. Caprimulgus and the rest were not freed. They continued on in their positions under Tiberius Pomponius Velus's younger brother, Sextus. In this way, Gaius believed that the Fates punished both the hubris of Pomponius and the trickery of Caprimulgus.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Old Friend Incident - Part One

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Old Friend Incident - Part I

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Servius turned out to be a wanted man. He was a swindler who was wanted by many a rich family. Gaius had served those families as well as the fates when he killed him. Further, he was true to his word, as none of the men chasing Servius killed him.

One benefit of the incidents that happened between towns was no one ever asked questions about them. If you killed someone in town, there were people who would question you on the events. However, in the wilderness, people died regularly. Thus, Gaius never had to explain how he had come to kill someone.

Gaius continued to ride his horse south along the Appian Way. After his latest incident, he made it to the next town along the road and decided to have an extended rest there. In fact, he was still attempting to decide if he should even return to Rome. Thus, he became less concerned about making good time. In any event, Formia was an excellent town to linger.

A coastal town, Formia was a seaside resort for the wealthy Roman citizens. Thus, it had plenty to offer someone who had money. Since Gaius had obtained a nice bundle from the sale of a few wandering horses whose owners met untimely deaths, Gaius could linger in style.

After putting up his horse for the day, Gaius wandered around the town.

"Oirpata -- is that you?" asked a man about the same age as Gaius.

"Tarsua?" Gaius exclaimed as he embraced the old man.

"I thought you were dead," the two men said simultaneously.

"I fought hard to give everyone time to get away, but I was captured. So, I did not know how everyone faired." explained Gaius.

"You did a good job," replied Tarsua. "However, the Romans returned a year later. That is when I was captured."

"Have you been in this area the entire time?" asked Gaius.

"Unfortunately no. My master is visiting here. We live near Pompeii."

"How is living there?"

"Because of the volcano, the ground is quite fertile. Our crops do quite well."

"Volcano? Aren't you concerned about that?"

"The old mountain grumbles occasionally, but Vulcan is not active much there."

"It is odd that we are not speaking in the old tongue."

"It has been too long since I spoke it."

"I had almost forgotten that I was called Oirpata."

"No one has called me Tarsua in quite a long time. I am called Caprimulgus now."

"You milk the goats?"

"It was my first job. I am now the lead food preparer for my master."

"I go by Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius."

"You are a freedman?"

"I suppose you could say that."

"Do you have your own smithing guild?"

"I hope so. I do not know if it still exists since I began this journey."

"Was there trouble?"

"Of a sort. It is why I came on this journey."

"Is Alanius with you?"

"We were separated long ago," Gaius said with a longing in his voice.

"Was she captured with you?"

"Yes."

"Did you never see her again?"

"No -- we did see each other again."

"Was there too much time in between?"

"No."

"Did your love not survive?"

"No -- it does."

"Does -- is she still alive?"

"No."

"Do you know that for sure?"

"Yes."

"How did it happen?"

"It is quite a long story."

"...and you would rather not tell it."

"That is true."

"I am sorry to have asked."

"Granicus and Castus, who were a couple of Gaulic warriors, wished to keep the slaves fighting against the Romans. They were obtaining much plunder and wealth, and had little to return home to. However, there were thousands of women and children that wished to return home. Thus, Spartacus asked me to lead 10,000 slaves out of Rome while he continued the fight."

"Alanius was one of these?" asked Tarsua.

"She was," replied Gaius. "During the war, we freed many individuals which included Alanius. She joined us after we defeated Tremellius Scrofa near Petelia. She was one of his servants. She was warn and bedraggled, but as beautiful as ever. She shined like the moon when we were reunited."

"You do not have to continue."

"We made it all the way across the mountains and back home. Everything had changed, but we were home. More importantly, we were free. Nonetheless, I had obligations to my comrades fighting back in Rome. I had to leave my love, but I promised to return. She would not let me leave. She begged and cried. I had to leave, but she followed. I asked her to stay, but she would not. She was in no shape to travel, and the road back would be much more dangerous than the road home. Still, she would not stay behind. I had no choice but to bring her back with me."

"She died on the return trip..." stated Tarsua sadly.

"Yes."

"Was the war over by the time you returned?"

"Yes."

"So you are not really a freedman after all."

"No."

"This smithing thing is just a front."

"I suppose that is true."

"What do you really do?"

"I perform favors for the Fates."

"What sort of favors?"

"In exchange for a less miserable life, I do whatever the Fates wish me to do."

"Does that involve killing?"

"Sometimes."

"How do you know who to kill?"

"I know."

"So if the Fates wanted my master dead, you would do that?"

"If that was the task put before me, then yes."

"How do you know if the Fates wish someone dead?"

"I know."

"My master stated that I would be freed upon his death."

"No!"

"I would have my freedom."

"No," repeated Gaius firmly.

"How do you know that the fates did not bring us together for this to happen?"

"I do not know..."

"So?"

"I will look into it."

Gaius was conflicted. Was he being tested? Which direction was he to go? Was he supposed to kill his long-time friend's master? Was it just a favor? He would have to look hard into this matter. It would take some time.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Distressed Traveler Incident

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Distressed Traveler Incident

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Gaius was beginning to resign himself to taking much longer on this trip than he anticipated. Further, with the threats he had gotten from his last encounter, his place in Rome may no longer exist. Thus, he should not have to worry about his trip taking longer than expected. He was not quite sure what he would find at the slave market in Campania anyway.

His excuse was to find more house servants, and this often implied finding a wife. However, he did not believe that he would actually purchase any slaves on this trip. However, if his shop was destroyed, he might perhaps purchase a smith or two. Nonetheless, his main purpose was to get out of Rome until the demands from Crassus died down. With his most recent treatment of Crassus's messengers, it may be wise for him to stay away longer than planned.

He was beginning to resign himself to experiencing some sort of adventure on a daily basis, when he made it to the first stop without incident. He also made it to the second waypoint without anything occurring. Certainly, something would happen before making it to his goal for the day. He was shocked when he rested at the inn on his final stop for the day, and he did not have to kill anyone. Moreover, he did not even encounter anyone who knew him or wanted to speak with him.

He was quite shocked at that string of non-events. It had been quite a long string of days with something happening, he was taken aback by the uneventful day. He was extra wary the next day. He was thinking that perhaps all his tasks had been completed when a distressed traveler came onto the road.

"Help!" the panicked man cried. "Help!"

"How can I help?" asked Gaius calmly.

"Some men are after me," the stranger replied.

"Why?" asked Gaius.

"I think they want to rob me."

"Is that so."

"Yes. So are you going to help?" asked the man looking around nervously.

"I will see what I can do."

"Great! Lets go!"

"We are not going anywhere?"

"What? I thought you said you would help me."

"I certainly will try, but what does that have to do with getting out of here?"

"They will be along any moment."

"And?"

"And ... I do not want to be here when they come."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"You said you would help me."

"And I will, but what does that have to do with running away?"

"They will kill me."

"I guarantee that they will not."

"I hope the gods will keep you to that because here they are."

A group of twelve men came onto the Appian Way. Three of them were mounted, but the remaining nine were on foot.

"At last we caught up with you Servius," stated one of the mounted men.

"You best leave," stated Servius boldly. "I am under the protection of this man."

"Step aside stranger," replied the mounted man. "This is none of your affair."

"He has given me his word that you will not kill me. He has sworn by the gods, and he has defeated many opponents in groups larger than yours!"

Gaius looked at Servius with a cocked look of wondering. However, he continued to be silent. The mounted leader waved toward his men, and the men began to flank the pair of men. However, they did not attempt to completely surround the two men.

"You will not bluff your way out of this one Servius."

"We are not afraid of you!" shouted Servius. "We have been in tougher spots than this."

Again, Gaius looked at Servius with a raised eyebrow.

"Why is it that we have never seen you with this man before?"

"We fought together in the war. We were just catching up when you and your men arrived."

"War? Which war?"

"Why the Third Servile War of course."

Gaius stared hard at Servius. Had he known this man before? He did not recognize him, but he could have been in one of the ranks. Most of those that fought, knew him, but he certainly did not know everyone. He was trying to place him as the conversation continued.

"Yeah! Sure! What side did you fight on? The slaves? Were you two both close personal friends with Spartacus?"

"Of course not! We fought under the Consulship of Crassus. The senator will vouch for us."

"Enough of this!" shouted Gaius who now knew that Servius was bluffing. "It is true that I have given my word that you will not kill him. Thus, if you wish to say something -- say it and be gone."

"Your lapdog can speak," shouted the leader of the group.

"You should see him fight! I watched him as he personally killed forty men by himself."

"Get them!" shouted the leader.

The unmounted men cautiously moved towards the two men. They had their swords drawn. The men on horses stayed where they were. Gauis pulled his scimitar and put his horse between the advancing men and Servius. With a flourish of his weapon, the men stopped their advance.

"By the gods, I said you will not kill him!" shouted Gaius pointing his sword at Servius.

Gaius, spun his horse and the men looked towards the mounted men for orders. However, before anything was said, Servius's head was separated from the rest of his body. The body collapsed with a thud and his head rolled a bit away. The men stood there in awe as Gaius wiped his blade off.

"Your hunt for this man is over," stated Gaius. "You may go."

"Do you know who that was?" asked the leader.

"I only met him moments ago; however, his lies did not go unnoticed."

"There is a big reward for his head," replied the leader.

"Then take it with my compliments."

"May I ask your name?"

"No you may not," replied Gaius as he made his way past the men and continued his journey.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Crassus Messengers Incident

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Crassus Messengers Incident

By Douglas E. Gogerty

The views around Terracina were well known. The area was very much coveted by many wealthy patricians who had villas in the area. Further, there were the famous mineral springs known as Neptune's waters. There were lots of places Gaius wished to see while he was there; however, he was behind schedule so things would have to be sacrificed.

Gaius left at dawn in the hopes of making up some time. He had just begun his journey when he noticed he was being followed. It was a group of six well armed men. When he slowed, they slowed. When he went faster, they kept up. They were definitely not travelers. Without a doubt, they were following him.

There was only one thing for Gaius to do, and that was wait until they made their move. He would know what they wanted soon enough. He would have to be careful. They could be setting him up for an ambush. He would ride with all of his senses on alert. If the soldiers behind him began to close in, he was determined to be ready.

He went along for a while when he noticed two men waiting along the road. The men behind him kept their distance. Nonetheless, Gaius was poised for whatever would happen next.

"Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius?" shouted one man.

"Yes," replied Gaius as he stopped his horse.

"Senator Marcus Licinius Crassus sends his regards."

"If you get the chance, you must return my good wishes to the Senator," Gaius replied as he noticed the armed men behind him had also stopped.

"We shall certainly do that."

"Very good! Then I shall be on my way."

"Not so fast Ferrarius -- or should I say Apollodoros?"

"You can say whatever you wish. No one is stopping you."

"The Senator was hoping that you would reconsider his offer."

"That is very generous of the Senator; however, I prefer the way things currently stand."

"You do not seem to understand the danger you are currently in."

"Apparently not, because I do not see anything dangerous."

"Do you not see the six men behind you waiting for our signal?"

"Those men? They are yours? They do not look dangerous to me."

"You are out numbered eight to one."

"Do not leave my horse out. She is very sensitive about these things."

"To joke in the face of mortal danger shows great hubris."

"I am in mortal danger?"

"The Fates will bring you down because of your hubris."

"I work for the fates. This is something the good Senator refuses to acknowledge. He cannot outbid the Fates."

"He can destroy all that you love."

"No he cannot."

"You feel nothing for the smiths under your employ?"

"Why would I care for slaves?" asked the lying Gaius.

"Do you not care for your dwelling in Rome?"

"Surely you jest! Have you seen that hovel?"

"We can expose you as a runaway slave Apollodorus!"

"You do not seem to understand. The Fates took all that I have ever cared about. Nothing means anything to me now. I do only what the Fates wish. Working for Senator Crassus would require me to stop working for the Fates. This is something I just will not do."

"No matter what you do or where you go, the Senator will track you down."

"I am sure that is true."

"Not to mention that you are an easy man to track. We just follow the trail of corpses that you leave behind."

"It is the nature of things when you work for the Fates."

"We have been instructed to not let you continue without agreeing to the proposal."

"There are two problems with that statement. First, I already said that I would never agree. Second, you are unable to stop me."

Before the Senator's messenger could draw his sword, he and the silent envoy were cut open by Gaius's scimitar. They fell to the ground with a thud.

Gaius looked back at the soldiers that were following him. They looked confused. They had not been given any sign to advance, and the leaders of their group were not longer visible. Gaius decided to ride towards them.

The confusion played into Gaius's hands. With their indecision, four of them rode away from the advancing Gaius. The remaining two were frozen with indecision. Gaius rode between the pair with his sword drawn but across his lap.

With a puzzled look on their faces, Gaius swung his scimitar and sliced them both open. With a few more paces, he smacked their horses on the rear. The dieing men on horseback went galloping off. After several steps from their horses, both men fell. Gaius watched over his shoulder.

The four men that galloped off, obtained their desired distance and turned around. They watched as their comrades fell from their horses. Three of the men drew their swords and charged at Gaius. The remaining man galloped away.

Gaius stood his ground as the three men rode hard towards him. Closer and closer the three men galloped. The mounted Gaius remained where he was. The three men roared at him. Gaius stayed quiet. At the last instant, Gaius pulled his horse to one side. He remained out of reach of the soldier's short swords. However, one man was within reach of his longer scimitar.

That man's arm was cut from his shoulder to his wrist. He dropped his sword and screamed in pain. He pulled on the reins, and his horse threw him to the ground. The remaining men, turned around and watched as their colleague tumbled off his horse. The impact with the ground and his head killed him instantly. His comrades once again charged at Gaius, and once again Gaius stayed where he was.

Both men had their swords in their right hand and the reins of their mounts in the left. Thus, as Gaius sat between the men, only one could possibly reach him with a short sword. Thus, Gaius parried the thrust of the man with the sword close to him and sliced open the neck of the other rider.

The remaining fighter witnessing this, attempted to ride off. However, Gaius took off right behind him. The tired mount was no match for the somewhat rested mare under Gaius. Gaius caught up with remaining soldier and cut him down.

Gaius was getting tired of all the battles with no reward. Thus, he gathered up the horses, and led them to the next waypoint. He made a tidy sum of money when he sold them to the local innkeeper. He was tired, but he decided to ride to the next stop along the way before resting for the day. He was going to be in trouble once Crassus heard the news, but he was not going to worry about that for the moment.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Young Fighter Incident

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Young Fighter Incident

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Gaius had been kept busy on the road to Campania. He was beginning to wonder if he would ever make it. The Appian Way was teeming with travelers and thieves. In fact, he had taken care of many problems, but he had not yet reached the coast. Upon reaching the coast, he would be slightly less than half way through his journey.

He had planned to be gone a month, and he was well behind schedule. Not to mention that every time he had hoped to begin to make up time, something occurred. It would be a struggle to catch up. Gaius was planning on riding hard to make the coast on this day. He arose early, and made it to the first way point by midmorning.

At this stop, his horse was tired and needed some water, so he would have to rest a while. He sat underneath an olive tree while his ride recovered from the morning's ride. He was about to rise and leave when someone approached him.

"I have been following you for quite some time," stated the young stranger.

"Is that so," replied Gaius.

"You make it easy," the stranger added. "There has been a trail of dead bodies for miles."

"What makes you think I am responsible for those deaths?"

"I know!" the young stranger replied confidently. "They have slowed you down enough for me to catch up."

"And you are?"

"My name is Nonus Iuventius Mordanticus. Now, prepare to die."

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Gaius as he continued to sit. "I have no argument with you young one. Now be gone while you still can still walk."

"You have met your match in me Ferrarius!"

"So, you do know me. Well, test your metal somewhere else! You are working in a hotter fire than you realize."

"I have been training my whole life for this moment. I know what I am doing."

"Clearly you do not know enough, or you would not challenge me. For the record, I have not trained since before you were born."

"I am good enough to defeat you!"

"I very much doubt that. You see, every move you know or could ever hope to know, I know how to counter it. Now, if you are fast enough, and strong enough, and you do not make any mistakes, then any fight between you and I could last up to seven moves. I will be impressed if that is the case, which I doubt."

"It will not last that long because you will be dead in three."

"Obviously, you have never killed a man or you would not speak so -- boldly."

"I may have never killed anyone, but I am a match for you."

"Listen," replied Gaius with a very serious look on his face. "I have killed many people, and everyone earned their deaths. Not one of them treated death as cavalierly as you. There are no time outs and no second chances. If you make one mistake against a competent foe, your insides are exposed for all to see."

"I am not afraid."

"You see, that is part of the problem. You should be afraid. You are confident about your own skills; however, you know very little of mine. You do not know how easy or difficult the fights along this trail have been. I am confident that my skills can withstand anything you have to offer. Yet, I am still afraid."

"Stand up and fight!"

"You are not listening. I do not fight -- just to fight. All my fights have purpose. Fighting you will serve no purpose."

"It will serve the purpose of telling people who I am."

"If you went around telling people I am the one who killed Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius, most would ask who?"

"Your reputation is well known."

"You would think so, yet people still try to fight me."

"I can defeat you."

"Even if that were true, it would not help your reputation. Those who had heard of me would speak of how old and tired I was. You would not strike fear into them. Respect has to be earned. The road to respect is long and arduous. There are no shortcuts."

"Get up and fight! Let me worry about the after effects."

"You still do not understand. If we fight, only one will walk away. If you think that I will let you live to challenge me again in the future, you think very lowly of me. If we fight, there is only death. Your death would serve no purpose. Thus, I will not fight you."

"You are a coward."

"Go ahead and spread that around. I will not mind. In fact, it could help me out a bit."

"Is there nothing I can do to make you fight me?"

"Become corrupt and take advantage of average people and the fates may allow us to meet in battle. However, they will likely take you down in some other way, so I do not recommend going down that path."

"If you will not fight, then perhaps you would let me study under you."

"I am not a teacher. Further, at some point you will feel the urge to test yourself against me. That can only end poorly. No, it is best that you join the army. They will teach you what you need to know. Further, your chance of survival -- is by no means assured -- but it is better."

"Very well Ferrarius -- fare well. Perhaps we shall meet again."

"Let us hope that is not the case."

The young Mordanticus walked away as Gaius watched. Cautiously, Gaius got up and mounted his horse and rode off. He hoped that he would not be forced to fight the young man because he saw a bit of himself in the young warrior. However, he would kill him if he had to.

Gaius made it to the second way point without incident. After a brief rest, he pushed on. After a few more hours ride, he made it to the coast. His journey was nearly half over, and he wondered how many more encounters there would be. He was sure he had enough.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Ambush Incident - Part II

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Ambush Incident - Part II

By Douglas E. Gogerty

The eleven uninjured men moved cautiously around Gaius. The remaining nine -- who had various injuries and some had already expired -- were further up the Appian way. They would no longer pose a danger to Gaius. However, the uninjured eleven were a different story. They were wary and on the lookout for what Gaius would do next. Being surrounded by eleven men, Gaius was not even sure what he would do next.

As the eleven moved around Gaius, he countinued to look for an opening. As the men moved around, Gaius slowly turned his horse in a circle. Occasionally, he would switch directions that the horse turned. However, for quite some time, no one made an aggressive move.

The leader of the group would occasionally make some sort of hand gesture. He directed where the men should go as they continued to surround Gaius. Suddenly, as if on cue, all eleven men rushed towards Gaius at once. Instead of his previous tactic of circling on his horse, Gaius just urged his horse to go the direction she was facing. Thus, singling out a sole attacker. That attacker held his ground and was pushed aside by the horse and trampled. He cried out in pain as his leg was crushed by the weighty horse. He was now out of action.

Once again, the remaining scrambled. They believed their advantage would be served if they kept Gaius surrounded, but their efforts kept failing. Now with Gaius free of their circle, they would have to attempt to flank him. Further, they had just lost another man and everything would be more difficult with the fewer number of men. Also, they were no closer to getting Gaius off his horse.

As the men regrouped and moved, they continued to attempt a surround him. However Gaius had no interest in being out-flanked. Thus in an effort to stop his adversaries' tactics, Gaius would charge at a man or group of men. If the men stood their ground, they either met Gaius's scimitar or his horse. Also, they would have to gather up and begin their flanking movement again.

After a few charges by Gaius, most of the attackers got out of the way. Nonetheless, three men fell in these encounters. The leader and his friend, who had seen what Gaius could do, were careful not to be in Gaius's way. Nevertheless, the group was slowly dwindling down. The once mighty group of twenty was now seven.

These remaining men were becoming very wary of Gaius's prowess. Having just watched him dispatch thirteen of their comrades, the remaining were greatly on edge. Their leader was having a difficult time keeping them from abandoning their task. He had doubts on the mission himself.

"If you were not such a coward," shouted the leader, "you would dismount your horse."

"Ha ha! If you were not such a coward," replied Gaius, "you would not have come after me with twenty men."

"At every turn you dishonor us."

"You are fighting for the honor of dishonorable men. I cannot add to this."

The men gathered around the leader, and they had a brief discussion. They had watched many of their friends fall to the martial abilities of Gaius. In Gaius's eyes, it was clear what they were discussion.

"Okay stranger," shouted the leader after the meeting. "we have decided that we will let you go."

"Alack and alas!" cried Gaius. "I am afraid the fates disagree with you."

"What?" they all exclaimed in unison.

"You have watched your friends and perhaps family fall at my hands. Many of you will not rest until you see me dead. Thus, at some point in the future, you will garner more forces to face me. I cannot allow that to happen. No my friends, you must all die today."

At those words, all the men ran. Gaius on horseback could easily track them down. He charged at one man and swung his scimitar across his back. He then turned to the next man running and killed him in a similar manner. One after another, Gaius chased down the men running down the road attempting to avoid Gaius's sword.

In order to avoid horse and rider, a few did not stay on the road. In this way, they finally got Gaius to dismount his horse. The leader of the group was one of the men that abandoned the road. He believed he could travel easier than a man on horseback. Further, he believed he could out distance Gaius once he ran in pursuit. In this way, he prolonged his life. However, no one could escape Gaius's blade completely.

Gaius ran after one man through the hilly terrain just off the road. Around the trees, and up and down the hills the men ran. Without slowing his pace, Gaius cut the man across the back. Down he fell. Gaius turned and went after the leader of the group. After a short chase, Gaius caught up to the man.

"Please! Please!" cried the leader of the group as Gaius approached him. "I will not tell anyone. I promise!"

"Why do people threaten other people's lives with such ease, but grovel for their own when the situation is reversed?"

"Please! I was just following orders."

"Ah! The excuse of the ages! You act as if you had no choices. You act as if you were fighting for the honor of honorable men. You act as if you did not know that the Genicia family were criminals praying on unsuspecting travelers."

"Please! I did not..."

Gaius was going to slice the man open with his scimitar; however, he drew his dagger instead. With a quick swipe, the leader's throat was opened and blood spilled out in great quantities.

"The fates are satisfied," Gaius stated quietly.

Gaius made sure all twenty men were dead. Some of the injured who had not yet succumb to their injuries, he ended their suffering quickly. He made sure that he accounted for all twenty of the men. Even one left alive would gather forces against him, so he had to make sure they were all dead.

When it was all done, he was tired and his horse was tired. Nonetheless, he had to push forward. He could not stay where he was. He needed to make it to the next way station. He would not make up the ground he wanted to on this leg of the journey. He hoped that once he reached the coast, he could make up ground then. However, he was sure the fates had more in store for him.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Ambush Incident - Part I

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Ambush Incident - Part I

By Douglas E. Gogerty

With all of the incidents occurring along his journey, Gaius was greatly behind schedule. It seemed that every way point, there was another delay. The latest stop which led to some time in court was putting him further and further behind. He had planned to make the 280 miles round trip to Campania and back in a month of traveling. There was no way he could make up that time on foot. Thus, he was going to continue riding the horse. It was the only way to make up the time.

Further, the mare was going to have to be pushed a little faster. While Gaius did not wish to mistreat the animal, doubling the distance he would travel on foot was not going to make up the time. This was particularly true if incidences, like the ones he became involved in, continue to occur. Thus, he would have to pass two way points on his daily journey. Hopefully, the mare could manage the distances.

Fortunately, the journey started off well. Gaius made it to the first way station well before midday. He would allow his mount to rest for a bit before continuing. Gaius entered the inn to rest and hear the latest news from other travelers.

After the rest, Gaius continued his journey; however, he was not going to make up ground today. Between the two way points he was stopped by a large number of armed men.

"Dismount Blacksmith!" shouted one of the men.

"I recognize you," replied Gaius staying on his horse. "You were a companion to Titus Decimus Genicius."

"You are correct. We are here to avenge his murder."

"Murder? The court found it to be self defense and not murder."

"We could care less what your court decided Barbarian."

"Ha! I guess you disagree with what Gnaeus Genucia Agricolus did."

"We were told to make ourselves scarce, and he did not."

"You were paid to make yourselves scarce...."

"As you say, but it just goes to show that you cannot trust a freedman."

"I did save his life from your friend's blade. Is he here as well?"

"As a matter of fact he is. Now quit stalling and dismount."

"I believe it is not in my best interest to comply," replied Gaius frankly.

"We can make you comply. We have you twenty to one."

"Actually, it is twenty to two," replied Gaius. "While she may not look like much, I am sure this mare could whip you in a fight."

"Barbarian, you are pretty funny for a dead man."

"I am far from dead."

The leader waved his arm to approach the mounted Gaius. Gaius pulled on the reigns to turn the mare. She turned so Gaius's right hand was facing the approaching group. While doing this, he drew his scimitar.

The men approached slowly, as Gaius continued to spin his horse. Gaius had his weapon on the outward side in which the horse spun. One of the men got close enough that Gaius landed a blow across the man's face. The man recoiled in horror as the blood steamed down his face.

At this, each of the men stopped their advance. They drew their weapons, and then continued to advance. Suddenly a man rushed in, but was out of Gaius's reach. However, as the man attempted to land a blow, the hind end of the horse pushed the man to the ground. Shortly, Gaius's mount stepped on the man with her front hooves. The man shouted out in pain. The hind legs followed as the mare continued to turn.

The two men who had fought against Gaius suddenly froze with fright. Several of the others continued to get closer to Gaius on his whirling animal. When a man got close, he either felt the sting of Gaius's razor sharp scimitar, or was pushed aside by the animal. If they were lucky, they avoided being trampled. However, many of those were then cut trying to stand as Gaius swung around.

After several minutes of this, seven of the men were either dead or gravely injured. The remaining men encircled the horse and rider, but were out of range of Gaius's weapons. Thus, Gaius stopped the spin.

"Do you give up?" shouted Gaius.

"What?" asked the leader in stunned surprise.

"Oh I know," replied Gaius with a smile. "You have not yet begun to fight. I agree, and it shows."

"Get him..." replied the leader as he was just about to rush Gaius.

The remaining men took his lead and took a step forward and then a step back. At this action, Gaius gave out a hearty laugh.

For several moments the men looked at each other wondering who would make the next move. They had their weapons drawn, but their leader seemed somewhat frozen with fright. Thus, they just looked around waiting for something to happen.

As the men stood there wondering what to do, Gaius whirled his horse around again. He stopped when he had selected a direction that was most free of injured men. Horse and rider rushed the man who stood in this spot. As the stunned man just stood there, Gaius swung his sword and caught the man across his chest. The skin pealed away and blood began to pour out. The man shouted in agony.

Gaius and his Horse turned and struck the stunned man standing next to him. By this time, the inaction had worn a bit off the combatants. Thus, they started to move. They scrambled around looking for a good place to be. As a few of them got close, Gaius started the twirl of his horse again. Hence, the men kept their distance. There were now eleven uninjured men attempting to encircle Gaius.

"Do you still think you can force me to dismount?" asked Gaius.

"You are still outnumbered," replied the leader who was still a bit shaky.

"Well you got me there," replied Gaius.

"It is not too late to give up!"

"The same could be said of you."

"Our honor will not allow us..."

"To admit defeat," Gaius said finishing the man's sentence. "Very well, since you did accept the payment of the Genicia family, we shall finish this."

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Horse Incident - Part III (The Conclusion)

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Horse Incident - Part III (The Conclusion)

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Another death on his hands, and Gaius was still a long ways from his goal of Campania. Furthermore, the latest death was causing some difficulties. In front of the standing court, the man's uncle brought an indictment against Gaius charging him with murder. Thus, Gaius would have to defend himself against the charges.

Gaius was placed in custody until his turn in court. He would be taken in front of the local Aedile who would act as judge. The killed man's uncle recruited several people to act as scriptores and they signed the complaint. The inscripto stated that Gaius killed the man without provocation after an argument.

"Magistrate, my name is Titus Sextus Genucius. I am here on behalf of my nephew Titus Decimus Genicius who was brutally murdered by one Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius. It all began with an argument over a horse. My dear nephew had lost a horse to thieves and he accused the mighty blacksmith of taking it," began the testimony of the accuser.

"My poor nephew's first attempt to retrieve the animal in question resulted in him losing his sword to Ferrarius. Later, when he attempted to retrieve the weapon, he got his sword back when the defendant thrust it into his heart. My nephew had no chance to defeat such an accomplished fighter, and lost his life in the attempt to retrieve his stolen horse and his stolen sword."

The three jurors sat quietly as the plaintiff described what happened to his nephew. He also outlined how he would show that the defendant, Gaius, was looking for a fight the entire time he was in town. After he finished his statement, Gaius got a chance to tell his story.

"I am a stranger in this place. I am travelling to Campania in search of help for my smithing guild. The road has been fraught with dangers and hazards. However, the fates in their fickle ways brought me to this place safely. Further, they gave me the mare in question. I do not question their motivations," began Gaius's response to the charges.

"When the deceased threatened me with harm in an effort to acquire the gentle animal, I offered to give him the mare. However, he treated me as if I were a bandit and attempted to take the animal by force. I disarmed him and sent him on his way. On the road, I had dealings with some highwaymen. Thus, I am somewhat experienced in the martial ways and dealing with armed assailants.

"Later, the man and four of his friends accosted me at my lodgings after I finished eating my evening meal. They challenged me to a fight. A fight in which I resisted participating. However, the accused spoke of his honor being besmirched. He would take no other result. The altercation was short, and I left his four companions mostly unharmed. However, in a show of good faith, I offered both the sword and the mare to the man. However, when I returned the sword in question to the Citizen Genucius, he attempted to use it upon me. In my defense, I reluctantly killed the man. In no way did I initiate the fight, nor did I wish to kill the plaintiff's nephew. The fates forced the issue upon me."

With the opening statements given. T. Sextus Genucius brought his witnesses. They were acquaintances of the dead man, and they had various descriptions of the fight in question. It was clear that several of the scriptores, who signed the indictment, did not see the fight in question. Upon cross examination, Gaius easily impeached these witnesses.

The three jurors listened intently to the prosecution's witnesses. Some of them gave a fairly accurate description of the events. However, they would miss key features and gave the benefit to their comrade over the stranger. The dead man had several acquaintances, but it did not seem he had too many close friends. The four that accompanied him on the day of his death did not appear for the prosecution. Gaius found this odd and began searching for the men.

During the prosecutorial testimony, a theme began to emerge. The Genicius family did not know much about horses. It was beginning to become apparent that the horse Gaius acquired from Horatius was not stolen from the individual in question. While Gaius still felt bad about having to kill the man, a different picture of the man was beginning to emerge from the witnesses. An image the uncle did not intend to paint.

When it was Gaius's turn to submit evidence, he did not know many people in the area. Further, there were not too many that would testify against the Genucius family. The family did not have any close friends, but the locals were loyal to the man they knew rather than the stranger in town.

The four men that came to the fight with T. Decimus Genucius were not to be found. It appeared that they were no longer in town. During the prosecution, Gaius looked all over for the men. It was beginning to look like they would not appear at the trial.

After a meager attempt at calling witnesses, Gaius was about to give up when one of the four appeared. It was the man that he saved from being accidentally impaled. Gaius called him to the stand.

"My name is Gnaeus Genucia Agricolus, I am a freedman once in employ of the Genucius family. I can testify that Decimus Genucius never had a horse stolen. In fact, he would regularly accost travelers and accuse them of stealing. Often, he would end up obtaining their horse or obtain a cash payment. This changed when he met the defendant."

Gn. Cenucia Agricolus went on to describe how Gaius was the first person to fight back. Thus, the deceased recruited him and three others to threaten Gaius. However, the plan did not work because Gaius would not frighten. Further, when the actual fight broke out, Gaius easily defended himself. It was Decimus's first defeat, and he was quite upset about it. However, he could not let it rest.

It turned out that the Genucius family had paid him a large sum to leave town and not testify. The former slave felt the Gaius had saved his life. Thus, he returned the money and decided to testify on behalf of the defense.

After the witness was cross-examined, the testimony stood. It did not take the jurors long to decide. Gaius was easily acquitted. He was free to leave.

Gaius had once felt bad for killing an innocent man. However, from the trial he learned that the man was anything but innocent. Gaius's faith in the fates and his trip was restored. He was considering turning back, but instead he pressed on towards Campania.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Horse Incident - Part II

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Horse Incident - Part II

By Douglas E. Gogerty

Gaius did not wish to fight the five men. The leader of these men had been wronged, but he was attempting to right this with the wrong person. He and Gaius were allies in a sense, but the man would not listen to reason. The man wanted to fight someone, and unfortunately he had chosen Gaius.

"Oh cruel fates," cried Gaius. "Why do you test me so? Have I not proven myself worthy?"

Reluctantly, Gaius joined the five men outside. He was still going to attempt to convince them to not fight. However, he had the feeling that his words had little effect on the men.

"It is not too late!" Gaius began. "The fates can still change their minds on your destinies."

"Barbarian!" replied the leader. "Prepare to die."

The leader, who lost his sword to Gaius, waved his hands to indicate the men put their plan into action. The four men drew their short swords. Gaius left his weapons in his pack in the inn. He was going to see what he could do to convince these men that they had no quarrel with him.

Two men rushed Gaius immediately with another rushing in a delay as to not have them all arrive at the same time. The leader and another remained where they were as a reserve. The first two men arrived on opposite sides of Gaius nearly simultaneously.

Gaius side stepped their thrusts just in time. He rushed one man and grabbed his arm. He stepped in front of that man and parried the thrust of the other with that man's sword. With a quick flick, he hit the other man's hand with the flat of the blade.

"Look out!" Gaius yelled as he kicked that man.

The third man arrived and thrust at Gaius. With a block and that kick, the thrust went to where the second man stood. With a twist and an elbow, Gaius relieved the man he was controlling of his sword.

With a wave and a flourish, he relieved the third man of his sword. The second man had his sword tucked under his arm, and was rubbing his hand. He just stood there looking at Gaius. It looked as if he was puzzling on why Gaius just saved his life. The now swordless men moved back towards the group's leader.

The man in reserve pointed his sword at Gaius and cautiously advanced. Gaius glanced between the stationary man and the one advancing. The one rubbing his hand just stood there. Thus, the sword Gaius had grabbed from the one man he threw on the ground by the other sword.

The advancing man cocked his head at this move but continued to advance slowly.

"Get him!" shouted the leader.

The advancing man looked back and gave the leader a stern look. Afterwards he continued his slow advance with his sword out front.

Gaius continued to glance between the two armed men. The one remained standing there puzzling over Gaius's actions. While Gaius was looking away, the advancing man charged. However, instead of thrusting his short sword, he raised his sword above his head and attempted to hack at Gaius from above.

Gaius caught the man's arm on its way down and the force caused him to drop his sword. With a quick turn and a push, the man fell backwards. Gaius picked up the sword and put it with the rest. The man with the sword remained motionless for a moment. He then sheathed his sword, and turned and walked away.

"Where are you going?" asked the leader.

The man simply looked at him and continued to walk away.

"He realized that this was not his fight," replied Gaius. "If you think three unarmed allies are better than four armed ones, we can continue this. However, I do not recommend it."

"Honor says we have to finish this," replied the leader.

"It is finished," replied Gaius. "Honor does not dictate that you all must die -- a victor was chosen."

"I do not feel that my honor was upheld," shouted the man knowing that he was defeated.

Gaius left the swords on the ground and walked over to the men. "I am not your enemy. I vanquished your enemy. If you cannot see that, I will kill you right here. However, I do not wish to."

"Who are you?" asked the man.

"I have been known by many names. The name I go by now is Gaius Conelius Ferrarius."

"We were defeated by a barbarian blacksmith?"

"You cannot judge a person by what they look like or from where they hail. Experience is what shapes a person. While I can handle myself in a fight, I would not wish my life experience upon anyone."

"Okay Ferrarius -- the fight is over. However, you can keep the horse if I could get my sword back."

"Very well," replied Gaius.

Gaius entered the inn where his pack was sitting. He opened it up and retrieved the man's short sword. He walked out with it, as the man's companions gathered their swords and left. He walked over the the man and handed the short bladed weapon to him.

"Did you really kill seven bandits to get that horse?"

"I have no reason to lie about these things," Gaius said before turning around to go back into the inn.

As Gaius was walking back to the inn, he heard the sound of a sword being slowly unsheathed. He gave a heavy sigh, and readied himself.

Despite the man's best efforts, he could not sneak up on Gaius. He clumsily attempted to thrust the sword into Gaius's back, but the experienced soldier easily dodged the attack. With the sword and arm of his foe beside him, Gaius grabbed the sword, twisted it around and plunged it into the heart of the man.

"I was hoping that you would have stained my honor by making a liar out of me," muttered Gaius to the dieing man. "Alas, you got your sword back when I thrust it into your heart. It is truly sad."

The man fell to the ground in pain. The local people did not do anything to apprehend Gaius or aid the man. Gaius knelt down and held the man as he was dieing.

"How would your honor have enjoyed defeating someone in an unfair fight?" asked Gaius as the man breathed his last breath.

"The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius" - The Horse Incident - Part I

The Adventures of Gaius Cornelius Ferrarius

The Horse Incident - Part I

By Douglas E. Gogerty

"Where did you get this horse?" asked a young man as Gaius rode into the next way station on his road to Campania.

"She was given to me by a former associate," lied Gaius.

"I think you stole it!" exclaimed the man.

What could Gaius do? He obtained the horse from a man who was going to rob him. There was no reason to believe that that man obtained the horse legally. Thus, he could very easily be riding a stolen horse. However, he could never admit that.

"I assure you that I did not steal this horse," Gaius explained.

"Perhaps your associate stole it then!"

"That is none of my concern, nor is it yours. However, you can rest assured that if he did steal her, he will never do anything of the like again."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"If I say the man that gave me this horse will never steal again, you can count on that being the truth."

"You killed the man for his horse?"

"Not at all. He attacked me, and I defended..."

"So, he is dead!"

"He was a brigand, and he got what the fates wished."

"And you obtained a horse for free. That is very convenient."

"I would happily abandon this mare and continue on my way if you wish it."

"Oh, you will hand over the horse all right, but you will not simply walk away -- barbarian."

"Stranger, I have no beef with you. If this is indeed your horse, you may have her," Gaius said as he dismounted. "However, tread lightly or you may regret wagging your tongue in such a manner."

"You speak as if you are not a dead man already."

The man drew his short sword and swung it at Gaius. Gaius rushed at the man and the sword completely missed its mark. The man's arm hit Gaius instead. With a quick twist of his body, Gaius grabbed the man's hand and freed the sword. It fell harmlessly to the ground. With a quick push of his elbow, the man was forced backwards. Gaius bent over and picked up the sword.

"Citizen," began Gaius before the man could rush forward "I have no quarrel with you. As I said, if the horse is yours, you may have her. If it is not, leave us be. However, you have forfeited this sword."

The man thought about charging at Gaius to retrieve his sword. He thought it over quickly and decided not to take that course of action. "You have not heard the last of me!" the man said as he ran away.

"I had better have!" exclaimed Gaius after him.

The man did not even take the horse. It became clear to Gaius that the horse was going to be trouble. He could not prove where he got the horse, and he could not prove that it was not stolen. The horse could prove to be more trouble down the road.

Nevertheless, it had been a long journey, and the death of the slave woman saddened him greatly. However, he had given her happy last moments. He was pleased with that. Thus, when he was at the end of the days journey, he was looking forward to a quiet night.

He entered the inn for a meal and a room for the night. The available food smelled glorious when he entered the inn. A hearty meal would hit the spot. He exchanged the pleasantries with the innkeeper, and made the necessary arrangements for the night.

He hoped that the man that confronted him earlier would not find him again. He hoped the warning took hold. He did eat his meal in relative quiet. There were minor skirmishes during the meal, but that was normal for a place such as this. Apart from those incidents that did not involve Gaius, the meal was uneventful.

Unfortunately, after he finished eating, he was accosted by the man from his arrival. With four comrades, the man walked up to Gaius and ordered him to step outside.

"I informed you earlier that our interactions were over," assured Gaius.

"Not until I get my sword back."

"The only way you will get it back is through your heart."

"I do not think so," the man replied waving at his four friends.

"Listen," replied Gaius in an irritated tone. "You do not know me, or what I am capable of. Your pitiful group of friends does not change that. Thus, if you would like to see tomorrow, you will leave me alone."

"If you were so formidable, then you would not be stealing horses."

"You must be hard of hearing, so let me make this clear to you. There was a band of seven highway men pestering travelers on the Appian Way north of here. They will pester no one now. Their leader, an army deserter named Horatius, was upon the horse I acquired. Since him and his six allies would not need the animal in question, I took it."

"Do you expect me to believe that you single handedly killed seven men?"

"You may believe whatever you wish. I assure you that seven is not even close to the most men I have killed in one fight. You have had a taste of what I am capable and survived. Consider yourself lucky, and go home."

"My honor will not allow me..."

"Your so-called honor will result in your death and that of your friends. What good will it be to you then?"

"You will step outside, and prove yourself."

"I have nothing to prove. It is you who wishes to prove something. I wish to have nothing to do with it."

"You are a coward!"

"You should not tempt the fates lest you wish to meet them."

"You speak tough words, but can you back them up barbarian?"

"I fail to see why you wish to have an end of your life at such a young age. Is life here that unbearable?"

"You act as if you will survive this fight."

"No. I act as if I have experience in fighting. Your group garners no interest from me."

"You will fight us horse-thief."

It looked as if Gaius would not be able to avoid fighting the man and his friends.