Гладиатор
One More Duty
Maximuswalkedpasthimandoutofthetent.QuintusalreadyhadhisordersfromthenewCaesar.Commoduslookedacrossathimandhefollowedhisgeneraloutintothenight.
Lucillabentoverherfatherandkissedhim.Thensheturnedtoherbrother.Theireyesmet.Shehithisfacetwice,hard.Hesteppedback,shocked.Thenshetookhisrighthand,liftedittoherlips,andkissedit.
"Igreetyou,Caesar,"Lucillasaidwithoutemotion.
***
Backinhisowntent,MaximuscalledtoCicero."Imusttalktothesenators,"hesaid."WakeGaiusandFalco!Ineedtheiradvice."
Quintusarrivedjustthen,andcaughttheservantsarmtostophim."Maximus,pleasebecareful..."
"Careful?TheEmperorwasmurdered!"saidMaximus.
"No,"saidQuintus."TheEmperordiedinhissleep."
Maximuslookedtowardtheentranceofthetentandsawfourroyalguardswiththeirswordsready.Theycameinandquicklytiedhishandsandarms.
"Pleasedon’tfight,Maximus,"saidQuintus."I’msorry...Caesarhasspoken."
Maximusunderstood.Quintuswasasoldier,andhisordershadcomefromthetop.Hehadtoobey.
"Quintus...promisemeyou’lllookaftermyfamily"saidMaximus.
"Yourfamilywillgreetyouinthenextworld,"Quintussaid,quietly.
Maximusjumpedathiminanger.OneoftheguardshittheprisoneronthebackoftheheadwiththehandleofhisswordandMaximusfelltotheground.
"Takehimasfarasthesunriseandthenkillhim,"saidQuintus.
***
Itwasnearlysunrise,andthefivehorsesontheforestroadhadnotpassedanybodyforseveralhours.
