Гладиатор
Farmer and Soldier
Helookedbackfrequentlytothelineoftrees.
Someofhisofficerswerewarmingthemselvesaroundafire,andMaximusjoinedthem.
"Stillnothing?"heaskedQuintus,hissecond-in-command.
Quintusshookhishead."He’sbeengoneforalmosttwohours,"hesaid."Whyaretheytakingsolong?Theyonlyhavetosayyesorno."
AyoungofficergaveMaximusabowlofhotsoup.Hedrankitslowlyastheytalked,alwayskeepingoneeyeonthelineoftrees.
"Snowintheair,"saidMaximus."Icansmellit."
"Anything’sbetterthanthisGermanrain,"Quintussaid,lookingoutatthemudinfrontofhismen.
Suddenly,therewasashout."He’scoming!"
Alleyesturnedtothetrees.Ahorsemanrodeout,towardtheRomanarmy.Therewassomethingstrangeaboutthewayhewasriding.Maximuswasthefirsttounderstand.
"Theysayno,"hesaid.
Asthehorsecamecloser,theothermencouldseewhathadhappened.TheRomanmessengerwastiedtohishorse.Hisheadhadbeencutoff.Maximusknewnowwhathehadtodo.Lifewassuddenlysimple.
Faraway,attheedgeofthetrees,aGermanchiefappeared.Inonehandhewasholdingtheheadofthemessenger.HescreamedhisangerattheRomanarmy,thenthrewtheheadtowardthem.
Maximus’smenstaredbackandwaitedfortheirgeneral’sordertoattack.
***
Severalcarriagestraveledalongtheroadtowardthebattlearea,protectedbyRomansoldiers.Insidethefirstcarriageweretheroyalfamily-theEmperor’ssonanddaughter.
