Гладиатор
Farmer and Soldier
Twenty-eight-year-oldCommodusandhisbeautifuloldersisterLucillaweredressedinrich,warmclothes.TheyhadleftRometwoweeksbefore.
"Doyouthinkhe’sreallydying?"CommodusaskedLucilla.
"He’sbeendyingfortenyears,"shereplied.
"Ithinkhe’sreallysickthistime.Andhe’ssentforus."Hepointedtothefollowingcarriages."Hesentforthesenators,too.Ifheisn’tdying,whydoeshewanttoseethem?"
"Commodus,you’regivingmeaheadache.Twoweeksontheroadwithyouismorethanenough,"saidLucilla,impatiently.
Commodusmovedclosertoher."No,he’smadehisdecision,"hesaid."HewillnamemeasEmperor.AndIknowwhatIshalldofirst.Ishallorganizesomegames..."
"Ishallhaveahotbath,"saidLucilla.
Thecarriagestopped.Commodussteppeddownandspoketooneoftheguards.
"Wearealmostthere,sir."
"Good,"saidCommodus."Bringmemyhorse."
UnderhiswarmtravelingcoatCommoduswaswearingRomanarmor.Helookedhandsomeandbrave,theperfectpictureofanew,youngemperor.TheguardbroughtCommodushishorse.
"Takemetomyfather.Andtakemysistertothecamp."CommodusreachedoutahandtoLucilla."Kiss,"hesaid,smilinglikealittleboy.
Lucillabrushedhisfingerswithherlips,thenwatchedhimrideaway.
***
MarcusAurelius,EmperorofRome,satonhishorseandstaredatthearmybelow.Hishairandbeardwerewhite,butonlyhiseyesreallyshowedhisageandstateofhealth.Marcusknewhewasdyingandsoonhemustnamethenextemperor.Butfirstthisbattlemustbewon.
