Moderator: Aldus Marius
Marcus Scribonius Curio wrote:"Sorry, amice, I have already been attacked outside Londinium and Massilia. I have had to be alert - difficult when I always have my head in the clouds, as you may have noticed from my awareness just now."
Marcus Scribonius Curio wrote:"I was sent a letter sealed with the same symbol that's on my pendant. To the few I give a pendant to, I ask them to send such a letter should they ever need me urgently. I took this to mean that they were in danger, so I hurried to Britannia, where the sender, Titus Sertorius Albinus, lives. It turns out that a raid was recently launched on Londinium by a very small band of Picts - no more than 50 in the entire group - who were driven away by the Roman garrison. Perplexed by how far south they were, Albinus took some of our other amici north to pursue the retreating Picts."
Marcus Scribonius Curio wrote:"Albinus raided the camp of the Picts at night, quickly killing most of them - Albinus is a professional to put most legionaries to shame, even if he is Britannic in fighting style, like myself - and he discovered something very interesting in the camp. He found a chest of Egyptian gold coin in there, with no papers explaining how it came to be with the Picts, or why the Picts had come south in the first place; maybe it was to obtain the chest. Albinus then sent to me, knowing that I had operations in Rome that I needed finance for. As for the rest... Well, no one knows where the gold comes from, so who are we to return it to? Much better to use it for worthy causes. I have some of it with me."
Draco's eyes widened, but Curio's eyes were sad as he warned,
"I may not be safest travelling companion. These Picts are very well-organised - both my would-be assassins, outside Londinium and Massilia, had sketchy portraits of me. I've never been a target for assassination before, so I'm certain its related to this. However, at least the money will be good for financing Piscinus' and Mus' searches. I could be really ambitious and use the money to attempt to urbanise Marius!"
Marcus Scribonius Curio wrote:Curio grinned, but the mirth did not touch his eyes. "So, Amice, where are you headed?"
Marcus Scribonius Curio wrote:"Well we have to find something to do with this gold. I left plenty with Albinus to help fund operations in Britannia, but I have some here also. Now we all know that my life wouldn't be changed at all by the acquisition of a fortune equal to that of Croesus, Crassus and Atticus combined..."
Curio paused briefly, confused by the look that Draco gave him. It was wryly amused, but Curio was certain that there was something in the eyes - if he didn't know better, Curio would have sworn there was a hint of bitterness there.
Marcus Scribonius Curio wrote:"Our good barkeep Cato has sent to find out just where Tarquinius is headed. And then, lacking anything else to do, I suggest we venture either to Britannia or Germania. Perhaps it's something your younger brother Tiberius might be interested in? But then, if his tutor's anything like ours was, he won't allow Tiberius to take the time off. So, what do you all think?"
Marius wrote:"Now, your partner here...Draco? Scorpio?--I'm dreadful with names--anyhow, he seems a decent-enough sort, and if he likes you he's gonna love me...I'd like to get to know him a bit. If nothing else, we'll each at least add to the other's stock of stories..."
Marcus Scribonius Curio wrote:And thus the three companions learned of the death of Sokarus.
Marius Peregrine wrote:"Draco... I keep thinking I should call you 'Mi Draco' and that I know you from before. Before..." He trailed off, momentarily at a loss for words. Then, with an uncharacteristic gentleness: "I don't often beg, amice. But I wish to beg your forgiveness for not recognizing you as well and as quickly as I ought. I think we must have been friends, maybe even close friends, and I would like for that to continue.
Marius Peregrine wrote:"But so much has changed for me, and in me, that I am surprised you recognize me any better than I do you. How long ago did we meet, Draco? Five years ago? Ten? My good man, if it's been more than a few, then I have changed even more than you. I doubt I am the same Marius that you knew, however long ago it might have been. I scarce recognize myself, these days; and that's not always a bad thing. The Legions required me to be pretty ugly at times...
On the other hand, I miss my drawings...my books...other things in me that have been extinguished. Some days I think I have forgotten most of my earlier life because if I remembered it too well I would go mad. Other days I think I am mad already, and that the madness has taken my past from me. And every once in a while I think that I have been alone and in survival mode for so long that perhaps that is all I can know anymore.
Marius Peregrine wrote:"And yet... The nightmares have stopped. I don't get blackouts anymore either. I know there are great chunks of me missing, but I do my best with what mind I have left. I've lived with Picts--did you know I'd been living with the Picts, since maybe a year after I retired? A tiny tribe of 'em in way-the-heck-North Scotland. Don't get mixed up in Roman affairs, we don't. Heh heh--imagine Marius the Spaniard in a cold, misty place like that! For years. And I still love my puppy-dogs, but you know that; you met most of 'em yesterday... Say, what'd you think of old Peregrinus last night, looking me up so's I could stable him properly...?"
And Marius nattered on in this fashion, stopping once in a while for Draco to respond; there was a certain nervousness evident in the pacing of his speech, but his face and tone were suffused with the desire to reconnect with this young man who had obviously meant quite a bit to Mari at one time, and therefore--by his personal code of honor--still did and always would...
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