The Centurion - 18. Chapter 18

Chapter Five:

The Field Marshals

“Where it takes the Centurion’s three Field Marshals and 400,000 men to rule over Domus, we Legatio require only our voice to change the direction of the Empire.”

Senator Perils addressing the Domus Senate

As the tailors fitted him for his new wardrobe, Jason tried to hold back the tears. Why had Philip not told him all this. The Centurion Commander had promised to be with him forever. Not to die like Melissa had and the rest of the people who had been a part of his life..., including his mother.

When the final stitch was made in the thick red wool robe, Jason’s now wet eyes looked up to see two delegations coming to claim him. One person was also dressed in the deep red of the Legatio and followed by at least a dozen black-robed Famulus, the others, however, wore the white of the Centurions.

Perils had expected his fellow Legatio senators, but not these Centurions, these man beasts, as Centurions rarely dared to venture inside the walls of the Legatio quarter, where they were not warmly welcomed.

Seeing Philip among the troublemakers, Perils grabbed Jason’s hand just as the young man was about to dash toward his Centurion rescuer. The Senator then dragged him toward the plump, fleshy Legatio and his large entourage of servants. “Jason... I would like you to meet Senator Brakis. You will be living with him until you join the Academy,” Perils said in a rushed tone as he watched the Centurions approach.

Jason, though, completely ignored both Senators as his eyes immediately fell upon his protector. “Philip!”

“Jason.” Philip laughed as he ran over and hugged Jason right out of Perils’ hands. “Ready to go home?”

“Yes!” Jason said eagerly. With Philip back with him, the young man forgot completely the words of Senator Perils.

“Wait a minute, commander,” Perils said as he raised his hand in protest, his palm, outward.

“Yes Senator?” Philip stopped, trying to hide the annoyance on his face.

Preparing himself for a verbal battle, Perils took a deep breath before speaking. “I know you care about Jason, but don’t you think it’s time that he learned about his own people?”

Philip lips curled and eyes hardened. “He will be with his own people... We Centurions are also citizens of Domus even though you Legatio tend to forget that.”

“Yes you are...” Perils said with false calmness; “but there is

a lot the boy does not know... He needs to learn the proper etiquette

expected of a Legatio, not how to dance with a piece of wood against imaginary enemies. Don’t you see that will only lead to the young man’s ruin?” Perils asked, mocking the Centurion form of weapons exercise.

Philip gritted his teeth as he struggled to control his temper. “I do know how to act in public, believe it or not, Senator.” Philip seethed. He took a deep breath before looking down at the center of the disagreement. “Jason, who would you rather go with... me or the Senator?

“I’m sorry, Perils, but I would rather go with Philip,” Jason said,

feeling bad that he had caused this conflict just as he had caused others

in the past.

Red-faced, his authority challenged, the Senator had only one

option left. “See what you have done... you have frightened the poor

boy. I demand that this be brought to the Field Marshals! Your behavior, commander, is just unheard of.”

“Fine... let’s see what they have to say.” Philip laughed, more to relieve the stress he was feeling than from finding the irate Perils humorous.

The two groups, with Jason between them, walked almost a mile till they reached the heart of the city, where the seventy-foot-tall, triangular-roofed building of the Grand Hall dominated the massive square it was in the middle of. Hand in hand, Philip led Jason up the fifty marble stairs leading to the entrance of the Great Hall of the Field Marshals, the way lined with the white-armored Home Guard.

Inside the colossal building, oil lamps and fire pits lit the

cavernous chamber making the Qul Tos throne-room look like a warm

sitting room in comparison. At the end of the chamber Jason saw three

large stone thrones, each facing inward, forming a triangle in the middle

where the tile floor changed into the pattern of the sun, the symbol of

the empire.

Perils marched right to the middle of that triangle and took up an indignant look, arms crossed on his chest. Philip too entered the middle of the triangle but bent down on one knee. Jason, following Philip’s lead, almost did the same but was lifted back up by Philip. Looking down at his protector, Jason was relieved to see Philip looking up, giving him a wink and a smile. While that took away some of his nervousness, Jason still put a hand on Philip’s shoulder for support and comfort.

After several minutes had passed, a gong could be heard echoing throughout the chamber. All the Centurions who had come with Philip then went down on their knees as well, while Perils’ Legatio allies and Famulus remained standing.

Three men, one wearing black and red, another white and gold, and a third blue and green marched into the room. Each went to one of the thrones and sat down, the metal of their armor sending out a harsh clang.

“What is the meaning of this, C-5-7?” the man in black and red armor demanded.

Philip answered the supreme commander of all eastern forces with a deep and respectful baritone. “Field Marshal Gorr, I was attempting to bring Jason to his home. Senator Peril, however, saw things differently. As the law states, all conflicts between a Centurion officer and a Senator must be handled by the Field Marshals. So I have

come.”

“Senator Perils, is that true?” the Field Marshal demanded.

Perils, daring to glare at Field Marshal Gorr, only received an amused smile in return. “I was only looking out for the boy’s interests. He has just arrived and knows nothing about his heritage. I thought that arranging for him to stay with Senator Brakis would give him a chance to learn what needs to be learned,” Perils said in a cold logical voice that hid his anger.

“Oh yes, I’m sure Senator Brakis would do a good job of that... when he is not having the young Legatio in his bed.” The Field Marshal of the West, Lukas, dressed in blue and green, chuckled.

“I take offense to that comment!” Senator Brakis shouted from within the crowd, but was stopped when one of the white armored guards reached over and grabbed him.

“Silence!” Field Marshal Gorr demanded. You are not inside the triangle of the sun so you may not speak, Senator. Not here... not in the Hall of the Field Marshals. Save your debate for the Senate floor.”

Senator Brakis dropped his shoulders in surrender and made a nod of his head that he understood before he was let go. The Field Marshal in white, Xavier of the Home Guard, then spoke. “Senator Perils has a point. The son of Agamemnon knows nothing of what will be expected of him as a Legatio. I have also heard reports that C-5-7 was teaching the son of Agamemnon how to use a weapon. Is this true, C-5-7?”

Philip was ready for that question and smiled. Everyone knew that Xavier was Perils’ toady. “The boy asked me to teach him how to use the double sword. I thought the quarterstaff was a more appropriate weapon... don’t you think, Field Marshal Xavier?”

This sent a trigger of chuckles from all three Field Marshals, enraging Perils. “Don’t you see what risk Jason is in with the son of Helios! Weapons, fighting, anima... if Jason is not taught our ways he will be dead before his 21st birthday.”

“From my understanding, Jason was weak with both legs broken when C-5-7 found him,” Gorr brought up. “Instead of using P­3-5-7 anima to add to his own strength, he gave it to the young man in his care. Very admirable.”

Seeing that Perils was about to lose his dispute with Philip, Xavier, Field Marshal of the Home Guard, the man in white and gold armor, spoke up. “It was nothing that time could not have fixed, Gorr, and you know that. You also know that giving a Legatio our anima always makes them eccentric if not erratic.”

“Regardless... the boy is very popular among my men,” Gorr voice boomed. “He goes home with C-5-7!”

“He needs to learn restraint and proper behavior. He needs to be with the Legatio!” Xavier grunted coldly, hating that he had to share power with the other two Field Marshals.

The Field Marshal of the West, in his blue and green armor aglow from the light of the lanterns, remained silent while his two fellows continued to verbally spar with each other, his eyes on Jason. When he had finally reached a decision, he gave Jason a wink before speaking. “Yes... the boy needs to learn what being a Legatio means but there will be plenty of time for that, centuries in fact.

“What our society needs more is a Legatio who can act as a bridge between his own people and ours. I can think of no one more suited for that than the son of General Agamemnon. Yes, his desire to learn how to use a quarterstaff is unusual for a Legatio. Some might find it scandalous. I, on the other hand, find it endearing. I have full trust that C-5-7 will supervise him carefully. Since I am the deciding vote... the son of Agamemnon will go home with Commander Philip.”

On hearing those words, Jason wanted to run over and hug the Field Marshal. Philip must have feared the same thing, as he wrapped an arm around Jason’s legs while he remained bowed, keeping the young man by his side.

With both the Field Marshals of the East and West in favor of Jason going home with Philip, the debate was put to an end. Soon, the sound of a gong echoed through the Great Hall again. The three Field Marshals then stood up and left the chambers.

Once they were gone, Philip stood back up and gave Jason a proper hug. “Let’s take you home now,”