The Centurion - 29. Chapter 29

Chapter Fifteen:

The Commandant

After leaving the weapons shop, Erik led the party back home, driving the wagon while the boys walked beside it. Gerick was waiting for them at the gate and started unloading the wagon as soon as it stopped. Alex went upstairs and changed into a pair of shorts and a clean white shirt to head over to the gymnasium. He asked Jason if he wanted to go, but Jason’s arms were still sore from handling the iron staff so he excused himself and went to his room. He was just closing his eyes when there was a knock at his door.

“Jason... you have a visitor,” Jonathan whispered.

“Who?” Jason asked sleepily.

“The son of Senator Perils... Gideon.”

“Gideon!” Jason said in surprise. He had not remembered that Perils was Gideon’s father.

“Shall I tell him you are resting?”

“No... I’ll see him,” Jason said eagerly.

“Where shall you greet him?” Kristen asked.

“Why not my room?”

Once again Jonathan found himself shaking his head. “That would not be appropriate... not on a first visit, Jason,” he explained.

“Why not,” Jason asked, not seeing the problem.

“You are a Legatio, he is a Centurion... custom dictates that when a Centurion shows interest in a Legatio they must meet in the open.”

“Why?” Jason said, not understanding.

“It is part of a dark past, but in the early history of Domus there was an epidemic of Centurions raping Legatio. To put a stop to that, rules were put in place dictating how a Legatio and Centurion were to be introduced to each other.”

“I didn’t have to with Philip and Alex.”

“That is because Philip is your acting guardian... that makes him and Alex family. They are not bound by the rules or customs,” Kristen explained.

Jason sighed... “What other rules do I need to know?”

“I think you can ask Gideon that... it will give you something to talk about. Shall I tell him to meet you in the courtyard?” Jonathan dictated more than suggested.

“Yes,” Jason agreed.

“Good... now wait here for a few minutes... you should always keep a young Centurion waiting... let him stew in his own worries for a while,” Jonathan said with a wink.

Jason waited for a few minutes, looking down on the clothes he was wearing. He really didn’t like red. It made him feel uncomfortable as it reminded him of all the blood he had seen during the war. So he started changing... pulling off his red shirt and put on a white one. He was about change his pants as well but was stopped by a knock on his door.

“I know I told you to keep him waiting, but you should not really let him suffer too long.” Jonathan laughed from the other side of the door.

“Coming,” Jason called out, giving up on changing his pants. Opening the door, Jonathan let out a deep sigh of disappointment on seeing Jason in a white shirt but did not stop him from walking down the stairs to the courtyard.

“Jason!” Gideon smiled on seeing Jason enter the courtyard.

“Hello Gideon,” Jason grinned, a warm feeling growing in his stomach.

“It is good to see you again,” Gideon said while offering his one

and only hand to shake.

Jason took the hand and felt its hard grip. “How are you?” He asked.

“I am well... I was just leaving the gymnasium and saw Alex going in. It reminded me that you are living with him.”

“I was feeling a little tired so I didn’t go,” Jason apologized.

“That’s understandable,” Gideon said knowingly.

“What do you mean?” Jason asked, not understanding.

Gideon struggled with answering that one as he knew his response was based on old prejudices. “You are a Legatio... Legatio get tired easily.”

“We do...?” Jason said in surprise, not offended at all.

“Yes... that is why you need us Centurions to protect you,” Gideon grinned as he took a seat next to the fountain. Jason joined him, sitting on the side of Gideon’s cut off arm, triggering a deep sigh from Gideon.

“What’s wrong?” Jason asked, seeing disappointment in Gideon’s face.

“Can you sit on the other side of me?” Gideon asked with a pleading look.

“Alright,” Jason said, quickly getting up and sitting on the other side of Gideon. As soon as he sat down Jason felt Gideon’s arm wrap around his waist, the massive strength of his arm equal to one of Philip’s.

Jason, having now gone without Philip being so close to him for some time, leaned his head against the right side of Gideon’s shoulder. Gideon responded by pulling Jason closer and rubbing his back with his rough hand.

After a moment of silence, Gideon spoke up again. “I like your outfit.”

Jason looked down at his red pants with disgust. “Why... I really don’t like red.”

“But it shows your character. You are a Legatio who wants to be a Centurion.”

“I guess... I have an idea what a Centurion is but I do not understand what it means to be Legatio except that they tend to be mean.”

“No... cold-hearted best describes them,” Gideon corrected. “Did you even know that you Legatio are also cold blooded while Centurion blood is hot? Sort of makes us a perfect fit.”

“But we’re not. Why are they like that?” Jason asked turning his head to face Gideon.

“It might come as a surprise to you but it is because of all the death they have to deal with... more than us Centurions.”

“What do you mean? Centurions are the ones trained to kill.”

“Yes, but because we live such short lives we don’t ever have to deal with as much regret as a Legatio. You Legatio live nearly forever. You have to watch your non-Legatio friends, wives, and Centurion children die. As a result Legatio tend to form only friendships with their fellow Legatio. Legatio children are also taught at an early age that the only friends they can depend on are Legatio.”

That confused Jason. “What about their fathers... they are Centurions.”

“That might be part of the problem. We Centurions love our children but we die before they reach manhood. After we die they are then forced to live in a Legatio household. I think that is why you hate us so much.”

“I don’t hate you!” Jason said shocked, straightening himself up away from Gideon.

“I’m sorry... when I said you... I meant the Legatio.”

“I guess so...” Jason calmed down. “The idea that Philip, Alex, and even you will be dead long before I die scares me. I don’t want any more people to die. Too many people I have known have already died.”

Gideon took a deep breath before replying. “I know... but you have to be strong. One day you will start fathering Centurions and will have to watch them grow up and die.”

“Then I will never have children,” Jason declared.

“You have to... Domus is dependent on you Legatio to father us Centurions. If you all stopped having children there would one day be no Legatio. We need each other in order to survive.”

“There has to be a way to keep the Centurions alive. If the bones of a Centurion can be used to heal a Legatio, why can’t the bones of a Legatio be used to keep a Centurion alive.”

“Jason! What you are saying is dangerous! If that were true, then the Centurions might go on a killing rampage against the Legatio. That is why when a Legatio dies, his body is kept under the Senate floor, where no Centurion is allowed on penalty of death and his skull shattered.”

“So no one has tried to see if the bones of a Legatio can help the Centurions?”

“No... Jason and you must never suggest that again. For a Centurion to mention it is considered treason. If the other Legatio heard you asking these questions... it could mean your death as well.”

“Sorry...” Jason sighed. There was a long moment of silence before he spoke again. “You never told me your father was Senator Perils.”

“Well, it is not much of a secret,” Gideon grumbled.

“What’s wrong?” Jason said, seeing anger in Gideon’s eye.

“My father expected me to get him greater access to the military. He wanted me to rise to Field Marshal one day. When Alex cut off my arm, Alex ruined my father’s plans. He abandoned me after that.”

“Where do you live?” Jason asked concerned.

“At the Academy’s Commandant’s house here in Domus.”

“He has a house here?” Jason said surprised.

“Yes... He only lives here when school is out. Would you like to meet him?” Gideon asked... seeing a chance to escape Jonathan’s observations.

“Of course!” Jason said eagerly.

“Good!” Gideon laughed. “Follow me.”

Just as Gideon was leading Jason out of the courtyard, Kristen came in with a tray. “Where do you two think you are going?”

“Uhmmmm...,” Gideon said, looking suddenly guilty.

“I was just going to Gideon’s home to meet the Commandant,” Jason said innocently.

“On a first visit... without an escort?” Kristen said in disbelief. “I thought a son of Perils would be drilled in basic customs!”

“Sorry.” Gideon blushed.

“Never mind... just let me put these treats away and I will come with you,” Kristen said as he took the tray back inside.

“I take it he is your body servant?”

“Yes.” Jason blushed.

“He might be a mother hen, but I have to say he’s cute.”

“Looks like Felix,” Jason remembered.

“Yeah... damn that bastard. I would challenge him to a duel if I could.”

“You can’t?”

“No... he’s a Legatio.”

“Then I will have to duel against Centurions?” “You duel?” Gideon said in disbelief. “Yes...I even have the marks to prove it,” Jason said as he pulled

off his shirt. “Amazing... you even have first blood!”

“Excuse me!” Jonathan’s voice shouted from behind the two boys.

“Sorry!” Gideon shouted, jumping back.

“That’s better... Now Jason put your shirt back on. You are not

supposed to show your body to the Centurion until the ‘revealing

ceremony’ on the sixth visit.”

“I don’t see why not,” Jason sighed as he put on his shirt.

“I told you to ask Gideon about the rules... it was mostly to help remind him about them but it would not have hurt you to hear them as well.”

“What are the rules?” Jason asked Gideon as the three of them left for the Commandant’s house. “On the first visit between a Legatio and Centurion you have to

meet in a public space where others can see you. There is also supposed to be no touching but I could not help but wrap my arm around you.”

“What about the other visits.”

“Well, on the second visit you are supposed to come visit me, but with an escort.”

“So right now we are on our second visit.” Jason laughed.

“Yes, we are,” Gideon agreed.

“What about the others?”

“They involve a lot of meals with each other’s families, going to public events and finally bathing together and being allowed into each other’s bedroom.”

“So all these visits are supposed to lead to sex?” Jason asked with raised eyebrows.

“Sex is part of it but what it is really supposed to lead to is the bonding between a Legatio and a Centurion. But as you can imagine, it takes so long that most Centurions don’t live long enough to finish it.”

“Can’t the steps be skipped?”

“I don’t know... no one has ever tried,” Gideon sighed.

“We seem to be doing a good job of it?” Jason laughed as they walked down the street on what was to be their second date.

“I guess we are.” Gideon laughed before going on to a more serious issue. “What is going on between you and Alex?”

“Alex and I are friends.”

“Not lovers?”

“We...” Jason blushed.

Gideon understood what the blush had to mean... “Does Alex want to be your lover?”

“I think he does. He says that he only wants to be with one person and he wants me to be that person.”

“Then yes, Alex is in love with you. The question is... are you in love with him?” Gideon asked.

“I love him... I just don’t know if I love him like he loves me. Philip loves me too and I am beginning to think that you might like me as well.”

Gideon pulled Jason into a hug as they continued to walk. “Well I do... you are a very interesting not to mention desirable person.”

“...” Jason did not know how to respond to that.

“Well, here we are!” Gideon said with forced cheerfulness as they arrived at the gate. Jason’s silence was not a strong vote of confidence for him. Gideon had just rung the bell when the gates opened wide by the efforts of two black-robed Famulus. Inside the courtyard several

white-clothed Centurions wrestled against each other, while one man looked on.

“Gideon!” The man waved them over.

“Come on, Jason.” Gideon pulled. “Jason, I would like you to meet Commandant Oktor... Commandant Oktor... Jason, son of Agamemnon.”

“Jason!... so I finally meet my most famous new student.” Oktor grinned as he pumped Jason’s hand hard as he shook it.

“Nice to meet you too, sir.” Jason smiled.

“Commandant... always refer to me as your Commandant.”

“Yes, Commandant.”

“Good boy!” Oktor said giving Jason’s back a good pat. “So what do you think?”

“Think of what, Commandant?”

“My hand-to-hand combat lessons... I hear you want to learn how to fight!”

“Jason is learning the quarterstaff,” Gideon spoke up.

“A simple toothpick... real fighters use their fists. What would you do if you were somehow disarmed? You would be helpless,”

Oktor said excitedly as he pointed out different pairs of Centurion’s sparring. “I guess so,” Jason replied.

Oktor laughed at Jason’s noncommittal answer. “You guess so... I’m telling you so. If you don’t learn how to use your fists and legs in combat you will find out how helpless you are at the most inopportune moment. Learning the art of the fist is as basic as learning Mord... our native tongue and the root language for the entire Eastern Confederacy. Only the barbarians in the west speak Jadoorian.”

“I guess I will have to learn...” Jason said, confused by what he had just heard, never having known that there was such a thing as different languages before.

“How about it?” Oktor grinned.

“About what?” Jason said, confused, still stuck on the language issue.

“How about I add hand-to-hand combat to your schedule in addition to the quarterstaff?” Oktor suggested, finally getting to the point of the whole discussion.

“Alright...” Jason said, not sure if Oktor would accept a different

answer.

“That’s my boy! I always wanted to train a Legatio in hand­to-hand combat... someone to teach those other lazy ass Legatio a lesson.”

“I don’t understand,” Jason replied.

“Simple... once I heard that you wanted to learn combat I asked the legal scholars to do some research for me. While the rules are clear that a Centurion can’t challenge a Legatio... it seems that a Legatio can challenge one of his fellows. So... I’m going to train you to teach your Legatio brothers the value of combat training.”

Jason felt he was being set up to play the role of bully. “But will that not get me into trouble with them?”

“Who cares... you will have an army of Centurions behind you.” Oktor laughed, lifting Jason up into a hug. “And we have never lost a war yet! “Gideon... why don’t you take my future student up to the practice platform. Teach him how to use the punching bags. Kristen, you can go rest in the kitchen.”

“Yes Commandant.” Gideon grinned before leading Jason up the stairs. “Punching bags?” Jason asked confused.

“Yeah... they are just bags for you to practice hitting against.”

When they arrived on the roof, Jason noticed that there were none of the weapons as found on Philip’s practice platform. Instead, there were bags hanging from the ceiling of the practice pavilion.

“Alright... let’s get started!” Gideon grinned.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

By the time Jason was done kicking and punching the different bags, there were small cuts on his knuckles. Gideon did not notice it till

he saw the blood being smeared on the bags. “Jason... you are bleeding!” he said, panicked.

“What!.”

“We need to get you to a healer!”

“Why... they are not bleeding too bad.” Jason said with surprising calm.

“No, but they will keep on bleeding if we don’t do something,” Gideon said as he ran over to the ladder.

When they entered the courtyard, all the men were sitting on the floor, their legs crossed while they meditated. Gideon hurried Jason to the gate but found it barred. In the process of unlocking it, a pair of large hands grabbed both boys.

“You know better than to open the gate during meditation.” Oktor glared at Gideon.

“I’m sorry, Commandant, but Jason is bleeding,” Gideon said in a near panic.

“Let me see,” Oktor asked, examining Jason all over. “I don’t see where he is bleeding.”

“His fists, they got cut on the bags.”

“Oh I see...” Oktor chuckled, looking at Jason’s knuckles. “Don’t worry, Gideon, these are not fatal cuts.”

“But he is bleeding.”

“Yes he is.” Oktor grinned. He then licked both fists with his tongue. “See... the bleeding has already stopped.”

“You mean that is all he needed?” Gideon said in disbelief.

“Yes, Gideon,” Oktor smiled as he wrapped an arm around his student.”

“I didn’t know our spit could do that.”

“For minor cuts and abrasions it does. Anything serious though needs our bones. If it is a life-threatening wound they might even need our anima. You would know this if you paid attention in class,” Oktor scolded.

“I see the children are causing problems,” Kristen sighed as he came into view.

“No... to be honest with you I have never had the chance to lick a Legatio’s wounds clean. Thank you for the opportunity.” Oktor grinned.

Kirsten looked at Jason and Gideon as if they would get into more trouble if he ever took his eyes off them. “Thank you for being understanding, Commandant, but I think it’s time I took Jason home.”

“If you must... but promise to have him here more often. There is a lot he will need to learn before going to the Academy.”

“I promise, Commandant,” Kristen said with a bow.

“Bye, Gideon.” Jason waved.

“Goodbye, Jason,” Gideon smiled.

Just before Jason passed the gate, Gideon pulled Jason back to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Custom!” Kristen shouted. “You are not supposed to do that till the seventh visit!”

“You better get going.” Gideon blushed as Kristen pulled Jason away. As soon as they were walking down the street, Kristen sighed.

“What am I going to do with you? You flirt like a Centurion private.”

“I was not flirting.”

“Oh yes you were,” Kristen giggled. “Just you being you is flirting enough... at least by Centurion standards.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I will tell you then. When a Centurion...especially one of lower rank, is interested in another Centurion he will act interested in whatever the person is doing. If the other Centurion accepts this role, he will take the man as a student or little brother. You, Jason, with your innocence and unfamiliarity of Domus culture are a student in everything. Against all custom you want to learn about Centurion life. Philip, Alex and now Gideon are all intrigued and attracted by that desire. You just don’t know that part of the custom of being a student is to become your teacher’s lover.

“So because I ask questions and want to learn how to fight, the Centurions think I want to become their lovers.”

“That is the custom,” Kristen sighed.

Now beet-red with embarrassment Jason asked Kirsten for advice. “What should I do?”

“Well I think it is too late for them to not be in love with you. I think you will just need to be careful.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“I know, Jason, I know.” Kristen hugged him. “Come on, you smell like you need a good bath. I think I’ll give you a massage before dinner as well, but right after you eat I want you to go to bed. You have had a long day.

“Yes...” Jason yawned.

“Now don’t fall asleep on me just now,” Kristen said as he moved Jason along.

As soon as they passed the gate, Alex’s voice shouted down at them from the second floor. “Where have you been?”

“He was visiting the Commandant,” Kristen explained.

“Oh...alright. I bet he made you work out on those punching bags of his.” Alex laughed as he ran down the stairs. “Was it fun... did you join in on one of his meditations?”

“No,” Jason sighed.

“Why not?” Alex asked curiously.

“Jason did not want me carrying him all the way home.” Kristen laughed.

“You look tired,” Alex said disappointed.

“Yes...” Jason said, feeling his eyelids getting heavy.

Kristen looked at Jason’s eyes struggling to stay open. “I’m going to give Master Jason a bath and then it will be a quick dinner before bed.”

“I’ll be up late practicing with my new sword.” Alex laughed as he ran back up the stairs.

“How can he have so much energy,” Jason asked as he was almost carried to the bathing chamber.

“He is a Centurion. They can go weeks without sleep or eating.”

“And I’m just a Legatio,” Jason sighed.

“Hey... you are very lucky to be a Legatio; you will live a long life.”

“I will have to watch everyone I know die. I HAVE watched everyone I’ve known die.” Jason burst into tears.

“I’m sorry Jason... life in the Labyrinth Tower must have been very hard,” Kristen said as he sat Jason down on the wood bench.

“I don’t want to see Philip and Alex die.”

“Do you see now why the Legatio do not let themselves love their Centurion cousins?”

“Yes...” Jason wept. “But I love them anyway.”

“And they know it and love you that much stronger for it. Philip, Alex and even Gideon know how painful it will be for you to love them. They want your love desperately though. All the Centurions want your love.”

Jason tried to relax as Kirsten ladled hot water down his back. “I want to love them... I just don’t want to watch them die.”

“That is the burden of being a Legatio,” Kristen said with sympathy as he washed Jason. “Now you see why I am happy being a Famulus.”

“Yes.” Jason sniffled. “It’s time to get you in the bath,” Kristen said as he lifted Jason up and lowered him into the constantly heated pool of water.

Jason looked up at Kristen with a pleading look. “You will not die on me... will you?”

“Me? Not for a long time. I promise I will still be with you after Philip and Alex die and many years after that. But Jason... one day I will die as well. You need not close your heart, but you must be strong.”

“I understand. Thank you for agreeing to stay with me as long as you can.”

“I am your body servant... it is my job to be with you for life.” Kristen smiled gently. He then reached over and kissed Jason on the cheek. Jason responded by wrapping his arms around Kristen and resting his head on his shoulder.”

“There, there, my master... everything will turn out fine. I promise you,” Kristen cooed.