Soldier of Rome: The Centurion (The Artorian Chronicles) Read Free Page A

in the Senate,” Claudius replied, allowing himself to get a touch defensive. “Last summer when my house burned down, it was Caecina Severus who demanded that the public pay for its rebuild.”
    “I will grant you that Severus is among the good ones,” Livia conceded, “though he is a rare breed. He’s always had a soft spot for our family after he served with your brother in Germania.” Claudius smiled briefly at the mention of Germanicus.
    “Severus’ ties run deep with our family,” the Empress continued. “He served with and mentored both your father and your uncle, back when they were young soldiers bloodying their swords for the first time.” Livia took a drink of her own wine as she let Claudius contemplate where she was leading this discussion. She then thought about her grandson. How old was he now; thirty-five perhaps? She realized that she had said more words to him in the previous hour than in all those years combined. She just hoped that her present reassessment of the lad was correct.
    The awkward silence drew out until the ser vants brought their dinner.  Claudius’ eyes brightened as he saw a large platter of spiced mushrooms placed on the table.  Ignoring the bland broths and gruel his grandmother preferred, he helped himself to a huge bowl of the delectable mushrooms.
    “Really , Claudius,” Livia chastised, “must you make a swine of yourself? The way you are gobbling those mushrooms will be the death of you, I’m sure.”
    “Grandmother,” he said slowly, trying not to let the wine disable his thoughts. “You did not invite me over just to discuss my republican sympathies , or my eating preferences.” It was a bold statement, one which brought a smile to Livia’s face. She then produced a pair of scrolls, one of which she handed to her grandson.
    “This is a prophecy, given to m e by my son’s astrologer, Thrasyllus,” Livia explained. “That obnoxious rat of a man is annoyingly accurate in his predictions sometimes.”
    “All this says is that a son of Germanicus will follow Tiberius to the imperial throne,” Claudius said after reading a few lines of the scroll. “There is no surprise there. After all, my nephews , Drusus and Nero, were adopted by my uncle.”
    “Keep reading,” Livia replied, taking another drink from her chalice. Claudius’ eyes grew wide as he finished reading.
    “But this can only refer to the youngest, Gaius Caligula!”
    “Yes, vile little monster that he is,” Livia agreed. Germanicus’ youngest son, Gaius, who was known as Caligula due to his mother dressing him in legionary caligae sandals as a child, was just shy of his thirteenth birthday and already displaying his terrible qualities. His mother, Agrippina, spoiled and refused to discipline him, much to the chagrin of Claudius and all of their family friends. Claudius feared that the child was not just a mischievous brat; he felt that there was something much darker to him.
    “What did my uncle say when he saw this?” Claudius asked, hold ing the scroll up.
    “He doesn’t know,” Livia replied. “I paid Thrasyllus to keep quiet, and he knows not to cross me.” Claudius contemplated what he was reading before responding.
    “But if this holds true, then my uncle still has a number of years left in power,” he said after drinking some water and trying to clear his mind. “If by then you’re dead, what difference does it make to you?”
    “Because I still serve Rome,” Livia stated with an air of power in her voice. “Don’t think that because I am extremely old, and a woman, that I can’t still influence what happens in the Empire. I confess there is another reason. You know I spent the majority of my life married to Augustus. I divorced your grandfather and married him back when he was still known as Gaius Octavian and long before he came to power. He spent more than forty years as Emperor of the Roman Empire, and was deified by the Senate.
    “As a god, Augustus is free from