The Golden Dice - A Tale of Ancient Rome Read Free Page B

gaming tables tonight,” she teased. “You can barely read the markings.”
    Mastarna reclaimed the tesserae. “You know I never play with them anymore. But I keep them as my link to you when I am far from home. Without these, we might never have been reunited.”
    Caecilia pressed against him again. The last time she rolled the dice she had asked the goddess of Fate to give her a sign, and she had returned home to Vel. But it worried her that he had suffered because of her return. Her husband would never become the zilath of the Veientanes. Not while he had a Roman for a wife. Instead he was always sent to campaign in the north instead of leading the assault on the main Roman camp. Yet Vel never vented his frustration upon her. Never blamed her for the halter placed upon his ambition. He was resigned to being a great commander who had been given the worst command. She raised her head to meet his gaze. “Do you ever regret marrying me again?”
    He cupped her chin with his hand and kissed her. “I sent for you, remember? The divine Nortia brought you back to me for a reason.”
    As she hugged him again she noticed they were no longer alone. The zilath, Vipinas, had joined them at the citadel wall.
    “ As usual the supplies you have brought are most welcome, Vel Mastarna.”
    Breaking from their embrace, her husband bowed. “I think it’s the amphorae of wine that is most appreciated. It’s thirst that’s being sated tonight, not hunger.”
    The lean old man smiled, his false gold and ivory front teeth glinting. It was a rare sight. The chief magistrate doled out his mirth as frugally as he did the grain rations. “There is no doubting the people always wait anxiously for your return. Without your success in thwarting the blockades and protecting farmland, the city would be facing famine now.”
    She was pleased to hear the compliment. It was good that her husband was acknowledged. Due to his achievements bullock trains had trundled through the gates all day to disgorge their cargoes to a rejoicing population. And tomorrow wagons laden with goods would travel on a network of roads to other cities. Barges would again wend their way along rivers. Soon ships with Veientane cargoes would sail to foreign ports of which Caecilia had only dreamed.
    A woman’s mock shriek accompanied by male laughter distracted Caecilia’s attention. The aristocratic principes on the klines were toasting the wine god.
    Mastarna ignored the merriment. “Our cause was helped when Camillus failed to draw the lot to lead the campaign against us. How foolish Rome is to waste their best consular general in fighting the Volscians in the south.”
    “ Yes, but it’s to our advantage if the Romans send him and their remaining generals to fight their neighbors,” replied Vipinas. “Better to keep most of their forces busy attacking other Latin tribes. At least there are only two of their armies sitting upon our threshold.”
    Mastarna pointed to the massive tufa walls below them. “I see that their ramp nearly reached us.”
    Vipinas paused, glancing at Caecilia before continuing. “General Aemilius was effective enough. Romans are none too pretty when you see them at close quarters. It reminded us, too, that we can’t be complacent.”
    Caecilia offered no comment, having finally learned to think before she spoke. Even though her opinion as a woman would not be disdained, her ancestry was best glossed over. For General Aemilius was both her adopted father and her uncle. The last time she’d seen him he’d been furious at how she’d changed from Roman maiden to Rasennan wife. How humiliated he must be that she remarried Vel after he had formally arranged their divorce. To Aemilius she had forsaken her people, betrayed her clan and shamed her family. Hearing Camillus’ name also stirred feelings. She hated that general as much as he despised her. When she’d first been offered as a treaty bride he’d assured her he would protect her