“Aye, Caesar. It shall be as you say.” Syphax looked at Lucius and gestured toward the old servant.
Lucius took the hats that were the symbols of freed slaves and the small bag of coin he’d pulled out with the pileus.
“Now leave me. I wish to rest.” Trajan weakly waved them away, closing his eyes.
Felix and Drusus Gracchus bowed, and the two legionnaires saluted. Drusus Gracchus led the group out of the large chamber, the imperator already dozing, though it appeared uncomfortable and troubled to Lucius.
Syphax walked next to Felix. “What are the Armenians called?”
“The girl is Ariazate, and the boy is Tigran,” Felix replied.
“Noble names for peasant children from the mountains,” Drusus said.
Lucius quirked his head to the side. “I’m not familiar with either name.”
“Tigranes Magnus was Armenia’s greatest king and briefly made Armenia into an empire. Antiochia was a part of it. Ariazate was one of Tigranes Magnus’s daughters, and I believe she was married off to a Parthian king,” Drusus Gracchus answered.
Lucius caught up to Drusus Gracchus. “When was that?”
“Oh, about two hundred years ago.”
“Old glories die hard,” Syphax said, “and the memories live on in the names of children.”
Lucius wondered what Gallic hero he could have been named after if his mother hadn’t given him a Roman name. The next time he was home, he’d have to ask her why she’d chosen Lucius. Felix stepped ahead and opened the door, then gathered the Armenians and gestured for everyone to follow him.
“When will you be ready to depart?” Drusus Gracchus asked.
“We need to lay in supplies and take care of a few administrative things before we’re ready. Three days.”
Drusus Gracchus nodded. “Good. You’ll need to stop by the Mithraeum to pay your respects before departing on this mission, then you’re off to Armenia to fight Mithras’s di inferi.”
Two days later, Syphax called Lucius to his quarters.
“Sir?” Lucius said, poking his head in the door.
“Ah, Lucius. Come in,” Syphax replied.
Lucius saluted and took the camp chair Syphax gestured to. Syphax’s tunic now bore the broad stripe of the tribunus laticlavius
“Now that I’ve sorted out who will take command of the first centuria, I want to make you an offer, but I want you to consider it carefully. You’ve been my right-hand man and my trusted friend for a while now. You’re one of the finest soldiers I’ve ever served with, both as a fighter and as a leader. Over the last few years, you’ve also developed into an excellent administrator. You have all the qualities Roma’s legions need at the highest levels.” Syphax leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“I will advance you to Centurio if you still wish it, but I would like to offer you the position as my second-in-command. I have a feeling this mission is only the first of many as the imperator’s elite force now that we’ve been detached from I Adiutrix. I need a man beside me who I trust explicitly, especially if there actually are di inferi in the mountains of Armenia.” Syphax chuckled and shook his head.
“Di inferi…I can’t believe we’re chasing after evil undead creatures.” Syphax picked up his wine. “If you’d rather lead your own centuria, I’m holding open the position of the fifth centuria. Leading your own men and forming them into your unit is a heady experience. But if you take the position as my assistant, you will only be outranked by the primus pilus and answer to him in my absence.”
Being a centurion and leading his own century had been Lucius’s next goal in his career. He’d not thought of a position higher than that. He wasn’t from a prominent Roman family. His chances of higher leadership were low, but a position as a centurion was one of respect hard earned. However, taking the position as Syphax’s second would be a big step. If Syphax’s suspicions turned out to be true, the imperator might expand their cohort into a full legion and promote Syphax to Legatus Legionis. Syphax would need a tribunus militum. Trajan had singled out Lucius all those years ago and had taken a personal hand in Lucius’s career, seeing something in him that could further the imperator’s goals. To hone the new weapon he’d found, he sent him to Syphax Quietus so his old friend could mold and season the young legionnaire. Now it was Lucius’s turn to select the direction his career would take.
His ambitions had always been modest, but this presented new possibilities he hadn’t previously considered or imagined. He mulled over this new opportunity while thinking about the other option. While it still held appeal, why would he want to mold a century when he could help mold the whole cohort and maybe an entire legion in the future? The opportunity was too good to pass up.
“While the chance to lead my own centuria has been my goal for a while now, I’m more interested in helping you lead this cohort,” Lucius replied.
“Good man.” Syphax reached out his hand.
Lucius took it.
“Congratulations, Centurio Ferrata. Now, what are your thoughts on the open centurio spot for the fifth?” Syphax asked a smile spreading across his face as he narrowed his eyes shrewdly.
With Lucius getting promoted, there were only four other optios in the cohort, each of them with their own skills and qualities.
“Antoninus is an able administrator and well respected. Zyraxes is tough and an excellent battle leader. He’s also good with training. Venextos is well liked and easygoing, though respected still. Micipsa is the most well rounded, though he occasionally has trouble with indecision,” Lucius said. He knew this was a test of his judgment, of his worthiness to hold this position. Syphax had tested him often in their eight-year relationship, always pushing Lucius to grow and improve.
“I know you’re close with Venextos as a fellow Gaul,” Syphax said.
“He’s my friend. Now, the fifth has most of our newer and younger men. With that mix, I think Zyraxes is the best choice. The fifth needs to be guided by a firmer hand to finish its development, and Zyraxes’s style is the best choice to maximize the fifth’s potential.”
“Not Micipsa?” Syphax raised an eyebrow.
Lucius shook his head. “While he’s your countryman and a Berber like yourself, he’s not ready to lead a centuria. He needs more time to develop his confidence.”
“Not your friend the Gaul?” Syphax asked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
“He’s too easygoing for the fifth. Maybe a different centuria someday. Antoninus, I think, should be moved to the first centuria as optio. He would make an excellent second for Bandua as the new primus pilus and free him up to take care of the bigger responsibilities of the role,” Lucius said, finishing his assessment.
“You’ve put a lot of thought into your answer, and that’s why I offered you the position as my second. I think your words are true. Zyraxes it is. Also, I hadn’t considered moving Antoninus to the first, but I like your thoughts on him. He’ll be a perfect match with Bandua.”
“Thank you, sir.”
