Queen of the Night

Pretender, the Usurper. The Empire itself was under threat. My husband and son were drawn into the storm. Consequently, for my son, myself and our supporters such as Aurelian, that province and anything associated with it is special! Especially the men who served us. Soldiers who at a time of mutiny defined their allegiance and declared for us.' She clicked her tongue. 'One such group was an ala, a much-depleted wing of the Catephracti serving in a mile fort along the Great Wall. They called themselves the Fretenses, the Wild Boars, and did sterling work, not only in holding the fort and supporting my husband and son, but at the time of crisis in trapping and annihilating a powerful Pictish war band. They achieved all this with the loss of only one man, their centurion. Once order had been restored in that province, members of the ala received medals, decorations and piaemia, financial rewards, together with full Roman citizenship. As a group they were given honourable discharge and decided to settle in Rome.' Helena pulled a face and shrugged. 'Some died, five still live, or did until two weeks ago, when one of them, Petilius, was brutally murdered in his chamber; another died last night in the Street of Abundance near the House of the Golden Cupids. Nothing was stolen, but the manner of their murder was truly grisly. A stab wound to the belly, their throats cut, and,' Helena added, 'both victims were castrated, their penises sliced off and placed in their hands.'
    'What?' Murranus exclaimed.
    Claudia remained silent. Murranus always surprised her. He was shocked, but she wasn't; just mystified, as always, at the sheer cruelty of men.
    'There are as many ways of killing a man,' Helena continued, 'as there are dogs in Rome, but this is different. I have spoken to Aurelian. The first victim, Petilius, had been to Aurelian's villa recently. The General had decided, like all soldiers do,' she raised her eyes, 'to have a reunion. Since then, Petilius had returned on a number of occasions, pestering Aurelian's stewards and freedmen for an interview with the General, who was too busy to meet him. Anyway, Aurelian has petitioned my son, the Emperor,- he wants these deaths investigated. You, Claudia, will do that. Aurelian now regrets that he did not give Petilius an audience; the castration puzzles him, because that is exactly what the Picts did when they caught a Roman. They always killed him, cut his throat, ripped open his belly, sliced off his testicles and, as a gesture of contempt, left them in the dead man's hand. Three members of the ala still live; they meet as a funeral club calling themselves the Vigiles Muri, the Guardians of the Wall, in the Lucia Gloriosa tavern. They'll be there tonight. I think you should meet them. Well,' Helena rose to her feet, 'I'm sure you have questions, but they'll have to wait. Burrus, my furry shadow,' she added, 'bring more stools, some fresh wine and sweet biscuits, then we'll meet our guests.'
    Claudia excused herself. She slipped out of the chamber and asked a chamberlain for directions. She found the latrines deserted and momentarily marvelled at the sheer luxury of the tiled floor, the marble walls, the mosaic celebrating Neptune's glories, the paintings of pot-bellied ships with golden sails on light blue seas, their waves gilded with gems under a glowing sun set in an amethyst-studded sky. She relished the coolness afforded by vents high in the walls. She went across to the lavarium, poured cold water into a bowl and washed her hands and face, then sat on a ledge in the corner drawing deep breaths to calm her heart. She was still recovering from the events at the She Asses,-now all this! Yet her joy at Murranus' new-found post made it all worth while. At last! Claudia tapped her feet on the floor; she could dance with glee! Murranus would not fight! He would have a secure post, the beginning perhaps of other • things.
    Claudia recollected herself, hastily checked her gown and hurried back to the chamber. Helena and her guests sat in a semicircle. The Empress glared at Claudia and gestured around, quickly introducing Urbana, Cassia, Leartus and Theodore. Claudia was immediately aware of the beauty of the two women: Urbana, severe and strict; Cassia soft and mellow like a rare flower blooming under the sun. Murranus sat staring at the latter, mouth gaping. Claudia felt a stab of envy. Urbana was beautiful in a patrician, haughty-faced way, but Cassia was sultry, her eyes