“Could it be to become a judge in Latium?!” Kusniya was surprised and panicked, “Latium is so far away, and there is a war going on; it's too unsafe for you to be a judge there! And… and our children are still so young, and I am all alone to look after them…”
“Niya, I know you will have a hard time on your own once I leave for Latium.” Pleka continued solemnly, “But this is a good opportunity for me! It's been almost half a year since I became a trainee judge and worked as an assistant in the courtroom, but I'm afraid it would take another two or three years before I could become an official judge. Besides, I would need to wait again for a vacancy before I can become the presiding judge of a town to hear and handle cases on my own… I was born a slave in a conquered city-state, and I don't have a wealthy family I can rely on, nor does my former master have a high position to help me, so I'm on my own! And I can only do what others won't! Although going to Latium is dangerous, it might allow me to take charge of a city's court. And if I do well, I might even attract the attention of His Majesty Davos, who is fighting in Latium… and perhaps one day I can be like Lord Tritodemus and wear the white and black trimmed chiton (i.e. become a statesman)!”
Kusniya could only stare blankly at her husband. Although she knew that her husband worked very hard, she had never thought that her scrawny Libyan husband had such big ambitions…
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
At the chieftain's residence in Abellinum, Garni had just sent off the Theonian envoy, Carias, when his trusted follower, Maigum, entered the living room. Seeing Garni leaning heavily on his chair, he wondered what he was thinking, so he quickly asked, “Chieftain, did the Theonian envoy come to ask us to attack Lesguk?”
Since the Samnites declared war on the kingdom of Theonia, the people of Abellinum had the hardest time since they were caught in the middle.
The high priest of the Samnites had come to Abellinum to reaffirm to Garni the ancient and sacred tradition of the Samnites, and he was even relieved to see Garni swear a solemn oath in the name of Savoni before he left. So the people of Abellinum began to fear that the Theonians would ask them to launch an attack on their own people, forcing them to break the ancient traditions and would surely get the condemnation of all Samnites.
Garni shook his head and said, “The Theonians did not ask me to attack Lesguk, nor did they ask for passage through our territory.”
Maigum, relieved, then asked confusedly, “If the Theonians are so understanding, what are you still worried about, Chieftain?”
Garni sighed, “The Theonians believe since Lesguk remained unfriendly to Theonia and started this war, he had not only harmed Theonia but us, Hirpini as well. So they hope…I would replace Lesguk from power and become the Great Chieftain of the Hirpini, thus restoring peace between Hirpini and Theonia…”
Maigum's eyes lit up as he exclaimed, “Chieftain, that's a good thing! With Theonia's support, you can easily regain the position of great chieftain of Hirpini that is rightfully yours!”
Garni smiled bitterly and said, “Maigum, that would go against tradition! Moreover, Lesguk has the full support of several other tribal chieftains and high priests, so his position as the great chieftain is secure!”
“Tradition?!” Maigum grunted in exasperation, “Wasn't it against tradition when Lesguk moved some tribes into our territory and tried to make them the chieftain?! If he could do it, why not us? He has repeatedly tried to oust you as a chieftain because he has the support of several other great chieftains and high priests. Without the help of the Theonian, Beneventum would have already absorbed Abellinum! This time he has taken advantage of the war between Theonia and Carthage to incite the various tribes to war against Theonia, and once the Theonians are defeated…Chief, I am afraid we must flee to Theonia with our people!”
On hearing this, a hint of ruthlessness appeared on Garni's face. But he still hesitated, “I, too, want to oust Lesguk from his position as Hirpini's Great Chieftain! But how? Do we really have to take advantage of Beneventum's empty defences and lead a surprise attack on them?!”
“Chief, that would only make the other tribes hate and reject us even more.” Maigum stepped forward and suggested, “Lesguk has incited the tribes to war against Theonia, but he hasn't reaped any benefits yet. Instead, many of our warriors had died or were wounded… so could it be that these tribes have no complaints against him? Especially our Hirpini tribe, I have heard that several thousand have been captured… now that the Theonians are supporting you, Chief, I think they would gladly hand over those several thousand warriors to you.”
It was as if Garni had been struck by lightning when he heard this. After pondering for a moment, he said cautiously, “We must discuss this matter… Also, tell the Theonian envoy to stay in Abellinum for two more days since I have something important to discuss with him.”
While Carias went to Abellinum, Tapirus arrived in Nuceria in Campania. He went there also to express Theonia's willingness to support Kinduk, a Caudini chieftain friendly to Theonia, to be the great chieftain of the Caudini.
Though Kinduk was at odds with Segobani and had repeatedly claimed that Segobani had used deception to take away the position of Great Chief of the Caudini that should have been his, he made his refusal clear when Tapirus met him and claimed that Nuceria would not declare war on its friendly ally Theonia, nor would it violate tradition by turning its sword against its own kind and that Nuceria would remain neutral in this war.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
As soon as the sun rose, Davos got up, which also woke up Agnes immediately.
“It's still early; you can sleep a little longer.” Davos concernedly covered her with the raised blanket.
“How can I still sleep when you are about to leave?!” Agnes grumbled, then called out towards the outside.
Then the slave who had been waiting outside had immediately brought water and a washcloth. And the two of them began to wash and dress.
Then, Agnes sat down at the dressing table, combed her hair, and put it in a bun. Davos then stepped forward and helped her tie up her hair.
“Your Majesty, this would be the first time little Cro would go into battle, so you must take care of him!” Agnes reminded, concerned.
“You can rest assured since he'd be with me, he won’t fall in any danger.” Davos smiled and comforted her.
“Your Majesty, you need to take care of yourself too!” Agnes lifted her head and looked at Davos with concern.
Davos nodded and leaned down to give her a passionate kiss on her beautiful smooth cheek.
The couple then went downstairs and into the dining room, where they saw Cheiristoya and Crotokatax waiting.
“Croto, did you sleep well last night?” Davos asked with a smile.
“Father, I couldn't sleep at first, but then I unconsciously fell asleep. Mother even had come to wake me up in the morning…” Crotokatax said truthfully, feeling embarrassed.
“You've done much better than me since I couldn't even sleep at all back then…” Davos encouraged Crotokatax by making fun of his past self.
“Croto, you will follow your father on this expedition, so why are you nervous?” Cheiristoya interjected.
“Mother, I am not nervous; I am just excited because I am finally going to a real battlefield!…” Crotokatax argued.
“What's the difference between nervousness and excitement…” Cheiristoya replied unconsciously.
“Let's eat our breakfast first. Otherwise, the food will get cold!” Agnes interjected.
“Hurry up and eat your breakfast. Martius and Henipolis are still waiting for us at the foot of the hill.” After Davos said this, the dining room fell silent again.
Crotokatax quickly ate his meal, drank the bowl of goat's milk, chewed a large piece of honey bread and ate a piece of fried fish…prompting Agnes to say, “Cro, eat slowly!…”
But Cro still ate his breakfast in one go, walked out of the dining room, took his armour from Ribaso and began to put it on.
Davos, on the other hand, was still in the dining room, comforting his two wives and assuring them that he would take good care of their son.
Soon after, Davos also donned his armour, handed his son the helmet with a long black plume, and then hugged and kissed his two wives goodbye.
“When Eunice, Apox, Brillantes and Aviya wake up, tell them I will bring them many gifts when I return from Latium…” Davos laughed and mounted the horse.
“Mother! Mother Agnes! I am leaving, but rest assured that I will return safely!” Crotokatax also embraced them while saying goodbye before following everyone on his horse.
Under the protection of ten palace guards, their party galloped down the hill.
Cheiristoya and Agnes watch the father and son's backs as they leave, unwilling to return inside…
At that moment, the sky was still grey, and the moon was hanging in the sky, with a few faint stars still visible.
The cold of the early morning drove away their drowsiness and made Crotokatax full of energy, and he couldn't help but ask, “Father, when we reach Latium, will I have a chance to fight the enemy?”
Davos had already considered this question, so he replied without hesitation, “Yes!”
Seeing that Davos wasn't being perfunctory, Crotokatax's spirits rose as he hurried ahead, quickly reaching the foot of the hill.
