Stories Thread

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As the jingle of the harness' and equipment echoed loudly down the deserted streets of Ambrakia, Caivs Avrelivs could only look on in hope and frustration from the balcony of the Propraetor's residence, overlooking the tight, twisting streets between the ever rising shops, houses and market squares. The flicker of flame as the torches moved down the street cast huge shadows of the Roman and Italian men of the garrison, as they swept the Greek quarter for signs of the hunted agent.

Caivs Avrelivs (or rather one of his officials, who then relayed the information to him) received word from one of the many informants in the city that somewhere in the Greek Quarter someone was sheltering a spy, of whom had entered the city disguised in a cart of hay several days ago. According to the informant, who Caivs Avrelivs only half trusted for relevant or practical information, the spy was to search for weaknesses in the Roman defense of the city. They had all heard the reports of the Epirite forces massing in Makedonia, preparing to counter attack in the absense of the Legio II, whose security Caivs Avrelivs was already beginning to miss. And now spies? At least it was a break from all that paperwork awaiting his seal every morning, thought Caivs Avrelivs.

Now, as he watched the noisy and quite useless search going on below him, he sighed and shook his head in frustration. A man who no longer had the use of his ears could still have heard his men advancing through the maze of streets, let alone an agent of the Greeks. He signalled for one of the slaves in the room behind him, who obediantly stepped forward.

"Take this message to Centurian Valerivs, Stephanos: Cease this pathetic imitation of the Festival of Promethius, of which this escapade with the torches seems to represent, immediately. If no sign of the target had been noted, you may begin to tackle the population. Do it swiftly and effictively, but keep all exit routes secure. The man is not to escape." He turned his head to look at the young boy behind him. "Got all that?" The boy nodded, and scurried off out of the room.

Caivs Avrelivs turned back to looking out over the dark rooftops below him. Amidst the shadows and the flickers of light from the torches, he thought he saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. Frowning, he turned to sweep his gaze along the houses lining the city walls, those most cast in the shadow of the night. Squinting, he could see nothing new amidst the shadows, except for the slow march of a single guard atop the section of wall.

That must have been what he'd seen. He'd stay for a while longer, before retiring for the night. He was exhausted, having rested barely six hours in the last three days. It had been a busy period. He knew he took on more work than he needed to, what with the bustle of scribes, officials and other overly helpful minions around him, constantly reminding him he needed rest and that they could handle everything here. But Caivs Avrelivs had always been a man who needed a firsthand experience of everything. It was not exactly that he did not trust these men, but rather that he did not trust himself to be satisfied with their provided information. He needed to do everything himself, for little other reason than he thought everything needed to be done properly. And what better way to prove everything was OK for you than for you to do it? But maybe he needed to ease off a bit. His wife was growing used to having him around for more than a few days, but was still neglected by him. His son, Titvs, was growing tall and strong-it was time, as his father, that Caivs Avrelivs begin to take him away from the care of his mother, and in to the company of men. His two daughters as well needed the presence of their father, if they were to become useful Romans.

Now, as he watched, the guard had reached the tower on the far end of the wall, and had disappeared inside, no doubt to grab a cup of heated wine before returning outside to the cold. Giving the houses below him one last glance, Caivs Avrelivs began to turn, meaning to go to bed. However, something made him glance once more to the houses below the wall. He could swear there was something, or someone, moving down there, yet without a torch, and seemingly on their own. It was only the briefest of glimpses; the shadow moved quickly and silently, but Caivs Avrelivs was certain of it's existence moments later, when a figure leapt onto the tiled roofing of one of the buildings, and began scrabbling for a handhold on the edge of the wall.

Sweeping his gaze back over the city, Caivs Avrelivs saw that one patrol was moving in the direction of the wall, though it was obvious they knew not of the attempted escapee. However, the latter knew of the former's approach, and sacrificed his hold on the ledge of the wall, dropping down flat onto the roof amidst the shadows. Caivs Avrelivs watched helplessly from afar as the patrol passed the house without noticing the man lying across it's roof. Caivs Avrelivs clenched his fist in frustration, only to pause as a voice called out to the patrol in Latin. The guard from the wall had exited the tower and was calling to the men below him. Too far to decipher the words, Caivs Avrelivs could merely mutter under his breath:

"Look down, you fool! Just look down!"

But the guard and the patrol had finished, and the latter began to move away once more. The guard seemed to laugh at their backs, and was about to turn to go himself, when somethign made him pause, and bend down to squint at the rooftop below him. Suddenly, he jerked up, and Caivs Avrelivs heard his alarm call cut short as some sort of weapon was jabbed into his throat from below. Falling from the wall, his body crashed noisily onto the clay tiles of the rooftop below, and Caivs Avrelivs saw several torches begin to move quickly towards the commotion. He also saw the figure grab hold of the wall, and launch himself up onto the ledge. Unwrapping some rope from his belt, he bent to quickly tie a knot around a protruding part of the wall, just as the first patrol rushed round the corner and into the street. Rope in hand, the agent leapt over the wall, as the cries for alarm echoed throught the city.