The winter in Roma was favorable, at least from Theo's point of view. The winter solstice brought them cool temperatures but still warm compared to what he had endured in Britannia. Here a light cloak was sufficient, and yet Gaius felt the cold.

"My blood is thin from drinking too much wine, I'm such a fool," Gaius laughed. Many avoided the daily bath in the winter season, but not Gaius. It was part of his ritual, and after sixty some years the rituals were hard to change.

Theo walked down the lane towards Gaius house one day in early spring for his morning lesson and a bit of breakfast. The guards at the gate were new, neither Darius nor Felix was there.

"Halt, identify yourself," one of the guards said.

"Oh, I am Theo. Senator Gaius is my teacher, I'm here for my lesson."

"School is closed, boy. Gaius has gone to Greece on holiday," the guard said.

Theo knew that was a lie, where had they taken Gaius? He had no doubt that the Pope or Gaius' brother was involved, he would have to find out. Turning around, Theo walked back up the lane and turned up the side street. He walked towards the olive trees and paused at the bushes against the wall. If Gaius was truly gone then the secret door would not open, if he was held captive in his house then it probably would.

Theo crawled through the bushes and pushed on the door…it was locked. There was no reason for them to take Gaius, but if he was being held against his will it would be in the Pope's palace. Amir…he would need to tell the boy of his plan. Maybe it was time to escape? If he could find Gaius he would also find answers, he had to try.

Amir was sitting in the waiting chamber since the flow of customers was light today.

"We need to talk," Theo said.

"Yes, that Bishop is here," Amir said.

"Oh, he's here?"

"Yes, he asked me when I was planning to convert. He doesn't know I can talk so I pretended not to understand. He scares me."

"Where is he exactly?" Theo asked.

"In the caldarium, then he will go to the warm baths."

"I need to run home and get my robe, and then the Bishop is going to get the scare of his life."

Theo ran up the street and saw guards outside Luciano's home. Damn, they had come for him as well. Theo slid his hand under the tunic and grasped the medallion, and then as he turned the corner he vanished. He had begun wearing the medallion at all times, now he was glad he had followed his instincts.

The guards didn't see him as he stepped past them and ran to the far corner of Luciano's property. Here the walls were low and he easily climbed over, dropping into the bushes on the other side.

Antonia was on the veranda. Her hands covering her face as she wept. Theo mounted the stairs and heard voices inside.

"I don't know where he kept it," Daniel insisted.

"What do you know, boy?" A strange voice said.

"Daniel would not lie to you, it's not his nature," Luciano said. "Let me talk to him."

"We'll have to take him in, Bishop Carpinio has so ordered."

Theo slid in through the curtains and saw a soldier in full armored splendor, only now he wore a cross affixed to his cloak as well. Just as Gaius had feared, the legions were involved. Walking past the men Theo made his way to the pallet where he slept. At the foot of his sleeping platform was a rolled cushion, and inside it Theo had hidden the robe after removing the stuffing.

Theo donned the robe and it disappeared as well, now he was ready to face the challenge these events dictated. Nothing would come of the soldier taking Daniel away, Luciano would see to that. The boy had cast his lot with the Christians, but he could not be allowed to interfere.

Theo walked back to the baths and saw that Amir was no longer at the entrance. He walked through the disrobing room and past the caldarium, both empty. The entrance to the cold water pool was shut so Theo went on to the larger hot baths. There were several customers there, but not the Bishop. He backtracked and eyed the closed door.

"No," Theo heard Amir yell from beyond the door. He tried the door and found it barred, but that was no obstacle. Theo placed a hand on the door and wished it to open. Instead the door crumbled leaving a large pile of sawdust on the floor and he stepped inside.

The Bishop was standing naked in front of Amir.

"A heathen like you is only good for the brothels, boy…unless of course you heed my request and bend over that bench," Carpinio said.

"No," Amir said.

"That's not a very nice word, boy…you disappoint me," Carpinio said, and then he gasped as Amir vanished.

The Bishop felt his arm being grasped and he fell back, falling down the steps into the pool with a great splash.

Amir appeared on the bench as the water around the Bishop burst into flames. It was then that Theo appeared, the hood over his head, the flames surrounding his body as he stood on the steps.

"I should not be surprised to see you begging for the charms of a boy, Bishop Carpinio. What would your lord and master have to say about this should I tell him."

"Who are you?" Carpinio whined.

"I am the wrath of the gods," Theo said, and the flames leaped to the ceiling engulfing them both. Carpinio gasped for air and found none.

"I…I can't breathe."

"Breath is for the living, you are doomed to Hades at my command," Theo said.

"I cannot see you…who are you?"

"I am the one you will never see on this earth, but you will soon see me in Hades," Theo intoned…and then he cut off the Bishop's air.

The man thrashed around in the water, trying not to touch the flames and yet slowly choking to death.

"Don't kill him…please," Amir called sharply.

Theo turned and raised his hand, the Bishop pulled in a lungful of air with a gasp.

"What's the matter, he is not worthy of life," Theo said.

"I don't want you to kill him, it's wrong to use your power like this."

Theo stared and then dropped his hand. The flames disappeared and the only sound remaining was that of Carpinio's lungs wheezing.

"What shall I do to him then?"

"Let him go, he cannot harm us," Amir said.

Reluctantly Theo allowed Amir to escort the Bishop out of the pool. They walked back towards the front as Theo slid into Amir's storeroom and removed his robe. He went out the back door and ran around to the front of the baths, walking casually through the entrance.

The Bishop was babbling as Theo approached. "Did you see him? I must repent, the Lord sent his messenger to warn me. Did you see him?"

Amir shook his head and shrugged. "No one here," He said.

"What happened, your holiness?" Theo said.

"The Lord sent an avenging angel to warn me, I saw the fires of hell around me…he almost took me. I must tell the Pope, he will help me understand," Carpinio said.

Amir helped the man dress and the boys escorted the Bishop outside and hailed a litter.

"Thank you, thank you both. Your reward will be in heaven, I will pray for you," Carpinio said, and the litter bearers carried him off.

"I was not pleased, he was chasing you," Theo said.

Amir laughed. "I would have stopped him, he was unsure of my strength."

"Gaius has been taken, I must find him," Theo said. "The Bishop's hysteria will distract them all, I should follow the litter."

"They will go to the Papal Palace, and you must cross the Tiber. Let me dress, I will guide you," Amir said.

"Bring my robe from your room, maybe the avenging angel will be needed again," Theo said, and then he laughed. "He was almost scared to death."

"As was I, dear Theo…I was afraid you would murder him." Amir turned away and walked into the baths.

Theo felt ashamed, Amir was right. The boy had watched his family being murdered and he could not bear to witness something like that again. But Theo had discovered more of his powers in that little display, he could use them easily. Now he could approach the Pope without fear and find out what happened to Gaius.

Amir returned and Theo bundled the robe into a tight package before they entered the street. It was mid-day and most citizens were in the streets to run errands and visit friends. Theo kept his eyes open for men in uniform. They were looking for him, he was sure of that now.

Walking amidst the crowd they crossed the bridge over the Tiber River and approached the Church of San Giovanni, and there beside it stood the Papal Palace. The Pope would be in one or the other, Theo couldn't be sure where the Bishop had gone. He looked across the plaza and saw several squads of soldiers standing guard by the church.

"I would imagine the Pope is in the church," Theo said.

"What are you going to do?" Amir asked.

"Why, go in the palace, of course. If they have Gaius he will be locked up in there. But this money you mentioned, how do you know where it is?"

Amir smiled. "Several of my friends work in the palace, they have told me about the golden room."

"Golden room? That sounds promising. I think we should find Gaius first and then he can help us carry some of the gold. We won't need much, but as I remember it's heavy," Theo said.

They walked towards the palace and turned away from the grand entrance, seeking out the servant's door. There were two men standing outside at the back of the building, cooks by the look of their dress. Theo smiled and pulled Amir into an alcove.

"Now we vanish and then wait for them to go back inside. I can't open that door with them standing there," Theo said. "Whatever you do don't let go of my hand or they will see you."

Theo donned the robe and took hold of Amir's hand, in an instant they were gone from sight. Amir felt disoriented, the sunlight seemed different. Except for that one moment in the baths this was the first time Theo had used his magic on them both.

Theo moved forward and tugged Amir along. They stood beside the rear door, mere feet from the cooks. Theo smiled and held a finger to his lips to gesture silence. One of the cooks had his back to Theo who reached out and touched the man's ear. The guy started and batted at the air behind his head, Theo touched him again.

"Flies…damn flies, I'm going back inside," The cook said.

"Might as well," the other man said. "His Holiness will want his supper promptly at three. Will the Bishop be with him?"

The cook grabbed the handle on the door. "They're thick as thieves those two, I wouldn't be surprised. Just add more water to the soup," He laughed.

The door opened and the two cooks walked inside. Theo pulled Amir through the opening and allowed the door to close behind them. They were in a storeroom and Theo followed the cooks down a passage towards the kitchen.

The cooks turned right towards the stoves and Theo went left towards an archway. The room they entered was off the dining room and several servants moved around preparing the table for the dinner. The room was immense and decorated with fine tapestries…this was nothing like Leopold's dining hall. To one side there was a door, and it was open to the hallway. Amir was still gawking as Theo pulled him through and then stopped dead in his tracks.

"Oh," Theo gasped as they stepped into the main hall. The carpets on the floor, the huge candlelit chandeliers and the statuary all spoke of opulence. This was the grandest room Theo had ever seen. Amir's eyes were everywhere, he too felt overwhelmed by their surroundings.

"The lower floors, that would be the likely place to keep a prisoner," Theo whispered.

Amir nodded and held Theo's hand tightly as they went looking for a staircase that went downwards. Theo spotted a railing at the far end of the hall and upon closer inspection saw the staircase descending behind it. The stairs were carpeted and they made no sounds as they crept downwards to the lower floor.

A short hallway led to a larger room where a priest was sitting at a table writing something. Beyond him another hallway, no candles down there, just several doors leading off the corridor. Cells, Theo thought, and he saw padlocks and bars holding the doors shut.

They approached the priest and Theo saw a key ring sitting on the table. He stood Amir several paces back and released the boy's hand. Moving up behind the priest, Theo placed a hand on either side of the man's head and smiled. The priest lifted his head and gasped, choked a few times and then crumpled face first onto the table.

"What did you do?" Amir asked. "Is he dead?"

"No, he just fainted from lack of air…you said no killing," Theo replied, and that got him a smile in return. He grabbed the keys and rushed over to the first door where he saw a small shutter affixed to the outside. Pulling the shutter open revealed the room was empty, he moved on to the next. It wasn't until the fifth door that Theo saw Gaius sitting on a pallet inside.

"Gaius," Theo whispered and the man looked up.

Unlocking the door was fairly easy and Theo tossed the padlock down as he swung the door open.

"Theo…how did you…?" Gaius exclaimed.

"No time, come quickly," Theo ordered.

Gaius followed him back down the hallway and smiled when he saw Amir. Between them Gaius and Theo dragged the unconscious priest back to the open cell and laid him on the floor. They shut the door and padlocked it once again, only this time Theo took the keys with him.

"Come we must be going, there must be a guard that walks around the palace. We need to hide upstairs for a bit and then we can leave," Theo said.

"The gold," Amir said. "I would guess it's down here somewhere, they said below the floor in a strong room."

"Gold?" Gaius asked.

"Our escape money," Theo said.

"Then it's probably over there behind that door," Gaius said.

"How do you know?" Theo asked.

"The little plaque says 'Treasury' in Latin, its only common sense."

Fortunately a key on the ring fit the door; Theo didn't want to make this one crumble. Gaius pushed open the door and froze. "Gods above…look at all this," He said.

Theo and Amir stared at the piles of golden bricks, bags of coin and sacred golden objects. "How much do we take?" Theo asked.

"No more than we can easily carry," Gaius said.

Amir hefted a bag of the coins. "Half of this maybe, it should be enough," He said.

Theo spilled some coins on the floor and Gaius lifted another bag and smiled. "For all the embarrassment they have caused me. Now I will have to leave the city."

"Then we had better go now," Amir said.

Gaius turned for the door and Theo stood looking at all the wealth. "Wait," He said. Gaius and Amir stopped as Theo held forth his hands and closed his eyes. The stacks of gold seemed to shimmer and then their color faded into a dull grey mass.

"What have you done?" Amir asked.

"The gold is turned to iron, useless to them now," Theo said.

"How did you…? Gaius gasped.

"I will explain later," Theo said. "Now we can go. Take Amir's hand and don't let go no matter what happens. I will provide a cloak of invisibility and we will walk right past any guards we see."

"I don't understand…" Gaius said.

"Not now, Theo will explain…have patience," Amir said.

Theo carried one bag of coins, Gaius the other and Amir stood in the middle holding on to them both. Up the stairs they crept, listening for voices in the upper hallways. Theo heard the footsteps first and they all became invisible.

"Quiet," Theo cautioned.

Two guards strode the length of the hall and took positions at the far end by the entrance doors. There was a small commotion outside and several priests entered the hall, followed by a man dressed in rich looking robes.

"The Pope," Gaius hissed.

"Shh," Theo warned.

Behind the Pope came Bishop Carpinio, looking disheveled and frightened. The Pope turned into the dining room and the other's followed, closing the door. The guards strode back down the hall and took station in front of the door.

"Not good," Theo said, "that was our way out."

"There must be another way," Amir whispered.

"Are you sure they can't see us?" Gaius asked.

"Come on, I'll show you," Theo said.

They walked down the hall towards the guards and Gaius looked doubtful until Theo led them right past the men. The lack of reaction proved they could not be seen. Theo walked onwards and stopped beside the grand doors.

"If I open one of these it will be noticed. Any suggestions?"

Gaius provided the answer by allowing his bag of gold to hit the door. The thump resounded down the hall and the guards reacted. One of them came over and opened the door. He seemed puzzled that no one was there so he stepped outside to look. Theo pulled and the three of them slipped outside just before the guard went back inside and shut the door.

Theo led them across the plaza, carefully avoiding contact with anyone. They slid into an alley behind the church and Theo unmasked them.

"That was clever, good tactic, Gaius," Theo said.

Gaius blushed. "It was an accident, the bag is so heavy I almost dropped it…I'm sorry."

Amir and Theo laughed. "Well it worked, that's all that matters," Theo said.

"I cannot go home," Gaius said. "And where will you go?"

"There are new guards at your gate, men I don't know," Theo said. "Amir and I are leaving the city and the coin will buy us passage."

Gaius turned to Amir and grinned. "You're going home? How wonderful."

"It's a long voyage, our travel will take many months," Amir said.

"But you know where to go I hope, and Theo will be the perfect companion. How will you leave?" Gaius asked.

"A ship I suppose, we need to go to Egypt first," Theo said.

"I have another suggestion," Gaius said. "Come with me and we will stay well hidden until its time to leave."

"You're leaving too?" Amir asked.

"It's time to go, Amir, all of us must leave. The Christians will have their day, it will change everything. I'll go to Greece and stay with friends there, but come, let's go have refreshment and talk about our futures."

"Where can we hide, the soldiers will be looking for us everywhere?" Theo said.

"We're leaving the city, but just far enough away to confuse the enemy. Come, let's go see what the gods have in store for us."

They crossed back over the Tiber and headed north, away from Gaius' house and anyone who might know Theo and Amir. Once away from the river Gaius hired a cart to carry them. They passed the great buildings of the city, places Theo had not yet seen or explored. But now he only glanced at them through the curtained window and then turned away.

On and on they traveled until the cart driver pulled over and Gaius paid the man. Before them stood an imposing gate in the city walls surrounded by vendor's stalls.

"Let us purchase refreshment and then we walk until darkness falls," Gaius said.

"Where are you taking us?" Theo asked. "The gold is heavy, how far will we have to carry it?"

"I have a friend who lives by the river, and perhaps it's too far to carry all this weight. We should purchase a cart and a mule, and some food for our meal. It's a day's walk, and this day will soon end."

"And this 'friend,' he will help us?" Amir asked.

"Yes, he'll know how to get us out of the country safely, of that I assure you," Gaius said.

The food and water was easily obtained, they bargained for a cart and paid dearly for a mule. Warm cloaks for the evening chill and several bottles of wine rounded out the shopping expedition. Gaius could ride in the cart but someone had to lead the mule so Theo and Amir walked ahead.

"I despise pack animals," Theo said. "They don't care for me either."

Amir laughed. "I pity the dumb animal because he doesn't know what a wonderful companion you are."

"According to the Druid priest I can change myself into a mule if needed, not a very pleasant thought," Theo said.

Amir smiled. "I like you just the way you are."

The haze and smoke of the city was soon behind them as the sun began to set. The road was lined with farms here and there but Gaius pointed to a thicket off the road.

"Maybe we had best stop for a rest over there, unless you think we should seek shelter with some of these poor folk?"

"No, we cannot risk them seeing our faces and remembering us," Theo said. "I would not bring them into danger. We can sleep under the stars."

The night was dark and fortunately dry as they huddled around the small fire pit eating their bread and cheese. Gaius passed around the wine, but Amir and Theo drank of it sparingly. It was a time of revelation and Theo told Gaius of the medallion and his newly acquired powers of magic.

"The fires of hell, hmm, wish I'd been there to see that," Gaius said. "My brother has been buying up land all over the city. The gold in that treasury has been confiscated from those they brand heretic. Can you really change gold to iron and back again?"

"Yes, it makes carrying these bags of coin pretty senseless," Theo said.

"No, we all feel like we came away with something, maybe a little bit of revenge. If the Pope and Carpinio could see that treasury full of iron as God's vengeance for their evil ways then you will have accomplished something. But they won't, greed doesn't allow clear thinking."

Gaius smiled, looking up at the stars overhead. "Roma was once a great city, it is no more. The early emperors brought the best of Greek civilization to our shores. The Greeks were well known for their knowledge and the beauty of their architecture has allowed Roma to become a wonderful sight that was to have lasted through the ages.

"Greek poetry and literature has given us a good look at our humanity, and at one time taught us how to live with one another. But as the empire expanded we lost something, we changed as a people. The wealth of the world was brought home by our legions, our trade, and our wars. Greed replaced knowledge, we became gluttons for wealth, and gold became our god."

Gaius yawned since he hadn't slept the night before in that tiny cell. "One last thought before I sleep. I see the flaws in this new brand of religion, but Christianity is no better, no worse than any other way of worship. The message of this man Jesus of Nazareth speaks of human kindness, of peace. The only problem with that are the ears that hear his message.

"Humans are not perfect creatures and long ago someone figured out that religion was necessary to guide and control the masses. Your Druid beliefs are just as valid as those of Jesus, just from a different time and place.

"In the ancient past, the Druids of Britannia saw the need for man to understand his environment. They had no knowledge of why things happened, but they had eyes and a good memory. Worship of nature, the heavens, it all made sense to them. You have received their gifts, Theo, and now the body of knowledge resides inside you.

"Christianity is also the culmination of many years of thought. The figurehead of a Messiah has existed in myth and story for centuries and that is also in the Greek writings…"

Gaius yawned again. "But I am too tired to continue my thoughts, another time perhaps. We must all sleep for tomorrow will be a long day."

"You sleep in the cart, Amir and I will shelter under it," Theo said.

Gaius smiled. "At least two of us will stay warm." He heaved himself up as Theo spread out the remains of the fire so it would slowly die, and they bedded down.

Amir cuddled close and Theo reveled in their shared feelings. They were about to embark on a great adventure, a journey that could only bring them closer together. He had no idea what lay ahead, just that Amir seemed sure they would be welcomed in his land. He had faith in that confidence, just as he had faith in the boy beside him, and they slept.

Gaius lay awake, even though his body was tired. In all his years nothing had disrupted his life like this change in Roma. But his time in the legion had ill prepared him for the change. He had become soft over the years and lost that fighter's edge.

Theo was a gift from the gods, both boys were just magnificent. Gaius knew he would have languished in that cell and then disappeared if not for the boy's powers. He had not exclaimed too loudly about this revelation, Theo seemed to take his magic in stride

Theo would face incredible challenges in life. But he had youth and vitality, qualities Gaius remembered from his early life. His father had enrolled his weaker son in the legion, becoming a soldier was something that Gaius would never have done for himself. But it was there that he made his most important friends, his brothers in blood.

Septimus, the man they were going to see now, was one of them. Like Gaius, Septimus had worn the sash of a tribune and become a leader of men. But in private Gaius had jokingly called him Sextimus, and like Gaius the man had been obsessed with boys.

Unfortunately Septimus had been caught in bed with a high born boy, one whose father could have imposed the death penalty. But the boy pleaded against it claiming that Septimus was only following his requests. So a commander of legions, a mighty warrior, Septimus was laughed out of Roma, yet he lived.

Now his estate along the upper reaches of the Tiber was a shelter for lost boys, cared for by the great man and his new wife. In time Septimus had seen the advantage of marriage in this heterosexual society, and she didn't hold his past against him. Together they made a home for many battered and bruised boys, outcasts from Roman society, some of them referred by Gaius himself.

The irony was that now Gaius was in need of such care. But he knew the man, he would throw open his arms and welcome them in, such was his largess, his commitment. And what was little known, Septimus was also a high priest in the Circle, the last remaining holdout against this new usurper calling itself Christianity.

The Circle had been formed a hundred years ago, an elite gathering of men, and legionnaires all. The gods blessed these men in battle when the cause was just and they had fought hard. Now Heraclius had given the empire away to the Pope and his followers, the Circle had become the final force of resistance.

Gaius finally slept, awaking at dawn to the sound of horses on the roadway. Their position was hidden and the troop of soldiers passed them by. It would not do to have come this far only to be captured again, but Gaius smiled. He was sure Theo could protect them for yet another day.

They ate the remainder of the bread and washed it down with watered wine, not the best of breakfasts but filling. The cart was drawn back on the road and they set off, north and west, on towards the Tiber and the snakelike upper reaches of the river.

The road was flat and straight, as were most Roman roads that had stood over the centuries since creation of a mighty empire. It made travel easy for the legions, but had also served their enemies well during invasion. So as they watched the troop of soldiers could be seen from a great distance as they returned.

"Amir, take the reins," Theo said. "Speak no Greek, just a few words of Latin if questioned." And with that he crawled into the cart with Gaius and took his hand.

The soldiers barely slowed down at the sight of a lone servant driving his master's empty cart, and Amir pulled out of the way with a bow to their leader. Once the soldiers were gone, Theo and Gaius reappeared.

"That certainly comes in handy," Gaius said. "I could have used you when the Germanic hordes swarmed down from the north."

Theo smiled. "I would have had to stand and fight with you, good friend. The Druid priest also said no blade or arrow could touch me."

Gaius smiled. "Ahh, and with a hundred more of you I would have conquered the world myself. But I know one thing that may penetrate your defense." And with that he looked up at Amir driving the mule. "Love is a man's greatest weakness, there is no defense. You have chosen well, lucky boy."

By late afternoon they turned off the paved road, leaving the Roman road for a dirt track leading towards the river. The forest slowly surrounded them and the ground rose considerably as the road wound around several hills. There was no sign of the estate ahead until they rode out of the woods and saw the house nestled in the trees across the clearing.

The house Septimus had built resembled no Roman architecture. It did in fact look like some of the hill fortresses that Theo had seen in Britannia. A wooden stockade enclosed several buildings made of wood and stone, but at least the gate stood open.

They must have been seen because as they cleared the trees a group of men stood forth above the wall. Gaius climbed from the cart and walked forward. At the sight of him there was a great shout from within the walls and a large man rushed out to greet them.

"Gaius, you old dog," the man yelled, nearly lifting Gaius off the ground.

Septimus was probably Gaius' age, but he looked twenty years younger and twice as fit.

"Septimus, you old snake, how well you look," Gaius said in return, groaning at the rib crushing hug.

Septimus pounded a fist into his chest in the Roman salute, and then coughed. "Remind me not to do that again." And he coughed twice more. "And who have you brought me this time?"

Gaius shook his head, his mouth turned down in a frown. "A sorry state of affairs, cast out of the great city like a poor beggar, they abused him so."

"Which one?" Septimus asked.

"Why me, you old fool." Gaius laughed at his joke. "I have just escaped from the Pope's prison cells and this is the way you treat me?"

"By the god's wrath, you're joking…"

"Not at all, I throw myself on your mercy," Gaius said.

"And the boys?"

"Amir is from the Persian lands, a sincerely beautiful young man. And Theo, he is from Britannia and a seriously dangerous man. But that will all be revealed in time…is the bath open? We've been on the road since yesterday and smell worse than our mule I'm sure."

Septimus led them into the compound and Theo almost laughed at the way the man kept an eye on him. Gaius had named him dangerous and it seems the man believed it. They were met by a small group of young men inside the gates, some took the mule off to the stables, and others unhitched the cart and rolled it in line with others of its kind by the wall.

They were led to a stone building from which a steady stream of smoke arose, the fires for heating the water inside. They disrobed in an outdoor enclosure and washed off the road dirt before entering the bath. The caldarium and the pool were in the same room, something Theo would have to endure for a short while.

Amir was amused by these people, and he felt more than one pair of eyes on his body. The feeling left him clinging to Theo's side but assured no one could bother him now. Theo also had his admirers, young and old. There were several adults in the group, along with boys of all ages.

Three of the boys had given Gaius a hug when they first saw him, which told Theo enough about the situation here. But it was time to get clean, all else would come later. Amir oiled him and massaged away the journey. No matter how often he did this Theo felt his loving expression in every touch.

When Amir was done Theo returned the favor, forcing himself to do it with all the patience he could muster and not rush. There were others in the enclosure and he knew they were watching, and just to confirm what they were all thinking he gave Amir a big kiss when he was done.

The bath house was small, an efficiency of space not seen in the city. But here the water was hotter and yet Theo didn't feel choked by the steam. He glanced up and saw small windows along the eve that let fresh air in the room. The steam was there but it only rose several feet above the water.

Septimus, Gaius and several of the boys had joined them, a cozy little group.

"Theo, Amir, you have met Septimus our host, but this is Brutus, Caius and Cato," Gaius said.

Theo nodded his head at the boys and raised his eyebrows to Gaius. "There is more to this I'm sure," Theo said.

Septimus laughed. "There's no fooling him is there?"

"No," Gaius replied, "and I wouldn't want to." He looked at the three he had just named and they smiled back.

"Brutus was a mere child of seven when we first met, he is twice that now I perceive. I came upon the boy on the steps of the Senate where he was being beaten with a rod for some misbehavior. The man was his father and I told him to stop, he refused. I stepped forward and the man struck me with his rod.

"The father is probably still at work in the mines, if he is still alive. Attacking the person of a senator is an offense of grave consequence to the government, I had the father arrested and we heard from him no more. It seems Brutus had taken a second piece of bread from the larder, and for this he was beaten once his father caught him. Now he may have all the bread he wishes and grow in strength to match his name."

Gaius turned to the next boy. "And this is Caius, a sweet boy…and I see he still has those beautiful green eyes I adore." Bashful Caius turned away but he smiled.

"Caius was orphaned when his father and mother were killed by thugs in their home. I was returning from a social engagement with Darius and Felix when we came across the boy crying in the gutter as the villains ransacked his house. My friends dispatched them to the pits of Hades and I took Caius home with me. I sent him here some time later when his needs became greater.

"And so we come to young Cato, who's only misfortune in life is to seek the love of a man and not a woman. For this he was banished from the city by his father, a wealthy merchant who currently enjoys the favor of the Pope. Here he has no concern, the gods smile upon those who live honestly and openly."

There was silence after the introductions, and then Septimus spoke. "Gaius is known to us all, but Theo and Amir are strangers. Will you tell us of them as well?"

Gaius nodded. "As I said, Amir is from the lands that were once Mesopotamia and he was found floating in the sea after his father's fishing boat sank…"

"This is not true, I am sorry Gaius," Amir said. "The truth is more difficult to explain and only Theo knows the real story."

"I think he's been concerned that no one would believe him, but I do," Theo said. He turned to Amir and grasped his hand. "Tell them, they will believe you now."

Amir nodded and took a breath. "I am from a small kingdom by the Indus River, a land called Sindh. But in all possibility it may no longer exist. My father…my father was king until the Persians came and killed my family. I alone escaped, carried away by a Persian general to Egypt where I was placed on a ship and then rescued by the Romans when they sank that very ship. I was abandoned on the docks of Roma, and eventually found by people of my race, and now I am here with you."

Gaius reached out and patted Amir's shoulder. "Thank you for that truth." Then he looked at Theo. "I suppose you ought to say a few words."

Theo nodded…a few words for sure. He was not going to reveal much of anything.

"I come from Britannia. My friend Daniel and I took passage on a Roman ship. He worked as a ship's boy, I stowed away. In Roma I lived with a man who was in service to the Bishop, they wanted me to convert and I would not so here I am. Oh, and Amir is the love of my life, we ran away together."

Gaius smiled at that admission, and was grateful that Theo had been brief. There would be time enough for Septimus to find out what else Theo had become, the others didn't need to know.

"So I imagine you are hungry and tired," Septimus said. "Now that the soil of your travel has been removed we should eat and allow you to rest."

They exited the bathhouse and Septimus gave each of them a toga to wear. Light and airy, togas were the perfect clothing for a place like this. A woman approached them and Septimus introduced his wife, Lucia. A sturdy, plain faced woman, she smiled at them and motioned them towards the patio where a meal had been spread.

The whole patio was roofed over by an arbor covered in grape vines. The immature fruit could be seen hanging amidst the leaves and in late summer there would be a bounty of sweet dark grapes.

"I make my own wine," Septimus said proudly. "The best grapes grow further up in the mountains, but my modest vineyard does quite well."

They sat on benches around the table and Theo dug in to a wonderful bowl of seafood stew with fresh warm bread on the side. Septimus poured them each a goblet of wine from a pot that sat warming on a small burner. The deep earthy taste went well with the meal and Theo had more than one cup. The three boys sat scattered around them, but the other adults they had seen earlier were nowhere in sight.

Darkness fell and they continued to sit listening to Gaius and Septimus talk. Amir leaned on his shoulder and Theo yawned, finally getting the attention of Lucia.

"Come, I will show you to your sleeping quarters," She said. They said their farewells and followed her off to their bed. Lucia showed them to a small room in a long building with similar curtained rooms. Amir lay down on the pallet and Theo moved in to share the remaining space.

"It's a little small for two," Amir sighed.

"Then we will have to pretend we are one," Theo said.

There were kisses and hugs, but neither of them had the strength for anything more. It was the first night that Theo felt safe with Amir.

Theo awoke at dawn with a definite urge, too much wine did that. He slid off the pallet and made his way outside. There was a chamber pot beside the door and he used it while listening to the snores coming from the next room. He tried not to look but the curtain was partially open. Gaius was on his back and snoring, the boy Cato asleep on his chest, the both of them quite naked.

Septimus was an interesting character, a perfect friend for Gaius. They were far off the road and probably safe here, but he wondered if that was Gaius' only reason for bringing them. The urge to escape was gone, but they would not lose sight of why they had left Roma. He wondered if Septimus had any of those maps like Luciano had shown them.

Theo glanced towards the gate where they had come in and saw a man standing on the rampart. Septimus had guards, about what might be expected of a former military commander. That explained the other adults in the compound. Theo smiled and went back to bed.

The second time Theo awoke was when Amir slid an arm across his chest and hugged him dearly. They kissed and Amir groaned.

"Gaius and Cato are next door," Theo whispered.

"Oh? Cato is quite young," Amir said.

"And? I think he chose Gaius and not the other way around," Theo said.

"A boy should be allowed to choose when he is able to perform. I started too young to enjoy myself."

"In your case it was forced, or did you agree to save your life?" Theo asked.

"Probably both. If Cato is made for men and desires nothing more then it should be his choice. I would never object in the case of love."

"So you waited for me to fall in love before you pounced on me, clever boy," Theo giggled.

Amir stifled a laugh. "You used your magic powers on me."

Theo shook his head. "I seem to recall you were the one rubbing his sausage on my belly."

Amir rolled off the bed, both hands on his mouth to hold back the laughter. Theo crawled down and joined him on the floor, pressing his lips to Amir's and turning the laugh into a kiss. In seconds Amir was hard and Theo pressed him to the floorboards and lowered his head. Groans filled the room and within a few short minutes Theo received his due.

They lay back, both of them panting. Theo hoped they would never tire of doing it like this as often their lovemaking was so spontaneous. The curtain suddenly parted and Cato stuck his head inside.

"Whoa…very nice," He said, looking at their naked bodies. "Gaius says to please be quiet, it disturbs his snoring." Cato laughed, stared at their crotches and then looked down at his stiff little noodle. "My time is coming." Cato slid the curtain shut and they could hear him laughing on his way.

"What was that?" Amir asked.

"The boy was just curious about us, Gaius was only an excuse," Theo said.

From next door they heard Gaius yelp. "You did what?"

"See, I was right," Theo laughed. "The boy is only a pervert."

It was some hours later when they all arrived at the table for a morning meal. Lucia served them a thick porridge with honey, plates of figs and oranges and gave them each a glass of goat's milk.

"Milk? It makes a great cheese but otherwise what good is it except for baby goats?" Gaius asked.

"It brings strength to your bones and skin I am told," Septimus said. "Lucia's father was a man of great medical knowledge, he said it was necessary. Besides, a smart man never argues with his wife."

Gaius laughed. "I see who wears the sword around here."

Lucia patted Gaius on the head and smiled. "Just don't forget it."

"So this is a day for talk and discovery. When you are done with your meal we should probably take a little walk," Septimus said.

The little walk took them up the nearby hillside and to the cliffs above the river. Here behind some brush was a cave hidden from view and Septimus stopped to light a small smokeless fire. Inside the cave were several torches which he lit from the fire.

Septimus looked at Amir and Theo. "Gaius has vouched for your discretion and your wisdom. What you are about to see will remain nameless once you leave here, do I have your word?" The boys nodded. "Then let us proceed."

With only the torchlight to guide them they followed Septimus down the slope of the cave floor and through a winding passage. The lower they went the cooler the air became and the sound of dripping water could be heard off in the darkness beside them. Finally they came to a flat space beside a pool of water and Septimus halted.

"This is a place of the gods, a temple under the sacred river. I bring you here to show reverence for their existence and to pray for your continued safety, it will not take long."

Septimus ducked under a low hanging boulder and they followed. The torches lit up a high chamber filled with statues. There was a wealth of carved marble down here and Theo was confused, where had it all come from?

"The temples of our empire have been under assault for decades, the ways of the gods slowly banished along with their images. My friends and I have rescued what we could. Now they lie in wait for the renewal." Septimus paused and looked at Gaius. "Should I tell them?"

Gaius nodded. "Amir keeps secrets well, and Theo is his strength. The understanding will do them both good."

Septimus nodded. "Gaius and I are part of the Circle, an ancient order of priests who serve the gods and mankind. There are dozens of us spread out over the empire. It is our mission to return the gods to their rightful place of worship, and to the hearts and minds of our people."

Septimus moved around the chamber naming the gods represented here. Greek and Roman alike, including a statue of the mighty Zeus. These had all been sacred pieces, hidden away in the inner reaches of great temples. The workmanship was incredible, the figures so life like.

"And here we have begun to collect the means to restore our order to greatness, a considerable number of weapons for the fight," Septimus said.

There was silence as they each took in the sights, but Amir was the first to speak.

"You will return the gods to their rightful place, how is this possible?"

"There are many old soldiers who would answer our call to arms," Septimus said.

"Old men cannot fight well, you will have to be clever," Theo said.

Septimus grabbed a sword off the pile and swung it. "I can still wield a sword so don't tell me I can't fight."

"I would not wish to see you die in vain," Theo said.

That made Septimus angry. "A young pup with no combat experience, what could you teach me?"

"Run me through with your sword if you can, old man," Theo said.

"You don't know what you're asking for."

"I know you haven't the strength," Theo taunted.

Septimus lunged and Theo didn't flinch. Instead the second the sword touched him it shattered into a million pieces and the dust fell from Septimus' hand. The man froze, thunderstruck, and he sank to his knees on the floor.

Theo knelt down before him and gazed at his face. "You are not so old as to have lost your courage, you just fight the impossible. The restoration of the gods cannot happen by force, Septimus, there are too many in arms against you. I recommend that stealth and silent tactics will work best."

"My sword…"

"Septimus, you're fighting that which you cannot understand. I am a Druid, a young man who will someday call himself priest once I have the learning. I mean you no disrespect, what you have done here is the work of devotion, of love for your gods."

Theo smiled and looked at the huge pile of weapons. "If you will allow I will help you, not with force of arms but with a craft that is as old as your gods."

Septimus looked up at him and then over at Gaius. "Allow it," Gaius said.

"Then please, I will follow your lead," Septimus said.

Theo faced the weapons and held out his hands. His eyes closed and his lips began to move in silent prayer. The metal began to shimmer, as if a great heat was rising and yet the chamber became no warmer. What was iron slowly began to turn lighter and took on a bright sheen until it was the color of gold.

Septimus gasped and stood up. "Is it…? By the gods, what magic is this?"

"One as ancient as your gods, from the dawn of time." Theo opened his toga and revealed the medallion. "This is the power of the Druid priests."

Septimus approached within arms length and held out his hands, hesitating, unsure of Theo's power. "Yes," Theo said, "It's all right."

And the man swept him up in a hug, tears streaming down his face before he set the boy back down. "I never imagined how wonderful you are. All those years ago when Gaius and I entered Britannia…I had no idea of the power in those Druids."

Theo nodded. "We serve the Goddess and all who dwell with her under the sun and moon. It is in my heart that you are much the same as us, bedeviled by others who would seek to crush your beliefs. Our time will come again and we cannot allow the beliefs or the magic to die. Use the wealth wisely, Septimus, it will serve you better than any other weapon."

"It shall be as you say," Septimus said. "Now we have plans to make."


On to Chapter Seven

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