‘Iacta ālea est.’ The die is cast. The storm would follow.
Marcisus trooped with his legion over the Rubicon river, following their leader who had gone before them.
Within days they would be in Rome. Pompey would be forced to flee. Rome would be torn apart.
Marcisus saw it all unfolding. He had hoped his warring days were over. He had served Rome and her army all his adult life. His wife and children awaited him at home. All he wished was to spend his remaining days in retirement and watch his family grow up.
Now it was civil war – Roman against Roman, Caesar against Pompey. Marcisus would follow his commander through whatever battles lay ahead. He had no choice, but if he did, he would do the same. His loyalty was not bought or forced, but given willingly for a cause and a man that he believed in.
The fight would come. Winter storm clouds gathered overhead, an ominous portent. The storm that would break over Rome in a few days would decide the fate of the Roman world.
For now, they marched.
This is a response to the #writephoto Prompt: Storm curated over at Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo. Click on the link to read other stories inspired by the image.
To find out more about my novels by following the links below:
A JUSTIFIED STATE: U.S.A. – AMAZON.COM UNITED KINGDOM AUSTRALIA CANADA INDIA
STATE OF DENIAL: U.S.A. – AMAZON.COM UNITED KINGDOM AUSTRALIA CANADA INDIA
The last line sums up the mental state.
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Thanks Reena
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Nice! A story that needs no further elaboration – we all know how that storm ended. If only Marcisus had known too. I wonder if he would’ve had the same feeling of inevitability.
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Thank you. I wonder if he survived to see the end of it all.
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Sigh! Will humans ever learn?
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I can answer that one: no! Thanks for reading 🙂
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Civil war has to be amongst the cruellest …
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Indeed Sue, especially when those fighting are probably not fully aware of the reasons for killing their fellow countrymen or women.
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Brother against brother… the saddest way to divide and rule.
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excellent Iain.
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Thanks Di
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