1. Legion


    Date: 9/15/2015, Categories: Historical, Author: Lupus, Rating: , Source: LushStories

    camp outside. Hugging her knees, red hair tumbling wildly over her ragged clothes, she settled on the floor in the darkest corner, closed her eyes and quietly cried to herself. *** The appalling slaughter was just beginning and Vespasian wanted nothing to do with it. The clinging smell in the air was enough to sicken him. He barked out a few quick orders, smacked the hide of a few horses and let the officers scatter into the town. The Legate turned for the gate and rode out at a gallop, glad to be away and alone at last. He knew that his tribunes would achieve nothing now, the rout was all too strong to halt; he just couldn’t be around them anymore. At the bottom of the hill, he stopped against the line of trees and drew deep, ragged breaths. The clear air felt intoxicating compared to the close, bitter taste of the fire. His churning stomach slowly settled and he leaned against the horse for a minute. The beast barely moved but for a whinny until its rider climbed up once more. “Water. We’ve gotta find some water. I’m filthy!” *** She had no idea how long she cried for; she just knew that she was done when her eyes dried up and she could cry no more. Hugging herself on the spot and taking heavy breaths, her heart rate soon began settling down. Getting to her feet, she ran her hand through a bowl of clear water on a nearby table, taking deep breaths and blinking away her weary eyes. She could see the large tent was well filled with solid chests, a fine bed of silk sheets ...
    and a large oak desk, covered in maps and plans. She peered at the works, but the foreign language was beyond her. A small fire of spitting embers sputtered in the middle of the tent and she felt her whole body shudder. “Must be someone important who lives here.” The water was cool between her fingers; a stimulating feeling of freshness. A couple of splashes gave her pale cheeks a ruddy glow and flushed her tired eyes. The smell of the fire seemed to cling to her rags, though, and no matter how much she washed, she couldn’t feel clean. She peered around herself, clutching the remains of her clothes. Slowly, she inched the garment higher up her thighs, her head swivelling for any potential intruder. At last, the girl shrugged and lifted away her shirt to stand naked in the empty tent, stretching her exhausted limbs. Sitting down and huddling against the pale warmth of the dying fire, her cold, pimpled skin began to thaw. Pulling up the water bowl, she dunked her dress inside to wash and sighed, glancing at the flickering lanterns hanging nearby. They gave her a tiny quiver of unease. Hugging her modest breasts tight and rubbing the numbness from her arms, she sighed to herself. “I’m lucky to be out of there alive. I just hope this place is safer.” Clasping the bowl, she closed her eyes and braced herself before splashing the freezing water across her aching body. The chill sucked the breath from her sooty lungs, through her gritted teeth. She stood bolt upright and shuddered as ...
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