No sooner did Livia stand straight from snapping Damen's neck did twelve archer's draw down on her. Livia knew her hands were quick enough to catch up to four arrows, and she may even be able to dodge three or four more, but twelve was just beyond her abilities. She had believed that by killing Damen in a fair fight she had proven herself worthy to lead them. Aparently she'd misjudged the situation. Horribly misjudged it as a matter of fact. She realized a moment too late that these soldiers were no more loyal to her than they would be to Xena had she walked right into the camp and demanded they follow her.

"What are you doing?"

"Livia, Livia."

Livia turned around to find Acastus, Damen's second in command, watching her as she looked at the other men with a naive, dumb-founded expression on her beautiful face. His arms were crossed arrogantly over his massive chest. Acastus was ugly in the most flattering light. His skin always had a sickly yellow tone though he was never ill, and a scar ran from his left eye in a diagonal line across his face and down his neck where it disappeared under his uniform.

"Acastus," Livia said, hoping her voice didn't reflect the sudden nervousness she was feeling. "Tell these men to stand down."

Acastus shook his head and laughed. A few of his lap-dogs followed suit, and waited to see what the new commander of the Alpha Legion would do next to the one who would dare kill her own commander.

"I killed Damen," Livia said, painfully aware of the childish whine in her voice. She looked deeply into the eyes of the soldiers surrounding hers, desperately hoping to find even one sign of support. There was, of course, none. The men only laughed or looked away, as if embarrassed by the naivety were witnessing.

"That makes me the new commander of this legion."

"No," Acastus said, his voice taking on an irritatingly patronizing tone. He unfolded his tree trunk arms and sauntered over to her. "That makes you a traitor. You killed your commander Livia. You don't expect to receive a promotion for that kind of behavior do you?" When she didn't respond with anything more than a slack-jawed expression of dismayed confusion, he continued.

"Damen's death makes me the rightful commander of this legion. Did you forget we follow a chain of command here?"

Livia could feel herself becoming physically ill from what was happening to her. She was being humiliated by Acastus and for some reason she had lost her nerve to speak. She hadn't been this weak since she was ten years old, when she'd hidden like a coward in the floor-space while the only woman to ever show her love was murdered as a sacrifice to the same god she had vowed her loyalty to now. Acastus continued taunting her.

"By Roman law my dear, you are to be taken into custody and crucified by sunset the following day. Without a trial."

"I'm the commander now that Damen is gone. I can do anything I want."

Livia tensed, her body preparing for battle as two soldiers moved forward to shackle her. She could take them out easily enough, but not before the skilled archers filled her full of arrows. Acastus watched her prepare to resist, and cautioned her.

"Fight and you're a dead little girl."

"I am favored by Caesar himself. I am-"

Acastus spoke over her, his voice dripping with cold arrogance. "Even Caesar has limits Livia. Believe me when I say that you are far from being Caesar." He paused and looked her over, considering her words. It wouldn't be very wise of him to kill the Emperor's pet. "However, because of your elevated position, I'm taking you back to Rome. You will be tried, and executed, there. Confine her to one of the slave transport wagons."

"Yes sir." The two soldiers who'd been moving in on her before took her arms. She made no attempt to resist, for now as she relaxed. Rome. Once she was home Augustus would dismiss the charges, execute this disgusting bastard and place her in command. Almost as if he'd read her mind, Acastus spoke, dashing her hopes.

"Another Roman law Livia. Insubordination is punished by death, no exceptions. Augustus himself put that law into effect, and even he can't save you now. You killed yourself when you killed Damen."

He laughed and sauntered away as she was shackled like a common criminal and hauled away. She went along in stunned disbelief, even as her chains were locked to the very same wagons she'd helped load slave women into since she'd joined the Alpha Legion. She had believed she had a destiny of greatness to fulfill, but somehow she had been reduced to a common criminal. Slave status. What was worse was Ares, her god and her lover, was nowhere to be seen.

Sure he'd made a few errors in the battlefield that had needlessly cost soldiers their lives, but those were just mistakes. He was human after all, so therefore it was only natural to make a few mistakes. So what? The leader's of the world were just jealous they didn't have the courage to sacrifice as many soldiers as was necessary to win the war. Damen had been weak in that way. Always whining and complaining about casualties. They were foot soldiers for Hades' sake! That's what they were there for.

No one ever saw what a great man he was. They were all too blind to see his brilliance. Now that Livia had killed Damen and cleared the way for him to take over the Alpha Legion, he would show everyone who'd ever had a cruel word against him just what fools they had been to deny him this command for so long. He was destined for greatness, and his next stop was as Rome's champion, second in command only to Caesar himself.

Acastus' thoughts turned to the harem of women Damen had hoarded to himself and called out to one of the soldiers standing guard outside his tent.

"Soldier!" He called out to one of his constant guards. A guard poked his head through the tent flap.

"Yes Commander?"

Acastus grinned. How he loved his new title. It was almost like a toy on Winter Solstice morning. "Bring me one of Damen's-my women. And have one for yourself when you get off duty."

What the hell? He was feeling generous tonight.

"Yes Commander. Right away."

Cadmus made his way to the furthest reaches of the camp until he arrived at the tent in which five of the choicest slave women from each raid were kept until Damen tired of them. Once this happened the women were beheaded and their bodies thrown unceremoniously into the nearest river or taken out into the forest to be abandoned for nature to dispose of, as if they had been criminals in life instead of victims of Roman cruelty.

Cadmus entered the tent and immediately the women cringed away from him. They had been decorated in Roman finery and their faces painted until they looked like dolls. While they were in Damen's favor they lived in the lap of luxury, but he knew they would gladly trade it all in for a chance to escape. For freedom.

The guilt of his part in the capture of slaves such as these women, and the deaths of their families began to weigh in on him. He'd been told by too many of the other soldiers he allowed himself to feel too much. His emotions, they would always say, would be the death of him if he didn't learn to harden up. He knew they were right, but the truth of the matter was, Cadmus didn't want to harden up. He enjoyed feeling, and he enjoyed caring for others. He was a skilled warrior, and when threatened in battle he could be a vicious killer, but he preferred love over hate and kindness over cruelty whenever possible. Above all else, Cadmus preferred life over death.

The sight of these women putting as much distance between themselves and him as possible touched him. Each woman begged him with their eyes not to choose them, but they knew one of them would have to go to lie with Damen. They had all tasted his cruelty and they waited for the moment he would tire of them and put them out of their misery.

"Damen just visited with us last night," one of the women said. Cadmus recognized her as Jara, Damen's favorite. "He doesn't usually call for us two nights in a row."

"Damen is dead," he said. The women actually sighed in relief, but the news he had for them next quickly put an end to that relief. "Acastus is now the commander and he has sent for one of you."

This was far worse. They knew Acastus and they knew he would be ten times more likely to beat them during the assault. He was a misogynist bastard who displayed his lust for hurting women every chance he got, whether it be pinching them hard enough to leave bruises or slapping them for no apparent reason. He'd always done these things when Damen wasn't around to protect them, and now that he was commander... there was nowhere to run. No one to save them.

Jara, who had been in Damen's harem for six months (longer than any of the other's), had payed close attention to Cadmus from the day she'd arrived. Unlike the other men, he'd been kind to her. He'd showed her compassion. Maybe he would do so one last time.

"Please sir. Don't make us go to him. He'll kill us."

Cadmus looked away from their pleading eyes. Maybe the men were right. Maybe he did feel too much because his heart broke in his chest at the sight of the stark fear in their eyes. He knew that with Acastus in charge every one of these women would die a horrible death. The Alpha Legion's new commander wouldn't be kind enough to behead them and quickly end their lives. He'd probably put them on the rack or maybe even have them crucified to satisfy his sick blood lust. He just couldn't sentence them to such a fate, but what could he do?

"What do you expect me to do? I'm just a foot soldier."

"You could let them try to escape," Jara suggested, slowly walking toward him.

Cadmus didn't immediately object, as he would have done only yesterday. "What do you mean 'them'? What about you?"

Jara shrugged and looked at one of the girls in particular. She was young, barely fifteen years old in Cadmus' estimation. She looked more like a child playing dress up in her mother's clothes than a seasoned whore, and fat tears of fear streamed down cheeks still chubby with baby fat. Seeing one so young made Cadmus realize what a sick man Damen had been, and he mourned the former commander's life even less than he did before he entered the tent.

"She's only thirteen sir. She's just a child."

"If I let you go, the perimeter guards will catch you all. You'll be crucified...or worse."

Jara, in her desperation to convince Cadmus to at least let them try to escape, became bold. "We're going to die anyway. If they loose their lives because they tried to escape, at least their deaths will have some dignity. Please, let them try. I'll go to Acastus. While he's occupied with me, they can make a run for it. Please?"

The pleading in her eyes broke through the wall of concern for his own life. He knew this woman was right. They were damned if they didn't, but there was a chance they would survive if they did make a run for it. Especially if he went a step further and distracted the perimeter guard. They were young, agile and motivated by fear. They just might make it. It couldn't hurt for them to try could it, but it could get him killed.

"Alright. I'll distract the perimeter guard patrolling this area. Cut an exit in the rear of the tent." He motioned for the little one to take his dagger and she ran to the rear of the tent with a nod of thanks, and began to cut through the hide. "When you're all gone, I'll come back for you Jara."

"You know my name?"

He almost blushed with embarrassment from her words. From the first day she'd arrived she'd taken up more than her fair share of his thoughts, and his dreams, but he couldn't let her know that. "Yeah, well, I've heard Damen call for you, so...Let's go before I change my mind."

Cadmus exited the tent, unaware the watchful eyes of Livia, chained inside a slave wagon, were taking in everything they were doing. She watched as Cadmus walked to the rear of the tent and struck up a conversation with the perimeter guard.

"Lycus! How's it going?" Try as he might, Cadmus couldn't keep the anxiety out of his voice. If he kept Acastus waiting too long there was a chance his efforts to free the women would be discovered by any guards sent by the commander.

"Cadmus." Lycus thought nothing of Cadmus slapping a hand on one of his beefy shoulders and leading him in the opposite direction of the slave tent. "What's up my friend?"

"Oh, not much. I'm getting together with some friends later on tonight..."

As Cadmus talked with Lycus, Jara led the women from the tent. They took off full speed for the cover of the trees an impossibly long fifty yards away, hoping desperately none of the other guards would happen to look up and catch them. Cadmus cast a nervous look in the direction of the forest. Luckily Lycus didn't notice.

"I'll see you there then?"

"Oh, I don't think so. Asopus is sick. I've got to pull his duty shift."

Cadmus pretended to care and sighed (mostly in relief none of the other soldiers were giving chase into the woods after the women). "Whew! A double shift. I hate doing those. Hell on the feet you know? Well, I'd better get back to my own station. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sure thing Cadmus."

Cadmus went back to the tent, expecting to see Jara gone, but she had held faithful to her word. He pitied her the fate he was sentencing her too as he led her outside and towards Acastus' tent. Were it up to him, he'd take her under his wing and protect her. Maybe he could even...No. He shook his head as he exited the tent. He had to distance himself from this woman who was as doomed as Livia...

The sight of Livia's eyes boring into him made his blood run cold in his veins. Those same eyes told him she had seen everything. If she told, he was a dead man, and the expression on her face was one of triumph. She had something on him, and only Livia knew how she would use it against him. Caesar's chained charge disappeared into the slave transport wagon, and Cadmus pushed on, leading Jara to Acastus. His heart began to pound in fear at this new, unexpected element to this nights hectic events.

Livia watched the fear in Cadmus' eyes as he'd realized his ridiculous act of mercy on the slave girls was no longer his secret, and a feeling of comfort came over her. She didn't know what this new information would do for her, but she would find a way to use it to her advantage. As she ran through scenario's of how she could use this information against Cadmus for her own good, she could feel she was no longer alone in the wagon. She looked around just as Ares made himself visible.

"Ares." One word was all she offered him as he studied her with a mixture of anger and disappointment.

"I never took you for a fool Livia."

His words angered her and she lashed out at him. Had her legs not been chained, he would have taken a solid kick to his jaw. A kick that would have killed any mortal man.

"Look at you!" He continued, chastising her and making her feel just as stupid as he accused her of being. "Acting like a chained animal."

"That's because I am. You made me this way."

"No, I made you a warrior. A killing machine. I never made you an idiot. All you had to do when you beat Damen the first time was let him walk away. From there you could have built up a loyal following behind the scenes. Better still, you could have seduced the old fool and risen to the top even faster!"

Livia rolled her eyes in disgust. Why is it that men always assumed the only way a woman could make anything of herself was if she used her body for men's pleasure? Ares continued on with his tirade.

"Now look at you! You've been chained and condemned to death!"

Livia's body flinched involuntarily at the sheer volume of the rage he filled his last words with. Though she knew she was his new favorite, she also knew Ares was selfish. If she was no longer useful to him, or if he found any weakness in her whatsoever, he would drop her. She could neither allow nor afford for that to happen.

"If you're so disappointed Ares, then leave. I don't need your help to solve this problem."

"Oh yes, you do. You want to become Rome's champion? You can't do that dead."

Livia leaned forward as far as her chains would allow and looked him in the eye until she was satisfied she had his full attention. "I don't need, or want your help. I'll die before I take it."

Ares held her glance a long time. He knew Livia believed she could get out of this predicament on her own. He also knew the only reason she believed this wasn't because of any experience she had to fall back on, but because of sheer naivety. He could still see the potential to be mined in her, and this was just the lesson to teach her the humility she so desperately needed to learn.

"Fine. Don't call when you see you've failed."

"I won't, because I don't intend to fail."

Ares faded away, leaving Livia alone with her thoughts, which were once again centered around Cadmus. He may just be the key, Livia mused, to my survival.

Livia took in the sight of the nearly imperceptible tremors of fear that shook his body.

"You should have paid more attention Lycus," Livia taunted. After a night of being chained in a wagon with a limited ability to move, Livia could barely feel her feet. This only added to her already sour mood, and she felt she needed a distraction. This mans death would give it to her.

"Shut up whore," Lycus said bitterly. His fist came through the opening in the skins covering the wagon, landing a solid punch to her jaw. Luckily for Livia her head hit the skins instead of the wood railing, or there was a good chance she would have sustained a concussion from the force of the blow. Even as blood filled her mouth from her busted lip, she couldn't find it within herself to be angry with him. He was a dead man, and if she were lucky she would get to see it all...

"You," Livia continued, "are a dead man. Unless you can kill him before he kills you."

Lycus stared her over with a mixture of desperate hope and contempt. "Kill my superior? Unlike you, I'm not Caesar's favorite. I'll be crucified before the sun sets tonight. At least this way I'll get to die quickly."

"Set me free. I'll kill Acastus for you."

"Are you out of your mind?" His words were full of disdain but his body language told her he was listening to her. He wanted to live and maybe Livia could... "No. It was my duty to keep watch over those women. I failed and now I have to pay the price."

Acastus rode toward Lycus and the slave wagon, his ugly face full of rage. He dismounted and Jara moaned in fear at the sight of him, pulling as far away from him as her chains would allow. Livia smirked in disdain for the weaker woman. It's women like her, Livia said to herself, that give our sex a bad name.

The new commander of the Alpha Legion came to a stop beside the slave wagon and studied Lycus as if her were some sort of disgusting creature that just crawled from beneath a rock. "Lycus is your name?"

Ever the perfect soldier, Lycus stood respectfully at attention. "Yes sir."

"I've heard nothing but glowing reports from the other men about you."

"Thank you Sir."

"I have to ask you: if you're such an excellent soldier, how did four women", he said the word women with open contempt, "escape on your watch?"

Lycus cheeks turned red with shame and his head dipped almost imperceptibly. "I don't know sir."

Livia was waiting for Lycus to connect Cadmus with his current predicament, and prayed he didn't. Cadmus' kind heart was just what she needed to survive, though she wasn't sure how that was, just yet. Right now all she had to go on was her instincts.

"No matter. If Mars himself told you to let them go I'd still kill you for it."

An involuntary, feral grin forced Livia's sore lips apart and her body tensed as Acastus drew his sword. Bloodshed, in Livia's opinion, was better than sex. How she wished Acastus would let her execute Lycus...

Just as Acastus was about to sweep his sword across Lycus' gut, and thereby make him die a slow and painful death, the distinct sound of the rams horn cut through the still morning air. Acastus whirled on his heel just in time to see a messenger riding in from the outer rim of the camp.

"Sir! The Gaul's are coming! The Gaul's are coming!"

Disappointed that his execution would have to wait, Acastus sighed. "It looks like you've been granted a reprieve. Hope you die in battle because if you don't, I'll still kill you. Myself."

Obvious relief flooded Lycus face. "Yes sir."

Acastus went off to organize the men, leaving Livia and Jara alone in the wagon.

"What about us?" Jara asked, as the soldiers lined up in attack formation.

"We'll be fine."

Livia was quickly becoming irritated with Jara, but decided to explain things now, in layman's terms just to shut her up since she couldn't kill the woman to silence her.

"That's none of your concern Jara," Cadmus said, not unkindly.

Livia looked out to find Cadmus lowering the tail gate. He crawled inside and motioned to the driver up front to continue on.

"What's going on?" Jara asked yet again, her voice trembling in panic.

Cadmus studied the damage Jara had taken at Acastus hands and a seed of resentment and anger for Acastus took root in his soul. That bastard had taken this innocent, beautiful creature and tortured her to satisfy his own sick lusts. He and Jara shared a long, quiet look which conveyed their rapidly growing feelings for one another, and Livia could see it all. Pushing aside her feeling's of disgust at the tender moment, Livia filed away this new revelation as something she could use against Cadmus later.

Cadmus touched Jara's face gently, then pulled his hand away, suddenly aware of Livia's presence. "I've been ordered to take the supplies to the caves."

Livia, who had seen Damen's battle plans, before she'd killed him, couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're kidding!"

Cadmus jerked away from Livia's sudden exclamation. "No. What's the matter?"

"I saw Damen's battle plans."

"How?"

Livia sighed. She hated having to explain things to people from the beginning to end, especially in times of battle, but seeing as how she was chained to a wagon, there was really no reason not to take her time.

"I was on kitchen duty, setting the table and bringing in food. I saw his plans. I have to admit, they were brilliant. The thing is, if Acastus is making changes to those plans, he could get us all killed."

"Fill me in," Cadmus said, his curiosity getting the better of him and replacing his dislike of Livia and the power her knowledge of his secret deeds the night before held over him.

"Why would I do that?"

Cadmus held a dagger to her throat and spoke in his lowest, most dangerous tone of voice. "Because if you don't, I'll kill you."

Unable to hold it back, Livia burst into laughter. "Yeah right. You risked your life to free slave girls. You're not a cold-blooded killer. I am, but not you. Put the dagger down before you make me mad."

"So what if you're mad? What are you gonna do about it?"

She leaned in close to him, speaking seductively. "Seal my lips. Not share anything with you, that's what."

Cadmus stared her down, wondering just how far he could go with this child/woman/warrior, and put his dagger away. "What about Damen's plans?"

"It would be better if I drew you a map."

"I'm not letting you lose. Forget it."

"I my hands are chained in front of me. I don't need to be let lose. Just give me some parchment and a quill."

Cadmus, who was notorious for being organized, took out a small scroll. "Use this. I keep my schedule on it."

Livia fought the urge to roll her eyes and took the parchment and a piece of coal from him. She drew a sketch of the land they were going into. She had an excellent memory and the map was right on target. Every valley, every river and mountain was laid out accurately. She pointed to the center of the map.

"This is where the Gaul's have set up camp."

Cadmus nodded. "Good location. It's surrounded by treacherous mountains. Hard to get to."

"Except for this pass. We know it will be heavily guarded. If we charge the pass we'll have to fight uphill and we run the risk of attack from falling debris."

Cadmus shook his head. "This is exactly where Acastus is taking us." He pointed to a valley below the caves. "This is where our camp is going to be set up. If we don't lose too many men in this battle."

"I know." Livia grunted in disgust. "Damen had a better plan of attack. Circle around these hills and attack from the south. There's a dry riverbed that will be difficult to traverse but-"

Cadmus finished her thoughts for her. "-they won't think to look for us in that direction. You were right, that was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant."

"Here are the caves," Livia pointed to a series of black dots that represented the caves. "Here is our location. Let's say we do attack with a full frontal assault. Not only will they see us coming up the pass, they'll be able to travel along the ridge these caves are in and surround us. We'll also have to make camp here."

She pointed to a valley below the caves and below the enemy camp's hide out. Cadmus shook his head in disgust. "We'll be sitting ducks."

Cadmus shook his head in disbelief. "That's only if he plans on making all those changes. Maybe he has a different plan in mind." Cadmus rubbed his chin and thought about what he should do, and a plan came to mind. "I'll go volunteer for this first battle."

"He's probably got all the soldier's he needs-"

Cadmus cut her off. "I know Acastus well enough to know that the mere act of volunteering will warm him up to me. Who know's what I may be able to find out.

"And if you get yourself killed?" Jara asked, concern clear on her battered, once beautiful face. "What then?"

Cadmus was touched by her concern for him, and as Livia watched the glance they exchanged, she realized just how much of a threat Jara was to her control over Cadmus. Men would do anything for a woman they were sleeping with, without even realizing half the time they were being used. Imagine what they would do for a woman they actually loved? They were weak that way. She would definitely have to eliminate her before Jara captured Cadmus heart and made it too difficult for Livia to control him.

"Go Cadmus. I'm sure you can hold your own in battle. You wouldn't be in Alpha Legion if you weren't a...warrior."

Cadmus grinned at her praise and nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He tapped on the tailgate. "Driver! Stop the wagon!"

When Cadmus was gone, Livia and Jara shared a long look. Jara had always been an honorable woman, but her time in Damen's harem had taught her to recognize a snake when she saw one. This Livia girl was a cobra.

On his way here, Cadmus had heard several bits of whispered conversation amongst the men of Acastus' battle plan, and the more he heard, the colder his blood ran in his veins. If the rumors he were hearing were true, Acastus had completely abandoned Damen's wiser plan's for attack for an utterly foolish full frontal assault on the Gaul stronghold, just as Livia had feared. If they followed that plan, they were all doomed.

He finally reached the commander who jerked with surprise at the sound of Cadmus' voice. Again, Cadmus thoughts turned to how it had been all but impossible to sneak up on Damen...

"Sir!"

"What is it?"

"I've come to volunteer for the battle below."

Acastus smiled. "Really? Why are you asking me? Why not just dive right in?"

"I wanted to know..." Cadmus' mind raced for a good answer that would sound plausible but would also flatter his commander. Acastus had, on more than one occasion, openly displayed his abundant pride. Flattery, Cadmus knew, would get him everywhere with this man.

"Yes?"

"Well, sir, I'm just a foot soldier. I didn't know if you had any...plan of attack you could use me in?"

"Plan of attack?"

"Yes sir. A brilliant tactician like you would know best how to use a lowly soldier like me to...to benefit the good of the legion."

"I fail to see what you think you can accomplish alone Cadmus. Though I'm glad to see you realize that I am indeed a brilliant tactician."

I think I'm going to lose my breakfast, Cadmus thought to himself, though he twisted his face into a stupidly exaggerated expression of phony reverence. Acastus bought it hook, line and sinker, puffing out his massive chest with pride.

"You wanna prove yourself to me huh?"

"Yes sir."

"We're going to make camp in the next valley. We're going to charge the pass in a few days."

"Aren't you worried about us fighting up hill? Don't you think it would be better if we were to circle their camp and come at them from behind-"

"You dare question me?"

The rage in Acastus' voice made Cadmus' stomach feel as if he'd swallowed a bee hive. He bowed to Acastus. "I'm sorry sir. I meant no disrespect."

"We are the first in all of Caesar's legion's Cadmus. The best of the very best. We don't sneak around to do battle, we attack! We take what we want and we destroy anyone who would dare defy us. We'll make camp in the next valley and we'll charge that pass. No more discussion is necessary."

"Yes sir. You're absolutely right."

"Of course I am." A look of revelation suddenly dawned on Acastus' scarred and ugly face. "Didn't I order you to watch that conniving little bitch Livia?"

"Yes sir. I just thought I would be of better use to you-"

"Don't think Cadmus. You do such a poor job of it. I'm putting you on kitchen duty. We'll talk when you've learned to be respectful."

"Kitchen duty?"

"You're lucky I like you Cadmus. Otherwise, I'd have executed you for your arrogant tone. Get out of my site before I lose my generous mood."

Cadmus left, satisfied he'd been successful in his mission. He'd done it! He'd managed to glean the information he'd wanted from the fool that was their commander without losing his life at his hands or having to go into the battle below, which the Alpha Legion was quickly winning. Now, he would go back to Livia, the only one who seemed to have the know-how to save them all. He was surprised by how quickly he was beginning to place his loyalties with her.

Livia pointed to the caves. "We'll have to travel more than two miles from camp for our supplies."

"We'd just be asking for guerilla attacks. What the hell is wrong with him? Any fool could see his plan of attack is going to..."

This time it was Livia who finished the thought. "...get us all killed."

"I can't believe this! I can see how a rookie foot-soldier could make mistakes like this but a seasoned officer like Acastus? How could he implement a plan so obviously inept?"

"Because he's arrogant. For a man like Acastus it's a full frontal assault or nothing. He's not going to sneak up on anyone. He views that as cowardly. He's insane Cadmus. He's not just going to get himself killed, he's going to get all of us killed."

"What do you suggest we do? The other's are beginning to talk about him. He's leading us to our deaths but we're too afraid of him to do anything about it!"

"Release me."

"Absolutely not. He'll run me through the moment he sees you loose."

"No he won't, 'cause I'll kill him."

Cadmus shook his head at her naivety. "If you kill him they won't wait to take you to Rome. Caesar's charge or not, they'll crucify you. You're going to have to win them over Livia."

She nodded in agreement. As much as she hated to admit it, Cadmus was right. She needed their loyalty, not their wrath. "Then you're going to have to start a little trouble. You're going to have to convince them to follow me."

"What do you mean?"

"Cadmus, I should be leading this legion. We both know that. Not only can I save our skins but I can win this battle!"

"You're a child. What makes you believe you can do better than Acastus?"

Livia closed her eyes and lay her head back. He did have a good point. There was no reason for anyone in the world to believe a seventeen year old girl deserved the rank of commander over six thousand men. How could she convince him? He wouldn't believe her if she told him she was Ares favorite as well as Augustus Caesar's. Even if he did, that in itself wasn't reason to put her in command of the elite of Rome's legion's.

"I am not like other warrior's Cadmus. I'm not just any woman. I'm going to tell you something I have never told anyone else before."

He still looked skeptical, but with the knowledge he'd just gained of Acastus' suicidal plans, he was willing to hear every option. He believed what made a man wise was an open mind, and he was willing to listen to anything once. "What's that?"

"I have been training to become a warrior under Mars himself since I made my first kill when I was ten."

He almost gasped. Ten years old? "You've been killing for that long?"

"Yes."

"And Mars, the god of war himself, has been training you?"

"That's right."

"Even if I believed that, training with a god and actually having battle experience are two completely different things."

Livia was becoming desperate. If she could get this man on her side, she stood a good chance of using him to turn the men to her side, against Acastus.

"Even if that god spent every day of that girls childhood teaching her the battle strategies of the greatest warriors of history? Even if that god took that child into the fiercest battles, invisible to all but him, and had her make the plans of attack for the warlords he used to train her?"

"What are you saying? That Mars would take you into battle and give your orders to warlords, just to train you?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. I've seen more death and destruction in one year than you will ever see in your lifetime Cadmus. I deserve to lead these men. I'm the only one here with enough battle experience to save us."

Cadmus looked deeply into her large blue eyes, seeing she was telling him the truth and not just making up lies and stories to win him over. She was the one to save them, and he was willing to do anything it took to save his legion and Jara. If he were to be successful with his intentions, he was going to have to do something to put this girl in power.

"I'm not letting you loose Livia. You're too young to understand it now but that's a very bad idea."

Livia sighed with disgust. Even after all she'd said, and even after the acknowledgment of the truth she'd seen in his eyes, he was still hung up on her age. She was sick and tired of men always reminding her of how old she was. She was always too young for anything that would require them to take her seriously as a warrior, until they got an eyeful of her body anyway. She was too young to lead them into battle but she was old enough for them to want to bed. They all made her sick. She consciously hid these feelings from Cadmus and nodded.

"All six thousand men in this legion are in danger of losing their lives to this mad-man if we don't do something, soon. If you won't set me free, then at least listen to me."

"I'm all ears."

"You said the men are already voicing concern. Let's use that against Acastus."

"We ride against the Gaul camp day after tomorrow. Do you really believe we can turn the men against Acastus in that time? Without some butt-kissing traitor turning us in?"

"What could it hurt to try?"

Cadmus chewed this last statement for only a second before he nodded in agreement. If he did, the most he had to lose was his own life. If he didn't, the most he had to lose was the lives of all six thousand men in this legion. "I'll get started right away."

At first he'd been resentful that Acastus had sentenced him to an evening of duty passing out the slop that was their food. Now he was grateful. It provided him with the perfect cover for moving about the men and planting seeds of doubt among them without calling attention to himself.

Cadmus, body weary from lack of sleep yet determined to do what he could to save the lives of his fellow soldier's, pushed on. Whenever he heard a group defending Acastus' actions, he was quick to point out the fatal flaws in the new commanders plans, and the wisdom that had come from Livia. The men, who were still reeling from the embellished stories surrounding the battle in which Livia killed Damen, were quickly beginning to say her name with favor, and this served to encourage him to push on despite the exhaustion that was threatening to overcome him. Cadmus mused that had anyone told him only a few days before he would be promoting the idea of a seventeen year old girl to take over the Alpha Legion, he would have laughed in their face. Now he was doing just that.

As dawn began to stain the eastern sky with beautiful, deep reds and gold's, Cadmus found himself full circle, walking to the slave wagon where he'd begun at the night before. There wasn't an ear in the legion that hadn't heard of Livia's rising popularity, or of Cadmus, the man who was singing her praise with such fervor. He could only pray his efforts didn't back-fire on him and get him killed. At least not before he could convince the men to overthrow Acastus and put young Livia in his place. It also wasn't lost on him that Lycus had stayed by his side the entire night. Whether or not this was good or bad, Cadmus hadn't decided.

"You know, Livia had encouraged me to fight Acastus for my life."

Cadmus looked over at Lycus. He wasn't at all surprised to hear Livia would encourage such a blatant act of disrespect to one's commander. He'd come to expect it from her. If he was honest with himself, he'd come to admire it about her as well.

"Yeah? What did she say?"

"Not important. The thing is, she's got a warrior's heart. She..."

"What?"

"She looks familiar. I feel like I've seen her before but it's impossible."

"Nothing is impossible Lycus. Who does she look like?"

"I think she favors a warrior from my home village of Amphipolis. Her name was Xena."

"The Warrior Princess?"

"The one and the same. I was thirteen last time I saw Xena. She'd come home with her baby, Eve, and Athena attacked the village. Held us under siege. Ah, Xena. That woman was a brilliant tactician Cadmus. Every time I look into Livia's eyes I swear I'm looking Xena in the eye."

Cadmus let silence hang in the air between them. Lycus wanted something, but what that was, Cadmus hadn't a clue. He'd learned from experience that most people would tell him all he needed to know about them if he simply remained quiet. Some men had a need to fill silence with what they believed to be idle chit-chat, when they were actually unwittingly revealing their true motives. Whether Lycus' motives were innocent or not Cadmus couldn't be sure. The thought did occur to him that Livia had told Lycus of his part in freeing the slave girls and perhaps he was seeking revenge against Cadmus for almost getting him killed.

"You've heard Livia's plan of attack against the Gaul's. We can win with her in charge."

Lycus nodded. "That's why I'm with you on this one."

Cadmus stopped and looked the older man in the eye. He'd never been one for secrets, and regardless of what Lycus may really be after, Cadmus was determined to have everything out in the open. Especially if Lycus was being sincere and was still willing to place his trust, indeed his very life, in Cadmus hands, and vice versa. It was the honorable thing to do, and Cadmus was nothing if not honorable.

"Lycus."

Lycus faced Cadmus expectantly, waiting for the younger man to speak. He was just about to question him when Cadmus finally broke his silence, his words coming out in a rush.

"About those escaped slave women...I...I helped-"

"You distracted me so they could escape?"

Cadmus was shocked to say the least. "How did you know? Did Livia tell you?"

"No, I put it together."

"And you're still willing to go along with my plan to put Livia in power?"

Lycus sighed, feeling the need to make this younger man understand the importance of the greater good, and the importance of being able to trust your comrades.

"I was angry at first, but now I see you care more about these men than you do about your own personal safety. The greater good, Cadmus, is the most important thing to a loyal soldier. Every day I put my life on the line in battle. Not for myself, but for Rome. For the world."

"Strange words coming from a Greek."

"My mother was Roman, and therefore, Rome will always be dear to me. Now let's go. We've got a legion to save."

Lycus lay flat on his well-muscled belly and held his spy glass to his eye. He'd been both shocked and pleased when Acastus had postponed his idiotic attack and ordered him to circle and spy out the enemy camp two days earlier. Despite his threats, Acastus knew Lycus was the best, most experienced scout the Alpha Legion had to offer. And perhaps, Lycus had thought, the man is coming to his senses and is going to change his plans. Lycus was fully aware of how highly unlikely that was to happen. Lycus had seen his kind before, and he didn't put too much faith in the chance Acastus would change his small mind and bad habit's over night.

He'd been thrilled for two more reasons as well. One-it gave him something productive to do. Two-it gave him an opportunity to draw a map for Livia, detailing the landscape. It would help to have obvious landmarks to devise plans by. His little excursion had allowed him to discover an unguarded entrance to the Gaul's camp in the Northern Valley. This could just be the key to them winning the battle without losing a lot of their best men in the process.

This work had taken him two days to come full circle, but he'd made it undetected by the enemy. Now, as the rain began to pour for the third time in two days, he gave the Gaul's camp one last look. What he saw horrified him, making his blood run cold in his veins.

According to Acastus' assault plans, the legion was to stupidly charge the pass the next morning if their presence didn't goad the enemy into coming out of their strong hold for the battle. Now Lycus watched helplessly as the Gaul's set up boulder traps and heavy stones on the hills above either side of the pass. When the legion started to march through, the Gaul's would simply set off the traps, sending boulders racing for them as well as an avalanche of stones from above that would destroy half their force. If they followed through with Acastus' plans, they were doomed to lose half their manpower, leaving what was left outnumbered two to one, instead of one on one as it was now.

"Damn him!" Lycus growled to himself. If only Acastus would follow Damen's plan! They could win this battle and continue the long tradition of the Alpha Legion returning home victorious heroes. Because of the new commander's arrogance, the entire legion was doomed to die. Well, he wasn't going to allow that to happen. Livia, young though she was, should have been leading this legion days ago. He was going to see to it she did.

Lycus put his spy glass away and turned to haul ass back to camp, but instead of finding a clear path, he found four enemy scouts blocking his way.

Pride, she thought. Isn't that what got me into this mess? She had believed she had a destiny to fulfill. She had believed she was to become the most powerful woman the Roman Empire had ever known, and she had believed she would do this by her skill with the sword and her mind instead of just her body. She'd let her temper get the best of her and now she might have to pay for that with her life. She'd been a fool to kill Damen, but it was too late to take it back. For the first time in her life, Livia was in serious doubt of her future.

Jara laughed again at the emotions playing across Livia's face. "Something funny?"

"Yeah, you. You never knew the misery you put your slaves through by chaining them in these transport wagons for days on end did you? No way to bathe. Be thankful Cadmus takes us to relieve ourselves. Most slaves don't get that luxury."

Livia could feel the mixture of satisfaction and resentment that dripped from Jara's voice and permeated the air like a hot, noxious fog. Livia found it strangely amusing.

"No, I didn't. If I get out of this alive..."

Thinking she had Livia figured out, Jara finished the sentence for her. "You'll think twice about the way you treat people."

Livia snorted in disgust. "No. I'll be careful not to give the cattle so much room to move. I'll really make them suffer."

Jara reacted with both surprise and disgust. "Why are you so cruel? Why do you do such horrible things to decent, innocent people?"

"Innocent? There's no such thing as innocent. Not even in a child. A woman your age should know that." Livia's face split into a feline grin, making her resemble a hungry lioness. "I do these things because I can."

Jara shook her head in pity. "Your soul is dead and you're so young."

"My soul is alive and kicking!" Livia screamed. In the confines of the covered wagon her voice cracked like thunder from close lightning. She forced her voice to a lower level after she decided she was satisfied with Jara's startled reaction.

Livia continued. "My soul is...evil. I don't know how I know, but I have always been evil. Sometimes I have dreams that I'm other people. Men, women, it doesn't matter. They're always powerful warriors and they're always, always evil. You know what sweety?"

The older woman wanted to respond in some way but she felt trapped and mesmerized by the cold, dead eyes that seemed to be taking up so much space on Livia's deceptively delicate face.

"I like it."

Two soldiers appeared at the tail gate with key's for Livia's chains. They shackled her feet, then pulled her from the wagon. Her legs were so weak from the time she'd spent in one awkward position after another that she was barely able to hold herself up, and she had to lean heavily on the men to stay upright.

"Where are you taking me?" Livia asked. She was pleased at the lack of fear in her voice, though her heart pounded rapidly within her chest. The soldiers, however, ignored her and pulled her away without a word. When Jara was alone, she was finally able to find her voice.

"I'm living on borrowed time."

He took off the armor and tossed it carelessly to the other side of the tent. He wanted to study himself in the mirror again, this time with nothing on but his trousers. He was well-muscled and strong, though he'd gotten thicker around the mid-section as he'd gotten older. He didn't care. He had power now, as the commander of the Alpha Legion, and within this camp, he was as all powerful to these men as Ares himself. He could do what he wanted, when he wanted, and there was nothing any of these pathetic swine would do to stop him. Besides, a little fat was a sign of power, as Augustus was beginning to prove.

After what seemed an eternity the cook arrived and began to set the table. In moments he and his assistant had the table laden with rich food and wine. Food that Damen had always refused himself, saying it made men fat and lazy.

"So much for what he knew," Acastus thought. He sat down and examined the veal, vegetables, fruits and wine set out for him. In moment his dinner guest would be arriving, and he would get what he'd been wanting from the moment he'd laid eyes on her. To ensure Livia was easier to handle, Acastus took out a small vial of the sleeping powder he'd ordered his physician to bring him earlier. The physician had assured him it was an exceptionally potent sample, sure to put even a warhorse under for a good sleep. It was just what he needed to control Livia.

No sooner had Acastus poured the powder into the flask he'd set aside for Livia did the guards arrive and shove her unceremoniously into the center of the room. She landed on her knees as her feet, which were still shackled together, were unable to take steps long enough to keep her balance. His skin felt charged at the site of her in a royal blue Roman toga which was cut to expose her ample cleavage as well as her strong, youthful thighs. Acastus felt almost as if Zeus himself had hit him with a lightning bolt.

Livia's skin glistened with water from the rain or the bath she'd just come from. He could smell the scented soaps used to cleanse the grime and dirt that had accumulated on her in the days she had been chained in the wagon, and now her skin looked as smooth and creamy as it had in his fantasies of her.

"Welcome Livia." Acastus noticed the young girl who had made him commander of the legion eyeing the food hungrily. This was good, especially since he wanted her to eat and drink her fill of wine. "Hungry? By all means, come! Eat."

"What is this?" Livia was no fool. Acastus had some kind of plans for her, she knew. Why else would a half-naked man have her bathed, dressed in Roman finery and brought to his private tent? He was up to something, and Livia had a pretty good idea what that was. It would seem he'd tired of Jara, and had turned his sight's to her. Great.

"I'm not hungry Acastus."

The smile, which looked more like a grimace of pain, that adorned his ugly face fell off and he became deadly serious. "That's commander or sir to you, and I'm not asking. I'm telling you to eat."

"And if I don't?"

"You have a choice young lady. You can eat, or I can behead you right here and now. Now what's it gonna be?"

Livia sighed and made her way to the table. Playing the gentleman, Acastus pulled out her chair and helped her into the seat. His calloused hands lingered on her shoulder's too long, and she was filled with such disgust at his touch that she quickly lost her appetite for the food.

"What's the point of all this? I'm a condemned prisoner." When he failed to respond Livia shook her head. "If you're trying to seduce me, you're wasting your time. I'm not even remotely interested."

"I don't waste my time on silly things such as seduction. If I want a woman I take her. It's as simple as that."

"And if she's a woman out of your reach?"

"Then I don't take her." He studied Livia's grin, which he knew she thought was a sign of her triumph over him. He was about to wipe that smile right off her face. "Unfortunately for you my dear, you're not out of my reach. Now eat."

Livia decided that if she were to get out of this mess alive, she'd better go along with him. As she lifted a morsel of food from her plate, she began to realize what his plans to take her must be. Knowing she was his superior in combat, he had no doubt drugged her food. Once she was half-conscious from whatever he'd slipped her, he would unchain her and have his way with her. The only question was, did he drug the food, the wine or both?

"Eat up!"

Livia tasted the food and closed her eyes with each bite. Ares had taught her well how to use every since she had at her disposal, taste included. She analized each bite, cataloguing each spice and finding nothing amiss. The food seemed safe.

The wine, she thought, lifting the goblet to her lips and taking in a deep breath. The wine had an excellent bouquet, but it also had an extra element she was unfamiliar with. The wine was definitely her enemy this evening. She looked at him over the rim of the goblet and took in a small sip. She would eat plenty, to give herself the strength she would need later, and she would pretend to be drinking the wine. She would also play the part of the drugged little prisoner, and when he took the chains from her so he could take her body to the bed, she would use her favorite killing technique to rip his heart from his chest, and she would shove it down his throat.

Livia offered him a smile as she imagined the feel of his warm blood coursing over her wrist and the feel of his most precious organ die in her clinched fist. Having no idea why she was smiling, Acastus sat back in his throne-like chair and returned her smile with his own arrogant grin.

If only, Livia thought, he knew what was coming.

"Not bad Roman," the remaining Gaul scout said. Blood poured from his busted lip, courtesy of Lycus' boot heel, but he showed no signs of serious injury. Pity, considering Lycus had given him all he had. Did he have the energy and the strength to defeat this man who was his equal in age and strength?

"Of course. I'm a soldier for Rome. Bad isn't an option." Lycus spoke with more bravado than he really felt. He'd been gone from camp for two days. In that time he'd barely eaten and now he'd used up the remainder of his strength fighting off three of his four attackers. As he kept an eye on the moving enemy below, he tried to calculate how long it would take him to get back to camp undetected. At least two more hours from his present location.

"Tell that to Hades when you see him in Tartarus, Roman scum!"

The two crossed swords and Lycus was continually surprised by the force behind each blow the man delivered with his. Knowing it would be a waste of his energy to deflect each blow with his own weapon, Lycus opted to simply dodge as many swipes as possible. On several occasions the sword whizzed past so close Lycus could hear the blade cutting the air, even feeling the breeze caused by the metal of the enemy blade.

Thing's only got worse when Lycus realized more of the Gaul force was moving out of their camp. They seemed to be preparing to surround the Alpha Legion. Most of the men heading out of the strong hold were small, lithe men. The type that were quick on their feet, but not much good for hand to hand combat. Every single one of them was armed to the teeth with a bow and an arsenal of arrows of every kind. Lycus wouldn't doubt that the arrow-heads were poisoned so that even if the damage from the arrow itself didn't kill the man, the poison would.

His opponent began to giggle, almost in a girlish fashion. "How does it feel Roman? How does it feel to know you're precious Alpha Legion is about to be utterly destroyed?"

"I don't know." Lycus took this opportunity while his opponent was busy gloating to run his sword through the man's gut. "How does it feel to have a sword stuck in your gut?"

He had to get back to camp and warn Acastus of the coming danger, and if the man refused to listen... then to hell with protocol. He would try and kill the arrogant bastard himself.

He was surprised when several men approached him, nervous looks on their vaguely familiar faces. He knew them only as men who were willing to listen to his plans to oust Acastus from power and give Livia command. At least give her command long enough to get them out of this mess.

"What's the matter?"

After a long, nervous pause, one of the men spoke. "It's Livia."

"What about her?'' Cadmus asked, his skin suddenly becoming covered in goose-flesh.

"Acastus had her taken to his tent about an hour ago. She's with him now."

Cadmus took off, not bothering to hear the rest of what the men had to say. If Acastus had Livia...He knew just what the commander had in mind, and he wasn't going to allow it to happen. Not to the only one who could save them from the mistakes Acastus had made.

"More?" He asked, holding up the skin he'd doctored with the sleeping agent. She snatched it from his hand and dumped it's contents into the cup, then purposefully knocked it onto the floor of the tent.

"Oh, I'm soo sooory.." she said, slurring her words. She offered him the classic, disgusting burp most drunks always seemed to have waiting to come out and stink up any drinking establishment, then giggled. She let her eyes fall, half hooded with her false intoxication.

"Commmander... I don' know what has gotten into me..." She offered a small hiccup and Acastus sat back in his chair, laughing with satisfaction. "I didn't drink that much!"

"It's drugged," he happily confessed, believing he had her under his thumb of "power", where he wanted her.

"Drugged?"

"Yes. You're much too dangerous to try and handle sober, so I drugged you."

Acastus played a finger over her cheek and began to caress her face. Livia was filled with disgust and spit on his hand. This enraged Acastus and he slapped her with stunning force that literally knocked her from her chair and onto the floor.

"You stay away from me!" Livia scooted away on the floor and realized she was playing it too much. If she were to get him to at least undo her feet so he could move her to the bed, she would have to become less of a threat to him. Livia gave one last groan then fell back, feigning unconsciousness.

Acastus studied Livia carefully, trying to determine if she was really unconscious or just attempting to fool him. He decided to take no chances. He wasn't in the mood for a challenge tonight. Acastus grinned and took the key from his belt. Carefully he unchained her feet.

Suddenly Livia's foot came up and connected with his face. There was a sickening crunching noise as his nose crumbled from the blow, making Acastus fall back in shock. He pressed his hand to his face in an unsuccessful attempt to hold back the blood that was pouring from his nose. Livia grabbed the chain and swung it around, attempting to hit him in his temple and kill him, but he saw it coming and with surprising agility he fell back, out of harms reach.

Livia wasted no time in grabbing the keys and unfastening her handcuffs. When she stood to her feet she was free, bound by nothing. No chains and no self-control.

"You bitch! You broke my nose!"

"Don't worry Acastus. It's not going to hurt long, I promise."

Livia moved in on him, attempting to drive her foot into his face. He surprised her again by moving with lightning speed from the floor to the bed where his sword lay. Livia took off for the tent flap, making Acastus laugh, despite his broken nose. He no doubt believed her to be running from him instead of drawing him out into the open where she would have the freedom she needed to move.

It was here, in front of all of his men, that Livia intended to kill this insane bastard. She was also determined that she would not go back to being chained tonight. When this battle was over she would either be the new commander of this legion or she would be dead. There would be no in between's.

The men of the camp were nothing short of shocked to find Livia, adorned with the finest Roman robes and jewels come running out of Acastus' tent. They were even more shocked to find their incompetent commander come stumbling out behind her, sword drawn and nose smashed into his already horrendous face.

Livia turned to face Acastus just as Cadmus came running into the area. "What's going on here?"

"You!" Acastus screamed, pointing the business end of his sword at Cadmus. "Don't think I haven't been aware of your little campaign to help Livia here overthrow me."

Cadmus licked his lips nervously looked between Livia and Acastus. If he were to rally the troops to support Livia, he would have to give up his safe haven on the fence. The men, he knew, wouldn't support Livia until they saw someone they liked and trusted back her. What better time to do that than now?

"That's right! I've been working to overthrow you. Somebody has to before you get us all killed!"

The fact that a simple foot soldier would dare defy his commander was one thing, but to have Cadmus do it to his face was another. The rumors of this pathetic soldier speaking against him had been true all this time, and now he was insulting him in front of everyone? Acastus vowed he would have this foot soldier's blood on his hands just as soon as he'd dealt with Livia.

"You," he said, still pointing the sword at Cadmus, "will have the privilege of seeing your heart take its final beat when I cut it from your chest. And you." He looked to Livia, "You will be my whore from now until I tire of you. Believe me sugar, that will be sooner than you think."

"Livia!" Cadmus called, pulling his sword and tossing it to Livia.

She deftly caught it and faced Acastus. Before long, the two warriors crossed swords, but it didn't take much effort on Livia's part before she not only had Acastus' sword lying on the ground, out of his reach, but she had put a nasty cut on his leg that guaranteed he would not run from this battle. She put the sword to his throat, but it was Cadmus who spoke to the men who watched the exchange in confusion.

"Listen to me, my fellow soldiers! Acastus is arrogant and foolish. I have spoken with you all of his plan of attack against the Gaul's stronghold, and every single one of you has agreed it's suicide!"

The men began to dance uncomfortably from one foot to another, but said nothing to object to his words. Acastus sat on his knees, his anger threatening to boil over until something vital within him exploded. How dare this lowly bastard insult him in such a way! Had Livia not held a sword to his throat, Acastus would have ordered Cadmus killed. The thought that the order would n't have been carried out did not even occur to the delusional, soon-to-be-dead commander of the Alpha Legion.

"Livia is the one we need to lead us to victory. She saw Damen's battle plans before he died-"

"Before she killed him you mean!" One of the soldiers yelled from the crowd.

"Yeah," another chimed in. He pushed his way to the front of the gathering and pointed an accusatory finger at Livia.

"We wouldn't be in this mess now if she hadn't killed the commander!"

"Like you really cared about him!" Cadmus shot back angrily. "Let's not make Damen out to be some kind of saint. Have you forgotten he treated us like horse dung before he died? The fact of the matter is we're going to die here if we don't get the leadership we need! Livia can give that to us if we only..."

Cadmus voice trailed off as the distinct sound of a distant voice came to him over the sound of his own breathing. The men began to cast one another looks of confusion before they too heard the distant voice of one of their own. Finally they all recognized it as Lycus. The crowd began to part to allow the soldier and his lathered horse through.

"Livia!" He said when he came to a stop and took in the sight of Acastus on his knees before Livia. He decided now to show the men where his loyalites lay by reporting to her as if she were already the commander of the legion. This act wasn't lost on the men surrounding her. It wasn't lost on Acastus either.

"Report." She said, seemingly comfortable with playing the part of commander. Perhaps if they viewed her as something more than a woman...

"Archers! The Gauls have sent archers to attack from the hills surrounding the camp.

"How many?"

"No less than two thousand are on their way now. Armed to the teeth with arrows, poisoned."

"Alright listen up!" Livia said. She motioned for Lycus to dismount and she took his place on the smelly, sweaty beast that had carried him home to deliver the news that their enemy was on the attack. As she sat on the horse in her Roman finery, every man in the camp within site of her was struck by her incredible presence, her forceful nature and her beauty. She looked like the Queen they could all feel she was destined to become.

"The time for indecision is over. You either follow me now or die."

The men cast looks of indecision to one another and Livia sighed with inpatients. This brought a laugh of amusement from Acastus who lay on the ground, pressing both hands to the wound on his leg.

"They'll never follow you. Get my physician!"

It's now or never, Livia thought, looking from Acastus to the men surrounding her. She sat up straight and proud in the saddle of the still panting horse and began to walk him in a circle to face the men around her.

"You don't know me, true. You have no idea if I will be able to lead you to victory against the Gaul force, but you do know one thing for certain. If you follow Acastus you are destined to fail. It's a suicide mission and you all know it. Right now the enemy moves against us! Death is about to fall from the sky and because of this arrogant, lazy bastard we're sitting here doing nothing! We should be surrounding the Gaul force, preparing to swoop down upon them with swords drawn and the name of Augustus Caesar screaming proudly from our lips!"

The men began to murmur in agreement. Livia watched as they slowly began to stop dancing from one foot to another and stand straight and still as her words filled them with a sense of urgency. It was time to add pride to their bouquet of confused feelings. Once she had stoked the fires of their arrogance, she knew she would have them eating from the palm of her hand.

"We are the elite of Rome's legions. There are none in the world above us! Our skills in battle and warfare are second to no one!"

The men began to cheer, almost with each word that came from her mouth now. She pointed her sword at Acastus. "Look at him! Do you see how easily he fell beneath my blade? This proves two things to you! One, I am not just a woman, I am a warrior. I have defeated this legion's two top ranking officers with ease. Secondly it proves to you that Acastus is weak in body as well as mind."

The men cheered looked at one another once again, this time not in confusion, but with a sense of awe and revelation. This girl had indeed done all she proudly confessed. She had defeated the best Rome had to offer, with ease, and she seemed to have nothing but the legion's best interest at heart. Maybe there was something to her after all.

"Follow him and run to the arms of defeat, death and shame." Livia thrust her sword to the heaven's with pride. "Follow me and I swear on the head of Mars himself, I will lead us to victory!"

Lycus and Cadmus followed suit, drawing their swords and chanting her name.

"Livia! Livia! Livia!"

Livia grabbed Cadmus eyes with her own and motioned to Acastus. Take him out, her eyes said, and Cadmus did just that. Acastus head rolled with the last sight of his life being that of this girl/warrior, taking control of his precious legion, and leaving him to die in shame.

It didn't take long before the men around them picked up the chant, and Livia was reveling in the power of the moment. She had gone from the lowliest foot soldier to condemned slave, to the commander of Rome's elite Legion. The doubt she had been feeling of whether or not she was destined for greatness was completely gone now. She had proven to Ares, and more importantly to herself, that she was capable of achieving the greatness she had dreamed of since the god of war had taken her under his wing seven years before, on her own, without his help.

Livia stared out over the sea of Roman soldier's who were ready to follow her to Hell and back for the sake of victory and Rome's honor. They were hers now. All hers. Today she was the Commander of the Alpha Legion.

Tomorrow, she would be Rome's Champion, and the most powerful woman the Roman empire will ever know.

The End of Chapter Two.