A Tough Decision

With the order for the new equipment underway, Marcellus spent his days at the border, training his soldiers, and managing the affairs of the province that he was tasked with leading. As a Dux, it was his job to protect and look after the development of his region, because of this his job was closer to that of a feudal lord than it was to the ancient position of legatus.

Under the dominate the province of Raetia was split into two. Raetia I and Raetia II, currently Marcellus, only ruled over the easternmost half. Such a thing was an enormous slap to his face as Marcellus was once a man ranked directly below the Supreme Commander. Now he was the leader of a single province.

However, as time passed, he got over his grievances and took his job seriously. By now the time to plant the crops for the fall harvest had come and gone, and under the direction of Marcellus' orders, he successfully introduced three major improvements to agriculture across his lands.

At first there were many who doubted him, but after seeing the initial results of the new improvements, nobody in Raetia dared to speak out against his orders. Even with the fall harvest being months away, the plebeians who worked in the fields were shocked at the amount of crops that could be sewn with the invention of the three field system.

During what little free time Marcellus had available to him, he spent it in the arms of Sigefrida, who had taken the last step in their relationship only recently. As far as he was concerned, they were married in everything but name. After all, there were plenty of examples of Roman masters entering loving relationships with their slaves. There was even a term for it: contubernium.

At the moment, the two of them were eating breakfast in the villa. For whatever reason, Sigefrida had insisted on feeding her man herself. She scooped up the meal she had made with a silver spoon and brought it to Marcellus' mouth, where he reluctantly accepted it. After tasting the meal, he nodded his head in approval before complimenting the chef.

"Your cooking is always a delight, Sigefrida."

The woman smiled and blushed slightly before feeding the man another bite. After doing so, Marcellus wiped his mouth before pushing the woman aside. He had a stern expression on his handsome face as he explained the thoughts that had dwelled within his mind these past couple of days.

"Sigefrida, now that we are a couple, there's something I have been thinking about lately that I feel like I need to get off my chest. I think it is about time for me to remove your collar and grant you your freedom. You will be a free citizen of Rome and can even become my concubine. It's certainly better than continuing to live as a lowly slave!'

Sigefrida touched the collar on her neck and shied away from Marcellus' embrace, which was a reaction that he was not expecting. She did not appear the slightest bit pleased with this news, and instead seemed rather fearful. She quickly shook her head and denied the kindness Marcellus was about to grant her. There was a look of dread in her eyes as she struggled to meet her master's sharp gaze.

"I don't think that's a good idea..."

Marcellus sighed as he immediately guessed the reason for the woman's reluctance. It would appear that his worst fears were realized, and he could not help but express his doubts.

"It's because of my mother, isn't it?"

Initially, Sigefrida remained motionless, but after several seconds, she nodded her head in silence as tears streamed from her ice-blue eyes.

"I'm afraid, Marcellus! I mean, If I am still your slave, then we can hide our relationship from your mother. However, if you suddenly free me, and take me as your concubine, then she will know what we have done, and she will find a way to get rid of me."

Marcellus understood Sigefrida's fears. If everything she had previously said was true about his mother, then he would need to give the woman a serious scolding when he finally returned to Rome. However, it was unknown when they would finally leave this frontier outpost.

The two of them could quite possibly be here in Raetia for the rest of their lives. If that was the case, then he'd be happy to take Sigefrida not as a concubine but as his lawful wife. Especially since he wasn't likely to meet a beautiful patrician woman here in this Podunk town. He spoke with fierce resolve as he swore to protect the woman he loved from the hateful grasp of his scheming mother.

"Sigefrida, I promise you, I will not allow my mother to harm you any more. If she tries, then I will punish her myself! However, you have to understand that we are on the edge of the world now. We may never return to Rome. Should you be forced to endure slavery, simply because you are afraid of a threat that is a world away? I love you, and I want the whole world to know it!"

The words that Marcellus had spoken pulled at Sigefrida's heartstrings, causing her chest to thump rapidly. It took her several moments to decide on whether she would continue to be a slave, or become Marcellus' concubine. In the end she thought back on another woman in Marcellus' life and shook her head as she came to a decision.

"Not yet... I'm not ready..."

Marcellus could only sigh in defeat as he heard these words escape from the mouth of the woman he loved. It would appear that despite her age, she still needed a bit of growing up to do before she could accept the responsibility of being in a relationship with him that differed from one of master and slave. He did not blame her. She had been in his family's service since a young age and knew nothing other than the life of a lowly slave.

Because of this, she had serious self confidence issues, not believing herself to be worthy of being in a lofty position such as the concubine or wife of the man she loved. Just when Marcellus was about to respond to this, the doors to his villa swung open to reveal Ordius in full armor, alongside several members of his newly formed cavalry unit. There was a panicked expression on the man's face as he declared the emergency that he had just now been informed of.

"The Vandals have crossed the border and are ransacking a nearby village that falls under your protection. Their war band numbers roughly two hundred and fifty in total. What are your orders?"

Marcellus took a quick drink from his wine before slamming his chalice down on the table. He quickly stood up and gathered himself before leaving his woman's side.

"If the Vandals have crossed into my land, then they will be met with steel. Muster the Cataphracts, it is time we show these barbarian bastards that, though we may be few in number, the province of Raetia is not to be underestimated!"

Marcellus swiftly placed his helm upon his head as he walked out the doors of the villa, leaving Sigefrida by her lonesome. As a soldier in the Roman Army, Marcellus had always followed the example of his ancestors and that was to dress in his armor first thing in the morning, and only take it off at night right before he slept. Because of this aspect of his personality, he was ready for combat at a moment's notice.

After exiting his villa, Marcellus swiftly made his way to the stables, where five hundred men were gathered. They were heavily armored from head to toe in the newest equipment that Marcellus had ordered, and so were their steeds. With Marcellus' requisition of equipment for his forces, he had urged the manufactorum to set the Cataphract's gear as a priority. Because of this, they were delivered and paid for well in advance of his other soldier's supplies.

Normally it would take years, or even decades, to train a unit of Cataphracts, however with the invention of stirrups, and the harsh training regimen Marcellus put his cavalry through, the time to train such a force was a fraction of what it used to be. Even though a little over a month had passed since the invention of the stirrup, his cavalry were now capable of, at the very least, performing a a proper charge against a ragtag war-band of barbarian raiders.

The soldiers of Castra Regina gazed in awe at their Dux, who rode alongside his new cavalry unit outside of the Fortress and into the fields below where they charged towards the nearby Raetian village that had come under assault by the Vandals.

In this era where the Roman Empire seemed to be on the verge of collapse, the sight of a five hundred cataphracts being raised in a matter of months was a glimpse of hope to the men who guarded the borders.

As for the Vandal raiders, they did not know that such a large force of shock cavalry was on their way to intercept them. When Marcellus and his men finally arrived, they would have to make a tough decision: Stand and fight, or die fleeing.