B4 Chapter 59: Marcus Smells a Tale

It took two whole months before Marcus's feet were itching to get on the road again.

He'd initially assumed that older toddlers would be easier to be around than babies. Boy had he been wrong. Sure, it was fun for a while, having a little line of ducklings that followed him around wherever he went. They could even do simple tasks like carry things from one place to another or open containers that he gave them. Until he realized they wouldn't stop following him. Unless he needed them to come with, or they were plotting an ambush for him like a pack of hyenas.

Even that wouldn't have been too bad, if not for their fascination with his lute. Just as before, they absolutely loved to hear him play. Only now, they also wanted to play themselves. Which was absolutely out of the question. No one touched Marcus's lute, much less grubby toddlers whose hands spent more time in their mouths than out. They could warp the wood with their spittle, dirty the strings, or worse. So much worse.

But their newfound physical abilities made that rule much more difficult to enforce. No shelf was safe, no matter how tall. He'd even tried to store it atop a bookshelf once, only to return and find a coordinated human tower holding onto its shelves to reach it. And when he reprimanded them, the manipulation... The little gremlins could barely form coherent words, yet they were already learning how to fake cry to get what they wanted. It was unfathomable.

The affections of their mothers made up for it for quite some time. Making an effort to spend even an hour with the kids here and there earned both their appreciation and their enthusiasm. Gertrude the nanny also managed to deflect much of the worst fire, whenever she wasn't busily setting right the cyclone of destruction the toddlers left in their wake. But he spent most of his time assisting Tiberius. The emperor had made more than a few requests of him, mostly information gathering and sniffing out rebellion. More than once he stamped out the embers of discontent where he found them, taking a softer hand than the Romans themselves might have. It was good work, and enjoyable, giving him an excuse to be out of the castle.

Yet he found himself slowly but surely being worn down. Even the intrigue of senate politics and regular visits with local Legionnaires couldn't completely draw his attention. His heart already longed for the road, for new scenery and more exotic pastures. Just as his lute longed for a reprieve from its constant game of keep away.

As if by fate, an opportunity presented itself. The orcish auxiliaries were being organized to move southward en masse. For what purpose, he wasn't entirely sure. But given that Quintus and his Third Legion were the last ones headed in that direction... Marcus smelled a tale.

It wasn't difficult to justify his accompaniment of the orcs. After all, he'd long been the de facto point of contact between orcish and human leadership in several cases. Attitudes toward the recently reformed barbarians were slow to cool for most. Things were better amongst the rank and file, but those at the top? For them, it generally helped to have a more diplomatically minded individual available to step in for some cases. Even Gaius, who had already worked with the orcs on several occasions, proved quite slow to trust them.

The orcs certainly appreciated it as well. For despite all their newfound intellect, the entire race still lacked a rather significant cache of knowledge regarding the world. Grund and the others rather appreciated the explanations of everything from leadership structures to why restrooms existed. He also helped to articulate the orcs' intentions toward people who found their attempts at "smiling" to be akin to a threat---which was, to be fair, mostly everyone. Feeling the disconnect between an orc laughing at a joke and others around them fearing for their lives was always an enlightening experience.

As soon as the opportunity presented itself, he immediately sought out Grund. He left the city, heading for the sprawling orc camp of rough tents and cookfires that lay just outside its walls. Their numbers were too great to keep inside the capital, even if the idea wouldn't have sparked a panic among the populace.

Already the orcs were hard at work breaking down the camp---slowly and carefully, so as not to ruin the materials of their tents. Marcus found the orc leader meditating, as usual, in a small patch of undisturbed grass just outside the camp.

"Ah, Marcus." Grund greeted him as he approached, sensing him even with eyes closed. "To what do I owe the visit?"

Marcus bowed deeply. "Grund, my friend. I hear that you and your people are soon to embark on a great expedition. I merely came to offer my services and companionship for the trip."

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Grund's eyes slowly opened. A faint pressure that Marcus had barely noticed dissipated, leaving him able to breathe easier. The orc smiled that terrifying smile. "Indeed. Our next assignment takes us southward. We would be honored to have you in our company. Though I must admit, you will not be the only human among our number."

"Truly?" He straightened and arched an eyebrow. That was interesting news.

"Karma and a few of his disciples shall also join us for this venture."

Karma. That was the odd Legionnaire who'd become obsessed with [Breathing]. He'd long since evolved the skill---multiple times, according to Marcus's reckoning---and amassed quite a number of disciples among his brethren. They weren't hard to pick out between their shaved heads and flowy silken robes.

The fact that Tiberius allowed them such leniency had always surprised Marcus somewhat, but their results spoke for themselves. The strange barehanded fighters proved rather consistently that they needed no armor or weapons to be a threat. So much so that Gaius saw no need to alter their course.

That lot had grown quite close with the orcs, and were the source of some of Grund's and the orcs' own fighting abilities. The two groups had intermingled to the point that they were practically inseparable. If anyone were to travel with them, Karma's group made perfect sense. Though Marcus hoped he wouldn't be expected to listen to any lectures on oneness with the universe and qi channels and all that other cryptic nonsense they spouted. They were far too serious for their own good. It was one of the reasons he rarely visited their camps.

Marcus adjusted his cloak, its purple and gold embroidery shimmering attractively in the sunlight. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have additional company at our sides. Although I am rather surprised that your people are being sent alone. Have you any idea of your goal in this venture?"

Grund nodded. "Yes. We will be assisting Quintus in his own campaign."

Marcus hid a wince. Quintus was not his biggest fan. The Legatus had always been moderately respectful and seemed to recognize Marcus as a useful individual, but he actually got along with Gaius far better than the older Legatus.

But that wasn't a dealbreaker. He'd expected as much.

"Assisting to what end?"

"Of that, I am uncertain." Grund admitted. "The details have been rather scarce on that front. But I sincerely doubt that the emperor has seen fit to send us on a mission of diplomacy."

Grund's tone was light, but Marcus shrugged. "Perhaps. Or perhaps this is an opportunity to evaluate your growth, to see how you and your people handle situations that are generally considered unusual for you."

"Perhaps," Grund allowed.

Marcus scrutinized the orc. His stoic calm meant that his demeanor was nearly impossible to read, his control of his body astonishingly high. Just like with Karma's people. But he could still read flickers. A slight muscle twitch here. An ill-timed blink there, the almost imperceptible stiffening of one finger...

Grund knew a bit more than he was letting on. Perhaps he was not entirely in the know, but he had some idea of what they went to face.

Marcus smiled. It was no matter. He'd have plenty of time to ply his trade on the orc along the way. Besides, he had reason enough to be excited as things were. The south of the continent was a mostly unexplored expanse, cut off from the lands beyond by a vast and unforgiving desert with little to offer but death and danger. He'd heard enough tales of adventurers heading that way to know that it was hardly a worthwhile hunting ground---the things that lived there often proved far too dangerous for their level---and thus Novara had never sought to expand into its reaches.

But on the other side? That was where rumors began. Tales of other empires, human empires, of vast seas that spanned the world. Of great and forgotten civilizations that beggared the imagination. Things long thought unreachable, civilizations of monsters, a vast and empty void. There were so many stories that simply contradicted each other that Marcus hardly knew where to begin.

Maybe the dwarves or elves knew. But with how much both kept to themselves, he rather doubted it. Even if they had known at one point, who was to say their information was current, after so many hundreds or thousands of years in seclusion?

It only made sense that Rome would press in that direction. After all, "impassible" had yet to ward them off yet.

"Well!" He beamed at Grund. "I am glad to know that I shall be traveling among friends. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have preparations to make. Supplies to gather, people to bid farewell, and one final drink to enjoy at the Gilded Lily."

Grund chuckled. "I see. Do not delay. I intend for us to set out by the time the sun sets."

"Today?" Marcus blinked. "You will not wait until morning?"

"Light or dark, it makes no difference to us. If anything, the people of the empire seem to prefer us to move unseen."

That certainly made sense. Although it meant that Marcus had a little less time than he'd anticipated.

He bid the orc leader a hasty goodbye and swept back toward the city. He would make his preparations quickly, then, lest he be left behind. Though he didn't mind. He truly was eager to leave this place, and haste had never kept his goodbyes to the princesses from being satisfying. As for the kids... well, perhaps he had time to enjoy one more round of play with them. Then, he would be off.