Reading - Sylvestus Vol I: The Fall - Chapter II

I'm honestly running out of quips already my dudes, so let's get the heck into it: this is the third and final reading from my novel Sylvestus Vol. I: The Fall, of Chapter II! Video and transcript are below. I'm gonna take a break for a day or so after this one, then come back with a new set of readings, from a different book (unless people really want more of Sylv Vol I, which like, i get it, but also pls buy the book ty).

Head to bit.ly/SylvVol1 to buy your copy in paperback or ebook!



Transcript:

Heya! So this is the third reading I am doing from my book, Sylvestus Volume I: The Fall, erm, after today I'm probably gonna take a day off, and then I'll come back, I think I'm gonna do a chapter from Each Separate Dying Ember next, which is the other book of mine that's available at the moment, umm...
Sorry, there's a - I have pet rats, and they're just... Right there... Being really cute right-- (gasps) Ohhh! Chekov poked his nose out, ohh!
... Sorry. (laughs) Yeah, I'll probably do a bit of Each Separate Dying Ember next, and then... Let me know what else you'd be interested in seeing me read.
... I'm gonna have to not look in that direction, 'cos they're so cute, it's distracting. Um. Okay.
I'll get right into it - this is the third chapter from Sylv Volume I that I'm reading, you can check out the previous videos for the first two... Again, no serious content warnings on this chapter, it's... A more talk-y one, so I'm gonna have to do voices for like... Five different voices, ugh...
The full transcript of this... Episode? Video? Will be in the comments, linked, somewhere.
Okay. Sylvestus Volume I: The Fall... Chapter II!

"You are Calidius Scaurus' optio?"

"Yes, Ser. I have served under him for eleven terms."

"Calidius, the pilus prior of the...?"

"Third cohort, Ser."

"Hm. The old bugger is still serving, then? Must be near retirement, eh?"

"He is as strong and quick as ever, Ser."

The centurion smiled crookedly at Sylv, a nasty tilt to his lips. "Hm, I imagine he is! Still... I've heard good things of his optio. Very good indeed."

"Thank-you, Ser." Sylv bowed his head, the flitting ghost of a smile tracing his lips, and then let his gaze flick around the room and its occupants again. As the legates of both legions had chosen to remain in Roma, there was no one commanding officer on Anteria; orders overall were relayed back and forth via letter, but it was not an efficient system. Maritimus Tuditanus, the primus pilus, was - as most senior centurion of the first cohort of Legio XIII - the highest-ranking officer. This command was by a narrow margin, and with a second legion on the same campaign it would grow narrower. He had regarded Sylv imperiously at first, but now his expression had lightened into a comradely leer.

A few other centurions had deigned to appear before the new arrival, and to each of them Sylv paid a casual glance of acute close attention. Most were watching either him or Maritimus with expressions that varied from polite interest to cold disdain.

One man, though - at least five years younger than Sylv despite his higher rank, reclining on a couch with his wavy dark hair and stubble immaculately groomed - was watching Sylv unblinkingly. There was a gentle tilt to his head and his lips were curled just enough to suggest a smirk. When they made eye contact, Sylv dropped his head in the shyest prelude of a nod, his own mouth twitching. Silver-steel eyes met green, and while the others watched, they played a game.

It lasted just a second; they looked away together, before indecency was reached. Sylv returned his gaze to Maritimus, but the young centurion went back to studying his face once he had politely looked at the back of his own hand for a moment.

"Were we to expect your arrival?" Maritimus asked suddenly as Sylv's attention returned, and the Legio IX optio politely cocked his head to one side slightly. "I apologise if so; correspondence is haphazard at best at sea. You have come alone?"

"I am alone, Ser. I took a ship several days ahead of my legion, with merchants, though I do not know how far behind they are now - the seas have been calm, so hopefully not far. I believe word was sent of my pre-eminent arrival, though I don't know along which channels."

"Paving the way for Calidius, I suppose? Funny, though, that they'd send an optio of the third cohort."

Sylv laughed in a polite manner, and the gathered centurions made sure to laugh as well, except the young recliner, who merely gave the hint of a luxurious smirk. "I am sorry my rank disappoints, Ser!"

This made the primus pilus laugh loudly. "Not at all! Merely a mark of the respect your legion holds for you, I am sure."

"You honour me, Ser. I am, as you say, only an optio of the third cohort."

"Hm." Suddenly, Maritimus was squinting at him again; Sylv's expression remained cordially involved in the questioning, even as the manner of the room shifted back around the two of them. "How long have you served...?"

"Eleven terms as Calidius' optio, Ser, and six as evocatus in a different legion following my six munifex terms. I had recently been promoted to optio under my old centurion when he was killed in battle. I was not experienced enough at the time to take over his position, so rather than be demoted again I was transferred to centurion Calidius' legion. His optio had just been killed as well, you see. It has worked out well for both of us."

Finally, Maritimus' interest seemed to be sated, his attention wandering at the detailed answer - he nodded vaguely and smiled, and then waved his hand as if in dismissal. "The best of luck to you - may Anteria grant you glory as it grants us its wealth and secrets. You are aware of the arrangements to be made, of course?"

"I believe I am awaited at a guest villa owned by a... Curtia Dorsuo? When my superiors arrive, I am sure you will discuss further our plans - mine are not the ears for such talk, and I will not waste your time further." Sylv bowed deeply to the primus pilus, who smiled and waved him off again.

"Very good. Centurions of Legio XIII, optio Nigrum of Legio IX, dismissed."

Bows were bowed and salutes saluted when the slight differentiations in rank demanded it, and Sylv turned toward the door to make his way out. And, quite by chance it would seem from both of their casual gaits, he came on the way to be walking alongside the young centurion.

"Are you going to start with a quip about my foot-washing, to show you're onto my tricks and morally in charge, or about his simpering, to show you're on my side and willing to participate?" Sylv asked quietly, and the young centurion laughed softly as they both paused to allow a more senior officer through the door first.

"Culus. I had it perfectly prepared and had even drawn my breath to speak."

"Ah, my apologies," Sylv murmured, inclining his head slightly. "I suppose the effect would be lost now. Perhaps we should organise a rota of who quips first at each meeting? That way neither party should be offended."

"Perhaps. It is a diplomatic solution."

They were allowed passage through the doorway, and took it together with a slight bow to the man who had let them through. In the foyer, Sylv turned toward the main doors back into the fortress yard, and the centurion adjusted seamlessly so that it had clearly also been his intention all along. He spoke again as the others talked and went back to business around them.

"Now, I know your name, I know your rank, I know your associates, and I suppose our next play is to ascertain how much more I know than that."

"Your town is fucking decrepit, isn't it," Sylv said, voice bright, and the young centurion smirked with a quiet sound. His green eyes flashed as he glanced across the room.

"If you are who and how you are said to be," he said, still careless and casual, "then you will already know the man you want. I assume you aren't too tired after your journey? I shall see you there tonight."

"I await it eagerly."

"Now now, I still have a foot-washing quip to hand; don't appear too keen, or I shall have to shame you with it."

"Mm, I think the timing is a little past its peak now. If you had already succeeded in placing the quip, a follow-up now would be perfect; alone, I fear it would fall short of its intended power. Ah - before I leave you, I must ask, Velleius Annalis, post-effect permission to borrow one of your munifex, Iratus Divites. I charged him with the handling of my luggage to the guest villa."

Just for a fraction of a second, Velleius Annalis' eyes widened. His smirk was fixed as if his mind was trying to process and decide what to do with his face. Sylv met his gaze innocently; like most men, Velleius Annalis was a little taller, and he shook his head a degree to either side in wonderment as he squinted at the optio.

Then his smile returned to its clever unaffected twist, and as they exited into the yard his eyes looked all around and anywhere for a moment but at Sylv. "Divites? An... Interesting choice. Just entering his final term as munifex - chose conscription over amputation of his hand, you know."

With one hand, Sylv gestured to Rom to join them. The dog surged to his paws and pressed close to his master's side, and Sylv's fingers brushed the top of his head in greeting, but the golden eyes were fixed firmly on Velleius Annalis, and Rom's shoulders were stiff as they continued.

"I'm sure three years under your command has changed his ways."

Velleius let out a little laugh. "I'm sure. Now, I imagine you must attend to your things and rest before this evening, and I have business with which to deal. Ave, optio Nigrum."

"Ave, Ser."

As they parted ways, Velleius Annalis shook his head again and murmured, just loud enough for Sylv to hear in the empty principium yard, "Cunnus..."

It was late afternoon now, and the fortress was busier as patrols came and went and guard rotas swapped; Sylv began to head toward the main gate, only for Rom to tense in sudden warning just a moment later.

Apparently ignoring the dog - as he was prone to; sometimes Rom tried to make his signals more obvious, when his master was apparently completely unable to see the threat he was warning him about, but at other times their communication was seamless, and Rom could never quite tell whether he was doing well or not - Sylv carried on. After a few seconds, a man stepped out of the pattern of the fortress work, and promptly came before Rom.

He stepped back into the pattern of the fortress work.

A few seconds after that - Sylv slowed down to give him time - he re-appeared on the other side, Rom eyeing him begrudgingly and Sylv staring innocently ahead. Sylv corrected his pace back to its normal stride, forcing the man to skip for a second to remain in-step.

"I know a lot about you, Syl. Atrox Nigrum," he declared in a loud whisper, and Sylv raised one brow as he continued toward the gate. "There has been... Talk. I know your associates in the last city you served in went out of business while your profits surged, but that they could never tie the blame to you. I know you came ahead of your legion to scope this shit-trench out and get your roots in before anyone else could get a look. I know you've been an optio for six long, long years. That your centurion keeps you there. That you must be as restless and underappreciated as..."

The mysterious whisperer seemed to have gotten carried away and gone off-script. For a moment he hesitated, and then he cleared his throat and found solid ground again as they neared the main fortress gate.

"We deserve better than this. I believe we are alike, Nigrum. The man you want is Aemilius Germanus. And... Well, I'm sure you know already that I am P. Gratius Camillus. I'll see you soon, I do not doubt it."

And then, with an excessive grace so overwrought it circled right back into clumsiness, P. Gratius Camillus sidled back into the crowd of the fortress' shift changes, all of which moved out of his way and eyed him uncertainly.

Sylv checked out with the guard on the gate. When Gratius Camillus vanished from sight, Rom gave a derisive sneeze.

"Quite," Sylv agreed softly, and rubbed the dog's head again before they set off down the hill.

Whoo!
Give me a minute...
My voice is really goofed up today, I think it didn't help that I had, um... A grilled cheese for breakfast, and dairy is supposed to be bad for your talking voice... Hence why I'm probably gonna take a break tomorrow.
And have less cheese before I record.
Umm... Yeah, I can't think of anything I didn't cover in the first one, if you want to-- oh, yeah! That was the last reading I'm gonna do from Sylvestus Volume I, if you want to read more... Buy the book! It's available from Lulu.com and a couple of other retailers, go to bit.ly/SylvVol1 to find it, it's available in paperback or ebook, that will be... Linked in the description, and also like... I post the link everywhere, to sell the book... So it shouldn't be too... Hard to find.
Alrighty. Let me know if there's any other videos you'd like... Hope you enjoyed.