Crossing of the Shadow - A Billenius tale - chapter 2

There is something about Avunculus' office I find comforting. Perhaps it is the lack of foolish decorations, the simple furnishings, the resemblence to the wagons of home in the narrow length it holds. I could just be that plate of pastries delivered from the bakeries of town each morning, my personal sin of choice, even before wine or smoke. Or perhaps some bit of his aura, a bright warm flame of green tinted gold, stayed there, visible to me when I shut my eyes.
Until the green burned away with red rage, that is,
"Perfidio, Billenius! I cannot have you continue this drawing of your blade in quarters!" Some days, rumors indeed ran faster than anything known to man, elf or dwarf. "This is what, the third time this moon?"
"Yes. Sorry Sir." I will admit to feeling real shame that moment. My head did not hang to assuage him.
"Snakes and Demons, boy." His baritone voice, normally soothing, carried the words on the edge all good commanders save for such dressing downs of their troops. "I'll be fair, let you try to explain what spurred this, but you will have some punishment. Won't let it be said I look away, not with so many of the Insulae hinting I let you get away with things others are punished for."
That accusation, untrue at any time, irked me to losing composure. "Point out those for me, Avunculus." I prayed for a moment, just a bit of a finger of sand, he would relent for once and let me seek out the backstabbing gossips those islanders proved to be.
"No. Mind your bearing, boy. Sister-son or not, you will keep to the oaths and regulations." There went those plans. "Besides, to outsiders, they appear correct. Even with the orders of the Praetor Custorii posted on the boards, with our objections letteres, and his reply to shut up and suffer each other as commander and aide, the gossip that our gens protect each other through such nepotism still abounds in the Turmae and Caterverna." He sighed. "And with the fall of the Centuria Dextra, there is no checks on those rumors spread by those of the Left Hand."
Mention of that organization, one I already ran afoul of several times, removed the last vestiges of sweet aftertaste of the kalachi taken on my way to report in from my mouth. "AGain, my apologies, Dux." Using my uncle's formal title seemed more appropriate, at that moment.
He nodded, soft brown hair touched with grey at the temples, brushing around his ears. "Accepted. But, to keep appearances, I'm adding to your duties some work with our new quartermistress."
I winced. Inventory, the endless counting of supplies and equipment, with paperwork would quiet most, as well as kill any free time to explore what that dream foretold. "As you command. When do I start?"
"Right after you explain what triggered this incident." His smile, one-sided, just like most of mine, without teeth shown, said he was not truly angry, just frustrated. "I know you well enough to think you are not acting as my son does."
Mention of Ringelius, my cousin, left little doubt at that frustration. Or its true source. I'd seen my cousin enter the Catervae Campii the day before. "Nothing that foolish, Dux. Or maybe it was." I left the reason to wait. "I assume you also want me to watch over my cousin at night."
"Infernus no!" He snapped. "Allowing the Tris Triconis to gather would be endangering the town. And, yes, Norbanus is transiting through this hebdoma as well. You three stay apart as much as possible. One night together, and not for a few, please." My uncle begging for something being rare, I made note to obey that request.
"Understood. Perhaps just before Norbanus moves on, then." I grinned. "They cannot think we won't gather at least for a send-off party.:
"No. Now, stop evading the question. What amid the flames of Infernus has you walking halls with a drawn blade?" He was pusing now.
I know both kith and kin well enough to see when evasions will no longer work. "A dream walk, sir. I need to find some better focus..." I got no further.
"Dream walking? Billenius, you have no training in that. In fact, as I recall, you have exchewed those who offered such in the past." The red flames of his rage lifted his aura to a point I could not shutter out, wreathing the soft gold core I knew from my frew efforts to see such since the mesas. "What insanity forces you to seek trying such unguided? And it better be good, nephew. You walk the edge of endangering others, which means I will have to cashier you out."
The threat of that form of discharge, one that holds shame for those who sponsored you as well as yourself shook me. "I still trust the flamenis no further than I can toss them, avunclus, but the dreams..." My voice trailed off, as eyes sought anything but his face to gaze at.
"Dreams." The dux snorted. "Boy dreams are not something to just explore at will."
"Unless they keep coming true." My whisper left the room still for several fingers of sand.
Outside, the few birds still about sang beyond his window, sad little songs that gave lie that beasts cannot comprehend coming dangers. Since the passing of the first faint shadows across Jzhun's face, all beasts and reasoning being felt the chill and fear the coming Shadow Crossing evoked. The one glance I dared at the Dux shoed his own face pensive, worried at the implications.
When he spoke, his voice stayed soft, pitched not to carry without the room now. "Dreams that come true, Athalan about to eclipse our sun, and you still resist any aid." His sigh was deep. "If it were not for the words of the Materna Familia, I would have you up on charges now. You went through this before, the last Tempora Tenebrae, did you not?"
"Yessir." I drove in. "I assume that Avia relayed some details of those dreams?"
"To the whole family. And far too many came true." He faced the back wall, observing the motions in the campii yard. "Perfidio. Custos Varus, take a seat. I think it is about time you spoke of those dreams again. My guts tell me others need to know what is coming."
Shifting uneasily, I spoke my own fears. "No priests, please."
He grimaced. "Billenius, the flamenis would be best. I know why you fear their interference. The Materna spoke of the visions of their enslaving you."
My discomfort grew. "No. Not them enslaving me, others enslaving all the flamenis, but only if I enter the rites."
The silence that lay after that confession, our gazes locked, his quizical, mine ashamed at not revealing that earlier, lasted long enough for shadows to move several hands breadth across the wall, forcing my uncle to bark at the door each time a scheduled appointment came up with others of the Catervae or seeking business with us. I bet many friends amongst the riders worried over how long I was having my backside chewed out.
"There is one I know you would trust, who could shed light upon the things you see in darkness, boy." When he spoke, it was soft still. "One you have trusted in the past. One who needs to know of this possible future."
That twist to my face came again, that pain I never understood fully with it. "Who?"
A name and rank, that gave me hope and dread both. "Praetor Bentarius. He arrived yesterday." Then he grimaced. "And he's probably getting mighty irritable out there, Horatia makes awful tea."
The implication that one of those forced to wait over my misconduct and reprimand was the commander of all units left my guts cold and headed well south of my belt. "Gods. Avunclus..."
"Relax, he fell in the purge. You won't face discipline for it. Just an ass chewing worse than I give." Uncle grinned, trying to lighten the moment. "But, he has a new position, one better suited to hearing these dreams of yours."
"What position could need or use such?" My arrogant nature rose, a bad habit.
"He is the Triari now."
Triari, the leader of the guardians of the temples. I swallowed hard. "Dux...."

He did not answer me, but stood, making a command decision. Once the door opened at his hand, his words sealed my doom. "Betarius, sorry for the delay, care to join us? We have some information recently developed you need."