Emperor: The Gates of Rome E#1 Read Online Free Page A

on you, like they do with wolves in the north," Gaius said quietly when Suetonius had been reduced to sullen anger. "But you didn't kill me, so I won't kill you. I might not even tell anyone how we dropped Suetonius into a wolf trap. Good luck in getting out."
Suddenly, he let rip with a war whoop, quickly followed by Marcus, their cries and ecstatic yells disappearing into the woods as they pelted away, on top of the world.
As they pounded along the paths, Marcus called over his shoulder, "I thought you said you'd beat him with your strength!"
"I did. I was up all night digging that hole."
The sun shone through the trees and they felt as if they could run all day.
Left alone, Suetonius scrabbled up the sides, caught an edge, and heaved himself over and out. For a while, he sat there and contemplated his muddy praetexta and breeches. He frowned for most of the way home, but as he cleared the trees and came out into the sunshine, he began to laugh.

CHAPTER 2

Gaius and Marcus walked behind Tubruk as he paced out a new field for ploughing. Every five paces, he would stretch out a hand and Gaius would pass him a peg from a heavy basket. Tubruk himself carried twine wrapped in a great ball around a wooden spindle. Ever patient, he would tie the twine around a peg and then hand it to Marcus to hold while he hammered it into the hard ground. Occasionally, Tubruk would sight back along the lengthening line at the landmarks he had noted and grunt in satisfaction before carrying on.
It was dull work and both boys wanted to escape down to the Campus Martius, the huge field just outside the city where they could ride and join in the sports.
"Hold it steady," Tubruk snapped at Marcus as the boy's attention wandered.
"How much longer, Tubruk?" Gaius asked.
"As long as it takes to finish the job properly. The fields must be marked out for the ploughman, then the posts hammered in to set the boundary. Your father wants to increase the estate revenues, and these fields have good soil for figs, which we can sell in the city markets."
Gaius looked around him at the green and golden hills that made up his father's land.
"Is this a rich estate then?"
Tubruk chuckled. "It serves to feed and clothe you, but we don't have enough land to plant much barley or wheat for bread. Our crops have to be small and that means we have to concentrate on the things the city wants to buy. The flower gardens produce seeds that are crushed to make face oils for highborn city ladies, and your father has purchased a dozen hives to house new swarms of bees. You boys will have honey at every meal in a few months, and that brings in a good price as well."
"Can we help with the hives when the bees come?" Marcus spoke up, showing a sudden interest.
"Perhaps, though they take careful handling. Old Tadius used to keep bees before he became a slave. I hope to use him to collect the honey. Bees don't like to have their winter stores stolen away from them, and it needs a practiced hand. Hold that peg steady now—that's a stade, 625 feet. We'll turn a corner here."
"Will you need us for much longer, Tubruk? We were hoping to take ponies into the city and see if we can listen to the Senate debate."
Tubruk snorted. "You were going to ride into the Campus, you mean, and race your ponies against the other boys. Hmm? There's only this last side to mark out today. I can have the men set the posts tomorrow. Another hour or two should see us finished."
The two boys looked at each other glumly. Tubruk put down his spindle and mallet and stretched his back with a sigh. He tapped Gaius on the shoulder gently.
"This is your land we're working on, remember. It belonged to your father's father, and when you have children, it will belong to them. Look at this."
Tubruk crouched down on one knee and broke the hard ground with the peg and mallet, tapping until the churned, black soil was visible. He pressed his hand into the earth and gripped a handful of the dark substance, holding it up for