"Oh well, I can't wait much longer, especially not for three spoiled brats," Zosimus snarled. "Come with me!" And deeper into the tent the trio went.

Sitting at his ivory chair, Zosimus regarded the two legates. One was fully armed in leather armour, all soldierly – Brutus. The other was still covered in dust from the ride to Veii and was wearing the rider’s outfit – Corvus. Both men have been successful on their missions, Spain and Asia, showing that they possessed a grasp for things military.

“Orestes!” the Senior Consul barked, jumping on his feet again. When the man didn’t reply after a minute had passed, Zosimus sighed in anger and moved towards the door. As Brutus made a move to follow him, Zosimus waved him down. “I’ll just go and find this bloody idiot myself, boys; stay here.”

Looking at each other after what seemed to be years, Corvus and Brutus weren’t at ease. They weren’t acquaintanced yet, if you spare that talk in the Senate nearly two years ago, so when they were left alone in the command tent Brutus spoke to the aloof Patrician.

“How do you recon this campaign to be, Marcus Aemilius? I at least, judging from our youngest colleagues tardiness, expect a very long campaign!”. The two legates smiled at each other when Zosimus entered again with Orestes the Quaestor and Tiberius Caesar on his side.

“Gentlemen, you know Tiberius Julius I assume?” Zosimus asked indifferently. Caesar, slightly vexed as he seemed, nodded to Brutus and Corvus. Brutus nodded back to the suicidal ex-Quaestor and shared a glimpse with Corvus; aye, he must have been thinking the same thing!

“Consul, may we begin?” Brutus asked Zosimus in a warm tone.

“I’d wanted that above all things, Lucius Junius, but alas not every man turns up exactly when he’s expected!”

At that precise moment, a fifth man entered the tent. Curiously looking him from head to toe, Brutus awaited the man to reveal his identity.

"Greetings commander, I am Gnaeus Lucilius Maximus as you should know. I'm sorry for arriving so late."

There was something undeniably funny at the tone of that ‘should know’ and as Maximus was saying his apologies, Brutus could not resist a small burst. “Heh heh!” he laughed, almost humming it, with a growing smirk on his face.

“Yes, Brutus? Is there something funny?” Zosimus snapped at the Legate.

“Eh? No, sir. Excuse me, sir.”

“Good. We can begin then” Zosimus said and the Legates closed in to be given the plan of action.