Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a great weekend and stayed safe. We began the week before Halloween horror movie Marathon with some Vincent Price which was fantastic. Admittedly I later had a dream where i tried to convince an architect that I needed a pit of acid added to my basement during construction. He tried to get me to put in a hot tub instead. Then I woke up thinking ‘I don’t have a basement’. Probably for the best. So ready for the first writing prompt of the week? Timers set and lets go.
Monday, October 26th: He left three hundred men to guard it.
He left three hundred men to guard it. Some, he knew thought this was overkill. Others, he was certain thought this too few. The truth was, they were all he had. He risked a look over his shoulder. The men surrounded the small building, looking like a sea of armored flesh, their spears held high like the masts of sunken ships. He shivered. It was an awe inspiring sight, enough to cause any thief to turn back. Still Lucius had the feeling the thief would get past. It was why he took one extra precaution, one he told no one about. He turned away from the sight of the guard and kept moving. The ambassador saw him, was in fact, probably waiting for him.
“Do you think it’s enough, Commander?”
Although the ambassador wrung his hands in concern as he darted glances to the well protected building, his eyes sparkled with merriment. Lucius wasn’t entirely certain if the Ambassador was mocking him or if he had a secret plot he was certain would win the day and secure the prize for himself. The Ambassador generally kept himself to himself and Lucius had been unable to decide in which direction he leaned. He was in fact the reason he decided on the one safe guard he told no one about.
“I believe it will be plenty,” Lucius told him. He kept his voice firm and commanding, yet respectful. He might find the ambassador to be a bit of a snake but he was a well-connected snake and Lucius suspected tonight would not go as the Ambassador planned if he was the one planning anything. If disappointed, any slight offered could be taken out on him.
‘And this is the last night someone could steel it,’ He thought. The emperor was only a day’s march from the outpost. Once he arrived, the emperor would take control and all hope of securing what was now contained within the defenses would be lost. He knew an attempt would be made tonight or not at all. The ambassador dogged his steps and Lucius listened to him with half an ear. His thoughts dwelt on home. Once this was over, he would be going there. He would be released from duty and this would all be over. The Ambassador left him at his tent, not coming in to join him. Lucius felt relieved to be alone and lifted a hand to his side. There beneath his armor, was the object those outside worked so hard to protect. He switched the real out with a replica when no one was looking, when no one could see. The guards protected nothing but a decoy, while he kept the priceless secure. It was a gamble. If anyone suspected him of the switch, he would be an easy target. Lucius heard a foot fall outside and dropped his hand. It would not do to give himself away at this point. The footsteps stopped outside his tent and Lucius stepped outside. An imperial runner stood there, planting and dripping with sweat.
‘Finally,’ Lucius thought. ‘Soon it will end.’
The runner’s first words dashed his hopes for an immediate reprieve. “An attack on the emperor, your men are needed. All your forces must come at once.”
‘This is it,’ Lucius thought as he jumped to obey. ‘This is the attack.’
Ten til Midnight 