The station commander read the parchment which Sion presented to him, and welcomed Tibullus with a grave nod of his head. He explained that they only had one guest room, and had a couple of men show Tibullus to it. Then there was a small midday meal for all of them in the commander’s quarters.
“It’s not only in the west,” he told them about the rumours of British restiveness. We know there’s discontent north of west, in regions many days’ march along Watling Street. It’s this business of the kings again.”
“Kings?” Tibullus exclaimed, remembering the incident on the bridleway at Whipsnade. When he told the others about it the commander said, “That figures.”
“What is it about a king?”
The commander explained. After a rebellion several generations ago in a region dominated by British trib
