"I went ashore with two choices, folks. The Greeks in Pontus were stingy, and they even tried to kill my little Babu. The muscular man was none other than Macmillan, and he was still full of pride when he arrived on the shore, and hugged "Babu" Claudius tighter, "Fortunately, our people saw the fugitive little Babu in the area of Khersonnes and rescued him, so the two choices were - the first one, let me sack the city as much as I wanted." ”

"I'm sorry, I don't have time to listen to your second choice, anyway, this city has been ransacked twice, you better make your first choice, please." Calabis stepped forward and saluted the "little bab" in Macmillan's arm, "Now I have something important to report to Your Excellency the Adjutant General. ”

Macmillan looked at Claudius, Claudius smiled coquettishly, and then stood on tiptoe and said a few words very affectionately to the other party's ear, Macmillan got up, pinched Claudius's mouth, slapped his buttocks again, and beat the coquettish Claudius to Calabis, saying that he could temporarily lend him to the legion's subordinates to discuss the matter.

In the garden on the side of the palace, Claudius walked anxiously to and fro, and he even shook the hand of Calabis and the princess, and begged them not to tell about it, especially Calabis, and not to spread rumors about him and pirates in the city of Rome, "How so? Your Excellency, Adjutant General, you will soon be a civilian tribune, and you will have to rely on everything in the future. Calabis swore sincerely, and then he turned his eyes to Adiana and took the "Ottolicus" in the royal daughter's arms.

The princess hesitated for a moment, then cast a trusting look at him and asked Calabis to take the sword and the scabbard with the precious diamonds. Calabis humbly handed over this divine weapon to Claudius. "Rong Yu. In fact, Mithridates has died, this is Her Excellency the Princess, I think you also know. Well, there is no need to repeat the superfluous words, the princess wants you to return to Rome with this spoil, and fight Pompey in the future. ”

"Is there any reason?" Claudius asked, stroking the sword in amazement.

"Her Excellency does not want her father's body to be taken by Pompey, and neither do I. I believe that the same is true for His Excellency the Adjutant General, and I think everyone's interests are the same on this point. In fact, I stuffed a fake corpse to prevaricate Pompey, and you went back with this sword that would truly symbolize Mithridatians' identity, and this. Calabis also handed the amber tablet he had just written to Claudius, "Go and give it to Crassus and Caesar, don't give it to Cicero, they will naturally know how to do it, and even get a little triumph for you, you are the hero of the Thirteenth Legion." Your Excellency - This will be of great benefit to you during your tenure as a tribune, and the plebeians and nobles alike will worship you fanatically. You are about to call for rain in the city of Rome, and even Cicero, Cato, and even Pompey will not dare to offend you easily. Calabis's words were full of demagogy.

"That's right, I'll take this trophy, which symbolizes the exploits of our legion, back to Rome, immediately!" Claudius's eyes sparkled, "With Macmillan's ship, you don't have to worry about Calabis." ”

"Listen! Don't stop halfway, it's better to go ashore somewhere and then go overland to Rome, so as not to invite unnecessary trouble. Calabis was well aware of Claudius's urine, and reminded in an accentuated tone, "The glory of all is tied to you, and I am here to fulfill some extra missions." Your Excellency, I am the adopted son of Marcos, but I am also your sister's most loyal servant, and even if she is abandoned by her patron, I wish to give more to your brother and sister. ”

"This really touches me, Calabis, when I return to Rome, I will fight side by side with you at banquets and banquets, we are the closest comrades of the Legion!" Claudius' eyes glistened with tears, and he fisted Calabis and turned away.

The city of Ponticabion at sunset, full of the loneliness of the fall of the king, the flowing gold color spreads all over the bay, just like a gorgeous mosaic, on the rubber wooden boat, holding the urn and the letter of Adiana, a little tired on the shoulder of Calabis, she has already explained to Achilles and Achilllaus, hoping to charter a ship, first go to the city of Casto to meet Pompey, and then go to Sinope to bury the bones of her father and cousin in the royal cemetery of Ponto, zuihou- She would do as Pompey would have been, either as a noblewoman who owned a city in the Pontus Empire, or as a vassal monarch like Chalnus.

But Calabis objected, believing that it was not safe enough to use Achilles' ships—it was better to repair the white schooner that Adiana had brought beforehand—and the ballistas had only smashed the masts, decks, and sail lines, and were easy to repair, and that craftsmen and oarsmen were everywhere in the disintegrated Pontus army, and that even the price of hiring them was cheap.

In this way, they will spend two or three days in the acropolis.

Then, at the city gate before sunset, Helenputina led the horse to say goodbye to Calabis again.

"Calabis, in fact, I have also seriously thought about the question of whether Niko, no, even me, want to live with you. I used to be ready to give up the position of the queen of the Amazons, and wanted to entrust Nico to you, yes, you love Niko, maybe Nico does need a father, but Nico is a deer in the woods, and the city where you are must be a terrible place, I only saw a lot of people of all kinds, even a body to fight for. So forgive me, I can't give my daughter to you, after losing Ella, I have become mediocre and more easily at the mercy of emotions. ”

"So you let Al Capa take her away first, afraid I'll force her to stay?" "I beg your pardon, Calabis, for now I can only say that Malcha is dead, and I have no reason to stay here any longer." ”

"Then I will conquer your kingdom one day, take my daughter back, and build the temple of Diana in every corner of Rome!"

"Yes, Calabis, Nicol she will always be your daughter, and after your death she will pay tribute to you, and of course you must promise to pray for her safety and health before the gods, and I will pray for your health before the goddess—goodbye." With that, the queen mounted her mount, glanced back at Calabis, buckled her silver visor, to cover the tears that had fallen from the corners of her eyes, and kicked up a puff of smoke and dust, and galloped in the direction of Cymmerian.

When Calabis couldn't bear it any longer, he stood where he was, bowed his head and let the tears drip down the ground below, Adiana, who had been hiding under the city gate, stepped out, hugged him from behind, and then plucked up his courage and said: "Amphora, I don't want to marry the king of any kingdom, I don't want to end up like my mother, I don't want to, help me!" ”

"Don't worry, Adiana, since I promised you a thousand tarents for you, I'll get you a promise soon! If you don't want to marry a certain king, I will make you the queen of a small kingdom! (To be continued......)