'In one crate he has given me power over so many people,' Caenis said, scanning a scroll. 'This one details Pallas' dealings with Seneca when they colluded over Agrippina's murder.'

Vespasian shook his head in disbelief. 'This one is about how Pallas secured Tigellinus his post as prefect of the Vigiles in exchange for information on Seneca and Burrus which he is still receiving. So that's how he seemed to know that Seneca was trying to get out.'

'Is there anything of interest to me?' Magnus asked over his shoulder.

'I'm afraid that Pallas moved in far higher circles than you, my friend,' Gaius said unrolling a scroll.

'And yet he was a slave and then a freedman and I am a freeborn citizen; I sometimes wonder if it is time to have a little tinker with the system, if you take my meaning?'

No one did.

'Dear boy,' Gaius wheezed, 'this one's for you, if Caenis would let you have it.' He handed the scroll to Vespasian who read it with Caenis leaning over his shoulder.

'So that's what he meant when he said that I might not need cash for the negotiations with Epaphroditus; this details how Pallas blackmailed Nero's freedman to pa.s.s on information about the Emperor's intimate habits by threatening to reveal that he was already doing the same for Seneca.'

'Give that to me, my love,' Caenis said. 'I think that I can use this best.'

'I'm sure you're right.' Vespasian handed Caenis the scroll and grinned at his uncle. 'I think that I might almost enjoy Nero's wedding tomorrow, after all.'

The ode to love growled on. All stood, sat or reclined transfixed in an act of adoration that the elite of Rome now performed to perfection, so used had they become to hearing their Emperor sing.

And none performed it better than Poppaea Sabina: her eyes never left her new husband, sitting next to her, grating out his own composition whilst accompanying himself on the lyre, which he had mastered with the same degree of apt.i.tude as the voice. One hand on her swelling belly and the other resting on Nero's thigh, she gazed at him with the fervour of a devout wors.h.i.+pper in the presence of the deity and all but swooned at every discord and missed note.

In the midst of the adoring crowd of senators and their wives, Vespasian stood next to Flavia, his eyes constantly straying to her, ensuring that she was keeping control of her feelings as she witnessed the phenomenon of a singing emperor for the first time; despite a couple of winces, he thought she acquitted herself tolerably well. Even Seneca, standing on the other side of her, had dressed his face with a look of wonderment and Faenius Rufus and Calpurnius Piso, beyond him, made efforts not to let their disapproval show. Gaius and Sabinus were both seated next to Vespasian: Sabinus with his head in his hands so that his face was obscured and Gaius making use of a large handkerchief, mopping up the sweat on his face in a good imitation of one drying tears of joy.

And joy was soon genuine as the last stanza withered and died, instantly forgotten, bringing the ordeal to an end; the audience burst into rapturous applause and Nero wept with the emotion of it all: the wedding ceremony, the consummation of the marriage with a young boy, looking curiously like Poppaea, standing in for the bride due to her pregnancy and now the wedding feast which he had opened with the ode, dedicated to himself, that he had spent the last month composing.

As Nero soaked up the adulation, Vespasian glanced over to where Caenis stood next to Epaphroditus and caught her eye; she smiled and inclined her head fractionally. By the look on Epaphroditus' face, Vespasian could surmise that a financial inducement had not been needed to secure him his province; relief surged through him as he knew that soon he would, once again, be able to escape the fear that all who came in contact with the Emperor were daily subjected to.

'She's done it,' he said out of the corner of his mouth to Flavia.

'Who's done what?'

'Caenis has secured me the province of Africa next year.'

Flavia snorted. 'Well, if you think that I'll be accompanying you, think again. I didn't marry you just to go back to the semi-barbarous place where I was brought up; now I'm in Rome I'm staying here.'

Vespasian did not respond as the arrangement suited him well and he was afraid that he might be unable to keep the satisfaction out of his voice.

'My friends,' Nero rasped, standing and extending his arms as if to embrace all in the high-ceilinged, botanically frescoed chamber, designed to seem as if it were an extension of the gardens blooming beyond the windows. 'My friends, it grieves me that I do not have the leisure to play for you more but the time has come for you to offer me your gifts in celebration of my marriage and in turn I may grant you a request.' He signalled to Seneca. 'My old friend and tutor, you shall be first.'

Seneca stepped from the crowd. 'Princeps, it is my pleasure, no, my honour, yes honour-'

'I don't care what it is, just get to the point.'

'Yes, Princeps. It is my honour to present you with the total of all my investments in the province of Britannia. Now that you have decided not to abandon the province it is only right that we, your subjects, help in the financial burden that you have placed upon yourself for the good of Rome.' He handed Nero a scroll. 'Since the crus.h.i.+ng of the revolt I have reinvested much of the money that I had taken out; this is a list of those investments, they are all yours.'

Nero took the list and handed it to Epaphroditus. 'And what about the money that Decia.n.u.s took from the Iceni causing the revolt?'

'I was coming to that, Princeps; the Cloelius Brothers will transfer the five million sesterces, in gold, to the treasury ... your treasury in two days.'

Nero's face lit up, exaggerating the flesh now acc.u.mulated on his cheeks. 'A handsome gift, my friend; and what would you have me grant you as a mark of my favour?'

'No more than what your great-great-grandfather granted his loyal servants, Marcus Agrippa and Gaius Maecenas: retirement from public life. They had received their rewards, large indeed, that were in line with their service. In my case ...'

As Seneca launched into what was obviously a prepared speech, Vespasian steeled himself for his gift, consoling himself with the sure knowledge that if he did not give it then it would soon be taken from him by the Emperor who considered everything within the Empire to be his own personal property.

'Should you, who have such an abundance of stamina,' Seneca concluded, 'and who has, over the years, wielded supreme power effortlessly, allow me my repose in my gardens and country homes then that will be counted to your credit.' Seneca bowed his head.

Nero struck a pose of magnanimity, one hand extended to the supplicant before him. 'The fact that I can respond immediately to your prepared speech is what I consider to be your gift to me; you have helped to bring out in me the impromptu as well as the prepared ...'

No one in the room was moved to argue as Nero expounded on his own delusional talents, occasionally giving his tutor a peck of credit, all knowing that there was nothing impromptu about the Emperor whatsoever and that this too was a prepared speech.

So the last great farce between Nero and Seneca was played out in public and, as it came to a close and Seneca offered half his remaining wealth to Nero to let him retire peacefully, Nero surprised all by departing from the script: 'It will not be your moderation that will be on the lips of all if you return the money that you've made from exploiting your position, nor will it be your fortunate retirement they will discuss if you take your leave of your Emperor. No, Seneca; rather, it will be my greed in demanding the fortune and fear of my cruelty that made you leave my service that will be spoken of. Your retirement will make me look bad, old friend.' Nero paused to look at Seneca without a trace of friends.h.i.+p on his face and all in the room knew that the most powerful man in Rome after the Emperor was caught in a prison of his own making: he had no influence and yet could not leave. 'Surely a philosopher would not want to make a friend look bad?'

Nero opened his arms and Seneca submitted himself to an embrace and kiss.

'Go,' Nero commanded, pulling away, 'and wait until such time as I might find a use for your life.' A cruel smile. 'You will hear from me by letter.'

Seneca hung his head. 'As you wish, Princeps.' A broken man, he turned and walked back to his place in the crowd.

As Seneca pa.s.sed, Vespasian asked: 'Was it worth it? All those lives lost for money that can't even guarantee your life?'

Seneca paused and looked at him. 'Guarantee my life? How? How can anyone guarantee their life in this court? We're dying every day.'

Seneca moved on as Piso, Rufus and the rest of the senators began to come forward with their gifts and then to receive, or not, the boon they asked. Piso and Rufus soon returned to their places, their dislike of the situation becoming evident as their backs were turned to the Emperor. After Gaius had just promised a brace of his Germanic slaves, it was Vespasian's turn.

Epaphroditus looked at him with loathing as he approached the Emperor and then whispered something in Nero's ear.

'Princeps,' Vespasian said, 'I have one thing worthy of you.'

'I know it and you have chosen well, Vespasian; your Arab team will make a fine gift. I was antic.i.p.ating no less from you. As you have fulfilled my expectations you shall have what I'm informed that you want: you shall have Africa next year.'

'My thanks, Princeps; I shall serve you and Rome to the best of my ability as governor.'

Turning and trying not to smirk as he caught an outraged-looking Corvinus' eye, Vespasian took his place next to Flavia who pointedly refused to congratulate him.

'Well done, dear boy,' Gaius said as the last few senators began to go forward. 'Governor of Africa and Urban prefect; things are looking good for our family if we can survive in this fear.'

'I shall be hundreds of miles away across the sea, Uncle; I won't feel the fear for all of next year.'

'But we shall live with it constantly,' Sabinus said, 'and it will intensify as he gets worse. His brother, his mother, the prefect of the Praetorian Guard, countless senators and equestrians and now his former tutor and chief advisor just waiting for the letter demanding his suicide; who next? No one is safe.'

'Not us if we give him what he wants.'

'He wants everything.'

'Then, dear boys,' Gaius said as Tigellinus entered the room, 'I suggest we let him have it.'

'Is he here?' Nero asked, a look of excitement on his face.

With his snarl-of-a-rabid-dog smile, Tigellinus nodded.

'Then bring him in!' As Tigellinus did his Emperor's bidding, Nero took Poppaea's hand. 'My dearest, your present has arrived.'

'What is it, husband?' Poppaea purred. 'What more can you give me? What more than this child and to make me your wife?'

'A present born out of love,' Nero replied as Tigellinus escorted Anicetus into the room; he carried a wooden box. 'Bring it here, Anicetus.'

Nero took the box, beaming with delight, and, holding it in one hand, pulled open the lid. 'I give you your security, my dearest.'

Poppaea looked inside and then smiled, cold and cruel; she stuck her hand in and pulled out her wedding gift by the hair. With a howl of triumph, shriller than that of any Fury, and with one hand pressed on the new life growing within her, Poppaea spat in the lifeless face of Claudia Octavia.

All who witnessed it felt a chill; a chill so deep that it froze the heart. Vespasian looked in horror at the Golden Emperor, the man with ultimate power over all, the man who thought nothing of murdering a third member of his family merely as a gift and, along with everyone else in the room, he, Vespasian, shuddered under the weight of the fear.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

THIS BOOK IS based on the works of Tacitus, Suetonius and Ca.s.sius Dio. Unfortunately, however, none of them tell us what Vespasian was doing during the timespan of the story; so, once again, I have had to insert him into the events of the time.

Suetonius and Tacitus both tell us of Nero's rampages through Rome at night disguised in a wig, raping and murdering for amus.e.m.e.nt. Tacitus mentions the unfortunate case of Gaius Julius Monta.n.u.s who was forced to commit suicide after putting up resistance to one of Nero's a.s.saults.

Nero did study music under Terpnus who was considered the greatest lyre-player of the age; during the timespan of this book he kept his 'talent' a secret, singing only to a privileged few. My take on his voice comes from Suetonius telling us that, despite his lying with weights on his chest and using enemas and emetics as well as refraining from eating apples, his voice was 'feeble and husky'.

Venutius was captured by Nasica and the VIIII Hispana in ad 58 after rebelling first against his wife, Cartimandua of the Brigantes who had replaced him with his armour-bearer, Vellocatus and then carrying the rebellion against Rome; his being sent to Rome is my fiction but not entirely impossible.

Sabinus was the Urban prefect at this time and, conveniently so that I could get him to Britannia, was replaced by Pedanius for a year in ad 61.

It is my fiction that Seneca and Pallas conspired together in Nero's murder of his mother, Agrippina. The matricide would have taken a long time to prepare as Anicetus did build a collapsible s.h.i.+p it being fas.h.i.+oned like a swan is my fiction. I have taken a combination of both Suetonius' and Tacitus' accounts of the shameful incident and, apart from inserting Vespasian and Magnus into the action, have not embellished it that much. It was the feast of Minerva; Nero did make a show of reconciliation with his mother even as Suetonius mentions going so far as to kiss her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as she embarked onto the doomed s.h.i.+p. She escaped just as Magnus described and Nero was paralysed by fear of retribution. Seneca and Burrus advised him to act first so Nero did then throw a sword at the feet of her freedman, Agermus, and accused him of being sent by Agrippina to a.s.sa.s.sinate him and then despatched Anicetus, Herculeius and Obartius to kill her. She died inviting her murderers to stab her in the womb that bore Nero. Both Suetonius and Tacitus tell us that Nero examined the dead body of his mother remarking on her beauty; you do not need to make this stuff up!

Nero did steal Otho's wife, Poppaea Sabina, and banish his one-time friend to Lusitania to be governor. Corvinus being replaced in the post is my fiction; however, he was awarded a stipend by Nero to help him out of his poverty.

Tacitus tells us that Nero used to practise chariot racing in a circus at the foot of the Vatican that had originally been commissioned by Caligula. The obelisk that still stands in St Peter's Square is a remnant of that construction. Suetonius mentions Vespasian taking a drive as his morning exercise once he had become emperor so I feel justified in having Vespasian race in this story.

Corbulo was conducting the war against Parthia in Armenia at the time and his despatch is taken from Tacitus' report of events that year.

Seneca, like a lot of wealthy men of the time, did invest heavily in Britannia, charging exorbitant rates of interest. If you fancy a great read on Seneca then I recommend Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero by James Romm. Ca.s.sius Dio says that he had as much as forty million sesterces lent out in Britannia alone. Ca.s.sius Dio also tells us that Seneca calling in all his loans in Britannia was one reason for the uprising; the other was Decia.n.u.s claiming that money lent by Claudius at the beginning of the occupation had to be paid back. Suetonius tells us that Nero considered withdrawing from Britannia, and Tacitus says that Boudicca was flogged and her daughters raped after Prasutagus' will was rejected and his kingdom seized by Rome. I've combined all three sources by making Nero's intent to pull out the catalyst that forces Seneca to call in his loans. Decia.n.u.s insisting the Iceni pay back Claudius' gift and then being responsible for the flogging of Boudicca and the rape of her daughters is the final factor that pushes Boudicca into rebellion. The course of the revolt happened much as described and, again, I've not embellished that much: Camulodunum, Londinium and Verulamium were all destroyed; Ca.s.sius Dio tells us of women having their b.r.e.a.s.t.s cut off and being impaled on stakes. Eighty thousand Roman citizens were butchered as well as Cerialis Vespasian's son-in-law losing most of his legion. Suetonius tells us that t.i.tus served in Britannia and it's possible that he did come as part of the reinforcements from Germania where he also served; his arrival in time for the Battle of Watling Street is my fiction.

The battle itself was a masterpiece by Suetonius Paulinus. Tacitus tells us that he negated Boudicca's far superior numbers by positioning his army between two hills the location is still unknown and formed it into wedges as Boudicca's men closed. He also mentions the families in their wagons hindering the Britannic retreat and leading to many of the eighty thousand deaths that he reports with the loss of only four hundred Romans.

Cogidubnus' presence is my fiction I needed someone to translate Boudicca's speech for us! Both Boudicca's and Paulinus' speeches are a mixture of the versions reported by Tacitus and Ca.s.sius Dio.

Tigellinus and Faenius Rufus did replace Burrus who, Tacitus tells us, was poisoned by Nero. Rufus did have the reputation for honesty after his tenure of the prefect of the grain supply over ten years.

Tacitus tells us about the murder of Pedanius by one of his slaves. There was much sympathy for the plight of the four hundred slaves in his household who, according to Roman law, would all be executed. Gaius Ca.s.sius' speech is abridged from Tacitus and this won the day; all four hundred were crucified.

Tacitus reports Pallas' enforced suicide in ad 62 and the fact that he died having ama.s.sed a fortune of four hundred million sesterces. He must have left children as a descendant of his became consul in the second century.

Nero did divorce Claudia Octavia on the grounds of being barren and then married Poppaea once she became pregnant. Claudia's head was sent to Poppaea to gloat over; it being a wedding present is my fiction but I would not put it past Nero!

My thanks again go to my agent, Ian Drury, at Sheil Land a.s.sociates, along with Gaia Banks and Melissa Mahi in the foreign rights department. A big thank you to my editor, Sara O'Keeffe at Corvus/Atlantic, for her great input that considerably sped up the narrative and for making me realise, once again, that a story cannot just be in my head if others are to enjoy it too! Thanks also to all the people at Corvus/Atlantic who work so hard on my behalf and to Will Atkinson for encouraging them to such great efforts. And thank you for all the posters! Thanks also to Tamsin Shelton for her incredible eye for mistakes and disastrous sentences during the copy-edit.

To my shame I've never acknowledged Tim Byrne for his atmospheric cover designs that add so much to the story; thanks, Tim, I love every one.

Finally, my thanks and love to the two people who always join me for the story: my wife, Anja, and you, dear reader.

Vespasian's story will continue in Rome's Sacred Flame.

Also by Robert Fabbri.

THE VESPASIAN SERIES.

TRIBUNE OF ROME.

ROME'S EXECUTIONER FALSE G.o.d OF ROME.

ROME'S FALLEN EAGLE MASTERS OF ROME.

ROME'S LOST SON Coming soon...

ROME'S SACRED FLAME SHORT STORIES.

THE CROSSROADS BROTHERHOOD.

THE RACING FACTIONS.

THE DREAMS OF MORPHEUS.

THE ALEXANDRIAN EMBa.s.sY.

Coming soon...

THE IMPERIAL TRIUMPH.

First published in hardback in Great Britain in 2016 by Corvus, an imprint of Atlantic Books Ltd.

Copyright Robert Fabbri, 2016.