The fidelity of love.
Flavius arranged a surreptitious meeting between Longinus and Iona.
"I can only allow you a few moments," Flavius murmured.
Longinus and Iona fell into each others arms, joined by the hunger of their lips. He explained what he intended to do, then their words were hushed and brief, sensing the economy of time.
"I have longed to hold you in my arms," she whispered, "And now, off to Rome, and I cannot come with you. Will I see you again, Longinus?" She began to weep silently.
He gently wiped away a tear, which was slowly trickling down her cheek, "No more than I longed for you," he murmured, "I will return."
She held him tighter, "My heart is stabbed, again and again, thinking of you so far away, and not knowing what our fate will be."
"We will from moment to moment, day by day, until I return," Longinus repeated, "Then we will be together always."
Iona stepped away momentarily, placing her hands over her eyes and composing herself. Then she came into his arms again. "An appeal to the Emperor, does it not have to be declared before a magistrate?"
"It will be," Longinus murmured, "Flavius will take me to the Praetorium today."
"I will find a way to come to Rome," Iona whispered, "Wherever you are, I will find you."
"Would it not be better to remain here?" Longinus questioned.
"No," Iona insisted, "I will come to Rome. Wherever you will be, I also desire to be. Whatever happens, I want to be your wife."
Longinus felt a rush of joy, "Yes, I could desire nothing more. We will find a way."
"I spoke to Simon Peter," Iona said, "He will say the words over us. I did not know whom else to ask. Perhaps his God has given him words to say to those who wish to marry." She kissed his lips lightly, "You have not said that you will marry me."
"Are the women of Thessaly so bold?" Longinus asked tenderly.
"Yes, when they love as I do," she answered.
Flavius' voice sounded faintly at the door, "Longinus, Lady Iona, the time is spent."
Their lips were joined once again in a kiss, then she stepped away, with a lingering look at Longinus. He touched her hand tenderly and whispered, "Soon, Iona, soon."
Flavius barked an order to the two guards in the hallway, "Conduct the lady safely to her home."
The Roman military was world unto itself. Although obedience to governing authority was sacrosanct, there were many ways in which the military operated entirely on its own, with its own set of rules and codes, all of them unwritten. Unquestioning obedience to a commanding officer was the ruling code, and few soldiers or junior officers questioned a command decision; it was totally unthinkable. The proficient commander literally had a machine at his disposal, a tendency which would play a greater part in the governance of Rome in later decades. Beginning in the reign of Augustus, soldiers received regular pay, to discourage the seizing of booty and loot, and a state fund was established for military men who had completed their term of service and wished to retire.
A Roman soldier possessed unswerving loyalty to his commander and was totally lacking in political agenda. These matters were left to the politicians. As long as pay was constant and living conditions were better, the Roman soldier adhered to command decisions without question.
Without Longinus' knowledge, Flavius conducted a poll of the soldiers and junior officers in the Antonia. He knew instinctively that the main body of the force with reply in the affirmative when questioned about the actions of Longinus. Orders were given; orders were followed. He called a meeting of all the junior officers and questioned them individually on their feelings about Longinus' countermand of Pilate's order to execute the rebel captives. Of the sixty men he queried, lieutenants and centurions, forty nine answered in the affirmative, supporting Longinus' decision and stating that it was the prerogative of a commander to dispose of prisoners as he judged best. Seven officers demurred, claiming that they preferred to offer no opinion, and the remaining four men objected, pointing out that it was an act of disloyalty to the state to disobey any authority, civilian or military. On a second questioning to all sixty men, Flavius raised the question of mutiny. None of them agreed that mutiny would be called for in this instance; even those objecting said that they would obey whatever order was given to them.
Thus emboldened and fortified, Flavius felt that he had formidable force at his back.
