PANTERA - Sara Reinke

SARA REINKEencounter with a girl in Sidon only a year earlier, he had noconfidence in his ability to either perform more adequately, orplease more readily in the company of a skilled woman than hehad in the presence of a novice. It was mortification he coulddo without, and he seized on this opportunity to escape it. “I’llfind you,” he said. “Go before you lose the others. I’ll be rightbehind.”The market district stretched for numerous cityblocks, inside buildings and crammed among the close quartersof Sepphoris’ narrow streets, offering a dizzying array ofproduce, fresh and salted meats, textiles, baskets, pottery,glassware, dry goods, wine, oils and nearly everything a mancould fathom to buy. It was the height of the afternoon; amarvelous, moderate spring day, and the margin of spacebetween the rows of vending stalls and storefronts was packedwith people. Opilio glanced over his shoulder dubiously at thethrong, and then back toward Abdes. “Alright,” he said. “But ifyou get lost—if you’re not back at the main gate by dusk―it’syour hide to face the lash alone for it.”Abdes was used to facing the lash. That had beenstandard fare at his home as much as in the army. “Go,” hetold Opilio, smiling at him in reassurance. Opilio was genuinelyenthusiastic about shelling out the remnants of his viaticum ona prostitute, and Abdes did not want him to miss out on theopportunity solely on his account. “It will be fine. Go. I’ll beright there.”Opilio nodded and then grinned broadly as he turned,ducking among the crowd, hurrying after their fellows. Abdesturned back to the vending stall and gazed forlornly down atthe papyrus scrolls, wax tablets, ink wells and styluses.He had been given a viaticum allowance of sevenhundred and fifty denarii upon his enlistment, but had knownlittle if any opportunity to enjoy this advance on his wages.Already, five hundred and twenty-five had been debited tocover the cost of the helmet, sword, scabbard, sandals andchain mail shirt the army had given him—not that any of thesewas worth the cost he had been charged. Equipment in theRoman army was limited in number; most tended to be handedaround and passed down as long as it was deemed to be even6