*label kegan_help?
*choice
    #I need to help him.
        *goto help_kegan
    #Don't interfere.
        *goto nope_kegan

*label nope_kegan
I keep watching the unfolding scene. The boy is already on the ground, groaning in pain. Other soldiers gather around to gawk at the scene, but not too close to receive the wrath of the Optio instead. They know the same thing as I do: It's better to stay on the sidelines.

*fake_choice
    #Every man for themselves.
        *set ruthless +5
        *set kegan_notmet true
        I don't have the time nor the will to save every single one of the soldiers getting beaten. It's a daily occurrence, I'd have nothing else to do.
        
        When it's all over, someone runs to the boy. A man, by the looks of him prone to sticking his nose into other people's business. He's going to have his hands full here if that's his attitude. He shoots me a quick glance, but I ignore it.
        
        I've got stuff to do, places to be.
        *goto_scene chapter_1 ch1_bath
    #I need to avoid unwanted attention.
        *set disciplined +3
        How could I help the boy anyway? I'd just get beaten myself. It's the reality of a military camp, there's nothing more to it. 
        
        Even if I wanted to help, I couldn't. Even if the cries of the boy reminds me of the cries of my brother, I can't. A knot tightens in my stomach, but I remain standing.
    #It hurts, but there's not much I can do to help him.
        *set ruthless -3
        I flinch as the boy screams again, and I can't help but to compare him to my own brother. I shake my head as if to get rid of such thoughts. I can't do anything.
        
        That's the reality of a military camp. 
      
Series of cries follow my decision, each of them making my body twitch involuntarily. Finally it halts; the Optio has had his fill of enjoyment for the day. As the group disperses, a man beside me runs for the boy.

"Kegan! Are you alright?" 

Following his example I crouch on the ground next to the boy. He's in a fetal position, groaning and moaning. Tears flow freely from his squinted eyes. The man next to him just notices me and smiles despite worry tainting his features. He's older than I am. Almost too old for army.
        
The boy, Kegan, finally musters the strength to get up. He stumbles but keeps standing. His vitals seem intact, the Optio knew to hit the soft spots. "I'm fine," he says finally, convincing no one.

"You sure?" The man asks.

The boy nods. His face is red when his gaze finds mine. He mutters something and leaves with a quicker step I thought possible for his battered condition.

*page_break

The man looks after the boy and turns to me. "He's fine. At least as fine as you can be after a beating like that." 

I nod. 

"I'm Floyd." He gives me a warm smile, warmer than I anticipated to see in these surroundings.

"Hati. Is he your… brother?"
        
"No. Just a boy. A shame to grow up in the army."

My gaze rests in the direction the boy took off. "I didn't know they took in boys so young." 

"There are exceptions. He's one of them." He frowns, it's a face filled with worry for others. Judging by the wrinkles on his forehead he's used to the expression. "The war with the Picts is taking a toll on the Roman army."

An involuntary smirk almost forces its way in to my face, but I stop it, barely. My people didn't go down without a fight. At least I can take solace in that.

By the time I return from my thoughts, the man's studying me. "You look like you've been through a lot."

I follow his gaze to the dirt on my arms, the sight making me conscious over the dirt weighing down my hair. There's no denying I look like I just woke up from the ditch. The man, Floyd, keeps looking at me.

What is it, I almost ask, but I don't have time before his hand is already moving towards my face.

What the?

*fake_choice
    #Take a step back.
        I flee his touch with a frown. "What are you doing?"
        
        He merely gives me an apologetic smile before yanking his hand back. "Sorry. A bad habit. There was a stain, and—"
        
        "You're wiping strangers' faces off of stains? Were you going to use your spit, too?"
        
        He laughs, too freely. "You got me!"
        
    #Smack his hand away.
        Without much thought I smack his intruding hand away from my face. No one touches me without my permission. He's left gawking before collecting himself.
        
        "I'm sorry. There was a stain and I acted without thought. I shouldn't treat you like a child. You don't even know me."
        
        I shake my head. Indeed I don't, but at least he acknowledges it.
        
    #Stay where I am.
        It's a mix of curiosity and confusion that keeps me standing where I am. My eyes are on his nearing hand until it backs up. Good. I take a relieved breath.
        
        Then, he spits on his palm and starts rubbing my cheek with strength, his brows furrowed in concentration.
        
        "Uh—"
        
        *fake_choice
            #"What in the hells?"
                As if just realizing what he did, his face turns into a deep shade of red. "Uh. Sorry. A bad habit."
                
                Wetness tickles my cheek as I try to gather my thoughts about the man whose habits include second-hand licking people's faces. "Your bad habit involves you scrubbing strangers' faces with spit?"
                
                "Uh. Something like that. Comes with children."
                
                "Uh-huh."
            #"Thank you?"
                He beams as his hand retreats, evidently leaving my cheek stain-free, merely moistened with saliva. "Sorry about that. A bad habit, my apologies."
                
                Wetness tickles my cheek as I try to gather my thoughts about the man whose habits include second-hand licking people's faces.
                
                He laughs and backs off. "I didn't meant to traumatize you. It was a massive stain and… Want me to wipe the saliva off?"
                
                "No."
                
His gaze lies on my bare arms, stained by the road. "You look like you've been sleeping in a ditch for a couple of weeks. You should really consider taking a bath."
        
He's not wrong. I'm not even sure when was the last time I bathed. The thought makes the dirt itch. "There are baths here?"
        
"Sure there is! Romans love their baths. Do you mind the crowds?"

I nod.

"Then I suggest waiting a bit. There are less people there at the later hour."

*if sex = "woman"
    That would be perfect. I don't need any prying eyes.
*goto_scene chapter_1 ch1_bath

*label help_kegan
*set help_kegan true
*set ruthless -5
"Hey, you!" I yell as I run up to the pair. Every head nearby turns to look at me, a source of the sudden insubordination. I have no time to think of the strategy on how to actually help. This is a stupid plan and it can only end up in one way.

"Who the fuck—" Optio turns and shouts with spit hitting my face. "You again?!"
        
The situation sorts itself out faster than I anticipated. It begins with already a familiar jolt of pain on my shin.
        
"I do [b]NOT[/b] –" 
        
A smack on my thigh. 

"– tolerate –" 
        
A smack on my ass. 
        
"– interrupting!"
        
As the last blow hits my other shin, I fall down. Coarse sand meets with my cheek as I gasp for breath. Convulsing pain radiates from the places the rod met with my flesh, running through the whole of my body.

"Stay down." Optio spits at me.

Next the raging officer turns his attention back to the cowering boy before him. "Back to your fucking duties, imbecile."
        
"You!" He turns to me. "Get the fuck up, [i]soldier[/i]." I stand up as I will myself not to show any sign of weakness.

*choice
    #Defy him by looking at him straight in the eyes.
        *set brazen +10
        *set disciplined -10
        *set ch1_shitter true
        If I thought he looked angry before, he manages to prove me wrong. His eyes almost bulge out of his sockets.
        
        "You little —"
        *goto shitter
    #Mutter under my breath.
        *set brazen +5
        *set disciplined -5
        *set ch1_shitter true
        "Do I hear whining, you little shit —"
        
        Well, shit.
        *goto shitter
    #Keep my eyes on the ground.
        *set disciplined +10
        He's in a position to demand me of submission and there seems to be no other reasonable solution than to oblige. Even if it pains me, I need to kneel.
        
        "Let this be your last warning. Next time I will fucking kill you."
        
        "Yes, sir." 
        
        The officer leaves and the distant crowd disbands. Legs throbbing with pain I struggle to keep my footing while muttering silent curses. Soon two pairs of hands grab my arms, holding me in place. Two men keep me up. Or at least one man, the other is the same boy I just saved from a worse beating.
        
        "Thank you for interfering." The older one smiles at me. 
        
        I offer him a mere pained grunt as an answer.
        
        "I'm Floyd." He wipes some of the mud from my tunic before letting me go.
        
        "My name is Kegan." The younger one says before glancing back to the ground as I meet his eyes. He still keeps a hold of my arm.
        
        "I can manage," I say, looking to get my limb back. 
        
        His face flares up and he almost throws my arm away. Floyd, on the other hand, scrutinizes my appearance with almost an uncomfortable painstakingness.
        
        "Are you alright? What's your name?" He asks.
        
        I merely nod. As fine as I could be in this situation. "Hati."
        
        "Hm. Were you a child of temper for your parents to give you that name?"
        
        "…Something like that."
        
        "Well, thank you again." His eyes scrutinize me again, this time worry deepening the wrinkles on his face. "You should probably go and see the doctor, I can show you the way—"
        
        "I can manage." I repeat the sentiment. 
        
        *fake_choice
            #I just wish he'd leave me alone already.
            #Give him a small smile as thanks. 
                This time I offer him a slight smile to thank the man for his consideration. I didn't expect to meet decent people in this place.
        
        Soon a pair of slim hands grasp me into tight embrace. A grunt escapes my lips as they squeeze my battered limbs. It's the boy. Before I can react, he lets me go with the same speed he let go of my arm, this time with a panicked squeal before fleeing the scene.
        
        I'm left to stare behind him. Floyd watches after the boy, a warm smile decorating his steady features.
        
        "Is he your… brother?"
        
        "No. Just a boy. A shame to grow up in the army."

        My gaze rests in the direction the boy took off. "I didn't know they took in boys so young." 

        "There are exceptions. He's one of them." He frowns, it's a face filled with worry for others. Judging by the wrinkles on his forehead he's used to the expression. "The war with the Picts is taking a toll on the Roman army."

        An involuntary smirk almost forces its way in to my face, but I stop it, barely. My people didn't go down without a fight. At least I can take solace in that.

        The man's gaze moves back to me, studying me. "You look like you've been through a lot."

        I follow his gaze to the dirt on my arms, the sight making me conscious over the dirt weighing down my hair. There's no denying I look like I just woke up from the ditch. The man, Floyd, keeps looking at me.
        
        "You could really use a bath."
        
        He's not wrong. I'm not even sure when was the last time I bathed. The thought makes the dirt itch. "There are baths here?"
        
        "Of course! Romans love them. You mind the crowds?"

        I nod.

        "Then I suggest waiting a bit. There are less people there at the later hour."

        *if sex = "female"
            That would be perfect. I don't need any prying eyes.
        *goto_scene chapter_1 ch1_bath
        
*label shitter
*page_break Off to my punishment...
I smother a gag as I wipe another stain of feces off of the toilet seat. Am I really surprised that the Romans can't even defecate where they're supposed to? The room is littered with tens of holes on a wooden plank, and every one of them is stained. I start splashing water to wash the feces off, but do so in such an angered hurry that all of it splatters back on me.

I take a deep sigh and try to ignore the need to gag again. I need to calm down. The sooner I manage that, sooner I can get out of here.

Was it really worth to annoy the Optio even further?
*fake_choice
    #Definitely.
        *set disciplined -10
        I may not survive for long in the army, but at least I go down fighting. I snort and accidentally inhale a healthy dose of rancid air, again.
    #No.
        I know it wasn't, sometimes it's just hard not to follow the whims of my defiance. That will get me into trouble here. The pain in my shins is merely a dull ache, a fading remnant of the realities of living in the army.
    #I really don't care.
        Apathy fills my mind, as if I really didn't care what happens to me. Maybe I don't. Maybe that's the whole reason why I'm here in the army filled with enemies.

The end of my unwelcomed shift finally comes and I welcome it with stains of feces on my new clothes. It's a fitting start for my career in the army. 

*page_break

As I stroll away from the stench the same boy I saved from further beating closes in on me. He has an older man with him, both of them wear big smiles on their faces.

"We wanted to thank you. My name is Floyd." The older one introduces himself. He already has wrinkles on the corners of his eyes, giving away a man who is in a habit of smiling. 

"My name is Kegan." The boy says. I nod at them.

"Don't worry, we won't bother you any further. I see you're…" Floyd's eyes quickly skim on my dirtied clothes. "Umm… Quite ready for bed. After a bath or two."

"There's a bath?" I didn't even think of a possibility for a bath. My future plans consisted of wiping myself with the dirty tunic and… I suppose that wasn't a good plan.

"Sure there is! Romans love their baths. I don't believe there's anyone there at such a late hour."

*if sex = "female"
    That would be perfect. I don't need anyone questioning on why I insist on keeping a tunic on. 

The boy, Kegan, takes a few steps towards me, as if preparing for a hug. However, he halts when he enters the sphere of my stench. 

"Umm. Thank you, sir, for helping me," he says from a safe distance. Again I give him a nod, this time with a slight smile. He does remind me of him. He used to follow me around with wide eyes and agree with everything I said. The little suck-up.

The memory brings forth warmth in my chest before distorting into pain.

"Are you alright?" Floyd asks.

I nod, too quickly, too willing to leave.

He hesitates, but still points me to the right direction. I'd thank him if I didn't need to leave. Now.
*goto_scene chapter_1 ch1_bath