The decision of Gnaeus and Sextus to take their legions and navy over to Ceasar had not worried Labienus to the extent the news about Pompey himself did. Pompey’s sons were enough their own men that they would not necessarily remain Ceasar’s supporters one moment longer than it worked for them. However, good commanders though they were, they might find it difficult to wean the legions back away from Ceasar should Pompey not be there to receive them. Pompey may not be all himself anymore, but he was still a great recruiting point. Perhaps now that Cornelia Metella had proven herself an intelligent woman of great sense and support, Pompey might find his footing again.

“Cornelia Metella…” Labienus mused out loud to himself. An interesting woman, from what he could tell. He really couldn’t say that he knew her well, since he had been gone from Rome serving in multiple military commands during so many of her formative years. Yet as a fellow knight of Picenum with his own towns of clients-primarily Cingulum, he knew why she had been married to Pompey, what her status was with him, and he had had the occasions to read a few missives from her when shared by Pompey’s sons as happened in legates’ messes. When in Rome on business, he had paid his respects, and passed along any letters as a favor as much as keeping political ties friendly with gens Pompeii. Several times he had done so when she was in Picenum, as the Pompeii had many estates around Cingulum. On every occasion she had behaved properly as any Roman Matron would, and while gracious, made it very clear that while Labienus was not her husband’s client, he was not her peer; there would be no intimacy or friendship there. Initially this had vexed him, because he recognized she was a woman of some courage and much intelligence, but due to the incredibly narrow aristocratic world of her father, Scipio Nasica, she would remain stuck in the ultra-conservative mud of the idiotic boni.

As the visits accumulated however, Labienus realized that while Cornelia Metella might be an intellectual snob, she was not a noxious zealot like Cato, or an abomination like his daughter Porcia. There was more going on beneath the reserved enigmatic surface, reflected in her willingness to learn to ride horses astride as well as aside, and may well have been due in some part to the influence of Magnus himself. She was her own person, and the only mud she would get stuck in would be a quagmire of her own creating. Interestingly, when Labienus thought of Cornelia, he could not visualize how she looked beyond her seat on a horse, though he knew she was not perfectly decent looking, if not a Venus. He made his decision, and was glad that he was a Calvary Commander, as it gave the perfect opening….

“Cottus!” Labienus barked out. “ Find those two slaves of the Pompeii, I know they didn’t go with the legions, and I suspect they will be going back to Picenum under the circumstances.” A slamming door told Labienus that his scribe had already started on his errand, and so went into his study in the deserted camp command house to write.

Cornelia Metella Scipionis,
Domina, I am sure you have been informed of the catastrophe that has befallen your husband Pompey Magnus. As a fellow Knight and a Pontifex, I simply wish to offer you my service should you require it. Cingulum is close by, and no service is too small, from equines to………..

Te maneo manere. Habeas istuis… Labienus finished up as the door crashed open again. Moments later Cottus led two men obviously ready for fast light travel in front of him. Labienus gazed at them from beneath his upswept eyebrows. “ You are going to Picenum, I gather, and I see I am just in time. I want you to carry a few missives, if you will, including one to Cornelia Metella.” They looked at the ground before answering in the affirmative. So he had been right; they were not Pompey’s men, they were Cornelia’s. Interesting, interesting, but also good because it meant his missive was less likely to end up being read and copied before getting to her. He had never doubted these slaves would see she got the letter, simply that she got it unopened. Pompey had always hedged his women in, before Julia, but had he resumed? If he had, Cornelia Metella was circumnavigating it. Yes, VERy interesting….

“I will provide you with seals through Spain for post horses, as I have not been relieved of my legatorial imperium yet, but you will have to work on your own until you get into Pompeian lands again. I presume you have been given enough funds for that?” They nodded in the affirmative again. “Fine, then I expect you to depart as planned. My clients will see that you are rewarded.” He handed them a pouch with several scrolls, some of which really were for his clients. Should these slaves get questioned after all, they would find nothing out of order with Labienus’ request. “ You may go,” he dismissed them, and then walked out himself to find a few Cavalry Centurians from his days with Isacauris who had retired to Spain.