Within a few hours, Labienus was loping off towards Gades with one of his other wonderful horses, and Cottus on a mule leading another pack mule. On his legs he wore his favorite riding boots, covered with an extra set of leggings, and he sported a fitted leather vest with long flaps to cover his upper thighs. He wore breeches made of a combination of linen and leather that remained cool but afford extra grip and so made long distance riding less tiring. Labienus was definitely a man of the military and cavalry, and did not suffer dawdling. Like Sulla, he also chose to wear a large hat tied on with ribbons to keep the sun off, and he did not care what anyone thought; his prowess in the field was too well known to have it hurt his image.

A gifted horseman from his youth, he was unusual from most Romans because he did not walk everywhere. Consummate in his equestrian abilities, Labienus was a true knight if there ever was one. What harshness and brutality he used on Man was never visited upon Equine. There, and only there, did Labienus demonstrate a gentleness, patience, and kindness completely at odds with the rest of his deportment. In one hand he could be beating down mercilessly upon the head of some unlucky legionary with his heavy fly baton, whilst his other hand fingered the reins with the most subtle of gestures. Spurs he might use, but they were aids, not an item of punishment. To neglect your mount was to ask for a most hideous punishment from Labienus, because speed and hard riding were what he demanded, and the horse had to be up to the task.

Cottus, his scribe, clerk, and now freedman client, had seen far more miles than he cared to count in Labienus’ service, and reckoned that they would cover 50 miles before nightfall. People could talk about Ceasar speed, but Labienus on a horse could outdistance them all. He would set the animals he bred to a steady flat lope, far more comfortable than a trot, and simply eat up the miles. Moving like he was now, lightly encumbered, he could be counted on to move at an unstoppable 12 miles an hour; a good 100 miles a day. Cottus hunkered down, a born rider himself, and prepared for an onslaught of dust and sweat from 300 miles of travel with nights on the ground under a simple tarp.

GM Movement: 3 days travel for Labienus to reach Gades IRL I will let his take 2 days. (Hope I got this part right!)