The days of calm after the victory had grown heavy. The legionaries polished their weapons, reinforced palisades, and joked among themselves, but something hung in the air. Something that neither wine nor glory could hide.
In a corner of the camp, Scaeva was sharing a loaf of bread with Sextus, Titus, and Atticus. The smoke from the fires and the echoes of laughter masked what was truly brewing between the tents.
—"Have you heard it?" said Atticus in a low voice.
—"Heard what?" asked Titus, drinking without much interest.
—"That the next enemy isn't Gallic. He's German."
Sextus frowned. Scaeva swallowed and slowly nodded.
—"Ariovistus. That's what they call him. They say he crossed the Rhine with thousands of men. That he takes hostages from tribes allied to Rome. That Caesar himself wants to speak only of him at this afternoon's council."
—"And who is this Ariovistus?" Titus asked, chewing while staring into the fire.
—"A threat," said Scaeva. "A real one."
Meanwhile, in the center of the camp, inside the largest and most heavily guarded tent, Julius Caesar spoke before his general staff. Labienus, Fonteius, several tribunes, and Gallic envoys listened in silence.
—"Ariovistus was recognized by the Senate. That's true," Caesar began. "But that was before. Before he took hostages from our allies. Before he demanded tribute like he were king of all Gaul. Before he thought himself invincible."
He opened the map and pointed to the region east of the Saône River.
—"The Aedui have asked us for help. And we are not Rome if we do not answer."
Fonteius spoke up:
—"Are you saying we'll march east?"
—"I'm saying," Caesar replied, "that if we let a German rule Gaul, tomorrow others will cross the Rhine. And the next day, they'll be at the gates of Massalia. Rome cannot allow it."
—"And Ariovistus's army?" asked Labienus. "What do we know?"
—"Over a hundred thousand men. Some say his soldiers feel no pain. Others, that their women fight alongside the men. I say they bleed like all the rest."
Silence fell for a moment. Then Caesar added:
—"We will move soon. Before his reinforcements cross. Before he thinks he can negotiate from above."
In the distance, the conversation didn't reach. But the rumor did.
Sextus and Atticus exchanged glances. Titus shrugged, like a man who sees a storm coming and doesn't move. And Scaeva simply muttered:
—"It'll be worse than Bibracte. But I wouldn't trade my place for anyone's."