Chapter One

     I had been fasting for three days. Hunger gnawed at my body, but I couldn't let it get to me. There would be plenty of time to eat after the ritual had been performed.

     I stepped into the center of the forum, my white robe gleaming in the midday sunlight. One of the other priests standing around the altar approached me. "Haruspex Apollonius," he murmured, inclining his head. "How go your preparations?"

     "I am almost ready," I replied. "Have you the egg?"

     He nodded. "Yes, m'lord." He stepped over to the other priests, conversed with them for a moment, and returned carrying an egg in his palm so gently that one would have thought it a newborn infant if not for its size.

      I took the egg from him and began to examine it. "Tell me, Camillus, what is this?"

     He bent forward, nose almost touching my fingers as I held out the egg. He visibly paled. "It's... it's a spot, m'lord," he said lamely.

     "Yes, I can see that, Camillus. What is it doing on the ritual egg?"

     He swallowed. "I must have brought you the wrong egg, m'lord. Forgive me." He bowed and excused himself.

     I sighed, shaking my head. "Stultus vir." Stupid man. If only he had been smart enough or strong enough to enter a different occupation. The army, perhaps. But instead he was stuck here with me, a crabby old man. Some days I pitied myself; mostly, I pitied Camillus for having to deal with a senex like me.

     A waving hand caught my eye. Glancing towards the other haruspices, who were, all but Camillus, gathered around the altar - Camillus himself was, I surmised, searching for another egg to use for the ritual - I stepped off of the platform on which we were standing. I was greeted by a tall, regal looking man with a thatch of thick, dark hair. "Domine Brutus," I said in surprise. "What on earth are you doing here at this hour? Do you not have a senate meeting with Imperator Caesar?"

     "Yes, I do." He appeared jovial when first greeting me, but his countenance quickly shifted into one of a weary, troubled man. "I just came to speak with you, if you do not mind, Apollonius."

      "Of course not. What is it that troubles you, amicus?"

      Brutus sighed, a mix of emotions flitting across his face in the span of just a few seconds. "I... I'm afraid I cannot tell even you, my old friend. I shall tell you after events, like the river, run their course. But before then..." he trailed off.

       "I understand, my friend." I scanned his face, but saw no hint as to what he was worried about.

       "Haruspex! We are ready for you!"

       "I'm afraid I must go, Brutus. My brothers are waiting for me to start the ritual. Vale."

       "Vale."

Chapter Two

       "Fortuna, goddess of fortune, help us today to divine the future of our lord emperor, Iulius Caesar."

       "Fortuna, goddess of fortune, help us today to divine the future of our lord emperor, Iulius Caesar," the rest of the diviners echoed.

       I carried a cup of water and the egg in a clockwise circle around the altar. Setting the egg gently on the altar where it would not roll off, I used the water to wash the hands of myself and the other haruspices. When they were clean, I stretched out my hands and called, "Apollo, Fortuna, Sors, Themis! Hear me and know that we here today call upon you to cast your spell upon this egg. Let it show the fortune of our lord emperor, Iulius Caesar!" With a blade, I carefully cracked the shell of the egg and poured it out onto a plate set on the altar. It came out in one piece; I breathed a sigh of relief. The ritual wouldn't have to be repeated.

       Carefully I bent over the altar to examine the egg. At first glance, it appeared to be in perfect condition. But as I continued to examine it, however, frightful details began to appear to me. Images ran through my head as I examined the egg. That is the reason why I was made the head haruspex; when I am divining the future, I get visions from the gods themselves.

       Finally I pulled away from the altar with a frightful gasp, my face ashen. "Lord Caesar! I must see Lord Caesar!" The other soothsayers fell away from me, hushed, wondering what it was I saw. I pushed past them, barely seeing them. I stumbled off the platform, nearly falling, in fact, as I made my way to the building where the senate meetings were held. I was held up for several minutes as a centurio led his horses across the forum. Finally I busted through the door of the senate, where Caesar, Brutus, and several other men were convening. They looked up at me in shock. "My lord!" I took a deep breath. "My lord Caesar: Beware the Ides of March!"

       And then I lost conciousness.

Chapter Three

       I awoke in my villa. I felt weak, as if I had just run up and down all seven of the hills surrounding Rome. My head pounded, and I groaned softly.

       "My lord?" I looked up to see one of my slaves in the doorway, holding a platter. "You're awake. I'm so glad." He sounded relieved.

       "Glad," I echoed softly, thinking back to the senate meeting. I had burst in, given Caesar my news, and then... What? I had no recollection of what happened next.

        The slave, Pyrrhus, told me that I had fainted after delivering the prophecy. Brutus and his friend Cassius had bourne me to my home, then left. That had been a little less than a day ago. "Di immortales," I swore. In my vision, Brutus, Cassius, and several other men from the senate had been conspiring to kill Caesar. Other men may tell me that it had just been a daydream, but I knew the truth. Everything I saw in my visions always came true. I stood, ignoring the feeling of vertigo that plagued me. "Pyrrhus, go to Emperor Caesar's chambers. I must speak with him immediately!"

        After Pyrrhus left, I quickly dressed, ignoring the help that the slave-girls offered me. In the atrium, I paused for a moment to look in the impluvium, the still water reflecting my image. And a poor image it was; my brown hair, streaked with grey, was extremely disheveled. Lines adorned my face like furs on a barbarian warrior. My eyes were red, though whether it be from lack of sleep or an after effect of the vision, I didn't know. I stepped out into the road only to be met by a returning Pyrrhus. "Milord." He bowed. "Caesar is on his way to a senate meeting. He says his wife, Calpurnia, tried to keep him home with some nonsense about dreams. Dreams about his assassination, I believe it was. Such foolishness that women spout. Caesar will speak to you after the meeting is over, milord."

        I swore once more. If even the wife of Caesar was having visions about his death, then the event itself must be imminent. The bud of panic, already germinating, fully bloomed inside me. I brushed past Pyrrhus with hardly more than a thank you, heading at a near-run for the forum. My villa was on the outskirts of Rome, so it took me a very long time to get there, even at the speed I was going. And when I reached there...

       A crowd roared. More than one woman was crying. Even the men looked emotional, stoic as they usually were. And Caesar...

       Caesar lay on the altar at which I had performed my ritual just yesterday - had it been only yesterday? His tunica was torn, stained by his own blood. He had been stabbed many times. Cassius and Brutus stood in the background, blood staining their hands, conferring with each other. Finally, Brutus stepped up to the altar to speak.

        I didn't listen; I turned away. If only I had not fainted yesterday. If only Calpurnia could have convinced Caesar to stay home today. If only I could have run a little bit faster. If only, if only, if only. But I had not. She had not. He had not. And there was no way to take any of it back now. Once a crime has been committed, it can never be undone. We can only deal with the consequences of our actions and hope that we live through it all.

        I may not have committed the foul deed, but I feel as if I had. Caesar is dead, and I saw it happen in my vision. I can't change the future any more than I can change the color of the sky, but perhaps the gods will punish the conspirators on Caesar's behalf. There is nothing more that I myself can do for him.