Roman Historical Fiction

By
David Lyev
INT. GUARD OUTPOST - DAY
The outpost is large, but disused. The stone walls are
cracked and overgrown with moss, and the wooden floors are
old and partially rotted in places. The only section of the
outpost that looks as if it has been used recently is the
stone table in the outpost’s center, clean and new.
The area around the table has also been cleared of moss and
dust, though little could be done about the floor’s poor
condition. The table is cluttered with scrolls and loose
parchment, mostly containing things like detailed troop
movements and graphs. Around the table sit two men, ALISTER
and BRUTUS THE CENTURION.
Alister looks very much ill-at-ease and out of place in the
dingy surroundings. He wears soft, fancy robes, colorfully
decorated, and his arms in covered in jewelery. His face is
full of scorn, staring down at the man across the table from
him.
Brutus, by contrast, looks very much at home in the rundown
outpost. His armor is dented and spotted with tarnish, signs
of a man who did not maintain his equipment. He is unshaven
and sleepy-looking, leaning forward to support his chin on
his clasped hands.
ALISTER
You know why I’m here, Centurion?
BRUTUS
Yessir.
There’s an awkward pause.

ALISTER
You will answer me fully when I ask
you a question, Centurion.
BRUTUS
I thought I did. Sir.
Alister grits his teeth.
ALISTER
Watch yourself, Centurion. You come
highly recommended, but much more
of this dissrespect, I’ll have you
hanged. Understand?
Brutus makes a valiant effort to come to something
resembling attention.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.

BRUTUS
Yessir.
Alister sighs.
ALISTER
Fine. Tell me the plan.
BRUTUS
Sir.

Brutus straightens up and leans over the table. As he

shuffles some partchment around, his expression becomes more
focused, as if waking up from a nap.
BRUTUS
Okay. I had some scouts look the
city over, and we think our best
entrance is here.
He jabs a finger down on a plan of a small city. Alister
peers over at the plan.

ALISTER
...That is the main gate.
BRUTUS
Yessir, it is.

ALISTER
Surely there are other, more subtle
ways into a city so on-guard for
enemy troops.
BRUTUS
Sure there is. I could even tell
you where they are. Trouble is, I
would wager they know where they
are as well. Only people with
something to hide sneak in.

ALISTER
But you do have something to hide.
BRUTUS
No sense advertising it. A few men
in rags, with no weapons? They’ll
wave us through the main gate
without looking twice. We might be
able to sneak through if we really
wanted to sneak some weapons in,
but it would require time,
preparation, bribes... I was under
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.

BRUTUS (cont’d)
the impression this was
time-sensitive.

ALISTER
Correct. Carry on.
BRUTUS
Sir. So, no swords, no armor. We
may be able to sneak in a knife or
two, but that’s it.
ALISTER
You plan to kill a high official
with knives?

BRUTUS
No sir. That’s just a contingency.
We’ll use poison.
ALISTER
The weapon of women.
BRUTUS
And politicians. But effective
nonetheless.

ALISTER
Very well. How will it be done?
BRUTUS
I’ll go in first, as a poor farmer,
with Laura playing the role of my
wife.
ALISTER
Your prostitute?

BRUTUS
Don’t underestimate prostitutes,
sir. They often have men at their
most vulnerable. And she’s
trustworthy.

Alister looks unhappy with this, but doesn’t respond.

BRUTUS (CONT’D)
A few hours after, Jeremias will
follow us, a minor official seeking
sanctuary. After him, Tiberius, as
a mercenary for hire. Mercenaries
are always in demand in time of
impending war. Once I’m inside, I
head straight to the brothel.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.

ALISTER
I thought I was hiring you for an
assassination, not to spend time
with whores.

BRUTUS
The target is a known whore-monger,
sir. He visits the same brothel
regularly. We may need to change
clothes and obtain money to be
admitted in, but mugging someone
for what we need won’t take long.
The guards will be at the walls,
not in the city.
ALISTER
Is it necessary to take such a
risk?
BRUTUS
I’m hoping not. I plan to see if we
can smuggle money and a change of
clothes in, but if we can’t I’d
rather have a plan.
ALISTER
Sensible enough. So you encounter
the man in the brothel and kill him
there, I assume?

BRUTUS
Yessir. Get Laura to play the part
of another whore, get her alone
with the target, then give him a
poison kiss.
ALISTER
She’s done this before?
BRUTUS
Many times. Once he’s dead, she
comes back and lets me know.
Jeremias will be waiting outside
for my signal; once he gets it,
he’ll start a fire. In that rich
section of town, a fire will get
every guard in the city running and
panicking. Nobody will notice a
farmer and a prostitute slipping
out a bak gate in the chaos.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.

ALISTER
And the other man you mentioned?
Tiberius?
BRUTUS
Another backup. If things come to
blows, I’d take Tiberius
bare-handed over twenty armed men.
ALISTER
I see. I don’t suppose you could
cause a little more chaos while
you’re there?
Brutus smirks.
BRUTUS
I think Jeremias could be persuaded
to raise a little hell.
ALISTER
Very good. I’ll let you be about
it, then, Centurion.

Alister stands to leave.

BRUTUS
Yessir, thankyousir.

Alister nods, and exits.