2 Rider on a Black Horse

2 RIDER ON A BLACK HORSE The air was cold and bright. "Brrr, it feels like winter," said Annie. "Yeah," said Jack, shivering. He could see his breath in the frosty air. "We're wearing Roman clothes. Too bad they're not warmer." Jack and Annie both wore wool capes with tunics and boots. Instead of a backpack, Jack had a leather pouch attached to a belt. Annie had a belt and pouch, too. "Hey, I'm dressed like a boy," she said. "This should be fun." They looked out the window. Snow covered the ground. Sunlight sparkled on a frozen river.

"That must be the Danube," said Jack.

An eagle cried out. Annie leaned out the window and looked to the right. "Our eagle!" she said. "And that must be our Roman camp!" Jack leaned out the window, too. He saw the eagle gliding toward a cluster of buildings surrounded by a high wooden fence. "Oh, man, it looks like my model," said Jack. "Yep, and it's dusted with snow, just like in Morgan's rhyme," said Annie. "Let's go!" Jack and Annie put their tablets and pens in their leather pouches. Jack dropped the coin into his pouch, too. Then they climbed down the rope ladder. The sunlight on the snow was blindingly bright. But the air was bitter cold. Jack pulled his cape closer. The thick wool was warm and scratchy. "Before we go any farther, maybe we should write something in our journals," he

said. "Good idea," said Annie. They pulled out their writing tools. "Watch," said Jack. He pressed the pointed reed into the wax and wrote a W. "Got it," said Annie. "But we should write small so we can fit everything in." Jack wrote WINTER. Then he looked at Annie, writing her own notes. "What are you writing?" he asked. "Rider on a black horse," she said. "Where?" Jack said, looking around. "Against the sun," said Annie. Jack shielded his eyes and looked at the bright horizon. A rider on a black horse was trotting over the frozen ground between the river and the camp. He wore a helmet and a red cape. Oh, no! thought Jack. Should we climb back into the tree house? "Hi!" Annie called, waving.

The rider raised his hand in greeting. He trotted over to them. His face was mostly hidden by his helmet. "Hail, children! Are you lost?" he asked.

Jack was relieved. The man's voice was friendly. "Not lost," said Annie. "Actually, we want to visit that army camp." "Have you family there?" asked the warrior. "No, we just want to learn more about the Roman legion," said Jack. "We're keeping journals," said Annie. She held up her tablet and stylus. "Indeed?" said the man. "You are the first children I have met who keep journals." "We plan to write what we see and what we feel," said Annie. "Ah, young visiting scholars," said the rider. "Have you questions for me?" "Um…yes," said Jack. "Why is the army camped here?" "Legion Gemina Fourteen is camped on the Danube to protect Rome's northern border," said the rider. "To keep invaders