Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 04] Roman Retreat (9 page)

They were all seated when he entered. With a snap they all stood to attention grins on their faces as they saw him in his new uniform. “Sit down.  Sit down. I see that Quarter master Agrippa has given you the news.” Agrippa had the grace to shrug a half hearted apology. “Luckily for you it is Tribune Sura who will join us soon who is your commander.” He looked across at Gaius. “I am to command the region around the Danum which will allow me time to raise horses and grow fat!” They all laughed and just then the Batavians entered.

“I hope that laugh was the result of a Macro story and not the anticipation of Batavians coming to eat and drink you under the table.”

“No Cominius. My old comrades were laughing at the thought of a fat old man raising horses.”

The evening went as well as both Tribunes expected and new friendships were formed. After a subtle nod from Marcus Tribune Sura stood. “Well gentlemen thank you for your hospitality and next time we will raid Tribune Strabo’s stores and feast you imperially.  Good night.”

When they had left Marcus held his hand up for silence. “First of all thank you for making the Batavians so welcome. We are a much diminished band of brothers now. Secondly how went the day?”

Gaius spoke. “Much like most of the other days. Arrows from the woods and when we chase them footfalls and traps to break horses legs and trooper’s hearts. Mutilated sentries found hanging from pine trees.”

“How many today?”

“Eight troopers dead and five horses lost. Three troopers wounded.”

“I have spoken with Agrippa.  You shall have the first replacements Decius and I train.”

Macro’s face broke into a grin. “How is the old bastard?”

“You will be pleased to know that, in his new role as camp prefect, he is making all the lives of the auxiliaries a total misery.  He loves it.”

Macro nodded.  “Tell him I miss him.” He looked around the table.  “We all do.  He was fair Decurion Princeps.”

The unspoken question hung in the air and Marcus steeled himself, took a drink from his wine and then stood up. “As you must have realised you need a new prefect and a new Decurion Princeps. Well I think you have an excellent Decurion Princeps and I would like to confirm Gaius in the position.  Do you accept?” Blushing as everyone patted him on the bag he blushed and nodded his thanks.”The role of prefect, as you know is normally an Imperial appointment but the Governor was keen to move forward with the state of affairs here in the north. He has decided to make the appointment himself although I must say in all fairness that Decius, myself and the two Batavian Tribunes all agreed with the appointment.” He took another drink from his beaker.

“Oh come on sir.  Tell us.  I can’t stand the suspense. Is it one of the Gauls we worked with last year?”

“No I bet it is a Batavian.  That’s why they were here tonight.”

“Before you speculate the Emperor himself taking over Decurion Cilo I’ll put you out of your misery.  The new prefect is Julius Demetrius.”

The silence lasted for a heartbeat and then any doubts Marcus may have had were dispelled when every officer in the room rose and patted the shocked Decurion about the shoulders. As they did so Marcus pulled Gaius to one side, “How are you with this?”

Gaius grinned,” I am more than happy sir.  I know he is a young man but he is the best officer we have and I am happy with my role thank you sir.” They embraced briefly and then Gaius asked, really quietly, “How is Ailis and Decius?”

“They are both well. Gaelwyn has done a good job.  Your new child will probably be a boy from all the activity.  I have set men to fortify your home and mine.  Not that I fear danger but I wanted your mind to be at rest.”

Suddenly they both noticed that all had gone quiet and Marcus turned to see Julius almost tearfully standing behind him. “I would just like to thank you sir. I am flattered beyond belief and want you to know that I will continue to lead the ala in the tradition of the great prefect I am succeeding.”

As they clasped forearms Marcus said, “It is my honour but one more thing prefect I would like to steal one object from you and borrow one.”

Julius looked puzzled, “It goes without saying you can have anything that is mine but I am intrigued what is it you want?”

“I would like Decurion Cato to train my horses and men and I would like to borrow Decurion Macro to train up your recruits that is if they both wish to serve with me still?”

Both men grinned and shouted, “Yes sir!”

Julius held his hands out. “It looks like you have your wish sir but Decurion Macro is only a loan! This ala needs its volunteer.”The party ended in uproar as the last of the wine was consumed.

In Rome the Emperor Domitian was reading his despatches when his clerk came in holding a sealed tablet. “From Britannia sire.”

Domitian knew immediately that it was from his spy.  He trusted no-one in his Empire and every Governor had a spy. He quickly decoded the message and then sat back. “Well it looks like Lucullus is taking money from us.”

“Do you wish me to despatch your inspectors sire?”

The inspectors were the group of thugs Domitian retained to eliminate problems.  “Not yet.  A little fraud is no bad thing, it depends if it becomes treachery or treason. I want a weekly report from now on. That island is too far away to give him a long leash. Let us give him one just long enough to hang himself from, or prove me wrong. Some of my Governors are becoming too greedy.  It is bad enough having to fend off political machinations here in Rome without worrying about the men I appointed and trusted stealing from me.”

“I will send my clerks over to inspect their transactions sire.  We expect some losses, especially with the distances but my clerks are thorough, very thorough.” Domitian nodded his approval.  The clerks were indeed thorough and were all part of the spy network which kept its finger on the pulse of the Empire.

Chapter 7

Morwenna laid the body in the grave she had dug the previous day. The lopped grey streaked tresses already lay in the cave and now the young woman, who had bloomed since the autumn, steeled herself to remove the hand as she had promised the dying woman. She extended the hand from grave and closed her eyes to say a silent prayer to the Earth Mother. The blade was razor sharp and she began to cut and slice through the scrawny, emaciated grey flesh; she was surprised when no blood came from the wound and she was staggered at the brittleness of the bones. Lifting the hand reverently away from the body she put the arm back in the grave and began to cover it up with soil and then stones. When she had finished she stood and said her goodbyes not only to Luigsech but to the cave which had been her home for so long.  This was the day when she would begin the new life; this was the day when she would begin to wreak her revenge on Rome and the soldiers who murdered her mother. Slipping the hand and hair in the leather bag she had prepared she whispered, “Goodbye Luigsech you were as a mother to me here may you protect and watch over me as I go to do the Mother’s work.! When she tightened the knot it was as though she was closing a door on her past. She turned and headed east towards Stanwyck and the first stage of her journey.

Tribune Marcus Aurelius Maximunius was a surprisingly happy man.  His military duties were not onerous.  Macro and Cato were busy building the gyrus and camp with the sixty new recruits leaving Marcus to investigate the fruits of the farm. For the first time sine he had been a boy he was able to forget about military life with orders and barking, gleaming metal and creaking leather. At the villa he could hear the land and feel the peace. He discovered soil and things which grew. He began to recognise his animals no longer just a pig or a chicken.  Annius had patiently told him all the names of the animals.  He enjoyed visiting Ailis and Gaelwyn at their farm and was gratified to see the palisade and ditch surrounding the building growing in strength and height.  It would deter all but a large war band. The stone at the base had been Marcus’ own suggestion; he remembered too many forts destroyed because the enemy could dig out the posts.  No-one would dig out these posts.  Already his own villa was becoming strengthened.

The winter months had seen him away from the farm for long periods whilst he and Cato bought horses or Marco and he recruited cavalrymen. That part of his role was rewarding, trying to get the funds from the scriveners at Eboracum was not.  It wasn’t until Macro suggested he take Decius with him that he began to get results. All Decius had said was the Tribune ought to buy some decent wine straight off a ship from Ostia whilst he had a word with the clerks. When Marcus had returned he found a chastened room full of clerks and scriveners who were only too happy to make the funds available.  When Marcus asked Decius how he had managed to do this he just said, enigmatically, “You need to know how to talk the right language.  I know how to get the best from people.”

The other benefit of the winter months was the lack of action in Caledonia. It had been so quiet that Marcus had been able to arrange for Gaius, as Decurion Princeps, to come down to Morbium to choose his new recruits.  It was Saturnalia or Yule dependent upon your religion but was neither here nor there as everyone enjoyed the celebration and feasting which was common to both. Marcus felt paternal pride as he watched his young adopted family smiling, oblivious to the woes of the world and enjoying the time together in the depths of the frozen winter of Northern Britannia.

Now as the snows were melting and both recruits and horses were showing signs of improvement Marcus knew he would have to give more thought to the state of the vast region he controlled. Macro had been training not only the recruits but the ex-soldiers who would be taking over his role in the spring.  At first some of these grizzled old veterans had resented the young bull of a trooper but once they saw his deftness with weaponry and his skills as a trainer they were won over. At least the training would go well although Marcus was still less than happy with the number of new recruits.  He was not looking forward to his trip the following week down to Eboracum.  The Governor would be looking for two mixed auxiliary cohorts and Marcus did not even have one.

The Governor and his wife were at that moment breaking their journey north at the legionary fortress at Lindum. One of the oldest fortresses it was comfortable and warm. Aula still found this land inordinately cold. The fort prefect had given them their own quarters as the legion itself was helping suppress a minor uprising in the west. Aula had ensured that the servants were dismissed; she had put on her most erotic dress and made sure her perfume and make up were of the finest for she wanted her own way.  Sallustius had enjoyed the wine and the food and, as he looked over at his wife who appeared more voluptuous than usual, he was looking forward to an exciting night. She curled her elegant finger around his head and played along his cheek with the back of one of her immaculately manicured nails. “The gold has been coming in then my love? In the quantities we hoped?”

“Yes Decius has done better than we hope.”

“And Rome suspects nothing?”

“My friends in Rome tell me that Domitian looks east not west.”

“Would that he continues to do so.”

Something in her voice made Sallustius look closer at his wife.  She reminded him of a cat which has just stolen a juicy morsel from your table.  You know something has gone but you can’t work out what it is. “What is going through that devious mind of yours?”

“Nothing really it is just that over the dark dismal winter months when the snow trapped us indoors I began to read through some of the reports about the wonderful resources in this land.  It may not have the grapes and olives and farm goods but it is far richer than Rome.  There is not only gold there is tin and copper, lead and iron. Why just up the coast there is the precious stone, jet! The man who rules this land could be a very rich man.”

“What do you mean rules?  I just govern.” His sharp ears had picked up the apparent mistake.

“A slip of the tongue but at one time your family did rule did it not?”

“Yes but only one part of this land.”

“And now you ru... you control this land. With the use of judiciously chosen men you could do with the other precious materials what you have done with the gold and think what army you might be able to afford then.  An army large enough to…”

Sallustius stood up red faced. “That is enough. You will get us both crucified. I’ll hear no more of it.”

Aula smiled the secret smile of a woman who has achieved her ends.  The seed was planted.  She would let it grow.  Later she would trickle more poison in his ear and then? Who knew what might happen?

Marcus felt quite sad as he left his villa for his meeting in Eboracum. Gaelwyn rode over to say goodbye. “I’ll keep an eye on your place too but with the ditch and the palisade I think you are safe.”

“I may be but I not sure about the wine. Keep Macro away from it.”

“He certainly has big appetites but as long as he is staying here it will be safe.”

Morwenna arrived at Morbium just as Marcus was heading south and had the Parcae allowed they would have met on the road although mutual recognition might have been slight. Morwenna cleverly hid her stunning features with a hooded cowl and stooped gait as she moved around the busy Brigante settlement.  People were happy and prosperous.  The new recruits and Roman garrison ensured a ready market for their over priced wares. They were happy to tell the young visitor, from the land of the Carvetii, of the pleasures of Morbium and the prosperity brought by the ala they all knew, Marcus’ Horse. As she played the part of the country girl in a big town for the first time, she was regaled with tales of Macha, Lenta and of course Cartimandua. The Brigante were proud of their heritage.  They were so proud that the last relative of the queen had arrived after having married a warrior from the ala, Marcus’ Horse and even more proud because her husband now wielded the famed sword of Cartimandua. Even better was the fact that the man who led the ala now lived but a few miles from Morbium.  The people of Morbium were indeed blessed.