Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 10] Roman Hawk (21 page)

“Well we have seen Marcus but I have no idea how we are going to rescue him.  He was hobbled, there are guards on the hall, guards on the gate and guards on the jetty.”

“True Gnaeus but the Parcae have helped us for they have arranged for them to be drunk tonight and we know how the Germani like to drink don’t we?”

There was s silence as they all contemplated their plan of attack. Rufius wished that Metellus was with them for he had the best mind for strategy and plans. Rufius had no doubt that he could get into the fort unseen but getting Marcus out was another matter and the other nagging doubt was the woman he had seen with Marcus.  If they had to get her out as well then it would be difficult.

Furax broke the silence with the impishness of youth.  “Well! Have you a plan or not? How are we going to rescue Marcus?”

Hercules cuffed the boy around the neck but then said, “The cheeky money is right Rufius.  How do we do it?”

“The chief said that we could buy whatever we need o at dusk we go in to buy some fresh meat or milk.  That would be understandable.  That gets us through the guards on the jetty. After dusk we go back to the jetty and dispose of the guards there, substitute our own men. Then we wait until the feast is in full swing. If it is anything like a Brigante feast there will be a lot of movement in and out of the gates, we dress in the clothes of the two guards and get to the slave hall.  Gnaeus and I should be able to take the guards and then we rescue Marcus.”

Hercules looked doubtfully at the slight Gnaeus, “I don’t know, the guards on the slave hall looked big to me.”

“We may not even have to deal with the guards.  They may just bar the doors and join the fun.  It is what others would do. It may be that the guards are not there at night. “He sighed.  “Look, I know that the plan is flimsy and as Explorates we were always taught to scout out thoroughly but we have to strike tonight.  The feast is too good an opportunity to let slip by. We could watch to see if the guards do stay there all night and try tomorrow but either way we have the same problem.”

“It will work Rufius, it has to.”

“Thank you Gnaeus but your kind words will not make it happen, we need a lot of luck and a lot of drunken guards for it to succeed.”

Marcus and Frann had very similar emotions and feelings as they huddled together in the slave hall. “They were your friends?”

“Yes they are my friends.  I told you they would come.”

“But there are guards at the doors.”

“Do not worry they will find a way but we need to be ready to leave quickly and quietly.  The first thing we need to do is to move closer to the doors.”

The places near to the doors were the least desirable as the wind whistled beneath the ill fitting opening and it was further away from the feeble fire. Marcus knew that they had to sneak out and, much as he would hate to leave the captives, helplessly trapped, he knew that there only chance of success lay in secrecy.  What he did not confide in Frann was his plan to go into the main hall and steal back the Sword of Cartimandua. He suspected that Rufius might try to prevent him too but he would have to take that chance.  He had been given an opportunity to redeem himself and he knew that Macro’s presence, in the form of the iconic hawk, was a message to him and one he could not ignore.

“Reach behind me into my belt and find the knife Drugi gave to me.  Hide it where you can get at it and be careful, for it is sharp. When all are asleep we will cut my bonds and prepare to escape.”

Frann prepared them some food; it was not that they were hungry, the were not and were both too nervous to enjoy the food anyway but it passed the time and fitted in with the behaviour of the other slaves, huddled together trying to cook a meal from their meagre rations over a fire far too small for the task. The other slaves seemed to resent both Frann and Marcus, probably because Marcus was the embodiment of what they had all lost, a man. Both of them were either ignored or just the object of stares and mumbled curses. The effect was to force Frann and Marcus closer together.

As they played at eating their food Frann broached a question which she did not wish to ask but knew that their future depended upon that answer. “If… when we reach Britannia, what of us? I know that, for both of us, it was convenient and necessary to be together and for me to be with child.  In Britannia you will not need a woman.  What of me?”

Marcus pulled her closer to him and kissed her gently on the top of her head. He had not planned on meeting her and falling in love but that was the way the bones had fallen. “You are my woman and when we reach my home I will make you my wife and you will live with my mother and my brother and you will be safe.” As they lay in silence Marcus did not see the tears of gratitude streaming down her face.

They had both dozed off when the door burst open and Snorri stood, framed in the fading light of the sunset. He had with him two guards and they dragged the decurion roughly to his feet. While his hands and arms were secured Snorri quickly examined Marcus’ clothes; he ran his arms down his breeks and patted them.  He felt all over Marcus’ body for anything which was hard.  Finally he checked that the hobbles were still secure and had not been loosened. Without a word Marcus was dropped to the floor and the three of them left. Marcus thanked the fates which had warned him to give the knife to Frann.  The killing of the brothers had changed the way that Chief Trygg viewed the Roman.  He had gone from being an amusing asset to a threat and Rufius’ rescue could not come too soon.

Chapter 12

The skiff was well loaded as it glided, silently into the jetty. Apart from Marcus and Gnaeus, there were four ex-soldiers. Their weapons were secreted in the bottom of the boat and all six of them carried concealed knives. The two sentries looked bored and unhappy that they were not at the party and walked, belligerently, up to Rufius. “What do you want?”

Feigning an innocent expression and with just a hint of outrage in his voice Rufius spread his arms. “Your council and the chief said that we could buy provisions for we have travelled a long way.  Is this not the case?  Should we sail for another port?”

Not wishing to be on the wrong end of Snorri’s boot the surly guard back tracked. “No, but there is a feast in the hall and most people are there.  You will be lucky to find anyone who is sober.”

Smiling Rufius said, “Don’t worry about that,” he jangled a bag of coins.  “We have brought plenty of silver with us.” He turned to the two men in the skiff.  “You two keep an eye on the boat and no sloping off for a quick drink.” Rufius reflected that they could all go on the stage with such acting skills.  The two men looked suitably annoyed.  Their real task, as outlined on the ship had been to find a second boat; partly to make it easier to get the whole party to safety and to eliminate any pursuit.

The four of them made their way through the huts and halls which filled the space between the port and the walls of the palisaded settlement. The guards had been correct.  There were not many homes which showed a glimmer of light.  The first two they tried contained women but they had nothing to sell. The last one they tried sold them a skin of milk and some cheese. Rufius took the risk of wandering up to the gates to see the state of the guards.  Both looked alert but relaxed.  As the four men walked up to the gate they did not react aggressively and Rufius gestured at the hall which was filled with a cacophony of noise and shrieks. “Good feast eh?”

“Aye.” One the two guards nodded in a good natured manner, “I am sure that you would be made welcome.”

“Thank you but the captain wants these provisions quickly but thank you for the offer.  We will see what he says when we return.”

As they walked slowly back to the jetty Marcus turned to Gnaeus. “That is a little bit of good fortune.  We don’t need to sneak in we can just walk in. You and Decimus wait here, keep an eye out for any relief guards.  If they send any more warriors down then dispose of them.  We will take care of these two guards at the jetty.”

The two guards were talking with Rufius’ two men as they descended to the jetty. They both turned as they heard them approach. The two ex-soldiers slid their knives out of their scabbards and into the men’s throats faster than a blink.

“Take off their clothes and then get rid of the bodies.  Any other boats?”

The two men began the grisly task of stripping the bodies. Lucius nodded towards the end of the wooden walkway.  “There is one up there.  It is about the same size as this.  Nothing else though.”

“Right when you are dressed fetch it down here and keep watch.” The two bodies were dropped almost silently into the black waters of the bay. Rufius felt a shiver across his spine. The creatures of the dark waters would soon feast on the corpses of the two unfortunate men who had managed to draw the deadly duty.

Returning to Gnaeus and Decimus, Rufius looked at the moon which had just disappeared behind a cloud. “This is the hard part.  We have to wait until the warriors are drunk before we risk the rescue.”

Gnaeus looked up the slope to the two guards. “We could go into the fort though.  Have a look in the hall, that way we will get a better idea of when they are drunk and we will be closer to Marcus.” Rufius knew that Gnaeus was keen to affect the rescue but he could not see a problem with the idea.

“We will go into the fort but keep to the shadows.  I will decide if we go in the hall or not.  It is one thing to evade the guards but I don’t want to arouse the Chief’s suspicions.  He asked too many strange questions this morning.”

The two sentries had obviously been brought some ale by a sympathetic friend and they were both far more relaxed and less alert. “Ha, so your captain let you ashore eh?  Good lads. If you go to the hall tell them Orm and his brother would like some more of that ale.”

Slapping on the back Rufius grinned and winked at Orm.  “We will and see if there aren’t a few women eh?”

Orm shook his head sadly.  “No women tonight. Nor until after the slave sales.” He laughed lecherously, “It’ll have to be a sheep or your hand tonight.  Still you sailors are used to that eh?” The two brothers laughed until they cried at their own joke allowing the four Romans to move into the shadows towards the Great Hall. This would be the hardest part of their rescue attempt.  Rufius wanted to wait until the small hours when everyone would either be drunkenly asleep or too befuddled to know what was going on. Spying out the hall had not been part of his plan but he recognised that it would give them a better idea of how soon they could start their attempt. Gesturing for the three of them to stay in the shadows, Rufius moved to the steps leading to the hall. Two men were lying ungainly across the steps leading to the doors and the decurion avoided them, staying to the shadows. Although the noise from inside was like a battle he heard someone belch and then lurch towards the steps.  He ducked behind the wall and saw Snorri emerge from the hall, unsteadily reaching for support; he steadied himself and dropping his breeks began to urinate on the two recumbent bodies that were totally oblivious to the steaming torrent.  He laughed a giggly, silly little laugh which did not seem to go with the body. When he had finished he pulled up his breeks and rolled back into the hall shouting something to an unseen companion.

Rufius risked a move to the door. He peered around the jamb; the light from the hall meant that he was still in darkness, and he saw that many of the warriors were passed out on the floor while others were having drinking contests or arm wrestling bouts. Chief Trygg was seated at the head of the table beneath the dais with his throne behind. He looked befuddled and drunk but he was still conscious.  Above his head, resting majestically across the throne, glistened the shining, magnificent Sword of Cartimandua.  Having seen enough Rufius slipped back outside, gesturing for the others to join him.

The four of them crouched in the dark behind the slave hall. “It will not be long now.  Most of them are out of it.” He glanced up but the moon was hidden. “We will give it a little longer. Are the two guards still alert?”

Gnaeus shook his head and grinned, his white teeth standing out in the dark. “No sir, drunk, worse than Orm and his brother.”

“Good. Gnaeus, take Decimus around the other side.  When you are there signal to me and we will take them.  Then we will be ready for the rescue when it quietens down.” It seemed to take forever for the two men to get in position but Rufius knew that it was better to be slow and silent than rush and risk a commotion. As soon as he saw the signal, he and the others slipped along the wall like shadows from the moon. The two guards were soon slumped on the floor having been struck silently and efficiently; there had been no noise. Rufius did not know it they were awake or not but they could take no chances. The two ex-soldiers took out their cudgels and ensured that the sentries would not wake before morning. The door had a simple bar as a lock and they slowly lifted it so that the door would be free to swing open when they were ready. It was tempting to open it and bring out Marcus but Rufius wanted as many of the slaves as possible to be asleep.

Suddenly there was a commotion from the Great Hall and eight men tumbled to the ground.  Rufius gestured for Gnaeus to stand back and he slipped on the sleeping guard’s helmet.  The eight men began a brawl which gradually took them to the gate where Orm and his brother just stood laughing. Some of those fighting took exception to this and soon Orm and his brother were embroiled in the fray.  After a few moments, there were six still bodies lying close to the gate and the four survivors cheered each other, slapped backs and then staggered back triumphantly to the hall. Rufius had no idea if the six were dead or alive but it seemed likely that they would remain inert for a while.  It had cleared one problem for them; there was no longer a guard at the gate.

They waited for some one else to come out.  Gnaeus was finding the tension unbearable but Rufius was patient. There would be a perfect time to escape and he was trying to get as close to that time as possible. When it had been silent for a long time he nodded and they slowly opened the door. Once again a wall of foetid air hit them but Marcus and the woman leapt silently to their feet and quickly joined Rufius.  There was not time for welcomes and Rufius led them, along the shadows to the gate.  When they reached the gate leading them to safety Marcus halted. “Take the woman to the jetty.”