Roman - The Fall of Britannia (41 page)

‘
No,’ said Plautius. ‘We can deal with him later, though his
head would have been a great prize for Claudius. What of the rest
of the prisoners?’

‘
We
have over a thousand, Sire,’ answered the Tribune, ‘but most are
women and children. Camulodunum have sent envoys asking for their
release.’

‘
What is their worth?’ asked Plautius, an idea beginning to
form.

‘
Slavery mostly, but a few men for the mines. Most decided to
fight to the death and those who are left are not worth wasting
rations on.’

Plautius thought
a while before answering.

‘
Isolate the women from the children,’ he said. ‘Send the fit
men to the mines, kill any too weak to travel. Now, let’s get down
to the business I called you here for. I have to ensure the
Emperor’s safety,’ he explained, ‘and I do not trust these
Britannic animals further than I can hurl them, so this is what I
want you to do.’ He outlined his idea and within the hour had
formed a plan to ensure the safety of the Emperor.

----

Two days later,
a troop of cavalry escorted a representation from the city across
the fields of corn to an open plain, and ushered them forward to
see what lay beyond the mounds of excavated soil in the centre. The
leader of the group scrambled over the spoil and looked down into
long trench that had been dug over the previous two days. His face
dropped as he looked into the gaze of several hundred pairs of
children’s eyes, each looking up at him pleadingly, as they
realised their fate lay in this man’s hands.

‘
What is this?’ he asked over his shoulder. ‘Why are they down
there? Release them immediately.’

A Tribune
stepped forward.

‘
You
forget yourself, barbarian,’ he said, ‘you are in no position to
make demands. Your city still stands, only because Plautius wills
it so. These children only live because I will it so. Both
decisions are easily reversed.’

‘
What is it that you want?’ asked the envoy.

‘
Simple, really,’ said the Tribune, ‘tomorrow Claudius will
take the surrender of Camulodunum. If the ceremony goes well, he
will lose no time in returning to Rome and our lives, both yours
and mine, will become a lot less stressful. These children will be
released and your city will be spared to trade with us.’

‘
However,’ he continued, ‘should anyone be foolish enough to
make an attempt on the Emperor’s safety, then things will be quite
different.’ He nodded to a group of slaves who immediately started
shovelling earth down onto the upturned faces of the unsuspecting
children below. Many started screaming as they realised what was
happening, and tried to scramble up the steep muddy
sides.

‘
Stop!’ shouted the envoy. ‘What are you doing?’

The Tribune held
up his hand and the shovelling stopped.

‘
I
have two hundred men waiting to fill in this hole,’ said the
Tribune. ‘It will take less than ten minutes burying everyone
alive. Give Plautius cause for concern tomorrow and there will be
corn planted over these children before they have struggled for
their last breath. You will be able to contemplate their suffering
as we slaughter every living thing in your city before burning it
to the ground. There will be no trace of Camulodunum or its people.
We will wipe you off the face of the Earth.’

‘
They are but children,’ shouted the envoy, ‘what have they
done to you?’

‘
Children today become warriors tomorrow,’ came the answer.
‘It would be a sensible military strategy.’

‘
Not
even you are that heartless,’ spat the envoy. ‘Children are
children the world over and are innocent in the eyes of the
Gods.’

‘
And
we will do nothing to them,’ said the Tribune, ‘as long as you
control your warriors. Take our message back to your chieftains.
The choice is clear. Accept your fate graciously, or get wiped from
the pages of history.’

As the entourage
was led back to the city to relay the message, the Tribune returned
to the legion’s fort and rode through the stockade to Plautius’s
tent. The General was outside and stripped to the waist as he
washed from a leather bucket. He spied the approaching Tribune and
dismissed the servant before towelling the remaining soap from his
chin.

‘
Well,’ he asked, ‘how did they react?’

‘
I
think we can safely say there will be no trouble tomorrow,’
answered the Tribune.

‘
Good,’ said Plautius. ‘The quicker Claudius returns to Rome,
the quicker we can get on with business.’

The Tribune
agreed and joined Plautius as he entered the tent to make the final
arrangements.

----

Chapter 38

Gwenno had
wanted to ride straight into the village, but had heeded Gwydion’s
words of caution. They left the horses with Prydain in the forest
and approached via the hidden paths of their youth, peering
carefully down at their home. Life seemed to be going on as normal
and teenage boys guarded the herds in the valley, whilst younger
children of both sexes looked after the flocks of geese that
wandered through the outskirts of the woods. Gwydion could see the
occasional mounted warrior guarding the village.

‘
Are
they looking for us?’ whispered Gwenno.

‘
I
don’t think so,’ answered Gwydion. ‘They fear fellow Khymric
raiders, though it’s not the plaid of Ordovices they should be
worried about, but the scarlet of the Romans.’

‘
Surely they will not come here,’ said Gwenno. ‘It is too far
away and besides, if Camulodunum falls, they may just take the
Catuvellauni gold and return to Rome?’

‘
You
have not seen them, Gwenno,’ said Gwydion. ‘Their army is one of
invasion. Nowhere in Britannia is safe and it is simply a matter of
time before these mountains echo to the sound of their marching
feet.’

‘
Then we must warn our people,’ said Gwenno. ‘Come on, why are
we waiting?’

‘
I’m
not sure,’ said Gwydion, ‘something’s not right.’

Gwenno grabbed
Gwydion’s arm and pointed at the village.

‘
Look,’ she said, ‘there’s Hammer.’

Gwydion’s heart
leapt at the sight of his father exiting the gate pulling a hand
drawn cart.

‘
Going to get wood for the furnace,’ smiled Gwydion. ‘Some
things never change, come on, this is one man I trust with my life,
keep low.’

They crouched
down and made their way down the slope using the thorny hedge as
cover until they reached the edge of the path. Finally, as the cart
drew alongside, Gwydion called out as loud as he dared.

‘
Hammer,’ he said in a loud whisper.

The blacksmith
stopped and looked around.

‘
Who’s there?’ he asked, somewhat startled.

‘
Hammer, it’s me, Gwydion.’

The blacksmith
stared at the source of the voice through the thicket.

‘
I
know no Gwydion,’ he said. ‘Be on your way before I call the
guards.’

‘
Hammer,’ said Gwydion, ‘it is me your son, truly it is.’ He
took a chance and stood up for his father to see him.

The old man’s
face fell.

‘
Get
down!’ he hissed. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘
We
need help,’ said Gwydion, shocked at Hammer’s reaction.

‘
We?’ asked Hammer. ‘Who else is here?’

‘
I
am here also,’ said Gwenno. ‘Why are you so angry, Hammer? Where is
the welcome?’

Hammer walked
around the cart and fussed with the wheel, a pretence to pacify any
prying eyes.

‘
You
will find no welcome here, Gwenno,’ he said. ‘Nor you, Gwydion. The
news that you have betrayed the Gods has preceded you and you are
hunted by the Druids.’

‘
I
feared this,’ said Gwydion, ‘but we seek only food and some fresh
horses. A night’s stay is all we ask. Surely Erwyn would grant his
only daughter this.’

‘
Erwyn is no longer chief here,’ said Hammer, ‘Robbus
overthrew him many months ago.’

Gwenno gasped in
shock.

‘
Is
he alright?’ she asked eventually.

‘
He
was killed,’ said Hammer somewhat abruptly, ‘as were most of his
men. Those that survived were banished along with their families.
The Blaidd is a different place now. Robbus rules with a fist of
iron and all fear his wrath.’

‘
What about my mother?’ asked Gwenno. ‘Does she still
live?’

‘
Oh
yes!’ spat Hammer, ‘she still lives. The whore warms Robbus’s bed
at night. It is her hand that drugged the wine that dulled your
father’s senses. Only thus, could Robbus better him.’

Gwenno cried out
before Gwydion grabbed her and buried her face into his
chest.

‘
Is
there no one to help us, Hammer?’ he asked.

‘
They are all Robbus’s men here,’ said Hammer, ‘I only stay to
look after your mother.’

‘
Is
she ill?’ asked Gwydion.

‘
During the fight, I took up arms with Erwyn,’ said Hammer.
‘Robbus’s blacksmith was killed but I was only wounded. In the
aftermath, when the others were banished, Robbus made certain that
I stayed to serve him.’

‘
How?’

‘
He
hamstrung your mother,’ said Hammer simply.

It was Gwydion’s
turn to stifle a cry and he looked to the heavens in pain as he
imagined his mother unable to walk.

‘
So
you see,’ said Hammer, ‘I cannot help you. If I do, they will kill
her.’

‘
Then you should both come with us,’ said Gwydion. ‘Bring a
team of horses and a cart. We can escape together.’

‘
How
far do you think we will get, Gwydion?’ snapped Hammer. ‘Robbus is
a brutal man and is not stupid. He knows you are in the area and if
we flee, it would take but a moment to realize what is happening.
We would be dead by nightfall and that girl would be back in Mona
by morning. No, you must escape while you can.’

‘
Is
there anyone else who I can turn to?’ asked Gwydion.

‘
I
love you dearly, son,’ he said ‘but I will not risk the life of
your mother. If circumstances were different, I would challenge
Robbus directly, but she needs me.’

‘
I
understand,’ said Gwydion. ‘Fear not, father, I will not put her or
you at risk. We will leave this place forthwith, but know this,
before I draw my last breath, I will one day wipe Robbus’s blood
from my blade. This I swear by all the Gods.’

‘
One
more thing, Gwydion,’ said Hammer, ‘the Druids know you are here.
You were seen crossing the mountains. Every tribe has been warned
they will be cursed if they offer you succour. Even now, two Druid
warriors drink wine with Robbus. I don’t know where you are going
and don’t want to know, but wherever it is, make haste. Get out of
these lands while you still can. Now someone is coming, I have to
go.’

Gwenno had
stopped crying.

‘
I
don’t believe it,’ she mumbled. ‘How could she do it?’

Gwydion didn’t
answer for a while, but just held her close as he thought of the
available options.

‘
Come on,’ he said eventually. ‘We have to go, Prydain
awaits.’

‘
Where?’ asked Gwenno. ‘There is nowhere else to go. You heard
Hammer, even the Durotriges and the Ordovices have been warned
against us. No one can help; they are all terrified of the Druid’s
wrath.’

‘
There is one place,’ said Gwydion quietly, ‘where even the
Druids fear to tread.’

‘
Where?’ asked Gwenno again.

Gwydion looked
deep into her eyes.

‘
We
have to travel to the lands of the Silures.’

----

Chapter 39

Remus rode at
the head of the Cohort as they travelled westward. They were
flanked ether side by the cavalry units and the trail was being
blazed by a mounted section of scouts. Far behind the marching
Cohort, a plume of black smoke rose lazily to the sky. Remus had no
compassion for those they had slaughtered back in the fort; on the
contrary, he had led the charge through the burning gates with
ruthless enthusiasm. What had concerned him was the fact that the
Tribune had faltered in the decision to burn it down, and as
overall commander, had needed to act swiftly and decisively if he
was to earn the respect of his men. What was more worrying was
despite all his bluster and parading outside the stockade, when it
came to the combat inside, Mateus had held back from any situation
where he had to face an armed opponent.

Remus had
quickly taken control and as soon as the gate had fallen, two
centuries had charged through with a ferocity that crushed the few
stubborn defenders who thought they could make a difference with
their scythes and pitchforks. All resistance was wiped out and the
Cohort only received one fatality and two wounded in the one sided
battle. All adult men had been killed on the spot and any surviving
old women or children had been placed in the absent chieftain’s
thatched hut, with the doors barred from the outside.