Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 01] The Sword of Cartimandua Page 25

  Marcus laughed and put his head next to her enormous bump. “I can feel him!”

  “Then stay. I know if you asked Ulpius…”

  “I have no need to ask for he said I could remain if I chose.”

  She looked at him, hope in her eyes. “Then you can stay.”

  “No, my love. Listen, don’t get upset. Let me explain.” She nestled into the crook of his arm and he nuzzled her hair, smelling the woman in her. “If I stay yes I shall see our son born, yes I will be close to you but Ulpius will not have me at his side. I am a good warrior. There is only Ulpius who is a better fighter than I am; there is only Ulpius who is a better leader. I say this only to you for I would never speak in this way before my men.”

  Smiling she raised her head, “I know my husband for there is only you who does not know that you are the finest man in the whole ala. They all say so.”

  “Well I don’t know about that but if I go with Ulpius we have a better chance of winning and if we win then you and our child will be safe and I will then return to you both. Believe me I will return. I have so much to live for that for the first time in my life I can see beyond the saddle cloth of the horse before me. I can see a future. I can see my son and I can see his sister and his brother.”

  Pulling away in mock indignation she said, “Oh is that how it is to be? You keep filling me with children and then off fighting with your comrades.”

  “Seems a good life to me!”

  “Well soldier it is a good thing you are going off then but mark my words when you return we will revisit this idea of me as a mother to a troop of cavalrymen!”

  Laughing she rolled on top of him and they kissed. “Oh my love I am so glad that we met for I love you so. You have brought hope into my life.”

  “And you my husband have brought love into mine and shown me what a real man is like.”

  As the troopers rode along the lakeside Gaius turned to Decius. “What I don’t understand is why we are going south if we are supposed to be heading back towards Eboracum.”

  “You are a dozy little turd do you know that? There’s fish over there, “he gestured at the lake on their right, “with more brains than you. Look there what do you see?” He pointed to the east of the lake.

  “A mountain?”

  “That’s right a fucking huge mountain. Now we could go north but if you remember there are a few Carvetii who would like to nail your balls to their spear so we go south until one of them savages,“ he gestured at the Brigante, “finds the path that will take us home.”

  “Ah.”

  “Ah is fucking right mate. I am not worried about the mountains it‘s the army we might just find.”

  “You mean the main army?”

  “Aye, remember that little lot we ran into were on their way to join up with that king of theirs; the one who was married to Cartimandua? They were part of the army. We were lucky before but we stand no chance against the whole army and our horses are about ready for the cook to make them into a big stew! Keep your eyes peeled my son. We might end up having to high tail it back to Glanibanta.”

  They were about half way down the long lake when their Brigante scouts pointed north east to a wooded defile which ran between two small hills. It was wide enough for two of them abreast. Soon it widened out and they could see that there was a stream which bubbled and rushed over a wide rocky bed. In the distance they could see two huge hills. The one to the west they were familiar with as it ran the length of the valley of the two lakes. The other was new and Ulpius frowned as he saw how narrow the pass was. He turned to Esca. “Make sure your riders scout that pass. It would be a perfect place for an ambush.”

  “It is but, fear not Roman, the Carvetii do not know of this path yet. Few people use this valley for even in high summer for there is little sun; it is hard for a tribe to find enough food. The woods end soon.”

  Esca had been entirely accurate for as they crested the pass the leading Romans could see a long narrow lake meandering up between low barren and bare hillsides. Even now in early spring there was little evidence of any life either human or animal. Ulpius could see why this was an unknown route. He could see no signs of life at all. The hills rose precipitously on either side and it was hard to see if any animals, even the goats, could survive here. There was little land for grazing and none for crops. The sheep and goats which had been dotted about the hillsides in the other valleys were absent. It was as though it was a dead valley. The valley bottom close to the lake was wide enough for four men abreast and Ulpius took the opportunity to reform his men and warn them of the dangers they would face.

  It was mid afternoon when Sigger’s scout returned. Esca drew Ulpius to one side, “My scout reports the main rebel army. There are many, many men far more than the deer in the forest. He has never seen so many even at the tribal gathering. There are warriors from all of the northern tribes.”

  “Can we avoid them? Is there another trail?”

  “There is another valley to the south; it is narrow but it is unguarded. If we travel at night then we may be able to pass them. There is something else; my scout believes he heard a buccina perhaps signalling. It may be it was a captured one and the Carvetii are celebrating but it may be your army.”

  “Good that gives me some hope at least for that means there could be friends nearby.” Ulpius began to wonder who it could be. Had the invasion started or was the Brigante correct and it was a captured buccina? If it were the invasion then Bolanus was behaving in a more aggressive way than he had thought possible. Could he have misjudged the Governor? Speculation would get him nowhere.

  “Just ahead will be the main Carvetii army. We will rest at the head of this valley and then try to make our way home without letting know we are there. We will become spirits of the forests. I want no noise from any piece of equipment, man or animal. When we rest, find some cloth and muffle their hooves. If we can get past them we will have a clear run to home and the army. That means food and safety!” He decided not to tell them that there might be friends nearby- if there was not an army the disappointment might make them weaker- if he waited until they knew for certain it would lift his men’s spirits.

  North of Eboracum

  Fainch felt as though she was being followed, she had the sense that someone was in the woods watching and following. She had twisted and turned a number of times, she had double back upon herself, she had been as motionless as a statute waiting for what seemed like a thousand moments and yet she could neither shake off her pursuer not find out who it was. Perhaps it was her imagination for when she dreamed a powerful dream the mushrooms and herbs seemed to make her both weaker and yet more attuned to slight sounds and sensations. She decided that she had kept from her hearth long enough and she quickly made her way to her hut. Once there she felt safe and should anyone try to do her harm she had the means within her grasp to prevent it.

  Atticus was now officially a deserter. Always a loner the transfer to the second ala had been the last straw for he had become the butt of pranks and tricks at best and attempts to do him serious damage at best. The decurion princeps had not been happy about the transfer but he owed Ulpius Felix and had to honour a promise. The trooper was lazy, sly and unsociable. He got on with no-one. His turma did not feel they owed this outsider anything and they let him know, in no uncertain terms, what would happen to him if he let them down or even if they thought he had let them down. The fight at the river had frightened the small man who, even amongst reluctant soldiers, stood out as someone who loathed the occupation. Although he did not relish the thought of being caught as a deserter nor did he feel he could countenance another battle where he would not have comrades to protect him. Ulpius had in fact done him a favour for had he not transferred him he might even now be lying in a filed in the west with his entrails before him. As it was he was in the safety of the east made safer because of the patrols of Ulpius and his ala. The military governor had taken most of the army to fight Venutius and there were fe
w patrols for him to worry about.

  He would get out of this land and find his way to a big city perhaps even Rome but to do so he needed money. His best chance of money was the quartermaster Gaius Cresens. He had been looking for him since the death of the queen with no success. He did remember following him once when he visited a hovel by the river and it was there he had seen Fainch. He did not know she was a witch, he thought her a whore but when he deserted he spotted her leaving Morbium after having met with other women whom he assumed were also whores. She would be the best chance to find Cresens and if not she would have money for whores were always careful with their money. One way or another he would have money. Her evasive tactics had also made him wonder about her for she took far too much care to hide her tracks. The crafty Atticus assumed that she had to have a good reason; it was, indeed, what he had done to avoid being pursued by his ex-comrades. He had always known where she was heading and so had been able to catch her up no matter how many twists, turns and double backs she took.

  He was already waiting inside her hovel behind the entrance. Fainch stood near to her door and scanned the path and woods around her home but she could see nought. She quickly grabbed a handful of dry twigs from the undergrowth and spread them around the entrance. If anyone came she would hear the twigs crack. Feeling relief she stepped inside her home; even as she did so she knew she was not alone there was a smell and a presence but before she could retreat a strong, rough hand had taken her around the throat and a sharp knife was pressing into her neck.

  “No no my little whore. You are going fucking no where.”

  She remained silent wondering who it was. She did not recognise the voice and, from his words, it seemed he only knew her as a whore. The thought puzzled her for she had never worked as a prostitute merely gave the appearance of being one.

  “This can go one of two ways. First I find out what I want and you live or I don’t and you die, painfully and slowly. Now that is simple enough isn’t it?” What she remained silent he pushed a little harder with the blade drawing blood. “I know you can talk because I heard you talking with the fat man.”

  She felt some relief; from his voice she knew he was a Roman; she had been worried that he was an agent and that others knew of her. If he only knew Gaius Cresens then he knew nothing and she knew how to play the game.

  “I didn’t know Cresens had any friends.”

  “He doesn’t but you can’t be a choosy whore if you let him slide his greasy fingers all over you.” Now that he was close to her Atticus could see that she was both prettier and younger than he had assumed. Before he took her money he might have fun with her. It had been some time since he had had a woman and young Brigante slave boys were not as exciting.

  “What do you want with him? Rumour has it he has disappeared.”

  “He has but I thought you might know where he went or,” he added meaningfully, “where he left his money.”

  She had the measure of the Roman now. He was a thief. She dealt with thieves and on a daily basis. “I don’t know where he went or where he hid his money. Have you tried his domus?”

  “You think I am stupid. The tribune has guards around it. Now perhaps if you were to distract them.”

  “First of all it is hard to do anything with a knife at my neck and secondly what is in it for me? I have to make a bit of money as well.”

  “I know you whores, you have money all over the place.” The conversation was making Atticus relax a little. She was neither fighting nor shouting, she might be a reasonable woman and the money might just drop into his lap. For her part Fainch felt the knife begin to slip away and she began to slowly slide her right hand down to the folds of her dress; in it she had secreted an eagle’s claw, each talon sharpened until it was as a razor and each one tipped with poison. Holding it by the ankle she drew it slowly out talking all the time.

  “How about if I have half of what he has?”

  He laughed an evil laugh, “Half! Don’t get above yourself, you might get a tenth if you are good.” He realised he could promise her anything for she would die once he had it but he also knew that if he didn’t haggle she might be suspicious.

  “Thirty.”

  “”Twenty, take it or leave it.” Thinking the deal done he relaxed his grip with his left hand and lowered the knife so that it was pointing at her back.

  She spun round and saying,” Done,” she raked the eagle claw from his eye to his chin. She was quite powerful and the talons were sharp; the whole eye came out and the talons raked to the bone. He screamed in pain but still had enough strength to stab out at her. Although she was quick and already twisting away the sharp blade sliced into her side making her gasp with the pain. Before he could attack again she removed his other eye and the blinded deserter flailed around as she moved easily out of his flailing arms.

  “Where are you? You bitch! I’ll gut you. I’ll fucking cut you into little tiny bits!”

  She knew that if she remained silent he would not be able to find her and she needed to save her strength to enable her to stem the bleeding. She knew it was not fatal but she didn’t know if he also treated his blades with poison. As she staunched the bleeding with a cloth she watched him sink to the floor the pain of the poison taking over from the evisceration of his eyes.

  “Aarrgh. What have you done? You bitch! You…” Atticus, the deserter, had his miserable life ended on a dirt floor in a tiny hovel, dying as he had been born screaming, alone and miserable.

  Fainch knew that she had had a lucky break and she kissed her charm thanking the mother that she had protected her daughter. Eboracum was becoming too dangerous for her. She determined that, once she had secured her wound she would head back to Mona. Perhaps others of the religion would travel there too but she hoped that the hidden places with the secret herbs and roots would still be there and help her to regain her strength. Before the next dawn had broken all trace of Fainch disappeared from Eboracum and all that remained to show what had transpired was the emasculated body of Atticus the deserter.

  West of Brocavum

  Caesius Alasica was pleased with his legionaries. They had made much better time than he could have dreamed possible all those months ago when he began planning this campaign back at Eboracum. Although not up to full compliment he had six thousand legionaries and two thousand cavalry. No matter what the barbarians threw at him he knew he could defeat them. According to his scouts once they crossed the river they would be within a day’s march of Brocavum. He had yet to see a barbarian stronghold which could withstand his siege weapons. He thought back to the fortress at Stanwyck he had visited whilst his men were building his new bridge. Although it had been deserted by the barbarians his inspection had convinced him that an onslaught of bolts and stones from his onagers would have made it simplicity itself for his legionaries to carry the feeble walls. The very size of it meant that it would need a huge army to control the walls. He could only hope that Venutius would hide behind his walls. He wondered, as he did every day where his lost vexillation was; he had had no word of them. Had they perished at the hands of the enemy or had they succumbed to the climate of this inhospitable land? Not for the first time he cursed the order which had left him shorthanded for the cavalry he had with him were new to Britannia and untried. It was the one area of weakness in his army.

  “Sir, sir,” The rider who galloped up to Alasica was one of the young auxiliary optios. “The decurion told me to tell you we can’t cross the river sir.”

  “Why not optio?”

  “There are hundreds of barbarians stopping us.”

  Taking only his aide and the young trooper Julius rode to the river to see what the problem was. When he arrived he could see that the boy had not been exaggerating. There were indeed hundreds of barbarians; they were painted for war waving spears and swords and they had the high ground. He had no doubt he could carry the crossing but he would lose many men in doing so and his legionaries’ lives were too valuable to be wasted. He cal
led over the messenger. “Prevent them from crossing if you can but if they do manage to cross your orders are to get to me as quickly as possible.” He paused and looked sternly at the auxiliary. “And no heroics, without the Pannonians you are my only cavalry.”

  “Sir.”

  As he rode back Julius began to search for a solution to his problem. Heading towards his men he could see the road climbing away to the west. He could not allow the enemy to take the road for if he were to be cut off from his supplies then the barbarians could starve him out. He was reluctant to retreat. He saw the solution as he closed with his aides. The road began to climb up a terrace. His engineers had had to make a deviation from their normally straight lines. They had made it twist and turn. Although it was nowhere near finished it was a solid base upon which to stand his men. They would all have firm footing. He could use the terrace as it would allow his bolt throwers to fire over the heads of his only infantry and would scythe down the enemy. It went against his nature but here, as when Boudicca was defeated, defence would have to come first. He did not have enough men to guarantee victory and he was in a perilous position so far from a secure fortress and support. He gathered his officers about him and quickly issued his instructions. He had chosen his men well and soon the legionaries were arrayed on the terrace with twenty bolt throwers above them. His few archers were just in front of the bolt throwers but above the legionaries. His weaknesses were his flanks. He had too few cavalry to guard both flanks. His auxiliaries were placed on the right flank as this faced the barbarians at the river crossing. He place the strongest century, the first century with First Spear on the left flank. They were his best chance to hold the enemy.

  There was the sudden sound of a buccina and then he saw the auxiliaries riding for their lives. The commander of the cavalry on the right flank signalled the decurion and the rearguard fell in behind them. The decurion in charge began to dress his lines and prepare to face the advancing Carvetii.