Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 03] Invasion- Caledonia Read online

  “What? Oh probably First Spear but not yet. Continue to improve the defences of Inchtuthil and we will use that as a rock on which the barbarians can beat themselves to death. What of this Prefect Maximunius? Do you think he will bring me a ray of hope?”

  Prefect Strabo spoke up and the others all nodded affirmation at his comments. “If anyone can sir it is the prefect. He has been fighting in the province the longest of any of us from Stanwyck to Mona and up to Mons Graupius. He was with the turma who rescued Queen Cartimandua back in sixty nine.”

  “Oh he was in that ala. It was the talk of Rome. Caractacus had only recently died and it even made the floor of the Senate. The Pannonians isn’t that the name of the ala?”

  “Yes sir they were but General Agricola renamed them Marcus’ Horse as there were so few Pannonians left. They are manly made up of warriors from Britannia now. A good ala, solid and reliable.”

  The ‘ayes’ around the table caused the Governor to look up and reflect. “So it would appear that this Prefect gives me hope that we may be able to at least control this barbaric part of the province.”

  Less than a day away the ala was heading south with the rescued prisoners and slaves. “Well I for one will be glad to get back to Inchtuthil.”

  “I thought you didn’t like sharing forts with the legions, Decius.”

  “I don’t but I am hoping that Decius Brutus might have started on a bath house.”

  “A bath house? I think he will have had more on his mind than that. I for one hope that there is some word from the Governor. The discovery of Ailis has hardened my resolve.”

  “You are still going to retire then sir.”

  “I felt tired and weary in the last battle, if you can call it a battle and the fact that I was could have died…”

  “It was a lucky blow with a slingshot.”

  “Yes Decius and that can happen in any battle. Had the troopers not been nearby then I could have been killed.”

  “You worried about dying then Marcus?”

  “No, you know that but this ala relies on my decisions too much. A leader needs to be in control all the time and my reactions are slower than they were. I am retiring not because I have had enough or I fear death but I fear I am no longer serving Rome by leading this ala.”

  Decius shook his head. Marcus was the finest officer he had ever known. He was superior to Ulpius Felix and they had both thought him the pinnacle but Marcus had taken the ala to a different level. With the encouragement of Agricola he had made them more flexible. They could fight on foot, assault strong points and campaign independently. Part of Decius also knew that when Marcus left so would he and he was afraid. He did not know what he would do with the rest of his life.

  “Look at them, Decius. Do you think they see anyone else?”

  Decius turned and saw Gaius and Ailis in deep conversation. Gaelwyn rode behind them. “Have you noticed Gaelwyn though Marcus? I have known the man for, well a long time and I have never seen him smile. Since the girl was found I have not seen him stop smiling. And another thing until he started smiling I didn’t know he was missing so many teeth. His mouth looks like an old cemetery!”

  “Yes it is strange how the Fates spin their webs. Gaelwyn and I only had the connection of the ala and now I find we are related through Macha and Ailis.”

  “I wonder why he never mentioned it.”

  “Perhaps he thought I would think he was trying to ingratiate himself.”

  “It certainly explains why he always seemed to be there covering your back and the rescue in Mona.”

  “The fates Decius, the fates.”

  Chapter 20

  The signal towers recently built along the partly built road sent the message to Inchtuthil and the Governor stood in the main gate to watch the approach of the legendary ala. He was surprised how young looking the prefect was although he noticed certain weariness about his movements. From the line of manacled slaves his mission had been successful.

  “Welcome prefect I am Governor Sallustius Lucullus.”

  “I am Prefect Marcus Aurelius Maximunius of Marcus’ Horse.” Dismounting he saluted.

  The Governor took him by the arm. “Come with me for we have much to discuss.” He looked over his shoulder. “You have been successful.”

  Behind him Marcus heard Decius roaring out orders and the sound of men dismounting. “Partly sir. Not as successful as I wished but more successful than I had hoped.”

  The Governor paused and looked up at this prefect who had begun life as a barbarian but able to verbalize such concepts. “Enigmatic, prefect very enigmatic. I can see you have an interesting tale to tell. Come we will use the Praetorium and I will send for refreshments.”

  When the prefect sat and took off his helmet the Governor could see the flecks of grey riddling his hair. He also noticed the recent wound on the side of his head as well as scars visible on both legs and arms. Here was a prefect who went to war.

  “So successful and yet not successful. How so?”

  “We found the camp of King Calgathus which we destroyed and the warriors who were guarding it but not the main force of the king.”

  “No for they were raiding in the south but I interrupt. I apologise. Do continue.”

  “We also captured many prisoners and rescued some slaves from the Brigante and Novontae people.”

  “Good that may be useful but again I interrupt.”

  Marcus smiled, “I have nearly finished sir. We also captured and executed the witch Fainch.” The Governor showed no understanding. “She was the one who poisoned and killed Queen Cartimandua. She also confessed, at the end, to advising and directing many of the revolts and rebellions against us during the past twenty years.”

  “Confessed? You tortured her then?”

  Marcus shook his head. “Didn’t need to. She was proud about it and boasted of her achievements.”

  “Oh don’t get me wrong Prefect I have no aversion to torture I just wondered if you had.”

  “I have never needed to use it. I am a soldier sir, a warrior if you will, I prefect to face my enemies and defeat them with force of arms, not torture.”

  “Very noble prefect but these Caledonii are cunning. We may have to resort to such methods eventually. But you are weary when you have rested we will talk again. I have sent for the other prefects, they have been idle enough. It is time I told you all of my plans.”

  Gaius and Ailis had spoken for the whole journey from the north. Gaius was no longer a young man and he had long given up any romantic thoughts of wife and family. He had seen forty summers and saw his future viewing the world from the back of a horse. Ailis had woken something in him he had never known. He found her a joy to be with. He loved the sound of her voice, the tinkle of her laughter. He loved her smile and the way she flicked her long dark hear, now unfettered, out of her eyes. In fact he found that he loved her and that came as a complete shock. He had never bothered with the girls who hung around the camps and forts and had not the first idea how to initiate a relationship. He just talked. As they had ridden along Julius and Macro had discussed their friend’s behaviour with increasing amusement. I have never heard Gaius talk as much before.”

  “Well not about such ordinary things. He can talk for hours about weapons and tactics but talking about houses and food and…”

  Ailis for her part had been in love with the warrior since the first time she had seen him. Although terrified and fearing for her life his quick reactions had saved her life and endeared him to her. But it was more than that, she found herself attracted to him as a man. She had been used by the Caledonii as a sex slave but they had not been men, they had been animals. She longed for this man to be her man. Gaelwyn had helped. A faint memory until he spoke to her in the hut she now remembered her mother’s younger brother who had fussed over her when young. When she had asked Gaelwyn about Gaius she could tell from his words and tone that he respected and perhaps was even fond of the decurion and this just confirmed her
feelings for him. She longed for him to say that he loved her but he appeared shy, almost like a young boy rather than a grown man.

  Julius entered the decurion tent which had been erected in their new camp. Gaius was sat on his cot and they were alone. “It is good to be back eh Gaius?”

  “What, er yes, good to be back.”

  Julius stripped off his mail and when he looked up Gaius was still sat turning his pugeo over and over. “What is it Gaius? Are you troubled?”

  Gaius looked up, almost seeing the affable young patrician for the first time. “Julius I am troubled. I feel… that is it I don’t know what I feel but I think it is confusion.”

  “Ah, “Julius smiled. “Is is Ailis?”

  Startled Gaius dropped his knife which Julius picked up and returned to him. “It is but how did you know?”

  Julius smiled, “I think every trooper in the ala knows Gaius.”

  “Knows what Julius?”

  “That you long for Ailis.”

  “How..? But…”

  “Have you told her yet?”

  “Told her what?”

  “That you, that you have feelings for her?”

  “I couldn’t do that she might laugh at me.”

  “She will not laugh at you believe me besides if you do tell her and she laughs at least you will know but I will wager all my pay for the next two years that she will not.”

  Gaius looked up. Julius never ever gambled. “You are sure?”

  “I may be wrong on many things but in this? I am sure.”

  The Governor had used the last of the luxuries brought from Rome to provide the food for the feast with the prefects. He asked for Marcus to sit by him as they ate and he questioned him about the province and Marcus’ role in its conquest. When he had finished he nodded. “You are a man of Britannia as I am.” He looked around and then dropped his voice. “You know that my grandfather was the last King of Britannia?”

  “You are the grandson of Cunobelinus?”

  “You are the first to know of him. How did you hear of him?”

  “Queen Cartimandua told me of him and then her sister, my wife Macha told my son of the tales of the kings of Britannia.”

  “Ah yes. I am sorry for your loss so you understand my love for this land and that I intended to make it a peaceful country again.”

  “Yes. General Agricola came so close to succeeding. No offence sir. When he left the task was unfinished.”

  “I take no offence Julius is a great general and I agree with you. Some say there was jealousy. I prefer to believe that they needed his skills elsewhere. They were wrong for he should have finished his appointed task here. And now I am to do it with fewer troops.”

  “You have a hard task Governor.”

  “We have a hard task Prefect for I will be relying on you and your love for Britannia.”

  “Governor I would like to retire. I am no longer a young man and the conquest of the north is a task for a young man. There must be many young men you could appoint to be prefect. Young men with the energy, drive and ambition that an old man does not have.”

  The governor became agitated. “No, no. I beg of you. Just perform one task for me and I will grant you your wish. I had hoped that you would return to the land of the Novontae and build forts to protect the people.”

  “You have other auxiliary forces that could carry out the task.”

  “True they could carry out the task of building the forts but could they manage the people? Could they protect the people? No that is a task for Marcus Horse and Prefect Marcus.” He paused and spoke quietly again. “I will find a replacement for you and you can train him. Will you do that for me?”

  Marcus found that he like this earnest and passionate man and he remembered the chiefs of the Novontae whom he had promised peace to. Many of them lay dead, slaughtered by Calgathus’ raiders. He owed it to them. “I will do as you wish sir. I will pacify the land of the Novontae.”

  When they had finished eating the Governor tapped the table with the hilt of his dagger. “We now come to the main purpose of this gathering although I assume you have all enjoyed the food and the wine.”

  “Excellent!”

  “Delicious!”

  “Make the most of it for I fear they will be the last luxuries for some time. We will also be losing some of our soldiers to fortify the rest of the Empire. For the moment the Ninth will be the only legion north of Deva and Lindum.” he pointed to the map, “as you can see now that the fleet has mapped out the island we can see that the Ninth is the legion in half of the province, the half which has yet to be conquered.”

  Strabo leaned over to Decius Brutus and said sotto voce, “And you complained about not having enough action!”

  “My intention is to send the Batavians and a cohort of the Ninth along the east and north valleys to establish order. Finish the task so admirably started by Perfect Maximunius. It is infantry country perfectly suited to auxiliaries with legionary support. The Tungrians and the remainder of the Ninth will establish forts along this valley and pacify the tribes in this low lying land. Prefect Maximunius will build a fort in the land of the Novontae. His task is Herculean I am afraid. I wish Marcus’ Horse to patrol from coast to coast and prevent incursions by the Caledonii.”

  “Well that is easy isn’t it? It isn’t as though he has given us a hard task has he? Just control the whole of the Novontae and Votadini, not to mention Carvetii and Brigante with less than a thousand men.”

  “Don’t forget the fort Decius. We have to build a fort as well.”

  “This gets better and better.” His sarcastic rant over Decius watched the prefect’s face for a clue as to his opinion. “You seem calm about the whole thing. Have you put retirement to one side then?”

  “No I am still going to retire when I have built the fort and a new prefect appointed. Do not worry Decius it will not be you. He wants a younger man.”

  “Thank the Allfather for that.” He swallowed a draught from his beaker. “I have been thinking about retirement. You know you made sense. I just need to find something I could do that wouldn’t make me want to swallow poison. When you go, I will go.”

  “Excellent Decius it would be good to finish the job as we started it, together.”

  As they toasted each other the sentry outside said, “Visitor sir.”

  “Come in.”

  Gaius entered looking both bewildered and apprehensive. “Could I have a word sir?” Decius began to rise. “No Decius I think you might stay. It might help having my old decurion here.”

  “This sounds serious Gaius, take a seat.”

  “If you don’t mind sir I’ll stand.”

  “Well come on man get it out.”

  “Sir I would like permission to marry the, your cousin Ailis. I realise that marriage is frowned on below the rank of centurion but I wondered sir if you could make an exception because, well sir I want to marry her and…” he began to tail off lamely and then added as a final selling point, “Gaelwyn approves sir.”

  They were both desperate to laugh but Gaius suddenly looked like the young boy he had once been and always would be to Marcus. The prefect could see how earnest and serious he was.

  “Well if Gaelwyn says he is happy I am certainly not going to risk the old man’s wrath besides, “ he added seriously, “I think it is the best news I have had in a long time and it seems appropriate that we will be returning to the land of Ailis.”

  The rest of the evening passed in a drunken blur as the three men celebrated in true auxiliary style.

  Epilogue

  The wedding was a family affair, a Marcus’ Horse family affair. The whole of the ala witnessed the simple ceremony. Gaelwyn told the decurions about the Brigante custom of bringing gifts so that the couple gained more material objects than either had ever owned. Gaelwyn, to Decius’ delight, cried like a baby and kept clasping Marcus calling him ‘brother’. As the gifts were given Marcus waited in his dress uniform looking resplendent. When
the couple had received all their presents Marcus walked up to the couple. He leaned down and kissed Ailis on the forehead. Years ago I resigned myself to a life without a family and suddenly I have a cousin, a beautiful cousin and I have in my family a man I would be proud to call son.” He then embraced Gaius who himself was fighting back tears. Decius sniffed loudly and coughed. Julius and macro smiled as they down on the sentimental old Decurion Princeps. “Finally I have my gift.” He drew out the Sword of Cartimandua and, turning the hilt towards Gaius said. “This is the Sword of Cartimandua. This is the sword of the Brigante Royal family. The Queen gave it into the keeping of her warrior Ulpius Felix; when he lay dying he entrusted it to me for my wife was of the Brigante royal family. I had thought to take the sword with me to my grave but now I can give to you Gaius for now you are married to the Brigante Royal family and one day your son will have the sword which is rightfully his.”

  Before Gaius could refuse the hilt was pressed into his palm and the ala roared out “Marcus! Marcus!”

  Outside in the forest Calgathus, Tully and Lulach lay hidden. “What is that? Is it an attack?”

  “No my son. It is the Roman’s celebrating because they think they have won but they have not. You two have shown me the way we can beat these Romans not in one almighty battle where they can slaughter our men but in pin pricks. In annoying attacks. In battles where they have not had time to prepare. By attacking those outposts where there are few defenders. We will send our warbands back to the lands of the Novontae and beyond to the land of the Brigante. We will spread their soldiers so thinly that a warband of women could destroy them. Today we begin to re-take our land. Today we begin to free Caledonia.”

  Names and places in this novel

  Fictional names and places are italicised

  Gnaeus Julius Agricola- Roman General and Governor of Britannia from 77 AD to 85 AD

  Quintus Petilius Cerialis- Governor of Britannia before Agricola

  Marcus Maenius Agrippa- Commander of the Classis Britannica