Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 00.5] Ulpius Felix- Warrior of Rome (26 page)

Gaius Cresens had stayed close to his sponsor, the Legate whenever he could.  He had not been assigned a turma and the Prefect had assiduously omitted to give him any duties.  In the first weeks at the fort the Legate was too busy to notice but as the days began to lengthen slightly he summoned the Prefect. Gaius Cresens sulkily sat in the corner.  “Prefect, my orders were for this officer to become Decurion Princeps.  Why has this not been put into action?”

“It has sir.  This officer is now my deputy.”

“Don’t try to be funny with me Prefect. He has not been given any duties nor has he been given men to command.  Do so now!”

“I cannot create a turma sir.  We are not at full strength yet.”

“Very well.  There are thirty recruits here and they will be given to the Decurion Princeps as his turma.  He can command and train them and you will ensure that the rest of the ala understand and respect his position.”

“Very well sir!”

The recruits had not been trained yet as Marius did not like the look of them. These were no the young warriors of Britannia, like Lucius and Marcus, these were the ones rejected in Gaul and Batavia by Prefects who knew trouble when they saw it.  In a way Marius was perversely pleased that they had been given to Cresens but at the same time he was proud of the ala and did not want its reputation tarnished.  He was pragmatic enough to realise that he could not win in this situation.

Their camp was adjacent to the fortress and his officers had been training the men in readiness for a spring campaign.  They all knew that the Iceni were in a state of unrest and it was only the winter which prevented them from showing their displeasure. Wolf had a smaller turma than most but they were well trained.  The Prefect used his turma to patrol the northern borders of the land of the Iceni.  Osgar did not know the land and he did not like it. “Flat and boggy! The Iceni can keep it.”

Wolf smiled at his scout. “Good farmland though Osgar.”

“Farmland! Give me a forest for hunting a river for fishing.  I have looked in these piddly little rivers.  There’s only a few eels in them.  Not real fish, salmon.”

“Concentrate on getting the lay of the land.  When we are needed then we will have to ride quickly and I remember when we were here in the autumn.  I want to be better prepared.”

They were on their way back and approaching the Via Claudia when Drusus who was at the rear shouted, “Sir, rider.  He looks to be Roman.”

Wolf halted the patrol and the Imperial messenger galloped up to meet them. “Ah good, Romans; I was worried you might be bandits.”

Wolf shook his head.  “I take it this is your first time in Britannia?”

“Yes Decurion.  It is the wild frontier is it not?”

“This is the civilised part. Who is the message for?”

He hesitated, wondering if this scarred Decurion was to be trusted and then he continued.  “It is from the Emperor himself and is for the Governor or whoever is in command in this region.”

“The Governor is in the west and, believe me, you do not want to go there.  They really are savages there but the Legate Cerialis is in Durobrivae. Then your job is done.”

The young messenger grinned. “That is a relief.  It is my first important message and it has weighed heavily upon me.”

As they rode into the camp Wolf gestured at the fort.  “The Legate is in there.  He likes his comfort.” The messenger rode off and Wolf led his patrol into the stables.  As they dismounted he noticed the new recruits leaving the stables.  He liked neither their looks nor their attitude. Since Gaius Cresens had taken them over they seemed imbued with a sense of ill-deserved superiority. They slouched past him and, as he stood in the stable entrance he shouted.  “You troopers, halt.” They slowly turned around. “When you see an officer you salute.” They stared at him.  “Do it!” The bark worked and they all saluted. Wolf would not normally have made a fuss but he resented Cresens and his influence.

As he entered the stable he heard the Decurion Princeps as he shouted, “Those are my men
and I order them not you Decurion.” The pudgy officer came out of a stall.

Wolf
turned to Gaius, “Watch the door.” Gaius threw him a warning look. “Just watch my back.” As Gaius turned Wolf leapt forward and pinned Gaius Cresens against the stall.
”
Let us get one thing clear you are only here because the Legate ordered the Prefect to accept you but there is not a single officer or trooper who will obey you.” He whipped his pu
geo
out and held it close to
Cresens eye. “You remember this don’t you? Well here is a warning.  You order your little bunch of bandits around but no-one else.  Now I know what you are thinking.  You will
go to the Legate and yo
u will tell him of my actions.  I can see it in your piggy little eyes. Now if you do I dare say I will be reprimanded, perhaps even flogged.” He shrugged. “I can live with that.  Maybe even dem
oted.  I don’t care for if you do tell the Legate then you will be killed
.  This is no idle threat.  I should have killed you for what you did to Lucius but that is my mistake and I will live with it but you, you fat, evil
fucker will keep away from the rest of us.  Do you understand?” The point of the pugeo was incredibly close to Cresens eye. Cresens remained silent. “I understand about eyes you know
?  I lost mine in a battle.  They are very fragile things.  If I was to push this forwards it would enter your eye.  If I pushed a little further and twisted it would pop out like a cork from an amphora. Let me a
sk you again, do you understand?”

The terrified officer croaked, “Yes.”

Wolf released him. “And remember. There is not just me who wishes you harm, there are five hundred troopers
here and another five hundred at Cataractonium who would do as I promised and when we go into battle… watch your back! For no-one else will.”

The white faced officer stormed past Gaius.  “You want to watch him sir.  He’s a sly bastard.”

Decurion Lupus Ulpius Fe
lix grinned and it was a grin without humour. “I have not yet finished with the fat one.”

As the Legate was reading the Imperial missive a trooper rode in to the camp from the north. It was one of
the troopers from the tenth turma.  He reported directly to the Prefect.  Wolf was walking to his tent when Marius waved him over.  “Where is Osgar?”

“
He is probably hunting
himself some supper sir why?”

“News from the north; his village was attacked, the men slain and the women and children take
n
as slaves.”

“His brother then?”

“Aye and Gaelwyn’s f
amily too.  It will go hard with him.”

Wolf shook his head.  “He will not show it but he will remember, it is the Brigante way.  I have learned much about them since working with him. We will see no tears but the Selgovae had best watch out for h
e is a wicked enemy. Would you like me to tell him sir?”

“If you would and speaking of wicked enemies, who upset our new Decurion Princeps?”

Wolf gave the prefect his most innocent face. Not easy wi
th a scar running down it.” Couldn’t say sir.”

“Lupus, be careful he is a dangerous man.”

“No sir, I am a dangerous man he is a pervert with a nasty streak.  That is the difference and do not worry sir.  I will be careful.”

Wolf sought Osgar and told him of the disaster. As he had expected Osgar just nodded. “Sir,” he smiled, “Wolf.  I do not know the country around here and the young Iceni troopers you have know as much as I do.  I think Gaelwyn will need me.”

“Of course Osgar.  You have my permission.” He smiled, “Take a horse.  You will get there quicker.”

“Very well, but just the once and if I get piles again I am blaming you, sir”

The Legate summoned the senior officers to a meeting. It irked Marius somew
hat to see Gaius Cresens present but he could not say anything about it. “We have our orders from the Emperor Nero himself.” Cerialis said it as though the word had come from Nero’s lips directly into his ear.  “We
are to enforce the terms of the will of King Prasutagus. The Emperor and the King’s daughters are to inherit the land of the Iceni.  Of course the girls are too young to inherit and so we will invest their capital and take the treasur
y.”

“But sir what if they resist?”

“Your Decurion, er Decurion Felix reported that there were but three hundred warriors in their capital. We will take the Ninth legion and a cohort of your ala to enfo
rce the decision. I will take the Decurion Princeps and his new turma. The rest of your ala and the Gallic Cohort will ensure that no aid comes from the outside.  Once I have enforced the Emper
or’s wishes,” he tapped the letter, “and they are precise, then we will have no more trouble from the Iceni and, now that the druids are subjugated we can have peace in this province at last.”

As they were leaving First Spear walked out with Marius
.  “Did I hear a rumour about your new Decurion Princeps?” Marius flashed him a sharp look. The veteran centurion held up his hands. 
“If you tell me it is false then I will believe you.”

His shoulders sagged with resignation. “Sadly they are true but if I say that he is sponsored by the Legate
then you will understand why my hands are tied.”

“From the rumours that is one of Gaius Cresens specialities.”

“Don’t it is not funny.”

“I know.  I will get the Tribune to keep an e
ye on him.  From what I know it should not be a problem.  The Iceni have not fought since the first invasion and their warriors are spread over a large area.”

Prefect Spurius joined them. “What?”

“I was telling the Prefect that the Iceni are, apparently spread over a
large area.”

Decius Spurius shook his head. 
“The Queen was close to Caractacus and she is close to the Druids on Mona
;
if she decides to rebel it will
be more than the Iceni.  I think all we are doing here is making sure that our Legate enforces the Emperor’s orders.”

They walked on in silence.  As they came to the gate where they would part First Spear drew them aside, out of the hearing of the sentries. “
Tribune Celsus told me that he thinks that the Emperor’s solution will be a final solution.”

“You mean execution?”

“It would tie up loose ends.”

“But the girls are too young, they are virgins.
”

First Spear suddenly looked very old. He shook his head sadly, “At the moment they are…”

Marius suddenly understood First Spear’s probing questions. “I wondered
why he chose Gaius Cresens and his rabble to be the only cavalry presence.”

Prefect Spurius looked confused, “Gaius Cresens, the fat man who was the Legate’s aide… oh
I see.” He put his arm around Marius’ shoulders. “I did worry that he would try to palm that piece of shit off on to me.  Sorry.”

“You never know he may end up
with an Iceni blade in his back.”

“No
,
his
kind survives
and the good die
young
.  It is the way of the world.”

First Spear laughed, “Well as the oldest bastard around here I guess that makes me the baddest bugger too!”
Clapping them both around the shoulders he led them back into the fort.
“Come on I have a particularly fine amphora of wine, well not the finest but let us finish it, if only to take the bad taste in my mouth away.”

In the Praetorium Gaius Cresens and the Legate were holding a private meeting. “This is where you repay all the favours I have done you.  The Emperor wants the bitches dead but we must be seen to do things right.  I secured your appointment as Decurion Princeps for just this occasion.  Serve me well and I will let the Emperor know.”

“You know I am not cut out as a regular officer.  You know of my needs.”

The Legate shivered and closed his eyes.  “It is why I chose you for this task.  Now your turma, have you men in there who would do your bidding?  Regardless of the act?”

“Almost all of them.  The Prefect thought he was hurting me by giving me all the disreputable characters he had left.  We will not be fighting but we will be doing your bidding Legate. “

“Good then when we reach Venta Icenorum I will inform the Queen and her daughters of the Emperor’s decision.  She will have bodyguards with her.  Your men will ensure that they do not cause any trouble. I will endeavour, and I do not think it will be hard from what I hear, to rile and annoy the Queen.  She and her daughters can then be punished.  You and which ever of your men you decide can rape the girls.  When that is done they will be executed and the lands and coffers of the Iceni will be Rome’s.”

“Rome’s alone?” The greedy eyes of the Decurion Princeps lit up in anticipation.

“After we have taken remuneration as a reward for our service of course.”

“Of course.”

Chapter 14

With spring approaching the Iceni were busy in their fields and the capital was almost empty.  Boudicca did not mourn Prasutagus.  He had not been a true king who felt for his people.  He had been a supporter of Rome.  At least her daughters would now rule and already the Queen was making plans to raise the land against the Roman invaders.  The treasury was in a healthy state and she had secretly ordered and paid for many weapons with which to arm not only her people but those supporters of Caractacus who had remained hidden, waiting for this day. She and the priests on Mona had carefully ensured that the army of the Iceni was spread out and did not attract the attention of the Roman Governor.  Sadly this had meant that the Romans had focussed all their strength and all their attention on the West and Mona had been captured but that suited Boudicca.  With the legions away there was no-one to stand in her way.