Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 11] Roman Treachery (25 page)

Publius smiled; there was nothing worse than riding to make the bowels open. “Right lads, eat and feed your horses we’ll be heading back soon.” There was good humoured banter amongst the men for they were buoyed by their success.  Five dead Votadini was a good return for them. “Titus and Livius.  You two take sentry duty.  A hundred paces north.” The two troopers eagerly kicked their mounts forward.  As recruits they were still excited by the responsibility of sentry duty and they sat peering north.

Suddenly they saw a Tungrian auxiliary racing towards the wall to the east while behind him they could see ten Votadini warriors chasing him. “Sir! Votadini and they are chasing a Tungrian.”

Publius didn’t waste a moment.  “Mount up.  We’ll stick these bastards.” He looked around for Sextus but his horse was still tethered to the lone tree. “Sextus, Votadini!” He kicked his horse on, “Get your javelins ready!” He peered to the east and saw that the Votadini were gradually reining in the lone auxiliary and they were so preoccupied that they had not, it appeared, seen the horsemen. “Spread out in two lines.  My turma to the fore.  We’ll surround them.”

Behind them Sextus emerged and mounted his horse.  There was something not quite right about this.  What was a Tungrian doing north of the wall? He galloped after his turma.  Suddenly he saw the ten barbarians turn and aim their bows at the horsemen while, at the same time, another war band rose from a hidden dell and also aimed bows at the flanks of the turmae.  It was a trap.  Sextus glanced ahead and had it confirmed when he could see the Tungrian no longer. He yelled, “It is a trap!” but the thunder of hooves drowned out his words.

The two flights of arrows were not the most accurate, but they did not need to be for there were more than fifty of them and many struck horses. Then there was the whirr of slingshots as stones and shot struck metal and flesh. Before Publius could react there were eight men and horses down. The Votadini continued to hurl their missiles at the horsemen who were attacked on two sides.

Sextus drew his own bow. None of the troopers had as yet done so for Publius was lying on the ground pinned by his dying horse. “Bows!” roared Sextus, loosing an arrow at maximum range to make the barbarians retreat.  His arrow fell short but he saw his men take out and string their bows.  It took time and his men were taking casualties all the time. The warband was becoming more confident and advancing towards the beleaguered troopers. With the wounded horses and men there were only forty troopers able to bring their bows to bear and the volley was ragged.  The Votadini avoided the arrows as they descended and that emboldened them.  They began to surge forward.

Sextus reached them. “I want five of you to charge that bunch over there.  The rest aim and loose on my command!”

The five men charged the original ten warriors while Sextus roared, “Loose! ” And forty arrows soared towards the enemy. This time they could not avoid them all and Sextus had the satisfaction of seeing some of the barbarians fall. The enemy were so close now that all of their missiles struck home. More of the young troopers fell.  Sextus had a dilemma, if he withdrew he could save what was left of the two turmae but that would mean leaving the many wounded to the barbarians.

In the end his dilemma was solved by the sudden arrival of Marcus and his two turmae. They appeared in a long line behind the embattled warriors.  Rather than risk the bows Marcus and Gnaeus led their men to hurl their javelins into the unprotected backs of the archers and slingers. They broke and melted away in many directions.  The five troopers who had been sent to disperse the original ten archers were now embroiled in hand to hand combat and Sextus led the remains of his command to their aid.  By the time he had rescued his men Marcus and Gnaeus had stabilised the situation.

“Thank the Allfather that you turned up sir! We were in the shit.  A shambles!”

“Sorry we didn’t get here sooner.  We picked up their trail about an hour ago. Gnaeus get the capsarii to see to the men and recapture the loose horse. Turma Thirteen, sentry duty.” Turning to Sextus he asked, “What happened?”

“I think they dressed one of their own in a Tungrian uniform and chased them.  Publius must have thought he could rescue him.” Marcus threw a quizzical look at his old chosen man, “I was having a shit!” Marcus smiled, it always happened that way.  “Anyway they were so keen to get to grips with them that they didn’t see the ambush.”

“Don’t take it to heart Sextus.” He turned to Gnaeus. “What is the damage?”

“Ten troopers are dead sir.  Another fifteen have wounds and the decurion has a broken leg. Twenty horses either dead or had to be destroyed sir.”

Sextus looked at Marcus. “Well that confirms it sir; a fucking disaster.”

“Not quite Sextus.  There are more than thirty dead Votadini out there and I know that some of the ones who escaped were wounded. It did not quite go their way today.”

The sentry raced up to the principia.  “Sir, a column approaching.  It is the Governor.”

“Thank you.  Tell the duty centurion to call out the guard.”As the auxiliary raced away the legate turned to Julius.  “We had better get the Governor’s quarters sorted out Julius.”

The clerk snorted.  “What you mean is get your belongings out of your quarters eh sir?”

“It will make for a quieter life Julius.” He strode out to the main gate and saw, to his relief, that the Governor had brought not only the cavalry detachment from the Sixth but the Hamian archers and a mixed cohort of Gauls. It looked like Nepos was at least doing something about the unrest. To his dismay he also saw, amongst the supply wagons, the closed carriage which told him that the Governor had brought guests.

Appius Serjenus had ensured that he was wearing the most magnificent armour he owned as he rode next to the decurion of cavalry. Vibia could not help but be impressed by him. He had spent the journey talking as much as he could with the decurion of cavalry. The man was, as he was, a patrician and Appius felt much more comfortable discovering what it was to be a cavalryman.  For his part the decurion had soon tired of the questions but, as he was the Governor’s aide, could do little about it and had to suffer banal and pointless questions. He was just pleased that they had had the extra cohorts with them.  While it had slowed down their journey it had made it much safer.

“Welcome Governor Nepos.  We were not expecting you back so soon and with your family I see?”

“News from the wall disturbed us, “ he said acidly, “and I felt I had to take personal charge again!”

Julius did not take offence at the words.  He knew that Aulus Nepos was competent and that was all.  He had no military experience and the only military decisions on the wall would be taken by him, not a politically appointed official.  His elevated title did not apply here in the military zone.  “And we all look forwards to your ideas sir.” He smiled a hollow smile.

Flavia Nepos had insisted upon coming for she still felt a certain guilt about the gir, Vibia, and Lucia was not as agreeable a companion. Her husband had been surprised at her decision but Flavia also enjoyed the attention her two companions received from the officers.  She was under no illusions; it was not for her but she could bask in reflected glory.  When Vibia rushed out to greet her mistress it was as though she was Flavia’s daughter.  This did not escape the attention of Lucia who had still to attract a husband; her sole intention.

“Did they harm you my dear? Did those savages touch you?” The tone and the eyes asked the real question.

Vibia’s warm smile filled her face.  “No, my lady.  I was rescued too quickly for that but I do not know what would have happened had I stayed there.”

“Well we shall return to Eboracum within the next few days when my husband had dealt with the problems which are here.” Her tone left no one in any doubt that she thought they were an incompetent bunch and that her husband was the man to sort it out.

The Governor, his aide and the legate were busily engrossed in the map of the wall region. The clerk came in.  “Some patrols have just returned.  They have been attacked.”

The legate always felt his heart sink when he heard that there were casualties.  He felt each on personally.  He then asked the question he dreaded having answered. “Any officers hurt?”

“One has broken his leg.  Decurion Aurelius is outside.  Would you like him to report to you?”

The legate glanced at the Governor who said, “The officer who rescued my wife’s companion?  Yes send him in.  We might actually get a sensible answer.”

Marcus felt dirty, sweaty and bloody when he entered.  The three men were all smartly dressed and clean.  He mentally shrugged; he was a warrior and it came with the territory. “Sir!”

“Glad to see you are safe.” There was genuine warmth in his words. “Please report, the Governor is anxious to know the state of the frontier.”

Marcus took a deep breath, “Well sir. Since the deserter Scaeva escaped the tribes have changed their tactics.  They know that our javelins have a short range and they use arrows and slings.  We have been taking more casualties.  In addition they have begun to use ambushes,” he looked at Julius Demetrius, “today, for example, they dressed a man in Tungrian uniform and had their men chase him.  When Publius tried to rescue him he was ambushed. The bows we had managed to deter them.”

“We have brought a cohort of Hamian archers with us.” Appius sounded as though it was his idea.

“How many?”

“A cohort.”

“Five hundred then?  That works  out at five for every mile of the frontier.” Julius Demetrius was a realist and knew that the five hundred men were a drop in the ocean.

“Legate! It is more than you had and we have brought a mixed cohort of Gauls with us so we have increased the cavalry element here.  I will leave the legionary cavalry here when I return south and you can detach a turma for my escort so, as you can see I am doing my part.”

“Thank you Governor.”

“Now, has work started on the new forts I asked for?”

“Yes the Tungrians are building one now but it slows down the completion of the wall.”

“Yes, well, I am going to upset the programme even more for I want a new fort building here.” He stuck a pudgy finger at a place some fifteen miles from Vercovicium and ten miles north of the wall. “I have sent for a cohort of Dacians who are, at present on the south coast.  They will be here within a month.  I want the Sixth and Twentieth to build a fort here. “

Marcus and Julius looked at each other. It was a very exposed site that had been chosen.  Julius could see its strategic value.  It controlled the valley which led northwards but it would be under constant attack. “A little dangerous isn’t it sir? It is exposed and isolated.”

The Governor shrugged.  “I have learned that this whole frontier is dangerous but I have also observed that, since the Selgovae attacked the marching camp and suffered heavy losses they have ceased attacking the forts.  If we build a fort here and put a large garrison in it with some artillery then we can control their movements down the valley and I intend to build many more of these forts.”

The legate coughed, “Does the Emperor know about this Quintus?  It will increase the cost dramatically.”

Nepos waved the comment away as though it was irrelevant. “Once the frontier is secure we can begin to reap the harvest from this land.  My aide has already identified copper mines to the west.  That will pay for any extra forts we may have.”

Chapter 18

The legate held a feast for the Governor and his senior officers.  He smiled to himself as he watched the disappointment on the faces of Flavia and Lucia as the older men walked in.  The young bloods, the handsome officers they wished to impress, were absent. Vibia seemed quite happy to be present and she took a seat next to Livius.  As soon as she did so then Lucia sat on the other side of the prefect.  Julius had to suppress a smile as he watched the horror on the face of his friend.  He was trapped between two young women intent upon getting close to him. Appius, too, was annoyed that Vibia had so obviously shunned him.  The prefect was in the way.

The other officers enjoyed the two women vying for Livius’ attention.  The two ladies, both fed him titbits and poured his wine.  Livius was becoming embarrassed by the whole thing.  “Thank you ladies but I have been feeding myself for many years and I can pour my own drinks.  I am on duty in the morning and I need to take it steady.”

“Just one more beaker,” cooed Lucia.

“And then I will have to go.”

Flavia’s voice cut across the table, “A little rude prefect, to leave us alone here.”

“Hardly alone, my lady but I have men in the sick bay who were wounded today and I need to see to them.” He took a sip of the newly poured wine. “There, I have had the wine and I promise, I will return.”

He almost ran from the room.  By the time the cool air hit him he felt a shiver. He decided he was becoming soft; after all these years in the north you would have thought he would have become hardier. The stomach cramps hit him when he was approaching the sick bay and, by the time he had entered the place of healing he was doubled up in pain. Marcus and Sextus were visiting Publius and they saw the pain on his face.  “Doctor!”

The Greek doctor ran up to him. He opened the prefect’s mouth and smelled.  “Poison.  This man has been poisoned!”

Marcus looked at Sextus, “Again!”

Livius was unconscious but the Greek doctor took a small amphora and poured it down the prefect’s throat. “Luckily the smell told me what the poison was; it is a variant on the mandrake root.  This is the antidote.”

“Will he live?”

The Greek doctor looked at the decurion in surprise, “Of course. I am not a quack you know.”

“In that case I want him in a room on his own.  Take him to his own room, his quarters.  Get your capsarii to take him but I want everyone to think he is dead.”

Even Sextus looked surprised.  “Dead, but why?”

“This is the second attempt and there is no Scaeva now.  Perhaps we assumed the attack in Eboracum was Scaeva when in fact it was someone closer. This way we can keep him safe.” He held his hand up.  “Not a word.  I will tell the legate. All of you will keep silent- that is an order!” They all nodded and the unconscious prefect was spirited away. When they returned Marcus said to Sextus, “I want one of the Votadini prisoners who died brought here, I need his body.  He can be burned as though the prefect.  Put him in a shroud, doctor.” The doctor sniffed as though this was beneath him.  Marcus flourished a gold aureus under his nose and the unctuous Greek smiled and nodded.