by Griff Hosker
“Patience. Patience. We will choose the time we will choose the place. To reach us…”
“He doesn’t know where we are.”
“I suspect either Calgus or one of his rabble will have talked, it is no matter. To reach us they will need to cross the high pass. We can easily stop them there if we have to but I want them observed. You served with them what will they do next?”
“Build a camp or a fort so that they have protection then send out patrols.”
“How many men?”
“One turma would be about forty but sometimes they send two.”
“Yes I remember.” Aed had almost massacred a single turma and would have but for the intervention of a second. “Good when we find their routine we will ambush and slaughter one of the turma. Our man did not know how many men there were but it cannot be more than a thousand.”
“Not even close to that with the men and horses they lost in the last battle.”
“Good then we will whittle them down. We will maim their horses for they have no replacements. We will ambush their foraging parties and, when they are weakest we will take their fort from them.”
Modius was not certain that they could achieve all that Aed hoped but his personal goal was the deaths of Decius and Marcus; anything else was a bonus. He would repay every scathing comment and rebuke with a wound and when they were begging for death he would emasculate them and then, only then would he end their miserable lives.
The following day Marcus sent out Lentius with Vettius, this time following a different route. As he explained to his decurions, “All of you need to be familiar with the land here. It is only a small area but it is full of high mountains, valleys and lakes. We cannot travel in straight lines and the paths are few. That is where the enemy has the advantage. He can travel on foot where we cannot on horse. He can take short cuts and we cannot. I want every man in this ala to be able to get back here, on foot if needs be for before this campaign is over we will need every trooper we have.”
As Lentius trotted away in the early morning half light Marcus and Decius walked around the partly rebuilt fort. “How long Decius?”
“Well we have broken the back of the work. It was lucky for us that we found that stone. Pontius Brutus had quarried it well and the lime was perfect for the concrete.”
“He was a centurion, he knew it could get a higher price if they were well prepared and presented. It is sad that we were not able to save him.”
“Aye but when you finish soldiering life must seem a little boring. Flavinius Bellatoris seemed to shrink when he stopped being a prefect and started farming. Perhaps Pontius went out as he would have wanted, fighting not sitting in some villa remembering the old times.”
“I think we will send those Brigante prisoners back to Eboracum when Sergeant Cato returns. We will all make a little money from the slave market and it will save us guards. Besides we will need more supplies soon. Once it gets to winter nothing can get over those mountains. I want us well stocked. I’ll go and make sure Quartermaster Verres knows what we need.”
“I think you made a wise choice there. He is the best Quartermaster I have ever seen.”
“Yes I noticed your uniform was a little tighter.”
“I washed it and it shrank!”
“I am tempted to keep the slaves. We can use them for cooking, cleaning and growing our own food. It will free up every trooper for duties. All we need to do is feed them and they will be growing their own food anyway.”
“Good idea sir, if they can cook.”
“There you are then Decurion Princeps when you have started the building off go and find out.”
By the time Sergeant Cato returned there was a substantial wall and ditch built. The Porta Praetoria was rising already with solid stone at its base. The Praetorium was taking shape and the sergeant could see that by the end of the month most of the men would be housed in buildings rather than leather tents. For his part the prefect was delighted when his sergeant trotted through the gate with a string of thirty horses.
“You have done well sergeant!”
Smiling modestly the sergeant said, “Luckily they remembered us clearing out that nest of bandits and they had a surplus so I got them at a bargain price.”
“How is the stud coming along?”
“Twenty mares with foals and I left some more brood mares with the lads there.” He pulled a pack mule towards the prefect. Untying two amphorae he said, “Prefect Strabo wondered if you and the decurion princeps might like a drop of this. It is, apparently from Capri.”
“I think all the decurions will enjoy this. When you have rested you might put your thoughts to a place to stable and graze the horses. As I remember the meadow where we fought our battle against the Brigante is a fine meadow for horses but not secure.”
“That’s not a problem sir. We can take them down each day to graze and build a secure stockyard here.”
That was what Marcus liked about Sergeant Cato, he was supremely confident about all things equine. “Good see to it and well done sergeant.”
Marcus walked to the main gate and climbed the partly built tower. As he gazed around he felt some satisfaction. His men had worked wonders and soon he would be able to take his men on their first offensive action. They would take the battle to the Brigante. North west that was where the rebels hid. That was where he would go, he would take his men to the very heartland of his enemy.
Chapter 7
Summer was past its best by the time the fort was secure enough for the ala to go on the offensive. The quartermaster and Sergeant Cato had ensured they were well stocked and well mounted. A few replacements had trickled in with the supplies and they were almost ready to field another turma.
Leaving two turmae to guard the now defensible fort Marcus led his men north. When they reached the knoll and the scene of the battle Gaius and Julius were sent with their troopers along the escarpment path through the woods. “Your task to make sure we are not ambushed. Wait for us at the second lake.”
Metellus and Agrippa were sent with their turmae to climb the high ridge and do the same from the left flank. Marcus, Decius and the other six turmae trudged up the valley.
Modius and his warband had been watching the fort from the thick woods which encircled the fort. Moving swiftly through the woods they could travel faster than the horses. Modius did not have enough men to attack the ala but he could certainly cause casualties amongst a turma or two. When he saw Gaius lead off the two turmae he grinned wolfishly and turned to his lieutenant. “Those we can have.”
Leaving the path they raced, like mountain goats, up the steep path to the hump back lump of rock which rose like a giant Roman nose. The trail they took was a goat and sheep trail, impossible to follow on horse but easily traversed on foot. Once they reached the top the hard climb was done and they began to catch up with the red crested Romans below them. Modius knew exactly where he was headed. There was a sheer cliff and a recent landslide had decimated the trees which littered the hillside. The result was an unstable mass of rocks and broken trees; an ideal spot for an ambush. They reached the spot before the Romans and Modius set his men to the task of gathering the largest rocks they could. He had ten of his men armed with bows and their instructions were clear, they were to target those at the front and the rear of the column to jam up the narrow bridleway. The spot he had chosen was perfect for the path took a steep twist and the horses would be forced to slow down dramatically.
He almost held his breath as he saw the red crests of the two decurions appear. They were riding side by side; his archers could take out the leaders which would cause even more confusion. His smile turned to a snarl when he saw that he would not be able to target the front and the rear of the column at the same time for the column as strung out too far on the narrow path. He nodded and his archers began to rain arrows down on the turmae. The rest of his men let out a roar and hurled the boulders and rocks they had gathered.
On the path the tr
oopers had no idea what was happening. Even Gaius was taken by surprise. He felt the arrow shave his face and slam into his horse’s shoulder. As it reared he saw that Julius had taken an arrow in his shoulder. Turning to shout an order he was horrified to see boulders and trees cascading, crushing and crashing into his men and their mounts. There were screams and cries from men and beast. Gaius saw that he was trapped. His only recourse was retreat. “Retreat! Retreat! Go back!” The order was given more easily than it was followed for his men had to turn on a narrow path. Their discipline held them in good stead and, whilst still taking casualties, they managed to turn. This helped as their shields could now protect them from the arrows. Fortunately many of the trees which had started rolling down the steep slope became jammed together so that the main danger to his men was the arrows.
“How are you Julius?” Gaius could see that his companion was pale but still conscious.
“I am alright.” His tone belied his comment.
“Get on my right your shield arm is injured.”
High on the escarpment Modius’ delight had turned to frustration as he saw the dam of logs which stopped the avalanche. It also prevented him from seeing the result of his attack for the Romans were now hidden. He turned to his archers, “Keep firing! The rest of you throw rocks high in the air, over the barrier.”
Down on the trail Gaius could assess the disaster. There were at least eight dead horses and he could see many men lying on the ground some were dead but others were obviously wounded. “Julius can you command?”
“Of course.”
“Good then take the men who still survive back to the open ground away from this sheer cliff and wait there. You six troopers here.” As soon as he had the six troopers and Julius had led off the rest Gaius dismounted. “Cassius hold the horses. You two protect us with your shields. The rest check for the wounded. We can do nought for the dead but we can help the wounded put them on any horses which are not dead.” The arrows continued to thud into the trees and the shields but fired blind the chances of a direct strike was low. They managed to put eight of their wounded comrades on horses, the rest lay dead. “Right back along the path to Decurion Demetrius.”
By the time he reached his companion Julius had organised a defensive ring and had one of this troopers tending to the wounded. “I have sent a trooper to the prefect sir to tell him what has happened.”
“Well done Julius.” Mentally Gaius was chiding himself for not having thought of that himself. He looked around. Out of the eighty troopers who had ridden into the pathway of death there were only fifty not wounded. Another ten, including Julius were wounded but the catastrophe was in the damage to horses. Many were injured, some were lame and there were more dead horses than dead troopers. All Sergeant Cato’s work had been undone. “Julius you wait here. I’ll take ten men and see if we find the rebels who did this.”
Julius looked up at the steep hillside. “Up there?”
“If they can do it we can. Keep a good watch here and get your shoulder looked at.” Selecting ten men from his own turma Gaius set off at a trot up the narrow pathway which twisted and turned around the escarpment.
Modius felt satisfaction. He did not know how many men he had killed but he had killed many for he had seen both horses and men fall. He had lost not a man. He laughed aloud and his men looked at him in surprise. “They are mounted we are as safe here as anywhere for they did not bring infantry. Come will return to Aed with news of our great success.” His men set off in a long line at a gentle walk believing that they had nothing to fear from the Romans.
Gaius and his men were breathing heavily when they reached the top of the hill and looked along the ridge. Unlike the barbarians they word armour and carried shields but even so Gaius was pleased that none had dropped out. He was also pleased to see the path undulating gently away. They soon found the spot where the ambush had been sprung. He could see from the crushed vegetation where the raiders had waited and he could the path leading away. For a moment he thought about returning to Julius but then he caught a glimpse down the slope of a dead trooper and his mount. His face hardened. No he would pursue until he found them.
Inevitably the laggards at the back of Modius’ band began to lose contact with those in front. The best and fittest warriors were at the front following Modius who was keen to return and report his success. As they lost touch they slowed down even more.
“Well he said they couldn’t catch us so what is the hurry.” The fifteen of them sat down and began to drink from water skins. They had chosen a small dell which sheltered them from the wind.
One of them pointed up the ridge; in the distance they could see the other forty warriors in a line. “What’s the hurry?”
His answer came swiftly. Gaius and his men were almost as surprised as the resting raiders when they came upon them. Gaius had seen the other, larger band of men in the distance and was just contemplating returning as the odds were not in his favour when he almost tripped over the fifteen who were in the dell. The Romans reacted first. They were angry with their enemies for the cowardly ambush and they were tired and knew that the sooner they disposed of them the sooner they could rest their aching legs. They set about the raiders with a rage which shocked even Gaius. They were killing for their friends lying slaughtered in the path and for their mounts, those animals who were cherished and loved by their riders. It was over as quickly as it started. Each trooper took a head and with a roar waved them at the mass of men in the distance whose white faces showed that they had turned when they heard the noise of the melee...
Modius was white with anger. His success was negated by the lazy laggards who had not followed orders. He turned on his warriors. “That is what you get when you don’t follow orders. These are Romans we fight, not a bunch of farmers and merchants. You can not take risks with them. Now this time keep together and when I say move, you move!”
By the time Marcus received the report from Decurion Demetrius he had met up with the other patrol and was resting men and horses in the shady spot between the two lakes.”Sneaky bastards eh sir?”
“We should have anticipated that Decius. Those hills are perfect for infantry ambushes; our horses can’t climb as well as men and they are immune from our attacks.”
“So what do we do? Fight on foot, again!”
“No it just means we bring Aed to battle sooner rather than later.” He gazed up at the hillside to their right as though trying to see Gaius and Julius through the trees. “I just hope that Gaius and Julius are safe.”
“It was Julius who had the wound wasn’t it?”
“Yes but you know Gaius. It would just like him to try to capture those who attacked him. We need to let our young decurions know that saving our lives is more important than taking their lives. They can afford to lose two to each of our one and they will win.”
“To be honest sir when you were a young decurion didn’t you want to take it the enemy all the time?”
“Yes Decius but who reined us in? Ulpius; and we have to do the same for our boys. Well I can’t see the point in carrying on with this patrol. They had shown their hand. We will need a different strategy.”
It was a chastened atmosphere back at the fort when all the turmae returned. The surgeon tut-tutted his way through the wounded and Sergeant Cato sadly shook his head as he saw the savagely wound beasts being led in by, sometimes, tearful troopers. “Briefing in headquarters when you have sorted out your turmae. “Marcus called over the quartermaster and, after a hurried conversation the portly man trotted off to his store.
“How is the shoulder Julius? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“No sir. There is no pain and the surgeon managed to remove the arrow.” He looked around apologetically. “I just didn’t want to miss the meeting.” They all laughed and Decius ruffled the likeable young man’s hair in a paternal way.
“We learned a valuable lesson today. I am just sorry it cost so many troopers from turmae ten and two.” He looked
around at the downcast faces. His leaders were demoralised. They had come from a successful campaign in Mona and they had lost more men in one day than in some battles on the island. He gestured at Porcius who brought out some amphora of wine.
“I was going to save this for a special occasion but the prefect felt tonight was the time to drink it. It looks like I will have to take another trip to Eboracum.” The men laughed as they were each poured a beaker of wine.
“Tomorrow we push on to the rebel camp.” There was an audible gasp from the gathering. “We go straight up the valley. I sent Gaelwyn scouting whilst we were resting. He has told me there is only one place we could be slowed up, just a mile or two from the second lake where the valley narrows. Once we are through there it is a clear route to the rebel’s camp. Gaius showed yesterday that, even on foot, our men are superior to the rebels. Ten troopers killed fifteen rebels and did not suffer a scratch. We only lose if we are too cautious, let us be bold. Julius you will remain here with the Quartermaster, Sergeant Cato half your turma and the wounded.” He could see the disappointment on the decurion’s face. “Someone has to stay here and would you take the place of an able bodied decurion?” Julius blushed and shook his head. Gaius will command the two turmae. And now gentlemen let us enjoy the wine the good Porcius has provided.”
The troopers heard the cheer and wondered what was going on in the Praetorium.
Fainch unerringly found Aed even in his secret location. He found himself aroused as soon as he saw her despite the fact that the journey had taken much out of her. “It is good to see you.”
“And you my love.” She stroked his head and kissed him full on the lips. Soon they were wrapped passionately in each other’s arms; Aed had taken slaves but Fainch was a woman full of passion and surprises; it seemed as she aged, like good wine she improved and she introduced Aed to new experiences which took him to the edge of ecstasy and back. Their lovemaking was exciting and each time they managed something different. When they had finished and they lay breathing heavily the same thought fleetingly passed through both their minds. ‘Why could they not do this every day?’ The answer of course was obvious to them both and dismissed by both just as quickly. They both had important work to do and they needed to do it apart. Aed could fight the physical battles but Fainch needed to fight the diplomatic battle.