by Griff Hosker
The rest of the fleet were too surprised as they witness the two ships heading north. By the time the commander had given orders to chase the two ships were heading for gor the squall which lay in the distance. As with all the weather in this part of Britannia it was unpredictable and the centurion soon gave orders to anchor for he knew that the weather had beaten them.
It was Decius who found the bodies of Vettius and Aurelius. The Usipi prostrated themselves on the ground before Decius. His anger was so great he wanted to kill every man of them but then he remembered Gaius’ words when he had last been angry. It was not these men who deserved his rage it was those who had fled. Part of him felt proud that two hundred men had chosen to stay rather than take the dubious freedom offered by Adelmar. He swore that if he got the chance Adelmar would die the slowest death imaginable. As events turned out that happened without Decius raising a finger.
Agricola listened to the report of Decius with growing frustration. “Just when I think I have enough men to bring this Calgathus to battle something happens to rob me of the very men I intend to use.” He looked up at the other prefects who were in the tent, Marcus, the Batavians, the Gauls and the two Tungrians. “What do we do with the Germans who survived?”
“Well sir,” ventured Decius, “these lads could have run. The fact that they didn’t might mean that they want to fight for Rome. Couldn’t we split them up in the other auxiliaries? I mean we are all short of a few troopers and if any can ride we can train them. It would strengthen the cohorts we already have.”
The Tungrian prefect Quintus Verenus shook his head. “They are Usipi how could we integrate them? Our men would object.”
Cassius Bassus snorted, “My men will do as I tell them. Give me some of them. I guarantee that they will fight as well as my men.”
“Of course if we integrate them as two centuries and a turma then there will be less friction. If Cassius wants eighty and I have eighty that leaves forty for the cavalry.”
“That is a reasonable idea Cominius. Any objections? Good now I have to decided what to do about the two ships they stole. I suppose I will have to send some of the fleet after them. Are the Usipi sailors?” The prefects shook their heads. “Well they may catch them. This also delays my attack until the spring. The Emperor had hoped that this adventure would have been over by now for he needs the legions in the East.”
Marcus spoke up for the first time. “Then who will control the land if the legions leave?”
Agricola looked up at each of the prefects. “Why you of course. Look at the string of forts we built. They house auxiliaries not legionaries. Here at Inchtuthil the Ninth will control the North; the twentieth in the west and the second Adiutrix in the east. We only require three legions and eventually the Second and the Twentieth can be withdrawn. Since we pacified the lands south of here and Wales has there been any trouble?”
“No sir. Not that we have heard”
“Apart from attacks on our forces in our camps we have not had to fight a major battle here yet. When we do, we will win, you will win, for it will be the auxiliaries who fight that battle not the legions.” Decius Brutus looked angry.” First Spear it is not because I do not value the Ninth or any legion but the auxiliary can move quicker and react in a more flexible way and that is what is required in this land. We will have one chance to end this and I intend to seize that opportunity.”
As they left the general to return to their forts Marcus rode next to his Decurion Princeps. It was the first time that the prefect had ridden since he had nearly lost his life. “Thank you for running the ala while I was indisposed.”
“Indisposed? Is that a better way of saying nearly joined the Allfather?”
Marcus laughed. “It was a close thing but it has at least cured me of my sweet tooth and made me appreciate the dull rations prepared by our own cooks.”
“We should have brought those cooks from Glanibanta then Porcius wouldn’t have to procure food for us.”
“Decius I understand you exchanged words with Porcius?”
Decius hung his head. “Sort of.”
“He is a good man and he did not deserve to be threatened. You will need to speak to him. You know that?”
“I know that it is just… well I haven’t had time what with training those Germans.”
“Well the Germans are not an issue now are they?”
“As soon as we get back.”
“The other detail we need to attend to is two fold, the German recruits you acquired for us and a replacement for poor Vettius.”
“We will need another decurion for those recruits. There is always Cilo and Galeo. They are experienced and good lads.”
“Excellent choice Decius. See to it.”
Marcus Maenius Agrippa urged his sailors on. “Those barbarians murdered your shipmates in cold blood and stole two my ships. I’ll not rest until they are caught.”
“What I can’t work out sir is why they went north. No-one has ever sailed the far to the end of the world. We have no idea what to expect.”
“They aren’t sailors are they? They will just follow the coast and that is what we will do. If it were not for that squall we would have captured them by now.” He scanned the sea to the east and he could see the line of biremes keeping the same distance between them. If the Germans tried to slip past them they would be seen, not only seen but caught and crucified.
The Germans however were having a hard time of it. Adelmar had allowed his me to kill all but one of the sailors and the only man he had left was an old sailor. Fortunately he had plenty of rowers. The squall had been sent from the gods hiding them from their pursuers. But he needed to turn to the east, which was where Germania lay. He went to the sailor and told him to turn the ship to the east.
“But the wind is from the east. We will have to lower the sail.”
Adelmar looked up at the sail and to his untrained eyes it looked far too complicated. He would have to wait until the wind changed in their favour. “Well at least we will outstrip the Romans this way.”
The days grew and still they had not had a wind from the west. Worse they had had no food and little water. Every time it rained, which in this part of the world was frequently, Adelmar had them collecting rainwater in every container they could lay their hands on. His men’s attempts at fishing had ended in failure and they were starving. Suddenly they noticed the wind was no longer coming from the side but from their stern. They took it to be a good sign that the wind was shifting; what they did not know was that they had turned the coast of Britannia and were now heading west towards the advancing western Classis Britannica.
Agrippa however had noticed the change in the coast for he had charts which he was compiling for the Governor. “So we have not gone over the edge of the world but turned the edge of the land.”
As the days turned into a week, it was the weaker Germans who suffered. One of the younger Germans had been ordered aloft by Adelmar to see if he could spy their pursuers from the top of the mast. He had just shouted down in the negative when the wind shifted a point or two and, in his weakened condition, he slipped. He hurtled to the deck where he broke his neck and instantly died. His friends were about to throw the body over when Adelmar intervened. “We are hungry aren’t we? This is food isn’t it? Let’s eat.”
At first only those who were absolutely starving joined in the butchery of the corpse but as the smell of cooking flesh permeated the ship, reminding many of the Germans of the pork they had eaten at home, they relented and soon the corpse was devoured. It staved off hunger for a few more days.
The following day disaster struck for the leading German ship suddenly saw five biremes heading for them. The quickly turned their ship but as they were heading into the wind they almost came to a standstill.
At first Adelmar cursed his companions for he could not see the Roman fleet approaching. When he did he could not fathom out how they had got ahead of him. What he did not know was that they were the western fleet
sailing up the west coast. “Head North.” Adelmar had worked out that they could not sail into the wind but they could if it were coming from his right side. He received an even greater shock when he saw heading from the south east another fleet. His only hope was that he could outrun. One advantage of his overloaded ships was that they had more rowers than they needed and their rowers could be changed frequently. Adelmar knew that if caught he and his men would be crucified. They rowed as though their lives depended on it; which it did.
Agrippa saw his western fleet. “Well now we know that Britannia is an island. The general will be pleased for he will have almost conquered the land. First we catch these barbarians.”
Once again nature intervened in the form of the wind direction. The two captured biremes began to pull away from the fleet. The captains were all better sailors than Adelmar but until he turned towards one of them they had no chance of catching him. Their only hope was that the Germans would tire. And they were tiring and they were beginning to panic as the coastline receded behind them and all that they could see was the ocean stretching out to the edge of the world and if they sailed too far they would falloff the edge. Adelmar used the haft of his spear to hit his men, “Row you bastards. They will crucify us if they get us. Are you cowards? We fear nothing. This is not the edge of the world for there would be fire. “Adelmar didn’t know if there was fire at the edge of the world but it seemed reasonable and as there was no sign of fire it encouraged his men.
“Land!” One of his lookouts spotted land to the north east.
“See I told you.”
The Roman helmsmen suddenly spoke up, terror in his voice, “The wind is coming from the south we could end up wrecking on those rocks.”
“The wind has changed has it? Let’s see who is the stronger. Men we are going to turn east and head home.” There was an almighty cheer and roar which carried across the water to the leading Roman ships. “But first we have to outrun these Romans. Night is falling and I want to lose them ion the dark so every whoreson of you will have to row as though two men and I will row as three! Head east.” Clambering down the mighty German took the oar and as he [pulled it he called out the beat. Soon the whole of the boat were roaring out the beats and the bireme almost flew through the water. As men failed they were hauled from their benches and replaced. One of them an older warrior collapsed and went deathly white. It was Adelmar’s oldest companion Baldar. The ruthless leader ignored his distressed friend and took his place, snarling his anger as he pulled in the oar.
The following day the biremes were in the middle of a landless ocean exhausted from their rowing but they had lost the Romans. As dawn had broken they had been relieved to see they were alone.” “Now we head south east and the next land that we see will be home.”
“But how do you know where south or east are?”
“The sun rises in our homeland and sets in Britannia. That will give us direction.”
One of his lieutenants came up to him, “Baldar is dead.”
Laughing grimly Adelmar said, “Well at least we eat.”
Three days later Agrippa reluctantly gave up the chase. The ocean was too big to spend a long time seeking out the two rogue ships and he was needed for the campaign. He did not know if the enemy survived or had been wrecked he would have to return to the Governor empty handed but at least with the valuable information that Britannia was an island and was close to being conquered.
Some weeks later some Frisian fishermen discovered a drifting, half sunken bireme. When they approached they found on board thirty skeletal Germans who begged to be taken to land. Of Adelmar there was no sign nor of the other boat. The Usipi had escaped from Britannia and discovered that it was an island however the handful of survivors were all sold into slavery and never again saw their homeland.
Agricola was phlegmatic about the failure of the fleet to recapture the mutineers. “True we have lost two ships but we have made the discovery that we have almost reached the limits of the province. We will bring the enemy to battle and bring them soon. Send for the prefects. It is time to make plans.”
The prefects had worked together long enough to have an easy relationship with each other. They all recognised the qualities the others possessed as leaders and as auxiliaries. The Tungrians were the best swordsmen Marcus had ever seen and Macro had taken to visiting their camp to spar with them. They in turn were impressed by this giant of a man who had the most affable nature they had ever seen. “Well Marcus we might finally beat these people.”
“I hope so Cominius. My men have had as much training and building of camps s they need and a battle will relieve much of the tension.”
“You are right. It is the waiting for the ambush, the night attack or… Have you fully recovered?”
“I have now but the first few weeks I was as weak as a baby. Thank the Allfather for Decius he was a rock.”
“You have a good deputy there. What is even more remarkable is that he appears to have no ambition to usurp you.”
Marcus laughed. “Decius was promoted late in life. He was the biggest moaner and whiner in the ala until he became a decurion. He has no ambition. He will take any promotion which comes his way but he will not seek it. Besides he will soon have his twenty five years in.”
“I cannot see Decius on a farm.”
“Me neither. But if you suggested running a tavern...”
Furius joined in the conversation. “Now that is a dream worth pursuing!”
“If you are quite ready gentlemen? Good. “The general unrolled a map. “Here is my plan of campaign. Marcus and the Batavians will scour the north west valley. Find out where the enemy are and drive them like game north east. The Gauls and the Tungrians will do the same along the coast. The fleet will scout ahead and send us reports.”
“Do we go all the way along the valley sir?”
“No Marcus. I believe two week’s should do the trick and that along with the other column should make them fight us. I don’t care where it is but wherever it is we will win. You should be able to come north east and join with us.”
“And what of the Ninth sir?” Decius Brutus had an unhappy look on his face.
“You my dear Centurion will be the rock upon which we base our attack. You will follow the Gauls and Tungrians. If they pursue small bands you will continue north east. I want to catch as many fish in my net as possible for by doing that I will ensure that my successor will have an easy task.”
“Your successor? Are you leaving us?”
“The Emperor has summoned me to Rome.”
“But your work here is not finished.”
He looked at them all one by one. “But when we defeat Calgathus in the last battle I will have finished my task. I will have conquered Britannia.”
Chapter 16
As Marcus and his ala made their way up the valley he was surprised by the terrain, once they had left Inchtuthil it began to broaden out more than it had appeared from the fort. The upper levels were heavily forested and as the sun suddenly cleared the grey could to reveal a blue sky he could see the huge forests rising in the distance. Perhaps cavalry could travel in this land. “Gaelwyn take Decurion Demetrius and his turma; you are to scout that settlement up ahead.”
The settlement could be seen by the smoke rising above the forest tops. Marcus could only assume it was close to the valley for there were so few places to build in this rocky land.
“What do we do if it is a hill fort sir? Send for the bolt throwers?”
“No Decius that is why we have the Batavians. They have artillery and they will assault. Our role is to find them and, if they run, pursue them. Prefect Demetrius would have liked this task. More like a hunt. It would have suited his patrician ways.”
“I can’t get over how different his son is. Where his father was aloof, he is friendly; where he was cold he is warm. It’s like a different person.”
Gaius piped up, “He must take after his mother.”
“There may be s
ome of that Decius but you two should take some credit. He wasn’t as friendly or as warm when he first arrived and he was arrogant too; not as bad as his brother but he still had an attitude. You two helped to show him the right way to do it. Remember that when you are running the ala.”
“I can’t see that sir. I have no connections. I don’t expect it.”
“Gaius I had no connections but I received the promotion and I didn’t expect it.”
“You thinking of retiring sir?”
“No Decius. What would I do? I am no farmer. No I expect I will go out as Ulpius did with a sword in my hand, his sword, the sword of Cartimandua.”
“Sir, sir.”
“Yes trooper?”
“Decurion Demetrius says it is a hill fort and they are not friendly.”
“Thank you. Signifier ride back to Prefect Sura and tell him we have some work for him.”
The hill fort was similar to those in the land of the Novontae but this one had a raging stream racing around one side of it. “Well Marcus that means they won’t be escaping that way.”