Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 11] Roman Treachery

by Griff Hosker

  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.

  Marcus hovered close to the dining room and waited for the legate. As he had expected, as the host, he was the last one to leave. “Could I have a word sir?”

  Julius had known Marcus since he had been born and saw, immediately, that there was something amiss. “Come to my office.”

  The Principia had a guard at all times as the valuables for the ala as well as the standards of the ala and cohort were kept there for safety. It was as secure a place as one could get in a busy fort. “Sir, the prefect has been poisoned.” He held his hand up as he saw the questions rising to the legate’s lips. “He lives and he will be fine but I have hidden him in his quarters.” He took a breath. “I want everyone to think that he is dead.”

  There was a pause. Julius smiled, “First of all I thank all the gods that he is alive but I am intrigued as to your deception.”

  “This is the second attempt on the prefect’s life. The first one we put down to the traitor, Scaeva. This one cannot possibly be him and, unless you tell me differently, I would say that no one else was poisoned.”

  Julius put his hands together reflectively, as though at prayer. “True and it means that the murderer or would be murderer was in the dining room tonight, for the servants merely brought the food in and we served ourselves. Yes you could be right Marcus but can we keep it secret?”

  “I have had one of the barbarian’s bodies wrapped in a shroud. We will burn him tomorrow and, hopefully, the assassin will think he or she has succeeded.”

  “She? It could be a woman?”

  There were five people in Eboracum when the prefect was given the poison, not counting the officers. They are all here and three of them are women.”

  “But you cannot suspect the Governor and his wife!”

  “I can suspect anyone until I know differently. Remember sir, the background to the prefect. His uncle was one of the last descendants of old Cunobelinus and he was a former Governor. As I recall from my father, Livius’ uncle was executed for treason.” Julius nodded. “Now all we need to do is work out who did it. I was not there sir. The prefect left. What happened immediately before he did?”

  “Let me see. I know that the two girls Lucia and Vibia were being very attentive. Pouring him wine and feeding him titbits…” He paused, dumfounded, “It had to be one of those for other than they it was the prefect who fed and served himself.”

  “And Vibia has been here for some time while Lucia has only just arrived, as has Appius. They could be in this together.”

  “That is stretching it a little. I can believe that one of the two companions poisoned Livius although for the life of me I cannot see why but we cannot accuse them without evidence. We will have to wait until the prefect recovers consciousness. Did the doctor know when that would be?”

  “No sir. Sextus and I can watch tonight but we need someone we can trust to watch him tomorrow.”

  “Julius Longinus. He will watch him.”

  When the death of the prefect was announced the next day Julius Demetrius watched the faces of all those whom he and Marcus suspected of the crime. If they expected a guilty reaction they were disappointed; all of them expressed shock. The legate had said that he died suddenly in his sleep and had been discovered in his bed. Apart from Marcus and Sextus none of the ala had any idea of the truth. Marcus took Metellus and Rufius to one side to explain to them of the events of the previous night but the rest of the ala showed genuine remorse that their charismatic leader had died suddenly. To the troopers it
seemed harsh that a warrior should die without violence but the ways of the gods and Nemesis were hard to fathom.

  The funeral took place close to the Stanegate and the barbarian’s body was burnt, the ashes were reverently placed in an urn. Surprisingly, as soon as the body was burnt, the Governor became all business like again and callously discussed the command of the ala. “Well we shall need a new prefect. Of course, temporarily, the Decurion Princeps can run matters but we will need someone who is a patrician.” He smiled at Appius. “Perhaps you might…”

  “I think it is a little soon to be discussing a replacement and, with all due respect, young man, I would prefer someone who was an experienced soldier.” At the back of the legate’s mind was that these two were behaving suspiciously and would bear watching as well as the girls. Perhaps there was a conspiracy as Marcus had suggested. They would have to wait until the prefect came to in order to find out the truth.

  Briac, Randal and Iucher met far to the north. They had travelled beyond the Roman horse patrols in order to guarantee secrecy. Scaeva was with them and was honoured in equal measure by the Selgovae.

  “Welcome brother Scaeva. Your ideas have proved successful and, apart from one, incident, the Romans have suffered more losses than we. Whenever you have something to tell us pray interrupt.”

  Scaeva was a dour man and he merely nodded. Iucher stood. “The building of the wall has slowed down but it still continues and more Romans, as predicted by Scaeva, are arriving each day. Soon they will outnumber us.” There was much nodding at this. In reality they were waiting for Scaeva to come up with an idea but he was biding his time. “Briac, can the Brigante attack wagons again?”