Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 01] The Sword of Cartimandua
Page 28
The shocked look on Atticus’ face bonded him even closer to Cresens. Together they headed south away from the valley, following the beach that Cresens hoped would lead to safety.
Streonshal
Gaius Cresens and Atticus peered over the boulder strew cliff. Below them was a small cluster of huts. They had travelled for many hours to avoid the murderous inhabitants of the settlement to the north. As they looked down they could see that there were few men.
“Should I go down sir? We need shelter tonight there is a storm coming.”
Gaius shivered; he hated the discomfort of the wild. He preferred all the trappings of civilisation; it looked like he would have to wait for that. “No lad, whatever is down there we will face it together.” Cresens was gratified to see a look of almost hero worship on the young man’s face. In reality he could not have cared less what happened to the boy but he needed protection and if that meant playing a hero then he would do so. Patting him in a paternal fashion on his should he added, “You keep your sword handy.”
As soon as they were an arrow flight from the village the dogs started barking. Within moments the huts emptied and a swarm of people appeared. They were both pleased that none of the boys who face them looked older than twelve summers and there were no men. Gaius Cresens held up his hand in the universal sign of peace. “We come in peace.”
An old man said something in the local dialect, the boys looked relieved and the panic from their faces was replaced by relief. The old man said,” I am the only one who speaks your language.” Cresens looked him quizzically. “I tended the horses at the fort at Derventio when the Romans had the fort.”
The implication was not lost on Cresens for it meant that there were no Romans to see through his subterfuge. “Where are your men? And why do you all look so lean and hungry? The sea is close by you should be able to harvest the sea.”
“Come into my humble dwelling sir and I will tell you the tale while we get you what little we have to offer.” He spoke to the boys who raced off.
They entered a small roundhouse. The two Romans were pleased to see a small fire burning. As they sat down two boys came in with bowls filled with a warm liquid. Cresens looked at it suspiciously but Atticus began lapping it quickly. He grinned. “Soup! Tasty sir.”
Gratefully Gaius Cresens drank the soup. In truth it was not the best he had even drunk but half starved as he was it tasted like ambrosia. As they drank the old man told his tale. “I am Jared. I am the headman of this settlement. We call it Streonshal. Until a few months ago we were a thriving community of six families. The men were fishermen and they provided good food for us all. Then came the night of the storm. None of them returned. Some of the boys went north to see if they had foundered on the rocks. They found them. They had wrecked on the beach at Stagh-herts.” Cresens looked up questioningly. “The settlement in the next bay.”
Atticus and Cresens exchanged looks. “Master?” Cresens held up his hand for silence.
“Continue Jared.”
“They had been slaughtered by the animals that live there. The boys wanted to go there for revenge but I told them they would not survive.”
“It is a sad story. Why do the boys not fish as their fathers did?”
“The savages took their nets and boats. We are poor as you can see; we have not the skills to make the boats for we lack tools and we grow weaker by the day.”
Cresens nodded and an idea began to form in his mind. He had seen the effect and act of apparent kindness had had on Atticus. If he befriended the village in the same way then he would become the headman. Once he was in control he could expand. All it would take was a few denari. “It grieves me to see people treated this way. I will send my servant to Derventio to buy the tools you need.”
The look on Atticus’ face showed Cresens that he had gone even higher in the young man’s estimation and he thought that Jared would burst into tears. “But sir why would you do that?”
“A simple kind act for I empathise with you and in truth I feel I owe the gods for saving me and enabling me to save my friend here but if you felt the need to repay me then perhaps we could build me a house here and when they young men produce boats and then catch fish perhaps we could look to sell some and repay me.”
“I will tell the people. Thank you.” He grasped Cresens in a hug. The smell was so bad it nearly made him vomit but he managed to grimace his way through it and assure Jared it was nothing. They knew from the cheers that he had told the villagers of his idea.
“You truly are kind master.”
“We will be kind to these people Atticus but to those savages who murdered our shipmates and the good men of this village we will be ruthless.”
Atticus face hardened. “Aye sir and you can count on me.”
“I intend to, do not worry, I intend to.” He had used and taken advantage of young men for twenty years in the auxiliary; he would continue to do so and to milk this community for all that they were worth.
Author’s comment
This is a piece of fiction! It is based on some historical characters. Cartimandua was the Queen of the Brigante, she did betray Caractacus, met Claudius, married Venutius, took a shield bearer as a lover and vanished from history in, about, 69 AD. Rome did have four Emperors in 69 AD.
Roman auxiliaries came from newly conquered nations and fought in a turma of about thirty two; each turma forming part of an ala or wing of cavalry. They fought in much less formal situations than the legions. Stanwyck is a superb Iron Age fortification and it was substantially improved by Venutius. Following its destruction by the Romans the capital of Brigantia moved down the road a mile or so to Aldeborough. There is a fort at Ambleside called Galava or Glanibanta. There is no record that it was built by auxiliaries and certainly no suggestion that they built it as suggested by my novel.
History is written by the winners and the main records we have are from Tacitus and other Roman writers. There are no Brigante records and I have surmised and speculated about what might have happened.
I have used Roman names for places as that is the only record we now have. I suspect that the Brigante would have had their own names for them. The big river is obviously the Tees which formed a natural boundary for the Romans. The archaeological records for the auxiliaries in Britain suggests that they took Roman names and I have used Roman names for the auxiliaries. I have taken liberties with dates to suit the stories. Venutius was still alive a couple of years after my book is set. The idea of a common soldier taking a Queen as a lover was suggested by the fact that the Queen herself left her husband for a warrior.
Griff Hosker March 2011
Other books by Griff Hosker
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The Sword of Cartimandua Series (Germania and Britannia 50A.D. – 128 A.D.)
Ulpius Felix- Roman Warrior
Book 1 The Sword of Cartimandua
Book 2 The Horse Warriors
Book 3 Invasion Caledonia
Book 4 Roman Retreat
Book 5 Revolt of the Red Witch
Book 6 Druid’s Gold
Book 7 Trajan’s Hunters
Book 8 The Last Frontier
Book 9 Hero of Rome
Book 10 Roman Hawk
Book 11 Roman Treachery
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Book 1 Housecarl
Book 2 Outlaw
Book 3 Varangian
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Book 1 Saxon Dawn
Book 2 Saxon Revenge
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Travel
Adventure at 63-Backpacking to Istanbul
Coming in Autumn 2013
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Book 1 Rebel Raider
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Table of Contents
Published by Sword Books Ltd. 2013Copyright © Griff Hosker Fifth Edition
Dedicated to mum who kept on buying me typewriters; thanks for believing in me. Thanks to Eileen, Vic...
PrologueAD 50 Stanwyck
PrologueAD 50 Stanwyck
Chapter 1AD 69 Stanwyck Stronghold
Chapter 2Stanwyck
Chapter 3
Chapter 4Eboracum
Chapter 5Stanwyck
Chapter 6Eboracum
Chapter 7Eboracum
Chapter 8Eboracum
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11Eboracum
Chapter 12Brocavum
Chapter 13Glanibanta
Chapter 14Morbium
Chapter 15Brocavum
Chapter 16Brocavum
Epilogue
The opening chapter of Book 2 in the series, HorsewarriorsChapter 1Fainch
Author’s comment
Other books by Griff Hosker