by Griff Hosker
He was just about to go into the cave when he heard the clatter of hooves on rocks. Rufius’ head appeared, almost magically and his grinning young face beamed at his superior. “That was a ride.”
“Was it hard?”
“Very. The rocks are so small that they constantly move beneath the hooves. It is a good job that Blackie is nimble on her feet or we would have ended up at the bottom of the valley.” Rufius dismounted and nuzzled his horse, “Good girl!” Neighing she wandered off to join Star who had found some tussocks of grass on which to graze.
“So the only way up now is the way I came?”
“I suppose sure footed auxiliaries might be able to manage it but they would make a lot of noise.”
Rufius was a clever young man. He had understood what went behind the question rather than just the question. He would make an excellent officer for he was already a perfect Exploratore; someone who could use intelligence to bring back useful intelligence. “We’ll explore the cave and then camp here tonight.”
“Will the others be joining us?”
“Perhaps I told them either Glanibanta or here. I suspect they will choose Glanibanta as it is more comfortable.”
“Oh I don’t know sir. This looks like a dry cave, plenty of water and grazing for the animals. We can even light a fire in the cave.”
“Let’s do that. It looks like rain and it will illuminate the interior later.”
The fire did indeed throw light throughout the whole cave. It was more than a cave it was a whole cavern system and they explored the rear where the wall had once been. “I would love to know why they built the wall.”
“Hiding something? Perhaps a separate room, I mean they had the Queen with them.”
“The Queen, Rufius is a witch, and I don’t think that she would worry about others. I suspect that she and her women occupied the whole of the cave and left the men outside. We now know there were only thirty or so of them anyway.”
As they returned to the fire and the rabbits which were roasting Rufius asked, “Do you think she has gone for good then sir?”
“No. Her mother, the witch Fainch, plagued the province for over twenty years until Marcus Maximunius finally caught up with her and had her crucified. We will have to do the same for her daughter. You must never underestimate her Rufius. She has more faces than a dozen actors. She can smile and appear innocent while stabbing you in the back. The old Decurion Princeps of Marcus’ Horse found that to his cost.”
“She is that dangerous then?”
“ Far more dangerous than any man I have ever fought.”
Rufius turned the rabbits over while he plucked up the courage to ask the question which had rattled around in his head since they had set off from Brocauum. “Sir someone at the fort said that she was with your brother. Is that right?”
“I am sorry to say yes. My uncle sent my brother Decius to look after Wyddfa’s gold while I learned to be a cavalryman. I suspect he was seduced by the gold and the desire for riches.”
“What will you do if we catch him?”
“It isn’t an ‘if’ Rufius, it is a when. When we catch him he will be tried and punished for his crimes.”
“Crucifixion then?”
“Probably.” Livius wanted the subject changing for he found the thought of his brother as a traitor disturbing. “ Anyway are those rabbits ready yet?”
*
Two weeks after beginning their raids Decius was pleased with the results they had achieved. They had over a hundred and fifty men under arms with more arriving every day. Nuada and Centurion vetted them just in case the Romans had sent in spies but the authorities seemed blind to the insurrection happening in such a quiet part of the province. The auxiliary patrols along the main road were increased but the first raid by Decius had just been opportunist. His mission, as Morwenna and the Wise One had said, was to upset and annoy the people. Now that they had more men at their disposal they could send out more columns to increase the chaos.
Decius and Brennus were in the main hut with Centurion deciding where the next raids should take place when the messenger arrived. They kept a watch close to the beach to warn them of Roman naval activity and to alert them to the arrival of their own boats. This was just such an occasion. The man was not only out of breath he was also very excited. “It is the Queen! She is at the beach and wishes to see you my lord and General Decius.”
Brennus and Decius did not waste time wondering why the Queen had come they knew that she would not want to be kept waiting. They both sprang on the backs of their horses without waiting for them to be saddled. When they arrived at the beach Morwenna was sat on a wicker seat with the boat hauled up on the sand. Around her stood ten tall warriors each one with sword and shield. She looked heavily pregnant. As they slithered to a halt the ten warriors came menacingly forward, their swords pointed at the two men. Morwenna held up her hand, “They are friends.”
The swords were sheathed but Brennus could not resist walking up to the largest one and spitting in the sand near him, daring him to action. “I see you are still as belligerent as ever Brennus.”
“Sorry your majesty.”
“And General Decius, how fine you look in your uniform. Where did the title come from?” she asked teasingly.
Decius shuffled for he was embarrassed. “It was the men they thought…”
Decius had forgotten how enchanting her laugh could be and when she laughed it made him look up and smile. “I am not unhappy about it, just surprised. I did not see you being seduced by uniforms and titles. Perhaps I should be jealous.” She turned to her guards. “Go and guard the trees or something. I am quite safe with these two.” They wandered off reluctantly. “Tadgh feels I need protection now that the child, our child, is growing so well.” Decius smiled at the term, ‘our child’. “How go the raids?”
“Well we have a hundred and fifty men. We acquired some new mail and caligae and the people are becoming unhappy. There is a great deal of unrest with Rome. We are increasing the raids from tomorrow.”
“Good. I have news for you.” She peered closely at his face to gauge his reaction. “I come to tell you that we will be bringing our army over before winter.”
“But that means we may be fighting during winter.”
“Yes General but what you do not know is that in this part of the land the winters are milder than in the east, the north or even further south, near Wyddfa. It will hurt the Romans more than we and will allow us to build up our strength. The other reason is to give new orders to Brennus.” Brennus looked surprised at being included in what had appeared to be an almost private conversation. “You can stop being a Roman now Brennus and become a Brigante once more.” He gave such a loud whoop that the guards looked around and began to move back to the beach until Morwenna waved them back. “When a settlement has been raided you must visit it as a Brigante who has been displaced by the Romans in the east. Tell them that this is what they did to you and how they sold your village into slavery. Embroider the story as much as you wish. But you need to be convincing. Find any Brigante warriors who are willing to fight against Rome and have them join your army. Not this army here but a second one which you will build further north. General Decius will supply you with gold and any non-Roman weapons. Do you have them?”
“Yes many. We disarm any village we find. It aggravates the situation.”
“Good. Take your Brigante, Brennus to build your camp. You have built one which worked for the deserters. It should be easier with your own people.”
“It will indeed.” He suddenly looked worried. “But I do not have long do I?”
“We have a thousand warriors ready to come over for the rebellion. Many Brigante fled to the island and to Ireland. They wish to return. We have also used the gold you provided to buy Irish warriors. Your new Brigante will join with us and we will use our Roman army too.” She paused and looked again at Decius’ face. “Decius, will they fight for us?”
“No,” he sa
id bluntly, “but they will fight for money and they will also fight to show their former masters that they are better warriors. They have no ideals and even less scruples but they are good fighters.”
“It pains me to say it but the General is right. They are fierce and they are ruthless. I would be happy to fight alongside them.”
“Thank you Brennus.”
He shrugged, “Do not thank me Decius, for speaking the truth. It is the way of my people. It is you Romans who lie.”
The captain called from the boat. “The tide your majesty!”
“I must go. Well done you have both done all that I asked of you.” She rose from her wicker throne and came over to Decius kissing him long and hard on the lips. She said huskily, “Come back to us soon we have missed you between our legs.”
“As have I.”
She turned and waded through the surf, “Send those barbarians to me.”
They waved the guards over and watched as they picked up the throne and placed it in the boat before pushing it off and scrambling on board. The last they heard above the surf was Morwenna’s voice carrying like the cry of a lonely gull, “You have but a month! Do not fail me!”
*
The small fishing settlement of Itunocelum was still a sad place to visit. The murder of so many of its men the previous year and the loss of all its boats had hit the community hard. Some of the more enterprising men had used the mules left by the departing Brigante to begin a new life as traders. This had just made the community seem even emptier with fewer men. The women were strong creatures and, as the nets had not been lost along with the boats, they began, with the remaining old men and boys to begin fishing from the beach. Although this was not as effective as fishing from a boat it did enable them to survive. Already their first boat was nearing completion as the old men showed the younger ones the skills that they would need when they had passed on.
Livius met with Drusus and Marius at the small port partly to see how they had fared but mainly to let them know that the Roman military machine was going to bring security to them. Alana had been the wife of the headman and now, alone, she managed the settlement. “What else is there for me to do? Curl up in a ball and die? It is not our way. My people have clung to this strip of land for generations and we are not going to let that evil witch destroy it. “She waved her arm around and Livius could see the crude palisade which was being erected, “when the cold comes we will have the time to make it even stronger.”
“But we are coming old woman. The legion is building a road to the pass and eventually here. Rome has a fleet and soon you will see mighty ships yonder.”
She smiled the cynical smile of the old. “When I see your mighty fleet moored where our boats used to be then I will believe you. Until then we fear everyone whether that be the bandits who prey on the travellers or the Irish who come for our children and long after Rome has gone we will still be here. Will you join us for food?” She pointed at the fish on racks drying in the salty air.
Livius shook his head touched by both the generosity of a woman who had little herself but was willing to share and also by the courage and spirit of this indomitable community. “Well Drusus we have another reason to seek the witch.”
“She must have gone to Ireland.”
“I don’t know. She is as slippery as an eel and as cunning as snake. I would not be surprised if she were hiding somewhere in Brigantia. Send two riders back to the legion with the information about the road.” He handed over a wax tablet. “Here is the information in written form but I suspect the prefect would prefer to be told. Then we are off to pastures new.”
“South sir?”
“Yes the Prefect wants to know just what lies south of us. There is a small fort at Bremmetenacum which protects the road from Mamucium but there is only a small cohort of auxilia there and they have not explored the land to the coast. I will go to the fort and see the commander. The rest of you can spread out and cover the land as far as the coast. Your maniple, Drusus, can have the land closest to the coast, Marius the middle and I will take the land close to the road.” He held out the rough map which he had copied onto the deerskin. “We will meet in a week close to here.” He pointed to a spot about twenty miles north of Mamucium. “But as always if you discover something inform the others. The more that know information the more useful it is. May the Allfather be with you.”
*
The settlement of Belisama was on the Belisama River and had been steadily growing as the lands around became safer. The river provided both water for the settlement and food with its plentiful fish. The soil was rich and the people had grown prosperous by producing more than they needed and taking it to the nearby fort and selling it. Other enterprising farmers had begun to trade with the merchants who used the new Roman road. The headman, Ban, was pleased with the development of his small town. They had no stone buildings but he had visited the Roman fort and was impressed by the strength of such buildings. When he had returned he had ordered the village to build a strong palisade and gate. Some had objected for the Irish had not raided for many years but Ban had heard stories of the Selgovae and Novontae raiding as far south as the land of the lakes; with the new Roman road that land was but a day’s travel away. “It is better to be safe than sorry”, had been in message. Now that the work was completed his people could see the wisdom of his plan. They had devised a method by which two men from the settlement would guard the gate during the hours of daylight. During the night it was closed and that had produced the benefit of less poultry being taken by the foxes. Ban was seen as a wise and capable headman.
When the Roman column was seen heading towards them from the south they were more intrigued than worried. The Romans from the fort never came west, reserving their limited resources for the patrols on the road which Ban had heard had had suffered from increased banditry of late. The two men on the gate sent a boy with a message and, by the time Ban arrived he could see the eighty man column. Having been to the fort he understood a little about the way the Romans organised their army and this did not look like the auxiliaries from the fort for these used the oblong rounded shields of the legion. He was surprised; he did not know that the legion was operating in this region.
The centurion who greeted him smiled in greeting. “Hail. You are the headman?”
“I am and who are you?”
The smile suddenly left the centurion’s face and the two guards at the gate were shocked when the centurion hit Ban across the face with the back of his hand knocking the greybeard to the ground. “I am your worst nightmare traitor for I am here to find the traitors who joined with the evil Morwenna in the revolt last year.”
Ban wiped the blood from his mouth and, as he tried to rise protested, “We were not part of the revolt.”
The centurion placed his foot firmly on the man’s chest to prevent him rising. “That is what we thought you would say. When my men discover your weapons we will find otherwise. You two.” He pointed at two of his column, one of them a giant with a scarred face, “Hold him here until we have searched the nest of vipers.” While Tiny and his companion restrained Ban, Decius led the rest through the gates passing the shocked inhabitants. “Secure and disarm these two. Search every building for weapons and booty.”
His men were well practiced in the art of brutality and any minor act of resistance or even a question, was greeted with a savage blow regardless of sex or age. The floors of the huts were ripped up revealing the jars with the meagre and minute monies saved by the villagers. When they searched the headman’s roundhouse hit they found his helmet and sword. Decius held them triumphantly aloft. “See the mark of the rebel! Crucify him!”
When the women wailed it availed them naught. Decius’ men crudely fashioned a cross despite the villager’s protests. Ban’s youngest son, a boy of fourteen, tried to release his father. Decius gave a nod and the boy had his throat slit causing a roar and scream of pain from the distraught headman. Tiny found a hammer and waited for
the command from Decius. Decius nodded and Ban’s ankles and wrists were broken. They tied him to the cross and then hammered it to the gate. “This is the fate of all traitors and your ill gotten gains will be taken as taxes by the Roman Empire. It does not pay to defy Rome.”
As the column left the shocked villagers looked at the devastation left by the vicious legionaries. Ban’s eldest son followed them discreetly and returned when he was sure they had moved away. When he returned they cut down the headman and his weeping wife saw to his wounds. “I was not a rebel before,” croaked the headman through cracked and bleeding lips, ”but the next time I will join and fight for if this is what we get by standing idly by then we would be as well dying with honour and our swords in our hands.
*
Brennus and his men were waiting in the woods a couple of miles away. “Successful?”
“Aye we crucified the headmen and killed his son. They should listen.”
“Did you kill him?”
“No just maimed him. I think you will find ready volunteers just waiting there, they will be eager to kill Romans.” This was the third settlement they had raided in the last week and they had refined their methods so that Brennus now had a rebel army of over a hundred angry warriors. They were kept well apart from the deserter army which had raided them and Decius would have to find a way, later on, to integrate the two armies. The region was ripe for rebellion. Brennus no longer went into the villages for he was busy training his army. Gurth was an older warrior who had shown a talent for acting the outraged Brigante and he was the one who now collected the potential rebels.