“What news?” barked Marcus Curtius, his deep brown eyes fixed on the slave as Damos grimaced and winced at the harshness of his words.
“It’s alright Damos” Javenoli said calmly as he glanced towards Curtius and furrowed his brows in anger.
“I listened to the Gauls talking” he said, his eyes darting around. “They say they have split their men into two groups. One group is in the city with the women and children. The others are raiding the lands around the city to find food for their thousands of hungry people.” Damos was staring at Javenoli now, his eyes boring into the Senators. “And, Master” his white teeth shone in the semi-darkness as a grin split his face, all the Senators leaning forwards as he spoke. “It is Camillus, Master. Camillus. He has beaten them at Ardea.” A gasp came from the room, a deep sigh which sounded as if the room itself had taken a deep breath.
“Camillus?” Javenoli’s wide eyes said in reply as he turned to look at Lucius.
“Yes, Master. Camillus has men and is fighting them” said Damos.
“We’re saved. The gods be praised” said a voice at the back of the room before other voices hushed him into silence.
“Wait, wait” Javenoli said as Lucius moved closer to the slave. “Tell us exactly what you heard” he asked.
***********
Aengus breathed slowly as the water ran slowly through his fingers, the cool liquid starting to make his hands numb as he watched the glittering shadows under the clear water. A shape slowly edged into his peripheral vision and his eyes moved slowly towards the form as it glided slowly towards his fingers. He counted slowly as the form moved closer, its silver back sending its shadow to the stones on the riverbed.
With an explosion of cold water and movement he thrust the fish high into the air, catching its belly as it swiped its tail and gasped its last mouthful of water before it was sent slapping into the bank of the river where Brennus sat watching, his head nodding as his smile broadened on his face.
“Why can I never catch fish like that?” he laughed.
“You have the hands of a warrior, the gods designed them to smite the enemies of the Senones, not to pluck fish from the river” Aengus said as he sloshed across to the river bank and gripped the large bream as it thrashed on the stone covered river bank.
Brennus grinned as he gripped the pole of his war hammer and turned to look at the sixty warriors seated along the river, most wrapped up in thick cloaks as the day had started cold, the sun-god still weak in the grey clad clouds of the sky. “We must move on and continue the hunt. Look, the dogs are already sniffing the scent of a large deer” he said as he looked back to Aengus who had already slit the fish and pulled out its guts, picking through them expertly as he squeezed the stomach and looked at the green liquid which oozed from it. “What does it tell you?” he asked.
The druid looked up at him and his mouth twitched into a frown. “Nothing more than we already know, cousin” he said. “The fish has eaten well. The river spirits are strong and the land is healthy. But” he held up his hand, the finger and thumb pressed together as he approached Brennus, the fish being slipped into a long bag at his waist as he walked. “This, leader of men, is what the gods are saying to us” he let the thumb fall from his finger as other men who were listening moved closer and looked eagerly at his hand. On the tip of his finger glinted a small speck, yellow in the low sunlight but unmistakable. Gold.
“What does it mean?” asked one of the blue-eyed Gauls, his mouth open as he stared in wonder at the druid.
Aengus half winked to Brennus as he moved his head to face the warriors. “The gods have given me a sign, men of the Senones” he said loudly. “This land is rich. If we stay here for the cold months, we will all be rich. Gold will come to those who wait” he said slowly as men nodded solemnly and clutched at their weapons as they looked to Brennus.
“I told you” Brennus said as he looked at the carefully chosen hunting party, mostly the chieftains and their bravest warriors. “We will sit out the winter here. The gods will bring us gold for each of our clans” he said as he shook his war hammer in the air. A cheer came from several of the men, others glancing to their peers before nodding and starting to join the cry. “When the gods of spring bring us warmth, brothers, we will leave as rich men” he added as the cheering continued, the hunting dogs barking loudly as they jumped to their feet and wandered around in confusion at the sudden noise.
“Cacorix” Brennus called to a heavily built man who was stood next to the largest dog of the pack. “Set the dogs out. Come men, let us find fresh meat for tonight’s feast. I still have several of the Roman women to enjoy and I want meat to give me strength” he called as laughter came from the men.
Aengus flicked the fleck of gold he had shaved from Brennus’ torc that morning from his finger and turned back to the river. He knelt and kissed the ground, taking his curved blade and muttering words of prayer before he nicked the back of his wrist and let a few drops of his blood drip to the soil. The Senones watched him closely as they jumped onto their mounts. As he turned from the river his eyes caught a dark shadow to the ground away to his right and his head turned quickly in the direction. “There” he said quickly. “The gods have given me a sign. The deer is there” he said as the men stared along the river and up towards the tightly packed treeline. Almost as if by magic several deer stepped from the forest and bent their heads to the ground to pick at the morning grass. Aengus heard a few muttered gasps as the eyes of many of the Senone Chieftains fell on him, a look of awe in their faces before the noise of the dogs barking made the deer crane their necks and disappear back into the forest.
“Quick” called Aengus. “The gods give, but they can easily take away” he called as the first dog bolted away towards the forest and riders kicked hard to chase after them. Brennus nodded to Aengus, knowing that the druid had scouted the land and knew this was the usual location for the deer to forage in the morning, and thankful for his masterful show as he too urged his horse forwards into a mad dash after the evening meal.
Aengus smiled, but something nagged at the back of his mind, a cold sharp, pulling, feeling which caused him to squint and gather his cloak around his shoulders. He felt a sudden cold shiver run along his neck and down his back and turned left and right. Had a spirit walked past him? He closed his eyes and felt the world around him, heard the sounds of the river and the trees and cleared his mind to listen to the spirits. He opened his eyes and looked to his left. Along the river where the water turned towards the low hills and the north, he saw a shadow in the sky. The bird moved in a low circle before it rose effortlessly, the wings edged in fingers which stood dark against the slate grey clouds. The bird circled slowly as he watched it move closer to the forest. A sudden realisation hit him and he turned to stare at the riders as they entered the forest to chase the deer. A trap. The gods were sending a message and Brennus was in danger.
***********
The first rider into the forest clearing reined in as he saw the red spots of blood, his eyes tracing the line to the dead dog, three long arrows jutting from its belly. Without thinking he fell to the floor and screamed as the whoosh of the iron-tipped shafts flew overhead. Before he had hit the floor, he felt the sharp pain of an arrow biting into his thigh and he yelled as his fall snapped the wooden shaft as he twisted and screamed. More noise hit his ears as he saw the Gallic leaders reining in, horses screaming as arrows hit them and their riders fell to the floor. Dogs yelped as they lay dying on the grass, the carcass of a deer tied to the tree which had attracted them. He saw the body of Cacorix lying next to one of the dogs, an arrow in the back of his skull.
“Ambush” he screamed, rolling and scrambling towards the trees where he had entered the clearing as the Gallic riders were already turning and retreating. He heard the voice of Brennus shouting as he felt another heavy blow hit his back, the pain dull, but deadly.
Brennus jumped from his horse and retreated to the tree line, staring at the fallen man
as he tried to crawl towards safety. Another arrow slammed into his back, his body reacting with a small jerk and a look of pain on his face before the light fell from his eyes and his head dropped to the floor.
“Badorix” Brennus screamed, his eyes darting around the clearing as he saw shadows step from behind trees and saw the blur of long arrows shooting at them. “There” he jammed his war hammer towards the tree line and looked left and right. “Take half the men and go left. Belinus” he looked for his brother, who appeared, his face a picture of anger. “Come” he said as he crouched low and moved off into the trees to the right. The undergrowth cracked and shouted in protest as they stumbled through it towards the place where the attackers had been shooting their arrows. “Go there brother and circle round” whispered Brennus as he cast a glance to his brother before he disappeared with several men. Gripping the heavy headed weapon, he peered into the tree line and held his hand up to the men around him. “Silence” he called as the men nearest stood at the sign but the others continued to move. It took a moment for Brennus to hear the sounds of men crashing away through the trees ahead of him.
“They’re running. After them” he screamed as he pushed through a thick green bush and raced into the ground ahead of him, yells coming from the other men as he screamed to Belinus and Badorix to chase the fleeing attackers.
The ground was hard and the undergrowth unforgiving but Brennus saw several men ahead of him fleeing towards a source of light, the edge of the forest. He snarled as he gripped the war hammer tightly, wishing he had left it behind and brought his long sword which was lighter and easier to carry on foot. The men disappeared as his warriors came level with him and headed for the, now widening, source of light through the thinning trees. The noise of horses brought anger to his face as he heard the unmistakable sound of hooves start to thunder across the ground as he burst into the bright light at the edge of the trees, one of his warriors already down clutching an arrow in his shoulder. Ahead of him ten or more horses were disappearing across the ground, men calling to each other as they loosed arrows high into the sky in the general direction of the Gauls. Brennus breathed long and deep through his nose as his eyes scanned the horsemen, three wearing a light blue cloak. As he watched they reined in and gathered in a group clearly discussing what to do. Brennus looked at the men around him, some yelling curses at the horsemen and others simply standing and watching as they came to a stop.
Belinus strode across. “Cowards” he spat. “They run like sheep before the dogs” he said as he let out an angry grunt and his shoulders dropped with a long sigh.
A noise behind them made them turn as Aengus appeared from the treeline, his eyes seeking them out quickly as his chest heaved up and down from the exertion. “I saw it too late” he called as he moved across and placed his hands on his thighs to suck in deep breaths. “The eagle was soaring against the sun” he said as Brennus gazed, with questions in his eyes, at the druid. “The message was clear, but I was too slow to see it. Forgive me my Lord” he said as he bent to one knee.
Brennus huffed as he turned from the druid and grunted his forgiveness.
“Who are these men?” Belinus said as he watched one of the riders step his horse forwards and raise his bow to signal that he was coming towards them.
“Looks like we will find out in a moment” Aengus replied.
The rider stopped his horse at fifty paces from the Gauls, turning it sideways and ready to make a quick exit should they attempt to chase him. His blue cloak flowed in the wind as he took a tight-fitting bronze helmet from his head and turned his short-haired face to the Gauls. “You men of Gaul should go back to your homes across the mountains” he called, his dark eyes almost laughing at the Gallic warriors. “Camillus is coming and he will defeat you” he shouted as the Gauls looked to Brennus.
“Ha” barked Brennus in reply, his red hair flowing onto his shoulders as his head tilted forwards and his eyes rose slowly to stare at the man on the horse. “Tell your coward Camillus that I will meet him in combat and take his head to add to my collection” he shouted back at the man. “Tell him we are taking his women and children in the city and eating them whilst the old men on the hill starve” he called again as the Gauls around him laughed and spat at the horseman. “Tell him the strong defeat the weak, as it should be and that your false gods have forsaken you.” He turned to Aengus. “How do you say woe to the vanquished in their tongue?” he asked.
“Vae Victis” Aengus grinned.
“Tell him this, Roman. Vae Victis” he shouted, laughing as he did and waving his hammer in the air.
Mella turned his horse from the shouting Gaul and smiled. With a click of his tongue he squeezed his knees into the sides of his horse and felt it bound away towards the waiting group of men. Marcus would be interested to hear the words of the Gauls.
************
Chapter 14
The walls of Veii stood tall and smooth against the heavy rain that sleeted against the light grey tuff blocks. The guards at the gate huddled under their oiled cloaks as they squinted into the thrashing rain, the road already starting to look more like a mini river than the well-made track they knew it to be. Ahead of them the scouts were trudging their soaking wet horses back towards the gates as the day came to its close and the dark grey and black clouds spilled their contents on the sorrowful Romans.
A wave was all the guards could muster, the watchwords called as the scouts bent forwards on the back of their horses as they approached. As the noise of the horses clopping into the city grew louder Caedicius opened the door and waved to the scouts, his movement catching their eyes as they edged their horses across towards him.
The door closed as the last scout pulled the cloak from his shoulders, water already pooling on the floor at his feet as he shrugged the garment off and threw it over a wooden peg on the wall. He shivered as he took a cloth and wiped his head and face before turning to the expectant officers, one holding out a cup of warm broth for him, which he gratefully took.
“What news?” Caedicius asked once the scout had taken several mouthfuls of the warm broth and the colour had started to come back to his ash-grey face.
“The Gauls have wintered in the city” he said as he placed the empty wooden cup on the table in front of him. “The snow has melted and the roads are passable” he continued. “All signs show that they are still spread across the city in their clan groups.” The scouts head moved slowly from side to side as he spoke, his lips tightening before he looked up at the officers. “We saw two raiding parties of thirty or more men returning to the city, one with cattle and a goat, the other empty.” He licked his lips. “There is news that Camillus has a force at Ardea and has stopped the raids of the towns in that area. The men we met said he has over a thousand soldiers” the scout said with wide eyes.
“Camillus?” Caedicius nodded at the name as he looked at the other officers.
“Yes sir” the scout continued more eagerly. “We” he looked nervously to the other scouts and received a look which suggested that he continue. “We went to the borders of the town, sir” he said as he watched the look on the faces of the officers turn to curiosity. “They’ve built up the defences and blocked the road. We met some of the men, they said that Camillus has been preparing the men throughout the winter and they have beaten the Gauls at every attack. Ardea is a safe place, sir. We could all move there” he suggested, his brown eyes wide as the scouts around him nodded vigorously.
Caedicius looked to the other officers, most of whom were shaking their heads at the suggestion.
“Thank you Victius” the Roman officer said as he placed a hand on the scout’s shoulder. “See to your horses and get some sleep. We need to discuss your findings” he said as he nodded towards the door and Victius and his fellows trudged out, grabbing their wet cloaks as they left the room.
“What do you think?” Caedicius said as the door closed. He slipped into the seat next to the dying embers of the fire and pulled
a small log from a pile, throwing it onto the glowing ash and giving it a small push with his foot.
“Veii is secure” said Aelius Tubero, a short, round-faced, man with straggly hair and an unkempt beard. “Why would we leave?” he asked as his thin mouth creased into a tight line. “We have enough food for another six months and we have repaired all the weapons. Every man has at least one spear and a sword” he added with a cool shrug. “Ardea cannot offer us much more defence” he finished.
“I agree” nodded Caeso Fabius, his thick hair cut short and his thin face showing that he had lost much of the puppy fat from his face over the winter. “The Gauls will surely leave Rome soon and head back to the mountains. Throughout the winter we’ve watched as they have burned the city, looted all the local villages and eaten every living thing they can get their hands on. They must be running out of food by now.” His words were accompanied by a small series of nods and grunts from the officers. Caedicius nodded slowly as well. The Romans at Veii had fared well through the winter, with enough food from local villagers who had appeared looking for safety from the Gauls as well as their own scouting parties foraging as far as they dared. So far, they had grown to over four thousand active men and another few thousand women and children. Yet Caedicius had seen the spirits of the Romans broken over the winter. Cold had seen a number of deaths. Fewer people were praying to the gods at the ceremonies, with some turning their backs on the priests as they sang the ceremonies and danced slowly through the city. The women had taken to wearing the feathers of the wood pigeons that they caught in the forest for food, a sign that they would remain barren whilst they were holed up in the city and away from their homes in Rome. Fabius was continuing to speak and Caedicius looked back at him.
Vae Victis Page 17