Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 04] Roman Retreat (21 page)

When they were alone Cornelius asked, “Could you find someone to show my men to my quarters whilst you and I discuss the military situation.”

It was many hours later when Sallustius had finished with his interrogation.  He got the impression that the Legate knew more than he should have.  He could feel the inquisitor’s irons already.  When he reached his private quarters he thought he had been robbed; clothes were scattered around the room and the chest with the gold in it was open and worse still, empty! It was only when he saw that the clothes which had been spread around with such abandon belonged to his wife and none were his that he knew what had occurred. “Bitch!” She had left him!

Aula and her maid were riding cloaked and hidden through the streets of Eboracum. She had no idea where she could go for she knew no-one in Britannia and then she remembered, Decius! He too would be in as much danger as she. She turned the horse around and headed north out of the city.  Decius had built himself a villa two miles from the city.  Close enough to receive protection but far enough away to enable him to indulge his eccentricities. She just hoped that he would be there.  As soon as she saw the guards at the door she knew he was home.

The guards recognised her immediately and allowed her to enter. “Where is he?”

“He is in the solar lady but he is not alone.”

Ignoring the guard, she burst in on her naked nephew and the two young girls who looked to be little more than children. “What the…?”

“Believe me Decius you will need to hear what I have to say.  Dismiss those girls, get dressed and I will tell you all.”

Something in her voice told him to take this seriously.  “Get out.  I’ll join you later.” When they had gone and he had put the toga on he added threateningly.  “This had better be good.”

“Good is not a word I would choose.  Domitian has sent a Legate to run the army.  He knows about the gold and he may suspect about your uncle’s plans.”

“Shit! What do you intend?”

“I have left the Governor and Eboracum!” He gave her a shocked look.  “What good would it do for me to share a cell with your uncle?  At least this way we are both free and with gold, we may effect his escape.”

“You have gold?”

“Yes,” she replied cynically, “as I am sure you do. The difference between us is that you have guards to protect our gold.” She reached over and touched his cheek.

That and the use of the word ‘our’ told Decius all he needed. “We need to leave and leave quickly. North is no good, too many barbarians.  I would head west but if he knows about the gold then our Legate from Domitian will head there. I think we will head south to the civilised lands.  We will create an identity as we travel.”

“I had been worried Decius but you are so resourceful that I feel safer already.”

Decius felt safer too but that was because he knew he had his uncle’s gold as well as his own and when he tired of the old hag then he knew how to dispose of her.

Septimus had a smug smile on his old face as he sat opposite the Legate. The news was racing around Eboracum that the Governor’s wife had fled and the Legate had ensured that no-one else could leave the city which now had all its gates barred and guarded. “So you have compiled facts about the Governor for the Emperor?” Cornelius felt distaste for the spy but he needed the information the man had. “He has been siphoning off gold from the Emperor through his nephew Decius Lucullus.  He has four cohorts at Derventio ready to back him if needed and he has met with a representative of the Governor of Germania Superior and planned to rebel in the spring.”

Cornelius looked up.  The Governor had greater ambitions than he had thought.  He was not concerned with Germania Superior for his counterpart was already there but he would take great pleasure in adding this fact to his first report.” And why was this not conveyed to the Emperor?”

“It only transpired this morning.  The envoy is still in the city.”

“Is he?  When we have finished you can give his description to my man Cassius.  Anything else?”

The old man paused, looking almost embarrassed. “Well he…”

“Come on man spit it out!”

“He has named a lance after himself.”

Even Cornelius was surprised at that and he burst out laughing.  “The man has an arrogance I have never seen before.  I do not think the Governor would approve. You are dismissed.”

Unless Cassius could apprehend the envoy there would be little evidence of his treachery but he had enough to warrant an arrest.  He decided he would send him to the Emperor who was in Germania Inferior along with his report. He had the authority and the Emperor could make the judgement call. Little evidence or not he was sure that Sallustius Lucullus would die.

Marcus was delighted when the ala finally arrived. The Caledonii attacks had become more intense over the past day. “Prefect you will have your work cut out to extract the Batavians without too many casualties. When you have succeeded I want you to take the ala to Coriosopitum and winter there with Decius. I fear that in the spring the Caledonii will mount far more serious attacks on our forts.”

“I agree and where will you be sir?”

“I will visit with the Governor and ask about the cohorts he is hanging on to.  We need them here not lounging about in Eboracum.  Good luck there then sir.”

“And good luck to you.” Clasping hands he turned his horse and headed south.

Julius looked the Batavian, Tribune Sura looked to have aged ten years in the past few days. “You need rest sir.”

“I know Julius but unfortunately the Caledonii don’t know that. They seemed to have intensified their efforts in the last day, whilst you were away. All the forts down to Veluniate have been attacked.  We cannot do anything about destroying the forts.”

Julius looked at the map. “There are three forts including this one right sir?”

“Agreed.”

“And we don’t want to leave anything which they might be able to use.  I assume that you have buried anything which can be buried as the legion did at Inchtuthil?”

“Yes but we have javelins and arrows that cannot be buried as well as forge equipment.”

“Have you any wagons?”

“Yes a couple.  Why?”

“I could get a couple of my turmae to empty this fort and take the surplus down to Veluniate leaving just the men.  My other turmae will harry the enemy.”

“How? “

“Half on foot using bows the other half mounted to pursue if necessary.”

“Sounds risky to me.”

“No more risky than trying to move without doing so. When we have engaged the enemy you can move your men to the next fort and fire this one.  We repeat the action.”

“Sounds easy but won’t they learn what you are about?”

“Oh yes.  This first decamp will be the easiest; then it will become harder. If you’ll excuse me I’ll get the ala organised.”

“Decurion Galeo, go and find a wagon and hitch it to horses.”

“Where will I get horses from sir?”

“Any you can find.  Use ours if you have to.” The raised eyebrows from the Decurion was the only sign that he found the order strange.

“Decurion Cilo, find the Camp Prefect when we have the wagon, I want everything putting in it that we can’t bury; shields, forges, anvils, spears anything that the barbarians can use we take. Whatever can’t be put in the wagon goes on spare horses and before you ask use ours.  We will have some spare.”

“Gaius! Macro!”

“Sir!”

“We are going to make life harder for these barbarians.  We are going to attack them whilst the Tribune marches his men the five miles to the next fort.  As soon as the fort is fired we will withdraw. But we will need to buy them some time.  They are exhausted. We will have to hold off any attacks. We will attack those barbarians in the tees with mounted archers.  That way we can escape quickly.”

Gaius looked up at the hillsides.  “If they decide to attack us from both sides we will be in trouble.”

“Yes but they won’t be expecting this.  You Gaius will have three turmae as a mobile reserve.  Attack anything which comes at you. Next time we will have to come up with something else.”

“Next time?”

“Yes Macro. Tomorrow we do the same and the day after, for the last time, hopefully.”

Gaius looked at the crestfallen young Decurion.  “Yes Macro, your lovely wife will be alone again.”

“In that case the sooner we start, the sooner I sleep better.”

The men all worked urgently realising that speed was of the essence.  They needed to be in their winter forts soon otherwise the decamp would prove impossible.  The ala proved highly resourceful and even found a few spare horses.

“Ready Julius.”

“As ready as we will ever be. Decurion Princeps begin your attack.  Decurions take the wagons south.”

The Tribune’s voice rang out. “Fire the fort!”

In the wooded sides of the valley the barbarians were taken by surprise.  Lulach had told them that the Romans would be leaving and they had been prepared to fall upon them as they left the fort.  Suddenly they found themselves having to shelter from the rain of arrows. The chief blew on the ram’s horn and, from the other side of the valley a horde of barbarians raced across the open ground. Before they were half way the three mounted turmae reserve had crashed into them causing many casualties. Gaius was at the point of the wedge the Sword of Cartimandua cleaving a path for his troopers close behind.  As they emerged they wheeled and fell upon those who still stood. “Reform!” The one hundred troopers reformed into two immaculate lines.

Decurion Marcus Saurius was on the extreme right and he saw the archers who had emerged behind the warband draw their bows back.  “Shields! Arrows!”

The well disciplined ala put up their shields and whilst they were protected three horses fell to the ground. There was little point in waiting for more casualties.  Archers could not catch them. “Withdraw!”

The dismounted men doubled up and the three turmae trotted down the road after the Batavians, Macro had kept an eye on the skirmish and when he saw Gaius move out he yelled,” Time to go lads, one last volley and then mount up.”

By the time the Caledonii knew what was going on and their tormentors were disengaging the ala had formed a defensive circle around the Batavians and they lurched into the fort exhausted by their double march.

That evening the Tribune and the Prefect treated the Decurions to a fine feast. “We might as well eat well.  We would only have to leave it for the barbarians.”

“Did Galeo and Cilo get away with the wagon?”

“Yes, they should be back before night.”

“Good,” said Julius between mouthfuls of stew. “Quintus and Pontius tomorrow you do the wagon run.  Leave before dawn.  They will be expecting us to do everything the same way.”

“And won’t we sir?”

“No.  I expect that this time they will send men ahead of us to attack the Batavians before they can be protected by our protective circle. Macro when the wagons move out I want you to take two turmae, archers only and set up an ambush in the woods.  When they try to attack the Batavians you can attack them.”

“With two turmae sir?  I am good but not that good.”

The all laughed and Julius smiled. “No-on could accuse you of modesty Macro.  No, you will not just attack with two turmae. The Decurion Princeps will also attack from this flank and Galeo and Cilo will form the rearguard.  Give their men the chance to fight.”

The Tribune smiled. “I will have to remember these tactics when I get my Cohortes Equitatae.”

“I think they would do the job even better sir.  We are just cavalrymen adapting. And tomorrow night we will have to adapt even more.”

The next day’s action was not as successful and resulted in the first loss of officers that the ala had suffered in a while. Decurion Gratius Agrippa had been leading his turma in open order in the woods.  He was on the extreme right flank and the Caledonii had managed to get around his flank. He heard the screams of two of his men and turned to see fifty warriors streaming down the hillside.  “Fall back!” As he yelled his last command he calmly turned to face the horde.  The first warrior ran onto his blade and e the second he punched with his shield and then stabbed him in the neck. The chief who faced him had a war axe which he swung at the Decurion’s head.  He ducked beneath the whirling blade and stabbed up at the unprotected chest of the chief.  When he fell, his enraged warriors descended on Gratius. Despite his heroism he could not hold them all off and he died with a dozen wounds. His bravery allowed not only the rest of his turma to escape and the rest of the ala.

It was a sombre group who saluted their dead comrade that evening. The losses amongst the ala had been higher than the first day. “Tomorrow could be interesting.”

“Yes Tribune but at least we are close to Veluniate.”

“Yes which gives me an idea. If we brought a cohort up from Veluniate we could catch the Caledonii between three large forces.”

“Then why don’t we send off the wagons tonight; they can ask the Prefect to do as you suggest.”

“I will write the orders now.”

The next morning was a shock to both Romans and barbarians.  The blizzard which hit was a vicious white out storm which reduced visibility to the length of a spear.. “I am glad that we sent the wagon last night. I think that today we keep the ala closer to my men Prefect.”

“I agree and we will just be using swords, the snow means that the bows will not be effective.”

The day was a bloodbath. The barbarians were able to get closer to the Romans and cause greater casualties.  For their part the Romans were able to cause huge casualties with the sudden appearance of the garrison of Veluniate which appeared out the grey and white murk like an avenging monster. By the end of the day the Romans had reached their goal and the white snow was riddled with blood and littered with bodies. As the gates slammed shut the Romans were behind their ditches and protected by the forts. The barbarians were halted. But as Calgathus viewed the red crests behind the wooden walls he was satisfied.  He had reclaimed much of his land and in the spring he would begin to destroy the fortifications.  The witch’s daughter had done well and might be the key to unlocking the fortress that was Rome.