Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 05] Revolt of the Red Witch (15 page)

“And what if my sister was my brother!! Listen to yourself. We have planned this as well as we can.  Short of going back in time and preventing their abduction there is not a great deal we can do.” Gaelwyn watched the two Romans arguing. There was nothing else anyone could do so why not just accept it. “Look Gaius,” Macro’s voice became quite gentle and soothing, “we all have things in our past we want to change.  Like if I hadn’t taken up with Morwenna then Decius would still be alive. You have to live with things like that.  It is life.  All you can do is your best and try to make amends. The Allfather knows I have tried to make amends for my mistake and I promise you this, Gaius, you will get your family back.  You have my word, for your family has looked after my son and I would do anything in my power to protect them and give my life to do so.”

“Well if you two girls have finished your argument, kiss and make up and then we can get back to the camp.  We have to be in position well before dawn.”

The Prefect led his weary men to meet up with Salvius. Livius brought up the rear, one of only two Decurions to survive the battle.  Cassius, the other survivor had a long cut running from his knee to his ankle and Livius knew that he had cuts to his arms but there was so much blood he could not tell which was his and which the enemies. The ala had suffered greatly but Livius had seen, as he led the second line that they had broken the back of the enemy.  They would not attack for at least another day as their braver warriors, those who had led the assault, now lay dead and dying  in the ditches surrounding Eboracum.  If the Ninth arrived, as Julius had predicted, then the Brigante would have to lift the siege. The Decurion Princeps and his archers looked to have fared better than Julius and Livius could see no empty saddles. The eight turmae of the ala were no more. They would be lucky to field six and the mounts were looking the worse for wear.

“Well Prefect it looks as though we halted the attack.”

“Yes Salvius but at a great cost.”

Decurion Princeps Cilo pointed beyond the remnants of Julius’ charge. “Look yonder, some of the Brigante has had enough.  They are leaving.” They could see knots of people wandering west from the carnage.

“True but they still outnumber the garrison. Livius when you and what remains of your turma have rested take them towards Lindum to meet with the Ninth.  I would be happier knowing that they were on their way.”

“Let me send one of my turma, they are fresher and Livius is wounded.”

“No Salvius yours are the turmae who will have to fight tomorrow for I believe the Brigante on this side of the fortress may either attack the fortress or us and either way I need your one hundred warriors to combat whatever comes at us.”

“Very well. We will camp yonder, well away from any surprise attack.”

The trail and traps they created took them a long way south before they turned west.  It was a fine balance they were trying to achieve. In a perfect world their pursuers would not realise that they had turned off and they would have all the time in the world to get to the boat. They all knew, however, that the Caledonii would send their best trackers and they would find their trail which would be heading north west. Their hope was that they would slow them down enough to get to the coast well before the pursuers but just in time for the ship. None of the three cared to think what would happen to them if the boat did not arrive but the Tribune had assured them that the boat would be there and Marcus had never let them down before.

When the first hint of a lightening of the sky appeared in the east the three men tied their horses securely to the tree.  The last thing they needed was to make good their escape from the camp only to find their horses gone. Gaelwyn and Gaius just had their swords and daggers.   Macro had his bow. They halted at the edge of the wood and looked over to the gate guarded by a single sentry. There was no bar on the gate it could be opened from the inside or the outside, the sentry was the barrier. The three of them made sure that there were no other guards and then Gaelwyn nodded to Macro. He pulled back the bow and aimed for the guard’s neck. At only forty paces distance Macro was confident he could make the killing blow.  Gaius and Gaelwyn were poised for the arrow’s flight. As soon as it struck they ran but the man fell silently in a heap with no more noise than a loud sigh. The early dawn was still as silent as could be. Even the early morning birds had yet to make their dawn chorus. Macro easily dragged the body off while Gaius and Gaelwyn opened the gate slowly and peered in. They had to pass between two other huts before they reached Ailis’ and Gaelwyn had warned Gaius that there were guards in the others. Gaelwyn had not seen any dogs but that was the one problem they had no solution to. They could hear the men snoring as they moved alongside the first and second huts but no-one stirred. They glanced back to see Macro with his bow notched, the smiling face nodding.

Gaelwyn opened the door and the two men slipped inside. They were so silent that none of the sleepers moved. Gaius went to Ailis and putting his hand over her mouth awoke her.  The shock turned to joy as she saw her husband.  He put his finger to his mouth and she nodded.  He point to her and then Marcus, to himself and Decius and to Gaelwyn and Macro’s son, Decius.  When he knew she understood the three of them put their hands over their child’s mouth and lifted them. Still no-one else had stirred.  The two men knew that the hard part would be when they crept, hopefully unseen, into the settlement where every warrior was an enemy and every sound a weapon.

As they moved quickly through the huts they kept their eye on Macro for he would be the first sign that there was danger. They almost breathed a collective sigh of relief when they passed Macro but Gaelwyn kept them moving into the woods.  Once they reached the horses they quickly mounted.  The three boys were so shocked and delighted with the appearance of the friendly faces that they uttered not a sound. Macro was about to join them when the sentry’s relief came out of his hut; Gaelwyn had watched on previous nights and this was earlier than before. Was their good fortune deserting them? Macro waved Gaelwyn off and the three adults rode away leaving Macro’s horse tied up.  They had had this as a back up plan for Macro would be able to move quicker on his own than the others with children. He calmly watched as the new sentry walked to the ramparts and relieved himself. When he had finished he looked curiously towards the open gate. Macro could almost see the thoughts and questions racing through the man’s mind; where was the sentry and why was the gate open? The arrow flew straight and true towards the man’s throat but as he was turning to shout for his comrade the arrow caught him in the shoulder did not kill him instantly. He fell with a soft cry.

“Shit!”  Macro murmured.  They would be on to them as soon as they came to.  He raced for his horse and swiftly mounted.  Rather than following the others he waited, another arrow notched. The first hut erupted with armed yet sleepy men wondering what had awoken them.  The first warrior saw the body of the second guard with the arrow still in his neck and suddenly the alarm was raised. He gave an enormous shout which made even Gaelwyn and the others turn as they fled the scene. The powerful Roman watched to see who gave orders and as an old grey haired warrior shouted something Macro’s arrow hit him in the side of the head.  The rest dropped to the floor but not before Macro had sent another one to the Allfather. Rather than racing away Macro walked his horse backwards through the woods.  The warriors inside did not know how many men were outside and they came out cautiously, peering into the forest which was becoming lighter to see if they could see who had attacked them.  When they found the second body in the edge of the forest more men emerged and they began to fan out in the woods. Realising that another arrow would show them the direction he had taken Macro took off down the trail carefully avoiding the deadfalls and traps.

The other three had made good time for Gaelwyn was very familiar with the route and Macro only caught up with them when they had turned west. “Keep going!” Macro put one huge hand out and swept Decius on to his horse. “Did you think I wouldn’t come for you son?”

“I kept telling them; I knew you would come for me.”

The Decurion gripped him tightly to his chest, tears of joy in his eyes; he had never felt such love in his life. He now knew that what he had felt for Morwenna, the boy’s mother was lust and this was love. He knew that he would do anything to save the boy who, he realised, was the single most important thing in his life. All that he had held important, comradeship, honour, fighting, Rome, all was meaningless against the life and future of his son.

Morwenna held counsel with Aodh and her chiefs. “We should attack tonight!”

“Yes Parthalan that makes sense now that they have reinforced the fortress.”

“Ownie do not use that tone with me or we will settle our differences with blades.”

“Any time you wish I am ready.”

“Enough!” Morwenna’s voice silenced them in an instant.  This bickering would get them nowhere. “Aodh’s scouts have reported the Roman legion less than a day away.  When they arrive we will be caught between two forces that can destroy our warriors.”

“My men are not afraid.”

“I know Parthalan but we do not need to waste warrior’s lives uselessly. My old chief, Lulach taught me that.  Make the enemy bleed, not your own warriors.”

“Aodh is correct and we did make them bleed today.  Look at how many of their horse warriors lie dead. That was the force we feared. Our warriors are swift enough to evade the legions which are slow and ponderous.”

“You are suggesting what then, oh Queen.” Colla’s voice was less confident than it had been. He had been shocked at the casualties they had suffered.  He had thought that the numbers of warriors they had would ensure an easy victory.  The tenacious Romans had fought far harder than he remembered from his youth.

“We leave Eboracum.” There was a stunned silence.

“After all the warriors we lost we just turn tail and run back to our homes to await the vengeance of the Romans!”

“No Parthalan. We do not run away; we do what we set out to do we remove the Romans from our land. Eboracum is but one town.  They have taken troops to fortify this symbol of Roman power from many towns which now lie defenceless.  They have people living in them who just need convincing to join with us. When the Roman legion arrives at Eboracum they will spend time rebuilding.  In that time we can raise an army twice as big as the one we now have and we can lure the enemy to a battlefield of our choosing and there we can destroy him. You are right Parthalan, the enemy will think we have gone home but they do not know who they fight.”

Mollified and intrigued, he asked, “Then what do we do?”

“We divide the army into four.  We go north, east, south and west to raise more recruits.”

“What if they do not wish to join us?” The dissenting voice of Colla warned Morwenna that he was unreliable.

“Then they die.” Her ice cold voice chilled the old chief. “Parthalan you take the south. The legion will be in Lindum and they will not expect us to travel in that direction.  If you avoid the Roman road you will avoid any reinforcements they are sending. Take your warriors as far as Lindum if needs be.  We must make them fear us. We must make them wonder where we will strike next. Colla take yours west, that is land familiar to you and you can control the land to the sea.  Ownie destroy all that lies to the east, especially their signal stations which they will need to use. We will head north to Morbium for Aodh and I know the area well.”

“How will we keep each other informed?”

“Aodh has ten trusted messengers and he has trained them well.  They are mounted on the finest horses we have captured.  Use them to send messages to me and I will pass my orders by them to you.”

The three Brigante chiefs noticed the word, orders. Although they were disappointed with the campaign so far they still respected her as a sorceress and the women who now followed her was nearly as great an army as the men.  They would all follow her, for the moment.

When they were alone and the camp was being packed up Morwenna surprised Aodh by telling him that she believed her chiefs were less committed. “Then it is over?”

Smiling that secret smile she had she said, “No. It has just begun. You did not think that one battle would win the war did you? Your leader Lulach showed that. The Roman beast is powerful, like a mighty boar.  One spear will not kill him.  He needs bleeding and slowing down for a wounded Rome is dangerous and, like the hunter we must attack and withdraw, attack and withdraw; each time bleeding him a little more.  I do not doubt, my dear Aodh, that your countrymen will take advantage of this revolt and will also come south.  They too will bleed the beast.”

“That is why you chose north!”

“It is why I chose north so that, if he does come south then I can meet with him and we can join forces. If the chiefs are less than reliable, it will not hurt us in the long run. Parthalan and Ownie are good leaders but they are young and ambitious.  They may do much harm and they may kill many Romans but, inevitably, they will fall.”

“And Colla?”

“He will hide in his home but we have sown enough seeds amongst his clan to ensure that someone in his home will want to lead.  They will be our reserve.”

Aodh looked in admiration at his queen, his woman.  “You have planned and thought all of this out yourself.”

“I had a good teacher. Luigsech spent long nights in darkest winter when the blanket of snow and cold trapped us in our cave, telling me of how the wars had been fought and the mistakes people had made.  She made me realise that women are often underestimated.  The women of Brigantia will follow me and, as you know my love, men will do anything for the women in their life.” The two acolytes giggled as Aodh reddened and left.

Gaelwyn urged them on even harder once they were on the north west leg of the journey.  They had not laid traps for they wanted to sow confusion and wariness for their pursuers.  If the enemy could not find their trail quickly then they might escape. The carefully crafted route took them across every stream and river that they could.  Each stream they crossed they went either up or down stream to throw off their pursuers.