Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 05] Revolt of the Red Witch (29 page)

They both realised that Cassius and his turma, spread out in a wide line were heading directly for Julius and Livius. When they were less than thirty paces from the hidden warriors Ownie could wait no longer. A flurry of missiles was hurled at Cassius and his men hitting the Decurion and his leading scout and then, like flushing pheasant from the gorse, the whole warband erupted out of the elder copse. There was joint shock when they saw the two turmae on the ridge.  Julius had not expected a warband; he had thought it would be the Queen. Both sides reacted quickly.  The Brigante tried to escape down the valley while the three turmae converged on them.  It became a series of individual battles as auxiliaries tried to slash down on the retreating warriors and warriors tried to maim and kill the horses and riders.

Ownie lay on the ground pretending to be dead.  When he thought they had all passed him he stood and ran back up the slope from whence Julius and Livius had come.  Most of the turmae were focussed on the men before them but Cassius had picked himself up and removed the arrow from his leg and in doing so saw the lone warrior running the other way.  He sprang on his horse and picked his javelin from its sheath. Ownie was a powerful runner and making good time up the ridge.  Cassius’ horse laboured up the steep slope its wounded foreleg slowing it up but, inevitably, the Decurion caught up.  Cassius realised, at the last minute that he was being pursued and, as he turned around, Cassius thrust the javelin’s razor sharp head into his throat. The look of surprise was forever etched upon his face. The would be chief of the Brigante was the last of his warband to die, his dreams of glory bleeding onto the hard, cold hillside.

By the time Cassius and the dead Ownie rejoined the turmae the warband were either dead or trussed up. “Well Cassius I see that you were not pursuing the Queen then?”

“No Sir sorry Sir.  Saw this lot leave and followed them.”

“Don’t worry you did the right thing.  I managed to lose the Queen.  Seems I am losing my touch. We’ll take this lot back to Brocauum and find the Decurion Princeps.  Hopefully he will have had more luck with the Queen’s trail than we.”

When they arrived at the settlement there was a messenger from Cilo.  “Sir, we found the trail heading north by west. “

“Good.  Trooper.” He called over the cavalryman from the Ninth,  “Shackle these with the other prisoners.  When the Legate arrives, I would imagine that it would be some time later today, inform him where we have gone. I suspect it is towards Caledonia but now that I have what remains of the ala I will try to prevent that and drive her south.”

Less than fifty miles away Gaelwyn was climbing up the steep narrow pass which led from the coast carrying Young Decius.  They had started calling Macro’s son Young Decius when Ailis tired of saying Decius come here and two of them arrived. The children had tired quite quickly on the long climb up the pass into the Land of the Lakes.  The pass itself was foreboding with high crags and cliffs lining a very narrow pathway.  There were sheer drops on one side and unscalable bluffs on the other; it was intimidating even to the adults. He turned and looked down the twisting trail and decided to wait for the others to struggle up. The path had widened a little and there was a flat rock on which Gaelwyn and Young Decius could sit.

“Are we there yet?”

Growling Gaelwyn said, “You have asked that every thirty paces.  We are there when we are there.”

Young Decius looked around him.  “When will that be?”

“Ask Ailis!”

Ailis sat down as soon as she reached the rock.  Of the four adults she was finding the trek the hardest.  She was not used to the hardships of the campaign trail as were the other three and while they soon got back into the routine to Ailis it was an alien experience. In addition she was worrying constantly about the three boys.  Every sniffle and cough became magnified out here in the wild, away from her remedies and comforts.  She longed for her own kitchen but realised, ruefully, that she no long had a kitchen and when they finally returned home they would have to rebuild the house and the home that she loved so much.

Gaius looked at his wife with the concerned and trouble look of a husband who feels he has failed his wife. His dreams were nightmares and were the same every night; getting to his burnt home and finding his family slaughtered.  He vowed each morning that they would never be left alone again. He would make sure that his home was a fortress.

“This would make a good site for a fort Gaius.”

“Ever the Tribune eh Marcus? But you are right.  The trail we are using must be used by the Irish when they raid.”

“Poor Macro had a dream of serving the Irish.  I wonder how that would have turned out?”

“He would have been a great success.  The tribes value the qualities which Macro has, had. The Parcae had other ideas.”

Ailis massaged her feet which were heavily blistered and bleeding.  “How far Gaelwyn?”

Snorting in derision the scout pointed east.  “You are worse than the children! I do not know in miles but it will take us almost a day to get to Glanibanta if we do not have these debates every few miles.”

Marcus could see Gaius becoming angry and he put his hand on his arm. “Gaelwyn they are tired.  They do not complain.  Remember they are neither warriors nor soldiers as we are.”

Gaelwyn’s anger subsided quickly.  “I am sorry niece.  You and the boys have done well ignore an old man’s temper.”

Ailis stood and kissed him on the cheek. “Uncle, lose your temper as often as you like for I know we would still be prisoners in Caledonia but for you.  Right boys shall we walk for a while and show these old men what fine soldiers we can be? Shal we show them that we can march like legionaries?”

The rested boys were eager to show off and stood proudly in a line.  When they were all together Decius lead them up the path which sloped less severely and Ailis followed, a maternal smile creasing her face. “There you are Gaelwyn.  That is how a mother deals with moans, she makes a game of it.”

Chapter 18

The Prefect soon caught up with the Decurion Princeps.  “It feels god to have the whole ala together again.  We may be few in number but at least we are a force now, not just a patrol. Which way Salvius?”

“They have taken the valley to the south of the road.  They must be worried about our patrols.”

“Well let us use that to our advantage. If she is heading towards Caledonia we can use the road to get ahead of her and block her route.”

Livius spoke up.  “Why do you not want her to go to Caledonia?  At least there she is out of our way.”

“True Livius but when her mother went to the north she caused us many problems and remember Morwenna also created problems for us. She is, at least, the equal of her mother.”

“Yes Sir, but, with respect, that was when she was a spy and Macro’s woman.”

“True but something in my water tells me that an alliance of the Brigante Queen and the heir to the Caledonii would be a bad thing.  Besides which she would be harder to find in the north.  At least here we know that her army is gone and she will have to build a new one.  No we keep on her trail like a dog chasing a fox.  It will twist turn and hide, but while it is being chased it cannot do ill.”

“Should I send out scouts then Sir?”

“Yes Salvius.  Ahead of us and to the north and south. I would like to flush her out. I take it you commandeered enough supplies from our hosts before you left.”

Grinning Cilo said, “Oh yes indeed.  They were in a real dilemma for they wanted rid of us but begrudged us the food.”

“Does the Optio in charge of the legionary cavalry know who the suspected rebels are?”

“I made it quite clear to him who they were.  We spent some time yesterday walking around the settlement identifying them.  When the Legate arrives they will be in for a shock for they believe we did not recognise them.”

Morwenna was happier now that they had passed Brocauum for the only other fort they had to avoid was Luguvalium and it was easy to ride around that one.  As it only had infantry they would soon be beyond the Roman reach. “Seven days and we should be back in my homeland.”

“Do not sound so despondent Aodh.  It is a good thing that we return.  You will be bringing Lulach a great prize for the Queen of the Brigante gives him a lever with which to pry the Romans loose from this rock.”

“It is still many miles to safety and there is still that cavalry turma pursuing us.”

“There are not many of them.  We only saw fifty.”

“Yes my queen but fifty of those troopers have damaged our attacks before.”

“Which is why we do not use their road.  They do not know where we are going.  Our only danger is when we cross the road to head north and I plan on using the night as our ally.”

Aodh summoned the two Brigante scouts who lived locally and sent them towards the road. “Keep out of sight.  We just need to know if they are on the road.  Return as soon as you can confirm that the road is clear.” Morwenna looked at him, a question written across her face. “If the road is clear we get across when we can.  We have but twenty horses and we need to get north sooner rather later.”

“You are the warrior.  I bow to your knowledge.” Aodh could not tell if she was being sarcastic or not. There were too many things about women which confused him. What made it worse was the permanently knowing, smug looks on the faces of the acolytes. He shook his head; men were so much easier to understand.  What they said they meant, with women you had to read their minds or guess the answer in their heads.  He glanced around to check that they were keeping the trail they left as narrow as possible. Although that increased the length of the small column it made it more difficult for those following. Apart from the three women, all the remaining horses were being led, partly to save their strength and partly to avoid observation. He had been tempted to suggest walking to the three witches but thought better of it.

The two scouts came quickly scurrying back.  “On the road there are many Romans and three of them are heading this way.”

“Quickly down into this valley and away from the road.  Romans!”

Even Morwenna obeyed and they spread quickly in a line down the gentle slope.  With horror Aodh saw that the trail they had left, with so many foot and hoof prints could have been followed by a half blind old woman. They would have to fight the Romans and soon. He turned to his lieutenant. “Look for somewhere to lay an ambush or we will all be killed.”

On the road there was an equal amount of consternation. “Sir the scouts to the south have found a trail it looks like they have headed south.”

“Any idea how long ago?”

“Not long for the droppings from their horses and ponies were still warm.”

“They must have seen us then Sir.”

“Yes Livius which means they could keep going south or double back north.  Cassius. Pick up the other scouts and keep along the road to Luguvalium.  Tell the Prefect, assuming that there is still a garrison in place, about the battle and Morwenna then come back down the road.  If she doubles back she will not expect to meet you.”

“And if I don’t find her Sir?”

“Then follow the trail.  If she doesn’t double back then there is only one place left for her to go, the Land of the Lakes and we know that the valleys there all run north to south.  If they try to cross a ridge we will see them. Right Salvius let us see if we can end this now.”

Aodh was picturing, in his head, the land into which they were descending. He had known it well when he and Morwenna had wintered there. To the south there was one steep sided and barren valley with a long narrow lake and a high mountain.  To the west, heading back towards Brocauum there was a much wider valley and a narrow pass and further west there was a narrow pass leading to the valley of the two lakes.  He was tempted to go towards the two lakes for that was where the secret cave of Morwenna was located. The supplies which it contained meant they could hide there for a while.  It all depended upon Morwenna. He rode his horse until he was alongside her. “I think Caledonia is not an option.  The scouts say it was well over a hundred troopers.  They have reinforcements.”

She looked at him, her ice green eyes boring into him. “Your plan.  Tell me.”

He looked up at her, startled! ‘
How did she know what he was thinking?
’ “I am thinking of the cave near to the land of the two lakes, your cave where we lived for a while.  Winter is coming and we could spend the winter there and travel to Caledonia when the snows melt.  We can also ambush them for there are two places where they can be halted easily although it will cost us warriors.”

She coldly dismissed the loss with a wave of her elegant hand. “That does not matter.  Our survival does for only with our survival will the Brigante be free.  We will go to the cave. As we can travel faster than those on foot we will leave the dismounted men to make mischief.”

Aodh was a warrior and the thought of dismissing the lives of so many men without a thought terrified him but, in his heart he knew she was right.  “You ride my love and I will follow.” He gestured to the mounted men.  “Follow the queen and protect her.” He waved over Pol, the remaining Brigante chief. “We will take the queen to a place of safety nearby.” While he hated lying to the warriors, for the place was many miles hence, he needed them to buy him some time.  “Ahead is a wood, lay some traps there to slow them up and then ambush the remainder at the col at the northern end of the valley of the two lakes.  We will meet you at the old Roman fort of Glanibanta.” Having decided to lie, Aodh gave enough information to his men so that, in the unlikely even that they survived he would be able to use them again. “Do not waste your lives but they must be slowed up.”

The squat warrior nodded.”The horsemen will be stopped.  Protect our Queen Caledoni.”

Grasping his arm he said truthfully, “I will give my life to protect her.” As he galloped off he looked over his should and saw them trotting quickly after him to the woods. Aodh made sure that his horse followed the trail left by the others knowing that Pol would use that bait to trap their pursuers. He soon caught up with the Queen and he quickly led them the four miles to the col. As soon as he arrived he knew he had made the right decision.  On the northern side the cliffs rose vertically and could only be traversed by goats.  The southern side fell away to a fast flowing stream with banks of pine growing thickly.  No horse could use that route.  The only way forwards was the path, ten paces wide, chiselled out of the slate.  Here a few men could hold off a mighty force. He detached eight of the riders.  “Prepare an ambush here and wait for Pol.  When you have slowed the enemy down then follow the valley and we will meet you at the old Roman camp at Glanibanta. “Morwenna gave a quick smile; her lover was becoming devious.  She had never heard him lie to a brother before. Leaving the eight to create the ambush the remaining nine warriors trotted off down the valley of the two lakes watching the thin light darken behind the steep mountain sides which enclosed them.