Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 11] Roman Treachery (28 page)

Sextus sniffed, “The privileges of ranks, sir!”

Marcus gave him an innocent look.  “And you Sextus could you guarantee game if you were the huntsman?”

The whole ala knew that Marcus was a skilled hunter. “No sir.  Enjoy yourself!”

There were many valleys in the forest and dells where the game liked to gather.  Once Marcus had checked that the main trails were free from Votadini he and his two scouts dismounted and, taking two javelins with him, they descended the side of one of the shallow valleys. They were both experienced enough to move downwind of any game; Wolf just disappeared into the undergrowth.  He returned and lay down next to Felix. Felix mimed, ‘deer’ and Marcus nodded.  Felix strung his bow and Marcus stood to one side. This one would be Felix’s kill and Marcus would pick up any secondary game which the dog flushed. Felix sent the dog away and they waited in the undergrowth.  They would only have a tiny opportunity to make a kill but they were both confident hunters.

They heard the noise of something coming towards them through the undergrowth and they both tensed.  When Felix wrinkled his nose he realised that the boy was sniffing to smell the prey. Suddenly he loosed a shaft and quickly loaded a second.  A huge stag, the feathers still visible in its neck, lurched drunkenly towards them and Marcus thrust his javelin into its chest ending its final fight.  The second arrow flew over the stag and the hind fell to her death.

“Well done Felix, two fine hits.”

“You were quick decurion. Drugi said that you were a good hunter; he was right.”

As they hoisted the doe on the javelin to carry her up the slope Marcus felt a certain pride that Drugi thought he was a good hunter. He had never been told that by the former slave but the compliment was all the greater for its source. Lucius beamed when he saw the deer. “Take four men; there is a stag at the bottom and we will eat well this night.”

Felix waved Wolf away.  “The dog will take you.  Follow him.”

They reached Sextus without incident. “There are signs that the tribes have been watching the wall but the numbers were too small to worry about. “

“Well that is good news.  Let us find our fiends in the Sixth and see if we can use their camp for the night.”

All three officers knew that fresh meat would gain them entry to any camp along the wall.  Marcus also knew that they would have been welcome for who they were.  Marcus’ Horse had a reputation for being solid fighters who would stand their ground as well as the legions and Marcus himself, had the reputation of being a temporary standard bearer for the eagle of the Ninth in the last days of that legion.  The legions did not forget gestures like that.

After they had eaten Marcus produced a jug of wine he had taken from the fort.  As they enjoyed a meagre beaker each he asked about the wall and its progress.

“It is going better now and that worries me.  The barbarians are best when they are doing something.  You know then what they are up to. I like not this inactivity.  It reeks to me of planning and cunning. Still as long as the supplies keep coming we are happy.  I hear we will have new neighbours soon?”

“Aye a thousand strong cohort of Dacians will be north of the wall.”

“They might be hard men but I do not envy them that task. I would not like to be beyond the wall surrounded by those bollock collectors!”

“We will ride close to their settlements tomorrow and see what they are up to.  I will send you a message with my report.”

“That is good of you but is not that dangerous?”

“I was an Explorate and that was my life for some years besides I have the two best scouts with me.” He pointed to the boy and the dog both of whom were sleeping.

“He is just a boy.”

“A boy who survived a barbarian massacre and a boy who is far tougher than you can imagine.  He was one of those I took with me into the barbarian encampment. I will back him.”

The centurion put his hands out.  “Don’t get me wrong, I am just saying that appearances can be deceptive.”

The troopers were also happy having eaten well and being protected by the well made camp of the vexillation but Vibius had been quiet. “What is the matter Vibius you look like you have lost an aureus and found a denari?”

“It is Lucia, Aneurin; I think our Vibius was sweet on her.”

Suddenly Vibius turned around and snapped. “Shut up you stupid barbarian.  You know nothing about me.”

Scanlan put a muscular arm and hand on Vibius’ shoulder. “Watch who you are calling a barbarian Vibius.  Some people might take offence. I would hate to have to teach you a lesson.”

“And you, barbarian, can fuck off as well!”

Scanlan smiled and twisted Vibius’ arm so that he was underneath the Brigante who pulled out his pugeo and pricked the neck of the older trooper. “Now I did warn you Vibius.”

“What’s going on here?”

Scanlan rolled off, “Nothing, Chosen Man.  I was just teaching Vibius here a few moves which might come in handy.”

“Is that right trooper?”

“Er yes, Chosen Man.  Thank you Scanlan.” There was a smile on his face but it was belied by the hatred in his eyes.

“Well get some rest.  We will be on patrol all day tomorrow too.”

As Cassius moved off Aneurin and Scanlan tried to make light of the incident but Vibius was having none of it.  “Just leave me alone eh?  You made your point; you are both better at street fighting than me.  I get it.”

Aneurin was shocked.  “What is up with him? I thought we were mates.”

“Maybe you were right and maybe he was sweet on that girl who got killed. He’ll be better in the morning.”

Cassius rode next to Marcus the next day as they headed for the settlements along the valleys.  As chosen man he was the link between the officers and the men he explained what had occurred. “Are you worried Cassius?”

“No sir.  But there just seems something funny. I like Aneurin and Scanlan; they are good lads and, well what you see is them but that Vibius, I thought he was the same but he isn’t he is, well deeper.”

Marcus understood Cassius. Macro, his step brother had also been deep with many layers and career soldiers found them difficult to fathom. Perhaps Vibius was like Macro and would show qualities as yet hidden. He was certainly brave, as he had shown when winning his phalera for his rescue, but perhaps there was more and the death of Lucia had affected him.  “Just keep your eye on them Cassius.  We can’t afford to train up recruits and then lose them because they fall out.  We have to make a fighting unit here.”

“Don’t worry sir.  I’ll sort ‘em!”

Not all of the Selgovae and Votadini settlements were belligerent.  None of them like Rome, that was true, but many just wanted to get on with herding their animals and existing. Marcus knew that many of the villages close to the new fort were peaceful in nature. He halted the turmae a mile from the first one and, taking Lucius and Felix with him, he rode towards the first one.  It was a handful of huts by the river. The river provided food even in winter and they were a prosperous settlement.  As the two of them rode in with Felix and Wolf ahead, Marcus was looking for signs which would tell him the mood of the people.

The dogs in the village began barking when Wolf appeared.  His ears went down and he growled a deep growl which sent them packing.  Felix whistled for him to return and he did so. The looks the three of them received were not welcoming but there was no sign of aggression either. Marcus dismounted when the headman approached. Marcus bowed his head to show respect.  He held a bag of salt in his hand. “Greetings, headman.  Please take this gift from Rome as a sign of our friendship.” The old man kept his hands by his side. “There is nought tied to this gift.” He placed it by the side of the hut.  “It is here as a present.” The old man gave a slight nod of acceptance and the bag was whisked away by an old woman. “How is the fishing?”

“It is good.”

“And the hunting?”

“Not so good.”

“Ah, we had a good hunt and the next time I visit I will bring some venison for you.”

“Why are you here Roman?” The headman was blunt and Marcus knew that it was a courtesy. The gift of the salt had made conversation easier.

“I am here because Rome wants nothing from you, just your friendship.” He took out the sword. “I swear this by the sword.”

Every man on the frontier knew the sword and had heard its many stories. “I believe you Roman for you would not swear otherwise but tell me this, if you only wish friendship then why do you build the wall and why the forts?”

“You know old man. Your young men raid our lands and the wall is to make sure they do not.” He glanced around.  “I can see that there are no young men here.”

“They tend the cattle and the sheep.” He looked to the ground when he spoke and Marcus saw the lie.

His eyes betrayed the lie but Marcus nodded.  “I am sorry to have missed them. Should your people need anything then send to the fort and ask for the sword to come forth and I will return.”

“Alone?”

“If you wish it.”

“Then may the Allfather watch over you.”

Chapter 20

“And so sir it was the same story in every village we visited.  There were no young men, just the old and the lame.  We received the same excuse from everyone we spoke to, the young men were with the herds.”

“But you don’t believe them?”

“No sir.  We saw young girls and boys tending the animals. They are planning something.”

“Well done Marcus.  The problem is what are they planning?” He rubbed his chin. 

Livius was seated in the corner of the office, although still not fully recovered he was keen to rejoin the planning and the strategy meetings. “But you saw no sign of large numbers of men?”

“No sir and we scouted the forests. Felix even went close to the camp we raided but it was deserted.  It is as though they have disappeared.”

Livius turned to the legate. “I think we need prisoners again.”

“I agree.”

“I will send Metellus along with Marcus on this next patrol with four turmae.  The rest I will send to patrol the Stanegate.”

Julius was curious.  He never doubted Livius’ strategies but this one seemed unusual.  “Any particular reason Livius?”

“If there is trouble then we can reach that trouble far quicker from the Stanegate than north of the wall.  In addition we will need to escort the Hamians and the Dacians when they arrive and, with their wagons, the Stanegate is the best option.”

“Good. Although I had planned on keeping the new cohorts here and at Vercovicium until we have a better idea of what they are up to.”

Metellus was glad to be away from the fort.  He, like Rufius and Marcus, still missed the free days of being an Explorate.  This was the next best thing. As they rode across the river Metellus headed north east. Marcus knew the decurion princeps too well to ask why they were riding in that direction but he was curious.  After a few miles Metellus laughed. “You have grown up young Marcus.  There would have been a time when you would have plagued me with questions about the direction of this patrol.”

“Perhaps my time as a slave mellowed me sir.”

“It probably did. Anyway you said the camp in the forest was empty and the nearest place I could think of was the east of the old road. It has access to plenty of game and fish and they know that, as that area is quiet, it does not require as many patrols.”

Marcus laughed, “So it is a guess then sir?”

“Aye a guess backed up by the noses of those two scouts of yours.  Word is they can find a barbarian who is a couple of miles away.”

“A slight exaggeration but about right sir.”

“Good then we will send them off when we reach the old fort.”

Marcus wrinkled his brow.  “We have used that many times sir.  Do you not think they will become suspicious?”

“No Marcus, it is easily defended and we can escape easily too.  We will use that and leave Sextus, Lucius and one turma there while we explore a little closer to the enemy.  When, of course, they have found them.”

When they left the old fort, the recruits from Marcus’ turma were unhappy to be left behind.  Marcus and Metellus chose the thirty troopers whom they thought they could depend upon. Every one was an experienced trooper and both chosen men were taken. Vibius, in particular seemed put out and, as the elite turma left he rode over to Sextus, who had been left in charge.  “Sir, why wasn’t I chosen?”

Sextus was not the man to use flowery words or dress up bad news. He took a chew on some dried meat and said, “Because, compared with the ones he did take, you are fucking useless.”

Vibius was affronted.  “Did I not show my bravery outside the walls?”

“Which shows what a dick head you are, son.  This is not about being brave.  This is about being sneaky and knowing the land.  Do you know the land where they are going?”

“No sir.”

“There, and now having wasted too much spit on you already go down to the river and get a bucket of water for the horses.”

He looked confused, “A bucket decurion?”

Sextus spread his arms in exasperation. “See, you know fuck all! Under that tree over there is a leather bucket.  The patrols who use this leave one there and there is a stone water trough that you can fill.  So fill it!”

Felix found the trail of the Votadini hunters soon after leaving the fort. He waved to show that he was scouting and was away for a short time.  He ran back, with an attendant Wolf, to the two officers.  “Five men went along the trail, I think they were hunting. There is a camp a mile ahead.  They came from there.”

“Cassius, Julius.” The two chosen men rode over. “There are five men hunting in that direction.  Go with Felix and ambush them.  We want prisoners.  At least three.”

“Sir.” Julius paused. “And where will you and the decurion be… sir?” It was a weighted question.  Chosen men were renowned for having a maternal nature.

Metellus grinned, “Well we will be lying here in the sun, enjoying some olives and an amphora of wine Julius.  Happy?”

“Not really sir as I am fairly certain that you will be scouting the enemy camp.” He looked aggrieved.  “I just need to know in case I have to rescue you.  It would help to know where you are.”