Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 06] Druid's Gold (12 page)

Rufius held up his hand, a lighter shade in the dark and they paused.  As Livius peered ahead he could see a lightening which indicated that the woods were ending and they were close to the rocky face. Gesturing for them to remain where they were Rufius crept forward and suddenly disappeared from view. Livius was reminded of Gaelwyn who had this disconcerting habit of disappearing and the just as suddenly reappearing.  Rufius did the same.  Livius had counted in his head when the boy was away and he had reached almost five hundred before he did so.

“They’ve gone.  There is no one up there.”

Even though it was dark the area around the cave entrance was lighter than the woods.  Leaving Metellus on watch Rufius and Livius entered the cave and the decurion risked lighting a brush torch from his tinderbox. As soon as he entered the cave with his lighted torch he could see why the glow in the sky had appeared and then vanished when watching from Glanibanta; someone had been moving around in the cave.

“It’s enormous sir and look,” Rufius raced towards the back where it looked as though an enormous wall had once stood.

“I wonder if that is where they had the gold the prisoner mentioned?” All around they could see the discarded detritus which followed a hasty escape. 

The sharp eyes of Rufius spotted something and called Livius over.  “Sir they have a baby.”

“How in the name of the Allfather do you know that?”

Rufius grinned.  “I have six sisters and trust me sir, this is baby shit.” He held his torch over it. “ It has a lovely green quality don’t you think?”

Shaking his head he said, “I’ll take your word for it. You seem the section expert on shit whether it be baby or mule. Nothing left in here to see, let’s find their trail outside.” When they came out and extinguished the light their world became suddenly black.  “Anything Metellus?”

“No sir.  It is as black as a witch’s heart out here.”

“Hardly the best simile Metellus.”

“No sir but the most appropriate.”

“Right Rufius go and find the trail.  Metellus ride back and bring the others here. I will fetch our horses.  We are camping here tonight.”

The next day began with a damp fog which clung to the fell sides and their clothes.  Their horses looked like spectres cloaked in white. Livius had had his men up before dawn.  Not only did he have his section back together he also had three more men, Marius and three of his section.  Most importantly they had a fit horse for Decius who had had the good grace to take the ribbing and teasing from the others.”I passed the message on to the centurion sir and he was going to send patrols into the woods. Other than that it has been quiet.”

Livius felt much more confident now that he had ten troopers once more. The trail was quite clear; the mules and so many humans could not fail but to leave a trail. “What worries me sir is that they don’t seem bothered.  They are not hiding the trail.”

“I know Metellus but, at the moment I can’t see where they could ambush us.” The land was a wide valley but Livius could see a col high up in the hills where he would have to be more circumspect. “At least we must be travelling faster than they are let’s push on.”

Marius and his section were taking the scouting role as their horses had had a good rest. As they approached the high pass Livius sent Rufius with Marius to scout for an ambush. He was relieved when they waved back that it was safe.  Passing the top Metellus observed, “Good place for a fort sir. I reckon if those poor sods hadn’t been slaughtered we would have found them here laying out the foundations.”

“You are probably right Metellus,” Livius realised that the Exploratores could make life easier for the engineers by finding such sites more quickly than the foot soldiers.

“Sir come and look at this.”

Marius shout brought the rest up the last incline at a trot. At the top they beheld the sight of the sea not ten miles away.  The sun had burned through the fog and it was a gloriously sunny day.  “Not the view sir, look there.  Your man Rufius has good eyes.”

When Livius shaded his eyes against the sun and focussed he could see, in the distance the column snaking its way along the rough path. “Well done, we have found her.”

“Yes sir but one of my lads, Julius knows the area.  There is a port there.  I reckon the bitch is leaving Britannia.”

Livius heard someone mutter,” Good riddance.”

Shaking his head sadly the decurion said, “I am afraid not.  She has a fortune in gold and could go to Ireland or Caledonia and bring back an even bigger army.”

“Yes sir but we only have ten men we couldn’t stop them.”

“You are right Drusus.  It would take a turma and that is just what we haven’t got. Let us push on and hope that there are no boats for her.”

The pursuing Romans had been seen but it did not worry Morwenna.  “Even if they were a hundred paces behind us I would not worry.  No we are safe and now that your men have found the boars we are safe.” Six of Tadgh’s men under Brennus had ridden through the night and secured the boats beached on the sand in the small settlement.  Any question of ownership was soon settled at the point of a sword.

Tadgh and Decius had declared a silent truce on the trek from the cave as they knew they would have to work together, for a while at least, and they had discussed what might happen.  It fell to Tadgh to broach the subject and risk the wrath of the red head. “Where are we going then your majesty?  Ireland or Caledonia?”

She beamed triumphantly, “Neither.  I will tell you once we are at sea for I do not want the Romans to know where we are going.”

“You can trust us.”

Her eyes widened and she snapped.  “And you will obey me! You will find out once we are on board.”

The boats were drawn up on the sandy beach but even landsmen like Tadgh and Decius could see that there would be no room for the mules. The Queen did not seem concerned by that. “We only need the gold.  Leave the mules as payment for the use of the boats.”

When the headman had that explained to him he became slightly mollified but the death of three of his young man by Brennus, had made him bitter. He could see that he would have to go along with these invaders but once he had taken them away he would let the Romans know where they were.  This was a time when he needed the Romans.

With two villagers in each boat to sail them, the ten vessels were fully laden.  The headman, in whose boat Morwenna, her acolytes and Tadgh were travelling, expressed his doubts.”If we hit a strong sea up near Caledonia…”

“Do not worry, we are not sailing far.”

Shrugging he cast off.  He assumed she wanted conveying a little way down the coast.  He too had seen the pursuing Romans and thought that she was merely escaping her enemies.  When he returned home he would soon tell them.  “Which course then?”He spoke dismissively to the young red head.  What did women know of the sea?

Her answer silenced him. “South west.  There is an island.  Do you know it?”

“Mona?”

She slapped him hard across the face and as he stiffened he felt Tadgh’s knife at his throat. “Do not play games with me or you will die.  You know there is an isle closer than that.”

He nodded his face reddening, “You mean Manavia?”

“Yes land us on the north east coast and then go home suitably rewarded.”

Back at the settlement Livius watch the flotilla heading southwest. Marius nodded, “Ireland then?”

“Possibly. We will remain here today. The headman’s wife said he should be back tomorrow.  We will wait here until then. When we know where they have gone we will return to Brocauum.  Hopefully Drusus will be there with the legion.”

The refugees were mightily relieved that the voyage was a short one and thanked the Allfather for their safe arrival. As a villager from each boat held them against the gentle bumping of the tide they disembarked. Unseen by the headman Tadgh nodded to one man in each boat and, when almost all of the passengers had reached dry land two warriors slit the throats of the sailors.  No one would tell the tale of the voyage of the Brigante Queen and her gold. As the stripped bodies floated away on the tide, the boats were drawn up high on to the beach and Morwenna began her journey.  The first steps to reclaiming her throne.

*

Livius waited three days for the return of the headman and would have waited longer had not the tide brought in the body of one of a the villagers, a young boy of ten, his gashed throat seeming to grin mockingly at his mother who had lost her husband and her only son in such a short time. Her sobs wracked her body, her life now in ruins.

“Well the bitch and my brother have escaped but we will meet again. Let us return to the legion and report our failure.”

Metellus shook his head.  “No sir not failure but success.”

“How do make a success out of this Metellus?”

“Simple sir.  Our job was to find the engineers and locate the Queen.  Found both of them and as a bonus you know where the Emperor’s gold is.  Remember sir we are not Marcus’ Horse, we are Exploratores.”

Part Two

The Deserters and the Irish

Chapter 8

The days were drawing in again when Decurion Princeps Livius Lucullus Sallustius of the Exploratores attached to the Ninth Legion approached the office of the Prefect and Tribune. As he waited outside for his meeting he reflected on the past months.  Metellus had been correct; his superiors had regarded the patrol as a huge success.  As Prefect Fulvius had told him, “At least we know where the bitch is, and that is not in Britannia.”

Livius realised that he was probably worrying too much.  His superiors knew far more about the wider picture but he couldn’t help wondering what mischief she could get up to with the gold she had at her disposal. The Prefect had been less happy with the loss of the gold but he placed the blame for that on the Gallic Auxiliaries who had been sent to the mine to intercept his brother before he had fled.

Still his success had meant that they had recruited more Exploratores and he was quite touched by how many men transferred from other alae after his first patrol.  They now numbered thirty Exploratores and three officers.  Marius and Drusus had been made up to Decurions once Livius had explained the need for someone to take charge and that, of course necessitated a promotion for him. The patrol had also shown the limitations of the unit.  The wound suffered by Decius Galba had been on his left arm, his shield arm. It had been Metellus’ idea to have thick  hide arms fitted to their leather armour. They were made in two pieces and hinged at the elbow allowing them freedom of movement but giving them some protection. 

They had also spent some time working out signals with both mirrors and smoke so that they could communicate over a larger area.   They still operated in groups of five but within that organisation they could disperse to cover a larger area.  Finally he had taken every trooper to three days to Gaius’ farm where Gaelwyn showed all of them how to track more effectively.  Even the grumpy old man had been impressed by Rufius’ skill and would not believe that the Trinovante did not have Brigante blood coursing through his veins. The training had taken place the previous week and it had really helped to bond the Exploratores as a team.  As they listen to the stories of Marcus’ Horse told by a very frail and aging Marcus, he could see them understand how they could be greater together than individually.

When Gaius had brought out the Sword of Cartimandua they all gasped at its beauty but more than that they all saw, in their minds, the famous Ulpius wielding it to kill the last king of the Brigante, Venutius.  The three boys of Macro and Gaius had sat equally enthralled and Livius realised his age when he saw that Decius Gaius was as tall as he and a man grown.  The younger boys had also developed into healthy young warriors keen to join the Exploratores. It had saddened Livius to see the tears in Ailis’ eyes as she heard them plead to be allowed to join. When Livius had said that they could in the spring, with their mother’s permission, he had seen a mixture of joy that they were not going yet but a dread that they would eventually be taken from her.  The boys themselves were just pleased to see the nod of approval from their father.

It had been as they had been leaving that Gaius approached him carrying a sack cloth.  Gaius was looking grey and drawn; not for the first time Livius wondered if his old mentor Marcus and his old commander Gaius would see another summer.  They had certainly aged in the past year but the death of Macro and the journey to rescue Ailis and the three boys, years earlier had taken its toll. Gaius came close to Livius to speak with him.  “Here is the Sword of Cartimandua.  I give it to you to hold and use in trust until my boys are of an age to use it. I know that I shall never carry it into battle again.”

“But Gaius it is the sword I would be afraid…”

Gaius smiled and Livius could see that the years had made gaps in his teeth that showed his age more than his grey hair. “No Livius.  When Marcus gave it into my possession I felt as you do now but the sword has a power. Use it and hold it for it carries within it a power that can even defeat witches such as Fainch and Morwenna. It is a force for good not evil and besides if it was still around the house the boys, especially Decius Macro might be tempted to use it.”

“I will look after it with my life old friend.”

“And one more thing.  I may not see you for some time but when the boys join you, you will watch over them will you not?”

“I will care for them as you and Marcus cared for me when I joined the illustrious ala.  They will be as my sons and Gaius..”

“Yes Livius?”

“They will live and prosper for I can see in them the spirits of their fathers.”

“May the Allfather watch over you.”

He glanced down at the mighty sword hanging from his baldric. He had to admit that Gaius was right.  He felt naked without by his side and, unlike his old spatha, he cleaned and polished it each day. To the men he commanded it seemed to add to his stature and he had had to order them not to keep trying to touch it as though it was a good luck omen.  It was a fine sword and the Brigante warriors who had joined the Exploratores felt it was a sign that the Allfather was on the side of the Romans.