Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 06] Druid's Gold (6 page)

He sat on the rock outside the cave and chewed on a piece of dried venison.  Eventually Morwenna appeared alone. “You are worried Tadgh?”

“I am concerned your majesty. We cannot stay here for the Romans will, at some point discover that they have lost one of their patrols. We have no aid coming from the north and a very small army…”

“You are a good leader Tadgh but I am not only a good Queen but a witch so powerful that you cannot imagine the power at my disposal. Fear not for there are footsteps heading this way which will solve all our problems and will give us an army better equipped than any you have seen, including the Romans.” Her eyes bored into his and her sinuous voice seemed to enchant him.  “You do believe me don’t you?”

Suddenly it all became clear.  He was serving a servant of the Mother.  All would be well.  His fears had been groundless. “Yes your majesty.  I am sorry I doubted you.”

She smiled and placed her hand on his head which seemed to cool and make his thinking clear in an instant. “You are mortal and you do not have the gift of speaking to the Mother as I have for you are merely a man. Never fear Tadgh. Aodh’s death was foretold and was necessary.  It was part of the Mother’s greater plan.  This is not the end, this is just the beginning.”

*

High on the fells just beyond the small settlement of Lavatris, Livius and his small patrol camped in a small dell hidden from the main road.  Glancing around their faces he could see a dramatic changed from the neat troopers who had left Eboracum a week ago.  Their faces had more than stubble; they had the untidy straggles of beards. Those of Agrippa and Cassius were flecked with grey. Their hair was growing but a close inspection would still have revealed them as Romans. The biggest change was in the smell.  Livius had told them not to bathe and their sweat had intermingled with that of their mounts making them reek, no unusual in the barbarians but unheard of in a Roman ala.  At first they had found this difficult to countenance but as they became used to it they found it could be ignored as soon they all had the same rank aroma.

“What did you find?”

Cassius looked across the fire at the decurion. “The Brigante hereabouts want nothing to do with Morwenna.  They see us, the Romans, as a good thing.  They are all doing well.”

“But there has been no sign of the rebels since before the first snows.”

Livius smiled for Metellus always thought beyond the obvious. “And Agrippa what news of the engineers?”

“They passed through here are four weeks ago,” he grinned at Decius, “well done for spotting their camp young Decius.” The young man ginned as he blushed but pleased with the praise. “No sign of any other patrols.”

“I think we are the first to venture across since the rising last year.” He peered westwards.  “I hope the engineers are safe for if there are no rebels here where are they? They cannot be close to Brocauum for the Batavians have a cohort based there and they patrol the road north to Luguvalium. There is little further south and even fewer warriors.”

“The land of the lakes again eh sir?”

“You are right Metellus.  It always comes back to the land of the lakes. Perhaps that is why the Governor is bringing the Ninth across to build a road and garrison some forts.”

Metellus chewed his hard tack and gestured west. “The rebels were defeated but we never found their leaders. The settlements on this side of the divide are hostile to them.”

Agrippa snorted, “Can you blame them?  Think of the men folk who died needlessly in the battles last year.”

“You are right; it was mainly the young men and the old men who remain.  What a sad waste.”

Livius shrugged, “Hindsight is always accurate Cassius and it is a hard lesson to learn.  Perhaps there will be no rebels hereabouts because there are no warriors left.”

“But there must have been rebels, and not the leaders, who escaped.  Where did they go?  Are they the bandits we hear about in every settlement we visit? The ones who rob those on the road and steal livestock?”

“Probably Metellus and it shows how important our task is. Well our new method of riding in pairs and covering more ground appears to work. Tomorrow night we camp just outside Bravoniacum.”

Cassius looked up. “That is a long ride.”

“True but I am keen to catch up with these engineers.  I fear they may need our protection. Agrippa, take your party into Veteris and gauge the opinion.  I will visit Bravoniacum.”

*

Decius looked with satisfaction at the burial site for the gold. They had spent the previous day digging a deep pit and lining it with wood.  Centurion and one of the mercenaries had kept watch whilst the others toiled.  Even Decius had dirtied his hands for it was a momentous decision. When they had buried the gold they had place rocks over the top and then covered it with the turf they had removed.  Finally Tiny led the herd of mules across it allowing them to graze and defecate.  When Centurion returned he could not identify exactly where the treasure was buried.

“Good.  We all know where it is and now we can move faster.  Any animals which become lame we eat for we now have spare beasts and we will not need to seek food as we did here.” They had salted some fish for the journey and made jerky from the venison. The lakes had a plentiful supply of fresh water and Decius was confident they would reach the settlements on the coast within the week.

As they led their strings of animals along the lakeside Decius watched his mercenaries carefully for any sign of disloyalty.  The loyalty of Tiny and Centurion was not in question but he now had to watch the others for he saw the backwards glances as they left the buried gold.  Decius knew, however, that he would be less likely to have his throat cut in the night for instead any of them who felt he had had enough would just slip away back to the lake and dig up the treasure.  It had been a small price to pay to avoid a treacherous death.

Centurion trotted back to the column, his face showing that he had encountered a problem.  Decius held his hand up and halted the column. “There is a Roman fort ahead.”

“Occupied?”

Centurion shook his head.  “It looks to be deserted.”

“Is it at the head of the lake?”

The look of surprise on Centurion’s face was matched by his voice, “Yes.  How did you know?”

“It is Glanibanta.  I know where we are now. If we head up past the fort we find two lakes.  The route west is to the south of the southernmost lake.  There is an old signal tower where we can camp north of the Roman fort.” Centurion looked questioningly at Decius who shrugged.  “My brother was in Marcus’ Horse and he told me of it the last time I spoke with him.”

“I didn’t know he was in the cavalry.”

“My uncle wanted us both to be able to help him to rule, Livius was the military choice and I was the one chosen, as the elder brother, as the one for the business.”

“Wise choice for your; Marcus’ Horse has suffered many casualties in the wars in the north. Is he still alive?”

“I do not know and I do not care. I would hope that he was dead for, if alive, he would recognise me immediately and that might upset our plans eh Centurion?”

“Even with the beard and the long hair?”

“We are brothers; we would know each other believe me.”

The signal tower provided a perfect camp site with the river and the woods bordering three sides.  The grass enabled them to let the mules and horses graze. Even the surly six seemed happier and there were smiles around the camp fire as they feasted on freshly caught trout, the fragrant smoke spiralling into the summer sky.

It was Brennus who saw the smoke and reported immediately to Tadgh.  Since Aodh’s remains had been returned there had been not only a sombre atmosphere but a heightened sense of danger. They were a vulnerable group and could not resist an attack by an aggressive enemy and in these lands everyone else was a foe. Tadgh had allies he could call on but they were spread through the vast land that was Brigantia.

“Were they Romans?”

“I did not go close for I was alone.”

“You did well.  We will take a small group and scout them towards twilight.” Detailing twelve of his warriors to closely guard the Queen Tadgh led Brennus and his other seven warriors down the trail to the tower. One advantage they had was the familiarity with this land; they knew it intimately and could traverse it even on a moonless night. They were also able to travel silently knowing that the bubbling river would mask any noise which they might inadvertently make.  They waded through the shallow waters and hid in the shelter of the low scrubby bank. Their muddied and blackened faces peered over to see a huge herd of mules most of them with heavy saddlebags. The group spent a few moments gathering in the scene and then Tadgh led them back across the river where they could share information.

“No more then ten men.”

“I only counted nine.”

“Some may have been in the woods on the far side.”

“No Brennus I think not.  They looked far too relaxed. What were the mules carrying I wonder?”

“I have never seen so many mules at least not without a Roman guarding them.”

“And these were not Romans.”

“Not Roman army that is certain.”

“Could they be deserters?”

“Possibly.  You four stay here and watch them. Let me know if they move or if others appear.  This is news for the Queen.”

When Morwenna was informed of the arrival of the mules and their cargo she seemed neither surprised nor unhappy. She looked Tadgh firmly in the eyes and fixed him with her most powerful stare. “Could you capture the men and their cargo?”

The Brigante warrior looked up with a look of astonishment on his face.  “Capture? We could kill them majesty and take whatever their cargo contains but why capture?”

For a moment he regretted his answer as it reeked of insubordination and the questioning of her orders but instead she nodded. “I can understand why you would be surprised but think Tadgh, are these Romans?” he shook his head. “Brigante? Traders?”

Again he shook his head and ventured, “If I were guess anything it would be deserters or bandits.”

“And as such would make welcome additions to this would be army of rebels, “she swept her arm around the remaining warriors and the cave. Whatever is on the mules there is a great deal of it if there are as many animals as you say.  We need to build an army and build it swiftly before the Romans come to build their road, and their forts.  We need to inspire the people to, once again, rebel against the Roman overlords. If we can build up an army we can gain allies.  The Selgovae and Carvetii are ripe for rebellion and the land north of here is sparsely garrisoned.” She held his shoulders in her pale, slim hands and repeated, “I ask you again, could you capture them?”

Taking a deep breath the warrior answered. “If we wait until they are asleep we could but we would have to kill the sentry they will inevitably leave on guard.”

“You have answered my question. Do it. And Tadgh…”

“Yes majesty?”

“Take all your men, we need to guarantee success.  We need no sentries tonight, the Mother will watch.”

“Yes majesty.”

It was moonless night and Decius was sufficiently confident about his men and their temporary loyalty to allow one of the mercenaries to stand the second watch which allowed Centurion and himself more sleeping time.  He was certain that he would hear either horses or mules if the man decided to leave and return to the gold.  They were far too close to the cache for any of those he did not trust to get there and escape with pursuit and certain death from Tiny and Centurion. As they moved closer to the coast the problem would only increase.

Tadgh had sent Brennus with ten warriors to the far side of the camp; they had trekked around the edge of the lake and were even now waiting silently in the thick woods. The sentry was silhouetted against the fire on Brennus’ side and it would be his lieutenant’s task to kill the sentry.  Tadgh and his group were tasked with the five men on their side of the fire which would leave just three men for Brennus to deal with.  Brennus and Tadgh had already identified the two major problems that they would have to overcome, the huge warrior and the greybeard. They were on Brennus’ side. Despite his promise to the Queen about capture the clubs they would use to render their victims unconscious were big enough to cave a man’s skull in but Tadgh was taking no chances.

As they slipped over the river bank they knew that any noise they made would be hidden by the river roar but Tadgh was aware that the mules might smell them; that was the danger. They slid across the damp grass like serpents slithering ever closer to their sleeping prey.  The sounds of the river faded and were replaced by the creak of mule harness and the spit and crackle of logs on the fire. Tadgh kept glancing at the sentry who was crouched by the fire picking at pieces of food still remaining on the bones by the fire. When they were twenty paces from the camp they halted and although Tadgh could not see Brennus he knew that his brother and his party would be close to the sentry. Each pair of warriors had identified their target and waited with bated breath for the arrow in the back which would signal the attack.

Whether the guard heard something or just stretch they would never know but the arrow caught him in the lower back.  Even as he started to scream the twenty one warriors raced across the open ground. Tadgh drew back his club ready to hit any victim who evaded his men’s attacks. He watched with horror as the huge warrior they had feared shook off his blows and punched one of Brennus’ men so hard that they heard his jaw break.  The giant was the only one who had given any resistance and Tadgh raced towards his unprotected back and smashed the club into the back of his unprotected head.  He slumped slowly to his knees and Brennus hit him again in the face with his weapon rendering Tiny unconscious at last.

The prisoners were all tightly trussed and tied, unceremoniously on their horses.  The wounded warrior was also given a horse and they quickly led the mules and prisoners back to the cave.

It was almost dawn when they finally dragged the obstinate pack animals up the narrow trail and hobbled them in the lee of the cave. The horses were also hobbled and the prisoners left where they were. Tadgh was desperate to know what the saddlebags and packs contained but he knew better than to open them before Morwenna had sanctioned the action. She surprised all of them by first ministering to the wounded warrior who was soon sleeping having taken a potion, his injured jaw bandaged and held as he slept.