Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 01] The Sword of Cartimandua (16 page)

The tribune looked suitably embarrassed; despite numerous requests the queen had consistently refused to discuss it. “I don’t know, the queen has it and she, well she don’t discuss it.”

Rather than the anger the tribune expected the governor showed quizzical interest. He was secretly pleased for he suspected it was treasure and he wanted no-one else to know of it.  He felt sure he would be able to persuade the barbarian to hand it over.  After all, the other wild queen, Boudicca had been a savage who was slaughtered as an animal; her only tactic had been a full frontal attack and her people had all died as a result.  No this queen would be like wax in his hand, he would mould her to his own ends.

“Have your cooks prepare some decent food and invite the queen to dinner. I will apprise her of the Emperor’s plans.

The feast was richer than the tribune had enjoyed for some time but to Marcus Bolanus it was like eating hard rations. The cooks had received a delivery of spices and rich ingredients with the Governor’s caravan. They had been proud of the repast they had presented. The Governor and tribune looked at the dishes with differing views as they awaited the arrival of the queen. She was late but Bolanus put that down to the woman in her. He nibbled on some olives which had been in the jar too long as he waited for her.  The wine was drinkable but only because he had brought it with him. His hand stopped half-way to his mouth when she entered.  Even the tribune was surprised.  All hint of grey was gone form her and her face had a pink healthy glow. The dress she wore was a vibrant red colour which matched her lips painted with cochineal. The Governor could not believe that this was the same queen who had met with Claudius. He had expected a toothless hag instead he found it hard to estimate her age. Her arms were laden with golden bracelets and on her fingers she wore rings with precious stones. But it was the torc around next which excited them both. It was the largest single piece of gold either man had ever seen and it gleamed in the light like the sun. The gold made his mind race with the thought of owning that gold and the treasure, perhaps it was even more fabulous than that which she adorned herself.

“Governor welcome to my land; my people and I welcome the representative of our ally Emperor… Just who is the Emperor these days? Is it still Vitellius?”

Inwardly Bolanus fumed.  The cunning bitch had taken the initiative away from him. She welcomed him to her land and as though they were allies rather than the clients they were. He was also angry about the Emperor jibe as the whole Roman world knew they were on their fourth emperor in one year.

“It is the divine Vespasian who is now the ruler of this Roman Empire.” Feeling that he had scored points now by calling the Brigante land the Roman Empire he magnanimously waved his arm for the queen and her sisters to sit.  “Please ladies sit.”

The Queen had dealt with people like Bolanus all her life.  She knew the men who used power as a weapon and who resented women.  He was crushable but first she had to ascertain her position.  She as politically astute enough to realise that she had no power base any longer; her people would only support her if she returned at the head of an army and that army had to be the Roman army. She would be pleasant to this weasel until she had what she wanted. “I am pleased that Rome is in such safe hands.  Does the Emperor plan on visiting us at any time soon?  If so I will need time to plan a celebration and, of course, make sure that the rebels who have driven me here are destroyed.”

“I fear that his divinity is busy in the Eastern lands but be assured your highness that he will visit just as soon as possible.  Now please, eat, drink and enjoy the food, poor though it is.”

They nibbled at the food and the Queen’s sisters watched, carefully, the reactions of Bolanus to the Queen’s questions; they would have to report to Cartimandua later.

“It is a shame, governor, that it is so poor. Perhaps if there were a port here at Eboracum we could acquire the food that would please the Emperor.”

The governor stopped eating and wiped a hand across his greasy mouth. The woman had a good idea for a port here would secure the Roman presence and enable a rapid supply chain. “I am sure we could come to some arrangement.”

“Of course we would need to have a fortress here to ensure that the rebels do not ravage this place,” she paused meaningfully, “again.”

“Again, I am sure we could come to some arrangement.” He looked carefully at this woman who was showing all the guile of an Eastern potentate.

“That, of course, means that there would have to be a legion here. Are they not all accounted for?”

Marcus Bolanus stopped mid chew. For someone so far away from civilisation she was remarkably well informed.  He thought quickly.  The only legion he had available was the Ninth Hispana that was busy building Lindum fortress; the others were busy in the west putting down the last of their rebellions.  If he was to use another legion it would need to come from Rome. Perhaps he could turn the Queen’s request to his advantage and gain another legion; with another legion he could conquer all of this forsaken land and then his return to Rome would be truly a triumph. “That is true but we can begin the building with the troops already here.” He looked shrewdly at her. “Have you any more requests?”

Cartimandua paused, delicately wiped her mouth and then looked directly at the governor. “Well once you have made Eboracum secure with adequate accommodation for a queen I am sure you will give thought to defeating the rebels and returned my lands to me.”

“Your lands your majesty? Are they not part of the Roman Empire?”

There was a silence and Bolanus wondered if he had gone too far. Suddenly the Queen stood and in one movement pulled her sword from its scabbard.  The blade was pointed at the centre of the table but her eyes bored into the Roman’s.” I am Queen Cartimandua of the Brigante and this is Sax Lacus the sword of my ancestors.  As long as a member of my family wields this mighty weapon then we rule the land of the Brigante and all the people know this.” She slowly returned the blade to its jewelled scabbard. “If the Emperor wishes to help us to conquer my rebellious enemies then the sword of the Brigante will serve the Roman Empire as a, I believe they are called, client kingdom. Certainly that was the arrangement I came to with the Emperor Claudius.”

The governor was white for the sword had been so close to his face that he was under no illusions that, had she wished, she could have taken his head. Next time he would have guards in the room, and the bitch searched. The comment about Claudius caused him some worry. He had been sent to Britannia without speaking to the new Emperor, perhaps there were arrangements in place he knew naught about. Even now the Emperor was in Judea making sure that the new client king place there would do as he was bid. Perhaps this was true in Britannia; He chewed to help him regain his composure although, in truth, he could taste nothing. He wondered how she knew about client kings. If she truly knew about them she would know that, as in Judea and Egypt they soon became Roman. “Of course your majesty that is what I meant.”

“Excellent and now I fear we have imposed too much upon you and you have had a long journey.  We thank you and bid you goodnight.”

The three walked silently to their quarters and when Macha looked as though she were going to speak the queen held her hand to silence her. Once in the room Lenta closed and barred the door and they retreated into Cartimandua’s chamber.

“Well?” said the Queen.

“He went along with you,” began Macha.

“But he went along for his own reasons,” added Lenta. “I would not trust him. He will betray you.”

“Once he has defeated Venutius he will try to rid himself of you.”

“I know.” The Queen looked hard at the two young women.  “And it is you he would replace me with.”

“But we would not do that.”

Cartimandua’s face softened.  “I know for you have had the chance before but you have to know that he would try and you must be careful and I must ensure that you have some protection. Perhaps marriage to a noble or powerful Roman.”

Macha looked aghast.  “I will choose my own man!”

“Of course but I will choose your husband.”

“I have had one husband whom I loved I do not want another.”

“You will have another if I say so. Remember I have always looked after you and I will continue to do so. Have as many lovers as you like.”She smiled to herself thinking of Ulpius. “But, as I did with Venutius, you sometimes have to marry for power.”

Lenta murmured half under her breath, “And looked what happened there.”

There was a sharp intake of breath from Macha who wondered if her sister had gone too far. “True sister it was a mistake.  Instead of keeping the wolf from the door I brought him into the fold.  Let us see if we can find a hound who can be trained and controlled instead of a wolf eh”

Although Bolanus resented the Queen and her attitude her realised that it made sense for him to improve the defences of Eboracum. He set the legionaries to work building stone towers at the corners of the wooden camp. He used slave labour to begin construction of the port which was adjacent to the camp. Meanwhile he sent a messenger to Lindum to request another legion.  In his report to Vespasian he exaggerated the treasures Britannia had to offer. He enthused about the potential treasures to the north, treasures which would become Imperial with another legion.  He also made quite clear that Queen Cartimandua would accede to all his demands. The governor had no doubt that the Emperor would look favourably on his demands. Finally he sent for two more cohorts of the Ninth Hispana just to ensure his own safety.

The winter hardened from the gentler time of early winter; there appeared, to the Romans to be little difference between the two.  The main difference was the lack of leaves on the trees a phenomenon unknown to may of the legionaries. The weather could change from a glorious sunny one to one where the skies turned black and then emptied themselves upon the land.  The mighty river running through Eboracum could rise higher than a house overnight and just as quickly disappear.  The more superstitious Romans attributed this to the evil and witchcraft which abounded, they believed.  Any land that would follow a woman, and a wild woman such as Cartimandua, was a land which would be as capricious as a woman.

Ulpius had little time to enjoy with the mother of his unborn child as the tribune kept the decurion princeps and his troopers on patrol as much as possible. The times they had together were precious. As she was trying to hide her pregnancy she kept indoors as much as possible which made life much easier for Ulpius. There were now more Brigante warriors drifting into Eboracum.  Once Cartimandua had vetted them for loyalty she executed those not to be trusted and enrolled the rest into a bodyguard.  She was still as ruthless as ever and seemed to have the ability to almost sniff out those who were not loyal subjects who wished to serve her. So it was that Ulpius found it easier to access the queen getting past guards whose loyalty was to the queen and not Rome.

When not on patrol they lay in each other’s arms, talking like young lovers long into the night. The queen was fascinated by his scars and questioned him at length about the origin of each one.  The Roman, for his part, was curious about the life of a warrior queen.  His own tribe had held women in esteem but had not made one their leader. Cartimandua explained about the sword and its symbolism.  When Ulpius held the sword he could understand the power of the weapon.  His own people viewed all swords as magical but the sword of the lake appeared to him to be the ultimate magic weapon.

“Promise me that, when I die,” she held her hand over his protesting mouth, “when I die for I am old to be a mother and child birth is hard even for younger women; you will make sure that my son has this sword.  Guard it with your life for as long as this sword is wielded by one of my family then Brigantia will live. Swear!”

“I so swear but you will outlive me.  One of these patrols will see me gutted.  I cannot avoid every arrow and sword for I have outlived all of my people who joined the Romans. The gods alone know why I live.”

“Live you must for if, you died, all meaning would go from my life. We will soon have a child and he will need us both.”

They embraced and silent tears coursed down the queen’s face. The unborn child was changing her and making her less of a warrior. Shaking herself she looked at Ulpius. “Swear too that you will protect my sisters and family for there will be many who would cause them harm or use them as Venutius tried to use me.”

“I swear but I have little power. The tribune wishes me gone.”

“We will deal with the tribune. Perhaps if he were sent away from Eboracum for a while…”

“I cannot see the weasel wishing to leave the safety of these walls.”

“Nor can I but something may arise.” The queen’s razor sharp mind was already plotting; unlike the military mind of Ulpius she had a politic mind which had enabled her to survive for so many years with so many enemies.  The governor might think he understood politics but he had not come up against a formidable opponent such as Cartimandua.

Gaius Cresens surreptitiously peered over his should as made his way towards the woods and the dwelling of Fainch the witch.  He had long ago ceased from sexual advances and had begun to fear the dark eyed vixen who appeared to know far too much for someone who appeared never to leave her hut.  He had yet to acquire the poison he had requested and he suspected that she was holding it back for some reason. He had good information this time and he hoped she would give him what he desired.

“I have some news.”

“If you are here to tell me that soldiers are coming from the south then you can leave for I know it already.”

Cresens inwardly cursed.  He had hoped that the information was a secret. “No it is greater news than that.”