Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 12] Roman Wall (31 page)

The Tungrian said, “That will be suicide!”

“Not all at once, you half wit! One at a time.  If they go all at once then they will be slaughtered.  I want to see if they have archers.  If your boys use their shields then they should be safe.  They can shelter beneath the walls. If they get across then my slower legionaries will try it.”

“Very well First Spear.” In reality the centurion had no choice.  He was outranked and he knew it; he had to obey.

Ragdh saw the Romans running across the bridge.  The warrior on the bolt thrower asked, “Well?”

He chewed his lip.  The Romans were not doing as Severus had said.  He wondered if they would kill the soldier.  A second and a third followed. Ragdh was about to order the bolt thrower to be used when one of warriors shouted, “The bastards are leaving sir.  They are in the boat!”

Now he knew that he had been outwitted. “There are more Romans coming over.”

He saw the legionaries with their huge shields as they lumbered across the bridge.  “Use the bolts.”

To their horror the two bolts they released flew too high and more Romans sped across the wooden structure. As his men fought to adjust the machine even more Romans flooded across. They released another two bolts.  One speared a legionary in the leg while the other buried itself in the bridge itself. Ragdh saw a hand appear over the wall as the first of the Tungrians was hoisted up to the fighting platform. He knew then that it was over.

First Spear was the fourth man over the wall. He laid about him with his gladius.  The long swords used by the Brigante were of no use in such a confined space. Quintus Broccus had killed six before he realised that they had taken the fort.  It had cost them one man. The Allfather had watched over them!

Inside the fort at Coriosopitum Livius, Rufius and Metellus faced Marcus. The Legate sat at his desk watching and listening.

“But sir, I did not disobey any orders!”

“Nonsense! Standing orders forbid such a thing!”

Marcus sighed, “There was a risk, sir.  Perhaps it was a gamble but it worked. A third of their men were out of the battle at the end. You taught us to use our heads.  I was using mine.”

Livius could not argue with that.  The three of them were more upset because they could have lost the popular young decurion and the talismanic sword. “Suppose he had defeated you?”

“That never occurred to me, sir.”

Metellus wagged a finger at Marcus.  “One of these days a young warrior will face you who will defeat you.”

Marcus nodded although he did not believe it. The sword would keep him safe.  If he had not had the Sword of Cartimandua then he would not have accepted the challenge.

The Legate stood. “Let us put that in the past.  What will these Brigante do now?”

They all looked at Marcus.  He was half Brigante and, as he had shown with the combat, understood the mind of the enemy. “They will cross the river and attack us tonight. There is no honour in dying to a bolt.  They will make a sacrifice to Icaunus the god of the river and then they will cross.”

“Will they swim or use rafts?”

Rufius pointed to the south.  “There are many trees.  They will use rafts.”

The Legate rubbed his chin. If they crossed the river then there was nothing to stop them bypassing the fort and heading for the thinly defended wall.  The Votadini had been cowed but the sight of a Brigante army might rekindle the fire of rebellion in their breasts.

“We must stop them at the river.” The Legate jabbed a finger at the map on the wall.

“Easier said than done, sir. They could cross anywhere.  Upstream they could probably ford the river.” Livius had patrolled this land for years and knew the Tinea well.

“We will concentrate our efforts on stopping them here.  If they move upstream we will deal with that problem later for it will take them some time to reach us. There are a couple of hours until dark.  I suggest you rest your men for we may need them after dark.”

As they turned to leave Livius said, “Sir, if I might suggest having the garrison measure accurately to the river.  The onagers might discourage them.”

“Thank you Livius, that is a good suggestion.”

Chapter 22

The legionaries quickly disposed of the bodies of the Brigante.  They were hurled into the river. The Thracians were not given any respite.  First Spear sent them north towards Vinovia. He spoke urgently to the decurion. “I am worried that we have heard nothing from the north.  Your lads were patrolling this road but so far we have only seen you.  Where are the others?”

The decurion was equally concerned.  Once the fort at Morbium had been captured he knew that his comrades would be cut off but he had expected some scouts to be watching the captured fort from the north.  The fact that they were not there was unsettling. “We can reach the fort quickly and find out if the garrison holds there.”

“Be careful.  The handful of men we just killed couldn’t have taken this fort.  There is a much bigger army out there somewhere and, at the moment, you are our only cavalry.”

Felix and Wolf spotted the Thracians as they approached the fort.  The young scout had found the fort empty and hid close by.  He and Wolf needed rest. He looked on approvingly as the decurion sent in two men and waited with the rest. Felix mounted his horse.  These were Romans.  They were not deserters or Brigante in disguise. He made sure that he waved as he approached.  The Thracians were suspicious and twenty javelins were aimed at Felix. Wolf growled at the new soldiers.

“What is your story boy? That is a Roman horse you are riding.”

“I am Felix the scout of Marcus’ Horse.  Legate Demetrius sent me south to see if there were any Brigante here. There are not.”

The decurion was relieved.  “Right lads.  He seems genuine; you can lower your weapons.  We are safe. The dog won’t attack us.  What is happening here, son?”

“The Votadini, Selgovae and Novontae have attacked the wall.  There is a large Brigante army and they are attacking Coriosopitum.”

“Did you see any of our lads?”

“There are some in Coriosopitum.” He pointed at Vinovia.  “Many died there and there were some on the road as I came south.” He gestured at the plume on the decurion’s helmet. “There were decurions’ bodies there.  I am sorry.”

“Not as sorry as me, son.” He turned to a trooper.  “Cassius, ride to First Spear and tell him what the lad just told us. We will head north and keep an eye on the Brigante.” As the trooper galloped off he asked, “Can they hold out?”

“There are many Brigante but it is Marcus’ Horse and they have the sword.  They will hold out.”

“I hope that you are right.”

Caronwyn and her priestesses stood on the banks of the Tinea.  Behind them were the serried ranks of the Brigante.  They were all out of range of the bolt throwers.  The walls of the fort were lined with the garrison. The captured trooper had been stripped naked and bound. One of Caronwyn’s amazons held a knife to his throat. The trooper had been captured when his horse had been killed and his body pinned beneath it. He had expected death but to stand shivering on a river bank with baying barbarians all around him was not the death he had expected.

“Great Icaunus take this sacrifice that we may safely cross. Take the body of this man and let his death be payment for our transgression.”

She nodded and the knife was ripped across his throat. The blood spurted and the lifeless corpse thrown into the waters. It disappeared for a moment and then the current picked it up and it emerged in the middle of the river and began to head towards the northern bank. The priestesses all gave a wild and terrifying shriek. “The god accepts the sacrifice!” Caronwyn stared at the fort.  The Romans thought that they had thwarted her with their machines.  She would show them that they would use the waters of the land to defeat these defilers of her land.

As night fell both sides put their plans into operation.  Livius sent our four turmae under Rufius and spread them out in the woods close to the river.  Armed with javelins their orders were simple; they were to slow down any Brigante who breached the Tinea. Another four turmae waited under the command of Metellus.  They were the shock force which would meet any force which evaded the river guards.  The rest of the turmae now manned the walls.  Marcus’ Horse had lost too many men and horses to be considered an effective ala.  The defenders had braziers burning ready to hurl incendiary missiles at any barbarian who tried to attack the fort. The Legate prayed that help would come soon. All that they had done was to slow down the enemy.

Caronwyn and her Amazons went to the river with the twenty Brigante warriors.  They had all volunteered to serve the priestess for their task was dangerous. The overcast night meant that they were almost invisible. The six priestesses who would cross the river were naked and armed only with a short sword strapped across their backs.  They were the secret weapon which would unpick the lock of the fort. They slipped silently into the water and began to swim to the northern bank. They had chosen this spot, just forty paces from the bridge for a number of reasons. It was close to the bridge and yet the steep bank hid them from view.  There were trees nearby for cover but, most importantly, there was a muddy beach. The six warrior priestesses rolled in the mud and then smeared it over each other.  They drew their swords and blackened them too. They became invisible.  The only sign that they were human and not animal was when they opened their eyes. Caronwyn would use Mother Earth to help her defeat the Romans.

The six women slithered their way to the top of the bank. There were some Tungrian sentries in the woods watching for just such an attack.  The Legate had anticipated warriors emerging from the river.  The other sentries at the bridge were equally well hidden. 

The four sentries in the woods suddenly saw a movement but it was not human.  It was a shadow; a shadow which moved without human form. Their senses alerted them to something strange, supernatural. The sacrifice at the river had unnerved them. They could fight warriors but magic was something else.  One turned to his companion. “I must be going mad.  I can smell a woman.”

“It must be that priestess.”

Suddenly two eyes appeared before him and all four men died as the six women plunged steel deep within them. The six swords ensured that they died silently.  The women laid the bodies down in the woods. They slipped through the trees barely disturbing the air so light was their movement. 

The last two sentries before the bridge had their attention on the river. Each eddy and bubble made them think it was a swimmer. They felt a sudden sharp pain and then they died as silently as their comrades.  The six invisible killers were good at their work. There were four men at the bridge. They were just eighty paces from the wall.  If any Brigante tried to sneak across the bridge they would kill them and raise the alarm.  If the whole army came across they would raise the alarm as they raced back to the gate.  All four were watching the southern end of the bridge. They cursed the cloudy night which made their job doubly hard.

The six priestesses stepped from the woods and walked silently towards the Tungrians. One turned at a strange smell and a slight sound.  He saw shadows with eyes.  The woods had come alive! He was the first to die and then his companions followed.

On the far side of the bridge the twenty Brigante volunteers had been watching.  They sprinted across the bridge keeping as low as possible.  At the gate one of the sentries thought that he had seen a movement but when none of the guards made a sound he put it down to the nerves of night duty. He looked again, hard.  Where were the sentries?

The Brigante and the priestesses made their way to the gate. Once they reached its shadow they were all hidden from view. The warriors made a pyramid and began to climb.  Once they were just a body below the ramparts the six women clambered over them. Across the bridge Briac watched the shadows creep up the walls. He had chosen the two hundred warriors who would assault the gate personally.  He felt he had to make up for Elidr’s mistake and he could not afford to let down Caronwyn again.

The sharp eyed sentry approached his optio, “Sir, I can’t see the guards at the bridge?”

“Did you hear anything?”

“No sir!”

“If they are shirking I will…” He walked back with the sentry to the walls.

The six priestesses slipped over the walls and, once again, their appearance stunned the guards into silence.  Three died with barely a murmur but the optio was made of sterner stuff. He smelled the mud and the blood on the blade and turned as the steel was thrust into his side. He grabbed the blade and, with his dying breath shouted, “Alarm!” as he and the Amazon plunged to the ground below.

The Legate and Livius had been prepared for an attack. They raced from their quarters already dressed for battle.  The troopers who were on duty joined them.  They could not believe their eyes as they saw the Brigante climbing over the walls. Some of them appeared to be naked!

“Livius secure the gate!”

Julius ran to the ladder.  The first of the priestesses was descending to open the gate. He swung his spatha across his body and felt it jar against her spine as he sliced her slim form in two.

Livius shouted to the four troopers who followed him, “Kill anyone who tries to open the door. Sound recall!” He knew that there were four buccina within the fort and he hoped that a signifier would hear him.

Julius was being assaulted by a naked priestess and the first of the Brigante. The Legate was no longer a young man and Livius winced as the Brigante sword scored a red line against the body of the Legate. He lunged and his sword struck the back of the naked priestess.  She gave a primeval scream and turned on him her eyes boring into him. She screamed a death curse as she launched herself at him with her sword. Livius was no fool.  He had wounded her and he stepped back as her body overbalanced and she tumbled to the ground. He sliced down and decapitated the woman.

Julius was struggling to defend himself.  The wound had weakened him. Out of the corner of his eye Livius saw more Brigante pouring down the ladders.  He ignored them.  His men would have to deal with them.  The Legate was his priority. The Brigante knocked Julius’ sword to the ground and he raised his own to finish off the leader of the Romans. Before he could do so Livius hacked at his leg for it was the only part of the Brigante’s anatomy he could reach.  The savage cut to the bone made the Brigante turn to face his new enemy.  Rather than stepping back Livius stepped closer.  He grabbed the warrior’s beard and pulled him forward.  He smashed the pommel of his sword into the back of the Brigante’s neck.  Falling to the floor the Brigante put his arms out and Livius took his chance.  He stabbed down and the Brigante died.