The Dragon's Banner (8 page)

At the close of the third day of the hunt,
they rode back to the palace where tidings awaited them. Grim
tidings indeed, for it was said that Orestes, the supreme commander
of the army, had deposed Julius Nepos and driven him from Italia.
The usurper proclaimed his son as emperor, and called him Romulus
Augustus. All Italia was in disarray, and Vandal pirates swarmed
the seas. The next day came more ill news. Snows had come early to
the mountains, and the passes were closed. With their route closed
by both sea and mountain, Uther and Leodegrance must perforce
either turn back home or accept Euric's invitation to spend the
winter as his guests.

Committed to completing their journey, the
travelers accepted and spent the winter at Toulouse. It was a merry
time for Leodegrance and the rest of their companions. There was
revelry and also hunting, and beautiful women from exotic lands
beyond imaginings. But Uther became pensive and partook little in
the celebrations, for he wished to complete the quest and return to
find Igraine and seek her hand.

To other pursuits his mind wandered too, for
Euric was a learned and wise king and Uther, like most of the
nobility of Britannia, was barely literate. Euric had shown them
the great code he'd written, recording for all time his laws and
commandments to the people. These were new thoughts for Uther, who
had rarely pondered anything but battle and spoils.

Thus they passed the long winter, for spring
came very late that year and it was nigh on mid-June before word
came that the passes were open, and they could depart. At last, the
travelers set forth to cross the rest of southern Gaul and then
over the mountains and into Italia. An escort they had from Euric,
which accompanied them to the border of his lands, and they were
laden also with gifts from the king.

They crossed from Euric's kingdom into
imperial lands, but they were not challenged, and they saw no
legions or other soldiers. Thudis had bid them farewell also as
they rode from Toulouse, for he had long been away from his lands
and was anxious to return. Caradoc, however, with his father's
leave, joined their party. He had traveled these lands before with
Thudis, and he guided his new friends as they rode.

The trip across Gaul was pleasant and
uneventful. The weather was splendid, and they rode many hours
through the lengthening days. Two of the servants and one of their
guards succumbed to the bloody flux, but otherwise they had little
difficulty until they reached the mountains. Uther and Leodegrance
had thought their homeland mountainous, but no great peaks such as
these were there in Britannia. The range stretched on as far as
they could see, and the paths that twisted their ways up and over
the passes were narrow and treacherous.

The crossing of the pass was slow, and they
lost two more of their number before they had finished. Summer was
more than half over before they trod down into the fertile valleys
of Italia. Euric had given them maps, for though they had a rough
notion of how to reach Rome, they had no idea what course to follow
to Ravenna. Following Euric's map, they set out for the city, which
was indeed much closer than Rome itself.

They followed an old road that led over broad
lowlands and through cultivated fields. Farmhouses were mingled
with the occasional large villa, but many were in poor condition
and yet others abandoned. They saw workers in the fields, but all
fled at the sight of their party.

"Ere long we shall be met, I wager.” It was
Leodegrance who broke the silence and spoke what they all had been
thinking. "For all who see us flee, and surely they have raised the
alarm by now."

Leodegrance
foretold
truly, for before dusk that day they were challenged on the road by
a large body of soldiers. The warriors were led by an officer
wearing armor and fine livery, but the men were clearly barbarians,
with tangled masses of long blond hair and naught for clothing but
undyed canvas tunics and leather pants. Matching shields they
carried, with alternating rings of red and white as their coat of
arms. They carried a standard with a Roman eagle along with other
symbols unknown to the Britons.

Uther rode forth alone and answered the
challenge. "I am Uther, son of Constantine, of House Pendragon. We
have come from Britannia to seek an audience with the emperor. We
bear gifts and tidings of that land."

The officer looked upon Uther for a moment.
"I am Antonius Arquellus, centenarius of the Numeri Heruli
Comitatutus. I have been sent by Odoacer, commander of the imperial
foederati, to whom reports have come of a band of armed men. It was
feared that you were scouts for an invading army, for you have come
from the direction of the Visigothic lands, and more than once have
they attacked us."

"We are but ambassadors and seek naught but
an audience with the emperor." Uther spoke loudly, but was cautious
to keep his tone unthreatening.

The officer looked uncertain. Clearly, these
were not the usual brigands and invaders to whom he was accustomed.
"I cannot speak to such things. We shall escort you to Placentia,
for the Magister Militum is there, camped with the army. It will be
his decision if you are to be sent to the emperor."

The officer instructed them to turn about,
for their destination lay in that direction. Antonius rode with
Uther and Leodegrance, his men falling in all around the small
band. Uther began to object about traveling in the direction from
which they had just come, which he knew was away from Ravenna.
Antonius, while flawlessly polite, was adamant - they must see the
Magister Militum before they would be taken to Ravenna.

Uther looked at Leodegrance, and each knew
the other's thoughts. They were outnumbered at least five to one
and, apart from the odds, attacking the emperor's troops was hardly
a promising way to win favor. Reluctantly, they resigned themselves
to the inescapable.

They rode back only a short time, and soon
they reached a crossroads and turned to the south. It was now
nearly dark, but they only stopped for a brief meal, after which
they remounted and rode by torchlight until the moon was high in
the night sky.

"We shall reach Placentia within an hour,"
said Antonius. "A place shall be provided for you to make camp, and
on the morrow you shall present your request to the Magister
Militum."

"We thank you, Antonius Arquellus, for we are
indeed fatigued." Uther's voice low and raspy, for he was exhausted
from eighteen hours on horseback.

Before the hour had passed, they rode up to a
large encampment, with many tents and long sections of wooden
stockade. Uther could not begin to guess how many men were camped
here, for he had never seen such numbers assembled. There were, in
fact, over ten thousand soldiers in the tents and neat rows of
rough wooden huts. The Britons were allowed to pitch their own
tents on a flat area outside the main encampment and, while a
detachment of soldiers patrolled the area, Uther and his companions
slept uneasily, aware that they were being watched.

Sleep was welcome but all too brief, for just
after dawn Uther and Leodegrance were summoned. Orestes, magister
militum and patrician of the empire, supreme commander of the
imperial army - and father of the emperor himself - would see
them.

They were escorted to the center of the camp,
where Orestes was seated outside of a large red tent. The imperial
commander had a heavy build, and though he wore fine clothes, he
was clearly of barbarian stock. Long tangles of dark brown hair
hung down his back, and an ugly, crooked scar marred his cheek.
Behind him hung great banners, and on either side stood two massive
barbarian warriors, blond-haired and simply clad, like those who
had escorted the Britons to the camp. Before him stood another man,
broad-chested but short of stature, his long hair black as night
and pulled back behind his head, held with a silver clasp. He was
well-dressed in a red silken tunic belted at the waist with a
golden rope and pants like those of the warriors, but finer and
better made.

The shorter man spoke with Orestes, and
though Uther was too far away to hear what was said, it was clear
the discussion was heated. Finally, the standing man calmed
somewhat, as if Orestes had said something to sooth his concerns.
He pressed his arm across his chest and then extended it in a Roman
salute before he strode away.

He walked right past Uther, and the two
exchanged intense stares. As he looked into the stranger's eyes,
Uther could feel the man was trying to communicate something to
him. There was more to the goings on in this camp than what was
apparent at first glance. Uther's pondering was cut short, however,
for they were bade to approach Orestes and state their
business.

The great commander looked angry, though
whether that was directed at them or a remnant of the
just-concluded argument they knew not. They approached slowly and
stood before Orestes.

"Greetings to you, Uther Pendragon.” The
Roman commander spoke in sharp, clipped tones. "And to you
Leodegrance. Long have you journeyed, and therefore bitter shall be
that which I must say to you, for you have come all this way for
naught. Britannia, so many leagues distant, is of little concern to
the empire. It has been a life of man since that land saw the
imperial banners fly over its ancient strongholds and crumbing
cities. I have given you an audience because you have come so far,
but you shall not travel the road to Ravenna, for the emperor has
scant interest as to the disposition of Britannia. Go then, and may
God watch over you on your long journey home."

Uther was silent, for he had hoped, at least,
that they would be given leave to present their case to the
emperor. He looked briefly at Leodegrance and then back at their
host. "Lord Orestes, I pray thee at least to hear our entreaties,
for you may find that we offer strength as much as need. For
Britannia, if united, could field a mighty force and return all of
Gaul to the imperial fold. My house has served the empire in past
generations, and may do so..."

Orestes interrupted Uther. "Ah yes, Uther
Pendragon. Speak you of your grandsire, weakling who lost the
throne, or your father, who fought so bravely in the imperial ranks
at Chalons? Yes, Arquellus has told me all. I know of your lineage.
Know you that I too fought at Chalons? Indeed, at the side of the
great king of kings I battled all that long and bloody day. And
what deed was truly done that day? For Valentinian was a weak and
feckless emperor, while Attila was strong like the iron of the
Earth. Had not your confederation of enemies joined together for
one day, Attila would have marched to Italia and wed the princess
Honoria, for she had consented to the marriage, and indeed she
besought Attila's succor that he march to Ravenna and rescue her.
See you not the strength such an emperor would have brought,
instead of the weak parade of fools that followed? For Aetius was
the only man of strength left to Rome, and his sovereign rewarded
victory with treachery and murder. So seek not to impress me, Lord
Pendragon, with the exploits of your father, for it shall avail you
but little."

Uther and Leodegrance were silent, for it was
clear they had no friend in Orestes and could expect no help. These
were bitter words after so many arduous travels, and they were
greatly grieved. Uther felt his anger rising at the insults, but
this was neither the time nor place for that.

Orestes looked upon them silently for a
moment. "Though we are not allies, I am not so uncouth as to refuse
hospitality to tired travelers. Go back to your camp, for you shall
be fed and re-provisioned for your trip home. On the morrow, my men
shall give you escort back north so that you might make the passes
while the weather is fair. Good bye to you, Uther Pendragon, and to
you Leodegrance. Fair thee well."

With that Orestes turned and began to speak
to one of the men to his side. Uther and Leodegrance knew they had
been dismissed, and they turned to follow the guards back to their
camp. Orestes was good to his word at least, for they were brought
a midday meal and mules laden with provisions for the trail.

They ate sparingly and in silence, dispirited
as they were by the reception they had received. The afternoon they
spent readying themselves to depart the next day, and in the
evening more food was brought, and they supped together before
retiring early. Uther was roused from dark dreams by a hand on his
shoulder, and he leapt off the bed and reached for his sword. In
the flickering torchlight he saw Antonius Arquellus and the man
he'd seen arguing with Orestes.

"Fear not, Uther." Arquellus spoke softly.
"We are not assassins come in the dark, though indeed such men were
sent to your camp this very night by Orestes. My men have slain
your intended murderers and are now guarding your tents. Lord
Odoacer has come and would speak with you."

The smaller man moved forward and nodded to
Uther. "Lord Pendragon, it is my honor to bid you welcome. As
Arquellus has said, my name is Odoacer. I am gratified that my men
were able to put an end to the insidious plot against you and your
party. Orestes is a usurper who deposed the emperor to instill his
own son on the throne. He has brought the army to the edge of
rebellion, and that cannot be allowed. This unhappy empire stands
now on the precipice of cataclysm, for another decade of civil war
and man shall lose the light of civilization, as your own wounded
land has already in great part. For tell me true, that the great
Roman cities of Britannia stand as abandoned ruins and the all the
lands are ruled by warlords and petty kings who war with each other
while pestilence ravages all."

Odoacer looked up briefly as Leodegrance
entered the tent. "Welcome Leodegrance, prince of Cameliard.
Greetings and good health to you.” He paused, moving his eyes
between Leodegrance and Uther. “My lords, Orestes shall not live to
the morrow, and I shall assume command of the army. I pray thee
forget Orestes and his anger, for though a Roman citizen, he joined
the Hunnish king of kings many years ago and sought power at the
side of an invader. He is bitter and without wisdom."