Roman 12 - The Blood Crows Read online

  Cato smiled. ‘I’ve seen plenty of auxiliary units in my time. Some good, some bad. Never served with Thracian cavalry, though. So what are they like?’

  The decurion sniffed. ‘They don’t stink, like some of them. Germans is worst. But at least with your Germans you know where you are. Them Thracians is different. Got a cruel streak in ’em, they have. Bloody good horsemen, though. Glad they’re on our side, is all.’

  ‘I see.’ Cato reached for the jar and topped up the decurion’s cup. ‘And what about Centurion Quertus?’

  The decurion answered warily. ‘Can’t really say. The Thracians tend to keep to themselves. I’ve come across him on the parade field when we’ve been on training manoeuvres. He’s a big man. Built like a brick shithouse and has the guts to match.’

  ‘You have to be so careful what you eat,’ Macro chipped in.

  Cato shot a frown at him before he spoke to the decurion again. ‘What else?’

  ‘Like I said. He’s brave and the men would follow him anywhere.’

  ‘Inspiring, then?’

  ‘You could say that, sir. Depends what kind of inspiring you mean. He’s a born fighter, the kind who would die rather than give an inch of ground. Trouble is, he wants the same from those who he leads. I saw him beat a man senseless on the parade field once because he wouldn’t leap his horse over a ditch. Let’s just say he takes discipline seriously. And loyalty. I’ve heard he’s supposed to be some kind of prince in his homeland.’ Decimus looked round and leaned closer. ‘That, and some kind of priest. The kind who knows magic. The kind of magic that needs blood sacrifices.’

  ‘Magic?’ Cato repeated slowly. ‘I’ve yet to see any genuine magic in my lifetime.’

  Macro tilted his head to the side. ‘Don’t be so quick to pass judgement. After all, someone’s put a curse on this bloody wine, that’s for certain.’

  The decurion scowled briefly, then drained his cup and pushed it away with a nod of thanks. ‘Better see to the horses, sir. They’ll need feeding before the second watch.’

  He rose from the bench and left the mess. Macro stared after him and muttered wryly, ‘Was it something I said?’

  ‘Best not to make fun of someone’s beliefs, sir,’ Decimus suggested mildly.

  ‘Oh, come on!’ Macro chuckled. ‘Magic? Priests? Sacrifices? That’s a load of old bollocks. Anyone with half a brain knows that the only gods with any clout are Roman gods. That’s why Rome rules the world.’

  ‘I thought Rome ruled the world because our soldiers were better than everyone else,’ said Cato. ‘In any case, we clearly don’t rule half the tribes on this island.’

  Decimus made to reply to Macro but then closed his mouth and looked down into his cup. He was silent for a moment before he said quietly, ‘Some gods are false. Perhaps most of them. But there’s one who is powerful. One who comes from the east. And he promises a life in paradise to all those who choose to follow him.’

  Macro laughed. ‘I’ve heard that kind of rubbish before! Cato, you remember? Back in Judaea? The fools who called themselves servants of some wandering holy man. I hope that’s not who you’re talking about, Decimus.’

  The former legionary shook his head. ‘Never heard of no Judaean nonsense. I’m talking about Lord Mithras, sir. He’s the one.’

  ‘Mithras . . .’ Macro scratched his stubbly jaw. ‘Bit of a cult in some units, so I understand. Can’t see the attraction myself. What’s he got to offer that Jupiter hasn’t, eh? Believing in Mithras is no better than that nonsense Trebellius was talking about our Thracian friend.’

  Decimus pursed his lips. ‘I think there’s more to it than that, sir.’

  Macro pointed at the brand on Decimus’s forehead. ‘I can see why. But you’re wasting your time, I’m telling you. Jupiter, best and greatest, and the rest of our lot piss all over anyone else’s gods.’

  ‘Maybe that’s what you believe now, sir. But I’ll pray to Mithras that he shows you the righteous path all the same.’

  Macro shrugged. ‘Pray all you like. It ain’t going to change a bloody thing. I’ll personally put a curse on any man who says different.’

  Cato sighed and turned his mind back to the matter of Centurion Quertus. It was evident the man had quality as a warrior and leader and was carrying out his orders to the satisfaction of his superiors. Such a man would not relinquish his position eagerly, or even willingly. Bruccium was far enough away from Glevum for Cato to have to rely on his own authority to take command of the fort and its garrison. It was an acutely uncomfortable prospect and the more he brooded over it, the more of a challenge it seemed.

  The following morning the track entered the Silurian mountains and wound its way up the broad valley through which the River Isca flowed. The river was wide and glassy, swollen by the rain that had fallen during the early months of the year, and the snow on the tops of the mountains that had melted into the streams and tributaries of the Isca. The route was guarded by more of the fortlets, whose sentries peered anxiously from behind their palisades at the grim landscape around them. The engineers had felled trees either side of the track to remove the cover that could be used to ambush any patrols or supply columns travelling through the valley. Beyond the cleared ground the trees reared up, and the shadows beneath their boughs were dark and impenetrable. In the distance, as the ground rose steeply, the treeline gave out on to rocky slopes with long grass and shrubs, bent over in the wind that blew across the mountains.

  The track began to twist and turn around the rocky outcrops and hills and the conversation of the riders died away as the oppressive landscape and the possibility that they were being watched by the enemy played on their nerves. Cato, having strapped his helmet on, rode beside the decurion at the head of the column and noted the anxious glances that Trebellius directed to each side.

  ‘Do you think we are in danger here?’ Cato asked quietly.

  ‘There was a patrol ambushed not far from here several days ago, sir. Lost half their men before they could reach the nearest outpost. In any case, the enemy has become more bold recently. The Silurians have raided the frontier zone as far as the Severnus on several occasions.’

  ‘Well, if they’ve set an ambush here once, they’d be foolish to do it again, where it might be expected. We should be safe.’

  The decurion looked at him. ‘I hope you’re right, sir.’

  Cato shrugged off the other man’s fears. ‘How much further to Bruccium, do you think?’

  ‘Half a day’s ride to the last outpost. Then another day should see us over the pass leading down into the valley. A few miles on from there is where you’ll find the fort.’

  ‘That’s good.’

  Trebellius smiled faintly. ‘Good enough for me. I can’t wait to get out of these accursed mountains and back to the arms of my woman in Glevum.’

  ‘Oh? Lucky man.’

  ‘I suppose. She’s not some classy bit from Italy. Not even from Gaul. Garwhenna’s a local girl, half Silurian. Not much to look at but strong and loyal. And she’s taught me some of their tongue. Comes in useful when I’m trading with the locals for feed.’

  ‘I can imagine.’

  They fell silent for a moment before the decurion pointed to a bend in the track a quarter of a mile ahead, where a rocky cliff pushed out from the side of the valley. ‘There’s a fortlet just beyond there, sir. We’ll stop to rest the mounts and I’ll pick up the optio’s report on his strength and supply situation.’

  ‘Very well,’ Cato responded absently. The rain had subsided into a misty drizzle and he was looking forward to enjoying a little shelter and warmth before they resumed their march. Then he heard a muffled noise above the sound of the hoofs clopping over the stony track. He was alert in an instant, straining his ears. For a moment he wondered if he was imagining it. The decurion’s anxiety was starting to rub off on him. But better safe than sorry. Cato tugged on his reins and threw his right hand up.

  ‘Halt!’

  Beside him the decu
rion reined in and the rest of the column lumbered to a stop and the quiet of the surrounding landscape closed in around them. Macro edged his mount forward to join his friend and the decurion.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘I heard something. Up ahead.’

  Macro listened intently then shook his head. ‘I don’t h—’

  Then it came again. The long deep blast of a horn, muffled by the drizzle and the mass of the cliff rising up in front of them. It had been a long time since Cato had last heard the sound, but it was quite unmistakable. The brassy blare came from a Celtic war horn.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  ‘It’s an ambush!’ Trebellius said, eyes wide with fear as he scrutinised the treeline on either side of the track, well within the throw of a javelin. ‘We have to get out of here!’

  ‘Wait!’ Cato commanded. ‘Compose yourself! You’re a bloody officer.’ He turned to Macro. ‘Stay here. Have the men drop their packs and prepare to fight. Do it as quietly as you can. The decurion and I are riding ahead to see what’s going on.’

  ‘We are?’ Trebellius looked shocked. Then, as Cato glared at him, the decurion fought to steady his nerves and nodded. ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘Then let’s go.’ Cato spurred his mount into a canter. After a moment’s hesitation the decurion followed and Macro turned towards the squadron and Decimus and drew a deep breath to bellow his orders. Then he caught himself and spoke in a husky undertone. ‘Now then, lads, let’s do this without too much noise, eh? Packs down . . .’

  As the track began to bend round the foot of the cliff, Cato slowed his horse to a trot and then stopped. The sound of the horn was clearer now, and he could hear men shouting. He glanced at the cliff and saw that it was less than fifty feet in height at this point. Some rocks had fallen by the side of the road and it should be possible to climb to the top.

  ‘Take my horse,’ Cato ordered as he slipped from the saddle and began to scramble over the rocks and up the cliff.

  The decurion watched his superior in alarm. ‘Where are you going, sir?’

  ‘To spy out the lie of the land.’ Cato paused and looked down over his shoulder. ‘Just make sure you stay there.’

  He did not wait for a reply but continued up, carefully testing his grip on the handholds and the weight on his boots as he made his way towards the top. It was a short climb but he was breathing heavily as he hauled himself over the crumbling edge and slithered far enough away from it to be sure it would not give way beneath him. Then, rising cautiously to his feet, he looked in the direction of the horn as it sounded again. On the far side of the cliff the track continued straight down the valley, towards a small hillock on top of which sat a Roman outpost. Around it, in a loose circle, were a hundred or so figures armed with shields and spears. A handful wore helmets but the rest were bareheaded with long dark hair tied back. As Cato watched, some more emerged from the trees a short distance away, carrying a stout length of timber. They made directly for the fort and their intention was perfectly clear. Cato made sure that there were no more of the enemy visible before he climbed back down to Trebellius and took his reins and swung himself back into the saddle.

  ‘The enemy are attacking the outpost. There’s no time to lose if we’re to save them!’

  Cato turned back towards Macro and beckoned his friend forward. A moment later the men of the squadron had reached the cliff and stood waiting for orders. Freed of the burden of their saddlebags and feed nets the horses were lively and snorted excitedly as their hoofs scraped the ground. Decimus, on his mule, came up last, armed with a buckler and his old army sword hanging from its strap across his shoulder.

  ‘The enemy are trying to take the outpost up ahead,’ Cato explained, his mind racing ahead to form his plan. ‘Their attention is fixed on our auxiliary comrades so they won’t see us coming until it is too late. They’ll be caught between the garrison and ourselves. When we get round the cliff I want you to form line and follow the pace that I set. We must hit them at the same time so the charge carries as much weight as possible. Anyone tries to overtake me and they’ll be in deep shit. Specifically, latrine duty for a month.’

  Some of the men laughed at his feeble joke, the rest, even Trebellius, smiled and Cato knew that they would not let him down. ‘When I give the order to charge home, hit them as hard as you can. Break ’em up and ride ’em down. Show no mercy until it’s clear the fight’s been knocked out of the enemy.’ He glanced over the faces before him to make sure that they understood. The eagerness in their expressions told him all he needed to know. Cato turned his mount round and reached for the handle of his short sword. He intended to draw a longer cavalry blade from stores when he reached Bruccium.

  ‘Ready weapons!’

  Macro, Decimus, Trebellius and Cato drew their swords while the men hefted their spears. Slipping their shield straps from their shoulders they grasped the reins loosely in their left hands as the shields protected that side of their bodies. There would be little chance to use the reins in the fight ahead; the men made sure that they were seated securely between their saddle horns and prepared to control their mounts with their thighs and heels.

  Cato lowered the tip of his blade. ‘At the trot! Forwards!’

  The column lurched forward with jingling bits, snorts from the horses and curt words of command from their riders. Macro spurred his horse on, until he was at the side of his friend. ‘Here we go again.’

  Cato kept his eyes on the track ahead. As they rounded the base of the cliff and the ground opened out he saw the enemy a few hundred paces away, surging towards the ditch surrounding the fort. Some hurled spears, others rocks, while the auxiliaries answered back with light javelins and slingshot. Already several of the enemy were down. But the party with the battering ram had reached the gate and a crash sounded as their weapon struck home against the timbers of the outpost.

  ‘Form line!’ Cato called out and the men behind him adjusted their pace so they caught up and moved out to the flanks until they were all in line, scarcely two hundred paces from the nearest of the native warriors. But already they had been seen. Faces turned towards them, and the triumphant shouts and taunts of a moment earlier turned to cries of alarm. The men with the battering ram stopped attacking the gate and lowered the ram and backed away from the fort uncertainly.

  The moment of surprise was over. The leader of the enemy war band shouted orders to his men and they turned towards the oncoming Romans and began to form a line. Cato saw that the opportunity to crush the enemy in the first charge was slipping from his grasp. If they could form up in close ranks and present their spears then there was every chance that they would stand firm against the horsemen. Yet it was vital that Cato and his men charged at the same time to ensure the maximum impact. In less than two heartbeats he weighed up the options in his mind, calculating the remaining distance, the time needed to strike, and the likelihood of his men being dispersed as their mounts galloped at different speeds. Snatching a deep breath, Cato stabbed his short sword towards the tribesmen and bellowed the order, ‘Charge! Charge!’

  His cry was taken up by Macro, who gritted his teeth and drew his lips back in a feral grin as he waved his sword above his head and grasped his reins in his left hand. Trebellius and his squadron shouted their war cry and raised their spear arms ready to strike down at the enemy. Decimus brought up the rear, legs dangling almost to the ground as he urged his braying mule on, slapping its flank with the flat of his sword. Cato heard the roar of wind in his ears and the icy sting of the drizzle against his face and his heart pounded wildly as he clenched his thighs against the flanks of his horse and leaned forward slightly. The acrid tang of the animal’s pelt filled his nostrils and stinking spittle spattered his cheek. Ahead he saw some of the tribesmen stand their ground, bracing their feet as they crouched and lowered the points of their spears and swords towards the charging horsemen. Others had clustered together in small groups and a handful were running for the cover of the treeline as their
leader hurled angry insults after them before turning to face the Romans with an enraged expression contorting his features. The man with the carnyx horn was blowing for all he was worth to lend courage to his comrades, and the stout hearts amongst them answered with a loud cheer of defiance.

  A swift glance to either side revealed that the extended formation of horsemen had become ragged and Cato snatched a quick breath and cried out, ‘Hold the line!’

  Only those nearest to him heeded, or heard, the order and tried to adjust their pace. But before Cato could do anything more about it they were upon the enemy. There was a blur of faces, etched with rage and fear, some with woad patterns painted on their skin, then a thud from Cato’s left as the first of the horses burst into a loose group of tribesmen, smashing into a shield. The horse let out a shrill whinny and its rider stabbed his spear down, piercing the neck of the man knocked down by his mount. Cato glimpsed the other tribesmen closing round the horse, thrusting with their swords and spears, then his attention snapped to the line of men directly ahead of him, and beyond them their leader, shouting encouragement to his warriors. These men seemed more disciplined than their companions, and were better armed with bronze-trimmed shields; some even wore helmets and armour, looted from the bodies of Romans.

  One of Trebellius’s men charged directly at their spears, but his horse shied away from the points, swerving aside, and the rider struggled to retain his seat. Cato just had time to pull on his reins and steer to the right side and avoid a collision. More of the Romans charged home, stabbing at the enemy while wheeling their horses from side to side to avoid becoming an easy target in turn. Macro’s voice carried above the thud and clatter of weapons.

  ‘Cut ’em down, lads! Kill ’em!’

  Cato clamped his jaw shut and bared his teeth as he picked the man at the end of the line, a tall, sinewy warrior, with a stubbly fringe of dark hair above his snarling face. He carried a heavy spear in both hands and saw Cato at the same moment, swinging the point of his weapon round and bunching his shoulders as he braced himself. Cato kicked his heels in and his horse lurched forward, the sudden movement throwing the enemy off guard so that he instinctively took a step backwards as Cato swung his short sword down in a savage arc. He could not hope to reach the man and tried instead to strike at the shaft of his spear. The tribesman jerked his spear back and it caught just the end of Cato’s sword with a sharp, harmless rap. At once both men made to recover and strike first. Cato was quicker, as he urged his mount on and hacked again. This time the edge cut through the knuckle and two fingers of the warrior’s leading hand. He let out a howl of rage as blood sprayed from the stumps. He swept Cato’s sword to the side and stepped inside the reach of the Roman as he thrust the point of his spear home.