disposed of. This man was passed from village to village and sorely abused in the process. A pity, since I am certain he would have had a promising future. But it was necessary to prove that the men of the legions are flesh and blood like the rest of us, and just as easily broken. Even men like your Centurion Quertus who we will deal with in due course. For now, we have grown tired of using this tribune for our amusement and it is time for him to rejoin his comrades. Isn’t that right, Tribune Marcellus?’
He strode up behind the helpless captive and with his boot he shoved the man towards the governor so that he collapsed on to his face. A ripple of cruel laughter sounded from certain sections of the gathered tribes. Others looked on in shock, fearing the inevitable wrath of the Romans when they reacted to this outrage. Governor Ostorius pressed his lips together as he fought to control his anger. Then he turned back to his men and spoke in a quiet cold voice. ‘Pick him up. Get him out of here.’
Macro was the first to move, striding forward, jaw clenched, and Cato followed him. The centurion leaned down and gently took the tribune’s arm. The other man flinched and instinctively recoiled with a meaningless croak.
‘Let’s get you up on your feet, sir,’ Macro said evenly, even as he felt sick to his core at the ruined features of the face that turned blindly towards him. Cato took his other arm and between them they lifted Marcellus up and led him towards the other tribunes and the bodyguards, who looked aghast.
‘It’s all over now, sir,’ Macro continued. ‘You’re back with your own kind.’
Cato gestured to two of the bodyguards. ‘Over here. Take care of the tribune. Get him to the outpost at once and see that his wounds are treated and he is fed.’
The legionary nodded as he and his comrade took over from the two officers and led the tribune away round the periphery of the circle. Macro watched them for a moment before he muttered, ‘If that ever happens to me, then swear you’ll cut my throat.’
‘And answer to your mother?’
Macro turned to his friend with a dark expression. ‘You’ll be sparing her as much as me, Cato. Promise me.’
Cato nodded. ‘As you wish.’
‘Swear it!’
Cato was surprised by the intense glare in Macro’s eyes. ‘I swear it, on my life.’
Macro let out a deep breath. ‘And I’ll do the same for you.’
Cato cocked an eyebrow at Macro’s readiness to end his life. Then the image of the tribune’s ruined face filled his mind and he felt an icy squirm in the pit of his stomach as he imagined himself in the tribune’s place, returning home crippled and useless, and the looks of horror, disgust and pity that would distort Julia’s face when she saw him. Not that he would see it. But he would hear it in her voice. Perhaps there was a woman waiting for Marcellus in Rome, he reflected, doomed to endure for real what he was only imagining.
Caratacus had allowed his moment of theatre to play out, standing to one side. Now he occupied the centre of the circle again and continued to address the gathering.
‘The tribune was in command of nearly a thousand legionaries. All were killed or captured in just one raid. If such a powerful column can be overwhelmed then I find it hard to share the governor’s certainty that Rome will win this conflict. There is not one outpost on the frontier with the lands of the Silures and Ordovices that is safe from my army, not one supply convoy; nor are any of the roads safe for Romans and their allies to travel on. This is how it will be from now, until the day that we have worn away our enemy’s will to continue the fight. Even mighty Rome cannot endure steady losses of men and morale forever. And I say to you all that our will to defend our homeland and fight for our liberty is greater than their will to conquer! In the end victory will be ours. .’
He glared defiantly at Ostorius as those who followed him cheered. Looking round, Cato could see that, in addition to the mountain tribes, some of the Brigantes were joining in, as well as warriors from the other northern and western tribes of the island. The governor stepped forward to confront Caratacus and the cheering slowly died away. When Ostorius spoke, there was no trace of the reasonable tone he had used earlier. His voice was cold and ruthless.
‘Your torment of one of my officers will not go unpunished. From now on, I will execute ten of your followers for every man of mine that you kill or take prisoner. The same holds true for any other tribe foolish enough to join your ill-fated cause. I can see now that my offer of peace was a wasted effort. The time for talking is over. Instead I swear an oath now, on my life, and by all the gods that I worship, that I will not rest until you are defeated and taken, together with your family, to Rome, where the humiliation you visited upon Tribune Marcellus will be repaid tenfold upon you and those who share your blood. Furthermore, I swear that I shall not rest until the mountain tribes are crushed. The Ordovices and Silures will be utterly erased. Only memory of them will endure, as a reminder to every other tribe on this island of the cost of defying Rome.’
‘That’s told the bastard,’ Macro nodded approvingly.
Caratacus laughed. ‘Swear what you like, Roman. It changes nothing. We will continue to defy you, and kill your men, until your spirit breaks.’
Before Ostorius could respond, another figure entered the debate. Prasutagus stepped forward and waited for silence before he spoke. Marcommius listened to the opening phrase and translated for the Roman officers.
‘The Iceni King says that there has been enough bloodshed already. Too many have died on both sides. It is time to put an end to conflict. He says it is true that the Roman peace comes at a price, but that price, onerous as it is for the present, is better than the continued suffering of those caught up in the struggle against Rome. He knows from personal experience the quality of the men of the legions. He has fought at their side and knows they cannot be beaten, and they will never give in until they have achieved victory.’ As he interpreted, Marcommius shifted his words to the first person. ‘I beg you, Caratacus, to seize this chance to put down your sword and embrace peace, and follow the example of the Iceni.’
‘Follow your example?’ Caratacus snorted with derision. ‘You, who became King only after the last noble with the balls to resist Rome had been cut down? And how long did it take the brave Iceni to turn on the Romans in the first place? Years after they had sold their souls to the Emperor in exchange for his silver coin. Too late did your people learn the cost of their perfidy. Too late to help us when we first faced the legions. Too late to make a difference when it counted. And now you live under the heel of the Roman boot. Just like the spineless Trinovantes who now play unwilling host to a veterans’ colony and are squeezed for every last coin in tax to pay for the cost of a temple in honour of Emperor Claudius. So much for leaving us free to worship the gods we choose to!’ He lowered his voice marginally. ‘Prasutagus, your people suffer from the same burden. Your warriors have been forced to surrender their weapons. You stand defenceless before the will of Rome. What is to stop them treating you like slaves? You think the Iceni will endure the situation forever? One day they will have had enough and they will rise up. On that day they will see your treachery clearly. You say that you want to save lives and have peace. The truth is that you had to choose between dishonour and war. You chose dishonour. . and you will have war. As surely as night follows day.’ He turned to point his finger accusingly at all the rulers and their tribes who had made treaties with Rome. ‘When your warriors and tribesmen have had their fill of Roman peace they will sweep you away like chaff. You will perish in the flames, alongside your Roman friends. Think on it! If you come to your senses, then seek me out in the mountains.’
He stared defiantly at the assembled rulers and then approached Ostorius and his officers and spoke in Latin. His accent had much improved since he had summoned Cato to his hut many years before.
‘The war continues. You cannot defeat us. Save yourselves and quit this island. Only then can we have peace. The peace that exists between equals.’
Ostorius shook his head. ‘I have my orders. The Emperor has spoken and his word is law. Britannia will become a part of the empire.’
‘Then there is no more to be said.’ Caratacus looked at the officers standing behind Ostorius. ‘Take heed, you will end up like your governor. Old and exhausted in pursuit of the impossible. Britannia will be your grave.’ He paused as his gaze fell on Cato and frowned. ‘I know you. .’
‘We met once before, sir. When I was your prisoner. Back when we fought in the marshes to the west.’
The enemy commander thought a moment and then his eyes widened as he recalled. ‘Yes! You seemed much younger then. Now you are scarred and marked by the years of war you have endured.’
‘As are you.’
