Brenna had taken his life but had she done so in pity or to reinforce the trust of the others? Were they now being led to a worse fate? He didn’t know and from his current position, tied on the horses, he didn’t have any other choice than to go along with whatever Brenna planned.
They were in a group of about twenty Britons, some of whom he recognised from the night at Brenna’s settlement but none gave a clue as to the outcome of this journey. After a bone jarring ride and when they were far away from the other Britons, Brenna said something to the others in the group and they came to a halt.
“You were lucky we found you when we did.” Tevelgus said dismounting his horse carrying his axe. “They were planning on skinning you both alive and wearing your flesh in battle.”
Varro stared at the brother of Brenna in shock. “How did you find us? How did you make them release us?” He asked.
“We found you by the will of your own gods Varro,” Brenna said getting off her own horse, “we very nearly didn’t find you at all, at the last turn of the river, we were going to go in the opposite direction. Then we heard shouting, their joy at your torture, it brought us to you. Tevelgus is right about them skinning you but first you would have begged for death. That woman’s man was killed by your army she is left to look after three children alone.”
“You killed Veranius.” He said looking into her eyes, the coldness he saw in her was still present.
“Would you have preferred that he died slowly of his wounds, ruined by that woman’s knife?” She looked at him with eyebrows raised.
“He could not have lived with such injuries and even if your gods had let him, what would he have been? She would have cut more flesh from his body and then when there was nothing left to mutilate, it would have been your turn or your friend here.” She pointed.
“Have you ever seen a person skinned when they still live Varro? It isn’t something I would wish on my worst enemy.”
Varro didn’t answer, he couldn’t. He knew she was right. Veranius was dead and had been sent to his death in a most vile and corrupt way and there was nothing he could have done to change it. He would though he vowed if given the opportunity, take revenge on those responsible.
“Why did that thing listen to you back there? She was about to kill Decimus and me as well. I can’t believe she allowed you to stop it, why?” He asked.
Tevelgus who was gathering firewood nearby answered the question. “If they had not listened to their rightful heir, they would have been tied to the trees in your place Varro. They would have suffered an even worse fate believe me.” He threw two pairs of rough material trousers at the two soldiers he had pulled from a bag on his horse.
Varro looked at Brenna, who stared back at him raising an eyebrow. “Your soldiers massacred thousands of our people, not just my own but others from different tribes fighting under the banner of the Catuvellauni. You cannot expect them to not take their revenge.”
“Wait, wait I’m confused, you’re an heir to a tribe?” Said Varro, his face was lined in anguish and confusion as he paced between the horses, realising he was still naked, he pulled on the rough pants quickly.
“So why have you helped us? You could have let them kill us right then and there.” He paused, confused.
“You’re a Princess then?” He repeated, “I knew there was something about you.” He almost smiled, but the situation didn’t allow it. “You can help put an end to this then, you can stop the killing.”
“Princess?” Brenna said, “I don’t know this word. My people are warriors, if they are not fighting amongst themselves they are fighting with their neighbours, if they are not fighting with their neighbours they will fight with family. Now you have come from across the great water from Gaul, they will fight you as they have united, and intend to push you back into the water as they did before.”
“Before, do you mean all those years ago when Caesar marched his legions across your land?” Varro asked.
“Yes when your greatest ever warrior was defeated and sent home, then as now, the tribes are uniting. Caratacus and his brother Togodumnus are intending to defeat the Romans as the Britons did before. Then your Caesar brought a great army contained in over eight hundred vessels to our shores. He had great success but was eventually stopped, made to retreat and returned empty handed to Rome through Gaul. Roman heads decorated the villages for decades, did you know that?
Weapons were displayed as battle honours. He came with many, many men, over forty thousand warriors who raped and burned our houses but for the first time here they tasted a great defeat and faced even more warriors, better warriors and warriors who were prepared to die for their land and families. Now your great Vespasian has brought even more men maybe thousands more to our shores, our spies tell us and even so success is not guaranteed.” She paused letting her words sink in.
Varro sat on a fallen log. “So I ask again, if you believe that Caratacus will do the same, why did you help us when you could have let us die back there?”
She watched as her brother gathered more wood for the fire. “We have to somehow stop this spread of violence if we as a people are ever going to progress. I have heard tell of your huge settlements made of stone, teachings by Greeks, buildings with pools of warm water in them, houses with warmth in the dark of winter, water flowing from rivers and mountain streams to your cities on great stone structures and a council that rules the whole empire. It is clear you are more aware of the world in which we live and so can help my people achieve that too.”
Varro looked up, “So why don’t you order them to put down their weapons, return to their villages, their settlements and it will all stop if you do, you will lose many more thousands of lives if they continue to fight. This time Rome will not turn around and go home, the emperor Claudius wants a triumph, and Britannia will be the victory that gives him that triumph. He has said that he will personally set foot on your soil when that victory is complete, it will be a great honour for your people as well as my own.”
Her stare hardened again, “You see Varro that’s where I become confused, why would such an enlightened people want more? Why do you think that it would be an honour for us to have your Emperor here? Why do you want to enslave our people, take our gold and leave your home to achieve that? There is one thing here for your soldiers and that’s death, nothing more, nothing less. The tribes will not allow you to walk in welcomed with open arms. I have to,” she looked at Tevelgus pausing, “we have to do what we can to prevent bloodshed from both sides. Don’t you think it’s worth it Varro?”
Varro looked at Brenna and for the first time saw the woman he had been with just a few nights before as she really was, a caring loving, intelligent leader and a beautiful woman. A memory of her warm skin and touch made him flush, “I’m just a soldier, you are asking the wrong person. I just follow the orders my General gives me. I am nothing more than an extension of his words, one of his many swords.”
Brenna smiled at him warming his heart, “If you were simply a tool of your magnificent General Varro, I would not have risked my life and that of my brother to save you. My people would have tied us to trees next to you if they had known of our intentions today, leaders or not.”
“So what did you say to that whore who killed my friend in such a dishonourable and barbaric way?”
“I told them that you would be the highlight of the festivities tonight and that you and your friend Decimus here would pay dearly for the massacre your General created. If I had said anything less they wouldn’t have hesitated in killing you both immediately I’m sure.” She touched his leg reassuringly. Tevelgus had managed to light the fire and warm flames began to take away the nights chill.
“I can’t get the image of what she did to Veranius out of my head.” Varro said holding his head in his hands, “He didn’t deserve to die like that, no-none deserves to die like that.” He looked at Decimus who was clearly having the same thoughts.