Brenna regarded him with an expression approaching disdain, it was the first time he had experienced such a feeling, “Why war Varro, why killing? Is there not a different way for such an enlightened people like yours to exist and co-exist with others? Can’t there be another way for those who have taken so much from the Greeks?”
Varro regarded her with an expression she had never seen before and responded angrily, “The Greeks are nothing more than subservient boy fuckers Brenna. They like nothing more than to shag twelve year olds and then stare at the night sky. The only true warriors that place ever spawned were Spartans and look what Greece did to them after they had saved them from invading Saracens.”
She stared at him, “Whilst I’m not sure of their sexual preferences Varro and nor do I know what their country did to them eventually, I did not mean anything detrimental to you or yours. I merely wish to exist in peace and for those around me to do so.”
“Your naivety surprises me sometimes Brenna. With so many warring tribes even in your own country I’m amazed that you’re still alive.” He checked the war axe that Tevelgus had given him. He continued, “I’m sorry too it’s hard to have a different opinion of others when all you have known is war. There are people out there that will slit your throat without even blinking and take your animals and children and use them as they choose. I would love to live in this world you see believe me, we all would but that’s another reason why we do what we do. One day our children or our children’s children will live in that world and all this death will have been worthwhile.”
She smiled, “When that day comes, we will have all reached a level where we deserve to live in peace. I just hope your right and that the day you speak of comes soon.”
The group rested and ate together before moving off in separate directions, Quintus to the west with his men scouting for Caratacus and a possible ambush site and Varro towards the safety of the second Legion and replacement weapons and armour. Varro realised that it had actually been tranquil near the stream with the relaxing trickle of the water and the sound of birds in the trees and surrounding area and wondered when he would feel like that again.
Chapter Eight
The sun was descending in the sky by the time Varro and his small party reached the outer defences and sentries of the Second Augusta. After a difficult approach made almost deadly by their local clothing an Optio had them escorted into the inner defences and past the palisades. Now the rest of the group were fed and watered as Varro briefed the senior officers and introduced Brenna and Tevelgus. They briefed them about their recent experiences and the Britons were questioned about the local lands and people. As they returned to the others he saw that Marcus and Lucius had found them.
“Marcus, Lucius,” the smile on his face unable to hide his relief that they were safe. He clasped they’re arms but sensed something from them, “What, what is it?”
Lucius replied, “We got the bitch that killed Veranius.” He looked at Marcus, “Marcus made sure that she will never hold a knife to another soldier ever again.”
Marcus made no comment, there was merely a cold look of satisfaction in his eyes that meant that he didn’t have to say a word. Varro knew that she would have been made to suffer as she went to the next life and that was all he could ask. He looked at Brenna her expression also requiring no words. There wasn’t any sign of sympathy for the dead woman, she turned and saw to the horses
They shared some watered wine and food, fresh bread and olives and sat watching the flames of the fire one of the men had started. Varro had known that the invasion of Britannia would prove hard but it was only now that he was beginning to realise just what price they were going to have to pay to conquer this land. They had only been on the shores a few days and already hundreds of dead heroic citizens were fertilising the soil beneath their boots. It was going to be a long campaign as the months stretched into years and maybe even decades but it was the way of things for a centurion and all the Legions who had come here, it was their life, it was how he and they lived.
Brenna saw the worry and concern in his eyes but knew that words alone wouldn’t help. She realised that she wanted to wrap herself around him, remove his clothing, wash his body and lose herself in their combined sensuality but now was not the time or the place. As dawn broke, the smell and crackle of the much reduced fire woke Varro. He was surprised to find Brenna lying next to him, her big brother still sleeping nearby. He sat up looking around as the Legion began to come to life all around.
Soldiers were returning from guard duty or swapping over duties laughing and joking with their counterparts. Breakfast was being cooked as the smell of cooking meat and bread wafted over to him. Horses were being fed and shod, blacksmiths hammers sounded and the more lively horses were whinnying in the distance. Weapons were being sharpened and oiled, men were briefed in small groups and patrols mounted and the sun wasn’t even properly above the horizon.
An hour later wearing new armour and carrying replacement weapons Varro and his small group rode out of camp. He gently kicked at his horse whilst acknowledging a guard who saluted as he rode passed. The guard watched as they cantered away wondering where they were going in this hostile land away from the safety of the Legion and said a silent prayer to the gods in thanks that it wasn’t him going into the wilderness and for their protection.
Some hours later they began to see familiar land marks.
“I suggest we go to my settlement. We can get some help and bolster our numbers and then go and find Caratacus.” Brenna said. Varro nodded in agreement as they trotted forward to an area where visibility was being to beginning to fade.
Eerily through the mist and fog, very slowly, high manmade embankments began to emerge. Further up, high up there on the hill, the upper parts of trees could be made out. The soldiers stood in their columns staring up at the emplacement some three hundred feet above them. It was the first such fortified encampment the Second Augusta had found since crossing the sea and it filled some of the less experienced with dread. The builders of this settlement had used the natural isolated hill as it dominated the land around and it made a perfect home for its inhabitants.
The Britons had obviously constructed this hill fort sometime in the past, probably to fend off neighbouring tribes. They had made the best use of natural resources and defences building it so high using height, trees and the earth itself, that had been dug out from the surrounding hillside and then built up to make high steep walls. Large trenches had been dug out of the hillside circling around the large prominence and the excess material had been used to build up the large mud packed walls slightly further up. It made the fortification easily defendable and an extremely hard emplacement to attack. That thought was now going through the minds of thousands of assembled soldiers gathered below its slopes.
Only two entrances or exits had been found at opposite sides of the hill fort with clearly defined tracks leading to both. Wagons had worn paths down the hill and in through the woods below. It would prove a difficult target where the defenders had every advantage. The Romans could choose to siege the fort and go round and continue their advance west but that wasn’t their way and so the army began to dig in and make preparations to assault the site. Early reconnaissance had suggested that there were over fifty dwelling houses inside which could mean over five hundred warriors armed and prepared to fight to the death to defend their families and land.
Once in a while a horse could be heard from inside the fort along with other animals as smoke from various fires reached for the blue skies from within, so far it had been the only evidence of habitation. The mist now barley clung to the trees as it had since the area was first discovered three days before by Varro and his small group. Brenna had gone forward and had tried to persuade the inhabitants to talk to the Romans but they had refused and threatened to hang her from the nearest tree, her influence had no sway this far west. She watched now some hundreds of feet away and wondered at the hill forts fate. The Legions strength could not be denied but the natural advantage here was with her fellow country men and women.