This encampment was many kilometres to the rear of the main army. Everyone knew that a battle was imminent, and it appeared that a lot rested on these heavier weapons. Constructed by local craftsmen on the instructions of men who had been sent originally as advisers to the king several years previously, they had been tempted by the offers of great wealth and land by the king to remain in his employ. Others, deserters from the legions for the most part, were assisting. None were that keen to be caught by the Legions, so were far to the rear of any potential flash-point.
Waiting for the depths of the night, we blacked up and made our preparations. There were sentries, because Trajan had been unrelenting in his pressure on the enemy forces. However, they were complacent and probably exhausted, suffering from the recent defeat at Nicopolis. The topography of this land made open warfare difficult to carry through, so on each occasion, substantial portions of the enemy turned tail an ran before the Romans could consolidate their victory and take captives.
We attacked simultaneously from two opposite sides of the camp, causing maximum confusion. The noise from the screaming girls and the flames from the torches we carried must have been terrifying for the waking men. Their shelters and tents were torched, adding smoke and flame to the noise of screaming people. The girls must have looked truly awesome as the whirled through the smoke on their fast ponies.
I saw men attacking their own people in the confusion, but the main target – the towers and other instruments were set alight with the flames and bladders of oil that many girls carried for such purposes.
At lance and sword point, we gathered as many men as we could, and Iona took the captives, bound them together by their necks and led them into the forest to take them to Trajan. My team simply ensured that there were no heavy weapons left that could be used, while I searched the ruined camp for any evidence of the archers and their bows.
I found nothing.
Eight girls had been killed and three wounded. I made sure we took our dead and wounded and rode back to the Roman lines.
Iona was waiting for me just beyond the forest. The captives were all kneeling on the ground with the girls dismounted and pointing sharp things at them. I noticed several dead bodies to one side. They were all captives.
“Problem?” I asked
“The girls want to kill them.”
“Why?”
“When the sun started to rise some of the deserters realised we were just women. They attacked and injured two girls in order to escape. We killed them and any others who tried to intervene. They await your orders.”
“How many captives have we taken?” I asked.
“Three hundred and fifteen, now. Twelve are dead.”
“Have they a commander?”
“Not that has come forward.”
I stepped forward; a few of the men raised their eyes, only to be clobbered by the girls who had no patience or softness in their hearts.
I looked at them. They were a mixture of local and non-locals. Some, a few, were obviously from Roman lands to the west. Most could have been from anywhere.
“Any Roman citizens here?” I asked in Latin and then Greek.
None moved.
I repeated it. Still none of them moved.
“My name is Senior Centurion Layla Superioritus. You are now prisoners of the Roman legions. Orders have been given to despatch all enemies of Rome, however, as you know, citizens and those enrolled in the army have certain rights. Are there any citizens present?”
With the obvious single alternative being instant death, over forty men declared that they were indeed citizens of Rome or were ex-legionaries.
“Rope these men together, and every time one of the girls is attacked, kill one of them as an example.”
They had no more trouble.
Trajan was delighted, but as the battle started a few hours later, he did not have time to share that delight with me. Still, a couple of days after destroying Decebalus’ army, he once more asked me to come to him. I was with Gaius at the time, tending his wounds. He received a nasty gash to his shin during the battle. A wounded enemy soldier resented being trodden on by a series of legionaries and lashed out with a broken sword, slashing Gaius in the process. It wasn’t too deep, but the risk of infection was greater than anything else.
A runner arrived and so Iona came into the tent.
“The Emperor wants you,” she said, staring at Gaius’ leg.
“I’ll be finished in a minute,” I said, wrapping a bandage around the wound.
“Did you sew the wound together?” she asked.
“Yes, otherwise the scar might take forever to heal.”
“What’s that powder you’re putting on the wound?”
“Mould; it carries qualities that fights infection.”
“You mean like mouldy bread?”
“Yup.”
She made a face.
“Don’t knock it, mother knows best!” I said, finishing the bandage and tying it off.
I then washed and dressed in my uniform, presenting myself at the Emperor’s quarters a short time later.
“You did well,” he said, while sitting on a bench eating some food.
“Thank you, sire.”
“A great victory is won and the enemy is defeated. They say you caught a lot and killed a lot of traitors.”
“I did ask them nicely to come like good little boys, but they decided to be difficult,” I said.
He stopped eating and regarded me for a moment. His otherwise serious face broke into a smile, which in turn turned to laughter.
“Truly, you are unique. We owe you and your warriors much.”
“I fear that with the king still free, the battle may be won, but the war is not.”
He regarded me with narrowing eyes.
“My advisers say otherwise.”
“They would, for they are not seeing the future as do I. The king is free, so he will appear to bow down and toe the line, but in truth, within two years he will be back to his old games.”
“His army is vanquished, so how?”
I shrugged
“There are the Sarmatians and other tribes who are no friends of Rome. Also, there are many whose allegiance to the Empire is tenuous. The fact that so many supposed citizens were willingly working for the king shows that he may very well attract more with the promises of land and wealth. Men who have nothing but ambitions can always see greener grass on the other side of the fence.”
“I’m not sure you are right. All my generals say he is vanquished and is willing to make peace to rule this land in my name.”
“With respect, with a man like Decebalus, while he has breath in his body, he will seek to be his own man.”
He washed his sticky fingers in a bowl provided by a slave and wiped them on a towel held by another. Then, he stood and belched loudly.
“I am returning to Rome. They want to celebrate this great victory and new peace. I would hate to disappoint the people. However, I can see a lot of truth in what you say. I will leave a legion here. Remain with it and seek the truth. Send word to me privately, as the more I think about it, the more sense it makes. I will raise a new legion and make preparations quietly, so if this man should seek to usurp my authority, then I will be in a position to deal with him immediately and with strength.”
“Sire.”
“I am promoting Gaius to Praefectus Castrorum (Third in command of a Legion, beneath the politically appointed Tribunes). He has served me faithfully. You are his woman, yes?”
“I prefer to think that he is my man at the moment.”
The Emperor laughed.
“I like you, Layla, perhaps more than is good for me. You would make a fine empress.”
“I doubt that, sire. I think we’d both find that I would be rather too forward. It is better that I serve you as I am. Besides, I doubt that the current empress would be sympathetic, nor would her extensive and influential family.”
He nodded again, but his eyes were on a slender male slave who carried the dirty dishes away. This man was not one for the ladies!