“At ease, at ease gentlemen, you’ll sprain something leaping up like that.” Cammius said laughing. The men smiled and relaxed. “You see what I mean?” He said to Varro pointing out into the countryside.
He was right about the view, they could see for miles in both directions, to the east Varro could make out the coast. “If you look over there,” Cammius said pointing, “you see that huge bushy tree sticking up from the rest?” He asked.
Varro adjusted his position. “Well,” Cammius said, “that’s where our auxiliary friends are, four miles away as the crow flies. They can see the coast like we can,” he turned to the sea, “well just anyway. Do you see what I mean about more forts? If we just had three more fortlets, we would see everything that moved down here.” He looked around the base, “Mind you that would be doing it properly eh? What do we know we’re only soldiers after all?” He smiled. “Come on I’ll show you rest of the place.”
Later with the unfortunate pig cooked and still roasting, the officers sat at a separate table from the men and dinner began in a room that had been cleared for the occasion. Cammius made a toast to the Second Augusta and Mithras and everyone stood repeating his words. Sixty of the men detached to Statio Deventiasteno were present, the rest were either on the walls or on standby in the small guardroom. They would eat a duty supper later, no doubt consisting of lots of leftover pork. The roasting pig was slowly turned on a large spit by Cornelius as soldiers helped themselves to large pieces of meat using their daggers. Most had served themselves and put fresh vegetables on their plates and were settling down to eat when they were disturbed.
“Sir, sir.” Vestius shouted running into the large room.
“What is it Vestius? This had better be good I’m just about to tuck into this food and I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since breakfast you know?” He looked back at his plate, his mouth watering.
“The signal torches have been lit at Restormel.” Vestius reported.
Varro looked at Cammius. He knew that signal flares were only lit in the case of an emergency. “Fuck it.” Cammius said picking up a chunk of pork and stuffing it into his mouth. “Come on Varro let’s take a look, it’s probably nothing, bloody auxiliaries.” The men sat round the tables looked at the centurions expectantly.
“You men stay here for now, if need be I’ll call you out, no point in us all going hungry.” He got up with Varro following. “Vestius you’re with us.” The legionary nodded. Outside the smell of burning wood was faint but clearly discernible in the dark night air. The optio of the guard had called out the reserves from the guardroom and most were now standing looking towards Restormel. Cammius and Varro ran towards the nearest ladder.
“All round defensive positions men, eyes open, mouths shut unless you have anything to report.” He ordered, “Come on move it and get on those fucking scorpions just in case eh? It could be a diversion remember and if you’re all stood with your dicks facing in one direction, the hairy bastards could be scaling the walls opposite.” Cammius shouted whilst climbing the ladder with Varro behind him. Scurrying boots were heard elsewhere running to get into an all-round defensive position.
“Now Optio Travelus,” Cammius asked reaching the top of the ladder, “what’s so important that my dinner has been disturbed, there’s some tasty pork on my plate I’ll have you know. What are those damned auxiliaries up to?”
He didn’t need to get a reply to see what the problem was. Looking out over the now dark countryside, he could see that it wasn’t just the signal flares that were alight, the whole fort was ablaze.
“Fucking hades hole.” Cammius said as he saw flames rising into the night sky.
“Looks like the entire place is on fire.” Varro said.
“The signal flares were lit first, they must have had time to do that before the rest of the place went up sir.” Vestius said.
“Well I would say that whoever took care of that miserable shit Friscus is at Restormel right now.” He looked at Travelus. “Call them out Optio. I want every man with full kit on the walls as soon as possible, armour, pilums and sharp teeth as well.” Cammius said.
“Sir.” Trevalus said acknowledging the order and running to the edge of the wall to shout instructions down.
“There’s nothing we can do for them I’m afraid.” Cammuis said looking at Varro. “You haven’t got enough men and I haven’t got enough horses for us to make a difference if they’re under full scale attack.” He looked back at the flames in the distance. “There’s a full complement of auxiliaries over there, the same amount of men we have here, only they can help themselves now, the poor bastards.” The flames grew and the fire was reflected off the watching faces.
“Even if we went out as a full Century with you in support we could get caught out in the open and cut to pieces.” He said to Varro.
“I’m afraid you’re right, all we can do now is to wait for sunrise.” Varro said confirming his fellow centurion’s words. “Mithras, please help them.”
Dumnoc had chosen his target carefully and had decided on the smaller fort of the two, Restormel. He had managed to gather one hundred and twenty warriors together for the assault and knew there was a risk of re-enforcements coming from the larger installation only four miles away but the enemy wouldn’t know what they faced. He had ultimately thought that although the flames of Restormel would be seen and no doubt their signal indicating that they were being assaulted, he knew the Romans would be wary of venturing out in the dark where they could be ambushed. Nonetheless he had positioned a proportion of his force directly in-between the forts in case the enemy came to the assistance of the Restormel soldiers.
He had waited until the last patrol had returned to Restormel before launching his attack. The fort was small and only a few miles away from the larger installation where full time legionaries were stationed, so he knew re-enforcing this fort in the dark wasn’t viable, it was another reason for deciding upon this one first. Another was that it contained auxiliaries, which he hoped wouldn’t fight to the death or would perhaps surrender. He had observed the fort for a number of days as he always did when carrying out a reconnaissance of a potential target and at one point had walked straight into a patrol who asked what his business was in the area. He had already prepared for such an eventuality and had produced a rod and line and said he was going fishing. He was from the local settlement and had lived here all his life. The patrol had searched him for weapons and upon not finding anything except for a dagger had allowed him on his way.
It was the same patrol he had watched entering the fort as the gates were closed behind them now. He had seen the signal flares and knew that if they were lit before he could get enough people inside, the chances of reinforcements rose significantly, but he was still willing to take the chance that the full time soldiers wouldn’t leave the safety of their walls. Subsequently he had waited until all was quiet except for two soldiers walking the walls, but they were quickly subdued as the first of his warriors had quietly scaled the defences. Here the ground outside wasn’t as well cleared and sterile as the land outside the legionaries fort and scrub and wild plants had allowed them to approach on their stomachs, all twenty of them from the opposite side from where the two guards stood talking together. One auxiliary had been dispatched immediately, his throat cut, the other had run and managed to light the signal flare using a torch, he was killed within seconds afterward.
It was too late to stop another small group of warriors from getting inside Restormel and opening the gates. Dark figures quietly scurried forward from the cover of trees and stormed inside. A shout went up in Latin, followed by the clash of swords which was brief. The fighting inside was carried out clinically and those on duty were silenced as they ran from their guardroom but not before alerting those caught sleeping. Those disturbed from their slumber however, didn’t have time to get their chainmail on. Most were caught inside the barracks where they could do nothing but eventually barricade themselves in. The wooden buildings containing the men were set on fire and burnt instantly, killing the men inside through smoke inhalation before the flames torched their flesh. The armoury was looted of pilums, swords, shields and bows and three scorpion crossbows were taken. The livestock was quickly herded out of the fort and allowed to roam free. They would be rounded up later if possible. Dumnoc didn’t have time to mess about herding them away. He watched as the small exodus of warriors and weapons left the burning fort. He saw one of his lookouts approach from the direction of the other Roman emplacement.