“Don’t you dare Father we will not sleep unless you tell us how Reman killed the ogre.” Valeria said, her sisters nodding in agreement.
“Very well,” he said, “Reman waited until the sun was about to go down and was beginning to fall asleep in the branches of the tree where he had been hiding when he heard something. He sat up and as he peered through the branches, he saw the ogre come into sight dragging a cow behind him. He said he was astonished by the ogre’s size as it made the fully grown cow look like a calf. He said that when he realised the ogre was going to walk straight under his hiding place, he moved carefully and waited. When the ogre was directly below him, he put the sword between his legs and pushed himself away from the branch he had been sat on for so long. He said he fell very fast and before he knew it there was a crack and he fell, tumbling. His hands were forced to let go of the sword when it struck the top of the ogres head and he landed on the ground with a thump. He shook his head and opened his eyes, the ogre had let go of the cow and was just standing staring in front of him. Reman said he nearly ran because he knew he had failed and was about to be eaten.” He looked at his girls again as they stared up at him, eyes willing him to continue. “And then the ogre fell. Reman scrambled up and just managed to get out of the way before the great fat body landed on the forest floor beside him, shaking the ground. When the dust had settled he saw that the sword was buried deep inside the monster’s head. He showed the people where the hole was by pointing to his own head and they all cheered and shouted his name and they all lived happily ever after and that my beautiful daughters’ is the story of Reman of Rome and the giant ogre.”
“One more Papa please, Papa, just one.” They said together, as was their way. “One more story.”
“Now that’s all for tonight children, time for sleep.” He kissed each of them as they frowned on the forehead. “Goodnight, sleep well.” He blew out the candle and walked to the open door.
“Night Papa.” His girls called as he closed it behind him.
“Goodnight girls, sweet dreams and no nightmares.” He quietly went down the corridor extinguishing other candles on wall brackets and got into bed with his wife.
Chapter Three
It took a few seconds for the soldier’s words to sink in, but Varro still felt dizzy. “Are you alright sir?” He asked standing looking at his centurion with concern over his face.
“What erm yes, yes I am.” He lied. “Of course, where is she now this Brenna?” Varro asked trying to think clearly, trying to clear the fog from his mind.
“They’re taking their horses to the stables but the woman Brenna is waiting to speak to you sir.” The legionary replied.
Varro’s heart pounded so loudly, he thought that it would burst, he was filled with so many emotions all at once but one came to the fore, hatred.
“Thank you, dismissed.” Varro said frowning, watching the soldier leave. He felt for the hilt of his sword, grasping it reassuringly.
‘Why would she come here of all places?’ he thought. His head began to clear, he left the room but his stomach was churning, images of her plunging her blade into Decimus and taking his life ran through his mind as his anger rose. Walking outside the guardroom he saw a soldier walking past, he saluted the centurion. Varro nodded in response not returning the salute, he was too focused on finding Brenna and then he saw her.
“Hello Centurion Varro.” She said half smiling. “You can’t believe how glad I am that I’ve found you.” Before he could say or do anything in response she continued walking closer.
“I was trapped with the Silures when Decimus and I tried to find the Twentieth Legion.” Her face dropped. “All these years I’ve had to live with them pretending to be Catuvellauni. I didn’t know if you’d survived. I remember seeing your columns marching out of the mountains, I thought you’d come back and defeat them but you never returned and I was stuck, I had to pretend to be one of them.” Her expression looked sincere enough, the thought flashed through Varro but how can you tell if a snake will strike? She continued, “I got away as soon as I could about six months after the battle but they found me and took me back.” She stopped talking and stared at him, eyes pleading for understanding, she appeared genuine.
“What happened to you and Decimus?” He asked. His memory flooded with the image of seeing the head of his friend on a pole and her words of a few years before filled his head as she had spoken of killing Decimus and of having to sleep with him.
“That’s what I need to talk to you about.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Can we go inside?” She looked at the doorway where he had left the building a few seconds before. He frowned staring into her dark eyes.
“No we can’t.” He didn’t know what to say, he had never seen her look as weak as she did now. Her words of a few years before struck him again like blows to the head. He had got separated from the rest of his group with just Brenna and Decimus. Her brother had died with an arrow strike to the head. He had told Brenna and Decimus to try and work their way north and to find the Twentieth. He had decided to stay and to try and get back to the survivors of the Second Augusta, who were under siege on a mountain peak from Caratacus and thousands of warriors. He had stumbled across a camp fire in the dark where from the safety of trees, he had heard Brenna speak of her betrayal and had seen the head of Decimus, severed from his body and impaled. She had told the men around the fire that she was Catuvellauni and had taken the life of the soldier, a man she had pretended to help.
Varro almost swayed as waves of nausea hit him. “Civilians, even those working with us, are not authorised to go into any official areas unless for a specific task and even then, they must be escorted.” His mind was numb. What could she say? He should arrest her and throw her in the garrison jail, kill her where she stood? He didn’t.
“I finish my duty at sunrise, I’ll find you. Then you can tell me about how my friend died and why you have been missing for so many years.” He said turning back towards the door as if she were a stranger. “I trusted you Brenna, as did my men.” He paused looking at the ground, “I need to think.”
She walked closer reaching out for his hand but he moved away. “I will tell you everything. I know that you probably think I’m a traitor but I’m not I swear it, you have to believe me please, it’s the only thing that’s kept me alive all these years.”
He turned back and stared into her dark tear filled eyes. “If I don’t, you will die here today.” He walked back into the guardroom leaving her standing there with tears rolling down her face.
***
The occupants of the villa didn’t put up any resistance as the Britons crashed into their home and were quickly overwhelmed within seconds. The slaves were freed, the freedmen were killed, their service to Rome seen as a betrayal. Claudio Vertuna and his family were dragged outside wearing their bed clothes. Vertuna attempted to struggle at one point and suffered a blow to the head from the side of a shield, he collapsed to the ground. His head bled freely, his wife screamed and his children cried as they cowered around him. He was given a choice for him and his wife, die where they stood or be taken north with their children. They all cried and screamed louder. He chose to live and be taken north for an unknown fate. Vertuna’s wound was wrapped with cloth and the family’s hands bound behind their backs. Dumnoc ordered that the horses be taken from the stable, they would carry the family north with five of his men and the slaves who would go with them. Surprisingly the slaves showed little hatred to their former owners and actually tried to reassure them as they helped them up onto the horses.