The Eagles Prey

The officers laughed politely and then the general turned to Sabinus.'You'll have the strongest column. I want you to move directly north. To here.' Plautius pushed the Fourteenth Legion's marker across the map to a point between the Twentieth and the Ninth.'I want you to start construction of a road to link all three legions. That way we can concentrate our forces quickly, should we ever need to. Gentlemen, the end is in sight. Rome can at last consider these lands to be part of the Empire. In a few more years Britain will be a fully functioning province, paying taxes into the imperial treasury.'

'I rather think that the people back in Rome already regard this vile land as part of the Empire…'

The officers' heads turned towards Narcissus, who had started peeling another pear as he spoke and did not return their gaze.

'After all, the Emperor had his triumph through the streets of the capital at the end of last year. You fellows are just doing the mopping-up. I'd remember that if I were you. To imply that the Emperor had somehow fallen short in his conquest of the Britons might smack of treason to some people.' Narcissus lowered his dagger, popped a dripping slice of fruit into his mouth and smiled. 'A word of advice on how to phrase your official reports, that's all. No offence intended. Please continue, my dear General.'

Plautius nodded curtly, and turned his attention back to the map. 'Vespasian, you will remain in the south. Your first task is to complete the pacification of the south-west. I want that done as swiftly as possible. By the end of this campaign season, if you can. Find and eliminate what is left of Caratacus' army. If you come upon Caratacus, try and take him alive. His life is to be spared.'

'Spared, sir? Surely we want him out of the way permanently.'

'He will be out of the way. The Imperial Secretary wants him shipped back to Rome in chains, as a souvenir for Emperor Claudius, to remind him of his brilliant campaign to conquer and subdue the Britons.'

'Don't overegg it, General,' Narcissus said quietly.

Plautius pretended to ignore the remark as he continued to brief Vespasian.'According to our intelligence the marsh covers a vast area, all the way to the river Sabrina. It's crossed by a multitude of tracks. Parts of it are slightly elevated and support a few small settlements. There are stretches of open water and some narrow creeks, but they're too small to navigate with anything larger than a raft. It is rumoured that Caratacus has established a fortified camp somewhere in the flats, but so far we've not been able to get any of the prisoners to tell us the location. I appreciate it's difficult ground to work with, Vespasian, but I must have the enemy survivors found and destroyed. If there is a camp, I want it razed. If you can take Caratacus alive, do it.' Plautius paused, and smiled. 'But if not, then we'll just have to present the Emperor with some other souvenir of his trip to Britain.'

'That would be wise,' added Narcissus.

Vespasian was looking at the map. The area occupied by the flats was huge. The map simply marked its boundaries, with one or two known features, culled from natives or traders. The only area that had any amount of detail was a valley that ran alongside the marshland, following the course of the river that fed into the marshes and fens. A few tracks had been drawn in tentatively, and as Vespasian ran his finger along one of the lines, it smudged, and he realised it was only chalked on to the map. The general saw the gesture and frowned irritably at the smudge mark.

'As soon as we've updated the map, I'll ensure that you have a copy. There aren't many of the enemy left, Legate. Shouldn't be too difficult to find them and finish them off. Once you've crushed Caratacus and his surviving forces, that should be the end of resistance to us in the south.'

The general looked up brightly.'That's that, gentlemen. Any questions?… No? Good. Your written orders will be with you shortly and you're to begin preparations to break camp the day after tomorrow.'

Sabinus looked uncomfortable. 'Only one day to prepare, sir?'

'That's what I said. We've already lost enough time this year. We need to move fast to catch up. Now, unless there's anything else, you may return to your legions and get your staffs to work.'

As the officers filed out, Vespasian waited for a moment and then approached his commander. 'Sir, I've questioned the officers of my Third Cohort and taken their statements, which I've brought with me.' He indicated the bag over by the side of the tent.

'Good. I'll send for my chief clerk. He can make preparations for the inquiry. If we move quickly we can settle the matter in the next few days.'

'No.' Narcissus interrupted him. 'Now.'

General Plautius turned towards the freedman, and Vespasian saw his jaw stiffen with suppressed anger. 'I beg your pardon, Narcissus. Did you have anything to contribute to the disciplinary procedures of my legions?'

'You mean the Emperor's legions, of course.'

'Of course.'

Narcissus smiled. 'I'm afraid I must rush you on this matter. You know I'm leaving at first light to report back to Rome.'

'Yes… a great shame.'

'Quite. Anyway, I will, naturally, have to mention yesterday's missed opportunity to crush Caratacus completely.'

'Oh, naturally.'

'The Emperor and the senate will want to know that those responsible for the mistake have paid a price commensurate with the scale of their failure. So I'm afraid we can't wait for a proper inquiry. We need to act now.'

'Now?' The general frowned.

'Tonight,' Narcissus replied firmly. 'The inquiry must be held tonight, and those found responsible must be sentenced before I leave in the morning.'

'That's absurd!' Plautius blustered. 'It's impossible.'

'No it's not. And I'll tell you what is possible. It's possible that Rome will take a dim view of your failure to eliminate Caratacus and his army. Unless I can persuade them that you have won a decisive victory. The escape of Caratacus can be presented as a minor detail, provided that those responsible for letting him slip away are identified and punished swiftly and decisively. Vespasian's Third Cohort should fit the bill nicely.'

'We haven't had the inquiry yet,' the General pointed out. 'They might not be found at fault.'

'You'd better make sure that they are. In the end, it's you or them, my dear General.' Narcissus paused to let the threat sink in, then he spoke again, in his quiet, polite, unflustered manner. 'So, might I suggest that you give the necessary orders?'

General Plautius glared at the man, visions of bloody torture and revenge flooding into his mind in rapid succession. The freedman's impudence was breathtaking, but the gulf in social status between a senator and a freedman, who had been a slave of Claudius only a few years ago, was erased by the fact that Narcissus was the Emperor's most trusted and closest advisor. The Emperor ruled Rome, but the Emperor, Plautius had heard it said, was ruled by his freedman. Only now, the freedman had a rival in Messalina, Claudius's scheming young wife, and that made Narcissus an even more desperate and dangerous man to cross.

'I'll give the orders.'

'Thank you, General.' Narcissus resumed his concentration on the skinless pear on the silver plate on his lap, slicing it as finely as possible with the glinting blade of his dagger. 'Send me word when all is ready. I'll wait here.'

Plautius could not stomach remaining in the same tent as the freedman and, grasping the pannier bags, he clapped a hand on to Vespasian's shoulder and led him out of the tent. Outside, in the clerks' tent, and out of the Imperial Secretary's hearing, Plautius spoke softly to his subordinate.