The forest was dense, with thick underbrush and many fallen logs blocking their way. In the rare patches of direct sunlight, the air was warm, but most of the ground was shaded by the canopy of trees. Steve’s cloak kept snagging on branches until he got used to keeping it pulled tightly against his body. In the lead, Hunter, because of his height, found the going slow as he worked his way through the tree branches. Every so often, Gene leaned over and freed Jane’s cloak from a snag.
“Veni, vidi, vici,” muttered Steve. “I’m a slave from foreign parts. It’s understandable if my Latin is bad, right?”
“Yes, it is understandable,” said Hunter, pushing through some thick pine branches and holding them back for the others. “But we should not be overheard speaking English unless we simply cannot communicate our point to each other without it. Do continue talking, however.”
“Keep talking,” Steve said cheerfully, in Latin. “Talk so they know we’re human and not tonight’s dinner. What shall we talk about?”
“Gene,” said Jane. “Exactly who are these Germans, anyway? Who’s about to find us?”
“They’re barbarian warriors,” said Gene. “Semipastoral nomads, technically. Right now, they aren’t really very different from the Gauls across the Rhine, but they will be.”
“Hunter, are they any closer?” Jane asked. “You’ll hear them before we will.” “I think they have heard us,” said Hunter. “The pattern of their footsteps is changing. They have begun to spread out some as they approach us.”
“Gaul on one side of the Rhine and Germany over here,” said Steve. “France as opposed to Germany. That’s centuries in the future, though.” He stepped over a thick, exposed tree root. “Right?”
“Yes and no,” said Gene. “Their divergent history has already begun. A generation ago, Julius Caesar established the Rhine River as the border between Roman-held Gaul and the land of the independent German tribes across it. In 9 B.C., the younger stepson of Caesar Augustus, a man named Drusus, invaded the land across the Rhine and pushed the border eastward to the Elbe River because it’s a more defensible border from the Roman side. That’s the territory where we are now.” He paused to point out a slippery, moss-covered rock to Jane, who stepped over it.
“So it’s a Roman province,” said Steve.
“Well, so far. A Roman named Publius Quinctilius Varus is governor right now. He considers the province thoroughly subdued and is overconfident-to say the least-of his power.” Gene held another branch back out of the way for Jane and Steve.
Ahead of them, Hunter had stopped for a moment, looking around carefully. “They are very close,” he whispered in English. “I also hear the sound of small animals, probably hunting dogs.” He began walking again.
Steve could not hear any sign of the other people. “Dogs? Why aren’t they barking and howling and coming after us?”
“They’re well trained,” said Gene. “To flush game sometimes and to sneak up quietly at other times.”
“Simply remain calm,” Hunter said in Latin, this time in a normal tone. “Continue our conversation if you wish. Lower your voices, though, if you go on discussing history. We do not want to give our friends ideas they do not already have.”
“Not much chance of that,” said Gene. “These events are already in motion.” “What do you mean that this is a Roman province ‘so far’?” Jane asked Gene. “The province doesn’t stay Roman very long,” said Gene. “ A German prince of the Cherusci tribe, called Arminius, has been granted Roman citizenship. He’s been dealing with Varus in this new province, representing the Cherusci. In fact, the entire tribe has been given the privileged position of a federated state within the Roman Empire. For this reason, many of the Cherusci have Latin names, like Arminius himself.”
“But what happened to the Romans?” Steve ducked under another low branch, hurrying to keep up. He looked around for the Germans that Hunter could hear, but still saw no direct sign of them. Then he noticed some birds suddenly fluttering out of a tree a short distance away. He realized that they might have been disturbed by humans walking near them.
“This year,” said Gene, “Arminius leads an uprising against the Romans. The Cherusci Germans and some allied tribes ambushed Varus in the Teutoburger Forest, destroying him and his entire army. The Roman border will be pushed back to the Rhine until the Empire falls completely. As a result, Gaul will be culturally and linguistically Romanized to a degree that Germany never will be.”
“What of it?” Steve demanded. “I mean, the Roman Empire was huge. This one province couldn’t have meant that much to the Romans, could it?”
“Not to the living Roman Empire,” said Gene. “But think of it this way. If this province had remained within the Roman Empire, then maybe more of Germany would have been conquered by the Romans. When the Roman Empire collapsed, the Germanic tribes that helped bring it down might have been culturally Latinized and much more like the tribes in Gaul, which became France, than the Germany of our history. The history of the new Germany would have been extremely different forever after, altering major world events in many different centuries.”
“So the real difference would came later,” said Steve. “I see.”
“When was the ambush in Teutoburger Forest?” Hunter asked.
“It-” Gene stopped as an arrow whistled in front of Hunter and hit a tree trunk.
3
Hunter stopped immediately. He heard the humans on his team halt behind him.
No one spoke.
Nine strange young men stepped into view. Some appeared in front of the team, while others moved out of the trees on each side. Black and gray dogs stepped out with them, their noses quivering. Hunter was alert for violence, the First Law dominating his thoughts.
None of the Germans was as tall as Hunter, but they were heavyset muscular men wearing fur tunics and leather leggings. All had long, shaggy hair. Most were blond, while a few had red hair. Each of them held a long, heavy spear. They carried bows on their shoulders; quivers of arrows and long knives hung on, their belts.
Hunter waited patiently, neither speaking nor moving. A tall, hulking German with bushy red hair and a full beard that matched stepped up in front of Hunter. In addition to his weapons, he carried some sort of steer horn on a thong over his shoulder. While his companions held their spears ready for action, he rested the butt of his spear confidently on the ground. He looked over Hunter with quick blue eyes.
“Hail, strangers,” the German said stiffly in Latin. “I am Vicinius, of the Cherusci. Who are you?”
“Hail, Vicinius,” said Hunter. “I am called Hunter, but we are not hunting today. We seek the Cherusci tribe in friendship. You can see that we are unarmed.” He turned and introduced the humans on the team by their first names.
Vicinius nodded politely to each of them, though his eyes widened slightly in surprise at the introduction of Jane. None of his companions lowered their spears. They did not smile or speak, either. Steve glanced at one who was glowering suspiciously at the group.
“You seek us?” Vicinius asked. “Why?”
“We come seeking friends with whom to trade,” said Hunter. “We have only a few poor samples of gifts today, but now we seek friends for the future.”
“Where are these gifts?” Vicinius glanced at all of them. “I see no packhorse.”
Steve unslung the leather bag from his shoulder, expecting Hunter to call him forward.
“This is a poor place to talk,” said Hunter. “May we find a spot that is more comfortable?”
Vicinius had glanced at Steve when he had shifted the leather bag, so the question about the presence of gifts was answered. Steve now realized that Hunter was angling for an invitation back to the home village of these hunters. Holding the bag uncertainly, he said nothing.
Vicinius seemed to understand Hunter’s meaning, as well. He looked over the group again, appraising them. His companions waited for him to speak. “Hunter,” Gene said quietly, switching to English so the Germans could not understand. “I suggest some warrior-bonding. Compliment his weapons and his skill at arms. If he offers you a chance to show off, do well but don’t embarrass him. And try speaking German to him.”