In Britannia Salutem

[Lindseyman]

Near Danum

Bedwyr rode up to Artos and joined him watching what Cerdicus was doing. He nodded approvingly

“Just what we would have done if we had ever been unfortunate enough to find ourselves in this situation”

“Sa” agreed Artos

“He’s sending most of the troops on ahead and leaving a screening force to stop us attacking the main body directly”

Bedwyr looked at the opposing troops again and swore

“Looking at the banners, he’s staying with the screening force”

Artos smiled, Bedwyr nodded

“Sa, it is exactly what you would have done.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not” replied Artos

“When much younger, almost certainly as I would have trusted Marius or Quintus not to do anything stupid and get the troops back to safety. A bit later and I would have been tempted to leave Gaius Petronius in command of such a screening force but would still have most likely led it myself. Now? It would depend on whether I expected the opposition to attack.

Cerdicus does not expect us to do so, therefore he leads the screening force”

“He expects us to attack the main body?” asked Bedwyr

“Na, only if the leader who appears to be Patravis does something really stupid”

“Which given his reputation I doubt” noted Bedwyr

Artos shook his head

“Normally I would agree with you. Patravis has built up quite a reputation as a good leader who does not waste troops, fighting Cerdicus’ enemies. However this situation is not normal. I think, given Cerdicus’ hints, that Patravis’ loyalty is not certain.”

Artos smiled

“I think that Cerdicus thinks that Patravis will try to fight a battle and win increasing his reputation and hence diminishing Cerdicus’”

Bedwyr spat

“Politics!”

Artos smiled

“It was ever thus. So we won’t give him the opportunity. Send messengers to Caddo and Medraut. They are to shadow the retreating troops but under no circumstances are to attack. They can defend themselves if attacked but no more.

I am not going to do Cerdicus’ dirty work for him unless there is no alternative. Patravis and those to whom he gives his loyalty are Cerdicus’ problem not ours.”

“We just want them gone?”

“Sa, and not to come back. We will not re-join the Empire either voluntarily or by force of arms”

Bedwyr raised an eyebrow, Artos grinned

“Oh I know, never say never, but not whilst the memory of this attempt is alive. We will trade but no more and certainly not get involved in the Civil War which Cerdicus fears.”

“They are not stupid enough to do that” retorted Bedwyr

“Are they?” he added on seeing Artos’ expression.

“Never underestimate the short sightedness of greedy men who see a short term advantage” replied Artos.

“Roman history is full of such men”

Bedwyr sighed

“That is true but the tribes are only quiescent at the moment. Given an opportunity”

Artos nodded

“We will leave a force a little larger than that Cerdicus leads under Amhar. We, with the rest, will follow Patravis and see what happens”

 

[Lindseyman]

Patravis

Patravis cursed. He was being shadowed by three Britannian armies, Caddo to his west, Medraut to his east and Artos behind him. He knew that he could defeat one army but three!

He weighed his options. Normal tactics would be to savage the army trailing him. However that was the one being led by Artos. His men were in awe of Artos and Patravis had to admit that they had good reason to be. Any attack against that army was doomed before it started because his men knew that Artos would defeat them. He had no intention of attacking the army led by Caddo. On reflection, he had come to realise that Caddo had followed his orders brilliantly. That meant that he was too dangerous to attack. That left the army led by Medraut.

Now Medraut had no combat experience but he had obviously learnt well. He never allowed himself to be drawn into any of the traps that Patravis had set which would have caught out most commanders with Medraut’s experience. Patravis cursed again, that meant that somebody experienced was advising him. Probably the Dux Bellorum of Britannia.

He had no option, he had to lead his troops southwards and to safety. That would not serve his brother in law’s plans. He was to either cover himself in more glory than Cerdicus by winning a battle or get Cerdicus killed in battle. Well as things stood neither was going to happen. Nor would he undertake his brother in law’s other suggestion which was for Cerdicus to meet an unfortunate accident and it look like the fault of the Britannians.

Patravis snorted, despite where his loyalties lay he had too much respect for Cerdicus and for that matter the Britannians to arrange such a thing. Even the turncoat Lord of Dumnonia would not stoop to such a level.

Na, he would get his troops safely to Londinium and see what happened. The conspirators had better have managed to get at least one of the senior Aegidii on their side. He shook his head, somehow he doubted it, but stranger things had happened.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Only a short post this week, too much happening in RL. Nothing earth shattering, just lots of things that need doing.

 

[Spartan-G257]

ah when the little things start to build up in a short period.
Thank you for the Short post, even when you've got to get a lot done you've posted something, you really are an inspiration

 

[Lindseyman]

Near Danum

“Augustus!”

Cerdicus turned round

“What is it?”

“The Britannians are sending a party under the signs for a parley”

“Cerdicus grinned

“To ask for our surrender?”

Geladius shook his head

“I know not but the banner would seem to indicate that it is Amhar of Venta”

“What does my brother want?” mused Cerdicus.

“No matter, we will meet the party”

A few minutes later Cerdicus and his party trotted out to where the Britannians were waiting.

“Brother” acknowledged Cerdicus

“Augustus” replied Amhar

“Why the parley? You cannot be seriously thinking of asking for my surrender.”

Amhar shook his head

“Na, nor am I thinking of surrendering to you”

Cerdicus frowned

“Then why?”

Amhar shifted in his saddle

“To give you a warning”

On seeing Cerdicus’ companions’ expressions, he grinned briefly then grew sombre once more.

“Na, I’m not about to attack. The weather is about to change and for the worse”

Cerdicus sighed

“Not more rain! Does it ever stop?”

“Na, snow, ice and freezing temperatures”

Cerdicus looked puzzled

“What? Look around you, there are the first signs of spring even here”

Amhar nodded

“Sa, there are. However, I have men who have lived around here also some from Brigantia and Rheged. They all agree that there will soon be, as I have already said, snow, ice and freezing temperatures”

Cerdicus shook his head

“Na, brother”

He stopped. There had been a faint cough from behind him. He turned and saw the Centurion in charge of his escort, shaking his head although looking sheepish at having interrupted his Augustus.

“Well, Centurion?”

“Augustus, I came from the area around Lugdunum. The Lord Amhar speaks the truth. There are the signs which can be seen if looked for. There is at least a blizzard coming”

Cerdicus looked back at Amhar

“Well, it would seem that at least one of my men agrees with you. What do you suggest that I do?”

 

[Ramontxo]

Eat your pride...

 

[Spartan-G257]

That area, My dad's side of the Family is from that area... Although, My Grandparents left for Scotland...
You know what both have in common, the weather can change at the drop of a hat!
It's a problem for most of the UK but it affects the north more than the south.

The south will likely see some bad weather as well mind you. Just not quite as severely

 

[Arariboia Guamá]

What an impasse. And time favours the Britannians! Now the weather as well.

Seems like Cerdicus's best alternative is to eat his pride and pack back home.

I KNEW Ego was why the invasion was launched. If he beat Artos, Cerdicus would cement his legend, making his claim of being Augustus ironclad.

And what was Mordraut's reaction? Is this the moment he decides fate?

 

[Lindseyman]

Near Danum

Cerdicus huddled closer to the very small fire, which barely warmed the its immediate vicinity let alone the whole tent. The Britannians had been correct. The temperature had dropped rapidly and then it had begun to snow and it kept snowing for a day. Then the skies had cleared and the sun had come out. Unfortunately the temperature had dropped even further, Cerdicus did not know how cold it was, just that it was very cold and the streams in the area had frozen over and had stayed frozen even at what should have been the warmest part of the day.

The supplies had all but run out and there was little in the way of wood that could be gathered in to keep the fires going. There was some grumbling among the men but that was to be expected given the conditions.

He kept moving between the men, letting them see that he was enduring in the same conditions as themselves. Too many officers kept themselves comfortable at the expense of their men. Cerdicus was not one of them. He shared the same rations and had a fire the same size as those lit to keep the men warm.

The entrance to his tent was opened and Geladius came in. He shut the flap again quickly.

“I have never known it so cold Augustus”

Cerdicus smiled wryly

“Na. Even when I was travelling with your father it was never so cold and that included when we crossed the Alps into Gallia”

Geladius stamped his feet

“We cannot stay here any longer Augustus, the supplies are all but depleted and there is no wood within many stadia”

Cerdicus nodded

“Sa, we will move as soon after dawn as possible”

Something in Geladius’ tone finally registered

“What is it Geladius?”

Geladius looked worried

“It is not the men, Augustus but some of the officers. They do not understand why you have not raided some of the nearer villas for supplies and shelter. After all the Britannians have withdrawn”

“Do you think that way Geladius?”

Geladius shook his head

“Na, the Britannians are still there keeping watch on us. Our scouts still find traces of theirs”

Geladius snorted

“They even talk to each other if they meet! According to them these conditions have not been seen for years, only in the memories of the oldest of greybeards who heard it from men who were greybeards when they were young”

“Frigidus” acknowledged Cerdicus

Geladius nodded.

There was a sound from outside the tent. Geladius stiffened and both he and Cerdicus drew their swords. Several men rushed in. Despite their skill Cerdicus and Geladius soon fell. The leader of those who attacked looked sorrowfully at Cerdicus.

“I am genuinely sorry Augustus but we have to move south and get supplies from wherever we can. It will take time for the Britannians to organise and by the time that they do we will have rejoined Patravis”

Cerdicus coughed up blood

“You are fools”

The man nodded

“Perhaps we are, Augustus, but we intend to be live fools not frozen ones”

The leader turned round

“Form the men up, we march towards what our maps show as Begelocum”

Cerdicus coughed up more blood

“You had better kill me. I will hunt you down”

“Na, I will not go down as your assassin Augustus. I’ll let the weather do that.”

Cerdicus passed out.

He woke up suddenly. He was lying in a bed his wounds had been bandaged and there was a roaring fire to one side of a room.

“Geladius” he croaked

“He is in the next room. Now lie still and don’t move otherwise you will pull out your stitches. I do not want to have spent so much time on patching you back together for you to undo all that work” came a grumpy and tired voice from his right.

A goblet was pushed in his mouth

“Now drink” commanded the voice

Cerdicus did as he was told and passed out again.

 

[Lindseyman]

Somewhere in Elmet

Cerdicus slowly became aware of voices. He started to listen to what was being said.

“How is he doing?” asked a voice that Cerdicus thought that he knew but couldn’t place.

“Quite well, he should make a full recovery as long as he doesn’t do anything stupid”

replied the grumpy voice that he remembered from the last time he awoke.

“Mind you, I wouldn’t give a folis for that given your families’ predilections”

There was a snort of amusement

“Perhaps not” agreed the first voice

“Do you know what happened?”

“I’m a country medicus, long retired, not a mind reader! He has several stab wounds, none fatal in themselves but he lost a lot of blood and he is also suffering from the extreme cold that he was exposed to, as is his companion, who does have the advantage of being younger.”

There was a pause

“But to answer your unasked question. He should be able to talk when he next wakes up. But not this time! Even if you have been listening to us”

This last comment was directed at Cerdicus.

An old grey haired man who stooped a little came over to him.

“Now drink this”

The old man saw Cerdicus’ expression and chuckled

“Na, it’s just very watered wine”

Cerdicus took a sip

“Who are you?” he asked

“The man who patched you and your companion back together”

Cerdicus lay back

“I meant your name!”

“I know what you meant!” snapped the old man

“I have been called many names, some quite uncomplimentary, but in Britannia I was called Ossa by the officers in both your father’s and grandfather’s armies”

 

[Ramontxo]

Thanks a lot. And keep on with your work please.

 

[Lindseyman]

Nothing before August 7th, Away, not a holiday having parents for a time so Dad has a bit of a break from always looking after Mum (well as much of one as he will allow!)

 

[Ramontxo]

Nothing before August 7th, Away, not a holiday having parents for a time so Dad has a bit of a break from always looking after Mum (well as much of one as he will allow!)

Enjoy yourself with your parents. And give your father as happy an relaxing time as you can (it may include beer in a pub or a nice book with a cat or anything otherwise). Been there, lived that. This moments you will cherish for years.

 

[Lindseyman]

Somewhere in Elmet

Cerdicus awoke the next morning. He found Ossa looking very satisfied.

“Na, don’t sit up or you might still pull those stitches. However it looks very likely that you will make a full recovery”

Cerdicus, despite what Ossa had said, still tried to sit up but gave up on feeling severe twinges in his side.

“What did I tell you!” growled Ossa

“Now listen to your medicus when he tells you not to do something”

Ossa examined him

“Good, the stitches are still in place. Well you are well enough to receive visitors. There is one that you should see first”

Ossa turned and left, a moment later Geladius came into view. He was walking supported by a stick.

“Augustus” stated Geladius

They clasped arms

“Good to see you alive” stated Cerdicus

“Thanks to Ossa” replied Geladius

“I’ve never met such a grumpy and caustic medicus, but he does know how to heal”

Cerdicus nodded at the stick, Geladius sighed

“I’ll never be able to march at regulation pace again, nor ride for long periods of time. My days as your aide are over I fear”

Geladius’ face darkened

“As they should be even if I was back to full health. I failed you Augustus”

“Na” Cerdicus demurred

“If anything I failed you. I should have been more aware of how the officers felt. I was so aware of keeping the men that I forgot them”

“I should have known and acted accordingly”

Cerdicus shook his head

“Na, I got the feeling that it was not planned just a spur of the moment decision”

Cerdicus shook his head

“The continuing bad weather and lack of supplies were the straws that broke the camels’ backs as far as they were concerned. I will only punish those who actually attacked us”

There was a discrete cough from the doorway

“That decision has been taken from your hands, Augustus”

Cerdicus and Geladius looked in that direction. A grey haired man was stood there. Cerdicus frowned

“You look familiar but I do not believe that we have ever met”

The man strode forward

“Na, Augustus, we have not although we are related”

“Ah” answered Cerdicus

“You are Lupidus, the Dux Bellorum of the Britannian Lordships”

Flavius Aurelianus Lupidus bowed his head

“I am, Augustus”

He chuckled

“Although, luckily, that title is nominal when your father takes the field”

Cerdicus nodded then stared hard at Lupidus

“What do you mean that that decision has been taken from my hands Cousin?”

 

[Lindseyman]

Somewhere in Elmet

Lupidus didn’t answer immediately but looked at Ossa, who frowned and waved a hand irritably

“He’s not really up to it but when has that ever stopped one of your family? It certainly never did Ambrosius and doesn’t seem to Artos”

Ossa paused

“Nor you for that matter. Why should this one be any different?”

Ossa subsided into grumbling under his voice. Lupidus and Cerdicus grinned at each other as they caught the words

“..never listened to me. I’m just the medicus that has to put them back together afterwards..”

“He knows our family well it would seem” commented Cerdicus

Lupidus nodded

“Sa, I know that he was Ambrosius’ chief medicus and served Artos for several years before “retiring” to this part of Elmet”

“I DID retire” snapped Ossa who then stomped out of the room.

Lupidus and Cerdicus said nothing but their grins grew broader.

Cerdicus then grew sombre

“What did you mean that it is out of my hands?”

Lupidus sighed

“We are not sure of the exact order of events but your men mutinied. They did not believe those officers who claimed that that had found you and Geladius dead in your tent through starvation and cold, especially since those nearby had heard the fight.

The Primus Pilus entered your tent and found your bodies.”

Lupidus paused

“All those officers who had entered your tent were killed. The surviving officers sent out scouts to contact us and to offer their surrender.

Your medici couldn’t save you but one of our scouts knew about Ossa and had you both brought here to his villa”

Cerdicus frowned

“They mutinied?”

Lupidus nodded

“Those who killed the officers were the first to surrender to us. They await their execution”

Cerdicus shook his head

“I’m sure that they can be administratively lost.”

“We can always use experienced men but are you sure?”

“Sa. Officially, they will have been executed for mutiny. I will find ways to get their families over here to them”

“Augustus is merciful”

“He is when it results in his life being saved but I don’t want mutiny to be as commonplace as it was not so long ago, so, as I said, officially they will have been executed”

Cerdicus paused

“What of Patravis?”

 

[Lindseyman]

Londinium (Caer Lond)

Patravis sat down on a chair in the Basilica, after first making sure that it would support his weight. He had been shocked at Londinium when they had arrived. Instead of the run down Civitas which he had been expecting he had instead found it long abandoned. He turned to his aide

“Report”

“The walls are in sound condition but the gates are all in a bad state of disrepair. There are teams working on them as I speak”

The aide paused

“They are having to scavenge suitable timber from the buildings”

Patravis nodded

“No signs of inhabitants”

“Not within the old walls. There are one or two farms still occupied just to the north and a family of fishers living near the west gate but that is all”

Patravis frowned

“What has happened here? The buildings don’t look as if they have been destroyed by the aftermath of a siege”

His aide nodded

“According to the greybeard who lives in the nearer of the two farms the city was still relatively prosperous about fifty years ago but then started to decline and was finally abandoned about twenty years ago.

In his words the ships stopped coming. It would seem that this was because the docks were becoming unusable because of increasing high tides, especially during the winter months”

The aide paused

“Indeed, there are signs of increasing flood damage all along the riverfront. The old docks are virtually unusable but at least one will be repaired once the gates are defendable once more”

Patravis’ frown grew deeper

“We have the problem that the old ports are silting up”

“Sa” replied his aide

“However this side of the Mare it would appear that the tides have got higher. It would seem that Eboracum is suffering the same effect albeit to a lesser extent”

Patravis waved a hand

“They are maintaining Eboracum, but why not Londinium? It is the highest point on the Tamesis which can be reached by sea going ships and is the lowest crossing point. I would have thought that there would at least have been a small garrison here to defend that”

His aide shrugged

“The centre of power on this island has shifted from this area to the west and north-west. Venta and Deva are the major centres of power now. Londinium is only of use if the traders find it useful to carry out their business. Most of those now land in the ports on the opposite coast to the Island of Vectis and Deva although smaller boats still use Dubris and the other ports in the south east. Londinium was losing its importance before Honorius washed his hands of Britannia”

Patravis nodded

“Communication kept being disrupted by various incursions”

He stood up

“Well that won’t be a problem once we return this island to our control”

His aide wisely said nothing.

 

[Lindseyman]

Londinium

A month went past. The gates were repaired and they even managed to repair some of Londinium’s docks. The Britannians just sat and surrounded the city and did very little. Patravis stopped sending out patrols because he knew exactly where the Britannians were. There were no attempts to storm the city as even after so many years of neglect the city walls were still in good condition and the weak points which were the gates had been repaired well enough that storming them would be exceptionally costly in lives and with no guarantee of success.

Patravis grew frustrated. He was happy enough that the Britannians just sat there but no ships came over from Gallia. His supply situation was getting worse by the day. He had come to Londinium in the belief that it would still have functioning docks and that supply boats would be able to get there from Gallia. How mistaken he was finally became glaringly obvious when Britannian boats began ostentatiously sailing up and down the Tamesis.

“They are telling us that no ships are going to reach us from Gallia” remarked his aide.

Patravis nodded

“Sa, even if any are actually being sent and I have my doubts”

His aide looked at him

“If either Syagrius or Aegidius were going to send any ships then they would have got through by now”

Patravis chuckled wryly

“Even if only to take the troops back home. I doubt that either would be willing supporters of what was being attempted. After all they are related to Amhar by marriage”

“And even less of what you and those whom you support wish to happen”

Patravis looked at his aide

“What do you mean?”

“Stoking up the Augustus’ ego so that he would invade Britannia in the hope that he would lose and hopefully be killed”

“You traitor!” rasped Patravis who started to draw his sword.

“Oh put that sword away! I am no traitor and as of yet neither are you”

He paused

“Did you think that those who are loyal to the Augustus were so blind to what those whom you support were attempting?”

Patravis stopped and looked quizzically at his aide

“You have followed the Augustus’ orders faithfully, given invaluable advice and have done your best to safeguard those troops under your command.

It has also become obvious that you, yourself, have no pretensions to the purple.

At the moment the worst that could be said of your conduct in Britannia was that you left the Augustus with the rear-guard and that was a direct order from the Augustus.”

“So you have been a spy in my camp, working to ensure my failure”

His aide looked horrified

“As long as you have been serving the Augustus faithfully I have been doing the same for you. As I have already said, up to now you have done nothing that would brand you as a traitor”

Patravis shook his head

“I need an aide who only serves one master”

He stopped and chuckled wryly

“A near impossibility in these days I fear and you have been efficient in your duties. However if we get back then I will look for a new aide who’s second loyalty is to myself after the Augustus”

The aide inclined his head

“Despite your somewhat questionable loyalties it has been an honour to serve and I will continue to do so to the best of my ability as long as you do not attempt to betray the Augustus”

Patravis inclined his head in turn

“I should have suspected something given your name Didius.”

Patravis frowned

“However, I must confess that I was expecting the Augustus to have reached us by now. He would have worked out where I was heading and if the Britannians had defeated him in battle they would have made sure that we knew about it”

He sighed

“Prepare to send a party out under parley. I am not going to waste troops trying to fight out if there are no ships to take us back. You will lead it Didius”

Didius inclined his head and withdrew.

 

[Salamander]

Patravis inclined his head in turn

“I should have suspected something given your name Didius.”

Is this a shout out to the family of the greatest (fictional) private informer of Rome, Marcus Didius Falco?

 

[Lindseyman]

Is this a shout out to the family of the greatest (fictional) private informer of Rome, Marcus Didius Falco?

Could be, could be

 

[Lindseyman]

Near Caer Lond

The negotiations, in the main, went both swiftly and smoothly. Patravis was a realist, he knew that the Britannians could just wait him out until the supply situation was so grave that he would have no option but to surrender unconditionally or try to fight his way out. The last was an option that no sane Commander would attempt as it would be suicide. He would have been willing to take that option for himself but not for the troops that he led.

There was one sticking point, Patravis insisted that he would only formally surrender to Artos. This caused some consternation in the Britannian leadership so they kept sorting out all the other details of the surrender. However, finally, this demand had to be confronted.

It was a subdued meeting of those Britannian Lords who were present. Medraut who was the senior Britannian Lord present at the meeting sighed

“I fully understand Patravis’ position. There would be no perceived humiliation if he surrendered to Artos. The whole situation could be spun very differently if he surrendered to anyone else even you Lupidus”

Lupidus, who had arrived just before the surrender negotiations had started nodded

“Sa, Artos would cause no reaction. Even I have no military reputation to speak of, Artos has that in abundance”

Amhar stirred angrily

“But Father is in no state to do anything”

He glared at Bedwyr

“He overextended himself on the ride south, pushing Patravis”

Bedwyr glared back

“Have you ever tried successfully to stop him from doing anything My Lord?”

Amhar shook his head

“Na, and if he would not listen to you whom he trusts implicitly he certainly would not me”

Amhar chuckled

“In his eyes I am still the young child that he had to wean from Mother’s influence”

Medraut smiled wryly

“Welcome to my world, my mother still treats me as if I was an exceptionally stupid child especially if she thinks that the solution is obvious”

He sighed

“I do wish that she was here, she does have a rather unique view of the world and would almost certainly point out what to her is the obvious solution to this problem. However, she is not, and I am afraid that I can see no such given My Lord Artos’ condition”

Emrys of Deva stirred

“Cerdicus looks very like his father, could not..”

“Na” snapped Medraut

“Patravis knows him too well and in any case subterfuge is not the way to solve this”

Gloom settled even deeper on the meeting.

 

[Spartan-G257]

I know it seems obvious, but just bring him to Artos for him to surrender?