Legatus Legionis: Book Two in the Gaius Claudius Scaevola Trilogy Read Online Free PDF Page A

wrote to Claudius, thanking him, and assured Claudius that he would justify the trust he had placed in him.

Chapter 4
    Gaius wrapped his cloak more tightly. For the people who lived in this region, this was probably a pleasant autumnal day, but after Judea it felt cold. The breeze was rustling through the leaves, dislodging some, and a light scattering of the browner leaves covered the track. The strange quietness struck Gaius; apart from the leaves, there was little sound. He looked over his shoulder. The six horsemen were watching the flanks, while two others were helping push the small wagon up the hill. It was a good thing the track was dry, Gaius thought. After a good rain, since the track was essentially earthen, it would quickly turn into a bog. Not that that need worry him; it was firm now, they were making good time, and by his calculation they would reach their destination well before there was any chance for rain.
    Before him was what appeared to be the top of a saddle. As he approached the top, the forward scout appeared, his hand held up in the sign for caution and silence. Gaius quickly rode forward.
    "About four hundred men, probably Iazyges, on the other side of that hill. For the moment, they can be ignored, but there is also one of their scouting parties on the track ahead, heading for a small but important bridge."
    "Important?" Gaius frowned.
    "It crosses a narrow but deep river at a ravine," the scout explained. "It's really the only way across. Either . . ." He stopped.
    "Either?" Gaius queried.
    "It's not my place to decide . . ."
    "Opinion?" Gaius commanded.
    "Either we cross that bridge, and if necessary fight our way through that scouting party, in the next half hour, or we should turn back and hope they haven't found us."
    "You don't fancy taking on a few hundred?"
    "Since you ask, no sir."
    "Neither do I," Gaius nodded, "especially not in the open."
    Gaius scanned across the land before him. In better times, he thought, this scene could be described as rather beautiful. The autumn colours were very striking, and went for miles as the land dropped away. The problem, he thought to himself, reduced itself to being able to get to the bridge before the main body of the opposition. According to the scout they should easily manage that and turning back was not an attractive option. The cart was leaving fresh tracks and the horses would be tiring. If the Iazyges found the track, and if they were looking for trouble, they would quickly conclude that a small party was afraid of them.
    On the other hand, he did not know as yet that these Iazyges wanted to fight. For all he knew they could be a trading party, or merely poachers. Then consider the reputation of a new Legatus who fled before a trading party with permission to be there. There was that phrase uttered by Little Boots: 'Try not to bring Rome to her knees with laughter'. Yes, that left little choice.
    "We make haste for the bridge," Gaius said. He turned to Timothy, now that the cart had drawn level. "There's a small bridge ahead," Gaius said, "which we must reach as quickly as possible, but while making as little noise as possible." He paused, then added, "Go as quickly as you can, but leave the horses enough reserve in case we have to make a final charge. Fortunately it is almost all downhill. You other men! Two to remain with the cart, the rest with me! We shall go ahead far enough that if we have to fight off a scouting party, we can do it without slowing up the cart." He then nodded to the others, and gave the signal to advance.
    They covered the first half of the distance without incident. Gaius was pleased, because he could not hear the party behind, but when he looked back at an appropriate time, they were keeping up a good speed. The cart was making very little sound on the earthen track, and the wind rustling in the trees seemed to dampen what sounds were made. The track now wound along the side of a number of steep hills, the river they