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

had to cross meandered along below them, as if in no particular hurry to lose its independence to the mighty Danube it would soon join. The terrain was ideal. The probability of a flanking attack was zero, other than somebody rolling boulders down from above.
    They rounded a rather steep bluff and there before them they could see the track wind down to the bridge. The land had flattened into a small open plateau, devoid of cover. Ideally he should wait for the cart, then all should charge towards the bridge together, so as to leave their existence hidden for as long as possible.
    However, the situation was not ideal. Just before the bridge was a carriage, lying on its side. A small number of Roman soldiers were fighting off the scouting party, and a number of horses, presumably belonging to these men, were wandering off. Behind them, apparently giving orders, was a wretched woman! She, presumably, had gone for a "drive in the country" and she was of sufficiently important rank to warrant dragging soldiers out as an escort. Now, not only was she going to pay for this piece of self-indulgence, but so were the soldiers. Why anyone thought the frontiers were places for picnics was incomprehensible.
    Not that that mattered. If Roman citizens were in distress, the Roman army would fight. Never mind the stupidity behind the situation. Successful attacks on Roman citizens would only encourage further attacks. In any case, retreat was now not an option; they were too close to the bridge, and the horses too tired to permit the cart to start fleeing up-hill. As the cart came into distant view, Gaius gave the signal for urgency, then he gestured to his other soldiers, they drew their lances and held them in the fighting position, and Gaius signalled the advance.
    The scouting party numbered about twenty and were so sure of a quick victory nobody was watching their rear. The first they knew of Gaius' party was the sound of horses riding across earth. They turned to see six horsemen with six lances virtually upon them. There was no time to move; the horses passed and six lances were embedded in six falling bodies. As the lances struck, the victims screamed. Screams from behind distracted those in the front, and well-drilled Roman soldiers knew an opening. Another four men fell, blood oozing from their ruptured lower bodies.
    Gaius looked up and his satisfaction turned to anger. The woman, rather than staying behind the soldiers, had somehow got around behind the fight and was fleeing across the bridge. She was not going to make it because she was being pursued by a man who, from his more expensive clothing and shield, appeared to be the leader of the raiders. If she were captured, and, as seemed likely, were rich, his first task as Legate, assuming he survived this skirmish, would be to try to rescue her. If the raiders killed her, and, as was likely, she was known to Little Boots, his career was dead in the water right then. Worse, on that narrow bridge, he could not use his horse to advantage. He pulled his horse away from the fight, rode towards the bridge, and in one move, dismounted, secured the horse and grasped shield and cavalry sword.
    Instead of risking all on getting to the woman first, the raider turned to face him. In the open his larger sword could be used freely. With a yell, the man charged at Gaius and swung. This was easily parried, but as Gaius moved forward to thrust, he found nothing there; his opponent had leaped back as he noticed the shield would stop the blow. The man had skill, Gaius noted.
    The man had now backed onto the arched stone bridge with waist-high walls. A sideways glance showed that the water was a surprising distance below. Gaius now advanced onto the bridge and neither man could pass the other. The problem was, Gaius alone had to think about his back. He had to trust his men.
    Gaius had often wondered what he would feel like if faced with a man who could kill him. As he was to remark later, he was a