Arthur II Chapter 25

 

25.

Artorius returned to the camp after he handed the settlement to Lawnslot. The later named the place ‘Joyous Point’.

“Here, my people will live in a joyous mood,” Lawnslot announced to the newly arrived at the settlement. “We will re-build the defense walls and stocked up the stores.”

In days, the settlement was bursting to its maximum with about three hundred inhabitants. He had a strong army of warriors with mercenaries of over a hundred to protect the settlers. New structures were built to house the settlers. The wall was reinforced and a moat was dug outside of it. The settlers rebuild the Grand Hall into a huge manor that was deserving of a Lord.

“Yes, that will be Castle Joyous Gard,” Lawnslot announced to the settlers.

“Merlin, what do you think of the settlement?” Lawnslot looked to the druid. They were seated in the partially completed manor of his. It was dusk then.

“I will advise caution, Ghost. One victory of such is nothing to gloat over.” Merlin looked to the stars' lined sky. He was facing north and saw the stars. It was the Little Bear or known to the ancients as the Ursa Minor by the Greeks. It was used by the sailors when they navigate in the dark.

“What do you see, druid?” Lawnslot asked.

“Little Bear,” Merlin replied.

“Little Bear? What does that mean?” Lawnslot was annoyed.

“I see the stars that spoke of Little Bear. Yet, I saw from the Prime’s tent was the Big Bear. Hence I knew he was to be known as the Bear.”

“You mocked me, druid. I am a better warrior than him. I can fight…”

“Every other but your destiny is overshadowed by the Bear. Do not fight the Bear. He is not your match in the skills of yours with the sword. He holds not Arondight but he may be your King to rule over the land.”

“Bah! The words of yours are the murmurings of your own and not of the stars. I will prove you wrong. I will be with the Prim to battle, and many will see who the real champion is.” Lawnslot stood up in annoyance. “I serve no man but ….”

“The King of the land,” Merlin added. “Mark my words.”

Lawnslot then decided to leave the druid by himself. Merlin took up the twigs to stoke the fire that was keeping them warm. The flames of the fire flickered and yet it told a tale. It displayed that the bear was a solitary creature and it trusted no others in its realm. It showed the little bear though of loyalty but held deceit in its act when another creature intervened.

“I feared for you, Lawnslot. Your ego may not be your only failing. You are fallible to the influences of one other.”

That evening, Lawnslot took to the rounds to check on the fortifications. He saw the defeated settlers huddled in the corner. They numbered to over a hundred and yet their bodies aided them not in the cold evening. He called for a few fireplaces to be built for them.

“Do you not fear, Master< that we will turn on you with the fire?” An old settler looked to Lawnslot. “After all, we are your slaves.”

“You are no more slaves. I released all of you of that bond. You may go and leave or stay to build your homes outside the walls. There you will thrive and trade with us. In return, we will build a wider wall to protect you. I so swore before all of you. This place is called Joyous and we shall all be.”

The slaves cheered their freedom and also of their new Master. If it was there but not so at the Roman Camp.

“Prime, we have received words from the Legion. They are to withdraw to the rear behind the Hadrian Wall, and some I’ll be sent to Gaul. There is unrest there.” Optio Lamorak reported to the Prime.

“This is sad news. I will ride to meet the Legatus. Do not falter in our works. The wall is built.” Prime Pilus Artorius called for his armor. “I will ride that moment to seek the Legatus.”

“Let me ride with you, Prime. I will bring along three other riders.” Decurion Percival made the request. “The paths even behind us are still with barbarians.”

“So be it. It will be a two, or three days ride to rear. Get your riders ready. We do it swiftly and then return.”

“Prime, don’t forget to get from the Bursary our coins. We are low to pay for supplies.”

“And our legionnaires too.” Prime Artorius laughed. “I hear Lawnslot sought gold at the River Glein but he found nothing. I hope we will fare better in the next settlement.”

“Yes, the hoard of additional coins will over us in the difficult times.” Optio Lamorak laughed.

That night, five riders rode off leaving once again the First Cohort to the Optio Lamorak. He watched them rode off and then proceeded to the wall. The Prime request for more legionnaires from the other cohorts was rejected. It may be one reason the Prime was keen to see the Legatus.

“It’s a quiet evening, Optio.” Optio Lamorak turned to see Belvedere standing a distance away.

“What are you doing here? Should you not be guarding your Master at the villa?”

“My master is well protected. His villa is still in the build but its walls there are up and patrolled by my men.” Belvedere replied. “My master gave me more coins to recruit another six more men. We are more than a dozen strong now.”

“Bah! Auxiliaries are governed by the weight of the coins.”

“So are the legionnaires. Optio, no one fights for nothing. Not even the promise of land and citizenship will suffice. They still need coins to plant the crops and buy the cows.” Belvedere replied. “When the coins are not there, the discipline will waver with the hunger.”

Those were the same words that Artorius used with the Legatus. They met at Londinium in the Grand Hall of the Legion. The Legatus of the Legio VI Victrix was in conference with his counterpart from the Legio XX Valeria Victrix.

“I trust you have good reasons to commute your request to me here.” Artorius was heard by the Legatus Claudius Heironymianu. “I am with my guest and friend, Marcus Valerius Messalia Messalinus.”

“No…. I meant I do, my Legate. I am here to report on the progress of the wall at Antoinne. We are….” Artorius was cut off.

“An insignificant effort now. The Legion XX Valeria Victrix is due to march for Gaul where most urgency is needed to quell the Gaul there.” The Legatus snapped in.

“Infernal barbarians those Gaul.” The Legate of the XX Valeria was injected in. “Nevertheless, Britannica held its own.”

“So, tell me Prime, how fare with you with the northern barbarians? The Picts and the Anglo Saxons. I hear they are on the raids once more?” The Legatus of the XX Valeria asked.

“We maintained some balance there. The local peoples ….” Artorius was cut off once more.

“The local warriors are not the Legion. Let me cut the issue for you.” Legatus Claudius went for the matter. “I have instructed the bursary to send you the needed coins. Your exiled families …”

“Exile? By Mars, they are Romans. I will say relocated will be the word.” The Legatus of the XX Valeria interjected in. “I know the Marcellus and the …... the Augustus. Lucius is his name held himself well with the Senate members.”

“Then it must be for the Senate have requested I leave the First Cohort there at the Antoine Wall. I replied that it’s too far North and untenable in the values to us.” Legatus Claudius replied. “I am stretched too thin with the wall.”

“And yet, your finest the First Cohort have shown the strength to hold back the raids there.” The Legatus of the XX Valeria praised the Prime and then at the Legatus of the XI. “He may one day replace you.”

“I may be getting old, but feeble in my command, I am not.” Legatus Claudius laughed. “I can still emulate your Legion victory on Bato of the Daesitiates. I am still in awe that your legion cut through the enemy lines was surrounded, and cut its way out again.”

“That’s the XX Valeria Victrix motto; we will never give in.” The Legatus of the XX Valeria praised his Legion.

“Prime, your request will be carried out. We won’t be leaving the land soon. The XX will go forth but we will stay on. I have got reinforcements from Rome.” The Legatus continued. “A huge force of the Samarians is deployed in Britannica. A force of two hundred will be sent t0 the First Cohort to be employed as mercenaries. They hold no rights like the Auxiliaries but they will fight shoulder to shoulder with them.”

Artorius left Londinium with his bags filled with his back pay of coins and the new command of the Samaritans. He also had with him another twenty-four Equities to be placed with the Decurion.