Arthur II Chapter 18

 

18.

Lawnslot looked at the gathered there on the clearing north of the wall. They have all been summoned from afar to ride there. He estimated they were about three hundred then; a huge army by their standards. The Chiefs have ridden out to gather the new warriors with the warning that it was their final battle for when the wall was done, they will be doomed.

Yet so few turned up. Lawnslot expected more than double the numbers. He looked to the standing Chiefs and then gave his speech.

“We are not only doomed by it the Saxon will come by next summer and it will be a heavy price to pay they will isolate us there and kill us all.”

The threat of the Anglo Saxon was huge and it drove the local warriors to join in then. Lawnslot was pleased but he was shocked by the decision of most leaders then.

“You want to join the invaders? Why? They are here to kill and pillage our homes.” Lawnslot raised the protest. “I can’t be hearing …”

“You are not needed, Ghost.” The one on the left dressed in the overcoat and was armed with a huge battle-ax. “I, Alexander Semaj will take over the battle. I will lead you all. Romans will never step into our land again.”

Alexander was a local chieftain with a sizable gathering of over a hundred and fifty warriors. The blonde chief with the braided double ponytail swore on his ax. He was a huge warrior but age has dampened his skills although he still held strong in his arms. He had fought many battles with the invaders and also the Romans.

“The leadership under Alexander Semaj will be your end.” Lawnslot stood up to defend his position. “He …”

“He will not fight alone. I will fight alongside him.” Lawnslot was shocked by the appearance of one other. He was dressed similarly like Alex and held a battle ax. He was not from the North and was not supposed to be there. He was Anglo Saxon.

“Hengist Alger…Why I am not surprise? Where is your brother, Horsa?” Lawnslot roared out.

His resentment for the other was deep-rooted. Hengist and his brother had once betrayed him to the Picts, the natural enemies of the local peoples, and he barely escaped with his life. He was up North to seek a parley with them and to avoid the yearly raids. He was allowed into their land and then imprisoned. He did kill three of their warriors and they bargained him to the Picts. He escaped when the Pict guard was lax in the duty.

“Lawnslot. Now they called you the Ghost. You were to be one but the Picts were too lax in their vigilance on you then. Your escape spells your desire to kill me as mine strengthen to see you die soon.” Hengist looked at Lawnslot. “That will have to wait for now. You have created quite a reputation in the last two seasons.”

“Two seasons, you are not wrong. It was the only reason you are standing here was that I was preoccupied with the Romans.” Lawnslot replied. He then looked at the others. “The Romans are our real threat now and so are you with your Anglo Saxons allies.”

“I disagree for I am told the Romans are leaving the land.” Hengist turned to the local warriors. “Hear me out.”

“I know from my friends the Romans are leaving. Their Emperor faced revolts in their backyards.”

“Why should we trust you? You are with the raiders.” A voice called from among the gathered. It sent down the lines with murmuring and Hengist allayed their fear.

“I am with the Anglo Saxon but a part of my blood is with yours. My mother is from lots of you.”

“Was she a whore? Then you have to call me Father too.” Another voice resonated off. Hengist held back his anger and then looked to the gathered.

“Among us local warriors and Anglo Saxons, I am here to offer our friendship. Let bygones be bygones.” Hengist looked to the other Chieftains. “Our common threats are truly the Roman’s. They may not be for long. Their Emperor waged great wars on the main continent, while some Legatos thought themselves formidable to mass the Legion here to sit on our land. They had started on the discarded wall near our borders. They thought of the wall will protect them while they take the land south of it as it was at the Hadrian Wall. You may have heard of that wall. It created a safe boundary for them to occupy our land.”

A loud murmuring came from the gathered.

“Land that we worked on for centuries. I say we unite or die by the swords of the Roman then fight the Picts later instead of fighting both at the same time.” Hengist reinforced the threat. “And ourselves.”

“Are you offering to join us? In an alliance? Against who? Both the Picts and the Romans? I doubt it so. You have been helping the Picts to invade us for the last ten years, or more. Now you are to be our ally.” Lawnslot laughed out. “I won’t have you guarding my backyard.”

“I won’t be guarding the backyard. I will be happy to stand with you in the front.” Hengist looked to the others. “Do we have already an arrangement? I hold with me five hundred warriors.”

Five hundred warriors were more than the ones that gathered there. It was a sound arrangement given the circumstances.

“Do we have an arrangement?” Hengist called out.

An arrangement was also then by Prime Artorius then with his legionnaires. He had the attendance of Lamorak, his Optio, the Decurion Galahad, but the leader of the mercenaries was missing. Chief Asterix was not to be found. The Prime had arranged for another to replace Chief Asterix. It was invited for Belvedere to attend.

They were in Prime’s tent and sat by the round table. It was a small one that could accommodate six persons. The Prime had said that when he made it to Legatos, he will hold a bigger table. One that could accommodate up to twelve with space for more. At that meeting, they were served wine before the real talk became intense.

“Where is Asterix? He is unreliable. I never liked him. If he was in the Legions, I will have him whipped and removed without any….” Optio Lamorak's mumbling was cut off than when he saw the new arrival. He was a familiar face to all of them.

“This is Belvedere. He is from Master Meleagant. I have also secured his services as a replacement for Chief Asterix. Master Meleagant has agreed. Belvedere here will hold commands over the Auxiliaries and the other mercenaries.”

“I trust no one except those sworn to the Legion.” Optio Lamorak openly cursed at Belvedere. “Not even those with the Auxiliaries.”

The later move to challenge the Optio but the Prime Pilus stopped them. And then he told them of the task ahead.

“Let me be clear here. We are at the borders to the enemies. Until we are cleared of the threat, we are to be cautious and be in allegiance to the cause here.”

“The Anglo Saxon has marched south. We heard that they are working with the local clans to fight us. We can fight them alone. The First Cohort is small in numbers but we are the Legionnaires. We will handle the coming battle.”

“What about the other Cohorts? The Sixth and the Eight are a ride away. The Ninth is to our flank and can be called here.” Optio Lamorak voiced out. “Or the other Legions. They are the other…”

“The others have their tasks. As we speak, the XX Legion had been given their recall orders. Rome may be withdrawing from Britannica.” Prime Artorius told the others. “The wall is not yet ready. If we stay here, we may lose. I am proposing to take the fight to the Anglo Saxons. There are places I can fight them. I will get local to help me if need be.”

“How?” Optio Lamorak was skeptical of the move. “We are secured here. The wall here is almost done.”

“No, we are not. The Wall is not secured. It’s only an obstacle. We need a real wall. One with the high walls, and the towers. And archers on there to kill them. The Equities will then ride out and take them down. For the finale, the Legionaries will do the final honor.”

“You are mad, Prime Artorius.” Optio Lamorak glared at his commander.

“Are we on ranks now? At this level when we are supposed to discuss like warriors? Or was it common among men to do so?” Prime smiled. He then looked at Belvedere. “We are all equals when we sit on the table. No Prime, no Optio, and no … Decurion.”

There were some murmurings from the Optio but the Prime Pilus quiet the tone down.

“Yes, the Decurion is an equal here.’ Prime Artorius meekly acknowledged that. “The ones I treasured are my equal despite their ranks. Even a lady maid may sit here if she could offer me good advice.”

“So, do sit Belvedere. Tell me again what you told me.”

“I was …I mean that I know of someone who could help. It was one of the servants. She was from this land. She said they disliked the invaders. They come and kill anyone they could. Steal their valuables. They return every season at the same time. The servant felt that we could do something. She told me she can get me help.”

“And for that, you are here?” Optio Lamorak hit back. “Artorius, are you really mad? When have we been so quaint on whom we can invite here?”

“No, it’s not that. I met the local help. He will join us…. just about now.” The Prime stood up and looked to the new arrival. It was Merlin.

“How did …” Optio Lamorak was surprised.

“I am a druid. And we have a way to come and go as we like.” Merlin stepped up. “You can’t survive unless I help you, Arthur.”

“You are mistaken, druid. I am named Artorius.” The Prime corrected the druid.

“Arthur. Among us, that is your name now.” Merlin ended his words. “It resembled the Big Bear.”