Chapter Twenty Four
Early morning found Aurelia and Kailen in the field outside their hut, Kailen teaching her the finer points of stabbing someone to death.
"This is what you will use," Kailen said, handing her a dagger, hilt first. She accepted it, eyes on the sharp blade and worn leather pommel, testing the weight of it in her hand. "Not a sword?" she asked.
Kailen smiled at her. "No, no sword. It's incredibly heavy, even for a seasoned warrior. Too cumbersome for a novice, the weight will tire you fast and make you clumsy. You need to work on improving the muscles in your arms before we move you up to other things."
Aurelia could hardly argue with that logic, she was sure she would look ridiculous trying to swing a sword that was two thirds her height. Besides, the dagger was formidable in itself. It was as long as the tips of her fingers to her elbow. It could easily gut a man, she thought with some respect.
"It's a weapon the warrior women of my tribe favour," He explained. "You use it in a slashing and stabbing motion, it's lethality is in the quickness the user can wield it. Women are naturally faster as they are not encumbered with the body mass of men or having to use heavier weapons. That is your advantage in battle."
Aurelia nodded her understanding. "That's until a man lands a blow and then his higher body mass and bigger weapon takes the advantage."
Kailen conceded the point with a tilt of his head. "True, but if you keep your wits about you and you end the combat quickly so you don't tire, you should be fine. The aim is to not get hit."
"Is that the aim?" she joked but it fell a bit flat. She took a deep breath. "Alright, i understand."
Next, Kailen fitted her with a tough boiled leather jerkin to go over her dress with a boiled leather breast plate, along with wrist guards and shin guards wrapped with thick strips of twine. It was all adjusted to her size by strings at the sides and tightened. "It's perhaps not as hard wearing as what the Roman soldiers wear, but it will protect your vital organs from shallow slashes of the sword or axe." Kailen told her.
"Even from a broad sword?" She questioned as Kailen fussed with the ties to make it just right.
Kailen shook his head. "Nothing Can protect you from such blows, whether they are an overthrow or they are stabbing at you, but it does coffer protection from shallow hits or the impact of fists and sword pommels. And it is light enough not to slow your movements down."
Aurelia tested her level of movement to find he was right, particularly as the dress had been put aside for a full sleeved shirt and wool trousers. It was a strange feeling to be dressed like a man, even slightly comical, but wearing a dress into battle was just plain idiotic. The trousers had to be taken up off the bottom and the waist line cinched so they didn't fall down and bear all.
Kailen took a step back to survey his work with a serious face and nodded curtly. "Perfect. You are good to go."
"Do you still find me attractive like this?" She teased.
Kailen stepped back towards her and enveloped her in a tight hug. "I would find you attractive even when you're covered in mud," He promised her.
"That's good to hear." Her answered was muffled against his chest.
He pulled away slightly so he could look down at her face. "And now comes the hard part."
"I learn to stab people?" She asked.
"Exactly."
It wasn't simply about thrusting the dagger into someone else and success, they die. She had to have the strength behind the blow to sink through leather cloth and flesh, and the presence of mind to pull it back out again so she was not left weaponless. If Aurelia was going for a slashing blow, she had to time it right so it wasn't blocked by the enemy's own weapon and to make sure it didn't go wide. If she put all of her strength into one swing, it often made it clumsy and her recovery time was longer, which gave her opponent a much needed chance to cut you down.
"It also leaves your left flank open to attack," Kailen said as he gently tapped her exposed side with the flat of his sword. "You have to be aware at all times."
Aurelia was breathing heavily, perspiration dampening her forehead and she wiped it away with the sleeve of her shirt. It was a lot more difficult than she had anticipated. Not only did she had to find a way past the sword to the man to deliver a blow, she had to protect her own body and endure the thud and vibration of metal striking metal. The ricochet alone could drive the dagger from her weakened grasp and nerveless fingers.
"You're doing well," He assured her, but she couldn't be sure if he was just saying that to spare her feelings or he could actually see improvement. They have, after all, only been practising for a couple of hours now and she was exhausted.
"You know you could always fight dirty," He mused.
She raised her eyebrows at him. "How do i do that?"
"Like this." He stepped closer, hooked a booted foot behind her own heel and pushed her. Her arms windmilled before she fell into a heap into the ground.
She blinked up at the sky before scowling at him. "You're right, that is a dirty move."
He laughed and offered her a hand up. She readily took it but then heaved him down on top of her, the look of surprise on his face was worth the strain n effort.
He laughed breathlessly, propping his upper body up by his arms so he didn't squash her with his weight. "You learn fast."
"I try." She grinned.
Kailen was about to kiss her when they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind them.
Kailen huffed out an exasperated sigh. "Go away, can't you see we're busy?" He called out without turning to see who it was.
"I have news from Caratacus on the border," The voice said and the desired reaction was instantaneous.
Kailen was up and he spun around to face the man, the messenger who stood a little awkwardly away from them.
Aurelia stood up slower, brushing herself down, but her heart was in her throat the whole time.
"What news?" Kailen demanded.
The man was perspiring heavily and Aurelia wandered if he had ran the whole way here. His skin had a ashen quality to it as he talked. "The Romans have been sighted by our scouts. The whole legion will be here by evening."
It had been anticipated from the very start, but knowing that a whole Roman legion will be on their heads that soon was a shock to the system.
"Call everyone to arms," Kailen order the man. "We must have all the defences done by the time they get here. Everyone else must be prepared to leave the village."
The man nodded, racing off towards the village.
"So this is it," Aurelia said in a daze. "A roman legion against the Silures."
Kailen turned to her. "And with them Aquilla."
Aurelia's eyes found his and he was watching her with an intense expression. "Yes," she rasped.
"Is that going to change what is between us?" He asked neutrally.
Her answer burst out of her with force. "No. No, it changes nothing. What i fell for you and the tribe-"
She didn't get to finish her sentence. Kailen reached her in three strides and then kissed her within an inch of her life.
Finally, they parted and Kailen said, "when this is all over and the Silures are triumphant, i want you to marry me."
Aurelia's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Really." He said gruffly. "But right now, i have to ready us for war. Keep that thought close to you for better times."
He kissed her again.
~
After leaving Aurelia, Kailen rode his war horse to the border where Caratacus was overseeing the digging of the defences along their border. They had come a long way since he and Bran had done their last patrol, all of the men driven by the savage determination of their High-King.
He was in high spirits when Kailen reigned in his horse and slid from this seat to the ground, a light in the man's eyes that Kailen hadn't see in a very long time.
"Glad you could make it," Caratacus called as he and ten others pulled over a heavy wagon to act as a wall. !I was worried you were going to miss the start of the fight."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Kailen returned. "The rest of our warriors have been sent for and will be with us soon."
"Good Caratacus growled in approval. "When the Romans advance, we'll be waiting for them."
Kailen gazed down the hill to the new fortifications. Deep trenches were dug at the bottom, filled with sharpened wooden pikes, In front of that were the turned over wagons, acting as walls against the Roman Shield line. The edges of the wagons disappeared into the tree line, where Kailen will have some of his warriors will be on horses with spears. At the top of the hill he would set archers to rain death down upon their foe.
He turned to Caratacus. "I don't know about you, but i'm getting sick and tired of waiting on the Roman's pleasure."
Caratacus's smile was almost rabid. "What did you have in mind?"
"Ride out with me to meet them. To look Aquilla in the eye before battle, to take his measure as a man." Kailen said.
The High-King's smile grew at the idea. "To reveal to him the men who will take his life and the lives of those under his command."
Kailen held his hand out. "To avenge the fallen."
Caratacus stared down at his hand, swallowing audibly. "Kailen's words must have brought back the horror and grief of the night he had lost his wife and children, the lives of his beloved tribe. Caratacus gripped his arm firmly in his. "For the fallen,, and all those who will perish in the struggle."
It was at this moment that Bran, Vaughan and the rest of the Silure tribe's warriors thundered towards them on horses. They were a sight in their full war regalia.
Bran reigned hi horse in next to Kailen and Caratacus, the light of excitement in his eyes. "What did i miss?"
~
One hour later Kailen, Caratacus, Bran and two of Caratacus's men were on their horses in the middle of the field with the rest of their warriors at their backs and the Roman Legion to their front.
Not one had spoken for close to fifteen minutes as they looked upon their enemy. There must have been five thousand Roman soldiers who would descend upon them simply by one order of their superiors.
"I estimate three Romans to one of our own," Bran murmured.
"Good odds," Caratacus grunted. "That way there will be plenty of Roman blood to go around."
The jest broke the tension that had stole over them and they all laughed uproariously.
"Aquilla must be shaking in his sandals." Bran crowed joyously.
"Speaking of the whore's son." Caratacus murmured.
They all watched as a retinue broke away from the centre column, six soldiers in their finest livery on horseback, the middle one wearing the red plumed helmet of a general. Kailen's eyes narrowed on him.
Aquilla.
The Romans came to a stop ten feet away from the Britons, both parties eyeing each other with wary distrust.
Aquilla broke the stony silence. "Which one of you speaks for your tribe?"
"We all do." Kailen replied. "Each one of us."
Aquilla's lip curled in condescension. "As you wish. By order of Rome, i command you and the Silure tribe to lay down your weapons and surrender to the Legion. You are to hand over the men who murdered the Roman soldiers on the East coast two months ago."
"Here i thought Roman retribution was swift." Bran rumbled.
"I'm afraid we have no idea what you're talking about." Kailen said, widening his eyes in an innocent expression." We know of no Romans being killed along the East coast. Well, no Romans that don't trespass on our lands anyway."
Aquilla's eyes gleamed at Kailen. "I have the word of others that tell me different. Perhaps you know of them? They belong to the Venicone tribe, their war leader was cut down by the culprits in question."
Kailen felt rage simmer beneath his skin at the Venicone's betrayal. Adrian's death was lawful and they had acted like traitors to their own kind.
"I wouldn't take their word, they have the reputation of turning on those they call ally." Caratacus answered. "Their words mean nothing."
Aquilla dismissed him. "Surrender now, or die."
"I'm not sure about either ot those choices." Kailen replied, giving the Roman a level look. "I've grown fond of killing usurpers and stealing their prized possessions."
Aquilla stared passively back. "Not so prized, actually. She's just used goods now."
Bran gripped Kailen's arm to stop him from launching himself at Aquilla and Aquilla took it all in with a smirk on his face.
Kailen gritted his teeth. "She's ours now."
Aquilla smiled mildly. "You can keep her. When we destroy your tribe, and don't you doubt it Silure, we are going to kill each and every one of you. Including her."
Bran snorted. "I guess this negotiation is over with then."
Kailen pinned Aquilla with a look. "I will look for you on the battlefield."
With that, the Britons turned their horses around to gallop back to the British line.
"Britons!" Caratacus called. "Prepare for battle!"
The cry went up amongst them, the sound chilling in the twilight. It was the sound of exhilaration, of anticipation, of thirst.
The sound of a thirst for revenge.
~