The Eagles Prophecy

Macro's expression darkened dangerously and Cato leaned towards him. 'Take it easy. You asked for that.'

For a moment it looked as if Macro would not control his anger, then he glanced round the room and saw that expressions on the other men's faces were good-humoured enough, and he relented.

'Yes. Very fucking fu

'No harm intended, son.' Minucius slapped him on the shoulder and recharged Macro's cup.'Come on. A toast. To the harems of Syria. To the best watering holes, so to speak, and the best posting any clapped-out centurion can hope for!'

He downed the wine in one go, and after the briefest of hesitation Macro followed suit as Cato let out a sigh of relief.

'Seriously, though,' Minucius continued,'I doubt I'll ever get the chance to return there. Too old now.'

'How old?'

'Fifty-six. Joined up when I was twenty, to get away from the family of a girl I got pregnant. That was a long time ago,' he mused. 'Anyway, I'm happy enough in the marines. I've settled down and found myself a good woman. It's a nice, quiet life,' he added fondly, and then frowned. 'At least it was, until several months ago. When those pirates started causing trouble.'

Cato leaned forward. 'Tell us about the pirates.'

Minucius ran a hand through his grey thi

'I guess that they must have known that their secret was out, and since then they've been operating freely up and down the coast – mostly their side of the sea, but there have been isolated raids into small ports on our coast. They're getting quite bold.'

'And what about our navy?' Cato asked. 'Surely they've done something about it.'

'Not that easy, lad. We can patrol our coast easily enough but the far shore is riddled with small islands and inlets, some of which have never been charted. You could hide a fleet there and not be discovered for months. And that's what they've got. The pirates must have been converting some of the vessels they'd taken. Last I heard they'd got hold of a couple of triremes. We've even lost some of our own ships.'

'They've been captured?'

'They've not returned from patrol. No one knows what's happened to them. So you can see,' Minucius concluded wearily,'we've got our hands full. But we'll track 'em down in time. We always do, without much help from Rome. Until now.'

'Oh?'

'Someone high up has finally noticed the good work we're doing. That's why Rome has authorised the raising of several new centuries of marines, and transferred two squadrons from the fleet at Misenum. This latest gang of pirates has really rattled them. And if we don't stamp them out soon, they might start interfering with the grain convoys from Egypt. Once that happens they can pretty much hold Rome to ransom.'

Cato leaned back.'I had no idea the situation was so serious.'

'It is serious,' Minucius smiled. 'It's got the wind up the powers that be and they're not keen for word to get out. Last thing the Emperor needs is grain riots in the capital. We've been told to have everything in place for a major operation as soon as spring comes. So, a busy time for all concerned.' Minucius reached for the wine jug and frowned when he discovered it was empty. 'Hang on, lads. I'll get us another.'

As the old centurion weaved his way unsteadily towards the stack of jars leaning against the far wall, Cato moved closer to Macro.

'We're in trouble.'

'I heard.'

'No, I mean it. Forget the offensive against these pirates. That's bad enough. But how the hell are we supposed to get our hands on those bloody scrolls? That's why we're here.'

Macro shrugged.'I suppose Vitellius must have a plan.'

'You can count on it,' Cato replied.

06 The Eagles Prophecy

CHAPTER TEN

The next day the column began to climb up into more mountainous terrain where the road was hemmed in by pine forests as it traced a winding route through gorges and up the sides of precipitous slopes. The marines had to lend a hand with the wagons when the slope became too steep for the mules alone. There followed hours of back-breaking labour as the wheels ground up the road and wooden wedges had to be driven under the wheels whenever a stop was called. By noon they had passed beyond the snow line, and slush and then ice made the going far more exhausting and hazardous. The branches of the trees were laced with fine crystals, and as they climbed higher the snow had drifted in places and a passage had to be cleared by the recruits.

The weariness and discontent in the men's faces raised Macro's spirits by the hour. He was now certain that he would win the bet. A few more days of this hard-going and he'd be home and dry. Well, not quite dry, he smiled to himself. As soon as Cato had paid up he was going to get as drunk as possible. He almost felt pity for his friend's rashness in taking the bet in the first place. One day the lad would learn…

As night drew in Minucius called a halt when they reached a patch of level road with some open ground off to one side. Ahead the road disappeared round a rocky outcrop; part of the large hill rising up beyond the ground Minucius had chosen for their camp site. The wagons rumbled off the road and the marines slumped on to the snow beside them.

'What the fuck are you ladies doing?' Minucius roared at them.'Back on your feet! Get the tents up. You try and sleep without any cover and half of you will freeze to death by the morning. Now move yourselves!'

The men dragged themselves to their feet and trudged over to the equipment wagons where the optios handed them their tents, guy ropes, wooden pegs and mallets. It began to snow, heavy white flakes that swirled out of the darkness and muffled the sounds of the men toiling away with the leather folds of the tents, and then struggling to drive the pegs far enough into the hard ground to keep the tents up. So it was long after dark by the time the tents had been erected in standard rows and the men had piled inside with their blankets and pine branches cut from the nearby trees to provide some comfort and insulation from the frozen ground. All about them was the easy sweep of snow and the boom and flap of tent leather.

There had not been time to light a fire, and rations were issued cold. The recruits sat hunched in their blankets, chewing on hard biscuit and strips of dried mutton.

In the centurions' tent Minucius finished his meal and gathered his cloak about his shoulders.

Cato looked up in surprise. 'You're going out in this weather?'

'Of course I am, lad. Have to set the watch for the night.'

'The watch?' Cato shook his head.'We're hardly likely to be attacked by a pack of mountain goats.'

'Not goats. Brigands. The people who live in these mountains are pretty lawless. There's even supposed to be a few hidden settlements inhabited by descendants from the slaves of Spartacus' army.'

'You don't believe that, surely.'

'That's what people say. Personally, I think it's bollocks. Anyway, I have to set a watch. Better get the men used to the idea.'