legionnaires, the others having gone on campaign with Suetonius. He had
expected no trouble in the capital in his absence. The centurion bellows to
the cringing crowd on the steps of the temple.
“As you can all plainly see, we shall soon be under attack.
We have sent messengers to all the surrounding camps, but at the present, what
you see before you is the sum total of legionaries able to defend you. I
hereby call on all able-bodied men to come to the defense of your city. Go
now, quickly, to your dwellings, and gather whatever weapons you can. Then
return with all haste here, to the temple, where we will mount our defense.
Go!”
It is as if that last shout were a lightning bolt,
scattering the throng on the steps in all directions. I turn and grab Melinca
by her shoulders. “You must return to your people. Hurry!” I shove her, but
she grabs my arms. Fear is etched in her face. “I cannot. My people are to
the north. If that is the direction of Queen Boudicca’s attack, she has already
overrun my tribe. There is no love lost between the Catavelaunii and the
Iceni. I stay and fight with you.”
I begin to protest, but then I remember the strange customs
of these savages. I remember hearing tales that the women fight alongside the
men, and they are all naked, except for a golden torc, as they call it, around
their necks. Moreover, is not Queen Boudicca a woman?
“Come, quickly then. I have many weapons for trade in my
shop. We must gather as many as we can and return.”
We run to my shop and swiftly collect all kinds of swords
and shields and slings and other assorted weapons that natives have traded me
for various goods. It is my duty to turn all of it over to the legion, for a
fair price, but I had not yet done so with my most recent trades. We pile it
onto the small cart I use for transporting goods and rush as swiftly as
possible back to the temple.
The centurion directs the disbursement among us of the
weapons, then barks rapid orders about how to prepare our defenses. We intend
to make a last stand inside the temple, which is the sturdiest building in the
village. As we rush up the stairs, we risk a glance to the north. Horror
grips us as we realize we can now make out individuals in the approaching
horde. The countenances we can make out are very grim; I realize there will
be no quarter today.
We quickly enter the temple and follow the centurion’s
orders for our defense preparations.
Then we wait.
It is horrible, the waiting. Fear is growing in the pit of
my stomach. I want to jump up and race about, screaming wildly. I have no
goal in mind, just sheer panic. Yet, I look at Melinca crouching beside me,
determination framing her features. I steel myself, and continue to wait.
Then it begins.
First there is that awful noise. The vanguard of the Iceni
are blowing upon what must be some sort of horn, extending far above their
heads, with the horrific faces of some animal demons making the mouth of the
windpipe. I cover my ears to block the cacophony.
My mind cannot comprehend the sheer magnitude of the
slaughter. The Iceni break upon us like demons from hell. Their fury is
beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I have no way to comprehend what
is happening. All I see is fragments. Burning buildings. Hacked and bleeding
bodies. The bloodthirsty rage in the face of an Iceni warrior as he bares down
on me. Severed arms and legs, lying in the streets as if casually discarded.
Blood everywhere, red, red blood. The whole world is red.
Oddly, I am not killed. I am captured, and lashed to a
chariot outside the temple of Claudius. I am lying on my back, gazing up at
the temple. It is in ruins, and burning. Every structure in the town is
burning, or is being torn down. In their rage, the Iceni are razing the whole
village.
Then I must turn and vomit over the side of the chariot. I
see a most
expected no trouble in the capital in his absence. The centurion bellows to
the cringing crowd on the steps of the temple.
“As you can all plainly see, we shall soon be under attack.
We have sent messengers to all the surrounding camps, but at the present, what
you see before you is the sum total of legionaries able to defend you. I
hereby call on all able-bodied men to come to the defense of your city. Go
now, quickly, to your dwellings, and gather whatever weapons you can. Then
return with all haste here, to the temple, where we will mount our defense.
Go!”
It is as if that last shout were a lightning bolt,
scattering the throng on the steps in all directions. I turn and grab Melinca
by her shoulders. “You must return to your people. Hurry!” I shove her, but
she grabs my arms. Fear is etched in her face. “I cannot. My people are to
the north. If that is the direction of Queen Boudicca’s attack, she has already
overrun my tribe. There is no love lost between the Catavelaunii and the
Iceni. I stay and fight with you.”
I begin to protest, but then I remember the strange customs
of these savages. I remember hearing tales that the women fight alongside the
men, and they are all naked, except for a golden torc, as they call it, around
their necks. Moreover, is not Queen Boudicca a woman?
“Come, quickly then. I have many weapons for trade in my
shop. We must gather as many as we can and return.”
We run to my shop and swiftly collect all kinds of swords
and shields and slings and other assorted weapons that natives have traded me
for various goods. It is my duty to turn all of it over to the legion, for a
fair price, but I had not yet done so with my most recent trades. We pile it
onto the small cart I use for transporting goods and rush as swiftly as
possible back to the temple.
The centurion directs the disbursement among us of the
weapons, then barks rapid orders about how to prepare our defenses. We intend
to make a last stand inside the temple, which is the sturdiest building in the
village. As we rush up the stairs, we risk a glance to the north. Horror
grips us as we realize we can now make out individuals in the approaching
horde. The countenances we can make out are very grim; I realize there will
be no quarter today.
We quickly enter the temple and follow the centurion’s
orders for our defense preparations.
Then we wait.
It is horrible, the waiting. Fear is growing in the pit of
my stomach. I want to jump up and race about, screaming wildly. I have no
goal in mind, just sheer panic. Yet, I look at Melinca crouching beside me,
determination framing her features. I steel myself, and continue to wait.
Then it begins.
First there is that awful noise. The vanguard of the Iceni
are blowing upon what must be some sort of horn, extending far above their
heads, with the horrific faces of some animal demons making the mouth of the
windpipe. I cover my ears to block the cacophony.
My mind cannot comprehend the sheer magnitude of the
slaughter. The Iceni break upon us like demons from hell. Their fury is
beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I have no way to comprehend what
is happening. All I see is fragments. Burning buildings. Hacked and bleeding
bodies. The bloodthirsty rage in the face of an Iceni warrior as he bares down
on me. Severed arms and legs, lying in the streets as if casually discarded.
Blood everywhere, red, red blood. The whole world is red.
Oddly, I am not killed. I am captured, and lashed to a
chariot outside the temple of Claudius. I am lying on my back, gazing up at
the temple. It is in ruins, and burning. Every structure in the town is
burning, or is being torn down. In their rage, the Iceni are razing the whole
village.
Then I must turn and vomit over the side of the chariot. I
see a most
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