The Jack Brenin Collection

by Catherine Cooper

  He stepped inside a neat, tidy room with rows of identical beds. He took a thin sheet off the first one and wrapped it around himself. There didn’t seem to be many places to look apart from the floor, which had been swept clean. At the far end of the room was another door; Jack made his way over to it. He cautiously pushed it open a fraction and peeped through the crack. It was full of equipment. There were helmets, shields, spears, several different kinds of armour, long and short swords, everything you could possibly need if you were a soldier in the Roman army. Jack wished he could have tried the helmets and armour on but there wasn’t time.

  Underneath one of the windows he saw the soldiers’ packs. This was where he needed to search. Unfortunately they all looked the same now the equipment had been put away. The first three Jack looked in didn’t have anything other than rations inside. The sheet was getting in his way and kept slipping down his arms. He’d seen a pile of red tunics on a table and swapped the sheet for one of these. The tunic came down to his ankles but it was better than the sheet.

  The next pack he searched was the one he was looking for. He nearly cried out with joy when he saw the missing cauldron plate. It was much heavier and thicker than the ones from the Prefect’s office. Camelin was right, it was tarnished and quite dirty. Embossed into the middle was an oak tree and there were holes down each side. He’d not be able to transform again while he had the plate; it would be far too heavy for him to lift in his beak. He’d have to stay like this and hope he wasn’t seen as he made his way back through the camp to the Prefect’s office.

  Camelin was waiting by the door. Jack could see his beak was shiny with grease and presumed he’d rooted around in at least one of the frying pans.

  ‘Is this it?’

  ‘That’s the one,’ Camelin croaked and hopped around Jack to show how pleased he was.

  ‘We’d better get back to the Prefect’s office so we can see when he goes out again,’ said Jack impatiently. ‘The sooner I can get back in there the better.’

  ‘That tunic’s a bit bright.’

  ‘I know, but if I keep in the shadows I should be alright. I’ll swap it for the brown blanket when we get back to the offices.’

  Camelin flew ahead to see if anyone was around. Jack followed as best he could, keeping close to the buildings to avoid being seen. At the same time he tried to pick out a route that didn’t involve stepping on the gravel. He was almost in the centre of the camp when something sharp prodded him in the back. He stopped and turned around. A soldier with a drawn sword shouted at him. Jack couldn’t understand what he said. Two more soldiers appeared. There was nothing else Jack could do but stand very still. It wasn’t long before Maximus came hurrying around the corner accompanied by two guards.

  Maximus pointed and shouted loudly; Jack didn’t move. He realised the danger he was in. He’d stolen the tunic and the plate was in his hand. He’d not had time to do anything else with it. He couldn’t run and escape. There was a sword pointing at his chest and soldiers were appearing from everywhere; he was completely surrounded. The two guards next to Maximus each grabbed one of Jack’s arms, held him firmly and suspended him above the ground. He kicked out with his swinging legs but to no avail. The guards followed Maximus with their captive.

  Once they were outside the Camp Prefect’s office Maximus snatched the plate from Jack and examined it closely. He shouted more orders to the soldiers before disappearing into his office.

  The soldiers laughed as Jack struggled again. He wondered if Camelin could see or hear what was happening. Should he call out? Would the soldiers understand him if he spoke? He decided he ought to warn Camelin and summoned up his loudest voice.

  ‘Fly!’ he yelled. ‘I’m caught!’

  The soldiers laughed even harder but Jack felt happier when he saw Camelin disappear over the wall into a nearby tree. He’d heard the warning.

  Maximus strode out of his office and the soldiers immediately fell silent. He began shouting angrily again and looked intently at Jack as if waiting for an answer.

  ‘I don’t understand,’ Jack said and shook his head.

  Maximus threw his arms in the air and spoke gruffly to the soldiers. Jack knew he was in a lot of trouble. The Camp Prefect looked furious. Jack was taken around the back of the offices into a quadrangle. Another soldier appeared with a set of leg irons and he was pushed to the ground and shackled to a post. His arms and body ached from the rough treatment. He pulled at the irons. The bands weren’t tight but there was no way he’d be able to wriggle his feet free. Even if he did escape would be impossible. One of the soldiers had remained in the quadrangle standing guard.

  The sun beat down on Jack’s head. There wasn’t any shade and the cobbles were hot and uncomfortable to sit on. Luckily the tunic was big enough to pull over his head and gave him some protection from the sun. He had no idea what to do next. He could hear the whole camp being searched. What would happen when the soldiers found what they were looking for? Somehow Jack didn’t think Maximus was going to release him. What would Nora tell his Dad and Grandad if he never got home again? He tried to put these thoughts out of his head but there wasn’t much else to think about, until he wanted a drink. By now the sun was directly overhead and all Jack could think about was a glass of cool water. He racked his brain to remember any Latin words that might help him. Then it struck him, aqua meant water. He shouted over to the guard.

  ‘Aqua, please.’

  The guard completely ignored him. If they weren’t going to give him any food or water he was probably going to suffer the same fate as Camelin.

  Jack’s throat was dry. It was pointless shouting to the guard again; he’d just be wasting his breath. The heat from the sun was making him sleepy but the noise around the fort, as the soldiers continued their search, made it impossible to sleep. A group of four soldiers entered the quadrangle with drawn swords. Jack gasped. He thought they’d come for him but they hurried past and searched the undergrowth by the buildings.

  Jack was trying to be brave but fear of the unknown was getting the better of him. He wondered if Camelin had gone back through the window in time; he didn’t want to be stranded in the past. To have come this far and fail at the first hurdle was almost too much for Jack to contemplate. He felt he’d let everyone down. He wished he could tell Camelin how sorry he was.

  The search moved on.

  Once the other soldiers had gone the guard moved into the shade and leaned against the wall. It was then that something hit Jack on the head. Not anything hard this time, something light, which seemed to have come from a great height. There by his feet was a stick. He poked his head out of the tunic and looked around.

  ‘Psssst,’ came a familiar voice from the tiled roof of the building opposite to where Jack was sitting.

  Jack was so pleased to see Camelin he almost shouted his name out loud.

  ‘What’s happening?’ he whispered back. ‘I can’t understand what they’re saying.’

  ‘They’re looking for your clothes! Maximus has got Drusus in his office now demanding to know why he didn’t bring him all three plates.’

  ‘What did he say?’

  ‘He said the oak tree was his family insignia and since the plates were worthless he thought he’d keep it, but the good news is that all three plates are in one place now.’

  ‘What’s going to happen to me?’

  ‘You’re safe until tomorrow. Maximus told the guard you’ve got to stay out here without food or water until the morning, but don’t worry. We’ve got a plan. I’ll get you out of here at dusk.’

  The guard stirred. When Jack looked back at the roof Camelin was gone. He pulled the tunic back over his head again. He wondered what Camelin had meant when he’d said we’ve got a plan. He’d no idea how long it was until dusk but Camelin had given him hope. All he had to do was sit it out until the sun went down. He closed his eyes; it might be a long wait.

  Two soldiers shook Jack awake. One lifted him to his feet, the othe
r undid the leg irons. He was grabbed once more underneath each arm and marched towards the Camp Prefect’s office.

  As soon as Jack entered the room he saw the three cauldron plates laid out on the table. Drusus stood to attention in front of Maximus with a fixed expression. Jack assumed from the look on the Prefect’s face that he was still annoyed. Maximus banged his fist on the table making the plates rattle. He pointed at the plates and shouted at Jack. Each time he asked Jack a question he thumped the desk. Maximus picked up the plate embossed with the oak tree and held it in front of Jack’s face. Jack thought he knew what he was being asked but had no way of answering. He didn’t say a word. His silence seemed to annoy Maximus even more. The two guards restraining Jack were given more orders. Maximus was still shouting as Jack was marched out of the room and returned to the quadrangle where he was shackled again.

  As the light began to fade the guard came over and checked Jack’s irons. Two guards arrived in the quadrangle. The soldier who’d been on duty spoke briefly with them, then left. The night guard had obviously arrived. Jack could smell food and hear the sound of cooking; everyone in the camp must be sitting down to eat. He was very thirsty and he hoped Camelin wouldn’t be long. Jack watched the rooftops as the sky darkened. The guards were laughing and chatting. Jack thought they were playing a game but by now it was hard to see across to the other side of the quadrangle.

  Camelin appeared from around the corner of the office building. He covered the distance between Jack and the wall in a few hops.

  ‘I’m numb all over,’ Jack told him.

  ‘No time to talk. Come on, let’s get you out of those irons.’

  Jack bent over and touched Camelin’s forehead. There was a blinding flash, which lit up the whole quadrangle.

  ‘Come on, we’ve got to get out of here,’ urged Camelin. ‘Now, before they come over.’

  Jack looked at the soldiers. They were rubbing their eyes. He tried to take off but his body wouldn’t respond. The soldiers were on their feet. He hopped to the end of the building; Camelin followed looking concerned.

  ‘I can’t fly! I’ve got cramp in my muscles from sitting on the cobbles so long.’

  They hid behind three large barrels and listened to the soldiers arguing about what could have caused such a bright light.

  ‘It’s Fulgora, Goddess of lightning. She’s angry. It’s always a bad omen to have lightning and no rain.’

  ‘That was sorcery, nothing to do with Fulgora, but I agree it’s a bad omen. Sorcery, you mark my words.’

  They were too busy trying to decide who was right to notice Jack had gone.

  ‘I need water,’ croaked Jack. His throat was so parched he could hardly speak.

  ‘Do you think you can fly now?’

  ‘I think so.’

  ‘Follow me. I’ve got supper waiting and plenty to drink too.’

  Together they flew across the rooftops and out over the wall. Jack’s body ached. He felt weak and faint.

  ‘Have we got far to go?’

  ‘No, over here,’ replied Camelin as he began to descend.

  Jack followed. They landed behind one of the large round houses on the outskirts of the fortress. Jack could hear faint clucking sounds coming from a coop and smelt cooking coming from inside the house. His stomach growled.

  ‘Over here,’ croaked Camelin.

  Jack followed him over to a pen which smelt strongly of pig. There by the fence were two troughs, one full of water and the other food. Jack was so thirsty he hopped onto the top of the trough and was about to scoop up a beakful of muddy water.

  ‘Not there!’ Camelin cried. ‘Over here.’

  Much to Jack’s relief he saw a bucket of fresh water. He drank his fill then drank some more.

  ‘I thought I was going to die of thirst,’ he gasped.

  ‘When we’ve eaten I’ll tell you about our plan.’

  ‘I’m starving,’ said Jack as his empty stomach growled again.

  This time Camelin led him back to the trough.

  ‘Pigswill!’ exclaimed Jack.

  ‘It’s all we’ve got, unless you want to go digging for worms!’

  THAT WHICH WAS LOST

  Jack closed his eyes before plunging his beak into the trough of swill. He knew he had to eat.

  ‘It’s not that bad,’ said Camelin when he saw Jack pulling his face.

  ‘It’s not that good either.’

  ‘When you’ve finished I’ll tell you what we’ve decided to do.’

  ‘Who’s we?’

  ‘Me and Medric.’

  ‘Medric?’

  ‘Didn’t I tell you? We’ve got some inside help.’

  ‘You didn’t.’

  ‘Well, you know Gerda’s mate who went missing?’

  ‘Yes, but what’s that got to do with us getting the cauldron plates back?’

  ‘Gerda’s mate’s here.’

  ‘Here!’

  ‘Soldiers captured him and brought him to Maximus a few weeks before they started burning the groves. They’d probably have eaten him but Maximus wanted him to guard the shrine.’

  ‘I don’t understand. Why would Maximus need a goose as a guard when he’s got a fort full of soldiers?’

  ‘A goose is special; it honks loudly if it’s disturbed. Nora once told me that a flock of geese saved Rome from being attacked. Medric used to be Nora’s watchgoose before the soldiers took him. That’s why Gerda does it now.’

  ‘I still don’t see how it helps us.’

  ‘Maximus has his own reasons for not using soldiers to guard the shrine; it’s where he keeps his stash. Only Medric knows where it is and he’s not going to raise the alarm when we’re inside the shrine.’

  ‘That’s great but it’s the cauldron plates we need, not a stash of gold.’

  ‘I’m coming to that but you keep interrupting me. While you were in the quadrangle I went back on the office roof so I could find out what was happening. That’s when I heard what Drusus had to say. Maximus wasn’t pleased; he gave him a double guard duty for keeping the plate. When Drusus left it all went quiet and I had to drop down onto one of those barrels so I could see inside the window. Maximus took the basket with all the metal things inside and tipped them out. Then he sorted everything into piles. There were brooch pins, daggers and some more plates in there. He laid all the plates out on the table, matched our three together and tossed the rest back in the basket.’

  ‘Is that when he sent for me again?’

  ‘Yes, but I didn’t know you spoke Latin?’

  ‘I don’t.’

  ‘Well the guard told Maximus you’d asked for water.’

  ‘I did. I know a few Latin words but I can’t speak it and I couldn’t understand what Maximus was saying.’

  ‘Well, Maximus said that a night without food or water should improve your memory since he knew you could understand his questions and chose not to answer.’

  ‘Thanks for getting me out of there. I dread to think what he’d have done in the morning.’

  ‘When you’d gone he spoke to centurion Titus Antonius again. He asked him about the plates and about me. Maximus thinks they must be really important if someone sent a thief into the camp to steal them. He told Titus Antonius he’d keep them safe until he found out who you were, how you got into the fort without being seen and why you stole the plate.’

  ‘That means we’ll never get them back.’

  ‘Naw, just the opposite.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘Guess where he’s put them?’

  ‘I’ve no idea.’

  ‘In the shrine! He’s got a hidey-hole and Medric knows where it is. He saw Maximus put something large and heavy into it. Now that we know where the plates are the rest’s going to be easy.’

  Camelin started hopping around. He looked disappointed when Jack didn’t join in.

  ‘What’s the matter?’

  Jack sighed.

  ‘I’m worried what might happen if I
get caught again. They’ll search the whole camp once they find I’m missing.’

  ‘Come on then. If we go back now we can be on our way home before they miss you.’

  They flew back to the roof of the Camp Prefect’s office. Camelin looked down into the shrine area. Before he could call Medric they both heard one of the guards from the quadrangle cry out. They looked to see Titus Antonius running into the quadrangle. It was Drusus who stood next to the post.

  ‘The prisoner has gone!’

  ‘Escaped?’ asked Titus Antonius.

  ‘Gone,’ replied Drusus in disbelief. ‘The irons and tunic are still here but he’s not.’

  ‘Sorcery, I said it was sorcery!’ the other soldier next to Titus Antonius cried. ‘We must report this to the Camp Prefect at once.’

  ‘I’ll make the report. Make sure nothing is disturbed. Maximus needs to see this for himself or we’ll get the blame,’ Titus Antonius informed them, but before he had chance to leave the quadrangle the silence of the night was shattered. The horn sounded five times from the top of the northern gatehouse.

  There was a stir of excitement throughout the camp.

  ‘A rider approaching,’ Titus Antonius announced. ‘I must go and see what’s happening at the gate first before I go to the Prefect and report the prisoner’s escape. You two must stand guard here until I return.’

  Drusus stood a little way from the post after the centurion left the quadrangle. He didn’t look happy.

  ‘It must be something important,’ whispered Camelin.

  They listened intently. It wasn’t long before they heard hoof beats pounding down the main street. The rider pulled the horse up outside the offices, jumped off and banged loudly on the Camp Prefect’s door.

  ‘An urgent message for Quintus Flavius Maximus from the Commander of the Fourteenth Legion,’ the soldier shouted. When he didn’t get an answer he banged even louder on the door.

  In the distance they could hear Titus Antonius shouting orders. The commotion from the fort continued.

  ‘Gaius Rufus Octavian,’ the rider announced and saluted when Maximus eventually opened the door. ‘I have a message for you from our commander. Mona is taken, the Druids are slain, their groves destroyed.’