by Tanya Allan
“Don’t expect it like that every time,” I said, smiling.
He was quiet for a few moments, stroking my shoulder with his hand.
“I imagine making love to a goddess would be like this.”
“Best you don’t start bragging about it.”
“I won’t.”
“Seriously, we can’t be open about this,” I said.
“I know.”
“Don’t you care?”
“Do you?”
“Yes, a bit. My heart tells me I want you close all the time, but my mind knows what’s right. My quest is too important.”
“Then when it ends, you and I will wed. I shall retire and we will go to the farm in the foothills.”
“In your dreams, buster. Let’s just wait and see, eh?”
The ride back was mellow and sombre as we both had a lot to think about.
I trained the girls until they could go through the motions in their sleep. It should be fun to watch, but I just hoped they could keep their nerve. They knew that at no time would they have to face the Praetorians face to face. But the distraction must be realistic if it was to work.
As I handed the golden wreath to the man with the big nose, my mind was clear. I’d been so focussed on my part that I had not been able to see how the events had unfolded. It had been hard to trust Iona and the others to play their part with precision. However, it had to be done. They had to learn that I wasn’t going to be there every step of the way to help them do everything. My trust and faith in them was justified – thank all that is holy!
As the adrenaline had pumped around my body, my tunnel vision was such that I could not see or hear anything outside my immediate vicinity.
Now I was standing in front of Emperor Trajan of Rome, with my heart racing, breath coming in gasps, I calmed myself. Although I had my back to the crowd, all I could hear was massive cheering from the crowd.
“Oh, divine Emperor, I believe this is yours!” I said, watching Marcus Gallinus literally bounce up and down with unrestrained excitement on one of several couches behind the Emperor. There were about twenty people in the box, not including the slaves.
There were several women, many painted and powdered like harlots, but were obviously here for the pleasure of the men. A couple of pretty boys, also wearing makeup were also in attendance, but most were men of middle years or older dressed in togas lined with purple, a sign of wealth.
Trajan was shorter than me, but then I found most Romans were. The average height for a male was around five foot six, so as I was over six foot, this was nothing new.
A stocky and powerful man, he wore his brown hair in what can only be described by Roman standards as the height of fashion. When I was growing up, the poorest families that couldn’t afford to send the boys for a proper haircut wore what we called the pudding bowl cut – this is what Trajan’s hairstyle looked like.
He had hooded, intelligent eyes that gave him a shrewd look. His slightly sticky-out ears and weak mouth did him no favours, but he had a slightly bulbous chin that saved him from looking too weak.
The major feature that dominated his face was his huge nose. It was so big that one couldn’t help but stare at it. He was not wearing any trappings of the military, but a simple, white toga.
He reached out and took the wreath, smiling and shaking his head. I noted that he had large, calloused hands. These were the hands of a man used to carrying and wielding a sword; the hands of a soldier.
“Tell me, what do I call you?”
I came to attention and gave the Roman salute, palm forward, hand at shoulder height.
“Centurion Layla of the Women’s Reconnaissance Corps, sir.”
Trajan turned to Gallinas.
“Marcus, you sly fox; I thought you exaggerated, but you underplayed for the first time in your life! I have never seen such a thing. So, the Women’s Reconnaissance Corps, eh? Is this your idea or hers?”
“Mine sir,” I said.
Trajan stood and looked up at me. He held out his hand, so I shook it, hands grasping forearms. He had a strong grip, which I matched.
He then turned me, so I was facing the crowd, and the soldiers in the Arena.
My girls were lined up, in full uniform a hundred paces out. The Praetorians were similarly formed, but beneath the balcony.
My two chariots were coming in alongside the rest as I watched, all the girls were grinning. Iona, on the back of the first chariot took off her helmet and shook her hair free.
She raised her sword.
“The commander!” she shouted, and the girls raised their spears as one.
“LAY-LA!”
“Tell me, commander, how did you manage to execute this coup?” Trajan asked.
“I used their weakness and our weakness to our advantage.”
“Tell me more, for am I not a general?”
“What is the greatest asset to the legions, sir?”
“Their training, skills, discipline and equipment.”
“That’s four, which is the greatest?”
“Discipline, I suppose.”
“Ours is our weaker nature. You see, the guards down there are the best. There is no way that I would permit my girls to face them, one on one in a real fight. I had to think outside the box. I had to think of how those men would react to a given type of assault.
“As soon as they took up position down there, I knew they’d form an impenetrable semi circle of shields. Indeed, they had sufficient men to form two deep, with their pilae ready to keep out even the most effective cavalry charge. That is what I gave them – the threat of cavalry. They locked in, dug the bases of their pila into the earth and waited for the attack as soon as they saw the horses.
“Only the cavalry didn’t attack. They rode up, spun round and used their bows from horseback. The second row of shields were up, so they tucked down and weathered the storm of blunt arrows without worrying.
“Then the first two chariots arrived, this time being pushed instead of being pulled. These chariots are different to those you may be familiar, giving those on them cover from both arrow and javelin. The shields got tighter, and as the rear row were now still using their shields as a temporary roof, I knew they’d be interested to see well drilled infantry appear from the left,” I said, describing the plan. The emperor nodded, still smiling.
“So, I can see it now, all the guards were drawn into watching the developments, wondering from which way the attack would come. Even the two men guarding the wreath were forward and watching. You appeared with your two comrades, took the wreath without opposition and scaled the wall without being seen for the most part. When the single man turned and saw you half-way up the wall, he was silenced most effectively by your two warriors. I hope he will recover, I believe they sat on his face,” the emperor said with an enormous smile.
“It was at this point that I was the most vulnerable, so the four chariots with the scantily clad girls on board came into their own.”
“Indeed they did, for not one man turned to check on the wreath. Capital! I have not enjoyed a spectacle such as this for a long time. So, what function do you envision your corps fulfilling within a legion on active service?”
“Several, and all crucial. The girls are able to camouflage themselves to blend with the topography or even the local populace. Who, after all, would expect women to be an undercover force of the enemy? Our main strength is our ability to get close to the enemy, even into their very midst and to obtain intelligence regarding warriors, weaponry, horses, supplies and confederates. Then, after extracting ourselves from the point of contact, we can get than intelligence back to the commanders and maintain observation of the enemy to give factual and up-to-date details for dynamic strategic decisions.”
“What if you are caught?” he asked.
I glanced at Gallinas.
“Sire, this woman and her warriors defeated a cohort of the Ninth, affected the release of many captive prisoners and forced a retreat to regrou
p. I can verify that these girls are more than capable of looking after themselves in a fight. The Centurion here bested the champions of the Ninth and Sixth in single hand to hand fighting.”
“At the same time?” Trajan asked.
“No sir, on two separate occasions, however, I sincerely believe her capable of taking them both at the same time.”
“You are battle ready?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Excellent, then you may remain under your current command, as there is an expedition to head east to make an example of the rebels in Dacia. I was tempted to have you replace the Praetorians, but as you said, they have strengths and it is those strengths that make them useful as guards.”
“When sir?”
“Soon. You will be informed. Thank you, you may go back and rest your corps with my gratitude.”
I was dismissed, so I left the way I had come, quickly climbing down the wall and executing a rear roll and twist to land on my feet facing the grim expressions of the Praetorians.
I made my way across the sand to my corps amid cheering from the crowd, which I duly acknowledged with a smile and a wave as I marched.
Iona greeted me with a salute and a smile.
“We did it!” she said.
“We certainly did, but this was a game. Now we get to play the real thing.”
I glanced at the girls. They appeared to adore the attention from the crowd, so wondered how to keep them all from falling pregnant. With all those male admirers, it would be a certainty that many might succumb.
Hell, if I did, how could they not?
Iona leaned across and whispered, “Tradesman’s entrance!”
Ah, so anal sex was the primary contraceptive method of ancient Rome! As they say, when in Rome....
No, I didn’t!
Gaius was full of it when we returned to camp. He’d been in the preparation area, from whence the girls had emerged to face the Praetorians. He had moved up and around so that he was as close as he could get for a good view.
“It worked like a dream, just as you planned,” he told me, giving me an uncustomary hug in sight of many. He did not seem to care. “Tell me, has he still got a big nose?”
I laughed.
“You’ve met him?”
“Once, a while ago. The Legion I was with then was in a province in Germania and he was there for a while. He had a reputation of being a good commander.”
“What was he then?”
“A Tribunus Legionis. We never thought he had other ambitions. I mean, Emperor of Rome; never!”
“Well, his nose is still on the large size, as are his hands. You know what they say about a man with big hands?”
He frowned.
“No.”
I had to tell him, and he immediately looked critically at his own hands.
“Don’t worry, on that score, you’re pretty damn big. In fact, I’m amazed your nose isn’t bigger than his.”
Gallinas had laid on a sumptuous meal for the corps that evening, with amphorae of wine thrown in. It seems that my ploy had worked. We were now part of Trajan’s Dacian expeditionary force.
Later, after we had eaten and drunk rather more than we should, and Gaius and I had not used the tradesman’s entrance, we lay together on the ground in my tent. The bed was wholly too small for our combined sizes.
“Are you content?” he asked.
I smiled.
“About what?”
“What you have achieved.”
I nodded in the darkness, realised my mistake and so replied.
“I think so. I’m frustrated at how long everything takes.”
He was quiet for a while. I sensed he was trying to fathom out what I really was and from where I had come.
“Is your world very different?”
“Yes and no. People are people regardless as to from where or when they come. The technology is simply a means by which things can happen more expeditiously.”
“Do you have anyone waiting for you?”
“Gaius, please don’t go there. I’m here and that’s all you need worry about.”
“I’d like to know.”
“I don’t, all right? Now, please don’t bring it up again.”
“How long are you here for?”
“Until it is finished.”
I sensed him nodding in the dark this time.
“Look, I have no idea how long this will take, but I promise to tell you when I am going, all right?”
“Why can’t you stay?”
“I might. It all depends on things.”
“What sort of things?”
“The sort of things that I don’t know about until they happen. Now; enough, please!”
“Now that I have found you, I don’t want to lose you.”
“Hell, Gaius, have you changed that much? Where’s the cold-hearted Roman Killing machine?”
He stroked my hair.
“He’s found a woman who has exceeded all his dreams. I love you, Layla, and I never thought that I’d say that.”
I was silent, swearing to myself. Sex was a real complication, as was love. Was I falling for a man again?
Damn!
“Gaius, I’m not a stayer, I’m sorry.”
“I know that, but while you’re around, I’ll be right next to you.”
“That’s not the safest place to be.”
“Hey, I’ve been a soldier for so long, who the hell wants safe?”
“There’s probably a little woman out there who’d sell her eye teeth to be your wife.”
“Yeah? Well, I’ve news for you, while you’re around, what chance has she got?”
I gave up arguing.
“Don’t come running to me when it all goes sour.”
“I won’t.”
Chapter Thirteen
105 AD
Dacia
The Romans had crossed into this land a few weeks previously, for the third time. We, however, had remained, just to keep an eye on things.
This area had troubled Roman thought for over a decade with the unfavourable (and to some, shameful) peace negotiated by Emperor Domitian’s ministers with the powerful Dacian king Decebalus.
According to the provisions of this treaty, Decebalus was acknowledged as Rex Amicus, that is, client king; nevertheless, in exchange for accepting client status, he received a generous stipend from Rome, as well as being supplied with technical experts. The fact that the Dacian kingdom – unlike the Germanic tribes – was an organized state that could develop a network of alliances of its own made strategical considerations one of the motives for Trajan's decision to make war on it.
The first campaign had not been as decisive as Trajan had hoped or expected. The legions were mauled, yet managed to beat Decebalus to the point where he retreated from the battle at Tapae.
It had been a bloody encounter, in which the superior discipline and tactics of the Legions had given them a marginal success.
However, both sides left the battlefield to lick their wounds. Trajan retired back across the Danube to regroup and review his strategy.
So too, Decebalus took the opportunity to regroup. Indeed, he took the initiative in winter and, against the counsel of all Trajan’s military advisers (except me), the Dacian King counter-attacked across the Danube further downstream, supported by Sarmatian cavalry, forcing Trajan to come to the aid of the troops in his rear-guard.
My little corps of women had been used to good advantage in the first campaign, simply as spies. We were sent out in small groups, dressed as I was now, as local women. For most, this was a risk, for none could speak the language. So the policy was to only observe and avoid contact where possible.
We had been successful, bringing in useful intelligence so that the marginal victory was achieved when defeat was probably more likely. However, it only frustrated me, as we were capable of so much more than sneaking about spying on the enemy.
I was torn between actually getting stuck in as a military uni
t and undertaking my primary task - to locate and deal with the secretive archers. My main reason for holding back was that so far these archers had not shown themselves. I had to remember that the enemy were also able to study history, so could choose the most opportune moment to deploy.
It had been five years now since I had landed in Britain. The women’s corps was now two and a half centuries in strength and I had been promoted accordingly. Apart from occasional skirmishes, we had not really been deployed properly. Finally, we were given the opportunity to undertake what we trained for in the Battle of Adamclisi.
The Dacian invasion was repulsed after two battles in Moesia: in Nicopolis and Adamclisi. It was just before the latter that Trajan called for me personally.
He was feeling in a good mood, having defeated the enemy once, and was eager to finally complete the job.
I reported to him in his command centre, a requisitioned mansion close to the river.
He was dressed in his uniform, content with the trappings of war.
“Ah, Commander Layla, how are your girls?”
“Ready to go to work, sire.”
“Excellent, come here,” he said, moving across to a table upon which various maps were strewn.
He stabbed his finger at a place name – Adamclisi.
“This is where I want to finish this. I have a problem with some traitors who gather at Decebalus’ feet; some men who I sent to him in good faith to help him become a loyal servant of Rome. These men and others, deserters and more traitors stay in the promise of wealth and land from this man’s hand.
“They are building siege engines and ballistae to kill soldiers of Rome, and I need them stopped before we engage them in battle. I want you to infiltrate their lines, seek out these traitors and destroy these infernal machines.”
“And the traitors?” I asked.
“I want to make an example of them if at all possible. Bring me back as many as you can, but for those you cannot take captive then give them their just desserts.”
I saluted and turned to leave. He called me back.
“Tell me, how will you do this?”
“Professionally and thoroughly,” I said with a smile.
