Corbulo was silent as he stroked his chin with a thoughtful look. Then at last he turned to Eochaid with his mind made up.
"There is one more thing I need from you," Corbulo said quietly.
Eochaid raised his eyebrows enquiringly.
"Be my guide and take me to the islands. I will get us two horses and some provisions. We shall leave tonight."
Eochaid was staring at Corbulo in surprise. Then slowly he shook his head.
"You are mad, you are completely insane," he whispered.
Chapter Twenty-Five - In Search of Quintus
Hastily Corbulo strode down the narrow paths that separated the densely packed round houses from each other. There were few people about and most of the Hibernian homes looked empty and deserted. Close by a dog was barking and up on the ramparts a Centurion was bellowing at his men but Corbulo paid them no attention. He was looking thoughtful. He was taking a gamble by trusting Eochaid but he had very little choice. The King of Leinster was the only one who seemed to have an idea of where Quintus had gone. There was no one else to ask. If the man was lying he would find out soon enough but he had to try. There was no way he would ever be able to look Marcus in the eye again if he didn't at least try to find Quintus. He'd agreed to meet Eochaid beside the river that flowed a couple of miles north of the Fortress of the Kings. The Hibernian had promised to be there. Baffled, Corbulo shook his head. How the man was going to escape from Cormac's house and just walk out of the fortress remained a complete mystery but when he had pressed Eochaid for an answer the Hibernian had just smiled. Corbulo had shrugged and left Eochaid to it. All that he needed now was a spare horse and some extra army rations.
Galba would hopefully be able to help. The Tribune was on the Legate's staff but that was no guarantee. The battle group needed every one of its horses and the Roman officers were sure to look dimly on any request for one of their valuable beasts. Corbulo groaned. If Galba could not help then he would have to go to Tuathal. Agricola had told him that he should approach Tuathal if he needed help but the thought of asking the newly crowned High King for assistance made him feel sick.
From the corner of his eye Corbulo noticed movement to his right. A man came out of the doorway making straight for him. Corbulo blinked. The man was a Praetorian. What was he doing here? Then from behind him a violent shove sent Corbulo careering into the wooden wall post of a house. His forehead slammed into the wood and he cried out in pain and shock as he staggered backwards from the impact. A boot struck his calf and then another shove sent him bouncing once more into the wall of the house. Corbulo yelled in pain as blood poured down his face. Vainly he reached for his sword but it was too late. Two pairs of hands had grasped his arms and were pinning them behind his back. A man appeared in front of him and with a vicious kick he struck Corbulo in the groin with his boot. Corbulo sank to the ground with a low moan. Then the world went dark as someone pulled a leather hood over his head.
"Get him inside the house," the Procurator snapped.
It took Corbulo a while before he was able to speak. The pain in his groin had become a dull throb that extended to his stomach and he could feel the blood caking his face where it had dried and congealed. His captors had forced him down on his knees and his hands had been bound behind his back and his ankles too had been tied up. Without warning the hood over his head was pulled away. Slowly he raised his head. He was inside one of the deserted Hibernian round-houses. The earthen floor around him was bare and it stank of the usual combination of animal piss and shit. Standing before him bearing a smug little smile was Classicus and beside him was one of his Praetorian guards. Corbulo turned round and saw two other Praetorians standing behind him. The men were armed and clad in full armour.
"Does it hurt?" the Procurator said.
"Fuck you," Corbulo muttered as he looked away.
"I told you to be careful," Classicus replied drawing a vine stick from his belt. Slowly he moved round behind Corbulo slapping the vine gently into the palm of his hand. "I warned you not to cross me." The blow came in fast and furious and the vine stick caught Corbulo on his kidneys. He cried out in pain.
"Now I am going to teach you to show a little respect to your superiors," the Procurator gasped. A second blow struck Corbulo across his back and he groaned. Then a third blow lashed his head sending him toppling over onto the ground.
"Get him up on his knees," Classicus hissed.
Corbulo grimaced with pain but he was silent as the Praetorians dragged him upright. Classicus slowly circled and then came to a halt before him. Impatiently he tapped the vine stick in his hand.
"What do you want?" Corbulo groaned.
Classicus was staring down at him.
"Bring the Hibernian inside, I want him to see this," he said turning to one of the Praetorians. The guard moved towards the doorway and poked his head outside. A few moments later the animal skin that covered the entrance was flung back and a tall bearded man with a black eye patch over one eye stepped inside. Corbulo's eyes widened in shock as he recognised the man.
"You," he gasped.
Faelan did not reply. Slowly and silently he came up to Corbulo. There was a faint mocking expression on his face and he was holding his wooden staff. Without a word the druid carefully sat down on the earthen floor and turned to stare at Corbulo with his one good eye. The silence lengthened and grew uncomfortable and then unnerving.
"Did a fucking raven pick your eye out?" Corbulo muttered as a fresh trickle of blood slowly made its way down his forehead.
Faelan remained silent, staring intently at Corbulo.
"What is he doing here?" Corbulo gasped turning to Classicus in sudden exasperation, "This man is a fucking druid. He's our enemy. I saw him at the battle of Drumanagh. He has promised to have every Roman prisoner executed. What are you doing with such a man? He will tell the Hibernians everything that he has seen here. How did he get inside our camp?"
Classicus chuckled. "What simple men you soldiers really are, believing that the only enemy is the one in the opposing army. What simple lives you lead. Tell me Corbulo, who do you think our real enemies are? Do you think it's the Hibernians, do you think its King Elim and his army or even the druids?" The Procurator shook his head. "No, there is only enemy and that is the traitorous scum who are plotting rebellion against the Emperor. Those men are our real enemies Corbulo. They are the men we must stop."
"You are mad," Corbulo shouted angrily, "You have allowed a spy to enter our camp. The Legate will have you executed for that!"
One of the Praetorians behind Corbulo struck him over the head with his fist and once more Corbulo crashed sideways onto the floor with a yell of pain.
"I am growing tired of you," the Procurator said wearily as Corbulo was hauled back up onto his knees. "So now we are going to talk you and I." Classicus paused as he started to circle Corbulo tapping his vine stick against his hand. "Let me start from the beginning," he said patiently. "My position as finance minister for the province of Britannia means that I am here to protect the Emperor’s interests. We have known for some time that there has been a plot against the Emperor's life and we have a list of suspects involved in this treason. Those Senators in Rome are being taken care of but it is a lot harder and more dangerous for us to accuse and confront military commanders who have the loyalty of their legions behind them. So I have to act carefully for starting a civil war is not a desirable outcome. I need absolute proof of their involvement before we can move against them." The Procurator paused as he came full circle and looked down at Corbulo. "Now earlier this year I thought I finally had that proof when my spy within the Governor's palace managed to steal six highly incriminating letters addressed to the Governor from a number of military commanders of Senatorial and Equestrian rank. But I seem to have underestimated my spy's loyalty to his own kind for instead of passing the letters on to me as I had ordered him to do, he hid them amongst his own community."
Corbulo lifted his head and looked up at Class
icus. One of his eyes was badly swollen and his face was caked in blood.
"Your spy was the Christian," he mumbled, "the man called Alexander, Quintus's friend."
"Yes," Classicus nodded sternly, "he was a Christian and I made the mistake of trusting him and those religious zealots. So before I could find out where Alexander had hidden the letters, the Governor tried to arrest him but Alexander killed himself before he was captured." The Procurator shrugged, "You know the story from there. By all rights I should stick a knife in your back right now for all the damage you have done to my interests. You helped those damned Christian children escape from Londinium and then you handed those letters back to the Governor." The Procurator raised a single finger in the air as his whole body shook with sudden anger, "You Corbulo may yet cause the downfall of the Emperor, but I assure you that you will not live to see what comes afterwards."
Corbulo closed his eyes and then opened them again. Slowly he raised his head to look up at the Procurator and there was a grim smile on his lips.
"What did Alexander demand from you?" he whispered hoarsely, "What did he want in return for the letters?"
Classicus restrained himself with an effort.
"That is something you don't need to know," he said firmly, "but we are not finished yet. There is one letter that is still unaccounted for. By torturing Alexander's Christian friends in Londinium I learned that Alexander gave one of the letters, Agricola's letter, to your friend Quintus, a recent convert to Christus who promptly disappeared." The Procurator took a step towards Corbulo.
"So where is he, Corbulo? Where is our friend Quintus? I would very much like to meet him."
Corbulo looked down at the ground and did not answer.
"You know where he is," Classicus said quietly; "the Hibernian King. Eochaid, you went to visit him just now and he told you didn't he?"
"Why don't you go and ask him yourself?" Corbulo muttered.
"Well I would," Classicus retorted, "but he's gone. He's vanished. They are looking for him everywhere. You let him escape didn't you? So what was the plan, take a couple of horses and let him guide you to where Quintus is hiding? It's over Corbulo, you are not going anywhere."
Corbulo stared down at the dark earth. The pain in his head was coming in waves.
"If you kill me, you will never find him," Corbulo mumbled.
The Procurator grunted contemptuously.
"I thought you would say that," he snapped, "but if you refuse to cooperate, it won't be you who will die. My men tell me that you have a son serving amongst the Batavian cavalry. So let's put it bluntly and plainly, either you tell me where Quintus is or else your son Marcus will end up lying in the mud with his throat cut. The choice is yours, make it now."
Corbulo closed his eyes and his head drooped. For a long moment he was silent. Then at last he looked up at Classicus and as he did so Faelan stirred and rose to his feet. The druid had not said a word since he'd entered the house.
"Allright," Corbulo nodded, "Eochaid told me it was likely that Quintus had fled to a place called Dun Aengus. It's on the west coast. Eochaid said that Quintus had a woman who came from there. That's all he told me. Leave my son alone. He has nothing to do with this."
"The Forbidden Islands," Faelan exclaimed in alarm. "No foreigner is allowed to set foot on those islands."
Corbulo glanced up at the druid. Faelan looked shocked.
The Procurator was staring at Corbulo intently. Then abruptly he turned to Faelan.
"You know what, I think he is telling the truth," he said. Quickly he snapped his fingers at the Praetorians. "Get the men ready, we are leaving. You two shall stay here with him. Keep him here for a couple of days and then hand him over to the Legate and tell Trebonius that it was him who allowed the prisoner to escape. The guards at Cormac's house will back you up. He was the last man to see Eochaid."
The Procurator turned to look down at Corbulo.
"You see Corbulo, when I want something, I get it. I believe the punishment for a soldier aiding the enemy in war time is death, " he said gleefully.
***
Corbulo woke with a start. A hood had been placed over his head and he could see nothing. How long had he been out? He lifted his head and groaned as he turned to look in what he thought was the direction of the doorway. The Praetorians had left him lying on the floor with his hands and ankles bound together and a gag wrapped around his mouth, but his ears had not deceived him. In the darkness he had heard something. Close by he sensed someone move.
"Lucius, is everything allright?" a Roman voice called out.
Corbulo lowered his head back onto the cool earth. The man's voice belonged to one of the Praetorians left behind to guard him. He was calling to the other guard. There was no answer from outside and the Praetorian cursed quietly and drew his sword. The metal blade made a faint noise as he pulled it free.
"Lucius," the Praetorian called out again, "Don't play games with me now. Are you allright? I heard something."
For a moment all was silent. Then violently the animal skin covering the doorway was flung aside and Corbulo heard men's harsh guttural cries. The Praetorian cursed loudly as men's boots thudded across the earth. A flaming torch landed on the ground beside Corbulo and he felt the heat start to burn his skin. Desperately he rolled away from the flames. Close by someone was straining and groaning as if involved in a fight. Then a single high-pitched cry rose rent the darkness and a body tumbled to the ground beside him. Corbulo froze as the hut went quiet. In the darkness he could hear men's laboured breathing. The silence lengthened. Then someone stooped down and pulled the hood from his head. Corbulo blinked and tried to adjust to the light. Outside through the open doorway he could see the stars in the night sky. The hut itself was lit by three or four flaming torches; but in their flickering light it was hard to see the faces of the men holding the torches. Slowly Corbulo turned to glance at the body of the Praetorian. He was dead. Then a man was kneeling down at his side and removing the gag that had been wrapped around his mouth.
"No one touches my dad," Marcus growled as he used his Pugio, to cut the rope that bound Corbulo's hands and ankles. Corbulo felt the ropes ease and stiffly he moved his hands and sat up.
"Is that really you son?" he muttered.
Marcus lowered his torch so that Corbulo could see his face.
"Yes it's me," Marcus replied, "and I brought some of my Batavians with me. You are allright now Dad, we took care of the other guard outside. You are free. Unfortunately that arsehole Classicus left Tara a few hours ago."
"How did you find me?" Corbulo said as he stiffly rubbed his wrists.
Marcus did not reply immediately. Instead he rose to his feet and handed his torch to one of the Batavians. Then he sighed. "Let's say that I suspected that you would get yourself into trouble, so I had one of my men follow you, discreetly, just to make sure that you were allright. He told me what happened. I am sorry that I could not have come sooner for the Procurator's head would be on a spike by now. Look at what that bastard did to you."
Corbulo grunted as he got up on his feet.
"Where's my sword?" he muttered casting about around the hut. The house remained silent as Corbulo stumbled around until he had retrieved his sword and had slid it back into his scabbard.
"Thank you," Corbulo said wearily turning to look at his son. "I was foolish, I should have seen them coming."
Marcus spoke quickly to the Batavians in their own language and one of the auxiliaries stooped to light the hearth in the middle of the round room as his comrades silently exited through the doorway. The wood fire took a while to catch but then it grew rapidly bathing the round room in a reddish glow.
"Yes you should have seen them coming," Marcus said as he sat down beside the flickering, crackling fire. "But then again you have been busy." Marcus looked down at the flames as Corbulo slowly sat down on the opposite side of the hearth. "They say that you went to see the Hibernian King and that after you left, the prisoner simp
ly vanished." A little smile appeared on Marcus's face. "Some of the men think that you possess magic."
"And what do you think?" Corbulo muttered.
Marcus looked up. "I think you know much more than you are telling me," he said quietly. "I am not stupid father, I know something is going on with you and Agricola and I know that it is somehow connected to the disappearance of my woman and child. I want you to tell me the truth?"
Corbulo was staring into the flames moodily and for a long moment he said nothing.
"Ah fuck it," he exclaimed at last, "you have a right to know." He looked up at Marcus. "Your woman and son are allright. Agricola has taken them. He is holding them hostage until I manage to find Quintus and retrieve a letter from him that belongs to Agricola. That's why I am here. I went to talk with the Hibernian King because I thought he might know where Quintus had gone and he does."
Corbulo took a deep breath and shrugged.
Marcus was watching him closely as an awkward silence descended. The crackle of the fire and the smell of smoke filled the room.
"Were you afraid that I would desert my unit and go looking for Agricola?" Marcus said with a tight voice. "Desertion is punishable by death."
Corbulo refused to look his son in the eye. He shrugged. "Maybe," he muttered. "I would have thought about it if I were you."
Marcus looked away. Then swiftly he rose to his feet.
"Well I am not going to desert," he said calmly, "because I have faith in my dad. Go on, find Quintus and give Agricola what he wants. Sort this thing out."
Corbulo looked up at his son in surprise. Then slowly a little smile appeared on his lips.
"I am going to need two good horses and some extra rations," he said.
Chapter Twenty-Six - Into the West
Hibernia (Veteran of Rome Book 2) Page 22
