"So I got you here, now what?" Eochaid said glancing up at the sky.
Corbulo closed his eyes. Then he opened them. "If these are the Forbidden Islands then I am not allowed to be here," he said slowly, "Anyone can see that I am a Roman so I am not going to be able to walk straight through the gates of Dun Aengus and ask them where Quintus is. No, you will have to do that. Go now before it's too dark and find out if Quintus is here and if so where he is being held."
"I knew you would say that," Eochaid replied with a sigh, "see Roman, if you had left me on the mainland you wouldn't have a hope."
Corbulo turned to look at the Hibernian. "If we can get Quintus off this island, you will have saved two lives Eochaid, two lives that mean a lot to me."
A little smile appeared on Eochaid's lips as he rose to his feet. "I know," he replied, "Two lives you say, well it must be worth it then. It will be you Roman who will owe me in that case."
He was about to walk away when he paused and looked up at the sky. For a moment it seemed as if he was doing a calculation in his head. Then Eochaid turned to Corbulo and raised his eyebrows.
"I nearly forgot," he exclaimed, "Tonight is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year."
Corbulo looked puzzled and shrugged.
"Dun Aengus is the capital of the druids," Eochaid said quietly, "They will be out celebrating tonight. No doubt it will be a great feast. Keep an eye open for their fires. I may not be back until the morning."
Corbulo's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What do you mean?" he muttered as he rose to his feet.
Eochaid grinned and grasped his own balls with his hand. "I haven't had a chance to use these for a while, it's about time that I did," he replied.
***
Corbulo watched Eochaid disappear up the path leading to the cliff top. It was the right decision to send the Hibernian ahead as a scout but Corbulo could not get rid of the feeling that he should have been doing that job. Exhaustion was trying to close his eyes and force him to sleep. Stubbornly he shook his head and slapped his cheek. Then he rose and strode out into the surf, knelt down in the sand and thrust his head into the seawater. The water was still shockingly cold and he rose rapidly sending drops flying in every direction. He turned and started up the beach in the direction that Eochaid had taken. One thing he could do at least before it became too dark was to get a good look at Dun Aengus.
The sun had already vanished below the horizon when Corbulo crouched down beside the boulder. It hadn't taken him very long to climb up to the cliff top and cross the narrow neck of land that separated the beach from the other side of the island. The first thing that had struck him as he'd made it up onto the top of the cliffs was the sheer rugged, barrenness of the island. There was not a tree to be seen and the ground was featureless and covered by rocks. In the dying light the only sign of vegetation was a strange looking yellow moss that grew in the cracks between the rocks. Corbulo grunted in amazement as he caught sight of Dun Aengus. The settlement was larger than he had expected and much more impressive. The oval shaped inner wall stood on a small promontory jutting out into the sea with its walls ending at the cliff edge and its rear protected by sheer hundred yard high cliffs. Corbulo grunted respectfully. He could see why there had been no need to extend the wall all the way around to complete the oval shape. The cliffs at the rear looked formidable. Curiously he turned to peer at the dry stonewall a hundred paces away. Inside the enclosure beyond he could see a large herd of cattle, cows and sheep. The animals were guarded by three boys, armed with sticks. who were moving about the herd. He grunted and shifted his gaze. Beyond the herding enclosure was a field of upturned stones that created a maze of sharpened obstacles. Corbulo recognised it immediately for what it was, an anti cavalry defence and once more he grunted with growing amazement. This was no ordinary Celtic settlement, this place was a fortress, carefully designed and constructed. No wonder the druids had made it their capital. The place looked impregnable. He glanced up at the sky. Darkness was not far away. He turned back to stare at the fortress. There was another dry stone wall beyond the maze of upturned stones and maybe more behind it but he couldn't see any further. The walls looked like they were at least six yards high and it was impossible to know how thick. Corbulo grunted as he traced the walls to the single gate into the fortress. This place had never fallen; this settlement had never been captured. However old this place may be he was certain of that. Did anyone in Roman Britannia know that this place existed? As he stared at Dun Aengus, a solitary bonfire sprang into life. Corbulo turned to look at it. The fire was coming from the inner enclosure, from a raised rectangular platform that overlooked the sea and the sheer cliffs that jutted out into the ocean. As he stared at it he suddenly saw an answering light appear out on the ocean to west. Corbulo frowned. The light on the ocean had to be from a ship. What was a boat doing out there after dark?
It was a few hours later when Corbulo heard something move on the path leading up to the cliff tops. Instantly he was up on his feet, his sword in his hand. Close by a stone clattered down onto the beach and in the darkness he heard a soft muffled curse.
"Roman, are you there, it's me Eochaid," a voice whispered in the gloom.
Corbulo relaxed as he peered into the darkness. Then a shape appeared and he could hear a man's breathing.
"I am here," Corbulo said impatiently.
Another muffled curse erupted from the darkness. In the faint moonlight Corbulo caught a glimpse of the figure of a man.
"What are you doing here?" Corbulo whispered as he held onto his sword, "You said that you wouldn't be back until the morning."
"I know," the voice in the darkness replied, "and I am as disappointed as you are. I got the date wrong. The summer solstice is tomorrow. Must have missed a day when I was locked up in Tara. Shit happens, sorry."
A smile appeared on Corbulo's face as he slid his sword back into its scabbard.
"Did you get inside Dun Aengus? What did you find out about Quintus?"
In the darkness there was no immediate reply. The silence lengthened. Then Eochaid cleared his throat.
"I saw him," he said, "He's here allright and he's alive."
"Well?" Corbulo said impatiently.
"Well," Eochaid said sheepishly, "I may have gotten things wrong when I told you he had a woman here in Dun Aengus. I am sorry, I was locked up in Tara and may have gotten things mixed up."
"Just tell me what you saw," Corbulo said.
Eochaid sighed. "I saw him," he replied, "They have him tied up to a slaver’s ring beside the raised platform that overlooks the sea, the platform the druids use to honour the gods. They say that when the bonfires are lit on that platform they can be seen from tens of miles away." Eochaid paused. "There is certainly a woman involved," he said wearily," but it's not what you think. Quintus is not her lover; he's her slave. She owns him. That's why he's tied up."
Corbulo opened his mouth, then closed it before opening it again.
"A Centurion of the Twentieth will never be a slave," he said at last. "He's not going to be a slave for much longer. It's a disgrace."
"There is more," Eochaid said patiently, "whilst in the settlement I saw Faelan, the druid. He was alone and he didn't see me but I have learned that he arrived today and that he has made it known that he wants to buy Quintus. He has spread the word around that he is willing to pay a good price."
"What about Classicus and his Praetorians? Did you see them?" Corbulo gasped.
"No," Eochaid said sharply, "these are the Forbidden Islands, no foreigners are permitted to land here or have you forgotten. I think Classicus and his men have remained on the mainland waiting for Faelan to return with Quintus."
Corbulo was silent for a moment. Then he looked up.
"So has Faelan's offer been accepted?"
"I don't know," Eochaid replied from the darkness. "His mistress will return to Dun Aengus tomorrow. I expect she will agree to the price then. Faelan can be a very persuasive man when h
e wants to be and he has gold. He did not hide that fact."
Corbulo was silent as he turned to look out to sea.
"Fuck, we are running out of time," he murmured.
"What do you want to do?" Eochaid said gloomily. "I have to warn you Roman, Dun Aengus is a fortress. You will never get inside without being spotted. There is only one gate and the inner walls are always manned and they have dogs guarding the space between the inner walls. I saw them. They are war dogs. They will tear you to pieces if they catch you."
Corbulo was silent as he stared out to sea.
"Can you get hold of some strong rope, a long rope," he muttered at last.
Eochaid frowned. "Why, what do you need it for?"
Corbulo was still staring out to sea. Then abruptly he turned to face Eochaid.
Tomorrow," he said quietly, " we will enter Dun Aengus and free Quintus. He is my friend and I owe him this. I will not leave him here to rot as a slave. Tomorrow we are going to break him out of that place."
In the darkness Corbulo did not see Eochaid shake his head.
"I said it once before," the Hibernian murmured, "and I shall say it again. You are mad Roman, stark raving mad."
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Beacon of the West
It was noon and the sky was a brilliant blue. Corbulo crouched beside the rock and peered at the outer wall of Dun Aengus and the stone field beyond. A yard to his right the cliff edge fell away in a sheer drop to the sea, a hundred yards below. Dimly he could hear the waves crashing onto the rocks. A stout looking rope was tied around his chest and coiled over his shoulder and a second shorter rope was bound around his waist and tucked into his belt. He'd stripped off all his armour and was clad in his simple white army tunic. His Pugio a short knife hung from his belt but apart from that he was unarmed.
Dun Aengus was full of activity. From his vantage point Corbulo could see the men preparing a large bonfire on top of the rectangular raised stone platform that abutted the cliff edge. It was for the summer solstice and Eochaid had told him that the fire they were about to light was called the Beacon of the West. The druids were busy preparing for their solemn seasonal ritual, which was to be followed by a great feast. Corbulo sighed as he tried to calculate the distance to the platform. It was maybe two hundred to three hundred yards away but it was difficult to tell. His gaze wandered inland and towards the entry gate into the middle enclosure with its cluster of tightly packed thatched round houses. Eochaid was in there somewhere waiting for him as they had discussed. In his mind Corbulo went over his plan one final time. Eochaid had told him that he'd seen Quintus tied up to a slaver’s ring set in stone just beneath the raised stone platform but that had been yesterday evening. The Hibernians could have moved him by now or worse sold him to Faelan. He would have to hurry.
Stiffly he moved towards the cliff edge and peered over the side at the white waves as they crashed into the rocks far below. The cliff side was not smooth and straight like it was on the other side of the island. Here years and years of continuous exposure to the ocean and wind had left and created gashes, cracks and outcrops that formed an uneven jumble of rock. Slowly Corbulo lowered himself over the edge of the cliff and planted his feet on a thin ledge as he tried not to look down. Then slowly he started to move sideways along the cliff face, hugging the rock with his body as he grasped hold of the stone and tested the cracks and ledges with his feet. The traverse was not as hard as he had expected for in this section of the cliff, the rocks provided numerous hand holds and places for him to put his feet but his progress was slow and tiring. At last he paused to rest, standing on a thin exposed ridge with his face pressed into the rock. Close by a seagull swept past him and its screech echoed off the cliffs. Corbulo took a deep breath and looked up. The cliff top was only a few yards above him and he was suddenly reminded of the time in Caledonia when he'd leapt from a cliff and into the sea, but that cliff had not been as high as this one. Carefully he twisted his head to look in the direction of Dun Aengus but from his position clinging to the cliff face he could not see the fortress.
With a grunt he started out again on his traverse. Here and there green moss and small plants had found a niche between the rocks and once his foot slipped and sent a small avalanche of stones tumbling down into the sea far below. Corbulo paused and pressed his nose into the cliff as he steadied his nerves and struggled to contain the panic that threatened to overwhelm him. It was no use going backwards, he had to keep going. Grimly he started sideways once more, his fingers stretching and searching for the next grip before his foot followed, testing the cracks, outcrops and ledges gingerly. Once he startled a nest of birds in a crack in the rock and the outraged animals flew away squawking and screeching leaving their young behind. At last, after what seemed hours, he paused to rest and risked a quick look up at the cliff top. Suddenly he heard voices. They were coming from up on the top of the cliff and Corbulo felt a shudder of excitement. Had he made it? Had he reached the cliff below the raised stone platform? The next moment a stream of yellowish liquid came hurtling down the side of the cliff and splattered over his head and clothes. Corbulo closed his eyes and groaned. Someone had just pissed on him. As if to rub it in he heard the voices above him break out into laughter and move away.
Carefully he glanced down the cliff at the sea. It looked a long way down. Then he raised his head and looked up. The top of the cliff was not too far away. With a grunt he raised his arm and his fingers scrabbled around for a hold and found one in a protruding stone. With an effort he pulled himself up the face as his feet desperately searched for something to stand on. Then he found it, a crack in the slabs of rock. His arms were trembling with fatigue as he finally made it up to the edge of the cliff top. Flattening himself against the cliff face he cautiously raised his head above the rock and as he did so his heart leapt in joy. The raised stone platform was just a dozen yards away. He had it made it. He had traversed the cliff. Quickly he lowered his head and stared at the naked rock that was so close it touched his nose. How long had the traverse taken him? It was impossible to tell. For a few moments he waited allowing his aching body a rest. Then slowly he raised his head again and peered at the platform. The stone slaver rings in the ground were there just as Eochaid had said they were. He ducked back down as up on the platform he saw two men dragging a large piece of wood up onto a pile. That had to be for the fire that the druids were going to use to celebrate the solstice. As he clung to the rock he heard the men's voices as they called out to each other. At last they fell silent and Corbulo risked another glance and this time his gaze was fixed on the edge of the rectangular platform. If Eochaid was right, Quintus would be tied up just around that corner. A surge of excitement coursed through him but he managed to restrain himself. He shifted his gaze towards the wall that marked out the inner enclosure. The space between the platform and the wall was as empty and flat as the top of the platform. Corbulo bit his lip. Come on Eochaid, where are you, he thought. The Hibernian should have been waiting for him here. Why was he not here?
Corbulo hugged the rock as he waited but every time he raised his head there was no sign of the Hibernian King. Then suddenly he heard movement above him and a small stone came rattling and tumbling passed him. It was followed by a stream of liquid that spread out into a spray of droplets.
"Are you down there Roman?" a quiet voice said cheerfully.
Corbulo looked up and shook his head in disgust as he caught sight of Eochaid.
"You pissed on me," he hissed.
"Sorry," Eochaid replied as he fumbled with his clothing, "but that's why people come to the edge of this cliff. This is where they piss." Eochaid lowered his voice, "The druids are here, are you allright?"
"Is Quintus here," Corbulo gasped as he looked up at the Hibernian standing above him.
"He is," Eochaid replied quietly as a grin appeared on his face. "Tied up to a slave ring just around the corner. I think he's asleep."
"Good," Corbulo nodded as a wave of relief swept
over him. "Then do what you have to do. I will meet you back at the boat as discussed."
Eochaid smiled sadly as he turned to look out to sea.
"The gate is heavily guarded and I have seen Faelan. I think he is about to conclude his purchase. You will never get out through that gate. You two will stand out like sheep amongst wolves. They will burn you alive if they catch you."
"We're not going out through the front gate," Corbulo hissed. He paused to catch his breath. "How will I know when you start your diversion?"
Eochaid raised his eyebrows and sent a stone flying out into thin air and down into the ocean below.
"You will know," he muttered turning away, "You won't be able to miss it and when this is over Roman we are equal."
***
Corbulo watched Eochaid disappear from view. Then his attention was suddenly drawn to the raised platform. The bonfire had been lit and a trail of smoke was rising up into the pale blue air. As he stared at the smoke a line of silent white robed druids appeared and slowly formed a circle around the bonfire. Corbulo lowered his head so that his eyes were barely above the cliff edge. The druids had clasped hands and were facing inwards towards the blazing fire. Then they started a steady chant that slowly grew in volume and power. Wildly Corbulo stared at the scene as the sight of the druids brought back a flood of memories, dark painful memories of dismembered corpses, headless bodies and bloodied hearts and testicles cut from bodies. The chanting reached a feverish pitch and abruptly died away but the circle of druids remained intact. Corbulo's mouth had gone dry and he had difficulty swallowing. The sight on top of the platform terrified him, but then a feeling of bitter hatred steadied his nerves. He wrenched his eyes away from the white clad figures and stared at the inner wall. What had Eochaid said? That he would not be able to miss the diversion he was about to create? What was keeping the Hibernian? He bit his lip and stared at the wall but nothing seemed to be happening. Carefully he lowered his head below the cliff face. His legs and arms were growing tired. He wouldn't be able to stay on this narrow ledge for much longer. Then suddenly he heard a cry. It was followed by a woman's scream; then another. He raised his head. Beyond the inner enclosure wall smoke was rising up into the sky, great billowing clouds of black smoke. It was coming from the closely packed round houses in the middle enclosure. Corbulo's eyes widened in shock. This was it. This was Eochaid's diversion. The Hibernian had set fire to Dun Aengus.
Hibernia (Veteran of Rome Book 2) Page 24
