Vengeance of a Slave

by V. M. Sang

  “For you, perhaps, but for the others?”

  Ailbert looked away. “I'm not sure. Excitement? I think some of them hope if we can harry them enough … they’ll think it’s not worth staying here and leave.”

  Dera waddled in. Her time was getting close and she found it more and more difficult to get around. “Hello, Ailbert.” She pecked Huw on the cheek. “Good to see you. What were you two talking about?”

  The men looked at each other and an understanding passed between them.

  “Nothing much,” Huw told his wife. “Just this and that. We’ve not had a chat for a while.”

  “You see each other often, Huw. Have you forgotten that Ailbert does your finances?”

  “No, of course not, but that’s business, no time for chitchat then.” He turned to Ailbert. “That reminds me. Will you look at the books tomorrow?”

  The look that Huw gave him told him that he would not tell Dera about their conversation, but that he would continue it the next day.

  Ailbert poured over the accounts. He had an abacus in front of him and moved the beads quickly, adding up the money Huw had made. The beads clicked as Ailbert slid them along the wires. He concentrated, with his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth. When he had finished, he handed the paper on which he had written the accounts to Huw.

  Huw glanced at the paper and pushed it aside, and turned to the young man. “I think you should consider coming with me on a regular basis and learning more about the merchant trade.”

  Ailbert merely looked at him.

  Huw continued. “I’m going to train my sons eventually, but a second person will be useful. You could perhaps find out more about the timings and routes of the Roman patrols while we’re in Eberacum.”

  Ailbert raised his eyebrows. This came as a surprise. He had not expected it. He had thought Huw intended to berate him about his plans, but he seemed to like the idea. “You’ve decided to help us then?”

  “No, not exactly. I still think it’s foolish, but I also realise I can’t stop you.” He grinned then. “And I’d be pleased to see the Romans a bit put out.”

  A week later, the pair set out for the market in Eberacum. The oxen plodded along. Ailbert sat on the seat next to Huw, willing the miles to pass and the oxen to speed up, but the beasts had their own pace: slow. He wanted to get to the city as soon as possible to start his observations.

  A patrol met them as they neared the gates. The patrol headed along the road in the direction of Pen Coed. Ailbert watched and saw them turn off to the left towards the village of Blaenafon. He did not know that road, but he resolved to go along it as soon as possible to look for suitable places for an ambush.

  When the traders arrived at the marketplace in Eberacum, Huw set out their stall. People soon came to inspect their goods. A new trader in town would always bring people to see what he sold. Huw specialised in luxury goods, so it was mainly the richer folk who approached.

  A man in ragged clothes drew near.

  “On your way,” Huw shouted at the man. “Nothing here you can afford.”

  The man slunk into the crowds.

  “You have to be careful of thieves,” Huw told Ailbert. “Sometimes the beggars and poor folk try to steal things to sell.”

  After a very short time, Ailbert became too busy to think about anything other than attending to customers. People bought much of the wine. Of course, he remembered, it would be Saturnalia soon, and the wine would be for the feast. At this time, the Romans also had the practice of giving gifts, so other things, like the jewellery made by the silversmith in the village and the game of knucklebones, also made in the village, were in great demand.

  Huw had the carpenters create wooden toys for people to buy for their children as well. These sold quickly too.

  “If you want to, go and have a look round the market,” Huw said when there was a lull in the many buyers. “It’s probably best if you go now while there aren’t so many people.”

  Ailbert thanked him and wandered off. Many stalls filled the marketplace, several selling food. There were not many people like Huw, who went far to gather their goods. Most of the stallholders were local farmers selling their own produce and a few craftsmen selling their wares. No wonder Huw’s stall seemed so popular. Few, if any, had wine and olive oil, nor the lovely amber jewellery that Huw sold.

  The day ended and the merchants packed their things, and set off to their various homes. Huw and Ailbert hitched the oxen up to the cart and began the long journey home. They did not arrive until well after dark.

  Dera welcomed them and gave Huw a hug. “Did you do well today?”

  “Yes. With the Roman feast of Saturnalia coming up people were in the mood to buy. It was very successful.”

  Ailbert left to go to the home he shared with Awena, his head not filled with merchandise and profits but with possible ambush places on the road to Blaenafon.

  The next morning, Ailbert and Rhodri left the village to look at the road the patrol had passed along. They reached the turning just before mid-day. After stopping for a brief rest and something to eat, they strolled leisurely along the road.

  It passed through fields for a while, then the sides of the road rose up to create a steep valley. Rocks lay by the side of the road and up the steep slopes. However, there were no trees of ample size to hide in or behind.

  “Look away, Rhodri, and I’ll go and hide. Tell me if you can see me at all.”

  Rhodri turned and Ailbert climbed up the roadside and crouched behind a large rock. Rhodri turned and looked all around. He could see nothing of his friend at all and called to that effect.

  Ailbert stood and waved, and then he called, “Go a little way down the road and see if you can see me from there.”

  Rhodri duly did as his friend instructed. When he looked to where he had seen Ailbert stand up, he could see the other man crouching there. “No good, Ailbert. I can see you from here. This is where the Romans will come from.”

  The pair decided that would not be a good place if they could be seen by anyone coming along the road and so they pressed onwards. A little further along the road, the steep slopes dropped and a small stream crossed the path. The road narrowed here and thick woodland grew along the banks of the stream.

  “A-ha,” Ailbert exclaimed, gesturing. “Perhaps this would be a good place.”

  They repeated the procedure and this time Rhodri could see nothing of Ailbert. Then Rhodri hid in a different place. The pair tried hiding in eight or ten different places; as most were hidden from the road, they decided this would be the best place for an ambush.

  It took them a long time to get back to Pen Coed, but both felt pleased and elated by their day’s work.

  16

  Ailbert continued to travel to the Eberacum market with Huw, until two weeks later, just before Saturnalia.

  He had managed to establish the routine of the patrol. The young men prepared to leave so they would be in position well before the patrol arrived. On arriving at the chosen spot, Ailbert sent each man off to his hiding place with strict instructions to remain still, especially when they heard the Roman soldiers coming along the road.

  “I want you to be so still the birds will think you’re rocks and land on you,” he told them firmly.

  Rees snorted at this, but at a look from Gareth, he quietly went to his allocated place.

  They waited an age before the sounds of marching feet could be heard further along the road. Ailbert silently sympathised with his men; he found it difficult to stay still as well. He thought he could sense excitement in the wood and felt sure the Romans would feel it too.

  Then they appeared. A patrol of two contuburnia, each led by a decius. Eighteen men. Ailbert’s little band was only ten. Would they succeed? Could they succeed?

  Be that as it may, they did not intend to defeat this patrol, perhaps just injure one or two … give the Romans something to think about … then melt away, as though into the mists.

 
Ailbert raised his bow and remained crouching as he fired his arrow straight at the nearest soldier. The arrow struck true and the soldier went down, clutching his side. Nine more arrows flew. Three struck soldiers. One soldier went down and lay still. The others were hit only glancing blows.

  Now came the time to make a silent getaway. Ailbert hoped the practice they had put in to move silently and stealthily had paid off; they had decided not to leave as a group, but that each young man would make his own way back to Pen Coed. That way, if the Romans caught any of them, the rest would live to fight another day. Slowly, Ailbert crept backwards along the bank of the stream, hidden by the dense bushes growing there.

  The Roman patrol milled around the banks of the stream. They had not anticipated this attack and it took them a few moments to organise themselves. Once their commanders had re-established order, they immediately slipped into the formation they called the testudo. They formed closely and held their shields over their heads and round the sides, making an impenetrable cover. It was too late, though. Four of them were hurt and possibly of those was dead.

  Soundlessly, the attackers crept out of the ambush and headed back overland to Pen Coed. The testudo could not follow, even if they knew where their enemy went.

  Back at the village, the young men clapped each other on the back at the success of this initial ambush, and the resultant injuring of the Roman soldiers.

  Ailbert joined in the excitement. He had done it! He had given the Romans something to think about and injured some of them in the process. He could not stop the grin that spread across his face. However, he knew next time would not be so easy. The Romans did not expect any resistance, at least not since they had put down the rebellion of the Brigantes, but they would be more on their guard in future.

  As Ailbert continued to accompany Huw to Eberacum, he gradually found out more about the movements of the patrols.

  “They say they’re for our protection,” Huw told him one day, “but they’re really to keep us down. Who’s going to rebel if they think soldiers will attack them if they do?”

  He had winked at Ailbert as he said this, and Ailbert smiled inwardly.

  The ten young men had begun to refer to themselves as Ailbert's Army. Rees had objected at first, but the others shouted him down.

  “Who’s planning all this and finding out about the patrols and where they go?” Gareth asked. “Ailbert. Who searches out the best ambush places? Ailbert. Who taught us the best way to attack and harry the Romans? Ailbert!”

  Rhodri offered his opinion. “We’d have gathered a load of hotheads from here and other villages and called ourselves an army. Then, we’d have gone and challenged the Roman army on the battlefield and lost. We’d all be dead and probably many of our families too, not to mention being taken into slavery.”

  “If they find out who’s attacking them, they’ll still do that,” Rees responded.

  Ailbert raised his hand. “No more. We must remain as a unit. If we fall out among ourselves, we’ll get nowhere.”

  The others fell silent and listened to the next plan.

  Ailbert's army attacked three more patrols that winter. Then the Romans became more alert, watching for new attacks.

  One young man took an arrow in the leg in the last ambush. It was nothing serious though, as it had only been his thigh and would only leave a long scar. Nevertheless, Ailbert’s Army decided to abandon the harrying for a few months.

  “Let the Romans think we’ve given up,” Ailbert told them. “Then, when they relax their guard a bit, we can start again.”

  17

  Beltane approached rapidly. This was a time for handfastings and Huw agreed that Awena and Rhodri could become handfasted at the ceremony.

  The morning of Beltane arrived. Awena was dressed in the new clothes Dera helped her fashion.

  Dera’s baby had been born earlier in the winter. The little boy only lived for but one month and the woman needed something to take her mind off her grief. Helping make Awena’s clothes came at a good time for her.

  Awena stood in the centre of Dera and Huw’s home. Her stomach churned as she thought of the ceremony to come, and how her life would change.

  She looked at Dera anxiously. “I feel a bit sick.”

  Dera regarded her and reached for an infusion of camomile. “Here, drink this. It’ll help settle your stomach. I expect you’re feeling quite nervous.”

  Awena nodded. “But excited, too.” She walked to the door, sipping the camomile tea, and peered outside. The day had dawned, fine and sunny, though not very warm. Every household put out the fires that had burned throughout the winter so no smoke rose from the thatch of the houses. Every home had brought in flowers and the inhabitants laid new fires, ready to be relit from sacred bonfires.

  Awena and Dera, along with the rest of the village, left to go to the sacred place, where the druid would light the bonfires.

  Once there, the ceremonies began. The druid prayed to the god and goddess to bless the village with fertility, and then the farmers drove the livestock between the two fires.

  When they had completed this, the time arrived for the handfasting of three couples. The druid heard their vows and then tied their hands together with a red cord as a symbol of their commitment to each other. After that, they jumped the fires, laughing and hoping they would make it across. All did, of course, but Awena and Rhodri both breathed a sigh of relief, looked at each other, and burst out laughing.

  The feasting started, causing much merriment as the couples tried to eat with tied hands—for the cords would not be untied by the druid until the feast had officially ended.

  Awena thought she and Rhodri would never stop laughing. She reached out for something—as he was raising his hand to put something in his mouth, Then he dropped it, of course. Eventually, they managed to coordinate their eating so they both managed to eat enough to satisfy them.

  After the meal, the druid came over to the newly handfasted couples and ceremonially untied the cords, which demonstrated that the untying showed that the couples would stay together of their own free will.

  Thus began Awena's life with Rhodri. They would live together in the home she had shared with Ailbert. This arrangement would last for one year and a day; then, if they did not wish to stay together, they could part ways.

  Ailbert moved back into the home of Huw and Dera to allow the young couple their privacy. It made the house crowded and Ailbert privately thought it was perhaps a good thing Dera’s baby had not lived. That would have made it very uncomfortable indeed.

  The summer passed quickly and, with it, the festival of Lughnasa, the beginning of the harvest season. The bonfires had been lit on the hills and Lugh appeased for another year so he would not send storms to ravage the crops.

  Awena had become pregnant with her first child, due just before Beltane the following year. This delighted her, but also made her afraid. After all, many women died in childbirth, and many children did not survive. Dera comforted her fears, however, telling her that she was a healthy young woman and there was no reason why she should not have a strong child.

  Not long after this, Rees began talking to the others, declaring they should resume the attacks on the Romans. “We’ve not made any attacks for months, and the Romans must think by now we’ve given up. A new series of attacks will surprise them.”

  Ailbert cautioned against starting again too soon.

  One day, one of the men came up to Ailbert and advised him that Rees had threatened to take the men himself and resume the attacks.

  Ailbert felt he had enough on his plate at the moment; he had been travelling to Eberacum on a regular basis with Huw, and was beginning to enjoy the life of a merchant. Huw had taught him how to value a variety of goods and promised to take him to Londinium next time he went.

  “What if I’m recognised though, Huw?” Ailbert asked, knitting his brows.

  “It’s been over a year now since you escaped and, anyway, you can dye your hair again
. I don’t think anyone will recognise you with brown hair. In the last year, you’ve grown from a boy to a man.”

  Ailbert called a meeting of Ailbert's Army after Rees’ threat to take the men himself. Gareth told him not to worry, that the men would never follow Rees, but Ailbert wanted to ensure all was clearly understood. There could be no divisions in the troop if they were to succeed.

  They met as usual in the clearing in the wood.

  “Now, Rees,” Ailbert began when they were all assembled, “what’s this about you starting the attacks again?”

  “Who told you?” Rees snapped, looking round the clearing at those gathered there.

  “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we stand united. If we split, then we’ve lost. We can’t do what we’ve been doing with fewer men.”

  “You think not? I disagree.” Rees scowled at Ailbert. “This shooting and retreating could be done with fewer men quite easily.” He gazed round to see how many of the assembled group were nodding in agreement. A few were, but the majority watched at him with hard eyes.

  “The important thing is not splitting the group,” Gareth affirmed. “We can’t afford to have two rival groups fighting the same battle.”

  “Why not? My group could attack one lot of Romans while Ailbert’s group attacks another. Wouldn’t that confuse and disrupt the Romans even further?”

  “First, you need to have a group,” put in Rhodri. “How many of these men would go with you?”

  Ailbert looked around before speaking again. “Rees, how about first seeing how much support you have here? You want to start the attacks again, but I say we should wait longer, so the Romans think we’ve stopped because one of us was injured in the last attack.” He walked to one side of the clearing. “Those of you who agree that we should hold off attacks for a little while longer, come over here and stand with me, while those of you who think, like Rees, that we should start again immediately, go over there with Rees.”