savage nocturnal attacks, he’d be as much use as a wax fire-bucket.
I handed Silvanius back his disc. “When I found the wounded man this morning, I thought it was just a single horrible incident. But this has the feel of something organised, almost professional, doesn’t it? Three attacks in the area, one this side of town, one the other side, and one in the forum. It looks too well planned to be just a casual band of outlaws. And cutting off the heads of two of them…like in the old days, when the warriors collected heads as trophies from enemies they killed in battle.”
He nodded. “Someone is threatening us, and making it as frightening for us as they can. It’s like a military campaign, yet not fought on a battlefield. Waged in secret, through fear. A campaign of terror.”
“A campaign of terror,” I repeated. “A good phrase. And a campaign implies several engagements, not just one night’s work. You think we’re in for more attacks then?”
“I fear so,” he said gloomily. “One has heard rumours. Discontent among some of the more hot-blooded young men….As we all know, there are still elements of the native population who haven’t accepted the finality of the Roman conquest.” He sipped more wine. “But from what you say, your man will survive. Have you found out anything about him?”
I’d have to watch my step here. If Quintus Antonius was who we suspected he was, he wouldn’t want anyone drawing attention to him. “Not much, no. He’s got well-made Roman clothes, and his horse was a good one. So a reasonably rich traveller. And he called out for someone named Burrus, so he may have had a servant with him. That’s about all I can tell you. We’ll just have to wait and see when he wakes up properly. Have either of the other two been identified?”
“Not yet. The one in the forum was a servant, from his clothing, and young and strong. From the injuries he received, he had put up quite a fight. The body on the Eburacum road looks more eastern, from his clothes, and older; perhaps a trader or a contractor.”
I sipped my wine, wondering what was coming next.
“As head of the Oak Bridges Town Council,” Silvanius mused, “I feel I ought to do something. People will look to me, I know. But I’m unsure of the best course to take. That’s why I thought….You always talk good sense, Aurelia. So refreshing in a woman.”
I’d have to let that go with a smile; there were more important battles to fight just now.
He went on, “We’re being threatened by, well, we don’t know by whom….”
“We can make a shrewd guess,” I interrupted. “The Druids and their followers, the believers in the old religion.”
“Oh, I hope not! We’ve all had enough bloodshed. What we need now is peace. Peace and prosperity.”
“And some of the Druids’ rituals are so uncivilised,” Felix remarked. “Human sacrifice, for example. Quite disgusting!”
“All the same, if there’s trouble, I’d bet any money they’re involved. Even though they’re outlawed now, they still have their followers. You can’t just abolish a religion by a stroke of the Emperor’s pen. In fact just trying to abolish it makes the believers more determined.”
“How can they be such fools!” Silvanius exclaimed. “Can’t they see this province of ours must go forward with Rome, not backward into the ancient past? Somehow we’ve got to stop them!” He stared at nothing in particular for a while, thinking hard. Felix and I exchanged a glance, but we both kept quiet. Finally he said, “I think I shall call a meeting of the Town Council.”
“That’s a terrible idea.” Oh, me and my big mouth! When will I remember how seriously these new citizens take their town councils?
Silvanius looked quite hurt, but Felix smiled slyly. “Your view couldn’t be coloured by the fact that you aren’t a member of the council, so you wouldn’t be able to attend, Aurelia dear?”
I couldn’t deny it. “I’ll
I handed Silvanius back his disc. “When I found the wounded man this morning, I thought it was just a single horrible incident. But this has the feel of something organised, almost professional, doesn’t it? Three attacks in the area, one this side of town, one the other side, and one in the forum. It looks too well planned to be just a casual band of outlaws. And cutting off the heads of two of them…like in the old days, when the warriors collected heads as trophies from enemies they killed in battle.”
He nodded. “Someone is threatening us, and making it as frightening for us as they can. It’s like a military campaign, yet not fought on a battlefield. Waged in secret, through fear. A campaign of terror.”
“A campaign of terror,” I repeated. “A good phrase. And a campaign implies several engagements, not just one night’s work. You think we’re in for more attacks then?”
“I fear so,” he said gloomily. “One has heard rumours. Discontent among some of the more hot-blooded young men….As we all know, there are still elements of the native population who haven’t accepted the finality of the Roman conquest.” He sipped more wine. “But from what you say, your man will survive. Have you found out anything about him?”
I’d have to watch my step here. If Quintus Antonius was who we suspected he was, he wouldn’t want anyone drawing attention to him. “Not much, no. He’s got well-made Roman clothes, and his horse was a good one. So a reasonably rich traveller. And he called out for someone named Burrus, so he may have had a servant with him. That’s about all I can tell you. We’ll just have to wait and see when he wakes up properly. Have either of the other two been identified?”
“Not yet. The one in the forum was a servant, from his clothing, and young and strong. From the injuries he received, he had put up quite a fight. The body on the Eburacum road looks more eastern, from his clothes, and older; perhaps a trader or a contractor.”
I sipped my wine, wondering what was coming next.
“As head of the Oak Bridges Town Council,” Silvanius mused, “I feel I ought to do something. People will look to me, I know. But I’m unsure of the best course to take. That’s why I thought….You always talk good sense, Aurelia. So refreshing in a woman.”
I’d have to let that go with a smile; there were more important battles to fight just now.
He went on, “We’re being threatened by, well, we don’t know by whom….”
“We can make a shrewd guess,” I interrupted. “The Druids and their followers, the believers in the old religion.”
“Oh, I hope not! We’ve all had enough bloodshed. What we need now is peace. Peace and prosperity.”
“And some of the Druids’ rituals are so uncivilised,” Felix remarked. “Human sacrifice, for example. Quite disgusting!”
“All the same, if there’s trouble, I’d bet any money they’re involved. Even though they’re outlawed now, they still have their followers. You can’t just abolish a religion by a stroke of the Emperor’s pen. In fact just trying to abolish it makes the believers more determined.”
“How can they be such fools!” Silvanius exclaimed. “Can’t they see this province of ours must go forward with Rome, not backward into the ancient past? Somehow we’ve got to stop them!” He stared at nothing in particular for a while, thinking hard. Felix and I exchanged a glance, but we both kept quiet. Finally he said, “I think I shall call a meeting of the Town Council.”
“That’s a terrible idea.” Oh, me and my big mouth! When will I remember how seriously these new citizens take their town councils?
Silvanius looked quite hurt, but Felix smiled slyly. “Your view couldn’t be coloured by the fact that you aren’t a member of the council, so you wouldn’t be able to attend, Aurelia dear?”
I couldn’t deny it. “I’ll
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