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Five Days later they spied the Legionary camp by the river north of Viennes. Perimeter-ditched and palisaded, there was ample
room for the Heruli within its timber walls. Outside, on the already flattened parade ground, scutarii drilled by maniple.
Ecdsysius was waiting for him with Orestes, in the Legates' quarters. The two tribunes placed Hiberius's bag on the
table and withdrew. There was wine and water, as well as some fruit to take the road dust from one's throat and palate. The
Gurzh was removed from the bag by the General and placed on the table. Clay cups were used to partake of the wine and water.
"Ave Orestes, Ecdysius."
"Ave Lucius Severus"
The general looked out at the drilling maniples
of scutarii for some time. Then regarded the older and the younger man before speaking. Alla and Sindila quickly cadged a
cup of wine each, watered it, and then quaffed their thirst in silence. Better to listen and learn.
"The legios
look good, Orestes, how long did it take them to get here?"
"Six days, since we had the time I kept them sharp
by building a pen for the Heruli. We had help from an engineering cohort posted here from Mediolanum by the praefectus fabrum",
Orestes looked sharply at the General, "Two weeks ago. Then he indicated the Heruli outside the door," What on Earth
did you bring them for?"
"They are part of Ricimer's punitive expedition " That brought a raised eyebrow
and a smile from Ecdysius, while Hiberius asked, "How many bagaudae did you leave at Basilia?
" None, they're
all legionaries now, eight cohorts. I could've brought them here if you wanted. "
"I do not want it. How many
bagaudae can you catch and train between now and the fall?
"Lucius Severus, we no longer have to chase them, their
hunger is driving them out of the woods and hills; hunger and rumors of a rumor. Again, Orestes' manner towards Hiberius was
heavy with significance, almost diffident." I could have nearly two more full legios by the end of the year". Orestes
finished.
"Good, we need a counterforce to the confederatti in Italia."
"Is that all you want them
for? ", Orestes asked with a speculative gleam in his eye. "What do you intend to do with the ones here?"
"Take
them with me into Gaul Prefecture. I have been so ordered by Emperor and Patrician, to destroy enemies of the state and restore
order."
"Yes, but which enemies? There are so many. The older officer studied the younger carefully, the continued
his tangential interrogation, Congratulations on your appointment to Procurator. Why not balance the confederatti by holding
Mediolanum? What about Ricimers Suevi and the remaining Heruli? Are you going to march on Mediolanum, Lucius Severus?"
Neither of the two Senior Military Tribunes understood where this conversation was going, much less where it came from.
How did it affect their uncle, the emperor?
"No. Remember that the Patrician already weakened himself numerically
by giving me so many of his mercenaries. There will be food riots soon, it will take awhile for him to sort out his supply
situation, and Ricimer is already having trouble keeping the peace between the Heruli and his Suevi. He will soon have more
trouble, so for the near term his forces are rapidly becoming ineffective.
"Gundobad can supply eight to ten thousand
foot, more important, he can bring supplies; if you hint at offering to make him another Patrician. They'll be no match for
the scutarii, more like limitanae, frontier troops, but good enough against the mercenaries.
Hiberius regarded Orestes
closely, " Until he sorts out supplies Ricimer must remain in Mediolanum. But he can't control the Senate, if he can't
hold Rome. They've been little more than a City council for centuries. Rome has only recently rediscovered democracy of a
limited sort and only because the senators hold the bulk of estates and money. Lately, all they've had to do was ratify the
choices of Ricimer. Every one of them will have something to say! You could stand for Consul."
" The Consul
has no power."
" With Ricimer neutralized, the Consul has plenty of power! Leo in Constantinople will watch
and wait. Anthemius can probably count on grain shipments from his cousin, but not much else. The Senate will argue and do
nothing; if you don't appear to favor one or another faction. "
"Can we make it stick?"
"By Spring,
it will all be over one way or the other," Hiberius replied quietly," we'll know then."
Ecdysius stirred
and Hiberius turned to him.
"I know you would like to take care of Ricimer yourself for Avitus, your father, but
others have been at this game longer than you. I need you to pass a message to Aegidius to assemble what he can spare and
send it southwest of Clermont-Ferrand under his son Syagrius. Stay with Syagrius. And stay northwest of the River Card. Make
as though reinforcing Areletes on the Rhonus, I know there's been trouble with the Visigoths there."
"What
do you want Aegidius to do?"
"I want him prepared to bring the Franks south in the fall. And I want to meet
his friend Riothamus, on the coast", Hiberius smiled," Tell him I come bearing gifts."
" If Syagrius
moves south he could just as easily reinforce Clermont -Ferrand."
" No, the way to Clermont-Ferrand must appear
open from the south. I want him to come to me. Aegidius will have further instructions before you return"
Alla and
Sindilla remained wide-eyed and silent throughout the exchange. Clearly Hiberius was seeking to undermine the Patrician. That
could only help their imperial uncle. Aegidius was just as clearly not Hiberius' target. What did one have to do with the
other?
*****
The thump of wristband on doorpost preceded
Hiberius's evening visitor. As Orestes entered the room, the torchlight increased the severity of his careworn features.
He paused when he saw Hiberiuss shadow against the wall, remaining by the door as the General drilled with his gladius by
torchlight.
Orestes was not surprised that Hiberius would greet him, sword in hand. He would do the same. Not that it
would make a difference if Hiberius came for him. It was a though the man had not aged since Catalaunum. There was no one
to match the speed and grace in front of him.
A badly used man, thought Hiberius.
With a quick glance at the Gurzh on the table, Orestes came straight to the point.
"How long have you known?"
he asked.
" I've known something was up when you were the only remaining member of Aetius general staff that I was
allowed to openly consort with. I thought you were here to keep an eye on me for Ricimer. Or Aegidius " Came the response.
"Both are partly true, I was also supposed to kill you if you disobeyed an order." Orestes countered.
" An assassin then." But whose? , Hiberius wondered. " Fortunately I never disobey orders. And I am the Keeper"
"No, you never disobeyed orders, severely bent them perhaps, but never disobeyed." Orestes smiled, a hint of
light on those craggy features, " And that made both jobs easier, Lucius Severus. You are the Keeper. " He continued,
" I have sent several enemies of Rome to hell, though these past fifteen years; they have more often been enemies of
Ricimer. I am tired of killing. Did you know that I once wanted to become a Physician?"
" Not a noble occupation
as natural philosopher might be. You are of the Flavians, after all. Aetius ordered you to serve the court of Aetla the Hunni
in Pannonia, instead, as notarius. As his secretary, you poisoned him, stole the Sword of Mars and managed to start his sons
to fighting each other. Not that it took much to get that lot started." Lucius Severus conceded. " You were completely
loyal to the Order then. What about now? The current rash of disposable emperors is partly your doing?
" He has
my son!" Orestes cried " He kept him in Mediolanum or Ravenna while he kept me in Burgundia and Sapaudia watching
you!"
"Ecdysius would kill you if he thought that you had anything to do with the death of his father Avitus.
" The General opined, "Did you?"
"No, Avitus was the first of many emperors that Ricimer put down.
I was still in the north!" Orestes responded miserably. " He didn't begin to use me until he had custody of my wife.
She and I have been estranged since I ransomed her with my son."
" You have been badly used", Hiberius
said gently, "Tell me, when Anthemius' time comes, you'll be the one to do it won't you?"
"Probably"
Orestes reluctantly conceded " I have received no word yet "
"Word will probably be waiting for you
when you return to the camp in Burgundia" Now was the time to ask!
" Anthemius is a dead man, Ricimer just
hasn't told him yet. Ricimer will follow him shortly. Orestes, you must be ready when he does." Hiberius counseled,
"Tell me", Hiberius asked, "Would you like it to stop?"
" Yes!" was the answer
"
Then you will have to risk your life and your son's as well. You will have to see the deaths of Anthemius and Ricimer. Someone
will come to you that can help."
" To what end?" The astonished Orestes asked.
" We're taking
it all back, Orestes, no more Patricians, no more of the Eastern Emperors' interminable relatives. No more puppet emperors,
no more tribute to barbarian armies disguised as 'subsidies' ", He finished, "No more."
And you will replace
Ricimer with, yourself?"
"No, by the time this is all over I will have too much blood on my hands. The whole
rotten cycle would start all over again. I imagine you feel the same way." Hiberius replied. "You can have the Senate
appoint me Magister Militum Utriesque, supreme military commander, I have no desire to be secluded in Ravenna. I had in mind
your son, Romulus. His mother is of the Flavians, even if you're not. He's intelligent, well favored and he wants to learn
and he knows the place. You can look over his shoulder while he learns the job. Have him appoint you consul. We can begin
rebuilding. If we can secure the frontier. If we can hold what's left. If we can create a breathing space.
" Do
you really think it could work, Lucius Severus? " The dumbfounded Orestes replied.
" Yes, it can work, Orestes.
Ricimers Optio is Odoacer, the son of your former colleague in the Hunnish embassy, Edecon. He is ambitious. You should have
some influence there, if not control. Offer him command of the confederatti. And there is more help from the Order in Medeolanum,
in Ravenna, in Rome itself! I will tell you whom to ask for. The General paused to give Orestes a measuring stare.
"
Does it matter if there is no guarantee, Orestes? How much more of this can you take", The General pointed with his chin
in the direction of the Germans, " Do you think we can stand more of the same? The whole thing is coming apart! We have
had the worst people making the worst possible choice for more than twenty years. You've seen what goes on in Mediolanum.
I sympathize with the current occupant of the throne but he is part of the problem. We have to subvert one of Ricimer's standard
little executions into a full-blown coup! "
Indeed, comprehension had been too long in coming as Orestes began to
smile. For the first time in years, Orestes allowed himself to hope. His son could possibly go from Ricimer's hostage to Emperor.
That might be worth the deaths, past and future. Hiberius was the Keeper, after all...
*********
This was the third time that Galbo had made this suggestion. There was no putting the man off, Hiberius reflected.
He would just come back tomorrow under some other pretext. His blunt, honest, features carefully deferential while he pursued
his agenda...
" Well sir, it's like this; We've been training the lads pretty hard. And inspections is held every
day. And they're proud sir, very proud of what they've made themselves. So, I thought we should have an honor guard, sort
of like, where the best ones, they stands guard over the commander's tent, and the commander. 'An he sees what sort of lads
stands for 'im. 'An they rotates, see..."
Shit! There was no getting around Galbo; He'd just come back tomorrow...
"Fine, organize things however you must. With a minimum of ceremony. Dammit Galbo... Fine. Do it. Dismissed!"
"Sir!" The Primus Pilus hurriedly saluted and exited the tent. He had what he wanted. Lucius Severus would be
as safe as his scutarii could guarantee.
You will live to do this thing Sir, whatever it is... I'll see to it Sir. I know you'll do your best. And we'll do ours.
We both serve the Order, though you wouldn't converse much with the likes of me and mine. We'll both do our bit. I don't
think you've told that German bastard Ricimer the half of wot you're up to. An' when he figures it out they'll be hell to
pay for. So be it.
He was an honorable man, Flavius Aetius. He put me where I could watch your back, like I used to watch
his. And I will, Sir, in spite of your best efforts to put yourself in trouble...
The Junior Tribunes, Alla and Sindila, surveyed from their horses the columns marching across the bridge. Their numbers were
augmented with an auxiliary cohort of engineers, conscripted Bagaudae from the preafectus fabrum of Mediolanum, requisitioned
by Lucius Severus, the new imperial procurator, upon completion of their ordered bridge repairs. Polished armour and weapons
from their serried ranks near-blinding in the morning light. Finally, they were going to go somewhere and do something.
That they had no idea what bothered them not the least.
Orestes had left the evening before. Ecdysius
the evening before that, after leaving another message with Lucius Severus from someone in Gaul. Aegidius? Something was up,
but no one was talking. Hiberius had just sent one of their 'hand-picked courier parties' with a message to Ricimer describing
rumors of Aegidius' troop movements in the southeastern Prefecture of Gaul. They were supposed to be marching to intercept
them.
"Did you notice, Sindila, how much tighter the Heruli formation looks?" Alla remarked.
Oh, Yes, Sindila
laughed, " There's fewer of them"
With their help, Hiberius had succeeded in sending more than 1,500 Heruli
back to Mediolanum. More than a tenth of the original levy from Ricimer. Back to Ricimer. Including many of the misfits, stooges
and informers identified by the pair of tribunes.
" Ricimer's going to start shitting nails when he figures out that
the General has decimated the Heruli without shedding a drop of blood." Alla was referring to the ancient roman military
practice of decimation. Legions that performed poorly in the field were punished by killing every tenth man. Each squad of
ten would draw lots and beat one of their number to death with staves. Alla didn't add that the practice had never caught
on with the Germans.
" And so much neater", Sindila countered, " we don't even have to clean up the mess."
"Too right. I think the mess will all be at the other end. Some of those Heruli have blood feuds with Ricimer's
Suevi. " Alla laughed.
"And how about those? Sindila said as he gestured towards the columns of scutarii, "Do
you think Lucius Severus bothered to tell Ricimer about those?
" I don't think he did", Alla replied, "
I think there's a lot that one hasn't bothered to tell anyone! He says that all that armour is Romes dirty little secret,
that legionaries quit wearing it when the Germans wouldnt wear theirs. So that theres tons of the stuff in storerooms under
Mediolanum, Ravenna and Rome. Even though theres no longer Fabricae in Italia to make it any more.
"Want to bet
the fair ones been sending it to him all along, just like he had those engineers in place performing bridge repairs? And that
business about our saying Galbo sent us, that was some sort of prearranged signal. Theres a lot going on here that we dont
see
We could send a message to our imperial uncle.
How many times would it be read between here and Rome? We can't
alert our uncle without alerting Ricimer. Besides, taking this many confederatti out of Italia does help Anthemius. If Hiberius
means to march on Rome, he must first rid himself of all the confederatti. Otherwise they're more likely to support Ricimer.
Likewise, if he marched on Rome it could just as likely to remove our uncle than support him. In any case, it's only two legions,
cousin. It doesn't change the balance of power in Italia. That lies with Ricimer, still.
" I dont care. Hiberius
promised to make us real officers in a real army. I get chills just watching them", responded Sindila as the aquilifer
carried the Thirtieth's standard past, golden disc of Sol Invictus flashing in the sun. " Think, Alla, this is how it
was centuries ago! Have you watched the Heruli? They remember! Armours one thing, but where do you suppose he found men? Do
you think Hiberius is the Restitutor?" Sindilla referred to the periodic saviour of myth.
"Don't know."
Alla answered the easier question." Hiberius mentioned bagaudae. I could ask their Primus Pilus, if he'd speak to us."
"Why wouldn't he? Sindila asked.
"Because we're Praetorians! came the answer, "They despise us! They
wouldn't talk to us on a dare! "
"We'd have to chat up their Primus Pilus, wouldn't we? Sindila mused.
"We
have to find out what he wants, thats all we're good for. Alla replied despairingly, " There was a time when being a
Praetorian was a mark of distinction! All the same, I bet Galbo wants something!"
*******
" Right, Sirs, you wants to know how to command heavy infantry properly.
I wants to know how to ride a horse properly..." The Primus Pilus' battered features broke into a smile as he continued,
" 'An you can show my General's Honor Guard all that fancy Praetorian stuff so's they looks sharp like 'e deserves!"
The two former Praetorians (and aspiring heavy infantry officers) looked at each other in mingled surprise and relief.
While they were trying to figure out how to approach Galbo, the Primus Pilus had taken matters into his own rough but capable
hands, corralling them behind the mess tent.
" The General thinks he can leave me behind while 'e goes off an'
does whatever 'e plans to go off an' do." the Primus snarled, " Bad enough 'e leaves me in Basilia while 'e goes
to that snake pit of a court in Mediolanum, beggin' your pardon Sirs, but that's how the great Flavius Aetius got hisself
kilt. An' I swore I'd never let that happen again. So here's wot we'll do..."
The two tribunes wondered briefly;
who was giving the orders around here anyway?
********
At first day's camp, Milo stood his watch as stationarius. Late afternoon sentry duty wasnt all bad though, hed cajoled
the cook into giving him something to tide him over until the evening meal. He munched his bread and sausage with olive relish,
edging closer to the campus martial to watch the cataphractarii exercise their horses. Hed always liked horses.
He often
wondered if he could become a cataphract. Not that hed ever had the money to join the equestrian class. Not that he would,
remembering what theyd done with his sister. His reverie was interrupted by a shadow on the ground in front of him. Looking
up, he saw the leathery features of Caius Paulinus, the Cavalry Prefect.
Now Im for it, daydreaming on watch. He thought.
Before he could say anything in his defense, the Prefect spoke.
Like horses, boy? Was Paulinus smiling? It was hard to
tell.
Yes Sir! We had them on our farm, Sir Paulinus was the one whod caught them in the Sapaudae and took them to Basilia!
The man was merciless!
Had a farm, did you? I had a farm. Once. Paulinus eyes grew distant. Was he as mad as Hiberius?
Right then, lets see you ride.
Im on stationarius, Sir! The man was mad! His horse was beautiful, though...
Right,
well change helmets. You wear my cloak. Give me your spear.
But....
No buts, boy. Youre a legionary. That means you
follow orders. Im an officer that means I give orders. Lets see you ride.
Milo hurriedly donned the Prefects helmet and
cloak. While handing Paulinus his own gear and the remains of his sandwich. The Prefect struggled not to laugh. Then Milo
climbed aboard the horse, using the unfamiliar stirrups.
The Lad could ride. Had balance and a good seat. Even managed
the Hunnish trick of the stirrup instinctively. Paulinus finished the troopers sandwich and thought about the farm that he
used to have. He would speak to Lucius Severus and see if a place could be found for the lad.
******
That night the latest message from Aegidius, delivered by Ecdysius, was unwound
and read ...
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