Belisarius: Military Master of the West: Book One: Nika by Peter Keating

Author:Peter Keating [Keating, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vanguard Press
Published: 2021-05-26T04:00:00+00:00

I was awoken at dawn by the sounds of movement outside. Antonina lay asleep next to me. I dressed and left the tent, ready to brief John and his men. The air was cold and fresh; light was already developing on the horizon. This was still the best time of day, fresh and full of potential; John and his men were tightly wrapped in their cloaks. They had been up longer than me, and the chill of the night was still in their bones.

“John, I want you to deploy a unit of your men well ahead of even yourself. Use your best leader to command it. If you can, keep them as far forward of us as you can, at a minimum a day’s march. Overall, I want you to watch all the towns that lie in front of us and anything else of interest. Send a rider back at noon and at dark to keep me informed. When you find the Vandals, let me know, but don’t engage them, shadow them. Good luck.”

“I’ll do my best. See you in Carthage,” John saluted and with the rest of his men he mounted up. They made their way out of the camp, past the punishment area, with the half-frozen defendants still tied to the stakes. They looked impressive as they left the camp, John at the head of his small column, his men’s shields strapped to their left shoulders, quivers and swords hanging from their belts and spears resting in their pouches on the side of their mounts. Lastly, came the servants with the pack animals carrying their supplies as well as the spare mounts.

The sound of the horses leaving was quickly drowned out by the blast of trumpets sounding reveille. The camp was speedily filled with the sound of an army waking and the smell of bread being removed from hot ovens. The horses stirred at the sounds of familiar movement close by and anticipated activity once they were fed and watered. The army ate breakfast quickly. Everyone knew that today was special, and that extra effort was required. The tents were swiftly collapsed and packed, mules were brought over, and they were loaded. The army moved from being a stationery force to a mobile one. Wagon trains were assembled, units formed up in place of their tents, officers rushed around checking their men and equipment. In my tent, Antonina took charge of the movement and issued orders to the household to pack fast, and her horse was prepared for her.

The floggings were finished, the army stood to attention during the punishment before I ordered them to begin the march to Carthage. I gave a short speech to those of the army close enough to hear me; the message would be passed along during the march.

“Soldiers of Rome. We have come not to conquer this land, but to return it to its rightful owner, our Lord God, who on Earth is represented by the person of the emperor. We must treat all the population as if we were still inside the Empire, as we are.

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