Who All Die by Alex Gough

Author:Alex Gough
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo
Published: 2020-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

‘You’re so fucking stupid, Silus,’ said Geganius, Silus’ immediate superior.

Silus stood before the bulky centurion, deflated like a punctured water carrier, expectations and hopes pissing out onto the floor.

‘But… but this is the head of Voteporix. The Veniconian chief. Leader of the party that was going to attack us.’

‘Was going to?’ repeated Geganius. ‘You think you have prevented the attack?’

‘Well, I…’

‘If I chopped your father’s head off, would you just shrug your shoulders and say, “Oh well, time to head home?”’

There had been many times while Silus was growing up when he had wished someone would chop his father’s head off, but he saw the centurion’s point.

Geganius shook his head. ‘You expected glory and promotion for this, didn’t you, Silus?’

‘No, sir,’ lied Silus. ‘I acted purely for the honour and safety of Britannia and Rome.’

‘Come on. We’d better go tell the Prefect of your monumental fuck up.’

Geganius led the chastened Silus to the Prefect’s office. The Prefect’s secretary, a tall, ageing bald-headed freedman who brought to mind the statues of Julius Caesar that Silus had seen, looked down on them over his hooked nose.

‘What do you want, Geganius?’

‘Please announce us to Prefect Menenius, Pallas.’

‘He’s busy. Make an appointment,’ said Pallas.

‘This is urgent.’

‘Everything is urgent.’

‘Announce us right now,’ said Geganius in a threatening voice. ‘Or if Menenius finds out you have delayed us from seeing him, he will have your balls.’ Geganius looked the freedman up and down. ‘If you still have them.’

Pallas tossed his head back contemptuously and disappeared into the office. Silus heard indistinct words being exchanged, then the door opened, and Pallas ushered them in.

Menenius, the Fort Prefect, a grizzled veteran who had risen through the ranks to this prominent position, sat behind a desk covered in scrolls and wax tablets. He looked up at them, clearly annoyed.

‘Make it quick, Geganius. What is it?’

‘I think Silus here might explain things better than I can.’ He nodded to Silus.

Mouth suddenly dry, Silus opened the drawstring on his bag, and pulled out the head by its hair.

Pallas let out a small scream, but Menenius merely narrowed his eyes. He fixed his stare on Geganius. ‘What,’ he said, ‘the fuck is that?’

Geganius prompted Silus with an elbow in the ribs.

‘This,’ said Silus, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice, ‘is… I mean was… Voteporix, a tribal chief of the Venicones.’

Now Menenius’ eyes widened.

‘Silus,’ he said. ‘you’re so fucking stupid.’

Silus grimaced. That message was starting to sink in.

‘Tell me, soldier. What exactly was your mission?’

‘Sir, I was told that traders had reported rumours of stirrings in some Maeatean tribes in the region of Dùn Mhèad. I was ordered to scout north of the wall to see if there was any truth to the rumours.’

‘And? Was there?’

‘Yes, sir. I observed a large warband gathering at the Dùn Mhèad hillfort. Maybe some five hundred warriors.’

Menenius whistled. ‘That’s enough to cause us some trouble, don’t you think, Geganius?’

‘If they caught us by surprise, yes, sir, especially with the Emperor and Caracalla still wintering in Eboracum right now.

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