Soldier of Rome: Empire of the North (The Artorian Dynasty, #1) by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 0000000000000
Published: 2020-10-28T03:37:11+00:00

Chapter XVII: Aftermath of Battle

Encampment of Agrippa’s Army near Tor Dyke

***

Two days had passed since the battle against King Venutius and his Caledonian allies. Though Legate Agrippa wished to send out scouting patrols, he understood that his men and horses were in dire need of rest. Gaius Artorius and the other cavalry officers requested four days to rest their mounts. Agrippa ordered their encampment defences improved, while a convoy of wagons bearing the worst of the wounded was dispatched to Eboracum. Only those injured who expected to return to duty in three weeks or less were permitted to remain with the column. The rest were sent back to convalesce at the military hospital near Legio IX’s permanent fortress.

On the second day following the battle, Gaius and Cenric visited the field hospital to see the worst of their wounded before they left for Eboracum. All told, Indus’ Horse suffered four dead and around twenty wounded during the battle. Ten of these were expected to return to duty within a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, two had died from their injuries. The remaining eight were added to the list of those retiring to Eboracum.

One man they especially wished to see was a trooper named Morcant. His lower right leg had been cleaved in two by a Caledonian sword. Only the quick thinking by one of his mates, who took his sword baldric and used it as a makeshift tourniquet, kept him from bleeding to death. The surgeons had cauterised the bloody stump with a red-hot iron, which had been even more painful for the poor man than the gruesome injury.

Gaius and Cenric found Morcant lying on a bedroll near the edge of one of the hospital tents. He was naked to the waist; his groin and legs covered with a blanket. His face was pale, though he appeared to be lucid.

“Prefect,” he said with a nod. “Centurion Chester. Apologies, I cannot sit up at the moment and offer a proper salute.”

“You need never salute anyone again,” Gaius assured him, kneeling next to the crippled soldier.

Morcant was clearly in great pain. He fought tears as he looked down at his covered stump. “Seventeen years,” he said dolefully. “Seventeen years without so much as a scratch! Eight more and I could have retired with a plot of land and Roman citizenship to pass on to my family.”

“You have children?” Gaius asked.

“Six, if you can believe it, sir. My oldest, Lough, was born a few months after I joined the auxilia; the youngest just two years ago. Lough is practically a man now and more than capable of taking care of himself. Sadly, I don’t think I will be able to provide for my wife or the rest of our children.”

“At least your wife still has a husband, and your children their father,” Cenric said, trying to sound reassuring.

Morcant stared at him. “That’s assuming what’s left of my leg doesn’t become infected, centurion.” He shook his head in dismay. “I’ll not fault Decius for saving my life, but nor can I thank him for it either.

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