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Back Emperor
Chapters (76)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. I
  4. II
  5. III
  6. I - INVADER AD 43-70
  7. I
  8. II
  9. III
  10. IV
  11. V
  12. VI
  13. VII
  14. VIII
  15. IX
  16. X
  17. XI
  18. XII
  19. XIII
  20. XIV
  21. XV
  22. XVI
  23. XVII
  24. XVIII
  25. XIX
  26. XX
  27. XXI
  28. XXII
  29. XXIII
  30. XXIV
  31. XXV
  32. XXVI
  33. II - BUILDER AD 122-138
  34. I
  35. II
  36. III
  37. IV
  38. V
  39. VI
  40. VII
  41. VIII
  42. IX
  43. X
  44. XI
  45. XII
  46. XIII
  47. XIV
  48. XV
  49. XVI
  50. XVII
  51. XVIII
  52. XIX
  53. XX
  54. XXI
  55. III - EMPEROR AD 314—337
  56. I
  57. II
  58. III
  59. IV
  60. V
  61. VI
  62. VII
  63. VIII
  64. IX
  65. X
  66. XI
  67. XII
  68. XIII
  69. XIV
  70. XV
  71. EPILOGUE
  72. I
  73. II
  74. III
  75. IV
  76. Afterword

‘This fellow I’m talking about was a veteran, retired, when I was starting out myself. I was eighteen or so. I met him in Pannonia. And he told me about a veteran he had met when he was young, in Africa. This chap had been a centurion, and he was on duty that day in Judea, when your Christ was crucified. The lads showed Him mercy, he said. As He was dying on the cross, one of them gave Him soldiers’ wine.’ He raised his cup. ‘Just like this.’

They sat gravely, reflecting on this.

Karus murmured, “‘Whilst God-as-babe has birth ...”’

‘From the Prophecy,’ Brigonius said.

‘Yes. Lepidina, I’ve often wondered about the meaning of that phrase. Even if you accept that Severa is right that the text of those lines is about Hadrian and the Wall, that phrase doesn’t fit. You have always said the Prophecy is bound up with your young faith because of the coincidence of the birth dates of your ancestor and your Christ. I wonder if that line is telling us something of a great conflict to come, between your young god and the old. But if so, what is the Prophecy guiding us to do? What does the Weaver want?—’

There was a crash, and a smell of smoke. Tullio dropped his cup of wine and ran out of the tent.

XV

XV

The camp was plunged into chaos. Soldiers were running everywhere, fumbling with weapons and armour, some of them only half-dressed. And from one corner of the camp a plume of smoke was rising.

Xander stared about, bewildered. ‘What has happened? What should we do?’

‘Stand still,’ Brigonius said firmly. He took Lepidina’s arm. Her face was closed up and he couldn’t tell what she was thinking or feeling. This wasn’t the place for her, he told himself angrily. ‘Stay with me,’ he said. ‘The camp is obviously under attack. We’re in the safest place, right here. Just let the soldiers do their jobs.’

Karus shook his head, clearly reeling from the wine. ‘I’d like to know how they managed to torch the camp. What did they use, a catapult?’

Tullio approached them and glared at Brigonius. ‘You. You’re a Brigantian. Are you going to give me any trouble?’

‘No.’

Tullio pressed him: ‘What are you then? On this night when many of your countrymen will have their bellies slit open by Roman stabbing swords, are you a traitor to your kind?’

The question struck at Brigonius’s heart. But he said, ‘No. But I am no fool either. This isn’t the way to deal with the Romans; this can’t work.’

‘And what is the right way to “deal” with Rome?’

‘On your own terms. By skinning you of every sesterce.’