Chapter 12

By early afternoon, they had reached the stronghold at Alesia. Not named lightly, the stronghold had been fortified to defend an army but years of neglect had wasted away at it. Wood splintered under the lightest touch, metal rusted away and what had once been a sight to behold now only invoked pity and the feeling of inevitable doom. Its only advantage being its position atop a hill and the three ramparts which surrounded it. These earthworks of banks and ditches posed a threat to any Roman attacker but they were doing little to defend the Gauls as they left the safety of the hill and ran into open battle.

Leonidas's horse paced restlessly beside Krista's as he too saw what she did; a massacre. The Romans, in their full military armour, outnumbered the poorly equipped Gauls by nearly five to one.

"They'll be slaughtered!" Leonidas gasped as they saw the way the Romans were cutting through the Gauls like wheat.

Krista beheld the piles of bodies already lining the earth and she knew the Gauls could not withstand much more before they were defeated. Turning her head to the right, away from the stronghold, Krista saw Octavia's camp in the distance and the flag of the Roman Empire flapping in the high wind as if it could taste victory in the air. As she saw this symbol of slavery and injustice anger flared in her heart and Krista needed to wait no more before she drew her sword and charged into the battle. She immediately heard the others follow her, her heart becoming elated at their loyalty, as their horses covered immense distance and within seconds their horses had led them into the thick of the battle where their swords once more tasted Roman flesh.

"Get behind me!" Krista heard Frieda yell at the exhausted Gauls as she quickly dispatched a Roman's head from his shoulders from atop her horse.

"Back up the hill!" Krista ordered the men as she felt her body jerk in the saddle when her horse stepped over a dead body on the ground, "Retreat!" She yelled. Gripping her sword tightly Krista kept a firm hold of the reins as she felt a hand grip her lower leg. Twisting in the saddle, Krista reached across her body with her sword and drove the tip of her blade down into a Roman's shoulder. His hand slipped from her leg as he fell beneath her horse screaming. The beast cut through the Roman infantry lines with ease.

Looking across the way, Krista spotted Artorius a few metres away from her. He seemed to be almost herding the Gaul's like cattle, ordering them back up the hill and towards the fort before he returned for more.

In a brief moment, Krista turned and looked towards the Roman camp where three figures stood in the distance, looking at them. Krista spotted Octavia and her eyes hardened in response.

Octavia had not been expecting cavalry.

Krista's attention was quickly diverted when she heard the cry of a young boy, her heart racing with fear as she thought of her own son.

Drawn towards the sound, nearly twenty metres away, Krista pushed her horse into a gallop as she tried to reach them in time.

As she drew closer, Krista could see a young boy, barely five and ten, on his back and surrounded by four Romans.

His arms were stretched out in defeat, his voice pleading with them to show mercy but the Roman's did not flinch as they began to let their swords descend towards his shivering body.

Krista's entire body felt as if it became engulfed with flames.

Twirling her sword in her palm, Krista's heart raged with anger and a fierce determination to keep him safe.

Krista watched as the soldiers turned when they heard her approach, their eyes widening when they saw her.

Sword stretched out to the side, Krista pulled back on the reins, forcing the horse to rear up on its hind legs.

With a neigh erupting from the beast's jaws, Krista brought the animal back down again, his weight taking a soldier with him and crushing his skull beneath his hooves.

Her sword quickly killed another, cutting through his skin before he could raise his sword.

Seeing the last two soldiers approach, leaving the boy on the ground, Krista kicked out with her boot and felt her heel connect with the man's nose, pushing him backwards.

Turning the horse, Krista was on the right side to drive her sword down into the man's head, the tip of her blade protruding from under his chin.

His blood ran from between his lips and down his chin before Krista yanked her sword back out, feeling it give way to flesh and bone.

Looking towards the last soldier, her breathing heavy, the man stumbled away as his sword dropped from his palm and clattered into the dirt.

Krista debated whether to kill him or not but years of life and war had given her a small amount of wisdom, so she decided to let him live.

Watching his form retreat into the distance, Krista caught sight of the emptying battlefield. Streams of wounded Gauls were hurrying back up the hill and into the gates.

Krista could see Leonidas, Cato and Diomed leading them back. Artorius and Frieda were racing towards her.

"Krista!" Artorius called her name in fear but he was still too far away.

Sheathing her sword, Krista turned and held out her arm to the boy, "Take my arm."

The boy watched her curiously for a second before he grabbed his sword and took her arm.

Lifting him up onto the horse behind her, Krista was shocked to find that he weighed barely anything, a stark reminder of the situation they were in.

Gripping the reins with both her hands, Krista pushed the horses towards Frieda and Artorius.

"We need to hurry." Artorius informed her when they met in the middle.

"The Romans have sent reinforcements." Frieda growled in anger.

Krista looked back towards the Roman encampment and found another segment of the army had been deployed onto the field.

"Back to the fort." Krista agreed as she saw the Roman's begin to regroup.

Tapping the horse with her heel, Krista and her new companion were soon climbing over the ramparts and approaching the opened gates.

Through the gates, Krista could see flashes of a courtyard filled with injured men.

Clenching her thighs to remain atop her horse, they soon cleared the last rampart. Dirt gave way to soft stone and gravel as they slipped through the gates and into safety.

Artorius and Frieda were close behind her.

Once Krista saw that Leonidas and the others were safely inside, she ordered the gates to be locked.

Adrenaline raced through her body, her breathing laboured and her skin flushed with warmth as the boy slipped from the back of her horse and into the arms of his waiting mother.

A small woman with tears running freely down her cheeks, she cradled her son against her chest as she thanked Krista profusely for bringing him home.

Krista watched the boy's eyes close with relief at the feeling of his mother's arms, her heart twisting when she remembered seeing Lazarus in the Colosseum.

"Leonidas! Cato!" A guttural voice called in exclamation.

Krista turned and found her eyes focusing on a man no older than forty. His thick dark hair, cut with ragged strokes, was dusted with grey by his temples.

A wide jaw and matching shoulders, his arms were exposed to show muscles and thick forearms.

Whiskers covered the lower half of his face and his green eyes sparkled with relief as he hugged Leonidas and Cato close to his body, like brothers.

Krista narrowed her eyes at the action.

"You came back." The man smiled widely at Leonidas, "I thought you to be dead."

"It takes a lot to kill a Gaul." Frieda stated as a compliment but she too was growing tired of watching their reunion.

The statement drew Leonidas back to the present, "Argyle, there is someone you should meet."

Krista lifted her head as she heard his name. Argyle.

So this was the man who had sent his men into battle unprepared and unarmed?

"Argyle," Leonidas rested his hand on the leader's shoulder, guiding him to Krista where she remained sat atop her horse, "This is Krista."

Argyle arched an eyebrow, his eyes flickering around the area when he heard her name being whispered, half in fear and half in fascination, across the crowds of his men.

"I have heard many things about you." Argyle bowed his head with humility, "I welcome anyone who is willing to fight for our cause."

Krista shared a look with Artorius at Argyle's words, her husband returning the look with a small smile.

A few moments of silence passed as crowds began to gather in the courtyard, dozens of people looking to see her reaction.

Slipping from her horse and landing on the ground, Artorius and Frieda followed and stood beside her.

"Leonidas and Cato are dear friends," Krista informed Argyle with a smile, "We would not let them stand alone."

Krista was engulfed by Argyle's moss green eyes, trying to discern his motives for going to war with the Romans, but she found nothing that caused her alarm.

"Any friend of Leonidas and Cato's is a friend of mine, and a friend of the rebellion." Argyle stretched out his hand for her to take.

Krista took it and cheers erupted around them.

"Come," Argyle called to them, "We shall have wine."

Leonidas and Cato quickly followed, the crowds pouring after them to hear of their tales.

But Krista remained behind, her eyes travelling over the surroundings and calculating any weak points, her mind counting the amount of men left to guard the wall.

"What is it?" Diomed spoke softly, hushed so as no one else could hear.

Krista shook her head slowly as she continued to scan the area, "I do not know but there is something . . . something wrong."

"Come," Diomed advised her, "Argyle will be waiting."

Krista did not care if he waited as his words rang over in her mind with anger; I welcome anyone who is willing to fight for our cause.

This cause was not Argyle's or the Gauls'. It had been Krista's and she did not know if she liked anyone else taking claim for it.

But she could not remain outside and her stomach grumbled for food so she turned and followed the others.

She needed to speak with Argyle on his tactics and maybe her words would go down easier with wine.