Chapter 14 

Lazarus looked up from where he sat on the log.

“I still do not understand.” Lazarus told Marcia who sat beside him, running a whetstone over her blade repetitively, “Why did they have to come?”

Marcia raised a single eyebrow, sighing inwardly, as she looked up from the blade in her lap and at the group of men that were spread out around them.

Marcia allowed herself a smile of accomplishment as she saw the vast group of warriors, almost a hundred of them had headed their call.

Dareios hadn’t needed more than a second before he eagerly accepted her invitation to war and sent out messengers. By the next morning, over ninety men had gathered to his hospice.

They set out later that day and found themselves a few leagues closer to their parents. That was three days ago.

By nightfall tomorrow they will hopefully be in Alesia.

“A rebellion needs soldiers.” Marcia gave a small shrug as she lifted her sword up and inspected the blade.

Lazarus leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, as his eyes focused on Dareios a few metres away.

He was eagerly tucking into a slice of bread that had been shared between them. These men had to be nearly in their fifties and yet they did not seem to care.

A few carried bows, a few had extra daggers slipped into their waistband but most carried swords, unlike Dareios who carried two swords and a bow.

Lazarus narrowed his eyes on the sword nestled in a red leather sheath on his hip. Lazarus had never seen Dareios remove it, not even to clean it.

“They’ll slow us down.” Lazarus muttered, his fingers locking together with apprehension.

Marcia let out an audible sigh, her sword dropping into her lap as she stared at him with open confusion, “A few hours delay for a hundred extra pair of hands? It’s a gamble I’m willing to pay and one our parents would understand.”

“Our parents,” Lazarus leaned back, “are the reason we’re trying to play catch-up. They do not want us there.”

Marcia rubbed her hand over her face, remembering the way her parents had drugged her, and the way she followed them anyway, “My father said it numerous times back in Britannia.”

Lazarus frowned, “What did he say?”

Marcia looked at Lazarus with a cunning smile, “That I’m too much like my mother.”

A sad smile erupted onto Lazarus’s lips and Marcia enjoyed the brief peaceful moment between the both of them.

“Try and eat something.” Marcia sheathed her sword, resting a hand on Lazarus’s shoulder.

Lazarus turned and stared at where Marcia touched him, her fingers strangely warm on his flesh.

“We should reach port by this evening and then we’re just a boat ride away.” Marcia became aware that her hand was still resting on his shoulder.

Slipping her fingers off, Marcia gave him one last reassuring smile, “We’ll see them soon.”

Lazarus nodded his head and watched her slip away.

He continued to watch her as she slipped some boiled rabbit onto her plate and began to eat. She was a strange girl and yet he trusted her.

He wasn’t sure why because he was fairly certain, if she had the opportunity to put an arrow through his head she wouldn’t hesitate.

Maybe it was the way she was completely sure of herself. The way that she held an air of certainty and confidence that Lazarus could only wish for.

Marcia had grown up with warriors. She knew where her path lay whereas Lazarus was just finding his.

* * *

For the last three days, they hadn’t been able to move without Argyle knowing about it. She may not have liked to admit it but Argyle was thorough with his spies.

Krista and the others had been forced to wait; their efforts split between reconnaissance on the fort, the hospice and training the recruits.

But tonight was different.

Tonight, Argyle was on the battlefield leading a small skirmish against a group of Romans that were testing their defences.

He would be occupied for the rest of the night at least, plenty of time for them to leave, carry out their plan, and return again before he discovered what had happened.

It also provided them with the perfect distraction.

Stood outside the small apothecary, Krista leant casually against the wall and waited, standing guard.

People passed her by, their voices turning to small whispers, but no one bothered her.

When it felt like she had been there longer than planned, Krista gave a soft tap on the door behind her.

After a second, the door creaked open and the head of Diomed poked out.

“What is taking so long?” Krista hissed, keeping her eyes on the people that passed by.

Artorius was stood on the wall, watching Argyle’s progress with the Romans. If he finished early, Artorius was to give the signal.

Diomed sighed, “Apparently it’s been a while since Cato’s worked with herbs.”

“What?” Krista hissed, this was a vital part of their plan.

“I apologise” Cato’s voice shouted from inside, quick to condemn Diomed for his words, “But after fighting a rebellion, taken prisoner and put back in the arena someone might just forget what a certain weed looks like!”

“Find it, Cato.”  Krista rolled her eyes as she peered through the door into the lit apothecary where Frieda sat on a table and watched his endeavours.

“Yeah, yeah,” Cato waved a hand over his shoulder as he lifted numerous vials up to the light.

“Frieda,” Krista hissed when she saw that she was picking at her nails with her dagger, “Help him.”

Frieda gave Krista a look before she slipped the dagger back into her boot and shoved Cato to the side as she began to help.

Diomed and Krista shared a mutual look before he closed the door and Krista went back to guarding.

*

“Would you stop nudging me?” Frieda hissed at Cato as they hunkered down in a ditch when they grew close to the skirmish between Argyle and the Romans.

“Stop wriggling then!” Cato snapped back at her in hushed whispers, their bodies cramped together as Krista peered over the top at the close fighting.

It had been surprisingly easy to break out of the fort, much to Krista’s dismay. If it was easy to break out, it meant it was easy to break in to.

“Just because you couldn’t find the correct vial and I could, does not mean you get to-” Frieda teased Cato.

Krista rolled her eyes at their constant bickering but she did not realise how much she had missed it until recently.

They had each gone their separate ways but they had always been bound by a thread born from everything they had been through together.

And this time was no different. They may not have been together for a few years but they all still knew exactly how the others thought.

Watching the small group fighting, Krista could do nothing but wait for them to move away to allow the through.

If they got involved Argyle would spot them and then everything would be lost. Krista had to lose this fight to win the battle. The war, Krista thought, was another matter entirely.

“-Right,” Krista spun and found Frieda and Cato arguing with each other, “Let’s go.”

Krista needed to get them out of there before one of them drew a sword and their numbers went from six to five.

With both sides watching the fight, Krista and her friends managed to slip across the large open field, positioned between the two camps with ease.

Keeping low and moving in the shadows, they approached the rear of the camp where two guards were posted.

Making sure they remained silent, Krista and Leonidas approached a guard each when they turned to speak to each other.

Approaching from behind, they were able to slip their arms around the Roman’s necks. A few minutes later the bodies were lying on the ground, dead.

Waving for the others to follow, Krista looked across to the fort in the distance. Following the torches that lined the top, Krista looked at the very last one and thought about Artorius. He was to signal them if Argyle returned early but there was no such signal.

They still had time.

“Frieda,” Krista turned to the Briton with her bow, “Climb a tree.”

Frieda looked to the side where tall pines looked over the entire camp and she saw what Krista saw.

It was the perfect vantage point.

Frieda nodded her head, slipping the bow over her head, leaving her arms free to climb, before she turned to her husband.

“Come back with your hand this time.” Frieda kissed him quickly, trying to inject humour into the situation but Krista could hear the strain in her voice.

Krista looked across to the fort where Artorius waited for her to return.

Diomed watched her leave before he turned back to them, “Let’s get this over with.”

“Hear, hear.” Leonidas grunted, causing Krista to frown when she saw the way he was looking out at the fighting.

Krista realised that Leonidas did not like going behind Argyle’s back.

Diomed and Cato went on ahead, slipping past a post and through the tents. When Leonidas went to follow, Krista cut him off.

“Are you okay?” Krista watched him carefully.

“Why would I not be?” Leonidas snapped, “Let’s get this over with, shall we?”

Leonidas went to step past her but Krista held her ground and he looked at her with confusion.

“Why don’t you stay here?” Krista smiled reassuringly although her heart was beating fast, “Keep watch.”

“Keep watch!?” Leonidas snapped, his eyes looking over Krista’s shoulder to where Cato and Diomed had already disappeared.

“Frieda can do that!” He pointed to the trees where Frieda was perched with an armed bow ready to shoot down any Romans that grew too close.

Krista did not want Leonidas with them when he was suddenly questioning her decisions.

“Stay here, Leo,” Krista told him, “The less people inside the better. We’ll be back shortly.”

Krista gave him a small smile before she turned and hurried after the others, slipping into the Roman camp whilst Leonidas remained outside.

Hope flared in her chest when she saw that he did what she said, but it did not stop her mind from playing over the scene where Leonidas had agreed with argyle a few nights previous.

Shaking the thoughts away, Krista tried to focus on the fact that they were in the lion’s den and at any moment they could be discovered.

But the thoughts wouldn’t leave her mind.

* * *

“Krista! Krista!”

Sat at the table with Artorius, Frieda and Diomed they were all tucking into a bowl of food when she heard her name being roared over the crowd.

Lifting her head, Krista saw Argyle approach.

“Where are they!?” Argyle shouted at her, the room growing silent as everybody turned to watch their leader.

“Who?” Frieda asked as she placed a spoonful of food into her mouth.

Argyle didn’t take his eyes from Krista, “Leonidas and Cato. They haven’t been seen since the skirmish yesterday.”

“Are you sure you checked everywhere?” Artorius leaned forward, knowing exactly where they were but unable to resist a jibe at him.

“Why are you so interested in them, anyway?” Krista raised an eyebrow.

“I thought you didn’t want us here.” Diomed recalled his words from the other night.

“What is it about Leonidas?” Krista laid her spoon down, “Is it because he’s a Gaul and we’re not?”

Argyle clenched his jaw as she mentioned it but he refrained from answering.

“You’re up to something,” Argyle told her, “I know you are. Tell me where they are.”

After a few seconds, Krista leaned back and shrugged a shoulder, “They’re grown men, Argyle, but something tells me you’ve already noticed that.”

Krista saw the glimmer in his eyes when he spoke Leonidas’s name. It was a glimmer Krista recognised well, she had it for Artorius and Frieda had it for Diomed.

“If they come to any harm because of you then-” Argyle was cut off when the door was wrenched open and Leonidas and Cato came charging in.

Their bodies were slick with sweat and their breathing heavy, as if they had been running.

Krista and the others remained calm because they knew exactly what they had been doing and where they had been.

Leonidas rushed forward, “It worked.” He announced.

“They ate it?” Diomed leaned forward.

“Every last drop,” Cato grinned.

“No offence,” Frieda smiled at Diomed and Krista, “But Roman’s aren’t the smartest people.”

Krista rolled her eyes as she pushed her bowl aside and got to her feet, resting a hand on Cato’s shoulder in gratitude for staying out there and keeping watch.

“What is happening? Who ate what?” Argyle ordered them to tell him.

Krista bristled at being ordered to do anything, “Whilst you were blindly attacking head-on,” Krista insulted Argyle, “We slipped into the Roman’s camp.”

Argyle glared at her as the crowds began to murmur in amazement, impressed by their feat.

“We poisoned their food.” Krista explained, “Cato and Leonidas remained behind to see what happened and report back.”

Argyle lost his anger for a moment and stepped forward, “They’re dead?”

“No,” Krista shook her head and Argyle went back to despising her, “But the soldiers have come down with a bad case of food poisoning.”

“They’ve been vomiting like sick dogs for the last few hours.” Cato grinned as their plan succeeded.

“Gather your army, Argyle.” Krista nodded, “We attack the Roman camp tonight.”