The Century
Northern Gaul
65 BCE
The decurion frantically lifted his shield, as another barbed arrow failed to cripple him. Raising his sword he made a desperate attempt to rally his remaining escort
“men of the Republic on” his sentence finished suddenly as a well aimed arrow slashed into his throat. The men could take no more, outnumbered and bewildered and just having their commander killed, the moral was completely shattered. Yanking their horse’s reins, they tired to manoeuvre around the dead stream of Gaul’s. Those that were fortunate to break free of the massacre were quickly cut down by streams of arrows, form archers, hiding between the shadows, of the large Gaulish trees.
1 week later
The tribune pounded his deck viciously. Dam the matter that had been assigned to him, he thought. A week before, one of the senates wives, had been kidnapped deep in the heart of Gaul, a party had killed and her taken hostage. Of course, they had demands, but what would it look like in Rome, that the strongest force in the known world, negotiated with a flock of barbarians. No it was not an option. Neither was sending a entire cohort after them. Gaulish forests were known for ambushes. But this was not a matter he could simply ignore, senates were powerful creatures, back in Rome. Knowing that nothing had been done to save his mistress would almost certainly mean the end of his carrier in the legions. Maybe sending a lone century could be the answer. If they could sneak through the enemy defence’s ranks, a quick search and rescue might just work. The hostage location, was known, form the magic of bribes and torture, Yes, he concluded. But now the next task who should he sends on such a fool hardy mission?
Centurion Quintus lay on the begrimed floor. The smell of urine and stale bread hung in the air. His eyes were focused on the stars shining out in the dark sky. People claimed they were Gods, but Quintus never believed in such trivial things. Maybe that was why he had raised through the ranks so fast; religion and prayer had not weighed him down as it did with other officers.
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