military but they’re armed and they’re heading in our direction at speed, I think that we should start to assume the worst, don’t you, little brother?’
‘Runaways?’
‘Planning a little revenge for the yesterday, I’d say. We’d better get back fast; drop your pack and get up here behind me.’
With an increasing sense of foreboding Vespasian did as he wastold. Sabinus wheeled his mount round and, going as fast as was possible with his brother riding pillion, started to retrace the seven miles they had travelled. Vespasian clung on tightly as he was bounced this way and that by the swift movement of the horse over the rough ground; his broken nose beneath the poultice was jarred with each step causing him to wince in pain.
‘If we can keep up this pace,’ Sabinus called back to his brother, ‘we should arrive back at the farm half an hour or so ahead of them. That will be just enough time to arm and position everyone there. The people way out in the fields will just have to trust to Fortuna and look after themselves.’
‘What do you plan to do?’ Vespasian asked, hoping Sabinus would outline an ingenious plan.
‘I don’t know yet. I’m thinking.’ Not an inspiring reply.
As they raced back Vespasian imagined the fury of the runaways when they found the young lad hanging on a cross and the bodies of their comrades lying rotting in the sun. He wondered why no one had considered the possibility of reprisal and realised that they had all underestimated their opponents. They had been dismissed as a small, ill-equipped bunch of badly led thieves who were capable of nothing more than mule-rustling and highway robbery. Yet here they were attempting an orchestrated attack on the Flavian farm. He realised that it would be a bloody fight; the runaways would neither expect nor give any quarter.
The brothers hurtled through the gate and into the courtyard, scattering chickens and small children in all directions. Pallo came running out of the estate office as they dismounted.
‘Pallo, quick,’ Sabinus shouted, ‘arm all the men and as many slaves you can trust and get the women and children locked safely inside, then get all our people from the nearer fields in here as quickly as possible. It looks like we can expect company in about halfan hour, twenty or so runaways bent on exacting revenge. They meant to surprise us, so let’s make them think that they have. We’ll leave the gates open with a couple of men hidden behind them. If there’s no one to attack outside, they’ll come charging straight into the courtyard; the two lads behind the gates will shut and block them from the outside, then we’ll have them. We’ll need all the rest of the lads, armed with bows and javelins, on the roofs and in the rooms above the stables. Hieron, fill as many buckets as you can with water and take them up to the roofs; the bastards may try to torch the buildings. Vespasian, go and tell our parents what’s happening.’
Not long later Vespasian returned to the yard with his father. They had left Vespasia and the female slaves barricaded in the main house with Varo, whom Titus had ordered to assist Vespasia in taking her own life should they be overwhelmed. That his mother had acquiesced to this plan brought home the seriousness of the situation to Vespasian.
In the yard the defenders had been busy. A wagon had been placed outside the gate, ready to block it. Swords and daggers had been issued, stacks of javelins, bunches of arrows and buckets of water had been positioned all around the roofs. Access to the roofs was via ladders that could be pulled up after use. Manacled parties of field slaves were being locked into storerooms to prevent them from aiding their attackers, whom they would no doubt wish to join, given half a chance.
Vespasian helped Titus onto the roof of the main house, and then followed him up.
‘I’m looking forward to this,’ he chuckled to Vespasian. ‘I haven’t thrown a javelin in
‘Runaways?’
‘Planning a little revenge for the yesterday, I’d say. We’d better get back fast; drop your pack and get up here behind me.’
With an increasing sense of foreboding Vespasian did as he wastold. Sabinus wheeled his mount round and, going as fast as was possible with his brother riding pillion, started to retrace the seven miles they had travelled. Vespasian clung on tightly as he was bounced this way and that by the swift movement of the horse over the rough ground; his broken nose beneath the poultice was jarred with each step causing him to wince in pain.
‘If we can keep up this pace,’ Sabinus called back to his brother, ‘we should arrive back at the farm half an hour or so ahead of them. That will be just enough time to arm and position everyone there. The people way out in the fields will just have to trust to Fortuna and look after themselves.’
‘What do you plan to do?’ Vespasian asked, hoping Sabinus would outline an ingenious plan.
‘I don’t know yet. I’m thinking.’ Not an inspiring reply.
As they raced back Vespasian imagined the fury of the runaways when they found the young lad hanging on a cross and the bodies of their comrades lying rotting in the sun. He wondered why no one had considered the possibility of reprisal and realised that they had all underestimated their opponents. They had been dismissed as a small, ill-equipped bunch of badly led thieves who were capable of nothing more than mule-rustling and highway robbery. Yet here they were attempting an orchestrated attack on the Flavian farm. He realised that it would be a bloody fight; the runaways would neither expect nor give any quarter.
The brothers hurtled through the gate and into the courtyard, scattering chickens and small children in all directions. Pallo came running out of the estate office as they dismounted.
‘Pallo, quick,’ Sabinus shouted, ‘arm all the men and as many slaves you can trust and get the women and children locked safely inside, then get all our people from the nearer fields in here as quickly as possible. It looks like we can expect company in about halfan hour, twenty or so runaways bent on exacting revenge. They meant to surprise us, so let’s make them think that they have. We’ll leave the gates open with a couple of men hidden behind them. If there’s no one to attack outside, they’ll come charging straight into the courtyard; the two lads behind the gates will shut and block them from the outside, then we’ll have them. We’ll need all the rest of the lads, armed with bows and javelins, on the roofs and in the rooms above the stables. Hieron, fill as many buckets as you can with water and take them up to the roofs; the bastards may try to torch the buildings. Vespasian, go and tell our parents what’s happening.’
Not long later Vespasian returned to the yard with his father. They had left Vespasia and the female slaves barricaded in the main house with Varo, whom Titus had ordered to assist Vespasia in taking her own life should they be overwhelmed. That his mother had acquiesced to this plan brought home the seriousness of the situation to Vespasian.
In the yard the defenders had been busy. A wagon had been placed outside the gate, ready to block it. Swords and daggers had been issued, stacks of javelins, bunches of arrows and buckets of water had been positioned all around the roofs. Access to the roofs was via ladders that could be pulled up after use. Manacled parties of field slaves were being locked into storerooms to prevent them from aiding their attackers, whom they would no doubt wish to join, given half a chance.
Vespasian helped Titus onto the roof of the main house, and then followed him up.
‘I’m looking forward to this,’ he chuckled to Vespasian. ‘I haven’t thrown a javelin in
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