3. Oft Go Awry

A chariot moved as quickly as was safe in the predawn. Two figures balanced on the bouncing deck. Kim in her guise as the Masked Warrior of Mystery held the reins, the crest of her helmet waving in the wind. Ronicus stood beside her. He wore his Father's old leather cuirass, which he had oiled and restored to a like new condition. Unable to afford a helmet, he had a leather head band holding his hair out of his eyes. On his right hip was an old-style Italian sword.

Kim focused her eyes on the road ahead. Her mind however, felt free to wander.

It's bad enough to not even know what Wadeamedes looks like, I also have to keep my identity secret from Ronicus. We've known each other since we were big enough to leave our houses, now he fights beside me, and he has no idea who I am. Could I feel any more alone?

Ron stole a sidelong glance at the Masked Warrior of Mystery. It had been almost a year since he had received the message, telling him to come to the Etruscan Tombs. There he was sworn to secrecy, then the training had begun.

Thank you for sending him, Fortuna. Without this chance to redeem my family, I don't know what I would have done. There's something so familiar about him. It's like I've known him much longer than these last months. He seems to know everything about me, yet still I can't place why I feel this way about him.

"We should be getting close to where they'll cross the Tiber." Kim observed. A small device from Wadeamedes in her helmet gave her voice a rasping whirl. It was relief to be able to just talk instead of having to use a fake voice.

"How can they get a bridge over in just a night?"

"We'll see soon enough…" then she pulled up on the reins. They both stared.

In over a year of missions, they had never seen very many of the enemy. Here before them, coming down the hills to the river bank, was an entire army. In front were the Libyans. They were dark, with great round shields and pikes. Some wore the linen corslets favored by Greeks, but most wore mail coats. Captured mail coats. Most wore looted Roman helmets, too. They had replaced the red plumes with purple ones.

Behind them came Iberians. They wore white tunics bordered with purple. Their shields were broad and flat. Javelins of solid iron glowed red in the rising sun. Short swords just like those of the legions were at their hips. Around them moved their light infantry. They carried javelins, small shields and slashing swords.

Then came Gauls, thousands of them. They did not march so much as lope along like wolves. Their helmets had horns, or birds on top, or were designed to look like whatever fancy caught the bronze smith that day. The chieftains and champions wore the finest mail in Italy. The rest were stripped to the waist. One could not see the fantastic body paintings they sported in the early light.

"Where is their cavalry?"

"To the south." Ron answered with an equestrian's certainty. "They're delaying our legions as they try to reach Rome in time. No infantry can move fast when Numidians are showering them with javelins, and their lancers will keep our own horsemen at bay."

"Minerva be praised! We can still beat them to the river. Ready for the final push?"

"Always ready, Masked Dude! How about you, Ruffio?"

Ruffio stuck his head out of the top of the Ron's cuirass. "Audentes fortuna juvet!"

They rumbled down to a wooded clearing. From there they could see the bridge. Three boats rested side by side in the water. At the bow and stern were great leather straps through which a massive rope passed, tied to posts. A broad walkway placed across the decks waited for the troops who were marching down the hill.

"There are a few engineers down there," Kim whispered as they stepped out of the chariot. "there have to be …"

"More guards?" A jovial voice completed her thought. Senioris stepped out of the rocks by the Tiber. Junuris followed. "Ronicus Stoppabullus, my feisty teen nemesis, and his companion, the Masked Warrior of Mystery. Welcome to the final drama of this war."

"Just two of you? That's a little over-confident, don't you think?"

"We are just a few more." From the rocks behind Senioris, five men sprang up, their bows at the ready.

"Creatans!" Ronicus gasped.

"Yes, but do not insult their intelligence. You! Take care of the Masked One! Junuris and I will deal with Ronicus."

Kim crouched with her spear. Ronicus looked with alarm as the five men, with the practiced ease of professionals, automatically adjusted their aim to strike at every possible unarmored spot on his companion. He raised the large round shield he had brought, and ran in front of her.

The arrows flew. Kim saw the shadow come between her and the missiles. Ron gave a yell as he found himself pinned by his cloak and tunic to a large tree.

"Change in plan!" Senioris called out. "Archers, finish Ronicus. Junuris, we take the other one."

Two against one. Kim had not practiced this often. Mother and Nana were still trying to prepare her for the dizzying array of weapons and fighting styles utilized by the General's army. She did the one thing that made sense in this situation, she attacked. A strong thrust sent Senioris back. Then she pressed Junuris, stabbing and slashing. This was no practice spear, the head and butt were sharp.

Junuris and Senioris were not at their best advantage, either. They were cavalrymen by trade, fighting on foot was a position of last resort for them. While they were a deadly tandem on horseback, here they were less sure. Junuris charged and slashed, trying to work Kim into Senioris's range. The older man waited for his chance with the steadiness of a veteran.

Meanwhile Ronicus strained on the tree. He had pulled his legs up when he heard Senioris give his command, and watched with dismay as arrows struck where they had just been. Others glanced off the metal boss of his shield, or thudded into it.

His mother was an excellent weaver and seamstress. His cloak and tunic refused to tear as he strained to pull free. Ruffio jumped up and down on an arrow, finally began to chew on it. I've got to get free before they get on either side of MW, or it'll be all over.

Kim was doing well, but the need to win quickly, to neutralize the archers and attack the bridge, made her reckless. She got too close to Senioris and Junuris. They brought their swords down overhead. She caught the two swords, but had no chance of resisting the strength and weight of two large men. Kim strained, but finally went down on her back. The Iberians raised their swords again.

RIPPPPPP!!!!!

Again a blur crossed Kim's field of vision. Ronicus had finally torn himself free, leaving his cloak and much of his lower tunic on the tree. He crashed into Kim's attackers. They went down in a jumble.

Kim sprang toward the chariot. Arrows glanced off the back of her helmet. She made a somersault into the chariot, tucking her legs in to provide the smallest target possible. There was a small bag on the deck. She opened it, and pulled out an object she began to twirl overhead. She sprang up and let it go. The weighted net sailed at the archers. By the crash and cursing, she knew she had hit her target.

She ran over with the bag. Quickly, she staked the net down over the struggling men. Then she grabbed one of their bows and notched an arrow. She walked over to Ronicus.

He was on top of Senioris and Junuris, his sword across their throats.

"Get up, Ronicus. I have them covered." Kim watched them as he scrambled up. "Here, use this instead."

Senioris and Junuris sat up, Ronicus held the bow ready. Kim looked to the Tiber.

The lead column of Libyans was on the bridge. They would shortly be across.

"It is too late now." Senioris smiled. "Once they cross and deploy, no Roman legion could break through to gain the bridge. I see no legions. Surrender now, the General will be most gracious to such worthy foes."

Kim ran to the chariot. She pulled out the new javelin. It was a little longer, and a bit thicker than usual. Thin lines of steel were worked into the shaft. This had better have some trick to it, Wadeamedes. I can't get through the engineers before the Libyans cross. Even if I could, there's no way to cut or burn those ropes in time.

She began to move to get an open throw. Junuris turned to Senioris.

"Father, Ronicus has only one arrow! One of us will get him…"

Senioris shook his head. "Junuris, there are three reasons to willingly lose one's life. In order they are love, victory, and honor. None would be served."

He turned to shout at Kim. "Surely you can't think that you can sever those ropes with a single javelin?"

Kim remembered the instructions that came with the weapon. She let fly. It flew at an angle to the ropes.

"You are at least a cubit too high!" Senioris exulted. You…"

There was a blur around the missile as it neared the target. The razors had deployed, using the spin of the javelin, they sliced into first one rope, then the other. Neither was cut through entirely, but the strength of the Tiber's current and the weight of boats and soldiers were too much for the cords. They began to unravel.

The rear of the column stopped, the men on the boats ran or jumped off if close to the shore. The others jumped into the boats, and off the bridge which tumbled into the river. They tried to use their pikes as poles.

"What do you know? One was enough, even if the aim was off."

Kim doffed her hand in salute. "Let's go, Ronicus."

They rode off, laughing and yelling. "Victory for Rome!"

Senioris stood up. He pursed his lips.

"The General will not be pleased."

notes

Audentes fortuna juvet--Fortune favors the bold. The Romans had several ways of saying this one.