Free Hosker, G [Sword of Cartimandua 03] Invasion- Caledonia by Griff Hosker

the venture. “ Right I am sure we all have things to do but one last thing. Thank you.” As they nodded their gratitude and began to leave Agricola grabbed Marcus’ arm. “And you prefect are you ready to ride?”
    “Yes sir. I am recovered.”
    “It is a shame the witch escaped, “he paused, “or drowned. Perhaps you ought to forget her now eh?”
    “I can never forget her and she did not drown.  I know not how I know I just feel it; she lives, for the moment; but do not worry sir my quest for revenge will not interfere with my duties.”
    “I know prefect which is why you are now a prefect. Good. You know the thing I should have done was build a bridge to this damned island. We will either have to build rafts or risk a swim.”
    Marcus laughed, “I think my lads are getting quite used to swimming.”
    “Swimming it is then.”
     

Part Two
    The Land of the Lakes

Chapter 6
    North West of Eboracum
    The war was long over and there were no Brigante warbands roving the country. The merchants had new markets as the Roman influence spread from the pottery in Petuaria, Isurium Brigantium and Derventio to the iron mines at Danum and lime workings at Morbium.  There were the new forts springing up to defend the hard won province.  The same merchants were aping the Romans they had met. They were building villas and baths bought with the new found wealth as Britannia emerged from the Iron Age into the Roman age.
    The very prosperity brought with it the attendant dangers of prosperity, bandits, thieves and robbers. They were, in essence the same warbands which had fought the Romans but as the finest and noblest of these had died the ones who remained were, by their very nature, those who had survived and not fought to the end. They were the ones with the skills in warfare but not the aptitude. They were the ones who did not want to go back to their farms to eke out a living but they wanted to prey on those who did work hard and tried to better themselves. While the south of the province still had some order with many natives embracing Roman values and mores, a good road system and tax collections the north of the province had fewer influences, fewer roads and more opportunity for banditry.
    Aed still called himself a rebel; he still felt himself to be a legitimate heir to Brigantia but in reality he was a bandit, a powerful one, but a bandit nonetheless. His lieutenant, the former auxiliary Modius ruled the circle that was the land of the lakes with an iron fist.  The mountains which surrounded the fine farmland meant that it was easy to defend against anything other than a legion or an ala. There was neither.  The nearest force was a cohort of infantry at Brocavum and another at Morbium. The legionary fortress at Eboracum might as well have been in Rome for all the influence it could exert. Aed had quickly discovered that he could raid with impunity during the summer and spring months when the merchants were talking advantage of the fine weather to move their goods to the new markets.  Lime, iron, pottery and tiles were in demand in the south and would fetch a higher price as there was so much building going on.  It was worth the risk and the roads from north to south made easy pickings for Aed who used a small force of mounted men under Modius to rob and kill the merchants bringing the contraband to a safe place. Aed could then transport the goods under heavy guard, to the very markets that had been their destination. He was becoming quite rich and quite powerful as other disenchanted bandits flocked to his banner. If a vexillation appeared from Eboracum he could quickly retire to his stronghold knowing that they did not have the resources to follow him. The legionaries would then go back to building the roads which in time would bring both security and order but as the spring grew into summer Aed’s empire was still growing.
     
    Prefect Maximunius and his ala had spent the end of the winter at the newly built