Free Legatus Legionis: Book Two in the Gaius Claudius Scaevola Trilogy by Ian Miller

Roman ways, if you wish."
    The chief thought for a moment, then nodded agreement. He knew his eldest sons would be hostages for his good behaviour. The procedure was not unexpected, and the fact that Gaius already had possession of all that he was proposing to take meant that the tribute was less important.
    Gaius immediately ordered the horn signal for the troops to accept surrender. Immediately the Roman shield walls fell back, the thrusting stopping except in defence. The chief rode towards his men, and yelled out his instructions. His men began to lay down their arms and, seeing the Romans had ceased fighting, were able to tend to their wounded. The battle was over.
    * * *
    The Iazygian weapons were gathered and placed on carts, which Gaius ordered to be sent immediately to the village, together with the Iazygian supplies, the chief and some of the men. Gaius suggested that these men, together with those captured, construct further huts and gather firewood. They would be given axes, and the harder they worked, the better would be the huts in which they would have to live for as long as it took the Romans to safely depart, and the warmer would be their night. Any treachery, and the entire village would be crucified.
    The chief nodded, and promised no treachery. He knew he had been beaten, but he also knew that this outcome was much better than any he could have hoped for, given that he had lost. Meanwhile, the Roman medical men began helping those wounded Iazyges who had more chance of living.
    About two hours later, many carts started to arrive to take the wounded from both sides back to the village, while the remainder began marching back
    That evening, Gaius invited the chief, his family, and some additional Iazyges to dine with him. Patiently, he outlined what he wanted from them in the future. There would be a standard tribute in gold or coin, but this could be earned if the Iazyges cared to sell food to the legion, or for that matter any other goods to anybody within the Roman domain. They would have freedom to cross the river at any time, provided tribute was up to date, and they were also expected to offer free passage to anybody from the Roman domains.
    What Rome required was order. If the Iazyges themselves were attacked or raided by those from outside Rome's control, they were free to defend themselves, and provided they were not the cause of the problem, Rome may well help them. If they behaved like allies, they would be treated as allies.
    The chief accepted this, and swore there would be no further hostilities.
    * * *
    The following day, Gaius sent the tribute and the wounded back to the river, and two days later a scout returned and informed him that both had reached and crossed the river without incident. Accordingly, the next morning the Romans marched out, together with three young Iazyges as hostage, and the Iazygian weaponry. They stopped overnight at the first village, then the following morning they marched to the river, leaving much of the Iazygian weaponry behind. As Gaius had told the chief, the taking of the weapons was simply a precaution, but he had no intention of leaving the tribe defenceless through the winter. The chief seemed genuinely grateful for this.
    Four days later the two cohorts recrossed the Danube. Again, the crossing took most of the day, the mechanics of which Gaius felt he could safely leave in the hands of the Centurions and Tribunes. He returned to his formal headquarters, announced that he had returned, then on learning that there was nothing especially pressing, he left.

Chapter 7
    As he explained, not entirely telling the full truth, he had visited to ensure that she was being well looked after, that she was safe, and . . .
    "The legion, or the river, kept the barbarians at bay," she smiled, then she shuddered, and added, "and Little Boots is far away."
    "I'm sure you're exaggerating the problem," Gaius tried to comfort her.
    "He's quite a vile beast," she shuddered. "You