‘Better to have Clodius do away with Cicero’s brother in an alley and then send the incompetent fool home,’ grumbled Antonius.
‘A plan with a few merits,’ Caesar smiled, ‘but a number of drawbacks. No. Cicero is better tamed and sweetened than turned into a martyr by my enemies. We could…’
He paused as the door opened again unannounced, and Priscus returned with a wide grin.
‘Prepare yourself, General. Fronto’s back. And he’s brought you a gift.’
* * * * *
Fronto strode into the general’s office with Palmatus and Masgava at his shoulders, the remaining six men of his party remaining outside, crowded at the doorway with Ingenuus’ guard. He was aware, as he passed the immaculately turned out cavalry troopers, that he and his men bore a closer resemblance to common countryside bandits than Roman soldiers, and probably smelled more like goatherds after so long in the same clothes with only a fully-dressed dip in chilly rivers to serve as a bath. Certainly Caesar reached up and rubbed his nose as they settled in, Masgava closing the door behind them.
‘A gift from the Goddess Arduenna, Caesar, who seems to favour Romans over fugitives.’
With no ceremony, he dropped something bulky and heavy in a dark-brown-stained oiled skin bag on the floor before him. The rounded object hit the boards with a bony clunk and rolled a short way. Caesar fixed the bag with his piercing gaze and then frowned as the other two men dropped a similar bag each.
‘Need I ask what that contains?’ Caesar prompted, pointing at the bag Fronto had dropped.
‘It is exactly what you think, Caesar.’
A nod. ‘And the others?’
‘What we believe to be the usurper king of the Segni and their chief druid — the pair who were planning to tear their tribe away from you and join Ambiorix. Traitors both. Without them, the Segni are still ours.’
Caesar nodded and a weary smile crept across his face. Fronto turned to his friends. ‘Take the rest of the lads and get yourselves bathed, dressed properly, and then fed until even Masgava’s fit to burst.’ The pair grinned and saluted Fronto and Caesar, then turned and left the room, shutting the door behind them and leaving the two senior officers in the relative gloom.
‘You were a long time away, Fronto. Despite everything, I found I worried for you. Especially when we began to campaign around you. Priscus never missed an opportunity to remind me of your proximity and your peril.’
Fronto chuckled and sank unbidden into a seat. ‘The forest of Arduenna is a big place to search, as it seems you have learned yourself, sir.’
‘And finally, in the end, you have given me the means by which to fulfil my vow.’
Fronto nodded, his eyes darkening. ‘There is more, though, Caesar.’
‘Oh?’
‘My unit was infiltrated by an anti-Roman Remi warrior, who it seems killed half a dozen of my men during the journey and only revealed himself when he was forced to murder Ambiorix to prevent the man spilling his guts to me.’
‘You got nothing from him?’
‘Almost. Despite the betrayal — which, I must warn you came from the bosom of one of our staunchest allies due to the current policy of devastation against the Belgae — I managed to coax a name from him: Vercingetorix.’
‘Never heard of the man. Who is he?’
‘That remains a subject for investigation, but I am fairly certain that it is the real name of the revolutionary we have been hearing of called Esus. Also that he is a nobleman of the Arverni tribe who I actually spoke to in Bibracte back in spring. He is friend to the druids and from what I saw a man to be reckoned with.’
Caesar sighed. ‘I thought for a moment you had brought me the solution to my quandary, but it seems instead that you have simply altered the parameters.’ He saw Fronto frown and explained. ‘I have been debating whether it was more important to return to Rome and deal with the problems arising there or to continue in my hunt for Ambiorix. You have solved the latter for me, but only by raising another problem in Gaul that will demand our attention, possibly more so than Ambiorix.’
Fronto took a deep breath. ‘I’ve been thinking about this Vercingetorix, Caesar, and I have a few thoughts on the matter for you, but what news from Rome? What demands your attention?’
Caesar’s fingers steepled and he leaned forward. ‘It seems that the three most powerful men in Rome are now two.’
‘Crassus fell to the Parthians.’
‘You say that as though you knew?’
‘Let’s say the Gods gave me a little preview and leave it at that. I’ve been half expecting the news all year.’
‘His son fell in the battle, also. Consequently, the younger Crassus is returning to Rome. The position of legate of the Tenth Legion seems to have opened up somewhat fortuitously for you. Almost as though that damned random Goddess you so favour had a hand in it.’
Fronto nodded, but pursed his lips. ‘Caesar, you cannot tell the world you have taken Ambiorix.’
The general paused as he sat back, his eyebrows dancing curiously. ‘Pray, why not?’
‘It’s one of the main conclusions I’ve drawn, General. The trouble to which the druids and these rebels went to in order to prevent any information falling into our hands is somewhat telling about its value. We have a name. With that name we can learn more, but only as long as they are unaware of the fact that we know of Vercingetorix. As soon as you release the fact that you have Ambiorix’s head, the enemy will assume we know things. Their secrets will be closer held… their treachery tighter controlled. This Vercingetorix will, of necessity, go into hiding until the time for action comes. We have an advantage, but only as long as the enemy believe Ambiorix is still free. Vercingetorix must be the pin at the hub of years of Gallic unrest.’
‘No matter how true what you say may be, Fronto, I made a vow to Venus Genetrix and to the senate and people of Rome. I have spent the best part of a season hunting the man and I cannot stand in public and admit failure, holding up empty hands. Especially when I have the man’s head at my feet.’
‘Venus already knows of the vow’s fulfilment, and the Goddess is the only one you need fear, General. You know as well as I that the senate and the people are pliable. You have fulfiled the important vow and kept the Gods content. Feed the public a distraction.’
‘You suggest I lie somehow to the people of Rome?’
‘I suggest that you shift your focus. Take the Roman thirst for vengeance and slake it on another. We’ve the heads of two more conspirators here,’ he added, nudging one of the bags with his toe.
Caesar frowned and tapped his chin. ‘It’s a dangerous gamble, failing to deliver a wolf and instead trying to hand them a rat.’
‘The public are fickle. Have Hirtius release your campaign records again this year, but play down the part of Ambiorix in them. Focus on your destruction of the Belgae and on the smaller rebels whose heads we can deliver without spooking the main players in the game. You’ve always been a master of leading the public in their desires rather than simply satisfying them.’
‘I cannot give them the king of the Segni as a grand traitor. His proximity to Ambiorix puts him in danger of spooking them almost as much as the renegade king — and the senate will know the Segni are a small, almost insignificant tribe. Sadly, Labienus has disposed of Indutiomarus.’ He paused. ‘Perhaps the culprit behind the earlier potential rising of the Carnutes and the Senones? Antonius and Priscus went and brought them back beneath our heel, but the man responsible was never punished.’
‘Then he could be your man,’ Fronto noted, ‘but be careful how you handle that one. The Belgae are disenamoured with Rome after the events of this year and we don’t wish to do the same with western Gaul. Don’t push those tribes too far in order to produce a scapegoat.
Caesar nodded. ‘Unfortunately, none of this solves my dilemma, regardless. I am somewhat inclined, given the events of the past two years to stay in Gaul over winter and bring this Vercingetorix to heel. Priscus, at least, will be pleased. The man’s been urging me to deal with his Gallic revolutionaries for many months. Perhaps Rome can wait.’