‘Ever since the fight at Forum Annii, he’s done his own thing, hasn’t he?’
‘The shitbag is probably recruiting supporters so that when the time comes, as many men as possible will follow him, but at least he’s not constantly looking for a fight. Despite that bonus, we’re still living in a dream world.’
Ariadne was no longer enjoying the warm sunshine. ‘Rome hasn’t forgotten us, you mean.’
‘That’s right,’ he said grimly. ‘This might seem like paradise, but it won’t last much longer than the snow on the mountains to the north. Sure as the melt comes in spring, the legions will come in search of us.’ His lips gave an ironic twist. ‘Hannibal survived in this area for more than a decade. He was perhaps the finest general in history, and he outwitted Rome at every turn. But the stubborn bastards didn’t ever admit that they’d been defeated by him — even after Cannae. They simply recruited more men and fought on. It took nearly a generation, yet Hannibal was defeated in the end.’ Spartacus sighed. ‘And he had professional soldiers. I have slaves.’
‘They are no longer slaves,’ said Ariadne sharply. ‘They are free men. All of them.’
‘True enough,’ he admitted. ‘But they are not legionaries.’
‘They have been trained mercilessly for months — as recruits to the legions are,’ she countered.
‘Maybe so. Yet most of them didn’t come into the world with the warlike attitude that is every Roman’s birthright. They’re not combat veterans either. When Rome sends its finest men against us, as it inevitably must, will my soldiers stand and fight? Or will they run?’ Weirdly, he felt relief at having voiced his greatest worry.
Ariadne pointed at the myriad of figures on the plain below. ‘Those men love you!’ she cried. ‘They would follow you to the ends of the earth.’
Pride filled Spartacus’ eyes. ‘You’re right. I do them a disservice. But the outcome will be the same. Even if we beat the Romans another time, and another, they will not have been defeated. A man cannot kill all the ants in a colony. It’s not possible.’ His expression grew calculating. Yet this is also the hard path that I would have chosen in Thrace.
Ariadne felt her heart begin to race. They hadn’t spoken about leaving Italy since their conversation months before, but it was filling her mind right now. His too, from the look of it. But she would not be the one to mention it first. Spartacus did not yet know that she was pregnant. He mustn’t believe that she was trying to influence him.
He cocked his head at her. ‘What are you thinking?’
‘I was wondering what was in your mind to do,’ she said evasively.
‘I do not fear dying in battle,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘But if there was another path to take — a path that did not avoid confrontation with our enemies — then I would strongly consider it.’
Ariadne waited. Please guide him, Dionysus.
‘It’s not as if the Romans will stand by and let us march past to the Alps,’ Spartacus said with a harsh laugh. ‘They’ll place every damn legion they have in our way.’ That image made Ariadne feel physically sick. ‘If our army can pass those tests, well…’ Spartacus hesitated before saying, ‘Outside Italy we can truly be free.’
Ariadne wanted to cheer.
‘Crixus will not follow me, of course. He was never going to anyway. But when they hear what I have to say, I think that Castus and Gannicus will. They have learned that I am a better general than their fellow countryman.’
‘After the way you’ve organised the army, only a fool would think otherwise.’
He glanced at her quizzically. ‘You’ve said little about my suggestion, yet you were the one to mention it some time ago. Do you still think it’s a good one?’
She smiled. ‘I do. Rome is far too great a quarry for us to bring it down. I also think that you are destined to return to Thrace. That’s why you were pointing east in your dream.’ That’s what you want to think, chided her conscience. Ariadne harshly quelled the thought.
He looked pleased.
I must tell him now. Ariadne squeezed his hand. ‘There is something else.’
He raised an eyebrow.
‘I have missed my cycle for two months.’ She made a tutting noise at Spartacus’ incomprehension. ‘I’m pregnant.’
His face lit up. ‘Pregnant?’
Ariadne smiled as she leaned over to kiss him. ‘That’s what I said.’
‘That’s wonderful news. Praise the Rider!’
‘I’d be more likely to commend your keeping me in bed each and every morning,’ Ariadne replied archly. Her dancing eyes belied her scolding tone.
‘A man has his needs,’ he said with a lopsided grin. ‘Is it to be a son, as you said?’
She caressed her belly. ‘Yes, I think so. Your firstborn would have to be male, wouldn’t he?’
‘I’d like that.’ Spartacus did a quick mental calculation. ‘He’ll be born around harvest time.’
‘That’s my thinking.’
‘Good. It will be warm and sunny then, and he’ll have grown strong by the winter,’ said Spartacus with satisfaction. ‘It gives us time to head north as well.’
‘When will you speak to the other leaders?’ The sooner the better.
‘Now,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘Spring is nearly here. I want to be ready to move the moment it arrives.’
A flicker of movement caught Ariadne’s eye. She glanced down, seeing a horse and rider galloping towards the camp from the west. The frantic whip strokes being delivered by the horseman told their own story. The gods always place something in the way. She tried not to worry. ‘Your conversation might have to wait.’
Spartacus’ gaze followed hers. His jaw tightened at the sight. ‘Maybe so. I’ll still be needing to talk to the others, though.’
‘What is it, do you think?’ she asked softly, suspecting what he’d say.
‘Varinius,’ grated Spartacus. ‘He’s found us.’
‘The prick has had a few months to lick his wounds and recruit more men,’ said Spartacus. The rider had been carrying just the news he’d expected. The man was standing off to one side now, sweat-stained and weary, and watching Spartacus confer with Castus, Gannicus and Crixus. ‘It’s not that surprising that Varinius has been looking for us. He can’t go back to the Senate without some kind of success to report. They’d hang him up by his balls.’
‘So far all he’s had are defeats,’ said Gannicus with a predatory smile.
‘He’s soon going to have another one,’ rumbled Crixus.
‘The messenger says that Varinius has over six thousand men now,’ warned Castus. ‘He’s been busy recruiting at Cumae.’
‘Is that all? That’s a drop in the ocean compared to our forces!’ scoffed Crixus.
‘All the same, let’s not underestimate him,’ said Spartacus. ‘That’s more than a legion.’
‘Lost your appetite for a fight with all this easy living?’ taunted Crixus.
Spartacus’ eyes went flat and hard. ‘What do you think?’
‘I-’ Crixus began.
Spartacus cut him off. ‘I agreed before that we would fight Varinius, and I’m a man of my word. But we need to be wary of that many legionaries. We might outnumber the whoresons eight or nine to one, but on more than one occasion, I’ve seen Roman armies take on worse odds than that — and still come out victorious.’
Castus’ expression turned wary. Gannicus rubbed his nose and said nothing.
‘That’s not going to happen to us!’ replied Crixus furiously.
‘Damn right it’s not!’ Spartacus caught the messenger’s eye. ‘How far from Thurii did you say they were?’
‘About two days’ march, sir.’
‘Two days…’
Gannicus pounced on Spartacus’ thoughtful expression. ‘What have you in mind?’