‘It comes to this: I will not lead an army who does not believe in me. And so I will abide by the decision of the mass of chieftains here this night. But let me lay something out in straight words for you.’
He drew his sword and slammed it point first into the ground before the fire.
‘I have studied every angle of this campaign. My close advisors and I have a solid picture of what must be done to win — a plan over a year in the making and to which there is no workable alternative. And despite Caesar’s movements and a number of small setbacks, nothing has yet changed in the grand scheme. We have lost a few engagements, sacrificed perhaps three thousand men in total. Rome will have lost men too. But they are reliant upon forage and have no new men to draft. We have our own food and our own fortresses, and despite any losses, our numbers continue to grow, while Caesar’s only shrink.’
He crouched before the sword, the golden light dancing impressively across his features and in his eyes. ‘The fact remains that the Aedui are the largest and strongest individual tribe in Gaul. Moreover, Rome trusts them, which gives us tremendous advantages when we bring them to our cause. Think what advantage they provide Caesar if we do not. If we abandon this siege and leave the Aedui to their own devices, they will likely continue to support Rome and then we will face superior numbers.’
He ran an idle finger along the sword’s edge.
‘And I believe in my heart that breaking the siege and rushing off to aid Avaricon before we are numerically prepared is the worst possible use of our time. We will not be able to enter the city while it is under siege and any attempt to engage Rome outside its walls is at best extremely dangerous. In short, if we abandon our plans now, we may ruin any chance we ever have of successfully concluding this war. If we place the safety of the Bituriges’ capital above the good of the army, we may cause our own downfall.’
He tapped the hilt of the sword so that it swayed back and forth in the ground, gleaming menacingly in the firelight.
‘So, assembled chieftains of the tribes, what is to be our path?’
PART TWO: EXCHANGES AND GAMBITS
Chapter 8
Hillside east of Avaricon
Vergasillaunus leaned on the rail of a weapon rack and looked out over the gentle slope ahead, where a narrow stream happily gurgled its way, meandering towards the distant war zone of Avaricon and creating a shallow trench of marshy land. It was the first morning he could remember of the entire year when he had not shivered when he awoke, and he hoped fervently that the slight change heralded the end of the chill winter and the dawn of spring.
Ahead, the front riders of the thousand-strong cavalry force were heading for the army’s commanders, while the rest returned to their own small tribal groups to rest. Vergasillaunus cleared his throat and prepared himself. His cousin had been taciturn and rarely-responsive since the other chiefs had forced his hand and turned the army from Gorgobina and the Aedui in pursuit of Caesar and the saving of Avaricon. Vercingetorix was not a man given to uncontrolled temper, but his mood had become unusually fiery since having his plans overturned by his own officers.
‘Lucterius seems to be smiling. Makes a change.’
There was no reply from the army’s commander and Vergasillaunus sighed as he watched the Cadurci chieftain approach and dismount with an expression of grim satisfaction. Despite having agreed to move on Avaricon, the king had still counselled caution and care. Instead of marching straight into action, they had set up camp on a bleak, wind-blown hillside some fifteen miles from the Bituriges’ oppidum, protected by a screen of woods to the north and a swampy stream to the south, and sent out scouts. The riders had confirmed that Caesar and his army were already before the walls of Avaricon, camped in almost the same position as Vercingetorix had been over a month previously. Given this news, and the knowledge that all other approaches to the oppidum were buried beneath marsh and swamp, the king had put down his foot and kept the army here, so many miles away, where he was in no danger from Caesar’s superior force.
However, he had not rested upon his laurels, sending numerous scouts out to keep him apprised of all that went on in the region, and immediately issuing a string of orders. Now, at any given moment there were three separate forces of a thousand cavalry out in the land, burning all settlements, farms, crops and animals, removing any hope of the Romans foraging.
Better than this, even in the first two days of being camped here, the roving cavalry forces had come across five separate Roman foraging units and had slaughtered them all, leaving no survivors to bring news of their fate to their general. As well as hungry, the Romans must be starting to become nervous.
The Cadurci chief bowed his head as he approached. Vergasillaunus clenched his teeth, hoping that his cousin would override his anger and manage civility. Not only was Lucterius an able leader, despite his recent run of bad luck, but he was also one of the few chieftains who was wholly committed and had stood by them at all times.
‘Two pieces of good news,’ the Cadurci said, exhaling as he crouched. ‘We found and destroyed another forage party. This time it was three centuries together — we counted the crested heads afterwards. They are strengthening their units, so they must be fearing to send them.’
Vergasillaunus nodded. ‘They are searching further afield also. Late last night, Epacos and his Carnutes came across a six-cart supply train coming from the north — from Cenabum probably — and brought it back to us, leaving the Roman bodies for the crows. They must be starting to get desperate.’
‘To add to your glee, then, Vergasillaunus,’ the weary warrior replied, ‘you will be pleased to hear that we came across just such a convoy coming in from the southeast, manned by Aedui warriors. They had been delayed when their carts sank into marshy ground. Rather than struggle in the same manner, we torched the carts and their grain sacks together.’
Vergasillaunus nodded, a pleased smile upon his face.
‘And what of the Aedui escort?’ asked the king quietly.
‘Those who survived our swords burned with the grain.’
‘You believe this will help bring the Aedui to our cause?’ Vercingetorix’s voice carried a dangerous undertone, and his cousin steadied himself for trouble, but Lucterius simply narrowed his eyes. ‘I will gut and burn any man I find feeding the Romans,’ he replied, ‘be he Aedui, Arverni or even my own Cadurci. This war will not be won by faint hearts.’
The king was silent for some time, but finally he nodded. ‘You did well, Lucterius. I have more men working within the Aedui now, too. Soon, with any luck, they will join us and, by then, Caesar’s army will be emaciated and weak, and we can stamp him out, grinding him against Avaricon’s walls. But faint heart or no, we will not move until we are sure of our numbers.’
The Cadurci chief’s face betrayed his disapproval, but he nodded and rose to leave, nonetheless.
‘Avaricon can hold,’ Vercingetorix said quietly as though reading his cousin’s thoughts.
‘I hope so. I truly do.’
* * * * *
‘It’s a tough nut to crack,’ Fronto mused as the small knot of officers stood on the westward slope and took in the majestic strength of Avaricon through the fine mist of drizzle. The walls were high, topped with regular towers and made all the more formidable by nature, which had provided the Bituriges with an incline below, then a marshy dip before the hill upon which the Roman camp lay.
‘If there were another option, I would consider it,’ Caesar said quietly, though all present were quite aware of the impossibility of the other routes. Pre-warned of the Roman approach, the Bituriges had taken the drastic decision to destroy the bridges over the rivers that girded it, making those swampy morasses with their snaking channels a deadly proposition for any army. The only feasible route was this one: an attack from the east, down the gentle incline, across the marsh dip and then up against the powerful walls, all under the falling missiles of the defenders.