The other two nodded their agreement as the bleary, yawning form of Varus appeared through the tent’s doorway. ‘I was having a nice dream about a young woman.’
‘Shake it off, then. Time to go see old beaky.’
The four officers traipsed across the wet, muddy hillside towards the large tent, whose doorway glowed with flickering golden light, illuminating the two cavalry guardsmen standing outside. The pair nodded their recognition at the four officers as they arrived and gestured for them to enter.
Inside, Caesar sat in his chair with Labienus and Plancus facing him. The general nodded to free seats, and the new arrivals wandered over and sat. As they took their places, Roscius and Calenus, the other officers on the staff, arrived, bowing, and took their seats.
‘I have made my decision about our next move, gentlemen,’ Caesar announced, rubbing his temple. ‘Despite my desire to bring war to the enemy at our earliest convenience, I received a deputation this evening from the Aedui, and I find my hand forced and the decision made for me.’
‘What news do they bring?’ Plancus asked, urgently.
‘Their state is in chaos, according to our friends. They have two men vying for control, splitting the Aedui in two. They have entreated me to adjudicate and heal their state.’
Antonius gave a loud cough, drawing all eyes. ‘Is that really more important than the enemy, who are encamped not five miles from here?’
Caesar fixed his friend with a level look. ‘Frankly, yes. The Aedui are the most numerous, richest and most powerful of the tribes of Gaul. Over the past seven years, no matter who we have fought, we have been allied with the Aedui. They have sent us men and supplies, and we have made them rich and powerful in return. If we cannot control what happens to their government, I foresee at least half of their tribe running into the waiting arms of Vercingetorix. If you think his army is strong now, wait ‘til the Aedui join him and bring a dozen other tribes who currently owe their allegiance to us. No. We must deal with this immediately.’
‘Can they not send their trouble here for you to adjudicate, Caesar?’ asked Calenus.
‘I’m afraid that’s not an option. By their laws, the chief magistrate of their people cannot leave their tribe’s lands. A sensible law, in my opinion, for all the difficulties it might currently be causing me.’
‘And are you planning to uproot the army and take them along with you?’ Fronto asked, ignoring the pounding of his head. ‘Because I’d not recommend marching off to the Aedui poorly-accompanied. What happens if they’ve already thrown in their lot with the rebels before you get there?’
Caesar tapped his temple knowingly. ‘That had occurred to me. Also, Bibracte is eighty miles from here, which means a side-trip of more than a week even at full pace. So I have compromised. Two legions will accompany the baggage back across the Liger River. The other four, unconstrained by baggage, will accompany the staff and myself to Decetio, which is the nearest Aedui oppidum with a forum space where the council and the rival candidates can attend. I sent the ambassadors back with instructions for the parties concerned to meet us there.
‘You mention only six legions,’ Fronto frowned. ‘What of the other two.’
Caesar turned and pointed at the large map hanging on the back wall. ‘According to the information gleaned from your scout while he was among the enemy, Vercingetorix is expecting a large number of reinforcements from the northern tribes and their absence thus far is largely what has stopped him moving against us. While we move east to negate the Aedui danger, Labienus will be taking the Seventh and the Twelfth to the north, collecting the First and the Fifteenth from Agedincum and the cohorts from Vellaunoduno and Cenabum. Armed with four good legions, he will crush the rebel spirit from the Carnutes, the Parisi and all the other northern tribes.’ He turned to Labienus. ‘You can do this with four legions?’
‘With those four, I could depopulate most of Gaul,’ nodded Labienus.
‘Good. Make a spirited attempt to do so.’
‘And what do we believe Vercingetorix will do while we concentrate on his allies again?’ Antonius mused.
‘He will sit tight in his swamp and wait until we are tired and hungry and he outnumbers us. Thus, once we are done with the Aedui, regardless of what Labienus’ situation is, we will have to draw the rebel out of his camp. As soon as we have the Aedui securely under the Roman flag, we march on his hometown.’
Silence fell across the tent.
‘Thoughts, gentleman?’
‘Even as the crow flies, Gergovia is a hundred miles from here,’ Priscus murmured. ‘That’s a long way. And we might find the place empty. Can we be sure that the rebels will follow?’
Caesar nodded. ‘Would you countenance Vercingetorix reaching an undefended Rome? No. He will chase us, and we will turn and bring battle to him once he is in the open. And if we reach Gergovia before he shows his face, we will have the added advantage of his own oppidum to use against him.’
‘It’s dangerous, Caesar,’ Fronto said quietly. ‘The Gauls can move faster than us unless we leave the carts behind. And if Labienus takes a quarter of the army north, he will outnumber us, too.’
‘Not if we draw new levies from the Aedui while we are there…’
The general turned his gaze on Priscus. ‘And the good prefect here — who already knows the region well from his last year — rides with a small party to find Brutus and Aristius and bring their forces back from Arverni lands to add their numbers to ours. They will bring us back up to our current strength, and they should not be more than fifty miles from Gergovia at the moment anyway.’
‘It is bold and dangerous,’ Antonius said in a low voice, which then cracked as a smile spread across his face. ‘I like it.’
Caesar nodded. ‘Labienus, you will ride in the morning with your two legions. You have brought me unprecedented success with every command I have assigned you thus far. I wish to see the same from this season.’
Labienus nodded professionally.
‘Priscus, select a turma of cavalry and ride for Arverni lands. Find Brutus and Aristius and bring them to Gergovia to meet with us. If we are not there, then travel north along the Elaver River until you find us.’
Looking somewhat less thrilled with his mission than Labienus, Priscus nodded and folded his arms.
‘Plancus, you will take the Eighth and the Fourteenth and resupply at the Boii oppidum of Gorgobina. Await our return there.’
Plancus nodded, apparently not fazed at being given the unexciting baggage duty.
‘So the rest of you, along with the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh and Thirteenth, will accompany me to Decetio to settle the leadership of the Aedui.’
‘Distributing the army around Gaul,’ whispered Varus, leaning close to Fronto, ‘what could possibly go wrong?’
* * * * *
Cavarinos shrank down into himself, attempting to appear as nondescript as possible. The young warrior Litavicus, who had been in the pay of Vercingetorix since the winter time at least and had ridden with Cavarinos months before, had apparently risen in status somewhat, along with Convictolitanis, who now claimed control over the tribe as a whole. Litavicus now commanded a personal retinue of warriors and other young nobles, and it had been a simple matter to insert Cavarinos into his party without attracting any attention. Thus in the day and a half since he had met up with the young Aeduan warrior, he had been at the very centre of events without raising an eyebrow.
It would have been absolutely perfect barring the fact that a stuffy old pro-Roman named Cotus had challenged Convictolitanis’ control and had brought the matter to Caesar’s attention. Thus instead of the entire tribe slipping into Vercingetorix’s army unnoticed by the Romans, the great and the good of the Aedui had been compelled to leave Bibracte and ride for Decetio to have Caesar give his judgement. Cavarinos had been under no illusion that the Romans would be there in force and would exert their control over events, and almost certainly Caesar would come down in favour of the old man, who had influence, connections and an ancient family. Hell, his brother had been the previous magistrate.