Valerius raised the stump of his right arm. ‘Even for a man with but one hand?’
The big man considered for a few seconds. ‘Perhaps on half pay, then.’
When the laughter had died, Juva addressed the general. ‘When will they come, sir? The First would rather be fighting than playing at being carpenters.’
‘Then you are already a true legionary,’ Spurinna laughed. ‘For, in my experience, the sign of a true legionary is that he would rather do anything than work. Soon.’ His face turned solemn. ‘They will not keep you waiting for long.’
The big man saluted again and, with a nod to Valerius, returned to his section.
‘Well, you have seen my preparations,’ Spurinna said. ‘Does your experience at Colonia allow you to add anything that might be of help?’
Valerius looked out over the town and the ants’ nest activity of the soldiers working on the walls and shook his head. ‘At Colonia the lack of walls forced us to take the battle to the enemy. We took what advantage we could of the terrain and made the enemy pay for every inch of ground in blood. When it was clear the battle was lost, we fought our way to the temple and held out for another two days. The defenders of the Temple of Claudius had no hope of victory or survival. The defenders of Placentia have both. My only reservation is the arena. I would burn it now. The military disadvantages outweigh any loss of morale to the citizens.’
‘I do not disagree with your assessment, but—’ Spurinna broke off as his eyes were drawn to something on the rampart ahead.
Valerius followed his gaze to where Serpentius hovered protectively beside a slight figure in a cloak who stared out towards the southern horizon.
‘General, may I introduce the lady Domitia Longina Corbulo.’
Domitia turned to meet them, nodding graciously as she recognized the legate’s scarlet sash. Spurinna’s eyes twinkled and the old soldier carried off a low bow with the poise of a much younger man. ‘I had enormous respect for your late father, lady; if ever there was a soldier’s soldier it was he. My nephew Gaius served as his surgeon during his Armenian campaigns and said his men would follow him to the very gates of Hades. A great loss to the Empire.’
‘Thank you, general. I understand that we are not to be permitted to travel south?’
‘It is not a question of permission, more that I cannot assure your safety. You will have had your fill of Batavian auxiliaries for today.’
‘When will they come?’ She repeated Juva’s question.
Spurinna looked distracted, as if his mind was elsewhere. ‘When they come, they will come from there.’ He pointed out along the snaking line of the river. ‘From the east, not the south. Ah.’ A tiny pin prick of brightness rose slowly on the far horizon before arcing back to earth. The flaming arrow was quickly followed by a second. With the signal from his scouts, the general’s whole bearing changed, as if an enormous burden had been removed from his shoulders. He smiled. ‘As to when? I do believe they are already on the march and we can expect them in the morning.’
XLI
‘They look well.’ Spurinna laughed appreciatively as he looked out from the parapet at the great army massing before the city.
Standing beside him among his aides, Valerius had to agree with the general. They did look fine, marching like a crimson tide across the broad farmland beyond the line of razed buildings, in their tight-ranked centuries and their cohorts, armour twinkling in the early morning sun and the brightly coloured shields identifying their legions. The only thing he didn’t share was the older man’s enthusiasm for the sight.
‘Twenty-first Rapax, sir.’ A sharp-eyed young tribune noted the twin boars on the scarlet and yellow background. His voice echoed his general’s zeal. ‘A full legion, more or less, and every man a veteran. They’ve been keeping the Helvetii honest up at Vindonissa for the last five years.’
A horn blew its familiar hoarse call and the legionaries came to an instant halt, not a man out of line and their standard-bearers placed exactly in front of each individual unit. Spurinna turned to Valerius. ‘They can drill, but can they fight?’
‘We’ll find out soon enough.’ They watched as a second unit and then a third came into sight and took their places to the right and left of the Twenty-first.
‘Twenty-second Primigenia and Fourth Macedonica.’ The aide noted the names down on a wax tablet. ‘They’re a long way from Moguntiacum. Plus about five cohorts of auxiliaries and another three of cavalry.’
A never-ending line of wagons and carts, mules and livestock crawled in after the legions, but Valerius’s eyes were drawn to a tall figure at the centre of a cloud of immaculately dressed officers which halted in front of the assembled troops.