Адриан Голдсуорти: The Fort

‘It did not happen that way.’

‘That is neither here nor there. Sulpicia Lepidina is a shrewd enough woman to keep silent, especially if the emperor is willing to foster her husband’s career. Ambitious man, that, for himself and his sons.’

As always Ferox feared some undertone suggesting that Hadrian knew the truth about the youngest boy.

‘He has three does he not?’

‘I believe so, sir.’

‘And a daughter too, while his wife is a clarissima femina. Yes, that is a man hoping to rise.’

‘He’s a fine soldier, sir.’

‘Good, because I have asked that he be sent to my legion as narrow stripe tribune and it is tiresome to have to manage a fool in such a post. As I say, the lady will say nothing, while your wife is eager to have her accession as queen made formal. That means that we can count on her discretion. Of the others who were there – well, who would believe any of them or listen to what they say? Which just leaves you.’

‘There are the tribune’s reports, sir?’

‘These?’ Hadrian picked up two of the tablets. ‘Yes, of course, I was forgetting. All written and dated after he had died so bravely.’ He stood up and went over to the brazier, before tossing the tablets in. The coals were hot and in a moment the wooden pages began to burn. ‘Ah, there we are, problem solved.’ Hadrian rubbed his hands together as if cleaning them. ‘And so we return to you.

‘Crispinus, among others, told me that you have a mulish obsession with telling the truth. In this case that would be unwise and unhelpful. Surely you do not want scandal surrounding your dear wife? Least of all when her hopes are so close to fulfilment and she may truly become queen and perhaps even bequeath the title to one of your children?’

Ferox said nothing.

Hadrian sighed. ‘Then let us consider the problem from another angle, as one of my tutors was fond of saying – ugly old goat that he was.

‘Now that the record shows that the tribune fell so bravely, from that moment you were once again senior officer at Piroboridava. Yet you abandoned your post, sneaking away through the enemy lines in company with a known deserter and leaving your command to its fate.’

‘I was ordered, sir.’

‘By a dead man whose written instructions are turning into ashes as we speak.’ The wax on the tablets gave off a strong scent as they burned. ‘And let us cast our eyes back on your record.

‘On the day you arrived at Piroboridava you slaughtered several of your own officers and let others desert. Then and before the desertion rate among the Brigantes placed under your charge was appallingly high. In the days that followed there were several attempts on your life, which you survived but speak of very poor discipline. And you did not prevent the murder of a centurion – of my legion, blast your eyes – by one of your men. Then when the time came and your fort was under attack, you let the enemy overrun its walls and the remnant you abandoned was only saved by a miracle – and the prompt actions of a worthy legatus.’ Hadrian gave a studied cough. ‘All in all, it is not a pretty picture, and given your already chequered past, surely demands severe punishment.’

Hadrian came behind Ferox and took him by the shoulders.

‘Hercules’ balls, man, all we want is for you to hold your tongue about a man who is dead and gone. I really doubt that your wife wants people to whisper about the attack, and wonder just how far things went before she managed to kill him. “Oh poor girl,” they will say, “isn’t it terrible”, while they imagine all sorts of lurid things. Spare her that at least.’

‘What do you want from me, sir?’

‘That’s better. Your part in all this will be allowed to fade away, even more than it does in your own self-effacing version. Piso will gain posthumous glory which will warm the hearts of every senator, especially as they’ll never have to meet the little cuss. Let your wife be praised by the emperor and I will help in every way I can to secure her recognition.

‘You will be forgotten, apart from a minor reprimand, and we certainly do not want you going back to Britannia, let alone to the north. She may rule, but for the moment she will rule alone. Instead, I will find some uses for you in the years to come. Serve me well – and the army and emperor of course – and one day you may be allowed to go to her. Refuse to do what I ask now, or fail me and the best you can hope for is dishonourable discharge. The worst is exile to an island for adultery, along with the lady.’

Ferox must have flinched and Hadrian felt it.

‘So, it is true.’ Hadrian could not hide his satisfaction. ‘Crispinus thought so, and a glance at the boy made me wonder.’ He pulled his hands away and walked around so that he could face Ferox. ‘You really have no choice if you want to protect the ones you love. Do you?’

‘No, my lord.’

‘Good. And if you continue to serve Rome so well then all you do will help her cause and that of your children – quietly at least. Doubt that there will be much recognition for you, not for a long while at least, but I will do my utmost to help Claudia Enica.’

‘I should like to see my wife, sir.’

‘Not yet. Perhaps one day, when you have shown that I can rely upon you for your service and absolute discretion, then perhaps I shall arrange for you to see her. But today, you must leave this camp, although if you wish to write a letter I shall ensure that it is delivered. Its contents will be the first test of your discretion.’

Ferox stood, his leg throbbing. ‘Where am I going?’

‘South, at first. Word has arrived that the emperor will get here soon and I do not want you complicating matters.

‘Once you are healed I will want you to see whether we can persuade the Roxolani’s main clans to abandon Decebalus.’

‘In place of Piso, my lord?’

Hadrian grinned with all the warmth of a tiger. ‘I believe you do have a gift for diplomacy. And I do not need you to become a dead hero.’

‘What about clubbed to death while a fort burned?’ Ferox was sure Sosius had attacked Piso all those months before and did not doubt that it was on the legate’s orders.

‘I cannot imagine what you mean, centurion, to ask such a tactless question.’ Hadrian glanced down, then flicked his eyes back to fix on Ferox. ‘If you need to disappear, that could already have been arranged. Be assured, I do not want you dead, but I do want you to be useful.’

‘To you, my lord?’

‘To Rome, Ferox, and to our princeps – to whom you have sworn an oath. I am merely a servant of both, doing my best to ensure their success. In order to do that I must use the best tools I can find and ensure that those tools are wielded as well as possible.’

Ferox could imagine Vindex smirking.

Hadrian glanced at the brazier where the tablets were still burning. ‘After you have helped with the Roxolani, who knows?’ he went on. ‘I – and other sensible men – will make use of you for the good of the res publica.’

‘And how will you serve the res publica, my lord?’

‘As best I can. You will soon hear, but there is talk of splitting Pannonia into two provinces, which means that the princeps will soon require a legatus to govern the smaller of the two and command its legion.’

‘Congratulations, my lord, if it is not out of place to say so.’ Ferox could sense Hadrian’s delight, and guessed that it was as much at his own cleverness in winning Trajan’s favour as joy at the promotion itself. ‘You saw what others did not and won your battle.’

‘We were both right,’ Hadrian replied and almost appeared sincere. ‘But save the congratulations until the final decision is made.’