Chapter Twenty Nine



Despite the Silures winning this battle, there wasn't much rejoicing to be had. Relief, certainly. A bone deep release of tension and frustration that made limbs shake and teeth chatter. That disquiet that settles in the spirit after staring Death in the face for so long and have him narrowly pass you by. Not by skill, or some great feat of heroism, but by sheer dumb luck.

That battle could have easily gone a different direction and ended with the annihilation of an entire tribe.

It had happened before, and considering how dogmatic Rome was and how she never forgot any slights against her, it would happen time and time again. This was one battle in an endless sea of brutality.

But for the High Kind Caratacus and the Roman General Aquilla's legion, it had finally came to a bloody conclusive end.

The ladscape had transformed. Where there was once a lush rolling field of thick grass, it now stood as a churned up mass graveyard of the fallen. Over two thousand British warriors lost their lives and countless Romans. they lay spread out where they fell, prey to the carrion birds that took advantage of the slaughter. Under a thousand warriors were left alive, dazed and listless as they looked upon the field. Some searched the dead for those who could still be alive, who could be healed. Other granted mercy to those who lingered in agony.

Aurelia had lost all sense of calm. She checked every warrior that limped up the hill or helped by a friend to their care, searching for a glimpse of Kailen. Was he well? Was he hurt? Was he even alive?He could be down there amongst the dead, hurt, needing her help. She felt sickened at the thought.

Then, finally, finally, she spotted two familiar faces traipsing up the hill towards them. Vaughan, muddy and perspiring as he helped a swaying Bran as he cradled a wounded shoulder.

Aurelia gave a cry and raced down the hill towards them. Bran's face split into a wide grin at the sight of her and opened his arms to wrap her into a tight embrace.

"Bran! Thank the Gods you two are alive!" She felt tears slip from the corner of her eyes with the overwhelming relief at seeing them in the flesh.

"Did you have any doubt?" He teased, but his voice held an underlining strain of pain.

She pulled away from him, only for her eyes to light upon the nasty wound on his shoulder. It went deep, and the blood was free flowing. "Oh Gods, Bran-"

"Do not fret," He interrupted her with another smile. "i have been hurt worse in the past and i survived. I will do so again. Besides, Elsa would have my skin if i succumbed to such a paltry wound."

Vaughan snorted at this. "It's true. I would not want to be you in that situation."

Aurelia spirited them up the hill. "Then come, let's get you to Renna so she can look at your wound." She glanced at Vaughan. "I'm sure she would like to see that you are okay, Vaughan."

He suddenly looked anxious but eager at her words and Aurelia ducked her head to hide the smile. But she was only stalling, afraid to voice the question that was ready to fall from her lips at a moments notice. Afraid that the answer would be one she would not like.

Bran seemed to sense this. His large hand curved around her shoulder. "What did i tell you about fretting? Kailen is alive."

Aurelia's heart gave a lurch.

"He and others are seeing to the recovery of Caratacus's body. The High King must be put to rest in the way all High King's have done before him."

The news came as a shock. "Carataacus was slain?"

Vaughan inclined his head in the affirmative. "The Roman General took his life."

Another lurch, but for two very different reasons. "And Aquilla?" She asked. "I assume the retreat was called because he was also slain?"

Bran's smile turned predatory. "Kailen dealt the death blow. Aquilla did not savour his victory over Caratacus for long."

Aurelia felt numb to the revelation. "So he's dead then." She said softly.

Vaughan misunderstood her lack of reaction, looking at her with concern. "It had to be done. We had no other choice. I know what he meant to you before you came here."

Aurelia waved him away. "That's not- i mean..." She trailed off, trying to find the words to explain what she was feeling. "I was serious when i pledged myself to this tribe. I won't go back on my word. But it felt like he was the last link to my old life. And now it is severed."

"I wouldn't call Aquilla the last link, exactly." Bran said, glancing over his shoulder back down the hill.

Aurelia followed his line of sight. She blinked, not quiet believing what she was seeing. It was Lena, frog marching a Roman soldier up the hill, his face oh so familiar to her as the Centurion who had tried to keep her from being kidnapped in the first place.

"Verenus?" She said out loud.

"Is that his name?" Vaughan asked conversationally. "He must have done something to please Kailen. He had us on guard duty to make sure he wasn't killed in the struggle."

"Well," she murmured as the two unlikely couple drew close to them. "Renna did say that some tribes would take in Roman fugitives as one of their own."

"Joy of all joys," Lena said as she passed them without slowing down. "Another Roman to contend with. My day is just getting better and better."

The words were a lesson in sarcasm, but they did not have their usual bite they once carried.

"I'm glad to see you unharmed, Lena." Aurelia called to her.

Lena glanced back over her shoulder to meet Aurelia's eyes and nodded, before she carried on up the hill.

"I think you women just bonded." Bran said gleefully.

"Don't get ahead of yourself just yet," Aurelia mused.

Verenus came to stop in front of her, his gaze scanning her as if he expected her to be injured. "I am glad to see you are unharmed." His eyes shoot bak to her face. "You are unharmed, are you not?"

"I am fine." She was quick to reassure him. "I must admit, i did not expect to see you again, Centurion."

"Nor i you." He returned. "But it seems we are now in the same boat."

"I hate to cut this reunion short." Bran said gruffly. "But i think i may pass out on you if i don't get this wound closed soon."



~

Caratacus's body was found and loaded into a wagon for transportation. Kailen clasped his sword to Caratacus's chest, closing his friend's eyes in peace. He hoped that wherever Caratacus was, he was once again reunited with his family. What he had lost towards the latter part of his life would be found.

"Take him back to our village," He ordered his men. "We will proceed with the funeral rights without a moment to lose."

The men, despite their exhaustion and hurts, did as they were told, carting the wagon and the work horses towards their village. They now had the great task of reuniting what was left of the tribe and uproot the village to safety. They would be the number one enemy to Rome after defeating the Second Legion and staying in one place for them to find would be the very end of them.

Cleaning his sword off on a dead Roman soldier's cloak, he turned and headed up the hill where he had ordered Bran to seek the healing hands of Renna and Aurelia.

Aurelia.

Could it be possible that they now had a future together without the shadow of Aquilla hanging over them? Incredible.

The thought spirited him up the hill to her. It took very little time to spot her amongst the wounded. She was holding Bran's hand in a show of comfort as Renna probed his shoulder to glean the damage that had been done. Seeing her like that made his heart speed up and he quickened his pace.

Vaughan spotted him first. "Has he been found?"

"Yes. Preparations are being made." He answered.

Aurelia looked up, met his eyes and sprang into his arms. He held her tightly to himself, savouring her clean smell after the metallic tang of blood. It felt like coming home.

"You're alive." She whispered, her arms tightening around his neck. "Thank the Gods, you're alive."

"It is done." He told her. "It is over."

"I know." She answered, pulling back to look him in the face. "Bran told me."

There was no regret in her eyes, no negative emotion that belied to the inner turmoil of hearing about the death of her once intended.

His hands slipped to her waist and he squeezed in assurance. Without taking his eyes off of her, he asked Renna "Is everyone able to be moved?"

She blinked at him. "What? Now?"

Kailen nodded. "As soon as possible. We have time before the retreating Romans reach any Roman friendly settlements, but i want us all to be further away before they come back."

"I'll see what i can do." Vaughan split away from the group and began to pass the message along for them all to make preparations to leave.

"What is going to happen now?" Aurelia asked him.

Kailen glanced around, taking in ow exactly made it and what condition they are in. "Now, we regroup. We take what we can, what we need and we make a home somewhere else. Vengeance has been met and satisfied. It is time for us all to look to our own future."

"And me?" Verenus asked. "What have you planned for me?"

To be honest, Kailen had almost forgotten about him. He didn't know what drove him to protect the Roman. Perhaps it was that, despite the chaos that reigned around them,Verenus had asked after Aurelia.

"Well, that's entirely up to you." Kailen returned. "I can let you go here so you can return to your post. A late straggler. But something tells me you won't do that."

Verenus quirked an eyebrow. "No? What makes you say that?"

Kailen shrugged a shoulder. "Perhaps it was the fact you weren't at your commander'sside."

Verenus suddenly uncomfortable, the reminder not sitting well with him.

"So you could come with us. See what Aurelia sees in being a Silure in her own right."

Verenus's eyes flickered to her. "You are one of the tribe?" He asked in surprise.

Aurelia nodded. "I am lucky enough to call myself a part of the tribe, yes."

Verenus contemplated them a moment before shrugging. "It's not like i have much of a choice, does it?"

"I like him." Bran declared. "He knows when he is beaten."

"Um, thank you?" Verenus said, non-plussed.

Kailen tugged Aurelia away from the group so he could speak privately with her. "Are you sure this is what you want? You don't have to come with us-"

Aurelia held her hand up to stop his speech. "Are we really having this conversation now? After everything that has happened? You do realise that we are in fact standing here in the middle of a battlefield?"

Kailen deflated. "I know that, but this is big, we have to change our whole way of life, uproot once again to keep ahead of the Romans."

"And i am with you every step of the way." Aurelia said, cupping his face between her hands. "I'm not going to leave you."

His hands covered her own. "You swear it?" He asked softly.

She smiled at him. "I swear it."

"Then we better get moving." He hugged her to him. "I'm sure i promised you we would get married if we came out of this victorious."

Her answering smile was brighter than the sun. "You did, didn't you?"



~End~



And that Ladies and gentlemen, is that.

I have no doubt that i will upload a very fluffy frivolous epilogue that will satisfy my needs for a cheesy ending, but this is the last chapter that has any substance in it.

Thank you to each and every one of you who has voted, commented, added it to your reading lists or simply followed along with the story. I cannot tell you how much it has meant to me and still means to me. You are all awesome human beings and i hope that is has not disappointed.

I will be writing more stories in the future (not sure if it will be a historical romance, but i won't say no to the idea) so i hope you will stay with me.