Chapter 1: When the Romans Came

88 BC

I remember that day well, it is my nightmare that haunts my sleep granting me no escape. I was still but a boy, barely ten years old. I had an older brother before me who – as older brothers do – loved to taunt and have fun at my expense. Yet, I also had three after me to whom I could do the same, so it was not so bad. I also had sister, not even two full years younger than I. The eldest of us was Crixus, named for our grandfather who was a great and wise man of our tribe in Northern Gaul along the sea, and he was about to turn thirteen. Then after me came the twins, Tamsin my sister, and Taranis. Then Brennus who was five, and lastly Coran who was only a year old.

Crixus and I were in the woods. Crixus was hunting for supper and I was gathering firewood. Our father, whose name was Cadman, was with Taranis at the shore teaching him how to fish, and the others were inside with our mother, Elka.

In many places a man was either a leader or a soldier who follows, I was to be the first. Father had always said Crixus would be the warrior of the family like he was, and I would be like our grandfather as I was already "too smart for my own good" like my mother. I was simply my mother's son, as she would say, and I looked like her to prove it. That was why unlike my brother I was marked with the symbol of our faith - the symbol of water tattooed on my arm like my grandfather – who had done the deed himself. Then on the other arm he had asked me to choose which values to be turned into runes, as such I would live by them.

It wasn't long after Crixus caught his stag that we heard the commotion coming from the village. Crixus held me back protectively as we crouched behind some bushes to look out. We knew who they were by their armor, we had heard of them – Romans legionnaires. Father had been warning us that they could come anytime, word had spread all throughout our country that they were coming. We were told to never run off alone, so the younger ones were to always have either Crixus or myself to accompany them if not Father.

Crixus quickly grabbed my hand mumbling, "We have to hurry." I dropped all the wood I had been carrying to run as fast as my feet would carry me. I was not as fast as my brother, but I managed to not get left behind. When we made it home Crixus ordered me to run to the house to alert Mother while he ran for Father. I did as he said and ran inside screaming "Mother!" at the top of my lungs. "Mother! The Roman's are coming! The Roman's are coming!"

I the baby begin to cry as I woke it from slumber with my yelling. Mother quickly grabbed him up from his crib. "Where is Crixus?" She asked quickly with worry.

"With Father." I muttered out of breath.

"Take your brother." She ordered motioning to Brennus. So I took his hand and quickly followed my mother out of the house. "Tamsin, take the baby." She said handing Coran over to my frightened sister. Sensing her fear only frightened poor Coran more and he cried harder. Soon Father came hustling through the door with my brothers behind him.

"Cadman, what do we do?" My mother asked looking to him for guidance.

"You and Tamsin take the baby and run."

"And leave you here?"

"There are horses in the back." He stated telling her what to do. "You have to get to the next village and warn them. Your brother is there, stay with him until I get there."

"Cadman – "

"Do as I say, woman." He rasped between his teeth.

Mother hesitated for a moment out of fear. She didn't want to leave us there, but she had no choice. She finally looked to Tamsin and they ran out the back of the house to the horses.

"Crixus, Godric." He said looking to us. "Get the weapons, make sure we have enough."

"Yes, Father." We said in unison then ran to the other room in the house. We quickly assembled as many weapons as we could – swords, maces, axes, bows and arrows, and spears. Then we came back and laid them all on the table.

"And you boys are going to hide." He told the other two as he started packing a sack with arrows. "You remember how to shoot?"

"Yes, Father." They said.

"Good, you will hide in the brush and shoot them from there where they cannot see you. Then run when you get the chance and wait for us. You remember where?"

"Yes." They said again.

"Good boys." He quickly threw the sacks on them and handed them each a bow and turned him towards the door. "Go!" He said and they ran as fast as they could.

He looked to us again taking as many weapons as he could hold and what we couldn't he left in the bag for him to carry. Then we went outside when he heard their horses approaching. Father stepped outside first to greet them.

"You, Gaul." The Roman said to him, though he must have known we could not understand his words. "Think it best to surrender for you have been conquered, and you shall live, as well as your family. However, if you choose to fight, you may die."

"You are not welcome here." Father said, and the Romans looked to each other in confusion. They probably figured he was insulting them judging by their faces. "I will not go willingly like a coward. I will take as many of you down with me as I can before I let you lay your filthy hands on my family."

"Search the house." The leader ordered and four men came down off their horses. Father waited patiently gripping the hilt of his sword. He let them go past, so we knew he wanted us to dispose of them. Crixus pushed me away from the door telling me to hide. We waited quietly for them to come deep enough into the house that we could strike without the others knowing. Crixus hid in our parent's bedroom, the room next to our own where I hid. When two men came inside I waited holding on tightly to the sword in my hand. When his foot was not even a foot away from me I fought the urge to simply cut it off. We had to make it clean so no screams could be heard from the others outside. So actually, we had to wait to be found. When he knelt down to peek at me under the bed I quickly slashed his throat. His blood squirted to my face – it was nothing I had not experienced before, the only difference that it was a man's blood and not an animal. Though, these were Romans, was there really a difference? Once he was dead I came out of hiding crawling out the other side and the Roman saw me.

He put his sword away and held out his hand. "Come boy." He said. I shook my head refusing to go with him. Frustrated, he walked over to me not seeing the sword I hid behind my back. When he came close enough I quickly slashed his throat as well and he fell with a thud. Then I ran to the other room where Crixus was. We ran back to the door together to see Father still standing there.

"Where are you, you fools?" The leader yelled, but got no answer. He quickly became angry glaring at Father. It was obvious he realized he had been outsmarted. He sent more men to the house this time, ten. I felt my heart quicken in fear, yet Crixus smirked ready for the challenge. This time Father armed himself and charged not letting them through. Then all the men came off their horses. We had to go hide again as they came in from the front and the back. So there were more coming in than I had thought.

All I could hear was Father and the other men screaming from outside, and those that were inside talking to each other as they looked for us. They found the other bodies, but we were smart enough not to hide in the same place twice. They started destroying the house I search of us. I heard Crixus scream as he came out of hiding, apparently he had been found and then I heard dead men hit the floor. Not wanting to leave him to die I came out as well and started fighting alongside him taking a knife in the other hand so I was armed with both.

One of the Romans had set the house on fire, so we were forced to run outside where Father was. We did manage, though, to block the doors – I went through the front and Crixus through the back – sentencing the Romans to burn. I looked around and saw nothing but blood. Then I heard screams that sounded too familiar. I looked over to the bushes where I knew my brothers to be hiding and Romans were heading in that direction. They had been found out. I quickly ran over to help them. I shoved one Roman down before he got to them and then stabbed him. Then I killed the others.

"Godric!" I heard my father call my name. I looked over my shoulder. "Get them out of here!" He ordered. I hesitated, I couldn't just leave only my father and Crixus to fight them all. "Now!" He ordered even louder making me jump and I nodded. I caught up to Taranis and Brennus and took them to the spot we were ordered to ever go if we were in trouble, and father would meet us there. It was a cave the woods, about two miles in. It was our little secret.

Luckily, the three of us made it there safely. I was alright, a little scared – more for my father and Crixus than myself – but the two younger ones were terrified for all of us. Brennus couldn't stop crying since the Romans started chasing them. I tried to make him understand that we were safe now, but he didn't feel safe. I couldn't blame him. The Romans conquered everything everywhere they went, no where was safe from them. However, I had to trust that we'd be safe there until Father came for us. And in the meantime, I was in charge, and had to take care of the others. It was dinner time – the meal mother had been in the middle of cooking – so we were all hungry. I quickly made a spear out of a large stick and went on the hunt for a few rabbits.

A while after we ate and got settled in Brennus started frantically asking his questions. "How long Godric?"

"I wish I knew." I told him honestly as I stoked the fire I built there in the cave.

"When Father gets here will we go find Mother?"

"Yes, Brennus."

"What if they got her?"

"Mother will be fine." I assured him. "She went to Uncle Herne. That is where we will meet her."

"But what if they get there first?"

"Brennus, we will be alright." I said seriously trying to calm him down, because frankly he was getting irritating. I could understand his fear but being frantic wasn't going to help us any. We had to be as calm as possible.

"How do we even know Father and Crixus are still alive?" Taranis added. He was not in hysterics like Brennus was, but he was just as terrified. And when he asked that it only made Brennus more frightened and he started crying again.

"Taranis." I groaned letting him know how mad I was for saying such a thing. Even though I knew the possibility of it as well, I was smart enough not to think it out loud in front of them. He sulked back and kept quiet after that taking Brennus with him to curl up on a blanket and go to sleep. I stayed up to keep watch.

Time went by so slowly as I stared up at the stars and the moon from the cave entrance waiting as patiently as I could for my father and brother. I heard many things go by – deer, wolves, wild cats – but not them. I had heard so many cracks in the dark that none of them startled me anymore. Then I heard a familiar whistle which mimicked a goose which is often found near the water. I immediately jumped to my feet and ran to my father who was tired and bloody, but still he wrapped his arms around me happy that I was alright. "Good boy." He told me. I hugged my brother afterwards who was wounded, but alive. He had a cloth wrapped around his waist to stop the blood flow just above his hip. Father, I noticed, was limping, and had blood spot all over his clothes. It was hard to know, though, whether it was his own blood or not. They had brought three horses with them as well.

The three of us settled by the fire quietly not to wake the others and the two of them quickly grabbed the leftover meat from the rabbits I had caught earlier. "How tired are you son?"

"I am alright, Father." I assured him. I knew he was far more tired than I could be. So I kept watch while he and Crixus laid down to sleep with the others.

When first light came, we were gone again. Father took one horse to himself carrying all the weapons with him, while I rode with Taranis, and Crixus took Brennus. We stayed in the woods away from civilization to stay hidden. Luckily, Father was a master tracker and an excellent guide, so he knew where he was going. He knew the way to our Uncle's village like the back of his hand – it was where he and mother married, and the twins were born there.

We were lucky and made it with no problems by dinner time. Our Aunt – Mother's sister-in-law – was just finishing setting it out when we walked in the door. Mother quickly ran to her husband happily throwing her arms around him. "Thank the gods…You are hurt."

"No, worry not." He groaned as he sat down. His leg hurt him, it was obvious, but a man never admitted pain, he would say. Brennus quickly ran to her jumping up into her arms crying happily.

Mother, though, quickly turned her attention to her injured son. "Crixus, what happened to you?"

"Swords." He stated simply.

"He is strong, stop your worrying."

"I am his mother, that is my duty." She replied angrily, any protective and loving mother would be upset that her baby was hurt. I remembered falling out of tree when I was younger and all Father said was "Get up!". She had scolded him for that.

"He is no longer a child, Elka."

"He is not yet a soldier, either, Cadman. Come on, it needs cleaning." She told Crixus and whisked him away.

I sat down with Taranis next to Father and joined in the meal. We had not eaten all day, so we were hungry. Soon after, Uncle Herne came in as he usually did at that time.

"Oh good, you made it." He said noticing us. He came to sit at the head of the table next to Father. "Any trouble?"

"No. However, it will not be long and they will come here as well."

"Already packed." He replied. "We leave as soon as you are ready."

We left soon after. Not much was said between us, there was no need. We just followed Father and my uncle like little soldiers would on horseback while they led us all through the woods. I didn't know which way we were going, or where their planned destination was. I didn't even care, really, I just wanted to be safe again.

Not long after we left we could hear screams coming from a village behind us. The Romans were catching up. And to make it worse, a storm came in and we were all soaked to the bone within minutes.

I could feel my little brother burrow closer to me, as if it were even possible, for shelter from the cold rain. I saw Mother's horse catch up to Father's and I knew what she was saying without being able to hear the conversation. Sure enough she was telling him that we – the children – needed to get out of the rain before we became ill. Especially the younger ones. However, we didn't stop. Uncle Herne said something, it wasn't loud enough for me to hear. Mother didn't seem to like whatever he said, but frankly she was a woman, she didn't have to.

We rode for another hour or so and came to a small canyon. The river had eroded the ground over time and now it flowed thirty feet below us. The only way across was down a very narrow and dangerous ledge. We had to get off the horses to lead them down. I made my little brother stay on while I walked, as did anyone else riding with a child. As I walked down the steep hill of the ledge I could hear the loose stones falling down the side. Then I slipped on one. Brennus screamed as I slipped over the ledge, but I was able to grab a hold of the ledge before I fell to the river. Everyone in front of us stopped.

"Crixus!" I called pointing to me as I hung there. I looked below me and saw the water, it even looked cold, I could only imagine how it felt. I didn't want to find out. "Help!"

Crixus quickly came to my aid backing up his horse. He couldn't go around, there was no room, she had to go backwards. Once he got to me he knelt down to take my hand. "I got him!" Crixus shouted.

But he was drowned out by yet another scream, one I recognized – Tamsin.

"Tamsin!" I heard my mother call, no doubt she was frantic in tears. I quickly looked down over my shoulder and saw my sister fall into the water. "No!" Mother cried again. Then we saw another person fall in feet first. It was either Father or Uncle Herne, I couldn't tell which. More likely, though, it was Father. "Cadman!" That answered my question.

Crixus quickly pulled me up. Once I was back up on the ledge I took a moment to calm my pounding heart before it came out of my chest. "You alright?" He asked. I quickly nodded my head. I had never been so frightened in my life, but I was alive. We rushed as quickly as we could down the ledge until we reached the others, and Uncle Herne rushed us some more to get down to the river to catch up with Father and Tamsin.

Once we were down on the level ground again we quickly got back on the horses and ran them as hard as we could looking for them.

"Cadman?" Mother cried. "Tamsin?"

"Momma!" We heard Tamsin scream in complete fear. Uncle Herne rode faster pulling away from us taking a rope in his hand. It was the rope he used to catch the livestock when they ran off. He rode alongside Tamsin as she floated down the rushing river.

"Catch her Cadman!" Uncle Herne yelled. They were running out of time. A waterfall was coming.

"Herne!" Mother cried seeing the cliff.

"Cadman!" Uncle Herne urged again. Father finally caught her and Uncle Herne threw the rope he'd been twirling in the air. Father caught it just in time and it kept them from going over the fall. Uncle Herne quickly turned his horse around so he could pull them out with the rope. Mother quickly dismounted and ran to the river's edge to help pull my sister out as Father pushed. Once she was out Crixus helped pull Father out of the water.

"Momma." Tamsin cried against Mother as she shivered soaking wet.

"You are safe now." Mother soothed wiping away her own tears as she wrapped Tamsin in a blanket. Then she looked down at Father who was laying there on the ground breathing heavily and coughing up water. She took his hand kissing it to show her love and gratefulness that he was alright. He kissed her hand in return. Tamsin had been riding with Father, so I imagined how guilty he felt that she fell. At least she was alright now. The both of us.

We made it to the site that Uncle Herne knew – a cave in the side of a mountain. It was pretty deep, and kept us safe from the storm. Father and Tamsin cuddled up together by the fire to keep warm so they wouldn't fetch a cold, or worse. Mother in the meantime tended to my hands which got scraped up pretty good from the rocks on the ledge. She cleaned them and then wrapped them with cloth. Once that was done she tucked us in – Brennus and I.

I was startled awake as I heard screaming and swords crashing. The fire was out, only smoke was left as proof there had ever been a fire. I quickly stood up protecting Brennus as I backed us against the wall of the cave. I saw Mother crying and screaming as one of the soldiers picked up my infant brother, Coran and then tossed him back to her. By the look in her eyes I could tell that he had died. I saw no blood on him, so the Roman didn't kill him. He must have died of cold during the night after the storm. Knowing what Father would want me to do, I quickly rushed Brennus deeper into the cave. I saw Taranis curled up against the wall as well so I shoved him along too.

"Run!" I told them. "I am right behind you. Go!" They ran away from me, however, I couldn't run with them yet. I needed a weapon. So I ran to Father's sack and started rummaging through it looking for a suitable weapon to carry – like a sword. Then I was grabbed up from the back of my shirt. I turned to see a Roman soldier. I could almost see my reflection in his armor.

"What does a boy like you think he is going to do with that sword?" I didn't understand what he was saying, but I could still see the smug grin and cockiness that all Romans shared. I took the sword and swung it at him forcing him to let me go. We dueled for a minute, and to his surprise I was able to cut him across the leg making him fall to his knee. I stood there showing no fear, just like Father taught me, pointing the sword at him waiting. He became angry and snarled at me getting to his feet. I was no match for him, and I was quickly disarmed.

Everything around me was a blur. I didn't understand how this could have happened. Uncle Herne must have fallen asleep in the middle of the night. When I looked at the cave entrance there he was…dead. He was shot through the head with an arrow. From the entrance I saw Mother screaming as she was being carried away by two soldiers who were stripping her clothes off. It was obvious what they intended to do with her. Father was enraged and ran after her, but was quickly put down and I watched as two swords stabbed through him – one in his chest and one in his stomach. He fell to the ground with blood flowing from his mouth.

"Father!" I cried, and I wasn't the only one. I looked over hearing Crixus and there he was being dragged away with his hands bound by chains as he screamed. I quickly remembered my brothers deep in the cave and looked that way. "Run boys! Run! Keep running! Do not stop!" I kept telling them as I was carried away. Unfortunately, I saw more soldiers run inside and they ran deeper into the cave. "No! Taranis! Brennus! No!" I struggled as much as I could crying for my brothers not wanting them to be captured too. I was carried outside and thrown into a carriage of bars like a prisoner. I looked ahead of me and saw Crixus in one as well gripping the bars crying for Mother. I whipped my head around and saw Mother lying on the ground with a Roman on top of her as she cried. "Mother!" I cried. Then the carriage jerked as it started to move. "Get off her! Mother!" I kept crying for her even after I couldn't see her anymore.

In less than five minutes my whole life was taken from me. All I had left was Crixus in front of me. I didn't know where Tamsin had disappeared to. I imagined that she ran, and I prayed that she got away. We were in those carriages for days, going back the way we came. We even passed our village which had been turned into ash, but I still knew it was the one. There was so much blood on the ground, but no bodies. They were all piled in ditches alongside the road.

After a while I had been in that carriage so long I lost track of the days. I was starved, my stomach clenching and growling. I was dehydrated - my lips felt like sand, and my throat was sore. I kept telling myself at least I had Crixus, we would get out of this and we would go home and find our brothers and sister. Then one day we came to a fork in the road and I watched as Crixus disappeared going the other way.

"No…No…Godric!"

"Crixus!" I cried for him like I had my mother. I had no more tears left in my body. Yet I kept crying…until everything went dark.