Chapter 26

Caledonian Camps Outside Devnum

Lucilla weaved through the rows of tents looking, occasionally stopping to say hello to this group or that. Considering how she’d grown up, always in the public eye, she was used to receiving attention. She’d traveled legion camps numerous times over her life, both as a younger woman as part of one of her father’s or brother’s entourages and later in her own capacity as a leader of Rome. The reception she got every time she came into a Caledonian camp was on a completely different level than any of her previous experiences, however.

At first, before she traveled north, it had been overwhelming, but almost patronizingly so, almost like she was some kind of mascot. Since the events in the north, however, that had changed. Now the reactions ranged from simple comradeship to deep respect to an almost sense of awe, with the men reaching to touch the hem of her tunic as she went by. She had to admit that the later reaction made her deeply uncomfortable and made her realize why Ky had pushed so hard against any kind of similar response he’d received from the Romans.

Finding Llassar’s tent, she stopped outside the unguarded entrance and coughed loudly, which was traditionally how the Caledonians, who had cloth flaps for doors even in their most built-up cities, introduced themselves instead of just barging in on the occupant.

“Come,” Llassar said, and Lucilla pushed through the flap to find the Caledonian leader sitting on a stool at a small Roman-style camp table on one side of his tent.

She was actually glad to see the table, since it was another sign of the Caledonians’ rapid adoption of some Roman ways, which would ultimately help bring the two allies together. It did remind her that she needed to talk to people she knew, poets and minor celebrities, about publicly adopting some of the more palatable Caledonian traditions, since what was really needed to bring the allies together was a two-way adoption of social and cultural norms, not just the Caledonian’s adopting ideas from the Romans.

That was, however, a thought for another time. She’d promised Ky she would take care of getting a messenger sent to Hibernia, and she meant to prove to him that she could be trusted to handle things like this.

Llassar turned and, finally recognizing who’d come into his tent, stood and gave a slight bow of his head, saying, “What can I do for you?”

She smiled at him, unable to contain how much she found his continuous straightforward nature endearing. While Romans and even many Caledonians would have apologized for remaining seated as she entered or said “my lady” or other honorifics, Llassar simply asked what she wanted.

“I need your help, or at least your direction.”

“You know that, if there is any help I have to offer, it’s yours,” he said, pointing at a small stool for her to sit on while he returned to the stool he’d been on a moment before.

“I know, and I appreciate that. The Consul and I are starting to look forward to what happens next, after we defeat the Carthaginian army coming for us. One of the things we are looking toward is opening up relationships with other people who might be able to help us in our war with the Carthaginians. Specifically, we’ve received reports of Carthaginian landings on Hibernia and the impressing of locals into slave labor to help them establish a foothold, most likely as an alternative base to strike at us, should we secure all of Britannia. We think this might give the Hibernians living there an incentive to join us in pushing back the Carthaginian threat.”

“The Ériu,” Llassar said.

“What?” Lucilla asked, slightly confused at the seemingly random non-sequitur.

“They call themselves the Ériu, not the Hibernians. Much like your calling my people the Picts, which is a name you Romans chose for another people, instead of calling us by our proper names.”

“I apologize, although I think this points to why we need to find someone to help us make contact. I hope I have shown that I respect your culture and that my ignorance shouldn’t be taken as a sign of contempt.”

“It’s not, but I think all of you need to do better trying to learn about other cultures you intend to interact with, instead of just defaulting to your own prejudices.”

“You are correct and both the Consul and I are trying to change that kind of attitude in Rome. Again, it’s why I’m here, speaking to you.”

She knew that Llassar wasn’t trying to be rude. He’d made it clear several times how much it bothered him when Romans, or anyone, tried to assume their culture was somehow the default, and that his people should change their beliefs and understandings to better align with the Romans, instead of vice versa. She hoped that attitude could help them, in this instance, since it might mean he’d have a better chance finding the right person to send as their representatives to the Ériu.

“So what exactly are you asking for?”

“Your people have been in contact with the Ériu longer and more frequently than the Romans. We need someone who can go to them and present our case to them.”

“Which is?”

“The same one we presented to your people. The Carthaginians are a threat to everyone, and a direct threat to them. They will not stop at bases on the southern shore, and it is only a matter of time until Carthaginian phalanxes are marching into their cities and enslaving their children to feed their ever-growing need for soldiers. We are standing against them, and we are asking them to stand with us. We’d like for them to send a representative to negotiate with the Britannic Empire, not just the Romans, for an alliance. This could be as little as a military alliance, however we are open to the possibility of expanding the Empire, as long as this deal meets the approval of the imperial senate, on similar terms as the current members. We are offering favorable trade, technologies, open markets, and mutual assistance. All we ask in return is a willingness to help us defeat the Carthaginian scourge.”

Llassar didn’t answer at first, and Lucilla was concerned he might say that the Caledonians had no interest in more members of their alliance.

“I assume you haven’t spoken to Talogren about this?”

“No. I am here speaking to you, to get your advice on how to proceed. I want to clarify that I am not here as a Roman and we are not making this offer as one of two members of an alliance. My father, Ky, and I are all firm believers in the Empire we made. An Empire composed of two peoples with one goal: to make a better world. Any offer we make must be approved by two-thirds of the imperial senators, which means by representatives for both Rome and Caledonia, and then agreed to by the Emperor. I am asking for your advice on whom to send to represent the Empire as a whole.”

“I see,” he said, his eyes continuing their constant judging, as he did with everyone he dealt with. After a long pause, he said, “I can think of one person who would make a good representative for the Empire.”

“Good. Who?” Lucilla asked.

“Me,” he said, cracking one of his rare smiles.

“You?”

“Yes, me. Did you know I spent more than two years as a ... guest, of the Ériu?”

“A guest?”

“I was on a ship that got washed out to sea and ended up on their shores, where I was taken to Emain Macha, their capital, and put into the service of Eochaid Salbuide, their king.”

“So, you know the rulers of the island?”

“Ulaid only controls the northern reaches. South of them are the Airgialla, which is actually several kingdoms that broke away from the Ulaid and formed their own confederation. There are more kingdoms south of that, closer to the areas your reports say the Carthaginians have been operating out of, but I never encountered those people.”

“But you know them, at least the northern people. If we convinced them, could they convince the others?”

“It’s hard to say. I was only there for two years, but there is a lot of hatred among the various kingdoms. We are closer to you Romans, as far as being a single people, than we are to the Ériu, if that gives you an idea of how hard it will be to get all of the people to work together.”

“But we have a starting point. If you could talk to this king of theirs could you convince him of the benefits of joining us?”

“Possibly. He will probably ask for help, bringing the other kingdoms under his control, in exchange.”

“This isn’t like getting individual settlements to join a confederation that already controls the majority of a region, and Ky was hesitant about even that. He has a very different set of ideas when it comes to how people should be governed.”

“I’ve noticed. I admire many things about the Consul, but he is naive at times. Any alliance with the Ériu won’t matter if their entire focus must remain on keeping control of the lands they already control. If you want them to commit their people to our common cause, you are going to have to help them make sure their home front is secure.”

“So you’re suggesting we pick a side and support them? Do we have the manpower for this?”

“No, but we do have the supplies. I’ve seen Ériu metalwork. It’s shit. Their weapons always break and they have nothing like your arcuballista.”

“You understand one ruling elite over a pacified but hostile populace does us little good, right? If we are going to get the people to enlist in the legions and give us the manpower to fight back, we need the bulk of the population to be willing participants. We won’t have the manpower to continually send legions to help secure our rear.”

“I understand, although when it comes to the Ériu, war is their primary way of discussing politics. Although I described large kingdoms, those are closer to over-kings, each ruling over smaller kings who control a single village or a small collection of villages and some of the countryside. Properly funded, however, I think the Uliad could convince many of those lower kings to switch allegiances.”

“Good. Are you willing to do this? To go to them and negotiate an alliance? We will back you as well as we can. You just need to get them to agree to send emissaries to negotiate with Ky and my father and some idea of what we want those emissaries to agree to.”

“Like I said, they are a unique people and I can’t guarantee what any of their actions will be, but I can try.”

“Good. I know Talogren sent you to keep control of the men. Do you have any thoughts on who you could give the task to, with you gone?”