Chapter 7

The invasion of the Britons was a success. Claudius revealed his tactics to the Legion's cavalry. For months they trained with their horses to attack in full force. However, he brought in camels and had water thrown on them. The cavalry attacked and as soon as the horses smelled the odor of wet camels they panicked and threw their riders. Claudius explained they would soon get used to the foul aroma without throwing the Roman men.

The night before the battle near modern day Colchester, the camels were soaked then led back and forth on the battlefield. At first light, the Britons charged from their grounds hoping to catch the Romans off guard. Their infantry was also on the run behind the charge as hoofbeats shook the ground. Claudius, the cavalry and troops stood in formation to see if the Emperor's plan would work. At first scent, the horses stopped in terror with most of the riders being tossed to the ground or unable to control the animals as they broke ranks and scattered everywhere. This caused the Briton foot soldiers confusion.

At that moment, the order was given for the Romans to charge. The battle was over before it started. Men with spears or worn weapons were easily cut down while the Empire's war machine marched forward to clean up the remnants. It was at that time the entire Britons were crushed in a battle so one sided that it remained in Roman folklore until the Empire fell some four hundred years later. Plus it was the last conquest by Rome. The whole of the Brittanica was now under the rule of the Emperors. They later built a wall across Britain which much of it still stands today due to the savagery of the Scots and Piks. The northern region wasn't worth fighting over. So the great wall was built to stop the northern tribes raiding the south.

Two weeks after Lucius left Attia to accompany Claudius and Agrippa to Briton, she woke up feeling sick to her stomach. It was then she knew she was with child. Immediately her mother wrote Lucius that he was on his way to being a father. Penelope told him of his wife's morning sickness. Even with all this, Attia and her mother continued with their practice of swordplay. Penelope, nearing fifty, had slowed down a step or two giving Attia the advantage of her quickness. Instead of using the wooden weapon to slash her mother's side, she slapped her on the ass with the flat of the wooden blade. It stung and Penelope became angry but she recalled doing that to her daughter back in Spain when Attia was a young teen. It seemed amusing then but not now that she was on the receiving end, it wasn't so funny.

They both would practice their spear throwing and archery. As the weeks passed, both had to cut back some. Instead of two to three hours, it was down to one. Then they dropped their clothes and soaked in the bath. Mary and Isa were getting up there in age too so they bathed with their mistresses. Twice a week the two servants would leave the house in the early evening to a site where they attended religious services. There were a few men from the Praetoriun Guard that were converted too and they always accompanied Mary, Isa, and a few of the ladies to their homes. They were always in full armor and had their swords at the ready if any were attacked.

Penelope and Attia were invited to a feast put on by the Marcus Appias. He had served as a commander in the Legions since the middle years of Augustus' reign. His wife had died while he was still in Judea. Marcus was a young Tribune of twenty when he was sent east to be under Tiberius for a short time before Pilate took over until he was appointed governor and had to step down. Now in his middle sixties, his wife dead for many years, children raised and gone; he was a lonely man. He took instantly to the lovely widow Penelope. Marcus now a nobleman and Senator was a good friend of Claudius. Penelope knew right away that Marcus Appias was attracted to her. She was especially lovely that evening in a light green gown while Attia was just beginning to show she was pregnant under a dark green gown of silk that Lucius bought her just before he left with Agrippa.

Marcus and Penelope reclined close by conversing as they ate. Neither were that hungry so it was more of nibbling and enjoying each other's company. She asked him all kinds of questions about his military exploits in Judea. He happily opened up to her and she listened to him looking extremely interested. Penelope was gauging him as possibly being a friend to her. She liked the man but was undecided whether she wanted another male in her life or not. In the meantime Attia talked with Marcus' son Julius about his exploits in battle. Julius told her of putting down some minor tribal skirmishes on the Isle of Sicily. He was home for some legal business involving his father and himself.

"What do you do now that you are retired?" Penelope asked Marcus.

"Go to the Senate and listen to all the windbags," Marcus chuckled. "They can get up and talk for hours if one would let them. And with all of that talking they end up saying absolutely nothing. They just like to hear themselves talk. Plus if someone objects to what they say, they are delighted for the debate so they can extend their time speaking."

"Marcus, all politics are just wind. Men trying to be more important than they really are. My late husband used to say the same thing. Yes, they'd get a law passed now and then but almost always at the Emperor's pleasure."

Marcus took a generous swallow of his wine, "It is true, Lady Penelope. Sometimes their speechs can be comical and entertaining then at others, you just want to get up and go back home. I like it when two men of differing views get up to debate. It can be get hot and heavy there. By the time we adjourn, my rump is so sore from sitting I have to walk around for a while to get the blood flowing again."

Penelope laughed, "It can be same with us women. Most of my circle have lost their husbands due to disease or war. Some them spout off like they're the only ones who ever lost their man. I had to get over mine since I can never bring Maximus back."

"I often wondered what killed my wife. She was fine in Judea for years before she had that affliction strike her. I sent her back to Rome right away and was to follow as soon as we put down that rebellion which took a lot longer than expected," he lamented.