Marius' Mules V: Hades' Gate

Marius’ Mules V:

Hades' Gate

by S. J. A. Turney

1st Edition

“Marius’ Mules: nickname acquired by the legions after the general Marius made it standard practice for the soldier to carry all of his kit about his person.”

For Garry & Agnieszka
.

I would like to thank those people instrumental in bringing Marius' Mules 5 to fruition and making it the book it is. Jenny and Lilian for their initial editing, Tracey for putting up with me. Leni and Barry for their proofing skills. Garry, Paul and Dave for the cover work. Paul B, Prue, Gordon, Robin, Nick, Kate, Mike and innumerable other fab folk for their support, and Ben Kane, Tony Riches, Angus Donald and Doug Jackson for constant words of encouragement.

Cover photos courtesy of Paul and Garry of the Deva Victrix Legio XX. Visit http://www.romantoursuk.com/ to see their excellent work.

Cover design by Dave Slaney.

Many thanks to all three for their skill and generosity.

All internal maps are copyright the author of this work.

Published in this format 2013 by Victrix Books

Copyright - S.J.A. Turney

First Edition

The author asserts the moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior consent of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Also by S. J. A. Turney:

Continuing the Marius' Mules Series

Marius Mules I: The Invasion of Gaul (2009)

Marius Mules II: The Belgae (2010)

Marius Mules III: Gallia Invicta (2011)

Marius Mules IV: Conspiracy of Eagles (2012)

The Ottoman Cycle

The Thief's Tale (2013)

The Priest's Tale (due Autumn 2013)

Tales of the Empire

Interregnum (2009)

Ironroot (2010)

Dark Empress (2011)

Short story compilations & contributions:

Tales of Ancient Rome vol. 1 - S.J.A. Turney (2011)

Tortured Hearts vol 1 - Various (2012)

Tortured Hearts vol 2 - Various (2012)

Temporal Tales - Various (2013)

For more information visit http://www.sjaturney.co.uk/

or http://www.facebook.com/SJATurney

or follow Simon on Twitter @SJATurney

Dramatis Personae at the outset of the tale

The Command Staff:

Gaius Julius Caesar:
Politician, general and governor.

Aulus Ingenuus:
Commander of Caesar’s Praetorian Cohort.

Quintus Atius Varus:
Commander of the Cavalry.

Quintus Titurius Sabinus:
Lieutenant of Caesar.

Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta:
Lieutenant of Caesar

Titus Labienus:
Lieutenant of Caesar.

Gnaeus Vinicius Priscus:
Former primus pilus of the Tenth, now camp prefect of the army.

Seventh Legion:

Quintus Tullius Cicero:
Legate and brother of the great orator.

Lucius Fabius:
Senior centurion

Tullus Furius:
Primus pilus

Eighth Legion:

Decimus Brutus:
Legate
and favourite of Caesar’s family.

Titus Balventius:
Primus pilus & veteran of several terms.

Ninth Legion:

Publius Sulpicius Rufus:
Young Legate of the Ninth.

Grattius:
primus pilus, once in sole command of the Ninth.

Tenth Legion:

Servius Fabricius Carbo:
Primus Pilus.

Atenos:
Centurion and chief training officer, former Gaulish mercenary

Petrosidius:
Chief Signifer of the first cohort.

Eleventh Legion:

Aulus Crispus:
Legate, former civil servant in Rome.

Quintus Velanius:
Senior Tribune.

Titus Silius:
Junior Tribune.

‘Felix’:
Primus Pilus, accounted an unlucky man.

Twelfth Legion:

Publius Sextius Baculus:
Primus pilus. A distinguished veteran.

Thirteenth Legion:

Lucius Roscius:
Legate and native of Illyricum.

Fourteenth Legion:

Lucius Munatius Plancus:
Legate

Titus Pullo:
Primus Pilus

Lucius Vorenum:
Senior centurion

Other characters:

Marcus Falerius Fronto:
Former legate of the Tenth.

Quintus Balbus:
Former Legate of the Eighth, now retired. Close friend of Fronto.

Servius Galba:
Former Legate of Twelfth. Now Praetor in Rome.

Faleria the elder:
Mother of Fronto and matriarch of the Falerii.

Faleria the younger:
sister of Fronto.

Corvinia:
Wife of Balbus.

Lucilia:
Elder daughter of Balbus & betrothed of Fronto.

Balbina:
Younger daughter of Balbus.

Galronus:
Belgic officer, commanding Caesar's auxiliary cavalry.

Publius Clodius Pulcher:
Powerful man in Rome, client of Caesar and conspirator.

Paetus
: Former officer, presumed dead, but fled to Rome.

The maps of Marius’ Mules V

Prologue

Cold toes in sodden boots heaved wearily through the deep snow, long soaked trousers clinging to the young man's shins as he stumbled and staggered, one hand on the hilt of the eating knife that was his only armament, the other gripping the pouch on the thong around his neck. A trail of footprints betrayed his passage, but better that than a trail of blood. Silently - silence was a prerequisite of the hunted - the young man cursed his decision to travel without a sword. When two heavily armed bodyguards travelled with you, where was the need?

Botovios was no warrior, though, anyway. He had been chosen by the ageing Druid of Durocatalauno as an initiate into the ancient and sacred ways; chosen for his mind, his subtlety and his honour. But that had been before the Romans came; before
Caesar
came. Little could he have seen four years ago that instead of reading the Greek scrolls old Obaldos kept in his house he would be running for his life in the all-consuming blizzard, pursued by dogged legionaries and gripping the hope of all Gaul tightly to his chest.

It had been an uneventful ride from the Matrona River - the river of the Protecting Goddess - all the way deep into the territory of the Belgae, and Botovios and his two escorts had felt as though their journey was all but complete once they entered the great dark and comforting confines of the forest of Arduenna. But the ancient Goddess that sheltered the people of the Treveri tribe seemed not to be extending her gifts to the young adept and his guards.