Salvatoria: The Memoirs of Lucretia Aurelia

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ ᙭III: TᕼE ᒪOᑎG ᖇOᗩᗪ TO ᗩᒪEᔕIᗩ

September 7, 52 B.C

Trevorium, Treverii Gaul

I left Britain with one legion, my trusted fourteenth. My husband remained in Britain with the other three, keeping the fort garrisoned. I landed in Gaul on the 5th of September, and marched two weeks east, gathering Germanic and Gallic cavalry to boost my numbers. Now I found myself before Cingetorix, leader of the Treverii.

"P-please General Crassus, I cannot afford you any cavalry!" Cingetorix begged, "The G-Germans keep raiding our frontiers, our lands, we need all the men we can use!"

I sneered, looking down upon the tearful Celt, not expressing a shred of remorse or regret at my actions.

"You have submitted to Rome, Cingetorix, you are under her grand protection, you need not worry about the Germans at this time,"

He was trying to guilt me into turning to another tribe to gather my cavalry for my glorious rescue at Alesia, though it was failing.

"Actually now that you mention it... the Ubii, Sugambri, Chatti and Vangiones have all spared cavalry in exchange for trade and protection from other more unruly tribes, such as the Suebi and Marcomanni and even more terrifying beasts who hail from beyond the Elbe... I suppose in the end, I could simply use these Germans to make an example out of you and your tribe's defiance... wouldn't that be ironic?"

"An example?" He inquired and met my eyes.

Though he didn't see a weak woman, but a strong Roman general, known for her mercilessness and refusal to take any of this... bullshit from the Gauls. If I was capable of taming the Britons, surely he had room to boast.

"If you refuse one more time to give me what I need for my campaign further south, I will not hesitate to wipe your pathetic tribe off the face of this Earth like I did to the Unelli, the Atrebates and the Belgae. I will not hesitate to crucify your men, and sell your women and children to the savages beyond the Rhine, where they will do ungodly acts of violence and cruelty to them... I am merciful to those who submit and who ally with Rome, but I do not spare my enemies..."

I looked around the city, "The choice is yours Cingetorix, your tribe's very survival is at stake here,"

The Treverian chief considered his options for a moment, and I knew he realized what would happen if I turned my men loose on his people-or worse-gave the Ubii and Sugambri permission to invade, pillage and annihilate his people.

"How many men do you want Crassus?" He asked.

"For your disobedience, two thousand cavalry,"

"Two thousand-" He objected.

"TWO. THOUSAND. That is the deal Cingetorix, pray I do not alter it any further," I sneered, glaring into his eyes, the fury of Rome burning in them.

"Y-yes General Crassus... assemble the men to serve her," He stammered.

It took the rest of the day for the Treverian cavalry to join my ranks, and now we continued to set out, with an army of 6,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry at my back, Caesar's rescue was at hand. My plan would not fail now, it would unfold just as grand as I had envisioned it.

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September 12, 52 B.C

Diviodurum, Mediomatrici Gaul

"I thank you, loyal Victus, for your willingness to sacrifice your warriors for our cause," I smiled as the chief of the Mediomatrici shook my hand, confirming our deal.

"I understand it isn't the 1,000 you were looking for General, but it is all I can offer at this time, and I am glad you understand this,"

"Victus, your loyalty to Rome has been unwavering during these... Gallic Wars, and the Republic, and Caesar cannot find it in their hearts to thank you enough... these 500 horsemen will serve well against Vercingetorix, and once the rebellious chief of the Arverni is vanquished by the blade of Rome, these brave men will be returned to you, I assure you,"

"Thank you General Crassus, may your services to Rome, and to the Mediomatrici people never be forgotten!" He exclaimed and shook my hand again, "The warriors will be assembled as quickly as possible!"

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September 14, 52 B.C

Lingones Gaul

"One-thousand cavalry..." Chief Cingerix of the Lingones whispered, "While it is a worthy sacrifice, the rebels are just at our doorstep, with the Sequani and the Aedui joining Vercingetorix... is there any chance you would be so gracious as to lower the request?"

"There will be no need to hide your numbers when the Roman cavalry falls upon the rebels with no mercy at Alesia,"

Cingerix nodded, "I see, and we have no threats from the Germans... may I ask for a promise however?"

"Yes?"

"Please do not ask for mercenaries or auxiliaries from us from this point forward, we seek to live in peace, even under Roman rule... can you do that for us?"

"Cingerix, you, like Victus of the Mediomatrici have been loyal to Rome since the days of Ariovistus and the Suebi invasion, I have no qualms with you or your people. While I cannot assure auxiliaries are not drawn from your lands for the rest of time, I can assure that during my lifetime I will not fall back on this promise I make today,"

Cingerix smiled and shook my hand, "Then consider those one-thousand horsemen yours to fight,"

"Excellent my friend, assemble the warriors, I will take them at dusk,"

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September 16, 52 B.C

Alesia, Mandubii Gaul

We could see Alesia glowing in the distance, I could make our Vercingetorix's army trapped inside its walls, slowly starving. But I could make out Caesar's army, trapped between him and the hordes of Gauls.

"We must maintain absolutely surprise, make camp behind these hills, maintain absolute quiet and secrecy, we shall charge down the hill like Caesar's angels tomorrow,"

"Yes, General Crassus," My tribunes replied.

I watched overhead. Not even Caesar knew of our arrival, in fact, I had never sent an official reply, as I feared it might fall into the rebels hands and ruin the whole plan I had been concocting. The gathering of all these cavalry auxiliaries, the march south to Alesia taking longer than normal, the total communication silence. It was all leading to this moment. The moment that would be my magnum opus...

The day the name of General Lucretia Aurelia Crassus echoed throughout the halls of history, and of Rome.

The Battle of Alesia.