The Green Goddess

The Green Goddess Part 1

43 AD and Imperial Rome had commenced the invasion of Britain. In the area of what is today called Kent the Legions of the mighty Emperor Claudius had set up a fort with many outlaying legionary campsites to resist, and destroy the raiding parties of ancient Celts that constantly attacked them. The Legions were tasked with assimilating the parts of the local population that were agreeable to bowing to and accepting the rule of Rome. The Celts that would not assimilate faced violence, death, and slavery for their unwillingness to accept the Roman Emperor Claudius as their ruler.

The Emperor had sent four Legions, consisting of around 20,000 men plus the same amount again of auxiliaries to subdue Britain. The impressive Tribunus laticlavius Kylo Ren had been personally appointed by the Emperor Claudius himself. The Tribune was in charge of the Legion in Kent and was ranked second only to the Govenor Aulus Plautius. Ren was highly respected for his staunch devotion to duty and to the Emperor. The Tribune had personally trained a small team of men who were considered the most elite and blood thirsty in all of the Emperors army. Those of the local population that would not capitulate to the Emperor and to Rome were dealt with brutally by the Tribune and his men. The Tribune had no time for the Celt scum he deemed as terrorists, and he had made it his mission to destroy any opposition to the might of Caesar.

Kylo came from noble stock and as such had an air of superiority and command about him that no one could deny. As a Senator, he had actually spent very little time in the Senate. Most of his life had been spent on the battlefield, and that was how he preferred it. The man was imposingly tall and well built. A wall of solid muscle and lean sinew. With a shock of thick black hair and dark hooded eyes that exuded a calm that sometimes belied the simmering emotions underneath. Calculating and deadly, he could be volatile and violent when pushed. His mere presence was enough to reduce the toughest and most seasoned legionaries to quivering little boys. Even his own men, the most dead eyed killers in all of Rome feared him. The Legionaries secretly referred to him as The Harbinger of Death.

Kylo knew how to instil loyalty in his men. After each bloody slaughter, his men had free reign over any valuables, supplies, or slaves that might be available. Like all the great Roman Commanders before him, Kylo considered it just rewards for winning hard fought battles in this foreign land. All the best commanders understood the value of loyalty in their troops and the best way to foster loyalty was with reward.

Kylo had been engaged since childhood to some girl of noble birth that he had met once as a child and couldn't remember. He considered one of these days on the rarity that he returned to Rome he would be forced to marry the girl and spread the family seed. It was of little matter to him, he knew he would never be happy living out his life as a family man, sitting in the Senate, listening to their endless political bickering and pathetic ideologies of clemency to the underlings of this world. Kylo was proud to be an important part of the Emperors Legions, and he would give that up for no one.

Every few days Kylo would lead his men into the thick and unwelcoming forest in search of Celt settlements ripe for the picking. In the name of Rome his Legion would destroy and conquer. This day they had gone further into the wilds than usual. His men had found nothing of note and Kylo sent them back to camp while he lingered behind peering into the underbrush and tall trees, looking for signs of human habitation. Suddenly he was hauled of his horse by a human projectile. As he fell he called loudly to his men who were not far ahead, thinking this was an ambush. His horse reared and bolted in fear and Kylo found himself flat on his back. A creature had straddled him with a knife to his throat. It was one of the rare times in his entire life he had been surprised and he found himself momentarily fearing for his life.

Two thickly lashed, fierce green eyes were locked to his gaze. Flashing with hate and about to snuff out his existence. "Roman PIG!" she hissed! "Prepare to enter the netherworld you dog!" "Wait!" he breathed, staring wide eyed at the cloaked woman, trying to delay her slitting his throat. "Make peace with your Gods Roman!" She spat as she proceeded to drag the knife across his throat, drawing blood. As Kylo stared at the green eyes, with his heart beating hard in his chest at his own expected demise, the woman was abruptly belted hard in the head and knocked sideways, tumbling over unconscious.