Futility

"Here they come."

Soldiers were lining up in front of the tribe, gathered to fight. Methodical, rigid, they moved as one. Light glinted off the metal of their armour, like an ocean's ripples under the sun.

Despite his fear, Calgacus could not help but admire the scene before him. He pushed back the hopelessness that threatened to envelope him and stood tall. His gut shrank in a way that he would never show in his posture.

He looked around at his men. Compared to the ordered legions, they looked feral. Their hair was shaggy like wild bears'; matted, one piece. They were tired. And now, he was having to ask more of them again.

He looked at Segovax. He had been by his side through these battles with the Romans. He had clubbed and torn his way to survival; a lasting image that Calgacus had of him was wiping blood from where it had spattered on his face, his eyes black and mouth contorted.

And yet, he had memories of him in the feasting hall, smiling, his wife and children around him, a jolly, affable man, gentle and compassionate. This is what war did to people, he thought. Made them barely recognisable.

The Romans had gone still now.

This was the time that he hated the most; the stillness before the fight; the silence before the fury; the static before the chaos.

"Wait," he ordered as he sensed the tension in his men.

Across a landscape, people not so different from each other in their hopes and dreams faced each other; close, and yet worlds apart.

A creaking was heard. Wood? What place for wood on the battlefield? There was a further ratcheting sound which was new and tense.

Calgacus thought, What fresh hell is this? but muttered nothing out loud. There was no mobilising, no orders being given. There were a handful of soldiers moving on the periphery, barely perceptible.

Suddenly, there was a shriek and a whistling as something was launched high into the air. It was too late to run but he gave the order anyway.

Metal bolts, thick and sharp.

As one entered Segovax's spine, Calgacus fully realised the futility of war.

***

366 words

I have been reading about Hadrian's Wall, this story having been inspired by an incident related in that book. The names I have used are based on real British tribespeople but they would not have fought together.

If you want to discover more about what I based it on, follow this link.

Thanks for stopping by! If you do read this, please do leave a comment as I love to interact with my readers.

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