‘Well?’

‘Well, what?’

‘How is the battle going?’

‘What do you think, my Lord?’

‘Are we lost?’

‘Not yet, but at the present rate, we soon will be’.

The Vortigern could hear the noise of battle getting ever closer to the encampment on the top of the hills to the east of Verulamium.

‘Why are we in this position Agricola? We were supposed to be invincible, with our superior numbers!’

‘We bargained without Germanus. Now I understand why you wanted him on your – our – side all those months ago. Having his military genius makes a big difference’.

The Vortigern’s magister militum swigged down a glass of wine in one go before turning to Pelag...

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