The chariot hurtles into the cleared space in the settlement. A couple of the legionaires attempt to fling themselves aboard, one mistimes his leap and unable to grab hold bopunces off. The second manages to grasp the wicker side of the chariot next to the spiky haired redhead and begins to heave himself on board. As the soldier attempts to eave himself of the flimsy wicker side of the chariot the girl bunches her fist and drives it into his face, but he refuses to let go. Twice more she punches, the last blow eliciting an audible crack as the bridge of the Roman's nose breaks and he tumbles from the chariot.
The blonde girl thrusts the chariot reins at her sister and braces herself and then nimbly runs along the chariot yoke between the sweating flanks of the pony. You'd read of this feat in history books, but seeing someone running along a moving beam only two inches thick is an impressive sight. The girl balances a moment at the tip of the beam between the two ponies heads and then as the chariot nears the legionaires manhandling queen Boudicca launches herself into the air.
"Stop those girls." You hear Quintus scream. "You Africanus, do something."
Despite her slim frame the Iceni girl has the momentum of the chariot to give her flying tackle impetus. She crashes into the back of one of the Roman who holds Boudicca's arms and takes him down to the ground in a windmill of flailing limbs. Twisting her body as the two combatants hit the dirt she wrestles herself astride the legionaire and rains blows down into his stunned face.
Reluctantly you obey Quintus's command and dig your knees into the flanks of your horse. Putting on a burst of speed you close with the wheeling chariot and lean out attempting to snatch the reins from the redhead before she realises that you are there. Some shadow or sound of your approach alerts the young woman and just as your fingertips brush the reins she snatches them away with a snarl of defiance. She flails out with the butt end of a javelin, catching you with a glancing blow. You grab the weapon's wooden shaft and try to rip it from her hand, but the girl cleverly reverses her at pulls back sharply. Overstretched already you feel yourself slipping from the saddle. Roman tack of this era had no stirrups and with nothing to give you a decent grip you're unable to right yourself. You crash to the ground, rolling clear to avoid the charriot's wheels and your own horses hooves.
"Get her, get her." The Roman commander is screeching.
You rise to your feet, relatively unhurt from the fall except for a pain in the ankle that feels like a minor sprain. Despite fending you off and unhorsing you, your tussle with the ginger haired vixen has caused her to lose control of the chariot. The pony team swerve sharply and the chariot slews sideways crashing into the mud wall of one of the huts. The Iceni girl is thrown off the chariot by the impact and rolls into a ball as she hits the ground. A legionaire pounces on the girl before she can rise, seizing her by the scruff of her shirt. A moment later the man cries out as the girl sinks her teeth into his hand, she grasps a rock and hammers it onto the Roman's sandled foot. With a scream of pain he releases her and hops backwards and topples over. The girl scrambles to her feet, wildly looking for a route of escape.
"Roman pigs, Priapus shrivel all your cocks." The screams come from the blonde.
A legionaire has seized her by her long blonde hair and hauls her by brute force off his comrade. Her legs kick out wildly and her foot crunches into the groin of a closing legionaire, with eyes glazed and streaming tears the man collapses with a huffing outrush of breath. More Romans dive onto her, wrestling her writhing limbs into submission.
A group of legionaries has the redhead cornered now, spreading out around her in a line. She attempts to dart through, ducking nimbly beneath one grasping fist and almost dodging clear. A thrust pilum butt from a legionaire trips her though and she sprawls to the dirt, before she can react she is grabbed securely by the soldiers. Cursing and struggling the two girls are hauled before the legatus.
"So two little wildcats, you must be Boudicca's spawn." Quintus sneers. "The punishment for attacking Roman soldiers whilst in performance of their duties is crucifixion."
Somewhere during the struggle the ginger girl's shirt has ripped open, one side hangs off her shoulder exposing a modest little breast that heaves and bounces as she gasps from the exertion of the fight. The dark red nipple is swollen with adrenaline quickened blood and stands out long and proud. Quintus's eye becomes fixed on the jaunty bouncing tit and rigid teat, he licks his thin lips and leers at the girl and her sister.
"Let it not be said that Rome is without mercy though." Quintus announces grandly, without taking his eyes from the girl's chest. "In cases mitigated by youth and a certain degree of provocation, enslavement could be seen as just reward for such an assault."
The simulation seems to be in danger of going off script, you know that Boudicca's daughters were neither executed or enslaved at this time. You decide that you need to act to nudge the simulation back on course.
"Legatus." You interrupt, limping slightly as you push forward. The angry and sullen flamehaired girl looks at you as you pass her. You can't suppress a grin, amused at the sassy fighting spirit the simulation has embued her character with.
"Crucifixion or slavery might well be unwise choices in this case Quintus Petillius." You explain to Quintus. "I remind you that we are two days march from either Durovigotum or Durobrivea. If Boudicca's whelps were either slain or taken it's most likely we'd have to fight every mile of the journey as these Iceni attempted to repay us in blood for their execution or in a bid to free them." |