Page 131 of Queen of the Hollow Hills

“Something Rome has no doubt not forgotten,” Corva replied.

We stood together, all of us looking at the map.

“Cartimandua, Caratacus and Togodumnus may seek the Brigantes’ assistance,” Venu said as he eyed the map.

“I have no interest in the Catuvellauni’s desires. My only interest is in the Brigantes.”

“If we were to ally ourselves with the Catuvellauni… Us, the Cornovii, Coritani, Northern Iceni, Greater Iceni, Dardani, Votadini, and all the other tribes, we could push the Romans back into the sea,” Venu suggested.

“Could we?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “And what of Verica and Aedd Mawr? Do we side with them or the Catuvellauni? Twenty thousand men. Twenty thousand well-trained, well-armored Roman soldiers taught to do one thing.”

The room grew silent. Everyone stared at the tokens Corva had set at the mouth of the Thames.

“Rome will come. They will come in great numbers. They will lie, manipulate, backstab, murder, and punish. They will make false friendships and false alliances. They will prove untrue to their promises. And they are a force that cannot be defeated. Unless…”

“Unless?” Aedan asked.

“We must leave our neighbors to the south to make their way on their own. Our eyes must turn northward. Venu is right that each individual tribe alone is nothing to Rome. A handful of southern tribes trying to push Rome back—when Rome ridesalongside the rightful rulers of those tribes—cannot win. Theycannotwin. But we… We can.”

“How, Carti?” Eddin asked. “If they take a foothold here, how can we keep them out of our lands?”

“We solidify the north. That is what we do. I shall call a great meeting of the kings: Brigantes, Votadini, Dardani, Selgovae, Novantae, Damnonii, Venicones, and all the Caledonian Confederacy. The Brigantes will be the dam that holds back the north. We can find a path through these times and work to our advantage. Make no mistake, it will not be easy. We must be both a dangeranda friend to Rome, because that is the only game they will ever understand and fear.”

Mael Muire nodded. “Yes. That is wise. I agree.”

I looked at Eddin, who nodded.

“Then we leave the south to die on Roman blades?” Venu asked.

“Yes. Very courteous of us, is it not? I suspect the Romans will appreciate our noninterference, and one can always hope they destroy the Parisii in the process,” I replied. “The defeat of the Catuvellauni is not without benefit to us. What do you think those warlike brothers were planning to do once they had conquered the south?”

Mael Muire nodded slowly in agreement.

“Cartimandua, if you fail to unite the north…” Eddin warned. “The Caledonians do not agree on anything easily.”

“And who will tell the Romans if they do notallagree?”

At that, Andoc, Aedan, and some of the others laughed.

“I will call for a meeting at Midsummer. Until then, I will juggle the Romans because they will surely come. As for the rest, we will stay our hands in this battle. Let the Catuvellauni reap what they have sown.”

“It is a dangerous game to play,” Eddin warned.

“Yes,” I replied. “But my only other option is to send my people to fight twenty thousand armored soldiers, war elephants, and siege machines. My duty is to protect the Brigantes. Joining the Catuvellauni dooms them. Rome will take every bit of land, goods, and power that it can. Caesar never reached the Brigantes. My tribe, nor any other northern tribe, swore an alliance to Rome. Trade? Yes. Alliance? Never. We are not client kings. We owe no taxes nor tithes to Rome. We are the danger to the north. It is better to befriend us.”

“For now,” Fabius warned. “Until they find a way to betray you.”

I nodded to him. “Yes. The dance is just beginning.”

“Then may your steps be lively, Queen Cartimandua, and your blades be quick,” Fabius replied, lifting his cup in a toast.

“Here, here!” the others called, banging their fists on the table.

When they did so, I watched as the small pegs Corva had set on the map began to tumble. From south to north, from Cantiaci lands to those of the Northern Iceni, the pegs started to fall, with only the Brigantes remaining upright on the map.

I entwined my fingers and looked at the map.

Little ones of the hollow hills, be with us.

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