Lucius Valerius Corvus had been sent to hunt a witch. Only years of discipline had prevented him protesting, when his commanding officer had issued the orders.

“Do you think being on the Wall has finally driven Scaeva mad?” asked Varro.

Lucius shot his second-in-command a look of reprimand.

“Yet we are here in the forest, tracking down a soothsayer. You know there are better ways to deploy the men. What of those rumours of raiding parties coming from the south? We may now have to worry of barbarians crossing the sea to raid our settlements.”

“Yes, I know. I am aware there have been raids in the coastal villages, Varro. The northern Picts have been showing signs of disquiet as well.”

“Then why are we here? I tell you, Scaeva listens too much to these Celts and their spectral notions.”

”Perhaps he has put too much credence in the Celtic leaders, and their superstitious magic, but we have all seen strange things here, in Britannia. There is nothing to say that the woman is not a witch.”

Copyright 2007 A. F. Stewart

From the book Inside Realms.