The Lost Knights. William Speir

      The Lost Knights

      Book Four of the

      Knights of the Saltire Series

      The Lost Knights

      Book Four of the

      Knights of the Saltire Series

      By

      William Speir

      No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

      Text Copyright © 2016 William Speir

      All rights reserved.

      Published 2016 by Progressive Rising Phoenix Press, LLC, www.progressiverisingphoenix.com

      ISBN: 978-1-944277-60-4

      *

      Printed in the U.S.A.

      Cover Photo: “Man Is Sitting In War Shelter With Shotgun. Camouflage Uniform. Military Actions. War Hideaway Concept. Bottle With Alcohol. Occupation Problem. Depressed Soldier. Disappointed Hero” ID: 1192136914 by VGstockstudio. Image used under license from Shutterstock.com.

      Illustration “The Arms of the Order of the Saltire” and “The Crest of Il Nona” by William Speir

      Cover design by William Speir

      Visit: http://www.williamspeir.com

      Formatting by Polgarus Studio

      Visit: http://www.polgarusstudio.com

      Introduction

      I first began writing The Knights of the Saltire in 2010. At the time, it was intended to be a stand-alone book, but before the first draft was completed, ideas for the next two books in The Order of the Saltire Trilogy had come to me. By the time The Knights of the Saltire was first published, I had already started writing the sequel trilogy, The Sentinels of the Saltire. This was followed by Legacy of the Grand Master, which was originally intended to be the first book in The Children of the Saltire series but remains a stand-alone novel.

      In 2012, I took the opportunity to revise the first three books and release the trilogy in a single hardback edition. This was followed by a release of the first and second trilogies in ebook format. I have since written several other novels, and as my writing improved, I felt dissatisfied with the quality of the Saltire series. So in 2015, I made the decision to revise all seven books in the series and release new editions.

      This book introduces a new enemy that the Order of the Saltire must face. The first five chapters of this book, under the Section Title “Senatus Populus Quo Romanus,” provide the origin story of this enemy. Even though the “experts” say that you must introduce your main character in Chapter 1, I felt that context was needed to understand the central conflict of the story. I hope that you’ll forgive me for breaking the “rules” of writing.

      I’d like to thank my wife, Lee Anne, for her tireless support of my writing career. She encourages me and helps keep me focused and grounded. Without her love and support, I could accomplish nothing. I also want to acknowledge my children: Sonya and her husband Tom, and Brad and his wife Susie and son Colten. They are my inspiration.

      I’d like to thank my sister Linda Speir for her valuable edits, critiques, and suggestions. I am grateful for the time and effort that she has put into helping me with my writing.

      A final thanks goes to my fans, who show their appreciation daily by buying my books and encouraging others to do the same. I hope that you enjoy the revised series. This is for you.

      William Speir

      April 2015

      To my sister Linda, who has helped me to become a better writer.

      Table of Contents

       Senatus Populus Que Romanus

       A Convergence Of Events

       Fears And Fanaticism

       Legends And Myths

       Revelations And Strategies

       Standing On The Precipice

       Et Tu Brute?

SENATUS POPULUS QUE ROMANUS

      1

      117 A.D. – Eburacum

      Near Present-Day York, England

      The Tribune Gaius Valerius Constantius took a quick look around as he stepped out of his tent and put on his helmet. It was early spring in northern Britannia, and there was a chill in the air, made worse by the breeze blowing across the parade grounds. The plumes on his helmet swayed in the wind as he tightened the chinstrap. His tent, and the Roman fortifications and barracks at Eburacum which surrounded it, had been his home for many years. He was a Tribune with the Ninth Legion. The Emperor wanted him on this cold and distant island to protect a relatively young province of the Empire, and Gaius Valerius accepted his commission and served to the best of his abilities.

      Gaius Valerius watched the troops drilling on the parade grounds with a sense of pride. In the Roman Legions, most Tribunes were political appointees, and while they had field command during military engagements, most weren’t true military men. Gaius Valerius was an exception to this rule. He was a military man, rather than just a nobleman, and he had earned his appointment because of his success in battle and his brilliance as a military leader. He loved the Legion, and the men under his command were fiercely loyal to him. Marcus Sestius Octavianus, the Legatus Legionis (Legate or overall commander) of the Ninth Legion, a very competent officer, had placed the Third and Fourth Cohorts under Gaius Valerius’ command. The Third Cohort was comprised of seasoned veterans, while the Fourth was primarily new recruits. Gaius Valerius spent much of his time personally overseeing their training and drilling to ensure that his trainees came up to speed as quickly as possible.

      It had been some years since Rome invaded Britannia and subdued the southern part of the island. The northern part of the island, inhabited by the wild and feared Caledonian Tribes, was not yet under imperial control. Almost thirty-five years had passed since the Legions marched in force into the wild lands of the Caledonians, and the price for reaching a measurable peace with the tribes was quite high. The Ninth Legion had lost almost two thousand men at the battle known as Mons Graupius. New recruits had been brought in to replace the Legion’s losses, and now there were no remaining Legionnaires in the Ninth who were present at that battle.

      While no major battles had been fought since Mons Graupius, skirmishes along the border between lands under Roman Control and the Caledonian Tribes were frequent. The Legions had built a number of