ã€ŠHeir of Aurelianã€‹


 Chapter 1 Reincarnation

    Within the city of New York, near the University of Columbia, sat a young man of Italian-American descent in his mid-twenties. This man¡¯s name was Frank Caruso, who was sitting at his desk staring towards hisputer screen as he yed apetitive match of a popr strategy game based on ssical Antiquity.

    He quickly executed hismands as he yed as the Romans against another yer who utilized the armies of Hannibal against him. With the click of a button, his troops swiftly marched in formation against the other yer. Before long, the legions of Rome shed with the Sacred Band of Carthage.

    Unbeknownst to his rival, Frank had set his Auxilia forces to encircle the Carthaginians in a ssic double-envelopment. On this virtual battlefield, tens of thousands ofputer-generated soldiers shed each other¡¯s blood as a familiar scene disyed itself.

    Inspired by the Carthaginian General Hannibal, Frank expertly transitioned his forces into a double envelopment. Which was the same tactic Carthage had famously used against the Romans at Cannae, resulting in one of the worst military defeats the Roman Republic had ever suffered.

    Before long, the other yer¡¯s soldiers were trapped in a square surrounded by the Romans, stabbing away at the Carthaginians¡¯ virtual flesh with their dii. Eventually, the overwhelming victory disy appeared on Frank¡¯s screen, where the screeching of the other yer could be read behind an anonymous wall of text.

    ¡°Kill yourself, loser! You must be some kind of virgin NEET! I hope you die a miserable death!¡±

    By now, Frank was too mature to take the bait and get upset over such childish taunts. Instead, he replied with a snarkyment of his own.

    ¡°Git gud¡±

    After leaving this disparaging message, Frank shut off his game and reached over to grab his coat. As he did so, he knocked over a few textbooks on his desk rted to his schoolwork. In particr, they revolved around the final days of the Western Roman Empire and what wasmonly referred to as the Dark Ages.<sub>.</sub>

    Havingpleted his undergrad, Frank was now working on his Ph.D. in history. Though he knew quite a lot about all eras of European history, he had always been drawn to the Ancient Romans, especially the final days of their once-mighty Empire. However, he had no such concerns at the moment, for there was a far more critical task to be had, and that was going to the store to pick up an energy drink.

    These books weren¡¯t going to read themselves, and it was already well past midnight. If he were to get his schoolwork done in time for the following day, he would need to pull another all-nighter. By now, that was something he was well ustomed to. As such, he draped his coat over his shoulders and walked out of his apartment into the cold winter¡¯s night.

    Frank made sure to lock his door behind him before treading across the snowy streets of New York. After a short while, he reached the nearest gas station, where he noticed an impoverished vagrant leaning against the exterior of the little building. The man had a bottle of whiskey in his hand and was clearly intoxicated. Thinking nothing of it, Frank pressed forward into the shop where he selected his favorite brand and vor of energy drink, as well as a bag of chips. Hemonly referred to these items as ¡°gamer fuel.¡±

    The young man approached the cash register with his goods, where the clerk ced them inside a small bag after ringing him up. Having paid for the food, Frank exited the building, where he noticed the Vagrant was no longer loitering. He merely shrugged his shoulders before returning to his apartment upon seeing this.

    However, as he approached the edge of the parking lot, he noticed the Vagrant bump into him. However, this was no ident. As soon as Frank turned around to apologize to the man, he saw that the vagrant was holding onto a knife, which he quickly pressed against Frank¡¯s throat.

    Frank immediately dropped his belongings and raised his hands in panic, signaling that he was not a threat as he began to speak to the man who was mugging him with a cautious tone in his frightened voice.

    ¡°Take whatever you want. I don¡¯t have much, but it is yours!¡±

    As soon as Frank said this, the vagrant began to search his body, looking for his wallet; as he did so, the de slipped by and cut through one of the arteries in Frank¡¯s neck. Blood began to gush out of his neck like a fountain as he stared at the sanguine coated de in disbelief before copsing to the floor in a pool of his own blood.<sub></sub>

    The Vagrant began to panic, seeing how he identally cut the young man¡¯s throat and swiftly picked up the bags left behind by his victim before running off, leaving Frank alone, bleeding out in the snowy street; as this urred, a single thought passed through his mind.

    ¡°Is this really how it ends?¡±

    Before long, utter darkness prevailed, leaving Frank well and truly dead.

    ¡ª

    Titus udius Marcellus shook with a start as his mind regained rity. He did not know why, but after a severe impact to his skull from the club of a Suebi warrior, he had a sh of inspiration, or quite possibly a vision from the gods about an alien world far more advanced than anything he had ever seen before.

    In this alien world, he was a student of history by a different name who had attended a prestigious institution of higher learning. However, he had met an untimely demise at the hands of amon criminal within the streets of a vibrant metropolis.

    He could hardly believe that his battered mind had conjured such a strange vision. Had he entered the realm of the gods, or had he seen a glimpse of the future? Whatever had urred, it was indeed a sight to behold.

    However, now was not the time to dwell on such concerns; instead, he was faced with a potentially lethal situation as hey on the ground with a barbarian warrior bringing his weapon down upon him in an attempt to finish the job. Marcellus grasped hold of his spatha, which lie by his side before rolling out of the way of the oing club.<sub></sub>

    As he did so, he could hear the primitive weapon thud against the ground, yet he paid no attention to this; instead, he stood up from the grass beneath his feet and readjusted his gilded iron helmet as he prepared to engage in mortalbat.

    The pale Germanic warrior noticed that his prey had escaped his grasp and turned around with a wicked grin on his face, shouting something in anguage that Marcellus did not understand before charging at him like a wild boar.

    Marcellus raised his oval-shaped scutum in defense as the club nged against it before pushing the man aside with his shield and thrusting his spatha through the barbarian¡¯s riveted mail armor. As the cold steel pierced through his gut, blood poured from the long-haired barbarian¡¯s mouth while he forced his torso through the length of the de in an attempt to get in reach of Marcellus¡¯ skull.

    However, as the inches of noric steel pierced even further through the barbarian¡¯s torso, the man soon found the strength leaving his body before falling to his knees. Marcellus quickly withdrew his sword and raised it in the air for a decapitating blow; beforeunching the final stroke of his de, he cursed the man who had so thoroughly ringed his bell before taking his life.

    ¡°Filthy barbarian!¡±

    After saying this, he unleashed his spatha onto the man¡¯s neck, severing his head in the process. After withdrawing his sword, Marcellus shouted to the troops under hismand as he attempted to rally them in the thick of battle.

    ¡°Reform the line! Hold strong!¡±

    Upon hearing their General¡¯smand, the nearby soldiers of the Roman Army regrouped and entered the formation, pressing their thick scutums together as they held the line against the rampaging Suebi warriors. With every sh against their shields, the Roman soldiers moved in sync like a well-oiled machine as they pushed the enemy aside and thrust their des into the enemy¡¯s bodies.

    Seeing how these men were Suebi, few of them had any form of body armor, and those who did were generally considered veteran warriors of the highest caliber. Before long, the Romans began to push back the wave of barbarians as they cut the enemy into ribbons.

    As the tides of war shifted, the Suebi began to route, however as they did so, the Roman cavalry appeared from within the forest and chased them down, spearing the barbarian warriors in the back as they attempted to flee the field of battle; for the Suebi, there would be no mercy on this day.

    As the battle came to an end, Marcellus wiped the blood which coated his de onto the wool tunic of a nearby in barbarian before sheathing it within its brown leather scabbard, which was attached to a baldric across his torso. Blood was sttered across his bronze scale armor, and even his handsome face was marred with the gore of his enemies.

    Marcellus took off his dented gilden iron helmet whose red plume was arrogantly disyed upon its crest, revealing his brown hair as he gazed with his olive green eyes upon one of hismanders who rushed towards his position with an ecstatic expression on his face.

    ¡°General! We have achieved a great victory against the Suebi here today; if the Supreme Commander were here, he would surely reward you for your efforts!¡±

    Marcellus merely chuckled as he ced his bloodstained hand upon themander¡¯s shoulder before expressing his thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°Just another day in service to the Empire, my friend!¡±

    Titus udius Marcellus came from a renowned family and held the position of General in the Western Roman Army. At the moment, he was serving under the Supreme Commander of the Western Roman Army, vius Stilicho.

    Though he was only in his mid-twenties, he had proven himself as a capable military leader from a young age, especially during the previous Gothic invasion. During these desperate times, he had risen to his current status after a string of overwhelming victories against the Empire¡¯s many enemies. However, one could also im that his rapid ascent through the ranks was in no small part due to his close rtionship with the Supreme Commander.

    Currently, Marcellus and his army were campaigning in Gaul as they attempted to end the reign of the usurper vius udius Constantinus and drive back the rampaging Germanic Tribes who had recently crossed over the Rhine. This was the first significant battle they encountered after entering the chaotic province.

    As the Roman soldiers began to clean up the battlefield and bury their dead, many of the men started to kneel in the direction of Rome and pray. When themander saw that Marcellus remained standing, he questioned his actions.

    ¡°Do you not intend to give thanks to the Lord God Almighty for this victory? Without him, none of this could have been achieved!¡±

    There was a hint of disdain in Marcellus¡¯ eyes as he gazed upon themander before shaking his head while responding to the question.

    ¡°No, Lucan, I do not believe I will. I have other matters to attend to, but you have my permission to pray in my stead¡­.¡±

    Themander, known as Lucan, smiled, and nodded before breaking out into prayer; as for Marcellus, he walked away from the scene, not wanting to have any part in the Christian rights. Instead, he reached underneath his Lorica Squamata vest and pulled out a small pendant in the form of a gold coin that hung around his neck. This coin contained the visage of Sol Invictus, one of the old gods of Rome.

    The moment he was out of sight, he began to pray to the god of his ancestors, thanking him for the great victory that Rome had achieved on this day. For if he had done so in public, he was sure to be persecuted by the Christians who now dominated the Empire.

    As Marcellus finished his prayer, he gazed into the setting sun, wondering what the vision he had seen in his rattled state could have possibly meant; perhaps it was an omen for what was toe. Regardless, he chose not to dwell on such a foreboding subject any longer; whatever maye to pass, he would meet it with steel in his hand, and the troops beneath hismand, for the Glory of Rome, was eternal!

 Chapter 2 No Time for Celebration

    After the battlefield was cleaned up, the Romans had returned to their posts at the temporary encampment that they had established while on campaign. Whichy on the border of the Diocese of Gaul. Though the men beneath Marcellus¡¯mand wanted to celebrate their great victory over the Suebi, their first duty was to protect the Empire¡¯s borders as men in the Roman Military. Thus, there was no grand celebration on this night.

    Marcellus stood within hismand tent, gazing upon a map sprawled across his table, which was illuminated via candlelight. While he was studying the reports from the scouts within his army, the shadowy figure of a busty woman appeared behind him.

    Without warning, the young General felt the warmth of a woman¡¯s dainty hands wrap around his shoulders and the softness of her chest press against his back. Rather than turn around and entertain the buxom beauty who hadtched herself onto him, Marcellus merely replied with a stern tone after drinking from his chalice.

    ¡°Not now, Sigefrida!¡±

    The woman instantly began to pout as she turned around and sat on her master¡¯s bed. Upon hearing the displeased sound escape from her lips, Marcellus turned around and stared into the eyes of the beautiful woman sitting before him. She wore a cor around the neck, signifying her status as a lowly ve. Yet, despite this position, Marcellus ced down his drink and sighed as he apologized to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just having a hard time thinking straight¡­.¡±

    A look of worry spread across the gorgeous ve¡¯s face as she walked over to Marcellus and checked on his condition.

    ¡°You are not wounded, are you? I swear to the gods if one of those Suebi bastards hurt you, I will wipe out their entire tribe!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellusughed as he heard this ludicrous statement; he quickly grabbed hold of Sigefrida¡¯s chin as he attempted to kiss her on the lips. However, she immediately tilted her head, resulting in a peck on the cheeks. Seeing that his efforts were thwarted, Marcellus immediately scratched the back of his head and dispersed the woman¡¯s worries by under exaggerating the extent of his injuries.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine; I just got hit on the head a little; it is nothing serious.¡±

    The ve began to blush as she pushed herself away from Marcellus¡¯ embrace; though she would love nothing more than to be intimate with her master, there were good reasons that she was forced to reject his advances.

    Sigefrida knew that if she were to have any other master, she would be severely punished for such actions. Nevertheless, Marcellus allowed it and merely drank from his chalice once more as the woman chastised him for his lifestyle.

    ¡°Seriously, Marcellus, after all of these years, and you are still looking forfort in my arms? Why don¡¯t you get yourself a wife already?¡±

    Despite the casual tone used by the woman, the Roman General merelyughed at herment before finishing the rest of his wine. After doing so, he ced the container on the nightstand next to the gon, where Sigefrida was quick to refill his cup. As she did so, he responded with the same line he used every time she asked this question.

    ¡°You know me, Sigefrida. I am married to Rome.¡±<sub></sub>

    The ve woman immediately rolled her eyes as she heard thisment for the nine millionth time this year and began to preach the qualities that made so many young women chase after her master.

    ¡°I am just saying that you are wealthy, you hold the prestigious title of General at your young age, you are descended from one of the most prominent patrician families in the Empire, and you are dangerously handsome. What Roman woman wouldn¡¯t want you as their husband?¡±

    Marcellus refused to discuss this topic further and raised his hand in the air, hinting for the woman to be silent.

    ¡°I appreciate your concern, but I am fine the way I am!¡±

    Noticing that she had overstepped her bounds, Sigefrida immediately ceased pouring the wine and walked up to Marcellus, where she began tofort him by stroking his olive brown hair. As she did so, she started to speak in a tone like that of a mother or a concerned older sister.

    ¡°I am just worried about your future, that is all. When you aren¡¯t on a brutal campaign, you live alone in your vi with only me and a handful of other ves to keep youpany. What would your mother say if she knew how you spent your days?¡±

    Marcellus grabbed ahold of Sigefrida¡¯s hand and looked deep into her ice-blue eyes with a kindhearted nce. Sigefrida was a Suebi by birth, and as such, her features were Germanic in nature. She was tall, with an hourss figure and ivory skin that had a slight pinkish pigment. Apanying her excellent physique was long tinum blonde hair that was currently tied up into a ponytail.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You are all I need¡­.¡±

    Sigefrida immediately nced away as she heard these words and began to reflect upon her past. She hade from a Suebi family, and was taken captive along with her mother by Romans after her father, and the other warriors of his war-band were defeated in battle. Ever since she was sold into very to Marcellus¡¯ family as a young child, it had been her job to look after the boy.

    Despite her feelings, Marcellus¡¯ mother had strictly warned her not to get involved with him romantically. Even though they were now adults, and she was exclusively his ve, the fear within her heart towards that woman kept her emotionally at arm¡¯s length.

    Upon seeing Sigefrida¡¯s reaction, Marcellus sighed before picking up the chalice of wine that she had refilled and began to chug its contents. After a few moments, he turned away from her and walked towards the door. As he did so, the woman began to call out after him with a hint of worry in her tone.

    ¡°Where are you going at this hour!?!¡±

    Marcellus, slightly annoyed with yet another one of Sigefrida¡¯s rejections, shouted back a quick retort before exiting the ps of therge tent.

    ¡°To keep watch!¡±

    After Marcellus had left Sigefrida alone in his quarters, she sighed heavily and toyed with the iron cor around her neck. A single thought passed through her mind as shemented her position in life.

    If only I were born a Roman¡­

    As for Marcellus, he marched through the temporary encampment for some time before arriving at its palisade. He proceeded to climb up the watchtower, where he gazed out towards the direction of thends upied by the usurper knownmonly by the name Constantine III with a stern expression on his face. As he stared off into the distance, a familiar voice called out to him. It belonged to none other than the Commander who bore the name Sextus Cornelius Lucan.

    ¡°I see you are standing watch yet again; a man of your position should not trouble himself with such petty matters.¡±

    Marcellus remained silent as he gazed at the high-ranking officer, who was older than him by close to two decades. Lucan had been in the service of Rome for nearly thirty years and had proven himself repeatedly in battle. If it were not for Marcellus¡¯ close ties to vius Stilicho, then this man would likely be the one in his position.

    Despite this tant nepotism, Lucan did not seem to mind that he was second inmand of the field army. After all, since its inception, Rome had always shown favoritism to those with close friends in high ces, and Marcellus had won the lottery with his birth.

    Not only was the young General the son of one of the most prominent patrician families, but the Supreme Commander was his godfather, allowing him to rise through the ranks of the military rapidly. A man in Lucan¡¯s position had to ept the cards he was dealt in life. As such, there was no resentment in his heart towards Marcellus. The young General sighed as he returned his attention to the camp¡¯s proximity before expressing the thoughts on his mind.

    ¡°The scouts report a great power rising in the east; they say this force is responsible for driving the Germans into ournds. They show no mercy as they butcher every man and animal theye across while enving the women and children. God only knows what horrors they inflict upon their captives. Is it just me, Lucan, or does it appear that the world ising to its end?¡±

    Lucan sighed heavily and answered his general¡¯s question with a stoic expression on his aging face.

    ¡°I believe every generation gazes upon the madness of the world and expects it to alle crashing down around them. However, our ancestors have fought bravely to maintain Rome and all its Glory, and now that task falls to us. For if we falter here, then it will truly be the end of the world as we know it. Have faith, my friend, if not in God, then in the loyalty and strength of your brothers in arms!¡±

    After speaking of his philosophy to Marcellus, the officer known by the name, Lucan, turned away and climbed down thedder of the watchtower. As he slowly descended, he left one final piece of advice to the young General.

    ¡°Marcellus, I suggest you get some sleep; we have a long campaign ahead of us, and thest thing we need is for you to be exhausted.¡±

    Marcellus silently nodded his head in response; he would continue to watch over the border for another thirty minutes before heading back to his tent, where he immediately stripped off his gear and climbed into bed with Sigefrida.

 Chapter 3 Preparing for an Invasion

    As the light of dawn shown itself upon the Roman Encampment, Marcellus awoke from his slumber; lying next to him was his ve, Sigefrida. He had taken great liberties as a General to ensure that Sigefrida was in the safety of the military camp instead of on the perimeter within the follower¡¯s base.

    One might even say he had outright broken thew by doing so; regardless, he did not care. Rome was in a state of peril, and thus Marcellus could bend the rules if he so desired. After rising from his bed, Sigefrida awoke beside him, gazing at his bareback as he leaned off the edge of the cot.

    The Suebi woman crawled out from under her covers,pletely naked, and immediately rose from her slumbering position as she prepared to dress her master for his uing duties. Her bountiful breasts swayed as she began equipping Marcellus with his attire.

    The young General struggled to avert his gaze from the woman¡¯s sublime figure but ultimately failed to do so. He continued to stare in awe at his beautiful ve as he did every morning, suppressing his desire to take her then and there. Only after he was fully clothed and armored did Sigefrida begin to dress in her ragged attire.

    Though Marcellus desired to buy her nice clothing from the East, the wise woman had refused time and again. After all, she was a ve, and to wear such luxuries in her position was to invoke the ire of the people who lived above her low status. Marcellus ultimately broke the silence that purveyed between them as he began to exit the tent.

    ¡°Today, we will be advancing further into the Usurper¡¯s territory; armed conflict is bound to ur, so stay safe¡­.¡±

    Upon hearing this warning, Sigefrida nodded her head as a warm smile spread across her luscious lips before responding to her master¡¯s concerns.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°You can rest easy; I know how to take care of myself!¡±

    Such a response invoked a sense of calmness inside of Marcellus¡¯ heart. This was not the first campaign he had dragged this woman on, and it certainly wouldn¡¯t be herst. By now, she was well ustomed to protecting herself from friend and foe alike.

    After looking upon Sigefrida¡¯s exceptional beauty onest time, Marcellus exited out of his tent and into the temporary encampment that had been established near the borders of Gaul. After departing from his quarters, Marcellus ventured forth through the camp with an arrogant stride; everywhere he stepped, his soldiers stood up and saluted him with respect and fear for the position he held.

    Eventually, the young General came across a man he held significant disdain for. This man was sharpening his de on a grinding wheel. He was a Gothic Chieftain by the name of Sarus, and he was the Commander of the Foederati attached to Marcellus¡¯ army.

    The moment the two made eye contact with one another, the atmosphere that surrounded them became tense; they had a long history together. The two of them had served alongside one another during the invasion of Italy by the Gothic Chieftain Radagaisus two years prior.

    During that conflict, Marcellus had earned a fearsome reputation as a yer of Goths, putting any man, woman, and child he came across who belonged to that tribe to the sword. If Sarus were not aligned with Rome as a member of its Foederati, he too would have suffered such a brutal fate.<sub></sub>

    The memories of Marcellus¡¯ cruelty as he ordered the massacre of entire poptions of the Gothic people had forged an intense sense of dread within Sarus¡¯s heart towards his General. It was for this reason that though he obeyed Marcellus¡¯ orders; he did not treat him with the respect a man of his position was afforded.

    Sarus sneered in disdain as he gazed upon Marcellus¡¯ handsome visage before speaking to him with a tone of contempt. The sarcastic use of the Roman victory title did not go unnoticed by the young General.

    ¡°Gothicus, surely you are not thinking of spilling my blood here and now, within your camp?¡¯

    The title of Gothicus was usually given to Roman Generals who had achieved significant victories against the Goths. Yet, despite his achievements in the past two Gothic Wars, Marcellus had not earned such an impressive title. As such, when Sarus referred to Marcellus in this manner, it was an insult to the man¡¯s pride, as it reminded the young General of the glories that Emperor Honorius had denied him.

    Marcellus looked upon the Commander of his Foederati with utter disgust; he would not deign such an insult to his pride with a response. Instead, he merely turned his gaze away from the Barbarian Chieftain and followed his path towards the center of the encampment.

    Sarus, on the other hand, gazed upon Marcellus¡¯ back with a hint of scorn in his eyes before shifting his attention onto the young General¡¯s tent. He knew that there was a Suebi beauty hidden away inside and swore the moment that Marcellus met his death; he would take her as his prize.<sub></sub>

    However, for now he would wait; after all, though he did not show the General respect, he greatly feared the man. In the eyes of the Gothic chieftain, few men were as cold-hearted and ruthless as Marcellus was; as such, he disregarded his wicked thoughts and got back to work sharpening his de.

    Eventually, Marcellus reached the center of the encampment where amand tent was located; he quickly entered the structure and saw Lucan and the othermanders under hismand gathered together as they studied a map. This map showed the known positions of the usurper¡¯s forces and that of the barbarian invaders.

    Lucan immediately stood up and saluted his General as Marcellus entered the tent, as did the other officers beside them. The young General returned their salute as he shifted his attention to the map sprawled across the table.

    ¡°Have we received word from our scouts?¡±

    Lucan smiled and nodded as he quickly repeated the information he had received not long ago.

    ¡°Our scouts have reported a sizeable force of the Usurper¡¯s army stationed within the city of Valence. It is led by one of his Foederati Commanders by the name of Nebiogastes, who is a Frankish Chieftain. If we cany siege to the city, we might be able to trap the enemymander within its walls and eliminate arge portion of the Usurper¡¯s army.¡±

    Marcellus gazed upon the wooden figures that represented the various forces thaty within the borders of Gaul and their current estimated locations. Upon seeing the Frankish Foederati and their position, he decided on a course of action.

    ¡°Our armies will surround the city andy siege to it, where we will annihte the enemy within. Whether they be Roman or Barbarian, any man who pledges his loyalty to the Usurper Constantine will have his head removed!¡±

    The various officers beneath Marcellus¡¯mand immediately nodded in agreement as they made the necessary ns for such an assault. After a while, Lucan broke the silence by bringing up the subject that none of them wished to discuss.

    ¡°And what if the foederati beneath ourmand betray us? They make up two-thirds of our forces; if they side with the enemy, we will be vastly outnumbered, with no chances of survival!¡±

    As Romans, the men within this room were all too aware of the frailty of the alliance between Rome and its barbarian mercenaries. Every time they marched to war, they had to fear the potential reality of their allies turning on them amid battle. Yet Marcellus remained undeterred as he scoffed at the reaction of his top officers.

    ¡°You think Sarus will betray us? He may be a filthy barbarian and a two-faced scoundrel, but he knows the price he would pay should he betray me. Even if it were thest thing that I aplish in this life, I would find a way to take him with me to the grave.¡±

    Lucan nodded his head; he could not deny that Marcellus had gained a fearsome reputation as a yer of barbarians; as such, he disregarded his previous concerns and asked the following question on his mind.

    ¡°When do we set out?¡±

    Marcellus had no hesitation; he knew the sooner they marched onto Valence, the more likely it was that their n would seed; as such, he boldly dered his orders for all hismanders to receive and enact as an extension of his will.

    ¡°We march at noon; I want to be in the vicinity of the city within a week!¡±

    Upon hearing this, the gathered officers quickly saluted their General and affirmed their orders.

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Before long, the Roman Encampment was torn down, and the army was on the march once more. The enemies of Rome would soon be facing an army at their gates. As for whether the Foederati would indeed betray their Roman counterparts, only time would tell.

 Chapter 4 Enemy Ambush

    In the forests of Gaul, a Roman Army was on the march. Surrounded by their Gothic Foederati allies, the Army under Marcellus¡¯smand made its way ever closer to the city of Valence, where the enemymander Nebiogastes lies in wait with his barbarian horde. Scouts advanced beyond the main Army as the young General sat upon horseback while trotting forth through the Gallic territory with a beautiful womantched to his back.

    Though Sigefrida should typically be traveling in the rear of the formation with the rest of the followers, Marcellus had ensured that she was not forced to march across the vast distance between their previous encampment and the location of their enemies. Instead, he had her ride in the position behind him upon his mount, much to the ire of the Romans and Foederati alike.

    Such an action was not only against the regtions of the Roman Army but also heavily disfavored by the soldiers beneath Marcellus¡¯mand. Despite this, he did not care in the slightest, as he felt the safest ce for the woman he loved was by his side in the center of the formation. After all, they were marching deep into enemy territory and could be ambushed at a moment¡¯s notice.

    However, despite the kind gesture by the young General, his ve was not happy. She was forced to endure the angry stares of thousands of men as she clung tightly to her master. Such a thing was enough to make even one with the most stalwart of hearts falter under pressure. Because of this, she kept her face pressed against Marcellus¡¯ back, unwilling to look around.

    Though Marcellus did not mind such a thing, after all, he enjoyed the warmth she provided him, even if he was equipped with a thick bronze Lorica Squamata around his torso. He pressed his hands around her own as he whispered in a voice so low that only the two of them could hear it.

    ¡°I am sorry for making you put up with such a thing, but you know how I worry about you. If we were to be ambushed and something happened to you, I would never be able to forgive myself¡­¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Behind closed eyelids, Sigefrida¡¯s ice-blue irises twitched as a rosy tone flushed over her ivory cheeks. Every time her master spoke sweet nothings in her ears, she felt her heart race in excitement, only for it toe crashing down into aplete state of depression. As a lowly Suebi ve, she could never be with her master, not so long as she wore this cor around her neck, nor until that woman drew her final breath.

    Even if she were to somehow be with her master intimately, she would never be able to be hiswful wife nor carry his legitimate child. Such thoughts caused the gorgeous woman to feel as if her heart had been wrapped in a cage of thorns, the slightest beat driving her organ to be pricked by the sharp edges.

    Of course, Marcellus remained unaware of why Sigefrida fled from his embrace every time he attempted to get closer to her. If he had known of the severe suffering, his mother had inflicted on the woman in her youth, or the repeated beatings she received for gazing upon him fondly during their adolescent years, he was liable to strike his mother as hard as he could upon their next encounter.

    Instead, he was forced to feel despair every time she rejected one of his advances. The only reason he hadn¡¯t given up by now was that he was smart enough to realize she had feelings for him, too. Despite this knowledge, He did not know how to coax the woman¡¯s hidden emotions out of the depths of her heart.

    While the Roman General and his barbarian ve internally dreaded their lot in life, a group of Suebi skirmishers hid within the confines of the nearby forest, gazing upon the Roman Army as they marched through the woods, blissfully unaware that they had been surrounded.<sub></sub>

    The leader of this armed group of barbarians was arge and fierce man named Selmirus; he was the Chieftain of one of the many Suebi tribes that had infiltrated into Roman Gaul after crossing the Rhine. Since then, he and his men had been terrorizing the Roman Province.

    Though the usurper Constantine III had allied with some tribes like the Franks, others were still ravaging thendscape while murdering, looting, raping, and raiding their way across Gaul. The fact that barbarians like these could run freely in Romannds at all was a testament to just how weak the Empire had be over the past few centuries.

    Selmirus wore the skin of a Wolf over his head, signifying that he was a mighty wolf warrior. Beneath this wolfskin cloak was an iron spangenhelm, which protected his skull from oing blows. Adorned across his broad chest and the rest of his torso was a mail coat, which showed he held significant wealth as a tribal warrior.

    The man¡¯s sharp blue eyes red into the distance and witnessed the sight of a tinum blonde-haired womantched around the Roman General with a cor around her neck and a loving smile on her pretty face. He could instantly tell by her features that she was likely to be of Suebi descent. The very idea that the Romans had enved his people and turned them into their ythings filled his ck heart with rage.

    As such, he immediately shouted in the Suebi tongue for his warriors to advance on the marching Roman Army. They were near enough by for the Romans to hear the echo of the shout resounding throughout the trees. Thus, Marcellus was quick to get into action.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Enemy Ambush, Testudo Formation!!¡±

    Rather than press forward on horseback in this challenging terrain, Marcellus instantly dismounted from his horse and raised his shield in the air as he dragged Sigefrida into the center of the shield wall, which formed a tortoiseshell around him and his men.

    Arrows wereunched from within the woods, into the roman formation, crashing against the shields, and sticking to them like pincushions as the Barbarian warriors charged towards them. Marcellus smirked as he made a snarkyment to his ve about the situation they found themselves in.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you d you were by my side now?¡±

    Sigefrida was far too frightened toment on this properly. Instead, she clung closely to her master, afraid that she would lose her life when separated from him. Tears streamed from her beautiful blue eyes as Marcellus grinned from ear to ear with excitement. As he did so, he roared out to the men next to him with an authoritative voice.

    ¡°This is where the fun begins! Right, boys!?!¡±

    The Romans immediately chanted their battle cry as the Barbarian warriors rushed against their shield wall. The moment the enemy nged against it; the formation stood firm. Instead, the des of the Roman soldiers protruded through the gaps. They thrusted towards the bodies of the Barbarian warriors, ripping into their flesh and spilling their blood as their corpses fell to the ground.

    Sigefrida refused to open her eyes as she held onto her dear master. Though such a thing made it difficult for him to fight back, Marcellus still managed to thrust his de into an oing enemy. The Barbarian warriors attempted to batter away at the shields of the Roman soldiers. Still, they would not break. Eventually, they withdrew from their futile actions and stood nearby, waiting for the Romans to respond. Yet the Romans did not fall prey to the trick, as Marcellus continued to order his soldiers.

    ¡°Hold strong! Do not break ranks!¡±

    Upon seeing that the Romans chose to hide behind their shields like a bunch of cowardly turtles, Selmirus called out in his native tongue towards the formation. Though he knew it was unlikely that any of the Romans spoke hisnguage, it was not the Romans he addressed, rather the beautiful ve he had seen before the attack.

    ¡°Pretty woman! Tell your Roman Masters what I say to them, and I promise you that after I have ughtered these bastards, I will spare your life!¡±

    Sigefrida¡¯s ice-blue eyes widened in shock as she realized the barbarian Chieftain was speaking to her. Just when she was about to curse him out, Marcellus gazed over at her and realized that they were dealing with the Suebi yet again. As such, he quickly asked his loyal ve to trante for him.

    ¡°What are they saying?¡±

    The beautiful blonde woman stared away from her master with an enraged expression before revealing what the Chieftain had said. This immediately caused Marcellus to smirk, as he could quickly tell how furious she was. However, he merely ced his hand on her shoulder and gave her encouragement to continue.

    ¡°Go ahead, trante my words; I¡¯d love to see what this barbarian has to say¡­¡±

    What started as a Suebi ambush had now resulted in a negotiation between two hostile parties, the result of which had yet to be determined.

 Chapter 5 A Savage Duel

    Sigefrida let out a deep sigh as she followed her master¡¯s orders. She quickly tranted the conversation between Marcellus and the Barbarian chieftain known as Selmirus. Thus, Marcellus began to negotiate with his enemy while hidden under a shell of shields.

    ¡°If you havee to make demands of Rome, I am afraid that I do not negotiate with barbarians!¡±

    Selmirus spat upon the ground after hearing the Roman General¡¯s words spoken in his tongue via proxy. After doing so, he loudly boasted of his identity and various achievements in battle.

    ¡°I am Selmirus Wolf Warrior of the god Wuotan! yer of a thousand men in singlebat! I have put hundreds of Romans to the sword, but never have I in a General! I choose you. Come out and fight me like a man!¡±

    Within the confines of the shield wall, Sigefrida conveyed the barbarian¡¯s words to Marcellus, who began tough upon hearing such a thing.

    ¡°Tell me, Selmirus, If I were to resort to such foolishness, what is to stop you and your men from raining your arrows upon us the moment I agree to your terms and lower my shield wall?¡±

    Selmirus immediately responded with a scoff as if he were offended by the very notion; afterward, he began to speak once more.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°I swear on my honor as a warrior that our duel will be sacred and that no man among my ranks will interfere. If I were to break this oath, then may my soul never enter Wuotan¡¯s hall!¡±

    Marcellus could not believe his ears upon hearing such a phrase; truly, this man must have a great desire to add his head to the ranks of men that he had killed. Such an oath was not to be taken lightly among the warriors of Germania. The Roman General struggled toe to a conclusion, after all, what benefit could such a risk possibly pose to him or his soldiers? Thus, he inquired further about the offer.

    ¡°What happens if I kill you in this sacred duel of ours!?!¡±

    Selmirus broke out into intenseughter as he heard this notion escape from the luscious lips of the Suebi ve girl hidden beside the Roman General¡¯s side. It was not just the chieftain who broke out into a state of uncontroble howling, but the thousands of men by his side as well. Their echoes filled the forests of Gaul, frightening the lesser creatures who dwelled within. It took a few moments for the Barbarian Chieftain to calm down before responding to the Roman¡¯sment.

    ¡°In the unlikely event that you manage to defeat me in singlebat and im my life. Then I vow on my honor and that of my people that you and your army will be free to continue your march without my tribe getting in your way any further. If we break this oath, then may our souls never reach the halls of our ancestors!¡±

    Marcellus was astounded at the lengths this barbarian was going through to ensure a duel with him. The young General gazed around at his troops and then at Sigefrida. If anything were to happen to her, he would not forgive himself, thus with great resolve; he uttered forth his decree.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Lower your shields!¡±

    The moment he said this, Sigefrida and the men beneath Marcellus¡¯mand alike began to interject, unwilling to allow their General to walk into a trap.

    ¡°Dominus, no!¡±

    ¡°General, you can¡¯t!¡±

    However, Marcellus¡¯ mind was made up. Thus, he patted Sigefrida on her head and smiled before giving the order once more.

    ¡°I said lower your shields, dammit!¡±<sub></sub>

    The moment he cried out thismand, the shield wall crumbled, revealing thousands of Suebi warriors surrounding Marcellus and his men within the forest. If blood could be avoided by killing this single barbarian, Marcellus would take up this duel. After all, their goal was not to deal with this rabble, but the Usurper Constantine III.

    Though driving the Barbarians from the Diocese of Gaul was another objective, it was secondary, and the young Roman General wanted every soldier he could muster for the fight against the usurper and his armies.

    Marcellus gazed upon Selmirus, who met his nce with a fierce re of his own. There was a smug expression on the man¡¯s face as he stood at the front of his army. As Marcellus stepped forth towards the man, he uttered anothermand to his men.

    ¡°Do not interfere with our duel until it isplete! If I die, then so be it; make sure to avenge my loss!¡±

    Though the soldiers beneath hismand wanted to object, they saw the determined nce in their general¡¯s eyes and immediately stood firm, praying to God that he might be saved. Marcellus paid no attention to the men beneath hismand. Instead, he raised his spatha and scutum into a fighting position before grinning at the Barbarianmander.

    ¡°Whenever you are ready!¡±

    With that said, the duel was on, and the two men charged at each other with weapons in hand. The chieftain known as Selmirus immediately thrust his spear towards Marcellus, which his scutum deflected before Marcellus pressed forward and attacked with a vicious stab of his own.

    The Barbarian warrior easily deflected the jab of his de with his shield before thrusting yet again with his spear towards the gaps between Marcellus and his armor. Yet, Marcellus dodged the oing blow as he shed towards the neck of his opponent.

    The two warriors were locked in a dance of death as both sides cheered for their representative. Before long, Marcellus managed to spill the first blood by shing his opponent¡¯s thigh. As the man¡¯s blood spilled onto the floor, it seemed not to harm him. Instead, he took advantage of the opportunity to jab his spearhead into the shoulder of Marcellus.

    Unfortunately for the barbarian, the thick bronze scales of the Roman General¡¯s Lorica Squamata easily deflected the oing blow, and Marcellus noticed an opening; thus, he thrust his spatha forward towards the rib cage of his enemy right beneath the heart.

    However, the barbarian chieftain dodged just in time, and thus, the sword pierced through the rings of the mail coat but failed to tear through flesh. Before Marcellus could withdraw his weapon and react, he was kicked across the chest with a push kick, sending him backward into the mud below.

    The Barbarian warriors on the sides erupted in cheers as they witnessed their chieftain hurl his spear towards the downed opponent. Despite this attempt to skewer Marcellus like a pig, the Roman General rolled out of the way and towards a standing position, charging forth towards his enemy like a wild boar.

    Selmirus immediately unleashed his sword and engaged in mortalbat with the Roman standing before him. The two men were locked in a ruthless struggle as their weapons shed against wood and steel alike, one man never gaining too serious of an advantage.

    The battlested for a few minutes before both men were gasping for breath. Finally, Marcellus moved forward with a sh towards the neck of the opponent, which Selmirus attempted to dodge, however before he could, the cut turned into a thrust where the noric steel de of the Roman¡¯s General¡¯s spatha embedded itself in the barbarian chieftain¡¯s neck, piercing entirely through the other side.

    The barbarians gazed in horror as theirmander fell to his knees before Marcellus withdrew his de via a vicious sh, severing Selmirus¡¯ head in the process; after doing so, he wiped his bloodied de on the man¡¯s trousers before staring at the Barbarians with a murderous re.

    Though the Suebi wanted to avenge their master, they were profoundly superstitious and came to their senses as they remembered the vow that he had taken. If they were to act now, then indeed neither Selmirus nor their own souls would find their way to the afterlife of the valiant dead.

    Thus, there was utter silence for a time before Marcellus returned to the men under hismand, who watched in awe as theirmander eliminated the Barbarian Chieftain in singlebat. He helped Sigefrida upon horseback with a slight push before climbing up himself. After doing so, he gave hismand to his soldiers.

    ¡°Forward March!¡±

    With this said, the Romans recovered from their stupor before advancing back onto the path they had taken before the enemy ambush. The Suebi warriors gazed in awe at the man who had killed their chieftain. Staying their hand as they did so, for to act against Selmirus¡¯ wishes would surely damn their souls for eternity.

    Sigefrida clung to Marcellus¡¯ back once more, smelling his musk as she did so; the bravery of her master had left a deep imprint on her heart. She swore she would never forget this day. Thus, with the Barbarian Commander¡¯s death, the Romans were back on the path towards Valence. As for the Suebi tribe, which allowed them to pass, they swore that they would get their vengeance upon the Roman who had killed their chieftain one day.

 Chapter 6 Arriving on the Borders of Valence

    Marcellus rode upon the back of his horse,tching on to his body was his Suebi ve Sigefrida. Even though the woman had just witnessed him kill a member of her people, she had a warm and loving smile as she spent the journey towards their destination, holding onto the man she deeply admired.

    Days had passed since the Roman Army had been ambushed by the Suebi tribesmen, and now they were within range of the Gallo-Roman city of Valence. On the hills above were the Roman Legions under Marcellusmand; they slowly descended into the valley to surround the city.

    The young General gazed at the target in the distance with a look of disdain spread across his lips. The traitors and their Foederati allies were garrisoned within the city. Thus, it was his duty to either drive them out or ughter them to thest man. Upon reaching the ideal position, Marcellus cried out hismands with a booming voice to the soldiers beneath his authority.

    ¡°Set up the encampment! I want a proper siege camp established and our catapults built! We will be here for some time, boys!¡±

    Upon hearing their General utter hismands, the Roman Soldiers and their Foederati allies were quick to do as instructed. Sarus gazed upon Marcellus with contempt, but ultimately, he followed orders. After all, to get on the wrong side of the Marcellus who was so well known for ying Goths was not something that he wished to do.<sub>.</sub>

    Within hours, a proper siege camp was established around the perimeter of the Gallo-Roman city. The citizens within were frightened beyond measure as they witnessed the sight of their garrison sealing off the exits. War had finallye to Valence, and with it, the civilians who dwelled within had no way out.

    They prayed to God that the Roman Legions might be merciful to them; after all, it was not their fault that Gaul had fallen into the hands of a usurper. However, such a thing was unlikely, as it wasmon practice toy waste to the poption that dwelled within a city which refused to surrender.

    While this was going on, Marcellus personally established hismand tent in the center of the encampment and led Sigefrida inside. He would not allow any form of harm toe to her so long as he yet drew breath. After cing down the cot and the bedding, he beckoned for the woman to join him by his side.

    Though it was far from the hour of the day where he might receive rest. The young General wanted to say a few words to the woman before things turned bloody. This had be standard practice for the two of them whenever they went on campaigns. Marcellus grasped ahold of his ve¡¯s dainty ivory hands and kissed them gently before revealing the thoughts that he dreaded every moment of every hour while on a campaign.<sub></sub>

    ¡°If something were to happen to me during this siege, I want you to do whatever is necessary to flee the encampment. Take whatever precautions that are required to regroup with your people and inform them that you have escaped bondage. Do not, under any circumstances, return to the Empire! It will not be safe for you there as a runaway ve!¡±

    Sigefrida sighed heavily as she nodded her pretty head in silence; she had heard different variations of this same speech for the past few years, ever since Marcellus had ascended to an officer position and had taken her with him into war.

    Internally, the ve woman had never actually thought about escaping with her life should her master die in battle. As far as she was concerned, their fates were intertwined. Nevertheless, sheforted him by agreeing to his terms. After saying his piece, Marcellus stood up from his seat and wore a bitter smile as he informed his ve of his current intentions.

    ¡°I am going to go help get the camp established. As always, stay within the confines of my tent, and if anyone tries anything, use one of the daggers which I have hidden to eliminate them. I do not care what their rank is; I will protect you!¡±<sub></sub>

    Many men with the ranks of his field army and Foederati allies alike wanted a piece of Sigefrida. However, fear of Marcellus¡¯ reputation was the only thing that kept their sinister hands at bay. After giving this warning, the young General left the tent, where Sigefrida began to write in her diary of the events that hade to pass thesest few days.

    Though a lowly ve, Marcellus had ensured that she was in fact literate so that she could aid him in more than simply domestic duties. Thus, she was quite themodity within the Empire, as in these dark times fewer Roman citizens could read and write by the day, let alonemon ves. As for Marcellus, he quickly got to work helping his men establish the remainder of the encampment.

    By the time the sun fell from the sky, a proper siege camp had been set up, and the catapults began to rain their projectiles down upon the walls of the city. For the next few weeks, the Roman Legion would do everything in their power to bring an end to the reign of the Usurper and his minions over this city.

    As for Marcellus, he decided to take the first watch. Thus, he was up alone in a watchtower, gazing upon Valence from an aerial position. There was not much worthy of note. The fires of the city¡¯s denizens plumed from their chimneys as they presumably huddled for warmth within the confines of their homes.

    The traitors who defended the city were on guard; if Marcellus looked closely, he could see them staring back at him from their watchtowers. As he was gazing upon the hostile city, Marcellus heard the sound of wood creaking as a man climbed the makeshift steps up into the temporary watchtower.

    Standing behind Marcellus was none other than the Gothic Chieftain Sarus. He wore a grim expression on his face as he recounted what he had heard from the scouts who had firstid eyes upon the city and its defenders.

    ¡°My scouts report that at least several thousand men are stationed within the city. Quite arge force for a mere garrison. Are you certain we will be able to take it?¡±

    Marcellus scoffed when he heard these words; of course, they could take the city, but it would not be without shedding a fair degree of blood. Obviously, he would never actually admit to this fact. Thus, he presented a confident facade as he answered the Gothic Chieftain¡¯s question.

    ¡°Yes, I am quite certain that we will take this city. However, it all depends on the efforts of your men and mine. If even one of the soldiers beneath ourmand refuses to y their part, then more blood than necessary will be spilled to seize this city.¡±

    Marcellus gazed fiercely upon his Foederati Commander as he emphasized thisst point; his intent was clear. Should the Foederati deliberately fail to perform their duties, then every single one of them would suffer at his hands. Sarus sighed heavily as he nodded his head in silence, however before departing, he had another question on his mind, and thus he asked it with a fierce glint in his eyes.

    ¡°Remember our deal! We Goths get the first pick of any loot thates with the conquest of a city!¡±

    Marcellus did not hesitate to nod his head in silence. To buy the loyalty of the Foederati under hismand, he had to make certain concessions such as spoils of war. Though he did not like it, negotiations with the barbarians were necessary to secure their fighting prowess. Upon seeing the agreeable expression of the Roman General, Sarus grinned with excitement before pounding his chest in a barbaric gesture.

    ¡°Very well, then. I will assure you that every warrior beneath mymand will do their best to take this city!¡±

    After saying these words, Sarus departed, leaving the Marcellus by his lonesome. Though the Foederatimander had guaranteed his allegiance, they were, after all, mere words. Words which were spoken by a barbarian, nheless. Thus, if Marcellus wanted to ensure his survival and the men beneath hismand, he would have to take certain precautions.

    Marcellus would stay on watch for another three hours before being relieved of duty. When he finally returned to his tent, he witnessed Sigefrida sitting on the bed with a worried expression. It was only after she saw the safe return of her master did she be less distressed.

    Before long, she aided Marcellus as he stripped out of his gear; after doing so, the master and vey within the same cot, where the Roman General wrapped his body securely around that of Suebi beauty. The two would soon fall asleep in each other arms as they had done so many nights before. What awaited them on the morrow was yet to be determined.

 Chapter 7 The Siege of Valence Part I

    Marcellus gripped the hilt of his spatha with all the power that his hand could muster. The de was withdrawn from its sheath and held tightly by his side. No matter how many times he faced the field of battle, there was always an intense feeling of anxiety deep within his gut.

    Yet mixed with this overwhelming sense of dread was also a state of euphoria, as if his instincts were heightened and his strength raised. The feeling that anything and everything could be aplished if he would only charge forth and destroy the obstacles in his path.

    It had been weeks since his field army had established a siege camp around the Gallo-Roman city of Valence, and now the Romans and their Foederati allies surrounded the Army of the Frankish Chieftain Nebiogastes, who had sworn his allegiance to the usurper Constantine III. Any minute now, the thick wooden gate of the Gallo-Roman city would break apart.

    The sturdy wooden gates began to crack with the repeated crash of the iron ram¡¯s head; before long, it was utterly sted apart. Finally, after weeks of grueling siege warfare, a gap had opened in the enemy¡¯s defenses. Upon gazing down at the visible traitors behind the city¡¯s splintered gates, Marcellus gave themand as he raised his shield above his head to block the oing missile fire.

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    With those words spoken, ten thousand men rushed towards the gap in the enemy¡¯s defenses, with their young General leading the charge. One foot turned to ten, then a hundred, then a thousand with each step taken, the blood pumped from Marcellus¡¯ heart to the rest of his body, forcing him ever closer into the fray until finally the steel contained within his hand thrust towards its initial target and burst through the enemy¡¯s chest spewing forth blood across the field of battle.<sub>.</sub>

    The echoing roar of thousands of men and their weapons shing against one another filled the surrounding air as the hands of the Roman Army had drawn first blood, and it was none other than Marcellus who scored this feat. The young Roman General immediately withdrew his de from the torso of the in hostile and raised his shield to block an oing spear.

    It was not only the Foederati under themand of Nebiogastes that Marcellus had to contend with. There were also the traitor legions who had supported the usurper and his false im towards the Empire stationed within the Gallo-Roman City. The spear thrust itself onto his wooden scutum, yet there was not enough force to break through the barrier. This allowed Marcellus to push off with his shield and thrust towards the belly of his next target.

    Though this man wore a mail coat to protect his vitals from enemy attacks, the noric steel de of the Roman General¡¯s spatha tore its way through the iron links and embedded itself in the enemy¡¯s guts. Marcellus withdrew his de once more, spilling blood and bile across his armor beforeunching a skillful sh towards the neck of a nearby opponent.

    Despite this effort, his sword was reflected by the enemy¡¯s shield, and he was pushed back onto his off step. However, before Marcellus could fall backward, the soldier behind him pushed the General forward with his shield, forcing Marcellus back into mortalbat on the front lines.

    Marcellus did not falter as he once more unleashed his de upon his enemies, shield against shield, steel against steel; he fought with all his strength as he thrust his sword into the neck of the enemy standing before him.<sub></sub>

    As the blood gushed open from the wound like a broken fountain, he was instantly reminded of that strange dream he had endured not long ago and could intensely feel the pain he suffered from during his brief time spent in that foreign world.

    However, the ng of an enemy¡¯s sword against his helmet instantly brought him back to reality as he continued to push forward into the gap against the defending traitor legion and their barbarian allies. With each small step taken, the bodies of both enemies and allies alike fell to the ground, the life forever escaping from their eyes.

    Sarus gazed upon the Roman Legions from the hill above as they fought their way through the gap in Valence¡¯s defenses; the conflict had begun to reach a stalemate as thebat continued. The traitor legion skillfully utilized the opening in the gate as a chokepoint to allow the Roman armies to push through a few men at a time. Despite Marcellus¡¯ best efforts, ultimately, he was forced to retreat, as the men by his side fell beside him one at a time.

    ¡°Fall back!¡±

    Upon hearing the General¡¯s orders, the Roman legions retreated to the line where their siege weapons stood proudly with the intent to regroup and re-assault the enemy position. After reaching the location of the foederati and the siege weapons, Marcellus sighed heavily.<sub></sub>

    Though their losses weren¡¯t severe, if they continued to fight in such a manner, it would only be a matter of time before his Army was depleted, victory may be assured, but like Pyrrhus, at Asculum, the losses would indeed affect the remainder of his campaign.

    He needed another strategy to bring the traitors who dwelled within the city to justice and continue the fight against the Usurper Constantine III. With this in mind, Marcellus quickly issued an order to the men gathered in his Army.

    ¡°I wantdders constructed and up against the ramparts during the next wave of attack; though the gate has been breached, it is not enough to win this battle!¡±

    Upon seeing the young General retreat from the battle, Sarus spit on the ground in disgust, which did not go unnoticed by Marcellus, who trod towards the Barbarian Chieftain with a face filled with rage.

    ¡°Where the hell were you? Your forces were supposed to be in the frontlines, and yet not even one of your barbarian corpses lie in the field below! Do your fucking job, or I will send you to the afterlife myself!¡±

    Sarus snarled in disdain as he heard these orders; he had purposely withheld his forces so that the Romans would face the brunt of the carnage. However, the re in Marcellus¡¯ olive green eyes told him that if he made such a choice again, it would be his head that rolled next.

    As such, the Gothic chieftain nodded his head in obedience, even if he felt like refusing the orders that he had received. With this internal drama settled, the Army sat back and watched as dozens of stones were thrown towards the walls from the catapults. During this time, thedders had been constructed and prepared for the next attack. Marcellus red at Sarus before giving him another order, as this was ongoing.

    ¡°Since your men hid on the hilltop like a bunch of cowards during thest charge, it is your turn to lead the next wave. Your soldiers will be the vanguard that breaches the gate!¡±

    Sarus roared like a wild beast before cing his helmet upon his head; as he did so, he screamed in the Gothguage to the foederati under hismand.

    ¡°Charge! Kill any man who gets in your way!¡±

    With this said, thousands of Gothic warriors ran down the hillside screaming their battle cries charging towards the shattered city gates and the brave men who defended them. While the Goths rushed towards the city¡¯s gatehouse, the Romans led theirdders towards the ramparts, where they began to climb atop the city¡¯s walls. For the second time in one day, the young General charged forth at the head of his forces into the fray.

    Arrows rained down upon him and his troops from the ramparts above, only to splinter against the thick wooden scutum that his soldiers possessed. The Roman Army rushed towards the traitor legion and their foederati allies without the slightest hint of fear in their eyes. For in their minds, there was but a single thought.

    What was an individual life worth whenpared to the glory of Rome?

    The battle continued to wage on, as both sides fought with every fiber of their being to be victorious; as Marcellus shed his sword towards the cor of a hostile soldier standing atop the wall, he cut through his target as if his neck were made of butter, decapitating the man in the process. Blood spewed from the severed nape as the head tumbled over the edge of the wall.

    Despite ying a fellow Roman in battle, Marcellus felt no sympathy, for this man, like those around him, was a traitor to Rome, and the penalty for treason was death. Marcellus would not suffer these traitors to live, even if it were thest thing he aplished in this world; he swore to kill every man who pledged their allegiance to the Usurper Constantine III.

    Thus, the battle reached a new level of intensity as the sun fell from the sky. On this battlefield, only a single scent prevailed, which was the smell of blood. One thing was certain; this battle was far from finished.

 Chapter 8 The Siege of Valence part II

    Blood flowed through the double fullers along the t of Marcellus¡¯ de, pooling into the guard of his spatha¡¯s hilt. A pile of corpses lies between him and the city¡¯s walls. He and his men had sessfully made their way down the ramparts. Yet, despite the progress that his army had made, the city¡¯s defenders still stood, as the traitors courageously fought with the entirety of their resolve in the name of a usurper.

    If these men weren¡¯t traitors, Marcellus might have some respect for them, and yet they were, in fact, nothing more than a treasonous lot. Thus, he acted without mercy as he shed the edge of his de towards his opponent¡¯s neck. The de cut through the flesh and bone and severed the man¡¯s head from his neck, spilling more blood across the field of battle.

    After doing so, he instantly raised his shield to deflect the oing weapon of an enemy Foederati. While the spear embedded itself within the wooden scutum, Marcellus swung his sword down onto its shaft, breaking it apart with the heft of his de. If not for the stress ced upon the shaft of the spear from being stuck within his shield, Marcellus doubted he would have been able to pull off such a feat.

    Upon seeing that his primary weapon had been broken, the barbarian warrior quickly unleashed his spatha, which contained a hilt in the style used by the Germanic tribes. The two men swung their swords simultaneously as they shed in the air, sending both men onto the backstep.

    While the Roman General and the Barbarian warrior were embattled in a deadly dance, the soldiers around them shed against one another, creating a concert of carnage. With each second, another man¡¯s blood spilled onto the floor, and a life was taken.

    As this bloodshed urred, Marcellus was quick to attack, as he shed forward with his spatha in a feigned attempt to cut the man¡¯s chest; just when the man went to block such an attack with his shield, the young General transitioned to a thrust, which found its way into the man¡¯s neck, and out the other side.

    The look of shock in the barbarian¡¯s eyes as his soul faded was utterly insignificant in the mind of Marcellus. He did not care in the slightest, for the man was not only a barbarian but an oath breaker, who had taken up arms in defense of the usurper Constantine III.

    With this in mind, Marcellus ruthlessly cut away at the men before him, like a sickle to a field of wheat. A lifetime of militant training had prepared him not only for the battlefield but for a position ofmand as well, turning him into a merciless butcher who cut apart the flesh of those who fought against him.

    As he was fighting with yet another opponent, the cries of the loyalist foederati resounded throughout the air as they charged forward into the center of the city, killing any man in sight while suffering from a state of pure, concentrated rage. The Romans and their allies had finally regrouped in the center of the city.<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus smirked as he gazed upon the frightened defenders. The Romans advanced forth against the traitors with heightened ferocity. Steel shed with steel, bodies were torn asunder, and the angel of death descended upon the field of battle to im the souls of those brave warriors who had perished.

    Despite thebined assault from the Romans and their Foederati, the conflict soon became a stalemate. Both sides failed to push each other back even an inch. Eventually, a distance of fifteen feet was established; Marcellus stood at the front of his forces, with Sarus and Lucan by his side. As for the enemy army, they were represented by the viinous Nebiogastes and his allied legionarymanders.

    Both sides were marred with blood and exhausted beyond measure, thus when Nebiogastes strode forth into the center with a white g in his hand, Marcellus took the opportunity for his soldiers to rest. However, he personally had no desire to converse with a barbarian and a traitor.

    Instead, Marcellus left that task to a man of equal standing with Nebiogastes. The young Roman General walked over to his Foederati Commander and whispered something into his ears. A look of shock appeared on the barbarian¡¯s face, followed by a wicked grin.

    After the message was delivered, Sarus sheathed his de and strode forth to meet Nebiogastes in the center, between their two armies. When he finally arrived, Nebiogastes was shocked to see that the Romans had chosen a Foederatimander to represent them in this brief pay. Thus, he spoke in his native tongue as he tried to ascertain who this barbarian was and where he came from.

    ¡°Tell me, brother, which tribe do you hail from?¡±

    Sarus scoffed as he heard this before speaking in the Frankish Tongue.

    ¡°I am a mighty Goth! Something a Frank like yourself should fear!¡±<sub></sub>

    Immediately Nebiogastes frowned when he heard this. Out of all the other tribes, this man had to be a filthy Goth from the east. However, if it meant driving these Romans out of Gaul, he was more than happy to work beside the Gothic Chieftain. With this in mind, Nebiogastes reached his hand out in friendship as he proposed a conspiracy.

    ¡°A proud Goth, and yet you kneel before the boot of a Roman. Tell me, what do they offer you to fight so fiercely for them?¡±

    Sarus chuckled when he heard this beforementing on his own.

    ¡°I was about to ask you the same question. You fight for a usurper in Gaul, while there are other tribes such as the Vandals and Suebi who seek to im thisnd for themselves, surely Constantine must have offered you something substantial to do so?¡±

    Despite being asked this question, Nebiogastes deflected by making an interesting proposition to the Gothic Chieftain

    ¡°Truly, you don¡¯t enjoy fighting and dying for this Roman scum, do you? How about you join us! Together we can drive that man and his legions from thesends; then we can overthrow Constantine and be the rulers of Gaul!¡±

    Sarus had to admit it was an enticing offer, and he thoroughly despised Marcellus. Luckily for him, the Roman did not speak the Frankish tongue and thus could not understand what they were talking about. A wicked smile formed on the Gothic chieftain¡¯s face as he considered the option before slowly nodding his head.

    ¡°Very well, I ept your offer!¡±<sub></sub>

    Lucan gazed upon the negotiations with an overwhelming sense of dread. As the conversation between the Sarus and Nebiogastes became more cordial, he could no longer bite his tongue.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the look of this! Sir, what are your orders? We can¡¯t allow these two barbarians to align against us!¡±

    Despite the anxiety that his soldiers were suffering from, Marcellus had a calm expression and a cruel smirk upon his lips as he issued forth a decree unto his army.

    ¡°Stay your hand! We will see these negotiations through to the end!¡±

    The Romans beneath Marcellus¡¯mand stared at him in disbelief as Sarus and Nebiogastes shook hands. The Roman legionaries felt their hilts rattle within their trembling fingers while they waited for their Foederati allies to turn on them. However, right when Nebiogastes turned around to give the order to attack, Sarus pulled out his de and drove it through the Frankish Chieftain¡¯s back.

    The cold steel pierced its way through the barbarian¡¯s heart as he stared at the protruding edge in disbelief. The moment Nebiogastes¡¯ body dropped to the floor, Sarus yelled at the Frankish warriors in a fearsome tone.

    ¡°Turn on your traitorous masters or suffer the same fate as yourmander! The decision is in your hands to make!¡±

    It did not take the Franks long toe to a proper course of action; they quickly attacked the traitor legions of Rome, instantly turning the tides of battle. As the Franks began to y their former allies, Marcellus screamed his orders to all the men beneath hismand.

    ¡°Kill the traitors. Spare no man who swears allegiance to the usurper!

    With that said, the traitor legions gazed in horror as their allies turned against them, struggling to resist the attacks unleashed upon them. However, they were far too outnumbered to fight their enemies; one by one, they fell to the de and the spear alike as their lives were snuffed from existence.

    In the end, the city had returned to the hands of their Roman masters, and Marcellus had lived up to his words. Not a single soul who had sworn their allegiance to the usurper was spared on this night. Blood flowed through the streets, and bodiesy piled into small hills. Nebiogastes was dead, having been deceived and betrayed by Sarus during the negotiations.

    While the Roman soldiers and their Foederati allies ransacked the city for its worth, Sarus stood by Marcellus¡¯ side as the two men watched the ongoing plunder. The young Roman General could not help but ask the question on his mind

    ¡°Was there ever a point during the negotiations where you genuinely considered the offer that he made you?¡±

    Sarus gazed upon Marcellus in astonishment as he heard this question; he knew much about hismanding officer and was confident that he did not speak Frankish. As such, he could not help but inquire about it as an awkward atmosphere filled the air.

    ¡°How did you know? As far as I am aware, you do not speak the Frankish Tongue?¡±

    Marcellus chuckled softly before revealing his hand. The more he spoke, the less friendly his tone became.

    ¡°I don¡¯t, but I figured Nebiogastes would make a y to turn you against me. So, allow me to reiterate, was there ever a point during the negotiations where you genuinely considered the offer that he made you?¡±

    Upon hearing the chilling tone beneath Marcellus¡¯ words, Sarus gulped the saliva that had pooled itself upon his tongue before answering the question

    ¡°Honestly? His offer was fairly enticing; to finally be rid of you would be a blessing for my people¡­.

    Marcellus knew that was not the end of the man¡¯s statement. Thus, a sadistic grin formed itself upon his lips as he asked for rification.

    ¡°But?¡±

    After hearing that Marcellus was one step ahead of him, Sarus chuckled before revealing his thoughts.

    ¡°But¡­ I am sure you would find some way to survive, you always do¡­ No, If I were to truly turn on you, I am certain that I would be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life in fear that I would be yet another Goth put down by your de.¡±

    Marcellus broke out intoughter as he heard this response, and Sarus joined him. After a few moments, the two men finally silenced themselves, where Marcellus began to depart. After a few steps, he halted his movement before looking back and gazing upon Sarus with a terrifying smile.

    ¡°You would do best to remember that fact¡­.¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus continued forward, leaving Sarus in a state of petrification as he thanked the gods that he was wise enough not to betray the Roman General, thus concluding the siege of Valence.

 Chapter 9 The Aftermath

    Marcellus stood within a vi that once belonged to a wealthy patrician of Gallo-Roman descent. What exactly was the fate of this man and his family? That remained unknown to the young General. After all, Gaul had been a rather tumultuous region for centuries.

    At the moment, yet another campaign was being fought in the Roman Province of Gaul in an attempt to oust the usurper Constantine III. Though Valence was reimed, and Nebiogastes was in. The city was far from peaceful; instead, as if making a deal with the devil, Marcellus had allowed the Gothic foederati beneath hismand to ravage the town and plunder its values.

    This had be amon practice among the Roman Armies, as they now heavily relied on the support of the barbarian foederati, and their loyalty could only be bought with wealth, something that the Western Roman Empire was severelycking in at the moment. While the city bled in the background, Marcellus stood in this lonesome vi gazing upon the fires raging in the town below; a chalice of wine was in his hand, and his beautiful ve was by his side.

    Sigefrida clung tightly to Marcellus¡¯ body as she watched him gaze upon the destruction wrought by hismand. She knew such chaos weighed heavily on the conscience of her master, and yet there was nothing she could do to abate it.

    As for Marcellus, he drank his sorrows away with the wine stored in the cer of this vi. It was far from his favorite vintage, but at the very least, it was strong enough to cure what ails him. Or so he thought. Yet despite the increase in intoxication, the young Roman¡¯s fists continued to clench themselves tighter and tighter.

    Marcellus had every desire to unsheathe his de and hunt down the Goths who made up his foederati one by one, skewering their heads onto posts outside the Gallo-Roman city, and yet he was forced to hide this desire deep in thebyrinth of his heart. After all, he could not afford to be rid of the barbarian warriors who helped him achieve victory.<sub>.</sub>

    Ultimately, the silence was broken as Sigefrida poured herself a chalice of the sweet red wine and drank its contents. The sound of her gulping down the liquid was enough to break Marcellus¡¯ line of thought. His olive green eyes shifted over towards the barbarian beauty, and with it, his expression rxed. If she was by his side, he could easily endure the torment that his morally questionable orders inflicted upon his soul.

    ¡°I am d to see you are alright; I don¡¯t know what I would do if something happened to you.¡±

    No matter how many times she heard her master say these words, it always left a tinge of desire upon her heart. Yet, every time she felt like she should act upon her impulse, a single phrase resounded throughout Sigefrida¡¯s mind, instantly deterring her from taking thatst step in the rtionship between herself and Marcellus. After calming her heart, the Suebi woman swallowed a sip of wine before responding to her master¡¯s kind words.

    ¡°Nothing bad can happen to me so long as you remain inmand of your legions.¡±

    There was utter confidence in the tone of her voice as she expressed these words. She truly believed that so long as Marcellus remained inmand, he would defeat all the enemies he was to face. After all, she had witnessed his talent for military matters since he was a young boy, studying the feats of distinguished men of years past.<sub></sub>

    Pyrrhus, Hannibal, Alexander, and even Cyrus were all men he looked up to, and none were Romans. As for the Roman Generals of the past, he could always look up to Marius, Scipio Africanus, and Germanicus. Yet, there was one Roman whose aplishments stood above all others, and if only he had lived longer, then perhaps the Empire would not be in its current state of decay.

    This man was Emperor Aurelian, the restorer of the world and champion of the great deity Sol Invictus. This man was Marcellus¡¯ idol, and he hoped Rome would one day see another Aurelian among its children. However, as things currently stood, he was beginning to feel doubtful about this scenario ever urring.

    After all, when he looked around and gazed upon the state of the city of Valence, he could only feel despair; as such, he gazed over at his lovely ve with a bitter expression before speaking the thoughts on his mind.

    ¡°We are truly living at the end of days. Even if I am to bring this usurper to justice, what then? There will be another pretender five years down the line, if not then ten. Honorius is an indolent fool who sits back and watches his Empire bleed.

    The only wise thing he has ever done is abide by his father¡¯s wishes and entrust Stilicho with the position of Supreme Commander over Rome¡¯s legions. The day my godfather passes from this world is the day that Rome breathes itsst breath. Though I suppose that would be a good thing for you¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    Sigefrida gazed upon her master with a pouting expression; she knew exactly what he meant by this. Marcellus could never live in a world without Rome, and he would rather die defending itsst breath than live on without it. With his death and Rome¡¯s demise, she would be a free woman, but that was not something the enved enchantress desired.

    While Marcellus may not be able to live without Rome, Sigefrida could not live without her master. She would rather fall on a sword than witness him give his life in service to a dying Empire. As such, she wore an equally bitter expression on her face as she grabbed hold of his hands with her own. She gazed into his eyes, with her ice blue irises as she professed the feelings contained within her heart and soul.

    ¡°The day you meet your end is the day that I shall also perish¡­¡±

    Despite the grim nature of her statement, it brought a smile to Marcellus¡¯ face. She was indeed the most loyalpanion he could ask for. Unfortunately for him, something deep within the woman¡¯s fragile heart kept her from being with him intimately. Truthfully, he did not know what had caused her to refuse his advances, but if she did not want to talk about it, then he would not push it.

    Instead, Marcellus drank from his chalice filled with wine once more while he held onto his ve¡¯s hand. The two of them gazed upon the burning city in the distance with an overwhelming sense of despair. Maybe it indeed was the end of days that they were living in, but that did not mean that Marcellus would go quietly into the night.

    He would give everything he had in service to Rome; it was just a shame that a rotten Emperor currently ruled it. If only they had a man like Aurelian at the helm, hell at this point, Marcellus would take someone akin to Gallienus, at least that man waspetent enough to prevent the Empire frompletely copsing around him, the same could not be said for Honorius. As the couple gazed upon the zing scene, Sigefrida asked the question that was currently troubling her conscience.

    ¡°What now? You have lost quite some troops in this battle. Do you believe that you will be able to depose Constantine?¡±

    Marcellus did not immediately answer this question. Instead, he took several gulps of the wine contained in his gilded chalice before responding.

    ¡°For now, we will consolidate our gains. As for the Franks who have sided with us against their former masters, I will ensure that they swear their servitude to the glory of Rome in exchange for their lives. They can make up for the losses we have suffered during this siege. Once our army is fully prepared, we will march on Lugdunum ¡­¡±

    An awkward silence filled the air. Sigefrida had struggled to find the courage to ask the question on her mind, but ultimately, she decided to use the same tactic as her master and down some more of the liquid courage in her cup. After taking severalrge gulps, to the point where the red fluid was spilling down the sides of her luscious pink lips, the woman finally expressed her concerns.

    ¡°And if you can¡¯t¡­ take the city, I mean.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marcellus¡¯ gaze shifted from bitter to grim as he stared at Sigefrida with a solemn expression.

    ¡°Then I suppose you and I will enter the grave earlier than expected¡­¡±

    After this was said, the young General and his loyal ve remained inplete and utter silence. One way or another, Marcellus would fulfill his duty, even if it meant the death of him. That was just the kind of man he was, and Sigefrida knew that there was no changing this aspect of his character. She admired it and would be filled with pride over her master¡¯s determination if it weren¡¯t for such a depressing subject.

    Before long, the couple retired to the vi¡¯s bedroom, where they would fall to sleep. By the time they woke up the following day, the dust would have settled, and Valence would have been plundered for all its worth. For the Western Roman Empire, this was all toomon of an urrence.

 Chapter 10 An Unholy Alliance is Brokered

    The dawn rose several dayster, and with it so too did Marcellus. The roman General yawned slightly as he shifted under his covers towards the side of the bed. He reached out his hand to touch his beloved ve. However, despite his attempt to feel her warmth, he merely swatted the air. This caused the man to open his eyes wide in shock as he nced over at his bedside to notice that his ve girl was mysteriously absent.

    Her absence in the morning was abnormal, to say the least. Normally, Sigefrida would remain by his side until he awoke so she could properly dress him for the day, and yet there was no sight of her. In the back of his mind, there was a hint of worry. After all, she was a beautiful woman, and there were many fiends in this city who would do anything they could to get their hands on her.

    However, he also remembered his fierce reputation, and his strict orders given to those beneath hismand. Thus, he did not immediately resort to panic and instead tried to rationalize events. His first course of action was to simply call out to the woman. Perhaps she was elsewhere within the vi, attending to other matters.

    ¡°Sigefrida? Are you nearby?¡±

    Only the man¡¯s echoes resounded throughout the stale air of the abandoned vi. Upon realizing that the woman was not within the building, he quickly got dressed by himself before searching throughout the confines of the building in case she did not hear him. However, ultimately his investigation was futile as she was nowhere to be found, thus he headed for the door to continue his search within the city below.

    When he was about to exit the door to the vi, it abruptly opened and mmed him in the nose, causing him to fall back into the wall behind it. When Sigefrida saw she had identally harmed her master, she instantly dropped the basket of eggs, meat, and produce that she was carrying while rushing to the man¡¯s side.

    ¡°Marcellus, I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t see you! Are you okay?¡±

    Luckily, there was nobody else nearby to overhear her casual use of the General¡¯s name. It took the man a moment or two to gather his thoughts, but in the end, he rose from his feet and wore a stern expression as he lectured the woman.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Do you have any idea how worried I was? Where were you?¡±

    In response to her master¡¯s worries, Sigefrida merely smiled warmly before giving him an appropriate answer.

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to worry. Have I not told you before? No harm shalle to me so long as you remain inmand of your legions. I was merely out requisitioning some supplies from your quartermaster. If there is one thing that hasn¡¯t changed with the centuries, it¡¯s the organization skills of the Roman Army!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marcellus chuckled before patting the woman on the head. After doing so, he smiled before nodding his head in response.

    ¡°Very well. In the future, make sure to leave a note before you do something like this. Also, take an escort with you. Even if we have recaptured the city, it is still dangerous out there. Since you are fine, then I will let things slide this time around. How about you cook me up some breakfast, and then we will depart from this city towards Lugdunum?¡±

    Sigefrida nodded her head with a smile on her face before responding to Marcellus¡¯s orders.

    ¡°I will do as youmand from now on, master.¡±<sub></sub>

    After saying this, she stood up and grabbed hold of her basket. After doing so, she hummed a song as she walked off towards the kitchen area of the vi. Before long, she had coal burning on the stove and prepared her master and herself for some much needed nutrition for the long march ahead.

    Time passed and before long, Sigefrida had cooked a healthy meal from the contents of her basket. She proceeded toy the food down on the table, where she and Marcellus said a short prayer to the gods before digging into the food. After a single bite, Marcellus moaned in delight as heplimented the woman for her cooking skills.

    ¡°I am always amazed at your ability to cook a decent meal, even if you are using ingredients foraged on a campaign.¡±

    The Suebi beauty¡¯s ivory cheeks flushed red in embarrassment as she heard such shameless ttery. Thus, she switched the subject by inquiring about Marcellus¡¯ ns for the rest of the Campaign.

    ¡°Tell me, Marcellus, after we have seized Lugdunum, what then? Will we meet Constantine in the field? Or will we chase him across Gaul and Hispania until we have ensured his demise?¡±

    The young General did not hesitate to answer that question as he devoured the food on his te.

    ¡°Ideally, I would like to force Constantine into the field where I have the advantage. If I am forced to wage too many sieges, my numbers will dwindle, and then we will be forced to retreat from this campaign. That is not something I wish to do¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    Sigefrida silently nodded her head in response to this. She was no master of military matters, but she was an educated woman thanks to Marcellus¡¯ efforts. Thus, she was able to quickly discern the reasoning behind her master¡¯s intentions. With a smile on her face, she responded to this statement with aforting remark.

    ¡°I believe the gods have blessed you in your endeavors. Surely you will seed. In doing so, you will finally prove your worth to your godfather and the emperor. Perhaps they will even give you a victory title. You have more than earned it!¡±

    When Marcellus heard this point, he merely scoffed in displeasure. His qualms with the current Emperor were more than could be counted on one¡¯s fingers. However, he never voiced such thoughts.

    After all, to do so was considered treason, and he was no traitor. Instead, he merely tolerated the indolent fool who called himself emperor. Perhaps one day a man more worthy of the Roman throne woulde into existence. Until then, he was stuck with Honorius. After dwelling upon this, Marcellus finished his meal, before standing up from his seat and giving Sigefrida an order.

    ¡°Quickly, finish your meal, and prepare to embark. We have a long journey ahead of us, and the quicker we get a move on, the better off we will be.¡±

    Sigefrida merely pouted as she continued to eat her meal in silence. Evidently Marcellus was not in the talkative kind of mood today. After finishing her meal, she gathered her supplies alongside her master and the two of them departed towards the center of the city where the Roman army was gathered.

    Marcellus rode upon horseback, with his beloved ve sitting behind him, tightly wrapping her arms around his chest for stability. The Roman General gazed upon his soldiers before issuing the order to march.

    ¡°Men, though we have been victorious here in Valence, the enemy still holds much sway over thends of Gaul. Thus, we will push forth to Lugdunum and remove this usurper once and for all! Forward march!¡±

    With this said, the army of Romans and Foederati alike marched toward their destination. Unbeknownst to them, an unholy alliance was underway nearby.

    ¡ª

    While the Romans were marching towards Lugdunum, there were two factions gathered in the woods. With Selmirus¡¯ death by the hands of Marcellus, his armies had sworn in their hearts to one day gain their vengeance. Currently, the Suebi war-band was led by a man named Osoarius, who was the younger brother of the former chieftain.

    Shortly after Valence had fallen, Osoarius received a letter from Constantine III. The terms that were written were simple. Join forces with the traitor legions, and together they would im the head of Marcellus.

    Naturally, Osoarius had no reason to refuse, and thus now the barbarian chieftain was standing side by side with one of Constantine¡¯s generals, named Iustinianus. The two men conversed with one another as their armies waiting for their negotiations to bepleted.

    Iustinianus was the first to speak as he presented his terms.

    ¡°The emperor Constantine would like to employ your men, swear your servitude to me as foederati, and together we will avenge the death of your brother. You know as well as I that your numbers are too few to achieve victory against the loyalist forces.¡±

    Osoarius scratched his beard as he contemted on the offer presented to him. The losses his tribe had suffered at the hands of Marcellus¡¯ troop during the brief exchange ofbat prior to the duel was no small number. Even before their casualties, they did not have the ability to wage battle against the Romans in an open field.

    However, with the traitor legions by his side, perhaps he could avenge his fallen brother, and honor his ancestors. So, what if he was allied with another Roman? Such alliances weremon among the various Germanic tribes. Thus, after ample consideration, the Barbarian chieftain reached out his hand and sped onto the Traitor General¡¯s forearm, signaling his agreement. With a smile on his face, Iustinianus nodded before giving his orders.

    ¡°Very well, we set out immediately. We cannot allow those damned loyalists to reach Lugdunum!¡±

    Osoarius roared inughter as he called out to his forces.

    ¡°Onward and to victory! Those Roman dogs will fear the steel in our hands as we avenge Selmirus!¡±

    With this said an unholy alliance had been brokered between Suebi and Traitors alike, who would do everything in their power to prevent Marcellus from approaching the city of Lugdunum.

 Chapter 11 Fighting in the Fields Part I

    Days had passed since Marcellus and his army of Roman soldiers had embarked from the recently conquered city of Valence. Their destination was Lugdunum, a major center of power in Roman Gaul. Currently, the young General sat on horseback as his army marched behind him. Latching onto his back was his beautiful Suebi ve.

    Marcellus had dispatched his scouts ahead to locate and report any significant threats to the army, and just now they had returned to the primary host. The men were practically out of breath as they reported their news to their superior officers.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure of this?¡±

    The scout silently nodded his head, his brow soaked with perspiration. The very idea of that which he had seen frightened the young man. Ultimately, the officer sighed before giving the scout further orders.

    ¡°Maintain a close eye on their location, and report any sudden movements to me the moment you be aware. You are dismissed.¡±

    After saying this, the officer rode his horse through the Roman formation until he hade across Marcellus who was enjoying the march as if it were on a leisurely stroll.

    ¡°General! I have news to report from the path ahead!¡±

    Marcellus¡¯ brow raised as he heard these words. He quickly permitted the young officer to approach him and report what he had heard. When the man got close, he whispered to Marcellus what he his scouts had seen, ensuring that panic would not arise among the soldiers of the Roman Army.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Our scouts report arge host ahead. It isposed of the usurper¡¯s forces, and a group of Suebi foederati. They are preparing an ambush for us. I advise we should change our route in order to escape the trap that they havein.¡±

    Marcellus gazed off into the distance, attempting to get a glimpse of the enemy formation. However, he was too far away, and the sun blocked his sight. Thus, he could only shake his head as he responded to his officer¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°If the Usurper wishes to fight in the field, then we shall oblige him. I am confident in our ability to win any battle we maye across. However, we will not be walking into their trap, instead we will set one of our own.¡±

    After saying this with a proud smirk on his face, Marcellus leaned in and whispered to the officer about his ploy. A bright smile appeared on the man¡¯s visage as he heard his general¡¯s schemes, resulting in the nod of his head and a salute as he responded in the affirmative.

    ¡°It will be done, General.¡±

    After saying this, the officer scurried off and prepared to enact Marcellus¡¯ plot. Sigefrida noticed the look on his face and tapped him on the nose with her finger, dragging his line-of-sight straight into her ice-blue eyes.

    ¡°Just what schemes have you thought up of this time?¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus responded with a simple smirk and nothing else, causing the woman to pout as she rested her head against his back. After a few moments of silence, he grasped ahold of her dainty hand and gazed off into the distance where the enemy was located.

    ¡°You know what to do, right?¡±

    The woman nodded her head with a downcast expression before responding.

    ¡°I know¡­¡±

    After saying this, she hopped off the back of his horse and made her way to the rear of the formation where the followers were located. Upon seeing this, his troops drew deep breaths, mentally steeling themselves for what was toe.

    The fact that the general sent his precious ve to the rear meant there was a battle ahead. The soldiers gazed up at theirmander, looking for their orders, but his gaze told them all they needed to know. Despite this, Marcellus chuckled before issuing hismand.

    ¡°What are you all staring at me for? Keep marching forward!¡±<sub></sub>

    The Roman soldiers did as they weremanded and continued their march for some time. Completely unaware that the cavalry among their forces had circled off into the woonds, preparing for an important role in the uing battle.

    When the Romans travelled another two miles, they came across a peculiar sight. Arge army was gathered and awaiting in formation. They were blocking the path of the river crossing, which was needed for the loyalist army to get to their destination. When Marcellus gazed upon this, he hopped off his horse and sneered in disdain before giving his orders.

    ¡°Shield Wall!¡±

    The moment this order was given, the Romans and their Foederati allies rushed into formation like a well-oiled machine. Arrows and rocks fell on their location, and despite this, few lives were taken. Thanks to Marcellus¡¯mands, most of his men were well protected from these threats before they were encountered.

    After the volley of missile fire failed to prate the thick oval scutum of the Roman Army, Marcellus issued anothermand as thousands of hostile men rushed towards his position.

    ¡°Plumbatae!¡±

    The Romans did not hesitate to act. They sheathed their des and reached into the lining of their shields, grabbing ahold of a heavy, weighted dart before lobbing them into the air. These simple weapons rain down upon the enemy from the skies above at a distance of over fifty feet.

    Those unfortunate enough to be struck in the leg lost their ability to charge. However, that paledpared to those unarmored forces who were unlucky enough to have their torsos skewered. A single roman soldier could carry five plumbatae, and they were quick to rain them down upon the enemy¡¯s ranks, dwindling their numbers with each toss.

    Upon seeing hundreds of his enemies lying dead before the armies shed, Marcellus smiled as he lobbed hisst plumbata. After doing so, he quickly unsheathed his spatha from its scabbard and braced his shield alongside his brothers, waiting for the impact of the enemy forces.

    In a matter of seconds, an enemy collided with his shield, which he quickly used to press off, and thrust his noric steel de into the man¡¯s torso. With a vicious sh, Marcellus withdrew his sword, and spilled the man¡¯s innards onto the ground below. Despite this horrific scene, the Roman General was quick to raise his shield once more to deflect an oing blow.

    After having a maul collide with his shield, Marcellus felt as if the impact had broken his wrist. He snarled in pain as he pushed past his limits and pressed the enemy off, once more thrusting his sword forward. The cold steel pierced through the heart of his enemy before being savagely withdrawn from the dying man¡¯s rib cage. Marcellus merely shouted as he engaged the enemy at the front of his infantry¡¯s formation.

    ¡°Hold strong!¡±

    Despite having a fractured wrist, the young general continued to use all of his might to raise his shield and block further oing blows, using his strength to shove the enemy backword and pierce through the torso with his spatha. However, such a strategy would notst for long, as the roman army suffered losses.

    Amidst the bloody melee, Romans fell by their general¡¯s side, and in their ce, the enemy lunged forward with a savage ferocity, desperately wanting to im his head. Despite this, Marcellus did not fall back, instead he used the chaos of the battlefield to cut down oing soldiers left and right.

    After dispatching a Suebi warrior with a quick sh to the wrist, chopping off the man¡¯s hand. Marcellus kicked his victim to the ground, where he pressed his scutum against the warrior¡¯s neck, pinning him to the bloody grass.

    With a fierce roar, the young General inserted his de with all his strength through the man¡¯s mail armor and into his rib cage, slowly iming his life. The sheer hatred in the barbarian¡¯s eyes as he witnessed his own consciousness snuffed away by the Roman de was a sight that Marcellus would never forget.

    Before the Marcellus could fully realize what he had witnessed, a heavy blow collided with the back of his head, immediately dropping him to his knees, and concussing him at the same time. It took a few moments for the roman general to turn around and see his attacker¡¯s face.

    However, when Marcellus finally did so, he witnessed the sight of a thick and burly barbarian warrior chuckling. The man carried a sturdy wooden club in one hand, and arge round shield in the other. Intense resentment filled the man¡¯s sky-blue eyes as he called out Marcellus for his previous actions.

    ¡°I am Osoarius, brother of Selmirus! Roman dog, you have murdered my brother, and today I shall im your skull in his stead!¡±

    Marcellus struggled to gain the strength to rise to a fighting position as the barbarian warrior brought his club down upon his head once more. Just barely did he raise his shield in time and deflect the oing blow.

    His already fractured wrist suffered more damage as he copsed to the ground and protected himself from the oing blows with the length of his oval scutum. It was do or die, and Marcellus was currently on the losing side of this battle.

 Chapter 12 Fighting in the Fields Part II

    Marcellus grasped onto the hilt of his spatha as he used his shield to block the oing blows of the enemy¡¯s thick wooden club. With each strike, he felt as if his scutum would splinter apart, leaving him defenseless. It was only a matter of time before such a thing was reality.

    Despite this, he struggled on to withstand the blows as long as possible, looking for a way out of his precarious situation. While he was resisting the barbarians attacks, a scene shed in his mind, caused by the impact to his skull he had received moments ago. It immediately became apparent to Marcellus that he was having another vision from the gods. For what purpose he did not know, yet in a microsecond, the entire scene disyed itself.

    In arge facility with multiple mats, Frank lies on his back. Surrounding him were crowds of people cheering for a variety of grapplers who werepeting in a tournament. Standing above him was a man substantiallyrger than him, who had an eager expression on his weathered face. This man was dressed in peculiar clothing with a ck belt that had a red tip wrapped around his waist.

    Frank was desperately trying to prevent therger opponent from passing his guard when an opening revealed itself. Without hesitation, he grabbed hold of the man¡¯s ankle and wrapped his nearby leg around his opponent¡¯s transitioning into a d riva guard.

    The moment he had seeded in his attempt, Frank mped his knees together, locking the leg in ce, and pressed his hips forward and to the side, dropping his opponent on the ground and leaving him ripe for a heel hook. Frank took advantage of the situation and ripped the submission slowly in order to avoid injuring his opponent. In a matter of seconds, the ck belt tapped on him, signaling that he had achieved victory.

    Not even a second had gone by, but Marcellus witnessed the entire scene so vividly. In the next moment, he was back in reality, and himself again. He knew now what he had to do. Thus, when the Barbarian warrior standing above him brought his club down upon the Roman General once more, Marcellus dropped his de, and used both hands to push away the weapon with his shield.

    In a defenseless state, Marcellus reenacted the same move he had seen in his vision, and in doing so, sending the man to the ground lying t on his back with an exposed heel. Unlike Frank, Marcellus was not so kind and ripped the heel hook quickly and hard, instantly tearing the Barbarian¡¯s ACL. Even if he survived what came next, he would undoubtedly be a cripple for the rest of his life.<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus took his time, knowing full well the man would not be getting up anytime soon. He gazed upon the man, who grunted in pain with a shit-eating grin as he grabbed hold of his spatha lying on the ground and walked over to the crippled barbarian. He stood above the hostile warrior with a vicious smirk on his face as he drove his steel de into the man¡¯s heart.

    Blood poured out of the man¡¯s mouth as the light in his eyes faded away, leaving behind a pained and hateful expression. However, this was of no concern to Marcellus as he quickly grabbed his shield and gazed around at the chaos. Currently, the Usurper¡¯s armies were driving back the loyalists, however when he gazed into the distance, he saw his cavalry riding forth, and towards the enemy army. With a wide smirk, he lifted his sword in the air and dered his victory.

    ¡°Victory! Victory is ours!¡±

    The traitorousmander gazed in shock at Marcellus¡¯ bold deration before turning his gaze behind him, where he froze in his spot. Only a few feet away were the loyalist Cavalry who were charging from behind his army. Before he could even react, a sword swiped by his neck and cut off his head. The Usurper¡¯s General Iustinianus was well and truly dead.

    In the next moment, the cavalry reached the main line of the enemy and crashed behind them, using sword and spear alike to reap the lives of the traitors and their barbarian allies. Having broken the enemy formation, Marcellus gave out arge battle cry to rally his troops by his side.

    ¡°On me! Shield Wall!¡±<sub></sub>

    The moment he said these words, the Roman loyalists who were routing just a few moments before formed ranks and pressed against the usurper¡¯s army. Caught in between two armed forces, they cut the traitors to ribbons, not a single soul escaping the ensuing carnage.

    After thest hostile drew his final breath, Marcellus wiped the blood which coated his de onto a in barbarian¡¯s tunic before sheathing it. He then turned around and gazed upon his soldiers, who wore ecstatic expressions as they cheered for the glorious victory they had achieved on this day.

    ¡°Victory!¡±

    ¡°Glory to Rome!¡±

    ¡°Down with the Usurper!¡±

    Marcellus sighed heavily. The cost of victory was steep, but the price was well paid. Constantine¡¯s other major general lies dead in the fields outside Lugdunum, and his army with him. The usurper was bound to be running low on men currently, and that was good news for Rome.<sub></sub>

    As for Sigefrida, she stood on the hill above gazing at the Roman victory with tears in her eyes, her line of sight had never left Marcellus and his glorious backside as she watched him struggle for his life from afar, a whirlwind of emotions had urred in her heart just now, and she was relieved to see her master had survived the ordeal.

    The Roman General hade so close to death, and yet he survived, and even turned the tides of war. Nothing filled the Suebi beauty¡¯s heart with more pride than this. She did not shed a single tear for her in kinsmen.

    As far as she was concerned, her loyalties lie with Marcellus and his household. With the battle over, Sigefrida immediately ran up to her master and hugged him tightly, before grabbing hold of his helmet¡¯s cheek tes and inquiring about his health.

    ¡°Are you okay? I saw you get hit in the head pretty hard!¡±

    Marcellus merely chuckled as he assured the woman that he was fine.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright, I just got my bell ringed a little is all. With some proper rest, I¡¯ll easily make a full recovery.¡±

    This news brought a sense of overwhelming relief to Sigefrida¡¯s heart as she gazed at her master with affectionate eyes. While the master and ve were reconnecting after a hard fought battle, Lucan approached his General and issued a report.

    ¡°Marcellus, though this may appear to be a brilliant victory, our losses are cumbersome. I would hardly call this a time for celebration. If we wish to defeat Constantine and end his rebellion, we will need to be much more careful in how we engage the enemy from now on¡­

    The Roman General sighed heavily when he heard this news and immediately addressed the issue that nobody wanted to discuss.

    ¡°How many of our casualties are from unarmored soldiers?¡±

    Lucan stared at Marcellus in disbelief. He had not even taken such a statistic into ount. He could only specte on this matter, and thus had an uneasy expression as he voiced his honest opinion.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I would think it is a vast majority¡­¡±

    When Marcellus heard this, he sighed once more before revealing his thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°Then the survivors should rejoice, for there is an entire army of dead warriors whose armor is ripe for the picking. Have the men scavenge the battlefield and don whatever armor they maye across. I refuse to march unarmored men into the battlefield, even if it means resorting to such underhanded tactics.¡±

    Lucan had a bewildered expression, but he did not hesitate to nod in his head in agreement before voicing his acknowledgement of his orders.

    ¡°Yes, sir! It will be done¡­¡±

    Just as the man was about to turn away and fulfil his orders, Marcellus called out to him onest time.

    ¡°Oh, Lucan, make sure to scavenge the damaged armor as well. Such things can easily be repaired and re-serviced¡­¡±

    Lucan stopped dead in his tracks when he heard this before once more responding in the affirmative.

    ¡°As youmand, General¡­¡±

    With this said, the loyalist Army would spend the next few hours scavenging every scrap of steel that was remotely reusable. The order to do so was a great point of contention among Marcellus¡¯ troops. After all, discipline was severelycking in the Western Roman Army during this era, and there were many who were bound toin about the weight of their newfound armor.

    As for Marcellus, he did not care about suchints. Rome was on the verge of copse, and if his men dared to protest wearing their armor, he would have them donning their protective equipment from dawn until dusk. Such undisciplined behavior was perhaps the greatest sin a roman soldier couldmit in the eyes of the young General. These were the concerns of Marcellus as he marched his army on a campaign to dethrone a usurper.

 Chapter 13 The Usurpers Response

    Rain poured from the heavens and showered itself upon the ancient city of Lugdunum. The streets had be soaked in water as a miniature river flooded through them. Thunder crackled in the air as a delegation of barbarian foederati belonging to the Frankish tribe marched towards arge vi that lie in the Gaulish capital¡¯s center.

    When these men approached the entrance, heavily armed Roman Soldiers who belonged to the fabled Ptini initially halted them. These men were the personal bodyguard of the usurper vius udius Constantinus, and they would not so easily allow these intruders to enter the man¡¯s personal abode. However, just when they were about to chase the barbarians away, a voice called out to them from the balcony above.

    ¡°Let them pass¡­¡±

    With this said, the Ptini guards parted way for the Barbarian delegates and opened the doors for their entry. Not the slightest hesitation filled their hearts as they allowed these foreign men into their emperor¡¯s home.

    Upon entering the self-proimed Emperor¡¯s home, a particrlyrge Barbarian gazed around at his surroundings before grasping hold of an ornate and gilded artifact. A toothy grin appeared upon his rigid face as he examined the object. However, before he could conclude his estimation of the item¡¯s worth, a stern voiced called out to him from behind.

    ¡°I would prefer it if you did not wipe your dirty hands all over my beloved artifacts¡­¡±

    Therge barbarian gazed over towards the Roman and scoffed before cing down the object back where it once stood. Upon being so rudely greeted, the man did not stand on formality and quickly approached the man who had called out to him, towering above his shoulders in an intimidating disy of his impressive physique.

    ¡°Are you the one they call Constantine?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    The usurper gazed up at therge Barbarian from the north and nodded his head with a confident expression on his rugged face.

    ¡°That would be correct. I¡¯m sorry, you are unfamiliar to me. Might I know your name, and the position you hold in your tribe?¡±

    Upon seeing that he did not intimidate the little Roman, the barbarian warrior sneered in disgust at the Roman¡¯s pride before banging his chest with his fist and proudly dering his identity in a tone so loud it echoed throughout the halls of the vi.

    ¡°I am Balderic, son of Nebiogastes. With my father¡¯s death in Valence, I have be the leader of the Franks, who have sworn their service to you. So tell me, what is so urgent that I need to travel all the way from Belgica to this ruin?¡±

    Constantine¡¯s lower lip quivered as he heard the Capital of Roman Gaul be referred to as a ruin by the barbarian chieftain. Still, he controlled his emotions as he exined the reasoning for summoning this man and the elders of his tribe.

    ¡°The man who has killed your father is marching his army to Lugdunum. I figured you would like to have the chance to avenge him. Or was I mistaken?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the giant known as Balderic gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. It was evident by the expression he was making that he loathed whoever was responsible for his father¡¯s death, thus it was no surprise when he epted Constantine¡¯s offer.<sub></sub>

    ¡°What is your n to deal with these fools?¡±

    Constantine immediately began to pace around the room with a confident stride. As he did so, he lectured the barbarian chieftain in a haughty tone.

    ¡°My n is simple. I will sally forth my army from Lugdunum and meet Marcellus in the field. When our armies meet in battle, you will lead your men to attack him from behind, cutting off his retreat, and isting the loyalists so that you may gain your vengeance.¡±

    When Balderic heard this, he spat upon the ground in disgust before voicing his contempt.

    ¡°You say this Roman killed my father? Doubtful, Nebiogastes was a man renowned among the Frankish people. He would not so easily fall to a mere Roman.¡±

    Upon hearing such a spiteful remark, Constantine struggled to keep his growing rage in check. However, ultimately, he clenched his fists and took a deep breath before calming his nerves and speaking his thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°Even if Marcellus did not kill your father, he surely knows the man who did. Fight Marcellus, and beat him bloody until he tells you the information you desire, then you can find the man responsible among his soldiers¡¯ ranks and fulfill your retribution!¡±<sub></sub>

    The lumbering giant of a man dwelled on this course of action for some time before nodding his head in agreement.

    ¡°Very well. I will follow your orders. The moment you take the fight to the loyalists, I will not be far behind. We will cut off the enemy¡¯s retreat and ughter them to thest man!¡±

    A sinister smirk etched itself upon Constantine¡¯s battle-worn face as he nodded his head in victory.

    ¡°Good¡­¡±

    After saying this, he led the Frankish delegation to his dining hall, where a feast was prepared for them. As a civilized man, it was his duty to tend to his guests even if they were a bunch of filthy barbarians.

    ¡ª

    While the usurper was brokering an alliance with the Franks so that he may defeat Marcellus, the young Roman General stood before thousands of his troops as he made them do pushups. There was a scowl on his handsome visage as he issuedmands to the men who performed physical exercise while in full armor.

    ¡°More! You will not stop until I see blood on your knuckles!¡±

    Lucan and the other officers stood by Marcellus¡¯ side as they sighed in defeat. The reason for this public disy of authority was theckadaisical attitude the Roman Soldiers had since their victory a few days prior.

    On more than one asion, Marcellus had receivedints about how heavy the armor was that his soldiers wore. After all, Rome was in dire straights and they could not equip all of their soldiers with protection for their vitals. However, as irritating as suchints were, the final straw was when Marcellus witnessed his soldiers taking off their helmets and tossing them aside while on the march.

    He immediately ordered them to halt their actions and began to punish them for theirplete and totalck of discipline. Thus, it was understandable why his tone was filled with fury as he barked hismands to the men in his army.

    ¡°When I say put on your armor, and march, you do as you are told. I don¡¯t care how heavy you think it is, I don¡¯t care how exhausted you are while marching. Your forbearers wore armor far heavier, and bulkier than that which you are equipped with and not once are they recorded as to havingined about it.

    Why? Because they knew the Glory of Rome was more important than their personalfort! You should consider yourselves lucky that you don¡¯t go through the rigid physical training that your predecessors went through. If they could gaze upon you now, your childishints would sicken them!

    From now on, each and every one of you will do the most basic of exercises in the morning before we march, and you will wear your armor from the moment you awake, until the moment you lie down for sleep, just like your ancestors have done before you!¡±

    In response to this, the soldiers merely groaned. They could not believe their General was being such a hardass about this new equipment they had scavenged. However, the moment Marcellus heard theseints, he gave anothermand.

    ¡°Just for that, you are running fiveps around the camp when we finish setting it up tonight!¡±

    Though the men wanted toin about this too, they were wise enough to keep their mouths shut this time, and merely bit their tongues in displeasure. Sooner orter, they would have their revenge for this harsh treatment.

    The reality of the matter was that Marcellus was right in everything he had said. Since the days of the first Gothic Wars decades ago, there were records of Roman soldiers being sozy, and undisciplined, that they would cast their armor to side and go out into war in nothing but their tunics and trousers. Such a thing had caused massive casualties by the Gothic archery.

    If Rome wanted to survive, then thisck of discipline among its army needed to change. Marcellus knew that only by restoring the glory of the ancient legions of the principate could Rome endure what was toe. He would start by making sure as many of his soldiers were properly outfitted with armor, and that they had the strength to wield it in battle.

    Thus, while Constantine nned to catch him in a trap, he ensured that his troop¡¯s discipline was at its highest standards. After all, the battle that was on the horizon would determine the fate of the Diocese of Gaul.

 Chapter 14 A Horrific Defeat

    Outside the ancient Gallic city of Lugdunum sat two Roman Armies. One belonged to thewful Emperor Honorius, and the other belonged to the usurper Constantine III who had sallied forth from his city¡¯s walls to meet Marcellus in the field.

    Marcellus stood on a hill above the battlefield and gazed on the two armies from afar, protected by a few Clibanarii who acted as his personal guard. Since he had fractured his wrist in the previous battle, it would force him to sit this one out. Should he take the field, only death would await him with his current condition. For he could not even lift a shield.

    Thus he frowned as he gazed from afar at the two armies which approached one another. He would bemanding this battle in name only. As his secondarymanders led their individual units in the ns he had established beforehand.

    Thus, it did not surprise him in the slightest when his archers fired volleys from the hillside onto the usurper¡¯s armies below. In Marcellus¡¯ ce, the Romanmander Lucan led the infantry at the forefront of the formation, and thus, when the soldier looked over his shield, he could see his allies¡¯ arrows fall down out of the sky and into the enemy formation. Though the usurper¡¯s armies quickly covered their bodies with shields, ultimately a few arrows prated through the gaps and imed the lives of those unlucky to fall prey to their iron tips.

    As for the Usurper, he quickly gave themand to his soldiers to return fire, and thus, as the infantry stormed the gap that divided them, the archers of both armies pelted their rivals with their projectiles. When they infantry within a span of fifty feet of the enemy, both sides raised their shields above them and withdrew their plumbate beforeunching the projectiles into the air.

    Thebined missile fire of weighted darts and arrows rained down upon both armies as they desperately tried to protect themselves from each other¡¯s missile fire. However, eventually, the two sides shed in the center, where Lucan and his soldiers pressed forth with their shields, attempting to create a gap to thrust their des through. Unfortunately, they were fighting an equally experienced Roman army, and thus the usual tactic of a shield was not working as intended.

    It was at this moment where the loyalists gained ground. Marcellus had a victorious smirk on his face as he witnessed Lucan rally the men into a ssic double envelopment. The center line of Lucan¡¯s formation fell back while the nks pressed forward.

    Slowly but surely, Marcellus¡¯ army enshrouded the usurper¡¯s army in a circle of death. Marcellus could see the look of fear on the usurper¡¯s face when he realized he was caught in a double envelopment, and could hear the panic in the man¡¯s voice as he called out to his soldiers.

    ¡°On me! On me! We must break out of this double envelopment!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    As the minutes passed, and Marcellus¡¯ forces came closer to victory, the usurpers fell by the wayside, their lifeless corpses staining the grass with their spilled blood. However, just when Marcellus was about to dere himself victorious, hordes of barbarians rushed out from the trees, and surrounded his army on all sides.

    The Franks had arrived, and when Marcellus witnessed this, his expression turned to one of horror. He had not expected Constantine¡¯s foederati to arrive at thest minute and attack his forces. It took Marcellus a few moments to realize what was happening, and just how lost this battle had be. By the time he realized it, half of his army lie dead in the fields below. Thus, he no longer hesitated and issued the order to withdraw.

    ¡°Retreat! Fall Back, the battle is lost!¡±

    The loyalist Forces heard this words and responded quickly, breaking ranks while routing. Though it was difficult for many of them to escape, as they were caught between the traitor legions in the center and were encircled by the Frankish foederati.

    When Lucan heard the order to retreat being given by Marcellus, he cursed his fate. He was at the forefront of the army when they were ambushed by the Franks and there was simply no feasible way to escape. Despite this, he fought with all his will, shing his sword towards the barbarian¡¯s neck, severing his head in the process.

    After doing this, he drove his de through the heart of another hostile, gaining a double kill. Yet despite such a heroic feat, barbarians and traitors surrounded him. The first instance of pain that the veteran romanmander felt was also hisst, as a spear found its way embedded through his lorica squamata and into his heart.

    Lucan gazed onto the hill above and witnessee  the pained expression on his General¡¯s voice. He only managed to mouth the words.

    ¡°Save yourself!¡±<sub></sub>

    Before falling dead onto the grass below. When Marcellus witnessed Lucan¡¯s death, he cried out in fury and unleashed his de in a mad attempt to avenge the man, having lost any reason that his mind could muster.

    ¡°Lucan!¡±

    However, just as Marcellus was about to snap his reins, a nearby Clibanarii grabbed hold of his wrists and stopped him. A look of panic was in his eyes as he attempted to calm his General.

    ¡°General! It is toote, we can not save them! We must escape! You have issued the order to escape. Those who can do so are already falling back. The battle is lost!¡±

    When Marcellus heard this, he came to his senses and immediately realized another valued soul who was in grave danger. Thus, he shifted his attention to the hills above and called out a single name.

    ¡°Sigefrida!¡±

    After saying this, he snapped his reins and rode off in the other direction of the battlefield to the ce where his precious ve stood watching in horror as the enemy forces cut the Roman Army to pieces. The Suebi woman was in tears as she knelt on the ground, praying to her people¡¯s gods that the brave Roman soldiers might find their way to Wotan¡¯s hall.

    It was at this moment that a small band of Frankish Warriors rushed into the hills, chasing after some fleeing Romans. Launching their javelins into their backs and howling like rabid wolves. Among these men was the giant known as Balderic, who spotted the Suebi beauty and gazed upon her exquisite figure with lust in his eyes.<sub></sub>

    The Frankish chieftain did not hesitate to chase after the woman, who immediately noticed his ascent into the hills. The tears in her eyes had been reced with fear as she realized what was about to happen to her. Despite her best efforts to flee, the Frankish warriors were far more athletic, and it did not take long for the warband to catch up to her. Balderic licked his lips as he called out to the enved beauty.

    ¡°Why are you running? Prettydy,e here. I will protect you from those filthy Romans!¡±

    However, Sigefrida did not respond and continued to run into the distance, that is, until therge barbarian pounced on top of her and pushed her to the ground. There was a ferocious expression on his face, as if he were a rabid wolf, as he pinned the woman to the ground and ripped off her gown.

    ¡°For years, we Franks have served those damned Romans. It looks like you are in the same situation, so how about we have a little fun?¡±

    Sigefrida immediately struggled as she protested what was happening to her.

    ¡°No, get away!¡±

    But it was no use there were simply too many of them. Just when the Frankish Chieftain was about to **** the woman, a spear prated through the back of his neck, iming his life on the spot. Sigefrida screamed in fear as she saw such a brutal sight before recognizing the man responsible.

    No, it was not Marcellus, rather the spear belonged to the Foederati Commander Sarus who had in the Frankish Chieftain for trying to **** Marcellus¡¯ prize. A look of rage was on the man¡¯s face as he fought by his lonesome against a war band of battle hardened franks, who responded to his interruption of their fun with murderous intent. Sarus blocked an oing spear before thrusting his own into the chest of another soldier, cursing the fools for their actions.

    ¡°Fucking Franks! You just can¡¯t keep it in your pants, can you? Do you have any idea who that woman belongs to!?!¡±

    The barbarian foederati did not respond, rather, they attacked Sarus from all angles. Luckily, he was armed with a spear, and because of this, he could keep his distance from them with the threat of a quick jab that could easily cause their deaths.

    It was at this moment that Marcellus and his Clibanarii rushed through the woods on horseback and saw the scene disy itself. The Roman General¡¯s olive green eyes stared in rage at the sight of his precious ve¡¯s torn clothes, and once more unleashed his sword from his scabbard as he charged towards the men responsible.

    When the men saw this, they ignored Sarus, instead they broke ranks and fled the scene of their crime. There were simply too many Clibanarii for them to defend against, especially now that their chieftain was dead. A furious voice echoed throughout the hillside as Marcellus charged down the nearest of the Frankish Warriors.

    ¡°You damned Franks!¡±

    After saying this, he brought the edge of his spatha down and through the neck of the fleeing barbarian, decapitating him in the process, and spilling his blood across the hill. The severed head quickly rolled down the hillside as if it were a ser ball, and past Sigefrida, who stared in shock. Ultimately, it took a matter of seconds for Marcellus¡¯ cavalry to wipe the floor with the Franks, sending them straight to the afterlife.

    Having secured his woman¡¯s safety, Marcellus immediately hopped off his horse and ran over to her, in fear for her safety as she was coated in blood. Luckily, it was not her own.

    ¡°Sigefrida, are you all right? Did they hurt you? I swear to the gods I will **** their fucking corpses if they so much as harmed a hair on your head!¡±

    Sigefrida could only cry as shetched onto her master and ease his worries.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­ Sarus saved me before they could do anything!¡±

    When Marcellus heard this, he looked behind him and gazed at the Gothic Commander, who had a helpless expression on his face as he shrugged his soldiers.

    ¡°What can I say? I figured you were still alive, and would hunt my ass to the ends of the earth if I didn¡¯t at least try to save your girl¡­¡±

    Marcellus did not respond to this im, and simply brought the woman over to his horse where he climbed onto its back with her behind him. He gave one simple bit of advice to Sarus before snapping his reins and riding off into the sunset.

    ¡°Make for the Alps. We must return to Rome. By now they have butchered our army and wille after the survivors. If you still value your life, I suggest you ride with us!¡±

    Sarus sighed heavily before approaching a nearby Clibanarii, where he jumped up on his back. He voiced hisint as he watched Marcellus¡¯s steed trot up the hill and into the distance.

    ¡°Do I have any choice in the matter?¡±

 Chapter 15 A Dark Day in the History of the Empire

    In the hills outside of Lugdunum, the remnants of the Roman Army stood gathered. Their General Marcellus gazed upon what remained of his once mighty army with sorrow. Within each of his soldier¡¯s eyes was the same defeated look that he himself wore. Try as he might to conceal hisment, such harrowing losses ate away at his soul, visibly disying the torment he felt inside.

    Never before in the General¡¯s life had he suffered such a brutal defeat, and the worst part of it all was that he was damn near victory. Out of the thousands of men who marched into Gaul under hismand with the goal of bringing the usurper to justice, just under three hundred of them remained, and that included the Gothic foederati who followed Sarus into battle.

    The young general clenched his fists as he sat on his horseback, his lovely ve by wrapped around his back with an equally depressing stare. He gritted his teeth as he proimed the Roman withdrawal from Gaul and the return of its survivors to Italy.

    ¡°It is with a heavy heart that we leave the corpses of our brothers in arms behind, at the mercy of the usurper Constantine! However, we have no choice. I me no one for this monumental failure besides myself, and vow to take full responsibility for our defeat in Gaul.

    I made a miscalction and we have all paid the price for it. It was my understanding that the Franks who had sworn their allegiance to Constantine were undergoing a power struggle after the death of Nebiogastes. I was unaware that a new leader had assumedmand, nor that they were in the vicinity of our conflict.

    The fact of the matter is, we simplyck the means to continue this campaign, and it is because of this, that I, General Titus udius Marcellus hereby announce our withdrawal from the Diocese of Gaul, and our return to Italy! You have all fought bravely, and should not me yourselves for this defeat. The responsibility of failure falls unto me, yourmander¡­¡±<sub>.</sub>

    The remaining soldiers of the Roman Army gritted their teeth, curled their fists, and clenched their eyes as they struggled to endure the torment of this speech. As much as Marcellus was a hardass for discipline, and a man who seldom followed the rules regarding followers, had until this point been an excellentmander on the field of battle.

    They did not me him for their defeat, rather the injury that caused him to sit on the sidelines. If not for this, the men of Marcellus¡¯ army were convinced that victory would be assured just as it had been time and gain before this horrific loss. After giving the soldiers a moment of silence to grieve their losses, Marcellus issued themand to move out.

    ¡°Forward March!¡¯

    With that said, the Roman soldiers marched towards their home with a sense of overwhelming despair, knowing that their failure would surely be punished severely. As for Marcellus, he wore a stoic expression on his handsome face as he struggled toe to terms with the death of his friend and advisor, Lucan. The man who had helped him maintain order and discipline among his army¡¯s ranks was gone from this world. Never again would Marcellus gaze upon his kind yet rugged face.

    The Army marched for several weeks before arriving at the borders of Italy. During this time, they hade under attack by small war bands of Vandal, Suebi, and Gothic raiders. It took everything they had to repel these attackers, but the losses continued to grow with every step taken.<sub></sub>

    By the time they reached the borders of Italy, roughly two hundred of the three hundred or so survivors remained standing. Despite the long and brutal death march, they had finally returned home, safe and sound. Or so they thought, but just as they were crossing through the alps, Marcellus and the Romans found themselves surrounded.

    Who would dare to surround a Romany Army near the borders of their hearnd? That would be the Bagaudae. The Bagaudae were various groups of Roman peasant insurgents who had risen to prominence within the less stable regions of the Empire, such as Gaul and Hispania, during the Crisis of the Third Century. Nearly two hundred yearster and they were still a thorn in the Empire¡¯s side.

    When Marcellus realized he had walked into a trap prepared by these Brigands, he could only sigh in defeat. There were nearly a thousand of them in total, and the young General knew he could not fight them and emerge victorious, thus he immediately called out to the Bagaudae seeking to negotiate.

    ¡°I am Titus, udius, Marcellus, General of the Roman Empire! Whoever is in charge of you men,e forth, and speak of your price for safe passage through the Alps!¡±

    A short and stocky middle-aged man appeared from among his forces before jumping down from the cliff side onto the ground in front of the Roman Army. He had short, grey hair and a matching beard while missing several of his teeth, which was disyed with his grin. The man called out to Marcellus in a haughty tone, as if he was superior to the Roman General.<sub></sub>

    ¡°If you want to buy your safety, then you will have to pay the price in silver and flesh. A thousand solidus, plus that beautiful barbarian woman you have by your side, will suffice.¡±

    Marcellus immediately frowned when he heard this, with an overwhelming sense of rage over taking his brain as heshed out at the Bagaudaemander.

    ¡°Bastard! How dare you make such demands of me? Do you have any idea who I am? I will not yield my house ve to a lowly peasant such as yourself! Speak to me in such a manner again and see how willing I am to die in the face of such humiliation!¡±

    The Roman soldiers gazed up at their General with bitter expressions. If he did not hand over his precious ve, they would mutiny and force him to. There was no way they were willing to die for a filthy ve.¡±

    Marcellus¡¯ words enraged the Bagaudae who raised their bows and strung their arrows as they prepared to fire. However, in the next moment, the man in charge raised his hand, signalling his troops to halt their actions. A toothy grin appeared on his face as he came up with a fiendish idea.

    ¡°Very well. If you aren¡¯t willing to part ways with your ve, then I have a better idea. Be our hostage, and I promise I will send your ve, and your men on their way back to Rome or whatever city you may hail from. I am sure, being the important person who you im to be, that your family will be more than happy to pay whatever ransom we demand for you to return to them in once piece¡­¡±

    When Sigefrida heard this, she became overwhelmed by panic, and began protesting, knowing full well that Marcellus would take this option.

    ¡°Dominus, don¡¯t do this! I am a lowly ve and am unworthy of such a sacrifice. For a man in your position to be a hostage is the ultimate humiliation for yourself, and Rome. It will destroy your future!¡±

    However, Marcellus did not listen to the woman¡¯smands, and instead focused his gaze onto Sarus, who he struck an ord with.

    ¡°Sarus, ensure that Sigefrida returns to my vi safe and sound, and I promise you a fortune in return. However, if a single hair on her head is harmed in my absence, I will hold you responsible.¡±

    Sarus merely scoffed and nodded his head, before he grabbed hold of Sigefrida and pried her away from her master.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to threaten me, Gothicus. You had my interest the moment you promised me a fortune¡­¡±

    Sigefrida struggled to staytched onto Marcellus, but ultimately Sarus prevailed, taking the woman from his horseback and holding her close to his side. After this, Marcellus removed his gilded plumed helmet to reveal his thick brown hair, and light olive skin as he stepped off his horse and surrendered himself to the Brigands.

    The soldiers in Marcellus¡¯ army did not attempt to intervene. By now, they were exhausted and simply desired to return home and see their families. If the General was willing tomit political suicide by surrendering to these peasant insurgents than that was none of their business.

    Eventually Marcellus was bound and lead away by the Bagaudae who fulfilled their promise and allowed the broken and battered remnants of the Roman Army to return home. The entire time, Sarus had to struggle to contain the fury of Sigefrida, who would rather suffer a horrific fate than allow her master to throw away his future for her sake.

    In doing this, Marcellus had not only humiliated himself, but the entire Roman Empire. A General being taken hostage and held for ransom was a ck eye on the face of Rome and all its glory. Even if he were to survive captivity and one day return home, his rivals would drag his name through the dirt, and any influence that came with it. However, such was the price that Marcellus was willing to pay in order to ensure the safety of his beloved.

 Chapter 16 Hell Hath no Fury...

    Within the ancient capital of the Roman Empire, Sigefrida knelt before a prominent noblewoman with a downcast expression on her pretty face. There was a substantial bruise across her left cheek as an audible p still resounded in the air. Weeks had passed since the Bagaudae took Marcellus captive and the Barbarian ve had just arrived at her master¡¯s vi. Surprisingly the mature beauty who was Marcellus¡¯ mother was lying in wait, preparing to surprise her son upon his arrival.

    However, the doting mother had just received the news from Sigefrida of what had transpired at the borders, and she was visibly enraged, so much so that Sigefrida was shaking in fear. Throughout her entire life, Sigefrida had known Valeria Aeliana to be among the most vicious and fearsome women she had ever met, especially when she was angered.

    In reality, Aeliana, who was Marcellus¡¯ mother, had hidden this part of her personality from her beloved son. Leading the man to think of the woman as a living angel. After all, she had raised him in the kindest manner since his birth. In truth, the woman¡¯s wrath held no bounds, especially when somebody had been foolish enough to transgress against her precious baby boy.

    Aeliana was a mature and buxom beauty, whose looks had not faded with her age. Though she was now thirty-eight years of age, having been married and conceived Marcellus at the age of twelve, she looked at least a decade younger, and it was not umon for people to mistake the noblewoman as being Marcellus¡¯ older sister. After all, they shared the same hair, eye, and skin color.

    The very thought of Marcellus being captured drove Aeliana insane with rage and she could no longer contain her inner fury, screaming at the top of her lungs as she violently gripped her dainty hands around Sigefrida¡¯s thin neck.

    ¡°You fucking bitch! You allowed my baby boy to take your ce as those filthy ungrateful peasants¡¯ hostage. I should have you killed for this!¡±

    Sigefrida stared into Aeliana¡¯s furious olive green eyes with an overwhelming sense of dread. She could feel the woman¡¯s grip tighten around her throat, cutting off her air supply and slowly causing her to slip into unconsciousness. Aeliana was gripping Sigefrida¡¯s throat so tightly that her nails had dug into Sigefrida¡¯s flesh. It was only after the barbarian girl had fainted that Aeliana released her grip and spat on the poor girl in disdain.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Marcellus would never forgive me if I killed you¡­ But mark my words, if he does not return to me safe and sound, I will have you killed on the spot. You stupid fucking whore! How dare you think you are worthy of my beloved son!¡±

    Of course, Sigefrida could not hear a word the woman had said, and thus Aeliana focused her attention elsewhere. The proud noblewoman immediately called forth another ve and issued her orders to him.

    ¡°I want you to find vius Stilicho and tell him the time hase to honor his vow. Inform him of Marcellus¡¯ current predicament andpel him to rescue my baby boy!¡±

    The ve did not question his orders and merely nodded his head in silence before going on his way to fulfill them. Under normal circumstances, the idea that Aeliana could give an order to the Supreme Commander of Rome¡¯s military was prosperous. In Roman society, a woman had virtually no rights and could neverpel a man into action, let alone one in vius Stilicho¡¯s position. But there were underlying reasons behind Aeliana¡¯s ability to do such a thing.

    Marcellus was an only child, his father having once been a prominent and wealthy patrician by the name of Marcus udius Angelus. He was a man who had served alongside vius Stilicho during the Supreme Commander¡¯s ascent through the ranks of the Roman Army. However, unfortunately, Angelus had died when Marcellus was a young child.

    On his deathbed, Angelus had forced Stilicho to swear an oath to protect Aeliana from her enemies and to raise Marcellus as a proper Roman. Despite only being half Roman, vius Stilicho had made this vow, and had since looked after Marcellus and his mother when he could. It wasrgely because of this close rtionship that Marcellus could so rapidly rise in the ranks of the Western Roman Army.<sub></sub>

    After giving this order, Aeliana copsed to the wayside, too grief stricken to stand. She burst into tears while thinking of Marcellus¡¯ current predicament. All kinds of scenarios ran through her wild mind on how poorly her son was being treated by his captors. Yet, she was powerless to do anything.

    Days passed since Aeliana had first received word of her son¡¯s capture, and during this time, she lie in bed stricken with grief, too feeble hearted to remove herself from Marcellus¡¯ quarters. The scent that her son had left behind calmed her nerves to a certain extent.

    However, on the fifth day, a knock urred on the door to the room where she lied. With a sulking expression, the grieving mother called out weakly to whoever was at the door.

    ¡°What is it now?¡±

    To her dismay, a fragile and submissive voice responded. Unfortunately, this was a voice that Aeliana despised. After all, it belonged to the foreign whore who had captured her beloved son¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Domina, the Supreme Commander is here to visit.¡±<sub></sub>

    When Aeliana heard these words, any fury she had towards Sigefrida vanished. It was as if it fully restored the life that had escaped her these past few days. She quickly jumped out of bed and prepared herself for the meeting. After a total of thirty minutes, she opened the door, revealing the Suebi ve girl who stood waiting for her master¡¯s mother to attend the meeting.

    One thing that Aeliana immediately noticed was that the wounds on Sigefrida¡¯s neck that were left behind by the strangtion had begun to fade, which was a good sign, as it meant that Marcellus would not be able to discover the abuse that she had inflicted on the girl.

    Sigefrida bowed her head in respect and did not hesitate to lead her master¡¯s mother down into the foyer where the Supreme Commander of Rome¡¯s forces was standing, along with several of his most well-trained bodyguards. The moment Aeliana entered the room, the man issued an order to his guards.

    ¡°Leave us¡­¡±

    The soldiers nodded their heads in silence before doing as instructed. It was only after Stilicho had ensured they were out of earshot did he address the mother of his godson.

    ¡°Aeliana, I came as fast as I could. Tell me what has transpired¡­¡±

    A look of scorn etched itself upon the woman¡¯s face as she pointed towards the Suebi ve girl who attended to her.

    ¡°Marcellus foolishly offered himself as a prisoner in exchange for this whore¡¯s safe passage to Rome. I swear to God, if those ungrateful peasants harm my baby boy in any way, I will have this bitch flogged in the streets until she dies of blood loss!¡±

    Stilicho knew of the quasi-rtionship that existed between Marcellus and Sigefrida, but he never expected his godson to do something so egregious for the sake of a lowly ve. It was because of the effects that such a decision would have on Marcellus¡¯ reputation that Stilicho gazed sternly at Sigefrida before uttering amand.

    ¡°Tell me everything you know, ve¡­¡±

    After a lengthy discussion, Stilicho sighed heavily in defeat. He could not believe that Marcellus had encountered such a scenario. It truly was the end of days if a group of peasant insurgents could hold a Roman Army for ransom.

    Luckily, few people knew of this incident, and thus Stilicho would have to act quickly if he wanted to preserve Marcellus¡¯ reputation as best he could. He voiced his thoughts aloud as he came to an understanding about what needed to be done.

    ¡°I will dispatch an order to all who bore witness to the event to hold their tongues on the matter. We will say that Marcellus gave himself up in order to spare the men beneath hismand since he could not afford to pay the ransom. Anyone who says otherwise will be silently removed¡­¡±

    After hearing this, Aeliana nodded her head in silence before responding to Stilicho¡¯s words with the most important question in her heart.

    ¡°As for Marcellus? How will we save him?¡±

    Stilicho smirked when he heard such a question before responding with a proud smile on his lips.

    ¡°What else can we do? I will personally lead my troops to the alps so that I may rescue Marcellus from his bondage. Those filthy peasants have gone too far this time and I cannot leave such a p to the face of our great civilization unanswered!¡±

    In response to this im, Aeliana sighed in relief, knowing that the Supreme Commander of Rome¡¯s forces would personally lead the charge calmed her heart and mind. She could finally ovee her grief, knowing that her precious son would soon be rescued.

    With that said, Stilicho left the building, as he prepared a small army to march on the alps and bring Marcellus back to Rome. As Stilicho mustered his forces, Marcellus was working on his own escape. After all, he would not sit idly by and wait to be rescued. He had too much pride to allow himself to be a damsel in distress.

 Chapter 17 Escaping Bondage

    While his mother did everything that she could to secure his ransom, Marcellus was sitting within the Bagaudae encampment plotting his escape. For the past few weeks Marcellus had been held captive, where he was bound, gagged, and locked away in a small cage, while tied to a post. Since the moment he entered this cage, forced to fester in his own waste, he had been working on a way to abscond from the brigand camp.

    After weeks of silently chiselling a small stone against the iron cage, Marcellus had sharpened it enough to cut through his rope bindings. However, Marcellus was a patient man and knew that he needed to wait for the opportune moment to break free from his bondage, and tonight was such an asion.

    In particr, Marcellus was waiting for a cold, cloudy night, with a hint of rain. Since the moment Marcellus was taken prisoner, he had carefully observed the Bagaudae patrols, and had learned when and how they shifted. He knew that on nights such as this, when the rain fell from the heavens, most of the guards would abandon their duties and get pissed drunk, leaving a single sentry to watch over Marcellus.

    This lone sentry was Marcellus¡¯s target, and for some time now he had been verbally harassing the poor kid all in an attempt to provoke him into entering his cage. Thus, Marcellus grinned wickedly as the other Bagaudae departed, leaving him alone with this young man.

    ¡°Well, well, all alone, with only me to keep youpany, yet again. Have you ever considered that what you do in life is utterly meaningless¡­¡±

    A visible expression of disdain etched itself upon the lone sentry¡¯s face as he heard these words. Which was followed by a sigh that escaped his lips as he uttered the same phrase he used every time he was unfortunate enough to be alone with Marcellus.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Piss off!¡±

    Marcellus smirked in the shadows as he heard this. He could tell the man was frustrated with his lot in life, and thus he acted without mercy as he continued to goad the guard.

    ¡°Not in a talkative mood tonight? Eh, I don¡¯t me you. While you¡¯re stuck looking after me, your buddies are out feasting and fucking to their heart¡¯s content. I¡¯ve seen the hot pieces of ass you guys keep around as your prisoners. Tell me, are you still a virgin?¡±

    When the guard heard this, he halted in his actions of drinking from his cup and instead looked over at Marcellus with a fierce gaze.

    ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, you will shut your trap right now¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus knew he had struck a nerve with this statement, and thus decided now was the time to go in for the kill. He feigned his surprise when he heard this retort and continued to taunt the sentry with venomous words.

    ¡°No¡­ you can¡¯t be¡­ are you really? Hahaha, the mighty Bagaudae warrior is a fucking virgin! You poor sap, your friends won¡¯t even let you have their sloppy seconds. My god you are pathetic¡­ I may be tied here to a post covered in my own shit, but out of the two of us, you are the real loser!¡±

    It was at this moment something snapped inside the sentry¡¯s mind. Perhaps it was because of the repeated harassment he suffered every time he was forced to watch Marcellus alone, or perhaps he was simply too intoxicated to care. However, the man responded exactly as Marcellus has nned.

    The sentry rolled his neck back and forth, emitting a few popping sounds as he stood up and walked over to the cage, where he opened it up with a vicious re in his eyes. He approached Marcellus with a club in his hand, prepared to strike the young general.

    ¡°I told you to shut up!¡±<sub></sub>

    However, much to the man¡¯s surprised Marcellus had freed himself, and before he realized this, the Roman General had pounced on him, tackling the man to the ground and covering his mouth as he used his sharp rock to cut open the man¡¯s throat. Within seconds the sentry passed away, and Marcellus scurried out of his cage, grabbing hold of the man¡¯s club as he stealthily made his way to the horses.

    The Stables were on the other side of the Camp, and it was because of this that he had to be extra cautious as he moved his way through the dark alleys, hoping not to be spotted. Eventually Marcellus came across a group of drunk guards who wereining about some of their prisoners.

    ¡°The bitch is pregnant¡­ What the hell are we going to do with her now?¡±

    As the sentry said this, he took a swig from his ale before listening to suggestions from the other men beside him. A tall andnky manmented on the loss of coin that would result from this incident.

    ¡°Shit, her value haspletely dropped now that she carries one of our kids. It¡¯s unlikely her family will even bother paying the ransom for a used up whore like her.¡±

    The first sentry scowled when he heard this, this was bad news in his mind. However, before he could respond, a chuckle resounded in the air, causing the two sentries to look over at the third man in the group. He was a short and fat man, with a nose that resembled a pig, and he seemed to be quite overjoyed by the news of the prisoner¡¯s pregnancy.

    ¡°Well, if her family doesn¡¯t want her back, then we can keep the little whore as our camp¡¯s pet. I¡¯m sure someone here would be happy to raise the bastard to be one of us.¡±

    Marcellus was furious when he listened to the banter between the three brigands. Had he allowed Sigefrida to be taken captive, these men, among many others, would have gang-raped her before he could mount a proper rescue. He knew in his heart that he had done the right thing in taking her ce, even if it meant thoroughly ruining his reputation back home.

    The sentries were so engaged in their discussion that they did not notice Marcellus sneaking up behind them, where he wielded the club in his hand with brutal efficiency. His first strike immediately cracked his target¡¯s skull, sending him to the afterlife in an instant.

    As for the others before they could even react, Marcellus had set upon them, beating them to the ground and breaking their jaws while bashing their heads as if he was ying a game of whack a mole until only a bloody pulp remained. After killing these men, Marcellus spit on their corpses and uttered his contempt.

    ¡°Fucking bastards!¡±

    After saying this, he dragged the bodies away into the alley, and hid them in barrels, making sure the other guards could detect no sign of his murder; stripping their bodies of their gear before he did so. Marcellus quickly dressed himself as a member of the Bagaudae and walked through the camp to the stables as if there were nothing out of the ordinary.

    Though a few men spotted him, he kept his head down and nodded towards them. Being in the intoxicated state that these men were in, none of them even thought of the possibility that perhaps he was their most valuable prisoner who was in the middle of his escape. After passing through a clearing with rtive ease, Marcellus finally made his way into the stables, where a few prize steeds were resting.

    He quickly approached thergest of the horses and prepared it for the journey to Rome. He ced a saddle on its back before sticking a bridal in its mouth. However, just when he was about to mount the brilliant steed, someone stumbled into the stables and spotted his escape attempt. This brigand immediately recognized Marcellus for the man he was and withdrew his sword while calling out to his nearbyrades.

    ¡°Help! The Roman General is escaping!¡±

    Marcellus quickly charged at the man with his club in hand. But it was quickly deflected. Just as the hostile was about to sh towards Marcellus¡¯ neck, the young General shoved him into the wall before bringing his club down onto his iron helmet. A loud ring filled the air, but that did not stop Marcellus from beating his opponent¡¯s helmet until a giant dent had formed, and the man copsed to the ground in a drooling mess.

    Having removed this obstacle, Marcellus did not hesitate to the mount the steed as he snapped the reins, sending the horse propelling out of the stables and into the camp where men were gathering in an attempt to halt his escape.

    Rather than engage them, Marcellus charged through their poorly formed ranks and towards the wooden gate which was rapidly closing. In a desperate attempt to stop Marcellus from escaping, a few archers lined up and fired their missiles at the horse that the Roman General rode upon. However, the magnificent steed was a step ahead and jumped through the closing gates just before the arrows could pierce its hide.

    Upon realizing that his escape attempt was sessful, Marcellus howled like a madman as he absconded into the night, like a thief fleeing the scene of his crime. By the time the Bagaudae could muster their cavalry to chase after him, he was already long gone.

 Chapter 18 Returning Home

    In the foothills below the alps, an army of five thousand Romans had gathered. They had been marching for days to rescue a captured Roman General, and by now they just wanted this whole excursion to be over. At the head of this Army was none other than vius Stilicho, the Supreme Commander of all of Western Rome¡¯s forces who gazed into the distance with a frown on his face.

    In the hills above, a lone rider strode towards their position. As strange as this was, Stilicho did not immediately react, and waited until he could get a good understanding of who this character was, and what his desires were. After all, one man was no threat to an army of Romans, and to attack such a mysterious figure could present some difficulties.

    As the man closed the distance between himself and the Roman army, it became clear that he was being chased. Well over a hundred cavalrymen were in the distance riding down from the alps and towards this lone rider. It was at this point that Stilicho finally realized what was happening and bursted out into a fit ofughter as he boasted to all of his men who could hear him.

    ¡°Haha! That is my godson for you. The hard bastard escaped his own captivity, and his mother was fucking worried about his safety! Well, I suppose we should help him out. Archers at the ready! Fire a volley at those who are foolish enough to pursue Marcellus.¡±

    The Archers did not hesitate to form ranks and knock their bows. After pulling back their strings, they pointed their weapons into the air and fired a rain of arrows down upon the pursuing horsemen. When the Bagaudae cavalry realized that they had walked into a trap, they immediately halted their horses, but it was toote. The arrows had already fallen from the sky and skewered them and their steeds.

    The horses whined as they copsed to the ground, with multiple arrows embedded inside of them, while the Bagaudae themselves turned into pincushions. Their blood flowing onto the hillside and forming a small pool. Marcellus gazed up into the sky and behind him, witnessing the entire scene as heughed out loud, cursing his captors as their souls entered the afterlife.

    ¡°Hahaha! You fucking bastards just got what you deserved!¡±

    After saying this, he slowed his horse to a trot and slowly approached his godfather with a wide smirk on his face. When Stilicho saw this smug expression, he couldn¡¯t help butment on the young man¡¯s appearance..

    ¡°Why are you smiling, boy? You are covered in shit!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus did not take the taunt to heart and merely chuckled before expressing his views.

    ¡°It is good to see you too¡­¡±

    It was at this moment Stilicho reached over and grabbed hold of Marcellus¡¯ shoulder; with a stern expression on his face, the Supreme Commander informed his General of the mess he had caused.

    ¡°I am d to see you are okay, truly I am, but you have to know what you have done is political suicide. I have done everything I can to rewrite the narrative about what happened to you, but being captured alive and held for ransom. There are only so many ways I can spin the story to make you look favorable. You know that your reputation will be ruined when news of what happened gets out, right? Tell me, was she worth it?¡±

    Marcellus merely smiled and scoffed before nodding his head in response to his godfather¡¯s warning.

    ¡°I like to think so¡­¡±

    Stilicho sighed as he heard such a foolish response, before smacking Marcellus on the back of his head.

    ¡°Then get your ass home. Your mother is worried sick about you!¡±<sub></sub>

    It shocked Marcellus when he heard this information. He thought for sure his mother would not find out about this urrence, thus he could not help but ask about it.

    ¡°What the hell does my mother have to do with this?¡±

    Stilicho merely shook his head in disappointment while gazing upon his godson as if he were an idiot.

    ¡°Who the hell do you think sent me to save your sorry ass? Your mother was waiting in your vi when your ve returned by her lonesome. I have not seen that woman so pissed since you were a small child. You better get home quick, or she will have both of our hides. Don¡¯t worry about the Emperor, I will calm that fool¡¯s wrath so that he doesn¡¯t hold you responsible for the loss in Gaul. It¡¯s the sycophants by his side that I worry about¡­¡±

    When Marcellus heard this, he chuckled before responding to his godfather with a snide remark.

    ¡°Truly, you are a better man than I¡­¡±

    Stilicho merely scoffed when he heard this before making a witty retort of his own.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you forget it, boy! Now get the hell out of here!¡±<sub></sub>

    With this said, Marcellus snapped the reins of his horse and rode off towards the city of Rome with a proper escort in tow. When he was finally out of earshot, another general, who was under Stilicho¡¯smand, spoke up on the matter at hand.

    ¡°So what now? Do we return home now that Marcellus is saved or do we continue onward towards the Bagaudae camp?

    Stilicho¡¯s expression sank as he gazed off into the alps above where the Bagaudae encampmenty. There was a murderous glint in his eyes as he said the words that would seal the brigands¡¯ fate.

    ¡°Now we kill every one of those bastards!¡±

    ¡ª

    Shortly thereafter Marcellus rode into the gates of his vi, to see his mother and Sigefrida waiting for his arrival with anxious expressions. The moment they saw him step through the gates unharmed, they rushed towards him. Aeliana hugged her son tightly after he stepped off his horse, getting the filth that coated him all over herself. Despite this, she didn¡¯t seem to care and instead kissed her son on the cheek.

    ¡°My baby boy has returned to me! Tell me, did those bastards hurt you in any way?¡±

    Marcellus merely shook his head and sighed before responding to his doting mother¡¯s interrogation.

    ¡°No, mother, they did not harm me in the slightest.¡±

    Upon hearing these words, Aeliana sighed in relief before abruptly pping her son on the back of the head.

    ¡°You little bastard! Who the hell told you that you could y with your mother¡¯s emotions to such a degree? Do you have any idea how worried I was? I couldn¡¯t get out of bed for five days after hearing about your cruel fate. You owe me an apology!¡±

    Marcellus chuckled as he hugged his mother tightly before responding to her ims.

    ¡°I am sorry mother, I promise I won¡¯t make you worry like that ever again¡­¡±

    Aeliana merely pouted as she sank into her son¡¯s embrace. A single phrase escaped her lips as she enjoyed the sensation.

    ¡°Like hell I¡¯d believe that¡­¡±

    It was only now that Aeliana realized just how much her son stank, and she quickly forced herself out of his embrace before giving Sigefrida an order, who had patiently waited for her turn to speak with her master.

    ¡°ve, fetch your master a bath, and quickly, he¡¯s absolutely filthy!¡±

    Though Sigefrida wanted to protest, she ultimately remained silent, nodding her head as she rushed off to do as she was instructed. When Marcellus saw this, he sighed before lecturing his mother on her treatment of the woman.

    ¡°Why do you have to be so bossy around her? You know she has been a part of our family since she was a small child, right?¡±

    Such ament infuriated Aeliana, but she did not let it show, instead she wore a smiling facade as she stroked her son¡¯s filthy hair.

    ¡°Remember Marcellus, she is a lowly ve, and you are a mighty General. I know you have feelings for the girl, but she is not a proper match for you. Don¡¯t let your emotions blind you to the reality of your position in life. Come, let¡¯s get you cleaned up. Your stench is making me sick to my stomach.¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus merely chuckled before doing as his mother had said. He walked hand in and with Aeliana up the stairs and into the vi where a bath awaited him. The moment his mother let go of his grip and watched him entered the bath, her smiling facade came crumbling down, and she gritted her teeth in rage.

    The very idea that her beloved son would insist that Sigefrida was a part of their family filled her with contempt. She would have to find a way to punish the boy for thinking about that little whore while he was in her presence.

    Still, as Aeliana reflected on everything that had recently urred, she could say with certainty that there was one good thing toe from this whole ordeal, and that was the fact that Marcellus¡¯ reputation would soon be thoroughly tarnished and because of this no woman would want to marry him. When Aeliana thought of this, a wide grin spread across her face as she voiced her thoughts aloud in a voice so low nobody could hear.

    ¡°Oh my sweet Marcellus, you don¡¯t need to worry your pretty little head, even if all those little harlots despise you for what you have done, mommy will always be by your side¡­¡±

 Chapter 19 Slaughtering the Bagaudae

    While Marcellus had returned home to reunite with his family, Stilicho led his forces towards the Bagaudae encampment where the young Roman General was previously held prisoner. Capturing a Roman General alive, and holding him for ransom was an enormous p in the face to Rome¡¯s prestige, and Stilicho would not let such an insult go unpunished.

    Had the Bagaudae simply demanded a toll for the safe passage of the Roman forces into the hearnd of their Empire, Stilicho would not have bothered with this act of vengeance. Perhaps in another timeline where Marcellus and Sigefrida did not exist, the Roman army would have encountered such a simple demand.

    Yet in this world, where Marcellus and his ve lived, the Bagaudae had heightened the price of safe passage to an unreasonable degree. It was because of this fact that the Supreme Commander of the Western Roman Army, and his soldiers now stood outside the Bagaudae encampment, hellbent on a ughter. For only the shedding of blood could satisfy the Romans¡¯ demand for retribution.

    Among Stilicho¡¯s men were mostly armored infantry, but there were also archers, and even a battering ram that had been constructed for the purpose of this siege. Stilicho had gone all out when he gathered his forces to hunt down the Bagaudae and avenge Marcellus. A matter he did not take lightly.

    While the Romans had gathered outside the gates of the Bagaudae encampment, their leader gazed upon the scene with a terrified expression. It was one thing to surround and extort a broken and battered Roman Army who desired more than anything to return home. However, to fight an army of roughly 5,000 veteran soldiers was simply asking for death. It was because of this fear that the man tried to negotiate with Stilicho.

    ¡°I have already allowed your General to walk free. There is no reason for further bloodshed. Leave us be, and I promise you I will make it worth your while!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Stilicho spat on the ground as he heard such shameless words from the brigand leader before thoroughly rebuking the man and his ims.

    ¡°Funny, because I came across Marcellus on the way here, and he was being pursued by your horsemen. You have made a grave mistake in taking a Roman General captive and now you are going to pay for it with your lives! Men of Rome! Break down the gate and kill every one of these bastards. Let us show these rebels the true might of our Empire!¡±

    When the Bagaudaemander heard this, he felt as if his brain was lit aze. Were the Romans serious? They had emptied their soldiers from protecting the hearnd just to deal with a few rebellious peasants? What if the Goths invaded? Nevertheless, since the Romans had dared to order his death, he would not go without a fight.

    ¡°Archers, fire at will!¡±

    With that said, the Bagaudae who stood behind the wooden palisade drew their arrows from their quivers and prepared to fire on the enemy. They quickly unleashed a volley of arrows over the fortifications on onto the Roman Army below. However, Stilicho reacted too quickly for the insurgents to harm his soldiers. A single order echoed in the air as the Romans formed ranks around theirmander.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Testudo Formation!¡±

    With this said, the Roman soldiers quickly moved into formation like a well-oiled machine and raised their shields above their heads, creating a tortoise shell of oval scutum as they pressed forward and waited for the battering ram to knock down the thick wooden gates of the encampment.

    The enemy rained their missile fire down upon the thick wooden shields of the Roman army, whoughed at the meagre attempt to im their lives. While this was urring, the Battering ram lined up with the gate and pounded on it, rapidly breaking the poorly constructed gate apart.

    Once a gap was made, the Roman soldiers stormed through it and bared their des against the peasant insurgents, cutting their way through the enemy as if they were butchering children. The Bagaudaecked any official training and were more ustomed to skirmishing tactics. When faced against the heavily armored roman legions that belonged to Stilicho, they were no match.

    In reality, the only reason this peasant rabble could force Marcellus into submission was due to their overwhelming numbers against his broken army. However, such an advantage did not exist against their current foe, and it did not take long for the frontline of the brigands to copse against the blood crazed Romans.<sub></sub>

    Stilicho smiled as he watched his soldiers thrust their des into the hearts of the brigands, spilling their blood and bile onto the floor as they moved onto their next target. Bodies piled onto the floor in massive numbers as the Bagaudae tried their best to halt the Roman tide, but it was to no avail.

    As the Bagaudae leader watched his force scut down like wheat to the scythe, it became increasingly clear that he would not win this battle. Thus, while his men fought against the Roman legions at the front, he rushed into his encampment, seeking to take with him whatever riches and prisoners he could find as he left his own men to die.

    The Bagaudae leader instantly charged into a structure that his men had used to store their plundered goods, grabbing hold of gold, silver, and jewelry and stashing it into arge sack. He did not spend long ransacking his hoard, and only retrieved what little wealth he could carry with him. After doing so, he broke into once of the houses used to store prisoners, where he gazed upon the many women and girls who had suffered at the hands of the brigands.

    After scanning the cages for some time, his eyes fell upon his personal ything. He quickly unlocked the cage and let the beautiful young girl out. This girl was no older than fourteen and had a soulless look in her eyes. God only knew what kind of sick torment she had endured since her captivity. The short and fat man immediately issued hismands to the girl in a vicious tone.

    ¡°You¡¯reing with me!¡±

    The girl lifelessly obeyed the orders she was given, having neither the will nor strength of mind to resist any longer. Thus, she was quickly dragged away by the Bagaudae leader as he desperately tried to escape the situation.

    Screams echoed in the air as the Bagaudae were cut to ribbons by the veteran roman legions who made their way through the camp and cut down any man they came across. Time was running out, and the leader of the Bagaudae had little time to escape his fate. Just as he was about to enter the stables, an arrow protruded through his heart from his back, shocking the man as he fell to his knees in disbelief.

    On horseback, Stilicho sat with a bow in one hand and a smirk on his face as he gazed upon his kill. A single phrase escaped his lips as he witnessed the Bagaudae leader copse to the floor in death and despair.

    ¡°Fucking bastard. Do you really believe I would let you escape?¡±

    With the leader of the peasant insurgents dead, the rest of his forces quickly followed him into the afterlife. It did not take long for the romans to secure the camp along with the riches the Bagaudae had gathered from their years of raiding. As for the many female captives, those who were roman would be brought back to their families, and those who weren¡¯t would be sold as ves in the markets of the Empire.

    After hours had passed, and every scrap of wealth had been gathered in the courtyard, along with the many captives, the officer in charge of the looting came up to Stilicho and asked the question on his mind.

    ¡°What should we do with the encampment?¡±

    Stilicho gazed upon the gruesome scene of his ughter and took in the sight. In an era where the Romans lost more battles than they won, it was nice to see such a massacre unfold that was not at the cost of roman lives. Having reflected on this overwhelming victory for some time, Stilicho finally smirked before giving hismands.

    ¡°Burn it!¡±

    With that said, the Roman Army quickly got to task lighting the encampment aze. The scent of smoke and charred flesh filled the air as the Roman army carried off its gains back to the heart of their Empire.

    With this battle, Rome proved that it still had the strength to avenge humiliation. This was something that had not urred for some time. Even if it was against a mere band of peasant rabble, the fact that an insult to Rome had been so thoroughly rebuked with force was a cause for celebration. Thus, when Stilicho and his men returned to their posts, they would spend a considerable time in celebration, as it was rare for them to achieve such an overwhelming victory.

 Chapter 20 Strange Dreams

    Frank sat in a bar, within the city of New York. In his hands was an IPA of a reputable brand, and by his side was a beautiful young woman listening to his emphatic lecture on the dark ages, and the few technological achievements that were made during this period. The young woman seemed interested, if only because she found the grad student to be decently attractive in appearance.

    ¡°You see, following the Copse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, we have what ismonly referred to as the Dark Ages, but in reality, it was just one of several throughout history. For example, the Greek Dark Ages following the Bronze Age copse immediatelyes to mind.

    Generally speaking, a Dark Age is a period of time, often centuries, where little historical record exists, and there is substantial evidence of societal stagnation, especially in terms of technology. Following the copse of the Western Roman Empire, the Germanic tribes which were partially responsible for its destruction fought and built various kingdoms.

    Some of these were built using the skeleton of Rome, and others had to start from scratch. During this time period of several hundred years, a critical piece of military technology was developed, or at the very least introduced to western civilization, most likely from Asia. This was the stirrup, which as you should be aware if you know anything about horses, is generally speaking two pieces of metal connected via leather strips to the saddle. However, early on, evidence supports that they were made of wood.

    Stirrups provided enormous military advantages. For example, they made it easier for cavalry to mount their steeds and maintain their bnce while on horseback. Because of this, we see the invention of shock cavalry after stirrups were created. After all, stirrups allow the rider to stay on horseback, at full speed, even if they were to collide with an enemy soldier with theirnce. This was something that was unfeasible before its invention.¡±

    The woman simply nodded and smiled at Frank¡¯s lengthy summary about stirrups, pretending like she actually cared. When Frank had finally found his breath and took a sip from his beer, he handed over a crude outline of the device drawn onto a cocktail napkin. The woman looked it over for but a second before cing it on the counter and asking the question in her mind.

    ¡°So, do you want to go back to your ce or mine?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    In the next moment, Marcellus awoke from his slumber with a start. Lying next to him on the thick bedding was his ve girl, Sigefrida. He was struggling toe to terms with the strange dream he had just endured. His mind was all over his ce. During his sleep, he had taken on the identity of the man who was killed in the snowy street on that fateful night. Everything this man said, everything he saw, it was as if Marcellus had personally witnessed it. Just what was happening to him?

    Still, there was something more important on his mind. In this dream, it was said that the Western Roman Empire copsed in 476 AD. Just what did that mean? Marcellus could not decipher that there were only roughly 70 years left before the Empire faced its destruction. After all, the modern calendar would not exist for at least another hundred years, let alone be widely adopted.

    As he processed the information, which was now engrained in his brain, Marcellus recalled the image of the stirrups drawn rather poorly upon the napkin. While it may just be a dream, the technology appeared to be feasible at first nce, and was nothingplicated. Perhaps if he were to introduce such a thing to his cavalry, it would give him as a big as an advantage as his dream persona had said.

    As he was trying to understand thements of his dream, the busty Suebi beauty who lied next to him opened her eyes and noticed that her master was drenched in sweat. She immediately propped up out of bed andtched onto his side like amprey as she ced a palm on his head, checking for a fever.

    ¡°Marcellus, are you okay? You look ill?¡±

    It was only after he had Sigefrida¡¯s voice that Marcellus finally awoke from his daze. He quickly kissed the woman on the forehead before assuring him everything was alright.<sub></sub>

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you for your concern, but I just had a strange dream is all¡­¡±

    Sigefrida could tell by the glimpse in his eyes that the reality was more than what her master had imed. Thus, she leaned her head onto his shoulder before gazing into his deep olive-green eyes while asking a simple question.

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±

    Despite the woman¡¯s concern, Marcellus most definitely did not want to talk about the visions and dreams he had started having ever since that club collided with his helmet during the first days of his campaign. For if he did, then Sigefrida would surely worry about his condition. Instead, he merely petted the girl¡¯s silky tinum-blonde hair and reassured her that everything was alright.

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, I just need to get some more sleep is all¡­¡±

    When Sigefrida heard this, she climbed back under the fur covers and nodded her head, provoking Marcellus to do the same. He quickly wrapped around the woman in a spooning position as he fell back into the sweet embrace of sleep.<sub></sub>

    Whatever he had seen during his dream, he would address it in the morning when he had the time. After all, a General¡¯s rest was of vital importance to his ability tomand. Thus, Marcellus quickly drifted back to sleep. This time, his dreams were of the normal variant.

    When the light of dawn shone through the vi¡¯s windows, Marcellus rose from his seat as he rubbed his weary eyes. The first thought on his mind was once more about the strange dream he had the night prior. He gazed over at the spot next to him and witnessed Sigefrida smiling while peacefully asleep. Upon seeing her so defenseless, a rather crass idea formed in his mind, and he instantly leaned in to give the woman a kiss.

    When their lips were only inches away from one another, Sigefrida opened her eyes to see her master¡¯s shameful actions. She immediately began to panic but calmed herself as a brief moment of rity reached mind. She reflected on her choices as her mind outpaced her surroundings.

    ¡°If I let him kiss me while he thinks I¡¯m asleep, then surely that woman can¡¯t me me for it?¡±

    Thus, she had steeled her resolve and closed her eyes once more, believing this to be her only shot to act intimately with her master. In the next moment Marcellus¡¯ lips collided with hers, and she pretended to bepletely asleep, allowing him to passionately take advantage of her ¡°sleeping condition¡±.

    In the end, Marcellus made his move and then withdrew, too frightful of what would happen if she awoke during his advances. When it became apparent to Sigefrida that Marcellus wasn¡¯t taking it any further, she opened her eyes and yawned, acting as if their first kiss had never happened, instead gazing over at Marcellus who sat at the corner of the bed with a warm smile. She instantlytched onto his side and hugged her master as she greeted him.

    ¡°Good morning, Marcellus! I will get started on breakfast right away!¡±

    Sigefrida quickly got dressed in her ragged attire. She would spare no time as she began preparations for breakfast. Or so she thought. However, the moment she opened the door, Aeliana stood there in disbelief. It took a few moments for the woman to swallow her rage before gazing sternly at Marcellus.

    ¡°Marcellus, my son, do you mind exining to me why this lowly ve was in your quarters so early in the morning?¡±

    When Marcellus heard this, he chuckled before responding to his mother nonchntly, as if the whole thing were some minor issue. Completely unaware of how spiteful his mother truly was towards his beloved ve.

    ¡°Sorry mother, I forgot I was back home. When we are on campaign, we usually share the same bed for warmth and security¡­¡±

    When Sigefrida heard her master openly admit this to his mother, she felt as if her life was over. She immediately stammered as she tried to exin to the woman that nothing serious had ever happened between them.

    ¡°Dom¡­ Domina¡­ I s-swear that the Dominus has only ever asked me to cuddle with him for warmth. Nothing has happened between us!¡±

    Aeliana red at Sigefrida with a frightening gaze. It was as if she was searching the girl¡¯s soul to determine if what she was saying was true. A terrifying smile appeared on her face as she interrogated the woman as if she were amon criminal.

    ¡°Oh? So nothing has happened between the two of you? Can you swear on your life that such a thing is true?¡±

    Scared beyond measure, Sigefrida could only tap her fingers together and look away as she lied to the woman she was most afraid of, dreading whatever punishment she may receive for allowing Marcellus to kiss her.

    ¡°I swear on my life¡­¡±

    Aeliana was a wise woman and could tell that Sigefrida was lying to her. She had the desire to kill the harlot who had seduced her son then and there. However, after several moments of rity, she ultimately sighed before addressing her son, who still liefortably under his covers.

    ¡°Marcellus, get dressed, and meet me in the dining hall for breakfast. I am sure that Sigefrida would be more than happy to cook us breakfast, isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    In response to this, Sigefrida merely nodded her head silently before rushing off to the kitchen. Not wanting to spend a single moment alone with her master¡¯s mother. As for Marcellus, he was more concerned about the strange dream he had the night before. He swore thatter in the day he would have to experiment with the device he had seen in his dreams to see if it was really lived up to the hype.

 Chapter 21 The Indolent Emperor Honorius

    In Ravenna, within the Royal Pce of the Western Roman Empire, lie a young man in his early twenties. This man had a rather unkempt appearance, and at first nce, one might assume he was a mere vagrant rather than an emperor. However, he was, in fact, the man who ruled over the Western Roman Empire.

    Emperor Honorius was a man who had never lifted a finger in his life to do the work that was required of him, instead he had left the ruling of his realm up to a series of advisors, many of which were corrupt officials, and sycophants. It was partially because of this that the Empire was in such a sorry state. Thus, it came as no surprise that while his empire copsed around him, Honorius was sitting back on a sofa, drinking a chalice of wine and ying with his pet chicken.

    While Honorius was gazing at his chicken with a dull expression, he listened to the report of his suprememander, who informed the young emperor about the disaster that was the campaign in Gaul. In all honesty, Honorius could not care less, which was evident by his behavior as he merely sighed in exhaustion while Stilicho rambled on about their losses.

    ¡°Your highness, the campaign in Gaul has resulted in defeat. Though we made initial gains and were close to achieving our goal of overthrowing the Usurper. In the end, our army suffered horrific losses and was forced to return to the Italian Penins. These men even endured humiliation at the hands of the Bagaudae as they forced our returning soldiers to pay a toll for safe passage to ournds.¡±

    Honorius did not immediately react to this news, and instead reached into his sack of chicken feed and tossed it towards the beast that was his favorite pet. A dull smile formed on the Emperor¡¯s face as he did so. For the briefest of moments, his perpetual boredom had been lifted. That is, until Stilicho raised his voice, questioning the Emperor¡¯s idle attitude.

    ¡°Your highness? How shall we respond?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Honorius red at Stilicho with a furious gaze. The man just had to keep talking about Gaul and the Usurper, none of which he actually cared about. Could he not have anything more interesting to discuss? It was this line of thought that caused Honorius to answer the man vaguely so he could keep ying with his chicken.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Do whatever you feel is appropriate. Just make sure to thoroughly punish the imbecile who caused our defeat. Seriously, is it that hard to get rid of one stupid usurper?¡±

    The Emperor spoke as if he were an expert on military matters, which clearly he was not. Despite this insult, Stilicho choked down his pride and bowed his head, requesting leniency on behalf of Marcellus.

    ¡°With all due respect, your highness, I implore you to show mercy. The General I sent to Gaul is one of our best officers, and he is a rising talent. The only reason the enemy was able to defeat him was because he had received misinformation from his scouts. If not for this fact, the Usurper¡¯s allies would not have been able to surround his army.¡±

    It took little to convince Honorius to spare Marcellus. After all, the man did not care in the slightest about this issue. He was more concerned about why his wine had gone dry.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t im his head for his defeat, but at the very least he should beshed a few times for making such a foolish mistake.¡±

    Stilicho sighed in relief when he heard the Emperor¡¯s response. Honorius was a man who acted upon his worst impulses. If he was in a particrly foul mood, he easily would have demanded for a severe punishment to be inflicted upon Marcellus. Luckily, Stilicho had approached the man while he was in the middle of ying with his pet, otherwise he was certain Marcellus would have surely suffered. Stilicho bowed his head once more before he thanked Honorius for his benevolence.

    ¡°On behalf of Marcellus, I thank you for your mercy!¡±

    It was when Honorius heard this name that he suddenly became more interested in the topic at hand. He instantly ced down his empty chalice and shifted his gaze from his pet chicken to his suprememander with a shocked expression on his face.

    ¡°Hold on, the General in question is Marcellus? Titus udius Marcellus? Your Godson?¡±<sub></sub>

    Stilicho raised his head when he heard this. He could tell from the tone in the Emperor¡¯s voice that he was not pleased. However, he had no choice but to nod his head in admission. When Honorius saw this, a wicked smile curved itself upon his lips. He had known Marcellus for some time. After all, Stilicho had been the man who had helped raise the both of them, thus they were bound to interact with one another.

    However, unlike Honorius, who was an indolent, and foolish drunk. Marcellus was a rising star in the social circles of the Roman elite. He was handsome, wealthy, intelligent, talented, and a skilled military officer who had won many glories for Rome. Even the Emperor¡¯s own sister would never shut up about Marcellus and his aplishments on the field of battle.

    There was a reason Honorius had never given Marcellus a proper victory title, despite being well known as a yer of goths. It was because he was envious of the poprity of the man. Out of spite, Honorius had refused to award one of his best generals for his achievements, despite the morale it would bring to his empire.

    Thus, when he heard that Marcellus was responsible for the defeat in Gaul, he decided to use it as a way to bring shame to the man, and ruin his reputation forever. All of a sudden, he was very interested in the topic of how Rome had been defeated in Gaul.

    ¡°Stilicho, my old friend¡­ Tell me everything you know about Marcellus and his campaign to Gaul!¡±

    Stilicho immediately regretted mentioning Marcellus¡¯ name to the young emperor, but he had no choice but toply with his demands. Thus, he spoke about every detail he had learned about the campaign. Including the captivity Marcellus was forced to endure after his defeat.

    When the Supreme Commander had finally finished telling his tale, Honorius was smiling emphatically. He was truly excited. For the first time he had the ability to drag Marcellus¡¯ name through the mud, and he was going to take advantage of it. Thus, all the hard work that Stilicho had gone through to change the narrative about Marcellus¡¯ defeat was undone with a simplemand.

    ¡°Tsk¡­Tsk¡­Tsk¡­ Marcellus, to think you would insult our Empire in such a way for the sake of a simple ve¡­ I¡¯m sorry but I can not be lenient. We must make an example of him. I order you to drag Marcellus through the streets of Rome while naked and have him whipped as punishment! Let all see what happens to those who put their personal feelings above the glory of our Empire!¡±

    When Stilicho heard this, he could only sigh in defeat. He really should have left Marcellus¡¯ name out of the conversation. It was only now that the man realized he had truly underestimated Honorius¡¯ bitter jealousy towards Marcellus. Though he tried his best to calm the Emperor¡¯s wrath, it was to no avail.

    ¡°And what of your sister? She lives in Rome. Are you going to force her to bear witness to such a sight? You know how she fancies Marcellus. Such a thing would devastate her.¡±

    Unfortunately, this was exactly what Honorius wanted, and as such, he wore a sadistic grin while he doubled down on his stance.

    ¡°Good, that little bitch can see what happens when she puts her faith in a good for nothing pretty boy! This is not my fault. Marcellus is the one who failed to fulfill his duty and embarrassed our entire Empire! If anything, I am being lenient for the crimes he hasmitted.¡±

    In response to this, Stilicho could only sigh in defeat once more. This foolish boy was more concerned about his petty jealousy than about the security of his borders. If the truth of Marcellus¡¯ actions were to be revealed, it would forever tarnish his reputation, and in doing so would leave the people of the Empire faithless in one of their greatest generals. Such a thing could only have negative consequences for the Empire as a whole.

    However, there was no point debating any further. Honorius was a simple hedonist. Once he found something to entertain himself with, he would see it through. Thus, the Emperor had decided to make a proper show of Marcellus¡¯ punishment, and he would enjoy every second of it.

    As for Marcellus, he was peacefully unaware of the ho¡¯s nest he had stepped upon, and was enjoying his free time with his mother and ve at his vi. The young general waspletely unaware of the public humiliation that he was about to suffer at the hands of a jealous emperor.

 Chapter 22 The Emperors Sister

    A young girl no older than fourteen was skipping through the streets of Rome while humming a song. She had long since been couped up in her own household, and had recently heard news that a close friend had returned from a long campaign. Thus, she had snuck out of her house to go visit the man, even if it was wildly inappropriate for a girl in her position.

    The petite young girl was slender for her age and like many Roman women, she had dyed her hair blonde with a mixture made from ashes of nts and nuts. The golden hair contrasted with her light tan skin, and hazel eyes nicely creating a beautiful appearance. If anyone within the city of Rome were to set their eyes upon this girl, they would immediately recognize her as Ga cidia, the younger half sister of the Western Roman Emperor Honorius.

    The girl had a pretty smile on her face as she adjusted her hair before knocking on the door to a magnificent vi which was strategically located just down the road from her own estate. After a few loud strikes, the door opened to reveal a busty blonde woman dressed in the attire of a ve. cidia immediately recognized this ve girl as her romantic rival, and struggled to maintain her joyous appearance when sheid eyes on the woman.

    ¡°Oh Sigefrida, I did not expect you to answer the door, so the rumors are true. Marcellus is home?¡±

    Sigefrida smiled and nodded her head before allowing the young girl into her master¡¯s estate. She could not help butpliment the girl¡¯s natural charm as sheid eyes on her.

    ¡°Yes, Marcellus is home. He is currently in a meeting with his mother. I have to say cidia, you have grown more beautiful since Ist saw you.¡±

    When cidia heard Aeliana was at the vi, she immediately felt like making a strategic retreat. Marcellus¡¯ mother was a frightening woman, even to the Emperor¡¯s sister. Despite the effort she had put into her appearance for this asion, cidia was quick to slink back towards the door as she attempted to make her escape.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Oh¡­ Aeliana is here? I will juste back some other time then¡­¡±

    However, before she could quietly abscond from the scene, Sigefrida hadtched onto the girl¡¯s forearm and stared at her with a chilling gaze.

    ¡°Please¡­. stay¡­ Marcellus will be down in a few moments.¡±

    Though neither of the two girls were telepathic, in that moment cidia could fully understand Sigefrida¡¯s thoughts, and that was simply.

    ¡®If I have to endure the bitch¡¯s presence, so do you¡­¡¯

    Thus, cidia let out a meek voice as the older woman dragged her off towards the dining hall where they waited for Marcellus¡¯ arrival. The two of them sat in awkward silence until they could hear the sound of an argument descending the staircase.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Mother, for thest time, you worry too much. I will be fine. Stilicho even said he will smooth things over with the Emperor for me.¡±

    The young General was quickly fleeing his mother¡¯s chase. The woman could sometimes drive him crazy with her incessant worrying. Aeliana was not far behind as she scolded her son for his naivety.

    ¡°You know as well as I do how that foolish boy treats you. The moment he hears you have involved yourself in a scandal, he will make an example of you. Even Stilicho can not prevent such a thing from urring!

    Aeliana was just about to curse the Emperor¡¯s name when she stepped into the dining hall and witnessed the man¡¯s younger sister sitting at the table with a confused expression on her face.

    ¡°Oh, cidia, I was not expecting your visit¡­ Please make yourself at home.¡±

    Despite her words, Aeliana was far from pleased with this urrence. It was bad enough that she had to monitor her son¡¯s activities with his ve, but now the other little harlot who was after her boy¡¯s heart was present. Marcellus did not even seem to notice the girl¡¯s intentions as he quickly approached cidia and hugged her.<sub></sub>

    ¡°cidia, it is nice to see you. Have you grown since thest time we met?¡¯

    cidia blushed when she heard this and nodded her head in silence. She always got tongue tied around Marcellus and hadmonly made a fool of herself while in his presence. The two of them had known each other for many years, and if anything, Marcellus considered the girl like a little sister to him. It took some careful untangling, but the girl managed to ask the question on her mind while she shared a tonic embrace with the man.

    ¡°Marcellus, have you gotten yourself into some trouble?¡±

    The young general immediately tried to dodge the question as he shifted his head to the side and released his grip.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. I¡¯m sure your brother will be lenient.¡±

    When cidia heard this, she scoffed before scolding Marcellus for his naivety.

    ¡°Marcellus, you know my brother is envious of you. No matter what minor offense you havemitted, he will do his best to punish you in a way that is truly degrading. Perhaps I can speak up on your behalf. Just what is it that has transpired?¡±

    The young General had a hard time admitting to the girl that always looked up to him that he had been captured by a group of peasant insurgents. However, ultimately, he mustered his courage and told the girl the truth.

    ¡°I may have been taken prisoner so that Sigefrida could avoid the same fate¡­¡±

    cidia immediately covered her mouth in shock. Being captured alive as a general was a great humiliation to Rome, but what Marcellus had done was worse. He had voluntarily be a hostage in exchange for a lowly ve¡¯s safety. When she heard this, she could not help but gaze at the woman in question with fury in her eyes.

    ¡°You let him do such a thing? What were you thinking? Do you have any idea what my brother will do to Marcellus when he finds out!?!¡±

    Sigefrida hung her head in shame. She had no response to this line of interrogation. Luckily cidia¡¯s wrath was immediately overtaken with concern for Marcellus¡¯ safety as she returned her gaze to the man.

    ¡°Marcellus, I know my brother. He will surely punish you severely for this. Stilicho can¡¯t help you. The moment Honorius learns you are the one responsible, he will do everything he can to humiliate you. Perhaps you should flee to Constantinople. I am sure my brother Arcadius would be more than happy to ept you into his service as a General!¡±

    When Marcellus heard the girl have such concern for him and his reputation, he smiled, while grabbing hold of her cheek with one of his palms. He shook his head as he denied the girl¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°I have no shame in what I have done. If Honorius seeks to make an example of me, then so be it. I do not care about my reputation so long as I can serve Rome faithfully. I could not live with myself if I fled the consequences of my actions. So long as he does not attempt to im my life, I will endure whatever cruelty your brother has nned for me.¡±

    Tears began to well up in cidia¡¯s eyes as shetched onto Marcellus like amprey. It was at this moment a knock resounded on the door, causing Sigefrida to leave the scene and open it. When she returned, there were several armed soldiers by her side. One of them pulled out a scroll and read from it.

    ¡°Titus udius Marcellus, you ware wanted for crimes against Rome, for your shameful actions which have brought dishonor to your Emperor. You are to be arrested and paraded through the streets of Rome.¡±

    Marcellus had a bitter smile as he submitted himself to the soldiers who carried away from his Vi in chains. cidia and Aeliana struggled to free him from his bondage, but it was to no avail. They were merely women, and were easily held back by the heavily armed guards as they took Marcellus from his home, and led him to the dungeons.

    While Marcellus was being led from his house in chains, Honorius stood on a rampart above and gazed upon the scene with a wicked smile on his face. He quickly took a sip from his chalice and chuckled as hemented on the whole situation.

    ¡°I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I knew one day you would slip up and do something foolish. It is time Marcellus, I hope you enjoy the punishment I have in store for you!¡±

    Thus, Marcellus was forced into the dungeons where he would await his sentence. As for his loved ones, while Aeliana and Sigefrida may not have much sway in the matter, cidia had nned to meet with her brother and do whatever was necessary to secure Marcellus¡¯ release.

 Chapter 23 Rebuking an Emperor

    In the city of Rome, its most promising young General currently lies in the depths of the city¡¯s dungeons. As he awaited the sentence for his alleged crimes, Marcellus was contained in a cell without the slightest hint of illumination. He sighed heavily as he sat alone in the darkness, reflecting on his previous bout of imprisonment.

    ¡°This is the second time I have been bound, chained, and covered in my own filth¡­¡±

    He made a vow at that moment that he would never again be in this position, no matter what he had to do to ensure his freedom. However, the bitter silence that purveyed in the darkness was eventually interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps and the glowing light that apanied them.

    In the end, a single man was standing before the young General¡¯s cage with a cruel smile on his face. When Marcellus gazed up at the poorly groomed appearance of the Emperor, he merely scoffed before speaking in a sarcastic tone.

    ¡°Oh joyous me, the Emperor himself hase to visit me in my final hours. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±

    It was obviously not Marcellus¡¯ final hours as he had not been sentenced to death, still the way he spoke took all the joy out of Honorius¡¯ face as he struggled to endure the insult he had suffered just now.

    ¡°You always were a smartass. Still, I¡¯d like to see you maintain that attitude of yours when I have you flogged naked in the streets.¡±<sub>.</sub>

    When Marcellus heard of the punishment Honorius had in store for him, he merely chuckled before responding in a simrly lighthearted tone.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to do that? I am pretty well endowed, and if you disy my manhood in front of the entire city, I can¡¯t tell you how many young women will be flocking to my bedside to aid in my healing. Perhaps I¡¯ll invite cidia to help tend to my wounds¡­¡±

    Honorius always found it difficult to endure Marcellus¡¯ snarky attitude, however when he heard the man threaten to drag his sister into his bed, he broke out into a fit of fury as hetched onto the bars of the cell, spiting profusely as he screamed at the prisoner.

    ¡°Watch your tongue! You are speaking to your emperor! Mention my sister¡¯s name again and I will have it removed!¡±

    Marcellus gazed arrogantly upon the poorly illuminated face of the young emperor. As always, he had a smug response as he toyed with the fool who presided over Rome over his poor choice of words.

    ¡°So I am free to speak of your sister so long as I don¡¯t mention her name? Understood!¡±<sub></sub>

    Upon hearing such nonsensee from Marcellus¡¯ mouth, Honorius desired nothing more than to bang his head on the iron bars of the cell. However, he restrained himself. Still, he was beginning to think it was a bad idea to visit Marcellus when he was in prison. After all, the man hard a sharp wit and a silver tongue. There was no way a fool like Honorius could beat him in a war of words. Having gazed upon the enraged expression on Honorius¡¯ lips, Marcellus smirked before inquiring about the main reason for the emperor¡¯s visit.

    ¡°Why are you here Honorius, could you really not wait a day to see me in all my glory? Or does it simply make you feel better about yourself to see men better than you bound in chains?¡±

    An ugly expression formed on Honorius¡¯ face as he heard this remark. He could not help butsh out emotionally at his General, rebuking him for his vilements.

    ¡°You think you¡¯re better than me?¡±

    Before Honorius could finish the rest of his statement, Marcellus nodded his head in silence, further instigating the rage in the emperor¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not! You¡¯re a lowly general, and if it weren¡¯t for Stilicho¡¯s protection, I would have gotten rid of you ages ago!¡±<sub></sub>

    Upon hearing this, Marcellus merely sighed before responding to Honorius¡¯ words.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯m just a lowly general, a boy who lost his father at a young age and worked my way up through the legions until I was a stood at the top. A man who ughtered the enemies of the Empire while youid on your sofa drinking wine and ying with your fucking chickens. Do you know why you despise me so much? Because I am everything you wish to be! Be honest with yourself. Who has done more for Rome, me or you?¡±

    Honorius merely scoffed when he heard this before attempting to refute Marcellus¡¯ grand ims.

    ¡°You think you have done so much for Rome? Then why would you stain our great civilization¡¯s honor by offering yourself as a prisoner in the ce of a lowly ve?¡±

    When Marcellus heard this question, he raised his brow before answering in a way that he knew would justify his actions without revealing his feelings for Sigefrida.

    ¡°Why? Because, unlike you Honorius, it is against my moral beliefs to enable wicked men and their dark desires. If I had handed over my ve to the Bagaudae, I would have been condemning her to a fate worse than death. I would rather die as a captive than be responsible for such evil.

    If our positions were reversed, and say your sister was being demanded as a prize for your safe passage, would you give her up? Of course you would, because a coward like you would sell your soul, let alone your ideals, if it meant buying yourself a few more years of your meaningless existence.¡±

    By now Honorius was so enraged that the iron bars of Marcellus¡¯ cell were rattling from the shaking of the emperor¡¯s body. He immediately called out to Marcellus in a threatening tone to remind him of his ce in this world.

    ¡°I could have you killed for speaking to me this way!¡±

    When Marcellus heard this, his smug expression reached a new level of arrogance as he nodded his head before speaking the words Honorius least wanted to hear.

    ¡°You could, but you won¡¯t¡­¡±

    The emperor did not even think of the trap that Marcellus hadid before him, and quickly spouted off the first thought that hade into his mind as if he was fundamentally incapable of thinking ahead.

    ¡°Oh yeah? And why is that?¡±

    It was at this point that Marcellus finally stood up from his position and hobbled over to the iron bars of his cell where he stood towering above the feeble emperor. With a smug expression on his face, he revealed the reason he could speak to Honorius in such a disrespectful manner while they were having a private discussion in the dark.

    ¡°Because even you realize that you need men like me to make you look somewhatpetent. Without me, and without Stilicho, the people of Rome who you treat as your nothing more than a means ofbor would realize what an inept, and foolish child you are, and would surely have your head on a spike within a fortnight.

    So you can act high and mighty all you want, but at the end of the day your reign, and your life, are secure because I kill your enemies for you. How do you repay me for my service? Deny me the glories I have earned and imprison me for a minor offense. For what purpose? To satisfy your petty jealousy! So unless you want your empire to crumble around you, I suggest you let me live, and allow me to do my fucking job¡­¡±

    The emperor was dumbstruck when he heard these words. He could not find a proper response. Everything Marcellus had said was true. While Stilicho may be the suprememander of western Rome¡¯s forces, they needed him in the Italian penins to ensure that the goths did not bare their fangs and invade at the first opportunity given.

    Aside from Marcellus, Rome had few generals beneath its banner who were capable enough, or loyal enough to put down Constantine¡¯s rebellion, and so long as Constantine remained a threat in Gaul, Honorius could not kill Marcellus, no matter how much he wanted to. Despite the poor treatment he had received at the hands of the Emperor, Marcellus was still fiercely loyal to the Theodosian dynasty, if not only because of his fondness for cidia.

    Thus, all Honorius could do was publically shame Marcellus for his defeat, and give him a good thrashing. He would not dare to actually remove the man¡¯s head, even if it was what he desired most at the moment. The only thing Honorius could do was withdraw himself from the dungeons in defeat, enraged by the verbal humiliation he had suffered at the hands of his prisoner. As for Marcellus the moment Honorius left the room, he sighed heavily.

    ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t have done that¡­ This will onlyplicate matters further.¡±

    With that said, Marcellus still remained a prisoner of the indolent emperor, and unless cidia could convince Honorius otherwise, he would have to walk through the streets naked, while being flogged as a punishment for his actions.

 Chapter 24 Negotiating on Behalf of a Prisoner

    Honorius stood within the confines of arge vi in the city of Rome. While he was in the ancient capital, he had chosen this as his ce of residence. He was outraged by the verbalshing he had just received from Marcellus. However, there was nothing he could do about it, as the man was right in everything he said.

    Honorius needed Marcellus to defeat his enemies for him. Without Marcellus, he would have to dispatch Stilicho beyond the Italian Penins, leaving it open for another Gothic invasion. It was because of this that the indolent emperor filled his chalice with wine and drowned his dread with alcohol.

    After the man was good and drunk, he heard a knock on the door, which he quickly answered, revealing the infuriated face of his younger half-sister. cidia was even more outraged at her brother¡¯s actions than Honorius was for Marcellus¡¯ words.

    She had every desire to p the man across the face, but feared the repercussions and thus stayed her hand. This did not mean, however, that she would not condemn her brother for what he had done. With a voice filled with righteous fury, the young woman berated her emperor for his petty jealousy.

    ¡°Honorius, you bastard! Why are you condemning Marcellus to such a cruel sentence? Has he done something to offend you? If so, you should really leave your personal conflicts out of your judicial decision. It is not a rational way to deal with things!¡±

    Honorius merely scoffed at his sister¡¯s words. Just who did this little bitch think she was? He was the Emperor of Rome and he could do what he damn well pleased to his prisoners. Thus, he was not willing to entertain cidia¡¯s pleas for mercy, and instead rebuked her with a hint of fury in his tone.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Marcellus is getting what he deserves for humiliating our Empire. It is one thing to pay the price of safe passage, but to willingly submit himself to those filthy peasants as their prisoner. That is unforgivable. He must answer for his crimes.¡±

    The young adolescent girl who was the Emperor¡¯s sister had a scowl on her pretty face. She could not believe her brother was being so unreasonable and quickly responded to his harsh statement with further indignation.

    ¡°Marcellus may have ruined his reputation by doing such a thing, but he had good reasons to do so! There is no reason to publically shame him!¡±

    When Honorius heard this, he took a sip from his chalice, not bothering to refute his sister¡¯s words. He had heard the young General¡¯s reasoning straight from his mouth, and he was not convinced. There was nobody so noble in this world that they would sacrifice themself for a lowly ve, simply because they feared what wicked deeds might be inflicted upon the poor soul. There was another reason for why Marcellus had behaved so foolishly, and Honorius was going to find out. Thus it came as a shock to cidia when he heard his question.

    ¡°What is Marcellus¡¯ rtionship with this ve? I refuse to believe he traded ces with her out of the goodness in his heart!¡±<sub></sub>

    Despite this being an opportunity for cidia to get rid of her romantic rival, she would never condemn Sigefrida to a fate worse than death. After all, she knew once her brother realized the position that the barbarian woman held in Marcellus¡¯ heart, he would do everything he could to tear them apart. Marcellus may be irreceable for the time being, but it was easy for Honorius to get rid of Sigefrida. Thus cidia deliberately lied to her brother as she responded with an ignorant facade.

    ¡°As far as I am aware, she is a simple house ve. There is nothing more between the two of them¡­¡±

    Honorius may be a drunken fool, but he knew his sister well. He knew she was lying to him about the rtionship between Marcellus and Sigefrida, but he was not willing to call it out. After all, he had no proof, and the girl had a wit sharper than his own. Instead, he drank the full contents of his chalice before responding to the young girl.

    ¡°I will figure out the truth sooner orter, and if I find out that you have lied to me, I will punish you severely. Don¡¯t think you are safe just because you are my sister.¡±

    With these words, cidia harrumphed as she crossed her arms in spite. She did not care what her brother might do to her, she only cared what happened to Marcellus. When she realized she was getting nowhere with her harsh attitude, she shifted to a simply tactic. Kneeling on the floor in front of her brother, cidia begged for mercy on behalf of Marcellus.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Please, brother, spare him. He does not deserve such humiliation¡­¡±

    The emperor could not believe his ears. He quickly gazed towards his sister with a look of disdain etched across his face. The girl had begun to cry, whether her tears were real or not he did not know, but they did not have the slightest effect on his ckened heart. He could only respond in a manner which greatly outraged the young woman.

    ¡°Marcellus deserves everything that¡¯sing to him, and more. That bastard actually had the nerve to speak such venom to me. It is clear that he is too prideful, and so it is time someone teaches him some humility. As his Emperor, the duty falls to me!¡±

    cidia gazed upon her brother in shock. It was at this moment she realized the fool must have visited Marcellus in prison and received a thorough verbal thrashing. She knew her brother well. He was about as dull as a hammer, and despite this thought, he was the most brilliant mind in the Empire. It was at this moment a smug expression appeared on cidia¡¯s face as she wiped the tears from her eyes. The girl urately guessed the reason that Marcellus was so furious.

    ¡°You spoke to him, didn¡¯t you? Let me guess, things did not go as well as you thought they would? Oh brother, you should really know better than to start a war of words with someone smarter than you¡­¡±

    cidia¡¯s words had pierced the Emperor¡¯s heart. He could no longer contain his fury after being mocked by both Marcellus and his own sister. He quickly turned around and backhanded the girl across the face, causing her to stare at him in shock. Honorius quickly followed up with an insult to the girl as he condemned her for her words.

    ¡°You will not speak to me in such a manner! If you fancy Marcellus so much, perhaps you would like to share his humiliation. Another word out of you and I will march you through the streets right next to your lover!¡±

    The emperor¡¯s sister felt incredibly wronged by her brother¡¯s merciless actions and broke out into tears once more while she ran away from his vi. She left behind her true thoughts on the man as she fled the scene.

    ¡°I hate you!¡±

    Honorius merely scowled before sitting down on his sofa and reflected on the two conversations he had just endured. His own sister was willing to side with that bastard. It truly enraged him to the core of his being.

    ¡°Stupid bitch, she should know better than to meddle in my affairs! If she wasn¡¯t my sister, I would have her killed for her insolence!¡±

    Suddenly a slithering voice interrupted his train of thought, as a middle-aged man entered the room. This man was none other than Olympius, who was a close advisor to the Emperor. He quickly spoke of caution as his venomous words poisoned Honorius¡¯s foolish mind.

    ¡°I would advise against that¡­ Though cidia¡¯s words were harsh, she is young, and is bound to rebel against your rule. It is not something you should take to heart. In time, she will mature and wille to know that you are right. Rather, you should focus your attention on Marcellus. After all, he is the one challenging your authority.

    This punishment you have in mind for Marcellus is only the beginning. The people will lose faith in his ability tomand Rome¡¯s forces after we march him through the streets naked. When that happens, his influence will wane, and the morale of the troops beneath hismand will shatter. Soon his performance will drop, and he will no longer be able to maintain the support of the people. It is then that you can finally be rid of him and the threat he poses to your reign!¡±

    Honorius sat on his sofa while pouring himself another cup of wine. He gazed into its thick red liquid with a cruel smile on his face. Olympius was right. He needed to get rid of Marcellus, and this act of humiliation was only the first step on his path towardspleting this goal. Thus, after reflecting on his advisor¡¯s words, he nodded his head in agreement.

    ¡°You speak the truth Olympius, when the people lose faith in Marcellus, and his troops turn against him, I can finally im his head. That bastard has been a thorn in my side for too long.¡±

    Olympius nodded his head with a sinister smile on his face. While Honorius was focused on getting rid of Marcellus purely out of jealousy, his advisor had far grander ns. Marcellus was a small fry and held little influence outside of the military. If Olympius truly wanted to control the foolish emperor, he would need to get rid of his guardian first. Stilicho had to die, and getting rid of Marcellus was the first step to aplish this feat.

    Thus, Honorius was ying right into the hands of a vile serpent, who whispered venomous words into the fool¡¯s ears, poisoning his mind against his greatest allies. Neither Marcellus nor Stilicho were aware of the conspiracy to im their lives.

 Chapter 25 An Act of Humiliation

    The night hade and pass, and in the dawn of the following day Marcellus stood within the city of Rome, bound, chained, and naked. He was not the slightest bit ashamed of his actions, nor his appearance, as he noticed the lustful gazes the women of the ancient capital were giving him. With a slight wink, he immediately gained the favor of many young women, who he knew would be d to help ¡°mend¡± his wounds after his sentence had been fulfilled.

    Such a shameful response to his predicament caused the men in the crowd to cry out in fury. Many of their wives and daughters had been staring at the chiselled and scarred body of the Roman General since the moment the guards stripped him of his clothes.

    ¡°Traitor!¡±

    ¡°Scum!¡±

    The men in the crowd hurled their insults while the women said a silent prayer for his safety. After all, the effect of thesh could easily kill a man if he endured too many. Honorius gazed upon the scene with a wicked smile on his face as he issued the sentence to begin.

    ¡°Titus udius Marcellus, for bringing humiliation to the Glory of Rome, I hereby sentence you to walk in shame towards the cathedral at the lower level of the city, and repent to the lord God Almighty for your crimes.¡±

    Marcellus gazed back upon Honorius with a smug smirk on his face, spitting on the floor as if to taunt the Emperor, whose face darkened when he witnessed such an unseemly sight. As for cidia, she was standing by her brother¡¯s side, struggling to keep her eyes away from Marcellus¡¯ lower half. After all, it was her first time seeing such a thing. When the emperor noticed this, he frowned before issuing the order tomence the sentence.

    With the wave of a hand, the guards who escorted Marcellus pulled back their whips before leaving a violentsh on the defeated General¡¯s back. The sting of the leather strips as they yed the flesh from his bones nearly brought Marcellus to his knees, however he simply gritted his teeth and endured the process as he marched forward in the streets.

    As he passed by the uneducated plebeians, they continued to hurl their insults while tossing refuse at him, staining his body with filth. Every few steps, the crack of the whip resounded in the air, and blood spilled onto the stone streets of Rome.

    At a certain point, Marcellus passed by his vi, where Sigefrida and Aeliana stared at him in disbelief. They never thought that Honorius would make him pay such a heavy price for his mistakes. Sigefrida could feel the icy gaze that her master¡¯s mother was giving her from behind, as if the woman med her for this unfortunate event.<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus gazed upon his ve and mother and simply smiled. However, in the next moment, the whip stripped more flesh from his back, causing the man to grimace in pain. He could not keep up the facade for long, and thus he continued his walk of shame. Sigefrida had every urge to rush forward and rescue her master when she saw such cruelty inflicted upon him, but Aeliana stopped her by grabbing hold of her wrist and pping her across the face.

    ¡°You dumb bitch! He is in this mess because of you. If you try to interfere, you will only worsen his sentence! Learn to use your fucking brain!¡±

    A red palm print stained itself upon the barbarian women¡¯s otherwise wless appearance as she welled up in tears. She could not believe she had caused such suffering to her master. The poor girl had every instinct to jump upon Marcellus¡¯ sword, and pay for his sins with her own life. However, such a thing would only bring him grief, and she could not allow it.

    Eventually Marcellus reached the doors of the Cathedral, where was by now stained in blood and filth. The priests of the chapel washed him down before they allowed him entry. After kneeling down at the altar, he said a simple prayer, not to the Christian God, but to his personal deity, Sol Invictus.

    ¡°My god, the unconquered sun, please give me the strength to endure what is toe, and lead my people to glory!¡±

    He said the prayer in such a low voice that nobody could tell he was worshipping a pagan deity in the house of the Lord. After doing so, he had finished his sentence before copsing onto the floor of the chapel in a pool of his own blood.

    Several days passed before Marcellus awoke, lying face down in his own bed. The wounds on his back were covered in medicinal herbs and wrapped in linen. By now, the bleeding had stopped, and he had begun to heal. Though he was still in immense pain, he gazed over at the side of his bed to see Sigefrida and cidia kneeling by the bed. There were also a few other young women who he did not recognize. Evidently, they were skilled in healing, as they were the wounds who fixed him up after his walk of shame.

    cidia was the first to speak when she noticed the man had opened his eyes.

    ¡°Marcellus! I¡¯m so happy that you are okay!¡±<sub></sub>

    She quickly grasped hold of his hand, which brought a warm smile to his face. He felt as if he had died and entered Elysium. However, he soon realized he was within his own bedroom. Causing him to raise from his slumber. The grimace on his face quickly caused cidia and Sigefrida to push him back down while the barbarian beauty chastised him for his recklessness.

    ¡°Lie down, you fool! Your wounds still have yet to fully heal!¡±

    When Marcellus heard this, he did as he was instructed and lied back down with an awkward smile. He decided to ease the awkward atmosphere with a joke.

    ¡°If I knew all it took was a severeshing to get the two of you to join me in bed, I would have done so a long time ago¡­¡±

    cidia flushed red when she heard this, and tried to cover her embarrassment, but it was no use: Marcellus had seen it and snickered in response. As for Sigefrida, she flicked him on the forehead before lecturing the man on his choice of words.

    ¡°Marcellus, you shouldn¡¯t have such a filthy mouth in front of a young maiden. Don¡¯t you have any shame?¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus merely chuckled before sighing heavily.

    ¡°Evidently not¡­¡±

    The barbarian beauty could only pout as she heard such a shameless remark. The atmosphere immediately became awkward once more while both women struggled toe up with a light-hearted topic to switch to. That is until Aeliana bust through the door with tears of joy in her eyes.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Marcellus, you¡¯re awake!¡±

    The general¡¯s mother quickly rushed towards her son,pletely forgetting about his wounds as she hugged him tightly, causing him to grunt in pain. The moment she heard this, she dropped her embrace with a worried expression on her face.

    ¡°Marcellus, I¡¯m sorry I-¡°

    However, before she could finish her sentence, the young general raised a single finger to his mother¡¯s lips and silenced her.

    ¡°I know¡­¡±

    After saying this, he shifted his gaze over to his favorite ve.

    ¡°Sigefrida, would you be so kind as to fetch me some wine? I am feeling rathe parched. Take the others with you¡­¡±

    The Suebi ve would never disobey amand from her master and quickly rose from her kneeling position while nodding her head.

    ¡°Yes, Dominus.¡±

    She quickly fled the room with the other girls, who had been looking over him in search of something to quench her master¡¯s thirst. When they were out of earshot, Marcellus sat on the edge of his bed and gazed over at cidia before interrogating her about the Emperor.

    ¡°I know that idiot brother of yours won¡¯t let me off with a mere walk of shame. What have you heard from him since my sentence?¡±

    cidia had an anxious expression on her face as she revealed what little info she had.

    ¡°As far as I know, he seems to be satisfied with your punishment, but I don¡¯t trust him. I have never known that fool to be so merciful. I don¡¯t know what you said to him in the dungeons, but he is not happy with you. From his tone of voice, I fear he might be conspiring against you¡­¡±

    Upon hearing such a thing, Marcellus scoffed. No matter what Honorius¡¯ plots may be, the man was a fool and could not easily harm him. Thus, he had a confident tone in his voice as he condemned the emperor in front of his little sister.

    ¡°Honorius is too much of an idiot to seed in whatever simple-minded schemes he may be able to conceive in that addled brain of his.¡±

    cidia could not tolerate Marcellus¡¯ arrogance and instantly flicked him on his forehead before educating him on the severity of the situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my brother that I¡¯m worried about. It is that snake Olympius. I don¡¯t know what conspiracy those two devils are plotting behind your back, but whatever it may be, it does not bode well for you¡­¡±

    The moment Marcellus heard Olympius was involved in the foolish emperor¡¯s schemes, he realized things were more dire than he had initially thought. Marcellus had been to the court in Ravenna enough times to know that the man was not to be trifled with. Thus, he could only rely on cidia to inform him about their movements.

    ¡°cidia¡­ I know this may be too much to ask of you, but can you watch your brother and his advisor for me? I don¡¯t need you to do anything treasonous. Just keep an ear out for whatever they may be plotting against me.¡±

    The naive girl immediately nodded her head with a smile when she heard this, not realizing that Marcellus had just asked her to spy on the emperor on his behalf.

    ¡°Of course, if I hear anything that might threaten you, I will let you know!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marcellus sighed in relief before patting the girl¡¯s dyed blonde hair. He uttered a word of caution before sending her on her way.

    ¡°Whatever you do, you must ensure that Honorius and Olympius never find out about this. I fear what they may do to you if they were to notice your eavesdropping.¡±

    The girl once more nodded her head with a pretty smile on her face.

    ¡°You can count on me, Marcellus!¡±

    After saying this, the girl left the young general alone with his mother. Completely unaware that she was now acting as a spy on behalf of the man.

 Chapter 26 Fall From Grace

    Weeks passed, and in that time, Marcellus focused on healing from his wounds. Thesh of the whip was no joke. Many had died from the infections that came with such a brutal punishment. Luckily, Marcellus was a wealthy man, and could easily afford the best healers to tend to his ailment.

    Having spent most of his time lying in bed, Marcellus was quite antsy when he could finally walk around as if he were a spry man in the prime of his youth. Though the carved flesh on his back had scarred, the sting of the whip remained in some phantom capacity. Still, as a man who had suffered grievous injuries on the field of battle, Marcellus was well ustomed to the pain, and walked around as if it did not even bother him.

    It became increasingly clear in the days following his sentence that Marcellus¡¯ reputation was thoroughly ruined. The people of Rome were quick to turn on him, and why wouldn¡¯t they? Most human beings had short memories, and would not recollect the past glories a man had achieved, instead they would dwell on his more recent losses. Such petty creatures were quick to condemn the man they once heralded as their defender.

    It was because of this social istion from both the plebeian and patrician circles that Marcellus had holed up in his manor. Using the brief time the emperor had given him to heal from his wounds as a sort of vacation. He knew it was only a matter of time before Honorius dispatched him to some battlefield. After all, he was one of the few men capable of defeating Rome¡¯s many enemies.

    At the moment, Marcellus was dining on a fine meal cooked by Sigefrida. Though he had several ves, the barbarian beauty was undoubtedly his favorite of the bunch, and the only one he trusted to cook his meals. As for his mother, she had returned to her vi after ensuring that her son was on the road to recovery. Leaving the boy in the tender care of his many ves.

    While Marcellus ate the food that Sigefrida had prepared for him, another one of his ves, who was a young Assyrian girl, walked into the dining hall with a man in tow. The girl had a sheepish expression on her face as she tried to introduce the man to her master. However, before she could do so, the stranger proudly strode forward and stood before Marcellus with a look of disdain on his face.<sub>.</sub>

    Though Marcellus did not recognize the man, he could clearly see that he was a member of the Roman Army by the uniform he was dressed in. In particr, he was a messenger most likely sent by the Emperor himself. Despite Marcellus¡¯ superior position, the man did not put on airs, and instead gazed at the young general with disgust before handing him a scroll.

    ¡°These are orders from the Emperor himself. You have been re-assigned, the information about your new post is contained in the scroll. If that is all, I will be leaving.¡±

    Marcellus did not bother wasting his time correcting the man¡¯s ill manners, and simply nodded his head, allowing the man to depart from his vi in peace. After the door shut behind the messenger, Marcellus scrolled through the message before tossing it aside with a heavy sigh. Sigefrida could immediately tell that it was not good news and immediately moved tofort his master.

    ¡°Dominus, is everything alright?¡±

    The young general shook his head with a bitter smile on his face. Though expected further retaliation from Honorius, he did not expect the man to go this far. He could hardly look his ve in the eyes as he admitted the reality of his situation.<sub></sub>

    ¡°I¡¯ve been reassigned¡­¡±

    Obviously, he had been reassigned, as the messenger had tantly said such a thing before departing. However, this did not exin the grim look on her master¡¯s face. Thus, Sigefrida tried to get to the root of the problem as she wore an optimistic smile.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s no surprise, your army suffered heavy casualties in Gaul. It makes sense that Honorius would assign you to anotheritatenses. It can¡¯t be that bad. Which unit are you now in charge of?¡±

    Unknowingly, the barbarian beauty had added salt to the mortal blow that Marcellus had just been given by the Emperor¡¯s hand. He struggled to keep his emotions in check as he tried to exin the depth of his current circumstances to his beloved ve.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, he hasn¡¯t given memand of aitatenses, he has tasked me with leading the limitanei on the borders of Illyricum!¡±<sub></sub>

    Sigefrida reacted in shock, and rightfully so. The limitanei were second-rate frontier soldiers who lived, fought, and died on the borders of the empire. Initially they had started out as professional soldiers, but by now they were part-timers who spent more time farming the fields than they did in battle. Whenpared to the General¡¯s past glories of leading the Ptini, this was considered a major fall from grace.

    Due to the dire financial situation of the Empire, Marcellus¡¯ previous army was already considered under-equipped and undertrained. However, whenpared to his new troops, the veterans of the ptini were practically special forces in terms of the quality of equipment and training. To go from leading the Empire¡¯s greatest forces to being a glorified border guard was an enormous p to the face, and a waste of Marcellus¡¯ talents.

    Sigefrida could hardly believe her master¡¯s words and quickly nced at the message to make sure the man was not pulling a prank on her. The moment she read its contents, her expression sank just as Marcellus¡¯ had. She immediately protested the order with all the fury in her heart.

    ¡°Has he gone mad? cing you in control of a bunch of farmers? You are one of Rome¡¯s greatest generals, and he tasks you with leading some pissant frontier fort on the borders of Illyricum? Who will lead the forces against the usurper? This is outright insanity!¡±

    Marcellus could only click his tongue in his displeasure as he thought about what this meant for his career. It was clear that Honorius intended to have him waste away on the frontier along the borders of the Eastern Roman Empire. The only way he could now climb back to his previous glory was to win a major battle on the frontier against overwhelming odds. Such a thing was unlikely with the quality of troops he was now givenmand of.

    It was because of this that the young general was visibly enraged, and had practically begun to shout as he condemned the Emperor for his eternal foolishness.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see? The fool doesn¡¯t care about Rome. He would rather watch it burn in the background while acting upon his petty jealousy, then put a capable man who he hates in charge of his armies. I always knew Honorius was an idiot, barely capable of stringing a coherent thought together, but this, this is utter madness!¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus nced over towards Sigefrida and noticed she was nodding her head in agreement. She had an anxious expression on her face, as she suspected Marcellus might do something foolish. Obviously, she could not hold her thoughts back and quickly questioned her master.

    ¡°What do you intend to do about this?¡±

    No matter how furious Marcellus was about his current orders, he had no choice but to obey them. Thus, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves as he rubbed his temples before answering the woman¡¯s question.

    ¡°What can I do? I will ride to the borders of Illyricum and defend thend from whatever threat may appear. The emperor has given me an order, and no matter how foolish such an order is, I must obey it¡­¡±

    If there was one good thing that came from this whole ordeal is that it would give Marcellus time to experiment with the device he had previously seen in his dreams. Perhaps if he could create these so-called stirrups, he could raise a substantial cavalry force at a fraction of the cost it would take to normally do so. Against the threats on the horizon, such a thing was truly his only hope, as he doubted he could ce his faith in the part-time soldiers who would now be beneath hismand.

    Sigefrida, on the other hand, was extremely worried about Marcellus¡¯ new position. The frontier troops were exactly as they sounded, the first line of defense against the myriad of threats on Rome¡¯s borders. Undertrained, and under-equipped, Marcellus would soon find himself knee deep in the blood of Romans and Barbarians alike.

    Compared to the lofty arrangement he had previously had, her master would now be living in a state of constant danger. Yet there was nothing they could do. The emperor¡¯s orders were absolute. Thus, Marcellus prepared himself for the long trek to the eastern borders of the Western Roman Empire.

 Chapter 27 Arriving at the Border

    Marcellus had departed from the city of Rome several weeks ago, with only a single ve in tow. He would soon arrive at the province of Raetia, where he would live under constant threat from the barbarian hordes. He had been demoted from a leader of the Emperor¡¯s pce troops to a frontier general.

    While much of the Empire was suffering from countless threats, the Italian penins was still somewhat safe to travel. Though asional brigands and raiders would appear. Thus, Marcellus had been dispatched with a small contingent of soldiers to protect him on his journey to the Frontier Town of Castra Regina.

    Eventually, the young general could see the township on in the distance and noticed it was a far cry from where he was used to living. Unlike the city of Rome, which was protected by the mighty Aurelian Walls, the majority of the Frontier Town waspletely unprotected. The only real area of defense was a small stronghold in the center of the vige.

    The rest of the buildings outside this military structure appeared to be nothing more than farmhouses, whose fields appeared to bergely unfertile. If Marcellus was considered a fieldmander of a massive army in the past, he was now more akin to a feudal lord, presiding over a small town on the borders of the realm. Not only was his job to secure the region from potential threats, but he also had to make sure everything ran as smoothly as possible.

    If this area wasn¡¯t such a turbulent region whosends had been ravaged by past wars, and whose borders were surrounded by barbarians, then perhaps Marcellus might consider it afortable position. Goths, Vandals, and other barbarian tribes existed outside his borders, or at least in such proximity that they could be an immediate threat.

    Marcellus strode into the township on horseback, where he noticed several members of his new Army being derelict in their duties. Unlike the men in his previous army, the majority of these part-time soldierscked any form of bodily protection, and only a handful of men had helmets. After all, they had to pay for such luxuries out of their own pocket. Thus, only the most veteran troops could afford a helmet, let alone a mail shirt.

    When these men saw the proud Roman General on horseback, they immediately halted their activities, and saluted the man while gazing upon the mighty scale armor that adorned Marcellus¡¯ chest with envy. Not only did he have a protective vest, but he also wore a gilded helmet, with a proud red plume which acted as a symbol of his authority.<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus instantly noticed the jealousy in the eyes of the soldiers, but he simply ignored it. After all, the men quickly shifted their gaze onto Sigefrida, who wrapped her arms behind him as she rode on the back of Marcellus¡¯ horse. Sigefrida acted with indifference as she noticed the lustful gazes that nced upon her.

    Instead, she focused her gaze on the vi within the stronghold. It was a decrepit old building that clearly had not seen maintenance in some time. The Barbarian beauty sighed heavily as she gazed upon the quarters she and her master would stay in for the foreseeable future.

    After riding through the gates of the small stronghold, Marcellus made his way to the vi. He hopped off the horse before helping Sigefrida down from her position. As soon as he was safe and secure within the stronghold, the Commander of his retinue dismounted from his steed and kneeled before Marcellus with a solemn expression on his face.

    ¡°General, it has been the highest honor serving you. I must say it is my greatest misfortune that we must part ways here. Unfortunately, we have all been reassigned to another position. We weren¡¯t even supposed to protect you on your journey. I just want you to know that we have not forgotten the sacrifices you have made for us, and the soldiers of Rome stand behind you should you ever require our aid.¡±

    Marcellus gazed at the man with a cold expression on his face. He said nothing, for he could say nothing. He knew exactly what the man was implying, but if he were to even nod his head in silence, it could be considered an act of treason. Instead, he responded with in an indifferent tone before dismissing the cavalrymander.

    ¡°You are dismissed. I will pray to my god that you are victorious in all your endeavors¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    Themander of the cavalry said nothing more, instead he mounted his horse and led his soldiers off and back towards the city of Rome where he would regroup with his new unit. After he and his soldiers had made some distance, themander gazed back on the small frontier fort and uttered a few words beneath his breath.

    ¡°Such a waste¡­¡±

    After saying this, he continued on his journey. As for Marcellus, he had marched into the derelict vi, and gazed upon its poor state of astonishment. If he had known it would be in such a neglected condition, he would have brought more ves with him. After saying this, he realized what he needed to do. Reaching into his coin purse, the general handed a fewrge gold coins to his ve.

    ¡°Go to the town market and see if you can find a few ves for sale. I don¡¯t want you to have to clean this mess by yourself. If anyone tries toy a hand on you, tell them you are the personal ve for the new Dux, and if they dare to harm you, I will have their head.¡±

    Sigefrida silently nodded her head in response to her master¡¯s orders and quickly departed from the decaying vi. She rushed out of the fortress and into the nearby town. The streets were nothing more than loose dirt, not even paved with stone.

    As for the buildings, they were as worn as the manor, if not more so. It was abundantly clear that this town was in an impoverished state. She immediately wondered if Honorius had deliberately selected the worst frontier town for Marcellus to rule over.<sub></sub>

    The moment Sigefrida entered the town, she caught the eyes of many men. She was quite obviously a barbarian, and a ve at that. Yet she was among the most beautiful women these frontier folk had everid eyes on.

    Normally Sigefrida did not care about such improper nces, however a particrly hideous bald and fat man approached her with a few goons following behind. These thugs had set their eyes on the woman since they saw her riding on the back of Marcellus¡¯ horse.

    ¡°Hey pretty woman, you seem to be new in town. How about I show you around?¡±

    Despite her internal disgust, Sigefrida wore a polite expression as she declined the man¡¯s offer.

    ¡°There is no need. I am simply here to buy a couple of ves, and then I will return to the castra. My dominus is waiting for me¡­¡±

    The man did not seem pleased with this response and immediately grabbed hold of Sigefrida¡¯s forearm as if he was going to force her to follow him.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to insist¡­¡±

    Despite his fierce grip, Sigefrida managed to pull her arm away from therge man and instantly threatened him, as she had been instructed to do so.

    ¡°I am the personal ve of the new Dux. If you wish to remain a member of the living, I highly suggest you back off!¡±

    A nearby guard raised his brow when he heard these words. He immediately walked towards the public disy of hostility with the intent of interfering. However, before he could do so, one of the other soldiers by his side tried to stop him, shaking his head before reminding him of the position that the fat man held in the vige.

    ¡°Betto may be a fat, disgusting pile of puss, but you know who he is! If you get on his bad side, your family will go hungry when winteres¡­¡±

    While the soldier warned hisrade of the consequences of messing with the fat man, arge p resounded in the air. Sigefrida had be annoyed by Betto¡¯s egregious behavior and swatted him, leaving a small red handprint on his face. With a dominating presence that should not belong to a ve, the Suebi beauty condemned the man in front of the whole town.

    ¡°Scoundrel! I will have your head for this!¡±

    Evidently, the man had groped her chest, which caused the woman to respond with such fury. However, Betto¡¯s face immediately darkened as he gazed upon the proud ve with a hint of hatred in his dark eyes. Just when he was about to retaliate, the soldier stepped forward and unleashed his de with a murderous aura.

    ¡°Betto, stay you hand if you wish to keep it. This is the Dux¡¯s ve, and no harm shalle to her without his permission. If you resist, I am afraid I will have to bring you before the man himself¡­¡±

    Therge man named Betto spat on the ground in disgust. A man in his position did not fear a mere Dux. In fact, without Betto, many of the citizens would starve to death every winter. He dared to see how this new General would punish him.

    ¡°Ordius? You dare stand in my way? You should think twice if you want to survive the winter.¡±

    The soldier named Ordius did not sheath his de, nor did he back away in fear. There was only a single reason that wouldpel an average part-time soldier to stick up for the ve of a disgraced general. That was because, unlike his brothers in arms, he recognized the Marcellus the moment he first arrived in the vige.

    If he did not oppose Betto now, then many heads would roll should the fat man have his way with the beautiful ve. Thus, a showdown had begun to take ce in the middle of the small border town. One that could have serious consequences on the people who lived there.

 Chapter 28 Assuming Control

    Gaius Licinius Ordius gazed upon the fat old thug with a look of disdain across his scarred face. Under normal circumstances, he would simply ignore Bettos¡¯s criminal activities, as the man had significant control over the town¡¯s resources. However, things were different this time.

    The woman he was trying to force to apany him and his band of thugs was no mere ve, but the personal property of a man that Ordius deeply feared and respected. Thus he held his sword at the ready, prepared to engage in mortal conflict with the band of thugs if it meant saving the town from Marcellus¡¯ wrath.

    ¡°I will give you one final warning Betto, stay your hand or you will lose it! I am not afraid to fight to the death for this woman¡¯s safety!¡±

    Sigefrida gazed towards the young man, who had stood up for her with aplicated expression on her pretty lips. The soldier¡¯s voice and appeared seemed familiar, but she could not quite identify him. However, before she coulde to a conclusion, the fat and bald man named Betto broke out intoughter as he pulled out a dagger and held it to Sigefrida¡¯s neck.

    ¡°You think I am afraid of you? This woman is my hostage. If you dare to take one step closer, I will cut her throat!¡±

    When Ordius saw such a shameless action, he gritted his teeth in frustration. He did not expect the man to be so foolish. If he did not save Sigefrida from this unscrupulous merchant and his band of thugs, then he knew the entire town would bleed. He had no other option but to try and reason with the man.

    ¡°Betto, you fool! Do you have any idea whose woman that is?¡±

    Betto merely smirked when he heard this before rebuking the brave soldier.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if she is the Dux¡¯s bitch, so long as she is within this town, if I want her, nobody can stop me!¡±

    Ordius was about to challenge the man¡¯s im when a voice interrupted him. Although this voice sounded calm on the surface, there was a hint of fury contained deep within its pronunciation.

    ¡°Oh really? Are you challenging my authority as the Dux of Castra Regina? You are quite bold to take my ve hostage. I swear to you that should you harm a hair on that woman¡¯s head, I will personally y the flesh from your bones.¡±

    The bald fat man immediately gazed over at the man who spoke these words. To his surprise, the new Dux had arrived in person. The man stood behind Ordius d in his armor, with his helmet removed and clutched under his arm. There was a stern expression on his face as he gazed upon Betto with a hint of disdain in his eyes. Before Betto could respond to the general¡¯s im, Marcellus snapped his fingers and gave out his orders to the nearby garrison.

    ¡°Shield Wall!¡±

    Though the Roman Soldiers of the limitanei were initially hesitant to interfere on behalf of the ve. However, the moment their new general gave the order, they quickly followed their instructions. While they may not be the elites of the roman army, they still had spears, and shields which they quickly surrounded Beto and his group of thugs with.

    The ugly fat man was practically sweating blood as he gazed upon the Roman soldiers, who now surrounded him with no way out. Though he deeply desired to partake of the flesh that belonged to this barbarian beauty, ultimately he was forced to release her, where the woman quickly fled to her master¡¯s arms.<sub></sub>

    Ordius immediately sighed in relief when he saw that the situation had been handled without bloodshed. However, before he could truly catch his breath, a shocking order was dered by the new Dux.

    ¡°Kill them!¡±

    The soldiers whoposed of Marcellus¡¯ army gazed upon their new general with wary expressions. If they killed Betto now, there was now way they would be able to import the grain necessary to feed their families when winter came.

    After all, Betto was a ck market dealer who imported food and resold it at exorbitant prices. However, despite these immoral actions, the people of Castra Regina relied on his products for survival during the harsher seasons. When Betto saw the unwillingness of the Roman soldiers to take his life, he broke out into a fit ofughter before condemning Marcellus as a fool in front of the whole town.

    ¡°You see! You may hold the title of Dux, but the people in this town rely on me to feed them. Without me, many of these soldiers of yours will starve when winteres. I can do whatever I want in this town and nobody can stop me!¡±

    Marcellus red at his soldiers with a furious expression. Refusing to follow his orders was a death sentence. Normally, he would have all these men flogged before being beaten to death for insubordination. He was about to assert his dominance over the soldiers when Ordius interrupted him. Ordius tried to convince Marcellus to be reasonable, no matter how much he despised Betto the man was needed for the town¡¯s survival.

    ¡°Sir, with all due respect, you should be lenient. He didn¡¯t harm your girl, and what he said is true.¡±<sub></sub>

    When Marcellus finally gazed upon the face of the man who stepped forward to defend his ve, he had a hard time believing his eyes. However, once he realized this man¡¯s identity, a wicked grin curled itself upon his lips before making his intention clear.

    ¡°Ordius, since when have you ever known me to be merciful?¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus intimidated his men into action. He gazed upon the soldiers of the limitanei and issued his decree.

    ¡°If you refuse to follow my orders, I will have to resort to the ancient right of decimation. Choose now to live as soldiers under mymand, or find yourselves beaten to death by your brothers in arms!¡±

    Decimation was an ancient ritual that had fallen out of practice centuries ago. By now, it was extremely umon. Despite this, such action was still fully within Marcellus¡¯ ability to abuse. The practice of decimation was usually used as a punishment for a unit who had deserted from the field of battle. Though it could also be enacted upon a rebellious troop.

    The moment the Roman soldiers heard they would be forced to endure decimation, they immediately found their resolve to do asmanded. Without a second of hesitation, the soldiers thrust their spears forward and into the bodies of Betto and his thugs.

    The confidant smirk on the fat man¡¯s face immediately vanished when a spear head protruded through the back of his heart. Reced entirely with an expression of disbelief. Had he really been killed over such a petty matter?

    Such were thest thoughts of the unscrupulous merchant known as Betto. The moment he fell to the ground as a lifeless corpse, the vigers who had gathered to witness the scene jeered towards their new Dux.

    ¡°You bastard! You have killed us all!¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to feed my children when winteres?¡±

    However, despite the fury of the mob, Marcellus immediately calmed their growing wrath as he assured them they would not starve.

    ¡°People of Castra Regina, I do not know how the previous Dux of thisnd handled his affairs, but I promise you that under my leadership, no man, woman, or child who lives within the confines of my territory shall starve.

    Even if I have to resort to buying grain from other viges, I will ensure that you are all well fed by the time winteres. Men like this are scum of the earth who have bled this vige dry. You are all better out without them!¡±

    Though the people knew Betto had been sucking the marrow from their bones, they had no choice but to pay the hefty price if they wished to survive. However, this new Dux imed he would ensure they were well fed. If he could not live up to his ims, there would certainly be riots.

    For now, the people of Castra Regina ced their trust in the man, as they calmed their wrath and returned to their homes. They would like to see just how the new Dux performed before they resorted to violence. As for Marcellus, he gazed towards Ordius, who was sweating like a pig in heat, and smiled at the man before greeting him.

    ¡°I never thought I would have run into you here, of all ces. You have changed¡­¡±

    Ordius bowed his head with respect to the General before responding to the man.

    ¡°I have you to thank for that. If you had not punished me so severely, I would probably be a corpse by now or worse¡­ a ve. Much has changed in the years since I served beneath yourmand, I must say it is an honor to follow you once more, General¡­¡±

    Marcellus gazed into the distance towards the city of Rome as he wrapped his arm around Sigefrida¡¯s shoulders. He nodded his head before uttering the words in his mind.

    ¡°Much has changed indeed¡­¡±

    With this, Marcellus had uprooted a criminal element of his town and had disyed his authority as the Dux of the region. In theing days, he would work to restore the town to its former glory while building his army.

    If there was one thing Marcellus could be thankful for about this new position was the fact that he had absolute control over the region. Perhaps here on the edges of the world, he could build an army that even the mighty legions of the principate would admire.

 Chapter 29 Changing the Course of Warfare

    After ying the corrupt merchant and his band of thugs, Marcellus was quick to purchase a few ves to help restore his vi. His actions, while brutal, had secured his position as the leader of the stronghold and the vige that surrounded it. Weeks had passed following these events, and the Vi that Marcellus stayed in was fully restored to its former glory.

    During this time, Marcellus had been busy overseeing the training of his new army. It became abundantly clear very quickly that these part-time warriors were severelycking in physical fitness, protective equipment, and even the fundamentals ofbat that made a unit strong.

    Every day after the soldiers finished their work in the fields, Marcellus would host a training session where the men were forced to do pushups, situps, pullups, and squats. They were also required to do a five-mile run, with rucksacks that had been filled with rocks.

    After they hadpleted this exercise, the soldiers would drill formations and basicbatmands, turning the unarmored infantry of the limitanei into a cohesive fighting force. Though it had only been a few weeks, the extensive training the men were put through formed unshakeable bonds as they endured the torment of their general¡¯smands.

    A few soldiers of note proved themselves to be more reliable than their peers. Shockingly, one of these men was Ordius. A man who had Marcellus had served with years prior. In the past, Ordius had proven unreliable and hadmitted certain acts that resulted in severe punishment.

    Marcellus did not know what the man had endured these past few years, nor was he aware of how he made his way to Castra Regina, but it would appear the man had gotten his act together and be a diligent soldier of the Empire. It was because of this that Marcellus had promoted the man to the position of his right hand. At the moment, Marcellus and Ordius were having a conversation as they made their way to the vige cksmith.

    ¡°You really think this design of yours will have a major effect on warfare? Aren¡¯t you being a bit too hopeful?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Despite themander¡¯s skepticism, Marcellus was undeterred. If his strange dreams were in fact visions from the gods, then this device would be revolutionary to how warfare was conducted. Now that he had some free time, the young general hadmissioned a new saddle, which included a set of stirrups; he had already contacted a local tanner who had agreed to his request. The next part of his n includedmissioning a set of iron loops to secure his feet.

    ¡°If my theory is proven correct, these stirrups will change the course of warfare! We will soon be able to raise cavalry at a fraction of the cost, while allowing them to be more efficient in their attacks.¡±

    Ordius had seldom seen Marcellus as excited as he was now. However, it was not like the man was using the funds of the settlement¡¯s treasury to fund this little experiment. Thus, Ordius could care less about what the wealthy bastard used his personal fortune for.

    Eventually, the duo made their way to the local cksmith¡¯s shop. The man in question wasrge and muscr, with a full beard and dark hair. He appeared to be working on the manufacture of a set of horseshoes while Marcellus approached. Though the man saw that the new Dux was visiting his shop, he did not halt his activities and greet him. Instead, he acted indifferently as he continued to hammer away at the horseshoes. Ultimately, Ordius spoke up on his General¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°Catus, you old bastard, are you really not going to show respect to the new Dux?¡±

    The old man simply grunted in displeasure as he continued to batter away at the iron horseshoes. Upon seeing that the man did not care in the slightest about Marcellus¡¯ position, the young general decided to quickly get to business as he pulled out his blueprint of the iron stirrups.<sub></sub>

    ¡°I need you to create this for me. I promise I will pay you a fair price for your work.¡±

    Upon seeing that the Dux had approached him with a business proposal, the man looked at the blueprint and nodded his head in silence before raising five fingers. Marcellus could clearly understand what the man meant. The man was clearly asking for five hundred nummi. The nummus was the lowest quality coin in the Empire, and was generally made of copper. Inparison, one Solidus, which was the most valuable coin of the empire, was worth 7200 nummi.

    Marcellus had no problem affording such an expense. After all, his father had left him a treasury filled with Solidus coins. If he so desired, he could bathe in the amount of gold coins he had ess to. He quickly reached into his coin pouch and pulled out one miliarense, which was arge silver coin worth approximately 600 nummi. He tossed the coin over to the cksmith, who quickly caught it and gazed upon the General with suspicion. Marcellus responded to the man¡¯s expression with a simple phrase.

    ¡°You can keep the change.¡±

    After witnessing the General¡¯s generosity, the man nodded his head in silence, however his stoic expression appeared to have lightened a bit, as if he had a more favorable impression of Marcellus. With the price paid, the young general quickly inquired about the timeframe where the product could be delivered to him.

    ¡°How long will it take toplete it?¡±<sub></sub>

    The man was decisive with his response as he raised three fingers, each one representing a day. It became apparent to Marcellus that the cksmith named Catus was not the most talkative person in the world. However, he asked for rification to ensure he was understanding the man correctly.

    ¡°Three days?¡±

    The cksmith nodded his head in silence before returning to his work. Marcellus was satisfied with the time frame that was given to him for delivery and thus walked back to his Vi with Ordius by his side.

    ¡°So Ordius, now that today¡¯s work is over, are you going to visit the local brothel?¡±

    The man wore a bitter smile as he shook his head before responding to his General.

    ¡°No sir, those days are behind me. In the past I could not wait to spend my coin on women and wine, but nowadays I have found my purpose in defending this settlement from the threat of the Goths. You never know when they will try to cross into our borders and raid ournds.¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head as he heard these words. It was true that on the eastern border of Castra Regina; the Goths lie in wait, preparing for their invasion. There was only so much time in the world before the peaceful days that Marcellus currently enjoyed were drowned in a river of blood. He had to spend every moment preparing his troops for that eventuality. Fierce resolve filled Marcellus¡¯ olive green eyes as he asked the question on his mind.

    ¡°When ric finally shows his face, do you think we will be able to stop him here in Castra Regina?¡±

    Ordius gazed into the direction of the vige and sighed heavily before answering.

    ¡°Before you were assigned here, I would say we were destined to die bloody. However, the changes you have made to the soldiers¡¯ training just might be enough to keep us from drowning. Though I won¡¯t lie, it will be a difficult task¡­¡±

    ¡°Marcellus sighed and nodded his head before responding to this im.

    ¡°It would appear I am going to have to invest in more than just time in my army if we wish to survive. Perhaps I should buy some proper equipment for the men. Once they have proven their resolve, that is¡­¡±

    Ordius raised his brow when he heard this. He had never expected Marcellus to be so generous with his wealth. Just what was the man nning if he was willing to invest in arms and armor for a bunch of limitanei?

    Somehow, the idea of being supplied with such expensive equipment did not fill the veteran soldier¡¯s heart with relief, but rather worry. He could only think of one reason that Marcellus might be willing to waste such a fortune, and the thought sent shivers down his spine. Marcellus did not take notice of this hesitation and instead continued to his vi. The moment he made it back home safely, he bade themander farewell.

    ¡°I will speak to you further tomorrow. There is much we need to discuss about the continued training of our soldiers. Until then, enjoy these peaceful days, for I fear they will notst much longer.¡±

    Ordius saluted his general before departing, where he quickly returned to his quarters within the stronghold. He knew that if anyone were capable of deterring the Goths from sacking Castra Regina; it was Marcellus.

    Whether they could truly survive theing days. Ordius did not know, but he had to do everything in his power to convince the part-time soldiers of the region to stand in fight. Thus, while Marcellus rxed in his vi, Ordius was hard at work at the local tavern, raising the morale of the soldiers.

 Chapter 30 A New Era of Cavalry

    On the eve of the third day, following Marcellus¡¯ order of stirrups, the man in question was fast asleep. In his dreams, another vision hade to him. It was a discussion from the perspective of Frank Caruso, with a friend of his from college. The two men were in the basement of of the friend¡¯s house ying war games.

    With a haughty smile, Frank moved his heavy cavalry into ce as they nked the enemy. After a roll of the dice, it was determined that his attack had dealt a critical blow to the enemy forces, causing his friend to lose many of his elite troops. The young man cursed at frank as he gazed upon the devastation that had been done to his miniature army.

    ¡°You bastard! You took out my fire wizards! How am I supposed to beat you now?¡±

    Despite his friends¡¯ protests, Frank was in a good mood. He knew the young man¡¯sments were not hostile in the least, and were merely friendly banter exchanged between two men. Instead, he had a shit-eating grin on his face as he poured salt on the wound.

    ¡°Bah fire wizards? You seriously think that such petty magic tricks can contend with the might of a couchednce? You have much to learn, my friend!¡±

    The friend looked at Frank with a pitiful expression, he knew Frank was flouting his history degree in his face. Even though he did not want to sit through another one of the man¡¯s lectures, he knew that it was going to have to happen either way. Thus, the young man bit the proverbial bullet as he asked what his friend was talking about.

    ¡°What the hell is a couchednce?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    A smug expression was on Frank¡¯s lips. He always loved talking about his area of study, so much so that his friends and family found it tedious. However, he couldn¡¯t help it. He was passionate about history, and thus hade to see himself as an educator of the ignorant.

    ¡°You seriously don¡¯t know what a couchednce is? Okay, so you know what stirrups are right? Basically, some time after stirrups were invented, some unknown genius had the idea to hold thence in a special way beneath their shoulder. This provided stability for thence, allowing for serious damage to be inflicted on his foe, when thence collided with the speed of the horse.

    The reason why such a tactic was never used before the invention of stirrups was because there was nothing to keep the rider seated. If he dared to do such a thing, he¡¯d probably end up falling off his horse..

    The friend scowled at Frank as he watched the man shamelessly perform the gesture of couching his imaginarynce. This guy wasted all of his brainpower on something so worthless. Just when the hell would he ever need to know how to couch ance? Eventually, he ignored Frank¡¯sments and shifted his attention towards his crumbling lines of defense.

    ¡°No wonder you cut through my wizards then, if even a heavily armored knight would meet his end against such a tactic¡­¡±

    Marcellus awoke with a sweat, as he gazed over at his side where Sigefriday asleep. He did not know why he was having another dream about stirrups, but despite the strange urrence, there was some useful information in the vision. He quickly got out of his bed and got dressed. After all, the sun was rising, and today was the day he could finally test his newest invention.<sub></sub>

    Hours passed and Marcellus was waiting patiently in front of the cksmith known by the name of Catus. For the first time, Marcellus had heard the man¡¯s voice as he spoke up about the stirrups. It was a deep and gruff voice befitting the man¡¯s masculine appearance.

    ¡°As promised, I have made your devices. If that is all, I have other matters to attend to.¡±

    Marcellus did not take offense at the blunt nature of the man, and instead thanked him for his help.

    ¡°Thank you, Catus. If these work out as nned, I will be back for more orderster.¡±

    Despite Marcellus¡¯ offer of future business, the cksmith ignored him, and instead began cutting out some iron nails. The man¡¯s work was never truly finished. There were a lot of things that needed to be made of iron in the vige, and he was one of the few cksmiths in the region who could fulfill such a task.

    Marcellus paid no heed to this and instead took his stirrups to the tanner, who by now would be finished with his new saddle. The tanner had an excited look on his face as noticed the General¡¯s approach and quickly greeted him. Unlike Catus, he was a much more sociable person..<sub></sub>

    ¡°Dux,e take a look! I havepleted the saddle you have asked for.¡±

    Marcellus gazed upon the fine leather saddle with a hint of pride in his eyes, it was made of a chestnut brown leather, and was truly fitting for a man of his position. After closely examining the saddle, he attached the iron stirrups before nodding his head to the tanner.

    ¡°Excellent job. If my experiment works, you will be the first to know, as I will need quite a few more of these new saddles.¡±

    The tanner smiled and nodded his head. Afterward, Marcellus ordered his personal guard to carry the saddle back to his vi. He nned to test the device out himself. As he turned to leave, the tanner thanked him for his business.

    ¡°I look forward to your results!¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head with a smile on his lips before returning to his vi, where the stables kept his personal steed. It was a fine horse of noble lineage, who had been Marcellus¡¯ mount for many years. The stallion had a chestnut colored coat, and a white spot on its forehead. Marcellus calmed the horse as he equipped its saddle.

    ¡°Shhhh¡­ shhhh¡­ Behave yourself, Romulus!¡±

    The steed, named Romulus, was obedient as Marcellus took a deep breath before putting one foot into the stirrup and hoisting himself onto the beast¡¯s back. He calmed himself once both feet were secured in the iron fittings beforemanding the steed to take a slow trot forward and out of the stables.

    Though the sensation was strange, Marcellus soon became used to the stirrups and had finally mustered the courage to usher the horse forward at a faster speed. He guided the beast into the field as several targets had been prepared in advance for the experiment. After arriving at the area, a soldier handed him ance, and a shield where Marcellus snapped the reins, ordering a full charge at the target.

    Marcellus followed the instructions from his dream as he clumsily couched thence beneath his arm and charged towards the straw target, which was covered in a mail coat at full speed. When hisnce collided with the target, it pierced through the riveted mail armor as if it was made of butter, bringing a smile to his face.

    Not only did he pierce through the armor of the straw target, but hisnce had practically gone out the other side. Despite the speed at which he had struck the target, Marcellus was still seated on horseback. When the soldiers watching him saw this, they were shocked, believing he would surely fall off his horse at such speeds.

    The stirrup solved many problems with cavalry, for starters it made it incredibly easy to mount the horse, before this invention it took significant training just to be able to properly mount a horse. Secondly, it made it easier to ride the horse. The amount of training required to stay seated on your mount was extensive. This was no longer the case with the invention of stirrups. Finally, the stirrups allowed the rider to remain seated even at high speed collisions, making it ideal for cavalry.

    This was one simple test. Marcellus rode back and forth between the many targets at breakneck speeds, using his couchednce to thrust through whatever defenses were in its path. He spent several hours conducting experiments on the use of stirrups, and the many weapons that cavalry utilized. He was particrly fond of its capabilities, with heavy cavalry and horse archers.

    By the time the sun went down, Marcellus regrouped with Ordius, and outlined his findings in an extensive report.

    ¡°It would appear my suspicions were correct. The stirrup greatly increases the controbility and maneuverability of the rider. I suspect it makes learning how to ride easier, as it is a simple task to mount the horse, let alone stay on it.

    With these devices, we could raise a troop of Cataphracts in a fraction of the time it would normally take. Years of training could be halved with this invention! Not to mention the role it ys in horse archery! My friend, I think I have just started a new era of cavalry warfare¡­¡±

    Ordius gazed upon hismander with shock in his eyes. Cataphracts were among the best cavalry units in the empire. If they could be raised with less training and expense, it could be a game changer. He quickly nodded his head before responding to Marcellus¡¯ summary.

    ¡°Tomorrow morning, I will begin requisitioning as many mounts and saddles so that we can begin raising cavalry forces. Though we might not be able to afford cataphracts at the moment, we can still make a significant difference on the battlefield with this discovery!¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head in agreement. The invention of the saddle would change warfare as the world knew it. It might even be able to aid him in his future battles with the Goths. He had no time to waste and quickly approved of the idea. After speaking of these issues, the two men departed. There was much work to be done, and not enough time in the world to fulfill it.

 Chapter 31 Echoes of a Forthcoming War

    Marcellus gazed at the gory scene with a stoic expression on his handsome face. He had seen much death in this life and had even put many men to the sword. However, every time he witnessed the savagery of the Goths, he felt bitter in his heart.

    Word hade in the night that the goths had raided a nearby vige in Illyricum. Though this vige technically wasn¡¯t Marcellus¡¯ responsibility to protect, the fact that the barbarians had dared to ransack a vige so close to Castra Regina meant one thing: They were testing him.

    It was not a well kept secret that Marcellus had been banished from polite society, forced to look after a small stronghold at the edge of the world. As time passed, word reached the ears of the goths. Though Marcellus had never been granted the victory title of Gothicus, his past glories were worthy of such an honor.

    In the hearts of many of the tribal warriors, Marcellus and his proud legions of ptini were a serious threat to their dominance in the region. They were pleased to hear that previously he had been shipped to Gaul to fight a war with another Roman. However, that relief did notst long. Now the Goth-yer himself was sitting at the borders of their territory.

    Such a thing could not be tolerated, and ric had decided to test the Roman General¡¯s resolve. The scene of the town was a smoldering ruin, with corpses littering the field. Among the dead, they were mostly men, undoubtedly the barbarians had kidnapped the women and children for the purpose of very.

    Smoke filled the air, despite the fires having long since died down. Suffocating the Roman soldiers who witnessed the bloody scene of their neighbors¡¯ destruction. It was evident just by a casual nce that there were no survivors remaining in the vige. However, there was one thing of notice which confirmed that this was a Gothic raid.<sub>.</sub>

    In the center of the vige was arge zierscheibe constructed out of the severed limbs of the raiding party¡¯s victims. Such a gruesome sight was revolting to gaze upon, and surely, if one was less ustomed to death and bloodshed, they would have vomited the contents of their stomachs upon witnessing such a scene.

    There was only one reason for such brutality, and that was the fact that the chieftain in charge was leaving a message for Marcellus. Soon enough, the Goths will march on Castra Regina. Such news did not bode well for the Romans. After all, Castra Regina was essentially the gateway into Italy. If the Goths wanted to invade from the east, they would either have to traverse for countless miles around the stronghold, or seize it with force.

    Upon realizing the intentions of his enemies, Marcellus immediately snapped the reins of his horse and began to ride back to the vige, ordering a swift withdrawal to his soldiers as he did so.

    ¡°We return to Castra Regina at once. There is nothing to salvage here¡­¡±

    With theirmands, the makeshift cavalry that had been assembled in the weeks following Marcellus¡¯ sessful experiments followed their leader back to the frontier stronghold. Completely unaware that a pair of pale blue eyes gazed upon their actions, hidden in the thick foliage of the nearby woods.<sub></sub>

    After the Romans retreated from the area, a burly barbarian who wore the skin of a bear, and not much else, spat on the ground as he addressed hismander.

    ¡°They¡¯re retreating! Should we attack them now?¡±

    The Commander gazed into the distance as he watched the backs of the Roman forces withdraw. He shook his head before responding to his warrior¡¯s question.

    ¡°No, they have seen our message. It is now up to ric to negotiate with the Romans for the promised payment.¡±

    The bearskin warrior simply nodded his head in silence as he dreamed about the spoils that he would soon enjoy. War wasing to Italy, whether or not the Romans paid the ransom, bloodshed between the two peoples was an inevitability.<sub></sub>

    ¡ª-

    Back in Ravenna, Stilicho stood within the senate with a stern expression on his face. Currently, he was engaged in a bitter argument with Olympius and his supporters. Honorius acted as witness to this dispute, but truthfully could not care less about the topic at hand. With a boisterous voice, the Supreme Commander made his case.

    ¡°ric has made his demands. If we do not pay him a ransom in gold, he will invade Italy through the borders at Illyricum. If we do not agree to his demands now, then I fear we will soon be facing an invasion in the both the East and West! When that happens, Rome can not defend itself. Our forces are dwindling. With the defeat of Marcellus in Gaul, we now have even fewer soldiers to rely upon. We must pay the man!¡±

    Olympius scoffed when he heard the words that Stilicho Spoke. Perhaps the man was too close to his godson and was merely trying to appease the enemy so they would not im the boy¡¯s head. Regardless of the actual reason that Stilicho may have for agreeing to the Goths demands, the senator refused to admit defeat.

    ¡°Bah! For what purpose should we hand a treasury¡¯s worth of gold over to these filthy barbarians? Did we not assign Marcellus on the border to keep ric and his filthy band of savages at bay? You even said it yourself. Marcellus is a rare talent. If you ask me, it was a wise decision by the Emperor to ce him on the border as a deterrence against the Goths. He does have a fearsome reputation among them, does he not?¡±

    Stilicho was furious at the mention of Marcellus¡¯ reassignment. One of his best generals was now acting as a glorified border guard. He could not fathom the stupidity in Olympius¡¯s mind to be so foolish as topel the emperor to dispatch Marcellus to Castra Regina. He immediately began to rebuke the man for his statement.

    ¡°Do you not realize what you have just said? You are asking us to rely on the faith of the Goths and the ancient terror of the Roman name! A simple army of limitanei can not hope to hold the line against a gothic horde, even with amander as brilliant as Marcellus at its helm!¡±

    The two sides of the senate argued back and forth for some time. Only a small minority of the men gathered epted Stilicho¡¯s voice of reason. The foolish senators looked towards the courage of their ancestors on how to deal with the Gothic menace, when they instead should have followed their wisdom.

    Honorius, while initially unconcerned with the events that were being discussed, scowled when he heard Stilicho praise Marcellus once more. He had thought that he had gotten rid of that thorn in his side, but in the end, he still could not escape hearing praise for the man. Thus, he responded in Stilicho¡¯s favor, but for all the wrong reasons.

    ¡°Titus udius Marcellus is a disgrace sent to guard the border as punishment for his failures. If the Goths truly pose as severe as a threat as Stilicho implies, then we can¡¯t simply leave the region¡¯s defense to that fool. I would much rather take sce in paying a simple ransom to those filthy Goths than trusting the lives of every Roman to a man like Marcellus.¡±

    Olympius¡¯ smile grew bitter as he heard this. The Roman Treasury was dwindling each day, and intion was at an all-time high. However, it could still afford to pay a ransom here or there, thus he sighed heavily before nodding his head in agreement.

    ¡°If that is what his majesty wishes, then we will pay off the Goths. We will just need some time to collect the funds. In the meantime, I am sure that Marcellus can handle the pressure from the Goths. Or perhaps he is as incapable as the emperor suggests, and if so, we will be facing a crisis. Only time will tell.¡±

    Honorius nodded his head in silence, while Stilicho felt like crying. Though he could not refute Olympius¡¯ words, he knew the man would deliberately take his sweet time to collect the funds. His intent was clear. Olympius wanted to get rid of Marcellus once and for all, and having the boy act as the first line of defense against a Gothic Horde was a good way to aplish such a thing.

    Though Stilicho was unaware of the recent raids on the border, he suspected such things were urring. If Marcellus could not sessfully deter the Goths long enough for their payment to be delivered, then the Italian penins would soon be flooded with barbarians. Ultimately, it was as Olympius had stated. Only time could tell what would transpire.

 Chapter 32 Last Night on Earth

    Marcellus sat inside his vi with a cup of wine in his hands. He gazed into the red pool of liquid with a sense of desperation on his face. The goths had been rampaging on his borderstely, raiding the nearby viges with brutal ferocity. Though thosends were not under his protection, he knew it was only a matter of time before a full scale invasion urred. Try as he might, he simplycked the strength to repel such arge force.

    Perhaps if he had been sent to guard the border a year prior, he might have been able to raise a capable force that could defend Castra Regina. However, as it stood, he simplycked the time to establish such an army. Though he had made great lengths in strengthening his troops since he first arrived at his new post, it was not enough.

    Sigefrida noticed the downcast expression on her master¡¯s face and quickly approached him, where she refilled his ss with more of the alcoholic beverage. A wry smile appeared on the man¡¯s face as he thanked the woman for her efforts.

    ¡°Thank you Sigefrida, I¡¯d be lost without you¡­¡±

    The busty ve could tell something was eating at her master¡¯s soul, and quickly inquired about the details.

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±

    Marcellus looked around to see if anyone else was present, and after confirming the two of them alone, he let out a heavy sigh before revealing the truth.

    ¡°We are all going to die¡­¡±

    The barbarian beauty froze on the spot as she heard this. It took her a few moments to inquire further.

    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    The young general took a sip from his drink before giving the woman an exnation for his cryptic statement.

    ¡°A horde of goths lies at the border. For the past week, they have been raiding the nearby viges that aren¡¯t under mymand. My army of farmers is the only thing standing between them and the Italian penins. Given enough time, and I¡¯m sure I could make this plebeian rabble into a respectable army. However, I¡¯ve been here for what a month? Two? It¡¯s not enough time. I always knew I would die in the service of Rome. I just never figured it would happen as a disgraced general rotting away in some godforsaken frontier town¡­¡±

    Sigefrida reached out her hand and touched Marcellus¡¯ cheek. She did not have a grieving expression on her face. Instead, she seemed to be fine with it.

    ¡°If that is our fate, then so be it¡­¡±

    Marcellus¡¯ chuckled when he heard this. The woman was so attached to him, and yet she would never allow him to make love to her. Maybe it was the alcohol affecting his brain, but he figured he had waited long enough. He decided to press her for an answer.

    ¡°So, the barbarians could arrive at any hour. How about we spent ourst few moments doing something more pleasurable?¡±

    An embarrassed expression appeared on Sigefrida¡¯s pretty face. She desired more than anything to be intimate with her master at least once in this life, but there were still the fears in the back of her mind that made her hesitate. When Marcellus witnessed this, he drank more from his wine before giving up on the idea.

    ¡°Fine, if that¡¯s the way you want to be, so be it¡­¡±

    Sigefrida could tell Marcellus was mad at her, and the idea that they would fight shortly before their deaths terrified her more than Aeliana ever could. She quickly exined the reasoning for her hesitation.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Marcellus, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m scared¡­¡±

    Marcellus looked up from his ss and into his ve¡¯s dazzling ice-blue eyes with a curious expression on his face. This was the first time the woman had exined herself.

    ¡°Scared?¡±

    A slight nod of the head confirmed her words. She quickly began toy out the reasoning behind her dread.

    ¡°Marcellus, I never wanted to say this to you, but if this is really the end, then I am afraid I have to speak my mind, only if you will permit me, of course!¡±

    The young roman general could tell his ve was being serious and silently nodded his head, giving her permission to continue.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to tell you this, but your mother is terrifying. She¡¯s not the woman you think she is. She may be kind and loving to you, but she also has a frightening obsession with you. On more than one asion, she has nearly killed me for getting too close to you. Thest time she strangled me was when I returned from the campaign in Gaul without you. If I were to take the final step with you and she found out about it, that woman¡­ she would¡­¡±

    It shocked Marcellus to hear this revtion, frankly it didn¡¯t make sense to him. He had taken many girls to bed over the years, and yet his mother had said nothing. He had to rify this matter at once.

    ¡°But Sigefrida, why is it only you? I¡¯ve slept with lots of women over the years, and she has never acted spiteful towards them.¡±<sub></sub>

    Sigefrida knew the answer behind this and was quick to inform him about the woman¡¯s reasoning.

    ¡°It¡¯s because your heart belongs to me and not to those other women. Your mother doesn¡¯t desire your body, but your heart. Anyone whoes between your familial affection is seen as a threat. She¡¯s not exactly fond of cidia either, but she would never harm the emperor¡¯s sister. At least not openly.¡±

    Marcellus was outraged. He could tell by the look in Sigefrida¡¯s eyes that she was telling the truth. His mother had clearly abused his ve without his permission. Such a vition of his trust nearly drove him mad. He had to calm himself with copious quantities of wine before responding to Sigefrida¡¯s dread. After drinking his fill, he quickly stood up from his seat and walked over to the woman, where he dragged her into his embrace and kissed her passionately.

    At first the Suebi beauty resisted, however, she eventually found joy in her lover¡¯sfort. Once the woman waspliant, Marcellus stripped her out of her ragged clothing. While kissing her on the neck, he spoke the words that were contained in his heart.

    ¡°If this is myst day on terra, then I intend to spend it with the woman I love.¡±

    After saying this, the couple moved to the vi¡¯s bed where they continued their passionate activities until the sun rose on the next day. When the two finally awoke, they were still attached to each other, as if during their unconscious state they were fearful that one another might flee the scene.

    When Marcellus gazed upon his ve¡¯s beautiful face for the first time after they were joined together, he smiled, while grasping hold of her chin. He said the words to her that he had wanted to say since a young age.

    ¡°Sigefrida¡­ I love you!¡±

    The blonde-haired woman nodded her head slightly before kissing her man on the lips. After doing so, she responded to his confession.

    ¡°I love you too¡­¡±

    Just as they were about to go for another round, the door to Marcellus¡¯ room was kicked open, causing the couple to panic. However, the general immediately calmed down when he saw it was none other than Ordius standing before him. His reliefsted for but a minute, as the first words toe out of the intruder¡¯s mouth caused an immediate since of dread to overwhelm Marcellus¡¯ soul.

    ¡°Dux, the Goths have us surrounded!¡±

    Marcellus quickly got out of his bed and dressed himself. Sigefrida was by his side, but he gave the woman a strictmand before rushing out of his Vi.

    ¡°Stay here, and bar the doors! Do not open them for anyone but myself!¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Marcellus adorned his plumed helm and walked out the door with his scutum in his off-hand. He quickly followed Ordius to the ramparts, where he gazed upon a particrly terrifying scene. For whatever reason, the goths had not yet to enter the vige below the fortifications. Instead, they surrounded it with an army of 50,000 men.

    They sent forth a particrlyrge blonde haired man, who had a lengthy beard. This man was adorned in the finest armor a barbarian would wear and rode on horseback. Marcellus had encountered this man before during a previous campaign and immediately reacted with shock.

    ¡°ric¡­¡±

    The Gothic King called out in a voice so loud that the entire garrison could hear him.

    ¡°Come out and face me Goth-yer! I know you¡¯re in there! If you do not show yourself, I will flood this vige with blood!¡±

    ric had left him with no choice. Marcellus did not hesitate and issued amand to the soldiers below.

    ¡°Open the gate!¡±

    Ordius immediately grabbed hold of Marcellus as the man tried to descend the stairs. He had a look of panic in his eyes as he tried to convince the general to see reason.

    ¡°You¡¯re not seriously going out there, are you?¡±

    A look of defeat was on Marcellus¡¯ handsome face as he shook off themander¡¯s grip. He patted the man on the shoulder before giving him onest order.

    ¡°I am afraid he has left me with few options. If he and his army take my head, make sure to defend this fortress with everything you have. Even if we all die, we must take as many of those bastards with us!¡±

    Having said that, Marcellus did not wait for a response and calmly descended from the staircase, marching out of the gates alone and towards the Gothic King who lie in wait for him.

 Chapter 33 A Simple Act of Deterrence

    Marcellus gulped the saliva that had pooled in his mouth as he approached the Gothic Warlord by his lonesome. The man had spent years invading Rome, and despite the ferocity of his barbarian warriors, he had been trounced time and again. Even though ric had lost the wars, the devastation that he and his army had left across the Empire was noughing matter.

    ric gazed fiercely at Marcellus. It had been several years since theirst encounter, and the roman General seemed as resilient as ever. The Gothic king stood before Marcellus alone in between the vige and the stronghold where the Roman soldiers lie in wait of a siege. The man chuckled when he found that the once proud General of Rome¡¯s finest armies had been reduced to a glorified border guard. He could not help but mock the man for his fall from grace.

    ¡°Titus udius Marcellus, General of Rome, and yer of my people, standing here on the frontier of the empire, acting as nothing more than amander among plebs. Who did you piss off to have such a lowly position thrust upon you?¡±

    Marcellus merely sneered in disdain as he countered with a snarky remark of his own.

    ¡°ric? Have you grown shorter since west met? For some reason, I remember you being more impressive.¡±

    ric remained silent, but if looks could kill, then Marcellus would be a dead man. There was no doubt about it. The animosity between the two was fierce. Ultimately, the awkward silence that existed between the two was cut short by Marcellus, who raised his doubts as to what it was the Gothic King had nned.

    ¡°Honestly, do you seriously believe you can invade the Empire and be sessful this time? What is this your third attempt at taking Italy? Why don¡¯t your people just stay in Illyricum, where the East has recognized your rule?¡±

    Despite the mockery of his previous failed invasions, ric remained adamant about invading through Raetia. It was because of this that he provoked Marcellus, pinning the me on the man for this conflict.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°My army has already taken Noricum. I was initially going to wait until your emperor responded to my demands before invading the rest of the Empire. However, I heard a rumor that the Goth-yer was in Raetia and I simply could not resist the idea of showing off my army to you. Surrender Marcellus, and I will spare your life. After all, if my forces were to see you as a ve, then it would surely be a boost to their morale!¡±

    A hint of disgust was in Marcellus¡¯ eyes as he heard these words. He could only respond with a vulgar gesture. He rudely spat on the ground in front of ric, invoking his fury as he did so.

    ¡°I am a Roman, a free man. I would rather die than wear the yoke of servitude. You should return to Illyricum ric. Only death awaits you here¡­¡±

    When the gothic king heard these words, he broke out into a fit ofughter, however eventually he became dead quiet, it was clear that he was enraged by Marcellus¡¯ response. He immediately prodded the young general¡¯s chest with his finger as he began to lecture the man about what would transpire should theye to arms.

    ¡°I advise you to think twice about my offer, for If I bring my army into yournds, I will destroy your farms, y your people, and raze your stronghold to the ground!¡±

    However, despite the threat to Marcellus and his people, the young general only had a smug expression on his face as he responded with a single word.

    ¡°If¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    It took the gothic king a moment to realize what Marcellus was saying, and when he finally came to an understanding, he once more bellowed withughter. He could hardly believe Marcellus would make such a confident statement despite his position. However, Marcellus¡¯s gaze turned into a murderous re as he rified his stance.

    ¡°If you march your army into this vige, I will make sure that for every one of my soldiers that you send to the afterlife, ten of yours will follow. Sure, you may seize Castra Regina, but I promise you I will break your army before I am defeated.

    By the time the battle if over and we are all dead, you will not have the forces necessary to conquer Italy, I swear to my god Sol Invictus, I will make this a reality if you dare to advance a single warrior into my territory. Return to Noricum ric, and await your payment. I am sure Stilicho will convince the senate to give you your ransom.¡±

    ric gazed into the olive green eyes of Marcellus and knew he was not joking when he made such a boast. The man would rather die than surrender, and with the Marcellus¡¯ death it was certain that many of the Gothic warriors would follow him into the grave.

    When faced with a such a reality, ric could only relent. Thus, the man snarled like a wild beast before turning around and walking back to his forces. After taking a few steps, he stopped before parting some final words with his rival.

    ¡°If I am not paid in full by the end of the year, I will march into Raetia, regardless of your resolve. Be prepared, because with your circumstances, I doubt you have many friends left in Ravenna who wille to your aid.¡±

    Marcellus merely smirked before responding to the man¡¯s threats with another one of his snarkyments.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You know where to find me ric, I¡¯ll be here defending the border until I ammanded otherwise. Should you desire to send your men to an early grave, I would be happy to oblige!¡±

    Upon hearing this, ric merely scoffed before returning his army. As for Marcellus, he slowly walked back to the gates, cautious that ric might really attack the moment he turned his back. It was only after the barbarian hordes had retreated from the scene that the gates were opened and the Roman general could return to his fortress. The first to question Marcellus was the man named Ordius, who gazed at his general in shock.

    ¡°Dux, what the hell did you say to ric to get him to withdraw?¡±

    Marcellus responded with a nonchnt gesture as she shrugged his shoulders in response.

    ¡°I told him the truth. If he were to attack this stronghold, we would fight to thest man, and his army would be ruined before he could ever step foot into Italy.¡±

    The officer¡¯s jaw dropped in response to the general¡¯s remark, he could hardly believe that a simple tactic of intimidation worked on one of Rome¡¯s mightiest enemies, in fact he had to ask for rification on the matter to see if such a thing was reality.

    ¡°He believed that?¡±

    Despite Ordius¡¯ disbelief, Marcellus had a proud smile on his face as he rested the palm of his hand on the man¡¯s shoulder while dering his victory.

    ¡°Of course, you are my men after all¡­¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus departed from the courtyard and returned to his vi, leaving behind a singlement to the soldiers who garrisoned the fortress.

    ¡°Secure the vige and make sure the Goths have left the vicinity before resuming daily activities!¡±

    After saying this, he knocked on the barred door of the vi and called out to his lover, who was hiding fiercely in a corner of the building with a knife in her hand.

    ¡°Sigefrida, it¡¯s me. Everything is fine. Open the door!¡±

    Marcellus overheard the sound of the objects being removed from the entrance before the thick wooden doors opened, revealing a worried expression on the beautiful barbarian ve¡¯s face. She immediately hugged her man after seeing he was okay and kissed him passionately. She could hardly believe things had been resolved so quickly.

    ¡°Are you alright? What happened!?!¡±

    Marcellus grabbed hold of the beauty¡¯s hand and led her inside the vi, assuring her that everything was fine for the time being.

    ¡°The Goths have withdrawn. They may be back in some time, but for the time being, we are safe.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sigefrida let out a heavy sigh of relief before asking for rification on what her master had nned.

    ¡°What are we going to do now?¡±

    With a confident expression on his face, Marcellus gazed out the window to the vige below and uttered his ns for the future.

    ¡°Now, we build an army capable of defending thesends from the barbarians.¡±

    With that said, Marcellus had entered a new phase of development. One that would secure the future of his territory against the neighboring barbarian hordes who sought to overwhelm it. He may not be living the glory of the past, but the future waited for no man. If he did not work hard to build a capable stronghold, then surely the people would bleed.

    Of course Marcellus was entirely unaware of what schemes were transpiring in the Senate, and the uncertain future that awaited the Empire. While ric withdrew from Raetia, Stilicho struggled to get the payment for the Goth¡¯s ransom.

 Chapter 34 A Mass Desertion

    By threatening the Goths with a pyrrhic victory, Marcellus had sessfully deterred them from advancing into the Empire. However, the stay of their hand was only temporary, whether or not the barbarians would return was up to the Senate to decide. On the frontiers of the civilized world, the young Roman general stood on the ramparts of his fortress with his army gathered below.

    Marcellus and his soldiers were entirely unaware that Stilicho had managed to convince the senate to pay the ransom that ric had requested. Because of this fact, morale was low as the troops beneath the General¡¯smand believed they were now doomed to a horrific fate. There was even talk of desertion among the ranks of the limitanei. Upon noticing this, Marcellus had gathered the part-time soldiers of his army into the stronghold that existed in the center of the town, and rallied his forces with a passionate speech.

    ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you. Things are looking grim for all of us. Some of you are wondering how I managed to convince ric and his barbarian hordes to withdraw. It was simple. I made him a promise that should he attack Castra Regina, we would fight to thest man, and make his army bleed to such an extent that they could no longer march on Rome!

    Obviously, this was a bluff. After all, look at yourselves. You¡¯re trembling at the very thought of defending this position! I look around myself and see that many of you have an instinct to flee for their lives now that they have a chance to escape. If that is your choice, then go on, flee! I have no room in my army for cowards! However, before you go, let me inform you about what will happen should this stronghold fall.

    Our army is depleted, our Empire is divided, and the only thing standing between the hearnd of our realm, and the Gothic hordes on the other side of this border is all of you. vius Stilicho, our suprememander, has his hands tied. He will note to the defense of the frontier, for if he does, our enemies in Gaul will press their im to the throne.<sub>.</sub>

    Should you abandon your post, and flee for your lives, there is nowhere in the Empire that you can run to for safety. Ravenna will fall, and the ancient capital of our glorious empire will drown in a river of blood. If you can still call yourself a man after having abandoned your people to death and servitude, then by all means run away!

    However, if you stay here in Castra Regina, and fight against the barbarians who threaten our borders. I solemnly vow that I will train you all so that you will be capable of ying ten goths! It is no secret that I have inherited my family¡¯s fortune, and I intend to put it to good use. For the sake of the soldiers beneath mymand, and all of Rome. I will use my wealth to buy you the equipment that you all need to defend the border against any and all threats!¡±

    The soldiers of Marcellus¡¯ army had various reactions to this speech. Some felt ashamed that they had considered escaping while there was still time to do so. The general was putting his life and wealth on the line to ensure that Castra Regina did not fall.

    Even though Marcellus could flee to the Eastern Roman Empire, and secure a lofty position there, he had not done so. Instead, he had dedicated himself to Rome and its people. Such courage in the face of overwhelming odds was truly humbling in the eyes of many of the soldiers beneath hismand.<sub></sub>

    Despite Marcellus¡¯ rallying cry, there were still men in his army who saw this as an unwinnable battle. Even if the general were to waste every coin that he had to buy them the greatest equipment and spent every hour of his days ensuring that they were the most well trained fighting force, ultimately, they would still lose their lives in the end. The Goths were simply too many. The best these men could do was run away from the frontier and pray to God that they and their families would be safe in Ravenna.

    In the end, a small segment of Marcellus¡¯ forces walked out of the fortress with their heads hanging low. Three hundred men were shamed by theirrades as they selfishly fled for their lives. Marcellus currently only had 3,000 men under hismand, and when so many people abandoned their duties, he felt sadness in his heart. Then again, not everybody could be as dedicated to Rome as Marcellus was.

    However, those who remained had hardened their resolve to fight and die for the glory of the empire. When Marcellus understood that these men were now his true brothers in arms, he decided to inform them of his ns for the near future. There was a sense of pride on his face as he gazed upon the men before him.

    ¡°Very well, for those of you that remain, I won¡¯t lie to you. In theing days, you will be facing adversity the likes you have never endured. However, if you trust in my judgement, and follow mymands, I promise I will transform you into an army even the legions of the principate would admire! Today you are no longer mere limitanei, but the Legions of Titus udius Marcellus!¡±<sub></sub>

    The soldiers who remained in Marcellus¡¯ army understood that the path to victory would not be easy. However, for the sake of their families, and their civilization, they would put their lives on the line, and endure whatever hardship Marcellus threw at them.

    After saying his speech, Marcellus stepped down from the ramparts where he made his speech and made his way back to the vi. He had no time to waste and intended to send a message to an old friend in Rome to help him procure the necessary supplies to outfit his armies with the equipment they needed to put up a fight against the Gothic hordes.

    ¡ª

    Enough time had passed for Marcellus¡¯s message to reach the Roman Capital. Currently, a young girl no older than fourteen was sighing heavily as she lied on her bed while gazing out her window. She was utterly depressed. The fate of Marcellus was cruel, and to have him driven away so quickly after his return from his previous campaign had made cidia sulk for months on end. She could not help but express her discontent as she gazed out towards the direction of Raetia where the man she admired now defended.

    ¡°Marcellus, you dummy, why haven¡¯t you sent me a letter yet? I hope everything is alright out there on the frontier¡­¡±

    After cidia had said these words to herself, a knock resounded on her door, and a young ve intruded upon the girl¡¯s introspection. The ve noticed that her master was not happy with her presence, however she had no choice but to interrupt the girl. The ve bowed her head and handed her master a letter with the utmost respect on her face.

    ¡°Domina, there is a letter from you.¡±

    Upon hearing this, cidia¡¯s brown eyes lightened up with a sense of joy. It would appear that idiot had finally remembered her existence. She quickly snatched hold of the letter from the ve¡¯s hand before kicking her out of the room. After she was all alone, cidia opened the letter with an eager expression and read its contents.

    The letter started out pleasantly enough. It addressed everything that Marcellus had gone through since he was shipped off to the frontier. However, when cidia read about the Gothic Horde led by ric that paid Marcellus a visit, she reacted in dismay. Luckily, Marcellus¡¯ reputation was enough to force the army away, or else he would already be a dead man. However, after informing cidia of what had transpired at the border, Marcellus ended the message with a personal request.

    Marcellus wanted the girl to use her personal connections to contact the local manufactorum and have them craft enough arms and armor to supply an army of nearly 3,000 men. It also asked for several hundred horses as well as their barding so that Marcellus could raise a unit of Cataphracts. The idea that the man could raise a unit of cataphracts in such a short amount of time was nonsense, but nevertheless cidia chose to believe in Marcellus and thus ced down the letter with a heavy sigh.

    ¡°Marcellus, if my brother were to find out about this, he would think that you were fostering a rebellion. I know that you have the best intentions in your heart, but this is not an easy task¡­ Still, for you, I will try my best.¡±

    After saying that, the girl pulled out a piece of parchment and began to write down a letter to the local Manufactorum so that she could attempt to fulfill the tall order that Marcellus had given her. cidia knew this would have a substantial effect on Marcellus¡¯ personal finances, but if this is what it took to secure his future, then cidia would notin.

 Chapter 35 Agricultural Advancements

    Frank Caruso sat in a lecture hall at the esteemed Columbia university. It was his freshman year, and he was excited to finally attend college. Out of all the sses he had signed up for this semester, none was more exciting to him than an Introduction to Medieval European History.

    For many years, Frank had studied history for fun, and now that he was in college, it was time to put his knowledge to the test. He sat with a smile on his face as he listened to the professor talk about critical agricultural inventions that were discovered during the dark ages with an eager expression on his face. Completely unaware that the girl sitting next to him was checking him out.

    ¡°Nobody is entirely sure when these inventions were made, or who came up with them. However, among the few discoveries to appear in the era that we colloquially refer to as the dark ages, there were three critical pieces of agricultural technology that were developed. The first of these significant inventions was the Horse yoke.

    Throughout antiquity and up until the dark ages, the mostmon beast of burden was the ox. However, using such a species as your primary beast of burden had some significant drawbacks, as an oxcked the stamina to plow a field for more than a few hours. Inparison, a horse or a mule could plow a field for an entire day¡¯s work. This allowed farmers to get more work done in a shorter period.

    Whenbined with this next piece of technology, the amount of food that could be produced significantly increased. When the heavy plow was introduced, it had a monumental impact on agriculture, especially in the western part of the world. While the previous wooden plows were useful in the soft soil of the Mediterranean, they faced serious difficulties in regions such as modern day Germany, France, Ennd, etc.

    One of the biggest drawbacks of the Western Roman Empire was the fact that it was dirt poorpared to its eastern counterpart. Though there were numerous reasons for this, one of the most concerning was the fact there was simply ack ofnd that they could sessfully farm. With the introduction of the heavy plow, and the horse yoke as you see in this diagram, the ability to farm in the rougher terrain that was western Europe became much easier.¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Frank eagerly jotted down his notes on the subject as hemitted the information to memory. The girl beside him was yawning, as the historical lecture dreadfully bore her. Noticing that Frank was her type, the girl leaned over to the young man and interacted with him to entertain herself.

    ¡°What a pitiful lecture. I can¡¯t believe I signed up for such a dreadful course. I¡¯m Lindsey. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Frank was not pleased to hear this. After all, he was a huge fan of human history, especially western history, and because of this, he was more interested in the lecture than he was with the pretty girl by his side. Thus, he did not pay the girl the attention she desired and instead rebuked her for carelessness.

    ¡°You should pay attention. You will need to memorize this information for the test!¡±

    The girl immediately pouted when she was spurned by the young man sitting next to her, and instead turned on her phone after realizing she wouldn¡¯t be able to speak to Frank. While the girl was texting, the lecturer continued on his rant about Early Medieval agriculture.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Which brings us to the third and final major development in agriculture during the early medieval period; The three field system. With this system of nting, as you can see on this diagram, allowed for a major increase in food production, and of course, that lead to a poption boost within Europe.

    The three-field system was a pretty simple concept. You would use two fields to grow food for the year, and leave one fallow so that it could rest. After doing this for a year, you would rotate the fields so that at new field was fallow every year. This increased the fertility of the soil, and when swapped the next year would result in greater yields. This system would remain in use for centuries until it was superseded by the four field system during the early modern age. Now, are there any questions?¡±

    After hearing these words, Marcellus awoke from his dream, struggling to make sense of all the information he had received during his slumber. The light of dawn shone through his window and onto his bed, revealing his naked figure that was partially concealed beneath the covers. Sigefrida was in a simr state while attached to his side with a warm smile on her face as she continued to sleep peacefully.

    Marcellus did not know what was happening to him. Maybe it was the aftereffect of repeated head trauma, but he seemed to have these strange dreams of a different world more frequently. However, if the information within this dream was correct, much like the previous one, that included stirrups. Then perhaps he could solve the food crisis this vige was facing.

    Whatever caused these drams and visions, Marcellus was just d he received one now. As it would soon be time to nt the crops for the fall harvest, and if that was the case, he had decided that he would experiment in his fields with these new technologies.<sub></sub>

    However, that was a concern for another time. Upon seeing Sigefrida so defenseless, Marcellus reached his hand over and grasped hold of one of her bountiful breasts. It was sorge that his hand could not contain it fully. He smiled as he kissed the woman on the lips, causing her to awaken from her beauty sleep. The ve woman quickly rose from her covers and wiped her eyes as she gazed upon her lover with affection.

    ¡°Is it morning already? I should help you get dressed. Give me a moment¡­¡±

    After saying this, the woman rose from beneath her covers to reveal her naked figure. No matter how many times Marcellus saw this, he could not help but get excited. However, he was well ustomed to restraining himself, and thus he waited patiently as the woman dressed him in his clothes for the day.

    This was not the early days of the Roman Empire, where it was considered barbarous to wear pants. Such ancient customs had long sensed been abandoned. Instead, the mostmon attire of a Roman citizen was a tunic, a set of trousers, and a cloak. The Suebi ve carefully adorned all of these items across Marcellus¡¯ muscr body, as she ensured that he was properly dressed for the day. As she finished up wrapping the man¡¯s cloak around him, the enved beauty could tell something was bothering her master, and thus raised her brow as she asked the question on her mind.

    ¡°Is everything alright? You look troubled¡­¡±

    Marcellus sighed heavily before shaking his head in defeat. He did not intend to reveal the full extent of his newfound visions. Such information would only make others look at him weirdly. After all, this was the christian era, and to speak of receiving visions from the gods would surely result in persecution.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. I¡¯ve just been having some strange dreamstely¡­¡±

    Sigefrida nced at the expression that her master was making and knew he was hiding something from her. However, she did not press him for an answer. If he did not want to speak about these dreams, then there was no helping it. Instead, she told Marcellus the same thing she always did whenever he acted this way.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m here for you if you need someone to talk to¡­¡±

    Marcellus nodded in silence before kissing the woman on the forehead. In his mind these visions were no trivial matter, but since they had proven to be harmless thus far, he did not worry about it too much and smiled as he replied to the woman.

    ¡°I know you are. Honestly, it is nothing important. I am sure they will go away with time¡­¡±

    Sigefrida nodded her head while she dressed herself in her ragged clothing. After doing so she ced her ve cor around her neck, where Marcellus fastened it. Though it pained Marcellus to see the woman he loved wear such a symbol of oppression, he had no choice. It would not be wise to let her walk about without the symbol of her servitude. In the end, the couple descended from the staircase and prepared the day¡¯s breakfast.

    Marcellus had much work to do now that the time to nt the fall¡¯s harvest was nearing. If he wanted to introduce these new agricultural advancements, then he had little time to do it. Thus, while he was sharing a meal with his beloved, his mind was focused on more important things. With a heavy sigh, he expressed the thoughts that dwelled within his mind.

    ¡°It appears things are going to be interesting real soon¡­¡±

 Chapter 36 Sudden Changes

    Within Marcellus¡¯ residence, a group of people were gathered. Officers from the limitanei as well as civil officials had alle to the vi at Castra Regina to hear the Dux¡¯s decree. Rather than attend to the needs of the people one at a time, Marcellus had gone out of his way to gather hispetent subordinates to put his many ns into action.

    With the Gothic upation of Noricum, thousands of Roman citizens had fled into the neighboring provinces such as Raetia. To put it simply, Castra Regina did not have the means to amodate those who ended up in Marcellus¡¯ territory. Despite this, the young General refused to turn them away and instead epted them with open arms.

    His reasoning for doing so was simple. The more young men that lived in his territory, the moreborers he would have. Not only that, but these men could be drafted into his army to rece those who had deserted. It was because of this that Marcellus made a shocking decree to everyone who was gathered before him.

    ¡°By right, as the Dux of Castra Regina I, Titus dius Marcellus hereby announce the forced conscription of all young men between the ages of sixteen and twenty into the limitanei, to serve the glory of Rome until a time when the threat posed by the goths has passed.¡±

    Such amand was met with shock by those who were gathered. However, Marcellus did not care in the slightest. It was necessary to raise his forces if he were to defend the region from the overwhelming numbers of Goths who lie at his borders. The men who were standing by Marcellus¡¯ side immediately broke out into a dispute on whether or not this was a good idea.

    ¡°How will we plow the fields, with so many young men fighting on the front lines?¡±

    ¡°This is outrageous. My boys are not fighters. They will not survive a single battle!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    However, Marcellus did not care about theirints. In this territory, he held absolute authority. It was the nature of frontier outposts, that themanding officer was practically a feudal lord. Thus, he immediately raised his voice and cut off theints with an authoritative shout.

    ¡°Order, I will have an order in my vi! As with the existing limitanei, these youths will be serving part time, and will still carry out their duties tending to the fields. This is not a request, but a demand. If we do not fill our ranks with as many soldiers as we can, then we will be swept aside by the gothic tide! For those of you who resist, I will have you serve by the side of your children!¡±

    Upon hearing the severity of the situation, the old men who were gathered remained silent. Who would dare risk angering the Dux when presented with such a threat? These old men could barely hold a sword, let alone fight a barbarian warrior. With everyone in agreement Marcellus moved onto the next point of his agenda.

    ¡°As you may know, there is a current food crisis in the vige. Thanks in part to corruption of the previous administration. I have found records indicating that my predecessor was conspiring with the corrupt merchant once known as Betto to hold a monopoly over the vige¡¯s grain supply and. There are plenty of merchants who would be willing to fill the gap for an eptable price. Thus, I intend to pay with my own funds for enough grain to feed the vige for the uing winter.

    However, such a thing is a short-term solution, and it is because of that I n to introduce new agricultural methods thate from the hearnd of our Empire. Recently developed technology has shown an increase in crop yields. Thus I intend to implement the following in our fields starting now. The three-field system, the horse yoke, and the heavy plow.¡±

    The reality was that Marcellus had devised this technology from his dreams, but he couldn¡¯t very well convince those beneath hismand to implement the technology. Thus, he lied and said the technology originated from the hearnd of the Empire, which everyone knew was better off than the frontier.<sub></sub>

    After saying this, Marcellus spent nearly half an hour going into great detail about how the new agricultural methods would work, and instructed those responsible for looking after the fields to begin their implementation immediately.

    Those who had some knowledge of agriculture understood that the n was feasible and would yield more crops. If such a thing were the case, then they would dly spread news of this system so that the fall harvest could be plentiful.

    However, as with any major change in society, there were those who disagreed. Ordius merely watched and sighed as he saw the discontent that was sown among the leaders of Castra Regina. He decided to take a stand after listening to a few of the vige heads scold Marcellus for his boisterous ims.

    ¡°The Dux has made his decree. Everyone here knows the price that must be paid for disobedience, and yet you still dare to question his orders. If you remain defiant, I will have no choice but to have you arrested and beheaded!¡±

    With such a threat from the officer directly beneath Marcellus¡¯mand, the various heads of the vige calmed their internal fury and remained silent. Upon seeing that order was restored, Marcellus nodded his head in approval of Ordius¡¯ actions before giving out thorough instructions to the vigers.

    ¡°With these agricultural innovations, we should have enough to feed our people, including the refugees, as well as our livestock. Those of you who doubted mymand to y the corrupt merchant Betto will see for yourselves how capable I am.<sub></sub>

    Here in Castra Regina, my authority is absolute, and any of you who seek to impede my progress shall be met with the cold steel of my de. I am the Dux, and you are beneath me. It is your job to fulfill my orders, whether you agree with them or not! If that is all, then you are dismissed. I have much work to do, and little time to do it!¡±

    Having said this, the various heads of the vige left the vi while grumbling theirints. As for Marcellus, he was working on signing the decree intow. Ordius saw the exhausted expression on the man¡¯s face andplimented him for his efforts.

    ¡°Our previous Dux has done little in the way of improving the vige. You have my thanks for all the hard work you have done¡­¡±

    Marcellus merely sighed as he heard these words before revealing his mindset.

    ¡°The Emperor has tasked me to protect Castra Regina and the surrounding regions from the many threats which seek to destroy the Empire. While I do not know how long I will be here, I will do everything in my power to fulfill the task that I have been given. I am not the kind of man to sit back and allow the enemy to grow in number while my soldiers starve!¡±

    Ordius nodded his head in approval of the general¡¯s words. In the past, when the two had served together, Marcellus was always a strict but efficient leader. It was because of this that Ordius¡¯ multiple infractions were cracked down upon and he was dismissed from his position as a member of the Ptini.

    If not for Marcellus, then Ordius likely would still be a penniless drunk. The punishment for his sins was enough to snap him back to reality and force him to improve himself. For this, he was thankful. He knew with Marcellus at the helm Castra Regina was far more likely to seed in its goals than it would be under anyone else¡¯smand. However, there was still a question on the man¡¯s mind and he could not help but ask.

    ¡°So, when do you think you will be given your old position?¡±

    Marcellus merely scoffed in response to this question as he signed away his signature on another important document. After doing so, he gave the man a bit of insight towards the character of the current emperor.

    ¡°Honorius is azy, petty, hedonistic, and spiteful fool. It¡¯s amazing the Empire is even still standing at this point. He will never give me back my position now that he has me right where he wants me. I am likely to preside over this region until my death. Such is the punishment for shining too brightly.¡±

    Ordius had heard rumors about the Emperor¡¯s behavior, but outside of Ravenna there were still many subjects who believed that the Emperor was doing everything he could for the betterment of the people. To hear such an estimation of the man¡¯s character from someone like Marcellus destroyed what little sense of morale Ordius had left within his heart. However, Marcellus¡¯ next words inspired the man to act better in the future.

    ¡°It is because our Emperor is so pathetically ipetent that we as Romans must shed our blood, sweat, and tears to ensure that the civilization that our Ancestors have built remains standing in a world gone mad. Every man must do his part for the betterment of Rome, myself included.

    Thus, no matter how exhausted I may be, as long as I remain breathing, I will give everything I have to ensure that Castra Regina does not fall, and that the people beneath my rule are treated fairly. They canin all they want, but ultimately, conscription is necessary. After all, our very survival is at stake.

    So Commander Ordius, I am tasking you with taking these blueprints to the local cksmith. ce an order on my behalf, with the funds I will provide you with. I need enough horse yokes and heavy plows to rece our current methods.¡±

    Ordius nodded his head. There was a look of pride in his eyes as he responded in affirmation of his orders.

    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±

    Having said these, Ordius received a bag of silver coins to be used as payment for the horse yokes, and a letter that was written by Marcellus personally to be given to the cksmith in question. Afterward, the man marched out of the vi and into the vige below to ce the order.

    As for Marcellus, he sat back in his chair and rested his weary head on the palm of his hands. If there was one good thing about this pitiful assignment, it was the fact that he and Sigefrida had grown closer because of it. Though how long these peaceful days couldst, he did not know.

 Chapter 37 Procuring Arms for the Limitanei

    Ga cidia stood in the middle of Rome¡¯s local manufactorum with a forced smile on her face. Not everybody had the ability to enter this region unannounced. For here, all the arms and armor of the Roman Empire were manufactured,rgely by the use of vebor. However, cidia was the Emperor¡¯s sister, and it was not easy to deny entry to her.

    The young girl gazed in awe at the thousands of ves who worked together to form the armor that the Roman Legions were equipped with. Others hammered away at low carbon steel imported from Noricum to make the des of the spatha, and the spearheads that the infantry used in warfare.

    The man standing in front of cidia was the foreman of the manufactorum, and it was his job to ensure that everything was running properly. Even in these dark times, the factories of the Roman Empire did their best to supply the needs of its soldiers. The man had a frown on his face as he read the letter ofmission from the disgraced general.

    ¡°Three thousand sets of lorica squamata, three thousand subarmalis, three thousand helms, three thousand greaves, two thousand five hundred oval scutum, three thousand spatha, and twelve thousand five hundred plumbatae? Just what kind of order is this?¡±

    cidia felt embarrassed, as she had to exin the other demands that Marcellus had asked her to give to the foreman. Despite her embarrassment, she presented a calm facade as she gazed into the foreman¡¯s eyes and reminded him of the rest of Marcellus¡¯ order with an authoritative tone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the five hundrednces, the five hundred cavalry scutum, five hundred manica, as well as the five hundred sets of scale barding!¡±

    The foreman was slightly perturbed with the little girl¡¯s tone of voice, but upon remembering that she was the emperor¡¯s sister, he sighed heavily before questioning her which bastard was making such tall demands of him.

    ¡°Pray tell, is it your brother who has requested these items? What is he trying to do, create a legion on par with the Principate?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    cidia struggled to exin where the orders originated from, however, she ultimately decided to tell the truth. If she had lied to the man, it would eventually be found out by her brother, and she would be in big trouble.

    ¡°No, the Dux of Castra Regina. Titus udius Marcellus has requested these items so that his soldiers are properly equipped to defend the region from the Gothic Horde under ric. You know they have seized Noricum, right? I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re probably stressing about theck of Noric Steel? Well, imagine what happens when they take Raetia.

    The Dux is doing everything he can to prevent those Barbarian scum from invading the hearnd of our Empire. However, his soldiers are under-equipped, and thus he has decided to spend his family¡¯s fortune in procuring the tools needed to defend the Empire.

    The foreman gazed at the girl with astonishment in his eyes. He could hardly believe a General was willing to spend such a massive sum in equipping his army himself. Normally there were procedures to go through to equip your army, hell these days many soldiers were relying on their own personal finances to equip themselves.

    Still, in these trying times, it was admirable that a man would go to such lengths to defend the borders of Rome¡¯s enemies. He scratched the back of his head as he thought about what would happen to the city of the Goths were allowed to break through the border. With an awkward smile, he nodded his head and informed the girl that he would be epting the request.

    ¡°Alright¡­ If there is such a man who is willing to put his life on the line, as well as that of his soldiers, to secure our borders, then the least I can do is fulfill his order. Though I want you to know this won¡¯t be cheap, it is going to cost a fortune to equip so many men with such high quality gear¡­¡±

    cidia nodded her head with a determined expression as she informed the foreman of what Marcellus had written to her.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Marcellus has informed me that you don¡¯t need to worry about the cost, and instead focus on the quality of the gear. He was left quite a fortune by histe father and has gained immense riches in previous campaigns. He has assured me that he can afford the expense.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the foreman sighed and nodded his head before giving the girl a response.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have my ves work overtime to ensure the order ispleted as soon as possible. I know little about what is going on at the border, but I know enough. If he can really halt the advance of the Goths into Raetia, then it is my duty to help him aplish this feat.¡±

    The emperor¡¯s sister wore a pretty smile as she heard the man was willing to help and quickly nodded her head thrice while thanking the man.

    ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much!¡±

    The man felt awkward seeing the young girl thank him so bashfully and decided to wave her off. After all, he now had a lot of work to fulfill.

    ¡°I will begin the order right away. You can tell Marcellus to expect the delivery within the next five months. I will be expect payment from him upon transfer of the goods.¡±<sub></sub>

    After hearing this cidia thanked the man once more before running back to her vi where she intended to write to the man in question.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Upon arriving in her vi, cidia was shocked to see Aeliana sitting in her foyer, drinking wine. The mother of Marcellus was incredibly drunk as sheined about the absence of her child.

    ¡°Damn that Honorius, who does he think he is sending my baby to the frontier?¡±

    When cidia saw this, she frowned before snatching the bottle of wine away from the mature beauty.

    ¡°Aeliana, get a hold of yourself. If Marcellus were to see you like this, he would surely worry!¡±

    Aeliana desperately tried to snatch her wine bottle back, but she was too drunk to do so. It was all too easy for cidia to hold the woman at length. Eventually the woman fell to her knees and began to cry, a sight which troubled the emperor¡¯s sister.

    ¡°My son ran off with that damn woman! I just know they are doing indecent things at the border!¡±

    There was only one woman that would cause Aeliana to fret like this, and the thought of Marcellus and Sigefrida being intimate with one another caused cidia to flush with embarrassment. She could vividly imagine Marcellus groping the Suebi beauty¡¯s chest with a dumb smile on his face, which caused the girl to look down at her own meagre mounds with dissatisfaction. Her thoughts on the matter escaped her pretty pink lips.

    ¡°Stupid Marcellus¡­¡±

    When Aeliana heard this, she also began to curse her son.

    ¡°Stupid boy¡­¡±

    This caused the two women to giggle. Eventually cidia helped up the mature beauty and walked her into the kitchen, where she began to prepare some food for the two of them.

    ¡°Here, mother-inw, let me fix you something to eat.¡±

    The woman red at her fiercely as she heard the words she had spoken before questioning the girl.

    ¡°Mother-inw? I don¡¯t remember giving my son away to you! You know cidia, you¡¯re not much better than that harlot Sigefrida!¡±

    cidia merely rolled her eyes when she heard this, as she continued to cook some food for the woman. She ultimately responded with a quick quip of her own.

    ¡°Please, Aeliana, your son is a man now, and we both know he can¡¯t marry a ve. Have you ever thought about who you want your daughter-inw to be? You can¡¯t keep monopolizing Marcellus¡¯ affection like this, sooner orter he needs to marry and have an heir!¡±

    Despite the truth in cidia¡¯s words, Aeliana merely scoffed before replying to the girl.

    ¡°Oh what? You think you are worthy of being my son¡¯s bride? You are still just a little girl!¡±

    In response to this, cida stuck out her tongue, further proving the woman¡¯s point. However, despite her childish actions, she responded with another logical statement.

    ¡°By Roman Law I am already old enough to wed. Who would you rather your son be with, me, or some strumpet who seeks to take advantage of his wealth and position?¡±

    Aeliana fiercely red at the young girl in front of her. The girl had a point, even if she didn¡¯t want to recognize it. Still, she refused to admit that Marcellus needed a wife, and began to pout like a child in response to cidia¡¯s words.

    ¡°Neither. Marcellus only needs his mommy!¡±

    cidia could only sigh in response to this. The woman had always been this way since as long as she had known her. Her obsession with her son was unhealthy, to say the least. However, given enough time, and the girl was convinced that she could coerce the woman into approving of their union. Thus, she plotted and schemed her way into making her dreamse true.

 Chapter 38 A Day in the Life of Flavius Stilicho

    In the city of Ravenna sat the Imperial Pce. In years passed, the capital of the Western Roman Empire was moved from Rome to Medinum, however such a northern city proved to be unsecure and had been ravaged in a previous war. As a result, Ravenna now stood as the Imperial Capital. The city of Ravenna was embedded in a swamp, and it was because of this it was naturally superior in its defensive position.

    vius Stilicho was the Supreme Commander of the Western Roman Army. Unfortunately for him, he now acted as a glorified babysitter of an overgrown child. The Emperor Honorius was a young man in his early twenties, and despite this, he was dim-witted,zy, hedonistic, and outright petty. It was because of men like Stilicho that the Empire was even still standing.

    Currently, the Goths were upying Noricum, and the usurper Constantine III had taken over the diocese of Britannia and Gaul. If he made a move on either of them, the hearnd of the Empire would be ravaged by one or the other. Thus, because of that, he could only rely on buying temporary peace to sustain the borders of the Empire.

    Despite this, there were many equally petty senators who thought of such a thing as a major insult to their pride and honor. Stilicho was living in a nest of vipers, and every single one of them was trying to influence the young emperor to act against him.

    It was for this reason that the man smiled when he read a report from Castra Regina. Unbeknownst to him, at the time he was convincing the Senate to agree to ric¡¯s demands, the man himself had marched on Castra Regina. Thankfully, Marcellus was able to deter the gothic invasion with a simple threat. Still, it was testament to the young general¡¯s reputation that a man like ric stayed his hand.

    Marcellus¡¯ actions had bought Rome time, time to prepare the ransom so that ric would not invade. Of course, ric was a filthy barbarian and he could not be easily trusted. While reading this letter, Stilicho also saw the words that Marcellus had left him.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°I intend to transform my limitanei into a force that our ancestors would be proud of. It will be difficult, but it is the only way I can defend thisnd I have been tasked with protecting. Because of this, I have spent a fortunemissioning arms and armor for my soldiers. They train every day, and are not allowed to ck off on their other work.

    Just know that each man who stands among my ranks is willing to die to defend the border from the Gothic threat. You must do your part to negotiate on behalf of all of us Romans to ensure that ric stays his hand. I fear I am not in a position to do anything other than deter the man. Just know that should the daye that ric brings his troops into my territory, my soldiers will fight to thest man to protect its people.¡±

    Stilicho could only shake his head when he read this. Despite being half-vandal, Marcellus had considered him a true Roman, something the members of the Senate disagreed upon. If only a man like Marcellus ruled the Empire, perhaps it would not be in its current state. After reading the letter, he cast it into the fire. It was best that Honorius did not find out about Marcellus¡¯ attempt to further enhance his troops. The petty fool might actually use Marcellus of treason.

    Dwelling upon this, he decided to do everything in his power to conceal the manufacture and sale of the goods that Marcellus had requested. At the very least, there would not be a trail for Honorius to follow. He decided to write a letter to the foreman of the Roman Manufactorum, exining to him that Marcellus wasmissioning the goods on his behalf. If Honorius were to find out about this deal, then Stilicho could always say he was simply acting to strengthen the border defenses against the Gothic threat.

    After doing this, he left his chambers and soon found the Roman Emperor staring at his pet chickens with a dejected gaze. Whatever had urred, Honorius was clearly in a foul mood. With a heavy sigh, Stilicho approached the man and questioned what was on his mind.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Your majesty, is there anything I should be aware of?¡±

    Honorius did not immediately respond, and instead cast out a handful of seed for the chickens to feast on. After doing so, he began toin about his life.

    ¡°Despite Marcellus¡¯ punishment, my sister still writes to him. I fear that the girl has fallen for that scoundrel. Yet, I do not have any proof. Tell me, how should I punish the bastard for wooing my little sister?¡±

    Stilicho knew it was something petty, but he didn¡¯t realize it was this bad. He had no choice but to advocate on Marcellus¡¯ behalf.

    ¡°With all due respect, Honorius, your sister is old enough to wed, and you have yet to find her a proper partner. I know you despise Marcellus, but he only has Rome¡¯s best interests in his heart. I assure you he has no desire to do anything but serve the Empire. If you keep punishing your most loyal servants because of your personal feelings, you won¡¯t be able to inspire others to act on your behalf.<sub></sub>

    If your sister has truly developed feelings for the man, then perhaps you should reward him, by agreeing to wed the girl to him. I know you don¡¯t want to hear this, but there are rumors developing in the senate that perhaps you fancy your sister. It is better to marry her off to a capable man, then to sit by and do nothing.¡±

    Honorius remained silent for some time as he dwelled on the subject. He truly despised Marcellus, if not simply because of the vicious scolding he had received when he visited the man in prison. He could not forgive Marcellus for speaking to him in such a manner.

    His sister¡¯s happiness was not one of his concerns, but if there were rumors about him being in love with his sister, then he needed to find the girl a husband quickly. Still, it was true that he wasckingpetent subordinates aside from Stilicho and Marcellus. It was one of the reasons he had not outright executed the young general. Ultimately he decided to it was too much of a fuss to manage and tossed more feed towards his chicken.

    ¡°Eh, if those idiots in the senate want to talk, then let them talk. I won¡¯t wed my sister to Marcellus just because they have begun to spread rumors about me. Instead, I want you to find out who started these petty lies, and punish them severely!¡±

    Stilicho could not help but sigh in defeat. Just what did Rome do in its past to deserve being gued with such an ipetent emperor? Perhaps it was the fault of men like Nero or gabalus that the heavens had decided to gift the throne to Honorius. Either way, Stilicho would speak no further about rewarding Marcellus for his efforts. Instead, he nodded his head in affirmation of Honorius¡¯ orders.

    ¡°Very well, if that is what you desire, I will see what I can do¡­¡±

    After saying this, Stilicho departed from the room and left to manage further affairs of the Empire. Why did he even bother speaking up on Marcellus¡¯ behalf if the fool was just going to sit back and do nothing?

    As for Honorius, the snake known as Olympius quickly approached him. The man had a forced smile on his face as he whispered venom into the fool¡¯s ears.

    ¡°He seeks to overthrow you, you know that, right?¡±

    Honorius immediately snapped his attention towards the Senator when he heard this before inquiring further about what he was talking about.

    ¡°Who does?¡±

    The man struggled to contain his contempt for Honorius¡¯ stupidity as he rified what he meant by his previous statement.

    ¡°Stilicho, he knows he can¡¯t be emperor because of his sullied lineage. But Marcellus, he¡¯s a member of the Gens udia. Rumor has it that the man is even descended from the Julio-udian dynasty of centuries past. If such a thing were true, then it would not be surprising if Stilicho sought to rece you with his favored son.

    Think about it, Honorius, why is Stilicho always pressing for Honorius to be rewarded? Even now he seeks to wed your sister to the man to improve his im to the throne. You should be wary of those who say they are most loyal to Rome, for they are usually the ones harboring treasonous sentiments.¡±

    A light flickered in Honorius¡¯ eyes before he shook his head, denying such a possibility. Stilicho had always been loyal to his family. Such a thing made little sense.

    ¡°No, Stilicho wouldn¡¯t do that¡­¡±

    In response to this, a vicious smile curved itself upon Olympius¡¯ lips as he twisted the truth to his means.

    ¡°No, of course not. I mean, he did just agree to spend 4,000 gold to prevent the Goths from invading Raetia. It must simply be a coincidence that Marcellus is currently guarding the border between Rhaetia and Noricum as we speak¡­ After all, Stilicho surely wouldn¡¯t convince the senate to spend such a vast sum or money just to protect his favored son.¡±

    After saying this, Olympius did not wait for a response. He left the emperor alone, dwelling on these thoughts. Unfortunately, doubt had set in Honorius¡¯ heart, and after this conversation, he would view Stilicho in a different light.

 Chapter 39 A Tough Decision

    With the order for the new equipment underway, Marcellus spent his days at the border, training his soldiers, and managing the affairs of the province that he was tasked with leading. As a Dux, it was his job to protect and look after the development of his region, because of this his job was closer to that of a feudal lord than it was to the ancient position of legatus.

    Under the dominate the province of Raetia was split into two. Raetia I and Raetia II, currently Marcellus, only ruled over the easternmost half. Such a thing was an enormous p to his face as Marcellus was once a man ranked directly below the Supreme Commander. Now he was the leader of a single province.

    However, as time passed, he got over his grievances and took his job seriously. By now the time to nt the crops for the fall harvest hade and gone, and under the direction of Marcellus¡¯ orders, he sessfully introduced three major improvements to agriculture across hisnds.

    At first there were many who doubted him, but after seeing the initial results of the new improvements, nobody in Raetia dared to speak out against his orders. Even with the fall harvest being months away, the plebeians who worked in the fields were shocked at the amount of crops that could be sewn with the invention of the three field system.

    During what little free time Marcellus had avable to him, he spent it in the arms of Sigefrida, who had taken thest step in their rtionship only recently. As far as he was concerned, they were married in everything but name. After all, there were plenty of examples of Roman masters entering loving rtionships with their ves. There was even a term for it: contubernium.

    At the moment, the two of them were eating breakfast in the vi. For whatever reason, Sigefrida had insisted on feeding her man herself. She scooped up the meal she had made with a silver spoon and brought it to Marcellus¡¯ mouth, where he reluctantly epted it. After tasting the meal, he nodded his head in approval beforeplimenting the chef.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Your cooking is always a delight, Sigefrida.¡±

    The woman smiled and blushed slightly before feeding the man another bite. After doing so, Marcellus wiped his mouth before pushing the woman aside. He had a stern expression on his handsome face as he exined the thoughts that had dwelled within his mind these past couple of days.

    ¡°Sigefrida, now that we are a couple, there¡¯s something I have been thinking abouttely that I feel like I need to get off my chest. I think it is about time for me to remove your cor and grant you your freedom. You will be a free citizen of Rome and can even be my concubine. It¡¯s certainly better than continuing to live as a lowly ve!¡¯

    Sigefrida touched the cor on her neck and shied away from Marcellus¡¯ embrace, which was a reaction that he was not expecting. She did not appear the slightest bit pleased with this news, and instead seemed rather fearful. She quickly shook her head and denied the kindness Marcellus was about to grant her. There was a look of dread in her eyes as she struggled to meet her master¡¯s sharp gaze.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus sighed as he immediately guessed the reason for the woman¡¯s reluctance. It would appear that his worst fears were realized, and he could not help but express his doubts.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of my mother, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Initially, Sigefrida remained motionless, but after several seconds, she nodded her head in silence as tears streamed from her ice-blue eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid, Marcellus! I mean, If I am still your ve, then we can hide our rtionship from your mother. However, if you suddenly free me, and take me as your concubine, then she will know what we have done, and she will find a way to get rid of me.¡±

    Marcellus understood Sigefrida¡¯s fears. If everything she had previously said was true about his mother, then he would need to give the woman a serious scolding when he finally returned to Rome. However, it was unknown when they would finally leave this frontier outpost.<sub></sub>

    The two of them could quite possibly be here in Raetia for the rest of their lives. If that was the case, then he¡¯d be happy to take Sigefrida not as a concubine but as hiswful wife. Especially since he wasn¡¯t likely to meet a beautiful patrician woman here in this Podunk town. He spoke with fierce resolve as he swore to protect the woman he loved from the hateful grasp of his scheming mother.

    ¡°Sigefrida, I promise you, I will not allow my mother to harm you any more. If she tries, then I will punish her myself! However, you have to understand that we are on the edge of the world now. We may never return to Rome. Should you be forced to endure very, simply because you are afraid of a threat that is a world away? I love you, and I want the whole world to know it!¡±

    The words that Marcellus had spoken pulled at Sigefrida¡¯s heartstrings, causing her chest to thump rapidly. It took her several moments to decide on whether she would continue to be a ve, or be Marcellus¡¯ concubine. In the end she thought back on another woman in Marcellus¡¯ life and shook her head as she came to a decision.

    ¡°Not yet¡­ I¡¯m not ready¡­¡±

    Marcellus could only sigh in defeat as he heard these words escape from the mouth of the woman he loved. It would appear that despite her age, she still needed a bit of growing up to do before she could ept the responsibility of being in a rtionship with him that differed from one of master and ve. He did not me her. She had been in his family¡¯s service since a young age and knew nothing other than the life of a lowly ve.

    Because of this, she had serious self confidence issues, not believing herself to be worthy of being in a lofty position such as the concubine or wife of the man she loved. Just when Marcellus was about to respond to this, the doors to his vi swung open to reveal Ordius in full armor, alongside several members of his newly formed cavalry unit. There was a panicked expression on the man¡¯s face as he dered the emergency that he had just now been informed of.

    ¡°The Vandals have crossed the border and are ransacking a nearby vige that falls under your protection. Their war band numbers roughly two hundred and fifty in total. What are your orders?¡±

    Marcellus took a quick drink from his wine before mming his chalice down on the table. He quickly stood up and gathered himself before leaving his woman¡¯s side.

    ¡°If the Vandals have crossed into mynd, then they will be met with steel. Muster the Cataphracts, it is time we show these barbarian bastards that, though we may be few in number, the province of Raetia is not to be underestimated!¡±

    Marcellus swiftly ced his helm upon his head as he walked out the doors of the vi, leaving Sigefrida by her lonesome. As a soldier in the Roman Army, Marcellus had always followed the example of his ancestors and that was to dress in his armor first thing in the morning, and only take it off at night right before he slept. Because of this aspect of his personality, he was ready forbat at a moment¡¯s notice.

    After exiting his vi, Marcellus swiftly made his way to the stables, where five hundred men were gathered. They were heavily armored from head to toe in the newest equipment that Marcellus had ordered, and so were their steeds. With Marcellus¡¯ requisition of equipment for his forces, he had urged the manufactorum to set the Cataphract¡¯s gear as a priority. Because of this, they were delivered and paid for well in advance of his other soldier¡¯s supplies.

    Normally it would take years, or even decades, to train a unit of Cataphracts, however with the invention of stirrups, and the harsh training regimen Marcellus put his cavalry through, the time to train such a force was a fraction of what it used to be. Even though a little over a month had passed since the invention of the stirrup, his cavalry were now capable of, at the very least, performing a a proper charge against a ragtag war-band of barbarian raiders.

    The soldiers of Castra Regina gazed in awe at their Dux, who rode alongside his new cavalry unit outside of the Fortress and into the fields below where they charged towards the nearby Raetian vige that hade under assault by the Vandals.

    In this era where the Roman Empire seemed to be on the verge of copse, the sight of a five hundred cataphracts being raised in a matter of months was a glimpse of hope to the men who guarded the borders.

    As for the Vandal raiders, they did not know that such arge force of shock cavalry was on their way to intercept them. When Marcellus and his men finally arrived, they would have to make a tough decision: Stand and fight, or die fleeing.

 Chapter 40 Border Raid

    Ger was the leader of the Vandal war band that had crossed into Raetia. Upon hearing that ric and his Gothic horde had upied Noricum, this ambitious Vandal wanted to test the waters, and see what he could get away with taking for himself. He led a sizeable war-band of two hundred and fifty men into the borders of Raetia to a vige near Castra Regina.

    His troops were entirely infantry, and most of them werecking any form of body armor. After all, a mail shirt was worth a small fortune, and it was not easy to get your hands on the kind of coin required to wear such gear. Luckily for him, he was of noble birth and had ess to his father¡¯s mail shirt. Because of this, he had superior protection as he marched at the head of his unit into the unsuspecting vige.

    The moment the vandal horde approached the borders, the roman citizens began to flee for their lives. They did not have the means to stop such arge force of barbarians from ravaging their homes and raping their women. Ger had a vicious smirk on his face as he wielded a spear in one hand and a round shield in another. He also had a hand axe strapped to his belt to act as a sidearm. The brute thrust the tip of his spear through the body of a frightened farmer, spilling the man¡¯s blood all over the fields as he shouted in his nativenguage.

    ¡®Kill for Wuotan!¡±

    The barbarian war band had descended upon the vige and mercilessly butchered every man in sight. As for the women and girls of breeding age, they were dragged to the side and beaten into submission. The barbarians were in the middle of a raid and did not have time to **** them, but the Vandal warriors would surely have their fun with the Roman girlster that night. As a result, they bound the arms and legs of the roman women and kept them under guard as more men rushed into the vige, lighting the buildings and fields aze while plundering anything remotely of value.<sub>.</sub>

    The attack was as quick as it was brutal, and the barbarian warriors were left unopposed by the vigers. All they could do was flee for their lives and pray that the Vandals didn¡¯t catch up to them. Even the limitanei who were tasked with protecting thend would find it hard to deal with such fearsome warriors.

    For a while, it looked like this would be another easy looting of Romannds. However, while Geiler was in the middle of hacking away at man¡¯s limbs with his hand axe, he heard the sound of a horn blow in the east. This immediately caught his attention as he gazed in horror at the sight of five hundred heavily armored horsemen rushing towards the vige. The chi-rho was proudly painted on the Roman shields, disying what faction hade to the vige¡¯s rescue.

    The man at the forefront of the cavalry had a red plumed helmet and was clearly a man of a high rank, this high ranking roman couched thence beneath his arm and charged as fast as he could towards the raiding barbarians until hisnce collided with the chest of Ger and pierced through his mail shirt as if it were nothing, reaping his life in the process. A look of disbelief filled the barbarian¡¯s face as he uttered hisst words.

    ¡°Impossible!¡±<sub></sub>

    With the sudden death of their leader, the Vandals began to panic. Many of them broke ranks and fled. However, how could they possiblypete with the speed of a horse? After Marcellus imed the leader¡¯s life, a wall of horsemen collided with the Vandals. Many of theirnces broke upon impact, and in doing so, imed the lives of those who were unfortunate enough to be struck.

    After shattering theirnces, the Cataphracts switched to their sidearms, the full length of their steel des were unleashed upon their enemies from horseback, who ran for their lives in fear of being ughtered like pigs. Though a few brave men stood their ground and fought with the cavalry. After all, it was better to die in battle and enter Wuotan¡¯s hall.

    Having skewered the leader like a pig, Marcellus adeptly maneuvered his horse through the ranks, using hisnce to stick as many of the Vandal warriors as he could. Eventually he noticed one of these men trying to use the length of his spear to im the life of a cataphract who had lost hisnce, in retaliation Marcellus snapped the reins of his horse and charged towards his new target while he couched his spear once more. In a matter of seconds, hisnce prated through the man¡¯s back and out the other side, sending him to his gods.

    What started as a one sided ughter of the Roman vigers turned into a massacre of the Vandals, who were too few in number topete with the heavy cavalry that was a force of Cataphracts. Almost as quickly as the battle had begun, so too did it end in an overwhelming Roman victory. Piles of barbarians lie hewn in the mud, as the victims of their crimes spat upon their corpses.<sub></sub>

    Not a single cataphract had lost his life in the conflict, nor had any of their steeds. Thanks to the heavy armor they were equipped with, they had beenpletely protected from the Vandals¡¯ attacks. Upon gazing at the scene, Marcellus realized he had arrivedte, and because of this, more than a quarter of the vige¡¯s residents had been butchered by the Vandals. He quickly dismounted from his horse and approached the group of tied up women where he cut their bindings. A girl younger than cidia quickly wrapped her arms around Marcellus and thanked him with tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Thank you! Thank you for rescuing me!¡±

    Marcellus could not speak. He simply nodded in silence as he freed the rest of the women and girls from their restraints. For many of them, their families had already been ughtered, and there was nothing left for them here in their hometown. Upon seeing this, Marcellus made a decree.

    ¡°Bury the dead and scavenge anything of value from the barbarians. I doubt this is thest we will see of the Vandals.¡±

    His soldiers were quick to act as they fulfilled their orders. While this was happening, Marcellus made a rough estimate of the damages that had been caused to the vige, and how much it would cost him to fix. The hardest part was recing the in farmers. Homes could be rebuilt, and fields could be resewn. But life, life, was irreceable. Sure, he could find someone to fulfill thebor of the men who were in, but the vige would feel the sting of their losses for generations.

    Unfortunately, there was not much Marcellus could do about this, raids like these were all toomon an urrence across the west. The most he could do was respond as quickly as possible and pray to Sol Invictus that he could save the lives of some of the vigers.

    This time he had arrived in time to save much of the vige¡¯s poption, but there were still significant losses. He could only sigh after it was over and done, and curse the vandals who took advantage of the dying Empire. Among all the Germanic tribes, the Vandals were among the worst when it came to raiding.

    They killed every male, burned down every building, looted all the valuables, and raped all the women and girls. Such things were not umon in this era, but the extent that the Vandals engaged in these crimes was staggering.

    Having saved what remained of the vige, Marcellus assured them he would send some men to help them rebuild what they had lost. He also gave his condolences to the vigers and promised he would be lenient when the tax season came. After all, much of their crops had been burnt in the conflict. For a small farming vige like this, that was their only source of ie.

    After taking care of business, Marcellus and his Cataphracts returned to Castra Regina. If there was one upside about this attack, it was that Marcellus could finally see just how effective the stirrups were in battle. Still, it was a steep price to pay for information. He felt sick to his stomach for even thinking such a thing.

    After returning to the vi, Marcellus sulked around for a bit, not having the nerve to continue the conversation he had left off with Sigefrida. He continued to work well into the night until he finally went to bed. The Vandal attack on the vige had left a strong sense of resolve in Marcellus¡¯ heart, to do better in the future, and take countermeasures against barbarian raids that were more than just responding to an attack.

 Chapter 41 Making Moonshine

    Frank held a red solo cup in his hands. In this cup was an amber liquid that had been made in his garage. He and his friends took a sip from the hard liquor that they had personally distilled and coughed. It was strong, really strong.

    One of the boys looked at Frank with an intoxicated expression on his face. He had to be no older than fifteen, which, for the record, so was Frank. The boy lifted his cup in cheers before taking another swig.

    ¡°We finally did it! We made some booze!¡±

    After nking his cup with the other boy¡¯s Frank took another sip. He could feel the sense of intoxication wrap around his mind like a warm nket. He had a wide smile on his face as he yfully shook the kid sitting next to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Ed here! If not for your wicked smart brain, we¡¯d probably be blind right now!¡¯

    The boy named Ed smiled back and pushed Frank¡¯s arm aside. He was slightly embarrassed to hear suchpliments.

    ¡°It¡¯s a simple matter of fermentation and distition. If you guys actually paid attention in chemistry ss, you could make it too.¡±

    After saying this, the group of friends broke out intoughter, while calling Ed names.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Dork!¡±

    ¡°Nerd!¡±

    ¡°Loser!¡±

    Ed responded by drinking the rest of his cup in silence. Despite the name-calling, he went on a long-winded lecture about the process of distilling alcohol.

    ¡°You see boys, my home made recipe is really simple. My ingredients are as follows:

    2.5kg of 2-month-old wheat, 25 liters of water, 6kg of sugar, 100 grams of alcoholic yeast, 0.5 liters of fermented milk

    After obtaining these things, the first thing I do is prepare the malt by making ayer of wheat norger than 2cm in depth and soaking it in warm water. Then I ce it in a warm ce somewhere that has a temperature of around 18-25 degrees Celsius.<sub></sub>

    After doing this, I wait a few of days until the grain sprouts to a length of about 2cm. After that, I mix it up and remove it from the water without dividing. From there, it is all about cooking the mash. You do this by adding warm water between 50-60 degrees Celsius, and sugar to a 40 liter container and mix it well.

    Then you let it sit until the water cools down to about 28-30 degrees Celsius. Once the mash is cooled, you add the malt, and the yeast, and seal the container, allowing it to stay in a warm environment of between 18-28 degrees Celsius so that it can ferment.

    You let the malt ferment for a time span of 48-96 hours. After that, you strain the mash so that the wheat is separated, this grain can be used a couple more times, so make sure to hold on to it. From here, you add the 0.5 liters of fermented milk and then proceed to distil it.

    Distition is a bit different, as you can see with my home made still here. I used stainless steel to make the pot, the doubler, and the condenser. However, they can also be made of copper. The first thing we do for distition is fill the pot with the mash and then heat it. Once it reaches 78.3 degrees Celsius, the alcoholic vapor rises through the cap and into a copper pipe called the arm, where it transfers into the doubler.

    After transferring to the doubler, extra water condenses out of the alcohol vapor onto the sides of the barrel, doubling the vapor¡¯s proof. The purified vapor then travels through another arm into a copper coil set into a barrel filled with cooled running water called the condenser. This is where the alcohol vapor condenses into liquid moonshine. After distilling the mash, you clean up your gear, and then distill the moonshine again for extra strength!¡±

    Frankughed when he heard this before insulting his friend in a joking manner.

    ¡°You really are a nerd!¡±<sub></sub>

    ¡ª

    Marcellus woke with a fright. He had just had another one of these strange dreams. The past two visions he had aided him in the agricultural and military fields. Yet now he had such a strange dream about distilling alcohol. Still, he could feel the intoxication he had suffered through during the dream. The alcohol in that dream was several times stronger than the wine he normally drank. If he could manufacture such a thing, then surely he could sell it for a high price.

    He did not know why he was having these dreams, but so far, they all appeared to be helpful to him. After all, the price he had paid to equip his army had severely depleted his treasury. If he could find a way to make a fortune of his own, then he would no longer have to worry about his expenses. Perhaps this dream was exactly what he needed! When Marcellus thought about such things, he could feel a tinge of excitement in his heart.

    Sigefrida woke up shortly afterward and noticed Marcellus was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head held firmly in his hands. This was not the first time she had seen the man like this and immediately became concerned.

    ¡°Marcellus, did you have another one of those strange dreams?¡±

    Marcellus did not dare to hide such a thing from the woman, and instead he nodded his head in silence while sighing heavily. Though she could only see his bare back, Sigefrida knew that he was exhausted. She could only sit up andtch onto his back with herrge, naked chest in an attempt tofort him. Her hug was met with a smile as Marcellus¡¯s mind calmed itself. The young general kissed his ve¡¯s hand before tackling her onto the bed. Sigefrida had a wry smile on her face as she taunted the man.

    ¡°So soon? Did we not do this just before we went to bed?¡¯

    In response to this, Marcellus merelyughed before kissing the woman passionately on the lips. In between his actions, he whispered into her ear.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it is already morning!¡±

    After saying this, the couple stared out the window towards the rising sun before engaging in their intimate behavior. After their activities were concluded, Marcellus and Sigefrida took a bath together. The two of them sat in silence, as they both had many things on their minds.

    Having concluded their bath, Marcellus ate breakfast with Sigefrida, while looking over reports of his soldier¡¯s progress in their training. The men who had stayed behind were beginning to show reraderie, and the new conscripts who reced the deserters had showed off their potential.

    If they were a full-time army, they might bebat capable by now. However, they only trained part time, and worked other jobs for the rest of the day. Thus, it was taking longer than Marcellus had desired for his soldiers to be ready for the uing war. He dwelled on this fact for several moments while eating the meal that Sigefrida had prepared for him. After finishing the food on his te, Marcellus kissed Sigefrida before departing from the Vi.

    ¡°Work calls. I will be back by nightfall.¡±

    Sigefrida merely nodded her head in response with a smile on her lips.

    ¡°Be safe!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marcellus left the vi where he entered the vige below the stronghold. He visited the cksmith once again. Deciding to gamble on his visions, Marcellus wanted tomission a proper still so that he could make the same alcohol from his dream the night before.

    The man named Catus had the same stoic expression he always had on his face as he pounded away at the metal on his anvil. He looked up and gazed upon Marcellus¡¯ arrival for a brief second, acknowledging the man¡¯s presence before getting back to work. Marcellus smiled awkwardly when he saw this before making his request. He pulled out a piece of paper that had theponents he needed drawn onto them and handed it over to the man in question.

    ¡°I need you to make these for me, out of copper. I¡¯m willing to pay whatever price you desire.¡±

    Catus nodded his head before raising three fingers and saying the words,

    ¡°three miliarense.¡±

    Marcellus did not hesitate, and took out his coin pouch before handing threerge silver coins to the man. He quickly got back to his work, where he responded with the given time frame toplete the order.

    ¡°You can expect delivery in two to three weeks.¡±

    Marcellus merely nodded his head in agreement before departing from the cksmith¡¯s shop. After doing so, he continued about his business managing the affairs of Raetia. He was quite excited to see if his dream was actually reality.

    If so, he knew he would make a fortune of his own soon. He did not know what price this ¡°moonshine¡± could fetch, but he knew it would be a luxury item with a high demand. The patricians in Rome would w at each other¡¯s throats to get a taste of his new alcoholic beverage.

 Chapter 42 The Downfall of the Supreme Commander

    vius udius Constantinus stood in Hispania, gazing at the scene of a burning city. Fearing that Stilicho would capture him in a pincer movement from the Diocese of Hispania, and the Italian hearnd, the man had foolishly marched his armies into the region. Unfortunately, he was not recognized by the people of Hispania as the Emperor he imed to be, as the region was fiercely loyal to the Theodosian Dynasty.

    The result was an outright rebellion. The man knownmonly as Constantine III could hardly contain his anger, and after a fierce battle that saw much of his forces defeated, he had lit the city aze. Bodies lie piled in the streets, and heads were mounted on spears to show an example as to what happened to those who defied the false emperor.

    Even the soldiers beneath Constantine¡¯smand were slightly unnerved at the horrific actions they weremanded to engage in against the citizens of Rome. However, none dared to question the man they previously dered to be the true emperor.

    Among the ranks of the army were the Frankish Foederati, who swore their allegiance to the usurper. With the death of yet another of their chieftains by the hands of the Gothic Foederati Commander Sarus, a new man had risen to prominence among the Franks. His name was Hagen, and he was yet another towering barbarian.

    Hagen had a wide grin on his face as he held onto a naked woman who was bound and gagged, this Roman woman was carried on top of his shoulder, and was his prey for the night. When Constantine gazed upon the sight of such a thing, he merely nodded his head in silence. As promised, the Foederati beneath hismand were given coin, wine, and women as payment for their services. The women who ¡°apanied¡± the barbarian warriors were those captured from enemy viges and cities.

    Much like the armies of Stilicho, Constantine was all too reliant on the Barbarian Foederati to maintain his control over the territory heid im to. Hagen had a toothy grin on his face as he sarcastically thanked the false emperor for his ¡°generosity¡±.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Such a kind emperor, giving us Franks plenty of women to fuck! I rather like this one. She¡¯s got a bit of a fierce streak, and I look forward to breaking her spirit!¡±

    Constantine said nothing as he gazed upon the man. It was bad enough that he had to sell his own people to the Franks, but the nerve of this barbarian, saying exactly what he was going to do to his face. He could hardly stand it. He gritted his teeth as he finally agreed to the man¡¯s request.

    ¡°If you like her so much, then take her¡­ Begone from my sight!¡±

    The woman tried to scream, but the cloth in her mouth prevented her from saying anything. After that, Hagen went to the nearest private area and forced himself onto the woman he had captured. Such acts were urring all across the zing city as the Franks raped and piged to their hearts¡¯ content.

    Constantine was just d that the battle was over, and he could move onto the next city that dared to defy his rule. As for the Romans beneath hismand, they were outraged, but there was little they could do. Theyposed of one third of Constantines troops, and could not defeat their barbarian allies should they impede their ¡°conquest¡±.<sub></sub>

    Thus, all Constantine and his Roman forces could do was to yield to the Franks¡¯ desires. It was the fault of those who lived in the region for resisting his rule. If they did not want such terrible things to happen to them, then they should have bent the knee. With this, Constantine was forced to fight against the Theodosian Revolt in Hispania.

    ¡ª

    While the Diocese of Hispania revolted against the rule of the False Emperor, the Eastern Roman Empire was in a state of chaos. Arcadius was dead, leaving behind a seven-year-old child to seed him. Theodosius II, the young boy Emperor of the East, was alone in the pce while his regent, the Sassanid King, tended to the needs of his court.

    The boy knew nothing about politics, or the troubles that his regent was currently going through. Instead, his regent, Yazdegerd I, was taking care of everything behind the scenes. Currently, he was worried about a few rumors that had found their way to his ears about a potential threat to her son¡¯s life, and she was taking every measure to counter it.

    Unbeknownst to him, the snake Olympius had long since been spreading rumors about vius Stilicho. Among these was the notion that the man was responsible for the death of thete Praetorian Prefect of the East vius Rufinus. Whether true or not, these rumors proved to be a way for the Sassanid King to weaken the West.<sub></sub>

    Of Course Rufinus¡¯ death had urred over a decade ago. Despite this, the Sassanid King made use of these rumors to overthrow Stilicho. After all, the suprememander of Western Rome¡¯s forces desired to retake Illyricum for the west.

    Such a thing could never be allowed to happen, and because of this, the regent of the boy emperor wrote a letter to the western roman emperor in an attempt to convince him to do something about his treacherous suprememander. He had be a pawn of Olympius without even realizing it.

    After dispatching the letter to Ravenna, the man sighed heavily before approaching the boy he thought of as his own son. He had an anxious expression on his rugged face as she stroked the boy¡¯s hair and assured him everything would be alright.

    ¡°Do not fret boy, your father has left me to your care, and I intend to look after you until you are capable enough to rule on your own.¡±

    Too young to realize how distressed his regent was, the young Theodosius merely smiled and nodded his head innocently. Such a cute reaction caused the man to temporarily be relieved. After a while, the regent tucked his charge into bed. He had done everything he could to protect the east. Not all he could do was wait.

    ¡ª

    With the Theodosian Revolt in the West, and the Death of Arcadius in the east, Olympius used this as an opportunity to get rid of his rival. Stilicho had unknowingly made a grave error by forcing the senators of Rome to pay tribute to ric in order to stay the barbarian¡¯s wrath.

    Olympius had long since sewn the seeds of distrust within the dimwitted mind of the Emperor Honorius and the senate as a whole. He started by using Stilicho¡¯s willingness to pay the ransom to the Goths as a means to suggest he was conspiring against the throne.

    Then he spread falsehoods about Stilicho being responsible for the death of his rival, who perished at the hands of his gothic Foederati a decade earlier. Such things could not be proven, but in the minds of many who opposed the Supreme Commander, they made sense. After all, the two men were heated rivals.

    After the death of Arcadius, Olympius did not waste any time, and instead spread rumors that he nned to usurp not only the western throne for his godson Marcellus, but instill his own blood rted son on the throne in the East, in doing so making himself the shadow behind a reunited Roman Empire.

    These false allegations had spread to the Western Roman Army, and now in the city of Ticinum, a group of mutineers held their des in their hand as they turned against their General and officers. A particrly ugly man stabbed his de through the chest of General that Stilicho had ced in charge of the region.

    ¡°Traitor! Your barbarian master has assassinated vius Rufinus, Conspired against his highness Honorius in an attempt to ce his disgraced godson on the throne as a puppet, and has done the same in the East against the son of Arcadius! You will all die for your sins against the Empire!¡±

    The city of Ticinum turned into a bloodbath, as those loyal to the Supreme Commander were in where they stood by the soldiers beneath theirmand. A struggle ensued between the two sides, but ultimately those who were convinced of Stilicho¡¯s misdeeds prevailed. By the morning of the next day, the streets of Ticinum were marred with the blood of Stilicho¡¯s supporters.

    While Marcellus reinforced his power in Raetia, his godfather had been driven into a corner with no escape. The enemies of Stilicho had banded together to cause his downfall, and soon the man would have to answer for his supposed crimes. Unfortunately for Stilicho, those in power did not care for the truth or even the glory of Rome. Instead, these craven bastards cared only for their personal vanity.

 Chapter 43 The Death of Flavius Stilicho

    Olympius stood in a room with Honorius. The two of them were engaged in a discussion about how to proceed. The mutiny in Ticinum had forced the Emperor¡¯s hand. Stilicho had to be removed from power. Honorius waspletely unaware that the architect of his regent¡¯s downfall was the same man he was discussing the issue with. Olympius spoke words of venom as he delivered the final blow to vius Stilicho.

    ¡°Your Majesty, we have received reports that Stilicho has been funding the manufacture of arms and armor for Marcellus¡¯ limitanei. It is an absurdlyrge amount of supplies for such a small frontier force. I believe he intends to use Marcellus and his soldiers to raise a rebellion. If you do not act quickly, then your position will be usurped.¡±

    Honorius could hardly believe Olympius¡¯ words. However, it appeared that Stilicho truly was a traitor seeking to usurp his position and that of his nephew¡¯s. After all, the letter in Honorius¡¯ hand was from his sister-inw pleading with him to take action. With so many forces in motion, Honorius had no choice. With a heavy sigh, the emperor uttered the words that condemned Stilicho to his fate.

    ¡°Henceforth, vius Stilicho is deprived of his position as Magister Militum, and is to be arrested! This conspiracy ends now! Olympius, I hereby name you the new Magister Militum. Your first task is to round up the men who are loyal to Stilicho and execute them!¡±

    With a wicked grin on his face, Olympius bowed his head before epting the position.

    ¡°Yes, your majesty!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    After saying that, the man departed from the Pce in Ravenna and began to round up and execute all the men who were loyal to vius Stilicho. There would be no mercy for the former Supreme Commander and all his forces.

    ¡ª

    Stilicho resided within his vi in the city of Ravenna. News had spread to him about the orders for his arrest, and that of his men. By now, most of his followers had been in. Before he surrendered himself to the whims of the foolish emperor Honorius, he had onest thing to do. Stilicho frantically wrote down a letter to be delivered to Castra Regina, its contents were known only to him. After cing his seal on the envelope, he handed it off to a messenger in the dead of night, giving him strict instructions.

    ¡°You ride for Castra Regina, and you personally deliver that letter to Titus udius Marcellus, and no one else. Do you understand me? Do not stop until Marcellus has received this letter!¡±

    The messenger nodded his head in silence. He was one of thest men still loyal to Stilicho, who had not been arrested and executed. Tears streamed down the young man¡¯s eyes as he pleaded with Stilicho to flee for his life.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Sir! Come with me! It is not toote for you and your family to escape this madness!¡±

    A bitter expression was fixed across Stilicho¡¯s haggard face. He simply shook his head in disagreement before cing a hand on the young man¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Constantine raises his army in the west, and in the east ric eyes Rome with a heart of greed. I will not rebel against Honorius and further divide the empire into Chaos. My fate is sealed¡­ Go now! Marcellus can protect you!¡±

    Upon hearing this, the messenger mounted his horse and snapped the reins before leaving his parting words with Stilicho.

    ¡°It has been an honor to serve you. May we meet again in the afterlife!¡±<sub></sub>

    After saying this, the man rode off into the dark of night towards Marcellus¡¯ stronghold. Not long after, Olympius appeared before Stilicho with a retinue of soldiers. The snake-like man had a fiendish smile curved upon his lips. He boasted of his victory as he took the man who had been holding the empire together into custody.

    ¡°Under the orders of the Emperor Honorius, I am here to arrest you for the crimes of treason. vius Stilicho,e quietly, and I promise you a quick death!¡±

    Stilicho sighed as he gazed up towards the moon onest time before offering himself into Olympius¡¯ custody. His wife and children screamed as they tried to resist, however they were eventually captured as well. Olympius bit his lower lip in displeasure as he saw Stilicho surrender without a fight. He wanted to torture the man a little before taking his life. Unfortunately, that was not the case. He spat on the ground before dragging Stilicho and his family off towards the Pce.

    After arriving at the Pce, Stilicho kneeled before Honorius, who eyed the man who had raised him with a hint of disdain in his eyes. The petty emperor cursed the man who had always protected him while spitting the same venomous words that Olympius had poisoned his mind with.

    ¡°Did you honestly think that I would not find out about your schemes? You have betrayed me, Stilicho, and now you must pay the price for your treasonous actions. Don¡¯t you worry, I will make sure that Marcellus is reunited with you soon enough!¡±

    It was at this moment Stilicho broke out into a fit of uncontrobleughter. He had epted his fate, but he would make sure hisst words rang throughout Honorius¡¯ mind until his final days.

    ¡°Honorius, you are a fool. You have allowed this serpent to poison your mind against the one man who has always had your best interests in heart. But it is no matter, though I will not divide the Empire into further chaos by rebelling against your madness. That does not mean that he will be so docile.

    He always told me you were an idiot. He assured me you would one day be responsible for the death of the Empire, and until now, I never believed him. Sure, you¡¯re an ipetent fool, but you always had me to look after you. You can take my life. It does not matter. I am already an old man at the end of my days.

    However, by the time your armies reach Castra Regina, the man that you seek will be long gone. I die knowing that you will have to live the rest of your miserable existence in fear that at any given time, that man can raise a rebellion against you. Without me, you will have no way of defeating him. Your days are numbered, Honorius, so enjoy your petty life while you still have it!¡±

    Stilicho¡¯sst words dumbfounded Honorius. He knew the old man was referring to Marcellus, and the very idea that bastard had such a view of him drove the foolish emperor mad with rage. He could not hold back his fury any longer and immediately ordered Stilicho¡¯s execution.

    ¡°Off with his head!¡±

    The executioner kicked Stilicho over onto his knees while raising his axe in the air. Thest look on the old man¡¯s face was a smug expression while his eyes challenged the authority of the emperor. Stilicho died, knowing that Marcellus would avenge him.

    With the swing of an axe, the former Supreme Commander of Western Rome was beheaded. However, his death did not please Honorius. Instead, the look on the man¡¯s face when he died only acted as fuel to the fire in the foolish emperor¡¯s heart. Honorius did not hesitate. He quickly gave the order to his new Supreme Commander, one that would forever change the fate of Rome.

    ¡°Find Marcellus, and bring me his head!¡±

    Olympius had a cruel smirk on his face as he bowed before the Emperor and responded in affirmation of his orders.

    ¡°As youmand, my emperor.¡±

    In the year 408 AD, vius Stilicho was executed after being wrongly used of treason. With his death, the Western Roman Empire nowcked a capablemander to keep its many enemies at bay. Soon, the Italian Penins would find itself in turmoil.

    When Marcellus finally leaned what had urred in the capital, he would be left with two paths in life. Flee to the east and live out the rest of his days in peace and luxury. Or take up the sword of rebellion and avenge the death of his godfather.

 Chapter 44 Declaring Rebellion

    Weeks had passed since Stilicho¡¯s death and currently Marcellus was leading a march of his soldiers, who were d in their new and shiny equipment that had recently been delivered from Rome. To Marcellus and his army of limitanei, it was just another day at the border of the civilized world.

    However, as Marcellus and his soldiers were on a march a few kilometers away from Castra regina, they encountered a troublesome situation. An army of thirty thousand men had marched their way from the Italian hearnd and into his borderspletely unannounced. When Marcellus scouts reported this to him, he was truly bbergasted. He could not fathom who they were, or how they appeared in hisnds.

    Regardless of who these men were, or why they had entered hisnds, Marcellus had no choice but to intercept them. After all, an army of this size could cause significant damage to the people in the viges. Thus, he used the mountainous terrain of Raetia to his advantage and set up his army in a narrow pass.

    The Roman limitanei lied in wait within the mountain pass some time before the unknown force arrived. Upon seeing such a well-armed group of Roman soldiers blocking the way into Noricum, the man in charge of this foreign force was perplexed, that is, until he gazed upon the face of the Roman General.

    It was a face he was all too familiar with, and if it was any other time, he would be quite pleased with such a chance encounter. However, things were not so simple right now, and he did not know if Marcellus would turn on him in the next moment. Still, it was better to attempt a peaceful negotiation, thus a bitter smile formed on the man¡¯s face as he walked ahead of his army and approached the young Roman General.

    ¡°Marcellus, you¡¯re still alive? I thought for sure they would have imed your head by now, what with everything that has happened in the Capital you should be that bastard¡¯s first target!¡±

    Marcellus was just as shocked to see Sarus as he was to see him. As far as he was aware, this man and his Foederati should be in Ravenna beneath Stilicho¡¯smand. Not to mention the words he spoke. Something didn¡¯t feel right about this situation, and Marcellus spoke in a cautious tone as he questioned the gothic chieftain in front of him.

    ¡°Sarus, what are you doing in mynds? If you have turned your back on Rome and havee to join ric, I advise you to think carefully. You know what Stilicho will do when he finds out you have abandoned your post to aid the enemy!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Upon hearing such a threat, Sarus stared at Marcellus in disbelief. His thoughts escaped from his lips as he uttered the words in astonishment.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear?¡±

    Judging from the Expression on Sarus¡¯ face, something serious must have happened. Marcellus was right to be cautious. He rested his hand on his hilt, in fear that Sarus might try something as he further interrogated the man.

    ¡°Hear what?¡±

    Sarus merely shook his head as he informed Marcellus of everything that had happened in his absence.

    ¡°Stilicho is dead¡­ Honorius had him executed for treason. I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still alive. They were supposed to have dispatched an army to im your head. Have you been here in Raetia this entire time?¡±

    Marcellus could hardly believe what he was hearing. He felt as if he had entered another reality where nothing made sense. He stammered as he tried toe to terms with what Sarus had told him.<sub></sub>

    ¡°S.. St¡­ Stilicho is dead?¡±

    A grim expression was on Sarus¡¯ face as he continued to exin what was going on in the Empire.

    ¡°Stilicho is dead, and that bastard Olympius ordered the executions of our wives and children. Blood was shed in the streets, unprovoked, and it is because of that we have sworn to gain our vengeance. We march to Noricum to join ric so that we may raise Ravenna to the ground!¡±

    The soldiers of Marcellus¡¯ army were in just as much disbelief as Marcellus when they heard these words. None of this made any sense. How could such a thing happen? Marcellus was in shock. He stumbled backward as he heard the words that Sarus spoke. Just what madness had urred in the Capital while he was tasked with protecting the border?

    He gazed upon the Gothic foederati in disbelief. He could feel their anger, it was clear that they were prepared to attack at any moment. The only thing keeping them from pouncing at the Romans in front of them was the orders that Sarus had given them. Marcellus could tell by the hatred in their eyes that everything Sarus had said was true.

    It took him a few moments to process through his shock and grief. However, he knew now was not the time to break down and cry. Instead, he had to take action. Having fought back the tears that welled up in his eyes, Marcellus gazed upon the Gothic Foederati and made a desperate gamble.

    ¡°If what you say is true, then I will not stop you from entering Noricum. However, you all know me. Many of you have served beneath me in the past, and others know my reputation. If vius Stilicho has been executed at the behest of the Emperor Honorius under false charges, then the emperor has betrayed Rome and its people.<sub></sub>

    I will not pretend like we are friends. However, there is a bond between us. You know that if you march into Noricum and swear your allegiance to ric, he will use you all as fodder. After all, you are the Goths who previously sided with Rome. ric has no siege weapons. Even with you by his side, he can not prate the swamps that surround Ravenna, let alone the city.

    If it is vengeance that you desire, then I shall give it to you. Swear your service to me, fight under my banner as my foederati, and I promise you I will not only deliver you the head of that bastard Honorius, but those of everyone who is responsible for the deaths of your loved ones!

    You know what I am capable of, and you know I deliver on my promises. Before you march into Noricum, think carefully about who it is that is most capable of fulfilling your vengeance. Men of Rome, move aside, and let these warriors choose their own path.¡±

    After saying this, the army of Roman limitanei parted in the center, allowing a gap for the Gothic foederati to pass through. However, not a single warrior stepped forward. Instead, they were waiting for their leader¡¯s response. Sarus gripped the shaft of his spear tightly while gritting his teeth.

    He wanted nothing more than to exit the service of Rome, but he knew Marcellus well. If he and his men stepped foot into Noricum, they would have to fight their way through the ranks of Marcellus¡¯ soldiers in order to get their vengeance. Victory would be assured, but it would be a bloody battle.

    Ultimately, Sarus decided to speak with the members of his tribe about what they nned to do. He took a step back from where Marcellus stood and discussed his options with the leaders of his people. One of them had a worried expression on his face as he question Sarus¡¯ thoughts.

    ¡°You¡¯re not really thinking of agreeing to his request, are you? Sarus, you can not trust the word of Roman!¡±

    However, Sarus was unconvinced and instead spoke up on Marcellus¡¯ behalf.

    ¡°What about the word of a Roman who was raised by a Vandal?¡±

    It was true that Marcellus was raised by Stilicho, a man who was half Vandal. It was because of this that the gothic foederati had such respect for the man. After realizing that perhaps Marcellus would keep his word, the thirty thousand men squabbled among themselves. Until finally, a consensus was decided. Sarus stepped forward once more and addressed Marcellus, who stood with a confident expression on his face.

    ¡°If we follow you, we demand justice for our families. Everyone who took part in our the ughter of our loved ones must be handed over to us. Regardless of their position in Rome!¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head and spoke a single word.

    ¡°Done¡­¡±

    Upon hearing his conditions met, Sarus nodded his head in silence. After doing so, he knelt down and unsheathed his de, offering it in service to Marcellus. He made a shocking deration as he did so.

    ¡°I offer to you Dux- No¡­ Emperor Titus udius Marcellus, my sword, and that of my people as Foederati of the Western Roman Empire, and its true ruler! For the Emperor!¡±

    Upon seeing this, the Roman limitanei and the Gothic Foederati together lifted their weapons into the air and chanted the phrase.

    ¡°For the Emperor!¡±

    The young general could only sigh in defeat. He had never desired, nor expected himself to be proimed Emperor. However, Honorius had forced his hand. By unjustly executing Stilicho, andying false charges against himself, Marcellus could only respond with open rebellion.

    Marcellus had no way of knowing this, but Honorius¡¯ forces intercepted the letter that was supposed to be delivered to him. Despite Stilicho¡¯sst words to his killer, he had written a letter to Marcellus, pleading with him to flee the empire.

    In this letter was a request to not divide Rome into further chaos. Unfortunately, this letter was now lost to history, and Marcellus had learned of his godfather¡¯s death in an unexpected manner. In doing so, he had raised a rebellion against an already fractured Empire.

 Chapter 45 Uniting Raetia

    Marcellus was currently within Castra Regina, with Sarus and Ordius by his side. For the time being, the defection of the Gothic Foederati, and Marcellus¡¯ open rebellion remained an in house secret. He could not afford to simply march on Ravenna with his recently acquired forces. Such a thing needed much time for preparation and nning. It was because of this that Marcellus decided to stake his im in the spring of the next year.

    For the time being, Marcellus had other worries that upied his mind. ric sat on his eastern border with an army of Gothic warriors at his behest. At any moment, they could flood his borders and cause a massive war to take ce.

    If this weren¡¯t bad enough, Raetia remained divided, split into two smaller provinces. The Dux of the westernmost region of Raetia was a man unfamiliar to Marcellus, and he feared the man may cooperate with the approaching Roman Army sent by Honorius to im Marcellus¡¯ head.

    If Marcellus were to survive the uing winter, then he would need to do two things, negotiate with ric, and potentially coerce him towards his side, as well as consolidate all of Raetia under his control. It was for this reason that he had dispatched a messenger towards the Dux of Raetia I.

    The man in question was named Decius vius Primus, someone Marcellus had never actually met before. However, hemanded an army of three thousand men, men Marcellus desperately wanted to incorporate into his army.

    The two of them had some correspondence via letters over the past couple of weeks, and had agreed to meet within the vi of Castra Regina. The appointed hour was drawing near, and Marcellus was growing anxious. Despite this, Sarus seemed to be in a good mood. He was confident that Marcellus could convince the other Dux to join his side. After all, Olympius¡¯ rise in power was a threat to all of Rome. Especially those who maintained the borders.<sub>.</sub>

    Suddenly the doors to the vi bursted open, and a man in the armor of a Roman General entered the scene. Primus was a man in histe thirties, or perhaps his early forties. He had medium hair that had begun to gray, and a matching beard.

    He was rtively tall for a Roman, much like Marcellus, and had the robust figure of a warrior who had spent his life fighting battles on the frontier. He held his plumed helmet under one arm, and proudly strode into the center of the Vi where he greeted Marcellus.

    ¡°I presume you are Titus udius Marcellus? It is an honor to meet a man of such renown. I know why you have asked me toe here, and I will let you know before our negotiations take ce that I am interested in what you have to say. However, even so, it will not be easy to buy my loyalty.¡±

    Marcellus stood before the man and sized him up with his eyes. After the two had waged a little war with their gaze, Marcellus smiled before bringing Primus to the dining hall where Sigefrida and the other house ves had prepared a feast.

    ¡°For now, let us eat. I am sure the journey was a long and treacherous one. Enjoy the fruits of mynd. We can discuss matters of importance over a nice meal.¡±<sub></sub>

    Primus did not disagree with Marcellus¡¯ suggestion. He and his officers followed Marcellus into the dining hall, where they began to take part in food and wine. After they had dined on some appetizers, Marcellus decided to break the ice.

    ¡°I suppose you know that I have been dered a traitor by Honorius. If so, then you can take a guess of why I have called you here.¡±

    Primus nodded his head in silence before taking another sip of his wine. After doing so, he wiped his lips with a tablecloth before responding to Marcellus¡¯ words.

    ¡°You seek to raise a rebellion against Olympius and his puppet? I see you have gained the support of the foederati whose families were in by that damned fool. I am an old man who has spent his life protecting the borders of the empire. My forces are limited, and I have little to offer. Tell me what it is in particr you desire of me.¡±

    It would appear Primus was the type of man to be direct. Marcellus appreciated this quality of his, and thus he responded in the same manner.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Since you are so blunt, allow me to return the favor. If I am to survive the winter, and feed my armies. Then Raetia needs to be united. My request is simple, Swear that I am the one true emperor of Rome. Combine your forces with my own into a proper legion, and I will name you Legatus over the first legion of the rebellion.¡±

    Primus nearly spat out his wine when he heard this condition, his interest was peaked the moment he heard the words Legatus and Legion. He immediately asked for rification over the matter.

    ¡°You seek to return to the days of the Principate?¡¯

    In response to this Marcellus merely shook his head, it was true that he wanted to remodel his armies after days of past glory, however politically he was more ambitious, and thus he made his intentions very clear to the man he was requesting aid from.

    ¡°No, I do not seek to return to the days of the Principate. The senate has outlived its use. The fools who reside in its halls are all corrupt old bastards who seek only to enrich themselves at the expense of the Empire. If we are to save Rome from its total destruction, then we need to cleanse this corruption from our society. The only way to achieve this is to consolidate power under a single man¡¯s authority. My authority.

    After I have defeated Honorius and taken the throne for myself, I will dere a dictatorship, and use my newfound powers to fully restore Rome to its former glories. I shall purge anyone who impedes this progress. This is only a temporary measure. I promise that after the Empire is united once more, and stronger than it has ever been, I will restore the senate, and ensure that proper men sit in its halls.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Primus reacted in a way Marcellus had not expected. He broke out into a fit of uncontrobleughter. After a while, he calmed down before expressing his thoughts on Marcellus¡¯ grand n.

    ¡°So you see yourself as Caesar? Interesting, very interesting. I have not heard someone so boldly dere their desire for power in a long time. However, I have heard many tales of your selfless service to the Empire. Going so far as to give up your own freedom so that your men could return to the Empire safely. You are a bold one, and perhaps that is what we need right now. I do not have many years left, but I do not wish to sit back and wait while the Empire copses on itself.

    Fine, you have convinced me, either your n works and the Empire is saved, or we all die bloody. It¡¯s exciting, isn¡¯t it? Titus udius Marcellus. I hereby dere you the one true Emperor of Rome, and pledge to support you in your endeavors to im the throne from the traitor Honorius! Raetia is yours, to do as you wish.¡±

    Upon hearing this, a smile spread across Marcellus¡¯ face. By uniting his limitanei with those under Primus¡¯mand, he could form a proper legion of six thousand men. Though it paled inparison to the Gothic Foederati who vastly outnumbered the Romans in his army, it was a proper start to a better future.

    He dubbed this legion ¡°Legio I¡± and would spend the fall and winter gaining profits so he could properly equip them with the same gear he had outfitted his three thousand men with. Though it would be difficult to find a manufactorum that would side with his rebellion, he was sure that he could achieve it.

    By spring of the next year, a full-fledged legion would be formed, and ready to march on Ravenna. Currently, things were progressing smoothly for Marcellus¡¯ ns. Unfortunately, there were still two very important matters he had to worry about. ric was still a threat to his eastern border, and in the west, an army of Roman soldiers marched to im his head for Olympius and his puppet of an emperor.

    Before he could march on Ravenna, he would need to deal with these two major threats once and for all. How he intended to do that, he did not know. However, he was certainly an opportunity would present itself soon enough.

    For now, Marcellus had to consolidate his newly acquired territory and introduce his agricultural reforms to the rest of Raetia. With the region united under Marcellus¡¯ rule, and an army of thirty-six thousand men beneath hismand, he would soon be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

 Chapter 46 Let it Burn!

    In the city of Ravenna, the foolish Emperor Honorius was throwing a fit, to his new Supreme Commander. It had been weeks since Stilicho was executed, and yet Marcellus was supposedly still standing in Raetia. The over grown man child needed an exnation for why this was the case.

    ¡°Olympius, you told me you dispatched an army to Raetia. Why have I not heard a word yet from them? I want Marcellus¡¯ head!¡±

    In response to this, Olympius scratched his head before revealing the reality of the situation to the emperor.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the Gothic foederati have defected. Without their support, we do not have the means to fight Marcellus. I have recalled the army that was sent to hisnds to protect Ravenna. Without them, Constantine would march his armies into ournds, or worse, ric.

    You must be patient. I assure you that Marcellus is going nowhere. We have intercepted Stilicho¡¯s letter, calling for him to flee and disposed of it. As far as Marcellus is aware, everything is normal. He should not even know of his godfather¡¯s death.¡±

    This news did not please Honorius, who began to scream like a fat child who had been denied an extra slice of birthday cake.

    ¡°But you promised me he would die! Olympius, if you don¡¯t find a way to get rid of him, I will have your head removed for deceiving me!¡±

    Olympius could only sigh in regret. Had he known what Stilicho was always dealing with, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t have had the man¡¯s head removed. Honorius was a petnt child, and convincing him to do anything was a major chore. Still, the man was quick-witted and came up with a solution that would appease the indolent emperor.

    ¡°How about we dispatch him a message informing him that his presence is required in Ravenna? Once he arrives, we have him arrested for treason and then behead him!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Upon hearing this discussion, Honorius nodded his head in agreement. He very much liked this n, and quickly ordered it to be enacted.

    ¡°Yes, yes! Send Honorius a message demanding his return to Ravenna. With haste, the longer he remains on the frontier, the more anxious I be! His mother still lives in Rome, have her arrested as well, and hold her hostage in case he refuses toply!¡±

    Olympius smirked as he heard this suggestion. Sometimes the idiot could use his brain, but in very rare circumstances. He bowed his head and spoke empty words of praise to please the emperor.

    ¡°Truly, your mind is the greatest in the realm. I could have never thought up of such a scheme. I will have the woman arrested at once.¡±

    After saying this, Olympius departed from the Pce and began to enact these ns.

    ¡ª

    Enough time had passed, and Olympius had arrived in Rome, with a contingent of forces beneath hismand. In order to ensure that everything went as nned, he personally led the task force to arrest Aeliana. At the moment, Marcellus¡¯ mother and cidia were within the young girl¡¯s vi.

    During the past few weeks, they had been incredibly anxious about the ongoing changes in the Empire. cidia had barely enough time to grieve the passing of her foster father. Worse yet, the emperor seized Marcellus¡¯ assets. As a result, Aeliana had opted to live with cidia until a time where new quarters could be established for her.<sub></sub>

    The two women huddled over the fire as a rainstorm covered the city of Rome. Though they were beneath the cover of her vi¡¯s mighty roof, the cold steel seeped in through the walls. They had no idea that a group of roman soldiers had surrounded the manor.

    Aeliana had a worried expression on her face as she prayed for her son¡¯s safety.

    ¡°Do you think Marcellus will be alright? Surely he has learned the truth by now and fled to the east?¡±

    cidia was equally anxious. However, despite the need for calm words, she spoke the grim truth.

    ¡°I think Marcellus will not have fled, it is not in his character. If anything, he is raising a rebellion as we speak, so that he may put my bastard of a brother to the sword. I can¡¯t believe Honorius would do this to Stilicho!¡±

    Just when Aeliana was about toment on the matter, the door to the vi was kicked open, and a group of armed soldiers rushed into the scene. Olympius had a wicked sneer on his face as he proimed the arrest of Honorius¡¯ mother.

    ¡°Valeria Aeliana, you are under arrest for the crimes of High Treason. Come with us now! If you resist, I will not hesitate to put you to the sword!¡±

    The moment the soldiers approached the woman, cidia jumped out in front of her to defend her.<sub></sub>

    ¡°What is this madness? Aeliana has done nothing wrong! You can not arrest her without reason!¡±

    However, Olympius was not tolerating the girl¡¯s defiance and backhanded her on the spot, forcing cidia to her knees.

    ¡°Ga cidia, the emperor would like to have a word with you as well! Take them both!¡±

    The Roman soldiers dragged the two women from the vi. cidia continued to scream at the guards while Aeliana sobbed miserably.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me! I am the emperor¡¯s sister. Get your damn hands off of me this instant!¡±

    Despite her cries of protest, the guards did not react, and continued to ruthlessly drag the two women off towards Ravenna.

    ¡ª

    It did not take long for word to reach Marcellus, an imperial messenger approached Castra Regina with a protective guard. Initially Marcellus was hesitant to allow him entry, but he had not officially dered rebellion yet, and thus he thought to entertain Honorius¡¯ ploy.

    Marcellus, Primus, Ordius, and Sarus were all standing in the great hall of the Roman Vi that acted as Marcellus¡¯ residence. They were all d from head to toe in their armor, and were prepared in case violence broke out between them and the false emperor¡¯sckeys.

    The messenger strode into the room as if nothing was strange about this scene. Perhaps he didn¡¯t even realize who sarus was. Instead, he handed a letter to Marcellus with a smug grin on his face.

    ¡°Titus udius Marcellus, the Emperor vius Honorius, has demanded your return to the capital.¡±

    Marcellus raised his brow in curiosity. Was Honorius so foolish that he thought Marcellus would fall for such an obvious trap? Still, he read the contents of the letter, which appeared to have been written in blood. The more he read from it, the more his expression sank.

    ¡°Dear Marcellus. I would like to inform you that I have your mother as a hostage, so keep that in mind before you decide to reject my demands. Do you like the color of the ink? Pretty isn¡¯t it? Your mother¡¯s blood, that is¡­ I will keep this short. My demands are simple. You must ride to Ravenna forthwith and present yourself to me. You are a traitor, just like that bastard Stilicho, and I can not allow you to live. So, what will it be, your head? Or your pretty mother¡¯s?¡±

    Such a condescending message filled Marcellus with rage. The fire in his eyes was enough to burn the soul of anyone he came into contact with. He responded to this news by backhanding the messenger, which immediately caused his bodyguard and Marcellus¡¯ troops to unsheathe their des.

    The messenger stared at Marcellus in disbelief, and before he could protest his treatment, Marcellus plunged his de through the man¡¯s heart. After doing so, he severed the man¡¯s head and tossed it to one of his bodyguards. With a murderous glint in his eyes, he gave his response to Honorius.

    ¡°You tell that little bastard that I will be returning to Ravenna, however, I won¡¯t be going alone. I will bring an army with me! When we finally arrive, if Honorius has so much as harmed a hair on my mother¡¯s head, then I will strip the skin from his bones piece by piece while he still draws breath! Go and take his head with you!¡±

    After saying this, the bodyguards sheathed their des and carried the severed head with them back to Ravenna. As for themanders beneath Marcellus¡¯ authority, they began to chastise him for his ruthless response.

    ¡°What have you done? If we march on Ravenna now, ric¡¯s army will burn thesends to the ground, and kill everyone in it! We can not leave Raetia undefended!¡±

    However, Marcellus was far from a state of reason as he shouted back to hismander with wild eyes.

    ¡°Then let it burn!¡±

    The officers beneath Marcellus¡¯mand gazed at the young general in disbelief that is until he made things clear.

    ¡°He has my mother¡­¡±

    After saying this, Sarus snarled before making ament about the whole damn situation.

    ¡°That fucking bastard. He won¡¯t dare ride out to battle himself, but he will murder innocent women and children and hold them as hostages. I¡¯m with Marcellus. We can not wait here any longer. Honorius must die!¡±

    With that said, Marcellus¡¯s rebellion had begun in the fall of 408 AD. However, in doing so, they would abandon Raetia, and its people, to the mercy of ric and his gothic horde.

 Chapter 47 Wasting Away

    It was difficult to assemble an army of thirty-six thousand men, and despite this, Marcellus had given the order to muster, which was issued to every fortification where his legion and foederati held their ground. Men who were just recently having a jolly time drinking in their encampments were swiftly rounded up by their superiors and ordered to gather supplies. The campaign to im Rome had begun earlier than anyone had expected.

    Everyone, including Marcellus, had expected the campaign to begin in the spring. They figured they could enjoy the winter huddled in their homes, awaiting out the snow with a vige girl or two in their arms. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

    In order topel Marcellus to surrender his life, Honorius had engaged in a rather devious action. He had arrested Valeria Aeliana, who was Marcellus¡¯ mother and was holding her as a hostage. If Marcellus did not submit himself for execution, then Honorius would im his mother¡¯s life. While Marcellus mustered his forces and prepared to march on Rome, Ga cidia was ranting and raving to her brother, venting her frustrations about his wicked behaviors.

    ¡°You evil bastard! First you have Stilicho killed under false charges, and now you hold Marcellus¡¯ mother hostage! For what? Do you really believe the man will surrender himself to you just so you can behead him? Marcellus isn¡¯t so foolish. He will find a way to save Aeliana, and then he wille to im your head! Do you have shit for brains, Honorius? How can you not realize this!?!¡±

    Honorius did not take his sister¡¯s words lightly, and immediately reacted by backhanding her across her pretty face. In doing so, he busted her lip open while screaming at her.

    ¡°Marcellus will do as he is told, or I will kill his mother! There is no redemption for him! He has lived long enough, and even conspired against me! I am taking righteous action against those who wish to usurp me! The fact that you would side against me proves you to be a traitor, just like Marcellus. Perhaps I should have you thrown into the dungeons, and raped for your crimes!¡±

    Such a vile threat caused cida to falter backwards in fear. She had never seen her brother so furious before. However, she would not beg for forgiveness. She was adamant that what her brother had done was wrong. Still, in his current state, it was not wise to provoke him, so she simply lowered her head in indignation. Honorius smiled wickedly, mistaking her fury for submission and grabbed ahold of the girl¡¯s cheek while inspecting her bleeding lip.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°You should know better than to make me angry, little sister. I don¡¯t know why you worship the man so much. What can he possibly do with a mere limitanei? Marcellus has at most three thousand men under hismand. He will never be able to march on Ravenna with such paltry numbers.¡±

    However, despite his boasts, cidia was not convinced of her brother¡¯s victory just yet, nor had she epted defeat. She quickly fired back with a witty retort, which instantly caused confusion to flood Honorius¡¯ mind.

    ¡°thirty-three thousand¡­¡±

    At first, Honorius believed his sister had misspoken and questioned her statement.

    ¡°You mean three thousand. Marcellus only has three thousand limitanei under hismand.¡±

    Upon seeing the smug expression on her brother¡¯s lips, cidia giggled maniacally before shaking her head and smiling at her brother with a wicked sneer.<sub></sub>

    ¡°No, dearest brother, he has thirty-three thousand men beneath hismand. Initially, he would have only had three thousand, which I admit is not enough to take Ravenna, but then somebody had to go and butcher the families of the gothic Foederati, causing them to abandon the Empire. Undoubtedly, they fled to Noricum to regroup with ric, but whosend do these foederati have to go through in order to reach Noricum?¡±

    It was only now just dawning on Honorius why his sister had said thirty-three thousand, thirty thousand foederati had fled through Marcellus borders, presumably to meet with ric and join his side. However, what if Marcellus had met with them first? Marcellus was only denied his victory title because Honorius was petty, but such a thing did not deter the fear and respect that the goths had for Marcellus.

    Many of the foederati who fled the service of Rome had previously served under Marcellus. They may not like the man, but they trusted his ability. A look of horror and panic spread across Honorius¡¯ face as he asked his sister for rification.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean?¡±

    Upon seeing the state Honorius was in, cidia broke out intoughter once more, while she slowly nodded her head.

    ¡°Brother, you have always underestimated Marcellus. You have time and again imed that he had only achieved his position in life because he was the godson of Stilicho. However, the truth of the matter is, while Stilicho¡¯s nepotism did help Marcellus¡¯ career, his abilities as amander, and the legends that follow him are the real deal. Do you think he won¡¯t be able to convince those thirty thousand men to rally beneath hismand once again?<sub></sub>

    Marcellus is known for his fairness, and if they support him in overthrowing you, they know he will reward them more fruitfully than ric can. They also know that without Stilicho by your side, your chances of winning a war with Marcellus are virtually non-existent.

    You really fucked up, big brother. An army of thirty thousand men are now marching towards Ravenna with a single purpose to im your head. Who do you have to defend you? Olympius, and a few thousand soldiers at best? You have brought this upon yourself. Marcellus never wanted to rule the Empire, he just wanted to serve it faithfully.

    If you actually knew the man like I do, then you would know he would never rebel against you, unless you betrayed him first. That¡¯s exactly what you have done, and now you will have to pay the price for listening to a snake like Olympius.¡±

    Honorius suddenly realized that perhaps his sister was right, perhaps it was better not to have provoked a capable man like Marcellus. However, it was toote now. If the foederati had really rallied underneath the man¡¯s banner, then there was no possible way to sue for peace.

    Of course, Honorius was not capable of contemtion and growth, nor was he capable of admitting that he was entirely at fault for these problems. He could only me a single man for everything that was urring. In a furious shout, Honorius called out the name of the man he held responsible for Marcellus¡¯ rebellion.

    ¡°OLYMPIUS!!!!!¡±

    However, Olympius was not nearby, and thus he could not witness the fury of the Emperor, nor the fact that he now held the me for the dire straits the Empire was in. Of course, there was nothing Honorius could do about this other than resent Olympius. He still needed a suprememander of what little forces he had, and nobody else seemed right for the job.

    cidia took the time to sneak off from the quarters while Honorius was currently throwing a tantrum and visit Aeliana. When she entered the dungeons and saw the woman in the dark, bound, chained, and beaten, her heart bled upon witnessing such a scene. cidia grabbed hold of the iron bars and called out to the woman, who appeared to be in rough shape.

    ¡°Aeliana, are you okay?¡±

    There was a lifeless look in the woman¡¯s eyes, as if she hadpletely given up on the idea of surviving. After all, she was just bait to lure out her son, and she did not want any harm toe to her precious baby boy. The woman mumbled something beneath her breath, which cidia did not hear at first.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­¡±

    cidia quickly reached her hand through the gaps of the bars and tried tofort the woman, but she merely lied still, not even reacting to the gesture. Upon seeing the hopeless appearance of Marcellus¡¯ mother, cidia called out to her, saying words she knew would invoke Aeliana¡¯s fury, just to rekindle her spirit.

    ¡°Aeliana, I never told you this, but I¡¯ve always fancied your son, and though his heart lies elsewhere, I swear that after he and his army depose my brother, and he liberates you from your chains, I will make him marry me to cement his im to the throne! I will bear his sons, and if God wills it, own his heart!¡±

    Despite these words, Aeliana still said nothing. She was truly and utterly defeated. With a heavy sigh, cidia left the dungeons, but before she did so, she left behind some parting words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure Marcellus will save you¡­¡±

    After exiting the dungeons, cidia had developed a n to free the woman herself. If Aeliana stayed in the dungeons any longer, then it would be hazardous to her physical and mental wellbeing. Hell, the woman was already broken, and cidia could not allow that.

    It would take time, effort, coordination, and most importantly, luck. However, she believed that by the time Marcellus¡¯ army arrived, she could save the man¡¯s mother. With an excited smile on her lips, cidia muttered the words under her breath.

    ¡°Just you wait Marcellus, I¡¯ll save your mother, or die trying!¡±

 Chapter 48 Becoming the Villain that is Needed

    Marcellus gripped the hilt of his spatha with a bitter expression on his face. Currently, he was in the middle of a small agricultural town outside the borders of Italia. Because he had begun to march his army on such short notice from Raetia to Ravenna, Marcellus and his soldiers hadcked a proper logistical supply chain. To put it simply, he and his men had resorted to forcing local viges to give up their food stores.

    Upon seeing such arge army demand tribute from the local viges, most were reluctant but willing to give into Marcellus¡¯ demands. However, this vige, for whatever reason, was defiant. This posed a difficult dilemma for the self-proimed emperor. Should he leave this vige be? Or should hepel them to see reason?

    The problem with the first option was that by allowing this vige to defy his demands for food. He would invite future resistance from the other towns on his path to Ravenna. He could not allow such an example to exist, or his men would surely starve.

    There was also another factor in Marcellus¡¯ mind, one that was far more dire. Every second he was not marching was a second wasted. One where his mother was subjected to the torment of Honorius. With each passing minute, the probability of Aeliana¡¯s death increased. It was this proverbial de that hovered over Marcellus¡¯ neck that caused him to act in such desperation.

    Normally, he would wait until the spring before marching on campaign. The reason for this was twofold. It would allow him to store up grain from the harvest for the long march to Ravenna. However, more importantly, it would allow Marcellus the necessary time to negotiate with ric, preventing him from ravaging the Roman countryside during his absence from Raetia.<sub>.</sub>

    Unfortunately, Honorius had forced his hand, and hence why Marcellus was in such a rough state. By now, ric must have crossed the border into Raetia and was most likely ransacking thend at this very moment, something that did not sit well for all the soldiers in Marcellus¡¯ army. In anticipation of the Goth¡¯s cruelty, Marcellus had long since ordered the evacuation of Raetia and into Italia.

    The majority of the poption, realizing that their protectors were marching on a campaign of rebellion, fled their homes and flooded the Province of Italia. How far they could go, and how long they could avoid the war, nobody knew. For the time being, though, they were spared the cruelty of the Goths. Yet, as with every evacuation, there were those who were adamant and stayed behind. For those who were stubborn and chose this path, only death awaited them.

    None of this was Marcellus¡¯ concern at the moment, and thus he held the hilt of his de, struggling to maintain his calm. Negotiations were going south, but he dreaded the idea of using violence to obtain the supplies he so desperately needed. The town¡¯s mayor was arguing with Marcellus over his demands, practically spitting in his face as he did so.

    ¡°You have abandoned your post in Raetia, taken up arms against the Emperor, and raised an army in rebellion. Now you ask that us simple vige folk support you, at the cost of our own winter stores. If we do as you ask,e winter, we will starve! What is with you soldiers, always rebelling against your emperor? Can¡¯t you see us vige folk want no part in it?¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus struggled to maintain his civility as he negotiated with the man. However, no matter what he said, the mayor would reject him. He was as stubborn as the people who stayed behind in Raetia. Ultimately, Marcellus was forced to use the threat of violence.

    ¡°If you do not listen to my demands, we will take your grain by force. I assure you if such a thing bes necessary, we will not leave anything behind for you. I¡¯m not asking for everything that your vige has stored, just half¡­¡±

    It was not just the town¡¯s mayor who was standing on the opposing side, but an entire mob of vigers who grabbed whatever pointy object they could find to resist the rebel general who had entered theirnds and demanded that they hand over their food.

    These vigers were shouting and pushing at the Roman soldiers and the Gothic foederati. They had no respect for the men who had given up their homes, just so they could remove the false emperor Honorius, a man who had condemned Rome to a fate worse than death. Still, despite this, the Roman soldiers did not respond with violence, and remained calm.<sub></sub>

    The Foederati, on the other hand, were getting anxious. They were well ustomed to plundering viges for supplies. Because of this, they failed to see the reason that Marcellus would negotiate with these poor farmers. Upon seeing the state his men were in, Sarus approached Marcellus and whispered in his ear.

    ¡°I can¡¯t hold back my men for much longer. The moment these vigers be violent, this will turn into a bloodbath. Give me the order to take the goods by force, or you will have a massacre on your hands.¡±

    Marcellus knew things were getting tense. He gazed around at the agitated Gothic warriors, who were prepared to engage in violence, as well as the enraged vigers who were about to foolishly give up their lives. In onest attempt to settle things peacefully, Marcellus made the town mayor aware of the reality.

    ¡°Mayor, I can not hold back my Gothic friends here any longer. If you don¡¯t give us what we ask for, this town will be ughtered. I beg of you to yield the requested grain before things get out of hand!¡±

    Despite Marcellus¡¯ plea for peace, the mayor of the town merely spat on his shoes in disgust. He refused to yield his town¡¯s food surplus to a bunch of rebels. Regardless as to whether or not Marcellus won the war, his vige would not survive to see it. If they were to die anyway, they might as well resist until the very end.

    Marcellus sighed as he was about to give themand to ransack the vige. However, before he could do so, a young boy in the crowd of vigers threw a cow pie at Sarus, whichnded on his face. Though Sarus merely wiped the dung from away with a look of displeasure, his warriors were enraged at the disrespect towards their chieftain and immediately stormed the gathered vigers with their weapons.

    Before Marcellus or Sarus could even react, the vigers had spears and swords thrust into the bodies, iming their lives in the process. The Gothic foederati had lost their minds and entered into a battle frenzy, cutting down anyone who was not a part of their army. Marcellus tried to stop the ughter, but it was toote. Thirty thousand men were in a state of frenzy as they raided the vige for all of its value.

    ¡°Stop! Cease your actions this instant!¡±

    Yet the cries of the vigers drowned Marcellus¡¯ voice out as the Gothic Foederati butchered them like cattle. The violence that had suddenly erupted utterly dumbfounded the Roman soldiers of the first legion. They stood in shock, as they did not know what to do. If the Foederati were out of control, they did not have the means to rein them in.

    Soon the town was lit aze, and bodies were piled in the streets. The Gothic Foederati rushed into the homes and plundered everything of worth. Not just food, but silver, gold, wine. Everything was stripped from the homes before the buildings were lit aze.

    Marcellus could only gaze in horror as the town was ughtered. Oddly enough, the mayor was still alive, albeit barely. He clutched his bleeding abdomen as he grabbed onto Marcellus¡¯ ankle with his free hand. The look of hatred in the man¡¯s eyes haunted Marcellus as the mayor spoke the words.

    ¡°You did this! You and your damned rebellion! Why don¡¯t you see that? Even if you win the war, there will just be another young man like you in the future who will rise against you *cough* Burn in hell, you damned traitor!¡±

    After saying those words, the mayor keeled over and died. Marcellus gazed upon the zing scene of the Roman vige, and realized that in his desperation to free his mother from her captivity, he had be a viin, just like Honorius before him.

    Despite the overwhelming guilt Marcellus felt, he did not falter, instead his resolved grew. He realized at that moment that perhaps Rome needed a proper viin. A man whose tyranny would end the cycle of rebellion that had gued the Empire for centuries.

    Since there was nobody besides him who could assume this role, the responsibility for Rome¡¯s future fell upon his shoulders. Marcellus swore as he gazed upon the burning town that he would never forget the price that had to be paid to restore Rome to its former glory, he vowed to bear the burden that came with such a future, no matter how many innocent lives were lost in its pursuit.

 Chapter 49 Coming up with a Plan of Action

    After the incident on the borders of Italia, and the vige that was ughtered, Marcellus heavily reprimanded the Foederati for their actions, seizing their plunder for himself. However, that was the most that he could do to punish them. The truth of the matter was he needed them to win his war with Honorius, and to repel ric from the Empire¡¯s borders after he had crowned himself emperor.

    Without the support of the Foederati, Marcellus had an abysmal army, and could notpete with the many threats that faced Rome. However, by stealing their plunder, the foederati grew disgruntled, with only Sarus keeping their loyalties in check. Sarus himself was not bothered by the ughter of the vige, however, he had sworn his loyalty to Marcellus for the time being, and truthfully, he was slightly intimidated by the man.

    Marcellus had promised the Gothic Foederati money,nd, and, more importantly, vengeance. To Sarus, those things mattered far more than the paltry sum they had gained from one small town. Thus, he had used every tactic he could think of to prevent his warriors from deserting in the time following the border fiasco.

    Since then Marcellus and his army had marched into Italia unopposed, forcing every vige they came across to pay tribute in the form of food and other supplies. There was not much of a Roman Army left at this point, at least not under Honorius¡¯ control. The remaining Roman forces were all in the hands of Constantine, and he was too busy with an uprising in Hispania to bother threatening the Italian Penins at this point.

    Honorius and what little forces he had were holed up in Ravenna, believing they could oust Marcellus and his army, and force the man to surrender by threatening his mother. However, little did Honorius know that would not work on the man.

    Marcellus was smart enough to realize that his mother was already dead. Even if he surrendered himself to the mercy of the Emperor, she would not be spared. Honorius would kill the woman in front of him just to make him suffer in hisst moments. Thus, all he could do was to a march on the capital and avenge the woman. He did not know that cidia was in the middle of figuring out how to break Aeliana out from her cell.

    ¡ª<sub>.</sub>

    cidia sat within a room, with several guards watching over her. Since her brief spat with her brother, she had been confined to her room for most of the day. Only making appearances at meal time. This was a response to Honorius¡¯ paranoia, who now believed his own sister had turned against him. He would not allow her to cripple his operations, and had thus kept her under house arrest in Ravenna.

    As a result, she had nothing to do but spend her hours thinking of the best way on how to escape, with Aeliana in tow. The longer the woman stayed in the cold, damp, and dark dungeons, the worse she would be. She had already lost the will to live and was wasting away. Because of this, cidia knew she had to act quickly if she were to save the woman¡¯s life.

    Little did cidia know that the guards who were assigned to watch over her were paranoid in their own right. Word that both ric and the Gothic Foederati had joined forces with Marcellus, and that the man was leading arge army to Ravenna.

    This was only half true, but the fear that such a massive force of Goths was beingmanded by the man who was now widely recognized as Western Rome¡¯s greatest general had caused many in the city to go mad with fear. The men were conversing by themselves on the best course of action, unaware that the girl they were guarding was eavesdropping.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, we should take anything of value from the pce and flee the city. If an army of sixty thousand goths march on Ravenna, led by the infamous Goth-yer, we will not be enough to defend the city. They will sack us, and then they will brutally execute anyone who still works for Honorius!¡±

    However, another man in the group was a bit more level-headed and immediately countered this im with some solid logic and reasoning.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You¡¯re just being paranoid. Ravenna is built in a swamp and is a fortress in its own right. Even if there were a hundred thousand goths in the rebel army, they still won¡¯t be able to break through our defenses. They are barbarians! They have no siege weapons!¡±

    This was rather solid logic except for one major important detail, which the third guard quickly spoke about.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Marcellus knows how to build siege weapons. If he teaches the barbarians to do so, then we will surely lose the city. I mean, they might be crude, but a siege weapon is a siege weapon.¡±

    It was at this moment that the once level-headed man had broken out into a cold sweat. The panic had just now begun to affect his mind. He looked around to see if they were being watched before leaning in and whispering to the other guards.

    ¡°What the hell are we going to do? If we stay here, we are as good as dead!¡±

    Before anyone could speak up with a solution, a young and feminine voice filled the air.<sub></sub>

    ¡°I know what to do!¡±

    Such a sudden interruption caused the guards to shudder as they turned around and witnessed the adolescent girl, Ga cidia, staring at them with a friendly smile. The men immediately became cautious as they witnessed the Emperor¡¯s sister who they were supposed to be watching listening in on them. Just when the leader of them was about to rebuke the girl, one of the other guards spoke up.

    ¡°What do you know?¡±

    Seeing that the bait had been bitten by the three fools in front of her, Ga cidia did not hesitate to whisper treason into their ears.

    ¡°You know Marcellus is onlying to Rome because the Emperor has kidnapped his mother and is threatening her life, right? If you were to work together to free the woman and deliver her safely to Marcellus, he will reward you for your efforts.

    At the very least, he will spare your lives. However, if heys siege to this city, and Aeliana is killed by my brother, you can be assured that the men in my brother¡¯s army will be hunted down and executed in the most creatively violent ways that Marcellus can think of. And I assure you, Marcellus is an educated and creative man.¡±

    The three guards looked at each other withplicated expressions. What the girl was suggesting was high treason, and if they got caught, they would surely lose their heads. However, the alternative was far worse.

    If the three of them sat by and did nothing as Marcellusid siege to the city, then undoubtedly Honorius would kill the man¡¯s mother as a show of force. Such a thing would clearly enrage the rebel general, resulting in aplete and utterck of mercy when his barbarian soldiers finally breached the city¡¯s defenses.

    At that point, they would be lucky if they got off easy with a crucifixion. The three of them shuddered as they thought about what horrors awaited them should they remain loyal to Honorius. After thinking about it for some time, the leader of the three guards nodded his head before speaking up to cidia.

    ¡°What do you need us to do?¡±

    cidia wore a pretty smile as she heard the men agree to her suggestion. Now that the men who were supposed to watch her were on her side, she could move more easily in the shadows. She quicklyid out a n for the men gathered.

    ¡°Right now, we need to embed at least one of you, or someone who can be trusted in the detail that protects Aeliana¡¯s cell. She is a high-profile prisoner, and she is protected well, especially now that my brother suspects my treachery.

    Once we have a man on the inside, we just need to wait until Marcellusys siege to the city. When the rebel army arrives, chaos will ensue, giving us a brief period to free the woman before my brother tries to use her as a bargaining chip for Marcellus¡¯ surrender.

    We use our man on the inside to free her, where the rest of you will then lead her out of the city, and towards Marcellus¡¯ army, where you will hand her over in exchange for mercy to you and your families. ¡°

    The three men thought about the girl¡¯s words for some time before agreeing with them. They still had several weeks before Marcellus and his army arrived at Ravenna. Given the desperate situation, it would not be difficult for one of them to infiltrate the security detail that guarded Aeliana. The leader of the guards nodded his head once more before responding to cidia¡¯s n.

    ¡°It¡¯s the best chance we¡¯ve got. Very well, we will work with you to free the prisoner and help her escape the city. Hopefully, with his mother secured, Marcellus will be more lenient to the people in the city, once he takes it.¡±

    cidia wore a pretty smile as she thanked the men for their assistance.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ With this, we can save the city. In the meantime, act natural. We don¡¯t want my brother suspecting our ns.¡±

    With this a n was in motion to save Aeliana, and with it the people of the city of Ravenna, for if she died, Marcellus might unleash the gothic horde beneath hismand on the city, and its inhabitants resulting in a ughter.

 Chapter 50 A Lesson of Discipline

    Marcellus awoke in his tent. The cold air of thest days of fall prated through the ps, causing the man and his lover to shiver. As a result, Marcellus clung tightly to Sigefrida for warmth. Marching, from Raetia to Italy, had taken its toll on the young general. Day in and day out, he had to pretend like he was calm and that he was in control of his emotions. However, he had never been more anxious, nor heartbroken in his entire life.

    He doubted whether his mother was still alive, and even if she was, she existed as a prisoner in the dungeons of Ravenna. Undoubtedly terrible things had been done to her. Thinking upon such cruelty, Marcellus felt his heart constrict, as if a cage of thorns surrounded it, and every time the organ beat it was pricked.

    The only thing that kept him going was the warmth that his ve exuded. She had been with him every step of the way and had aided him in his grief. Upon sensing the cold, Sigefrida grasped hold of her lover¡¯s hand before shifting around under the fur covers so that her face was meeting her master¡¯s. She stole the first kiss of the morning, while the man was struggling to fall back to sleep.

    Upon seeing that the woman was in the mood for some intimacy, a smile spread across Marcellus¡¯ lips as his eyelids opened to reveal his olive green eyes. He grabbed hold of the Suebi woman¡¯s beautiful face and caressed it lightly, before entangling his lips with her own. He did not hesitate to grope her substantial breasts as he pressed her beneath his firm body. Just when the two of them were about to be entwined, the ps to the tent opened, and Sarus revealed himself.

    Marcellus sighed heavily upon realizing that someone had intruded on his fun, while Sigefrida hid her face in the pillow. Shame and embarrassment filled her heart as she tried to ignore Sarus¡¯s presence. The Foederatimander shifted his gaze away from the scene, and whistled innocently as if he hadn¡¯t seen anything while escaping from the tent.

    It would appear Marcellus and Sigefrida would not be able to take part in their morning tradition. As such, the two of them quickly got dressed, before Marcellus exited the tent and pped Sarus on the back of the head.

    ¡°This better be important!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Sarus ignored everything that had just happened and quickly reported the situation to the General.

    ¡°Sir, we have trouble¡­¡±

    Marcellus sighed once more before he openly expressed his thoughts on the matter

    ¡°Of course we do¡­ lead the way!¡±

    With this, he quickly followed Sarus into the heart of the encampment, where a group of Roman Soldiers and Gothic Foederati were in the heat of an argument. Sarus did not even have time to exin the situation, as one of the Romans pushed a gothic soldier and shouted at him.

    ¡°Filthy barbarian! You¡¯re only tolerated because we need fodder for the battlefield!¡±<sub></sub>

    The Goth immediately responded to this shove by punching the man in the face.

    ¡°Fucking cunt! I¡¯ll have your head!¡¯

    Evidently, the man had some skill in pugilism, because he quickly sent the roman soldier tumbling to the ground. This violence created a chain reaction where both sides quickly fought in a grand melee. Marcellus merely shook his head as he watched the men fight with fists and feet. If he did not do something soon, then this would undoubtedly turn bloody. As a response, he shouted as loud as he could, drowning out the noise of the conflict.

    ¡°On your feet, maggots!¡±

    The men ceased their hostility when they heard the voice of the General, and dragged themselves to their feet, where they dusted off their clothes. Marcellus gazed upon them with fury in his eyes as he scolded them.

    ¡°If somebody does not give me an unbiased report about what has urred here in my camp, I will have you all flogged!¡±<sub></sub>

    Neither side was willing topromise, and as such, the report ultimately came from a bystander who had observed the entire conflict.

    ¡°Sir, our side started the fight. Legionary Vulso had wrongfully pped the meal out of a goth¡¯s hand. The victim demandedpensation, and as a result, the two exchanged words. Some unnecessary things were said by both sides, which caused the brawl that you witnessed.¡±

    Marcellus quickly red at the man named Legionary Vulso and interrogated him ruthlessly in front of his peers.

    ¡°Is what this man said true?¡±

    The man tried to defend his actions. After all, he did not believe he was in the wrong.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe anything I said is unfactual. The goths have butchered our people, and now they expect us to treat them well? It is simply inexcuse-¡°

    Before the man could finish hisint, Marcellus drove his fist into his sternum so hard that the man copsed to his knees. From there, he grabbed hold of the man¡¯s head and kneed him viciously. This caused the man to copse to the floor entirely, where Marcellus called out to everyone who witnessed this event.

    ¡°Whatever petty squabbles you have with each other, end them now! We are at war! The empire is surrounded on all sides, and the emperor is a man who has brought us to the brink of ruin. I have thirty-six thousand men under mymand! With no reinforcements in sight. I do not care if you are roman, or goth, you fight together as one army, against a world of enemies!¡±

    The men, who were previously been at arms, gazed down at their feet in silence, refusing to meet the eyes of their general. They were utterly ashamed of their actions. Even the Goths felt a hint of guilt as they realized the situation they were in.

    They had trusted Marcellus to lead them to victory, and allow them to have fertilends to settle. Fighting each other now would only result in a bloody defeat, and none of them desired such an end. Upon seeing that nobody was voicing aint, Marcellus quickly dished out the punishments to the soldiers in his army.

    ¡°Every single man who has taken part in this brawl will be sent to the front lines the moment the battle urs. You will fight together as one unit, or you will die together as strangers. I will not tolerate infighting among my ranks. You are all lucky I need you fit and ready forbat, or else I would have the flesh stripped from your backs! Be thankful for the mercy I have shown you this day!¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus withdrew from the scene where he waited in line for his daily rations. He would not use his authority as general to eat first, nor would he eat anything that his own soldiers did not dine upon. It was one of the reasons why Marcellus¡¯ soldiers all respected him. He lived under the same conditions as the soldiers in the army, with the exception that he had a beautiful ve tending to his needs.

    However, this was not something that he was alone privy to. There were plenty of ves and prostitutes in the followers¡¯ camp. Many of the vigers from Castra Regina had followed the army, providing basic services, and the vige girls who were particrly desperate would sell their bodies in exchange for food. So, in a way, Marcellus lived in the same way that the soldiers in his army did. He just had exclusive ess to Sigefrida.

    Marcellus thought about this as he sat at a table and dined on his rations alongside his soldiers. The scuffle had been stopped before it turned bloody, and the perpetrators were punished. As for the man who had spoken out against the men who started it, Marcellus would ensure that he was protected from any form of retaliation that the scoundrels might pursue.

    Though this was just a minor event, it served as a reminder to all the troops that they were a single army united against a world of enemies, and if they did not stand together, then they would surely fall in battle. Ordius and Primus witnessed this event and were further convinced that they were right to follow Marcellus in rebellion against Honorius.

    Had the emperor been witness to a simr dispute among his own ranks, he was unlikely to solve it so swiftly, or even at all. This was the difference between Marcellus and Honorius. One was a seasonedmander who had proven hispetency as both a leader of men and a ruler over arge territory. The other was grossly ipetent and foolish, whose actions had caused the Empire to fall to the brink.

    It was the firm belief of all men in this army that if Honorius were not reced with a more capable leader, then the Empire would not survive the century. Thus, they had all banded together Roman and Goth alike to put an end to the false emperor¡¯s reign, and seat the most capable man on the throne of the Western Roman Empire. In the grand scheme of things, such petty squabbles were beneath them and their goals. As a result, the men who had fought just recently quickly mended their wounds, and agreed to fight on the front lines together as penance for their actions.

 Chapter 51 A Race Against Time

    Marcellus gazed upon the city of Ravenna with a bitter smile on his face. His army was close to arriving at the gates of the city. The Capital of the Western Roman Empire was a far cry from what it had been in centuries past.

    Having been moved from Rome to Ravenna, the current capital only existed because of its secure location. Located in a swamp, it was difficult toy siege to the city, especially for most of Rome¡¯s enemies. However, Marcellus was determined to break down the gates, and put an end to the false Emperor Honorius. Because of this, he wasted no time as he gave his soldiers their orders.

    ¡°Set up a siege camp, and prepare the battering ram, the catapults, and thedders. I want an assault on these walls within three days!¡±

    The soldiers beneath Marcellus¡¯mand grumbled as they fulfilled their orders. They had one chance to eliminate Honorius and his sycophantic followers, and they would not stop until they achieved their goals, or died trying.

    Marcellus sat beside his highest ranking officers, sighing heavily as he gazed upon the scene of the city. If his mother was still alive, she was being held captive in the Pce dungeons. After all, she was Honorius¡¯ prisoner. He did not dare to think about what torment she had received by Honorius and his men.

    Only one thing was certain in the mind of Marcellus¡¯. He nned to kill every man who took up arms for Honorius. Had the fool not taken his mother prisoner and subjected her to unspeakable torture, then perhaps he would spare the lives of the soldiers. However, they were equally guilty for defending the man and his actions. Thus Marcellus nned to sack the city, and butcher every man who fought for the opposing side.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡ª

    While Marcellus established his siege camp in the vicinity of Ravenna, cidia and the guards who had plotted to help Aeliana were on the move. The city was in an uproar. An army of thirty-six thousand men stood outside their gates. They were setting up camp and building siege weapons. With only a few thousand defenders, the inhabitants of the Capital knew they could notst long.

    However, it was toote for anyone to flee. Under Olympius¡¯ orders, the garrison dispatched all soldiers to the walls and had sealed all exits. By doing this, the garrison been stretched thin. As a result, they had even reduced the security detail that guarded Aeliana to one man so that the others could protect the walls. This man just so happened to be on the side of the conspirators.

    Aeliana had lifeless eyes as she heard the footsteps of a small host of men approach her cell. She had been physically and sexually abused for the past few months by her captors. She had even heard rumors that her son was marching an army to liberate her. However, she had no hope. She did not want her precious baby boy to be risk his life just because of her. If she weren¡¯t such a coward, she would have already bitten her tongue off.

    Suddenly a candle lit the area, and a group of men Aeliana was not familiar with approached her cell. Along their side was cidia, who rushed to the door of the cell and demanded the key from the man who was guarding it.<sub></sub>

    ¡°The key, now!¡±

    The man did as he was ordered, and gave the young woman the key to the cell¡¯s door, which she quickly used to open it. With a worried expression on her face, cidia approached Aeliana and wrapped her arms around her. The woman was totally defeated, and despite this, cidia did her best to lead her to safety.

    ¡°Just you wait Aeliana, I¡¯m getting you out of here, and delivering you to your son. With any hope, we can save this city from Marcellus¡¯ wrath.¡±

    Aeliana did not respond to cidia¡¯s words. In fact, she was so weak that she had to be carried out of the cell by the guards. With sufficient skill in stealth, the deserters, along with cidia, exited the pce. Apparently Honorius was nowhere to be found in this time of chaos, not that anyone really cared. The true power behind the throne was none other than Olympius.

    After leaving the pce, cidia and her crew decided to wait until nightfall before making any significant moves and were quick to hide themselves from any possible pursuers. They ended up finding a spot in a dark corner of the city. It was not wise to move around the city at the moment. Numerous guards ran around and screamed various things. It was evident that the city¡¯s defenders were panicking about the army that had approached.<sub></sub>

    ¡°God dammit! Why the hell did our damned emperor have to go and massacre the families of these goths? They should have been on our side!¡±

    Another soldier scolded the man for hisments as the two of them rushed by cidia¡¯s hiding ce, not even aware of the group¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Does it really matter now? Get your ass on the wall and prepare for battle. It seems that the enemy has no intentions to negotiate. I heard the messenger that the Magister Militum sent had his head removed!¡±

    The soldiers bantered amongst themselves as they passed by cidia. And the others. It was only after they were gone that they could sigh in relief. One of the guards who had assisted cidia in her efforts whispered in a voice so low that the girl nearly missed what he had said.

    ¡°It will take Marcellus and his soldiers a few days to construct the siege weapons required to assault the city¡¯s gates. We have no food, no shelter, and we are now fugitives. The moment Honorius learns his prisoner has escaped, he will send men after us. I doubt we will be able to escape the city until the siege truly begins.¡±

    cidia¡¯s heart shrank as she heard this. She was not an expert on sieges, and did not expect that they would have to wait a few days until the fighting began. She was panicking at this moment as she searched for ideas.

    ¡°Well, what the hell are we supposed to do? Winter is near, and we will freeze if we do not find some shelter for the night?¡±

    The group remained silent for some time, pondering about a solution to their problem, until one guard remembered something from his childhood, which he felt was relevant.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if this helps, but I know of an old and abandoned entrance to the Cisterns. I used to y down there as a kid with my friends. If we were to hide there, it should keep us safe for a few days. We would also have all the fresh water we could want. Food is a more difficult issue, but I¡¯m sure we can find something to eat!¡±

    With no better option, the group agreed to the suggestion. They waited until the moon was high above in the sky before carefully gliding past patrols, while making sure that they were not being followed. Unfortunately, things did not always go as nned, and a patrol spotted the group about halfway to their destination.

    ¡°You there! Why are you not at your posts? Don¡¯t you see there is an army is at our gates!¡±

    cidia and the crew froze on the spot as several soldiers approached their position. The leader of the guards who assisted the emperor¡¯s sister tried to bullshit his way through the scenario, unfortunately he was not a very good liar.

    ¡°We are just assisting some injured civilians to a safe location.¡±

    While it was clear that Aeliana was injured, there wasn¡¯t a scratch on cidia, and because of this doubt rose through the minds of the interrogator. However, before he could even react, cidia gritted her teeth and unsheathed the de that one of her guards kept on his waist, shing at the throat of the nearest hostile.

    Before the man could react, his neck was cut open, and he quickly copsed to the floor where he bled out. The other soldiers were too shocked to scream for assistance. Taking advantage of this, those who supported cidia quickly tackled the patrol, and ended their lives as silently as possible. With a hand over their mouths and a de to the neck. In a matter of seconds, the Roman patrol was ughtered in an alleyway. As a result, the leader of the guards, who were allied with cidia, chewed the girl out.

    ¡°What the hell were you thinking? We could have talked our way out of it! The garrison is going to know if one of their patrols goes missing!¡±

    cidia did not hear a thing the man had said, instead she panted heavily as she gazed towards her blood-stained hands. She had acted entirely on instinct, and in the process, killed a man. She had never killed a man before, hell her heart was too fragile to even harm a rabbit. Yet she had so ruthlessly taken this man¡¯s life. She began to have an existential crisis on the spot.

    While cidia was freaking out about her vicious actions, the guards hid the bodies to the best of their ability. Eventually, the corpses of this patrol would be found, and when that happened, they would lead a trail to where cidia and the others were hiding. It was now a race against time. Would Honorius be able to find his runaway sister and his missing captive? Or would Marcellus begin the assault and distract the garrison long enough for the group to escape? Only time would tell¡­

 Chapter 52 For the Glory of Rome!

    Honorius was trembling with rage as he stared at Olympius, who was bowing his head before him. His n was to use Aeliana topel Marcellus to cease his rebellion. However, that had now gone up in smoke, as his prisoner was missing, and so too was his sister. He did not know how the clever girl had escaped her confinement and released Aeliana from her cell, but she had aplished it.

    Naturally being the fool that he was, Honorius did not reflect on his own actions that led to this point, and instead pinned the me for the incident on Olympius. Who had recently fallen out of favor with the indolent emperor after learning that the man¡¯s actions had caused his foederati to flee to Marcellus¡¯ side.

    ¡°Olympius, you fool! How could you leave nobody behind to guard Aeliana? Also, what the hell happened to my sister¡¯s escort? They are both missing, and nobody seems to know where they are. As we speak, my city is surrounded by the rebels, and Marcellus will begin his assault by tomorrow morning. Just what do you have to say for yourself?¡±

    Olympius struggled to maintain hisposure. Honorius was a self-entitled brat who was getting on the man¡¯s nerves. However, Olympius still needed his puppet alive and content if he wished to rule over the Empire, and because of this, he did not resort to anger, and instead calmly exined his understanding of what had happened.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details myself your majesty, I left behind a single man to guard Aeliana¡¯s cell. After all, our forces are stretched thin across the city¡¯s defense, and I needed to draft capable men wherever I could find them. It is my belief that the guard somehow conspired with your sister, and helped her flee the Pce with your prisoner.

    I assure you that my forces are searching for the girl as we speak. Luckily, the hounds have her scent, and it will not take long before we find the girl. I assure you that you will have your prisoner back under your control before the rebels assaults the city¡¯s defenses.¡±

    Honorius was not one who knew when to give up, and thus he quickly voiced his frustrations at the whole situation.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Utterly ipetent. When Stilicho was still my Magister Militum, he never would have allowed things to reach this point!¡±

    Beingpared with his old political rival, even after man¡¯s death, struck a nerve in Olympius¡¯ mind and he could no longer contain his fury. He quickly reminded the Emperor that Stilicho was no longer present with a venomous tongue.

    ¡°Stilicho was a traitor, and you removed his head because of it. Meanwhile, I have only ever been loyal to you. I suggest you keep that in mind while I win your war for you.¡±

    Honorius could only click his tongue in displeasure as he heard these words. He had no response, for his mind was not clever enough toe up with a witty retort. All he could do was throw a tantrum like a child, which naturally he did.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what means you use. I want my prisoner returned to me, and my sister kneeling before me in tears. Just make sure she¡¯s still eligible to be wed. I will need her to secure alliances in the future.¡±

    Upon hearing that he had been given free rein, Olympius¡¯ lips curved into a cruel smile as he bowed his head once more before responding to his orders.<sub></sub>

    ¡°As youmand!¡±

    After saying this, he departed from the Royal Pce, leaving Honorius by his lonesome. The overgrown child simply drank his wine and returned his attention to more petty matters. So what if an Army of rebels were outside his gates trying to im his head? Until they got past Ravenna¡¯s mighty defenses, such things were not the slightest bit of his concern. Instead, he deluded himself into believing that his forces could hold out against Marcellus and his army, and perhaps even defeat them.

    ¡°Marcellus, I will have you grovelling on your knees before me by the time this siege is over. I have tolerated your insolence for too long!¡±

    ¡ª

    cidia, Aeliana, and the three guards had made their way to the cisterns where they currently hid in the shadows. Though they had a fresh water supply, they were utterlycking in food. It was because of this that their bellies grumbled in the darkness. As for Aeliana, she had not been fed well during her captivity, and was practically a withering husk.

    The emperor¡¯s sister did her best as she cupped her hands into the pool of water and used it to feed the emaciated woman. She wore a pretty smile, despite being aware of the severity of the woman¡¯s condition, while prodding her to drink.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Aeliana, just a little longer and you will be reunited with your son. However, you need to drink, please for Marcellus!¡±

    The woman had a lifeless expression on her face, as if the months of captivity and torment hadpletely eroded her soul. She was alive physically, but mentally it was as if she had already perished. Still, there was barely enough thought left in her mind toprehend what the girl had said, and because of that, she slurped down the cool, fresh water.

    When cidia saw this, a smile broke out on her face as she continued to feed the woman fresh water, hoping that it could improve her physical condition. At this rate, even if Aeliana¡¯s life was spared, and she was returned to her son¡¯s arms, Marcellus was still liable to burn the city in his wrath. cidia knew that there were few things in this world that couldpel a rational man like Marcellus to such brutality, and harming his loved ones was one of those conditions.

    Honorius had truly made a mistake. If he had just captured Aeliana and ced her under house arrest like he had done to his sister, then perhaps Marcellus would be merciful. However, with the current state of the woman, even if she survived, she would be scarred for life. cidia actually thought death would be a mercy for Aeliana as she gazed upon the state the woman was in, but she was determined to reunite Aeliana with her son, even if her life faded away the moment after.

    While cidia was feeding Aeliana with the fresh water, a noise reacted outside the cisterns. Though it wasn¡¯t exceedingly close, it was loud enough to alert the fugitives hiding within the caverns. The sound itself was the howl of hounds, who had picked up the scent of their location. The terrifying noise made the men and women who hid within the cisterns shiver in fright.

    Knowing that their time wasing to an end, the leader of the guards unsheathed his de. When cidia saw this, she immediately questioned his sanity.

    ¡°What are you thinking? We can not fight the hounds, they will tear us to pieces!¡±

    Despite knowing this, the guards were determined to buy cidia and Aeliana some time. He quickly asked about the prisoner¡¯s condition while refusing to gaze behind him.

    ¡°Can you carry her to safety?¡±

    cidia understood what he was asking in that instant and gulped the saliva that had pooled in her mouth. She nodded her head before responding to the man¡¯s question.

    ¡°I¡­ I believe that I can¡­¡±

    After hearing this, a bitter smile formed on the leader of the guard¡¯s faces who gave the girl an order.

    ¡°cidia, it has been the honor of a lifetime to assist you in your escape. However, I fear that this is where we must part ways. I will do my best to buy you some time. If you follow the path of the cisterns, it will lead towards an exit near the city¡¯s gates. I¡¯m afraid how you manage to leave the city will be up to your imagination.¡±

    Upon seeing their leader so determined, the other two men quickly unsheathed their swords in resistance. They would not let the man fight by his lonesome. Tears streamed down the girl¡¯s eyes as she realized the price these men were about to pay for her and Aeliana. They had already sacrificed so much in this escape attempt, and now they were going to pay for their bravery with their lives.

    To be ruthlessly torn apart by hounds, that was not a fate cidia would wish on even her worst enemies. She quickly lifted Aeliana into her hands, who were practically skin and bones, and ran off, leaving behind onest phrase of encouragement.

    ¡°I will never forget what you have all done for me. I promise that when I escape this city and reunite Aeliana with her son, I will make sure musicians sing songs about yourst stand for generations toe!¡±

    The leader of the guards merelyughed as he prepared himself for his death. The men by his side were quick to join him. They may not have been men who had served on the front lines of war, nor had they gained any major des for themselves as members of the Emperor¡¯s guard. However, they were determined to fight until theirst breath to ensure that cidia and Aeliana safely escaped their predicament.

    Shortly thereafter, the hounds entered the Cisterns barking towards their masters that they had caught up to the scent. In ast stand, the three pce guards charged towards the hounds with swords in hand, shouting the words that would be remembered in history.

    ¡°For the Glory of Rome!¡±

 Chapter 53 Wrath of an Emperor

    Having escaped from the cisterns, cidia held Aeliana in her arms. Despite being a teenage girl, it was not too difficult to lift the woman; she had lost so much weight since her captivity that even someone like cidia, who did not exercise in the slightest, was capable of carrying her to safety. Unfortunately, their guard had stayed behind to deal with the hounds, and if the blood-curdling screams that had recently vanished were anything to go by, they were likely already dead.

    Tears streamed down cidia¡¯s eyes as she mustered all her strength to carry the woman out of the city and to her son. Who was sitting outside the city¡¯s gates besieging it as she pondered these thoughts within her young mind. She would not ept any other oue than reuniting Marcellus with his mother.

    Because of this, she strode through the streets, with the woman in her arms, trying desperately to hide from the patrols that were out and about searching for the two women. cidia was not too familiar with Ravenna as she normally lived in Rome, however, she and her men had prepared this escape thoroughly, and had listed a series of posterns that they could hopefully make use of to escape. Unfortunately, they were relying on the three guards to ambush and defeat the security at the postern of their choosing. Now, cidia would have to rely on a distraction.

    As a result, when she neared the postern that she had marked as being the least secure during her preparations, she ced Aeliana in a safe and hidden location; she had no choice but to cause a disturbance if she wanted the three men who were guarding the area to run off. Luckily for her, they had nned a contingency in case something went wrong and they didn¡¯t have enough men to capture the postern.

    Near this postern was a warehouse filled with the city¡¯s grain. If she were to light it on fire, it would draw all men within the vicinity. Because of this, the young woman stealthily approached the grain silo, which was protected by only a few men. As with any siege, those posted in seemingly safe locations were busy drinking and gambling. Because of this, they did not notice the girl¡¯s approach.

    cidia could see the oilmp in use by the roman sentries to illuminate their game. This was the object that she needed to light the grain supply. Unfortunately, she did not know how she would get her hands on the item in question. Perhaps God was on her side, because immediately after thinking of this, one man stumbled to his feet, it was clear that he was heavily intoxicated. Because of this, his fellow sentries immediately called out to him with a hint of worry.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±

    In response to this, the sentry made a rude gesture before fumbling over his words.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Imma bout to piss myself!¡±

    The other two soldiersughed at the man while one of them handed him the oilmp.

    ¡°You stupid drunk, take this, or else you¡¯re bound to fall into a pool of your own urine!¡±

    The man tried to shake off the request, but his friends were adamant as such he held onto the oilntern in one hand, and used the other to press against the wall, thus stabilizing him on his journey to find a spot to relieve himself.

    While the man was in the middle of letting out a stream, cidia approached him from behind with a heavy rock in her hands. The man waspletely clueless that he was about to be ambushed. Before he could even react, the girl had smashed the rock into the man¡¯s head and thoroughly knocked him unconscious. After doing so, she seized thentern before throwing it into the grain warehouse¡¯s window. The grain immediately caught fire from the burning oil, which rmed the sentries.

    ¡°Oi! What the fuck did you do?¡±

    ¡°Fucking dumbass! How the hell did you manage to light the warehouse on fire? Somebody help!¡±<sub></sub>

    The men quickly investigated the scene, but all they found was theirrade lying unconscious in a pool of his own urine, with the warehouse lit on fire. As for cidia, she had long since absconded into the darkness. The mes quickly spread, consuming the city¡¯s grain supply, while the soldiers at the postern quickly ran off to aid in putting out the fire.

    cidia knew this was the opportune moment, and grabbed ahold of Aeliana who was lying with a lifeless expression on her gaunt face, and dragged her off to the postern, where she quickly unlocked, and exited, leaving the gate open as she did so. A smile was on the girl¡¯s face as sheforted the woman in her arms.

    ¡°Just you wait cidia, you will be reunited with Marcellus soon enough¡­¡±

    ¡ª

    While cidia was enacting her escape from Ravenna, Marcellus was hard at work. Unlike the Romans under Olympius¡¯mand, Marcellus was extremely strict about the use of alcohol while on campaign. As a result, his men were stone cold sober as they kept watch during the night. Marcellus himself was in hismand tent with his officers nearby, nning out the siege that would take ce on the next day.

    ¡°I expect Honorius will use my mother as a bargaining token. However, I have already executed his messenger. If my mother is still alive, she has suffered dearly over these past few months, and is as good as dead. No, I will not negotiate. Tomorrow at dawn we will begin our bombardment. The catapults we have constructed willunch their projectiles into the city. The battering ram will crash at the gate, and our men will ascend thedders and onto the ramparts. This siege is simple. We have ten times the men that Honorius has, so we will use our numerical advantage to storm the city as quickly as possible. Any questions?¡±

    Not a single officer gathered in the room had questioned Marcellus¡¯ orders. A frontal assault would be costly, but it would be the quickest way to take the city. They were about to agree to the proposed n. When the tent ps opened, revealing a centurion who had a panicked expression on his face. The man did not wait for the generals to inquire about his disruption and instead stated what the scouts had reported.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Emperor Marcellus, the city¡¯s grain supply is on fire, and the postern is open! We don¡¯t know who is responsible, but an opportunity has presented itself!¡±

    Marcellus was a man who could adapt to the circumstances. If they did not take advantage of this situation, they would have to risk losing thousands of men tomorrow morning. He was decisive in his action, believing even if Olympius and Honorius were nning a trap, that he and his soldiers could easily ovee it.

    ¡°Quickly, wake the men, and prepare them forbat! Ordius, I want you to take our most elite soldiers and secure the postern. Once you have taken it, infiltrate the city and open the gates! We must act fast! Seed in this endeavor and we can take the city with minimal losses!¡±

    Ordius saluted Marcellus and nodded his head before responding in the affirmative.

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    After saying this, Ordius scrambled his men, and quickly led them to the postern. With any luck, they could sneak into the city and act as normal members of Honorius¡¯ army. By the time they struck, it would be toote for the enemy to adequately respond.

    As for Marcellus, he quickly gathered the troops in silence. His actions needed to be covert to not alert the sentries of the loyalist army who stood upon the ramparts. It was during this time that another group of scouts had encountered cidia and Aeliana and led them into the encampment. They quickly found Marcellus rallying the army, where the man gazed in awe upon witnessing his foster sister and his mother.

    Because both Marcellus and cidia were both raised by Stilicho, the man thought of the girl as the little sister he had never had. To see her clutching his emaciated mother in her arms nearly brought the man to tears. He quickly rushed over and grabbed hold of his mother, where the woman gazed at her son in disbelief. She was so feeble she could hardly speak.

    ¡°M¡­Marcellus¡­ is¡­ that you?¡±

    By now Marcellus was choking back his tears, and instead wore a bitter smile on his face as he stroked the woman¡¯s greasy hair.

    ¡°Yes mother, it¡¯s me? What have they done to you?¡±

    A slight smile curved itself upon the woman¡¯s gaunt lips as she weakly reached up her hand and caressed her precious son¡¯s warm cheek. There was a hint of sorrow in her eyes as she spoke to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marcellus¡­ I have caused you so much trouble¡­ and I¡¯m afraid ¡­ I¡¯m afraid that I will be leaving you behind to clean up the mess¡­¡±

    Marcellus could no longer hold back the tears as he called out to his mother, who was dying in his arms.

    ¡°No mother, I¡¯m sorry, I should have protected you! Mother, don¡¯t leave me!¡±

    The woman said oncest phrase before shutting her eyes for eternity.

    ¡°I¡­ love you¡­¡±

    After saying this, Aeliana passed from the world, leaving her son and cidia in tears. cidia quickly grabbed hold of Marcellus¡¯ side and attempted tofort him, but by now rage had consumed the man¡¯s mind. Marcellus shook cidia away before letting go of his mother¡¯s, where the body was quickly tended to by his troops. Marcellus merely wiped the tears from his eyes and gazed towards the city of Ravenna with a hatred that burned brighter than a thousand stars. In that moment, he made a solemn vow on how he would deal with the city of Ravenna and all the men who still stood guard.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them all, everyst one of them. History shall remember this day, as the day Emperor Titus udius Marcellus rose to power, and purged the Capital of its corruption. Hear my orders. Everyst man who swears his loyalty to Honorius shall be given no quarter. Kill them all!¡±

    With Marcellus¡¯ orders, the soldiers beneath hismand unsheathed their des and shouted their war cries. The siege of Ravenna had only now just begun, and the wrath of an emperor would resound throughout history.

 Chapter 54 Fall of Ravenna

    Marcellus was enraged, more so than he had ever been in his life. His mother, who had cared for him by her lonesome since he was a small boy, was dead, and he was to me. Truthfully, he embarked on this journey knowing that the woman was as good as dead, but that did not mean his heart was cold to what had just happened. Honorius had abused his authority as Emperor to arrest the woman for one single purpose, to lure Marcellus out of hiding so that he may im his head.

    Unfortunately, this did not go as nned. Marcellus had resisted the demand to hand himself over. Knowing full well the kind of character a petnt man-child like Honorius had. If he had gone peacefully to Honorius, the man simply would have killed his mother before his very eyes, before having him beheaded. Naturally, he would not give up his life so willingly, and because of this, he had marched an army on Ravenna, abandoning his duty to protect the Empire¡¯s borders as he did so.

    Had Honorius just left well enough alone, Marcellus would have waited until spring to raise a rebellion. The foolish emperor could have lived and reigned for another few months. However, that was no longer the case. Marcellus would have the man kneeling, and groveling before him this very day. He had already enacted a n to do so, and his best soldiers were already underway enacting this covert operation.

    Meanwhile, Marcellus was rallying his soldiers beneath hismand, filling them with the same unyielding rage that he felt at this very moment. Venomced words were spat from his mouth as he condemned not only Honorius but every man who swore loyalty to him as a traitor, as a murderer, and as a subhuman rat.

    ¡°These animals, the so-called men who still defend this city, they murdered your families, just as they have murdered mine! If you think your wives and children went to the afterlife peacefully, guess again! These corrupt, wicked, sinful bastards most likely yed with them first, because that is what they are, monsters!

    I look upon many of you, and the men hiding behind these walls like the cowards they would call you barbarian! Why? Because you are not Roman, let me ask you this. How many of you would hold a defenseless woman captive for months, starving her, beating her, and ravaging her? Go on, tell me, how many of you would behave so monstrously to an innocent soul?¡±

    Despite the fact that the barbarians tribes engaged in plenty of atrocities during their raids, these men were not like the Goths under ric¡¯smand. Savage wolves of Germania who preyed on all who were unfortunate to get in their way. These men were more like the domesticated Hounds who served honorably beneath their Roman masters. Or as honorable as a Goth could serve. Because of this, the men shouted back their condemnation of the enemy.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Monsters!¡±

    ¡°Savages!¡±

    ¡°Those who cower behind these walls are the true barbarians!¡±

    With this, Marcellus unleashed his sword from his sheath and pointed it into the sky towards the city of Ravenna.

    ¡°When those Gates open, you show no mercy to the monsters who defend the false emperor! You kill them, just like how they have killed your families!¡±

    The horde of 30,000 Gothic foederati resounded in the air, almost as if they were a massive pack of wolves howling because they had caught the scent of blood. The city of Ravenna, and all the soldiers who defended it, would face the wrath of Germania on this night.<sub></sub>

    ¡ª

    While Marcellus was rallying the troops, and encouraging them to engage in a massacre, Ordius led a century of the most battle hardened Legionaries of Marcellus¡¯ army. These men snuck through the Postern that was left open by cidia during her escape. Apparently, the fire set to the grain storage that she had started had yet to be put out. It was only after the eighty men had made their way through the postern that they locked it behind them, believing it would be best to conceal their presence. Ordiusmanded his soldiers once they were inside.

    ¡°Act naturally, as if you¡¯re a patrol being sent to the gate to reinforce it. As far as the enemy is aware, we are a part of their forces.¡±

    The men all nodded their heads with grim expressions as they slowly marched towards the nearest gatehouse, where much of the enemy forces stood alert, waiting for the morning toe so that they could fight against the Rebel Army that had gathered outside the city.

    When the century of Marcellus¡¯ legion arrived at the gate, the man in charge immediately questioned them.

    ¡°Where did you mene from? Why are you not at your post?¡±<sub></sub>

    Ordius did not panic and immediately made up a story that was believable on the spot.

    ¡°Do you not see that fire burning back there!?! You think this is an ordinary fire? It is an act of sabotage! Enemy agents have infiltrated the city and set fire to our food stores! The Magister Militum has ordered the Ptini to reinforce the gates while you men go and put out that damned fire! Hurry, quickly, or we will all starve long before the barbarians break through our defenses!¡±

    The General in charge of the gate¡¯s defense did not even question these orders. If their grain storage was really on fire, and had been burning for the past few minutes, then the whole city was in danger of starving. He quickly ordered his soldiers to follow him towards the grain storage and put an end to the fire.

    ¡°All men, on me! Our food stores are burning. We must put out that fire as quickly as possible!¡±

    When the soldiers defending the gates heard this, they panicked just as much as theirmander and sprinted towards the burning food stores as fast as possible. Leaving the gate entirely defended by an enemy force. Naturally, the moment they were out of sight, Ordius gave the order to his men.

    ¡°Open the gates!¡±

    They did not even need to hear the order as they were already opening the gates without any resistance. While a few men worked the winch that operated the gates, Ordius and his army formed a shieldwall that protected them, so that no man could interfere. Luckily, themander of the wall¡¯s defenses was easily scared, because there were no men within this sector of the wall remaining on guard. Before long, the gates were opened without the slightest bit of conflict urring.

    ¡ª

    When Marcellus saw the gates opening, he ordered his army of thirty-six thousand men to charge the city.

    ¡°Charge! Kill them all!¡±

    He was the first to spring towards the gates after adorning his gilded helmet. The Roman General rushed towards the opening gate, which was hundreds of feet away from his army, while a horde of gothic warriors and roman legionaries followed him into the fray.

    The other sections of the wall immediately noticed the entire Rebel army converging on the one sector of the wall and were immediately confused. However, it was toote. The gate was already open and the Gothic Horde had entered the city. The defending army quickly rushed to the breached gate, but it was no use. They were too few. The moment the Goths flooded the streets, they began to massacre anyone unfortunate to be outside on this night.

    As far as their orders were given, they were to consider anyone still on the streets to be an enemybatant. Because of this, a few unfortunate civilians were caught by the Goths and butchered where they stood. As for most of the people, they heard the war cries of the Goths as they flooded the city and hid within their homes. Marcellus took the lead as he stormed with his legions by his side, directly towards the pce. With his spatha in one hand and his scutum in the other, he pressed forward against the loyalist forces, with no fear of death in his heart.

    The lines of the pce guard and the rebel legion shed directly outside the residence of the Emperor. Marcellus plunged his de into the depths of a loyalist Ptini¡¯s guts, piercing through his mail armor and into his innards before ruthlessly ripping his de out of the hole and kicking the man to the ground where he was trampled to death by the rebel forces.

    While this was urring, Honorius watched from the Pce Balcony in horror as the city fell around him. Marcellus¡¯ words, as he screamed at the top of his lungs, sent chills down the man¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Honorius! You bastard! I¡¯ming for your head!¡±

    Honorius could only stare in disbelief as his Pce Guard were rapidly cut into pieces where they stood, severed limbs, and prated bodies bleed all over the steps of the Roman Pce. It was clear as day to the man who, just hours before, believed he could still achieve victory. Ravenna had fallen¡­

 Chapter 55 Deposing an Emperor

    Marcellus shed with what remained of Honorius¡¯s personal bodyguard. While he and his Legion fought side by side against the enemy forces. Honorius was nowhere to be seen. He had long since abandoned the balcony in fear that an arrow might im his life. However, the rebel general did not care.

    Instead, he used his sword and shield to reap the lives of the men in front of him, who slowly but surely fell by the wayside. He could not count how many necks he had stabbed through, or how many mail shirts he had prated by sheer brute force. Mail armor was virtually invulnerable to shes, but against piercing strikes, the links of the chain were liable to break. Especially with enough force.

    It was far from an easy task to pierce through a mail shirt with a spatha. However, Marcellus was in a berserker rage. His stamina no longer had an effect on him. He had but one goal: im Honorius¡¯ head, and kill anyone man who came between him and his objective. Thus, as he ripped his noric steel de out of the chest of another pce guard, he did not hesitate to thrust at his next target.

    Slowly but surely, the wall of bodies between him and the entrance of the Pce were whittled away until all that remained were three men who valiantly stood in front of the opening refusing to yield. Marcellus rushed towards the leader of the three men with his shield, knocking him off his feet and into the entrance of the Pce. The other two men by his side tried to target Marcellus, but they were too slow. The other legionaries who bared their des against the remaining pce guard quickly surrounded them.

    Multiple steel swords prated through the bodies of these men, iming their lives on the spot. Meanwhile, Marcellus was already driving his de into the eye of thest man who dared to defend Honorius. With the Pce Guard eliminated, nothing stood in between him and his goal. Marcellus screamed in a voice so loud that it echoed throughout the entirety of the pce.

    ¡°Honorius, Olympius, you cowardly bastards! Show yourselves and submit to my fury!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    To Marcellus¡¯ surprise, his targets revealed themselves. Olympius held a de against Honorius¡¯ neck and tried to pin the me on everything that had happened on him, as if this indolent fool could possibly be the architect behind Stilicho¡¯s demise. Like the weasel he was, Olympius shook in fear as he tried to find a way to escape his predicament.

    ¡°General Marcellus, I have the culprit right here! He is the man who ordered Stilicho¡¯s execution and kidnapped your mother. I was merely followed orders as the Magister Militum!¡±

    Marcellus red at Olympius with a hate filled gaze. However, the man did not turn and flee, instead he was frozen in spot, petrified by the sight of his enemy. Marcellus slowly walked towards the duo who were now surrounded by his legions, surprisingly the moment he arrived in front of Honorius Marcellus did not kill him, rather he knocked the fool unconscious with the pommel of his spatha.

    Before Olympius could respond to this shocking situation, Marcellus had bared his de against him, driving the tip of his spatha into the man¡¯s groin,pletely destroying the man¡¯s reproductive organs as he did so. Olympius fell to the ground in tears, howling like a castrated beast.

    ¡°You fiend!¡±<sub></sub>

    However, Marcellus did not care the slightest for the man¡¯s insults and instead pressed the heel of his foot onto the man¡¯s head, crushing his jaw.

    ¡°You really expect me to believe that Honorius was the mastermind behind your sudden rise to power? You fucking serpent, killing you would be a mercy. For all that you have done, death is too easy. Instead, I will see the skin yed from your bones. I would like to see how long you can still draw breath under such torment!¡±

    After saying this, the legionaries beneath Marcellus¡¯smand did not hesitate to apprehend the castrated senator. Meanwhile, Marcellus gazed at the unconscious Honorius and spat on his face. After doing so, he issued further orders to his men.

    ¡°Throw this one in the dungeons. I will show this fool no mercy. He wille top understand the pain my mother went through in her final days, because I intend for him to suffer the same torment. From this day, until the day he finally croaks, the false emperor Honorius shall be beaten, raped, and starved until his body finally gives out from the abuse.¡±

    The means that Marcellus had nned to dispose of his rivals shocked the Roman Legionaries. However, the next words that their General spoke caused their hearts to shake with trepidation..<sub></sub>

    ¡°As for any man that has sided with these monsters who still draws breath. Crucify them¡­ Show the people of Ravenna what happens to those who dare to defy my rule.¡±

    With this, the city of Ravenna was now under Marcellus¡¯mand, and the false Emperor Honorius had been deposed. As far as the Western Roman Empire was concerned, the Theodosian Dynasty hade to a bloody end. However, that did not mean in the slightest that his rule was absolute.

    In the west, Constantine and his revolt still posed a threat to the Roman hearnd. As for how Marcellus nned to deal with Constantine and his forces, there were two paths to take. He could reconcile with the man and proim him co-emperor. Uniting the western Roman Empire and its armies together.

    However, this was troublesome, as it would provide Constantine with equal power, and the man would undoubtedly get in Marcellus¡¯ way as he tried to bring the Empire back to a state of glory. Not only that, but he would have to fear constant assassination attempts from the man. It was more trouble than it was really worth.

    However, the only other option was to defeat Constantine in battle, something that Marcellus had failed to achieve in the past. Even if he defeated Constantine, it woulde at a heavy price to his own army, and in the end, he would likely have to fight another campaign in Hispania just to end the Theodosian loyalists who were currently in a war against Constantine and his forces. Both paths to unification had their pros and cons, and at the moment Marcellus could not decide on a course of action.

    As for the second crisis that Marcellus was facing, In the east, ric and his goths ran wild, piging, raping, and raiding their way across Raetia. Whether they were smart enough to realize the value in the tools Marcellus had left behind, that remained to be seen. If they were, then that could cause a whole new series of troubles to arise.

    To deal with ric, Marcellus faced two paths, very simr to Constantine. He could fight them in battle and defeat them. Yet how many of his Gothic foederati which his army relied upon would side with him against ric, he did not know. The other major concern was that ric was a capablemander, and unlike Constantine, outnumbered him.

    The only other option than open warfare with the Goths was settling their matters peacefully. In order to achieve this, Marcellus would have no choice but to allow the Goths to settle in Illyricum, Noricum, and most likely Raetia as permanent residents of the Empire. However, undoubtedly, ric would refuse to ept the romanization of his people, as the Goths had done in the past, creating long-term future conflicts.

    Still, in the short term, Marcellus would gain ess to the Gothic forces as additional foederati. Which would buy him the strength he needed to maintain his control over the Italian hearnd until he could build up his own forces to the extent that he no longer relied on the foederati. Such a path forward was probably the best for the short term, but had unforeseen consequences that could prove catastrophic in the decades toe.

    If facing ric and Constantine weren¡¯t enough, Marcellus had just created a third crisis that he would have to resolve in some fashion. With Marcellus sessfully deposing Honorius and subjecting him to the cruelest of deaths. The Theodosian Dynasty, which still ruled the Eastern Roman Empire, would not simply look the other way. Nor would they ever consider Marcellus as a legitimate sessor to the Western Roman Empire.

    Undoubtedly, Marcellus would have invoked the wrath of Theodosius II, or more urately, his mother. Unlike the West, the Eastern Roman Empire was wealthy beyond measure, and their armies were not worn down by constant warfare. At least not to the extent of their Western counterpart¡¯s. Nor were they facing a rebellion. As a result, the East could easily send an army into Marcellus¡¯ territory and make his life a living hell.

    There were two options to deal with the Eastern Roman Empire. One of them was unrealistic. He could meet the Eastern Romans in Illyricum, drive them from the province and im it for himself, but he would have to first find a way to deal with the Goths. The likelihood of him having the military ability to achieve this was almost zero.

    The only other option was to bribe the Eastern Roman Emperor into appeasement. Again, this was difficult, as the majority of Western Rome¡¯s wealth had just been spent in a ransom to ric. However, by bribing the Eastern Roman Empire into not attacking him, or at least dying their invasion of the west. Marcellus could buy himself enough time to deal with the other two immediate threats.

    How he proceeded going forward would determine if his rule wouldst three months, or thirty years. If he took one wrong step, his life would be over, and so too would the hopes of restoring Rome to its former glory. Upon dwelling on this, Marcellus merely smirked, thinking upon his idol and the difficulties he had to face upon ascending to the throne. It would appear that he was destined to follow the path of Aurelian, or die trying.

 Chapter 56 A Question of Alliances

    Following his victory in Ravenna, Marcellus found himself an emperor. However, his Empire was divided, and facing many threats on its borders. Luckily for him, Constantine was fighting a war in Hispania, and word had not yet reached the region of Honorius¡¯ demise. Nor had it spread to the Eastern Roman Empire.

    Marcellus had a very finite amount of time before he faced a three prong invasion from Constantine¡¯s rebellion, the Gothic Hordes under ric, and the Eastern Roman Empire. If such an event were to ur, his reign wouldst a matter of months.

    Because of this, Marcellus was forced to choose an ally from among the three. Despite sharing a simr culture and heritage, the Eastern Roman Empire was not an option. They were ruled by Honorius¡¯ nephew, and as a member of the Theodosian Dynasty, Theodosius II would never forgive Marcellus for deposing his uncle, nor was he likely to recognize Marcellus¡¯ rule as legitimate.

    Thus, immediately off the bat, one of the three viable alliances was taken off the table. Which left two unlikely, but not impossible, allies. Constantine III, or ric the Goth. Marcellus currently sat within his war room, listening to the differing opinions of his officers. Sarus was the first to express his views on which ally they should side with.

    ¡°Constantine is a snake. He cares not for the prosperity of Rome, but for his own personal vanity. Should you make the man your co-emperor, he would betray you at the first opportunity given to him. Only despair can result from such a union.

    Since Constantine can not be trusted, there is only one viable solution to our problems. ric, and his Gothic horde, currently upy the diocese of Noricum and Illyricum. If you win over his favor, and allow the Gothic people the rights to freely settle thends they currently upy as part of your empire, you will gain an armyrge enough to defeat your two foes.

    Stilicho was already in the process of working with ric to gain his support so that he could retake Illyricum from the East. However, these ns fell through. ric knows you are Stilicho¡¯s godson. He will trust you more than your predecessor if you give your word to him.<sub>.</sub>

    It won¡¯t be easy to convince him because of your reputation as a famous Goth-yer. However, if you seed, ric and his horde will join you as foederati. With the full might of the goths by your side, you will have a better chance of dealing with your other enemies.¡±

    Marcellus sat perfectly still, not saying a word. This discussion was open to all who were present, and thus the other officers beneath hismand were allowed to speak up with their own ideas. Primus was quick to counter Sarus¡¯s point.

    ¡°If you allow the Goths to settle in the diocese of Noricum and Illyricum, as Goths and not Roman citizens, the other diocese will revolt. Everyone else who is a part of our Empire had to go through the process of Romanization. Why should the Goths exempt from such a thing?¡±

    Sarus merely scoffed before responding to Primus¡¯ counter argument.

    ¡°Because, unlike us Goths, you Romans conquered all of your other subjects and forced them to submit to your way of life. Do you dare say that in your current position, you have the ability to conquer the Goths, Legatus?¡±

    This line of reasoning stumped Primus, it was true that if they were letting the Goths settle into Roman territory, then it was bound to be a matter of peaceful negotiation, if anything Rome was the one being conquered in their current situation.<sub></sub>

    Marcellus watched the interaction between the two officers before sighing heavily in displeasure. If he really thought about it, aligning with ric was, without a doubt, the best short-term solution. However, Rome had let the Gothic peoples enter their territory and settle theirnds before. In the end, the Goths rebelled and killed the Roman Emperor Valens in the Battle of Adrianople.

    Granted, that was the Eastern Roman Empire, but the point was still valid. If Marcellus epted ric and Sarus¡¯s hordes into hisnds to settle, who is to say that in ten, twenty, perhaps thirty years they did not turn their des against their masters?

    Unfortunately, Marcellus did not have the luxury to think about the long-term consequences of his actions. He could only focus on getting out of his current predicament and dealing with the falloutter on. As a result, he sighed once more beforeing to a decision.

    ¡°Send a delegation to ric and his forces, request that they cease their advance into Raetia, inform them that I am open to negotiations about settlement into Romannds, and that I seek an audience with ric in person.

    I would request that we meet in neutral ground, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t believe such a ce exists, so I am willing to meet him at the border between Italia and Raetia. As Sarus has said, ric is our only viable option, and if we wish to survive theing storm, we must align with him.¡±

    After saying this, the multiple officers of Marcellus¡¯ army reacted differently. Sarus was pleased with Marcellus¡¯ choice. Though he had never been fond of the man, he did respect him. Now that Marcellus was emperor, perhaps the rift between Roman and Goths could be mended. For how long such an alliance wouldst, even Sarus did not know the answer.<sub></sub>

    As for Ordius and Primus, they were displeased. They would rather trust in a rebel like Constantine than a barbarian like ric. At least Constantine was a Roman citizen. However, Marcellus did not feel the same way. He had witnessed the scheming ways of the Roman people.

    If anything, the barbarians were far more simple to deal with. Promise them wealth, and women, and they will follow you to the ends of the Earth. Romans were far more conniving, and could betray you over the slightest matter.

    Aftering to a decision, he dismissed his officers. Marcellus had much to prepare for and had not even had the time to grieve his mother¡¯s loss. With everyone absent, cidia stealthily approached the room.

    After his mother¡¯s death, Marcellus had not said a word to the girl. She knew the cruel fate that awaited her brother, but she felt it was well deserved. She did not hold it against Marcellus for being so ruthless to the man.

    Instead, she was depressed that Marcellus would not even look at her. As if he med the girl for his mother¡¯s death. After several days of this torment, she could not hold back, and forced Marcellus into a situation where he had to speak with her.

    ¡°Marcellus, we need to talk!¡±

    The man was in the middle of pouring himself a cup of wine when he heard the girl¡¯s voicee from behind him. There was nowhere for him to escape to. The girl stood at the only exit to the room he was in. He took a sip before casting his gaze towards the map. This only increased cidia¡¯s anxiety, causing her to snap.

    ¡°Marcellus? Why won¡¯t you look at me!?! I risked my life to help your mother escape! I did everything I could to get her in your arms! Men died to help us escape! Do you me me for her death?¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus sighed heavily before responding to the girl¡¯s question. Though he would not look at her, he decided it would be best to tell the girl the truth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t me you for my mother¡¯s death cidia, I just can¡¯t look at you without remembering herst moments. Please, leave me be¡­ I need time to grieve.¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus averted his gaze from the young woman, and returned it to the map in front of him. He took arge swig of the red wine. However, unlike what he expected, the girl did not leave. cidia was stubborn. She quicklytched onto Marcellus¡¯ back, refusing to budge in the slightest. If Marcellus would not look at her, then she would say something that would force him to do so.

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who has lost his loved ones over these past few months. How do you think I feel? First my brother dies, then my other brother murders my foster father, and finally the man I love killed myst living rtive! If anyone understands the grief in your heart, it is me! So please, don¡¯t bottle up your emotions. Talk to me!¡±

    Marcellus did not know how to react to this news. Did the girl just confess to him? It was a pity. If she had said something months ago, perhaps his heart would have fluttered. However, at the moment, he was truly dead inside. Even the time he spent in Sigefrida¡¯s arms could not invoke an emotional response from his withered heart.

    He simply stood there in silence, with cidia¡¯s arms wrapped around his back. Even still, he did not nce at the girl for a single moment. The young woman burst into tears when she realized that Marcellus still would not look at her. In the end, Marcellus pushed the girl aside and spoke the words in his mind with a deadpan expression on his face.

    ¡°You should go¡­ I have work to do, and little time to do it¡­¡±

    cidia was heartbroken by Marcellus¡¯ck of response to her feelings. She simply ran off crying, not knowing what more to do. As for Marcellus, he gazed into his goblet of wine and witnessed his own reflection.

    He did not know why, but looking at his own face caused a sense of revulsion to appear within his mind. In response, he swept the golden chalice aside, spilling its contents all over the floor. After doing so, he left the war room. As he had told the girl. There was much work to do, and little time to do it.

 Chapter 57 Purging the Senate

    Days had passed since Marcellus ascended to the Throne, and in this time he had been busy drafting a n of national defense against the many enemies he had created. While Marcellus was busy enacting emergency measures to stabilize the realm. The surviving senators had gathered in the sacred halls of the Roman Senate to discuss their next move.

    Among the dozens of men gathered, one was an elderly man who had served in the Senate for many years. His name was Albinius, and he gathered the men before him to resist the rule of this new self proimed Emperor. Now that the Empire was in chaos, it was time to restore the former powers of the Senate, or so he thought. Thus, he spoke with passion about his vision to the other senators.

    ¡°General Marcellus has marched his armies into Ravenna, and ughtered the Emperor and those who are loyal to him. He has an army of six thousand Romans and thirty thousand Goths at his back. However, he does not have the support of the Patrician ns, or the plebeians, for that matter.

    What I suggest is simple. The moment Marcellus stands before us and demands we pass an act of legition, we stand united against him. Show him we, the Senate, hold the power in Rome, and that he is merely our puppet. After all, he may control the armies, but it is we who control the coin that pays them. When ced in a position of payment, or loyalty, naturally the men who follow him will shift to our side!¡±

    Another senator was quick to object to Albinius¡¯ decision.

    ¡°Marcellus has proven himself a capablemander, who is loyal to Rome itself. We do not need to threaten to turn his men against him. We just need to show him that his interests should align with ours. If he understands Rome is better off under our rule, he will surely give up his power. Your actions will force his soldiers to choose between their general and payment. Such a thing will only end bloody for all of us!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Despite this, Albinius and the other senators were unconvinced. Instead, the elderly Senator made an assumption based upon Marcellus¡¯ current actions and coerced those who remained undecided to his side.

    ¡°Marcellus has the intention to dere himself a dictator, and use his power to restore Rome to its former glory or his perceived notion of such a thing. He will not see reason, as he believes the path to salvation is through tyranny! If we do not make our stand here, then the Empire is doomed!¡±

    It was at that moment that a certain sound interrupted the secret meeting. It was the sound of a slow p, followed by a familiar voice.

    ¡°Very good Albinius! It seems you have seen through my intentions. Now that you all know of what I have nned, I suggest you cooperate with me. After all, it is in the best interests of Rome and all its citizens to serve its new emperor!

    My first act as emperor is to dere mandatory conscription of all able-bodied men aged sixteen to twenty. They shall serve in my army for a minimum of four years. You don¡¯t have a problem with this, do you? After all, we need soldiers if we are to defend what little ground we have left!¡±<sub></sub>

    The Senators gazed at the origin of the voice and witnessed Marcellus descending into the Senate Chamber. Alongside him was the legion of men he had trained at Castra Regina. As for the forces who onceprised Primus¡¯ limitanei, they were busy undergoing training.

    The Senators spoke among themselves as Marcellus¡¯ forces slowly surrounded them. Those who were previously undecided were now wavering in their newfound convictions. Ultimately, Albinius was the one to act defiant as he chastised Marcellus for his intrusion in the Senate.

    ¡°You may hold the title of Emperor Marcellus, but you are not a dictator! You do not have permission toe into these chambers while we are discussing matters of State. Nor do you have the right topel us to follow your orders!

    Soldiers of Rome, I will remind you that though your loyalties are to the Emperor, it is we in the Senate who pay you. I suggest you keep that in mind before you do anything that you will regret. The Senate has decided, and we feel it is best, that power resides in the hands of elected officials, rather than a usurper!¡±

    Marcellus gazed at his soldiers, who did not waver upon the mention of payment. Instead, they stood firm as they awaited the orders of their emperor. Upon seeing this fierce loyalty, Marcellus smirked arrogantly before asking the entire Senate where their loyaltiesy.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Do you all feel this way?¡±

    The overwhelming majority of the senators nodded their heads while grumbling, as for the rest they remained silent in fear of retaliation from their fellow senators. After witnessing Marcellus so boldly dere his intentions of assuming power, even those who were on the fence before now found themselves defiant.

    Upon seeing that the Senate¡¯s decision to resist him was unanimous, Marcellus sighed heavily before snapping his fingers. In the next moment, the legions who stood by his side formed a shieldwall surrounding the senators and unsheathed their des. The Senators reacted with panic, just as Marcellus had expected them to, with Albinius¡¯ cursing the mad man who proimed himself Emperor.

    ¡°What do you think you are doing? Do you really believe you can intimidate us into obeying your whims!?!¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus merely chuckled as she shook his head. Did these fools really think this was an act of intimidation? This was their execution. He toyed with the senators for a little while before giving themand to end their miserable lives.

    ¡°Albinius, you are mistaken. I do not seek to intimidate you and your fellow senators into obeying my whims. I seek to exterminate you all! There is no need for a senate filled with corruption. Whatever gods you may hold in your hearts, I suggest you pray for their mercy, for you shall receive none from me!¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus snapped his fingers and his soldiers immediately thrust their des into the bodies of the unarmored senators. Screams of agony filled the air as blood spilled into the halls of the Senate. Marcellus gazed upon the blighted scene with disdain. One by one the Senators fell to the des of Marcellus¡¯ legion until finally only Albinius remained. The man had his stomach punctured and was bleeding out on the floor as he cursed at the new emperor.

    ¡°You fucking madman! Do you really think you can rule Rome without a Senate? The people won¡¯t stand for it!¡±

    Marcellus unsheathed his de as he walked over to Albinius with a sneer on his face. His words would remain in the minds of those who acted as a witness for years toe.

    ¡°It is because of you christian fools that the Empire now finds itself on the edge of extinction. Had you allowed the Altar of Victory to remain, none of this would have happened!¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus swung his sword down towards the Senator¡¯s neck, decapitating him on the spot. Having done so, he wiped the blood which coated his de onto the man¡¯s tunic before sheathing it.

    Ordius gazed at Marcellus in disbelief. Did this man really just condemn Christianity in the halls of the senate? Marcellus nced at Ordius with an expression that stated his mindset. He did not care in the slightest about his antagonistic remarks towards the Christian religion and instead issued orders to the soldiers beneath hismand.

    ¡°The corruption that has gued the senate for centuries has now been purged. As of this moment, I, Emperor Titus udius Marcellus, dere myself the sole authority in Rome, and hereby order the conscription of all able-bodied males age sixteen to twenty into my Army.

    As for the Senate, I hereby announce its disbandment until a time where Rome is stable and prosperous. When the senate finally returns, so too will the Altar of Victory to its rightful ce. Are there any objections?¡±

    The soldiers beneath Marcellus¡¯mand shook their heads in response to this question. Though the vast majority of them were Christian, and Marcellus¡¯ deration of restoring the Altar of Victory was sacrilege, they did not dare rebel against him. After all, the thirty thousand Goths at his back would clearly turn against them should they put their fath in God above the Glory of Rome.

    With the Senate purged, Marcellus returned to the Pce. Despite the conscription of his forces, he would need many months to train and equip these new soldiers for war. In this time, his enemies would realize his circumstances and march against him. Thus, the need to join forces with ric was still paramount. Nothing had changed. Rome was still at the brink of annihtion, and only by making a deal with the devil could it save itself.

 Chapter 58 The Grief of a Son

    With the Senate Purged, and the Armies under hismand Marcellus had dered himself Emperor, and Dictator, to act as the supreme authority in the Western Roman Empire until a point where the political situation could be stabilized, and the realm became prosperous once more.

    Immediately there were concerns among the patricians, and plebeians alike, as to the extents Marcellus would take to ensure his vision of a glorious and untied Empire. However, after what happened to the Senate, few, if any, were willing to voice them.

    A messenger had been dispatched to ric, seeking toe to negotiations. While this was urring, conscription had been enacted and tens of thousands of young men were rounded up from their homes and ced into military service. Despite ack of personal funds, Marcellus had seized the wealth of the senators he had killed and used it to fund the expansion of the Roman Army.

    He had also used a portion of this newfound wealth to fund the expansion of the Empire¡¯s agriculture. While winter was approaching, and the techniques he had dreamed of would not be useful until the next year, it was best to spread word of these agricultural reforms to the farmers, so that they can best prepare themself for next year¡¯s crops.

    Currently, the territory that Marcellus had under his control was Italia, and North Africa. Everything else was either upied by Barbarians or Rebels. The limitanei who protected the frontiers were the only forces capable of rebelling against Marcellus¡¯ rule.

    However, they did not act in any threatening capacity, instead they stayed in control of their regions, and followed Marcellus¡¯ order. As far as they were concerned, it was a good thing that a more capable man had deposed Honorius.<sub>.</sub>

    Thus, at the moment, Marcellus found himself spending whatever free time he had with his lover Sigefrida, who did her best to tend to the wounds in the man¡¯s heart. With his mother¡¯s death, he had little time to grieve, and could only bottle up the myriad of emotions he felt. Currently, the Suebi beauty was bathing with her Roman master. She was washing his back to the best of her ability while trying tofort him about his recent loss.

    ¡°Marcellus, you know I don¡¯t mean to pry, but I feel as if I can¡¯t stay my tongue any longer. You need to speak about your mother¡­ What happened to her was a tragedy, but you can¡¯t keep bottling up your emotions like this. Please¡­ speak to me!¡±

    Perhaps it was because of the amount of wine he had consumed on this day, or perhaps it was because of the soothing sensation of his bath, but the moment Sigefrida spoke these words, Marcellus¡¯ mind was consumed by the grief that he had sealed away deep within his heart.

    He struggled to choke back the tears in his eyes. Sigefrida noticed this and wore a bitter smile as she hugged the man from behind. Herrge bosom pressing against his bare back as she did so. Despite the euphoric sensation, Marcellus was not the least bit excited and instead broke into tears. He had broken the one rule he had set for himself since the moment he learned of his father¡¯s death many years ago.

    He swore to himself that he would never again cry in the presence of another living being. However, at this moment, the memories of that time when his motherforted him flooded his mind. Yet, she was not here tofort him in this moment of grief, for she was the cause of it.<sub></sub>

    As if he was a small child, Marcellus cried, and cried, turning from his position and shoving his head into the substantial bosom of his lover, seekingfort in her warmth. Sigefrida had aforting smile as she stroked the man¡¯s soaked brown hair.

    ¡°There¡­ There¡­ let it all out¡­¡±

    Marcellus whimpered like a wounded child as he called out the phrase over and over again.

    ¡°Mother¡­ Why? Why did you have to die like this?¡±

    Sigefrida knew Marcellus better than anybody. These past few days, he had been putting on an excellent facade. Revealing only strength to his followers, however, such a mask would inevitably crack sooner orter. It was better for the new emperor to let out his tears in private among a trustworthypanion than to break down in public.<sub></sub>

    Though the previous emperor was officially dered dead, the reality was he was being kept alive in the dungeons, where he was beaten and raped daily. Honorius was force fed only enough food and water to keep up his suffering. Eventually, he, like Aeliana, would die from his circumstances, but it would be many months before the fool finally croaked.

    Despite condemning the man to such a fate, Marcellus did not have the strength of heart to visit his prisoner, because if he did, he would only associate the vile acts with what his mother had gone through. Even cidia was unaware of her brother¡¯s fate, believing the lies that Marcellus told the public. That Olympius had in the former Emperor in an attempt to curry favor with the Rebel General so that he might save his own skin.

    Most knew Olympius¡¯ personality, and they did not question this lie, because of this many people did not me Marcellus directly for Honorius¡¯ death, but saw him as responsible since Olympius had only acted in such desperation because he was cornered. It was because of this that Marcellus had hopes of bribing the Eastern Empire into staying their hand. Should they learn of Honorius¡¯s actual fate, there would be no repairing that rtionship. Only blood would appease the Theodosian Dynasty.

    Marcellus and Sigefrida stayed in the bath for some time. He had many tears to cry out, and should anyone intrude on his breakdown, it would ruin his reputation. It might even harm the authority he had carved for himself.

    After the man was no longer capable of crying, he exited the bath with his lover. Shetched onto his side like amprey, afraid that the slightest blow to his current mental state might drive him to do something foolish.

    As a result, she stated to the guards that he wasn¡¯t feeling well, before leading Marcellus into the bedchamber. She did not n to take advantage of his weakened state to do anything sinful. Instead, she climbed into the bed with her master and merely cuddled with him. Hoping that she could provide somefort and speak to him about important matters.

    ¡°Marcellus, I don¡¯t know what you said to cidia, but you broke her heart¡­ You know that you and I can never be together, at least not as a married couple. You are an emperor now, and you will need to think about having an heir soon.

    cidia may be a bit young, but in a couple of years she will be of age to marry, and I can think of nobody better than her to be your wife. When you are feeling better, you should approach the girl, and apologize for whatever it was that you said to her¡­¡±

    Marcellus was silent for several minutes as he reflected upon what the woman had said. He rested his head on her substantial breasts as if they were the fluffiest of pillows. Ultimately, he broke the silence and revealed his thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°cidia is like a little sister to me. However, she is of the Theodosian Dynasty. If I marry her, I could im some legitimacy to the Western Throne. Especially if we have an heir together¡­ There are many who call me a usurper behind closed doors, and are looking for any excuse to depose me.

    When news spreads of what I have done to Hispania, it will spark another revolt. Or perhaps they will side with Constantine to overthrow me. If I wish to secure their support, then marrying cidia would be a good first step¡­ I guess I have no choice but to apologize to the girl. After all, she did confess her feelings to me, and I said nothing¡­¡±

    Sigefrida did not respond, and simply caressed Marcellus¡¯ head. She was fine being his ve lover. That was all she ever really desired in life. However, she knew Marcellus would need a proper wife, and she was certain that cidia would tolerate their rtionship. It was one of the reasons she was insistent on the idea of the two marrying. She finally spoke onest phrase of encouragement to Marcellus before the man drifted asleep.

    ¡°My heart bleeds for you, Marcellus. You have so many burdens to carry, and I can only do so much to help¡­ Today, you can cry as much as you need to. However, tomorrow you must move past this grief and look towards reforging an empire that is on the brink.

    I know your mother was important to you, but you know she is in a better ce now¡­ She is in the fields of Elysium, enjoying the peace that the gods have given her. So rest now and recover your strength. You will need it for what lies ahead¡­¡±

    After hearing this, Marcellus drifted into a deep sleep. He would dream about his childhood, where he and his mother were able to live happily under Stilicho¡¯s protection. This solemn dream would allow him to say goodbye to the woman properly, even if it was only in his mind. The next day, his vigor would be renewed, and though the pain of his mother¡¯s death would still linger in his heart, it would no longer cripple him emotionally. Sigefrida was right. He would need to move forward from this tragedy if he wished to save the Empire from its fate.

 Chapter 59 Convincing the Gothic King to Negotiate

    ric stood in the vi of Castra Regina. The stronghold had been abandoned, and as a personal slight to the man who ran away from his duties, the Gothic King had made it his personal abode during his stay in Raetia. The area had been evacuated, and thus there were no women for him and his men to enjoy.

    While ric sat back and feasted upon some salted pork, a messenger walked in through the door. He was a Roman who was escorted by ric¡¯s elite Gothic warriors. When the barbarian King gazed upon the man, he broke out into a fit ofughter.

    ¡°So, Honorius finally hase to his senses and sent someone to negotiate with me. Come, sit down, enjoy my fire, and my boar!¡±

    Despite the weing gesture, the Roman messenger did not ept, instead he had a stern expression on his face as he informed ric of a shocking revtion.

    ¡°The False Emperor Honorius is dead, betrayed by his own Magister Militum, in his ce Titus udius Marcellus has proimed himself emperor. The new Emperor requests to meet with you on the borders of Italia. He intends to negotiate with you and your people about permanent settlement of thends you currently upy.¡±

    The room was filled with silence after the messenger had said these words. The Goths were in a state of disbelief. For many reasons, firstly Honorius had so suddenly been deposed, but second, the idea that the infamous Goth-yer had risen to the position of Emperor and was now requesting to settle their disputes peacefully was mind blowing.

    ric could hardly believe it. He stood up from his seat, towering above the Roman messenger while staring at him with an intimidating re, before interrogating the man on whether he was lying.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Youe into my abode, and tell me that Marcellus the Goth-yer is now the Emperor, and that he wishes to negotiate with me and my people for settlement of thends we have conquered? Why? He has put tens of thousands of my people to sword, men, women, and children have all died by his hands, and now he wishes to extend an olive branch to us? I¡¯m not buying it! This has to be a trick!¡±

    The Roman messenger bowed his head, too afraid to look into the Barbarian King¡¯s eyes. He mumbled a single name as he tried to convince the man of his emperor¡¯s genuine interest in ending their squabble.

    ¡°Sarus¡­¡±

    When ric heard this, he roared, before striking the messenger across the face with a furious backhand.

    ¡°Sarus? That petty coward! He has long since bent the knee towards his Roman masters. Does he think I will do the same!?!¡±

    After receiving a firm p to the cheek. The Roman messenger calmed himself as he tried to exin the full situation to the best of his ability.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Sarus and his men have pledged their allegiance to the new emperor! Thirty thousand goths follow Marcellus and his legions into battle! The Emperor has promised themnds to settle in Noricum and Illyricum. He wishes to extend that offer to you, and your people as well.¡±

    ric chuckled. He could hardly believe his ears. If Marcellus of all people was willing to negotiate with the Goths, then he was truly desperate. However, he knew the Goth-yer well enough to know that he was not doing this out of the kindness of his heart. There had to be some underlying conditions. Thus, the barbarian King was quick to voice his concerns.

    ¡°What exactly does Marcellus ask of me, in exchange for this newfound kindness of his?¡±

    The Roman Messenger did not have an answer to this, and quickly voiced what he had been told.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just a messenger, not a diplomat. He requests you meet him at the borders of Italia and Raetia. He has given you the location of the meeting ground on this map. Negotiations will take ce there.

    The Emperor requests that you arrive with a delegation of your choosing and he will do the same. Both parties will maintain security, with five hundred men each. Whether or not you choose to show up is up to you!¡±<sub></sub>

    After saying this, the man was escorted out of the room and back to his horse, where he and his convoy rode back to the city of Ravenna. As for ric, he was standing next to his advisors. He gazed at the map and the location where the meeting was supposed to take ce. He was convinced that this was a trap, but was keen on the insight of the men by his side.

    ¡°What do you think? Is the Goth-yer being sincere with this request? Or does he seek to eliminate us in one fell swoop?¡±

    A goth who wore the skin of a wolf was the first to voice his opinion on the matter after carefully thinking about it.

    ¡°If Marcellus is the new emperor, then it means heid siege to Ravenna and deposed Honorius. This would exin why he and his forces withdrew from Raetia and abandoned the province to our conquest. It would appear that he was fighting a rebellion, though what madness convinced him to march to Ravenna without preparations is beyond me.

    By usurping the Western Roman Throne, he has created many enemies. Even if he were to do something desperate, like a widespread mandatory conscription, his forces would not have enough time to be proficient in warfare before his enemies marched on him. If what the messenger said is true, he is relying on his Gothic Foederati to maintain order over his crumbling Empire, and to dissuade hostiles from approaching the Italian hearnd.

    If all of this is urate, then I believe he is acting in good faith towards us. Simply because he has no other options, once news of his sessful rebellion reaches the East, the Eastern Roman Empire will want his head, and if it spreads west, Constantine will press his im against a weakened Empire. If I had to guess, he intends to make peace with us, in order to rope us into his foederati.

    With Sarus¡¯ and your forcesbined, he would have a sufficient force of battle-hardened veterans to keep the enemy at bay long enough to restore his forces. It¡¯s a bold move and relies entirely on whether or not you will keep your word.¡±

    ric scoffed when he heard these words, condemning Marcellus for his foolishness.

    ¡°Does that little boy really think we will obey the whims of the Romans as if we were some trained hounds? We are the wolves of Germania. It is not in our blood to be bound to a master! Sarus is a coward for obeying the Romans. It is clear that their time hase to an end!¡±

    The same warrior who wore the wolf-skin was quick to interject with ric¡¯s thinking and provided a voice of reason when it was desperately needed.

    ¡°With all due respect, my liege. I think you should reflect on our position. With each passing year, the winters grow colder, and with it, the north bes more difficult to survive in. In addition to this, you know of what menace lies to the east, and is pressing forward towards Rome as we speak. If we wish to survive these troubling times, it might be in our best interest to temporarily align with the Romans.

    Marcellus sounds keen on allowing us to settle Noricum. He will probably use us to take Illyricum back from the East. He will also be relying on us to defend the territory we are given to settle. As long as he doesn¡¯t force us to be Romanized like the other subjects of the empire, we can practically be our own client state.

    I think we should at least meet with him to see what he has to offer us. We can always scout out the location beforehand to ensure that we are not walking into a trap. If you think there is the slightest sign of a ploy against us, we can leave before we be ensnared.¡±

    ric thought about these words deeply, before asking the rest of his advisors for their opinions.

    ¡°What do you all think about this?¡±

    The various advisors to the Gothic King spoke their pieces, but after extensive debate, they all agreed that perhaps they should entertain the negotiations. After all, they shuddered to think of what would happen to them when the eastern menace finally caught up with them. With this ric had decided, he would meet with Marcellus and see just what this new self-proimed emperor had nned for him and his people.

    Time healed all wounds, and sometimes necessity was the harbinger of powerful alliances. Both Marcellus and ric found themselves in desperate situations. It was because of this that Marcellus had put his faith in the goths, rather than in the rebel Constantine. If he coulde to an agreement with ric, perhaps he could prevent the cruel fate that awaited Rome, at least for a little longer.

 Chapter 60 Negotiations at the Italian Border

    Marcellus rode on horseback. He clutched the hilt of his sword, expecting conflict at any given moment. Why was he so on edge? Because he was about to meet with the man who had long since been a thorn in the Empire¡¯s side. A man he had fought a battle with in the past, a man who he could consider a true rival.

    With Stilicho gone, Marcellus no longer felt confident in his ability to beat ric. It was a good fifty-fifty chance that he woulde out on top should the two men and their armies engage in mortalbat. At the moment, he was travelling to the Italian Border to meet with the Gothic King, in a rather poor attempt to lure him to the side of Rome.

    ric was a proud man, whomanded a significant army. Marcellus could not rely on bargaining from a position of power, as both men knew the victory of any conflict between the two of them was up to a coin toss performed by the gods. Marcellus was anxious because he did not know whether these negotiations would result in a brilliant sess, or a bloodbath.

    Naturally, he was the first to arrive at the agreed location. Where he and his men dismounted from their horses and took cover in an old, abandoned fort. Little did he know the Gothic host had already arrived and was merely waiting to see if he had showed up in good faith. When the scouts saw Marcellus had arrived with the agreed upon forces, they reported this news to ric and his advisors, who were slightly surprised. ric scoffed when he heard this before making ament on Marcellus¡¯ actions.

    ¡°It appears he really is desperate. Let¡¯s see just how much he is willing to concede in order to gain our allegiance.¡±

    After saying that, therge barbarian King galloped down towards the destination where the negotiations would take ce along with his men. Like Marcellus had said, he brought five hundred men to act as security on his behalf. ric had done the same.

    When ric entered the room along with his advisors, Marcellus stood up, though he did not immediately move to greet him. The two men were locked in a battle of stares as they waited for the first man to flinch. Thissted for several moments before Sarus interrupted the contest with a crass remark.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Are you two going topare the size of your cocks all day, or can we move onto more important matters?¡±

    While it may have been crude, it was effective, as the two leaders immediately broke their stares and focused their gazes on Sarus, who merely smiled and took a drink from his wineskin. Aftering to their senses, Marcellus and ric took their seats across from each other at the negotiating table.

    Marcellus would not hide the truth from ric. It would be easy for the man to confirm the situation for himself. Thus, he waspletely honest as he opened his negotiations.

    ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you ric, I have inherited a throne that I can not easily keep on my own. Honorius, in his ever foolish state, had driven the Empire to the brink of copse. I need men to fight for me, if I wish to maintain what ground I have gained, let alone reunite the Empire.

    If I had a better option, I would take it. However, as things stand, the Theodosian Dynasty wants my head. Constantine will surely press his im the moment he realizes the state that the Italian Hearnd is in, and you are on my northern borders, threatening to raze everything to the ground.

    I am prepared to offer you, and your people, permanent settlement in thends you currently upy. Namely Noricum and Illyricum. In exchange, all that I ask is you pledge your loyalty to me as my foederati.<sub></sub>

    For a period of five years, I will not tax you, and your people, as my subjects, so long as you answer the call to arms when it is required. After this timeframe is over, you will pay normal taxes, but you are not required to convert to Christianity, nor will you be required to be Romans.¡±

    It shocked ric and his advisors to hear these conditions. This was better than what they were hoping for. ric himself was truly doubtful. He believed that the self-proimed Roman General was deceiving him. He wanted to know more about the situation in Rome before deciding on a course of action.

    ¡°What forces do you have right now? If I am settling in the Empire andmitting my men to fight for it, I damn well better be sure that we are not the only ones fighting.¡±

    Marcellus showed his hand as he revealed what paltry forces he had at his disposal.

    ¡°Currently, I have six thousand men in the Italian Hearnd, who are a true legion, formed from the limitanei of Raetia. They are heavily armored and heavily trained. Among these six thousand men are five hundred cataphracts.

    I also have the Armies of North Africa at my disposal. If I were to count them, I¡¯d say it is another six thousand men. I have begun conscription, and have another fifty thousand men who are undergoing training as we speak. In a few months, they will be a fearsome force who can respond to any threats that my Empire may encounter.<sub></sub>

    On top of this, I have thirty thousand Gothic Foederati who have already pledged their loyalty to me. That means I have eighty-six thousand soldiers who can defend my borders. More than enough to halt your advance into mynds, should I be forced to do so.¡±

    ric chuckled when he heard this im before pointing out the ws in Marcellus¡¯ reasoning.

    ¡°If what you say is true, then why do you need my men so badly?¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus took a sip from his wineskin before exining in great detail his reasons for recruiting the Goths.

    ¡°Firstly, as I said, fifty thousand of my men are undergoing training, and are waiting to be armed and armored with the best equipment I can manufacture. Second, unless it is absolutely necessary, intend to leave my Second Legion in North Africa to secure the province. Should you invade, I will be forced to withdraw them, abandoning North Africa to its fate, but doubling my military capabilities.

    Lastly, you are not the enemy who I need to face right now. I would rather not bloody my forces in battle, expelling you and your ilk from mynds. Without sufficient training and equipment, much of those fifty thousand conscripts would perish, and I would prefer they form into proper legions before sending them to war. If I can make peace with you, and add your forces to my army, then it is far better for us all than should wee to blows.

    You know my offer is the best you are going to get. So top acting coy, and answer me already. Will you submit yourselves to the service of Rome as my foederati, and in doing so, gain fertilends for settlement? Or will you continue to raid, and ravage the balkans, where you will eventually be surrounded by thebined might of the Eastern Roman Army, my armies, and of course, this eastern menace I have heard so much about? I am sure even the mighty ric won¡¯t be able to prevent the annihtion of his people against those odds.¡±

    It shocked ric to see that Marcellus knew about the threat that was rising in the east and was quick to inquire about what he knew.

    ¡°You know about them?¡±

    A hint of surprise appeared on Marcellus¡¯s face as he gazed upon the fear that mired the mighty Gothic King¡¯s visage. He was honest about what little he knew about this eastern menace. After all, if ric knew more than him, he could easily call him on his bluff.

    ¡°I have only heard rumors, but I know they are really out there, and pose a far greater threat than you do. If either of us wishes to survive theing storm, then we need to work together. I suggest you put aside your grudges and consider what is best for your people. You know you can¡¯t continue your nomadic existence without eventually being whittled down into nothing. Join me, and perhaps we can not only re-unite the Empire, but even expel this threat to the East before it drowns us all.¡±

    ric gazed over at his advisors. They seemed to be more fearful of the eastern menace than he was. The idea of having Rome as an ally against this threat was reassuring to them. Though the Western Roman Empire may be a shadow of its former self, to the Germanic people, there was still an ancient terror hidden behind their name. Marcellus was living proof that the Romans weren¡¯t entirely extinct just yet.

    After careful deliberation with his advisors, ric stood up from his seat and reached out his hand. The action slightly surprised Marcellus, but it did not take him long to ept the gesture. The two men sped each other¡¯s forearms as they stared into each other¡¯s eyes. Marcellus was the first to speak.

    ¡°Whether we be Goth or Roman, our futures lie intertwined from this moment forward. We either seed in our endeavors and drive our enemies from the borders of the Empire. Or die together against the overwhelming odds that seek to crush us. Either way, from this day forward, you, ric, King of the Goths, are my brother.¡±

    ric broke out into uncontrobleughter as he heard this remark. He never in his life expected the infamous goth-yer to say those words to the King of the Goths. After hearing it, he pulled out a mug and made a deration of friendship.

    ¡°I can drink to that!¡±

    With that said, the Romano-Gothic Alliance had been established. For how long it wouldst, nobody really knew. However, for the time being, Marcellus had gained tens of thousands of battle hardened warriors to add to his ranks. Whether it was Constantine in the west, or the generals of Theodosius II in the east, he was confident that he could now hold his ground against his many enemies.

 Chapter 61 Will You Marry Me?

    Aftering to terms with the Goths, Marcellus had honored his agreements. In the following days, the Gothic tribes flooded into Noricum, providing the Western Roman Army with tens of thousands of new soldiers in the form of foederati. Without Roman resistance, they were given free rein over thends.

    As for Illyricum, that would have to wait until it could be reimed from the East. In the meantime, Marcellus returned to Ravenna, which was the seat of his power. Before setting out on his journey to Ravenna, Sigefrida had instructed him to patch things up with cidia.

    Of course, Marcellus had in actualitypletely neglected to visit cidia during that time. There were two reasons for this. One was he wanted to give the girl some breathing space. After seeing her so heated, he knew she was angry at him for not responding to her feelings. Because of this, she would need some time to calm down into a rational state.

    The second reason was he feared the girl hated him after so ruthlessly rejecting her. Luckily for him, that did not seem to be the case. The moment Marcellus arrived at the Pce, cidia was waiting for him, beside his lover Sigefrida. She had a heartfelt smile on her face as she witnessed the Marcellus return from a dangerous negotiation.

    Upon seeing that she was not the slightest bit angry with him, Marcellus took advantage of this opportunity to discuss with cidia the matters he had thought deeply upon during the past few weeks. He started by addressing Sigefrida, who was the elephant in the room.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Sigefrida, do you mind if I have a moment alone with cidia?¡±

    Sigefrida could take a hint, and immediately retreated further into the Pce. It surprised cidia to see Marcellus willing to speak with her. He did not even tell her he was going to go negotiate with ric. She was practically pouting as she scolded the man for making her worry.

    ¡°I had to hear that you had gone to negotiate with the Goths from Sigefrida? Really, Marcellus? Do I mean so little to you that you won¡¯t even tell me when you¡¯re departing on a dangerous journey?¡±

    Marcellus had a wry smile on his handsome face as he tried to deflect from the issue, without directly apologizing.<sub></sub>

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to worry you about such petty matters¡­¡±

    Such ament only caused the young woman to pout even more. She practically snubbed the man as she walked past him with an indifferent expression on her lips. Marcellusughed when he saw this, calling out to the girl as she walked by, enticing her with a question she could not so easily ignore.

    ¡°Did you not want to hear my answer?¡±

    cidia froze on the spot as she heard these words before turning around and witnessing the smile on Marcellus¡¯ lips. Her heart pounded heavily within her chest as she wondered what the man was going to say to her. She dreaded the idea that he would bring this matter up, only to reject her again. However, she did not flee, instead she stayed put, not daring to take another step. Upon seeing the girl behaving so docilely, Marcellus chuckled before making a long-winded speech on how he felt about cidia.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You know how I lost my father as a young child. As a result, Stilicho was the man to raise me as if I were his own son. I believe it was a simr case for you, was it not? I remember the first time we met, you were no older than five, and Stilicho had taken me along on another one of his errands. Gods, I must have still been a youth, but even then, that man was grooming me to take over his position one day.

    He took me everywhere with him; I aided him in all of his responsibilities, and yet there was always a certain time and ce that he forbade me from apanying him. Until that day, the day I found out, I had a little sister. Not by blood, but by virtue of being raised by the same man. You may not remember, but when you firstid eyes on me, you hid behind the legs of your maid, and were too frightened to even look me in the eye.

    You were such a cute little girl. I wanted nothing more than to protect you and make you happy. It was after that first encounter that Stilicho instructed me to spend time with you. Believing that it would be important for us to grow close, since your actual brother Honorius was such a rotten bastard. Since that day I looked after you, as if you were my own sister, and I had noints.

    When you confessed your feelings for me, even if it was inadvertent, it did not even register in my mind. I was so grief stricken that I couldn¡¯t even fathom the idea that the girl I thought of as a sister had looked at me as if I were a man. In a year you will be old enough to wed, and despite my age, I have not found a suitable wife. After thinking about the issue for some time, I realized the perfect candidate had been around me since I was still a boy.

    cidia, if you have noints, then on the day you turn of age, I would be happy to marry you. My mother is gone, and I know that Sigefrida can never be anything more than my concubine. The only woman I have in my life is you. So I guess what I¡¯m trying to ask is, will you marry me?¡±

    It shocked cidia to hear this long-winded response from Marcellus. She never expected him to return her feelings with a marriage proposal. However, she couldn¡¯t be happier. She instantly smiled and ran over to Marcellus, where she kissed him on the cheek, before responding to his question.

    ¡°Yes! Absolutely!¡¯

    Marcellus smiled as he heard this. He had dreaded the prospect of losing cidia these past few days on his journey home from the Italian border. Luckily, she wasn¡¯t so angry with him that she had given up.

    Unbeknownst to Marcellus and cidia, Sigefrida gazed upon the heartwarming sight of the proposal with a broken heart. She knew that even if her master freed her from her bondage and granted her Roman citizenship, she could not marry the man. The difference in their status was simply too great. At most, she could be a concubine.

    Still, it filled her eyes with tears seeing the man she loved ask another woman to marry him. Had she been born in a position simr to cidia, it would be her epting Marcellus¡¯ proposal, instead she was just the side chick, and nothing would ever change that. The barbarian beauty grasped hold of her cor and regretted being born a Suebi, andmented the fact that she was nothing more than a ve.

    It took several moments for her to calm herself down, and get over the grief of realizing she would never have the life she desired. She was mature enough not to hold a grudge against cidia for being born with a golden spoon in her mouth. Still, it was difficult for her to ept her lot in life.

    Sigefrida knew she was the one to encourage Marcellus into marrying the girl, but it still stung her heart like a hive of wasps to actually witness him propose. Ultimately, she decided to let the happy new couple be at peace. She was sure that cidia would not want to see her around so soon after being proposed to by the man they both loved.

    As a result, the Suebi beauty fled to the inner sanctum of the pce, where she washed her sorrows away with copious quantities of wine. As for Marcellus, he was quickly dragged away by an over-eager cidia who wanted to discuss the details of their wedding. Despite it being a year away, she wanted everything to be perfect, and spared no time for organizing the event.

    By engaging himself to cidia, Marcellus achieved two major political goals. Firstly, the fact that Marcellus¡¯ heir would have Theodosian blood in his veins may very well be enough to appease the Theodosian Loyalists in Hispania who were currently rebelling against Constantine. If that were the case, he could rope them into his side in the conflict.

    Secondly, this union would also force the Eastern Roman Empire into a tough decision. As far as anyone was concerned, Honorius had died at the hands of his Magister Militum, Olympius, who sought to negotiate with the rebels to spare his own life. The fool had left no heirs. The closest male rtive to him was the young boy, Theodosius II, who now ruled the eastern half of the empire.

    By marrying Honorius¡¯ sister, Marcellus was forcing the Eastern Roman Empire to choose between pressing Theodosius II¡¯s im to the Western throne, or recognize Marcellus¡¯ right to rule over the Western half of the Empire. Either way, Marcellus¡¯ im was strengthened by having cidia as a wife.

 Chapter 62 Dreams of the Past Part I

    Frank moaned in displeasure as he carefully stacked the red bricks on top of the cement, binding them together. He could not believe he was spending the weekend helping his father build a wood fire kiln, when he could be out hanging out with his friends. He was not shy and quickly voiced his discontent with the current situation.

    ¡°Why the hell am I the one stuck building this stupid thing? Can¡¯t Maria do it? I am in the prime of my youth and have other shit I could be doing!¡±

    Frank¡¯s father Marco was not the slightest bit happy with the tone his son was using, and instantly smacked him over the head with his cement encrusted hands.

    ¡°Watch your mouth, boy! Your know how your mother loves her pottery! Her birthday ising up, and I intend to gift her this homemade kiln so she can create all the porcin she desires! Besides, this is your punishment for building a still in the garage!

    Did you really think your mother and I wouldn¡¯t recognize that fucking thing for what it is because you pped abel on it that says for water purification only? What kind of rotten brains do you have in that head of yours!?!¡±

    Frank muttered under his breath a swear word to his father, which did not go unnoticed. The man quickly put his son¡¯s priorities in order as he forced him to stack the red bricks.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°I heard that! How about I tell you what your mother told me about making bone china while we finish this fucking thing? Supposedly, ording to your mother, all you need to make bone porcin is a mixture of 25% kaolin, 25% Petuntse, and 50% bone ash. After mixing this together, you form it to the shape you desire, and then fire it in a kiln heated up to 1260 degrees celsius or 2300 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Oncepleted, you get a milky white, translucent product that is durable and easy to clean. You may not know this kid, but at one point in our history, people considered such high quality pottery an extreme luxury. Now quit your bitching and help me finish this fucking kiln!¡±

    Frank ultimately did not stop hisining, but he worked tirelessly throughout the day to help his father form a wood fire kiln out of red bricks and cement that could heat to the necessary temperature to make bone porcin. By the time the product was finished, he and his old man gazed at the kiln with a sense of aplishment. Marco wrapped his arm around his son¡¯s shoulder andplimented him for his efforts.

    ¡°Well, you bitched and moaned like a little girl the entire time, but you took your punishment like a man. For that, I am thankful. Your mother will be damn happy to see such a fine birthday present. For this, I¡¯ll convince her to allow you to continue using your still. However, you are not going to be drinking on weekdays!¡±

    Frank gazed up at his father with a shocked expression. He could hardly believe the old man was being so cool to him. He instinctively questioned the man¡¯s judgement.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    Marco red at his son, as if he was looking at an idiot, before questioning the boy¡¯s intelligence.

    ¡°What? Do you morons actually think that you invented underage drinking? If there are two pastimes that we can hold dear as Americans, it is baseball and skirting the drinkingws. At least that nerdy friend of yours knows how to make some good hooch!¡±

    Frank broke out intoughter when he heard this. For some reason, the old man¡¯s statement was just too amusing. Seeing that his son wasughing, Marco joined him, as the two men gazed upon their newest creation while drinking a few ice cold beers in celebration of their achievement.

    ¡ª<sub></sub>

    Marcellus awoke from his slumber. Normally after having these visions he would be sweating profusely, and startled beyond reason. However, he simply sighed heavily this time, and epted this as a test from the gods. If this vision was like the others, then he would have juste up with another means to produce ie. He would have to test out this improved kiln design, and the so-called mixture for bone porcinter on.

    He truly did not expect mere pottery to fetch such arge fortune. However, he would give it a try. Marcellus had yet to properly introduce his agricultural reforms across what little territory he currently held and had not even opened up a distillery. After all, he had to leave his prototype behind in Raetia when he raised his armies in rebellion against Honorius.

    He had more hopes in the production of distilled spirits, then he did with this so-called porcin. Still, if it was superior enough from the pre-existing pottery, he supposed it could fetch some form of price that would help aid in the development of the Empire.

    Seeing that Sigefrida was still asleep by his side, Marcellus decided to get up from his bed and go for a walk. He put on a pair of trousers before heading out the door to his bedchambers. The night sky was shrouded in clouds, and because of this, it was very dark out.

    He needed an oilmp to properly see a few feet in front of him. Still, he did not waver and continued to walk across the pce before finding his wine cer, where he opened up a gon and poured its contents into a cup.

    Marcellus was surprised to see that another oilmp was burning as he returned to the main portion of the pce. cidia was wide awake, sitting on a sofa piece, reading from a book as she drank from a cup of wine. A slight smile curved on the man¡¯s face as he called out to the girl.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t sleep either, huh?¡±

    cidia reacted in shock when she heard Marcellus¡¯ voice speak to her. She turned her head to see the sight of the man illuminated by his oilmp. She noticed the ss of wine in his hands and smiled before raising hers as well.

    ¡°No, I was too excited to sleep. Since I couldn¡¯t rest, I decided to do something productive and read up on the history of our forbearers. Did you know that our ancestors had contact with another powerful empire in the far east called Serica? supposedly, it is thend where silk originates from.

    There was no official interaction between our two empires, but it would appear some of our merchants hade in contact with those from the mysteriousnd. I wonder if they still exist out there on the other side of the world¡­¡±

    Marcellus was an educated man and knew about the rumors of Serica. He sat down next to cidia and took a sip from his cup while nodding his head in agreement.

    ¡°One day, I would very much like to visit that part of the world. However, to do that, I would need to unite Rome under my banner and defeat the Sassanids. Otherwise, it is simply inconceivable for me to reach that far east. Too much stands in the way between us and them, and I fear that such ambitions would only be the fever dream of a madman.¡±

    cidia frowned when she heard Marcellus¡¯ response. She scolded him for giving up on his dream of expanding eastward.

    ¡°It is not just a dream. I am certain you have the ability to make it a reality! I know in my heart that one day you will be recognized as the greatest emperor that Rome has ever had!¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus could only chuckle and pet the girl¡¯s head, which caused her to pout.

    ¡°I appreciate your idealism, cidia. Perhaps if I ruled over the Empire of Trajan, I might be able to conquer my eastern neighbors and reach the mythicalnd of Serica. However, I am gued with an Empire on the brink of copse. Before I even think about bringing the Sassanids to heel, I must defeat Constantine, and force your nephew to kneel before me.

    It is not just a matter of conquest, intion is at an all-time high, and the people are starving. Before I can turn my eye eastward, I must mend the wounds that ravage our civilization. Only when the Empire is united in a state of its former glory can I think about bringing my sword to the East.

    Assuming I live long enough to aplish these things, and am neither in in battle nor betrayed like my forbearers, then maybe, just maybe, I can gaze upon thend of silk with my own eyes. Until then, such a thing is nothing more than a dream, a hope to aspire to. You should get some rest, cidia. It is not healthy to stay up all night.¡±

    cidia understood Marcellus¡¯ words, but she still believed if anyone was capable of such a feat, it would be him. Of course, she could not understand the full weight that was thrust upon Marcellus¡¯ shoulders the moment he rebelled against Honorius. He had made many enemies by usurping the throne of the West, and it would not be easy for him to survive. In the world of Romans, betrayal was all toomon of an urrence.

 Chapter 63 Submission of Africae

    The next day, Marcellus worked on the designs of his new vision, alongside arge distillery to be established in the city of Rome. Ravenna was a temporary capital as far as Marcellus was concerned. It only existed in such a prestigious position because times were desperate. When the past glory of the Roman Empire was restored, naturally its capital would be moved back to Rome.

    It was imperative that he begin the process of adding new sources of revenue to his Empire. After all, the treasury was looking very thing these days, even after stealing the wealth of the senators who had opposed him. Intion was on the rise, and the only real way tobat this was via a stronger currency. However, hecked the gold and silver required to do such a thing.

    Currently, themon currency was so debased that the only real coins worth any value were the Solidus, which was slowly but surely bing less and less pure as the years passed by. Tobat this, Marcellus had ordered that all new Solidus¡¯ being produced must be pure gold. The same standard was to apply to the Miliarense and Siliqua, which were the two silver coins in use by the Empire.

    Once he had established his distillery and porcin manufacturing nt, he would be able to sell the wares across the Mediterranean and perhaps even to the Germanic tribes. The influx of wealth would hopefully stabilize his crashing economy.

    As for now, he had more important matters to deal with, thus after dispatching orders to Rome to implement the new technology in the pottery workshops, and to establish arge distillery. Marcellus descended from his study and entered the great hall where a man of a rather important position was waiting for him.

    This man was named Decimus Mamilius Carnifex, and he was the leader of theitatenses stationed in North Africa. Marcellus had summoned him to Ravenna because he was uncertain where the man¡¯s loyalties lied. If he stayed in North Africa, then it was clear he was in open revolt. If he did as he was instructed, then it meant at the very least he was willing to entertain the idea of following the new emperor. Upon seeing the man in front of him, Marcellus opened his arms wide.<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus was no longer dressed in the trappings of a Roman General. Instead, he wore an imperial regalia made of silk imported from the east, dyed in Tyrian purple, and embellished with golden lining. It was a matter of prestige to wear purple, and Marcellus pulled off the look. He still wore his lorica squamata and quilted leather subarmalis. over the purple tunic. Though he may be in the safety of the Pce, he was still a soldier at heart, and followed the rules that applied to soldiers in the field.

    Carnifex gazed at the man in front of him with a stoic expression on his chiseled face. He did not immediately bow to the Emperor, nor salute him. Instead, he was gauging his character. He had heard rumors of Marcellus over the years, and the sess the man had in battle. However, he never dreamed that the man would rise in rebellion, after all, he was always known as a loyal roman.

    Truthfully, Carnifex did not care who was seated upon the throne in Ravenna, so long as North Africa was left in peace. He was born in the Diocese Africae and had served in its army for many years, rising to his current position.

    However, the idea that Marcellus had used an army of barbarians to win his position, and quickly secured his rule by executing the Senate, did not sit right with the man. He only visited Ravenna because he was certain that despite his tyranny, perhaps Marcellus was the best chance of achieving peace in North Africa. Marcellus spoke to the man with a friendly tone in his voice, as he led him to the war room.

    ¡°Carnifex, I was worried that you would deny my summons. It appears that was unnecessary. Please follow me. We have much to discuss.¡±<sub></sub>

    The North African general remained silent as he followed Marcellus into the war room, where the other Generals of his armies were already gathered. Carnifex gazed upon the two Gothic chieftains, Sarus, and ric with a hint of disdain in his eyes. Whatever Marcellus had promised these men to secure their loyalty was a price Rome surely could not pay, or so he thought.

    As for the other two generals, one was a mere Dux of the limitanei in Raetia, and the other was an up jumped Centurion who had rapidly climbed the ranks solely because Marcellus had few men he could trust.

    Marcellus pointed at the map, which had figures of multiple men from various factions on it. The figures that represented the Gothic Foederati were moved to Noricum, where they sat on the borders of the Eastern Roman Empire, while the figures which represented Marcellus legions were moved to the position of the Alpine passes which existed as the borders between Constantine¡¯s rebellion, and Marcellus¡¯ dominion.

    The man could immediately guess what Marcellus had nned and spoke for the first time since entering the room.

    ¡°You intend to use the foederati to secure the borders in the east, and make our Eastern brothers think twice before invading your territory. While at the same time using your new conscripts to march into Gaul. A bold move, but do you think your new troops are up to the task?¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus smiled and nodded his head before answering the man¡¯s question with the utmost confidence.

    ¡°Currently, they don¡¯t stand a chance. Constantine¡¯s forces are battle hardened, and well equipped. However, by summer of next year, I am positive that my new conscripts will be a proper legion, capable of overwhelming Constantine¡¯s forces. Besides, there is another factor we can take advantage of!¡±

    At this moment, Marcellus moved three figures representing the Theodosian loyalists in Hispania, moving them into a position to trap and ensnare Constantine in Gaul. When Carnifex saw this, he scoffed at Marcellus before condemning him for his naivety.

    ¡°Do you seriously believe that after deposing the Emperor Honorius, that the loyalists of the Theodosian Dynasty in Hispania will side with you? They may be revolting against Constantine at the moment, but you¡¯re the man responsible for the death of the Emperor they swore their allegiance to!¡±

    Carnifex was beginning to fear for the worst as he analyzed Marcellus¡¯ n. It was feasible for him to win, after some hard-fought battles against Constantine with his conscripts, but then he would have to put down the rebellion in Hispania with weakened forces. Not to mention the foederati could only stall the response of the Eastern Roman Army for a limited time. However, Marcellus had a smug expression on his face as he informed all the men present of his ace in the hole.

    ¡°I believe they will see reason when they learn that I have be engaged to Ga cidia. ¡°

    The entire room was filled with shock as they heard this news. If cidia had truly agreed to marry Marcellus, it was possible for him to convince the Theodosian Loyalists in Hispania that he was the proper man to follow, especially if he maintained the lie that Honorius was only killed because of Olympius¡¯ treachery.

    With this in mind, Carnifex had transformed his opinion of Marcellus. Not only had the man deposed Honorius, but he had gained the loyalty of the Goths, and gotten the former emperor¡¯s sister to agree to marry him.

    Though Rome had been plunged into further chaos because of Marcellus¡¯ rebellion, the man had quickly stamped out any sign of rebellion after securing his rule and rapidly expanded his forces. In fact, they were in a better position to defeat Constantine¡¯s rebellion now than they had been when Marcellus was first dispatched to bring an end to his reign.

    It was because of this that Carnifex believed Marcellus might be the man¡¯s best fit for the position of Emperor. At the very least, he was better than Honorius, who practically led the Empire over the cliff with his inept rule. For now, Italia was secure from its enemies. Leaving the man with one question in his mind.

    ¡°Say I join forces with you and submit to your rule. How will you make use of me?¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus merely smirked before giving the man the exact answer he was looking for.

    ¡°I want only one thing from you, to guard North Africa from the enemies of Rome. So long as you do that, I will be satisfied. With my current forces, I have no intention of pulling you and your men from the Diocese of Africae.¡±

    Carnifex gazed over at the other men beneath Marcellus¡¯mand. Two of them were goths, one was a semi-experienced frontier general, and the other was a man of little experience in being a lowly centurion. Despite this, the man in the center, who proimed himself to be the Emperor, was probably the only man who could effectively lead Rome during its current crisis. If Italia fell, then so too would North Africae, and that would be disastrous for Carnifex. Thus he sighed heavily, before agreeing to Marcellus¡¯ condition.

    ¡°Fine, I recognize you, Titus udius Marcellus as the Emperor of Rome, and swear my service to you. At the very least you¡¯re a better alternative than that fool Constantine¡­¡±

    With this, North Africa had submitted to Marcellus¡¯ rule, which until now had been a question of contention for the new emperor. Though Marcellus had no ns of making use of the Legion in the Diocese of Africae, it was still a boost to his army, as well as his economy.

 Chapter 64 Constantine Reacts

    Constantine stood perfectly still, as if he waspletely lifeless. In his hands was a letter that his spies in Ravenna had sent to him. The news contained within the document was shocking, to say the least. Though Marcellus had done his best to prevent the spread of news pertaining to his sessful rebellion. It was not something he could hide forever.

    Finally, weeks after taking the throne, butchering the senate, and dering himself Emperor. The enemies of the newly crowned Western Roman Emperor found out about his sessful rebellion against the previous emperor. Constantine could not believe that Honorius had been deposed, and by the man who nearly defeated him in Gaul just a year prior. A cruel smile curved itself upon the man¡¯s lips as he muttered the name of his new rival for the throne.

    ¡°Titus udius Marcellus¡­¡±

    The nearby Frankish chieftain gazed up at Constantine¡¯s troubled state while sharpening his knife. He cared for the briefest of moments before returning his sight back to the task he was performing. Ultimately, his gesture was interrupted by the madughter of Constantine, who had clearly gone insane.

    ¡°Hahaha That bastard has usurped the Throne, while I¡¯m stuck here in Hispania taking care of Honorius¡¯ loyalists. What madness is this? Is it so easy to take Ravenna? It is no matter, I am the true emperor of Rome, and this incident has given me just what I need topel these damned rebels to cease their hostilities. Honorius is dead, and the man responsible for his death now sits on the Western Throne. If that doesn¡¯t get these bastards¡¯ blood boiling, then I don¡¯t know what would!¡±

    Constantine¡¯s mind worked quickly, and he realized he could make use of this information to forge a new alliance. His intention was to inform the Theodosian loyalists about this recent urrence and persuade them to join his side. After all, he believed that Marcellus¡¯ actions would outrage the men of Hispania, andpel them to align with himself, so that they could march on Ravenna together in an attempt to remove this new usurper.<sub>.</sub>

    With this in mind, Constantine got off his ass and began marching through his siege camp, without saying a word to anyone else. This was not umon, as he was a man who rarely interacted with his soldiers. He slowly approached the gates of the city he was besieging with a white g in hand.

    When the garrison gazed upon the sight of the self-proimed emperor so boldly approaching their gates, they considered whether they should open fire. After all, it was unlikely for a better opportunity to permanently remove the usurper to appear in the future.

    However, as the arrows were strung, and pulled back, the Garrison¡¯smander held up his hand, halting the archers from taking the shot. Instead, he quickly gave a shockingmand to his men.

    ¡°Open the gates!¡±

    It surprised the soldiers to see theirmander not take advantage of the current situation. However, they did not disobey. The gates were slowly raised, and the leaders of the revolt were alerted of the strange actions undertaken by the enemymander.<sub></sub>

    A delegation soon arrived in front of the city¡¯s gates where Constantine stood with a shit-eating grin on his face. He quickly called out to the man who was in charge of the Theodosian Loyalists while tossing him the letter he held in his hands.

    ¡°Tasius, my old friend, Honorius, is dead. It would appear that one of his generals rebelled against him and usurped his position. Tell me, knowing this, do you still desire to fight me until the very end?¡±

    The man named Tasius gazed at the usurper with a vicious look on his face as he read the words written on the paper.

    ¡°The words of your spies mean nothing to me. I refuse to believe that the Emperor is dead. If this is your grand scheme to get us to surrender, you will have to do better than that!¡±

    Despite these harsh words, Constantine was not willing to admit defeat. He knew this news was urate, and it was only a matter of time before it reached the Theodosian rebels from a source they trusted. Thus, he put his arms up in defense as he called for a ceasefire.<sub></sub>

    ¡°There is no reason for us to fight anymore. I¡¯m willing to end these hostilities, and allow you to send men who can find out the truth. When they report to you what I have told you, then we can discuss things further, like proper Romans. After all, I doubt you would support the man who is responsible for the death of your emperor¡­¡±

    Constantine did not know that Marcellus was engaged to cidia, or the fact that he had dispatched men to contact the Theodosian Loyalists and inform them of what had happened. Though he had acted first, the rebels did not trust him in the slightest. As for the man named Tasius, he crumpled the letter and threw it back at Constantine before fiercely rebuking the man.

    ¡°I will find out the truth myself, as for you and your barbarian allies. You are not wee here in Hispania. If you truly desire to end hostilities, leave thesends, or the fighting shall continue!¡±

    It outraged Constantine when he heard the man was so willing to continue fighting, even after hearing about the death of his emperor. He quickly scolded the man for his foolishness.

    ¡°Did you not hear me? Honorius is dead and has been deposed by a tyrant. The man has even butchered the senate! He alone rules in Italia. You should align with me to end his reign of terror once and for all! Yet, you spit on my kindness, and demand I leave the borders of my own Empire!¡±

    Tasius, who was walking back to his own city gates when he heard this, turned around and red at the man. He pointed up to the archers above and mocked Constantine for his own stupidity.

    ¡°At any moment, I can give these men amand and have you riddled with arrows. I suggest you think twice before cursing me, Constantine. You may have a white g, but disrespect me, and I will end you before your armies can save your pitiful existence. Even if this Marcellus has done as you im, we here in Hispania will still not support you.

    The atrocities you havemitted in your campaign against my people are enough to determine your character. Whether it is you or this alleged tyrant in Ravenna, I swear the people of Hispania will resist the both of you until the bloody end!

    I suggest you return to your encampment Constantine, because if you are still standing here by the time I have passed through my city¡¯s gates, I will give the order to open fire upon you. I assure you that you will not survive such a thing!¡±

    After saying this, the man turned around once more and headed back towards his city. Seeing that his attempts at diplomacy had failed, Constantine was enraged, as he spat on the ground in displeasure before turning back towards his own encampment. The moment he crossed into his camp, an officer questioned him.

    ¡°Your majesty, are you alright?¡±

    Constantine was too angry to be bothered answering the man, and barked orders at his army like a wild hound.

    ¡°That damned Tasius. If he wants to spit upon my kindness so badly, then I will show him who the true emperor is. Ready thedders. We assault the city at dawn!¡±

    The soldiers in Constantine¡¯s army did not ck off. The moment themand was given to ready thedders, the engineers were quickly set to task. They had been waiting outside this city for weeks, and had besieged it three times thus far.

    Each time, the city¡¯s defenders repelled them. It was reckless to attack so soon after suffering a major loss, but Constantine was outraged, and needed something or someone to vent his frustrations upon.

    Thus, the Usurper¡¯s army did not get a wink of sleep that night. Instead, they were too busy preparing for the battle that would ur the next day. As for the Theodosian Loyalists, they had immediately dispatched a rider to head to Italia to confirm whether Honorius was truly dead.

    They did not care in the slightest about Constantine¡¯s attempt at a siege, knowing full well that they had the means to repel his attack yet again. Though it may take weeks, or even months to hear a response from the hearnd of the Empire, the men who were loyal to the Theodosian Dynasty were prepared to fight Constantine to the bitter end.

    While Constantine was trying to make use of the news of Marcellus¡¯ rise to power topel the Theodosian loyalists to side with him. The Eastern Roman Empire would also learn of these recent events and would have to face a tough decision about how to respond.

 Chapter 65 The Eastern Roman Empire Responds

    Yazdegerd I gazed upon the document in his hand with an expression of disbelief. The western roman emperor was dead. Murdered by the hands of his Magister Militum. Though things were not that simple. ording to his intelligence, the only reason Olympius had reacted in such a hostile manner to the man he served was because of the rebellion caused by Titus udius Marcellus.

    With the death of Honorius, the Western Roman Empire, or at least part of it, fell into the hands of a usurper. A man who would marry the previous emperor¡¯s sister in a desperate attempt to gain some legitimacy. To Yazdegerd I, who was the regent of the current Eastern Roman emperor. This was an affront to the Theodosian Dynasty, and Yazdegerd had half a mind to send her own Magister Militum into the west to reim the throne for his charge

    It was this fury that drove the man to gather the greatest officers of the Eastern Roman Army so that they could discuss their current opportunities. The head General of the Eastern Roman Army was a man named Aulus Pontidius Frugi, and he was pointing towards a map that was sprawled out in front of him while dering what intelligence his army had gathered.

    ¡°From what it appears, the Goths have pulled out of Illyricum and moved into the nearby province Noricum. They appear to be settling thends under themands of the usurper Marcellus. This means that they have sworn their loyalties to the man.

    If we were to march our army on the west, we would first have to get past an army of between fifty and eighty thousand Goths who now stand guarded against us on our western Border. The only other feasible solution would be to go around this army and march through Germania and into Raetia, however, this could prove to be even more disastrous.¡±

    Yazdegerd did not take this news well. His hands gripped the wooden hair in front of him so tightly that his fingernails left permanent indents inside of it. He gnashed his teeth in displeasure before asking for better alternatives.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°What about North Africa? Has Carnifex dered his loyalty yet?¡±

    Frugi shook his head with a bitter expression on his face as he announced what he knew.

    ¡°The man has sworn his loyalty to Marcellus and now guards North Africa with hisitatenses. It is unlikely to get him to join our side¡­¡±

    The regent of the emperor sighed heavily as he heard this. Things were not looking good. It was at this moment another General spoke up, hoping to heighten the man¡¯s mood. He reported on the information his men had received from Marcellus himself.

    ¡°If I may interject, we have received word from the Usurper. It appears for the time being he has no hostilities towards us. In fact, the man offers a small gift of a thousand pounds of gold. While this may not be much to us, it is a substantial sum for the West and its current treasury. He offers this gift in the hopes that we will recognize his im to the Western Empire and assures us that his interests lie in taking out the other usurper so that he may solidify his im to the western throne. The meaning behind this gift is clear: he intends to bribe us into pacification.¡±<sub></sub>

    Yazdegerd was a proud man. Now that his charge was the only remaining sessor of the Theodosian dynasty, he would not allow the west to be separate for long. He fully intended to march his armies on Ravenna and reunite the Empire beneath his puppet¡¯s rule. He found the notion that Marcellus would try to bribe him to be deeply insulting.

    However, a campaign of that size would be a costly affair. Aside from the losses that she would suffer, the Eastern Roman Army would ultimately be forced to leave the northern portion of the Empirergely undefended. While the Huns were docile for the time being, there were plenty of barbarians who sought to ravage the empire¡¯s borders.

    The amount of troops he would need to expel the Goths from Noricum was no paltry sum. He could not easily separate his forces from the east without weakening his current position. It was because of this that he bit her nails in anxiety. Naturally, with no clear solution, the generals began to argue with one another on how to proceed.

    ¡°Say we sail our forces from Constantinople to Italia. We will be able to catch Marcellus and his army off guard. I doubt he has the forces required to stave off a direct invasion of the hearnd of his empire.¡±

    It was a good idea in theory, but another general immediately blew the idea out of the water.<sub></sub>

    ¡°With what ships!?! We don¡¯t have nearly enough vessels to ferry such arge amount of soldiers across the Mediterranean!¡±

    The infighting between the generals was getting fierce when Yazdegerd could no longer tolerate it. The man yelled at the top of his lungs, as if he were a barbarianmanding the men to quiet down.

    ¡°Silence!¡±

    The men gathered in the room followed the man¡¯smands and halted their petty debates. When the room was so silent that one could practically hear a mouse walk by, Yazdegerd spoke about his thoughts.

    ¡°We can not leave the north undefended, and since the Goths have sworn their allegiance to this usurper, they have abandoned Illyricum. If we don¡¯t do something about this soon, we will lose the province to other barbarians. It is clear to me now that if we wish to press our im, then must get some foederati of our own.

    If that is the case, then I know just the right men for the job. Frugi, I want you to contact the Huns, and entice them to join our side in this conflict. Assure them that they will be well rewarded for their efforts. Everyone knows those foolish Goths are terrified of the Huns. If that is the case, we will use those filthy horsemen to ughter the usurper¡¯s barbarian allies.

    Naturally, we will send a token force of our own army to assist the Huns in their massacre of the Goths. After all, we can¡¯t allow barbarians to run through ournds unsupervised. Does anyone have any objections?¡±

    The men gathered shook their heads. The Huns were a terrifying and destructive force, but if they could be convinced, then they would make for some powerful mercenaries. Whenbined with the Byzantine forces, it should be enough to break the Gothic defenses in Noricum. Or so the men thought. Of course, if Marcellus reinforced the Goths in Noricum with his own forces, it was difficult to say who would be victorious. Because of this, Yazdegerd gave themand that would ensure such a scenario would not ur.

    ¡°After we have recruited the Huns, we will wait until Marcellus marches his forces against that fool Constantine. Once he had done so, we willbine our might with our new Barbarian allies, and smash the Goths in Noricum. I doubt those filthy Germans will have the spine to stand against the Huns. ¡°

    The various generals nodded their head in agreement. Pressing their im while they divided the enemy forces was the most likely path to victory. They had noints. However, the problem with this n was it relied on sessfully recruiting arge number of Huns to their side. It was because of this that Frugi was quick to voice this possibility.

    ¡°And what if the Huns refuse us? How will we press our im, then?¡±

    Yazdegerd did not think of this as a possibility and immediately felt embarrassed by the General and his audacity to question his logic. Rather than simply admit he was wrong and look for a contingency n, he doubled down on his n, ensuring that it would be a sess.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem¡­¡±

    Frugi, however, was convinced there was a sufficient enough probability of failure during negotiations that a contingency n was necessary. Despite earning the contempt of the regent, he pressed him on the issue.

    ¡°And what if it is?¡±

    This only further enraged the man, but rather than snap in that moment and make a fool of himself, dhe decided to take a deep breath and calm his nerves before answering the question.

    ¡°If the Huns fail to ept our kindness, then we will be forced to ept Marcellus¡¯ bribe until a point where we can divert our forces from the east, to press our im in the west¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Frugi nodded his head. The other generals stared at him as if he were the bravest man they had ever witnessed, simply for insisting on an answer to the question they all had in their minds. With this, the Eastern Roman Empire had formed a n of action on how to deal with Marcellus and his recent rise to power.

 Chapter 66 Dreams of the Past Part II

    Frank awoke from his slumber in a state of shock. He had rolled off the sofa he was sleeping on and smacked his head on the floor. Such a jolt immediately woke him up in ways coffee could not. On the reclining seat nearby, his older sister Maria sat with a mocking smile on her face as she feigned her worry.

    ¡°You okay there, little bro?¡±

    Frank wiped the drool from his mouth as he climbed into a standing position. A simple phrase escaped his lips as he gave his elder sister the bird.

    ¡°Fuck off!¡±

    Frank was not in the mood for Maria¡¯s snide remarks. Though she may be his elder sister, she only ever used the term ¡°little bro¡± in a pejorative manner. Maria did not care in the slightest about her brother¡¯s crass remark, and continued to watch the television. She was well ustomed to Frank¡¯s foul mouth. However, her next words shocked the adolescent youth as he gazed at her with a hint of caution in his dark brown eyes.

    ¡°So you were out against night, huh? Is there something I should be telling mom and dad?¡±

    Frank did not immediately react to this statement, in fear that he might say something that exposed his nightly activities. Recently, he had begun to sneak out after curfew, and though he thought he had been doing a good job keeping this a secret, his crafty elder sister seemed to have learned what he had been up to. In his young mind, Frank thought the best option would be to deny any usations made against him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    Maria merely smiled as she flipped through the channels. Silence existed between the two until eventually she stopped a stereotypical day time talk show where a teenage girl about Frank¡¯s age was visibly pregnant and crying. Frank felt as if the universe was targeting him when he saw this, considering the activities he had engaged in with his girlfriend the night prior. Maria did not instantly take notice of this and instead announced her opinion about the little tramp on the screen.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°See, that¡¯s why you should always use protection. This dumb little bitch didn¡¯t figure that out and now her life is ruined. Promise me, little brother, that you won¡¯t be this foolish when you finally find a girl stupid enough to sleep with you.¡±

    Frank felt as if someone had electrocuted his spine when he heard his sister¡¯s words. He instantly became paranoid. Just what did this bitch of a sister know? In his panicked state, he genuinely believed the girl knew that he had been visiting his girlfriend at night while her parents were away on vacation. He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck while trying to deflect from the issue.

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I know to use protection! Besides, where am I going to find a girl who is into me?¡±

    Maria merelyughed when she heard this. While it was true, she thought her clueless little brothercked the charm necessary to get into a girl¡¯s pants; she decided to tease him. After all, that was what she did best.

    ¡°No? Then how do you exin that hickey on your neck? Fucking dumbass, if you¡¯re going to lie to me, you should at least cover up the evidence!¡±

    Rather than calmly think things through and realize that there was no way for there to be a hickey on his neck, since he and his girlfriend didn¡¯t do things like that. Frank panicked and looked in the mirror, where he discovered his sister was just testing him. Her mouth widened in disbelief as she threw a throw pillow at him before scolding him for his scandalous actions.

    ¡°You little shit! When mom and dad find out what you¡¯re up to, they¡¯re going to freak out! Oh, I can¡¯t wait to see the looks on their faces when they realized that their beloved honor student of a son is actually a little womanizer!¡±

    Frank merely scoffed before throwing the pillow back at his sister. If she was going to threaten to reveal his little secret, then he was not going to y nice. He immediately responded to his sister by revealing her own scandalous secret.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Oh please, sister, do not sit there and act like you¡¯re a fucking saint. I know about your little hobby with the webcam. I¡¯m sure our parents would be far more concerned about your transgressions than mine. If you say one word about the fact that I¡¯m sleeping with my girlfriend, I will show them your videos!¡±

    Maria red daggers at her little brother. If looks could kill, he would be a deadman. The fact that he had discovered her dirty secret made the girl livid, and she immediately went off the rails.

    ¡°You little creep! Do you get off on my videos? You are so disgusting! You better not say a word to mom and dad, or I will cut your nuts off while you sleep!¡±

    Before Frank could make a proper remark, the door opened, revealing his father, who was dressed in camouge and had a dead buck in his hands. He did not even observe the situation before calling out to his son.

    ¡°Well, look who decided to wake up today! If you weren¡¯t soatose this morning, I would have dragged you out hunting with me. Now be useful for once in your life and help me butcher this damn thing!¡±

    Frank immediately groaned while Maria teased him.

    ¡°Off you go and remember what we talked about!¡±

    Frank merely raised his middle finger again, before following his father into the basement where the two of them butchered the buck over a couple of beers. The man noticed the tension between his young son and his older sister, and inquired about it.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You two fighting again?¡±

    Frank merely scoffed as he took a sip from his beer before making a lighthearted remark.

    ¡°When are we not?¡±

    Marco was busy skinning the buck while pressing further into the issue. It was not good for his two children to continue fighting like this.

    ¡°You want to talk about it?¡±

    In response to this, Frank merely shook his head, and picked up his skinning knife, working on the other end of the freshly hunted deer.

    ¡°Not really¡­¡±

    Marco could only sigh before expressing his thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°One day, your mother and I will pass away from this world, and it will only be you and your sister. Granted, you both will probably end up having families of your own, but it would be a sad thing for you and your sister to not even be on speaking terms. You should try to get along with her¡­¡±

    Frankughed at this remark before expressing his views on the matter.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, old man, I¡¯m sure I will die before the rest of you. Lord knows this world has it out for me¡­¡±

    Marco looked at his son with a pitiful expression before shaking his head. He immediately scolded the boy for hisments.

    ¡°Your sense of humor is fucked up, you know that?¡±

    In response to this, Frank could only chuckle before shoving the me onto his father.

    ¡°Oh yeah? Where do you think I learned it from?¡±

    The two men broke out intoughter as the father admitted defeat.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you that one¡­¡±

    ¡ª

    Marcellus awoke from his sleep and stared around the room. It was strange. Normally, his visions included some kind of information that was valuable to him. However, all he had were confused thoughts. Some of the words mentioned in this dream were alien to him, but he still understood the meaning behind them.

    He did not know how to rationalize this. What he witnessed was so beyond his understanding, and yet at the same time, heprehended it very clearly. What was this world that he kept dreaming of? Was it truly visions from the gods? Or something else entirely?

    As time went on, these dreams became a more frequent urrence. If this vision did not include the same characters from his previous ones, Marcellus would have believed it to be just an average dream. He was in a state of existential crisis as he sat on the edge of his bed, in the darkness. Sigefrida lie asleep next to him, entirely unaware of the turmoil that was going through the man¡¯s mind.

    Whatever was happening to him, it was slowly warping his perspective on life. He could tell that something was changing deep within his mind, but he did not know what it was. In the end, Marcellus realized he could do nothing about this and sighed heavily before taking a drink of the wine that sat on his nightstand. After consuming the beverage in its entirety, he lied back down and struggled to fall back to sleep.

    The meaning of these visions, and the impact they had on his life, would have to be indulged ater date. There were important matters of state to attend to, and he could not sit idly by and decipher the meanings of his dreams all day. Thus, after some deep breaths, Marcellus found himself ensnared by the warm hands of unconsciousness. His mind fading into the darkness, before revealing another dream. Luckily for him, this time it was not a memory of his past life, but a normal urrence.

 Chapter 67 Purging Corruption

    Marcellus was sitting in his study, signing what appeared to be an arrest warrant. After bing the embodiment of government authority in the Western Roman Empire, Marcellus had be increasingly aware of the extent that corruption gued the ranks of society. Embezzlement, bribery, nepotism, extortion, lobbying, and outright ipetency could be found in every corner of the Empire. It was truly sickening, and something needed to be done about this.

    It was bing apparent that Marcellus would need to make an example of the profligates and corrupt officials that were spread across his realm. It was because of this that Marcellus had tasked his army with the purpose of arresting every corrupt and ipetent bureaucrat within the Western Roman Empire. He would not spare the cancer that had long since begun to rot away at the realm.

    The list of arrest warrants Marcellus had signed after gaining a list of names from his spies filled the desk as if it were a small mountain of parchment. The purpose was to interrogate these individuals and have them sell out theirrades. After they had given up their fellow conspirators, they would be sentenced to execution via crucifixion.

    Ordius, who was present to witness the signing of these warrants, gazed upon the substantial stack of documents and could no longer hold his tongue. He quickly spoke up about the absurdity of arresting so many individuals, especially those who helped the government function.

    ¡°There must be at least a thousand arrest warrants here. Do you really believe it is wise to detain and interrogate so many people?¡±

    To this Marcellus merely scoffed before signing another arrest warrant and adding it to the pile. He did not even look Ordius in the eye as he reported the crime this specific man was guilty of.

    ¡°Look at this! Even our manufactorum¡¯s are suffering from tant corruption! These bastards are now using tin to make scales for the Lorica squamata and recing every third iron scale with these fake products so that they can make a greater profit off of my rearmament campaign! These faulty scales will cost our soldiers their lives. It is simply uneptable. This man must be made an example of, after you have interrogated him about those who are involved in this fraud, have him crucified in the center of Ravenna like the rest!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Ordius did not know what to say. It was true that the level of corruption that existed within the borders of the Empire was extensive, but fighting a war against corruption was a losing battle in his eyes. The general truly believed that they could never fully stamp such things out of society. However, all he could do was sigh and nod his head as he picked up another warrant and read the charge aloud.

    ¡°Wanted for stealing oxen from Roman citizens and selling them to the Army for a premium. Oh,e on, how can this possibly be a thing?¡±

    Marcellus did not immediately respond. He just handed another arrest warrant over to the man and allowed him to read it aloud to further prove his point.

    ¡°Wanted for Bribing a Church official so that he can marry his sister¡­¡±

    Ordius began pulling arrest warrants left and right, and it appeared that every time he did, some new crazy form of corruption appeared. All he could do was sigh heavily and admit defeat.

    ¡°Alright, I get it¡­ I¡¯ll have the men on these warrants arrested and interrogated, but don¡¯t even think about arresting the clergy. You do not want to anger the Church.¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus remained silent and added another arrest warrant to the pile before sighing heavily.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, there may be a day that wille where the Church must face a reckoning for its sins, but that is not today. For the time being, they will prove useful in keeping people in line.¡±

    Ordius could only sigh as he walked off from the scene, ordering a few guards to get all the arrest warrants that were piled so that they could properly apprehend the criminals. He could not believe that so many people engaged in such tant corruption.

    After Ordius was gone, cidia entered the study with a tter of food in her hands. She handed some of it off to Marcellus, who dined on the meal with gusto. He could use a break from writing so many warrants. As for cidia, she gazed at the list of arrest warrants and shook her head before condemning her brother¡¯s inefficient rule.

    ¡°It is amazing that the Empire is still standing after the failure of my brother¡¯s reign. I can¡¯t believe he allowed such extensive corrupt to exist all over his empire. He truly was an absolute disgrace.¡±

    Marcellus smirked as he heard this before making a rather crass remark about the young woman¡¯s father.<sub></sub>

    ¡°To be fair, your father was a terrible emperor as well¡­¡±

    cidia did not know what to say in response to this. The Theodosian dynasty had proven to be ineffective in its rule. She was honestly ashamed of her family¡¯sck of ability to properly govern the Empire. Then again, was it worse to have a madman as an Emperor like Calig, or someone who was woefully ipetent like Honorius?¡±

    After thinking about this for a while, the girl shook her head in silence. She no longer bothered trying to think of her family¡¯s failure and instead tried to cheer up her fiance.

    ¡°Well, at least we have you to look out for us. I¡¯m sure our dynasty will be better than my father¡¯s!¡±

    Marcellus remained silent as he grabbed more of the food that cidia had prepared for him. He did not know how long his reign wouldst, or even if his heir would seed him. However, he was determined to do everything in his ability to bring the Empire back on the right path.

    To do that, he would need to purge the extensive corruption that ate away at the life force of the Empire, then he would need to wage a war against Constantine and reim the westernmost portion of the Empire. After doing that, he would have to deal with the Eastern Roman Empire in some fashion.

    These were just the major concerns of his. There were other issues he would have to deal with as emperor. For example, quelling rebellion would be a big concern. He was already unpopr as most of the people who lived in the Western Roman Army were upset that he was a usurper, and that he conscripted so many young men into his army, so that they could be used as a bludgeon against his rivals.

    If foreign adversaries, and open rebellion were not concerning enough, Marcellus knew he would also have to face Barbarian raids into hisnds, this had been a problem guing Rome for centuries, and he currentlycked the means to effectively deter the overwhelming majority of Germanic tribes that asionally crossed the borders.

    If he managed to sessfully reunite the western and eastern Empires, then he would have to face all of these difficulties on an even grander scale. After seeing just how inept the Roman bureaucracy had be, Marcellus was beginning to understand why Rome had failed to raise a single decent emperor since the death of Constantine the Great.

    What madman would ever dream of doing all of this work? It took Marcellus a matter of seconds to think about all these issues in his mind before he sighed heavily and petted the hair of his young fiancee.

    ¡°I will do my best. However, I can¡¯t do this alone. I need capable people, who I can trust to step up, and take action. One man can¡¯t save an Empire. To do this, I first need to be rid of the corruption that gues the realm. Hopefully, after I have exposed and condemned these sinners, I can convince the more capable people in our society to work alongside me for a better future.¡±

    cidia nodded her head. She agreed with what the man was saying. If corruption and ipetency was allowed to exist freely in the empire, then good men would do nothing, and sit by and wait as the empire slowly bled to death. While the wicked rose to positions of prominence and benefited off of the demise of their nation.

    Thus, even though she knew that each name written on these warrants would ultimately result in a crucifixion, she did not shed any tears. These men had bribed, embezzled, lobbied and extorted their way to positions of power within society, and it was the time for a despot to remove them from their lofty positions and make an example of them. With a warm smile on her face, cidia assured Marcellus that he was doing the right thing.

    ¡°These men are a blight on our society, with their deaths the gue that rots away at the core of our empire will be removed, and can then be treated withpetent, and loyal men who share your vision for a glorious Rome! I just hope their deaths do not spark a rebellion. Especially so soon after you have imed the throne for yourself!¡±

    Marcellus wore a stoic expression as he espoused his view on the matter with a confident tone.

    ¡°If the plebeians are whipped up into a frenzy over the deaths of a few corrupt patricians in such a state that they would openly rebel against my rule, then they deserve to suffer the same fate as their masters.¡±

    With the new Roman Emperor signed away the torture, interrogation, and execution of thousands of corrupt and ipetent bureaucrats, in the following days they would be arrested and condemned to their fates.

 Chapter 68 Butchering Rome

    Frank ran down the stairs of his house in the mid-evening. He was about to go out and shoot some fireworks with his friends. The boys had gotten hold of some prime explosives, and he wanted to mess around with them. However, the moment he descended the stairs, he spotted his mother cooking dinner. Normally, his elder sister Maria assisted the woman, but she was nowhere to be seen.

    Being the filial son that he was, Frank immediately noticed that his mother was overwhelmed with the amount of food she was cooking. He sighed heavily before asking his mother where his bitch of an elder sister was.

    ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Maria at? Shouldn¡¯t should be helping you with dinner?¡±

    The woman sighed heavily and shook her head before scolding her errant daughter.

    ¡°Your sister is out with her friends again, and on Sunday night nheless, I swear ever since that girl entered college she has be an entirely different person¡­¡±

    Though Frank was about to do the same thing, it was a family tradition for the women to get together and cook a nice family meal on Sundays. Frank knew little about the ways of cooking, but could perform the basics.

    The boy could not stand to see his mother so disappointed. Because of this, he quickly pulled out his phone and texted his friends that he wouldn¡¯t be able to make it before taking off his coat and hanging it in a chair. After doing so, he rolled up his sleeves and took up a knife, where he began to help his mother with the meal preparation. The woman was surprised to see her son was helping and patted him on the head before teasing him.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Look who is mommy¡¯s little helper!¡±

    Frank merely smiled. Unlike his father, he did not speak back to his mother; he had too much respect for her. In an era where less and less women were faithful to their husbands, his mother continued to be the glue that kept his family together. Currently, the woman was in the middle of making the sauce, which Frank was instantly curious about.

    ¡°Is that Alfredo? I¡¯ve always wondered how you make it. Though I never knew that you made it fresh!¡±

    The woman smiled as she quickly instructed her son how she made her homemade Alfredo sauce. The woman grabbed hold of her boy¡¯s cheeks and pinched them before teasing him once more.

    ¡°You want to learn mommy¡¯s secret recipe? Very well, since you are being such a good boy this evening, I suppose I will show you. I start by warming up the butter and cream in arge saucepan with low heat, where I let it simmer for two minutes. If it is boiling, you¡¯ve gone too far!

    After that, I add in the fresh garlic that I have sauteed in butter as well as other seasonings such as salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, dried basil, oregano, and onion powder. From there, I whisk it for about a minute while the garlic cooks.<sub></sub>

    After doing all of this, it¡¯s a simple matter of adding freshly shredded Parmesan cheese to the mix, and stir until it is melted and smooth!¡±

    Now that you know, why don¡¯t you cut up that chicken? We will then cook it and add it to the mix! Then you can eat your mother¡¯s homemade chicken Alfredo!¡±

    Frank smiled as he worked alongside his mother to create the creamy noddle dish. They worked in tandem for some time until the meal wasplete. They sat around the table for a few minutes before Frank¡¯s mother received a text message.

    It was a notice from her husband that he would be staying at workte for the night and to eat without him. She immediately began to pout, noticing this Frank was already aware of what happened, and hugged his mother in an attempt tofort her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mom, you still have me here!¡±

    The woman wore a pretty smile before serving up the food. She was happy knowing that her son had decided to cancel his ns to eat dinner with her.<sub></sub>

    ¡°That¡¯s right, I will always have my little Franky Boy to look after me!¡±

    Frank chuckled lightly as he and his mother said prayers before taking a bite from his meal. The intense vor of the chicken Alfredo immediately caused the dream to end, and Marcellus to wake up from his nap with arge strain of drool coating his documents. The dream was extremely vivid, as was the process of how to cook the meal. He had no choice. Marcellus knew he would not be satisfied until he tasted this dish for real.

    Luckily for him, there were a few chickens that the idiot Honorius kept around the pce that he could butcher to sate his desire. As such, he quickly left his office and entered the yard where the chickens sat and yed around.

    Marcellus grabbed Honorius¡¯ favorite chicken, whose name was Rome, and dragged it off to be beheaded. With the swing of a hatchet, the prized possession of the previous emperor was decapitated. With its death, Marcellus had begun to butcher it thoroughly, first by removing its feathers so all that remained was skin, and then by cutting off the breast.

    Once the white meat was fully removed from the chicken, he brought it to his ve, Sigefrida, who was already in the kitchen. She gazed upon the gory scene with shock before mocking Marcellus for his actions.

    ¡°Did you just Butcher Rome? Isn¡¯t that a bad omen? After all, it shares the same name as your precious city?¡±

    Marcellus merely chuckled at the woman¡¯s joke before handing over the fresh meat.

    ¡°Put this on the grill, will you? I n to take some of our food stores and make us a unique treat¡­¡±

    Sigefrida was surprised to see that Marcellus was willing to cook, but sure enough he had fired up the stove and raided the pantry where he made use of locally produced cheese, dairy cream, and the other herbs that were necessary to reconstruct the meal he had tasted in his dream. Though he did not know what parmesan was, he knew from the dream it was some form of cheese, thus he made use of what he had to make the tasty Alfredo sauce.

    Sigefrida could smell the savory aroma of the Alfredo sauce and was surprised. It was not something she had ever encountered before. However, she did not ask what Marcellus was up to, and instead grilled the chopped chicken breast for him. Once it wasplete, Marcellus mixed it together. Unfortunately, pasta did not exist yet, and because of that, he could not make the exact food he had tasted in his dream. Instead, it turned into a creamy chicken soup.

    With the food fully prepared, Marcellus served three bowls, one for himself, one for cidia, and one for Sigefrida. Once he and Sigefrida had sat down, he called out to the missing girl with a voice so loud it echoed in the halls.

    ¡°cidia, get your ass in here. It¡¯s lunchtime!¡±

    Within moments, he could hear the sound of footsteps descending from the stairs until the sight of the young woman rushing through the door caught his eye. cidia looked at the food, and was quite surprised to see that it was not something she recognized. She quickly asked what the food was as she sniffed its savory aroma.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    Marcellus merely smiled before informing the girl of the name of the dish.

    ¡°It is a new creation. I saw it in a dream. It is called Chicken Alfredo. Come, taste it and give me your honest opinion.¡±

    The trio sat down at the table and feasted upon the bowls of Chicken Alfredo soup. They were surprised when they tasted it; it was so much better than anything they had ever tasted before. The Romans had rtively nd food that would normally be considered inedible by modern standards. Things such as field mice and mingo tongues were considered a delicacy by the Roman elite.

    However, Marcellus had an advantage nobody else seemed to have. He received dreams of his past life while he slept. Who knew they would extend to the culinary arts? Unfortunately, he wascking in several things, such as basil, pasta, onion powder, etc. However, he had some garlic on hand, as well as salt, pepper, and oregano. So it wasn¡¯t a total wash.

    Though the dish wasn¡¯t quite the same as he remembered in his dream, it was a close enough amalgamation, which the two young women by his side seemed to enjoy as they dined on the creamy soup with fat smiles on their pretty faces. cidia could hardly contain her joy as she eximed her thoughts aloud.

    ¡°This is the best thing I have ever tasted!¡±

    As for Sigefrida, she could not help but agree. She nodded her head silently while eating the meal with as much grace as a mere ve could manage. Upon seeing that they both thought it was tasty as he did, Marcellus came up with another bold idea for ie. He nned to open up stalls which served this new meal, and whatever else he may dream of in theing days. He was beginning to think he might be the founder of a new era of Roman cuisine!

 Chapter 69 The Theodosian Rebels Arrive at Ravenna

    In the city of Ravenna, a group of men from Hispania were approaching the pce. For the past few weeks, they had sat back and observed the ongoing changes in the city. To their surprise, Marcellus had enacted a brutal campaign to purge corruption from the Roman bureaucracy, and make an example of those who engaged in such crimes.

    Crucifixion after Crucifixion lined the city¡¯s streets, as thousands of citizens had been executed in a public disy of authority. These men and women were guilty of crimes involving government corruption. During this time of mass incarceration and execution, the public had grown both fearful of their new emperor, and resentful towards him.

    They did not dare to speak out in resistance openly, but many of the more wealthy patricians who were not already on the chopping block had begun their conspiracies to remove this new tyrant from his throne of lies. As for the delegation dispatched by the Theodosian loyalists, they had heard rumors that cidia was still alive, and had agreed to marry this new tyrant.

    This created aplex issue in the minds of the Theodosian Loyalists. To side with Marcellus was to side with a usurper, but he was a usurper who would soon be married to thest of Theodosius I¡¯s children. At the very least, his im to the Western Roman throne was more legitimate than Constantine¡¯s.

    To get to the bottom of their decision, they had decided to meet with this new self-proimed emperor in person, to get a good judgement of his character, and his rtionship with the Roman Princess. The man leading this delegation was named Manius Camillus Rufrius, and he currently stood defiant in front of Marcellus, refusing to kneel to a man who he did not yet recognize as Emperor.<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus merely smirked as he sat upon his throne and gazed at the delegation of Theodosian loyalists. He did not expect them to pay him a visit on their own ord, and yet here they stood. He would normally show these men a sense of hospitality, but as it currently stood, they were technically rebels against his rule. Thus, by simply listening to their words, he was showing them hospitality. Rufrius cleared his throat as he gazed upon cidia, who stood by Marcellus¡¯ side.

    ¡°cidia, if this man has forced himself upon your, or coerced you into marrying him, please let me know, and I will do everything in my power to resist his rule!¡±

    It shocked cidia when she heard this. Was this how everyone saw her betrothal? A forced marriage for the sake of political convenience. She gazed over towards Marcellus, who was scowling. He simply could not bite his tongue any longer and scolded the men who acted so brazenly in his pce.

    ¡°Is this how you treat me after the kindness I have shown you? You storm into my pce without notice, and use me of forcing myself upon a young girl not yet of age? You then question the legitimacy of our rtionship and swear to resist my rule. Should it not be to your liking? Who the hell do you think you are? If I did not seek to gain Hispania¡¯s help in putting down Constantine¡¯s rebellion, I would have your tongue removed!¡±<sub></sub>

    The Theodosian delegate flinched when he heard such a vicious response. Meanwhile, cidia wore a warm smile on her face. She was d that Marcellus had stood up for her. She red at the men from Hispania before chastising them for their remarks.

    ¡°What do you know of our current situation? My brother Honorius uwfully executed his magister militum, and put an end to the lives of tens of thousands of people when they became concerned about his actions. He kidnapped Marcellus¡¯ mother and forced him to choose between his life, or rebellion. Despite the fact that my brother treated the woman with unnecessary cruelty, ultimately resulting in her death, Marcellus did not demand that the citizens of the city give him Honorius¡¯ head.

    When Marcellus stormed the pce, that snake Olympius turned his de on my brother and took his life. In the chaos that followed, Marcellus tookmand, and has since led Rome to a state of stability! He did notpel me in any way to agree to his proposal. I epted it because I wanted to. If you are truly loyal men to my father¡¯s dynasty, then you will bend the knee to this man, and recognize his legitimacy as the Western Roman Emperor! He did not ask for the position he currently has, but fate has led him to it!¡±

    The men stood in shock as they heard what had transpired straight from the mouth of a member of the Dynasty they were loyal to. They had suspected for some time that Marcellus had risen in rebellion simply because he wanted power, much like Constantine. They had no way of knowing the scandalous actions Honorius had taken that led up to the rebellion.<sub></sub>

    Rufrius bowed his head in apology as he bent down on one knee. If what cidia had said was true, then he would do his best to ensure the loyalty of the Theodosian Rebels who fought against Constantine in Hispania.

    ¡°cidia, I am sorry for offending you, and you as well, Marcellus. If what you have both said is true, then I swear I will do everything in my power to convince myrades to work alongside you in the removal of the usurper Constantine. However, there is something you should know. We have been in the city for a few weeks and have observed the reactions of the people who dwell within Ravenna.

    There are those who conspire against you. They see you as a vicious tyrant who has butchered the senate, and is rounding up anyone who questions your legitimacy and executing them en masse. These concerns can not be ignored, and will have to be exined to myrades if you wish to gain our support.¡±

    Marcellus ground his teeth as he heard about this. More rebels, just what he needed. He could only sigh in dismay as he responded to these allegations with a confident tone in his voice.

    ¡°The Senate was corrupt and sought to use its influence to overtake the position that I had fought and bled for. The men who you see crucified in the streets are those who have engaged in bribery, extortion, embezzlement, nepotism, and other means of corruption. I am cleaning up the dregs of society who have brought our Empire to its current state of near copse. For those who wish to rebel against me, I will deal with them. You can be rest assured.¡±

    Rufrius nodded his head as he heard this. If Marcellus had assumedplete authority so that he could expunge the criminal and corrupt elements of society that were currently bleeding the empire dry. Then he supposed he could support such actions for the time being. No matter what, Marcellus was a superior candidate to Constantine to rule over the Western Roman Empire.

    Though they may be loyalists to the Theodosian dynasty, these men did not want the young boy Theodosius II ruling over the west, such a thing would be disastrous, Rome needed a strong, and powerful figure to unite behind, and since Honorius was dead, and Constantine was a failure, they were left with the man who had usurped the throne. At least they could rest easy knowing that he would marry the daughter of Theodosius I. With this in mind, Rufrius responded to Marcellus¡¯ ims with a satisfactory answer.

    ¡°So long as you deal with these rebels amid your Empire, then I suppose there is no concern to be had. Tell me when do you n to march on Constantine? The man has been a thorn in our side for some time now.¡±

    Marcellus thought about it for a few moments before giving the man an answer.

    ¡°Come summer of next year, I will march my army into Gaul. I need time to prepare my grain stores and to train my new conscripts. If Constantine still remains in Hispania, we can catch him in the mountain passes where our two forcesbined will eliminate him and his Frankish allies. I expect to see you and yourrades to show up in force. Once Constantine is dead, I expect you all to kneel before me and unite the Western Roman Empire once more.¡±

    Rufrius nodded his head in agreement with this n, before expressing his desire to help.

    ¡°If that is your strategy, I will ry it to the leaders of the rebellion in Hispania, and will do my best to convince them to aid you. Unless there is anything else that you wish to discuss, we will be on our way.¡±

    Marcellus did not bother to keep the delegates around any longer, and quickly gave them permission to return to their homnd.

    ¡°Go on and give your leaders my regards. I look forward to working with you in the summer to end Constantine¡¯s rebellion once and for all!¡±

    With this said, Marcellus had gained the support of the Theodosian Rebels. The true origins of Honorius¡¯ demise remained buried beneath the Pce. Anyone who knew the truth and still drew breath was a sworn supporter of Marcellus and his dynasty. As for the rebels in his midst, Marcellus would need more information on who they were, and what they were nning before he could take their lives.

 Chapter 70 Expanding the Frumentarii

    Marcellus sat in his office. Standing across from him were various men handpicked from his legions. These were men with talents in scouting and espionage. These men were his Frumentarii. With the threats of conspiracies around every corner, Marcellus realized he needed to establish a dedicated force involved with intelligence and espionage.

    Until now, that role had been left up to the Frumentarii, who were a group of Roman soldiers attached to various military units which conducted espionage while in uniform. However, with recent events, and the stability of his Empire at Risk, Marcellus desired to expand the Frumentarii and their influence into society, by having them infiltrate conspiracyworks and bring them down from the inside. If Marcellus did not know who his internal enemies were, he could not face them.

    Thus, he had gathered his best units who had experience in these fields, and brought them to his study intending to gain their opinions on how best to reform the Frumentarii to fit the Empires¡¯ current needs. With a serious expression on his face, Marcellus outlined his vision for the future of the Frumentarii in a passionate speech.

    ¡°Gentlemen, I have gathered you here today because you are the best damn Frumentarii I have at my disposal. I won¡¯t lie to you. The situation is grim. Our Empire is facing multiple potential invasions into our homnd, all while the Patricians, who are unsatisfied with my rule, gather in secret and conspire to unseat me from my throne.

    The reality of the situation is that the Frumentarii are not equipped appropriately with the resources and training necessary to handle these internal conflicts that are bound to appear under my reign. It is because of that I wish to expand your units into a dedicated spywork.

    My vision is for the Frumentarii is to be separate from the military. You shall coordinate with military operatives to gather intelligence on the enemy, but shall also now conduct ndestine operations among the civilian poption of both our own Empire and the civilizations that threaten us.

    This transition from military operatives who specialize in espionage to dedicated spies will be a difficult one, and because of that, I have gathered you all here to hear your input. So tell me, what would be the most efficient way to reform the Frumentarii?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    The men who were gathered in this room had various expressions on their face. Some were nervous to speak, and others were critical of the idea of expansion. However, what Marcellus said was true. The Frumentariicked the ability to infiltrate conspiracies and dismantle them from within. It was because of this that they chatted amongst themselves for a bit beforeing up with a list of ideas to implement.

    After conversing for a few minutes, one man in particr, whose name was Drusus Otacilius Falconius, took charge and voiced the opinions of the group.

    ¡°If we are screening for new Frumentarii, then ideally, it should contain people who are at the very least educated in reading, writing, and basic mathematics. So we will have a very limited talent pool to choose from.

    If we are to be a separate force from the Army, then we should have separate training that is specialized in the tasks of infiltration, assassination, sabotage, and espionage. Aside from this, the identities of the Frumentarii must be concealed, as it would be difficult to infiltrate foreign realms and internal conspiracies with our identities as agents of espionage being well known.¡±

    Marcellus took note of these suggestions and wrote them down. He took nothing these experts said for granted. Falconius continued on his speech about how they should be organized.

    ¡°I think the Frumentarii should operate in cells based in different regions. That way, if the identities of one group arepromised, the others will note under suspicion. They should have a contact within the Pce who they can ry information to in secret, and potentially develop methods tomunicate securely.¡±<sub></sub>

    The group of Frumentarii and the Emperor worked long and hard on the development of awork of spies dedicated to espionage. After hours of discussion, they finally came up with a basic premise for this new and improved Frumentarii. Marcellus nned to immediately use these suggestions to establish his spywork. The problem was that he needed someone he could trust to lead it from the shadows.

    If the Frumentarii were to be reorganized into something resembling a modern intelligence agency, then it needed someone at the top. Someone fiercely loyal to him, who was intelligent and could make difficult decisions. Someone who would be the least likely person suspected of being in charge of the shadowy organization. There were not many people that Marcellus could trust, and if he really thought about it, there was only one person who could meet the qualifications.

    Thus, after dismissing his Agents, Marcellus approached the person in question who was currently in the process of cooking the evening meal for the members of the Pce. This person was none other than Sigefrida. For some time now, Marcellus had nned to free her from her bondage, and officially take her as his concubine. However, there was a more important role for her to fulfill now.

    In his mind, nobody was less likely to be suspected of being in charge of his spywork than her. For starters, she was not Roman by birth instead; she was a Suebi woman who had lived most of her life as a ve. In the eyes of many, she was nothing more than a hot piece of ass that Marcellus was sleeping with. Her abilities were greatly underestimated by all who knew her.

    The reality was different from the perspective people had. Sigefrida was educated from a young age, at the behest of Marcellus. She was not only literate, but highly intelligent, and had a head for the big picture. After all, he had been sharing his ideas with her since he was a young officer in the Roman Army, and she was at times able to make valuable contributions to his rise to power.

    More importantly, Sigefrida understood geo-politics, spoke multiplenguages, and had experienced the horrors of war as apanion. On top of all of this, she was a woman, and because of that, nobody in or out of the Empire would suspect her of having a prominent position in Marcellus¡¯ dictatorship.<sub></sub>

    Frankly, Marcellus had already thrown Romanw out the window after seeding the throne. Since that was the case, he had no qualms about giving the position of his spymaster to a woman. The moment Marcellus entered the room, Sigefrida could tell by the look on his face that he wanted to discuss something important.

    She quickly halted her actions and approached the man, where he reached around her neck and unlocked her cor. This action surprised the woman, as it was the symbol of her envement. With a warm smile on his face, Marcellus informed the woman that she was now a free woman.

    ¡°I should have done this a long time ago, but now that I am emperor, I hereby grant you your freedom, Sigefrida. You are free to do whatever you desire in this life, and should you care for it, I will grant you Roman citizenship.¡±

    Sigefrida welled up in tears, not because she was happy about being freed, but because she had misunderstood her master¡¯s intent. She quickly began pounding away at his chest in rage while screaming at him.

    ¡°You bastard! After everything we have done together, you are now throwing me away? How could you do this to me? Is it because of cidia? Did she put you up to this?¡±

    It shocked Marcellus to see the woman behave in such an irrational manner. He quickly grabbed hold of her and hugged her tightly, primarily so that she could no longer strike him, and whispered in her dainty ears.

    ¡°Shhhh¡­ Shhhh¡­ Shhh.. Foolish woman, I have no intentions of throwing you away. Instead, I wish to take you as my concubine so that our future children won¡¯t suffer the cruel fate of very. I also intend to give you a job more fitting for a woman of your intelligence, that is, if you are willing?¡±

    Sigefrida gazed up into Marcellus¡¯ olive green eyes and sniffled. When she heard she wasn¡¯t being abandoned, she was no longer filled with rage, but joy. After calming herself down, Sigefrida asked about the position he had talked about.

    ¡°What¡¯s the job?¡±

    Marcellus smiled as he kissed the woman on the forehead. Only after he had done that did he inform her of the task he had in mind.

    ¡°I am reorganizing my Frumentarii into a shadowy organization that spies on the public and our enemies alike. They will no longer wear military uniforms, and overtly engage in espionage, but hide in the shadows and infiltrate our enemies. I need someone I can trust, someone who is educated, and someone who has a mind for these matters. Truthfully, the list of candidates is small, and so naturally I have turned to my beloved ve¡­ erm concubine.¡±

    Sigefrida was shocked to hear this. It was a lofty position and Roman women were not permitted to hold public office. That was the caveat. This was not a public office, but a private one, hidden from the public atrge. Still, she did not expect the men of the frumentarii to ept her so easily. After all, she was a woman.

    ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m a woman¡­¡±

    Marcellus merely scoffed as he lifted a nearby chalice and filled it with wine. After taking a sip, he responded to the woman¡¯s concerns with a confident smile on his face.

    ¡°You think I give a shit? Sigefrida in my brief time as emperor, I have practically shat on every Romanw there is. Right now, I¡¯m nothing more than a tyrant doing as I please. The oldws mean nothing. Clearly they haven¡¯t been working. If I want a woman as my spymaster, I will damn well have one.

    Besides, you won¡¯t be alone. I n to recruit women into the organization. There¡¯s not many educated women in this Empire, but we can teach them. I highly doubt my enemies will expect women to be agents of my Frumentarii. So what do you say?¡±

    Sigefrida did not easily answer this question and instead put it off for ater date.

    ¡°I need some time to think about this. I will let you know when I decide.¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head in agreement before petting the woman¡¯s tinum blonde hair.

    ¡°Take all the time you need.¡±

    After saying this, he departed, leaving the Suebi beauty alone with many thoughts to dwell upon.

 Chapter 71 Making Pasta

    Frank awoke from his slumberte in the afternoon. He had spent thest few nights partying with his friends and was now hungover beyond belief. He struggled to get up from under his covers, but ultimately managed to find his footing. After some effort, he managed to find his way to the stairs where he descended them cautiously while holding onto the handrail.

    When he entered the kitchen area, he could smell the scent of baked ziti in the oven. This instantly surprised him, as he did not know what the time was. When he rounded the corner, his mother looked at him with a stern expression before chastising him for his scandalous actions throughout the weekend.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s good to see that my son is still alive. Were you out drinking again?¡±

    The words the woman spoke felt like a cheese grater against Frank¡¯s brain, and the florescent lighting wasn¡¯t helping. He stumbled towards a stool at the counter where he sat down and sunk his head into his arms.

    ¡°Ugghh¡­ Not so loud. I have a massive headache.¡±

    In response to this, the woman scoffed before handing a bottle of painkillers to her son.

    ¡°Take these¡­ You really shouldn¡¯t be out partying so much.¡±

    In response to this, Frank smirked as he swallowed the pills with the aid of a cup of water. He shook his head as if he was lecturing the woman.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°I¡¯m in the prime of my youth, and it¡¯s the fourth of July weekend. Of course I¡¯m going to a party!¡±

    Frank¡¯s mother shook her head in disappointment. She could not have her teenage son going out for the weekend and partying with strangers. The woman had decided to put her foot down. She pulled out a bunch of baking materials and sat them out in front of Frank with a livid expression in her eyes. Frank immediately questioned what she was doing.

    ¡°What the hell is this?¡±

    The woman immediately flicked his head before responding to his question with a stern tone.

    ¡°Language! This is your punishment. I¡¯ve just run out of noodles, and was about to go to the store to buy more. However, it would appear that you are in need of punishment, so you I¡¯m going to have you make noodles for me.¡±

    Frank felt as if he was listening to an aliennguage. His brow raised as he struggled to understand what his mother was saying.

    ¡°Make noodles? How do I do that?¡±<sub></sub>

    In response to this, the woman smirked before dragging her son off of his stool by his ear.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you! First, we start off with flour, pour two cups of it into the bowl. Next, you add two teaspoons of salt from there. Youbine it together with a fork, so it is nice and mixed.¡±

    Frank did as his mother instructed him, with a pained expression on his face. He was not expecting to help his mother cook while he was hungover. After he had mixed the bowl properly, his mother began to give him his next instructions.

    ¡°Now you add the eggs and milk to the bowl, repeat the process of using your fork to stir andbine the products. Then you knead it together and let it rest on the counter for ten minutes.¡±

    Frank cracked a couple of eggs into the bowl before pouring two tablespoons of milk into. After doing this, he followed his mother¡¯s instructions andbined it. Where he proceeded to knead the dough together and let it rest for the appropriate amount of time.

    While Frank was wrist deep in dough, his mother made him a Bloody Mary, which she handed off to him with a standoffish expression as he finished his task.

    ¡°Drink this. While I don¡¯t condone your behavior, I can¡¯t bear to see my baby boy suffer so much.¡±<sub></sub>

    Frank smiled when he saw his mother acting like her normal self. He quickly gulped down the Bloody Mary and said a brief prayer he heard on a cartoon dedicated to animated spies. For this, his extremely religious mother smacked him on the back of the head and scolded him once more.

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    Frank merely scoffed as he responded to his mother¡¯s ims

    ¡°It was a joke, I saw it on tv¡­¡±

    The woman merely red at him. They did not continue their discussion and sat in silence for ten minutes until the pasta dough was ready for the next step. She scattered flour onto a cutting board before showing her son how to roll the dough until it was about 1/4th of an inch thick. After the mother-son duo did this, she showed him the remaining steps, which were to cut the dough into noodles with a knife.

    Having properly made the noodles, Frank¡¯s mother boiled water and handled the rest, keeping these doughy noodles in boiling water for three minutes before straining them. With that, the noodles wereplete, and the woman added them to her ziti mix. The two of them ate in silence as they tasted the fruits of theirbinedbor. Finally, after the meal was done, the womanplimented her son for his work.

    ¡°You did well¡­ Hopefully one day you will be proficient in cooking enough to make your own meals!¡±

    Frank chuckled before thanking his mother.

    ¡°Thanks mom¡­¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus awoke from his dream. Finally, he had thestponent he needed to truly taste chicken alfredo as he had eaten it in a prior vision. At this point, he no longer even bothered to try toprehend his dreams.

    They were just a part of who he was now. He did not know why they started, or what were their origins, but he did not care. They seemed to be oddly nostalgic and warming. He decided not to think about it, and just learn from the lessons taught within them.

    Aftering to this conclusion, he hopped out of his bed where Sigefrida was still sleeping. He decided not to wake her up, and to make breakfast for his household. After all, he wanted to put the twoponents of alfredo together into one dish. Thus, he silently rushed off to the kitchen where he got to work.

    Some time had passed, and eventually, both cidia and Sigefrida came to the kitchen. The sun was shining through the pce windows, and Marcellus had a wide grin on his face as he poured the noodle dish onto their tes. The two women gazed in shock at Marcellus, as they recognized only part of the dish. cidia was the first toment on this strange new invention.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    Marcellus was happy to exin his newest invention to the two women.

    ¡°These strips are called pasta. It came to me in a dream, and I figured they would go great with alfredo. Go ahead, eat up and tell me how you like it!¡±

    The two women had differing expressions on their faces. Sigefrida seemed concerned about Marcellus¡¯ mental health after having two strange dreams about cooking in a row. He had never been much of a cook and relied on her to make his meals in the past. Yet he had suddenlye up with two very different types of food. cidia, on the other hand, was excited and eagerly gulped down the dish before eximing her surprise aloud.

    ¡°Mmm, it is really good! I think I like alfredo with this pasta more than by itself!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sigefrida put her concerns aside and quickly got to work devouring the dish. She also shared the same opinion as cidia. They both ate in silence and only voiced their thoughts when they hadpleted their meal. Meanwhile, Marcellus had also dined on his portion and was very pleased with the results. cidia was eager to see if Marcellus had any other bright ideas about the culinary arts.

    ¡°Do you have any other dishes? This could be huge! This is entirely different from anything I have ever tasted before.¡±

    Marcellus sighed heavily when he heard this and shook his head in response.

    ¡°Sadly, I have not thought up of anything else. But who knows, maybe in the future I will have some new ideas thate to me. Either way, it seems like we have another new dish to introduce to our pallet. Perhaps I can sell this new dish I have created for profit.¡±

    cidia was quick to encourage Marcellus on the idea.

    ¡°Go for it! I¡¯m sure you can find some vacant property and have some cooks learn how to make this dish. You could have them sell this to the public for a fair price. I¡¯m sure it would be popr!¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head in agreement. He also thought it was a good idea to generate revenue. It may not be much, but it was better than keeping the knowledge to himself. Thus, he decided to open up a restaurant as a side business and see how his newest creation fared.

 Chapter 72 Meeting with the Huns

    Months had passed since the Eastern Roman Empire had learned of Marcellus¡¯s rise to power, and it was now the dead of winter. For whatever reason, the leader of the Huns, who was a man by the name of Uldin, did not desire to meet with Aulus Pontidius Frugi until this very moment. After months of currying favor with the barbarians, Frugi was finally granted an audience.

    Frugi currently stood in a Hunnic tent where the leader of their people sat in silence, facing the opposite direction. The man was surrounded by while by bodyguards who red at the intruder with menacing gazes. It was only after several moments of waiting did Frugi dare to speak.

    ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I am Aulu Ponitdius Frugi, Magister Militum of the Eastern Roman Empire. I havee to you on behalf of the Emperor Theodosius II to negotiate an alliance with your people.

    While I know you are technically allied with the Western Roman Empire, I also know that the Emperor Honorius is now dead, and unless you have renegotiated with the usurper who has taken his ce, then your loyalties to the West have ended.¡±

    Silence prevailed for several moments before the sound ofughter erupted from the man who was facing the other side of the room. Uldin turned around to reveal his heavily scarred visage as heughed at the trantor who spoke Frugi¡¯s words to him. He pointed at the trantor and then to Frugi before speaking in his native tongue.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Tell this Roman dog that I am not interested in fighting his wars for him. It is true that the deal between me and that fool Honorius has concluded, but that does not mean I wish to fight against the Western Roman Army or its current emperor. Ask this man if he knows how many forces this Titus udius Marcellus has at his disposal!¡±

    The man tranted Uldin¡¯s words to the Eastern Roman Representative, which caused Frugi to scoff in displeasure. He was dumbfounded that Uldin would even ask such a ludicrous question. Of course, he knew about the military might that Marcellus had been avable to him, and it paled inparison to those under the Eastern Roman Army¡¯smand. Thus, he wore a shit-eating grin as he informed the man of what he knew.

    ¡°Marcellus has approximately 54,000 roman soldiers beneath hismand and all of which are either conscripts or part-time border guards. They stand no match against the forces of Theodosius, nor against your own army. Why should you fear this usurper and his army of unarmored plebeians?¡±

    When the tranted conveyed his thoughts to the leader of the Huns, Uldin broke out into a fit ofughter before cursing the Eastern Roman General as a fool. This response immediately took Frugi off guard, who could not understand why the man wasughing at him until the trantor converted his words into Latin.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You are a fucking idiot! You act is if you know everything about your enemy, but in reality you know nothing! The information you have provided me is months old. While you sat on your asses, this so-called usurper has trained his conscripts to be a capable force, and equipped them with the best arms and armor avable.

    I dare to say even my ten thousand riders are no match for the three thousand cataphracts that man has in his army! The Western cavalry would cut through my horsemen like wheat to the scythe should we be foolish enough to engage them in battle!¡±

    When these words were tranted to Frugi, he reacted in a fit of rage, condemning Uldin as a liar to his face.

    ¡°That is a lie! It takes many years to raise a troop of Cataphracts! How could he have mustered so many in such a short time span?¡±<sub></sub>

    Uldin broke out intoughter once more when he heard this. Apparently these fools had done little investigation into the rapid armament and training of Marcellus¡¯ forces. Though Uldin did not know what sorcery the Western Romans used to so quickly train men on how to ride their mounts, he knew that his scouts would not dare lie to him. He decided to impart a bit of wisdom to the representative from the Eastern portion of the Empire.

    ¡°My guess is these cataphracts were quickly raised by some foreign means. Though I doubt they would be the greatest asset on the battlefield with the limited time they have had to train. Come spring, when you finallyunch your attack against the West, they will be more than capable of dealing with your armies.

    It is not the Cataphracts you need to worry about, but the nine legions that have been raised from the Conscripts. I do not know what reforms Marcellus has put his armies through, but they are no longer organized to the same standards as Honorius¡¯ pathetic forces.¡±

    When Frugi heard that the 54,000 men of the Western Roman Army had been organized into nine legions, he felt as if he was hearing a historian speak of the long distant past. He could hardly believe Marcellus would do such a thing. He immediately questioned how the man knew this information.

    ¡°How do you know all of this?¡±

    Uldin chuckled when he heard the trantor repeat Frugi¡¯s words. He would not conceal the truth of the matter even if it angered the East.

    ¡°Because agents from the west have already sought to reincorporate us into their foederati, they boasted of their strength, and my scouts and merchants reported these ims to be urate.

    I don¡¯t know what expense Marcellus had spent on ensuring his army was well trained, and well equipped, but these are not the simple peasant conscripts you thought they would be. They are well armed and well organized. If you wish to press your boy emperor¡¯s im on the west, it will be a costly affair, to say the least, and we will have no part in it. Now leave, or I will have my men tear you to pieces!¡±

    Frugi felt like he should curse the man for his cowardice but chose not to, provoking a conflict with the Huns was thest thing the Eastern Roman Empire needed at the moment, especially since many of them had already ¡°settled¡± in theirnds. He could only sigh in defeat and leave the Hunnic encampment. The only good news toe from these failed negotiations was the fact that the Huns were not loyal to the West anymore.

    Frugi could hardly believe what Uldin had said to him. It was one thing to conscript 54,000 peasants, but to outfit them with the equipment they needed to survive the horrors of war, and train them to the extent needed to emerge victorious, was apletely different thing. He began to wonder about how Marcellus could afford such an expense.

    It was at this moment he realized something. There was a new product that had entered the Eastern Roman Empire recently, and it came from the West. While they were covertly nning to overthrow Marcellus, they still traded with the Western Roman Empire. This new product, which sold for a high price, was called ¡°fortified wine¡± and was imported en masse from Ravenna.

    Marcellus had gotten the idea to blend his distilled spirits with wine, and create a tasty beverage that had a greater kick to it. Because of this, he had made a fortune over the past few months, and used to it fund his rearmament process. To Frugi, this was the only exnation he coulde up with for how the West had gained the capital to fund their new army and its development.

    He immediately felt like cursing whoever the hell was responsible for this newest form of alcoholic beverage. Since he could not convince Uldin to lend his aid to the east. Frugi would have to return to Constantinople with his head hanging low. He had failed to achieve the goals that the regent had set out for him. The man in question would not be pleased when he learned of this fact.

    However, this diplomatic visit was not a total failure as he learned the reality of the threat that lie on the western border. Fifty-four thousand legionnaires organized to the standards of the Principate, and armed with thetest weapons and armor, as well as sixty to eighty thousand gothic foederati guarding Noricum and Raetia. It was a mighty force to contend with, but still nowhere near in sizepared to the troops the Eastern Roman Army had avable to it.

    Though Frugi had suffered a minor setback, he was positive he could still ovee the Western Roman Army through sheer force of numbers if he had to. However, the cost to this was leaving Anatolia and Palestine avable for conquest by the Sassanids. Ultimately, this was not his concern. He would leave the boy emperor and his regent with this headache. Either they found a solution to deal with Marcellus, or they epted his bribe and waited for ater date to strike.

 Chapter 73 The Distillation Business

    In the heart of the Western Roman Empire, Marcellus and cidia were going over the nation¡¯s ledgers. Since he had first seized control of the Western Roman Empire, or at least the hearnd of it. Marcellus had begun the establishment of arge distillery capable of producing copious quantities of alcohol for sale to the public.

    Normally this would be a lengthy process, but there were already vacant buildings set up that he could easily establish severalrge distilleries is. The process surprisingly went smoothly, and within a month he was making profits.

    Unfortunately, it was not as much as he expected. The distilled spirits produced by Marcellus¡¯ production nts did not initially sell well. Whenpared to the taste of wine, many romans found the heavy drink to be unappealing and outright bitter. Only the heaviest of alcoholics enjoyed the beverage.

    Marcellus had tried to think of a workaround to get people to purchase this amazing product, and in the end it was cidia who came up with the idea of finding a way to mix it with wine. Ultimately, he decided to practice the principles of distition and apply them to wine, where after several experiments he came out with a brandy like product. Which had be infinitely more popr than his previous malt whiskey.

    Further experimentation of blending this brandy like product with red wine created a fortified wine that had be popr among all people within the Roman Empire. From the cities off the coast of Iberia to Jerusalem itself, people of all ages were drinking this new product with gusto.

    This new fortified wine that only Marcellus and his staff knew how to produce became popr almost overnight, and in the months since its initial manufacture had been transported all across the western and eastern roman empires.

    This brought a considerable profit to the Western Roman Empire, which Marcellus used to invest in the military. It was because of this that Marcellus could afford to raise three thousand cataphracts, and 54,000 legionaries.

    It was not just the military that Marcellus invested in, but agricultural technology as well. His n was to produce enough heavy plows and horse bridles to supply as many fields as possible. So thate spring, he could quickly introduce all the new methods he had dreamt of that could aid in agricultural production.<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus and cidia were currently gazing at the reports of the profits, and were absolutely stunned at the results. They could not produce enough fortified wine to meet the demand, and because of this, the existing bottles were selling for a premium. People were willing to pay over ten solidi for a single bottle of the substance. It was the ultimate luxury good for the patrician ss.

    Marcellus sold this fortified wine in 750ml ceramic bottles which used Cork plugs. He had imported the Cork from his newfound subjects in Iberia to produce proper seals for the wine. Such a thing was another invention that Marcellus introduced from his dreams.

    cidia tallied up the numbers and realized by simple exploitation of the wealthy elite, they had sold 30,000 bottles of Fortified wine for 300,000 solidi. In three months, they had manufactured and exported these 30,000 bottles of fortified wine across the empire.

    This was only made possible because of the millions of ves that existed in the borders of the Western Roman Empire who were used inrge numbers in every step of the manufacturing. cidia had a pretty smile on her face as she outlined this in detail.

    ¡°Marcellus, from the sales we have made of fortified wine, we have made 300,000 solidi in the past three months. If we continue our current rate of production, we may be able to strengthen the economy from a point of near copse to a point of stability within three to five years¡­

    That¡¯s not to mention the ie we have received from the new pottery you have introduced. It would appear that it has be fashionable to drink the fortified wine from chalices made of this so-called porcin. For the first time in decades, the economy of the Empire is looking promising¡­¡±

    300,000 Solidi was more than the Roman Senators had agreed to pay ric in ransom months prior. That meant that in the past three months Marcellus¡¯ treasury had gained over 4,000 pounds of gold, simply from the sale of fortified wine.<sub></sub>

    Marcellus was dreadfully happy when he heard this news and immediately reacted by walking over to the fifteen-year-old girl before lifting her into the air while swinging her around. He promptly kissed her on her forehead before sitting her back down in her seat.

    ¡°That¡¯s great news, cidia! You do not know how happy that makes me!¡±

    The girl flushed red in embarrassment over what had just urred. She was just about to speak up and make a personal request when the sound of a jealous lover harrumphed in the room¡¯s entrance.

    Sigefrida was standing in the doorway with a displeased expression on her pretty face. She was no longer dressed in simple rags, but was instead garbed in the elegant silk trappings of an eastern noblewoman.

    Since had gained her freedom and was officially made the concubine of the Emperor, she decided to dress the part. She had a furious gaze in her ice-blue eyes as she stared at her partner before speaking up about her reason for intruding.

    ¡°Ahem¡­ I just wanted to let you know that I have decided to ept your request¡­¡±

    Marcellus merely scoffed when he heard this. It had been months since he requested the woman to lead his newly reformed frumentarii. During this time, his agents had been trained in covert espionage, but were alsocking coordination. Because of this, Marcellus did not know what intel was viable, and what wasn¡¯t. Still, he was happy to see the womane to her senses and walked over to her before nting a kiss on her lips.<sub></sub>

    Sigefrida instantly marked her territory in front of the little girl that would soon be her lover¡¯s wife. She was exceptionally erotic with her kiss, which only caused cidia to pout on the side. Marcellus did not notice this and instead questioned his concubine for the reason behind her sudden change of heart.

    ¡°What finally changed your mind? I¡¯ve been pestering you for months about this. Now, all of a sudden, you decide to ept my offer?¡±

    Sigefrida stared into Marcellus¡¯ olive green eyes, before shifting her gaze over to cidia. She sighed heavily and muttered under her breath in a voice so low she thought the man would not hear her.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be a burden¡­ that¡¯s all¡­¡±

    Despite what she expected, Marcellus did in fact hear the woman¡¯s statement and coddled her while teasing her for her words.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s so cute¡­. My sweet Sigefrida is always looking after me!¡±

    Sigefrida immediately fought out of Marcellus¡¯ grasp and pouted as she crossed her arms in discontent. She did not enjoy being teased by the man, but it was part of the job. Marcellus noticed she was in a rather foul mood and decided to be serious.

    ¡°Alright, well, I want you to coordinate with Falconius. He knows the ropes and will be able to teach you what you need to know toplete the task. Essentially, you are the spymaster behind the web, so do whatever you feel is necessary to gain the information on my enemies while sabotaging their efforts to conspire against me.¡±

    Sigefrida nodded her head with a serious expression on her face. She threw up a clumsy salute as she responded in the affirmative.

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    This reaction caused Marcellus to smile and tug on the woman¡¯s cheek while teasing her once more.

    ¡°You are so cute when you try to be serious¡­¡±

    Sigefrida merely scoffed and departed from the room. She had better things to do than be tormented by Marcellus¡¯ constant teasing. She decided that she would immediately meet up with the man named Falconius and learn spy craft from him.

    As for cidia, she was pouting. The moment Sigefrida entered the room, her fiance acted like she didn¡¯t even exist. Marcellus was still smiling from his interaction with his lover when he turned around and witnessed the fury in the young woman¡¯s eyes. He immediately got defensive when he saw the way cidia was staring at him.

    ¡°What? Did I do something wrong?¡±

    cidia merely scoffed in response before condemning him for his actions.

    ¡°You and Sigefrida appear to get along well together¡­¡±

    Marcellus felt awkward. He did not believe he had ever actually stated to his fiance that Sigefrida was his lover. He thought it was obvious enough. Naturally, cidia knew this fact well. She had been watching with envy as Marcellus chased after Sigefrida since she was a small child.

    Even though she would finally be marrying the man she loved in a few months, she knew that it was a simple matter of political convenience. Ultimately, Marcellus still thought of the girl as a little sister, and that would not change overnight. Marcellus noticed the girl¡¯s troubled expression and inquired further about it.

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±

    cidia merely shook her head and opened up the next ledger while chastising Marcellus for hisck of work ethic.

    ¡°If you have time to ask about it, you have time to work. Stop beingzy like my brother, and do your job!¡±

    The remark was rather harsh, but he could tell his actions with Sigefrida had offended the girl. He could only bite his tongue and do as his little fiancee instructed. Thus Marcellus quickly got back to work looking over the ledgers of his Empires¡¯ finances.

 Chapter 74 Meeting with the Ruling Class

    Since Marcellus first assumed the role of Emperor, he had been met with resistance at every corner. Though he butchered the senate, and crucified those who were engaged in extensive corruption, these brutal actions had not entirely deterred the wealthy elites from conspiring against him. The Frumentarii had been reorganized to infiltrate these small conspiracies, and now, under the direction of Sigefrida, they had gained much viable intel.

    The most recent threat report shows that many of these conspiracies had been abandoned. Largely due to the massive economic upturn that was beginning to take ce as a result of the distition and pottery business that Marcellus had introduced. In particr, the pottery was being sold not only in Roman borders, but across the Sassanid Empire and all the way to India.

    With the most criminally corrupt officials being removed from the Roman bureaucracy and reced with those who had merit, as well as umtion of silver and gold that was being circted across the Western Roman Empire thus improving its economy, many of these patrician ns were changing their opinion about Marcellus and his dictatorship.

    In a few short months, Marcellus had gotten rid of two of the three threats their realm faced, earned the loyalty of the Theodosian Rebels in Hispania, stabilized the economy, to the point where it was no longer on the verge of copse, and had begun the process of rebuilding the Roman Army to its former glory.

    That¡¯s not to say that there weren¡¯t many problems that gued the Western Roman Empire, but for the first time in many years, it was no longer rushing towards the cliff, and had instead taken a slow stroll towards its edge.

    Months had passed since the Eastern Roman Empire met with the Huns, and as a result they were forced to ept Marcellus¡¯ bribe. For the time being, the Eastern Roman Empire would focus its military on the threat to the east.<sub>.</sub>

    With cidia¡¯s engagement to Marcellus, and the rapid expansion of the Roman Army, the young emperor of the east, or more urately, his mother was unwilling to risk an attack on the west while the Sassanids were still pestering her forces on her eastern borders.

    This relieved pressure from the Eastern Roman Empire allowed Marcellus to spend the winter mustering his forces so that they could march into Gaul in thete spring, or early summer. As a result, Marcellus had formed a brief, yet stable peace during the winter of 408 AD. The Western Roman Empire were capable of living in peace without fear of a serious barbarian invasion into their hearnd.

    Today Marcellus rose with the dawn, as he normally had. This time, the warm spring air assailed his olive flesh. Causing him to form a pleasant smile on his face as he climbed out of his bed. Spring had finally arrived, and with it, he could begin to introduce his agricultural innovations across the territory he currently held.

    After spending the morning exercising in the Pce¡¯s yard, and eating a meal with his fiancee and concubine. Marcellus soon found himself in a meeting with several wealthyndowners. In thete Roman Empire, the precursor to feudalism had taken shape. With most plebeians being tied to thends of their local patricians. It was these men that Marcellus had to convince to introduce his agricultural advancements.

    Among these men who were gathered, many were names who Marcellus recognized from the reports written by his Frumentarii. Some of these men had previously conspired against his rule, but had withdrawn their support after the economy improved, while others were still actively engaged in plots against the emperor.<sub></sub>

    Marcellus did not care in the slightest. Those who made an attempt on his life, or those close to him, would be eliminated before they could pull it off. For the moment, it was more important to convince these men to obey hismands.

    While these wealthy men gathered in the royal Pce dressed in their fine silk clothes, Marcellus wore his signature armor. It was this air of militancy that caused many of the men in this room to despise him. Marcellus was more of a military dictator than he was an emperor. The people did not recognize his rule, but what remained of the Roman army did, ensuring he had the power to act as he pleased.

    By Marcellus¡¯ side were two members of his elite guard. Though Marcellus was reviving the concept of the Legions, he was not returning to the ways of the Praetorian Guard. The Praetorian Guard was responsible for the deaths of too many past emperors, including Aurelian. Thus, he continued to make use of the Ptini, or Pce Guards, who were the most elite and loyal members of his army, selected to personally protect him.

    The Emperor sat at arge table across from the wealthyndowners who had, until now, acted with impunity in the domains they ruled over. He cleared his throat before addressing the men who sat across from him with varying expressions.

    ¡°I know you are all wondering why I have summoned you to Ravenna. So allow me to make this clear, we have developed new agricultural technology, that will increase food production significantly. It is because of this that I wish to spread it across the realm. Naturally, since many of you either own thend, or have been ced in charge of it, I must ask you to make use of this new technology so that the Empire can prosper.<sub></sub>

    I have already paid for the construction of the equipment and have stockpiled it during the winter. While this winter was mild,pared to others, we have still lost many of our citizens to starvation. It is with this in mind that I want you all to make use of these new innovations to increase food production so that no Roman will ever starve again!¡±

    In response to this, one man in particr scoffed before speaking his mind. Whether he was mad to condemn the dictator of Rome to his face, or just did not care about the consequences, the man spoke of a matter which caused Marcellus great pain.

    ¡°And whose fault is that? All those people who died they were from viges that you and your army of rebels ransacked on your journey to Ravenna. You think we have such short memories that we don¡¯t remember who is responsible for this man-made famine that gues ournds?¡±

    Marcellus frowned when he heard this and red at the man intensely. He sighed heavily before responding to the man¡¯s insults with a stern tone in his voice.

    ¡°While it is true that my army was forced to ransack Roman viges like a band ofmon brigands, let¡¯s not forget who put me in such a position. Had Honorius not kidnapped my mother and demanded I hand myself over to him for an unjustifiable execution, I would have dly marched on Ravenna in the spring, when my armies were well provided for, by the very agricultural innovations I am trying to introduce.

    I understand you lost a brother during my campaign against corruption. I am certain you resent me very much. However, it is not my fault that those people starved; it is my predecessor¡¯s. I suggest you be careful with your usations, or else your words maye across as outright nder. Need I remind you what happened to the Senate when they tried to steal from me my right to rule?¡±

    The tension in the air was like a guillotine hanging above the patrician¡¯s necks. It was not just this one man Marcellus was threatening, but everyone in the room. Like a true dictator, he wasn¡¯t giving them a choice in the matter. Either they would introduce his agricultural reforms, or he would rece them with men who would.

    The man who had previously spoken up against Marcellus and his past actions could not find his voice. The intense re that Marcellus was giving him was one of an apex predator who had caught a hare in his sights. Would the hare provide sustenance to such a massive beast? Hardly, but it would be fun to tear it apart, nheless.

    A cold sweat broke out on the man¡¯s brow as he realized the situation he was in. This new Roman Empire was no longer ruled by codifiedws and the people¡¯s consent, but by the iron fist of a tyrant. At any moment, the guards in this room could turn their des upon him and everyone else. This very thought convinced the man to bow his head and apologize for his remarks.

    ¡°I am sorry, I was out of line¡­ I will do as you have requested.¡±

    A smug smile formed on Marcellus¡¯ lips as he heard this. He then nodded his head and shifted his fearsome gaze onto the other patricians.

    ¡°Are there any otherints?¡±

    There was a universal shaking of the heads, as the patricians were too frightful of the consequences should they voice their thoughts aloud. Upon seeing this, Marcellus stood up from his seat and walked towards the door. The rest of the men in the room sat frozen in their chairs, too afraid to even look at the man who ruled over them. Marcellus abruptly stopped right when he reached the door before leaving onest remark.

    ¡°I will have the devices delivered to your fields. As for the matter of the three field system, it will be properly exined to you and your farmers when the devices arrive. Until then, you may either stay in the city or return to your homes. What you do from now on is no concern to me.¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus left the room where the patricians universally sighed in relief. They never knew how fearsome the man was until they met him in person.

 Chapter 75 Time Waits for no Man

    Since he had forced thend owning patricians to implement his agricultural reforms, Marcellus kept a low profile. Rarely leaving the pce, he secluded himself from the safety of his home. While conspiracies raged across Italia, and the Frumentarii sabotaged their efforts, Marcellus just needed to wait out the clock until the time of the spring harvest.

    However, time waits for no man, and in early spring, shortly after sewing his crops, Marcellus received word from the Theodosian Rebels that Constantine seized one of their major cities, cutting off the cork supply to the Roman Hearnd. In response to this, Marcellus had no choice but to act.

    Without cork the sale of his wine would decrease in value, as it was an effective way to preserve the vor and alcohol content of the wine. This meant his economy, which was just starting to get back on track, would take a hit. As a result, Marcellus stood before the Army, which he had painstakingly built since his rise to power as the Emperor of Western Rome.

    Fifty-Four thousand men stood within the city of Ravenna, armed from head to toe in thetest advancements in armor and weapons that money could buy. These were no longer simple conscripts but dedicated legions.

    They were professional soldiers who were paid a living wage to protect the borders of the Empire. Marcellus stood at the balcony of his Pce and greeted the men who wore the colors of their legions proudly. He saluted the men from his balcony while uttering his speech.

    ¡°As you are all aware, vius udius Constantinus has long since taken up arms in rebellion. Currently, because of this man, our Empire stands divided. With Gaul and Britannia currently under the usurper¡¯s control. Recently, I have incorporated Hispania back into the control of our Empire.

    However, I regret to inform you that the Usurper has made gains in the region, and has cut off the supply of a critical resource from Hispania. Without this resource, our economy will struggle, and it is because of this that I have taken precautions to procure supplies from the East so that we may fight a campaign against the Usurper and bring an end to his tyranny once and for all.<sub>.</sub>

    I have gathered you all here today for one reason. To march you through the borders of Italia and into Gallia, where we shall meet the Usurper from behind. Combined with our troops in Hispania, we shall encircle the enemy, and im his head. I have trained you for this very moment, and I have faith in your ability toplete your duties. Rise soldiers of Rome, and bring an end to this war!¡±

    The soldiers immediately returned the salute of their emperor and raised their shields in unison, pounding their iron rims onto the floor over and over again while chanting the words.

    ¡°Hail Augustus!¡±

    Augustus being the title given tote roman emperors, with Caesar being the term given to their co-emperors. With this, Marcellus¡¯ army was prepared to march, and he descended from the staircase, only to be greeted by Sigefrida and cidia, who both had worried expressions on their faces. cidia was the first to hug her fiancee, jumping ahead of Sigefrida as if it were a serious matter.

    ¡°Be safe! I don¡¯t want to lose you before we can even get married!¡±

    Marcellus chuckled when he heard this, and kissed the girl on the forehead, before shoving off her embrace and offering his arms to his concubine. Though she was upset that cidia got the jump on her, she reluctantly hugged the man, and kissed him on the lips before whispering in his ear.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Don¡¯t get captured this time¡­¡±

    Marcellusughed once more before he rustled the woman¡¯s hair, before shoving her away.

    ¡°You can rx. I never make the same mistake twice.¡±

    As the leader of his Frumentarii, Sigefrida would have to sit back in Ravenna during this campaign, and work on keeping the numerous conspirators at bay. While searching for evidence to convict them on. She was no longer a ve, and thus no longer had the ability to be a part of the army¡¯s follower¡¯s camp. Understanding her position, Sigefrida sighed before letting her man walk out towards his army.

    Marcellus waved goodbye as he hopped on his steed¡¯s back and set off for war against the usurper. He vowed in his heart that he would not be defeated this time around. Luckily for him, his army was made ofpletely loyal Roman soldiers, seeing as how the Foederati were guarding the borders in the east. Thus, he could wage this war with a sense of civility that had not been present in recent years of conflict. In the early spring of 409 AD, the Western Roman Army, under themand of Emperor Titus udius Marcellus, marched westward into Gaul.

    ¡ª<sub></sub>

    While Marcellus and his army marched towards Rome, the troops in Hispania who had sworn their loyalty to Marcellus were defending the city of Saguntum. After finally breaking the stalemate between the two forces, Constantine¡¯s army had gained the morale needed to push further into Hispania. Currently, the two sides were engaged in a brutal siege. However, much like thest one, this siege had started off poorly for the Usurper and his army.

    Constantine did not know that by cutting off the supply of cork to Italia, he had summoned an army of wolves at his back. Nor was he aware that an agreement had been reached between the Theodosian loyalists and the dictator in Ravenna. His spywork had failed to infiltrate the capital. Instead, he truly believed Marcellus was still licking his wounds, in fear that the Eastern Roman Empire would invade hisnds at any minute.

    Thus, his renewed campaign in Hispania was based on a miscalction of his many enemies and their positions. Because of this, the loyalists in Hispania waged a war of attrition, stalling the enemy¡¯s advance for as long as possible, and keeping Constantine¡¯s focus on Hispania.

    The goal was not to defeat the usurper but to keep him chasing after them so that they could trap him in Hispania and eliminate him once and for all. This war of attrition was slowly draining Constantine¡¯s remaining and sanity and at the moment the man was chewing his fingernails and cursing at his soldiers as they fell down from the missile fire that originated from the city¡¯s walls.

    ¡°God dammit! Can¡¯t any of you fucking aim your bows properly? Why are we losing so many men?¡±

    The Frankish chieftain Hagen spat on the ground in discontent. Throughout this entire campaign, Constantine had only be more unnerved. It was a miracle that they had even captured the previous city, and it was by no means a glorious victory. Alot of men had perished taking the city, so much so that Hagen had begun to expect the Theodosian Loyalists abandoned it on purpose.

    After all, many of their men had fled before the city was fully taken. Those same men were fighting here today, with as stiff as resistance as they initially encountered in thest city. Something wasn¡¯t adding up. Unfortunately, he did not have urate information on the actions that the Theodosian Loyalists were taking. He also did not know why the Loyalists had not surrendered after learning of Honorius¡¯s death.

    ording to Constantine, they had vowed to fight until the bitter end, regardless if the news about the emperor¡¯s demise was true. However, if that was the case, they would not have abandoned the previous city so quickly. Unfortunately, none of Hagen¡¯s concerns were taken seriously by Constantine, and he worried about the future of this campaign. As the voice of reason, he tried to calm the self-proimed emperor.

    ¡°your majesty, with all due respect, we should cease our assault, any longer and our losses will be too severe to continue. We will just have to find another way to take this city¡­¡±

    Though Constantine wanted to scold his foederatimander for his perceived cowardice, he noticed the piles of dead soldiers that belonged to his forces lying in pools of their own blood beneath the city¡¯s ramparts, and sighed in defeat before calling off the attack.

    ¡°Retreat! Retreat back to the camp!¡±

    With this, the trumpets were blown, and the signal to retreat was given. Constantine¡¯s army was once more halted at the gates of Saguntum. Upon seeing his soldiers return to the siege camp battered and bloodied from the conflict, Constantine could not help but curse his luck.

    ¡°God dammit! What kind of shit of luck is this? Do the heavens really favor the Theodosian Dynasty that much? If so, why would they permit the death of Honorius? No, I refuse to believe that God is on the side of my enemies.¡±

    Hagen listened to the pathetic rant of the little Roman man and could not help but mutter his thoughts under his breath.

    ¡°The gods do not favor a fool¡­¡±

    Luckily Constantine didn¡¯t hear these words or he might do something foolish that would force the Frankish Foederati to leave his service. Ultimately, Hagen could only sigh before speaking words of encouragement to the remaining soldiers in the army.

    ¡°We will just have to formte a better assault n for tomorrow¡­¡±

    With this said, the Usurper and his army tried their best toe up with a better n that would allow them to seize Saguntum. They werepletely unaware that an army of fifty-four thousand roman legionaries was approaching from behind them.

 Chapter 76 Marching on Hispania

    Marcellus gripped the hilt of his spatha as he sat on horseback. He had long since set forth from Italia to invade Gaul and catch the usurper Constantine III in the mountains that bordered Hispania. As he suspected, the moment after his army deployed beyond the borders of the Roman hearnd, they had to deal with unruly groups like the Bagaudae and the various Germanic tribes who ravaged thend Constantine was supposed to protect.

    He had just now received word that a group of Vandals had attacked his scouts and forced them to retreat towards the main line. There were roughly three thousand of the enemy in total, and as a result Marcellus led his heavy cavalry forward into the front, to eliminate the minor threat. Since he was now the Emperor, Marcellus no longer had the ability to fight at the front lines. Something that was usually discouraged by Roman Generals, but he had picked up from his interactions with the Gothic Foederati.

    Marcellus¡¯s steed stood on a hilltop above, while the man himself gazed down at the Vandal encampment with a hint of disdain in his eyes. He immediately caught the interest of the barbarians within, who were worried at the sight of a lone Roman Rider. On the other side of the hill were the five thousand Cataphracts Marcellus had raised since his rise to power. When the vandals noticed him on the hills above, he rode back down the hill before giving the order to charge.

    ¡°Kill them all!¡±

    With this, an army of five thousand cataphracts descended down the hillside with a single goal in mind. The total annihtion of this Vandal army. The barbarians began to panic the moment they saw so many cavalry rushing down their position. When they had raided the Roman scouts in the past, they did not know that they were just a small attachment to a massive invasion force.

    The first instinct was to flee for their lives, but with the speed of the horses, they would never get far. As a result, the men grabbed their spears and shields and tried to form a shield wall. Which they barely managed to achieve. However, against the heavily armed horses, and their riders who couched theirnces beneath their arms, there was no possible way such a hastily formed defense could protect them.<sub>.</sub>

    The shock cavalry smashed through the Vandals¡¯ defenses and skewered them with theirnces. Punching through their measly armor, assuming they had some, and skewering them on the ground. The entire gulch where the Vandals had set up camp became a bloodbath. Marcellus gazed from the hill above and watched the entire massacre with his elite guard riding by his side.

    He snapped the reins of his horse and immediately began to ride back to his host, no longer caring to witness the ughter that was taking ce below. His guards quickly followed him, protecting him from any potential hostiles as they regrouped with the main force.

    When Marcellus arrived with nothing but a small attach¨¦ of guards in tow, his generals immediately began to panic and quickly questioned him about the results of the battle.

    ¡°Where is the rest of the Cavalry? What happened?¡±

    Upon seeing that Primus was flustered, Marcellus merely chuckled as he stopped his horse parallel to the man before cing a palm on his shoulder.<sub></sub>

    ¡°No need to worry. The Vandals were not expecting retaliation. We caught them with their pants down and put them to the sword. The Cataphracts are simply cleaning up what remains.¡±

    Primus immediately sighed with relief as he heard the report from the field and immediately ordered his troops to continue their march towards Hispania. The Cavalry were on horseback, and because of this, there was no reason to halt their advance.

    ¡°Why have you bastards stopped? Continue forward!¡±

    Not wanting to anger the Legatus, the individual soldiers continued to march forward without fear in their eyes. Marcellus gazed at the sight of the iron d warrior who wore berkasovo style helmets and scaled armor over their subarmalis. They looked like a genuine Roman Army on par with those from the principate, with standard issued equipment, and matching painted shields per Legion.

    No longer were these the days where a man would only wear the armor he could afford. This was a true gathering of legions with a single purpose in mind,plete and total annihtion of the enemy. Marcellus, who sat upon horseback, felt a sense of pride in his heart for fostering such a capable force. For the first time in a long time, the Roman Legions of a bygone era were back in the field.<sub></sub>

    Each man marched in perfect tune to those surrounding them, inrge columns, as they passed through the war-torn wastes of Gaul. They did not bother striking at small viges, or besieging cities in the area, and the garrisons within were too afraid to hamper their advance. The only actions that were taken were eliminating the messengers sent to Hispania to prevent news of their advance from reaching the usurper before it was toote.

    After months of brutal training, the Nine Legions that were present, and numbered from Legio I to Legio IX, were well conditioned to long marches in their armor. Like the days of old, they were expected to put on their armor after rising from their beds, and wear it throughout the entire day, even during an intense period ofbor, until the moment they went to sleep.

    Such training had given them the stamina and endurance to march into Hispania without being cumbered by their equipment. Something the past armies Marcellus oncemanded under Honorius¡¯ reign, no doubt, would have been unable to aplish without a severe rate of attrition andining.

    In every century there was a man with a red plumed helmet. These men were Centurions, a man capable of reading, writing, and having gone through lengthy training to be an officer. They existed among the ranks of the Roman forces, proudly disying their unique helmets. Marcellus could not help but admire what had been aplished in such a short time frame.

    However, hemented the fact that centurions were hard toe by, as most Roman Citizens no longer knew how to read or write. It was the belief of Marcellus that once his economy had improved significantly, there would need to be an educational reform, allowing him a greater pool to select officers from in the future.

    For the time being, he made do with what was avable. Each man here had been indoctrinated to believe that Marcellus was the only man capable of keeping the Empire from falling apart, and that their blood, sweat, and tears were needed to aplish this. Thus, as they passed by their Emperor, who sat on horseback, each soldier threw up a salute while marching. Showing him the respect they had for him.

    Eventually, the Cavalry regrouped with the Army, taking their spoils from the Vandal encampment. Evidently, these three thousand barbarians had been quite the raiders, as they had a significant amount of gold and silver hoarded away. The Cavalry presented all the assets they had seized to Marcellus as the infantry marched by.

    ¡°Your majesty, we present to you with the spoils we have taken from the enemy encampment. It seems to be a decent worth of loot!¡±

    Marcellus merely nodded his head in agreement as he motioned for his soldiers to stack it into the wagons that carried the supplies.

    ¡°Any spoils we may obtain on our journey are to be handed over to logistics. They will ensure that they are well looked after until we return home.¡±

    The cavalry instantly saluted their emperor before riding off and depositing the looted goods with the necessary department. After doing so, they regrouped into their appropriate position among the army and continued their journey towards the Pyrenees.

    Marcellus¡¯ n was to capture the mountain passes, and prevent Constantine and his army from fleeing back into Gaul. Once they were trapped in between the loyalists of Hispania and the main army of Western Rome, both forces would attack simultaneously and ughter Constantine and what remained of his army.

    It would still take several days before Marcellus and his army reached the mountains, but the troops in Hispania were already made aware of their advance, and were merely holding out in Saguntum to buy time for their arrival. When Marcellus arrived, he would dispatch a messenger to the forces of Hispania. The letter would contain orders to use all their might to drive the broken forces of the usurper back to the Pyrenes so that they may meet their deaths at the hands of the new emperor.

    However, things did not always go as nned, and it was impossible to say whether or not Constantine could escape yet another encirclement. After all thest time Marcellus and Constantine shed, the usurper managed to best him. Something Marcellus swore not to repeat in this assault.

 Chapter 77 Separate Ways

    Time had passed since Marcellus and his soldiers first entered Gaul, enough time for them to finally enter the Pyrenees. Aside from a few small conflicts with brigands and barbarians, they arrived at their destination with few losses. The soldiers of Marcellus legions were high in morale as they entered the mountain range and cut off Constantine¡¯s ability to escape.

    The n was simple: dispatch a messenger to the allied troops in Hispania, informing them to begin their counterattack so that they can push the usurper and his armies back to the mountains where they would be caught between Marcellus¡¯ troops and those of Hispania. Thus, for the time being, Marcellus had established a camp at the foothills of the mountains where his army lie in wait for the enemy.

    Marcellus sent multiple messengers out to his allies to ensure that they reached the destination. After all, they would have to travel around Constantine¡¯s forces to get to the soldiers of Hispania who currently hid behind their tall walls and defended their cities. At any point, Constantine and his army could intercept them. It was a dangerous task, but a necessary one.

    ¡ª

    While Marcellus and the bulk of his forces sat in the foothills of the Pyrenees, Tasius was in the middle of defending Saguntum from the Usurper¡¯s forces. He stood atop the ramparts and watched as the siege unfurled. For the tenth time in the past week Constantine had charged towards the walls, and for the tenth time he was failing to break through. Despite being equipped with battering rams anddders, the soldiers of the usurper¡¯s army simply could not defeat the defenders of the city.

    It was only because they had pulled back from their previous position that Constantine could seize it and gain a ¡°major victory¡± in Hispania. In reality, this was Tasius¡¯ way of goading Constantine deeper into hisnds, to buy enough time for the new emperor and his so-called legions to catch Constantine from behind.<sub>.</sub>

    With a sneer of disdain on his face, Tasius gazed at the volley of arrows that his city¡¯s defenders unleashed onto the hostile forces below. Though the enemy had their shields raised, it was still possible for the thousands of projectiles that wereunched to pierce through the gaps and strike the flesh of those unfortunate enough to becking sufficient body armor.

    Like most forces in this apocalyptic time, Constantine¡¯s army was poorly equipped. Most of his men were lucky if they had a shield and helmet, let alone a shirt of mail. One by one, the projectiles whittled their numbers down. Just when Constantine was about to call back his forces, he heard an order being given from the ramparts above.

    ¡°Light them up!¡±

    Constantine was unaware of what this voice was referring to, but he recognized who it belonged to. Tasius had given themand for his soldiers to throw cauldrons of boiling pitch onto the soldiers who were climbing atop thedders. Screams filled the air as the usurper¡¯s forces fell from thedders in agony.

    However, that was not the worst of it, once the pitch had covered the walls of the fortress, and the dirt beneath the enemy¡¯s feet, a series of fire lit arrows rained onto the substance and create a vast wave of mes that consumed much of Constantine¡¯s forces. He lost hundreds of men in that moment, forcing him to order the retreat once more.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Retreat! Fall back to camp!¡±

    The soldiers beneath Constantine¡¯smand did not hesitate, and left their burning brothers in arms to die a pitiful death. Too fearful that they might share a simr fate. Thousands of rebel soldiers regrouped at the camp, battered and exhausted. Hagen had practically had enough of Constantine¡¯s failures and was about to rebuke him when the gates to the city opened, and Tasius¡¯ army flooded the field, charging towards Constantine and his exhausted troops. Hagen immediately ordered his Frankish warriors to form a shield wall in his native tongue.

    ¡°Shield Wall!¡¯

    Before he even gave the order, the battle hardened barbarians had formed ranks, while their Roman allies crumpled under the pressure. The soldiers of Hispania were rapidly crossing the distance as they threw their plumbatae into the air and onto the panicked forces of the Usurper. Causing many to fall where they stood.

    Tasius gazed upon the scene of his soldiers swarming the enemy encampment with a hint of pride in his eyes before looking at the message in his hands, and the heavily armored soldier who had delivered it to him.<sub></sub>

    ¡°So the Emperor has taken up residence in the Pyrenees? Very well, if his n is to catch Constantine between our two armies, then I will be happy to oblige. Make no mistake, we will drive the usurper and his barbarian hordes straight into the Emperor¡¯s lines, where we will fight together to put an end to his reign of terror!¡±

    The messenger smiled viciously as he nodded his head. His scale armor nked as he saluted the General from Hispania.

    ¡°Ave, true to Augustus!¡±

    The messenger was slightly perturbed that the General of Hispania did not respond to him in kind. It was themon phrase that the soldiers of Marcellus¡¯ army used to greet each other. To refuse to say it was an insult to the soldiers of the new legions. Still, he did not hold Tasius ountable, and instead bowed his head before watching over the battle that ensuing below.

    One of Tasius¡¯mander was leading from the rear. As his soldiers encircled Constantine¡¯s forces, at least partially, they made sure to leave a gap in the rear for them to escape. Constantine¡¯s Roman forces were on the brink of copse, with the Frankish Foederati holding the line. At any moment, they would begin to route. Finally, after his left nk copsed, and begun to flee for their lives, Constantine issued the order for a full retreat.

    ¡°Retreat! We can no longer take Saguntum!¡±

    The usurper had lost too many forces in his previous siege, as well as the current one. With this sudden encirclement of his encampment, he no longer had the forces necessary to defend his position, let alone take the city. He had no choice but to withdraw to previously gained territory and conscript the locals for cannon fodder.

    Either way, Tasius had seeded in breaking the siege, and had begun his counter attack. Bodies lie piled outside the city¡¯s gates, and within the encampment that lie in the distance. Thousands of men fled for their lives, pursued by the hounds of Hispania. It was only after a horn blew in the air, signalling Tasius¡¯ troops to cease their pursuit that the Usurper¡¯s forces could finally rx.

    Hagen was displeased, more than he was before his warriors risked their lives to hold the lines. He had lost well over four hundred men in the brief engagement within their encampment. He immediately walked up to Constantine and punched him in the face, enraged by the losses he had suffered.

    ¡°You damnable fool! Do you have any idea how many men I have lost in this fruitless campaign of yours? Hispania remains defiant, despite your best efforts to subjugate them, and we no longer have the forces to maintain a presence in the region. Our failure at Saguntum will be the rallying cry necessary for Tasius to raise more troops against us. We have no choice but to retreat to Gaul and lick our wounds. If we stay in Hispania, we will be defeated!¡±

    Constantine was far from pleased with being struck by his Foederati Commander, without thinking about the consequences, he made an order that he would soon regret.

    ¡°Arrest this man. He has struck your emperor!¡±

    The soldiers loyal to Constantine did not react to thismand, they were too fearful of the Franks. After all, the Franks were better armed and more experienced in conflict. Not only that, they were thergest chunk of forces in Constantine¡¯s rebel army. No man would be foolish enough to provoke them over a much deserved strike. When Constantine realized that no man in his army would follow his orders, he gritted his teeth in displeasure. As for Hagen, he towered above the puny Roman and shoved him onto the ground.

    ¡°I see you have made your choice. Fuck you! You are no emperor, you are just a sad little soldier pretending to be something you are not. I will return with my forces to Gaul and take what has been promised to me. My people have shed enough blood in this failed campaign of yours!¡±

    With this said, the Frankish Foederati and the Rebel soldiers split ways, with the Franks making the long trek back to Gaul, and Constantine stubbornly refusing to yield Hispania. Little did either of the two men know that the Pyrenees had been sealed by Marcellus¡¯ army, and they were now stuck between the forces of the Emperor and his allies in Hispania who had not ended their pursuit.

 Chapter 78 Unfair Negotiation

    Constantine was furious after his foederati had abandoned him at Saguntum and nned to return to Gaul. While it was true, this campaign was not going as well as he had initially nned, they were far from being defeated.

    Or so he believed. Constantine¡¯s n was to fall back to the regions he had conquered and force every man capable of wielding a spear into his ranks. He had bled too much, and fought too long to lose Hispania after a series of protracted sieges. He swore he would be back with a Vengeance.

    As for Hagen, he quickly gathered his Frankish Warriors and departed for the Pyrenees. There was nothing left in Hispania for him, and he intended to raid and ravage Constantine¡¯snds for all the wealth they had. Or so that was the n, however the moment he and his army of a few thousand foederati arrived at the foothills they had passed through to get into thesends, they noticed a serious problem.

    Standing guard across the mountain passes wererge numbers of Roman troops, and these were not reinforcements. The way they were armored was vastly superior to Constantine¡¯s greatest forces. Hagen was quite fearful of who this army belonged to, and what their purpose was. Had the Eastern Roman empire sent its forces to cut off Constantine?

    No, that was not possible. Should the Eastern Roman Empire take such foolish action, they would be leaving their borders with the Sassanids defenseless. There was only one possibility for the existence of this army. Marcellus had raised his troops, and marched from Italia to end Constantine¡¯s reign of terror once and for all.

    This news honestly surprised Hagen. Shouldn¡¯t Marcellus be back in Italia licking the wounds from his rebellion, and doing everything in his power to stabilize his reign? The Frankish chieftain could hardly believe the self-proimed emperor had the means to march such a massive and well-equipped army westward.<sub>.</sub>

    If Marcellus had so many soldiers guarding this one mountain pass, then they likely had others guarding the rest. At times like this, Hagen felt he should negotiate with the man. After all, fighting such arge number of Roman soldiers, and breaking through into the Pyrenees, was simply impossible for his warriors. Perhaps if they had not suffered such massive losses at Saguntum, they might be able to make a break for it, but such a thing was no longer an option. The Frankish Chieftain immediately called out to one of his nearby warriors.

    ¡°Fetch me a white g. I wish to negotiate with whoever leads this army.¡±

    The warrior immediately looked towards hismander with a hint of surprise on his face.

    ¡°We are not going to fight them?¡±

    Hagen could not help but scowl at the man and hisck of intelligence. The only thing he could do was scold him.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Do you think our paltry numbers have the ability to contend with the enemy in front of us? There must be at least ten thousand of them sitting there in that mountain pass! By all means if you want to scout the other routes back to Gual feel free to do so, but if they havee all the way to Hispania, only to stand guard at the Pyrenees then it is clear that they have sealed off all routes. They intend to trap Constantine here, between two armies, and annihte the fool. I¡¯d rather not die for Constantine after abandoning him to his fate¡­¡±

    The Frankish warrior immediately felt like an idiot when he heard Hagen¡¯s reasoning for negotiation. He was convinced there was a reason that the man was in charge of their troops, and it wasn¡¯t just because he was the biggest and strongest of all of them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go get the white g¡­¡±

    Hagen merely sneered at the man in disdain before uttering his true thoughts.

    ¡°You do that¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    After a few minutes, the man returned with a white g and handed it to Hagen, which the Frankish chieftain immediately epted the gift before holding it proudly in the air as he fearlessly approached the Roman Army.

    Ordius was the man tasked with leading the legions which guarded this sector of the Pyrenees and immediately noticed therge Frankish warrior approaching him with a white g. From his observations, there were no romans among the ranks of the men behind the g-bearer.

    This could mean only one thing. Conflict had ensued between the usurper and his barbarian foederati, causing the Franks to desert. Because of this he did not order an assault, and instead grabbed a white g of his own, nked by soldiers he met the Frankish Chieftain in the field between their two armies. Hagen smiled when he saw that the Romans were willing to negotiate and called out to Ordius as he greeted him.

    ¡°I am Hagen, chieftain of the Franks, my I ask what your name is, and who you serve.¡±

    Ordius had a stern expression on his face as he responded to the man¡¯s question.

    ¡°I am Gaius Licinius Ordius, Legatus to the Emperor Titus udius Marcellus. I assume you are deserters, as I do not see the usurper or his men among your ranks. Would I be correct?¡±

    Hagen was slightly perturbed by being called a deserter, despite its uracy. However, he squashed his discontent for the sake of negotiations and answered the man honestly.

    ¡°Constantine, in his utter ipetence, has caused the deaths of thousands of my men. The loss at the battle of Saguntum was thest straw. We rejected his im to the throne and parted ways with the usurper. Now it appears the fool has trapped himself in Hispania between two major armies.

    He is doomed, and we want no part in it. I have no quarrel with you or your emperor. If you would allow us to peacefully return to Gaul, I promise to rule the territory that my tribe has been given in the name of this Titus udius Marcellus.¡±

    Ordius did not trust a word that Hagen had spoken. Those who would so quickly desert their masters were worse than wild dogs. He had been dispatched to this area to protect the Pyrenees from Constantine and his forces.

    Though these men may im to be deserters, who was to say that once given safe passage they decided to bide their time, and strike Ordius¡¯ legions while they were engaged with Constantine? It was because of this thought that Ordius would not allow these men passage through the mountains. Instead, he proposed a counter solution.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let you pass through the Pyrenees. No offense, but I do not trust the words of a self-proimed deserter. You have two options: fight us, ory down your arms and be our prisoners. Once we have dealt with Constantine, we will release you and your tribesmen beyond the borders of the Rhine.¡±

    Hagen was displeased with these options. Being taken prisoner was an insult to the honor of his warriors, and on top of this, the Roman General had imed that he and his men would be released beyond the Rhine. Meaning that thends they had long since settled would be taken away from them. He could not help but protest this by gnashing his teeth and cursing Ordius.

    ¡°You bastard! We were promisednds in Gaul to settle, we will not return beyond the rhine. I would rather day here in Hispania than be forced out of my home by a bunch of filthy Romans!¡±

    Ordius merely smirked when he heard this beforementing on Hagen¡¯s ims.

    ¡°You were promised thesends by a usurper. As for thends your people already settle west of the Rhine, you forfeited your rights to thosends the moment you sided with Constantine. It is the opinion of his majesty Titus udius Marcellus that the Franks in Gaul should be removed from Roman Lands and returned to Germania. I assure you we have the necessary power to achieve such a thing. Surrender or die, those are your only options!¡±

    Hagen spat on the ground and walked away in silence. He would not ept such a deal. This Emperor Marcellus was even more unreasonable than Constantine. Hagen would not so brazenly attack this section of the Pyrenees. He did not have the men to seed.

    It would appear he would have to align with Constantine once more if he wished to break through the mountain pass. Hopefully, he could regroup with the fool and warn him of Marcellus¡¯ plot to trap him before the Soldiers of Hispania could catch up to them.

    As for Ordius, he would report this incident to Marcellus, causing the Roman under the man¡¯smand to be much more alert. Once Constantine became aware of the trap that was set for him, his best course of action would be to attack a section of Marcellus¡¯ forces, and break through before their enemies could encircle them. Only time would tell whose forces would be victorious in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

 Chapter 79 A Desperate Gamble

    After failing to negotiate his passing through the Pyrenees. Hagen and his Frankish warriors returned to Constantine¡¯s ranks. It was not a long journey, but enough time had passed that Marcellus was made aware of the Franks¡¯ attempt to desert. Currently, Hagen stood before the self-proimed emperor, who had a smug smile on his face. The moment the usurper saw the Franks return to his army, he desired nothing more to gloat, which is what he was doing now.

    ¡°Oh? Back so soon? And here I thought that you and your army would be in Gaul by now? What happened? Did you suddenly realize where your loyalties should lie?¡±

    Hagen was instantly displeased by the shit-eating grin on Constantine¡¯s face, and immediately informed him of what he hade to learn.

    ¡°Tens of thousands of Roman soldiers belonging to Titus udius Marcellus block the Pyrenees. It is an army assembled for a single purpose to trap us in Hispania and eliminate us once and for all. Since I could not prate through their defenses with my pitiful numbers, I figured the only chance either of us have of survival is to work together and break through one of the weaker defended routes!¡±

    Constantine was no longer grinning when he heard these words. In fact, he was now scowling. He could hardly believe Marcellus had raised so many troops in such a short period of time. He instantly gnashed his teeth and began to rebuke Hagen for his perceived cowardice.

    ¡°Bah, an army of conscripts, nothing more. Clearly, you and your barbarian warriors are armed well enough to deal with them, even if they do outnumber you! No, there must be some other reason for your return!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Hagen was thoroughly exhausted from Constantine¡¯s stupidity and began to scold the man for refusing to recognize reality.

    ¡°Every man was armored in a scale shirt and an iron helm. Many of them wore manica. These were no mere levies, but a well armed, and well-trained force. By themselves, they could annihte what remains of our army, especially after your disastrous campaign. However, you must be aware that we are also being pursued by the forces of Hispania. Their n is clear. They seek to trap us in the foothills of the Pyrenees and encircle us with both armies.

    If we do notbine our forces and break through one of the segments of their army, we will all die. Why else would I return to your ipetent ass!?! For once in your life, listen to the words of your allies!¡±

    Constantine was outright stunned by this news. It was simply unfeasible for Marcellus to raise such a massive, well-trained army in the span of a little over half a year. What did he do with conscript every young male capable of bearing arms and make them professional soldiers? Where did he even get the coin to finance such a massive undertaking? The man was so bbergasted by this news he could only repeat the same word over and over again.

    ¡°Impossible¡­. It is simply impossible¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    Hagen had finally had enough of Constantine¡¯s inaction, and backhanded him across the face in an attempt to bring him back to reality.

    ¡°Clearly it is possible, for we all saw it with our eyes. Now, are you going to sit here and wait to be surrounded? Or are you going to get up off your ass and find the best route to break through?¡±

    Rather than awaken Constantine from his stupor, he copsed into helplessness. He shook his head fervently, as Hagen grabbed onto his cor and stared into his mad eyes.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. I have already dispatched the bulk of my soldiers to recruit the plebeians of thend into my ranks. Yet they revolted when we tried to recruit them. In the ensuring rebellion, I lost a three thousand men. I no longer have the numbers to break through the armies who stand guard in the Pyrenees!¡±

    It was Hagen¡¯s turn to be stunned this time. He immediately tossed the fool to the ground and cursed at him in disbelief.<sub></sub>

    ¡°How the hell did you lose a thousand soldiers to a bunch of fucking farmers?¡±

    Constantine immediately backfired at Hagen¡¯s callous remarks with a hint of fury in his tone, as he got up and shoved the massive Frankish warrior aside.

    ¡°This is your fault! When you deserted along with your warriors, you destroyed what little morale my soldiers had left. Under threat of a rebellion and an encroaching army, they broke ranks and routed, stripping themselves of their gear, and fleeing to the countryside!

    I only have four thousand men left who remain loyal to me. If what you say is true, they are bound to flee the moment they hear about their impending doom. We simply do not have the capabilities to fight against Marcellus and his army!¡±

    Hagen was about to strangle Constantine, but was interrupted by an officer who rushed into the tent.

    ¡°Your majesty, there are reports of Tasius¡¯ scouts surveying our encampment. If we do not move from our position, we will be surrounded by nightfall, and will be forced to defend our current location to our deaths. We simply do not have the remaining men to prevail against our foes.¡±

    Hagen immediately calmed his fury as he picked up the cowering usurper and dusted him off. Constantine was in no state to issue his orders. As such, Hagen tookmand as he ordered the officer to do the following.

    ¡°Gather every man and every horse we can find. We march for the Pyrenees. Our only chance now is to escape to Gaul!¡±

    The soldier did not hesitate to question the orders of the Frankish Chieftain, even if he had just deserted a few days prior. He was more concerned with his immediate safety rather than the reason for the foederati¡¯s return. It didn¡¯t help that Constantine was clearly out of his wits at the moment. The officer quickly saluted Hagen before departing, leaving behind his confirmation as he did so.

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    After the officer had departed and Constantine was alone with his Foederatimander, he began to shriek in panic.

    ¡°Are you mad! Did you not just say that the mountains are guarded my Marcellus and his army? What sense does it make to go towards certain death?¡±

    Hagen was in no mood to argue and instead fiercely red before giving themand to the self-proimed emperor, who was about to soil himself in fear.

    ¡°If we stay here, we are as good as dead. At least there is a chance no matter how minute for a small portion of our forces to breakthrough if we go through the mountains. Besides, I would rather die in battle on my own terms, rather than my enemy¡¯s. Get yourself prepared. We march as soon as we are able!¡±

    In that moment Constantine could not find the strength to argue with his Foederatimander. All he could do was pray that perhaps they might get lucky, and escape with their lives. As for Hagen, he swiftly left the tent and began to rally the troops, making up an easy excuse for his return so that he can provide them with some small glimpse of hope. With the Foederati and Constantine¡¯s forcesbined, they had roughly 7,500 troops left.

    Inparison, Marcellus had split his army into groups of two legions each, for a total of 12,000 men to secure the mountain passes that wererge enough for an army of men to march through. Despite the overwhelming odds stacked against them, Hagen truly believed that there might be a chance, no matter how small, that he could escape with his life.

    Hagen knew the likelihood was that the overwhelming majority of his men would die in this battle. He just needed a single instance where he could escape back to Gaul. He doubted Marcellus would expend much effort chasing down a single Frank. If he could return to Gaul, then he could raise the Frankish forces in rebellion against Marcellus¡¯ rule.

    After all, thanks to Ordius, Hagen knew that Marcellus intended to punish all Franks for their disobedience to the crown that now belonged to him. If he could return home with such knowledge, he would be able to unite the Franks against Marcellus but also, perhaps, even the Suebi. Such arge force of barbarian warriors would be more than enough to overwhelm northern Gaul and establish a true Frankish Kingdom. Especially when Marcellus needed to focus on strengthening his grip over Hispania.

    Thus, while Marcellus sat back and waited for Constantine to fall into his trap, Hagen had already begun to n not only his escape, but his rise to power. Whether he would be able to seed was up to the gods. Still, in the mind of the Frankish Chieftain, it was better to die trying than to sit and wait for his demise. As for Constantine, Hagen had already abandoned him the moment he deserted. That fool was nothing but a useful ally, to distract Marcellus and his forces while he escaped.

 Chapter 80 Breaking Through

    Marcellus sat within his encampment while drinking from a bottle of wine. By now, word had reached him about Ordius¡¯ encounter with the Franks. He was well aware of their intentions to flee, and had calcted for the variable. It was highly likely that Hagen returned to the army and convinced Constantine to break through the mountains, in a desperate gamble to save themselves. However, things weren¡¯t so easy.

    Out of his nine legions, eight of them were guarding the major mountain passes, with thest taking up a position higher up in the hills. Regardless of which route Constantine took, there would be two legions to face him, and a third to act as reinforcements.

    Now Marcellus did not know the exact numbers of Constantine¡¯s armies, but ording to his allies in Hispania the fool had waged an unsessful campaign for control of the region and lost most of his army in his vain attempt at pursuing his so-called im to the Empire.

    What was that im? The soldiers beneath hismand considered him a better choice than Honorius, which wasn¡¯t saying much considering a half-wit would make a better candidate for an emperor than that idle fool. Aside from the support of Constantine¡¯s soldiers, the man had no real im to the throne.

    What was Marcellus¡¯ im? Conquest and marriage. It was infinitely stronger in the eyes of his peers than Constantine¡¯s. From a position of Strength Marcellus forced the Eastern Roman Empire to recognize his rule over the west. Though it was impossible to say how long they would agree to Marcellus being the western emperor, it was better than Constantine, who was unrecognized by everyone but himself.

    Whether it was by fate, or sheer bad luck, Hagen led his forces directly to where Marcellus and his personal legions were established. Even the Cataphracts were with their Emperor. In the distance, the Frankish and Gallo-Roman forces gathered, staring in disbelief that the path they had chosen was the one of most fierce resistance. Hagen immediatelyined about the situation to his scout.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°You said this was the easiest path! Does this look like the safest route to you?¡±

    The scout gazed in disbelief. Just a week prior, when he scouted out the paths, there were noticeably fewer troops here. Now it appeared as if the emperor himself was standing in the way of this path. He tried to make excuses for his failures, but since he was a Roman, he was quickly beheaded by Hagen, who held the man responsible for their inevitable failure.

    Obviously, the scout had no way of knowing that Marcellus had yed him for a fool. Marcellus decided that during his time camped out int he Pyrenees that he would rotate between the encampments. Naturally, his elite guard was right behind him, thus providing these two legions with an extra force.

    Constantine gazed in horror as the Frankish chieftain beheaded one of his scouts, but said nothing more. He realized the position he was in. By now, the enemy spotted their army, and even if they turned around, they would not be able to find another route before being intercepted by the soldiers of Hispania. Hagen swiped his bloody de in the air and flicked the filth onto the ground before boldly making his speech to the men gathered.

    ¡°The way is blocked! As are all the others! Before us stands one army, and behind us another. If we wish to survive, then we must break through. Gather your courage, and fight for your survival! Glory or death! Charge!<sub></sub>

    After saying this, thebined army of Gallo-Roman soldiers and Frankish foederati rushed forwards towards the enemy army without a care in the world. Theck of organizational efforts on the enemy¡¯s behalf immediately surprised Marcellus. There was no method to their madness, just pure chaos.

    As for Marcellus, he waved his arm, and the trumpets red, signalling to his soldiers to form ranks. Marcellus split his army into two legions. Each legion consisted of ten cohorts of infantry split into two columns, with two cohorts of cavalry nking the infantry, as well as a group of archers in the rear. Each legion had roughly 6,000 men in total and stood as a massive barrier for the enemy to cross through.

    While his warriors rushed forward and to their deaths, Hagen stayed at the rear with his elite guard, along with Constantine and what remained of his ptini. The usurper gazed in horror as his army of roughly 7,500 men rushed towards the enemy without a thought in mind. He looked over at Hagen and questioned the man¡¯s stupidity.

    ¡°That¡¯s your n? To charge recklessly into the enemy¡¯s formation! He is using the old Marian system. With such well-equipped forces, our army is doomed. This is going to be a ughter!¡±

    Hagen red at Constantine as if he was looking at an utter fool before snapping the reins and riding off. He did not even bother to exin his reasons. Constantine was forced into a situation, follow the Frankish Chieftain, or lead his soldiers to their deaths. Naturally, he chose the former, and instantly rode after the man, along with what little cavalry he had left.<sub></sub>

    Hagen¡¯s n was simple: send his army to their deaths, while he and his men rode up a more treacherous path. Though it was narrow and risked being crushed by falling rocks. It was unprotected. Why was it unguarded? Because it was impossible to march an army through the path. However, it was still entirely possible for a few dozen men to safely cross, if they were lucky.

    Thus while Marcellus¡¯ army battled the reckless stupidity of Constantine¡¯s forces, the usurper, and his Foederatimander absconded among the chaos. Not realizing that there was another legion in the mountains above waiting to intercept them.

    The Frankish warriors charged like rabid hounds towards the roman shieldwall. Arrows and plumbatae alike fell upon them, riddling them with holes, and iming their lives. Rtively few men wore body armor, and with such overwhelming missile fire it was impossible to block everything.

    Despite the deaths of hundreds of men, the remainder of the army boldly charged through the rain of arrows and war darts into the ranks of the enemy. The Gallo-Roman soldiers werepletely unaware that their emperor had abandoned them from behind.

    To Marcellus, this battle was too easy, and thus he sat back and orderedmands. With the use of gs, he signalled for his front line to slowly recede back into the hills while the nks surrounded the enemy.

    The Cataphracts circled around the hillside and into the rear undefended mob of barbarians and traitors, skewering them with their couchednces. When stuck between a wall of heavy infantry and four cohorts of heavy cavalry, the enemy forces had nowhere to retreat. As men tried to break away from the chaos, they were cut down by the roman spathae.

    What was supposed to be a battle turned into a massacre as the Roman forces continued to hold their formation and stab away at the torsos of every enemy they came across. With an oval shield in one hand, and a spatha in the other, the Romans worked like a well-oiled machine as they surrounded the enemy, pushed them back with their shields, and shoved their noric steel des into the enemy¡¯s abdomens, spilling their guts out onto the floor, along with all the blood and bile their body contained.

    Marcellus favored the double envelopment, and against an army that attacked without a care for tactics, it was extremely simple to pull off. Before the usurper¡¯s army even knew it, they were surrounded on all sides and being cut down like a bunch of whelps. Marcellus red in disdain as he witnessed the fall of the usurper and his army. It turned out he did not even need the support of the soldiers of Hispania.

    While his army was being torn asunder, Constantine gazed in horror at the narrow steps above. He was forced to abandon his horse and hug the cliff side, like he had watched Hagen and his men do before him. The path was too narrow and too steep for a mount to trudge through. The man¡¯s heart bled as the army he spent so long cultivating was annihted without mercy. Hagen, on the other hand, saluted his men as they fell to the Roman des.

    ¡°I will reunite with you all in Wuotan¡¯s hall soon enough!¡±

    Unlike the Gallo-Romans, the Franks knew they were walking into their deaths. Yet they proudly did so. They were more than willing to exchange their lives so that their Chieftain and their most elite soldiers had a chance to escape. Thus, they fought with everything they had to kill as many Romans as possible on their way to the next life.

    However, that was easier said than done. The Romans had twoyers of protective armor. On the outside was their lorica squamata, which was a thick vest of iron scales. Below this vest was a form of padded armor, akin to a gambeson called a subarmalis. It was made of either quilted leather or textiles. If the Frank¡¯s spears got passed the Roman shields, then they would soon find themselves stopped by this protective barrier.

    Thus, despite their best efforts, only a few hundred of Marcellus¡¯ warriors fell in battle. By the time the Usurper¡¯s forces werepletely annihted, Constantine and Hagen were nowhere to be found among the corpses, thus outraging Marcellus as he yelled towards his soldiers to locate his target.

    ¡°Where is he? Where is the usurper?¡±

    A centurion who was tasked with checking the corpses shook his head in disbelief as he announced his failure.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your majesty, but he is nowhere among the dead¡­¡±

    Marcellus forcibly calmed his wrath as he issued new orders to his army.

    ¡°Send word to all troops to scour the mountains. I want that bastard found, and brought to me alive!¡±

    Thus, a massive manhunt was about to take ce in the Pyrenees. As for the dead, those who weren¡¯t a part of Marcellus¡¯ army were left for the wolves.

 Chapter 81 Hunting the Usurper

    The battle between Marcellus and Constantine¡¯s forces turned into a ughter. In reality, Marcellus was unaware of how much the usurper¡¯s forces had been drained during his failed bid to invade Hispania. Thus, he was vastly over-prepared for this so-called campaign.

    However, Marcellus did not expect that Constantine would send his army to their deaths, and used the resulting chaos to escape. As a matter of fact, the emperor was furious when he found out that Constantine had slipped from his grasp. Though he did not immediately know how the man had aplished it, he had quickly sent word to all fifty-four thousand men in his army to scour the nearby mountains for any sign of the man.

    Currently Constantine was huddled under a rock cropping, as a century of Roman soldiers passed by above. He was so nervous that he had bitten his tongue in order to ensure his silence. As for Hagen and his men, they were hidden nearby, on the other side of the ravine, under their own cover.

    The Roman soldiers stopped as they came to the ledge and saw that there was a narrow path leading up the cliff¡¯s side. Though it was treacherous, it was entirely possible that the usurper had used it to escape. Thus, the centurion in charge of the unit quickly called out to one of his men and gave him an order.

    ¡°Ride off and inform the Emperor that we may have found the route that the usurper used to escape. Request that he dispatch more forces to this area. If Constantine followed this route, he should not be far.¡±

    The messenger quickly nodded his head and saluted his centurion before hopping on his horse and riding off towards where Marcellus was currently resting. As for the Constantine, he and his men did not move a muscle in fear that the slightest disturbance would reveal themselves.<sub>.</sub>

    However, in the next moment Constantine gazed in horror as a scorpion crawled from the top of the cliff onto the helmet of one of his nearby soldiers. He tried to motion towards the man that there was a poisonous insect on top of his head, but the soldier merely looked at his ¡°emperor¡± as if he had lost his mind.

    In the next moment, the bug crawled down on to his neck and stung the man. Causing him to yelp and lose his footing. The soldier fell over the edge, and down to his death, which the nearby Romans noticed. The Centurion in charge quickly unsheathed his de and cried out to his unit.

    ¡°They¡¯re hiding under the cliffs!¡±

    Having been spotted, Hagen and his men rushed out from their position and engaged with the Roman soldiers before they could prepare a proper formation. The century of soldiers from Marcellus¡¯ army and the Frankish barbarians shed against one another on the edges of the cliff above.

    A Frankish warrior wearing a bear¡¯s skin rushed toward the Centurion, who responded by firmly kicking the man in the chest and pushing him over the edge. After killing that warrior, the centurion brought his spatha to the nearest man¡¯s chest, shoving his de deep into the frank¡¯s heart. He quickly called out to his men to form ranks as he the Frankish warriors began to overwhelm the Roman numbers.<sub></sub>

    Like the legions of the principate, Marcellus men formed an exceptional war machine when they worked together. However, they werecking in individualbat. It was all too easy for the lifelong warriors of the franks to overwhelm their enemies once they were out of formation.

    As a result, over a dozen Romans had fallen in the short time since the engagement began. Ultimately, the remaining Romans quickly fell into formation, forming a shield wall that surrounded Hagen and his men while pushing them closer and closer to the edge.

    The Frankish chieftain began to sweat profusely as he looked behind him to see that he and his men were about to be shoved off the mountainside to their deaths. However, he quickly realized that they were surrounded, and if they could not break through the Roman century, then they were as good as dead.

    It was at this moment that Constantine mustered his courage and led his few bodyguards out of the opposite ravine. Hagen was relieved when he saw this, however, he began to curse his very existence when he saw that Constantine and his men did note to aid him, instead they had run off. Leaving the Franks to their fate. Seeing that he was about to be left behind, Hagen quickly called out in the loudest voice he could muster.

    ¡°Look at the usurper! He¡¯s behind you!¡±<sub></sub>

    The centurion instantly responded to this by looking behind him, and catching Constantine red handed. This ultimately forced the coward to fight, as he could not escape now that he had been spotted. Constantine cursed beneath his breath for Hagen¡¯s disloyalty and unsheathed his de before charging at the Romans from behind.

    He only had about a dozen men with him, and thus the Legionaries in the rearmost line quickly spun around to deal with Gallo-Romans while the rest of the soldiers continued to push Hagen and his Frankish warriors off the ledge.

    Those who were lucky fell to the des of the Romans, their abdomens pierced by the length of the noric steel spathas. Others had to fall down the edge of the mountain and into the ravine below. Sttering on the rocks like a ttened pancake.

    One by one Constantine¡¯s men fell by his side until he was all alone, and surrounded by angry Romans, he quickly threw his sword to the side and surrendered, seeing no other option to escape with his life.

    ¡°I yield!¡±

    The Centurion sneered in disdain before backhanding Constantine so hard he fell unconscious. He spared no time to bind up the man with rope. All the while, Hagen and his men continued to be pressed to the edge. Bodies fell to the des, and others were pushed off the ledge. Until finally, only Hagen remained. He refused to fall to his death and instead tossed his shield to the side, as a Roman legionary stuck his de into the man¡¯s gut.

    Blood seeped from the man¡¯s mouth as he fell to his knees, gazing up at his killer with a fierce look of determination in his eyes. He was about to say something about the gods when he was interrupted by a stern kick into his open wound, sending him over the edge in disbelief.

    His fall felt like itsted for minutes, despite it only taking seconds, however in those moments he saw something shocking. Whether it was reality, or simply the fever dream of a dying man. In hisst moments Hagen witnessed the Valkyries descend from the cliff side, and fly towards him while reaching out for his hands. He could not help but muster thest bit of his strength to grab towards the valkyrie¡¯s while speaking of his excitement in a very feeble voice.

    ¡°I can see them¡­ The valkyries! They¡¯reing for me!¡±

    Immediately after saying these words, he crashed against a rock, and sttered onto its t surface. The Frankish Chieftain was well and truly dead. As for The Romans, they had gotten the man they came for, and killed the rest just as they were ordered.

    By now Constantine had recovered consciousness only to find that he was not able to kill himself because the Romans had bound and gagged him. Marcellus arrived on the scene shortly after, along with an army of soldiers. When he witnessed the sight of the usurper struggling on the ground, and the in men by his side, he grinned maliciously before calling out to the man who had caused him much grief over the past two years.

    ¡°I presume you must be Constantine. Though this is our first time meeting in person, it is by no means our first encounter, wouldn¡¯t you say? Do not worry, I won¡¯t have youshed to a cross just yet. I have other ns in mind for you. Men secure the usurper. You have done well. As for you, Centurion, I believe a reward is in order. Consider yourself promoted to Tribune!¡±

    The Centurion, who had overseen the capture of a usurper, and the elimination of his army¡¯s remnants, was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately saluted his Emperor before speaking themon battle cry his soldiers yelled.

    ¡°Ave, true to Augustus!¡±

    Marcellus was pleased. Now that Constantine was taken care of, he had matters to attend to in Hispania before returning home. Though Tasius had sworn loyalty to him in order to gain Rome¡¯s support in removing Constantine as a threat, Marcellus was unsure if the man would keep his word and reincorporate the region into the Empire.

    Thus, despite the victory achieved on this day, Marcellus still needed to descend into Hispania and deal with the Theodosian loyalists once in for all. Whether that was through brutal conquest or skilled diplomacy, that remained to be seen.

    However, with Constantine¡¯s capture, Gaul and Britannia had fallen back into Western Rome¡¯s control. Or at least in name. It would still take some time to dispatch legions into thosends to secure them until a local force could be raised.

 Chapter 82 Restoring an Empire

    The battle was over, and the usurper was captured. Now within the custody of Marcellus, Constantine found himself well guarded and protected. He was a valuable prize, one that Marcellus nned to march through the streets of Ravenna, much like how Aurelian had done to the Queen Zenobia after he had defeated her, and her breakaway empire.

    As for the control of Gaul and Britannia, Marcellus immediately dispatched four legions to secure the regions. With Constantine¡¯s forces annihted, a few garrisons would mostly protect the area. Leaving them open to Germanic conquest, something that Marcellus did not n to let happen.

    Four Legions, two for Gaul and two for Britannia, would depart from their army under themand of Ordius, who would secure Gaul for his emperor, until a propermander could be ced in charge of the region. As for Britannia, it was to be led by Primus. In the current state of affairs, Western Rome had turned into a military dictatorship where the different provinces were led by military governors.

    As for Marcellus, he would lead the remainder of his troops down the Pyrenees and into Hispania, where he nned to meet with Tasius and negotiate the region¡¯s reincorporation into the Empire. Thus, after saying his farewells to his Generals, Marcellus did just that.

    Tasius was not far behind Constantine and his army when the battle took ce, and in reality, he had posted his soldiers at the bottom of the foothills when he realized that the battle was over. The message was clear: Marcellus would not advance into Hispania without his permission.<sub>.</sub>

    Upon seeing this, Marcellus knew their alliance hade to an end, and either a new one would have to be negotiated, or one army would have to be defeated. Naturally, Marcellus had the upper hand, as his army wasrger, better equipped, and better trained. However, such a battle would be a costly affair, and would diminish his overall military strength, which he needed to deter the Eastern Roman Empire from attacking him.

    With this in mind, he decided to at least attempt a peaceful negotiation. The two men met up in between their armies, guarded by their own elite troops. Tasius gazed upon Marcellus with a hint of disdain in his brown eyes.

    He knew who Marcellus was, and how he ruled. Marcellus was a military dictator, a despot who had overthrown the rightful emperor, and nowmanded his territory through the might of his legions. Under an all-powerful and brutal dictator, Rome had no chance to flourish. Or so Tasius thought. Thus, he did not bow to Marcellus and instead uttered his contempt for the man.

    ¡°So the despot of Ravenna who rules with an iron fist has finally entered my people¡¯snds. To what purpose do I owe the displeasure?¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus sneered at the man, it was clear that neither of them had very much respect for one another, thus the emperor spoke with venom as he addressed the man¡¯s question.

    ¡°A lowly bootlicker dares to question my benevolence? Truly amusing. I¡¯ll have you know I havee to Hispania to reincorporate it into the Empire. With the capture of Constantine, and the demise of his army, Gaul and Britannia now fall under my control. I am here to ensure that thest piece of the puzzlees together.¡±

    Tasius scoffed when he heard Marcellus¡¯ demand. He did not very much care for the man. He decided to make his demands then and there.

    ¡°You will hand over the girl cidia, so we can ensure her safekeeping until she can be safely shipped to her family in Constantinople. You will recognize Hispania as a part of the Eastern Roman Empire. For this, I will allow you to continue your facade of being an emperor in Ravenna.¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus immediately broke out intoughter when he heard these words. He could hardly believe what he just listened to. Was this man daft? What kind of ego was this? How could he possibly make demands of Marcellus with such a paltry force behind him? Marcellus instantly pointed back towards his army and scolded the man for his arrogance.

    ¡°You see that? That is an army of thirty thousand legionaries under mymand who will not hesitate to cut you and your pathetic army into pieces should I give the order. I suggest you realize the position you are in. Hispania is a part of the west, as decreed by Constantine the Great. You have no right to depart from my rule and swear fealty to the boy emperor and his cunt of a mother.

    I suggest you recognize the position you are in, and spare the lives of your soldiers. Because I will not give up Hispania. You will kneel before me and recognize me as your emperor, or you will die fighting for a dead man. It is your choice.¡±

    Tasius spat on the ground in disgust and spoke the words most prominent in his mind.

    ¡°I will not bow before a despot, we will fight you until the e-¡°

    Before he could finish his sentence, a member of his host unsheathed his de and stuck it through the back of the man¡¯s neck, killing him on the spot. He died with shock in his eyes, and a sense of hatred for Marcellus. The killer kneeled before Marcellus and stuck his bloody de into the ground as he lowered his head in submission.

    ¡°The legions of Hispania kneel before you, Emperor Marcellus.¡±

    Marcellus wiped the blood from his face as he gazed upon the soldiers with amusement. One by one, they all kneeled before him. Whether it was fear thatpelled them to submit, or admiration Marcellus did not know. Perhaps gazing upon the army he had mustered sent those who were more interested in military matters than politics to turn against their master.

    After all, what Marcellus represented was a military strength that the West had not seen in some time. There was also another possibility, and that was the soldiers beneath Tasius¡¯mand thought his demands were equally unreasonable as Marcellus. Either way, with the old fool out of the way, Hispania was now in Marcellus¡¯ grasp, and thus the Western Roman Empire was restored. Marcellus gazed upon his new troops and issued a speech unto them with a passionate re in his olive green eyes.

    ¡°The Western Roman Empire is now unified. I know many of you have questions about my leadership, but I promise you, should you follow my orders and defend thends of the Empire, I will restore to you all a world which we have lost as Romans. Tasius was a fool, incapable of seeing the necessity of my rule. I vow that I shall reign as the supreme authority in the west until a time where such centralized control is no longer necessary.

    Like Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus before me, I am fully willing to give up the power I currently have, once I have ensured this crisis that befalls ournds pass us by, and the Empire is stable, peaceful, and prosperous once more. Though the west is reunified after years of conflict, there are still many barbarians who trespass on ournds and wreak havoc across the realm.

    Take up the sword for me, and I promise to drive the Germans, the Huns, and any other barbarian group who threatens our Empire from ournds. After I have done that, and secured the West for future generations, I will march on the East, and force them to unify with the West once more.

    Stay with me, and I promise you all, a brilliant future for not only your children, or your grandchildren, but your Great Grand children and all their descendents. I fight not for myself, or my future offspring, but for all of Rome! Now rise, sons of Rome, and reim your destiny!¡±

    After hearing this speech, the tens of thousands of soldiers, both from Hispania, and Marcellus¡¯ own forces, rose from their knees and unsheathed their de shouting battle cries in to the air. Marcellus¡¯ speech had convinced a fair deal of those who were hesitant to follow him, that he was the right man to rule over Rome during this time of crisis.

    Though they were not yet aware of the transformation that was urring in Italia, his words fired them up. Each man standing in the foothills of the mountains was willing to fight and die for this dream to be a reality. For too long, Rome had been declining without any hope in sight. Yet in this time of darkness, a light had shone through, and won over the hearts and minds of every man present.

    With Tasius¡¯ death, Marcellus would have a hard time finding a recement for him, that could rule the region in his stead. But that was a problem for another day. Now he just wanted to celebrate his victory, and the reunification of the Western Roman Empire.

 Chapter 83 Titus Claudius Marcellus Must Die!

    Yazdegerd stared at the report in his hands, which trembled with rage. He could hardly believe what he was reading. Previously, he had an agreement with Tasius that would see cidia safely withdrawn from Ravenna and returned to her family. As far as the Eastern Roman Empire was concerned, the uing marriage between the girl and her fiance, Titus udius Marcellus, was one of coercion and was thus illegitimate.

    Aside from safekeeping cidia, Hispania was supposed to join the East. It was nned to be the staging point for the Eastern Roman Army for their attack on Marcellus. None of these things had gone as nned, Tasius was dead, and his soldiers had dered Marcellus Emperor. Marcellus was still in the act of returning to Ravenna, but Yazdegerd¡¯s spies had already sailed from Hispania to Constantinople to give him notice of what had transpired in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

    Constantine was captured by Marcellus, and what fate awaited him when they arrived in Ravenna was unknown. One thing was certain, the Western Roman Empire had been fully restored, and under Marcellus¡¯ rule, no less. This did not bode well for Yazdegerd, or his young charge, Theodosius II. It was clear by Marcellus¡¯ actions that he intended to fortify his position, strengthen his control, and revitalize his economy.

    However, what came next? Was the man truly content ruling over the West alone? Though Yazdegerd was unaware of the entire contents of the speech that was given, his spies seemed to report that he nned to head east in the near future.

    While Yazdegerd was confident that he had the means to defend himself from the west, it was disturbing that the western Army had recovered slightly. Though it only had nine legions at itsmand, and a bunch of Gothic barbarians. It would not be long before Marcellus restored all the old legions. A few years at best and he would have twenty odd some legions at hismand. Now that would be a threat to his rule.<sub>.</sub>

    With this in mind, Yazdegerd had made contact with the various patricians in the West who were upset with Marcellus¡¯ rule. Naturally, with his rise to power, Marcellus had upset many prominent figures. After all, he followed nows or traditions, and enacted new policies as he saw fit. In the eyes of many such actions were unbing of an Emperor and was more like those of a tyrant.

    Yazdegerd forced himself to calm down, before turning around and gazing at the Western Patricians with a smile on his rugged face. He had treated these guests of his with the utmost courtesy as they dined upon the greatest delicacies from both Eastern Rome and the Sassanid Empire. Evidently they were satisfied as the men gathered all had wide smiles on their faces. Thus, Yazdegerd chose the opportune moment to coerce them into bing his pawns.

    ¡°Titus udius Marcellus must die! His reign of terror muste to an end if the Western Roman Empire has any hope of survival. He has abolished the senate and butchered its members. He has appropriated yournds for his uses, and he ces his military officers in political positions that by right should be yours.

    Sure, the man spins a pleasant tale for themon people to buy into. Follow me, and I will restore Rome to its former glory! Yet, he has spit in the face of every Romanw and tradition that dates back centuries. I heard he even erected the old Altar of Victory in the Senate building! He is clearly a godless heathen. As good Christian men, it is your duty to eliminate this threat to your way of life!¡±<sub></sub>

    The various men gathered all, lifted their sses and cheered for the regent, who currently ruled over the Eastern Roman Empire.

    ¡°I agree, the man is nothing more than a military dictator, he must be eliminated!¡±

    ¡°Death to tyrants!¡±

    ¡°The Senate must be restored!¡±<sub></sub>

    ¡°Unholy heathens must be purged! Only God is the truth and the light!¡±

    Yazdegerd grinned sadistically when he heard these men were so eager to kill Marcellus. Thus, he would use them, and their vastworks of contacts, to get rid of the thorn in his side once and for all. With Marcellus¡¯ death, he could ce his charge, Theodosius, as the Emperor of the West and East, uniting the two halves of the Empire once more, with him as its regent. Of course, he would not tell the men gathered that was his goal. Thus, he made the entire meeting about deposing a tyrant.

    He had to admit, Marcellus had done him a huge favor. By stabilizing the realm and taking out Constantine, Marcellus had ensured that he could inherit the entire Western Roman Empire with few internal troubles. There was just one little obstacle he had to get rid of, and that was Marcellus himself. It was with this in mind that he stoked the fury of the western Patricians while their emperor was returning from war.

    ¡°I have gathered you all here today, because you are men of prominence in the West. I need each one of you toe together, and help met get rid of the man. We will make use of my contacts, and yours, to assassinate the man in the streets when he returns from his campaign in Hispania. In the middle of his little victory parade, an assassin of your choosing will shoot a poison arrow into his body. From the moment it breaks his skin, he will be a dead man!¡±

    The sycophantic patricians pped like trained seals as they heard this suggestion. It was best to maintain usible deniability in a situation like this. However, one man in particr sat in the back of the room and observed the conversation with keen insight.

    Though he was a Patrician who had lost a family member to Marcellus¡¯ purge of the Senate, and whose family¡¯s influence had declined as a result of Marcellus¡¯ policies, he was a man who was actually secretly supporting Marcellus. He was Frumentarii and had infiltrated the ranks of the conspirators who hid in the shadows.

    The man¡¯s name was Octavianus Aedinius Velius, and though initially he was against Marcellus¡¯ rise to power, he quickly changed his tune when he saw the extent that the man had aplished in such little time. In times past, the Roman Republic would elect a dictator during a time of crisis. This man would assume full authority and save the Republic from its imminent demise. In the end, he would give up his power and return to his status as a normal citizen.

    Obviously, the days of the Republic were long past, and thest dictator who was elected was named Julius Caesar, who refused to give up his power. However, after decades of decline and internal strife. Velius was now convinced that a dictator was needed to save the Empire from its copse. Especially after witnessing what could be achieved when a benevolent man assumed such a position.

    Although Marcellus had risen to his position through violent rebellion, he was left with no choice, and ultimately never desired to be emperor in the first ce. It was because of this that Velius was convinced that Marcellus would ultimately give up his power when he was no longer needed. Unbeknownst to Yazdegerd I, he had invited one of Marcellus¡¯ spies into his mix, and he took note of every suggestion that was put forward to eliminate the man.

    However, he made sure not to catch any unwanted attention, and continued to nod his head and voice his agreement with the rest of the conspirators. Thus, even Yazdegerd¡¯s keen eyes could not spot the rat among them. Yazdegerd I had a vicious smirk on his face as he continued to win over the favor of the conspirators with vilenguage directed at Marcellus.

    ¡°Though I wish I could capture the man alive and have him tortured on end for months. Unfortunately, killing a dictator and capturing one alive are twopletely different things. It is likely that our little assassin isn¡¯t going to survive to see his payment. I wouldn¡¯t mind personally digging my de into the man¡¯s flesh. s, I will have to settle for knowing he is dead, and can no longer threaten our Empire!¡±

    Yazdegerd used the words ¡°our empire¡± despite being from the Sassanid Empire. This was another way he could get the conspirators to feel like he was on their side, and they ate it up. They had no idea that if their assassination attempt failed, he would use these men as a scapegoat.

    Velius could hardly prevent himself from sighing at the idiocy of the men surrounding him. If these were the type of men who held power in Rome, then it was no wonder why it had declined to such a state. They were utter fools, blinded by greed and avarice. Only Velius could see what kind of serpent Yazdegerd was, and he made sure to keep his interactions with him to a minimum during the duration of his stay in Constantinople. Velius would dispatch wordter that night to Sigefrida about what was discussed in this meeting.

 Chapter 84 Striking First

    Sigefrida looked at the note in her hand with a concerned gaze on her pretty face. She had received word from her Frumentarii embedded in the ranks of the Conspirators that they were plotting alongside Yazdegerd I to assassinate Marcellus.

    The n was simple. Marcellus would undoubtedly be parading Constantine through the streets when he returned from his campaign. When that happened, the conspirators nned to use an assassin to eliminate him with a poisoned arrow.

    This was an insidious n, but more importantly, it would be exceptionally difficult to prevent. For starters, it was impossible to know who this assassin was without an identity being revealed by the Frumentarii prior to the assassination attempt.

    Her agents would have to voluntarily expose themselves if they wanted to get this information in time to prevent the attack. This simply wasn¡¯t an option. Sigefrida had spent great effort infiltrating the conspirators and would not reveal her hand so soon.

    The other option she had was to beef up security for the event. However, this would again prove difficult, as an average romanposite bow had an effective range of 230 meters. The assassin could take up a position at any point overlooking the parade and strike without alerting the guards. By the time the poison entered Marcellus¡¯ bloodstream, it would be toote to save him.

    The Suebi beauty bit her nails in anxiety as she struggled toe up with a solution to this problem. As she did so, the door to her room opened to reveal one Ga cidia. The young woman gazed at Sigefrida with a hint of envy in her eyes.

    She knew that the barbarian women was sleeping with her fiance, but she could not bring herself to request that the man put a stop to such activities. Thus, the young woman had decided to confront Marcellus¡¯ concubine while he was away at war. Sigefrida immediately noticed cidia¡¯s arrival and sighed heavily before speaking to her.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure¡­¡±

    cidia red at Sigefrida before walking up to her and getting in her face. Compared to Sigefrida, who was a tall and busty barbarian woman, the not yet fully developed roman girl was considerably smaller, so much so that Sigefrida found itughable that she was trying to be intimidating. Yet she did not reveal this, and instead gazed sternly at cidia as the girl made her demands.

    ¡°I want you to stay away from Marcellus from now on. Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know what you two get up to at night, and I must say as his fiancee I do not approve. I have watched that man pine after you for years, and yet he has chosen me to be his bride. Thus, I will not allow you to steal him away from me now that he is finally in my grasp.¡±

    Sigefrida gazed at cidia with a look of pity in her eyes, though she wanted to tell the girl the only reason Marcellus was marrying her was because of politics, she stayed her tongue, after all she had far more important matters to attend to, things that were much more dire than the petty jealousy of a teenage girl. Sigefrida merely sighed as she expressed these exact thoughts to cidia in an attempt to shoo her away.

    ¡°cidia, as much as I respect you, I have to say I don¡¯t have time for your shit right now. There are important matters of state I must attend to, and you are wasting my time. So could you please leave me alone at my work?

    No matter how much you kick and scream, I am not leaving Marcellus¡¯ side. The two of us have been in love since we were children. As much as it pains me to say this, now that Aeliana is gone, the two of us can finally be together, and a little girl like you isn¡¯t going to change that.¡±<sub></sub>

    cidia could only curl her fists in rage, as she wanted to scream at Sigefrida at the top of her lungs. However, she remained calm. After all, she would be the Empress soon, and she needed to maintain her dignity. All she did was give a hateful gaze to Sigefrida as she backed out of the room and left behind some cryptic words.

    ¡°We will see about that!¡±

    With this, the girl disappeared from Sigefrida¡¯s sight, no doubt to go off and scream into her pillow about how unfair life was. What would she know about fairness? The girl was born with a golden spoon in her mouth as the younger sister to the previous emperor.

    If Marcellus did not need the girl as his wife, Sigefrida would have been far more harsh with her treatment. While cidia may have been watching Marcellus pursue Sigefrida all these years, Sigefrida had watched cidia pursue Marcellus. Naturally, she knew of the girl¡¯s envy, but had never dared to bring it up.

    However, Sigefrida had more important things to attend to and immediately sought after the leader of her Frumentarii, a man by the name of Falconius. The man quickly responded to the summons and entered Sigefrida¡¯s quarters, where he stood at attention. Since Sigefrida could not protect Marcellus from Eudoxia¡¯s assassins, she decided to take an offensive position where she quickly inquired about the feasibility of her n.

    ¡°Falconius, answer me this to what extent are your Frumentarii¡¯s assassination capabilities?¡±<sub></sub>

    This question startled the man, but he quickly answered it with a firm resolve in his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯d say our assassins are well trained. Why do you ask?¡±

    Sigefrida stared sternly at the man before asking another question.

    ¡°How would you say they farepared to frence assassins? Or those of our rivals?¡±

    Falconius thought about it for a while beforeing up with a proper estimation of their strength.

    ¡°I would say they are better than frencers, and slightly below the agents of the East. However, my question remains, why do you ask? Is there something you need me to do?¡±

    Sigefrida smiled and nodded her head as she handed the report she had received from Velius over to the man. She gave a brief summary of its content before stating her response to these actions taken by her rivals.

    ¡°Our enemies in the east have decided to plot with our conspiring patricians to assassinate our emperor when he returns from his campaign to eliminate the usurper. Since I can not find out the identity of the assassin, they will be choosing to undertake the task, nor can I adequately protect the Emperor from such a threat, I have decided to strike first. I want every man and woman who has dipped their hands into the art of assassination to be silently taken out behind the scenes.

    If we kill enough assassins, it will act as a proper deterrence for any frencer who even thinks of taking this job, forcing Yazdegerd I to use one of her own assassins for the job. This will make it much easier to identify and apprehend them before they canmit the attack.

    As for the Eastern Roman Empire, eliminate one of their Generals as retaliation for this dastardly plot. I want them to know the price they have to pay for conspiring against Marcellus. For every attempt they make on my man¡¯s life, I will ensure they lose a general. If they still desire to assassinate Marcellus, the east will soon find itselfpletely without military leadership. What do you think of my n? Is it feasible?¡±

    Falconius thought about this prospect for several seconds, before giving an answer to the woman¡¯s question.

    ¡°Only a woman could be so ck-hearted towards her enemies. Alright, I will give the orders to my men. I will make sure that every frence assassin in the Western Roman Empire is silently taken care. As for the General you wish to eliminate, do you have a candidate in mind?¡±

    Sigefrida wore a sinister sneer on her pretty pink lips as she condemned a man to death by simply uttering his name.

    ¡°Aulus Pontidius Frugi¡±

    Falconius was startled by this news. The woman wanted to take out the Magister Militum of the East. This was not a simple task to aplish, but if done sessfully, would cause serious damage to the ranks of the Eastern Roman Army. After thinking about it for a moment, the man bowed his head before responding in affirmation to his orders.

    ¡°I will see it done¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sigefrida nodded her head before shifting her gaze out the window and into the moonlit sky above. A single phrase escaped her lips as she responded to the man¡¯s im.

    ¡°See to it that you do¡­¡±

    With this said Falconius was dismissed, and begun to give out Sigefrida¡¯s orders to the agents of the Frumentarii. A bloodbath would soon ur as assassins mysteriously vanished from the borders of the Western Roman Empire. Unknowingly, while Marcellus was away at war, the love of his life had condemned hundreds if not thousands of men to their fates. Had he known she was capable of such cruelty, he would be shocked.

 Chapter 85 A Botched Assassination Attempt

    Marcellus gazed upon the city walls of Ravenna and smiled. Months had passed since he had first set out on his campaign to reunite the Western Roman Empire, and finally, he could return home as a triumphant hero. He was entirely unware of the plots against his life and thus rode atop his steed proudly through the city.

    Alongside Marcellus were the six thousand soldiers of his first legion. Though he had embarked on the campaign with nine legions of soldiers, he had returned with one. Why was this? It was because he had sent the other eight legions to the various regions of the Western Roman Empire to act as the main force in their defense. Two legions were sent to the four diocese that contained the regions of Britannia, Gaul, and Hispania.

    Though the local troops of Hispania had sworn their allegiance to Marcellus, he needed his own forces present in the region to ensure their loyalty, and to continue their training so that they could be a proper force to be reckoned with. He would not stop until he had resurrected all thirty-three of Rome¡¯s ancient legions. Perhaps he would one day mount an expedition to Germania in search of the lost eagle that was never recovered.

    As for the other Diocese, such as Italiae, Pannoniarum, and Africae, they were currently under the protection of a mixture of Roman Legionaries and Barbarian Foederati. Marcellus still intended to make use of the Goths, as per their treaty, and had thus dispatchedrge numbers of them to North Africa and Italia.

    Sarusmanded the troops in Italia, while ric led the forces in Pannoniarum. As for the Foederati in North Africa, they were under the orders of ric¡¯s brother-inw, Athaulf. Thus, for the time being, the Western Roman Empire had sufficient forces in ce to protect its borders. Though much warfare would have to be waged in Gaul to drive the Franks, Vandals, and Suebi from thends. Something Marcellus had faith that Ordius could aplish.

    Marcellus rode through the city¡¯s gates at the front of his Legion¡¯s formation. In one of his hands was the rope that was tied to Constantine¡¯s hand bindings, which dragged him through the streets. The man had been stripped naked and was propelled forward by the sting of a whip. Marcellus smiled and waved with his free hand as he brought forth his prize through the streets of his capital.

    The citizens of Ravenna cheered for the triumphant return of their emperor and jeered at the usurper, who was now bound and whipped through the city¡¯s streets. Marcellus was entirely unaware that on a rooftop above a man was dipping an arrow in poison, before stringing it to his bow.<sub>.</sub>

    Despite Sigefrida¡¯s purge of assassins, a man had made his way through the of her security. This man was a member of Yazdegerd¡¯s personal assassins. The Regent of the Eastern Roman Empire had been forced to employ his own agents in order to take out his rival. After what Sigefrida had done to Western Rome¡¯s frencers, nobody in their right mind was willing to take the job that Yazdegerd had devised.

    This assassin prepared his shot by pulling back on the bowstring and aiming towards Marcellus¡¯ exposed flesh. After all, he doubted his arrow could pierce through the thick scale armor that the Western Roman Emperor wore. Just when he was about to lose the arrow and end Marcellus¡¯ life, the door to the roof he was standing on burst open, and startled him, causing him tounch the arrow and miss his target. Instead of killing the Western Roman Emperor, the Assassin had struck Marcellus¡¯s prize, piercing through the heart of Constantine as the man struggled to believe his fate.

    Marcellus immediately reacted to this sudden urrence by dismounting from his horse, and finding himself under the protection of his legionaries, who razed their shields in a testudo formation. When the assassin realized he had failed in his tasked he cursed before switching his gaze over at the men who stood in the doorway with swords in hand. They were agents of Frumentarii who had sessfully identified the would-be an assassin, and not a moment toote.

    Before the Assassin could speak his words, he was surrounded and apprehended by the frumentarii, who made sure to gag him so that he could not bite his tongue and end his miserable life. Falconius was the man who led this arrest as he gazed upon the Eastern Roman assassin with disdain before stating the man¡¯s identity with a proud expression on his face.

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, I¡¯m not going to lie. We had a hard time finding out who that bitch would send to kill the Emperor. However, imagine my surprise when I learned the infamous Septimus Marcius Rullus was the man chosen for the task. Don¡¯t worry, we will make sure you are given a quick death. That is, after we have learned everything we can from you.¡±

    The Assassin known as Rullus screamed through his gag, but his voice was muffled. He wanted to curse these men to death, but he could not say a word. Instead, Falconius gave him a quick kick to the head before grinding the man¡¯s skull beneath his shoes.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡±

    After saying this, Falconius pointed to his frumentarii and gave them further orders.

    ¡°Take this man to the dungeons. I wish to personally interrogate him as soon as the Emperor has been informed about the current situation!¡±

    The Frumentarii saluted theirmander before carrying out their instructions. As for Marcellus, he was carefully led through the streets and into the pce,pletely surrounded by a shieldwall of his soldiers. Once he was safe and sound inside his home, he gave his orders to the men.

    ¡°Find out who is responsible for this and bring me his head!¡±

    However, before the soldiers could run off and conduct these orders, Sigefrida appeared with a calm expression on her face.<sub></sub>

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. We have already identified and apprehended the would-be assassin. It appears your enemies in the east want you dead, your majesty. Yazdegerd I has conspired with your patricians in an attempt to end your life, and assert his charge¡¯s im over your throne. I assure you that our agent, who is hiding among the conspirator¡¯s ranks, will deal with them shortly.¡±

    After saying this, Sigefrida dismissed the soldiers. She remained as cold as ice until she was alone together with the man she loved. The moment this urred, she dropped her stoic facade and rushed over to Marcellus¡¯ arms, hugging him tightly while whispering her concerns into his ears.

    ¡°I was so worried¡­ Even though I made ample preparations for this moment, the assassin remained undiscovered until thest moment. If the frumentarii had been a secondter in their arrest, you would be dead.¡±

    Marcellus was stunned that Sigefrida had known about this assassination attempt for some time, and did not warn him in advance. He quickly questioned her reasoning for this.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you warn me, if you knew about this? I could have died!¡±

    Sigefrida bit her lip in frustration before revealing her reasoning for taking such an enormous risk.

    ¡°If we had alerted you, the Assassin would have aborted the operation and made another attempt at another date. By using you as bait, we could take him alive. This way we can gain much information about Yazdegerd and his spywork! We just need to be thorough in the interrogation.¡±

    Such a response seemed logical enough, though it unnerved Marcellus to see just how well Sigefrida had settled into her position as his spymaster. If it was before, he did not believe she would so easily risk his life to apprehend an assassin. Now, she seemed to take the big picture into consideration instead of her feelings.

    Marcellus himself did not know how to feel about this change of character. Before he could inquire further about this, cidia ran into the hall and hugged him tightly. She was entirely unaware of what had just happened in the streets, and was more concerned about her fiance¡¯s return.

    ¡°You¡¯re finally home, Marcellus! I missed you so much!¡±

    It was only after gazing upon the uneasy expressions on Marcellus and Sigefrida¡¯s faces did cidia suspect something was wrong.

    ¡°What happened? Why do you both look so glum?¡±

    Marcellus sighed and wore a bitter smile before patting the young girl¡¯s head. He shook his head before denying that anything had happened. After all, he did not want to cause his fiancee to worry about such dreadful matters.

    ¡°Nothing cidia, I was just discussing something of ill importance with Sigefrida. Come, let¡¯s get something to eat. I¡¯m dying for some Alfredo.¡±

    cidia smiled and dragged Marcellus off to the dining table before giving Sigefrida an order with a sly expression on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Sigefrida would be happy to make us a meal, won¡¯t you?¡±

    Sigefrida gazed upon cidia with contempt in her eyes, before sighing and nodding her head in defeat.

    ¡°Certainly¡­¡±

    Thus Marcellus went off to have a meal with cidia,pletely ignoring the assassination attempt that was just made in his life. After all, there was not much for him to do now that the would-be assassin was in the custody of his frumentarii. All he could do was wait until the information he desired had been pried from the man¡¯s lips.

 Chapter 86 Starting a New Tradition

    Unlike the Eastern Roman Empire, who failed to assassinate Marcellus, the Western Roman Empire was more covert in their actions. Currently, Sigefrida met with a bunch of female ves. These women came from various regions of the Western Roman Empire and, like herself, were sold into very at a young age. She had a stern expression on her face as she pulled out a small key from her bosom and began to unlock the cors on the women¡¯s necks one by one.

    ¡°I am freeing each of you from the bondage that you have endured since your youth for a single purpose. It hase to my attention that our enemies in the east have a weak spot for beautiful foreign women. I intend to take advantage of this. With your freedomes a condition that you will serve in the Frumentarii for five years. Afterward you will be eligible for retirement, and given a proper wage through your tenure as an agent.

    I expect each and every one of you to fulfill your orders to the letter. Once you havepleted the terms of our little arrangement, I will release you, and you will be free to travel the Empire as free women, or you can return to your homnds assuming they still exist. Are there any questions?

    A beautiful vandal woman by the name of Guitifrida raised her hand meekly as she asked the question on her mind.

    ¡°What is the Frumentarii?¡±

    Sigefrida had forgotten that the existence of the organization was a secret, and naturally these ve women would not be familiar with it. She sighed heavily before revealing the truth behind the order.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°To put it simply, your job will be to act as agents of espionage, sabotage, and assassination deep behind enemy lines. For the next few months, you will undergo the proper training to be apetent agent. From there, you will be dispatched to different regions and will be assigned different tasks.

    I won¡¯t lie to you. The veteran members of the Frumentarii will not be happy with women being employed in their ranks. Because of this, you will be assigned your own quarters during the duration of your training. After you havepleted your training, you will be operating independently and because of that, you will not have to put up with the bullshit of the other agents, as you will answer directly to me. Are there any other questions?¡±

    A Numidian woman by the name of Kahina was the next to raise her hand. She was unnerved by the idea of acting as an assassin and was quick to ask for rification.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying we will have to kill people?¡±

    Sigefrida gazed at the woman with a hint of pity in her eyes before nodding her head in agreement.<sub></sub>

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    Kahina bit her lip in displeasure. Though she detested the idea of taking another living being¡¯s life, she ultimately persuaded herself into it. After all, killing others was better than living her life as a ve. The sheer abuse that a beauty like her had to go through at the hands of her Roman masters was unspeakable. She had been sold to a particrly sinister master and was only acquired by Sigefrida because the man was a conspirator who had been taken out by her Frumentarii.

    Upon seeing that the woman had epted her lot in life, Sigefrida sighed before trying tofort her, she herself was suddenly thrust into a position where she was responsible for the lives of others. Something she was still adjusting to, thus she could empathize with the woman.

    ¡°I know it won¡¯t be easy, but sometimes there are wicked deeds that need to be undertaken in order for the Empire to survive. By the time your training is over, you should be over the internal disgust thates with the act.¡±

    Kahina nodded her head. Though shemented the idea of killing others, it was still necessary to gain her freedom. With her agreement, there were no other questions, and thus, Sigefrida sent the women off to their training. Afterward she was all alone, as Marcellus was currently being monopolized by cidia, who had be increasingly hostile to her as the days passed.<sub></sub>

    The two women used to have a good rtionship when they had to deal with Aeliana. However, after the woman¡¯s death, their fragile alliance crumbled, and they became bitter rivals fighting for Marcellus¡¯ affection. Sigefrida bit her lip before deciding to covertly spy on the couple¡¯s actions.

    Currently Marcellus was caught by cidia, whotched onto his arm with a warm smile on her pretty face. The two of them were testing a cake recipe that Marcellus had thought up of recently. In truth, this was just a preparation for the uing wedding that Marcellus had nned. Though Marcellus desired a traditional pagan wedding, it was still too early for him to publically announce his hidden faith. The Nicene Church held significant influence over the Roman Empire, and it would not be easy to breakaway from such a stubborn faith so easily.

    As a result, Marcellus was forced to endure the Christian rights of marriage, which he personally found distasteful. To him, Christianity was a foreign Semitic religion which had reced the gods of his ancestors. He looked down upon Constantine the Great for his edit of Mn, and even more so on Theodosius I for making it the official religion of the Empire.

    Still, the marriage between him and cidia needed to happen as soon as the girl turned of age, and because of this, he was nning months in advance. He did not have the time to wait to marry the girl until a time where he could restore the Empire back to its religious roots.

    Interestingly enough, he had recently had another dream, from his past life as Frank. By now Marcellus hade to ept the possibility that these were likely not visions from the gods, but perhaps memories from another life. Truthfully, he did not care, as the more memories he had, the more he began to meld with his other identity.

    In preparation for this marriage, Marcellus had personally sought after a jeweler and requested a ring made of gold and emerald be manufactured. He had waited weeks for this essory to be constructed, and now it was finally in his hands. He just needed to find the perfect moment to gift the ring to his fiancee. A tradition he had seen in his memories from his other life.

    cidia and Marcellus were currently engorging themselves with cake while sitting on the balcony under the warm spring air. This was not an ancient roman honey cake and was instead a new invention Marcellus had derived from that aforementioned dream. It was essentially a cannoli cake, but without the chocte, instead it made use of almonds in their ce.

    cidia dined on the dish, with a wide smile on her face. She had never tasted a cake that was so delicious before. Marcellus saw this pleasant smile and decided now was the opportune moment to gift this woman with her engagement ring. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cloth which held the ring inside. He then unfurled the present to reveal the gift.

    The young woman did not expect Marcellus to be gifting her such expensive jewelry, but she had a wide smile on her face, as he ced the ring on the appropriate finger, or at least the one he remembered from his dream. He looked into the girl¡¯s eyes and smiled, forcing himself to say the romantic words he had thought up for this asion.

    ¡°cidia, this ring is a promise to you that I will make sure to take care of and love you until the day I die. You have always been a part of my family in my mind, and soon you will be mywful wife. I just wanted to gift this to you, as a form of my appreciation for sticking by me until now. Even after what happened to your brother, you continue to prove your loyalty to me, and I appreciate that.¡±

    cidia was caught up in the moment, and stared at the beauty of the ring on her finger. Though she had heard what Marcellus had said, she was too enamored with the gift to properly respond. Upon seeing the girl was happy, Marcellus smiled.

    Though he still did not have any romantic interest in the girl, as she was too much like a sister to him, he still cared for cidia and her happiness. If she would be happy by being with him, then he could endure the rtionship, even if it meant that one day they would have to be physically intimate. Eventually cidia snapped back to reality and hugged Marcellus tightly before saying the words in her heart.

    ¡°Thank you, I will treasure this ring from this day until myst!¡±

    Marcellus could only stroke the girl¡¯s dyed blonde hair and nod his head. He stared into the distance as he did so to witness Sigefrida spying on them. Upon seeing this, he could only sigh in his heart. Marcellus knew that Sigefrida did not exactly enjoy seeing the man she loved with another woman, but there was nothing he could do about it. cidia needed to be his wife, if not solely to secure his reign as legitimate.

    If only Sigefrida had been born the daughter of a wealthy patrician, perhaps then he would have married her. However, life was cruel, and nobody lived in their ideal world. Thus, he could only apologize to the womanter. He knew Sigefrida understood his actions, but the pain it caused her to see him act so romantically with cidia obviously needed to be mended.

 Chapter 87 Inventing the Blast Furnace

    Marcellus was in the middle of a bath. Days had passed since he had given cidia her engagement ring, and he had mostly spent his time since then managing the nation¡¯s affairs. Assuring that the people of his realm ced the agricultural improvements that he had designed all over the borders of the Western Roman Empire.

    He had finally gotten some reprieve and had decided to wash the sweat and grime from his body. However, when he was in the middle of the bath, enjoying its warmth, he suddenly got a major headache. In that moment He felt as if his brain was being pierced by a million needles, causing him to reel back in agony as he suffered through the ordeal. He cursed that fact that he was alone in the Pce¡¯s bath chamber, and because of this there was nobody toe to his rescue.

    Suddenly, he felt as if his mind was released from the torture as it entered into another world. While simultaneously gazing upon the scene of his bath, as if this vision was an augmented reality. He was both Frank and Marcellus at this moment while he watched the scene y out before him.

    Frank sat in the lecture hall for another one of his College history courses. It was his second year of college, and he was currently listening intently to his favorite professor as he discussed the ramifications of steelmaking in thete medieval period.

    The professor was a middle-aged man with a trimmed grey beard and short hair. The man wore a pair of sses which had a strap on the back to prevent them from falling from his head. He had disyed a diagram on the board that showed exactly how a st furnace functioned.

    He drawled on about the functions of such a critical piece of technology as many of his students fell asleep one by one. Though the man had a monotone voice, he presented the information in such a way that only Frank could find his lectures appealing. The girl seated next to him, for example, was drooling all over herptop¡¯s keypad as the professor continued his lecture.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°What is a st furnace? Well, to put it simply, it is a way to smelt crude iron into pig iron, a form of iron that is high in carbon and thus useful for steel production. The technology could originally be found in China much earlier than in Europe, though by the 14th century the technology was widespread across Germany. To this day, we use this invention, albeit on a much grander scale, to manufacture pig iron, which ultimately goes into our steel production.

    A st of furnace operates by droppings its fuel usually in the form of coke, with the metallic ores, and a flux, typically being limestone through the top of the furnace while a st of hot air is supplied through the bottom via a series of tubes called tuyeres. As the materials fall downward, they are smelted into molten metal, with a byproduct of g raising to the top of the material. As for the waste gasses, they are expelled through the top of the structure.¡±

    Frank listened to this information with an eager expression before everything went dark. After a while Marcellus came to and realized he was having difficulty breathing. During his vision, he had fallen under the surface of the water, causing him to be in his current state. Without a second thought, he quickly dragged himself out from its depths while hurling himself onto the edge of the bath as he spat out the water that had pooled up in his stomach.

    He did not know what had just happened to him. Usually these dreams urred when he was asleep, or suffered through some kind of head trauma. Yet, at this moment, he was clearly living two lives at once. Or at least the memory of another life was oveying his current reality. Just what was going on with him?

    Whatever had urred, he did not desire to stay in his bath any longer, and quickly climbed out of the pool before heading towards his quarters to dress in his armor. Having done so, he soon found himself in his room, drawing the vision from his dream, before he could forget its contents. Whatever this thing was, it must be important.<sub></sub>

    Though he failed to understand many of the words that were spoken by the professor, it did not matter so long as he could replicate the diagram that was shown on the board. Before long, he had a working blueprint. Albeit it would require some work on the part of his smiths and engineers to fully be realized in this ancient world. Still, he had high hopes, as his visions had never failed him in the past.

    After concluding this blueprint, he hollered after Sigefrida, who soon arrived in his office. The woman was curious as to why her presence was requested, but not for long, as Marcellus quickly voiced his reasoning.

    ¡°What can you tell me about the situation in Gaul and Britannia? How are Ordius and Primus faring with the locals?¡±

    Sigefrida walked over to one of Marcellus¡¯ cabs and pulled out arge map, which she sprawled across his desk before addressing her point.

    ¡°From the information I have gathered, Ordius is facing stiff resistance from the Franks, who dwell in the northeastern part of thend. They are not giving up their lives in the borders of the Empire so easily. It is my suggestion that we send some Foederati to the region to instill order and proceed with our punitive actions.¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus nodded his head in agreement before approving this suggestion.

    ¡°Indeed, more troops are needed to remove the Franks from thends. If they desired to live in the borders of the Empire, they shouldn¡¯t have backed Constantine and his im. They must be removed. We shall send 10,000 Gothic Foederati to Gaul to aid Ordius in his efforts. If the Franks resist, they can be purged. Now what about Britannia?¡±

    Sigefrida sighed as she pointed to Londinium on the map. She continued her exnation of what was transpiring in the region.

    ¡°Primus upies Londinium with his forces, and has brought the Romano-British back under your control. However, the Picts have begun to descend from Hadrians wall and attack the northernmost regions. He has responded by sending 2,000 men to the region to keep the peace, but the Picts are too many. Not enough local men had been drafted into Primus¡¯ forces.

    On top of this, word spreads of a potential Saxon invasion on the horizon. Nobody knows if these rumors are true or not, but it would appear that Britannia will be a major battlefield soon. Without proper support, Primus will not be able to defend thend.¡±

    Marcellus sighed when he heard this. If such a thing were the case, then he had more problems than the Franks in Gaul. He wondered if he should approach another Barbarian tribe, and try to recruit them as foederati. Sigefrida seemed to be of the same opinion as she voiced her idea on how to fortify Britannia aloud.

    ¡°The Suebi have broken through the Rhine and are ravaging Gaul. If they can be convinced toe to heel, we could make use of them. After all, my people are mighty warriors, though whether they can be trusted to fulfill their duties, that is another issue.¡±

    Marcellus reflected on these words for some time. He had fought the Suebi in the past, and killed two of their Chieftains. Something their people would not easily forget. On top of this, his family had taken Sigefrida as a ve, and though she was released from her bondage and was now his concubine, that was something the Suebi would not exactly be fond of.

    The Suebi were a semi-nomadic people and were among the most fierce of Germania¡¯s tribes. However, it would not be easy to gain their loyalty, especially with such factors working against him. Sigefrida could tell Marcellus was hesitant about this path, and decided to reveal some information she had never told him.

    ¡°You may not be aware of this, but my father held a fearsome reputation among the Suebi. He was a renowned warrior whomanded his own war-band and had three wives where he fathered thirteen children among them. My mother was his third wife, and he had only had me with her before he died in battle.

    Intelligence from Gaul suggests that my oldest brother, Asarulfo, is uniting the Suebi in preparation for a migration to Hispania. If he can be convinced to align with Rome, he will make for a powerful ally. However, I don¡¯t even know if that is possible. He has a bitter hatred of the Empire, and everyone in it. It will not be an easy task.¡±

    Marcellus thought about this for several minutes. He honestly did not know much about Sigefrida¡¯s family, aside from the fact that her mother and her were sold into very to his family when she was a young girl. He remembered the woman¡¯s mother and had fond memories of her. She had always looked after him as if he were her own child. Unfortunately, she passed away when they were teenagers due to illness.

    If he could gain the Suebi as an ally, perhaps he could also reconcile Sigefrida with her family. Because of this, he had decided on at least attempting to negotiate with the woman¡¯s brother as he nodded his head and expressed approval of this n.

    ¡°Very well. I will meet with this Asarulfo personally. We will see if he and his people desire to aid in the rebuilding of Rome, or be a footnote in history.¡±

    Sigefrida honestly didn¡¯t care one way or another. As far as she was concerned, Marcellus was her family. She did not even remember any of her half-siblings, or her father, for that matter. She would be surprised if they were even aware she existed. Thus, she had no intentions to follow Marcellus on his journey to Gaul, and aid in his negotiations.

 Chapter 88 Maintaining Order in Gaul

    In the borders of Roman Gaul sat a vige that was mostly inhabited by the families of the Frankish warriors who had perished in Hispania. These men and women were now in open rebellion against Marcellus¡¯ rule after besting Constantine, and ughtering his army in the Pyrenees. Ordius stood at the rear of his army. Marcellus had given him roughly 12,000 men to secure the region of Gaul and to use them as a means to remove the local Franks as punishment for their crimes.

    The Franks who had settled in Gaul, despite being foederati of Rome for decades, had sided with Constantine and his rebellion. In doing so, they had turned their backs on Rome. Marcellus was a man who would not let treason go unpunished, and as a result, he decided to expel the Franks who still dwelled within Roman borders.

    It just so happened that these Franks were unwilling to move back to Germania. After all, the other Germanic tribes were more powerful than they were. Should they return to their ancestral homnd, their peers would only bully them. As a result, an armed insurrection had taken ce in Gaul. Something Marcellus had already anticipated.

    The Frankish vigers had taken up whatever arms they had buried in rebellion against Ordius, and the new military dictatorship that was imposed upon them. They gathered in their viges, and fortified them with wagons and felled logs as makeshift defenses. Currently, Ordius and the first of his two legions were standing off on the other side of these fortifications, raining arrows down upon the vigers. As for his other legion, they were deployed under a subordinate to quell another area of unrest.<sub>.</sub>

    Ordius sighed as he saw the Franks fall to the wayside, as the raining arrows plunged into their bodies and skewered their organs. Such a pointless loss of life, or so he thought. It was evident that most of Franks¡¯ hardened warriors had died in Hispania. These men and women who currently took up arms were simple farmers. They were not the battle-hardened veterans that the Franks were renowned for. Or at least those who were west of the Rhine.

    Few men wore armor, and most used poorly maintained shields and crude spears as their weapons. Whenpared to the Ranks of the Roman Legions, they werecking in every way. At the front of these fortifications was a Roman battering ram, which was slowly bashing away at the wagons, pushing them aside so that the legionaries could break through and ughter the enemy.

    Eventually, the wagons were smashed to pieces by the hardened iron battering ram, and the Roman legions flooded into the vige like a tidal wave of red and silver, their iron scale armor glimmering under the light of the sun. Steel plunged through the flesh of the Frankish citizens and reaped their lives. Once the main defensive line had been broken, those poor souls who had rebelled quickly routed. But there was nowhere to go, as the rebels had blockaded themselves within their town. All they could do was a struggle until the bitter end.<sub></sub>

    The Legions did not break formation; they were well trained, and raised their shields as they pressed through the city. Working together in unison like a well-oiled machine as they plunged their steel spatha in to the torsos of their enemies. One by one, the Franks fell to the Roman onught. This wasn¡¯t a battle, or even a rebellion, just another ughter. Ordius could hardly gaze upon the gore, as the streets of the town flowed red with the blood of its inhabitants.

    Those who were of Gallo-Roman descent hid within their homes and boarded up their windows, doing nothing toe to the defense of their barbarian neighbors. Though Ordius didn¡¯t enjoy massacring viges, his orders were to bring the region of Gaul under his control, and as the Military Governor that was what he intended to do, no matter what the cost.

    By the time the sun set in the evening, the stench of blood and bile filled the streets. The Franks who had rebelled against Marcellus¡¯ authority lie dead, their bodies hewn across the town. There was no mercy for those who resisted the authority of the Emperor. Ordius sifted through the blood-soaked streets with a downcast expression, gazing upon the corpse of a young blonde girl who clutched a stuffed doll to her chest.<sub></sub>

    His heart bled as he witnessed the loss of such an innocent life. He wanted to condemn whatever man had put innocent children to the sword, but there way no way to find out that man¡¯s identity. Eventually, he found a group of his men surrounding a smaller group of women and girls. The women had been stripped naked, and were crying with tears as the legionaries were about to force themselves upon them. That is, until the voice of the Military Governor erupted in fury behind them.

    ¡°What is going on here?¡±

    The Centurion in charge of his unit gazed upon Ordius without the slightest sense of guilt or fear in his eyes. Instead, he wore a proud expression on his face as he held onto a girl as young as thirteen.

    ¡°Legatus? We were just taking advantage of the spoils before taking them as ves. You know how it is!¡±

    Ordius was displeased with this remark, and instantly unsheathed his de and stuck it through the man¡¯s unarmored neck. The Centurion gazed in shock as the life faded from his eyes. His soldiers were immediately frightened upon seeing this and took a few steps back. Ordius quickly gave amand to his troops as he scolded them.

    ¡°Get dressed, and keep yours hands off of the merchandise! Who gave you permission to im the spoils as your own? Are you a filthy barbarian? We are Romans! And we have rules of conduct we must abide by! You do not get to do as you please to the defeated. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    The soldiers all nodded their heads in approval as they heard this. They were too frightened to make ament on what the Legatus had said. After saying this, Ordius scowled before continuing his journey through the streets of the town.

    By now, the Gallo-Roman citizens had descended from their hiding spots and began to thank the Roman legionaries for their mercy. As for Ordius, he made sure that his Legion acted with the strictest discipline. Though this ughter could have been avoided had the Franks only done as they were told. He did not want any unnecessary cruelty to be inflicted upon them.

    Thus, while Marcellus was nning to meet with Sigefrida¡¯s eldest brother in an attempt to gain the Suebi as Foederati. Ordius begun to ensure that his troops did not behave like the Barbarians they were sent to remove. He also ensured that an unnecessary ughter like this would never happen under hismand again.

    Many of these legionaries were drunk on power after their first victory, and now believed they could behave as they damn well pleased. They would soon learn under thesh of the Legatus Gaius Licinius Ordius that this was not the case.

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 Chapter 89 Meeting with the Suebi

    Marcellus sat across from a Suebi warlord by the name of Asarulfo. This man was not only a Suebi chieftain who was gathering the ns into one giant army. He was also a veteran warrior of a hundred battles, and more importantly, Sigefrida¡¯s eldest brother. Sigefrida was in herte twenties, while this man was practically forty.

    Despite the age difference between him and Marcellus, Asarulfo had a regal appearance, one that the Roman Emperor was not expecting. On one side was a Roman Emperor garbed in purple, with gilded scale armor, on the other was the Suebi chieftain dressed in a green tunic with red embroidery, and a shirt of mail.

    Marcellus had spent weeks journeying from his capital of Ravenna to the borders of Gaul, where Asarulfo and his war-band currently lie. After a brief scuffle between Marcellus messengers and the warriors of the Suebi tribe, the two men had decided to meet outside the city of Lugdunum. A safe enough distance away from Roman forces that the Suebi would not feel threatened, while still close enough to the city for Marcellus to feel secure.

    The two men did not speak for many moments. Instead, they sized one another up, determining the value of each other¡¯s character by sheer virtue of appearance. Though Marcellus¡¯ armor was gilded, there were serious signs of wear on it. It was clear that until recently, the Roman Emperor was a man who fought on the front lines. Something that surprised Asarulfo as it was against Roman doctrine.

    The callouses on Marcellus¡¯ hands suggested he was well ustomed to menialbor, as well as wielding a sword. Another aspect of Marcellus¡¯ character that Asarulfo found interesting. Whereas Marcellus judged the man seated across from him by how well he groomed himself. He was a barbarian, but his tinum hair was perfectly brushed, to ensure there was not the slightest sign of matting. His beard was gently oiled andbed to avoid a frazzled appearance.

    Even though he was finely groomed, Asarulfo was purely martial in appearance. There was no superfluous gilding of his armor or helmet, even though he could easily afford it. A testament to his affinity for practicality was on full disy with his spatha¡¯s hilt, which had a simple construction. Despite the fact that the Germanic chieftains and Kings were well known for overly embellishing the hilts of their swords.<sub>.</sub>

    After approving of each other¡¯s appearance, Asarulfo was the first to break the silence. With a wry smile on his face, he uttered the words that Marcellus was not expecting.

    ¡°So my sister¡¯s veres before me, begging for my servitude. Do you think that just because you have enved Sigefrida that I will be so quick to call you dominus? It is a pity what happened to that girl and her mother, but she was better off with it. She has clearly proven she is not fit to wear the title of a Suebi woman!¡±

    Thesements outraged Marcellus, but he kept a stoic appearance. It was one thing to insult him by calling him a mere ver, but to insult the woman he loved, that was enough to stoke any man¡¯s fury. Marcellus merely sighed in response as he ignored the man¡¯s provocation and spoke about more important matters.

    ¡°I know all about your ns to unite the Suebi ns and invade Hispania where you intend to carve out your own Kingdom. I regret to inform you, but Hispania swears its loyalty to me, and there is nond there that is avable for conquest. You are already intruding into mynds, the fact that we are meeting face to face is a testament of my benevolence, as well as my love for your sister¡­¡±

    Asarulfo cocked a brow when he heard thisst remark. He did not expect this Roman dog to speak of love for his sister, while he had heard that some Roman masters fell in love with their ves. It was not the mostmon urrence. Rather, there were far more tales of abuse towards ves within the borders of the Empire. He was quick to call Marcellus out on this point of his argument, rather than speak of his ns of invasion.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Are you saying you love my sister? Oh, that is fascinating. So the bitch has used her wiles to snare herself an emperor! Truly, my father would be dumbfounded if he were alive to hear this. I have heard rumors of your Empire. Your rule is not like your predecessors, and there are those in your empire who are against your reign. How long do you think you canst as in your position with traitors around every corner seeking to overthrow you?¡±

    Marcellus scoffed when he heard this. It was true that there were plenty within his borders who sought to eliminate him. There were even more who still called himself a usurper, and did not recognize his reign as legitimate. It had been less than a year since he hade to the throne. He was well aware of the dangers around him, yet he was undeterred. Instead, he took a sip from his chalice before calmly answering the question.

    ¡°I say I have a good five years before I¡¯m assassinated, most likely by one of my closest advisors. The history of Rome proves that the most capable emperors tend to die young¡­¡±

    Asarulfo was baffled when he heard Marcellus¡¯ answer. The man knew he was likely to be assassinated, and even estimated that he had five years before it happened. So why did he take up the position of emperor if he knew it would cause his untimely death? He could not help but ask this question.

    ¡°So then why?¡±<sub></sub>

    Marcellus gazed at Asarulfo with confusion as he heard thisment and quickly asked for rification.

    ¡°Why what?¡±

    It was clear to Asarulfo that the Roman Emperor did not understand his intention behind such a simple question, thus he cleared his throat before asking the question in its entirety.

    ¡°Why did you seize the throne for yourself? Youe from a position of wealth and privilege, do you not? Why not just retire to the countryside and live out the rest of your days in prosperity and security? Why bother entangling yourself with the dirty politics that have seen better men than yourself cast to the depths of oblivion?¡±

    Marcellus did not even need a moment to think about the answer. He stared boldly at the man seated across from him before proiming his reasoning for getting involved in such dangerous affairs.

    ¡°Because someone has to do it. Rome will not survive so long as indolent fools and greedy bureaucrats continue to drive it off a cliff. Thest time the Empire had any hope of restoring itself to its former glory, the Emperor was assassinated by his own Praetorian guard, who took up the sword and betrayed their master simply because they feared they would be punished.

    Since then we have been spiralling towards copse. Initially, I had only desired to serve in the Army, and do my best to drive the barbarians from ournds. However, things don¡¯t always go as nned. A petty and indolent fool of an emperor deprived me of my position, kidnapped my mother, and called for my head. I took up the sword in the name of retribution and put an end to his reign. Since there was nobody in the Empire better suited to ruling over it, naturally the burden fell on me.

    I may not be the greatest man for the job, but I¡¯m the best one avable. If I don¡¯t do my part, and lead by example, how can I expect anyone else to work for a better future? I am the Western Roman Empire simply because there is nobody better suited for the task.

    Should a man the likes of Aurelian arise from my ranks, and desire to take the reins, I will dly hand him my diadem, and retire to the countryside with your sister where we can live a peaceful and prosperous life. Unfortunately, nobody like that exists, or at least not at the moment. Since there is nobody who wishes to do the dirty work that is necessary to restore the Empire, I will do it.¡±

    This line of thinking astounded Asarulfo, who gazed at Marcellus as if he was looking at a madman, who would do so much work, and risk their life for the save of preserving a rotten Empire. He could not fathom the mindset. The Suebi chieftain could only scratch his head as he thought through it. He came back to the same question he had earlier and voiced it in hopes of rification.

    ¡°Even if you are the most capable man for the job, why would you do it? Knowing full well the risks involved, and the stress thates with it. Why would you do that to yourself?¡±

    Marcellus took another sip of his wine within his chalice before responding in earnest to the man¡¯s question.

    ¡°Because there was a time where Rome was once the beacon of all civilization, its greatness was beyond measure, and I believe that one day we can reim that glory. I doubt I am the man to lead us to such greatness, but at the very least, I can prevent the Empire¡¯s copse until a time where that manes to power.¡±

    Asarulfo stared at Marcellus with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Though such words were not enough to move him to serve beneath the boot of Rome, he had a newly founded respect for Marcellus and could only utter his thoughts.

    ¡°Well said¡­¡±

    The negotiations between Marcellus and Asarulfo would continue for some time before any form of agreement could be made, but Marcellus had started strong in his negotiations.

 Chapter 90 Assassinating a Rival General

    While Marcellus was in Gaul negotiating with the Suebi to obtain their allegiance. His Frumentarii were in the middle of a ndestine operation deep behind enemy lines. In the vers market of Constantinople There was a particrly beautiful Numidian woman who was topless, with only a loincloth and a cor to call clothes.

    A western Roman merchant from the diocese of Africae stood in front of her, and a group of other ves as he boldly proimed the value of histest goods to the wealthy patricians of the eastern Roman capital. Currently, the merchant was hawking his goods and attracting his customers with one particr target in sight.

    Aulus Pontidius Frugi was the current magister militum of the eastern roman empire. This meant he was the suprememander of the eastern Roman army. He held significant strategic importance to the eastern roman empire. Unknowingly to him and his masters, he had been marked for death by the western Roman Frumentarii. The reason behind this was simple retaliation.

    The roman general was currently walking through the ve markets on his way to the Royal Pce while nked by his guard when he was approached by the north African merchant. The ver had a shameless smile on his face as he hawked his goods to what was obviously the man with the most visible wealth on disy. After all, Frugi¡¯s armor was extensively gilded, while his tunic was made of purple silk, imported from the far east.

    ¡°Sir, you seem like a man of refined taste. Might I suggest to you this Numidian beauty that I have recently obtained from the diocese of Africae? I can assure you that not only is she a beauty of the highest quality, but her virtue is still intact, making her a uniquemodity here in Constantinople. I¡¯ll tell you what, since you are clearly a man of such high standing, I will give you a discount, only ten solidii and you can call this beauty your own!<sub>.</sub>

    If you¡¯re not into that kind of thing, you can always take her as a domestic ve, as she is well versed in the art of cooking, cleaning, and caring for little young ones. What do you say? I assure you, if you do not jump at this offer now, someone else will!¡±

    In truth, the ver had already received several offers to buy the woman throughout the day, but there was only one man he was interested in selling her to. Obviously, nobody knew this, and he simply said it was a matter of the price being wrong when he denied their requests.

    The man¡¯s arrogance visibly irritated Frugi. Who did this fool think he was? How dare he approach the magister militum in the middle of the street as if they were long-time friends? However, when Frugi gazed upon the naked bust of Kahina, it was as if he had fallen in love at first sight.

    This woman was definitely the general¡¯s type. She had long jet ck hair, dark brown eyes, a curvy body, and dark tan skin that, when oiled, would drive any man insane with lust. He had struggled to swallow the saliva that had pooled up in his mouth as he gazed at the exotic beauty, who had a pouting expression on her pretty face.<sub></sub>

    In his eyes, this expression only made the woman more attractive, and thus he quickly handed out a coin pouch without even thinking of the consequences. There was easily over fifty solidii in this pouch, but that did not matter to Frugi, who just wanted a taste of the ve girl in front of him.

    ¡°Here, take it, you damned vulture! Now get the hell out of my face!¡±

    The merchant forced himself to remain calm after being insulted during his transaction and wore a false smile as he nodded his head before bowing towards the eastern roman general.

    ¡°A wise man, I am sure you will enjoy her service¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    There was a hidden venom in the words he spoke, which went unnoticed by Frugi and his men. The ver quickly whistled, and the cored Numidian woman quickly stepped forward, where she was handed off to the eastern Roman General. The woman continued to pout as her new ¡°master¡± greeted her.

    ¡°Hello my darling, my name is Aulus Pontidius Frugi. What is yours?¡±

    Kahina looked to the side, unwilling to meet the gaze of a such a lecherous old man as she muttered a false identity beneath her breath.

    ¡°Dihya¡­¡±

    The elderly roman man smiled as he nodded his head and repeated the name.

    ¡°Dihya, that¡¯s a pretty name. From this day forward, I am your dominus. Come with me girl, I look forward to breaking you in¡­¡±

    Kahina rolled her eyes when she heard this, which again went unnoticed by the eastern Roman general and his guards. She looked off towards the ver, who wore a sinister grin as the two of them silently nodded to one another. After this exchange of nces was made, Frugi dragged Kahina off to his personal vi within the city¡¯s limits.

    Though the Regent had summoned the magister milium for some urgent matter regarding his rivals in the east, he could pound sand. Frugi had acquired himself a new toy, and he would be damned if he was forced to listen to that old bastard¡¯s words, instead of getting his dick wet.

    Frugi led Kahina to his home, where he wasted no time. Hemanded his soldiers to keep watch outside his room as he forced the girl into his bedchamber. The man was not kind, and immediately shoved Kahina onto the bed, where he impatiently tore at her loincloth, desperate to see the prize he had paid such a high price for.

    Unbeknownst to the eastern general, there was a small knife that was strapped to the woman¡¯s upper thigh, concealed by this loincloth. Thus, the moment he tried to remove it, Kahina pulled the de from its sheath and buried it straight into the man¡¯s neck. The three-inch iron de immediately pierced through the man¡¯s carotid artery, causing his blood to rush out of the wound like a fountain.

    Before he could scream for help, the ve he had just purchased and intended to abuse had covered his mouth with her soft and dainty hands. She wore a devilish grin on her pretty face as she whispered the following words to the man while he slowly bleed out on his bed.

    ¡°Titus udius Marcellus sends his regards!¡±

    These were thest words that Aulus points Frugi heard before the reaper imed his soul. The man¡¯s death was so sudden and silent that nobody would ever expect it. However, Kahina had no time to rx. She had at most half an hour before the guards came knocking to retrieve him for his meeting with the Empress Regent. Thus, she immediately cleaned the man¡¯s blood off of her pristine body before pulling the sheets from the bed and tying them into a makeshift rope, where she tossed them out the window.

    Without the slightest sound, the woman climbed out of the window and absconded from the vicinity of the vi. The guards who were tasked to protect the magister militum were not any the wiser, as they had not believed anyone would dare attack the man in his own home. After killing the eastern Roman General, Kahina skilfully made her way back to her partner in crime, who was the ver that had sold her to Frugi to begin with.

    This dynamic duo were members of the Frumentarii, and had just engaged in an act of retaliation as a response to the eastern Roman empire¡¯s previous attack on Marcellus¡¯ life. They would quickly flee the city and head back to Ravenna to await their further orders. By the time Yazdegerd and his agents learned of Frugi¡¯s demise, they were already long gone.

 Chapter 91 Further Negotiations with the Suebi Warlord

    Marcellus sat across from the Suebi warlord known by the name of Asarulfo. The two of them had been in a heated discussion about the potential formation of an alliance between the Western Roman Empire and the Suebi tribes for several hours now.

    As the night descended across the sky, they stubbornly refused to return to their lodgings, and instead continued to debate, albeit with the introduction of alcohol. The primary point of contention was that the Suebi wantednds to settle, and Marcellus wanted men to fight for him. With the Franks being forcefully removed from Gaul, the northeast corner of the territory would be poorly defended.

    Thus, Asarulfo sought to im thends for himself, since Hispania was off the table. The problem was that Marcellus did not want to cede morend to barbarians without their integration into the Empire and its culture. Thus, the two men were practically at each other¡¯s throats as they argued about the finer points of this conflict.

    ¡°You gave the Goths Noricum and promised them Illyricum. Why do you favor them, and yet refuse my people¡¯snds to settle?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus had his reasons for allowing the Goths to settle two provinces without integration. It was apletely different circumstance than the Suebi¡¯s case. Which he perfectly outlined for the man.

    ¡°ric posed a threat to me at the time and needed to be won over. I was forced to make certain concessions in order to gain his troops as a fighting force. You and your tribe are no threat to me, if I so desire I can call upon tens of thousands of troops to reinforce Gaul and drive you from thesends just like I am doing to the Franks. If you wish to settle Gaul, then you must submit to Rome!¡±

    Asarulfo scoffed when he heard these words. He would never fully submit to Rome as its servant. He was a son of Germania, and his people had remained unconquered for centuries. Why should he submit to the Roman Empire when the Romans did not have the military power to force him into submission? It was with this in mind that he called Marcellus¡¯ bluff.<sub></sub>

    ¡°If you really had the means to do so, you would have already done it. You may have tens of thousands of soldiers, but they are needed to maintain order across an Empire that is on the brink of copse. You cannot spare the men in Gaul without losing territory elsewhere. No, you need me just as much as you need ric. We Suebi will not integrate into your Empire, but if you are willing to give us territory, and silver, we will ept being your subjects.¡±

    Asarulfo was wise enough to know that the armies of Marcellus were not the same poor forces of Honorius. He had seen how they handled the Franks and the Vandals on the field. They were well equipped, and well organized, withpetentmanders. If he truly wanted to force his way into Hispania and conquer his ownnds, it would cost him dearly. The best solution would be to take thends of the Franks and be Foederati.

    The two men both drank from their cups as they red at one another in silence. Neither one was willing to budge on this point. Marcellus believed if he made an exemption for the Suebi, then the next group of barbarians he sought to make use of would demand the same treatment. Much like how Asarulfo was now demanding the same deal as ric, The Suebi needed to be made an example of, so that future foederati did not take advantage of him or his Empire. However, before he could double down, Asarulfo struck a nerve by making ament about Sigefrida.<sub></sub>

    ¡°I am sure my sister would be saddened to know that you wish to annihte her people. How can you im to love the woman when you wish to assimte her people and obliterate their culture?¡±

    Marcellus was awestruck by thisment. Though Sigefrida rarely referred herself as a Suebi and was now a Roman citizen. He did not know what she would think if he returned with her people in figurative chains. Perhaps Sigefrida suggested this meeting, knowing that her brother would be stubborn enough to get his way. When he thought of such a betrayal, his heart felt as if it was wrapped in a cage of thorns.

    Naturally, Sigefrida did not identify with her Suebi heritage. She had not grown up in their culture, or learned their customs. As a free woman, she was now a Roman, and she identified as such. She cared little for her old family, or their traditions. However, the woman was Marcellus¡¯ weak point, and Asarulfo had masterfully exploited it.

    Marcellus needed the Suebi as Foederati if he wished to defend Gaul from the Franks and Vandals, especially after the expulsion of those few Franks living in the borders of the Empire. The rest of their tribe would want vengeance for the blood spilled in Gaul.

    This meant that it was only a matter of time before a screaming horde of barbarians crossed the Rhine and entered Gaul yet again. In truth, he did not have the forces to contend with such arge number of enemies, not without risking foreign invasion and annexation of his eastern most provinces.

    Knowing this, Marcellus sighed before begrudgingly nodding his head. Not every negotiation would end in his favor. Though it woulde at the cost of long-term stability, and he could not guarantee the loyalty of the Suebi in the future. In the short term, he needed the Suebi warriors among his ranks, and thus, he could only concede defeat.

    ¡°Very well, I will give your people the rights to thends that the Franks used to inhabit. In doing so, you are tasked with the protection of Gaul from any foreign invaders, and your warriors must swear their service to Rome as my Foederati.¡±

    When Asarulfo heard he had been victorious in his negotiations, he wore a smug smile before lifting his horn in the toast of this new friendship.

    ¡°To new alliances!¡±

    Marcellus could only sigh as he lifted his chalice before drinking the wine contained within. He had suffered a defeat in these negotiations, and he dreaded the long-term consequences of such an alliance. However, it was necessary, or else he would very quickly lose Gaul shortly after having reunited it as a part of the Western Roman Empire.

    Since Asarulfo was rted to Sigefrida, Marcellus believed he could keep him under heel for some time. After all, Marcellus could tell by the look in the man¡¯s eyes that there was a hint of yearning to reunite with his half sister, and because of this, Marcellus believed he could use that to ensure the man¡¯s loyalty.

    For how long the Suebi would remain loyal to Marcellus and his military dictatorship? That had yet to be seen. After all, the Germanic people would never fully submit to Rome, or anyone else for that matter. At most, the status of Foederati was as mercenary allies. They were being paid withnd, silver, and women. Eventually, when the silver stopped flowing, and the women stoppeding, they would rebel. However, for the time being, Marcellus could count tens of thousands of new soldiers among the ranks of his Armed Forces.

 Chapter 92 Selecting a New Magister Militum

    In the city of Constantinople, the eastern roman regent, Yazdegerd I, stared at the scene of the crime with utter fury on his face. He could hardly believe that the greatest general that eastern Rome had at its disposal was taken out in his own home. Words from the man¡¯s bodyguards stated that he bought a ve earlier in the day, and brought her back to his ce to test her out. However, she killed him silently, and absconded from the scene without the bodyguards being the slightest bit aware.

    In response to this, Yazdegerd had the men who were supposed to guard Frugi beheaded. There was no tolerance for dereliction of duty in the eyes of the Sassanid King, and regent of the Eastern Roman Empire. He could only sigh as he gazed upon the stiff corpse of the magister militum before giving out the orders to bury it.

    ¡°Bury him with full honors and find out who is responsible for this attack!¡¯

    Though the man expected that Marcellus was responsible, as an act of retaliation for the eastern roman assassination attempt on his life, Yazdegerd had to be absolutely certain before he tried to start a conflict with the Western Roman empire. After all, he had his own empire to worry about, and should he march to war with the west, he would leave the Sassanid Empire vulnerable to foreign invasion. Such a thing was uneptable.

    After ordering for Frugi¡¯s burial, Yazdegerd returned to the pce in Constantinople to meet with his charge, Theodosius II, and inform him of the general¡¯s death. The boy¡¯s mother had passed away when he was but a helpless infant. As for his father, the man had not so wisely ced the Sassanid king as his son¡¯s regent and tutor shortly before passing away himself.

    Without any parents, the young eastern roman emperor was now left under the care of the Sassanid King Yazdegerd I, who thought of the boy as one of his own sons, while simultaneously treating him as a puppet.<sub>.</sub>

    Theodosius II was barely even eight years old, yet he had been in power practically since the day he was born, as co-emperor to his father, Arcadius. Now he was the Emperor, with a foreign King as his regent.Yazdegerd approached the boy, who was seated upon his throne with a bored expression on his face, and began to speak to him as if he were the most powerful man on the.

    ¡°Your supreme majesty, Theodosius, I regret to inform you that your enemies have in your magister militum. It is with a heavy heart that I announce the need to find a recement for the great Aulus Pontidius Frugi¡­¡±

    The young child cocked a brow when he heard this before asking for rification on what was just spoken.

    ¡°Frugi is dead?¡±

    Yazdegerd wore a bitter expression on his face as he nodded his head.<sub></sub>

    ¡°I am afraid so¡­¡±

    Theodosius had the samezy expression that his uncle once had as his eyes drifted off into space, saying a random collection of thoughts that proved his disinterest in the subject.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    With that said, the topic hade to a screeching halt as Theodosius shifted the attention elsewhere. Yazdegerd could only sigh with disappointment as he tried to redirect the boy emperor back onto a topic of grave importance.

    ¡°Anyway, I assure you that I will do everything in my power to select the best candidate to rece him!¡±<sub></sub>

    Theodosius nodded his head in silence, it was clear that he had no actual intention to rule at such a young age. He preferred other activities, like watching chariot races. Upon noticing the emperor¡¯s disinterest, Yazdegerd sighed heavily once more beforeing up with some excuse to leave the child to his thoughts.

    ¡°Well, if you will excuse me, I will go deal with such urgent matters. If you need me, you know where to find me.¡±

    The young emperor merely nodded his head and waved Yazdegerd off. Though Yazdegerd thought of the boy as his own child, he could not help butin when he was alone about how indolent the boy had be following his father¡¯s death.

    He wanted to believe it was a coping mechanism to deal with the fact that he no longer had any parents, but if such behavior was allowed to continue, Yazdegerd was afraid that Theodosius would follow the example of his uncle Honorius. Honorius had proven to be a man who betrayed his regents, and Yazdegerd would not allow himself to suffer the same fate as vius Stilicho.

    Thus, the man concluded that after he finished selecting a new magister militum, he would begin to discipline the boy emperor so that he did not turn out like his pitiful uncle. After leaving the Pce and gathering the eastern Roman Generals, Yazdegerd informed them of Frugi¡¯s untimely demise.

    ¡°The magister militum is dead, assassinated in his home by amon ve. We do not know who encouraged this ve to act with such malice, nor where she is currently located, but there is an investigation into the matter as we speak.

    In the mean time, we need to select a new Magister militum from among the ranks of eastern Rome¡¯s greatest officers. Though many of you are qualified in your own ways, I have decided to reward Drusus Valerius Durio with the position.

    Durio was astonished when he heard this, as were the other high-ranking officers of the eastern roman army. The man was rtively untested in the field and had only recently gained his position as a field armymander. Despite this, the man had close ties to the Sassanids having married one of their noble women, and waspletely loyal to Yazdegerd. A quality that the eastern regent desperately desired at the moment.

    It did not take long for the other generals to understand why the young officer was chosen for such a lofty position. Though they had their disagreements, none of them spoke ill of the appointment, at least not openly in front of the regent. Yazdegerd was a petty and spiteful man, and those who did not heed his rule would be severely admonished for their opinions.

    Yazdegerd had specifically chosen Durio as Frugi¡¯s sessor because he was untested in the field. Under Yazdegerd¡¯s grand scheme, he would give the young man a few easy victories against the barbarians in the balkans, and through the use of propaganda, herald him as Marcellus¡¯ rival. Yazdegerd expertly nned everything when it came to Frugi¡¯s recement. As for the young man himself, he instantly kneeled before the Sassanid King and voiced his loyalty aloud for all present to hear.

    ¡°I promise to make you and the young emperor proud as the new Magister Militum. I assure you, I will do everything in my power to defeat Rome¡¯s enemies and remove the usurper in the west from his seat of lies!¡±

    Yazdegerd merely smirked when he heard this before responding to the new Magister Militum with a haughty tone.

    ¡°I expect great things from you, Durio. Do not disappoint me!¡±

    With this, a new Magister Militum had been selected to guide Eastern Rome¡¯s armies into future victories. In reality, Frugi¡¯s recement was nothing more than a puppet of the Sassanid King, and by extension his empire. If Frugi was aware such a man would be selected as his sessor, he would be rolling in his grave. After all, he had been fiercely loyal to the Theodosian dynasty his entire life.

    Whether this new Magister Militum would be a match for Marcellus had yet to be seen. After all, Marcellus was not only older than the man, but had many victories under his belt. However, should the Eastern Roman Armybine their might with the Sassanid Army and march on his borders, even he would have a difficult time defending Rome.

 Chapter 93 A Mysterious Ally

    While Marcellus was returning home from negotiations with the Suebi warlord, the Italian hearnd was seeing a new era of growth and prosperity. The emperor¡¯s innovations in the field of agriculture had seenrge quantities of crops being nted, so much so that it was expected to have at the very least a twenty-five percent increase in crop yields when the harvest finally came around.

    Marcellus had not only introduced new agricultural technology, but new food staples such as pasta, which could be prepared in a wide variety of ways. The idea of themon people eating nothing but bread and wine was a thing of the past, as noodles became amon sight in street vendors and households across the province of Italia.

    Currently, cidia was visiting a local street vendor who prepared noodles, with garlic, basil, olive oil, and ground beef into the mix. It had be one of her favorite snacks to eat. The young woman was currently guarded by an escort of Marcellus¡¯ pce guards, who ensured her protection even while she walked on the streets of Ravenna. She spoke with the owner of the small shop about the changes that were urring in the empire as the man was cooking her meal for her.

    ¡°So, how are things going in the Empire?¡±

    The vendor was an older man, with one bad eye and a scruffy gray beard. cidia did not know his name, and he was not keen on the idea of giving it to her. Still, the woman had been one of his best customers since he came up with this amalgamation after Marcellus had introduced pasta to the Roman diet. Thus, he gave her his honest opinion on the perception of the new emperor and his policies since he had taken the throne.

    ¡°It depends on who you ask. Truthfully, us plebeians don¡¯t really care who sits on the throne so long as our towns are secure, our harvest is plentiful, and our stomachs are full. As far as I can tell, Marcellus, unlike his predecessor, has aplished these things.<sub>.</sub>

    However, the Patricians are the ones with all the power in the empire, and they are very upset with this new emperor¡¯s rule. From what I hear this, Titus udius Marcellus has abolished the senate, and acts on his own impulses, without any regard to traditions andws. This upsets the Patricians, and has caused more than a few conspiracies against him.¡±

    It shocked cidia to see the man knew so much about the ongoing state of the Empire, and instantly questioned him about the source of his knowledge.

    ¡°You seem awfully well connected? How did youe by this information?¡±

    The older man chuckled when he heard this before deflecting the issue.

    ¡°I run a stall for food and drink. Naturally, I get all kinds of customers, from all walks of life. The more they eat, and the more they drink, the more they¡¯re willing to let their lips loose. The kinds of opinions I hear about the ongoing state of the Empire would surprise you.¡±<sub></sub>

    cidia was not well connected with the wealthy elite in Rome, despite being a woman born in the highest position. Because of this, she was blissfully unaware of the threats that Marcellus was constantly under during his tenure as emperor. The man noticed that she seemed surprised by the notion that the patricians would want to kill the emperor, and couldn¡¯t help but inquiring how a patrician woman such as herself did not know these things.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how is it that a patrician girl such as yourself is unaware of the way the others speak about this new emperor? Surely, you must gossip about him with your friends?¡±

    cidia wore an innocent smile as she exined her reasoning for being out of the loop on political matters.

    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t really get out of the Pce much. Even before I was forced toe to Ravenna by myte brother, I was still under careful observation by my foster father. He didn¡¯t really allow me to associate with girls my own age, and especially not boys, for that matter. So I really don¡¯t know what the other patricians are saying about Marcellus.¡±

    The mention of the word Pce so nonchntly surprised the man. He had thought with the level of security she had been given; she was some wealthy patrician¡¯s daughter, but he had no idea he was speaking to literal royalty at the moment. He was so startled by this that he dropped his spoon onto the ground and gazed at the girl in shock with his one good eye. Even amoner such as himself knew this naive girl¡¯s name.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You¡¯re Ga cidia?¡±

    The girl raised her brow in curiosity. She was certain she had not told this man her name before, but she soon after nodded her head with a pleasant smile on her face.

    ¡°That is correct. How did you know my name?¡±

    The girl was unaware of how many rumors were going around Ravenna right now. Most likely paid for by the patricians who conspired against the emperor. These rumors were not pleasant, as they stated that Marcellus had kidnapped the girl, and raped her every night while forcing her to marry him. Even amoner like the old cook had believed these rumors. Yet this girl looked happy, and safe as she sat in front of him, smiling while waiting for the food he was preparing. He could not help but inquire about her actual rtionship with the emperor.

    ¡°My apologies. I just didn¡¯t expect the previous emperor¡¯s sister to be sitting at my stall. Tell me girl, how does Titus udius Marcellus treat you?¡±

    The girl had no idea that she was being interrogated to determine whether the rumors surrounding her rtionship with the emperor were true. Instead she wore a happy smile as she spoke the truth as if it was in as day.

    ¡°Marcellus? I¡¯ve known him all my life. In fact, he was more of a big brother to me than that bastard Honorius was. He cares for me, and has even asked me to marry him, which made me so happy. However, I¡¯m starting to believe this marriage is a sham, one of political convenience. He has yet to be intimate with me and instead looks for such things in the arms of his ve¡­ erm¡­ I guess she¡¯s a concubine now¡­¡±

    The lead guard watching over cidia nudged the woman¡¯s shoulder and reminded her that such topics were not appropriate to discuss around strangers. Most of his job was making sure the girl didn¡¯t say personal things around strangers. She was a bit na?ve and was sheltered most of her life. Because of this, she said how she really felt even when she shouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Mydy, please reconsider the time and ce when you discuss such things¡­¡±

    cidia blinked her eyes in confusion before realizing she had messed up and said something inappropriate. She wore a depressed expression as she stated this aloud.

    ¡°I did it again, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    She was trying to be moredylike, so that she could be a proper Empress consort to Marcellus when she finally married him, but her carefree spirit often led her to saying things she shouldn¡¯t, causing her to be glum when she realized she messed up.

    The lead guard did not respond, and simply sat back and watched his surroundings in case any threat presented itself. It surprised the shopkeeper to see that Theodosius I¡¯s daughter was such a na?ve, and airheaded girl. Although he felt much better knowing that she was not enduring the alleged cruelty of Marcellus. He felt bad for her, seeing that she had such arge crush on the Emperor, but he was not returning her feelings properly, thus he made sure to give the girl an extra portion in her bowl as he slid the noodle dish over to her.

    cidia¡¯s expression immediately returned to one of excitement as she thanked the man for the food before making a short prayer.

    ¡°Thanks for the meal!¡±

    After taking a few moments to pray to God for the food she was about to receive, cidia dug into the dish with a wide smile on her face. She very much enjoyed this meal. As for the shopkeeper, he was convinced with such a pure expression of bliss on her pretty face; the girl was not being mistreated whatsoever by Marcellus, and because of this he was determined to make use of some of his contacts to counter these vile rumors that were spreading about the new emperor.

    He would never bother spending such expense if it were for the sake of Marcellus, but these rumors stained cidia¡¯s reputation as a woman, and after seeing how kindhearted, and carefree she was, he felt it was his duty as a citizen of Rome to correct these lies and nder against what was essentially a princess of the Empire. Thus, unknowingly, Marcellus had gained a mysterious ally in the efforts to counteract the vile rumors that were being spread about his character.

 Chapter 94 I Swear I Will Make You Love Me!

    Sigefrida sighed as she gazed upon the report on her desk. Though the conspirators against Marcellus had been infiltrated, they had yet to be eliminated. She thought the ying of Frugi wouldpel the eastern roman empire to cease its attempts to assassinate Marcellus, but she had just received word that yet another plot was in the mix to remove Marcellus from power.

    As the weeks passed, the day that Marcellus married cidia drew closer, and the girl was getting more hostile to every second. It was clear that she knew she was only a pawn of political marriage, and because of that, she took her frustrations out on Sigefrida with daily scoldings and tantrums.

    However, today was the day that Marcellus was supposed to return home from his meeting with her brother, and though she had many questions about how the negotiations went, she was more concerned about having a talk with him about his little fiancee. Thus when Marcellus stepped through the doorway to greet his loving concubine, she was far from pleased to see him, and he immediately took note of that as she spurned his attempt to kiss her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    The hint of worry in the man¡¯s tone was enough to make the woman¡¯s heart bleed as she bit her lip in anxiety before revealing her thoughts.

    ¡°It¡¯s about cidia¡­¡±

    The worry of a foster brother appeared in Marcellus¡¯ olive green eyes as he grabbed hold of Sigefrida¡¯s shoulders and shook her in fright.

    ¡°Is she okay? What happened?¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Upon seeing that Marcellus was so anxious about the girl¡¯s immediate safety, Sigefrida could not help but put those worries aside as she rified what had happened.

    ¡°She¡¯s fine, but she has be a bit malevolent towards me. I fear that if you do not set her straight soon, she mightsh out at me violently for being your concubine¡­¡±

    Marcellus could see the worry in Sigefrida¡¯s ice-blue eyes, and took in a deep breath as he thought about the issue at length. It was true that he had been so busy with matters of state that he had been neglecting his interpersonal rtionships. cidia had grown fierce in her jealousy, and it was time that Marcellus had a long talk with the young woman. He sighed heavily before nodding his head and informing his lover of the decision he hade to.

    ¡°Very well, I will speak with the girl. I don¡¯t want this petty jealousy of hers to grow into something more troublesome. Do you know where I can find the girl?¡±

    Sigefrida scoffed when she heard this before speaking her mind.

    ¡°She is probably out in the garden like she normally is.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marcellus nodded in agreement before kissing the woman on her forehead. After doing so, he departed, leaving behind a single statement.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Don¡¯t fret, by the time I have concluded talking to the girl, she will know her ce¡­¡±

    After saying this, he rounded the corner and found his way towards the garden where cidia sat atop a fountain ying with the emerald ring he had given her. There was a sulking expression on her face as she stared into her reflection and sighed heavily. It was not until she spotted Marcellus sneaking up from behind within the pool of water did she finally say something.

    ¡°I can see you Marcellus¡±

    Ashamed that he had been caught, Marcellus scratched the back of his neck before approaching the girl normally. He sat by her side, and gazed into the pool along with her before speaking the words on his mind.

    ¡°Sigefrida says you have been acting strangely¡­¡±

    He did not directly use her of being malevolent towards his lover, but the pouting expression on her face told him everything he needed to know about the uracy of Sigefrida¡¯s statement. The young woman harrumphed and crossed her arms beneath her bosom as she looked away from Marcellus. She was clearly upset with him. Thus, he tried to approach the problem from another angle.

    ¡°Are you perhaps unhappy, cidia?¡±<sub></sub>

    The girl instantly turned around and stared into Marcellus¡¯ eyes beforementing on his ludicrous statement.

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m unhappy! You¡¯re my fiance and yet every night you share a bed with Sigefrida, do you have any idea how that makes me feel?¡±

    Marcellus scoffed as he made a poor attempt at a joke to defuse the tension.

    ¡°You know, before Christianity became the dominant religion in the Empire, a man was never expected to find love in the arms of his wife. In fact, such a thing would be considered taboo. Rather, there were ves and prostitutes to fulfil that role.¡±

    The girl gazed at him as if he were an idiot. What did such ancient customs have to do with the Empire today? She could not help but voice her displeasure at his petty justification for his actions.

    ¡°So I suppose that makes it okay that you do not love me!¡±

    Marcellus was in a difficult position. He had grown up looking after cidia as if she were his little sister. There was a significant age gap between the two of them, and by the time they had met, he was already a teenager. It was not like his rtionship with Sigefrida, where he developed a crush on the girl the moment he firstid eyes on her. He could only tell the girl the truth.

    ¡°I love you, cidia, just not in the way you expect of me. I never had any siblings, and to me, you are the closest thing to having a sister. After all, we were both raised by the same man, so in a way that does make us siblings. However, it¡¯s hard for me to find space in my heart for another woman. I have been in love with Sigefrida since the moment we met as children, and if I¡¯m being honest, were it an option, I would marry her instead of you.¡±

    Though cidia had already known this was the case, it wounded her heart to hear the man she loved say such a thing to her in person. She instantly began to cry as she gazed into the pool of water with a lifeless stare. At this moment, she wished it was her who was killed by Honorius instead of Aeliana. Marcellus realized the pain he had caused the girl and hugged her, despite her best efforts to shove him away.

    ¡°cidia, the moment you be of age we will get married, and though I can¡¯t promise that I will eventually fall in love with you, I will promise to be a good husband to you, and a proper father of your children. However, this extreme jealousy of yours towards Sigefrida it is not doing you any favors. If you really love me, you will let go of the bitterness in your heart towards the woman, and be at peace with our rtionship.¡±

    The young woman continued to cry as she begrudginglytched onto Marcellus¡¯ tunic and poured her tears into it. As for the man who caused these tears, he stroked the girl¡¯s dyed hair and held her tightly. In that moment he owed it to her, to at leat give a proper rtionship a chance. It would be a pity if she was forced into a loveless marriage, even if such an ideal was only a recent part of Roman history. After a few moments, he decided to voice these concerns, which instantly turned the girl¡¯s attitude around.

    ¡°If you promise to cease your hostilities towards Sigefrida, I will keep an open mind, and try to see if I can love you more than just as a little sister.¡±

    cidia wiped the tears from her pretty face as she looked up at Marcellus and questioned his promise.

    ¡°You promise?¡±

    Marcellus could only sigh as he nodded his head before agreeing to the girl¡¯s request.

    ¡°I promise!¡±

    Just as quickly as the tears hade and gone, so too did the woman¡¯s emotions shift to that of joy. She quicklytched onto Marcellus¡¯ arm and nuzzled her head in his shoulder before making a vow to him.

    ¡°I swear I will make you love me, no matter what!¡±

    Marcellus could only smile and chuckle as he heard this before making another poor attempt at a joke.

    ¡°I look forward to seeing your attempts.¡±

    With that, the couple stayed together in silence for half an hour, gazing into their reflections and thinking about their life choices that led to this point. Marcellus did not know if he could move beyond the idea of cidia being a sister, and think of her as an actual wife, but he figured for the sake of the stability of his Empire, and his household he might as well give it a shot. After all, by his estimations, he would be a dead man in five years by way of assassination or betrayal, and he might as well enjoy those five years to the best he could.

 Chapter 95 The Game of Drink

    Decius vius Primus sat in a tavern in the Romano-British city of Londinium. nking his sides were a series of Roman officers, and across from him was the High King of Hibernia and his attach¨¦. Why were these two powerful men sitting across from one another in a tavern?

    Well, it all started when Constantine had taken up arms in rebellion against Honorius. In order to press his im, he had emptied out the garrisons of Britannia, leaving it virtually defenseless against attackers. Because of that, the Diocese was now in a state of upheaval, as the Picts in the north had crossed Hadrian¡¯s wall and begun to ravage thend.

    Without the soldiers of Rome to keep them safe, the people of Britannia had abandoned many of the viges in the north and fled towards the safety of the cities. This was how they managed to survive for thest few years. However, because of this, there was a food shortage, which only caused further recession as brigands and highwaymen ruled thends.

    Upon arriving in the region with his two legions of 12,000 men, Primus had found himself governing a province that had be almostpletelywless. Since his arrival following the defeat of Constantine III in the Pyrenees, Primus had been doing his best with what limited forces he had to quell the unrest and reassert Roman control over Britannia.

    However, with the hordes of brigands and Pictish barbarians, Primus soon found that his two legions were far from enough to bring backw and order to the frontier province. Thus, currently, he was meeting with the High King of Hibernia, in the hopes of gaining their assistance with the northern Picts.<sub>.</sub>

    Nath ¨ª mac Fiachrach was a renowned warrior from the ind of Hibernia, and had risen to his position as the High King after gaining fame for his hostile expeditions to Britannia. He was said to have had wars with the Picts in the past, and Primus used this previous hostility as a means to gain his assistance.

    Currently, the two men sat across from one another at a small wooden table. On one side was Primus, on the other was Nath. The two men were apanied by bar wenches who provided a number of drinks for the men to consume. When Primus had initially sent word to Nath about gaining their aid in the fight against the Picts, the man spat in his messenger¡¯s face.

    However, after many concessions made by the Roman General, the Hibernian High King had finally agreed to meet and negotiate a temporary alliance. There was just one caveat: they would determine this alliance based upon a wager. The two leaders would y a drinking game, and the winner would determine whether the Hibernian tribes became Foederati under the control of Primus, or returned to their homes with a chest filled with gold.

    Thus, the two men stared at each other fiercely as they picked up their first drinks and gulped down its contents. The ale within them was primitive and was severelycking in alcohol contentpared to their modern counterparts. However, to the men of this era, it was strong enough. Thus, after one drink, both men began sighed in relief before taunting one another. King Nath was quick to insult Primus and boast about his people¡¯s alcoholic tolerance.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You were a fool to take this wager. My people are experienced drinkers, and there is no way a petty Roman like yourself will be able to defeat me in the game of drink!¡±

    Primus merely scoffed as he swallowed down another horn of ale before responding to the man¡¯s taunts.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know in the Empire we have introduced a new drink that is far stronger than this. With months of consuming this product under my belt, I doubt you will be able topete with me!¡±

    After saying this, the bar wench handed off another two drinks, where the men swallowed down its contents as quickly as they could. After a few rounds of beer, the Hibernian King began to question Primus¡¯ intention.<sub></sub>

    ¡°So you wish to expel the Picts beyond the wall? Better men than you have tried. They always have a way ofing back. I suggest you just deal with them like your predecessors have! Even if you gain my support, do you really think you can defeat so many tribes? There¡¯s a reason those walls were erected!¡±

    Primus gulped down another horn of beer before responding to the Hibernian King¡¯s ims.

    ¡°The Emperor has given me orders to secure Britannia and expel the barbarians who ravage the Diocese. I will fulfil these orders even if it is thest thing I do in this world. To do so, I require the aid of the Hibernian tribes as Foederati. You do not know the extent of my resolve. One way or another, you will swear your loyalty to Rome!¡±

    Nath scoffed when he heard this before taking another sip from his horn of ale. By now, the men had gone through six of the devices and were starting to get intoxicated. Yet not to the point where they would lose their mental faculties and slur their words. Thus, the man proudly objected to these ims, while continuing to taunt his Roman rival.

    ¡°You can try, but you will not seed!¡±

    The two men continued drinking long into the night until finally they began to struggle to lift their horns. Both men had shown great resilience to the effects of the Alcohol, but by now they had consumed over twenty horns each. It was unclear who the victory would be at this point. Primus struggled as he lifted another horn and drank from its contents, doing his best not to spill any of the beverage.

    Nath, on the other hand, wasughing as the man nearly knocked over his drink and got himself disqualified. He taunted the Roman for hisck of tolerance to alcohol while seemingly unaware that he himself was just as intoxicated.

    ¡°What did I say? You Romans are lightweights!¡±

    After saying this, he began to gulp down another beer, however in the middle of his actions, his body and mind finally had enough and he passed out, spilling the beer all over the floor, as his head copsed onto the table.

    The Romans by Primus¡¯ side began to cheer and lift the man into the air as he had won the drinking game, and in doing so, gained the Hibernian tribes as his foederati. He, however, passed out shortly after, and the officers nearly dropped him on his head as they struggled to lower him to the ground. Primus had just barely managed to survive the game long enough to etch out a victory.

    Still, despite the narrow nature of his win, it was still a victory, and because of that, the High King of Hibernia now had to swear his troops to Rome as its Foederati. Thus, in theing days, the Romano-British and the Hibernian tribes would unite together to expel the Pictish raiders and criminal brigands from the diocese of Britannia. Whether or not they would seed in this endeavor had yet to be seen.

 Chapter 96 A Generals Ambitions

    King Nath stood side by side with his warriors. The Celtic war-band was adorned in mail shirts and iron helmets as they stood fiercely across the battlefield from the Picts. In northern Britannia, two armies stood across from one another on the fields of war. The Hibernians tribes had rallied under their high king after he had lost a game of drink to the Roman General Primus, and in doing so swore his servitude as Foederati to the Roman Legions.

    Thus, the two forces stood side by side as they prepared to deal with the Pictish barbarians who stood naked and painted from head to toe in woad. The barbarians rattled their swords and spears against their rectangr shields as they shouted their war cries in the distance. Primus gazed upon the brave warriors of the North, and scoffed. These men were clearly savages, incapable of producing armor, or so he thought.

    As for the leader of the Pictish army, he shouted obscenities in his mother tongue towards the Roman Army. If Primus were capable of understanding him, he would hear the words ¡°I will piss in your skull¡± being thrown at him. Fortunately, he was entirely incapable of understanding the Pictishnguage, and merely thought of therge blonde man as a primitive savage.

    Primus sat in the rear of his army, mounted on horseback. His steed was covered from the head to its rear in scale brass scale barding. It was virtually impervious to any weapons that the enemy may use against him. He would likely not seebat on this battlefield, but it was nice to make sure he was protected against the enemy¡¯s attacks.

    Under the pouring rain, the Roman General lifted his spatha into the air, and pointed it towards his enemy before giving the orders to begin the assault.

    ¡°Forward March!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    The Roman and Hibernian armies marched forwards in their formations with shields raised above their heads, protecting themselves from the oing volley of rocks and arrows that were lobbed towards their direction. When the Roman soldiers reached a certain distance, the archers in the rear lines returned fire, though the effect of their weapons was limited by the pouring rain.

    Thepound bows that the Romans were equipped with utilized an animal sinew bowstring. When it got wet, it became unreliable to the say the least. Primus could only curse at the uracy problems that urred because of this. He had no choice but to abandon the use of archers and force his infantry to respond with their ranged weapons. Upon closing a distance of roughly fifty meters from the enemy, themand was given.

    ¡°Plumbatae!¡±

    Immediately after saying this, the roman legionaries grabbed the weighted war darts from the pocket embedded in the back of their shields, and lobbed them towards the enemy. A rain of projectiles fell down upon the unarmored Picts and skewered through their torso as they were made of butter.

    Blood-curdling screams echoed in the stormy air, while thunder drowned them out. Having expended their war darts, the Roman soldiers reformed their shield wall and pressed forward towards the enemy in a brutal charge. The two armies shed together, while Primus gazed upon the battle from the rear.<sub></sub>

    Now that the shield walls were pressing against each other, the Romans had the advantage. With superior weapons and armor, it was only a matter of time before the Scottish numbers were whittled down. Upon realizing this, he issued an order to the Cavalry who acted on standby to charge the enemy and attack them from behind.

    In the fields of Northern Britannia, the two thousand cataphracts that Primus had at hismand were enough to be a major game changer. Thus, the moment the heavy cavalry rushed off from their position, and towards the enemy, he had a wide smile on his face.

    King Nath was a warrior King, and because of this he was at the front lines, fighting alongside his warriors, and the Roman Legionaries. It surprised him to see the level of organization among the Roman forces, as they stood toe to toe with the Picts. He pressed his shield against the enemy in front of him and used his spear to thrust through the man¡¯s unarmored chest.

    Upon ripping the spear from the enemy¡¯s torso, blood and bile fell to the floor, but Nath did not care. He continued to press the advantage and fight the enemy where they stood. When he saw the Cavalry swarming around the rear of the enemy formation from both sides, a wicked grin appeared on his face as he shouted in his native tongue a deration of victory.

    ¡°Hahaha! That Roman bastard waited until now to use his cavalry. Victory is ours, boys!¡±<sub></sub>

    The Hibernian warriors all had wide grins on their faces as they pressed forward with a second wind, piercing their weapons through the bodies of their enemies. The Cavalry rapidly approached the rear of the Picts formation, smashing through their ranks, and piercing those poor unfortunate souls who got in the way of theirnces.

    With an attack in the front and the rear, the Picts quickly began to panic. As casualties mounted, the more green warriors among their lines broke ranks and fled to the hills. Just like that, the enemy had been routed and was heading north to regroup with their reinforcements. Primus smiled and roared as he saw the sight of the broken Pictish army being run down by his cavalry. He would ensure not a single survivor escaped his grasp.

    Thus, after the battle had concluded, a ughter of the enemy forces urred. Despite their best efforts, the Picts would not make it back to theirrades, and would die in the fields of Northern Britannia. Nath approached Primus after everything was concluded and congratted him on the victory.

    ¡°That was some damn good fun. I was not expecting the battle to go so smoothly. However, this is only the beginning. There are plenty more of the savage bastards hiding up north. We will have to wage a campaign to drive them back beyond the Hadrian wall. Primus merely scoffed when he heard this before lecturing the man in his view.

    ¡°Hadrian¡¯s wall? Bah, I won¡¯t stop there. For the first time in centuries, I will ensure that the northern bastards fuck off, and retreat beyond the Antonine Wall, where I will rebuild the son of a bitch to a more proper fortification.¡±

    Nath stared at the Roman General in disbelief. It was hard enough to retake thends south of Hadrian¡¯s wall, but this mad bastard wanted to go even further north, and build a second wall where an earthen fortification once stood. He shook his head in disbelief as he heard this beforementing on the man¡¯s ambitions.

    ¡°Did your emperor demand this of you?¡±

    Primus chuckled when he heard this before shaking his head and informing the man of his vision.

    ¡°Not at all. He just wants me to retake the existingnds of Britannia, but I think those Pictish cunts need a thorough ass kicking. So I¡¯ve decided to push them beyond the ancient boundaries we once held, and achieve eternal glory as the man who reimed Antonine¡¯s wall. If I¡¯m stuck here in the ass crack of the world, then I damn well better be remembered for it.¡±

    Evidently, Primus was not fond of his time spent in Britannia. However, could you really me him? He was a man born and raised in the Mediterranean, and now he was stuck in and where the sun rarely shone down upon him.

    He did not me Marcellus for this, naturally capable leadership was needed to secure the region, but he felt a bit bitter about his lot in life. Maybe if he had a busty Germanic ve girl to keep himpany like Marcellus did during his previous campaigns, he would be a bit less salty about his position.

    For whatever reason, the Roman General decided on a side goal in that moment, to obtain a busty Pictish ve. Thus, he was more excited than ever at the prospect of driving the Picts further north than the Emperor requested of him. Nath naturally did not know this, and instead hazed into the distance, towards the north, before sighing.

    ¡°What you say is true, the Picts are indeed in need of a thorough ass kicking.¡±

    After saying that, the two men shared augh, before taking care of more important matters. To the victors go the spoils, and though the Picts weren¡¯t the wealthiest of people, they still had arms and jewelry on them that could be sold for a price. Thus, Primus would be overseeing the collection and distribution of spoils for the rest of the night. Naturally, as Foederati, the Hibernian tribes were allotted their fair share. While Marcellus was dealing with conspiracies against him, his Generals were hard at work securing the borders of the Western Roman Empire.

 Chapter 97 A New Imperial Legate

    Frank sat in the library of his university, surrounded by various people, all of which were studying for their sses. He himself was looking into some particr information about the Western Roman Empire shortly before its copse.

    The book outlined the failures of Honorius, a man so ipetent he sat back and watched as Rome burned in the background. The only hint of care he had about the event was the moment he was informed.

    Not because he was concerned about the ancient capital being ransacked by a bunch of barbarians, but because he thought his pet chicken was killed. Upon reading this anecdote, Frank sneered in disdain before muttering his thoughts about the man.

    ¡°What a fucking dumbass¡­¡±

    A pretty girl who sat nearby heard thisment and gazed over towards Frank, interested in what he was researching. Before he even realized it, the young woman was staring over his shoulder beforementing on the passage.

    ¡°Honorius, huh? Yeah, you¡¯re right about that. He was a fucking dumbass, for sure. Luckily, after Rome was sacked, he found apetent co-emperor in vius Constantius. Otherwise, he would have been fucked. It¡¯s just a shame that the idiot¡¯s sister Ga cidia was taken captive by ric and married against her will to his brother-inw.

    Poor girl, imagine being that young, and being sold off to some Barbarian King as a literal sex ve. Luckily for her, the old bastard died a few yearster, and the girl was returned to her family. Of course, she was immediately married off again to one of Honorius¡¯ greatest generals.¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Frank looked up from his book and gazed upon the pretty face that was speaking to him. The girl had obviously dyed blonde hair and hazel eyes as she smiled towards him. Naturally, he waspelled to introduce himself in that moment, which he did by extending his hand in friendship.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Frank, Frank Caruso. Are you also a fan of history?¡±

    The young woman happily shook his hand before shaking her head and admitting to her guilt.

    ¡°Isabe Russo, and no, I am not a fan of history. However, my elder brother is a major Romaboo and has drilled his dissertation into my head. So I know a thing or two about Rome, especially in thete antiquity period.¡±

    Frank smiled and offered a seat to the young woman as a gesture.

    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you sit down and enlighten me on your knowledge?¡±<sub></sub>

    Isabe smiled and took Frank¡¯s offer where she lectured him on the period he was researching for many hours. After suffering through it, Marcellus woke up in his bed with a cold sweat. By now he was ustomed to these dreams, and simply went about his day, where he bathed, ate his breakfast and got to work.

    During this time, there was one thing that was bothering him, and that was how close this dream was to his current year. He could extrapte from his previous dream that the end of the Western Roman Empire was near. Since the girl in his dream had such high opinions of Constantius, he immediately dispatched a letter to find the man, and bring him before him.

    Hours passed and Marcellus read from the letter that Sigefrida had given him earlier in the day. Primus had secured the allegiance of the Hibernian high king, and Ordius had stomped out the remnants of the Franks in Gaul. In their ce, the Suebi had taken theirnds, and now acted as a bulwark against an invasion of therger Frankish society. Though he had yet to hear news of Primus¡¯ victory in Britannia against the Picts, he was in a pleasant mood.

    After reading this letter, the Pce Guard brought before him a man. Surprisingly, this vius Constantius was within the city of Ravenna and was currently an officer within Marcellus¡¯ army. In Marcellus¡¯ past life, this man was instrumental in putting down Constantine III¡¯s rebellion, and ruled as co-emperor after marrying Honorius¡¯ sister cidia.

    However, that fate had changed in this world due to the existence of Titus udius Marcellus, and now Constantius was just another promising General who found himself under the new Emperor¡¯s control after his sessful rebellion.

    In the months since Marcellus had reunited the borders of the Western Roman Empire, he found himselfcking in Provincial Governors. Under the new regime, militarymanders were selected as Imperial Legates to act as the supreme authority over the many dioceses of Western Rome. Answering only to the Emperor himself. The system was a rigid military dictatorship, where the civilian sector now answered to their militant counterparts.<sub></sub>

    In fact, Marcellus had reced the titles of Augustus and Caesar, and instead used the term Imperator as his reigning title. Imperator being one of the many titles that past Emperors held. Why did he select this title as his primary one?

    Because it was a military title granted to Emperors, and since the Military was now the governing body of Rome, at least temporarily; Marcellus felt it was most fitting to be used under his new order. Constantius was in Marcellus¡¯ office for a single reason, and thus Marcellus wore a proud expression as he gave the man his new position.

    ¡°vius Constantius, I have heard tales about your feats in the field, and the loyalty that you showed the previous emperor. I¡¯m amazed that you weren¡¯t in Ravenna acting as the leader of its defense when Iid siege to it. I must say, I had doubts at first about the loyalty of you and much of the surviving old guard. However, I am willing to give you a chance to prove yourself. What would you say if I were to name you the Legatus of Hispania?¡±

    It shocked Constantius to hear that Marcellus was giving him such a lofty position. He had done little to prove himself in his time within the new regime. Even in the Pyrenees, his army was not one to deal a major blow to Constantine III and his rebel forces. Despite his previous loyalties, and hisck of credentials, Marcellus had given him a very powerful position. He was a bit confused about why this was the case. Thus, he did not hesitate to voice his doubts.

    ¡°Why me though? Why would you make me the leader of Hispania?¡±

    Marcellus sat back in his chair and thought about why he was naming this man to be the ruler of Hispania in his stead. The truth was, he had a dream the previous night about Constantius, and how under his reign he was able to keep the Empire frompletely copsing, post Honorius¡¯ fuckup with the goths. It was because history remembered him so kindly that Marcellus had decided to take a chance upon him. Naturally, he could not say this and immediately came up with an excuse on the spot.

    ¡°Why you ask? The reason is simple, though the local forces in Hispania have turned against their former master Tasius. They fought for some time as loyalists to the Theodosian Dynasty. Going so far as to resist the rule of Constantine without any support from Italia. There is not much left of Honorius¡¯ old army, and those who remain in service have seen themselves assimted into the new order.

    What I need now is someone with name recognition to lead the new legions, and assimte the old loyalist armies into a force who ispletely subservient to the new Emperor. I can convince those who are still on the fence of fighting for me with your leadership.¡±

    It surprised Constantius to see that Marcellus had thought so far ahead. The truth was, he was not exactly fond of Marcellus. Primarily because he was a usurper. Though Honorius wasn¡¯t a great emperor, he was the rightful heir to the Western Roman throne. Marcellus had disrupted the bloodline, and in doing so seated himself on the throne.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Marcellus and his military dictatorship were the only thing keeping the Western Roman Empire from copsing, then Constantius would never fight for him. However, he was a man of little talents outside of military leadership, and because of this, he joined Marcellus¡¯ army begrudgingly. Primarily because hecked the ability to flee to the East and fight for them.

    The truth was that until recently the Eastern Roman Empire needed apetent military leader to fight against Marcellus, but its regent would never allow a Theodosian loyalist to take the position, especially not after the death of Frugi. Thus, Constantius was left with one option, and he epted the position.

    ¡°Very well, I swear on my life that I will do my best to bring order to Hispania, and integrate the loyalist forces into your Army.¡±

    Marcellus smiled and nodded his head when he heard this. It¡¯s not that he was unaware of Constantius¡¯ feelings, but he desperately needed capable men beneath his rule, and in this day and age, they were a rarity.

    With the inclusion of Constantius among his Imperial Legates Marcellus now had the Diocese of Hispania, Africae, Italia, Gaurium, and Britania led bypetent men. All that remained was the Diocese of Viennensis, which was in southern Gaul.

    He decided that he would give the Diocese of Gaurium to the Suebi Warlord Asarulfo, and ce Ordius in charge of the Diocese of Viennensis. This way he did not have to search for another untested leader whom he could only ce his faith with due to an uncertain dream.

    Havinge to this conclusion, the Marcellus Empire was now undergoing a restoration. The barbarian tribes were being expelled from Rome¡¯s borders, and the foederati were minding their ce, living innds given to them by the Emperor.

    It would not be long before the harvest came around, and the food surplus grew to new heights. When that happened, the faith of the people would be in Marcellus¡¯ hands, and the Patricians who conspired against him would have a hard time gaining their support in rebellion.

 Chapter 98 Dreams of the Past Part III

    Frank knocked on the door of his parents¡¯ house thrice and stood outside of it for a good thirty seconds before it opened to reveal his mother dressed in an apron and covered in flour. Her gaze turned from stern to excited the moment she witnessed her son standing in the doorway.

    ¡°My baby boy has returned to me!¡±

    The mature beauty quicklytched onto her son and suffocated him with her fierce grip. All the while getting the loose flower all over him. Frankly could only chuckle as he attempted to pry his mother off oh him.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve only been gone for a single semester. Why are you so worked up?¡±

    The womanughed as she eagerly brought her son inside. The moment the young man gazed at his surroundings, it was as if nothing had changed during his absence. A warm flutter entered his heart as he witnessed the same old living he had grown up with, where his father was currently seated on a sofa with a beer in hand, watching a game of football.

    Marco instantly jumped up and shouted the word ¡°Touchdown!¡± as his favorite team scored. Frank¡¯s mother immediately pped the man on the back of the head and lectured him about hisck of care for their son¡¯s return from his first semester in college.

    ¡°Dear, our baby boy is home, and all you care about is football?¡±

    The man rubbed the back of his head before rebuking the woman¡¯s words of condemnation.

    ¡°Sofia, our boy is a man now. He doesn¡¯t need his parents fawning all over him the moment hees home from school. How was your first semester, champ?¡±

    Before Frank could even respond, he heard a familiar voice call out to him from the halls as the woman it belonged to answered the question for him.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Filled with booze and pussy, I bet?¡±

    Maria stood in the hallway in one of Frank¡¯s used t-shirts and a pair of panties as she drank from a beer bottle. Her mother immediately scolded her for her choice of words as she heard this crass remarke from her own daughter.

    ¡°Maria! That kind ofnguage is inappropriate, besides my precious boy would never be so reckless, would you?¡±

    Frank rubbed the back of his neck as he shifted his gaze away from his mother¡¯s watchful eye. The truth was, his first semester was pretty much as Maria had said. As the golden boy of Columbia¡¯s wrestling team, he never had to search too far for a girl to sleep with him. His mother noticed his reaction and scoffed before walking back to the kitchen, visibly upset.

    ¡°You two are peas in a pod¡­¡±

    Evidently, the woman had discovered Maria¡¯s extracurricr activities on the web and was not pleased with her. Maria, on the other hand, did not seem to care in the slightest. Ultimately, it was Frank whomented on her inappropriate attire.

    ¡°Maria, put on some fucking pants. Neither dad nor I want to see your fat ass hanging out.¡±

    Maria chuckled as she heard this and handed her empty beer bottle over to her little brother before giving him a nuggie.

    ¡°Admit it, you perverted little shit. You love seeing your sister¡¯s ass!¡±<sub></sub>

    Frank quickly shoved Maria off of him before scolding her once more.

    ¡°Unlike some people in this house, I¡¯m not into the idea of incest. Go be a freak somewhere else!¡±

    Maria merely scoffed before walking up the stairs. Whether she was going to her room to sulk or to simply find a pair of pants, Frank didn¡¯t know. However, he covertly stared at her ass as she walked up the steps while sessfully evading the watchful eye of his mother. Frank¡¯s father quickly handed his son a beer and encouraged him to sit down and watch the game with him.

    ¡°Hey, kiddo, sit down, have a beer, and tell me about your experience in college while you watch a game with your old man.¡±

    Despite not particrly being fond of team sports like football, Frank sighed before doing as his father told him. The man smiled and patted his son on the back as he inquired about the kid¡¯s life.

    ¡°So, you meet any cute girls yet?¡±

    Frank scoffed as he gave a questioning look to his father before speaking the truth.

    ¡°I¡¯ve met a lot of cute girls. Why do you ask?¡±

    The old man held out his fist as if asking for a fist bump as he congratted the boy in his efforts.<sub></sub>

    ¡°That¡¯s my boy!¡±

    Before Frank could fist bump his father¡¯s back, the sound of a woman clearing her throat could be heard. The two of them immediately felt chills down their spine as they heard a frightening yet feminine voice erupt behind them.

    ¡°Dinner will be in five minutes. Frank, how about you go and wash up first?¡±

    Frank immediately stood up and nodded his head with a polite smile on his face as he obeyed his mother¡¯smands.

    ¡°Sure mom, I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    He took a swig from his beer as he walked off towards his bathroom. The moment he was out of earshot, the woman scoffed beforeining to her husband about his behavior.

    ¡°Don¡¯t encourage him, or else he will end up just like his sister¡­¡±

    It was Marco¡¯s turn to scoff as he rebuked his wife¡¯s words yet again.

    ¡°Please, it¡¯s only natural for boys his age to go after any girl they can get with. As long as he wears protection, we have nothing to worry about. What¡¯s not natural is having a daughter who moonlights as fucking a cam whore. What exactly happened to that girl? Were we not decent enough parents?¡±

    It was at this moment that Maria returned to the room wearing a pair of leggings, where she responded to her father¡¯s ims, which she apparently had overheard.

    ¡°You know, it is sexist to assume that a sex workeres from a broken household. Maybe I feel empowered showing off my body and making fat stacks of cash by doing so? Have you ever thought of that?¡±

    Sofia immediately chastised her daughter for her disrespect and threatened her ordingly.

    ¡°You watch your mouth, youngdy, or there will be no dinner for you!¡±

    Despite threatening to not feed her, Maria merely scoffed

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll just eat out tonight. You think I need to eat your cooking? I can afford to buy whatever I damn well please!¡±

    After saying this, the young woman grabbed her coat before storming off out of the house. Coincidentally, Frank entered the room at this moment and looked around at the awkward silence before making a remark.

    ¡°Am I interrupting something?¡±

    Sofia forced herself to smile as she served food onto three out of the four tes that were sitting on the dinner table. She could only respond with the truth.

    ¡°Your sister has decided to eat out tonight. I guess it will just be the three of us.¡±

    Frank sighed before sitting down in his seat. He did not hear exactly what had happened, but he knew that the university life had scrambled his sister¡¯s brains. He muttered under his breath his true thoughts about his sister¡¯s behavior, thinking his parents wouldn¡¯t hear it.

    ¡°Good luck getting a husband with that feminist crap of yours¡­¡±

    His mother gazed over at her son with a fierce re before breaking out into a giggle. Surprisingly, she openly badmouthed her daughter in front of the rest of her family.

    ¡°She will probably live the rest of her twenties sleeping around, only to realize that no man wants her when she¡¯s thirty!¡±

    Frank and Marco gazed at the woman with astonishment. Though they were both thinking it, neither of them dared to say it. Evidently, Maria¡¯s behavior had really pissed off her mother, because she was normally a kindhearted soul who wouldn¡¯t dare talk ill of her children. After getting a goodugh out, the woman sighed before looking at her husband and son with a stern re.

    ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Let¡¯s eat!¡±

    After saying a brief prayer to the lord to bless their food, the couple dug into the meal, which was a chicken Alfredosagna. Frank instantly moaned in pleasure as he tasted it before thanking his mother for her effort.

    ¡°Mmm, man fuck Maria, she¡¯s missing out. This shit is delicious, mom! You¡¯re so much better of a cook than whatever restaurant she¡¯s going to!¡±

    Frank¡¯s mother red at him before scolding him for hisnguage.

    ¡°Language!¡±

    After saying this, the trio broke out into a fit ofughter. Where Marcellus immediately after awoke from his dream. By now, he was convinced that these were memories of another life, and not visions from the gods. After all, the more of them he had, the more he felt like Frank Caruso, and less like Titus udius Marcellus.

    It was clear that every time he dreamt of this other world; he was melding into a new being. He did not know whether he should find a way to stop the dreams, or abuse them for the knowledge they contained. Ultimately, he sighed and rose from his bed, where he started his day of managing the Empire.

 Chapter 99 Dispelling Rumors

    With the Western Roman Empire now under Marcellus¡¯ control, and his legions being deployed to the frontier in an attempt to expel the barbarians from the borders. The Empire now found itself in a newfound state of security. So much so that despite Marcellus¡¯ previous march of terror, themon people were beginning to flock to his side in support.

    The most controversial piece of factual propaganda spun against him was that during his rebellion he butchered a town who refused to hand over their supplies, and used the fear generated from that event topel the others to do the same.

    As for the rest of the propaganda wielded against him by the patricians, it was mostly lies and nder. However, surprisingly, in recent days, the rumors regarding his alleged mistreatment of cidia were being countered by an unknown force.

    Marcellus was not one to care what others thought of him, and because of this he had not expended too much effort dispelling the rumors that surrounded him. However, that did not mean that his secret supporters felt the same.

    Deep within the underbelly of the city of Ravenna, was the same noodle maker that cidia frequently visited. He was meeting with a group of individuals in a dimly lit tavern as they discussed the ongoing events in the Empire.

    One man was a particrly ugly old bastard, who was missing many of his teeth, and smelled something foul. Despite these poor attributes of his appearance and hygiene, there were several men gathered around him, listening to his opinion.

    ¡°Can you believe this Marcellus bastard? The man rebels against the crown, butchers the senate, murders an entire vige, and still has the gall to sit on the throne afterward! He¡¯s not just a blood-thirsty tyrant but a rapist and a child abuser.<sub>.</sub>

    You have heard what he¡¯s done to that poor girl, cidia, right? The former Emperor¡¯s sister? I hear he ties her up at night and rapes her bloody, all while beating the living piss out of her. You know nobody has seen her since Marcellus rose to power? The Poor girl should be put out of her misery, better to die than be put through that pagan bastard¡¯s cruelty!¡±

    The old man who ran the noodle shop scoffed when he heard the usationsbeled against Marcellus before responding to these ims.

    ¡°So what if Marcellus is a pagan? Christianity has only been the Empire¡¯s official religion for what, a hundred years? Less? I don¡¯t give two shits what god he worships. What I care about is the results he gets. Say what you want about the man. However, you can¡¯t deny that after Marcellus deposed that bastard Honorius, we have reimed our lost territory and have expelled barbarians from ournds in massive numbers.

    Sure, he¡¯s invited a few of them to stay, but from what I hear, Pannoniarum is secure these days. Under the rule of ric, the Goths havepletely put the troublemakers of the region to the sword. Forget about the Frontier! As we speak, Marcellus¡¯ legions patrol Italia and are on the verge of wiping out those pesky Bagaudae once and for all.

    All I know is that the roads in the Empire are safe to travel on for the first time in decades. I can tell you this, it certainly makes running a business a hell of a lot easier! Besides, I¡¯ve done some digging into what the opposition has to say about the man, and it seems to be mostly lies and nder.¡±

    The fat, ugly bastard scoffed when he heard this beforementing on the noodle maker¡¯s ims.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Oh, and I suppose the uing marriage between him and cidia is one of pure love, and the girlpletely epts it? Give me a break. Everyone knows the new emperor is an abusive fuck!¡±

    In response to this, the noodle maker chuckled before asking a question of his own.

    ¡°How much are they paying you to spread those lies, Trogus?¡±

    The men gathered at the table were immediately taken aback as they gazed upon the man named Trogus with a hint of fury in their eyes. Several of the men were ready to grab their knives and end the bastard¡¯s miserable life if what the noodle maker said was true. Naturally, the ugly troll tried to defend himself, but he stammered as he did so.

    ¡°Y.. You¡­ You can¡¯t go around saying things like that Archarius. If the people in this tavern thought I was on the patrician¡¯s payroll, they¡¯d cut my throat in a heartbeat?¡±

    Archarius grinned when he heard this, before sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms. With a smug smile on his face, he revealed the truth then and there.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You know, I used to believe the lies you peddle. Then the damndest thing happened. This girl you say nobody has seen since Marcellus took the throne. She just so happened to stop and eat at my noodle shop every day since I opened it. I didn¡¯t even realize her identity until she revealed what she thought about our new emperor.

    You know what she had to say about her rtionship with Marcellus? She was afraid he didn¡¯t really lover her, and was only marrying her out of convenience. She wanted him to love her as much as she loves him. Curious, ain¡¯t it?

    Naturally, I did a little digging around after our little chat. Did you know that she grew up with him as if he were her elder brother? They had the same foster father, after all. A man named vius Stilicho. I¡¯m sure you have heard of him?

    The truth is, Ga cidia is not being forced into this marriage. It¡¯s everything she has ever wanted. You know what else? There wasn¡¯t a scratch on her! So I¡¯ll ask again, how much are they paying you, Trogus? Because out of everyone here in this tavern, you appear to be the only one spreading rumors that Marcellus is a monster!¡±

    The man named Trogus fell back out of his seat in fear as the men at the table pulled out their knives and surrounded him. This tavern was filled with disgruntled plebeians, men who had endured the cruelty of the Patricians. In fact, many of them desired to outright overthrow the Patrician ss. The fact that Trogus was being paid to lie to them on behalf of the Patricians was a grave sin.

    The truth was, none of these men really cared about Marcellus. He was just another patrician cunt in their eyes. However, what Trogus had done was unforgiveable, and thus they repeatedly shoved their des through the man¡¯s fat torso until he was nothing but a bloody mess. Archarius gazed at the corpse of the fool and shook his head beforementing on his death.

    ¡°What a fucking idiot¡­¡±

    The remainder of the men sat back down on the table, as if they had not just ruthlessly stabbed a man to death. A man with a bandanna gazed over at Archarius and questioned him about his actions.

    ¡°Why are you standing up for Marcellus? He¡¯s just another one of them. There¡¯s nothing different about him.¡±

    Archarius took a sip from the cup in his hands before responding to this man¡¯s question.

    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. Though the man was born to a family of wealthy cunts, he has lived his entire life as a soldier. I heard he even wasted his family¡¯s fortune buying new equipment for his soldiers.

    Did you know there are plebeians acting as Imperial Legates across the Empire? That man, Ordius, for example. The guy who is in charge of Southern Gaul. There¡¯s not a single patrician in his family tree, yet because of his merit, he now rules half of Gaul under Marcellus¡¯mand.

    Marcellus doesn¡¯t give two shits about Roman traditions, and he certainly doesn¡¯t care for the social ss that someone was born into. Why the hell do you think so many Patricians want him dead? For the first time in a long time, we have soldier sitting on the throne, and if you ask me, that¡¯s the best thing we as plebeians could have asked for.¡±

    The man with the bandanna thought about Archarius¡¯ words for a few moments beforementing on them.

    ¡°What about his infamous march of terror, a lot of plebeians died because of that bastard!¡±

    In response to this, Archarius merely scoffed before revealing the truth of the matter, like he had done earlier to Trogus¡¯ lies.

    ¡°You see, I looked into that as well. It turns out that bastard Honorius kidnapped the man¡¯s mother, and threated to kill her if Marcellus did not present his head to him. Marcellus initially nned to wait until spring tounch his rebellion, so that he could stockpile proper supplies.

    However, in the end, he was forced into marching on Ravenna early, and in order to feed his troops, he resorted to drastic measures. The deaths of those people were because one of them attacked a fucking Goth. What kind of stupid cunt do you have to be to attack a barbarian like that? Before Marcellus could even react, the thirty thousand or so Goths under hismand had ughtered the vige.

    The truth behind that massacre is not so ck and white. I¡¯m not saying the man is perfect, but in our current crisis, he¡¯s the best man for the job. So yeah, I¡¯ve spent some time correcting the lies and nder that follows the man. Hopefully, with Trogus¡¯ death, the people can hear the truth for once.¡±

    The man with the bandanna scoffed before taking a sip from his drink. He was not convinced of Archarius¡¯ words, but at least the man¡¯s reason for helping a patrician was understandable. It¡¯s not like he was doing anything other than correcting lies and nder. Because of that, the people in this tavern could tolerate his actions, even if they didn¡¯t like them.

 Chapter 100 You Reap What You Sow

    Months had passed since Marcellus initially reunited the borders of the Western Roman Empire, and now the Spring Harvest had begun. After Marcellus¡¯ introduction of agricultural technology, there were a myriad of skeptics in the Western Roman Empire. However, as the farmers tended to their fields and pulled their crops from the earth, they realized just how much their crop yields had grown.

    Not only was there a 25% increase in crops from the extra nting of the three field system, but with the heavy plow, and the horse yoke, Farmers were able to nt substantiallyrger plots ofnd in a much shorter time. Thus, with therger fields, and the three-field systemsbined, the crop yields of the Western Roman Empire wererger than ever before in history.

    Though only North Africa, Italia, and Illyricum had been able to introduce these techniques, the food that had been grown from the western soil was enough to supply the entire Empire with enough food tost the year. Naturally, a portion of this harvest was stored for ater date. After all, this was just one of two harvests this year.

    Currently, Marcellus walked through the farming vige that he had burnt down on his journey to Ravenna during the days of his rebellion. Despite the massacre that had taken ce here, the Romans had already resettled the area. Thus it came as a bit of a surprise to the local inhabitants when a small number of Ptini and their Imperator strode through the streets of the vige.

    Marcellus gazed upon the people who were stacking the grain that they had harvested into piles. There were wide smiles on their faces. It made his heart bleed that the people enjoying the fruits of his innovations were not the same people who once dwelled in thisnd.

    When the emperor passed by a young girl ying with a stalk of wheat, her mother quickly ran out to her and dragged her into the house, in fear of the Roman Forces who had entered the vige. Marcellus could only sigh when he saw this before proceeding to the man tasked with leading this vige.

    Under Marcellus¡¯s new military dictatorship, the control of towns passed from the hands of Magistrates, councils, and assemblies into the hands of a single Military Officer and his cadre of Non-Commissioned Officers.<sub>.</sub>

    As for the military structure of the Empire, it was a blend of the Principate and Dominate systems. Though the Field Armies were reorganized into proper principate legions, the Limitanei remained, albeit as full-time soldiers, with superior training and equipment over their predecessors.

    These Limitanei not only acted as the defensive garrisons of every town and city but also as the governance of the regions they upied. For small towns such as this, the officer in charge was usually a centurion. As for the amount of soldiers stationed within, it varied depending on the potential threat attributed to the area. Some towns received a whole Cohort of Limitanei, while others received one or two centuries.

    In each town a Castra was being constructed to act as the primary means of defense of the town. The idea behind this was that during an enemy attack, the citizens of the town would evacuate to the Castra, where the soldiers would defend them until a proper field army coulde and defeat the enemy.

    The Castra of this town was still undergoing construction, but the barracks and officer¡¯s quarters were already constructed. Thus, Marcellus personally strode into the Centurion¡¯s quarters, where the man was hard at work looking over the ledgers, and approving the necessary expenses to finish the construction of the town¡¯s defenses. When the centurion saw the Imperator enter the room, he quickly stopped what he was doing and jumped to attention.

    ¡°Imperator! I did not realize you would be visiting us. What can I do for you?¡±

    Marcellus had a bitter smile on his face and gazed around the office for a few moments before speaking of the reason for his visit.<sub></sub>

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see the people of this town thriving. It is such a pity what happened to those who lived here before. Though I tried to avoid the fate it suffered, but in the end, a massacre still unfolded. Because of this, I wanted to establish a monument in the town dedicated to the in. You don¡¯t need to worry about the expenses I will pay for it myself. What do you think?¡±

    The Centurion scratched the back of his head as he heard this. In all honesty, he was not expecting the reason for the Imperator¡¯s visit to be something so trivial. However, if the man had gone to such lengths just to hear a lowly centurion¡¯s opinion, he would not remain silent.

    ¡°It¡¯s certainly possible, but it will have to wait until after the Castra¡¯s construction has finished. Afterward, we can certainly erect a statue of some kind in order tomemorate those who perished during the revolution.¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head when he heard this, before shifting the topic to something else that was important to him.

    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ I have another question for you: how are the crop yields in this town?¡±

    The Centurion quickly looked over his books and flipped to the most recent count of crop yields inparison to what was historically managed by this town. After several moments of silence where he studied the content, he replied with a confident tone.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Excellent, we have practically seen our crop yields double thanks to the innovations you provided us. If we have these kinds of yields every year going forward, we can expect a poption boom to happen within the next generation.¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head once more after hearing this. If the majority of Roman towns were having crop yields on par with this one, then he could expect great things in the future. Any excess crops could be stored or sold to other regions.

    There were other concerns that Marcellus had, and thus he quickly inquired about the security of the region.

    ¡°Tell me, have you spotted any signs of barbarians or Bagaudae in the vicinity? What about brigands? Are they a threat at all?¡±

    The centurion looked over the reports on his desk to make sure he wasn¡¯t giving the Imperator any false information. After a few moments, he began to inform Marcellus of what he knew.

    ¡°As far as I know, the Barbarians keep themselves north of Medinum. Since the restoration of the Legions, we have been pushing them further and further northward. With the current situation, the town is not in any immediate danger of a barbarian raid.

    As for the Bagaudae, they¡¯ve been pushed westward into Gaul. I believe that is a problem for the Suebi to handle. Any other form of brigands, highwaymen, or thieves seems to be practically eliminated. With the regr patrols of the Field Armies, brigands are too afraid to act up.

    I¡¯m sure you witnessed the many menshed to crosses on your journey here. Any man caught engaging in such activity is crucified under your orders, because of this crime, even on the roads, has significantly decreased. I dare say that for the first time in decades, Italia is safe to travel through for the average person.

    However, once you get into Illyricum, you might have troubles. There have been rumors from traders thate from the east that the Goths who protect the region haven¡¯t exactly been taking an active stance in deterring brigands and thieves. I believe you may need to have a talk with the man you ced in charge of the region.¡±

    The diocese of Illyricum was disputed territory between the two halves of the Roman Empire. Though after the death of Theodosius I it officially entered the hands of the Western Roman Empire, it did not take long for the East to assert control over the region.

    However, that recently changed with the deal that Marcellus had made ric, and currently the Goths upied the region, having driven out, or assimted any eastern Roman forces that upied the region. This was a major point of contention with the Eastern Roman Empire, one that fueled their attempts to remove Marcellus from office.

    Still, if ric was not ruling properly, Marcellus would need to have a talk with him. He didn¡¯t allow the Goths to settle the Diocese of Illyricum just so they could let it continue to rot in its current state. Thus, he could only nod his head and agree to this suggestion.

    ¡°Very well. I will speak with ric about his ongoing efforts to control the region. It is good that you informed me of this. From the reports the man has been giving me, he made it sound as if everything was under control. I will make sure you receive a bonus for entrusting this information to me.¡±

    The Centurion nodded his head and thanked the Imperator for his benevolence.

    ¡°Thank you, if, you need anything else, feel free to ask!¡±

    Marcellus merely nodded his head and patted the man on the shoulder before departing. Before he did so, he left the man with some words of encouragement.

    ¡°Keep up the good work!¡±

    Marcellus walked through the vige one more time before returning to his horse. It was true what they said; you reap what you sow. He had spent significant time and effort restructuring the Roman Empire in both its civil and military affairs after he ascended to the throne. Italia was now secure, and the barbarians were being driven back into theirnds. The roads were safe, and crop yields were at an all-time high.

    Soon word would spread of these achievements, and the people of Rome would begin to change their opinion about Marcellus. Despite this, the hatred of the Patrician ss would remain. After all, Marcellus had pretty much usurped all their power, and distributed it to the military.

    Though the Patricians remained exceptionally wealthy, they were no longer the political elite in the Western Roman Empire, and because of this, they would continue their efforts to depose Marcellus from his position.

 Chapter 101 Creating Crucible Steel

    Frank was in the middle of his father¡¯s workshop, where he gazed upon the middle-aged man as he pulled out a crucible with a wide smile on his face. The man was a handyman by trade, working his way up thetter as a contractor, until the point where he now owned his own business. He made a decent living, at least enough to provide for his family.

    However, it was just his skills as a contractor. Marco enjoyed doing all kinds of DIY projects at home. Among them was the smithing of knives. However, he was a stubborn old bastard, and had built his own cksmithing workshop from scratch. Naturally, he made use of his teenage son to help him with his projects.

    Recently the two of them had finished his crucible furnace, which was how Marco nned to make his own steel. At the moment, he was lecturing his boy on the process behind this. At the moment he was filling a crucible full of pig iron about three-fourths full, where the rest was filled with charcoal.

    After filling the crucible with pig iron and charcoal, the man sprinkled sand, ashes, and lime into the mix to act as fluxes. He then capped it off with broken ss to act as a seal. After doing all of this, he began to exin the reason for adding these things to the mix to his young son.

    ¡°You see, boy, the carbon from the charcoal will mix with the pig iron, and raise its carbon content. While the ss acts as a seal when it melts and prevents air from reacting with the molten metal, thus ruining the chemical reaction needed to make steel.<sub>.</sub>

    Now all we need to do is put the crucible into the furnace and heat it up to 2,786 degrees Fahrenheit and let it sit for three hours so the iron and carbon can form into steel. Once that¡¯s over, we break the crucible apart and extract the steel bloom from the g and impurities. From there, we can process the steel into whatever it is we desire. Now get your ass to work and help me put this bitch in the furnace while it¡¯s still hot!¡±

    Frank could only sigh as he grabbed a pair of tongs and used them alongside his father to put the Crucible into the furnace where its contents began to melt down into a new product. He waited for three hours before his father ordered him to pull out the crucible. After doing so, they cracked it open and revealed a bloom of steel which his father then taught him how to refine into a de. The two of them spent the entire night forging a knife from the steel that they made in the crucible.

    ¡ª

    Marcellus snapped back to reality as he gazed upon thepleted st furnace. It had taken several months, but the city of Ravenna now had its first st furnace, where its initial batch of pig iron was being manufactured as he stood by and watched.<sub></sub>

    Perhaps this was the reason that he had a sudden vision from his past life. Whatever the reason, he just found out how he could make use of pig iron to create high carbon steel, something he felt would prove useful for his military.

    The foreman who operated this st furnace was a familiar face to Marcellus, a man he had not seen since his brief time at Castra Regina. Catus walked out from the building with a batch of pig iron in his hand and handed it over to Marcellus. The man had a proud smile on his face as he did so. As a man of few words, he did not speak, and merely handed over the goods to Marcellus as proof that the new device worked as intended.

    Marcellus inspected the basket of pig iron and nodded his head. It was an eptable amount. However, he now intended to use the pig iron in the creation of high carbon steel. As a result, he patted Catus on the shoulder and asked the man a question.

    ¡°Catus, how about I teach you and your workers how to create a new type of steel?¡±<sub></sub>

    The man gazed at the Imperator with a questioning look in his eye. It was weird enough that he had developed this new iron making technique, but now he also had a new means to produce steel? However, he did notment on it and simply nodded his head in agreement.

    Crucible steel already existed in regions such as India, but how it was created was a mystery to the west. Until now that is, Marcellus quickly instructed the crew who operated the st furnace how to make a crucible furnace, and how to make use of the pig iron, and other ingredients to create crucible steel.

    The men spared no time working as Marcellus had instructed them to build a crucible furnace, and by the evening they were finished with their work. Together Catus and his workers followed the instructions Marcellus had given them to produce a bloom of Crucible steel.

    In the end, Marcellus smiled while Catus held the puck of steel in his hands after it had cooled. He was shocked to see that this method actually worked, and looked at Marcellus as if he were a genius. Marcellus merely smiled and nodded his head before speaking to the man who ran his st furnace.

    ¡°Since this is the first batch of Crucible steel you and your men have created, I¡¯ll allow you to think about what you want to make with it. Catus thought about it for a few moments before nodding his head, and pointing towards Marcellus¡¯ sword.

    The Imperator quickly understood the cksmith¡¯s intent and unsheathed his de before handing it over. Catus quickly inspected the de dimensions, and then the puck of steel, and decided that he would need a bit more if he wanted to create a sword worthy of the Imperator. Thus, he grunted before raising three fingers to Marcellus, causing the man to question him.

    ¡°Three days? You want me to wait for three days and you will make me a new sword?¡±

    Catus nodded his head in silence, causing Marcellus to rx. He probably wouldn¡¯t need his sword for the next three days, and he could always borrow another from the armory if he did. Thus, after careful consideration, Marcellus decided to agree to Catus request, and allow him to make a crucible steel spatha for him.

    Catus was quick to get to task in producing more crucible steel, while Marcellus eventually left the scene. He had more important things to do than simply wait around for the finish product and returned to the Pce where Sigefrida was waiting for him. The busty Suebi beauty kissed him on the lips before handing him a document.

    ¡°ric has responded to your request to meet. He has delivered news that he will set out for Ravenna within the next few days. Are you sure it is the best idea to ce faith in the man to rule over Illyricum in your stead?¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head with a stern expression on his face, before outlining his reasons.

    ¡°ric controls a Gothic horde of over thirty thousand men. Unlike Sarus, he does not fear me, and because of that, it is difficult to ensure his loyalty. I have many questions about what has been going on in Illyricum ever since I gave him the region, questions he must answer in person. Don¡¯t worry, my love, I will make sure he behaves himself, and show proper respect to me as Imperator!¡±

    Sigefrida sighed as shetched onto Marcellus. She was worried about men like ric and her brother. They were barbarians, far from the light of Rome, and though they had their own codes of honor, she knew full well that they could not be trusted. By giving the Suebi, and Gothsnds to settle, Marcellus had invited future conflict into his Empire, and she feared that it may be the death of him.

    Naturally, she couldn¡¯t express her concerns, or else Marcellus would chastise her for worrying too much. However, she had a feeling in her gut that ric was simply biding his time, and waiting to march on Italia once more.

    After a few moments of silence, Marcellus whispered something into Sigefrida¡¯s ears that only she could hear. There was a sheepish expression on her face as her cheeks blushed, but in the end she nodded her head ever so slightly. Still, it was enough to cause Marcellus to grin, and thus he led the woman towards the bedroom so that they could spend some quality time together as a couple.

    Though his marriage to cidia was around the corner, Marcellus still made use of every opportunity to spend with Sigefrida that he could. After all, once he was finally wed, he would have two women to please, and that meant he would have less time to spend with the Suebi Beauty. The two of them spent many hours of the evening together before regrouping with cidia for dinner.

 Chapter 102 Admonishing a Barbarian Warlord

    ric sat within the confines of the Royal Pce of Ravenna. Standing across from him was the Imperator Titus udius Marcellus. The man had invited the Gothic King to his home in an attempt to learn about the situation in Illyricum. Though he had learned the truth from his Frumentarii, he wanted ric to answer for his crimes first hand. Despite knowing the truth, he acted cordially with perfect grace as he interrogated the barbarian king.

    ¡°ric, it is good to see you. I am d you could make the journey to Ravenna on such short notice. However, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, I heard a little rumor about some things that are happening in the Diocese I have allowed you to govern and I just wanted rification on the matter.

    I mustmend you and your forces on your valiant efforts to push the Huns and other barbarian groups out of the region. However, I am a bit concerned about the fact that you have utterly failed to crack down on thewlessness that inhibits trade with the east. Is there a reason for this?¡±

    ric drank from the fortified wine before scoffing at Marcellus¡¯ question. He had journeyed for weeks to meet the Emperor at a moment¡¯s notice simply because he demanded it. Thus, he was in a foul mood from the moment he entered the city of Ravenna.

    However, to immediately be questioned about his activities in Illyricum the moment after he sat down, that was too much. Thus, he immediately deflected from the question by insisting that Marcellus had no idea what he was talking about.

    ¡°What do you know about Illyricum? The region is a mess. It takes more than a few thousand Goths to fix the problems you Romans have left behind! The roads are in disrepair, the fields have been ravaged, and you can¡¯t travel a mile without running across a group of brigands.

    Not only that, but there is an ever-increasing threat of some hostile tribe flooding into the region. I wouldn¡¯t doubt it if you said that you gave my people Illyricum to settle precisely because it is so treacherous. We can¡¯t fight both the invaders and the brigands at the same time. I don¡¯t have enough men. Lord knows you have redistributed most of my warriors to enhance your forces on the Rhine!¡±<sub>.</sub>

    ric, like many of the Goths, was, in fact, a Christian. As early as a hundred years prior, the Gothic peoples had fallen in to the clutches of Christianity. However, there were still many holdouts of the old religion, and thus it was not umon to see a wolf warrior or a berserker among the foederati¡¯s ranks, shouting in the name of their pagan gods as they fearlessly charged into battle.

    Truthfully, Marcellus found this to be an embarrassment. Most of the Germanic tribes still followed their original religions, such as the Vandals, the Suebi, and the Franks. As a follower of the old Roman religion, Marcellus was naturally opposed to Christianity even if it was a not so well hidden secret. However, none of that was his concern at the moment, instead he had to cate this Barbarian King, by informing him the reasoning behind his madness.

    ¡°Like you said, you have already pushed many of the barbarian tribes beyond your borders, naturally with so many forces under yourmand the bulk of them are needed elsewhere. You still have ten thousand Goths stationed in Illyricum.

    That is more than enough to deal with your brigand problem, and defend your borders at the same time. Why do I get the feeling that you are deflecting from the issue at hand? Don¡¯t tell me you have been secretly working alongside these brigands to rob the eastern merchants of their wares?¡±

    ric¡¯s expression sank in that moment. Was his ploy so obvious? How the hell did Marcellus find out that he was supporting the brigands in their efforts to raid Eastern Roman caravans? Before he could properly respond, Marcellus sat his chalice down on the table and red at the man. His previously graceful demeanor had shifted to one of a tyrant.

    ¡°These attacks stop now! When you return to Illyricum, you will put an end to these brigands and highwaymen who are causing the east to be hesitant about their trade. Do I need to remind you that much of our Empire¡¯s wealthes from the patricians in the east who are looking for luxuries they can¡¯t find anywhere else?<sub></sub>

    What other trading partners does the West have, other than the East? We are at war with most of the barbarians beyond our borders, and even then those primitive tribalsck the wealth to trade in any significant capacity.

    The Sassanids, though currently friendly with the East, are not so friendly towards the west. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t trust those swarthy bastards not to stab me in the back if I even attempted to open up rtions with them.

    Our economy relies on the trade between us, and our eastern counterparts, so if they don¡¯t feel safe trading with us, then this little economic boom of ours wille crashing down around us! If I have to personally visit you in Illyricum, I promise you, the discussion we have will be far less cordial than the one we are having now. So, allow me to ask, do we have a problem, ric?¡±

    The Gothic King red at Marcellus for several moments in silence before shaking his head.

    ¡°No¡­ I will get rid of the Brigands upon my return and seize their assets. I have to ask, is this the only reason you have called me here to Ravenna? To lecture me about a brigand problem?¡±

    Marcellus scoffed when he heard this andid back on his sofa before responding to this question in earnest.<sub></sub>

    ¡°No, I also called you here to inform you that there are another two legions that are being drafted as we speak. Since I know how sensitive you are about these things, I wanted to inform you in person that once they havepleted their training, they will be dispatched to Illyricum to help bring the region under proper control, and to aid in its defense. Make sure to work alongside the legates who I send with them. I will know if you cause any unnecessary problems.¡±

    ric immediately stood up from his seat and tossed his chalice on the ground in a fit of rage before barking at Marcellus like a wild dog.

    ¡°This wasn¡¯t part of our deal! You said Illyricum was ours to settle!¡±

    In response to this outburst, Marcellus sat up in an upright position as he stared into the blue eyes of the Gothic King with a stern expression on his face.

    ¡°I said the region was yours to settle, but I never said anything about it being yours to govern. You have been acting in control of the region explicitly because I am low on reliable men who can fulfill the position of an Imperial Legate. However, your actions of aligning yourself withmon brigands has brought me concern about your leadership abilities.

    Thus, while you will still hold the position of Imperial Legate, my Legates will be there to assist you in your endeavors, and make sure you do not make another such folly in the future. After all, that¡¯s what this was, was it not? An act of folly, and not malice? Because I assure you, should you have aligned with these brigands with any malevolent intentions in mind, it would force me tosh you to a cross!¡±

    ric saw the threatening look in Marcellus¡¯ olive green eyes and shivered in fear. He finally understood why Sarus was so fearful of this man. Despite the fact that ric held control over thirty thousand plus gothic warriors, Marcellus waspletely unafraid to execute him if he stepped out of line.

    There was a level of boldness in the Imperator¡¯s statement that led the Gothic King to believe Marcellus was not bluffing in the slightest. Thus, rather than cause further problems for himself, ric bowed his head in defeat and muttered under his breath.

    ¡°It was an act of folly¡­¡±

    Marcellus perked up his ears in an exaggerated gesture and ordered the man to repeat himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What was that? I don¡¯t believe I heard you!¡±

    ric sighed heavily before ring at Marcellus as he repeated himself with a more clear enunciation of his words.

    ¡°I said it was an act of folly. There was no malice intended.¡±

    Marcellus grinned as he heard this and nodded his head before dispatching ric on his way back to the Diocese of Illyricum.

    ¡°Very good. If that is the case, then you are free to return to Illyricum. However, let me forewarn you. If I find out you so much as cursed my name under your breath in private, I will not be merciful. Do you understand me?¡±

    The Proud King of the Goths felt resentful as he was being scolded by the Roman Emperor like a dog. However, he did not daresh out at that moment and quickly nodded his head while barking like a trained hound.

    ¡°I understand¡­¡±

    With these words, Marcellus bade ric farewell, and would make sure to keep a closer eye on him in the future. If ric was this troublesome, then he shuddered to think of what Sigefrida¡¯s brother would be like. He was beginning toment his decision to make use of Barbarian warlords as proxies against the other Germanic tribes.

 Chapter 103 Dreams of the Past Part IV

    Frank stood in the pews of arge cathedral. By his side were his mother and father, who were dressed in their most formal of attire. In the center of the building stood his sister, Maria, who wore a revealing white wedding dress, and the man she had fooled into marrying.

    Yes, fooled was the word that Frank had used in his own mind to describe the scenario. Why was that? Because, like most modern women, she had deliberately lied about her past, specifically her previous upation, and her body count in order to attract a higher value male. The man she was marrying was named Don Ferarri, which instantly made Frank feel as if the man was a douchebag.

    However, he was an aplished dentist in the New York area, and made quite a significant ie. He was also decently handsome, and because of that, Maria had done everything she could to hide her scandalous past in order to marry this man.

    As far as Frank was concerned, he had no duty to inform this idiot of who his sister really was. Or her past, and though he believed such things mattered in a rtionship, the fault was on this fool for not investigating the background of the girl he was going to marry. Still, it ate at his soul, as if he was guilty of a great crime for allowing this man to enter a contractual rtionship based on lies, especially when he had so much to lose.

    It was Frank¡¯s fourth year in College, and he had been enjoying himself during his university life. He was a bit of a yboy. You could basically say he was the male equivalent of his sister. The difference was he didn¡¯t pretend like he was something else just to hook up with chicks.

    Naturally, as a three time NCAA Division One Wrestling Champion, he had many women who were pining after him. One of these girls he had brought to this wedding as his date, simply so that he wouldn¡¯t be the loser who was single at the event. He barely even knew her name, but she was a goody, and one of his many fuck buddies.

    As the Bride and groom exchanged their vows, Frank carefully gazed upon his surroundings, observing each tradition, and each action that was taken. It was truly a beautiful ceremony. It was just a shame that his sister¡¯s rtionship with this man was built on lies. He gave her three to five years before she divorced the man and took him for everything he had.

    In all honesty, it was a pity that was what marriage had been reduced to in twenty-first century America, but Frank knew it in his heart to be true and vowed never to fall for such a scam. He would be a bachelor until the day he died. He had even made one of his friends promise to put a bullet in his brain if he ever fell for a girl like his sister.<sub>.</sub>

    After Maria and her boy toy sealed the marriage with a kiss, she quickly ran up to her little brother and hugged him. She would not miss this opportunity to tease him about the words he had spoken to her a few years prior. She had never forgotten what he had said.

    ¡°And you said I could never get a man to marry me! Well, look at me now, bitch!¡±

    Frank put on a fake smile as he squeezed his sister tightly before whispering in his ear.

    ¡°I said you could never get a man to marry you honestly, and I was right. Does this poor sucker even know about the job you had during college?¡±

    Maria¡¯s smile immediately vanished when she heard this. Luckily, her new husband could not see the ugly scowl on her face as she whispered something else into her pesky little brother¡¯s ears.

    ¡°No, and you are not going to tell him, or else I will shove my foot up your ass!¡±

    In response to this, Frank merely chuckled, spinning his sister around in a little dance so she was forced to face the man she had married. He whispered something else in his ear as he separated from her.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Woah there, don¡¯t go threatening me with a good time!¡±

    After saying this, he let go of the woman before pretending like he had actually congratted her on her wedding.

    ¡°I am so happy for you Maria, and Don, you are one lucky man to be marrying my beautiful sister! Isn¡¯t that right, Maria?¡±

    Marco and Sophia had watched their two siblings pretend to be getting along, and knew for certain that they were bickering with each other at that moment. However, they did not dare reveal the ruse. Neither of them were aware of the extent that Maria had lied to her new husband about her past, for if they were, Marco would have had a chat with the man.

    Don¡¯s parents interrupted the show before Maria could respond to Frank¡¯s provocations. The two of them congratted the newly married couple. While this was going on, Frank¡¯s date walked up to him and spoke to him about his sister¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°Your sister is really beautiful, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    In response to this, Frank merely scoffed before muttering a quick quip about his sister under his breath.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to be cam whore of the month for being ugly¡­¡±

    The girl who he had taken as a date on this asion thought she had heard wrong and looked over it him with confusion on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry what?¡±

    In response to this, Frank feigned ignorance with a deadpan expression on his face.

    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t say anything¡­¡±

    Ultimately, the young woman decided not to question what she thought she heard, and just ignore it. After a bunch of pictures were taken, the guests of the wedding left the Cathedral and proceeded to the venue where the reception was taking ce. Frank was quick to order a ss of wine, which the waitress served to him. When she was about to walk off, he grabbed hold of the woman¡¯s sleeve and corrected her errant behavior.

    ¡°Oh no, sweetheart, leave the bottle with me. I¡¯m going to need it to get through this night¡­¡±

    Contrary to the reaction he was expecting, the girlughed before handing him the entire bottle and responding with a flirtatious smirk.

    ¡°I¡¯m here all night if you need me, feel free to ask for more when you run out, handsome!¡±

    Frank¡¯s date immediately red at him with petty jealousy, which he simply responded to by taking a smug sip of his wine. Eventually, the food was served, which, as one might guess by the nature of the two families¡¯ lineage, was Italian. Frank quickly dug into his meal without a regard for the titudes that were currently being said by the family. Though he sat at the main table with the rest of the members of his family, he was far from sociable. An aspect that his parents took notice of.

    As the night continued, Frank became progressively more intoxicated, eventually cking out. By the time he woke up, he realized that he was not in his fuck buddy¡¯s apartment, but in someone else¡¯s. Frank quickly looked over to see who was sleeping next to him, only to realize it was the waitress from the night before. He sighed in relief when he realized it was a good-looking chick. In all honesty, he could have done much worse in his drunken state.

    He did not know what had happened the night before, but when he gazed over at his phone, there appeared to be a few dozen angry texts from his family members. When he realized this, all he could do was a groan as heid back in bed andined about the night before.

    ¡°Fucking weddings¡­¡±

    Evidently, the girl was awake by his side as she turned over to face him while giggling. Apparently, she remembered everything and immediately teased him about the night before.

    ¡°Good morning, my dear fiance.¡±

    Frank immediately froze on the spot while the girl pulled out her phone and showed him a recording of his drunk ass spilling his sister¡¯s secrets during the wedding reception. Immediately after he went on about the meaninglessness of modern marriage and even went so far as to propose to the waitress he just met with an hour before with a paper ring that he had fashioned from a napkin. Upon realizing what he had done, and why his family was so angry at him, he grabbed hold of the pillow beneath his head and smothered his face with it, while speaking his innermost thoughts.

    ¡°Oh Lord, kill me now¡­¡±

    ¡ª

    After that scene, Marcellus awoke from his sleep in a cold sweat. It would appear these memories were not in chronological order as he was sometimes getting dreams from his high school years, and others from his college years. However, he could feel the embarrassment of Frank when he realized he had gotten too drunk and ruined his sister¡¯s wedding.

    Although, he had to admit, the christian marriage rites in the modern world were truly a beautiful ceremony. Since he was still pretending to be a Christian in this world, and obviously couldn¡¯t host a Pagan wedding, perhaps he should replicate such beauty for his wedding to cidia. Ultimately, he fell back to sleep, hoping he wouldn¡¯t have to see such another embarrassing moment of his past life.

 Chapter 104 Moving the Imperial Capital

    Currently, Marcellus stood in the workshop where Catus had finished forging his sword. He waited patiently as the cksmith performed the finishing touches on the de¡¯s sharp edge. The man had gone to great lengths to secure the necessary materials to turn it into a masterpiece. Yet here it finally stood, finished. Initially, the estimate was only a few days, but after deciding to embark on a far grander project worthy of an Emperor, the craftsman had spent significantly longer to build the perfect weapon for Marcellus.

    The sword came in a wood scabbard that was coated in chestnut brown leather. Its fittings were made of gold and were intricately carved to pay homage to Sol Invictus. The hilt was constructed of a mixture of ck ebony, mahogany, and white holly woods. On the guard and pommel, the mahogany sandwiched ayer of white holly which itself was sandwiched between the ck ebony.

    While the grip was made of white holly which was sandwiched by the ck ebony. The grip itself had three golden rings embedded into it which separated the upper, middle, and lower sections of the grip. Finally, at the bottom of the pommel, was a brass fitting, which acted as a peening block.

    The de of the sword was seventy-two centimeters long, it had a double fuller and was made of crucible steel. Because of this, it had a distinctive pattern simr in design to wootz steel. The de was oil quenched and tempered to achieve maximum durability. It was a work of art as much as it was a functional instrument of war.

    When Marcellus unsheathed the de and gazed upon its full beauty, a wide smile stretched across his face. He could feel the exceptional craftsmanship that went into the making of this sword. It was truly a weapon that belonged to an emperor. He took a few swings with the de into thin air, andughed at how well bnced it was. Catus was truly a master of his craft.

    After having some fun with the sword, Marcellus sheathed it and handed the payment to Catus, however the man shook his head and smiled, which was the first time Marcellus had seen such an expression on the man¡¯s face. Before Marcellus could question his intentions, the man openly said what he was thinking for the first time in days.

    ¡°Consider it a wedding gift¡­¡±<sub>.</sub>

    Marcellus grinned when he heard the man say such a thing, it was true that any day now cidia would turn of proper age, and he would finally be able to marry her. Thus, he was happy to ept the cksmith¡¯s kindness. Before departing, Marcellus left the man with a few words of encouragement.

    ¡°Keep up the good work Catus, I see a bright future ahead of you!¡±

    Eventually Marcellus returned to his Pce, where the servants were packing up Marcellus¡¯ belongings. He had long since nned to move back to Rome, which was where both he and cidia grew up, where he intended to restore the city to its former glory.

    After all, he desired to have his wedding in his home town which was the true heart of the Empire. When cidia noticed Marcellus had entered the building, she ran down and hugged him before asking the question on her mind.

    ¡°Are we really doing it? Are we truly moving back to Rome?¡±

    Marcellus wore a warm smile as he stroked the girl¡¯s obviously dyed hair and nodded his head in confirmation.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re finally returning home¡­¡±

    The young woman immediately screamed in excitement, which caused Sigefrida, who was descending the staircase to scold her.

    ¡°Uggghh¡­ I just woke up. Why the hell are you screaming so early in the morning?

    What Sigefrida didn¡¯t realize was that it was already past noon, and when Marcellus saw her climb out of bed sote in the day, he immediately became concerned.

    ¡°It¡¯s already noon. Were you sleeping this whole time?¡±

    It surprised Sigefrida to find that it was already sote in the day. There was only one man to me for this urrence and she was quick to make a remark about the exact reason she slept so long, which went over cidia¡¯s head.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Well, maybe if somebody didn¡¯t keep me up sote into the night, I wouldn¡¯t sleep so long¡­¡±

    cidia was a bit na?ve and, rather than understanding the implication behind the woman¡¯s words, she was quick to jump to Sigefrida¡¯s defense.

    ¡°Who kept you up? When I find them, I¡¯ll give them a good talking too!¡±

    The innocent expression on cidia¡¯s cute face caused Sigefrida to blush in embarrassment. If there was one thing that was certain, Marcellus and Stilicho had done too good of a job sheltering the girl. She couldn¡¯t very well inform the girl of what Marcellus and she had been up to sote into the night. Upon seeing Sigefrida¡¯s flustered expression, Marcellus decided to change the topic.

    ¡°Anyway, you girls better get ready. We¡¯re moving back to Rome today. A new pce is being constructed, and in the meantime we¡¯ll live in my vi. I have officially changed the capital back to where it rightfully belongs and have begun funding efforts to restore the city.¡±

    Sigefrida smiled and hugged Marcellus with a gleeful smile on her pretty face. This was too good to be true. So much so that she had to question whether this was reality.

    ¡°You mean we finally get to move out of this fucking swamp?¡±

    Marcellus could only smile in return, and nod his head as he responded to the woman¡¯s question.

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sigefrida also screamed in excitement, which caused cidia to pout. Why did Sigefrida get to scream, but she didn¡¯t? Sometimes life was unnecessarily cruel to her. She shot Marcellus a dirty re, which he ignored. After all, Marcellus was just d to see that the two women were finally getting along.

    In the past, the two women were as close as sisters. After all, they were united together against Aeliana¡¯s tyranny. However, the moment after Marcellus¡¯ mother passed away, they quickly turned on one another in a fiercepetition to win the man¡¯s love. Luckily, his talk with cidia had done wonders to mend the rift between her and Sigefrida.

    Thus, the two women got to work as they prepared themselves for the journey ahead. After a quick meal Marcellus, and his household departed from Ravenna, in a carriage which was guarded by his Pce Guard, of Ptini who were no longer the most elite troops in a field army, but a dedicated body guard unit whose sole purpose was to protect the Imperator.

    The Ptini was armed with the greatest weapons and armor avable to the Empire. Its members consisted of the most loyal men to Marcellus and his regime. Learning from the mistakes of the Praetorian Guard, Marcellus made sure that his Frumentarii screened each prospective candidate before they were allowed entry into the elite unit.

    After bing a member of the Ptini, the individual soldiers were sent through fierce training in the ways ofbat and bodyguard tactics. They were expected to continue their training when they had down time to ensure their skills were always sharp.

    Thus, the trio were well protected from any and all threats as they watched from inside their carriage while the city of Ravenna disappeared into the background. Only when it was finally out of sight did they sigh in relief. The truth was Ravenna was far from the most ideal location for a capital, at least from a cultural perspective.

    From a defensive perspective, it was indeed the greatest location in Italia. However, with the barbarians being pushed back to the frontier, and the roads being once more safe to travel, such a defensive region was no longer required for the capital of the empire.

    cidia and Sigefrida could not wait to return to the clean air of Rome, free from the putrid stench of a surrounding swamp. As for Marcellus, this move from Ravenna to Rome was not just one of personal preference but cultural significance.

    It was as if he was saying to his neighbors that Rome was once more the center of the world. It was an act that would surely cause the Eastern Roman Empire to be bitter and resentful. After all, Ravenna paled inparison to the great city of Constantinople. But Rome, it was surely an equal, especially after it had been restored.

    It would take several days to travel from Ravenna to Rome, but when Marcellus finally arrived, it would surprise him when to find a warm wee from the people who lived in the city. With the recent crop yields, the economic uplift, and the removal of threats from the borders of the Empire. Marcellus was starting to be a popr emperor, especially in those cities far from the influence of the Patricians who lived in Ravenna. Many of whom were still in Constantinople, far from the reach of the Imperator¡¯s wrath.

 Chapter 105 Assassinating the Conspirators

    vius Livius Secundas sat within the confines of his vi in Constantinople. He was one of the many Patricians who had fled the Western Roman Empire after conspiring to assassinate its newest emperor. Under the protection of the Eastern Roman Empire¡¯s regent, Yazdegerd, he lived a life of quiet luxury.

    Secundas came from a long line of patricians and senators, and though the power of the senate had waned in recent centuries, there was still a certain amount of power held in the hands of Rome¡¯s elite families. However, that all came crumbling down when Marcellus ascended to the throne and butchered the senate.

    Patricians soon found theirnds appropriated by the state, and ced under the control of military officers. If that was not enough, Marcellus had ordered the confiscation of treasuries that belonged to the various Patricians ns, leaving the once wealthy aristocrats poor and destitute. In this new order, there was no need for such useless wastrels, instead capable men who had the means to rule efficiently, and defend thend, were chosen from the ranks of the military.

    Some of these men were patricians, those few aristocrats who had learned valuable skills and volunteered for military service held great esteem in the new imperial order. As for the rest of the patrician ss, they were cast aside and left to fend for themselves.

    This had caused the overwhelming majority of the upper ss to turn on Marcellus, however in the end, many of them were identified and executed without trial. Causing those who remained to flee to the east, where they were protected by its regent.

    However, recently there were reports of these exiled western patricians ending up in pools of their own blood, or being poisoned from their meals and beverages. A great sense of paranoia loomed in the minds of many, including Secundas, fearing that their executioner was lingering just around the corner.<sub>.</sub>

    Despite this fear, Secundas was currently in the sanctuary that was his vi and at the moment, he was balls deep in his favorite ve. She had served his family for many, many years, and waspletely loyal to him. This was not a loyalty based on love and admiration, but rather abuse and intimidation.

    If one were to approach her and tell her she had a chance to earn her freedom, she would deny it in fear that by simply thinking about such a possibility, her dominus would punish her severely. Thus shey on the bed and took the pounding her dominus was giving her while staring out the window with lifeless eyes.

    However, in the next moment, she saw a twinkle in the darkness, a sh of light that came from the outside. Or perhaps it was moonlight illuminating a metallic object. Either way, itsted for but a minute before the ss of the window shattered, and a small iron bolt stuck through the neck of the ve¡¯s master.

    The man gazed at the window in shock as he copsed on top of his favorite ve and bled out all over her. The ve girl was petrified as she stared at the pale, lifeless face of the man who had tormented her for so many years. She was so terrified that she could not even scream. Instead, it took her several moments to recover before she poked the man in the eye to see if he was really dead. Indeed, he was, for he did not even react to her aggression.

    It was only after she realized the man was truly dead did she let out a scream, which alerted the guards standing watch outside the door to the death of their master. The vi¡¯s guards immediately rushed into the room to find their master lying dead on the bed with his blood staining the naked ve¡¯s body and face. They could immediately tell by the broken window and the bolt in the man¡¯s neck that the attacker hade from outside, thus they were quick to alert the other guards.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Quickly, they can¡¯t have gotten too far. We must get to this assassin immediately!¡±

    However, unfortunately for them, the assassin had already absconded into the night, leaving behind the arcuballista they used to y the exiled patrician.

    ¡ª

    Marcellus was preparing for his uing wedding to cidia. He was currently in the study of his old vi in Rome where he was going over the venue, and the vows which he had designed. The entire wedding was loosely based upon the traditions he had observed in the memories of his past life.

    Though Frank seemed to have significant issues with the purpose of marriage in the amoral wastnd that was twenty-first century America. There was still a longing in his heart for an actual wife and family that he coulde home to after a long day¡¯s of work. A simple life that he knew he could never have, at least not in anysting fashion.<sub></sub>

    This bitterness in Frank¡¯s heart, which Marcellus had personally felt while in the dream, led the Roman Emperor to design the perfect wedding for him and cidia. A blend of Roman-Christian traditions, and modern Christian traditions.

    While Marcellus was writing down his grand ns for this significant event, the door to his office opened to reveal Sigefrida, who had a wide smile on her face. Upon seeing the woman in such a pleasant mood, Marcellus quickly questioned her about it.

    ¡°It¡¯s unusual to see you in such a good mood these days. What happened? Are you perhaps pregnant?¡±

    Sigefrida scoffed at the notion, before dropping a pile of papers on his desk, all while responding to his crude joke.

    ¡°How can I be pregnant when you never finish inside? No, I¡¯m happy because another exile is dead. This is the fifth one this week!¡±

    Marcellus gazed at his beloved concubine with a hint of worry in his eyes, just a few years ago her kind soul would never allow her to be happy about the death of another human being, even if they were an enemy, now she was orchestrating the deaths of Marcellus¡¯ rivals left and right, and she was smiling about it. The woman noticed his gaze and pouted before insisting that he read the document.

    ¡°Stop looking at me like that, and read!¡±

    Marcellus did as he was instructed and read through the document. It was a list of names that his assassins had gotten rid of over the past few months. By now, most of the conspirators were dead, and the remainder were starting to hide, no longer trusting the power and prestige of the Eastern Roman Emperor, or more specifically, his regent.

    Despite the news, Marcellus was not as happy as Sigefrida thought he would be, and he quickly lectured the woman on what this meant in the grand scheme of things.

    ¡°This just means the conspirators who remain will go underground. They will be more difficult to root out and eliminate. I know you want these bastards who have conspired to assassinate me dead, but if you go about it too quickly, you will cause them to scatter and flee to the ends of the earth, where our agents will no longer be able to pursue them.

    If we want to get rid of these bastards once and for all, we need a way to lure the survivors into the open so we can eliminate them in one single strike. Find a way to do this, and fix your mess. I don¡¯t want to have to chase these sons of bitches across Asia!¡±

    Sigefrida pouted after she was scolded. She thought she would be praised for her efforts, but in the end she had made a miscalction and was lectured about it. She walked away with a sunken head, causing Marcellus to realize his mistake and call out to her.

    ¡°Sigefrida, you¡¯ve done a good job, you¡¯re just a bit overeager. Make sure to treat this as a learning experience¡­¡±

    After hearing that, she felt a bit better and smiled bitterly before nodding her head. She nned to do just as Marcellus had said, and lure out the enemy so she can kill them in a single strike before they can flee the range of her influence.

 Chapter 106 Impprovements to the Arcuballista

    Frank sat in the lecture hall of his medieval history course. At the moment, his professor was speaking of the importance that crossbows and crossbowmen had on the high medieval battlefields. On the board was a diagram of how crossbows functioned. Which the professor prattled on about.

    ¡°Crossbows, in case you were unaware, were essentially bows that faced sideways and were mounted to a wooden stock, also known as a tiller. Early on, the bows were fastened into the tiller via a rope, but around the year 1400 AD, the Europeans invented the bow iron. Which was an iron reinforcing wedge that kept the bow in ce, usually through a retaining pin.

    As you can see, by the fifteenth century, the bows used on the crossbow were no longer made of wood orposite materials, instead they had shifted to steel. Up front is the stirrup which in lighter weight bows, a crossbowman would put his foot through, and use the leverage to pull the heavy bowstring back to the rolling knot which not only secured the bowstring in the firing position but also acted as a means to secure the bolt itself.

    The knot was usually made of antler, horn, or bone and was reinforced with iron tes. The crossbow made use of a lever style trigger, which utilized a spring to keep it retained. Heavy crossbows in particr were forced to use alternative devices to draw the bow, such as the goat¡¯s foot, or the winss. These devices took time to load and were only really useful in sieges.

    Crossbows were exceptionally useful at prating armor, so much that at one point the Pope banned them for use against Christians. However, when one is at war, necessity triumphs morality, and crossbows continued to see service among practically every Kingdom in Europe. ¡°<sub>.</sub>

    The girl sitting next to Frank yawned as she put down her phone. She looked around the ss for a few moments before noticing that the guy sitting next to her was drawing an exact diagram of the crossbow in his notebook.

    It was actually really detailed, far more so than the one on the board. She figured she had some time to kill since ss did not get out for another twenty-five minutes and put on a pretty smile before whispering to him in a sultry tone.

    ¡°You¡¯re a really good artist. Maybe you can show me a thing or two after ss?¡±

    Frank merely scoffed when he heard this. He was a man who knew his priorities, and pussy could wait until the weekend. While he was in ss, he did not waste his time, and because of that, he ignored the girl while continuing on his notes. This action caused the girl to mutter under her breath before turning her attention back to her phone.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Asshole¡­¡±

    Frank merely ignored the young woman¡¯sments. Due to the fact that she was wasting her time in ss gazing at her phone, It was clear to him that she had nothing of value to offer other than her body, and he could always find someone else to fulfill that role. Thus, he did not react in the slightest and continued to take extensive notes, which only further agitated the girl.

    After finishing the blueprint for the crossbow, Marcellus awoke from the dream. He had unknowingly drifted off into sleep while he was in the middle of working. However, the design of the crossbow, and its supposed armor piercing capabilities immediately filled him with interest.

    He had recently developed a new way to make superior steel, and because of that, he was interested in testing out this so-called crossbow. After all, it appeared to be a vastly improved version of the arcuballista that his soldiers currently made use of.<sub></sub>

    ?[0)??? He spent some time designing the crossbow and making it exactly to memory, as well as the design of the so-called springs that the trigger mechanism made use of. In the end, he had a 15th century crossbow, or a close approximation to it. The poundage of the draw weight was light enough that someone could draw it without the assistance of a device, but still heavy enough to pierce through the armor on the battlefields he would face in this world.

    All in all, it was a vast improvement over the arcuballista, which was hip fired, and loaded from the belly. By the time he was finished, he set the blueprints aside for his page to collect and distribute to the leader of the nearest manufactorum. It was up to them to take this blueprint and make it into reality.

    After finishing the designs for his crossbow, Marcellus set some time aside to visit his fiancee. The girl would soon be an adult, which meant their wedding was just around the corner. Because of this, he wanted to make sure she wasn¡¯t having any second thoughts.

    Thus, he set out from his study, and walked around his vi searching for the little minx. He eventually found cidia in the garden, ying in the fountain. Marcellus smiled when he saw this before calling out to the girl who appeared to be enjoying herself.

    ¡°I thought I would find you here. You always did enjoy my fountain!¡±

    cidia¡¯s pretty face reddened up when she heard Marcellus call out to her. She was dressed only in her undergarments, and she had never shown off so much of her skin to Marcellus before. The man merely gazed upon her curiously. Her proportions were perfect, butpared to Sigefrida, who was a tall and busty Suebi woman, cidia was much more petite andpact. Still, he had to admit she had her own beauty.

    When cidia noticed the man shamelessly staring at her, she rushed out of the fountain, and hid behind a bush as she adorned her dress. After being properly clothed, her face was still red, but she appeared to be a bit more calm as she walked past Marcellus coldly before muttering a single word beneath her breath.

    ¡°Pervert¡­¡±

    Marcellus merely scoffed when he heard this before running after the girl.

    ¡°Oh,e on, cidia, it¡¯s not like it is something I¡¯ll never be able to see! In a week, you and I will be married, and then I will see far more than your undergarments.¡±

    The girl froze in her spot when she heard this. Before ring at Marcellus with a pouting face, she stuck out her tongue like a child before running off, leaving behind a single sentence for him to hear.

    ¡°Then you will have to wait a week!¡±

    Marcellus could only sigh as he walked back into his vi. It¡¯s not like it was his fault that the girl decided to take a dip in his fountain in her undergarments. Still, he would not bother convincing the girl she was in the wrong. It wouldn¡¯t do him any good. Instead, he decided to go seek out Sigefrida so she could help ease the difort he was feeling at this moment.

    It was only a week away from cidia¡¯s birthday, and the weekend after the girl became of age, they would have their wedding in the city¡¯s cathedral. It would be a grand event that Marcellus nned to use as a means of propaganda. After all, there were still those in the Western Roman Empire who called his reign illegitimate, hopefully his marriage to cidia would change their minds.

    After all, every person who thought of him as a usurper was a potential rebel and conspirator. Something he would prefer to not have to deal with. Thus, while Sigefrida was spending her daysing up with a way to catch the conspirators in a trap. Marcellus was enjoying hisst days as a free man.

 Chapter 107 The Emperors Wedding

    Marcellus stood in the center of the Cathedral and gazed around at the sights which surrounded him. Today was his wedding day, and if he was being honest, he could hardly believe it was finally here. He was a bit nervous as he gazed around at the crowds that had gathered to witness the event.

    The marriage of the current Emperor to the previous Emperor¡¯s sister was a huge deal, one that would solidify Marcellus¡¯ legitimacy to the Western Roman Throne. Many people from all walks of life had gathered to witness the event. Under the ever watchful guide of the Pce Guard, the people were disarmed before being allowed ess to the Cathedral.

    The young Imperator stood in the center of the Cathedral, dressed in the garb of the ancient Romans. Marcellus was currently wearing a white silk toga which was embroidered in gold edges. However, its length was modified to be cut short at the knees. Over this toga was a purple silk sash which had the same golden embroidery at the tunic, in the center of the device was an additional golden floral pattern.

    Fine leather sandals protected his feet, and atop the Imperator¡¯s head was a radiant crown. The Radiant crown was worn by Emperor¡¯s such as Aurelian, and others who were members of the cult of Sol Invictus. The fact that Marcellus had made his own crown into such a device clearly showed his defiance of Christianity¡¯s power and influence even if they forced him to have a Christian wedding.

    Though this wedding differed from the ones that the people knew, instead it was modelled after modern traditions from Marcellus¡¯ past life. The men and women who had gathered for this event spoke among themselves in hushed voices, speaking about the strangeness of the entire affair.

    Eventually their silence was cut short by the natural beauty of cidia, who entered the Cathedral in a white silk dress in a style that Roman women would have worn during the republic period. Like Marcellus¡¯ attire, hers too was embroidered in golden cloth. However, the major difference between her wedding dress and a historical piece was that it was designed to cling tightly to the young woman¡¯s natural curves and expose her hefty cleavage. Though cidia was not as busty as Sigefrida, her bosom was far from t.

    The girl had a flushed expression on her face as she walked down the aisle with Sigefrida tailing behind her, who acted as a bridesmaid. When the young princess finally stood in front of Marcellus, she barely recognized the man. For the sake of this event, he had dyed his hair blond, much like how cidia always kept her hair. She couldn¡¯t help but giggle as she saw this beforementing on the man¡¯s appearance.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie Marcellus, you look better as a brte¡­¡±

    Marcellus chuckled when he heard the woman¡¯sments, before nodding his head in agreement.

    ?[0)??? ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t realize how bad of an idea this was until after it was already done. I¡¯ll make sure to wash it out and go back to my natural hair color at the first opportunity given.¡±

    cidia wore a pretty smile as she agreed with this sentiment.

    ¡°That would be for the best¡­¡±

    Ultimately, the couple¡¯s conversation was cut short by the local clergyman, who was responsible for overseeing this event. The man deliberately coughed in an obvious attempt to get their attention. After Marcellus and cidia shifted their focus to the priest, he yed his part perfectly as he replicated the traditional catholic ceremony from Marcellus¡¯ past life. Marcellus primarily tuned it out, instead focusing on the beauty of his young bride.<sub></sub>

    In truth, Marcellus had always seen cidia as his little sister, and never gave her appearance much thought. But today she was so ravishing he could not take his eyes off of her. His heart beat so loudly that he barely registered the Priest¡¯s words when he asked the following.

    ¡°Titus udius Marcellus, do you take Ga cidia for yourwful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?¡±

    It took Marcellus a second to notice, but in the end he nodded his head before responding with a wide smile on his face.

    ¡°I do¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, the Priest smiled before shifting his gaze to cidia and asking her the same question.

    ¡°Ga cidia, do you take Titus udius Marcellus for yourwful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?¡±<sub></sub>

    cidia did not even hesitate as she nodded her head with a pretty smile on her face and spoke the words in her heart.

    ¡°I do¡­¡±

    With this, they exchanged their wedding rings, a tradition that confused a lot of the people who had gathered, before the Priest finally announced the ending to the ceremony.

    ¡°You may now kiss the bride!¡±

    Marcellus smiled as he gently grabbed hold of cidia¡¯s cheek before passionately kissing her on the lips. It was the girl¡¯s first time, so she just followed Marcellus¡¯ lead as he entertained his tongue with hers, before pulling apart.

    This was another aspect that the people in the audience weren¡¯t expecting, and several moments of silence followed before Sigefrida pped. Following the woman¡¯s lead, the entire audience cheered as they witnessed their newest emperor seal his marriage with a passionate disy. With this Marcellus marriage wasplete, now all that was left was the reception.

    Since both cidia and Marcellus¡¯ entire families were dead, the two celebrated by having their close friends and advisors at the event. Ordius had even travelled all the way from Gaul to attend Marcellus¡¯ wedding. Where he patted the man on the back and handed him a ss of wine whileplimenting him on his big day.

    ¡°Congrattions, your Majesty. I know how much you cared for the girl all these years. It is good to see she is married to a worthy man, and not some ugly bastard. Though in all honesty I was a bit surprised by your blonde hair¡­ The ceremony was beautiful though, if not a bit strange. In truth, wasn¡¯t expecting something so grand. ¡°

    Marcellus smiled as he nodded his head in agreement with Ordius words. He grabbed hold of cidia¡¯s dainty hand and kissed it before responding to his legate.

    ¡°Well, it is the dawn of a new era. I figured the Empire deserved some new traditions, and I knew that marriage would be the best thing to change. In the past, weddings were so dull. Now I hope to start a trend, where people dress up, gather, and celebrate as you have seen here.¡±

    Ordius gazed upon the radiant crown on Marcellus¡¯ golden hair before shaking his head in contempt.

    ¡°Sure, new traditions are always good fun, but if you don¡¯t mind me speaking so boldly, that crown of your, it pissed off a lot of people. Don¡¯t tell me this is your way of saying to the world that you intend to reinstate the Cult of Sol Invictus as a valid religion? Do you have any idea the trouble that will cause?¡±

    Marcellus merely scoffed when he heard Ordius¡¯ concerns. He took another sip from his golden chalice before responding to the man in a hushed tone. Though he had a smile on his face and waved to his guests, his words were vicious and hateful.

    ¡°Those christian bastards made me get married in a fucking cathedral. You know as well as I do that they are an upstart religion, whose passive beliefs have failed our Empire. If you ask me, it is time for the old ways to return.

    Just because that cunt Theodosius enacted the Edict of Thessalonica decades ago doesn¡¯t mean I have to follow it. While the Theodosian dynasty may still rule the east, here in the West what I say isw, and I say that the gods of our ancestors reign supreme, and we should no longer submit to the foreign influence of this Semitic religion from the east.¡±

    Ordius could only nod his head in understanding. He too was a closet pagan, much like many of the men in Marcellus¡¯ army. Though the Christians who controlled the religious affairs of Rome had persecuted the pagans for decades, the old religion was not yet extinct.

    With Marcellus as the Emperor, he knew that it was only a matter of time before Christian influence dwindled, and the old gods were worshipped far and wide once more. Still, if this was actually Marcellus¡¯ goal, then he would be in for a hell of a fight against the Church.

    However, for the time being, Ordius could put his worries aside. This was a wedding, and thus he intended to take every moment to enjoy the food and drink of the reception. As for Marcellus, he felt internally relieved that he could finally settle one of Frank¡¯s greatest regrets. Marriage was always a desire of Frank¡¯s during his life, even if he knew it was a fruitless endeavor. By marrying cidia, Marcellus felt as if it lifted a weight from his heart.

 Chapter 108 Wedding Night 18+

    Marcellus had spent the entire reception of his wedding on cidia alongside the young bride¡¯s side. They were not separated for a single instance. In the end, after a feast, and a few drinks, the Emperor had sent his guests home, before carrying cidia up to his bedroom as if she were a princess.

    cidia gazed into Marcellus¡¯ olive green eyes with an expression of wonder. She felt as if she was dreaming. For so many years, she had wanted to marry this man, and the day had finallye. It was truly a wonderful experience, and to think this wedding would be written in history books as the first example of many new traditions. It filled her with a sense of wonder and pride.

    Marcellus saw the way the girl was gazing at him when he carried her up the steps and merely chuckled. His ves had already prepared his room, and a series of candles were lit inside that acted as the illumination for the first night the couple would spend together as husband and wife.

    In ancient Rome, society expected a man to be well experienced on his wedding night, while a woman was expected to be a virgin. One could say that the imperial couple represented this belief perfectly, as the most experience cidia had when it came to sex was with her index finger.

    Meanwhile, Marcellus had been sleeping with ves since he was a teenage boy. Sigefrida being the one exception as she had only recently consented to his embrace. He knew how to pleasure his woman, and tonight he would put those skills on full disy.

    After setting cidia down on his bed, he began to disrobe. The immediate act caused the na?ve young woman to blush with embarrassment and avert her gaze. Marcellus, however, prevented this as he grabbed hold of her dainty chin and kissed her passionately before lecturing her on her responsibilities as his wife.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°You are an adult now, cidia, and my wife. That means you have certain responsibilities, among them is to tend to my physical needs. Gaze upon me in my barest form, for you will be seeing a lot of this from now on¡­¡±

    cidia forced herself to start at Marcellus¡¯ naked body, but she was still extremely embarrassed. She saw the scars that littered the front of his body. Everything from swords to spears, arrows, and axes had all found their way into the man¡¯s toned flesh. It was clear that he had spent many years on the frontline of war.

    Interestingly enough, when Marcellus turned around, there was not a single scar in sight. Though cidia did not understand the significance behind this, any soldier in the Roman army would see it as a mark of courage, as a symbol of proof that the Imperator had never shown his back to the enemy.

    Eventually Marcellus climbed up onto the bed and began helping cidia out of her attire. Once she was lying naked on the mattress, she could no longer hide her embarrassment. Despite that, Marcellus once again kissed her on the lips, drawing her attention away from her uneasiness and towards his love.

    He began to fondle her ample mounds as he kissed the young woman in a passionate disy. Though they were not nearly as big as Sigefrida¡¯s, if he had to guess by the standards of his past life, they were at least Cs, possibly even Ds. In fact, cidia¡¯s body was ideal in every way.<sub></sub>

    After fondling the woman¡¯s breasts for some time, he moved his lips down to her nipples and suckled on them, which caused the woman to bite her bottom lip gently. He worked his way down, caressing the woman¡¯s perfect body until he arrived at her lower lips. They were puffy, pink, and unprated, which caused Marcellus to smile as he began to lick them gently.

    cidia panted heavily as she experienced a pleasure she had never known before. Growing wetter by the second as Marcellus¡¯ thick tongue parted her lower lips and entered her cave of wonders. Eventually he slipped in a finger, and then another in an attempt to loosen the girl up and prepare her for the main course.

    Apparently, he had driven her too far, because in the next second, she climaxed all over his face. Here merely chuckled when this happened and wiped the woman¡¯s juices off his lips before gazing at her like a hungry wolf.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re ready¡­¡±

    cidia instinctively knew what her husband was talking about, but feltpelled to ask, slightly frightened by what was about to happen. After all, it was her first time, and she had always heard that the first time was painful.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Ready for what?¡±

    Marcellus merely held onto his substantial shaft, which was at full mast, and ced the tip in front of the woman¡¯s lower lips. With a single thrust, he took her virtue, and answered her question at the same time.

    ¡°For this!¡±

    cidia immediately cried out in pain as Marcellus forced his way inside of her. Not only was it her first time, but Marcellus was bigger than most men, and because of this she had felt an immense pain as her hymen tore to amodate therge shaft inside her. Marcellus saw the distressed expression on the woman¡¯s pretty face, and began to kiss her once more, hoping it would take her mind off of everything.

    After cidia had calmed down, he began to pump his hips into hers, gently and slowly at first, in order to ensure that the woman wasfortable, but eventually he began to drill her harder, and faster with each thrust.

    The pain in cidia¡¯s lower half was eventually reced with pleasure, and before long, she was moaning like a bitch in heat. Screaming Marcellus¡¯ name at the top of her lungs.

    ¡°Oh, God yes¡­ More, Marcellus, more!¡±

    Marcellus merely grinned as the woman¡¯s tight cave clung to his shaft like a face grip. If she wanted more, he would be happy to please her. Thus, he bucked his hips wildly, as he intertwined the fingers of his free hand with his wives.

    While Marcellus was making love to his new bride, Sigefrida was sitting outside the door, peaking into the entrance. She did not know why, but the sight of her man sleeping with another woman did not drive her mad with envy. Nor did it make her the slightest bit angry.

    Instead, Sigefrida was dreadfully excited by the sight, and could not turn her eyes away from the scene of Marcellus fucking cidia¡¯s tight virgin hole as if he were a breeding bull. The busty Suebi beauty could not help but y with her moist cave as she continued to watch the interaction that was taking ce in front of her.

    cidia wrapped her legs around Marcellus tightly, preventing him from escaping. She could not help but express what was happening to her as she once more reached the edge of climax.

    ¡°Marcellus, I feel weird!¡±

    The man responded to this by whispering in cidia¡¯s ears before kissing herp passionately.

    ¡°Me too¡­¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus sprayed his seed deep inside the young woman¡¯s womb, causing her to climax on her own. After he was done, he continued to kiss his new bride and fondle her breasts. One thing was certain, though he had initially thought of cidia as a younger sister, her beauty during their wedding, and the experience he just had with their bodies connected as one convinced the young Emperor that perhaps there was something more between him and cidia.

    After all, sex never felt as good as this unless it was with the woman he loved, which he always thought was Sigefrida. Such thoughts immediately begged the question: was it possible to love more than one woman? Marcellus did not know that answer to this, but he was willing to experiment until he could find a conclusion. Thus, after a brief break, he and his new bride were back at it again.

    They would continue making the beast with the two backste into the night, and unknowing to the loving couple, Sigefrida had watched every moment. In the end, Marcellus kissed cidia on the forehead before bidding her good night.

    ¡°Good night, my dear wife¡­¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus spooned with cidia, and the two of them fell to sleep. An angry Sigefrida, who wouldin about the newly married couple sleeping too long, would awaken them in the morning of the next day. Either way, Marcellus was happy about how his wedding night went, and that he now had two beautiful women to sleep with on a regr basis.

 Chapter 109 An Act of Disrespect

    The morning after Marcellus¡¯ wedding night, he slept soundly in his bed. He had a fat smile on his face while slept peacefully with his arms around his young wife. cidia was also smiling, and why wouldn¡¯t she be? She had justpleted her life¡¯s dream of marrying Marcellus. Their wedding night was great, and they proved to be verypatible with one another.

    However, there was one person in Marcellus¡¯ vi who was not pleased with the way things had gone the night before. Sigefrida currently stood in front of the loving newlywed couple and frowned. She had a hard time exining her feelings at the moment. Though she found herself dreadfully excited watching her man sleep with another woman the night before, now all that filled her heart was bitter resentment and jealousy.

    It was as if, after the sexual thrill wore off; she became filled with envy. It waste in the morning, and noon was just around the corner. Because of that, Sigefrida felt it was time for the newlywed couple to awake from their dreams. Her need to wake them up from their pleasant dreams had absolutely nothing to do with the jealousy that gued her heart at this moment. Or so she told herself as she doused Marcellus and cidia with a bucket of water.

    Marcellus woke with a start as he felt the water ssh all over his face and body. Who in their right mind would do something like that to him? He immediately reached for his sword, which sat in its scabbard on the edge of the bed. To treat him with such disrespect, there was only one punishment worthy of the crime, and that was death.

    However, as he unleashed his de from its sheath, he gazed over at the perpetrator, only to see Sigefrida ring at him with daggers in her eyes. Naturally, cidia woke as well, and instantly screamed at the blonde bimbo for daring to wake her up.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°What the hell, Sigefrida? Why would you do something like that?¡±

    Sigefrida forced a smile on her face as she informed the two of them that breakfast was ready.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost noon. If you sleep too long, it will be bad for your health. Besides, the two of you are covered in sweat and other bodily fluids. I figured I¡¯d give you a nice bath before you joined me for breakfast.¡±

    Sigefrida was exaggerating with her words in an attempt to justify her errant behavior. The vicious gaze she gave Marcellus as she spoke these words caught the man off guard. He had never seen Sigefrida so furious at him before. He thought for sure out of both of his women, Sigefrida would be the least jealous of the two. Despite understanding the woman¡¯s feelings, her actions could not stand. It was simply inappropriate for her to wake him in such a disrespectful method.<sub></sub>

    In fact, this event enraged Marcellus. If he tolerated such a thing now, then Sigefrida would feel it was appropriate to treat him so disgracefully in the future. That was simply the nature of women, and because of this, Marcellus would correct the woman¡¯s errant behavior. As Sigefrida turned to leave the room, Marcellus grabbed hold of her wrist, and backhanded her across the face.

    The impact was enough to leave a red mark on Sigefrida¡¯s pretty cheek. The busty beauty gazed in astonishment as she witnessed the fury in Marcellus¡¯ olive green eyes. She had never seen him so angry before, at least not towards her, and was beginning to understand what she had done was a mistake. However, it was toote. She had thoroughly enraged her man. Marcellus had every urge to p the woman again. He struggled to contain the wrath in his body as he clenched his fists tightly. After a deep breath, he calmed his nerves before scolding the woman.

    ¡°Never before in my life have I been sopelled to hit a woman¡­ I have always treated you fairly for as long as you were my ve. However, your recent freedom seems to have gone to your head if you think you can treat me with such utter disrespect. If you dare behave in such an uncouth manner towards me again, I promise you I won¡¯t respond with a simple p the next time!¡±

    cidia gazed upon the scene that was urring before her and was astonished. She, too, had never seen Marcellus treat Sigefrida in such a vicious manner. Though she had to admit the woman was out of line to behave in such a way, she didn¡¯t believe that the barbarian beauty deserved such rough treatment. However, before she could speak up in Sigefrida¡¯s defence, Marcellus had pointed to the kitchen and told the woman to leave.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Get to work. I don¡¯t want to see your fucking face for the next hour!¡±

    Sigefrida could only run off in tears. Naturally, as a woman, she felt that she was being mistreated. Which, when contrasted with any man¡¯s perspective, couldn¡¯t be any more far from the truth. For the shit she pulled, Sigefrida deserved far worse than a mere p for her indiscretions. Marcellus had been merciful with a simple backhand.

    Marcellus took a few deep breaths to calm himself and then sat on his bed in silence. cidia got out from under her covers and approached the man before expressing her view of what she had just watched.

    ¡°You were too harsh with her¡­¡±

    This statement invoked Marcellus¡¯ ire as he red at his new bride and spoke to her with contempt.

    ¡°If you actually believe that, then feel free to join her in the morning chores. I will eat by myself today. I thought better of you, cidia¡­¡±

    The young bride was at a loss for words as Marcellus stormed off. She quickly called out to him to see where he was going.

    ¡°Where are you running off to?¡±

    Marcellus did not look behind, and simply informed his wife of where he was headed.

    ¡°To take a bath!¡±

    cidia thought about what had happened in silence for a while before sighing. Sigefrida had done something uncalled for, most likely out of jealousy. It would take quite a bit of effort on the woman¡¯s part to gain Marcellus¡¯ forgiveness. Since that was the case, cidia decided to join Marcellus in the bath, and take his side in the dispute. After all, wasn¡¯t that the wife¡¯s job? To side with her husband?

    The young woman grinned as she thought of this. Sigefrida¡¯s actions had identally caused her rival to get ahead in the polls, so to speak. cidia could easily win over her husband¡¯s favor at the expense of his concubine¡¯s scandalous actions. Thus she ran off and followed Marcellus to the bath, where she made sure to assist him in cleaning every inch of his body.

    Sigefrida was left alone, sweeping up the kitchen, and crying to herself. She did not know why she acted so horribly. She knew that there was obviously something seriously wrong with her if she felt the need to wake her man up with such disrespect. However, ever since Marcellus married cidia the day before, her emotions had be unstable. She had always secretly hoped that she and Marcellus would get married one day, but in the end, the man took her as a mere concubine and married a much younger woman.

    Ultimately, Marcellus would live up to his word and avoid Sigefrida for an hour. He would not apologize for his actions, instead he expected the woman toe crying to him about how sorry she was for behaving so disrespectfully towards him. Which eventually she did. He would not forgive her so easily, and would require her to make amends before he epted her apology. Though his wedding day was nice, the day after was filled with needless drama.

 Chapter 110 Dreams of the Past Part V

    Frank sat within the confines of a woman¡¯s apartment. It was the morning after his sister¡¯s wedding, and he was extremely hungover. The girl he had taken home the night before was not his date for the evening, but a young waitress who was tending tables while putting herself throughmunity college.

    Apparently, he had made a big deal the night before about his sister¡¯s past, and how meaningless her marriage was to her husband. Of course, Frank had no recollection of it, but the incident was well recorded on the waitress¡¯s phone, who was now getting dressed on the other side of the room.

    Out of courtesy, Frank had looked the other way, more interested in reading the angry messages from his family than he was in her naked body. Which immediately caused the young woman to tease him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be shy. It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t seen everything already.¡±

    Frank merely scoffed as he looked at a text message from his mother telling him not toe home. If his mother was that upset with him, then it clearly meant the rest of the family wanted him dead. This caused the man to hang his head low and curse himself for his stupidity.

    ¡°Oh God, I should have never drunk so much. What the hell was a thinking?¡±

    The waitressughed when she heard this. She could tell the man was most likely having problems with his family after what he had said the previous night and decided to cheer him up. Before she could hook on her bra, she sat down behind him and wrapped her arms around his back.

    ¡°I think what you did was incredibly brave. You may have pissed off your family, but you saved that man an incredible amount of time, money, and suffering. We both know that if your sister was hiding such a scandalous past, then it was only a matter of time before the marriage failed.<sub>.</sub>

    You saved that man a lot of hardship down the road. This way he can get an annulment, and won¡¯t be faced with a brutal divorce ten years from now, where he will most likely lose everything. That man owes you a beer for saving him such heartache.¡±

    Frank gazed over at the woman with a strange look on his face. He wasn¡¯t expecting her to be so well versed in rtionships. Especially after she was willing to sleep with him after just meeting him. When the girl saw the puzzled expression on her face, she feigned offense.

    ¡°What? You were expecting me to be some vapid bitch who hangs out at the club every night like your sister? I may not look like it, but I know a thing or two!¡±

    Frank scoffed as he heard this, before shifting his gaze back to his phone. None of his family members had answered any of the texts he had sent, and every time he called their phones, it went directly to voicemail.

    The moment he looked at his phone once more, he noticed a text message, and immediately smiled before realizing the message was sent from Don. This immediately caused his excitement to die in his heart. Frank had never exchanged numbers with the man, but evidently the guy had his ways of finding out his number. The waitress sitting next to Frank immediately saw the concerned look on his face before asking him what had gotten him so distressed.

    ¡°What is it? Were you disowned?¡±

    Frank shook his head, seemingly shocked at the message, before responding to the girl¡¯s question.<sub></sub>

    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s from Don. He wants to meet up and chat. Should I be worried?¡±

    The girl quickly grabbed hold of his phone and typed in a response for him. Before he could even react, another message appeared, giving him a time and ce to meet up. The girl handed his phone back to him before giving him some advice.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably more of a mess than you are, and is looking for someone to listen to his woes. You owe him as much after dropping such a bombshell on his wedding night. Go, have a drink with the guy, and listen to what he has to say. If you don¡¯t help him, he might do something stupid. Besides, I need to get to ss and I don¡¯t feel like leaving you alone in my ce until you recover from your funk.

    Frank nodded his head and quickly got dressed. He was about to walk out the door when he realized he did not even know the girl¡¯s name. He was about to ask when the girl smiled at him before responding.

    ¡°It¡¯s Anna¡­ Now go to Don and help him get through this. He needs you¡­¡±

    It surprised Frank that the girl knew what he was thinking, but she didn¡¯t give him any time to ask about it and shut the door behind him. He could not help but sigh as he climbed down the steps from the girl¡¯s apartment. Luckily, they had taken his car, or else he would have no idea where he parked. Thus, he quickly got inside his vehicle and drove to the location that Don had texted him.

    Upon arriving at the agreed location, Frank found that it was a bar, and it was seemingly closed. However, the moment he approached the door, it opened to reveal a good-looking man in his early thirties who was dressed in a t-shirt. The man had a half sleeve tattoo on his right forearm and observed Frank with an intimidating gaze. It took one look for the stranger to guess Frank¡¯s identity, which he quickly inquired about.<sub></sub>

    ¡°You Frank?¡±

    Frank Immediately nodded his head in response, confused about the man¡¯s identity. However, that was quickly answered as the man let him inside the bar and introduced himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m Owen, a friend of Don¡¯s. Come inside, he¡¯s at the bar.¡±

    Frank followed Owen inside the establishment, and found Don with a beer in one hand, and his phone in the other. He was hunched over at the bar and had clearly seen better days. Owen quickly introduced Frank, who was extremely nervous at the current situation.

    ¡°Don, the kid is here¡­¡±

    After saying that, the man rounded the bar and grabbed a beer for Frank; he popped off the bottlecap and handed it to the man before assuring him it was free.

    ¡°It¡¯s on the house. After that stunt you pulledst night, it¡¯s my way of saying thanks.¡±

    Frank sat down next to Don and epted the beer, taking a sip before greeting the man.

    ¡°Heya Don, how are you holding up?¡±

    The man smelled like booze and had clearly been up all night drinking. Despite that, he was nowhere near as fucked up as Frank was. The moment their eyes met, Don red at Frank for a few seconds before sighing heavily and hugging the man.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ I know it couldn¡¯t have been easy on you, and I can only imagine how upset your family is with you at the moment. However, I can¡¯t thank you enough for revealing who your sister really is to me. I just wish you had done it sooner so that I could¡¯ve avoided this whole mess.¡±

    Frank half expected the man to take a swing at him, but instead, he was thanking him. He patted Don on the back a few times before awkwardly escaping from the hug. He quickly took another swig from his beer before responding to the man.

    ¡°I should have told you sooner¡­ Especially after you and Maria started getting serious. Every man deserves to know if his bitch is lying to him. Especially about something so important.¡±

    Don sighed heavily when he heard this before responding to Frank¡¯s statement.

    ¡°I feel disgusted with myself, after knowing the truth¡­ She presented herself as a good Christian woman who would be a good wife and mother. In reality, she was lying to me the whole time, undoubtedly she was after my bank ount.¡±

    Frank scoffed when he heard this before revealing more information about his sister.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t doubt it. She¡¯s nearly thirty, she knows her time is running up to find a good man, and settle down with him, and so she yed the oldest con in the book. Pretending to be a high value woman while lying about her deviant past.

    I have no doubt she would have divorced you after ten years, and taken everything from you, including whatever kids you might have. I suppose I just couldn¡¯t standby and watch a guy go through all that.¡±

    Don nodded his head when he heard this, and patted Frank¡¯s back. He took a sip from his beer before expressing his thanks once more.

    ¡°That¡¯s no longer going to be an issue. As we speak, mywyers are working on annulling the marriage. You saved me from a terrible fate, and because of that, I¡¯ve got your back for the rest of your life. If you need anything, just give me a call, and if I can help you, I will.

    I suppose after something like that, your family is royally pissed at you, so if you need a ce to crash, just let me know, I own some property near the university that I can let you stay in for as long as you need.¡±

    Frank chuckled when he heard this before finishing his beer. After doing so, Owen handed him another one, which he was happy to ept.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it wille to that, but if it does, you will be the first one I call.¡±

    After that, the three men continued to drink, and talk about everything that had happened, and the full extent of Maria¡¯s true personality, as well as her scandalous past. Marcellus awoke shortly after to find himself drooling on his desk. He had once more fallen asleep in the middle of his work, and had dreamt of his past life. Upon realizing this, he quickly got back to work. After all, the Empire wasn¡¯t going to run itself.

 Chapter 111 Pushing the Picts Beyond Hadrians Wall

    Decius vius Primus stood on the field of battle overlooking his Army as he advanced upon the position of the Pictish war bands who had been ravaging the Diocese of Britannia for the past few years. Alongside his army were the Hibernian foederati, who were armed and ready to engage in mortalbat with the enemy.

    In the distance was Hadrians¡¯ wall, and for the first time in years the Picts were up against the wall with a Roman Army advancing on them. For too long, these Celtic barbarians had ravaged thends of Rome. This wasrgely the fault of the now deceased Usurper Constantine III, who emptied the Romano-British garrisons to press his im in Gaul.

    However, under Marcellus¡¯ authority, Britannia was reimed for the Empire, and as a result, the Legions of Western Rome had pushed their way into the region, and had battled fiercely for control of thends they used to rule over.

    At first, the campaign was slow, with brutal warfare every step of the way. However, after a series of small victories against the Picts, the painted savages were now on the borders of Caledonia and Britannia. With one more battle, they would be pushed beyond Hadrian¡¯s Wall once more.

    Thus, Primus had a cruel smile on his face as he lifted his sword into the air and gave the order to march on the remainder of the Celtic war-band.<sub>.</sub>

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    The Roman heavy infantry, along with the Hibernian Warriors rushed forward, their numbers were so overwhelming that they need not care about fancy formations. The Picts hurled their spears, and unleashed their axes as they desperately tried to halt the Roman onught. However, it was only thest gasp of a dying man.

    The Roman Army quickly surrounded the Picts, and with their backs against the wall, they could only struggle in the face of death. The Roman Soldiers pressed their shields against the Picts and thrust their spathae upward into their guts. These savages were from a tribe that was renowned for itsck of armor or clothing. Because of this, it was exceptionally easy to get past their defences and im their lives with a vicious strike.

    Every second, the Celtic barbarians screamed in agony, as their shields were bypassed by the skilled maneuvers of the Roman infantry. One by one, their bodies fell to the floor with lifeless eyes, as the Roman and Hibernian soldiers cut them down like wheat to the scythe. This was not a battle, but the massacre of a routing army. After all, it was not easy to scale the walls, and only a few men at a time could squeeze through the gatehouse, especially when it was packed full of men fighting for position.<sub></sub>

    The battle was over as soon as it had started, and the majority of the Picts were butchered where they stood. Only a few dozen men escaped their fate and returned to their homnd with their tails tucked between their legs.

    Nath ¨ª mac Fiachrach wiped his enemy¡¯s blood from his face before approaching Primus, as the High King of Hibernia, the man, was always at the front lines of war, and he too had done his part in ying the enemy.

    The man gazed upon the Roman General and congratted him on his victory. They had fought together for many months to remove the Pictish Menace from the Diocese of Britannia, and now they could finally celebrate their victory.

    ¡°I need a drink after all of this. What do you say youe back with me to my home and I will introduce you to one of my daughters? You still don¡¯t have a wife, do you?¡±<sub></sub>

    Primus scoffed when he heard this suggestion. He was a Proud Roman and did not intend to live the rest of his days in this frontier. He wanted to return to Rome with glory and be heralded as a hero by all. Thus, he quickly declined the King¡¯s offer before giving orders to his troops.

    ¡°It is not yet time to celebrate. Though we may have pushed them beyond Hadrian¡¯s wall, we are still not finished. I believe I told you before. I do not n to stop before I retake Antonine¡¯s Wall. We continue our march. I will leave behind some men to secure Hadrian¡¯s Wall and the surrounding regions. As for the rest, we continue our march at dawn.¡±

    Nath ¨ª mac Fiachrach could only sigh when he heard this. He had seriously hoped that the Roman Legate would reconsider after taking Hadrian¡¯s Wall. However, it appeared that Primus was determined to retake and rebuild Antonine¡¯s wall.

    Unlike its southern brother, Antonine¡¯s wall was not made of stone and mortar, it was an earthen fortification with wooden palisades. Centuries had passed since the Romansst stood watch along its length, and the wall itself no longer existed.

    To rebuild it to a state simr to Hadrian¡¯s Wall would be a massive undertaking, one that would take years toplete. In truth, Nath did not know if it was worth the effort. After all, Hadrian¡¯s wall was a sufficient barrier so long as it was properly garrisoned. The problems the Romano-British had in the past regarding Caledonian invaders were simply due to ack of troops in the region.

    However, for Primus, it was not a matter of practicality, but of glory. If he could expand the borders of the Western Roman Empire, even by a little, it would be remembered throughout history. Not only would his name be written into the records as a capable General, but Marcellus would also be remembered as the man Emperor who retook Antonine¡¯s wall.

    The Price of Eternal Glory was always filled with bloodshed, and Primus was not afraid to fight for it. Thus, despite Nath¡¯s sigh of contempt, he was undeterred from his goal. Instead he merely red at the High King of Hibernia before scolding him.

    ¡°You will just have to wait a few more months before you can celebrate back in your homnd. I¡¯m sure the joy you get from putting the Caledonians to the sword will itself be more than enough reward for your efforts.

    However, I will make sure to handsomely reward you and your army once we have retaken Antonine¡¯s wall. Until then, I need you sober and ready. You never know when the enemy will attack us, especially after we enternds that have been conquered by the Caledonians for centuries.¡±

    Nath ¨ª mac Fiachrach could only sigh once more and shake his head. He had lost in the game of drink, and the price to pay was to be Foederati for the Romans in Britannia. He had no choice but to obey Primus¡¯ orders. No matter how much he wanted to return home to his lovely wives. Thus, he could only nod his head in agreement.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll be ready to march at dawn. This reward of yours better be worth it!¡±

    Thus, the Caledonians were driven beyond Hadrian¡¯s Wall, and the Romans were preparing for their next conquest. At the very least, the Diocese of Britannia would be much safer now that the threat of the Picts was removed.

 Chapter 112 Border Skirmish

    A Merchant from the western Roman empire sat on his wagon, which was being pulled by two horses. The goods in the back of the wagon were just some of many of the luxuriesing out of the west. He had grouped together with other traders to form a caravan which was protected by mercenaries. However, while in the borders of the Western Roman Empire, at least in the southern diocese, this was an unnecessary action.

    With the rise of the military dictatorship under Marcellus¡¯ banner, criminals and brigands were arrested and executed, with only the slightest evidence being used against them. Though some men were wrongfully used, the sheer level of crucifixions that were taking ce was enough to deter even the most foolish of men from attempting to rob someone in blind daylight.

    These mercenaries were not hired to protect the caravan while in the borders of the West, but for when they finally made their way to the East, whose control over the eastern portion of the Balkans was not the most secure at the moment.

    Thus, as the Caravan passed through the borders of the Eastern Roman Empire, this particr merchant whose name was Sextus Mamilius Ptus felt particrly anxious. He instinctively gazed to his left and right to ensure that there were no barbarians or brigands who would dare to harm him and his wares.

    Unfortunately, the Barbarians and Brigands were the least of the man¡¯s worry as someone far more sinister had set their gaze upon the Merchant Caravan. In the distance, a small patrol of Eastern Roman limitanei gazed upon the caravan that was heading straight for them with greed in their eyes.

    Though it had not been explicitly dered, every Eastern Roman soldier knew that they were currently in a cold war with their western counterparts. Marcellus¡¯s name was cursed in Constantinople as a usurper, a rapist, and a godless heathen. Word had spread of the dictator¡¯s radiate crown, which was a symbol used by those past emperors who worshipped the unconquered sun. Needless to say, the Eastern Romans were far from pleased by this news.

    These part-time soldiers gazed upon the western roman caravan which was crossing through their border and immediately decided to intercept them. At the very least, they would force these traders to pay a special tax for entering the east.<sub>.</sub>

    It was not just the fact that Marcellus was a pagan despot that caused the eastern roman soldiers to be hostile to their western counterparts. There was a considerable degree of envy among the eastern army. The recent economic upturn ensured that even the lowliest of western Roman soldiers could work full time and provide for their families as soldiers. Something that was not the case in the East.

    Many of the eastern Roman soldiers, especially those stationed at the border, had to work in the fields asmon farmers throughout most of the day in order to support their families. This had been normal for decades, but to see the west, which had previously been so destitute, not only pay their soldiers a living wage but also give them significant political power based upon their merit. This was simply uneptable.

    Marcellus had honestly not expected there to be such animosity among the ranks of the eastern Roman army and because of that, he had not anticipated what was about to happen. Themander over the eastern roman limitanei gazed upon the western roman caravan and ordered the unthinkable.

    ¡°Intercept those merchants. If they dare to enter the east, they better be prepared to pay a toll!¡±

    Immediately, an officer among his ranks gazed at him with confusion before expressing his disbelief.

    ¡°But sir, there is no suchw requiring that. Would we not just be brigands at this point?¡±<sub></sub>

    Themander immediately backhanded his officer across the face before scolding him.

    ¡°You will do what Imand you to do. It is not your ce to worry about the morality behind my orders. Do you understand me?¡±

    In response to this, the officer could only bow his head and ept what wasmanded of him.

    ¡°Yes, sir¡­¡±

    After saying this, the orders were spread to the eastern roman limitanei, and they diverted from their patrol to intercept the western roman caravan. Ptus gazed upon the approaching forces and halted his wagon. He was at the head of the caravan, and thus when he stopped, so did the rest of the wagons. He gazed over towards the mercenaries they had hired to protect them and called out to their leader.

    ¡°I thought you said this path was safe? Why is there an army approaching us?¡±<sub></sub>

    The Mercenary leader gazed upon the banners of the eastern roman forces and persuaded Ptus to continue forward. He could tell that they were soldiers of Constantinople, and thus would not hinder their path, or so he thought.

    ¡°Ignore them. They¡¯re soldiers of the east. They won¡¯t bother us!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Ptus sighed before snapping his reins and continuing forward. However, after about three hundred feet, the limitanei blocked the path, and he was forced toe to a stop once more.

    These actions confused both the caravan and the mercenaries alike. However, before they could request why they were being stopped, the eastern romanmander spoke up in a voice so loud that everyone could hear.

    ¡°There is a toll for crossing the border. Pay us a hundred solidii and you are free to move forward. Refuse to do so, and you will be forced back from whence you came!¡±

    It outraged Ptus when he heard this. He had crossed into Constantinople to sell his goods many times, and he had never heard of a toll before. It was clear that these men were holding them hostage. He was quick to voice his discontent as he yelled at the eastern romanmander.

    ¡°This is robbery. There is no toll to enter the east! Since when have the soldiers of Constantinople acted as mere highwaymen? If you do not let us pass, I will inform your superior about your actions here, and they will have your heads for this tant act of robbery!¡±

    The threat of being reported to their Dux for this crime immediately caused the soldiers in this force of limitanei to be threatened. Some of them were already uneasy about this criminal act, but they still followed their orders. However, if they were to be reported to their superiors, they would be punished severely. A hundred gold coins were not worth the risk. Thus, they were quick to voice their disagreement with their orders.

    ¡°Sir, maybe this isn¡¯t the best idea. We¡¯re supposed to be patrolling for barbarians and thieves. We should just let these merchants pass. It¡¯s clear they¡¯re not up to anything illegal¡­¡±

    However, the Commander was not convinced. These westerners were getting rich off of the wealthy elite in Constantinople while he worked the fields, and yed at being a soldier in his spae time. He would not tolerate it any longer, thus he unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards Ptus before giving him onest warning.

    ¡°If you resist the toll, then we will confiscate your goods by force. This is yourst warning. Hand over the price to be paid, or we will attack!¡±

    The Mercenaries quickly unsheathed their des in response to this threat, they were paid handsomely to protect this caravan, and a few part-time soldiers acting as brigands were not going to get in the way of their pay day. It became clear that this standoff was about to turn bloody as both sides brandished their weapons boldly.

    Ultimately, Ptus escted the conflict as he spat upon the face of the eastern romanmander and chastised him for his actions.

    ¡°Eat shit! If you were in the west, you would be crucified for what you are doing! It¡¯s a shame that such criminals are weed into the ranks of the eastern army!¡±

    Having been shamed in front of his men, themander went into a frenzy and thus his de into the neck of the western merchant before giving themand to attack.

    ¡°Kill them all and plunder the goods they have!¡±

    The moment this order was given, the western mercenaries attacked the eastern roman army, and bloodshed urred. There was no time to think about what was right or wrong. The westerners had begun their attack, and even those among the eastern romans who dissented against this toll in the first ce were forced to defend themselves.

    In the end, the fact that the mercenaries were veterans of Marcellus¡¯ army, and were equipped with superior arms and armor, proved to be the undoing of the eastern patrol. Themander was killed in the ensuing conflict, and his forces routed. However, more than a few merchants died in the chaos, and their goods were scattered about.

    This event would be a major diplomatic incident between the western and eastern roman empires, bringing them one step closer to war. If Marcellus could not skilfully navigate this border dispute, then he would be forced to fight the eastern Empire before his own realm could fully recover from the many threats which gued it.

 Chapter 113 Summoning the Imperial Legates

    In the war room of Marcellus¡¯ vi, several men of high ranking within the western roman military were waiting patiently. Among the Imperial Legates, whose responsibilities were to govern and protect the various diocese, half of them were present.

    The others who were absent were exempted from their summons because of the dire situation in the territory they presided over. Ultimately, they would be informed of what was discussed here at ater date.

    ric, Sarus, Carnifex, and Constantius III were all present for this meeting. They had not been told why they were summoned, only that their presence was needed in Rome. They waited patiently for the Imperator to grace them with his presence, while discussing among themselves reasons for this meeting.

    After a few moments, Marcellus entered the room, with Sigefrida in tow. The woman had several scrolls in her hands as sheid them across the table for all to see. Meanwhile Marcellus had a chalice filled with wine in his hand which he drank from before addressing the gathering of officers.

    ¡°Approximately a week ago, a merchant caravan protected by veterans of our army marched into the Eastern Roman Empire. While in the Balkans, they were met by a patrol of eastern limitanei who uwfully attempted to toll them for entry. We don¡¯t know exactly what happened, but conflict ensued, and the forces of the limitanei were obliterated.

    The merchants foolishly continued to Constantinople, seeking restitution for their destroyed goods, and were immediately imprisoned by the local garrison. As for our veterans who were paid to protect the caravan, the eastern ptini beheaded them in a public execution. As of this moment, the regent of the eastern roman empire is requestingpensation for his in soldiers, and warns that if we do not pay the asked price, then we will be at war.<sub>.</sub>

    I for one, will not be bullied into paying Constantinople, nor will I ept the loss of my soldiers so easily. They may have been retired from the army, but they had served with me in the past, and they deserve justice. However, I recognize that my army is not in the state that is required to wage war with the east.

    Our armies may be better equipped and trained, but the enemy still outnumbers us ten to one. Since we cannot afford a war with Constantinople at this point in time. I have gathered you hear to listen to your suggestions on how to deal with this troublesome situation. I will now open up the floor. If any of you have any good ideas, I am open to hearing them.¡±

    The moment after Marcellus spoke, the room burst into outcries from the various generals and officers. They could not believe the audacity of the East, to not only punish the mercenaries and merchants, but to also demandpensation for the in limitanei.

    Everyone in this room knew that a century of limitanei was practically worthless. They were essentially nothing more than fodder, and to demand such a heavy sum for their loss, while they were acting uwfully. That was simply uneptable. ric was the first to speak ill of the Eastern Roman Empire and their foul actions.

    ¡°They behead several of our veterans, steal the goods of our merchants while imprisoning them, and demand that we have to pay for the loss of their troops? Whose fault was this to begin with? Maybe if those bastards in Constantinople paid their soldiers better, they would not resort to bing mere brigands!<sub></sub>

    We should not pay them a single nummus! After the shit their soldiers pulled, they need to pay us inpensation for the damages they have caused. Not only have several of our veterans been unjustly executed, but they have imprisoned our merchants, and seized their goods. If they want a war, then we should give them one!¡±

    When Carnifex heard this boisterous response, he shook his head before lecturing the Gothic King on his own foolishness.

    ¡°Typical barbarian, all brawn and no brains. How are we going to enforce this demand upon them? Weck the military strength to defeat them in a war, even the Imperator has said as such. What we need to do is to negotiate with them,e to terms that we can both agree upon. The fact remains that we do not know how this escted into an armed conflict.

    Maybe if we had more evidence supporting the ims of the Merchants, then we might be able topel the East to concede to some of our demands. However, as of right now, we arecking critical information. We should dispatch our frumentarii to the site of this conflict and have them dig up any information they can.

    We should also send an emissary to the east to begin negotiations. They need to know that while we are not willing to go to war over such a petty dispute, we also do not fear their strength. They need to realize that while war is not in our best interest, if pushes to shove, we are not afraid to fight!¡±<sub></sub>

    Sarus scoffed when he heard this before speaking against Carnifex¡¯s ns. While he may not agree with ric¡¯s strategy, it was suicide to whoever they would send to Constantinople, especially if they were a high-ranking officer.

    ¡°Whoever you send to that wretched city will suffer unimaginable torment. In order to negotiate with this Emperor of the east, or at least his regent. You will need to send someone of significant status into the lion¡¯s den. Those bastards in the east will not give up such a valuable chance to cripple this regime. I don¡¯t doubt that an ident will befall anyone we send. I don¡¯t know about you all, but I¡¯m not willing to die over something as foolish as this.¡±

    Ultimately, Marcellus agreed with Carnifex¡¯s n, but it appeared nobody was willing to go to Constantinople after hearing Sarus¡¯ words. Thus, he sighed heavily before speaking his piece.

    ¡°Carnifex¡¯s n is our best option. Not only do we need to investigate what exactly went down on the border. We also need to project strength, while still showing we canpromise. If none of you bastards are willing to go to Constantinople in my stead, then I will just have to do it myself!¡±

    The Generals present in the room practically sweat blood when they heard this. If Marcellus himself stepped foot into the eastern roman borders, he was as good as dead. This immediately got the men who were most loyal to him into a frenzy as they pleaded with him not to make such a foolish mistake.

    ¡°Imperator, you can not go to Constantinople. They will kill you before you ever step foot in the city!¡±

    ¡°I agree such action is simply suicide. I will not allow you to walk into such a meaningless death!¡¯

    Ultimately, the Imperial Legate who sat back and said nothing throughout the entire discussion sighed in defeat before volunteering for the position.

    ¡°I will go¡­¡±

    However, nobody heard him as they were too busy arguing with each other in the background, and thus he spoke again in a much louder voice.

    ¡°I will go to Constantinople!¡±

    When everyone heard this, they turned around to witness Constantius III standing boldly in the center of the room volunteering for this suicidal task. They stared at him with awe, especially when one considered that he was not exactly the most loyal of the Imperial Legates.

    Sarus and ric were both intimidated by Marcellus, and respected his prowess on the field of battle. They may not be loyal, but they would never backstab him. However, Constantius was a wildcard, and thus the men were quite concerned about where his loyalties lied. Marcellus narrowed his gaze towards Constantius before nodding his head in agreement.

    ¡°Very well, if you have volunteered, then it will be your responsibility to negotiate with the east about this troublesome border dispute. If they kill you, I will invade theirnds and raze Constantinople to the ground!¡±

    The various officers gave Marcellus a concerned look when they heard how far he was willing to go for one of his Imperial Legates. It was not simply a look of concern but one that question his sanity. Obviously Marcellus noticed the wary gazes that were cast his way and quickly corrected his stance.

    ¡°Well, maybe not immediately, but definitely within my lifetime!¡¯

    Upon hearing this, the room broke out intoughter. They could not believe Marcellus would so shamelessly backtrack on his words right after stating them so boldly. However, his bluff had definitely increased morale among his soldiers, and thus they settled their petty disputes, and supported Constantius behind the scenes.

    Whether Constantius would prove a reliable man, andpel the eastern roman regent to see reason, or stab Marcellus in the back remained to be seen. However, Marcellus had heard in a vision from his past life that the man was exceptional, and thus he was willing to put his trust in him.

 Chapter 114 Dewatering Mines

    It was Frank¡¯s second year in college, and currently he sat in his lecture hall. At the moment, his focus was entirely on his professor, who was speaking of a topic even he found dull. Still, he was hard at work, jotting down the information into his notes.

    Frank rarely, if ever, looked at his notes after having written them. Rather, he explicitly made use of the notes as a memorization tool. Simply by taking notes, he was able to more thoroughly remember the content that was being taught. His professor was speaking words and pointing towards a diagram on the whiteboard while he jotted the information down.

    ¡°In the fifteenth century, the Germans came up with a way to pump water out of mines by using mechanized wooden pumps and animal power. Water was removed by buckets using rope conveyor belts powered by horses on treadmills. As you can see in this diagram, this was how such a device functioned.¡±

    Frank continued to jot down notes of the information that was provided by his professor until the bell rang, which a friend who was in the same ss then pped him on the back. The young man smiled as he saw Frank¡¯s surprised expression before speaking to him further.

    ¡°What a boring fucking lecture? How about we go get burrito barn for lunch and smoke a couple of these bad boys?¡±

    The kid did not even bother to look around to see if they were being watched as he pulled out a small packet which contained a few joints of marijuana in them. Frank, however, treated the incident with a bit more seriousness, as he grabbed onto the boy and dragged him out of the lecture hall before scolding him.

    ¡°Brad, how many times do I have to tell you, sooner orter, you¡¯re going to get caught, and they will kick you off the team? You think I don¡¯t want to smoke as much as you do? But I¡¯m dedicated to wrestling, and I¡¯m not going to take the risk. Besides, I n on eating my lunch in the library.¡±<sub>.</sub>

    The kid named Brad seemingly did not hear a word that Frank had said. Instead of listening to his friend¡¯s lecture, the asshole lit one of the joints and took a heavy hit before puffing it in Frank¡¯s face. After doing so, he chuckled and mocked Frank for his concerns.

    ¡°There, now it is in your system, too. So you can stop being a bitch ande have some fun with me. Honestly man, fuck the library,e hang out with me instead. I met this one girl atst week¡¯s party. Bro, she is fine as hell and she has a twin sister. You know you want to!¡±

    Brad could immediately see the scowl forming on Frank¡¯s face. He knew he was about to hear an earful and decided to cut his losses. He took another hit from his joint before blowing Frank off.

    ¡°Man, whatever, you go hang out in the fucking library like a nerd. I¡¯m going to go have some fun.¡±

    After saying that, Brad walked off, while continuing to smoke the join in the halls of the university. Frank could only sigh after the guy disappeared before muttering under his breath.

    ¡°I do not know why I hang out with that asshole¡­¡±<sub></sub>

    It was at this moment Frank heard a feminine voice speak up behind him. It was not the tone of a young woman who was filled with friendly energy, but rather that of a woman judging her man to be guilty of a serious offense.

    ¡°Oh? So you know Brad? I thought you weren¡¯t keeping secrets from me, Frank!¡±

    Frank immediately felt his spine tingle as he heard the usationbeled against him. He immediately turned around to see the beautiful young woman ring at him intensely. The woman¡¯s hazel eyes practically peered into his soul, and determined his guilt on the spot. Frank could only haphazardly defend himself in that moment.

    ¡°Isabe, don¡¯t sneak up on me like that!¡±

    The girl¡¯s gaze only sharpened as her brow furrowed slightly. Obviously, Frank was ying games with her while trying to avoid the question. She would not tolerate such disrespect and clearly pointed out what Frank was doing before reiterating her question.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question Frank, how do you know Brad?¡±<sub></sub>

    It wasn¡¯t that Frank felt guilty of knowing Brad, sure the guy was a bit of a yboy, and a monumental ass at times. However, the way that Isabe was staring at him made him deeply ufortable, to the point where he couldn¡¯t think straight. Resulting in the man deflecting the question by asking one of his own.

    ¡°Well, how do you know Brad?¡±

    Isabe¡¯s gaze sharpened even further. She was certain that Frank was up to no good. The fact that he knew Brad was a bad sign in and of itself, but now he was deflecting her question over and over again. This man was guilty of something, and she knew it. She finally had enough of Frank¡¯s shit andpelled him to be honest with her.

    ¡°Answer the question, Frank!¡±

    By the way Isabe was staring at him, Frank could tell she disapproved of the kid, and because of this, he didn¡¯t want to admit that they were pretty good friends who went out and partied together every weekend. Thus, he scratched the back of his head as he made a true statement, but one that omitted certain details.

    ¡°I know him from wrestling. We¡¯re on the same team after all¡­¡±

    Isabe¡¯s sharp gazed pierced into Frank¡¯s soul. She could tell he wasn¡¯t telling her the whole truth, but she didn¡¯t know him well enough to continue pressing him on the matter. If she did she woulde off as some sort of psycho and because of that, she sighed heavily before giving Frank a warning about his buddy.

    ¡°Let me tell you what I know about Brad. That boy is a bi-pr sociopath who copes with his mental illness by heavily self medicating. He doesn¡¯t care who he hurts so long as he can have fun. If that idiot were to have one redeeming quality, it is the fact that he is a creative genius, but he suffers from terminalziness, and because of that, he will never be sessful in life. Don¡¯t let that asshole drag you down with him. You will regret it.¡±

    Frank scoffed when he heard this remark. Clearly, Isabe was quite intimate with the man in order to understand him so well. He immediately made an assumption in his mind, and in an act of petty jealousy, he decided to pass off his theory as a joke.

    ¡°You sound like a jaded lover. You know that, right?¡±

    Isabe stared at Frank in silence for several moments. The man could tell that he had supremely pissed her off with that statement. He was willing to ept an earful for his statement, but instead of yelling at him, Isabe merely sighed, and avoided discussing the issue further.

    ¡°Enough of Brad, if you don¡¯t get your butt in gear then I¡¯m going to leave you behind¡­¡±

    After saying this, the beautiful young woman who was oddly reminiscent of cidia, in terms of appearance, walked past Frank and headed towards the library where they previously agreed to have lunch and study together.

    Frank scampered off like a trained dog when he heard the woman¡¯smands. After which Marcellus awoke from his dream. He didn¡¯t care too much about Frank¡¯s personal life, but he did enjoy the lecture. With this information, he would be able to increase the capacity of his mines.

    If there was one problem which gued the Roman Empire, it was a severeck of ability to mine iron and coal. One of the reasons behind this was the fact that theycked any decent means to dewater a mine after it had been flooded. Thus, their approach when such a thing urred usually was to abandon it and look for an alternative source.

    With the introduction of st furnaces, Marcellus¡¯ economy would be ever more reliant on iron and coal, and he simply could not afford to expand his empire¡¯s territory in order to im new mines. Because of that, he needed a way to dewater the ones he currently possessed. Thus, after waking up from his power nap, he quickly got to work, jotting down the ns he had seen from the lecture in his dream.

    After spending most of his afternoon working on the dewatering method, he dispatched the orders to the nearest manfuactorum to create and test several of the devices. Though it might take a few weeks to get the first wooden pumps under production, he could already taste the wealth and power that Rome would gain once it had iron and coal flowing out of its borders.

    Thus, while Constantius was dispatched to Constantinople in an attempt to negotiate with the Eastern Roman Empire over the border dispute that urred recently, Marcellus was quick at work devising new techniques to increase his industrial output.

 Chapter 115 Gathering Evidence Part I

    While Constantinus had travelled all the way to Constantinople in an attempt to negotiate a proper end to the border dispute between the eastern and western roman empires. Sigefrida had dispatched a group of frumentarii to the location where the conflict had urred.

    By now enough time had passed that the eastern roman empire had properly covered their tracks. However, Sigefrida still felt as if there was some evidence that could be gathered. Currently, her trusted agent, Falconius, was leading a team of frumentarii to investigate the site.

    These men were posing as merchants and travelled with a small caravan filled with goods. They were protected by a Contubernium of western roman soldiers who were posing as mercenaries. Eventually, their caravan stopped as they came upon the site where the skirmish had previously taken ce. Falconius got down from his wagon and began to thoroughly inspect the site. It had been weeks since the conflict had taken ce, and by now the eastern romans had picked the area clean.

    However, there were still tracks to be followed and because of that, the veteran agent of the frumentarii scouted the area, searching for any sign of evidence they could use to pin the me on the eastern romans. While the rain had washed blood away, and the bodies were removed from the scene of the crime. The tracks of the eastern romans were still visible to the trained scout¡¯s eyes. It did not take long for Falconius toe to a conclusion, which he voiced aloud for his team to hear.

    ¡°One thing is abundantly clear. The eastern roman limitanei approached the caravan. Unlike what Constantinople ims, this was anything but a random encounter¡­ The limitanei came from the north, most likely from a nearby castra. If we want answers, they will be the ones to speak to.¡±<sub>.</sub>

    One of the members of Falconius¡¯ team nodded his head in agreement. Though he epted Falconius¡¯ ims, he was concerned about how they were going to get the locals to speak of the event. The fact that the limitanei were acting as brigands was a closely guarded secret, and anyone who had taken part was likely keeping their mouths shut. Thus, he was quick to voice his concerns.

    ¡°That may be true, but how exactly are we going to get these bastards to talk? We don¡¯t even know if there were any survivors. Unless we have a man who was there at the scene of the crime, willing to testify, then we will not be able to convince the eastern romans to budge on their demands.¡±

    Falconius scoffed when he heard this response before tossing a bag of coins to the agent who doubted him. The man instantly opened it to reveal severalrge gold coins. With a smirk on his face, the Falconius expressed his opinion to the naysayer.

    ¡°The Imperator has given us quite a bit of gold to coerce any potential witnesses into speaking up. If that isn¡¯t enough, he has given us the ability to negotiate their defection to the west. One of these poor bastards is going to talk. It¡¯s just a matter of negotiating the price. Now shut your trap and get on the wagon. We¡¯re heading for the nearest castra.¡±<sub></sub>

    The agent who voiced his opinions quickly silenced himself before following Falconius¡¯ orders. He did not expect the Imperator to go to such lengths just to resolve this dispute. Ultimately, the team of agents would travel in disguise on the northern road beforeing across the most fortress from where the patrol had originally deployed from.

    Outside of this castra was a small town, whose vigers watched warily as the small caravan of merchants strolled into their vige. After reaching a safe distance, Falconius protected his cover by appearing as if he was selling goods. He called out to the nearby group of men in a tone that a street hawker would use.

    ¡°Ie bearing wine and bread. Are there any takers?¡±

    A few men quickly approached and handed off their coin in exchange for the food and drink, which they hastily devoured on the spot. The vige folk appeared to be in rough shape, as if a famine had struck the east. They were lucky that these westerners came and fed them with such reasonable prices. Falconius was awestruck by this reaction and quickly inquired about what had happened to cause such a scene.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Woah there friend, go easy on the bread and wine. There is more where that came from. I don¡¯t understand why you all look so famished. Isn¡¯t the eastern half of the empire supposed to be the breadbasket?¡±

    Only one of the five vige men quit stuffing his face long enough to answer Falconius¡¯ questions. Things had not been going well for the vigetely. Since the incident at the border, the local Dux had severely punished the men who had taken ce in the piging by severely limiting their rations. Since most of the vigers were also part-time soldiers in the limitanei, the whole town ended up suffering as a result. Among these men was one foolish enough to voice his grievences at the first given opportunity.

    ¡°It¡¯s the damn fault of the Dux. Ever since that bastard Rufius ordered our unit to rob those merchants, we have all had to suffer as a result. That old cunt is dead, and now we all have to pay the price for his misdeeds. Most of us didn¡¯t want to rob the caravan to begin with. We were just following orders!¡±

    Immediately after the young man said this, the man¡¯s superior, who was standing next to him, smacked him across his the back of his head before scolding him.

    ¡°Quiet! We are not supposed to talk about that event. If the Dux finds out you said something, you will get us all killed! If you want to die, leave me out of it!¡±¡±

    However, Falconius¡¯s interest was piqued. These disgruntled soldiers were the perfect men to turn against Constantinople. If they were to defect to the west, and testify against the eastern roman empire, then Marcellus would be able to use a position of strength in the negotiations over the border dispute. Thus, the veteran agent was quick to manipte the men by asking questions.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying you were ordered to rob a merchant caravan likemon highwaymen? Do you have any proof of this?¡±

    The boy looked at the disapproving look of his fellow soldiers and remained silent. However, Falconius would never let him do so, not after learning that these guys were witnesses. He quickly pulled out more bread and wine to entice the men to give him the information he was after.

    ¡°If you tell me the truth, I will reward you handsomely. I can bring you back west, where you can serve out the rest of your days in the Western Army. You will be paid well and fed even better. Prove your worth and you can even rise the ranks. All you have to do is give me some proof of what you im!¡±

    ¡¢ Upon hearing this, all four of the men immediately spilled what they knew about what happened the day of the border sh. Ironically, the superior officer who had smacked the kid across the head was the first to speak.

    ¡°Of course, we have evidence of this. I¡¯m the tribune of this fortress. I¡¯m the damn fool who has to write up the reports about the incident. I can get you these reports, but you have to promise to take me and my family back west. There¡¯s enough of you here that you should be able to hold your own if the Dux tries to retaliate. However, I¡¯m going to need some certainty that you can aplish what you im. After all, how will a mere merchant like yourself get me in a lofty position in the western roman army?¡±

    Falconius decided to take a risk, and show the tribune some identification. He quickly handed over a golden coin, which symbolized him as a member of the Frumentarii. These men had heard of the shadowy agents of the Western Imperator and immediately knew what this coin stood for. However, Falconius exined his position anyway.

    ¡°We are frumentarii, agents of the Imperator sent to collect evidence on the wrongdoings of the east. If you can give me these signed reports, I promise to not only bring you and your families to safety in the west, but I will give you each 100 solidii as payment for your services.¡±

    Upon hearing such a promise, the four men immediately defected to the west. After all, a chance at a new life in the western roman army as professional soldiers was a better deal than working in the fields all day, and going off to fight once in a new moon. Thus, these five soldiers were about to embark on a dangerous undertaking which would give Marcellus the leverage he needed to free his people, and demandpensation from the east.

 Chapter 116 Gathering Evidence Part II

    After the Frumentarii under Falconius¡¯mand had negotiated with the Eastern Limitanei for their defection, the part-time soldiers had embarked on a quest to recover the signed documents, which acted as written evidence of the Eastern Roman Army¡¯s wrongdoings.

    The man who was leading them was a middle-aged tribune by the name of Publius Portius Laenas, he had decided in his infinite wisdom that the risk he would have to undertake to infiltrate the castra, and seize the incident report about the border skirmish was well worth the reward.

    Falconius had offered refuge, as well as a job in the Western Roman Army. For a man of Laenas¡¯ position, that meant he would likely be ced inmand of a vige. After all, in the west, under Marcellus¡¯ reign, Rome had be a military dictatorship where military officers ruled over civil affairs.

    That was well worth the risk of getting caught from the perspective of the part-time tribune. While Laenas had volunteered to undertake such a risk, he had ordered his fellow defectors to round up their families and meet with the Western Roman Frumentarii on the outskirts of the vige. The moment he got his hands on the evidence, they would smuggle themselves out of the town and into the west.

    Laenas¡¯ heart palpitated heavily as he approached the Castra with a stoic expression on his face. He just needed to get into his office, grab the documents, and smuggle them out of the fortress without alerting anybody¡¯s presence. In theory, it was simple enough, but the fear of getting caught made him perspire heavily as he saluted the sentries and walked past the entrance.<sub></sub>

    After entering into the Castra, he did not sigh in relief, rather; he stood alert as he walked towards his office with a confident stride. If he gave off the slightest impression that he was nervous, he would immediatelye under suspicion.

    Luckily for him, he was a high-ranking officer, and because of this, most soldiers would salute him without questioning the man. As he marched through the courtyard, he gazed at the sight of the men who had taken part in the border conflict. Their unit was being heavily punished with physicalbor.

    The group of men wore their armor as they carried heavy stones across the Castra to reinforce its declining walls. Everything was in disrepair during this dark century of the Empire¡¯s history. It was amazing that they could even afford to repair the walls of a frontier outpost such as this.

    Laenas ignored the struggles of his soldiers before quickening his pace as he approached the interior of the fortress. Eventually, he arrived in front of his office, where he used his key to unlock its doors before entering the room. He did not hesitate to shut the door behind him before he searched frantically for the documents that he needed to prove the guilt of the Eastern Roman forces.<sub></sub>

    Lying on his desk was a mess of papers. In fact, the entire office was in disarray. Despite the clumsy interior, Laenas quickly found what he was looking for. Apparently, he had his own way of organizing because he did not spare the slightest bit of energy searching through the mess to find what he needed.

    The document had the signature of the Dux, who was responsible for the defense of this section of the border. This report contained the exact details of the incident and the punishments that were given to the various men who had taken part in the border conflict. It was the most damning piece of evidence that could be used against Constantinople in their efforts to defame Marcellus and his people.

    After confirming this was indeed the document he was looking for, Laenas folded it nicely before stuffing it into his satchel. Thest thing he needed was for the rain to fall upon it, and mire the ink. After safely stashing the evidence away, the tribune quickly departed for the door, whereupon opening it, he came face to face with the Dux, who had several armed men by his side.

    The sudden appearance of hismanding officer, along with so many armed soldiers, nearly gave Laenas a heart attack. However, he quickly saluted his superior and remained silent. The Dux returned the man¡¯s salute before addressing his reason for visiting.<sub></sub>

    ¡°Tribune, I did not expect to see you here¡­ I thought you were looking after the troops in the vige? Honestly, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m here for one reason. The Emperor has requested that we destroy all evidence of what urred at the Border. My men here will seize all relevant documents and burn them out back. I meant to inform you after we had finished our work, but since you are here, I figured you might as well know.¡±

    By Emperor the Dux really meant the regent. Though Laenas could care less about semantics while he was sweating profusely. If he was caught smuggling such a sensitive piece of evidence, he would certainly be executed. However, he had no choice but to submit to the Dux, thus he quickly parted ways for the soldiers to do their job.

    ¡°By all means, take what you need.¡±

    The Dux snapped and the armed guards entered the room, searching through the piles of evidence, taking whatever they thought was damning and hoarding them away in boxes. While this was going on, the Dux made small talk with Laenas, who remained silent.

    ¡°Honestly, once this headache is over, I think I will need a stiff drink. I can¡¯t believe that idiot Rufius caused me so much trouble, and didn¡¯t even live long enough for me to execute him. Luckily, I have you to do all the paperwork, or else I would be in serious trouble. Though honestly Laenas, you really need to organize yourself better. This is going to take a few hours to clear up!¡±

    Laenas chuckled as he heard these words before reassuring his superior that he would do better in the future.

    ¡°I will take your words to heart and improve on my organization skills.¡±

    The dux nodded his head in agreement before responding to Laenas¡¯ments.

    ¡°See that you do, anyway I don¡¯t mean to keep you here all day. I¡¯m sure these centurions can handle this matter discretely. You should also get back to work.¡±

    After saying this, the Dux departed, leaving Laenas to sigh in relief. The tribune nced back upon the centurions, who were prying through each document to determine what needed to be destroyed before walking out of the castra and back towards the vige below.

    Laenas did not rx until he had sessfully regrouped with Falconius and the others. After meeting in the vige, with his family, and those of the other deserters, Laenas handed the document over to the Frumentarii with a wide grin on his face.

    ¡°If I was a secondter, this document would be lost. The Dux has ordered that all evidence of the border incident be destroyed. I ran into him on my way out. So, can we please get the hell out of here before they discover this document is missing?¡±

    Falconius looked over the document and grinned with satisfaction when he realized just how damning it was of the Eastern Roman Army. After securing it away from harm, he ordered his frumentarii to pack up their things and depart. It did not take long for the caravan to leave the vige, and when they did, they would not feel at ease until they had crossed into the borders of the Western Roman Empire.

 Chapter 117 Negotiating with the Byzantine Regent

    Constantius sat within the eastern roman royal pce. He gazed in awe at the opulent tapestries and the elegant trappings that littered the building. One thing was abundantly clear from the moment he stepped foot into the city of Constantinople: the eastern roman empire was significantly wealthier than the west.

    Centuries of umtion had made Constantinople the jewel of the east. Meanwhile, Rome had fallen in to decay, and the two other cities that had the honor of the being the capital of the west could notpare to the luxury that the east held within the palm of their hands.

    The Byzantine regent was also the Sassanid emperor. He was a man by the name of Yazdegerd. He was as swarthy as Constantius had expected him to be. Hawkish features, brown eyes, sun-kissed skin, and an earthen mop atop his head. There was nothing distinctly Roman about the man.

    Next to Yazdegerd was the boy emperor, a mere child by the name of Theodosius II. His grandfather founded the dynasty which, until recently, ruled over both the west and east. However, the man¡¯s feeble genes had clearly passed onto his grandchild, as the boy appeared to be slow, not to mention his weak chin, and bug like eyes. When Constantine reflected on how hideous and ipetent Honorius was, he began to suspect something was deeply wrong with the lineage.

    Then again, cidia was not only sharp, but beautiful. Though such an exception did not disprove the norm. Perhaps Venus had taken pity on the poor girl and blessed her with her good looks. None of these things were important, and yet Constantius could only think such things when witnessing the eastern roman emperor for the first time.<sub></sub>

    First impressions were often the key to sess, and the fact that Theodosius looked the way he did instantly reaffirmed the man¡¯s loyalties to Marcellus. He was d to be serving a capable man of a noble lineage. Still, he internally worried about what his offspring would be like.

    After all, they were the children of cidia. If the gods truly existed, surely they would not be capricious enough to bless the Empire with Marcellus only to make his sessor a pathetic whelp like Honorius? Why was Constantius thinking of such things, because the swarthy regent had posed him a question about his loyalties towards Marcellus¡¯ military dictatorship and thews of session that were in ce?

    After gazing upon the seed of Arcadius, he could boldly say that he was indeed worried, but for the opposite reasons that Yazdegerd had posed. After careful consideration, he decided to speak of these concerns out in the open.

    ¡°I am indeed worried about Marcellus¡¯ sessor, assuming he fulfills his promise and abdicates from the throne after fixing the Empire¡¯s problems, and that he ces his eldest son on the throne in his ce. Knowing the lineage that a boy wille from, I am deeply concerned about the future of the Empire. I suppose it is a flip of the coin. Will the boy inherit his father¡¯s capability, or would he take after his mother¡¯s side of the family?¡±<sub></sub>

    Yazdegerd immediately frowned when he heard this. He looked over at the boy, Theodosius, who clearly did not understand that Constantius had just insulted his lineage. Thus, he had to make it abundantly clear to the slow fool just what was said to his face.

    ¡°Why have youe all this way to Constantinople if you are just going to insult the emperor to his face? I should have you executed for what you just said!¡±

    Constantius was not afraid of Yazdegerd and because of this, he merely scoffed before expressing his disdain.

    ¡°Go ahead and try it, but I¡¯ll have you know that Marcellus has pledged should any harme to me. He will raze the city of Constantinople to the ground. Let¡¯s look past the vast difference in the size of your armies and understand the fact that he is a far more capable General than anyone you have under yourmand. Are you willing to take the risk, knowing that so long as Marcellus lives, he is a threat to this city¡¯s continued existence? Go ahead and puff your chest. We both know your threats hold no real intent.¡±<sub></sub>

    Like a deted balloon, Yazdegerd copsed into his chair in defeat. As much as he did not want to admit it, Marcellus was a talented general. He understood all aspects of war quite thoroughly, and could easilye up with countermeasures on the spot should something unexpected ur. Was he as great as Caesar? No, but he was more capable than anyone else that was avable in this era.

    Thus, after careful contemtion, the man could only sigh in defeat before asserting his demands.

    ¡°You know what it is that I demand of you. After the trouble your men have caused on my border, I want proper payment. 5,000 pounds of gold, and 30,000 pounds of silver. You pay us this, and we will look the other way for this attack on our Empire!¡±

    When Constantius heard this, he scoffed once more. Such a thing was a king¡¯s ransom, and he knew Marcellus would never pay it. Thus, he did not bother entertaining such an idea, and instead made his counter demand.

    ¡°Marcellus will never pay that, and you know it. We both know that your men were in the wrong, acting asmon brigands while abusing the authority of the Army. They demanded an uwful toll and attacked our caravan when they refused.

    We have proof of this, and if you do not release our merchants, and pay us 5,000 pounds of gold, and 30,000 pounds of silver inpensation for the men you have murdered, then we will be forced to engage in economic sanctions. I¡¯d like to see how long it takes before your people are up in arms because they can¡¯t get their hands on our fortified wine, or our distilled liquor.¡±

    Yazdegerd clenched his fists in rage when he heard this. He did not want to call Constantius bluff. The truth was that Constantius was lying through his teeth. He had no idea that the Frumentarii had actually seeded in getting some damning evidence about the eastern roman army¡¯s wrongdoings. He just assumed they had seeded in their endeavors and used it during negotiations. If he was wrong, then he would surely pay for it.

    However, Yazdegerd couldn¡¯t take that risk. Since Marcellus had invented distilled spirits, and blended it with his wine. The denizens of the east had be reliant on it. If he forced Marcellus to withdraw trade, the west would surely suffer. However, Marcellus could convince his people to endure a life without silk and gemstones, at least for a time. On the other hand, Yazdegerd could not convince the people of Constantinople to live without fortified wine.

    Despite this reality, he was not willing to concede defeat until he had witnessed this so-called proof in person. Thus, he was quick to set up a face-to-face meeting with Marcellus.

    ¡°Bullshit! There is no proof, because what you say is simply false. However, I would very much like to see how Marcellus backs up such bold words. Tell your master we shall meet in neutral ground. Outside the borders of both of our realms. He is allowed to bring an army of a thousand men to protect him from barbarians, and I am allowed to do the same. If I see he shows up with more men than are alotted, I will assume he had dered war.¡±

    Constantius¡¯s lips curved into a smile as he heard this before nodding his head in agreement. After agreeing on a neutral location outside the borders of Illyricum, as well as a time to meet Constantius, prepared for his long journey back to Rome.

 Chapter 118 Anticipating the Enemys Schemes

    Sigefrida stood across from Marcellus, who sat in his office and read over the document that had been provided to him by the frumentarii. The evidence was damning. It was not only an incident report, but a report about the punishments inflicted upon those who had survived the border crisis. It was signed by the local Dux and stamped with the seal of Constantinople. There was simply no way for the eastern roman empire to deny these allegations now that Marcellus had such proof.

    Upon realizing that, the only reason he was able to obtain such evidence was because of Sigefrida¡¯s quality leadership over his intelligencework. Marcellus quickly approached the woman and wrapped his arms around her before nting a kiss on her lips.

    These actions initially surprised the woman, especially after receiving the silent treatment from the man since the morning after his wedding night. However, she did not try to run away and simply epted it. Marcellus released his control over the woman¡¯s lips after a few moments and whispered something in her ears that she did not expect.

    ¡°I am in love with you so much right now¡­¡±

    However, before they could progress any further, a knock resounded on the door, which interrupted the couple¡¯s reunion. Marcellus merely sighed before opening the door with a twisted expression on his face.

    ¡°What is it!?!¡±

    The messenger flinched when he saw how disturbed the Imperator was by his intrusion. He quickly bowed his head before handing over the letter that was in his hands.

    ¡°This letter is from Constantius. It is for your eyes only!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Marcellus snatched the letter from the messenger¡¯s hand and opened it with his dagger. After looking over the contents, a wide grinned appeared on his face before he expressed his thoughts aloud.

    ¡°Constantius, you mad bastard, you actually made such a gamble? Well, it looks like the Gods have rewarded your efforts, because we have just what we need to force this Persian bastard into kneeling before us!¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus tossed the letter over to Sigefrida, who quickly scanned its contents. While she read over it, Marcellus dismissed the messenger and shut the door behind him. After finishing her endeavor, Sigefrida, too, smiled when she realized that a time and ce had been set to meet the eastern Roman regent in a neutral location, and that the man had demanded proof of his misdeeds. She let out a slight giggle as she realized why Yazdegerd was so certain Marcellus was bluffing.

    ¡°Falconius said that they had barely gotten the evidence in time before the local Dux ordered a purge of all information that could be seen as damning. It would appear Yazdegerd truly believes he has gotten rid of every piece of evidence that points to his wrongdoings. Well, the gods blessed us this time around, as I can¡¯t see how else we would have such a fortune.¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head in agreement with Sigefrida¡¯s assessment and paced around the room in contemtion. After several moments of thought, he espoused his views on the matter.

    ¡°Sol Invictus has blessed us with his light. It is truly a monumental asion. We should make a sacrifice to him as thanks for his aid in this matter. However, that will have to wait until after I have concluded my business with that rat, Yazdegerd. I must prepare my Ptini to march with me to the meeting. I can permit only my best soldiers and most loyal soldiers to apany me during these negotiations.¡±

    Sigefrida rested her pretty head on Marcellus¡¯ shoulder with a troubled expression on her face. She could not expect a man like Yazdegerd to abide by the conditions he had set forth. She half expected him to use proxies to eliminate Marcellus and, because of this, she expressed her concerns.

    ¡°Be safe out there, you are marching into the frontier, you never know what tribe is lying in wait. Perhaps Yazdegerd has employed the use of some barbarians to ambush you. I would advise that before you set out to enlist the aid of a barbarian army like the Huns to ensure that you can counter any schemes, that bastard might conceive.¡±

    Marcellus scoffed as he gazed at the beautiful Suebi woman who had thought of a potential danger that he could not. He was truly and utterly impressed with her ability to predict other people¡¯s machinations. It was actually an ability he himselfcked. Thus, he could not help but praise the woman for her talent.

    ¡°I would be lost without you. To think how far you havee in his such a short time since assuming your position. You really are the best spymaster I could ask for. Very well, I will dispatch a Legate to negotiate with the Huns about ambushing Yazdegerd and his host after we have met. It is better to kill that snake when we have the chance, then to let him slither back to the safety of Constantinople.¡±

    Sigefrida giggled when she envisioned Yazdegerd choking on his own blood after being filled with arrows by the nomadic horse archers. However, she was a bit skeptical about his n to enlist the aid of the Huns. Though she had suggested it, she knew the nomadic horsemen would not easily agree to work for the Romans once more. Thus, she made a suggestion to help increase the odds of Marcellus¡¯ n.

    ¡°The Huns used to work for your forbearer, but that alliance has since copsed. Especially after we sent the Goths to seize Illyricum. I suggest sending someone who isn¡¯t a roman to negotiate with the savages. My intelligence suggests that Yazdegerd tried to enlist their aid in the past, but they turned him down. They don¡¯t appear to be fond of Romans in general.¡±

    Upon thinking about this, Marcellus agreed with Sigefrida¡¯s sentiment and quickly chose someone he knew he could trust. If he was going to organize an attack on the eastern Roman regent after arriving for peaceful negotiations, he could not allow it to be traced back to him. Thus, he needed to use a proxy.

    ¡°I willpel Sarus to use his connections with the other Germanic tribes to put out the hit on Yazdegerd. That way, even if that Persian snake survives, and he manages to convince the Huns to tell him who is responsible, the evidence will lead to a Germanic tribe, which we can silence before the east gets to them.¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus and Sigefrida quickly got to work. They had much to n for, and little time to do it. However, if things went right, not only would they be able to secure a massive ransom from the eastern Roman Empire, but they could also eliminate its regent, and hopefully ce a puppet in his ce who would coerce the young Theodosius II to be more friendly with his western neighbor.

 Chapter 119 Conspiring Against Yazdegerd

    Sarus sat in a room alone with Marcellus. He had rushed back to the capital of the Western Roman Empire after receiving a summons from the Imperator himself. The two men were drinking wine as they discussed a devious plot to assassinate one of Marcellus¡¯ rivals. Marcellus drank the whole contents of his chalice before speaking of his sinister n.

    I summoned you here, because I need to know if you have any contacts within the Germanic tribes who still exist outside my borders. I won¡¯t lie to you, I have an opportunity to eliminate one of my rivals, and improve rtions with the eastern roman empire. However, should this attempt to fail, I can¡¯t have it traced back to me. You understand, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Sarus drank from his chalice, his eyes never averting their gaze from Marcellus¡¯ stoic expression. He had followed this man into battle on many asions, and knew he was not the type of man to assassinate someone without a proper reason. As an Imperial Legate, Sarus was aware of the current border crisis with the eastern roman empire, and thus could surmise exactly who Marcellus nned to kill.

    Thus, it was no surprise when a wicked grin appeared on the Gothic chieftain¡¯s face before nodding his head in silence. After another drink from his wine, the Sarus was happy to share what information he had.

    ¡°I know a man, a King if you will, or so he calls himself. He is of the Gepid tribe. This man has an intense hatred for the eastern roman empire. If you need him as a proxy, then he would be the best to do it. But before I reach out to him, I need to know the full extent of your plot. Thest thing I need is for him to find out that I am a Romanpdog. I must make it seem as if I am approaching him as a member of the Gothic tribe. ¡°

    Marcellus poured himself another cup of wine with a cruel smirk on his face. It was good to see that Sarus had been tamed. He was once a feral wolf that Rome used to ughter their enemies, now he was a tamed hound, one he could rely on in the most dire of circumstance. After taking another sip from his golden chalice, Marcellus informed his mad dog of his exact ns.

    ¡°It is simple. I have an uing meeting with the Persian Emperor who, as you know, is the regent of the eastern roman empire. As per the terms brokered by Constantius, we are each allowed to bring a unit of one thousand men to secure ourselves from third party threats.

    However, it would not be unreasonable of me to assume that the man is preparing a scheme to end my life, just as I am his. As you know, the Huns despise Romans, and because of this, if I were to send one of my own men to contract them, they would surely reject my generous offer. Thus, I want to make use of a proxy to hire those Asiatic barbarians to do my dirty work.¡±

    Sarus continually nodded his head as he listened to Marcellus¡¯ assassination n. However, he was curious about one specific detail. Thus, after taking another sip of his wine, the Gothic Chieftain was quick to ask about his concerns.

    ¡°So let me get this straight. You want to use a proxy, to hire another proxy, to assassinate the eastern roman regent? What is the point of such a thing? Why don¡¯t we just get the Gepids to do it? The Gepids are more than capable of ambushing Yazdegerd and iming his head for you. I can personally attest that even if they fail in their assassination and are captured alive, the Gepids would rather die than reveal who hired them to the East.¡±

    Marcellus thought about it for a moment before nodding his head in agreement. He supposed the Huns weren¡¯t necessary after all. He could easily hire the Gepids to do the job for him. Besides, he doubted whether the Huns would listen to an emissary from the Germanic tribes. If Sarus had a connection to the Gepid king, then Marcellus did not see a reason to deny his strategy. Thus, he was quick to ept this proposal.

    ¡°Very well, you can go and make a request with the Gepid King on my behalf. I will not depart for the meeting with Yazdegerd until I am sure that I have their support.¡±

    Sarus wore a toothy grin when he downed thest of his wine. After doing so, he stood up from his seat and walked out of the room, however before he made his exit, he managed to get out onest snarky remark.

    ¡°It would be my honor, Gothicus.¡±

    After saying this, the man left Marcellus behind, where he intended to take some of his foederati to meet up with the Gepid King. As for Marcellus, Sigefrida quickly greeted him, who revealed that she had been listening in on the man¡¯s conversation the whole time.

    ¡°So, a change of ns, then? We intend to make use of the Gepids to kill Yazdegerd? I must say, I¡¯m ashamed I didn¡¯t think of such a thing myself. The Gepids, much like the Goths and Vandals, are an eastern tribe. I honestly know little about them, but they are said to have fierce warriors who, I am sure, are up to the task of eliminating that Persian snake.¡±

    After saying this, Sigefrida sat down in Marcellus¡¯sp andid her head against his shoulder. She had a pouting expression as she discussed something that had been bothering her as ofte.

    ¡°You know, since you married that girl, you haven¡¯te to my room at night. It is awfully lonely by myself¡­¡±

    Marcellus scoffed when he heard this before, lecturing the woman on her petty jealousy.

    ¡°I¡¯ll visit you when I have the time, however first I have to ensure that cidia gets pregnant. The sooner I have a true born heir, the better. After that happens, I promise I will be more active in your life. Just wait a bit longer and I¡¯m sure I can make things right.¡±

    Sigefrida continued to pout as she heard this, but ultimately she nodded her head in understanding. After all, she was just the concubine. She had no right to interfere in Marcellus¡¯ marriage. Unfortunately, she had learned that fact the hard way after she had foolishly awoken the man with a ssh out water the morning after his wedding night. For nearly a month Marcellus had not spoken with her, and now that they seemed to have mended their rtionship, she yearned for his touch.

    However, the man was still withholding it outside of a few passionate kisses. Such a petty disy of his love simply wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy her. Thus she had a rather bold idea as her hand found its way into Marcellus¡¯ trousers. Marcellus did not say a word as Sigefrida yed with her lover¡¯s shaft, forcing him into the mood so that she could finally have her fair share of the man she loved.

    For the next hour, Marcellus and Sigefrida would be reconnected. For too long, they had been apart, and now that they had a brief period of respite, the Suebi beauty took advantage of it. Thus, Marcellus was rxing at home in Rome while Sarus embarked on a dangerous journey into thends of a hostile tribe, hoping that he could convince an old rival to do his dirty work.

    Sarus had not informed Marcellus, but his rtionship with the Gepid King wasn¡¯t exactly a cordial one. It was highly likely that his negotiations with the man would end in conflict. However, Sarus despised the Huns and wanted nothing to do with them. He would rather risk his life kicking over an old ho¡¯s nest, then go bargaining with those filthy horse riders for their aid in this discreet matter.

    Besides, the idea of using two stages of proxy was a ludicrous one to him. At the very least, Sarus could be certain that if Yazdegerd were to survive the assassination attempt, and learn that the Gepids had attacked him, then they could be dealt with before the Sassanid Emperor ever learned who had hired them. The same could not be said about the Huns.

    While Marcellus plotted to assassinate the Eastern Roman Regent, Yazdegerd was likewise plotting his western rival¡¯s demise. Marcellus was right to assume that the man would plot his death in this meeting. After all, the man was nothing more than a snake in the grass, one who would have no moral qualms about using more sinister methods to eliminate his rivals.

    In truth, it was a good thing that Sarus had talked Marcellus out of approaching the Huns for support, because Yazdegerd had already secured their alliance in his attempt to y the Western Roman Imperator.

 Chapter 120 A Dangerous Meeting

    Sarus rode on horseback, along with several members of his tribe, who were Foederati of the Roman Army. They had ensured that they weren¡¯t dressed in roman garb as they strode through thends of the Gepids with anxious expressions on their faces. A warrior beneath Sarus¡¯smand was quick to question the man¡¯s sanity as he continued forward into hostile territory.

    ¡°Chief, pardon my prying, but I seem to remember thest time that you met with the Gepid King he tried to kill you. Are you sure this is a good idea?¡±

    In response to this question, Sarus merely before responding to the man¡¯s concerns with a voice filled with indignation. Not only had the Gepid King tried to kill him during theirst encounter, he nearly seeded in doing so, and he did not wish to be reminded of this fact.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not a good idea. In fact, we¡¯ll be lucky if we live to tell the tale. But I¡¯d rather work with this bastard than the fucking Huns! So quit your bitching and hurry up!¡±

    Upon hearing this, what little hope his men had for survival vanished within their hearts, and only a sense of mncholy prevailed among the gothic warriors as they rode forward through hostile territory. It did not take long for a Gepid war band to spot the invaders into theirnds, and by then it was already toote to escape.

    The Gepids surrounded the Gothic Warband led by Sarus and pointed their spears in their general direction. If they took one step, they¡¯d be skewered like pigs. Thus, Sarus sighed heavily before speaking to the army that gathered around him. The Gepids were a gothic people, thus; he spoke the samenguage as them while he bargained to meet with their King.

    ¡°Where is Athric? I want to speak with that fucking cunt this instant!¡±

    After a few moments, a pale skinned and tall middle-aged man emerged from the crowd with a helmet on his head, and a spear in his hand. He red at Sarus fiercely before spewing his retort.

    ¡°Oh, so I¡¯m a cunt, am I? Funny, I seem to remember thest time you insulted me in such a way. I nearly took your life. So tell me, Sarus, why have you entered mynds? Do you wish to enter the afterlife that badly?¡±

    Sarus returned the Gepid King¡¯s fierce re with an equally intimidating gaze. The two men stared in silence for several moments until finally Sarus spoke about his reason for visiting.

    ¡°I wish to gain your assistance in attacking one of my enemies?¡±

    Athric immediately bellowed inughter, and the moment after doing so, his army of men joined him. The man could hardly believe what he was hearing and was quick to respond to Sarus¡¯s request with a spit on the face.

    ¡°Join you? Why the hell would I ever join you? We are mortal enemies, you and I! What makes you think I would ever fight by your side?¡±

    Sarus slowly wiped the spit from his face. The fury in his blue eyes was enough to burn the entire earth to ashes. However, he forced himself to remain calm as he took a deep breath before informing the man of his target.

    ¡°You won¡¯t join me, even if it means killing the Regent of the eastern roman emperor?¡±

    The Gepids reacted with shock as they all began to speak among themselves. Even Athric was taken aback by this request. He did not expect that Sarus would ever make such a request of him, and because of this, he immediately became suspicious.

    ¡°You want me to attack the eastern roman regent? Are you mad? His armies arerge enough to drown my entire kingdom. You think I would ever have a chance at iming his head?¡±

    In response to this, Sarus broke out into a fit ofughter. It would appear that the Gepids were poorly informed about the ongoing political intrigue within the borders of both roman empires. Now that he knew, he had the upper hand. Sarus became more confident as he made his stance perfectly clear with a proud boast.

    ¡°There is a new emperor in the west, someone who Yazdegerd deeply despises. Apparently the eastern roman empire has a blood feud with this man for overthrowing that idiot Honorius. The two foolish bastards are meeting at the borders of yournd in order toe to some form of peace agreement.

    They have agreed to only bring a thousand men each in order to ensure that a battle does not ur. With your men, and mine, we will be able to ambush the two emperors and put an end to Rome once and for all! Imagine it, Athric, the Gepid King who slew thest two Roman emperors! The entire world will remember your name throughout history! What do you say? Are you interested?¡±

    If Marcellus was here to hear such a thing, he would scoff. The truth of the matter was in his past life the names of the Gepid Kings from the 4th century AD all the way until after the Huns conquered them in the middle of the 5th Century AD were all lost to time. Modern schrspletely forgot Athric and his petty reign.

    However, to the Gepid king, this was an interesting proposal, enough to make him seriously consider siding with Sarus. Luckily, he did not know the Gothic Chieftain had joined the Romans as Foederati and had fought among their ranks for many years now. Or else he would be paranoid about this being a plot to eliminate him.

    After several moments of thinking, Athric broke out into madughter as he gazed upon Sarus and the Gothic Foederati before dering his decision aloud for all to hear.

    ¡°Very well. I ept your request. Consider the bad blood between us dead and gone. I look forward to working alongside you, my Gothic friend.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the Gothic Foederati all sighed in relief. It surprised even Sarus that he had managed to convince this mad bastard to side with him. Truly, it was up to the man¡¯s mood, and how he felt at the exact moment they met. It was already a miracle that the Gepid archers did not fire upon Sarus and his host the moment theyid eyes on them.

    After agreeing to work together to ¡°eliminate the two emperors,¡± Sarus informed the Gepid king of his assassination n. It was fairly simple, after the two parties had concluded their negotiations and went on their separate ways. The Gepids under themand of Athric would attack the Eastern Roman forces, and the Goths under Sarus¡¯mand would attack the Western Roman forces.

    In reality, Sarus would sit back and do nothing, while Athric did all the work. Then he nned to regroup with Marcellus¡¯s one thousand Ptini and put an end to the Gepid horde once and for all. This was the real reason that Sarus had even mentioned the Gepids to Marcellus.

    The Gothic chieftain nned to make use of the elite Roman soldiers to help him get rid of his heated rival. If Marcellus knew he was being used by his Imperial Legate to settle an old grudge, he would probably have Sarus flogged. However, he was blissfully unaware of this fact.

    Though Sarus thought about genuinely teaming up with Athric and killing both Marcellus and Yazdegerd, he quickly put such an idea away. Marcellus had a bad habit of surviving near-death experiences, and Sarus knew if he were actually to betray the man, he would be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his miserable life, even if he fled to the farthest corners of Germania. Thus, he was happy to settle for the death of Athric and his horde of warriors.

 Chapter 121 Preparing for a Bloody Negotiation

    After meeting with Gepid King, Sarus returned to the Rome where he was quick to report his news to Marcellus. The two men were gathered in the war room of the Imperator¡¯s personal vi while the rest of the Western Roman leadership sat back and waited for the report. Sarus failed to salute Marcellus properly, but the man did not mind. After all, his rtionship with the gothic chieftain was one built upon fear moreso than respect.

    ¡°I have met with the Gepid King. He has agreed to attack Yazdegerd and his forces once the meeting between you two is over. Once he haspleted the task, we can move our forces in and eliminate him as a threat once and for all!¡±

    Marcellus was slightly astonished by how far Sarus had nned this through, and immediately suspected that he was being used to settling a grudge. However, he did not mind too much. After all, the Gepids were one of the many barbarian tribes who were constantly invaded the borders of Rome. If he could eliminate Yazdegerd and a barbarian tribe at the same time, he would consider it a massive win. Thus, he smiled before nodding his head in approval of Sarus¡¯ scheme.

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed. You have given me the ability to eliminate two enemies with one attack. I agree, it is most prudent that we deal with the Gepids when they are weakened from fighting the Eastern Romans. After we eliminate these two threats to the Empire, we will ce a puppet as regent of the East, who will convince the young boy Theodosius to be more cordial with the west until a time when he can annex their half of the Empire. You have done well, Sarus, and if this plot of yours works as intended, then you will be rewarded handsomely for your efforts.¡±

    Sarus could not help but smile upon hearing that he would be getting something out of his efforts. He did not thank Marcellus, but his expression was at the very least respectful. With this matter out of the way, Marcellus was quick to dispatch his orders to the rest of his officers.

    ¡°I will dispatch a message to Yazdegerd informing him of the time and meeting ce. From there I will march my one thousand members of my Ptini into the region, where we will survey the area. Once it is certain that everything is in ce, I will meet with Yazdegerd and negotiate with him until we can find a reasonablepromise for this border dispute.

    Meanwhile, Sarus will march his gothic foederati, dressed as a war band of Barbarians, and lie in wait for the negotiations to conclude. He will also be on the lookout for possible assassination attempts from the eastern Romans. Once the conflict between the eastern romans and gepids begins, we will wait until a victor is revealed. If the gepids emerge victorious, we will eliminate them with ourbined forces.

    If the eastern romans emerge victorious, for whatever reason, we will pretend like we were otherwise engaged with Sarus¡¯ forces. If all goes as nned, both Yazdegerd and the Gepids will be eliminated as threats to our Empire!¡±

    The soldiers beneath Marcellus¡¯mand all threw up their salutes and responded to Marcellus¡¯ n with a battle cry.

    ¡°For the glory of Rome!¡±

    ¡ª

    While Marcellus was preparing his forces for the negotiation with Yazdegerd, the Sassanid King himself was preparing to eliminate his western rival. This was the second time a representative of the eastern roman army had met with the Huns. However, this time, the young magister militum Drusus Valerius Durio was the man selected to win over their support.

    In the region known as Dacia, the Hunnic King sat around a campfire. By his sides were his most elite warriors, who acted as his protectors. Across from him was Durio, who was d in the gilded trappings of an eastern roman general. The two men looked as if they came from two different worlds, one a man of great wealth and power, and the other a barbarian king.

    Despite this, Durio was the one to lower his head in respect as he bargained for the services of the Huns.

    ¡°I know you have rejected our call to arms once before, but now Constantinople is in need of your expertise once more. The false emperor who sits on the western throne has seized power and has begun stabilizing his Empire. He seeks not only to reunite the Empire into a single state, but to expand its borders and annihte the various tribes and kingdoms who pose a threat to Rome.

    The Huns are one of many groups he intends to eliminate, and if he is allowed to grow and prosper any further one day soon, he will be a threat to you. Our proposition is simple. We have an uing meeting with him in neutral territory.

    We would like you to attack him and his host after the negotiations are over. Make it seem like a third party intervened and killed the western roman emperor of their own volition, and you will be rewarded exceptionally well.

    He has agreed to bringing only a thousand men, as we have, thus we can not attack him ourselves. However, your horde is vast, and powerful enough to eliminate the western Roman general and his forces! If you do this for us, not only will we pay you a king¡¯s bounty of gold, silver, and silk. However, we will also allow you to do as you please with the Western Romannds.

    What do you say? Will you support us in the removal of ourmon enemy? Or will you sit by and wait until Marcellus is knocking on your front door?¡±

    The Hunnic King sat in silence for several moments, seemingly disinterested as he munched on a roasted duck leg. Just what species of waterfowl it originated from, Durio did not know, nor did he really care. Instead, he waited patiently for a response.

    As if intending to insult the Roman General, the King of the Huns sat back and munched on his roasted duck leg until all of the meat had been stripped from the bone. Only after finishing his meal to he speak about his opinion regarding this plot.

    ¡°Very well¡­ If you are so insistent, I will dly take care of this petty emperor for you. Mark my words, this Marcellus will not live to see the harvest. I will make sure of that! Make sure your payment is ready to be handed over, because I don¡¯t intend to return from this venture empty handed!¡±

    A wicked grin formed on Durio¡¯s lips as he bowed his head and thanked the barbarian King for his support.

    ¡°The emperor Theodosius thanks you for your assistance on the matter and expects your discretion. I assure you, once Marcellus is dead, and his army is butchered, we will be more than happy to hand over the agreed payment.¡±

    With this negotiation, Marcellus and Yazdegerd had remarkably conceived of the same plot to eliminate one another. Who would survive the ordeal and emerge victorious had yet to be seen. However, one thing was certain, this minor border skirmish was about to escte into a bloody battle between two powerful Empires and their barbarian proxies.

 Chapter 122 Mostly Peaceful Negotiations Part I

    An appropriate amount of time had passed for the meeting between the western roman emperor, and eastern roman regent had taken ce. Currently, Marcellus sat on horseback, as his army of 1,000 Ptini cavalrymen stood by his side. These men were not only experiencedncers but also trained in the art of horse archery.

    These members of the Pce guard were a special unit of heavy cavalry that Marcellus had fostered since his rise to power. With the sole purpose of protecting their Imperator. In the distance, the eastern roman ptini could be seen marching on foot, while their swarthy regent sat proudly upon his steed with a smug smile on his face.

    The two forces confirmed that they were alone before meeting up in the agreed location. Marcellus hopped off his horse with ease, thanks to his stirrups and strode up to the location where the two leaders would be negotiating for an end to the feud that had arisen between their two empires thanks to the brief border skirmish that urred early in the year.

    It took Yazdegerd a few moments to get off his steed, as he did not have ess to the miraculous technology that Marcellus had invented and used among his cavalry. After strolling up to the western roman emperor, as if he was a mere petty king, Yazdegerd¡¯s body guards announced his arrival.

    ¡°Kneel before the Sassanid Emperor and the Eastern Roman Regent!¡±

    When neither Marcellus nor his men did asmanded, Yazdegerd¡¯s expression grew grim. Marcellus, on the other hand, measured the man from head to toe. He was a swarthy man, as was to be expected, with a finely groomed dark beard and matching eyes. His hair was a bit long, but was concealed beneath an extravagant crown. Yazdegerd was dressed in exquisite silk trappings, as if he was entirely unafraid of the threat Marcellus posed to him.

    Meanwhile, Marcellus had the opposite appearance. He was dressed in his usual armor, which showed signs of wear. He had been fighting for all of his adult life, and his brass lorica squamata had never been reced, only repaired over time. Thus, some scales were shinier than others.

    There were also obvious signs of age on Marcellus¡¯ leather shoes, as if they had been carefully maintained over years, while still seeing extensive marches. His Tyrian purple silk tunic was just about the most luxurious piece of clothing he had, and even then it failed topare in opulence to the attire Yazdegerd was adorned in. Besides his equipment, Marcellus had a neat and tidy appearance. However, he did not wear a crown, instead he held his helmet beneath his arm with a confident grin on his face.

    The contrast between a military dictator and an emperor groomed from the day he was born to seed the throne was on full disy as the two men stared each other down. Despite Yazdegerd¡¯s supposed fearlessness, one could observe a shirt of mail beneath his silk tunic, showing that he was not so careless as to show up in such a dangerous situation without ample protection. Ultimately, Yazdegerd was the one to break the silence as hemented on Marcellus¡¯ state of attire.

    ¡°You proim yourself an emperor, and yet you do not bother to maintain the appearance of one. Why should I take you seriously when you show up to a diplomatic negotiation in such a haggard appearance?¡±

    Marcellus merely scoffed when he heard this insult before trading words with the man.

    ¡°I never asked to be emperor. It was a position that was forced on me through circumstance. At the end of the day, I am just a General who has taken it upon himself to lead the Empire through this crisis. I do not care about extravagant clothing or jewelry.

    I am a soldier, and I am fulfilling my duty to the Empire. What you see before you is the appearance of a man who has seen a hundred battles and lived to tell the tale. Not some gilded turd who has never achieved anything meaningful in his life. Are we here to insult each other, ore to an understanding.¡±

    In response to these words, Yazdegerd merely spat on the ground in disgust before making his demands once more.

    ¡°My demands are simple. I want five thousand pounds of gold, and thirty pounds of silver for the attack on thends that belong to the eastern roman empire! As for the perpetrators, they are guilty and will be punished ordingly. There is no negotiation to be had, however, you imed you had evidence that my people were somehow in the wrong, and thus the burden of proof is on you to provide it!¡±

    After listening to such nonsense for so long, Marcellus yawned, before pulling out a piece of paper and showing it off to Yazdegerd with a cunning smile on his face.

    ¡°Of course I have evidence of your wrong doing, and it is fairly damning to say the least. This is a situation report, and a notice of punishment signed personally signed by your Dux stating in exact words what had transpired on the border.

    gued by fatigue, andck of pay, your soldiers abandoned their patrol and approached my caravan in an attempt to extort them to give up their hard earned coin. When they refused your men attacked them, only to be driven away by the mercenaries who were hired to protect said caravan.

    Now that I have proven your wrongdoing, I demand that you pay the western roman empire 5,000 pounds of gold, 30,000 pounds of silver, 4,000 silken tunics, 3,000 hides dyed scarlet, and 3,000 pounds of pepper. I also demand you hand over 50,000 ves inpensation. I also demand that you release the men you have wrongfully imprisoned and return them to the west safe and sound.

    If you do not adhere to my demands, I will make this information public, which will thoroughly ruin your rtionship with your trading partners. How can they trust Constantinople to engage in trade with them, when its soldiers are acting as brigands?¡¯

    Yazdegerd stared in disbelief at the evidence which Marcellus maintained a firm control over. He could not believe that Marcellus had gotten his hands on such a thing, especially after he had ordered for all evidence of the incident to be purged. The eastern roman regent could only stammer in protest as he tried to im it was a fake.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible. There is no such evidence that exists. It is clearly a forgery!¡±

    However, Marcellus quickly showed the seal of Constantinople upon the document, proving that it was indeed legitimate. Which immediately caused the Persian man to snarl in anger as he tried to find out the origins of such a document.

    ¡°Where did you get that? I refuse to believe you have such a thing!¡±

    Thisment caused the western roman emperor to chuckle as he made fun of the Sassanid emperor for his failures.

    ¡°You really should pay your soldiers better. Not only are they willing to engage in robbery, but they¡¯re also willing to sell state secrets in exchange for coin and the promise of a better life. So how about it? Will youply with my demands now?¡±

    Yazdegerd knew that this evidence would cripple whatever trade agreements the east had with its neighbors. If there was proof that the soldiers of Constantinople had tried to rob a caravan, and bury the evidence afterward, then they simply could not be trusted. Marcellus had expertly put the eastern roman regent in his ce, forcing him to concede in defeat. Yazdegerd sighed heavily as he said the words Marcellus wanted to hear.

    ¡°Very well¡­ You will have yourpensation¡­ But mark my words, this isn¡¯t over! Far from it!¡±

    After agreeing upon this, the two men parted ways. Where once he was out of hearing range, Yazdegerd cursed his rival with all the hatred in his heart.

    ¡°Damn you Marcellus! We will see how long you have that shit-eating grin on your face, for this is hostile territory and you never know when a war band of barbarians are around the corner!¡±

    Thus, peace had been achieved between the East and West, or so it seemed. In reality, both parties nned to stab each other in the back on their journey home. Who would survive and who would die? Only time would tell.

 Chapter 123 Mostly Peaceful Negotiations Part II

    After failing to ckmail Marcellus into giving him a massive fortune. Yazdegerd and his forces began the long march back to the city of Constantinople,pletely unaware that, throughout the length of their journey, they were being stalked by a vicious predator.

    They were careless in their diplomatic defeat and kept their heads low. Thus, they did not see the threat to their very lives until it was all but toote. At the moment, the eastern roman regent, and his forces had entered a dense thicket of woods, which werepletely surrounded by fog. Obscuring their view of what lies within the treeline.

    Yazdegerd was more upied with his failed negotiations and how he had overlooked a crucial detail which led to his current situation. He did not know who it was that gave such an important piece of evidence to Marcellus, but Yazdegerd knew that when he found out that man¡¯s identity he would stop at nothing to im his life, and that of his family.

    While the eastern roman regent was cursing beneath his breath. Enraged by the loss he had suffered this time. The gepids had already surrounded him and his forces, and the eastern romans were none the wiser. The gepid horde strung their bows and knocked their arrows as they aimed towards the unsuspecting eastern roman forces who carelessly marched forward through the woods without the slightest inclination that they were being hunted by a vicious predator.

    Without warning, a rain of arrows descended from the sky, and down upon the unsuspecting eastern roman forces. Though Yazdegerd was struck in the calf, he was rtively unscathed, at leastpared to his soldiers, many of which were riddled with arrows and lie dead after the initial onught. He could hardly believe he hade under attack. Had the Huns betrayed him? Or had Marcellus anticipated his n and enacted a dastardly scheme of his own?

    The eastern roman regent was struggling to find an answer to this question when he heard the voice of hismander bark orders to those lucky few who had survived the initial volley.

    ¡°Enemy attack! Tetstudo formation!¡±

    While the Romans prepared to form a tortoise shell of shields, another volley rained upon them, dwindling their already feeble ranks to an even lesser degree. Yazdegerd was in shock as another arrow pierced through his mail shirt and embedded itself in his chest. However, the wound was not deep enough to cause him severe harm, and because of that, he merely snarled in pain before making a prudent decision to flee.

    Judging by the amount of arrows that had fallen from the sky, the enemy had a severe advantage in numbers, and he was unlikely to survive the encounter if he stayed and fought. Thus, like a coward, he snapped the reins of his horse and rushed out of the woods as fast as he could manage. All the while, his army gazed in disbelief at the sight of being abandoned by their leader.

    If these men weren¡¯t so busy fighting off a Gepid horde which rapidly surrounded their position, they would have cursed Yazdegerd to the depths of hell. Whether the cowardly Sassanid king would survive the barbarian¡¯s pursuit had yet to be seen. Especially after he witnessed a contingent of heavy cavalry rush after him.

    ¡ª

    While Yazdegerd had fled from his battle with the Gepids as soon as it had begun, Marcellus was sneering with disdain at the sight of the Hunnic horde which rapidly approached his direction. He had brought with him 1,000 members of his most elite cavalry. These men were armed withnces and bows, and were trained in the use of both. If the Huns wanted to y a game of tag, he would be happy to oblige, but he had another strategy in mind, which he quickly hollered out to his forces.

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    The soldiers beneath the western roman emperor¡¯smand immediately followed their orders. Despite the seemingly suicidal order. After all, the huns numbered in the thousands, while they were limited to a fraction of that number. Despite these concerns, a thousandncers were enough to put a serious dent in the enemy¡¯s ranks.

    The Huns werecking in heavy cavalry; they were mostly skirmishers, and they were alsocking in one critical piece of technology that could entirely change the oue of this battle. That¡¯s right, stirrups. This critical piece of technology gave the western roman heavy cavalry a significant advantage on the field of battle. Which they made use of.

    Thus, a thousand horsemen lowered theirnces and couched them beneath their arms as they rushed towards the Huns with their heavily armored steeds. The Huns did not expect the enemy to rush forward at them, and thus continued on their path,unching their arrows at the western roman cavalry. However, the armor on the romans and their horses was multyered, and because of this, the projectile weapons were not doing as much damage as they expected.

    Upon seeing their arrows fail to break through themer armor of the western roman cavalry, the huns instantly maneuvered their horses into a full retreat, but would Marcellus so easily allow them to escape. The western roman empire had urately predicted his rival might do something simr to his own plot and had thus brought his Gothic Foederati disguised as regr barbarian war-bands as reinforcements.

    While Marcellus was negotiating with Yazdegerd, Sarus had sat back with his forces and scouted the region, looking for any sign of a potentially hostile force. They spotted the huns long ago, and had already set up their positions, cutting off their escape. When the Huns finally realized they were about to run into a wall of spears, it was already toote.

    Caught in between the Gothic Foederati and the roman heavy cavalry, it was aplete and total massacre as the Huns were skewered bynce and spear alike. Marcellus had a wicked grin on his fate as he realized his trap had worked expertly. He collided at full speed with hisnce which effortlessly pierced through the body of the Hunnic King. The barbarian gazed in disbelief as ance head potruded through his chest before dying on the spot. Marcellus quickly took advantage of the situation to unsheathe his spatha, and im the man¡¯s head for himself.

    Marcellus could hardly believe how this battle had ended up. While he did not know the fate of the eastern roman Regent, he had taken out the Hunnic king and a sizeable chunk of his elite warriors. Now all that was left was to march his forces east where the Gepids were engaging the eastern roman troops and put an end to yet another threat to his borders.

    He would be absolutely amazed if he could im the head of two barbarian Kings in one day. However, he was very much enjoying the idea, thus he was quick to rally his forces after they had finished ying the Huns and march them east.

    ¡°We can¡¯t allow Yazdegerd to escape, nor can we allow the Gepids to continue to thrive on our borders. With the Hunnic King dead, we have already achieved a great victory, but I will not rest until we cut off the heads of all three of our enemies!¡±

    With that said, the western roman forces erupted in cheers before embarking east, towards the scene of the Gepids crime. When they arrived, they would find the eastern roman army massacred, but the Persian Snake had seemingly escaped from the. An oue which would greatly enrage Marcellus.

 Chapter 124 A Decade Long Rivalry Ends

    After defeating the Huns in a decisive battle, the western roman forces and their Gothic foederati moved on from their position, and headed east to chase after the Gepid war-band, and what remained of the eastern roman army.

    When they finally encountered their targets, the romans witnessed the sight of the Gepid host basking in victory. The thousand men who apanied Yazdegerd were brutally in inbat, and their bodies dismembered. A mountain of heads lie in the middle of the road where individual barbarians continued to add to the pile.

    To the side, the gepid king Athric was counting the coins taken from the corpses of the eastern roman soldiers before he gazed upon the sight of the approaching army. When he saw Sarus and his gothic warriors aligned with the abominable romans, the gepid king knew he had been yed from the start. He could not help himself, but to call out to his old rival, and shame him for signing away his life in service of Rome.

    ¡°Sarus! You bow your head to the fucking romans! You and all your followers are a disgrace to your heritage. Was this your n all along? Weaken my forces against the eastern roman forces, only to swoop in with your masters and im my head? If you have even the slightest shred of honor left in your ckened soul, you will face me like a man in singlebat!¡±

    Marcellus instantly gazed towards Sarus with a shrewd expression on his handsome face. The man was practically shaking with rage at the mere usation of selling his soul to Rome. Though Marcellus wanted nothing more than to work together with Sarus to eliminate the enemy in one fell swoop, he felt he owed it to the man to allow him to choose how to end his decade long rivalry. Thus, he sighed heavily before speaking the following words.

    ¡°Saurs¡­ I will leave this to your discretion, whether you wish to fight him in a duel to the death, or ughter him alongside his forces. Either way, you have my support.¡±

    Sarus could hardly believe the words he heard the Imperator speak. Perhaps after years of butting heads the two of them had to begun to form some kind of bond. In the year¡¯s past, Marcellus would have simply denied the man such glory, and massacred the enemy with his army without asking for Sarus¡¯ opinion. Yet now, he was allowing Sarus to make his own decisions. It would appear that this filthy roman who he had followed into battle for so many years was not such a detestable figure after all.

    Thus, after nodding his head with a vicious grin on his face, Sarus approached the Gepid King where the two barbarians met together in between their two armies. Both Sarus and Athric red at each other fiercely for several moments in silence, as they were waiting for one another to make the first move. Ultimately, Sarus was the first to speak in response to his old rival¡¯s previous ims.

    ¡°What can I say? The Imperator has promised me your head, and that is a good enough reason for me to join him. You don¡¯t think I have forgotten the trouble you have caused me all those years ago? If not for you, I never would have considered working for the Romans. But the pay is good, and now after all these years I can finally have my vengeance. If you think I will allow you to die with honor, guess again!¡±

    Before Athric could even react. Sarus pulled out his seax, which hung from his waist, and threw it into the gepid king¡¯s neck. Blood spouted out from the wound as if it were a fountain while the man slowly fell to his knees in disbelief. The entire gepid war-band gazed in horror as their mighty warrior king died from the sudden attack. After killing his rival, Sarus red at Marcellus and yelled at him to initiate the attack.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Charge!¡±

    Marcellus was surprised to see that Sarus had behaved so dishonorably, but then again, he always was a bit of a snake. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why he enjoyed the man¡¯spany so much. Regardless, after hearing Sarus¡¯ words, Marcellus snapped back to reality and issued the order to charge.

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    With that said, he couched thence beneath his shoulder and snapped the reins of his horse, propelling it forward, barreling down the hillside and into the gepid ranks, who were still stunned by the sudden loss of their king.

    A thousand horses and their riders shed into the barbarian ranks with little resistance, the might of theirnces skewering through the torsos of the enemy, and sending them to the afterlife. Not far behind the cavalry were the infantry of the Gothic foederati who shed with the enemy with spear in hand.

    It did not take long for the gepids to break ranks and flee for their lives. But how could they do so? They were on foot, and what few cavalry they had were chasing after the eastern roman regent. There was no escape for the barbarian menace, as the roman cavalry ruthlessly cut them down.

    Those with a sense of honor stood and fought to the death, hoping to bring down at least one enemy warrior with them. These hopes were in vain, as they were vastly outnumbered, surrounded, and stabbed to death by multiple spears before they could even attempt to harm an enemy.

    It was a merciless ughter of the routing gepids. While Marcellus hunted down those who fled, Sarus withdrew his knife from his old rival¡¯s neck and severed his head. After years of feuding with this man, he had finally emerged victorious. He intended to boil the flesh from the skull, and infuse it with gold so that he could turn it into a drinking ss. Which was amon tradition among the germanic peoples.

    Not long after, the remnants of the Gepids were all put to the spear, and the roman army regrouped, searching for their primary target. Unfortunately, after searching through the pile of decapitated heads, they could not find that which belonged to Yazdegerd. Causing Marcellus to curse to the highest heavens for his ill fortune.

    ¡°God fucking dammit! He escaped! That fucking Persian serpent, I don¡¯t know how he managed to survive that ambush, but one way or another, I swear I will take his life!¡±

    Though Marcellus had failed to eliminate his primary target, he had in turn ughtered the Gepids and Huns alike as well as their kings. Though the tribes would still be present on the borders of Rome for the foreseeable future, they had lost their monarchs and thousands of their greatest warriors. It was a huge blow, one that would keep them tame for some time.

    Thus, Marcellus could only curse his poor luck and turn his army around so that they could return to their borders. Though Yazdegerd had escaped, he was currently being pursued by Gepid cavalry. It was uncertain if he would reach Constantinople in one piece.

    However, even if Yazdegerd did survive the ordeal, he simply had no proof that the gepids responsible for his poor condition were hired by Marcellus. In the end, he would still be forced to pay the agreed ransom in order for Marcellus to keep maintain his silence about the scandalous actions the eastern roman army had taken on their western border. Thus, this negotiation, and the brief skirmishes that urred after were all in Marcellus¡¯ favor, and by extension the western roman empire as a whole.

 Chapter 125 Fleeing From Death

    After defeating both the Huns and Gepids in battle, Marcellus had turned his army home. Yazdegerd had already escaped, and Marcellus did not intend to pursue him. As far as the eastern roman empire was concerned, their regent was attacked by a horde of pissed off barbarians.

    Any ims otherwise were mere spection. However, if Marcellus were to foolishly pursue the missing target, he would openly be dering that he was behind the Gepid ambush on the eastern roman forces. Marcellus was many things, but he certainly wasn¡¯t stupid, at least not enough to make an overt move on Yazdegerd.

    As for Yazdegerd, he was fleeing for his life, from the pursuing Gepid cavalry, who by now had spent so much time and energy chasing the man they would settle for nothing less than his life. The good news was that the eastern Roman borders were not far away, so if he could survive for just a bit longer, he would be rid of these barbarian horsemen for good.

    Or so he thought. The reality was he had two wounds on his body, and his leg was bleeding pretty badly. Luckily, he had not been struck in the femoral artery or he would already be a deadman. Still, as arrows rained down upon him from his pursuer¡¯sposite bows, he found himself increasingly more afflicted with wounds.

    The more arrows that stuck into the man¡¯s body, the more rapidly he bled out. If he had not worn his mail hauberk, he would already have expired long ago. These simple interlocking iron rings had protected him from some of the more lethal strikes.

    As if he were racing against time, Yazdegerd snapped the reins of his horse to propel the beast beyond its haggard state. This creature would either get him to the Roman border or die trying. He simply did not have any mercy in his heart for the magnificent beast.

    An arrow slipped past the eastern roman regent¡¯s head and cut his cheek. Though superficial, it caused Yazdegerd to panic. More and more arrows barreled through the air towards him, and some were even more striking his back. If not for the mail shirt, these arrows would surely have imed his life. Yazdegerd could only curse Marcellus¡¯ name as he made a mad dash for Roman Territory.

    ¡°Marcellus, you bastard, if you are still alive after all of this, I swear I will get you back for this betrayal!¡±

    After saying this, his horse crossed through Roman territory, thinking that he was safe. The man looked behind him with a conceited expression, only to realize that the enemy did not care if they passed through Roman borders, and continued to pursue the man into his ownnds.

    Yazdegerd could only curse his foul luck. For the Gepid cavalry¡¯s tenacity was beyond reasonable. He did not hesitate to snap his reins once more, hoping he woulde across a limitanei patrol. However, in the end, his horse ran out of stamina and began to slow down until finally it copsed on the ground, sending the man tumbling into the dirt.

    Unlike Yazdegerd, the Gepid cavalry had purposefully slowed their horses and maintained their distance when they realized this chase would be a long distance affair. Thus, they had enough energy to catch up with the wounded regent, who could not even rise to his feet.

    Themander of the Gepid cavalry got off his horse and approached Yazdegerd with his sword in hand. He quickly pinned Yazdegerd beneath his foot and held his de to the man¡¯s neck with a sinister smirk on his face. He spoke in his native tongue before spitting on the eastern roman regent.

    ¡°A fucking Persian. Here I thought you were supposed to be a filthy Roman. Whatever, it does not matter. When you finally reach your gods, tell them Sueridus, son of Thorismud, has sent you to them!¡±

    After saying this, the man lifted his sword in the air, ready to decapitate the eastern roman regent. However, before he could swing his de, an arrow struck through his neck. Sueridus gazed in horror as hisst moments passed him by, only to realize that a nearby Limitanei patrol had imed his life.

    Upon seeing the approaching army, and the death of their leader, the Gepid cavalry immediately took off in the direction they hade from, but was escape so easily? They had just spent thest hour or two chasing after Yazdegerd. Their horses were tired and thirsty. They did not get far before being butchered by the cavalry of the limitanei. Yazdegerd sighed out in relief when he realized his life had been spared. Themander of this patrol quickly recognized the regent and called out for the support of a medic.

    ¡°Medicus! Come quickly!¡±

    As he was waiting for a medic, the man quickly interrogated Yazdegerd, trying to find out just who was responsible for this attack.

    ¡°Your Highness, who did this to you? I didn¡¯t get a good look at the riders!¡±

    Yazdegerd coughed as he struggled to get to his feet. Ultimately, he was forced by themander to stay still. He could only reveal what he knew, as well as his suspicions of who was really behind this ambush.

    ¡°Gepids, a whole horde of them. My forces were defeated. I barely made it out alive. Though the Gepids wielded the de, I believe the sinister voice of a certain dictator is the one who gave them the courage to carry out this attack.¡±

    The limitaneimander reacted in shock when he heard this words and could not help but ask for rification over the matter.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean-¡°

    However, before he could finish his question, Yazdegerd scowled at him before giving him further orders.

    ¡°Send word to Durio. If Titus udius Marcellus is so keen on fighting, then I will give him the war that he desires. Muster our men on our border with Illyricum, it is time we taught this pretender in the west a proper lesson about power and authority.¡±

    Themander was quick to follow the regent¡¯s orders. Yazdegerd was soon taken back to Constantinople, where the best medics treated his wounds. Whether or not he would die of an infection had yet to be seen.

    Despite their best attempts to de-escte the conflict during the negotiations, both Marcellus and Yazdegerd in an act of pride had made an attempt on each other¡¯s lives, and because of this the Eastern and Western halves of the roman empire were now closer to a military conflict with one another than ever before.

    Whether the two halves of Rome engaged in an all out war was now determined solely by the question if Yazdegerd would live or die from his wounds. Something Marcellus did not have an answer for.

 Chapter 126 Responding to Agression on the Eastern Border

    Marcellus returned home to Rome, and the moment he stepped through the doors to his vi, cidia and Sigefrida were there to greet him. Marcellus could tell by the look on the Suebi beauty¡¯s face that something had happened during his absence. Thus, he was quick to ignore cidia¡¯s greeting, and immediately followed Sigefrida up the stairs to the war room. An action which caused the young roman woman to pout. She also had important news to give Marcellus.

    Marcellus entered the war room, where he noticed Sigefrida was visibly distressed. Before he could ask what just had urred, Sigefrida pointed to the map. Her finger hovered over the Diocese of Illyricum, which she was quick to inform Marcellus of the recent events that transpired in the region.

    ¡°Yazdegerd survived, and is now back in Constantinople. Which doesn¡¯t surprise me. After all, the location of your little negotiation was closer to Constantinople than Rome. However, upon his return, he has made several aggressive actions. For starters, he has amassed his troops on our borders. Eastern Roman and Sassanid soldiers alike stand at the ready to invade ournds and seize the Diocese of Illyricum for the east.

    ric, and the legions beneath hismand, as well as thirty thousand gothic foederati, stand in defense of the area. Their numbers are dwarfed by the enemy. However, your soldiers are equipped with superior weapons, and a steady supply of your so-called crossbows are in the hands of the region¡¯s defenders. My guess is, if Yazdegerd truly ns to invade Illyricum, he will be forced to fight a series of protracted sieges.

    With the food surplus we have had this past year, we can make sure that our fortresses in the region are well supplies tost for however long Yazdegerd dares to invade. Unfortunately, we will have to abandon many of the viges, as the Castra we are building to protect them are far frompleted.

    That is, of course, assuming that they attack bynd, and don¡¯t instead sail their forces straight towards Italia. My agents in Constantinople have gone dark. I am not getting enough intel on the enemy, and their invasion n.¡±

    Marcellus nodded his head as he thought about this conflict for a few moments before speaking of a possible third front.

    ¡°What about Africa? Would Yazdegerd make a y for Carnifex through his forces in Egypt?¡±

    Sigefrida took out two figurines, each of which represented an enemy legion, before cing them in the Byzantine province of Egypt. She ced them in the city of Alexandria before rifying what her agents in North Africa had reported.

    ¡°It is unlikely their forces in the region are maintaining control over Alexandria. They have not made any sign of advancing west towards our territory. However, Carnifex has already been alerted to the potential of war.

    Though Yazdegerd has no proof about our involvement in the Gepid ambush, he¡¯s not stupid enough to think that they attacked by themselves. Especially since he made the same y as you. Though he has no evidence that you are responsible for the attack on his life, he might just be mad enough to dere war without a proper cassus belli. After all, the man has control over two empires¡¯ armies and is clearly not afraid to mobilize them on our border!¡±

    Despite the solid reasoning behind Sigefrida¡¯s statement, Marcellus was not buying it. He knew that if Yazdegerd were to dere war on the western Roman empire, the people of the east would not tolerate it without a proper justification.

    They would see it as a sassanid ploy to annex the romans, and would be met with stiff resistance. Because of this, he was sure that Yazdegerd was merely cing his soldiers on the borders in an attempt to provoke a response from the west. Thus, after careful though Marcellus gave the order to stand down.

    ¡°For now, we won¡¯t respond to Yazdegerd¡¯s aggression. I do not feel like causing a war that can be avoided. So long as Yazdegerdcks proof of his ims, he can not reasonably justify a war with the west. So we will keep our forces on alert and continue the construction of the castra.

    The reality is there is no proof to be had. Unlike Yazdegerd, I made sure to clean up my mess. Any gepid who might be able to speak witness to his ims has been forever silenced. Sarus won¡¯t turn on me, and between the three of us, we are the only ones who are even aware of this little incident.

    So unless you n to betray me anytime soon, I can safely say that our little secret will nevere to light. As for how we deal with Yazdegerd¡¯s aggression, we will simply send the new legions that have conscripted to Illyricum to bolster our defenses in the event that Yazdegerd is mad enough to attack us without provocation.

    Trade will resume, and if he dares to not pay the agreed upon restitution for the previous border crisis, I will use that as cassus belli to invade the east, and kill the swarthy bastard myself. If he wants a war, he will have to provoke it himself. In the mean time I will wait, gather my strength, and march on the east whenever I feel that Rome is ready.

    Now if that¡¯s all Sigefrida, I believe cidia had something she wanted to tell me¡­¡±

    Sigefrida nodded her head in silence. She knew exactly what the girl wanted to tell her husband, and curled her fists in envy. However, she did not prevent Marcellus from hearing the good news, and thus allowed him to pass.

    Marcellus searched for a while for cidia, before finding her sitting quietly on their bed. He walked over and hugged the girl, before kissing her on the lips and apologizing for his hasty actions.

    ¡°Apologies, my love, but something urgent came up. I can tell something is on your mind, so do you want to talk about it?¡±

    cidia was still sulking, and thus did not hold back the words she had been thinking ever since her husband returned home from a delicate negotiation with the eastern roman empire.

    ¡°Marcellus, I¡¯m your wife. You should greet me properly when you return from abroad. Who knows, I might have had something really important to tell you.¡±

    Marcellus sighed heavily before nodding his head with a smile on his face. He responded to her statements with a warm tone in his voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I will do so from now on. Now what was it you wanted to tell me?¡±

    It was only after the roman emperor said this that the girl began to smile. She looked somewhat embarrassed as she struggled to express herself. In the end she blurted out her thoughts, as there was no other was she would have worked up the courage to say what was meant to be said.

    ¡°Marcellus, I¡¯m pregnant!¡±

    It took the man several moments toprehend what the young woman had said, but in the end, he smiled and kissed her passionately on the lips. It had been weeks since Marcellus had felt a woman¡¯s embrace, and at this moment he felt closer to cidia than he had ever felt before. Before long, the married couple were fornicating like rabbits. All of Marcellus¡¯ worries about an uing war vanished for the period of an hour, as he enjoyed his time with his wife.

 Chapter 127 Checkmate

    Yazdegerd stood within the pce of Constantinople. He was furious. Not only had Marcellus made an attempt on his life, but the man had not reacted to the trap that was set for him. Normally a monarch would demand the military buildup on the border be withdrawn, or at the very least respond in kind.

    In fact, that was swarthy serpent¡¯s n. If Marcellus showed an equal sign of hostility at the border, he could dere war, and justify his actions by saying the Western Romans were amassing troops in preperation for an invasion. .

    Yet despite this, the eastern roman scouts reported that the western roman empire maintained the same rate of military buildup in its provinces as they had established prior to recent events. They even continued to fearlessly send merchant caravans into Constantinople, as if they had not shamelessly made an attempt on the eastern roman regent¡¯s life.

    Meanwhile, Yazdegerd¡¯s aggressive actions came at a cost. The people of the east were bing increasingly concerned, and perhaps even rebellious, after witnessingrge numbers of Persian troops enter their borders, and upy the western border.

    Though Yazdegerd assured the people of Constantinople that his forces were merely acting in ordance to the previous emperor¡¯s wishes, and were protecting the empire against the threat of the military dictatorship that existed underneath Marcellus¡¯ control. The reality was, that few bought this lie, and with each passing day, the eastern romans looked towards their western sibling with a sense of endearment.

    In the eyes of many, the very existence of western Rome hung in the bnce, and yet, under Marcellus¡¯ reign, the west had begun a rapid expansion of their military, increased crop yields, and stabilized their failing economy. If this continued, the West could perhaps survive its imminent copse.

    After frothing at the mouth of Marcellus¡¯ actions, Yazdegerd was approached by his magister militum. The young man named Durio handed over a report in his hands which Yazdegerd skimmed over before scoffing in displeasure.

    ¡°You must be joking? That bastard tries to kill me, and now he demands that I stay true to my word and deliver the previously agreed upon payment? He must be mad!¡±

    Durio looked ufortable as he heard these words, so much so that Yazdegerd red at him with fury in his ck eyes before yelling at the man.

    ¡°What is it? Spit it out already!¡±

    The young general could only scratch the back of his head in difort as he expressed his true thoughts, knowing fully well that Yazdegerd would react poorly.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that you also tried to kill him. I suppose from his perspective, the two of you are even after you both failed in your assassination attempts¡­¡±

    The Persian King¡¯s face grew so flushed with anger that Durio half expected the man to defenestrate him, and thus he took some measures to avoid such a horrific fate. Mainly moving away from the window.

    In the end, Yazdegerd through a hissy fit by tossing the crumpled message towards Durio¡¯s head, while failing miserably to hit his target. He could only scream and yell at the eastern roman general, knowing with certainty that he himself was no match in apetition of strength and endurance.

    ¡°You fool! How can we possibly be fucking even? He killed all my men! Meanwhile, my scouts report that he returned home with practically all his soldiers in tow! That filthy bastard, I will have his head for ying such games with me!¡±

    Durio took the verbal thrashing like a man, never bowing his head to the regent. Instead he narrowed his gaze before reminding Yazdegerd of his ce.

    ¡°With all due respect, regent¡­ If you were to take a moment to calm down and think things through then you would realize that in the eyes of outsiders, it is awfully suspicious that only you survived the attack. Perhaps a cunning man like Marcellus could make use of this fact, and drag your name through the mud as if you are nothing more than a mere coward.

    After all, those men who died protecting you were some of Constantinople¡¯s finest. Even I have a hard time believing that you were the sole survivor of that attack without abandoning your troops. So I suggest you treat me with more respect, unless you want me investigating the incident.¡±

    Yazdegerd was forced to swallow his anger, as he gazed upon the intimidating sight of the roman general. It was true that he had abandoned his men to die, simply so he could buy himself enough time to escape, and even then he barely survived. However, to admit such a thing would be political suicide, and would put an end to his grand ambitions. Because of this, he merely snarled like a beast and asked Durio what options he had left.

    ¡°What am I supposed to do? He demands payment, as was agreed upon by multiple witnesses, and signed by my hand. If I can¡¯t prove he tried to have me killed, then I will be forced to pay a king¡¯s ransom to the west!¡±

    Durio¡¯s eyes did not shift from his gaze, which was directly centered upon Yazdegerd. He had enough of the man¡¯s irrational behavior and decided to tell him what needed to be done.

    ¡°You have no choice but to pay, Marcellus. You are the sole survivor of the attack on your life, and you have no concrete proof about that Marcellus or the western roman empire are behind it.¡±

    Upon hearing the words concrete proof, Yazdegerd gained a brilliant idea in his petty mind and quickly voiced it to his magister militum.

    ¡°No proof? Perhaps we can get the Gepids to turn on Marcellus. Whatever he offered them, we can surely offer more!¡±

    However, Durio¡¯s reaction was far fromforting. The man sighed heavily and shook his head before exining to Yazdegerd that this scheme he just concocted was well and truly pointless.

    ¡°The Gepid King is dead, as is everyone who participated in the battle, even the riders who came after you were in by our own cavalry. If Marcellus did as you im, then he thoroughly cleaned up his tracks.

    If we knew who he used to negotiate with the Gepids we might be able to get them to turn on him, however it is doubtful that he would send someone he had not thoroughly vetted to broker this deal with the Gepid king. You have no choice but to pay the agreed-upon amount.

    If you don¡¯t, he can use it as cassus belli, and attack us when his armies are properly prepared. Unlike you, he tends to spend quite a bit of the money he has on the military. The simple fact is, the western roman troops are better armed, and trained then our men. If Marcellus were to increase the size of his army, to match ours, it would be an absolute ughter.¡±

    The look on Yazdegerd¡¯s face was priceless when he finally realized that he had been set into checkmate by his rival to the west. He could only pull his own hair out in fury as he was forced toply with Marcellus¡¯ demands and think of another scheme on how to put the man down. One thing was certain, so long as Yazdegerd remained in control of the eastern roman emprie, war between the two halves of Rome would always be an ever present threat.

 Chapter 128 Inventing the Trebuchet

    It was the summer of sophomore year, and Frank was in the middle of ying a video game on hisputer, alone in his parent¡¯s house. His sister was off partying as per usual. As for his mother and father, they were on some beach in Thand for their second honeymoon. Thus, Frank, who hade home from college for the summer, had the house entirely to himself.

    Naturally, this meant he ordered a meat-lover¡¯s pizza, along with a few energy drinks, and was in the middle of a gaming marathon. Though not a popr streamer, Frank, or as he was known in cyberspace, EducatedFool was well known for going on twenty-four-hour gaming sprees whenever he could manage.

    Today was special, why you might ask? Because he was ying a real time strategy that had just been released. The appeal of this game was that it had the political features of the most popr medieval grand strategy series, with the intense simted battles of the most popr real time strategy series.

    The game had multiple start dates to choose from. However, he and the friends he had chosen to y through the marathon with had specifically selected the Second Crusade and because of that, he chose the Kingdom of Jerusalem as his faction. Meanwhile, one of his friends had opted to y as the opposing Abbasid Caliphate, all while mocking him for his choice of faction.

    ¡°Bro, there¡¯s a reason Jerusalem lost this war in history. You simply do not have the ability to draft as many troops as the Abbasid Caliphate. You really must be an educated fool, speaking of which, where the hell did you evene up with such a username, and why on earth would you call yourself that?¡±

    Frank ate from his slice of pizza with one hand, while ordering his trebuchets to pound the gates of Damascus with the other. After taking arge bite of the delicious food, he responded with a stoic expression on his face, as if his friend¡¯s insults did not harm his mental state in the slightest.

    ¡°It¡¯s the name of my favorite song, sue me¡­ You should be less concerned about where I got my username, and instead about your gates, which are about to copse.¡±

    The trebuchets continued to throw boulders at the enemy¡¯s gate until it splintered apart. Immediately afterward, Frank overheard his friend curse his name. However, that didn¡¯t stop Frank¡¯s onught, as he quicklymanded his dismounted knights to charge through the center of the broken gate.

    It did not take long for the Abbasid infantry crumbled beneath the might of the Knight of Jerusalem. In the end, the city was captured by the crusaders, and several options appeared for Frank to select from. He could either upy the city, raze the city, raid the city, or purge the city. Naturally, because he was ying as the crusaders, Frank merely smirked before purging the Muslim poption and shouting the words ¡°Deus Vult¡± into his mic.

    The feed of the streaming chat instantly broke out into a fight between guys LARPing as Crusaders, and overly sensitive man children who took offense by his virtual actions. Frank could onlyugh at the chat as one person had spent thirty dors on a super chat just to curse him out and call him an Imophobe, to which he responded with a particrly venomous remark.

    ¡°Bro, it¡¯s just a fucking game. Are you really so pathetic and childish that a virtual representation of a massacre offends you? Man, you are so lucky to live in a world where you can be so soft and spineless without needing to fear violence.

    Because you wouldn¡¯tst fifteen seconds in the medieval period! Dude, you need to grow up, and be a man, because this third grader mentality of yours, and people like you, is not going to get you far in life!¡±

    After his little tirade, the chat devolved into a horde of spam, repeating the words deus vult until eventually another super chat came in, asking him for one of his signature historical lessons. Frank read the exact words to the question beforeughing. Afterward, he began to do as was requested of him.

    ¡°Alright, since you asked so kindly, fine I can give you a little historical lesson, gather around kids, and listen to professor educated fool talk about the trebuchet, and how it came to be!¡±

    The moment he said this, his friend, who was ying as the Abbasids, cursed him and walked out the door of his room. He was not willing to listen to another one of Frank¡¯s historical rants. As for Frank, he continued his story, educating his little cult of fools on historical truth.

    ¡°So the trebuchet actually originated in china, where it was carried westward by a group of nomadic barbarians by the name of the Avars. Eventually, in about the sixth century AD, the Avars made use of the trebuchet against the Byzantines who copied the design. After that, it spread across Europe and became the preferred siege weapon until the invention of the cannon. Or I should say until Cannons became mobile enough to be effective on the battlefield.

    Basically, a trebuchet operates by making use of the energy from a falling and hinged counterweight to send a projectile downrange by using mechanical advantage to achieve a highunch speed. If you want peakunch speed and uracy, then the counterweight would need to be much heavier than the projectile, since this means that it will fall much quicker.

    As you can see from my screen, this is what a proper trebuchet should look like, and it¡¯s actually quite easy to create one. I experimented with making a small trebuchet in my backyard once. It was fully functional. Of course, my mother made me take it down after Iunched a bowling ball into my neighbor¡¯s chimney. Fuck, I ended up spending that whole summer fixing that fucking mess.¡±

    The entire chat broke out intoughter as they made fun of Frank for destroying his neighbor¡¯s chimney. In the end, he responded in a way that shut them all up.

    ¡°Heyugh all you want, but I ended up losing my virginity that summer because the woman whose chimney I busted was a milf who had a fetish for teenage boys. So fuck you guys!¡±

    The chat burst out intoughter once more, as Frank¡¯s friend came back into the room and sat down at hisputer. He had his own pizza. As he chastised Frank for going off on another historical lesson.

    ¡°Are you done with your history lesson yet? Cuz I¡¯ve got like an hour before I have to bail, and you have to y with the rest of these fuckers!¡±

    Frank smiled and nodded his head before goading his friend into attacking one of his more fortified cities. After this, Marcellus awoke from his dream and gazed out the window. The sun had risen, and he had once more fallen asleep in his office.

    Perhaps this so-called trebuchet would prove useful for his armies. He quickly got to work designing the device he had seen in his dream. In the end, he had a working prototype which he quickly sent to his manufactorum to test out.

    One thing was certain, Marcellus was lucky he had this dream now, because he was on the brink of total war with the Eastern Roman Empire, and every technological advantage he had would be of monumental help.

 Chapter 129 The Enemy Strikes

    ric leaned against the ramparts of a watchtower. He was currently on the border of the Eastern Roman Empire, investigating the military buildup that Yazdegerd had begun not long ago. A total of eight legions consisting of roughly sixteen thousand men were currently standing by on this section of the border, waiting for the inevitable war to break out.

    Thousands of Sassanids troops supported these eight legions. If ric had to guess, there were roughly twenty-five thousand men sitting across from him, waiting for their chance to pounce on the Goths as if they were tigers eying their prey.

    In the barbarian king¡¯s hands was a crossbow which he was ying with. The weapon was designed by Marcellus and had been issued to soldiers in the Western Roman Army, specifically those who acted as defenders of military structures.

    ric aimed down the weapon at the enemy, who sat behind their own defenses and sneered in disdain. Though the crossbow wasn¡¯t loaded, the Gothic King figured it would take one pull of the trigger to instigate an all out conflict. Still, he did not intend to do so, though he knew the war between the East and West was inevitable. He was unprepared for such violence at this point in time. While ric was messing around with the crossbow, one of the warriors beneath hismand approached and quickly recounted what the scouts had reported to him.

    ¡°For the time being, the Eastern Roman troops are behaving themselves. They don¡¯t appear to want to instigate a conflict between our two forces. As for the Sassanids, their behavior is a lot more vtile. They seem to be engaging in petty acts of provocation with our troops. However, I can assure you if those swarthy bastards dare to cross the line, we will make them pay for their arrogance!

    As for the Castra, we are continuing efforts to construct them across Illyricum, with the hopes that they can provide a solid defense against the eastern roman army, and their Sassanid allies. I have to say I disapprove of the Imperator¡¯s defensive strategy. If we were to attack these roman dogs, we could cut through them with ease. We should be given the order to invade already!¡±

    ric narrowed his gaze at the warrior who had given such a belligerent report, before backhanding the man across the face. He had pped the gothic warrior so hard that the man had fallen to his knees. When the man¡¯s sight returned to his King, he could see the wrath in ric¡¯s eyes, which was verbally espoused in the next moment.

    ¡°Insolent Fool! We do not have the men to contend with the east at this moment. Thest thing I need is for you idiots to fall prey to the enemy¡¯s provocations and spark a war between the East and West.

    This isn¡¯t a mere dispute between a bunch of filthy romans. This is our home now. Our people have settled the region and tend to the fields. If the eastern romans and their Sassanid dogs were to invade, it would be the Goths who suffer the most! You tell the men that they are not to attack the enemy unless they themselves are attacked first! If I see one of you assholes starting a fight, I will personally remove your head!¡±

    The Gothic warrior was surprised to see his king so upset. He had not thought of the consequences that would ur in Illyricum should the Gothic Warriors and the Western Roman Legionse to blows with their eastern counterparts. Thus, the man could only bow his head and submit to his King.

    ¡°Yes, your highness¡­¡±

    With that said, the warrior departed and left ric alone to gaze over the wall. He sighed heavily as he contemted whether his deal with Marcellus was worth it or not. Either way, his people had settled Illyricum, and were now charged with its defense.

    However, had he known that his warriors would be used as the primary force against the Eastern Roman Army in what could be considered a civil war, he likely would never have agreed to Marcellus¡¯ terms.

    ric continued to stand on the watchtower and gaze upon the enemy forces until the sun went down, which is when he descended from the staircase and returned to his quarters. After shutting the entryway behind him, ric was nearly sent to the afterlife, as a throwing knife narrowly missed his neck and embedded itself in the thick wooden door.

    He felt as if a few of his beard hairs were trimmed from the attack. However, rather than gaze in shock at the assassin who had been sent to dispatch him to the fiery depths of hell, he instantly unsheathed his seax, just in time to avoid the strike of the enemy¡¯s de which darted towards his heart with swift speed..

    ric barely managed to parry the sword de aside as he grabbed onto the Assassin¡¯s shoulder and drove his knife into the man¡¯s gut. However, the small de of the seax was not enough to pierce through the ironmer vest which was concealed beneath the enemy¡¯s shrouded clothing. He could only snarl like a beast as he headbutted the man, sending him tumbling to the ground.

    When the assassin fell to the floor, ric tossed his knife at him, causing the assassin to parry it with his sword. Though it failed to kill the enemy, this action had bought enough time for ric to unleash his spatha, which he did not hesitate to drive down towards his opponent¡¯s chest with a vicious thrust. Unfortunately, the assassin once more parried the de, causing it to stick into the wooden flooring ever so slightly.

    The enemy used this time to get to his feet, where he struggled to eliminate his target with a wicked sh towards ric¡¯s head which was easily countered by the veteran warrior with a powerful kick to the chest, sending the man backwards and into the dresser. With the quick swing of his de, ric decapitated the would be assassin with little effort. Having severed the man¡¯s head from his body, the Barbarian King unmasked his opponent to reveal the swarthy features of a Sassanid.

    ric sighed heavily, as he realized that Yazdegerd saw him as a threat, and had tried to silently eliminate him within his own quarters. Such a vicious attack could not be allowed to go unpunished. He had no choice but to make a move of his own, or else his pride as a warrior would be diminished. Just what plot he would use to strike back against the Sassanid King had yet to be seen. However, one thing was certain: ric¡¯s vengeance would be swift and brutal.

    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 130 A Solemn Promise

    Marcellus sat in his room and sighed. Tensions were escting on the borders, and just recently an assassin sent by Yazdegerd tried to im the head of one of his most powerful subordinates. This was a clear and present attack on the West¡¯s sovereignty, and it needed a response. However, Marcellus did not want to hastily move into a war. One that he felt unprepared for.

    Instead, he had dispatched a message to ric, informing him to do nothing for the time being. Marcellus knew that a war was on the horizon, and if he wanted to win this war, then he needed to mass produce three devices.

    First and foremost was the trebuchet. Such siege engines were unlike anything his enemy had ess to, and if his dreams were correct, they would prove to be vital to his victory over the east. Second was the crossbow.

    Though already under production, Marcellus was not able to issue them to his troops quick enough. Largely because these crossbows required a decent amount of crucible steel in their manufacture, and making steel in this day and age was not an easy task.

    Finally, Marcellus needed to create specially designed armor piercing bolts. These bolts mimicked the medieval bodkin points, but they were to be case hardened for extra effect. The eastern roman, and Sassanid armies had arge amount ofmer issued to their troops. Such armor was extremely effective against projectiles, and if he wanted to kill the enemy soldiers, he would need specially designed munitions to do so.

    These three things were already undergoing production, but the time it was taking to manufacture them was too long. After all, he still needed to outfit his newest troops with arms and armor. If he could stall the war from urring for another three months, he would easily have 250,000 men in his ranks. All equipped with the best weapons and armor he could manage.

    While Marcellus was debating with how he should produce more trebuchets, crossbows, and bolts, a knock resounded on his door, followed by a familiar voice.

    ¡°Marcellus, dear, can Ie in?¡±

    Marcellus merely sighed before responding to cidia with a gentle tone.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m not exceptionally busy at the moment.¡±

    The door opened to reveal the wless appearance of the Roman Empress; she was dressed in the finest silks, and was practically glowing. Weeks had passed since she first announced she was pregnant, and Marcellus had spent every hour he could spare with the woman.

    With cidia¡¯s pregnancy, Marcellus had also made a vow to put a baby in Sigefrida, who became incredibly jealous when she heard the news. Because of this, he was no longer pulling out of the woman.

    cidia had a warm smile on her face, and a tray in her hands. Which was filled with cheese and milk. She ced the tray down on Marcellus¡¯ desk, before sitting in the chair in front of him. She looked over at the documents in Marcellus¡¯ hands, and immediately switched to a worried expression.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s true, this war is unavoidable?¡±

    Marcellus sighed as he nodded his head, before exining to the woman exactly what was going on at the moment.

    ¡°Yazdegerd has sent his assassins after my Legates, all while he continues his military buildup on our borders. Our spies report that he is building arge navy as we speak. His ns for war appear to be a two pronged assault. One in Illyricum, and the other on Italian soil¡­¡±

    There was a hint of worry on cidia¡¯s pretty face as she asked the question on her mind.

    ¡°So, what is our n? How are we going to win?¡±

    Marcellus smiled when he saw the girl was taking an interest in the topic and quickly leaned back into his chair and sighed once more before revealing his n.

    ¡°We dig in our heels and defend ournd. The technological advancements I have made to our army heavily favor a defensive strategy. At least from the onset. The eastern romans and their Sassanid masters will crash against our fortresses like a tidal wave, and they will break against our defenses.

    After we crush the enemy¡¯s initial onught, we will send our troops into Constantinople and take the city. Once the eastern capital is securely in our hands, I will bring your nephew back to Rome as my ward, and dere the Empire united once more.

    As for Yazdegerd, he is likely to slither back into his barbarian Kingdom, assuming he survives. Where I will spend the next few years bringing the Sassanids to heel. After what that bastard has done, I can¡¯t allow his empire to continue to exist. One way or another, I will have his head.

    You don¡¯t need to worry, my love. This war will not affect you, I promise. You can stay here in Rome, under the security of the Ptini, and go through your pregnancy in peace. This war shall be over before you know it.¡±

    Despite his words of assurance, cidia still looked quite anxious, as she grabbed hold of his hand, and asked him about his own safety.

    ¡°What about you? You are Emperor now, you don¡¯t need to go out and fight yourself. What am I to do if you die? Who will guarantee my survival, and that of my child?¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus merely smirked and shook his head, before pointing to his armor that he wore, even within his own pce.

    ¡°I am Imperator. It is my duty to lead my men to victory. You can rest easy. My enemies haven¡¯t found a way to kill me yet. I will endure, as I always have, and return to your arms. I refuse to sit by and watch the Empire burn as your brother had!¡±

    cidia knew that Marcellus had a deep-seated hatred for her brother, Honorius. Even after his death, the man did not seem to let this grudge pass. Since Honorius was so inactive during his reign, Marcellus sought to be the antithesis, and actively take part in the wars that Rome fought. That was to be suspected, since he had spent a lifetime at war already. In the end, cidia could only sigh in defeat as she demanded a solemn promise from the man she loved.

    ¡°Promise me you wille back to me in one piece, okay?¡±

    Marcellus had a confident grin on his handsome face as he nodded his head and agreed to the woman¡¯s terms. He had no expectations of dying on the battlefield. However, he could not stand idly by while his soldiers fought without him. Thus, he could make such a heavy promise with absolute certainty.

    ¡°I promise¡­¡±

    After hearing this, cidia felt morefortable with the situation, and talked with Marcellus for another hour before letting him get back to work. Marcellus had to set the priorities of his manufactorums if he wanted to wage a proper defensive war. Thus, he ordered for crossbows, trebuchets, and bolts to be the primary focus of his military industry.

    As for ric, despite his orders, he was scheming of a way to get back at Yazdegerd for the attempt on his life. He would be damned if he sat back and did nothing after such a bold move. Perhaps the Gothic King would kick-start the war before Marcellus was ready. Only time would tell.

 Chapter 131 The War Begins

    Months passed since the negotiation took ce between Marcellus and Yazdegerd. As time flew by, the military buildup on the borders of Illyricum continued to escte. During this time, Marcellus had spent as much money as possible equipping his armies with the best weapons, armor, and training they could get.

    By now, the western Roman Army had roughly one hundred thousand men, supported by eighty thousand foederati. Though much of the western forces were centralized in the troublesome provinces of Gaul and Britannia. Marcellus had ensured that a healthy amount of soldiers were in Illyricum and Italia, waiting for the day Eastern Rome bared its fangs.

    Today, on the edge of Illyricum, was just an average day, both the west, and eastern roman empires had their soldiers stationed across from one another, gazing across the distance between their encampments, and hollering at one another, daring each other to make the first move.

    By now the numbers of eastern roman, and Sassanid soldiers in the region were anywhere from fifty to seventy-five thousand men. As for the western Romans, they had pledged three legions to the area, for a total of eighteen thousand men, and had recalled most of the Gothic Foederati back to the area. They had at most fifty thousand soldiers ready and waiting for the east to make the first move.

    Neither side was willing to start the conflict, but everyone knew it was only a matter of time before one of the many unarmed skirmishes that urred between the soldiers of the west and the east escted into somethingrger.

    As on any other day, the sentries of the western roman army would patrol on the invisible line which drew a border between West and East. As they approached the area, they were met with an eastern unit of approximately the same size.

    Whether it was West or East who first sent their sentries to patrol the border, the other side would always send their own unit to keep an eye on the enemy. Insults weremon, as were unarmed brawls. However, up until now, nobody had been killed or severely wounded in these skirmishes.

    Today was different. Rather than send the usual Roman Century to the border, ric had dispatched his own warriors. Perhaps the Gothic Chief had grown weary of waiting around for the fighting to begin. Perhaps he was sick of following Marcellus¡¯ orders and instead wanted to spark the conflict so that he could have his vengeance against Yazdegerd. Whatever the reason, ric had sent heavily armed Gothic Warriors to the border, an action which broke the unspoken terms that both sides recognized.

    Upon spotting the western roman sentries, the eastern roman century rushed over to meet them, and were surprised to see that they were not facing their usual opponents. Instead, these Goths had dressed in full armor, and had their swords sheathed on their waists, while gripping their thick, round shields in one hand.

    At the head of the eastern century was a particrly ugly man, he was a short and fat man with a toothless grin, severe scarring on the face, was balding in the worst way imaginable, and had a sparse beard, as if he was simply incapable of growing such a thing.

    Despite this horrific appearance, the man was a Roman, and like all Romans, he considered himself above everyone else. Thus, it came as no surprise when this man, who had nothing to be proud of but his heritage, called out to the Goths who were patrolling the border in a less than friendly way.

    ¡°What the hell are you fucking barbarians doing here? What, do you intend to raid across the border, and burn our viges? Tell me, why else would you be so heavily equipped? Are you filthy vandals not even aware of the rules? Pfft, you dimwitted fools probably can¡¯t even speak Latin!

    Though most of the Goths did not in fact speak Latin, the leader of the war-band was familiar with thenguage, and instantly approached the ugly roman who had offended his people. Standing at least a foot above the fat bald man, the Goth stared the man down after pushing him to the floor, and cursed at him in the Latin tongue.

    ¡°You pudgy sack of flesh, we are not Vandals, we are Goths! How about you shut your mouth before I make you swallow what few teeth you have left!¡±

    The violent action immediately caught the attention of the other roman soldiers, as well as the Gothic warriors who crowded around the two men and their dispute. The short fat man rose to his feet and dusted off his tunic before putting his finger in the Goth¡¯s face and yelling at him.

    ¡°Vandal, Goth, what does it matter? You¡¯re all a bunch of fucking barbarians, and if you don¡¯t get on your knees and suck my cock this instant, I will have your fucking head!¡±

    In response to this ultimatum, the Goth merely punched the fat man across the chin, knocking him down to the ground with a solid, overhand right. Immediately, a brawl broke out between the two factions as the men began to punch, kick, and wrestle each other in a disy of unarmed violence.

    However, the short fat man could not take the insult lying down, and as the Gothic warrior chased him down onto the ground in an attempt to bash his teeth in, the eastern roman pulled out his dagger and shoved it into the Goth¡¯s throat, killing him on the spot.

    The moment the Gothic warriors saw the leader of their war-band killed in action, they drew their swords and plunged them through the chests of the eastern roman soldiers. In a single moment, the unarmed brawl turned into a ughter, as the Germanic spathas lopped off heads and pierced through hearts.

    The eastern romans began to panic as they came under armed assault, and quickly unleashed their own des, attempting to parry the oing blows, and defend their lives. However, the Gothic Foederati had superior weapons and armor, and because of this, they were able to cut down the Eastern Roman forces, many of which werecking any armor other than a helmet.

    As the Germanic warriors stood victorious, they quickly realized the consequences that would ur from this brief, but bloody, skirmish, and fled back into their borders with the single goal. Warn ric that the war had begun.

    What started as just any other day at the borders of the West and East turned into a bloody affair which would kick-start the war between the two halves of the Roman Empire. Though it was unclear who officially started the war, as any man who had seen the short fat man plunge his de into the Goth¡¯s neck had died in the conflict. It truly did not matter. This massacre at the border was just the excuse both sides were looking for to begin the war.

 Chapter 132 Defending the Fortress

    Not long after the skirmish at the border had ended, the eastern roman army discovered the bodies of their fallen soldiers. Immediately sparking an invasion of Illyricum. This was the excuse that both sides had been looking for to start killing each other. Before either Marcellus or Yazdegerd could be aware of what had happened, the eastern roman army on the border of Illyricum invaded the west.

    In doing so, they were immediately met with several fortresses they would have to conquer if they wished to push into Italia. Designed over the past couple of years specifically to house the nearby viges in times of crisis, the Eastern Roman Army and their Sassanid allies were forced to halt their advance as they encountered the first of many castra in the region.

    Ultimately, ric learned of what had happened before anybody else, and ordered the citizens of Illyricum, who were mostly goths, to flee into their local fortresses. Meanwhile, the men he had stationed in the area stood atop their ramparts with crossbows and trebuchets alike.

    The first action in any siege was to establish your siege weapons, which the eastern roman army began to assemble. Not aware that they were within striking distance of the newly invented trebuchet. As they began to construct their catapults, the Gothic foederati, along with the Western roman forces, loaded their trebuchets with giant boulders andunched them towards the eastern roman engineers.

    It shocked them to see therge rocks barrelling towards them at a high speed. In fact, several of the men were not able to get out of the way, and were crushed by the fortresses defenders along with their constructions. An action which astonished the Eastern Roman General who was tasked with leading this invasion.

    He could not fathom just how the enemy had hit his catapults at such a distance. Every time the eastern romans attempted to build a catapult, or a scorpion, or any number of siege weapons, they would be obliterated before they could be wheeled intobat.

    Days passed since the war had begun, and despite this the Eastern romans already found themselves in a stalemate. Allowing time for Marcellus to muster his forces in Italia, and march them to the defense of his Empire¡¯s borders.

    ric sat on top of the wall and spat over its edge as he gazed upon the eastern roman army in the distance. Though he had ordered the elimination of their siege weapons at a distance of 200 feet. He had not actually given themand for his crossbowman to open fire on the enemy.

    Instead, he wanted to lure the opposing army into a sense of false security, when they were really within the effective range of the western roman crossbows. He had to admit; it worked like a charm, within three hundred meters away from the castle, the eastern romans had set up their siege camp, and for the past few days they had been slowly trying to construct siege engines, and march them into the attacking range of the castrum, all of which were met with failure.

    Now, as the enemy gathered in the field outside, for their first attempt at attacking the walls with battering rams anddders, ric could finally inflict heavy casualties on the eastern bastards. The moment the eastern roman forces made an attempt at a formation to march on the fortress, ric issued an order to the thousands of men who stood on the ramparts..

    ¡°Kill these cunts!¡¯

    Thebined force of the gothic foederati, and the western roman legions, all armed with crossbows, opened fire on the enemy. Perhaps, not expecting to be attacked at such a distance, the eastern roman forces had yet to form a proper testudo formation, resulting in their front lines being heavily pelted by crossbow bolts. Those unlucky enough to be unarmored were killed on the spot. While others were saved by theirmer armor.

    Depending on the type of armor that was worn, and the distance between the two armies, the eastern roman forces either praised God for their survival, or bled out with an armor piercing bolt in their gut. Either way, the moment after the first volley impacted their ranks, the eastern roman forces raised their shields to protect them against missile fire, but was it so easy to survive? In response to this, ric gave yet another order to his trebuchets to target the massive shield wall that was advancing towards the fortress.

    ¡°Unleash hell upon these bastards!¡±

    Whether it was a torrent of armor piercing bolts splitting through shields, and embedding themselves into the enemy¡¯s torsos, or it was a series of 90kg projectiles crushing their ranks like an ant beneath a human foot. The eastern roman forces suffered horrendous losses as they boldly pressed forward to the castrum.

    All across the borders of Illyricum, the eastern roman army, and their Sassanid allies suffered a simr fate as they tried their best to take out the fortresses that their enemies had built to defend thend. ric could only sneer in disdain as the enemy rushed to their deaths against his defenses.

    However, he was notughing for long. There were simply too many of the enemy, and eventually they were able to raise theirdders. Causing ric to take the lead at the rampart¡¯s defense. With a sword in one hand, and a shield in the other, he thrust his de into the stomach of any hostile who foolishly climbed up thedder.

    He even went so far as to kick thedder down, causing several dozen men to fall to their deaths on top of their allies. After doing so, he dropped a pot of boiling pitch onto the eastern Romans. The casualties were so massive that the army of the east was forced to withdraw back to their encampment. Thousands had died in the initial attack, and they feared what losses they would suffer if they were to foolishly continue this endeavor.

    The result of the first wave of invasions into Illyricum was aplete and total stalemate. The gothic foederati and their western roman masters had decided to sit back, and wait for reinforcements while defending the region through a series of protracted sieges.

    As for the eastern roman army, and their Sassanid allies, they had suffered dearly during the first week of the attack, and would decide to wait outside the range of their enemies¡¯ advanced weapons, all while expecting a response from Yazdegerd and his magister militum.

    The psychological effect of the armor piercing crossbows, and the trebuchets would deter any further attacks. At least for the time being. Ultimately, the order to continue the assault would be forced by Yazdegerd who would disregard the losses the eastern romans suffered in pursuit of an absolute victory. Something Marcellus would take advantage of.

 Chapter 133 Until We Meet Again

    At the moment, Marcellus was within the city of Rome, standing inside his vi, where his agents reported to him thetest intelligence of the ongoing war in Illyricum. Nearly two weeks had passed since the conflict begun, and ric had expertly held off the enemy during this time.

    The superior ranged weapons that were in the hands of the western roman empire were not an easy hurdle to cross for the east. The use of crossbows with armor piercing bolts had sent more than 10,000 eastern roman, and Sassanid soldiers to the grave within the first two weeks ofbat. Yetpared to the hundreds of thousands of men that were at themand of Yazdegerd, this was a paltry sum.

    Marcellus, on the other hand, had roughly 150,000 men in total beneath hismand. About one third of which were actual roman citizens. The rest were Foederati from the various Germanic tribes, mostly Goths and Suebi.

    However, unlike Yazdegerd, Marcellus could not bring forth the full might of his army into Illyricum. Battles were still being waged on the frontiers of his borders against Germanic tribes, and Italia was under threat of the eastern roman fleet.

    Thus, Marcellus could spare no greater than 50,000 men to march into Illyricum and confront the eastern roman forces in the field. Though he would not personally lead them, after all, he was waiting for the invasion of Italia, where he would mount the defense of the Roman hearnd against the invaders from the east.

    Thus, for the meantime, he could only delegatemand of his forces to another. Constantius was standing by Marcellus¡¯s side. He and his legions had been recalled from their area of responsibility and now were waiting orders. Marcellus gazed upon one of his more promising military talents and ced a hand on his shoulder as he issued hismand.

    ¡°vius Constantius, I am giving youmand of the forces which shall march into the Diocese of Illyricum in an attempt to drive the eastern romans, and their Persian lovers out of the region. After I have crushed Yazdegerd¡¯s army in Italia, I will sail to the diocese of Dacia and unleash a two prong invasion of the east. I must know before I give you the orders. Are you ready for such a terrible responsibility?¡±

    Constantius sighed heavily and reflected on his service up until this point. Initially, he was one of the few capable generals beneath Honorius, other than Marcellus. In fact, he truly believed if it was he who marched into Gaul to put down Constantine III, he would not have failed. Despite this, Marcellus was defeated, shamed, and exiled to the frontier. Where he raised a rebellion and overthrew the previous emperor.

    Initially, he held a disdain for Marcellus. After all, the man was nothing more than another usurper. However, as time passed and Marcellus slowly stabilized the declining empire. Causing Constantius to grow rather hopeful about this new despot. Eventually, Constantius was promoted to the rank of Imperial Legate and given control over a Diocese. Something he felt as if he had not earned. After all, he was not among Marcellus¡¯ loyal followers during the man¡¯s brief rebellion.

    To be tasked with 50,000 men to march against a hostile horde of well over double that number was no easy request. In fact, it was borderline suicide. How was he supposed to break the enemy¡¯s sieges with such a paltry force? Despite this, Constantius wondered if he could emerge victorious. After all, his men were equipped with superior arms and armor, and had gone through brutal training to ensure that they were fit forbat.

    The young Imperial Legate sat there for several moments in silence, debating whether he should ept this position, or flee to some far-flung corner of the world. Though the war had only just begun, he knew it was not as simple as Marcellus made it out to be. The Eastern Roman Army was testing Marcellus¡¯ defenses. They had not fullymitted their troops to the war just yet.

    If five hundred thousand eastern romans, supported by another hundred or two thousand Sassanids, truly marched on western Rome with the intent of total conquest, the fortresses established across the realm would only hold out for so long. There simply weren¡¯t enough soldiers in the Western Roman Army to emerge victorious.

    Marcellus had made a gamble, providing the best arms, armor, and training avable to his troops. Functioning under the theory of quality over quantity, and while this may work against the barbarian hordes who dares to cross the border. It was not the same for the Eastern Romans and their Sassanid allies.

    Despite the precarious position Western Rome now found itself in, Constantius ultimately sighed heavily before nodding his head and epting the honor of leading Western Rome¡¯s legions in a desperate attempt to break the ongoing sieges within Illyricum.

    ¡°Very well, it is an honor that I believe is undeserved, but if you think I am the most suitable man for the job, then I will undertake this endeavor, and I will do it with the same determination that I always have when I wage war, and that is to fight until the veryst. The Eastern Roman Empire thinks that they can destroy us, but it will be I who show them who is truly destroyed in the end. For the glory of Rome, and its emperor, I shall do everything in my power to defeat our enemies!¡±

    Marcellus smiled when he heard this and nodded his head thrice before patting Constantius on the back andplimenting the man. All the while reassuring him that Death was not always final.

    ¡°Victory or Death, those are the only two options we have avable to us all. If you should die honorably on the battlefield, then I promise we shall one day meet again in the Elysian Fields.¡±

    In response to this, Constantius broke out intoughter before questioning his emperor for his religious proclivities. There had long since been rumors that Marcellus was a godless heathen, but he had always denied these ims. However, just now, he practically admitted them to be true. Despite being christian Himself, Constantius held no grudge against the pagans and merelyughed at this revtion with humorous intent.

    ¡°So it¡¯s true, you really are a pagan? Well, I must say, although I don¡¯t necessarily approve of your beliefs, it has been the greatest honor fighting under your banner for what little time I have done so. Very well, if I should die on the battlefield, I shall be waiting for you in Elysium with a pitcher of wine at the ready.¡±

    After saying this, the two men shared augh before Constantius departed. Marcellus dearly hoped he had put his eggs in the right basket, because if his dreams had taught him anything, it was that Constantius was a very capable general.

    As for Yazdegerd, he would deploy his Magister Militum Durio to Illyricum to meet Constantius in battle. Whereas the Sassanid King would reserve his own forces for the invasion of Italia. Yazdegerd wanted to taste Marcellus¡¯ blood himself, and he would not allow Durio to steal that right from him. Thus, two weeks after the start of the Roman-Byzantine War, the conflict had reached a new level of intensity.

 Chapter 134 Double Trouble 18+

    While Constantius was marching his armies towards Illyricum, Marcellus was sitting back in his pce waiting for Yazdegerd¡¯s attack. As a result of the constant pressure he was facing from the dire situation, the man was naturally stressed. And because of this, his two women were attempting tofort him in the only way they knew how.

    At the moment, the Sigefrida and cidia were disrobed, and on their knees, where they fought with one another for control of the Roman Emperor¡¯s mighty shaft. For the first time in a long time, Marcellus was not adorned in his armor while rxing in his own home, instead he waspletely defenseless as the two women suckled at his cock as if it were the tastiest treat in the world.

    Marcellus leaned back in his seat and allowed the pleasure to overwhelm him as he gazed upon the two blonde bimbos alternating for control of the shaft and sack. Sigefrida was a natural blonde from the far north. It was not surprising, as blonde hair and blue eyes were exceptionallymon among her own people. She was tall with a curvy body, and ample assets at both the chest and rear.

    Whereas cidia was more on the petite variety. She was short, slender, and though she wasn¡¯t t chest, she wasn¡¯t exceptionally busty either. Her hair was obviously dyed, with signs of her roots showing through, and her eyes were hazel. Her skin was also quite a bit darker, as were her nipples.

    If Sigefrida was a woman with pale skin and pastel pink buds, then cidia had a light olive tone, with rose-colored nipples. Despite the fact that both women were blonde, there was a noticeable difference between the two. Enough to provide some variety for the Western Roman Emperor.

    After feeling the pressure buildup in his loins, Marcellus stood above the two women, and pointed his head in front of their two pretty faces where he gave the girls hismand.

    ¡°Open your mouths!¡±

    The two women did not hesitate and let their tongues hang wildly from their mouths as Marcellus sprayed his seed all over their faces. Despite just climaxing, Marcellus was far from finished. His rod was still hard, and because of that, he did not hesitate to turn cidia around and insert his cock into her moist cave.

    The woman moaned in pleasure as the depths of her woman were assaulted by her husband¡¯s shaft. While Marcellus pounded away at the girl¡¯s insides like a piston, he turned Sigefrida around and stuck his finger in an unexpected hole. The busty blonde bombshell yelped in shock as she realized Marcellus had just stuck his index finger up her ass.

    She tried to fight against it, but this defiance only caused Marcellus to shove another finger inside, as deep as he possibly could. With a confident smirk on his face, the man scolded his concubine for her rejection.

    ¡°Get used to the feeling, because I¡¯m going to have fun with you next.¡±

    The barbarian beauty¡¯s face twisted with pain as she experienced her first anal insertion. Despite this, Marcellus did not seem to let her go, and instead smiled as he continued to pound his wife¡¯s pussy. After a while, he coated cidia¡¯s pregnant womb with his spunk, causing the young woman to climax in ecstasy.

    Despite two ejactions, Marcellus was still far from satisfied, and immediately pinned Sigefrida beneath his wait, aligning his hard cock up with her asshole. The barbarian beauty began to panic as she tried to persuade her man to halt, but all it did was add to Marcellus¡¯ lust.

    ¡°No, wait! There¡¯s no way something that big will fit inside!¡±

    However, in the next moment, Marcellus pressed his hips forward, prating the Suebi beauty¡¯s virgin bottom. Sigefrida grit her teeth in agony, but that did not stop her master¡¯s relentless assault. Like a dog in heat, the roman emperor swiftly pumped his cock in and out of the woman¡¯s rectum.

    While it may have hurt at first, the longer the attack continued, the more Sigefrida got used to it, and before long her tongue was hanging out of her mouth as if she had lost the decorum of a civilized human being.

    Seeing her rival in such a state of pleasure, cidia immediately begun experimenting with her own ass, curious how such an orifice could cause such ecstasy. At first she started with a single finger, while watching her husband fuck his concubines ass, but then it turned into two, and soon three whole fingers.

    After a while, Marcellus pressed his hips as deep as they could go, and coated Sigefrida¡¯s anal cavity with as much of his cum as he could manage. The woman had practically passed out from the pleasure at this point, leaving her master to lie down on the bed beside her, exhausted beyond measure.

    It was at this moment the Marcellus noticed his young wife fingering her asshole, and because of this he suddenly found the energy to continue. Before he could even speak, cidia had hopped on top of him, and hovered her tight asshole over hisrge cock. As if the girl did not care the slightest about the pain involvement, she slowly but surely began sinking Marcellus¡¯ shaft into her rectum.

    Marcellus breathed heavily as cidia slowly began bouncing on his rod. Her lips were pursed in pain, but that did not stop her from continuing, as if she was searching for the source of pleasure that Sigefrida had felt right before passing out. Thus, the emperor began to move his own hips to keep up with his wife¡¯s movements, immediately causing her to yelp out in surprise.

    Despite the pain she currently felt, cidia was desperate to ovee it. After several minutes of taking an anal pounding, her body began to ept the insertion, and she sped up her movements. The better she felt, the faster she straddled Marcellus¡¯ cock until finally she orgasmed, squirting all over her lover, and the bed¡¯s sheets.

    However, despite this climax, Marcellus kept pounding a way until he too was fully satisfied which in the end he left a massive creampie in the girl¡¯s asshole. After cumming four times in an hour, Marcellus was thoroughly exhausted. His fatigue was so much that it had ovee the anxiety he felt earlier in the day. Perhaps he had just found the cure to such a delicate state of mind.

    After resting for a bit, Marcellus cleaned himself off before getting back to work. As for his wife and his concubine, they would need a few days to ovee their first anal experience.

 Chapter 135 Reclaiming Antonines Wall

    While Marcellus was preparing for a war with Byzantium on the Italian hearnd and within the diocese of Illyricum. Primus was busy engaging in a brutal campaign within Britannia. He was currently marching his forces north as they attempted to go beyond Hadrian¡¯s Wall and reim territory that had been lost to Rome for centuries. In fact, these men werepletely unaware that the Empire was at war with its eastern half.

    Primus sat on horseback as he strode through the Caledonian territory. Since they crushed their enemies within the boundaries of Hadrians¡¯ wall, the barbarians had resorted to skirmishing tactics. Raiding Roman encampments at night and striking them in a series of ambushes.

    The Roman Legate¡¯s attitude towards the Caledonian people had deteriorated greatly since this war had begun. However, none of that mattered, as he would soon be reaching his goal of reiming the ancient Antonine wall.

    As the army continued to march forth, a scout dispatched in advance of the main army came rushing back. There was a grim look on his face as he reported what he had seen up ahead to hismanding officer.

    ¡°Sir, an army of Caledonians has emerged up ahead. Their numbers are nearly twice our size. They seek to contend with us for control of the region. What are our orders?¡±

    Primus did not even need to think about what his orders were. He quickly gave hismand so that all the nearby forces could hear his decree.

    ¡°Prepare for battle. If we crush the Caledonians here, they won¡¯t be able to resist the reconstruction of Antonine¡¯s wall. Here we make our final stand!¡±

    The soldiers of the Legate¡¯s army, who had been on the march for nearly sixth months now, were battered and bruised. They had endured enough of this brutal campaign, which saw most of their numbers lost. Thus, when they heard this battle would be theirst, they felt a sense of relief as they raised their shields and prepared for the uing battle.

    The Roman army rapidly assembled into formation as they began to march further north, closer towards the enemy who lie in wait for them. After nearly an hour of a slow march, they arrived to witness the grand scale of the Caledonian army.

    Though the enemy were barbarians, with only the noble elite having any semnce of actual body armor. The Caledonians were substantiallyrger and stronger than the Roman soldiers. It was as if they had marched into the ck Forests of Germania. Naturally, upon seeing so manyrge men wielding clubs and spears, the morale of the Roman ranks began to falter.

    However, they would not easily give up. After everything they had suffered through over the past half year, they refused to drop their weapons and surrender, even against such overwhelming numbers.

    Primus was quick to give themand for his archers to unleash their arrows upon the poorly defended Caledonian ranks.

    ¡°Knock, draw, loose!¡±

    The arrows shot straight up into the air and fell from the sky like raindrops down upon the enemy. Though the Caledonians had shields, they were not of a uniform shape and size, somewhere as small as bucklers, others were asrge as scutum. Because of this, they could not easily form a shieldwall that protected them from the roman missile fire.

    The result was arge number of Caledonian men being skewered by arrows and sent to their version of the afterlife before they could even im a single roman skull for their collection. Under the orders of Primus, the Romans continued to pelt the Caledonian ranks with arrows until the enemy was forced to charge their position. Which did not take long.

    Before the third volley was fired, the Caledonians had recklessly charged down the hillside and towards the Roman ranks, who held their shields firmly together to resist the oing assault. The first wave of barbarians crashed against the Roman shieldwall, as if trying to use their bodies as battering rams, and yet the Romans had dug their feet in the mud, and entrenched their position, which they mustered all of their strength to push the enemy off of their shields, and pierce their spatha through their guts.

    The Caledonians did not stop their charge. With each wave that fell, another took its ce. They madly dashed at the Romans who stood their ground and stabbed their des into the pale guts of the barbarian warriors.

    However, after such a relentless onught, the enemy¡¯s size and strength soon began to prevail, ad shields were battered away and splintered. Leaving the soldiers behind them without much in terms of defense. These romans were quickly killed where another took their ce on the front line.

    There was not much in terms of strategy in this battle. The romans formed multiple shieldwalls, and the Caledonians attempted to break through them with brute force. Even Primus was surprised at the sheer stupidity of the barbarians. Then again, perhaps they knew that the Romans¡¯ spirit was weak, and thought that by sending wave after wave of men to their deaths, they could force them to route.

    Primus would not let that happen, and quickly gave the order for the center line to fall back. Creating a gap between the center and nking formations. As if they had performed the strategy a thousand times, the overwhelming numbers of the Caledonian forces slowly but surely fell into the Roman¡¯s trap. Where they were surrounded on all sides, waiting to be ughtered in a giant pit of death..

    Like Hannibal at Cannae, Primus had expertly used the double envelopment, and the Caledonian warriors had been foolish enough to not only walk into it, but to sprint towards their deaths as if a bountiful afterlife was waiting for them. By the time they realized there was no escape, it was already toote.

    One by one the pale skinned and blonde-haired Caledonians met their maker, until finally nothing had remained of their army. The battlefield became a sea of death, where the pouring rain washed the blood away. The Romans stood victorious, and had finally reconquered Antonine¡¯s wall. Now all that was left was to rebuild it, better than before.

    With a primal shout, Primus dered Rome¡¯s victory, and remation of an ancient fortification.

    ¡°Victory! We have Victory! Antonine¡¯s wall has once more entered the boundaries of Rome! Glory to the Imperator, and glory to the Empire!¡±

    The Roman soldiers, who had been on a brutal campaign for the past half a year, shouted in excitement as their war had finallye to an end. They intended to hold a position on the boundaries of Antonine¡¯s wall and begin reconstruction efforts so that it could rival its older brother to the south.

    Thus, while Marcellus and Constantius were focused on the threat to the east. Primus had won a great victory in the far northern frontiers of the western roman Empire.

 Chapter 136 Strange Encounter

    ric sat behind the ramparts of his fortress with his back against the merlon. His shoulder had an arrow embedded in it, while there was a giant bleeding wound across his face, which caused his beard to be dyed crimson. The man coughed heavily as his soldiers fought off the eastern roman invaders, who tried their best to get into the fortress.

    The war had been going on for nearly two months as Constantius marched his armies east into Illyricum. Every day, ric would stand on the ramparts and defend the fortress behind him. Why? Because it was his people, the goths who would suffer most if the diocese fell to the east. All that stood between them and a horde of angry romans was himself, and the warriors by his side, who fought and bled for the continued survival of their people.

    The Barbarian King saw another one of his men fall by the wayside, which allowed a Sassanid warrior to scale thedders and enter the ramparts. Despite having recently been shed across his face, and having difficulty seeing, ric dragged himself up from the stones beneath his feet, and grabbed hold of his sword before rushing towards the enemy.

    He roared like a wild beast as he shed his sword at a downward angle toward¡¯s his opponent¡¯s unguarded neck. However, the man blocked his attack and kicked him backwards with a push kick. ric almost lost his bnce and fell into the courtyard below. However, in thest moment, he was grabbed by one of his men, who pushed him back into the fight.

    ric thrust his de towards the opponent¡¯s chest with a feigned stab, before reversing the de towards the man¡¯s neck, where he quickly cut the jugr, causing the man to rapidly bleed out. After which, ric kicked him off the ledge, and down towards the courtyard below where he dropped to his death.

    Having killed the Persian, ric rushed forward with a group of men towards the gap in the wall¡¯s defence and quickly blocked the area where thedder led to. Stabbing and hacking at any man who would dare climb it. They continued to hold their position for some time. He would defend the position for as long as he was able, before rotating with other warriors of the Gothic tribe.

    ¡ª

    While ric desperately defended his stronghold against an overwhelming tide of enemies. Constantius was on his way to his location. Despite the construction of border fortresses, the Eastern Roman army could still go around them and loot the province. Thus, Constantius and his army were met with a field battle far from the edges of the border.

    The Sassanid heavy cavalry was rushing towards the Western Roman ranks as Constantius sat upon horseback at the rear of the army. He merely scoffed when he saw the Persian attempts to break his lines. He decided he would show them what true heavy cavalry was. With a quick decree, the western roman general sent his Cataphracts into the mix.

    ¡°Cataphracts, show the enemy your might, intercept them before they reach the front lines!¡±

    The Roman cataphracts did not disobey their orders and quickly rushed down out from the nks of the western roman army towards the Sassanid cavalry. It did not take long for the two factions to sh. However, the Sassanid horsemen werecking an important piece of technology, which the Western roman proudly boasted. That was the stirrup.

    In a chaotic disy, the thousands of horsemen shed in between the two walls of infantry. Ultimately it was the Cataprhacts who would emerge victorious as theirnces prated through the armor of their enemies, and into their hearts.

    Those Sassanids who survived the initial charge were dropped off their horses from thence¡¯s impact upon their shields, and tumbled to the ground, many of which received injuries in their falls. As for the rest, they were either skewered by thences, or had broken off just in time to avoid their fates. The Sassanid general nearly lost his eyes as he gazed upon the scene of his heavy cavalry being so quickly cut down by the western roman forces.

    Meanwhile, the majority of the Cataphracts werepletely unphased by the Perisan assault. The survivors fell back to the nks of theirrades while waiting for the infantry of both sides to press forward.

    As if the sight of his heavy cavalry being ughtered had deterred the Persian Commander, the Sassanid army halted in its tracks, as the western romans sat there in wait for them. Upon seeing that the enemy was not advancing, Constantius sighed before giving the order to push forward.

    ¡°Advance!¡±

    The Roman army marched in lockstep like a well-oiled machine, with their shields raised and their swords in hand as they slowly advanced towards the enemy army. The perfect precision of their formation had caused many of the Sassanid warriors at the front of their formation to petrify in fright and consider running. However, there were too many men behind them. Thus, they could only raise their shields and wait for the Romans to surround them.

    Eventually, the Persianmander snapped out of his horror and realized his army was about to be swarmed. Thus, in a rather shocking turn of events, he quickly gave the order to retreat. Fearing that he was about to fall into an enemy trap. Thousands of Sassanid warriors immediately turned tail and ran, causing Constantius to gaze upon them in confusion. Thinking to himself whether this was a poor attempt at a feigned retreat, or if they were just cowards.

    He had no idea how important the heavy cavalry were to the Sassanid army, to see them butchered during the first engagement, was practically like tearing out the hearts of every member of the Persian army. Aftering to his senses, Constantius decided that it was entirely unlikely that the enemy had set a trap for him, and decided to probe them with his heavy cavalry.

    ¡°Cataphracts, Charge!¡±

    With the order given, the western roman cataphracts snapped the reins of their mounts nad sprinted towards the fleeing army, most of who were on foot. Withnces in hand, the western roman cavalry skewered the enemy from behind, iming thousands of lives. It was at this moment that Constantius knew the enemy had truly begun to route, and quickly tried to pursue them.

    However, unfortunately, there were simply not enough cataphracts, and much of the Sassanid army had fled deep into enemy upied territory, causing the roman cavalrymen to turn back and rejoin the main army.

    Constantius was still in disbelief at what had happened. He was hoping to crush the Persian force in a single battle, but in the end, they broke ranks and fled before he could even engage them with his infantry. He could only scoff and think to himself that Marcellus would never believe him if he were to speak about this strange encounter.

 Chapter 137 King Sarus

    Yazdegerd stood within the Pce of Constantinople. The reports he was reading were truly unbelievable. He could not help but smash his fist on the table in a fit of fury. Did his troops really withdraw after losing their heavy cavalry? Such insolence. The rage within his heart at this moment could consume an entire gxy.

    The defeat of his forces within Illyricum had caused the Western Roman Army to advance further to the nearest stronghold which was currently under siege. As for the other sieges, they were not going as nned, either. Though a few of the fortresses had fallen into the hands of the eastern roman forces. The majority of the battles urring on the eastern border of Illyricum were stalemates.

    The technological advantages of the Western Roman Army were numerous and powerful. They had provided Marcellus and his forces with a significant ability to harm the attackers. Something that the Persian King simply was not expecting.

    Standing across from Yazdegerd was his young niece, Mitra Sasan, who had a worried expression on her pretty face. She had travelled from Ctesiphon to Constantinople to meet up with her uncle. She could tell the man was quite upset with the slow development of his war with the western roman empire. However, despite his visible fury, she could not remain quiet, and began to give counsel to the man, despite hisck of desire to hear it.

    ¡°You have pitted Roman against Roman in this conflict. The people of this city are not likely to sit idly by and allow a foreign King like yourself to send their fathers and sons to war against their own Roman brothers.

    I think it would be wise if you stepped back and allowed your puppets to oversee this conflict. You should return with me to Ctesiphon, before you end up dying in the streets from some disgruntled roman. I fear that your ambitions, to use the young emperor as your puppet and rule over all of Rome and Persia, will inevitably be the death of you.¡±

    The eastern roman regent red at his niece before rebuking her for daring to speak her mind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think Mitra, that bastard Titus udius Marcellus started this war when he tried to have me assassinated. I must see his head removed, or else he will always be a threat to our people.¡±

    The Persian beauty merely sighed and clicked her tongue in displeasure before lecturing her uncle once more over his actions.

    ¡°Even if you do seed in your attempt toy siege to Rome, and im this Marcellus¡¯ head. What then? Will you announce the Roman Empire to be re-unified under Theodosius¡¯ banner, and in doing so, take on the burdens of the West as well?

    Uncle, I have the utmost respect for you as the head of our dynasty, and as the King of kings. However, I fear your ego is blinding you to the damage this war will cause to our people. It is not toote to cease hostilities, and return to our homnd¡­¡±

    Despite the wise words of his niece, Yazdegerd utterly refused to listen to her, and instead cast her out of the city, to return to the Sassanid Empire.

    ¡°I have had enough of your shit Mitra, pack up your stuff and return home at once. I will return to Ctesiphon only after I have brought the Romans beneath our heel. Be gone!¡±

    Mitra could only sigh once more, then she lowered her head in shame. What was she ashamed of? Herck of ability to convince her uncle to return with her to their home. It was clear he had been driven over the edge by Marcellus¡¯s actions and would not stop his assault until he gained his vengeance. Thus, the Persian beauty ultimately decided to spare her own life, and did as the man instructed, fearing that in theing days, the citizens of Constantinople would be quite troublesome.

    ¡ª

    While Yazdegerd was arguing with his niece over the merits of this war, Marcellus was in his war room, looking over the map, and the current battles that were being waged in Illyricum. The lines were holding, and though some fortresses had fallen in recent days, enough were present to hold off the Eastern Roman advance until Constantius could arrive to aid with the situation.

    By Marcellus¡¯ side was none other than Sarus, who had been recalled to Rome to aid in its defense against the enemy. Sarus acted as the Imperial Legate attached to the Italian Penins and was constantly travelling between his residence and the capital.

    The barbarian chieftain had a troubled look on his face as he gazed at the figures representing the eastern roman troops, and their Sassanid allies. He pointed to the fortress where ric still stood defending its ramparts and voiced his concern.

    ¡°ric won¡¯tst much longer. His fortress is surrounded by a horde of Persians and several legions of eastern rome¡¯s army. I have no doubt that if Constantius does not arrive with reinforcements soon, ric¡¯s fortress will fall, and we will lose a valuablemander in the field.¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus merely scoffed, before pointing at the figures which represented eastern roman ships that had yet to set sail to Italia.

    ¡°ric can hold out on his own. Ultimately, his fate is up to the gods to decide. Whether the man survives is a non-issue. What matters is pushing the eastern roman army back onto their side of the border.

    As for the ships in Constantinople, our scouts report they have yet to set sail. Yazdegerd seems to be biding his time, waiting until his forces have broken through our border defenses in Illyricum. The moment he sets sail, my agent will let me know. Thus, we can muster our forces here, in Rome, and quickly move to intercept the enemy wherever they maynd.¡±

    Sarus red at Marcellus with a hint of fury in his eyes as he asked the question most pertinent on his mind.

    ¡°You would abandon ric to his death?¡±

    Marcellus returned Sarus¡¯ fierce re as he walked over to the man so that they were standing mere inches away from one another. With an intimidating tone in his voice, Marcellus spoke to his foederatimander.

    ¡°It is not my intention to abandon ric to his fate. After all, I have sent Constantius to save the man. However, if my legions do not arrive in time, it is no skin off my back. ric is a means to an end, his loyalty is not truly to Rome but to his own interests. And although you are not loyal to the Empire, you at least fear the sting of my whip.

    I would insist that you focus your mental energy on more important matters, like how we are going to deal with Yazdegerd when hends on Italian soil. We still do not know where he intends to send his army. It would be troublesome if he ransacked the southern half of the penins while I march my armies to meet him in battle.¡±

    Sarus did notment on the scolding he had received from the Imperator, and instead gazed upon the map closely before making a suggestion about where the enemy wouldnd. He pointed to the southern half of the map before making a bold im.

    ¡°Yazdegerd would never be so foolish as tond close to Rome. We could easily oppose hisnding and inflict serious casualties upon his army. However, he won¡¯t want to sail too far from our capital. He knows that he would face fierce resistance from the garrisons down south, and that would weaken his army before he could fight against our main forces.

    He will probablynd between Neapolis and Rome. Where he will then quickly move his forces up to our capital andy siege to the city. What is your n, to defend the city of Rome on the Aurelian Walls? Or to meet the enemy in the field?¡±

    Marcellus thought about the question for several seconds before nodding his head in approval of Sarus¡¯ suggestion. After thinking about how to deal with Yazdegerd for some time, he finally revealed his thoughts on the matter.

    ¡°We will meet him wherever he maynd. Have our armies on standby, ready to deploy at a moment¡¯s notice. We can¡¯t allow this Persian bastard to advance too far into our territory. It would simply be an insult to our ancestors.

    After I have imed the bastard¡¯s head, I will sail our armies to Constantinople and force the city to surrender to my rule. Together with Constantius and ric¡¯s forces, we shall put an end to this war, and reunite the Empire.¡±

    Sarus thought about Marcellus¡¯ words for a moment before nodding his head. His n made sense, but there was one question on his mind, which he ultimately circled back to the matter regarding ric.

    ¡°And if ric does not survive?¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus sneered before patting Sarus¡¯ shoulders.

    ¡°Then I suppose I will have to call you King Sarus from now on¡­¡±

 Chapter 138 The Other Fronts

    Primus stood outside the makeshift fortifications that had been established with the intent of keeping the northern tribes beyond the newly reconquered Antonine¡¯s wall. He gazed over the edge of the wooden palisade with a stern re, watching and waiting for any sign of an enemy attack.

    Though the Antonine¡¯s Wall had been reconquered in the name of Rome, it would need significant work to be made into a barrier that could contain the northern tribes. For the time being, the Imperial Legate was the leading officer in charge of the Diocese of Britannia, a region that was previously abandoned by the western Romans.

    However, with the return of Roman troops to the shores of Britannia, the warring tribes and criminal elements were quickly expunged from the territory. Now the borders of Britannia stretched further than they had ever done so before. Primus had truly earned his ce in history, and yet he did not sit back and rely on his pasturels.

    Instead, he took charge of the reconstruction of his territory. While gazing over the wall, an officer beneath hismand approached the Imperial Legate and saluted the man before voicing his concerns.

    ¡°Sir, we have just received word from Rome that the Eastern Roman Army has attacked Illyricum. It appears that during our campaign to retake the Antonine wall, there has been a conflict brewing, instigated by the Persian King. The Imperator has not issued us any orders. What shall we do?¡±

    Primus thought about this grave news for only a brief moment before making up his mind.

    ¡°We will maintain our reconstruction efforts here in Britannia. We can not abandon the region now that we have finally reincorporated it into the Empire. As for the war with the east, I am sure Marcellus is capable enough to defeat the enemy, even if he is outnumbered.¡±

    In agreement with his orders, the officer nodded his head. The men of the legions stationed in Britannia were exhausted from a bloody campaign. Thest thing they needed was to pack up their stuff and sail for Rome just so they could embark on another brutal campaign.

    Thus, While Marcellus prepared his forces to meet the Legions of the East, who sought to sail to Italia andy siege to its capital. The Legions of Britannia were licking their wounds and reconstructing Antonine¡¯s wall so that it could effectively hold the northern tribes beyond the barrier for an eternity.

    ¡ª

    While Primus was licking his wounds in Britannia, and Marcellus was preparing for a major battle against the Eastern Roman Army led by its regent. Ordius was stationed in Southern Gaul. Ever since, the northern regions had been purged of the Franks and given to the Suebi to defend. The Imperial Legate had lived a ratherfortable life.

    Though he had raised several legions, and trained them properly. He had few barbarians to eliminate, what with the Suebi warrior keeping them east of the Rhine. Thus, he had led his forces to focus on eliminating the Bagaudae who had gued the war-torn region of Gaul for far too long.

    At the moment, he was sitting on horseback, while leading one of his legions to a Bagaudae encampment. It was a makeshift fortress which stood upon a hilltop. In the past, such a stronghold would have cost the western roman forces considerable resources toy siege to.

    However, with the rearmament of the Roman Legions under Marcellus¡¯ reign, the peasant insurgents did not stand a chance. Despite this, they foolishly clung onto the ramparts of their wooden walls. Firing arrows down upon the Roman soldiers.

    Ordius took one look at this structure and thought it was an eyesore that needed to be burnt to the ground. Thus, he gave the order to build a trebuchet. While out of range of the enemy¡¯s rain of arrows. The Roman engineers began properly constructing a siege engine. Meanwhile, the crossbowmen among his ranks hid behindrge rectangr shields and fired their bolts upon the defenders.

    The bolts used by the forces in Gaul were not designed with armor pration in mind, after all they were fighting mostly tribes and brigands, thus they used a normal bolt head, but the power behind the crossbow was enough to quickly dispatch any Bagaudae unfortunate enough to feel its sting to the afterlife.

    The peasant insurgents had fear in their hearts as the crossbow bolts shot straight through their torsos, causing bodies to tumble off the edge of the poorly constructed ramparts. Despite this, they did not wave the white g. They knew they would either emerge victorious, or be in by the western roman legion.

    The battle waged on for some time before the trebuchet was constructed, where therge stone projectiles were coated in pitch, and lit ame before being thrown towards the makeshift fortress. When the Bagaudae gazed upon the ming 90kg projectiles which propelled through the air and barrelled towards their poor fortifications, they nearly shat their pants.

    Without a second¡¯s notice, the ming stones tore apart the walls, which were furnished from wooden logs. The fire spreading across the fortress and consumed everything in its path. The more fiery stones that were cast upon the makeshift fortress, the quicker the fire spread, causing the survivors within the encampment to rush out of the holes in their walls, and towards the Roman soldiers who raised their shields in the ins below.

    Ordius quickly ordered his soldiers to stand together as they united against the rampaging Bagaudae.

    ¡°Stand your ground and send everyst one of these bastards to hell where they belong!¡±

    The Roman soldiers quickly formed a shieldwall as the Bagaudae crashed against it. With a push of their scutum, the western roman soldiers plunged their des into the guts of the enemy, before withdrawing them. Spewing forth blood and other bodily fluids all over the grass below.

    Though the Bagaudae tried their best to resist, they were mainly equipped with axes and clubs. They struggled to kill the heavily armored roman infantry, who continued to thrust their des in the torsos of those foolish enough to bear their arms against them.

    This was just an average day in the Diocese of Gaul, and Ordius was leading the charge to purge a nuisance that had persisted in the borders of Rome since the Crisis of the Third Century. If Primus were to be remembered for reiming and reconstructing Antonine¡¯s wall. Then Ordius would be remembered as the general who finally eliminated the rats known as the Bagaudae.

    ¡ª

    Perhaps the only other region of conflict that Western Rome was seeing in its war against the eastern half of the Empire was within the Diocese of Africae. The Eastern Roman troops, within their section of North Africa, had been given the order to march on Carnifex¡¯s army. However, Carnifex was a seasoned General who had been protecting western Rome¡¯s north African territory for years.

    Currently, he was standing on a desert in, with his soldiers in a tight formation. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of his army, were those that belonged to eastern Rome. The two roman forces stood silently, waiting for one another to make the first move. Ultimately, after an hour of standing and waiting, Carnifex had enough, and raised the white g in an attempt to negotiate with the Eastern Roman General.

    Upon seeing the sight of this, the eastern roman general also raised a white g, and met with Carnifex between the two armies. The two generals, each of which were adorned with gilded helmets, stood across from one another with the same stoic gaze. After several moments of silence, Carnifex spoke first.

    ¡°Take your armies and march them back to thends that you havee from. Do this, and I promise I won¡¯t march my armies into yournds. You can live out the rest of this petty conflict peacefully, without the need for bloodshed. Why should either of us care about the foolish squabbles between a usurper and a foreign regent?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the Eastern Roman General continued to have a wless poker face, however after several moments of awkward silence, he nodded his head before turning away from Carnifex and marching back to his forces.

    Carnifex had to admit, this man was an even greater stoic than he was. Perhaps the two of them could share a drink after their masters stopped killing each other. Truthfully, he did not know if the eastern Roman general had agreed to his terms, or if he was preparing to attack. Thus, he quickly returned to his own army, where his lead officer quickly asked about what they had agreed to.

    ¡°So, what happened? Will they return to their side of the border?¡±

    Carnifex could only sigh before admitting the truth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Be prepared for war just in case.¡±

    The western Roman Army sat back and waited for merely five minutes before the Eastern Roman Army turned their backs and marched back the way they hade from. Carnifex remained stoic, despite feeling excitement deep within his heart.

    He was lucky the Eastern Roman General shared a simr mindset as him. Thus, the war that was about to take ce in north Africa was narrowly avoided by two stoics, who did not see a need toe to arms with one another.

 Chapter 139 The Last Stand of the Goths

    ric stood within the keep of the stronghold, which he had spent all of his energy defending over the past month. He and his warriors must have sent five thousand romans, and an additional ten thousand Persians, to the afterlife in this siege. Yet, it was not enough. No matter how many men they killed, the enemy kepting. Until now, ric and his most veteran warriors were forced back into the keep.

    Those brave souls who defended this Castrum were reduced to a small number as they tore apart the trappings of the keep and used whatever wood they could scavenge to brace the door against the onught of their enemies.

    The Gothic King sat down on a bench, as a medicus treated his wounds. During this siege, he had sustained several injuries, such as an arrow to the shoulder and a sh across the face. However, he did not let such minor inconveniences halt his defense. Until now, that is.

    His most veteranmander had taken over the defense of the keep, as the enemy tried to batter away at its thick wooden door with a battering ram. As the thunderous pounding of the gate echoed in the air, themander approached his King, and knelt before him with an exasperated expression on his face.

    ¡°My King, we are surrounded. There is no way out. We have women and children hiding in this keep. When the gate is torn apart, they will be raped and ughtered. Is there no other way for them to escape?¡±

    ric broke out into a cough, and in doing so spewed out some blood. His face was pale, and his wounds had begun to fester. He knew that even if the Goths were to emerge victorious in this battle, he would die to the infection.

    He gazed over towards the women and children who were huddled in the corner, before standing on his two feet. He nearly fell over as he did so, due to how feeble he had be from the illness. Yet, he found his footing, and instantly unleashed his sword from his sheath.

    ¡°There is no escape. The enemy has us surrounded here, and in other fortresses. If this war is to be the end of my people, then let us give them such an end that thest stand of the Goths shall be remembered throughout the annals of history! Open the gates and let us die with sword in hand, just like our ancestors!¡±

    The various Gothic warriors, who were exhausted beyond measure, were immediately reinvigorated with this brief speech, and roared their battlecries as they unsheathed their des. ric took a forward position, as he slowly raised his round shield into the air. All while his soldiers tore down the wooden poles which braced against the battering ram.

    Within minutes the gates game crashing down, and the Goths formed a shieldwall, without hesitation they fought theirst stand, funnelling the eastern Roman army into the small doorway, as the brave warriors of Germania killed as many of the enemy as they could manage.

    ¡ª

    Constantius sat upon his horseback, as he came over the hill, and witnessed the sight of the Roman Castrum being invaded by thousands of soldiers. From where he was standing, he could see the battering ram attacking the gates. He knew in his heart, the keep¡¯s doors would not hold out for long, and when they finally fell, it would be a massacre of ric and his people.

    He had half a mind to abandon the Gothic King to his fate, and instead search for another fortress under siege that was upied by romans. Perhaps he could save them from their fate. Just when he was about to turn his army around, the gates opened, where he witnessed the Gothic Shieldwall form, with their swords and spears sticking through the gaps in a desperatest stand, not for survival, but for eternal glory.

    He watched in silence for several minutes as the Goths managed to kill hundreds of the Eastern Roman soldiers and their Persian allies. His officers witnessed the fierce battle and gazed down at their feet, unwilling to watch the gruesome end of the Goths. However, as the Eastern Roman soldiers began to break through the Gothic Defenses, one of Constantius officers spoke up.

    ¡°Are we just going to let them die? There are women and children in that keep! Don¡¯t tell me we are going to sit here and watch as our allies are butchered like animals?¡±

    Constantius turned his sight to the officer, who had blonde hair and brown eyes, seemingly of half barbarian descent. The man clearly cared for the Goths, or else he would never dare to speak up in front of the Legate.

    There was a fierce glint in the man¡¯s eyes as he stared down at hismander. Ultimately, Constantius turned his gaze back to the sight of the battle, and sighed heavily before giving themand to engage the enemy.

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    With this said, the Western Roman forces unsheathed their des and charged down the hillside towards the ruined walls of the fortress, where the eastern Roman Army and their Persian allies had exposed their backsides.

    The Western Roman Archers lined up on the hill above the enemy¡¯s position and rained arrows down upon their backs. It came as a sudden shock, as many of the men felt the iron arrowheads pierce through their flesh and enter into their vital organs.

    It was only after this first volley was loosed upon the enemy that they realized reinforcements had arrived, and they were not friendly. The Eastern Roman Commander, who had suffered through this siege for nearly a month, called out in fear as he witnessed tens of thousands of western roman forces breach the battered gates of the ruined walls and charge into the fray.

    ¡°Behind you! The enemy is behind!¡±

    However, it was already toote. Hundreds of Western Roman Soldiers had entered the courtyard, and sandwiched what remained of the eastern Roman Army in between the keep where the Goths fought for glory, and the western roman ranks. Within a matter of seconds, these hundreds of soldiers became thousands.

    The Eastern Roman Commander was horrified when he saw that there was no escape. Attacked on two fronts, they could not adequately defend themselves. Men fell behind him, and in front of him. Forcing him to choose the front to fight on. In the end he chose to fight the Goths. they were fewer in number and if he could wipe them out, he and his forces could use the same tactics as the enemy, and keep the western roman reinforcements at bay.

    The Commander charged to the front lines where he began to cut down the Gothic defenders, forcing his way to the front where he came face to face with sickly ric. ric spat on the man, his spit contained a bloody phlegm which disgusted the eastern romanmander as the two fought in mortalbat.

    ric gazed into the enemy¡¯s eyes as he swung towards him with his sword. Unfortunately, in his state, he was feeble, because of that, his movements were slow and awkward. Yet this did not deter the Gothic King who fought on for a chance at eternal glory.

    The two leaders fought against one another, but it was clear that the eastern romanmander had the upper hand as he yed with the weakened ric. Before finally driving his sword through the Gothic King¡¯s gut. Despite feeling his life rapidly fly away from his body, ric grinned as he pulled out his seax and dug it into the eastern romanmander¡¯s neck.

    The look of shock and horror on the enemy¡¯s face as he realized he had fallen into a trapsted for only a second before he lost consciousness from the rapid blood loss. As for ric, he fell to the ground, where his sword was cast away from his reach. He desperately grasped towards the weapon with thest remaining bit of his strength, before finally getting a hold of it and pulling it towards his chest.

    ric gazed up at the ceiling of the Keep and let out one final prayer. Though not to the Christian God, but to the gods of his ancestors. Realizing on his deathbed that the God he converted to earlier in life had forsaken him.

    Perhaps it was the illusion of a dying man, but ric could have sworn after saying his prayer to the old gods, he witnessed the sight of valkyries descending to his side, and lifting his spirit into the air. The Gothic King had died a warrior¡¯s death and had earned his ce in Wuotan¡¯s hall.

    As for the rest of his warriors, they had not been given the luxury to witness their King¡¯sst stand, and instead continued to fight the Eastern Roman Army and their Persian allies. However, with the enemy trapped between two allied forces, the battle did notst long. In the end, Western Rome and their Gothic Foederati emerged victorious at this one castrum. However, there were several more that were in desperate need of reinforcements.

 Chapter 140 Marching to War

    Marcellus stood in his vi dressed in nothing but a subligoria, as two of his many ves slowly equipped his clothing and armor onto his body. Like any other morning, the first thing he did was get dressed. However, In these treacherous times, it was better to be safe than sorry and because of this; he treated his daily life as if he were in an active war zone. Which meant he war his armor from the second he got up in the morning, until the moment he went to bed.

    The two young ve women werepletely nude as they began to dress their master. Marcellus had always instructed his ves in a way that cemented his authority. That was what he referred to as the firstw of the household.

    Essentially, this meant that Marcellus, as the head of the house, was the first to bathe in the morning, the first to get dressed, and the first to eat. Thus, despite already being awake before him, the girls had yet to put on any clothes themselves.

    Their first task was to dress Marcellus in a pair of Tyrian purple trousers, along with matching socks. From there, they adorned his chiseled chest with a Tyrian purple tunic, which had golden embroidery across its length.

    Purple was the color of emperors, and though as a utilitarian Marcellus favored a practical approach to attire, he still needed to show off to his soldiers that he was the embodiment of imperial majesty. Thus, like many other emperors of the era, he dressed in mostly purple clothing.

    After the ve girls had finished dressing Marcellus in his baseyer of clothing, they first attached a bronze manica to his right arm. The Manica was a piece of arm armor made of ovepping segmented bands, which protected the wearer¡¯s sword arm. It scaled from the height of the biceps, down to the wrist. Because it was segmented, it was highly flexible, despite providing near-te level protection.

    After equipping the manica on the right arm. The ve girls ced a padded and quilted linen vest over Marcellus¡¯ chest. This vest was known as a subarmalis. It was akin to theter era Gambeson used by medieval knights as an additionalyer of defense.

    This Subarmalis had been dyed a Tyrian Purple color with golden embellishments. However, its most notable feature was the two sets of pteruges that hung from both the shoulders and the waist. The pteruges were rectangr leather straps, which acted as an additional barrier of protection for the thighs and biceps.

    These pteruges were made of brown leather, with golden tassels that dangled from the edges. Which, when paired with his belt and baldric, matched perfectly. Finally came the primary body armor, which in the past came in the form of a brass Lorica Squamata. However, for the sake of this campaign, Sigefrida hadmissioned a special piece of armor for Marcellus.

    Lorica Muscta, or the muscle cuirass as it was known inyman¡¯s terms, was a piece of armor used by Roman Generals and emperors for centuries. Its design was made popr by Greek Hoplites, and though it was true that it was a type of armormonly associated with the ancient Greeks of the ssical, and Hellenistic era, its origins were actually in the Archaic Age of Greek history.

    The armor provided superior protection to all the other pieces that Marcellus had avable to him. The reason for this was simply because it was a solid bronze cuirass. Its design was not like other forms of armor which used ovepping scales, tes, or rings to protect the user. Thus, it was a lot more difficult to prate through.

    Sigefrida, who was deeply intimate with Marcellus¡¯ body, hadmissioned this cuirass to match the appearance of his actual six-pack. It also had a pair of bronze tes attached to the shoulders to provide additional protection.

    Once the lorica muscta had been properly adorned, the ves wrapped a pair of Tyrian Purple leg-wraps over Marcellus¡¯ shins, before adorning the intricately carved bronze greaves. Which disyed the might of Sol Invictus. After applying the shin wraps, they ced the brown leather shoes over his feet. Before topping off his outfit with a Tyrian Purple cloak that had golden embellishment on the edges.

    Finally, after the rest of the clothing and armor was finished being applied to Marcellus¡¯ body, his ves brought forth the Helmet, which Marcellus denied wearing for the time being, instead he gazed upon it with his own eyes. The Helmet was a berkasovo helmet, or at least that is what it would beter known as in life.

    However, unlike the standard issue variation of the helmet, or even the heavily gilded version which generals like to wear. This helm was truly unique, as if partially inspired from the helmet worn by Aurelian, the vertical plume was reced with radiate spikes that formed a golden mohawk on the top of his gilded helmet. While the cheek tes ovepped a gilded face mask which obscured Marcellus¡¯ true facial features, with a rather nd face carving.

    On the helmet itself were purple gemstones encrusted both sides below the mohawk. Marcellus wasn¡¯t just going into this war as representative of the West, but as a Representative of the old religion which founded the Empire, and built it into what it was during its glory days.

    This helmet was a statement to the Christians in the east that he was not going to allow the ancient religion of Rome to fade away silently into the night. After ensuring that his entire armor was equipped, Marcellus dismissed the ves, where cidia and Sigefrida quickly entered the room to gaze upon their man, who was about to march to war.

    The two women were practically in tears, and why wouldn¡¯t they be? They were both pregnant, and the father of their unborn children was about to march to war against an army was outnumbered his own by the tens of thousands. Sigefrida was the first toment on the man¡¯s appearance as she rubbed her hand along the polished bronze muscles.

    ¡°You look really good. If only we had time, I would strip you out of your armor, and make love to you right here and now!¡±

    Marcellus merely chuckled when he heard this, before grabbing hold of the Suebi beauty¡¯s chin and kissing her passionately. By doing so, he immediately invoked feelings of envy within cidia¡¯s heart, who approached the man, and stole his attention. cidia quickly dragged Marcellus¡¯ lips away from Sigefrida¡¯s and vited his mouth with a kiss of her own. In response to this, Marcellus merely chuckled before scolding the girl.

    ¡°You always were a jealous one¡­¡±

    Rather thanugh at his joke, tears formed in the young woman¡¯s hazel eyes as she nodded her head in agreement with the man¡¯s words. Marcellus sighed heavily and hugged the two women tightly before releasing them. He said nothing as he walked to the exit of the mansion, where cidia and Sigefrida followed him like loyal hounds. Once he opened the door, he turned around onest time before saying his goodbyes.

    ¡°You two behave yourselves while I¡¯m away. I promise I will try to end this war as quickly as possible, and when I do, I will bring back that Persian bastard¡¯s head on a te!¡±

    After saying this, Marcellus shut the door behind him, not waiting for the response from either of the two women, who only ended up weeping after he was gone. Marcellus quickly descended from his vi, and gazed up into the higher reaches of the city, where the Royal Pce was still being constructed.

    He could only sigh once more than he felt the rainfall from the heavens above. It was autumn, and he knew that meant that soon, the roads would be difficult to traverse. Nevertheless, he did not let that stop him. Sarus was waiting for the Imperator as he stepped outside his door, along with several other officers within Marcellus¡¯ Army. When the man approached him, Sarus was quick to report the current status.

    ¡°We have five legions ready to move out at a moment¡¯s notice. What are your orders, Imperator?¡±

    Marcellus gazed into the distance where he nned to meet the enemy on an opposednding, and did not hesitate to speak his mind.

    ¡°Forward March!¡±

    In response to these orders, Sarus called out to his troops, who yed the proper instruments which signalled to march. Marcellus used the stirrups to mount his horse, which was covered in brass scale barding, before adorning his helmet upon his head.

    Though the rain continued to fall, it merely pattered against the top of his helmet, along with every other soldier in his army, who was now marching to a battle against a numerically superior foe. Luckily Marcellus had spent thest year or so building his army, and equipping them with the best gear. Or else they would never stand a chance in this war.

    However, gazing upon his legionaries, who were all equipped with the best weapons and armor money could buy, he felt pretty good about his chances of winning this campaign. Hell, he might even be looking forward to the action if he was being honest with himself.

 Chapter 141 Forced into an Uncomfortable Position

    Constantius stood upon the wastnd of the battlefield and gazed upon the destruction wrought by the war. After saving what remained of the Gothic Foederati beneath ric¡¯smand, he fought his way north, towards the next outpost which was surrounded by the enemy.

    Unlike the previous battle, the eastern roman army at this location had not been so foolish as to turn their backs on what lie behind them. Because of this, they had indeed been able to see the approach of the Western roman army long before they arrived.

    The result was a chaotic battle, which ultimately resulted in the victory of the Western Romans, though the cost was several thousand men. This was despite the eastern romans being sandwiched between the fortress¡¯s garrison and the western roman field army.

    Though many of the men stationed at this fortress were Romans, there were still some Gothic Foederati among their ranks. Despite this, Constantius had no intentions to inform them that their King was dead, as he would wait until word could reach Marcellus. If the Goths found out their monarch was in in battle, they would quickly turn on themselves and fight for the vacant title.

    Thus, Marcellus needed to hear of ric¡¯s death, and crown a new King of the Goths in order to stabilize the barbarian ¡°Kingdom¡±. Which now existed within the borders of the Roman Empire as a quasi-vassal state.

    Constantius currently stood in the confines of the fortress, looking over a map alongside his officer¡¯s and the man in charge of the garrison. The border fortresses were marked on the positions of those who were currently under assault by the eastern roman army. With on markingrger than all others.

    The leader of the Frumentarii who was attached to Constantius¡¯ unit, quickly spoke up about the most recent intelligence that Marcellus¡¯ agents had collected from the front lines.

    ¡°It appears that this location is where the rival Magister Militum is located. If we can defeat him, and the bulk of his forces in a single battle the others will flee back to theirnds with their tails between their legs. However, they have this fortress surrounded, and by the time we arrive in force, they will have taken it for themselves. Meaning we will have toy siege to our own fortress¡­¡±

    Constantius sneered in disdain when he heard this before questioning the agent, who said these words.

    ¡°Are the soldiers aware that they are to dismantle the trebuchets should the fortress fall? We can¡¯t allow the enemy to acquire such weapons, or learn how to reverse engineer them!¡±

    The agent nodded his head before responding with a confident tone in his voice.

    ¡°Yes, by now, the trebuchets should have been dismantled, as the soldiers hold out to thest man. However, the crossbows and the remaining bolts will definitely fall into the enemy¡¯s hands!:

    In response to this, Constantius smiled and shook his head before exining how that the crossbows would not pose a problem to their men.

    ¡°Our soldiers are equipped with the best armor money can buy. Assuming the crossbow bolt is able to pierce through the lorica squamata, it will not pass the subarmalis beneath it, and even if it does, it will not be to a significant enough degree to inflict serious bodily harm.

    We do not need to fear the crossbows. In fact, it sounds like a good idea to allow them to first take the stronghold. We will lure them into a false sense of security behind their walls and then bring them down with the trebuchets. After we punched a few holes in their walls, we will attack with everything we have, and put an end to their reign.

    Once I have this so-called magister militum, I will bring him to Marcellus so that he may beg for forgiveness before the true emperor or Rome. Let us see how the dogs of Yazdegerd hold out against our superior army. Prepare the men to march. After they are well rested and resupplied, we will march on this fortress with the full might of strength.¡±

    With these orders given, the Western Roman Army was prepared to march on their enemies. If they could bring down Durio and his forces, which were the bulk of the Eastern Roman Army, then they could effectively crush the Eastern Roman invasion of Illyricum.

    ¡ª

    While Constantius prepared for a massive assault on the eastern roman magister militum. Marcellus had marched his forces to the coasts of Italia. Where he could see the eastern roman fleet in the distance. No matter where they sailed to his army would follow.

    Yazdegerd, perhaps out of fear of the sea of shimmering iron that lie on the cliffs above the shores, continued to sail his ships further north. Unfortunately, galleys were slow-moving ships, with at most 4 knots under favorable conditions.

    Thus, they never left the sight of the pursuing Roman Army. Realizing that he was running out of shoreline until he reached those closest to the city of Rome. The Persian King was forced tond his army, sooner rather thanter. In the end, the Western Roman forces took advantage of this, and held the cliffs, raining arrows down upon the enemy army as they disembarked from their warships.

    A torrent of iron arrows fell on the eastern roman soldiers and their Persian allies, who covered their torsos with wooden shields. Despite this, many of the missiles prated through the gaps in their formation and pierced through the unarmored torsos of many of the less fortunate soldiers.

    Opposedndings were rare throughout the entirety of human history, the most famous of which was the invasion of Normandy in 1944 from Marcellus¡¯ past life. However, the end result was normally the same: the forces whonded on the beaches were always killed off in massive numbers.

    However, this was an era of arrows and iron. Thus, the initial damage dealt to Yazdegerd¡¯s forces was much smaller than it could have been. One thing was certain, the battle for the shores of Italia had only just begun.

 Chapter 142 One Fell Swoop

    Marcellus gripped the hilt of his spatha as he watched the battlefield unfold from the cliffs above. In what he could only call an act of foolishness, Yazdegerd had sailed arge section of his army into the Italian hearnd, in the hopes of removing Marcellus from his throne of lies.

    Naturally, being so far away from the rest of their forces. This did not end as the Sassanid King had intended. Currently, The Eastern Roman Army, along with their Persian allies, were trapped between the shores of the sea, and a massive shieldwall belonging to the western roman army.

    In preparation for this war, Marcellus had taken a policy of quality over quantity. Because of this, his soldiers were equipped with vastly superior armor. Though this may not sound like much whenpared to the sheer volume of troops Yazdegerd possessed. Whenbined into the force of a proper legion, this was truly a significant advantage.

    The battle began not long ago, and yet the eastern roman army had already suffered massive casualties because of the heavy missile fire that Marcellus¡¯ troops had rained upon them. Now they were fighting for their lives against an opposing force that was armed, trained, and equipped better than they were.

    Tides of iron crashed against one another as bodies fell to the ground left and right. Yazdegerd gritted his teeth with rage as he witnessed his army surrounded by their enemies, and in a desperate position. He knew not how he could break through Marcellus¡¯ forces, and escape from the enemy encirclement.

    Yazdegerd¡¯s ships had alreadynded on the beaches and sent their troops to shore. If he were to give the order to retreat by sea, the enemy would rain thousands of projectiles upon them. The losses he would suffer would be severe.

    However, the only other option was to punch through a weak point in Marcellus¡¯ defenses, and seize the high ground. From there, the overwhelming numbers on Yazdegerd¡¯s side could provide a proper defense where they would emerge victorious.

    Ultimately, the Sassanid King had to weigh the benefits and the risks. Withdraw now, and fight another day. Or make a Hail Mary attempt to secure the high ground, and emerge victorious. Perhaps it was sheer stubbornness that guided Yazdegerd¡¯s hand, but ultimately he made a y for thetter. With a furious shout, he issued the orders to his troops.

    ¡°On me, we are breaking through their left nk!¡±

    It took some time for these orders to be ryed to his troops, but when they were, the eastern roman soldiers, and their Sassanid allies gathered together on a single section of the western roman army¡¯s line, and used their full force in an attempt to break through the enemy¡¯s defenses.

    Unfortunately, this was a risky strategy. In order to pierce through the weak point in Marcellus¡¯ defenses. Yazdegerd would have to focus his entire army on a small section of his left nk. This meant he would be giving up his own nks, and would eventually be surrounded by the enemy, where there would truly be no escape. In other words, it was a race against time to see who would prevail.

    Marcellus observed this act of desperation from the cliff above and sneered in disdain. Yazdegerd had truly behaved recklessly until the very end. In an effort to prevent the eastern roman army from returning to the sea. Marcelus quickly gave an order to the nearest centurion, who in turn ryed his message to the soldiers on the ground.

    With this order given, the Western Roman forces in the left nk that Yazdegerd was trying to break through slowly dispersed, allowing the enemy to push through and out the other side. By the time Yazdegerd and his soldiers made it through, they had already lost half their army.

    They hadpletely mistaken the deliberate dispersion of western roman troops for an actual breakthrough, and immediately ran forward towards the high ground where they could shift the tides of war.

    However, they did not get far. With the ringing of a trumpet, thousands of Cataphracts descended from the cliff side, and charged onto the beaches towards the eastern roman army. Who were now incapable of getting back to their ships.

    Had Yazdegerd bitten the proverbial bullet, and ordered a retreat on their ships, he may have lost thousands of soldiers, but in the end his army would have been able to escape and fight another day. However, because he fought to break through Marcellus¡¯ ranks and gain the high ground, he had trapped himself between a wall of iron, and the thunderous charge of thousands of cataphracts.

    At the head of these Cataphracts was a peculiarly dressed man, who couched ance beneath his arm. His clothing was all purple, but there was no plume on his helmet, instead there was a radiant ridge. This man¡¯s face was also obscured behind a gilded face mask. It took one look for Yazdegerd to assume the man¡¯s identity. He hissed through his teeth the name of this man who so brazenly charged forward into battle.

    ¡°Marcellus!¡±

    Despite the hatred in Yazdegerd¡¯s voice, it did little to repel the oingnce, which struck his armor, and drove through his body. The impact was so fierce that Marcellus¡¯nce shattered, and in doing so, embedded thence head into the Sassanid King¡¯s chest. Yazdegerd fell to the floor in disbelief as his armor was punctured with little effort.

    He did not know what trickery Marcellus had used to stay seated on his horse, nor how hisnce could cause such damage. However, as he fell to the ground, he gazed upon the rest of the heavy cavalry which collided with his army to a simr effect.

    In a matter of moments, what remained of Yazdegerd¡¯s forces had either surrendered their arms, or had been impaled on the spot. The Sassanid King lie dead in a pool of his own blood, where Marcellus quickly dismounted from his horse, and unsheathed his spatha.

    Marcellus approached Yazdegerd¡¯s body with a tilt of the head, which gave off an ominous feeling due to the gilded facemask. He then proceeded to sever the Eastern Roman regent¡¯s head and hold it up high for all to see.

    The battle was over, and the invasion of Italia had failed before it could even begin. Yazdegerd was dead, and the young Eastern Emperor Theodosius was left without a regent. Despite severing the head from the snake, so to speak. Marcellus did not n to cease his war here. He intended to sail his army to Constantinople andy siege to the eastern roman capital. All the while, his soldiers in Illyricum would push the enemy back to their ownnds.

    Though Yazdegerd lie dead, the war was far from over. What woulde in the following days was a brutal battle between the Western Roman Army under the control of Constantius in Illyricum, and the Eastern Roman Army, who stillid siege to the various fortresses Marcellus had constructed on the border.

    Marcellus had lost one of his most valuablemanders in this conflict, and though he had in the King of the Sassanid Empire. He had not fulfilled his quota for blood. He knew the Goths would demand the heads of the Eastern Roman and Sassanid leadership in exchange for the death of their King, and he intended to give it to them.

 Chapter 143 The Aftermath

    Chapter 143 The Aftermath

    With Yazdegerd¡¯s death and the defeat of his army on the beaches of Italia, Marcellus had sessfully removed one of the major threats to his power. Those who took up arms for the Sassanid King who were not outright killed in battle were quickly rounded up and imprisoned. Their fate would be as prisoners brought back to Rome and held for the duration of the war.

    Though not all was tranquil. Rather, the Gothic Chieftain Sarus had many concerns over what had just transpired. Because of this, he walked up to Marcellus, who was cleaning the blood off his de, and voiced them.

    ¡°The Sassanid Empire will not forgive us for killing their King. Sooner orter they will send an army after us, and not just in support of the Eastern Romans¡­¡±

    Marcellus continued to wipe away the blood on his de, as if the Gothic Chieftain¡¯s concerns did not phase him. For several moments, he applied ayer of water to his de, until not a speck of red could be seen by the human eye. After finishing this task, he gazed up at Sarus and responded with a voice filled with utter confidence.

    ¡°Let theme. I will put all those swarthy bastards to the sword if they dare march on Rome. Such a thing does not worry me, for once I have incorporated the east into my domain, and reorganized what remains of their armed forces into my own, we will see just how long the Persians can resist my rule. I think it is about time Rome avenged Carrhae, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Sarus had served as a Foederati in the ranks of the Roman Army long enough to know which grudges the Romans held against their neighbors. He could hardly believe his ears when Marcellus suggested avenging a loss that happened over four hundred years prior, against a different dynasty of Persians. He could only shake his head before responding to the man¡¯s im.

    ¡°You Romans sure are a spiteful people¡­¡±

    This remark only made Marcellus break out into a fit ofughter. He had seen enough of world history from the dreams he had of Frank¡¯s life to understand that the people who held onto grudges longer than anybody were not the Italic peoples, but the Germans.

    After all, the Germans had achieved a significant victory against the Russian Empire in the Great War of 1914; they renamed the battle to Tannenberg as a way to avenge the loss they had suffered in Grunwald a whole 504 years earlier.

    If the German people could hold on to a grudge for five hundred years, then Rome¡¯s bitter resentment towards the Persians for Carrhae seemed rather tame inparison. Even if there was only a difference of roughly 50 years between the two. It was this knowledge thatpelled Marcellus to speak his response.

    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk¡­¡±

    Naturally, Sarus did not understand what Marcellus meant by these words, as he was not gifted with the memories of the future and thus, he could not formte a proper response. Instead, he just shook his head and shifted the topic to something else.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the n now? Do we help our boys in Illyricum break the ongoing sieges, or do we sail towards Constantinople?¡±

    After finishing wiping the blood from his de with a sk of water. Marcellus then began to apply oil to the steel in an attempt to prevent rust. As he did so, hemented on the decision he had made long before this battle had even begun.

    ¡°I have the utmost faith in my Legates. Constantius can handle the eastern roman forces in Illyricum by himself. He does not need our support. Instead, we will sail for Constantinople andy siege to it. After the eastern romans are defeated in Illyricum, they will be forced back into their own territory where Constantius will chase them towards their capital. Perhaps if we are lucky, we can annihte the bulk of our enemy¡¯s forces in a crossfire.¡±

    Sarus nodded his head as he heard these orders. The reasoning was solid enough for him to remain unopposed. Thus, he was left with only one question, which he was quick to ask.

    ¡°So, when do we set sail?¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus looked at the sea before making a decision.

    ¡°First, we should capture Yazdegerd¡¯s ships, and incorporate them into our own navy. Then we will regroup with the rest of our fleet in Neapolis. From there, we shall sail to Constantinople andy siege to the eastern capital.

    I want to make something abundantly clear. Once we have captured the city of constantinople, no harm is toe to Theodosius. He is cidia¡¯s nephew, and I need the boy alive and well for my ns. Theodosius will give up his power, and dere me the true Emperor of Rome, where I will unite the two halves of the Empire into a single entity once more.

    Once the boy has ceded all authority to me, I will allow him to live a peaceful life at my estate, where cidia will look after him. After all, she is thest of his living kin. It would be wrong to spill his blood without reason¡­¡±

    Sarus gazed upon Marcellus with a questioning look in his blue eyes before posing a question. That was half jest, half serious.

    ¡°Are you perhaps growing soft on me, Gothicus? Don¡¯t tell me you intend to raise this boy as if he were your own child!¡±

    In response to this, Marcellus chuckled briefly, before sighing. He gazed off towards the setting sun and posed his own question towards the Gothic Chieftain..

    ¡°And why shouldn¡¯t I? I never wanted to be Emperor¡­ One day I will retire from this position, and when I see fit, I shall leave the Empire in the hands of the most capable man. I have no desire to build a dynasty. All I care about is ensuring that Rome, in all its glory, survives theing decades, and lives on as a prosperous state for centuries toe.

    It¡¯s not the boy¡¯s fault that his uncle was an envious bastard who tried to rob me of my life out of an act of pure jealousy. He is cidia¡¯s nephew, and since I married the girl, it falls to me to raise the boy. Anyway, enough about that¡­ Inform the men to make preparations for our journey towards Constantinople. I will not halt my assault until I ensure that Theodosius is safely ced into my custody.¡±

    Sarus gazed upon Marcellus in a new light. Despite having absolute authority over the western roman empire for a few years now, he still desired to set his crown aside, and retire peacefully. The Gothic Chieftain had to admit, he thought for sure that the power that Marcellus wielded would have corrupted the man¡¯s spirit, and yet, everything he did was still just a means to save Rome from its fate.

    In that moment, he wished within his heart that the Goths had a King like Marcellus. Now that ric was dead, Marcellus would ensure that the crown passed to Sarus, and perhaps he should follow the example set forth by the Roman Emperor.

    After thinking about this for several moments, Sarus sighed, and nodded his head before rying Marcellus¡¯ orders to the rest of the army. Now was not the time to think of such heavy topics. Now was the time for blood and iron!¡¯

 Chapter 144 A Leap of Faith

    Chapter 144 A Leap of Faith

    While Marcellus had defeated the Eastern Roman forces under themand of Yazdegerd in Italia, Constantius was circling the outpost where the Magister Militum of the east and his army were located. The defenders of the fortress had already fallen by the time Constantius arrived, and their enemies had made use of its natural defenses to catch a breather.

    Upon noticing this, Constantius was forced with two options, to lie in a wait, and hope that Durio¡¯s army would abandon the fortress in pursuit of their next target. Ory siege to the weakened stronghold and kill the man where he stood.

    Ultimately, the roman legate pulled out a solid gold solidus and flipped it. Whatever side itnded on would determine how he would proceed. Though the coin fell to the floor in under a second, the duration of its drop felt like a lifetime.

    In the end, the answer revealed itself as the handsome visage of Marcellus¡¯ face was boldly disyed. Upon seeing this, Constantius sneered, before equipping his helmet over his head while giving the following order.

    ¡°Prepare the trebuchets! Wey siege to the castrum. I don¡¯t care how long it takes. I will have Durio¡¯s head!¡±

    The roman legionaries beneath Constantius¡¯mands threw up their arms in salute and responded in the affirmative before carrying out their orders.

    ¡°For the glory of Rome!¡±

    After saying this, the western roman army began to manufacture trebuchets on the spot. While this was urring, Durio¡¯s troops took notice and informed the man, who came to the ramparts to witness the western roman army¡¯s actions. He spat over the edge in disdain as he proimed his enemy to be suffering from madness.

    ¡°Do they really think they can bring down these walls? If not for the sacrifices of our brave soldiers, we never would have scaled over them and taken the fortress. Very well, if they wish to sit back and pepper our defenses with stones, they are more than free to do so!¡±

    With this arrogant statement, Durio did nothing but keep watch on the Western Roman army as they prepared their trebuchets for action. Hours passed, and still Constantius did not make a move. Instead, he waited for the siege weapons to be properly assembled. After nearly two days of waiting, twelve trebuchets were built to surround the fortress.

    Unfortunately for Durio, the roman soldiers who defended the fortress had thoroughly dismantled their trebuchets before the walls fell, and because of this, he was utterlycking in siege weapons. Thus, it came as a surprise in the middle of the night, when ming rocks flew through the air and collided with the stone walls of the roman fortress.

    With each round fired, the walls shook, and the mortar which kept the stones together began to crack. Despite this reality, they still held firm, and thus Durio was unphased. He merely sat back and waited for the enemy to advance, knowing that sooner orter they would grow weary of throwing stones.

    However, contrary to his expectations, Constantius waited patiently. Hour after hour, day after day, the 90kg stone projectiles flung forth from the trebuchets and onto the stone walls of the roman fortress. Until finally, the barriers began to erode. When Constantius saw the first stone fall from the wall, he grinned and gave another order to his soldiers so that they may continue the assault.

    ¡°Keep it up! They can¡¯t hold on for much longer!¡±

    Despite the fatigue of constantly loading stones into the siege weapons, the trebuchet crews continued to operate their devices to the fullest capacity. Minute after minute, hour after hour, ming stones flew through the air and collided with the walls, ripping the bricks apart piece by piece.

    It was only after the barrage hadsted for three days and three nights that Durio began to feel fear. By now, his engineers had begun bracing the weakest part of the fortress¡¯s walls with wooden beams, and yet this did not appear to be enough to stop their inevitable copse. When the wall fell, the thousands of roman legionaries sitting outside would pour through the gap, and kill their way to victory.

    Despite this, there was nothing he could do. The enemy¡¯s siege weapons were beyond the range of his archers, as were the men of the western roman legions who stood by and waited for the unavoidable copse of the walls.

    Eventually, Durio¡¯s greatest fear came to pass, and three sections of the wall thoroughly crumbled at the same time. Burying the men unfortunate enough to be standing on their ramparts. The moment the gaps appeared, the Western Roman Legions poured through them. While under the cover of their allied crossbowmen, who fired their bolts into the eastern roman defenders. Durio quickly shouted the orders to his soldiers, who did their best to follow them.

    ¡°Fill the gaps, make sure no man passes through into the courtyard!¡±

    With this said, hundreds of eastern roman soldiers rushed forward towards the gaps in their walls, and formed a shield wall, in an attempt to forestall the enemy from taking the fortress. However, was it so easy?

    Many of the eastern roman soldiers were conscripts with little more than a helmet and shield to protect them. Whereas the western roman troops were all heavily armored in iron lorica squamata. The difference in equipment alone was enough to ensure lesser casualties for the west.

    The western roman legionaries pushed off against the eastern roman shieldwall and filled the gaps between their defenses with their iron swords. The des sunk into the torsos of those who were unarmored and spilled their blood and guts onto the floor. Their lifeless bodies soon fell to the ground as friend and foe alike trampled on their corpses.

    As time went on, and the conflict continued, the western Roman troops began to advance. At first it was a matter of a few feet into the gaps, but soon, whole meters of ground were gained, and with minimal casualties on their part. The eastern roman forces were pushed back further and further, and as Durio witnessed this, he began to fear for his life. He could only mutter under his breath in a state of panic.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to be this way¡­. How¡­ How did this happen?¡±

    Despite the walls closing in on the man, he had no urge to escape, because he knew there was none. After massacring every man who defended this fortress, and using it as his own base of operations, he had never expected it to be his grave.

    As Durio gazed upon his armies being pushed back into the courtyard, the young Magister Militum fled deep within the Keep, where he climbed onto its roof, and took onest nce at the battle beyond the walls. Those western roman legionaries who had made it into the courtyard were just a minority.

    He was surrounded on all sides, and hundreds of his men fell by the minute. In a moment of hopelessness, he took a step off the ledge and fell to his death. Narrowly avoiding the torture he was sure to receive when his army was defeated. Upon witnessing the death of theirmander, the eastern roman army, or what remained of it, surrendered.

 Chapter 145 Unification of a Fractured Empire

    Chapter 145 Unification of a Fractured Empire

    With Durio and Yazdegerd dead, the eastern roman army immediately became dreadfullycking in leadership. It was not only the eastern roman army, but their empire as a whole which suffered from this. What followed the death of the Magister Militum, and the Regent, was immediately infighting among the ranks of the eastern roman generals.

    News quickly spread of Yazdegerd¡¯s and Durio¡¯s defeats, causing what remained of the Eastern Roman Army to route from Illyricum and fall back towards constantinople, in a vain attempt to im regency over the young boy emperor. However, when they returned to their capital city, they immediately found it blockaded by the western roman fleet, and under siege by the western roman army under themand of Marcellus.

    Though the eastern romans had no choice but to lift the siege however, they immediately realized that they were pressed on both sides by the enemy. Constantius had followed them back into Constantinople, but only after liberating the Gothic Foederati who manned the various strongholds that Marcellus had built in Illyricum. Because of this, his army had increased in size.

    With the Bosporus blockaded, and the city under siege, the eastern roman army became desperate for survival. Many among them broke ranks, stripped their uniforms, and ran to the Dinaric Alps in the hopes that they could escape theing purge.

    With infighting among their leadership, and mass desertion, the city of Constantinople fell with little effort, and in doing so, the eastern roman empire surrendered. Despite what one might believe, Marcellus strode through the city streets as if he was a conquering hero, yet he never removed his masked helm.

    It was not until he approached the gates of the pce where he finally took off his helmet, and revealed his handsome face, which had a stern expression. The boy Emperor, Theodosius II approached his rival from the west with a cold look in his eyes. Though he was still young, he appeared to fullyprehend what his defeat meant, and simply handed himself over to this conqueror from the west.

    His parents were dead, his uncle had been killed by Marcellus¡¯ hands, and now the man who had taken care of him for so many years had passed as well. However, it was only after he gazed upon the Western Roman Emperor for the first time that he realized there was not a hint of malice in the man¡¯s green eyes. Instead, he kneeled down, so that he could be face to face with the boy and asked him a simple question.

    ¡°Are you Emperor Theodosius?¡±

    The boy emperor nodded his head, and when he did so a warm smile appeared on Marcellus¡¯ face as he reached out his hand and ced it on the boy¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°You do not need to fear me. I can assure you that I intend no harm. Theodosius, though your uncle was a wicked man who sought to deprive me of my life and killed my mother. I hold no animosity towards you.

    I am here to offer you a choice. You and your sisters cane live with me, and your aunt as our adopted children, where everything you could possibly want in life shall be provided for you. Or you can stay here, and rule over the eat as my co-emperor.

    However, should you continue to reign over the eastern half of Rome, I must give you a fair warning in advance. I am sure you may realize that it is a heavy burden to rule over an Empire, and so long as you remain in constantinople, I will not be able to protect you from those who will covet your position.

    So, the question is, do you wish to live out your childhood as God intended, or do you wish to assume the full responsibilities thate with your lineage so early in life?¡±

    Theodosius gazed upon Marcellus with astonishment in his little eyes. He could not believe the man had made such a tempting offer. Better yet, there was not the slightest hint of deception or malevolence in the man¡¯s expression. It seemed as if he genuinely had decided to adopt Theodosius and his sister into his family.

    For a boy who was not even ten years old, to have lost his family, and to have been turned into a puppet by his regent, he had no desire to continue his reign. He quickly ran into Marcellus¡¯ arms and cried his tears out as he struggled to express his thoughts.

    ¡°Take me¡­ with you!¡±

    Marcellus smiled as he wrapped his armed around the boy, though because he was still wearing his lorica muscta, it was not the warmth of his body which greeted the boy, but the cold metallic surface of his bronze chest te.

    It was only after Theodosius entered his arms that he saw the murderous re of the boy¡¯s older sister, Aelia Pulcheria, who stared at the two from the Balcony above. It was not that she was perturbed by the kindness that Marcellus had shown them, but by the fact that the man was rumored to be a pagan. As a devout Christian, Aelia was not only enraged by Marcellus¡¯ heathen ways, but was fearful that he would corrupt the soul of her precious younger brother.

    In fact, the helmet that Marcellus war was simple proof that the rumors were true. This is why she stared at him so fiercely. Of course Marcellus did not realize this, and simply thought that the girl saw him as an enemy.

    Thus, he wore a warm smile and waved to her. Despite this act of kindness, the girl scoffed in disgust and fled further into the Pce of Constantinople. She made a vow then and there never to call the man ¡°father¡± and immediately instructed her sisters to do the same.

    As for Marcellus, he had no such intentions. He simply wanted to look after the young kids who were entirely innocent of their rtives¡¯ sins. Thus, after striding through Constantinople, and adopting Theodosius and his sisters, Marcellus had emerged victorious in the war against the Eastern Roman Empire.

    However, this did not mean that his legitimacy was recognized by all. After all, he had killed the Sassanid King, and thoroughly invoked the wrath of their empire. As soon as the Persians were finished licking their wounds, they would be back with a vengeance, and thus Marcellus had to n carefully for the day of their invasion.

 Chapter ?146 Family Reunion

    ?146 Family Reunion

    Having received the surrender of the young Emperor Theodosius II. Marcellus entered the pce of Constantinople, where he came across three young girls. A fierce look appeared on the face of an adorable young girl who was no older than twelve. Marcellus knew this girl to be Aelia Pulcheria. Behind her were her sisters, Aeliai and Aelia Arcadia.

    Though he had a kind and gentle expression on his handsome face, Pulcheria appeared to be enraged about his very appearance within her household. She quickly called him a couple of names, which he honestly wondered if she even knew the meaning.

    "Heathen! Fornicator! You shall step no further into my father''s household!"

    The look on Marcellus'' face was one of surprise. Though he may technically be an enemy of her little brother, he had no animosity towards him or his three sisters. Instead, Marcellus slowly approached the girls, with his arms spread out, signalling that he was no threat.

    "My name is Titus udius Marcellus, and I am your uncle. As I told your brother, I mean you no harm. Your aunt is my wife, and she is still alive and well within the city of Rome. I think cidia would love to see her nephew and nieces returned to her alive and well.

    Please do not think of me as your enemy. If you wish to use such a term for anyone, then it should be reserved for the man who coerced your brother, the Emperor, into dering war on the Western half of our people''s mighty Empire."

    Though Pulcheria was still reserved around Marcellus, even after finding out he was her uncle, Arcadia, who was the youngest of the three girls, ran out from behind her elder sister and towards Marcellus with tears in her eyes.

    "Uncle!"

    Losing their parents at such a young age had obviously been hard on the kids. To find out that the old miser, Yazdegerd, had used his power to dere war on their aunt and uncle had truly broken down the younger of the four siblings'' defenses.

    As for Pulcheria, she was a devout christian despite her young age and because of this, she could never forgive her uncle for being a godless heathen. In truth, she did not know that Marcellus had married her aunt Ga cidia until just this moment, and because of that she felt a deep sense of duty to convert the man to the proper faith.

    The way the girl stared at him, as if he was a clear and constant threat to her life, made Marcellus feel a bit bad. He tried to reason with Pulcheria the best he could.

    "I understand your fury. After all, your brother has now lost his throne because of me. But it was a choice he made. I have yet to have any children of my own, and it would be my honor to take you home with me so that your aunt and I can raise you as a proper family. Do you really wish to stay here in Constantinople, under the protection of strangers?"

    The words ''as a family'' hit Pulcheria in her most sensitive spot. After all, she had lost her parents at a young age, and because of this, she had practically raised her siblings herself these past few years. It was only after hearing this phrase that the girl approached Marcellus with a hint of caution in her eyes.

    When Marcellus saw this, he smiled and kneeled down so that he could be within eye level of the young girl. However, he never expected that the girl would take off her cross pendant and ce it around his neck before speaking to the man as if she were giving him a sermon.

    "I will never ept a heathen as my uncle. You must repent for your sins, or I will never acknowledge you!"

    Marcellus honestly did not know how to respond to this. He would never convert to the Christian religion. Its tenants were simply irreconcble with his way of life. The young Imperator could also never forgive the Christians for their persecution of his faith. However, in that moment, he felt that if he had any chance to get this girl to follow him to Rome, then his only choice was to do as she said.

    Thus, the rage in his eyes was quickly reced withpassion as he held onto the pendant and lied to Pulcheria through his teeth.

    "I repent for my sins..."

    For the first time since Pulcheriaid eyes on Marcellus, she smiled before hugging him along with his sisters. However, the moment their eyes no longer met, an ugly expression appeared on the Imperator''s face.

    He gazed at the cross that hung around his neck with disgust. Though it was a present from his niece, he would not feel at ease until he removed such a hated symbol from his personage at the first given opportunity.

    Though Marcellus had no way of knowing it at this time, Pulcheria wouldter find out about his insincerity and woulde to despise him for lying to her about his conversion to the Christian faith. However, at the same time, she would make it her life''s goal to convert the man to the one true god.

    After gathering Theodosius and his sisters, Marcellus did not even give the mighty city of Constantinople another nce. He looked on towards his Generals, and gave themand to Constantius to takemand over the Eastern half of the Roman Empire, until a time its soldiers swore loyalty to him alone.

    "Constantius, since it was your victory in Illyricum that made this reunification of our Empire possible, I will leave you inmand of the east until a time where I am able to incorporate it into the system I have established in the west. From this day forward, you are to protect the city of Constantinople from any and all threats which may bear their fangs against her."

    The Imperial Legate bowed before his Imperator before responding in the affirmative to hismands.

    "Your will be done, Imperator!"

    After saying this Marcellus carried the four children with him towards the nearest supply wagon, and had them apany him on the long journey back to Rome where their aunt lied in wait for their arrival.

 Chapter 147 Returning Home

    The Journey from Constantinople to Rome was a long one. However, by the time Marcellus entered the entrance of his vi, two beautiful young women were quick to greet him. It was evident by the roundness of their bellies that they were entering theter stages of pregnancy. When cidia saw the children which surrounded her man, she was shaken with excitement. It took only a few seconds for her to rush over to her nephew and nieces, where she showered them with love.

    ¡°Theodosius, Pulcheria, Arcadia, ci! I¡¯m so happy that you are all alright. I was so worried about your safety for these past few years!¡±

    The four children gazed upon their aunt with varying expressions. They had heard rumors that cidia was forced to marry Marcellus and that he treated her poorly. However, the woman appeared to be in good health, and judging by the affection in the man¡¯s eyes as he gazed upon his wife, they had clearly misjudged Marcellus.

    Marcellus walked over to cidia and picked her up, twirling the young woman around and kissing her on the lips in a disy of passion before gently cing her feet on the ground.

    ¡°cidia, words can not express how my heart ached just from being away from your love for so long!¡±

    The young empress blushed as she heard these words and looked away. Sigefrida, who scaled down from the steps and greeted her lover with a sullen expression observed this entire reaction.

    ¡°Oh? and what about me?¡±

    This perturbed tone immediately caused Marcellus¡¯ skin to crawl as he gazed up at the suebi beauty and approached her with loving arms. He had a wry smirk on his face as he greeted the woman.

    ¡°How could I possibly forget about my darling Sigefrida? Come here, love!¡±

    Sigefrida did not bother correcting her lover¡¯s shameless behavior, and instead wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him on the lips. The sight of two women loving the same man was shocking for Theodosius and his sisters, who were used to a monogamous family.

    Polygamy had never been a roman concept, and though Sigefrida was just a concubine, the fact that she so equally stood with cidia was stunning to the innocent children. Among them, Pulcheria was pouting. She felt as if she had been tricked. Marcellus made no mention of having another woman in the house. It was simply sinful.

    Despite the girl¡¯s thoughts, Marcellus went on to introduce her and her siblings to Sigefrida.

    ¡°This is Pulcheria. She is cidia¡¯s niece. These are her sisters, Arcadia, and ci, and this is her brother Theodosius. They will be living with us from now on, so please treat them well.¡±

    Sigefrida merely rolled her eyes beforementing on the whole ordeal as if it were tiresome.

    ¡°If I had known you were going to be bringing back four children, I would have scolded the foreman daily for taking so long in building your pce. Luckily for us, your family was quite wealthy, and so there are enough rooms to go around.¡±

    Marcellus made noment. Instead, he passed off the little ones to their aunt, before consulting Sigefrida on important matters of state.

    ¡°cidia, why don¡¯t you get the kids settled in while I talking to Sigefrida about some rather serious matters?¡±

    cidia merely nodded her head silently before leading the children away. After doing so, Sigefrida¡¯s expression turned grave.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me you let Yazdegerd escape?¡±

    Marcellus shook his head in denial as he led Sigefrida further into the pce while informing her of what had happened.

    ¡°No, he¡¯s dead. In fact, you could say he¡¯s missing his head entirely¡­ However, I fear that with his death, the Sassanids will be back soon enough with a vengeance. Though they suffered some losses in this war, they were merely acting in support of Constantinople, and thus did not pool as much troops into the campaign as I had hoped.

    I need you to dispatch the frumentarii further east so they can investigate who will seed Yazdegerd, and whether or not they are nning an invasion of our newly conquerednds.¡±

    A slight sigh escaped from Sigefrida¡¯s pink lips as she nodded her head in agreement. However the look in her eye was fierce as she lectured Marcellus on his uncanny ability of making enemies.

    ¡°Why is it every time we defeat one enemy, two more takes its ce? I feel as if you are destined to make the entire world hostile against you¡­ Very well, I will look into the matter. Though don¡¯t expect results anytime soon. It will take some effort to infiltrate the Sassanid Empire, especially when we have yet to fully incorporate the eastern half of Rome into our Empire. Make no mistake, if you try to force your dictatorship over the east, there will be resistance to the changes, just like there was in the west.¡±

    Marcellus merely nodded his head in understanding of Sigefrida¡¯s words. He knew better than anyone just how many enemies he would make by trying to incorporate the eastern half of the empire into his military dictatorship.

    Nheless, so long as he drew breath, it was the most stable form of government he could create. It was also a temporary means to an end. Once he fixed the problems which ailed Rome, he would transition to a more legitimate form of government.

    ¡°Thanks, Sigefrida, and make sure to get some rest. Stress is not good for the baby¡¯s health¡­¡±

    In response to this, the barbarian beauty merely scoffed before flicking her man across the nose. She could hardly believe that he would say such a thing after giving her such a stressful task.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to say such things to me¡­¡±

    In the end, the coupleughed off their problems before settling into the vi. For the time being, Marcellus would have to get acquainted with family life. Not only for his nephew and nieces but also for his own children that were on the way. He would have to worry about the consequences of Yazdegerd¡¯s death some other time.

 Chapter ?148 Dreams of the Past Part VI

    ?148 Dreams of the Past Part VI

    It was about two weeks after Maria''s wedding that Frank found himselfpletely isted from his family. Since his little stunt at the reception, not a single one of his family members had returned his calls or his texts.

    He was beginning to be worried about the whole affair. His rent was due soon, and yet his parents, who normally paid for it, had not sent him a single dime. It was as if they had cut him offpletely after exposing his sister to who she really was.

    Ultimately, Frank found himself in Don''s house with his head hanging low. Since the disaster of the wedding, Don had gotten his annulment and was free from Maria''s treacherous grasp. As a result, he included Frank into his circle of friends, who were all quite wealthy.

    Thus, while Frank''s family had shut him out, he was notpletely alone. Don walked over to the boy and handed him a beer before giving him some advice.

    "It''s only been two weeks. Give your family some time, they''lle around. What you did was incredibly embarrassing for your sister and your parents. They all bear a mark of shame now, and it is not easy to erase. With enough time, all wounds eventually heal."

    Frank nodded his head in silence before sighing heavily. He was looking at his bank ount as he nearly broke out into tears at such a paltry sum.

    "It''s not my family that I''m worried about. It''s the fact that they havepletely cut me off. I can''t even afford to buy a decent meal, let alone pay my rent. I have no idea what I''m going to do if they don''te around within the next two weeks."

    Frank took a sip from his beer, as Don thought some things over in silence. It was only after several minutes that the man posed an alternative solution.

    "You remember, Owen, right?"

    After a taking another sip from his beer, Frank looked up at Don and nodded his head slowly. Upon seeing that the boy''s memory was intact, Don continued his train of thought.

    "Well, his bar has gotten really busytely and he could use an extra pair of hands. If I put in a good word for you, I have no doubt that he will hire you as a bartender, and they make more money than you might think. If you''re willing, you won''t need to worry about your finances for some time. What do you think?"

    Frank looked up from his phone and thought about the offer sincerely for a few moments before nodding his head in agreement. He knew he could not sit by and do nothing. Now that Don was going out of his way to get him a job, how could he reject the offer?

    "Thanks, man... I feel better already."

    A smile appeared on Don''s face as he took a sip from his own beer before responding to Frank''s statement.

    "Don''t mention it. It''s the least I could do after you helped me with your sister. I''ll go give him a call right now."

    After saying that, Don left the room and gave Owen a call, where, as expected, the man was willing to hire Frank on the spot, regardless of his employment history. When Don finally returned to the room, he did so with a bottle of bourbon in his hand, which he poured a ss for each of them before speaking a toast.

    "To new beginnings!"

    Frank smiled and nodded his head before clinking his ss and repeating the toast.

    "To new beginnings!"

    The two men continued to drink for some time as they talked about Frank''s sister and the problems she had caused. Later that evening, Frank found himself within Owen''s bar, learning the ropes on how to be a bartender. As a sociable person, who was already ustomed to mixing drinks, it did not take him long to pick of the craft. After roughly two weeks, he was on the job working full time.

    On the first night of him performing his job, a familiar figure sat down across from him with a pretty smile on her face. Though Frank was in the middle of pulling out a beer for another customer, because of this, he did not recognize her presence until she called out his name.

    "Frank, how have you been? It''s almost been a month since you ruined your sister''s wedding, hasn''t it?"

    Frank looked over at the neer and smiled, before posing a question to the young woman.

    "Anna? Long time no see, so what''s your poison?"

    The girl smiled seductively as she heard these words before giving an answer, along with a proper retort.

    "A shot of whiskey. And while you''re at it, tell me something, will you? After that night, you never called me back. Did I do something wrong?"

    A slight scoff erupted from Frank''s lips as she shook his head before responding to the woman''s question.

    "You tell me, after all, you never gave me your number."

    After saying this, he handed the girl her drink, where she swallowed its contents, as if the whiskey did not have the slightest bit of bite. After taking the shot, she handed the ss back to Frank with a pleading gesture on her pretty face. Taking the hint, he filled another shot for the girl. However, rather than drink it; she handed the beverage back to him with a yful tone in her voice.

    "It''s your turn. I''ll tell you what, if you manage to drink this shot without a single gag, I''ll give you my number. How does that sound?"

    Frank downed the shots'' contents with little effort before handing the empty ss back to the girl. There was a look of surprise on her face as she saw him so easily drink the whiskey. Silence remained for a few seconds as she wrote down her number on a cocktail napkin before stuffing it in his pocket.

    "Color me impressed... So how about you tell me all about what''s been going on since your family kicked you to the curb? After all, you''re working here, of all ces, so something interesting must have happened."

    After careful consideration, Frank declined her request before making one of his own.

    "After I clock out, I''ll take you out for something to eat, where I will tell you my tale of woe. But I''m working right now, so it will have to wait."

    A pleasant smile emerged on Anna''s pretty face as she nodded her head before responding.

    "Very well. If that''s the case, then get me a cold one. I''m not going to sit here and drink whiskey for the next two hours."

    Though Frank was slightly confused about how this woman knew his schedule, he ultimately put it aside and did as he wasmanded. Serving the woman an ice cold beer. As for the promise he made her, he would fulfill it to the letter, and in doing so, grow closer to the woman he had randomly hooked up with on the night of his sister''s wedding..

    Marcellus woke up shortly after concluding their discussion and gazed at the ceiling. He could not help but wonder what became of Frank after the disaster that was his sister''s wedding. After all, the man appeared to have lived for at least another two years after the dream he had just had. Ultimately, he would put these thoughts aside and focus on his day ahead. After all, he had plenty of concerns within this life to worry about.

 Chapter 149 A Test Of Faith

    Marcellus sat at his desk. He had just awoken from another dream about his past life. While his household was getting ustomed to its new members. The man had locked himself away in his office. His purpose was to design a newmunication system.

    One of the ws that his empire had was aplete and utterck of fastmunication. This meant that when a border region was attacked, it could very well be weeks before he became aware of it. In these cases, by the time he responded, the barbarians would already have caused massive damage to the region.

    In his dream he had witnessed his history professor speak about the pony express. A form ofmunication that was established in the 1800s in America to allow for rapid transit ofmunications.

    The idea was to keep horse stations all across the nation. Where one rider would travel for ten miles beforeing across the next station, where he would hand of the letter to the next rider, and so on and so forth until the message finally reached its destination.

    This method of fastmunication was entirely usible to introduce within the borders of the Roman Empire due to the massive amount of roads that had been constructed throughout the centuries.

    Whenbined with his existing structure of local garrisons in each town and vige, along with military outposts spread out across the territory to alert the majority of limitanei when a region came under attack, would create a robustwork ofmunication and armed response to any armed conflict that broke out within the borders of the Roman Empire.

    Thus, Marcellus was now hard at work, designing these ry stations, so that he could ry messages across the entirety of the Empire at a speed that would allow him to react to any problems that urred in the timeliest of manners possible within a pre-industrial society.

    At this moment, a knock appeared on the man''s door, when the young girl, Pulcheria, entered. There was a stern look on the girl''s face as she sat down across from the Roman Emperor before chastising the man for lying to her previously.

    "You lied to me!"

    Marcellus had no idea what the girl was talking about. He merely ced down his writing instrument and gazed upon the girl with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

    "What the hell are you talking about, Pulcheria?"

    The girl was practically pouting as she continued to scold the man who had the power to seal her fate, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

    "You told me you repented for your sins and epted Jesus into your heart. But you have not once stepped foot in a church since we returned! You''re a liar! And I hate liars!''

    In response to this line of reasoning, Marcellus merely scoffed before scolding the girl for her naivety.

    "I recall saying that I repent for my past sins. Which I sincerely meant, but I am fairly certain that I made no mention of converting to your religion. You should really quit acting so pious. It''s not adorable in the slightest. A girl your age shouldn''t be so worried about religion and the afterlife."

    Pulcheria''s fists curled as she restrained herself from speaking words she knew would offend the Imperator. She took a few moments to calm herself before responding to Marcellus'' shameless remark.

    "Now that I know your true character, I will be better guarded against you in the future. I will warn my sisters not to trust you, as you are a cunning man who maniptes words to your own benefit while making false promises to little girls!"''<sub> </sub>

    Marcellus simply scoffed before shifting the conversation to something less irritating.

    "Besides my personal beliefs, how are you enjoying your stay in Rome so far? Is there anything you need that I can fetch for you?"

    The girl merely pouted and shook her head. She did not want to fall prey to this con man''s false tongue once more. She merely sat there, refusing to utter a word. Which evoked a sigh from Marcellus as he tried to get the girl to forget about her stubbornness over what gods he chose to worship.

    "I will assume that your silence means you are doing just fine and require nothing further on my part. So allow me to pose another question. Just how are you and your sisters getting along with your aunt?"

    Though Pulcheria didn''t want to say anything and didn''t do so for some time. Ultimately, her inexperience got the better of her and she let something slip in a voice so low Marcellus nearly missed it.

    "She''s alright..."

    A smirk appeared on Marcellus'' face as he heard this, before interrogating them further.

    "Oh, is that so? Well, I''m d you get along so well with your aunt. Because after all, I''m just a filthy godless heathen who maniptes little girls, isn''t that right? It''s good to know that cidia is here to protect you from little ol me..."

    Pulcheria''s face reddened when she heard these words. She could tell by the tone in the man''s voice that he was mocking her previous statements towards his character. The truth of the matter was that Marcellus had made great efforts to look after her and her siblings. He treated them like a proper family member should and ensured that they were well provided for.

    However, Pulcheria was instilled with religious teachings by her own mother, and because of this she could not get over the fact that Marcellus worshipped the ancient deity Sol Invictus. Her mother had always warned her that pagans were dangerous and vile people. Yet, despite these words, Marcellus continued to treat her as his own family.

    Perhaps this was why Pulcheria was so insistent that Marcellus convert to her faith. After all, it would put her mind at ease, while also conforming to her beliefs. So long as Marcellus was a good man, who rejected the Christian god, it spat in the face of everything her mother had taught her about pagans. Ultimately, she calmed her heart before ring at Marcellus one more time.

    "So you really have no intention of being a good man! You just want to be an old viin for the rest of your life?"

    In response to this, Marcellus merely scoffed before lecturing the girl on her naivety.

    "In the name of your religion, I have seen countless men kill innocent people by the thousands. Men, women, and children, all butchered because they did not worship the same god as you. Tell me, are those men who condemn innocent children to death? Are they good men?

    By virtue of worshipping christ, are they a better man than me, who has only ever taken a life in defense of my homnd? You''re a na?ve little girl who has yet to understand the ways of the world. In what way are you capable of judging me? I sincerely hope you ponder what I have said before you next condemn me as a wicked man. Now if you don''t mind, I have work that I must finish, and little time to do it in..."

    After hearing this, Pulcheria was stunned into silence. She did not say anything in her defense, and merely left Marcellus to continue his daily tasks. She would ponder his words for some time beforeing to a single conclusion about the nature of virtue.

 Chapter 150 An Average Morning In The Villa

    Marcellus awoke in the morning, to the feeling of a wet kiss on his lips. This had be his custom since he had married cidia. The young woman had always ensured that she woke up prior to her husband, just so that she could awake the man with a pleasant kiss.

    After opening his eyes, Marcellus saw the woman he loved. By now her belly was visibly round, as she had been pregnant for several months. As a man who would soon be a father, Marcellus felt a deep sense of pride every time he gazed upon his wife''s pregnant belly.

    However, it was not just cidia who was pregnant, Sigefrida also carried his child. The icy beauty lied asleep next to the husband and wife. Though she was the leader of the Frumentarii, she liked to get her beauty sleep, and did not rise in the dawn like her lover.

    As much as Marcellus wanted to pin cidia beneath him, and ravage her like a beast, he chose not to. After all, there was much work that needed to be conducted, and he simply did not have the time to make love to his wife every morning. Thus, he kissed the woman passionately, before rising to a seated position, where cidia had already scampered off to get the man some clothes..

    Throughout his entire life, Marcellus always had ves to dress him. However, upon getting married, cidia enjoyed doing that task herself. Even though Sigefrida found it a bit insulting, as it was a task she herself once fulfilled. She would much rather sleep, and thus she ultimately paid it no mind.

    After dressing Marcellus in his clothing and armor, the man walked out of the room, with his wife in hand. There was a simple question on his mind, one that he was not afraid to voice.

    "So, how are the kids doing?"

    cidia was in fact only a few years older than the eldest of the four children they had just adopted. However, she was still their aunt, and was legally an adult. As such, she had some form of authority over the kids. Yet, they were still adjusting to life in the city of Rome. After all, whenpared to the city of Constantinople, the west really did notpare. After careful thought, cidia responded honestly to her man.

    "They are adjusting well, though Pulcheria seems to be rather concerned about your soul."

    The young woman giggled slightly before making a joke at Marcellus'' expense.

    "I think she likes you!"

    In response to this, Marcellus merely scoffed and groaned before expressing his truest thoughts.

    "Just what I need... Well, whatever, as long as she doesn''t hate me, then everything is fine. Tell the ves to make breakfast. I''m not going to work until I have some food in my belly..."

    cidia giggled once more, before running ahead of Marcellus and into the Kitchen where she herself began to cook up some eggs. As she did so, she let out her thoughts in a mocking tone.

    "We don''t need the ves. I can cook you anything you want!"

    Though Marcellus was used to ves taking care of his meals, cidia had recently gotten into cooking, and enjoyed making meals for her man. Thus, Marcellus did not say a word, and sat down at the table while patiently awaiting his breakfast.

    Not long after, the four kids ran into the room, their steps thundering down the stairs as they did so. It was almost as if the siblings were in a race to see who could reach the kitchen first. Ultimately Theodosius was the first to arrive, perhaps because his older sister let him win. However, there was a wide smirk on the boy''s face as he proimed himself the winner of their little game.

    "Haha! I won!"

    Pulcheria smiled and rustled the boy''s brown hair before hugging him tightly.<sub> </sub>

    "Of course you did, little brother! You''re fast and strong. One day, you will be a mighty warrior!"

    Though Theodosius had surrendered his crown to Marcellus, he did not regret it in the slightest. In fact, he enjoyed his life in Rome where he could live without the worries of an adult. Since his father died a few years prior, he had been the emperor of the east, and at such a young age, the amount of responsibility he had on his shoulders was immense.

    However, here in Rome, under his uncle''s watchful eye. He was free to run around and y as a child. Thus, the boy was smiling more than he had in the past four years. Pulcheria noticed this change in the boy''s behavior and attributed to Marcellus. Though she still found him detestable for being a godless heathen, at least he lived up to his word.

    Marcellus saw the children enter the dining area, and he immediately got up from his seat to hug his little nephew. An act of which caught Pulcheria''s gaze. The Imperator lifted the boy into the air, and ced him on his shoulder while wearing a pleasant smile on his face.

    "There''s my little nephew. I never realized you were so fast, so what''s the prize you were racing your sisters for?"

    Theodosius looked at his uncle with an innocent expression before voicing his confusion.

    "Prize?"

    When Marcellus heard this, he chuckled, before cing the boy back on the ground. After doing so, he lectured him with a lighthearted speech.

    "If you''re going topete, there should always be a prize, whether it''s a tangible item like a trophy. Or something more philosophical, like honor and glory! Since you didn''t decide on a prize beforehand, how about I ask you aunt cidia to bake you some cookies? So that you will always remember the sweet taste of victory."

    Pulcheria was shocked when she heard these words. Was Marcellus really going to have his wife bake the boy some cookies, just because she had allowed him to win a minor race down the stairs? She was also just old enough to know the intent behind these words, as if Marcellus was inspiring the boy to be morepetitive by rewarding him for his efforts.

    However, she did not interject, and because of this, Theodosius jumped with joy.

    "Yes! Aunty cidia''s cookies are the best!"

    There was a reason behind this. Using his knowledge from his past life, Marcellus had introduced all kinds of dishes that were not present in this time. As a result, there were several types of delicious sweets that western Rome now had ess to.

    Upon hearing the boy''s excitement Marcellus chuckled before sitting back down at the table. He motioned for the kids to do the same.

    "Alright, then I''ll ask cidia to make you some cookiester today. It will have to wait until after breakfast. In the mean time, sit down, and I''ll have the ves fetch you a cup of milk."

    The kids did as instructed and sat down at the table patiently awaiting. Marcellus fulfilled his promise and ordered his ves to fetch milk for the kids, and himself. After a while, cidia emerged from the kitchen with several tes of eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes.

    Marcellus would spend the rest of the morning enjoying a nice breakfast with his family before getting back to work for the day. He rather enjoyed the peaceful days he had found himself in after subjugating the eastern roman empire and took advantage of every moment that he could spare for his family.

    However, he knew that war was on the horizon, and it would only be a matter of time before the Sassanids attacked. Once that happened, he would once more be thrust into the brutal business of warfare.

 Chapter 151 We Are Not Spartans!

    Marcellus stood within the courtyard of his Vi, while the Imperial Pce of Rome was under reconstruction, he chose to live within the home that he had dwelled in for many years. Currently, he stood tall with a wooden sword in his hand. His opponent? The young boy Theodosius II.

    The Imperator of the Roman Empire, who had recently unified both the east and west, wanted nothing more than his nephew to grow into a man capable of defending Rome. As such, he was giving the boy a lesson on basic swordsmanship. Naturally, as a Roman, there were noplex maneuvers that made use of a two handed de like those that would develop in future centuries.

    Instead, a romanmanded a sword in one hand, and a shield in the other. Thus, as the boyunched his attack towards his uncle, it was quickly dispelled, as he had not kept his shield raised when he struck.

    Marcellus easily parried the boy''s attack, before pushing him onto the ground with a bash of his shield. It was not forceful enough to cause any harm to the child, but it was enough to remove Theodosius from his footing. With a stern tone in his voice, Marcellus lectured the boy on his failures.

    "Keep your shield raised at all times. As a Roman, you are not a lone warrior, but one of many in a shield wall! If you should lower your shield for but a single moment, you will not only cause your own death, but those of your fellow Romans as well. Remember this!"

    As Theodosius rose to his feet, there was a pout on his boyish face. He was quick to rebuke his uncle for this lesson in pain.

    "But uncle, my shield is heavy!"

    Contrary to the leniency the boy expected, Marcellus scoffed before shouting at the top of his lungs in amanding tone which immediately drew Theodosius'' attention.

    "Good! It will build strength! Nowe at me, again!"

    Upon saying this, Marcellus raised his shield once more, and held his wooden de tightly to his chest. The boy mimicked his actions and advanced forward, pushing against his uncle''s shield with his own in a desperate attempt to make an opening. This time, when he struck at the man''s knees, he did not lower his shield. Thus, when Marcellus moved for the counterattack, it was thoroughly blocked by the young boy in front of him.

    The two exchanged blows in a sequence, without any gaining the advantage, before Theodosius dropped his shield once more, his arm too weary to properly hold it up any longer. As a result, Marcellus'' de reached the boy''s neck, but stopped before it could cause any harm. With a heavy sigh, the Imperator scolded his nephew once more.

    "And with this, you are dead! You disappoint me, Theodosius, no matter how weary your body might be. You must hold up your shield! However, you are still young, and your body has yet to be a man''s. We will continue this lesson again tomorrow morning."

    The boy sighed before falling to the ground exhausted, dropping both his weapon and his primary means of defense as he did so. As Marcellus walked away, Pulcheria approached with a gon of water in her hand, which she fed to her little brother. She had a worried expression on her face as she cast an angry nce towards her uncle''s backside before speaking ill of him behind his back.

    "That old bastard! He thinks he can treat my little brother so cruelly! Well, I''ll show him a piece of my mind!"<sub> </sub>

    However, contrary to the adolescent girl''s expectations, Theodosiustched onto her arm just as she was about to scamper off towards Marcellus. He shook his head before rebuking her for her actions.

    "It''s not uncle''s fault. He is merely teaching me how to defend myself. It is I who am a poor learner. I can only me that miser Yazdegerd for never teaching me how to wield a sword. As a Roman, it is something I should have already learned by now!"

    Despite the boy''s adamant behavior, Pulcheria merely sighed and grabbed hold of his head, and stuffed it into her small chest as she reassured him that none of this was his fault.

    "Theodosius, you are still a child. What kind of maniac is so forceful in training a young boy on how to be a warrior? We are not Spartans! Their barbaric ways died out centuries ago! The fact that Marcellus is even thinking of training today''s youth in such a capricious manner is truly reprehensible."

    It was true what Pulcheria had said. Marcellus had recently enacted military academies for the young boys of Rome to train it, so that they could be proficient in the use of arms, military tactics, and survival before they even became men.

    It was a controversial move on the Imperator''s part, but the logic behind it was solid. The Barbarians were at the gates, and even though the Romans had, for the most part, secured their borders outside of the frontiers, the threat that the barbarian tribes presented was still very real.

    As a result, every young boy at the Age of seven was required to undergo military training in several forms. Everything from hand to handbat via pankration, to the use of arms,bined tactics, and survival skills.

    Those who had natural talents with a bow became archers, those with natural talent on horseback became cavalry, those who had a fierce heart became frontline infantry, and those with exceptional minds became engineers who constructed and operated siege weapons.

    Naturally, as the nephew of the current Military Dictator, Theodosius was no exception to this rule, though he had special privileges, as his training was undertaken by Marcellus personally. Still, as much as Pulcheria may reject to it, the boy actually looked forward to his daily training sessions with his uncle, and thus despite being several years younger than Pulcheria, Theodosius lectured the girl on her naivety.

    "You wouldn''t understand..."

    After saying this, the boy rose to his feet, and walked off towards the kitchen to get a snack from his beloved aunt, who treated him as if he were her own child. As for Pulcheria, she merely pouted, and shifted his gaze off towards the direction that Marcellus had gone to before uttering one simple phrase beneath her breath.

    "You bastard..."

 Chapter 152 Overhauling The Primary Education System

    Seasons changed, and winter was soon arriving. Unlike prior years, which were filled with war and famine. For the first time in a long time, Rome seemed to have a massive food surplus. So much so that it was highly likely that most families would be well fed throughout the winter.

    During the past few months, Marcellus had been hard at work incorporating the Eastern half of the Roman Empire into his dominion. Though there was initially some resistance on behalf of the eastern patricians. The aristocrats of Constantinople soon realized that it was better to live the life of luxury which Marcellus provided, then it was to bite the hand that fed them.

    As a result, the military dictatorship that Marcellus had established was currently thriving. Not only was it capable of intercepting barbarian raids as they urred across the vast territory of the Empire, but through the use of small vassal states, they had begun to incorporate many of these same barbarians as loyal protectors of Rome.

    Meanwhile, in the East, the Sassanid Empire remained silent. It was currently undergoing a session crisis because of the untimely death of their previous Shah. It would be some time before the Persians got their shit together to the point where they would pose a threat to Rome.

    Thus, Marcellus was more focused on internal matters than foreign threats, at least for the time being. Standing on the balcony of the restored Imperial Pce within the city of Rome was none other than the imperator himself. On this cold autumn night, he stared off into the starry sky and pondered many questions he had on his mind.

    In the dreams he saw at night, Marcellus saw a world that was far removed from the one he currently dwelled in. There were many things that confused him, but as time passed and he witnessed more of this bizarre realm, he came to understand certain things that differed vastly from the real world.

    One thing he noticed was that in this world, there were public institutions for learning, which helped educate even the poorest of the civilization''s citizens. While Rome had ess to schools for centuries, they were mostly reserved for those wealthy enough to pay for them.

    While this could be changed to include arger portion of the popce, mainly through the use of government subsidies. The thing that immediately came to Marcellus'' mind was that the curriculum in this alternate world differed vastly from what was taught in Rome. In Rome, school work was split in between basic arithmetic, grammar, rhetoric, and philosophy.

    However, in this alternate world, the primary subjects were mathematics, science, history,nguage, geography, art, music, and physical education. Since Marcellus had restored the Roman Empire, he had been having an increase in dreams of being a child in this other world, particrly during school and what he learned there. There was an overwhelming source of information that was provided to him. So much so that he felt like he could entirely revolutionize the curriculum in all of Rome''s schools.

    If there was one thing he regretted, it would be the massive push back he would receive if he tried to educate young girls along with the boys. After careful consideration, he decided to stick to the status quo. It was better to not incite civil unrest over something as trivial as educating women.

    After thinking about it for some time, Marcellus left the balcony and returned inside the warm interior of his pce, where he proceeded to climb the steps to his office. After secluding himself within his study, the man began to write a decree.<sub> </sub>

    In this decree, all institutions of learning would be nationalized effective immediately. Meaning that their expenses, curriculum, and operation were all handled by Marcellus. After nationalizing education, Marcellus wrote out the new subjects which were simr to those from his past life.

    Not only did Marcellus dictate that all schools must teach math, science, history,nguage, geography, art, music, and physical education. But he also spent many hours writing out their curriculum based upon the dreams he had of this other, more modern world.

    Though he could not prove much of the things in these books, he knew they were true in the depths of his soul. Though this meant there would be a disconnect between the older and younger generations, the youth of Rome were its future, and because of this, Marcellus focused heavily on expanding their knowledge, as well as overhauling the way that math was conducted.

    No longer were roman numerals in ce, instead the arabic system that was used by the western world during his past life was adopted. Everything from basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, to the more advanced forms of long multiplication and division, were all added to the curriculum. He even included the metric system as the new form of measurement.

    Marcellus did his best to replicate the entire primary education system of the United States, but adapted to the Roman world. Though math, science, art, and physical education remained mostly the same as his past life. Marcellus had to change the other subjects to fit the times he lived in. Because of this history, geography, music, andnguage were all modified to be Roman in nature.

    By doing this, Marcellus ensured that the next generation or Romans would learn more in a mere six years than they would if they were to go through their entire childhoods learning what was currently taught, and he had expanded the schools to include a wider range of the poption.

    After finishing all of this work, the sun was already high in the air, and the smell of eggs and bacon wafted its way into the man''s study. As a result, Marcellus ced down his pen and ink before exiting his office. Later in the day, he would dispatch his newest orders on educational reforms, and have them adopted across the entirety of the Empire.

    Though there would not be an immediate benefit to this investment of time, money, and resources. Future generations of the Roman Empire would thank Marcellus for these changes, as what would be taught to the youth would revolutionize the way that Romans and, by extension, all of Europe looked at the world.

    Ultimately, education was always worth the investment. Especially in a time where basic literacy had fallen to an all-time low. It was a sad state of affairs, but it was true that so long as one knew how to read and write these days, they could easily be a centurion. Well, that was about to change, for better or for worse. Marcellus would force the Roman Empire to ept a standard of education which was on par with elementary students from his past life.

    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 153 Creating The Printing Press

    The following morning Marcellus was hard at work. If not for his dream the night before, he may have taken the night off. However, after having such an epiphany, he could not help but get to work. During the previous night, the man had dreamt about a critical piece of technology that would revolutionize society.

    At the moment, the man was drafting blueprint designs for what was essentially the world''s first printing Press. With this technology, books no longer need to be written by hand. Not only would this cause their price to decrease, but would also increase the amount of literacy.

    It was difficult to overhaul the education system overnight, especially when books needed to be manufactured, read, and understood by the instructors so that they could appropriately teach its contents to the youth of Rome.

    With the printing press, his problems regarding the manufacture of books were solved. Thus, he hurriedly jotted away at the designs of such an astonishing device before the images faded from his mind.

    There was another use of the printing press that Marcellus had thought of as he wrote away on the sheet of papyrus: Propaganda. He could manufacture leaflets and distribute them across the empire, where the literate portion of the poption could understand his intent.

    This would be an effective means of dispelling many of the nasty rumors which surrounded his rule. Such as the one that imed he was a wife beater, who had forced the roman princess to marry him out of a lust for power.

    Thus, the man was rather excited as he finished his draft, and sent it off for manufacture. He wanted entire manufactorums set up with printing presses, so that he could mass produce books and propaganda for all kinds. It was only after he hadpleted designing this newest invention did the man sigh and copse in the back of his seat.

    Two days ago, he had stayed up all night overhauling Rome''s education system, and today he had spent many hours of the day ving away at inventing the printing press. As a result, he was well and truly exhausted. It was with this in mind that he dragged himself to his feet and found his way to the bath-house that existed within the Royal Pce.

    After tossing his clothes aside, and opening the door which led to the pool, Marcellus noticed he wasn''t alone. Currently both cidia, and Sigefrida were within the bath, washing each other''s backs. He was slightly confused by the sight, as the two of them barely managed to get along most of the time.

    Yet here they were bathing together as if it were the mostmon thing in the world. As a result, he could not help but scoff at witnessing such a pleasant scene.

    "And here I thought you two were mortal enemies who barely got along for my sake. What made you change your mind?"

    It was only now that the two women realized that their man had entered the room. cidia was quick to reject the man''s silly notions before wrapping her hands around Sigefrida''s substantial bosom.

    "What are you talking about? Sigefrida''s a sweetheart! You must be careful, or I might just steal her away from you!"<sub> </sub>

    There was an obvious look of difort on the barbarian beauty''s face as she red towards her roman counterpart with a look that said ''take them off before I break them off''. cidia merely responded with a sh of her tongue before withdrawing her hands. It was only after she had let go that Sigefrida sighed in relief.

    As for Marcellus, he was just d to see that his two women were getting along, and as a result he happily sat down in the pool of warm water, and began to soak away his stress. The man remained utterly silent as cidia approached him and began to apply soap to his body.

    Normally Marcellus would have the ves bathe him, but for whatever reason the two women appeared to bepeting for his affection, and at this moment it gave cidia an opportunity to advance ahead of her rival.

    However, the moment after Sigefrida saw cidia steal the lead, she followed up, and washed his front side. Thus, the two women were fiercely engaged in a battle of who could clean their man the best. Marcellus was honestly astonished by how far these two women would go, but said nothing of it and waited until they were finished.

    Once they were done, he exited the bath, where Sigefrida rushed ahead of her rival, and dressed her man in his clothes, before cidia could get ahead, instantly negating the minute advantage cidia had just moments before.

    In the eyes of the Roman Emperor, it was simply adorable howpetitive the two women were to win his love. Thus, he responded to the barbarian beauty''s gesture by kissing her on the forehead. Which caused her to blush, while at the same time eying her young rival with a hint of superiority in her ice-blue eyes.

    This immediately sparked envy in cida''s hazel eyes, which caused her to rush over to her husband and pout.

    "Me too..."

    Marcellus chuckled when he heard this and responded with the same gesture that immediately caused Sigefrida to scoff and look away in disdain. No matter what Marcellus did, he could not win. Thus he simply smiled, and led the girls out of the bathroom, with a simple question that he posed.

    "What''s for lunch?"

    The two women looked at each other in confusion. They had not nned for anything special for today. But the way it sounded, Marcellus was already done with his work for the day. Thus, they had to think of something special to eat. Which they quickly ran off and created. Meanwhile, Marcellus watched their two behinds and shook his head before making ament to himself.

    "Those two girls are going to be the death of me one day..."

 Chapter 154 Training The Next Generation

    Theodosius sat on horseback, as he slowly by surely trotted forward. Today was his first lesson in horseback riding. He had to admit; it was easier than he was led to believe by his past advisors. Of course, the only reason such a thing was the case was due to the invention of stirrups which allowed the boy to mount the steed, and stay seated on its back in a much easier fashion.

    Marcellus rode on horseback by the boy''s side, giving him words of encouragement as their steads rounded the corner. He was dressed in his full armor, despite being within the grounds of the pce. Perhaps it was years of military service deep behind enemy lines, but the man wore his armor from the moment he woke up, until the second he climbed into bed, even when he wasn''t on a campaign.

    The boy seemed to get a thrill out of the Imperator''s shiny armor and made ament on it as he carefully held the reins in his hands.

    "Uncle, your armor is so amazing. When will I get a set of my own?"

    A slight chuckle erupted from Marcellus'' lips as he pushed his steed around the corner. Where he quickly made ament in response to the boy''s question.

    "For a set of armor like this, you need to at the very least be a Legatus. Perhaps when you grow up, and enter the army, you will rise through the ranks. However, if you desire such a thing, then you need to focus on your own training, and not ck off in the slightest."

    The young boy merely pouted as he heard these words, before following after his uncle, who had sped slightly ahead of him. No longer daring to merely trot forward, he made the horse move a bit faster as it walked through the pce''s circuit with a hint of pride in its beastly eyes.

    While Marcellus instructed his nephew on how to properly ride a horse, Pulcheria and her sisters were huddled together and watching the lesson. The eldest of the three sisters had a frown on her face while bitting her lower lip in displeasure. She couldn''t help but voice her thoughts regarding her uncle allowed.

    "That old bastard..."

    The moment she said this, her younger sister Arcadia repeated her words, as if she was not even aware what they meant.

    "Yeah... that old bastard... Pulcheria, what''s a bastard?"

    Upon being asked this, the adolescent girl blushed lightly before looking away, not willing to answer her sister''s question. She merely responded with a general statement that so many adults had said to her in the past.

    "You will know when you''re older..."

    This caused the younger of the two sisters to pout, and just when she was about to break out into a little tantrum, cidia approached the trio with a wide smile on her face.

    "How are my three little nieces doing on this fine afternoon?"

    Arcadia hadpletely forgotten her previous state of anger and rushed over into cidia''s arms, while Pulcheria no longer dared to gaze upon Marcellus'' back any longer, and instead addressed her aunt with a pleasant smile on her youthful face.<sub> </sub>

    "Aunty cidia! What are you doing here?"

    The young woman smiled and gazed upon her husband, who was instructing her nephew how to ride a horse before making a shortment exining her reasoning.

    "Is it inappropriate for a wife to watch her husband while he''s at work?"

    Thisment caught Pulcheria by surprise, as she did not really consider what the man was doing to be work. After all, he was the Emperor of the Romans. Why was he wasting his time teaching a young boy how to ride? Or so was her thoughts.

    If the girl was actually honest with herself, she would recognize that there was a hint of pride in her heart over the fact that Rome''s greatest general and current military dictator was teaching her little brother the skills he needed to survive in this harsh world. But she was not honest with herself, and thus she could only find fault in everything Marcellus did, no matter how benevolent it might be.

    cidia had long since noticed the way her niece treated her man, and had taken the time out of her schedule in an attempt to mend the rift between the uncle and niece. Thus, she wore a pretty smile on her face as she tried to dig into the root issues.

    "Is being a pagan really such an unforgiveable offense? Has Marcellus not done more good than evil in this world? Thanks to his efforts, the people of Rome now have more food than we have ever had in the past. Yet he does not horde it for himself, and in fact ensures that every citizen of Rome has ample food in their bellies.

    Whenpared to Christian emperors like your uncle Honorius, who cared not for themon man, and punished the virtuous out of a sense of envy. Would you not say that Marcellus is more righteous? In the end, is that not what truly matters?"

    Despite the logic behind cidia''s words, Pulcheria merely pouted and did not respond for several seconds. Just when cidia was about to sigh in defeat, the girl began to argue with her words.

    "Only through Christ can a man be righteous! No matter how good of deeds Marcellus may do in his life, unlike uncle Honorius, he will never enter heaven''s gates. Because of that, he is not to be trusted!"

    cidia narrowed her eyes in response to Pulcheria''s statement. She knew all too well what kind of man her brother was, and what evil deeds he had done. The fact that her adolescent niece had said such a man had entered heaven was an insult to those he had killed. As a result, she merely red at the girl and said one simple phrase before departing.

    "If you knew the evil that my brother had done in his life, you would never say such a foolish thing..."

    For perhaps the first time in her life, cidia had encountered the fanaticism of religion. Sure, she was born and raised in the church. But she had never seen a christian embrace a wicked man over a righteous man, simply because of which god he chose to worship.

    Perhaps she was too sheltered by Stilicho, but it was only now that cidia was starting to understand why Marcellus despised the church so much. As for Pulcheria, the girl was steadfast in her ways, and stubborn beyond belief. She would continue to look down on Marcellus for some time, before she ever started to think of the man as family.

 Chapter 155 An Empire In Turmoil

    With Yazdegerd''s death, the Sassanid Empire found itself in turmoil. The man had left behind three sons to contend for the throne, while his nephews also sought to gain power. The selection of the new shah was left entirely up to the nobility, and as a result, a power struggle had broken out between those factions which sought to ce their candidate on the vacant throne.

    Currently, the Persian Princess, a woman by the name of Mitra, sat within her eldest brother''s pce. She had a gloomy expression on her face as she gazed lifelessly out the window and yed with a particr piece of jewelry that her father had once gifted her.

    The eldest son of the previous monarch saw that his little sister was in a state of depression, and approached the young woman in an attempt tofort her.

    "Father died an honorable death. You should take sce in that fact. I promise that when I am dered King, I will gather every man capable of bearing arms, and march our forces on the Romans. Titus udius Marcellus will pay for his misdeeds, or my name isn''t Shapur!"

    Despite the intent behind Shapur''s words, they did little to calm the Princess''s heart. Instead, she responded in the opposite way that the man had expected. With a heavy scoff escaping from her luscious lips, Mitra spoke the words of contempt she had in her heart, not only for her brother, but for her now deceased father as well.

    "Utter foolishness..."

    Such a crass remark caused Shapur''s brow to twitch in irritation, as he curled his fists in an attempt to calm his wrath. Did his sister seriously just call him foolish for wanting to avenge their father? He could not take this p in the face lying down and immediately called out to the young woman with a hint of fury in his voice.

    "Foolish? Is that what you think of me? If that''s the case, why are you here? Did you note to show your support for my im?"

    It was only now that Mitra gazed upon her brother, and on her lips was an expression of utter contempt. She sighed heavily before standing up from her seat and insulting the man to his face.

    "Initially, I thought that perhaps you would make the best King in father''s stead. But it seems like whatever madness possessed the man has taken hold of your fragile mind as well. I warned father that his obsession with killing Titus udius Marcellus was likely to be his undoing, but he did not listen to me, and now he''s dead.

    If you want to march every man in Persia to his death, over a petty act of vengeance, then you have lost my support brother. Perhaps brother Bahram would make a better king of kings than you, after all. Or maybe I should support cousin Khosrow.

    There''s simply too many choices, and none of you men have enough brains to realize that Rome is undergoing a renaissance. Two years ago, the western half of the Roman Empire was on the verge of total copse. Yet in a short time, this Emperor Marcellus has stabilized the situation, and expanded his power by reincorporating the east into his domain.

    Assuming he reigns for the next five years, it is entirely possible that we will see a Roman Army that even the legions of the ancient past could not defeat. By the time you and your rivals finish your petty squabble for power, Rome will already be beyond your ability to defeat. So it is best if you fool to either settle your disputes quickly, or make peace with Rome.

    Thest thing I need in this world is to be handed off to that man as a trophy of his conquest of Ctesiphon, which will surely happen if you march on the west. You disappoint me, brother, just like father did during hisst days."

    Shapur could not take his sister''s condescending tone any longer, and immediately pushed her against the wall, where the stench of booze filled the woman''s nose. Despite his brutish actions, the young woman was not the least bit afraid, and merely gave the man a pitiful smirk while warning him of the consequences of his actions.

    "Careful now, big brother. If you were to do anything to harm me, Bahram would never forgive you. You might find yourself waking up in a puddle of your own blood if you were to form such an irreconcble grievance with such a psycho. You know how protective he is of his dear little sister..."

    Despite having every instinct in his body to smack the young princess across her face, Shapur merely snorted and knocked over a nearby table to vent his rage instead. After doing so, he screamed as loud as he could at his little sister, who he realized had yed him like a fool.<sub> </sub>

    "You want to support that little bastard so badly, then do it! Get the fuck out of here before I make you regret stepping foot in my home!"

    Mitra smirked once more while she dusted off her dress and approached her eldest brother onest time. She yfully ced a hand on his shoulder before whispering mocking words in his ears.

    "See this? This impulsive rage of yours? This is why you will never be the King of Kings. Good bye big brother, if we do end up meeting again, I am sure it will be as enemies..."

    After saying this, Mitra scampered off like a little minx. Where she entered a carriage and departed from her eldest brother''s pce. The moment she entered the interior, there was a man, garbed in a ck robe, who lowered his hood. In doing so, he revealed his Latin features. If any of her brothers were to see this man, they would immediately expect her of treason.

    Velius grinned as he saw the pretty smile that formed on the Persian beauty''s face. Since she was in such a good mood, he feltpelled to ask what had caused it.

    "So, I''m assuming your conversation with your eldest brother went well then?"

    A slight giggle erupted from the woman''s lips as she nodded her head. She crossed one leg over the other and rested her pretty face on the palm of her hand while wearing a seductive smile. Her charm was extraordinary, and if Velius had not been trained on how to resist such a thing, he surely would have fallen into the woman''s hands already.

    "Of course, Shapur is nothing more than a dumb brute, and it was rather easy to manipte him into revealing what his true ambitions are. Imagine my disappointment when I found out that his greatest reason for iming the vacant throne is for something as stupid as avenging our father''s death.

    Naturally, this means he will not be open to cooperation with your master, as he is the one responsible for the old man''s death. Still, I wonder why you were so confident that I would help Rome spy on my family..."

    Velius merely smirked as he heard these words and leaned back into his seat. His lips were sealed on the matter. In truth, he was not the one who came up with the idea to seek out the Persian Princess. The credit for such a risky gamble went to Sigefrida. Velius was just an agent obeying his orders. All he ended up saying was a minor deflection.

    "Your cooperation is most appreciated."

    It was at this moment that Mitra''s eyes turned dark, while a frown appeared on her face. She had taken a monumental risk, and there was only one thing she wanted in return. Thus, she was quick to remind the agent of the Frumentarii what he had promised her.

    "Just remember your end of the bargain..."

    Despite the grim tone in the woman''s voice, Velius retained his confident smirk and quickly expressed his agreement with the woman''s terms.

    "Of course... Once you have proven your loyalty, I will dly introduce you to the Imperator. However, until I know for sure whether you intend him any harm, you will have to continue proving your use."

    Mitra merely scoffed before ignoring the man. For the rest of their journey, she remained utterly silent.

 Chapter 156 Webs Of Intrigue

    Weeks passed, and Sigefrida sat with Marcellus in a room while the man enjoyed a ss of wine. The barbarian beauty was visibly pregnant and could obviously not drink alcohol without fear ofplications. Thus, she had a ss of distilled water in her hands. With a confident smirk on his face, the Roman Emperor asked the most prominent question in his mind.

    "So tell me, how goes our efforts to keep the Sassanid Empire destabilized? There are no unforeseen factors, are there?"

    A slight scoff emerged from Sigefrida''s lips as she responded to the question with a hint of stoicism in her voice.

    "As things currently stand, the Sassanid Empire is embroiled in a session crisis. One that will not be resolved for some time. I have gone to great lengths to recruit an unlikely agent of chaos, and even I am surprised that she said yes."

    This statement caught Marcellus by surprise as he gazed upon his woman with a confused expression on his voice. She had not informed him of her efforts to recruit one of the Sassanid Princesses to their cause, nor would he ever guess that the barbarian beauty would have seeded in this effort. Thus, he could only ask for rification on what she meant by thest part of her response.

    "What do you mean by that? Who have you recruited to help us?"

    For the first time since this conversation began a smirk appeared on Sigefrida''s face. She was actually quite proud of her efforts, and it showed on her face.

    "Princess Mitra. Apparently, the woman had the foresight to see how her father''s war with you was going to end. She tried to convince him to leave the campaign to the eastern romans, but utterly failed to do so.

    Because of this, she is quite bitter about his death. However, it would appear she holds little anger towards you, and is instead angry at the man himself for voluntarily walking into his death even after being killed.

    Surprisingly, she has proven to be quite useful in learning about the true ambitions that in the hearts of Yazdegerd''s sessors. In fact, she has proven her ability by exploiting these ambitions in a way that has turned this matter of session from one of petty squabbles to bloody conflict.

    As we speak, the first prince Shapur is gathering forces to attack his younger brother Bahram. While Bahram is scheming in the shadows to eliminate Shapur. While these two knuckleheads fight among themselves, their younger brother Narse is preparing to take advantage of their conflict.

    Needless to say, their cousins are also watching and scheming, waiting for the moment to strike. With a venomous tongue, this little girl has managed to poison each and every one of the sessors, as a well as their backers, into fighting against one another in what appears will be a battle royale to determine who is the next King."

    Upon hearing this, Marcellus'' mind instantly drifted into a state of paranoia as he questioned his concubine, and master of whispers about something that suddenly became very important to him.

    "What have your promised her? Surely she is not aiding us out of the good of her heart!"<sub> </sub>

    Sigefrida furrowed her brows when she heard this. She knew exactly what Mitra wanted, and was avoiding answering this question for a multitude of reasons. However, Marcellus has asked, and she was not one to keep secrets from the man who held the key to her heart. Thus, she spoke just enough of the truth to keep him happy.

    "I won''t hide it from you. She did ask for something. Something I don''t intend to give her. All she wanted in exchange for her service was to meet with you in person. I don''t know her reasoning, but I suspect it is a matter of vengeance.

    Despite going to great lengths to confirm her intent, I can''t find a shred of evidence that she means you harm. However, I can feel it in the depths of my soul. Her intentions towards meeting you are sinister."

    Marcellus closely observed Sigefrida''s expression and could tell there was more to this story than she was letting on. After all, he had known the woman most of his life, and it was easy enough for him to know when she was hiding things from him. As a result, he red at her fiercely before interrogating the Suebi vixen.

    "Sigefrida, what aren''t you telling me?"

    After looking away in guilt for a split moment, Sigefrida sighed heavily before informing the man of things she could not verify.

    "It''s nothing concrete. However, from what the rumors say Princess Mitra is a great beauty, whose looks are so enamoring that she has even caught the fancy of her own brother Bahram. Any woman who is capable of seducing her own flesh and blood is not to be trifled with. I''m afraid even if she did not mean you harm, by simply meeting her, you might lose control of yourself and your ambitions."

    In response to this, Marcellus merely scoffed and took another sip of his wine. No matter how beautiful Mitra was, he had no intention of getting involved with the woman, and he was quick to express this belief.

    "I don''t care if she is Venus incarnate, I have no intentions of taking another woman as my lover. I had a hard enough time falling for cidia when I had you by my side. Some Persian whore isn''t going to be enough to change my mind. However, if you are certain that my resolve will waver in her presence, then I will refer to your judgement.

    Keep stringing the whore along until she has lived out her usefulness, then get rid of her. I have a hard time believing her reasons for wanting to see me in person are anything but malicious. I killed the woman''s father. There is no forgiving such a thing."

    Sigefrida merely smiled pleasantly before resting her head on her man''s shoulder. It was not the mostfortable thing in the world, considering the man wore his armor every fucking hour of the day. However, it was enough to be in his presence.

    Thus, the couple continued to sit by and discuss lesser matters of importance as they enjoyed their time together. As for the Sassanid Princess Mitra, she would continue to y her part, though whether Sigefrida would actually be able to prevent her from seeing Marcellus was a tale for another time.

 Chapter 157 Coronation Of A Barbarian King

    At the moment, Sarus stood in a circle surrounded by the members of his tribe. The Goths had paid a hefty price during the war with the eastern Romans, so much so that they lost their King, the man who had led them into battle for nearly a decade.

    Despite this fact, they had survived the ordeal, and had weeded out the weak among their society. However, now the various chieftains of the Gothic tribe were all gathered together in Illyricum, debating about who next should be King.

    There were two major factions. The Roman Emperor Marcellus had crowned Sarus as King of the Goths. However, this im was unrecognized by many among the tribe. As they would never allow a roman to dictate who their king was.

    Thus, there was arge faction of Gothic warriors who supporter the previous King''s brother-inw Athaulf to be the next King. Currently, the two candidates stood across from one another with swords drawn and shields raised. They wore nothing but the trousers on their waists as they fought a battle to the death to determine who would be the next monarch.

    Sarus raised his sword and struck with baleful intent towards his enemy''s heart. However, the man''s shield covered his torso and prevented the mild steel de from piercing his flesh. Athaulf responded to this attack with a chop toward''s Sarus'' forearms, which, although powerful, failed to cut beyond the bone. Yet still managed to leave a grievous wound.

    The foederati veteran grunted in agony as his forearm was cut, yet did not dare to drop his weapon. Instead, he pressed forward with his shield and the weight of his body in an attempt to knock therger man down.

    Unfortunately for Sarus, Athaulf braced himself, and counterattacked by bashing his shield forward, and thrusting it up to the man''s face, smacking him down to the floor with all his might. Athaulf did not hesitate and lunged forward with his sword, attempting to skewer Sarus to the floor like a pig. However, the veteran warrior saw thising, and rolled out of the way, before finding his way to his feet and front kicking the off bnced opponent to the ground.

    Before Athaulf could even lift his shield in defense, the cold steel de of his oponent shed through his neck, and severed his head in the process. The shocked expression on the man''s decapitated head was a testament to his fate.

    The crowd gazed in shock, as Athaulf lie dead on the ground. He was known as a powerful warrior, one who had imed the lives of hundreds of men in battle. Yet against this dog of the Romans, he had met a bitter end. However, with his death, there was now noone else to stand in the way of Sarus'' ascension, and in doing so, thest resistance of the Gothic Kingdom to their Roman overlords hade to an end.

    As if to insult the dead, Sarus lifted Athaulf''s severed head from the ground, and held it high in the air, while roared towards the stunned crowd.

    "I am King! By right ofbat. All who dare to stand against mee forward, and test your might! Though I doubt you will fare better than this fool!"<sub> </sub>

    Though there were those in the crowd who were insulted by this challenge, none stepped forward. In doing so, Sarus tossed the decapitated head in a random direction, before walking forward towards the throne that ric had built, and sat upon it, before firmly cing the Gothic crown on his head. Upon doing this, the man called out to the warriors who were present with an authoritative tone in his voice.

    "Kneel before your King!"

    Every man, woman, and child who was present to witness this victory did as was instructed, and kneeled before the new King of the Goths. There were a multitude of orders Sarus had for his people. Chief among them was the reconstruction of the fortresses that Marcellus had built in preparation for the war with the eastern roman empire.

    "From this day forward, we shall rebuild our fortresses, resow our fields, and store whatever grain we have leftover for a bountiful surplus. Let the army of the Goths be unified. All chiefs shall render their men into my service where they will be trained into a proper fighting force. Any bastard from beyond the frontier who dares to step foot into my Kingdom shall be in where he stands! It is time to rebuild, into a mighty Kingdom that repays its debt to Rome in full!"

    Though the Kingdom of the Goths was now a vassal state to the Roman Empire, Sarus did not intend to sit idly by and defend his borders forever. He intended to extend northward, into barbarian territory, and im greater heights for his people. To prove to Marcellus that they were not simply barbarians, like the rest of the Germanic tribes.

    A new era of civilization was on the horizon for the Gothic People, and Sarus intended to lead them to it. Had Athaulf won the duel, then the Goths surely would have rebelled against Rome, and found themselves put to the sword.

    It was only because Sarus was so familiar with Marcellus and his ambitions that he decided to follow this path. For if anyone but Marcellus were to sit upon the Roman throne, he too would follow a path of resistance.

    Thus, on this day, a new King was crowned in Illyricum. One who intended to lead his people to a new golden age. Perhaps the Goths would be an example, one that would bring true civilization to the various Germanic tribes who currently sought to overwhelm the Roman Empire.

    Only time would tell, for it was equally likely that a man, or woman in this room, would conspire against King Sarus and bring forth his untimely demise. Perhaps the only ones who knew the fate of the Goths were the Gods themselves.

    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 158 Entering The Age Of Sail

    Winter came and went as the next year rolled around. The improvements to Roman Society in this time were no small amount. Both the Western Roman Army and the Eastern Roman Army were integrated into one force.

    Those survivors of the war were forced to get along, and those who acted out with brutally punished. Ipetent leaders who had gained their positions through bribery and coercion were executed, while veteran officers of good moral character took their ce.

    The arms industry was booming, as thousands of soldiers were armed to the teeth with the best weapons and armor avable. With ess to more soldiers, Marcellus focused on raising more cavalry, and by now he held a significant number of cataphracts beneath his control.

    The reliance on Foederati to defend Rome''s borders hade to an end, while those foederati who were still employed existed as vassal kingdoms in northern Gaul and Illyricum. Both the Suebi and the Goths had bent the knee to Rome, and their gains were not small by any means.

    In Britannia, Antonine''s wall was under reconstruction, its defenses were on par with Hadrian''s wall. No longer an earthen fortification, the wall was being constructed of stone and cement. So that it couldst for a thousand years.

    Romano-British garrisons under themand of Primus continued to man the border with the Caledonians. The northern barbarian''s raids on Britannia hade to a bitter end, as any attempt to cross the border was quickly put to an end. Law and Order had finally returned to Britannia.

    The Roman Navy expanded at a rapid rate. During this time, Marcellus had been hard at work designing a new ship design. One that would allow him to conquer the seas. However, he did not lose sight of his ultimate goal, and as a result, he vastly expanded not only the number of shipyards that existed within the borders of the Roman Empire, but their size as well. So that they could amodate the new vessels he had nned.

    Aside from the improvements in the military, the agricultural sector was booming, with all the methods that Marcellus had devised being fully implemented across the Empire. From Britannia to Egypt, all arablend that could be harvested was being done so, and to a much greater degree than in the past.

    The crop yields brought an end to the starvation of the plebeians and helped create a more stable economy. Which gave brith to small businesses, and an experimentation into the culinary arts. Perhaps inspired by Marcellus'' own cooking, the cuisine of Rome had taken a major shift, and was starting to resemble to a lesser extant the food modern Italy was known for. Though obviously without ingredients like tomatoes.

    With the Barbarians being pushed back beyond the frontiers, and the Sassanids stuck in a session crisis, Marcellus was left to his own devices, focusing primarily on civil development. What time was not spent on running the massive empire was spent with his family.

    He had adopted the children of his brother-inw, who had died years before he even married cidia. These four kids were a handful, but they mostly behaved themselves. This was not including the two children of his own that would soon emerge into this world.<sub> </sub>

    Currently, Marcellus was looking to expand trade routes to the east. However, in order to aplish this, he would need to get through the Sassanid Empire. Something that was not easily aplished. The only other option he had was to increase the capability of his ships so that they could sail around the tip of Africa. Something he was only aware of due to his memories of his past life.

    ? Basic triremes and galleys were not effective in long range transport. There was no possible way for them to make such an arduous journey. Luckily for Marcellus, he recently had dreams of a new type of ship. One that was used during the age of exploration during his past life.

    The Fluyt was a sailing vessel from the 16th-18th centuries of Marcellus'' past life, and was a deciding factor in the rise of the Dutch''s seaborne Empire. It was purely a cargo ship, and because of this, Marcellus would not have to worry about outfitting it with weapons. After all, there was no ship in this ancient world that could match its speed.

    There was a lot of information that went into designing an advanced sailing ship like this. There were many technologies that existed within it that simply were not present in this current time. It was because of this, that Marcellus had spent thest five months drawing these blueprints, based upon different memories and schematics from his dream.

    However, after nearly half a year, the overall design for a basic Fluyt was finallypleted, and all that was needed was another six months at the earliest for his shipwrights to not only be ustomed to the design, but produce it from scratch.

    Luckily, he had nned in advance for these ships, and expanding his shipbuilding capabilities. Perhaps in a year, the first of these new cargo vessels would beid down, and begin the long journey to Asia and back.

    After cing his pen down on the table, Marcellus smelled a distinctive scent in the air. It was almost time for breakfast, and he knew this smell better than most. It was the smell of pancakes. With a wide smile on his face, the Roman Emperor rose from his seat, and marched down the steps of his pce towards the dining hall where he witnessed his family waiting patiently for his arrival.

    Once Marcellus entered the room, three distinctive cries erupted in the air, as the younger of his nieces and nephews ran over to greet him.

    "Uncle!"

    Marcellus eagerly greeted his family, while gazing upon the scene with a wide smile on his face. It would be good if these peaceful days couldst, but there was a sense of dread deep within the man''s heart, knowing that sooner orter war would find its way to Rome once more. All he could do was expand his military and prepare for that day, which was not as far away as he thought.

 Chapter 159 A Boys First Kill

    Marcellus stood within the brush of Gaul. By his side was his young nephew, Theodosius. The two of them had bows in hand and quivers on their waists. An armed escort of Ptini Cataphracts kept a nearby presence as the Imperator and his ward searched for a buck to hunt.

    There was a wide grin on Marcellus'' face as he crouched down and observed the footprints left behind by a stag. He ced his finger into the prints, and determined by theposition of the soil, that they were indeed fresh tracks..

    "You see this, Theodosius, these footprints are new, at most a few minutes old. We''re getting close to our prey. Nowe with me. Tread lightly, and don''t make too much noise. You don''t want to scare the buck."

    Theodosius nodded his head as he gripped his recurve bow with an intense anxiety in his heart. He followed his uncle through the bushes and out to a clearing where three red deer were grazing on the grass.

    With the raise of Marcellus'' hand, Theodosius stopped in his tracks. He remainedpletely silent as he knocked an arrow and drew his bowstring. Aiming it towards the stag, which held a mighty rack on its head.

    However, right before he loosed his arrow, the boy stepped forward and onto a dry stick, which cracked beneath his weight. Instantly alerting the small herd, which caused the beasts to run away. Theodosius'' arrow narrowly missed the buck as it scampered off in fear of the predators which were tracking it.

    Marcellus could only curse as he witnessed his prey escape, before stomping his foot on the ground in rage.

    "Fuck!"

    Upon hearing this, Theodosius lowered his head in shame, too afraid to look up at his enraged uncle. As for Marcellus, he took a deep breath and calmed his nerves before looking at the boy with a stern gaze. Though the moment he saw how terrified his nephew was, his expression lightened, and he sighed heavily before cing his hand on the boy''s shoulder.

    "It''s alright, they won''t run far. We just have to stalk them carefully from here on out. You will get the beast with your next shot."

    After hearing these words offort, Theodosius'' frown turned into a bitter smile, while Marcellus rustled his hair. After a few seconds, he picked up his bow, and marched forward through the thicket, with his nephew in tow.

    The duo continued to move forward slowly and silently through the woods, while keeping their heads down low. Thest thing they needed to do was spook the beast again. After following the tracks a distance of roughly half a kilometer, they came across the small herd once more. Where Marcellus pointed towards the stag with a fierce glint in his eyes, and a whisper under his breath.

    "There he is. Take aim, hold your breath, and release the arrow once your eyes are on target. You know how to do this. I trust you won''t miss this time."

    Theodosius did as instructed. He pulled another arrow out of his quiver and carefully knocked it on his bowstring. Where he then drew the string back to his cheek and took a deep breath. His eyes gazed upon the beast with confliction.

    He had never taken a living being''s life before. However, ording to his uncle, a man must kill if he wishes to survive, and thus, despite being young, Marcellus had taken the boy into the woods to draw his first blood.

    After several seconds of holding back the bowstring, Theodosius lost the strength in his arms, and the arrow flew through the air and towards its target, where it struck the creature right in the heart. The barbed steel arrow head pierced through the buck''s flesh, and punched through its heart, before embedding itself in the stag''s body.

    With onest resistance, the stag bucked wildly, before ramming its head into a nearby tree. However, its life was over the moment the arrow pierced its heart, and within seconds it fell to the ground, iling about before its eyes finally shut for thest time.

    The stag''s death had alerted the rest of the herd, who ran off into the forest. As for Theodosius, a single tear streamed down his eyes, as his uncle patted him on the back with pride.

    "That''s my little killer! Hey, kid, you did good. We are going to feast tonight to celebrate your first kill. Nowe, help me remove the arrow."

    Theodosius wiped the tears from his eyes, but still had a downcast expression as he followed Marcellus forward to collect the beast. Immediately upon reaching the beast, Marcellus pushed the arrow through the heart and out the other side before handing it back to Theodosius. The boy gazed upon the beast he had killed with his own hands, and the bloody arrow which had taken its life. A look of horror appeared across his face before his uncle''s previous words resounded in his words.

    "A man must kill to survive in this cruel world. Should you ever find yourself in a situation where you are alone, and starving in the woods, you better pray you heart the means to y a beast. For if you can not find the resolve to kill, you will surely die."

    With these words, Theodosius calmed his heart, and a bitter smile formed on his face. Though he had just killed another living being, he had done it to provide for his family, and in a way that made it less painful.

    Once the arrow was removed, Marcellus whistled in the air, signalling the nearby ptini toe find him. Before long, a full century of horseman arrived along with a wagon in tow. Marcellus picked up the corpse of the stag and tossed it into the wagon, where Theodosius climbed inside next to it.

    The two of them would travel back to the nearest city, where they would cook the beast and dine upon its flesh. As for Theodosius he gazed upon the deceased creature the entire journey back to civilization. Only he knew what thoughts had entered his young mind during this time.

 Chapter 160 Creating A Puppet Part I

    Marcellus sat in a vi within the city of Lugdunum with his nephew by his side. Together they had butchered the deer which the young boy had in during their hunting trip. Currently, the meat was roasting over a fire, while Marcellus prepared other portions into jerky, and sausages.

    Theodosius had a stern expression on his youthful face, while watching the meat cook. At first, he was rather soft about his first kill. However, now seeing its flesh being cooked over the fire, he felt nothing but pride.

    Pride that he had taken up arms and provided food for his household. Make no mistake ,the boy had done this. What remained of the beast would be smoked, salted, and preserved so that it could make the trip back to Rome, where his sisters would be able to taste the fruits of hisbor.

    When Marcellus saw the haughty smirk on the young boy''s face, he could not help but question what had made him so prideful.

    "What are you smiling about?"

    Theodosius looked up at his uncle with an excited glint in his eyes. He was quick to give voice to the thoughts which fueled his emotions.

    "I''m just happy that I am able to provide for my sisters in a way that is meaningful."

    This remark caused Marcellus to chuckle, before rustling the boy''s brown hair in a yful manner.

    "One day, your sisters will look to you for guidance. However, for now, you can take joy in the fact that your uncle is proud of you. It is not easy to im the life of another living being. In fact, many kids your age would have faltered at the idea of ying a buck. Yet you let loose that arrow as if it were second nature.

    Once I have preserved the beast''s flesh, we will bring what remains back home so that your aunt and sisters can enjoy it. Here, give this a taste!"

    After saying this, Marcellus handed a cooked venison sausage over the boy, who was quick to bite into the juicy meat. With an excited smile on his face, the boy voiced his thoughts about the meaty treat.

    "Mmm, that''s good!"

    A slight smile appeared on Marcellus'' face as he continued to prepare and cure the sausages and jerky so that they were preserved for the road trip. Not long after, the remainder of the meal was fully cooked, where Marcellus and Theodosius enjoyed a hearty serving of venison. After ensuring that the food was sealed away, Marcellus tucked the boy in bed before finding his way to his room, where he lied down on his own bed and fell asleep.

    Before he knew it, morning arrived, and after packing away the butchered deer''s cooked contents, Marcellus, Theodosius, and the armed escort rode off to Rome, which they would arrive in after a few weeks of travel.

    Upon returning to the Pce, Marcellus was greeted by his wife and concubine, while Theodosius was greeted by his sisters. Sigefrida had every desire to smack her man across the face for travelling all the way to Gaul without any hint of warning, all for a hunting trip.

    However, when she realized that her man was safe, and so was his nephew, her wrath quelled itself. Despite this, there was still a bitter look on the woman''s ice-blue eyes as she looked away and muttered under her breath.

    "During your absence, there has been news about Persia. I suggest you follow me to your office so I can recount what has happened to you."

    Marcellus hugged the woman and kissed her on the cheek, seemingly ignoring her words. He then did this to cidia, before finally responding to Sigefrida''s request.

    "First, we will eat. I did my best to salt and cure this meat, but I''m afraid if we wait any longer, it will be too spoiled to properly eat. So, prepare the kitchen, as we are about to feast on venison!"

    Sigefrida merely rolled her eyes before doing as instructed. For a brief lunch period, Marcellus and his family dined upon the flesh of the buck. Where Theodosius told his hunting tale to his sisters with much enthusiasm.

    Marcellus had his fill of wine and meat before absconding off to his office, where Sigefrida red at him intensely in silence. Finally, after several moments, Marcellus spoke up, taking this chance to avoid an apology.

    "So.... You said something happened in Persia. What is it?"

    Sigefrida was not quite finished being angry with Marcellus, but this was a matter of urgency, and thus she put aside her rage for a brief moment before exining to the man what had happened in his absence.

    "Khosrow is dead..."

    Marcellus'' olive green eyes narrowed when he heard this. He was not expecting one of the many imants for the Sassanid throne to die so soon. He was quick to voice his discontent as he questioned just what had urred.

    "How did this fucking happen? Did we not have Mitra maintaining the bnce between the various factions?"

    Sigefrida leaned against a nearby counter and sighed heavily before revealing how things hade to this point.

    "It was Bahram. Khosrow sought to antagonize his cousin by announcing his engagement to Mitra. As you know, Bahram has an unhealthy obsession with his little sister, and responded by having Khosrow murdered in his sleep.

    As a result, one less faction is vying for the Sassanid throne, and the others are now on full alert. The cold war that existed between those who wished to be crowned King of Kings has now gone hot, as they are all preparing their forces for an outright civil war.

    If Bahram seeds his father, he will spend the next decade recovering his forces to march on Rome. Especially when he finds out that his sister has been working for you all this time. We can''t allow the man to seize the throne, however, we also can''t allow his brother Shapur to take his father''s ce, either. After all, the man will stop at nothing to avenge Yazdegerd."

    ? This statement left many questions in Marcellus'' mind, ultimately he was forced to directly ask his concubine for a more clear answer.

    "So you''re saying?"

    Without hesitation, Sigefrida responded to this question with a confident smirk on her pretty face.

    "We will secretly back Narseh''s im to the throne. He is the weakest of the surviving candidates, and will not pose a threat to Rome in any means should he be King of Kings.

    Upon hearing this, Marcellus'' worries were dispelled, and he nodded his head before responding to Sigefrida''s ims.

    "Good, then get on it. Thest thing I need is another war with the Persians. If we do end up at arms, then it will be my decree, not theirs!"

    With this said, the Roman Emperor was now engaged in a conspiracy to seat a puppet on the throne of his rival Empire.

 Chapter 161 Creating A Puppet Part II

    Mitra sat within the pce that belonged to the youngest of her three brothers. A young man by the name of Narseh. The man was chosen by the Roman Emperor to act as the next high King of the Persian people. Naturally, this was not something Mitra would tell the man, or else he would surely use of her treason, and rightfully so.

    Instead, the beautiful young princess sat in her chair, while drinking a cup of fortified wine that had been imported from Rome to her brother''s pce. The skin on her legs was exposed, as her tan skin glistened under the light of the moon.

    There was a reason that at least one of her brothers was infatuated with the woman, and that was not only because of her natural beauty but also her personality that was akin to a femme fatale. Of course, the Persian Princess wore many masks, and around her brother Narseh, she yed the role of an innocent and na?ve little girl. One thatpelled the man to protect her at any costs.

    "Big brother, I hove spoken with both brother Shapur, and Bahram. Each of which has their own vision for our Empire once they ascend to the throne. But I still don''t know what you intend to do? Don''t tell me you intend to march our armies on Rome in an act of vengeance on behalf of ourte father?"

    Narseh merely chuckled at thisment. He had his own opinions about their father''s delusions of conquering the Romans, but he did not dare speak them when the man was alive. However, now Yazdegerd was dead, and thus there was no reason to keep these thoughts locked away within the depths of his own heart.

    "Dearest sister, you can rest assured, I have no ns for military expansion like our father, it was his choices that led to his own death. Emperor Marcellus is a militarymander like no other man in our era. It would be foolish to march on him, especially when the society he has created is purely martial in nature.

    You have to understand the Roman Empire that exists beneath the rule of Titus udius Marcellus is not an entity the likes we have ever seen before. The entirety of the current Roman State exists to fuel the military, and it is the military itself which rules over the Empire. It would be urate to say that the Rome of today is not an Empire with a military, but a military with an Empire.

    Against such a martial culture, how are we to fare if we seek vengeance? Our forces, along with our eastern roman allies, were crushed beneath the boot of the western roman war machine, and it only increases in power with each passing day. We would be lucky if Marcellus simply deems our meagre state too troublesome to bother with conquest.

    Shapur is a brute who wants nothing more than to avenge our father. His whole bid for the throne is for the sake of this vain attempt. Even if we were to emerge victorious from such a devastating conflict, the man has no ns for the future.

    Meanwhile Bahram seeks military expansion. His goal is to be supreme hegemon of both the Mediterranean and the near east. To aplish this, he would need to fight Marcellus head on. A war he might be capable of winning if he were to engage in subterfuge like he is known to do."

    Mitra wore an innocent smile as she silently nodded her head along with her brother''s assessment. What the man said was urate, and it was one of the very reasons she did not support her other two broths. Once Narseh was finished speaking his piece, the girl cocked her brow before posing another question to the man..

    "Brother, you still haven''t answered my question... What do you intend to do if you be the next Shah?"

    A confident smile emerged on Narseh''s face as he drank a sip of his wine before exining his ns to his dearest little sister.

    "My n is to focus on the internal development of our Empire. So long as the Romans consider us a valuable gateway into the markets of the far east, they will not easily make war with us. This will allow me to focus on building an Empire as grand as our ancient ancestors. Who knows, I might even be able to rebuild Persepolis given enough time and resources.

    Unfortunately, the majority of the nobles in our realm do not share my vision for a more peaceful, and prosperous future. This is the reason why both Bahram and Shapur are gathering more power as the days pass, while my base stagnates.

    It would appear the majority of our people desire Roman blood after our father''s defeat. Something I know will be the end of our civilization. If not the end, then at the very least will cast us into centuries of darkness. So, my dear little sister, allow me to pose a question of my own. Who in your infinite wisdom have you chosen to support? Or are you still pretending to y neutral?"

    Mitra''s lips curved into a smirk when she heard her brother''s questions. She downed the rest of her wine before sitting up straight in her chair. After doing so, she ced one knee over the other and rested her pretty face on the palm of her hand. With a shift in her tone that sounded rather seductive from an outside perspective, she spoke the words that Narseh was never expecting.

    "Initially, I thought I would sit this one out. After all, session crises are bloody business, and I''d rather not lose my head like poor Khosrow. However, after hearing you speak about your vision for the future of our people. You can consider me convinced."

    A cunning smirk revealed itself upon Narseh''s brow as he too finished his wine before responding to his sister''s statement.

    "Finally, you show your true colors. I always wondered what you had done to gain that deceitful bastard''s infatuation. Yet after hearing your true voice, even I now find myself suddenly charmed by your allure."

    A seductive smirked appeared on Mitra''s lips as she scoffed at her brother''s so-calledpliment. She pushed him away with her foot before lecturing him on his choice of words.

    "Careful brother, you don''t want to end up like that fool Bahram, hopelessly in love with his own little sister, and willing tomit all kinds of heinous acts to keep potential suitors away. Speaking of, you are aware what brother Bahram will do to you if I openly dere that I am supporting your bid for the throne, do you not?"

    It was now Narseh''s turn to scoff as he poured himself and his sister another ss of wine. He took a small sip and wiped the red substance from his lips before responding to the woman''s taunts.

    "Oh, I am well aware of what he will try to do to me. However, no matter who you support, he would never harm a hair on your precious little head, so even if he does emerge victorious in this little war of ours, you have nothing to fear.

    Despite this, I feel like there is much more value in what I would gain from having your support, then the difficulties I would have to endure because of it. So if you really are going to throw your support behind my im for the vacant throne. Then all I can do is humbly ept."

    Upon hearing this, a smile once more emerged on Mitra''s face as she nodded her head in satisfaction before responding.

    "Don''t worry, I will keep Bahram''s wrath away from you long enough to snake the crown away from his control. I look forward to working with you brother, or should I say my King!"

    With this said, Narseh had unknowingly ended up as a pawn in the hands of the Roman Emperor. One whose leash was controlled by his own sister.

 Chapter 162 The Next Generation

    Months passed by, and the days had finallye for Sigefrida and cidia to give birth to their first children. Luckily for Marcellus, the two of them survived the ordeal, and were now in the state of recovery.

    For Marcellus, this was the first time he had ever been a father, and though he had treated his nieces and nephews as members of his own household, he knew that he would never truly be the father they desperately needed.

    Of his two women, cidia had given birth to a healthy baby boy and, in doing so, gave Marcellus an heir to his household. Though whether the man would raise the child to be the next emperor was undecided.

    The couple decided to name the boy Tiberius udius Angelus after Marcellus''te father, who passed away heroically on the battlefield when he was still but a young child. The infant was as currently bald as can be, but had the hazel eyes of his mother.

    As for Sigefrida, she had given birth to a healthy baby girl. Because Sigefrida was a Marcellus'' concubine, the child was technically illegitimate and therefore could not bear Marcellus'' family name. In fact, the rtionship between Marcellus and Sigefrida was considered taboo by Roman society atrge for many reasons.

    For starters, Bigamy and Polygamy had never been concepts that the Romans as a civilization tolerated, and in the past when one entered into a rtionship that was dered Concubinatus, the man was not allowed to also have a legal wife. Yet Marcellus clearly had a legal wife as well as a concubine.

    If Sigefrida had stayed a ve, then this would not be worthy of notice. However, Marcellus had freed her, and yet she still clung to his side, and even bore his children. If not for the loyalty of the military beneath Marcellus''mand, and the strict stranglehold he kept over his people, then the man likely would have been cast out from polite society long ago.

    Despite this taboo, Marcellus had gone the extra mile, and legitimized the baby girl as a member of his dynasty. Something that was unthinkable in years prior. Yet the man was a military dictator, and could do as he damn well pleased. Thus, the girl''s name was udia Victoria, after the ancient roman goddess of victory.

    Victoria was a bastard child that should not exist in this world. The product of a Roman Emperor and a Suebi ve, which he freed from bondage. She was an unusual existence in the roman empire, one that Marcellus'' extended family, the gens udia would despise.

    However, the man did not care in the slightest about the opinions of such a troublesome group. Though they may share amon lineage, he did not see his n as family, nor would he entertain their prejudices when it came to his precious daughter.

    Currently, Marcellus was standing over the cribs of the two infants, with his wife and concubine by his side. The man had a wholesome smile on his face, as he finally embraced his role as a father. Looking back on his memories from his past life, this was something he could never have achieved, at least not in any long-term fashion.

    But in this world, he now had the ability to have a family, one that wouldn''t be torn apart so easily. This brought a smile to the man''s face as he closely watched his two kids sleep in harmony. Both Sigefrida and cidia were exhausted from looking after the newborns, and thus the man ordered them to get some rest, even though they too wanted to gaze upon their sleeping babes.

    "cidia, Sigefrida, get some rest. I know things have been rough on the two of you as ofte. But now that the kids are sleeping, it''s the perfect time to get some much needed sleep."

    The women silently nodded their heads and yawned at the same time. The very prospect of sleep was such a tempting offer that their bodies simply couldn''t resist. As a result, they gave their man onest message before heading off to the bedroom.

    "Look after them well. After we get some shuteye, it will be your turn."

    Marcellus merely nodded his head with a smile on his face in response to these words. He was well ustomed to burning the midnight oil, and thus he felt no need to get any rest at this time. His women, on the other hand, were not so used to staying up sote. Thus, he gave them the brief period of respite they needed.

    After making sure the two kids were well looked after by his ves, Marcellus returned to his study where he found Pulcheria waiting for him. The girl had a stern expression on her face as she called out to her uncle with concern for his newborn children.

    "When are you going to baptize those two infants of yours?"

    With a rude snarl, Marcellus responded to the girl''s question with a simple answer.

    "Never."

    This remark caused the girl''s face to be scrunched with rage. She could not believe the man was being so selfish and was quick to call him out on it.

    "I can''t believe you! If you want to spend eternity in damnation that is your own problem, but how dare you deny your children their right to baptism!"

    This self-righteous nature of Christians was always something that got under Marcellus'' skin. He quickly sat down at his desk and opened up a document where he began to get to work. Seemingly ignoring Pulcheria as he did so. It was only when she was about to curse him out that he responded to her ims.

    "When I die, I will enter the fields of Elysium, just like my ancestors before me. I will allow my children the freedom to choose which gods they wish to worship. If they desire to join your murderous cult, then that is their choice, but I won''t force it on them, like my parents had done to me as a child."

    Such a p to the face caused Pulcheria to react as if she had just been force fed a pile of human feces. She instantly barked out in rage at the man who had just so thoroughly insulted her religion.

    "Murderous cult! Is that how you see us?"

    With a simple nod of his head, Marcellus confirmed this to be true. Not only was he aware of the heinous acts Christiansmitted against non-believers in this era, after all, he had lived through their persecution himself.

    However, Marcellus also had the memory of his past life, whose history showed just how Christianity had spread throughout Europe. Contrary to what the Church wanted you to believe, the truth behind how Christianity came to dominate Europe was a bloody affair that was the result of centuries of genocide.

    Among the many atrocitiesmitted by Christians in Marcellus'' past life was the burning of Pre-christian European history, the dismantling of their holy sites, the mass extent of forced baptisms which were usually followed by a swift beheading to ensure that the new converts had no chance to revert to their old faith. In fact, the list of their crimes was too extensive to write in a single book.

    Of course, it was not just the Europeans who these atrocities were done to, but every civilization the Christians contacted in the millennium that followed. It was only in the modern era that some sense of peaceful reformation urred across the religion, and that had led to its degeneration and decline.

    The most hrious part of this was the simple fact that modern Christians had the audacity to point to other religions who continued to act in a simr fashion as they had done until just recently, as if they had nevermitted a single sin in their two thousand years of existence.

    It was because of all of this knowledge that Marcellus had an intense disdain for Christians, even though he had not begun to persecute them, one of his goals was to break their stranglehold over Roman culture, and thus he did not deny Pulcheria''s usations. An act which caused the girl to flee the room in a rage.

    Once he was all alone, Marcellus sighed and began to sign his name onto a document. With a simple phrase he expressed just how exhausted he had been these past few days.

    "Finally, I can get some work done."

 Chapter 163 An Arduous Journey North

    Primus gazed upon the ongoing reconstruction of Antonine''s wall. Large cks of granite were removed from the quarries of Britannia and dragged further north into the inhospitable wastnd of Caledonia, where they stacked and mixed with cement into the formation of a grand barrier.

    Months had passed since the Romans had first recaptured this section of Britannia, and even now the Picts and Caledonians beyond the border continued to send raids against the Romans'' efforts to keep them out.

    Since the Legate had brought backw and order to the region, he had done a fine job implementing Marcellus'' agricultural reforms. In doing so, expanding food production for what was known as the British Isles in Marcellus'' past life.

    The excess grain which was processed and stored had be the greatest export of Britannia as they sold an ample supply to the Irish tribes and petty kingdoms. For their role in repelling the Picts from Britannia, Primus had opted to maintain friendly rtions with the Irish, and thus he did not need to worry too much about raids from the west.

    Currently, Primus was along with one of his legions who acted as the protectors of the north. Recently, another raid had urred, and several hundred ves used to construct the wall were either killed or captured by the Caledonians. a

    Thus, Primus was sitting back and waiting for a report from the soldiers he had sent to investigate this matter. ves were not worth an expedition north into barbarian territory, however, Rome could not simply take these raids lying down.

    Thus, once Primus determined the direction from which these raiders came from, he would lead a minor incursion just north of the border, attacking those responsible, burning their viges to the ground, and enving the survivors.

    After several minutes of investigation, a soldier returned to the Legate and gave him the response he was looking for.

    "The signs point to the raiders fleeing to the northeast. If that''s the case, we''re most likely dealing with the Venicones tribe. Since they have opted to sabotage our efforts to protect ourselves from them, I think a brief incursion beyond the border would be most prudent."

    Primus merely nodded his head in agreement with this im. They had driven many Caledonian tribes north of Antonine''s wall. However, the only thing that managed to aplish was fuel the mes of war that lied within the hearts of the Pictish people. Thus, a better example needed to be set.

    The Legate did not need a second to think about the proper recourse. He immediately gave voice to his orders, ones that would set the Pictishndscape aze in an act of fierce retaliation.

    "Gather the legion. We march north. It is time we teach these barbarians a lesson they won''t soon forget."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    With this said, the soldier saluted his legate before going off to ry his orders to the unit who were standing by while waiting for the investigation to beplete. After giving the orders, Primus returned to his horse, which he quickly mounted via the stirrups.

    It would be a long journey to strike the Venicones at the heart of theirnds. At most, he and his men would not see the safety of Roman soil for a few weeks. However, this incursion needed to happen. For the Glory of Rome, and its Emperor, the Caledonians needed to pay the price of their actions with blood.

    Within the hour, the legion departed from the borders of Britannia, and ventured deep into Pictishnds, expecting at any moment to be beset upon by enemies. Despite this, they did not immediately fall prey to an enemy ambush. In fact, they managed to make some distance into the hills before facing their first attack.

    After reaching the half-way point to their destination, a group of Picts jumped out from behind the rocks and threw their spears towards the Roman soldiers. While others unleashed the rocks contained within their slings. Against such methods, the Romans simply raised their shields over their heads and resisted the barrage of projectiles with ease.

    However, the Picts did not stay around to fight, and scampered off into the hills. Theirck of armor made it much easier for them to escape the Romans, who were d from head to toe in iron. Primus cursed beneath his breath when he realized that the enemy had escaped, but he did not dare pursue them in case they had nned a muchrger ambush deeper ind. Instead, he gave the order to stay the course.

    "Continue to our destination. Do not be distracted by such a small war-band of raiders."

    Days passed as the Romans marched on to their destinations, and the weather had turned sour. With rain flooding the foothills and making the paths difficult to traverse. Despite this adversity, the Romans continued to march forward without end. Resting only when it waspletely necessary.

    Brief skirmishes appeared now and again in an attempt to shake the Romans off their course, but Primus had never pursued the perpetrators, knowing full well that to do so would cause him to walk into a trap.

    Finally, after nearly a week of marching passed. Primus and his soldiers arrived at the outermost vige of the Venicones tribe. Where their hillforty proudly, as if boastfully defying the Roman Legion who had made an exhausting and arduous journey just so they could attack a barbarian fortress.

    Despite this reality, Primus was undeterred, and quickly gave themand to his soldiers to construct a siege camp. Within the next few days, he would be breaking his way into the hillfort, where he would put every warrior to the sword, and im their wives and children as ves for the Roman Empire.

    Though he had only brought a single legion to deal with these troublemakers, in the eyes of the Legate, it was more than enough to deal with any enemy they might face in these barbarousnds. The Venicones would soon experience the wrath of Rome first hand.

 Chapter 164 Victory Over The Picts

    The Roman Army, under Primus''mands, gazed upon the Caledonian hillfort with a hint of disdain in their eyes. They hade all this way to avenge the raids that these barbarians had inflicted upon their efforts to restore Antonine''s wall. There was no way they would turn back now, even if they had to siege a fortress ten times more defensible than this minor stronghold.

    Primus quickly gave themand to begin the siege. Against such paltry defenses, they only needed a few days to bring them down.

    "Establish a siege camp and begin immediate construction of trebuchets and battery rams. We will take this damn fortress within a week at the most!"

    With this order given, the Roman Legion beneath themand of their Legate began to establish a proper siege. One that would be rtively uneventful for a period of five days. After five days and nights had passed, the Roman siege weapons were fully constructed, and Primus had adorned his helmet. With a sadistic grin on his face, he gave the order to assault the city.

    "Break down the city''s gates!"

    Having heard thesemands, the Roman army rushed towards the wooden palisade, which defended the hillfort withdders in hand. While the Trebuchets loaded their 92kg projectiles and fired them over the walls and into the vige within.

    As for the men holding the battering ram, they advanced forward and to the gates without the slightest bit of hesitation. Though the Caledonians attempted to fire their arrows upon the men carrying these siege devices, it was no use. They were too heavily armored for the iron arrows to cause any meaningful damage to the Roman legionaries.

    As for the Roman Legion, their crossbowmen hid behindrge pavises and fired their bolts up towards the archers on the ramparts above the hillfort timber barricade. The hardened iron bodkin bolts easily pierced through the unarmored flesh of the Picts, who fell to the wayside with lifeless eyes.

    The Caledonian defenders tried their best to eliminate the Roman invaders, but to little sess. The most damage they could deal was the throwing ofrge rocks down upon their enemies'' skulls, which is sessful in their attempt would cause significant damage to the men below.

    In the end, thedders were raised with little effort, while the battering ram pounded through the flimsy wooden gate which protected the barbarians from the Roman Legion. As the Romans scaled the palisade, and onto the earthen fortifications behind them, they unleashed their des upon the enemy who hid behind their oval shields, desperately attempting to protect their town from the enemy.

    Iron ripped through flesh with little resistance. Only the most battle hardened Picts wore body armor, and because of this, it was a rtively easy task to bypass their shields, and pierced through their hearts.

    As the first wave of Romans overcame the Pict''s barriers, the gate was broken open, allowing a river of Roman swords to flood through its entrance. Though the Picts desperately tried to block the Romans from entry, it was not an easy task to pierce through their heavy armor.

    Primus stood at the rear of his army''s formation, watching as his legion cut through the Pictish defenders like wheat to the scythe. His men had suffered few casualties as they advanced from the entry of the gate into the interior of the vige.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    The screams of women and children as they watched their husbands die in a vain attempt to defend them filled the air. However, the Romans did not care in the slightest, and continued to stab through the bodies of their enemies with vicious intent.

    Step by step, meter by meter, the Romans swarmed the Picts, until all that was left were a few dozen able-bodied men backed against the wall. The Romans, knowing their victory was near, began to y with these poor souls, throwing their plumbatae into the air with wild abandon. Some of these weighted darts fell upon their own shields, while others skewered the unarmored flesh of their enemies.

    In the end, Primus entered the city and gazed upon this disgraceful disy, where he quickly ordered the death of thest Pictish defenders.

    "Stop ying with your prey and kill them already!"

    After such a verbalshing, two dozen des rushed forward and pierced the flesh of thest defenders that remained in the hillfort. Having sessfully avenged their losses, Primus gave amand that would deter the Pictish tribes from attacking their reconstruction efforts.

    "Raise the city to the ground. Crucify all the men that remain! As for the women and children, enve them!"

    With this order given, the Roman Army began to violently capture every woman and child. They would be taken back to Roman Britannia, where they would be sold in the ve markets. Meanwhile, the Roman Legions began to gather every adult male who stood breathed and crucified them outside the hillfort''s walls.

    After finishing this task, the Romans looted everything of value that the town had to offer before lighting it aze. With this, they escorted their newly conquered ves back to Antonine''s wall, where they would await their fates.

    The other Pictish tribes would soon learn of what had happened, causing many of them to think twice before attacking the Roman''s attempts to rebuild Antonine''s wall. Though they would be losing significant ground if they allowed this wall to be built, it was better than losing everything.

    Still, some Pictish tribes would remain defiant, and would increase the intensity of their raids. Their fate would be the same as the Venicones. For every time the Romans were attacked, Primus would march north and invade the Pictishnds, lighting another hillfort aze, crucifying its men, and enving its women and children.

    When Marcellus learned of Primus'' many victories over the Picts, he would bestow upon him the Victory Title of Britannicus for his great victories over the Brythonic Caledonians. He would also give the man a substantial raise in pay.

 Chapter 165 Plotting Against The Sassanid Princess

    A young man stood within his pce and gazed upon the reports that were in his hands. It would appear that his darling little sister had thrown in her lot with his youngest brother. An act of which that deeply infuriated the man.

    Bahram was a cunning, and intelligent man who was not afraid of stabbing his opponents in their backs. It was because of this that his cousin Khosrow was no longer in the running to be the next king of kings.

    However, just when he thought he had proven himself worthy in the eyes of his sister Mitra, the woman had betrayed his trust, and aligned with another one of his rivals, one which he did not take seriously until now.

    If Bahram was a deeply ambitious man of high cunning, then Narseh was a calm, patient, and rtively passive man. One who did not make a move until he had perfectly cornered his opponents. He was also a man who did not care about their father''s death, nor the expansion of their homnd.

    In other words, he would make the perfect puppet of another mighty realm. Because of the dire situation that the Sassanid Empire now found itself in after the death of his father. Bahram knew for certain that the Romans would seek to make a puppet of his brother Narseh, whether that was directly or indirectly.

    What he had not expected was that his beloved sister would turn against him and support this puppet''s faction. Whether she was in league with the romans themselves, or was just an unwitting pawn, Bahram did not know. But one thing was certain, Narseh had officially made his hit list.

    However, after eliminating Khosrow, all eyes were now upon him, and if he moved to assassinate another of his rivals, and family members so soon, then he would certainly lose the support of many of the nobles. In fact, before he could propose the false evidence that he had concocted regarding Khosrow''s death, Narseh had curried favor with the nobles who supported their cousin, and expanded his power base exponentially.

    In a matter of months, Narseh had gone from the least likely candidate to seed the previous Shah, to being able to directly contend with his brothers, and this was the work of none other than Princess Mitra herself.

    Nobody knew Bahram''s personality more so than the Persian minx and as a result, she had urately predicted her elder brother''s ns to frame the assassination of his cousin on one of his two brothers. Thus, she had taken measures behind the scenes to prevent this, and instead gained the support of the nobles who supported Khosrow for the horse she had chosen to back.

    Currently, a beautiful young noblewoman by the name of Ha Getina, who was from one of the great houses of the Sassanid Empire, stood before Bahram. Despite her overwhelming beauty, the man did not look upon her with lust or affection.

    Instead, his expression was cold and indifferent. He quickly ordered Ha as if she were a mere ve to fulfill his desires, and that desire was to meet with the woman he was enthralled with, his own blood sister.

    "I want to meet with Mitra immediately. I do not know why she has chosen to back Narseh, but I will give her one chance toe to my side, or face the consequences. Bring my beloved sister to me, or don''t bother showing your face around here again."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Ha did not immediately respond. Her father was one of Bahram''srgest supporters and had sent her to the Prince''s estate, not only to assist the man in his war of session, but to seduce him so that he would make her his queen. Unfortunately for her, Bahram only had eyes for his sister, and thus any attempts to curry the man''s favor had been met with utter failure.

    For Ha to be turned away from Bahram''s home would be a massive scandal that would not only cause her father to be enraged with her, but it might also very well be the end of any worth she has to her family. Her fate would be that of a discarded asset. Thus, Ha wanted nothing more than to taste Mitra''s blood, so that the obsessed fool that was Bahram would finally see her as a woman worthy of being his queen.

    Now that she was given the order to fetch Mitra, Ha had gotten the chance to dispose of the Sassanid Princess. One that she would not fail to take advantage of. With a charming smile on her pretty face, Ha bowed respectfully to Bahram before affirming his orders.

    "I will fetch your sister at once. However, what should I do if she does note willingly?"

    Bahram''s gaze became filled with intense wrath, as he red over towards his subject with a heart filled with rage. Whenever it came to matters about his sister''s willful defiance, he became a bitter and jealous man. The very prospect that she would resisting home to him had never entered his mind. Now that Ha had presented this very real possibility, he became angry with her. With a gnashing of his teeth, the Sassanid Prince gave the orders that Ha wanted to hear.

    "If she does note willingly, use whatever methods necessary to bring her home by force. If you can''t even manage that, then I don''t have any use for you!"

    Ha''s smile curled into a sneer when she heard these words. In other words, excessive force was eptable, and it would not be her fault if something bad happened to Mitra the moment she resisted. Thus, she bowed once more to the Prince before departing.

    "It is as you say... Do not fret, I will be back in a heartbeat with your beloved sister in tow..."

    After saying this, Ha left Bahram''s pce, where her smile immediately faded away into a vicious frown. She could not believe the man was so obsessed with his own sister. If he was not such a dangerous man, then he would have been shunned long ago by polite society for his unhealthy thoughts.

    One thing was certain, if Bahram was ever to ovee his incestuous nature, then Mitra needed to die. Something Ha nned to personally take charge of.

 Chapter 166 Bahrams Agents Attack

    Mitra stood within her brother Narseh''s pce. She was currently drinking from a bottle of Roman fortified wine with a satisfied expression on her face. Her cheeks were flushed, showing that perhaps she had drank a bit too much, and yet despite this, her mind was still fully functional, albeit a bit slowed down.

    Narseh had ess to many of the most luxurious goods from across the Roman Empire, and had used them as bargaining chips to gain the support of many of his followers. Judging by the volume of wine which Mitra drank from, he wrongfully assumed the reason she had supported him was also because of this.

    However, as the woman was enjoying a bottle of wine with the youngest of her brothers, an intruder appeared within the vi. A woman, who Mitra was all too familiar with stood gracefully at before the two siblings, she had been escorted into the house by a group of armed guards.

    The moment Mitra saw this beautiful woman whose appearance rivaled her own, her mood soured instantly. Despite this, she wore a friendly facade as she stumbled to her feet and embraced Ha as if she were a sister.

    "Ha, my dear friend, it is nice of you toe and visit. Though I thought for sure your father had sided with big brother Bahram, why are you here in Narseh''s vi?"

    There was an equally fake smile on Ha''s face as she greeted her long-term rival with a rather heart embrace.

    "I can see you have already started drinking. Your brother Bahram wants to speak with you. In truth, I think he is a bit jealous of Narseh here, and wants to ask you why you have supported this fool..."

    The moment Mitra heard that her brother Bahram wanted to speak with her she immediately sobered up. As if her mind was telling her she was in serious danger at this very moment. Thus she distanced herself from her petty rival, and clung to her other brother Narseh, refusing to budge an inch.

    "Sorry Ha, you can tell my brother that he will always have my love, but Narseh here is a better fit to be the King of Kings. It alles down to what''s best for the realm, and Bahram is not it. I''m afraid I''m going to have to disappoint you. If Bahram wants to speak with me, then he cane here himself. But there is no way in hell I am following you back to him."

    This statement caught Ha by surprise, it was clear to her that Mitra was afraid of Bahram, or else she would never cling so tight to the passive fool that was Narseh. Even Narseh had taken offense to his brother''s brazen act, and quickly put his foot down as he stood tall before the persian beauty.

    "I''m afraid I''m going to have to insist that you leave here, Ha. If Bahram wishes to speak with Mitra, then you tell him that he will have to do so under my supervision. I don''t trust that incestuous twat around our sister for more than a second without someone there to protect her from his advances."

    Ha immediately frowned when she heard this. If she did not get Mitra to follow her back to Bahram, then she would not be able to execute her n to eliminate her. No, at this point, such a thing was no longer an option. It was highly likely that Mitra would stay in the arms of Narseh, and if that happened, the consequences would be disastrous.

    Bahram would dismiss her from his service, her father would see her as a useless whore unworthy of his family name, and with his opinion, the rest of her family would follow. It might not even be long before she is disowned altogether and forced to sell her body to make ends meet. Such a fate was worse than death for a pampered noblewoman.<novelnext></novelnext>

    After dwelling upon all these possibilities in silence for a few seconds, Ha sighed, and approached Mitra where shetched onto her forearm and tried to drag her away by force.

    "I''m afraid I''m going to have to insist..."

    When Mitra saw this, she reached into her satchel and pulled out a small knife which she quickly used to lunge at Ha''s neck. The noblewoman was surprised by this sudden, attack, but her reflexes were wless, allowing her to make a clean getaway with nothing but a slight scratch on her pretty face.

    Despite bing wounded ever so slightly, Ha was enraged that her beauty had been tained by Mitra''s violence and quickly ordered her escort of Bahram''s guards to seize the Sassanid Princess.

    "Seize her! Kill anyone who gets in the way!"

    These guards were Bahram''s most elite troops, who instantly unsheathed their swords and lunged towards Narseh. Who was quick to retaliate. The des met in mid air, while a third guard rushed towards Mitra in an attempt to capture her.

    Despite this, the young princess was too quick, and quickly scurried off, hopping over tables and furniture, which blocked ess to her person. She called out to her brother in onest attempt to get him to flee before running off into the night.

    "Brother Narseh, flee! This matter isn''t worth your death!"

    After saying this, Mitra jumped out the second-story window before climbing down a tree into the yard. Where she quickly gathered the guards of the vi who were loyal to Narseh.

    "Bahram''s agents attack your Prince! Hurry and defend him!"

    The Persian Princess could only hope that the men arrived in time to save her brother from his fate. If not, she would have a lot of exining to do to her roman masters. As for what she nned to do, she intended to scurry off to a safe house which Marcellus'' Frumentarii had stashed away for her within the Sassanid capital. At the very least she could hide from Bahram and his agents there.

 Chapter 167 Chaos In Ctesiphon

    ?After escaping from her brother''s vi, Mitra stalked through the streets of Ctesiphon in search of the safe house which the Frumentarii had established in the Sassanid capital. The sounds of conflict emerged from Narseh''s pce. With all her heart, the Persian princess hoped her brother would survive. If not, she would have some exining to do to her Roman masters.

    While Mitra stealthily made her way through the streets of the city, Narseh was fighting against the guards of his cunning older brother. He honestly had not expected to be attacked in his own home, but when it came to matters revolving their little sister, Bahram was quick to lose reason.

    With the sh of his sword, Narseh caught one of the hostile warriors in the neck, cutting through his jugr with ease. The man fell to his knees, his blood quickly forming a pool beneath his feet. Without the slightest hesistation, Narseh kicked the man into the sanguine body of liquid and shifted his attack towards his next target.

    However, before he could engage, a shrill voice erupted from outside the pce.

    "Forget about him. Mitra is getting away! Find her now! Or I''ll have your testicles removed!"

    With this said, Bahram''s warriors disengaged from their previous target, and jumped out the window of the building before rolling on the dirt below. Where they proceeded to dash into the city in search of the missing princess.

    When Narseh saw this, his heart instantly became filled with dread. If Bahram got his hands on Mitra, it would not end well for either her or himself. Thus, he immediately called out to his own guards, who were rushing up the stairs to the room where he stood.

    "Find Mitra before Bahram does! I don''t care how many men you have to deploy into the streets of Ctesiphon, you must find my sister!"

    With this, a manhunt ensued throughout the capital city of the Sassanid Empire, where two prince''s factions fought in the streets while searching for the missing princess. As for Mitra, she had since found her way into the Frumentarii''s safe house, where a group of italic men stood watch.

    Upon witnessing the approaching Persian beauty, the agents of the Frumentarii grabbed onto the hilts of their concealed des and prepared tounch an attack. However, before they could do so, Mitra called out a coded message which signalled her as an ally agent.

    "The unconquered sun rises with the dawn!"

    Upon hearing this, the Roman agents released their grips, and walked towards the woman before speaking their own coded message.

    "And with it a new era... Sister, have you been followed?"

    Mitra looked behind her with caution before shaking her head. A pretty smile emerged on her face, as she responded to the man''s question.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "No, I was discreet, but I need a ce to lie low for a bit. My brothers are fighting to see who can find me first. If Bahram gets his hands on me, your masters will be very displeased."

    Upon hearing this, the two guards looked at each other with a hint of worry in their eyes before the leader of the two men nodded his head and rushed the girl inside the building.

    "In here, trust me, even if your brother''s mene knocking, they won''t find you."

    After entering the building and thanking the two agents for their assistance. Mitra found a roman woman on the inside, who quickly moved a book case aside which revealed a door to a hidden room.

    Having helped the Sassanid Princess inside. The roman woman smiled and nodded her head before exiting the hidden room, in doing so she left a message behind.

    "You can stay here as long as you need. I promise you, even if your brother''s men scour the entire city, they won''t find you in here. When the time is right, we will escort you back to your brother Narseh''s vi, where you should be safe."

    Mitra merely smiled and nodded her head in eptance of these words, before being left alone in the darkness of the room. There was a bed inside, ad as well as a table for eating. It would appear for the next few days, Mitra would be hiding in this dark ce waiting for things to die down.

    ---

    The search for Mitra was a nasty one, with men being interrogated by armored guards of the distinct factions. When Shapur had heard that his brothers were tearing the streets apart in search of his sister, he joined in the fun, hoping that he could use Mitra as leverage against his rivals.

    He was not the brightest of men, but luckily he had intelligent advisors, who in reality were the true masterminds hoping to ce a mindless puppet on the throne. They knew that Narseh and Bahram had already spilled blood in pursuit of their sister, and that her capture would be a clear indicator of which of the factions vying for the throne gained prominence in theing days.

    Meanwhile, Ha was filled with distraught, and was doing everything she could to find Mitra. Should she fail to do so after causing such a mess, the consequences would be disastrous. Naturally with such arge manhunt underway, word of this matter quickly spread to the neighboring kingdoms and Empires.

    Luckily for Marcellus, he had agents in the field, which were quick to inform him that Mitra was safe, and sound for now. However, if she were to return to Narseh, it would clearly be a deration of war on her part against her other two brothers. One that would certainly lead to full scale armed conflict between the various factions vying for the Sassanid throne.

    The Roman Emperor could hardly believe that one girl was responsible for so much chaos. If it came to war, Narseh was likely to lose. Thus, he would need the support of some powerful allies. Naturally, Marcellus could not deploy his legions in the man''s defense, but he could hire some barbarians to act as mercenaries on the man''s behalf. Naturally, uponing to this decision, he was quick to work on brokering such an alliance between the two foreign parties.

 Chapter 168 Debating Internal Concerns

    Word quickly spread to Marcellus about the ongoing chaos in the streets of Ctesiphon, it was a matter he took very seriously. As whoever emerged victorious in this conflict would likely gain a leg ahead of the others in regards to the ongoing session crisis.

    Luckily, Sigefrida brought the man some great news about this matter. With a wide grin on her face, she was quick to reveal just what she had learned from her agents embedded in the Persian capital.

    "It would appear that Mitra is safe and sound within our agent''s hiding spot. The fools could tear the entire city apart, and they would never find her. We just need to wait for the violence to die down before we can assess the situation in full.

    For now, both Narseh and Mitra are still alive. Which means we can continue our ns. If anything, this attack by Bahram''s agents can be seen as a provocation, and will earn him the ire of the other contenders.

    We could spin this as a propaganda piece regarding the man''s own incestuous thoughts towards his sister, and the lengths he''d go to, to get his hands on her. At the very least, his public image would be ruined. He might even lose the support of several of his backers."

    Marcellus agreed with Sigefrida''s assessment and was quick to grant approval for her proposal.

    "Very good. We should get our agents to work on a smear campaign immediately, especially when the chaos is still ongoing. After all, nobody really knows what has caused this attack on Narseh''s estate. If we spread the truth before Bahram can conceal it, we might be able to deal a critical blow to his faction. Which would take one of the warmongers out of the equation."

    Sigefrida nodded her head in agreement with Marcellus'' statement, before rushing off to deploy the orders. In doing so, she left the man all alone in his study with his thoughts. Marcellus quickly turned to the window and gazed out into the courtyard where his nieces and nephew were ying.

    Such a wholesome sight filled Marcellus with determination to work towards an era of peace and prosperity that Rome had never achieved before. If he could break the Sassanid Empire, then Rome would truly have no rival in this world.

    If such a future were toe to pass, then the only matters to settle would be internal ones. While it was true that Marcellus'' dictatorship had brought stability to the Empire, it had done so at quite the cost, and it was by no means a permanent solution to the problems which ailed Rome.

    Sooner orter, Marcellus would no longer be able to rule over this Empire, and when the time came for session there needed to be a clear, and present prospect. One capable of continuing his vision, with the support of both the military and the patrician ss.

    Though the Patricians'' had lost a substantial amount of power and influence under Marcellus'' regime, the moment they got the first opportunity they would bare their fangs, like the snakes they were. Despite this ever present threat, Marcellus had yet to think of a way to permanently curb this vicious nature of the upper ss.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The Patricians cared more about their personal wealth and power, then they did about the peace and prosperity of Rome. In fact, it was these fools that had brought the Empire to the brink of destruction in a series of petty civil wars that had continued to gue Rome until the moment Marcellus seized the crown for himself.

    The easiest solution to this problem would be to thoroughly purge the patrician ns, seize their assets and redistribute them to a ss of warrior elites, who would hold hereditary control over thends they were granted. In doing so, he would usher in the age of feudalism, but of course, this had its own drawbacks.

    Not to mention the vast decentralization of power, this would obviously affect the military as well, which would no longer be a single united force. But rather a loose collection of Bannerman who swore loyalty to their Imperator.

    This would mean that the quality, and number of troops, as well as their equipment, would vary based upon each territory''s ability to finance an army. Naturally this would mean the dwindling of the imperial might Marcellus had practically rebuilt from scratch, and that could not be allowed.

    Thus, Marcellus was left to look at his other options, which included a hereditary monarchy, whose emperor acted as a military dictator. In other words, continue the same solution he had now, but ce his descendants as Imperator. This allowed all members of society to establish wealth, power, and influence by serving in the military.

    This was a deeply unpopr system with the Patricians, but was immensely popr among the plebeians. Unfortunately, the probability of such a systemsting a long time was slim. All it took was one disloyal general to throw the Empire into chaos.

    Thus, Marcellus quickly counted out this political philosophy as well. After careful consideration, Marcellus dared to think of a new political ideology, which mixed his military dictatorship with the civic structure of the earlier roman republic.

    What if he were to transition from a Military Dictatorship, to a Republic, governed by the veterans of the military? In this system, any civilian could earn the privilege of voting. However, they would do so afterpleting voluntary military service.

    This would mean that those who had the power to elect officials into office were those who had personally chosen to make a sacrifice for the Empire itself. This would also mean a constant supply of recruits for the military without actually having to enforce conscription.

    Under this system, representatives would be chosen by veterans, based upon their qualifications to lead, which would have been proven in the field. Ensuring that the most right man for the job, fulfilled his civic responsibility as either a senator, or other form of government official.

    Obviously, this idea needed some serious work if it were to actually enter practice. As it was a system that had never been implemented before in the history of either of Marcellus'' two lives. However, he had years to spend perfecting this system before he needed to put it into ce. Thus, after writing down a basic outline for this premise, Marcellus decided to work on other matters.

 Chapter 169 Swift Retaliation

    Bahram''s agents tore through the streets of Ctesiphon in search of his beloved sister. Yet, no matter where they went, they could not find the slightest trace of her presence. To make matters worse, Narseh''s agents would contest them around every corner in a bloody battle to the death.

    The entire city had be unravelled in chaos, allowing bandits, brigands, cutthroats, and other criminal rabble took advantage of the situation to loot stores and burrize houses. There had been several attempts to ransack the Frumentarii''s safe house. Yet, the roman agents were well skilled in the art of the de, and protected their ''property'' from any evildoers.

    While Narseh had survived the attack on his life, he had retaliated by sending a group of his own assassin''s into his brother Bahram''s vi. Where the man was currently cursing at thetest news he had received from Ha.

    "You''re telling me that my sister escaped and is nowhere to be found? How is that even possible? You had one fucking task: bring Mitra to me, and you failed miserably. If you were going to attack my foolish little brother, you should have atst finished the fucking job! What use are you?!?"

    Though Ha felt dismayed by her verbalshing, she did not say a word, and continued to bow her head at the Sassanid Prince. It was true that she had failed toplete a simple task. However, in her defense, how exactly was she supposed to know that Mitra would just bounce at the first sign of trouble?

    The bitch was more covert than Ha had expected. There was not the slightest hint of where she had run off to following the incident at Narseh''s vi. It was fair to say that at this point, she may have even escaped from the city altogether. If that were actually to be the case, the Bahram would never find the girl, no matter how far out into the world he sent his agents to look for her.

    Of course, neither Ha nor Bahram would expect the girl was hiding in the center of the city right under their noses. The very idea that she had aligned herself with roman spies, and was stashed away in their safe house, was something nobody would think of. Especially after the death of the girl''s father at the hands of the newest Roman Emperor.

    Ultimately, Bahram was forced into a troublesome situation, if he continued to cause chaos in the city, it was likely that the other factions would side with Narseh andy siege to his vi in an attempt to be rid of him once and for all.

    However, if he abandoned his quest to find his sister now, the girl would likely slither back into the arms of that bastard Narseh, and use this incident as a tool to gain more followers for the man. Bahram could only m his fist onto the table in a fit of rage as he vented his frustrations with simple violence.

    After several moments of heavy breathing, to calm his nerves, Bahram exhaled heavily before giving his orders to Ha.

    "Call of the search for Mitra. After you have done that, don''t bother showing yourself around here ever again."

    Ha gritted her teeth when she heard such hard words. That was until she caught a glimpse of an assassin entering the room from a nearby reflection. She quickly tackled Bahram to the ground. Which had invoked the man''s ire until he noticed a dart embedded into his ceramic cup.

    The Sassanid Prince quickly scrambled to his feet, as he unsheathed his sword and met his attackers head on. Meanwhile, Ha called for aid from Bahram''s guards.

    "Help! The Prince is under attack!"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Iron shed with iron, as Bahram, and the assassin''s des met in midair. With a quick flick of his wrist, Bahram deflected the oing sword, and lunged forward, piercing through the assassin''s padded armor, and into the man''s heart. In his death, the man''s eyes widened in disbelief before he fell to the ground lifeless and in a pool of his own blood.

    Despite this victory, Bahram had no reprieve as another attacker lunged towards his back with his de in hand. However, before the de could reach its target, a loud nging sound erupted in the air, as arge bronze basin struck the assassin over the head and knocked him outpletely.

    Bahram gazed upon who had saved his hide, only to realize that yet again Ha had acted in his best interests, preventing an otherwise lethal attack from taking his life. Perhaps he could forgive the woman for her failures, after all.

    The third assassin, having witnessed the deaths of his two allies, and hearing the footsteps of armored guards rushing up the table, took the coward''s way out, and jumped out the window, hoping he could reach the next rooftop only.

    Perhaps the gods were on the assassin''s side, but he sessfully managed to escape the hostile situation, and immediately booked it out of the area. Not wanting to stay behind and risk his own death. The mission was a failure and the boss needed to be informed of this.

    Narseh had made a grave mistake by retaliating. Bahram was just about to call off the search for Mitra, and let things go for now. However, after being attacked in his own home, he refused to lie down and let bygones be bygones.

    After recovering from the shock of it all, the Sassanid Prince gave an order to the head of his royal guard.

    "Prepare the troops. We march to Narseh''s vi at once. I won''t spare that bastard after what he pulled this day!"

    Knowing this was a bad idea, Ha tried to speak to the Prince out of this rash decision.

    "With all due respect, your highness, this was simple retaliation against your previous actions. I think we can consider things equal and save our energy for another day. After all, if you march on Narseh''s vi, the only ones who will benefit are the other candidates for the throne. Please think this through."

    Though Bahram wanted nothing more than to exact a pound of flesh from his brother, Ha''s words were wise, and thus he called out to the captain of the guard once more, just as the man was about to leave the room.

    "Wait! I change my mind! We will leave things as they are... For now..."

    With this order given, a war between the two Sassanid Princes was narrowly avoided. As for Mitra, she would emerge once everything had settled down, and take her ce by her brother Narseh''s side.

 Chapter 170 Ceasefire

    Following the attempt on Bahram''s life, the city of Ctesiphon entered what could only be called a ceasefire. The two brothers emerged from their holdings to discuss the matters between them like men. Narseh stood across from his elder brother with a smug look on his face as he called out to the man as if he were triumphant in the whole ordeal.

    "I see you still have your head intact brother, you must be blessed by the heavens to survive that assassination attempt!"

    This remark only caused Bahram to scoff at his younger brother before lecturing the boy on his actions.

    "Sending assassins into your own brother''s home? How will you be able to face our father in the afterlife? Let''s cut the shit and get down to business. The streets of Ctesiphon are in chaos, and our sister is missing. I propose a halt to the hostilities between us. In exchange for my peace, I want you to give Mitra to me. You have clearly demonstrated ack of ability to protect her!"

    Narseh looked around at the setting in front of him. On one side was his brother, surrounded by his guards, on the other side was his own army. At any moment, the war could resume, and the ultimate victor would be their eldest brother Shapur.

    Despite this reality, Narseh would never just hand over his sister to Bahram. It was the same as selling the girl into sex very. Thus, he responded with a confident tone in his voice.

    "You think I would sell my sister into very like somemon whore? You think too little of me, brother. If not for your attempt on my life, she would be safe and sound within my vi. Yet you dare to me me for her current state.

    Everyone knows how you feel about our sister, and I will be damned before I hand her over to you. You know she wants nothing to do with you, right? So why persist? Are you truly incapable of finding a woman to be your bride?"

    This remark did nothing but cause the enmity that existed between these two brothers to grow. Bahram curled his fists in rage as he ground his teeth. Thinking of all the insults he wanted to hurl towards his brother, and yet he forced himself to remain calm.

    "For the sake of our mother, I will give you onest chance. Agree to hand Mitra over to me when we finally find her, or prepare yourself for total warfare!"

    Despite this threat, Narseh did not budge in the slightest. He was already willing to die before he allowed his sister to fall into the lecherous hands of his older brother. Thus, he simply turned around and walked away from Bahram. All the while, the man cursed him out from behind.

    "So it is war, then! Fine! Prepare yourself brother, for the next time we meet, it will be on the battlefield! I will have your head for this disobedience!"

    Even with this being the result of their negotiations, Narseh did not grieve, instead, he needed to make preparations. First, he had to secure his vi with an appropriate amount of defenses and troops. Then he needed to search for his sister, in another game of cat and mouse. If Bahram managed to get his hands on the girl after all of this, it would be a disaster.

    Once Narseh returned to his bedroom within his pce, and closed the door behind him, a pair of dainty armed wrapped themselves around his back. He turned around in shock to see Mitra staring at him with a cunning smile on her face.

    "Did you miss me?"

    Narseh was indeed surprised to see the missing minx, who had caused so much trouble in the capital of the Sassanid Empire, and was quick to interrogate her about her whereabouts during this crisis.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Where the hell have you been?"

    Naturally, Mitra evaded the topic as she released her hold over her brother before sitting down on his bed. She crossed one leg over the other and countered her brother''s interrogation with one of her own.

    "Nevermind that. It''s not important. What I need to know is how did Bahram act after your little ceasefire?"

    Narseh felt exhausted after his little meeting with his older brother, and quickly fetched a pitcher of wine, which sat neatly in one of his cupboards. After drinking more than he probably should, he wiped his mouth before answering his little sister''s question.

    "He demanded I hand you over. I refused, so it is war. Bahram is forcing my hand, it appears as if things have be incrediblyplicated."

    A look of anxiety formed on Narseh''s face as he dreaded the idea of going to war with his brother. Despite his words, Mitra seemedpletely calm while she snatched the pitcher of wine from her brother''s hands and drank her fair share beforementing on his worries.

    "It''s not a problem. I know some people who can get us connected with mercenaries. As long as you don''t mind paying a ransom of gold and silver to some barbarians from the west, then you will be fine. When the time for war actuallyes around, Bahram won''t know what hit him..."

    Naturally, this confidence that his sister held unnerved Narseh, who was quick to inquire about who her contacts were.

    "Barbarians from the west? You wouldn''t be talking about Germans, would you? Just who do you know who can get us in contact with them?"

    Once again, Mitra deflected the critical question, as she exined in detail just who she would be able to hire.

    "Vandals, to be exact. As for my contact, that doesn''t really matter. What is important is that their word is as good as gold. I promise you, for a proper price, you will have a group of battle-hardened, and bloodthirsty warriors who will be more than willing to kill Bahram and his supporters. Just say the word, and I will arrange it."

    After careful consideration, Narseh sighed in defeat and nodded his head in agreement with his sister''s suggestion before voicing his thoughts aloud.

    "Alright, set it up. I better not regret this."

    Mitra smirked before standing up and leaving the room. As she departed, she left behind one single sentence, which did not do anything to ease the worries in her brother''s heart.

    "Leave it to me!"

 Chapter 171 Striking A Deal With The Vandals

    In the following days, Mitra contacted Sigefrida and informed the woman of her need for Germanic mercenaries. Which the Suebi spymaster was quick to agree to. The borders of the Roman Empire were stabilizing, and the barbarian kingdoms which sought to carve their own piece of the Mediterranean were being pushed back.

    The result of this was that many of the Germanic tribes were busily warring among each other for thosends that were left in Europe. Naturally Marcellus had not been idle since he reunited the Empire under one banner, and had been using his influence with the Germanic tribes to hire mercenaries for the conflict which had been brewing in the east for some time.

    The Vandals, in particr, were more than willing to kill for gold and silver. And who better to kill than a bunch of filthy Persians? Or so they thought. It did not take long before a meeting was established between Marcellus and one of the more powerful Vandal chieftains. The man wasrge, with pale skin, and a long red beard, with a matching head of hair.

    Braulio was the chieftain''s name, and he hade all the way to Rome to meet with the mighty Emperor, who had halted his people''s advance, as well as those of all the other major tribes. Much like Marcellus, the man wore his armor, even in times of peace. He sat across from the Imperator with a wide grin on his face as the two men stared at one another, examining their capabilities.

    Finally, after some time had passed, Marcellus was the first to speak, as he pulled out a small chest filled with gold bullion. He handed it over to the Vandal warlord with litter regard for its worth, before informing the man of his task.

    "An advance in payment for the job I want you to fulfill. You can expect far more where that came from if youplete the task I have in mind for you."

    Braulio scratched his red beard as he gazed upon the gold in the open chest with avarice in his blue eyes. He could hardly believe that Marcellus was just willing to give this good to him from the start. Though he had to admit, this tactic did seed in garnering his interest. Therge man closed the chest and tossed it aside so that it would no longer distract him from the conversation before posing a few questions of his own.

    "So, what''s this task you have for me?"

    A wide grin appeared on Marcellus'' face as he pulled out two gilded chalices and filled them with one. He handed one off to Braulio before taking a sip from his own. It was only after the two men had drank from the wine did the Roman Emperor state the details of the job.

    "First and foremost, as far as the Persians are concerned, you and I have never met, and you are not under the employ of the Roman Empire. If you keep this secret, not only will you receive a bounty in gold and silver from Rome, but also from the next Sassanid King himself. Consider this double payment for one job.

    I will make this brief. I am secretly backing a candidate for the Sassanid throne and he has found himself in need of experienced warriors. I want you and your men to travel to Ctesiphon, where you will meet with a young Persian woman by the name of Mitra. She will introduce you to her brother Narseh, as mercenaries that she has specifically sought out.

    You will present yourself to Narseh as the capable warriors you are and convince him to hire you. Where you will then officially fight under his banner, in his conflict with his older brother Bahram. Emerge victorious and you can expect great rewards from Narseh and myself.

    Aside from the fortune you will be paid, there will also be glory to gain in battle. I don''t know if your tribe still follows the old gods, but if so, then I can assure you that your men will enter Wuotan''s hell without trouble.

    So what say you? Do you believe you and your tribe are up to the task of ying some Persians?"

    Braulio gulped down the rest of his wine in a single go. He then mmed his chalice on the wooden table before sticking out his arm in agreement with Marcellus'' job. This caused the Roman Emperor to smile and grasp hold of the man''s forearm, where the two men solidified their agreement. After doing so, Braulio began to speak.

    "I''ll y your Persians for you and make sure your puppet sits on his fancy throne. Gold and glory are all my people ask for. I must say, for a filthy Roman, you sure think like one of my people."

    Marcellus simply scoffed when he heard this and shook his head. He was quick to deny these allegations.

    "I assure you, I am and will always be a Roman.... But I have known Goths for most of my life. I have served alongside thousands and in tens of thousands more. Since your people are rted to the Goths in some way, naturally, I can understand how you think. So when do you think you will depart for Ctesiphon?"

    Braulio ignored Marcellus''ments about ying goths and focused on the task at hand. He scratched his beard once more than he thought about the answer to the Roman Emperor''s question. it appeared to be a habit of the man. After several moments of silence, he smiled and nodded his head before responding.

    "Give me two weeks to rally my warriors, and we will depart for Ctesiphon. Once we arrive, I will do as you have said and contact this woman. You don''t need to worry about our silence, it''s included in the price. After all, we Vandals know how to be discreet."

    With this said, the hulking barbarian rose from his seat, and departed from Marcellus'' pce, where he would make the necessary preparations to fulfill his task. As for Marcellus, he felt a lot less nervous knowing that Narseh would have some proper warriors following him into battle.

    You see, Marcellus may not like the Germanic tribes, but he respected their ability in warfare. The same could not be said for the Persians, who he looked upon with a deep sense of disdain. However, in order for this peace tost, Narseh needed to be crowned King, and thus Marcellus had turned to a group of professionals to ensure this transition of power in the Sassanid court urred as intended.

 Chapter 172 The Vandals Arrive In Ctesiphon

    In the weeks that followed his meeting with Marcellus, Braulio and his merry band of Vandals had packed up their belongings, and set course for the Sassanid capital of Ctesiphon. When they arrived in the region, the local garrison immediately took notice of their appearance. Hundreds ofrge, pale-skinned men from the north were not exactlymon in this part of the world. Especially when travelling together.

    As for the Vandals'' weapons and armor, they left them in their trunks, as to not cause rm. The moment Braulio rode his horde into the gates of the city, two sentries stopped him and began to question the man in their native tongue.

    "Halt, what is your business in this city?"

    Naturally, the Vandals did not understand a word that these men were speaking, and because of this, quite themotion had begun. Braulio hopped off his horse and towered over the swarthy men, who reached out and held onto the hilt of their swords after feeling intimidated.

    ? The Vandal chieftain saw this, and merely scoffed before spitting on the floor in disgust, as if challenging the two weaklings to draw their swords. Feeling slightly humiliated, one of the two men was just about to do so when Mitra jumped in just in the nick of time.

    "What do you think you''re doing? These men are guests of the great Prince Narseh. Are you trying to deliberately pick a fight with such venerable figures in the middle of the streets?"

    The two sentries immediately kneeled before the Sassanid Princess, who had a livid expression on her beautiful face. The moment that Braulio set eyes upon Mitra, he smiled with a lecherous look on his face before approaching her. Mitra naturally spoke Latin and was quick to speak it to the Vandal chieftain, who she knew did the same.

    "I am Princess Mitra of the Sassanid Empire. Our mutual friend has assured me that you are the best men in your field. Come, my brother, require your services!"

    The two sentries stood and gawked as Mitra led hundreds ofrge eastern Germanic men towards Narseh''s vi. Neither of these two sentries were high enough ranked to receive a payout from any of the major yers in Sassanid politics, and thus, they decided to just keep their mouth shut about the entire affair.

    As for Mitra, she led Braulio into her brother''s Pce where the man was quick to greet his sister and her guests.

    "So, these are the men you said will be able to help us with our little problem? I must admit they are rather intimidating, but just because they are frightening to look at, doesn''t mean that they are capable on the battlefield."

    Mitra converted Narseh''s words from his native tongue into Latin, which visibly upset Braulio, who crossed his arms and spoke in the Gothguage with a foul expression on his rugged face.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Tell this little runt that he does not need to worry. I have killed more men in my life than there are stars in the sky."

    Mitra quickly tranted the man''s words, which immediately caused Narseh to have a doubtful expression on his face. However, since his sister had brought these men to his door, they must be capable. Thus, he began to list of the duties of their jobs, as well as their pay.

    "I require warriors to help me win an uing war with my brother Bahram. I will pay your war band your weight in gold if you can defeat my enemies and help me gain the crown of my people. Your room and board will be taken care of, as I have several inns within the city that can amodate your forces. However, I expect you to provide your own armor and weapons. I trust that won''t be a problem?"

    After having Mitra quickly trante the words, Braulio broke out into a fit ofughter, and pped Narseh on the back before assuring him that his men were more than already well armed.

    "You think we came all this way without arms and armor? You really think little of us, don''t you? Don''t worry, we will kill your enemies, and when we have won your war for you, we expect to be paid handsomely. Now, if that is all, why don''t you show us to our quarters?"

    Narseh smiled and agreed to Braulio''s request, where he led the men through the city, and allowed them to pick the rooms they desired in several inns which were located not far from his pce. As for the rest of Braulio''s most elite warriors, they were chosen to stay in the pce itself as protectors of Narseh and his sister.

    With the vandals backing Narseh and his faction, it was highly likely that he would be able to defeat Bahram, however, whether he would be able to subdue the other pretenders to the throne, that was another question entirely.

    Of course, Narseh was not the only one making preparations for the uing war, Bahram was also at work acquiring mercenaries from abroad. However, unlike Mitra, who chose to select a battled hardened group of Germanic warriors. Bahram had acquired his mercenaries from the far east.

    Soon enough, men from the fablednd of Serica would step foot in the Sassanid Capital, their goal, to eliminate the Germanic warriors that Narseh had hired, and secure the throne for Bahram. Whether these far easterners would be capable of putting up a threat to the Vandals was a story for another time.

    However, when Marcellus finally heard that Mercenaries from Serica had arrived in Ctesiphon, he would have to rethink many of his ns. After all, one of his greatest goals in life was to travel to thend of silk.

    In truth, Rome knew little of China, or its current ruling dynasty, only whispers from an era long past. However, these foreign mercenaries might be just the connection to the far east that Marcellus was looking for. Only time would tell whether he would finally be able to aplish this dream of his.

 Chapter 173 Playing The Part Of The Villain Part I

    It had been some time since Marcellus had first united the two halves of the Roman Empire into a single state. During this time many things had changed, and rapidly too. It had only been a handful of years since the man was just another General in the Roman Army.

    Yet during the past few years, advancements into every major field had taken ce. Education was undergoing a monumental reform in so far that its subjects were now being based on a modern elementary curriculum.

    Whereas the industry of Rome, while still beingrgely conducted by vebor, had seen a massive increase in water and animal powered tools/machines. Crucible steel had be amon sight, among the greatest armor and weapons that Rome could offer, and for the first time in centuries there had been a major effort into the reconstruction of roads.

    The Frontiers had gained an increase in fortifications and soldiers present in the region, making them much safer than they had been in centuries. With agricultural yields at an all-time high, it was now time to invest in the expansion of the region''s infrastructure.

    From Britannia, to Gaul, and all the way to eastern most borders, Marcellus had ordered a substantial amount of his treasury to be spent on infrastructure initiatives. Not just roads, but aqueducts, plumbing, bridges, and other major works.

    ? Northern Gaul, in particr, received a massive investment as it was now a vassal state owned by the Suebi tribes safeguarded the region for Rome. Barbarians of all denominations entered Suebinds, and traded with Sigefrida''s elder brother, who was named High King of the Suebi.

    All the while, Marcellus sat back in Rome and read reports of his ongoing aggressive expansion. Currently, his wife cidia was handing him a cup of purified water, which had be amon drink after water purification nts were established across several of the Empire''s major cities.

    "Are you perhaps too busy to spare a moment for your dear wife?"

    Marcellus looked up from his papyrus document before kissing the hand of the young woman. An act which caused her to flush in embarrassment. After doing so, he smiled and asked what was on the woman''s mind.

    "Is there something that I can help you with, dear?"

    cidia returned her husband''s smile and nodded her head before casually sitting on the side of his desk as if it were the most natural thing in this world to do.

    "Pulcheria has been pestering me about her father. I dare say he died when she was still rather young, and in truth, I have very few good things to speak about when ites to my brothers. Arcadius was not as cruel as Honorius, but he was neither bright nor courageous. Like Honorius, his entire reign was a joke, leaving it to hands of better men than himself. Yet, I fear it would be unwise to speak to the girl about her father in such a manner."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Marcellus merely scoffed when he heard this before taking a sip from the ss of water. After doing so he ced it on a coaster before responding to his wife''s concerns.

    "She should learn sooner orter about the truth, should she not? I mean, the girl is in her teenage years already. Surely she can handle that much. She''s fairly bright, albeit a bit too religious. I suppose she takes after her mother in that regard, because no offense, but your brothers were two of the dullest men I have ever met in my life."

    Marcellus barely knew Arcadius if he was being honest. Neither did cidia for that metter. The two of them had been raised by Stilicho in the Western half of the Empire, much like Honorius. Arcadius, on the other hand, had been raised in the eastern half of the Empire, and a far way away from the rest of the family.

    Apparently his a severeck of intelligence ran in the family, because even though Arcadius was raised under a separate tutge from his brother, the man was still just as inept in nearly every facet of life. Luckily, both cidia and her niece, Pulcheria, did not seem to fall into this mold of tant stupidity.

    It was with this in mind that Marcellus sighed heavily before giving his wife a proper answer.

    "Do you want me to tell her the truth? I doubt you want to be the person who tells Pulcheria what a failure her father was. She might detest you for it. Whereas with me, she already hates my guts for being a ''filthy'' pagan. I don''t mind telling her that her father was a durd and that she''s lucky she didn''t inherit such a trait."

    A slight giggle erupted from Pulcheria''s lips as she heard this, causing her to nod her head before teasing her husband ever so slightly.

    "You know what? You do make a superb viin. I suppose it would be best for you to give the girl a proper talking to about her father and uncle. Perhaps after learning about your rtionship with my family, she might be able to understand why you are the current emperor and not a member of my father''s dynasty."

    Marcellus scoffed when he heard this, before standing up from his seat and cing down his documents. He was quick to follow cidia to where Pulcheria was hiding about within the pce. Though he didn''t like ying the role of the bad guy, sometimes it was necessary for one parent to assume the role, and since he and cidia were now raising her nieces and nephew as their own children, naturally he would have to y the part of the viin.

    Thus, with a heavy heart, Marcellus was about to have a rather serious conversation with his niece about why her father, and her uncle. It was bound to be a conversation that would cause the girl to be furious with him, but it was better to squash fanciful notions before they settled themselves into the girl''s mind.

 Chapter 174 Playing The Part Of The Villain Part II

    Marcellus descended from the staircase outside his vi after having a conversation with cidia about their niece Pulcheria. The girl was located outside the pce in the gardens, ying within therge fountain that was more like a pool than anything else.

    Upon seeing the girl enjoying herself to such an extant, rather than looking depressed like she had since firsting to Rome, Marcellus smiled, and for the first time in a long time began to strip himself out of his armor, so that he could join Pulcheria in the fountain.

    The moment he snuck up behind the girl and sshed her with some water, she looked around with a pouting expression before noticing that rather than one of her siblings; it was the filthy pagan who had sshed her. The moment Pulcheria saw this, her expression turned to one of wrath, which only caused Marcellus to wear a bitter smile as he approached his niece.

    "Pulcheria, your aunt wanted me to have a word with you. Do you have a moment to speak?"

    The girl gazed around at the yard and noticed that she waspletely alone with her uncle and had no excuse to run away from him. Thus, she sighed and sat down at the edge of the fountain, waiting for the man to speak.

    Marcellus naturally took this as a cue that she had epted his request and thus sat down next to her before asking a question.

    "So, your aunt tells me that you have been asking about your father and uncle. Is this true?"

    ? Pulcheria bit her lip, stubbornly refusing to reveal that she had indeed been asking her aunt cidia about this topic. However, Marcellus simply saw this an admission of guilt, and thus he sighed before staring off into the sunset. He quickly began to spin his tale.

    "I knew your uncle very well, more so than your aunt. As for your father, I met him on several asions, and I can say with certainty he was sightly better tan Honorius. I suppose I shall startwith your uncle.

    Pulcheria, you deserve to know the truth. Your uncle Honorius was a petty, indolent, vicious, and jealous man who cared only about one thing. Please. For years, he sat idly by and watched the Empire bleed, and on more than one asion punished those who were loyal to him out of bitter acts of envy.<novelnext></novelnext>

    In the end, after over a decade of allowing Rome to burn in the background, Honorius was swayed by a particrly dreadful individual into killing his protector. Who was a man very important to your aunt and I. After which he had kidnapped my mother in an attempt to force me to willingly present myself for an execution. Why, you might ask? Because he was massacring all those who were still loyal to Stilicho.

    I ended up leading a rebellion against him, and in doing so, he had my mother tortured to the point where she eventually died from her mistreatment. That is the kind of man your uncle Honorius was. As for your father, though he did not live long enough tomit any such atrocities, he was by all ounts a feeble, meek man who waspletely inept at ruling over the eastern half of the empire.

    You wanted to know why I am emperor of Rome, while your family has been the ruling dynasty for thest few decades? Well, it is because I was forced into such a position after being mistreated by your uncle. I had two options: meet an unjust death at the hands of Honorius, and in doing so condemn my love ones to a simr fate. Or rebel against the Emperor, and im the crown for myself.

    I must assure you, I did not wish to be emperor. In fact, I was perfectly happy with my position of being a General; it was a job that I not only enjoyed, but excelled in. Now, I am the Emperor, and it is my job to steer Rome off of its path of destruction, and into a new golden age. As for who my sessor is, that all depends on the type of Government I reform the Empire into. For all you know, your brother will seed me."

    Pulcheria sat in silence for several moments, thinking about everything that Marcellus had told her. She barely knew her father, as the man had passed away when she, like the rest of her siblings, was still very young. Nor did she know her uncle well. Despite this, she was not inclined to believe what Marcellus had said. If not for the fact that when she spoke of her father and uncle, her aunt appeared to be deeply distressed, and avoided the topic.

    cidia''s reactions to the mention of her brothers was indeed some form of evidence that Marcellus words were true, despite this Pulcheria refused to believe him, because at the end of the day he was a pagan, something she who had an extraordinarily religious upbringing could not find herself to ept. Thus, after thinking in silence for several moments, she stood up from her seat, and red at Marcellus before cursing him for telling the truth about her father and uncle.

    "I do not believe you. My father and uncle were good christian men, and you are a godless heathen! There is no way that men who hold christ in their heart could possibly be so wicked and ipetent as you im. In fact, I believe that you have brainwashed my aunt with your lies, so that you can paint yourself as a tragic hero, when you are really nothing more than a treacherous viin!"

    After saying this, Pulcheria did not wait for a response and quickly rushed off into the pce to get away from Marcellus, who simply sat back on the edge of the fountain and sighed heavily. He knew that by revealing the truth about her family to the girl, that she would react poorly, but still, he did not regret what he had said. For the truth was one of the few things worth being despised for, and for that, he would not apologize.

    Thus, after taking in the scenery for a few moments, Marcellus re-adorned his armor before heading back to the pce to get back to his work. Whether Pulcheria would eventuallye around to the idea of him being her guardian, he did not know.

    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 175 Blood In The Streets

    The situation within the Sassanid Empire continued to devolve after the bloody dispute between Narseh and Bahram. Well, over a dozen people had died in the search of the missing Princess, and the result was an outright deration of war between her two brothers.

    Naturally, the other candidates for the King of Kings took advantage of this, and begun using their influence to iste their two rivals. Persian politics was a brutal, and bloody affair, and as a result, more and more men desiring the throne appeared out of the woodworks. Doing everything in their power to eliminate the other contenders.

    Powerful nobleman, with no legitimate im to the throne, began fabricating evidence that they were the rightful heir, all while Shapur assembled his forces, in a preparation to seize the throne once his two brothers had killed themselves while fighting over a woman. A woman who just so happened to be their sister.

    While Narseh had secured the allegiance of Vandal Mercenaries, Bahram had done the same. However, his troops came from the far east, and in truth, the man did not know just how battle tested they werepared to his brother''s forces.

    Thus, Ctesiphon had be a crossroads between the East and West as all sorts of factions began to scheme for their puppets to take the vacant throne of Persia. Thus, Mitra sulked in her brother''s vi as she recorded the ongoing changes in her hometown while silently reporting them to her bosses in Rome.

    The Persian beauty gazed out the window and witnessed something peculiar happening in the streets below. A group of Vandal mercenaries were in a heated argument with a band of Serican soldiers of fortune. The two sides wereing close to blows, as they both knew who each other worked for.

    Wanting to avoid the spilling of blood in the streets of Ctesiphon. Mitra rushed out of her brother''s vi to interfere before things went too far. The two sides could not be any more opposite. The vandals wererge, muscr, and tall Germanic men, with fair skin and light hair. They were dressed in mail armor and spanganhelms.

    Whereas the Serican troops were much smaller, and slimmer,ing from the Western Jin Dynasty, they woremer armor which covered their torso, shoulders, and waist. Despite the overwhelming difference in size between these two groups of men, the Sericans were not the slightest bit intimidated, trusting in their own martial prowess, they considered anyone who was not of Han descent to be a filthy barbarian, theserge and brutish white-skinned men included.

    It immediately became apparent when Mitra arrived on the scene that neither of these two groups could effectivelymunicate other than a few rude gestures and the tone of their voice, which was naturally a shoutingpetition.

    Ultimately, the Persian princess was forced to step forward, and condemn her own troops, as she got up in the face of thergest Germanic warrior and shouted at him intin, which fortunately he understood.

    "What do you think you are doing? This is in the middle of the street. There is a time and a ce to spill blood, and it is not here! I don''t care what these yellow fuckers said to you, now is not the time for violence!"

    The tall Germanic warrior gazed down upon the Persian Princess and snarled like a wolf. He could hardly believe he was being ordered around by a woman, let alone a woman of some foreign kingdom. Thus, he was quick to retort to her words, by shoving her aside and into the dirt before pointing his finger at the Sericanmander.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I don''t take orders from you, little girl, and this motherfucker has to pay for raising his tone with me!"

    Frustrated at being tossed aside like amon whore, Mitra quickly climbed to her feet and dusted off her silk dress before walking off in a fit.

    "Fine, kill each other. See if I give a damn!"

    Just when the two parties were about to unsheathe their des, a loud and gruff voice called out to them. The voice belonged to none other than Braulio, who was themander of the Vandal warband.

    "What in the hell do you bastards think you are doing? Tossing our employer aside as if she is somemon whore? If the little girl says that you are to stand down, then you stand down. Do you understand me?"

    Therge Vandal snorted in disdain as he heard this, but ultimately obeyed his chieftain''s orders. This caused the Sericanmander to make a crass remark in his native tongue, which could easily be distinguished from the inflection in his tone.

    Perhaps therge Vandal warrior''s intuition was great, or maybe he was just imagining things. However, for whatever reason, he assumed that he was called a coward, and such an insult to his honor could only result in one of the two men''s deaths. With this in mind, he unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards the chest of the Sericanmander.

    The Serican mercenaries responded by pulling out their own des. However, as the Vandal spoke, he motioned towards himself, and the enemymander, that he wanted a one-on-one fight, a duel of honor so to speak. Somehow the small Asian man understood therge barbarian''s words, and thus moved aside into an empty section of the street where the two bands of mercenaries, along with those else who were nearby, gathered to watch the fight unfold.

    With both their des drawn, the two men charged at each other, where therge vandal warrior immediately responded to the Sericanmander''s attack with a push kick. The sheer length and size of his legs, along with the momentum which was gathered from the movement of his hips, threw the Serican mercenary onto the floor. Where he was covered in dirt.

    Upon seeing this, the Vandal war-band broke out into fits ofughter, while the Sericans scowled in discontent. Therge vandal warrior motioned towards his own men for a spear, which one of them obliged. Once in hand, he hurled the spear through the air and down towards his stunned opponent''s neck, skewering him in ce.

    Blood spewed from the Sericanmander''s open wound, as his eyes gazed in disbelief towards the heavens. Meanwhile, the Vandal warriors were nging their swords against their shields, and howling like a wolf pack as they saw how easily the enemymander was killed in singlebat. As for the rest of the Serican mercenaries. They unsheathed their des and charged towards the unsuspecting barbarians in an attempt to avenge their fallenmander. With this, a riot had begun, and fresh blood flowed through the streets.

 Chapter 176 Riots In Ctesiphon

    After spilling first blood, the Vandal mercenaries quickly came under attack from their Serican rivals. Causing a full-blown melee to ur in the streets of Ctesiphon. For the second time in a matter of weeks, Mitra found herself stuck in the middle of chaos.

    As a natural survivor, the moment she saw that a duel was taking ce, she had run off from the scene, while others gathered around to watch the blood hit the sand. Luckily for her, her brother Narseh''s vi was nearby, which she was quick to take advantage of.

    After sealing the door behind her, Narseh rushed over to ask just what the hell had happened. After all, Mitra was clearly in a state of panic as she rushed into the vi.

    "Mitra, what has happened?"

    Mitra was out of breath for some time. As she tried to collect her thoughts, after several moments of heavy panting she grasped ahold of her brother''s forearm with a grim expression on her face, a quickly summarized what was urring even as they spoke.

    "A riot! Bahram''s mercenaries provoked a fight with the Vandals, and now they''re killing each other in the market!"

    After hearing this, Narseh was quick to take action. He quickly ordered the captain of his guard to assemble their troops and gather in the market, to stop the bloodshed before it got any worse. Narseh adorned himself in his scale armor as he charged out the door with his sword and shield in hand.

    The market was in a state of crisis as the Vandals and Serican mercenaries began to battle one another to the death. Everywhere Narseh and his guard looked, there were blood and bodies lying in the street, along with a few severed heads.

    The Vandal warriors had formed a shield wall, and were surrounded by the Serican mercenaries who try as they might, could not break through the barbarian''s defense. Spears shed against wood, as if trying to pierce through a turtle shell, but to no avail.

    Every now and then a spear would poke through the wall of shields and strike a Serican mercenary in the chest, where it would either be deflected by the body armor of the target, or pierce through the chest depending on how heavy of armor they wore.

    When Narseh saw this, he realized this was an opportunity to do away with Bahram''s mercenaries and thus he ordered his guards to encircle the Sericans and thus created a sandwich between the eastern mercenaries.

    Realizing that it was not the local garrison, but rather the house forces of their employer''s rival that hade to the rescue, the Sericans began to panic, but it was toote, spears, swords, and hammers collided with the easterners from both sides, ruthlessly chopping, stabbing ,and pummeling them to death.

    However, as the chaos of this conflict unfolded, Bahram arrived with his own forces, and upon witnessing his mercenaries surrounded by the enemy, and dying by the dozens, he ordered his own soldiers to create an opening for the Sericans to escape from.

    Bahram''s soldiers were far better equipped and trained than Narseh''s and easily pierced a gap in the chaos, allowing the Sericans to slowly withdraw from the center, where they were sandwhiched between two hostile forces, and to recover to a friendly formation.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Though many of the Sericans died before they could escape the encirclement, by the time thest survivor had narrowly escaped death, the two small armies were facing off against one another in the middle of the market.

    Narseh called out to Bahram with a hint of fury in his voice, which echoed across the market, and out towards the city, alerting the citizens o Ctesiphon just who was responsible for this chaos.

    "Bahram! You sick your mercenaries on my men, and expect me to sit idly by and allow your chaos to consume the city! Fat chance! You are unfit to rule Persia!"

    Bahram, however, spat on the ground, and pointed his sword towards Narseh, who was shielded by his own troops.

    "Lies and nder! It was your barbarians who started this riot. You owe me a debt of blood I won''t soon forget. So what now? Are we to continue this fight? Because I would like nothing more than to im your head, you vile fiend!"

    Just as the two brothers were about tomand their forces to re-engage, Shapur arrived with his own forces, along with the city garrison, and ordered a stop to all hostilities.

    "In the name of our honored father, Imand you both to stand down this instant! If you wish to fight to the death, I won''t stop you, but you won''t be permitted to do it in this city! Yield now, or you both will die where you stand!"

    Seeing that their elder brother had arrived with twice their numbersbined beneath hismand, Narseh and Bahram were forced to temporarily put an end to their heated grudge. Both sides chose to withdraw, albeit begrudgingly.

    Narseh returned to his estate, and heavily scolded the vandals beneath his employ, while Bahram did the same. However, in this brief conflict, Narseh had emerged with the victory, as far more Sericans died beneath thebined might of his own guard, and his mercenaries, than the Vandals lost.

    Bahram would have to lick his wound for some time and gather more troops if he wanted to contend against both Narseh and Shapur for the vacant throne. He could only suffer his humiliation in silence as he plotted how next to get his beloved sister by his side.

    As for Shapur, he was the true winner of this conflict, gaining much fame from this incident as the man who put a stop to the chaos. His actions on this day would cause many of the lesser noblemen who were still undecided on who to support to flock to his faction.

    Mitra would naturally report this incident in its entirety to her Roman contacts who would convey the message to Marcellus. After seeing Narseh lose so many troops before the true battle for the throne had begun, Rome would have to find a way to give the man more support, especially now that Shapur''s faction was quickly gaining power.

 Chapter 177 The Battle Of Ctesiphon

    The result of Ctesiphon''s riots was longsting on the factions of Bahram and Narseh. Who were quick to gather their forces outside the city. Both princes had determined for a single battle to ur, one which would decide which among the two brothers would live, and which would die.

    Though Marcellus had done everything in his power to support Narseh''s faction from behind the scenes. He found himself anxious about the uing result. However, that was a story for another time. At the moment, Mitra gazed out beyond the city''s gates and gnawed her nails as the two armies prepared to march towards one another.

    On the one hand, Narseh''s faction consisted of a mixture of Sassanid Troops and Vandal Mercenaries, while on the other Bahram''s army wasposed of Persian soldiers and Serican mercenaries.

    The entire city of Ctesiphon had gathered to watch the conflict from afar, to see which of the two princes would survive the encounter. Bahram gathered at the front of his army and shouted across the distance towards his brother, who remained defiant.

    "I give you this onest chance Narseh! Surrender now, and give me Mitra, or I will show you no mercy!"

    Narseh did not respond with words. Instead, he raised a g, which signalled his troops to begin their march. Thus, the battle had begun. The Vandals were noticeably taller than any other participants on the battlefield. They formed the bulwark of Narseh''s formation as they raised their spears and shields. As for Narseh''s army, they raised their shields and protected themselves from the missile fire, while the men beneath Bahram''smand did the same.

    While the armies stayed in tight knight formations with their shields raised, there were still opportunities for the arrows to get through, which pierced through the unarmored portions of their target''s bodies and sent them to the afterlife.

    First blood had been drawn, and now the two armies rushed towards each other at the fastest speed they could manage while still maintaining formation. Before long iron shed with iron, as the Vandal mercenaries used their overwhelming size and strength to push through their enemies'' defenses, and thrust their spears into their bellies.

    Narseh gazed upon the front lines of war from his privileged spot at the rear of the formation with a wide smile on his face. The barbarian mercenaries he had hired were holding their own against his brother''s forces. After the riots in the streets earlier that week, Bahram had lost a considerable amount of his mercenaries. The remainder of which were now falling by the way side, as the two armies shed.

    As a result Narseh had the advantage, even if it was a small one. While the prince as grinning at his perceived victory, hemanded his cavalry tounch an attack on the enemy''s nks, in an attempt to envelop his brother''s forces.

    The steeds of the Persians were heavily armored in iron scales which shone beneath the desert''s sun as they rushed off, and towards the enemy with theirnces in hands. Unlike the Roman cataphractarii beneath Marcellus''mand, the Sassanids werecking in stirrups, and as a result they could not couch theirnces to devastating effect, for if they did, they would be thrown off the back of their horse upon impact.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Instead, this supposedly heavy cavalry darted around the sides of the enemy nks, while harassing the infantry with theirnces. lunging theirnces forward with a thrust, in an attempt to prate the enemy''s armor.

    Though the Sassanid heavy cavalry could not crash into their enemy like a tide of iron, they could divert their attention away from the primary battlefield where the infantry of both sides butchered each other in a gruesome disy of violence.

    A particrlyrge vandal warrior wielded a two-handed axe in his hands as des thrust against hismer army and were quickly deflected. He used the might of his two-handed axe, and the strength in his stature to shatter the shields of the Serican Mercenaries and their Sassanid allies.

    This exceptionallyrge Vandal continued to pound the enemy shield line with hisrge, and heavy axe, as he splintered their shields, resulting in their lives being reaped by the other footmen of Narseh''s army.

    Before long, Bahram found himself in a state of panic. His brother''s cavalry had smashed his nks, while his front lines were slowly being cut to ribbons. If he did not do something soon, then the battle would be over.

    Desperate for a chance to emerge victorious, Bahram made a bold move by forcibly withdrawing his front lines. However, Narseh was wise enough to see what his brother was attempting, and quickly countered the movements by ordering his front lines to split into two forces which attacked the remainder of his brother''s nks, who sat on the sidelines waiting to envelop Narseh''s forces.

    Though Narseh had created an opening for his brother to directly attack him, he was surrounded by his most elite forces, who created a shield wall around their prince, forcing Bahram to make the decision to either reform his lines to save his nks, or make a hail marry attempt to im his brother''s head.

    Knowing his brother so well, Narseh had bet that Bahram would make thetter choice, which he in fact did. Now it was a race against time to see whose forces would emerge victorious first. Would Bahram''s front lines overwhelm Narseh''s defenders, or would Narseh''s front lines eliminate Bahram''s nks before converging around thest remnant of their enemy''s forces?

    Surely enough, the overwhelming numbers of both sides quickly cut away at their enemies. However, before Bahram could pierce the tortoise shell surrounding his brother, he found that his nks had fallen, and thebined might of Narseh''s forces had him utterly surrounded.

    Within the hour, Narseh would have Bahram''s head in his hands, thus eliminating one of his most fierce rivals, while also showing the people of Ctesiphon that he was a capable and ruthless military leader.

 Chapter 178 Completion Of The First Fluyt

    While the war in the Sassanid Empire, which would determine the next High King, had just entered a new phase of violence. Marcellus was on the other side of the world, admiring the first of his new ss of sailing ships to bepleted.

    In the city of Neapolis, arge vessel, farrger than anything this world had ever seen thus far, was sitting in the harbor. As the current Emperor of the Roman Empire, Marcellus was naturally surrounded by his most elite guard. Who protected him from any unknown threats lingering in the crowd.

    This was not a warship, rather arge trading vessel, designed with the explicit intent of sailing across the world''s many oceans. A crew of experienced sailors were standing on the docks, along with the Emperor of Rome himself, as he cheered them on for what would be their first trip in this newest vessel.

    "I stand here today, as a man who is proud of his nation. We, as Romans, have built a mighty ship, unlike any other that has ever existed prior to this moment. And it is my hope that we build many more in the uing years.

    Today, you all set sail to test out this vessel and its projected capabilities. I will not have you make a voyage that no man has ever made before. Not today at least.. Instead, I will have you sail from Neapolis to Britannia in an attempt to see just how efficient this new means of transport it. If your journey is sessful, then your next voyage will be to sail around the continent of Africa!"

    The crowd which had gathered to watch the magnificent ship all gasped in shock, along with the sailors. Nobody had ever attempted such a long journey, and many believes it to be impossible. However, Marcellus was certain from the memories of his past life, that a journey across the southern tip of Africa, and towards India, was most certainly a possibility, especially with a ship this size.

    To the sailors, this harrowing journey which waited for them was both fearsome and awe-inspiring. If they managed to aplish such a task, then they would be remembered throughout history. Thus, they all began to salute the Emperor and his mighty vision.

    As for Marcellus, he had a bottle of wine in his hand. Which he was quick to smash against the vessel''s wooden hull while he christened the ship.

    "I hereby dere this vessel the Roma, may she and her crew travel far and wide across the globe and spread the glory of Rome while they are at it!"

    The crowd broke into a fit of cheers as Marcellus stepped away from the ship and saluted the captain of the vessel.

    "Captain, I believe you have a long journey ahead of you. May the gods bless you on your journey to britannia and ensure a safe return home."

    The Captain smiled and epted Marcellus'' prayer of safety, despite the mention of the ancient Pagan gods. Things had changed quite rapidly since Marcellus reunited with the two halves of the Empire. The persecution of non-Christians was no longer urring, at least not from the state of Rome itself.

    And while the Bishop of Rome continued to condemn Marcellus as the anti-christ, most of his followers did not actually believe this. If anything, Marcellus had prevented what many perceived to be the end times from urring, rather than being the man to spearhead it.

    Still, there were many zealots among the church''s parish, and thus Marcellus walked through the streets of his empire with arge military escort, to ensure that no man would attempt to y the ''antichrist''.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As a result of this transformation, more people were bing tolerant towards the old gods, especially when they seemed to be the ones responsible for this sudden resurgence in Rome''s glory and prosperity.

    Thus, it came as no surprise when the captain and his crew epted Marcellus'' blessings with a smile and a salute, before jumping onto the ship, and casting off towards Britannia. Once the vessel had sailed beyond the horizon, Marcellus turned away and faced his people with a confident expression on his rugged face.

    "Today marks the day of a new era of maritime supremacy. I promise to sponsor expeditions across this vast globe we live upon over the next few years, and bring untold riches back to Rome!"

    The crowd erupted in thunderous apuse at Marcellus'' short speech, before finally dispersing only after the man himself departed from the scene. Once inside his carriage, Marcellus noticed Sigefrida''s presence. The woman was a bit skeptical about this new ship of his and was quick to voice her opinion on the matter.

    "I know you have created many a few miracles thesest few years, but you can''t honestly believe this ship of yours will be able to sail across the world?"

    Rather than get upset at Sigefrida''s words, Marcellus simply chuckled before kissing her in a fit of passion. Once he had done so, he looked out the window towards the horizon where the ship named Roma had long since vanished from sight. After staring in silence at the sunset for some time, Marcellus clicked his tongue thrice before responding to Sigefrida''s disbelief with condenscending tone.

    "Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?"

    Naturally, Sigefrida had heard the words of the bible spoken more times than she could count, and was thus slightly surprised that Marcellus had spoken those words.

    "I thought for sure I would never hear you of all people quote the Christian holy book... Who are you, and what have you done with my man?"

    Marcellus simply snickered in response to this and continued to stare out the window. Sigefrida would never know of what he had seen in that other world. Nor could sheprehend the level of wealth that existed outside of Europe.

    No longer did Marcellus simply intend to save the Empire, he sought to expand its borders across the globe, and harvest all the world''s natural resources for Rome itself. After all, so many of the people who were dwelling in thends where these resources existed were doing nothing with them, why should he not take them for himself?

    To do this, he would need a fleet of ships to sail across the seven seas, and maintain supply routes with Rome''s future colonies. Something which he was just now building the foundation for.

 Chapter 179 Assisting Ones Puppet From Behind The Scenes

    Marcellus sat within the confines of his office. After witnessing the first voyage of the newly constructed Fluyt, he was in a rather good mood. That was until Sigefrida ced a document on his desk and began to update him on the ongoing situation within the capital of the Sassanid Empire.

    "Bahram is dead, and Narseh has emerged victorious in the first battle for the crown of Persia. However, he has severely depleted his army in this one battle. Despite this, he has proven that he is a man of action, and as a result, many of the undecided nobles have begun to back him.

    While this is a good thing, it doesn''te without its consequences. Bahram''s supporters, or at least those who survived the battle, have fled to the faction of Shapur, who is now our primary concern. Shapur''s armies have doubled in size, while Narseh''s have been severely reduced.

    Not only that, but Shapur is a man with a strong military background, and is hellbent on gaining vengeance for his father. If he gains the crown of Persia, he will spend the next few years rebuilding the Sassanid Army and will march on Constantinople without a second thought. Something needs to be done, but we have already provided Narseh''s faction with the most support we can possibly achieve while still remaining in the shadows.

    If Mitra were to somehow suggest to her brother that he hire more mercenaries from Germania, he will begin to be suspicious as to how she had so many ties to the barbarians. Besides, Narseh''s treasuries are also starting to be depleted. If we don''te up with a solution to restore his wealth, as well as his forces, then everything we have sunk into this matter will be for nought."

    Marcellus remained silent for several moments as he thought of how best to proceed after hearing this information. What would obviously benefit Narseh would be to open up trade with Rome exclusively through his merchants.

    However, the hatred in Persia right now for the Roman Empire was at an all-time high. If he even got his hands on Roman goods and began to sell them across the Sassanid Empire, then it was basically dering that he was conspiring with the Romans.

    What Marcellus needed was a middleman, a foreigner, who could sell the Roman goods to Narseh for a decent price, which he could then in turn sell to his own people at markup. The problem with this was that Rome owned the entirety of the Mediterranean. Anyone who he could trade was basically, at this point, nothing more than barbarian raiders. Who would not be wee in Ctesiphon. Even Narseh had received harsh critique from the Persian nobles for hiring Vandal Mercenaries.

    It was at this moment, that a certain Kingdom popped up in Marcellus'' mind, which he was quick to voice aloud.

    "The Ghassanids! We can sell our goods to the Ghassanid Kingdom at a severe discount, and in return for this we can demand that they sell the excess exclusively to Narseh''s faction! What do you think, is this a feasible option?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    Sigefrida dwelled upon this idea for several moments while looking at the map disyed on the wall of Marcellus'' office. After several minutes of silent pondering, she finally sighed before expressing her opinion on the subject.

    "It is possible... But it will require a significant effort on the part of the Frutmentarii to keep the Ghassanids quiet about our involvement. In the short term, acquiring Roman luxury items through a third party, and selling them for a massive profit, could definitely help with Narseh''s financial difficulties. However, it doesn''t quite solve his problem with theck of troops.

    I suppose with the wealth he acquires through the trade of these goods, Narseh could in turn hire Mercenaries from among the Arab tribes, but if he suffers suchrge losses in a battle with Shapur''s forces, then he is bound to be right back where he started. Still... It''s a better n than anything I have been able to think of, so I will begin working on a proposal that can actually work.

    In the meantime, I suggest you start thinking about how you best n to reform the Roman Government. Need I remind you that this military dictatorship canst only as long as you are capable of wielding authority?"

    This was a question that Marcellus had been spending the majority of this thinking time pondering about. In the end, he hade up with a rudimentary system, that further improved upon could lead to a stable and prosperous Roman Empire for centuries toe. Thus, he smiled and nodded his head in response to Sigefrida''s suggestion.

    "Alright, I will get on that. I have something in the works, but it will take some time to fine tune into a proper system. I thank you advance for your hard work..."

    Sigefrida wore a stoic expression on her pretty face while she nodded her head in silence before departing from the room. As for Marcellus, he was quick to begin drafting a proposal for the shift of the Roman Government into a Semi-Constitutional Monarchy. One where the Roman Emperor would be selected from those members of the ruling Monarch''s dynasty who had proven themselves through merit and character.

    If Marcellus were to die before he could properly sire an heir, or before, he could personally choose one. Then it would be up to his Imperial Council, or in other words his cab, to select an heir from his dynasty based upon their merit and character. A simple majority vote would do in that regard.

    Naturally, this was just the start of the Government that Marcellus had nned, however thanks to his dreams from another world, one which was far more advanced than this one. He had a lot of political systems to draw inspiration from, and could thus, finely tune the political system he was in the process of creating until it was capable ofsting for another millennium if not more.

    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 180 The Ghassanid Merchant Arrives In Ctesiphon

    Mitra sat with a bored expression within the war room of her elder brother Narseh. Though she felt some pity for the death of her other brother Bahram, the man had always been a creep. His infatuation with his own sister had. caused Mitra tomonly avoid the man like the gue, and now that he was dead, she did not quite know how to feel about it.

    As for Narseh, he was busy coordinating efforts with his faction to find a solution to his eldest brother Shapur''s rise in power. With the defeat of Bahram, the majority of his backers had fled to Shapur''s side. After all, the man was a renowned military leader and had a penchant for vengeance against the man who had killed his father. Who just so happened to be the current ruler of the Roman Empire.

    To the Sassanid Empire, it was a matter of pride to avenge Yazdegerd I, and because of this, Shapur and Bahram who were both in favor of such policy were the two most popr candidates to win the throne, that is prior to Bahram''s untimely demise.

    However, Narseh viewed conflict with the Roman Empire to be nothing more than another disastrous defeat. And though he mourned for his father''s death, he did not wish to share the man''s fate, nor lead their entire house to ruin over a matter as petty as vengeance.

    Yazdegerd had backed the eastern Roman Empire against Marcellus'' regime, and failed to win the war. In fact, Narseh was quite concerned with many of the tools that Marcellus had introduced to the battlefield, and thus, remained cautious in his future dealings with Rome.

    At the moment, though, the Persian Prince was more concerned with his eldest brother, and how to take the Sassanid crown from him. Thus, as Mitra yed with her nails in the corner of the room, he was listening to his backers, who were bickering over how best to proceed.

    "By now, Shapur''s armies are three times our own. If he wanted to, he could storm this pce and eliminate all of us. We need to do something about this. I say we hire more vandals as mercenaries! Then we will be able topete with Shapur and his brigands!"

    The moment this advisor spoke these words, another retaliated with an even louder shout.

    "And what, pray tell, do you expect to pay these mercenaries with? In case you have not yet noticed, our finances are on the brink of total copse. If we do not get a sudden inflow of silver and gold soon, we won''t even be able to afford the current mercenaries we have on retainer. Use your brain for once!"

    The discussion was bing more and more heated until a message ran into the room. The man had an anxious expression on his face, and was panting as if he had just run a marathon.

    "Sire! Sire! I will bring good news. A Ghassanid merchant is waiting in your courtyard. He says he brings wares from the Roman Empire and is willing to trade them exclusively with you."

    This brought a sudden silence about the room, where Narseh quickly gazed over towards the messanger with suspicion in his eyes.

    "A Ghassanid merchant? I thought they were a vassal of the eastern Roman Empire? What could they possibly want with us?"

    However, before the messenger could answer his question, Mitra made a long and exasperated sigh before speaking her mind.

    "That was before the eastern half of the Empire was annexed by Marcellus. Everyone knows that Rome''s current dictator has not done much to gain the favor of those he considers being barbarians.

    In fact, I have heard rumors that the Ghassanid Kingdom is seeking to break away from Rome''s influence entirely. Now could be the perfect time to recruit the Arabs to our cause, especially if they are willing to bring us Roman goods to us without having to directly purchase them from Rome itself."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Upon hearing Mitra''s words, the entire room nodded their heads in agreement with them, thus convincing Narseh to permit entry to this travelling merchant. Before long, the messenger came running back with the merchant in tow.

    The man was as swarthy as Narseh himself, and yet there was a very callous look on Narseh''s face, as if this Arab man was nothing more than a barbarian, while he himself was a proud Persian. As if expecting this response, the merchant bowed his head before introducing himself.

    "My name is Jafnah. I am a humble merchant from the Ghassanid Kingdom. I bring with me wares from across the Roman Empire at a discounted price, too. I heard that there is a market for illicit Roman Goods in Ctesiphon, especially those who were not directly purchased from Rome itself. As such, I havee to pay respects to the Prince who will one day be King of all of Persia, and in doing so, I hope to help you gain the capital to beat your rivals."

    Despite Jafnah''s ttering words, Narseh was still suspicious of the man, and thus was quick to inquire about the man''s goods, and reasoning for selling them exclusively to him.

    "Just what do you have to sell, and why do you seek to make my your exclusive dealer within the Sassanid Empire?"

    Jafnah immediately smiled, revealing several missing teeth as he exined his reasoning to the Persian Prince.

    "The Ghassanid Kingdom is currently at a loss for what to do. Emperor Marcellus shows no signs of epting our King''s fealty and instead spits on our traditions as being primitive and barbaric. He shows no respect for his vassals, and thus we have begun to wonder why we should even bother currying his favor.

    However, we have heard tales of a wise, and noble Prince in Persia, who is currently battling for the throne against his family. I assure you I am only the first of many who will seek to take advantage of the current crisis in Ctesiphon, however, I am also the only one with a reliable distributionwork that reaches even the far ends of the Roman Empire.

    If you buy my goods for the price I offer, and sell them for a premium among your own popce, you and I will both make a decent amount of money. I can also ensure that nobody else from the Ghassanid Kingdom will be able to follow my example. As my family has a long history of ties with the Romans, we have effectively cornered the market for Roman luxury goods.

    It is in my family''s best interest to help a man like yourself ascend to the throne of Persia, and in doing so, establish ties with the mighty Sassanid Empire."

    Though Narseh did not fully trust Jafnah''s words, the opportunity was too valuable to give up, and thus with a begrudging sigh, he decided to take a chance on the Ghassanid merchant.

    "Very well, I look forward to doing business with you."

    Jafnah simply smiled, and bowed his head once more before responding with a singlement.

    "Likewise..."

 Chapter 181 Reforming The Senate

    Marcellus sat in his office, while looking over the paperwork he had written which outlined the new Imperial Senate. The corruption that had gued the Roman government for centuries had been thoroughly purged beneath the current regime, and as a result, it was now time to begin transitioning from a military dictatorship that could onlyst as long as Marcellus survived, into a system that could endure the test of time, even without a man like himself on the throne.

    The long-term goals of Marcellus was to simply save the Empire from its near copse, and build a foundation which would ensure its survival for many centuries toe. The barbarians at the gates a had been dispelled from Rome''s borders, while the frontiers had been fortified to prevent further aggression.

    Meanwhile, the Empire had been reunited beneath a single banner, all while the economy had begun to recover from its severe depression which had had previously been facing prior to Marcellus'' rule. In the eyes of the emperor, all that was truly left for him to do was to rebuild the political system into a stable foundation, and then, he could finally retire to the countryside, with his wife, lover, and family where they could all live a peaceful existence.

    Unfortunately, this process was neither easy, nor simple, and in all actuality, would probably take several years before a true sessor would reveal themselves to Marcellus. At the moment, he was molding Theodosius to be a proper leader, but the boy was still young, and far from the age necessary to take the responsibility of an emperor.

    Thus, for the time being, he decided to establish a proper legitive branch. With public education in the process of being implemented nationwide. Marcellus could expect at least a reasonably educated electorate within the uing years. However, in order to ensure that the masses did not simply elect people into power who promised them free stuff at the expense of the taxpayer. Marcellus had developed specific requirements to be eligible to vote.

    First and foremost, in order to vote for representatives for the legitive branch, one must be an actual a free roman citizen, secondly they must be over the age of majority, thirdly they must be male, and fourthly they must have served in the Roman Military for a minimum of four years.

    This both incentivized people to continually join the Armed Forces, while also ensuring only those who have chosen to make sacrifices for the good of the nation are eligible to vote. As for who the representatives were, Marcellus decided the Senate into a bicameral legiture.

    There would be the House of Plebeians, which would consist of representatives voted from amongst the Plebeian ss, while there would also be a House of Patricians, whose membership would be voted from among the Patrician ss.

    Essentially, the House of Plebeians would draft the legition, which would then be voted upon by its representatives where a simple majority vote would determine whether or not it would pass. From there, that legiture would travel to the House of Patricians, who would carefully examine and modify the document if necessary. Where again, it would be voted upon by a simple majority, and then finally after being approved by both houses, it would end up on the Emperor''s desk, who would either sign the bill intow, or veto it.

    This new and improved Roman senate would in theory represent both the interests of themon man, as well as the wealthy elite, and would hopefully form some kind of bnce. As for whether or not a Senator could be dismissed, that could only ur as the result of corruption or criminal behavior, and would require both the input of the emperor, and a tribunal formed from members of the Senate who were selected by the emperor.

    With this first draft, of the reformed Imperial Senate including its overall structure, responsibilities, and criteria for selection. Marcellus had formed a criticalponent of the uing Roman Constitution, which he intended to implement as a way of stabilizing the Roman government once and for all.

    Once he was finished with the draft, Sigefrida conveniently knocked on the door, and in doing so took his mind off of other matters. After opening the door to reveal his beautiful lover, he noticed that the woman had a document in her hand, which she handed to the man without waiting for a response. While reading the details of the folder, Sigefrida gave a brief overview of the material.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "The Ghassanids have made contact with Narseh. As of right now, a small influx of Roman luxury goods is being sold throughout Ctesiphon by the Narseh and those who are backing him. This has done some good in regards to building the man''s war chest.

    However, the bad news is that Shapur is gaining more and more support, both military and economically. It won''t be long before he directly challenges the other contenders for the throne. When he does, Narseh will be defeated, and we will have to prepare for another invasion from the Sassanid Empire.

    I suggest waiting until after the uing war with the Persians, before implementing these government reforms you have been working on. We are not yet settled into an era of peace, and as it stands, the military dictatorship which you have created is the most efficient form ofbating our many enemies."

    Marcellus looked over the document and sighed heavily. It would appear with the way things were headed that Shapur''s rise to the position of High King of Persia, was inevitable. Thus, he could not help but agree with Sigefrida''s assessment of the overall situation, which he was quick to voice.

    "Very well, the reformation of the Roman senate, as well as the other branches of government I intend to create, will have to wait until after the final battle has been won. In the mean time I will continue to improve upon my ideas until something solid is already in ce for the day that we finally achieve peace. Was there anything else you wanted, or was that all for now?"

    A look of hesitation appeared on Sigefrida''s face, which instantly alerted Marcellus to her thoughts and thus he nodded his head in silence, permitting her to speak further.

    "I think it is about time we extract Mitra from the field. When Shapur marches against his enemies, she will be caught in the crossfire, and thus far, she has proven to be a reliable agent. It would be a pity if we lost her so soon."

    It took only a moment for Marcellus to agree to this concern as he briefly pondered the ramifications of such an action.

    "Inform Mitra to prepare herself for extraction, and while you''re at it, have her convince Narseh to send her on a diplomatic visit somewhere outside of Ctesiphon. Thest thing we need is for Shapur to be suspicious of his sister''s loyalties.

    If Narseh does emerge victorious, despite the odds against him, then we can always send the girl back into his court. But you are right. For now, it is far too dangerous to leave Mitra in the Sassanid capital."

    Sigefrida nodded her head in eptance of her orders, before departing from the room. Like Marcellus, she had many things which she needed to do at the moment, and not enough time to do them in. As for Marcellus, he got back to making revisions to his draft.

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