Deliah wrinkled her nose at the invasive stench that now assaulted her. She was quite accustomed to the presence of warriors and their training or housing blocks. Droug had many of their own, but none that were this disgusting. She had made her way to the Akkroan Legionary barracks of Aquila Flamma, with Senator Cleamon. This was where they were supposed to acquire the promised legion; A force of upwards of five to ten thousand men. More than enough to show the Volk council that they had the full backing of Akkroa. And enough to not only halt the Kobold advance, but destroy them entirely; all without further loss of Droug life.
“Master.” Mel’ah said, trotting her horse beside Deliah. “Something is wrong.” She lifted her nose forward as they entered the large wooden gate.
Deliah followed Mel’s gesture, and immediately noticed what her apprentice had observed. The camp seemed nearly empty. Perhaps they are not here yet? She thought, a slight tremble of uncertainty going through her. There wasn’t even so much as a greeting party to meet them upon their arrival.
Senator Cleamon led them through the empty camp. Despite the smell, the camp was clean and orderly. They made their way to the command and control building near the center, where finally a small group of legionaries and Akkroan officials were formed up to meet them.
“Hail.” Cleamon said, lifting his hand in greeting.
“Senator Cleamon.” An older looking man said, as he bowed his head. “We are humbled by your presence.” As he brought his head up, he briefly made eye contact with Deliah and a seemingly forced smile creased his face. “We here at the third legion, Aquila Flamma, welcome you and your honored guests.
Deliah dismounted her horse, following Cleamon’s lead, and they were ushered into the building. They were escorted to a large meeting room, with elaborately hand carved furniture, flags, and what she assumed was the standard of their unit. A red flag, embroidered with gold, and stitched with the design of a golden eagle, wreathed in flame. She had left all of her fellow Droug outside with their Akkroan escorts. All but her apprentice, Mel’ah, who seemed tense.
“Calm yourself,” Deliah whispered to her in their language. “Humans can smell your fear and uncertainty. We must be strong.”
Mel’ah nodded, then closed her eyes, took several calming breaths, and opened them again, stone faced.
Good girl, she thought, just as the door opened and Akkroan officers entered and sat among them at the table.
“I will get to the point.” The man who greeted them out front said, unfurling a scroll. “Senator Cleamon, I am Governor Artorius Lentulus. And with me here is Legate Lupus Julus, our legion’s Legate, and commanding officer.”
“Greetings.” Lupus said, bowing his head slightly.
“I am remiss to say,” Artorius continued, “That our stationed legion seems to be deployed at this current time.”
“Preposterous.” Cleamon cursed, “We were assured, by the emperor, that we were to be granted a legion here! Your men were out of the deployment rotation! Where would they be?”
“I understand your frustration, Senator.” Lupus lifted his hands defensively. “There was a mistake, and they were deployed two days ago to the Western borders of Akkroa for a long-scheduled training exercise.”
“A training exercise.” Cleamon fumed. “This foolishness is not something I would expect from such distinguished men of Akkroa. The emperor will hear of this. And you all might find yourself at his mercy before too long.”
The two men glanced at one another, clear discomfort and uncertainty painted on their faces.
“Please, Senator Cleamon.” Artorius sputtered. “This training exercise was ordered by Primus Elianus Sacerdos, from Akkroa herself. Our commanding general. We assumed that, because of the level of authority in which the order was given, that the emperor must have known of it! Are we to disobey an order from our Primus? You must understand, we are humble servants of Akkroa!”
Cleamon closed his eyes, clenching his fists and mumbling something under his breath. Deliah’s mind, however, was racing. What in all of Mundus was going on here? The emperor ordered the legion to move with them, and someone from Akkroa, clearly of high rank, diverted them in spite of this? The thought was troubling to say the least. Could the infighting and disharmony of Akkroan politics reach this far to weaken even the emperor’s word?
“Where is the nearest legion?” Cleamon asked, through gritted teeth. “We will go there and acquire them.”
Artorius flinched as he lifted the scroll to read further down. “I must apologize, Senator. There doesn’t seem to be any legions that are currently available on this side of Akkroa. You will have to double back to Camp Saxa pilas, two hundred miles to the West.”
“Give me that!” Cleamon snatched the scroll from the governor’s hands, and started to scan over the numbers and reports that were written on it. In Deliah’s time, she had learned the common tongue of most races, but had trouble with the written word of man. She leaned over slightly to get a better look, regardless of this fact.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“I see.” Cleamon said, tossing the scroll back to Artorius. “Your incompetence and failure will be reported to the emperor. I no longer need you. Expect to hear from them soon. Your Primus has done you a great disservice.”
“Senator!” Both of them said, simultaneously. “Where will you go?”
“That, is none of your concern.” Cleamon spat, then turned to Deliah. “We’re leaving, my dears. We have nothing more to discuss here.”
Deliah and Mel’ah stood from their chairs and followed Cleamon out of the building. All the while, doing their best to ignore the pleading and rather embarrassing verbal prostrating of the two Akkroan’s behind them. They mounted up again, and Cleamon led them out of the camp. It wasn’t until the camp was nearly half a mile behind them, that Deliah had had enough, and rode her horse beside Cleamon’s.
“What happened back there?” She asked, attempting to keep the anger out of her voice. “We were promised a legion.”
Cleamon glanced at her, but took a deep breath in preparation of his answer. “It would seem that some within Akkroa disagree with the emperor’s desire to help your people.” He shook his head. “I must apologize on behalf of my people, Lady Deliah. Akkroan politics can be quite cutthroat. But I assure you, we will have our legionaries.”
“Humans...” She seethed in her own language. “Where do you intend to go?”
“My dear, we are going to a place they won’t expect.” Cleamon grinned, “There is a newly formed camp, at the border of our recently annexed territory, Albus. They are in the midst of training a full cohort of legionaries there. Nearly finished, according to Governor Artorius’ reports.”
“A full cohort.” Deliah said, confused as to what that was exactly. “How many men is that? More than a legion?”
Cleamon looked at her apologetically. “Well... A cohort can host anywhere from five hundred to a thousand men. Depending on the supporting auxiliary centuries that are available.”
“Five... five hundred?” Deliah’s eyes bulged. “We were offered five to ten thousand by the emperor.”
“Unless you want to wait through weeks of travel.” Cleamon said, “Your only option is what we have. I don’t foresee any need for alarm. The road to Droug territory is rather safe.”
Deliah scoffed, “Senator, you are mistaken. Gravely. The forests leading to Volkus are teaming with goblins and other foul beasts. Not to mention the Droug’hast forst, in which our territory resides, is filled to the brim with hostile Kobolds! Which will attack any perceived aid that enters our territory.”
“How long do you have?” Cleamon turned to face her. “Weeks? Months? Years?”
Deliah blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“How long until your people are effectively wiped out?”
“I don’t see how that is a relevant question, Senator.”
“Humor me.” He leaned toward her, his face wrinkled in irritation.
“I suppose we are holding them back. For now.” Deliah sneered, slightly offended by the condescending way this human man, who was little more than a child to her, spoke. “But that does not mean we have all the time in Mundus to complete this task.”
“Exactly.” Cleamon said, smugly. “We move with our cohort to the immediate aid of your people. By the time we are at least halfway there. Our emperor will have learned of the internal treachery taking place, and ordered the march of a full legion. I’ve requested as much in my report to him.”
Deliah was silent as she contemplated his words. As frustrating as it was that the full force of an Akkroan legion would not be joining her back to Volkus. The mere fact that Akkroans were accompanying her at all would be a welcomed and unexpected gift to her people and the Volk council. “Very well…” She said, slowing her mount to rejoin Mel’ah and her guard. “How long until we reach our destination?
“Two days, perhaps.” He said, lifting his hand and waving as he trotted ahead of her.
That night, when they set up camp, she found herself tending a fire with a stick, lost in her thoughts.
“Master.” Mel’ah greeted, sitting in front of her. “Myself, and the others are hopeful that we will have more luck with this other camp. But there is concern among them, of the ability of the Akkroan emperor to honor any deal struck between our two people. If a military leader can so blatantly disobey the command of their emperor. How much power does he truly have?”
Deliah sighed, tossing her stick into the fire. “Mel, let’s not pretend that the politics of Akkroa are less treacherous or turbulent than our own. My father is a prime example of what happens to those who go against the majority. Our mission was a result of that… and most likely a punishment for his insistence on seeking aid from outside our borders.”
“A punishment?” Mel’ah asked.
“He insisted that our path to victory would be too costly.” Deliah opened her travel bag and pulled some rations out to eat. “He insisted that the only true hope we would have in the long run, would be to seek aid. That’s when they gave the order that an emissary would be sent. And, believing what they do about the kingdoms of man, assigned his daughter to complete the task.”
“They don’t expect you to succeed.” Mel’ah said, shaking her head.
“No, they don’t expect anything to come of it. On the contrary, I believe they’re hoping that we fail spectacularly, and get killed or worse.” Deliah’s thoughts turned dark, remembering her elder brother’s fate at the hands of the dwarves twenty years before. “But when we arrive… with five hundred Akkroan legionaries behind us. And a treaty proposal from their emperor?” She smiled, taking a bite from her rations. “They will be forced to acknowledge my father’s wisdom.”
“And your prowess, master.” Mel’ah added, with a smile.
Deliah rolled her eyes. “I don’t seek glory for my deeds. Only that my people thrive during, and after this time of strife. I believe this will be our salvation. And the beginning of something that has never happened in the history of the Droug.”
“It will be something…” Mel’ah sighed, “I just hope the Volk council and the king don’t do something foolish and turn them away because of their pride.” She blinked, then looked at Deliah in surprise. “I mean! My apologies, master. I didn’t mean that. Our leaders are wise and—”
“It’s alright, Mel.” Deliah waved her hand, dismissing any perceived offence. “Just get some rest. We have an early rise in the morning.”
“Of course, master.” Mel’ah stood, bowed her head, and made her way back toward her tent.
Deliah watched her go, but the words she spoke lingered in her mind. That was, of course, a great possibility when they returned. Droug can be prideful, and political opponents often voted against reason, purely because of their pride. She sighed heavily and looked at the sea of stars above her, saying a silent prayer for victory.