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Lucius Alden,
‘Bloody Tiger’
Lord Lucius Aldenus the third,
Praetor Maximus,
Legatus ‘Omnis Legionis’
King Lucius III
All their deeds
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-
> A grimacing Roderick stepped aside, caught Lucius’ lunging sword with the flat part of the blade connecting to the guard, tapped it away and then extended his arm through the young heir’s defense. Opened Lucius’ arm sleeve two fingers below his shoulder with the end of the blade.
>
> “Eh,” Lucius gasped in disappointment and retreated a full step away from the older man’s reach. “I’m disadvantaged using the left arm Roderick!”
>
> “Still, it was a decent thrust what you’ve managed,” a smirking Roderick replied. The inside of his left cheek sucked between his teeth. “Though pretty slow to surprise anyone not completely blind. By the way, it was a cut to the bone lad. Lose the sword.”
>
> Lucius groaned and then checked at his ruined tunic. He stretched his ‘injured’ but tiring left arm, whilst moving his grip at the sword handle nearer to the guard. “I moved away so it’s just a bleeding cut. You came up with this scheme just to get a win old man?”
>
> “Bah, yer not winning all duels with the other arm and you were getting thrashed not that long into the past by this old sword,” a scowling Roderick argued but a flushed Lucius sneered at that as he had the best of him for well over a year now. “I noticed some arrogance creeping in young lord. All ‘em fancy laurels and honors thrown at ye at the tourneys will make light of a man’s head. Turn him into a right fool!”
>
> Lucius let out a groan and set his feet in an open stance to try again. “I don’t intent to fight with my left arm, the right tied behind my back. I don’t fancy joining the circus old hand.”
>
> “Life can turn into a circus so you may be forced to,” Roderick replied pursing his mouth. “Eh, you look tired. Let the arm rest for a bit.”
>
> Lucius made to dismiss his offer but a pouting young Jeremy burst out of the lovely flowerbed with a yelp, small arms tearing at the thin branches and destroying half of it. He rolled on the cut grass two meters away from them and just as he was getting up again a furious Ralph jumped over the crushed roses and fell on him.
>
> “What is this fresh malarkey? Cease immediately you rascals!” Roderick cursed while Ralph started pummeling Jeremy, an arm used to keep the smaller boy’s flailing fists away. Lucius rushed to split them up, receiving blows from both of them, a small fist clipping his jaw.
>
> “Halt! Gods darn it!” He bellowed shoving a snarling Ralph away and then backhanding the fired up teenager when he made to come at him next. “Stand away Ralph!” Lucius warned him, an open palm on Jeremy’s chest to keep the youngest brother from reaching for his face. “Jeremy, you swing at me again I’ll use Roderick’s stick on your arse!”
>
> “The stick comes out either way,” the approaching Roderick rumbled and snatched Ralph’s right ear with gloved fingers. Ralph shoved him away with both arms managing to free himself and Roderick sighed and swung his fist at the feisty teenager’s ribs.
>
> With a groan Ralph doubled over and dropped on his knees.
>
> “Always keep your guard up,” Roderick counseled him and stooped to help a grumbling Ralph up. “Just because I stepped back didn’t mean I couldn’t reach ye.”
>
> “Let me up!” Jeremy screamed under Lucius and he moved aside. His younger brother’s face was dirty, teary eyes red and flashing with anger.
>
> “That little shit smacked me upside the head!” Ralph snapped and he was down on his knees again, Roderick’s timely slap landing at the right ear. With a weary sigh Roderick helped the dizzy Ralph on his wobbly feet again snatching him by the right arm.
>
> “Caught you watching mother at the beach!” Jeremy accused him and stooped to grab a small rock to throw at the groaning Ralph but Lucius kicked the rock away from his small fingers. “Tried to kill me to keep it quiet!” Jeremy squealed in frustration.
>
> “You swung at me and then wanted to rat me out!” Ralph hissed. “You are a little rat—!” Roderick’s cuff upside the head made his teeth rattle and cut Ralph’s sentence short. The loyal Hand eyed the teenager warningly. The next blow would come at full force.
>
> It wouldn’t but Ralph would be wise not to risk it.
>
> Lucius furrowed his brows confused at the argument and stared at Jeremy. “Is this true? Did you hit him first?”
>
> “You’ll take his place?” Jeremy protested and tried to get away from him but Lucius grabbed the yelping boy’s nape and swung him around. “He’s talking dirty about mum all the time!” Jeremy was beside himself but Lucius had moved his grip on his left shoulder and kept the boy trapped.
>
> “She’s not our mother you—”
>
> Roderick intervened afore Ralph could finish. His voice coming out in a sober rustle.
>
> Ralph and wise just couldn’t work together apparently.
>
> “I better not hear another foul word from ye. I mean it,” he warned. “I’ve a fresh piece of soap and we’ll wash that tongue thoroughly young lord.”
>
> “I’m not lying,” Ralph griped scrunching his jaw.
>
> “What were you doing by the river?” Lucius asked looking at his feisty brother.
>
> “It’s not my fault if she swims in the park. It’s a semi-public beach,” Ralph protested, a naughty twinkle in his eye. Ah, damn it Ralph. “But you know what they say about them girls from Aegium.”
>
> Ralph had sneaked out of the palace twice the previous month alone and they had picked him up inebriated near two of the largest Cartagen taverns. Alistair had forced him to remain inside since and shovel manure at the stables.
>
> “Ayup, that’s it,” a sour-faced Roderick decided and snatched Ralph’s ear again. “We are marching to the horses and then we’re off for the stables. It’s the soap for ye first, followed by a good day of honest work!”
>
> Lucius watched Roderick drag a protesting Ralph away for a moment and then glanced at his sniffling youngest brother.
>
> “Our mother is in heaven Jeremy,” he told him softly using his hand to clear some of the leaves and foliage off of him. The dirt on his clothes and face Lucius could do nothing about. “Miranda is just father’s second wife.”
>
> “Not for me,” Jeremy sniffled stubbornly. “She’s my friend. We agreed that she would be my mum because I don’t have one. So I’m going to tell her all about it.”
>
> “You won’t,” Lucius said despite his heart hurting at the memory of their mother and seeing him pouting he sighed. Lucius could understand part of what Jeremy was going through but he couldn’t allow this problem to grow way out of proportions. “She might decide to speak to father about it and this would bring a lot of trouble to your brother’s doorstep.”
>
> “I don’t care. He deserves it,” Jeremy spat. “He’s a creep.”
>
> “He’s not. Never use that word again. Yes he’s an idiot sometimes but he’s still your brother,” Lucius argued patiently. “He’s at fault for being… eh, at an age when you start notice some things, but she shouldn’t have treated the palace gardens as her bathroom also.”
>
> “You always defend him,” Jeremy griped bitterly. “She was at the river with her maids. The Queen does what she wants.”
>
> That was Miranda’s teenage fantasies he was sprouting out.
>
> “I’m not defending him over you,” Lucius replied sternly deciding not to comment on his step-mother. Miranda was younger than him which was already weird for everyone. “But I’ll defend him period. I’ll do the same for you.”
>
> “I don’t know,” Jeremy said and glanced at his sword. Lucius had stabbed it on the ground to get at them earlier. “Can I be a knight too?”
>
> “When you grow up,” Lucius smiled and ruffled his dirty brown hair. “If you want to.”
>
> Jeremy thought about it and then wiped the lower part of his face with a muddy sleeve. “I’m not good with the sword.”
>
> “It’s all about training,” Lucius replied with a smile and picked the sword up. “You start with a small blade and then gradually move on to a bigger weapon. I did the same at your age.”
>
> “Hmm,” Jeremy murmured deep in thought. “What things?” He asked his young mind drifting elsewhere.
>
> Eh.
>
> Lucius pursed his mouth and stared at the smashed flowers for a moment. Many yellow and white petals spilt over the grass, fewer red ones amidst them resembling small splotches of blood. “That’s a lesson for another time. When you are older you’ll know but hey, you have years ahead to figure it out. It’s a process Jeremy.”
>
> “Wow, you made no sense there Lucci!”
>
> Lucius nodded a little embarrassed. “Being older don’t mean I’m wiser,” he retorted and flipped the sword in his hand showing off. “But I’m a good enough swordsman to teach you a thing or two afore the summer starts,” he added with a grin. “Then I’ll be busy defending my title.”
>
> “Do I get to use a real sword?” Jeremy asked with a beam.
>
> “No you are not,” Lucius retorted swiftly. “We’ll use Roderick’s training sticks. He has at least a dozen in his saddle bags. It’ll get you a head start with the old man. Come, we need to catch up with them.”
>
> “Why so many? Are they different from the others?” Jeremy wondered and followed after him trying to keep up with Lucius’ larger strides. He turned his head to answer but his brother frowned mid-step and then nodded figuring it out himself. Eventually he always did. “Oh, boy,” Jeremy murmured, young face distorting comically. “Not good.”
>
> “Aye, little knight,” a peaceful Lucius replied chuckling and wrapped his arm around Jeremy’s narrow shoulders protectively to bring him closer. Not good at all.
-
Not good.
A gloomy Lucius was staring at the blackened piles of charred brittle bones -still smoking from last night’s funeral pyre. He could still smell the pungent bouquet of burned flesh and brooks of melted fat had crusted into lumps of black coal-like material at the base of the piles. Sober crews with shovels were breaking it to slowly clear the site out and unload the charred remains inside the large square mass graves the engineers had dug out next to each large mount.
“Lots of men from the First Legion in there milord,” Galio commented standing next to the thoughtful King.
“Fittingly, for this would be a battlefield memorial site for Regia.” Lucius replied. “The camp rebuild and not taken down.”
“By the road milord?”
Lucius nodded glancing at the faces of the legionnaires still milling around the spent funeral pyres. Near the big one he spotted the grim-faced Centurion Sorex and some of the surviving rangers from Kaeso’s destroyed unit. Not good.
“By the road,” he said simply and turned to the solemn staring senior Veturius. “We’ll still raise a monument for the Third at Elysium Fort Tribune. Next to the Mabindon Delta for they did make it home eventually.”
“A good thought milord.”
“How is Nonus?” Lucius asked changing the subject.
Galio furrowed his thick greying brows. “We thought him a goner for a couple of days,” he replied. “But I was informed his fever dropped some during the night.”
“I’m about to lie to Martha,” Lucius reminded the veteran Tribune. “Her bloodline is unpredictable and prone to overreactions.”
“He’ll pull through milord and Lady Redmond is not a young girl,” Galio reassured him. “Be that as it may, Duke Holt is hours away according to scout patrols returning from the east. Mostly a mounted force and not the rest of the army. I expect the infantry to be here in three days at the sooner.”
“We’ll have problems feeding everyone.”
“Not if you march towards Tenor.”
Lucius glanced in his familiar wrinkled face. “You think I shouldn’t?”
“I think we should head for Aldenfort immediately.”
“Then you agree.”
“Finding Jeremy’s killers can’t be a priority milord. Nor is staying at Tenor. I would just keep marching.”
Lucius pursed his lips and looked away.
“You think Laudus got away?”
“I think we need to get near All Dens Plains as soon as possible.”
“We have Lord Scylla,” Lucius reminded him. “Lord Brakis will stand down.”
“You’ll take up his offer?” Galio asked and Lucius nodded.
“Thought about it and decided it is the better course of action.”
“Would Lord Doris capitulate?”
“I can’t see Doris standing behind the Issir Queen,” Lucius replied.
“Good,” Galio replied and Lucius eyed him surprised but it was obvious the Tribune couldn’t read his thoughts. He felt strange since morning. Some of it he attributed to the shock of seeing his last remaining brother’s mutilated body. It was a blow that had almost brought him down. Lucius was back in Regia but no one from his immediate family was there to greet him. Not little Silvie or his father and now Jeremy.
“How did you learn about Sula’s condition?” Lucius asked numbly trying to change the subject, his mouth bitter as if he’d just swallowed a bottle of laudanum.
Galio clasped both hands behind his back, a look of bewilderment on his weathered face. “I have no idea how I got there,” he admitted. “Only remember parts of the trip.”
“You mean the field hospital?” Lucius asked raising a brow. “On a horse Tribune. Don’t tell me you’re getting too old for this. I still have need of your services and an extra legion to rebuild. Plus the king’s friends stay with the King Tribune.”
Galio grimaced but then his mouth relaxed. “Some events are a blur milord was all I’m saying. But I feel fine now.”
He glanced at the concerned King. “The First Legion needs a special kind of officer to make it work again. Keeping it near here won’t be good for the men.”
“I’ll see about it. I might sent them down the Tunnel Pass towards Cartagen or have them follow us at a distance.” Lucius breathed out and turned away from the extinguished funeral pyre in order to return to the headquarters but paused to regard the still standing back Tribune.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
“What do you mean a special officer?” He asked a little curious whether they had reached the same conclusion or not.
“Reckon someone important enough so the lads can rally around him and fill Ol’ Scrawny’s boots. But also sufficiently crazy or boastful to even take the task on,” Galio had replied without looking his way adding as an afterthought just like he always did. “Milord.”
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“Sir Valgus,” Lucius greeted the bowing knight and then walked to the maps table to speak with Ramirus.
“Lord Lucius,” Ramirus saluted getting up.
“Ramirus,” Lucius returned the salute and signaled for him to remain at his armchair. “Any news?”
“Nothing yet. They have a good head start, but finding a boat out of Tenor won’t be easy in winter.”
“Would they continue towards Aldenfort?”
Ramirus frowned. “You believe he’ll go after the Queen?”
“Does anyone know where she is?” Lucius asked evenly.
“Lord Scylla wrote to Lord Seneca. Asked him to stand down. He’ll contact Lord Reynard,” Ramirus replied. “Reynard would know if the Queen is there.”
In Aldenfort was his meaning.
“My Lord, Laudus can’t try again with word of his vile actions out,” Ramirus added. “He’s running.”
“Hmm. Rik seemed to believe his sister is in danger.”
“I wouldn’t put too much stock to that. He’s concerned sure but I don’t see why Laudus would risk his life especially if she’s in Aldenfort. Tenor is a wall-less town but those desert cities are difficult to get in and out of.”
Lucius agreed with most of what Ramirus had said but questions remained. “Why would Laudus attack the king?”
“And his council,” Ramirus added.
“Sir Turner was killed in battle,” Lucius argued.
“Earlier. It could have been a trigger for the events that followed.”
“What are you saying?” Lucius queried and rubbed at his still healing arm. “Laudus decided to clean house after murdering Jeremy?”
“Everyone killed was with your brother since the beginning. They were his everyday contacts. Lord Ursus never set foot in Alden since your father was killed and neither did Lord Brakis or Lord Scylla. Theodor was there and Sir Turner. Davos, Laudus, these were the men working with Lord Doris and Jeremy,” Ramirus explained and then got a scroll out of a pile.
“What is this?” A troubled Lucius asked, still working in his head the reasoning behind Laudus criminal actions.
“An outlier, I believe Di Cresta loved the term,” Ramirus jested. Given the LID officer’s always blank or guarded expression and character it was a rarity.
“You’ve been poring through my books Centurion?” Lucius asked with a glance at some of the tomes the late academic had sent him some months back. It was great reading to put a tired man to sleep but packed with ‘keys to unlock the mind’ for those that were willing to put in the effort.
“In my spare time my Lord,” Ramirus replied.
“What’s the wrinkle in our hypothesis?” Lucius asked with a half-smile.
“The Khan’s armies are on Jelin,” Ramirus said. “They have spotted Cataphracts near Castalor and there’s word there might be more near Colle.”
“Ruud has his hands full,” Lucius noted a little surprised. How did Kaltha mess up their campaign so much? With Gust succeeding at Eikenport and the earlier taking of Ri Yue-Tu, Lord Anker had two strategic axis of advance located hundreds of kilometers away from which to launch an assault on Raoz.
Elsanne declaring for the throne has shifted Kaltha’s Regent’s plans, he decided. He tried to squash the opposition but Lord Ruud controls half the council and it wasn’t as easy. Taking his eye from Eplas allowed the Khan to amass his forces and cross the Shallow Sea. Still though, such a big army can’t be supplied across a large body of water if the latter is contested.
The Khan needs to win in the sea while simultaneously setting a meaningful foothold on Jelin. Maybe Colle or Castalor since Deadmen’s Watch is too small and remote. That’s three objectives that need to be secured to even have a campaign started.
A naval engagement and at least two sieges.
You can pray to Tyeus for a win against the odds but three in a row is a risky endeavor even if all the cards fall your way. Sula was saved by Curd’s intervention. Ligur could have had his machines and still lose sure, but it would have been costlier. You never know what another day will bring in battle.
Radpour moved too soon.
This was a reaction due to anger perhaps and not a fully thought-out plan.
“He has sire,” Ramirus agreed. “Lord Ruud can’t open another front which makes Laudus actions meaningless. Jeremy would have been forced to negotiate a truce.”
“They didn’t know?”
“The news reached them first,” Ramirus argued.
“And then they reacted.”
“Even if Jeremy wanted to prolong the war,” Ramirus started and Lucius finished it.
“He would have figured out sooner or later that it was over.”
“Yes sir. This strips Laudus’ actions of any perceived patriotic duty to spare Regia of a foreigner’s intervention. There was no need to remove a mad king.”
“It would have been murder still Ramirus,” an angry Lucius grunted his heart hurting. “Senseless, unjustifiable savagery against royal blood! Against my own family!”
“No argument sire,” Ramirus agreed with a frown. “This just makes it deliberate.”
“You think he was ordered to act,” Lucius rustled hoarsely. “Why?”
“This is a conspiracy sire.”
“It was always a god darn conspiracy!” Lucius growled and slammed both fists on the table rattling it. The pain from his hurt arm brought tears to his eyes. “Ursus had my father killed!”
“Allegedly.”
“You’ll defend him?” Lucius snapped angrily and Ramirus stood back with a grimace.
“Lord Ursus is held up in Cartagen,” Ramirus said after licking his lips nervously. “If Sir Turner was his man in the Council then who ordered Laudus to act after the knight was killed?”
Lucius breathed in deeply and pulled away from the table. He tried to put his thoughts in order despite the anger flooding his senses but couldn’t. “Explain.”
“I don’t have a working theory sir,” Ramirus replied stiffly. “I wasn’t present during the events or near Jeremy. But if Lord Ursus was the driving force behind the turncoat council then it appears his reach is much greater than one would have expected from the Lord of Novesium.”
“Lord Doris?”
“He had his sister removed to put Jeremy on the throne,” Ramirus said treading carefully. “Jeremy marrying the Crow girl was your father’s idea and not his, but he’d no other option at the time.”
No, Doris would never harm Jeremy, Lucius thought but then he wasn’t as sure. This would mean the Alden of Aegium had Alistair killed. Why? They had a Queen on the throne already.
He thought of Miranda, but saw no benefit for her either.
“Would Nattas know?” Lucius asked tiredly.
“Sir, the Baron is…” Ramirus hesitated. “Lord Ursus accused him of murdering women and children in Novesium. His wife and daughter. Fornicating with the Queen and conspiring against the throne.”
This was nonsense.
“Ursus conspired against the throne!” Lucius grunted. “I can’t accept the Duke’s words on face value! Nattas was working against them this whole time, you know this from Sirio.”
“Sirio is married to the Baron’s daughter,” Ramirus insisted. “And many civilians and womenfolk were killed in Novesium. The more I look into the Baron’s affairs the more things appear sinister sire. Outright disturbing.”
Lucius puffed out in exasperation. “Storm is a friend of my family for decades. He practically grew up in the palace for crying out loud. My mother loved him like a son. Yes, he may not act by the book always and might even have dirtied his hands serving my father but Alistair would have never allowed him to cross certain lines. He just wouldn’t. I know my father Ramirus. He was harsh sure and unforgiving –no argument about it, but ruled within the laws of the Five!”
“Aye, but do you know the Baron sire? Not everyone serves the Five or frowns upon what is perceived a sin in our pantheon,” Ramirus asked meaningfully. “Does anyone know him really?”
Lucius dismissed his words with a wave of his right arm. “Focus on finding out who else could be behind Laudus,” he told the sober-faced LID officer. “Storm isn’t part of the conspiracy. He just doesn’t follow Uher. Yes, he has disgusting habits and a lewd philanderer’s lifestyle but Naossis’ is still part of the pantheon and her priestesses support my bid. Anyway, he was working against them,” Lucius added and touched the sword’s handle. “The sword in this scabbard proves it.”
Ramirus bowed his head, voice not betraying his emotions. “As the good Lord wishes. I shall strive to find out more sire. I’ll need to recruit from within the ranks.”
“We have almost two thousand applications according to Trupo,” Lucius said furrowing his brows. “What’s wrong with them?”
“I’ll need men that have been tested already sir, from both legions and an independent command operating outside the Castrum.” Ramirus replied firmly. “At least a hundred to start.”
Lucius thought about it then nodded. “I’ll sign the order. Get it done.”
-
> Months from his twentieth birthday King Jeremy Alden, the second of his name, was astonishingly murdered near the village of Opossum, a tiny road stop forty kilometers from Islandport. The date given officially is the 16th of Primus of 194. He had reigned since the second half of 190 taking over from Queen Miranda. Jeremy left behind Queen Janneke and two small children. The ‘black twins’, Alistair the second and Patience. Only parts of his body were recovered and King Lucius III (now the sole occupant of the Kingdom’s throne) kept his bones in a small silver sarcophagus until he brought them in the city of Alden.
>
> King Jeremy, the youngest of King Alistair’s boys, was interred next to his bigger brother Ralph and his father in the Aldenus crypt under the old King’s Palace.
>
> Jeremy’s murder was attributed to his Master of Silence Marc Laudus and his agents. A manhunt ensued for the apprehension of the killers. Queen Janneke who learned of her husband’s fate in Aldenfort lost her wits momentarily and started wailing until her voice gave out.
>
> The elderly Count Vel Seneca of Vinterfort, who was to be informed by Lord Scylla on the loss of both his sons two days later, agreed with Reynard Alden’s (the petty count of Aldenfort was fourth cousin to the King, but the Alden of Aldenfort were considered a cadet branch) offer to take the Issir Queen out of his hands. Reynard had remained neutral citing an obscure law about the guardians of the Canlita Sea (he was considered ‘commander of the lake’ but Reynard held no real power as neither Duke Holt nor Baron Mercator recognized his token title).
>
> Janneke and the children traveled under a light escort (a couple of Scaldingport knights were with the Queen plus a squad of Reynard’s guards) towards Vinterfort. Sir Rik De Weer who had raced to Tenor, found no sign of her and upon learning where she was, he traveled towards Aldenfort to catch up with his sister. It is rumored that Marc Laudus smaller group reached Aldenfort just after Janneke had left but any sign of him was lost after that. He possibly travelled towards Tigerfall Castle and Badum in the Kingdom of Kaltha but he could have gone after the fleeing Queen.
>
> Sir Rik left most of his force behind and rode hard with a group of his closest men-at-arms managing to catch up with the slow-moving Janneke at the east approaches of the Carcass Plateau, fifteen kilometers from the desert walled town of Vinterfort. Instead of heading towards the waiting Vel Seneca he insisted that the mourning Janneke should take the kids to Timberville initially and then either Forestfort or Scaldingport. ‘You could be a Queen in name in Regia whilst naught but a hostage -for as long as that lasts,’ he purportedly told her. ‘Or live as an exiled widow in your homeland and see your children grow.’
>
> An unable to speak Janneke had agreed and elected Forestfort Sir Rick’s hold.
>
> Lord Stan Brakis ordered Proclus Sextus-Brakis to stand down. The ‘Black Trident’, Lord Proclus son, sent a messenger to Lord Sula that Illirium wanted a truce and abandoned the plans for another blockade of Demames’ port. Lord Paulus Sula was asked by Sir Opiter Sula (his son and commander of the Regulars) whether to retreat from Aegium given the new developments or not. Lord Paulus ordered his son to stay put and wrote to Baron Drusus (his first cousin was still near Cartaport) to march as fast as he could towards Novesium. Sula wanted to keep the ¾ of Regia’s south coast he was controlling but the Duke of Demames lacked the forces to do it.
>
> Lord Doris Alden learned of Jeremy’s fate three days after Lord Seneca. With Sabretooth paralyzed and Vinterfort uncooperative he sent a small force to retrieve Queen Janneke but he was too late for that. When news of Lord Brakis decision reached him later that week he collapsed on the stone throne of Regia and asked his aide Laius ‘how has it come to this?’
>
> To which the Aegium official had replied tacitly, ‘I believe your grace should have been more patient or just lied and allowed your sister to remain as Regent.’
>
> ‘Good gods Laius, you are an idiot,’ Lord Doris had retorted irate. ‘Miranda remaining on the throne meant this rotten scumbag Nattas would have ruled over all of us. Forget it, I’d rather lose my head.’
>
> While a portion of the third Legion (the First Cohort under Brevis) would return to Cartagen before the summer, the rest of the army travelled with Lucius towards Aldenfort first and then the city of Alden. Two months later, a little more than sixteen months into his ‘Eighteen Months’ offensive, Lucius Alden’s southern campaigns would come to an end. That summer, the year of the new Calendar 194, Lucius’ journey and mission that had started in the distant summer of 188 -six years earlier- concluded as well.
-
Eighteen Months Offensive
2nd of Alter (Secundus) 194,
Code named -18 plus 15-
Campaign Day 423
-
Lucius stepped back, rotated Endariel in his left hand, the Imperial blade’s song sounding like a thousand chirping birds and switched his grip on it. He directed the sword’s pointy end towards the grimacing helmless knight. They were both sweaty despite the chilly wind coming from the large lake, Canlita’s shores easily visible beyond the treeline.
“Sir Valgus?” Lucius asked, hint of a smile on his mouth, all the exercise and the steadily good weather helping him these past weeks. “Want to try again?”
“Your grace,” the knight grumbled, checking at the scratch on his plate. “While it’s embarrassing, it’s not easy for me to keep up with your left arm.”
“Mayhap, you should switch as well,” Lucius advised him and glanced at the small crowd that had gathered to watch the King’s daily morning practice. Reynard had opened the gates of the castle but the army had stayed in its massive camp much to his cousin’s chagrin. The reason been that a lot of people were leaving Aldenfort’s market early each day to come and see Lucius and the Legions in person. “I can’t move that well still.”
“Your grace mistook my meaning. I’ll be even less of a challenge then,” Sir Valgus admitted and the crowd applauded loudly at his words. Civilians amidst the legionnaires, some smiling or discussing sword skills, exaggerating as people tend to do.
“The unbeatable ‘Bloody Tiger’ ha-ha!” Someone declared happy.
“Did you see that?” Another pointed out impressed.
“Best knight I’ve seen,” an older well-traveled gentleman expounded not leaving much room for argument. “And swordsman aye. Should have seen him in his prime.”
Lucius glanced his way raising a brow, whilst Sir Valgus shrugged his shoulders not wanting to get into this particular discussion. A young poorly-dressed (one would call it provocatively) half-breed though did rather brazenly.
“Only one of the two is true,” she professed with a mischievous grin drawing the king’s attention.
“To keep something vague,” Lucius scolded the shameless white-haired female. “Is admitting your ignorance.”
The half-breed blinked at the rebuke, while near her a disheveled full-blooded Issir’s head protruded from the crowd to gaze at the king impressed. Lucius had never seen a biggest grin on a face.
“To reveal the future is to risk said future changed, for what is known… a future it can’t be, but only history.” The half-breed female finally sang (her words rhyming strangely) large green eyes sparkling with excitement. Several soldiers moved to take her away.
“Eloquent verses dabbling as a fine excuse for a potential blunder,” Lucius replied in the same poetic vein taking the challenge and pointed the sword at her. The blade’s song turning into a mellow soft chant. “Brazen lass of the lake. How about you answer the King on something more demanding? Is there hidden import in Endariel’s song?”
The half-breed stared at Lucius and then at the sober faces of the soldiers surrounding her.
“There is,” she said quickly.
“Another conjecture,” Lucius dismissed her cheap seer’s act. “What does it sing now?”
“A salutation,” the half-breed retorted without batting an eyelash.
Not bad.
Probably still a guess though.
“Pfft,” someone hissed. “Lass is making it up.”
A thoughtful Lucius sheathed the sword and pivoted to walk away.
“The sword remembers all souls King Lucius,” the half-breed yelled to be heard above the murmuring crowd that turned against her for interrupting their spectacle. “Old and new. All their deeds. Past and future.”
Lucius paused and turned his head around but the half-breed had been bodied back into the crowd and he couldn’t spot her anymore. The Issir teenager had been left behind, an idiot’s face looking his way with that unnerving grin still on his mouth. He’d a leather strap over his shoulder to hold a crude lute. Next to him another half-breed had appeared, not above fifteen years, also a male.
But this boy’s face was hard and had the eyes of a killer.
“Sir Valgus,” Lucius ordered calmly and glanced sideways to find the knight. “Have that boy arrested.”
But by the time Valgus moved, the second half-breed had disappeared like the first inside the crowd.
“Shall I order the soldiers to cordon the crowd sire?” The knight asked but Lucius decided it wasn’t worth it to antagonize the locals or his cousin.
“Leave it be. We’ll be gone in the morning anyway. Chances are we won’t ever see them again,” Lucius had replied.
-
> “How many?” A weary Marc Laudus had asked his scout, a hardened Nord from Ludr named Goss.
>
> “About thirty men-at-arms. Knights amidst them me thinks,” Goss had replied pulling at his red beard with thick calloused fingers. “But we have a lot of riders coming up the road behind us boss.”
>
> Oras curse her lineage to Abrakas gullet.
>
> “Leave the dark-skinned bitch,” he decided crooking his mouth. Didn’t much care about her anyway. Marc just needed the children as leverage.
>
> There are no safe deals in this life.
>
> “Do we turn towards the coast?” Paros asked, head bandaged where the blade had cut him. A good part of his hair missing there. Paros was luckier than late Hobbs at that.
>
> Who would’ve thought that brat could swing a sword?
>
> “He had us cut Theodor down to cover their tracks,” Marc growled angry. “If they didn’t spare him, what makes you think they’ll spare you?”
>
> The look on Theodor’s face when he got knifed in the kidneys priceless.
>
> And unnerving.
>
> “We could head for Badum. I know a man in Irde. He sort of moves skins and raw hides about.” Goss offered and spat down the sides of his horse.
>
> “The old Issir town?”
>
> “Ayup. Neutral ground. Shrines and shite. Irde, Sessi and Ikete are where they settled first, but Irde is Lakelords land, so no real law around these parts.”
>
> Marc nodded. “We’ll lay low until this all blows over. Move if heat reaches us. Maybe head deeper into Kaltha. We just need to stop at a blasted place that has a bank for a day. I don’t intend to live a beggar’s life.”
>
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