Corrupti Wiri et Feminae

Leges Fecerunt Suis Metis Aptare

Justinius prepared himself for his first visit to the senate building as best he could. Thus far, he was doing a miserable job as he sought to straighten both his nerves and his toga, neither of which seemed to feel very cooperative. His polished mirror showed a man who was far from confident.

The walk there didn’t make him feel any better. He trailed behind his father who had taken the lead with Damianus Humilius on his right side and his eldest son Corbenus Honerius on his left. Corbenus was a man of considerable bulk, all of which was muscle, and stood taller than his father. With his large nose and pinched, red face, he was not the most handsome of men. All the looks had been given to his exiled younger brother, Paulus.

The guards accompanying the party took up the sides and rear. The finely kept stone streets kicked up little dust as they were cared for regularly by the workers tasked with sanitation in the upper city. As they walked downhill, the mansions soon gave way to large gathering areas for events.

The Senate building was at the end of one such open plaza, its light gray walls gleaming brightly in the sun and would have shone brighter had it been in its prime. As it was, the building was several hundred years old and hadn’t been renovated for the past eighty years. The building was a large structure of gray stone slabs and tall pillars of white marble lining its front. There appeared to be three sections to the building, two rectangular buildings on either side of a massive domed structure that rose above the sections beside it. Atop the dome was a statue, too small to make out, which held a standard aloft, the Aquillan symbol of an eagle rising from flames. The steps that ascended to its entrance granted an overview of the entire plaza.

Justinius climbed the steps to the entrance where several senators were already talking. They all bowed in deference to Horatius. Justinius felt his face growing red at the thought of joining such a group that likely would look down on him. Yet another group that stood in the doorway was even less friendly as they cast sideways glances that appeared almost murderous.

Inside the building, Justinius felt relieved that the beating sun was off him. The building was spacious inside, the foyer being large enough to hold a great many people within. The square room had tables and chairs with plump cushioned seats clustered along the walls and, at its center, a large fountain where a statue of the Aquillan eagle was perched at its center, lit by the hole in the ceiling just above it. Justinius had little time to take this in as his father moved quickly past all of the grandeur and to the massive double doors on the far end. He stopped at the door, gestured Damianus in, and then spoke softly to Corbenus who nodded and entered. He then turned to wait for Justinius to catch up to him.

“Now son, this next moment is crucial. I want you to enter the Senate chamber and sit with Damianus in the upper galleries on the right side where the Lords are seated. By all the gods, do not open your mouth or draw any attention to yourself in any way. I will introduce you at the end of the session as a candidate and when most desire to leave will call for a vote. This way, they will either vote quickly in my favor or be too tired to argue the point. Until then, just sit and watch the proceedings without making a scene.”

“I don’t make scenes, Father.”

“Very well, then. In you go. The session is about to begin.”

Justinius nodded and faced the double doors which were flanked by two guards. As he entered, he froze in the doorway. The room was massive in size, larger than any room he had ever seen. The pillars at strategic points stretched to the domed ceiling, the structure he had seen from the outside. High windows let sunlight flood the room and torches flickered in the darker corners. The doorway was the only place not occupied by the rising circle of stone seats that extended upward layer by layer, all surrounding a circle of open space where speakers stood. There was one stone seat, set on a raised dais, its back to the doorway which was the seat of the Imperator when one was needed. Otherwise, two wooden chairs resided on either side for the consuls.

To remain frozen in the doorway was an unfortunate choice for Justinius as several senators bumped into him and muttered angrily. More eyes were drawn toward the doorway where he stood frozen and a hard nudge from behind told him his father wasn’t pleased with his failure to comply with his wishes. Justinius felt his face flush further and he moved up the nearest set of steps on his right. He passed all the seats of the senators which made up the first several rows. A section of raised wall blocked those seats off from the ones that were higher and set aside for visitors, diplomats, or any other person who wished to sit in on a session. There were only two rows up here and not very many people so Justinius found Damianus Humilius with ease.

“It is quite a sight, isn’t it?” he asked.

Damianus nodded but didn’t respond. His gaze remained fixed on Horatius who moved to a group of senators below them and spoke quietly as they nodded eagerly. “Your father is adept at the political game. He has quite a group of dedicated followers already.”

It was Justinius’ turn to nod dumbly. He knew nothing of his father’s political life and to see him at last in his position of power was unnerving. He had always known his father to be a charismatic and renowned figure, it was much different to see it in person as many of the lords fawned over his every word. Horatius took a seat beside Corbenus as their conversation melded with the rest. The room was quickly growing hot and stuffy, filled with the smell of sweating men wearing too much perfume to block the stench. Justinius suddenly realized why the senators were so desperate to escape the confines of this room by the end of the session.

The doors to the chamber were thrown open and two men strode in. The announcer rose from his seat by the door and proclaimed in a clear and carrying voice, “The consuls Magnus Conditius and Brutus Cadenzius.”

The members of the senate rose together and Justinius hastily followed along with Damianus. The two consuls, older men with graying hair and stern features, walked stately to their chairs in the center of the room and sat down as one. The senate followed suit and the doors closed with a rather ominous boom. The speaker of the senate knocked a staff against the stone floor with three loud cracks and proclaimed, “The senate is now in session.”

“How formal,” muttered Justinius as he shifted, uncomfortable in his marble seat. It seemed unfair that the senators below had cushions on their seats but the guest section had none. The speaker had unrolled a scroll and spoke loudly again. “Senators; the first order of business is to discuss the tax reforms presented by Horatius of gens Honerius.”

There was light applause from the lords, a smattering came from the middle section where the moderates sat while a cold silence came from the populace. A great number of them glowered at Horatius. Horatius rose from his seat amidst all of this and walked to the circular floor at the center. He glanced around at the senators, drawing them in with his gaze, then turned to the consuls. “Honored Consuls.”

He bowed low then turned to the room at large, “Senators of Aquilla. A crisis rests in our hands. Our great nation stands at a precipice from which we may not recover if we do not resolve the over-taxation of our once prosperous but now most vulnerable people. The rise in taxes has slowly been increasing over the years, under the direction of the populace party and, I am sad to say, even among the lords themselves who have done nothing to repair the damage. All of these raises, each larger than the last, were made to pay for foreign and internal wars as well as to rebuild the infrastructure of our country. War with Carxandria continues to sap away our depleted treasury while the recent civil war has still left both our treasury and infrastructure floundering. In our haste to rectify the actions of our past, we have imposed the heavy burden of funding our rebuilding efforts onto those below us who have less than we do. The taxes we have imposed upon the citizens of our nation as well as those that are under our dominion have begun to cripple them and our economy. No longer can they work their fields or build their nation through their talents and skills as we have stripped them of their means to do so. If we are to survive as a nation, we must pass reforms to cut taxation on those we govern, particularly for the farmers and those in the provinces.”

Murmurs were heard throughout much of the speech as the populace members whispered among themselves and began to grow livid at the notion that their party was to blame for the crumbling of their nation. Upon completion of his speech, several voices rose to shout their thoughts but the Speaker ignored them to turn to the two consuls. Brutus Cadenzius didn’t appear to care much about the proceedings and turned to Magnus Conditius, his fellow consul. It was clear where the power lay in the pair. Magnus shifted forward to peer at Horatius and chuckled slightly. “Our esteemed Horatius Honerius is just back from his trip and already he begins again.”

A slight chuckle from around the room greeted his response as he paused for effect before continuing. “Horatius Honerius, what you suggest is, as you well know, both impossible and extremist. We have gone over this time and again. The taxes keep this city afloat. We use it to feed and house the people of Aquilla who cannot support themselves. We use it to help the citizens of Aquilla and those who do not share the same benefits.”

“I understand that much of it goes to helping the citizens…would that more could go to the rebuilding of our economy. But the situation is-”

“Consul, I would speak the rebuttal!”

A voice rang above the mummers and Magnus Conditius nodded to the senator. The populace senator, older in years, stood and moved to the center. “Consuls. Senators. What would we succumb to if we gave in to the threats of violent upstarts from the provinces? What sort of precedence would this set? Shall the mighty Aquilla forget its citizens to cower in fear to the complaints of those who do not understand our ways-”

Horatius interjected, “If they were not being taxed and forced to live under our laws without the benefits I would understand, but this is-”

“Furthermore,” the senator overrode, “That money goes to the supporting of our most poor of Aquillan citizens who are in the most desperate need of help. Widows, orphans, the maimed, the veterans; those unable to help themselves and get out of their desperate situation.”

A figure rose among the moderates and shouted, “It is a problem that could be solved in another way if anyone would listen to me! The people could-”

“That is enough from you,” called Magnus Conditius. “Antoninus, your time has not yet come to speak again. You will wait your turn till it does.”

Antoninus sat back down, a scowl on his young face. The older senator gave him a look askance then continued. “The debate of how they might be helped further must wait. It is cruel to make our citizens wait when we can help them now. By giving them food, homes, and entertainment, we keep them happy and content with life while we make long-term plans. It is the duty of the state to care for its people. More than this, we use this same wealth to solve other problems within the state-”

“Like lining your pockets,” came a mutter from the lords, just audible in the pause. This led to a sudden uproar as senators began yelling from the populace and were responded to in kind by the lords. Several more figures began to stand as the shouting increased. Justinius felt his jaw drop open as he looked about at the senate which was quickly dissolving before his eyes into a shouting match. He turned to Damianus who was watching eagerly. “Our government, ambassador.”

A banging caused Justinius to look back at the spectacle. Magnus Conditius gestured again to the speaker who banged his staff, calling for order. When this was ignored, his fellow consul Brutus Cadenzius finally decided to do something as he called for order. His soft-spoken voice was lost amid the arguing. Magnus did little to help but glare about. He looked to Horatius and spoke something that could not be heard. Horatius nodded and turned to the assembly. “Senators! Enough!”

The shout could be heard clearly throughout the room, echoing to the ceiling and back. It was the voice of a man who commanded legions and had to be heard across the din of a battlefield. The senators fell silent immediately at this, looking to Horatius with glares or curious glances. It was Magnus who spoke. “Senators, please. Are we not civilized men? Let us discuss this as such.”

The senators began to take their seats sullenly and with much glaring. Horatius took all this in stride and spoke again. “The debate can go on. I only ask that we vote on forming a draft to present to the courts for approval.”

The staff struck the ground and the speaker rose. “A vote has been called. By a show of hands, those who side with Horatius Honerius on drafting tax relief laws, to be voted on at a later date.”

Many on the lords’ side joined him, but not all. Some sat quietly and kept their hands firmly on their laps, determined to show no sign of support. No support came from the populace and, from the moderates, there was a mixture. Justinius noted that Antoninus, the man who had spoken first, was on his father’s side.

The speaker counted and stated. “The Senate is split one hundred and thirty-three to one hundred and sixty-seven against. The movement does not pass.”

Murmurs broke out; angry, snide, relieved, frustrated. Horatius showed no sign of emotion but bowed slightly to the consuls and returned to his seat. The speaker unrolled his scroll and announced, “We will now hear from the delegation of the Warath Empire concerning the trade dispute with Gens Dignius.”

A dignitary with brown skin and curly dark strands of hair emerging through his turban stood from the guest section of the seats. He was not dressed in the traditional style of the Aquillans but wore a fine, long garment that covered much of his figure, including his head as a turban wrapped around it. Justinius gawked at him. “How can he stand the heat in all that? I am sweating through my toga already.”

Damianus took the opportunity to respond, being the only one to hear him. “It is traditional garb. They would not be caught dead wearing our garments if they could help it. They take great pride in distinguishing themselves. I hear their homeland is warm and the garments protect against the sun.”

The representative of the Warath Empire stood before the assembly and mostly addressed the consuls, seeing them as the figures of authority over the rest of the senate in all likelihood. “Consul, my lords, I must once again bring forth this topic to your committee. Our trade has not been in a stable state since your last war with Carxandria in which you took much of their islands. Since then, such families as the gens Dignius have taken up residence on the islands and have begun to disrupt the trade. They tax our vessels with the most outrageous prices and heap upon the trader's unfounded abuse. They have also been prone to attack our shipments when in the mood, make “inspections'' of our wares in which goods are confiscated and, the worst of crimes, committed violent acts against traders, looting their goods and burning their ships and bodies.”

“This is absurd,” rose the voice of one senator above the murmurs. “Consuls, such accusations are unfounded and beyond proof. I demand a veto on this.”

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“You would hide behind platitudes and laws meant to benefit you!” responded the ambassador. “You and many other gens are guilty within the boundaries of trade and travel in the Midline Sea.”

“It is all but our sea,” came one response while still others responded with accusations and defenses.

“Silence!” shouted Magnus Conditius before the voices could begin escalating. “Let gens Dignius respond to these accusations. Alexus Dignius. You are the head, perhaps you will speak.”

An old but energetic man with large eyes, an almost bald head, and a stretched frown upon his face stood from his seat and moved to the center with the ambassador. He paused to bow to the consuls. “Consuls, senators. Why would we believe the words of this…foreigner? He stands here, accusing the great gens Dignius and what does he have? Words! There is no proof of these said actions that he brings before the senate.”

“Yet what does he stand to gain?” Justinius murmured to himself.

The ambassador was not taking it lying down either. “I have the eyewitness reports and accounts of several merchants your men accosted-”

“And how handsomely were these men paid for that information? Do you not see you were fooled by merchants seeking a quick profit for some lost goods likely sunk beneath the waves?”

“The merchants could be trusted at their word. They were paid no money but spoke out for justice and out of loyalty to our nation.”

Alexus snorted at this. “Such loyal merchant citizens of the Warath Empire. Why should they be so loyal to an empire and Shah who cares nothing for their people.”

“You know nothing of our Shah, may he live forever, and you would be wise to-”

The stick of the speaker clacked on the floor again, commanded by Magnus. “Senators and ambassador, we have strayed from the topic. Alexus, I would have you finish your speech and be done with it.”

Alexus looked annoyed at being addressed so, but he continued. “He has no evidence save hearsay and brings no solution to the table. My son, Praxus, is currently residing in our villa on Calidus Island and has sent no news of this sort back to me. He manages our affairs there with a just hand. Furthermore-”

“You have said your piece,” interrupted Brutus Cadenzius. “Sit down, you old bellows.”

There was an uproar at this but, with another smash of the staff on the senate floor, order was once more restored. Magnus glared at his co-consul irately. “Yes…the matter has been stated from both sides clearly.”

“And may we destroy Carxandria,” cried Alexus as he moved back to his seat.

A smattering of applause greeted this as Justinius raised his eyebrow in amusement at seeing the rumor he had heard come true. Magnus cleared his throat as he smiled wanly at Alexus. “Quite so. To the matter at hand, what we need here is a vote on whether an investigation should take place into this matter.”

“An investigation will take months if not years!” protested the ambassador.

“It is the most that can be done,” said Magnus. “We cannot simply accuse our fellow senator of crimes without solid evidence and an investigation. That is not how things are done here…in a republic.”

With that final word and a patronizing smile to the fuming ambassador, he nodded to the speaker of the senate. His staff came down again. “A vote has been called to investigate the rumors of violence and illegal taxation against Warathian traders. Those in favor?”

Justinius was disappointed at how few hands were raised. A few at the most…even when it seemed so much more likely that the ambassador would have little reason to lie whereas Alexus Dignius would obviously deny any insult to his family. Surely it at least warranted an investigation. He was even more shocked when he saw his own father had not raised his hand and, thus, none of his supporters did either. What reason could his father have for not voting on something so obvious? Perhaps it simply didn’t fit with whatever plans he had. “The Senate has spoken,” stated the speaker, “The vote is thirty-nine to two hundred and sixty-one. There is to be no investigation.”

He glanced at the consuls, seeing if any overriding veto occurred but, when nothing happened, he nodded and unrolled his scroll. “The next matter is-”

“This is outrageous!” yelled the ambassador, still in the center of the floor. “What justice is this?”

“You have spoken your message, ambassador,” said Magnus. “The floor has moved on.”

“You will regret this!” said the ambassador. “Our prince Nadim of the Hazron Dynasty will be here any day and will deal with the lot of you. You will not like what he will have to say, I assure you.”

He left then, storming from the room and letting the doors slide closed with a soft boom. Magnus smiled and nodded to the speaker to proceed, seeming unfazed by the incident. The speaker continued. “Our next matter is the issue of clogged plumbing in the lower district of Capitol Hill. Furius Campestrius will speak on the issue.”

And so, the meetings went on. One issue after another was brought before the senate and, true to his father’s word, almost nothing was agreed on. Though the Senate was able to get behind the plumbing issue and set aside funds for repairs, likely because the stench would affect many of them, there were few other things they could agree on. Issues of state, infrastructure, diplomacy, military, funding…all of them were hotly debated, and almost all of them were turned down. Justinius felt himself almost nodding off in the heat and he began to sweat through the neckline of his tunic.

Alexus Dignius came forward and spoke vehemently, “Consuls, fellow senators. The report we received from our envoys sent to Carxandria, and by Horatius Honerius, was not as forthright as it should have been. They stated clearly how the Carxandrians do not wish for war and that, per the treaty ending the last war, they have not expanded their military beyond the forces within their city. They gave the report we had asked for…but they left out the most important information.

“Senators…why have we not asked ourselves the real question…how does Carxandria fare since her defeat at our hands eighty years ago? Are they still the broken and defeated people we left them as, content to sit in their city and continue their existence in obscurity? The answer is clearly and resoundingly…no! I have sent men of my own to watch the city and spy from within and what reports do they bring back to me? Prosperity! The city of Carxandria, despite its still weakened military, is prospering as it has ever before! They trade with half the Midline Sea and even in goods from faraway lands, sent by Aequendar no less and whatever mysterious cargo they ply! Their spirit is far from broken but has grown firm. Even among their nobility and members of the guard, there is open talk of one day standing firm against the Aquillans and uniting the peoples around the Midline sea against us!”

This was followed by an outburst of talking among senators and the staff had to be cracked for silence. Alexus continued with even more fire. “Fellow senators! Can you truly scoff at this notion? Wasn’t Carxandria ever a city that hired mercenaries to do their work? Haven’t we only just now, in this session, witnessed threats by the Warath emissary to pull their trade from our ports? Where else will they turn but to the people of Carxandria for trade then?! Do not think it so unbelievable that they will one day, perhaps in the near future or in our grandchildren’s generation, rise up to take their vengeance on us from the last war. Do not doubt, for even now they speak of it!”

He paused, perhaps for dramatic effect, perhaps because he was wheezing slightly and out of breath. His voice was lowered upon return. “I do not call for a vote…for I know a vote will only end in a stalemate again. I would only have you, my fellow senators, remember this: When the elections come and the people vote the next consuls into office, remember who truly stands for Aquilla and against her enemies. May we destroy Carxandria!”

There was scattered applause as he sat down again. Justinius scanned the room and saw that it came from all sections. That was perhaps the most troubling aspect. This was less of a divide between parties than an absolute divide among individuals. The Senate was truly split on this matter. He glanced over at Damianus who, aside from appearing a little paler, had the familiar neutral frown upon his face as he continued to observe the proceedings.

The speaker of the Senate's voice rose once more.“Antoninus Registrius, do discuss the crisis of the unlanded populace.”

Groans could be heard about the room as a middle-aged man stepped forward into the center, bowed to the consuls, and began. “Honored consuls. Senators. I speak to you now, as I ever have before, on the gravest of circumstances. Our citizens, once proud soldiers of the republic and tillers of our soil, not only have no land to call their own but also are completely dependent on the state for survival. These brave men would nurture the soil and bring in the crops every year, leaving only when war called them away but always being given the chance to return to harvest. This is how it ever was in our illustrious past. Then we expanded…wars became numerous and prolonged. The farmers were taken for years from their fields which fell into neglect and disrepair. Along came the creditors, offering buy-outs at outrageously low prices. Upon thieving the land from our people, they sold it to the highest bidder…the rich of Aquilla. And so, while we sit here and spit out platitudes and pretend that we care so much for the people of Aquilla, they still suffer because of us. Even worse! We keep them reliant on us by giving them everything. And how do we give them everything? By taxing those who still have lands and farms to run!”

By this point, a great deal of murmuring was evident among the senators and it began to run over. The staff was cracked down but Antoninus simply rose in volume over both staff and chattering. “Senators, we destroyed our own people by our greed to set up plantations of crops which, yes, we use to feed them. But at what cost?! We have taken their livelihoods, their pride, and most importantly, their ability to perform their civic duties. How can they grow the crops needed, tend to the fields as only they know how, and serve as faithful and hardworking citizens? How can they serve in the military without the money to afford payment for equipment? Our own army falters due to our arrogance and lust for wealth and power! Senators, we must wake up and help our people before they completely lose their way and become either self-reliant slaves or brain-washed pigs, too lazy to lift a finger for their country! We must give up what we took from them and return it to salvage the situation! That is not even to mention how we should end our occupation of Carxandria and allow our soldiers to return home!”

The roar of the senators drowned out whatever he had to say after this which annoyed Justinius. He strained to hear but fell back in his seat in frustration as the noise only intensified. “What idiots we have here! How have we not fallen apart sooner?”

The increased cracking of the staff followed by Magnus Conditius rising from his seat to raise his hands and shout were the only things to calm the assembly. He stared down severely at Antoninus Registrius. “I would like to remind you that we are remaining civil within this senate and that it is uncalled for to provoke your fellow senators by accusing them of crimes and calling them names. Now…who will come forward with the rebuttal?”

Several hands and voices were raised among the Populace and Lords and, surprisingly, Magnus called on a figure among the lords. He had neglected to do so thus far. “Tullus Ultimius, you may speak the rebuttal.”

There was a deal of controversy over the call as several voices rose in protest on both sides but were quickly silenced by the pounding staff. Tullus Ultimius was a large man, towering above most of the other senators in height and build. He seemed the soldier in fullness or at least had once been. His bulky stomach showed he had acclimated to more of the comforts of fine living and his grey hair showed that age pulled him from most active battlefields. However, his build and booming voice marked him as a soldier from the past. “Consuls, Senators. What senator Antoninus Registrius fails to recall is that this land was purchased by us at great personal expense and is now being put to good use under our care. Yes, we give it to the people to support them. But it is also used to feed the military as well and takes on much of the burden of the state when times are harsh. Why should we give up land that we use for good to build our empire to greater heights while helping our people and at our own expense? Could they use it any better than we could? They use it to feed their families, yes, but we use it to feed them, their families, and many more! Their land is gone and nothing can be done about it. To take away our private property is against our very rights as citizens! To propose that we be stripped of it is as preposterous as it is unconstitutional.”

Applause greeted his end and Antoninus began to respond. “You cannot simply dismiss it in the belief you could do better. And it wouldn’t infringe on the constitution if we-”

“That is enough,” said Brutus Cadenzius. “We have heard it all. Call for the vote!”

Magnus glared slightly at him before responding. “True enough. Speaker.”

The speaker smacked his staff and called, “A vote has been called to return lands once belonging to the people of Aquilla to their original owners and that the current owners should forfeit their claim to the land.”

Antoninus was fuming. “That is not what I was saying. I was asking for a vote to discuss ways in which we could return the land to them!”

Hands were raised and the tally counted. “The vote is eighty-one to two hundred and nineteen against. The motion has failed.”

Antoninus stalked back to his seat and Justinius felt his heart go out to the man. He seemed like a good sort: younger in years and more passionate than Alexus had been about destruction. It seemed wrong how he had been walked over in such a fashion.

More speakers came forward and the meeting dragged on into the late afternoon. Justinus could no longer hide the sweat that darkened his armpits and neckline and the room began to stink even worse of sweating bodies and perfumes. It was after another two hours of waiting that Justinius finally cocked his head up from his lap at the sound of the staff striking the ground. “If there are no more matters to attend to, the senate is-”

“I have another matter.”

Horatius Honerius, his father, rose from his seat to bring the matter Justinius had been dreading to the senate. He felt his stomach drop and he sat upright in his seat to listen through his addled mind. He was thirsty and tired and much of the Senate appeared to be in the same condition. A series of groans and mutters were heard from the assembly. Brutus Cadenzius, co-consul to Magnus Conditius didn’t accept Horatius’s claim. “No! No more! These meetings are finished for the day.”

“They are not finished if I still have a matter to bring before the senate,” replied Horatius calmly as he walked to the center.

“You will let us go you-”

“Let him speak,” said Magnus, mopping his brow with a sleeve. “It is his right.”

Horatius bowed before the senate. “As you know, it is the custom of the senate to house three hundred members to conduct the business of the state. Senators who are absent or who have retired maintain proxies in their place to vote in their name until a new member is elected. It has been nearly a month since a seat has been vacated in the Lords’ side, formerly held by Cajetanus Honerius. Since my cousin’s passing, I would see my son, Justinius Honerius, take his place.”

He gestured up to Justinius who felt acutely aware of his sweaty disposition as all eyes flicked quickly his way. Whispers began and he felt certain he could already hear half of them say “Half-gen”. The whispers continued as Magnus frowned in annoyance. “You would bring this up now? It is too late for a vote of that kind. Bring it up tomorrow-”

“I would have it settled now,” stated Horatius clearly. “This session does not end until a vote is taken.”

Angry mutters rose in cadence at the obvious blackmail. Many, however, simply didn’t seem to care that much. Brutus Cadenzius waved his hand. “You are full of bile, Horatius Honerius. You would have your crony get in, your half-gen son?”

“That is rather a disgrace to these walls, Horatius Honerius,” stated Magnus, his face still clear of any extreme emotion other than a pensive frown.

“Nevertheless, I would see him take my cousin’s place and I demand a vote be taken.”

“You would have it that way? Fine!” stated Brutus. “I need the baths. Let us vote and be done with it.”

Magnus glared slightly at him, his eyes darting to Horatius and to the speaker who began. “The motion is called to place Justinius Honerius in a vacant seat. If…”

Magnus stood from his seat and waved to the speaker. “I would offer a compromise.”

All eyes turned to him and a hush fell about the room. He faced Horatius, seeming to square off against him. “You may have your choice for the seat…your half-gen son to become part of the senate, despite his young age, lack of experience, and questionable background. However, in return, I will fill one of our vacant seats with my nephew, Laurentius Conditius, as a fair compromise.”

Horatius stared eye to eye then slowly nodded. Magnus nodded to the speaker who struck his staff on the ground. “A vote to place Justinius Honerius and Laurentius Conditius on the vacant seats of the senate has been called. Those in favor, raise their hands.”

There was no competition in the matter. Though none of the moderates raised their hands, every single one of the populace did so and most of the Lords did as well. “The vote is two hundred and twenty-eight to seventy-two in favor. The vote passes. Justinius Honerius and Laurentius Conditius are now members of the Senate.”

Magnus turned slightly in his seat to face Horatius and said, dismissively, “Perhaps your son would like to tell my nephew the good news himself. It seems only fair.”

Horatius nodded. “I will send him myself. I assume he can be found in his usual haunts.”

Magnus nodded, unfazed. “Indeed.”

He nodded then to the speaker who slammed his staff down. “If there are no more issues to be brought before the senate…” he paused to scan the silent room, “Then this session is over.”

Justinius felt equal parts relief and dread fill him as the staff struck the ground for the last time that day and the senate adjourned. He spotted his father beckoning from below and he stood to move quickly down the steps to him. His brother Corbenus joined them as Horatius nodded to both. “Corbenus, take Justinius to find Laurentius Conditius. You know where you will find him, joined with the rest of their lost generation.”

Corbenus nodded and pulled Justinius along before he could ask what his father had meant by his statement. When Horatius Honerius gave a command, it was obeyed immediately.