Chapter 3
Vicenzo
Parthea Sol Traianus stormed into the gubernatorial palace in anger.
She ignored the men already gathered there and instead moved swiftly towards the nearest chalice of fine wine. She ignored the fine glasses next to it and took a long swig from it. The kind that those around her could only watch in silence as it spoke more than any words that could be uttered. She then placed it down and pulled a seat over.
Governor Lucretius opened his mouth, a question beginning to form but she barked back a ready and very angry reply before he could speak.
“Terrible! What do you think?!”
The man fell silent.
“You know, perhaps you should have just given Octavius the damned city. These men are insufferable!”
Governor Lucretius gave her an indignant glare, but she met it with one of her own.
“The outskirts are being burnt to a total crisp, governor! Last I saw, everyone is working to try and keep it from spreading further into the city, but the homes of those demihumans? They will be gone by morn.” she grumbled darkly and sank into the seat as her mind went over the next part.
“And of course, Octavius is harassing the walls. Men, arrows, and now some new fire magic it seems. I do not know how, but the gate by the west side was torn away.” she shook her head, then muttered “Must have been a mage. Had to be.”
Then, chuckling, she added, “And here I am. Useless because the danger is too much for a fair maiden such as myself.”
“You are a fair maiden” Lucretius finally spoke.
“So is one of my personal guards! I am the daughter of the Emperor of this empire, I can be just as tough as is necessary. Marius was leading right there by the walls as well! You know what that makes me?!”
“Highness, you-”
She stood, hands slammed on the wooden table in a rage as she looked at no one and shouted “A toy! A doll! Their damned plaything!”
Parthea was glad it was still quite dark despite the candlelights. She could sound much angrier than she looked. Deep down, it was fear driving her energetic response. She’d seen the fires, but the fighting on the wall itself as for the first time she had known them, these men from another world with unimaginable weapons appeared almost at a loss. Slowly, she sat back down, then straightened herself slightly, and tried not to consider the possibility that Octavius might get his wish. She spoke in a tone that she could only hope sounded as angry as she had previously communicated.
“I have no intention of being their toy. Our loyalties are to my father, and once he knows… once he is fully informed I am certain he will side with you, governor. Perhaps we can even find a proper peace.”
“That is what we intend to work on, highness.” one of the other men in the dark room replied.
“Indeed. If we can convince him that Octavius was keeping information from him, which he most certainly is, I am certain Emperor Traianus will see the light.”
“Good. But of course, this battle must be won first.” Lucretius replied.
She heard the thunderous booming of distant explosions. Faintly she could hear the shouts of orders outside, and fainter still, the crackle of the weaponry of the men from another world. Such destructive capabilities. So little they could add to it.
She stood, then said “I shall verify the wounded. Keep me busy.”
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She got quiet, submissive nods.
Out in the yards of the gubernatorial palace, a few wounded lay in organized rows. Mostly burns. An arm ruined here, a leg shattered there, but she watched the injured being treated by the few healers available in the city.
“Hey, princess! Over here!”
Parthea glanced at an older woman who was wrapping a wet rag that held a steady glow around a young girl’s hands. She noted the injured girl’s dog-like ears and considered pretending not to have heard the woman, but chose against it. Best not to appear too uncaring given the situation; personal frustrations or prejudice be damned.
“Madame, how may I be of service?”
“Apologies, highness, could you get me some more water? These wounds need to be purified further so they can heal properly.”
Again Parthea glanced at the little girl with dog ears. Again she considered ignoring the woman’s request. And again, she chose against it. Moving to one of the fountains, now in use to get more water for the healers. The vase took in the water easily enough, and she brought it back to the woman healer with the dog girl.
The woman grabbed the vase, closed her eyes, breathed, and it began to glow.
Then she dunked a rag into it and placed it once more onto the girl’s burns.
“Thank you, highness. Might I ask how go things in the city?”
Parthea nodded absentmindedly as she watched a man from the other world, a noticeable red cross on his helmet, move around the injured, varying them as well as any healer, only somehow faster. As if with just a glance he could tell who needed what.
They don’t need me here…
Still, she answered, “More fire attacks. This time with some other method. Damned traitors the lot.”
“Language.” the healer woman blurted out, motioning to the child.
Parthea huffed, then said, “She has likely heard worse, have you not, girl?”
The little dog girl covered her own mouth with a free hand and looked away.
Forcing a smile, Parthea then asked “Where are your family members?”
The healer quickly said “Her father dropped her off here and has gone back out to help put out the fires. She has no mother.”
Parthea huffed. The words frustrated her slightly. Why were the demi-humans not simple like the beastmen? Still, she nodded at the little girl, who was still covering her mouth with her unburnt hand.
She told her then, “All you need is your father. Give me his name, I shall ensure he gets some reward for his work.”
“Several workers here, demi-humans with good sight in the darkness, also volunteered.”
“Sight in… darkness?”
Parthea glanced around.
She noticed some of the demi-human maids were indeed gone. Girls. Arguably maidens like herself. Apparently these men from another world, degenerate lot that they were, preferred to allow such beasts among their ranks as opposed to...
Parthea could not finish the thought.
She frowned in indignation but composed herself before the thought even finished reforming in her mind. Now was not the time for that. Back to the healer, she spoke calmly and in a tone she hoped expressed curiosity over jealousy.
“So the feline maid and the rabbits?”
“I believe so, yes. I saw them follow some men a while back.”
A distance not too far away, the American “mortars” fired yet again with a loud pop sound as their projectiles flew skyward. She thought of the ballistae their armies used. Similar principle perhaps, but expanded upon so much further that it boggled the mind. The same for their infantry weapons. Why bother getting even within the vicinity of the enemy when you could kill them from several hills away? Unlike crossbows that needed to be closer in range or from a higher vantage point, these weapons shot straight ahead, and hit true better than any crossbow or bowman. Just how far had this other world gone with their wars? How far did its knowledge of killing go?
She darkly grumbled, “Perhaps I should take solace that they do not mind working with women as much.”
“Oh, I would not say that. I tried being nice to some of them and they appear to recoil away at me. Those with the demi-humans also seemed uncertain about their volunteers.”
“I was trying to be positive about my future prospects.”
“Oh, but reality disappoints us all, your highness.”
She glanced at the little girl who was listening in intently. Did she find the conversation riveting? Did she understand it at all?
She sighed, “Octavius must be trying to weather the men down. But I believe reinforcements will arrive for them soon enough.”
The outskirts of the city were still on fire, but it almost seemed under control now. It was difficult to tell, but she saw no new fires, nor did the flames appear stronger.
But then what?
She glanced at the little girl who was now preoccupied with kicking the air. Despite the late hour, she was too nervous to sleep. Not unlike her or the guys around her.
It was odd. She could tell the battle was reaching a head simply by how those around her were acting. The fire in the outskirts of the city, the worried look on both the local guards, the civilians, and the men from another world.
Why am I so useless?