I decided to change the the years because there was a hole in my plot
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The Sixth Chapter
711 B.Z.
March 18th
I’ve ridden for a day and took rest at one of the surrounding poleis. The residing perioeci welcomed when they recognized my Warsan armor. These people were subjects of Warsa.
Most perioeci lived in their poleis instead of Warsa, as they weren’t citizens of the state, but they had the freedom of traveling to other states. The perioeci supplied Warsa with soldiers, food, trade, armaments, and so on. Every so often some perioeci males are chosen to become part of Warsa as full citizens with land and money given to them, but only if they were trained with the elite and placed in the army as part of the homoioi. If not chosen then they could pledge themselves as servants and become citizens, but without the land and money. Perioeci women had more freedoms than their male counterparts, but could only become full citizens by marriage or as servants. Of course this was all voluntary. No one was ever forced.
Overall the archaic system was decent and was carried through the ages. There were no slaves and everybody worked for their keep.
All pureblood Warsan men were required to train as hoplites, phalangites, swordsmen, or perhaps all three, but they only joined the army voluntarily. If Warsa was ever sieged they would have no choice but to take up arms and defend their city. It worked since Warsa was mainly a defensive state. Ranged fighters were made up of perioeci and mercenaries since they needed less training.
Mages used to be a major asset in the Lathian Empire, but by then they were no more than legend. Magic had become a myth. The closest thing to magic were the Gods and their powers.
The settlement only had some wooden walls for defence. No one really worried about being raided these days.
I took refuge in a perioeci’s dwelling. His name was Mullon and he had a wife and two daughters. A friendly fellow, despite being a little intimidated of my presence. I slept in one of their daughter’s beds while their daughters shared one. Sleep was required for me since my mind needed rest.
March 19th
When I woke up I bathed quickly and skipped breakfast. I didn't want to feel attached to the place so I headed as soon as I could.
Food and water seemed materialistic because I didn't need to eat or drink. I was never hungry or thirsty. They only served as tasty stimulation for my tongue.
March 21st
My travels had proven uneventful and I had a smooth journey. The horse was unexpectedly strong, holding up for even a day’s ride. I miscalculated how long it would take me to reach the Duke’s estate.
Homoioi swordsmen stood in the front, guarding the impenetrable iron-studded gates. I tugged on the reins to slow the horse to a steady walk and stopped in front of them. They looked over me for a minute, admiring my armor.
“Greetings,” I said.
“Good afternoon Lord Protector,” they said in unison. These men recognized me. I often visited his castle, but it was strange I had never met his son.
“I'm visiting the Duke. Would you let me pass?”
“Of course, my Lord.”
They pushed open the door and allowed me to enter.
Most of the land in Lathia was flat, but Warsa was a rarity that laid on higher land next to the Aeterniteranean Sea, and it was also once the seat of the Lathian Empire.
There were a few lords from the Lathian Empire who held considerable influence but never contended for power after it fell. Lord Shoe was the Duke who controlled half of Warsa’s reign and was the grandson of Reikon’s advisor. His estate was on completely flat land.
The flat continent influenced our warfare greatly. Our main, staple troops were hoplites and phalangites. Other melee infantry were the light-armored who laid in hiding for ambush or the heavy-armored who guarded phalanx flanks. Hoplites were an all-around unit, if efficiently trained, but the usual lot of them were only good with a shield and spear in phalanx.
Renua had a lot of trouble invading our lands since our defensive warfare was practically unbeatable.
There was a time, during the Lathian Empire’s, Reikon Draceye had spread his forces thin because the Renuans outnumbered him vastly. While the rest of his armies were out battling at multiple fronts, he had only 700 men and himself left guarding the capital, Warsa. Unlike the rest of the continent, Warsa was a place surrounded by impassable mountains and terrain.
The only entrance the Renuans could use was a moderately sized pass between mountains.
It was 150 meters wide and two kilometer long.
An arrogant general, Mecarse, led 2000 men through the pass.
Reikon knew there was a small path through the mountains, camouflaged by greenery, and he could fit 250 men into it.
He set up 250 hoplites to form up at the end of the pass and as Mecarse’s 2000 troops entered the pass, he had his 250 men flank them.
The battle was over before it began.
Reikon’s 500 hoplites pushed the enemy in and choked them to death while 200 of his archers rained death upon the center of the Renuans. Every one of Mecarse’s men were slaughtered no matter who they were, strong and weak alike, and Reikon’s troops suffered minimal losses.
The Renuans finally recognized the strength of the Lathian phalanx.
Any man could hold up a shield and thrust a spear; that's why hoplites were such a staple unit. Phalangites didn't come until much later.
I led my stallion to Shoe’s stables. It was fairly large and there were many horses, which were a major rarity in our continent.
Phalangites devastated cavalry, but so did cavalry likewise devastate them. Nothing could charge and take on a phalangite up front, but an attack to their flank ruins their entire formation. They would have no alternative except to drop their long sarrissa spears and switch to their short variant of xiphos. Phalangites were weak in practical combat because they were light-armored and had smaller arm-strapped shields since spears were so long and hard to balance.
After I left my horse in the stables I headed to his house. Guards were patrolling all around and the men at the entrance recognized me.
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“Lord Protector,” they greeted.
I nodded to them and casually passed through the entrance and into the courtyard.
On the left side were bedrooms, the right were utilities - kitchens and such - and the frontmost was recreational, with a library and some playthings.
Servants were wandering about, doing their duties and making talk. It was a lively atmosphere. I did leave the capital pretty quickly so information likely hadn't reached here. Any messenger on horseback was probably far behind me.
Lord Shoe was standing in front of a few servants, lecturing them with his long, peppery beard swishing about. He was always a stern yet kind man.
“Lord Shoe,” I called out to him.
He paused to look at me, flashed a smile, and put aside what he was doing.
“Zidon! What a surprise!” he said as he was walking towards me.
“Yes, I'm here for-”
“Hey!” he yelled and looked back. “You stay right there! I'm not done with you.”
The servants he was lecturing stood back to where they were, paralyzed with fear.
“Now what was that Zidon? What are you here for?” He stopped and stood in front of me.
He almost seemed to be posing heroically, with his chin up, dominant and powerful, until he reached his hand down and scratched his sack for a good few seconds.
“Bit lax there, Shoe,” I said.
He was indifferent to my reaction and said without a flinch, “It felt like it needed a good itch so I proceeded to do what would satisfy its demand.”
I raised a brow and he gave out, half bellowing and half laughing.
“I-I apologize Zidon. The liveliness is influencing me.”
“I'm here for your son,” I said. Shoe's smile dropped immediately. “I want to talk to him for an investigation.”
He didn't answer and was instead staring at me up and down.
Frowning, he asked, “How are your wounds? I thought you'd still be in bed. I've seen one on your heart so I thought he missed it, but you shouldn't be up, walking about, and especially not riding a horse.”
“They've healed, Shoe, but that's not the point. I need to-”
He sighed for an stretching ten seconds and said, “He's not here.”
Shocked, I hurriedly asked, “Not here!? Where would he be?”
“I don't know. Little bastard probably became fearful and ran off,” he cursed spitefully.
Why would he disappear? Did ‘they' catch him already or was he already running from them?
“Don't jump to conclusions, Shoe, when you left your son whispered something to himself.”
“And what did he whisper?” he asked promptly.
I leaned in to whisper the quote to him ominously, “‘They're going to come… Why…?’”
Shoe looked shook for a moment, but went silent for a few minutes.
“Perhaps Jason was trying to appeal to everyone with a made up, last ditch attempt,” he guessed.
“No, your son was very quiet. No one would had even heard him even make a peep.”
“But you heard him?”
“I… have very good hearing Shoe. Believe me.”
“Hmmm…” He stroked his beard in ponder. “I don't trust the bugger... but I do trust you Zidon. I believe you. Don't take my trust for granted.”
“Excellent, but by the way, I never knew you had a son.”
“Ah, yes. Jason’s my bastard son; he only came to me a few weeks ago.”
“A few weeks ago? That recent? Do you know of his history?”
“I knew his mother. She was part of the periorci population but was once of noble blood. She was a Morian, I'm sure, and I met her before my current wife. She disappeared a decade and a half ago, no doubt pregnant with Jason, and I've never seen her since. He wears her necklace, has her eyes, and has my hair, but he has been a pain in my joints ever since he came here. You'd think my wife would be torturing him with his background, mother and all, but no, no, to him she's the kindest soul with an angel’s heart. He basically gained another mom. I'm the rough one here.”
He sighs again.
“I tried to be his father, I really did, but he was repelled by my presence, avoiding me at every turn and step. Probably not used to having an old father like me, doing pushups in my grave.”
A long, awkward moment passed as I awaited for his conclusion.
“So no, I don't know a single thing about him.”
“Well, you're of no help, but that was enlightening,” I replied bluntly.
He's taken aback, wounded, and clenched his heart as if he were in a play. “You hurt me Zidon!” he lamented dramatically.
“I'll ask your wife then. Where is she?”
“She's upstairs reading.”
“That's fortunate. I thought I had to be handling another disappearance.”
Before he could say another word I headed into the house and climbed the stairs. The steps were as creaky as ever. I often wondered if they were made for the intent to warn of assassins, thieves, or other home invaders. Perhaps the whole home was rigged that way because every step I took produced some sort of sound. One would never be able to infiltrate this place unless they were floating.
As I was heading up, I asked, “Lady Faldson? You here?”
A light and warm woman’s voice answered me, “Yes I’m here. I've heard you come Zidon.”
I reached the top of the stairs and saw her sitting on a wooden chair. She looked fairly young, but was 255 years of age. That counted as middle-aged to the Fae. She had pecan hair with golden streaks, light caramel eyes, and a fairly beautiful countenance.
Her eyes were glued to a book though.
“A bookworm as always,” I said, smiling.
She looked up and frowned at me. “Don't joke with me,” she said pouting.
Her expressions fit her face but not her age. I snickered discretely a bit when thinking about it. How could this woman ever act motherly?
“Where's Illia anyways?” I asked.
“She's out visiting her friend from the Aria family.”
“Oh.” I felt a little disappointed. I missed Illia always appearing before me at the estate’s gates, shouting my name as she ran to greet me. I held no romantic interest though and only thought of her as a little sibling. She was only 12 years old after all, no matter how much Shoe presses his daughter unto me, and I was also no Fae. I was labeled a normal human in this society.
“I have questions for you, Lady Faldson.”
“No need for formality Zidon. Call me Konra, please.”
“As you wish… Konra… I need to know of your step-son, Jason. Any idea where he is?”
Her brows sadly drooped back and she slowly closed her book. Again, I continue changing the mood for the worst.
“I don't know…”
“Please, Konra. I'm investigating something and he's my only lead.”
“Last I heard of him he was-”
“You're hiding something.”
She froze.
“What do you mea-”
“You're avoiding my eyes.”
She exhaled a bit of air and stared right at me, her eyes still wavering.
“Konra, before your son was taken away I heard something about an outside party, perhaps the ones who made him attempt to kill me.”
Her eyes widened.
“I was thinking that maybe there was something deeper to it, so I came here to ask him about it. Now that he's not here, I can only conclude that he's running away from the ones he was murmuring on about.”
She was quiet for a few seconds.
“I know where he went. He was talking about his mother’s home. He used to live in a small house near a perioeci poleis called Colton.”
I remained in the room, looking at her, wondering.
“... What… have you fallen for me?” she asked.
“Oh no! Of course not, since you're married… It's simply… You care for Jason a lot and I'm wondering why.”
She smiled, with a mix of kindness and sorrow. “He lost his mother... and I didn't want him to be a lonely child.”
"I apologize for pryi-"
“Loneliness is detrimental to the development of young people!” she declared resolutely, lifting her head.
I grinned. “Is that something you got from a book?”
“No…” she said quietly. “From myself…”
I froze, realizing my timing was terrible.
“A-apologies, my Lady, for my lack of courtesy. I'll be on my way now.”
"Zido-"
I flew downstairs and rushed out of the house. I knew I dug a little too deep there. Regretful.
“Zidon! Would you care to join us for dinner?” Shoe asked, swaggering over to me and munching on some grapes.
“No,” I refused. “I need to move out as soon as possible. My horse should be recovered for the most part by now.”
“Yes…" He continued chewing as he spoke. "Farewell then. Safe travels Zidon.”
As he finished his sentence I was already zooming out of the courtyard.
I led my horse out from the stables and rode on to Colton to find Jason.