| War and History Fiction posted May 18, 2022 | Chapters: |
...17 18 -19- 20... 
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Family roots are revealed, but are they true?
A chapter in the book Rise from the Fall
Our Bloodline
by Rinshikai
The author has placed a warning on this post for language.
| Background Colton Arverni is an auxiliary soldier in service to the Empire. When an aspiring new commander jeopardizes the northern frontier, Colton's life is changed forever. |
Colton
This can't be right. It's a family tree of Lord Livius's line going back generations. But why is my father's name there? Why is Aunt Iona's? The shock sent ripples through my body. I look at my Aunt, who looks as confused as me. Our gazes turn to Livius, who is stone-faced.
"Is this real?" Iona asks, her eyes wide.
"It's real to those who matter," Livius says.
My gut tells me something isn't right. Livius wouldn't have shown us this for curiosity's sake. He never did anything unless it was for the benefit of his family or the Empire.
"It appears my father was not the honorable man I thought he was. But life is full of disappointments." Disgust pollutes his words. "However, this will give us an opportunity. We can help each other." He turns to the map.
"How?" Iona asks.
Livius is a cold man, his resolve forged from a life at war. His expectations were always high, and if you didn't meet them. I rub my side, remembering one of my failures giving me ghost pains.
"You desire land Iona, and I believe the Trajan's have grown complacent in their duties." A grin escapes through his peppered beard. "A firm hand is needed," His eyes land on the two of us, "And we are in the best position to do so."
Unable to hold her tongue any longer, Giselle speaks. "Livius, Colton, and Iona are known members of the Arverni." Her words are missing their usual ire. "The mere idea of their clan is tarnished by rebellion." The room starts to feel like a pot ready to boil over. "And the fact that they are related to Taranis himself doesn't help matters." She almost sounds concerned for us.
I want to protest, but the years proved her right. Taranis, the rebel who once fought for the Empire, nearly led a revolt in this very city, or so the story goes. The purge happened when he refused to stand down, leaving only three survivors.
"Even with their tainted blood," Livius continues. "They are now my blood, Giselle." He stands, towering over us all. "As such, The Trajan will have no complaints when I offer my nephew as a match for their youngest daughter." Looking at me, daring me to question him, he turns to Iona, "Our, my younger sister, bringing fresh troops to aid their struggles."
Standing, Aunt Iona crosses her arms. "Nice as that sounds, Lord Livius, it isn't possible. Yes, I know several companies of mercenaries, but their numbers are in the dozens, not thousands."
Like a beast ready to pounce, Livius leans on his desk, staring Iona down. "There are other companies, Iona." He hints at going to the loyalists for aid. "Do you understand that they will come here if they are unopposed? And they will kill everyone. Your niece and that pale pet of yours included."
Iona's resolve breaks. Enid or Aunt Luna being taken strikes at her very core. I take her hand, and she sits, "I wouldn't even know where to start. We can't promise land to random companies." She folds in on herself, confidence waning.
She's right; we need hardened killers, not greenhorns looking for glory. But any companies worth their salt are far in-between. Imperial companies would be a safe bet. But they'd never follow a woman into battle.
"There may be another way," Hunter says. Walking to the map, he points out the mountainous reign west of the borders. "There are nomads in the mountains." He turns and locks eyes with Iona, "The promise of a home would be very enticing."
Livius bangs his cane. "You would have us break bread with traitors and ne'er do wells?" His calm demeanor is gone, "They're little more than bandits, Hunter. They are unreliable."
"The same is said for mercenaries. They're survivors, Livius. And the promise of a new home will be more enticing than coin. Or would you prefer they join your enemies?'' Hunter's words are blunt, but they're sound. Ensuring we don't make our enemies stronger is a good thing.
Livius looks down with a sigh. "I'll humor you then." He slumps back into his chair, whipping his face with both hands. "Say you manage to convince these Nomads to fight for us. How many would they bring?"
"If the Gods are merciful, half a legion. Give me the word Lord Livius, and I'll dispatch messengers by tomorrow."
Rubbing his temples, Livius turns to Giselle. "How many fighting men can you rally?"
"My allies can spare only a few hundred men. But they'll guard the mountain passes, so we are not flanked." The grim reality seems to suffocate her, peeling away the layers she tries desperately to hold. "If this were only a large raid, they would have sent more."
This back and forth whittles away my sanity; they all know why this is happening. "But it isn't Lady Giselle." I snap, standing. "It's retaliation. Cato poked the bear, and now we must fix his mess!" All eyes fall on me, and my anger quickly turns to embarrassment.
A gruff chuckle draws my attention, and Livius lets out a smile. "Your right, Colton. Cato's the one at fault here. But his title protects him." He walks around the desk, cupping my face. He locks eyes with me, a raging fire burning behind them. "The five families' corruption has been allowed to fester for too long. Their legacy is rotting from the inside."
His words are passionate, but I'm still hesitant to trust his motives. "And you want to prove this to the people?"
"Yes." He almost sounds proud of me. "A new family is needed, one that isn't living off the legacy of its forefathers." And there it is, I knew it; he wants to use us, just like everyone else.
Iona huffs, "I heard those words before." She stands, her confidence returning. "Your Emperor promised lands if my people fought with you against the Horse Lords. And yet, when the time came to honor the deal, he left us to rot." Her words are angry, "How do I know this Emperor won't do the same?"
I see Giselle rise out of the corner of my eye, but a flick of Livius' wrist silences her. Standing in front of her, Livius focuses solely on Iona. I grip my pant leg worried about what is going to happen. The air grows heavy, like a volcano ready to erupt.
With a deep breath, Livius says. "You are no longer a refugee fleeing from a revolt Iona. You, Enid, and Colton are now a branch of my family." He closes the distance, "And your lives are far more valuable." He bangs his cane, but Iona doesn't flinch. "If you or Colton were to die, the Trajan wouldn't be able to maintain order. But that can only happen if you have mercenaries, do you understand?"
"Yes, brother."
"Good, the two of you can go now. Hunter, Giselle, tell me more about these Nomads of yours."
As we leave, a sense of dread envelops us. We've become pawns in the Empire's games in less than a day. They promised us a home we could call our own, but will we have to sell our souls for it? I have to wonder, is this how my father felt when offered this chance? And will the Empire honor it?
"Is this real?" Iona asks, her eyes wide.
"It's real to those who matter," Livius says.
My gut tells me something isn't right. Livius wouldn't have shown us this for curiosity's sake. He never did anything unless it was for the benefit of his family or the Empire.
"It appears my father was not the honorable man I thought he was. But life is full of disappointments." Disgust pollutes his words. "However, this will give us an opportunity. We can help each other." He turns to the map.
"How?" Iona asks.
Livius is a cold man, his resolve forged from a life at war. His expectations were always high, and if you didn't meet them. I rub my side, remembering one of my failures giving me ghost pains.
"You desire land Iona, and I believe the Trajan's have grown complacent in their duties." A grin escapes through his peppered beard. "A firm hand is needed," His eyes land on the two of us, "And we are in the best position to do so."
Unable to hold her tongue any longer, Giselle speaks. "Livius, Colton, and Iona are known members of the Arverni." Her words are missing their usual ire. "The mere idea of their clan is tarnished by rebellion." The room starts to feel like a pot ready to boil over. "And the fact that they are related to Taranis himself doesn't help matters." She almost sounds concerned for us.
I want to protest, but the years proved her right. Taranis, the rebel who once fought for the Empire, nearly led a revolt in this very city, or so the story goes. The purge happened when he refused to stand down, leaving only three survivors.
"Even with their tainted blood," Livius continues. "They are now my blood, Giselle." He stands, towering over us all. "As such, The Trajan will have no complaints when I offer my nephew as a match for their youngest daughter." Looking at me, daring me to question him, he turns to Iona, "Our, my younger sister, bringing fresh troops to aid their struggles."
Standing, Aunt Iona crosses her arms. "Nice as that sounds, Lord Livius, it isn't possible. Yes, I know several companies of mercenaries, but their numbers are in the dozens, not thousands."
Like a beast ready to pounce, Livius leans on his desk, staring Iona down. "There are other companies, Iona." He hints at going to the loyalists for aid. "Do you understand that they will come here if they are unopposed? And they will kill everyone. Your niece and that pale pet of yours included."
Iona's resolve breaks. Enid or Aunt Luna being taken strikes at her very core. I take her hand, and she sits, "I wouldn't even know where to start. We can't promise land to random companies." She folds in on herself, confidence waning.
She's right; we need hardened killers, not greenhorns looking for glory. But any companies worth their salt are far in-between. Imperial companies would be a safe bet. But they'd never follow a woman into battle.
"There may be another way," Hunter says. Walking to the map, he points out the mountainous reign west of the borders. "There are nomads in the mountains." He turns and locks eyes with Iona, "The promise of a home would be very enticing."
Livius bangs his cane. "You would have us break bread with traitors and ne'er do wells?" His calm demeanor is gone, "They're little more than bandits, Hunter. They are unreliable."
"The same is said for mercenaries. They're survivors, Livius. And the promise of a new home will be more enticing than coin. Or would you prefer they join your enemies?'' Hunter's words are blunt, but they're sound. Ensuring we don't make our enemies stronger is a good thing.
Livius looks down with a sigh. "I'll humor you then." He slumps back into his chair, whipping his face with both hands. "Say you manage to convince these Nomads to fight for us. How many would they bring?"
"If the Gods are merciful, half a legion. Give me the word Lord Livius, and I'll dispatch messengers by tomorrow."
Rubbing his temples, Livius turns to Giselle. "How many fighting men can you rally?"
"My allies can spare only a few hundred men. But they'll guard the mountain passes, so we are not flanked." The grim reality seems to suffocate her, peeling away the layers she tries desperately to hold. "If this were only a large raid, they would have sent more."
This back and forth whittles away my sanity; they all know why this is happening. "But it isn't Lady Giselle." I snap, standing. "It's retaliation. Cato poked the bear, and now we must fix his mess!" All eyes fall on me, and my anger quickly turns to embarrassment.
A gruff chuckle draws my attention, and Livius lets out a smile. "Your right, Colton. Cato's the one at fault here. But his title protects him." He walks around the desk, cupping my face. He locks eyes with me, a raging fire burning behind them. "The five families' corruption has been allowed to fester for too long. Their legacy is rotting from the inside."
His words are passionate, but I'm still hesitant to trust his motives. "And you want to prove this to the people?"
"Yes." He almost sounds proud of me. "A new family is needed, one that isn't living off the legacy of its forefathers." And there it is, I knew it; he wants to use us, just like everyone else.
Iona huffs, "I heard those words before." She stands, her confidence returning. "Your Emperor promised lands if my people fought with you against the Horse Lords. And yet, when the time came to honor the deal, he left us to rot." Her words are angry, "How do I know this Emperor won't do the same?"
I see Giselle rise out of the corner of my eye, but a flick of Livius' wrist silences her. Standing in front of her, Livius focuses solely on Iona. I grip my pant leg worried about what is going to happen. The air grows heavy, like a volcano ready to erupt.
With a deep breath, Livius says. "You are no longer a refugee fleeing from a revolt Iona. You, Enid, and Colton are now a branch of my family." He closes the distance, "And your lives are far more valuable." He bangs his cane, but Iona doesn't flinch. "If you or Colton were to die, the Trajan wouldn't be able to maintain order. But that can only happen if you have mercenaries, do you understand?"
"Yes, brother."
"Good, the two of you can go now. Hunter, Giselle, tell me more about these Nomads of yours."
As we leave, a sense of dread envelops us. We've become pawns in the Empire's games in less than a day. They promised us a home we could call our own, but will we have to sell our souls for it? I have to wonder, is this how my father felt when offered this chance? And will the Empire honor it?
This is a rewrite of chapter eighteen, divided into two parts. I ask reviewers to provide a minimum of one thing they liked and disliked. If you see errors or something that should be fixed, please don't hesitate to point them out. I can't improve otherwise.
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