| War and History Fiction posted July 18, 2022 | Chapters: |
...21 22 -23- 24... 
|
  |
Lord Titus arrives unannounced
A chapter in the book Rise from the Fall
Calm before the storm
by Rinshikai
The author has placed a warning on this post for violence.
| 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
Armor glinting in the pale torch light, Lord Titus inspects the tent. An expression of disgust pours off him. He does not want to be here. The Sight of Runa draws his ire, and he starts spitting coals at Iona.
"Iona! Why is the priestess here?" he says.
My Aunt crosses her arms, leaning on a pillar. She gestures to the mercs. "She's offering prayers, Lord Titus. There's no harm in that?" She points to his armor, polished and without a scratch. "Do you plan on joining us in battle?"
"Of course not, I've come to inspect Livius's investment, and so far, I've been unimpressed with this rabble you call an army." His harsh words send a ripple across the tent. Everyone gives him the stink eye, but it barely affects him.
Arms behind his back, Titus wanders the tent giving each of us a look of disdain. We are beneath him, dirt under his nails, and he does not hide this. He stops in front of my Aunt, grabbing her face.
I go for my sword, but Giselle stops me. One look at Iona, and I see the storm was not coming. Letting go of my blade, I watch the pair stare at each other down. Their battle of wills continues until Titus releases her, continuing his would-be inspection.
"Have you heard anything from this Hunter?" Titus asks
"No. Not since he left for the North." Iona replies
"And no word from our Eastern allies." Titus rubs the bridge of his nose. "A third of my land is offered, and Livius can't even muster enough men to protect it." He snorts something off his hand, shaking like a dog, and his mood changes. Titus's gaze darts to Runa, who stays silent. As he marches towards her, she continues to act aloof, focusing on offering prayers. He stands next to her, shadowing her every move.
"You know who's attacking us, don't you?"
Runa glances up but ignores Titus. Furious at her defiance, he reaches for her. Swords are drawn from their sheaths, with a blood bath teetering on the edge of this knife. Iona intervenes.
Whispering with each other, Iona nods as they turn to Lord Titus.
"The Bloody Bear," Iona says. "He's the one attacking us."
"For what reason?" Titus asks.
Iona's eyes land on Tatanya, who has remained quiet. "What would you do if the Northerners took your daughter Lord Titus?" She stares between the pair, awaiting an answer everyone knows.
With this information in hand, the wheels start turning. Becka grows defensive under Titus' glare. Returning to his regal stance, he eyes Iona and me. Signaling to join him, the four of us congregate in the corner of the tent.
"We're going to use that cub as bait."
Did that drug melt his brain? I look to my Aunt, but she offers no answer. If we bring Becka to the North, everyone would think we are smuggling her or conspiring with Northerners. The other families would never allow that.
"This, Bloody Bear, must be lured out. And this girl is the perfect bait." Titus says, taking another snort of his drug. "We cannot afford a prolonged war. You will bring her with you and take this Bear's head."
"Lord Titus, we don't have the men," I say.
Wiping his nose, he rips into me with those eyes, ready to tear out my guts. He closes the distance, and the stench of his imperial perfume burns my eyes. "Do you think I am a fool, boy? I know what that snake Livius wants, and let me tell you one thing. It is my land, and I will not allow an upstart to steal it from under me."
"Lord Titus, your land through this marriage is the only way to get these mercs to fight. If you rescind the offer now, you jeopardize the Empire." Iona says, striking him where it hurts. "You don't want to be seen as a fool, do you?
A smile creeps across Titus' face. And he lets out a chuckle. "You've got guts, Iona. It is a shame I am not twenty years younger. You would have made a fine mistress." The grin quickly fades when Iona spits on the ground. "But it is still my land, and what I say goes. You will bring that girl and lure the Bear out."
"But we don't." I protest.
He quickly silences me with a raised hand. "Enough! The Hadi family owes me a great debt. I will forgive it if they supply me with a legion of Silver Scales."
With no word from Victus, I'd lost hope of the Easterners aiding us. But if Titus can bring them to the cause, we may turn the tide. A spark of hope starts to burn, but the Hadi's are Melissa's family. She wouldn't betray us, but the rest of them burned that bridge.
My gaze is drawn to Tatanya, who offers a glance before turning away. "Lord Titus, will Tatanya be joining us." I immediately kick myself for that. Of course not. We are going to war. It's not a place for a wallflower like her.
"That is something to consider, Lord Titus," my Aunt says. "Having a member of the Trajan line would boost morale."
"You two are playing a perilous game."
Iona leans back on a pillar with crossed arms looking at her feet. "If you are worried about her protection, I know someone." Frustration washing over her, she rubs the bridge of her nose. "Triana, I'm positive she'd lend us her skills."
I remember her. Pale blue eyes and cheerful demeanor. A deadly duet of mystery and murderous intent. Each time I saw her, she looked different. Her hair, clothes, and even her skin tone were different.
Titus contemplates the idea. "Hmm...the first of the condemned protecting my daughter? Say I allow this; how long would it take to connect her?"
"Father!" Tatanya protests.
"Enough!" Titus turns to his child, frustration blazing his face. "You will do as you're told. After the brothel incident, you're lucky I do not disown you here and now, Tatanya." His point made, his voice softens. "Girl, I need you to do this for the family."
"Yes, father," she replies
"I'll have her ready within the hour, my Lord," my Aunt says.
"You know she'll ask for-" A sudden spike of pain shoots up my leg. Aunt Iona's heel begins to twist, drilling the point home. I swallow the yelp that threatens to escape my lips.
"Is something wrong, Colton?" My Aunt asks me with an innocent smile on her face.
"No, Ma'am."
With the matter settled, Titus leaves, Tatanya in tow. She gives one final glance. Her anger and dread are thrown at me like trash. With a huff and a pout, she leaves, barely married and already a storm on the horizon.
We return to the group. I sit next to Enid, and she falls asleep on my lap like when we were little. Giselle rests her head on my shoulder, enjoying the calm before the storm. Across from us, Aunt Iona's fingers intertwine with Luna's, and the glint of their rings brings warmth to my heart.
"Gods protect our loved ones." Runa prays, "And should you take them from us, let it be in glory."
"Iona! Why is the priestess here?" he says.
My Aunt crosses her arms, leaning on a pillar. She gestures to the mercs. "She's offering prayers, Lord Titus. There's no harm in that?" She points to his armor, polished and without a scratch. "Do you plan on joining us in battle?"
"Of course not, I've come to inspect Livius's investment, and so far, I've been unimpressed with this rabble you call an army." His harsh words send a ripple across the tent. Everyone gives him the stink eye, but it barely affects him.
Arms behind his back, Titus wanders the tent giving each of us a look of disdain. We are beneath him, dirt under his nails, and he does not hide this. He stops in front of my Aunt, grabbing her face.
I go for my sword, but Giselle stops me. One look at Iona, and I see the storm was not coming. Letting go of my blade, I watch the pair stare at each other down. Their battle of wills continues until Titus releases her, continuing his would-be inspection.
"Have you heard anything from this Hunter?" Titus asks
"No. Not since he left for the North." Iona replies
"And no word from our Eastern allies." Titus rubs the bridge of his nose. "A third of my land is offered, and Livius can't even muster enough men to protect it." He snorts something off his hand, shaking like a dog, and his mood changes. Titus's gaze darts to Runa, who stays silent. As he marches towards her, she continues to act aloof, focusing on offering prayers. He stands next to her, shadowing her every move.
"You know who's attacking us, don't you?"
Runa glances up but ignores Titus. Furious at her defiance, he reaches for her. Swords are drawn from their sheaths, with a blood bath teetering on the edge of this knife. Iona intervenes.
Whispering with each other, Iona nods as they turn to Lord Titus.
"The Bloody Bear," Iona says. "He's the one attacking us."
"For what reason?" Titus asks.
Iona's eyes land on Tatanya, who has remained quiet. "What would you do if the Northerners took your daughter Lord Titus?" She stares between the pair, awaiting an answer everyone knows.
With this information in hand, the wheels start turning. Becka grows defensive under Titus' glare. Returning to his regal stance, he eyes Iona and me. Signaling to join him, the four of us congregate in the corner of the tent.
"We're going to use that cub as bait."
Did that drug melt his brain? I look to my Aunt, but she offers no answer. If we bring Becka to the North, everyone would think we are smuggling her or conspiring with Northerners. The other families would never allow that.
"This, Bloody Bear, must be lured out. And this girl is the perfect bait." Titus says, taking another snort of his drug. "We cannot afford a prolonged war. You will bring her with you and take this Bear's head."
"Lord Titus, we don't have the men," I say.
Wiping his nose, he rips into me with those eyes, ready to tear out my guts. He closes the distance, and the stench of his imperial perfume burns my eyes. "Do you think I am a fool, boy? I know what that snake Livius wants, and let me tell you one thing. It is my land, and I will not allow an upstart to steal it from under me."
"Lord Titus, your land through this marriage is the only way to get these mercs to fight. If you rescind the offer now, you jeopardize the Empire." Iona says, striking him where it hurts. "You don't want to be seen as a fool, do you?
A smile creeps across Titus' face. And he lets out a chuckle. "You've got guts, Iona. It is a shame I am not twenty years younger. You would have made a fine mistress." The grin quickly fades when Iona spits on the ground. "But it is still my land, and what I say goes. You will bring that girl and lure the Bear out."
"But we don't." I protest.
He quickly silences me with a raised hand. "Enough! The Hadi family owes me a great debt. I will forgive it if they supply me with a legion of Silver Scales."
With no word from Victus, I'd lost hope of the Easterners aiding us. But if Titus can bring them to the cause, we may turn the tide. A spark of hope starts to burn, but the Hadi's are Melissa's family. She wouldn't betray us, but the rest of them burned that bridge.
My gaze is drawn to Tatanya, who offers a glance before turning away. "Lord Titus, will Tatanya be joining us." I immediately kick myself for that. Of course not. We are going to war. It's not a place for a wallflower like her.
"That is something to consider, Lord Titus," my Aunt says. "Having a member of the Trajan line would boost morale."
"You two are playing a perilous game."
Iona leans back on a pillar with crossed arms looking at her feet. "If you are worried about her protection, I know someone." Frustration washing over her, she rubs the bridge of her nose. "Triana, I'm positive she'd lend us her skills."
I remember her. Pale blue eyes and cheerful demeanor. A deadly duet of mystery and murderous intent. Each time I saw her, she looked different. Her hair, clothes, and even her skin tone were different.
Titus contemplates the idea. "Hmm...the first of the condemned protecting my daughter? Say I allow this; how long would it take to connect her?"
"Father!" Tatanya protests.
"Enough!" Titus turns to his child, frustration blazing his face. "You will do as you're told. After the brothel incident, you're lucky I do not disown you here and now, Tatanya." His point made, his voice softens. "Girl, I need you to do this for the family."
"Yes, father," she replies
"I'll have her ready within the hour, my Lord," my Aunt says.
"You know she'll ask for-" A sudden spike of pain shoots up my leg. Aunt Iona's heel begins to twist, drilling the point home. I swallow the yelp that threatens to escape my lips.
"Is something wrong, Colton?" My Aunt asks me with an innocent smile on her face.
"No, Ma'am."
With the matter settled, Titus leaves, Tatanya in tow. She gives one final glance. Her anger and dread are thrown at me like trash. With a huff and a pout, she leaves, barely married and already a storm on the horizon.
We return to the group. I sit next to Enid, and she falls asleep on my lap like when we were little. Giselle rests her head on my shoulder, enjoying the calm before the storm. Across from us, Aunt Iona's fingers intertwine with Luna's, and the glint of their rings brings warmth to my heart.
"Gods protect our loved ones." Runa prays, "And should you take them from us, let it be in glory."
Character List
Colton: Main POV character
Iona: Colton's Aunt
Lord Titus: Head of one of the five great families
Tatanya: Lord Titus's daughter
Runa: Northern Preistess captured by the Imperials
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.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Colton: Main POV character
Iona: Colton's Aunt
Lord Titus: Head of one of the five great families
Tatanya: Lord Titus's daughter
Runa: Northern Preistess captured by the Imperials
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.
Artwork by avmurray at FanArtReview.com
You need to login or register to write reviews. It's quick! We only ask four questions to new members.
© Copyright 2024. Rinshikai All rights reserved.
Rinshikai has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.