{Legate Augusta}
Finally home. It's been a while since I've truly been home. I have been living in the moving fort for 6 months. About a year after I rose to the rank of Legate I chose this place as my base. In the past it belonged to the Maki tribe before I let the legion take it to drive them further into my arms. I always admired it even if they never understood its worth. It was a school in the old world. 3 stories with expansive paved areas wrapped in high fences. Once I took it over I made them into pens for slaves. The school is now the capital building of Pax Augustae my city and heart of the southern expanse. Surrounding it is over a mile of tents, wood structures and repurposed houses. I approach the huge gates and the Veteran Legionaries snap to attention.
"Legate Augusta Welcome home."
I nod and they shout up to the watch towers who signal to the slaves to begin pulling the gates open, they creak and grown under their own weight. When the gates are wide enough for me to pass through I enter. I begin the mile trek to the school. Everywhere I look I can see banners waving, I observe the training going on it is as brutal as usual and men lay in crumpled heaps as their trainers make notes of their weakness.
Finally I arrive at the door to my base. They doors are quickly opened and I pass through. A veteran decanus materialises next to me.
"My apologies for the urgency my Legate but we have a problem." "What?" "Not all camps are sending us the same quality of recruits. Some send us slaves they have dressed in recruit uniforms and others send men that have had undergone the initiate process." "Why haven't they adopted the new system." "I believe they don't understand it my Legate, the camps that haven't adopted the initiate rank are all registered in my books as fully illiterate." "Get in contact with the closest Centurion to each camp and have them personally explain the new system. For now have them stop sending us men and send the untrained to camps that have the space to train them."
I will not have my city overrun by untrained profligates. I continue to the staircase and ascend to the third floor and enter the left door. Inside is my personal quarters. As I enter one of Jess is dusting. She looks over and rushes to take my pack.
"I'm sorry my Legate I was not aware you were due back."
I pat her head and walk to the table and sit. My son materialises from a side room and walks up to me.
"I am glad you are back sir."
He begins unbuckling my armour. His mother took him with her when they fled, I found him hiding out with his cousin, he had the flu when a baby and didn't grow properly. I grip his face and examine him. He stands perfectly still, I have never harmed him hell he was so runty his fate was execution before I claimed him as a slave. I think his mother and sister filled his head with poison against me. Since I claimed him he has fathered 5 children in my stead. Even the Legatus are meant to father children for the legion although I'm pretty sure Joshua doesn't due to his faith. I have proven unable so I passed the responsibility onto him. I release him and pick up a book.
Several hours later the sun is setting and Jess lays out tea for me. I tuck in. They sit either side of me and eat. Jess eats as normal but my son picks at his food, Jess signs.
"It's the same as we had last night." "I know but,"
He nods to me. Every single time it is the same.
"If you have a problem say it to my face, boy." "Ok we're do this again."
He storms off. Yep definitely his mother's son. I take another bite. She was the same, she never saw the bigger picture. She wouldn't speak to me for months after I deposed King Lane. 5 years and he still won't understand. As we eat Jess strokes my hand absentmindedly a smile forming as she feels the many scars. I decide to head to bed once I am finished. I strip and climb into my bed falling asleep instantly.
I awake with the sun, Jess is curled up at my side. I climb out of bed and get dressed. Wrapping my feet, pulling on my shorts and skirt and then my tunic. I exit my bedroom and see my son glaring at me, I think he resents me for Jess loving me.
"What do you want boy."
He huffs and goes to storm off. In two strides I have him in a choke hold. And growl.
"For 5 years I have shown you nothing but love. I saved you from the crucifix, I gave you purpose and any girl you could want. You have always been a runt but I have always loved you so why, why can't you get over it." "Get over it? GET OVER IT?! YOU DESTROYED EVERYTHING! MUM TOLD ME WHAT YOU DID FATHER!"
It sounds like a curse when he says it.
"YOU USED THE LEGIONS ADVANCE AS AN EXCUSE TO ASSIMILATE THE 6 TRIBES AND NEVER LOOKED BACK AND WHEN YOU GOT OFFERED A BETTER DEAL YOU THREW US ALL AWAY AND TOOK IT." "I did what I had to the legion always wins we could either die fighting it or live within it."
He scrabbles at my hands trying to free himself but his thin arms cannot generate the strength to harm me. Within my mind flashes Kaiser's face, I am fighting my past, he is my last tie to my past and he fights me still. I will know no peace while he lives. I hurl him against the wall and he crumples. I grab his hair and drag him to the door picking up Misericordia as we pass the table it sits on. I drag him down the stairs and out into the courtyard. The city is awake and training has begun but those near the courtyard freeze as they watch me. I hurl him to the ground. He lays there blood streaming from his skinned knees. He shakily climbs to his feet.
"Do it father." "The mighty Kaiser killed your father 13 years ago. I am Legate Augusta."
I walk to a Decanus and pull his gladius from his belt and toss it at my sons feet.
"Die like a man boy."
He picks it up and immediately holds it wrong. I walk up to him and he slashes at me, I tench the gladius from his grasp and smack him with the blade.
"Did I teach you nothing! Your foot work is wrong a light breeze could knock you over."
I kick his feet out from under him.
"Your grip on the blade was limper than wet lettuce."
I grab a recruit Decanus from the crowd and drag him over.
"Train him. Train him until he collapses and then some."
I turn to my son.
"You will earn your death."
The recruit Decanus drags him off into the crowd and I turn walking back into the school. I pass a veteran Decanus.
"I need a new slave."
He bows his head and grabs a legionary. As I reentered my quarters Jess stares at me from the door to my bedroom.
"He isn't dead."
She nods sadly and sidles back into my bedroom. I place Misericordia back on its table and slump in my chair. Jess emerges from my bedroom wearing her rags. I sigh as much as I dislike what I just did he would never forgive me, his mother's hold on him is strong even from beyond the grave. She quickly serves me prunes, milk, bread and honey then sits down at the table to eat her own breakfast. Once we are done she straps me into my armour. I pat her head then exit descending to the second floor and making my way to my office. A Prime Decanus enters.
"My legate. We have received a shipment of the new Veteran Decanus equipment. They require you to sign for them." "Why?" "Kaiser's orders."
I exit my office. I am not in the mood for this. I exit the side doors into the quartermaster's yard. But stood thumbing the blade of his ripper is Vulpes. I look to the Prime Decanus who raises his hands defensively.
"Technically my orders are Kaiser's orders." "What do you want Vulpes?" "We have an issue." "What issue?" "The priestesses of Two sons aren't playing ball. They are carving the heart out of their tribute the same quantity as we demand but not of adiquate quality. They have become arrogant." "Why bring this to me and not Kaiser." "Kaiser may hide it well but he cannot hide that his health is failing. Undue stress will speed up his deterioration." "Kaiser is ill?" "The specifics are not for you to know but yes. And I do not trust Joshua to not report this issue to Kaiser. Keep this quiet but we need two sons to realise that the Legion is not to be underestimated." "I understand."
He nods and leaves. I understand all right, as much as Vulpes has the best intentions he is blind in some ways. I am not skilled in diplomacy, as much as I could show Two sons that we are not to be underestimated but I feel this matter requires Kaiser. My reputation in the south is not the reputation of diplomacy. I'm walk into the school and grab a veteran legionary.
"You have permission to make pilgrimage to flagstaff to receive your armour." "M-m-my Legate?" "You will deliver a letter to Kaiser personally."
I grab a scrap of paper and write a letter to kaiser.
"None but Kaiser will see this understand. You will die before anyone but Kaiser sees it." "Yes my Legate." "Go now." "Yes my Legate."
None but kaiser could deal with this issue without harming the relationship between us permanently. I return to the quartermaster's yard. Two slaves lay dead he is just pulling his knife from a legionaries throat.
"I have killed all who heard Vulpes's words. None can know of Kaiser's illness."
I nod and he slits his own throat.
"You are a worthy man, may Mars bless you for your loyalty."
A prime Decanus enters the yard and stops staring. I turn to him.
"I require a new quartermaster."