Twin Sons of Mars

Lucius was exhausted, and his whole body ached. It would figure that the one opportunity he'd had, the once chance he had to see Fulvia and his newborn son in months of traipsing around the Latin world he'd get grabbed off the street by the damn Wolves. Thrown into a pen with everyone else they'd been able to find, given a set of ill-fitting armor, a sword and pilum and marched off to Arpinum.

It was nice to see the province of his birth again, or it would have been if it wasn't for the horrific battle he'd been forced to take part in. He was no stranger to blood and death, no one who lived in Rome was with all the crucifixes all over the place, he was just used to it personally on a smaller scale.

He really didn't mindovermuch marching off to chase Egyptians out of Roman territory, in fact he'd kind of enjoyed it. It felt good to spill their blood after what they had done to his father in Thebes. But now, like his father had before him, he'd found himself marching into the Egyptian sands to do battle with the damn Serpent People on their own terms. As a Roman Legionaire Conscript no less.

He knew where they were going. Everyone did. General Gaius had been very adamant about that. Everyone in both legions had to know where they were going and why. He'd gotten the where part down, El-Amarna, the why part was giving him problems. What did he or anyone else care about a small Egyptian city in the middle of nowhere outside of Rome's borders.

The why wouldn't really matter he supposed in a few days when the Roman force arrived outside of the Egyptian city that apparently was besieged by Remen soldiers, and had been for some time. He could just guess at how much death had visited there. How many people had lost their lives. Legionaires attacking, and snakes defending their homes agaisnt them. Just a few more days. Maybe he'd slip away before they even got there. A few others had. He really wanted no part of this war save a small part of him that wanted to kill Egyptians on Egyptian soil to pay them back for everything that happened to him and his father because of them.

Maybe he'd leave in the night. Maybe tonight. Maybe.

The engineers has been hurling veritable mountains at the city walls for days now. So much so that they were running out of rocks and a popular joke amongst the catapult crews was to politely ask the Egyptian defenders if they could please have the rocks back. Even if big enough rocks for the catapults were beginning to run scarce, the walls and the protection they afforded to the city of El-Amarna were becoming scarcer due to the neverending nearly twnety four hour barrage from the combined Remen and Roman armies.

Even before the Roman's had arrived on the battlefield, they had been awash in blood. Using the same pass that had been used just months before to invade Arpinum, General Gaius had surprised an Egyptian relief column coming from the north and hit it hard. Between the initial Roman attack, and successive Egyptian counterattacks, a full five thousand men lay dead or dying on the field. Gaius didn't even bother to aide the enemy wounded, didn't bother to take them prisoner, and didn't seem to care that the vengeful Roman legions fell on the corpse strewn battlefield when it was all said and done and tortured and murdered every living Egyptian they could find. The Roman army offered no quarter.

The 7th Remen legion had intercepted its own relief force into El-Amarna, a band of archers rushing to get into the city before the way was blocked fully by the surrounding armies. More bodies piled up outside of the once pristine city. The 4th had its own share of combat in the following days. Twice howling Egyptians with bronze axes had swarmed out of the eastern woods, and twice they died by the thousands.

Only the scribes had any idea of the full amount of death that had been visited upon Egyptian soil. A full accounting would come later, after the full force of over fourteen thousand latins had conquered the beleaugered city. The time was drawing near. Everyone knew it. Generals of all four legions were meeting, discussing the final strategy, making final adjustments and making last minute preparations. All while the city suffered under the relentless, unceasing barrage of stone.

There were two main breaches in the walls, Salvius only cared about one of them. The one him and his cohort were at the moment pouring into. There was no time nor room for tactics. Not now, not yet. His job was to secure the entrance. To overrun and wipe out and resistance he found, and hold the line. He had a half a cohort of levy spearman with him to aide in the defense of the breach once he held it. If he was able to take it.

The dreaded Egyptian archers were making a full accounting of themselves. The air was filled with the mind wracking zipping sound of them passing by. Filled with the cries of anguish and death from both sides. But the 3rd Cohort was pushing forward. Pressing into the gap made by the catapults under nine days of continuous barrage. Finally, finally they were in the city itself. Fighting against the snakes in their own tightly packed streets where they couldn't hide behind their walls and snipe at the attacking Remens.

They threw everything they had at them. Spears covered by archers. Chariots, men with bronze axes and still they pressed forward. For every Remen that fell, fifty of the snakes took the journey to Hades with him. It was violent, it was bloody, it was exhausting. But the men of the 3rd Cohort had cleared the wall, opened up a gap and with the aide of the remaining spearmen, formed up and went on the defensive. Throwing back wave after wave of Egytpian defenders. All the while the rest of the Legio IV Fidelis swarmed in behind them and poured into the city to wreak a bloody vengance on the inhabitants.

******

He couldn't count how many men had fallen all around him. He couldn't count how many men lay dead by his hand. All Lucius could think about was staying alive, killing anyone who came near him, and seriously regretting continuing the march into El-Amarna. He was actually surprised that he had seen action this quickly into the breach. He was in the third century.

The minute they'd run up to the breach, marching at a quickstep a horde of Egyptian archers had risen up and shot their arrows straight into them at a range of less than twenty paces. Two full centuries of the Roman 2nd Legion ceased to exist in an instant. Their screams would probably haunt whoever survived this assault for the rest of their lives.

Lucius, like everyone else had climbed up over the rubble and dove into the heart of the defenders. Cutting them apart with an undisciplined savagery. The Remens might be merciful, Rome was not. They had their orders. No quarter. No retreat and no surrender. They were to kill and keep killing as long as a single man held arms against them.

They hadn't even cleared the breach when the other cohorts of the legion began pushing in. Pressing them forward. Cutting off their mauevering and fighting room. Still they fought. The Romans howled like wolves at the moon as they fought. More than one Egyptian hesitated or lost their nerve because of it. Both sorts died. Cut down regardless.

Blood was everywhere. Coverign the ground. Covering the rocks that had once been the city walls. Covering the Roman soldiers. The breach was almost completely cleared when the arrow struck home, burying itself deep into his back. Lucius screamed and sank to his knees as pain lanced through every part of his body. The pain, oh Mars the pain. It clouded his eyes with a thick fog. He didn't even notice when the heavy oaken club of an Egyptian warrior crashed into his head. Everything was already black.

"Nasty business that," General Gaius observed. "Bloody, very bloody."

"Agreed," General Vedius echoed. "But my men did Reme proud. They earned a sixth star under their Eagle today."

"You should be proud," Gaius offered. "Those are some tough men you have under you."

"I am proud. All of Reme is proud. Or damn well should be," Vedius said. "Same for the men of Rome. Fight and sound like damn wolves."

Gaius smiled like a proud parent.

"Roman battle cry. We stole it from Tarquinius' Wolves," he said. "Who, since they've never been in a battle a day in their lives won't miss it much. Scares the hell out of the Egyptians though."

"I don't doubt it."

"What are we going to do about the city my good Remen General," Gaius asked.

"Will probably have to garrison it with a few of the spearmen levies," Vedius answered . "Don't want Thutmose coming in behind us while we're hammering Thebes and stealing it out from under us."

"Not what I meant," Gaius said grimly. "Unfortunately. I can't go back to Rome and tell Tarquinius that we helped take a city and then just handed it over to you."

"Well-"

Gaius held up his hand.

"I said I can't tell him that. Not that I wouldn't if the choice were mine to make," he said. "You've been fighting here for more than a year. More of Reme's blood has been shed for this city than Rome's. "

Vedius nodded.

"It is telling that probably neither one of our armies could have taken this city without the help of the other," he said.

"Try telling that to Tarquinius," Gaius said with a sad shake of his head.

"Well, " Vedius began thoughtfully. "I do have full authority of King Julius behind me, so my hands are free to deal with matters as I see fit. As long as I explain them afterwards to his satisfaction."

"What do you propose?"

"I have a levy of spearmen that I need to leave behind to garrison the city, and you have some you can probably spare as well," Vedius saidwith lips pursed. "We both leave a garrison, and leave an officer in command. Joint Consulate."

"That could work," Gaius said thoughtfully.

"Why wouldnt it,"Vedius said. "We're just soldiers. If the kings have a problem with it let them sort it out."

Gaius grinned widely.

"What about Thebes?"

"Oh I'm sure we'll think of something."

"Three cohorts of Catapults, four full legions and four squadrons of horsemen," Marius said. "Mars but I wish I was standing in front of Thebes instead of Giza. What I wouldn't give to go into action against Thutmose himself one more time."

"Didn't get enough of that damn place last time general?" Longinius said. "Mars, I was just barely past my majority at the time and stuck as a driver, but I had enough of that place to last a lifetime."

Marius turned his head to look at the Veiian horseman with a sidelong glance.

"You'd think the commander of a Squadron of Horse that bore my name would be a little bit more -"

"Foolhardy?" Longinius said with a grin. "Maybe, but I'm getting old general. And I'd really like to get older. Can't do that trying to crack open the Walls of Thebes with just a horse and a bow."

Marius laughed and looked out towards the city again.

"Not even any walls there," he said.

"No sir, but there are, if the reports are to be believes, " Severus said, "quite a few earthenwork fortifucations inside the city and approximately three thousand Egyptian warriors to man them. Divided up between Spear, bow and chariot of course."

"Three thousand," Marius said with a sigh. " I have enough men with me to take on six times that number. Damn it. Any sign of that column of swordsman anywhere?"

Longinius shook his head.

"I've got Carus' squadron circling through every hill and outcropping all around Giza," he said. "Havent seen hide nor hair of them anywhere."

""Damn it," Marius remarked. "That's not good. Keep at it. I don't want those men coming up and hitting us when we can least afford it. "

"How much can a single levy of swords do?"

Marius gave a serious look.

"Never underestimate any opponent," he said. "No matter the size or number. Treat every threat as extremely dangerous. We didn't last time at Thebes and look where it got us."

"Don't remind me," Longinius said sourly. "Got thrown out of my chariot three times. I'll be happy if I never set foot in another one of those things again."

"And riding a horse while letting arrows fly from a bow is better?"

"Of course it is," Longinius said. "Its my horse, and my bow."

The nine day catapult barrage reduced much of the small city of Giza to rubble. Many died from the continous falling rocks that were so abundant and available to the Remen engineers from the rocky surroundings. What defensive positions there were, were quickly targeted and obliterated leaving no cover for the beleaugered Egyptian defenders.

Though they fought hard, when the attack came there was no hope for them. Preceding the main assault on the city were the Veii horsemen. Four thousand of them surrounded the city, riding in a continous circle around it, they pelted both defender and citizen alike with a hail of arrows coming from seemingly every direction at once.

By the time the Legions had marched into the streets, little was left to do save break the devastated lines of Egyptian defenders. They stormed into the city, tramping up and down the small city streets and obliterated any resistance there was to be had. In short order, the city fell.

"Your Majesty," Vedius stammered. "When-"

"Two days ago," Julius replied. "We sailed from Veii last spring to see about your seige on El-Amarna. Imagine our surprise when we find outYou've not only taken the city with General Gaius' help but moved on to Thebes."


"Well...about El-Amarna" Vedius began.


Julius cut him off with a negligent wave of his hand.


"Perfectly understandable General,"he said. "You did the right thing there. And I'll expect you as military governor of the province, in Reme's name of course, to select a few of the more trustworthy former Egyptian citizens to send to Reme. Have them choose who to send actually. Probably better that way."

"Send for what," Gaius asked curiously. "If I may majesty."

"Not at all General Gaius," Julius said pleasantly. "I have no quarrel with Rome, her Generals or her people. Only her king."

"Good to know,"

"I'll need representatives from El-Amarna, prefereably selected from the people themselves," Julius said," to take part and represent the city and the province in the Assembly and Senate of Reme. Which when the council chambers get built will aide in governing the whole of the kingdom."

"So we're keeping it then," Vedius said.

"Well I really doubt Tarquinius would give up more territory," Julius answered, "But yes we're keeping it. I'll be damned if so much Remen and Roman blood was spilled for nothing. They should feel lucky we didnt burn it to the ground and put them all to the sword like they did to four Aztec cities. Every man, woman and child."

"Planning on keeping Thebes too?," Gaius asked. "We've been lobbing rocks at it for weeks now."

"And barely making a dent in their walls too," Vedius noted sourly.

"We aren't going to attack Thebes." Julius said flatly. He held his hand up to stave off any reply from the shocked generals. "We didn't get into this for conquest. I recieved word before I got here that Marius recently took a place called Giza. Wherever that is. That one we are giving back. But this has never been about conquest. Tenochitlan made their peace several months ago, we're going to do the same. "

He shook his head sadly.

"Besides, ask General Gaius what would happen if we did take Thebes and asked Tarquinius to share control of it as well," he said. "After all the blood they shed in the last conflict. "

"I think the answer would lead to war between Rome and Reme." Gaius stated sadly.

"Which is all the more reason to sue for peace now before Remen blood and more Roman blood is shed at its walls," Julius said in a matter of fact manner. "Besides, I plan on wringing Thutmose dry to get back all the gold my family alone sent him the last time. "

"Won't that just cause more hard feelings between us and Egypt?"

"It might," Julius agreed. "They won the last war and cost us eight thousand lives. This one, if the scribes are accurate cost us thirteen thousand and them close to thirty. I think its been enough. More than enough. Its time for peace."

The flag of truce had gone up some hours ago outside of the high walls of Thebes. There hadn't been any response and the assembled legionaires, though resting and recuperating, were also getting ready to restart hostilities at a moments notice.

The men of Reme and Rome wanted this victory. Wanted this battle so much that they could almost taste it over the grit and sand in their mouths. The high walls of Thebes had cost so much latin blood in times past that they all felt a burning desire for retribution. If only for a moment the had to get inside of the shining Jewel of the Nile and raise their Eagles high on its walls. If only, if only the King of Reme would let them. If only he would let them have their revenge on the Serpent People and their murderous archers.

It was another few hours before the gates to the city slowly slid open and small knot of gold lined chariots rolled out of the city towards the massive encampment around the city. Julius had donned his own lorica, armed himself as a legionaire to give credit and homage to all the men who had fought and died on Egyptian soil.

Both of the commanding Generals, Gaius and Vedius stood with him as he waited for the envoy of Thutmose to come to them. Unmoving. Unwilling to even take a few steps to lessen their journey. No, they had to come to him this time.

"The great Pharoah Thutmose the First will not come to be held captive by honorless dogs of the lesser latin peoples," the envoy began.

The legionairy gaurds all around the king growled and gripped their hands over the handles of their weapons. Julius raised a hand to silence them and looked with a peircing gaze at the envoy.

"I don't see where Pharoah Thutmose has a choice in the matter," he said evenly. "He will meet with me, King to King, or my seige engines will continue to tear down the walls of your city. They will open up your walls and the men of Reme, Rome and Veii will swarm in through the breach as we did in Giza and El-Amarna and bring him to his knees by force of arms."

The Envoy scoffed and puffed out his chest.

"You have been here many days and your weapons have not even scratched the walls of the Center of the World," he said. "You will have to sit in the burning sands for many a year throwing your rocks at our city before there is even a hint of danger to us."

"Maybe," Julius agreed with a smile that turned cruel and nasty. "But we can wait that long. We've really got no other place to be right now so we can sit here and wait for as long as it takes to batter your city down to dust. Can you say the same?"

The Egyptian narrowed his khol streaked eyes.

"Think about it envoy," Julius continued. "And tell your Pharoah this. The closest egyptian army is in Memphis far to the north here. Even now a second army is marching from Giza to join us here. Anything in its way will be crushed and scattered to the four winds. They will get here in force. With more catapults. More men. We will surround this city and choke it until it gives its last breath."

"Your threats-"

"How much food do you have saved up?" Julius asked interupting him. "How long can you feed your armies in the city. How long can you feed the people when we control the farms around the city. When we control every way in and out of the city and will make sure no supplies get into the city. How long until you starve?"

The envoy looked troubled, but he set his jaw and gave the Remen king a look of determination.

"The Great Pharoah Thutmose will not enter into the arms of you latin dogs," he said again. "He will not allow himself to be surrounded by and taken captive."

Julius nodded his head. Feigning consideration. He'd expected this and would use it to his own advantage in the proceedings.

"Fine, " he said. "Then if he will allow I will come to him."

The envoy blinked in confusion.

"Oh don't worry," Julius answered to the thoughts he was sure was running through the snakes mind. "If I am taken captive, or harmed in any way, the full force of my people will come to this place. Tear down your walls stone by stone, ignoring any cries for mercy or peace. We will slaughter all who take arms against us, burn your city to the ground and line the whole of the province with its crucified inhabitants."

The Egyptian licked his lips.

"I will advise the great Pharoah"

"Do so," Julius said tersely. When the Egyptians had remounted their chariots and headed back towards the city he turned to the two generals behind him. " I need an honor gaurd. From both of you."

"I can assign you a century from the -"

"No Vedius," Julius said shaking his head. "I want each of you to go through your legions and select forty men each. I want men who have fought and shed blood in Egypt. I want the men who have invested the most of themselves that you can find. Its not to honor me, its to honor them. Their service and their sacrifice. "

Both of the generals exchanged proud smiles at the thought.

"I believe we can arrange something like that," Gaius said.

"We'll have them shine everything up so that they're all shined and polished up too," Vedius added. "Maybe Gaius can have his boys howl while we march throught he city. Really make an impression."

Julius gave his general a light smile.

"No howling," he said. "We're not trying to antagonize them any further. I just want them intimidated so that we can get this over with as quickly and as painlessly as possible. For everyone involved."

Salvius tried not to gape as he marched through the gates of the city with the rest of the King's Honor Guard. From the outside, Thebes looked like nothing more than a gigantic wall. From the outside you couldnt see anything of the city save the defensive fortifications atop the walls. Inside though, was a different story.

He shouldn't have been shocked or surprised. He'd beeen inside the city of El-Amarna. He'd seen Egyptian architecture before, though admittedly severely damaged Egyptian architecture. But he'd never seen it at its full glory before. Thebes was a wonderous city. Organized, disciplined in its design and layout. The city seemed to flow together as the Remen and Roman party marched down the streets towards the palace of the Pharoahs.

The Egyptians themselves were giving them odd looks. Spite filled. Hateful. As if to say how dare you come into our city. How dare you try to wage war on our city. It worried him a little. These were a proud people. Not a beaten one. He could see just from their eyes that should that Pharoah Thutmose order it, they would fight on and many more of his brothers in arms would fall trying to take this city.

The great palace was something else. Gold and Marble. Painted and brightly colored with panorama's and Egyptian glyphs all over its surface. It was nothing like the simple stone palace in Reme, or even the marbled one in Veii. The whole of this structure was built to convey and show the wealth of Egypt. To show its power and humble all those who came to it with the sheer awe that was Egypt.

They were led to the great throne room of Thutmose the First. He had aged, but he still was an imposing figure upon his throne. Laden down with gold and ivory. His colorful crooked scepter of office held imperiously in his weathered hands.

Julius, King of Reme and the two Generals with him stopped in front of the throne of the ruler of Egypt and stood still. Firm, upright. Unmoving. Thutmose's eyes flickered in anger and there was a brief hush the fell over the eunuchs around the throne.

"I will not bow to you Thutmose," Julius stated. "Even if I had not the upper hand and did not hold the life of your city in my grasp I still would not bow."

"We are not surprised at your impudence," Thutmose said.

"Didn't think you would be," Julius replied. "Neither my father, nor my grandfather presented themselves as anything more or less than the equal of your mother, so I will not present myself as more or less than you. We are both kings, in a manner of speaking, so I will treat with you as such."

Thutmose narrowed his eyes in contemplation. His gaze fixed on the Remen king.

"We have long memories Julius of the Remens," he said finally. "Twice now you have arrayed yourselves against us on the feilds of battle. Twice now Amun Ra has held back your Mars. Even still we remained freindly to the lesser latin people. Why do you side with the flesh eaters to the west against us a second time?"

"We side with the Aztecs Thutmose becasue they defend themselves," Julius responded. "We side with the Aztecs because you burn their settlements, because you kill their people and enslave their women and children. I've seen what your people did at Texcoco."

The Pharaoh gave him a thin lipped smile.

"And we have seen the coast of Rome and the remains of the dead set for all to see,"

Julius gave an inward sigh. Rome. Ever the problem. Ever the thorn in the side of the people.

"What Rome and its king does isnt at issue here -"

"We believe it is," Thutmose said pleasantly. Pressing forward. "We do not think you can use our dealings with lesser peoples outside our borders when you do the same to people IN your own borders."

"Granted," Julius admitted. Damn Tarquinius to Hades. "Then here are the terms_"

"Terms?" Thutmose said incredulously. "You will remove your people from the Center of the World or we will throw you out. Those we do not cause to bleed into the sands."

Julius shook his head.

"Great Pharoah," Julius said diplomaticly as he could. "At my word my people will begin tearing down your walls again. We have a second army moving south from Giza with four times as many seige engines. With enough to spare that while we take apart your defensive, we can turn enough on this spot right here, to bring down the walls of your palace around your ears."

"And we think many of your latin dogs would never return to their home again,"

"As would many people of the Nile," Julius reminded. "Which is why we must come to terms now. To save not only my people, but yours as well. To many people will suffer hardship and death if we do not."
Thutmose nodded his aged head. Regarding the Remen king intently.

"We are not looking for conquest Thutmose. But should we wish it, your warriors are in no position to do anything but sit behind city walls and defend against us. You don't have enough to attack. Which is fine. As I said, we are not looking for conquest or new lands," Julius said. "But we will hold El-Amarna. We will remove our forces from your lands, from Giza. "

Thutmose thought it thorugh quickly. All of this he had heard from his advisors already.

"We agree -"

"In addition," Julius continued "You will give back all the gold that you took from my father all those years ago. This is non negotiable Thutmose. But you can rest assured that most of it will go to your people in El-Amarna to rebuild there. I wish no deprivations for those now under our banner."

Thutmose glared and waved his hand negligently.

"It will be done," He said flatly. "You may leave our prescence now."

"Cor" this is long!

damm that's a lot of writing and plot development for a gamers tale...

Are you just trying to get a story line out of your head or do you have a plan for further stories.

I must say, interesting take on the cities in Civ, the Prectorians, but the fractualization of Rome....Interesting.....

Throughly enjoyed the tale, an epic tale.

This was beautifully written. Keep it up, friend! I love the story.

Please keep writing this story! I've been reading it the last hour and a half and I've never read a better Civ IV story yet!