Thlayli
Le Pétit Prince
Part Three:
I am not a hero, nor am I a man of action. Never did I want greater standing for myself, or power, or wealth. And most certainly I am not a traitor. But in a time of crisis, the rule of all must be subjected to the rule of one. I knew this as a soldier. That is why I opened the gate.
-Quintus Selinius, Captain of the Arch
The Flagship was beautiful. Built by the finest Kalmarian shipwrights, it combined the sturdy style of their longboats with the sleek lines of Veritasan galleys. But it was dwarfed by the splendored majesty of the Arch of the Exodus, that even now Strategius approached. And the Arch Guard had been warned by the Assemblum to be prepared. For all they knew, Strategius might mount a full-scale assault on the city.
The ship delivered the signal to raise the gate. And then they waited. In one of the greatest turning-points in history, the Captain of the Arch, Quintus Selinius, was offered a choice. Open the gate for Strategius, who had clearly not disbanded his army and come with troops to seize the capital, or sound the alarm and attack him, ending the life of a military genius and a national hero.
Despite the orders of the Assemblum, and in one of the most discussed decisions in Veritasan history, he opened the gate. A recent book, popularized by the rise in allohistorianism within intellectual circles, is titled, "For Want of an Order: if Selinius Had Closed the Gate." But the facts of that day are fully known.
"Lord Strategius, the gate opens."
"Very well. Bring the Armada in, and secure the docks with the Archers. Do not raise my banner over anything, and do not slay the Guards of the City unless they attempt to kill us. One thousand spearmen will escort me to the Hall of the Assemblum."
"So you have wished it, it shall be done."
"Andronius?"
"Aye, lord?"
"If I die, you are to carry the news back to Kalmar. Veritas must remain unified, regardless of whatever happens."
"Aye, lord."
"And Andronius, you will be Host-Lord."
"Very well. We enter the Harbor, my lord."
About ten galleys entered the Harbor, to the shock of the Guards of the City. Blue and purple banners were raised, and chain-links were hastily put on. But Strategius was the first off the galley, marching into a literal thicket of arrows and spears. He stared at the troops arrayed against him, and they stared back. And though scholars dispute the details of almost every event on that fateful day, all agree that the following was spoken by Strategius:
"If any among you would kill a countryman, and a loyal servant of the One, do so now. I am no betrayer or heathen King, and if you follow me, I will not destroy the Republic. This I swear, and may the ground itself swallow me up if I break my oath."
Perhaps it was the boats filled with hardened soldiers that convinced the guards, or maybe it was the poetry of his words. But at any rate, the Guards of the City joined Strategius in marching up the streets towards the Assemblum. The way upwards from the docks was carved into the cliff-face, so that it rises in a z-shaped, curving pathway. At this point various detatchments of City Guards sent from the Assemblum themselves tried to capture Strategius. Most of them surrendered once they realized that a massive army was already coming towards them.
Wisely, Strategius sent a small detatchment back to the Arch of the Exodus, and continued upwards. And the growing crowd of soldiers was joined by shopkeepers, citizens, and children hoping that the chaos would give them a day off.*
In those days, there were usually about ten guards posted at the gate of the White Chamber. At the "Battle of the White Chamber," immortalized by various paintings, woodcuts, and epic poems, a small battalion of Elder Guards, their name implying a fanatical loyalty to the Elder Council, held out for three hours against Strategius' horde. But they were killed or captured, in the small duels that broke out in the marbled halls. Many sources indicated that Captain Vitanion died in a duel with the Stratikrator himself.
The Assemblum was ready. The majority were old, white-haired men in deep blue cloaks, the color reserved for them alone. Most held daggers. Surprisingly, High Elder Decimus was clad in full copper armor, complete with a javelin. Not that any of them could hold out against an army, but they were prepared for it. Even if they were corrupt, they would die for the Republic.
The last thing they expected was Strategius to come alone. He bowed solemnly, and placed his dagger, bow, and spear at the door.
Only about one hundred scholars know the reality of what passed between the Assemblum and Strategius. This is because the Assemblum extracted a two thousand year vow of silence from Strategius, and the sealing of the records of that day in the Catacombs. To hide their embarassment, perhaps.
But regardless, when Strategius left that building, on the seventh day, of the seventh month, of 777 Postum Diasporum, he was not Stratikrator.
He was Autorex Strategius, absolute ruler of Veritas, by the agreement of the Assemblum. And civil war was avoided, for now. It remained to be seen how the First Autoregium would lead Veritas...
Or how Aramis would react.
*From apprenticeship, which generally was even worse than school.
I am not a hero, nor am I a man of action. Never did I want greater standing for myself, or power, or wealth. And most certainly I am not a traitor. But in a time of crisis, the rule of all must be subjected to the rule of one. I knew this as a soldier. That is why I opened the gate.
-Quintus Selinius, Captain of the Arch
The Flagship was beautiful. Built by the finest Kalmarian shipwrights, it combined the sturdy style of their longboats with the sleek lines of Veritasan galleys. But it was dwarfed by the splendored majesty of the Arch of the Exodus, that even now Strategius approached. And the Arch Guard had been warned by the Assemblum to be prepared. For all they knew, Strategius might mount a full-scale assault on the city.
The ship delivered the signal to raise the gate. And then they waited. In one of the greatest turning-points in history, the Captain of the Arch, Quintus Selinius, was offered a choice. Open the gate for Strategius, who had clearly not disbanded his army and come with troops to seize the capital, or sound the alarm and attack him, ending the life of a military genius and a national hero.
Despite the orders of the Assemblum, and in one of the most discussed decisions in Veritasan history, he opened the gate. A recent book, popularized by the rise in allohistorianism within intellectual circles, is titled, "For Want of an Order: if Selinius Had Closed the Gate." But the facts of that day are fully known.
"Lord Strategius, the gate opens."
"Very well. Bring the Armada in, and secure the docks with the Archers. Do not raise my banner over anything, and do not slay the Guards of the City unless they attempt to kill us. One thousand spearmen will escort me to the Hall of the Assemblum."
"So you have wished it, it shall be done."
"Andronius?"
"Aye, lord?"
"If I die, you are to carry the news back to Kalmar. Veritas must remain unified, regardless of whatever happens."
"Aye, lord."
"And Andronius, you will be Host-Lord."
"Very well. We enter the Harbor, my lord."
About ten galleys entered the Harbor, to the shock of the Guards of the City. Blue and purple banners were raised, and chain-links were hastily put on. But Strategius was the first off the galley, marching into a literal thicket of arrows and spears. He stared at the troops arrayed against him, and they stared back. And though scholars dispute the details of almost every event on that fateful day, all agree that the following was spoken by Strategius:
"If any among you would kill a countryman, and a loyal servant of the One, do so now. I am no betrayer or heathen King, and if you follow me, I will not destroy the Republic. This I swear, and may the ground itself swallow me up if I break my oath."
Perhaps it was the boats filled with hardened soldiers that convinced the guards, or maybe it was the poetry of his words. But at any rate, the Guards of the City joined Strategius in marching up the streets towards the Assemblum. The way upwards from the docks was carved into the cliff-face, so that it rises in a z-shaped, curving pathway. At this point various detatchments of City Guards sent from the Assemblum themselves tried to capture Strategius. Most of them surrendered once they realized that a massive army was already coming towards them.
Wisely, Strategius sent a small detatchment back to the Arch of the Exodus, and continued upwards. And the growing crowd of soldiers was joined by shopkeepers, citizens, and children hoping that the chaos would give them a day off.*
In those days, there were usually about ten guards posted at the gate of the White Chamber. At the "Battle of the White Chamber," immortalized by various paintings, woodcuts, and epic poems, a small battalion of Elder Guards, their name implying a fanatical loyalty to the Elder Council, held out for three hours against Strategius' horde. But they were killed or captured, in the small duels that broke out in the marbled halls. Many sources indicated that Captain Vitanion died in a duel with the Stratikrator himself.
The Assemblum was ready. The majority were old, white-haired men in deep blue cloaks, the color reserved for them alone. Most held daggers. Surprisingly, High Elder Decimus was clad in full copper armor, complete with a javelin. Not that any of them could hold out against an army, but they were prepared for it. Even if they were corrupt, they would die for the Republic.
The last thing they expected was Strategius to come alone. He bowed solemnly, and placed his dagger, bow, and spear at the door.
Only about one hundred scholars know the reality of what passed between the Assemblum and Strategius. This is because the Assemblum extracted a two thousand year vow of silence from Strategius, and the sealing of the records of that day in the Catacombs. To hide their embarassment, perhaps.
But regardless, when Strategius left that building, on the seventh day, of the seventh month, of 777 Postum Diasporum, he was not Stratikrator.
He was Autorex Strategius, absolute ruler of Veritas, by the agreement of the Assemblum. And civil war was avoided, for now. It remained to be seen how the First Autoregium would lead Veritas...
Or how Aramis would react.
*From apprenticeship, which generally was even worse than school.
Great story, BTW.
))
I am being punned on! 
