199 AD, six years since I have left Rome...
The mountains and plains seemed to stretch on endlessly as the sun beat down on a battered looking caravan, finally overlooking the border to Henan Province. Among the travelers, traders and other sorts who managed to pay or bribe their way onto the usually two-year journey to Xuchang, rode two men at the head of two groups of well-armed men clad in red and silver.
"Gaius," one of the men rode up to his comrades; his face was that of a nobleman, shaved and topped with auburn hair "It has been six years since we have had to flee the chaos following Commodus' assassination. We have been waylaid numerous times. Our men are exhausted!" he spoke with a hushed voice before sighing deeply "We are close though, aren't we? We have to be..."
The lead rider slowed his horse to match the pace of the wagon he was guarding, removing his helmet to wipe the sweat from his brow, revealing a bald head and full beard grown in during the journey. "Aye, Sextus. We set out for Serica so long ago..." Gaius looked skyward for a moment, then back to his longtime friend and confidant, offering him some of his water. "I often miss home, but yes, Xuchang is...is..." his voice trailed off as he noticed a dust cloud on the horizon "Sextus, ready the men. We've got company!" His voice still calm, but with a much greater sense if urgency to it.
Sextus, giving out orders to the infantry, had them form their lines between the now slowing caravan and the growing dust clouds. "Shields! Ready pilum!" he shouted, causing the men to ready their spears and form a shield wall. Riding ahead of his line to get a better look, Sextus could see around six hundred footmen and riders moving in disorganized mobs. Returning to his men, he rode up and down their line, "You men! Romans! My brothers! This day, we hold the line, or we die! Were our last five years of travel and struggle for nothing?!" This steeled their resolve, and they all met his question with a unified nay. "Loose pilum!" Sextus ordered as the horde grew closer, dropping several riders and causing the bandits to roar curses and charge towards their outnumbered enemy.
Meanwhile, Gaius rode up the caravan, looking for his longtime local contact. "Yin Xieren!" He shouted as he neared the riders at the head of the caravan. A middle-aged man dressed in the armor and robes of an Imperial statesman and flanked by Han imperial banners looked towards the source of the shouting and then the dust cloud before waving his sleeve "One hundred of you, follow Gaius! Listen to his orders as if they were my own!" Gaius took the riders and turned hard to flank the horde of bandits bearing down on the center of the caravan. "To me!" he cried and charged for the distant sounds of battle.
Sextus, now amongst his men after his horse was struck by an arrow, joined the melee with sword and shield, hacking and stabbing his way through anyone that dared face him. "You worthless dogs!" He roared, causing the bandits closest to him to step back in awe; allowing them to be cut down by his men. Despite his valor, the numerically superior bandits started to encircle his lines, choosing to focus on the threat at hand before chasing the caravan down. Before the bandits could close in for the kill however, Gaius and his riders came crashing through the encirclement, trampling anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in their path and cutting down anyone else, breaking the morale of the bandits and causing them to scurry away in the direction of the mountains. Those who found themselves unable to flee were cut down to a man.
Gaius rode to his comrades' side and helped them recover themselves and take stock of the dead, meeting with Sextus after checking on his men. "Bandit scum..." Sextus' tongue spat venomously as he ensured the fallen foes at his feet were dead, finishing them with a thrust of his sword. "Excellent work, my friend! And we've not even reached Xuchang yet!" Gaius said with a laugh, dismounting and meeting his friends embrace. "Just like the battle against Albinus in Gaul, no? Tell me though, when do I get to meet this Cao Cao fellow you've told me about."
As if on cue, a far larger dust cloud accompanied by banners grew closer to the caravan. Gaius, quickly organizing his men to return to their guard duties, then turned to Sextus. "Ask and you shall receive. Ride with me, brother. Remember what I told you though, Cao Cao is not to be underestimated or disrespected. Refer to him as Your Excellency and just follow my lead." To this, Sextus rolled his eyes "What could you possibly mean by that? I know how to treat a host!" Gaius let out a hearty laugh, "You? The proudest centurion our empire has ever produced. Roman to your core," he paused his ribbing to turn his horse and rally his riders "Just be on your best behavior, Sextus."
The riders followed the two foreign guests back to Yin Xieren at the front of their column, the elder statesman already having dismounted and had his servants hurriedly had a small open air banquet hall constructed. "Ah, Gaius. You really can tell no lie; your comrade truly is formidable! A match for my lord's relative, Cao Ren!" The elderly man stroked his beard and smiled "It has been many years since you and I met back in your homeland. I thank heaven you have found the freedom to accompany me back to Xuchang yet again. Cao Cao has been eager to see you again, you made a good first impression in your 'younger years', no?" He laughed at his own joke and looked at the army of guards across the field "Speaking of Lord Cao..."
Cao Cao's entourage had come to a halt just a few hundred feet away from the homeward bound convoy. A man flanked by a massive bodyguard rode ahead to meet the new arrivals, the slightest smile on his face. "Gaius Oppius Quintilianus! It has been far too long since you've followed Master Yin back on his travels," Cao Cao dismounted from his horse and met the low bowing Gaius, taking his hands and ordering him to rise. "My apologies Your Excellency. I was tasked by my lord to accompany a military campaign and found myself... delayed." Gaius smirked and beckoned his fellow centurion to join them, flashing him a look as if to say 'behave.' "Your Excellency, this is a childhood friend of mine, Sextus Fadius Varro. He is an able commander of men, skilled in combat and tactics. We were trained together." Sextus, as opposed to his comrade, met the gaze of the warlord with fearless pride, bringing his fist to his shoulder and bowing his head. "Your Excellency, my friend speaks true. We come to offer our arms and service for a time, as the situation back home is far too dangerous for us to return." Hearing this, Cao Cao's face lit up with delight and he offered Sextus similar pleasantries before having the men join him at the banquet, treating them as guests of honor.
"Tell me Gaius, how long has it been since last we've met? Master Yin tells me it was a rather unpleasant journey" Cao Cao asked before sipping his wine. "Seven years, Your Excellency. If memory serves, your lands were in chaos when last I was here, yet you treated me with great kindness. If we may be of service, you need only ask." Cao Cao raised his cup and his lips curled into a smile "To these two valiant heroes of our time! May you bring glory to the House of Han!" Everyone in the tent raised their cups, and those from Cao Cao's entourage echoed his sentiments before drinking, and heaping praise upon the new arrivals for their valiant routing of the bandits. Sextus shot Gaius a smirking look and a nod as if to say "Alright, I get it now." Before long though, the banquet concluded, and everyone rallied around the caravan, with Gaius and Sextus bolstering Cao Cao's personal guard.
Xuchang appeared on the horizon after another day's march, the gates opening as the guards saw Cao Cao's banners at the head of the army. By the time they had made it to the gates, people lined the streets to get a glimpse of Cao Cao and his new arrivals from the faraway lands of "Daqin". The fragrance of burning incense hung heavy in the air and many people bowed low as they passed, with more than a few looking up to catch a sight of these newcomers.
"Hm. The people seem rather curious." Cao Cao's lips curled into a slight smirk as he looked to Yin Xieren "My friend, I'll see you're given a title for this. They will be fine additions to our forces in the push northward" The minister stroked his beard and chuckled "Nonsense, Your Excellency. I am ever your humble servant." He kept his eyes on the growing sight of the Imperial Palace "Will...will His Highness be seeing them in this state?" He suddenly panicked. Cao Cao laughed and comforted his old friend "No, no. Not today anyway. They've earned a rest, see that-" A voice from ahead cried out and cut Cao Cao off "His Imperial Highness is here to greet the men from Daqin!"
Everyone in Cao Cao's entourage, Gaius and Sextus included, had a look of shock on their faces. Everyone swiftly moved to a low bow, save for Sextus and his contingent of men, who looked around confused. Gaius shot his friend a look and motioned his head for them to bow low. Sextus, remembering what he was told earlier, lowered himself to the bow with the rest of the group, his men following immediately. Everyone in the crowd seemed to grow silent in an instant, it looked as though the whole city was bowing to a carriage, flanked by three hundred heavily armed guards stretching back towards the palace.
The door to the carriage opened and a young man no older than eighteen stepped out and looked to Gaius "It's so very good to finally meet you. Lord Cao speaks very highly of you, we are honored to receive you." Emperor Xian then looked to Cao Cao, who rose to meet him.
"Your Imperial Highness, our guests are weary from their journey, come, let us return to the palace so that I may see to their quarters and present you with spoils from the campaign against the traitor, Lu Bu." He spoke in a commanding, yet respectful tone, causing Emperor Xian to shiver and nod. "Yes, yes. That sounds like a wonderful idea." With that, the group pushed through the city towards the palace, with the clouds of war growing over the north...
Captain's Log: Hey everyone, been toying with this idea as of late. Consider this a pilot, a small taste of things to come. -CK
