Book I: The Three Dynasties

Chapter I

Rise to Power

Hungarian Territory: 476 AD

An old man coughs as he writhes in agony, convulsing as moaning in what he knew was his death bed. His once handsome features withered by age, he knew this was to be his last winter. He casts his glance around the simple stone room, he was grateful to be here, most men of his class died in an even more simple hut, but he had a very generous master. The man did not fear death, he had lived a long life, sired children, who had in turn sired grandchildren, his legacy was safe, and since the death of his wife, this world seemed all the more lonely. He scanned the faces in the room, his family, the priest that sat by his bed, then he heard something above the sobbing of his relatives, the heavy wooden door creaked open and a form appeared. "My Lord." The man choked.

"Hello Samuel." The visitor replied.

"Why are you here?" He spoke, his voice raspy.

"You have to ask?" The visitor smiled slightly "You have spent your whole life fighting for me, expanding my territory, you have been most loyal. It is hard for me to see you like this Samuel… I still remember you as that boy, the squire who would tend to his comrades horses… a life time ago."

"Yet you have not aged a day Alexander." The old man wheezed "If only fate had bestowed me with such a gift."

"A gift." Alexander repeated "No my dear Samuel, this is a curse… for I have seen friend after friend, relative after relative fall to the ravages of time… and I know that I will never see them again."

"Maybe not in this life." Samuel tried to reassure him.

"What other life will I have Samuel… Death it seems, has forsaken me."

"Then will you sit with me My Lord, and awaits Deaths arrival. You have won many victories My Lord, everyone in these lands fears you. Perhaps Death has also heard your reputation… stay with me My Lord… perhaps your presence may be enough to ward off deaths grim specter."

"And if it is not, what then Samuel?"

"Then you will be at my side for my final campaign… my journey to the next life."

"One last campaign." Alexander smiled as he placed a reassuring hand on the old mans frail shoulder.

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Samuel's death groan still rattled in Alexander's head as he walked through one of the fields in his vast territory. He had almost lost count of the decades that had passed since that plague had taken everything that he held dear. He had watched as all of his friends… and enemies fell to the inescapable inevitability of time. Those nine men that had found him in the flames, who had gone on to become his captains and Generals, they had all fallen one by one, and now Samuel was the last, he was a man removed from his time, he was alone, never aging, never dying. He came to a small wooden cattle shed that stood by some tall trees, he had been here before, he let out a deep sigh and sat ungraciously under one of the tall trees, his expressionless face fixed on the shed. After a half hour or so of sitting there in silence, the shed doors opened, and someone stepped out. Alexander's heart skipped a beat as the most beautiful woman he had ever seen stepped into view. She had long raven hair, and pale Slavic skin, her dress was traditional, she was of peasant stock, poor, yet that did not bother Alexander, in his many years of existence he soon learned that wealth did not make a person any better. He watched her as she made her way across the field, back to the simple dwelling that her family inhabited. "Helena!" He called out.

The girl turned with a start, "My Lord." She bowed, her voice full of fear as she averted her eyes from the powerful looking man that sat under a tree.

"You need not fear me Helena…" he sighed in frustration "…nor must you bow… I have told you before."

"Forgive me My Lord." She breathed heavily.

"Come closer." He told her firmly. The girl nervously shifted her feet towards the tree as Alexander rose to his feet. "You know how I feel about you Helena… I have done since the first time I laid eyes on you, yet you have spent more than a year spurning my advances… a man can only take so much rejection."

"You said you would never force yourself on me My Lord." Helena panicked slightly.

"A promise I intend to keep." He assured her "I just do not understand, I know I am old, and that I am not the most pleasing man to look upon, but I could make you happy Helena, you would never have to toil these fields again, everything you ever wanted I could give you, your mother and father would be able to retire, live comfortable lives for the rest of their days."

"It is because of my father that I spurn your advances My Lord." She spoke humbly.

"Explain." Alexander encouraged her.

"He says that you have sold your soul to the devil, that you have not aged… he said that any union with you would corrupt my soul as well, and that it is better to be poor than to be damned."

"Do you believe me to be an evil man Helena?"

"No My Lord." She smiled.

"Then give me a chance to prove myself to you… let me make you happy."

"If you can prove to me that you are indeed a good man, then I will consider your offer." She said humbly.

"How can I prove myself." Alexander smiled widely.

"Your wars have brought much suffering My Lord, the widows and orphans of these lands… of your lands face hunger and poverty, if you can show me that a man with your wealth and power can look after them, then I will believe that he can look after me as well."

"Whatever it takes, I swear to you that…"

"My Lord!!!!" A voice interrupted as a rider galloped across the fields bringing a rider less horse in tow "My Lord!"

"What is it?" Alexander snapped.

"Rome My Lord." The out of breath rider reported.

"What of it?" Alexander sighed in boredom.

"We've just received word… it's fallen."

"Again." Corvinus said rolling his eyes.

"My Lord the barbarians have the city… the Germanic tribes led by Odoacer have decimated the army, they have killed Flavius Orestes, the city is theirs."

Alexander's eyes widened "With the Imperial Army defeated, and the Germaanic tribes moving into Italy, I could expand my territories virtually unopposed."

"Yes My Lord!" The rider agreed.

"Come." Corvinus exclaimed as he leapt into the saddle of the spare horse, there is much to be done."

"Is this how you would help people My Lord?" Helena spoke in a dejected tone.

"Helena if I can control the disputed lands that separate us from Rome and the Germanic tribes then there will be no more wars, these lands… our lands will be safe, I have given you my word that the suffering of our people will end, and I intend to keep my word. Will you still consider my proposal?"

The girl stood silent for a moment before finally nodding "I will not let you down." He spoke genuinely as he pulled hard on the reigns of his horse and galloped away with the messenger.

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Constantinople- 477 AD

He sits on his golden throne, the General who became an Emperor, he looks out across his assembled advisors with unease, he knew that in order to hold on to his power decisive action would be needed. "The Western Empire has fallen." He reported gravely "And yet you do nothing to reclaim it?"

"Sire please…" one of his advisors groveled "The Western Empire has been dying a slow death for decades, the Western Emperors were weak to have allowed barbarian chiefs to gain such power."

"That groveling may have worked with Zeno and his predecessors, but I am Basilscus, I know the nature of warfare… we cannot leave the Empire to the barbarians."

"But sire…" Another advisor spoke up "…the glory of Rome still endures in the East, lest the West fight for the scraps of a dead Empire, you are the Eastern Emperor, your Empire is self sustaining, you do not need the scraps of decadent past."

"Do none of you understand?" Basilicus exclaimed "All of Italy is in the hands of the Ostrogoths, all of North Africa, a principle grain producer is in the hands of the Vandals, and all the while I am hearing whispers of a chief, a warlord in the savage lands free of Germanic control who can not die… it is only a matter of time before one of these men is powerful enough to push East, and make a stab at all that is left of the Glory of Rome. I will not allow that to happen, we will send armies into Italy, we will send armies to North Africa, and we will see just who this warlord who can not die is. Vorenus!"

"Yes Sire." An armoured soldier spoke up.

"Your family originated from the Western Empire did they not?"

"They did Sire." He bowed

"Castor Vorenus, I want you to take your Army and march West into the Savage lands, I want you to destroy this War Lords Powerbase and send me back his head."

"As you wish Sire.'

"And Castor, I want you to establish a presence in those lands, so that I may one day take back all that was Roman."

"I understand Sire." The loyal soldier bowed.

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Eastern Europe- 477 AD

And so they marched, an entire Roman legion, everyone of the soldiers feet stepping in time, the heavy thuds rousing fear in all the villages they passed through. General Castor Vorenus rode at the head of this sea of humanity, a sea of standards and banners followed him as the infantry and cavalry displayed their colours proudly. To the rear of this vanguard a less impressive array of farmers, engineers, wives and servants, a less glamorus face of war, but no less necessary. They march with a single purpose, to increase the influence of their Emperor, to conquer the barbarian hoards of the West… to kill Alexander Corvinus.

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Hungarian Territory- 478 AD

Alexander Corvinus closed his eyes tightly as his wife's screams echoed through the stone halls of his dwelling, he winced as he heard the pain she was going through. He had heard enough, he barged his way through the door thick wooden door, only to be stopped in his tracks by a short heavy set woman on the other side. "My Lord I have told you once already!" She said sternly "Your wife is doing well, and we will tell you when it is done."

"She is giving birth to my child!" He yelled

"Get out My Lord, you are only in the way here!" Before Alexander could respond the woman had motioned him back through the door and closed it in his face. Feeling useless, Corvinus lashed out at the opposite wall, driving his fist through the stone, he was soon brought to his senses by hurried footsteps approaching him.

"We have a serious problem My Lord." One of his men reported.

"I am busy." Alexander said sternly "Deal with it."

"Rome marches on us."

"Rome is dead." Corvinus spat.

"It survives in the East My Lord, the Army is from Constantinople, they are only a few days march away."

"Constantinople!" Alexander almost laughed "Those Greek speaking boy lovers, a plague on Constanitople, ready our army, I will see to it that they fall to my sword." Before Alexander could say anything else he was distracted by the most wonderful sound in the world, the sound of a baby crying. His conversation with the soldier had distracted him from the fact that his wife was giving birth. "Oh thank God." He sighed in relief. The door to his wife's chambers again opened and the midwife stepped out.

"You have a son and heir, Lord Corvinus." She exclaimed

Unable to suppress his happiness Alexander brushed passed the midwife into the chamber where he was halted in his tracks.

"Husband." Helena greeted him wearily as she held two bundles in her arms.

"Twins." He spoke in amazement.

"Both sons." She smiled. "Your legacy is ensured."

"Oh Helena." He sighed as he kissed the top of her head and perched himself on the bedside. "Oh they are perfect." He brought a hand to the cheek of each newborn "Markus and William." He smiled proudly "My sons you will change the world."