An Empire…
Part 12- Splitting and Falling
Alba's fed up with Rome.
In all honesty he hasn't even seen the Nation in years. It's just the Romans. Those stupid people.
They've taken it upon their selves to keep count of his people every now and then; they call it a "census". Alba just claims it as another way to suppress his people. The Romans now tax his people who are trying to trade with each other.
So he revolts.
He takes back Antonine's wall.
He tears some of it down; he remembers overhearing the idiot Rome telling Albion that the wall to the south was his crown, one used to punish others. Well he assumed this would be his one…
He admires the wall, it's not completely torn down, and he doesn't think he wants to get rid of it all, but he has to question.
How do you like those apples Rome?
I'm-Sorry-For-being-An-Awful-Author-And-Disappearing-For-Almost-A-Year!
"I'll be your new Emperor!" A man with a large curly, like a sheep really, beard smiled down at him.
Albion had heard of these… Emperors. Really. It was just none really talked to him or claimed to have any control over him… Rome was the one who usually did that.
"Really?" Albion mumbled sarcastically, not loud enough for the man to hear thankfully.
"The name is Albinus if you'd prefer to call me by my name," he smiled and patted Albion on the head before walking over to those two green eyed teens who he still couldn't remember the names of.
Albion hadn't seen Rome for a while now, nor had he seen Greece or Heracles. In actual fact Albion hadn't seen many of the Nations around. Germania had seemingly vanished since he had tried to kill Rome. Germania had also apparently killed England's last Governor Pertinax (at least England thinks that's his name it could be something else… something just as complicated) or at least that's what Rome had told him with a warning not to approach random Nations, before running out of his own land to Germania's… or at least that's where Albion assumed he had ran off too.
"I'm Hispania!" An overly loud voice interrupted his thoughts. "And this is Lusitania!"
He looks over at the two green eyed Nations. They could be twins, Albion almost says, but one is clearly older.
"Hispania," the other cringes at his brother's loud voice and is subtly trying to un-pry Hispania from his arm, but the smaller Nation isn't letting go.
"None of the other Nations are around so let's get along!" Hispania continues and takes Albion's arm with his spare hand and drags Lusitania and Albion down all the complex corridors towards the outside.
"Why…" England breathes in deeply while trying to keep up, Lusitania sends him a sympathetic glance. "Are the others Nations… not… around…?"
Hispania stops at that and stares at Lusitania, who groans.
"I've told you twenty times already Hispania!"
"Well…" Hispania tugs on Albion's arm. "He's," he says with all the conviction he can, "the one that wants to know!"
Lusitania stares at them both evenly for a second and Albion's almost tempted to drop it, before he sighs.
"They've left because they don't like Rome-"
"How can you not like Rome!" Hispania yells the question and from the annoyed look Lusitania sends him he assumes this is the twentieth time Hispania's asked.
"Because they want freedom, because they were better off before Rome invaded them, who knows?" Lusitania stomps his foot and drags them off and to him that's the end of the conversation.
To Hispania that's only the start.
"Were you not better off without him?" He questions Albion loudly and from the corner of Albion's eyes he can see Lusitania twitch in annoyance.
"Um… I don't know…" Albion shrugs awkwardly.
"How can you not know?" Hispania questions loudly and Lusitania looks as though any second he's about to hit one of them, but Albion answers as honestly as he dares.
"Because I've never been given the chance."
And it's true…
Again-Sorry-For-Taking-Forever-More-Apologises-At-The-End-With-Explanations-Etc
Albinus looks after all three of them for four years before his rein is cut short and another Emperor looks after all three. Albion doesn't particularly care; he's never seen any use for Emperors in all honesty Rome did a fine job of invading him and that's all he knows about invasions. The two brothers don't care; Lusitania finds the fact that Septimius Severus allied himself with Albinus only to kill him afterwards interesting and Hispania claims to have stopped caring about his leaders after the third one died so easily.
Some of the other Nations are around again. Rome's brought them back, but Lusitania and Hispania have apparently adopted Albion as their new brother, Albion still debates how he feels about that… admittedly they have green eyes like him, but he has real brothers and he really loves Cymru and he wants to go back and be hugging Cymru at night, but he's not quite sure if he hates it as he feels the two Iberian Nations snuggle up to him in the night.
Maybe being in the Roman Empire isn't that bad…
You-Say-That-NOW-England?
Alba doesn't like this new ruler Rome has, though he's sure he hasn't particularly liked any of their rulers, especially those two who thought building walls on his land was a smart idea.
But no this new ruler… Sept… something rather. He sent his people on his land, tons of his people far too many for Alba to count.
He sent them to his land, killed thousands of Alba's men, but…
Even more of Rome's…
Unique-History-Is-Unique
When Rome heads off to Britannia's land, he doesn't inform the little Nation and heads there on his own.
He aches…
It's painful…
He gets over to the baths without problem and they're so relaxing as he slips in that he can almost forget everything.
This is a sanctuary. And it's so much grander since he was last here. And it's been a while since then hasn't it? Probably since he came here with Britannia and that was so long ago and so much has happened since then and more people and Nations are challenging him every day.
He likes the challenge.
But he hasn't had a chance for just himself.
So he relaxes.
For as long as he can at least…
"Rome!" He hears the yells from the room in the opposite direction of the heating system. He'd rather ignore the commanding voice and go into that hot room and let the steam help calm him. But he'd rather not anger Caracalla. He was brilliant for getting all his territories back and in order, but he did represent his people as a whole and they very much hated him.
Now… how to kill this one off…
"Rome!"
His muscles groan as he leaves the warm, absolutely perfect water and heads towards the room to the west. He shivers as he enters the room; not nearly as warm as any of the others. Caracalla sits on the side; the room is empty of any life but them: his new Emperor wanted it that way.
"I'm thinking of splitting Britannia up," he comments deep in thought.
"Oh?" And that's the only query Rome's going to put forward.
"I heard Severus was originally planning to do so, keep Britannia's powers divided, that little Nation's still got kick in him better to keep him down before he even starts to think about defying us again," there's a fond smile over Caracalla's face that Rome thinks really shouldn't be there, especially when talking about Britannia… that little brat…
"Also I think we should get one of these baths established in Rome, it's a joy coming over here for such an amazing hot spring, but one nearer home would be less risky and of course we can't be the only without, right?"
And because it's expected of him Rome agrees but only because it's what's expected of him.
And when Caracalla's had enough of socialising with his Nation he slips out of the baths, preparing to return to Rome as the Nation turns to the pool in front of him. He hears people throw curses on led to get back at those who have deceived them.
Rome throws in his curse.
And he hopes all who have deceived his Empire have a hard life… especially Germania…
YAY-I've-Never-Done-A-Piece-In-Rome's-POV
"Ma," he spits outs glaring icy daggers at Picts.
"Runt," she looks awkwardly up and down at Alba…
He's grown… And that's all she thinks of this new grubby almost-adult.
"Not so much runt…" the ice doesn't leave his eyes and the glare only intensifies.
"I've only come to give you warning-"
"You think I'd heed your warnings," he spits.
"I've just to tell you what the Fae have told me," and Alba freezes at that. "So you notice the Fae have stopped approaching you? How they prefer your younger brother Albion?" She laughs, when Alba growls. "They are scared of the weapons your men use, they are scared of your men who march to fight the other frightening men, they are scared they can't pass the walls that have you trapped."
"And what…" Alba growls his eyes a burning green. "Would such scared Fae have to say to me?"
"That your brothers will go to war in the not too distant future…" She pauses. "They warn you to choose wisely, whichever brother you side with… well the Fae are hateful creatures in general…"
"And who will you stand beside?" Alba questions before he can stop himself, there's a little bit of hope hidden deep that she will say whoever he chooses.
She grins.
"I never liked Rome…"
I-Actually-Like-The-Picts-I-Don't-Know-Why-I-Gave-Her-Such-A-Horrible-Relationship-With-Scotland…
Lusitania has a hold of his hand.
There's a parade going on. A man and woman happily hand in hand.
"He killed the dragon from the city of Silene," the mutters roar loudly around them.
"They say his lance is called Ascalon…"
"They say his name is George…"
"They say he's a saint…"
"And that's the princess he rescued and…"
Lusitania pulls them away from the rumours, the gossip and they follow behind the two who are being paraded around. When everyone's gone the two of them are there and the couple are over there.
The woman spots them from the corner of her eyes and she laughs. She mutters something to the man and he straightens up, walks over to them smiling and pats them on the head.
"Dragon's aren't that scary you know?" He says in the calmest most encouraging way before he laughs and sends a cheeky grin to the woman. "It's the princess afterwards…"
George is promptly hit around the head and Lusitania has such a happy glow resonating in his eyes that Albion's never seen before… it's surprising…
I-Wanted-England-To-See-The-Dragon-Killing-But-Had-No-Reason-For-Him-To-Be-Over-That-Side-Of-The-Continent-So-This-Will-Have-To-Do
Gallia had taken him.
And he's not sure how he feels about this unique set of events.
"See we can keep Rome off our backs, just the two of us…" The boy mutters, clinging much too tight for England's comfort.
He's been clung to a lot recently Albion notes. Hispania, Lusitania and Gallia… he finds it strange, because he swears they're all older than him and they're Rome's grandsons so they shouldn't have any reason to fear Rome… but they do.
And Gallia, with his help somehow but he doesn't remember helping at all… he doesn't really like Gallia, somehow does keep Rome at a distance. Rome doesn't even attempt to stop Gallia after the desperate little Nation tried to hack off his fingers…
Short-Bit-Is-Short
After Carausius is dead. After Allectus is dead. Rome takes over again.
He doesn't blame Albion.
He hasn't blamed Albion for anything in recent years.
Gallia runs off. Crying. He wants control again; he wants Albion under his control again. And that's apparently Gallia's new dream.
When Rome has Albion back on territory that isn't trying to kill him Albion notices that he never did bump into the woman that Gallia claimed to be his Mother when he was stuck with the annoying Nation…
Dum-Dum-Dum
His name is Alban.
That's all Cymru knows when he meets the man.
"The Romans are planning to kill you…" Is all Cymru says to the man, actually Cymru shouldn't even be here it's Albion's land and he promised himself to leave Albion's matter to Albion, but he can't help but get involved: he loves his little brother.
"I was prepared for that before this little one," the man smiles.
Cymru frowns.
"Why are you here? Don't you want to escape?" Cymru questions.
"I will face whatever God sets in my path, little one-"
"I'm not little."
…
There's silence…
"You are special… your eyes hold more years than I think any man or woman has had the privilege of seeing…" Alban says with confidence and Cymru can't help but nod his agreement.
"I am a Nation…"
"Britannia?" He questions eyes astonished.
"That's my brother… I'm the country to the West…" He gestures to the direction of his land, he can feel it.
"The island beside ours?" Alban questions and Cymru can't help but feel a little annoyed.
"I am nothing like Éire!" Cymru stomps his foot on the ground, glaring at everything. "I actually care about my family and I wouldn't leave Britannia!"
And he's tempted to storm off and leave the man there, but the man's smiling.
"That's why I'm here little one. I couldn't leave him on his own…"
POW-POW-POW
"I'm now the Emperor of York!" The man smiles at Cymru.
Cymru doesn't care.
"Maybe you should tell Britannia that… though neither of us want you Emperors here," Cymru glares, Constantine laughs at the glares, pats Cymru's head and Cymru is starting to get fed up with these Romans not caring that he doesn't like them.
"Well the rest of the Empire don't want me here so we're stuck in this boat together," Cymru's curious that's the only reason he carries on the conversation.
"Why don't they want you here?"
"Because I bring the Christianity they fear!"
… There's a moment of silence as Cymru takes that in before turning to Constantine.
"But we're not on a boat…"
Ah-Religion…
Rome's changing.
He's aging.
Heracles' came to visit Albion. And he wants Albion to go with him so he tugs the little Nation over to Rome.
"I want to take Britannia travelling with me," he stares at Rome with unmoving eyes. Rome stares back before smiling.
He pats both of their heads, turns away and starts walking off. Heracles' is about to yell something, when the older Nation turns to look at them from over his shoulder.
"You better look after Britannia; I hear the Franks are planning an invasion."
Rome's changed…
Why-Is-Every-Part-Short-Right-Now?
Cymru stands strong in front of the wall. Sword in hand. His and Albion's older brothers are invading… planning to invade and he has to stand strong for both him and his little brother now.
He just wishes he wasn't the Nation all their people had to believe in right now. He wishes Albion was here or one of their Mothers, or their Father, or someone… he doesn't like having to go to war with family. He doesn't like fighting…
"What are you doing out here?" He turns to see the Roman Empire.
He stands tall, his armour better than his, his weapons better than his; his power better than his.
"I don't want my brother to be hurt," he replies in Latin, he didn't think he could, nor does he remember ever doing so especially towards Roman scum, but the grin sent his way for doing so doesn't seem so bad.
"I thought the one behind the wall was your brother as well?" Rome questions.
"No… he's just an idiot…" But Rome can see him shaking slightly and panic in his eyes even if his voice comes out perfectly.
"Well, why don't you head back to your land and leave all this fighting for me to do," the smile Rome sends is sincere and Cymru doesn't understand how can Rome be sincere.
"But…"
"You and Britannia are a part of my Empire I can't let anything bad happen to either of you!" He laughs and gently pushes Cymru away and all Cymru can think is… he IS a part of the Roman Empire isn't he…?
He's Roman…
I-Just-Realised-I-Don't-Have-A-lot-Of-Albion-This-Chapter-So…
"We'll be friends no matter what side of a war we're on, remember ok?"
… Those were the words Heracles said when the Greek Nation handed him back over to Rome, after all the pain from being attacked had worn off… He couldn't believe Alba would actually attack him… Or Éire for that matter… People and Nations could really change couldn't they…?
And now…
"Magnus is a great soldier of mine," Hispania smiles, giving him a hug. "So good luck!"
"We'll always be over on this side of the water," Lusitania smiles and he only nods; leaves with Magnus.
He's lost his friends now… All he has is Rome…
He's worried, because he's not as annoyed with that as he should be…
Aw-Albion-Doesn't-Know-Yet-But…
"Albion!" Cymru runs up to his younger brother, hugs him tight, checks him over and hugs him some more. "Thank the lord you're alright…"
"Cymru!" Albion looks at his brother. "What are you doing here…?"
"Waiting for you, you idiot…" and Cymru looks up at the man who brought him his brother.
Magnus Maximus. He's Roman, no surprise there. And Cymru likes the man. And Cymru and Albion are Roman Nations now, together. Their older brothers can be Celtic together, but they'll be Roman…
"Thank you…"
How-Many-Proper-Names-Have-Appeared-In-This-Chapter-I-Think-I've-Killed-Some-Brain-Cells-Arguing-With-Spell-Check-On-how-To-Spell-Them
"You're not welcome here anymore Éire," Cymru glares from the ground where he was kicked to.
"That's why I'm taking your people Cymru," and for the fifth time Cymru freezes and he curses the fact he warned everyone about the power behind names.
Éire laughs.
"You don't even know how to use magic or words properly do you?"
And before Cymru can say anything or Éire can do anymore, a rock is hurled at the oldest Nation.
"Go… Go away…" And hidden in the darkness Albion tries to stop himself from crying, because why should his brothers have to fight like this?
Éire puts a hand to his head and laughs when he feels some blood there. Laughs loudly and into the darkness. The laughter to Albion's ears sounds scary, to Cymru it sounds like a destroyed and horrible animal.
Their oldest brother shakes his head after his laughter has subdued and turns away from his brothers.
"Don't worry Albion," he says. "I only came for some slaves…"
And-This-Is-What-Invasions-Do-To-Families…
Rome falls to the ground clutching his chest. He coughs up blood.
There's no one with him when this happens and for that he's grateful. Maybe he fell into Religion far too late to have his sins forgiven; maybe this was what happened if you didn't fight your fear…
Well whatever it was he just wants his head to feel like it isn't about to split into thousands of little pieces.
He remembers the last time he saw Britannia, the way he and his brother cluing together… It makes him long to only have his family…
So with Theodosius' permission he disappears with his adorable grandson. And he won't let anyone else see him, his grandson will be the last to see him alive and then he'll fade into nothing.
He can't bare to let any of the little Nations know he's given up, especially Britannia who was finally agreeing to be a part of his Empire…
He's kind of sorry… and thankful…
410… The Romans leave Britannia, Britannia is left defenceless…
A/N:
And my creation… it is finished –evil laughter- Sorry for the longest wait in your lives, but I'm back with updates of course I don't know when I can actually update, but it'll be better than last time I promise… Of course that's if you lot are still around. (I'm sorry I was ill and they only discovered why I was so ill the other week and it was because of glasses, I can't look at computers/words without glasses or I become very sick, go fig?)
Onto Historical notes from History:
-Those walls in Scotland? Yeah they were used to tax the Scots. The counting people part? Well the Romans gave the world the Census (you know when you count how many people are alive in a country?) The Scot weren't happy they revolted, there were a lot of attacks to get Scotland back: one appeared in this Chapter by Septimius Severus, who made his people commit genocide it was a very famous attack, because he killed 40,000 of his men and came back claiming 50,000 had died.
-Now after last chapter the Germanic tribes kept splitting the Roman Empire up, the Roman Empire kept getting itself back together until that last bit with Rome, which was in 395, one half became the Byzantine Empire, the other became the half that was France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and England/Wales stuck together Albinus ruled that side for awhile through the years known as the five Emperors (because of all the division and everyone claiming to be Emperor).
-Pertinax was the Emperor who came before Albinus by the way, was killed by his guards after trying to discipline them.
-Albinus was killed by his ally Septimius Severus after Severus got what he wanted which was another Emperor out of his way and claimed to own a lot of land afterwards. Severus was also the man who first thought of dividing Britannia in two, but all evidence shows it happened through Caracalla's reign (a VERY fearsome Emperor who was not popular for all the murders, but is considered one of the legendary rulers of England {that's a book that a lot of historians hate for numerous reasons, I find it brilliant though like historians I agree a lot of it seems very wrongly dated, etc.} and was murdered by his body guard).
-Country being divided in two has many theories but most say it was probably to stop any rebellions to attack Rome seeing as everyone else was.
-I went to Bath on holiday last week and the Roman Baths were wonderful and I saw a lot of cool stuff there, which is why you suddenly have more information like the curses put on lead like paper, the cooling room beside the hot spring, and on the other side the furnace. And further yet it was such a famous place where all Romans would want to go, said to have the Gods looking over it. Caracalla (which isn't his real name, it's his nickname) decided to have one made in Rome.
-St. George, England's saint as I'm sure you know killed a dragon, not in England though, killed it in nowadays Africa in fact and I wanted to make England see the killing but had no way of making it happen. George was in fact Roman and he's with the princess he rescued (Portugal's there because it's under one of the countries who use the George's cross for something I believe… and Spain doesn't…)
-Carausius was a Gallia soldier, who claimed control over nowadays France and England and managed to be strong enough to keep the Roman Empire away, sadly he was betrayed by his ally Allectus and Allectus wasn't as strong and smart thus Rome took control again (see France has been trying to claim England for years before the Norman invasion).
-Alban is a Saint who pretended to be a Christian Priest so the actual Priest wouldn't be beheaded, a lot of people think he should England's Saint and if not then Britain's because he's brilliant and was in England (which is why Wales meets him instead of England, because England was stuck in Rome).
-Constantine who I don't think I need to say much about because he was one of the Greats (you know he's up there with Alfred and Cnut?) well he claimed York first and worked his way around (York was first invented by the Romans by the way only to be completely changed by the Vikings thus why it's described as a Vikings city instead of a Roman city like Bath), he's the first Christian Emperor, thus all the sudden mentions of Rome, etc. becoming Christian.
-Heracles coming in and travelling with Albion? That would be a hint to the famous Greek geographer/explorer Pytheas who sailed all around Britain and walked across a lot of it (he described it as a triangle), before discovering amber in the Baltic's, etc, etc.
-360AD the Picts, Scots (Scots is a reference to the Celtic people here not actually Scotland, but it does INCLUDE Scotland, but with Ireland) and Franks (who I now think of as France) attempt to invade England, Rome fights back and succeeds easily.
-Magnus Maximus is the most famous Roman of Wales ruled 383-388AD was born in nowadays Spain, thus Spain sending him off with England.
-St Patrick, what you never saw the hint? Nowadays Ireland stole Patrick from Wales as a slave he later goes around Ireland bringing Christianity.
-Romans leave in 410AD, but were planning to leave in 388AD when the Empire was finally completely splitting and the Romans were being attacked lots, they needed all the men they could have so they went back to the homeland. This was a major blow to Britannia, because by this point all their people would be Romans, they're now defenceless, poor and generally they didn't want the Romans to leave anymore. At the beginning of the Roman invasion no one liked them, but by the end the Romans were greatly loved (in Britain).
-Theodosius died in 395, and thus the official end to a whole Roman Empire…
Ok enough historical notes, I hope you enjoy this chapter I need to get back into the swing of writing this story, so I don't think chapter was that good, also do any of you lovely people know how to edit past chapters? I noticed I accidently said Julius Caesar only invaded once, he invaded twice, both times failing. And the first two chapters have so many stupid mistakes I want to correct!
Anyway I hope you enjoyed! Now onwards to the Anglo-Saxons and the Viking Age for they are at the same time… though a few chapters until we actually see Denmark and Norway sadly.
Oh! Also, some people asked questions, hope you guys are still around, I personally am from Hampshire, Southampton to be exact (and just to be stereotypical we're better than Pompey), so my family and my friend's families all at some point had something to do with the Titanic, yay us. And another person asked where I get my facts from a lot I know from school (I went to a school where they taught us about which countries invaded us in detail and then told us why the English are horrible), and TV programs but of course I always triple check using books if you want I can put some of the ones I use down next chapter but then you'd have to buy the books… sorry I don't really use the internet you can never trust who's put what down (though I enjoy reading Wikipedia for the LOLs). But yes if you have any other questions feel free to ask!
Anyways until next chapter! (And if I do in fact take as long as last time I suggest you go enjoy yourself by watching QI it's an amazing program, can't wait for the new series!)