Note from Kanuro5: It feels good to update again! I have been so busy with teaching for the past four months I really don't have time to write. So updates will be slow but hopefully they wont be months apart... hopefully. Anyway, today is Jan 1 of 2019, and I want to wish every who reads this a Happy New Year! Enjoy!
VIII
Ramifications
Arretium
"Uncle! Uncle Decius! It is I, Vitus. Proculus and I have returned from Genua, please open the door, I need to break words of import with you."
The young man waited for half a minute before pressing his ears against the heavy door. Faint sounds of crying could be heard from the other side.
"Uncle, please. Open up! Proculus and I were attacked by the same ones who robbed Statius of life, they wounded Proculus but he is alive, he is here in the city. Please open up!"
The only response was the continued weeping from inside.
Vitus slammed the edge of his fists against the door repeatedly, "Damn it, Uncle! Open up! Please, we need you!"
A slave approached him with a shake of the head, "Apologies, Germanicus, but Dominus has been inconsolable since the passing of his noble son. He has not stopped weeping and he would not see anyone."
Vitus closed his eyes and rested his head on the door. These sobs were not from the Patriarch of the Julii, but that of a broken man who lost his only son. It must've been the most devastating daggers to bury your child that you brought into this world, that you saw as a crying babe and a smiling toddler. Oh, how he would want to comfort him, but now…
"Germanicus?" the slave asked tenderly.
"I know. He grieves, I understand." He turned to the slave, "But he needs to be out here, our territory is in chaos. We need leadership."
Vitus returned with the slave to the atrium, greeted by the sight of worried and concerned eyes. His mother had her hands clasped in frightened hope, Ligadis and Cossutius looked at him with stoic expressions, Titia's eyes were still hollow but they now focused on him, and about a dozen servants and slaves were murmuring amongst one another but stopped as they noticed Vitus. The medicus had taken the wounded Proculus away to treat him properly, Appia and Lucius went along with him.
Vitus' mother approached with a fragile voice, "Did he…?"
"No, he did not."
Cossutius sighed, "We've all been at that door beseeching him to open up. And if not him, then we ask Cardea and Forculus to open up the doors; yet the Gods do not answer."
Vitus exhaled, "Right when we need them most… we cannot just sit on our hands and do nothing."
"What do you plan to do?" Ligadis inquired.
What should I do? What would Decius do? What would Father do at this moment? His eyes wandered to the letters from the other settlements on the desk. He picked them up and skimmed through all of them. These cries of help… none of his kin saw this coming. Seeing two or more masked assassins in the dead of night to murder you. He thought back to Genua. 'Move, and she dies. Yell, and she dies.' How did four of them get into the palace? How did two of them enter his and Titia's bedchambers? Four assassins to kill three Julii? Must be for strength in numbers in case one failed and— That's it!
He moved to the slaves and servants present. "Which one of you sends letters out for the Patriarch?"
A middle-age servant stepped forth with a raised hand, "I wrote for the Patriarch."
"Okay, I want you to write as many letters as you can and have them sent out to all Julii settlements. Request all surviving members of the Julii clan to depart immediately for Arretium. All family must be accounted for, and we hold safety in numbers in case they try to attack us again."
"Vitus, you would bring all of the Julii here?" his mother asked with enlarged eyes.
"I would, mother. And it will be mandatory."
"But what about their cities? Who shall govern them? The Julii should be governors of—"
"A settlement can run without a Julius, we have our prefects and local magistrates to keep order in the cities."
Decius' servant spoke up, "I do not seek to argue but you cannot do this. You are neither Patriarch nor the Heir."
"I know, and at this moment I do not care. Do it."
"This is not how it's done. You have not even received orders, Legatus"
"Who is left to give orders?"
"B-But it cannot be mandatory or authorized without the Patriarch's seal, and Patriarch Decius holds the seal in his chambers."
Vitus slammed his fist on the desk suddenly. The slammed echoed throughout the atrium. "The Julii territory is in chaos! The Heir is dead, the Patriarch is inconsolable, my brother is wounded, and we hold no clue to how many Julii are dead, wounded, or missing!" His breath held in his chest, yet he somehow found a way to speak. "I… at this moment… I am temporarily taking command of the Julii clan."
Everyone was silent.
"Until the Patriarch recovers from his mourning…" Vitus continued, "Until we have an account of what is happening and who has survived this… purge… I shall take Decius' place as paterfamilias. Only as an impermanent role. Do you desire to debate about this?"
None of the retainers, servants, or slaves said a word. Cossutius gave Vitus a sure nod, "I stand witness and give my voice to Vitus Julius as Acting Patriarch of the Julii."
"Gratitude, Cossutius." Vitus turned to the servant, "Now, do find me a seal of importance and get to writing."
The servant took off faster than a rabbit with a wolf on its tail.
Vitus rubbed his hand on his brow and exhaled. He glanced at the servants looking on him nervously, "Tell me, any news from are other provinces?"
"None, Legatus—apologies, Patriarch."
"It's fine, it's only a temporary title, you may still address me as 'Legatus' or 'Germanicus', either or." Vitus rubbed his jaw in frustration. "Damn it. Then what about Hispania? Any news from the peninsula? What of Quintus Sertorius?"
"We have not received word, Legatus. But most likely, given how everyone else was attacked; we probably will receive letters from the couriers tomorrow when they arrive."
He groaned, "I need to know how many men we have, and how many able generals are still alive. I pray that Sertorius is alive and well… we're going to need his knowledge, experience, and men." Vitus sighed before asking, "Have we received any news from Rome? From any of our people in the Julii quarter."
"None, Legatus."
"If we haven't received word yet from Hispania which is a thousand miles away, then we should have at least received news immediately from the cities closer to Arretium, so where is the news from Rome?"
His mother chimed in, "Perhaps no one was attacked in Rome. Rome is not Julii territory, but that of the Senate. Every city that was attacked was completely controlled by the Julii."
"Or perhaps the assassins killed all of our people in Rome," Cossutius countered. "If they had the care to attack everyone everywhere, then it stands to reason they could attack our people in the heart of Senate territory."
So much trouble had occurred, how could he fix this? Where would he begin? Who would— His eyes went wide in realization. He pointed to his bodyguard, "Ligadis, assemble twenty men from my Guard, and prepare them for immediate departure. Bring Ardunas and four of his men along."
"What?!" Cossutius exclaimed.
Vitus' mother was equally surprised. "You're leaving? You just arrived! You declared yourself Acting Patriarch, your place is here in Arretium!"
Ligadis bowed and ran off. Vitus combed his hair with his fingers, "I know, Mother. But Uncle Decius told me that a Patriarch goes where he must for the good of his family."
"That good is in this settlement. All messages shall come here to you, you must remain and govern our territories."
"No, I have to go to Rome."
"Rome?! What's in Rome?"
"I need to speak to Sulla, Mother. Whatever is occurring, he may be of use to us. And he needs to know of this fucking Arcani attack… And I could investigate what happened to our men in Rome. Cossutius, you are to remain here in Arretium as temporary governor until I return. Your first task is to mobilize the Twenty-Eighth and have them ready to depart at a moment's notice."
"We're going to war?" he asked. Vitus could feel the frightened eyes of the servants on him. What would his father say and do at a moment like this? What was expected of a Julius to say?
"These masked assailants struck against the Julii. They brought the war."
That declaration made many of the onlookers talk amongst themselves. Cossutius nodded firmly, he seemed pleased with the notion. "I understand, Vitus."
"You're a soldier, you know what is needed on campaigns. I shall be absent from Arretium for a few days. Ensure that the Legion is well-stocked and provisioned, that all soldiers on leave return to duty."
Cossutius gave him a proud salute, "I shall."
His mother spoke again, "Vitus, a courier could suffice to the Dictator, you must—"
"Mother, I must do this. He needs to hear the tales from my lips, and he shall listen to me. Please… inform Appia and Proculus that I leave immediately, and that I pray for his recovery."
"Vitus—"
He started walking away. He knew his mother would try to stop him, he understood why and didn't blame her. But he kept moving so that she wouldn't get a chance. The onlookers in the Palace parted out of his way, their eyes gawking in a mix of respect and fear of this "Acting Patriarch." Vitus didn't really care for the title, what did he know about governance? This should have been Uncle Decius, he was groomed for responding in tragedy, he would have known what to do and if Vitus' decisions were prudent or foolhardy. If only Decius could have been consoled, if only the Arcani didn't attack. If only.
A small but firm hand grasped his shoulder and spun him around. Titia held eyes that carried mixture of defiance and concern.
"Vitus… please do not go…" she requested.
"Titia… I know—"
"No, you don't! We hold no understanding what is going on. Your brother is wounded, and your cousin is dead! And every Julii settlement has been attacked! What if more of those masked men are waiting for you in Rome, to finish off what they failed to do?"
That is a possibility… "Fear not, Titia, then they'll meet my steel, quick as that." He forced a smirk of reassurance, though Titia didn't believe the smile.
"But… you can't—"
He placed a hand on her shoulder, "I must. More of those assassins are out there, and I can't just sit here and do nothing. I'm not a farmer who waits for the harvest, I am a soldier who meets the enemy head-on."
"But you don't know what kind of enemy they are, do you?"
I have a good idea, Titia. "Listen, you have a duty here, look after my mother, Appia, Lucius, and Proculus. Look out for them. I shall not tarry long in Rome, I shall return shortly, you have my word. Do you understand?"
"I… yes, just please be careful."
He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead, she was trembling ever so softly. "I shall return, hale and hearty, I promise," he said gently.
Rome
As soon as he passed the gates of the Servian Wall, "Vitus" had been buried and "Germanicus" was resurrected. He walked in front of his men, all heavily armed and wearing faces of austerity. The concerned mass of plebeians parted out of the way of the Julii—like that of curtains being parted in a play. Even several members of the Town Watch backed away with uncertainty at the sight of this "Julii gang" of nearly thirty men. Murmurs rose up among them suggesting that Germanicus was there to massacre them all or overthrow Sulla. The young man wanted to scoff, overthrowing the Dictator was the last thing on his mind; especially with his paltry numbers. But he did hold a killing intent that he wanted to unleash on the criminals responsible.
Ardunas, his Gallic Commander of the Archer Auxilia, sneered in disgust at the sight of Rome. "What the— What happened to this city? It's a shithole!"
The Gaul wasn't wrong. The city was still as filthy as Vitus recalled, the plague was still running rampant. He figured as much, yet he hoped for the best. Alleyways still held scores of dead piled up, a good number of citizens were sitting against walls wailing softly in pain, and others were lying on the ground in unresponsive states as they coughed up a mix of phlegm and blood. Citizens walked by the dying and sick with cloths covering the lower-half of their faces. The expression on most of these Romans were joyless, dullard eyes hung in their sockets. A wrinkled woman in black passed by the young man with burning incense in her hand, chanting solemnly, "Spirits of misfortune, leave our city. You have had your fill, now preserve our lives." Graffiti covered the walls of several buildings with images of wailing men and women, a large but decrepit old man screaming in terror as bolts of lightning from Jupiter on high, struck the old men down below and the people who were surrounded by Roman walls. Text was etched next to the images reading, "Why do we suffer for Sulla?" Vitus couldn't believe Rome could have deteriorated any lower since his last visit, but all of this had proved him wrong.
Passing through the Grand Forum of the Roman Capital, Germanicus stopped; his eyes fell upon the foot of the Capitoline, more heads were on spikes above the market—more victims of Sulla's proscriptions. Before he would convene with Sulla, Vitus had to visit the Julii territory within the city. No news was delivered from Rome, and yet every Julii city was attacked; maybe the Arcani didn't attack here… or maybe they killed everyone associated with the Julii? Aside from the capital of Arretium, Rome was a vital foothold for the Julii to be based in; Vitus had to know if his people were secure.
A newsreader with a bombastic voice read from parchment in his hand, "Attention all citizens! His Most Excellent, Cornelius Sulla Felix, has offered a substantial reward of five hundred sesterces for any citizens with pertinent knowledge of the whereabouts of the black-masked assassins. Any citizen that fulfills their patriotic duty by killing and returning an assassin's body back to the State, shall receive a thousand sesterces. An assassin that is returned to the State alive, that citizen shall receive two thousand sesterces. So says His Most Excellent, Cornelius Sulla Felix, Dictator of the Republic!"
Vitus eyed the murmuring crowd that gathered around the newsreader. Some men unsheathed their knives and went searching throughout the alley. So much for secrecy of the Arcani, Sulla must be furious… and I wonder how many more innocents shall be harmed for Sulla? But this did confirm Vitus' suspicions. How many men did the Arcani kill in this city the night of the Ides?
Past a few turns and a walk uphill, the Julii territory shined with red, crimson banners draped over buildings with a black laurel wreath fixed on the middle of it. Citizens wore crimson tunics with small emblems of the Julii etched onto the fabric. They waved and nodded at the sight of Germanicus, many of them gossiping with brightening smiles. Some children ran up to him to ask about his campaigns before their parents dragged them away with smiling apologetic faces. The young Julius admitted it was a rather nice being acknowledged as such.
His retinue came upon the municipal building of the Julii in the middle of the territory, where administrators and citizens with ambitions of elevating their lives and the fortune of the Julii met. Julii Guards were posted at the entrance but saluted proudly at the sight of Germanicus. Servants were called to welcome the Legatus and to show him inside. He asked the servants of the wellbeing of the four prominent members of the Julii he knew that stayed in Rome, but they gravely told him of one who barely survived and brought him to the man.
The man lied in the back room on a cot and was attended by several physicians, the wounded Julius was shirtless and wrapped in bandages around his abdomen and his arm. Vitus recognized him as Tiberius Julius Pullius, formerly Tiberius Pullius. He was in his 30s and his face proudly wore the scars from battle, the greatest scar was on the left side of his face that took the place of his missing left ear. The man was an Ex-Quaestor and before that, he stood a Legionary Tribune and right-hand man of Lucius Julius the Mighty. Vitus' father was so impressed with his worthy tribune that he adopted Tiberius into the Julii family.
Germanicus took a seat near the cot and spoke softly, "Tiberius…"
His eyes twisted towards Vitus, a faint smile rose from his face. "Vitus?" He rose up on his cot and grimaced as he moved. "I—"
Vitus leaned down with cautious hands out, "Do not move too much. I came as quickly as I could."
"Of course you did," the wounded man said with a chuckle. "You are your father's son."
That brought a grin of pride on the young man's face, but it then disappeared as he asked the next question. "How did the men with black masks tried to kill you?"
Sparks of surprise flashed in his eyes, "How did you—"
Vitus leaned in deeper, "They came for us all. They attacked the Julii all across the Republic."
"No…"
Vitus sucked his teeth. "If only it was not so."
"How did they attack you then, Vitus?"
"We were in Genua, Proculus and I along with our wives. We stayed with Herennius for the night and then four masked men came to kill us. All four of them were killed, but they have slain Herennius in his sleep."
Tiberius inhaled through his nostrils. "How many more Julii died?"
"Too many… What happened with you?"
He grunted as he shifted his body into a more comfortable position, "I sent my wife and daughter to visit my wife's father in Ostia earlier in the morning. I had business with the spice merchants from Africa in the evening. Then at night they attacked from the shadows, two men with black masks. One of them had a dagger and drove it into my side but I fought back and the other hacked at my arm. I thought I would lose my life, but Fortuna took me for her pet. We were on the second floor and in the skirmish, I fell out of the window. Yet instead of landing on the earth, I fell onto an ox-cart. I was in pain from the fall, but I managed to flee. The guards saw my wounds and heard my tale—and since I am an Ex-Quaestor—they hurried back to my home in force. Yet they could not find the two assassins."
Vitus patted Tiberius' good arm amiably, "Amazing, your life saved by an ox-cart."
"I hold no shame in such a tale because I yet breathe. It seems I still have purpose in this world."
"Tiberius, who else was attacked from the Julii in Rome?"
"Three others, one of them an actual Julius, but all of them dead. Titus Lutatius was seeking to run for Quaestor, but I heard that he and his wife were found dead in the middle of the night in their home—their throats were slashed. Gaius Sergius—he was in the process of being adopted by Lucius Julius Libo, he was found later to have been thrown off a building, they said his skull cracked like an egg on the ground and was near unrecognizable. And then there was Julius Libo, three of his guards were killed in the attack and Libo's head was severed from his body… witnesses spotted about three of the assassins fleeing."
"Libo, Sergius, Lutatius… all three of them?"
"Yes. Vitus, what foul madness is befalling Rome?"
He rustled his own hair sluggishly, "If only I knew, Tiberius. I'm here to speak with Sulla to find out." Vitus stood to leave, "Take your rest, Tiberius. And… it lifts my heart that you survived this terror, Tiberius. I mean it. Do recover your strength. Also, I issued an edict for all Julii to return to Arretium to be accounted for after the attack. I would have you rest a few days before you venture to back to the capital."
"I shall. Vitus… do be careful, I fear that this isn't over yet."
"Tiberius, you know me, I take the utmost measures with care."
The sea of people divided as Germanicus marched towards the Senate House—the Curia Hostilia. Originally built for 300 senators, Sulla had the complex renovated to fit a larger assembly since he doubled the size of the Senate. A crowd had already gathered around the Curia with the Town Watch of Rome standing guard outside the structure and Lictors standing in a parallel column from the entrance down to the bottom steps of the Curia. Once he had left the Julii territory, the crowd quickly surmised that he was looking for Sulla and informed him that the Dictator had entered the Senate House for a session with other senators.
He and his men approached the steps of the Senate, and near passed the Town Watch until a lictor approached with his hand wrapped around the hilt of his sheathed sword, and with the other hand he shot it out in front of the Legate.
"Halt! State your business, soldier!"
Ligadis spoke for him. "You stand before Julius Germanicus, Legatus of the Twenty-Eighth Legion."
The lictor's eyes squinted suspiciously, "State your business, Legatus."
"I call for an audience with Sulla, I return with vital news of—"
"The Dictator desires not to be seen. Good day, Legatus."
"I insist that I speak to him. He had ordered me to—"
"The Dictator desires not to be seen. Good day, Legatus!"
I hold no time for this! "Where is Sulla? Where is he?!" He raised his voice at the building, "Sulla, it is I, Germanicus! I have returned, so let me in!"
"Stay your tongue, Legatus!"
"I demand to see him! I hold news of utter importance for his ears alone. Sulla! I know you are in there!"
A slave ran out from the Curia and rushed down the stairs, near out of breath, "Allow him entry, the Dictator permits it!"
The lictors bowed and moved aside. Vitus eyed the slave and hissed, "Take me to him."
It was quite odd being in the same building where he and his brother were once tried by the Senate and were nearly exiled. For surrendering to barbarians, Vitus and Proculus were brought here in front of the ex-Consul Caius Maxentius, to answer for their "crimes", only for the intervention of their Uncle Decius where the brothers acquitted. Now, the space where Senators convene to argue upon politics and elections was doubled in size.
On the floor was the Dictator himself, alone. He was resting in an elevated and elaborate stool that was more distinguished then that of a Consul's stool. A cup of Falernian was in his hand and his slave was steadying pouring more wine into it. He was examining a large detailed map of Italy, spread out on the floor of the Senate, expanded by slaves. Sulla's red eyes scoured over the map as if to find a hidden detail. The flesh on his face hung in sour irritation and his bloodshot eyes held large amounts of rage.
Yet upon seeing Vitus, Sulla's expression lightened. "Vitus! You yet live."
"I do, Sulla," he said, walking down the stairs, "Such statement cannot be shared with many of my kin."
"I've heard."
"You've heard?"
Sulla motioned for his slave to offer Vitus some wine. Vitus took the cup of Falernian and took a seat close to Sulla.
"I have men everywhere in the Italian peninsula, Vitus."
Vitus sipped his wine, his eyes not leaving Sulla's eye, "Do you now?" He looked around the empty Senate Floor, so quiet, it was a little disconcerting. "Where is everyone?"
Sulla took a large gulp before exhaling. "I dismissed the session an hour ago. Many senators of note were absent. It was… unsettling when the session was convened. After they left, I have been here alone to… think. And to drink. And to think." He studied the inside of his empty cup inquisitively, "So Vitus, what of Decius?"
"I thought you had men everywhere?"
The scowl Sulla gave him woke Vitus back to his senses. "Deep apologies, Sulla! I didn't mean—"
"Choose your next words with care, boy."
"Right! Well… he was wounded, but lives. Yet his heart may never recover."
"What do you mean?"
"The Arcani had killed his son and Heir, Statius."
"Oh… I offer condolences."
Vitus just gave a grunt. But Sulla's eyes had a glimpse of melancholy. He demanded a refill from his slave.
"I…" he continued, "I know the unfathomable depth over the loss of a son…"
"Oh… apologies, Sulla, I had… um, forgotten…"
An uncomfortable silence grew between them, both men returned to their drinks. His eyes were buzzing from fatigue. He hadn't a proper chance to rest in days, his mind was racing everywhere, and this wine certainly didn't help matters.
"What did you find in Massilia? What of Hilarus Murio's family?" Sulla finally asked.
"Dead. They had perished the night before my arrival. It was 'attributed' to natural causes since they were heavy in age. Both of them, within the same night."
Sulla's nose wrinkled and he growled softly. "Those bastards…"
"I know."
"Do tell me that you know more of Murio?"
"I spoke with the neighbors who knew Murio since he was born. They claimed upon his retirement, Murio was consumed with drink until he found a religious calling as a temple cleaner. I don't understand it, I gave all my veterans of the Samarobriva campaign land, but he never touched it apparently. Eventually, he told them he was leaving for Rome but was spotted in Athens."
"How long ago was that?"
"Years."
Sulla raised his face to the ceiling, "Fuck… Is that all you were able to accomplish? Cold trails and empty words? I thought you were better than that! Are you not a man?!"
More than you. I do not hide behind veiled threats. "No excuse, Sulla."
Sulla stared at him with that detestable scowl. "Good. If you had dared uttered one, I might have taken your tongue." He took mighty gulps from his wine, then he suddenly threw it to the left of Vitus. "I sent you to find these assassins! To find them! Not their empty trails!" he suddenly screamed.
"You asked me to discover more about Murio! And I have done that!"
"Ha! Have you now? A monkey with no balls could have performed your job!"
Vitus was disappearing now, and Germanicus was taking his place with furious rage. "Then why didn't you use one?! Speak, and allow me to gauge such response, Sulla! Or better yet, how come you didn't go searching? You know of these masked bastards more than I! What am I even supposed to be looking for? Tell me! I found information upon Murio, and for my efforts, my wife and brother were damn near slain nights later!"
Sulla gave a sharp tsk, "They came for your wife as well? So how did they come for you anyhow?"
Vitus began to calm down and explained his encounter with the Arcani on the night of the attack. Sulla had his slave fetch him more wine and a new cup to drink from.
"You and your family are indeed fortunate to have survived. And it was good of me for allowing your wife to accompany you, saved your life, she did."
"Indeed," his cup was empty, and he placed it on the floor, his eyes lost in the map, "But now blood taints her hands."
"She shall overcome it. Time is the great cleanser of blood."
"She was never meant to— For what purpose did this happen, Sulla? Why now? Why attack the Julii? Was it because I was investigating them that they sought to exterminate us?"
"Do you know what the plebeians are calling this massacre? They named it 'The Bloody Ides'. And who they find fault with? Not those black-hearted assassins—oh no… not them. They lie fault with me. Me! Their Dictator! They are cursing my name out there, Vitus. For my proscriptions, for this plague, for these assassins that murder the noble Roman families. They all take it as sure sign of my demise. That I-I-I committed a grave sacrilege against Olympus! Bah! What do they know? All the blood that I have spilled has been for the benefit of Rome. Mark me on that, Vitus! All that I have done, I have done for Rome! But how could they understand, Vitus? They act as if I order the Gods to curse the land and murder with shadowy figures. If I command someone to die, then it will not be from the shadows!"
Vitus wanted desperately to roll his eyes at the comment. How many men and women did Sulla possibly kill discreetly in the past to get to where he is now? How could he— wait… what did he just say?
"What do you mean, Sulla?"
"Huh?"
"You said about the 'noble Roman families.' You said, 'families', plural. What did you mean?"
"As I said. The assassins sought to murder entire noble families. Did you truly believe that you Julii were the only ones the Arcani attacked?" He shook his head gravely, "No. The night of the murders; men of the Julii, the Brutii, and Scipii were all attacked. From the soils of Italy, amongst the woods of Gallia, to the temples of Greece, and the sands of Africa; men of the Three Families were targeted."
Vitus blinked endlessly as his jaw hung low, "What?"
"Yes. Even the Brutii and Scipii were attacked by these men. The Patriarch of the Scipii, Quintus Scipio, was apparently killed by two of the Arcani in Africa. His son and heir, Gnaeus One-Eye, barely escaped with his life and still recuperates. The Brutii fared worse, Vitus. They lost both their Patriarch and Heir on that night of the Ides to the assassins. Every hour, I receive another courier with news upon another death of another noble family.
Vitus' heart was racing now, "Both of them as well?"
He reaffirmed sullenly. "Yes. It truly pains me to admit, but we grossly underestimated the Arcani. They coordinated a massive assassination attempt across the lands and managed to wound and kill a great many of patricians. In the same damn night, no less. Such planning, such timing, such patience; and yet it costed them. From these letters, I estimate that about fifty to seventy of their agents have died in this attempt. I am confident to say that they cannot launch another attack like this again."
"Us, the Brutii, and the Scipii…"
"Vitus."
"Gods…"
"Vitus!"
"Oh! Apologies, Sulla… I'm stunned…"
"As is the entire Republic. Fear is rampant across Italia. Men believe that the Arcani are phantom killers sent from the underworld to reap the souls of the wicked. A blight upon our Republic that I am somehow the root of. What a ridiculous notion. They are but men and they are fallible. Men trained in the arts of deception and death. But now that they've struck, they vanished back into the vast shadows of the Republic… with my gold and blood of the patricians still on their blades." Sulla's eyes hardened. "And you failed to find any worthwhile information on them. I should have your head for such failure. Now who knows how much longer they shall continue to plague us, all because of you. So, Vitus, I ask you this, what do you plan to do once you seize these Assassins?"
The wounded face of Tiberius flashed in his mind, then the once jovial face of Herennius with his throat slashed had appeared next, the smiling form of his cousin Statius as well, then the agony of the bleeding Proculus, and finally the horror-filled pits that resided within Titia's eyes—all those images twirled around in his head.
He clenched his hands, "On the Black Stone, I shall kill them all! They attacked my family, those who hold my blood and my name; they attacked them! I shall never forget that, Sulla! So if you're going to have me killed, get it over with! I'm going to rise from the dead to get my vengeance! My legion will track them down and butcher them like-like… like worms! And you shall not stop me!"
Sulla bolted to his feet with surprising alacrity. "Fuck me, Vitus. So all it took was your clan being attacked personally for you to channel this rage? This is the fire I need in my subordinates! This! Hold on to that flame of vengeance, Vitus. When we find these wretched bastards, we shall bring them all to a deserved end. But take a moment and think. Do you even know where to strike?"
Vitus stared at him, but had no good answer. "No…"
"I figured as much. Stay your army until we know where to attack. I've been staring at this map relentlessly, trying to pinpoint where they could be skulking about."
"Sulla, you know more about them than you let on." The Dictator gave him a sharp glare. Vitus continued, "Upon divulging about their history, you made it seem their ranks were around twenty to thirty men. Yet based on these reports from hitting every male member of the Three Families, with at least two assassins, and their casualty reports; they have to had numbered in the hundreds."
Sulla sipped his wine, his eyes not leaving the young Julii. "Sulla, tell me, how many of them are there?"
He exhaled in mild irritation, "At last count when they were active, their numbers were around two hundred."
"Two—?!" Vitus stopped, quickly rubbing his mouth with his palm in a groan. "Facts you could not mention when you gave me the mission to investigate Murio?!"
"Facts that would have not mattered! Your mission was to determine their whereabouts. When they were deactivated, their numbers were in the hundreds. I had assumed that… they would leave such shadowy profession behind. We all did. But upon seeing their strength during the Bloody Ides… I was… we were careless." It seemed that even admitting such had caused him great discomfort. "Such mistakes shall not befall me again. But from what I gathered, at least a hundred of their men perished in these attempts. They cannot launch another attack like this again, I know it in my soul. Now all we must do is track them down and destroy them once and for all."
"Have you checked within Rome?"
"Of course I have!" he snapped. "Do you believe I was born yesterday? I have my soldiers roaming through every damn alley from the Temples of the Palatine to the gutters of the Lower Aventine. I placed a bounty on them for any citizen that reports their whereabouts. Currently no leads have been found. I have Vigiles roaming the countryside for any news or evidence of Arcani strongholds within the peninsula. We will find these cunts, I swear it. Wine!"
A slave sheepishly poured the Dictator another cup. He drank half of it and growled gutturally, "First they try to kill me, then they seize my coffers, and then they seek to annihilate the most noble families in my Republic. Those Arcani… if only," he raised his wrinkled hand in the air, "if only I could hold their fragile throats in my hand and in one swift motion…" he suddenly clenched his hand tightly. He roared like an animal. "Plague, death, and blame… how much more can Jupiter fuck my ass from on high?!" He continued to finish his cup of wine.
"Your Excellence!"
A courier bowed as he entered the room and approached Sulla with a sealed letter. Sulla cracked it and promptly began to read. His tense and weary eyes began to soothe. Sulla nodded with a proud smirk. "Very good. You are dismissed, courier." He looked back at the letter, "This is very good indeed. Jupiter, apologies for my previous comment."
"Sulla?" Vitus asked.
"Vitus, I have eyes everywhere on the peninsula, and my sight stretches far into the sea as well. This parchment says that a Scipio is currently sailing his way back to Capua from the war in Egypt. I do not know if he seeks to assume governorship of the capital, but I must have an account from him. He is apparently a day away from the port. I need you to ride to Capua as soon as possible and bring him to Rome so I may speak with him about the Scipii casualties."
Another errand from Sulla? Is he serious?! And to the Scipii capital no less? I am a general, not a courier! "Sulla…"
"Vitus, I have no other person in Rome that I trust. You hold more security with your guards than any courier. This is for the safety of the entire Republic! I must stay in Rome with my legions to keep this peace. All knowledge that I hold are from letters, I rather hear the news from a live tongue. Ride to Capua, immediately. Find whatever Scipio is present within that city. That is my order! Do not anger me now, or the Arcani's attempt on your life shall be the least of your worries…"
It was so good to finally finish this chapter, I hate when my work stagnates. I do hope I still get Sulla's personality and character right with his bipolar mood swings. I don't really tend to write about real life people, but if I do, I want to do them justice and get as realistic as possible.
Thank you for reading.
-Kanuro5
