The Eagles of Avalon

Spothisto: I think Romulus will pack his bags for Campania again.

TC Pilot: Thanks a bunch, man. It's very gratifying to hear that and I'm glad you enjoyed the latest storyline.

von Adler: Oh, of course, I certainly won't leave out an arrival in Rome.

Lord E: Thanks, sir! You know, I love leaving plenty of loose ends so that the story doesn't really conclude.

Fulcrumvale: Well, in a lot of those 27 months, I took breaks or posted slowly. If I was posting more regular I could've gotten this far much sooner but sometimes you need those breaks to recharge yourself. The more I write this, the more I get sucked in until I love it so much, I don't want to stop, hehe.

Darks63: Thanks, I'm actually planning to step back, plot out characters, organizations, etc. before I move into part 3. I want to have an idea on what things to take into account.

VILenin: Very true, most of the villains in this story have that problem.

alex994: I'm tempted to say I had the father die just to avoid having to go back to him. But I need to find at what point I said it. Reminds me, thanks to you I went all the back to Remus' first meeting with Selenus. Who could've known, two years ago, that this was a meeting of two great Roman generals, one a future emperor.

"Remus scoffed and pushed him away though still brandishing his weapon. ”Who in Hades are you?!? And who or what is Peperna?!?”

Now the young man looked embarrassed. ”My…my cow. Oh, father’s going to be so angry. This is the third time this week. I have to find her or I’m done for.” He looked around anxiously, scarcely noticing Remus’ stunned expression."

Hah, couldn't resist. A long ways from the cow and CatKnight.

Fulcrumvale: Speaking of which...

May 492

He had established his praetorium on the hill above Falerii, placing his command tent where the ancient Etruscan settlement had once lay. This was partly due to easing the sensibilities of the local magistrates but primarily for defense. Remus’ army might be unopposed in the Italian countryside and might outnumber the Roman garrison at least five to one, yet he would never abandon his instincts of caution and discipline. His army maintained a full camp each night, constructing the long stretches of wooden palisades and ditches wherever they stopped, only to dismantle these in the morning. It was a hard discipline that had been Claudius’ hallmark for the past few years in Italia, and Remus had emulated it whole-heartedly when he had assumed command of the combined army.

Falerii was founded by the Etruscans and was conquered by the Roman Republic at the end of the First Punic War in 241 BC. To move the settlement closer towards the Tiber and on to the newly built Via Flaminia, the town was moved down into the valley below, away from the more defensible hillside. Thus, Remus could adopt a strong position without imposing too much on the inhabitants below. An imposition it would be, however, and it was all that the military statorii could do to police the legions camped nearby. The lure of the local women and their charms, as well as the rich latifundia laden with foods and wine, was too much to overcome sometimes. Remus felt chagrined at the need for such sensitivity but Selenus had quickly advised him that the better he treated the towns along the march to Rome, the better his reception when he reached the capital. This was a quiet settlement, however, primarily known for its trade in olive oil and timber. Its most important role was that it was one of the nearest towns of note some eight leagues northeast of Rome.


The march south from Mediolanum to Rome had resembled a procession rather than a campaign maneuver. Keeping a tight hand on his men, Remus had brought a large portion of the vast army he now commanded, the better to make his impression felt in Rome and to cow any possible hope of resistance. Thus, leaving most of the Dalmatian and Italian contingents to keep an eye on the northern frontier, he had taken almost twenty thousand troops along the Via Aemelia to Ariminum and thence southwest along the Via Flaminia. For the present, he had left their military organizations intact, so that there was his Gallic army in its multam formations, the main Roman army once commanded by Suomar and now Claudius, and finally the a portion of the Dalmatian and Italian units, brought to give a place of honor to both in the final march on Rome. Aurelinus was given command of this force. Once Rome was taken and his rule assured, there would be many changes in the military structure.

The northern army, perhaps five thousand men, Remus gave over to the Comes Viator, whom he met just briefly before turning south. The man was a vaunted tactician and Remus regretted not having enough time to talk more. But it was clear that he would have a very useful role in the coming regime. His services could not be forgotten and Remus was already planning a position of great prominence when he fully took power.

Word of his approach had apparently spread to Rome faster than his men could march. With the size of his army, the usual pace could not be maintained due to the vast baggage train brought to prevent too much wasting of the local farmsteads. The siege train he had left in Mediolanum to improve his mobility. No town made the mistake of resisting and almost all of them sent out parties of notables and local officials, welcoming him, assuring him of their personal loyalty, lambasting Romulus and his corrupt government, and providing tactful gifts of foodstuffs, horses, money, etc. Remus was appreciative but resentful of the time it took to properly receive each one. Selenus was insistent, however. And it wasn’t just local visitors that came to see him. Occasional notables from Rome itself slipped away from the city in defiance of Romulus’ watchful eye and came to the general they deemed to be their next likely ruler. Like the locals, they too kow-towed to him, feeling him out for mercy and, once assured that they weren’t going to perish or be punished outright, began sounding out patronage, even going as far as pointing out the truly disloyal and offering their services for information. Remus grew weary of it all and only Selenus restrained him from refusing any more audiences. Most of the Roman escapees were middle-ranking bureaucrats, for no Senator had yet been tempted to see him. This would change the closer he got to Rome and he didn’t need Selenus to tell him this.

Remus didn’t quite agree with Selenus’ insistence that this was a political march as well as a military one. It had come to a head at Ocriculum a few days before, when a rider had been seen into his presence that night, clutching a missive from a prominent Senator in Rome. Selenus had heard of this Regulus though Remus was woefully lacking in his knowledge of Roman politics. After the death of Markus, he had largely given up on the factionalism he had seen. They had argued stiffly about the request to halt outside the city and give the Senate time to work. The Senators in this group promised an end to Romulus without a need for a military attack. The names meant nothing to Remus who had no idea how much influence this Regulus controlled. Or Decius, or whomever. He wanted to get into Rome and grab little Romulus by the neck. If he didn’t kill him, he still wished to throw the fool a vast distance. In person. Selenus, however, pleaded with him to heed this message.

”It will decide how you enter Rome, as a conqueror or as an emperor. If you conquer Rome, how can you truly lead it? What Empire will truly love its leader if its taken by force?”

Remus had laughed with scorn. ”If you think I would be the first emperor to take control with force, you’re less of a scholar than I thought. Come now, the very weakness of Rome comes from the failure of emperors to take a hard stance. I can’t afford to bend now. I can put my army into Rome the day after the tomorrow and then I’ll deal with the Senate.”

Selenus was silent for a time and turned to Claudius, who shook his head, clearly wanting out of this political discussion. He whipped back to Remus, his eyes shining. ”You’re on a stage greater than you know, Remus. Everyone is watching, not just in Rome. They’re watching in Constantinople, Carthage, Lugdunum, and Toulouse. They want to see how you take power, what legitimacy you have. Legitimacy, Remus, matters as much as military strength. Anastasius still holds the old regalia, for instance, the ones sent away by Odoacer years before. He’ll be far more open to you than he ever would to Romulus…”

”----because of my army---“

”Yes, because of your army. But that can change quickly if you use the army as a blunt instrument, without finesse. Then the Emperor won’t respect your army. He’ll fear it. And he’ll set himself against you. And he’s not the only one.”

”I don’t care if the tribes fear me. They should.”

Selenus tried to relax, failing miserably. It wasn’t a bitter fight, but a row between ideas, principles. Remus had shed his reverence of traditions when Varic’s knife had flashed, however. He had tried the veneer of respectability when he had placed Romulus back on the throne, a mistake he would never make again. From now on, he would have direct control. He looked at Selenus, who was perspiring. The sight of his earnestness was telling, but neither did he want to relent.

”If you could give the Senators a week---“, Selenus began.

”Three days,” Remus barked, before he had even considered his words. ”Three days, Selenus. And that is all. I’ll halt at the next settlement, which is---“ he turned to Claudius.

”Falerii, general.”

”Yes, Falerii. I’ll halt the legions there. The cavalry will invest the city and control all routes of access. Claudius, I want you to take the Calor and move against Ostia. I’ll give the Senators three days, but if they fail or if Romulus has any ideas, I will break the city and end this. You tell them that. You tell this…Regulus.”

Selenus nodded, partially satisfied, but well aware that this concession was the best he could hope for and indeed, more than he had feared he would get. He nodded politely and left the room when Remus dismissed him.

He leaned back on his chair, staring absently at a point behind Claudius, without really looking at him. He felt exhausted and invigorated at the same time, as if purpose was driving his body to places he had not thought possible. He had so much to do, so much to prepare, and he knew he had to do it all himself. If the Senate wanted their appearances, fine. They could even be useful. But he would never relax the iron hand. He would take Rome in his grasp, though he would not yet squeeze…for Selenus’ sake.