Lucius Alden,

  ‘Bloody Tiger’

  Lord Lucius Aldenus the third,

  Praetor Maximus,

  Legatus ‘Omnis Legionis’

  King Lucius III

  Alden Sands Road

  Part I

  -The Aqueduct-

  

  3rd Legion

  

  (Abbreviated | III LEGIO, Bloody Third, Old Sister, Lucius Legion, ‘Scarlet Legion’, Double L. Also LL, III-LG)

  Panthera Tigris | Reddish bronze and gold standard representing the head of a snarling Blacktiger, very similar to Regia’s gold non-snarling banner, the royal Aldenus family crest and the First Legion’s emblem used in banners and armour. After 193 the banners and armours changed to use the more easy to mass-produce IIILG logo, leaving only the officers and the First Cohort still using the more difficult to maintain tiger embroidery and engravings (mainly on the shoulder guards). It remained present on the crimson shields though throughout the campaign and is being used also on liturgical symbols today.

  Organizational chart*

  During the interim peace years

  From 195 NC

  (Overall strength ~4018?*

  -Legio general staff not included, supply train personnel not included)

  -2800 legionnaires,

  ~1298? other units

  (350? mixed cavalry, ~300 heavy Slingers, 290? Scouts and Rangers, 300 Engineers, 58 medics)

  Legatus Augustus* omnis Legionis | Lucius ‘Bloody Tiger’ Aldenus –also Praetor Maximus after 191 NC, King Lucius after 193. *To differ from the Governor ‘Legatus Proparetore’ rank Macrinus of Greater Kas had started using.

  Lucius didn’t personally lead the Legion after late 194 with Consul Veturius taking that role and Tribune Trupo acting as the day-to-day commander, until the unit was split up to serve in various missions.

  Aide de Legatus Legionis | Late Marc Gripa’s position remained vacant for a while. Acting as Aide de Legatus Legionis in the field, was Director Ramirus.

  Consul, also (Legatus Honoraris) | Galio ‘Old Oak’ Veturius. Never officially received his ranks during the campaign but it is assumed the promotion –to Legatus initially- came from an anecdotal King Lucius’ direct quote in public. He was paid as a Tribune for years and later a full Legatus salary, which is as accurate as the official roster & ranks list. Again promoted unofficially for a while to his final rank of ‘Consul’ of the Quadrumvirate/Tetrarchy or its respected Mediator. Acting Governor of Storm’s Rest. The Consul’s original armour was so heavy with all the decorations he had received from Lucius, Galio had it secured on a stand in his office as a prop. The Legion’s quartermaster officially proposed in a letter –still disputed whether it was a jest or not- that a soldier should be tasked with following the Consul and carrying around the heavily laden armour in a permanent posting, but Galio turned down the suggestion as ‘ludicrous’ and fined his good friend Ramsey Kolt a week’s pay for ‘poor judgement’ and an additional three weeks for cluttering the army’s ‘official channels with nitwitted gags and buffoonery.’ Thus the Consul had rounded up the fine to help the unamused quartermaster –Ramsey Colt- easily calculate the total sum Ramsey had to charge to his own person.

  Galio Veturius remained the most respected high-ranking officer in the III Legio and the soul of the army until the end of his life. He served a full term of twenty-five years in the First Legion initially and retired with honors plus a Centurion’s pension. Notably had volunteered as a lowly-guard in the city of Alden, from where Lucius picked him up before leaving for the North. He officially came out of retirement to start a new full term with the Third Legion from which he famously never retired, as he refused to read his discharge papers at the end of his second term.

  Reached the rank of centurion twice in the Legions and was named first a Tribune -without being a noble. (He was from a prominent family though. A privilege he’d lost due to his ancestor’s actions and he regained it through his service later in life), later a Legatus and finally Regia’s first Consul in two centuries. Quadrumvirate’s Mediator. Without a doubt the closest high-ranking officer to Lucius (with the addition of Marcus-Antonius later) and an immovable part of his inner circle.

  Tribune | Varus ‘The Book’ Trupo (Lesia. Baron Trupo’s of Flauegran, disinherited second son. One of the three powerful Wine Barons.) Also Scribe de legionis and its military historian. A member of Lucius inner circle. Later a Quadrumvir alongside Sula, Macrinus and Merenda.

  2nd Prefect | Julius Draco (Whitetiger, Regia. Son of Baron Vibius, the Duke’s Shield. A strict training officer that excelled in the 2nd part of the 18 months campaign.)

  3rd Prefect (of engineers) | Potis Durio (Lastport, Lesia. the fourth Durio of distant Lastport to reach the rank of Prefect in a Legion and the second to do it whilst serving with the Legion’s Engineers after his great-grand uncle Tito Durio. Decorated officer. The road connecting Anorum with Cartagen bears his name. Credited for constructing the official buildings and walls of Storm’s Rest. Served in the Legions (First & Third) from 186 until 210. After his retirement in 210 aged forty-five he moved to Armium and served as a minister of Public Works for the throne of Lesia.)

  4th Prefect | Placus Lepidus (Highly decorated officer and trainer. Thrice recipient of the Golden Phalera, a decoration for soldiers fighting in the frontline. One of the Third’s most respected and skilled officers. Very influential. A masterful attacker and veteran of multiple engagements. Had been with the 3rd Cohort since its inception. Lepidus had formed for years a very-successful duo with late Centurion Falx leading the 3rd Cohort, until the latter was killed fighting Regulus at Ligur’s east flank in the battle of Mercator’s Inn.)

  Optio (of Cavalry) Jago Davy. (A Nord from Maza Burg. Gold Phalera recipient.)

  Centurion (of Medics) | Dottore Silvio Marianus (Decorated for bravery in the field. Later Regia’s Royal Dottore.)

  LID officer – but also 1st Prefect (of General’s Staff when aide de Legatus Legionis) | Director Vibius ‘Vulture’ Ramirus, (Legion Intelligence Department). A centurion equivalent rank in the registry. A member of Lucius inner circle and an extremely powerful figure in Regia’s politics. Ramirus stopped traveling with the Legion after establishing offices for the agency in most cities, but followed the unit when the King was present.

  Aide de LID officer –LID officer | Centurion Severus (Acted as first LID officer when Ramirus wasn’t present.)

  Sirio Veturius. Former LID agent. Royal Scribe. (Accepted a government position in the Capital to be near his pregnant wife). Very old family of historians and officers. The III Legio Tribune’s nephew. Infamous Lord Nattas’ son in law through marriage. A later prominent historian who wrote extensively about the turbulent period mainly from Regia’s and the Praetor’s perspective. It soured his relationship with many prominent lords. A known Luciophile, his writings are not widely accepted as accurate especially beyond the Shallow Sea (mostly in the Khanate) and parts of Jelin, but he’s considered a superb source for the period from most academics regardless of that. Curiously Sirio is rumored to be Queen Lussiel’s (an alleged towering academic herself) favorite historian for his acerbic prose despite being critical of Wetull’s policies in his writings.

  Quartermaster | Ramsey Kolt, also Keeper of the Purse. Served in Lucius’ administration after his retirement as a Master of Coin.

  Panthera Tigris Signifer | Brim ‘Stout’ Solomon (Lesia). Emblematic military standard officer. ‘Wherever the Third has traveled’ was the well-used quote ‘Stout Brim has as well.’

  1st Cohort

  -Gold Standard, a square red banner shaped like a spear with an oak tree in gold depicted on it, for its first commander Galio Veturius.

  Monikers- Red, ‘Old’, Gold Oak’s, ‘Gata’

  Strength 850

  1st ‘Agricola’ Century

  Centurion, Primus Pilus| ‘Sturdy’ or ‘Baldie’ Brevis. A decorated, risen through the ranks officer. Gold Armillae (arm-band) with oak leaves and swords recipient for saving a unit from destruction twice. Mentioned in the dailies. -400 legionnaires (in four 100-strong Maniples)

  1st Decanus| Surus (first ‘Kato’ Maniple)

  2nd Decanus| Santiago ‘Jacob’ Scaro. A Cartagen academy educated recruit. The late Roderick Scaro’s kin. A loyal and landed Lorian family. Roderick had been King Alistair’s squire for decades, the late King’s aide and Lucius’ weapons teacher. (Second Maniple)

  3rd Decanus | Gurus (Third Maniple.)

  2nd Century Centurion| Venius ‘Caligula’ Gata. The late Primus Pilus’ Gata first cousin. -150 legionnaires (in three 50-strong Maniples)

  3rd Century Centurion| Artur Mangas (Nord. A decorated officer)

  4rth Century Centurion| Surus (Gold Phalera recipient. Maimed at Oldfort. Promoted to Centurion to take over for the KIA Servius Capito.)

  2nd Cohort

  -Gold Standard

  (Monikers Blue, ‘Sula’)

  Strength 650

  1st Century (previously 2nd of the First Cohort –old moniker Mark-Antony’s lads-)

  Centurion| ‘Mangled’ Mede, Nord. Famous one-eyed, half-mask wearing legionnaire, risen through the ranks. A gold Phalera recipient for acts of bravery for a record of six times. Cited for misconducts multiple times through his earlier years. Mentioned in the Legion’s Report multiple times. Late Centurion Kato’s friend.

  Decanus Tertius (transferred with Mede from the 1st Cohort)

  Decanus Titus Afer (2nd Maniple)

  Decanus Lar Polus (3rd Maniple)

  2nd Century Centurion| Josi Vala – 150 legionnaires (in three 50-strong Maniples)

  3rd Century Centurion| Ardi Damian

  4rth Century Centurion| Spurius Dio

  3rd Cohort

  (Moniker Purple, ‘Lucky’, ‘Falx & Lepidus’)

  Strength 650

  1st Century Centurion| Dilus Gratus (Picked by the promoted to Prefect Lepidus to lead the century) -200 legionnaires (in four 50-strong Maniples)

  Decanus Marius Virilis (Cartagen) – 1st Maniple

  Decanus Velus Balbus (Anorum) – 2nd

  Decanus Pansa (Anorum) – 3rd

  Decanus Vidrix (Anorum) -4th

  2nd Century Centurion| Donlon (Decorated, risen through the ranks, officer. Promoted and transferred from the 1st Cohort. Another of Lepidus picks.)

  3rd Century Centurion| Julius Sepofa

  4rth Century Centurion| Jorgen Osmond

  4rth Cohort

  (Monikers Kas, ‘the young’, Macrinus Lads)

  Strength 650

  1st Century Centurion| Sextus Silvius - 200 legionnaires (in four 50-strong Maniples)

  2nd Century Centurion| Keegan Dixon (Kas) - 150 legionnaires (in three 50-strong Maniples)

  3rd Century Centurion| Jason Gordon (Kas)

  4rth Century Centurion| Kaleb White (Kas)

  Legio Scouts

  Centurion| ‘No arms’ Slag. (A highly decorated officer and trainer.)

  Decanus | Phil Owens. (A Nord.)

  Not with the unit always but acting as trainers.

  Centurion Kiri Dosser

  Decanus Placus

  Decanus Goff

  Legio Cavalry

  Also ‘Long sabers’ a wordplay for their famed commander and the ‘four-legged legionnaires.’

  Optio | Jago Davy. Decorated Nord officer. Served under the legendary Tribune (posthumous rank) Kent ‘Thin Knees’ Long and was one of the few survivors of the latter’s unit.

  Decurion | Marc O’Halloran.

  Sir Flavius Nasica (Croton, on loan from Bernard Holt and Duke Holt after spring of 193. Not with the Third after 195 NC as he stayed in the Capital near Queen Monica.)

  Legio Slingers

  Centurion| Mamercus ‘Unhurried’ Sorex (A decorated officer. Part of the Praetor’s inner circle and friend for years.)

  Decanus | Bill Wallace (Nord)

  Decanus | Jeb Lynch

  Beth ‘Wolvesbane’

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Legio Engineers

  Prefect (of engineers) | Potis Durio (overseeing Storm’s Rest construction)

  Centurion (of engineers) | Toni Drano (Lesia, recently promoted. Cited for misconduct.)

  Legio Medics

  Centurion (of medics) | Dottore Silvio Marianus

  2nd Dottore | Riminus

  Detailed:

  Legion Scouts

  & Rangers’

  (Also ‘the barbarians’, Kaeso’s gang)

  Overall strength ~290+ warriors and rangers

  ~200 from Lady Faye Alden’s warband (40-60 joined after Oras Navel under Ned O’ Farrell)

  -various mixed units of fighters,

  Mainly heavy axemen, but also swordsmen- under the overall command of famed Logan ‘Gray’ Barret and the half-giant ‘Hulking’ Layton. (Mentioned eight times in the dailies, the Legion’s detailed reports when in campaign. Cited ‘verbally’ for several misconducts multiple times after that, mainly excessive hunting of the King’s deer, public drunkenness, quarrels and ‘mild’ looting of the capital’s markets, which the throne usually stepped in to reimburse with a royal decree. Some killings were exempt and were dealt with internally.)

  When the majority of the unruly unit (warband) was called upon to receive their medals for their major contributions in Lucius’ campaigns and loyalty, most of them asked for more gold instead, with Logan refusing outright but settling for a load of ‘good blades’ and the gullible Layton asking for a herd of milk cows since ‘metal hurt his teeth’, which the army quartermaster readily provided, much to the amusement of the prominent Lorians attending the event.

  Featured several ‘named’ Northmen warriors like ‘uncouth’ Torcal MacCee, Adam ‘Jaws’ Hough, Ned O’ Farrell and briefly the brothers O’ Dolan, Cole and Aiden from the distant Rifjordal. The latter were both killed at Oldfort within a day. It must be noted here that the unit was oath-sworn to Red Faye and kept receiving skilled new fighters every season from Fetya, mainly the distant Blonden province, more specifically the remote Iron Mountain’s Numre Burg (meaning Numbers in old Nordic) from where her warband hailed from. Moved to the Capital and famously set up a camp inside the Palace’s extensive gardens. Their red banner resembled a square Legion standard and had the old Lorian numeral ‘L’ on it under a gold diadem, for number fifty and in honor of the Northern Queen.

  Around 100 Rangers (Some Nords, but mostly Anorum, Cartagen recruits. The unit was still rebuilding at the Battle of the Lorian Plains. The unit was destroyed completely and then rebuilt from scratch after the end of the campaign.)

  Under Centurion | ‘No arms’ Slag. (A Nord. Had joined as a teenager. Recipient of the Corona Vallaris and two gold Phalerae for extreme bravery. Honorably received his full retirement sum and yearly pension early, plus land in Storm’s Rest, but opted to remain with the Third Legion. One of four rangers to survive the battle. Famously trampled under a warhorse’s hooves twice during the engagement as he stood up after the first pass. Crippled in both arms –lost the left and had screws bolted in to his right- after the penultimate engagement at the Lorian Plains, but stayed after he recovered as trainer and strategist.)

  Decurion | Phil Owens (acting commander)

  Other officers and trainers included the other three survivors, namely Centurion (retired) Kiri Dosser and officers ‘Ugly’ Placus and ‘Blind’ Goff, serving as trainers after they recovered from their injuries. Dosser and his group were released from the Legion after receiving full pension. The trio worked as bounty hunters on Jelin after that traveling the whole continent.

  Legion Cavalry

  Strength 250 (-350?) mixed riders. The unit returned to Storm’s Rest after a brief stay in the capital and then used in the cleaning up operations from Oras Navel to Anorum. (Nords mainly but also 150 recruits from Anorum after 194 NC and from then on.)

  Included thirty men & women of Praetor Maximus’ entourage usually though those they stayed in the capital with Lucius.

  (The attached around a 100 men-at-arms under Sir Flavius Nasica of Croton were transferred to the Palace’s guards since the winter of 195 NC. Sir Nasica had kept receiving reinforcements from Asturia for years, mainly skilled riders wanting to follow the action initially and later serve in a prestigious –and lucrative- posting near the Asturia Queen to support their families.)

  Queen Faye Alden (Nord) –not active after Krakenfort and she spent most of her time in the rear or with her warband after 192 NC. She was pregnant to Ralph Alden the third, during the final battles of the campaign. She remained in Cartagen after that-

  Optio | Jago Davy (Nord)

  Legion Slingers

  (Attached short range unit

  – Semi-autonomous, usually deployed by the Legatus.

  Only unit employing women and men under sixteen)

  (Strength fluctuating during the campaign due to casualties, usually ~300 men and women.)

  Centurion | Mamercus Sorex

  Decanus Jeb Lynch (Maza Burg)

  Decanus Bill Wallace

  Legion Engineers

  (Leather aprons, ‘Bestia’)

  Stationed in Storm’s Rest since the winter of 195 NC

  200 Legio Engineers (about thirty percent of them from Lesia)

  + 100 apprentices (engineers, blacksmiths and carpenters included)

  Legio Medics

  10 Dottore and surgeons

  ~50 nurses

  Around two thousand five hundred civilians (some soldier families), merchants and technicians (Civilian blacksmiths, carpenters, laborers, Armorers, hunters, trappers, whores, musicians etc.) following in the supply train. At least three hundred and fifty (350) various-sized carriages and wagons carrying mostly foodstuff, cots, leather tents, precut wood, tools and weapons – at least thirty two (32) pre-built war machines, including twenty-four Scorpios, seven Catapults of mixed munition, a long range Trebuchet and an unspecified variety of siege engines - among other things.

  ** The 1st Century of the 2nd Cohort under Mede stayed in Cartagen and in the Palace’s grounds with Lucius. Redeployed in Novesium in the first month of 195 NC to assist with the typhus epidemic as part of Dottore Epolonius’s relief effort. The famed medical scholar and King Alistair’s personal Dottore was to lose his own life trying to save as many people as he could. Epolonius did a remarkable job in stopping the disease from spreading. He also kept the official casualties to a stunningly low number, even if the latter feat along other parts of the incident, are heavily disputed today by the victims’ families. Hundreds of Lorians lost relatives living in Novesium or visiting the city, with no explanation on what really happened to them.

  *** The Third Legion was stationed in Storm’s Rest during 195 NC to help in the various constructions there under Prefect Potis Durio. Most of its leadership (Consul Veturius, Tribune Trupo, Director Ramirus etc. stayed with Lucius as his advisors.)

  **** Various units were used to keep control of Oras Navel or escort caravans. Also to control the wilderness towards Anorum or around the rapidly growing Storm’s Rest, especially after Novesium’s refugees were redirected there from the capital during the ‘Spring of Malady’.

  ***** The 3rd Cohort under Prefect Lepidus followed King Lucius to Goldwall Peaks in the summer of 195 NC as Mede’s 2nd was busy in Novesium.

  -

  

  While the big kingdoms of Kaltha (both the rivals Queen Elsanne and the High Regent), the Khanate, Lesia and even rebuilding Wetull, had to navigate a series of bloody conflicts during the first six months of 195 NC (with Kaltha and the Khanate fighting a series of crucial battles), King Lucius’ Greater Regia had only Merenda’s foray to worry about and no other military engagements. Peace had come to Regia after 194 NC and the winter of the two Kings.

  While the untimely demise of Alistair II (with all pointing to a murder) and the arrest of Duke Sissena Brakis for treason and regicide had raised the political temperature briefly, the grieving Lucius had crashed his internal enemies before the year was out. With Brakis and Ursus imprisoned, the King’s biggest problem that year (personal tragedies aside) was instead the ‘Spring of Malady’, a deadly outbreak of Typhoid fever in Novesium. Even so, by early summer the matter had been contained and despite rumors of a higher number of casualties sustained to locals by what Governor Nattas and Mayor Reganus had reported, Lucius decided to turn his attention on Nipius Bonosus’ desert road.

  The Master of Public Works, architect and sculptor Bonosus had finished work on Oras Navel after eight years in 193 NC, connecting via his Tunnel Pass the Green Plains and Canlita’s Sea Islandport with the New Legion Road coming from the capital, and also the far eastern territories of Anorum with Durio’s Road and Storm’s Rest. Nipius had relocated west to Goldwall Peaks and Aldenfort’s marble quarry village where he had begun opening a new tunnel path through the mountains to connect Golden Plains’ steppe with the desert of Alden Sands. The work had been co-funded by Duke Holt, Baron Reynard Alden up until the marble quarry, with Lucius footing the rest of the bill.

  Nipius made it out of the mountain and into the desert in late winter of 195 NC, but his tunnel pass was too narrow to be of use to wagons. The local stone hard and difficult to work with despite the nearby marble quarries’ crews proficiency on working with boulders. Even so, Bonosus started working on the road itself next, using initially gravel and then a mixture of cement called concrete to lay down six kilometers of road out of Goldwall Peaks. The crews had to stop soon after as the further one ventured from the mountain (and the few springs located there) the more difficult it was to work under the desert sun. This was the second problem Bonosus faced (after the narrow mountain tunnel pass) and he wrote to Robart Holt (managing the Kingdom’s finances) and the Consul to request more funds and engineers from the army to continue work into the summer.

  Lucius decided to travel there from Two Rivers Castle, in what was a difficult journey through the desert that took him a month, despite bringing a cohort and three caravan’s worth of supplies with him. When asked on the matter, Lucius replied that with Durio busy constructing Storm’s Rest, he was the kingdom’s next most qualified architect and engineer available.

  A modest statement, as Bonosus and Durio immediately agreed that the King was far better at the job than both of them. It prompted a peeved Consul Veturius to instruct a scathing letter to be written to Bonosus for ‘luring the good King into the desert at his time of grief’ and to suggest that the next time Nipius found himself in need of diggers ‘you should perhaps grab a pickaxe and learn to swing it yourself, irregardless of the King’s skill with it. The king so happens to be the best swordsman in Regia also,’ Galio had finished the letter ‘but we have refrained from using him in the frontlines.’

  -

  A day after the ides of Septimus 195 NC (16th)

  Goldwall Peaks mountain range south-facing edge

  Alden Sands Desert

  The 3rd Cohort under Centurion Gratus and the newly-promoted Prefect Lepidus finish setting up a Castrum near Nipius Bonosus tunnel, after traveling on the latter’s road for the final five kilometers of their journey.

  Publica Regia cautiones nititur et ludis insanis indulget, ‘Tacitus’ wrote sixty six years before the start of the New Calendar. Cyprian of the Aldenus, the ‘enlightened’ man behind the moniker, evoked a previous era whilst writing about the end of the Bronze Age he had personally witnessed. The age of Myth and Heroes. Of ethos and great deeds. Mysteries. Of the warrior god Laran ‘who marched with all his units, but for Latinius Macer’s cohort, through the shimmering gates to reach Jelin. The land of dwarves, giants and Jotnar.’

  “Regia’s public strives in assurances and indulges in crazy games,” Lucius told the tanned from the summer sun and the desert’s fine dirt Prefect Placus Lepidus, who watched the men of the 2nd Century under Centurion Donlon march towards the tunnel’s mouth over the white-concrete road. “But appreciates public works also, Di Cresta used to teach,” he added, when the stern officer didn’t react to his words.

  “Sir,” Lepidus nodded stiffly, the legion helm shining brightly from the desert sun burning over their heads. The officer had just finished polishing it. “The men will need more water.”

  “I second that milord. The heat makes the soldiers edgy,” Mamercus Sorex added, the sturdy Centurion of Slingers’ skin was even more caked in dirt and bronzed from the sun than Lepidus’, but with his helm still covered in dust. “Beth shot Decanus Wallace last night during her watch with a rock. Cracked his head open.”

  “Good grief! Is he dead?” Lucius snapped.

  “Twas a small crack sire.”

  “The reason?” Lucius asked with a frown.

  “Indecent approach?” Mamercus replied with a query. “Wallace denies it.”

  “Can’t you place her in a different post?”

  “She’s my best slinger,” Mamercus grimaced.

  “Is that so? Wallace was lucky it appears,” Lucius commented not wanting to interfere with the Centurion’s running of his unit.

  “Aye. She patched him up right after,” Mamercus added puffing out.

  “Lepidus, I’ll speak with Bonosus about redirecting some water to our men,” Lucius assured the Prefect and with a last glance at the sweating Mamercus walked towards the pavilion Ramirus had erected under a hemp-fabric canopy to deal with the kingdom’s correspondence. Sir Aesop Sabinus and Sir Roman Valgus, marching right after the King of Regia, with Sabinus’ carrying Lucius helm. After a brief exchange with Mamercus, Prefect Lepidus followed as well. They probably still argue about where the slingers should sleep, Lucius thought. Lepidus didn’t want Mamercus’ mixed group inside the 3rd Cohort’s Castrum, but had to give up a barrack for them in the end, which Mamercus in turn had described to Lucius as ‘a right barn’.

  “My liege,” Ramirus greeted Lucius, who sat in a field chair and used a towel to wipe some of the sweat from his also tanned face. The trimmed beard moist and itchy after weeks on the road.

  “I should have asked Galio to come along,” Lucius said breathing out and stretched his legs out. It was nice to be able to relax amidst the men, without having to stick to the palace protocol all the time. Faye would love to hear me admit to that, Lucius thought with a tired smile.

  “What is it this time, my lord?” Ramirus asked reading the reports Severus had brought him.

  “We need water,” Lucius replied. “And this is still a desert.”

  “Bonosus faced the same problem,” Ramirus noted.

  “Uhm,” Lucius gave a nod and stared at the mountains blocking their view of the horizon, then the busy entrance to Bonosus tunnel. The rich in quartz sandstone walls on each side rising high, fragmented by sharp slopes and crests, some cracks laced with vegetation, but mostly retaining their dainty golden color under the desert sun. “Where is Nipius?”

  “He’ll arrive shortly my lord,” Ramirus replied.

  “There are some small springs on the mountain,” Lucius said pursing his mouth.

  “High up the slopes,” Ramirus commented still reading the scrolls in front of him. “Huh. Someone tried to murder Sir Gust De Weer right after his wedding.”

  “Did he survive?”

  “That’s all we have sire.”

  “When was this?” Lucius asked and stooped forward in the chair to approach the table.

  “Last month,” Ramirus replied. “Rufius Valens report is dated… aye, that’s it. It was a bloody affair. Valens blames it on the rebel Queen. Damian Holt was also present.”

  “Antonius sent him?” Lucius probed thoughtfully.

  “It appears so. Sent the Queen a silver statuette of Uher as gift and all.”

  “Antonius?”

  “He was invited apparently. He sent Holt in his stead, but no report came from Damian. I’ll read the Legatus’ letters to see whether it is included.”

  “How could Antonius even come close to speak with Elsanne?”

  “The rebel Queen invited Baron Eman to her wedding sire,” Ramirus revealed, quickly reading Merenda’s letter. “But the Baron of Eagle’s Nest Castle declined for he had to attend his own daughter’s wedding. Lady Oline. So… hmm. I see.”

  Lucius narrowed his eyes not liking where this was going.

  “In order to placate the Queen, our Legatus sent her a gift, his warm wishes and Damian Holt,” Ramirus explained. “Almost didn’t work out for her.”

  “I have trouble believing anyone would willingly attack Gust at his wedding,” Lucius admitted. “Or anytime. Is the culprit dead?”

  “Yes. It was a sneaky attack,” Ramirus said with a frown. “Hmm.”

  “Anything else?” Lucius queried.

  “We also have the reports from Crimson Forest and an update from Novesium, but we can go over them later.”

  “Good.” Lucius breathed out. He had spotted Nipius Bonosus arrival with at least a dozen others, mostly scribes and engineers. “Let’s listen to Nipius first then,” he told Ramirus.

  “We managed to cut a corridor three meters in width at most,” Bonosus explained walking Lucius through the plans depicting the work done up to this point. “We can traverse it with horses... in about two hours your grace.”

  “You can’t widen it further?” Lucius asked rubbing at his forehead.

  “The local rock is treacherous. Sandstone. Harder at spots, porous at others. The brittle parts crumble if left unsupported and they could bring a portion of the tunnel walls down. We’ve have two long parts open to the air where a collapse could be handled, but an accident inside the tunnels might be catastrophic. The wider the passage, the more tricky to make it stable.”

  “Dwarves do it,” Lucius offered, trying to find a solution to the problem.

  “The dwarves work with granite and start small or inside pre-existing caves, your grace. We have to head at a straight line here, the topography doesn’t help.”

  “Wagons can’t traverse it,” Ramirus pointed out what was obvious to everyone. “So if a loaded caravan leaves Aldenfort it can go as far as the Marble Quarry entrance of your tunnel. Then what… leave their wagons behind, walk the rest of the way carrying their wares and get them on the return? Why, that’s ludicrous!”

  “Mules can traverse it,” Bonosus retorted.

  “This must be a merchant road,” Lucius noted.

  “Aye, your grace,” Bonosus agreed nervously.

  “We don’t have enough water,” Lucius added. “If no wagons can come through then this means more animals are needed. Animals need water at the near though and fodder.”

  “My King, I have rope-climbers bringing it from the mountain, but it’s a slow process,” Bonosus replied.

  “Expensive as well,” Ramirus grunted.

  “What’s the elevation?” Lucius asked walking at the edge of the shaded canopy to gaze at the nearby sharp mountain slopes.

  “The nearest spring is at eighty meters height,” Bonosus informed them, staring peeved at his silent assistants.

  “Great,” Ramirus snorted. “It at least explains the fatalities you reported Bonosus!”

  “You saved the sandstone the crews extracted during the dig?” Lucius asked waving for Ramirus to stop pressuring the architect.

  “We stored most of it in the warehouses of the marble quarry, my lord," Bonosus answered. “While they lack any significant value as a resource next to a marble vein, we could repurpose them to pave the tunnels we’ve carved through the mountain. The local magister is rather unhappy, claiming we've hindered his work.”

  “He’s getting paid. By the way, I can see the water trickling down the rock face, Nipius,” Lucius said sympathetically. “Sir Valgus, be so kind as to bring my horse closer. I’ll have a closer look.”

  “Cyrus Falx has prepared lunch for you, my lord,” Sir Valgus reminded him stiffly.

  “Inform our good Falx, I'll eat later. When on campaign the King shall lunch with the Legion,” Lucius replied in jest.

  “Your grace baptized the trip as an excursion to the Queen,” Sir Valgus noted.

  “Semantics, Sir Valgus,” Lucius retorted austerely and returned to the table to examine the plans Bonosus had presented. “Is this the topographical layout?” he inquired, picking up a thin piece of coal to sketch directly on the large sheet of velum.

  “Indeed sire. This depicts the southern fa?ade from the entrance to the spring. If I can point out to your grace, the scale is 1 to 500 for this one and 1 to 1000 for the other,” Bonosus explained, wiping the sweat from his brow with his thumb.

  Lucius raised his head to examine the flat terrain extending outwards from the base of the mountain. Measured the distance in his mind and then penciled a series of arcs, the first one touching the slopes and each one after that a tad smaller but in a straight line. Using a straight ruler he drew a line that touched the top of the semi-circles and ended up in a simple square at a steep angle about a hypothetical kilometer from the first arc.

  “My lord,” Bonosus said examining Lucius’ ever expanding drawing.

  “First you’ll build up this natural step to gather all the spring water,” Lucius explained. “Raise walls on both sides where you can, smooth out the terrain, then do the same higher up the mountain. The idea is to guide the water towards this new ‘lake’ where our intake would be placed.”

  Lepidus glanced at Lucius sketch and then at the mountain side.

  “The intake will lead to the covered channel above the arcs. The raised bridge will help bring the water to the distribution tank and fill it up,” Lucius continued.

  “An aqueduct,” Bonosus noted. “What will we use the water for?”

  “A town that could accommodate enough people and animals for those making the journey from Aldenfort or the Canlita ports,” Lucius elucidated. “This travel stop shall provide mules on the marble quarry side for the caravans in order to cross the narrow part of the mountain pathway. The merchants shall exchange them for wagons upon exiting the pass and reaching the town. They shall replenish their water and supplies for the final part of their journey. We don’t have an oasis at the near, but we can create one.”

  “The cost will be too great for the merchants,” Ramirus pointed out.

  “The mules shall be free of charge, unless they damage them. They shall pay for the services we provide on the other side. Since they’ll have to return the mules, everyone making the journey will be in dire need for wagons and supplies.”

  “You’ll build a town in the middle of the desert, my lord?” Bonosus queried unsure.

  People do it all the time for lesser reasons, Lucius thought.

  But the main one is always profit.

  “I’ll build a town less than three hours from the marble quarries on the other side of this mountain, if you get the water here for me Bonosus,” Lucius replied and stared in the architect’s eyes sincerely. “I’ve showed you how. Will you do that for me, Nipius?”

  “Aye sire,” Bonosus replied and stood up straighter, the bright sun making his eyes sparkle. “I shall build an aqueduct this summer.”

  And he did.