Fortified area of Bintus beach, Asians
Year 573
"Down!"
Cannon shots fell on the men hidden behind the wooden wall they had built as a barrier in the early hours of the morning, when a large fleet of ships from Bizanus arrived on the coast.
"Damn viceroyalty!" shouted Cneo Longino, praefectus of Bintus.
The ships, as soon as they reached the coast, began a terrible bombardment that destroyed all the nearby infrastructure.
When Longino received news of the attack, he hastened to call for help to general Iqab bin Saif, who was in Bintus with his legions: XII Jearo and VIII Kriksa, since he was looking at the possibility of starting a military incursion to the coasts of the viceroyalty of Bizanus, which, apparently, had beaten him to it.
Bin Saif took control of the situation, appointing Longino as consul of the VIII Kriksa and Ursus Asiático of the XII Jearo, who traveled to Bintus with the intention of seeking advice from Cneo on how to govern a city wisely. A short time ago, he had been made aware that he was to be appointed praefectus of the Asians capital, Lugrum.
With the legions ready, they marched swiftly to high ground, very close to the beach, where they erected basic walls.
"They are disembarking!" Longino saw, through an opening, how, from some of the boats, soldiers began to disembark.
Urso was also a spectator of the scene.
"Do we know who is in command of this operation?" He looked at Saif, knowing that the aforementioned was someone who was very well informed, thanks to his spies, of the situation in that viceroyalty.
"According to my contact in Bizanus, we are facing an army of a little more than twenty-five thousand men."
"And we, who distribute the soldiers of my legio in yours, have with luck fifteen thousand." Longino returned his gaze to both men. "What titles do these viceroys use?"
Saif sighed.
"The one we call cónsul, they call syntagma, and their strategos, is for us, I imagine, the general who under his command has two legions.
Longino and Urso looked at each other, incredulous at these terms.
Iqab pointed cautiously to the soldiers still descending from the ships.
"That is a grouping of five thousand soldiers under the command of, if the information I have received is not false, the syntagma Phronkos Ferdinandos Erbinides.
Now he pointed to those who were still at sea.
"Those are under the command of the strategoi Krígeros Óthōn Adolphides, Nóïos Ádēlos Matphridides.
"Well, what names they have." Longino leaned back against the wood, closing his eyes and thinking of a way to get out of the situation successfully.
"It seems that the viceroys have begun an offensive against us." Urso looked sideways at the army on the beach. "We lost Saracuna earlier this year, and now Bintus?"
"If the beach falls." Longino blanched. "All of Asians will fall along with it. We must do something to stop them."
They both turned to Iqab, who was the oldest, and therefore the most experienced in the field.
Saif looked down at the ground, biting his lips and clenching his fists, trying to think of a solution in his head.
"Forgive me, but we are going to die here." Iqab looked at them, watching as a terrified expression came over them.
Urso cursed, he would die when he was only a few days away from being able to take power over Lugrum. And even worse when he realized....
"Fuck, I didn't even say goodbye to my family."
Longino was more serene, unlike Urso, whose eyes had already watered, no one was waiting for him at home, he had nothing to lose.
Iqab saw this as the passage to, after having been in the service of the Empire for more than forty years, his longed-for rest.
Not even the altitude could help them, for the ships could rain down upon them a hail of cannon fire to support the charge of Phronkos' army.
"I have an idea!" Urso, who a few moments ago was lamenting his death, startled everyone around him with a shout full of emotion. "We must be the ones to charge against Phronkos!"
No one gave an opinion, their expressions became incredulous, frowning and twisting their heads, holding back the urge to call him an idiot for such an idea.
"Think about it! We all have experience here for having the experience of the tribal wars, or, for that matter, in the battles that took place at the-equipment of the New Year, right?"
Those present, still not so convinced, nodded in agreement.
"That means that we have more experience in the battlefield than they do." He pointed carefully to the army already formed on the beach. "Remember that the viceroyalties do not collaborate with each other in military matters, and the last war with them occurred in Itulis. This means that..."
"The soldiers of Bizanus have no combat experience whatsoever." Iqab finally intervened, understanding Urso's words.
"And if they bombard us?" Longino swallowed, supported by others nearby.
"They won't if we get close enough to the Phronkos army. They would run the risk of hitting their own men, and I'm sure they won't take that risk. It would give those running the operation a bad name."
And Asiático, seeing that those present were already more convinced by his idea, asked:
"So what do they say?"
Iqab smiled, looking sideways at the soldiers, looking at each other and nodding, as if they were communicating telepathically.
"Dirigens, Urso Asiático, consul of the XII Jearo and praefectus of Lugrum."
Those words greatly motivated Urso.
"At my signal you will tear down the walls and go against our enemies!"
"Yes!" they all shouted at once.
The legionaries rose in a chain, resting their hands on the wood, ready to throw it down. They were eager to spill blood.
"Let's chargeee!"
Marca Polarucia, Asians
End of the first month of 576
"Dad? Are you all right?" Azura put a hand on his shoulder when she saw him distracted; deep in his thoughts.
"Yes, relax, I was just remembering some things."
-And were they good things?
His eyes reflected a certain surprise at the question. And after twisting his lip, he looked back to the window, sighing.
"I wish this would all be over....."
Azura wrinkled her forehead at her father's evasive words.
"And why don't you quit?" Preferring to avoid touching a delicate matter, she changed the subject, giving a little jump towards him, pressing their bodies together.
"Since what happened in Bintus, I am condemned to serve the region until I die, or, I am killed." His eyes went to the dagger in his belt. "Perhaps it would be easier if..."
"No!" She held his arms tightly, the man startled, turning his gaze to her. "You can't leave me alone!"
His reaction surprised her, her head snapping back and her eyes widening.
He still couldn't understand the reason for her naive love for him.
However, he was not going to let himself be defeated.
"Your mother and siblings hate you for being with me, and the solution to that is very clear."
"No, it's not your fault...."
"Asiático," the driver's voice interrupted Azura, "we have arrived at Polarucia. You can get off now."
Urso nodded, released his grip, opened the door, and stepped out of the vehicle.
'We'll continue later.' She thought with a heavy chest, fearful of some drastic action on her father's part in order to free himself from the burden that was overpowering him.
As they stepped out of the carriage, they were greeted by a eunuch, young and handsome, with beautiful blue eyes. Given his position, he quickly generated confidence in Urso, and, above all, in Azura, who feared to be approached with propositions.
She was no fool, she was aware of his attractiveness.
"My lord, miss." With his hand on his chest, he bowed softly to them. "I present myself as Caixario. And it is my pleasure to inform you that I will be the one to serve you during your entire stay here in Polarucia."
Her sweet words, her beauty, and her respectful attitude captivated them, and they looked at each other with a certain satisfaction.
"As you can see." Caixario turned around. "We were waiting for you."
Urso let out a choked cry, and as if he wanted to return to Lugrum, he took a few steps back.
In front of him, forming a road, two lines on each side were filled with soldiers.
Asiático had never felt so threatened as he did at that moment. They looked at him with disdain, over their shoulders, chuckling.
In Urso's eyes, everyone had an uncontrollable urge to kill him because of his constant failures against the tribes: no one had faith in him.
However, and apparently, they were restrained by the presence of his daughter, who, it could not be denied, was a total beauty.
"Please follow me, I will take you to where the generals are waiting for you."
Azura nodded, following Caixario's lead.
While Urso, before walking alongside them, straightened up, thrusting his chest out to cut an imposing figure, while directing one of his hands to the hilt of his dagger, in case they tried to attack him.
Both were led through the path of soldiers, who looked with annoyance to Urso, wanting to make clear the dislike they felt towards him; and with tranquility to Azura, with the intention of making her feel welcome.
The great majority of them lost relatives in the numerous interventions that Urso carried out against the tribes of the regio inexplorata.
Thus they were taken to a tent built in the center of a training camp, and upon entering it, they found a table, in the middle of it, surrounded by three men.
"My lord, miss. I'll be back by nightfall, I hope it goes well for you."
He bowed, straightened up, and withdrew, leaving them there, invaded by the gazes of those men.
With a sign, Urso indicated to Azura to wait for him at the entrance. She obeyed, and after giving him a kiss on the cheek, left the tent.
Urso, cautious, took a few steps towards the table, finding on it a map of the Regio Inexplorata, on which was indicated the location of the known tribes that inhabited it, being the closest to Polarucia, that of the crarios.
"Ulpio Marcelo, general, at your service," he introduced himself suddenly, bowing his head.
"A pleasure, Calpurnio Helvio, general. If it is of any use to you, I participated in Philipart's expedition."
"Believe me, that information is of no use to me." He gave him a sidelong glance, jabbing him in the arm with his elbow. "I am Publio Succeso, likewise, general. We will be under your orders at the request of the dominus Crásico.
And smirking at the stupefied face of Ursus, who apparently could not believe that he would have three generals under his command, he said:
"I hope you are ready to take up your post, Asiático marchio."