Chapter 5

The village was a bustle of activities. Villagers moved around with carts filled with goods for sale, sacks of clothes for sale at the market, trays of fruits, bread, cheap pieces of jewelry, and many more articles. The shacks of some traders housed flour, wheat, jars of milk and honey, and some even goats. The crowd, though busy and occupied with exchanging services, made way for Octavius as he approached and it helped that another guard wearing the complete armor went ahead of him and Dextus.

As he approached the men bowed and the women genuflected, a few of the soldiers who were off duty among the crowd went on one knee to pay their respects. Octavius raised a hand to everyone without sparing them much of a glance for his heart was not in their respect but on seeing his father and knowing the reason for his summons.

The temples of the gods were built long before the reign of his father and then the population of the people was still at a hundred but years have passed, men and women made babies and the population grew so much that once where the temple arenas had been deserted and only filled when there was a need to worship, the people now sold wares in front of the temples. The wares displayed in front of each temple were uniquely chosen based on what powers the god owned. For example, the temple of the goddess of love held flowers beautifully decorated and sweets a man could buy for his beloved. The temple of the god of fertility held fresh fruits and honey and the women and men who wanted to make requests bought honey to present to the god for he was known to have a sweet tooth when he was among men.

Octavius came to a stop in front of the temple where the merchants displayed wooden swords and shields for children, armor, and helmet, and souvenirs from war. The temple of the goddess of war.

He walked up the steps stopping to nod to greetings and shake arms with some of the temple priests. His father was waiting by the statue of the goddess Ashterah. The marble structure did little to capture the beauty of the goddess. The sculptor had captured her image in her moment of glory when she had helped conquer an eastern kingdom for some past king. Her tunic, held at the shoulders by large gold straps on which her emblem of the bow and arrow with a wreath of flowers was engraved was held at her waist to show off her full lush curves. Her tunic stopped just short of her knees showing off her well-muscled, smooth calves, a corner of it rode up her thigh which was carved as if in flight towards an unseen enemy. Her red hair was caught in an unseen wind, blowing against the lower part of her face. On her arm were three gold bands all of which had her emblem around them. In one hand she held her bow, exquisitely carved by her father, Robos himself, king of the gods, her other hand was reaching up to her back as if to pick an arrow from her quiver to shoot at an enemy. At her feet laid the head of the conquered king.

Her statue was beautiful but she bedazzled the people with perfect beauty whenever she made her presence among men.

King Philip III stood from where he had been kneeling with his sacrifice of wine and three now dead pigeons. At the sides of the temple were guards stationed to be on the lookout in case of threats of any kind against their king. The temple was empty beside them.

"Father"

"Where have you been?"

He should have known the old man would notice his disappearance. He tried to see his father's face to gauge his expression and know what part to play; the fool or the defensive son. His father faced the statue of the goddess, chanting words of prayer to her. Octavius moved to stand beside him.

"I've been in the palace, Father"

"Don't take me for a fool, Octavius, where have you been"

Octavius sighed. The old fool never missed anything. "I have been out on a long ride. I needed to clear my head"

King Philip snorted. "With Angus? And you even had Garius lie for you. Where have you been son?!"

"I have told you, Father"

King Philip looked at the guards standing within earshot and gestured with his a tilt of his head for them to move to the entrance of the temple away from. He looked at his son who bore all his features on him, tall, strong, and handsome.

"We have a problem with some kingdoms from the north"

"Then we'll send spies there to reveal their weakness to us and use it against them"

"It's not as easy as that this time," Philip said with a shake of his head. He was proud of his son's approach but if that could solve the problem at hand he would not have sent for him. "I have sent four spies and they have come back headless on their horsebacks"

Octavius started. It was a serious matter when spies were caught and killed. It meant war and with the recent war that had left southern Camelorn shaken the soldiers were in no shape for another war. Lives had been destroyed and the people of the south were still struggling to rebuild their village. Another war against their weakened forces was sure to be a loss for them the best shot for them was to train as fast as possible and infiltrate the northern kingdom and take out their defenses slowly but that was going to take some time.

"I believe if you called me here you already have a plan"

"Indeed, I do. I have spoken with Garius and the army commanders while you were out cavorting, we pooled our options together and come up with one single solution"

Octavius could feel the weight of his father's words in his heart and he knew his father's next words would hit the nail in his coffin.

"What solution, Father?"

"I have decided to make peace with them making a marriage allegiance between you and their princess"

His heart dropped. He knew the look on his father's face, it was one he had when his mind was made up. There was no changing his father's mind, the king had unknowingly presented the right opportunity for him to tell him about Emilia.

"Father, I have a …"

"I know all about you and your mistress!" Kind Philip interrupted.

Octavius ground his teeth. He wasn't surprised his father knew about her, the man never missed anything. "She is not my mistress. She is of blue blood, father, the princess of …"

"I know who she is and where she's from and I have made up my mind! You will do as I say"

"Is this because her father did not honor your invitation to your feast?"

King Philip whirled on his son forcing Octavius to take three footsteps backward "An invitation ignored, though an insult to me, bears no importance in this matter! You will do as I say because it is the right thing to do"

Octavius approached his father with anger, albeit with some level of caution. "This is about your selfish interest again, father, and I will not be used as your pawn. Not this time! Let Angus do the honors of marrying the princess of our enemy but as for me I refuse to do it." He turned on his heels to leave but stopped when his father's handheld his elbow in a strong grip and sharply whirled him back to face him. His expression was set in stone.

"Don't provoke me, son, you will do as I…"

"Father you should let us consider our options better." It was Angus' voice coming from the entrance of the temple. The guards parted ways for him to pass and he walked up to where his father and his brother stood. "I will not trust our enemy's daughter in our land. She could work as a spy here while married to my brother and use information against us"

Octavius sent his brother an appreciative glance and nod which Angus discreetly returned before turning back to his father.

"Give us time father and we will have a way to conquer our enemies"

King Philip's grip on his son's hand loosened as he looked from one son to the other before finally dropping his hand "I give you both two weeks and if you both have not come up with something, some plan strong enough then you leave me no choice but to send for the northern princess and her entourage." With that, he bowed one last time to the goddess of war and stormed out of the temple.

Octavius went to stand beside his brother "Thank you brother, I owe you one"

"And I will collect my payment," Angus joked then turned serious "But I only just bought you two weeks brother. You need to find something, some strategy, anything that doesn't involve your leaving the throne to me for I have no interest in bearing a weight like that. If you want I will send words to Emilia"

Octavius nodded. He clapped his brother on the shoulder gratefully and left.