"This way," Angus said to the small hooded figure beside him. He rounded the corner and turned to a narrow alley where filth lay. There another figure stood clothed in a dark robe but the cowl of the robe was lowered to reveal Octavius' face. He was waiting impatiently under the full moon of the night, shifting from one foot to the other. He turned sharply at the sound of approaching feet and relaxed when he saw it was only his brother and his guest
The small hooded body ran to him and clung tightly to his body. He held her too and pressed his lips to her hair. Emilia held on to him like he was her last chance at survival.
"Make it quick," Angus hissed in the dark "Anyone could chance on us at any moment and report this to father"
"It's not going to be a surprise to him since he already knows about Emilia and me but I do appreciate your concern brother," Octavius murmured back at his brother. Emilia took a step back and stared up at him in the dark.
"What?" she asked, her voice a quiet tremor.
"Yes, Emilia, my father knows about us and I don't know how. He wants me to give you up and marry that northern princess we have Angus to thank here for buying us enough time to think of a plan"
Emilia let go of Octavius to press Angus' hand in gratitude "Thank you very much, Angus"
He shrugged "The least I can do for my lovesick, dense-headed brother here. He wants to be with you and I don't want the responsibility of a kingdom that is not rightfully mine and the best way to achieve both goals is to allow you two work something out," he looked from his brother to Emilia "I'll be on the lookout for guards"
Octavius nodded his head in gratitude. As soon as his brother was out of sight he pulled Emilia to himself and kissed her softly. She melted under the warmth of his embrace losing her senses like she always did around him until her worries overrode the pleasure of being in his arms.
"I am scared I may start to show early," she whispered as she pulled her cloak tighter about her body, resting her hand on her still flat belly. "If we don't do something quick enough my parents will sense the change in me and my father will be after your head"
Octavius sighed as he too took a step away from her.
"Did you come alone?"
"My maid and a trusted guard came with me. He owes me a favor so he'll keep his mouth shut"
Octavius nodded. His mind was in a state of unrest as he considered their situation and came up with plans after plans all of which he discarded but one.
"My father is making plans to marry me off to Helos, his commander's son. I fear in a short while the plans will be finalized and I will find myself in Helos' bed with your child. I don't want that to happen," she choked out.
"And it will not. I would have gladly run away with you but my father would definitely find us and bring us back and I know your father is only seeking to marry you off because he has no male child, anyone who marries you becomes the heir to his throne but I swear by Robos I will not let that man be Helos or any other but myself"
"Then what do we do?"
"I was thinking about something before you arrived with Angus. We should take an oath before the gods that way our parents will have no choice but to marry us to each other because they know an oath like that broken could bring our untimely deaths"
Emilia shook her head "I thought about that too but it will take more than that to convince my father. Besides, the gods of our pantheon and the gods of yours can easily break whatever bond we have together. I know a way that might work, though but it will require sacrifices"
Octavius came forward and held her hands "Then we should do it"
Emilia pulled her hands free, turning her face away "It's not as easy as that, Octavius, we will need the help of my Intavia god of love and fate and I know the both of them, their sacrifices will become too much of a burden for us to bear"
Octavius recaptured her hand "Whatever those burdens are I'll bear them for us both. Do you trust them well enough to help us?"
"I will be a fool not to"
"Good, then we should do it. I'll find a way to come to your kingdom and we'll visit their temples together and make our requests. Whatever they want in return we will pay it together and if becomes too much for you I'll pay it for the both of us," he paused and slid his hands up her face "Does my love mean anything to you?"
"Means more to me than my own life"
He smiled and took her hands again pulling them up to his face where he pressed her palms to his cheeks "Then we'll try this see if it works and if it doesn't we'll keep trying until we have nothing to live for. I will not marry any other besides you. My parent's marriage was arranged and while my mother grew to love my father I have watched her suffer silently at his associations with his many mistresses and I will not put you through that will Helos neither will I put myself through that in a hate marriage with the northern princess"
Emilia nodded. Octavius pressed his lips to her head and prayed to the gods that her plan, whatever it was worked, and if it did he would then find a way to defeat the northern kingdom and put Camelorn at an advantage such as they will never have to fear defeat from their enemies again.
He released Emilia and whistled low on his breath summoning Angus who arrived silently holding a loaf of bread between his teeth. Octavius quenched the urge to roll his eyes at his brother who had two basic needs in life; women and food. It was a mystery his father hadn't enrolled the glutton in the army yet as every second son was supposed to. He made a mental note to include Angus in the training of the impending war.
"Are you done?" Angus asked with sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"Yes, we are. We didn't take too long so take that edge off your voice and see that the princess gets to her maid and guard safe or I'll have your head on a platter"
Angus merely laughed as he offered his arm to Emilia who laid her hand gently in the crook of his elbow. "I will make sure I do as you Lordship commands as I happen to have use of the head on my shoulders," he jabbed his brother playfully in the ribs. "Come my lady Emilia let's get away from Lord Sour, the farther you are away from him and spend more time with me you'll see how much use I can be to you"
Octavius advanced on his brother and would have seized his throat had Emilia not held him off with a laugh "You should let Angus talk my love, you know my heart belongs to you alone and no other so no matter what he says or how much fun he is I'll always chose sour over flirty"
Angus laughed and steered her away from his brother whose heart was written in his eyes clear as day. Angus led Emilia away from the narrow alley and into the street. The drunks in the streets paid no attention to them as there was nothing about them that stood out. He led her down by the creek where her maid and her guard waited with two horses. He helped Emilia on her horse and bade her well before heading back to the alley to his brother. His brother was in love, so much so that his thinking was distorted. Angus was happy and proud of him but feared that his brother would go to the extreme to have Emilia with him. Love was good but it could sometimes be a dangerous thing with no good ending and in this Angus couldn't see anything good coming out of it but his loyalty was to his brother and in any way he could he was willing to help.
He found his brother in the alley patiently waiting for him.
"She's safe and on her way home"
"Good"
"You are a fool brother"
"I know and one day you will understand why"
Angus shook his head. He followed Octavius out of the alley, into the street, and back to the palace where they sneaked in through the servants' passage to the royal quarters.
The robe covering Octavius' tunic scraped the floor gently as he made his way to the Counsel Room where he knew his father and his court were waiting. He wasn't supposed to have kept them waiting but he had received news from Emilia that morning elaborating on the plan they had made during their previous rendezvous and he had sat back to write a letter to her sending it through the ever-faithful Angus who had waited to collect it. His father would be furious that he had kept the court waiting when were supposed to be judging matters and making plans for the battle preparation. The guard in front of the Counsel Room dressed in complete armor except the helmet bowed before him before opening the huge doors for him. The court was a restless group of men and one woman, Liliah, who was the noble in charge of Camelorn festivities. Maids with platters of cheeses, figs, and apples came and went with from a side door hidden behind the large velvet curtain that covered the room. As Oc
Octavius pulled on the reins of his horse willing it to go faster. While the soldiers were training under the ever-watchful eyes of Festus and Garius he had taken off into the stable and had taken one of the smaller horses, one his father would never notice was gone if he decided to search for him. Angus had come back with news from Emilia and it had taken two days before Octavius had been able to escape his father's watchful eyes. He had once again implored Garius to cover up for him. Emilia's message had been both worrying and hopeful. She was sure the gods of Intavia were willing to help but afraid of what the price for their help was goi
Octavius shifted his weight from one leg to another as he looked down at Emilia. She crooked a finger at him and started towards an alternate entrance. The main entrance was covered with flowers of different colors but this one was without the decorations and no one used it but a priest who stood there with his hand tucked into the folds of his cloak. On his forehead, he had a black dye dot at the center. Emilia approached him and whispered. He shook his head looking from her hooded figure to Octavius and tilted his head indicating they should follow him. He led them to an alcove where a tray with two jars of honey and baked pastries covered with crumbs of sugar laid for everyone knew Psagon, the Intavia god of love had a sweet tooth. "My lady, you requested for these," the priest said. He picked the tray and handed it to Emilia, reached over to Octavius with outstretched hands, took his hands in his, and led it to the tray in Emilia's. "Lovers who seek favor from Ps
Emilia clung to the hanging on her bed and wept for her child. She had held her tears well enough while Octavius had remained with her even though a few rebellious tears had slipped out. She hung on for dear life with her hand flat on her belly as she wept bitterly. Ilena stood at the threshold of the room watching her mistress bemoan the loss of a child she would never know and love. On one hand, she held a jar of mead in case her mistress needed it to get too drunk to feel her pain, and on another, she held a pot of hot water with some tea leaves and a few aromatic for though she was a woman of principles she also knew her mistress might require the aromatic plants to dull her pain. She had gotten the plants from the oldest priest who made sacrifices to Daegon, the Intavia god of gods during winter, summer, and fall festivals. He had narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her but did not comment giving the plants over. As she watched her mistress wallow in misery she kn
"Your Highness?" Octavius looked up from the stool on which he sat, a priest was waiting in front of him in a shabby cloak covering an equally shabby tunic that was excessively frayed at the hem. He had awoken early, taken a cloak from his trunk, and taken a walk. He had intended to visit the temple later in the day but on impulse had turned towards the cobble-stoned street and headed for the temple of Ashterah the goddess of war. The street was almost empty except for the fishermen who dragged their nets to their boats on the shore. He had stopped to watch them load up their boats and cut the ropes securing them to the shore with an absent mind. He had imagined jumping into one of the boats and rowing it to Intavia away from his kingdom and responsibilities until he remembered he already had his wishes all he needed now was the help of the goddess of war to win the war. With that in mind, he had continued on his way. "You must come with me to the inner room
“How was it?” Angus murmured under his breath. He was standing at the passage a corner way from the throne room. The passage was lined with passive guards trained to be present and not to listen and even if they did listen and gossip from time to time no one else was to hear of any leaked secrets. Still, Octavius pulled his brother into an alcove. “Great,” he replied with a bit of sarcasm he hoped his brother did not hear. He burned with shame and disgust knowing that Ashterah had offered herself to him but he knew that his brother as well as everyone else would call him a fool for not accepting her offer. Every man considered a night with the war goddess an honor even though not many men came out of her temple at Mount Kpamos alive. Angus raised his brow. “Just that?” He sighed. He dipped his hand into a slit in his tunic and brought out the copper coin that held Ashterah’s emblem and showed
The whole army that consisted of newly grafted soldiers and war heroes who had fought with King Philip marched out to the battlefields with their squires, maids, and a few helpful hands. Both squires and extra hands helped to build tents. Words had reached the Camelorn army that the Amires had set the northern villages on fire, killing, raping, stealing, and destroying. Octavius had hastened Gustoff with the weapons, getting more than 3000 swords, shields, and clubs, the trained archers had been supplied with new quivers, arrows, and new bows all with Ashterah's emblem, the foot soldiers marched in front with boxes of fire powder, horse archers and captains held their horses and led them to the makeshift stable the squires built while battalion leaders assembled to supervise. Octavius, Garius, Festus, and two more generals; Calors and Inobus supervised the all-around activities. Octavius walked slowly in the direction the maids went carrying woods for fire, pots, and pans to cook wi
The blast of the horn echoed throughout the camp and horse soldiers came out dressed in their armor, holding shields, foot soldiers carried spears with their shields, archers led by their captain Angus dressed in dark red cloaks held their bows in their hands tested the taut bowstring and adjusted the arrows in their quivers, captains ran through the camp hurrying squires about their duties. The squires carried swords and shields to their master, carrying also the bridle for their horses. Octavius stood before his armor rack and ran his hand over the same armor his father had used before in many battles, although some additional protection had been added over time, it was beautiful and strong. He began to remove the pieces off the rack and put them on with the help of a squire when he caught sight of an image on the breastplate of the armor. The red tunic of a voluptuous woman was vivid and as she came forward his heart dropped. It was Ashterah. She sensed his discom