A Fork in the Road

or, The Third Move of the Civil War

Sep 13, 2023

*Marius Victor over the Cimbri* by Francesco Saverio Altamura

The Second Move | The Civil War Index | The Fourth Move

Maedicius leaned over the cartographer's work. His desk creaked with the effort. ‘Mmm, this village, you say it has no defences? No palisades?’

‘No, Most Venerable,’ Tribune Sejanus said. ‘The cartographer also said it appears most of the town is only women and children.’

Maedicius furrowed his brow, ‘Strange. I’d expect Ariovistus to reinforce a town like that. Why hasn’t he? What’s beyond?’ He pointed to a vast section of the pale leather that was empty. ‘Where is this cartographer?’

‘I sent him back out to scout the region you’re asking about, Most Venerable. He claimed to have heard men there and thought he should return with the information lest it be lost.’

‘He got scared. Good that you sent him back out. If there are enemies in those forests I need to know before marching on that village and to the Vinian River. That foolish mongrel has made the trap too obvious. Aegidius how would you approach this?’

Legate Aegidius saluted but before he could speak a white speckled pigeon landed on the windowsill, a scroll around its leg. Maedicius reached for a handful of seeds from the pot on the corner of his desk and held them out for the bird. The pigeon coo’d and hopped onto his arm, pecking at the seed. The Emperor gently held the bird with one hand round its wings, dropped the seeds on the sill, and freed the scroll. He set the bird on the windowsill, it coo’d again and pecked at its scattered meal.

Maedicius broke the thin line of wax and began to read.

The Diet reiterates the Ultimatum commanding you, Emperor Maedicius, to relinquish imperium and return to Elysia or face trial for treason. Consul Livicus has ordered the mobilisation of ten legions should you refuse.

The two-headed eagle of Elysia, symbol of the city for centuries, filled one side of the scroll in purple ink. Maedicius handed the message to Aegidius and began rooting through the forest of scrolls upon his desk, all rolled up and standing on end.

‘Are they mad?’ Legate Aegidius balked. ‘How has the likes of Livicus gained such power? Have we been away from our noble city for so long to have it fall into hands such as these?’ His scarred cheeks flushed red.

‘Easy, Aegidius,’ the Emperor’s voice calm and measured. ‘This is the second time the Consul has made this demand of me. If he were less a fox and more a lion he would have struck already. He is too cautious by nature, and that will be his downfall,’ Maedicius held the first Ultimate Consultation of the Imperial Diet in his hand. ‘If that made you angry, then I fear you might faint with this one,’ the Emperor laughed and handed over the scroll.

Aegidius’s eyes devoured Livicus’s words, his brow narrowing with every one. ‘No assembly would allow this. Not patrician, nor pleb. To do so would cause uprisings from Elysia to Aelia. To deny the legionnaires they right to war spoils… unthinkable.’

Maedicius found himself smirking. ‘Livicus is bold, in his own way. If I refuse to surrender imperium he will find a way to blame me for the law. If I fight it then he will claim I am ignoring the people and their elected Consul.’

‘You’re trapped,’ Tribune Sejanus said. Maedicius cocked his head like an eagle, his eyes piercing Sejanus. ‘I mean, he thinks to trap you, Most Venerable.’

‘Quite,’ the Emperor gave a curt smile. ‘He wishes to trap me in order to weaken the rank of Emperor and consolidate power to the Consulship… or he wishes to be Emperor instead.’

‘What are you going to do, Most Venerable?’ Legate Aegidius returned the two scrolls.

Maedicius rolled up each missive up and slid them into his manica. ‘Let’s see what the men have to say,’ he collected his cloak of office from the armour stand and pinned it to his armour. He marched out of his office at the top of Fort Ascalon’s tower and descended to the wall.

‘Attention!’ Aegidius bellowed. The soldiers in the fort square scurried to formation, occupying all the paths and ways between the tents. Those who couldn’t fit found space outside the fort in the former woodland that had been cleared for tents and a palisade erected around it’s borders, tripling the size of the fort.

When Emperor Maedicius reached the wall over the gate he surveyed his legion. Many were armed and armoured, expecting the order to march on the nearby barbarian settlement. ‘Men! Consul Livicus and the Diet have demanded we return home!’ Men shared confused looks with one another. Questioning murmurs rose from the furthest ranks, Maedicius slid one pigeon scroll from his manica and allowed it to unfurl in the wind as he held it up. ‘This is an Ultimatum commanding me to surrender my imperium or face the Diet on charges of treason. Tell me, am I a traitor?’

The soldier’s erupted in roars of ‘NO!’

‘Are any of you traitors?’ Maedicius shouted back.

‘NO!’ Came the reply strengthened with the stomping of feet.

Maedicius raised his hand for silence. ‘You have all seen our enemy. We have all lost friends, brothers, sons, nephews, fathers, and uncles in this war. Can we simply pack up and go home?’

‘NO!’

‘No, we cannot,’ Maedicius paced. He glanced to the legionnaires inside the fort and then to those outside. He handed the first scroll to Aegidius and pulled the second from his manica and held it up in the wind. ‘Consul Livicus also demands that all spoils of this war be donated to the treasury. If I surrender my imperium then all of you go home empty handed, is this the law?’

‘NO!’

‘Correct, the law states half of all spoils won at war go to the legionnaires who fought. The portion for those who died goes to their families. Livicus would punish you and your families for following me!’

The legion seethed with anger. Hastae were jabbed at the sky. Scuta slammed together. Feet stomped. Maedicius listened to the anger, collected it. He raised his hand for silence and it was met. ‘The Diet is in the hands of madmen who use the law as a cudgel when they want and ignore it when they want. You all know of the assassin sent by Livicus to kill me,’ the Emperor pointed up at Bael on a crucifix planted in the palisade. Crows feasted upon his sun-rotten flesh. ‘This Consul is a traitor to Elysia, dragging our fair and just realm through the mud! He must be stopped and We are the ones who must carry the mantle. We must, we will save our Imperial Republic! Are you with me?’

‘YES!’ Responded the legionnaires.