Attropolis XXVIII

The army had settled, the battle plans were set too. The route towards Creetus was drawn and the mobilized army around Macedonia and Greece was patiently waiting for the great Caesar to start his journey towards another triumph. Happy that Olanus was there next to him, displeased with the fact that he had let Alicaria come with him. And the fact that he saw the moral boost she had given the troops just with her presence annoyed him even more. “Mere animals.” he spoke softly under his breath, talking about his soldiers. The frustration regarding the loss of Creetus was overwhelming him, no matter what was happening around him. He felt disrespected, dishonored and discombobulated by the lack of competence shown by his governors. Since they were people he worked with for years and that had shown him the qualities he thought right for the jobs they were tasked with.

Olanus still shocked that he had a now dead son, something he thought he wouldn’t get to have, due to the nature of his job, and the guilt of his actions. His focus wasn’t what it was supposed to be, Augustus saw that, but he himself wasn’t very lucid either. How could one live knowing their only child was killed? How do you forgive yourself when you were never present in the life of your child? When instead of taking care of the family you were supposed to have, you were whoring around, drinking, enjoying life, all while a child was growing up without a father. If he knew, he could have protected Juliusegos, if he only knew. The rape of the child, the rape, could have been prevented. This only grew on his conscious, the dread, the pain, the suffering the child must have felt in his final moments.

The clear skies, the nice warm breeze that was hitting their faces as they marched northwest was making this much easier for them. At a calm pace, the clinking and the clanging for their armor and weapons was harmonizing with the trots of the horses and the songs of the birds. As the sun set, the orange skies were defusing the colors bathing them in a bright red that was glistening off them like they were vengeful gods descending upon Earth to punish and cleanse it of those unworthy. The first stop came around… A small city north of Rome. Right as the sun had set and night had reached them...

And then…

Consider donating: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO

Attropolis XXVII

Hippos wouldn’t let go, he insisted on staying, fighting with him, promising that he won’t stand in their way. The giant couldn’t stand this anymore. It was dragging on and there were more important things at the moment than some child’s feelings. Listen here, boy. You’re going or you’re on your own. I’m not going to stand here to negotiate with your moody tantrum. And if you ever want to see her again, you’re going to go. She looked at the boy nodding, confirming everything he was telling the boy. Tear started rolling down his face, he simply couldn’t hold it all in anymore. The frustration, anger, the feeling of powerlessness and the fact that now, he had to leave behind another thing he had loved. But, he had given into The giant’s orders, that only made the girl happy.

The giant too, was content with the situation now, because he could focus on defending the city against the empire. But he wasn’t about to ruin the departure of the little boy he cared for in these past months. Hippos had always reminded him of a younger self, before he had to grow up and become what he became. But most of all, Hippos reminded him of another boy he had met, before he had come to Creetus. In a way, that child sparked the wish to become a father in him, and so did Hippos. But, throughout his travels, he had never met someone as his first love, back home. He remembered all this with fondness, wishing that the boy the woman had was his, and that he had found someone to love him, the way he felt he deserved to be loved. Yet now, he is losing this child too, but he knows that he’ll be safe, or at least safer than being in Creetus.

You will need some thicker clothing, you’re going north. There, isn’t as warm as it is here. And you shouldn’t be sad, mad nor angry. You’re going to see the world, a part of the world, I didn’t even get to see. And there is a friend waiting for you up there. A boy about your age, Scorilo is his name. A friend of mine went up there and befriended him and a lot of powerful people there. You’ll be safe there. The boy’s face turned sad, pouting and teary eyed as he looked at The giant. Don’t worry, I will come for you once we’re done here. I can promise you that. Hippos had a spark in his eyes again. But in all this, he saw in the Giant’s eyes that there was nothing behind them, only darkness and sadness. The boy wasn’t a fool, but he accepted that there was nothing he could do. So he vowed to himself to protect the love of his life, rather than die here with her far away.

And in Rome…

Consider donating: https://www.paypal.me/RaulFO