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jesatria · 5 years

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The Other Princeps, Chap 39

Title: The Other Princeps Fandom: Codex Alera Characters: Aquitainus Attis, Amara, Antillus Raucus, Ensemble Pairings: past!Attis/Invidia, slight past!Attis/Septimus, Attis/OCs Word Count: 3,273 Rating: R Summary: In which Attis’s confrontation with Invidia during the Battle of Riva goes better for him. AU. WIP. Warnings: Massive spoilers for First Lord’s Fury. Disclaimer: I do not own the Codex Alera. This is only for fun & no profit is being made from it. Previous Chapters

Chapter 39: The New Alera

Time passed.

The Realm healed.

My children grew.

When spring came again, and with it the one year anniversary of the end of the war, it caught me by surprise. Much had happened since then, to say the least. Octavian decided to declare the anniversary of the Vord’s defeat a day of remembrance for all those who perished in the war. This brought with it a host of ceremonies, and thus I found myself in Riva for the duration. I made good on my promise to see that the Legions who fought on the first wall were commended. It was also the first meeting of the Dianic League of the new year, and Camilla had received an invitation to join.

“The Dianic League. I’ve never even given it much thought. Courtesans do not get invited to join organizations of female Citizens,” Camilla remarked to me after the invitation arrived.

“No, you are certainly not their typical member. But you are High Lady Aquitaine now, and you can’t be ignored or excluded,” I replied. “Invidia was very active in the Dianic League, so it’s possible they expect you to follow in her shoes.”

“It sounds like those are some rather large shoes to fill,” Camilla observed.

“She took it upon herself to win me the support of the League. It wasn’t terribly difficult—half the League wanted to mother me and the other half wanted to fuck me,” I remarked, grinning.

“Did you actually sleep with any of them?” she inquired.

“A few. The women of the Citizenry have found me… interesting ever since I was a youth not yet come to manhood.”

“Can’t say I blame them. I suspect there was some overlap between those two groups—plenty of women like mothering men and plenty of men like being mothered by their lovers,” said Camilla, her eyes shining with mirth.

“Invidia used to mother me sometimes because she knew it annoyed me.”

Camilla shook her head. “Truly incredible you remained married to her as long as you did. You should get some kind of medal for that.”

“It certainly wasn’t easy. However, she did do her job well with regards to the Dianic League,” I replied. “All joking aside, I do think being physically attractive helped me get their support. That and publicly opposing slavery.” I’d learned shortly after realizing I was attractive that it was another weapon I could add to my arsenal.

“Did you actually go before the League yourself?” asked Camilla.

“Several times. I thought it best to remind them from time to time who it was they were supporting. I probably should’ve done it more in retrospect. Invidia was the public face of my cause on too many occasions.”

Camilla made a face. “You couldn’t be more different! I hate to think that people saw you that way.” She and Invidia had only met a handful of times, but Camilla had heard plenty about her from me.

“That makes two of us. I’ll not make that mistake again, though I no longer need to gather support to make a bid for the throne.”

It soon became obvious after we arrived in Riva that the Dianic League, like everything else, had changed. A number of its members had died in the war, which was unsurprising considering many of them were powerful Citizens. As such, Aria and Isana had taken the reigns of leadership. Exactly what the role of the Dianic League would be in the new Alera had not yet been determined, though the presence of Kitai as a new member certainly set the tone.

Aria and Isana gave Camilla a warm welcome. It didn’t surprise me, but I was glad to see it nonetheless. “We are pleased to welcome you to the Dianic League, Lady Aquitaine,” said Aria. That took me aback for a moment—I hadn’t yet gotten used to Camilla being addressed as Lady Aquitaine. “And I offer both of you my congratulations on your marriage.”

“Thank you, Aria,” I replied. We’d invited the Placidas to the wedding, but they’d been too busy with the process of liberation to attend.

“I’m very pleased you chose to accept the invitation,” Isana told Camilla. “This is likely all a bit intimidating for you. It was the same for me when I entered public life.”

“You would be correct,” Camilla replied. “Courtesans are not generally trained to address bodies such as the Dianic League.”

“Neither are steadholders. It took me some time to grow accustomed to doing these things,” said Isana. The more time I spent around her, the more I came to understand how she had captured Septimus’s heart. Speaking at these kinds of events had never come easy to him, though he’d done well enough in Rhetoric class. Isana was completely outside that political world and had only been forced to join it out of necessity. That was probably a not insignificant part of what drew Septimus to her. She was in no way a political creature.

“I’m sure the same will happen to me in time. Fortunately, I do have plenty of experience in a variety of social settings,” said Camilla with a small grin. “I doubt many of the League’s members will have a high opinion of me, however. I immediately became the most hated person among the women of the Aquitainian Citizenry the moment Attis and I announced our engagement.”

“At least some of them have resigned themselves to the reality of you as their new High Lady by now,” I pointed out. “I doubt any of them will openly insult or slight you, but I want to know if any of them do. That cannot be tolerated.”

“Of course, dear. Though I suppose you being there for my presentation might be enough to dissuade them,” she said, grinning.

“And you have the full support of Isana and myself,” Aria assured Camilla. “That should send a message.”

“Thank you, your highness, your grace. Your support is greatly appreciated,” Camilla replied.

When the time came for Camilla’s official presentation, I waited with Isana and Aria in my box. Camilla had spent some time carefully reviewing and memorizing the remarks she was to deliver. I gave her a few speaking tips and used my earthcrafting to calm her nerves before she was called to the podium.

“And now the Dianic League is pleased to welcome our newest member, Aquitainus Camilla, the new High Lady of Aquitaine!” The audience broke into polite applause as Camilla approached the podium. She wore a new gown in our colors, as it was typical to wear your city’s colors on an occasion such as this.

“Greetings, fellow Citizens,” she began, “I am pleased to accept the League’s invitation.” As she spoke, I relaxed my shields enough to sense the feelings of the crowd. There was some excitement, but I could also sense disgust and disdain. There was no doubt that they knew she was a former courtesan, even though they might never mention it aloud. That the new High Lady Aquitaine had sold her favors in exactly the same way as a common whore was not a topic for discussion in polite society. “The relationship between the Dianic League and the House of Aquitainus has been a long and productive one. My husband,” some of the crowd turned to look at me, “and I mean to continue this relationship. I fully intend to participate as an active member of the League and do what I can to improve the status of women in the Realm. Both myself and First Lady Gaius Isana represent women who have come from different backgrounds to join the ranks of the Citizenry. It is my hope that more women will have that opportunity in the new Alera. I look forward to working with all of you in the future.”

Loud applause followed Camilla as she walked back to the box. At least half of it was genuine, I was sure. Pride swelled within me—my wife, a former courtesan, had just spoken before the Dianic League as a full member. As soon as she set foot inside my box, I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a soft kiss. “I’m so proud of you, Camilla.”

The memorial events had concluded and we were preparing to return home when Octavian approached me. “I would like you to take a short trip with me, Lord Aquitaine.”

Of all the things I’d expected him to ask me, that wasn’t it. I did not think it was anything sinister, not after his previous decision to spare my life. “What sort of trip, sire?”

“To Appia.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Appia? For what purpose? Has it even been cleared of Vord?”

“It has, and I have some important matters to discuss with you.”

“Very well. I will go with you to Appia,” I replied, inclining my head in agreement. A short while later, we boarded his windcoach. It was surprising he was willing to be in the coach alone with me, though I was sure each of the squad of Knights Aeris accompanying us were all completely loyal to him. We made small talk on the way there, discussing our infant sons and the areas still in need of liberation. The trip passed quickly and before long we were arriving at the ruins of Appia.

It looked much the same as it had the last time I’d been there, during my time at the Academy. Few seldom ventured there, expect for scholarly purposes. The Vord had left the place largely untouched, though I had seen some patches of croach from the windows of the windcoach on the way there. “May I ask why you brought me here, sire?”

“Because I’d like your opinion, Lord Aquitaine. I’ve been thinking about what to do for a new capital. Riva has sufficed for an interim capital, but it can’t be a permanent one. I’ll be accused of favoring Riva over the other high cities. No, there will have to be an entirely new capital. Why not Appia?” he proposed.

“An interesting choice, to be sure. Most of the Realm expects you to rebuild Alera Imperia,” I said. It wasn’t surprising that he did not favor that course of action. Octavian never took the expected option.

He shook his head. “I thought about it, but I think what Alera needs is a new beginning. A new capital would be the perfect symbol of that. And it doesn’t feel right to build a new capital on the bodies of the dead,” Octavian explained.

“And Appia was the old Romanic capital, built without furycrafting,” I added, following his reasoning. “By making Appia your new capital, you send a message regarding your intentions to build a new Alera where furycrafting is no longer the only measure of a man’s worth.”

“Exactly. Do you think it has merit?”

“I do. It sends the right message for your objectives and Appia is as good a location as any. Not as centrally-located as Alera Imperia, but close.”

Octavian nodded. “It will naturally be some time yet before construction can begin, but I mean to start as soon as possible.”

“I would be happy to suggest some of the best architects in Aquitaine for the project.” We began to walk among the ruins, with the Knights Aeris staying close enough to alert us of any danger. Our walk took us through the ruins of a large colonnaded building. Much of the roof had collapsed in places, but numerous statues could still be seen here and there. I stopped by a particular favorite I’d seen during my previous visit. It was of a beautiful young man reclining on his side, a crown of spikes upon his head. A name could be read at the base of the statue: Attis.

Octavian noticed it too. “Your namesake?”

“Apparently so. Your father and I spotted this statue years ago when we visited Appia as part of Magnus’s class,” I explained.

“You were in Magnus’s classes?”

“Of course. I’ve always been interested in the Romans. Raucus was in the class too, but he was never all that interested in history.”

“My interest in the Romans was more about their lack of furycrafting than the history aspect,” Octavian confessed. “It made me feel like less of a freak.”

I nodded, seeing how it would’ve appealed to him. “If you don’t mind my asking, why did it take so long for you to come into your furies? I’ve never heard of such a thing. Your father…”

“Started furycrafting when he was five, yes, I know,” Octavian cut in. He sat down on a broken pillar. “It was my mother. She didn’t want anyone to guess my real identity, so she used her water fury to stunt my growth. It ended up working a bit too well.”

I seated myself on a broken pillar across from him. “No one could accuse your mother of not being cautious.”

We remained where we were for a few minutes, looking out over the ruins of Appia. “I won’t have all of these ruins made into new buildings,” said Octavian, thinking out loud. For a moment I wondered if he’d forgotten I was there. “Scholars would be furious with me if I did. This structure, for one. No one knows exactly what its purpose was.”

“The scholars will certainly appreciate that. I daresay my daughter will come up with a list of things she’d like to research after she visits Appia for the first time.” I could’ve sworn Thyra’d spent more time in our library over the winter than anywhere else.

“She seems like a very intelligent and capable person. I’m glad you chose to acknowledge her and welcome her into your family,” said Octavian. “Bastards have been treated terribly for far too long.”

“I’m glad too. I only wish I’d been able to find and acknowledge them sooner.” The corners of my mouth twitched up into a smile. “Your father and I talked about this a few times. We knew about your friend Maximus—Raucus told us right after he was born. We didn’t care in the least that he was illegitimate. Septimus told me he wanted to do what he could to remove some of the stigma around it once he was First Lord. He never liked seeing people being treated badly for something they had no control over.”

There was a hungry expression on Octavian’s face, something I’d noticed when we’d discussed Septimus previously. It was natural for someone who’d never known his father, I suppose. I took it as my cue to continue speaking about Septimus. “He liked to disguise himself and go incognito among the common people. He thought it was good for a Princeps to spend time among his people and see what their lives are really like.” Octavian stared at me with rapt attention. “But I think he also liked to escape from being the Princeps for a while. Sometimes all of that, being given special treatment because of his station, got to be a bit much for him. He told me once that one of the things he appreciated most about our friendship was that I always treated him like Septimus instead of the Princeps.”

“I’ve heard he used to do that,” Octavian remarked. “It’s how he met my mother, in fact.”

I hadn’t heard how Septimus and Isana met before, but I wasn’t surprised. “Of course. That makes perfect sense.” Octavian’s eyes were so fixated on me now that I doubt he’d have noticed if a pack of Vord attacked us. “We used to disguise ourselves and sneak out of the Academy at night. Much of the time we went carousing, but we also took the time to observe and interact with the people we encountered.” I smiled as the memories came to me. “One time, we got into a brawl after Septimus confronted a slave trader who was beating his slaves. We always tried to hide the true extent of our powers on these outings so no one would guess our identities, but we ended up giving up the charade once he called in a bunch of his thugs. The looks on their faces when we revealed who we really were…” I grinned, remembering. “Gaius was furious with Sep for ‘causing such a scene,’ as he put it. But we kept doing it.”

“It sounds like you had quite an enjoyable time at the Academy,” Octavian commented.

“Yes, your father and I certainly did, and Raucus too. He and Septimus didn’t get along at first, but eventually we befriended him. The three of us became inseparable after that.” I had to pause for a moment as so many memories came rushing back to me. “Septimus and I would talk about what we were going to do once he was First Lord and I High Lord of Aquitaine. He truly understood that it is the duty of the First Lord to protect all of his people, Citizen or commoner, slave or freeborn. When he came out publicly against slavery, he took quite a bit of criticism for it. He was interested in doing what was right, regardless of whether or not it was popular.”

“I can tell how much he meant to you every time you speak about him,” Octavian said, voice soft. “It’s obvious, even through my shields.”

Camilla had said something very similar to me once, when I told her about what Septimus meant to me. “I couldn’t hide it even if I wanted to. He was the greatest friend I ever had and I’m certain he’d have been an excellent First Lord. He was the best of us.”

“I wish I could’ve known him.”

“I wish that as well. He’d be very proud of you if he could see you today.” I paused a moment and looked out at the ruins. “He should be here right now. Everything would’ve been different. I might’ve been an unofficial uncle to you instead of a one-time political rival.”

“Well, we are technically adopted brothers,” Octavian reminded me, a note of amusement in his voice.

I inclined my head to him and grinned. “That is true. In all seriousness though, as much as I wish Septimus were here with us today, I can see now that part of him is here. I can see him in you.”

A wave of strong emotion hit me from him. It was nearly overwhelming with my shields as relaxed as they were. His feelings regarding me were still complicated, though I could sense they were changing. There was still wariness and some degree of suspicion, but the roots of trust were beginning to grow. That was something I could work with, a beginning.

“Thank you, Lord Aquitaine.”

We sat in silence for several minutes, the weight of understanding settling comfortably between us. I could not say what went through Octavian’s mind in that comfortable silence. Perhaps he was thinking of his plans for Appia. For my part, I felt another burden lifted from me. Septimus’s son and I were not friends, but perhaps someday we would be.

“You know, I think Septimus would be very amused that his son grew up as a shepherd boy with no idea he was the Princeps,” I observed, breaking the silence.

Octavian smiled and rose from his seat. I followed suit and together we left the unknown structure behind us. As we walked back to the windcoach, I felt excitement begin to grow within me. I couldn’t say where the future was headed, but I was fairly certain it wouldn’t be boring.

Notes

The statue described in this chapter is based off of real life statues of the god Attis. Since the gods aren’t a Thing in Alera, Attis would have no idea that he is in fact named after a fertility god.

One more chapter left, folks!

#the other princeps #codex alera #aquitainus attis #jesatriafic #au

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