《Where Eagles soar and Shadows dance》 Prologue Prologue We are in the 1st century AD. Despite constant attacks by the barbarians, Rome experienced a remarkable golden age. The House of Cajetan was one of the most powerful families in the world and had always produced the emperor. But under Emperor Augustus Tiberius, however, it reached the absolute peak of its power. Under his rule, the economy, trade, and education flourished again after decades of crises. The military had become one of the strongest in the world, its techniques developed and refined. The Roman Empire expanded and seemed to know no borders. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. In the heart of the empire lay Rome, the "eternal" city, the center of power and the seat of the emperor. The place that determined victory and defeat, progress and downfall. Countless markets, houses, and temples dotted the image of the city. Outside, fields stretched as far as the eye could see. Above all, on the Palatine Hill, one of Roms¡¯s seven hills, stood the "Domus Augustana," the imperial palace. Mighty and majestic, it towered over the rest of the city. Within its countless rooms resided Caja Livia, daughter of the former Emperor Gaius Caius Divus and sister of Tiberius Caius Julianus, better known as Emperor Augustus Tiberius. The Eagle and the Lion Chapter 1 A loud ringing sounded. Livia¡¯s ears twitched. It was that time again. Tiberius''s associates gathered once again for one of their usual debate meetings, or as she called it: "Whoever had the last word, won." She loved these meetings. Even though she often made fun of it, the meetings offered her good opportunities to quell her constant curiosity and at the same time find out what was happening outside the palace walls. For even though Livia was not truly imprisoned, she often felt like a prisoner in her own house, partly due to the high security measures that applied to her as the emperor''s daughter and partly because her options as a woman were limited. She sighed at the thought of it. Actually, she had it good in life, not only because of her position but also because, thanks to her brother, she had not yet had to marry. A decisive advantage for her, considering that most of her friends had been married for years. Nevertheless ¨C everything she learned in the palace was gossip, speculation, and a lot of rumors, most of them from people who were neither particularly reliable nor trustworthy. That''s why Livia was glad that through her brother she had access to the source and thus to the pure truth and the latest news. Men''s voices echoed in the atrium, and she quickly set aside Ovid, which she had been reading. Then she dashed to the Exedrium, a kind of gallery where such gatherings always took place, and hid in a concealed chamber between two bookshelves. There, she could listen to the discussion undisturbed, without being discovered. Even today, she learned interesting things again. "You can''t just dismiss Rufus," she heard Publius Aemilius, one of the senators, say to Tiberius. "He was one of the best commanders we have." "We don''t have anyone who could quickly replace him," added Brutus Aemilius, his brother. "None of the possible candidates is as capable as he is." "This shows that even the best training is useless if you don''t have a sense for warfare, tactics, and the right strategies. You have to apply the right things at the right moment. For that, one needs a certain character," replied the Emperor calmly. "Then leave him in his position," Brutus retorted angrily. Tiberius snorted. "I can''t do that, and you know it too. In principle, he committed treason when he revealed military secrets to that wretched spy, even though it was not intentional. But he was in office long enough to know what kind of games are played and whom to trust. It was simply and plainly carelessness and failure. He can consider himself lucky that I am only removing him from his position and not executing him as well. Actually, I am much too lenient with him.¡± Livia could hear the hardness in his voice. This Tiberius was completely different from her gentle, caring brother. Now he was fully the emperor and supreme commander. He had a dangerous, powerful aura, and she was sure that every one of his enemies would have begun to tremble at the sight. She leaned forward a bit to get a better look at the assembled men and saw that a few of the present generals and senators nodded in agreement. Reluctantly, Publius and Brutus Aemilius also agreed with her brother. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Can''t you still appoint one of the candidates?¡±, asked one of the senators. "It can''t be that difficult to command an army." Both the generals and the emperor snorted, and Livia had to shake her head in her hiding place, incredulous at such ignorance. "As I said, it requires talent and specialized knowledge for this position," Tiberius voiced her thoughts. "I thought you were at least somewhat familiar with the Art of War and its principles. Weren''t you taught them in rhetoric school?" Here and there, the senators shook their heads. "Then I strongly recommend that you catch up on it. Sunzi should be part of the education of every patrician.¡± "But...", another one tried to interject, but the emperor cut him off. "Enough now. I am about to meet with Governor Servius to discuss our further course of action regarding the barbarians. Aulus, Marcus," he addressed his two generals. "I expect your presence." With these words, he stood up and left the room. Livia waited until the other men had done the same and then left her hiding place to search for Sunzi''s "The Art of War" in the house''s library, the "tablinum". She had to smile at that. As it seemed, her brother had won the debate once again. Arriving at the library, she grabbed one of the wooden ladders and began searching the shelves for the codex. Suddenly, a deep voice sounded behind her. "Are you looking for this?" Livia almost fell off the ladder in shock. When she turned around, she saw that it was the Emperor. "Tiberius," she scolded him. "You can''t just scare me like that." Then her gaze fell on the parchment her brother was holding. "The Art of War" was written in bold letters on it. Uh-oh, she thought and blushed. Apparently, she hadn''t been as inconspicuous as she had thought. "I knew you couldn''t tame your curiosity again," he grinned. "I just find it so exciting," she tried to justify herself. Tiberius laughed. "I can''t blame you for that." He handed her the codex. Quickly, Livia snatched it from him before she hugged her brother fiercely. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed joyfully. The Emperor held her tighter. Then she let him go and he ruffled her hair. "You are way too smart, little sis," he murmured softly. "Be careful not to put yourself in danger." "I won''t," she promised him. "I have you to protect me." "I will," Tiberius replied in a serious voice. "I will never let anything happen to you. I could never forgive myself for that." He gently stroked her cheek. For a while, they both stood there in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, then Tiberius pressed a kiss to her forehead and said goodbye to meet with the governor. Livia watched him until he disappeared, then ran to her room to devote the rest of the day entirely to Sunzi. Desperate times call for desperate measures Chapter 2 Clashing steel rang out as Livia''s and Tiberius''s swords struck against each other. "Arms higher!" the Emperor snapped at her. "You are neglecting your defense!" Quickly, she raised her arms a bit, not a moment too soon, for Tiberius struck again. His sword clashed against her sword, exactly where her head had just been. The force of the impact almost knocked the sword from her hand, and she staggered a few steps to the side before resuming her fighting stance. Her arms burned from the weight of the sword and the hours of training, but Tiberius showed no mercy. Tirelessly, blow after blow followed, which she could barely parry. Slowly but surely, she was losing the ground she had held and even improved at the beginning of the fight. "Emperor!" suddenly shouted a loud voice. "Something has happened, you must come immediately." Relieved by the welcome break, Livia let the sword drop. But hardly had she done so when she felt a cold blade at her throat. "Sister!", the Emperor barked. "Never, never let your guard down or get distracted. In a real fight, you would be dead now!" Too exhausted to answer, Livia just nodded, and her brother lowered his sword. They bowed to each other to conclude the fight, then Tiberius briefly hugged her and went to Aulus, who had called for him. Livia handed her sword to one of the slaves and limped into the atrium, where she collapsed into an armchair right next to her sister and her husband, an Antonian. "What happened?" she asked him. "The Lombards have invaded the empire in the north. They have already conquered Lugdunum and Vesontio. I''m afraid your brother must go into battle again." A lump formed in Livia''s throat, and she had to fight against the tears that threatened to stream down her face. Despite her fatigue, she quickly jumped up and ran into the house to say goodbye to Tiberius, but when she arrived in the entrance hall, the Emperor and the generals had already left. Since the departure of the army from Rome, a few days had passed and there was still no news about their whereabouts. As every day, Livia pored over her brother''s maps to determine his location, for the uncertainty and worry were making her ill. All the more relieved she was when there was a knock at her door and a slave appeared with a letter. Hastily, she sat down at the table and broke the seal. My dearest sister, now several days have already passed since my hasty departure, and only now do I find the time to write to you. First of all, I apologize for leaving without saying goodbye, but time was pressing and many preparations still had to be made. I am hopeful, no, I know that you can forgive me and understand my reasons, for you have always been a warrior and leader at heart! This is also the reason why I entrust you with the difficult task of caring for and protecting our people during my absence. I know that you are up to this task. And now, farewell my dear Livia! May we see each other again soon! With love Your brother Tiberius Note: Should anyone raise objections or question your new position, show them this letter so that they may read my word, the Emperor''s word, and fall into silence. For this is not only my wish, but also the command of the Emperor, and it must be obeyed! Livia had to smile at her brother''s words, and a strange feeling came over her. It was as if all her dreams had come true. She was now her brother''s deputy. The deputy of the emperor, the sovereign, the most powerful person in the entire empire. She could hardly comprehend it. When she regained her composure, she hurriedly rolled up the maps, gathered her dress, and ran as fast as she could to the Exedrium, where the senators had been meeting since the beginning of the war to track its developments. Even from a distance, she could hear their voices. But it was not the invading Lombards they were talking about. Curious as she was, Livia stood behind a wall and listened. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "Those wretched Vandals!" cursed Brutus Aemilius, and her heart nearly stopped. The barbarians attacked not only from the north but also simultaneously from the south. That was bad. Worse than bad, actually, because her brother couldn''t be in two places at once and lead the troops into battle. "What are we supposed to do now?" She heard Senator Publius ask worriedly, as if he could read her mind. "Isn''t that obvious?" his brother snapped at him. "A general calls together the remaining available legions and mercenaries. Maybe a part of the Praetorian Guard as well, then these barbarians should be defeated.¡± "Then you don''t know the Vandals," Senator Servius interjected. "A man of theirs fights like two of ours, and even with the Praetorians, we are outnumbered. You must consider that we also have to leave soldiers here for the security of the country. Aside from the fact that the mercenaries are problematic. Without enough money and the right motivation, they will hardly fight. If they haven''t already killed each other beforehand. They are fickle, unpredictable, and greedy for money. It will make our coffers bleed. And which general is supposed to take over leading the troops at all? Aulus and Marcus have gone along with the Emperor.¡± "It¡¯s not as if there aren¡¯t enough applicants," Brutus grumbled. "The Emperor explicitly stated that none of them should hold the position of a general," Servius replied sternly. "Great!" Brutus began to roar, and Livia could see the veins on his forehead bulging. "And what do you think we should do, esteemed senators? Should we let the Vandals conquer our beloved land, even Rome, just because we couldn''t find a general? What would the Emperor say about that, hmm? I don''t think he would be particularly pleased.¡± "What about Rufus?" Publius ventured cautiously, daring to speak. At that moment, Livia stepped out of the shadows and approached the senators. "That won''t be necessary," she said before Brutus could respond. "I will lead the troops into battle." The senators looked at her for a moment before they all burst out laughing in unison. "That must be a joke," Brutus snapped. Unperturbed, Livia looked at him. "By no means, esteemed Senator. I was completely serious. And its my brother''s wish." She held out the letter to them, and each of the senators skimmed through it. "It doesn''t say a word that you are to become the new general," Brutus sneered. "But it says that I should protect our land in the absence of my brother, your emperor. And I would do nothing else but defend our empire against the barbarians.¡± For an long hour, the discussion went back and forth until Govenor Servius finally lost his temper. "That''s enough!" His piercing voice cut through the heated argument, and silence fell instantly. "We''re not getting anywhere like this," he began. "Every moment we hesitate here gives the Vandals time to conquer more territories. I am therefore of the opinion that we should trust the Emperor and also the esteemed Lady Livia and appoint her as General.¡± To Livia''s surprise, many of the senators nodded. "Your trust and loyalty will one day be your downfall," Brutus shouted angrily. "That''s enough!" Servius sharply reprimanded him. "You should choose your words carefully! One could interpret it as treason." With eyes narrowed to slits in anger, Brutus stared at Livia, but no words came from his lips. Servius pointed at her and continued. "As far as I know our Emperor, she will know more about tactics and strategy than most of the soldiers. Besides, she can fight. Augustus is far-sighted and would never write such words without careful consideration. And here it is." He waved the letter. "that it is his explicit wish and command and not to be questioned. He entrusted Lady Livia with the task of the imperial deputy, and as such, it is even her duty to lead the army into battle. So don''t talk, but prepare everything for departure.¡± With these words, he clapped his hands, and the senators hurriedly scurried away, none of them doubting her legitimacy any longer. Only Brutus cast a hateful glance in her direction before he left. Servius encouragingly squeezed her shoulders, and when she was finally alone, Livia breathed a sigh of relief. The first part was done, but she knew that the hardest part was still ahead of her. Sun-Tzu Rule 1 Chapter 3 The journey was long and arduous. Although Tiberius had significantly improved and expanded the road network, they had to take a new route more than once because the paths were unsuitable for an army to pass through due to mud, rubble, or overcrowding. The animals also had to be cared for or replaced every few hours. In addition, each soldier had to march with over forty kilograms of baggage, which, although they were accustomed to it, demanded a lot from them, especially since they were under significant time pressure that almost doubled their marching pace. The only good thing was that they had no fear of raids, as no one was foolish enough to attack an army. It took them almost two weeks to travel from Rome to Rhegium, where Livia hired more mercenaries, and one day from Rhegium by ship to Messana on the island of Sicily and then on to Syracus, where they stopped a few kilometres from the city. Livia sent out a scout. Even from a distance, they could hear the cries of the inhabitants and the roar of the Vandals. Fires had broken out all over the city, and the smoke rose into the sky, an unmistakable sign of the people''s suffering. After an hour, the scout returned and reported what he had seen. At his descriptions, Livia had to swallow hard. This was no longer just like one of the stories she had read about wars, no, now it was real and so much more terrible than she could have imagined. Fear crept into her limbs, slow and viscous, until she was paralyzed by it, but she tried not to show her feelings. With a swift motion, she spurred her horse and dashed up one of the countless hills that covered Sicilia. From there, she had a good view of the destroyed city of Syracus without being discovered herself. With regret, she looked down at the once-beautiful city and saw out of the corner of her eye that the senators had ridden after her. She sighed as the three of them reined in their horses beside her. "Did you perhaps fear that I would do something foolish, esteemed senators?", she teased them. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "By no means, Mistress." "Yes," came the simultaneous reply from Servius and Brutus. Livia raised her eyebrows. "Well, I appreciate your trust," she said half-seriously, half-ironically. "We should set up camp," Servius quickly changed the subject. Livia nodded in agreement, her gaze still fixed on the city. "Yes, we should." Brutus turned his horse to give the soldiers the order, but she quickly grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Not here." Brutus looked at her annoyed. "And why not? Mistress," he asked sarcastically. "We can''t stay here. We would be an easy target. It would be negligent to set up a camp here.¡± "Who says?" he pressed for more. "I say that," Livia replied coolly. "And if you had followed my brother''s advice and read Sunzi, you would be able to explain it to yourselves. The first lesson is, namely, to always keep moving in difficult terrain. This area is too dangerous because it is much too close to Syracuse, our enemies expect us to come from the east, and if we camp in the valley, we could easily be overrun. So I don''t care what objections you raise, Brutus, we will move on.¡± Brutus fell silent, whereupon Servius took the floor. "And where to, my lady?" "The Vandals are betting that we will come from the east, so we will come from the west. We march towards Gela and set up camp there.¡± Servius thought for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Forward!" Livia called down the hill and raised her hand, the signal to depart. Immediately, the column of soldiers began to gather their belongings and get into marching formation. Livia rode down the hill again and took her place at the head of the procession, then they began to travel further. After thirty kilometres, they finally reached a suitable spot, and she ordered them to set up camp. The soldiers, who were exhausted and had pain in their feet and backs, were all too happy to obey. Hardly had the camp been set up and a guard posted when they eagerly threw themselves at the now-prepared food. Livia also felt the fatigue in her bones, and as soon as she reached her tent, she fell onto the bed and was asleep. Sun-Tzu Rule 2 and 3 Chapter 4 The next morning, she woke up at the crack of dawn to the chirping of birds and the first rays of the day. Still tired, she rubbed her eyes and then got up to wash and dress. Then she stepped out of the tent and looked around. Outside was already a bustling commotion. Busy soldiers hurried back and forth, packing their things, praying, or otherwise preparing for the impending battle. Livia nodded to a few of them in greeting and walked to the command tent, where Brutus and Servius were already studying the maps. As she entered, they looked up and bowed slightly. "Lady," greeted Servius as Brutus stared at her. "Senators," replied Livia. She wondered why Brutus hadn''t said anything contemptuous yet. "You are late," he said as expected. She ignored him and turned to Servius. "Do you have any new information about the strength or strategies of the barbarians?" Servius was just about to say something, but Brutus interrupted, obviously annoyed that Livia was not letting herself be provoked by him. "We are the most successful and best warriors in the world, we will probably just manage to defeat a horde of barbarians." "It would be extremely unwise to underestimate the Vandals just because they may not appear as educated and civilized as we are. Many people before us have already made this fatal mistake. It would be better if we focus on studying them thoroughly and planning the battle adequately, rather than facing an unpleasant surprise." "That takes up unnecessary time, which we don''t have," Brutus replied sharply. "Yes, we do have that time," Livia replied calmly, continuing to study the maps without being fazed. "It won''t do any good to attack now. They are prepared for it. That would only mean unnecessary losses, which we can''t afford when we''re outnumbered anyway. No, we will wait until they no longer expect an attack.¡± She looked at Servius. "Tell me what you have learned about the barbarians." A few hours later, they were just in the process of evaluating the terrain when suddenly loud screams erupted from outside and a legionary burst in. "The mercenaries, Lady Livia," he gasped, out of breath. "They are attacking each other and demanding more money." Quickly, she stepped out of the tent, mounted her horse, and rode to the scene, followed by Servius and Brutus. "What''s going on here?" her voice echoed over the square as she signaled her soldiers to separate the fighters. "This bastard called me a coward!" one of the mercenaries roared, spitting at the other. The guards barely managed to hold them back before they went for each other''s throats again. "Because you are one!" the other replied. "Enough!" Livia interrupted them, and to her astonishment, the two actually stopped and glared at each other with hostility. She was just about to speak when an interjection interrupted her. "We want more money!" "Yes, more money," echoed more and more voices around her, using the tense situation to put even greater pressure on her. Livia watched the spectacle for a while, then raised her hand and the mercenaries fell silent. "You want more money, then," she huffed. "Have you already earned your money? It must have slipped my mind that I saw you fight. And did I not promise you ample rewards if we win? You want to revel in luxury without having done anything for it. Don''t you have any dignity? You are considered some of the best warriors in the world. Do you not want to bring honor to your name? The Vandals would laugh at you. Lazy, they would say. The Roman mercenaries are so lazy and greedy, they would stab their brothers in the back just to get more. Despicable, they would call you. You." If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. She pointed at a group of mercenaries. "You Chatten, do you want to return home knowing you did not fight? What would your wives say about it? Your sons, who look up to you as a role model? Will they want a dishonorable man and father? Do you want to be mocked?" she asked the assembled crowd. "No," came the scattered replies. "Do you want to be mocked?" she shouted even louder. "No!" the mercenaries roared in unison. "Fine!" Livia continued. "You will get your money soon! And it will not be your only reward. Your families, your chieftains, everyone will shower you with praise and reverence. They will be delighted by your glorious victory, speaking for centuries to come about how the brave Germanic mercenaries are invincible. For if you do not fight for Rome, then fight for yourselves, for your honor, for your people!" Cheers erupted, and the mercenaries tapped their shields in recognition. Livia smiled for a second, then turned around to ride back to the command tent. Her hands trembling like aspen leaves. Upon arrival, the two senators and she continued to survey the area. "From what we know, the Vandals have entrenched themselves behind the walls of Syracus," began Servius. "If they are still there this evening, we will have to besiege them at least for a short time." Livia agreed with him. "I don''t think they will withstand a siege for long, after all, they were short-sighted enough to start a fire. Most of their supplies will have been burned, and most of the wells are outside. They will have to come out sooner or later.¡° "Then we have the problem that the city has several gates and we don''t have enough capacity to station our people in front of each one. The troops would then be too small and could be easily defeated," Servius interjected. "Furthermore, the area around the city is uneven and wooded," criticized Brutus. "We can''t form a formation there." "I know," replied Livia. "That''s why we will hide here." She pointed to a spot on the map, a few kilometres north of Syracus. Servius frowned. "But that''s a dead end, Mistress Livia. We would be trapped." "Exactly," she replied laconically. "What will happen to the soldiers if there is no escape option?""she asked the two of them." "They are dying." Livia nodded. "Right. And because they know this, they will not lose, failure is not an option in such a situation.¡± "That''s cruel," Brutus complained. Livia sighed. "We have no choice. It is our only way to compensate for our numerical disadvantage. There we can form a formation and the soldiers will fight with all their might because they have no other choice. If we don''t do that, we are all lost anyway. That''s why we will wait for them there at dusk." Regrettably, Servius agreed with her. "But it''s all just speculation," Brutus wouldn''t let the matter rest. "How do you even know that the Vandals are really heading in this direction? As far as I know, they want to conquer Italy, so it would make more sense for them to move eastward.¡± "It would make sense," Livia agreed with him. "But they also know that we will be coming from this direction. So they travel first to Gela and from there to the east, because that way they can avoid us. Since we haven''t attacked yet, they will think that we are still on our way to Syracus. Moreover, they always travel at night to move forward undisturbed, which gives us the perfect opportunity to ambush them." Servius looked at her impressed and Livia blushed. "Someone paid good attention in class," Brutus couldn''t resist another jab, and now Livia''s patience finally snapped. "Be careful, Senator!" she said to him, her voice as cold as ice. "I value honesty and constructive criticism, but I am tired of having to justify my decisions or actions all the time. We are in a difficult situation and I cannot afford to have someone stab me in the back. A commander must be able to trust his men. And if he can''t, well, then those men have to disappear. Immediately. Furthermore, I don''t believe it is advisable to place dubious men in high positions. They sometimes become a bit... overconfident." With these words, she stared him straight in the eyes. "So the senator should decide what is more important to him, his office or his unrestrained comments. Do we understand each other?" she added threateningly. Brutus hesitated briefly, then lowered his head and growled as humbly as he could: "Yes." "Good.¡± She turned to Servius. "We proceed as discussed. Make sure that the men are ready for battle by this evening.¡± "Very well, my lady." With one last brief glance at Brutus, she left the tent to prepare herself, her thoughts plagued by fear and worry about what was to come. The Battle Chapter 5 Shortly before sunrise, the army set off, and a little less than half an hour later, they arrived at the agreed-upon location. Tense silence had accompanied them the entire way, and Livia had also been lost in thought. Again and again, she had gone over her battle plan to make sure she hadn''t overlooked anything. She signaled her soldiers, and they spread out in units within the forest that surrounded the vast clearing, hiding under the cover of darkness. Livia and the two senators also positioned their horses, and once again the exhausting wait began. Two hours later, it was finally time. They heard the horses, the thundering hooves, and the raucous laughter of the Vandals, who were not exactly quiet as they fought their way through the underbrush. She nodded to the unit next to her, whereupon one group after another readied themselves for battle. She waited until the barbarians reached the center of the clearing, then raised her sword. "For honor, for our people, for the Emperor!" she shouted, and a deafening roar echoed as the legions poured out of the forest and formed into cohorts with battle cries. "Quincunx!" commanded Livia, and one by one, the soldiers hurled their javelins at the approaching Vandals, who had surprisingly regrouped quickly. Subsequently, three light javelins from the other soldiers in the cohort followed in quick succession, to injure or kill the enemies. Before the barbarians could properly regroup, the unit withdrew while other squads advanced on the flanks. Meanwhile, their enemies had begun to strike back. Hissing arrows shot through the air, and Livia quickly raised her shield to avoid being hit. The soldier next to her, however, was not so lucky. With horror, she watched as an arrow pierced his torso, and he fell to the ground with a terrible gurgle, trampled by his own men. Quickly, she tore herself away from the sight and instead focused on the archers. Since the Vandals had failed to form a formation in time, it was easy to take out the nearly unprotected archers. With a powerful thrust, she threw her pilum and hit one of them right in the heart. Her own heart grew heavy with it, but she had no time for such thoughts now. It was either them or us, and Livia was clearly for us. She saw that some of the mercenaries were following her example and systematically neutralizing the archers. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Then the armies clashed. With a terrible clatter, the swords of the two enemies clashed against each other, pain-filled screams, heavy panting, and the smell of blood filled the air. "Rotate!" she called after a while and let out a whistle. Immediately, the exhausted fighters in the front row withdrew to the back row, where they recovered until the rotations brought them back to the front. Livia didn''t know how much time had passed, but it felt endless to her. She had already rotated the soldiers so many times that she could no longer count. Despite the recovery phases she had thanks to her tactics, Livia felt the weakness that gradually took hold of her. The sword in her hand seemed to grow heavier and her strikes weaker. She wondered how much longer they would have to hold out, for although they had already killed a lot of barbarians, it seemed like new ones kept coming. More hours passed, and she could barely stay on the horse. Blow after blow, she struck at the barbarians, parried attacks, and dodged swords. More than once she was hit, but fortunately not so hard that it caused serious damage. Due to the adrenaline coursing through her body, she no longer felt the initial pain. Like hypnotized, the next blow was the only thing she could think about. Suddenly, her horse stumbled, and she barely managed to hold on before falling off. One of the vandals had struck her horse, which fell to the ground with the next blow to its flank, burying Livia beneath it so that she could no longer move. Intense pain radiated from her chest throughout her entire body, and she was sure that some ribs, if not even her leg, were broken. But that wasn''t the worst part. The man who had killed her horse now approached her with a disgustingly malicious grin, his eyes sparkling crazily. Desperately, she tried to free herself, but it was far too difficult. Panic overcame her. She had to be able to do something! Suddenly the man sank to his knees, his eyes wide open, a sword protruding from his chest. It seemed as if time stood still as Livia and the vandal stared at each other, now there was no trace of his bloodlust, only sheer fear and pain. Excruciatingly slowly, his death struggle unfolded before her eyes, and she felt an indescribable sense of relief when he sank dead to the ground. Gasping, she struggled for breath. The horse lying on top of her cut off her air, and her vision began to blur. She still felt two strong arms pulling her out before she finally sank completely into darkness. Mistress General Chapter 6 An unpleasant feeling jolted Livia out of her unconsciousness. It was almost as if someone was hitting her. And indeed, as she slowly blinked to fully regain her senses, she recognized one of the soldiers who was just about to swing his arm to slap her again. Quickly, she raised her hand to deflect the blow. "Lady, you are awake again!" she heard his joyful voice. "Yes." Slowly she tried to got up and a sharp pain shot through her. Hissing, she sucked in air between her teeth. "Your rib is broken, Mistress," the voice sounded again. "But you were lucky. It could have ended much worse.¡± The legionary extended his hand to help her up. Livia took it, and he pulled her to her feet. With shaky legs, she surveyed her surroundings. At the sight that greeted her, she felt nauseous and began to gag. Only with great effort could she prevent herself from vomiting. A horrified sound came from her throat, which sounded foreign to her own ears. "Horrible, isn''t it?" the man asked her quietly. Livia nodded. For wherever she looked, severed limbs and dead bodies lay everywhere, brutally mutilated, lining the clearing, the grass stained red with the blood of the wounded and the dead. Nevertheless, a feeling of relief washed over her. Because what she couldn''t see were fighting men. And since she and her savior were still alive, that could only mean one thing. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. "We won, didn''t we?"she whispered." "We have indeed." the man confirmed to her. "And that is only thanks to you, General Mistress." A strong wave of pride washed over her at his praise, but she merely waved it off and turned carefully to check on the whereabouts of her troops. She was not disappointed. Behind her, the entire remaining army had gathered, along with the captured Vandals, Servius, and Brutus, whom she had lost sight of in the chaos of the battle. They all looked at Livia with anticipation and she gazed proudly at her soldiers.With a little smile, she cleared her throat. "I thank you all from the bottom of my heart," she began. "For fighting by my side and thus proving yourselves to be loyal and honorable. After this hard-fought, costly battle, the title of brave, fearless warriors is certainly yours. You shall be admired and showered with treasures for the glorious service you have rendered to our land and our people, even if it may not be the homeland of all. Should you nevertheless feel a kind of connection deep in your hearts," she addressed the mercenaries. "I then welcome you to my legion, the Aquilaners, as you shall be called from now on. For today, something wonderful has happened. As the defeated, we entered the battle and as the victors, we emerged!¡± With newfound strength, she lifted her sword, which lay beside her on the ground, and thrust it towards the sky. "We have won!" she roared, and immediately thunderous cheers erupted. "Augusta, Augusta, Augusta," the calls rang out, and Livia''s eyes began to shine with emotion. After a while, she raised her hand and the cheers of joy gradually subsided. "Let''s return to the camp," she said. "We are all exhausted, and I am sure that, just like me, you could devour a bear. So come on, my warriors, we can celebrate in Rome later.¡± Oh, this audacious girl! Chapter 5 Exhausted after a long but victorious day, Tiberius sank into his chair, but hardly had he closed his eyes when he was disturbed in his peace once again. "Sir! Sir!" shouted a loud voice, and not a second later, his personal slave, Teres, burst through the tent entrance. Without waiting for permission. With a slight smile, Tiberius shook his head at his audacity. The boy knew exactly how far he could go without getting into trouble. Really cunning. Behind Teres, Marcus stumbled into the tent, completely out of breath from his attempt to stop the boy. "I''m sorry, sir," he gasped. "The little dwarf is just too fast and agile like an antelope," he added admiringly. Teres grinned cheekily at the two of them. "Now show me what you have there," the Emperor demanded, feigning anger. Hastily, the slave handed him the two letters and bowed. Tiberius examined them and a broad smile spread across his face as he recognized Livia''s handwriting on one of them. He sighed with relief. Finally, a nice change after the events of the last few days. He was just about to open her letter when Teres stopped him. "It might be better if you read the other letter first, Your Majesty." "Why?" Tiberius furrowed his brow in confusion. "Um." Teres cleared his throat awkwardly. "It is possible that it is already several weeks old." The emperor''s eyes narrowed to slits, and Teres fast ducked his head, as if it were his fault. Quickly, Tiberius broke the seal and skimmed through the letter. His facial expressions shifted from startled to somewhat relieved and then to absolute horror, before he slammed the paper onto the table and tore his hair out while mumbling incomprehensible things. Marcus and Teres looked at him with concern. They had never seen the Emperor so agitated. Finally, the general could no longer bear it and took the letter to read it himself. Teres looked over his shoulder, as curious as he was. Most esteemed Princeps, Imperator Augustus, Forgive us for beginning our report without further ado. However, something of extraordinary enormity has occurred. The Vandals have invaded our beloved land in the south and have already managed to conquer large areas. Fortunately, we were able to assemble an army that is now moving towards Syracus, the last known location of the barbarians. This army, under the leadership of your highly esteemed sister, should be able to eliminate this problem, allowing you to fully concentrate on your victory, which is why we refrained from sending a courier. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. In hope of your soon, glorious return! The senators When they had finished reading, Teres and Marcus looked at each other. That was absolutely not good. The emperor had by now composed himself enough to get loudly worked up. "My sister!" he roared in a fit of rage, slamming his fist on the table so hard that it broke in two. "Those clowns of senators have appointed my beloved sister as a general and sent her into battle in a suicide squad, while they themselves, like the cowards they are, have hidden away in their homes in Rome! God forbid that anything happens to Livia! I could never forgive myself for that, it would kill me!" He snorted. "And the senators right along with them." "After all, it was about an army," Marcus tried to calm him down. "What kind of army could they possibly have?" Tiberius threw his hands in the air. "There were only a few legions left in Rome, and at least half of them must stay there. The only other possibility would be the Praetorians." He hesitated briefly. "And mercenaries," Marcus added quietly. Silently, Tiberius nodded, and the senator had to swallow. They all knew how dangerous the mercenaries were and how quickly they changed their loyalty when they sensed weakness or discovered the chance for more money. "What should we do now?" asked Marcus. "Break camp, we will return to Rome immediately, replenish our supplies, and then travel to Syracus," ordered Tiberius. Immediately, Marcus rushed out of the tent. Tiberius wanted to follow him, but Teres cleared his throat. "What is it?" the Emperor asked impatiently. "The letter from your sister," the slave reminded him cautiously. "Of course." He shook his head at himself. In his worry, he had completely forgotten about it. He picked it up from the floor, where it had landed after his outburst, and began to read. Dearest brother, We haven''t seen each other in a long time! In the meantime, quite a bit has happened! I''m not sure how much news has reached you, but you should know that during your absence, the Vandals from the south have invaded. And I know you will not approve, oh, what am I saying, you will be downright furious, but I led our troops into battle as a general. Moreover, my dear brother, do not despair, for whether you believe it or not, we have returned victorious from the battle! I hope your anger towards me has passed by the time you return to Rome. I only wanted to protect our country and people, you surely understand that! I miss you extraordinarily and hope you return with equally joyful news! With love Your sister Caja Livia Note: I beg you, do not take out your anger on the senators! It was solely my decision to leave, and I urged them to do so, possibly misinterpreting your letter. You surely remember how assertive I can be, so they really didn''t have a choice given the difficult situation we were in. Forgive me! A great weight lifted from his chest, and he breathed an incredible sigh of relief. She had returned to Rome safely. One thing was certain, when he returned, he would first wring her neck! This untamed girl always managed to drive him to the brink of madness! He couldn''t help but grin now that he knew she was okay. This last half hour had given him more fear than the entire battle before. On the other hand, he couldn''t help but be incredibly proud of his little sister. Not only had she managed to get an entire council of senators to appoint her as a general, but she had also gone into battle against the barbarians and returned home gloriously, or more importantly, safely. Happily, he ruffled Teres''s hair, who looked at him as if he had lost his mind, and still grinning, he ran out of the tent to hurry his men, for he wanted only one thing: to get to Rome as quickly as possible! Triumphal procession Chapter 7 Two days later, the triumphal procession finally took place. Her brother had surprisingly well processed her story, as Livia thought. He had indeed imposed a two-month book ban on her, but that seemed quite harmless to her considering that she had disobeyed his orders and put herself in great danger. Tired, she stretched and, with a sigh, threw off the warm blanket. Shivering, she went to the small bell hanging on her wall and rang it. Only a few seconds later, Fanesa came running to help her get dressed and "To my brave sister!" it said, and inside was a short message from her brother. "These clothes are my reluctant acknowledgment that you have acted like a true ruler and have more than proven your extraordinary abilities! I wish for you to wear them today, along with the most beautiful things you have, for I have a surprise for you, dear sister! Come to the atrium when you''re ready.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. A little later, the two finally made their way to the atrium, where Tiberius, Teres, Livia''s younger siblings Helvia and Tiberius Caius Flavus, as well as some other slaves, were already waiting impatiently. The Emperor raised an eyebrow at Fanesas''s appearance, but said nothing further, only smiled at her, for which she was grateful. There, the rest of the procession was already waiting. A slave stepped behind them onto the wagon and held a gold crown over Tiberius''s head.