B4 Chapter 52: A Small Fracture

Quintus sat cooling his heels on a small couch outside the emperor's private office. It felt like the first time he'd been still in months. Between the constant sweeps of the desert, the rush to defend the elven territories, and the subsequent dash northward to reinforce the First Legionnaires there, Quintus and his men had quickly found themselves leveling [Warpath] more than they'd honestly intended.

Thankfully, their assistance hadn't proven necessary after all. They'd made it north just in time to run across a battered and bloodied dragon flying their way. Taking care of it quickly, they subsequently received confirmation that the main threat had been dealt with by Gaius. Quintus couldn't help but feel a bit proud of the boy for that.

Now, they were back at the capital, and Quintus's men were enjoying some well-earned leave in cooler climates with far more booze. Yet Quintus did not relax. He had responsibilities to tend to---and actions of his own to explain.

As Legatus, he retained a great deal of leeway in applying his own judgement and interpreting orders handed down to him. Yet he had pushed both of those things to their limits with his actions. He had no regrets about them, of course. Because of the Third Legion, the elves had been spared a great deal of destruction and loss. In fact, he was rather certain that Tiberius would have done much the same in his position.

Though that was when the man had been Legatus. Now that he was emperor, perhaps he would see things differently.

Quintus glanced up as a sweaty, tense-looking dwarf hurried out of the room. He was called in shortly after. Stepping inside, Quintus found Tiberius sitting behind his desk, its surface clear of the usual paperwork he would normally expect.

Quintus stepped forward and saluted the emperor. Tiberius's stern face didn't budge. He returned the gesture, but rather than gesturing for Quintus to sit, he simply waved him to stand at ease. Not a trace of warmth touched his features.

That didn't bode well. Usually, he and Tiberius disposed of such formalities in favor of sharing a drink, even for more serious meetings. The change in tone confirmed what Quintus had suspected. The emperor was not at all pleased.

With a wave of his hand, Tiberius dismissed Lucius from the room. His shadowlike aide departed with gliding steps, barely making a sound as he left. Only then did Tiberius speak.

"You disobeyed orders." He said simply. "You delayed your return well past the point of being reasonable, risking the safety of Rome in the process."

Quintus remained straight-backed. "The choices I made, I made for Rome. I acted to preserve our borders against another threat."

"So you say." Tiberius tapped one finger on the desk. "I have read your report. But all I see is that you advanced into enemy territory and instigated a war. Acting as a raiding party is not the same as defensive patrolling, Legatus Quintus."

"Our actions sought to eliminate the source of the enemy's incursions. It also allowed us to better leverage our capabilities, as the Third Legion is not as well-suited for forest fighting as the Second." Quintus replied. "Additionally, as I stated in the report, it is clear that the enemy was massing for one or more greater invasion efforts. Were we not positioned to blunt and neutralize those efforts, the damage to our territory and the elven people would have been far greater."

"And had you not sought out conflict, you would have been able to better assist the elves in creating a defensive position along their borders." Tiberius narrowed his eyes. "Rather than building stonework outposts for your attacks, you could have put those efforts toward reinforcing the borders. Had you not accelerated the enemy's plans, you may well have been able to reinforce the northern forces and still return in time to defend against these incursions. Yet you did neither."

Quintus did not respond. He didn't think that Tiberius was right, of course. True, he could have directed the men to build fortifications of their own, but then the elves wouldn't have gained experience that they very clearly needed. Worse, without knowing about the red sand in advance, those fortifications likely would have been comprised of wood instead of stone. They would have crumbled into the dunes if the enemy had enacted their plan.

After their orders had increased in urgency, Quintus had made haste to finish their business and head northward. They hadn't spent more than half a day dealing with the incursion and securing the forest from any follow-up attacks, more likely a few hours. That kind of difference was paltry when it came to reinforcing the First Legion, something that hadn't proved necessary in the end.

Tiberius had to understand this. He sincerely doubted the man would ever have followed orders with this same degree of timidity he expected of Quintus. But his stony expression stated otherwise.

Tiberius's finger stopped tapping. "We are not looking to open more wars along our border, Legatus Quintus. And yet your actions seek to do precisely that. Had you thought to ask for guidance or instruction rather than diving right into unknown territory, I would have reminded you as much."

Ah. So that was it. An old sticking point that Quintus had never quite agreed on. Of course, he'd never voiced that openly. But he could tell that Tiberius had different priorities as an emperor than as a Legatus.

Again Quintus remained silent. He wanted to continue arguing, to make Tiberius see reason. Yet he realized that his position was untenable. The longer they talked, the more he realized that he was not speaking to Tiberius, his Legatus friend. He now spoke to Tiberius the emperor. A different man entirely, from the looks of things.

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Despite feeling the reprimand was unreasonable, Quintus dipped his head. He continued to lower it as far as his station would allow, without showing so much deference as to be scandalous.

"Emperor. If I exceeded the proper bounds in my actions, I acknowledge my fault. Neither contempt nor defiance moved me. I did not intend to offend you through my actions or those of my Legion. I ask your pardon, and I trust that my past loyalty will speak on my behalf."

It was a more formal speech than Quintus would normally give, and the words felt stilted on his tongue. But then, this was the emperor he spoke to. Tiberius had made that clear. And if a bit more deference would spare his men the emperor's wrath, then his own pride was a worthwhile coin to offer in trade.

He kept his head bowed until he heard a sigh. "Raise your head, Quintus."

When he looked up again, Tiberius suddenly looked tired. The deep lines of granite that characterized his expression now resembled those of a much older man, and Quintus noted a few more locks of grey where they hadn't been before.

Tiberius rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "You and I both know that I cannot openly reprimand you for your actions. Your reasoning does have some merit, though your priorities are clearly misplaced. I will not have your men bear the punishment for your actions, either."

Quintus relaxed slightly. The idea that Tiberius would have him punish his own men had crossed his mind, if only briefly as a course of action beyond the pale. Yet he couldn't help but feel relief his old Legatus hadn't changed to that extent.

"...Your next assignment will be south," Tiberius continued. "Toward the vast sea along our border. Along the way, your Legion will be responsible for making additions to the road network and performing maintenance on the empire's infrastructure. Gaius also has men planning several improvements for the port towns and the shipping routes that extend from them---see to it that they are implemented."

Quintus grimaced to himself. It was a punishment detail, plain and simple. Not expected, but far lighter than it could have been. It also might give his men some time to digest all their combat experience, so it wasn't all bad news.

"I will acquiesce to my emperor's wishes."

"See that you do." Tiberius said. "Of course, it goes without saying that you will not begin a new war with any seafaring peoples you may encounter along the way. We lack the manpower to engage in such conflicts, not without significant sacrifice. Already you have kicked the hornet's nest at the eastern border. Do not go seeking out another."

He looked for a hint of humor in Tiberius's words. There was none.

"Of course, emperor." Quintus said simply. He had no desire to sail his Legion across the waves. But should someone venture forth to attack them... That was an entirely different story.

"Good." Tiberius nodded. "One more thing."

Tiberius reached below his desk and retrieved a stack of thick tomes. They settled atop his desk with a hefty thud.

"These are for you. Read them and internalize their lessons. You are no longer a Primus Pilus, responsible only for the battlefield. You are a Legatus, a Roman noble and a diplomat. You need to learn to navigate the political realm as easily as you do the battlefield."

Quintus eyed the books, trying to hide his dread. It was a fair critique. He'd never been one much for politics at all, and his experience with bureaucracy was a matter of necessity rather than something he remotely enjoyed. Still, that shortcoming was nothing compared to what really mattered---the ability to win battles. The ability to manage and maneuver one's men while ensuring they were not left vulnerable. In that, they really had yet to find any other man who could measure up to Quintus himself. A fact evidenced by the far-off prospect of a fourth Legion.

He looked back at Tiberius. Maybe he was imagining it, but he thought he saw the faintest flash of amusement in the man's eyes, reminiscent of his old self.

"I will read them," Quintus said, suppressing a sigh. Perhaps this was the real punishment. Though it would be good for him, he knew.

They didn't talk for much longer. Tiberius had a few questions about his reports and a few more bits of feedback to give regarding his Legion's priorities before Quintus was finally dismissed. Tiberius instructed him to give a more complete accounting of their campaign to Lucius when he left.

When Quintus stepped outside, he found the aide waiting by the door. The former aquilifer seemed far more thin and a touch more pale than he had during their campaign days. As their eyes met, he spoke.

"The emperor is not pleased with you."

Quintus snorted. "I gathered that much."

A ghost of a smile touched Lucius's mouth. "It bore mentioning. What possibly possessed you to flaunt direct orders like that?"

"I did not flaunt them," Quintus said. "I did what was necessary for the sake of the empire."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Strange. Such determinations are usually the purview of the emperor. Making them yourself... Some might call that borderline treason."

Quintus stared at the man. They'd always had a good relationship, working closely together during their time in the First Legion. Yet looking at him now, he almost seemed like a different person.

"...I will keep that in mind," Quintus said simply.

After briefing Lucius on the Third Legion's activities and handing over a stack of officers' reports, Quintus finally made his way out of the castle. On the way out, he passed several of the now Praetorian Guards and the First Legionnaires serving Tiberius more directly. Men who Quintus had once fought side-by-side with.

They saluted him in greeting, but not as their former Primus Pilus. Not like the jolly shouts of friendly recognition he'd received from the Legionnaires on the gates. Their respect was more reserved, more appropriate to a Legatus of another Legion.

It was strange to see men who he knew as brothers have that distant look in their eyes. There was respect and familiarity, but there was a wariness as well, a clear distance. And it was growing.

Perhaps it was just these men who served Tiberius and Gaius more directly. Or perhaps it would come to affect every man before long, or perhaps it was just the natural wariness borne of separate Legions interacting with each other. Yet he hadn't felt it during his brief encounter with Gaius and the First Legion.

Quintus didn't like it. It felt like a small fracture growing before his eyes, one that he wasn't certain Gaius was aware of. Something that he sincerely hoped he was imagining.