Chapter 1: 453 First POD, Recall of a General
Chapter 1
453 AD
January 20th
Ravenna, Italy
Flavius Placidius Valentinianus Augustus, paced his bedroom, Licinia Eudoxia who lay on their bed was not suprised, he had been like this for many days, in fact the one thing she was suprised by, was the fact that there was not a rut in the floor yet from his pacing. Ever since his Victory over Attilia, Flavius Aetius who had gained much influence, had put it to use, and now pressured the Emperor, mainly on one thing, The marriage of Placidia to his son Flavius Gaudentius.
The 33 year old Augustus was right to fear that Aetius planned to then put his young teenage son on the throne. As Aetius had at one point supported a Usurper on the throne. To prop his son on the throne would not be suprising.
"Dear," Eudoxia began, "I dont think you should bow to Aetius demands, after all you are the Emperor, he is Magister Militum, you can always get rid of him, or replace him."
"And who would I replace him with, no one is as famous as Aetius, if I killed him his army would kill me in turn, and if I replaced him he would rebel, kill me, and marry his son to our daughter anyways. There is nothing to do but give him his demands. That is the heart of the problem our fate, he is to powerful and influental even against his Emperor."
Eudoxia finally seen her chance, remembering a handsome man only a year younger than her husband, as her cheeks turned red, she spoke. "There is one. In fact you at one point had chosen him." Her husband looked at her frowning, "Julius Valerius Majorianus. He was famous as Aetius second in command before Aetius banished him from his army. He is well known, and respected. He can be a counterweight to Aetius. Give him an army, marry our daughter to him, and Aetius would find himself in a less favorable position. Let Majorian have a victory, and he would become a true threat to Aetius."
She saw the indecisiveness in her husband and sighed, he was nothing like his famous father, he was cowardly, easily lead. "If we let Aetius continue with his plans, we would be dead as soon as Placidia and Gaudentius marry. Majorianus would owe his position to us, as well as his wife, he would be Loyal."
"Where would we send Majorian with an army, with Attila defeated there are no threats to the empire."
Eudoxia sighed, "The Seubi have plundered Hispania, they control almost 2/3 of the Peninsula and threaten the remaining provinces there. Saving those provinces would not only give him a victory, it would stabilize the region and we would recieve more taxes."
Finally she saw the truth come to Valentinianus eyes. She sighed, content that she would see the handsome General again, and that her life would be save with Aetius weakened.
February 1st
Ravenna, Italia
Julius Valerius Majorianus, was nervous as he and his imperial escort arrived at the imperial palace. The fact that he had been escorted from his rural estate to the Capital at least gave him hope he wasnt about to be murdered, however it wouldn't be the first time in history that an Emperor wanted to watch the execution. The fact that his guards didnt let loose any information added to the suspense.
Several minutes later he and some of his escorts arrived at the Emperors study. In there he found the Augustus and his wife, who Majorian thought eyed him up like a wolf its prey. Majorian bowed in front of the Augustus. "Dominus, i have arrived as asked, i wish to serve loyaly and with honour."
Valentinianus smiled a cold grim smile, something that would run chills down most people. "Majorianus I am glad you have arrived. I am sure you have heard the rumours of an Imperial Betrothal." Majorian had and was not suprised that Aetius was pushing his son as the to be bride to 12 year old Placidia, after all how could the Emperor stop the Empires most famous general. "Well they are wrong. In fact the reason i brought you hear is to reconsider what happened 3 years ago. I want you to marry my daughter. If you agree we will announce the Betrothal, as well as the accompanying position as Magister Militum."
Majorian was shocked, and it took several seconds for him to even stutter out his awnser. "Of course Augustus, I live to serve the Empire, however isnt Aetius the Magister Militum?"
"He is however i feel that the Empire would be better served with two Magister Militums who could face all the Empires threats, at once and together." Majorian instantly felt sick, two men in power never worked, it always lead to conflict, a recent example was Bonifacius and Aetius, two Magister Militums would inevitably lead to civil war. Of course Majorian understood the Augustus's reasoning Aetius needed his influence diminished, if it wasnt soon the current Emperor and his wife would be discared for Aetius own son.
Nodding with fake enthusiasm Majorian responded as confidently as he could, after all his fate was now to fight the great Aetius sometime in the future. "I am glad to serve the Empire, and look forward to making her enemies suffer, and I must ask were am I to Command?"
"You are to take a portion of the Italian Comitatenses, 6,000 men, and march to Hispania, gathering what men you can from Gaul, and join with the 4,000 men of the Hispanian army in Tarraco. You have full authority to raise what Fedorati you must and raise whatever men needed. The Seuvi who have been terroizing Hispania and control 2/3 of the Peninsula must be defeated, pushed back and made Fedorati again."
Majorian nodded, it was obvious what was happening, he was a political tool to the Emperor, and any children of his and Placidia would become Valentinians hiers, all the while he would be the counterweight to Aetius, as well as the man trying to hold the empire together while the Augustus was one of the worst the empire had seen.
453 AD
January 20th
Ravenna, Italy
Flavius Placidius Valentinianus Augustus, paced his bedroom, Licinia Eudoxia who lay on their bed was not suprised, he had been like this for many days, in fact the one thing she was suprised by, was the fact that there was not a rut in the floor yet from his pacing. Ever since his Victory over Attilia, Flavius Aetius who had gained much influence, had put it to use, and now pressured the Emperor, mainly on one thing, The marriage of Placidia to his son Flavius Gaudentius.
The 33 year old Augustus was right to fear that Aetius planned to then put his young teenage son on the throne. As Aetius had at one point supported a Usurper on the throne. To prop his son on the throne would not be suprising.
"Dear," Eudoxia began, "I dont think you should bow to Aetius demands, after all you are the Emperor, he is Magister Militum, you can always get rid of him, or replace him."
"And who would I replace him with, no one is as famous as Aetius, if I killed him his army would kill me in turn, and if I replaced him he would rebel, kill me, and marry his son to our daughter anyways. There is nothing to do but give him his demands. That is the heart of the problem our fate, he is to powerful and influental even against his Emperor."
Eudoxia finally seen her chance, remembering a handsome man only a year younger than her husband, as her cheeks turned red, she spoke. "There is one. In fact you at one point had chosen him." Her husband looked at her frowning, "Julius Valerius Majorianus. He was famous as Aetius second in command before Aetius banished him from his army. He is well known, and respected. He can be a counterweight to Aetius. Give him an army, marry our daughter to him, and Aetius would find himself in a less favorable position. Let Majorian have a victory, and he would become a true threat to Aetius."
She saw the indecisiveness in her husband and sighed, he was nothing like his famous father, he was cowardly, easily lead. "If we let Aetius continue with his plans, we would be dead as soon as Placidia and Gaudentius marry. Majorianus would owe his position to us, as well as his wife, he would be Loyal."
"Where would we send Majorian with an army, with Attila defeated there are no threats to the empire."
Eudoxia sighed, "The Seubi have plundered Hispania, they control almost 2/3 of the Peninsula and threaten the remaining provinces there. Saving those provinces would not only give him a victory, it would stabilize the region and we would recieve more taxes."
Finally she saw the truth come to Valentinianus eyes. She sighed, content that she would see the handsome General again, and that her life would be save with Aetius weakened.
February 1st
Ravenna, Italia
Julius Valerius Majorianus, was nervous as he and his imperial escort arrived at the imperial palace. The fact that he had been escorted from his rural estate to the Capital at least gave him hope he wasnt about to be murdered, however it wouldn't be the first time in history that an Emperor wanted to watch the execution. The fact that his guards didnt let loose any information added to the suspense.
Several minutes later he and some of his escorts arrived at the Emperors study. In there he found the Augustus and his wife, who Majorian thought eyed him up like a wolf its prey. Majorian bowed in front of the Augustus. "Dominus, i have arrived as asked, i wish to serve loyaly and with honour."
Valentinianus smiled a cold grim smile, something that would run chills down most people. "Majorianus I am glad you have arrived. I am sure you have heard the rumours of an Imperial Betrothal." Majorian had and was not suprised that Aetius was pushing his son as the to be bride to 12 year old Placidia, after all how could the Emperor stop the Empires most famous general. "Well they are wrong. In fact the reason i brought you hear is to reconsider what happened 3 years ago. I want you to marry my daughter. If you agree we will announce the Betrothal, as well as the accompanying position as Magister Militum."
Majorian was shocked, and it took several seconds for him to even stutter out his awnser. "Of course Augustus, I live to serve the Empire, however isnt Aetius the Magister Militum?"
"He is however i feel that the Empire would be better served with two Magister Militums who could face all the Empires threats, at once and together." Majorian instantly felt sick, two men in power never worked, it always lead to conflict, a recent example was Bonifacius and Aetius, two Magister Militums would inevitably lead to civil war. Of course Majorian understood the Augustus's reasoning Aetius needed his influence diminished, if it wasnt soon the current Emperor and his wife would be discared for Aetius own son.
Nodding with fake enthusiasm Majorian responded as confidently as he could, after all his fate was now to fight the great Aetius sometime in the future. "I am glad to serve the Empire, and look forward to making her enemies suffer, and I must ask were am I to Command?"
"You are to take a portion of the Italian Comitatenses, 6,000 men, and march to Hispania, gathering what men you can from Gaul, and join with the 4,000 men of the Hispanian army in Tarraco. You have full authority to raise what Fedorati you must and raise whatever men needed. The Seuvi who have been terroizing Hispania and control 2/3 of the Peninsula must be defeated, pushed back and made Fedorati again."
Majorian nodded, it was obvious what was happening, he was a political tool to the Emperor, and any children of his and Placidia would become Valentinians hiers, all the while he would be the counterweight to Aetius, as well as the man trying to hold the empire together while the Augustus was one of the worst the empire had seen.
Last edited: