Tanya's Third Life as a Barbarian Queen, Chapter XXVIII

I will have the chapter as links to download at the bottom of the post. As well as a link to the Google Document page.

Sadera, minor chapter house of the Order of the Rose Knights

Bozes Co Palesti, Second daughter and Yellow Rose of the Order.

“Another lot.” I looked at the lines of corpses that were laid out in the garden. A white sheet with a name laid atop the ones that could be identified, but so many were slaves or plebians who were as of yet nameless.

“Should be the last of them.” Garrious said, leaning against a stump that had yet to be removed from the estate. His stoic expression shifted to one of discomfort as he looked out upon the dozens upon dozens who had been slain in the last day alone.

“What makes you think that?” I inquired, wishing for rain but only seeing a cloudless blue sky overhead.

“Well, the vote’s today.” He replied as if it should be obvious. “Too late to get anyone else at this point. Gods know why some far flung barbarians should cause this much trouble.”  

“Who do you think will win?” I asked. Curious to hear the perspective of a commoner. As my father always said, it was better to ask obvious questions and be seen as a fool than to stew in ignorance and be a fool in truth.

It had become a habit, even to ask people questions I knew the answers to as everyone tended to have their own way of answering. That alone could be very informative. Usually, I merely had to flutter my eyelids and twirl my golden hair and both men and women tripped over themselves to explain things to me. 

It offered them a sense of control and comfort. Feelings that allowed me to learn more than I would otherwise.

“Oh, we have already smashed them.” The old man replied with a grin.

“No! The vote.” I chastised the man as he had the temerity to chuckle. I took a moment to perform an exaggerated pout and puffed up my cheeks.

“No idea.” He said with a sigh before shaking his head. “We... we probably will declare war, the Senate loves to find excuses to send stupid children off to die somewhere nice and obscure.” Garrious was as close to the average Saderan as I cared to speak to, and if even he could not see it, then this was clearly a very rapid change of plans. Molt, the Senate, both liked to announce their plans to the public years ahead of time, promoting debate of the subjects they wanted and making sure the outcome they desired would ‘win’ more often than not.

The idea of this vote failing would blindside the public.

“My Lady.” Rhea Asia approached. She was an overly serious woman, the result of some senator’s son, far too much wine, and a whore. Her family had the grace to raise her as a household servant, but that was not enough for a competent young woman even though her catlike eyes that denoted her as less than human.

Pina had been overjoyed to induct a woman who actually had some small interest in the martial arts. Her parentage meant nothing to the most prominent Rose of the order. Despite the glut of women in the Rose Knights, few could claim to be worth their weight in battle. Rhea had inherited more than just her eyes from her mother, and was almost Pina’s equal with a blade due to her impressive reflexes and coordination alone.

But Pina had the weight of a lifetime of training. Only her male peers could best her and even then it was not a sure thing.

“We have been unable to identify the killers. No one is willing to speak to us on the matter.” She explained and I suppressed the urge to scoff. It was obvious that this was no minor crime but a mass assassination against a host of targets, the only people who are capable of such a feat are people that many would not dare cross.

The only reason why there was an investigation at all was because Pina demanded it.

The concerning part of all of this was that it was obviously a reaction to the vote on the war against the steppe barbarians. Except for so many people to be murdered for that was absurd, who truly cared about some far off barbarians? There had to be more, something else was going on but I could not think of what that could be.

“I will continue the investigation into the murders Rhea, thank you, but you should get some rest for now. There is little to be done except arrange funerary rites for the moment.” The sharp woman blinked at me and my abrupt dismissal, but smartly inclined her head and made her way into the petty chapter house.

People like Rhea were ill suited to skullduggery such as this. She was too much like Pina, too bound to the rules and expectations of Sadera rather than the rather dismal truth of the matter.

The fact that the murders stank of Frumentarii was something that neither one would accept. Especially when we actively had Frumentarii agents keeping the Rose Order abreast of the goings on in the city. Garrious was right, the Senate loved to start far off wars for petty reasons, so why would the poisoned blade of the Empire be driven into the backs of the senators who wanted the war declared?

It was blatant, in a way that precluded it being merely incompetence or an accident. Pro-war senators were being murdered and the senate, or the Emperor himself wanted everyone to know that it was a matter of policy. 

I looked at the row of corpses, some far smaller than the others and let out a withering sigh. Somehow, Sadera managed to make peace just as miserable a prospect as war.

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Sadera, Imperial Palace

Diabo El Caesar, Prince and Tribune of Sadera. Second in line for the throne.

I arrived at Sadera just as the sky began to turn a pink that was the same from my posting to the harsh desert in the west. The streets were quiet and uncertain from a flurry of deadly violence that had gripped the city so suddenly and without warning. Plebs cheered at my passing from windows or roofs with only the truly poor and destitute, the people beneath the notice of political violence watching my entrance to the city from the street.

My bodyguards, unable to carry swords save for the few knights who had sworn themselves to my service, carried clubs and wore many layers of clothes despite the heat. It was a precaution that I had dismissed, but my most trusted advisors insisted upon. Violence begets violence and it would be some time before the city recovered from such a flurry of death inflicted upon the most wealthy and powerful people in the Empire.

Confusion gripped the city as criers stood atop platforms and proclaimed that the Senate had voted not to invade the steppe in the far north east, despite the manifold incursions made by the barbarians. And despite the fact that Zorzal was supposed to have already invaded and defeated the rapacious raiders. I took note of how many criers took pains to explain that the Emperor himself had ‘put his trust’ in the wisdom of the senate.

It was difficult not to scoff, to rave at and mock the speakers for daring to spread such blatant lies.

I made my way to the Palace, not taking the time to stop at my personal estate to change out of my traveling clothes. Despite the impropriety I was not stopped at the gate of the Imperial Palace and none sought to delay me as I made my way to my fathers personal dining room. 

Righteous anger, passion, the strength offered from blood running hot. All abandoned me as I stood before the finely polished oaken doors where I knew my father took his dinner. Pretorians did not so much as glance at me as I approached, fists balled.

He must have known I would come.

I did not wait for my nerves to get the best of me. I pushed forwards, casting the door open and stalking into the resplendent dining hall. A long table dominated the room with wide windows to the side offering a stunning view of the royal gardens. Molt himself was slouched in a chair taking a meal of roasted vegetables accompanied by rich lamb and mint. 

The vast table was prepared for two, with a meal set out and waiting for me.

“Father.” I spat out at last earning a chuckle from the man.

“Come, come boy and sit. You must be hungry.” The Emperor of Sadera delayed with casual ease. “Coming all this way in just a few days.” He smiled at me.

“What are you doing?!” I demanded, stepping forwards and casting an arm out towards the senate building. “You would have the parasites descend upon your son like this? For what? Some petty barbarians?!” I would have answers from this man.

“I don’t decide the votes my boy, you know that.” He replied with a coy grin.

“What has he done?” I asked again, only for Molt to point a fork at the meal set out for me.

I waited a moment but my father did nothing but get back to his food so eventually I relented.

“It’s a bit of a debacle.” Molt explained at last as I satiated myself on the admittedly fine meal. “This entire thing. I don’t know what the boy was thinking.”

“Zorzals invasion of the headhunting rabbits? What has happened?” I probed.

“He lost half the men he marched to the steppe.” Molt said with a thin lipped grimace. 

“A hundred and fifty thousand men, dead?” I blinked. The word in the city was that the barbarians had been defeated, even now the first lot of slaves were starting to arrive in the capital.

“I received word just days ago. He had raised many hundreds of thousands more Auxilia upon his march north. Perhaps as many as three hundred thousand perished.” Molt explained as I stared at the man.

“Is that why you did this? To punish him for the loss of some Auxilia and legionaries?” I asked without much fire. To lose so many was a disaster for the Empire, against petty barbarians without a single city. It seemed so wasteful.

“I have done nothing. The Senate voted on this.” Molt said dismissively, turning back to his meal as I sighed.

“A dozen senators die and Pina can find nothing? Do you believe I am a fool?” I replied, earning a pause from the man before he shrugged.

“What makes you think any of this is about Zorzal?” His question took me aback. I spared a moment of thought on the matter but my mind could turn over no reason other than a punishment for the heir to the empire. 

“What do you mean?” I said at last as my father smiled, content in the thought that he knew something I did not.

“Regardless, I have a task for you. Soon the Senate will vote to censor your brother. Before they do you shall go north with a legion of your own and take him into custody. The Senate would not dare punish him overmuch while he is in your care as Tribune.” He spoke as if his command was not outlandish.

“How could I possibly take a victorious general into custody before he is to return to Sadera for a Triumph?!” I demanded. Molt simply looked at me with little expression showing on his face as he took a draught of a rather fine vintage. 

“You... can’t be serious.” I said slowly. “You mean to say that he was not victorious?” I inquired, a cold dread filling my belly.

“So it seems, for now.” He drummed his fingers upon the table as a dark look crossed his face. “Should you find your brother has brought the steppe to heel in its totality, you are to simply join him as he returns to Sadera and serve as a witness against the Senate’s disparagement of your brother's character.” Molt explained. And I expected, if the barbarians were still fighting after having inflicted hundreds of thousands of casualties to the legions. The Senate deciding not to declare war would become indefensible to the people. 

I looked again at Molt, something telling me that there was yet more he was hiding from me.

“I would wash my hands of this entire situation.” I declared. There would be no glory to be had in the north should my brother resist arrest it would reflect badly upon the entire Royal line.

“You shall not.” Molt said casually. “I have commanded it.” 

“If Zorzal is prosecuted, even if he suffers but a minor sentence I shall not have my office as Tribune renewed by the Senate.” I pointed out.

“Likely not.” Molt agreed.

“What do you expec-.” 

“For you to do as I have commanded.” The Emperor said darkly, setting aside his meal he turned upon me with a dark sneer. “I have abided by your little tantrum boy, do as I have commanded. Now, get to it!” He finished with a shout while punctuating his sentence with a slap to the table that rang out across the room. 

To my shame I found myself jolting in place before standing up and turning away from my father, cheeks red with shame. Before I reached the door I stopped and grit my teeth.

“He is your son.” I reminded the man.

“I don’t care.” Came the first honest words the man had spoken today.

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Edited by: Y1

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QKPNmuFhtI99257Vt6mJgj4aEIY-V7e5kb5RgbgOvAA/edit?tab=t.0