Snippet #2685402

The Sunbearer

Kassius steepled his fingers, attempting to be serous or at the very least look serious. To tell the truth, the Oakborn intimidated him. He could distantly remember a time when the Oakborn was not the way they were. There was a time when he a strong and wise deity. He used to come to him for advice when he was young. Then he saw something in the future and he became like this. Now, he felt like the Oakborn knew something he could never comprehend and it made him want to run or blow up something with the power of a thousand sons. He sighed as he couldn't take anymore contemplation. At LiesseiL's words, he nodded.

"We'd definitely want to see you whole again. That's for sure. Except for Pichard," he noted pointedly he could not stand the mad god.

As he spoke, he could not help but glance over at Ai with a small smile, dire warnings already forgotten. He was not one for depression and she was always a pleasing sight to see. He smiled winningly at Grandmother, once again in high spirits.

"Well, hopefully there'll be more torrid affairs and less petty wars, Grandmother. A life spent in the light of pleasure is a life well-spent. I should have Cyrus make that a part of my canon. The Festival of the Sun approaches after all and my people throw such fine festivities. I do feel like going. It's just not quite the same in my domain. Dead souls are just not as full of fire as the living."

The Senate

"And Senator Sforza's family has foreclosed on yet another acre of land. Dozens of families left homeless or forced to become his tenants..." a heavy-set robed man stated, attracting scattered applause and boos from the assembly before him. An older man answered his accusation, his face red in indignation.

"Perhaps Senator Nikoulas will feed them. Gods know, he eats enough to feed a village even before his wife left him for a base-born gladiator," he snarked, causing the room to erupt in laughter and shouts as indignation. Nikoulas had already crossed the room to grab the older man even as Crassus Orsini, Consul of Solaras, raised his hands to signal guards armed with clubs to intervened lest the Senate erupt into chaos. Again.

"We will have order!" the old man shouted angrily, "The Sforzas cannot be censured as they broke no law."

"The tax system is unsustainable regardless. It makes little sense for Libertii and Khorikos to be so burdened while Sforzas ilk takes advantage of rewards for service done centuries ago," Senator Nikoulas announced, once again receiving a mix of applause and boos, "Lord Cyrus agrees, surely? With true reform, we can pay for the heavy cavalry our legions sorely need."

From his place in the corner, Cyrus mutely nodded. He had forged the legions of the Republic into Pandeum's most feared land-based armies. With numbers and strict mechanical precision their infantry was hailed as among the best in the world and their archers, blessed by Kassius, were reputed to never miss, though this was an exaggeration of course. Combined with an engineering corps that adapted readily to new circumstances, the legions had every advantage save one.

Their heavy cavalry, the equites still consisted of Nobilitas and Mercators who could afford to maintain their own equipment and animals. He had compensated for this lack with light cavalry and was experimenting with horse archers, but the army needed more equites. The selfishness and infighting of the politicians always irked him, but today, he had chosen to attend a Senate meeting for once to nip this problem in the bud. However, this was not to be.

"That is a noble goal. However, the Festival of the Sun approaches. Today, we must prepare. The people expect the festivities to be appropriately grand and the expected grain to be available..."

And with that, along with petty squabbling and rivalries, true reform was put on the backburner for all Solarans loved the festivities. Cyrus would need to find another way to fund the expansion of the equites and as he left he frowned.

Damn them all to the Underworld. I will find a way.