The Lightning Count

[Protest The Hero]

I thought that it was fine.

Much obliged I'm gonna stick with the original timeline style now I think.

Its good keep it up.

Thank you I shall. Just trimming my ideas down and hoping to get a new post up soon.

 

[Protest The Hero]

THE LIGHTNING COUNT
Chapter XIX: The End Is Always Nigh Pt II​

Comes Theodosius and his men had surprised the barbarian under Fullofaudes, relieving his son and drawing them away. The gates of Segedunum were barely holding under the constant assault. The battle had ensued now for the better part of a whole day, and now the sky was dimming as the night drew near. The Comes watched his prey throughout, refusing to enter the fight until the time was right. Fullofaudes returned the favour, he watched as his men cut down the Foederati & his men being like lambs to the slaughter as they were throwing themselves into the fray with reckless abandon. He knew if this continued he may as well hand himself to Theodosius right now, this battle could be won.

“Hold your ground! Come on you fools!”

The Saxones and Batavi clashed and fought with a fervour not seen for many lifetimes. The insults flew back and fore between the two as they clashed. Sword cut through bone and spear skewered into flesh and organs, the brutality and futility of war was no more present than here now. The Saxones were growing tired as they attempted to keep order within their ranks, the siege had taken much effort and cost many lives and now they were being besieged themselves. The Saxones began to fall back to the edges of the fields surrounding Segedunum. They had seen enough, their numbers were greater but they could not carry on. They were broken.

“Fall back. Abandon the field!”

Fullofaudes watched on in horror as his men began running away. All that was left to him now were the Atacotti, the Scott and his own men. The Hibernii had done nothing this entire battle but observe. They had taken much from Britannia and from Fullofaudes himself and they repaid him with abstinence from the fight. Duinnsech watched as the Saxones fled and the remaining men loyal to Fullofaudes rallied around him. He knew the time was right. The Roman forces were high in spirit but weary from the march and the fighting. He gave the order to advance. The host of Hibernii men made their way to the fight. The swiftness and strength of a well rested force began to show the forces of Theodosius the Elder and Younger that they were to be feared.

Duinnsech made his way to Fullofaudes whose face now possessed a devilish grin. Donnart, the leader of the Atacotti rode beside him. It was their time to show what their people were made of. Donnart led the first charge of the Atacotti and broke through the Roman lines. Like a whirlwind the Atacotti carved their way through a resilient line of Batavi, Julii and Victores. There was no quarter given as they lived up to their reputation. Amongst their people they had been called cannibals and butchers and they were living up to the latter. The Scotti began their approach in to the battle. The pendulum had begun to swing in favour of Fullofaudes and his men and they had now shown their hand to Comes Theodosius.

“We must help my father, the Saxones have fled and so have the Picti. Cunicatus I want you to take control of the fort and I shall move to support my father. I am relying on you to provide support and defend the fort. You will know when it is time to join the fight”

Cunicatus nodded, he was among the last of his people. The Silures. Near effectively wiped out by the Romans many years ago and now he served them. But his loyalty was not to avenge his ancestors, it was to defend and protect the future of those who were left. He knew a loss today would see many of the Britanni subjugated by Fullofaudes. They started their plan, Theodosius the Younger led the Heruli into the field and charged directly behind the Scotti lines taking them by surprise.

The night sky was now a blanket of darkness save the stars above. Only the light above and torchlight helped both sides see. The fight was close to an end as the Hibernii were faltering. They had no real stake in the fight, much like their comrades who had fled they began to push back slowly to save their own face. The fight had reached its apex and then it happened. Donnart & Duinnsech ordered the retreat. They would not fight any longer for a man they knew had no honour..

“Fullofaudes! Enjoy these moments. They will be your last” mocked Duinnsech as his men surrounded him and thy began to fall back. The usurper had lost his grin, his face now grey and across it he bore the look of a man who knew his end was close.

“Traitors! Cowards! I own you! Come back here and fight you fucking cowards!”

Fullofaudes was broken. He knew he was not much longer. He would not live if caught and he could not give the Comes the benefit of taking his life. He dismounted his horse and and walked into the center of the fight. Theodosius the Elder watched as his enemy hacked his way towards him. “What madness is he under?” he thought as he watched this man he had known to be rational, concise and focused now unpredictable, wild and enraged make his way through the throng of Foederati. The Comes rode towards him, knowing this was it and that one of them had to go. Theodosius the Younger watched on as the wild eyed usurper carved a path to his father. He could not do anything. He was surrounded by the deserters loyal to Fullofaudes.

The usurper stopped and waited for the Comes to come to him, he waited and spoke to himself. Muttering the words to a song he had known in his childhood, he muttered the words until he saw him, Theodosius the Elder.

“It is time old friend, Ignis Comes has come to claim my head” Fullofaudes spoke as he held his sword firmly in his hand, he was ready to meet his end and at the hands of the man they called Ignis Comes; The Lightning Count

“It is old friend. Indulge me...why did you do this? What possessed you to lose sight of your orders”

“My orders? My orders are a joke. Do you understand what it is like keeping order here in this cesspit of an island. Everything and everyone wants you dead. It's a fools errand.”

“You haven't answered my question. If you hate it so much why have you done this?”

Fullofaudes stared at his sword, it had seen better days and not much action in years until today. It was much for the next world as was its owner,

“My father gave me this. He called it Barbarus Malo; Barbarian's Bane. Ironic really as I've cut down more Romans with it these past few months than I ever had the unwashed scum. I wanted to cleanse this island, cleanse it of what made it weak. And in its place I would make it something like the stories of old Rome. But no, you take your orders from Valentinian and you act the good little pet”

“Nowhere is Rome but Rome Fullofaudes. Nowhere. And I cannot take orders from Valentinian any longer, he is dead”

“Dead? How and when?” a quizzical Fullofaudes responded, the news seemed like a great shock to him, something the Arcani had failed to divulge to him. “No matter. If he were in my shoes he would do the same.”

“That is where you are wrong. Are you ready to die old friend?”

“As ready as I can be. Are you old friend?”

“I am. Mors erit pretium solvet”

The two men clashed with one another, a flurry of blows and the sound of swords filled the air. The men loyal to the usurper had all but given up and surrendered. Only Fullofaudes now fought against the forces of the Comes and his son. The fight did not cease in hostility nor passion with neither relenting and willing to yield. There was going to be a victor and even if it came down to both men crawling along the floor until sunrise they would have a winner. The Comes knew he was tiring, he felt the energy sap away from him as he threw his weight behind every thrust, his opponent was suffering too. The hours of fighting and betrayals had left him unhinged in a way. He was seeing ghosts were there were none. After an hour of fighting Fullofaudes fell to his knees, removing his helmet he looked at Theodosius. The rebellious young man he had known and fought alongside was older now, the weariness of war had taken more of an effect than he cared to admit. Fullofaudes outstretched his arms and knelt there waiting for his end.

“Ignis Comes Theodosius. Take this life and end it all. End it all”

Theodosius stumbled to Fullofaudes and slowly began to kneel before him, clutching his sword in his hand he saw the usurper gesture to him to come closer. He pressed his ear to his lips and then felt it, a swift blow to his side. He had been stabbed. Fullofaudes whispered into Theodosius ear softly,

“It would be a shame if you could not join me in this moment.”

Theodosius the Younger rushed to his father, the moment felt as though it was happening in slow motion, he watched as his father grimaced at the pain and watched as his father swung his sword separating Fullofaudes' head from his wretched body before falling to the floor clutching his side. The Younger reached his father and held him tightly, the battle for Britannia had been won but at a great cost and possibly more.

“Father look at me... Father look at me. You will be okay. I promise you will be okay. Father...”

​

 

[Protest The Hero]

I'll be a bit quiet on this for a little while, hopefully no one will forget its existence but starting a new job so I have to focus on that, despite realising the job in't for me I have to stick with it until one does come along. So please keep the faith and stick with this as it will be back shortly. Thanks guys.

-Protest The Hero

 

[altwere]

I think your doing a wonderful job. Good luck with the new Job.

 

[Protest The Hero]

I think your doing a wonderful job. Good luck with the new Job.

Cheers I have a lot of ideas I am looking into doing for the new few chapters. Chapter XX/20 will be the end of what I call 'Volume One' and then the next wave of stories will come on.

Obviously continuing the stories of those in Britain, the effects of the Nicene purge in the Eastern Empire, Gratian and his guardians attempts at keeping the Western Empire strong and the fleshing out of lesser characters and the introduction eventually of a classic threat to Rome and everyone with the migrations of different peoples.

I have a lot of time to think I will during work as my mind wanders. But nonetheless there will be a new update shortly if I am able so stay tuned.

-Protest The Hero

 

[Titania's Rose]

This is a great story and I hope your job allows you to come back to us soon.

 

[Protest The Hero]

This is a great story and I hope your job allows you to come back to us soon.

Many thanks I am currently thinking what to post next, keep coming back to my outlines and looking at tweaking them. But rest assured I will have something up soon.

Just wondering what about this do you like, always like to discuss what people like/dislike?

-Protest The Hero

 

[Titania's Rose]

Frankly Roman Britain fascinates me and I love any mention of it. So this TL is perfect for me. When the WRE falls(as I'm guessing it will) and the Franks and Saxons overrun Gaul will some of the Romano-Gauls flee to Britannia if it manages to survive the fall?

I like your characterization of both Theodosius the elder and Theodosius the younger. Kind of sad the old man will die but at least he goes out in a fitting way taking out Fullofaudes.

Fullofaudes was another that I liked, his personality and reasoning towards the sacking of the cities and towns in Britannia. Cunicatus' reasoning towards siding with the very people who destroyed his tribe was a nice touch as well. Will the Brythonic Celts have a bigger role to play in the rebuilding of Britannia? Are they Brythonic?

 

[Protest The Hero]

Frankly Roman Britain fascinates me and I love any mention of it. So this TL is perfect for me. When the WRE falls(as I'm guessing it will) and the Franks and Saxons overrun Gaul will some of the Romano-Gauls flee to Britannia if it manages to survive the fall?

I'm planning on trying and keeping the WRE survive as long as possible but you can't keep something like that going in its size for long once the rot kicks in. The Romano-Gaul will probably be scattered. Maybe being the first line of defence in the north defending the saxon shore in northern Gaul and the rest fleeing to Northern Italia and starting afresh along the Alpine borders. Many of the Germanic tribes will move far and wide. The Alamanni have already begun their journey to the East to serve Valens. Maybe the Saxons or Franks will follow on their path or test the west once again .

I like your characterization of both Theodosius the elder and Theodosius the younger. Kind of sad the old man will die but at least he goes out in a fitting way taking out Fullofaudes.

I see the Elder Theodosius as a man who has seen so much yet there are things that still surprise him, be it a brief naivety then replaced with rational and decisive thinking. I want him to be a man who see the best in everyone but also very final when making decisions. The next post will focus on The Elder and The Younger in his last moments. It'll be a brief summary leading up to he next full instalment.

Fullofaudes was another that I liked, his personality and reasoning towards the sacking of the cities and towns in Britannia. Cunicatus' reasoning towards siding with the very people who destroyed his tribe was a nice touch as well. Will the Brythonic Celts have a bigger role to play in the rebuilding of Britannia? Are they Brythonic?

Cunicatus' motives are purely loyalty t his parents, a mother who was Roman and a father who turned his back on his hatred of Rome for the love of a woman. He is the embodiment of what I see most of my future Romano-Britons being. The Brythonic peoples will have a huge role as the forces of Britannia are broken with only really the Foederati left so the island needs its peoples to help defend it, regardless of their tribal divisions.






Thank you for the questions. I honestly love answering stuff like this, it gets me thinking about what I can add/change/improve/create. Always gets me in the spirit to write more


-Protest The Hero

 

[Titania's Rose]

That's great! Honestly I'm really interested in the idea of a Romano-Briton population surviving in some way. I'm going to take a guess and say that the Roman people in Britannia will eventually disappear as they are assimilated into the much larger population of Britons. But the effect or legacy these people will leave on Britannia and her native peoples is going to be so very interesting to watch.

Still hope to see a few Romano-Gauls in Britannia though I admit to being curious about what will become of them in your TL. Will we get the HRE while the WRE is still alive or might the HRE not appear at all? Since you said that you plan on keeping her around until it's no longer feasible to sustain her. Looking forward to the Saxons and the Franks. Kinda hoping to see a more germanic "France" maybe a continental England? That actually hurt me to say...type.

The Elder Theodosius sounds like a good man, a very good man. Someone I could see being a very good if reluctant king. How about a description of his son? I liked the way you described his father and am curious to read the Younger's description. What are his feelings towards Rome and Britannia? We got a little glimpse of his thoughts, but I would like to hear more.

So Cunicatus' would have in any other situation been called a good man. He's a man who loved his land and the people on it and was fighting for the memory of his parents. What will the People's language be like? More Briton? Roman? Or a mix of both? Will it sound like Welsh or Italian?

Hope you enjoy these questions.

 

[Protest The Hero]

That's great! Honestly I'm really interested in the idea of a Romano-Briton population surviving in some way. I'm going to take a guess and say that the Roman people in Britannia will eventually disappear as they are assimilated into the much larger population of Britons. But the effect or legacy these people will leave on Britannia and her native peoples is going to be so very interesting to watch.

The people in Britannia will see themselves as the last bastion of Rome herself with their laws and codes and much more being directly influenced by the Roman way of life but it will be distinctly more Brythonic. Place names and more Roman/civilized ways of life will carry over especially following the work of Theodosius and his sons continued working in securing the island realm.

Still hope to see a few Romano-Gauls in Britannia though I admit to being curious about what will become of them in your TL. Will we get the HRE while the WRE is still alive or might the HRE not appear at all? Since you said that you plan on keeping her around until it's no longer feasible to sustain her. Looking forward to the Saxons and the Franks. Kinda hoping to see a more germanic "France" maybe a continental England? That actually hurt me to say...type.

With the butterflies I do not think the HRE will exist, not at least in the form we know or under that name but perhaps something similar. The Romano-Gauls will more than likely remain long the northern shores of Gaul and in pockets in Britannia and perhaps along western Gaul.
The Germanic element will be present and essentially a huge divide between the eventual remnant of the WRE in Italia and Britannia-Gaul

The Elder Theodosius sounds like a good man, a very good man. Someone I could see being a very good if reluctant king. How about a description of his son? I liked the way you described his father and am curious to read the Younger's description. What are his feelings towards Rome and Britannia? We got a little glimpse of his thoughts, but I would like to hear more.

In my characterisation Theodosius the Elder is very much a man of Rome and regardless of situation is a firm believe in the Roman way unlike many others and would at best assume temporary rule until order would be restored here. Theodosius the Younger will incorporate some of his OTL traits but I'm intending him to be majority different. Given his experiences fighting alongside his father he is inherently more loyal to his father than he is the WRE but will carry on his fathers requests even after his passing. The younger Theodosius sees Britannia initially as a pointless endeavour but comes to understand that this place has been broken by Rome more than its own enemies. That's just a small little explanation. I could go on. s far as Rome is concerned he is growing more and more detached from their orders as he finds it 'a pit of vipers'

So Cunicatus' would have in any other situation been called a good man. He's a man who loved his land and the people on it and was fighting for the memory of his parents. What will the People's language be like? More Briton? Roman? Or a mix of both? Will it sound like Welsh or Italian?

Cunicatus being quite the young man has known a life of only preparing yourself to defend against those who would raid and kill. His father being effectively a traitor amongst his own people for joining in the service of Rome but only for the love of a woman and to protect his own. Something Cunicatus carries on in a different vein knowing that all of Britannia's people need to be guarded against threats from within and beyond.
The language will be very much like Brythonic morphing into a form of Old Welsh with heavy latinised words and name places with also slight Germanic influences courts of the Foederati. Another road may be Latin being the language of scholars whilst the Brythonic language may be the dominant common tongue with yet again Latin and Germanic influences peppered throughout.

you enjoy these questions.

It's quite alright. I thoroughly enjoy answering them and enjoy being asked Sorry if the answers aren't great but I'll gladly continue to answer or go into further depth if wanted

 

[Grouchio]

Why'd you just delete your last update? You thought it wasn't good?

 

[Titania's Rose]

Your answers are great. Color me intrigued though when it comes to Theodosius the Younger. I'd like it if you continued your explanations. But its going to be very interesting watching the transformation of Britannia into a more Romanized civilized state. Is that a view that's going to be shared by the other R-B in Britannia? Maybe through Theodosius the Younger? I wonder if the idea that Britannia has been broken is going to resonate with the Britons.

How far do you intend to take this TL? Will she have Greek influences as well? I wonder what the architecture and general look of the cities will be after a couple of centuries, if they'll be more Romano-Hellenic in design or if they'll develop their own style. There's also the fact that they're going to view themselves as the very last Romans so that may affect everything as well. And because architecture and such will influence the way other nations look at them later on. Actually I wonder what type of architecture would look nice in the near constant rain. Sorry for running off on this I really like thinking about the historical, cultural, and sociopolitical aspects of these TLs so my questions seem to follow that train of though.

What about the Habsburgs? Will they find themselves in power ITTL? So the Romano-Gauls may find themselves along the shores of Belgium all the way to Brittany? Will these parts be defended by the Britons later on? This will be named Gaul in memory of the province right? Britannia is going to suffer from a form of isolation from Italia. What was Gratian like OTL? And what's he like ITTL so far?

Latin as the language of scholars seems like a good idea as well as Brythonic being the language of the people. I wonder how much influence the Norse will have on the language later if they try to settle some areas. By all of Britannia's people do you mean the Britons and Romans or does he have a different idea of what Britannia's people are?

More questions!

 

[Grouchio]

Your answers are great. Color me intrigued though when it comes to Theodosius the Younger. I'd like it if you continued your explanations. But its going to be very interesting watching the transformation of Britannia into a more Romanized civilized state. Is that a view that's going to be shared by the other R-B in Britannia? Maybe through Theodosius the Younger? I wonder if the idea that Britannia has been broken is going to resonate with the Britons.

How far do you intend to take this TL? Will she have Greek influences as well? I wonder what the architecture and general look of the cities will be after a couple of centuries, if they'll be more Romano-Hellenic in design or if they'll develop their own style. There's also the fact that they're going to view themselves as the very last Romans so that may affect everything as well. And because architecture and such will influence the way other nations look at them later on. Actually I wonder what type of architecture would look nice in the near constant rain. Sorry for running off on this I really like thinking about the historical, cultural, and sociopolitical aspects of these TLs so my questions seem to follow that train of though.

What about the Habsburgs? Will they find themselves in power ITTL? So the Romano-Gauls may find themselves along the shores of Belgium all the way to Brittany? Will these parts be defended by the Britons later on? This will be named Gaul in memory of the province right? Britannia is going to suffer from a form of isolation from Italia. What was Gratian like OTL? And what's he like ITTL so far?

Latin as the language of scholars seems like a good idea as well as Brythonic being the language of the people. I wonder how much influence the Norse will have on the language later if they try to settle some areas. By all of Britannia's people do you mean the Britons and Romans or does he have a different idea of what Britannia's people are?

More questions!

Why in seven hells would the Hapsburgs exist in this timeline? The POD alone has butterflied them (and all Medieval houses as we know them OTL) away.

 

[free115]

I thought this was going to be some medieval tl. I continuously ignored it now Im mad at myself for not checking it out earlier:

But as it turned its a roman time line that explores one of the most intriguing roman what ifs im partially obsessed with!!!

From your post the WRE would be based in Italy after the fall. Just a suggestion It'll also be interesting if Italia falls but the WRE manages to hang on Hispania and North Africa. It would turn Italy into the the playground where the West and East have continuous conflicl. Each side never gaining true dominance.The WRE would have only have little influence over Britania should Gaulia fall.

That early division between Latin and Greek Romans would be another factor in the West vs East conflicts.

Just some suggestion on my part.
BUt Keep up the great work!!

 

[Protest The Hero]

Why'd you just delete your last update? You thought it wasn't good?

Yeah thought it wasn't good at all for an update. It will be redone soon. Just lacked the necessary 'umph' I was looking for

 

[Protest The Hero]

I thought this was going to be some medieval tl. I continuously ignored it now Im mad at myself for not checking it out earlier:

But as it turned its a roman time line that explores one of the most intriguing roman what ifs im partially obsessed with!!!

From your post the WRE would be based in Italy after the fall. Just a suggestion It'll also be interesting if Italia falls but the WRE manages to hang on Hispania and North Africa. It would turn Italy into the the playground where the West and East have continuous conflicl. Each side never gaining true dominance.The WRE would have only have little influence over Britania should Gaulia fall.

That early division between Latin and Greek Romans would be another factor in the West vs East conflicts.

Just some suggestion on my part.
BUt Keep up the great work!!

Glad that you checked now For me it's a POD that isn't explored as much and needed something. Should the WRE survive in some form it will be essentially Hispania, southern Gaul and Italia. Effectively giving them the gateway to the Mediterranean. With a buffering Germanic or Gothic state between it will see a greater divide between the WRE and the Gallo-Romano-Britons.

The divide between Greek and Latin Romans is being explored already with Valens beginning empire wide purges and submitting to his Greek wife and her wishes. There will be a great divide within the next 20-50 years.

Thanks for the suggestions and support

Your answers are great. Color me intrigued though when it comes to Theodosius the Younger. I'd like it if you continued your explanations. But its going to be very interesting watching the transformation of Britannia into a more Romanized civilized state. Is that a view that's going to be shared by the other R-B in Britannia? Maybe through Theodosius the Younger? I wonder if the idea that Britannia has been broken is going to resonate with the Britons.

How far do you intend to take this TL? Will she have Greek influences as well? I wonder what the architecture and general look of the cities will be after a couple of centuries, if they'll be more Romano-Hellenic in design or if they'll develop their own style. There's also the fact that they're going to view themselves as the very last Romans so that may affect everything as well. And because architecture and such will influence the way other nations look at them later on. Actually I wonder what type of architecture would look nice in the near constant rain. Sorry for running off on this I really like thinking about the historical, cultural, and sociopolitical aspects of these TLs so my questions seem to follow that train of though.

What about the Habsburgs? Will they find themselves in power ITTL? So the Romano-Gauls may find themselves along the shores of Belgium all the way to Brittany? Will these parts be defended by the Britons later on? This will be named Gaul in memory of the province right? Britannia is going to suffer from a form of isolation from Italia. What was Gratian like OTL? And what's he like ITTL so far?

Latin as the language of scholars seems like a good idea as well as Brythonic being the language of the people. I wonder how much influence the Norse will have on the language later if they try to settle some areas. By all of Britannia's people do you mean the Britons and Romans or does he have a different idea of what Britannia's people are?

More questions!

For many of the Romano Britons and the Britons who live amongst them the sight of a Roman Imperial presence is a relief. The notion that Britannia is broken is something that many will know considering news and traffic between the cities and towns across the island has stopped for some time due to the conflict but will be repaired shortly following the Great Conspiracy coming to a bloody conclusion.

In regards to Theodosius the Younger his views on Britain have gone from another assignment to now a rebuilding effort where he feels committed to making this part of the empire something to be proud of. Future events will see his loyalty to the island grow exponentially courtesy of a jealous Severus who still holds a grudge against Theodosius the Elder.

Regarding architecture that is a very good question that I had not considered as much, which is strange considering my love of design IRL. A blend of Romano-Hellenic style would certainly be at the forefront of design with the emphasis that important buildings have the imposing Imperial look. With the weather being more cold and wet the cities and the buildings themselves will be built for durability as opposed to comfort and grandeur. I will definitely put a lot more thought into the future of architecture in regards to the blending of Roman and British schools of thought. Depending on region also there may be different design aspects such as materials.

The Gauls will indeed stretch across the northern coast as far as my preliminary thoughts go and eventually join with their cousins in the north. Gaul will live on in name but the populace will still be quite fond of their Gallo-Roman heritage. But there will be no Hapsburgs, perhaps an alt version somewhere down the line. Great houses and bloodlines always have been present.


OTL Gratian as per Wikipedia's description. I plan on having more in influenced by his guardians Jovinus, SSebastianus and most of all Severus so we will see a different Gratian. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratian

The idea of Latin being the scholars language has been a standard OTL thing and it seems fitting that it would be used here with a Brythonic language with latinized words becoming the main tongue.


Thank you once more for the questions Always appreciated

Why in seven hells would the Hapsburgs exist in this timeline? The POD alone has butterflied them (and all Medieval houses as we know them OTL) away.

Alt families may arise but not the houses we know. Plus a non Hapsburg world is something I would like to implement. There will be powerful houses but none that we know in OTL

 

[Protest The Hero]

THE LIGHTNING COUNT
Chapter XX: Phoenix​

The world around him passed in a blur of slow words and fast movements. The confusion gave way to a damning clarity, This was to be the end of Comes Flavius Theodosius; father of Flavius Theodosius the Younger, the guardian of Gratian and the bringer of order to Britannia and the man who ended the Great Conspiracy. He knew his life was not a wasted one, he had given the vast majority of his life in the service of Rome and seen many sights that a lesser man could not fathom. And this is how all this would end, the victim of a coward seeking blind solace in defeat.

The warm blood poured from the wound and down his side. Theodosius the Younger held his father tightly, clutching the wound desperately trying to stem the flow but it was in vain. The damage had been. Fullofaudes had claimed one more life in death. The elder Theodosius clutched his son, knowing these would be his last few moments. He brought his lips to his son's ear and softly whispered with the last breath and energy he possessed within him,

“Make your own path...*cough* I love you my son... trust no one...”

And with those words Theodosius the Elder passed away, his body jolting before every drop of life escaped. His last words being of love and warning. He had seen and known so much in his lifetime and now his son would bare that responsibility that was his own. Ending what many had begun to call 'The Great Conspiracy' would be his defining moment, but now the aftermath and real work would be his son's.

Theodosius lay his father down upon the ground and looked at his body, one of the few who served Rome without motive for personal gain. Something not many were truthful about. He watched as the light of a new days sun filled the sky, the true sight of what had occurred was there to see. A brutal end to a senseless and foolish conflict. Theodosius could not blame anyone for not trusting Rome anymore.

“Bring the bodies of our men and my father, we will see they get the respect they are due”

“What about the others... shall we take them with us?”

“Leave them for the rats and the wolves. They do not deserve to be honoured. Pile the bodies. No one will dare rise up again for a long time”

***************************************
​

The streets of Ratae Corieltauvorum were almost silent, the hushed tone of the natives was met with the sombre appearance of the Comes' men and son. As the bodies of the fallen were taken through the streets the locals bowed their heads in respect, a gesture Theodosius would not forget. He was a foreigner amongst foreigners in a land that was not home but was still Roman to a degree. The procession reached a standstill at the steps of the local courthouse. Theodosius looked out at those who had come to pay their respects to his father, a man they did not know but had given his life in their protection and to right a wrong served by a servant of Rome.

His thoughts bounced from wondering whether he should have been there on the field facing the betrayer and not hiding behind the walls of Segedunum but he knew that was his role to play in this fight. They had kept the bulk of Fullofaudes' men distracted whilst his father struck like the lightning he was known to be like. He was told to find his own path in this world, the last words of his father. Words easily spoken but hard to act upon.

“Thank you... Thank you all” sheepishly spoke Theodosius as the crowd looked on at him, he had fought alongside his father countless times but public speaking was not his forte, combat and tactics were his skills and his hands his tools, “My father once told me when I was a young boy that wherever we are, Rome is never too far away. He was right. Everything that Rome stood for has been sullied, been broken and you have suffered at the hands of those who would call themselves Roman and call themselves your protectors. And for that I apologise.. and for that my father gave his life to see that this island would not fall to lies and barbarianism. I do not promise that things will be the same again overnight, I cannot promise that things will ever be the same because they will not. What I will and can promise you is that we will not leave you. All I ask now of you is to trust us and should you choose pay respect to a great man who died not in service to Rome but in defence of your freedoms”

The crowds cheered rapturously as Theodosius finished his speech, his hands trembling still as he walked away and into the courthouse. His nervousness bringing him to be sick upon the floor. It was all too much, he had just held his father in his arms and witnessed him die and now he was asking for them to trust him and give respect to a man they did not even know.

“I am impressed. You always said you hated speaking in public. Could've fooled me” a voice in the darkness spoke out, a figure emerged,a familiar one in the form of Magnus, “No embrace for an old friend?”

“Where were you Magnus? Where were you?!”

“I came as fast as I could. By the time we reached this place we had missed you by a few days. But we did manage to finish off some of those who escaped” Magnus replied in haste, his eyes refusing to look at his friend for fear of the shame and guilt being thrust his way by Theodosius.

“The deserters? Barbarians?”

“Just the deserters. I've dealt with enough Hibernii scum to last me a lifetime in the west. But that has been resolved for the time being. We've secured the western shore against those from Hibernia but now I am here to be by your side my friend, my brother”

Theodosius smiled as he and Magnus embraced, hugging one another. A friendship more like brothers than any you could find. The two entered a chamber that had been prepared for them and for the Corieltauvi representatives and for the leaders of the Foederati and native Britons. Amongst them sat Chariovalda and Cunicatus. The meeting was organised in haste, order had to be restored quickly not only in the north but across the provinces of Britannia. Theodosius was now the highest ranking officer on the island, he was in effect in charge.

“Theodosius... I mean Dux Theodosius, where do we begin? Bands of barbarians still roam aimlessly since their defeat. The north is broken and burned because of Fullofaudes' actions. There is much to do but where can we start?” Cunicatus asked, he more than the Dux wanted to restore order. He had marched far and wide from his own home near Venta Silurum to ensure the end of this conflict.

“Well I am more than happy to take the western shore under my own watch. I have made sure the Hibernii will not be back for quite some time. But my work is far from done, the repairs needed will require my overseeing. With your blessing my friend I ask to be assigned once more to the west” Magnus passionately declared, he was more confident now than he had been. His quick to anger personality had been replaced with a quiet arrogance. Something that had not escaped the Dux Theodosius.

“Very well. Magnus the west is yours to oversee. I will need you to come to me when requested as fast as possible, no riders, no messengers. I will need your personal appearance when I send for you, is this understood my friend?”

Swallowing his pride but not showing it he smiled, Magnus accepted these terms, “That is easily done my friend. But I must excuse myself now from this meeting. I have much work to do. I am sorry I cannot stay for the funeral my brother. My thoughts are forever with you and your father, for he was much like a father to myself also.”

The council nodded as Magnus bowed before turning and exiting the chamber. The remaining members returned to their talking, amongst them was an elderly man named Lugubelenus, the representative of the Corieltauvi.

“Dux Theodosius, my name is Lugubelenus. I am here on behalf of the people within the limits of Ratae Corieltauvorum. My father served Rome for many years whilst I have served her in other ways.”

“Not one for the sight of blood my good man?” asked Theodosius politely, he knew the old man had probably never even lifted a sword let alone seen a battle, “How did you serve Rome may I ask?”

“I have overseen the running of this colonia for many years since I was old enough to. My father and many others were blessed with the ability to fight whereas my gift was making sure there was something to return to when coming home. I have performed this task for fourty five years and I intend on doing so until my last breathe”

“Then I have you to thank for this hospitality and support during these dark times. Thank you” Theodosius replied, a gentle head nod towards Lugubelenus affirming his respect to him, “I will tell you all now. There is much to be done, you all know this already but the task ahead is one I cannot stress will test us.”

“Test us how? We have seen the island divided by the ambitions of corrupt men and barbarian arms. The burning of an entire city whilst its people screamed and cried out for their lives. Dux Theodosius... We are ready for anything that you would have us do” Cunicatus growled, his voice hoarse from the screaming he had done during the battle of Segedunum. The debate would continue on for hours with ideas bandied and thrown about, the future of Britannia had truly begun here but the spark for its motion had not yet been lit.

Magnus walked towards the body of his guardian, his mentor, his leader, Comes Theodosius. He looked at the body, it was as though he had died nobly in his sleep instead of dying a cowards death t the hands of Fullofaudes.

“I had always hoped that I would have been by your side when you passed. You were more of a father to me than the man who I share my blood with. I gave my all for you and in return you sent me away to the wilderness of this island. Because you thought it would be good for me? Or because you didn't want your son to not get the glory and honour that would come with this victory. You burned me in the name of family when you once said I was your son... that was just another lie wasn't it? No matter... my time has come and you sending me west has given me the impetus to be the man I know I can be. I wish I were alive to thank you and stick you like Fullofaudes did. Sleep well Comes Theodosius. Your son will be with you soon enough”

Magnus walked away, his rage was building up but contained within, as he reached the city limits he was approached by a man, clearly not Roman, and not fully Barbarian. His appearance was somewhat a mixture of both,

“They have accepted your terms Tigern Magnus”

“What did I tell you... I am to be called Maximianus. Flavius Magnus is the name these idiots use”

“Apologies Tigern Maximianus, I meant no disrepect”

“But disrespect you have given me. Have they accepted ALL of my terms?”

“Yes Tigern Maximianus. They await your arrival when you return west.”

“Good. Ready my horse and wake my men. There is much to do now. Much to do and quickly”

​

 

[Titania's Rose]

Why in seven hells would the Hapsburgs exist in this timeline? The POD alone has butterflied them (and all Medieval houses as we know them OTL) away.

I'm still fairly new to AH.com, so I'm just asking questions about the things I know to see what Protest the Hero will say. Besides one never knows. The world works in mysterious ways.

 

[Titania's Rose]

And I am back from the horrors of Research papers and PowerPoint presentations. Hope I haven't missed much so far.

Interesting chapter, very interesting. I suppose that we've just seen the birth of Magnus Maximus then.

This was a great chapter, I don't really have much to say right now other than i like the way you described the dying moment the Comes, The Younger's little introspective moment, and the twist with Maximianus. Is the reconstruction that Theodosius the Younger is going to begin something that Severus may not approve of? Actually is Theodosius' decision to not return to Rome earlier going to backfire on him? I wonder if we'll see that troop of Hibernii with Maximianus later.

I'm pretty drained mentally right now from my essay, so I may come back to you later on about this chapter when I've had a moment to relax.

For now onwards to my response to your previous response!

For many of the Romano Britons and the Britons who live amongst them the sight of a Roman Imperial presence is a relief. The notion that Britannia is broken is something that many will know considering news and traffic between the cities and towns across the island has stopped for some time due to the conflict but will be repaired shortly following the Great Conspiracy coming to a bloody conclusion.

How quickly can Britannia recover from something like this? Especially considering that she's got barbarians roaming her lands which will need to be dealt with.

In regards to Theodosius the Younger his views on Britain have gone from another assignment to now a rebuilding effort where he feels committed to making this part of the empire something to be proud of. Future events will see his loyalty to the island grow exponentially courtesy of a jealous Severus who still holds a grudge against Theodosius the Elder.

Looking forward to seeing it. How much work will need to be done? What was destroyed during the Great Conspiracy? Viaducts? Bridges? Will farmland need time to recover? Can Britannia afford it?

Regarding architecture that is a very good question that I had not considered as much, which is strange considering my love of design IRL. A blend of Romano-Hellenic style would certainly be at the forefront of design with the emphasis that important buildings have the imposing Imperial look. With the weather being more cold and wet the cities and the buildings themselves will be built for durability as opposed to comfort and grandeur. I will definitely put a lot more thought into the future of architecture in regards to the blending of Roman and British schools of thought. Depending on region also there may be different design aspects such as materials.

I'm always pleased to be of service. Things like this are to think about so hopefully I'll think up more later. Might they alter the Roman Architecture to fit the cold and wet Island? Not quite sure how to explain this. Hmm... maybe something like this

I know the building is greek but consider it a template. But with smaller doors same size windows, and local building materials probably stone. Red shingles could go on government buildings or for the extremely wealthy. Thicker walls probably since thicker walls retain heat better. This next bit is from Wikipedia about thermal mass.

Thermal mass is ideally placed within the building and situated where it still can be exposed to low angle winter sunlight (via windows) but insulated from heat loss. In summer the same thermal mass should be obscured from higher angle summer sunlight in order to prevent over-heating of the structure.

The thermal mass is warmed passively by the sun or additionally by internal heating systems during the day. Thermal energy stored in the mass is then released back into the interior during the night. It is essential that it be used in conjunction with the standard principles of passive solar design.

Any form of thermal mass can be used. A concrete slab foundation either left exposed or covered with conductive materials e.g. tiles; is one easy solution. Another novel method is to place the masonry facade of a timber-framed house on the inside ('reverse-brick veneer'). Thermal mass in this situation is best applied over a large area rather than in large volumes or thicknesses. 7.5–10 cm (3-4") is often adequate.



This probably for anything other than your future description of towns and homes but oh well.

The Gauls will indeed stretch across the northern coast as far as my preliminary thoughts go and eventually join with their cousins in the north. Gaul will live on in name but the populace will still be quite fond of their Gallo-Roman heritage. But there will be no Hapsburgs, perhaps an alt version somewhere down the line. Great houses and bloodlines always have been present.

That's cool. I'm still getting used to all these things about alternate versions of people. So have you considered what your alt-Hapsburg's will be called? And where they will originate?


I'm glad that Gaul will live on. How much land are they going to take up/claim after their pushed out by the germanic tribes?

OTL Gratian as per Wikipedia's description. I plan on having more in influenced by his guardians Jovinus, SSebastianus and most of all Severus so we will see a different Gratian. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratian

The idea of Latin being the scholars language has been a standard OTL thing and it seems fitting that it would be used here with a Brythonic language with latinized words becoming the main tongue.

I'll have to read up more on Gratian then, and his guardians too. To see where this might be going. I'm guessing Severus might affect the Gratin looks at Theodosius the Younger then.


It's going to be an interesting bunch of languages, that's for sure.

Thank you once more for the questions Always appreciated

And I'm always willing to offer said questions. Your welcome. Sorry for this long thing.