“They’re not my problem today,” Xander replied. He drew Daemyn’s pistol from his chest strap and poured some powder into the tube. “But if it comes to it, then I’ll kill them too.”
“I should have won,” Donovan said absently.
“All that bullshit makes no difference,” Xander said with a bitter grin. He rammed a lead ball down the pistol’s throat. “You’re dead now.”
Donovan grimaced at that irony but attempted a sour laugh. The blood was ebbing in slower pulses than before. He sighed as his life soaked deep into Tartarus’ sands. Donovan closed his eyes slowly before opening them once more. Xander had the pistol leveled between his eyes. Donovan attempted to reach out with his mind toward the weapon but he was too weak.
“So there is some mercy in you,” he said. His glazed blue eyes never wavered.
Xander pulled the trigger.
Epilogue
Roasted meat always smelled delicious but Stefan almost vomited at the realization of what kind of meat it was. He turned his horse towards the coastal city and took in the sight of hundreds of makeshift pyres amidst a red sun rising steadily over the eastern waves.
The Thalassans had been especially tactful in that. Not only were they setting up tents outside of Tartarus but they had the townsfolk come out to burn their dead. That may seem a small comfort to some, but Stefan knew it could have been a lot worse. The Thalassans could have just left the corpses for carrion, or burned them all together in a mass pyre.
The battle had turned as Arkouda’s men, hell-bent on avenging the dead in Anapos, plowed through Gaian Admiral Ultan’s line and folded up that half of the army in minutes. The southern half, led by whoever Tartarus’ First Captain was, did well against their opposition until more Thalassans began arriving from behind. Ultan’s failure to hold had left nearly a thousand Gaian soldiers dead according to the tallies, with the rest unaccounted for having fled for the hills or along the coast somewhere. The Thalassans lost nearly four hundred soldiers.
“I wonder which side this battle will devastate more,” Stefan said to the man at his side.
Xander was leaning against the shoulder of his friend, Caedmon. In spite of his injuries, Xander had promised Stefan he would see the Gaian off and he was determined not to break his word. The Thalassan lieutenant’s face was drawn and had a pale hue that countered his bronzed tone. His left arm was wrapped in a sling and his right calf was heavily bandaged but fresh blood formed on the outer linens. Stefan noted that neither man wore their armor. Testament to victory, I suppose. There won’t be any need for wearing it every hour of the day today. Tomorrow, though?
“We will definitely need to replenish its losses,” Xander stated. “But it’s easier for Gaia to do that than it is for us.”
Stefan touched inside Xander’s mind for a moment. So he considers this battle as more of a statement than anything, he realized. Stefan’s brow furrowed. Does that mean that they plan to stay and hold Tartarus or with their message sent, will they leave? Gaian military had something close to thirty thousand troops when he was last in Tellus. Losing a thousand would seem somewhat stinting but hardly devastating for Gaia’s whole. On Thalassa’s side he calculated probably around a thousand military losses as well since the war began, but when your military strength summons a total of around ten thousand, a tenth of that lost is disastrous.
“In war there is no telling what the outcome will be,” Stefan said.
Caedmon stared up at him but said nothing. Xander cleared his throat. “Our demands are fairly clear. Once your High Council comes to their senses…”
“You know it’s not that simple,” Stefan replied. The silence grew to awkwardness. “Where is Saija?” the Gaian asked, ignoring the glare from Caedmon’s blue eyes. “I had hoped to say farewell.”
“She’s taking care of Murchadh,” Xander said. He stared out at the hundreds of pyres as if he could see her from where they stood. Regardless of their purpose, the fires along Tartarus’ shoreline had a dismal beauty that refused to be suppressed. “She was wounded herself but she’s stronger than she looks.”
“She was?” Stefan asked. Thoughts in Caedmon’s mind revealed an arrow wound to her lower left side. He did not inquire after Murchadh. That was a Thalassan he would never consider a friend. And as far as he could tell, no Gaian would.
“She took an arrow,” Xander explained. “But Murchadh had a cannonball explode sand and driftwood into his face. Brennus is sending him back to Thalassa as soon as he can. There are a few dozen men with wounds too great to carry on here.”
“He was talking about potentially discharging him from service,” Caedmon said. “He’ll never see out of his right eye again.”
Stefan had to suppress a smile. “Such are the atrocities of war.”
“Aye,” Xander said absently. “Well, my friend. Looks like you’re ready to go.”
“As ready as I can be,” Stefan replied nervously. He tapped his traveling bag filled with salted dried beef, hard tack, and over a dozen oatcakes. “You’ve been a good friend to me. Both of you have.”
Caedmon merely nodded while Xander smiled. “So have you, Stefan. Watch your back.”
“Farewell,” Stefan said and with that he turned his newfound horse, a chocolate courser Xander had gifted him to speed him on his way to Tellus. It was an eight-day journey to the west. No better time to start the trek than in dawn’s early light.
Stefan kicked the horse’s flanks and almost lost his balance when it bolted away. He would see his friends of Thalassa again, of that he was certain, but for his return journey he needed his mind clear if he was to face his father. He would be back in Tellus to learn. In a sense it felt like nothing had changed, but Stefan knew full well that everything had.
A Note on Coinage
The Gaian Empire’s system of currency is relative to any society. There are classes and social orders which make it possible to put a price on items. These prices might vary slightly from place to place, or item to item, as is wont to happen in the real world depending on supply and demand as well as the use of the possession.
Simply put, the Gaian Empire use unstamped one-ounce coins ranging from copper, to silver, and finally to gold. Copper coins are the most base of their currency, requiring forty-two of them to equal one piece of silver. Silver is the most commonly used coin, as its use can be found from the poorest of the empire all the way up to the nobility and privileged few at the top. It requires sixty silver coins to equal one piece of gold, but spending gold is a rarity anyway unless one wants to purchase an extravagant weapon or a fresh coat of chainmail.
The lowest class working citizen earns an average of one hundred and fifty silver coins a year. At over two silvers a week this is not so bad because a full-grown pig could easily cost two silvers. Each pint of ale costs only three or four coppers, depending on the quality, so this could keep a man in his cups as well. That means the maids, scullions, and lowborn servants are able to eat their fill, even if they have a bit of trouble paying their rent. Just above that lowborn social order would include citizens such as guardsmen, ferrymen, low-paid blacksmiths, cooks, and the more experienced maids and servants. They earn roughly three hundred silvers a year so could easily eat their fill whilst paying a low rent with no worries.
The Gaian Empire’s middle class are certainly privileged. Inn or tavern keepers, blacksmiths, armorers, royal cooks, merchants, general transport captains, and high guardsmen/watchmen earn an average of well over five hundred silvers per year. Above these people is where gold begins to come into play. Successful loan sharks, wealthy businessmen in general, prosperous military ship captains or other prestigious titles such as constable will earn roughly over nine hundred silvers a year. In terms of gold this is nearly a pound per year. Of course there are also those between this upper middle class and the nobility of the era, whether having married into money or whatnot, and these entrepreneurs are typically seen as making between two and four pounds of gold a year.
Thalassa -
Although their sigil is archaic, most Thalassans still recall the symbol representing the whole of their nation. The Thalassan archipelago possesses just over 9,000 square miles of land. The whole of Thalassan military consists of roughly 10,000 soldiers. Their military system is based on small unit leadership. Every soldier begins as a guardsman and once displaying maturity and military prowess they are promoted to the rank of watchman. A watchman is the leader of four guardsmen. Lieutenants are granted command over a troop of fifty total soldiers, forty of them being guardsmen while the other ten are watchmen. Directly above the lieutenant is a captain, possessing a hundred soldiers and entrusting the command of fifty of them to the lieutenant beneath him. In times of old, knights represented Thalassa and each one commandeered three captains and a contingent of three hundred soldiers. Thalassa’s total population is estimated at roughly 1.1 million citizens.
Anapos - BROWN & BLACK Governed by Lord Thanos of House Xiphos, the island of Anapos is most often called upon for the Gaian Empire’s military conquests. Lord Thanos has three younger brothers who each have three captains under them. With Lord Thanos’ personal contingent led by his own three captains, House Xiphos commands 1,200 soldiers total. The island is over 500 square miles in size, with four relatively small towns possessing around 15,000 citizens each. Anapos’ capital houses 50,000 to give the isle’s total population 110,000 people.
Glaucus - BLUE & SILVER Governed by Lord Glauco of House Lehnsherr. Glaucus is a farming island housing nearly 200,000 citizens and boasting excellent vineyards sporadically on its 700 square miles. One of the wealthier of Thalassa’s islands, Glaucus makes most of its coin from the wine trade. 1,200 soldiers serve Lord Glauco and his heirs with three captains under him and an additional three underneath each of his sons.
Nereus - PURPLE & WHITE Governed by Lord Sebastian of House Lilla, Nereus is home to many of Thalassa’s orphans before they come of age to begin training for their destined careers. Lord Sebastian possesses 1,200 soldiers in total with three captains serving beneath himself and an additional three under each of his three sons. The island is just under 500 square miles and houses a total of 120,000 citizens.
Phorcys - GRAY & ORANGE Governed by Lord Eoghan of House Niall. Phorcys is home to great gold and silver mines for Thalassa, making it the wealthiest of all Thalassa’s islands as well as the main source of Gaia’s tax collection. Although roughly the same distance from the Gaian mainland as Triton, Phorcys is much farther east. 1,200 soldiers serve Lord Eoghan and his brothers with three captains under him and an additional three underneath each one of them. Phorcys houses roughly 100,000 citizens over an island just under 400 square miles in size.
Pontos - RED & GOLD The seat of Thalassan Royalty bearing the name of Coren, the island of Pontos is the capital of Thalassa. Individually, the isle is governed by the vassal King Philip of Thalassa. Although bearing two children, Prince Daemyn and Princess Roselyn, King Philip also has three cousins serving under him with the surname Coren. Each man bears three captains with one hundred men in their commands. King Philip also retains four captains directly under him with one hundred men a piece. Pontos’ total forces are kept at 1,300 soldiers. The royal castle is situated on the northwestern side of the island, but the town is a major port city placed between the castle and the sea. With a total population of roughly 300,000 citizens, Pontos is the most heavily populated island of Thalassa although its peoples are spread along 4,000 square miles.
Proteus -BLACK Governed by Lord Matheus of House Mestre, a man notorious in his younger days for acts of piracy, the island seems to have taken his leadership to heart. Their sigil differs from every other isle by using their own House name’s symbol, as opposed to their island’s. Proteus is a notorious haven for both piracy and gambling, making it the crudest isle of Thalassa. Nevertheless, Lord Matheus remains loyal to the crown and possesses three captains himself, while his younger brothers possess three a piece to total their forces at 1,200 soldiers. Proteus has over 600 square miles of land however possesses just under 90,000 citizens.
Tethys - GREEN & WHITE Governed by Lord Vladimir of House Adliger, Tethys is a strong island with a noble bloodline reaching back as far as House Coren’s. Vladimir’s sole surviving heir is Patrick, but House Adliger possesses three offshoot cousins who handle contingents of three hundred men a piece. Three captains also under Vladimir total his isle’s forces at 1,200 soldiers. Tethys is the second largest island of Thalassa at roughly 2,500 square miles to house its 100,000 citizens.
Triton Governed by Constable Aldous of House Herre, Triton is the seat of the Thalassan Embassy as well as the home to the infants of Gaian-turned-Thalassan orphans. Triton is roughly two days by sea from the Gaian mainland. A mere fifty Thalassan soldiers are stationed there, as the island is mainly used as a meeting ground for Thalassan royalty and Gaian officials. Therefore, Triton bears no insignia or house colors to distinguish it from the red and gold of Pontos. It is a miniscule island at only 15 square miles and a total population of 1,200 Thalassan citizens. The main town, simply named Triton, is situated in the north/northeast of the island.
Varuna - BLUE & YELLOW Governed by Lord Emil of House Herre. Constable Aldous on Triton is of this isle, and just one of many that Varuna boasts as respected members of their House. Lord Emil possesses 1,200 soldiers in total with three captains serving beneath himself and an additional three under his three eldest sons. Varuna is around 400 square miles, comfortably housing 80,000 citizens.
Gaia -
GREEN & SILVER The Gaian mainland possesses just over 166,000 square miles of land. It has a radius of roughly 230 miles no matter what way a man could measure from. The whole of Gaian military consists of roughly 30,000 soldiers. For the most part, the Gaian military is almost exactly the same as Thalassa’s. Every soldier begins as a guardsman and once displaying maturity and military prowess they are promoted to the rank of high guardsman. A high guardsman is the leader of four guardsmen. Lieutenants are granted command over a troop of fifty soldiers, forty of them being guardsmen while the other ten are high guardsmen. Directly above the lieutenant is a captain, possessing a hundred soldiers and entrusting the command of fifty of them to the lieutenant beneath him. Above the captains is an admiral or general, depending on whether the Gaian city is land or sea based. These leaders typically possess twenty captains in their command and roughly 2,000 men a piece.
In the political aspect, each one of these generals or admirals is expected to also govern one of Gaia’s thirteen densely populated citadels. Although each of these citadels dwarves even Pontos in their grandiosity, Gaia’s ten million citizens are also found in villages and towns blanketing the mainland. The empire is governed as a whole by a High Council, the “voice” of which being the most senior member. Interestingly enough, Gaia’s High Council has not been directly involved in battle leadership at any time. The Gaian Empire’s dominion stretches from the vassal kingdom of Thalassa to the south, and into the bordering lands they call their “provinces” across the Eastern Sea.
Bia A fishing village-turned-metropolis, Bia is home to over half a million Gaian citizens and 2,000 soldiers. It provides the food and trade for most of the northeastern part of the Gaian mainland, and although never involved in Thalassan trade has bustled and blossomed into a massive citadel in less than a century.
Clio Considered the pinnacle of education for the Gaian Empire, Clio is home to the greatest university on the mainland. The school houses the annals of Gaian history and the eldest most learned of its citizens have studied those tomes for generations, adding
the happenings of every month as each moon wanes. Clio is home to over 600,000 citizens and guarded by 2,000 soldiers.
Deimos One of the “twin cities,” Deimos itself houses nearly 400,000 inhabitants. Together with Phobos, these two cities almost make up the same population of Tellus, but across a broader spectrum of land. Garrisons 1,500 troops.
Erebus Located at the mouth of the Skamandros, Erebus is the main port city for Gaia. Trade goes in and out of the grand city from both the eastern provinces as well as Thalassa. Erebus houses 2,000 soldiers as well as over 700,000 citizens.
Ker The training ground for Gaia’s soldiers, Ker is a militarily-based city with under 200,000 citizens and 3,000 of those are soldiers while at any given time another 1,000 are raw recruits. Almost every individual in Ker is somehow tied to the military be it with contractual jobs or actually toting the spears and swords that fill the ranks.
Moros Close to Tellus and the heart of Gaia, Moros is a secluded city bordered and strengthened by high mountains. Of famous individuals owing their origins to Moros, High Councilor Niv is the most prominent. Moros houses approximately 650,000 citizens and 2,000 soldiers.
Ourea Sitting on the top of Ouros, the highest peak of Gaia stretching just over 11,000 feet above sea level, Ourea is a city oftentimes hidden with low clouds. Just under 300,000 people live in the citadel and are protected by 2,000 soldiers.
Phobos Together with Deimos, Phobos is the other citadel in the “twin cities” of Gaia. Phobos is slightly larger than its twin in population, housing over 400,000 citizens and 1,500 soldiers, but has a smaller stretch of land to place them on. Phobos is the more mercantile oriented of the pair, while Deimos boasts large farmlands.
Severance (The Sovereign Book 1) Page 40
