The general,the lover and the beast
Four seasons passed by since Barca freed the army. For four seasons
he lived in the fort along with the few men that stayed back. He
planned his invasion meticulously, memorizing maps, rivers, cities.
He was ready. Now it was time for the army to come back.
They started trickling in, first a handful, then an several hundred,
and so on until thousands gathered back into the fort they had
built a year ago. Men greeted each other as brothers, and many
games were started to show off their skills. Javelins were thrown,
sword fights began, much beer was drunk in the week that the
men started showing up.
Barca waited at the gates of the fort every day, greeting and
thanking all who entered. He shook their hands, laughed along
side of them, practiced his javelin hurling. He had realized its
great potentional the past year that he was in the fort.
Then, as if in a dream, Barca saw a figure who looked like Likinos.
Barca's heart soared. His champion returned. He was glad, he had
much planned for Likinos. Barca ran up to Likinos and embraced him
like a brother. They spoke for a few minutes, and then Barca went
back to the gates.
https://img30.imageshack.us/img30/6112/likinos.jpg
Likinos was armed like a proper celt, with a long sword to honor
his father. His mustache was long now, and he had a new shield,
obviosly a gift from his father as well. Those celts, they loved war.
*************
The next day, the army began its march. Thousands of men,
equipped with the finest armour money could buy, and the best
discipline in the world, marched east along the Mediterranean.
Barca rode his horse next to Kanmi and Likinos who were his closest
aids. They were chatting about the elephants that died over the
winter.
"They all got a strange malady and died off in a single week.
I had to ship young elephants from Africa right away, Either way,
the other elephants were old, and we need the young ones for this
campaign." Barca was in a very chatty mood.
Barca looked handsome in his beautiful breastplate and purple cape.
His muscles showed that he was not an armchair generals, but a
fighting one. He was young, and proud, and his heart vowed revenge.
Likinos, even though he was back, thought of home the whole day.
In fact he thought of his home ever since he left to fight the Lusitanians
11 years ago. He married a young woman right before he left to fight
them, and now had a 10 year son and an infant daughter. His heart
acted like a magnet that is being pulled away from metal, which was
his wife. The further he went away from home, the more his heart
ached. When a scout approached the three men, he broke out of
his daze and realized he needed to concentrate on this invasion,
and not his wife.
"Sir, there are men ahead of us on the road. A thousand at least.
Their leader, Laro wishes to speak to you. He wishes you go alone."
The scouts horse was uneasy and he had a hard time keeping it in line.
Barca looked at Kanmi and Likinos, who were as clueless as him. "I will
go, let the army rest and eat."
*************
Barca galloped his horse down the road several miles until he saw
and encampment. He slowed down and pulled on the reigns of his
horse as he approached the gate. The wild man, obviously a warrior
by trade, armed with an axe took hold of his horse and lead them to
the center of the fort. Barca, although a little uneasy, looked straight
out at a figure that was exiting the main lodge of the the fort.
Barca couldn't believe his eyes. A tall, muscular man, also armed with
an axe and dressed like a beast walked up to him. Barca examined him
realizing there was scalps of men hanging from his chest. His face
was dirty and blood stained his fingers and cloths. Barca got off the
horse and looked into the eyes of the man.
https://img191.imageshack.us/img191/7851/laro.jpg
His heart stopped. Laro, whom Barca was looking at stood motionless
as well and they looked at each other. None spoke for a while. The
rest of the warriors in the fort also gathered around the two men.
Barca's horse, although finely trained and disciplined started showing
sings of discomfort in this environment.
"Uxentio? Is that you?" Barca asked, his voice quivering.
"Yes, it is my brother, and I am ready to serve you now. These men,
who were under my command, are now under your command. Each is
ready to complete the most daring tasks for you. All of them have sworn
to me to kill a hundred Romans before dieing." With that, Uxentio got
on one knee and bowed down. A thousand warriors followed Uxentio's
actions.
"Thank you my friend, I will put you to good use, now get up and
embrace your brother."
Uxentio leaped up and lifted Barca up with his mighty hands. It was
as if Uxentio never stopped growing. He truly was a beast now, and
the look of him would frighten many men.
Suddenly, Uxentio let out a frightening war cry, and the thousand
men did as well.
He patted Barca's back and said spoke to Barca as the men continued
cheering, "They call me Laro now, for I am their warrior king."
************
The thousand men marched out in perfect lines to the rest of the
army, led by Barca on his magnificent horse. When the men of
Barca's army had saw heard of Uxentio's return they cheered for
him for a long time, and songs started to be sung by the whole army
as they marched east.
(Barca's new army)
https://img191.imageshack.us/img191/...grandarmee.jpg
