For as long as I can remember, we have lived here. Indeed, I am certain we always shall. No force of nature of man can force us to leave our birthright. I know my father would have said the same. We love this land. It has offered us all it has to give and for that we are thankful; Food, shelter, protection from invasion. These peaks and valleys are our home.
Since the time of my grandfather, we have been masters of these mountains. The mighty Aedui tried to claim us and we beat them off. We see now how that has fared. They exist not anymore. Such is the price of arrogance. Even the Arverni have tried to enslave us to their farcical ideas of freedom. No. Only a Helvetii with land to his name can truly know freedom.
Alas, times have changed. With the death of my father, we are swiftly losing money. My father felt that war created income and he is true in that aspect. When the Helvetii defended its borders, we had money flowing in torrents into our coffers.
Alas, once the buffer of the Aedui had been destroyed by the behemoth of the Arverni there was nothing stopping them from all out assault on our treasured lands. So far, my father and I had only faced weak scouting forces or punitive expeditions sent to wrangle the “Backwards” Helvetii to the Arverni’s Confederacy. Led by poorly trained generals, my father and I made short work of any forces sent against us. The men of Aventicos are as strong as any Arverni noble or warrior. We, the Helvetii don’t give in easily to defeat. But sadly, the Arverni were too strong once they no longer had to exhaust efforts to crush the Aedui. I had Vortigen, my chief diplomat, open up a ceasefire talk with the Arverni. Luckily the Arverni’s attentions was turned southward and were more then willing to bother themselves with subjugating the tribes of the Po valley. Thankfully we also have arranged for the Romans to aid us in the conflict in the case that the Arverni attack….for a price…
…Which brings me to the matter at hand. Come let me tell you what has occurred in the past days….
“Lord?” The messenger stated in an almost inquiring tone. Small sweat beads dappled on his forehead revealed his true tiredness, despite the attempts to sound regal.
“Messenger?” I, King Badicandos Moc Vertiscos, inquired of the tired man who had just stomped into my chambers. I rose from my chair at my desk and set aside my financial reports to give the obviously flustered man my attention.
“An emissary has arrived, sir. He wishes to speak with you immediately,” He breathed as he hung himself down until his hands rested on his knees.
“An emissary? From where” I asked confusedly as I grabbed my ceremony sword and helm and prepared to join him in the visiting chambers.
“From Rhaetia, Lord Badicandos”…
That upstart from Rhaetia dare insult me thus! To think the Helvetii would pay tribute to such….Lesser people. No. I denied him on the spot. I spoke with a rage felt often only on the battlefield. This man, claiming to hold an order from the lord of Rhaetia himself, Lord Catavignos, Ordered, if such a thing may be called such, that the Helvetii tribes pay tribute to the Rhaetians in favor that they stay their hand and not attack. To think that such a noble ally would stop to that level. I had once considered Catavignos one of my friends.
But sadly he was right. A Rhaetic army was gathered at the border and was prepared to assault Aventicos. After butchering the emissary and sending his head back to Rhaetia, I began to prepare the army for war. Within weeks the Rhaetian army would have been knocking on the gates of Aventicos. I knew the odds of my forces holding the city were slim but I was confident in their abilities to crush the enemy.
However, the gods must have seen our plight and heard our prayers for the Arverni had sent a large sizable force into the neighboring kingdom. Consequently this army’s path led them straight in the jaws of the massive Rhaetian army. Gladly for the Helvetii that day, the Arverni force was equally strong and the battle that ensued annihilated the Rhaetian army. Taking eye of the situation, I ordered the army in Aventicos to march with haste to Rhaetia and to conquer these upstarts that felt they could bully the Helvetii into submission.
Leaving a trusted captain in charge of the city on my leave, Barrivendos Moc Custennyn,
I set off with the army towards Veldideno to crush the Rhaetians. I would make an example of this king to those who felt themselves better then the Helvetii
\+ Helvetii+/ [On the Possession of Land] A Non-Factional AAR
Reply With Quote
x 15
Bookmarks