ICHaFBI 22

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=I, Corvus; How a Fool became Imperator of the O'Reillys - Chapter XXII -=
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===The agreement of change===
Imperial Palace
City of Nova Roma, Latium District - Gaul Continent
Alphard IV, Marian Hegemony
26 January 3036
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Lucius looked over the room he was led into by several Praetorian Guardsmen. A single table with two chairs at opposite ends and the blank utilitarian walls gave the feeling of an interrogation room. Only one bay window looking out on a courtyard gave any semblance of decor. He wasn't sure if an interrogation was about to happen or if the planned meeting would really take place. Lucius had put himself in the lion's den for sure, but he didn't believe they were about to execute him just yet. Otherwise why bother bringing him here when the courtyard he had entered the palace from would have done quite nicely.
 
The Guardsmen didn't say anything. Once he had settled into a chair they slipped out of the room and shut the door. He had kept a careful eye on them when they had frisked him, but they hadn't given anything away. Stone faced and professional. Lucius couldn't tell if they were even around when he helped Sean overthrow Gibson and the Praetorians. This was why he was here… for the most part anyways. The very real threat that the Praetorians, Vigilus, or Corvus would want him out of the way. Lucius placed an electronic tablet on the table, lit one of his omnipresent cigarettes and leaned back, trying to affect calm.
 
Corvus was exactly how he remembered, if a little greyer for all his years in the mix of courtly intrigue. The same limp he'd had since his youth, and perhaps even the same cane. He wore the same basic tunic, dyed in Imperial purple rather than his usual white. A barbarian padded after him, loping sometimes on all fours. Lucius recognized it as the bodyguard Sean had assigned him years ago. Why would he still have the creature? Corvus was no fool, as much as he pretended. There must be a reason. Lucius filed the question away for later.
 
"You can cut the crap," Lucius bluntly said, motioning with his cigarette to Corvus' legs, "I know you're not the crippled retard everyone thought you were."
 
Corvus chuckled as he set the cane on the table between them. "Very well. But if we're putting down our m-masks, perhaps you can drop the cheese-grater personality, Uncle." The Imperator laughed a second time at the word 'uncle'. They were the same age, after all. "We both did what we had to do to survive. If you want me to speak as the man I truly am, then I ask you the same c-c-courtesy."
 
Lucius looked at Corvus for a moment, keeping his face as neutral as possible as Covus began to tic. He didn't react, simply stared into Corvus' eyes before shrugging eloquently. "Fair enough. Though I did ask for a meeting between the two of us… just family." He glanced up at Gnasher.
 
Corvus leaned over and patted Gnasher on the shoulder. "Consider him family then. Like we considered Harcourt under Marius, or Gurdeep under your father. Gnasher has been a better family to me than anyone with the O'Reilly name."
 
Lucius thought about it for a moment and simply nodded. This meeting was going to be difficult without getting into the pesky details about whether the savage was here or outside.
 
Corvus nodded, apparently assuming the silence meant assent. "Good. I'm happy that we can have this meeting on good terms. I hope you w-won't t-take it the wrong way when I say I hope this is the last time we ever m-m-meet. There will always be a place for you in the Hegemony, for as long as you want it, with whatever you need to be comfortable. But I would have that place be as far from Alphard as possible." Corvus got up and walked to a window, this time without his limp. "Uncle, and I mean that with sincerity this time, you are the greatest threat to my position, and I am the greatest threat to yours. There are powerful forces in the Hegemony who would much prefer a man like you on the throne: hard, military trained, ruthless. But that is not the sort of man the Hegemony needs. I think you know this, Lucius. If you'd wanted the throne, you'd have shoved Sean out of an airlock. Or swept away the Praetorians instead of landing yourself for a meeting. I think you want this life thrust onto you even less than I do."
 
Lucius stared at Corvus as his words flowed over him. He hated it but Corvus bringing up his father and Marius had the undesired effect of bringing back the memories of the palace. They were coming back every night now. He looked down at the table as he tried to regain control. He knew Corvus wouldn't miss the look on his face, but Lucius couldn't seem to keep control the way he did back when he was in the Deep Periphery.
 
"How do you deal with it, Corvus?" Lucius croaked out. How can I sound so… pitiful, forlorn? He wondered. The stress and fear of the past month had unseated him more than he thought. "How do you deal with all the… memories of what happened to you. I mean, you got shit on pretty good. Like me."
 
If Corvus noticed, he gave no sign. He continued to look out the window, perhaps to avoid shaming Lucius. Deliberate or not, Lucius was grateful for it. The Imperator looked over the palace gardens for a long time before answering. "Vibius. Then Sinead when she was born, and then Lucia when she was born. Her and Livia, they're p-oroof that this poisoned tree can still bare fruit. If I c-c-can guide them, I thought, maybe I can make things better. At b-b-best, maybe I could protect them. I could bear any trial to keep them safe. Though….there were nights, so many of them, when I nearly gave up."
 
"Gaius…" Lucius shook his head. "He hated Father. But me… see he didn't just hate me. It was more than that. He killed those he hated. He tormented me because I was the spawn of the woman that replaced his mother when she died. He couldn't ever let that go…" He paused a moment before going on, reliving the worst time of his life. "There's a room, not far from here actually. I think they use it for storage now… Back then it was a rather tasteless bedroom. It was there that Gaius and his limp dick cronies dragged me. After they tore off my clothes, Gaius whispered in my ear. He told me not to scream or whimper. Don't make a sound little brother, because if you do my friends here will hurt you… I never made a sound even after they finished and left."
 
Lucius ground down the nub of his cigarette on the table and looked up at Corvus. "And now here we are… the survivors."
 
"They put each other in the ground. I'm asking you here, now, to vow to me that you will leave Alphard forever, so when our time comes, we don't take the girls with us." Corvus finally turned to face him, his cheeks red and puffy, his eyes full of tears. "If you stay, you'll be their tool, and the killing won't stop until we're all gone. Please, go."
 
Lucius looked back up from the table to stare solemnly at Corvus. "I never wanted the throne. Not even when I was little. I knew it was cursed. But you are right, there are those that want me to take the throne because they believe you and the girls are weak." He reached and touched a tablet that he had brought with him. "A lot of names, a lot of rich and powerful fools. But I want more than just a simple handwave away. I've spent my whole life in hell and violence. I deserve a little more than what I've had all my life. I want you to listen to what I say and then… I will be on my way."
 
Corvus nodded on his way back to his chair. He sat and gestured, with open hands.
 
"I want you to say openly that I am not a pariah… that I am family. That while I am not in line for the throne, I am not what Gaius and Marius said. I am not a little fucking monster or a traitor. I… am a good and loyal O'Reilly…" Lucius paused to wipe away a tear that had formed in the corner of his eye. "I want my military successes to be shown as victories for the Hegemony and for you, Imperator… I want a wife, noble born and still able to bare children. When I retire to whatever villa you allow me so very far away, I want that little bit of peace that I've never had before… And one last thing. The Ninth Legion. Whatever Marius may have said, I want them to be allowed to come home whenever they want to. When they're done in my service, they should have a home."
 
Corvus snapped his fingers and Gnasher dashed off. "That is the least I can do. When you want to come home, for good, there will be a place for you. There is an Imperial estate on Timbiqui, you'll like it there. The Ninth, they will be welcomed back with open arms, and a triumph, if you wish it to b-b-be so. The wife…that's your responsibility. I will ask no one to marry anyone, but nor will I stand in the way."
 
Gnasher returned with at least a ream of paper. Corvus gestured across the table and Gnasher hopped over to Lucius. The papers carried the seal of the Ordo Vigilis. "A show of good faith. I had Ambrose look through the Vigilis files. What you hold in your hands is proof that his father and Marius planned the whole thing. I will make a public declaration clearing your name and that of your legion. We should be able to prepare it before your forces leave for Tamarind."
 
Lucius took the sheaf of papers and looked at the top page before looking up at Corvus and nodding. His mouth then quirked with humor. "Maybe you could let it be known that I'm an eligible bachelor at least?" He chuckled lightly at his own joke.
 
Corvus clapped as he laughed back. "Oh, I should th-think that a triumph will be message enough to the ladies of the Hegemony."
 
"Yeah, that it will." Lucius stood up, feeling light headed. He glanced at the tablet and back at Corvus before coming around the table and looking Corvus right in the eyes. He wasn't sure what to say, they had never been close. After a moment and held out his hand to Corvus. Corvus reached out and they clasped hands before Lucius with a swift motion keeled down to one knee and looked up at Corvus. "Ave, Imperator." He said solemnly and kissed his hand.
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ICHaFBI 22