Impero de Fiore

### Foreword

*"The writings you are about to read come from my journals of crossing around the world of Illistrus. Take this more as interpretive history rather then facts, as, I was not present for most of this history. This is why the further we get in the timeline the more details are added. Many more people I can ask for specifics, and things I can write about that I have seen first hand. This is also why it is written more as a story rather then a concrete history with many dates and timelines. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and may you enjoy the rest of it."*

- The Continental Annals By Ashura Sōhei, 231 years after Awakening

## Pre-History

The first Imperator of Fiore was named **Virgilio Bianchi.** He first united the bickering city states under his banner establishing the ***Impero de Fiore.*** Virgilio did not really interact with many other people from outside of his borders, not really ever trusting them. Virgilio took the throne at age 65, and ruled untill he was 80, then he died peacefully in his sleep.

The next person to step up to the throne was his son **Ilario**. Ilario had a very different philosophy then that of his father. He loved the thrill of the fight and war. He personally led the army of Fiore, warring everyone around him, and going on rampages. One day as he was traveling with his army to wage war he saw a traveler on the road. After a small amount of talking the two turned towards boasting about each others greatest feats. This lead to a fight breaking out in-between them, which the stranger won.

Ilario then overcome with grief and depression would go back home and disband the army, leaving him miserable for the rest of his life. Ilario took the throne at age 45, he ruled untill 73, at which he died due this is immense sadness. At his death his son **Verratti** took the throne.

**Verratti** took the throne at a very turmoil filled time. Civil unrest and riots were a daily occurrence. Not only threats from the inside but also from the centaurs who live in the redwoods to the east. After some years ruling through hardship a strange carriage stopped at capital city of Canntila. Verratii would look out his balcony onto the street bellow to see would come out of it. What he say amazed him. It was the most beautiful woman any man could see. Long flowing hair, the perfect figure, and deep eyes that could see into your soul. By the time Verratii realized that he had been staring at her it was to late, and he quickly looked away in shame, ducking back into his royal quarters. Deciding to go talk to the strange woman he put on his finest garments and his most expensive signet ring.

By the time he got outside he saw a crowd gathering and the murmur of voices. Pushing through crowd to see what was causing this commotion he saw what it was. He locked eyes with the strange woman again and then looked just a little more up, she had fox ears. Quickly his eyes darted downward and he saw she had the distinctive tail as well. She was a **Kumiho.** He had heard many stories of these creatures before. That they could take the form of anything they wanted, that they would seduce anyone that they could get their hands on, and would eat them after they had finished with their fun, and apparently favoring the taste of humans above anything else. Every child in Fiore was told these bed time stories before they would go to sleep to scare them, but nobody thought they were real. Seeing the crowd get more and more angry and forming a mob he knew he needed to act quick before another riot started. With his booming voice he ordered his people to clear the road, grabbed the woman by the hand and lead her up to his estate. As he would walk up the stairs to his home he would see the disappointed looks of his personal guard and his house servants, but to him their gazes meant nothing as of now.

He brought the Kumiho to his private meeting room and would seat her down, after which he would seat himself down. After a long while of just staring at her he would begin to speak. "So, what even are you?" The Kumiho looked him straight in the eyes and said "You know exactly what I am". Verratti blushed a little when head her voice. It sounded just as mesmerizing as she looked. Bringing his composure back he answered with another question "Well yes, but I thought your race didn't exist." At that comment it looked like a fire was set in her eyes "Well we were the ones at lived here before anyone else, before your forefathers came in and slaughter my forefathers." Raising a eyebrow the Imperator would answer "Do not act like your people had nothing to do with it, you are trying to play all innocent, while I know the stories of your people, how you would drag humans off and feast on them" seeing that the tension in the room was rising he decided to pivot to another topic. "But anyway, let us not get too deep into past history, and look to the future, what is your name, and why do you come here?"

"Namiko, I am called Namiko"

They continued to talk into the night. She would leave the next morning, and Verratti thought that was the last he would see of her.

This was not the case.

A couple months after the incident Fiore was in a better place. All of the past debts had been payed off, the riots were calming down, and the life of normal citizens was just getting better and better. Verratti was finally thinking of finding a wife and settling down, maybe even start a royal garden where he could relax now that there wasn't such a big burden on his head.

**BANG BANG** a knock at his door jolted him up from his daydream. "What is it?" he would ask. The voice was that of one of his councilors, Gennaro Bellucci, he had been one of the most vocal about his displeasure with the decisions of the Imperator, though recently it did seem like he was getting on more of his good side. "There is someone looking for" the man took a pause "Urgently". "Well bring them in" Verratti said while thinking who it could be wanting to see him at this time of day. The door would screech open as the skinny man on the other side of the door would push it open, "I will wait for you out here" he whispered to the person behind him as he made way for them to enter the room.

As soon as the figure entered the room, all the color left Verratti's face. "What brings you back Nami-" she would cut him off and say "I am pregnant with your child"