'So I am officially dead now? But... how are we going to keep up the charade if the "bodies" disappear? Are we going into hiding?' Aulus asked. 'Well, thanks for looking out for me,' Aulus looked at Maat, before he looked at Agorix, 'I bet you enjoyed clobbering me over the head, didn't you?'
The population, though generally defeatist and not all that supportive of their governor, nonetheless rails against the treachery. Almost immediately there are shouts and cries to kill the traitors, and even a few loyalists chanting slogans of thanks to Anai for uncovering the plot and saving the city.
Pesca chuckles. "We're not going into hiding. We're going on the offensive. The poison slowed our hearts down enough that we appeared dead, so our deaths will have already been confirmed. As for Maat and Agorix, an Egyptian and a Gaul will have been found dead near the edge of the camp." Agorix grins. "Usually I beat my men over the head before I lay with them. It was a nice change to do it afterwards." Like normal, Aulus isn't sure if she's joking. Pesca grows serious. "I'm going to collect the men loyal to me, and kill the traitors in the camp. I have a special task for you, though, Aulus."
Anai smiled lightly, but kept her face mostly regal, playing the part of the angry ruler. "Thankfully, we have stopped them! We have captured them! But a moment from their plans being brought into fruition!" She paused. "Even the High Priest tried to take over the city - without any plans how to deal with Romans! And what did he do when he failed?! He sacked his own temple for gold, degraded the statues of gods!" She finished with an explanation, carefully observing the crowd. Her speech was aimed not only to deal with opposition but also to raise morale - with anger.
Aulus looked at Agorix, chuckling, 'Remind me not to turn my back on you.' He looked to the general, 'What would you have me do?'
Agorix smirks, as Pesca looks the younger man in the eye. "My daughter, Aphrodite, is in danger. One of the traitors...well..." He sighs. "I need you to find her and save her, while I rally the men. Her mother Ouei too, if possible. I won't lie, this is a dangerous mission. Aphrodite may have been taken as a pleasure slave by my enemies, and if she was, then she'd be given to one of the leaders of the traitors, who probably has a lot of guards. I can give you some of my bodyguards, and your own unit if you think they're trustworthy, but beyond that, not much. The risks are high, but if you succeed, I swear that your rewards will be immeasurable." He looks to Aulus. "Will you do this for me?"
Though largely debaucherous, the people of Nane are highly religious. The tales of blasphemy and betrayal from a level so high as the high priest is enough to send the crowd into a fever pitch of fury. She can't make out words now, due to the sheer amount of people shouting, but she knows she has them. If she wanted, Anai bets that she could send the whole crowd out to charge a Roman shield wall, and they'd probably do it, even though it likely wouldn't go well for them.
'The dead have nothing to lose, right? I will find them... but how? Do we even know who the traitors are who might've taken her?' Aulus nodded but was uncertain where to start.
Anai was satisfied with corwd's reaction. "This city does not belong to Rome! Nane is not a city be desecrated without consequences!" She exclaimed. As she moved her hand. The prisoners - female ones, were brought to the stage. "Behold! Daughters, wives, sisters and concubines of traitors! They will be the first to taste our justice!" She exclaimed rousing the crowd.
"Aphrodite was in the medicus' tent, after an...injury." Aulus can tell there's anger in Pesca's voice when he talks about the injury, but he suppresses it. "It's possible that they left her there. If they didn't, the medicus is a loyal friend of mine, and too valuable for the traitors to have killed. Show him this to prove that you're with me, and he should tell you where my daughter was taken." Pesca turns and bends down to snatch up some papyrus and ink, writing a symbol unknown to Aulus. The younger Roman notices, as the general is writing, the poisoned dagger Maat used, lying not far away. For a moment, he realises that he could quite possibly kill Pesca, and use the fact to worm his way into the favour of the traitors. He's not certain how Maat and Agorix would react, but given that they've saved him already, it's likely that they wouldn't react violently. If Aulus chooses not to strike, Pesca simply stands and hands over the paper, seemingly unaware that he was in danger.
As the women are brought out, the crowd surges forward, trying to get to the women and only being held back by Anai's line of armed spearmen. Unable to reach the women, the crowd begins to pelt them, fruit from the market stalls at the crowd's backs being snatched up and passed to the front in an impromptu conga line, before the people at the front begin to throw the fruit at the prisoners.
Aulus bent down and took the dagger, before he turned to Maat, 'What's the brilliant idea leaving this lying around here?' He took the scroll from Pesca, 'I will head to the medicus' tent then.'
Maat chuckles and shrugs. "I no longer needed it. Feel free to keep it, if you want." Pesca nods in appreciation. "Thank you, son. If things go well, I'll see you on the other side."
Aulus nodded and kept the dagger, heading out under the cover of darkness, he made his way to the medical tent, trying not to be recognised by anybody.
Anai raised her hand, calming the crowd. "Their punishment will be as follows! First, they will be tied to poles, for each city citizen to use as they wish. Rape them, but do not kill them, though, for their fate, will be far worse than simple death." She waved the guards to follow the orders.
Heading across the camp, he finds it awash with gossip and mumbling, as people talk about the rumours of the general's death. Heading to the medical tent, he sees it empty, but for a few sleeping wounded, and a balding middle aged man, who washes a few scalpels and other instruments.
Aulus approached the middle aged man, 'Medicus, where is the general's daughter? Where did they take her?'
The guards, Anai's elites, move up to tie the women to the poles, before they move aside like clockwork. Like water rushing into a destroyed dam, the crowd springs forth, men and women alike groping the women, before taking turns to take their pleasure. Anai begins to hear lewd moaning rise above the general hubbub. One peasant, balls deep in the ass of a noble matriarch, shouts out "Long live the governor!" as he laughs, drunk on the pleasure. The cry is taken up by those around him, thousands of voices crying out Anai's name.
@Tjf As the man leaves, Maat turned to Agorix. "Follow him." She ordered. Barbarian woman left, Maat turned to general. "Hmm..." She hummed as she moved her hand along his chest. "Theoretically, you are dead... sooo... if I were to ride you now, would I be desecrator?" She smirked.
The man jumps slightly, raising his scalpel in his untrained hands, but relaxes as Aulus shows the general's symbol. "Legatus Titus Andros has her. He claimed that he was the general now, and thus the former general's things were his by right. You didn't miss him by much, he only took her a few minutes ago, with a squad of soldiers at his back." Aulus has heard of the legatus, but hasn't seen much of him, as Aulus belongs to a different legion than the one Andros commands. He knows a few men from that legion, however, and from what he's heard, the man is rather average. Not beloved by his men, but not a tyrant either. Not a legendary fighter, but not a simpering coward. Not a genius, nor a moron etc. Aulus isn't terribly familiar with that part of camp, but since Roman settlements are generally laid out identically, he shouldn't have any problems finding Andros' tent.
