The Long Road Home

The Gallic trading ship is packed to bursting with gold, silver and amber and escorted by 20 Kembroz war boats containing 500 warriors hand picked, trained and led by Háriáwulf himself against the Rugii and here. Agelastus stays in Cimbrii Chersonesos though, having found a second love and life with Háriáwulf's mother. Who seems to very much reciprocate the feeling. Lvcivs is not too happy leaving a Roman centiruion to help train the Kembroz warriors, but they are his friends and allies, he might need those warriors trained later and he certainly wants to keep on good footing with Háriáwulf and Hrothulf... and with him travels Hárjáborká the Priestess and his two slavegirls, and the ships hold enough treasure to ensure a start of his Cursus Honorum, just, who could be unhappy on a calm sea in early autumn with such a shipload?

Nor does he have any reason to, a Kembroz boat a day ahead advertise their coming to Frisii, Batavians and Menapii and ensures a journey from feast to feast and much exchange of gifts. Virodomarus of the Menapii hosts the grandest of all, celebrating his daughter's wedding to Caivs Caecilivs Rvfvs and becoming a client of Lvcivs Cornelivs Scipio. Through Gaul, the journey passes uneventfully, few dares interfere with 500 German warriors and those Roman garrisons and auxilia encountered all acknowledge a Roman patrician's right to travel with whatever retinue he likes; very few in the Republic will interfere with the Conelii.

More Gauls flock to follow this warlord though, and though he sends all but the best home, 200 Gallic horsemen has joined the caravan as they cross the Mediterranean Alps into Italy in late November, just as the first snows fall and with most Germans amazed at the height of these mountains. Here they are beset by 2000 or more local tribesmen, but they are no match for the skilled followers of Lvcivs Cornelivs, and he feels positively jubilant and triumphant as he enters Italy despite Caivs Caecilivs Rvfvs unearthing hints that a Roman was behind the attack; nothing can stop his Cursus Honorum now.

Most of the Barbarian warriors are quartered in 6 Villa Rustici of both heroes, and only 50- changing every 8 days- are brought into a Rome in chaos. Obviously Marcvs Antonivs' skills as a general was not matched by equal administrative skills. And while anarchy rules in Rome, he has sunken into the vilest of debauchery...