Intermission,

As it is my expectation that this text will be split among several smaller books, a means of easier distribution, I feel it necessary to insert myself before the reader once more. My pupil’s adventure in Giordana resolved itself the day he set foot upon the Sea Bird’s Rest, along with myself, Aisha Canta, Doctor Samuel and a few others of bureaucratic nature, as I will soon explore. We did not leave behind such an idyllic victory as one might hope. In the muddy entanglements of reality, we had reason to fear many loose ends among the men left behind. Without a charismatic presence, and certainly without Golden’s arcane meddling, there was a risk that some of those who had met Lucius still had doubts about his identity. Suppressed, secretive thoughts they would be too concerned to share openly, but which a prying man might still get hold of.

Thus, I left the Tolzi brothers behind, under auspices of assisting Bishop Jean, but with guidance on how to see the destruction of that troop. To have them cast into the fires of war again and again, and for any deserters to be hunted down. While Lucius was given promises of restoring that loyal army to him upon a future date, I carried out the necessary protections, a task which always falls to me.

In the coming tale, that of the journey north to the capital city of Vassermark, Hearth Bay, but also of Lucius’ youth, I have my own thread of action and foolishness. For at the same time, while the boy was tossed adrift from family and without a rock to hold onto, that is without a cause to fight for, I overlooked a man who, in effect though not by act, would become one of the greatest killers in all of history.

I do not believe that Lucius realized until much later his incidental encounter with Jacque the writer, patron saint of the hangman’s noose. I do not mean this as a fault against Lucius, he could hardly keep his head above water, young and treading the despair known as poverty. But my discourses with Jacque ultimately led to my discovery of the future emperor, and so I cannot leave it out of the history.

Rather than dragging out my time with the man, I will, however, constrain myself purely to those events which will help color the young Lucius’ life and provide context evident to a well read reader that he himself hardly understood at the time.

Now, I will waste the reader’s time no longer and share but one more fact of importance. My pupil was not then known as Lucius, the name which he stole in Giordana. The people around him called him Jarnpojke, a rural name if ever there was one. To prevent confusion, I will persist in calling him Lucius no matter the time of reference.

Your faithful chronicler,

Amurabi

As it may come of use to you, the structure of the Ashe Family in the year 727CC is as follows.

Faithe Ashe, eldest sister and tied to Danyl Ashe, a military commander often on expedition in the contested lands between Jarnmark and Skaldheim.

Their eldest child is Frederika Ash, second in line to inherit. Their youngest is a baby boy by the name of Andrey.

Irina Ashe is the middle sister, tied to Peter Ashe, deceased but from a mainland noble family of good reputation.

Her eldest child is Erika Ashe, the heir to the family. Secondborn is Edvin Ashe.

Ruby Ashe is the youngest sister, unwed and pining for the writer Jacque but awaiting a political tie.