Kingdom

Chapter 1 - The migration

Hey, this is my first time ever really writing anything, please leave criticism about it or anything you like about it in the comments, it means a lot. Thanks! hope you enjoy.

The whole of Latia is divided into three parts, one of which the Bellos inhabit far to the north-west, the center in which the Gallica inhabit, and to the east where the Trojans take refuge. The Trojans being the strongest of these peoples - though once driven out of their ancestral home in Germania by the Belgica - are confined in by their environment as they are surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only narrow passageways allowing them to leave the area. Being the hegemon however they were not content with this situation as it limited their ability to wage war, and so they began a migration west. The leader of the Trojans - Metellius, before the migration even began was captured by the Gallica and taken prisoner and put under trial for attempting to encroach on Gallica lands. He was, of course, found guilty and put to death, however the Trojans were still determined to continue on with their migration. And so, without any leadership the Trojans continued onwards, burning their homes in order to ensure they do not return - a foolish decision. The Trojans have three options from this point on, to go back east to their ancestral lands which they were driven from, south into uncharted territory, or west to conquer the Gallica peoples.

The Trojans believing in their strength chose to go west, this way however there was only a single viable route, through the high Danube mountains and then to descend into the lowland marshes of Gallica. The pass through the mountains was narrow and only allowed for one cart to go through at a time in a single file line. As such, the pass could be guarded by a mere handful of men. The Gallica are a strong confederation built from the surrounding tribes, their main purpose for confiding in one another was exactly this - to fend off incursions by the much stronger Trojans in the east, and the more numerous Bellos in the west. By its very nature the Gallic confederation are a nation built to withstand attacks, even the very land they inhabit is very defensible, which makes it all the more appealing to my people - the Trojans. 

As we march through the mountains we lose more and more people, whether to sickness or whether they lose the will to go on - disgusting. My father Metllius would never have allowed the latter were he still here. By the end of the second week we realize how much of a toll this migration is really going to take, as none of us had ever actually passed through the mountains before, my father was with the scouting party when he got captured so no one really knows how much farther to go and whether we are even heading in the right direction. All the while my older brother is dutifully taking note of the locations and landmarks we pass through and drawing a map of this whole place.

"Put down that damn map" I say every once in a while to try and poke fun. This time, though, he lets his temper get the better of him, as he shoves me to the floor.

"Get up" he repeats over and over. I do my best to act as if it doesn't hurt, but he is well and by far the best fighter in our tribe and six years my elder. That would make him twenty years old now, the same age as my father when he first took up the mantle as Imperator, the youngest ever one. Though the eldest son of my father - my older brother Vorenus is not declared the leader of the Trojans, no one is. This is because we Trojans choose our leaders based on merit alone - or that is how it is supposed to be, in reality politics play a far larger role than they should, and that is why Vorenus is not yet hailed as Imperator. Before Metellius was captured there was mounting opposition against him declaring that we need to focus inwards and focus on city-building rather than migrating. After the capture of my father, Vorenus was able to take the reins and hold some of my fathers former faction together, and with it he was able to continue the migration as planned.