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Tanya's Third Life as a Barbarian Queen, Chapter XIII
🕑 Added 2025-01-04 12:24:00 +0000 UTCI will have the chapter as links to download at the bottom of the post. As well as a link to the Google Document page.
Sadera, Imperial Senate
Emperor Molt Augustus
The Senate Chamber was a colossal thing, fine marble inlaid with gold and lacquer with the treasures of a thousand peoples arrayed around the vast domed hall behind crowded seats. It was built in another age for a different people, one less certain of themselves, less assured of their strength and modest in their vision.
I spared a moment to look up from the proceedings to the works of art and magic worked into the domed structure’s roof over the course of centuries. There were depictions of great battles and legends as well as enchanted stones that would bathe the chamber in light no matter the time of day as well as fill the chamber with warmth and a pleasant breeze. The building was one of the few things that made attendance to the home of Saderan Democracy worthwhile.
In truth the Senate Building was not large enough to contain all the senators and officials of the vast Empire and on slow days could host as many as two thousand squabbling politicians. Debates were performative, legislation self-serving and every utterance was dedicated to petty displays of mockery and slander.
As the room exploded into boisterous laughter at one senator finding an overwrought and painfully long way of calling another bald I found myself dreaming of destroying the Senate, seeing it fall to ruin with every one of the politicians inside of it.
But I quickly decided against such fantasies. It was hardly this storied structure's fault it was filled by gormless fools and bastards. Yes I would just have them all killed outside of this great house and leave it as a museum open to the plebs, I could think of nothing else that would torment this worthless lot more than the plebeians wandering through these halls. One of my Praetorian Guards tapped his spear on the ground twice and I suppressed a sigh. I was cast out of my fantasies and looked out at the Senate floor for whoever was trying to get my attention.
It did not take long to notice Colt Formal was standing at the front of the benches looking directly at me while holding up his symbol of office as a Comes Rei Militaris. The Formal Clan also held dominion over several Italican holdings if I remembered right. I nodded to him that he might interrupt the pointless bickering that so far had dominated a debate over some insipid Wine production regulation.
“I shall table, if It pleases His Majesty, the issue of our wayward Legate.” Colt Formal nodded his head towards me before he turned back to the Senate. His voice carried over the cacophony owing to the badge of office on his chest.
“The goodman from Italica has the floor.” The Speaker of the house boomed causing some grumbling from the bottom feeders who were forced to take to the benches and allow Colt to stride forth.
“I have come to despair, my countrymen, that this house does not consider the grave constitutional issue that we in our inaction have allowed to transpire. No sooner had we elected the new Legates at the closing of the previous budget and had returned to our humble abodes.” That earned a few chuckles. “Were we ambushed by word that Legate Zorzel Augustus had chosen to raise the legions he had been temporarily given stewardship over and march them far beyond our borders in a war against some petty barbarian tribes! What, I ask you, what could possibly justify a Legate deciding that he can march to war without a vote from this house? What abuse of this office are we willing to tolerate?” Colt’s form was good and the man clearly displayed his allegiance by presenting his back to the Doves. A loose alliance of monied interests that detested state spending and costly invasions. To show one's back to a group in the senate often meant that you intended to speak for them, to bring their concerns to light.
If the group disapproved of what you said while doing so it could result in a knife between the ribs several weeks later however.
“I worry that the honorable Senator from Italica's imagination might rob the poor man of what hair he has left!” The senate erupted in jeers and laughter as a young man I vaguely recognised as a close friend of my eldest son walked onto the Senate floor. I struggled to remember the name but I very much remembered his stern expression and pointed ears owing to strong elven ancestry. “He imagines constitutional violations where none exist, he imagines abuses of honoured offices and he likely spends his days imagining his Felis slaves in ways that would shame his ancestors!” I glanced at the Speaker who covered his mouth as his body was consumed by mirth along with nearly half of the Senate who howled at the brazen attacks on Colt’s character.
“Does this boy.” Colt Formal spoke but his voice could not overcome the shouting from the benches. “I sympathise with this boy!” Colt spoke again, this time his voice quieting some of the Senators but others continued to shout and mock, likely allies of my son who did not wish for any questioning of my Sons legitimacy in commanding legions as a Legate. “He is proud, fearless and seeks battle but was clearly left behind here for good reason!” It was the other half of the Senate to howl with performative laughter. In truth the boy was left behind for this very purpose. With Zorzal outside of the Capital and most of his supporters away with him his political influence was greatly diminished.
He required some political presence in Sadera lest a vote be called to strip him of his Office early. While he was legally beyond all persecution as a Legate he held no other office and despite being my son when his term of Legate was over he would become a Private Citizen and legal cases could be brought against him.
News from so far afield of the Empire was slow to arrive and news of Zorzels expedition had not yet reached my informants but I did not put it past some Senators to have better information than even I had. As of a week ago my son had completed ten months of his two year term in the office of Legate and had just fourteen months remaining before he would require a vote of at least thirty five percent of the Senate to extend his mandate or become a Private Citizen.
“What madness compels you to lament the persecution of a war against the Lepus! You argue that this house has not voted for a war against this debased race of barbarians but do our allies of the Steppe not suffer constant raids? Our Imperial roads not attacked by the Bunnies? Do these savages not disrespect the sacred borders of the Empire! I ask you, what vote is needed to prosecute a war that they declared upon us! As the people of this house enjoy the great City of plenty, Saderans, our countrymen are being killed and enslaved! What craven madness compels him to cast aspersions upon proud Saderans for putting the Barbarian invaders in their place?!” The hall once more erupted into shouting and jeering, some of the senators who had been poorly seated even began shoving each other, eager to revel in the conflict this debate, just like any other, offered.
It was a fine defence even I had to admit. There were few who would openly argue against preserving the safety of Saderans from the predations of savages, but this was not the first time this debate had been tabled. Zorzals faction had thus far been able to avoid a vote to strip him of the office but in a war of attrition this was a battle they were losing.
Words alone could not defend my son from the consequences of raising a legion to war without my assent nor the assent of the Senate. Bribes, promises and politicking were the instruments of this political war used thus far but I was well aware that allies of my son had begun to raise Plebeian mobs to harass political opponents and to rave at Senators and their families as they left their estates.
This would lead to escalation from Zorzals political enemies of which he made many. But his allies had little choice owing to them being outnumbered and without the funds of their enemies. If a vote on Zorzal’s office was not held there would be plebeian blood spilt in the streets before the year was up. My son had made a foolish choice to engage in this gambit, he would return to the City with the right to declare a Triumph or he would come home to face persecution and the senate would ‘demand’ I disown him.
I had been approached by both sides of this debate. Allies of my son had asked that I extend his mandate while enemies of Zorzal had requested that I call a vote to strip him of his rank or at least call Zorzal home. I had refused anyone who asked that I intervene in the petty politics of my son. Regardless of if his gambit succeeded or not I did not wish to debase the rank of Emperor with such things.
“You are right. The Saderan people have been wronged by these barbarians, thus I propose that this house votes to declare war upon The Lepus Bellatour!” I blinked in surprise as Colt’s declaration stunned the Senate into total silence. “If we must war let us do so with honour before the gods! Not as cowards who are unwilling to honestly inform the Saderan people of Imperial policy! I say the right honourable Mudra Venti speaks the truth when he describes the actions of the Lepus as an act of war. If we are at war then why does the Imperial War Chest sit light? Why must some territories commit blood and treasure to the defence of the realm while other territories commit nothing! I demand that this house hold a vote on the declaration of this war!” Colt Formal looked out at the benches around him as quiet murmerings began to propagate.
An official declaration of war would mean that every Senator would be expected to contribute funds to the Imperial Army and the Legions must be mobilised to their full strength for the conflict. But if the vote failed and war was not declared then it would be trivial to argue that the deployment of Legions to attack the barbarian tribes was inappropriate and a vote against Zorzal would quickly follow.
I struggled not to laugh as I could imagine the fury of the Senators if they were actually required to pay taxes honestly. I also noted that since Colt was currently holding the office of Comes Rei Militaris it was his family that would be presenting war plans and budgets to me for ascent. A part of me almost wanted Zorzal’s faction to win the vote and for war to be officially declared upon the Lepus so that I could bleed the parasites for every ill gotten coin. But I genuinely did not know if the Senators would vote for anything that would deprive them of wealth.
For once in a very long time I found myself enjoying politics.
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Imperial Campsite, Eighty Miles from Kontia
Tanya, Queen of the Tanaoi
It took a full day to return to the migratory camp with the freed Lepus children and my army laden with loot and I was glad to see it was still in one piece. As a first order of business, while my army rested and distributed the loot to quartermistresses I called up all of the adolescent Tanaoi old enough to be assigned a squad.
I watched with an overwhelming feeling of pride as thousands of Lepus children formed neat ranks blocked by age group. The crowd of Lepus children from other tribes behind me looked confused as I made my way along the front rank of the youth of the Tanaoi.
I was still recovering from the mana depletion I had inflicted upon myself but I had recovered enough to formulate a spell to carry my voice across the plains where I had arrayed the Lepus. I could see many of the Tanaoi and adults from the other tribes standing on the hill in the distance overlooking the assembly.
“The Saderans have inflicted a terrible wrong upon you.” I began. Making sure my voice would carry to the adults watching too. “They mutilated you and worse still they took from you your freedom!” I looked into the eyes of the many tired and worn down children of other tribes. “Some of you have said you feel guilty, ashamed that you chose to live rather than die with pride. I am here to say that only a fool would agree with you!” I waited a moment as the confused crowd absorbed my words.
“It is right to cling to life with every fiber of your being! It is noble to act however you can to see another day! What good is a noble corpse? What resistance to the Empire can they offer now?! None! They have left us and while we mourn them I shall not tolerate the destruction of our people! I will not allow so many of the Lepus to be carried off in chains as I applaud the prideful who would rather die today than suffer indignities and fight tomorrow!” I took a breath and glanced about judging the mood of the crowd, it was hard to judge at this point but I held the rapt attention of the people so I continued.
“Feel the breath in your lungs, the wind on your ears and the earth under your feet. Look to the people around you, your sisters regardless of tribe and other petty differences. You have no reason to despair, you who have chosen to live, who clung to life no matter how painful, no matter how difficult, you are beautiful to me. It is for you I fight, for you I shall work tirelessly to build a future.” Silence commanded the valley as I turned about to meet as many eyes as I could.
“As I shall work for you and to free our sisters still in captivity I must ask something of you. Do not allow the life you have fought so fiercely for to turn sour. We must mourn the many who have died so that we might live freely but life is for the living, it is for you. Do not suffer alone, do not hold your tongue or allow yourself to turn inwards. You have a choice, this I will always offer you, the freedom to choose. I ask of you that you allow me to join you with your sisters of the Tanaoi. Allow me to give you positions at their side as equals. As Free women of the Lepus.”
“Look at them and know that while they have not suffered as you have, they are your peers, they are people who like you value their existence and every moment of their lives.” I turned to the ranks of Tanaoi youth and shouted out. “Attention!” With a thunderous clap and thud, thousands adjusted their stance from an at-ease position to a straight backed attention stance, arms at their sides and heels together with chins held high.
“Your sisters of the twelve tribes have come here with nothing but their freedom and they have sacrificed much to have that alone. You all know the value of hard work, of personal discipline and companionship with your fellow sisters, with your squad mates. In the coming days you will have new squad mates, you will have new responsibilities and new challenges with integrating and teaching your peers from other tribes our ways. I cannot express how proud of you all I already am, I know that while what I am asking of you is difficult you will meet the challenge and exceed all of my expectations as you always do.” I met the eyes of many of the young officers in the Tanaoi Cadet corps.
“We Lepus may compete with each other, may challenge each other, may quarrel with each other. But when one Lepus has everything taken from them and truly needs another, it is our responsibility to offer a hand in sisterhood, to help them until they are able to stand for themselves once more.” I hoped they would understand what I was asking of them.
“Now it is time to meet with your peers, to learn new faces and names, in the coming days new assignments will be made. But that is for another day, for now introduce yourself to your new sisters.” I smiled at the youth of the Tanaoi before calling out. “Stand at ease and fall out!” I watched watery eyed as they all performed a perfect salute before standing at ease and filing out of the neat blocks they had arrayed themselves into.
There was a moment of awkwardness before the more gregarious, often cadet officers, marched from the crowd of Tanaoi to the freed youth of the other tribes and introduced themselves. Small isolated conversations and greetings became a pleasant din of socialisation.
It was the first step on the long road of integration of the other tribes into the Tanaoi. I spared a glance up at the adults of the Lepus watching the affairs below and pondered for a moment what they thought of what I was doing, if they understood the importance in the years that were to come.
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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ra8Jl6UNRPtu2UKO5zsdGEcH-TQI1-VmM6G30-k_mQ8/edit?tab=t.0
Comments
Emdee Kay
You've got your answer already, nothing else for me to do here.
FallQM
A populist policy in this case would be the war against the Lepus since the people would not be happy to have them on the border while the wealthy know that they are not very important and are only raiding very impoverished lands anyway.
Jason Langford
I don't see how Zorzal would be considered a "pseudo-populist" words have meaning, populism =/= "anything I don't like"
Emdee Kay
Brilliant move by Count Falmart, so many people in history are quite willing to support pseudo populist policies until it actually costs them anything. The Count is such an underrated character, there's a ton of stuff in canon that wouldn't have been possible without the groundwork he laid on. It's a shame he start the story dead in canon .
FallQM
Tanya will be experimenting with many different weapon designs for sure, her biggest limitation are materials and competent smiths since she has a very limited understanding of making these weapons systems.
Xodarap4
Well Tanya has made her Youth corps into a proper PR Organization with this speech
Mrn00b
Pretty good chapter. I was wondering, if Tanya's tribe become organized and attracting more ire from the Empire, will there be any chance Tanya introduce early muskets although extremely primitive and very limited like the serpentine matchlock to gain a little edge?
Old Hammer
Really cool to get a look into Molts head. Great chapter. I enjoyed seeing Formal bringing his auditory might to the stage great to see the man beyond all his monster girl maids
Nicholas Hammond
Tanya can build an army but she will need more then that to build a nation.
luiz felipe
As always, Tanya makes the Bunnies proud to have her as their queen. Nevermind the amount of work she is doing for even the smallest gains!!
