Chapter 16

More days passed, more months and then a year before the Amires surrendered to the Camelornians and then a half year later the Camelornian army packed up, counted their dead and buried them, put their loots together and broke camp. Weary but victorious the men marched all the way home. Octavius, now twenty, sported a shadow of a beard, his once young, teenage, inexperienced body was a form of hard muscles, and his skin was darkened by the hot desert heat.

Angus, now 17 was taller, he grew his hair so long it was past his shoulders and he held it back with a twine, his shoulders were broader and though he still had his laughing, twinkling eyes his face no longer held youthful innocence.

As the men approached the kingdom Garius moved his horse to walk beside his crown prince. He studied him with both worry and pride. Octavius had performed his duties beyond his expectation, had been in battles and seen young princes fall behind their soldiers for fear for their lives but Octavius had charged forward even far more than his soldiers had gone and had killed a lot more than any other person. Garius had watched his prince grow stronger as he fought and a fatherly pride had blossomed in his chest. Even Angus had surprised him with his astuteness in battle, his surprisingly deadly target with his arrows, men had dropped mercilessly at his feet, and he had successfully reduced the charging enemy army with those burning arrows.

“My prince?”

Octavius turned slowly on the seat of his saddle and looked over his very broad shoulder. He spotted Garius and smiled warmly at the sight of the old man. Throughout the battle he had rarely had the time to talk with the old man even though they commanded the Camelornian army together. In the course of the battle he had worried that the man had died like Carlos who had been speared through the heart, dropped to the ground and trampled over by horses.

Garius rode his horse to his side. “What a year, ehn?”

“A year and a half. A very long one, Garius. I am happy to see you are still alive, old man,” he laughed.

Garius laughed too and clapped a hand on Octavius’s shoulder. “I am proud of you boy…but you are no longer a boy Your Highness, you have become a strong, proud man. A man I know will lead Camelorn to greatness.”

Octavius chuckled “Garius, your compliments scare me more than your insults but I do appreciate them and your faith in me,” he looked Garius over, grateful in his heart that the old man was really still alive. “I hope you will be there to advise me when I ascend the throne.”

“By the grace of the gods I will.” His horse stumbled and he tightened his hands on the reign to steady it. Garius looked to his future king, his mind rummaged the sight he had seen that day at the brook many months back of Octavius and Ashterah. He understood that the gods took great liking to men and Octavius was a handsome young man who turned the heads of many maids. If he had thought the young prince in love with Emilia before that night proved that he was not just in love with her but very loyal to her for he had watched Octavius refuse the goddess advances even though she had had him under her spell. He hoped in his heart that the war goddess understood how loyal the prince was to his Emilia and would decide to have mercy on him for not honoring her.

He cast a quick glance at Octavius as they neared the gates of the kingdom, the young man sat straight and proud on his horse, his young face had melted into one of a matured man with eyes that saw men fall to their deaths. All of those changed a man, even one as old as him still felt the horrors of those nights in his dreams but the young prince seemed indifferent and Garius was worried.

The gates swung open admitting the tired soldiers and revealing the people of Camelorn who lined the streets hailing the return of their heroes. All were present; the rich in fine looking, expensive tunics, scarves and kirtles while the poor held on to the frayed edged of their tunics, some were half naked, wearing only the bottoms of tattered tunics. They held bowls of dyes of different colors and poured them on the floor as they passed, some even took of pieces of articles from their bodies and laid them on the floor shouting and hailing the soldiers some of whom were severely wounded.

Priests came out of nearby temples with ointments, they followed the procession to the palace to perform healing duties on them. Some of the people; especially children, held banners with Octavius face on them. They chanted his name and sang praises to him, praising the war goddess for giving them victory. The incoming soldiers waved their hands at the crowd with smiles on their scarred faces as they continued moving in the direction of the palace.

The crowd moved with the soldiers on the streets making passage nearly impossible but the soldiers managed just fine until they came to the palace. At the top of the steps leading to the entrance of the palace the royal house stood waiting for the return of their war heroes and on a closer look Octavius saw the king and queen of Intavia and with them was the beautiful, blonde princess Emilia who was dressed in a red tunic that ran the length of her body all the way to her ankles, her creamy shoulders were exposed which was new since her father would only let her wear kirtles that covered her entire body when in public.

She smiled at him and darting a quick glance towards her father covered her smile with her hand but he wasn’t about to suppress his feelings for her after a year and a half of not seeing her beautiful face so he smiled openly, letting all his love for her show in that one simple gesture.

“Welcome home, sons,” King Philip’s voice boomed across the palace arena. The crowd of people that had followed from the very gates quietened down and a heavy but joyful silence descended among the people.

“Hail the gods for my sons have come back home!” King Philip yelled with a huge grin on his face. The crowd went wild hailing at the top of their voices. Many went on their knees with their faces bowed to the ground, others had their hands raised to the skies. King Philip and his wife walked down the steps towards their sons. “My sons went into battle as boys and came back as men, strong men.”

Octavius slid down his horse and approached his parents with his brother beside him. King Philip hugged his sons and patted their backs with joy, Octavius’s mother gathered her sons into her arms and wept for joy, she pinched their cheeks and made remarks on how much weight they had lost. Everyone laughed.

“My sons are no longer boys,” King Philip commented. “Let the soldiers rest tonight and tomorrow and then after three days my son, Octavius,” he reached for his son’s hand “will be marrying the one his heart desires.”

Octavius looked down at his father and then at Emilia with a huge grin on his face, one she returned openly. Her father King Festus Ing Avia nodded at him with a smile. Octavius hugged his father tight and whispered a ‘thank you’ in his ear. Octavius felt Angus pat him on the back, the other soldiers around him shook hands with him, patted his shoulder like a fellow comrade.

As the king led the way back to the palace Octavius moved towards Emilia and took her hand. Her maid Ilena walked behind them as they walked into the palace and on her face was a look of approval. Emilia held on to Octavius’s hand looking into his face, he smiled down at her and while the rest of the family went into the main hall to celebrate he pulled Emilia into a dark passage with him.

“Where are we going?” she asked with a light laugh in her voice.

“We are just going to be a few minutes. I have missed you so much, my love,” he responded. He looked around the empty passage and pulled her into an empty store room. As soon as they were in it he pulled her close and crushed his lips to hers kissing her soundly. Emilia laughed against his lips before wrapping her arms around his neck. He turned and pushed her back gently against the wall.

Emilia gasped and pulled back, her eyes half closed from passion.

“Octavius?”

His response was to kiss his way to her neck. Emilia pushed softly against him, something was different, he used to be shy around her but suddenly he wasn’t any more. She liked it a lot but she couldn’t help but think he had gotten some practice from the loose maidens in the camp.

“Wait…” she pushed against him and this time he obliged. “What’s happening?” she whispered.

“I have missed you.”

She eyed him in disbelief and asked the question she feared the most. “How many women have you had?”

He blocked the image of Ashterah’s half naked body from his mind “None. I waited patiently till I came back to you believe me,” he cupped her cheek and kissed her brow lightly. “I have missed you so much Emilia, have you missed me?”

She choked on a sob for she could hear the sincerity in his deep voice “A lot more than you have, believe me. Every day with you away was too sad for me to bear until I had my parent travel all the way here just so I can be here when you arrive.”

Octavius’ hands tightened around her a moment before he returned to her lips and this time she welcomed him wholly even when he lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist, bunching up her gown up all the way to her stomach. He freed himself of all his clothing article except his tunic and slid himself into her.

Emilia moaned at the back of her throat. He was indeed different. He had been shy and sweet during their first time together but now he was strong and confident but still surprisingly gentle. When they had both found their release she dropped her legs but still held on to him as hard as he held tightly to her waist. He pressed kisses into her hair whispering words of endearment that brought tears to her eyes.

“Just a few days, my love and we will be together forever,” she whispered.

He nodded. He released her and adjusted her clothes before putting his own clothes to right order. He held his hand to her. “Let’s go before anyone notices,” he said with a laugh.