Marcellus was currently within Castra Regina, with Sarus and Ordius by his side. For the time being, the defection of the Gothic Foederati, and Marcellus’ open rebellion remained an in house secret. He could not afford to simply march on Ravenna with his recently acquired forces. Such a thing needed much time for preparation and planning. It was because of this that Marcellus decided to stake his claim in the spring of the next year.

For the time being, Marcellus had other worries that occupied his mind. Alaric sat on his eastern border with an army of Gothic warriors at his behest. At any moment, they could flood his borders and cause a massive war to take place.

If this weren’t bad enough, Raetia remained divided, split into two smaller provinces. The Dux of the westernmost region of Raetia was a man unfamiliar to Marcellus, and he feared the man may cooperate with the approaching Roman Army sent by Honorius to claim Marcellus’ head.

If Marcellus were to survive the upcoming winter, then he would need to do two things, negotiate with Alaric, and potentially coerce him towards his side, as well as consolidate all of Raetia under his control. It was for this reason that he had dispatched a messenger towards the Dux of Raetia I.

The man in question was named Decius Flavius Primus, someone Marcellus had never actually met before. However, he commanded an army of three thousand men, men Marcellus desperately wanted to incorporate into his army.

The two of them had some correspondence via letters over the past couple of weeks, and had agreed to meet within the villa of Castra Regina. The appointed hour was drawing near, and Marcellus was growing anxious. Despite this, Sarus seemed to be in a good mood. He was confident that Marcellus could convince the other Dux to join his side. After all, Olympius’ rise in power was a threat to all of Rome. Especially those who maintained the borders._.

Suddenly the doors to the villa bursted open, and a man in the armor of a Roman General entered the scene. Primus was a man in his late thirties, or perhaps his early forties. He had medium hair that had begun to gray, and a matching beard.

He was relatively tall for a Roman, much like Marcellus, and had the robust figure of a warrior who had spent his life fighting battles on the frontier. He held his plumed helmet under one arm, and proudly strode into the center of the Villa where he greeted Marcellus.

“I presume you are Titus Claudius Marcellus? It is an honor to meet a man of such renown. I know why you have asked me to come here, and I will let you know before our negotiations take place that I am interested in what you have to say. However, even so, it will not be easy to buy my loyalty.”

Marcellus stood before the man and sized him up with his eyes. After the two had waged a little war with their gaze, Marcellus smiled before bringing Primus to the dining hall where Sigefrida and the other house slaves had prepared a feast.

“For now, let us eat. I am sure the journey was a long and treacherous one. Enjoy the fruits of my land. We can discuss matters of importance over a nice meal.”

Primus did not disagree with Marcellus’ suggestion. He and his officers followed Marcellus into the dining hall, where they began to take part in food and wine. After they had dined on some appetizers, Marcellus decided to break the ice.

“I suppose you know that I have been declared a traitor by Honorius. If so, then you can take a guess of why I have called you here.”

Primus nodded his head in silence before taking another sip of his wine. After doing so, he wiped his lips with a tablecloth before responding to Marcellus’ words.

“You seek to raise a rebellion against Olympius and his puppet? I see you have gained the support of the foederati whose families were slain by that damned fool. I am an old man who has spent his life protecting the borders of the empire. My forces are limited, and I have little to offer. Tell me what it is in particular you desire of me.”

It would appear Primus was the type of man to be direct. Marcellus appreciated this quality of his, and thus he responded in the same manner.

“Since you are so blunt, allow me to return the favor. If I am to survive the winter, and feed my armies. Then Raetia needs to become united. My request is simple, Swear that I am the one true emperor of Rome. Combine your forces with my own into a proper legion, and I will name you Legatus over the first legion of the rebellion.”

Primus nearly spat out his wine when he heard this condition, his interest was peaked the moment he heard the words Legatus and Legion. He immediately asked for clarification over the matter.

“You seek to return to the days of the Principate?’

In response to this Marcellus merely shook his head, it was true that he wanted to remodel his armies after days of past glory, however politically he was more ambitious, and thus he made his intentions very clear to the man he was requesting aid from.

“No, I do not seek to return to the days of the Principate. The senate has outlived its use. The fools who reside in its halls are all corrupt old bastards who seek only to enrich themselves at the expense of the Empire. If we are to save Rome from its total destruction, then we need to cleanse this corruption from our society. The only way to achieve this is to consolidate power under a single man’s authority. My authority.

After I have defeated Honorius and taken the throne for myself, I will declare a dictatorship, and use my newfound powers to fully restore Rome to its former glories. I shall purge anyone who impedes this progress. This is only a temporary measure. I promise that after the Empire is united once more, and stronger than it has ever been, I will restore the senate, and ensure that proper men sit in its halls.”

Upon hearing this, Primus reacted in a way Marcellus had not expected. He broke out into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. After a while, he calmed down before expressing his thoughts on Marcellus’ grand plan.

“So you see yourself as Caesar? Interesting, very interesting. I have not heard someone so boldly declare their desire for power in a long time. However, I have heard many tales of your selfless service to the Empire. Going so far as to give up your own freedom so that your men could return to the Empire safely. You are a bold one, and perhaps that is what we need right now. I do not have many years left, but I do not wish to sit back and wait while the Empire collapses on itself.

Fine, you have convinced me, either your plan works and the Empire is saved, or we all die bloody. It’s exciting, isn’t it? Titus Claudius Marcellus. I hereby declare you the one true Emperor of Rome, and pledge to support you in your endeavors to claim the throne from the traitor Honorius! Raetia is yours, to do as you wish.”

Upon hearing this, a smile spread across Marcellus’ face. By uniting his limitanei with those under Primus’ command, he could form a proper legion of six thousand men. Though it paled in comparison to the Gothic Foederati who vastly outnumbered the Romans in his army, it was a proper start to a better future.

He dubbed this legion “Legio I” and would spend the fall and winter gaining profits so he could properly equip them with the same gear he had outfitted his three thousand men with. Though it would be difficult to find a manufactorum that would side with his rebellion, he was sure that he could achieve it.

By spring of the next year, a full-fledged legion would be formed, and ready to march on Ravenna. Currently, things were progressing smoothly for Marcellus’ plans. Unfortunately, there were still two very important matters he had to worry about. Alaric was still a threat to his eastern border, and in the west, an army of Roman soldiers marched to claim his head for Olympius and his puppet of an emperor.

Before he could march on Ravenna, he would need to deal with these two major threats once and for all. How he intended to do that, he did not know. However, he was certainly an opportunity would present itself soon enough.

For now, Marcellus had to consolidate his newly acquired territory and introduce his agricultural reforms to the rest of Raetia. With the region united under Marcellus’ rule, and an army of thirty-six thousand men beneath his command, he would soon become a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.