Imperator: Resurrection of an Empire

As dawn broke over Ephyra, Julius awoke with a slight but manageable ache in his head—a gentle reminder of the previous night's festivities.

He sat up, rubbing his temples, and took a deep breath, letting the cool morning air clear his senses.

Not too bad, he thought, considering the wine, and ale had flowed freely and generously especially after his songs.

He glanced over to see Yuri still fast asleep, buried under the covers of her own separated bed, with only a few stray locks of her light hair poking out.

Try as hard as he could she wouldn't leave his room citing how it was her job to protect him even while he slept, but at least the room he'd taken up had spare beds so at least he was able to sleep without incident and thankfully she'd not come crawling in the night.

She was usually up before him, but not today.

A faint groan escaped her, and Julius stifled a chuckle.

It seemed she hadn't fared quite as well against Ephyra's potent alcohol.

Moving as quietly as his armoured clothing would allow, he slipped from the room and made his way down to the inn's kitchen.

Though not quite like the bustling markets and kitchens back in Rome, the space was cozy and well-stocked with various local ingredients—oils, herbs, a few fresh eggs, and loaves of bread.

After leaving a handful of denarii on the counter, Julius began gathering supplies, pulling from memory a simple but effective recipe he used to cook back on Earth after the occasional night of revelry.

He cracked eggs into a bowl, whisking them with a bit of olive oil he found on a shelf.

Into a small pan went some garlic and fresh herbs, sizzling away as he prepared the rest enjoying his first time cooking over a roaring flame.

A few slices of crusty bread joined the eggs, and he rummaged until he found a bit of cheese, grating it finely over the whole mixture.

The smell alone seemed to revive him further, the aroma rich with garlic and herbs.

As the eggs cooked, he prepared a small dish of honeyed water with a bit of mint, knowing it would help Yuri rehydrate and soothe her stomach.

Satisfied, he set everything on a tray, balancing it carefully before making his way back to their room.

When he opened the door, Yuri shifted under the blankets, squinting her eyes as the light poured in.

Her hand came up, as if warding off some unseen enemy, and she muttered something in a groggy voice.

"Good morning, domina,"

Julius said with a grin, setting the tray on a small table near the bed.

"I thought you might need something to get you back on your feet."

She peeked out from under the covers, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of the food.

"You're enjoying this far too much,"

she grumbled at his jesting of her state, sitting up with great effort.

"Only because I'm glad to be the one faring better, for once,"

he replied, handing her the honeyed water.

She took it with a grateful nod, sipping slowly, her face relaxing as the cool drink took the edge off her hangover.

He watched her, waiting until she looked a bit more human again, before setting the plate of eggs, bread, and herbs in front of her.

"Wow the spread from the inn is quite lavish,"

she remarked, before digging into the food.

"Well desperate times call for desperate measures,"

he replied, shrugging.

"Besides, it's a little trick I learned long before we set foot here. You wouldn't believe how much it can help."

Even as she became shocked beyond words to find that the king himself had just admitted.

She savoured each bite, her face softening with each mouthful.

After a moment, she looked up with a faint smile.

"You're full of surprises, Julius."

"Just another skill to add to the list,"

he said, leaning back in his chair with a grin.

As Yuri finished her meal, colour returning to her cheeks, the sun climbed higher, casting warm light over the room.

The previous night's memories—of song, laughter, and a momentary unity between Roman and Greecian—seemed to linger in the air.

But now, they had the morning, and a world still needing conquering, perhaps in more ways than they had expected, as Yuri slipped back into her bed, Julius left the room behind shrouded in darkness.

Julius decided to take the opportunity to unwind and distract himself for a few hours.

The inn was buzzing with life as townsfolk, merchants, and a few of his legionaries took their breakfasts, chatting quietly over mugs of morning ale and plates of bread and olives.

It was refreshing to be among people who weren't discussing strategy or battle formations for once.

As he wandered through the common room, Julius caught the eye of a matronly woman bustling by with a tray laden with mugs and bowls.

She gave him a friendly nod, as if he were just another guest, and Julius, feeling oddly at ease, nodded back.

She paused, looking him up and down.

"Well, you've got the arms for it, that's for sure,"

she said with a smile, handing him a damp cloth and motioning to a few empty tables.

"Think you could lend a hand? No one likes sticky tables, even if they're soldiers."

Julius blinked in surprise but then, feeling a bit of mischief spark within him, nodded with a smile.

"Of course, anything for a fair lady,"

he replied, taking the cloth and heading over to wipe down the tables.

For a moment, it felt almost like his life before all this, when his responsibilities had been smaller, simpler.

Soon enough, the innkeeper noticed his helpful guest and called him over to carry a barrel from the back room, which Julius managed with ease.

After setting it down, he took a look around, realizing with some amusement that he was falling into the rhythm of the inn's morning bustle.

One task led to another: he fetched firewood, swept a corner of the floor, and even set out fresh mugs and plates for the next round of customers.

The inn staff, mostly older women and a handful of young helpers, seemed to appreciate the extra set of hands and hardly thought twice about giving him directions as he went.

To them, he was just a tall man with strong arms helping out, not the commander of the Roman legions who had taken their city.

Julius found himself genuinely enjoying the chance to blend in, to lose himself in the humble work, if only for a little while.

But his reprieve was soon interrupted.

From the doorway, a voice called out.

"Commander Julius?"

It was one of his soldiers, Decimus, staring at him in open disbelief.

Julius straightened up, cloth still in hand, meeting Decimus's wide eyes with a calm expression.

"Decimus,"

he said, feigning casualness.

"Is there something you need?"

"Sir… what are you doing?"

Decimus stammered, glancing from Julius to the nearby barmaids, who had yet to realize the stir they'd caused.

Before Julius could reply, a few more legionaries appeared at the door, also looking confused.

The sight of their commander with a cleaning cloth in hand had clearly thrown them.

Julius decided to play it cool, his face betraying only the slightest amusement.

"Just taking some time to understand the inner workings of Ephyra,"

he replied.

"It's important for a leader to… familiarize himself with the daily lives of those under his care."

The barmaids, overhearing this, looked between Julius and his soldiers, the realization dawning on them that the quiet, helpful man had been their city's conqueror and also meant he was a king of a neighboring land.

The innkeeper stifled a laugh, covering her mouth as her eyes sparkled with mirth.

Decimus, finally managing to recover, gave a small salute.

"I'll leave you to your, uh, inspection, sir. Me and the lads were just stopping by for a bite to eat."

Julius waved him off.

"Carry on, Decimus. I'll be with you shortly."

As his soldiers made a hasty exit into the dining hall, Julius turned to the innkeeper and the barmaids, offering a sheepish smile.

"It seems I'll have to leave you to finish the rest since my disguise has come undone. But it was an honour, truly."

The matron laughed, patting his arm.

"You're welcome anytime, Sir. Just remember, our floors are always in need of a good sweep."

As Julius left the inn, he felt a renewed sense of peace.

This short distraction had grounded him, offering him a glimpse of the ordinary life he defended.

And as he rejoined his legionaries as one of their own, the morning sun that had shifted into the midday one was casting a warm glow over Ephyra, he felt ready for whatever awaited him on the road ahead.