Imperator: Resurrection of an Empire

The grand fleet, once the pride of the Carthaginian Kingdom was now serving as the primary naval force of the Romanus Kingdom, onboard the command ship King Julius had locked himself away in the captains cabin, the room's original owner was the former Queen of the Cathaginian Kingdom Serena, but in terms of ranks she a former queen, was now simply an admiral of the navy while Julius was King.

Even if he had tried to refuse kicking her out of her own room, on her own ship she would force him to use it, for when she saw him standing there at the dock her heart just about crumbled the look on his face was one of despair, it was the same face she saw on her own father's face during the rebellion.

It was a look of resignation.

After he boarded the ship and entered into seclusion, she learned of the reason and instantly she wanted to run to comfort him but held back.

Her love rival had been taken, and worse yet she was taken when she was under his protection.

This was a blow for the king, but surely he would bounce back.

This convoy of the grand fleet sailed steadily through the sapphire waters of the southern sea, their ships sheer size casting long shadows over the rippling wave under the noonday sun.

The fleet had split in two, with a dozen ships breaking off to escort the king home while the rest were to continue regular operations of ferrying captured prisoners back to the homeland, while bringing in more supplies to further provide to their own forces still engaged on land.

The Sails still bearing the signs and signals from their service under the Carthaginians, but with the proud waving red flag with the spread golden eagle the sign of belonging to the Romanus Kingdom flew from atop the mast.

Inside the cabin Julius was seated on a chair hands clasped in front of him as his elbows rested on his knees.

He'd removed his armor and was sitting in his simple tunic, unable to do anything else than wait he was left with nothing better to do than investigate his system.

As he scanned the map of the Romanus Kingdom.

Internally the situation was very good, spies were being captured almost as soon as they crossed the border, while those who weren't yet hostile were under close watch by the internal counter-espionage team.

Julius's eyes were sharp and unyielding scanning the screen, every fibre of his being wishing for the power to release the fog of war, open the ability to view the entire continent unimpeded.

As he watched the marker of his own location sitting in the middle of the ocean, still a ways off from being able to be on deck and see the shores of his own newborn kingdom.

Word had spread aboard the crew and thanks to that Julius was spared from having to hear the typical revelry and joyous singing and relaxing typically undertaken by sailors.

We had all but won the war abroad against the allied nations of Greecia aiding the Spartan Kingdom in their war.

The Legions vast has broken the Argosian, Athenian, Corintian, and Thebian armies in the field of battle, even having gone so far as to cause all but Athenia to surrender to their might.

Firmly planting the Kingdom's flag of dominance on the world stage and securing a valuable ally for the days to come, all while securing a vast new workforce to enhance their own kingdom.

The other spoils of conquest had ladden the ship hulls bringing riches back to the Romanus peoples, yet now the numerous victories and prizes they had won felt smaller now, hollow even.

Eclipsed by the new heavy weight bearing down on his neck, she was gone, far out of his sight and without even a trace to be followed yet...

Yurasia... Yuri.

She had almost been with me the entire way since I arrived in this world and now she was gone just like that.

That thought ate away at his consciousness, like a shadow demon nibbling on his psyche.

She was the only Princess of the Kingdom of Roserun, and famed jewel of the Romanus Kingdom, one seen by many within the kingdom to be their Queen, even Julius himself who had only teased at it before had started to consider her as more than just a trusted companion almost giving up on his rule about not seeking out a 'relationship' with anyone who did not have 100% loyalty towards him.

She'd been taken during the chaos of battle and even days later when Julius arrived there was no sign of who or what had taken her.

It was clear her personal guard of Praetorians fought like hell, as there was a clear ring of corpses that surrounded where her position aught to have been, but instead of her there was only the abandoned legion standard.

Her power level was a great source of power for the nation, having been one of the top fighters within the nation.

The minute he landed in Nova Carthago, he had the plan set the forces of Romanus would be sent abroad, spies serving the still under development agencies would be deployed and intel gathered to find the missing princess, find the target where he could bring his wrath to bear.

Then replacing the active labor force with the newly arrived prisoners who'd be serving time as slaves but slavery under the kingdoms laws, once their terms were up they could be released to return back to Greecian lands or if the plan worked they would be indoctrinated into wanting to become true citizens of the Kingdom, or possibly Empire depending on how things played out, and if the region remains unstable, Romanus might need to step in to annex the lands early taking them out of the jurisdiction of the Spartans.

The freed up manpower would then be entered into the military growing the legions, and allowing for service by both genders since to deny half the population the right to their patriotic right to fight for their king and country.