Imperator: Resurrection of an Empire

After the previous arduous day of work, followed by the relaxing and charming meal that followed, Julius awoke to the new day as dawn broke with sharp golden colors over the eastern walls of Carthage, where sea-salt air tangled with the scent of fresh masonry, and newly dug earth.

The sound of hammers against stone and metal starting to echo across the cityscape.

Julius stood on the balcony of his suite taking in the new splendor of the southern reaches of his empire.

Before turning to leave.

His time in Carthage was over and now he needed to advance the next series of plans.

Mainly his current plans against the principality which seeks to exploit and blackmail him.

But Julius wasnt about to play the cardinals nor the popes game.

Instead even as he moved to leave the capital behind his forces were already spreading the word around the provinces of Carthage and Ramie that the Principality had excommunicated the empire, and that by papal decree the 'faithful' were to leave these lands before a holy cleansing could be conducted.

This of course was not true, at least not yet.

Since the cardinal in question had only just reached the Holy City and had not yet gotten a meeting with the Holy Father to give his report of the tidings within the now former Carthaginian Kingdom, and the foundation of a new Empire on the continent.

~

Having left the capital and his fiance behind, Julius rode on his horse followed by hundreds of his imperial guard and a few thousand of his legions cavalry.

They were headed for the nearest border to the capital.

And thanks to the upgraded roads their travel did not take nearly as long as it should have, since they managed to arrive at the imaginary border line seperating the empire from the principality just before the sun reach its highest point in the sky.

And upon arrival without even stopping to admire the scenary Julius got to work, using the few build points he still had, and that had been added since his latest spending spree to create a stone gate house, and accompanying 15ft tall stone wall that stretch as far as the eye could see.

The forces he brought with him didnt blink like usual just started moving to take up the newly errected post, while Julius build a small fort behind the wall to act as the garrisons housing.

Then as the legion rested, Julius took a ride south to the very edge of the continent all the way till he reached the sea, expanding the wall the entire way.

Before turning round and riding back to the newly created gate.

As they rode back they could take in the seemingly endless stretching wall with towers at regular intervals.

The towers would serve as the watch posts and guard shacks allowing for the dispersement of forces along the length of the wall without needing to have them walk all the way back to the fort at the turn of the shift, and only needing that to occur when they went on holiday for their days off.

The towers also would allow for a much better long distance view while others would patrol the walls length to check for possible intruders scaling the very walls themselves.

Additionally the towers were equipped with a becon brazier which would allow for the transmision of alert messages the length of the wall which could summon the garrison to the affected part of the wall to content with possible invaders, while requests for reinforcements could be sent at the same time.

After the local garrison was chosen and a series of Centurions were assigned to this post until they could be circled out.

Julius gave a simple speech indicating that none should be allowed to pass through the gate into the empire but that any of the faithful be allowed to pass through these salvation gates and into the principality, be they escorted by the army or travelling on their own.

The legion as a whole watched on with rapt attention as they soaked in the words of their newly crowned Emperor.

Their training had already raised Julius to a point none thought could get higher but now, with just a simple title change this view was shattered, his position skyrocketing even higher.

Meanwhile within his own head, Julius monolouge was something more like this

'This wall, isnt just a defense. It is a prison, if the Pope wants to keep his followers from our lands, fine... then we shall make sure that they remain in their own lands. While the navy will police the southern sea and prevent any ships from leaving the principalities ports, even if they must do so under the guise of piracy.'

~

At the same hour, Empress Serena stood in the central plaza of one of Carthages many cities, she wore a cloack of vermillion purple mirroring the coloring choice Julius himself had chosen for his imperial robes.

This city was Carthages second largest city, and her second stop on a tour of the new province as she looked out at an assembled troop of Carthaginian auxillary cavalry.

"You ride for every city, town, and village in Romanus"

She declared with force.

"Let it be known to all that by the will of the Holy Father, Pope of all Christendom, that we the people of Romanus have been excommunicated. Let it be known that we have extended the branch of peace-not war-to the followers of the Carpenters mandate."

She then held up a scroll not only for the cavalry to see but also for the gawking citizens who were watching the scene from afar.

"This is not a war of the gods. It is an action being taken by greed. And we the rightous shall not play the villain in the Principalities farce. Ride fast, ride true. Be sure to tell Christendom's faithful that the road is open to them. If they chose to leave our lands peacefully, they will not be stopped as they return to the holy lands."

The riders as one bowed atop their horses, before they set off raising a cloud of dust in their wake, each man armed with a scroll of their own signed by Julius and stamped with his imperial seal, departing from the city gates racing off in all directions like sparks cast from a firestorm.

~

Back on the sourthern edge, Julius continued his ride first north, before turning east, riding along the entire length of the border with the principality.

And while some in Carthage would argue that they should press in and reclaim the stolen lands Julius did not do so.

Instead he sent some of his leaves to visit the populated area's and inform them that should they wish to emigrate and return to carthage they were welcome to do so, and would be provided with new homes and jobs by the empire, but that should they choose to remain they would be seen as citizens of the principality from this day forth.

His move was underway and as the Principality itself was just started to make its descision, peoples of both nations were already starting to move.

As thousands started to march in both directions allowing an exchange of peoples and drawing clear lines between the two nations.