Praetorian Rising, стр. 47

He focused once more on his pipe, occupying his hands with the loose tobacco poking out the top of the opening.

"It would be nice to be in the know," Camille said, trying to keep her yawns at bay. "And I take it Neeko's loyalties lie with you? Ever since I first saw you, he's been quite attached."

Vesyon smiled at Neeko where he was standing guard at the top of the stairs. "Yes, he's a longtime companion. I requested he stay with you at Sierra Village."

"As a spy?" Camille said with a wry smile which caught Neeko's attention. He peered over at her, eyes wide with hurt, and she immediately felt terrible, offering him a hand for scratching his back against which he quickly accepted.

Vesyon didn't even pause before responding as he watched the black and brown cat cuddle against Camille's feet. "As a protector," he corrected. "He's a Felius Metamorphi: a shapeshifter and a gift from an old friend."

Vesyon brought his pipe to his lips and pulled in a hefty amount of smoke. Camille watched as the tendrils rushed out his aquiline nose, trailing upwards into the night sky before dissipating into nothing.

"Are there many of those that you know of?" Camille asked, her amazement of the furry friend she'd had for almost a year expanding quite drastically.

"Only one other that I am aware of, but that discussion is for another time," he said quickly, effectively stubbing out the conversation before changing directions. "Have you had any flashes of the rebellion? Memories of the Praetorian exile? Anything from before your imprisonment with LeMarc?"

Camille shook her head, afraid of what her voice might reveal. Vesyon eyed her curiously from a distance, making her feel as though he saw right through her.

"Nothing at all?"

She bit her lip, uncertain of how to express the random, incoherent visions she'd seen so far. Vesyon nodded once as though understanding her hesitancy.

"The rebellion didn't begin suddenly; it started slowly, a steady beast growing in strength over time," he said as his stare clouded over. "About seventy years ago, just before LeMarc became High King, the gates to the outer kingdoms were open. There were lines between the Kingdoms, but the trade routes were open and the understanding of peace was strong. Five Kingdoms, fives shores, and peace in our realm.

"LeMarc's father, High King Lucas, ruled with a sure and strong hand but understood the value of compromise and strong trade routes. It was he who bartered with the outer kingdoms for treaties of peace. His reign in the early years was fraught with battle, the struggle between Aspera and Dai'Cia Kingdom constant. The Dai'Cian Queen was greedy and power hungry. After the Queen was usurped by one of her own, High King Lucas drafted a treaty of peace with the new Queen of Dai'Cia. There were almost fifty years of peace between our lands." Vesyon sighed, exhaling a hefty amount of smoke in the process. "That was a very long time ago."

A ghost of a smile tugged at the edges of his lips, and Camille realized that Vesyon himself had been there during the time of High King Lucas. She didn't know much about Vesyon, let alone his history, but she recognized a look of wistful remembrance when she saw it.

"High King Lucas died one summer. It was a quick death; I was just a child. LeMarc stepped into power, and our kingdom turned a different direction. The change didn't take long, a couple years at most, and suddenly our kingdom's bliss was thrown into complete and total chaos." He focused momentarily on his pipe again, pressing more tobacco down the opening even though it was full. "LeMarc had been the High King for just over seven years when the Chimera virus broke out. Thousands of people and entire villages were wiped out in the blink of an eye. It was terrifying. There was no cure, no clue you were infected until it was too late to try to save you. Families, friends, and entire villages were burned to the ground for fear of spreading the virus across Aspera. Most gave up or gave in before it even got to them."

His eyes sparkled softly in the dim starlight and held a tenderness Camille was confident he didn't often show. "Out of the blue LeMarc offered a cure—a solution," he continued. "Asperians took to it like bees to honey. He was the High King, after all, so no one questioned him.

"His first order was to close the Asperian gates and divide the remaining people into quarantined villages to rid us of any residual viruses. This, of course, seemed like a brilliant idea to those afraid of it spreading. Most didn't realize that those already infected didn't get to take part in this—they were removed entirely, never to be seen again. What was worse, those quarantined had little chance of traveling."

It wasn't hard to see where the story was going, and Camille felt a rumbling unease settle in the pit of her stomach as Vesyon continued.

"His second order was a request for an elite army to push the boundaries of Aspera in search of more land and loyal subjects to the crown. On the surface his message was sincere, but the route was severe. Those loyal to the crown pushed north, east and south of our borders, spreading the word of the High King and preaching his devout faith in Faeder to anyone willing to listen. He gained land and some willing subjects, but his style of conquering put a sour taste in the mouths of those unwilling to conform.

"I thought the northerners were devout Daeites? Believers in Ma'Nada like Peter."

"You're correct. Not many took well to LeMarc's demands that they believe in his god. Those in Dai'Cia and Dwaa are firm believers in Ma'Nada, the old ways and the many gods of her kingdom. The Dai’Cian are proud people and active in