With the last of the monsters being cut down by the cavalry, we took to our wounded, and our fallen. Seeing Reyna standing amidst the corpses of our fallen, tears were trickling down her eyes, as she stood there motionless. Walking up to her, I placed a hand on her shoulder, grabbing her attention.
"We have victory, but at what cost?" Reyna asked somberly, watching our dead be carted off, to be prepared for their funeral pyres.
"As a leader you cannot linger on the what-if's, but believe me, I know that feeling. This is our burden, our curse, as leaders, and as warriors. All we can do, is do our best to ensure as many of those we lead into battle, survive, but no matter how skillfully you lead your men, there will always be casualties," I explained grimly.
"I know. It doesn't make it any easier, though," Reyna said.
"Better to accept the ugly truth, than to believe a beautiful lie," I told her.
"I suppose, you're right," Reyna said in acceptance. "Come, let us honor our fallen," she stated.
"Let's," I said in agreement.
Placing our fallen on large wooden pyres, we lit them aflame. Many broke down into tears, as the bodies of our fallen turned to ash, and there was little, any of us could say, or do, to comfort them. We all felt the sorrow they felt.
"Romans! Steele yourselves! Our brave fallen go now to Elysium, where they shall know only comfort, and peace. So I say to you now, do not mourn them. Instead, rejoice! Rejoice that we were able to live amongst such brave souls. Rejoice, that after years of constant struggle and hardship, that they at last know only peace!" I proclaimed, hoping to reignite hope within these hearts that have been overcome by sorrow, and grief. "We will see them again, I promise you, that! But now is not the time for tears! Now is the time for action! War is upon us! And I say, if Gaea, and her spawns want war, that's exactly what we'll give them! What say you!?" I asked them passionately.
"Aye!" They chanted.
"For our sons! For our daughters! For our people!" I declared.
"Aye! Aye! Age!" They all continuously proclaimed in a singular voice.
At that moment, in that same unified voice, that was neither Greek, nor Roman, we lifted our voices, and all would hear our voices. From the highest peaks on Olympus, to the lowests pits of Tartarus.
When the pyres were not but ash, many lingered still, bidding their final farewells. Afterwards, we gathered in the feasting hall to celebrate our hard won victory. With everyone in such high spirits, now seemed like the opportune time. Standing up, with my cup in hand, before I could silence the crowd, myself, Reyna lifted her voice first.
"Silence! You, Imperator, wishes to address you!" she bellowed, and all fell silent.
"Thank you, Praetor. I'll keep this brief, so we can all get back to drinking, and feasting," I began, earning a few low chuckles, before all was silent again. "As we celebrate this hard won victory, let us not forget those who died, so that we could all share in this jubilation, together. Hail the victorius dead!" I proudly proclaimed.
"Hail the victorious dead!" everyone chanted in response, before I sat back down beside my brave legionnaires, and my friends from Camp Half-Blood.
"Nice speech, Imperator. Short and to the point," Thalia said, with a sly grin.
YOU ARE READING
Son of the Moon
FanfictionArtemis, goddess of the moon and hunt and one of the few virgin goddesses on Olympus, or so everyone believes. Long ago she fell in love with a man and from their love a child was born to them. Fearful of the repercussions that would come if her ene...
