Chapter 506 - "Home"

"Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all."

-        George Washington

The weather of the Greek Peninsula is getting increasingly cold with each year, despite the fact that it already near early spring. White smog appeared out of people's mouth as they breathes. The lucid moon hangs high above the skylines, like an eye from the Heaven shining onto the ground beneath, like a watchful mother looking at all forms of lives sleeping soundly beneath the sky. The time now is already late into night, when everyone is supposed to be already in their sweet dreams. But not for this village outside Kastoria, as a group of men consisting of a hundred plus people kneeled on the icy muddy floor, while another group of people of all shapes and ages stood watching in a circle nearby. 

The rain has stopped.

But the suffering continues, at least for these men kneeling here as they shiver and huddle in the sheer coldness of the late winter. Antonius glanced through each of these men on the ground under the light of the torches in the nearby; There are some faces he recognises, and there are some he don't, but he knows that most of these men have already served him for more than two years, many of them are a part of the backbone of the army, and yet they can make such an unforgivable mistake. So what has went wrong over here? Has he been way too relaxed on the implementation of regimentation and discipline recently? Or has his army turned from an army that came from the people to an army that distances itself from the people?

"Your majesty." Alexios mummerred quietly behind Antonius' back. "The battle for Kastoria is imminent, it is not wise to exert too much punishment and charges at this point of time it might affect the overall morales of the soldiers. You know, they had a pretty tough time coming here to liberate the people of Epirus, the people got to show their understanding and sympathy for our brave warriors…"

"Understanding and sympathy for them?" Antonius' eyes bulged and shouted back. "If the people are supposed to show understanding and sympathy to these men, then who are going to show it to our people? Is it you? Will you? Can you?" 

Alexios became speechless, totally unable to react to his liege shouting at him. He was the one who actually turned a blind eye and permitted the soldiers to utilise the civilian houses in the first place, and so he bites his teeth hard, went down to the muddy road and kneeled down there himself with all the other freezing troopers.

Antonius did not bother paying much attention to what Alexios is doing, he turned towards the leader of his personal guards Cerberus and stared at him. The later became weary of the stare too and took off his armour preparing to kneel in the mud too, only to be stopped by the Caesar as the later pulled him onto the fleet of stairs standing right facing him, in a close distance that Cerberus can almost make a count on how many moustache are there beneath his nose. Cerberus lowered his head with his eyes shifting around, preparing himself for a thunderstorm from his liege.

"Cerberus, let me ask you, what does a home mean to you?"

Cerberus was caught off guard by this question, he hesitated for a bit and replied. "A… place to stay? A room to sleep in?"

"Ah, I forgot, I forgot that you are still single, my mistake." Antonius covered his forehead and sighed, then shouted in a voice that those in the surrounding can hear it staring at the crowd with his arms on his waist. "Then let me tell you the definition and meaning of home. That house that you and your men have just occupied, is not just a simple structure, it is a sanctuary for an entire family. The house is a place where an entire family lives, eats, sleeps, laughs, and cries in, recording the history of joy and pain of the family, it is their heart, it is their core."

"Only in this house, this house that can the people finally feel safe after venturing in the dangerous fields full of snakes, wolves and Ottomans after a day of tiring work. It is only here behind these solid walls that can they feel that they are being loved and appreciated, with a candle enlightening your tiring face and a few pots of pottage on the table. Only in your home can you feel the sense of serenity in your souls, with the comfort of your bed and the familiarity of the environment. It can become your guardian as you know, that behind these walls, you are safe and sheltered from all evils out there lurking around."

Some weeping sound started coming from the crowd as they stood there watching silently with their numb and worn out faces. Although these group of people kept their silence, Antonius can almost feel the fume of rage and anger rising up high in the sky reaching to above the clouds. All because of these people still kneeling down before him. Antonius is filled with frustration, anger, and also fear. He came from one of the crowd standing here, for he too was just an ordinary person running around the port of Genoa twenty plus years ago, and so he knows the true feelings of these seemingly ordinary people standing there silently, and also the immense amount of power they bear with them.

It is a power that can overturn the sky, it is a power that can turn the most powerful empire to its knees, it is a power that can overrun all orders and systems in the world.

Just that most monarchs and nobles living behind their towers and high walls never ever realised it.

It Is the power of the ordinaries, the power of the people.

Thinking about this, Antonius increased his voice again slamming the door rail before him repeatedly casting an immense fear in the kneeling soldiers, making them shiver in fear every time he does it. "And you, you people here! Chose to invade their homes! Invade their sanctuary! Invade their serenity! You chose to drag these people who never laid a finger on you out of their private properties, you chose to take that last bit of safety and security away from them! Why? Why! You have sworn before the flag, in front of me, and now you chose to go against your own words! If I was them, I would have came out of that house with my cutlass to fight with you till I die! Because that is my home! Where my family resides! You people should be feeling lucky, that there are no holes on your stomachs done by pitchforks!"

Antonius found a random soldier kneeling on the ground and dragged him up staring right into his eyes. "You, do you still remember what oath did you take? And what punishment you people agreed to for this kind of things?"

"Ya…Yes your majesty, I have sworn on my first day in camp that if I conduct the act of stealing or robbery, I shall face the punishment of… of…."

"Of what?"

"Of… Of… Death…"

Antonius threw the shivering soldier onto the muddy road, and the later quickly recovered back to his kneeling position again, with half of his body covered in mud this time.

"I do not need your lives, for you are my brothers that have fought together by my side draining your blood and sweat, like what I have said before I shall not forget anyone who has contributed towards our common goal for a better tomorrow, but I definitely shall not forgive those who have went against me committing severe disciplinary mistake… I cannot remember your name, but if I am not wrong, you came from Prosotsani, Drama, you once approached me seeking to join my army to chase away the landlords who have oppressed you in the past, am I right?"

The man is already weeping and howling beneath the lunar eclipse like he is about to faint away at any point of time. "Your majesty… Your majesty! I have disappointed you! I have disappointed you! I… I… There is no way that I can repent my sins! Please take my life!"

"I shall not take your life, as I have said before." Antonius stood up and walked away back to the front of the crowd.. "You have all contributed a lot towards the building of our state! But still! You have made a mistake that cannot be forgiven! So now I shall strip you of all your ranks and your rewards you have gained for this battle, which shall be given to the villagers as a form of compensation! Now! Go home! My brothers! Go home! And please, be a better person in the future."