The journey from the newly conquored territories was fairly brief all things considered, Julius and his retinue made the journey stopping at key points along the way to install forts and station soldiers for the region’s defence.
The journey itself was only a week, and as The Eternal City walls came into view once again, Julius himself knew his return would not be as simple as he’d like as the representatives of their neighbours aside from Visigoth had already arrived.
The more peaceful ones to be expected would be the Delegations from the Germanic Confederation, and its neighbours of Dacia however those who are coming from Ramie, Parthia, and even Roserun are more often than not going to be hostile towards us.
Ramie, who took over most of Carthage during its civil war has more likely than not come to learn of our acquisition of the Carthaginian ships, while Parthia is one of the 12 Great Family nations their powerful cavalry makes them an awe-inspiring foe even though their current lands are not all that impressive, and lastly and probably the most hostile would be Roserun, former Ally to the Lunan Kingdom, we have not official treaties or alliances and technically speaking by declaring our retaliation war against their vassal lord Roserun should be in a state of war already against us, however with the fall of the rest of Lunan and in such a short amount of time they should be reconsidering.
However with Princess Yurasia remaining as a retainer and in their eyes possible candidate to become my Duchess their nobility and possibly even the teenage king fear her making claim against the kingdom to bring them into the fold as an incorporated province of our Grand Duchy stripping them of their powers, and rights.
The people are surely behind Yuri more than the nobles or their king after the war with Bridget as the nobles surrendered or ran for their lives leaving the commoners to suffer at the invading army, while Yuri fought on the frontline, pleaded Lunan for reinforcements, and then stood side-by-side the Lunan commander to not only repel but then capture the invading kingdom.
This tale circulated by the people makes her to be their hero and the more the nobles try to quash the story the grander it grows along with their resentment of the current rulership.
Zeff riding alongside me was frankly giddy in his saddle upon seeing the city, and one couldn’t really blame him it was the third time he’d be returning from war to see his beloved Miri knowing she was just as if not more excited to see him return.
The others who seemed to be just as excited were the Germanics who were seeing the newly founded capital after only hearing about it from Zeff and the other legionnaires along the journey.
Baldwin and his men were thrilled at the prospect that Julius managed to create a capital of this scale in only a matter of months something that would be unheard of at home.
Aside from the Germanic capital the rest of their nation lives a tribalistic life in simple wooden huts and skin tents.
Julius rode atop his horse through the city gates as the guards saluted to his arrival.
Julius entering the city was met with cheering crowds of people, he entered his Eternal City as a Conquering hero, though he’d only personally conquered a single city but that matter little to his people for he was their leader, it was his position that made such a thing possible as to liberate the whole of the remnants of the Lunan kingdom and bring stability back to their lands.
Their journey was brief for after arriving and dispensing of some simple trinkets and tosses of coins into the crowds Julius dismounted in front of the Palace and ascended it’s steps to be greeted with the site of his retainers laying in wait bowing upon seeing his visage appear before the last step down.
Queen Serena, and Miri along with the palace servants welcomed home the Grand Duke.
Miri’s eyes were wet with tears, not of course at the site of Julius but because behind him strode quite the cocksure figure of Zeff who wore a beaming smile with eyes locked on her own.
"Welcome Home Milord!!"
"It’s good to be home."
"Grand Duke, in your abscense a number of dignitaries from neighboring lands have come seeking an audience with you."
Not faltering in her duty Miri first reported what needed to be known, the desire to be with Zeff was welling up but she couldn’t abandon the position her lord gave her just to be with her love a moment sooner.
"Thank you, Ambassador! Please have them be informed we shall host an audience in an hour for the road was long and we will need to cleanse before seeing these men of standing."
This timeframe was of course extended as a simple shower and change of clothes would not take long but to give an hour meant the love birds could spend some time together catching up before returning to work.
Julius quickly went up to his personal suite, talking all the while with Queen Serena.
It seems the migrations of her people were being met with varied reactions as they were a bit scared about being split up but understood the reason once she’d provided Julius’s reasoning as well.
Next up she gave a quick overview of the delegations who’d arrived and just like the system provided the nations who’d sent dignitaries were just as he’d expected save for the addition of the Principality of Christendom also joining the Ramie kingdom.
Her voice faltered a bit when announcing these two, probably being made aware fully of her nation’s fate at the hands of these two by the very dignitaries themselves.
The pair broke off as Julius entered his penthouse to quickly change into more fitting robes, and cleanse himself of the accumulated sweat from his horseback journey.