Chapter 86

Both Cincinnag and Sedorum turned their expectant eyes toward Akperu.

Akperu observed the scene, his mind already clear on the situation. It was a certainty that the men of Veii had not fought with their full strength; they were Bruttii, after all, not Lucanians. Of course, it was also possible that Sedorum was telling the truth; that they had saved the right flank and contributed to the victory. He knew Cincinnag well; greed, bullying the weak, and fearing the strong were his defining traits. Such a performance was not the least bit surprising. As the leader of the alliance, it was his duty to reward merit and punish failure, but he could not simply follow the letter of their pact. The Pyxous tribe was Grumentum’s most crucial ally; it was with their support that Grumentum had grown so powerful. Moreover, the Pyxous were a formidable tribal union in their own right. To criticize or, worse, punish their paramount chieftain in front of the Bruttii would inevitably breed resentment and sow discord within the Lucanian tribal alliance.

The Bruttii, on the other hand, inhabited the lands bordering the southern reaches of Lucania. Their tribes were fragmented, each acting independently, which made them relatively weak. They were the next target for conquest after Grumentum defeated Thurii and occupied the Sybarite Plain. The city-state of Veii, being the Bruttii settlement closest to Lucanian territory, had been a strategic prize. Their “voluntary” surrender—under the threat of the Lucanian grand army—had given Grumentum a vital springboard into the Bruttii lands. Therefore, he could not treat them too harshly. But neither could he allow them to forget their place. The Lucanians were the masters; the Bruttii were destined for servitude.

Having made his decision, he spoke slowly. “Winning this battle was the result of everyone’s combined efforts. Once we have occupied this land, I will distribute rich spoils to each of you according to your contributions. However—” his sharp gaze made Sedorum’s heart tremble, “—as allies, to kill the comrades who fight by your side is a vile act that breaks your oath. The gods themselves will see it punished! Therefore, the city of Veii must pay a fine sufficient to satisfy the Pyxous and compensate them for their losses. You will also offer up the lives of an equal number of Veii warriors as a sacrifice!”

“What?!” The warriors of Veii who heard this erupted in an uproar of furious shouts.

In an instant, the warriors of Grumentum and Pyxous closed ranks, encircling them completely.

“Sedorum,” Akperu’s eyes were like chips of ice as he stared at the chieftain of Veii, “do you accept my decision, or do you oppose it?”

Sedorum’s head was bowed, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. His face was pale, beaded with sweat. He remained silent.

“Paramount Chieftain, you can’t agree to this!” a warrior named Saru screamed in outrage. “The Lucanians are humiliating us! We’re done! We’re going home!”

“Yes! We’re going back! Paramount Chieftain, let’s go back!” The warriors of Veii were a powder keg of fury.

“Go back?” Cincinnag sneered. He turned to Akperu. “You see? The Bruttii are as unreliable as I said. So quick to abandon the alliance they swore before the gods to join. In that case, why don’t we just…”

The unspoken threat hung in the air. A jolt of terror shot through Sedorum. He snapped his head up and saw the vicious sneer on Cincinnag’s face and the cold, hard expression on Akperu’s.

He glanced around. The Lucanians had formed a wall of shields and spears, trapping his people. The warriors of Veii struggled desperately, but they were too few. Clad only in leather armor, without bronze shields, armed with nothing but a single spear each, their equipment was pitifully inadequate. Sedorum’s fingernails dug so deep into his palms that they drew blood. He forced the words from his throat. “I… I agree…”

“Paramount Chieftain!” The anguished cries of his warriors were like a great iron hammer, each blow striking Sedorum’s already fragile heart. He staggered back a few steps and collapsed to the ground.

“The execution of this punishment will be overseen by Udler,” Akperu declared, choosing a neutral party to prevent Cincinnag from provoking the Bruttii any further and causing a riot.

“It will be done,” replied Udler, the chieftain of the Niutum tribe.

Having delivered the punishment, Akperu then offered a sliver of hope. “Once we have taken this land, in recognition of the contributions made by the city of Veii, I will grant a portion of the Sybarite Plain to you and your people, Sedorum, for you to graze your flocks. It is far more fertile than any land in the Bruttii territory.”

“Thank you… Paramount Chieftain…” Sedorum choked out, forcing himself to express gratitude through his grief.

Before Cincinnag could object, Akperu turned his attention to Gnaenat, his tone now warm and paternal. “Gnaenat, my dear boy, how are your wounds?”

Gnaenat gritted his teeth against the pain and straightened his back. “I am well, Paramount Chieftain. They are only flesh wounds.”

“Excellent. You must take care of yourself. I have no desire for my dear daughter to become a widow at such a young age. I am still waiting to hold my grandson!” Akperu boomed with laughter, and the warriors around him joined in, leaving Gnaenat looking flustered and a little embarrassed.

Cincinnag let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. If Akperu still held Gnaenat in such high regard, it meant the promises he had made to the Pyxous would not be broken because of this one setback.

Amid the laughter, a voice dripped with scorn. “Some ‘First Warrior of the Lucanians.’ Getting pushed around so pathetically by a handful of Greeks. You bring shame to all Lucanians.”

Gnaenat’s head snapped toward the sound. It was Sevella, a clan chief from Grumentum. He had once sought the hand of Akperu’s daughter, but the paramount chieftain, guided by tribal politics, had married her to Gnaenat instead. Sevella hadn’t given him a pleasant look since.

Not one to back down, Gnaenat shot back, “If you’re so capable, then you go attack them! I dare you to try and take that camp!”

“Fine! I’ll show you the might of a Grumentum warrior!” Provoked, Sevella accepted the challenge without hesitation. He turned and bellowed, “Brothers—”

“Enough, Sevella!” Akperu’s voice, low and laced with absolute authority, instantly cut through his young chieftain’s bravado. “We are returning to camp.”

The words had barely left his mouth when Cincinnag cried out, “Return now?! We’re not pressing the attack on their camp?”

Akperu glanced at the sky. “It is nearly dusk, and the warriors are exhausted. We have already destroyed Thurii’s last citizen army. They no longer have the strength to stop the Lucanian people from putting down roots in this land. We will return to our camp, tend to our wounded, recover our strength, and prepare our tools. Tomorrow, we will build a city here—a Lucanian city!” Akperu’s voice rose with passion. “These mercenaries are nothing to worry about. If they dare to come out, we will crush them. If they hide, we can blockade them and cut them off from Thurii’s support. They will wither and die on their own. As for those Tarentum reinforcements, I’ve heard Tarentum’s relations with the Messapians are strained. They won’t be staying here for long.”

The surrounding men considered his words, their expressions thoughtful.

Udler spoke up. “Akperu, are we not marching on Amendolara?”¹⁰

“Tomorrow,” Akperu replied, casting a sideways glance at Cincinnag. Though he had publicly dismissed the mercenaries, in truth, their fighting prowess had surprised him. The tribe that had captured Amendolara had defied his orders to join the allied army. If he were to march his forces there now, it was highly likely they would refuse him entry. While his army outnumbered them more than tenfold, siegecraft was not a Lucanian specialty, especially against a mountain fortress. If they couldn’t take it quickly, his warriors would be utterly exhausted by nightfall, with no food and the threat of the mercenaries and Tarentum’s army at their backs. And with the volatile contingent from Veii in their midst, he feared an unforeseen disaster. With victory all but assured, why take such a risk?

“If that little tribe’s chieftain in Amendolara is smart,” Akperu said, a bloodthirsty sneer spreading across his face, “he’ll flee back into the mountains tonight, just like he did last time. Otherwise, tomorrow I will teach him exactly who rules Lucania now.”

At these words, Cincinnag’s face twitched uncontrollably.