The sun was just rising, but Lucius Sipio walked from the palace to the senate chambers. The wind was cool, rustling his tunic and hair as he walked. He enjoyed the early morning air, the quietness and solitude of Fure at this hour. But even at this hour, he wasn't free to walk alone. The threat of ambush never quit dogging his steps. Despite the solitude of the city, Lucius still wore his sword, his hand resting on the hilt as two guards trailed behind him.

Five years had passed since the Battle of Fure. Five years that had seen Lucius as king over the city and surrounding lands. Despite Vican's displeasure in seeing Decius abdicate the throne, he had chosen to abide by Decius' wishes, albeit reluctantly. Lucius had been declared king instead of his older half-brother.

Lucius had felt it was a good switch.

After being named king, Lucius' first act had been to proscribe all the Ascantal senators who had killed his father. They had all been brought to him and were executed brutally before being burned on a pyre, their ashes tossed into the river. There was no describing the satisfaction he had felt when Pirilius had burned and he had seen the former interrex's widow weeping, reminiscent of Tarquil all those years ago.

Now you know how my mother felt when your husband murdered my father.

In fact, Lucius had enjoyed watching every widow and orphan cry at the execution and cremation of their fathers. He had no pity for monsters such as them.

Decius had urged pity, had suggested Lucius at least give the bodies back to the families so the Ascantals could bury them in accordance with their rituals, but Lucius couldn't justify that. His father's body hadn't been spared for a cremation, so the bodies of his enemies wouldn't be spared for burial. "Eye for an eye," he had told Decius. "These men don't deserve decent burial."

"Who are you to decide who is deserving?" Decius had fired back.

Lucius felt Decius should be grateful Acitus Casarion, his father-in-law, wasn't among the proscribed. "He is deserving," Lucius had pointed out. "He knew his duty to the king and didn't join the throng planning on murdering him."

Shortly after the battle, Decius had married Minerva Casaria, adopting her son Tiberias from her first marriage. Minerva had been wed to an Ascantal senator, Tiber Mitian, after Decius and Lucius had fled Fure, but he had been one of the guilty Ascantals and so had been executed. Acitus had then offered his daughter's hand to Decius again, apologizing for the breaking of the previous engagement. Decius had accepted the apologies while Lucius had burned with fury on his brother's behalf.

"You can have any other girl in Fure. Why Minerva Casaria? Why an Ascantal?"

"Don't you want to honor your father's wish? He chose this House for me to be connected with. I respect and trust his choices. Besides, I have a fondness for Minerva. Pirilius forced her to marry Mitian in order to draw Casarion into his circle – she never had any love for him."

"Father chose Casarion because it was a powerful House and we were surrounded by enemies. But now our enemies are dead and I am king. We need not hide behind Ascantals anymore."

"But we need not make them enemies, either, brother. The war is over. We are Furians, whether human or Ascantal. We should not isolate ourselves from them."

Lucius had been unable to change Decius' mind, despite reminding him that Casarion had given in, had allowed his daughter – while still engaged to another man – to break her engagement and marry another. "He did not stand by our father, or us. Why should you look for him to stand by us now?"

Decius still hadn't listened and had married Minerva anyway, adopting Tiberias into Numas House. He and his Ascantal wife had gone on to have a daughter. Diana Numa was three now. Lucius heard tell of how pretty she was, for a child, but whenever he saw her, he only saw the monster lurking behind her skin, the Ascantal in her features. The same with Minerva. None of her smiles could convince him that she was anything but a monster, a slayer, and behind her son's eyes lurked one of the worst creatures to walk the earth, his features reminiscent of his father, one of Sipio's murderers.

Decius didn't see it, but Lucius did.

The senate chambers loomed before him. Since his accession to the throne, the senate had remained empty. Lucius had disbanded it on his taking the throne, ruling solely as monarch over Fure. The senate was only an institution that harbored rebels and dissenters, providing them with a place to oppose what was best for Fure. He refused to allow that.

Five years, and Fure was already better for the change in government. Lucius had no difficulty instituting the policies and programs best for his beloved city. With Decius serving beside him as imperator, Vican having retired to a country estate with the conclusion of his war, Fure ran smoothly, clearly benefiting from the lack of a senate. Lucius found he didn't miss their presence or advice at all. He needed none of it to be effective.

Today, he came to the senate chambers to speak to Decius, who had requested a meeting there. Lucius found the location odd, but had acquiesced to his brother's request. Besides, he didn't mind the walk.

He stepped into the main chamber, glancing at the rows of seats surrounding the platform in the center where the speaker stood. Decius was standing there, also glancing around. Lucius motioned for his guards to stand back and approached his brother.

Even five years later, Decius still had a limp from Pirilius' attack. He disguised it well, and it didn't affect his ability to ride, but when he walked, Lucius could see the slight hitch in his step, the smallest awkwardness to his gait. It made his blood boil to still see the marks of their enemy, a wound he couldn't get rid of even with all his proscriptions and decrees. Nothing would take away Decius' limp.

Some things even a king couldn't do, with or without a senate.

"Lucius," Decius greeted, turning to face him. "Thank you for meeting me here."

"Of course," Lucius said. "What is it, brother? Why did you summon me? And to here, of all places?"

Decius was silent for a moment. "Lucius, know I speak out of love and respect," he began. "It has been five years since we defeated Pirilius, and I have noticed you show no indication of bringing back the senate."

"That is because I have no inclination to do so," Lucius replied coldly. "The senate was a corrupt part of Fure's government and so I removed it, for the bettering of our society."

"Lucius," Decius said quietly. "The senate was put in place to prevent corrupt."

"Are you saying I'm corrupt?" Lucius asked, his gaze deadly.

Decius' eyes were just as serious and hard. "No, brother, I am not saying that. I am merely reminding you of the senate's purpose. I have heard whispers among the populace as they wonder what your intentions are. And I believe...I believe they are afraid of tyranny."

Lucius' eyes blazed with anger. "You think me a tyrant."

"I think the senate has its proper place in Fure's government," Decius corrected, his voice low but powerful. "It is not perfect, no, but neither is a monarch. I agree with the people of Fure, Lucius. I believe there needs be a senate. Even if not to curb your power, but the next king's, who may visit dictatorship upon Fure if the necessary restraints are not already in place. Fure is a beautiful city that stands due to the balances of power."

"I will not suffer my enemies to regain their power," Lucius snapped.

"Your enemies are dead," Decius said flatly. "We made sure of that."

"They had connections," Lucius hissed. "Families, friends, acquaintances...my net was not spread wide enough to catch them all then. But perhaps I shall have to now. Fure will never be safe unless I ensure all enemies to the throne are extinguished."

Decius stared at him for a moment, his eyes conflicted. "Lucius, think about what you are saying."

"I have thought, and it does not change," Lucius asserted. "Fure comes first."

"Fure is made up of these people," Decius pointed out. "We are a blend of Ascantal and human."

Like your children? Your impure children? Lucius wanted to spit, but refrained. "Then Fure will be purged, and purified. It must be done, Decius. Understand that."

Decius drew back. "Why?"

"They killed my father," Lucius reminded him. "And yours, if I dare say it. And they are responsible for the death of our mother. I thought I had rooted them all out, but I was wrong. They remain, they linger. They taunt me, in my sleep, Decius. They do not leave Fure alone, they are not content with all they have already taken. I will not leave my father unavenged. I am prodded on by his memory, as you should be by the memory of your father, who suffered the same fate as mine."

"I don't remember my father," Decius said, his eyes growing hard. "I used to think that was a curse. Rather, if this is the fate I would have been drawn to, I find it now a blessing."

Without saying anything further, he turned on his heel and strode out of the chamber, his strong stride hampered by his slight limp. Lucius watched him go, determination closing around his heart. Decius may not understand what he had to do, but it had to be done, just the same. He would understand, eventually.

In the end, Decius would see that Lucius knew what was best for Fure.