B4 Chapter 26: The Woman Beneath the Tree
B4 Chapter 26: The Woman Beneath the Tree
The dry session of poring over dusty tomes Quintus initially anticipated turned out to be anything but. Archivist Gwendolyn proved to be a far more engaging source of information, and pleasant to talk to as well. Her enthusiasm for history could prove a bit overwhelming, and Quintus often had to steer their conversation back on topic as she digressed into some ancient account or another. But it was a worthwhile trade for the conversation.
As they spoke, Quintus occasionally noted a new skill to assign some of his Legionnaires and test out. His newly minted soldiers were a prime choice to experiment with new skills. Since they hadn't had much time to level them yet, switching some out wouldn't be nearly as significant a tradeoff as it would be for the veterans. Most of them took advantage of strength in numbers like [Coordinated Bulwark] or [Unity], meaning he would need at least a contubernium to assign them in order to see the benefits most clearly. But if they functioned well, then they could expand adoption to larger numbers.
At one point, Quintus asked for a space piece of paper on which to note down some of his findings. But he made it only a handful of words before he found himself grimacing. Next to the flowing script of Gwendolyn's own writing, his looked like a mere child's blocky scribbles.
When he looked up, the elf's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Would you perhaps like me to take notes? I don't mind. Rather, I quite enjoy writing. Almost as much as I enjoy history and reading."
He hesitated, then nodded. "I think that might be for the best."
The woman brightened. With a gesture, a new piece of paper floated over to her as though on the wind and a wooden writing implement materialized in her grasp. They continued speaking, Gwendolyn never so much as looking down as words began to flow down the page.
Hours passed, though Quintus hardly noticed. At some point, he looked up to see that Iladiren had disappeared, which was of no great consequence. Doubtless the diplomat had other duties to attend to.
Unfortunately, it became clear that testing out all of these skills would not be so simple. There were a good number that neither his men nor any other Legionnaire he knew had managed to acquire. While he'd need to double-check the skill lists to be sure, he felt rather confident that was the case. Worse was that some of the more interesting skills like [Limit Break] may well be out of their reach for the moment.
Apparently, that skill required a person to continue using their skills at or past the level of stamina drain for an extended period of time. Not only did it promise to be an unpleasant experience, but it was one of the few times where the Legion's capabilities worked against them. Draining their entire stamina pool was no small task, not to mention keeping it there. Even if he could manage to create those circumstances, it would put all of his men at massive risk. Additionally, [Limit Break] didn't do anything on its own. It had to be used in conjunction with another skill, taking up a valuable slot in the meantime.
But the rewards... Even putting such powerful skills on one or two Legionnaire champions would be a massive boon. He envisioned a man charging at an enemy formation with all the force of a battering ram, tearing into their ranks before the rest of the Legionnaires flooded into the breach. It would be a far more flexible solution than even siege weaponry. And what might it do when activated with [Sword Saint's Blade]? That skill already elevated his abilities to practically unthinkable levels. Strengthening them further...
He asked Gwendolyn to note it and a few other similar skills down. Perhaps he could have a trainee earn these and bring them along with a fresh round of Legionnaires. That may well be his only option.
Before long, Quintus had a handpicked list of two dozen skills to investigate further. Some of them were relatively specific in their potential, while others may well prove to be a boon for the entire Legion if they lived up to expectations.
"...There are, of course, countless other skills listed within the Archives," Gwendolyn said, gesturing to the tree around her. "However, those are the ones that appeared most in line with the request of the emperor. I'd be more than happy to research more, if you have anything in particular you are interested in...?"
Quintus shook his head. "I think this will be more than enough for the moment. I'll have my hands quite full with all of these. Though I suspect that others would be more than happy to pepper you with endless questions."
A certain Grand Mage came to mind. The man had been doing better than expected so far, listening to orders when commanded and marching alongside the other men. But whenever they had a spare moment, he was always commandeering a few contubernia for his experiments and analyses.
What exactly he was testing, Quintus didn't know. So long as Claude was doing as he was told, he preferred to keep his distance from the geezer. Though he was still one of their premier resources for System knowledge. It would be remiss of him not to take advantage.
Forcing down his dislike of his new officer, Quintus spoke. "I do have one man whose ideas I should probably hear out. I understand that he will not be permitted within the Archives." Much to Quintus's relief, though he didn't say as much. "But perhaps you could accompany me to camp to speak with him? Given your enthusiasm about Roman history, perhaps you would enjoy seeing a Legion in person as well."
He expected the offer to be met with excitement. But instead, Gwendolyn's smile turned sad. The very tree around her seemed to groan sorrowfully. "Unfortunately, I cannot. My home is here, in the Archives. It is one of the limitations I have laid upon myself to better serve my people."
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Quintus fell silent for a moment. On one hand, that meant that Claude wouldn’t be tempted to interrogate the poor elf for weeks upon weeks. On the other…
"I see."
"It is not so bad," Gwendolyn assured him quickly. "I get to spend my days among the leaves and books, exploring worlds long forgotten with every waking hour. And besides, I do get to entertain visitors occasionally. Especially now that the emperor has returned. Why, I've seen more new faces in the past year than I had in the last century."
The woman did her best to maintain her positivity. But even Quintus was not so dense as to be fooled. Throughout their conversation, he'd gotten a strange sense that the elf was younger than she seemed. He'd seen enough elves by this point not to be fooled by her appearance, and he knew that her age likely far outstripped Quintus's own. Yet the childlike excitement and occasional shyness she exhibited made her occasionally seem like little more than a girl.
She drafted a quick letter to Claude, explaining who she was, what kind of information she had access to, and inviting him to make inquiries that might help the Legion. After that, Quintus began to ask more personal questions about the woman. The revelation of her being bound here made it clear that he understood very little about her and her situation, and they had finished the bulk of the work he'd come here to do.
He learned that his initial suspicion had been correct. Gwendolyn had been overseeing the archives for several thousand years, which was a mind fuck and a half. Evidently, her uncle was one of the more influential elven senators and had inspired quite an interest in Rome from the time she'd been a few hundred years old---or, as she put it, a young maid.
Unfortunately for him, her uncle didn't manage to instill a similar love of politics. As a result, Gwendolyn had pursued a path as an academic, gaining acclaim and knowledge by studying history until her dedication elevated her to her current position.
Of course, Quintus shared information about himself as well. Though his life was merely a blip in comparison to hers, that did not seem to deter her one bit. Especially when it came to any tidbits about Roman culture and daily life. She seemed just as fascinated by his mother's recipe for pangiallo as she was by his first battle as a Primus Pilus.
Eventually, they were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Looking toward the entrance to the small room stood Iladrien, who seemed to have been standing there for quite a while.
"Legatus Quintus. I am to inform you that Legatus Sylendor has returned."
He stood and nodded. As much as he wanted to stay for longer, he had responsibilities to attend to.
"Thank you for your assistance, Archivist." He inclined his head toward the elven woman. "Your findings will aid us immeasurably in battles to come."
"Of course, Legatus. It's the least I can do."
Gwendolyn smiled, but Quintus thought he saw a hint of something else hidden there. Disappointment, perhaps?
He turned to leave, but paused at the threshold. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw that Gwendolyn was still watching. "I will come to visit again."
Gwendolyn beamed, a more genuine expression than before. She dipped her head respectfully, though it didn't hide her happiness. "Then I will eagerly await that day. It was a pleasure to meet you, Legatus Quintus. May your path lead you back to my abode once more."
He nodded one final time before turning to follow Sylendor. The diplomat looked between the two with an inscrutable expression. "This way, if you would."
They began their ascent from the tree's deepest roots and back into the fading sunlight. The entire time, Quintus couldn't help but think about the elf below. Her beauty that captured his thoughts. The way her emerald eyes glittered with excitement over a new finding. Even that tinkling laugh like fine windchimes rocked by a gentle breeze.
He forced himself to snap out of it. He was no boy, to be so easily led astray by a pretty face and a woman's wiles. He had long since buried those urges beneath the mountain of his responsibilities. He was a professional, an example to all of his men, and allowing himself to indulge in such idle frivolities would be nothing short of hypocritical. Legionnaires could not take wives, after all, though plenty skirted that rule or pursued less permanent relations with the fairer sex.
Although... he was a Legionnaire no longer. He was a Legatus.
He set the matter aside. Now was not the time for this. He had another meeting to prepare for.
***
When Quintus arrived, he found the Elven Legion and his Third Legion already mingling. They met between the pair of newly established camps, swapping stories and some amount of coin between one another. Outside, a portion of both forces were already engaged in training exercises with each other---small ones, considering Quintus's absence.
As he walked toward his command tent, he noted no small number of awestruck faces among his fresher Legionnaires. Though the elves had recently come out of seclusion, they were still rare in the empire. For many, this may well be the first time they'd even seen one of the mythical humanoids, much less one of their Legionnaires.
Stepping inside the tent, he saw Sylendor already waiting for him. The hardened elf stepped forward to clasp arms. "Legatus Quintus. Congratulations on your promotion."
"Thank you." He grinned. "Though I don't know if 'promotion' is the right term. I think I may have been conned into taking care of these whelps for even longer."
Sylendor chuckled. "Would that climbing further into the canopy would have us emerging into the daylight above.. But alas. Duty only grows heavier."
Quintus nodded in commiseration. He liked Sylendor. They had interacted only a handful of times over the past year, mostly during joint exercises or training opportunities in the area. But the elf was hardier than most of his rather effeminate brethren, as was to be expected of a Legionnaire. It gave them a shared sense of kinship, one that only strengthened now that they shared a title.
Quintus stepped around the table to sit, gesturing for Sylendor to do the same. "I hear you've been having troubles in the area."
"Indeed." The elf grimaced. "Strange foes the likes of which we have never seen. Creatures encroach on the forest that do not belong. Ones that do not act as beasts should."
Quintus leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "An invasion?"
"Perhaps. It is not impossible," Sylendor allowed. "In our seclusion, we have not ventured past the furthest reaches of the Great Ruthin Forest. As such, we have little knowledge of what foes, old or new, may reside there. I know only that they have never before encroached on our own territories either."
Quintus nodded, drumming his fingers on the table. Tiberius was hoping to avoid more war for a while longer, he knew. But if they were under threat..."
"Tell me more," he said.