Of the Scipii Family/Sextus Severus/Secret Police

Secret Police?

~~ Early this Morning ~~

Sextus glanced round casually as he rounded the corner.

~ ‘ Hmm .. Still following me … ’

The man had been tailing him for about an hour, on his walk around Valkyrja that he took each morning, watching him on the walls from the street below, through the markets and the storage and granary yards, across the main square and now, on his return to the Ducal Palace.

He was good, it had taken Sextus quite a while to be sure the man was intentionally stalking him, but now he knew he was a threat.

Perhaps it was Assassin? A sympathiser of the failed rebellion? Wisoneto was still held in the dungeons, awaiting his execution that evening, it made sense for someone to try and take the Duke out, given he had been the first to declare loyalty to the crown. Perhaps there were more rebels than he had previously thought … perhaps they were attempting to break their leader free?

Either way, and who ever he was, the man was going to die.

Sextus made down the street that ran to the back-side of the Palace, trying to appear hurried but ensuring the man would have time to see him and follow. He pulled his hood over his head as he rounded the corner. There was a small, recessed doorway in the wall, a back-entrance that lead into the cellars, before the street continued round to the kitchens behind. Sextus moved to the doorway and concealed himself in the enclave.

He quickly drew his sword and the small knife he carried, weighing them up. The Street was 20 or so feet wide, if the man didn’t hug the wall on his side then the element of surprise would be lost and he would see the Duke’s position. If that was the case it would most likely come to swords, something Sextus would have been much more confident about.

He heard cautious footsteps, readied himself against the door …

~ ‘three … two … one ….’

Sextus leapt from his hiding place, lunging at the man who had been following him. The man sprung aside and drew his own sword, catching Sextus’ blade in an attempt to disarm him. The years of sword practice once again paid off, and Sextus easily kept his sword held firm, turning his opponent’s blade aside. The Duke landed and whipped around, slashing out doubly at his foe. The man screamed as Sextus’ blade tore through the muscle of his upper arm and then sliced him just above the knee.

As the man staggered Sextus pushed him back with the point of his sword against the wall of the Palace and grabbed his good arm at the wrist, stopping the knife he had desperately drawn from lashing out at him and pinning, his forearm against the other’s throat.

“Now, speak” said Sextus “Rebel or assassin I care not, who sent you?”

The defiance in the man’s eyes told Sextus he would get nothing from him, even as he drove his sword into the man‘s stomach “Fine, then take leave of me in silence” Sextus turned as he pulled the man forward, flinging him to the ground and tearing the sword out as he did so. The man landed on his back, choking and guttered for a few moments as blood gushed from the wounds, before becoming still.

Sextus bent down with a frown, whoever he was he was professional, and didn’t appear to be a foreigner. Searching through the pockets in his tunic he found nothing save for a few silver coins, disappointing

Sextus wiped what blood he could from his sword and sheathed it again. He would send guards to deal with the body later. For now he was more intrigued than worried.

---

Making his way to his own quarters via the back entrance, and with his dagger drawn under his cloak, Sextus checked through the rooms. Upon entering his study cautiously he looked around and made sure no one was on the balcony, before locking the door behind him.

He frowned again, something felt .. Odd ..

He turned to his desk, looking over the sheets of paper, reports from around the city, missives and requests, yet more complaining that the tax rate was too high. He moved around the side of the desk … and there he stopped. It was something he knew he couldn’t and hadn’t done, and certainly would not have left. It wasn’t visible from the front or the drawer-side of the desk, only from where he stood. Sextus carefully picked up the pile of papers, careful not to let the ink spill on him. His ink well had been knocked over and what little was in it had soaked into the pile of paper, soaking the bottom sheets, with a few drops of ink running along a grove in the wood and dropping off the edge, splashing to the floor.

Someone had been in … someone had searched his room … for what reasons Sextus didn’t know, but whatever it was he was now very suspicious.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, and he quickly deposited the paper and drew his knife.

“Yes, who is it”

“Arch Duke, your breakfast is awaiting you in the main hall” the muffled voice of the servant reported through the door.

“I’ll be there as soon as I have changed” answered Sextus coldly, still slightly suspicious

“Very good sir”

Sextus looked down at his clothes, there was some blood on his shirt from the man he had killed.

~ ‘Now to change and ready the stage for this evening’ he thought to himself ‘where yet another man must die’