Pontious the Bloody

His real name was Dyan Pontious Cobbler, but he had adopted Pontious the Bloody because he thought it was way more intimidating than being a cobbler’s son. He liked drinking and spending time with the local girls. He was glad I had healers on retainer. He made use of them when he contracted something from one of his many trysts. So much so that woman flocked to him to benefit from his connections. If they had an issue, he was sure to make sure his ladies were clean. That, and his penchant for strong liquor and ample drugs, and he had developed himself quite a reputation.

I had encountered him on one of my many forays into the city after Brandis’ defeat. He was face down in a puddle, covered in mud. I had suspected him dead, but when Elias lifted his head to inspect him he garbled out something unintelligible. His father pleaded for me to spare him. These people had just been liberated from an arbitrary ruler who would have found this drunken display offensive.

Pontious wasn’t guilty of any real crime so I had him dragged to the palace where my physicians cleaned him up and locked him away. Those first few weeks were hard for him I was told. My physicians reported all sorts of deceptions and vulgarities. I had seen it before. An old friend that I traveled with use to like his liquor too much. When we intervened he would become belligerent. They assured me that his temper would subside, but it would take some time. Elias didn’t approve, he said I had weightier matters to attend to, and he was right, but I hardly cared.

I had designs on just making him some servant about the palace. Many of the previous ones had been killed or fled after Brandis died and I was looking to bolster the staff. The Lady Chamberlain, who assisted in dealing with her former master, had remained on and was doing the best she could with the resources she had. A young, strapping lad to help with the heavy moving was just what she needed.

And it worked for a time too. Pontious was well behaved, loyal, and hard working. He added life into the palace. Elias was a stick in the mud, and I was far too busy trying to keep everything together to hold celebrations. So egregious were my errors that Pontious approached my one day fully expected to be punished for his coming outburst. He relayed the concerns and complaints of the people. I had been concern with esoteric things and had ignored the basics. The people were not only angry, they were suffering.

Instead of punishing the criticisms, I strove to rectify them, and after that I ruminated on Pontious. He had been brave enough to confront me, and he was liked by the people. He knew what they wanted, what they needed. He had likely waylaid a revolution. One I had no idea was even brew under my feet. So, I sent him out among them. He returned to his old haunts, and some of his old ways, but he never let it get so bad. I would have rehabilitated him again. He provided valuable intel that I had gone without far too long.

He was my ear amongst the people and their voice to me. I gave him a lot of leeway that others were denied. Elias didn’t approve of that either, but I assuaged his fears by listening to his concerns and fears. It seemed that people just wanted to matter. If they felt they had a stake in the empire’s future they worked harder to maintain it. They had different strengths. Ariadne dealt with things neither I, nor most others understood. Others had their roles to fill. Pontious carried to me the will of the people.

He stood before me now slightly disheveled. He likely had a night of debauchery. I hardly cared so long as he also had valuable information that led to the woman’s capture.

“Tell me you found out something.” I leaned forward on my throne in anticipation of his answer.