Quote Originally Posted by EpyonNext
What would keep him in this situation from just getting the Gaels to join up with him, head back to the empire in glorious victory and just say he slaughtered them all... I'm just saying theres a much larger tactical advantage to be given by allying with the Gaels instead of wholesale slaughter.
Gaius is an Empire man, not interested in allying with savage tribes if it isn't for simple tactical advantage after which he could easily get rid of them. Gaels, on the other hand, have an eternal tradition of trying to stay away from the Empire. The last thing they would want is to try to replace one emperor with another that even has a history of harassing them and kidnapping their precious Riannon, no less. Gaels would have nothing to do with Gaius, most likely, short of an armistice to get rid of him, even if just for a while.

So, I don't think an alliance theory of any kind has much basis at all. These aren't chess players but peoples with long histories and different cultures, like their oft irrational actions have quite forcefully proven.