I fell in love with the name because it's both feminine and aggressive which helped shaped Bellona's personality, she is also Etruscan from (modern province name is Emilia-Romagna), where it is said that the Etruscans migrated into from Tuscany.
Mars' had other plans for their family.
Gauls were trying to muscle their way into the northern boarders of Emilia Romagna which infuriated Bellona. "Heathen dirty dogs!" he yelled upon reading the report from the provincial governor. "Trying to take my home, as if being conquered by the Romans, a people we taught, wasn't bad enough."
Jupiter shook his head, "but I love you." He defended.
"And I you," she kissed his mouth lightly, "but barbarians in my home? Unacceptable."
"Yes it is. We will ride to destroy them then. I will not have us appear weak." Jupiter agreed with his wife.
Neptune was only too happy for the diversion now that he was married, he wanted to find any excuse to spend time away from the villa. His life plans never had marriage in it but he supposed that he did need offspring or else the family name would die. He knew that last night wouldn't be enough, he was barely inside of her, so loud she screamed of the pain.
She asked him if the pain would get better in time during a conversation they had the next morning, but how could it if he was leaving? His answer was that they would engage in sex every night up until he left to help her get used to the sensation and in time it would be better. He kept good on his word, making love to his wife during the last three nights while during the day they made preparations, other legions would join to meet them later seeing as Jupiter won this province, he saw it as a personal insult to his power and genius to allow the Gauls free reign.
And as simple as that, Lucretia was left alone in the villa with her mother-in-law who held some prestige and rights but not unlike Lucretia who was an empress, the only one in the city. That discovery which revealed itself during a spirited conversation with Eulalius, the Emperors' former mentor, led Lucretia to act out a little. She was the matrona of the home, not Accalia who humbly accepted her place as matrona after her daughter-in-law.
"That's it, deliciae, show a little bit of courage, Iuno knows that you cannot be married to Nettuno and be weak. Like the sea that one is, he'll give you everything and take it right back on a whim, if he had cause. Treat him gently."
Lucretia who was arranging flowers, a favorite hobby of hers outside of music and dancing, stopped to gaze upon her socrum in reserved astonishment. Not only had she conceded to Lucretia but she was now asking her to not break him down as if she could to such a large, stubborn man. Leaving the pot of flowers on the table where she clipped them, she came to sit beside her socrum, delicately taking her hands into her own.
"Nettuno has nearly been gone a year and sends very little words back, can I treat a man gently that I do not know? He is my husband and Emperor, yes, but I do not know how to approach him but nevertheless I will treat him kindly upon his return and his years after."
Accalia smiled, "he is a good man, just a little rough around the edges like a pearl trapped inside a clam. Polish and take care of him, he'll shine. Leave him alone and he'll turn into a beast but that is the nature of all soldiers."
To fill the days of their absence, the Senate worked hard to keep crimes low within the city but fear of the Emperors worked just as well. Lucretia was able to see her parents and siblings, her friends even stayed within the royal villa for quite some time where they attended theater and other leisure activity. To give the people distraction from the thought of their army conquering Gallic lands of Helvetia and Austria, Lucretia convinced the son of Faustulus to host a special Gladiator Game hoping that the bloodshed would appease Mars enough that he could bring a successful army back home soon.
Faustulus' son, Alvredus, a personal friend of Actaeon who openly disliked the Emperors, had no more gusto to oppose them, gave a host of competition in the Circus Maximus as well with only Accalia and Lucretia to oversee them as the Emperors would.
Alvredus became a close acquaintance of Lucretia during this time, filling a void of friendship left by the absence of Regulus, her beloved abandoned in her hometown.
Lucretia wrote to Neptune about this and of idle things like the new lyre she had purchased and would like to play for him despite his disinterest in music.
His respond was tart at best, if he had to suffer through any music then he would request a poet to come spew his rambling to annoy his brother, that way he had a partner in suffering. He wasn't insulting her ability to play, he just never heard her play before, in their short 3 days together before he left for war, she had shown him the utmost courtesy.
He thought about the chariot races and games being held now and asked for her to cease, those things should be in reserved when they returned not while Janus' gates were wide open but those gates were always open.
Lucretia frowned at his reply but did as he asked.
Neptune felt restless, not tired, he moved his legion further north but was warned by his Legates and friend that he had no permission to venture any extra miles. His only response was that he himself was a politician, a Consul, and he could get himself out of any mess with the Senate that he could cause. He was a beloved figure, the Prince of Tides who stood against corruption and immorality.
He was a traditionalist to be sure.
He was idolized by most but not everyone loved him, Manius reminded him of that.
"Actaeon and Alvredus have no love for you, neither does the relatives of Balius, insufferable pig he was but his name still bares weight." Manius warned.
"To be hounded by ghosts long dead," Neptune raised his head to the sky, "may Mars always protect us with sword and shield, I have no intention of joining them so soon. I must make those who hate us, love us."
"Do what you will, friend, but nothing soothes like vengeance and you cannot give back the dead. Augustus learned that, come now, let us not journey into Germania. The Germanics have already studied too well from us."
"Then we must re-educate them back into peasantry. Ransack their lands and make amends-" a brilliant idea struck him, when he returned he would appeal to the Senate with plans of plundering Germania and with the loot, he would offer reparations to those families to win their favor.
He talked it over with Jupiter and Bellona, Bellona knew nothing of the matter and Jupiter cared not if those clans hated them for all eternity but they caved knowing that if he was successful in the Senate then they would get their chance to raid Germania.
Taking two handfuls of slaves of their own, they began their southern march back home. The procession was the first Lucretia had ever seen, the Emperors rode ahead, behind them was the Aquilifiers holding the sacred golden eagles. The generals followed in-mass then the legions, in the far back of the line came birdcages filled to capacity with slaves. Lucretia watched from the balcony with her socrum as the citizens cheered loudly with each gold or silver trinket thrown to them.
Streamers of colored paper filtered the skies and littered the ground in their success, they prevented the Gauls from conquering their land.
"It's a marvelous sight isn't it?" Accalia asked excitedly, relieved and proud to see her sons return triumphant, "to see the Empire doing so well....if they fall, so shall we, so pray that your husband and his brother are always triumphant." Words of cautious warning, Lucretia nodded.
She would pray later to always protect her husband and his brother, she knew too well what happened to wives and children of failed and murdered leaders. She waited downstairs to greet them when they arrived.
The slaves were also in attendance but Jupiter preferred that they were busy with their duties.
A few stayed to take the armor and clean it.
Neptune greeted his wife first by taking her hands and kissing her lightly, "a lyre?" He asked tiredly but imitated a happy tone as best he could.
"I'll show you another day when you've rested."
In two days, Lucretia played her lyre for him and Jupiter, despite it being newly invented, she was already pretty good at it. Neptune wanted to get back to the Senate right away, he presented his case before the Senators, many of them opposing it.
"Fathers, fathers, we battled Gauls to protect the Empire, not expand it. We have expanded south of Italiam but Germania, a land we abandoned after the massacre of Legions 17, 18 and 19. Too long brothers, have we allowed that massacre to stain us. We cannot get those legions back but we can avenge our fallen brothers finally!"
His speech while powerfully rousing their insatiable need for vengeance didn't convince everybody.
Alvredus walked with Neptune, "what do you hope to accomplish? Without my father, dear Consul, you have very little allies here." Alvredus whispered to him as they walked in step out of the Senate house.
"I do have allies, despite what you think Alvredus but I will need your help. I have an ulterior motive for this campaign and I need the majority vote to proceed."
"I'm listening."
"I want to use the loot gained in Germania for reparations to the Blandinus family and Balius' cousins."
Alvredus nodded, "noble indeed Imperatore but what will I receive for helping to sway the motion your way?"
"Five slaves, 50 denarii and a horse given to you by me in open and good faith."
That was a hefty bounty to pass up. "Scilicet Imperatori! Your will be done."
Neptune patted his shoulder, "thank you. Your contribution will not be forgotten."
During this down time, Lucretia tried to get to know her glos, whom she had spent no time with. Accalia was a nice woman once you got to know her but she was a mother through and through, still considering the Emperors as boys, she treated them no differently but she minded her place when company was kept.
Bellona was a force she never encountered before, she was impatient, brash and unladylike but she was her predecessor, Jupiter's beloved Amazon Queen.
Her first impression of the woman, all she could was ask herself why Jupiter had chosen her but perhaps he hadn't, maybe he took her in a display of power or she was offered by some barbarian king. Bellona didn't pay much attention to her, Lucretia didn't know if the woman even attended her wedding.
Lucretia tried to include her in her favorite activities but Bellona wasn't taking to any of them, Bellona's disinterest ruined her hopes of bonding like she had with her brother's wife until Bellona mentioned one of her duties as matrona, Neptune had captured his own slaves, he sold two for profit but was going to keep the other three. Two males and one female that he would send to their villa in Positano but the males had to go through a ritual before being sent away.
Lucretia thought the men would be branded or would undergo some physical change like a haircut and face shaving but that wasn't it. Bellona had summoned the medicus to preform the ritual castration of Neptune's slaves as Jupiter had sold his except for a small boy he was going to use to take care of his hunting dogs.
Even the boy would be castrated.
Bellona explained to her the need for the operation to be done, their age didn't matter, all males were castrated and it was their responsibility to make sure it happened.
There was a small cottage like building behind the villa with cells fit into the wall, that's where the three males were kept until the medicus arrived with his tools and apprentice. He greeted matrona Bellona then introduced himself to Lucretia before proceeding with his work. Lucretia flinched at the sound of their screaming.
"They'll be fine to work tomorrow, make sure you remember to tell that to Nettuno unless you have use of them."
When it was time to cast the vote, Alvredus came through by convincing the others to allow it to pass but when he came to Neptune's home to discuss receiving payment for his help, Neptune only invited him in for a late meal.
Alvredus accepted but eagerly awaited his due but that's when Neptune interrupted his hopes. "I have a provision for you, you will get all that I have promised but only if you join us on our expedition."
"I have to join you?"
"Yes. I think it will be good for you and will strengthen our business together."
"Are you blackmailing me, Imperatore?"
"Of course not. Alvredus, you are the son of my benefactor, I would never do that to you. I want you to experience the life of a soldier in hopes of understanding us more."
Alvredus nodded but disliked this stipulation, "while you were gone, Neptune, I spent a lot of time with your wife Lucretia. She's a very kind woman." He started nonchalantly, not wanting to sound too concerned as he extracted his verbal revenge.
"She is," Neptune agreed.
"We became very close, she was quite lonely without her newly appointed husband by her side."
Neptune glared at him, sitting up on his lounge, it was the reaction Alvredus wanted to see, he wanted Neptune to break under pressure, to be crushed under what he could not bend to his will and thus far his wife seemed to be the key.
"How close?" Neptune asked spacing out each word and deepening his voice to sound aggressive.
"She is a beautiful young woman, how old is she? Sixteen? A bit old for marriage but by Venus she is in her prime. I'm envious, well I can't be too envious-
"You slept with my wife?" Neptune nearly growled.
Alvredus smiled but didn't answer.
"You disgraced my Queen, my Empress? Your Imperatrix?" Neptune snarled.
Alvredus shook his head, "no." He stood, "Emperor or not, the Senate is a powerful force Nettuno. Thank you for the food, pass on my regards to Lucretia."
Unfortunately, nothing good would come from killing the man. Neptune left the dining room to find his wife. He found her in the inner courtyard practicing the cello. He knocked loudly on the pillar to get her attention. She stopped playing instantly, smiling up at her husband, "the slaves are castrated."
"Good, arrange for them to be transferred to Positano as soon as you can. Have you been spending time with Alvredus the Senator?" He got straight into the heart of the matter.
"Yes....he has been most kind while you away and helped me to present the Games....was I stepping over the line?"
"No....not particularly but you should tread with caution around Alvredus. He isn't that trustworthy. I'd ask of you to treat him with wariness but to hide it while around him."
She nodded not needing to know why, being the daughter of a politician, she knew what warnings to listen to.
Now that she knew, he signled for her to stand up and come with him.
He took her back the bed chamber.
It was another year before the omens were right to launch an attack on unsuspecting Germania. This time Lucretia was deprived of even Alvredus' company, she called on her friends from Positano to visit again but they were unable to.
Actaeon who would verbally oppose the Gallo brothers at any term, stayed clear of Lucretia who was often seen on shopping trips or in the company of the wives of the Senators introduced to her by Alvredus. One of them was Actaeon's mistress, Ilithiya, was quite a nice woman but Actaeon did not want her to speak to the Empress but Ilithiya casually shook away his concern until he pushed at her temper. "You are not my husband, Actaeon, just my lover!" She took off the golden ring he had given her to for her birthday, pitching it at him.
Actaeon began laughing to himself in his distress, he placed his hand over his eyes as a visor to block the sun pouring in from the outer courtyard. He shook his head to look up at her as she walked away. "Ilithiya! Come back!"
Ilithiya stomped her foor as she turned to face him, "to what end, Actaeon?"
"To the ends of of the world. Return to me."
Jupiter rode his horse with his helmet off, the weather was cold as they ventured through the Austrian Alps. It wasn't quite winter yet but that didn't stop the mountains from blowing snow over their tracks, over their bodies protected only by their red cloaks. Jupiter, his black hair had grown back into his eyes, his cape wrapped loosely around his neck. He didn't mind the cold whereas Bellona who rode beside him, had her hood up on her head.
Neptune kept on his helmet to deter the light snow.
Jupiter looked to his brother and wife, "why so glum my family? We will soon be in Germania gathering more slaves and riches."
"It's cold, dilectione mea." Bellona told him.
Jupiter reached over to hug Bellona, steering his horse towards hers to keep his arm wrapped around her. Neptune rolled his eyes under his helmet at their public display of affection.
"How are we doing, Senator Alvredus?" Neptune called out to Alvredus who was riding right behind him.
"Freezing my Emperor, why do you do this to me, Nettuno?"
"So you'll learn, your father was like a second father to me. He taught me politics, what kind of older brother would I be if I couldn't teach you something in gratitude, yes?"
"I rather warmer weather, Emperor. Are you Immune, Caesar Iovem?"
Jupiter lifted his head from his wife's, "the Amazon Queen keeps me warm." He responded cheerfully.
"I wish I had a Queen to keep me warm right now." Alvredus muttered to himself.
"You and every man here," Neptune answered.
"Worry not, good Senator," Bellona began speaking, "when we run into the savage Germanics, you will warm up quick enough."
"I would prefer a woman, Empress." Alvredus said as politely as he could.
"There's plenty of men here, Alvredus, I'm sure not all of them are as manly as they look," Jupiter teased, receiving a smack to the arm by Neptune, "do not tease the Senator, Lovem, if it was not for him, we would not have had permission to go on this conquest."
Jupiter turned to look back at the Senator, "is that so? Well thank you for the help then. Odd request to come with us though."
"I did not request this, Imperator."
"But since you're here, let's make good use of you. You have a gladius, when the time comes, fight the good fight, live a good life or die a good death."
"How optimistic you are Iovem."
Jupiter/Lovem/Iovem Aurelius G. and his wife Bellona strolling their palace grounds that they affectionately call "the villa". I had this commissioned from the artist hedoy on deviantart, here's her page: http://hedoy.deviantart.com/
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