The Velian house of Cisra belonged to the prosperous Etruscan nation, a league of city-states that for centuries had been the de facto power in the region. However, due to numerous military defeats that affected the authority of the central government and the loss of important cities such as Rome, the Etruscan influence had been reduced from being the major power in the region to a mere league of cities that were in constant internal wars.
The situation within the city of Cisra was no different. The ongoing wars for control of the city had caused immense damage. Many important figures of the city had died in its defense, one of them the patriarch of the Velian family, who left his wife as head of the family until his sons were old enough to take over the position.
One of them was Velithur Velianas, the second son of the Velianas family, who was especially famous for his extravagant behavior and rare qualities.
-Your Highness, it is time for your lesson! -said energetically Velthur's personal servant, Ramuthas, who as every day, was excited to fulfill his tasks, one of them was to lift the young man who was deeply wrapped in his blankets, with his hair tangled all over his face. The sudden shout woke Velthur from his sleep.
-I hear you! -Velthur answered reluctantly as he forced himself out of bed.
Everyone in the Velian household feared what actions Velthur would take, a distant figure who seemed to relate to no one and could do everything. He passed exams in all of his dozens of subjects (politics, history, philosophy, languages, religion, among others) with grades above what he required. But only Ramuthas knew how he could become too moody in the mornings.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
- Ram, remind me of my duties today,” said Velthur as he approached the bowl of water and dipped his head in it.
- I think we will follow your mother's plans, she seems determined that the family will participate in the next military campaigns.
-Very well, I will go there right now. -Vilthur said as he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, which seemed to have been fixed after he tied it up. Going against my mother's ambitions will only cause harm to my plans.
-I understand, Your Highness.
Velthur trudged towards the central hall, still analyzing the situation he found himself in. He knew his mother and knew she was not a bad mother, she was a capable woman who put her family above all else and was determined to bring back her glory days. But that is where her interests clashed with Velthur's, who only wanted to live a life away from the intrigues of politics and live a life of wealth and comfort.
Arriving at his mother's study, he cautiously knocked on the finely decorated door. “Mother, it's me.”
“Come in, Velthur.”
Opening the door, the familiar image of a beautiful but characteristically scowling woman surrounded by parchment and wax candles. Livia Veliana, the current Head of the Velian family, was seated behind her desk which both she and the former heads of the family had used to deal with the problems that plagued the pride of the Velian family.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
- You are too beautiful for a wrinkle to remain on your face, Mother,” Velthur said as he approached the desk and sat down on a vacant space.
-“I'll leave a scar over yours if you ever damage the desk,” she complained, as she pointed to her trusty dagger at her waist, “I've told you a hundred times that it's not something you should sit on.
“I don't think you could hurt one of your best creations, sure Thesmus and Larthia might have gotten away with it, but we both know I was the product of perfection.”
A constant joke Velthur used, but it was not far from the truth, everyone admired the intelligence of this one, and how since he was a baby the gods had blessed the family with a child fit to ascend to greatness.
This only resulted in a constant nightmare for Velthur the day he was born: but for his mother, it only gave her a key piece to be used with extreme care for the resurgence of the family.
In Velthur's opinion, the kind of education he received was too strict: not only did he have to memorize the content of the teachings, but he had to think and devise how to use it, something that even he, a person who had already gone through years of habit of a modern, standardized learning system, found hard to keep up with.
But nothing could be done about it, considering the family misfortune at that very moment: both his father and most of his uncles had been killed in the city's campaigns, reducing the Velian family numbers to a laughable five.
All of Velthur's studies were organized by the head Livia. She was exceptionally strict with her children because she said that as the sole heirs of the family, they would have to be more than geniuses to deal with all the problems they faced.
In addition to his mother tongue, Velthur, who could write Latin at age 8, learned Punic, Latin, and Greek at 11, and experimented with Umbrian at 13. Something his siblings had also been required to do but only he had been able to keep up with the demands, something he had only learned about a few years ago.
“Good. Now take a seat, we have much to discuss.” Lady Livia said as she put aside her scrolls.
- Soon there will be an expedition in Syracuse, led by the Levanus family, they call for the support of all families, claiming that glory will be shared by merit.
Velthur knew what his mother was referring to, the Etruscan cities were known for their economic prosperity and pride in the development of their cities, but one of the reasons they were benefiting from that was because of the so-called invasions that were just piracy to nearby ports.
- Do you want to start securing the votes now? - His mother just smiled at the quick deduction.
- But it is a good opportunity for us, our family has been away from the central politics of the city for many years, and if it were not for the continuous benefits of our business we would have been delegated to a secondary family years ago.
- Something I can easily claim credit for, so I would like to see it avoided from any plans of yours.
“...Your brother's coming-of-age ceremony is coming soon, the only reason we have been left alone is because of the agreement your father made with the other families and this will end once your brother takes over.”
- I cannot participate in the invasion, not only am I far from the required age, but I have advanced....
A sudden thump on the table interrupted any excuse the young Velthur might have thought of - Vel, I have let you do whatever you want for the last two years, but it is time for you to focus on helping your brother to lead the family.
-All right mother, I'll do the best I can - Knowing that the options seemed to have run out, Velthur could only resign himself to it.
- Livia relaxed her face once she heard her son's words - You will take some men from the family guard, you can choose them after you finish getting used to them and you will be given the exclusive privilege of the hall until you leave.
-Understood. Is there any way to know about the families that will participate and their representatives?
-Ask Romunus, he will also take care of everything you need to get ready.” Livia stood up from her seat, as she approached Velthur to hug him.
It was a side that few saw of the patriarch of the family, but the woman knew that as a mother, she had to make sure that her children received the corresponding affection. But she knew what the world was like and how she could be seen as weak in her displays of affection for her children, so she made sure that her office was only for her children and herself.