"Hidden talent count for nothing"
- Nero Caludius Suetonius, Life of Nero
Among the many institutions that make up the overall image of Roman society. The collegia is one of the most important legal entities, they function as social clubs or religious groups in service to the city and the people. What many would consider to be the back bone of Rome, the guilds that rose from the collegia system, brought much order and direction to the many plebians and specialists of the era.
One rather obscure and often overlooked group are the ones responsible for building the many grand structures of the city, the Architecti. While most of the construction work is done by laborers, it is the architecti that design and meticulously plan out the construction of the project. It is not wrong to say, that they are the backbone of the foundation that prompts Rome up for all to see. They were the engineers of old, that predated the word itself.
Equipped with this knowledge, Julius sought the guidance of the architecti in teaching the would be legionnaires in the way of construction. He understands the significance of engineers in warfare, as all across the history of his old world, siege warfare is an eternal constant. Whether a nation be at peace or at war, infrastructure is king.
Julius faces the entrance of what should have been the architecti's guild. Lamenting on the dilapidated state of the building.
"Even they were unable to uphold the essence of their profession..."
He enters, scanning the intricately designed hallways. In a saddened voice he continues...
"Shame...these people have so much skill, yet they were forgotten and wasted away."
Julius notices what looks like to be old schematics spread open on a large wooden table. Admiring the designs with a spark in his eyes, similar to the great columns of the curia, he can't help but be mesmerised at what he would consider as a great piece of human history brought to life. Something was strange however, the room felt and looked like it has been abandoned for some time, dust was everywhere, yet these schematics look clean...
Right when he connected the dots, a voice calls out to him from deeper within the building.
"Whoever you are! I already told your master to fuck off!"
Frantic footsteps echo throughout the hall, growing closer as an annoyed voice shouts.
"For the last time! this area is not for sale!"
A familiar woman shows herself, defiantly striding towards Julius. Asserting herself as she adds.
"And get your hands off those! you have no business touching them with your dirty paws!"
She shoves Julius aside with no particular care for who he was. Focused only in protecting the papers from who she considered to be a clueless servant. To her, the only thing that mattered at that moment was the safety of the schematics.
Sighing in annoyance, she stands her ground and warns Julius.
"Listen you welp....No matter what my father or my brother says, as long as I am alive and breathing, this hall will NEVER be given to the likes of you!"
"You will see ash cover the land before you can even dream of owning this place."
Stunned by her bold words, Julius felt relieved that the passion of the is not yet lost amidst the decaying city. Amused, he responds lightheartedly...
"That's good to hear, but it would be such a shame to lose this building and its history..."
Surprised, she quickly turns to face him. Confused she asked.
"Huh?! who the hell even are yo-"
But before she could finish her question, a the loud grumbled voice of a man could be heard from the outside. Beckoning for her as he searched.
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"Flora! if you are in that accursed hall again, on Jupiter's name I will-"
He enters the hall catching a quick glimpse of Julius before he proceeds to briskly approach her. He passes Julius, grabbing the woman on her arm before finally realizing...
"Wha- dictator Julius?!"
Flora, now in a state of disarray, cuts in...
"Dictator who?!"
In response, Julius simply said.
"That I am."
The three eventually managed to move into a more proper space to talk. Inviting Julius to their abode, the man introduced himself as Vitruvius. Recognising his name, Julius contemplates for a moment.
"Vitruvius...as in Marcus Vitruvius Pollio? the master architect that authored the "De architectura" books?"
Questions flooded his mind. For some time now he had suspected that there were major discrepancies in the timeline he was familiar with. He already considered the death of Pompey the great to be a huge indicator of what to expect from this world. Yet he could not help but hold on to this delusion that maybe neo Roma was a close 1 to 1 copy of old Rome. Julius figured, that it would have been greatly helpful for him to be able to use his own familiarity with Roman history to predict certain events and outcomes. But alas, it seemed day by day, such hopes dwindle.
Vitruvius sat himself next to their wooden dining table, his daughter gravitating next to him. He offers Julius a wooden stool to sit on, to the dismay of Flora...
"Must we really show courtesy to the king of the dogs father?..."
Unfazed by the insult, Julius scoffs and lets out a light chuckle before her father snaps back at her.
"Flora! keep your mouth shut!"
While they never considered themselves to be amicable to politicians. Vitruvius understands the many nuances that come with dealing with them. He was wise and patient in this regard, but his daughter held no such sentiments. She was not reserved nor cautious of what she says about them. To her, they were all the same, dirty animals that grabbed onto power, turning her city into the den that it is now.
"Do not test my patience after you went into that shit hole again!"
Flora's face contorts in disbelief. Despite how many times she has been told off like this, she still cannot accept that her father, Vitruvius himself, has given up on the collegia. She grew up in those halls, watching his father as he worked day in and day out. Naturally, she slowly started to develop an interest. At first, she sneaked into the halls with the help of her brother, normally this would have been frowned upon as women are not seen to be suited to such a masculine field. But her father not only allowed her to join in, but he was ecstatic to have a daughter so interested in his craft. Flora remembers those days fondly, as only then did she ever see his normally pensive father have the such a bright smile.
This is why, she simply could not accept what her hero has become. The man that she idolized all of her life, it pained her greatly that the passion that once overflowed from him, dry out like the many tears she shed alone at night...
So she screamed...wailing and crying, like a child desperately wanting something from her parent in the supermarket.
"You loved that shit hole father! that was your life, you raised me and my brother under that roof!"
Pointing at her father before continuing...
"I was happy there! I was happy working with brother, I was happy working with YOU!"
"I was happy being next to YOU, I was happy watching YOU, I was happy helping YOU!"
She bellowed, gesturing towards the general direction of the collegia.
"But now when I look at your face, I don't see my father, I see a broken man"
"I...see...a STRANGER"
"I thought I only lost mother when she died in that fire, but it feels like I also lost my father as well!"
Vetruvius slams on the wooden table with all his might. The sound shocks the sobbing girl quite.
"FLORA!"
His shout shakes the poor girl to her core...
"Say that you were to continue to work as an architecti, say that I allow you to open that hall again. WHO WOULD WANT YOUR SERVICE?! You are a WOMAN!"
The room fell into silence, the desperate cries of a pleading girl were replaced by the deafening sound of silence.
"..."
In that moment, many things broke within that room. A daughter's heart...a fathers word...a family's love...the sound of silence....
"I would"
"I would want her service..."
"In fact, NEED her service."
It was Julius, he felt many things building up to that moment. Sadness, regret, fear...Pain...
These emotions flocked to him, almost like it was radiating from the father and the daughter in front of him...this was an ability honed by Julius in his old world...empathy...
Vitruvius scoffs histerically. He stares at Julius, eye to eye, looming over the sitting man.
"OH you need her?! You know nothing of her skill or work ethic...but you NEED her eh?!"
Taken aback by the sudden advance, Julius hesitated for a moment before replying...
"Yes...yes I do. It is true that I know nothing, but what use is one's talent and skill if nobody else gets to see it?"
He stands up, posturing himself against him, almost challenging Vitruvius.
"Afterall, hidden talent count for nothing..."
Julius walks around the man, striding towards the sobbing girl. Offering her a clean rag to wipe her tears. Flora grabs a hold of it tightly, attempting to suppress the unimaginable pain and sorrow she is feeling.
"Come to the plaza tomorrow morning...I need your skills there..."
She could not control herself, in that state, she was unable to deny nor accept Julius's offer. But it did not matter...he didn't need to hear her words, he will know her answer in the day after. Julius looks back towards Vitruvius ,he gives him a small nod before leaving room. That last thing he heard was the pained sobs of Flora as she dropped down to her knees.
"A-aahh....*hick*....aaaAAH!"