When Heracles first stepped onto Roman land, Italian land, he realized that even with all the thought he had put into their going to Rome, it was still going to be too much to comprehend.
Before, Rome had simply been the place, or more the setting, where Heracles and his mother would go and meet all the other nations. He had expected that to be the complicated part.
But looking at the large city, with many more people than had been in Heracles's small Greek village, and all the new, modern inventions they used in daily life, it was clear the land and city itself could be just as enigmatic.
For a country that was constantly fighting. Rome seemed relatively peaceful as its central city. As the ship was unloaded, Heracles looked out and tried to stretch his vision and mind as far as they could go. Apparently, the Romans carried water throughout the city with aqueducts. The green-eyed boy watched as merchants argued over fish. Broken bits of Latin were snagged by Heracles as he tried to understand what they were saying. He had studied Latin with his mother, but he wasn't nearly fluent and sincerely hoped that Romans would know some Greek as well- even though it wasn't him communicating.
Heracles hadn't heard his mother come up, but he was now aware of her presence. The green-eyed boy gazed out at the city and said, a mixture of a question and a statement, "That's part of the greatest empire in the world…"
"Yes, it is." Petra replied. "Right now…"
According to her they were to driven into the city by a carriage. Apparently that was different from most people, who would walk. While the two of them waited, Heracles began pondering over to what extent did the Romans' show their admiration for Greek culture? Would this city hold some form of familiarity?
Suddenly Heracles heard the carriage approaching. Looking up, the boy spotted a gray-haired man climbing out of their means of transportation. Despite his hair color, the man seemed to be rather young, though he had a tired aura of sorts. As he approached Heracles and his mother, the Greek boy could see the lines on his face, the strange violet color of his eyes, and how forced his smile seemed to be.
"This is Byzantium," Petra introduced the man to her son, giving no indication of a human name.
Byzantium nodded. "Petra, Heracles. Welcome to Rome. Did you have a good journey?" Heracles noted his fluent Greek, but began to drift away from the conversation. All their things were in the carriage. Between Heracles and his mother, they had brought very little.
Something nudged Heracles's foot. Looking down, he saw that it was the spotted black and white cat from before. I wish I could bring you…Heracles began seriously considering that, wondering if he could smuggle a cat with him all the way through Rome. Just as he was about to scoop up the cat, (actually, several more had gathered) his mother pulled on his arm. "Come, Heracles!"
Into the carriage the three got, and off through the city they went.
Throughout the whole ride, Petra and Byzantium discussed politics and fighting, or at least that's what Heracles thought. They spoke in quick Latin, so it was somewhat hard to figure out what they were saying. However, the stress in his mother's voice was evident.
That, Heracles didn't understand. Like he had observed before, Rome seemed tranquil. Now that they were on the streets, speeding towards the palace, Heracles got a look at the way the people of Rome lived.
He could see masters with their slaves (some of them were Greek, he noticed) children walking or playing, some off to see their tutors, mules and oxen carrying merchandise in carts, and bakeries and theatres opening. He could see people empty their slop buckets out the window, and was sincerely glad that he was in a carriage.
Accordingly, Rome had a king, but also a legislature with the Senate and others, so Rome as in the personification didn't have a palace in the royal sense. It was a villa actually. Rome was just another rich Roman citizen, serving in the army, at least to everyone else.
Heracles wondered just how much more there was to him, before falling asleep, as expected by him.
In the villa, all the little green-eyed boy could do was stand impassively behind his mother as she spoke in angry Latin.
The Roman barbarian, as Heracles could pick up, was not even there. He had been off fighting in some far-off European land, and would be returning shortly. The way Heracles saw it, his mother despised Rome and probably hadn't wanted to see him anyway, so what did it matter?
But he didn't voice that opinion. From the looks Byzantium gave him, the occasional glances from high-ups, who could be nations of officials, maybe officers in the Army, Heracles could see that impudent children weren't taken kindly to there. Especially not children of a powerful woman, one who might become the sole personification of the country Greece.
So Heracles stayed silent as his mother talked, a neutral expression on his face, only hoping to be up to their expectations.
With no Rome so far and his mother usually caught up with Byzantium or other political matters, Heracles found it quite easy to get back to his regular schedule. Eating, reading, sleeping (especially sleeping) and practicing Latin when he could- it was a content lifestyle anywhere. Heracles would also often explore the villa.
One day- he had lost track how many days they had been there, sad as it is- Heracles saw a strange sight for the villa. He saw a boy his age, or so. The boy had some strange cloth tied around his head, so Heracles couldn't see much of his hair. His skin tone wasn't like that of the other Romans. Accompanying the strange boy was a black dog.
The seemed just as surprised to see Heracles as he himself; he looked the Greek boy over, as if searching for some mark of recognition.
The boy raised his eyes to Heracles's, and past the surprise, Heracles could recognize some strange familiarity, even though he was pretty sure he'd never seen this boy before. Was that pity?
The Heracles heard his name being called. The boy turned around and whisked around a corner, the dog trotting faithfully behind him.
The green-eyed boy turned to see Byzantium there. Before he could stop himself, he asked, "Who was that?"
"Who was who?
"That boy. With the dog.'
Byzantium let out a small sigh. "Him. Never mind him. Listen, boy, he's come back" it didn't take much deciphering to figure out who "he" was-"so you'd best obey your mother's wishes and go see the man."
Heracles could almost feel the paranoia coming off Byzantium.
Inside, he felt curiosity and anticipation- well, as much as he could feel- but on the outside, he just nodded.
His mother despised Rome, and Byzantium seemed to hold some fear and hatred against him, as well. But Heracles wanted to give the man the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he could re-conjure some love. He decided then to act like a good son for him and everybody else. Just as expected.
A/N: Screw reality. They landed in Rome :D
Anyways, I'll write more over the holidays, but since I'm going to be seeing relatives, don't expect much.
Please review, and Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, or whatever. I guess just happy holidays!
