They dragged it out for seven months. Rome withered, sick and tired for seven months. His people starved for seven months. Then it all ended, quickly and shamefully. Not with a battle, a skirmish, an assassination, or one drop of blood. Just gold. The gauls left because of money.
The news came at night. They had already finished dinner. They sat on the same couch, Rome besides Cisra, listening to some flute performance. Rome was pretty sure there were etruscan implications that came with their arrangement. Cisra was very warm.
There had been talk for a month about how the siege was going to end soon. Camillus had wanted to raise an army. He didn't. The gauls messed with the scales. They had to pay extra. Woe to the conquered. Woe to Rome.
"This is fantastic, isn't it?" Cisra turned to face him. An almost loopy smile on his face. "You'll be able to go home."
"It's fantastic." With self discipline he thought Juppiter would envy he returned the smile. "Simply unbelievable."
An attempt at placating him, Cisra did not mention how exactly the gauls left. He went on about how brave Rome was. Rome did not enjoy it.
At the end, Cisra could not help damaging his pride more, "Do you want to stay any longer?" Always accommodating. One might even say too much.
Rome breathed, "You're so kind," He grabbed Cisra arm. Maybe too hard. But not hard enough to be certainly construed as unbrotherly. He relaxed his grip and rubbed, gently, "You've been a great rock these past few months. But I can't. My people need me." Cisra had been a good host during all of it. He had never made him feel ashamed. Well, except now.
Cisra's breath smelled of wine, "I had to offer."
Rome swallowed and let go. He hoped his cheeks were not red. He wondered what would happen if he pushed Cisra. Or what would happen if Cisra pushed him. He knew what he would do. He would give in.
He excused himself to bed soon after that.
X
Rome left the next day. Veii did not speak to him, up until the last minute mingling with anyone but a latin. A melancholy at leaving fellow Rasenna. Rome almost felt bad for her. He saw her whisper to Cisra, but could not overhear the conversations.
Cisra laden Rome with gifts. And supplied most of the carts. And all of the animals. So much of his specialty black pottery. Rome was coming back with more than double the amount of things he came with. He would need to return the favor to Cisra. At a later date.
"I hope they help you redecorate. I've only given you the best of the best"
Rome did not doubt that, "I'll use all of them."
"I'll come visit you in a few years when the rebuilding is done. Then we'll have to set up that appointment with Carthage."
"I can't wait. I've heard so much about her."
A slave came and gently placed more pottery on the nearest wagon. It had an etruscan inscription on it. Rome picked it up and read it, right to left.
"A beautiful thing… for a beautiful woman?"
"I didn't think you'd find that one so soon."
He put it back and laughed, "I guess it's nice I'm not an ugly woman."
X
Not everything was destroyed, but too much to feel great about being back. He had gotten used to the gaudyness of Caere. Ah, at least he thought in his own language again.
The rebuilding got along. They didn't make a plan. Just putting whatever they needed in whatever space easiest.
He was put in a small little house on the capitoline hill. No one told him what had happened to the previous residents of it. He found a doorway with markings of a child's height.
Veii got into a bitchy mood soon after they got back. She seemed very pleased at the idea some of his citizens were throwing around of relocating to Veii.
"Wouldn't it be funny? The irony. I wonder if-"
His head in his hands. He did not want to hear this, "Shut up. Shut up or I'll kill you." She stopped.
He wasn't really worried about it. If they did relocate, he wouldn't die. His people would still be alive and well, just in another location. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't hate the idea. It's the principle of it. He'd rather represent soil that had always been latin than recently taken etruscan.
Camillus vehemently opposed the idea. He carried a lot of weight now. It probably wouldn't happen. It definitely wouldn't happen. His palms grow sweaty thinking about it.
He was tired. He didn't want to think about this. Part of him missed Caere. He had been a nice distraction, always throwing nice banquets and taking Rome to places when he could.
Rome stood, and went to lay down in his bedroom. He needed to sleep.
Author's note/Historical context: There was serious discussion about packing up and moving to Veii. It had essentially turned into a roman colony (which will be relevant later!) at this point and it wouldn't have been that hard.
In official roman histories they all say that camillus raised an army and fought off the Gauls and retook the gold. Modern historians raise their eyebrows at that. I've went with them, if anything for plot.
We don't know that much about etruscan culture (besides what they gave to the Romans)... so I'm sorta extrapolating on nothing lol.
next chapter is a sleep dream flashback!
Hope you enjoy! Reviews are very appreciated
