Chapter XII. A Visit with Grandmother
Mother had arranged it to arrive about a day prior to the demobilization of the IX legion, the Order of the Black Dragons. First in, last out, Father always said. He commanded a cohort of the reserves when ordered up for defense of The Empress. My grandfather, Brutus Linux Castor, was the Legate of the IX Legion. This meant besides being the supreme commander of the legion, he was also the steward of the planet where the legion was headquartered. Grandfather had stayed in the active service of The Empress. He had never wanted to raise cows, rather he had served Empress Alivia Cartorius Adona's mother Empress Abiliana Cartorius Augusta when he first joined the Legion. It was said that he was the spoke of the Black Dragon Legion.
So Mother had contacted Grandmother, Livina Marcellus Aidia, at her residence near the palace prior to our leaving so we would have a place to stay until The Empress granted our family leave to return home. Grandmother Livina was the eldest daughter of Ignatius and Adela. She was around five hundred years old. Livina had gotten a villa in Lothlόrien after Father returned with Mother as his spouse. Generally in Latin families, multigenerational families resided on the estate. Grandmother was an exception because Grandfather remained in the active legion. She decided to live at the capital because Grandfather, as the Legate and Steward had offices there. She had moved her household to the Steward's villa which was nearer The Empress' palace and had given her old villa in Lothlórien to her younger brother and his spouse.
It was felt by us at the time that she missed Grandfather if she stayed at Kolir. I actually knew that it was the other way around and Grandmother would have preferred to live with her mother and father and with us at family estate in the country and serve my mother. Yet her loyalty to Grandfather was such that she stayed at Lothlórien to please him and to see her other son, Aurelius and his son Johannes.
Upon arrival at the capital, we left Arvi, Drusilla, and Fauna as they were staying at the Legion transient housing. We hailed a coach at the depot and gave directions to get to Grandmother's villa. Mother talked to her using her book and Grandmother told us to hurry as she was very excited to see us. We had spoken often via the books during the war but we had not seen Grandmother Livina since her last visit three years prior. She was waiting at the front of her villa and ran to the street when we arrived. With her came three academy cadets. They helped with our bags.
"Dif tor heh smusma, T'Sai T'Naa," said Livina addressing Mother formally as the lady of the House of Marcellus. She had her hand raised in the ta'al.
"Sochya dif tor, T'Sai Livina, acting steward of Hellenes," returned Mother.
Grandmother's soft hazel eyes seemed to be smiling and full of genuine warm and love. "I am so happy you have come." She waited until Mother reached out her right hand and lightly touched Livina's left shoulder. Grandmother responded in kind.
"How are my two grandchildren? You both have grown so much; the videos from the book are not satisfactory." Livina hugged both Lucia and I.
She turned toward one of the cadets and speaking in Latin now said, "Apollonius take my family's things to the rooms they will occupy."
"Yes, Mulierius Marcellus," responded Apollonius. He was a young cadet from the academy.
Grandmother turned to the remaining cadets and said, "Ensure that the tea and light food are ready and placed out in the courtyard behind the villa. Also, get some wine from the cellar."
They both nodded and left quickly to complete their errand. Since Grandfather had been gone to the war for five years, Grandmother took over the role as the planet's steward. This is basically an appointment by The Empress and functions like a governor of the world. The steward oversees the appointments of the senators that meet with The Empress, basic administration of the planet, and order and control among other things. So the steward always has military personnel functioning as aides or perhaps it was inferred as servants. On Hellenes, the IX Legion functioned as the security/police force of the planet.
At Livina's villa, the House language was Latin. I remember thinking it was amusing that Mother had to speak Latin, since she did not really like the language. Yet I learned later that it was not a dislike as much as her inexperience in our early age with our father gone to war.
Livina lead us into the tiled courtyard behind the villa. It had the tiles laid out in a circular pattern alternating with yellow and red the official colours of Empress Alivia. It was shaded from the hot sun by many trees, mostly olive and various citrus, with some ginkgos. Her koi pond had a water effect which sprayed a jet of water vertically for about two meters. This spray was fine and misty and caused many birds to fly through the yard. Near the grotto to the Lady always found in Latin courtyards, she had a stone table placed. It was hand carved from a dark granite rock and wicker chairs were placed about it. Her cadets had placed a lace cloth over the table. It was covered with food and drink. She had planned a meal upon our arrival.
As we entered the courtyard, Grandmother turned and said, "In my excitement, I forgot my manners." She looked at Mother and said, "Mistress T'Naa may the Creator bless you and your children as you enter my roof." She ended with a slight bow of the head to our mother indicating she was the head of our House.
Mother responded, "Meus Deus beatus totus huic domus."
Livina looked over the table saw that the wine was not to her liking so she turned and noting that Apollonius had returned said, "Apollonius, please go to the cellar and get some of the Rhennish wine."
"Sic Mulierius Marcellus," replied Apollonius as he nodded assent and left to complete his task. He was tall, perhaps two centimeters above two meters, with blonde hair, green eyes, and a pleasant smiling face. He was a cadet in the legion rather than the navy and carried himself with a proud demeanor, yet he was not arrogant. I found I liked him and wondered by his name if he was originally from the world of Gondor.
Livina had us be seated and we started on the fine meal set before us. The fare before us was a pleasant mix of sweet meats, cheese, citrus, various raw vegetables, and a few sugary sweets. Lucia and I ate with great relish, enjoying the meal. Shortly, Apollonius returned with the wine and poured Mother and Grandmother each a glass. He stood near awaiting any other wishes from Grandmother.
Mother tasted the wine and said, "Livina you called this Rhennish?" I was surprised as Mother rarely drank anything but water, spiced tea, or citrus.
"Sic T'Naa, it is a dry purple wine quite liked on ch'Rihan."
"ch'Rihan?" questioned Mother, surprise on her face. "How did you ever get wine from the Rihannsu?"
"An Orion from the star system Bellatrix was in the capital last year. He had somehow managed to get some of the various liquors and other contraband from outside of the empire. I traded him for a case of Rhennish. So I received a box containing a dozen liter bottles, well-aged. What do you think?"
T'Naa sipped and rolled the wine about the inside of her mouth and then slowly swallowed. Her eyes seemed to indicate enjoyment.
"It is robust, very pleasant for such a dry wine. Yet I am surprised that The Empress allowed such contraband into the empire. It seems illogical to allow such action. And how would an Etosha ever obtain trade goods from the Rihannsu? They hate the Orions. Most illogical."
Livina smiled and said intimately and with a secretive smirk, "Probably using those rat-like Ferengi as in intermediary in bargaining. Besides dear daughter, here at The Capital, much occurs that would surprise you residents of the agrarian areas. I know for a fact that Empress Alivia has two cases. Perhaps my two grandchildren may try some?"
"Sic," replied Mother with a thoughtful look upon her olive countenance. I noticed see barely concealed that smirking slight uplift of her lips, indicating she thought what Grandmother had said was amusing.
Livina glanced at Cadet Apollonius with her eyes and indicated that he procure Lucia and me each a small glass of the Rihannsu wine. He complied and soon we each had a small tumbler of the dark violet liquor placed before us. I sampled mine. It tasted bitter but not unpleasant.
Grandmother smiled and asked, "Marcus do you find its taste enjoyable?"
"Sic, Grandmother," I answered. "It is somewhat bitter, but I find I like the taste."
Lucia made a face that caused us to laugh; even Apollonius had a hint of a smile. She set the glass down and said, "Too dry and bitter for me, I wish it were sweeter."
Mother again smiled her quiet Vulcan way and said, "Livina it is agreeable to visit and your parents wished me to invite you and Brutus for a visit before the winter."
Livina shrugged and smiled softly, saying, "I will discuss it with him, T'Naa." She paused and sipped more of the Rhennish and then continued, "A momentous occasion, soon our family will be reunited. Five years of war is too much. I must say, T'Naa, for a Vulcan you seem to have forsaken your suppressed emotion control. I have not seen you this happy since the birth of Marcus."
T'Naa blushed a faint green on her neck and responded, "Well the war is complete, soon I will see Gratius; logically it causes me to smile to be reunited with my mate. While I studied Surak and C'thia, I never fully embraced the teaching of either; I was such a rebel as a young girl. Meeting and marrying your son freed me from what I felt was the joyless life of logic and emotion suppression. I have been among you Latins too long. Two children, Elders, friends, they all add pleasure to a life. It is difficult to not respond with joy, only logical as my sa'mekh would say. I doubt he would agree with my statement though. My emotion control is excellent, I just decide to enjoy my inner feelings and allow some release."
Livina laughed and said, "The sundered have a proverb: Certain it is and sure love burns, ale burns, fire burns, politics burn. But cold were life without them. Perhaps you are really a Rihann that was taken and raised on Vulcan."
Mother smiled at hearing the proverb from our separated brothers and said, "When I was a little ko-tik, I saw the how Latins enjoyed life. I read of the Rihannsu, I often wished I was one or the other."
"Knowing that both my foremothers were Rihannsu caused me to be interested in this part of me," continued T'Naa. It was not commonly know that in our House that we had Rihannsu DNA in our makeup.
She turned to Lucia and me and added, "Fortunate are you that your pater was a Latin or maybe we would be living on ch'Rihan."
Lucia and I laughed for several moments; then Grandmother said, "Your Vulcan has added much to my family line. I think of you as being Latin in spirit, dear daughter. Lucky for my filius that you chose him and lucky for my parents and me that you are here." She paused and looked at Lucia and me. Then she continued, "T'Naa and Alivia, I am blessed with two excellent daughters and Johannes, Lucia, and Marcus three fine grandchildren." She stopped and drank more rhennish and then coyly said to Mother, "Perhaps once my filii are home I will get more grandchildren?"
"That would be a logical assumption," stated T'Naa with a slight mischievous hint in her soft voice. I noticed a slight green colour on her neck again. She was slightly embarrassed by her intimate remark.
Lucia looked at me and then said, "Mater, Avum, is it possible for my amcitia, Drusilla to be with us tomorrow when the ships arrive? She would like to see and meet The Empress."
"So I imagine Fauna accompanied her daughter-in-law Arvi?" questioned Grandmother quietly and thoughtfully.
"Sic," returned mother softly. It was known that Fauna and Grandmother had been best friends as young girls. Yet now they were not close because of her marriage to Grandfather, Brutus. Many of the residents around Kolir and its neighboring towns did not like my grandfather. I was never certain why this was the case.
Grandmother sat for a moment musing and then said, "Certainly Lucia, they could stand with us. Alivia will be near us awaiting Aurelius' return. It will be amusing to be surrounded by the Red Guard on the platform. Marcus, I imagine you will like to see the legionaries in their red armor?"
I nodded.
"Johannes is set to arrive from Gondor. We will see him tomorrow," said Grandmother.
"He is no longer teaching at the academy?" asked my mother.
"Non, he is soon to be again stationed on some ship as I understand."
As I heard this, I thought about my cousin, Empress Alivia's son. I had not seen him in five years. Even though I had been only five years, I remembered him very well. Brown haired like his mother, blue eyes that always seemed to be smiling, he was a tall lanky young man fifty years my senior. He had attended the university and broke tradition of the males of our family by joining the imperial navy. Grandfather was not pleased but accepted it. Johannes had spent the last six years as a teaching professor for the naval academy located on Gondor near the capital city of Rivendell. He looked like his father with the recessive round ears instead of pointed ears like his mother. I wondered if he would remember me, since he was man and I but a child. I idolized my older cousin. He was serving, seeing planets, teaching, everything that I anxious to start, yet at ten I had twenty years ahead of me before any of my wishes would start.
The evening passed rapidly with Mother and Grandmother exchanging much information and the talk returned to the villa and farm. It was evident that Livina missed her home by Kolir. She told us much about her activity as acting Steward of Hellenes and how Alivia was also very overjoyed that the war was terminated. Soon the evening ended and we all retired, anxious for the return of the troops on the morrow.