Lady of War

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The seventeen year old Roman demigoddess stood at the large statue of Bellona. The statue was glorious with the goddess of war's face stern and looking forward. Tanzania Cludia Africanus, the child of this female war deity as well as a granddaughter of Venus, admired the statue, wondering if her mother really looked like this. If she did, Tanzania would be more intimated than she was now. Tanzania wore a black, sleeveless shirt, a pair of black jeans, and combat boots. At first glance, you would think she was the snooty type of person, but that wasn't accurate. She was actually a very down to earth and humble. After a minute of staring up at the face of her mother, she turned around and started to walk farther into the temple, exhaling, and placing a hand on her lip.

Leandra was not one of the most devout Romans in the camp, or in New Rome, but she did visit the temples and bring offerings on occasion. Bellona was one she visited more than others. The goddess of battle, of war, and of brokering treaties. In truth, ever since they had learned of the Greeks and Reyna had prevented total annihilation, Leandra had come to Bellona at least once a week to pray for continued peace. She never truly believed that peace would last, but she would work her hardest to make it.

Which is why she walked quietly into the temple carrying a fairly large basket of fruits and vegetables. She didn't make much noise, she never did, as she walked up towards the imposing figure of Bellona's statue. Another girl was in the temple, one of the newer recruits, but older, much older. And taller. Wasn't she a child of Bellona? Or was she a child of Venus? Leandra couldn't remember. From the 4th, Tanny or Tanzia, Tasmania, no that wasn't right.

The younger Roman set down her offering near the base of the statue and mouthed a silent prayer, then looked up at the older girl. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."

Tanzania didn't notice the girl walk into the temple until she addressed her, excusing herself from 'disturbing' her. The demigoddess shrugged it off and walked toward the younger shorter girl. "No need to apologize. In all honesty, it's nice to see others paying some respect to my beautiful mother. Especially other females. " Tanzania stood there for about a minute before offering her hand. "I'm Tanzania Cludia Africanus. Daughter of Bellona and legacy of Venus." A small smile appeared on her light brown face.

"Leandra Kershaw, daughter of Angerona, the keeper of Rome's secret name, goddess of easing distress and agony." Leandra replied politely, "You're from the 4th, correct? Decent cohort, although, you know, we will always kick your butts in war games." She said with a friendly smile at the older girl. It was strange, talking to a probatio who was so old and yet a full-blooded demigod, or a half-blooded demigod, one should say.

Hearing the name of the goddess parent of this Leandra, Tanzania's eyes grew wide. She has heard about Angerona, she was an ancient goddess of Rome which even the citizens knew only a small portion about. "Well, you're more than welcome to stay." She gave her a friendly nod and was walking toward the foot of the statue when Leandra said something about "kicking butts". The Roman demigod turned around to face the other. "Excuse me?"

Leandra smiled in a friendly, but competitive way."I said we're going to kick your butts during wargames. I'm from the 3rd, so y'know, cohort competitiveness." She replied, still smiling. It wasn't malice, it was pure friendly competition. Something fun. Of course, also bragging rights.

Tanzania nearly scoffed when she heard the daughter of Angerona repeat her previous statement. "Oh, okay, sure." The seventeen year old demigod rolled her eyes playfully before walking passed her, bumping her shoulder against Leandra's. "Just make sure you wear a lot of armor. I don't want to put you in the infirmary."

Leandra laughed, despite it being fairly quiet it echoed through the temple. "I'll be the one in the infirmary, reapplying your gluteals after they get handed to you." The younger Roman said, enjoying the smack talk immensely. Some people took it way too seriously, and while Leandra was all about the glory of the 3rd, the glory of the legion was the main concern. She saw the competitive spirit as benefit, but any one cohort always winning or losing did mean they needed to improve it. All cohorts should be strong. Strong enough to be a challenge to there others.

"Ha! That's funny, kid. I like you." She continued laughing for a bit before looking up at her mother's statue and then back down at Leandra. "Just make sure you pick up your teeth that are going to be laying down on the ground." Tanzania sat down on a bench and crossed her legs in a lady-like way. The Roman brought out a imperial gold dagger , pricking it against her index finger, studying it.

Leandra laughed, then knelt at the statue of Bellona and said a prayer, she stood up and looked back at Tanzia. "Does it feel awkward being a probatio and older than most people in the Legion?" It wasn't one of the questions she would usually ask, but it was driving her crazy. She was still younger than a lot of members of the legion, even though she had done over half her time in the legion already. She wanted to know if other people felt it was as awkward the other way around.

"Awkward? I hadn't really thought about it. Though I do wish that they would have accepted me sooner." Tanzania mumbled under her breath and started to play with her ring. "I have so much strength and loyalty to offer them." The demigoddess balled up her fists and stared down at the temple floors, thinking about the things she could have accomplished if she was apart of it much earlier in life.

"You had a chance to be a child. Take that as a blessing from the gods." Leandra said, moving to sit down next to her. "There is nothing romantic about wondering if you're going to live to hit puberty. Or losing friends and people you've known for years before they have a chance to go to college. I do not regret serving Rome, but I do wish I had been older. Some things are not meant for children, and now, now we are all old before our times. I can even feel it in my knees."

Tanzania took in the words that came of out Leandra's mouth before speaking. "That may be true, daughter of Angerona, but I wanted to be in the Legion earlier! I'm not going to get married! Guys are intimidated by me!" She raised her hands up for emphasis. She then glanced over to look at a young male who was in the temple. "What?! Can I help you with something?!" She shouted, her voice echoing through the temple of Bellona.

Leandra put a hand on the older girl's shoulder. "Calm yourself, he is free to come and worship your mother as you are." She looked up, but the guy was gone. "And he probably will again at some other time."

She sighed and looked around the temple, "I pray to Bellona for peace, that she, whose daughter helped bring peace between us and the Greeks, will preserve it forevermore. Perhaps with that peace you can find a nice son of Ares. They don't flinch at anything. Or Mars, they at least know how to bathe too." She said, a sarcastic smile tugging at her lips. "The fates waited for a reason. Maybe to spare you, maybe to spare us, but we are Romans. We live for victory, not Greek tragedy."

When Leandra finished, Tanaznia turned and looked at her. She had gathered her composure and now was sitting up straight, her hands placed in her lap and her hair over her shoulders. "I do believe you are right, Leandra..." She studied her for a moment before smiling a bit. "Minerva has truly blessed you with wisdom." The Roman nudged the other and stood, straightening her sleeveless shirt. "If it's any constellation, I believe Angerona should have a temple here on the hill. She is very important to the empire or Rome."

Leandra smiled at Tanzia, "She has a shrine outside and down the hill a little. I don't know if that's what she actually looks like, but I'm glad it's there. I go and sit there to listen to the silence. Maybe one day I'll find answers in it."

"A shrine? I didn't know that..." She mumbled underneath her breath. Tanzy didn't realize that Angerona had a shrine. Maybe it was there with the shrines of Ceres, Apollo, Janus, Victoria, and the other Roman gods and goddess. She made a mental note to pay some respects to the other deities before the week ended.

"Well anywho, I guess this concludes my little advice session. I know you have something better to do with your time than to talk to a seventeen year old probatio like myself."Tanzania sighed and looked back up at her mother.