Heroic Spirits Of Olympus: The Lost Hero

"Umu."

A dream..

Nero sat upon upon her throne, as a her roman guards stood around her. She frowned to herself as she eyed the official documents in her hands. "Mu, more time for business means less time for the arts. Alas, it is for my people that my business must be done. Mumumu! I love them all, yes, I adore them!"

Nero felt her heart quicken as she imagined all the smiling faces that might result from the signing of these documents as she took out her wax seal. 

While at first she had been tentative about the prospect of becoming the governing force of Rome, she had to admit, it seemed to she had a knack for it. Though for some reason, people were responding a little less enthusiastically to her art exhibitions. She would have to do something about that at some point. 

For now however, she would settle for governance. 

"How long will you continue to pull Rome under I wonder..?"

Nero Claudius looked up and bit her lip. "Brother.."

The other person who took her very same name, the name Nero Germanicanus, stood before her now, his belly was round, his face could be taken for handsome if one tried, but without attempting to see it that way, he looked rather like a fattened pig with a pug nose. 

"Come on Sister, you must admit these opening of 'art centers' and peace negotiations with the Jews to grant them new land in compensation for their supposed imaginary 'persecution' is merely reflecting on Rome's weakness!" growled Fat Nero. "Where are your conquests?! Where are the statues proclaiming your glory!?"

"Umu? I believe there's a statue of me in the-.."

"Not what I meant!" roared Fat Nero. "Statues declaring your might as a hero of war, with that crazy red sword by your side!! Instead all I see are nudes with angelic wings!!"

"Art can be anything it wishes to be." Nero said simply.  "I would expect a Roman of all people to know that."

Fat Nero gritted his teeth furiously. He had never gotten over Juno's divine choice to pick his bastard child of a sister over him to rule Rome wisely. Nero knew that, she knew how dangerous he was, and yet she could not bring herself to order his execution. She was not the type to kill in such a manner. 

But kindness at times could be a curse to the one who gave it. 

And right now Nero knew that if she was going to be the ruler she aspired to be, she was going to have to prepare herself to take a few curses overall.  

Fat Nero turned his back to the Female Nero, glaring out into the distance. "Your very existence is not only a danger to Rome, but a danger to the Arts themselves. You  are a disgrace to the very name of Nero that we both share. The name Nero is the name of a Beast, that which razes over the fools who dare stand in the way of conquest and bringing the arts to the foolishly barbaric lacking societies beyond our borders who turn to the Christians for salvation!"

"It is not our place to decide the fates over which we have no rule." said Nero. "There is no love in forcing conquest."

"Oh, I get it, that simpering Boudica softened you up didn't she!? The way she pleaded! I can't believe you let such a thing affect you in such a way!" growled the stout man who shared Nero's name, shaking his head. "You leave me no choice. This is.. Fidelity after all."

Nero froze, her quill inches from the documents she was approving, sweat pouring down her face.

She never revealed it to anybody, not even her closest friends, but she was wary of her brother, even rather afraid of him. Even during their childhood. Nero Claudius feared Nero Germanicanus, and with good reason.