daydreamsssss

[daydreamsssss]

The myth of Apollo's deer

(short story)

Summary:

The tale follows Titus, a young boy chosen as the next 'hostage' from his tribe. Roman rulers often took the children of conquered tribes as hostages to prevent rebellions. These children received the same education as the Roman elite. Titus, the next chief of his tribe, will inherit a family heirloom. It was a gift from the gods as compensation for a past tragedy involving their tribe. Each time a new chief takes power, another god must grant their wish. This time, Apollo will be the one to grant Titus' wish. However, from myths, one knows that the gods aren't always reliable...

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A deer with a golden ring around its neck has been spotted wandering around Apollo's temples the last few days. Rumours have already spread about its existence, hunters have been warned not to come near this lonesome deer and myths are already being spun, just like this one...

▿⁠25 years ago▿⁠

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Titus was one among the many lonesome people in Rome, especially since his family was miles away, and he only got to see them once a year or so. Because his tribe had been loyal to the Roman Empire for centuries and provided many economic advantages, the authorities were less strict with them.

His tribe had been part of the Roman Empire for so long that they had even adopted Roman gods, language, and some traditions.

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The past two years (since he was 10), Titus had been living in a small palace built for child hostages of prominent tribes, known as Villa Imperatoria. The palace was connected to the central palace, the Palatium Aureum, where they were prohibited from entering. However, Titus often fled to the central palace just to hide from the people there.

One day, when Titus was hiding in the palace, he met a boy his age. The boy didn't question Titus' situation a lot, he probably thought that Titus lived in the Palatium Aureum. The day after that, that same boy was introduced by his teacher as a new student, Claudius Valerius. There was an unspoken decision between them that, after that first meeting, they were friends. Titus was sure that Claudius wasn't a child hostage, so he didn't really understand why Claudius was here and that is why Titus decided to spy on him.

This is what Titus obeserved about Claudius the past few days:

Claudius was the perfect student: always on time, fairly good at every subject, rational, athletic, polite and humble. The teacher never lectured him, probably because he came from an elite family. Titus also learned that Claudius had a bond with the emperor. At first, Titus thought that Claudius was the emperor's son, but he then found out that Claudius' father was the emperor's right hand and a prominent army commander. The reason Claudius was so often seen in the palace was because his father can always be found in the palace during his work.

Claudius told him that his father had an estate (Villa Aurea) built where they'll live from now on, next to the palace, because it's too much of a drag to go back and forth every day from the palace to their home. His father also allowed Claudius to attend school at the Villa Imperatoria so he can keep an eye on him.

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Claudius was a calm boy; you could even call him a boring child (he never had many friends and didn't care to make any). But he was confident and seemed to have his whole future ahead of him. Claudius liked poetry, but he also dreamed to become an army commander, like his father. His father had always wanted Claudius to become something else than an army commander because his father himself regrets his choice.

Titus, on the other hand, was a kind, and joyful boy. His presence alone could make everyone smile. Titus was not interested to be the next chief of the tribe; he would rather give that role to his sister if she wanted it.

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▿⁠ 2 years later ▿⁠

Titus never knew that he and Claudius would become real friends. But it's always Claudius who helps Titus through tough days when he misses his parents and sister. Claudius listens when Titus complains and doesn't give false hope to cheer him up; Titus always knows which hope is poison in disguise. Claudius remains calm whenever Titus gets overly excited. They both like to discuss everyday happenings and almost always share the same opinion. It can be nice to be friends with someone who understands you better than you understand yourself because they are the same as you, though so different in personality.

"Why are you always hanging around the Palatium Aureum?", Claudius asked Titus one day after Titus had unsuccesfully tried to creep up on him.

"I've been doing this for years and you only now ask me?", Titus answered, amused.

"I never really cared much about it.", Claudius replied indifferently.

"Fine, I'll tell you: I come here just to sleep in the trees in the courtyard. I know it's not permitted, but you're not going to tell on me, right?"

A thought suddenly entered Claudius' mind: "Do you want to go to my house, the Villa Aurea?"

"Huh? What suddenly brought that thought? But sure, I would really like to visit your house!", Titus couldn't hide his curiosity.

Claudius brought them to the Villa Aurea and when they arrived, he went straight to the back yard, where a giant pear tree stood.

"Why are we stopping here? Are you not going to tour me through your house?", Titus asked.

"Didn't you want to sleep in trees? We have a pear tree.", Claudius answered drily.

"Are you serious?", Titus replied confusedly.

Claudius didn't answer Titus. He just picked up a pear, threw it to Titus, seated himself with his back against the tree and began reading a book scroll that ley next to the tree (he probably came here very often himself).

Titus saw a small smile playing on Claudius' lips and Titus' cheeks lit up from embarrassment: "Not. Funny. Not funny at all!", Titus said with a smile and then he seated himself next to Claudius, eating the pear and trying to read the book scroll with Claudius. Titus never knew Claudius could tease someone. Maybe it was a payback for everytime Titus teased him. From then on, Titus never slept in the palace garden again.

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▿⁠ 2 years later ▿⁠

"I'm thinking of doing military schooling."

"Are you sure? Didn't you want to become a poet?", Titus replied to Claudius.

"No, I liked to read poetry and I think that I want to become a role in the military.", Claudius answered.

"Ughhh sorry that I'm being so annoying."

"I don't mind."

Titus knew that he couldn't change Claudius' mind if his own father couldn't even succeed at it. Titus knew that he was being selfish by wanting to keep Claudius from his dream just because he didn't want them to part and because he was worried since a military career almost always promised early death. Titus himself had a faint idea of what he wanted to become. He wanted to become a teacher, a nice teacher, just like their current teacher.

"What career do you have in mind?", Claudius interrupted Titus' thoughts.

"I don't really know yet. Maybe

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UNFINISHED:

I don't have the motivation to write further, so I'll just drop the rest here:

Claudius works in the military and Titus too, but Titus will be a war doctor. They will live like this until they're 18. When Titus is 18 years old, his tribe calls him back to become the next heir and they send his sister in his stead.

Titus will be given a family heirloom: two simple circlets, one of them is golden and one is silver. The gods had once fought a war where his tribe lived and they almost accidentally wiped out the whole population (his tribe used to be much bigger in the past) and as a compensation they gave the tribe two circles that were given to the tribe chief and his wife. Titus' parents told him about the secret ability of the circlets and they gave them to Titus (so that Titus can give the silver one to his future lover.) After 2 years, Titus comes back to Rome and he says to his sister that their parent have agreed for them to take turns for being the hostage because Titus really wished for it. So now, Titus comes in spring and summer, as if he takes the sun with him.

Then, Claudius' father dies in a war and not much later after that, the emperor also dies. The emperor gave his title to Claudius on his deathbed because he didn't have any children and because Claudius' father was the emperor's right hand. On the feast to crown Claudius, he and Titus go to the back yard of the royal palace to chill drunkenly. There, Titus finds a lyre and he begin to play on it. Then, Apollo in human form appears and it's his lyre that he lost. Apollo compliments Titus' playing skills and disappears. He has his eyes set on Titus (he wants to sabotage Claudius.)

One day, Titus gives Claudius the silver circlet and suddenly Apollo appears for Titus to make his wish. Titus doesn't tell about his wish to Claudius. (He wished that the wearers of the circlets will be protected.

Titus almost dies in the war, but just before his soul leaves, Apollo turns him into a deer. (Titus never said in which way the wearers of the circlets have to be protected.) Claudius thinks that Titus is dead and he mourns for him. Claudius sends the silver circlet to Titus' parents. Claudius even almost dies himself in the war because he can't focus on fighting anymore. He loses a leg and has to stay at home for the time that rests him. At home, he sometimes spots a deer with a golden ring around its neck In his back yard by the pear tree. And one day, he goes to the deer and the deer runs away.

Claudius dies a few days later (thinking that he'll reunite with Titus in the afterlife now) and Titus always regrets that he ran away that day. Titus will keep living forever because he can't take off the golden circlet around his neck (a deer has no hands).