Aeliana Justina Vesnia

Aeliana Justina Vesnia was the only wife of Emperor Manius the Great and the first empress of the Seprum Republic. She bore him his second child: Aelius Vesnia, who became the second emperor.

## Relationships

### Marriage to Manius and Augustok

While Emperor Manius sent his spouse, Augustok, almost flowery love letters, expressing his care and affection, his letters to Aeliana are much more business-like. They often discuss strategy and tactics. On the occasions Manius sought to give her a pet name, she rejected him, once writing, "I am not your morning star, your north star, or the lighthouse, or some other beacon to guide you through the night; I am not your flower blossom or some previous, temporary blooming thing; I am the mother of your child and your tie to the Justina ars so let us not turn what we are into something we are not." In the next sentence, she transitioned to discussing seating plans at an upcoming feast.

Some imperial spouses have adversarial relationships, especially when multiple can bear children. While both Augustok and Aeliana had children, only Aelius, son of Aeliana, could ascend to the throne and evidence suggests Aeliana did not consider Augustok a threat. Though they never shared a room when Emperor Manius was away, they seemed to more than tolerate one another. The few letters they shared suggest they enjoyed joking with one another, sometimes at the emperor's expense, more than they discussed politics or strategy. If Aeliana was aware the emperor had a far stronger emotional relationship with his other partner, she never held it against them.

### Ars Justina

Aeliana was the child of the pater of ars Justina, which is likely the reason Emperor Manius chose to marry her. She proved to be a fortuitous wife Though no documents confirm it, the shift of the pater from a strong rivalry with ars Vesnia to a vote a few years later to elect then General Prior Manius senator prior was likely her doing. Because no letters between Aeliana and her father remain, little more can be intuited from their relationship. Her father died soon after his vote on the senate and Aeliana voted for him on the senate until her son was old enough to take her place.

### Aelius and Augusta

Records suggest Augustok took care of both Aelius and Augusta while Aeliana spent more time at her husband's side or conversing with his rivals. She did, however, take an interest in their education. While Aelius attended the academy at the white cliffs, a sign of favor to ars Justina, she taught Augusta to read and write herself. In 99 PS, Augustok wrote a somewhat panicked letter to Emperor Manius, describing one of Aeliana's teaching techniques:

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> I have discovered something that disturbs me today, my heart. Aeliana has quite taken to Augusta, as I feared she would not, and dotes on the girl most days. I assumed when they stole away before dinner, she was teaching her to paint or discussing womanly topics. However, I find out today they have been playing a game of a sort. Aeliana brings in someone from the palace, a servant or cadet or some artisan or other. She observes as Augusta shares idle pleasantries with them until dinner. This sounds tame enough, yet I learned this evening that the unspoken rule is that Augusta must make her guest cry or she shall go to bed without food. She is quite good at it, too. This seems unseemly, dear Manius. Why does our daughter need these skills? I know my beautiful Aelius shall not have the normal life of a boy I so desire for him but why not our daughter?
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*Manius expressed sympathy in his letter back to Augustok and was stern when he asked Aeliana what she was doing. She responded:*

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> You married Augustok for their wide eyes and me for my political instinct. Where do you believe that came from? Did I spring from the womb knowing how to twist men to my will? No, I learned it, and I learned it through practice, just as you learned to wield a sword, and if our son is to become strong enough to keep this empire united, he will need allies by blood who may never betray him. You send Aelius to the white cliffs to keep him safe, and I teach Augusta how to use her mind for the same reason.
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*After a defeat from the small city-state of Patha, which he expected to break quickly, Emperor Manius was likely upset when he crafted his return letter:*

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> You refused to hold your children the first two years of your life. Augustok has raised them both from infancy and you now take to Augusta when you see some use in her. Perhaps you are right. Like Aelius, she should be sent to the white cliffs. I have organized Augostok to take her there. You, of course, cannot leave Antioch while the Qualias visit unless you wish to offer them grave insult. Augusta may return to your side when you have learned to treat her as a child instead of a weapon.
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*Either Aeliana never responded or her letter was lost. There is no record of her and the emperor communicating with one another until he returned to Antioch between campaigns. Augusta quite liked spending time by the white cliffs and her brother and Aeliana traveled there frequently to visit her. Emperor Manius's decision, made in rage, had the opposite effect: ars Justina was strong in the area and even when she could not observe her child, someone else in her family could.*