Rhea Tarpeia

Rhea Tarpeia
Rhea Tarpeia
Lady Paramount of Natxia; Lady of Lianu
Born	Rhea Tarpeia Anicia Diana Constantia; 9 April 1968 (age 56); Velia, Castellum ab Alba
Spouse	Samuel Lianu (m. 1990)
Issue; See also	Layla Lianu; Lyanna Lianu; Louis Lianu; Lucy Lianu; Alexander Lianu; Sylvester Lianu;
House	Tarpeia; Lianu (by marriage)
Father	Duke Constantine Tarpeius
Mother	Princess Zoe, Duchess of Haenna
Religion	Fabrian Catholicism

Rhea Tarpeia (Rhea Tarpeia Anicia Diana Constantia; born 9 April 1968) is a Latin noblewoman and the middle daughter of Duke Constantine Tarpeius and Princess Zoe, Duchess of Haenna. She is Lady Paramount of Natxia and Lady of Lianu, by virtue of her marriage to Samuel Lianu. At the time of her birth, Rhea was eighth in line to the Latin throne; she is currently fiftieth.

Early life and education

Rhea Tarpeia was born on 9 Aprile 1968, at Velia House, in Velia, Castellum ab Alba. She is the middle child of Duke Constantine Tarpeius and Princess Zoe, Duchess of Haenna. She has two older sisters, Fausta and Maria, and two younger sisters, Alexandra and Silvia. She is the maternal granddaughter of Latin Emperor Constantine XIX, through her mother.

Rhea was baptized at Sancta Sapientia by Patriarch Leontius Canuleius of Alba. Her godparents are Alexander Vitruvius (her father’s cousin) and Sophia Licnia (a friend of her mother). Her baptismal name is Diana after her aunt Empress Diana Augusta and Constantia for her grandfather Emperor Constantine XIX.

Education

Rhea was primarily raised in Castellum and lived at Velia House for the majority of her upbringing, though she and her family often spent time in Adrianople or Villa Vigueriae, her father’s ancestral estate outside of Adrianople. In 1978, Rhea and her family relocated from Velia House to a newly built estate in Colonia Augusta, outside of Castellum. Rhea’s education was provided by private tutors until the age of ten, when she was enrolled at Sanctus Michaelis for one year of primary schooling. Rhea attended St Maria’s School for Ladies, an all-girls secondary school, in Castellum. She earned her bac from St Maria’s in 1984.

Rhea enrolled at Fossa College, at the University of Ascanium in 1985, following a gap year where she travelled to Belfras, Garima, Sudmark, South Ottonia, and Sante Reze. While at Fossa College, Rhea initially studied PPE, though during her second term changed her concentration to Classics. She was active in collegiate politics and briefly a member to both the Young Optimates and Youthful Left at Ascanium, leaving doubts as to her personal political leanings. It was at Ascanium that Rhea first met her future husband, Samuel Lianu, who was studying at Imperial College, Ascanum during a foreign study program. She graduated in 1988.

Courtships

Rhea was first linked to her future husband, Samuel Lianu, in 1986 when he was a visiting student at the University of Ascanium. Local tabloids asserted that Rhea and Samuel were involved in a romantic relationship during the fall 1986 term; however, publication was eventually stopped under Latin lex maiestatis laws.

In 1987, Rhea began dating Maurus Verrucosus, who at the time was a classmate of her sister, Maria, studying law at College of Legal Studies, Castellum. The relationship ended months later when Rhea began courting Theodorus Aemelius, heir to a hereditary Latin ducal title and the Dukedom of Bourzey in Sydalon.

By 1988, it was believed by Latin courtiers that Rhea and Aemelius were set to be engaged, but the courtship came to an abrupt end in November 1988. In December 1989, Rhea first began courting Samuel Lianu, then the heir to the Lordship of Lianu; they were engaged two months later.

Marriage and children

Rhea married Samuel Lianu in summer 1990, at Saint Michael the Archangel over the Pantheon, in Castellum. A second ceremony was also held in Lianu the following week.

Rhea and Samuel have six children: Layla, Lyanna, Louis, Lucy, Alexander, and Sylvester. As Rhea remained a practicing Fabrian Catholic, and her husband the Church of Ghant, the children attended Catholic and Protestant services throughout their upbringing.

Life in Lianu

Upon taking up residence in Lianu, Rhea began to wield considerable influence early on, with her primary rival being her mother-in-law, Alanna of Ravenna. Rhea’s influence and ambition brought her into conflict with Samuel's older half-sisters Cyrenna and Tassia, who up until that point enjoyed considerable influence in the family.

In 1996, Cyrenna’s husband, Prince Robert of Ghant died under suspicious circumstances, with foul play being suspected. Cyrenna and her nine children (soon to be ten, as Cyrenna was pregnant at the time) took up residency at Palace Lianu, with Cyrenna and her children coming into conflict with Rhea and her children, which Rhea encouraged. Cyrenna and her children consumed a great deal of time, attention and resources of court that came at the expense of Rhea’s children, which the latter grew to resent.

Lionel showered Cyrenna and her children with favor, and that put him at odds with Samuel quite often. This was inflamed by Cyrenna’s lack of humility and declining to refuse anything Lionel offered her and her children, leading Samuel to believe that his father was being taken advantage of. This state of affairs continued during the duration of Emperor Albert’s (Cyrenna’s brother-in-law) reign, and after his death in 1997, his successor Prince Regent Albert continued his father’s support until the end of his tenure as regent in January 2006. Both men made it clear that the Imperial position was to support Cyrenna and her children, which Lionel obliged under duress, fearing reprisal.

During this period, Rhea and Samuel regularly visited relatives throughout southern Ghant, and were notable for their frequent visits to Dakar, often coinciding with Latin imperial visits.

This situation changed in January 2006, when Emperor Nathan reached the age of majority and assumed the reins of imperial power. Nathan rectified the situation by restoring to Cyrenna the estates and incomes of Keld which had been confiscated in 1940, which prompted her and her children to finally depart Lianu and take up residency elsewhere, much to the relief of Rhea and her family.

Lady Paramount of Natxia

In January of 2019, Lord Lionel died following a prolonged illness, allowing Samuel to succeed as Lord Paramount. Immediately following Samuel’s succession, Rhea was appointed to the Natxia provincial council, serving as its chairperson in her husband’s stead. Rhea is noted for being heavily involved in the day-to-day ruling of Natxia, and regularly meets with lords and other government officials on behalf of her husband. Her involvement in regional governance is notable for its stark contrast to her mother-in-law Alanna, who mainly focused on charitable pursuits and an ancillary role in Lord Lionel’s reign.

Rhea’s circle at court includes spouses of key bannerman to the Lianus, and also includes her sister-in-law Honoria Lianu, who is the wife of Lord Manfred Manatu.

Titles, styles, honors and arms

9 April 1968 – present: Lady Rhea Tarpeia

Honors

Latium: Dame of the Illustrious Order of the Purple Ribbon

Issue

Name	Birth	Death	Notes
By Samuel Lianu
Layla Lianu	(1991-05-14) 14 May 1991 (age 33)
Lyanna Lianu	(1993-06-10) 10 June 1993 (age 31)
Louis Lianu	(1995-10-20) 20 October 1995 (age 29)
Lucy Lianu	(1997-07-07) 7 July 1997 (age 27)
Alexander Lianu	(2000-02-12) 12 February 2000 (age 24)
Sylvester Lianu	(2003-04-18) 18 April 2003 (age 21)