The Fallen Empire (closed)

Aquilina furrowed her brows when she heard Marcus’ heavy steps near her desk. She wanted to move away from him, she had no intention of closing the physical distance between the two but she was stuck sitting at her desk.*

She felt her heart beat faster and faster when Marcus talked to her in his soothing voice. She wanted to slap him, she didn’t like having him talk to her in what her mind thought was a condescending way. She was Aquilina Caesar, the late Emperor’s daughter, she was strong, independent and did not need a man, especially a man her head told her to despise, trying to soothe her.*

The air in her lungs lingered for a second or two longer than usual, making her feel uneasy when Marcus started to massage her shoulders. She wanted to reject his touch, but his strong hands on her tired aching shoulders was a treat. She glanced up at him for a moment, but looking up into his warm and loving brown eyes along with his words of concerns, made her heart feel heavy with emotions that she was not yet ready to accept.*

She wondered if Marcus was right, if she was “always so tense.” Aquilina didn’t think she was, but then her father, the Emperor was assassinated about two months ago and she was being forced to marry the man responsible for her father’s death in the betterment of her Empire. She always felt the weight of the Empire on her shoulder. Marcus was right in how she had multiple part to play, an Aquilina for each occasion, for each person.*

Aquilina scoffed when Marcus told her that she could let her guard down when she was around him. Her head automatically replied that Marcus was the last person she would ever be ‘just herself’ around. But then she stopped and thought for a moment. Did she herself even know who she really was? She knew it wasn't the Aquilina that interacted with her father's old allies, or even her mother. Was it the Aquilina that interacted with her siblings? Could it be the Aquiljna that interacted with her servants?

Or was it possibly the Aquilina that interacted with Marcus? Granted, when she was with Marcus she was rarely ever cherry around him or even somewhat happy. But she always spoke her mind and expressed her true thoughts and opinions when they interacted. She might not always be at ease with him, but just her being able to speak her mind to him was far more than being herself than with the majority of the people she interacted with, even her own mother.

When she was with her mother she always censored herself, making sure to always agree with her and to not cross her as having her in a bad mood was never a good idea.

When Aquilina spent time with Marcus she never hid words from him as she didn’t fear the consequences or the repercussions, rather it was the opposite it was as if she wanted to see where the boundaries were with Marcus. Since the two had known each other, Aquilina had never held her tongue when it came to her dislike towards Marcus, even at times saying vile words towards him. She’s also freely judged him for his promiscuous ways in the past and has openly accepted that would be the case after their marriage, despite his words of continuance declaration of love towards Aquilina. As she had made it know to Marcus that she does not consider there to be any worth, any value with the words, with the promises Marcus makes to Aquilina.

Aquilina furrowed both her brows when Marcus started to whisper about their supposed trip to Lake Bracciano. His low voice now just in a soft tone tickling her ear. She had heard of Lake Bracciano before, yet never had a reason to visit the nearby beach. She closed her eyes as Marcus whispered in her ear,

“We could have a beach cleared out for us,”

Aquilna imagined sunny blue skies and just as equally or perhaps even more beautiful water, with a sandy beach.

“We could bring wine, sit in the sand sipping it, let our feet out in the water, feed each other grapes and olives.”

Aquilina furrowed her brows, she had no interest in sitting in the sand with Marcus and drinking wine with him, feeding each other grapes and olives. She didn’t find it at all appealing. She was starting to despise wine as she found herself drinking it too much when it was accompanied at a meal and having to suffer the consequences of feeling the lack of control of her coordinations and thoughts. There were many things Aquilina despised and one of them was feeling lack of control, and feeling a lack of control of her own body was a crime to herself she would not commit in front of General Marcus.

“Not a care in the world for a few hours, the sand between our toes, the water lapping against the shore.”

Aquilina did dream of a day where she didn’t feel the weight of her Empire on her slender shoulders. She constantly worried about the happiness of her people, the stability of the Forum, the peace within the Empire and most importantly the safety of her younger siblings. To many she might look as though she was a carefree, spoiled, the Emperor’s daughter, who was known as to be the most beautiful Roman in all of the Empire but there was so much more to her than what the eyes could see.

A small crinkle of a smile formed on Aquilina's lips when Marcus talked about his mother. She had little care about Marcus himself but she was a curious creature. She liked learning about Marcus' family, about his background as he was the man she was to marry. Despite the physical distance between Marcus and his mother, she found the way he talked about her, with genuine care and consideration intriguing.

Aquilina felt a sigh of relief leave her lips as Marcus was not in her personal space anymore as he stood up and walked to one of her windows. She felt a sharp pain in her heart as it had been beating faster while Marcus was kneeling next to her. She had no reason to be anxious near him, she knew he would never harm her, she knew he needed her alive and healthy to become the next Emperor, she actually felt safe around him…yet there was something about him that made her heart go, pitter…patter.

Aquilina waited for Marcus to stop speaking as she rolled her eyes, she was starting to get annoyed with him yet again. She didn’t want to argue with him, she didn’t want to be cross with him, she wanted to be civil with him yet she had no desire to say words that pleased him.

“Maybe I’m so upset because I’m being forced to marry when I’m not yet ready to marry…” Aquilina replied carefully, her tone was cold perhaps slightly bitter, yet it wasn’t angry or cruel. She stayed sitting in her chair, her body still unwilling to stand for her guest.

“If my father, the great late Emperor Caesar was still alive I wouldn’t be in the position of having to marry so suddenly. I would have the opportunity to properly be courted, to actually marry for love, but no, you and your selfish desire to become Emperor took that away from me.” Now Aquilina’s voice was full of anger and her voice was raised yet again, as her right hand had turned into a fist.

Her own voice echoed into her ear and she breathed deeply, feeling the air fill her belly, she quickly shook her head. She knew yelling at Marcus would do no good, she knew he did what he thought was best for the Empire and perhaps, if she dare ever admit it, what he did was best for the Empire.

“I’m fine. I’m just tired of being cooped up in the Palace as I’ve said. Since my father’s death and then your departure to fight the barbarians I’ve been kept perfectly safe here.” Aquiina’s last words sarcastically added.

“The only time I was properly allowed out of the Palace was for the procession of my father’s funeral. But no visits to the theater, to the chariot racetracks, to the Colosseum…I’ve even been regulated to when I can go outside to our fields of green. They are right on Palace grounds.” Granted, the fields of green Aquilina was referring to rolled out to several acres of lush green meadows with many fruit trees, and were often used for hunting by the late Emperor and his deceased sons.

“If it wasn’t for the courtyards, I wouldn’t know that sun, the moon and the stars still existed.” Aquilina added with a scoff. “Oh but I’m not allowed to be in the courtyard after the sunsets because who knows when a group of people posed as servants can come in the Palace walls and attempt to take the life of the Empress to be?” Aquilina said gently shaking her head, remembering how Marcus planned her father’s assassination.

Aquilina listened to her own words and bit her bottom lip harshly, she despised herself for being this bitter to Marcus as she knew it would not solve anything between the two or do any good for her Empire.

“By the time you’re actually Emperor you won’t have the luxury of even thinking about leaving the city.” Aquilina said with a gentle smile, her voice trying to find its peace again. A trip to Lake Bracciano sounded like the perfect remedy for the stir crazy, adventure seeking Aquilina, and she found it rather sweet for Marcus to even consider it. Yet she knew it would never happen since Emperors were always too busy with their role in running the Empire.

“You aren’t actually serious in offering your mother, the woman who is to be known the mother of the Emperor your…” Aquilina was still having difficulty in imagining Marcus living in,what she thought as rather small and quaint estate.
“In your…home…” Aquilina said the last words with difficulty. She could never be comfortable in such a small area, that would drive her stir crazy.

Aquilina furrowed her brows, she reminded herself that she and Marcus grew up in different households. She an Imperial Princess, him a son of commoners who found success as merchants. If his mother is a “simple woman” as Marcus proclaimed than perhaps his estate is suitable for her.

“But she is your mother and she should be allowed to make her own decision.” Aquilina wanted to make her opinion clear on that, that his mother would not be forced into a living arrangement similar to how she was feeling.

Aquilina tried to imagine Marcus growing up in a loving household. She was jealous that his parents married out of love, a luxury the Imperial Princess would never be given.

“Well I wish I had the luxury to marry out of love, but that was taken from me.” Aquilina scoffed, making a direct comment to Marcus, she didn’t even try to make a not so thinly veiled comment.

“I gave you an option, a possible solution in trying to help you in running the Empire. Just a couple of hours, several maybe, handful at most for just today…” Aquilina said shaking her head. She was annoyed that Marcus declined her offer, she had thought that he had not taken her seriously since she was merely a woman. Despite his words and promises that he wants her advice in running the Empire, it seemed as though he would never give them proper consideration.

“But if you decline, then there is really not much I can do for you.” Aquilina said bitterly.

“Now you rudely interrupted me while I was writing a letter to my sister in Persia, I need to make sure Prince Darius isn’t planning on an attack since he was rudely denied any access to the Palace.” Aquilina said with a scoff. “And then I shall write an invitation to Governor Pido and I’ll have it sent to you first, so you can see if its to your liking…” Aquilina said rolling her eyes.”

“Is there anything else General Marcus Tiberius?” Aquilina’s tone cold as she finally stood up from her chair as she was ready for him to leave her room and henceforth the palace.

Marcus’ eyes lingered down over Aquilina’s body, partially an involuntary male response. “Is there anything else General Marcus Tiberius?” she said, as Marcus met her eyes with his. Her tone was cold and sour. Marcus cocked his mouth to the side and gave her a smirk.

“No, Princess, that is all I wanted. I think I will try to work a few hours from the Palace today. I’ll make some arrangements and lift the protection order at the front gate,” he said, before bowing his head slightly, “Princess,” he said in parting, before he turned and walked out of her room, with one hand the hilt of his sword hanging from his waist.

As he walked down the wide marble hallways of the palace alone, the flapping sound of his sandals hitting the ground bounced off the bare walls and hit his ears. The general considered his options. In many ways, Aquilina was the biggest challenge of his life and career. The first “enemy” that he couldn’t out think and bludgeon into submission with the pincer movement.

He felt like things were coming to a head with her and a conclusion would have to be reached, sooner rather than later. Despite his best intentions and some warm moments with her that were few and far between, she didn’t seem to be becoming more perceptive to him. He was torn. He had fallen for her hard, and wanted to be with her romantically. But she so clearly despised him, he didn’t want to force anything with her.

Although it went against his very being as a man, he considered the possibility of letting her have a concubinus around the palace – a young male servant to satisfy her emotionally and sexually. Obviously, it couldn’t be a foreign prince or any of the fancy suitors she seemed to desire and would have to be kept a top state secret, nobody would respect an Emperor who let somebody else lay with his wife. But, was it really fair for Marcus to imprison Aquilina to a life alone? He imagined having to watch Aquilina and some young man quietly slink off to her bedroom. His fists turned white as he squeezed the hilt of his sword, his teeth clenching. How many nights of that could Marcus endure before his heart became black and charred, slowly becoming a monster of a man?

He walked out of the palace and headed down to the main gate to the estate where his four men dutifully stood. They were staring the other direction, and scrambled to stand at attention and give the Roman salute when they realized he was walking silently from the inside the palace.

“Open the gate,” Marcus commanded.

“Yes, my general!” They all replied in unison, and two of them scrambled to open it.

Marcus pointed at two of them, “You two, return to the Legion encampment. Have Legate Vitallion and my aide-de-camp come here with the day’s worth of letters and orders. I intended to work here for the day.”

They acknowledged him and ran off on foot. Marcus turned to the other two, “The protection order on the Palace is now lifted. Allow the residents and guests to come and go as they please.”

They hesitated for a moment, then nodded, and Marcus headed back inside. He asked a servant where the Emperor’s Office was, and was told. The servants all seemed afraid of him, as if he came from the underworld to eat their souls. If the Emperor was chosen by the Gods to rule Rome, what did that make Marcus Tiberius?

He walked into the Emperor’s office and slowed his breathing. The air seemed stale and still. He felt like he didn’t belong here. He ran his hand along the desk. There was a very slight cover of dust on it. He sat down behind the desk and sat for a moment, just briefly savoring in the feeling. He removed the Emperor from power to save Rome, not for his own lust for power. But in that moment, he felt like the most powerful man in the world.

Anthony Vitallon and his cousin Martin arrived thirty minutes later, Martin carrying a cloth sack filled with the papers he requested. Vitallion smiled as he walked in room. “Looks like you were born to sit there, General.”

Marcus weakly held up a hand in protest. Vitallion continued, “Does our presence hear mean that the princess is warming up to you?”

“Not in the least, I’m afraid,” Marcus trying to sound cool and confident about the whole thing as he confided in his close friend. Martin said nothing as he unpacked the sack and laid out the maps, letters and reports out on the desk.

Vitallion started with his usual response to Marcus’ relationship problems. “Go take a whore already and you’ll forget all about her and start treating this like the political arrangement it is. You know, they have this new Egyptian girl down at the whorehouse by the harbor. She did this new thing with her tongue to me. I didn’t think I’d like but it made me-…”

Marcus cut him off and Martin’s face turned beat red. “For the sake of the Gods, thank you, Anthony. I don’t think I want any woman who has been anywhere near you with her tongue out,” Marcus said.

Vitallion chuckled, “As you wish, General.”

“Let’s get down to business, gentlemen. Where are we on that correspondence from Lecce?” Marcus asked.

“We got the letter early this morning. The shipbuilders say they haven’t been paid in three weeks, despite our man saying they delivered the denarii right after we returned from the barbarian homelands.” And with that, Marcus and Anthony got off to managing the business of the Empire while Martin stood near the table, watching carefully.

Aquilina gently nodded her head as Marcus accepted her proposal of having him work at the Palace, for the day. She didn't want him to extend his visit to the Palace, even if he would be in a completely separate wing and floor. Yet from what she heard from Marcus regarding the current state of affairs of her Empire she knew that without the official title of Emperor, running Rome was the equivalent of making a fine wine from scratch, time consuming and not always successful.

The prosperity of the Roman Empire was the Caesar's family and subsequently Aquilina's ultimate responsibility. With all her elder brothers' already resting in peace with Hades and her elder sisters too far away to be of any immediate help, it was Aquilina's duty now. She was the girl who grew up in the shadow of her siblings, the one who was always scolded for her curious ways, the one neither of her parents had high hopes for in a marriage partner as she was deemed too stubborn by her mother and a free spirit by her late father. Never in her life did she expect to have the fate of the Roman Empire on her shoulders, but at least she had someone to share it with, General Marcus Tiberius.

Or did she?

Aquilna was still torn about her feelings toward Marcus. Her head told her that he was a man she would always and forever despise. Of course she would play her future role of the lovestruck, happily married Empress as needed. Always on the arm of the once mighty General who valiantly saved the imperial family and only through the desire of marrying his love, Aquilina, became Emperor of Rome.

Aquilina had no problem playing that role in public, if that would stabilize and bring Rome back to its prosperous days. But in private, Marcus would always be the man who orchestrated and ordered her father's assassination. A man who was so greedy for power, so full of hatred for her father and with no empathy toward the rest of the imperial family that he went through with the assassination of her father.

But was Marcus truly just the cold hearted man her head, her mind had determined him to be?

Aquilina's heart was sure that was not the case. Ever since Marcus introduced himself to Aquilina he had only offered her words of kindness and admiration. Granted, Aquilina didn't want to hear neither, especially words of adoration as she refused to believe in them. Nevertheless he was always very aware of her, he listened to her words, her thoughts and opinions.

Whatever choices Marcus made, the well being of Aquilina always seemed to motivate his decisions. When they first met, he gifted her a scroll of poetry and bath soaps from from the oriental land. He didn't try to buy her affection with sparkling jewels or treasures as many past hopeful suitors failed to do. Aquilina fancied jewelry, she liked colored* sparkly gemstones, gold and other precious metals but because it was so abundant around her she wasn't so eager to receive it.

More importantly she was an owner of a highly intellectual and curious mind, jewels from a suitor meant little to her. She actually enjoyed the poems from Homer and the bath soaps from the Oriental lands held an intriguing scent not found in this part of the world. It was evident to Aquilina that Marcus was a thoughtful man. However she was too scared, too afraid of what her true feelings toward Marcus entailed.

Did she love him? Had she fallen for him as he had declared he has for her?
No, she was sure that had not happened and that it never would.

But then did the young princess know what love meant?

She thought she did, she believed she once did. But now, with the current state of affairs in her life she was unsure. Growing up she believed that her love, her soulmate would be the answer to her longing for a meaningful and adventurous life.

After Marcus had left Aquilina’s bed chamber she longed for fresh air and walked to one of the courtyards nearby her room. As she felt the warm ray of sunshine hit the top of her head, a faint smile appeared on her face. She longed to leave the palace walls and genuinely hoped that Marcus was not flubbing his words when he said that he would lift the order of protection restricting access into and out of the palace. She had no plan in going anywhere or requesting a visit from anyone, yet just the notion that Marcus had her kept locked in the palace walls made her annoyed and frustrated even if his order was motivated to keep her safe.

Wanting to stay in the warmth of the sun, Aquilina requested to have her lyre brought to the courtyard. Aquilina was a skilled player of the lyre, as she had many hours to perfect playing the string instrument. Yet she rarely ever played it in front of guests. Despite her bold and demanding personality towards Marcus, Aquilina was known by outsiders as being well reserved, almost quiet. Yet by the people who know her best, her family and the people most loyal to her, they knew her reserved personality was only a cloak, a means for her to carefully observe others.

Aquilina contently strummed her lyre. There was a long list of things that needed her attention regarding her wedding with General Marcus Tiberius but she had no desire to put in any hard work or effort towards the celebration. She had already been fitted for her wedding dress and she intended to marry the man. She thought that was all she needed to do. She knew the rest would be taken care of, primarily by her mother, even without Aquilina’s help. Aquilina is the eldest unwed daughter of the late great Roman Emperor Caesar and the union would crown the next Emperor, General Marcus Tiberius. Their wedding was expected to be the affair of the century, with all the glamour fit for the future Empress and the pomp and circumstance first for the future Emperor.

While Aquilina was playing the lyre, she noticed a servant trying to get the attention of Porcia. The servant informed Porcia about Marcus’ entry into the Emperor’s office, along with his two visitors Anthony Vitallion and Marcus’ cousin Martin. The servant also informed Porcia that the protection order on the Palace had been lifted, allowing visitors to enter into the palace as well as for the royal occupants to freely leave the palace.

Porcia had a perplexed look on her face as she heard the information. Being the loyal servant to Aquilina, Porcia quickly informed Aquilina about the latest news of the Palace. Aquilina was happy to hear that the protection order was lifted, Marcus was a man who kept his words. She was uneasy when she heard about the Marcus and his men occupying her late father’s office, even though it was her idea for Marcus to stay in the Palace and work here for the day.

Yet now knowing that Marcus was in her father’s office, that he was using his desk, sitting in his chair…made her skin crawl and her blood boil. Marcus was the mastermind of her father’s assassination, he planned and coordinated it, all so he could become Emperor.

Maybe he really truly was the cold-hearted greedy man her mind had made him to be…

And was Aquilina aiding him in his quest, betraying her family, her late father by agreeing to marry the man who ordered his assassination?

Aquilina was unsure. Clearly, Marcus was responsible for her father’s death. If it was not for Marcus, her father would still be alive and the Emperor of Rome. But it was well known by herself and others, her late father was not the fairest or caring Emperor of Rome. Yet did he deserve to die for his crime? Was his ineffectiveness as Emperor punishable by death in his own palace? In his own bed?

Aquilina sighed loudly as question after question ran through her head.

Was Aquilina doing the right thing by marrying General Marcus Tiberius and subsequently making him Emperor of Rome?

Aquilina knew that to stabilize Rome and ensure peace throughout the empire a new Emperor needed to be crowned. If Rome allowed female rulers, like in Egypt she would welcomingly take the position, but since Rome was still ruled by men, that would never be possible.

All that was in her control was who she would decide to marry. Although in many ways that even seemed out of her control. While she was courted during Marcus’ departure as he fought the barbarians she met couple of decent young men who seemed suited for the job but none of them seemed genuinely interested in her, only in the position of becoming Emperor of Rome.

Or even if they were interested in her, it was only her status as the most beautiful woman in all of Rome and perhaps the surrounding empires. Only Prince Darius seemed to be interested in her as a person. Yet as Marcus stated, it would be difficult of rate people of Rome to welcome a foreign prince as the Emperor. Marcus was already beloved by the people as a victorious general, a patriotic son of Rome who risked his life countless of times for Rome. He might not yet have all the respect of the Senators, but that would mostly change once he’s crowned Emperor.

From the options Aquilina had in front of her, Marcus seemed to be best fit for the job as her future husband and henceforth the Emperor of Rome.

Aquilina looked up at the sky, clouds lingering above with the sun shining bright above the palace. Now with the protection order lifted from the Palace, she had the ability to leave it yet she still hadn’t had any clue where she wanted to go. If she didn’t feel the weight of her Empire on her shoulder she might have planned an escape, to run away from the palace, from Rome. But she was too sensible.

Aquilina beckoned for Porcia and asked her to check in on the status of Marcus and his men, with the disguise that she’s bringing them refreshments. Of course, Aquilina would never place Porcia alone with men she barely knew and told Porcia to take along a male kitchen servant. Even though Aquilina didn’t truly think Porcia would be in harms way with Marcus and his men, she didn’t want her most loyal servant Porcia to be uncomfortable.

Porcia did as she was told, leaving Aquilina in the courtyard with another servant and the royal guards whose duty was to keep the Princess of Rome from harms way. Porcia made her way to the kitchen, asked for a jug of water along with a platter of fresh fruits, cheese and crackers to be made for the guests in the Emperor’s wing. The workers in the kitchen had already gossiped about the news of Marcus and his men entering the Emperor’s office and many assumed this meant that Aquilina was truly in love with Marcus. Porcia wanted to tell them the truth but since her loyalty was to Aquilina she kept her mouth shut around the other servants. Then with a help of a young male kitchen servant, the two made their way to the Emperor’s office.

Porcia was slightly nervous, she was not too keen about Marcus as she saw the pain and agony he brought to Aquilina. Nevertheless, she found Marcus handsome and attractive as well as attentive to Aquilina. Qualities she found redeeming despite Aquilina’s distaste in him.

When the duo arrived at the Emperor’s office she quickly knocked on the door. Once she heard a welcoming a voice she entered into the room, her ivory colored stola around her body and a matching palla covering her head. She quickly glanced around the room, she met Marcus’ eyes for a moment letting him know that she brought the men refreshments on behalf of Aquilina.

The kitchen servant quickly placed them on the table as Porcia assisted. The men seemed hard at work, looking at scrolls and maps. She didn’t want to look around too much as she wasn’t comfortable in looking into the eyes of the other men she was not yet familiar with, but she did make sure to keep her ears in check. From the many years Porcia worked as a servant one of the things she learned was they were invisible to most and ignored, allowing servants to overhear as well as see things others would never have the chance to.

Once her task was done, Porcia quickly made her way back to Aquilina. Porcia told Aquilina that the men seemed busy with their tasks. Porcia wished she had more to tell Aquilina as she knew what Aquilina wanted to hear; news about what they were working on, any gossip and perhaps any tidbit about Aquilina Marcus had shared with his men.

Aquilina was slightly dissapointed that Porcia had no “real” news regarding Marcus and his men, but she was content with the news that they were busy working as that her reasoning behind her invitation for them to use her late father’s office.

Aquilina then made her way to the Palace’s backyard. With the protection ban lifted, she was now free to visit the pastures and hills that encompassed the Palace. She had her horse brought and she rode around the pastures until she was met by a serious look by a servant who requested her to visit her mother.
Aquilina wanted to disregard this messenger as she knew her mother wanted a word with her regarding her decision to allow Marcus inside the Emperor’s office.

Aquilina was to be the next Empress in less than a week, she shouldn’t have to worry about her mother. Yet despite Aquilina’s stubborn and at times bold personality she grew up as an obedient daughter.

But not at this moment, not today.

She told the servant that she was needed by Marcus’ side and that she would visit her mother when she was available. The servant tired to hide his surprised look as he had never heard of Aquilina disobeying her mother’s request to see her, but since he was more afraid of Marcus he quickly nodded his head and made his way back to Aquilina’s mother.

Aquilina felt a rush as she rejected her mother’s request to see her, since she was usually the obedient daughter. Yet, she knew what her mother wanted and she had no desire to argue with her or to validate her reasoning behind allowing Marcus to use her late father’s office. Aquilina also knew that her mother wouldn’t take the time to visit Aquilina in her own wings of the palace as Marcus was still in the palace. Her mother made sure to keep her distance from Marcus.

Aquilina did though ride back to the palace and make her way to the rooms belonging to her late father. She first made a pit stop to her room, refreshing herself with a cloth soaked in peppermint oil. She then applied rose oil to her collar bone and her wrists, placed a heavy pearl earring on her ears and quickly changed into a blue hued stola and a palla in a dark navy blue. By the time Aquilina was walking to the Emperor’s wings of the palace the sun was slowly setting and the kitchen staff were preparing dinner. The sound of her leather sandals hitting the marble floor, she knocked on the door and when she heard a welcoming voice Porcia opened the door for the princess.

Aquilina breathed deeply as she saw Marcus standing at her father’s desk. She felt her cheeks turn bright red due to a mix of anger and confusion but with a hint of calmness as she saw a suitable leader in the Emperor’s chair. Aquilina locked eyes with Marcus and felt the gaze of the other two men, Anthony Vitallion and Martin on her slender body. The men seemed to be in shock to see Aquilina in the room, Aquilina’s hands which were in fists when she first entered the room now flat on her sides, the masculine scent of three men in the room mixed with the floral scent of rose emanating from Aquilina.

“I hope I’m not bothering you…General Tiberius.” Aquilina said carefully, her voice a bit weary, unsure of how to address him in front of others. She was to act as though she was head over heels in love with the man in front of her with outsiders and she felt the need to put on a show for Marcus’ men. So she quickly walked over to Marcus and placed a kiss on his cheek, resting an arm on strong shoulder as she leaned into him. She also did this in hopes to see the scrolls, the documents and maps sprawled out on the desk to see if she could gain any knowledge in the state of her empire. The kiss was brief, but at the touch of her moist lips against Marcus’ cheek, she felt her own cheek turn bright red.

“But, its almost time for dinner. Would you be able to join me or should I have it sent here?” Aquilina asked, her voice cheery and delightful, hiding her true feelings regarding Marcus. She glanced at Marcus from the side, her eyes instead of wanting to look down at the desk. Her hand that was resting on his shoulder was now wrapped around his arm as she held onto him. Her head unsure of why she felt the need to stand so close to him, yet it seemed natural in front of others as the two were to be lovebirds.

Marcus sighed, rubbing his forehead, feeling some sweat collect under his fingers. They were several hours into the day’s work of running the Empire, which mostly consisted of making sure taxes were collecting, funds were distributed to where they needed to go, issuing rulings on local issues and responding to correspondence from local government officials. The late summer’s heat was starting to build up in the Emperor’s office, or maybe it was just the pressure starting to build on Marcus. Up until today, he had managed (or attempted to) the affairs of the Empire from his legion’s war camp. It was nothing more of a collection of tents on top of a hill overlooking Rome from the outskirts. But, the fabric walls meant that Marcus was usually graced with a pleasant Mediterranean wind throughout the day.

Marcus had meant what he had told Aquilina earlier. He wanted time away from the hustle of Rome. Just peace and quiet for a few days. It wasn’t that long ago that he had returned from the stresses of war (although the long trip back to Rome on horseback with his men had settled most of his mind in that regard), and now he was back to being inundated with the affairs of running the Empire – the job he had wanted. He longed for some quiet time, to put his mind at ease. Preferably with Aquilina, but he told himself that he had to start to face the reality that she would never love him. She had said that he couldn’t leave the capital once he was Emperor. Perhaps she was trying to spare his heart by coming up with an excuse. Marcus imagined that a day trip to the lake nearest the city must be possible for the most powerful man in the world.

He was slightly embarrassed when he thought about the way he acted around her. The truth was, he realized to himself, he had never felt love before. His casual dates and girlfriends, he never felt anything like he did for Aquilina. They had all been just temporary female companions in his life, or his bed. But he felt a spark with Aquilina that he couldn’t describe. He longed to squeeze her hand and spend time with her. See a play with her, read poetry with her, go to the horse races with her, lay in the grass in the back acres of the Palace and critique wines from around the Roman Empire with her. Maybe it wasn’t love (she had called him out on that earlier), he had only known her for a few months, most of which he had spent away at war, but he was, at the very least, strongly infatuated with her. He knew she would fall for him if she just let him in. He could tell she kept an emotional wall between them, occasionally only taking it down to get angry and scream at him. And she despised him. Maybe she would forever. Maybe he deserved it.

When he put these plans in motion to remove the Emperor from power, he had told himself he was ready for any eventuality. Dying on the cross. Being tortured to death by the Emperor’s men. Stripped of his Roman citizenship and sent to serve some fat senator as a houseslave or suck a Senator’s cock as a bath boy. Or sent to war in the slave legions. Or unleashed in the Coliseum faced to fight four lions at once to the death.

But, his true punishment, it turned out, was being subjected to falling for a beautiful, smart woman who hated him. Maybe unrequited love was the worst punishment of all. He felt like there was an emotional wall wrapping around him. Marcus had a steady rotting feeling in his chest. It felt like his heart was dying.

“Marcus?” Vitallion asked.

Marcus looked up, realized he had drifted off in thought. “Uh, yes?”

“The bridge? In Ravenna?”

“Oh yes. What did we decide?”

Vitallion stared at Marcus, then looked at Martin in disbelief. Martin said nothing, a dumb polite look on his face.

“Are you here, Marcus?” Vitallion asked.

“Sorry, just contemplating my… personal life,” Marcus explained, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

Vitallion opened his mouth slightly; about to repeat his familiar advice about forgetting about the princess as a partner in anything other than name only, but instead, he decided to keep it to himself. Marcus knew what his advice was, and had decided to ignore it.

Vitallion jabbed a finger on the map. “The city of Ravenna, the road north out of the city goes near a marshy swamp. The road gets soft and wet the whole year except for summer. It’s costing the local merchants time and money because their wagons and carts get stuck and slowed down. The local merchant’s guild is building a path around the swamp, but that’ll add hours to the travel time and slow down the economy. The local governor wants to build a stone bridge over the swamp.”

Marcus remembered the dilemma about hallway through Anthony’s explanation. “Right. I remember now. And the governor wants what? Permission to build it?”

“He told us he can’t afford it. He estimated it with local labor and stone and it would cost something like 20,000 aurei. The Imperial treasury could pay it, if you -…”

Marcus held up a hand to stop Anthony. That was another thing he needed to discuss with Aquilina. The Ceasar family held an immense fortune in the quasi-governmental treasury. Any excess from the Empire’s government coffers went to them. It was a fuzzy line between government property and a family’s private fortune. Marcus would soon be a member of the family via marriage and yet had the responsibility of running the greatest Empire in the history of mankind, largely dependent on that money.

There was an assumption he would be allowed to access it, but somebody who came from a family that worked its way out of the dirty ranks of dirty fisherman swinging nets into the Tiber River and earned everything it had, he wanted to discuss it with Aquilina first before he started plying into her family’s fortune. He paused for a minute, wondering how she viewed money. Her family had been the richest people in the world for nearly 400 years. Surely her, her father, his father and his father before him all grew up with no concept of the worth of a single denarius. It must have been hard to value money when you have had an unlimited amount your entire life.

Marcus chuckled inwardly. It wasn’t like he had a terrible life, all things considered. He never worked as a fisherman like his father or uncle. He and Martin had gotten to enjoy the riches of their fathers’ hard work, despite the Tiberius family fortune being a sliver of what sat in the Caesar treasury. Marcus looked at Vitallion, his best friend who was nearly twice his age. He had grown up with absolutely nothing. His mother was a barmaid in a little dirty pub in the poor district of Rome. His father had been a drunk patron who raped her and then left her a few denarii for her trouble. He grew up fighting other boys on the street while older men placed bets on them. He joined the Legion for the steady 25 denarii per week pay and more training in how to fight. And he had attached his wagon to a bushy-eyed handsome spoiled son of a fabric merchant officer and had ridden behind him all the way to the top. Now he was standing in the Imperial Palace, running the Empire.

“Marcus, if you keep staring off into the distance like that and not saying anything, I’m going to call the healer and have them check you for lumps in the brain,” Vitallion said.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Marcus said, some slight annoyance in his voice.

Aquilina’s servant appeared at the door. Another male servant was standing behind her with a big plate of food. What was her name? Porsha? Porcia? Porcia, that was it. She had been a constant backdrop almost every time he had met with Aquilina but still didn’t know that much about her, and only knew her name from when Aquilina called for her.

He announced she was here to bring refreshments on behalf of Aquilina. Marcus waved them in and then looked back down at the desk. Not wanting to explicitly reveal anything in front of Porcia (he wanted to bring up the money issue with Aquilina personally) he chose his words carefully as the servants brought in the food. “I have to still discuss the funding for that with the people in charge.” Vitallion gave him a confused look for a second before understanding him and giving him a knowing nod.

Anthony then began talking about possible other solutions to the bridge problem. “We could send slave labor to do it. But, we would still need to foot the bill for the stone. I don’t know if there are any skilled slave stonecutters or engineers, we still may have to hire people to do it.” He continued discussing the bridge.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Marcus and Anthony, Martin had tried to make eye contact with Porcia, then looked down nervously as she approached the desk to assist with the plates. He again tried to look her in the eye. “Hi, I’m Martin Tiberius. I’m… the General’s cousin and aid,” the young man nervously tried to introduce himself to Porcia. But, without looking at her and mumbling under his breath, everybody assumed he was trying to talk to Marcus and Anthony.

“What the hell are you trying to say?” Anthony asked.

“I was just-…” Martin started to say as Porcia left the room with the male servant. She was probably dating him, that strapping young kitchen boy. She would never be interested in him anyway. His cousin killed her mistress’ dad. She probably thought they were all monsters. God, why couldn’t he meet a pretty girl like her anywhere else?

“What’s wrong, Martin?” Marcus asked.

“Nothing, General.”

“We’ll do it on the cheap, Marcus. We’ll hire some skilled stone cutters and engineers from Rome and send them out there. The slaves can do the rest. Then we just have the cost of the marble. It’ll be cheap,” Vitallion explained.

Marcus sighed. “The slavery topic also needs to be discussed with Aquilina. The Imperial family doesn’t use slaves, in case you haven’t noticed.” Or remembered our plans, Marcus thought. Their first assassination plan was to find a house slave, train them to use a knife, and then promise them freedom and 1,000 aurei if they killed the Emperor. It didn’t get very far when they discovered the Imperial Family didn’t use slaves. “Aquilina might not want slaves on any official Imperial projects. Neither do I.”

“Then we’ll have to pay laborers to do it.”

“I’ll discuss the matter with her.”

Hours continued to roll past and the sun slowly started to set below the horizon. Marcus, Anthony and Martin were still all standing around the desk, their shoulders draping and them exhausted from a day of standing and ruling. The refreshment plate and jug of water were long since empty.

“We can’t finance the olive farms. They’re privately-owned and are going to be operated for profit. Why should we arrange for the government to finance them?” Anthony asked.

Marcus rubbed his forehead, “There is an olive shortage in the northern provinces. The people can’t afford to have the imported from elsewhere. We need local supply for local demand.”

Marcus turned to look out the marble window and sighed. The Palace grounds were beautiful. And he still couldn’t picture spending the rest of his life here. He still hadn’t discussed the living arrangements with Aquilina. Surely, she would stay in her own bedroom and not want to join him in the Imperial master bedroom. Or, wherever he would be staying. By the Gods, what he wouldn’t give to spend every morning waking up with her, staring into her eyes. There was a knock at the door. Marcus didn’t turn around. “Come.” He said.

He turned around to see Aquilina standing here. His heart paused for a second and he felt numb all over. Vitallion quickly looked the princess’ body over and decided that she was attractive. Martin looked at her nervously and wondered where Porcia was. Maybe if Aquilina liked Martin, then Porcia would too.

“I hope I’m not bothering you…General Tiberius,” she said softly.

Marcus grinned at her. “Of course not, Princess,” he said, he wanted to call her something more affectionate but she had quickly shot him down when he started calling her “my love”. She then walked over and kissed him softly on the cheek and touched his arm, sending waves of delight through him, making him warm and fuzzy deep inside of him.

“But, it’s almost time for dinner. Would you be able to join me or should I have it sent here?” She asked as she wrapped her hand around his arm and held onto him. He felt even warmer inside and couldn’t help but smile wide. Just when he thought he could get used to having to accept a sham marriage with her, she gave him just enough affection to reignite his affections for her.

“I’d love to join you, of course,” Marcus said, smiling wide. He loved being so close to her, being around her, she made him feel so relaxed, even as he felt like he was crawling tooth and nail to get her to let him into his life. And after a long day as well.

He looked over at Aquilina and saw her glance down at the desk with the maps and letters. He turned towards her and smiled. “Want to see what we were working on?” He asked. “Just some local and regional matters lately,” he said. “The merchants in Ravenna want a bridge. The current road goes through a swamp. It’s okay in the summer, but bogged down by mud the rest of the year and slows down commercial traffic. The local governor wants a bridge, but can’t afford it. We’re considering our options, a few things I need to discuss with you privately,” he said, turning to smile at her. He reached over, put his big hand over hers that was clutching his arm, and squeezes softly.

“There’s also another matter involving the olive shortage in the North. I need the advice of my Empress-to-be on that as well,” Marcus said.

Vitallion picked up on Aquilina being more physical than what Marcus had told him previously and decided to excuse himself and Maritn. “Well, we’ll leave you two alone. Martin and I should see to the men at the camp.” Vitallion turned to Martin. “Martin, do you want to collect the papers and maps?”

Martin took a step forward, opening the cloth bag he brought to carry the documents, when Marcus held out his hand and stopped him. “Leave them, Martin. In case my bride and I need to discuss something later.”

Vitallion smirked, Martin kept a dumb smile on his face. Both excused themselves to Marcus and the Princess, before walking out of the office and out of the Palace.

Now alone, Marcus turned to Aquilina. “Dinner, together? How could I refuse, Aquilina?” He said with a smirk, hoping that she genuinely wanted to dine with him and wasn’t simply being polite.

Aquilina smiled at Marcus’ acceptance of her dinner invitation.

Of course the smile was only for their audience, Anthony and Martin. Growing up as the princess of Rome she perfectly mastered the art of putting on a show. She was easily able to mask her disdain for someone with a pretty smile, offer a kind word when the only words her lips could taste are of taunts and criticism, and always bring in the air of elegance mixed with pomp & circumstance only an Imperial princess knew how.

Despite the painted smile, Aquilina was assured when Marcus accepted agreed to stay for dinner. This at least meant she would be able to ignore her mother’s wishes to speak to her for a little longer and not have to worry about being disrupted by her anytime soon.

Her arm still wrapped around Marcus, she looked up into his eyes as he gently spoke to her. Their eyes locked, his warm loving brown eyes emanating only joy as she stood next to him so closely and her brown eyes perfectly mirroring the warmth and love, but only for show.

“Want to see what we are working on?”

Aquilina’s eyes grew large , showing her desire to know when Marcus offered to tell her, what he and his men had been working on. They had spoken previously about her desire to be involved with the governing of her Empire and her want of transparency between the two regarding matters of the state. Marcus welcoming agreed to Aquilina’s demands as he asserted that he would need her expertise, her help in running the Empire. At the time she assumed his promises were only made to keep the princess happy and for her to see her future husband in a favorable light but it seemed to Aquilina that Marcus meant his words and intended to keep Aquilina informed.

“Just some local and regional matters lately. The merchants in Ravenna want a bridge. The current roads grow through a swam. It’s okay in the summer, but bogged down by mud the rest of the year and slows down commercial traffic. The local governor wants a bridge, but can’t afford it. We’re considering our options, a few things I need to discuss with you privately…”

Aquilina carefully listened to Marcus’ words, especially the last handful of words that left his lips. Aquilina wondered if Anthony and Martin had an opinion regarding Marcus’ decision in telling Aquilina about matters of the state. Or could it be that he was only disclosing her things he deemed “right” for a woman to know,things that the men actually thought were menial and unimportant yet Marcus brought it up to satisfy his promise to Aquilina. Growing up in a world where bribery, schemes and lies were abundant Aquilina scrutinized every action a person did and word that left a person’s lips.

Marcus smiled at her at the end of his sentence. His brown eyes admiringly looking into her brown eyes, she gave him a small smile and gently nodded her head, letting him know that she had paid attention to his words. She felt a faint gasp leave her lips when Marcus squeezed her hand that was wrapped around his arm. Marcus seemed so content to have Aquilina by his side, she almost felt bad for him as he seemed clueless that her show of affection was only a show for his friends. Yet, a sense of calmness and a feeling of protection ran through Aquilina as she stood closely to Marcus, with his hand on hers.

Aquilina glanced at Vitallion as he started to excuse himself and Martin. If she was able to decipher his face correctly, he seemed rather amused, content, almost perhaps surprised to see Aquilina so affectionate towards Marcus. She wondered if Marcus had painted her as the cold and unwelcoming creature as she tended to be when she and Marcus were in private.

She knew she needed to be more careful around others, perhaps even around Marcus as she needed everyone to think that she was indeed the lovestruck Roman Princess marrying Marcus purely out of love. It might make him Emperor, but only because it was what the gods wanted. Aquilina despised being the lovestruck, doe-eyed princess, but if that was what was needed to bring stability to her Empire, that was what Aquilina was willing to do.

Aquilina studied the maps briefly when she glanced down at them and she tried very hard to ingrain them in her memory as she unsure how long they would be in front of her and accessible for her eyes. Thus her curiosity was happy to hear when Marcus countered Vitallion’s request for Martin to collect the maps and documents on the table as “In case my bride and I need to discuss something later.”

Bride.

She was Marcus’ bride

Marcus was her groom.

They were to be married in a matter of days. They were to be husband and wife. She would be Empress of Rome and he would become Emperor of Rome…Was this really the right thing to do? Her head hurt as the question burned her thoughts.

Aquilina gave Vitallion and Martin a polite smile as they excused themselves from the couple, a smile where only her lips gently curled.

“Dinner together? How could I refuse, Aquilina?” Marcus’ brown eyes affectionately gazing in her eyes made her feel as though the air in her lungs had all escaped at once and the marble floor that was underneath her leather sandals nonexistent.

Aquilina’s plump lips quivered for a moment as her lungs fought for air. Her mind recognizing that their guests, Vitallion and Martin had left the room she knew there was no longer the need to put on the show as the two happy lovebirds. Aquilina quickly took the arm that was wrapped around Marcus’ strong muscular arm away, and placed it back to her side.

It was as if there was an on and off button for her public show of affection toward Marcus, it was only on in front of others and when it was just the two of them she had no desire to play the part of the love-struck princess.

But as her lonely hand brushed up against the soft fabric of her stola, it missed the warmth and the strength that radiated from Marcus’ hand and she was now sorry that she was so rash in taking her hand away from Marcus’ side. She wanted to place it back to where it was, her slender arm coiled with his thick muscular veiny arm, but without a reason, without a need to put on a show her hand was back to being alone.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt your work day.” Aquilina quickly replied.

“I didn’t mean to have your men leave the palace, you all seemed hard at work…” Aquilina commented as her eyes glanced at the documents sprawled out on the table and then back at Marcus. Her eyes weren’t cold as she expected, but they were rather warm and considerate possibly even vulnerable as she missed his touch, his warmth, his affection.

Marcus frowned slightly as Aquilina yanked her hand away from him as she seemed to contemplate his compliment. It was as he had feared; her sudden burst of affection was simply because they were in the presence of guests and not as a result of a sudden change of heart for her. Still, as she looked at him, something was different in her gaze. All their previous encounters, she had either been openly hostile or reserved around him, like she was surrounding herself in an emotional wall. Maybe he was managing to make a difference.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt your work day. I didn’t mean to have your men leave the palace, you all seemed hard at work…”

Marcus broke his gaze from her and stared down at the desk as he scratched the back of his head. “Yeah, I suppose we were mostly just going back and forth over political decisions,” Marcus said, looking back up at Aquilina.

“And, I guess we were mostly done for the day though,” Marcus explained. “That boy was my cousin, Martin. My aunt and uncle wanted him to be a war hero like me, so they asked me to take him into the Legion and teach him everything I knew. Unfortunately, he’s a bit skinny and timid with a sword, so I use him as an aide-de-camp instead.” It was funny, Martin was many years younger than Marcus and they weren’t close as children. But, in many ways, Martin was his family member that he was closest to these days.

Now that they were alone, Marcus decided it was time to discuss the Imperial Treasury. “We need to have a discussion about money. It might seem gauche to discuss it, but it’s been hampering my ability to manage the Empire,” he said.

Marcus crossed his arms on his chest, his skin touching the gold of his chestplate. He leaned his hips up against the desk as he turned to face Aquilina. “I’m sure you’re aware about your family’s finances. The Imperial Treasury holds your fortune, and most of the excess tax revenue from the government goes to your treasury. So far, I’ve been trying to run the government of our Empire without access to the vast majority of its finance resources,” Marcus explained as he gazed at Aquilina, his voice level and calm.

He smiled at her. “Because I’m interested in being Emperor… and your husband for reasons other than money,” Marcus explained, “and we discussed you being involved in the decision making process, I think you should retain control over the treasury and not sign any permissions over to me, even after we’re married.”

“That way, you’ll always have a reason to be involved in the daily activity of the Empire,” Marcus explained, “Any time the government needs a dispensation from the Imperial Treasury, you can authorize it.” Marcus also didn’t admit, but it was a reason to keep Aquilina close, in Rome, and not escape to the Imperial summer estate in Sicily with her mother and siblings without him. Not only did he respect her intellect, but maybe, if they worked together as rulers of Empire and got closer and closer every day…

“I’ll show you what we discussed,” Marcus said, tearing himself away from another daydream and turning back to the maps. He pointed out the main road coming out of Ravenna. “That’s the road here where it’s a boggy wet swamp for 9 months out of the year. They want to build a stone bridge right over the whole swamp.” Marcus dragged his finger across that spot on the map. “It’d be one of the longest in all of the Empire, but the engineers assure us it can be done,” Marcus said. “It would cost 20,000 aurei to do it with a total non-slave workforce. Paid engineers, paid stonecutters, paid laborers. If we used slaves as laborers, it would cut the price by 60%. I’m kind of leaning towards just paying to have it done by the paid laborers,” Marcus explained. Slavery was a fact of life in upper class Rome, and many powerful people measured their estates by the number of slaves they had. Growing up from a self-made family, Marcus had never owned slaves and found the practice kind of appalling. During his various military conquests of foreign lands, he found his orders from Rome to bring back certain numbers of foreign slaves to stimulate the slave market in Rome to be… disgusting.

Marcus then pointed to the northern provinces of the Empire on the map. “There’s also an olive shortage up here. Merchants are paying to have them imported from Rome and it’s costing the common people a fortune to feed their families. Some local farmers have offered to start growing olives if we paid for the cost of the new farms. But, they want to own the farms, not the government, and keep running them for their own profit,” Marcus explained. “I’m kind of mixed on it. It would help the common people, and we would make back more money from the province in taxes if there were more farms.”

Marcus said, looking up from the maps to look into Aquilina’s brown eyes. He was serious. He wanted her to be not only his romantic partner and wife, but a true partner in running the Empire as well.

Aquilina saw the frown on Marcus’ face as she pulled her hand away from him and she regretted even more for taking her arm away from his, she missed his warmth, the comfort and his touch. Despite her mind’s desire to paint Marcus as a cruel and mischievous man, she was slowly starting to see him as a warm and caring man, characteristics her mind refused to accept.

Aquilina listened as Marcus explained to her about his relation with Martin. Despite the fact that Marcus and Martin shared blood, they seemed to be the exact opposite. Martin was skinny and fragile looking while Marcus was muscular and the epitome of manliness. While Marcus would go bravely into war, with not an ounce of fear in his body, it seemed to Aquilina that Martin that he would run the opposite direction and retreat to safety. Yet, little did Aquilina know that thousands of men just like Martin bravely fought for her Empire under Marcus' direction, many losing their lives as they lacked the proper skills.

Aquilina had a blank look on her eyes when Marcus excused his necessity to discuss about finances. Being a princess and having a handful of older siblings before her, she never had to worry nor care about money. She knew her family was well off compared to most, they were the Imperial family of Rome. She grew up in wealth and lived in the lap of luxury. She was astute and well-informed enough to know that her lifestyle was not the norm yet she had no idea how her finances were taken care of, she had little interest in that area, and she had no idea how to help her most disadvantaged citizens.*

The first time she even thought about having to pay someone was when Marcus returned from fighting off the Germans. Even that process was taken cared by Aquilina writing a letter to Senator Marcellus, her father's right hand man when it came to finances. So when Marcus assumed that she was well versed regarding her family’s finances, she carefully nodded her head. Aquilina didn’t want to seem clueless to the man who expected her to solve his problems.

“Because I’m interested in being Emperor… and your husband for reasons other than money,” Marcus explained.


You only wanted power…Aquilina thought in her head. The thought that Marcus wanted to become Emperor to have access to the Imperial Treasury didn’t even come across to Aquilina. She never thought that money could make a man greedy enough to kill or plan an assassination, although she did believe that power was well enough to make a man do such selfish and horrific acts.

“and we discussed you being involved in the decision making process, I think you should retain control over the treasury and not sign any permissions over to me, even after we’re married.”

Aquilina’s face perked as Marcus made this declaration. Her brown eyes grew large, her ears made sure they heard Marcus correctly and her red plump lips slightly opened as she readied to say a reply. She never expected Marcus to give her such an important role. Despite her lack of knowledge regarding how the treasury was run, she knew it was vital to the operation of the Empire. Her father always had senators asking him for more money to help fund their projects and he worked closely with his advisors to ensure a stable Roman commerce.

“Are you sure?” Aquilina asked, she made sure she was questioning his decision and not herself.

“You know your advisors and the senators won’t like having a woman keeping control of the treasury.” Aquilina said flatly.

“Although, if that is what the future Emperor of Rome wishes me to do…I shall serve Rome, serve my Empire as the keeper of the treasury.” Aquilina said with a polite smile. Having to call Marcus the ‘future Emperor of Rome’ left a bitter taste n her lips, yet she was happy to take on the responsibility of controlling the treasury.

Although her skeptical nature wondered if there was any catch to Marcus’ proposal. What if his advisors and the senators deem that Aquilina is unfit to control the treasury? Even if Aquilina were to disagree with a proposal, would they listen to her? Would her opinion be heard by a government controlled by men? What if Marcus finds a way to get money from the treasury sans Aquilina’s approval? What if this position was merely just between and until the two were married? She still had great trouble believing any words leaving the lips of Marcus Tiberius.

Aquilina had a glazed look on her eye as Marcus talked to her about the problem regarding the bridge. She did carefully look down at the documents in front of her and at the map Marcus pointed at. The problem seemed simple for Aquilina to fix, just build the bridge. Yet then the question was if they should a paid workforce or slaves.

Despite the fact that the Imperial household was run sans slaves, she knew they existed in Roman society. She liked to think she lived in a world where everyone was treated equal and with respect yet she knew that the reality was far from it. She hoped that her family would be a model for other well-off families to use employed laborers, yet she knew that many wealthy senators ran their households with slaves, young women taken from their home country as spoils of war were sold off to brothels to work as sex slaves, even children were used as slave laborers.

Even a favorite Caesar family pastime; watching the Gladiators fight in the Colosseum, were done by slaves. She knew slavery played a key part of Roman society and the optimistic, doe-eyed Aquilina wanted to get rid of slavery but it had existed throughout many Emperors and Empresses. How could she change the social structure of Rome?

Marcus then rattled on about the olive shortage. Having never experienced any shortage of any kind, whether that be food, clothing or entertainment she had no idea how an olive shortage could happen in a country she thought was bountiful in olives.

When Marcus glanced into her brown eyes she looked back in his eyes, making sure he saw that she was taking this all in very seriously, even though she felt lost or even slightly disinterested in the topics.

“Walk with me.” Aquilina quickly said as she took a final glance at the maps and slowly stepped away from her father’s desk. “We can eat dinner in one of my father’s sitting rooms.” Aquilina said as she made her way out of her father’s office.

“If that is alright with the future Emperor of Rome.” Aquilina said carefully, but she didn’t expect Marcus to make a fuss about where the two would eat.

Aquilina lead the duo to one of her father’s sitting rooms. She did have the option in eating at one of his dining room, but she was not yet ready to enter in a room where she would every once in a while have dinner by her father’s side.

A cedar table inlaid with colorful gems welcomed the duo along with red wine silk covered couches coaxing for the two to sit. A side of the room opened into a balcony, and a door to it was slightly ajar, letting fresh air into the room. A pair of long linen curtains kept the glare of setting sun out of the duos eyes.

Her father used to welcome his senators and advisors in this room. Little did Aquilina know this was also a room where her father entertained his mistresses. Right before Aquilina’s and Marcus’ entry into the room, the servants had lighted the candles, making sure the room was well lit.

Aquillina waited for Marcus to sit and she quickly began to talk.

“I’m all for building a bridge at Ravenna, although I would like to have my father’s engineers take a look at the drawings as well. If we are to make one it has to be worth it. I refuse to have any failed attempts. “

“And I agree with you, I think we should have paid laborers. Once my father’s engineers get a chance to look through the drawings and agree that it can be built successfully, then I would be more than happy to pay for it.” Aquilina said with a gentle nod.

“And regarding the olive shortage….” Aquilina couldn’t help but purse her lips as she had no proper solution for this one yet.

Slowly the servants started to get ready for their dinner first course of their dinner was brought, a plate of asparagus, pickled cabbage, clams, shrimps and crabs.

“I understand that people want their own farms…but if we are helping them finance their farms, shouldn’t we be given some percentage of their profits?” Aquilina started to speak well before she had an idea of what she wanted to say, but she was content with her question.

“Maybe we could give them a loan…on the farms. And as you said, we would make back more money from the province in taxes if they have more farms. What do you think General Tiberius?” Aquilina asked, her brown eyes flickering with the room as the sun was slowly setting in the back and the flames of the candles dancing in the room.

Marcus smiled at the very edges of his mouth as she called him the future Emperor of Rome. It wasn’t just the title that satisfied him, but the further implications that it meant that she intended to go through the marriage. In their earlier conversations, she seemed almost undecided, despite accepting his offer of marriage earlier, and her earlier encounter with the Persian that Marcus had clandestinely viewed hadn’t helped his insecurities.

Marcus listened as they went down to one of the sitting rooms and sat together for dinner, nodding occasionally as he contemplated her words. He started chewing on some crab from their first plate of food as she opined on the olive shortage. She was smart, thoughtful and compassionate, yet dedicated and driven. It probably made her the perfect ruler for her people. She wouldn’t have needed any man to rule the Empire. Her father or any husband, even Marcus. Maybe a bit more maturing, as she was barely an adult, but she could have been a sole Empress. Maybe in another time, or another place.

“We’ll have to discuss the actual terms of the loans with somebody who knows how to structure those things,” Marcus said. “A banker or a Senator will have to write the actual contract of the loans for us, pending our approval of course.” Marcus had no legal training, and he realized for the first time that he would have to rely on others to write the actual laws he wanted to enact. So far, as interim ruler, whatever he was, he had ruled by issuing simple decrees, plainly worded. But once he was emperor and writing law in stone, it would have to be carefully constructed in legalese. He despised the thought that he needed the help of others to rule the Empire but it was the nature of the job, he supposed.

Marcus looked up at her, “And, I want you for more than just a treasurer. You should know that by now,” he said softly, his voice barley inflecting that he was still hurt she seemed to believe he had ulterior motives in marrying her. Well, he did, he thought, he wanted the throne, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want her as a wife as well.

“How are you, Aquilina, really?” He asked, compassionately. “Ever since we’ve met, our… relationship has been all about what I can do for you. I’ve been incredibly selfish. I never really considered you or your feelings. Are you okay, with all of this?” He said, reaching for some more food on his plate. He didn’t want to sour her mood by bringing up what had brought them together, but he wanted her to know he cared about her. “About, your father dying and all of this. The wedding. I know it’s not what you want, or deserve but, I promise I won’t hurt you again. I can be a kind and compassionate man, if you let me,” he said, looking back down at the table struggling for words. And I want you to rule with me and…” he trailed off as his heavy brown eyes looked up into hers once again.

Aquilina sat carefully of the plush sofa, the silk fabrics of her stola wrapping around her slender body. She eyed Portia who was carefully studying the Princess, worried, wondering if Aquilina was going to eat in front of Marcus. Aquilina took her dainty fingers, making sure the sleeves of her palla and stola wouldn’t get in the way of the food laid out on the fable. She reached for some of the shrimp and the pickled cabbage on the plates in front of them. The servants brought out bowls of vegetable soup and flatbreads for the royal couple.*

Aquilina was happy that Marcus didn’t completely disregard her idea of creating a loan for the olive farmers. The idea was only half thought by her when she let the words out of her lips and she was sure Marcus was only being cordial. He was being polite, trying to win the favor of the woman he was to marry.* Yet having Marcus listen to her ideas and him considering them, even if it was just for this moment, by him was a comforting feeling. All her life she was always “just the Emperor’s daughter.” Despite her strong intellect and sharp mind, she knew no one took the words’ of a woman seriously no matter how strong and powerful their last name was- even if it was tied to the Imperial family.*

Yet Marcus wasn’t condescending, he seemed genuinely interested in her words, her ideas. And it seemed that her idea in how to solve the olive farmers crisis peaked General Marcus’ interest and he was willing to see it through. She had previously offered her father her thoughts, her two cents on a matter and he happily listen to her but he never took her seriously. The former Emperor always at least gave her the courtesy of listening to her, he never dismissed her as he secretly admired her intelligence and she was the only elder offspring left around the Imperial palace. Yet he never sincerely listened to her words no matter how passionate Aquilina was or how well planned or feasible an idea she might have, since to him and everyone else she was just the Imperial daughter. Merely a well educated girl who would one day make a fine wife and further the Imperial family name.

On the other hand, Marcus took Aquilina’s words seriously and he treated her not as the inferior sex, but as an equal. He did seem to worry about her and pay particular attention to her, but then when they first met she fainted in his arms and she was his securement to the Imperial throne.

Aquilina bit the inside of her cheek as Marcus told her that he wanted her more than just a treasurer. She wondered what it meant. Did he want someone to keep his bed warm? She had already decided that she would allow him to consummate their marriage. She had thought about keeping her legs closed and not going through with the consummation on their wedding night. If she didn’t consummate it, she could have the marriage null and voided. But she knew that if she left her marriage unconsummated even if she used her excuse of being a scared and wary virgin, it would cause suspicion and unrest in her Empire.

Her only reason in marrying Marcus was to put a suitable man on the Imperial throne. She knew her empire needed an Emperor, a male leader, in order to unify it and stabilize it. Rome was not ready and most likely would never be ready for a female ruler. Marcus was her best choice, he cared about Rome, about her and he took her seriously, not just as the beautiful woman he was marrying in order to become Emperor of the Roman Empire. Despite Aquilina’s mother’s distaste in lack of noble blood in Marcus, Marcus was a true son of Rome, he was a patriot, a man loved by the Roman people.* And despite Aquilina’s own earlier disdain for Marcus as well as her outright desire to cause him emotional pain with her interaction with Prince Darius, she was slowly coming around in entertaining the notion of not disliking him as she did feel a sense of security with him around.*

Aquilina raised her left brow when Marcus questioned how she was feeling. Her first instinct was to snap at him, tell him that it was he was responsible for her misery, that if it wasn’t for him that her family would still be all happily living in the Palace. Her father, still the Emperor of Rome ruling the greatest Empire in the world with a heavy a yet just fist, ensuring the happiness and peace of its people. Her mother the Empress of Rome as the role model of every mother in Rome; nurturing, selfless and loving, her younger siblings happily playing around the Palace, able to enjoy their childhood without any worries. However that happy, peaceful image Aquilina had of her family never existed, only what the people assumed was the life of the Imperial family of Rome. In reality her father was a cruel and unjust Emperor, her mother a manipulative, selfish woman who left the care of her children under her staff as she lacked any matronly bone in her body, and her own siblings, the world unaware of her brother Gaius because of his label as lame because of his deformity and her sister already fully aware of the cruelty of the world as even the thick marble pillars of the Imperial Palace couldn’t keep out the harshness of reality.*

Aquilina tried to think of how her life was before her father’s death, before Marcus orchestrated her father’s assassination. She chewed heavily on the piece of pickled cabbage in her mouth, to the point that the the cabbage had become so thinly minced and shredded it was virtually non existent in her mouth.*

Aquilina glanced at Marcus’ side profile, his strong jaws working on the food in front of him, his eyes waiting for her response.*

She knew Marcus had no maliciousness when he asked about her well being, yet it seemed cruel to her that he would ask when it was him that turned her life upside down.*

“I’m fine.” Aquilina replied, giving him the universal response of detachment.*

“Ever since we’ve met our…relationship has been all about what I can do for you. I’ve been incredibly selfish. I never really considered you or your feelings.* Are you okay with all this?”*

Aquilina had to stop herself from*rolling her eyes at Marcus. It was his selfishness, his sense of righteousness that made her father’s assassination possible and for him to declare himself suitable to be the Emperor of Rome. He had no royal blood in him, he had no true right to the Imperial throne.

Aquilina opened her lips, but she couldn’t find the words to fill the silence, an appropriate response for Marcus.

“About, your father dying and all this. The wedding. I know it’s not what you want, or deserve but, I promise I won’t hurt you again. I can be a kind and compassionate man, if you let me,”

“Are you asking me if I’m okay that I’m to marry the man…” Aquilina lowered her voice for the next words leaving her lips, “who orchestrated my father’s assassination?” Aquilina exhaled heavily from her nose as her lips formed a sly smile.

“And you’re right, the wedding is not what I want, nor what I deserve.” Aquilina said taking the goblet with her wine from the table, taking a large sip of the fermented grape juice, tasting its bitterness fill her palette.

“I was to be allowed to choose my own husband, my father promised me this, but…” Aquilina keeping her voice low so only Marcus can hear her.

“But yes, I am okay with all of this.” Aquilina said eyeing Marcus from the corner of her eye and then taking a large helping of the seafood in front of them. Her words had a deceitful, sarcastic tone, but her eyes were calm as if she was hiding behind her words, her lips still unwilling to speak in favor of her marriage to Marcus.

“And I want you to rule with me and…”

“You say that now…but I’m sure you’ll change your mind General Marcus.” Aquilina said, she refused to get her hopes up or even trust Marcus' words. Because if Aquilina allowed to trust his words, she would forgive him for her father's death, she would willingly marry him, and she was sure they would live a happy harmonious life as the Imperial couple...

Aquilina took another large gulp of her wine. She needed something that would soothe her to sleep, as her mind raced with thoughts, and she was hoping to find it at the bottom of her goblet.