Siblings
by TamLin
Chapter 1: Commodus
"Lucilla, wait!"
Lucilla looked back over her shoulder at her little brother with a giggle.
"Come on, Commodus. Or they'll catch us for sure."
She watched Commodus' face squinch. His full lips thinned down and he narrowed his eyes as he scrambled over the aging stone fence. The fine cloth of his toga tore but he ignored it as he joined his sister on the other side of the family land's border. Her ivory face was sparkling with light and forbidden freedom and he could see her already breathlessly looking toward their future. Her excitement drove color into his own pale face and he smiled as he gazed up at her.
"Where shall we go first, Lucilla?"
She laughed, the sound wider and wilder now that they stood on the other side of royal watchfulness. She spun, hands out wide and Commodus followed her example, enjoying the feel of the sun on his face, the freedom in the air, his sister by his side. Lucilla stopped, panting a bit in the warm sun, blond curls already beginning to come out of their careful arrangement.
"Egypt" she was decisive, and Commodus felt a confidence of his own in the face of hers. Together they would face the world. And all the hidden mysteries of ancient Egypt.
"Do they really have gods with animal heads?" he asked, the thought frightening and awing all at once. Lucilla laughed, gathering her skirts up in her hands to free her legs.
"Let's see" she called, sprinting for the cover of the local woods.
She was so much older than him and so much bigger. She ran so fast. Commodus' brows furrowed and he began his dogged pursuit.
They were both laughing by the time they burst out on the other side of the young trees and half tumbled down the tall grass that coated the hill they'd crested. Commodus felt as if he would fly. Like Icarus. Like Mercury. His world was perfect. He skid to a stop next to his sister and followed her example, flopping back in the soft grass to look up at the fluffy clouds passing leisurely so very far away in the dome of the sky.
"Lucilla?"
"Yes, Commodus?"
"I love you" he burst and she laughed, reaching over to ruffle his curly hair.
"I love you too, brother."
He sighed, content and shifted so that he could rest his head against her shoulder. He didn't care if they never made it to Egypt. He didn't care if the world never moved forward from this moment. Now was too perfect to live through. He thought he might die from the joy of it.
He must have fallen asleep because the sun was in a different spot overhead when he opened his eyes again. Lucilla was still next to him, humming quietly to herself, winding pulled blades of long grass together in a ring. And off to the side he heard a horse wicker. A horse!
He sat up so suddenly his head spun and his sight went black. Father had sent the guards after them! He felt sweat break out on his forehead. Father would be furious, absolutely furious. Terrified he scanned the surrounding land. His heart threatened to choke him. Lucilla sat up next to him, calmly folding her hands and her weaving into her lap. They both watched as the trees down the hill parted. But all that stepped through was a young boy leading a white shaggy pony. The breath went out of Commodus with a whoosh.
"Just a slave" he almost giggled it was such a relief. Lucilla smiled next to him, put a reassuring hand on his arm, but she shook her head.
"Not a slave, brother. See the stripe of color on his tunic. He's a equite's son."
Commodus nodded, eyes wide. If Lucilla said it, it must be so.
"Do you think he's summer vacationing like us?" he asked, watching the way the boy lead his pony down the hill. He wanted a pony too. But everyone said he was too young. Maybe if the boy gave him his pony he could prove them all wrong. He could leap onto its back and charge across the field like a legionnaire. Lucilla would be so surprised. Father would be so proud.
"He's spotted us" Lucilla's voice broke into his daydream and she raised a hand, giving the boy who was now looking their way a friendly wave. The boy waved back, hesitated a moment and then set aside where ever he had been going and started toward them. Commodus started to rise but his sister's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Stay seated, brother. No matter who he is, you are still the Emperor's son."
Wide-eyed and solemn, Commodus settled back down. The boy walked over to them, stood there looking down at them with solemn eyes. Lucilla smiled.
"Join us?" she invited, patting the grass next to her. The boy's lean face lit.
"I could use a rest," he agreed, giving his pony a pat on its neck before joining their small group. Commodus looked at him in awe.
"Is that your horse?" he asked. The boy grinned.
"He will be. Just as soon as I get done training him. Father says he's mine if I can." He patted the side of the pony's face as it lowered its head. "His name's Tiber. Isn't he handsome?"
Commodus rose onto his knees to get closer, reaching out tentatively to stroke the pony's cheek.
"He's beautiful," he agreed breathlessly. He'd never been so close to a horse before. At least not without strict adult supervision. Tiber exhaled a warm, horsy breath onto him and Commodus jumped to his feet, laughing as he threw his arms around the pony's neck in a hug.
"Isn't he wonderful, Lucilla? Isn't he?"
"You live around here?" Lucilla was asking the boy.
He must have been about her age and he smiled easily as he answered, one hand still holding his pony's lead while Commodus tried to lure it with long stalks of grass. He nodded.
"My home's just over that hill" he gestured with a free hand, a sweeping move that somehow seemed precise. "My father's Tiberius Decimas Maximus. We raise horses."
"I want to raise horses too" Commodus chimed. "I'd have the fastest, best horses in all the world."
The strange boy grinned.
"Then you'd be working for my father."
Commodus sniffed.
"Your father would be working for me," he stated emphatically. The other boy's eyes flashed.
"If you weren't so young, I'd take offense. My father's no free man or slave."
"He meant nothing by it" Lucilla laid a diplomatic hand on the boy's arm, flashing Commodus a warning look. He scowled back but turned away to comb his finger's through the pony's mane. "Now, tell me, what's your name."
The boy was still frowning slightly but he turned his attention back to Lucilla.
"My name is Maximus Decimas. What's yours?"
Lucilla smiled, pearl teeth perfect in a beautiful face.
"I'm Lucilla."
"Like the princess" Maximus stated. Lucilla laughed.
"Just like the princess" she agreed with a nod. "And that's my brother Commodus."
Maximus' eyes narrowed and he looked from her to Commodus. Commodus scowled at him from the other side of the pony.
"Are you just pretending or are those your real names?" Maximus asked slowly. Lucilla arched her eyebrow.
"Of course they're our real names" Commodus stated, rolling his eyes as he came around to flop down next to his sister. "Why would we pretend?"
"So I'm talking to Caesar's heirs?" Maximus asked.
"Not any more. We ran away," Commodus informed him, perplexed when his sister burst into laughter.
"Pleased to meet you, Maximus Decimus" Lucilla offered her hand. The boy looked surprised but took her hand, placing a kiss on one of her rings.
"You won't tell, will you?" Commodus leaned forward. The boy's wide eyes met his.
"Won't someone come looking for you?"
"They probably already are" Lucilla agreed.
"They always do" Commodus moaned. "I don't want to go back." He brightened. "Can I stay with you?"
Maximus looked even more started by the suggestion than he had moments ago when he'd found out who they really were.
"What about the people who were supposed to be watching you?"
"Who cares" Commodus stated "they're just slaves. I hope they all get put to death. Especially Fedius" he glowered at the thought of his Greek tutor. In his mind he could already hear the screams of the over cultured old donkey. Maximus blinked.
"I think my family might get into trouble if you stayed with us without your father knowing" he stated slowly. Lucilla smiled suddenly.
"But we could come visit, couldn't we? If we did it right and asked and all?"
Maximus grinned.
"That would be fun," he agreed. "It would be nice to have someone my age come and visit me."
"But what about Egypt?" Commodus protested.
That was the moment that Caesar and his praetorian guards burst out of the trees on their horses a short way down the hill. Tiber started and his lead jerked out of Maximus' hand as the pony turned tail and fled. Maximus jumped to his feet, using words Commodus had never heard before. Even as he leaped to his feet and broke into a cold sweat next to the larger boy, a part of Commodus' mind was trying to memorize the words for later use. Lucilla rose slowly to her feet and joined their circle, her hand finding her brother's. Surprisingly she laid her other hand on Maximus' arm, stepping closer so they stood in a tight circle as Caesar's guards thundered down to surround them. Commodus felt the way her hand trembled and it scared him even more.
Caesar's voice could carry across a battlefield or the Senate house. Now its terrifying power turned toward his children as he quietly stated:
"I thought we'd had enough of this nonsense, children."
Lucilla bowed her head, effectively hiding herself behind Maximus' squarer frame. Commodus clung to her side, starring up at his father, his god, in open-mouthed awe. Maximus raised his head.
"It's my fault, Caesar. I lost my pony and they were helping me look."
The full might of the Empire turned on the young boy and paused there. Maximus stood under the scrutiny and refused to falter for all that his breathing came ragged. The emperor of the known world smiled. Slightly, barely enough to be seen, but he smiled none the less.
"I doubt my children needed any such encouragement, young man. Leave the business of lying to the politicians, young Decimas."
Maximus inhaled sharply in surprise and his eyes went huge in his lean face.
"Y-yes, sir, Caesar" he stammered. And then Caesar was looking past him. He held out a hand.
"Come, Lucilla. You've had your fun. Its time to go home now."
"Yes, Caesar" Lucilla's voice was small as she stepped past Maximus to let her father lift her onto the horse in front of him. The praetorian next to him lifted Commodus away as well. And then the horses were away and the land was rushing by him at terrible speeds. Commodus bit his lip and refused to cry even though the wind gave him a good excuse. Once again his father had done worse than punish him. By refusing to blame him, he'd just proven to Commodes once again that his son was of no importance to him.