Caius Martius Coriolanus stepped up to the great doors of his sworn enemy's homestead, and raised a fist to the strong wood that bore scars of visitors past; his heavy thumping alerting two guards to the outskirts of the premises.
He pulled his robes tighter to his skin and his hood atop his head, concealing his identity from the chilling evening atmosphere. His eyes cast down as the guards regarded him.
"Who goes there?"
The question resounded through the quiet whistle of baited wind through the air. Coriolanus turned, although not lifting his face to light. "Do you not recognize mine features?" he asked softly. The guard paused. "No. A new sight to mine eyes, sir."
Coriolanus stood for a moment, wondering if he should turn back now. But deciding against the idea, he took a step forward.
"I come for Aufidius. I wish to… converse of such that is not known to the ears of thine commoners." The other guard who had been silent wondered who the strange man was. "Why should we trust thou in the home of our general? A sure killing of deception might be on the hands of yours, what makes your heart pure to trust?"
Coriolanus said nothing. There was no way to prove that he came with peaceful intentions, but he was sorely determined to get past the gatemen.
"Do not waste thine breath on my intentions; I give you my honourable word that I come on singularly verbal terms." The guards gazed uneasily at each other, and back at the visitor.
"We shall let you through, good noble sir. But thou must not have any doubt that we will be at the ready to slay you where you stand if the general deems it fit." Coriolanus slowly nodded, and traipsed through the widening iron gates.
He absorbed his surroundings, and took a deep breath. But his breath was not one of contentment; not yet. The moment that Caius Martius could not find rest on pondering of was the meeting of the two.
Aufidius… he thought, breaking down the name in small letters of thought. How would he react to his very presence?
Coriolanus had very little time to think on the matter, for a deep voice with a drawling Scottish accent sounded from behind him.
"Who art thou?"
Coriolanus turned halfway, shadowed eyes drifting up to rest upon the face of his enemy. Seeing Aufidius' eyes staring back down at his made him shudder. "Do you know me?" asked Caius Martius, "From the sight of my shadow?"
Aufidius stepped down so he was closer. "Who. Art. thou?" he repeated, eyes unblinking. Coriolanus turned fully toward the other man, but kept his cloak and hood on. Only his lips showed.
"Do you still not recognize thee?" he asked, fingers playing at the frayed ends of the cloak. Aufidius stared at him in bewilderment. "I do not. But you must be worthy of my company; my faithful guards showed you in…" He stroked his short beard, brown with auburn wisps. "Show yourself."
Caius Martius heart beat rapidly as he lifted his strong arms to the rims of him hood, gripping the fabric through his slender fingers. He removed the veil of concealment, and lifted his chin.
"It is I. Caius. Martius. Coriolanus," he sounded out, voice powerful and cutting through the air between them.
Aufidius shakily realized the identity of his visitor, and looked up to the sky. He quickly took a step away, hand on his sword. "Hast you come for battle?" Coriolanus lowered his hands. "I come on no other intentions than to talk with you."
Then, Aufidius let out a loud laugh, a mocking laugh. "You? The great Caius Martius Coriolanus, came to 'talk,' he elevated his voice for the last word. "You do not deceive me, old brother of war, I hath known you for long since today. You think me a fool to believe such as that."
Coriolanus had come prepared with a sword, but did not intend to use it. As Aufidius made movement forward with his sword, he rested his hand upon the metal scabbard.
"I did not come for this." "In times of yore, did you ever act as you do now? Peacefully? No. I don't believe someone like you can change." Coriolanus was forced to draw, as Aufidius advanced on him. Their swords clashed, a metallic *clink* in the night.
Coriolanus dodged a swing. "I came to simply, ah! Speak with you…" "Your lies do you no advantage, Martius." Aufidius slashed Coriolanus' upper left arm, thus opening a past wound. "Gah!" Caius Martius doubled over in shock of his aching arm, memories of the sheer pain that emanated from that scar.
As he was on the ground, Aufidius took advantage of his state and without hesitation drove the point of his sword through Martius' upper stomach.
Coriolanus gasped, and fell to the ground. He opened his mouth. "I cannot play this any longer!" Aufidius stopped, and out of respect for his dying opponent crouched beside him. "What do you speak of?"
Coriolanus kept his hand at his arm. "On our encounters on the battlefield, I was afflicted with the emotions I have felt none before… a heat raging inside of me, pure exhilarating heat building in me…. when I fight you, and you alone."
Aufidius blinked, and tightened his grip on Coriolanus' forearm. "What are you implying?" Coriolanus let out a few desperate, short breaths. "I craved to experience more of that feeling." He winced as he clutched his middle.
"And that is why you came…" Aufidius whispered, realization crossing his face. A single tear formed in his eye as Caius Martius struggled to breath, lying beside him. Coriolanus squeezed his eyes shut, tears rolling down his cheek. "It is no little thing to make mine eyes sweat compassion… but for long, I have desired this moment with you, even if it is my last."
Aufidius placed both his hands behind Martius' head, and kissed his forehead. "I feel the same in the presence of you…"
Coriolanus let out his last breath, and his arms lay limp beside him in his blood. Aufidius shook with rage at himself, and rested Caius Martius' head on his shoulder. "The man I thought so many hours about…. The very man I fought with such passion between us…. Now lies dead at my feet." He buried his head in his hands.
"What have I done? What have I DONE?"
He clutched the cloak Coriolanus had worn, and squeezed it in his hand. "Rest now, Warrior of Rome. Wage war with Mars himself now, in your eternal sleep… I am forever beneath your courage."