1When dinner came I was reacquainted with Lucilla and her beautiful son Luscious. I think he liked me as he was asking if he could show me around the gardens. I had some nice conversations with all three members of the family. Commodus instantly complimented the way I looked. He said he was glad I wasn't afraid to wear my hair down it looked gorgeous on me. He was so nice to. I didnt understand why. He did seem genuine though. It was nearing the end of dinner when Commodus issued me a challenge.

"Lavinia, are you still as infatuated with battle as I remember you being?" he asked. A sly little smirk apperaing on his frosty-white face. I eyed him playfully yet suspiciously.

"Yes," I answered slowly. "Why?"

"Well," he began, "I seem to remember a challenge issued about two three years ago. You seemed to think you could beatme at a sword fight!" He luaghed. I frowned at him. Same old Commodus.

"I still could!"I exclaimed.

"Show me," he said slowly.

"Fine!" I smiled.

After dinner, Commodus and I made our way to a room built especially for the practice of sword fighting. He gave me a little armor chest plate that he himself had grown out of. I tied my hair back and picked up the lightest sword, and he the heaviest.

I looked into his eyes as we neared the middle of the room.

"Don't worry," he said "I wont hurt you!"

"HA!" I laughed loudly, "Im not promising anything my sweet!"

At that I thrust me sword at him and he back. We fought for quite some time but I could tell he was taking it easy on me as he wasn't even sweating and I was panting like some sort of animal! Then when I was just about to give up, Commodus accidently bought his sword down and sliced a small cut im my left arm. I squealed loudly and threw my sword down, ripping off my armor to better inspect the wound. Commodus quickly dropped his sword and tried to hug me, but I pushed him away savagely. He backed off, still shocked and dropped to his knees. He looked up at my worried face as I tried to stop the bleeding a shouted

"God, why do I hurt everybody!"

I jumped back in suprise and looked at him. I forgot about my arm and just looked at him. His eyes locked on mine. His were watering. My heart melted a little.

"Im so sorry." he cried.

"Its ok. Just a scratch," I joked. Both of our concerned faces turned into slight smiles and Commodus ordered on of the Praetorian guards to fetch a medic quickly. The medic applied some sort of cream to my arm. I cried out as it burned me and noticed Commodus wince at my howl.

"You'll be fine in a day or two. Just change the bandage every couple of hours and apply this cream" I nodded and the medic left. I said to the Praetorian guard,

"Could you find Julian please, I would like him to escort me to my room as I have not yet learned the way."

"Yes miss." the guard replied and hurried off. My asking of Julian my name had caused Commodus to look very confused.

"What is it?" I asked innocently

"Why Julian? How did you remember his name? I only said it once?" He asked, almost accusingly.

"Julian told me to ask for him if I ever needing anything and he seemed trustworthy. You trust him don't you?" I tried to get the conversation off me. I knew full well why I had aske specifically for Julian.

"I trust him," commodus answered quietly looking at te floor like a child.

It was then that Julian arrived.

"Ready Miss?" he asked me.

"Yes thankyou," I answered. I glanced at Commodus. "Send for me if you need me." I smiled. Julian was walking in silence with me but I could still feel the little bolts of chemistry between us. I noticed his breathing changed when I was very close.

"I didnt think you would call fo me again Miss." he said as we neared my room.

"You were pleasant to me. Thankyou. I feel quite alone here." I said quietly.

"You have Pamella, Miss," the Praetorian answered.

"I dismiss her after she has helped me ready for dinner. I don't want to be a burden." I noticed him looking down my dress again. This time it was a little arousing that he took this interest. Me and Commodus were more like friends. I opened my door and turned to Julian and smiled.I went to shut the door but he stopped it with his foot and pushed it open. I gave him a look and both fear and confusion. Before I could think he lifted me up and threw mw down onto the bed.

"No, Julian" I beg you!" I cried out.

"Come on youve been making eyes at me ever since you arrived! You want this as much as I do!" he growled. He began kissing my neck and he pinned down my arms.

I was screaming but nobody could here me. This couldnt happen! I had never experienced these things before. I felt his searing hot breath consume my neck as he worked his way up to my mouth. He grabbed my face with his free and and planted a hard probing kiss on my lips. All I could hear were my muffled cries of fear and his growls of pleasure. Ha pulled his face back and I hoped he was done. He looked over my body grinning. He looked back up into me eyes , I saw they were full of lust and yearning, he breathed

"If you make a sound, I will make it rip you apart!"

Tears were now streaming freely down my face as his hands freely roamed my tense body, stopping to pinch my nipples hard. He tore at my flimsy dress like an animal until my breasts were bear and began to feel his way up my inner thigh. He stopped just before he plunged his finger inside and a look of panick contorted his face. Footsteps! He dived off me and I screamed. At that point the footsteps were racing towards the room as the praetorian readied himself with his sword, ready to kill the slave who entered, only it was no slave.

Commodus burt in with a sword of his own. He had felt terrible about the way he had treated me earlier and had come to apologize. I will be eternally grateful that he did! The Praetorians face dropped when he saw who it was. The Emperor's face also dropped when he saw the scene in front of him. H screamed, "guards!" and instantly the room filled with praetorian. I hid underneath my blankets to hide my shame, still whimpering. Commodus screamed at the guards to take this animal outside. The were to crucify him in the gardens as a lesson to all! His eyes I noticed were filled with furious tears. His teeth gritted the whole time. I was so sorry I had done this to him. I was terrible ashamed. After the room was empty and it was only me and Commodus left. He was breathing heavily, a look of complete disbelief on his face and I sat sobbing lightly. Commodus looked over to me, his expression unreadable. He approached me. I cowered as I saw the rage was still burning behind his eyes. He clenched his fist into a tight ball and thrust it down toward me. The look on his face was only there for a split second. It was like when a beautiful cat hisses and attacks. His fist pounded heavily into the pillow just left of my head. Tears were now flowing like rivers down his porcelain face.

"Please tell me you didn't." He breathed out quietly.

"I didn't. I didn't want to!" I whimpered.

His eyes were traveling to my face when he saw the deep purple bruises on my arm. They were the exact shape of big fingers. He exhaled deeply and buried his face into my stomach. I stroked his hair lightly. I slid out from underneath him to go and rinse my tear stained face and change my clothes. I changed into my small black night dress. I felt a little self conscious because I realized that it left little to be imagined. I was aware of the attention my body attracted.