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blah. I am merely doing this for the
enjoyment of others. It makes them like
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Ratings: Umm PG, maybe going the line of PG13 in some
places? I don't know. Just depends how mature you are. (Judgment
call there, people). Contains a little
mild (very, very mild) slash (if you don't know what that is…eep, you're in
trouble. It's male/male.)
Summary: I suck at summaries. Pretty much features Commodus, Maximus, and Cicero. But other characters are in there =)
Notes: Well I am not a historian (I wish) and some of
those details are not right…so don't bite off my head!!! I try my best. Italics are thoughts.
Hmm…also sometimes my grammar isn't the best, so if you'd be kind and
point things out to me. Thanks.
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The Beginning and
the End
Commodus stalked back and forth in his airy chambers,
furious as he remembered the sight he had witnessed earlier in the
evening. There had been Maximus and
Lucilla, holding hands and his father coming over to them. Maximus and Lucilla had stood in respect,
but his emperor father raised Maximus and Lucilla in a hug.
Father would never embrace me like
that. Never.
Commodus had immediately fled the disgusting scene and returned to his
corridors. A slave, about Commodus'
age, was absentmindedly scrubbing the floors of the large rooms, not paying
attention to the surrounding noises and sounds.
To shake off some
anger Commodus sneaked up on the young man and placed his hands on the slave's
shoulders. The slave froze in
place. He knew those hand quite well.
Slowly he turned his head, but made sure he kept it downward. "I-is there something you need, Master?"
Commodus smiled a
dark smile, nodding. "Come my slave."
He beckoned, offering his hand to help the young man to his feet. The slave gulped…not this…no…
"What is your name,
beautiful?" he asked in a slurred tone
as he pulled the slave upwards.
"Cicero,
Master." The slave replied, voice
quivering. Aww yes, Cicero…the most perfect name for the most perfect time.
Commodus' eyes
danced as he dragged the unwilling teen into his bedroom. He pushed him out on the bed, smiling like
an idiot. The slave was trembling under
Commodus as he unwrapped the belt that kept his wrap on. "Have a good time…" Commodus murmured.
"Please, no,
Master," Cicero blurted out softly, so afraid he wasn't thinking. A sharp slap across his cheek was his reward
for his stupidity.
"I am the Master, am
I not?" Commodus whispered against Cicero's ear, "You will do as I say!" he shouted.
Using the wrap he
tore out several long pieces of clothe and tied the boy's wrists and ankle's to
the posters of his bed. Cicero's chest
heaved up and down as he gasped for air…this couldn't be happening.
And Commodus had
raped him. He did as hard as he could,
not caring how much he hurt the boy.
This helped the anger so much…so much.
To watch Cicero shudder and tremble in his bindings as he took the body
for his own.
Finally, exhausted,
Commodus subsided with his fun and untied the slave who had gone quiet and
limp. He did not react as he was
released except for closing his eyes.
Frowning, Commodus pushed two fingers into the back of his neck, letting
him fall into blackness.
Cicero found himself
laying on a strange bed as he slowly fluttered his eyes open. Where
am I? God, tell me that is over. The
rape that had happened the night before was not the first he had experienced…no
not in the least. The Prince seemed to
favor his body to the others.
A shudder ran
through him as he sat up to take in surroundings. He recognized this room as one of the many guestrooms in the
palace. But why was he here?
Cicero slid over to
the edge of the bed. He looked down to
notice he had on a fine silken wrap. A
fierce pain suddenly shot through his groin and up his back. Couldn't
Commodus be at least a tad gentler?
I'll be hurting for a week.
"Glad to see your
finally awake," a low, soft voice called out from behind him. Forgetting about the pain that would come
with it, Cicero jerked his neck around to see the source of the voice.
It was the
General! Newly appointed General
Maximus. Cicero winced as pain shot
through him but managed to hide it. He
looked up at the large man, questions in his eyes.
"Cicero, right?" the
slave nodded. "I'm Maximus. I don't think you'll remember it, but you
were offered to me by His Highness last night as a gift and I accepted."
Cicero looked even
more confused as he stared into the General's eyes. WHAT? "Commodus said he was wanting to anyway, but
you had been knocked unconscious by another slave earlier. But…I sort of doubt that." Maximus said,
sadly.
To give a recently
taken slave…raped only minutes before being given as a gift was the utmost
mockery. Except the receiver hadn't
known the truth, of anything that had gone on.
Commodus found this highly amusing.
It was the only thing Maximus deserved.
He had stolen his very father, taken his place as his son, and now he
was even taking Lucilla's love from him.
He had to get
revenge, even if it was as simple as this.
The darker revenge could wait…he had to make sure the time was right.
Cicero looked
downward, feeling ashamed. "Come now,
Cicero…it's alright," Maximus said soothingly as he walked over and gently sat
down next to the slave. "Would you like
something to eat?"
Cicero felt his
stomach rumbling in hunger. How long had
it been since he last ate? At least two
days… "Yes, Master General," he said, very softly at a whisper.
"Master is fine,
Cicero. I am not yet a General…a
General must be someone who has been in command and won." He said, a little
weary. "I'll call for some lamb and
wine, is that okay?"
"Yes, Master."
"Cicero."
"Yes, Master?"
"I am leaving
tomorrow for Spain, back to my villa to say goodbye to my wife and son. Then I will go back to the front lines in
Germania. I have command of the Felix
Legions there. A war is sure to be
declared against the barbarians in Germania.
I want you to be my manservant in camp.
Can you do that?"
Germania? Spain?
Manservant? Yes, I can do that. I can
travel…"Yes, Master. I…" but he stopped, afraid to speak anything else that
was not asked of him.
"Continue what you
were saying. Don't be afraid of me, please. Save that for the Germanians." Maximus let
out a soft chuckle at this, but looked gently into Cicero's unsure eyes.
"Yes, Master." He
said, laughing softly. "I-I like to
travel. I did it a lot before I was
sold to Commodus…" his voice trailed off.
"You'll be far from
him. Well I'll go see about that
food." Maximus patted Cicero's bare
shoulder and walked out of the room.
Slowly and carefully
Cicero laid back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. Maybe,
just maybe this will be a new beginning…a time for me to find out who I really
am. And live. Live outside these walls… Cicero let his thoughts trail on to
happy ones, making himself put on a rare smile.
However, lurking in
the shadows of the candle lit room was someone.
Someone who could
kill his new beginning…and would.
