Chapter 6: Alive Once More
Commodus awoke in the morning feeling a little sore from sleeping in a most akward position. He groaned and rolled over, trying to pull the covers around himself and adjusting to find a comfortable position in the bed. Luckily, it seemed a little dark still, so the day hadn't truly begun yet and he could still get in a good round of sparring with the new recruits. As he moved, his hand touched cold marble underneath him. He jumped and sat bolt upright. This wasn't the imperial bed chamber. His heart began to race in terror. Had he been kidnapped? He looked around nervously and then realized that he was in the catacombs and nothing more. He sighed and suddenly remembered coming down to confront the putrid bust of his father the night before. He laid his head back against the psuedo-pillow once more and groaned. He had been truly weary and fallen asleep on the cold, hard floor. His mind snapped back into a clearer state. He hadn't totally fallen asleep on the cold, hard, marble floor. His head, neck, and part of his shoulders had been cradled by something, or rather, someone. A soft, warm, and very sweet-smelling female. Her voice and touch were very familiar. It had to have been the girl from the day before. Lucilla had told him that he had been seeing a vision and Galen had told him that he had been dreaming.
When he had confided the incident with Falco, he suggested that it had been a spirit of comfort summoned by the sorrowing mind of the young ruler. He had never summoned a spirit before, and from what he understood, summoning one took a great deal of skill and concentration. You also needed to know who you were summoning by name or title. Who on earth could he have simply summoned by lamenting? He stopped. Before he had sunk to the floor last night he had mentioned his mother. In fact, over the past few days the guilt that he had felt for 'attacking' that poor girl had made him think frequently about his mother. Perhaps she had come back to watch over her son and offer him the comfort that had been denied him all these years since her death. He smiled at thinking about this being true. He sat up and stretched before standing. He stood and stretched again, noticing that it must have been past noon according to the light seeping through the grating above him.
He turned around and swept up the cloth that was used to cover the painting in the corner of the room. As he straightened it out to lay over the artwork once more, he got a good look at what he had been using as a pillow. His heart stopped. It was a cloak. It couldn't have been his mother, it was an intruder. A more than welcome intruder, but an intruder nonetheless. It must have been a young girl who truly felt pity for him. No, she had said the day before that she loved him. True she said it in the wording that meant the empire in general loved him, but he had a keen sense of understanding what women truly meant. He smiled even brighter. He had a secret lover. That is, they hadn't made love or professed open feelings toward one another, but she obviously desired him more than anything. She desired him enough to risk being arrested as an intruder and be put to death. She must have felt so passionately for him. He picked up the cloak and put it to his face. The cloth was very soft, but unlike anything he had come accross at the palace. It also had the simple, sweet smell of jasmine. It was wonderful. He imagined her skin once more. He had only felt it when she had so tenderly stroked his forehead and touched his arm in embracing him. He tried to picture her in his mind. A bright haired, blue eyed, slender young woman with a name like one of the muses. Thalia, perhaps, or Calliope. He imagined breathing one of the names as he lay beside her gazing into her eyes. He shook himself. He hadn't even met this girl, if it indeed was a girl. For all he knew, the intruder that had approached him twice could have been a very effiminate assassin. That seemed highly unlikely.
He walked up the stairs and slowly left the room. The guard nearby seemed to light up at seeing him. He rushed over to him and bowed low, saluting excitedly. Commodus yawned and stretched his arms a little more, feeling every snap and pop within him for sleeping on a hard surface. He would need to see one of the physicians or concubines to remedy this.
"Caesar, it is most wonderful to see you alive and well.", the guard exclaimed. "Lady Lucilla has been beside herself and so has master Lucius. The senate is in a ferment over your diappearance."
"Disappearance?", Commodus muttered groggily.
"Yes, sire. You weren't in your bed this morning. When you didn't show up with the recruits or for breakfast, your sister went to see about you and came out shouting that you had been abducted.", the guard said looking him over as if he were truly worried that the emperor had simply just been returned by a few cowardly captors. He smiled realizing that his ruler seemed quite unscathed. "Yet, here you are. We are most relieved, sire. I'm sure your sister will be absoloutely overwhelmed with joy to see you,"
"Yes, yes. I need to go on to my quarters. I feel a little ill. Send for Galen and my sister and have the kitchen send something for me.", he said as he wondered past the guard and into the rest of the palace. He headed towards his chambers slowly, lumbering along like an old elephant. He walked slowly into his room ignoring the rest of the guards and servants until he arrived happily at his bed and collapsed onto the soft mattress. He sighed and allowed a sound sleep to take him.
Ursa went into Lucilla's quarters still rubbing her eyes. She looked up at the jealous royal and tried to bow gracefully. Lucilla ignored her current state and walked over to her emotionlessly.
"Tell me, young girl, are you skilled in medicine?", she asked as she strode past the weary girl to the window. Ursa could barely keep her eyes open let alone understand what the woman was saying. She had been told that in cases where royals were prattling on and you couldn't understand them, the best thing to do was decide whethere to answer yes or no the first instance and then alternate afterwards. Ursa decided it best to agree at the moment since Lucilla almost always wanted agreement with her words. She nodded politely and then tried to breathe as deeply as possible to rouse her senses. Lucilla smiled. "Good. My brother has sent for one of the concubines to treat him for aches in his skeleton. I feel that while you're giving him the necessaries, you can also derrive a little information as well.", Lucilla explained. She turned and noticed Ursa beginning to nod off. She growled. "Girl!", she shouted. Ursa shook awake. "That's better. Go and report to my brother's quarters at once."
Ursa groaned and rubbed her eyes again. "Where does he sleep?", she asked softly. Lucilla sighed with irritation.
"One of the guards will lead you to the imperial bed chamber, now be quick about this! My brother hates to be kept waiting at all.", she exclaimed as she hurried the sleepy girl out of the doorway and into the hall. Ursa was too tired to even remember that she was to speak with Cicero that morning. The memory suddenly burst through into her present mind. She looked over at the guard that stood next to her ready to guide her.
"I need to get some tools from my quarters. I'll be only a moment.", she said before hurrying off. The guard had no time to object and also felt it best to allow the girl whatever she needed to please the emperor.
Ursa ran into the concubine's quarters and over to the far window, still clutching the scrolls with the information she had gathered the night before. She leaned out to him and almost toppled onto him. Cicero grabbed her shoulders and gently shoved her back onto the balcony. She steadied herself and smiled halfway at him. He frowned.
"What's wrong with you, wee one?", he asked quietly.
"Nothing, brother.", she yawned. "Here, these are the tidbits I gathered last night as the emperor met with senator Falco.", she said as she handed him the scrolls. Cicero accepted them, but didn't take his eyes off of his sister. "Oh! I have wonderful news, Cicero!"
He leaned in closer to her and waited. She hesitated. "What is it, little bear?", he urged. Ursa jumped at hearing his voice and then suddenly remembered what she was doing. She smiled excitedly.
"Maximus is alive.", she said with as bright a smile as she could manage. Cicero stared at her in shock. "The emperor blames him for..." Ursa trailed off as she noticed some guards getting too close for comfort and eyeing the palace walls. She leaned closer. "Read the scrolls and then come back to me tomorrow.", she whispered urgently. She leaned into his form and softly kissed his forehead. Cicero accepted it and then held onto her chin as he kissed her cheek and patted her head.
"Go and get some rest, baby sister.", he ordered playfully. Ursa laughed and watched him leave carefully. She turned and went back to the guard in the hallway. He nodded to her and led her into the emperor's bed chamber. It was magnificent. The high cielings and open walls were decorated with many carvings and artworks. Lanterns, lamps, and candles were in overabundance here. She wondered why on earth the emperor needed so much light. There were several plush couches and a large and lovely desk. In the corner near an enormous bed was a replica of the colosseum. She scoffed at it, thinking of how many innocent people had died there in a single day. She had been ordered to go and see to whatever the emperor asked. Ursa carried two more of the scrolls with her as well as the piece of charcoal. She had been mildly successful so far. The emperor was said to have been extremely tired and not in his right mind that afternoon. He was said to have slept outside or had been kidnapped momentarily. No one was sure which was true or even which was more likely. Ursa chuckled at the thought of this. She walked over to the bed where the young leader lay sleeping soundly. He lay halfway on the bed, still dressed, and yet fully unconscious. She laughed quietly and began to help him onto the bed the rest of the way. As she was removing his breastplate, she heard rustling in the curtains of the farthest window. Ursa looked over in the direction instantly and remained focused. She listened carefully as the sound repeated itself. She stayed looking directly at the curtains and window as she inched closer to them. She quietly took a dagger off of the end table as she approached the window and concealed it in her sleeve as she pulled back the curtain. A man grabbed her around the shoulders and dragged her to a hiding place within the folds of cloth. He held his hand firmly over her mouth. Ursa felt terriffied and began to fight. He held onto her tightly and leaned down to her ear.
"Let me go!", she tried to yell. The man's hand muffled her cries and nearly silenced her altogether. She looked up at the face of the intruder as best as she could. She gasped and then smiled. The man turned her around to face him once she had fully recognized him. "Cicero, what in God's name are you doing here?", she demanded in a whisper.
"I myself have news for you, little sister.", he whispered urgently. "Remember that although we wish to undo Commodus's evils, we need him alive until we can uncover just how far his evil spreads within the senate."
"Brother I think he is innocent. I've listened to both him and the others in the palace and aside from a rash temper he seems to be...", Ursa began. Cicero shook her and spoke worriedly.
"Listen to me!", he hissed. "Commodus is in danger. There are three legionaires who are going to try and kill him tonight. You must alert Quintus and the rest of the Praetorians."
She nodded. "I'll do that now.", she whispered in reply. "Thank you, Cicero. It's a good thing you were here."
"I was never here.", he said harshly and hurried away. Ursa watched him and sighed, yawning. She wanted nothing more than to go back to bed herself. She sighed and went back into the emperor's bed chamber to go out and alert Quintus then see to the sleeping youth. She went to the door of the chamber and told Quintus that she had overheard three legionaires talking amongst themselves who had planned to murder the emperor. Quintus followed by asking what their names, ranks, legions, or descriptions were. Ursa blushed and told him she didn't know, but that she had only heard the men talking. Quintus turned and shook his head in doubt of the young girl. Ursa thought quickly as to how to identify the would-be assassins. A light clicked on in her head. She told Quintus that they must have just been stationed as temporary watchmen between the emperor's quarters and the large window of the concubine's quarters. Quintus nodded and left to go and see to this himself. As the man turned to leave, another man approached the emperor's door. Ursa gasped. It was Falco. Falco stared at her blankly for a moment. He smiled and began to inch closer. He examined every inch of her that was readily available to him. She tried desperately to shut him out using her mind and spirit. He chuckled noticing the look of disdain on her face and her blushing. He moved very close to her.
"So, you must be the little virgin that Caesar wishes to bring into the harem. What is your name, little girl?", he asked smoothly. Ursa growled at him and turned to go back into the bedchamber without another word to him. He snarled and grabbed her arm. "Tell me your name, you little beast!"
Ursa turned and bit his hand harshly. He shouted out in pain and let go of her for a moment. Ursa turned and reached for the handle again. Falco grabbed her by the hair and turned her to him. Ursa shrieked and began to struggle with him. He shook her by the hair furiously until she remained a little more still in front of him. She began to cry softly. Her voice was too soft for the Praetorians to hear, but she desperately tried to call for someone in her mind. Falco raised a had to strike her.
Commodus was jarred awake by a shriek. He had been placed a little further into the bed and had been dressed down quite a bit. He rubbed his head and tried to gather his thoughts once more. He suddenly heard wailing outside his door. He gasped and raced to the door, flinging it open. He looked out to assess what was going on and gasped in horror, then anger. Ursa looked up at him in tears. Falco looked up at him and bowed his head a little.
"What is the meaning of this violence?!", Commodus demanded. Falco tried to think of something quickly and reached for the dagger he had felt momentarily in the girl's sleeve. He showed it to Commodus and smiled triumphantly.
"An attempted assassin, sire. I have discovered her before she had time to complete her wicked task!", Falco exclaimed shaking Ursa once more. He yanked down cruelly on her hair causing her to shriek in pain again. Commodus felt an ache within him at hearing her cries. "Please, sire. Allow me to be the one to humble her and then execute her as an example to all those who would dare act out against the empire!"
Commodus felt stunned. This girl couldn't be an assassin, could she? She was so innocent, so obedient. It was too far-fetched a thought to be true. He shook his head and looked down at Ursa. She cried bitterly and looked up at him with silent pleas for help. He groaned and looked back up at Falco. He called to guards to him. As the two approached, Commodus ordered Falco to release the girl. Falco stared at him in disbelief. "I gave you an order, senator.", Commodus repeated coldly. Falco obliged and threw Ursa away from him. Commodus turned to the guards. "Shackle her hand and foot, bring her back into my quarters."
"But sire,", Falco stammered. Commodus turned and looked at him hatefully. Commodus had a distinct loathing for anyone who brutalized women, even dangerous ones. Falco sighed and nodded. "Of course, Caesar. I forget that you have always been prone to acts of needless bravery."
Commodus had too much to ask the girl than to chastise the old man for his insult. He motioned for Falco to leave and then went slowly back into his chambers. The guards set Ursa down on the floor in front of a large chair that served as a smaller version of the throne for him. He nodded to the guards, signaling them to leave. The two bowed and left promptly. Commodus sighed and turned back to Ursa. She was shaking madly and in tears on the floor in front of him.
"Falco is accusing you of treason, young girl.", Commodus explained and held up the dagger he had taken from the old liar. "This is your weapon of choice, is it?"
"N-n-no, sire.", Ursa stammered. "I heard a n-n-noise and went to see who was slin-n-nking around your win-n-ndow." Commodus repressed laughter at her stammering on the letter 'n'. She looked up at him in sheer terror. "I n-n-never tried to hurt you!"
"Is that so? Then why have the dagger?", he asked sitting down. Ursa trembled harder. Did he really think that she was guilty. "Hurry up with an answer, young girl. Your life depends on it."
Ursa burst into tears. Commodus felt a searing pain rip through his chest at the sound of her wailing. He growled for a second and stormed over to her, ready to silence her with a firm blow to the head. He stopped himself when Quintus raced into the room.
"We've caught them, sire! All three of them!", he announced happily. He looked down at Ursa and then back at his emperor in confusion. "Is there something I should be doing?"
"Explaining yourself, Quintus. What do you mean you've caught them? Caught who and why?", Commodus demanded as he harshly grabbed Ursa by the chin and covered her mouth with the other hand.
"The legionaires who plotted against you this night, Caesar! They're all in custody and ready to be executed on the morrow.", Quintus said with a bow. He looked down at Ursa once more and then back up at Commodus. "I shall leave you and your concubine to your playing, sire. Before you continue ravaging her, though, you might thank her for uncovering the plot as she stood by the window of her quarters. She saved your life."
Commodus felt another wave of embarrassment and regret wash over him. Quintus noticed his emperor's face turning bright red except for the strange scar above his lip. Quintus bowed quickly and hurried out of the room. Commodus turned back to Ursa and let go of her. She cried a little more softly and turned away from him. He groaned and fished out the skeleton key for every lock in the palace. The key fit every manacle, door, and chest in the entire palace and was no bigger than a finger. He removed the shackles at her wrists and ankles and then forced her into his arms. He held her tightly, willing her shaking and lamenting to stop. After a moment, Ursa became a little more still and quiet. He loosened his grip on her and then looked down at her.
"You saved my life. You were at the window ready to dispatch those men yourself.", he realized in a whisper. She nodded softly. He shook his head. "And I am an ungrateful little toad. I am so sorry, little one. I suppose that even if the whole empire did love me, I wouldn't know how to behave and repay the gesture."
"Please don't let Falco have me!", she cried. He held her close to him again.
"You needn't worry. Falco is overzealous and greedy. He wishes lavish rewards for the small good he does. Still, the want to do even the smallest amount of good is rare in a senator.", Commodus said as he lifted both arms under her. Ursa remained as still as possible as he carried her to the nearest couch and laid her down on it. She was almost as calm as she had been earlier when Cicero had told her of the plot, now. Still on edge, but not frantic. He looked down at her. "Good people are hard to come by in the empire and are often hated."
"Perhaps that is why most of the senate is hateful of you, sire.", Ursa offered. Commodus tried to decide whether or not this was a compliment as he stared back at her. He might as well take it as a compliment in his mind since he rarely recieved a genuine one. "But the empire does care for you."
"Perhaps, but their concern is far more complacent than the hatred of the zealots.", he said. Ursa frowned. He laid her head back and took a mantle off of the bed to cover her. "Rest for a moment, that was quite an ordeal. I shall send for Galen to see to you again. You have absoloutely the worst luck with encounters in this room. You're worse off than I am and I have hordes of people that want me dead."
Ursa laughed a little as he went to the door and sent for Galen. He paced back and forth in front of the door, stopping every now and then to face her and inquire about how she was feeling. Ursa would tell him that she was frightened but otherwise alright. He would nod and continue. After a moment, he turned and stared at her deeply.
"Why were you in my quarters anyway?", he asked.
"You sent for a concubine to come and treat your aching back.", she explained.
"True, but as was brought before me painfully recently; you are not yet a concubine. You are a mere candidate.", he replied.
'Your sister felt you would enjoy my company again.", she explained. He scoffed and turned away. Ursa shifted and mustered a great deal of bravery. "I wanted to enjoy your company again." He stopped dead and turned. They two stared at one another balnkly for a moment. Commodus opened his mouth to speak, but Galen entered the room before he had the full opportunity. Galen gasped at seeing Ursa so shaken.
"What on earth? Will there ever be peace between you two?!", Galen exclaimed and led Ursa out of the room. Commodus remained silent and simply watched the girl leave. Was she sincere with him? Did she truly enjoy his company? He dismissed this thought. She had only seen him briefly for a few moments each of the four times he had seen her. It wasn't as if she had been as intimate with him as even that strange spirit in the catacombs had been. He sighed and layed back down on the bed. Too many strange things were going on. At least tomorrow he would be able to assuage some of his tension by watching Maximus die in the arena.