Chapter 18: Angst Transitions

Arrows flew through the air towards Maximus and Cicero. Cicero hung momentarily, gasping for breath by the rope that was still attatched to the tree. As Maximus reached him, a stray arrow from a young archer swept through the rope, cleaving it in two and allowing Cicero a breath of life before toppling onto Maximus. The archers closed in, ready to fire a second round on the two men. Quintus and his men arrived in a full gallop atop five horses to the scene.

"Cease fire! By order of the emperor!", Quintus shouted. The archers obeyed immediately. Maximus was kneeling over Cicero, looking him over and making sure that his friend would survive. Cicero had taken a second arrow to his shoulder, but the wound seemed fairly superficial. He looked up towards Quintus and balled his hands into fists. Quintus dismounted and began to shout more orders to the men. "Take the wounded to the palace, arrest the gladiator!"

Maximus growled and began to fight madly with the men that surrounded both he and Cicero. The men finally managed to subdue the enormous Spaniard and cart Cicero, half-conscious from pain and shock, back to the horses. Quintus climbed onto his steed and took Cicero from his men. Maximus watched in rage as the commander rode away with the young man. He fought back tears of anger and sadness. He could only imagine the torment that was about to be visited on the poor boy now that he had fulfilled the purpose Commodus had set out for him, the purpose being to trap Maximus. He felt an even greater wave of sorrow at the thought of what poor Ursa was suffering being enslaved by the brute. He continued to fight with his captors until the dragged him into the prisons and chained him to the walls. As the soldiers left the room, Maximus screamed loudly to the sky. Again, he had been unable to protect those that he loved.

Quintus arrived back at the palace steps not a moment too soon. Galen was waiting out in the front for him after having stablized senator Gracchus. Gracchus had been beated by the guards that took him to a cell unmercifully. He would survive, but with considerable damage done to him. Galen frowned as Quintus helped bring him inside with another guard.

"Is this the last victim of Commodus's wrath?", Galen asked softly.

He had been asked by the terrified ruler to see to Ursa as well, but she refused to allow anyone in to see her. Galen didn't know exactly how to feel about the whole thing. Commodus was not an evil person, he was explosive, but not deliberately evil. Perhaps seeing the people that had suffered at his hand directly would be enough to make him want to control himself from now on. Galen walked into the palace infirmary with Quintus and began to see to the wounded servant at once. The wound was definitely superficial, but it looked very nasty. He cleaned the wound around the arrow, gripping the shaft of the arrow, then with one deep breath yanked upward. Quintus covered Cicero's mouth as he screamed in pain. The scream reached the other side of the palace where Commodus was comforting Lucius. Lucius had awakened with a terrible dream, but because of Lucilla being quarantined, he was refused her minimal comfort. The boy had begun wailing, so his uncle came to seek comfort for both of them. He seemed to find a measure of peace and solace around the child. The two looked towards the door in fear as the scream pierced the calmer atmosphere. Lucius looked up at his uncle with a blank expression and widened eyes. Commodus placed his arm around the boy.

"Who is that, Uncle?", Lucius asked softly.

"A young man, Lucius, that's all.", he replied.

"What happened to him?", Lucius said feeling more tears in his eyes. Commodus pulled the boy close to him, setting the scroll they had been reading to the side. He embraced the child as tightly as he wished anyone would have done for him as a boy.

"A cruel injustice, Lucius. Sometimes when you wear the crown in anger, it shuts out the clarity of your judgements. You must be very careful that it never happens to you, or at least that it doesn't happen very often. People, innocent people, get hurt. Terribly hurt.", Commodus said. He fought away his own sadness in the resolve that he needed to appear strong for his nephew. In a sense, it was the need to be strong and calm for the boy that spurred the young emperor into being more kind and wise. He sighed and kissed the boy's forehead softly. "I did something very wrong, Lucius. I need to go and make it right."

Lucius nodded. He held tightly to his only ready source of comfort a moment longer. "It'a alright uncle, I still love you.", he breathed quietly.

Commodus clutched the child tightly to him, trying desperately to allow what had been said to him to become the only reality for the moment. His conscience tugged at his heart until he set the boy back into his bed and slipped out of the room. He walked into the infirmary quietly. Quintus turned to him and bowed immediately. Commodus nodded to him and looked over at senator Gracchus. He was bruised badly, but sleeping soundly. He sighed and looked towards Cicero. He was still under Galen's care for the moment, the old healer was binding the wound on his shoulder carefully. Commodus walked over slowly and sat down near the bed. Cicero turned his head and looked over at him, he seemed to have been crying for the better part of the evening, as had most of the people in the palace. Commodus cleared his throat and looked away slightly. Cicero reached his hand out towards him. Commodus noticed it immediately and took it carefully. Cicero squeezed the young emperor's hand as Galen administered more of a cleanser to the still bleeding wound. Commodus inched closer to him and looked down.

"I do not know if there was ever an active want on your part to have me killed; I do know it was true of Maximus. My scholar tells me that Gaius and my sister may be trying to frame the people that would save me if I needed aide in the case of an assassin. Which do you say is true?", he asked slowly and carefully. Cicero scooted up a little, painfully, and against Galen's requests. He looked up at the young man and sighed.

"I do what I feel is right to do. My sister does what she knows is right to do. Murder is never right. It never feels right even if the person is an evil tyrant, Caesar. I admit that our cause was led by a certain trio that were out to remove you from the throne, but I don't think any of them truly sought to kill you.", he explained in a weak voice.

"Who are the three you speak of? And be honest.", Commodus said in an urgent whisper. Cicero motioned for him to lean closer. Commodus obliged and listened carefully.

"Gracchus, Gaius, and Lady Lucilla.", Cicero said softly. Commodus felt his stomach drop onto the floor with a sickening thud. He gasped and held his head for a moment. "Gracchus would have had you relocated to live out the rest of your life under a new identity. I am not sure of the other two."

"You're lying, Cicero.", a voice from behind the two said loudly. Everyone turned. In the doorway, stood Ursa. She was dressed in her former clothing and looking very calm. She strode over to them. "I heard the four of you talking the other night. I didn't want to believe it was true, but I realize it is."

"Ursa.", Commodus breathed and stood to embrace her. She pushed him away forcefully and looked down at her brother. He looked back at her for a moment. She knelt beside the bed and took hold of the hand that Commodus had been holding. She pulled it to her face and touched it to her cheek after kissing it. He looked back at her and smiled.

"When this is over, I will go home with you.", she whispered. The emperor's hearing was still keen enough to hear it. She leaned forward and kissed his head tenderly. "Now, tell him what Lucilla and Gaius said."

"They said that he must die.", Cicero breathed slowly. Commodus came closer and looked down at him in disbelief.

"Who? Why?", he stammered.

"You, you wield unlimited power without vision and guidance.", Cicero said before turning to face Ursa fully. "I am tired, little bear. You should rest as well."

She nodded and leaned onto the bed. Galen finished binding the rest of the treated wound. He walked over to Commodus and spoke softly. "He will recover quickly if all goes well. The wound was quite a bit on the surface by comparison to the others I have treated. Still, he did lose quite a bit of blood in the process.", he explained. "Keep a good watch on him throughout the night and I will see to him in the morning."

"And what of senator Gracchus?", Commodus asked sadly. Galen smiled.

"He was beaten thoroughly, but not even close to within an inch of his life. He will heal soon enough, but carry a few marks on his body for a little while.", Galen said with a slight laugh. "It seems the old rogue had more strength and determination than this young man did."

Commodus nodded quickly and turned back to Ursa. He knelt beside her. She turned away, shame finally crossing her face. He frowned and touched her shoulder, taking some of her hair in his hand. He caressed it for a moment, the brushed it aside and stroked the side of her face.

"I never meant harm to you, Ursa. I love you.", he said softly as he neared his face to hers. She breathed sharply and turned to him a little.

"I love you, Commodus. But I made a mistake last night. I know I will be forgiven, but it tastes foul in my soul just now.", she explained. He stared at her, then took her chin and forced her to face him. The two remained suspended in time and space for a moment, their lips a dangerous centimeter apart from one another and definitely parted at the ready. Ursa suddenly looked down, then away. Commodus remained where he was for a brief second then sighed and reached forward, kissing the top of her head. "I will go back to my quarters in the morning."

"You told your brother you would go home with him. I would not see you break your word to him.", Commodus said sadly. "He would have died for you."

"I know. He almost died for you.", she said. He turned to her in amazement. She looked up at him long enough to see that he had a question for her to answer. She looked back at her brother, who was slipping into a sound sleep. "That night that I told Quintus of the assassins, Cicero had listened to them and managed to sneak over to your window to tell you, but I was there so he told me."

"Truly?", he asked in a stunned whisper. She nodded, then laid her head against his chest. She began to drift away as well. Commodus thougt about this for a moment. What else had happened in the palace that he wasn't aware of? He needed to consult Tertullian, then decide on the fate that would be laid before Maximus. A disturbed sleep settled over everyone in the empire. The sun would rise again for them all, but to what end?