Chapter 18: An Offer Refused

Commodus put on a splendid breastplate and cape before donning his crown to meet with the senate. He had an idea brewing that he knew would work. Aislinn had become obedient and mild after he had presented her before the senate and demanded her allegiance. Perhaps if he made his proposal finalized in front of them, Aislinn would have no choice but to concede to their union. He sighed as he thought of waking each morning to that pale and darling face. Her eyes closed gently, drawing in the same breaths as his. He wondered if his father had felt the same way when he had fallen in love with his mother. He walked proudly into the senate. All of the senators and scribes looked at him nervously. Commodus looked into each of their faces. Gracchus approached him and bowed.

"With Caesar's permission, a new senator will be added to take the place of the previous senator Falco.", Gracchus said. Commodus caught a slight tone of relief in the old man's voice. Gracchus had never liked Falco, and who could blame him? The emperor nodded and waited for the man that had been invited to join them. If he did not approve this man, he could easily be removed. Commodus jumped in surprise as Maximus walked into the chamber formidably, now wearing the robes he used to wear when not in uniform. He smiled. Maximus bowed low.

"Highness.", he said grinning. Commodus nodded approvingly. "The senators Gaius and Gracchus as well as Lady Lucilla have asked me to inquire for a position in the senate. Do I have Caesar's approval?"

"Your loyalty has been proven, senator. Take a seat.", Commodus said. Gracchus pulled out a scroll and recited all of the issues facing the city. The labor program had taken a bad turn due to insufficient funding and people stealing from their new employers to feed their large families. Commodus frowned. Next, the plague in the Hebrew quarter had ended, but with it came a large number of orphans that needed to be housed and looked after. Again, he groaned loudly. Third, his actions to allow Christians a reprieve had created a more peaceful atmosphere around the city. He smiled at hearing this. However, now the city seemed to be overpopulated since there were still slaugherings in other parts of Rome and those of the Christian faith were migrating to the city to seek sanctuary. His heart fell. How could things have gone so wrong? He had thought that he had everything thought through and well-orgainzed, at least on paper. Gracchus had said to him when he was a small boy that everything looked good on parchment, things look very different on the faces of the people. How had this happened? He sighed.

"Those who steal from their employers must be executed. We must not tolerate crime in the city. As for the orphans, there are many wealthy families with only one child, send them there. As for the overpopulation, no one may stay for more than a week in the city that is not registered as a citizen of the capital. Keep close watch on those that enter and search all those that are here.", he ordered. He wanted to hurry up and make his profession of love to Aislinn. He really wasn't thinking at the time about anything else. Gracchus and the other senators frowned.

"Sire, perhaps you would like a day to think over these matters. You have been unwell as of late and are in no state to make spare of the moment procclamations.", Gracchus offered gently. Commodus filled with anger.

"I know what is best for my people! I know what needs to be done! Do not correct me, senator!", he raged. Maximus stood and looked at him squarely. Commodus had to admit that Maximus was intimidating no matter what he was wearing or doing. He stepped back a little. He thought for a moment. What was wrong with him? Now that he had given himself a moment to review in his mind what he had just said, it sounded like bullocks. He rubbed his head and breathed deeply. "You are right, senator. I am still with fever.", he said.

All of the senators looked at him with concern. This struck him as a little odd. He had entered into the capital as sole emperor less than a year ago, and almost everyone in the crowd had jeered at him and told him where they would rather that he be. Why did everyone seem endeared to him now? Had he really changed for the better? 'Of course you have.', he thought to himself. 'Aislinn is the best thing that has ever or will ever happen to you. You have to do this now or you will lose her forever.' He looked up and smiled.

"Are you still unwell, sire?", Gaius asked.

"Yes. I am terribly pained in my heart and know only one thing to remedy it.", he said looking over at Quintus. "Quintus, go and fetch Aislinn of the Boadicae. Bring her before me."

Quintus bowed and took three men with him. Commodus felt all of his nerves on end. This was it. He knew what he wanted and he would have it. Something that no one else would ever have, something that he himself had thought impossible until now. He composed himself and tried not to show his giddy joy and excitement to the senate. Unbeknown to him, every experienced father that was a senator could see instantly the glow coming from their ruler's face and eyes. Maximus and Gracchus smiled. The other senators looked unnerved. If the Celtess refused Caesar, things could get very nasty for everyone. Worse, if Caesar took this foreigner and heretic to be his queen, the empire would fall to certain ruin. There was no way to win out for the better in this.

Quintus returned a moment later with Aislinn. Aislinn walked in front of him and bowed low. Her leg had healed to the point that she no longer required bandaging and a splint. It was a great relief for him. He looked at her, beaming with school-boyish affection.

"Hail, Caesar.", she said softly and stood. She looked right into his eyes. They burned into his heart like fire, warm fire. He felt his entire exsistance become happier when she was in his presence.

"Aislinn of the Boadicae, are you a healer?", he asked. She looked to either side. She didn't know what kind of game he was playing, but after the show in the arena, she was fairly sure that he wouldn't try to have her offed at the moment. She nodded and bowed. "Are you? Speak audibly so that all may hear."

"Yes, highness. I am.", she replied.

"Good. Now, are you loyal to the emperor in that you would use your talents to heal him in time of need?", he asked. Aislinn stared at him. He knew that she would, she had already done so.

"Of course, highness.", she said with confusion.

"And would you also give your life for him?", he asked.

"In a twinkling.", she said. He smiled.

"Then you have a mission. There is an ailment that troubles me. Are you ready to render aide?"

"Yes, sire.", she said cautiously.

"This ailment stays with me night and day. It is a spirit, I think, an apparition of sorts. It makes me angry and pleased all at once. I think of it first upon waking and last upon retiring. I hear its voice even when I am alone. I see its face even when I am asleep. I long for it to be with me because I know that it is but a spirit and will someday vanish. It makes my head ache, my heart beat, my stomach twirl, and my thoughts flee. I am terribly troubled by this, and yet very pleased. I have nothing but adoration and love for this spirit.", he said walking right up to her. "Now, should I place this spirit in an ornate box, and bring it with me everywhere? Do you think I should cling to it as its hauntings have clung to me already? Do you think I should bring it to my side in all that I do?"

Aislinn's voice caught in her throat. She knew what he was doing. All of the senate were on the edges of their seats and she was right in the middle. How dare he! He was putting her on the spot for his amusement? How dare he! She looked up at him, angrily. "No, sire.", she said slowly.

If the sound of a human heart breaking were audible, one could have heard the heart of Caesar Commodus shattering all the way into the uncharted lands accross the seas. His expression fell. He felt his strength fade like steam into a cool night breeze. He choked for a second and his jaw began to shake with anger and sadness.

"Why not?", he said through clenched teeth and tears being held back.

"Because, Caesar, you yourself said that this apparition is temporary; fleeting, if you will. It would be cruel both on the count of yourself and the spirit to interact any further. I suggest that you send the spirit back into the ether. It is cruel to cage a spirit and foolish to fall in love with one.", she said.

He growled and advanced on her with clenched fists. She couldn't deny him! Why would she? He was the emperor! He was the penultimate in human perfection, the epitome of beauty, power, and pleasure all at once. What was wrong with her? How dare she refuse him! He glared at her, shaking with rage.

"Your advice is not sound, Boadicae. You are excused.", he said coldly. She nodded and turned to leave. After she had gone he looked up at all of the senators. He shouted and stormed away. The senators looked at one another in confusion. Maximus nodded to Gracchus and then went after the emperor. Commodus stalked sulkily into his chambers. Maximus followed him.

"Highness. Highness?", he said as he entered. Commodus threw his crown. It clanged against a shield that hung on the wall and then clattered to the ground. He threw off his breastplate and ripped the cape off of his shoulders. "Caesar, calm yourself.", Maximus ordered.

"Do not instruct me! I grow tired of the numerous people that know better than I! Why weren't they born emperor? Why weren't they sentenced to this hellish nightmare!?", with that he grabbed a chalice and hurled it accross the room, breaking it into innumerable pieces on the wall. He sat down on his bed and held his throbbing head gingerly. He began to sob uncontrollably. Maximus approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Why doesn't she love me? What is it in me that has driven her away? I have seen tenderness for me in her eyes. I have felt it in her hands and lips. Why can't she feel for me what I feel for her?!", he cried.

Maximus sat down in a chair near the bedside. "Highness, perhaps what she feels for you is inhibited by her position.", he offered.

"What position? I have offered her more than freedom! I have offered her my heart!", he yelled.

"Yes, highness. In a foreign land that abducted her, from a throne that is sworn to kill her people, from a man that has harmed her more than once.", Maximus reasoned. Commodus looked up at him angrily. "Aislinn lives in a prison as well, highness. But not one so lavish as yours."

"Then I should bring her to stay in the palace?"

"No, highness.", Maximus said; amazed, and yet not so amazed, at the youth's current stupidity. "Aislinn is a servant to her people. Just as you are. She is a warrior, a guardian. She doesn't know what it means to be royalty and have the burdens that you bear."

"Of course she does! She is an heir to...", he stopped as Maximus looked at him with stunned silence. "I promised I would tell no one. Is there no evil against her I haven't yet committed!?!"

Maximus laughed in himself. "You haven't compromised her honour, killed her family, or murdered her. There, three evils you have yet to commit."

"The year isn't over yet, Maximus. And I am a clumsy oaf around her!" He growled and laid back holding onto his head. "She has vexed me beyond mortal comprehension! I've approached her as a warrior! I've approached her as a royal! I've approached her as a human! What other grounds have I not explored with her?"

"Then perhaps you should consider approaching her above mortal comprehension. Go to her as a soul, a very sad and wanting soul that needs the presence of its better half.", Maximus offered. Commodus sat up. That was it! He needed to show her that he was mortal, weak, needy! She hadn't had opportunity to notice it during his recent illness due to the fact that his amazing stamina had earned him a swift and effortless recovery. She needed to see that he needed her. He sighed and looked at Maximus. "Do you know what you will do next?"

"Yes, but I think first I should go and apologize.", he mused. Maximus laughed and patted him firmly on the shoulder. "Thank you, my friend. Perhaps I am over-reacting because love has heightened every part of me."

"I wouldn't doubt that. Be cautious, Commodus. Aislinn might be a warrior, but she is still a woman and is therefore delicate. Her fears are more pronounced than yours, but repressed like water behind a dam. If you hit the wrong spot, she will burst and have no feelings of tenderness left for you.", Maximus warned. Commodus nodded. He knew he had to make Aislinn see that without her, he felt as though he would cease to exsist. He had an inkiling of what he should do. He smiled and walked over to his crown. He picked it up and examined it for any damages. Luckily, he threw like a girl when he was angry. (One should remember that when a girl is angry, she can do quite a bit of damage; so really, he was lucky.) He motioned for Maximus to leave the room. "Good luck to you, highness. I wish you nothing but the best. But you must be prepared to face the wants of her heart. If she truly does not want you, there is nothing you can do to change it."

Commodus felt the gleaming ray of hope that had lit within in him diminish slightly at Maximus's closing words. Aislinn did want him. He knew she did. He just had to make her see that she did. He placed the crown on the bedside table and walked out of his room. He headed straight for Aislinn's quarters.