Chapter 22: The Memory of Trees

Commodus called Quintus and Maximus together to confide his plans in them. He looked up at them as he finished speaking. Quintus looked very worried and Maximus looked a little amused.

"Highness, would you really give up the throne for a woman?", Maximus asked.

"Aislinn is no mere woman. She is a muse. I can't live without her.", he said. Quintus laughed and took a drink from the flask he carried with him. Commodus looked at him. "What?"

"I remember not so long ago, when you were about Lucius's age. We were out near the villas, all of us. You, Maximus here, Lucilla, and Immaus. Do you remember?", he said still laughing. Maximus began laughing as well. Commodus turned red. "Your sister wanted so badly to come and play legionaire with us. She even picked up a stick and chased us about like ducklings. She pinned you right to the ground just as Aislinn has done so many times. She told you to declare her the victor."

"Oh yes!", Maximus laughed. "And Commodus said that no woman would ever lord anything over him, never. No woman would ever best him at anything. So Lucilla stated that someday a pretty young girl would steal his heart and claim his throne. Poor Commodus began shouting at her to take it back in fear that one of the young slaves would make off with his heart in his sleep!"

Commodus turned a deeper shade of red. Maximus reached over and ruffled his hair playfully as they had done as children. He growled and threw his hand away. "I was not afraid! I just didn't like the idea of some silly girl controlling me or Rome!", he protested.

Both of the men laughed. Commodus frowned. Quintus became silent and handed the emperor the flask. He took it angrily. "Sire, you have come a long way since that day under the trees.", Quintus re-assured. He sighed. "So this Aislinn really has your heart, does she? You are a most fortunate and yet not fortunate man. She is fiery and passionate, but will not bend to your whim like any other Roman woman. She will vex you night and day."

"Yes, and I will be glad of it.", Commodus remarked suddenly realizing that his father had spoken the truth to him about women. He began playing the events of that carefree day in his mind. His sister was an akward 12 year old girl, Maximus was a strapping boy of 13, Quintus was 12 as well but emphasized that he was as good as 13, and then there was Immaus. Commodus's face fell suddenly. He had deliberately not thought about Immaus in years. It had been so long ago, but not long enough. Maximus and Quintus noticed the seriousness on the emperor's face and became quiet. They had hoped that the years that had passed would have laid Immaus's memory and story to a peaceful rest in everyone's mind. Commodus's eyes clouded over as the memory became clear.

"Slow down!", yelled Commodus. The little eight year old was having quite a time keeping up with his three friends. Maximus was the son of a grand Spanish general and being trained as a warrior to serve the emperor directly. Quintus was the son of a prominent senator, but was also in training to serve the emperor as a bodygaurd. Immaus was the son of a philosopher, really a nobody compared to the other three; but Commodus was most closely bonded to the young man. He was the fastest, funniest, handsomest, and cleverest of the three; but he claimed Commodus as his friend and little brother. This pleased the little boy, since his only sibling was Lucilla. Lucilla was quite a tomboy and enjoyed tormenting her baby-brother when she wasn't comforting him after a bad dream. It was a conflict to most people, but they managed to remain dear as family. Immaus, however, was more than family to Commodus. He ran up to his three friends, panting desperately for breath. He had been said to have been born too early so his mother had treated him delicately and his father preferred to spend time with Lucilla or the other young men. Commodus was desperate to prove his strength to his father, but also to Immaus.

"Keep up, turtle-legs!", Quintus said laughing. Commodus threw a rock at him. He dodged and made a face at him. Commodus jumped at him as Maximus caught him. "You throw like a girl!"

"You look like a girl!", Immaus said shoving Maximus off of Commodus. "Come on, we're almost there!" The group followed as Immaus sprinted ahead. He looked behind him, noticing his best friend lagging behind a little. He ran back and smacked him playfully. Commodus filled with boyish indignation and raced after him to hit him back. The group bounded over the golden hills, the long wheat billowing in the breeze. They were never supposed to journey out into the fields by themselves, but especially at this distance. They were almost to the edge of the field, almost beyond the watch of any guards. Immaus led the way until they came to where the trees and verdant ground replaced the ripe fields. The group laughed and began climbing up the trees. Immaus, of course, was first and had scurried more than halfway up a tall apple tree. Maximus and Quintus followed after. Commodus was last to the tree and fell off with his first attempt to clamber up the tree. He growled and began furiously clawing at it. Maximus and Quintus began laughing and making 'meowing' noises at him.

"Poor little puppy can't get up the tree!", Maximus laughed.

"Come on! It's not fair!", Commodus yelled backing away. Quintus tossed an unripe apple at him. Commodus snarled and furiously began to climb again. He even tried biting into the tree to get the leverage to pull himself up. Immaus shook his head and hurried over to his best friend. He reached down and took the little prince by his arm. Commodus tried to make it look as if most of the work was his, but accepted the gesture gratefully. Immaus pulled him onto the first branch with him.

"Behold! The bold conquerer reaches new heights everyday! Is there nothing that Commodus emperor of Rome cannot do?", Immaus laughed patting his friend on the shoulder. Commodus smiled.

"Well, he can't throw a rock.", Quintus laughed. Commodus growled and hurled an apple at him. Quintus leapt out of the tree and landed, uncerimoniously on the ground. He smiled. Maximus jumped down beside him. "Come on, princess! Let's go!" The two mischief makers ran-off knowing that their friends would follow.

Immaus jumped down and landed more gracefully than any cat. He looked up at Commodus and smiled. "Come on, Caesar! You're never going to command the respect of the people from up there!", he yelled. Commodus gulped and tried to climb down. He felt akward. He was terrified of falling. Immaus shook his head, smiling, and climbed up a little to help his friend down. As he helped him to the trunk they heard something. Immaus looked at Commodus for a second, then pushed him back up the branch. Commodus said nothing, but stayed hidden in the thick branches. Immaus turned as a man on horseback approached. Immaus looked up at the man. "Who dares approach the future emperor unannounced?", Immaus said with a laugh. The man drew out a knife. Commodus gasped and surpressed a scream as the man drove the blade into Immaus's chest. Immaus gagged and fell to the ground as the man rode away. Commodus remained frozen. Immaus looked up into the tree. "Help.", he breathed.

Commodus was too frightened to move at first. The sight of blood and his friend's gasps were terrifying. He finally found the strength and courage to jump down. As he did so, he twisted his leg at a terrible angle and screeched in pain. He looked down at Immaus. His friend was turning white and shaking terribly. He reached over and took his hand.

"It's okay, Commodus. You're safe. You're alright.", Immaus breathed.

"Immaus!", Commodus cried. "Help! Maximus! Quintus! Help!", he yelled. He looked back down at his commrade who simply smiled.

"You're so brave, Commodus. You didn't cry out. So brave...", Immaus said.

"Don't close your eyes, Immaus! I order you not to die!", Commodus shouted angrily.

"You're so amazing, little brother. We'll make Rome the wonder of the ages. My mind...your heart...our plans.", he breathed. Commodus watched in tears as light went out of his friend's eyes and face. He clung tightly to the boy until he grew very cold. Maximus and Quintus had already been there a moment ago, but he had been so focused that he hadn't noticed them. Quintus ran for help as Maximus knelt beside the two. Maximus knew well what would happen if word got back to Marcus that Commodus had been found with Immaus's body, crying. He would never have an end to his father chiding him about not being a man. Maximus drew in a deep breath and punched Commodus as hard as he felt was necessary in the shoulder. Commodus whirled around, enraged, and began furiously attacking the older boy. Maximus allowed it, accepting each strike with the understanding that it saved his friend from heartache from his father and the rest of the men. Besides, it was what Immaus would have done.

Commodus allowed a few tears to streak down his face as he remembered the day and the night that followed. He had vowed to never join the military, but focus all his energy on gaining strength for his own personal uses. He would dispatch every highwayman and assassin in Rome. Maximus put a hand on his emperor's shoulder. Quintus did the same. For a few moments, the men were boys again. They were sharing both the heartache of something long past, and the heartsickness of the uncertainties of such a dangerous future. Commodus had come a vast distance since that day. Neither of them doubted that a man that had held his friend in his last moments lacked the strength to allow another to do the same for him. This would be difficult, but it could indeed be done.

Later that night, Commodus went into Aislinn's room. She was sleeping soundly. He reached down and kissed her gently. Aislinn smiled and sighed in her sleep. He reached down and laid a hand over her belly.

"Someday, we will have a beautiful little boy. He will have your mind, my strength, and all that those who have touched our lives could give him.", he said softly. Poetry came easily to him when he saw Aislinn smile. He laid his head beside her for a moment. This was inspiration for the future. Only a few months more, and he could rise every morning to this. It would be paradise.