Chapter 24: Out Like A Lion

Aislinn heard nothing but the incessant thundering of her own heart as they were hoisted up into the arena. She couldn't hear the shouts of the crowds or the procclamation for her freedom that was being read aloud. The orator stated clearly that in the event that Caesar should fall to the Celtess, she was to be escorted home by a designated entourage without any harm to her person. His body was to be carried with her as proof to the highland peoples that even the emperor was not afraid to face them. Aislinn was to be seen as nothing more than an animal by the people, not a villain, if she won. Commodus smiled brightly. The sun haloed a getle glow around Aislinn. It was pure white at first, then turned a soft shade of purple, then pink. He chuckled softly at seeing such a precious sight. Aislinn frowned and began to feel desperate. He was acting as if this meant nothing to him, as if he hadn't a care in the world. The guards dispersed and allowed the two to begin circling one another. Aislinn wanted to stay still, but Commodus stepped into action immediately. Despite his seemingly groggy behaviour, he was still able to move like a trained warrior. He grabbed his gladius and swung hard at Aislinn's shoulder. Aislinn ducked to the side and swung up, catching part of the hem of his tunic and tearing it. The crowd roared with laughter. Commodus seemed to not notice it. He was staring at something else.

Immaus was standing in front of him. They were little boys again, all of them. Quintus and Maximus were there, too. They were all sparring and he was winning. It was wonderful. They laughed and lunged at one another. He lunged out at Maximus and clipped him playfully on the arm. Maximus growled, smiling, and hit the side of his head with his hilt. The world blurred and shifted. He was standing in the arena, with thousands of people screaming excitedly. Aislinn stood before him. She was magnificent and beautiful in the traditional garb of her homeland. He noticed blood trickling down her arm where he had just struck Maximus. The side of his head burned and ached. He would have a bruise to match the one that had recently healed on Aislinn. He breathed deeply when he noticed how angry and terrified she looked.

"Just end this, let me go home!", Aislinn yelled to him. Commodus tried to focus as the world was beginning to shift again. This time, it was his mother that he saw. He was standing out in the field to the east of the villas as snow had begun to fall. She called to him to come inside and get ready for bed. He groaned. The white of the snow glowing and swirling was so pretty. It was getting rather cold, though. He dropped his sword and turned to run back inside. He turned and the world phased back to reality once more. He looked straight ahead. Aislinn stood before him looking at him as if he were possessed. He noticed that Aislinn had also dropped her sword. He reached down to grab the blade. Aislinn ran at him and kicked the blade away from him. She punched him in the face, sending him flying backwards. He sat up, feeling anger and tears come to him as he knelt to stand up. He looked in front of him. His father was standing meekly.

"My decision disappoints you, my son?", he said softly. Commodus frowned and felt anger surge within him. No one thought he could be a leader. No one thought he could be strong. It was infuriating! He ran at the old man as he had wanted to do for some time and threw a hard hit into the man's chest.

Aislinn screamed as the hit landed on her right shoulder. She stumbled backwards, reeling from the pain and frustration. She looked up at him. He looked wild, like the barbarians in the prisons.

"I am a strong and moral man, Father!", he yelled. Aislinn looked at him in confusion. Had her blow to his head caused him to lose his senses? She tried to toss her sword down and run to him to comfort him. Perhaps that would rekindle the love he had for her. Before she could do this, Commodus regained his senses. He noticed Aislinn. The crowd was jeering. There was not much of a show going on at all thanks to Aislinn's being concerned for him. This wasn't right. Aislinn had to make this look real, he had to make this look real. He lunged forward and shouted at her. Aislinn held up her blade defensively. She noticed the rage in Commodus's eyes as he attacked. There was no going back now. She had to be done with this or abandon all hope of ever going home and taking care of her people. She clenched her eyes shut and screamed as he landed on her. Aislinn looked down. Commodus's shoulder was impaled on her sword. She looked up at him silently. He froze and looked down at the wound. Aislinn cried out and yanked the sword out of his arm.

"No!", she screamed. Commodus fell forward. She caught him as red began saturating the white of his clothing. Blood poured from the wound like all of Aislinn's hope for a future with him. Her heart burst into a thousand pieces. Commodus sank down. Aislinn grabbed hold of him as he lowered to the ground. He looked up at her. Everything was clear. He was free of Rome, free of past sins, free of the limitations placed on his heart. He smiled as all of the joy that Aislinn brought him filled his veins where blood was depleting. "Commodus, no! Please stand up! Please, don't do this! Rome needs you! What about your sister? What about your nephew? What about me!? You're not ready to die! You can't die!", she screamed. Commodus looked up at her and gave her a half-smile. He had to share the joy of what he had learned and done with her. He had to end her tears before the lights went out in his world.

"All is forgiven, sister. I'm so happy. I am ready to go.", he whispered. Aislinn watched in horror as the colour drained from his face. She pulled her to him and tried to force her warmth, her life into him. She screamed repeatedly and hit the back of his head, demanding that he come back. She wept madly as the guards allowed Quintus and Maximus into the arena. The crowd was silent. Above the sounds of Aislinn's screams, there was nothing. She looked down at her beloved as he lay cold and still forever in her arms.

"I'm not ready, Commodus.", she wept. "I'm not ready for you to go."

"My lady, it is time. You must leave the capital. We will see to his body.", Quintus said as he approached and reached down. Aislinn jumped up and attacked him furiously.

"Don't say that! Don't ever say that! He's fine! He just needs some rest, he'll be alright. He's had worse.", she said trailing off in mutterings. A physician appointed by gracchus went out and began to look over the fallen emperor. Maximus and Quintus both noticed this at the same time Aislinn did. They grabbed her and held onto her tightly as the man knelt and examined his former Caesar. He shook his head and looked up at the group.

"Caesar Commodus Antonius Aurelius of Rome is dead.", he announced. The orator repeated this. The crowd began to wail and cry as Aislinn sank between the two men doing the same. What had she done? She had never killed before, and now she had murdered her beloved? She could have refused this. She could have thrown down her weapon and refused to fight. Now he was gone. She screamed one final time to the heavens and then became still and silent. Maximus turned to Quintus.

"Let's get him onto the cart and get her out as well. We start the journey immediately. Is Tormod at the gates waiting?", he asked.

"Yes. I'll take Aislinn.", Quintus offered. Maximus knelt and picked up Commodus's limp form. He smiled when he heard a soft grunt from the man. They would need to give him a little more of the elixir in a few hours. He would need to appear dead until they were beyond the capital. The job was only half done and the hardest part was yet to have passed. Now they needed to get him out of the city feigning death, and keep Aislinn alive until they were free. Maximus snickered to himself as they walked. None of the men were close enough to hear him, so he spoke openly, but softly to the 'slain' man over his shoulder.

"Well, Commodus, Aislinn hasn't killed you...yet. When you awake she will know that the heartache she has suffered was all a ploy. Then she'll have at you." He turned the man to look at him and smiled. "You're so lucky she loves you, or you'd be dead right now."

Five guards came out and helped Maximus place Commodus on a cart that was to accompany them out of the city. Aislinn was seated solemnly in front of her brother on a horse. She had no facial expressions. If it had for one moment been unecessary for her to breathe she wouldn't have done that, either. Quintus and Maximus frowned as they began their journey. Aislinn amde no movements or sounds. The group stopped to make camp for the night. Tormod dismounted and then reached up to help Aislinn do the same. She remained very still. He pulled her off and set her on the ground, then carried her over to the fire. Claude climbed off of the horse that he was riding. He couldn't bare the thought of living without Aislinn or Commodus. It was rather convenient for him that the two were destined to be together. He helped Tormod and Maximus set up the camp and prepare a meal for the evening. They offered food to Aislinn. She remained unmoving. No sound, no reaction of any kind. Tormod sat down next to her and took out a piece of bread.

"Lass, you have to eat. You have to go home. You promised him that you would not abandon your people. You promised.", he reminded. Aislinn took the bread, swallowed it after only a few brief 'chomp's and then fell backwards to sleep. She rolled over and began to sob uncontrollably. Tormod reached down to comfort his little sister, but she shoved him firmly away. He shook his head and drooped a blanket over her. He walked over to the cart to check on Commodus. he hadn't moved an inch and Quintus had been able to stop the bleeding after a little while. He climbed into the cart to give him his next dose of the potion. He pulled out the small vial and grabbed the young man's chin firmly. He poured the small vial of thick, dark fluid into his mouth. Commodus gagged slightly. he had obviously regained a little of his senses and strength. Tormod smiled and patted his shoulder. His smile faded. The emperor was burning with fever. He climbed quickly out of the cart and set to treating the wound. Quintus and Maximus watched. Claude looked over at Aislinn and nodded to the two, signaling for them to find out what was wrong. The two got up quickly and ran to tend to Commodus and Tormod. Tormod was working quickly and quietly. While he didn't have the same skill the Aislinn had, the basic principles of healing that were given to all highland warriors was the same. He turned to Maximus and Quintus. "His wound has a fever. I can stave it off until morning, but let's hope my sister stays in the form she's in right now, or we're done for."

The two nodded in agreement. They bundled blankets around Commodus and left him to sleep. To everyone's relief, neither Aislinn nor Commodus stirred all night. In the morning, the group gathered themselves together and headed onward. It was only one more day's journey to the border. They would only have to administer one more dose of the elixir to Commodus and then all would be well. They hoped Aislinn would hold out until then. She was beginning to look weak. She had refused to eat properly and sleep in the days before the battle, but now she was fading even faster. Tormod tried everything to lift her spirits aobut returning home. Aislinn heard nothing and saw nothing. Her world was cold, dark, and silent. It was no more than she deserved for the time being. Commodus was lost, and it was her fault. Rome would face many harsh challenges now thanks to her, and then there was his family of course. She had to remian emotionless to remove the thought of Lucius and Lucilla bewailing the fallen emperor. That night, Tormod and the others carried Aislinn into a tent to keep her warm. They left her inside and gathered around the fire to talk. Aislinn wondered to herself how her life had come to this. She sighed. She couldn't even be with him for brief and nasty encounters with practice weapons. She gulped. Perhaps she could at least be with his body. To see his face, that would be nice. She slipped from the tent and climbed into the cart beside him. The covers that were over him had been pulled away from his face for the moment. She couldn't control her tears at seeing his face.

"Hail Caesar.", she whispered. "It's a funny thing, life. A few months ago I'd have given anything to see you lying here like this. So still and cold. I hated you so much!", she wept. "Now I can't live without you." She looked down and stroked his hair. "I would give anything to let you break my leg again. I still remember how you shuddered when the thunder roared that night. Do you remember?"

A cold breeze whipped past them. Aislinn instinctively pulled one of the blankets around her. She sighed. Her eyes suddenly opened very wide and her mouth hung open with surprise. The blanket was warm! Perhaps it had just been the fact that she had been on top of it. She reached down and touched his face. No! It was very warm. She let out a small shriek of happiness and cuddled up to him. In his mind, Commodus saw the halo returning. First pink, then purple, and now it was becoming white. He was ready to wake to Aislinn.

Back in the capital city, Lucilla left the senate. She had been called there immediately despite her protests that she needed to be with her son. Gracchus now led the mourning woman into her quarters. Once the three of them were alone, he could tell Commodus's family that he was alright. Lucilla walked over to Lucius's bed. It was empty. She whirled around and began frantically searching for him. Gracchus felt his stomach lurch. Lucius was as spirited as Immaus, his son, had once been. He knew all too well what the little scamp would have done at a time like this. He walked over to the boy's desk where his reading scrolls lay scattered. There was a piece of parchment with childish scribblings that formed words on them. Gracchus smiled as he read it.

'Dear mother,

I heard uncle say last night that he had died and risen into a new life. If he has already done it once, then he'll do it again! I'm going to go watch and then we will come back to Rome with Aislinn and be together forever. Please don't worry or send the guards to fetch me. I am a capeable man and can take care of myself.

Sincerely, no, love

Lucius'

Gracchus chuckled and took the piece of paper in his hand. He would show Lucilla at the last possible moment. He had wondered how he was going to ferry the newly abandoned royal family out of the capital and this was just too perfect. It was all falling into place. He knew in his heart that Aislinn and Commodus would soon be laughing and crying in one another's arms. The journey was not yet over; and there was still the threat of Falco, of course, but for now the world could spin a little slower and there would be peace and stability.

((to be continued...oh yeah! It's soooo not over! Check back tomorrow!))))