Chapter 26: We'll Take The High Road

Commodus was taken up to the cabin where the group was staying. Aislinn, being royalty, had been allowed a cabin that was meant for two people to hold herself and her manservant, Claude. After he had shown up, Aislinn had decided to keep Lucius with her as well. Commodus was placed on the larger bed in the room. He slipped in and out of consciousness for days. The captain had ordered that the cook prepare broth of beef marrow to give him when he was awake and Aislinn prepared both a salve for his wound and a tonic for his fever. Her mother had instructed her on how to make a cleanser for the body, but Aislinn waited until he had regained full consciousness to attempt that treatment. It was fortunate that she had chosen this, because the elixir made him violently ill. He clung to the rail of the ship, stark white adn shaking.

"Oh, God. Please just let me die.", he moaned. Aislinn frowned and swiped a cool cloth over his face.

"Do you think you can go back below deck for a little while?", she asked. He nodded. She lifted her arm under his and half-limped back to the cabin with him. Claude jumped up when they entered and began helping his former emperor into bed. "Go and ask the captain how much further we are to travel. If I remember correctly, we'll be at the shore of the eastern part of the highlands in the morning."

"Yes, Aislinn. Right away.", Claude said and scurried off. Commodus moaned and rolled over, grasping his chest and belly in pain.

"The draught didn't hurt this badly, why am I feeling this?", he cried.

"The poison needs to be expelled from your body. There's no telling what kind of damage was already done, but I don't want anymore to happen. That draught was meant to feign death, do you know what that meant?", she said smoothing his hair away from his brow. He groaned and closed his eyes. "It slowed your heart and breathing to make them still to the listener, it made your skin cold so that means your blood all but stopped pulsing through your body, it made you sleep so it must have suspended your mind substantially. Oh, Commodus! You could've died from the draught alone!" She held onto him tightly. He grunted in pain. Aislinn was still in amazement to the fact that her beloved was alive. She kissed his cheek gently, then frowned and smacked his arm. "And still you went through with it! What on earth was wrong with you!?" He groaned louder and rolled to the other side as the ship leaned. She sighed and laid her head next to him. "You were so brave, Commodus."

He felt his own heart sink at the bitterness of her words. His bravery usually cost him something dear. He felt a tear stream silently down his cheek. Aislinn gasped and wiped it away. He turned away.

"Oh, Commodus, I didn't mean to upset you. I just still feel absoloutely horrible for injuring you like that. I don't really think you were stupid or insensitive. Please don't cry.", she soothed. He felt another tear rip its way from his masculine eyes. He frowned deeply and felt his heart break. He began to relate the story of Immaus to Aislinn as the night passed. The sickness in his stomach and the pain subsided by the time he was finished. It seemed that as he cleansed his soul before her, the potion finished cleansing his body. He sighed as Aislinn wiped away the remaining tears. She reached down and kissed him and then placed her hand on the side of his face.

"I was careless that day, Aislinn. Maximus and Quintus each blamed themselves, but I was the one the assassin wanted. I was the helpless prince. I would give anything to have him back. I'm sure Gracchus would as well.", he said softly. Aislinn reached down and placed her other hand over his heart. He smiled and looked up at her. "Well, I suppose I wouldn't give anything."

She chuckled and kissed him on the lips. Even without their mouths parting and becoming passionate with one another, the tender beauty in the caress of one another in a most romantic way was incredibly moving. Both felt as if the ship had suddenly, but softly, glided up into the air and soared for a moment before plopping back down onto the water. The two gently seperated from one another's breath and looked into their beloved's eyes. Aislinn smiled in true affection and joy, Commodus smiled in sheer adoration. He shifted.

"We will be in my homeland in three days. Once we reach the shore tomorrow it is a three day ride to our territory.", she explained. Commodus nodded. There were a few settlements of the Celts that had yet to be conquered by Rome, for obvious reasons. The land was harsh compared to Roman soil proper, and the people were significantly harsher. Aislinn's clan were but a small and very fierce remnant of a prosperous culture. Their survival was vital and he knew that they would meet incredible opposition as a couple, more so than they would have in Rome. Here, however, Aislinn would have more freedoms even as royalty, than he ever did as Caesar. He sighed and looked up into her eyes more deeply. The people he was about to meet would be very strong, very brave, very clever, and very hostile. Aislinn had been taken from them. Of course, from the letter he gathered that they had known that legionaires were in their territory all along. Who would agree to let the princess just go off and bathe unattended, though? Aislinn must have been extremely strong-willed. Her parents obviously counted on Roman ignorance and their distaste for the land so as not to be noticed. If the Celts had hidden well enough, the troops wouldn't have bothered going to look for them. Her hair burned brightly in the candlelight.

"Aislinn, I still want you to be my wife.", he said taking her hand. She smiled. She leaned down.

"When you are strong enough, we will marry. It is fortunate for us that Lucius is here then."

"Why? And what do you mean, strong enough? Isn't there just a simple ceremony that can be performed by the captain or Maximus?", he asked. Aislinn laughed then looked at him intently.

"What do you know of my people's customs, Commodus?"

"To be truthful in private, Aislinn, not much. The information about the Celts that was brought back by Julius Caesar hasn't exactly been accurate in my dealings with you.", he confessed. Aislinn smiled. Fire burned behind her eyes. Commodus could see that it was a very physical flame burning. He scooted back and smiled. "How do the Celts marry?"

"An ancient ceremony is performed after the two have joined. We present our proposal to a member of each of our families, consumate, then present ourselves as joined.", she said inching closer. He looked at her a little nervously.

"Can your brother refuse me?", he asked softly.

"No, only my parents can refuse you. Only your parents can refuse me.", she explained.

"Then technically we couldn't marry until we met with your parents.", he reasoned. She stopped and thought for a moment. Noticing this he took hold of her arm. "However, since both my parents are dead, it would be rather unfair to lay the sole burden of acceptance on your mother and father." Aislinn smiled and leaned down, kissing him more fully. Commodus breathed in sharply and pulled her into his heartbeat.

"Tormod! Lucius! Come here!", Aislinn yelled. Commodus looked at her in surprise. He knew how much he loved and wanted her, but to think that she truly felt the same for him was almost overwhelming... almost. Tormod and Lucius had been talking with the other men in the cabin next door. The two came into Aislinn's cabin immediately. Tormod looked a little angry, but mostly amused. Lucius looked confused, but mostly clueless. Aislinn turned to them. "Commodus and I are going to be joined this night.", she said. She looked at Tormod directly. "Are there any objections to this decision?"

Tormod smiled. "I do not object to your decision, sister.", he said with a wry smile. She smiled. Commodus turned to Lucius.

"Do you object, nephew?", he asked softly.

"Are you going to be married, Uncle?", he asked innocently. Tormod laughed. Aislinn glared at him and he quieted. Commodus nodded to Lucius. "I don't object, uncle."

"Good then. We will send for you when we are one.", Aislinn said. Commodus smiled. Tormod led Lucius away and headed updeck. Aislinn turned back to Commodus and growled softly. Commodus felt primal fear and hunger surge through him. He looked up at his bride with desire and powerful love. Aislinn leaned into him and breathed deeply.

Above deck, Lucius and Tormod waited patiently. Tormod felt it best that the young boy remain away from the noise for the time being. He smiled. Explaining this to their parents was going to be fun to watch.

Lucilla reached the chanel at dusk. She breathed heavily and looked at the people that were boarding ahead of her. She walked angrily into the crowd and looked for her son and brother. They were nowhere to be seen and neither were the four men and Aislinn. She felt fear and severe anger gripping her. She walked up to the captain that was readying to depart. She looked frantically at him.

"Has a little boy been to this dock? He's about eight with blonde hair and brown eyes.", she said.

"No, miss. haven't seen him.", he replied quickly.

"What about a young woman with four men? She's a Celtess with red hair and there would have been a corpse with them.", she added. The man looked at her in shock and disgust. Lucilla frowned and looked away. Even she had to admit that what she was saying sounded very strange. The captain put a hand on her shoulder.

"There was a group that passed by a few days ago that matches that description. But three of the men were undoubtedly Roman."

"Yes! That's them! Where did they go?", she asked quickly.

"Around the chanel up to the port to the highlands. They should be there tomorrow if all went well.", he said.

"I need to get to them. That's my son that's with them!", she exclaimed.

"They kidnapped him?"

"No, but he didn't tell me he was following after them. They've gone to bury the body they were carrying. I suppose he wanted to say goodbye.", she lied. The captain nodded. "I need passage to the highlands."

"Very well. It's a fairly inexpensive trip.", he said looking away. Lucilla growled and threw a bag of gold denarius at him. He smiled and motioned for her to board. She stormed past him. She hoped that she wasn't too late to get to them before they met up with Aislinn's kinsmen. She also hoped that she wasn't being followed. Falco's shadow was looming over them like a hanging axe. As Commodus and Aislinn rested from their unification, Lucilla rested from her tiring journey. The road before them would be as treacherous and exciting as any fable the Celts themselves could weave.

((The story's not over yet! Stay with me, or rather, stay with them!!)))