Authors Note: I don't know what to say... I guess I finally figured out how to continue... so without further ado...

Lavinia

"Lavinia! What happened...what are you doing here? Are you alright?", Marcus is frantic. He speaks so fast I can barely make out his words. I try to wiggle out of his death-grip so I can look him in the eyes and assure him that I am unharmed. "I am fine Marcus. And please let go of me, I can barely breathe." A shaken little laugh escapes me when realization sets in. I did it. My brother is with me again after all these years. And he is alive and well!

Esca

"Marcus knows her!", is the first thing that comes to my mind when I see my master, o how I loathe that word, run towards the girl and wrap his arms around her in an all too familiar way. Though I can barely manage to keep upright and not howl in pain from the whiplash I have just received, I have to suppress the urge to yank the Roman away from what I want to claim as my own. I wonder what their relationship is. She seems to welcome his embrace, his touch, and although that thought sickens me to a point where it is almost unbearable, it is the only reason Marcus is still alive and breathing. Had I the smallest hint, that his touch made her even slightly uncomfortable...my hand grips the hilt of my father's dagger tighter. Nothing would save him from my blade. Not even the fact that I owed him my life.

I hear Marcus and the girl whisper to each other fervently but can only hear bits and pieces of their conversation and it annoys me to no end. I cannot help but wonder what the relationship between Marcus and the girl is...Unfortunately I don't have the opportunity to linger on the question because another whiplash to my back almost forces me to my knees...I loathe all Romans but I hate this one with a passion. He treated his dogs better than the slaves. Antonius, Marcus' guest, who just arrived fresh out of Rome about a week earlier. I am used to pain but the whiplashes are almost too much to bear. The only thing that keeps me upright is the thought of the look of despise on Marcus' face if he saw me crumble to the ground like a weakling. And then the girl...Speaking of which...I was so engulfed in the pain of the last whiplash that I did not see her move in front of me, Marcus in tow, yelling at her brothers guest.

Lavinia

"Stop! What are you doing? Marcus, do something! Make him stop! This is insane! He saved me!", I yell at the top of my lungs while stepping in front of Esca to make sure he won't be touched by that whip again. The Roman on the horse just sneers at me to get out of the way and raises his whip again but lowers it quickly once Marcus steps forward: "Are you threatening my sister, Antonius?"

"Your sister?", at that I can almost feel his gaze on my too bare skin. The look in his eyes makes me shiver and I have to suppress the sudden urge to hide behind my brother. It reminds me too much of the looks on the faces of the men the night before.

"Yes my sister.", Marcus' voice is cold. I can tell he's not too fond of his companion.

"Of course not. I was only trying to get some sense into that disobedient slave of yours. She should not have interrupted.", with that he turns his attention back to Esca as if nothing happened.

Esca I realize hasn't moved an inch. He is standing so still one could think he was made of marble. His head is bowed though and his hands are clenched into fists. His posture screams: TENSION.

"Well he is MY slave, as you know. Don't you think it is my duty to do that?" Esca looks up at him then and I am taken aback by the amount of hatred in his eyes. Never before have I been more afraid than in that moment. He did not move, not even his breathing changed, but his eyes betrayed him. It was only a flicker but I know then that my savior hates Marcus with a passion.

"Of course. I did not realize you would want to punish him yourself. But where are my manners", with these last words he dismounts and turns to me "it is a pleasure to finally meet you, milady, I am Antonius, a centurion like your brother used to be." With that he takes my hand into his and raises it to his mouth. I have the urge to snatch it way but I don't dare for it would be considered a grave insult.

I nod silently before turning to my brother only barely keeping my inner rage in check: "Marcus! You cannot think about punishing him! He saved me!"

"He saved you? From what? What happened? What are you doing here anyway?"

"It's a rather long story Marcus... but to sum it up: I came here for you of course! But then... I got lost in the woods last night", I feel Escas eyes on me as I lie to my brother for the first time in my life and pray that he remembers his promise to me and stays quiet, "and Esca here, found me and promised to take me to his master..." I think I see Escas something flicker in Escas eyes at that but it is over so quickly I might as well have imagined it.

"Last night? Why did it take you so long to get here then, slave? You were trying to abduct the girl, weren't you?" Antonius steps forward once again, the whip already perpared.

It seems as if Esca doesn't even notice he's there. I can still feel him looking at me strangely. A mixture of fury and something else in his eyes that I can't quite make out...But I don't have time to ponder on his emotions because I have to make sure that they are not getting the wrong idea now. He was just trying to help me to get to a Roman household after all... "No! He...he had to help me because I twisted my ankle! I couldn't walk so he... he had to assist me and we had to go at a very slow pace...", I think I hear a snort coming from my right at that but I don't dare to look up at Esca to see if I am right. It is already hard enough for me to lie as it is.

"I did send him out rather late last night... How did you come upon my sister, Esca?", Marcus then asks the proud Britannic. For considering his current posture there is no other way to describe him. Escas only answer is standing even taller and raising his eyes to meet mine and then Marcus'. A mocking look in them. I realize then that I should not have worried. He won't say a word. Although I am not sure if because of the promise he gave me or because he likes seeing Marcus agitated. Whatever the reason this is not how a slave should behave when threatened to be flogged... I can almost see Marcus' temper rising and although I know my brother is not a cruel man I know he is also used to people obeying him... and Esca's refusal to answer his question is an act of disobedience. Something no Roman can tolerate of his slave, especially not in the company of others.

"You were asked a question, slave!", Antonius sneers and I know that this time Marcus will not step in if he should decide to raise the whip again.

"Marcus, please I made him promise not to tell!", I have no choice. I cannot risk someone beeing flogged on my account. But I also don't know if I have the strength to tell my brother what happened so soon... the thought makes me physically ill.

"What? Why would you do that? What happened, Lavinia? Tell me!", I know there is no getting away from him when he uses that voice.

"I came here with Lucius and Cornelia and some soldiers as an escort... Last night I was wandering around the camp when the..."

"Enough.", the voice interrupting me is strong and confident and I recognize it immediately. When I turn to face him his eyes lock with mine instantly and he holds my gaze for a long moment. His head tilted slightly as if he were trying very hard to figure something out.

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