Lucius paced the halls as he waited for his uncle to leave his mother's room. He knew when he passed by her chamber that the emperor was no longer inside because most of the guards had gone.

Lucius felt numb. He really didn't have a plan, and he tried not to think of what he must do.

He knew that he had to do what neither his mother nor Maximus had been able to do.

Lucius stopped to peer inside his uncle's large throne room, but he saw that his uncle was holding the baby. The lump grew in his throat and he started to pull away and leave, but one of the guards motioned for him to enter.

"The emperor said that if you stopped by you could enter, Master Lucius."

Lucius gritted his teeth at being given away, but forced himself to enter.

Commodus sat on his throne, completely preoccupied. He was cradling the newborn in his arms and did not look up as Lucius entered. A chair away, Servius was sitting sideways with his legs thrown over one of the arms rests of his own chair. He was preoccupied with a ring on his finger. He slipped it off and then back on again.

Lucius stopped and crossed his arms behind his back innocently. He gritted his teeth and glanced down at the area of cloth that he knew concealed his knife.

"Lucius," Commodus motioned for him to come closer. "Did you see your new sister?"

"Yes." Lucius nodded and he walked a few steps closer. He knew that he could do nothing while Commodus held the baby. He clenched his jaws tightly.

Lucius tried to clear his head. Could he have done anything while Servius and the guards were in the room anyway? Surely he wouldn't have been able to do it without consequence. But if they killed him would it even really matter? Cassia, his mother, and his new sister would be safe from him.

"She's beautiful," Commodus whispered, breaking Lucius's thoughts. "I brought her in here so that Lucilla could rest. She was…not looking well."

Lucius stared at the baby, keeping a safe distance between he and his uncle.

"Come see her, Lucius."

Lucius took another slow step toward his uncle and new sister.

"I know that we have not been as close as we once were, Lucius," Commodus glanced up from the baby briefly. She was waking. She opened her eyes and stretched her arms out from the cloth she was wrapped in. Commodus smiled down at her. His eyes lightened.

It was sickening to watch Commodus hold the innocent newborn. Lucius could not help but be repulsed at the thought that Commodus would have the chance to ruin his half-sister just as he had his half-brother.

"But I do love you…As I do my own son and daughter," Commodus continued.

Lucius noticed that Servius glanced up from his own hands, listening to his father's words.

"I have a fine family…and you are a part of it."

Lucius gritted his teeth together to keep himself from saying everything that he wanted to say. Commodus's words meant nothing to him. They were empty, and He wanted to accuse his uncle of everything, but he could not make himself say it aloud.

"Do you remember when we spent time together? You used to beg me to tell you stories. You listened so closely to every word I would say," Commodus's lips curled into a slight smile.

Lucius fought hard to not go back in time and recall the memories. He didn't want to relive the times that Commodus filled his ears with his poisonous ways.

"I've chosen a name for her," Commodus said excitedly.

Lucius met his uncle's eyes.

"Her name is Valeria. It means to be strong. Do you know what your name means, Servius?" Commodus brought his attention to his son.

"To preserve?" Servius said questioningly.

"Correct," Commodus murmured.

Lucius reached down and clenched the dagger in his pocket.

"Servius asks why you cannot play with him…why you cannot duel together. You are old enough to understand that yourself, am I right Lucius?" Commodus questioned.

Lucius nodded. His lips were still pressed tightly together. He was struggling to maintain a calmness in his body.

"It is not in his future to hold a position of power, Servius," Commodus turned his head to speak to his son. "It is in your future, my son."

Servius smiled.

"Lucius, sometimes I worry for you, though," Commodus rubbed his fingers gently across the baby's forehead.

Lucius furrowed his eyebrows. "Why?" he choked out.

"I feel that you are confused and you harbor unnatural feelings against me and…"

"Unnatural?" Lucius questioned.

"This is not how I wanted our relationship to be," Commodus murmured. "We are distant."

"Distance is not always a bad thing," Lucius spat.

Commodus smiled at his words and shrugged his shoulders.

"And I understand, Lucius, that as you are growing older, you want a wife…but I feel that I must stress that I do not believe that a chambermaid would not make a good one for someone of royal blood."

Lucius felt his cheeks burn at his uncle's words.

"If only you would have asked, I could have been looking for the perfect wife for you," Commodus continued.

"Do not even-" Lucius stopped himself, but a faint smile formed on Commodus's lips—a knowing smile.

"Did you know that she wanders the corridors at night? She leaves her post at Lucilla's bedside. As sick as Lucilla was, I am surprised that you did not warn her of leaving your dear mother for long when you met with her at night."

"Why are you doing this?" Lucius spat the words out, trying to control his anger.

"Doing what, Lucius?" Commodus questioned innocently.

He looked back to the baby in his arms.

Lucius glanced to the guards and then back to Commodus.

The entire room was silent. The silence was deafening, though. Even Servius's eyes roamed from Lucius to Commodus as he curiously watched.

"I know what you did," Lucius murmured. "And why you did it. My mother knows as well."

"I…Uh…Lucius, I do not know what you are speaking of."

"You feel threatened by me," Lucius announced.

Commdous smiled again. "Did you know that…Cassia is her name right? She…Well I think that she loves you."

Lucius's tightened his jaws. He squinted hard at his uncle.

"You're a monster," Lucius murmured.

"Oh," Commodus reached for his heart dramatically with one hand. "Lucius, I cannot imagine what that poor, bored, maid told you, but she and I had a nice conversation…about you of course."

Commodus rose to his feet and took a few steps closer. He rocked the baby gently in his arms.

Lucius remained frozen as Commodus leaned in close. He moved as if he wanted to tell a secret—something only to be heard by the two of them.

Lucius's hand tightened on his dagger, but he looked down at the baby between them and forced himself to remove his hand from the weapon.

Commodus bit into his bottom lip as he leaned in close.

"Lucius, There is something so….intoxicating about her," Commodus murmured softly—so softly that only Lucius could hear.

Lucius glared back at his uncle. Their faces were barely inches apart. Oh how easy it could have been to push the dagger into the soft skin of Commodus's stomach and pull it downward, spilling the contents of his body on the marble floor.

"So I understand…your fascination… with her…but I do not understand why you had not yet claimed her as yours," Commodus continued.

Lucius tried not to react to his uncle's words. He had thought of claiming her as his a long time ago. He'd thought of the two of them together—not just for one night though. He'd fantasized of a future with her, but always forced himself back to reality—to protect her.

"She bruises so easily…she's like a delicate fruit…so sweet," Commodus whispered.

"Shut up!" Lucius roared.

He pulled away from his uncle, stumbling backwards so that he would not allow his anger to get the better of him.

"Put…Put the baby down," Lucius stammered.

"What will you do Lucius? You did not tell me you cared for her. I apologize. It was an honest mistake. Perhaps though, you should set your standards a little higher because it seems that your little chambermaid will spread her legs for anyone at all."

"No!" Lucius roared.

"Guards stand down," Commodus interrupted him, making Lucius realized that the guards had stepped forward to detain him. He looked to them and then back to Commodus.

"It's alright. Lucius is not acting like himself this evening," Commodus continued.

"You forced yourself on her!" Lucius spoke out.

The baby erupted into a cry, and Commodus rocked her a little again.

"Is that what she said?" Commodus smiled. He shook his head. "Do you call yourself seeking revenger her honor or?"

"I want revenge for everything that you have done!" Lucius growled. "You have ruined-"

"Cesar! Master Lucius! Come quick! It is Lucilla! I fear she is dying!" Lucius turned to face a horror stricken servant girl. She waved for them to follow her, but disappeared before waiting for a response from them.

"What?" Commodus demanded.

An older servant woman moved forward to take the baby from Commodus. He handed her over and hurried toward Lucilla's chamber. He passed by Lucius as if he was no longer there—no longer of importance or threat to him.

Servius sat up in his chair, but did not move, and Lucius stood frozen for a moment—completely frozen and shocked.

He watched the guards following Commodus disappear.

After a moment, he ran too, catching up to his uncle, the guards, and the young servant. She led them into Lucilla's chamber and spoke as they entered.

"She has fainted," the young servant placed and then removed her hand from Lucilla's damp face.

Lucilla was covered up to her chest by her blanket and her hands were lying by her sides. Her eyes were closed and her face was calm- as if she was dreaming heavily.

"Mother," Lucius took his mother's hand. It was clammy and pale. He rubbed it frantically.

She did not react to his touch.

Commodus moved passed him, nearly pushing him out of the way to reach for Lucilla's face. He gently grasped her chin and straightened her head toward his.

"Lucilla," Commodus called. His voice coursed with raw emotion. "Lucilla can you hear me? Wake up?"

"She is so pale," the maid murmured. "I was cleaning the place up. She had not energy all of a sudden and called for me. She told me that she feared she was dying."

With wide eyes, Commodus turned to face the maid.

"Her breathing is weak…" the maid continued explaining breathlessly. "And…"

"But what is wrong with her!?" Commodus demanded, grabbing the young maid by both of her arms and shaking her until she stopped babbling.

The maid choked on her breath. "I…She…The bleeding…bleeding. I fear it is too late. I did not know she was bleeding. I fear that the baby took too long."

"No, No, No," Commodus wailed, and Lucius watched his uncle let go of the maid and collapse to his knees beside the bed. He grasped Lucilla's hand and pressed it to his face. He gasped and choked out words that Lucius could not even understand. He kissed her hand desperately as if he could revive her by doing so.

"Go fetch the physician, Lucius," Commodus ordered. Tears were freely falling from his eyes, and Lucius stood shocked at his uncle's reaction.

He himself was shocked as well, but his mother had pretty much told him. She'd known and she forewarned him. A lump of sadness grew in Lucius's own throat, but Lucius stood back. He swallowed it down.

He was shocked at his uncle's crazed outburst, and he knew that the physician would be of no help. It was too late. Lucilla had known. She had warned him. She was gone or would soon be.

"No Not Lucilla!" Commodus cried out. "Please no! Spare her!"

Lucius felt his eyes burn. Commodus felt as if he had the perfect family, but he'd ruined it all himself. It was all his fault.

"Go get him Lucius. I command you," Commodus roared. "So he can save your mother! You want that don't you!"

Lucius turned and ran from the room, but not to go get the physician. It was time. He had to find Cassia and his new sister.