2

She was standing in the gardens—that haven of beauty which had become her respite from life. Leander caught hold of her waist while she was turned from him, examining a budding rose, and gently kissed the back of her neck. She squealed in surprise, but allowed herself to relax in his arms.

"Dearest," he murmured, turning her to face him, "there is something I wish to speak to you of." The maiden lowered her eyes.

"Have I displeased you?" Maximinus laughed at the absurdity of the thought.

"Of course not. No, this is something entirely different." He rested his chin on the top of her densely flowing tresses and stared blankly ahead. "I do not know how to begin this, Love. Calliliana…what do you believe?" He heard the girl gasp, and felt her pull away slightly.

"Why do you ask?" Leander noted that her pale face was flushed a deep crimson.

"Are you afraid to tell me?" he countered softly, raising her chin so that their eyes met.

"Y-yes."

"Why?" The young woman took a deep breath, and crossed her arms over her slender body.

"Not long after the death of my mother, I began to question what I truly believed. I…I wondered deeply what had become of my mother after her death—where her spirit had gone." Calliliana did not meet Leander's eyes as she spoke, and he sensed that fear flowed through her veins in the place of blood. "I did not find answers from the religion of my people. One of my slaves, an old woman by the name of Lavina, knew of my searching. She was a Christian, and I had noted that she always seemed joyful, no matter what the circumstances of life. When her husband had perished, though I was only a child, I remember that this woman had not become hardened or bitter by her loss." A tear trembled on the edge of the young woman's lashes. "I wished to be like her with the loss of my mother." A warm sense of joy began to flood Leander.

"Did this woman then teach you of her faith?" Calliliana nodded.

"She did…and I believed her. I believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that the cross of Rome could not destroy Him, nor does the tomb of the Arimathean hold His Body. I believe that He rose again…
"You believe that?" Calliliana looked up in fear and surprise; emotion had made Leander's voice harsher by far than he had intended it to be.

"Y-yes I do. Please," she whispered, tears flowing freely now, "Do not send me away. I know what Rome does to followers of the Way…I am not strong enough as of yet to face torment and death." Maximinus caught the girl to his breast in a crushing embrace.

"Dearest," he murmured, nuzzling her hair, her neck, her shoulder, "Dearest. Calliliana, my Love, my heart is glad to hear you speak these words. I am a Christian myself." The maiden clung to the young man, her sobs shaking her body and his.

"Now I know why you are so good—so kind. Why you saved me from my fate."

"I could do nothing else." Leander pulled away gently and looked at the girl before him, matchless in her beauty, radiant in her innocence. Taking her hand in his, he tenderly drew her to himself. "Calliliana, most Dear…I love you."

"And I you."

"You know that I have given you the options of leaving me to start life afresh, of working as a paid servant in my household, or of simply staying with me until your mind is made up. To these I add another option." His breath caught in his throat and his eyes filled with tears as he looked deep within her ocean eyes. "Calliliana…will you be my wife?" With a cry of joy, the young woman threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the passion and fervor in her body. Leander melted into her kiss, its sweetness filling his senses with such intoxication he felt as if he was soaring miles above the earth. Calliliana pulled away from him and placed a soft hand on either side of his face.

"I will." she answered. And she smiled.